Chapter 2 Ep 2: Growing Pains
Morning comes in Maretime Bay as the sun begins to rise as Hitch is walking by with a cheerful smile on his face as ponies from the stores are setting up their signs to show that their stores are now open.
Hitch spoked as he walked, looking at his town and the ponies around with a smile. “It's another beautiful day in Maretime Bay, where the sun is shining, the Pegasi are flying, and practically nothing could go... wrong?!” He then cried out as he saw Dahlia in front of his station, with the front door covered in vines, having a guess at what happened.
Dahlia turned when she heard Hitch and gave him an apologetic look. “Oh, sorry, Hitch…” She apologized to him as he walked close. “I was actually trying to open the door for you.” She chuckles a bit. “I know you don't like magic.” She added, knowing that Hitch doesn’t like magic.
“What? Me not like magic?” Hitch asked with a scoff, not wanting ponies to think he doesn’t like magic. “I'm totally cool with it now.” He said, thinking he got over it by now with a cool expression. Dahlia walks off as Kenneth then chirps at Hitch, telling him something. “What, Kenneth?” He asked in confusion as Kenneth tapped his wings, saying about the time. “Oh, you're right! I'm already late for my morning rounds!” He cried out as he trotted off.
“Good morning, Sheriff Hitch!” The Pippsqueaks' voices are heard as Hitch turned to his side and saw them.
“Gah!” Hitch gave a startled cry when he saw the Pippsqueaks tangled on a tree that Seashell must’ve grown by mistake. “I mean, gah-reat job, Seashell!” He said, trying to think of this as a good thing. “Here, uh, let me help you.” He said as he got the Pippsqueaks untangled and brought them back to the ground.
“Thanks! We were actually stuck.” Seashell admittedly said to Hitch.
“Magic is pretty wild, huh?” Glory added about how wild magic is lately.
“Too wild if you ask me.” Hitch saids nervously while looking at the tree Seashell grew.
“Oh, no!” Peach Fizz cried out after hearing Hitch’s tone. “Are you upset?” She asked, hoping they didn’t upset Hitch.
“Me? Upset? About magic? Never!” Hitch said sheepishly to not let the fillies know.
“So we can use all the magic we want then?” Seashell asked excitedly as her friends smiled as well. “No rules? No holding back?” She asked as she giggled.
“You were holding back?!” Hitch asks in disbelief, never realizing that Earth Pony magic was that strong if Seashell was holding back the whole time. “Um... of course!” He said nervously with a little pitch tone.
“Hitch said use all the magic you want! Don't hold back, everypony!” The Pippsqueaks said out loud that everypony in Maretime Bay could hear, which they did as Hitch sweats, realizing his mistake.
At the abandon Canterlogic building, Sprout is at the front of the building with two Earth Ponies with him while holding a broom and a cap, showing that he is still on community service after his giant robot incident and trying to start a war to the other tribes.
“My magic's probably the most powerful in the Bay.” Sprout boasted to the two earth ponies in front of him. “Wanna see?” He asked them.
“Does it involve sweeping?” One of the yellow Earth Pony in front of him asked sarcastically, reminding Sprout of his community service. “If not, then no, Sprout.” He answered as the two earth ponies turned away.
Sprout gave an irritated look, seeing that the ponies were still ticked off when he was in charge in Maretime Bay as he summoned his Earth Pony magic as his hooves glow green and beat it down on the ground, so far nothing. The two Earth Ponies smirked at each other, seeing that Sprout’s magic isn’t impressive as they walked off.
“Honest!” Sprout called out to them as he looked at his hooves. “Just need to warm up!” He added, but saw them walk off as he gives a frustrated look as he uses his magic again as he stomp his hooves, trying to get his magic going as he concentrates, but then he heard rumbling as he turned and saw a giant fruit plant behind him. “Uh-oh. That's a new feature.” Sprout said in surprise, seeing that this is a new thing for Earth Pony magic, even for him as the giant berry starts to fall off its stem. “Ah!” He cried out as he ran off with a giant fruit berry rolling behind him. “Ahh! My magic is too powerful! Run!” Sprout cried out as he ran past the two earth ponies.
The two earth ponies saw Sprout run off as they turned and saw the giant berry rolling at them, causing them to panic and run off as wekk. “It's everypony for themselves!” One of them cried out.
While walking, Hitch turned and saw Sprout and the two earth ponies running from the giant berry as the three ponies screamed as the two ponies spread out while Sprout still had the berry on his tail. Hitch then gasped at this. “Berry attack! This is not a drill!” He cried out.
Hitch then got other ponies in the street out of the berry’s path as Sprout jumped to a side of a building to dodge out of the way while the giant berry bounces off while ponies around start screaming.
“Ah! Out of the way!” Hitch called out to everypony around him, but as he ran, he didn’t see a wheel cart in front of him as he hit and fell into it. “Ah!” He screamed in startled as he bounces off from table to table as he wheeled by as he screamed along the way. The wheel cart then hit a book, which tossed Hitch out of the cart. “Ah!” He screamed in startled as he hit the floor, and then turned and saw the giant berry coming as it rolled up the cart as Hitch was screaming in the process as the giant berry splattered on top of him. Hitch got up with a bore expression while covered in berry juice as a bird landed on his head. “Yup... Just another beautiful day in Maretime Bay…” He said in a bored tone as he flopped on the floor, seeing that this isn’t the best start of his day.
Sometime later, Sunny opened up her smoothie stand as Sunset was stacking the smoothie cups as they saw Hitch walking by, still covered in berry juice.
Sunny and Sunset laughed a little at this as they walked off to Hitch, who was struggling to get the vines off his station door to get inside as Sunny and Sunset stopped behind him.
“Oh, wish we'd been around earlier.” Sunny said to Hitch with a smile, having heard of what happened this morning. “Sounds like you made a real impact!” She joked as she and Sunset laughed.
“Yeah. Oh, seeing you getting fruit is hilarious!” Sunset added as she and Sunny laughed at their jokes at what happened to Hitch.
“Ha-ha.” Hitch said in a dry tone. “Laugh all you want, you two, but fruit juice funk can stay in your mane for weeks.” He pointed out the berry juice on him will have a hard time getting off.
“To be fair, it’s an upgrade compared to the time when we were helping Zipp train the Pegasi how to fly and you keep getting hit by fruits many times.” Sunset said with a chuckle, reminding them of the time when they helped the Pegasi how to fly properly, with Hitch keeps getting fruit on him to his face and head many times.
“Don’t remind me.” Hitch groaned, wanting to forget that time since he was the one getting fruited.
Sunny then spoke as she touched one of the plants on the station’s door. “This plant-powered magic is something special. Growing stuff at the stomp of a hoof? Incredible!” She stated, still amaze at what Earth Pony magic can do.
Hitch groans as he pulls the plant out of the front door. “More like incredibly unpredictable! I mean, we don't even know all that it can do yet...” He stated about the limits of this new magic as Kenneth landed on his head again as it chirped, irritating Hitch a bit as it picked some of the berry juice off him..
“Well, we know enough.” Sunny said. “Like... you seem to be the only pony who can talk to animals. But have you tried to grow anything yet?” She asked Hitch since he hasn't grown any plants lately.
“Yeah. We have never seen you grow plants at all since you had your Earth Pony magic, Hitch.” Sunset added. Stating that since Hitch has only been using his ability to speak to animals, they never saw Hitch grow a plant yet.
“To be honest to both of you two, I'm afraid to after this morning.” Hitch said honestly to them, after seeing what happened this morning, he’s afraid to use his Earth Pony magic.
