//------------------------------// // Chapter 14 - A New Day // Story: Break the Walls Down // by Super Saiyan D //------------------------------// =============== 9:12 AM Ponyville =============== A teal-furred, green-haired, bipedal pony figure raced across a verdant landscape, serenaded by a chipper tune that seemed to come from the land itself. It stopped for nothing, clearly a creature on a mission. A set of three monstrous worms, each bigger than the was, stood blocking its path. Alerted to the nearing presence, the first worm glared with fierce blue eyes and lunged for the figure. The attack was easily dodged by the pony’s backward jump. Then the pony threw out its hooves, shooting out a conjured bolt of lightning that zapped the giant worm into smoky oblivion. The only thing left in its place was a green apple. Grabbing it up and continuing, the pony leaped over the second worm’s lunge, now grabbing a floating zap apple out of the air. As it landed, it moved so fast it left trails of color behind it, leaping and stomping down on the two remaining worms to send them to the same fate as the first. With those minor obstacles out of the way, the pony dashed towards the edge of the cliff. The precipice lingered over a dark abyss. Posted overhead was a sign pointing down, ominously marked with a skull. Without hesitation, the pony leaped off the edge, plummeting down until it landed on a rock slab. The once green landscape was replaced by a battlefield, the pony now standing on a rock slab in the middle of a lake of molten lava. The music shifted, the joyful, energetic tune morphing into a sinister, foreboding melody. Up from the lava of fire emerged Lavan—a golem made entirely of magma and red-hot stone. His eyes glowed with a fiery intensity, fire rising out from each. A voice spoke two words that flashed across the screen: “Final boss!” A fireball formed in the golem’s hand. The pony leaped, the mass of flame searing the air where it had just stood. It landed on the second rock foothold, close enough to reach Lavan, and started to pummel him with punches. Its hooves slowly chipped off a tiny bit of the golem’s 100-point health bar. Lavan roared, raising his fist to smash the pony, who jumped back just in time to avoid the crushing blow. The pony landed, eyes never leaving its enemy, ready to continue the fight. Button Mash was in the zone, his eyes narrowed in focus, his hooves maneuvering on the controls of his favorite arcade machine with practiced ease. He’d navigated pixilated obstacles and defeated countless enemies before the sun had even risen. After four hours and ten minutes, he’d made it to the end of the final level with three lives to spare—a personal best. Now it was just him and Lavan. The stakes were high, and victory was within reach. The colt held his breath, ready to go all in against the lava monster. “Button! Button!” The sudden, unexpected shouting of his name made Button Mash jolt. The split-second faltering of his focus caused him to mistime a jump. His character was engulfed by a fireball, collapsing into a heap of ash. “Noooooo!” Button Mash cried out. He whipped around to glare at the newly arrived pony. “BASE!” First Base, out of breath and wide-eyed, looked at him apologetically. “Sorry, Button…” he said between gasps, “but I had to tell you as soon as I could!” “Not now, Base!” Button Mash retorted, his attention back on the game. He had two lives left and wasn’t about to waste them. Pressing the start button for a resurrection, he jumped his briefly invincible character through another incoming fireball to land close to Lavan and hit him with more punches. But each attack took only a single point off the monster’s health. “But Button, you don’t understand!” First Base insisted, bouncing on his hooves. “There were giant metal monsters in Canterlot! There was fighting everywhere!” “I don’t have time for more of your tall tales, Base! Can’t you see I’m in the middle of something?” Button ground out. He made his character duck to avoid another thrown fireball. Pressing the magic button, he shot a lightning bolt at Lavan’s leg. It did five times the damage as a punch, but still left the golem with over eighty percent of its health remaining. First Base’s exuberance only seemed to intensify. “But it’s true! It’s been going around all morning! And they say Blue Demon everypony’s talking about was there too!” Button Mash turned from the game just long enough to give his friend a disbelieving look. “‘Blue Demon’? Yeah, right. You’re gonna have to be a little more creative than that, Base.” A new sound from the screen drew Button back into the game. Lavan had raised both arms and was starting to flash. Small chunks of rock lifted from his teal character’s foothold to float in the air. He panicked. This must have been it, the boss’s ultimate, unavoidable attack. Nopony else who played the game had ever figured out a proven way around it. But some rumors said that staying all the way to the left of the screen and repeatedly hitting the jump button could protect you. With no other ideas, Button did just that. Only for his character to die once again, burned away in a wave of lava that washed over the almost the entire left half of the screen. The floating stones set back into place, and the boss laughed a deep, mocking laugh. Button slammed his hooves to the machine in