//------------------------------// // I’m Looking Out For You // Story: Watching A New Generation // by Shadow Dragon //------------------------------// Outside of the Canterlogic Factory, Sunny was closing up shop while Sheriff Hitch gave the Mare a stern talk. "Do you have any idea how many bylaws you broke in there?" Sheriff Hitch asked. "I'm sure you're about to tell me," Sunny frowned. "Actually, for once I can't," Hitch scowled. "Because there's so many!" "Wow, must be a world record," Rainbow commented sarcastically. "I tried to warn you," Hitch continued to rant towards Sunny. "I can't keep associating with somepony who breaks every rule and causes chaos wherever she goes. I'm the sheriff!" "Exactly," Sunny Starscout continued with her argument with Hitch. "Other ponies look up to you. You can help." “Sunny, the law is the law” Hitch tried to tell the Sunny next to him who just kept looking at the screen But Sheriff Hitch wouldn't have any of it, "The law is the law, Sunny," He sighed. "And I'm here to uphold it and keep everypony safe." "Aha, you just said everypony," Sunny pointed. "That includes Pegasi and Unicorns." "Come on, Sunny, what do you think was gonna happen?" Hitch frowned. "You give a little speech and what? Everypony just magically welcomes unicorns and pegasi into Maretime Bay? You keep saying there's nothing to be afraid of. Well, then, prove it." Sunny smirked and silently pointed at the mane 6 and then to her newest friend Izzy Unable to come up with a counter argument for that statement, Sunny fell silent. "All of that pony unity stuff was just a foal's bedtime story made up by your dad," Hitch shook his head. "Like it or not, this is the way it is, and always will be," Hitch look more saddened, "I'm the last real friend you got in this town. You really want to lose me too?" “Hey, we're not made up.” Rainbow Dash gave a small complaint pointing to her awesome group of friends and how they really were united (and a little more between the lines, how they literally saved Equestria with the power of friendship), receiving a assent of her friends. “And if you were actually so much as considering breaking off your friendship, may Celesta have mercy.” Rainbow Dash stated in a cold sounding voice Sunny was even more silent, sadly watching as Sheriff Hitch took his leave to resume his duty as sheriff of the town, leaving Sunny alone Just then, a couple of foals came galloping down the streets, laughing and passing both Sunny, until they stopped to look at a poster, depicting an evil pegasus. With that, one of the foal pretended to be the evil pegasus, chasing after his friend, as they laughed and trotted away. Sunny sadly sat down on a bench, feeling beside herself "I wish you were here, Dad.” "What has become of Equestria?" Twilight asked. "How did it ever get to this? Where did it all go wrong?" No pony noticed me shrug in response to said question “All I I ever wanted was to prove that my father was right...” Sunny murmured, feeling the lump in her throat seeing her own sadness with a small mixture of happiness over actually achieving her goal. Hitch looked away. the sound of galloping pierced her ears, to which Sunny looked up to see frightened ponies screaming for their lives. "What the hay?" Applejack exclaimed Sunny got up and look. "What's going on?" Sunny asked. "What's happening?" But instead of answering, the ponies continue to scream in fear, as they bumped into Sunny and Sunset, knocking them both down to the ground. The source of all the ponies' fearful hysteria came walking down the street, shocking every ponies and critter that saw her, before she came across Sunny who was gasping in shock. "Hi, new friend!" The newcomer greeted. "My name's Izzy!" Izzy Moonbow smiled at Sunny “Hey hey, it's me!” Izzy hummed a little from her post, amused by her view on the screen. "Uhh..." Sunny interrupted, as she slowly got up, staring at the unicorn "U...U...Unicorn!" The earth ponies all screamed in terror as they galloped in random directions, determined to get away from Izzy Moonbow. They were even desperate to hide themselves out of sight, from pulling down curtains, closing shop, even diving into a manhole. "Ooh, is everypony playing hide-and-seek?" Izzy asked, looking around at all the earth ponies running and hiding for their lives. "I see you!" Izzy called to a Stallion. "Argh! It's a Unicorn!" The stallion galloped away and with that, he dived off a cliff, into the sea, with a big splash. "Seriously?" Applejack asked sarcastically. "Hey, what's going on?" Hitch