Soon…
Sonic pushed aside a pinkish-purple sheet that was hanging in a doorway, Twilight and the others following behind him. Shahra had led them through the streets of the town to a ladder that they used to reach the rooftops, where she led them to a structure on top of one of the buildings. Initially, they thought it might’ve been the second floor to the building it was on, but as they got closer, they could see that it was a separate building.
As they stepped inside, they all found themselves in a room that was big enough for them all to spread out, but aside from some small signs of life, it looked abandoned. There was a tattered rug hanging on the left wall, some rubble against the wall on the right, and a fairly sizable opening going across the wall across from the entrance.
“What is this place?” Twilight asked while she and the others looked around.
Rarity looked at the rug on the wall for a moment before grimacing and saying, “It’s a mess is what it is! Why couldn’t we talk in a guest room at the palace? There’s nothing good about this place!”
Sonic walked over to the opening in the wall and looked out. He could see across the rooftops all the way to the king’s palace. He smiled and placed his left hand atop a slab of the wall that was still there, “I don’t know, Rarity. This is a great view! I kind of like it.”
Shahra, still in her ball form, floated over next to Sonic and returned to normal before saying, “I had a feeling you would, Sonic.” She looked over at Rarity and said, “I’m sorry that this doesn’t suit your tastes, Miss Rarity, but I thought we would have more privacy here.”
Applejack asked, “How’d ya know about this place, Shahra?”
The young genie replied, “This used to be Aladdin’s home, Applejack, when he lived on the streets. He lives in the palace now, but we both come here once in a while when we need to get out of the palace for a while.”
Cadance looked around the room once more before saying, “I think I like it too. It’s small and it doesn’t draw a lot of attention to itself. It seems like a rather relaxing place.”
Rarity hesitated at that, her expression changing several times before settling on acceptance. “I… suppose it is charmingly rustic,” she admitted.
Applejack smirked, “That wasn’t so hard, was it, Miss Priss?” Rarity turned and glared at her at that. Applejack just chuckled in response.
Rainbow refused to settle down, her wings keeping her above everyone’s heads in the middle of the room. “Hey, can we do the magic trick or whatever to get back to Equestria? This train ride has taken way too long already!” she said.
Spike spoke up, “Yeah, it has. If I had a wish right now, I’d wish for a bag of pop rocks or some turquoise. I’m hungry…”
Sonic and Twilight looked over at him at that, the latter saying, “Oh, Spike…”
Sonic held his left hand up to his chin, thinking for a moment before he smiled and brought his right hand up, rubbing Shahra’s ring with his left index finger. The young genie immediately turned to him, bowing as she asked, “O Master, what is thy wish?”
Sonic replied, “I wish Spike had a bowl of turquoise.”
Spike looked up at him skeptically, “Seriously, dude? She might be a genie, but she’s not…” Suddenly, a bowl full of turquoise magically materialized in front of the baby dragon. He grinned, “Okay, I take what I was about to say back!” He sat down and pulled the bowl into his lap, munching on the gemstones inside.
Twilight looked back at Sonic and asked, “You used one of your wishes to give Spike a snack?”
Sonic shrugged, “Sure, why not? It’s what I do.” He then looked at Shahra, “Speaking of which, you still have that mountain of handkerchiefs I wished for, Shahra?”
Shahra replied, “Of course, Sonic. I don’t use them as much anymore, but there are still plenty of tissues left. Did you need any?”
Sonic answered, “Nah, just curious.”
Applejack spoke up, “Uh, Sonic? Don’t mean ta be rude, darlin’, but Rainbow is right about how long it’s takin’ us ta get ta Canterlot. So ya think you could use one o’ yer wishes or whatever and get Shahra ta send us back to Equestria?”
Sonic replied, “I don’t need to make a wish for Shahra to get us out of the world of the Arabian Nights, Applejack. She’s already agreed to send us back once we’re done here.”
Rainbow asked, “What do you mean, ‘once we’re done here’?”
Sonic answered, “We’re not leaving yet.”
Twilight gasped, “What?! But Sonic!”