frustration. “Dangit!” So much for the rumors. “Honestly, Button!” First Base exasperated. “How can you play games while Equestria turns into complete chaos?” “Easy,” grumbled Button. He held his hooves to his head, staring at the screen in frustration. It was hopeless. He was down to his last life, and this final boss seemed unbeatable. His attacks could barely hurt it. Even with his magic meter almost full, he couldn’t fire enough spells to bring its health down to zero. “Ugh, this sucks! Who’s the brainiac that gave him something that unfair?!” A new voice suddenly joined in. “Mind if I give it a try?” Button snorted, turning to say something to the newcomer when his eyes widened in surprise along with First Base’s. Standing next to them was a two-legged, blue-furred hedgehog the likes of which they’d never seen before. Only First Base, slowly connecting his overheard tales to the being in front of them, had the sudden spark of realization. “Uh… sure?” Button stammered, a mix of doubt and surprise in his voice. He watched as Sonic restarted the game and took hold of the arcade machine’s controls, noticing the tattered gloves on his hands. But that appeared to mean little as the stranger began to work the controls with practiced ease and precision. Sonic deftly jumped and ducked the player character around Lava’s attacks, landing several strings of hits when the openings came. The lava golem lifted his arms once again and began to flash, the stone pieces rising into the air again. Button Mash gulped. The unavoidable attack was coming. His glimmer of hope was about to be snuffed out, along with his last life. But with a swift tap of the button and maneuver of the joystick, Sonic made the character hop up onto one of the floating rocks, jumping up the series of stone platforms, going as high as possible so that the incoming wave of lava passed by without coming close to the pixilated hero. “Rushing in and getting your hits in doesn’t always work,” Sonic said with carefree confidence, keeping his eyes on the screen. “Keep an eye on your environment. Sometimes you can use the stuff around you to get out of a pinch. And hit the weak spots for massive damage. Almost every boss has one. And when in doubt…” he grinned, lifting a finger over the magic button, “go for the head!” As Sonic pressed the button, the character launched another magic bolt at Lavan’s face. When it struck, the golem’s head lit up with a yellow spark, turning bone white. A third of its total health dropped away. Button’s eyes shone. Sonic stepped away, gesturing with a smile for him to have at it. Springing into action, Button hit the magic button to make the character fire every last bolt of magic his meter allowed. The shock animation left the lava boss stunned and unable to resist as the lightning attacks brought its health all the way down to zero. Lavan’s mouth fell open, and its flaming eyes went out. “Nooooooooo!” he bellowed, his molten body falling apart and collapsing back into the volcanic pit from whence it came. A jingling, upbeat tune played as a fade-to-white transition took the player character to the middle of a beautiful green field, surrounded by friendly faces and critters in a village square. The announcer declared: “Game over! Hark and rejoice, for the evil Lavan is dead, and peace has been restored to the town!” “Yes!” Button Mash whooped, pumping a hoof and jumping around with glee. “Yes! Yesyesyesyesyesyes! I finally did it!” He looked at Sonic with unadulterated joy. “Thank you! Oh, thank you so much!” Rubbing a finger on his nose, Sonic smiled. “No problem. It’s usually obvious. Almost always the head or the eyes.” He raised an open hand to bid them goodbye as he turned. “You kids take care, now. I’ve got an errand to run.” Leaving one stunned and one celebrating colt behind, Sonic allowed himself a moment of pride. “Still got it the master hands.” He glanced at said hands. “Which… will look much better in some less raggedy gloves. Time to pay Ms. Clothing Gimmick a visit.” Putting some pep in his step, Sonic whizzed away, almost instantly putting the arcade far behind. Dashing through the streets at close to 100 mph, he thought back. ‘Now, what did she say…? West side, by the town hall…’ It didn’t take long for him to catch sight of an elaborate building coming up at the end of the road. Skidding to a stop, he paused to take in the view. In contrast to the rather humble-looking homes that surrounded it, Rarity's shop stood out with elegance and luxurious splendor. Every detail was carefully calculated. The decorative blue, purple, and yellows practically shouted out its uniqueness to the world. Sonic snorted to himself, thinking about Rarity’s words with an amused smile. ‘I doubt there’s a creature alive who could miss that.” He walked up to the door and was about to knock when an indignant shout came from inside. “I am telling you, I don’t need it!” A voice Sonic recognized as Rarity’s responded. “Now, now, Mr. Firebrand. A commanding officer simply must maintain his appearance. You can’t represent Her Majesty’s Royal Guard looking shabby, can you?” “I represent them just fine! Ack, you’re choking me!” “Beauty is pain, darling.” “Then I’d rather be ugly!” Deciding he’d stood there long enough, Sonic pushed the door open. Stepping inside to the jingling of the door’s bell, a peculiar sight met his eyes. Standing