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11:46 A.M.
Ponyville – Sweet Apple Acres
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In front of her barn, Applejack wiped the sweat from her brow as she gazed out over the sprawling apple orchard in the distance. The morning sun beat down on her, casting a warm glow across the ripe, red apples that dangled from the branches. She took a deep breath, relishing the familiar scent of the orchard, a comforting mix of earth, fruit, and sunshine.
She’d had a productive morning so far, collecting the eggs, watering the vegetable fields, and making some much-needed patches to the holes in one of the fences. Now, after a quick break, she could get started on the orchard.
Amidst the soft sounds and rustles of farm animals, a sudden sound pierced the calm. A faint whirring noise, growing louder by the second, drew Applejack’s attention. On the horizon and drawing closer was a glowing blue light, streaking over the hills and through the trees on a curling path towards her.
The blue streak got twenty feet from where she stood and slowed quickly, resolving into the familiar form of Sonic. He glanced around at the farm before his eyes finally caught Applejack, smiling with that trademark spirited charm he was quickly becoming known for.
“‘Sup, cowgirl?” Sonic greeted the farm pony with a lifted palm, walking towards her with an easy tread.
His grin and spry energy were contagious. Applejack couldn’t help but return it with a smile of her own. “Howdy, sugarhog. Wasn't expectin' you to come moseyin’ along.”
“Just out for a stroll,” Sonic replied in a carefree way. That new nickname appeared to tickle him. “Hehe, ‘sugarhog.’” He liked it.
Applejack’s smile broadened as she brushed her hair out of her eyes. “Glad ya think it's funny. But I’ll warn ya, I’ve got a whole bunch of work to do, so this ain’t the best time for a chat.”
“I'll bet.” Sonic glanced around the farm and the wide apple orchard surrounding it, taking in the sights of the natural landscape. “Nice place you’ve got here.”
“Why, thank you, sugarhog.” Applejack turned so that she was facing the fruit-laden apple trees instead of him. “Me and the family have worked real hard to get this place to be what it is.”
“So I’ve heard,” said Sonic. “The mayor told me a little about it while getting me settled in yesterday. Your grandma and co helped start the whole place?”
“That’s right,” Applejack answered. “Granny Smith is what you’d call one of the founders of the farm. She’s been part of it for so long that a lot of ponies don’t even remember the time before Granny was around. Lots of others helped out along the way, but it wouldn’ta been possible without tough ol’ Granny Smith runnin’ the show.”
“Even helping kick start the whole town itself,” said Sonic. “You must all be proud.”
“We sure are! It’s pretty crazy when you think about it. Before our small town was just some tiny place that barely anybody knew existed. But in just a few generations, Sweet Apple Acres made Ponyville grow so much that every corner of Equestria knows about it. ‘Course, I couldn't handle all this on my own. There's also my big brother, Big Macintosh. And my little sister, Apple Bloom.” Applejack smirked at Sonic. “I hear you've already met her.”
Sonic blinked and tilted his head, looking puzzled.
Suppressing her urge to laugh at his expression, Applejack clarified. “Teenie lil’ thing. Yellow coat, red hair, pink bow? Says you got her hat back for her when she lost it on the train ride home?”
Sonic’s eyes brightened with recognition. “Ohhhh, so that was her.”
Applejack smiled broadly. “Sure is. Apple Bloom’s the youngest in the family. She has a real soft spot for you, ya know.”
“Glad I made some good impressions around here,” Sonic said as he scratched his ear, a self-deprecating tone in his voice.
“Oh, don't worry. After protectin’ the place, you made a lot of good impressions,” Applejack assured. “Some ponies may have been a tad nervous at first…” She gave a soft sigh. “Myself included if I’m bein’ honest. But I’m grateful for what you did for us. You ain’t so bad.” She smirked, playfully nudging Sonic in the arm.
“Thanks,” Sonic said with a mildly amused snort.
“But enough about all that,” said Applejack. “Like I said before, I’ve got a long list of chores to get done. Oh! And here comes Big Mac.”
Coming towards him with the sound of heavy hooves rapping on the dirt floor, a tall and burly red stallion approached, stopping next to Applejack. He gazed down at Sonic with a neutral, if slightly guarded expression. But he didn’t seem too unfriendly.
“Sonic the Hedgehog, meet Big Macintosh,” Applejack said to introduce the pair.
Sonic could see why they called him Big Macintosh. This pony was huge. “Hey, Big Macintosh. Nice to meet you.”
“Eyyup.” Big Macintosh nodded to Sonic. The stallion remained calm, though his eyes seemed to be taking Sonic’s every detail in.