“Come on. You can't judge all Earth pony magic on one little mishap!” Sunny reasoned to Hitch, who is still trying to get the plants out of the station’s door.
“Yeah. They just need practice, so if they make one mistake, it happens.” Sunset said, and then she saw that Hitch was tugging too hard. “Uh, Hitch. I think you should just…” She was cut off when Hitch pulled the plant so hard that he was pulled backwards.
“Aah!” Hitch cried out as he was flown backwards as he hit the smoothie stand, and then the window top slammed on his face.
“Oh!” Sunny gasped at seeing Hitch get hurt as Sunset cringed from the sudden pain he received.
Hitch sighs as he lifts the window top off and looks at the two. “Maybe you two just need to see the scene of the slime for yourself.” He said to them of them experiencing what he was through as Kenneth chirped and landed on his head again as he pecked some berry juice off him, That Hitch is ignoring after having a bad morning.
Sunset then spoke. “You do know Earth Pony magic can control plants in any way, right Hitch?” She asked him as she demonstrated by making her hooves glow and aim it at the station door as she stomped her hooves down, making the plants on the front door go back underneath the ground as the door is now clear. Sunset turned and saw Hitch with wide eyes as she spoke. “Alicorn. Three tribes together as one. Got all the magic combined. Including Earth Pony magic. Ring a bell?” She asked Hitch.
Hitch then facehooved himself, having not thought of that in the first place while trying to not use his magic.
Later on, Hitch brought Sunny and Sunset to Sprout after the incident Hitch experienced.
“I swear, I don't know what happened!” Sprout explained to them what happened as he didn’t know why his magic acted like that.
“You sure you didn’t do it on purpose, Sprout?” Sunset questioned, wanting to make sure since Sprout can do things in his own way and nearly ran Sunset and the ponies over for rebelling him to protect Sunny while nearly starting a war.
“Of course I’m sure, Sunset. All I did was stomp like this.” Sprout then stomped his hooves to prove his point, but he didn’t know that his hooves were glowing as it made the plant behind him grow even bigger, which caused the wooden fence in it to break from its massive size.
Hitch saw this as he began to panic. “Stop the stomping!” He cried out as Sprout stopped and was startled at Hitch’s yell as he turned and saw the berry plant grew a bit bigger as he turned and faced Hitch again with a sheepish look at his mistake as Hitch continued. “First, Maretime Bay was shaken up with magic, and I said nothing.” He said.
“Uh, that's not true. You actually said a lot.” Sunny pointed out, saying how much Hitch has been saying since magic returned.
“Too much to be honest.” Sunset added in annoyance at how much Hitch kept saying things.
Hitch ignored them as he kept talking. “Then Earth pony magic came! Now I'm saying something.” He added. “I keep this place safe and it's too dangerous without rules!” He announced while looking at the town.
“But if our magic can produce this perfect, there might be no limit to what we can do!” Sunny tries to reason as she looks at the giant berry as Hitch walks up to the two ponies as Sprout walks off. “We can't cut off a whole planet of possibilities!” She added.
“Yeah, Hitch! You can’t tell ponies to not do magic!” Sunset stated, finding Hitch’s judgment paranoia and unfair to everypony.
“More like a cosmos of calamities.” Hitch argued to them.
Sunny groans at Hitch’s stubbornness. “But how are the Earth ponies gonna grow and learn – and learn to grow – with restrictions?” She questioned.
“Yeah! Ponies won’t be able to control their magic better if you give them restrictions! That’s like taking away part of who we are!” Sunset added, really hating Hitch’s ideals.
Sprout then went to a barrel that brought out some dust in it as Sprout started sneezing, which made him use his magic again as it made the fruit plant bigger, which caused the fences to break and flew to three ponies.
“Wah!” Sunny cried out as she, Sunset and Hitch duck from the upcoming fence as it hit Sprout on the head, thankfully his helmet protected him as he rubs his head on where the fence hit him. Sunny laughed nervously at Hitch of what happened. “Uh, just consider what we’re saying before you jump to any conclusions.” She advises Hitch as Sunset nodded her head in agreement.
Hitch sighs as he speaks. “I'll think about it. But the safety of ponies in Maretime Bay is my top priority.” He pointed out as Sunny picked off a berry juice piece on Hitch.
“Which is why, I’m gonna repeat what we just said…” Sunset said as she jabbed a hoof on Hitch’s chest. “Think about all this before you jump to any conclusions!” She sternly said while giving a look to Hitch that made him scared a bit, wanting to make sure it gets through his stubborn head.
Hitch felt chills down his spine when Sunset was giving him that look and tone as he shook his head quickly as he walked off.
Sunset sighs at this. “Hitch really needs to stop thinking this is bad. It really gets on my nerves lately.” She said, finding Hitch’s judgment offensive since she is a magic expert and from a time when Twilight and the others were around, and she takes it personally.
“Don’t worry, Sunset. I’m sure Hitch will think before he acts.” Sunny assured as she slurped the berry juice that she grabbed from Hitch. “Mmm!” She hummed as it tasted great as she brought out the mirror as she looked at her reflection as she licked some off her cheeks.
Sunset chuckled at Sunny, finding that funny. “Did you just eat some of the berry stuff that was on Hitch, Sunny?” She asked.
“What? It actually tastes good.” Sunny called out as she kept licking some of the stuff that was on her cheeks, looking in the mirror to see if she got some on her face.
Sunset chuckled from that as she kept sensing something strange about Sunny’s mirror. ‘Why is it that the mirror keeps giving me bad vibes whenever Sunny opens it?’ She thought to herself, keep having strange feelings about that mirror.
At the dark castle, Opaline gasps as she sees Sunny, who is still licking the berry juice off, with Sunset behind her as she turns to Misty.
“Misty, quick! That Alicorn is using the mirror we gave her, and that Sunset is behind her!” Oplaine called out as she watched Sunny and Sunset as Misty came to her side. “Soon their magic will be—!” She was cut off when Sunny closed the mirror as it frizzled out and showed another screen where they are watching the group from above as Sunny and Sunset followed Hitch, leaving Sprout behind so he can get back to his community service. “—Teasing us as it trots away!” She cried out as the screen faded out as Opaline paced side to side “Why has that young Alicorn barely used it?” She questioned while mentioning Sunny “If it was me, I'd have checked my pout every minute on the minute.” She said, stating that she loved to admire her looks every minute.
“And what a pout it is, Opaline!” Misty cheered. “Equal parts chilling and charming!” She added.
“Don't pander to me, Misty.” Opaline said with a dry tone as she walked up to the pond, admiring her looks. “Even though you are right.” She said with a smile, finding Misty’s words true. “Well, now it's time for me to tell you to do something else.” She said to Misty in a serious tone as the pond then started to glow.
“Uhhh…” Misty said nervously,
At the station, Hitch is looking at the board with flashcards of magic that’s been happening lately.
“Creating an inventory of all magic types…” Hitch listened as he placed flashcards on the board. “Limiting magic to the magic hour of dusk... A card that's bit in half—” He stopped once he realized that the next card that he was holding had a bite mark on it. “Hey!” He called out, wanting to know how that happened.
Hitch had a guess on who did it as he turned and saw Sparky chomping on a card while babbling as he got up and walked to one of his desks where his cups are as he climbed up and tipped some of the cups.
“Sparky, careful!” Hitch calls out as he tries to catch him as Sparky runs around. “Sparky, come here!” He said as Sparky then hid behind the board Hitch was using as he gave an assuring smile to Sparky. “You won't be in trouble, I promise!” He assured Sparky. Sparky then titled the board over. “Ah! Sparky, wait!” He called out as he chased after Sparky. “Sparky! No dragonfire!” He lectured, stopping Sparky from using his dragon fire as Sparky poof one out as it vanished. Hitch sighs in relief as that’s over.