asked, as he and Deputy Sprout investigated what the commotion was about. It didn't take long for him to find his answer, when he saw both Izzy, with her horn being a dead giveaway. "Unicorn attack!" Hitch hollered, with Deputy Sprout slamming his face into the door, out of blind fright. Hitch took the opportunity to shatter a glass case, activating an alarm, as he continued to shout, "This is not a drill! I repeat, this is not a drill!" With that, Sheriff Hitch sprinted into action, while his Deputy ran away. “The lack of context on how they got to this point is just... worrying.” Fluttershy frowned seeing how scared all the ponies looked, what happened to the friendship? Shadow Dragon nodded in agreement having heard that Ahead, Hitch spotted a young foal, sitting on the ground, trying to make sense of all the madness, "A vulnerable young pony," With a display of great athleticism, Hitch pounced on the foal, "Got ya!" He said, rolling himself up and gave the foal to a random mare. "Your son is safe now, ma'm." Hitch then galloped away, "This isn't my kid!" The mare called after him. "You're welcome!" Hitch shouted back Hicth, you're heroic but also a complete fool.” Sunny shook her head in amusement, feeling excited by Izzy's appearance on screen. Hitch glared at her for a moment Hitch continued to bark orders. "Man the Splat-a-pult! Activate the unicorn trap! Pick up that litter!" He said, pointing to a scrap, which a pony quickly complied. In the meantime, Sunny watched as tiles with red X's started to appear all around them, "Whoa, these ponies worked fast," Applejack commented, she would be impressed if not for the function of said device. . "Wow!" Izzy shouted, trotting towards the railing. "Is that the sea?" She asked, completely oblivious to the trap in front of her. "I've never seen the sea." Sunny pushing her away from a trap that had sprinted from the ground, with a flashing alarm. “Good save!” Izzy raised her hoof to Sunny to which they clashed hoofs and then the two laughed a bit "I've got to get you out of here!" Sunny shouted, leading Izzy out of the chaos. Sunny turned her head to make sure Izzy was following "Earth ponies are serious about games," Izzy commented. "They're not playing, they're terrified!" Sunny confirmed. "Oh no!" Izzy frowned. "Of what?" "You! You're a Unicorn," Sunny explained. "Earth ponies hate Unicorns." "Really? That seems harsh." “Hate is certainly a strong word.” Fluttershy made an uncomfortable face, hate was a strong word but to a certain extent it explained the situation which was annoying and disconcerting for her but she would’ve liked context as to how this happened, ow wouldn’t we all. Both Izzy and Sunny screeched to a halt, barely an inch from being hit with green sticky blobs, fired from the Canterlogic's splat-a-pult machines. Manning the machines are two of the staffs, with Phyllis pointing at their targets. "Let's go!" Sunny said to the unicorn. through all the chaos, one of the slimes hits the camera. “Wait, did you record the future?” Twilight turned to look up, exactly where Shadow Dragon was next to the movie projector. "Not me, but it's just a good nod to breaking the fourth wall." Was his indifferent response. “So it's just for the viewers to feel inside the chaos? What a level of professionalism.” Pipp blurted out her thoughts while still looking at the screen. Shadow Dragon just nodded. Sunny galloped over the tiles with red X's, while Izzy bounced over them, humming herself a merry tune. Pinkie joked “Guess I found my decedent.” Shadow Dragon shuttered having heard that and being afraid of how possible that was Sunny screeched to a halt, as she looked back, seeing Izzy was distracted by a sign of a movie called "Judgement Neigh." "Oh, I haven't seen this one yet," Izzy commented, walking up to the movie theater, not looking where she was stepping. Before Izzy realized it, she was trapped in the same unicorn entrapment box, with a flashing alarm to signal her capture. A gasp echoed among some of the ponies. Shocked, Sunny galloped to the boxes, containing her new unicorn friend, just as Sheriff Hitch arrived on the scene. "All right, citizens, calm down," The Sheriff began. "The threats have been neutralized. The unicorns have been captured. You may now cheer." “Okay maybe he’s more like Applejack and just has Fluttershy’s talent for animals.” Pinkie declared with some thought With that, the earth ponies all cheered from their hiding spot. All except for Sunny, who cautiously walked up to the box containing Izzy. Sheriff