‘Well, that was a short answer,’ Sonic thought, resting a hand on his hip. “Applejack tells me you're her brother?”
“Eyyup,” Big Mac replied, nodding his head in the same reserved way.
“I see. You like working the farm?”
“Eyyup,” Big Mac said flatly, not offering much more than one-word answers.
Sonic tilted his head. “Huh. Well, important to enjoy what you do.”
The big stallion stood there, expression unchanged. “Eyyup.”
Sonic adopted a playful smirk. “You’re a regular chatterbox, aren’tcha Big Macintosh?”
The stallion let out a snort and rolled his eyes. He obviously wasn’t a fan of the playful teasing, but it didn't seem like he was too bothered by it either. “Eyyup.”
“I can see y’all got loads to talk about,” Applejack commented, amused. “Big Mac’s a bit of a simple one. Not great at expressin’ himself, but a good stallion. Best part is the quiet. Never talks about nothin’ that ain’t important. No drama.”
“The strong, silent type.” Sonic’s smile grew a bit more. “I can appreciate it.”
“Eyyup,” Big Mac answered.
Applejack chuckled at her brother’s one-word response, but she was a bit touched at how he seemed to genuinely appreciate Sonic’s understanding of his character. “See what I mean? Simple but kind. Now come on, the two of us gotta get back to work. We’ve got a whole south field of apple trees to clear out. With any luck, we can get at least a third done by the end of the day.”
Sonic gazed at the trees for a moment; then a thought came to mind. “Maybe I could lend a hand?”
Applejack paused, her mouth opening in surprise. She and Big Mac glanced at each other. “You sure, sugarhog?” Applejack asked curiously, sounding a bit doubtful but more than willing to accept. It would be a pretty big help if he could offer any. “What’d ya have in mind?”
Sonic smirked again.
With the three of them working together, along with Sonic’s quickness, it hadn’t taken long to set up all the necessary buckets under the trees at the south field. At Sonic’s insistence, Applejack and Big Mac had placed them under all the field’s trees instead of just the third they planned on working on throughout the week. Though they weren't sure why.
“All right, everything in place?” Sonic asked Applejack.
“Yeah, everything’s set,” Applejack replied somewhat incredulously. Both she and her brother were still confused about what the hedgehog was cooking up. “Whatcha got up your sleeve, sugarhog?” she asked carefully, still not quite sure how much work he could do on his own.
Sonic’s face alit with that confident grin. “Just watch.”
He suddenly ducked down to curl himself into a ball and started to spin rapidly in place, charging up his trademark Spin Dash. Applejack and Big Mac watched in bewilderment at the strange and sudden motion.
The spinning began to speed up exponentially. It was now growing so fast that it was impossible to keep up with the motion, and they could feel themselves growing a bit dizzy just watching. "Uh, should we…?" Applejack started. But before she could finish, Sonic shot off.
He whizzed back and forth through the field, knocking into and bouncing between the tree trunks like a giant living pinball. The apples of each one he struck were sent tumbling from their branches down perfectly into the waiting buckets. It didn’t even take a full minute for the entire south field to be lined with full buckets, completely cleared and ready to be harvested.
Almost a week’s worth of work for the Apple Family, done in less than sixty seconds.
Sonic's spinning blue form came wheeling back towards them, and he suddenly unfurled and his feet slapped down to sit on the ground in front of them. He shook his head clear, a little dizzy, but looking fine. “Whew… So, how’s that?”
Applejack and Big Mac were both speechless. Their mouths hung open, and their eyes looked like they were going to pop out of their sockets.
“That…” It took a moment for Applejack to find her voice. “That was something else, sugarhog!” she exclaimed, shaking her head in total amazement.
Big Macintosh just stood there staring at Sonic for another moment, then nodded his head once and gave an approving smile. “Eeyup.” Even he sounded impressed.
“You’re a fast one, ain’tcha?” Applejack smiled at Sonic.
“Speed is my game," Sonic replied with a smooth smile, rising and dusting himself off.
“I can’t believe how much work you just saved us!” Applejack said with delight. “We’ve gotta give you something as thanks. How about you stop inside for some brunch?” Applejack offered.
Sonic seemed to brighten at the prospect of food. "Well, if you’re offering. And if I’m not imposing."
“Nah, it’s the least we can do!” Applejack said with a wave of her hood. “We’ve got a ton left over from this mornin’. Come on, I’ll getcha some."
Who was Sonic to say no?
A short time later, Sonic was greeted by a smorgasbord of homemade hoods. Apple pie, apple fritters, apple dumplings… it all looked amazing!