Sparky kept babbling cheerfully as he smiled cutely at Hitch.
“Aw, I can't be mad at you, Mr. Sparkeroni.” Hitch said to Sparky, can’t be mad at him as he nuzzled his dragon. “You're just too cute.” He said to Sparky.
They then hear the bell ring, meaning the front door opened, which caused Sparky to jump out of Hitch’s hoof in excitement as he ran around the room again and ran to a trash can as he babbled in excitement.
“No, no, no, Sparky, don't!” Hitch cried out as the trash can then got tossed into the air and headed straight for Hitch as he gasped as the trash can then landed on his head, with the trash inside falling on him and some clattering on the floor. “Love being a dragon dad…” He was muffled inside the trash can.
“Whoa.” Izzy said as she came in from the front door, having seen the whole thing. “That... was so funny!” She cheered with her usual smile, finding it funny as Sparky babbled on Hitch’s desk while holding a telephone. “And also, you may need some help?” She asked Hitch, seeing him having some trouble.
Hitch got the trash can off his head, while some crumpled up paper is still on top of his head as he looks at Izzy as he coughed. “Whatever gave you that idea?” He asked as he shook the papers off his head as Sparky kept running off again as Hitch picked up some stuff that fell over. “Sparky's been excitable lately. He was a hoof-ful already, but he's literally chomped through my desk!” He said as he picked up a chomped up piece of stick to prove his point.
Izzy then livitates a stool chair, with Sparky chewing on it while dangling from one of its legs as Izzy gives him a cute smile. “Awww, he's just adding his flair to the furniture. Aren't you, Sparky?” She asked the baby dragon as she moved Sparky, along with the chair, to Hitch. “You know, if you ever needed a dragon-sitter, I'd be happy to look after him.” She suggested with a smile to Hitch.
“Wow. Really, Izzy? That'd be great!” Hitch cheered, glad that Izzy will help him babysit Sparky while he does other things he needs to do. The two ponies then heard chirping as they turned to the door and saw Kenneth flying around while chirping. “Kenneth, I know, I know. It's already time for my town hall.” He said to the bird, stating that he will make an announcement to give to Maretime Bay as he gave Sparky to Izzy. “Thanks, Izzy! You're the best! And this helps me out a lot! If you need anything for Sparky, there's a comprehensive list of dos, don'ts, and potential threats and dangers. See you later! I'll be outside!” He instructed Izzy quickly as he left the station, leaving Sparky and Izzy behind.
“Potential threats and dangers?” Izzy repeated in confusion on why Hitch would write that down. “What's so dangerous about you?” She asked while giving Sparky a cute smile. Sparky then burped as a dragon fire came out of him as it poof away as Sparky laughs a bit while being held by Izzy, who is giving him a smile.
At the front of the station, ponies are gathered around the front of the station as Sunny, Sunset, Zipp and Pipp walk behind the crowd to see what is going on.
Hitch then walked up to the speaker in front of him as he spoke. “Hello!” He said to the crowd, with the microphone giving a little feedback as he continued. I know we started the day with a pretty disastrous— I mean, magical morning.” He corrected himself as he clears his throat as he continues. “ After surveying the recent magical changes in Maretime Bay and the messy ways they have disturbed our daily lives, I have decided there will be… no use of Earth Pony magic!" Hitch declared to the crowd's shock as they gasped, leaving his friends in shock at this as well. "Until I've collected enough data from all of you to form proper registrations and guidelines." He added which got groans from the Earth Ponies. "I assure you, this is all for your own safety. We don't know what's possible with Earth Pony Magic yet. Until I've taken proper inventory of every flight, float, flora and fauna power, magic is off limits! That is all." He finished as the crowds groaned from Hitch’s declaration as they went on about their business.
However, two ponies are not happy, Sunny and Sunset growling at Hitch’s announcement and what he just declared, going to give that stubborn sheriff a firm talking to as Pipp and Zipp looked on in worry.
“Hitch, you’ve gone too far this time.” Sunset angrily whispered, going to give Hitch a piece of her mind.
Sometime later, Hitch is picking up some litter as his friends race to him, with two not so happy ponies, Sunny and Sunset, trotting to him.
“We thought you said you weren't gonna do anything drastic!” Sunny called out to Hitch as he tossed a litter in the trash.
“No, I said I would think it over!” Hitch countered to Sunny. “And my thoughts are telling me it's bad and it's only gonna get worse if I don't step up!” He added.
“Hitch! You’re just doing something the wrong way! Magic is something to learn from, it doesn’t need restrictions and you are doing something that nopony should do!” Sunset angrily pointed out that what Hitch is doing is wrong.
“Well, I don’t think I am! Because this is something a sheriff needs to do, Sunset!” Hitch called out, thinking what he's doing is right.
“Ugh!” Sunny groans at Hitch’s stubbornness. “But Earth pony magic is powerful!” She tried to reason.
“Exactly! What's gonna happen if we have more mishaps?” Hitch barked at them about what happened this morning as he stacked a box back into place as a stallion was moving. “It's my job to make sure everypony is safe!” He finished.
“Earth ponies need to practice! Like t-the Pegasi and unicorns had to!” Sunny pointed out, while they stopped once they saw the Pippsqueaks stuck in a tree Seashell grew again as the Pippsqueaks giggled at this. “Growing pains! They'll get it!” She said sheepishly.
"Guessing you ponies were too tied up for the town hall meeting earlier?" Hitch sarcastically jokes. "Just a little reminder of the rules." Conveniently he made Anti-Earth Pony Magic stickers which had a red outline, purple background with a vine crossed out in the middle. He placed them on the three fillies hooves as they sighed in sadness.
“Hitch, they’re just kids! They don’t even know how to control them yet.” Sunset pointed out as she got the Pippsqueaks down from those vines on the tree.
“Sunny and Sunset has a point, Hitch.” Zipp said, agreeing with Sunset and Sunny about this. “It's too early to know if Earth pony magic is anything to worry about.” She stated.
“Look. I'm part of the reason Earth Pony magic is here now.” Hitch said, thinking that he might be the reason for this. “What if I become the reason Earth ponies get hurt? As sheriff, I can't let that happen!” He determindly said as he picked up a litter and threw it in the trash.
“Hitch, Earth Pony magic wasn’t on you. It came by itself through the crystals at the Brighthouse.” Sunset reminded Hitch that Earth Pony magic came through the crystals after Maretime Bay Day. “Magic works in many ways, and just because you think it’s bad, doesn’t mean that you can control it just because ponies can’t control them yet. That’s not your call.” She said as she narrowed her eyes at Hitch at his stupid restriction’s ideas.
“Well, I am the sheriff, Sunset. And when something bad happens, I do whatever I can to restore order. So it’s the best way to add these rules.” Hitch said.
“Except back in the old days, magic didn't need rules or restrictions!” Sunset called out. “Ponies use magic on a regular basis and what you're doing is unfair and uncalled for. You can’t control what other ponies do, and you don’t just tell them to stop using magic just because you think they’re bad.” She added.
Hitch then got to Sunset’s face with a determined look. “I’m doing this, Sunset. For everypony sake.” He sternly said, ending this discussion as he walked off.
Sunset groans at this outcome. “He’s impossible!” She called out in frustration, seeing that Hitch is too stubborn to even listen.
