Now that Eggman nearly destroyed the Everfree Forest, Princess Celestia was eager for an explanation. Inside her palace, Sonic and his friends never took the time to admire how fascinating it was, since they were only there to stop Equestria's unwelcomed visitor.
"Nice place!" Sonic looks around with a smirk.
Amy was admiring it as well. "Isn't it beautiful? I've always dreamed of living in a place like this, just like a real princess! Wouldn't you agree Sonic?" She smiles at him, dreaming that one day they can live together.
Princess Celestia was sitting on her throne, drinking a cup of tea with her magic. Her guards were standing right next to her, while the royal servants were busy repairing the damage that Eggman caused the other night. Everyone waits for her response.
"So from what you've told me, Dr. Eggman has found a way to control a fully grown dragon in Equestria?"
Sonic approaches her calmly before speaking. "Believe me your highness, we're just as surprised as you are. We think it has something to do with negative energy!"
"Negative energy?" Rarity asked.
"Yeah!" Tails answered. "Just like in this world, there's positive and negative energy found in the Chaos Emeralds. It represents good and evil."
"You sure know a lot about them Tails!" Twilight said.
"Well what can I say, that's why he's my number 1 assistant!" Sonic gives his pal Tails a nuggie.
"Hey, cut it out Sonic!" Tails laughed.
Knuckles interrupts their joyful escapade. "But this doesn't make any sense, how in the world could Dr. Eggman get his hands on negative Chaos energy? And even if he did, there's no way he could figure out how to use it to it's advantage! The true power of the Chaos Emeralds can only be activated by someone with a good heart, something that Eggman doesn't have. But what concerns me more is that even after being exposed to negative energy, why would the dragon just obey Eggman's orders? It's strange that he didn't just destroy Eggman after turning against him, and rampage through Ponyville instead. The same thing happened with Perfect Chaos!"
Rainbow Dash laughs. "Ha-Ha, I'd love to see that!" Everyone looks at her. "I meant the part where Egghead gets destroyed, not the part where the dragon attacks Ponyville!"
Fluttershy continues the conversation when she turns to Knuckles. "But maybe it's not pure negative energy."
"Or it could be something else." Twilight added.
"We won't know until we find out!" Shadow announced.
Amy agrees with the Ultimate Lifeform. "He's right! We have to get to the bottom of this!"
"Then it's with the best intentions that you go out and look for him, before he causes more harm to our village! But something troubles me..." The Goddess was actually worried. "...Sonic, if you told us that Eggman came here for the Chaos Emeralds, then why does he want The Elements of Harmony as well? It's not like they could serve a purpose to him."
Sonic speculates by placing his index finger to his mouth. "Hmm...wait a minute! Twilight, didn't you say that The Elements of Harmony is what keeps this world at peace?"
"Yeah, why?" Twilight answered.
Sonic snaps his fingers when it suddenly hits him. "That's it! Eggman's trying to get rid of your defenses so he can take over Equestria a lot easier!"
"In other words, he's a coward! I say we find him and give him the boot!" Rainbow Dash shouted.
Sonic folds his arms right next to Rainbow Dash. "It's not gonna be that easy Dashie, with Eggman it never is!"
"Well it's a good thing we know that he has the other Chaos Emeralds, I'll do whatever I can to sense their power." Knuckles said.
"Oh how lovely, you can sense gems as well?" Rarity asked. "I thought I was the only one who could!"
The red Echidna smiles and provides her with a thumbs up. "Nice, we have something in common. But I can only sense the Chaos Emeralds!"
"And don't worry Sonic, I'll see what I can do to fix The Emerald Tracker. If it works, it'll lead us directly to the Egg Carrier by detecting the nearest Chaos energy!" Tails said.
Spike was impressed. "You actually made that thing? That's so cool!"
But Shadow rolls his eyes. Predicting that it still wouldn't work. "Oh please, that piece of junk couldn't find a diamond in a jewelry store!"
"Oh yeah, just wait and see Shadow!" Tails responds.
"It sounds like this just turned into a game of hide and seek!" Spike said.
Pinkie Pie claps with her hooves. "Yay, I love hide and seek!"
"Well we can't just stand here and do nothing!" Rarity said.
Knuckles slams his fist on his right hand. "Rarity's right, we have to find him!"
"Then the best of luck to all of you! Twilight Sparkle?..." Celestia gazed upon her young student. "...I'm placing you in charge of this investigation. If you see anything suspicious, please, notify me as soon as possible."
"Yes Princess Celestia!" Twilight responds. Everyone bows before leaving the palace to start their mission, but Shadow figured that bowing to her once is good enough.
When they walk out the door, Applejack gets an idea. "I'd reckon if we split up, we can cover a larger area!"
"Good idea Applejack!" Twilight said.
Rainbow Dash whispers in her ear. "Um Twilight, is it cool if I go with Sonic?"
"Gee Rainbow Dash, you sure like spending time with him."
Feeling shy at first, Rainbow Dash rubs the back of her mane with her hoof. "I know, but...I've never met anyone like him before. He's just like me! He's cool, confident, adventurous, laid back, and never afraid of a challenge. He even told me that he hates the water, just like I do. I don't know why, but he reminds me of Daring Do. But I have to admit, he can be a show off sometimes!"
Twilight laughs after cracking a joke. "You mean, just like you!"
"Hey!" Rainbow Dash gently shoves Twilight with her hoof.
As they prepare to search for Dr. Eggman, Twilight gets their attention. "Alright listen up, Princess Celestia is counting on us! Sonic and Rainbow Dash, you two head for Cloudsdale, see if you can spot anything from up there. We'll meet back at my house when we're done searching!"
"Race you there Sonic! Think you can keep up?" Rainbow Dash smiled before taking off.
"No sweat!" Sonic runs after her.
Twilight continues. "Fluttershy, see if you and Tails can find anything in the Ghastly Gorge. But watch out for the Quarray eels!" They both blush when they see each other, looking away with a smile.
"Applejack, you and Knuckles should head back to Sweet Apple Acres. Just in case anything unusual is happening!"