Shining Armor quickly crossed over to Sonic and got up in his face, saying, “Need I remind you that both of our worlds are in peril right now? We have to get back to Equestria if we’re going to save them!”
Sonic replied, “I know that! But this world is important too!” After using his left hand to push the unicorn stallion back a little, he continued, “It was nearly conquered and destroyed once too, and the spirit behind it would’ve done the same thing to my world if I hadn’t been brought here to stop him. I have a feeling something bad is happening here again.”
Princess Cadance asked, “How do you figure that, Sonic?”
Sonic answered, “The way we were pulled into the book… I’ve been pulled into another world like that before, and it happened because of a spell cast by a powerful sorcerer. It could’ve been an accident, but I’m willing to bet someone intentionally wanted to summon me back here. And I’m worried about Aladdin.”
Rainbow spoke, “Again with this Aladdin guy! Could somebody please tell me what the big deal with him is?”
Twilight looked at Shahra and said, “Shahra, you were surprised to hear we’ve never heard of Aladdin before. Why is that? Does it have something to do with his story in the Arabian Nights and how it’s represented here?”
Shahra replied, “I’m usually surprised whenever anyone hasn’t heard of Aladdin or his tale to be honest, Twilight, but you are correct. There is a difference between Aladdin’s tale in the pages of the Arabian Nights and how it is here, and that difference is the reason why I brought Sonic into this world in the first place.”
Applejack asked, “Well, what’s his story about?” She looked at Sonic, “Do you know it?”
Sonic replied, “I’ve read it since my adventure here. The tale ‘Aladdin and the Magic Lamp’ is about a thief who was tricked into retrieving said magic lamp from a dangerous cave. In the story, there were very few people who knew the lamp contained a genie, and the genie was bound to do the bidding of whoever held the lamp, so it helped Aladdin become more than a simple thief. Here in this world, though, the Genie of the Lamp, Erazor Djinn, is much different.”
Pinkie cocked her head, “Different how?”
Sonic looked at Shahra and asked, “Do you want to tell them Shahra, or should I?”
Shahra replied, “It’s all right, Sonic. I’ll tell them.” She looked at Shining for a moment, the stallion finally taking a few steps back from Sonic after a moment, before she began, “A long time ago, Erazor Djinn was a free spirit, able to go wherever he wanted in this world, but he was neither a helpful nor a kind spirit. Everywhere he went, he would cause terrible misdeeds.”
She brought her hands up in front of her at about chest level and, using her magic, created a projection of the magic lamp in its pristine state. “As punishment, he was bound to the magic lamp and sealed inside, unable to leave until he had granted the wishes of a thousand people.”
Spike gulped down the turquoise in his mouth before saying, “Geez, that’s a lot of wishes.”
Sonic said, “And a lot of different personalities to come into contact with.”
Shahra nodded, “Yes, unfortunately. When his sentence was served, he was allowed to leave the lamp as he wished, but he had changed.”
Fluttershy softly asked, “Was he nicer?”
Shahra shook her head, “I’m afraid not, Fluttershy. As sad as it is, his time in the lamp caused him to develop a renewed hatred for the people and the fate that had been written for him.”
Cadance asked, “What did he do?”
Shahra answered, “He was… determined to change his fate.” Her projection of the magic lamp began to writhe as it was crushed down and rolled up into a twisted orb, Spike and the ponies gasping at this. Shahra then made the projection disappear and continued, “To this end, he sought to take over the Arabian Nights, driving spirits to madness to make them his minions and stealing the words to the stories to create new spirits that would follow his commands.”
Twilight gasped, “Stealing the words to the stories?! So he was erasing them?!”
Sonic spoke up, “Pretty much. When Shahra came to me and showed me the book, I was shocked to see not only blank pages, but also words vanishing right in front of me. It was pretty freaky.”
Shahra said, “Absorbing the words and the pages of the Arabian Nights added to his power. Once he had conquered this world, he planned to do the same to Sonic’s world.”
Rarity spoke, “Sonic mentioned that earlier. How did he plan to accomplish such a feat? Surely the words didn’t have enough power to allow him to do that!”