“We agree with you there, Sunset.” Sunny said in agreement, really hate how her foalhood friend is stubborn at times, it annoys her sometimes when Hitch does that as Zipp and Pipp nodded in agreement.
At the police station, Sparky pops up from inside the trash can as it trips over and clatters on the floor as Sparky starts babbling and runs around the station.
Izzy watches Sparky as he runs around the station. “Oh, come on, Sparky! Hey, you hungry? What about food? Will that calm you down?” She asked Sparky with a smile, which got the baby dragon attention as he turned to her with a smile. “Whoa, guess that's a yes! I am great at this. Woo-hoo!” She said to herself as she turned to Hitch’s snack cabinet behind his desk as she opened the second one and saw a note in it as she read it. “‘Play me?’ Well, I have never said no to a talking TV before. Sure!” She said as she turned on the TV as it showed a video of Hitch in it.
“If you're watching this, then you are dragon-sitting Sparky. Here are some important things to know…” Recording Hitch started, apparently Hitch left a recording for anypony to babysit Sparky if he is out as Izzy then grab Sparky close to her as they watch the instructions. “Sparky's prone to grunting, grubbing, grabbing things that aren't his, running, racing, wilding out around the office until you've exhausted all reasons for why he could be running in the first place, and by that time, he's already resting in a dragon nap.” He explained, which threw Izzy in a loop of knowing that much about Sparky. “Experiencing drowsiness while dragon-sitting is normal. Though if fire-breathing occurs, consult the list of foods, fire-safety-and-fun suggestions, as well as Sparky's safety schedule located in the cabinet to your left.” He listed out.
Izzy babbles a bit while shaking her head from that much information Hitch explained as she looked at Sparky with a smile.. “Food list! That sounds like a good start.” She said, knowing that the food list is helpful to know what Sparky eats. “Now, where's that cabinet…” She said with a determined look and smile as she looked around for the list as she placed Sparky down on as she found the list in one of the cabinets.
Recording Hitch continues. “Be careful not to cross out any items on the Sparky schedule. It's important he does everything in order.” It said as Izzy unrolls the list, and apparently it's so long, it hit the floor. “Don't let him eat before sleeping, don't let him sleep before eating! Don't let him do this all unsupervised.” He stated.
“Huh? Even if he asks me to?” Izzy asked herself in confusion from what Hitch just said.
“ESPECIALLY if he asks you to! He's a baby dragon! He doesn't know any better. You're the one in charge.” Recording Hitch finished his instructions.
Izzy looked on in confusion since she knows Sparky can’t talk yet, from what Sunset told them, dragons can speak like ponies when they're old enough but since Sparky is still a baby he can speak yet as Izzy then looked at Sparky, who was eating some cookies that he grabbed.
“Well... you seem happy, and nothing bad has happened.” Izzy said to Sparky with a smile. “I'm sure this is nothing to worry about.” She said as she continued to read the list.
Sparky then burped, which made his dragon fire to come out as it turned a cookie into purple leaves. Sparky babbled cheerfully at this as the leaves then hit the floor as they disappeared.
Sunny, Hitch, Zipp and Sunset were outside Dahlia's house with Dahlia herself, preparing to do some tests on her earth pony magic.
"This is a controlled magic experiment to collect data, Dahlia." Zipp explained to her with a smile, holding her phone to record Dahlia while Hitch looked with a bored expression, Sunny looked worried and Sunset watched on to see how this goes. "Just muster your magic in a little burst..." Zipp added.
Dahlia nodded and she made her magic appear, stomping softly her hoof on the ground, which made a giant green explosion happen and blinded the rest for a second. "Whoa! Dahlia? Where'd you go?" Hitch asked worriedly.
Dahlia was now covered in gardenias, and she poked her head out. "Is now the time I mention I'm allergic to gardenias?" she asked with a sheepish smile, and then she sneezed.
Hitch looked on with disapproval, and put a Sticker of 'No earth pony magic' on her hoof.
Sunny groaned at this, and Sunset looked at Hitch with a frown.
"Hitch is getting on my nerves..." Sunset muttered to herself.
Meanwhile, at the station, Sparky was running around and making a mess, to the point that he moved an object that made many objects move around until a book landed on a bowl of fruits, and a tomato landed on Izzy's horn.
"Sparky! Don't do that again!" Izzy scolded him with a frown, and Sparky almost cried with sadness. "Unless I'm around to film it!" she said with a smile, taking out her phone as Sparky ran in a circle in happiness. "Now do that again, but go even wilder! Let your freaky-fun-flag fly, Sparky! Fly!" Izzy told him with a cheery smile as Sparky immediately went to repeat what he did earlier as some trash are tossed around..
Around the time, Sunny, Zipp, Hitch and Sunset were outside of Mane Melody, in front of a table with a watermelon and a watermelon seed, while at the other side of the table there was an earth pony stallion, waiting for the other to tell him what to do.
Once again, Zipp was recording with her phone. "And what's your magic?" Zipp asked the stallion.
The stallion made his hoof glow and touched the watermelon seed, turning it into an already grown watermelon. Zipp and Hitch looked at each, and Zipp put her phone away to take a watermelon that the stallion was giving to her. But then, he accidentally activated his magic and made the watermelon multiply, with one of them accidentally hitting Hitch's hoof in the process, which made Hitch fall in pain.
Once he stood up, he brought a sticker of 'No earth pony magic' and put it on the other stallion's forehead. "Perfect, great. Don't do it again" Hitch ordered with a bored expression.
Sunset groans at this. “Hitch really needs to let ponies practice their magic. If they don’t they will never learn.” She groans at Hitch, while giving him an irritated look.
Back in the station, Sparky was twirling around Hitch's office chair.
“That's the spirit! Abandon all order! Dazzle with destruction! Express yourself to the extreeeeme!” Izzy cheered as Sparky kept spinning and some paper as Sparky landed on the ground, a little dizzy, but still smiling.
“I… uh…” An earth pony stallion said sheepish as Sunny, Hitch, Zipp and Sunset were in front of him, who was having trouble since he was trapped on some vines he accidentally grew, and looked at Hitch with a sheepish smile.
Hitch looked at him with a frown, and took out another sticker for no earth pony magic. "Don't do it again." Hitch warned him, but then another vine grew and tried to grab one of his hind legs. “Huh?” Hitch asked in confusion as he moved the leg in time and kicked the vine away, then he put the sticker on the stallion's hoof.
"Okay, I'll admit that was a little dangerous, but still needs practice" Sunset muttered to herself, seeing that it was a little dangerous.
And then Hitch put more stickers on the other earth ponies, Posey included, who looked confused at Hitch. A little far from where Posey and Hitch were standing, Sunny, Zipp and Sunset looked at Posey's and other earth ponies' hooves glowing.
"Look at their hooves!" Zipp pointed out what they saw.
"They're all glowing!" Sunny added as the three ponies turned around.
One earth pony touched the grass with his glowing hoof, and random vines starting to get out. Behind him, another earth pony touched a tree, and it started to change colors.
“And frizzing? That’s a new one.” Sunset said, never seen that part before.
Pipp and Jazz were looking at all that was happening with the earth pony magic confused.
"Okay..." Jazz commented with concern. "This is officially getting weird!" she added, looking at the color changing tree. Pipp took out her phone to take a picture at the tree, but then Jazz magic activated out of nowhere and made a big bush grow below hers and Pipp's hooves. "Eh? I didn't even want to do that!" she said confused, shaking her hoof to make the glow disappear. And then she took a picture with Pipp, who had the camera ready to take the selfie.
Meanwhile, Sunny, Zipp and Sunset were with Hitch not so far from the Canterlogic Factory.