Hitch quickly catches onto what Sunny was planning, "Sunny!" He barked, to which Sunny flinched, for a moment, before she resumed walking to the box. "What are you doing?" Looking at the red buttons on the side of the boxes, Sunny continued, "Don't even think about it!" Hitch berated. Of course, being the rebel that she is, Sunny Starscout proceeded to extend her hoof out towards the button, which Hitch shook his head. "No, don't you dare. No, no, no, no," Without a second thought, Sunny proceeded to press the button of Izzy's entrapment, freeing the unicorn. "Sunny!" “Sunny, please.” Hicth shook his head as he said that, it still hadn't happened but it didn’t stop the disappointed look from appearing on his face. "Hicth, Izzy is my brand new friend, you can't expect me to just get her caught." Sunny stood next to Izzy looking at Hicth trying to appeal to their friendship. He received no response. "And why didn't ya just use yer magic to escape? I think even somepony like Trixie could’ve gotten out." Applejack asked, she really didn't think much of that technology stopping unicorn magic. Twilight looked curious at Izzy's response. “Um, I didn’t think about that." Izzy said with real confusion. "So, your name's Sunny?" Izzy asked, having heard Sheriff Hitch. Seeing the unicorn was free, once again, the earth ponies all screamed and ran in random directions. Some of them even accidentally trapped themselves in Canterlogic's unicorn entrapment cages. Using the chaos to their advantage, Sunny guided Izzy the way to escape. "Bye!" Izzy called out to the earth ponies. "It was nice to meet you all!" "Deputy, to the lighthouse!" Sheriff Hitch pointed. "Uh..." In response, Deputy Sprout had purposely trapped himself in one of the entrapment box, "Oh, no, I appear to be trapped." Hitch let out an exasperated sigh, "You gotta be kidding me." In the meantime, Sunny galloped back to her lighthouse home, with Izzy in tow. Once Izzy Moonbow was inside, Sunny quickly shuts the door, which once again causes the photo of herself and her dad to be crooked, which Sunny straightens again. As Izzy looked around Sunny proceeded to close the curtains of every windows in the house, before she turned to look at Izzy in the room. Still, Sunny was at a loss for words, as she continued to gaze at Izzy. "Do earth ponies also like staring contests? Hmm?" Izzy asked, staring at Sunny, until she blinked. "Ah! You win. I blinked." Finally finding her voice, Sunny exclaimed, "There’s a unicorn in my house!" She then excitedly screamed, "This is so cool!" She turned to Izzy, before realizing the predicament she's in. "Wait, no, it's bad, very, very bad. What have I done?" “And now I'm in a room with Pegasi, Unicorns and and of course the legendary Twilight Sparkle!” Sunny shrieked at the idea, she had concentrated on the recording so as not to go into investigative mode with the other ponies "Wow!" Izzy said, as she looked through a telescope, getting a closer look at Sunny. "I've never seen an earth pony before. We look exactly the same, except for this, of course," She pointed at her horn. "Oh," Sunny shouted, ducking her head. "Hey, be careful where you point that thing." "Why?" "Well, you almost poked her eye out there, kid," Rainbow stated. "I um...sort of don't want to get zapped with a wayward laser beam, but of course you know that already. You've both been reading my mind this whole time." Sunny responded and then asked "Isn’t it supposed to glow, by the way?" She began observing Izzy's horn. "Or does it only glow when you levitate stuff?" “Guess some of the brainwashing stuck huh?” Twilight asked Sunny only blushed in embarrassment "Well, actually..." Izzy began nervously. "Wait, don't answer that yet," Sunny stopped, before she galloped over to a table. "Let me get my notebook." “Ohh, so I get to ask my questions.” Sunny bounced in her seat. "I guess this will give us some context," Zipp said, quite interested in that, the unicorns would know about what happened to the magic, right? Oh this pore pony With an excited wave of her hoof, Sunny cleared some tin cans off the table, before whipping her said notebook from her saddle bags, and slammed it on the counter. "Ok, 142 questions for a unicorn. Make that two!" Looking at her notebook pages, Sunny read: "Question number one. Where do you live?" "Bridlewood," Izzy answered. "I knew it!" Sunny smiled, before she continued to ask, "Do unicorns really live in trees?" Izzy was about to answer but found herself interrupted when she was suddenly bombarded with more