That evening, back at Maretime Bay after he had recovered from the ordeal he had, Hitch was in his office with a clearly disinterested Sprout (focusing more on his pizza as he ate) as he ranted and seethed about Sunny. Despite their being childhood friends, he and Sunny couldn't have been more polar opposites in terms of what they wanted and their professions as well as their dreams. While he was bound by laws and tradition (which led him to eventually being the local sheriff in the first place along with his work), Sunny was much more rebellious and outgoing and once she sets her mind to anything, there's no stopping her.
He couldn't understand why his childhood friend would betray him and risk her own life for a couple of Unicorns, a Pegasus, an Earth Pony who doesn't care about him and his fellow ponies, and a huge cluster of Pokemon and dragons they're with. He didn't think it would've been possible for her to throw him and her own kind away for strangers she barely knew and connected with in a way he couldn't come to grips with.
"Argh, I can't believe it! I told her, Sprout, I told her a million times and yet, she still does the complete opposite and goes beyond my concerns and expectations for her," he ranted. "Why would she even-DARGH! Why can't she just stay out of trouble and listen to me for once?! I was only trying to look out for her......."
".........Fine. If that's the way she wants it........ No more, no more favors, no more bailing her out. She made her choice when she sold her lot with them and I've made mine when I became the sheriff, no point and no choice."
He turned to Sprout (who was going through another pizza slice) as he barked, "Alright. Sprout, come on, it's time for us to take drastic action. We need to find Sunny and arrest her, bring her back to face the full force of the law!"
Sprout stopped before he raised an eyebrow at Hitch and questioned, "Question; when you said 'we', you mean.....?" Hitch just nodded to him,
"You and I."
Sprout's eyes widened in shock and horror, dropping his pizza slice as he stammered. "Uh, why-I-I-I-I-I'd love to, but, I'd-! I, uh, I just remembered, my workspace needs cleaning and my papers are all scrambled! You know, we've been really busy recently and that business with the Unicorn intruding made things hectic, and what's more-?" he stammered, trying to come up with an excuse to get out of work.
"I see...... You know what, I think you're right. This is a job for Hitch, and Hitch only," sighed Hitch in defeat, rolling his eyes at his partner and second childhood friend bailing out on him. "Alright, Sprout. You stay here and hold the fort while I'm out dancing with danger. I don't know when I'll be back but while I'm gone, keep everypony calm, maintain the peace, and be a pillar of strength." But, Hitch shuddered at the last part that he said, not wanting to think what'll happen if Sprout was left to his own devices while he's away. "D'oh, who am I kidding, really? Look, just try not to start a war while I'm off retrieving Sunny, okay?"
With an annoyed and further-betrayed slam of the doors, Hitch was gone, following Sunny and her new friends with the intention of dragging her back.
However, all won't be well for Sprout for not long after his best friend was now gone on his mission, he was now stewing in what looked to be brewing jealously of Hitch and what he had done to become the sheriff. Even at a young age, Sprout and Hitch were also very competitive at anything when they were foals and to him, Sprout didn't like losing and being considered second-best/second rate/second choice compared to Hitch. But now, with what he told her, Sprout was left seething at his friend and his popularity and deep down, he hated every single second of it.
"Oh, great! It's always 'Sheriff Hitch this' & 'Sheriff Hitch that'! Everypony loves Hitch, UGH! What does he have, anyway?" he sulked, looking through photos of their times hanging out together as they always had been.
It was true that he and Hitch seemed to be inseparable for the most part and they got along well like they're born as peas from the same pod. However, they do have their differences and the more he looked at the photos of himself and Hitch (the majority of them with his best friend solo), the more his jealousy fueled him and his popularity enraged him. He hated being inferior and second-best more than anything whenever they're doing stuff together and that sickened him to the point when he could no longer hold it in anymore.
"Sure, he's got a perfect mane, shredded abs, paid-off mortgage, 'OI! So, what? I've got stuff and I can do cool things, too! He's not the only one who can climb up to the top! I can do, um, uh......."
He looked towards the picture on their calendar and in his continued jealous fury, he violently ripped it off, shoved a cabinet drawer violently, kicking another drawer and causing the upper drawer above it to reopen, doing anything he can to sustain his jealously. But, even still, he felt like he was still in Hitch's shadow and he was becoming sick of it.
"Sprouty, are you in there?" called a voice, revealing itself to be Phyllis, his mother, as she entered.
"Where's Hitch, the ponies all over town are absolutely terrified by what had happened this afternoon. They want answers and they need them now!"
"He went after Sunny, another solo Hitch mission," Sprout sulked angrily.
"Oh, Sugarcube, why the Sprout Pout? That's great news, actually, Hitch might've done you a favor."
"It is, Momma?"
"Of course, in fact......" She then picked up Hitch's discarded Sheriff badge and placed it on his strap. "For now, at least, you're Maretime Bay's new sheriff."
Sprout was surprised at this but then he realized that with Hitch's departure, it was time for him to rise above the ranks and finally be the hero he wanted to be.
"Hey, you're right, I am! Hey, there, everypony! The name's Sprout, Sheriff Sprout. What's the problem, filly?" he bragged.
Sprout continued to brag excitedly as he reveled in his temporary position and when he was satisfied with what he had gotten, he nodded with a determined grin that looked unnaturally sick. All the while, a dark presence loomed over Maretime Bay while a plume of dark cloud saw Phyllis and her son through the window on Hitch's office and narrowed its darkened eyes as if it had some plan in mind in tearing apart Equestria and its ponies, starting with Sprout and his mother, before disappearing.