Shahra responded, “Perhaps he might have been powerful enough after absorbing all of the stories, Rarity, but what he really sought was these.” She brought her arms up again and used her magic to create projections of seven rings, the rings colored, going clockwise in a circle from the top, white, green, yellow, blue, red, purple, and cyan. “The seven World Rings.”
Twilight cocked her head, “The seven World Rings?”
Shining Armor looked at Sonic and asked, “Are those basically the same thing as your world’s Chaos Emeralds?”
Sonic replied, “Only in the fact that there are seven of them. Beyond that, they’re way different.”
Rarity asked, “How are they different?”
Sonic answered, “Their power is different, for one, and each ring contains a different emotion.” He pointed at each ring, starting at the white ring and going clockwise, “Wishes, hatred, joy, prayers, rage, sadness, and pleasure.”
Shahra nodded, “These are the seven hearts that bind the stories of the Arabian Nights together, and Erazor Djinn sought their full power to fulfill his own desires. That is why, when I learned of his intentions, I sought out Sonic to stop him.”
Cadance asked, “How did you know about Sonic? I thought he wasn’t from the Arabian Nights…”
Shahra replied, “He’s not. But there is a legend in this world: ‘When darkness descends upon the world of the Arabian Nights – the legendary blue hedgehog from another world shall come’. That is part of what was written in the newest chapter of the Arabian Nights.”
Sonic nodded, “Yeah, that’s the reason Shahra came looking for me. She was able to bring me into this world, and we traveled all over the world of the Arabian Nights to stop Erazor Djinn and his plans.”
Shining looked at him and said, “So that was the adventure you had here. To stop an evil genie…” Sonic nodded while Shahra looked away.
Cadance asked, “Do you think darkness is descending upon the Arabian Nights again, Sonic?”
The blue hedgehog answered, “I don’t know. King Shahryar said Aladdin’s been acting strange ever since a guy in a red cloak came to this town.”
Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow, “A guy in a red cloak?”
Twilight asked, “Does King Shahryar suspect he did something to Aladdin?”
Sonic replied, “He said he’s been trying to get his guards to find out who this guy is, but they haven’t had any luck. As for Aladdin, that reminds me.” He turned to Shahra, the young genie perking up and turning to look at him when he asked, “Shahra, what is Aladdin’s story in this world? You’ve met him, obviously, but I never got a chance to meet him when I was here.”
Shahra answered, “Of course, Sonic. After you returned to your world, Aladdin came to the palace one day, bringing with him Princess Badoura. He explained to the King that he had protected the Princess during the time Erazor Djinn was free and that he was offering to atone for his thefts by being his servant. King Shahryar was hesitant at first, but after some consideration and persuasion, he agreed to Aladdin’s offer, allowing him to live in the palace as his servant.”
Rainbow asked, “You think that might have something to do with how he’s acting now?”
Shahra replied, “I don’t think so. It is true that King Shahryar often gave him many tasks, but I spent a lot of time with Aladdin and he never once complained about the amount of work he had to do. No matter what he had to do, at the end of the day, he was always his cheerful, optimistic self. But when the man in the red cloak came here, he suddenly became distant and started disappearing more often. This sudden change definitely makes me think that man did something to him.”
Twilight glanced at her brother as she thought aloud, “Maybe… he put Aladdin under a spell?”
Shahra said, “I’ve thought that as well, Twilight, but I don’t know for sure. It does seem like the most likely explanation for his behavior, especially now.”
Applejack asked, “What do ya mean by that?”
Shahra answered, “He’s disappeared from the palace again, but normally when he disappears, he tries to sneak out. This time, he took off right in front of King Shahryar. That’s why he has his guards looking for him.”
Sonic asked, “Do you have any idea where he went, Shahra?”
Shahra turned to him and nodded, “I was there when he took off, Sonic.” She floated over to the hole in the structure and pointed off into the distance, “He went in that direction, out into the desert.”
Rainbow groaned, “Into the desert? That means he could be anywhere!”
While looking out in the direction Shahra had pointed, Sonic held his left hand up to his chin, “Wait…” He turned his head to look at the genie a moment later, “That part of the desert… Isn’t that where we found the Yellow World Ring, Shahra?”