"See?" Hitch said with a smile, pulling out some blank papers. "I just need to plan and plot out a perfectly thought-out list of precautions all before you ponies can say 'Presto'!" he pointed out with a smile, thinking his plan of magic restrictions worked while Sunny, Sunset and Zipp looked at each other with bored expressions.
“Hitch. This is your selfish idea, and it’s not right for everypony.” Sunset started with narrowed eyes at the sheriff. “Magic isn’t dangerous unless you practice it, it shouldn't be held in.” She said, really annoyed at Hitch’s stubbornness.
“You’re just jealous that my plan worked, Sunset.” Hitch boasted with a proud smile. And then, behind him, an old earth pony mare and Posey made their magic appear by accident.
"Presto! Presto!" Both Sunset, Sunny and Zipp cried out in worry.
Hitch looked at them with a bored expression. "Ha-ha. I didn't mean literally" he pointed out, thinking they are messing with him.
"No, Hitch, the ponies, they're––" Sunny tried to warn him, but Hitch cut her off.
“Safe and protected now that we've put a stop to this" Hitch said with confidence.
Sunset had enough of this. “Oh, for Celesita sake!” She said as she grabbed Hitch’s head, which startled him a bit from that. “Hitch! Look in front of you and see what we mean!” She called out in anger as she turned Hitch’s head to where they were looking over town, and Hitch gasped at the sight of earth pony magic getting out of control.
"Magic is out of control again!" Jazz shouted to the group, with Pipp flying at her side.
"And I have video proof!" Pipp said, showing her phone to the rest, playing a video of the changed color tree from before... wearing glasses and with some background music. "In a sassy-sparkle filter too! I know, the sunglasses are a great touch, right?" she said with a cheery smile. "The Pippsqueaks made it just for me" she added.
“Not the time for video media, Pipp.” Sunset said with a raised eyebrow from Pipp going through her phone at a time like this.
"And why didn't you try to tell me?!" Hitch yelled at the Pipp and Jazz, while Sunny, and Zipp looked at him with bored expressions and Sunset glared daggers at him as she smacked him on the head. “Ow!” He cried out.
“We tried, but you were being stubborn as a mule to even listen to us, Hitch!” Sunset scowled at Hitch.
"I think it has something to do with the glowing hooves!" Zipp pointed out, while Jazz hooves started to glow again.
"Not a good look, Jazz!" Pipp cried out with worry.
Hitch put a hoof on his chin to think, and then Sunny touched his shoulder, looking at his hoof. Hitch looked at it too, and then he shrieked when he saw it was glowing. "What does this mean?!" he asked with a frown, looking at his glowing hoof.
"It's gotta be the built-up earth pony magic!" Zipp pointed out. "I don't think you're supposed to keep it all in!" she added with worry.
“I tried to tell you, Hitch! Magic can’t be held in, it gotta be releash! If not, then you're looking at a magic overload!” Sunset pointed out that magic was never meant to be held, if not, then it gets out of control, kinda like what’s happening now.
"I was wrong..." Hitch said with concern. "I shouldn't have put a pause to earth pony magic..." he added.
"Oh, I'm so happy to hear you say that!" Sunny told him with a smile.
“Wait for it, Sunny.” Sunset said with a bored expression, knowing what Hitch was about to say.
"I should've gone straight to the Unity Crystals!" Hitch said next. "When ponies united and the Unity Crystals were created, everypony got their magic. Maybe if we remove the earth pony one..." he added with a smile.
“Wait! Huh?!” Sunset asked in shock, not expecting him to say that.
"What?!" Sunny asked in disbelief. "No! That's not what I meant" she pointed out with worry.
"You two were right, Sunny and Sunset!" Hitch said to them. "Earth pony magic is powerful, too powerful! We never had it before, why do we need it now? Come on!" He started with a determined look, and then ran towards the Crystal Brighthouse.
“Hitch, wait!” Sunset called out as she, Pipp, Zipp, and Sunny ran as they followed Hitch.
“The Crystals aren't the problem! But maybe if we interviewed everypony again, we could figure it out!” Sunny called out as she ran next to Hitch.
“There's nothing left to figure out!” Hitch argued. “This is the only way to keep Maretime Bay safe!” He called out.
Sunny groans at Hitch’s stubbornness. “Rash decisions don't keep anypony safe!” She countered as an Earth Pony mare ran off when some giant flowers grew, releasing some pollen as the Mane 6, sin Izzy, ran through it.
Hitch coughs and sneezes from the pollen they ran through. “Look around! We have to try and reset those Crystals soon or else... I don't wanna know ‘or else’!” He said in worried as they kept running.
Sunset then got in front of Hitch as he bumped into her and fell on the ground as Sunset glared at Hitch. “Hitch! Your rash decisions are what got us into this, and you are planning to do something that nopony should do! And you are tarnishing Twilight’s legacy! You are not touching the crystals! They’re not the problem!” She scowled.
Hitch then pushed past Sunset, ignoring her. “I don’t have time for this Sunset!” He called out as he ran towards the Brighthouse.
Sunset groans from Hitch not listening to them. “He’s as bad as Applejack when she’s stubborn from time to time!” She yelled in frustration as she and the others followed Hitch.
Back at the station, Spark excitedly babbles as he moves around the station, making a mess from the shelves and doing a flip to land on Hitch’s desk in front of Izzy.
“Ah! Did Zipp teach you that, Sparky?” Izzy asked the baby dragon in amazement as she then heard rumbling. “Huh?” She then turns and sees what is going on as Sparky then burps and releash dragon fire on Hitch’s telephone, which turns into ice cream as Sparky then starts eating it. Izzy then looked through the windows as she saw what was going on as she saw her friends running by while plants were growing like crazy. “Hmmm... That looked more serious than a simple trot through town. Hey, friends! Wait up!” She called out to her friends as she opens the door
Sparky then starts to whimper at Izzy leaving as he comes up to her as he hugs her front legs.
Izzy gave him a smile. “Awww. Looks like you got all your energy out. And right on time. Izzy has to pop out real quick, but if you're good while I'm gone, I'll…” She then gasped as she thought of an idea. “...uni-cycle your very own racetrack!” She excitedly said to him.
Sparky then babbles cheerfully at Izzy’s offer as the unicorn gives him a crab plushie as Sparky hugs it.
Kenneth then came in next to Izzy. “Thought you'd like that.” She said to Sparky before turning to Kenneth and put him next to Sparky. “Okay, Kenneth! You're in charge! Watch Sparky for just a moment.” She said to Kenneth as the bird saluted her. “Okay! Good dragon! Stay right there! B.R.B.!” She said as she ran out the Brighthouse as she caught up to the others as Sparky waved at her.
At the Crystal Brighthouse, Hitch was in front of the Unity Crystals, with all the rest trying to stop him.
"Taking the earth pony crystal out is the only way to keep everypony safe from this mayhem" Hitch stated, as he raised his hoof to touch the earth pony crystal.
"Whoa, whoa! Slow your roll!" Zipp called out to him. "You don't know that!" she pointed out.
"Removing a Crystal is not like flipping a switch! We could lose everything!" Sunny tried to resonate with Hitch.
"But if we don't try something, we could still lose everything!" Hitch said, not willing to step aside.
"Hitch, no" Sunny told him one more time.
Hitch was about to touch the Unity Crystal, but then a yellowish hoof grabbed his hoof and stopped him. Hitch turned and saw Sunset with a mean look.
“What? Sunset! Let go!” Hitch yelled at the alicorn as he struggled to get free.