"Sure thing!" Applejack replied. "C'mon Knuckles!" When she gallops, Knuckles keeps up with her by running at his own pace.
"Shadow, you and Rarity..." Shadow rudely interrupts. "Can it Twilight! I don't take orders from you!" He turns his back on her and plans to search for Eggman on his own. Twilight didn't know how to react to his attitude. "Is he always like this?" She asked.
Tails tries to make the situation humorous, but it only made things worse. "Oh that's nothing, you should see him when he misses breakfast!"
"I don't know if going with him would be such a good idea Twilight. He seems rather...vicious!" Rarity was somewhat afraid of Shadow.
"Don't worry girls, he's really not that bad once you get to know him." Tails added.
"I'll go with him!" Pinkie Pie shouted with joy.
Rarity quickly responds. "Be my guest!"
When Pinkie Pie hops after him, Twilight shouts from just a few feet away. "Be careful Pinkie! Ask Shadow if he wouldn't mind searching the Whitetail Woods with you!"
"Okie Dokie!" She responds.
"I'll go with you Ms. Rarity." Cream suggested.
"Thank you Cream, you're such a sweetheart!" Rarity said. She turns to Twilight and picks the only spot where they can search without getting dirty. "May I suggest looking for him back in Ponyville?"
Twilight responds. "Okay Rarity, just ask everypony if they've seen anything!"
"We'll do our best!" Cream announced. "Let's go Cheese!"
"Chao! Chao!" They follow Rarity when she gallops towards Ponyville. Cream starts flapping her ears to fly, while Tails and Fluttershy head straight for the Ghastly Gorge together.
"I guess that leaves the three of us." Spike said.
"Where should we go now?" Amy asked.
Twilight responds. "Follow me, we'll search in Manehattan and Appleloosa! Dr. Eggman has to be around here somewhere!"
Amy was curious, they were both places that she hasn't seen yet. She was excited, but didn't forget their important task.
Back in the outskirts of Ponyville, Dr. Eggman returns to the Egg Carrier, and was more frustrated than ever. Being defeated by a bunch of puny ponies, it was so humiliating. Decoe and Bocoe were busy using the super computer to search for any information that they could find on Twilight and the other ponies. When Eggman enters the cockpit, Decoe still hasn't learned to keep his big mouth shut.
"I take it things didn't go so well with Sonic, huh Dr. Eggman?"
"Save it Decoe, I'll take care of you later! You two numbskulls have better found something good!" Eggman shouts.
"We did sir..." Bocoe replied. "...According to what we found out about these ponies, the purple unicorn's name is Twilight Sparkle.
"Purple? I thought she was violet?" Decoe asked.
"Whatever!" Bocoe continued. "Anyway, Twilight was chosen by Princess Celestia to become her apprentice, and spends most of her time studying everything there is to know about magic. In fact, she contains a huge supply of magical power, which allows her to perform many useful techniques. She's a very gifted unicorn, and a faithful student to Celestia. Representing the Element of Magic."
"I know, I've seen it myself!" Eggman snarled. "Who's next?"
It was Decoe's turn to answer. "Rainbow Dash is the blue Pegasus pony that you were talking about earlier. And you were right sir, she's just like Sonic in every way! Not only does she match his speed, but his attitude as well. She dreams about joining a group called The Wonderbolts, and represents the Element of Loyalty." Every time Eggman looks at her, it reminds him of someone he despises. Decoe continues. "Pinkie Pie is the pink earth pony that's always so jolly and cheerful. You know, the one that gave you the creeps? She's known as the party planner of Ponyville, and really enjoys to smile and sing." He then cringes in disgust. "Ugh...I can see why you don't like her! She's also known as a comic relief to the other ponies, since she loves telling jokes, and represents the Element of Laughter."
"What about the orange one with the cowgirl hat?" Dr. Eggman asked.
"Her names Applejack!" Bocoe responded. "She represents the Element of Honesty, and spends most of her time working on a farm called Sweet Apple Acres. She's highly skilled with a lasso, and is one of the strongest ponies in all Equestria. Rarity is the white unicorn pony that represents the Element of Generosity. I believe she's the one that you were the most concerned about Dr."
"Nothing would satisfy me more than to see her beg for mercy while I strangle her! NO ONE INSULTS ME!" Eggman screamed.
"But what about Sonic? Doesn't he insult you all the time?" Decoe asked.
Dr. Eggman grabs the wrench, threatening to hit him as he growls.
Decoe flinches and covers his head, but Bocoe stops him by laughing at the screen. "Get a load of this Dr. Eggman! Rarity is a pony that loves makeovers, and fashion. She actually believes that her life is glamorous!"
When all three of them laugh, Bocoe reads from the monitor once again. "That's interesting!...It says here that Rarity also contains a great deal of magical power. It's not as effective as Twilight Sparkle's, but according to our resources, her magic contains a telekinetic ability that she can use as an attack. She can also use a magic spell to find hidden gems and other fancy objects throughout Equestria."
Eggman ponders. "So, Rarity can sense gems just like Knuckles huh?.....You know something, she might be of use to us after all! But what about the yellow pony?"
"Oh you mean Fluttershy?" Decoe answers. "You don't have to worry about her! From what our resources show, it's impossible for her to be considered as a threat. Even though she represents the Element of Kindness, she's afraid of her own shadow! She spends most of her time tending to the animals, and is well known for being too shy and polite to the other ponies."
Eggman chuckles. "Heh-Heh-Heh-Heh-Heh!...I knew she was too weak and pathetic to defend herself! Getting rid of her will be way too easy! You know boys, I'm impressed. For once you actually managed to do something right!" Decoe continues to please Eggman with more information. "But there's something you should know, besides the Elements of Harmony, their greatest power of all is their love and friendship for each other!...See?" Eggman turns his attention to the screen and sees an image of the mane 6 all together.
"Aww look how happy they are...it makes me sick!" Eggman snarled.