Shahra nodded, “Yes, Sonic. From what I’ve heard, the creature you had to fight to claim the Ring is still out there.”
Sonic looked back out the hole, “That giant scorpion-thing is still out there?”
Pinkie gasped, “Oh no! …What giant scorpion-thing?”
Shahra explained, “When we were searching the desert, a giant scorpion that was summoned by Erazor Djinn emerged from a quicksand pit and attacked us. Sonic had to fight it off before he could claim the World Ring. I don’t know why, but people say it still appears in that part of the desert.”
Twilight asked, “Does it attack the town at all?”
Shahra shook her head, “No, thankfully. It tends to leave the town alone, but everyone who’s seen it claims that it attacks anyone that gets too close, so it’s most likely territorial.”
Shining looked at Sonic and asked, “What are you thinking, Sonic?”
The blue hedgehog replied, “Well, there’s not much else in that part of the desert. If Aladdin did go that far out, then the place where the World Ring was at would be my first guess as to where he is.”
Cadance looked at Shahra, “How long has it been since Aladdin disappeared, Shahra?”
The young genie held a hand to her chin, thinking before replying, “Um… I believe it was a short time before you all came here? I know the guards haven’t been searching long, and they’re terrified at the thought of having to go into the scorpion’s territory.”
Sonic spoke, “Then they’re probably not going out there anytime soon. We’d better go check it out and make sure Aladdin’s all right before we decide what to do next.” The others agreed with him and they left Aladdin’s home, making their way out of town and heading out into the desert, Spike and the ponies following behind Sonic and Shahra.
As they were making their way through the desert, Twilight looked at Sonic and asked, “Are we getting close to where the World Ring was?”
Sonic replied, “Not too much farther now. It’s on the other side of that building. Just gotta pass through it and we’ll be there.”
Shining looked off to the side as he said, “I’m surprised we haven’t seen this giant scorpion yet. Is this part of its territory?”
Shahra, currently in her ball form, answered, “I’m not certain how much of the desert is its territory. We’ll definitely be in it when we reach the other side, though.”
Rainbow thumped her hooves together, “All right, then! Guess we’d better be ready to fend off a scorpion!” The others silently agreed and quickened their pace, moving at a faster pace again so as not to delay the inevitable.
Once they were on the other side of the building, the group soon came across a quicksand pit and looked down into it. “This is the pit that the scorpion came out of, but I don’t see any trace of it…” Shahra noted.
“Maybe it’s out looking for some food?” Fluttershy suggested.
Sonic started, “Maybe, but…”
He was cut off when Pinkie screamed from nearby, “AAAHHH! GIANT EYEBALL!” The others turned and ran to where they heard the pink pony’s scream, finding her sitting down in the middle of a worn level path in the sand, gaping at a large red eyeball sitting in front of her.
“What is that thing?!” Rarity shrieked when she saw it.
“That’s one of the scorpion’s eyes!” Shahra said.
“Sweet Celestia, that’s a big eye!” Applejack gasped.
“I knew one of its eyes could detach, but where’s the rest of it?” Sonic asked.
Shahra hovered up and looked past where the eye was sitting, looking around the desert. After a moment, she held a hand to her mouth, suppressing a gasp before saying, “All over the desert…”
Peering around the eyeball, everyone saw that she was right. The scorpion’s stingers, legs, and main body were scattered across the path ahead, some parts sticking out of the sand while the others sat on top of it, and a clear liquid was splattered across the middle of the path behind the maw that was supposed to hold its large eye.
As they looked at the remnants of the torn creature before them, Sonic uttered, “Geez… This is brutal. I wasn’t expecting this at all.”
Fluttershy looked at Sonic worriedly and asked, “You… What did you do when you met this giant scorpion, Sonic? Did you really have to fight it?”
Sonic looked back at her and replied, “Yeah, I fought it because it was summoned by Erazor Djinn, but I only fought it until it collapsed. I didn’t keep going and rip its carapace off!”
Shahra nodded, “I saw the whole thing, so I can attest to that. There were some explosions, most likely from the magic that created it, and its eyes turned black when it fell, but that’s all. There was no need to do anything like this to it.”