“No! Hitch! It’s time you listen! And you’ll listen to what I have to say! Back away from the crystals!” Sunset yelled back as she tightened her hold on Hitch. “You’ve been making rash decisions all day! All because you think Earth Pony magic is dangerous! Well guess what Sheriff, the only pony making things worse is you!” She yelled out at him as Hitch flinched at what Sunset just said.
“Wha-? What are you talking about?!” Hitch questioned Sunset.
“I’m saying that you are trying to destroy our hard work!” Sunset continued. “Our work on rebuilding Twilight’s legacy, her dream kingdom of what Equestria was once was, all because you think Earth Pony magic is dangerous since you didn’t get a chance! WAKE UP, HITCH! This isn’t about you! Earth Pony magic was created because of the harmony and friendship everypony made that the crystals gave them! And you can’t just get rid of magic because you think it’s dangerous! Nopony thinks of that but you! And you are being selfish to this outcome that you try to remove the Unity Crystals, the very source of Equestrian’s magic, to place things back to how Equestria was before the crystals were reunited! If you do that, then not only the Earth Ponies will lose their magic, Unicorns and Pegasi will also lose their magic since they’re all connected to the crystals!” She shouted so close at Hitch’s face, the stallion flinched at what Sunset was saying. “You are a sheriff of Maretime Bay to keep ponies happy and safe. You got the safe thing right, but you are making everypony unhappy for the consequences of your selfish actions. What happened to the sheriff who always makes ponies happy?” She finished with a firm tone.
Hitch looked at Sunset with wide eyes, absorbing what she just said as he stopped struggling. Sunset calmed down as she let go of Hitch’s hoof as the stallion lowered it to the ground, seeing that she had gotten through his stubborn head. Hitch then looked at his friends as he thought of his actions and what Sunset was saying to him. “What am I doing? You're right! This isn't me!” Hitch said, now realizing what he has been doing and the actions he caused as Sunny sighs in relief as Sunset looked at him with a calm look.
“Hitch. Let us ask you something and think clearly before you answer, why did you think Earth Pony magic was dangerous in the first place, besides the accidents?” Sunset asked, wanting to know what Hitch thought of that in the first place.
Hitch thought for a sec before answering Sunset’s questions as the girls looked at the sheriff. “Guess I'm just... scared and unsure.” He admittedly said as he backed away from the crystals while giving a guilty expression. “Magic doesn't operate by any rules. Rules are what I know. What if I can't be the sheriff everypony needs now?” He said in sadness as he turned away from the crystals with a sad look.
Sunset then put the pieces together of why Hitch was doing this. “Is this the reason why you make all those magic restrictions and try to control these magic mishaps? Because you were afraid ponies don't need you anymore?” She asked, seeing through Hitch’s reason for all this mess as Hitch sighs in defeat and nodded his head slowly.
"You'll always be a strong sheriff, Hitch. Because you care" Sunny told Hitch with a smile.
"I'm sorry everypony." Hitch apologized with shame. "I just love Maretime Bay so much. But maybe having less magic isn't the answer" he pointed out, seeing the mess he had made.
“At least you admitted that it was wrong, Hitch.” Sunset said while placing a hoof on Hitch’s back for comfort. “Your actions may have been bold and wrong, but you were just trying to do what you think is right. Magic may be wild now, but we will find a way to learn from it with some practice.” She said to Hitch with a smile.
“And we're going to find out what that answer is. Right?” Zipp questioned with a smile as the rest of the Mane 6 smiled.
“Yeah!” Hitch said with a smile.
“You bet!” Sunny added with a smile.
“You got that right!” Sunset smiled.
“Yup!” Izzy cheered while hopping around.
“Of course!” Pipp finished.
Izzy kept hopping around with a cheery smile, and then she noticed her Cutie Mark shining bright. But not only hers, all of the Mane 6's Cutie Marks were shining and powering the Unity Crystals.
“Our cutie mark magic is... combining?” Sunny asked in awe while looking at the Unity Crystals.
“This is new. What are the crystals doing?” Sunset asked, but nopony answered, unsure themselves as they still looked at the crystals in awed.
And then, all the Mane 6 gasped when the figure of a pony appeared as a projection from the Unity Crystals.
"What filter is that?!" Pipp asked with disbelief.
“That’s not a filter, Pipp.” Sunset said in amazement, seeing a familiar pony she hadn't seen in a long time.
“That is…” Zipp tried to say, but was still awed.
And then the figure finally got clear, and it revealed to be an alicorn mare with purple fur, a dark indigo mane with a streak of lighter purple and pink in her mane and bangs, as well as her tail, and purple eyes that showed worry, everypony they know well from legends and stories, for Sunset, a friend she haven’t seen in a long time who showed her the magic of Friendship, Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship, former Princess of Equestria.
Sunny knew perfectly who's hologram was. "Twilight Sparkle!" she said in awe, looking at the mare that inspired her dad and herself on the mission to reunite ponykind.
Sunset then gave a long look at the hologram since she hadn't seen the one pony she hadn't seen in a long time “Twilight?” She asked with some happiness at seeing her old friend again, even if she was a hologram.
"If you're seeing this, magic is now more powerful than it's ever been, and earth pony magic has been activated for the first time in the history of Equestria!" Twilight's hologram spoke, while Hitch looked at his glowing hoof for a moment, and then looked back at Twilight. "Magic is alive, always changing, growing stronger. There are evil forces out there who will want to exploit it." The hologram kept telling, while Zipp and Izzy looked at each other and Zipp took out her phone to record Twilight's message as Sunset listened carefully at Twilight’s words. "Once a pony tried to steal all the magic in Equestria for herself, and almost succeeded." Twilight's hologram said with worry. "I did all that I could to protect it from..." The hologram got static, and the message wasn't delivered completely. "... by summoning all of my magical strength to achieve placing the magic in the Crystals and the..." The hologram got static again. "But the spell is broken! You are exposed to the world once again. You must watch out for Op–– Before she op–– I'm with you." Twilight's hologram disappeared after that last line, leaving the message incomplete.
“No! Come back!” Zipp pleaded to the hologram.
“No! No! No! Twilight, wait!” Sunset pleaded to the hologram of Twilight, not wanting to see her go again as the hologram faded. And then thought of what Twilight is trying to say. “A pony tried to steal all of the magic in Equestria for herself? That must’ve been why Twilight created these crystals, but who, who is the full name of this ‘Op’ she’s trying to say? I think it must be a mare, but who?” She thought to Twilight's message, at least she knows why these crystals were made but who would want to steal all of Equestria’s magic, and what was trying to say when she glitched out on ‘Op’.
And then the ground rumbled, which startled the whole group. They all got out to the balcony, and saw that Maretime Bay was infested on giant vines now. "It's time, Hitch." Hitch told himself. "You worked hard, researched, tried your best to keep the bay safe, but you've got to reverse action!" he told himself again.
“Um, who are you talkin' to?” Pipp asked Hitch in confusion.
“Hitch’s just talking to himself in the third person.” Sunset answered for Hitch, seeing that in Rainbow Dash a lot in the past as Hitch smiled sheepishly at the two ponies as Sunset and Zipp walked back to the crystals giving a thoughtful look at them.
“And who is the evil pony?!” Zipp questioned, wanting to know what Twilight was trying to say.
“That’s what we all like to know, Zipp.” Sunset said, not sure herself as she gave a long look at the crystals where hologram Twilight appeared, having a thought of something she think might work later after this whole mess is straightened out.
At Opaline’s castle, Misty watches the screen of what is going on in Maretime as she grows worried. "Uh... Opaline?" Misty called out to the alicorn.