questions from Sunny. "Do they eat pizza?" "If so, what toppings do they like?" "If not, why not?" "Can you actually fry pony brains with a single horn zap?" Finally Sunny gasped, "Can you make this float?" She asked, throwing a can of baked beans to the unicorn. “That's quite a lot of questions.” Pinkie’s eyes twitched as she listened to each rambling of the questions. "Sorry, sometimes I just get off track a bit," Sunny laughed embarrassed. "Don't be embarrassed, Twilight here usually does the same thing or rather looks for the answers herself." Rainbow flew up and passed a hoof over Twilight's back as she said it, the Mane Six well knew that Twilight could also become a bit crazy about the investigation. For her part, Twilight rolled her eyes with some embarrassment and then she answered “In my time Unicorn’s mostly lived in Canterlot, I used to live in a tree and a friend of mine named Zecora also did that, personally I like a nice Hayburger over pizza just because I enjoy the simpler things in life, and as far as I know, no Unicorn’s can’t fry brains. Also yes I could make that float, I could even make you float if I wanted to.” Sunny beamed as thee Twilight Sparkle actually answered her questions "No, but I can do this!" With a stomp of her hoof, Izzy bounced the can of beans a few times on her horn, before dropping it to the floor, spilling the beans. “Ta-Da~” Izzy sang in triumph, much to Sunny's shock. "Wait, you don't have any magic?" Sunny asked Izzy. “Wait, Unicorns don't have magic?” Zipp got up from her seat for a moment, very confused. "We did, but that was many, many, many moons ago." Izzy gave a slight smile. “Wait, how long?” Twilight was more confused now. Twilight only received a pair of hoofs being raised as a sign that Izzy had no idea. Her turned his gaze to the Pegasi to see if they had magic. "Only the royal family can fly," Pipp said with ease, something they've always said. Zipp grimaced as she heard that and Rainbow looked uncomfortable with that idea "It's all wrong, too bad." Twilight shook her head, almost panicking over whatever it was that separated the ponies and magic, Fluttershy and Pinkie tried to comfort her a little by being the closest. "Sunny Starscout!" Hitch shouted, before he recoiled from the feedback of the megaphone. "Argh, that hurt.” Sunny Starscout trotted to a window, looking out to see Hitch, shouting into a megaphone, with Deputy Sprout wearing one of the anti-mind-reading unicorn hat, and cowering behind the sheriff. "Sunny Starscout," Hitch resumed. "I know you're in there with those unicorns! Come out with your hooves up and surrender!" "Yeah, you're completely surrounded," Deputy Sprout added, despite the fact that there were only two of them. “We're hiring.” Hitch gave an answer to his lack of reinforcements. "Will you let me do my job?" Hitch asked sternly, to which Sprout pouted. "You are under arrest," The sheriff barked. "This is bad," Sunny moaned, before turning to Izzy. "How sneaky are you?" "Er, medium sneaky," Izzy guessed. "I can work with that," Sunny perked. "OK, I'll distract them." Izzy simply scoffed at the notion, "Relax, I'll talk to him!" "No, no!" Sunny held her hoof out. But it was too late, Izzy was already out the door, "Hi, guys," Izzy greeted. "Now, I know what you're thinking." Unfortunately, that rubbed the stallions the wrong way. The red coward in particular. "Arrgh! She's already reading our minds!" Deputy Sprout shrieked, before he turned and ran away. "Quick, before she fries our brains!" "Can Unicorns actually read minds?" Hitch asked a question in a serious way looking at the Alicorn. "There are many kinds of variations, memories, thoughts, smells, but in general, yes, but it would be rude to do so without the other pony's consent," Twilight replied in the shortest way she could think of. Hitch let out a soft thank you, he was still reluctant to the whole friendship between other tribes thing "What are you doing? Where are you going?" Hitch asked his runaway deputy. "To get reinforcements!" Sprout answered, after being a mile away. "We have reinforcements?" However, when Hitch's back was turned, Sunny snuck off with Izzy following. "Huh?" When Hitch turned around, he was dumbstruck to see that both mares were out of sight. "Oh come on!" After giving Hitch and Deputy Sprout the slips, Sunny and Izzy galloped up a road, leaving Maretime Bay. "You don't have any magic?" Sunny asked Izzy. "No," Izzy replied. Sunny skidded to a stop before asking mostly herself “No magic?" "If it makes you feel any better, we