on a short platform in the middle of the boutique was a young red unicorn stallion with a yellow, windswept mane. He wore a black jacket, the collar of a green shirt showing over its top button. He looked decidedly unhappy, tail flicking and face screwed up in irritation as Rarity forcibly tried to hook an oversized green bowtie into place around his neck. “Lieutenant, please! It will accent your mane beautifully!” Rarity cooed, her blue-hued magic continuing to try and secure the offending accessory. But Firebrand had other ideas. “I didn’t ask to accessorize, Rarity!” he snapped, using his own yellow aura to rip himself free of it. The bowtie fluttered to the ground as he snatched a folded-up uniform from her desk and made a beeline for the door. “Thanks for the work, just send me the bill. Now, if you’ll excuse me—” He abruptly stopped as he came face to face with Sonic. For a long moment, the boutique was awkwardly quiet as the two strangers assessed each other, their eyes narrowing in mutual scrutiny. Firebrand broke the silence with all the subtlety of a train wreck on a boat. “Shouldn’t you be wrapped in sports tape?” Sonic crossed his arms over his chest, lifting an eyebrow. “Shouldn’t you still be in the sun?” Firebrand opened his mouth, hesitated, put a hoof to his chin, and ultimately just scrunched up his face. “Shaddap.” He stomped his way past the blue hedgehog to the exit. Sonic brought a hand to the side of his mouth, jokingly calling after him as he disappeared through the doorway. “Hey, don’t trot away mad! I’m only joshing you!” A long, suffering groan carried over the air as the stallion left. A few more awkward seconds passed before Rarity cleared her throat. “My apologies. That was a particularly… ‘testy’ customer.” Gathering herself, she adopted a more professional demeanor. “Welcome, dear Sonic, to Carousel Boutique, where every garment is chic, unique, and magnifique. Sonic glanced around, taking in the inside view of the place. “Gotta hand it to you, it sure looks the part.” “My pride and joy,” Rarity tittered. “The decorator I hired was among the best in Canterlot. Every aspect of the interior design is unique to Carousel Boutique. And it took quite a lot of planning and hard work to arrange everything. I assure the highest quality designs for entirely reasonable prices. Her smile broadened. “But enough about me, let’s talk about you. I believe you were in need of some new gloves?” With a half smile, Sonic raised his hands and the all-but shredded gloves still on them. “That is why I’m here.” “Then let us begin!” Rarity pulled out some white silk fabric from a drawer, unrolling it on her work desk. “Would you mind placing your—” Words suddenly failed her, her brow furrowing as she looked at Sonic’s hands. “Your, um… paws?” “Hands,” Sonic clarified. “Ah, yes.” She cleared her throat. “Would you be a dear and place your hands flat on the fabric? I need to take your measurements.” Sonic did as she said, taking off his ruined gloves and putting his bare hands down on the silk. Rarity retrieved a measuring tape and began taking measurements around Sonic’s hands. She took note of the size and length of his fingers, as well as the width of his wrists. After a moment, she stood and took a step back, a thoughtful look on her face. She’d never tailored a pair of gloves like this before. But she was up for the challenge. Rarity set to work immediately, humming to herself as she cut the fabric to create the pattern. She tried every step of the process, from cutting the fabric to sewing the pieces together, paying attention to the measurements, making sure the fit was just right. She was meticulous in her work, even adding a few extra bits of fabric to make the gloves as durable as they were breathable and flexible. The process took quite a bit of time, but Rarity was a perfectionist. Taking the time to make something truly unique for this very special client was important to her. And when she finished, she had one of the nicest pairs of gloves that even Canterlot had ever seen. “And, voilà!” her pronouncement came as she levitated the finished gloves from her work desk and trotted over to Sonic. They were as fine a pair as Sonic had ever seen. The hedgehog gave a long, astonished whistle, peering at the new gloves under the boutique’s light. “They look amazing! How did you manage to get the stitching so precise?” “Oh, it’s merely a matter of precise measuring and practice,” Rarity replied with her trademark poise and elegance. “I’ve worked with fabrics for years and have designed countless projects. It’s an honor to have a complete a challenge for Equestria’s heroic guest.” Sonic chuckled as he pulled them on, flexing his fingers in them. They felt so soft, even better than the old ones. “You’ve outdone yourself. I can’t thank you enough.” Rarity smiled warmly, a proud glint in her eyes as she regarded the new gloves. “Oh, it was my pleasure. These kinds of projects are why I started my business in the first place.” Rarity paused for a moment. “If you ever need a more specialized piece, do let me know. I’m always happy to create something one-of-a-kind for you.” Sonic flashed Rarity a grin and winked. “You’re too kind. Anyway, I’ll be on my way now. Got a big day ahead of me. It was great meeting you!” Rarity smiled back, relieved that the encounter with Equestria’s newest hero