Not long after that, his stomach was stuffed to capacity. He made a very satisfied sound as he sat at the table. “Ahhhhh… Thanks a bunch for the grub, AJ. had no idea you could do so many things with apples. And that cider… I bet that stuff could make dirt taste good!”
Applejack smiled proudly at his enthusiastic expression. “Glad ya liked it! We’ve all got our strengths around here. I guess you could say we know a couple of things about apples. And these are just a few examples of what we can do with apples.” As Sonic got up and started to head out, Applejack remembered something. “By the way, sugarhog. If you’ve got the time, Apple Bloom wanted to thank you in person for the hat thing. Swing by the west side of the orchard around four o’clock. There’s a treehouse where she and her little friends like to hang out. Ya can’t miss it.”
“Will do.” He lifted his hand to wave farewell. “Thanks again. I’ll see you around!”
Applejack waved back, smiling warmly at the hedgehog’s goodbye. "Don't be a stranger, now!
As the day stretched on, it was an equally bright afternoon for the rest of Ponyville. A gentle breeze cooled the hides of ponies up and about their daily activities.
One such pony was famed new age musician and party animal, DJ Pon-3. Otherwise known as Vinyl Scratch.
Known for her love of music and her unique sense of style, Vinyl strolled down the bustling street, her hooves tapping out a rhythm on the ground as she went. Her signature sunglasses reflected the sunlight as she made her way towards her home. Her headphones hung around her neck; she didn’t need music right now.
A noticeable skip was in her step as she walked, her usual confident swagger replaced by a giddy bounce. Vinyl’s usually cool and collected demeanor was replaced by an uncharacteristic warmth and excitement. She couldn’t contain the smile that graced her face, the telltale sign that something extraordinary had come along to brighten her day. A chance encounter in Canterlot had set Vinyl’s heart aflutter; a serendipitous twist of fate that had left Vinyl feeling like she was walking on air.
Inside the equally divided home, Octavia Melody had the landline phone up to her ear, her face screwed up as she tapped her hoof on the floorboards. This was the third time today she’d tried to reach her boyfriend Caramel. Finally, he picked up.
“Yo, Tavi!” Vinyl called in greeting, interrupting the phone call.
Octavia winced at the interruption. It was so often a struggle to get Vinyl to settle down a bit. “Darn, not now, Vinyl. I’m on the phone.”
Vinyl took it in stride, chuckling. “My bad, my bad.” She set down her things and made herself at home on her half of the house.
Octavia had her lips pressed together as she continued the conversation with her boyfriend. Only her half of the conversation was audible. “Yes, I understand it's been… trying. I've just had so many recitals lined up.” Octavia paused as Caramel responded. “Yes, I know, but you know how important my recitals are to me.” She paused again. “No, but—” Octavia rolled her eyes. “Well, if you wanted to spend time with me, you could always come to one of them again.” Octavia’s face turned suddenly indignant a few seconds later. “And is there a problem with that?”
Vinyl raised an eyebrow at what she was hearing from her roommate. Things didn't exactly sound as sunny as Fillydelphia over there.
Octavia would go silent as Caramel responded, clearly getting more and more annoyed by the moment. Then she let out a shaky breath. “All right, all right…” Then she frowned. “Are you well? You sound a bit out of breath.”
A few seconds of silence.
“Well, if you’re sure.” Octavia cleared her throat. “So then, why don’t we go somewhere on Friday to make up for lost time? I hear the new comedy club is quite enjoyable.”
After a few more seconds, she blinked. “Already? Well… okay, then I’ll see you Friday.”
Barely two seconds passed before she blinked, looking at the phone with a mildly stunned expression. Caramel had just hung up after saying he had to go. How peculiar…
“You good, Tavi?” Vinyl spoke up from the other side, a touch of concern in her voice.
Octavia sighed, hanging up the phone. She rubbed her forehead with her hoof and shook her head. “Oh, just… having a few issues with Caramel. He didn’t even say goodbye… This is so unlike him.” She shook the thoughts away. “But I’m sure it’s nothing.”
Vinyl pursed her lip, stepping closer. For quite a while now, she’d observed some things from her roommate’s relationship that had been a little concerning. And Octavia didn’t seem to be aware of how she’d been contributing to the problem, usually brushing them off. But she felt the need to give her input, gently starting to respond. “Well… can you blame the guy for being frustrated? You haven’t exactly done a whole lot besides high tail it to Canterlot for those cello performances lately.”
The remark and its truth bothered Octavia. There was another long pause as she sighed and leaned back on the couch. “Well, I suppose you may have a point there. But I mean… I’m trying to make a name for myself here. And they rarely let just anypony play at Canterlot’s biggest venues. Besides, I've always invited him to come!”
“Uh huh…” Vinyl replied carefully. “And how often do you guys go out for something he wants to do together?”
Octavia thought for a moment. “Well, we… Um…” She pursed her lips, realizing that maybe Vinyl raised a valid point. Apart from her recitals and the odd concert, she wasn’t what most ponies would describe as outgoing. And she had some very specific tastes. Octavia considered herself a classy mare. But there was nothing wrong with having standards, was there?
“In any case, we’ll be doing something different on Friday. It’ll be fine.” Octavia picked up the newspaper from a small table, reading the headline and article titled Blue Demon Attacks Canterlot. Her face made up into a disturbed look. “Ugh… how dreadful.”
Vinyl regained her smile as she saw the headline and cover image, observing that was in fact yesterday’s paper, before heading to the fridge to grab a drink.
Looking for something else to take her mind off things, Octavia turned on the TV. When she did, ENN would be playing a newsreel recapping the attack on Canterlot by the army of metal invaders. Octavia blinked and turned the volume up, her eyes glued to the TV screen. She balked as she watched the reporter and captured footage of the attack. “What the devil?!” She threw her gaze to the unicorn as she returned. “Vinyl! You were just there! Are you all right?! Why didn’t you tell me?!”
“Ah, it’s good, it’s good,” Vinyl said easily with a wave of her hoof. “There was one little scare, but I’m all honkey dory. Don't even sweat it, Octy.”
Octavia narrowed her eyes at Vinyl with a somewhat puzzled gaze. Her unicorn friend was typically rather nonchalant about most things, but this seemed extreme even for her. Whatever happened to her during the attack? The cellist scoffed. “Oh yes, giant metal monsters are destroying everything in sight, and you tell me it’s only some ‘little scare’… Well, I’m happy you’re all right.”
The Earth mare looked across the captured new footage. Suddenly appearing on the screen, weaving between the robots and the guards, was a two-legged, blue-furred, spiky-headed figure that started fighting back against the invading robots. Octavia’s eyes widened. As she looked from yesterday’s paper to the screen, the news reporter identified the figure as the previously labeled the Blue Demon that had appeared in Canterlot last night. At the bottom-center of the screen beneath his image appeared a newly identified name for the figure: Sonic the Hedgehog.
“As a matter of fact,” Vinyl added, “I met someone yesterday.”
Octavia’s eyes widened, immediately snapping back to Vinyl. Her ears perked up to attention. She knew that tone, that smile. They were the ones the DJ always had when she’d found somepony she was interested in. “Oh? Do tell,” Octavia pressed, her eyes lighting up at the idea of a new romance for her friend. “Who is this wonderful fellow? Do I know him?”
“Oh…” Smiling slyly, Vinyl shifted her attention back to the TV, a smile widening across her face. “He's new in town.”
Octavia’s eyes followed Vinyl’s gaze to the TV, the blue alien figure now in the full camera view. She frowned, looked at the unicorn, then back at the TV. Her mouth dropped open. No… Vinyl couldn’t really be suggesting… She turned to her roommate in abject disbelief. “You can’t be serious.”
Vinyl just continued to grin at the screen. “As a heart attack, Octy.”
Octavia was utterly speechless at the admission. She couldn’t even fathom it. And the fact that the DJ was completely unphased by the notion was even more shocking. What had happened yesterday?! The cellist stared blankly for several seconds, her mind swirling before she finally found her voice. “Y-You met… You’re interested… in that guy?! The monster who tried to kidnap Celestia?!”
Vinyl turned from the screen back to the Earth pony, pouting a bit. “Watch a little longer, would ya? He didn’t try to kidnap anypony. It was all a misunderstanding. And he’s no monster.” The unicorn looked at the TV again, where Sonic was shown on the captured footage narrowly saving Minuette as she fell from a rooftop. The camera view changed, showing the hedgehog stopping another guard from getting speared by a Badnik’s lance before taking an impressive fight to the army of robots. “Just look at him go. Does that look like a monster to you?”
Octavia watched the footage, seeing more of the blue stranger’s heroic actions for herself. As shocking as it sounded, Vinyl appeared to be right. Amid the attacking robots, the hedgehog was doing pretty well fighting back, protecting ponies from harm, and fighting for the city’s freedom. Could it be true? From what little she’d gleaned about last night from the paper, he certainly seemed responsible for the initial incursion.
But now?
There was a look of conflicting emotions on Octavia’s face. “Well…” She stared at the news footage. She still had her doubts, but…
As a set of four giant, purple, hammer-wielding robots stomped into camera view to menace the speedy blue alien, Vinyl gave further comment, nodding towards the TV. “He also saved me from getting crushed by one of those big guys.”
Octavia turned to Vinyl again, her mouth dropping for what felt like the umpteenth time. “He did?” Her gaze went back to the screen, watching more of the video. Slowly, there was a subtle shift in Octavia’s expression. The shock of her learning her best friend’s account was starting to give a bit of way to something else; something resembling interest. The way Vinyl described this “Sonic” being so heroic, saving lives, including her own was… oddly admirable. Her face held a new look of intrigue.
“Well… I suppose that was quite courageous of him,” Octavia admitted. The cellist shifted her gaze from the TV back to Vinyl, frowning. “Wait. Does he know about your…” she flinched as she considered her next word, still finding the idea rather disturbing, “‘interest’?”
“Not yet.” Vinyl’s smile deepened as she peered at the screen. “But he wiiiill,” she singsonged.
Octavia was a bit caught off guard by the way Vinyl said that last sentence, and even more by the not-so-subtle hint of flirtatiousness that escaped her. “What do you mean?”
“We’ve got a new neighbor,” Vinyl answered, her eyes only for the TV as Sonic was shown talking to Celestia in the Canterlot streets while the news anchors debated the prospect of his presence in Equestria. “He’s gonna be sticking around Ponyville until all the metal monster hubbub is wrapped up.” Vinyl’s eyes narrowed, her pupils seeming to glitter. “Maybe I’ll go… introduce myself.”
Time seemed to slow down for her roommate, Octavia being completely taken aback. Vinyl was dead serious. She was actually going to try and charm this so-called Blue Demon?! And from the sound of it, soon?! “Hold on a second! Do you even really know this… creature? Or anything about him? Where he’s from? His background?”
“There’s time for all that,” Vinyl replied casually, still focused on the footage. “I can take things niiiiice and slow.” Her smile curled up higher, teeth showing with excitement as she chuckled. “Unless that's not his style.”
Octavia could barely believe what she was hearing anymore. Vinyl had never been one to be subtle about her “interests,” but this was truly a new level of straightforward. But just how risky could this Sonic be? And why was her friend so enamored with him? The whole thing was making Octavia feel rather anxious.
“He's not even a pony,” Octavia pointed out strongly.
Vinyl blew air between her lips, her tail flicking. “Ah, so what? I don’t discriminate.”
Octavia gasped softly, again stunned by her friend’s admission. “You… But doesn’t that—” She paused, thinking about how to phrase it; words failed her. Octavia wasn’t usually one to judge Vinyl, but she was starting to feel uneasy about this Sonic character now. Not only was he not Equestrian, he was a whole different species. It was her understanding that most creatures outside of Equestria were typically dangerous and not to be approached lightly.
The whole thing seemed downright unnatural.
Octavia started to say something else, then caught herself, realizing this wasn’t exactly her concern. But that still didn't ease her mind at all. Why was Vinyl so interested in this alien in the first place?
“Besides…” Vinyl’s tone grew suddenly licentious. Her eyes specifically focused on Sonic’s gloved hands. “Just imagine what he could do with those little wrigglers.”
Octavia’s jaw just about hit the floor. Despite herself, she also shifted her attention to the hedgehog’s gloved extremities. With the way Vinyl was talking…
Absolutely not, absolutely not, absolutely not—
Octavia suddenly felt a bit nauseous. No. She was not entertaining such impropriety. Not even a thought! It would be ludicrous. “You're unbelievable…” Octavia muttered, putting her face in her hooves.
“I just know what I like,” her friend retorted. As the TV displayed Sonic leaving Canterlot and approaching the camera view alongside the Elements of Harmony and Spike, Vinyl’s grin turned wolfish. Her tongue licked over her teeth. “And mama like.”
Octavia shuddered at Vinyl’s comment. She didn’t like where this was going. Not one little bit. “Ugh… I never thought you would go this far, but I really shouldn’t be surprised. You do have some questionable tastes…” She looked at the TV, her brow furrowing in discontent. “I still think you’re mad. He could be dangerous. Just look at how he was cutting down those golems.”
Vinyl was only half listening to her best friend at this point, and from the look on her face, conjuring up some rather unholy scenarios in her head involving herself and the hedgehog. “Oh, cut me down…”
Octavia cringed, her skin crawling. Vinyl’s vivid imagination was starting to get just a smidge disgusting; not to mention, incredibly uncomfortable. “Vinyl, stop it, seriously. You’re freaking me out with all this.”
On the outer edge of Sweet Apple Acres, a small clubhouse was built into the top of one of the apple trees. Small planks of wood formed a quaintly designed little structure among the branches. Two out of three Cutie Mark Crusaders, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom, chatted with each other at the treehouse’s folding entrance ramp.
In the distance away from it, the third was coming in fast. Scootaloo zoomed at top speed on her scooter, zipping her way through the orchard as she made for the clubhouse. With her wings buzzing to power her along, the speed and wind rushing through her mane never failed to bring joy to her heart. The rush was exhilarating, and she had the skill down to a T.
Abruptly, a vaguely familiar voice came from alongside her: “Nice moves, kid.”
Scootaloo jolted in surprise at the sudden greeting. She turned left to see the blue hedgehog her class had seen on the train, and then again the paper! He was running alongside her—backwards—matching her pace with surprising ease. And then casually started pulling past her.
Scootaloo's ears shot up in surprise; then pinned back in indignation. She wasn't going to let this blue stranger one-up her like this. She sped up to catch up to the hedgehog, even managing to surpass him briefly; but Sonic was at her side again, almost effortlessly.
She suddenly remembered just how fast this creature was.
Scootaloo narrowed her eyes and sped up even faster, hoping to put some distance between her and the blue stranger. It was frustrating that he could so easily match and outpace her like this; but maybe just a little thrilling too.
Sweetie Belle, singing a soft tune to herself alongside Apple Bloom as they cleaned up the small piano at the bottom of the clubhouse’s tree, looked right to see the pair speeding towards them. Her eyes widened; they weren’t stopping. “Incoming!” She threw herself at Apple Bloom, tackling her and diving into the bushes in the same motion.
Ten feet from the clubhouse stairs, Sonic braked and slid right along with Scootaloo, coming to a perfect stop alongside her. He stood and silently looked back over at the orange filly, his emerald eyes twinkling with soft joy.
The little contest and even perfect break at the end left Scootaloo mildly stunned. She continued to share looks with Sonic. Slowly, her expression changed from surprise and frustration to a soft blush and weak smile. Even though she was embarrassed to admit it, that was pretty thrilling. Even though she hadn’t actually won against the hedgehog, the simple challenge had been exhilarating.
Scootaloo took a breath and let it out. “Okay, fine… that was fun,” she admitted sheepishly.
Sonic’s smile only brightened, and he rubbed his nose with an index finger.
Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom finally crawled out of the bushes, taking in the scene of the two racers. Sweetie Belle stared in surprise between the two, not quite sure what to make of it all. Apple Bloom, however, lit up like a light at the sight of the Mobian. “It’s you! You’re here!”
Sonic’s gaze shifted to Apple Bloom, his smile never fading. “Yeah, it’s me. Apple Bloom, right?”
Apple Bloom’s was ecstatic. “You know my name?!”
“Your big sis mentioned you,” Sonic said lightly. “Said you wanted to see me?”
Apple Bloom nodded her head rapidly with a big grin on her face, almost jumping up and down with excitement. She couldn’t believe that the blue hero had come to visit her. “Uh-huh! I wanted to say thank you again for gettin’ me my new hat back!” she chirped in her bright, country drawl. “Ooh, I knew all those nasty things they were saying about ya in the paper weren’t true! I just knew it!” Apple Bloom had known it all along. She didn’t care one bit that he was different-looking. He was still good and friendly, which was what mattered most to her. And now with the rest of Equestria being forced to eat crow, she felt beyond vindicated. She smirked with indignation and pumped her hoof. “In your face, Rarity!”
Sonic chuckled softly, scratching a finger on his cheek. The little country filly’s spunk was pretty adorable.
“Oh, these are my friends!” Apple Bloom added, nodding to the other two crusaders in turn. “Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.”
“Sonic the Hedgehog,” he replied, lifting an open hand at the other two. He noted their physical appearances, remembering what Twilight had mentioned on the train about the three pony species: pegasi, unicorns, and Earth ponies.
Sweetie Belle nodded slowly in greeting. She’d been as intrigued as the others watching his speed and air tricks from the train on the journey back from Appleloosa, but meeting him in person was another thing.
Scootaloo took a deep breath and let it out. The competitive little pegasus still felt flustered from being on the cusp of winning their race, but found it in her to let it go for now. “Nice to meetcha, Sonic.”
“You sure are fast,” Sweetie Belle remarked, the memory of the hedgehog outrunning the Friendship Express surfacing in her mind.
“It's a gift,” Sonic replied proudly.
“So, you’re gonna be sticking around Ponyville for a while?” Scootaloo asked, stepping close to the hedgehog. Apple Bloom had been going on and on about her sister’s recounting of everything that had happened yesterday and Sonic’s current situation. But she wanted to get an answer from the hedgehog himself.
“Looks that way,” Sonic answered. “I’ve gotta do a few things and crack a giant talking egg. So, this’ll just be my little home away from home while it all plays out.”
Apple Bloom looked very happy to hear that. “Great! That means we can hang out whenever we want!”
Sonic smiled at her. Applejack hadn’t been exaggerating. Then he looked up at the clubhouse for the first time. “So, what have you girls got going on here?”
Apple Bloom grinned at the question. “This is the Cutie Mark Crusaders Clubhouse!" she explained with a point. “Did the painting and tidying up myself.”
“It's our secret base where the three of us come to be together and make plans and hang out and all that kinda stuff,” said Sweetie Belle.
“All on a journey to find our cutie marks!” said Scootaloo.
Sonic admired the handiwork for a moment. He seemed impressed at Apple Bloom for what she’d pulled off with the style and decoration. Then his face turned puzzled. “Uh, cutie what now?”
The three of them giggled at the hedgehog’s question. It was such a uniquely ponyish word. “Cutie marks!” Apple Bloom explained. “It's what makes everypony unique. Everypony's got their own different one.”
“It's a symbol you get as a mark of maturity," Sweetie Belle added. “It represents your special talent.”
“Your destiny!” Scootaloo jumped in now, her face glowing with a little more excitement than before. “And we’re trying to figure out ours.”
Sonic put his hand to his chin, mulling the concept over. He’d noticed how most ponies had those marks on them, but didn’t think it was anything so significant. “Huh, so that’s it. And here I thought everyone just got tattoos on their rumps as a fashion statement.”
All three fillies burst out laughing at the hedgehog’s blunt and humorous interpretation. Scootaloo snorted as she giggled, which made her laugh even harder. “He said rump…”
“No, no!” Sweetie Belle said, still smiling a little. “It’s much more special than that! A cutie mark is different for every pony, and it appears when you discover the talent connected to it. Like, you might get a mark of being a great inventor. Or the mark of being a farmer and growing great crops."
“Hey, I wonder what your cutie mark would be if you were a pony!” Apple Bloom thought aloud, looking at Sonic with interest.
Sonic cracked a smile. “Well, I doubt it’d be a stop sign.”
The girls laughed again.
“But anyway,” Apple Bloom said, “we were just gettin’ ready to practice. There’s another talent show comin’ up for foals tomorrow.”
“Last time, we did a musical,” said Sweetie Belle, recounting their previous attempt. “We even won a comedy prize! But… no cutie mark.”
“But this time I know we’ll do it!” Scootaloo declared. “This time I’ll handle the set and props.”
“And I’ll be our dancing star!” Sweetie Belle added.
“And I can be the main singer!” Apple Bloom finished.
Sonic suppressed a laugh. Their energy was adorably infectious. Deciding to take five for a while, he flopped himself down in front of a tree and leaned back against its trunk. He decided to watch the trio do their thing for a bit to kill time.
It barely took fifteen minutes of watching the practice and listening to their advice to one another for Sonic to put a few things together. This planned performance of theirs probably wasn’t going to go the way that hoped; not with their current direction. So, he decided to give some input. “Hey uh, girls? Just a thought.”
The three fillies looked over to Sonic, not quite sure what he was about to say. Sweetie Belle was already raising an eyebrow, waiting to hear what Sonic could suggest.
Sonic went one by one, starting with Apple Bloom. “AB, you seem to have the decoration know-how. Why don't you be the one to handle props and costumes?”
The yellow filly’s eyes sparkled. “Really?” she asked, sounding surprised. “Ya think I can do that?”
Sonic smiled and nodded. Then he turned to the orange pegasus. "Scoot, you’re the athlete. Why don't you just try your hand— er, hoof, at the dancing part?"
Scootaloo paused, her expression turning thoughtful. "Maybe…” Then a smile came to her lips. “Maybe that’s not such a bad idea."
Finally, he looked and Sweetie Belle. “And Sweetie, have you heard your voice? You've got a real set of pipes. If there’s anyone who should be doing the singing, it's you.”
Sweetie Belle's ears perked up with pride at the compliment. “You really think so?”
“I know so,” Sonic assured her. “Sometimes it’s good to make things easy for yourself. Focus on what you do well, and I’m sure you'll knock ‘em out of the park tomorrow.”
The three girls grinned at Sonic’s approval, beaming with joy at his encouragement.
“Well, then we better get crackin’!” Apple Bloom smiled brightly as she spoke. “We've got a talent show to win!”
Then Sweetie Belle suddenly blinked, pausing to scratch her chin. “Hmmmm…” Then a lightbulb went off in her head. As her older sister would say, ideeeaaaaaa!
“Could you excuse us for one minute, Sonic?” Sweetie Belle said with a sly little look in her eye. Then she pulled Apple Bloom and Scootaloo into a huddle off to the side. “Girls! I just had the best idea ever!” she said in an excited whisper.
The other two fillies perked up with curiosity, suddenly very interested in finding out what the clever little unicorn was thinking. “What is it?” Scootaloo asked.
“I know that look,” Apple Bloom said with a smirk of her own. “You got another genius plan in mind?”
“What if, and follow me on this,” Sweetie Belle continued, “what if we made our new musical with Sonic as our theme?”
Apple Bloom radiated excitement, the idea of incorporating their new friend in this way appealing greatly to her. “Oh, my gosh! Sweetie Belle, you're a genius! That's a fantastic idea!”
“Are you sure that would work, Sweetie Belle?” Scootaloo asked, a little reluctant.
“We already know how great he is,” said Sweetie Belle, continuing to make her case. “He saved Canterlot, our sisters and their friends love him, and he’s got some serious moves! If we put some of that into our act, we’ll get first prize and cutie marks for sure!”
Scootaloo seemed to weigh it in her mind. “I dunno…”
Sweetie Belle’s brain was already in overdrive. She knew she just needed to get Scootaloo on board. So with her typical shrewdness, she appealed to the thrill-seeking pegasus’ ego. “Just think about all the cool moves he must have been whipping out in Canterlot against those monsters. Imagine how great you’d look pulling off some tricks like that in front of everypony.”
"Hmmmm…" Scootaloo seemed to think over the whole thing for a long moment, taking it all in. She had to admit, it sounded pretty cool to her when she thought about it. "All right, fine… I guess we can try it out,” she relented. “But what kind of tricks?”
“That's what we’re gonna find out.” Sweetie Belle’s eyes narrowed, her smile growing ever more scheming. The group broke their huddle and returned to where the blue hedgehog stood waiting. “Hey, Sonic? I don’t suppose you would mind telling us a some more about how you fought those bad guys in Canterlot? And maybe even a little bit about where you come from, things you’ve seen and done?” Sweetie Belle asked, making an extra cute face and batting her eyes.
Sonic raised an eyebrow. This little unicorn was up to something. But he shrugged, deciding to indulge her. “Ah, why not? I've got some time.”
Sweetie Belle’s grin grew wider. “Great!” The purple-haired filly looked briefly at her two friends, then back up at him as the three girls got comfortable. “So, let’s hear it, Mr. Sonic the Hedgehog! Tell us your story.”
Sonic stayed with the three fillies for a long while, recounting a whole host of tales from his past. He talked about his home, his favorite adventures, and many battles against Eggman; including the invasion of Canterlot mere days ago. Apple Bloom would often interrupt with ecstatic cheers and questions, while Sweetie kept things on course, asking for some specific details about the things he did and how he fought those nasty robots. Scootaloo seemed entertained, though she tried to hide how much.
The hedgehog talked about a few of his favorite spots back on Mobius, about his friends, rivals, and more. He even mentioned the moniker that most knew him as back home: The Fastest Thing Alive.
Sweetie Belle seemed to take particular interest in that name.
The trio sat there, soaking in every single one of his stories. They were truly enthralled by their new friend’s tales. Even Scootaloo couldn't help herself from nodding along, while Sweetie Belle was smiling at all the right parts, asking little questions here and there to make sure she was keeping up.
After the stories were told and questions had been answered, Sweetie Belle gave a little grin. “So, in all your travels and adventures, is there any one place out of the bunch you’d say is your favorite? Your own special little spot?”
“Hmm…” Sonic paused, looking up in thought. “Well, if I had to choose…”
He gave his answer and a pretty vivid description of the locale. And Sweetie Belle officially had everything she needed. The trio smiled and waved goodbye to Sonic as he went on about his way.
With Sweetie Belle’s mind swimming with new ideas, new inspiration, and all manner of exciting possibilities, she faced her two partners in crusading. “All right, girls! We’ve got a lot of work to do, but it’ll all be worth it. Tomorrow, the Cutie Mark Crusaders are gonna bring the house down!”
The three cheered and did a triple high hoof. “Yeah!”