"Really?..." Decoe panics. "...Quick, get some alka-seltzer for Dr. Eggman!"
"I'm not really sick you idiot!" Eggman shouts. When he takes a closer look at the screen, he spots their Cutie Marks for the first time, and tries to figure out what they are. "What are those weird symbols anyway?"
"They're called Cutie Marks sir." Bocoe answered. "They symbolize each ponies distinct personality or talent in Equestria!"
Dr. Eggman responds. "Cutie Marks? What is this a world designed by preschoolers? That's the most childish thing I've ever heard! But no matter, what else have you found out?"
"Everything you need to know is right here sir. Check this out!" He listens while Decoe and Bocoe reveal more information about the ponies. Thanks to the super computer, Dr. Eggman knows everything about them now, including where they live, what they like to do, and all their strengths and weaknesses.
Out of curiosity Bocoe asks him another question. "By the way, what do you plan to do with this information anyway Dr.?"
Eggman grins. "You'll find out soon enough. Just think of it as a little surprise for Twilight and her pathetic pony friends! But we need a solution to find out what they're doing right now. Decoe, bring me the Egg Wasps, and you better not drop them!"
"Yes Dr. Eggman!" Decoe leaves the cockpit and rushes downstairs to Eggman's weapon chamber. He returns holding a glass jar filled with mechanical wasps. Complete with titanium armor, metal stingers, and green eyes. They can fool anyone, even the biggest animal lovers like Fluttershy. What's unique about these wasps is that each one contains a microscopic camera, which grants Eggman the chance to spy on whatever he wants. Now with an advanced camera system, he can see anything that happens in Equestria.
"Perfect." Eggman smiles and grabs the jar from Decoe. "Now we can finally see what those fools are up to!" He opens the window from the cockpit and unleashes them all throughout Equestria. Eggman turns around and walks back to the control panel. "Alright, no more games. It's time to send out the big one!....Move!" The two robots move out of the way, allowing their master to press three buttons on the controls. The blueprints for his newest robot are revealed on screen. From the look on their faces it's something big......really big.
"The Egg Titan? Very nice Dr." Bocoe said. "But how are you gonna make this thing fit in the Egg Carrier?"
"You let me worry about that Bocoe! It'll take a while to build, but the Egg Wasps will warn us if our position is exposed." He puts on metal gloves, and carefully grabs one of the Dark Chaos Emeralds as if he was dealing with precious cargo. He grins while holding it in his finger tips. "Heh-Heh-Heh-Heh, if those maggots want the Chaos Emeralds back, then I say we let them have it! But what they don't realize is that there's a little something special waiting for them inside! Hm-Hm-Hm-Hm-Hm-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha!" Eggman's diabolical laugh sends a chill down the metal spines of Decoe and Bocoe.
Meanwhile...in the wide open countryside of Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack and Knuckles looked everywhere, but so far, no sign of Dr. Eggman or his Egg Carrier. To get a better view, Knuckles climbed on top of the barn, and jumped off by gliding in the air. Passing over a corn field as he watches the ground like a vulture. Inside the barn, Applejack was busy alerting the Apple Family about Eggman. If he's already attacked Canterlot and the Everfree Forest, then who knows where he'll strike next. Better safe than sorry. As a request from Princess Celestia, they agreed to help with the search. Knuckles returns by reemerging from the ground, after gliding in the air he used the shovel claws to dig underground, being very careful not to damage the crops that they just planted. Applejack offers him a snack to regain his energy. She bucks an apple tree and rewards him with the juiciest apple that he's ever seen. "Thanks Applejack." Knuckles wipes it on his fur and starts eating it, but tells them that he couldn't find anything, not even underground.
At the Ghastly Gorge, Tails and Fluttershy were flying over the canyon. Looking at the ground below from a high perspective. While using The Emerald Tracker to try and detect something, Tails was concerned about one certain thing. "By the way Fluttershy, what is a Quarray eel anyway?" Almost instantly, the eels pop their heads from the side of the walls, frightening the little fox as he holds on to Fluttershy. "DAAAAAAHH!" He screams.
The sweet sound of her voice relaxes him. "It's alright Tails, this way." She safely guides him through the Ghastly Gorge, but the Emerald Tracker was still unable to pick up anything. Since his plan failed, Fluttershy gets her own idea. With no other ponies in sight, she approaches the birds, and calls out to them by singing the My Little Pony theme. In all his life,Tails has never heard such beautiful singing before. It was so soothing to his ears, that he almost ends up dropping the device into the abyss. With his heart melting, Tails was lost in his own thoughts. All he could think about was her voice, it was the voice of an angel. Fluttershy takes over by doing what she does best, kindly asking the animals for assistance. The birds couldn't resist her kindness, so they fly around to look for Dr. Eggman all over Equestria.
"You really love animals don't you Fluttershy?" Tails asked.
Fluttershy giggles and sticks her hoof out in front of him. "Shall we continue?"
After hearing her sing, Tails didn't know how to respond in the proper way. So he just grabs her hoof, and smiles as she leads the way.
In the Whitetail Woods, Shadow was skating down the path with Pinkie Pie galloping right behind him. Since searching for Eggman was so boring, she wanted to play a game with Shadow to pass the time. "I know, let's play I Spy!"
Shadow was getting annoyed. "No!"
"Great!" She smiled. "I spy with my little eye..." Shadow comes to a halt and turns around, planning to make everything perfectly clear with Pinkie Pie. "Listen Pinkie, this isn't the time for party games alright! If you're not gonna take this seriously, then.... just wait over there and stay out of my sight!" Even after raising his voice, Pinkie Pie was still smiling. She was just so happy to be here with him.
"Okay!" Pinkie Pie hops over to wherever he was pointing. When she finds a tin can on the floor, she actually looks inside thinking that Dr. Eggman's hiding in there. "Hello, anyone in here?" Really Pinkie Pie? You actually think Eggman could fit inside that tiny little can?
Shadow facepalms himself again after seeing this. "Ugh, why did Eggman pick this place? Now I'm stuck with her for the rest of the day!"