The group disseminated for the time being to look around the scene, everyone being mindful of the liquid on the sand. Twilight, Shining Armor, and Cadance looked at one of the creature’s pincers, noticing the eyeballs that were beginning to turn black on it. “Look at all of these eyes…” Twilight murmured.
“Yeah, and this is one of its pincers. How many eyes did this thing have?” Shining wondered.
Shahra, who was floating nearby, spoke up, “Um… I believe I counted fifteen when we encountered it.”
The three ponies gaped at that, Cadance saying, “Fifteen eyes? That’s… That’s outrageous.”
While Spike and the other ponies stopped to look at the Sand Scorpion’s remains as well, Sonic kept walking as he looked. Having already fought the creature by himself, he didn’t need to give it as much of a look, choosing instead to focus on looking for evidence pointing to who might have done such a deed. The blue hedgehog came to a stop next to what was left of the scorpion’s front, looking at it for a moment before turning to look back at the path, blinking when he thought he saw something. He leaned forward and squinted, trying to see if he could see it again.
Shahra turned her head and looked at Sonic, noticing the way he was leaning even from the back. “Sonic?” she wondered aloud, Twilight, Shining Armor, and Cadance turning to look as well at this. After a moment, Sonic leaned back a little before running forward, Shahra floating after him. Cadance, Twilight, and Shining Armor trotted after her, Spike and the other ponies soon noticing as well and following them.
They all soon caught up to Sonic, the blue hedgehog looking down at something in the sand. Shahra, Shining Armor, Twilight, and Cadance followed his gaze as they stood at his sides, the others trying to peer around them to see. There in the sand was an unmistakable imprint in the shape of a large ring.
“What is that?” Twilight asked.
Shahra looked around for a moment before saying, “This is…” She looked at the others, pointing down at the imprint as she said, “This is the exact spot where we found the World Ring.”
Cadance looked up at her and asked, “This is where it was?”
Shahra nodded, “Yes.” Turning her head to look at the imprint, she held her right hand near her chin as she said, “But none of the World Rings ever left an imprint behind, not even this one even though there was sand underneath it…”
Sonic nodded, “I know. And this is what caught my eye.” He knelt down on one knee and placed the ends of his fingers in the imprint, moving them a bit before standing back up and turning so everyone could see better. The tips of three of his fingers now had a yellow substance on them. It looked almost similar to the desert sand, but when Sonic moved his fingers, the odd particles gave off a distinct shimmer.
“What is it?” Twilight asked.
“I don’t know, but it looks like the World Ring,” Sonic replied. He shifted his fingers again before adding, “I can even feel spikes of joy coming from this stuff.”
Spike spoke, “Spikes of… Oh, right. You said that the rings carry an emotion or something?”
Sonic nodded, “Yeah.” He looked up at Shahra and asked, “Shahra?” In response, the genie floated in front of Sonic and ran the fingers on her right hand across the hedgehog’s hand; she then brought it away and turned it over to look, but found nothing on her fingers.
“It is just like the World Ring. I can’t touch this… essence either,” she said.
Cadance tilted her head, “What do you mean, Shahra?” The young genie ran her fingers across Sonic’s again and then held up her hand, getting the same result. She then held up her hand to show Spike and the ponies. “What?” Cadance asked, shocked and confused at the clean hand.
Sonic explained, “It’s something we found out early on during our adventure. People who are from the Arabian Nights can’t touch the World Rings. They can hold them up if they have magic, but they can’t physically touch them. It seems like only people that aren’t from this world can do that.”
Twilight asked, “Are you serious?” Sonic turned towards her and held his hand out to her. After a moment, she brought her right hoof up and ran it along his fingers. When she pulled away, some of the essence had come off of Sonic’s fingers and was now on Twilight’s hoof.
Spike stared at the hoof and muttered, “Whoa. Dude, that’s creepy how that works.”
Twilight stared at her hoof too and said, “I see what you mean about the spikes, Sonic. All of a sudden, I’m feeling… bursts of happiness for some reason.”
Sonic replied, “The real thing is a lot more intense, believe me.”
Applejack asked, “So what does this mean? That somethin’ bad happened ta the World Ring?”
Sonic answered, “I doubt it, Applejack. I think the Arabian Nights would be in turmoil if that happened.”
Shahra nodded, “Yes. As I said, they hold this world together, and one person cannot wield their full power alone. Damaging or destroying any of the World Rings would surely lead to disaster.”
Twilight asked, “So then what happened here? Why is there an imprint of the World Ring in the ground with this essence in it?”
Sonic added, “And why is there so little of it?” He looked back at the ring and pointed, “If you look close, this stuff’s dotting the whole ring, but there’s so little of it. Maybe the World Ring just left it behind after we found it, but it almost looks like there’s supposed to be more here…” The group took a closer look and saw that he was right; although it was hard to see, there were more particles in the imprint that gave off that shimmer in the light.
Shining spoke, “So someone is collecting either this stuff or possibly even the World Rings. But for what?”
A new, yet familiar-sounding voice spoke up, “I would say it’s for some dastardly deed.” Everyone turned around to see the cloaked figure that had been spying on them back in town standing a short distance away. While the figure’s hood was still up, a pair of white gloved hands were now sticking out of the sleeves of the cloak. “Someone would not seek out the World Rings without an ulterior motive,” the figure said, its voice distinctly feminine.
“That voice…” Shahra murmured, recognizing it.
Before she could say anything, Rainbow Dash spoke up, “Whoa, whoa, whoa! What’s your deal, pal?! Have you been following us?!”
The figure answered, “I will admit I have been following and listening in on you since shortly after you all entered the town, but I am not your enemy.” The figure took a few steps forward as she continued, “Like Shahra, I am worried about Aladdin, and I would like to aid you in finding him.”
Applejack asked, “Yeah? And who are you supposed ta be?” The figure answered by raising her hands to her hood and pulling it back… and Sonic, Spike, and the ponies were shocked when they saw her face. She had lavender fur, gold eyes, and she wore a red headpiece with a ruby in the center, gold bangle earrings, and a red hair tie that held the back of her hair up.
“Blaze? What are you doing here?” Twilight asked.
The lavender cat raised an eyebrow, “‘Blaze’…? I am Princess Badoura.”
Before anybody could say anything, Shahra floated over to the cat and said, “Princess, you really shouldn’t be out here. I know you want to know why Aladdin has been acting the way he has as much as I do, but…”
The cat silenced her by placing a hand on one of Shahra’s, “It’s okay, Shahra. You’re right to be worried for my safety, but I can’t sit idly by while someone may be doing something to Aladdin. I have to do all I can to help as well.”
While they continued to talk, Sonic leaned over to Twilight and whispered loud enough for the others to hear, “See what I mean about this alternate world thing? It’s confusing the first time you see people you think you recognize, but it turns out they’re totally different people.”
Everyone soon noticed Shahra and Princess Badoura approaching, apparently done with their conversation. As they came closer and Sonic moved to stand in front of the group, Twilight thought to herself, “Mental note: when entering an alternate world, try not to automatically assume you know anypony who looks familiar.”
As Princess Badoura came to a stop in front of the group and Shahra floated next to her, Applejack awkwardly spoke, “Uh, nice to meet ya… Princess Badoura. Shahra told us about you…”
The lavender cat nodded, “Yes, I overheard… Applejack. She kept it short for the sake of time, but what she told you is, as they say, the general idea.”
Applejack muttered, “Oh, uh… Ah see, Yer Highness.”
Rainbow asked, “You mean you were there the whole time? You could’ve just come in, you know! Wouldn’t have been any sweat off our backs!”
Rarity looked at the pegasus and said, “Rainbow Dash, don’t talk to royalty like that!”
Badoura spoke, “Miss Rarity, I ask that you do not speak for me when I am able to do so.” The white unicorn mare blushed and backed off at that, Badoura turning to Rainbow and saying, “It is… not safe for me to reveal myself in town, Rainbow Dash. Even in Aladdin’s home, I feel it is risky. I may have lived in the palace since Aladdin came to appeal to King Shahryar, but I do not hail from here. The King usually provides me with escorts when I wish to leave the palace, especially since that man arrived.”