"Ugh, if it's another compliment on my hooves, Misty, 'hooftastic' isn't a word, and I refuse to acknowledge it." Opaline replied with annoyance.
"No, look." Misty said, pointing to the 'screen', where an image of earth pony magic was showing up. "The earth pony magic is getting worse!" Misty pointed out.
"Magic isn't getting worse, it's growing into something it never has before" Opaline explained with a grin.
"But if it's growing this fast, how're we gonna stop it?" Misty questioned.
"Oh no, no, no, no." Opaline said with a smile. "We won't be stopping anything, Misty. In fact, we're gonna let it thrive" she explained. "So that when we pluck it, it will be the most powerful it has ever been!" she finished, and then made her maniacal laughter. Misty tried to join her in the laugh this time, but she got in on bad timing, and Opaline looked at her with a bored expression. "Ugh, if you're going to have a maniacal laugh with me, Misty, at least be in sync." Opaline pointed out. "Ready?" she asked Misty, who nodded with a smile. "And..." she said.
Both Opaline and Misty laughed maniacally now, although Misty stopped suddenly since she felt uncomfortable.
Back in Maretime Bay, things were getting out of control for earth ponies with their magic, while the pegasi and unicorns tried to help anyway they could as everypony screamed at the chaos.
Just then, the Mane 6 arrived as Sunset flew up above them as she summoned her Royal Canterlot voice. “Everypony of Maretime Bay! Whatever Hitch just told you about magic, forget it and unleash your magic!” She called out to everypony that could hear her.
“Like Sunset said, forget what I said earlier!” Hitch called out, backing up Sunset’s words. “Use your magic! As much as you can!” He ordered, removing the restrictions he put on every Earth Ponies.
"But also focus, and guide your magic!" Sunny told the earth ponies, placing a hoof on her chest.
“Concentrate on your magic and focus on the plants you vision to control them!” Sunset added.
The earth ponies got rid of the sticker that didn't allow them to use magic, and stomped their hooves on the ground to get rid of all the plants growing around town, focusing like Sunny told them.
"Express yourselves!" Izzy said with a cheery smile. "Let your freaky-fun-flags fly!" she added.
"That's right! Listen to Sunny, Sunset and... Izzy?!" Hitch asked, since Izzy was supposed to be with Sparky. "Where's Sparky?" he asked her.
"Uh... He's back at the station dragon-napping!" Izzy replied with a smile.
"Oh, okay then..." Hitch said calmly at first. "Wait! Did you say napping?! He's going to be up all night now!" he complained and groaned.
“Worried about that issue later, Hitch. The ponies are now using their magic.” Sunset said as the Mane 6 then moved on to keep an eye on earth ponies getting rid of the plants around town.
Meanwhile, Sprout used his magic to make the berry bush back to his normal size. "Yes!" he cheered with a smirk. But then, behind him, another berry bush grew, and this time it was twice the size of the other one. Sprout looked at the bush terrified, and then the berry broke from its root and Sprout screamed as he ran away for cover.
Pipp, who was looking at her phone, heard Sprout's scream, and she immediately panicked. "Hitch, look!" she called out, walking towards the sheriff. "Giant glimmer berry coming again, six o'clock!" she added with a little smile.
"But it's only 2:15!" Hitch pointed out, while Pipp looked at him with disbelief.
“Really, Hitch?!” Sunset yelled out as she turned the sheriff around, really annoyed that Hitch is that dense.
The three of them saw Sprout running away from the berry, while the Pippsqueaks from before got trapped again on. a vine Seashell made grow accidentally, and now the berry was rolling towards them. The three fillies gasped from the sight in fear, since the berry was going for them and they could not escape from their situation.
"My Pippsqueaks!" Pipp cried out in worry, immediately flying towards the fillies, being followed by the rest.
The Mane 6 stopped in between the giant berry and the Pippsqueaks as Hitch started to think on something. "Okay! Link hooves just like we did around the Unity Crystals!" he told the other mares. "Our powers are always stronger together, right?" he questioned as the berry kept rolling down the hill.
The Mane 6 united their hooves as Hitch looked down and saw his glowing hooves in awe, and Sunny noticed that with a smile. "Relax, Hitch." she told him. "All you have to do is trust yourself, you've got everything you already need" she said with a comfortable smile.
Sunset heard what Sunny said as she spoke. “Magic is controlled through the minds. Clear your head and focus on your magic. Vision on what you pictured and your magic will do what it is told. All you have to do is trust yourself, don’t be afraid to embrace the magic.” Sunset said to Hitch with a small smile as well, having a familiar vibe she had with the Rainbooms during their camping trip at Camp Everfree.
Hitch then closed his eyes as his friends followed, clearing his head and focusing on their magic as the Mane 6’s hooves and Cutie Marks glowed and made a giant vine draw on the ground that made a giant tree grow on the berry's way.
“Whoa!” The Mane 6 all exclaimed in awe as the tree was big enough to stop the berry, and the Mane 6 looked on in awe.
Hitch then looked at the tree blocking the berry's way. "The tree's right in the berry's path! We're protected! We're gonna save the ponies, we're actually gonna do it!" he cheered with a smile as Sunny laughed at this outcome.
Sunset then gave a bored expression at Hitch when he said that. “You just have to jinx us, Hitch.” She said in a dry tone.
“What do you mean, Sunset?” Hitch asked in confusion.
As Sunset expected, the berry crashed against the tree and spread fruit juice all over, as well as giant remaining pieces of the berry itself.
While Izzy, Sunny, and Pipp screamed while Sunset looked on with a bored expression while Zipp and Hitch just looked worried. "Oh no..." Hitch said, covering himself, having a feeling at what comes next.
“Told you.” Sunset said in a bored tone, feeling the karma hitting them as she braced herself for what comes next.
The fruit juice then splattered on the Mane 6 as Pippsqueaks covered themselves a bit before looking at the Mane 6. “Ooh!” They cheered as the Mane 6 were now covered in fruit juice.
Sunny smiled at this. “Hey, look! We're a friendship smoothie!” She joked with her friends with the wave of her hooves.
“We really got juiced up!” Sunset joked as well, finding it funny.
Zipp laughed at those jokes, finding them funny Pipp smacks her lips as she tastes some of the juice on her. “Mmmm. The perfect blend.” She joked.
Sunny and Hitch then laughed together at Pipp’s joke as the ponies around them cheered to the Mane 6 for saving the Pippsqueaks and stopping that giant berry.
“Told ya.” Sunny said to Hitch with a smile. “Earth pony magic is something else. Who knew you had the power to grow magical trees?” She gestured to the big tree the Mane 6 grew together in front of them and Canterlogic.
"Speaking of, have you seen this thing?" Pipp asked, taking out her phone to take a picture. "It's like six sparkle filters combined!" she cheered, taking the picture.
“I think those are our sparkles. Our magic must’ve made the sparkles in the tree when we grew it.” Sunset said with a smile, finding the tree beautiful since this reminds her of the Tree of Harmony Twilight showed her when it was where the elements of harmony came from.
Zipp took her phone out and recorded. "Zipp file number 3-1-O: Flowers on a magical tree look strangely familiar somehow. Must investigate." she said, recording the flowers from the tree.
"You both were right, Sunny and Sunset." Hitch told the two ponies who warned him about his rash ideas. "I shouldn't have tried to control all that magic, especially my own." he confessed with shame.
“That’s okay, Hitch. At least you learned your lesson.” Sunset said with a forgiving smile.
And then, they all heard a loud crash. "What was that?" Sunny asked in worried. "It sounds like it was coming straight from the station." she added. They all turned around to see the doors of the station open, with some dragon fire coming out of the station.