had been nothing but civilized and courteous. “The pleasure is mine, dear. So, you'll be here with us for a while, then. What are you going to do now?” Sonic answered casually. “I guess I’ll explore around a little. I got a look at some of the things around the country yesterday, it’d be great to see more.” Rarity blinked, surprise coloring her features. Did she hear that right? Around the country? But then she smiled to herself. With how fast the hedgehog had demonstrated to be, it was no wonder he could make cruising all about Equestria a simple day trip. “Is your life always this exciting, darling?” “If I can help it,” he confirmed with a laugh. Then he turned to leave, waving behind his back. “Thanks again!” “Do come back soon!” she called with a wave as he went through the door. Once outside, Sonic took a deep breath as he stepped away from the boutique, taking in the soothing breeze and warm sun. As he breathed out, he could feel all his muscles relaxing, as though all the accumulated stress and worries from the day before had vanished. He dashed his way to the top of a nearby hill. Looking around, he couldn't help but marvel at the land’s beauty. Ponyville lay surrounded by valleys, hills, and forests stretched out before him under the warm glow of the morning sun. It was a calming sight, one he could spend ages admiring. Sonic smiled. Whatever direction he took, he felt sure that the sights and sounds of Equestria would fill his time with adventure and wonder. And with a stretch, he ran towards the morning light, excited for whatever adventure this new day would bring. =============== 9:49 AM Sire’s Hollow =============== In the quaint town of Sire’s Hollow, there stood a peculiar shop that most townsfolk tended to avoid. A glance through the windows would show a space filled with curiosities that shimmered and seemed to whisper secrets to those who dared peer inside. It was known only as The Mystic's Trove, and its reputation for housing the rare and arcane was matched only by the mystery of its proprietor. The door of a dimly lit shop swung open. A four-legged figure strode inside, closing the door behind it. A hooded cloak concealed the visitor’s features, casting a shadow that mingled with the dim light of the shop’s interior. “You took longer than I expected,” a voice said. The figure cleared its throat, and a female voice replied. “Yes, well... things got a bit messy." With a swift motion, the cloaked figure lowered its hood, revealing a female unicorn. Her coat was gray, her black mane accented by bright pink highlights, and she had powerful blue eyes. “But I got what I needed.” She reached under her cloak and unveiled a small, oddly-colored cube. “Ooh.” The voice sounded intrigued. “You must have had to beat an old lady with a stick to get your hooves on one of those.” The mare chuckled softly. “Something like that. It was far from simple and involved dealing with two different factions, but the end result was worth it.” She gazed at the cube, turning it about in her cloven hoof. “It should serve as a useful tool going forward.” The voice paused a moment, as if considering something new, then continued. “Things proceeded much as you predicted. Your old mentor and her pets were victorious.” Amusement touched the voice’s next words. “With some help from our blue visitor.” A mix of pride and barely-disguised surprise lit the mare’s face at the verification. She’d gotten it right on the nose. “The cards never lie,” she answered in a matter-of-fact tone. “And to think, all it cost you was Her Royal Highness’s good graces and the only other place you could have called home.” The mares face froze, the smile on her face fading and replaced with a stony glare. “I did what had to be done.” She spoke in a cold voice. “Of course, of course," the voice said, sounding a touch more apologetic than usual. The unicorn frowned, the cold anger dissipated into mild annoyance. Setting her cloak and the recovered artifact aside, she levitated a purple crystal ball and its gold ring stand from off the item-filled glass counter. Striding with it to a nearby table, her horn alit with dark light as she cast a scrying spell. The purple haze inside the orb glowed and shifted until it cast a and pulled up the image. First it showed a blue light streaking across the Equestrian grasslands. Then it shifted again for a closer view of Sonics form. A dark shape grew behind the mare, casting a shadow over as it watched over her shoulder. “I have to admit, the little pincushion surprised me. He doesn't look like much.” “He's a wild card,” the unicorn said simply, continuing to watch the Sonic’s image in the crystal ball. “You never know what he might do.” “A good chunk of Equestria still feels the same way, I’m sure,” the voice commented, the implication in its tone not sounding too positive. The mare gave a wry smile. “They’ll come around. I’ve foreseen it.” “Like you're hoping they do for you?” Again the voice was poking uncomfortably close to the edge. “You’re pushing my buttons today,” the mare said stiffly. She watched Sonic’s movements on the scrying orb in silence for several moments. “I don't need anypony’s gratitude. This is for the greater good.” “And that’s what I like about you, Ollie,” the dark shape sniggered. The mare grimaced. She hated when he called her that. “Oh, shut up, Fred.” Artwork: Firebrand