did have it," Izzy Moonbow confirmed. "But that was many, many, many moons ago. It just, poof, disappeared. Everypony thinks the pesky Pegasi had something to do with it, but, oh..." Izzy stopped herself when she noticed the sadden look on Sunny's face. "Oh, hey, you look kind of woozy. Are you OK?" She asked. "We have no idea either," Zipp gave a small comment, still a little confused about what happened to the magic. “Sorry.” Izzy apologized “Eh, it’s okay, the Pegasi thought that Unicorn’s were the reason why Pegasi can’t fly.” Zipp stated “She meant to say most Pegasi.” Pipp commented almost firmly as Zipp silently glared at her "Huh...I am on the run with a unicorn who has no magic," Sunny replied then asked “what are we going to do?” Then, out of nowhere, Izzy Moonbow came over and sniffed Sunny. “Ohhh right, do you smell like rotten fish?” Izzy asks, getting a little closer to Sunny and sniffing lightly. “No?” Sunny responds a little confused. “Oh great!” She turned her attention back to the screen as if nothing had happened. "What are you doing?" Sunny asked. "You don't smell," Izzy answered to Sunny. "Thanks. Wait, what?" Sunny asked in bewilderment. "I was told all you earth ponies smell like rotten sardines," Izzy replied. "But you do not." Just then, a butterfly came fluttering by, distracting Izzy who proceeded to follow it. "What else do unicorns say about earth ponies?" Sunny asked. "Oh, just that you're lazy and not the brightest crystals in the forest," Izzy answered bluntly, with her eyes still on the butterfly. "Charming," Sunny replied, with her ego broken. "No, just those three," Izzy replied, still chasing the butterfly. "This is a serious attack on our integrity," Pinkie said making a dramatic appearance with Applejack who nodded a little, Hitch and Sunny also nodded. "So, what's the plan?" Izzy asked, with her eyes off of the butterfly. Sunny turned to look at her, before she had an epiphany, "Wait, I got it!" Sunny exclaimed. "Izzy, we're going on a quest," Reaching into her saddlebag, Sunny pulled out her notebook, opening the pages to show a map, pointing to a location dubbed: "to Zephyr Heights." "The Pegasus city?" Izzy asked. "Yes," Sunny nodded. "We need to find out what happened to your magic and bring it back," She stated, before she emphasized. "They have magic. Maybe they can help." "Hmmm," Twilight said, looking suspicious. "But the Pegasi are bad news," Izzy shook her head. “Racist horses, the movie.” Shadow Dragon whispered not very loudly from his place and laughed a little. No one really heard what he said. "What if you're wrong about them?" Sunny asked. "Earth ponies were wrong about unicorns. They could welcome us with open wings." "But what if they don't?" Izzy asked, before she sings her heart out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQ9JLdEh1Qc Izzy Moonbow: Up ahead, is the sky growing dark? Where it leads is a big question mark And I'm scared that I'll end up a pony gone missing from pegasus-ing Sunny Starscout: But you're not alone You got a pony or two in your crew Izzy Moonbow: I do? Who? Sunny Starscout: I'm looking out for you When you're off track Sunny stopped Izzy, from nearly falling off a cliff, after being distracted by a butterfly. Sunny Starscout: I got your back You can rely on me I'm lookin' out for you They hopped across rocks. Sunny Starscout: Back at home it was earth ponies first Heard it so many times I could burst And I fought for a change but it's lonely Cos, you know, party of uno Izzy Moonbow: Well, if you need a friendly steed like you-know-who Sunny Starscout: I think I do Sunny and Izzy touched their hooves together. Both: I'm lookin' out for you Sunny Starscout: When you're off track I got your back Both:You can rely on me I'm lookin' out for you Both Sunny and Izzy stacked up on each other to get an apple from a tree Sunny Starscout: Lost in the hills Izzy Moonbow: I've got the skills Both: let's get going Sunny Starscout: Get going Izzy Moonbow: Get going Both: I'm lookin' out Chorus: I'm lookin' out for you I'll go where you're going to It's all I ever want to do I am lookin' out All three mares were galloping across the land, singing their song. Along the way, they failed to notice a familiar pony tied to balloons. Soon they both arrived at a cloudy mountain as the song was ending Both: For you! There is a sound of someone with a handkerchief as everyone turns to see Pinky Pie blowing her nose. "That was very inspiring," Pinky said in a somewhat dramatic way to which some smiled with amusement.