When Twilight, Amy, and Spike reached Manehattan, her number 1 assistant was too tired to continue walking, so Twilight allows him to ride on her back while Amy manages to stay one step behind them. When Amy first saw Manehattan she couldn't help but feel like she was back home. The city itself was so massive and awe-inspiring that it reminded her of Station Square, except for the fact that all the residents are ponies. They began their search but didn't know where to start. Eggman could be hiding anywhere in this entire city. But what they don't realize is that the Egg Carrier didn't travel that far. Without any useful answers, they continue on to the next location. Since Appleloosa was a far away Wild West town in Equestria, they had to take a train to get there. Once they've arrived, they were greeted by Applejack's cousin Braeburn.
"And who may I ask is this charmin' young lady?" Braeburn asked. Amy blushes after shaking his hoof, but reminds herself that her heart belongs to Sonic. At least that what she thinks.
Twilight giggles. "Braeburn, this is our new friend Amy. Her friends saved us when Canterlot was under attack!"
"Is Applejack okay?" Braeburn was worried about her.
"Don't worry Braeburn, thanks to Amy and her friends we all are!" Twilight answers.
"What in tarnation happened?" He asked.
They tell him everything, and warn him of the situation. He decides to help out by offering them a ride on a horse-drawn carriage to continue their search. Amy explains what they're looking for.
Back in Ponyville, Cream and Cheese were flying over the cottages, but Rarity wasn't much help. Instead she was focusing her attention on a diamond necklace that another pony was wearing, and couldn't resist asking where she got it from. Cream responds in a sweet voice. "Um Ms. Rarity, can you help us out here please?"
"Oh right, sorry darling!" Rarity said. She starts asking the other ponies if they've seen where Dr. Eggman went, and even uses some of her charm to get information from the boys. But the smoke caused by the fire in the Everfree Forest obstructed their view, so they were unable to see which direction Dr. Eggman took off to. Without any luck they continue to search for him. Rarity then promises to not let anything distract her from now on.
Rainbow Dash and Sonic both reached Cloudsdale at the exact same time. This wasn't the big race that they were planning, just a little friendly competition. But they were both satisfied that they finally found someone who can match their speed. Dashie tries to convince Sonic that she won by just a few centimeters, but Sonic chuckles because he knew the race was a tie. However, they had no choice but to settle this later, right now they're on a mission. To help Sonic reach the top of Cloudsdale, Rainbow Dash was happy to give him a ride on her back when she flies.
"I'm not too heavy for you am I Dashie?" Sonic asked.
"No, it's fine. But I would hang on if I were you!" Because he was so close to her, she blushes before taking off.
Like a supersonic jet, Rainbow Dash travels through the skies of Equestria with unbelievable speed. It was such a wild ride. Sonic holds on to her as tight as he can, but from his point of view, it just felt like he was running in mid-air.
Once they've reached the white fluffy clouds of Cloudsdale, Sonic was free to run across with Rainbow Dash flying above him. They can see Ponyville, Canterlot, and the entire Everfree Forest from up there. They look around from a certain spot, but just like the rest of the gang, they couldn't see anything either.
At that precise moment, they were spotted by three of Eggman's Egg Wasps. When they follow them through Cloudsdale, their eyes start beeping which alerts the Egg Carrier that they've identified the targets. To listen in on their conversations, a tiny satellite dish emerges from their bodies as they move in closer.
Inside the Egg Carrier, Decoe and Bocoe were given direct orders to watch the radar, while the maniacal Dr. Eggman was keeping himself busy by building the Egg Titan in his observatory with a handful of Eggbots to assist him. It was the only room big enough in the entire ship to fit something of that size. Decoe alerts him by using the intercome. "Uh, master? I hate to bother you but..." The evil doctor approaches the intercome with annoyance. "This better be good Decoe! If I've told you once, I've told you many times...DON'T INTERRUPT ME WHILE I'M WORKING! NOW WHAT IS IT?!"
Decoe hesitates as he informs him on what's happening. "...Sir I think the Egg Wasps have detected something!"
"Is that so? Activate the surveillance system and put it on full screen!"
"Yes Dr. Eggman!" Decoe responds.
A giant monitor rises from the ground in his observatory, and shows Sonic and Rainbow Dash looking for him in Cloudsdale.
"Come on out Eggman! We know you're out here somewhere!" Sonic shouted.
"Yeah, you can't hide forever!" Rainbow Dash said.
Eggman covers his face with another creepy smile. "All in good time Sonic, all in good time! And don't you worry about a thing Rainbow Dash, soon your entire race will become my prisoners once I'm done with you!" After releasing a devilish laugh, he rejoins the Eggbots and continues to construct his harbinger of death. With three Dark Chaos Emeralds placed in separate containers, there's no doubt that he plans to use them for the Egg Titan's power source.
As the search continues for Dr. Eggman, time erratically goes by until the sun sets over Ponyville. Outside the Library, everyone shares the same bad news.
"Have you guys found anything yet?" Twilight asked.
Knuckles shakes his head. Closing both eyes with dissatisfaction. "Sorry Twilight, we looked everywhere, but couldn't find him! The one thing Dr. Eggman's always good at is hiding!"
Twilight was starting to worry, if they couldn't find Dr. Eggman, how much longer will it be until he attacks again? Sonic was thinking the same thing. "We'll have to inform Princess Celestia." Twilight said.
"Do you think she'll take the news well?" Sonic asked.
"I hope so." She responds.
"By the way Applejack, Braeburn says Hi!" Spike said.
"Who's that?" Knuckles asked.
"My cousin!" Applejack answers. "How is old Braeburn anyway?"
"He's good Applejack, but he misses you!" Twilight responds. "He wants to know when your coming to Appleloosa again."
"We can visit him tomorrow if you want A.J." Knuckles suggests.
"Thanks Knuckles." Applejack said.
Tails continues. "If the Emerald Tracker was working properly, then finding Eggman wouldn't be so hard! I'll have to work on it tonight!"