Hitch gasped worried at the sight. "Sparky!" he cried out, running towards the station while the rest followed him. Once he reached the station, he stopped suddenly. "Izzy, I thought I told you not to let Sparky make a mess... That is entirely cleaned up" he said, looking at the station clean and shining. Then Sparky ran towards Hitch excited, while Kenneth saluted at him. "Wow!" Hitch said in awe, looking at Sparky being so happy with him. "I've never seen Sparky this happy" he confessed, while both he and Izzy looked at Sparky eating some of the fruit juice on Hitch's back. "Did you follow the Safety Schedule? Feed him before sleeping? Not sleeping before eating? Check all the boxes on the comprehensive list I left" he asked Izzy.
"Nope, nope, and... nope!" Izzy replied with a smile, while Hitch just looked at her with a bored expression. "I tried that at first, but soon found out that ditching all the rules and letting Sparky run free was just what the dragon ordered!" she explained. "Isn't that right, little cutie?" she asked the baby dragon.
Sparky then purrs against Hitch and responds before getting on his hoof.
“Hitch. I wasn’t there when you told Izzy to dragon-sit Sparky, but what Izzy just said about this list thing is overreaction.” Sunset said with a calm smile. “I know you worried for Sparky, but not everypony can do the things you do. And besides, Sparky is a baby dragon, he just wants to run around and have fun, Twilight told me she let Spike have fun when she took care of him from time to time.” She said to him, remembering when Twilight was telling how she took care of Spike when she was little, even though it was tough, Spike did have fun with Twilight.
Hitch smiled at Izzy and Sunset’s words as he looked at them. “You’re right, Sunset.” He confesses with a sheepish smile. "And thanks, Izzy. I... may have over-thought it a bit..." he said, a little ashamed. "Trying to work on that. I mean, Sunset is right, he's just a little dragon, what's the worst that could happen?" he asked, lifting Sparky a bit.
And once again, Hitch jinxed himself since Sparky let out a big sneeze that spread some dragon smoke around the room and changed some things into balloons, party hats and balls.
The Mane 6 looked in amazement while Hitch gave a sheepish look. “Aaaaaand there it is.” He said, seeing that he jinks himself again.
"Wow!" Sunny said, surprised at what Sparky could do. "Sparky has magic?!" she asked with disbelief, as the rest looked as surprised as her.
Sparky sneezed again, and made the balloon that Kenneth was holding turned back into the trash can again and fell into the bird.
“Amazing! Not only does Sparky have the magic, but it seems his magical dragon fire has the ability to change things into anything his dragon fire hits, and a second strike seems to return it to normal.” Sunset summarizes a theory, surprised that Sparky has magic like Spike used to and has this special gift it can do.
"What, you didn't know?" Izzy asked Hitch, since she noticed while she was dragon-sitting Sparky.
Hitch made a balloon fly away with his head, and looked at Sparky with a smile. "We'll clean that up later, buddy." he told him, going to clean up that mess later.
At sunset, the ponies around Maretime Bay reunited around the tree that Hitch made grow as Hitch chuckled at the very thing he managed to create with his friends. Sparky ran towards the tree and looked at it in awe. He got closer to it and touched the trunk with his eyes closed, while his horns glowed a little bit.
However, Hitch got close to him and grabbed him to put him on his back. "Okay, Sparky, that's enough magic for today" he said with a smile, now walking towards the station, while Sparky kept looking at the tree with a smile, as the flowers on the tree started to shine and Sparky's smile grew bigger as he laughed a bit.
And then at night time in the Brighthouse, Sunset enters the room where the Unity Crystals are as she holds up a necklace with Twilight’s Cutie Mark symbol on it as she looks at the crystals.
“The message said Twilight created these crystals and it took all her strength to put all of Equestria’s magic inside them, even her own.” She said to herself as she then looked down at her crystals. “So maybe, if even a fraction of Twilight’s magic still resides inside them, it might…” She stopped as she turned and looked at Sunny and her friends, watching in concern as Sunset told them what she was about to do.
“You sure about this, Sunset? We don’t know if this is gonna work.” Sunny said, unsure if Sunset should do it if it might not work.
“I have to at least try. Twilight helped me, and now I help her.” Sunset said with a determined expression as she lifted the necklace and focused her magic on the crystals.
The Unity Crystals then glowed as they began to sparkle up. Sunset strains as she puts a lot of effort on the spell she is using as her Cutie Mark begins to glow and some purple magic stream then comes out of the crystals as they make their way to the necklace.
“Sunset! It’s working! Keep trying!” Sunny announced in excitement, seeing that whatever Sunset is doing, it’s working as the rest of the Mane 6 smiled at this outcome.
“That’s great! But I don't know how long I can hold this for it to be complete!” Sunset cried out, losing her grip on the spell as she began to slip from it.
Sunset then felt hooves touching her as she saw Sunny and the others holding on to her with determined expressions. “We’re here, Sunset! Together!” Sunny cried out with a determined tone to Sunset.
“Hoof to heart!” The Mane 6, sans Sunset, both cried out in determination as their Cutie Marks then began to glow again.
Sunset smiled at her friends helping her as she turned back to the crystals, still concentrating on her horn as she gave a determined smile as her Cutie Mark began to glow as well. “Hoof to heart!” She cried out.
The Mane 6 combined their magics together as the Unity Crystals then started combining their magic into it as it started to glow even brighter as purple magic stream speed into the necklace’s star. And then after a moment, a magic burst then appeared, which blinded the Mane 6 for a moment before it faded as the crystals continued to work its rainbow and magic to all of Equestria.
The Mane 6 rubbed their eyes from that blind light as they looked at the Unity Crystals.
“Did it work?” Zipp asked Sunset.
Sunset looked at the necklace she is holding as Twilight’s Cutie Mark star on it begins to glow in bright purple as it opens up. The Mane 6 watched closely as then purple mist appeared from the star as it began to form in it, taking the form of Twilight Sparkle as she appeared in the necklace as she looked around in confusion.
“What happened? Where am I?” The hologram of Twilight in the amulet asked in confusion, unaware of what was going on.
“Twilight Sparkle?” Sunset asked Twilight in a hopeful tone as Twilight then turned and saw Sunset.
“Sunset Shimmer? Is that you? Are you an alicorn? And who are these ponies?” Twilight asked in shock and confusion at seeing Sunset as an alicorn and unfamiliar ponies, aka Sunny and the others, around her.
“You’re back! It actually works!” Sunset cheered with tearful eyes, glad that Twilight is back, even if she is inside the amulet.
The rest of the Mane 6 cheered, happy that Sunset’s plan worked and brought back Twilight by putting Twilight’s spirit and magic into a star cutie mark replica on the necklace.
“Sunset, what’s gotten into you? What’s going on?” Twilight asked with a little giggles from Sunset’s excitement but still wanting to know what was happening.
Sunset wiped the tears from her eyes as she looked at her long time princess friend with a small smile. “Twilight. Do we have a story for you to catch up on how much you missed for a long time.” She said as she and the others huddled together to fill Twilight in on what she missed, while Sunny barely contain her excitement on seeing the real Princess of Friendship and leader of the Guardians of Friendship right in front of her as they huddled close together with huge smiles on their faces.
At Opaline’s castle, Opaline was at her throne, trying to think of a plan to get all the magic she wanted as she felt a strange sensation.
“Something’s not right. I’ve not felt that feeling for generations.” Opaline said, having a strange feeling she didn’t like coming back after generations, of somepony she hated and trying to take all of Equestrian’s magic.
End of Chapter 2 Ep 2: