//------------------------------// // Sky Chase Zone // Story: The Sonic Pick Up Chicks Squad // by PinkMenance //------------------------------// Part 1 Sky Chase Zone After Shadow had made quite a scene strangling his ‘pal’ in the middle of a market, Silver and Knuckles were forced to separate them. A polychromatic crowd of ponies had formed and were staring at the newcomers. “I guessed those pictures were phony. It seems like we’ve been duped, right Sonic?” The echidna crossed his arms and gave Sonic an probing glare. “Oh yea, they sure got us… Well we might as well might make the best of this right?” A half smile appeared to cover up the lie. “I think I’m going to give the girls a chance anyway, later!” And he escaped before anyone else could try to blame him for this ‘accident‘. “What ever, I don’t have time for you whelps if I’m going to find my Ultimate Girlfriend even without…” He was cut off by a mysterious talking ball of cotton candy. “Hi there! I’m Pinkie Pie, welcome to Ponyville.” Or maybe it wasn’t a talking confection, but a pink pony attached to a cotton candy like hairdo, Shadow couldn’t tell. “And since you’re not ponies and you don’t look anything like the local magical critters, you must be,” the pink ecstatic fluff paused for dramatic effect and waved her front hooves in the air, “From beyond the Unknown. Wooooooo…” Shadow was almost embarrassed that he let this charade go on as long as it did. He grasp hold of his personal Chaos Emerald and with a shout of “Chaos Control” he vanished in a flash of light. “Ohmygosh! Did he just teleport? That is so cool! I want to try it!” She removed one perfect cupcake from her saddle bag, grasped it firmly in hoof, and let out a shout: “Cupcake Control!” And she was gone. The three remaining members of ‘Pick up Chicks Squad’ stared in awe at what just happened. Big had apparently already wandered off during the strangling scene. The crowd began to disperse after Pinkie disappeared. Knuckles posed the question on everyone’s mind, “What just happened?” “I have no Idea.” Tails took control of the situation. “Like Sonic said we might as well enjoy our time here. Were going to be stuck until the machine recharges in a week so lets give it a shot. Silver you should be looking for a Library Tree, Knuckles you should head for those orchards, and I’m off to the edge of the Everfree Forest.” He handed them each a map of the town. “Weird there isn’t a single Something Something Zone on this map.” Edge of the Everfree- Tails had flown to his destination, the cottage of the Pegasus pony Fluttershy. He gave the door three small knocks then examined his surroundings. ‘She has quite a lot of animals,’ he thought, ‘Oh no, what if I ask her out and then she get eaten by a tiger! That would be just my luck…’ But his fears dissipated as a miniscule white rabbit opened the door and glared at him. “Hi there little guy, is Fluttershy home?” The rabbit looked at him smugly and slammed the door in his face. Tails fell on his rear but his titular tails supported him to get back up. “I’m sorry but I’m so very busy right now. Can you ask him to come back later?” Tails could faintly overhear a refined and demure voice through a crack in the door. “He’s a what? A kitsune? A kitsune!” The voice seemed ever so excited. Then the door swung open. “Oh my you are so adorable, and look at those little shoes you’ve got.” The yellow and pink pegasus gently petted the hair poof on the front of Tail’s head with her wing. “I’m Fluttershy, need a place to stay you cutsie wootsie fox?” “I’m Miles Prower, but my friends call me Tails.” Things were looking good for Tails, he had already received a shower of complements without even having to say a word to her. “You can talk? I didn’t know kitsunes could talk. That’s just so incredibly wonderful, I don’t even know what to say!” Fluttershy leapt up into the air and gave her wings a little flap before gliding down next to Miles. “And I can fly to!” His two titular tails spun round and round until he was hovering above the pegasus. “Wow a flying, talking kitsune! And what do like to talk about Miles?” Tails usually didn’t like to be called his first name, but from her it was perfect. “Well my friends and I came a long way, because we kind have a crush on you and your friends. So Fluttershy, would you like to go on a date with me?” “No…” Fluttershy’s mood turned solemn. “I’m so sorry if that sounded mean but I have my own secret crush that I’m waiting for.” Tails was taken aback by immediately being shot down. “Oh… Well would you like to at least go out as new friends.” He smiled awkwardly. “Well that could be difficult because… you… have a crush… and I… like” Fluttershy trailed off. “What was that?” “on me and I like…” “Can you repeat the last part?” “I like…” “One more time?” “…” He lost her. “I couldn’t…” “I Like Girls!” Tails blinked at her sudden admission. “What?” “I’m a filly-fooler.” Fluttershy shuffled her hooves nervously. “Just please don’t say anything, especially not to Applejack, I don’t know if she’d accept my affection.” ‘Note to self: warn Knuckles,‘ he thought with a sigh. “I’m sorry to bother you then Miss Fluttershy.” Spinning his tails he flew away, more than disappointed. “Wait Miles, I’d still like to meet your friends. Miles? Miles?” Thirty minuets passed by and Tails was sitting on the edge of a soft cloud. ‘I shouldn’t have let Sonic convince me that this was a good idea.’ The cloud passed over a swift moving stream. Tails lets out another sigh, but then hears a strange whipping sound that is not the water below. “Why do ya’ look so sad mister fox?” Tails looked for the source of the voice to find a yellow filly swinging a shiny metal hoop around her red tail. She landed on the cloud and sat next to him. “Well, I had a crush on a filly but she shot me down.” He sighed again only to see the filly bouncing around looking a little too excited. “Don’t you worry yourself none, mister fox, the girls and I will get you a date with her in no time.” With that she raised a hoof to the sky and proclaimed, “And then we’ll be Cutie Mark Crusader Date Getters!” “I’m not sure that would help. Turn’s out she wasn’t interested in guys at all.” This ‘Cutie Mark Crusader’ organization seemed strangely similar to the ever competent Team Chaotix. “Maybe I should just give up dating all together, all of my relationships just end in sadness.” “Don’t give up hope mister, ah’ know a thing or two about bad relationships.” The filly nodded. “One time I met this cute boy who said he was from out a’ town, turned out it was just ma’ friend Spike wearing a mustache. That goof Snips tried the same thing on me, but I hoofed him right in the face.” She offered a hoof. “Ah’m Applebloom, how are you sitting up here on this cloud anyway? Ah thought only flying critters could sit on clouds.” “I’m Miles.” Tails wanted to know how it sounded when she said. “I should ask you the same since you aren’t a pegasus pony. I however can…” The cloud lurched and heaved jolting its passengers. “What was that?” “Logic!” The puffy mist dissipated around Applebloom’s hooves and she and fell through the cloud with her Loop-de-hoop. “Applebloom!” Quick-wittedly, Tails dived through the plush layers of nimbus, twirled his tails in a frenzy, and grabbed his new friend arround her chest. “Mah’ Loop-de-hoop!” The metal ring splashed into the swift stream. “My sister gave that to me.” This Loop-de-hoop, was more than just a toy to the filly. It was from someone she loved and it was the gift of flight. Tails thought back to his past, of course about as long as he could remember, but in his time with Sonic he received a very special gift: his first plane the Tornado. Sonic gifted it to his little Bro’ after seeing his potential as a pilot and how much he loved to tinker with the little biplane. Sadly after a shootout with the Egg Carrier Tail’s had lost his friend’s gift. Sonic never seemed disappointed in him for the loss, and Tails had built them both a number of impressive aircraft since then, but Tails couldn’t shake the feeling that this was the reason he never did get to see Sonic as much as the old days. “I’m Going after it!” He put down the filly on the edge of the stream and leapt in after the ring. “Wait Miles! The water’s moving to fast, and there aren’t any sea ponies around here to save you if you can’t swim!” But it was already to late. Applebloom paced nervously. Then an audible “Duka-Duka! Duka-Duka!” sound came from the water. With a ‘splash’ Tails leapt from the water. And shook the water off of his coat. “Miles you’re ok!” The excitable filly tackled him and wrapped her front hooves around him. “And you got my Loop-de-hoop.” “No problem I’m a good swimmer.” Applebloom licked his nose and he blushed somewhat visibly through the wet fur. She picked up her Loop-de-hoop and spun it around for good measure. “Wow your so good at Swimm’en and Flying you should have a Swimm’en and Flying Cutie Mark.” “I’m pretty sure people who come from where I’m from don’t get Cutie Marks.” “Well that just won’t do! Maybe while you’re here we can get you one. You can join the Cutie Mark Crusade, and cause’ you’re a boy I’ll give you a special nickname: Cutie Mark Crusader Special Officer ‘Tails‘, cause’ of your tails…” ‘Some harmless sensible fun with girls my age,’ Tails thought half paying attention to Applebloom’s rambling, ‘I could get used to this.” “…and then we can find your special talent! So what do you say?” Miles ‘Tails’ Prower, who already had a PhD in aeronautic engineering and Software Design despite his young age, and was a skilled pilot, tinkerer, adventurer, and hover-board enthusiast, said, “Yes! I‘d love to!” almost instinctively. Little did he know just how ‘harmless’ and ‘sensible’ his adventures with the Cutie Mark Crusaders would be. “Awesome, you can bunk with me and my sister while you’re staying here.” The filly nudged Tails towards Sweet Apple Acres. ‘Maybe I’ll run into Knuckles…’ He thought before being whisked off into the Crusade.