"Careful Tails, remember what happened the last time you stayed up all night trying to build something?" Sonic asked.
His cheeks blushed with embarrassment. "It was just a minor miscalculation Sonic!"
"Minor?" Sonic laughs. "You almost blew up your workshop, and you set Shadow's tail on fire!"
"Yeah but, his fur grew back didn't it?"
Twilight and her friends laughed, but Shadow remains serious. "You guys are funny." Twilight said.
When Shadow grabs Tails and threatens him, the mares were too afraid to interfere. "Just so you know Tails, I still owe you one for that!" Tails gulps.
Sonic protects his best friend. "Hey chill out Shadow, it was an accident! Not in front of the girls!" After glancing at Sonic, Shadow releases him. "Consider yourself lucky Tails. You won't always have Sonic around to watch your back, so I suggest you start watching it yourself!"
"Is...he gonna be okay?" Twilight asked.
"Oh don't mind him Twilight, he's just in one of his moods." Sonic replied
"If that's one of his moods, I'd hate to see the others." Rainbow Dash said.
After such a long day, it was time for the girls to eat. They invited their friends to the Ponyville Café, hoping that it can somehow keep Shadow under control. Spike, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders: Applebloom, Sweetie Bell, and Scootaloo join as well. It was her first time meeting the newcomers in person. She was really excited because her best friends told her so much about them. As they walk through Ponyville, Sonic was admiring the sights with his good friend Rainbow Dash. The other ponies welcome him with a friendly smile. Sonic was kind of disappointed that there was no chili dog stand anywhere, but the thought of eating daisy sandwiches and hay fries just wouldn't leave a good taste in their mouths. To help them figure out what's edible, Pinkie Pie mentioned that the Café is well known for their milkshakes and these really tasty treats called Cherrychangas. She just loves saying the name, and was even nice enough to pay for them. Sonic felt like it was unfair and unnecessary for her to do so. But after hearing his stomach growl, the always cheerful Pinkie Pie insisted. When they sat down to enjoy a nice meal with the ponies, laughing, sharing precious moments, and just being themselves, Amy was telling Sonic all about Manehattan, and how much it reminded her of their world. Once everyone finished their own food, avoiding brain freeze along the way from the milkshakes, they leave the Ponyville Café and return back to their separate homes for the night. Tails was more than ready to start reconstructing the Emerald Tracker, thanks to the privacy of Twilight's Library, but there was one little mishap that can ruin his whole plan.
"Oh no! I just remembered that I left my tools back home in my workshop. What am I gonna do?"
"Hmph, some genius you are!" Shadow actually found it funny that Tails could make such a stupid mistake.
Lucky for him, Twilight was very good at solving problems, so she provides some useful information. "It's okay Tails, there is a hardware store just around the corner of Ponyville. It should have all the requirements you need." He didn't need much though, just a screwdriver, pliers, and a soldering iron.
"We can show you where it is if you like?" Sweetie Bell smiled.
"Sounds great!" Tails replied.
The little filly Applebloom was curious. "What are you workin' on?"
"Just a special gadget that'll help us find what we're looking for." Tails answered.
"Can I come with you Tails? I always wanted to learn how to build something!" Spike asked.
The more the merrier. "Sure Spike, maybe tonight you can be my little assistant."
"Awesome!" Spike was fully prepared to try something new.
"Just remember to get some rest Tails, tomorrow's another day!" Sonic announced.
"You got it Sonic!" Tails responds.
Sonic laughs. "We wouldn't want the same problem to happen here now would we?"
"Alright Sonic can we just drop it?" Tails was starting to get annoyed.
When they leave the Café, Fluttershy smiles at him. "Good night Tails."
He smiles back. Wishing her a good night as well. "Sleep tight Fluttershy."
Later that night in Dashie's room, Sonic noticed somethings that he hasn't seen before. He saw a poster of The Wonderbolts; which only reminded him of the little mishap they had earlier, and a picture of Dashie when she was a small filly. She also had a collection of books featuring her favorite character...Daring Do. It really caught his eye because comparing Dashie to the pony in the book, the resemblance was extremely close. Since Rainbow Dash was very competitive, she wanted to play her favorite board game with him. In the simplest of terms, it's like Battleship, but with pieces that includes weather ponies, clouds, thunderbolts, and seagulls. The game was a little too confusing for Sonic to understand, so it was an easy win for Dashie. He smirks while she was busy gloating.
"Congratulations Dashie, but board games aren't really my thing!"
As the night slowly drifts away, he climbs into bed with her, but keeps his distance so she wouldn't feel uncomfortable.
"Sweet dreams Sonic." Rainbow Dash smiles when she turns off her light.
"Good night Dashie." Before shutting his eyes, Sonic glares outside her window. Just waiting for Eggman to make his move.
Back at the Library, Spike and Tails return from the hardware store. They see Twilight writing a letter to Princess Celestia, informing her that they haven't found Dr. Eggman yet, but they'll try again tomorrow.
"Did you find everything you need Tails?" Twilight asked.
"We sure did Twilight." Tails answered. "Everyone's so nice here! Since Spike couldn't afford any of the tools that I needed, they actually let us borrow them for the night."
Twilight smiled. "I'm glad to hear that Tails. But make sure you return them first thing in morning when you're done. Spike, can you deliver this scroll for me please?" Twilight asked.
"Sure Twilight." He magically delivers the scroll with his fire breath.
"Neat!" Tails was astonished. Even with an intelligent mind like his, it was still very pleasing to watch how they use magic in this world.
Before heading up to her room, she pulls out a book on engineering with her magic. "Here Tails, this should help." Twilight said. "Good night you two, try not to work so hard!"
They both respond while she ascends the staircase. "Thanks Twilight, Good night!"
"Remember Spike, safety first!" Tails announced.
"Check!" Before they can get started on the device, putting their goggles on was the first step.
After 25 minutes of inspecting it, Tails finally identified the problem. "Oh here's the problem!"
"What is it?" Spike asked.
"One of the wires is loose that's all. Spike, can you hand me the pliers please?"
"Coming right up." Spike was really persistent to help out. But there was only one problem. "Which one of these are the pliers again?" It was his first time building something so hi-tech, he wasn't familiar with any of the tools.
Tails chuckles. "It's this one Spike." He grabs the pliers and carefully feeds the wire back into the circuit board.
"Oh.....right. Need help with anything else?" Spike asked.
"Yeah, can you hold this wire and make sure it doesn't go anywhere? I need to use the soldering iron."
"The what?" Spike questioned.
"You know, that one certain tool that can melt an electrical current between two circuits." Spike just blinks, having no idea what he was talking about. His mind was drawing a blank from all this technical talk. Tails tries to be a little more specific. "The one that was the most expensive."
"Oh that one!" Spike replied. To demonstrate what it does, Tails melts the wire in place and was very cautious not to burn Spike's fingers.
"So that's what this does." Spike was learning a lot of interesting things about technology. With enough practice, he might actually be able to teach Twilight a thing or two to help improve her studies.
After tweaking some last minute adjustments with the screwdriver, Tails was marveled by the results. "Thanks for the help Spike! I can see now why your Twilight's number 1 assistant!"
Spike takes the complement by being very timid. "Aww shucks, it was nothing. But you're really good at this!"
"Thanks. Well it should be working now...." Tails yawns. "....But we'll have to wait till tomorrow to test it out!"
Spike yawns as well. "I agree. We better get some sleep before the sun comes up."
The two little inventors spent an hour and a half working on the device, and were finally ready for bed. They quietly sneak up to Twilight's room with the feeling of a job well done.
6 hours have passed but the sun was still camouflaged by the moonlit stars. Inside Sugarcube Corner, Shadow sleeps on Pinkie Pie's couch without any impression of grief. But without caution,Shadow has a nightmare about the most tragic day of his life, where he lost the only human being he ever cared for. When he was created by Eggman's grandfather Professor Gerald Robotnik to become The Ultimate Life Form, he was considered as a threat by the government. They dispatched a team of G.U.N. Special Forces to infiltrate the space colony ARK, where they wiped out all evidence and eliminated the ones responsible for his creation. After placing him into an escape pod, Robotnik's granddaughter Maria, the only friend Shadow's ever had, was gunned down right in front of him before being sent to Earth. He can still hear her voice calling out to him. "Shadow, I beg of you! Give them a chance, to be happy!" He then cries out to her "MARIA!" and suddenly wakes up. Even after suffering from total amnesia over time, these gruesome images still haunt him to this very day. Shadow felt responsible for her death, and as a result, he transformed into the vengeful anti-hero that we all know today. Upon hoping that it was just a dream, Pinkie Pie was overwhelmed to see that something actually frightened the black hedgehog. While breathing heavily, his eyes were covered by his own hand.
"Are you okay Shadow?"
He snaps back to reality and looks at her. "Yeah....I'm fine."
"Did you have a bad dream?" She asked.
Shadow speaks in a harsh tone. "I said I'm fine! What are you doing up this early anyway?"
"I want to show you something!" Pinkie Pie smiled and grabbed his hand with both hooves. Trying to pull him off the couch.
"What is it?" He wasn't looking forward to her response.
"It's a surprise!" Pinkie Pie said.
Shadow snarls. "I don't like surprises!"
"But I know you'll like this one, C'mon!" She smiles again and hops outside her front door. Shadow walks behind her thinking to himself "This better be important!"
He walks outside and sees everypony heading towards the center of Ponyville, where a big stage was set up for a special occasion. Pinkie Pie was really excited about this. She hops around and says hi to the other ponies, every single one of them. When he spots Sonic and the others up front, he warps to avoid squeezing his way through the large crowd of ponies.
"Nice of you to join us Shadow!" Sonic said.
"What's going on here?" Shadow asked.
"Beats me! Dashie woke me up early and told me that it's a surprise!"
Shadow eccentrically turns to Sonic. "That's strange, Pinkie Pie told me the same thing!"
"Where is Pinkie Pie?" Knuckles asks.
Shadow folds his arms. Demonstrating just how much he doesn't care about her. "I don't know, she's around here somewhere. Probably making a fool of herself!"
Rainbow Dash tries so hard not to laugh, since Pinkie Pie's her friend. But couldn't help it. "Ha-Ha! That's Pinkie Pie alright! She's so random!"
"I wonder what the surprise is?" Amy was very aroused. Almost as much as Pinkie Pie.
Tails yawns. "I hope it's a bed cause I'm still tired."
"Awww, don't fret little fella." Applejack rubs his scalp with her hoof. "It'll all be over before you can say Hokey Pokey!" Tails was too tired to even say the word.
"Poor Tails." Fluttershy said.
Knuckles continued. "But the sun's not even out yet."
"Not yet, but it will be soon!" Scootaloo smiles.
Sonic and his friends look at the young filly, just wondering "What does she mean by that?"
But Shadow was the only one that wasn't excited about this. "You mean to tell me you dragged us out here just to watch the sun rise?"
"Not quite." Twilight winks to her friends.
"Hold on guys, I'm coming!" Pinkie Pie manages to squeeze her way through the other ponies. "Excuse me...Pardon me!"
She made it just in time. When Celestia's guards appear on stage, everyone turns to the center. The guards blow their horns before announcing the arrival of the sun goddess herself. Sonic folds his arms while the others watch, unsure of what to expect again. She flies off the stage with her horn glowing like a sapphire stone inside a dark cave. What a miraculous sight, Princess Celestia was using her magic to raise the sun over Equestria. It was a spectacle that they'll never forget. Tails rubs his eyes to ensure that he isn't seeing things.
"No way!" Sonic enjoyed it, but wasn't the only one.
"Unbelievable!" Cream's eyes glistened. Wishing that the sun would rise like this back home.
They applaud while everypony cheers for Princess Celestia.
"See Shadow I told you, isn't it great?" Pinkie Pie hugs Shadow, but the sound of his voice indicates that he was very irritated by it. Her mane smelled like cotton candy, but he wasn't the least bit concerned. "What the heck are you doing Pinkie?"
Sonic warns her. "Uh Pinkie Pie, I wouldn't do that if I were you! Shadow's not really the friendly type!"
Shadow glares at the pink pony, and decides to let this one slide. "Alright Pinkie that's enough....Now get off!"
"Okay!" She lets him go with a smile on her face.
"So what do you think guys?" Twilight asked.
Rarity adds her own expression. "Wasn't it just absolutely fabulous?"
"I must admit girls, that was incredible. She raises the sun like this every morning?" Tails asked.
Twilight nods her head.
"So romantic, isn't it Sonic?" Amy smiles at the blue hedgehog. Hoping that after all her patience, maybe now he'll finally start feeling the same way about her. Like that'll ever happen.
"It's just a sun rise Amy. It happens all the time!" Sonic replied.
"But not like this!" Amy said.
"Well, you got me there."
When Princess Celestia lands back on stage, Twilight knew that it was the perfect time to check if she received the letter. As the others follow her, Sonic accidently bumps into a really mean griffon named Gilda.
"Hey!" She shouts.
"Sorry I didn't see you!" Sonic was being polite. But Gilda was as rude as she can be. "Out of my way rat!"
Sonic didn't like her tone, not one bit. "I'm not a rat, I'm a hedgehog!"
Shadow gets involved without asking, maybe he can reason with her. "You got a problem with hedgehogs?"
Sonic and Knuckles back him up, while Rainbow Dash approaches her. "Leave them alone Gilda, they're not from here!"
"Yeah I can see that!" She muttered. "Look how weird they are!"
Insulted by her attitude, Knuckles raised his voice. "Weird? Look who's talking! At least they know what we are! What the heck are you supposed to be?"
"I'm a griffon you dweeb!" Gilda responds. "You're still hanging out with these losers Rainbow Dash? I thought you were cooler than this!"
"Who are you calling a loser!" Shadow grits his teeth, and charges the energy in his right hand. He was about to attack her with the Chaos Spear. Gilda should consider herself lucky that Sonic was holding him back. She was starting to piss him off.
Knuckles yells at her again. But this time...as a threat. "Look, why don't you just back off alright?!"
"Whatever.....Freaks!" Gilda walks away, completely neglecting what they just said. Fluttershy was still afraid of her from the last time they met. She hides behind Sonic and Shadow so Gilda wouldn't see her. If I was Sonic I would punch that griffon so hard right now for making Fluttershy cry. But being the nice guy, he just ignores her. When Gilda flies away, Amy shouts at her with animosity. "That's right, get out of here! Maybe next time you'll learn to treat my Sonic with respect!" She even pulled out her hammer, just in case.
"Ugh, give it a rest Amy!" Sonic wasn't in the mood for any of this right now. "Geez...What's her problem? Looks like someone fell out of bed this morning!"
"Why that griffon's angrier than a herd of stampeding buffalo!" Applejack said.
"Well, I hope that's the last time we ever see her again!" Rarity was aggravated. Gilda's bad attitude is always responsible for causing nothing but trouble. And gives Equestria a bad name.
"She's almost as bad as you are Shadow!" Sonic mentioned.
Shadow folds his arms. Avoiding his words of amusement. "Hmph, don't push me Sonic!"
Sonic turns to Twilight. "See what I mean?"
Twilight tries to be inspirational. "Don't let her get to you guys, she's not worth it!"
"Yeah, she's just a big mean meany pants!" Pinkie Pie announced.
Rainbow Dash apologizes. "I'm sorry guys, I should have told you about Gilda."
"It's alright Dashie, it's not your fault!" Even though Sonic was upset, he couldn't blame her for Gilda's attitude.
"For a second there I thought things were gonna get ugly!" Amy said.
"They did when she walked in! Who was that?" Knuckles asked.
"Just someone I use to know from the Junior Speedsters flight team. We were old friends until Pinkie Pie showed me just how rude she was to the other ponies, and to my new friends. I didn't like her attitude anymore so I called it off." Now they can see that she made the right choice. Twilight and the other mares were much nicer and more caring than Gilda will ever be in her entire life. Rainbow Dash described her as a half eagle, and half lion, but they only heard about these creatures in fairy tales. They've never seen one up close before, but after meeting Gilda, they're not sure if they ever want to again.
Shadow continues to be infuriated by Gilda. "That griffon is very irritating, should I take her out?"
"No Shadow!" Sonic shouts. "Remember, we're not here to cause trouble. We're here to help them, so save your anger for Dr. Eggman!" Even after all this trouble, Sonic still had a sense of humor. "Besides, if you want to take her out, why don't you just get her flowers or something. After all she's perfect for you!" Everyone snickers, but Shadow remains quiet with his usual frown. He didn't think that was funny at all. Pinkie Pie was starting to worry about Shadow. All she ever wants is to make him happy, but it seems like he can't take a joke. Getting him to smile is gonna be tougher than she thought.
Just when they thought they couldn't meet anymore more obnoxious, a brown male Pegasus pony named Dumb-Bell walks up to them with his two friends Hoops and Score. This pony was a real jerk. He spends most of his time insulting and criticizing the other ponies, and even bullied Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy when they were small fillies.
"Hey look, it's Rainbow Crash and Klutzershy!" Dumb-Bell said.
To save her dignity from his offensive behavior, Rainbow Dash stands up for herself. "Knock it off Dumb-Bell, we have guests!"
"Oh that's right, I heard you were suppose to race this porcupine, or whatever he is. Well, don't fly home and cry to your mommy when you lose!" Dumb-Bell laughs at Rainbow Dash to humiliate her...right in front of her friends. "Still think you have the skill to beat him with a Sonic Rainboom? Which we all know doesn't exist! When are you gonna stop living in this little fantasy world of yours?"
Fluttershy tries to be more assertive, but still speaks in a perceptive voice. "Now wait just a minute Dumb-Bell. Rainbow Dash does have the skill because she's already performed the Sonic Rainboom let's see here...one...two....three... four times. It's not fair to judge her for something you haven't seen."
"Yeah, we've all witnessed it ourselves!" Sonic said. Of course Dumb-Bell and his friends don't believe them, and continue laughing with disbelief.
"Yeah right!" Hoops chuckled.
Dumb-Bell couldn't take Fluttershy seriously. "And I suppose you're gonna fight her battles too huh Klutzershy? It doesn't matter what you think, deep down you know that everypony's laughing at you! You're nothing more but a sad and pathetic excuse for a Pegasus that no one gives a flying feather about! So you might as well not even exist!"
They constantly tease her by repeating "Fluttershy can hardly fly!"
"Stop it Dumb-Bell!" With tears in her eyes, Fluttershy was begging for them to stop. His insults were hurting her so much.
"Hey now, that's not nice!" Pinkie Pie shouts.
"Cut it out guys, you know how sensitive she is!" Twilight said.
Uncaring about Fluttershy's feelings, Dumb-Bell continues to harass her in front of everyone. "Awww does the little crybaby want her bottle?" When they laugh at her again, Shadow looks at Fluttershy, and sees her helplessly crying in the background. He's had enough of this. The Ultimate Life Form shuts them up by grabbing Dumb-Bell's neck, slamming him against a wall without remorse. By lifting him off the ground with one hand, Shadow threatens the male pony without any means of forgiveness. "Now you listen and you listen good creep! I'll be watching you three very closely! If I catch any of you bothering them again, I swear, I'll be the last thing you'll ever see!..." He clinches his hand into a fist, and pulls Dumb-Bell closer to eye level. Staring at him with a bloodcurdling gaze that'll scare even the toughest of ponies. "...Got it!"
Dumb-Bell was terrified. "Alright, alright, I'm sorry!"
Sonic smirks and tries to keep Shadow under control at the same time. But Dumb-Bell deserved every minute of this. "Hey Dumb-Bell, I see you met our friend Shadow. But there's something I forgot to tell you, he has a really...bad...temper!"
Dumb-Bell begs for mercy. "No, please don't hurt me! I-I-I-I was just kidding!"
"Then tell that to them! You have five seconds!" Shadow charges the Chaos Spear again. Showing just how serious he can be. Whether it's intentional or not, this was his favorite way to spread a simple message for them to understand.
When they apologize to Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, Sonic realized that they learned their lesson. Not so tough now are you Dumb-Bell?
"Easy Shadow, let him go!" Sonic said.
Shadow throws him across the floor right in between Hoops and Score. Forcing them to leave before he changes his mind. "Now beat it!"
"L-L-L-L-Let's get out of here!" Dumb-Bell and his friends run away in fear.
Shadow watches the fleeing ponies, and responds in a serious tone. "Hmph, just as I thought...they're all talk!"
Tails was doing whatever he could to help Fluttershy out. "Please don't cry Fluttershy, they won't be bothering you anymore!" When she sniffles and looks up to Tails, Shadow regroups with them.
"Nice job Shadow!" Sonic was actually proud of him.
"Yeah, you really showed them!" Scootaloo hops with excitement. After witnessing how he threatened Dumb-Bell, the girls didn't know if they should fear Shadow, or thank him for protecting their dear Fluttershy. But they soon realize that he did this for a good reason, to help his friends. Even Rarity was grateful, she can now see that there is some good in him. Sure he was a little rough, but it didn't matter. Standing up for their friend was a very generous thing to do.
Rarity thanks him, just hoping that he'll accept her complement. "Thank you very much for helping her out Shadow, and might I say your attitude is so, how can I put this? Um...Feisty! It certainly does come in handy for situations like this!"
"Whatever." Shadow folds his arms again, but was kind enough to listen.
With tears still flowing in her eyes, Fluttershy walks up to him. She was starting to feel much better now, but still needed the right encouragement. It felt like there was a huge hole in her chest, that she's unable to fill by herself. "Um...Thank you...Shadow."
Shadow looks at the crying Pegasus, and decides to give her some helpful advice. "Fluttershy, you have to learn to be more assertive. If you're too nice, it'll only give the other ponies a chance to push you around!"
Cream advises her new friend after agreeing with the black hedgehog. "He's right Ms. Fluttershy, you don't deserve to be treated like that."
"Chao! Chao!" Cheese was feeling sorry for Fluttershy too.
"Oh, I know. But you see, I've already tried that once, and it didn't turn out so well." Referring to an episode called "Putting Your Hoof Down," Fluttershy learned to be more assertive when she took a special training course by a Minotaur named Iron Will. But with a terrible price her assertiveness got out of control, and ended up hurting Pinkie Pie and Rarity's feelings as well.
Tails continues to cheer Fluttershy up, but was feeling her pain. Because she's the most beautiful thing he's ever saw, he wanted to cry with her. Seeing her like this was tearing his heart to pieces. "But don't feel bad Fluttershy, I'm sure if other ponies were as kind and sweet as you are, then there wouldn't be anything wrong in such a wonderful place like this! You're perfect just the way you are!"
When she smiles, Pinkie Pie moves in closer. "Now there's the smile we've been looking for!"
"There you go Fluttershy, now let's dry those tears!" Applejack said.
But there was one thing still bothering her. At first she was way too assertive for her friends, now she wasn't assertive enough. "But how will I know when to be assertive?" Fluttershy asked.
Twilight answers in a thoughtful manner. "Just listen to your heart Fluttershy, it'll tell you when something doesn't feel right."
With the love and support of her good friends, Fluttershy was finally happy again. The way it was meant to be. She can always depend on them, but it was shocking to see that out of everyone she knows, Shadow was the one who protected her from Dumb-Bell's harassment. Maybe now he'll think twice before picking on another pony.
As Twilight continues to reach Princess Celestia. Her only concern was to figure out where Dr. Eggman is. Hopefully Celestia will know what to do.
Can our heroes find Eggman before he unleashes the Egg Titan to destroy Ponyville? Stay tuned for Part 2.
To Be Continued...