Sonic asked, “You mean the guy in the red cloak?”
Badoura nodded, “Yes. Ever since he came to this town and Aladdin started acting strangely, I have been trying to find out for myself who that man is, sneaking out of the palace to avoid drawing attention to myself. I fear that if he found out I’ve been spying on him, he would try to silence me, or worse.”
Cadance spoke, “Surely the King’s guards would deter him from that, Princess Badoura. I don’t mean that what you’re doing is wrong, but surely they would be able to help in some way.”
Badoura closed her eyes, “King Shahryar’s guard is full of incompetent fools. You saw the mistake they made with Sonic earlier. And this is a land where they’ll cut off your ear if they don’t like your face, and not being able to pay for an apple will cost you a limb. It is not as though such a thing is unusual here; things are quite different here than where you all come from, I’m sure.” She opened her eyes and looked at Sonic, “Still, there are occurrences that go beyond what’s normal here, and your being forced to come back here and this discovery certainly qualify. And Aladdin’s sudden change in behavior is no coincidence, either.”
Sonic crossed his arms, “And all this has happened since that man came here, huh?”
Shining said, “It definitely sounds like you’ve done your research, Princess.”
Badoura nodded as she stepped forward, Sonic moving out of the way so she could get past. “I had the best teacher to teach me what I know. I wouldn’t dare disappoint him,” she said as she walked over to the imprint of the World Ring and knelt down on one knee in front of it.
Fluttershy asked, “Wh-What do you mean, Princess?”
While examining the imprint, Badoura said, “Aladdin taught me much about the outside world. I was very naïve before I met him.”
Sonic looked at Shahra and asked, “So you’re not the only one who’s gotten to know Aladdin pretty well, huh Shahra?”
The young genie nodded, “Yes. Princess Badoura has told me how she and Aladdin met, and how he taught her all he knew from his time as a simple street thief.”
Badoura spoke, “It’s served me well, and even though Aladdin would not want it, I’m going to use everything he’s taught me to find him and bring him home.”
Pinkie exclaimed, “Wow! You seem really devoted to this Aladdin guy, Princess!”
Rarity added, “Especially when he’s so beneath you, first a thief and then a servant to the King.”
Badoura glanced back over her shoulder with an icy look and flatly said, “I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that, Miss Rarity.” She stood up and held her right hand up close to her mouth, blowing off the bits of sand that stuck to her glove.
“Is… something wrong, Princess?” Fluttershy asked, not sure why Badoura responded to Rarity the way she did.
Badoura was silent for a moment before closing her eyes and replying, “…Pinkie Pie is correct. I do worry about Aladdin, but that’s only to be expected due to what happened when Erazor Djinn was freed from the lamp.”
Twilight asked, “You were there when it happened?”
Badoura opened her eyes and looked at Twilight, saying, “I was not, so I do not know the details, but Aladdin was there. He told me that Erazor Djinn trying to destroy the lamp wasn’t the only thing he planned to do; he wanted to completely break away from his fate, and as Shahra put it after Aladdin and I started living in the King’s palace, that meant he had to completely destroy the story that he played a role in.”
Sonic started, “By that, you mean…?”
Badoura nodded, “His first targets were those connected to the tale. Aladdin realized this and, while Erazor Djinn tried to destroy his final master, he hurried to my side.” She closed her eyes again, “I did not know what was going on at the time, but Erazor Djinn appeared not long after he did. It was thanks to the skills Aladdin had learned as a thief that allowed us to escape Erazor Djinn’s wrath with our lives. And it was those same skills that kept us alive when Erazor Djinn sent the spirits on his side to hunt us down.”
Rainbow spoke, “The spirits on… Oh, right. Shahra mentioned he drove spirits to madness and made the words into spirits or something like that.”
Badoura continued, “While Erazor Djinn continued to wreak havoc across the world, the spirits that were not at his side or sent to hinder Sonic hunted us relentlessly. Aladdin knew how to evade them as well as gather food, and he taught me everything he knew during that time.” She opened her eyes, looking at the group as she asked, “Do you understand now? It’s thanks to Aladdin and all he knew that we were both able to survive until we learned that Erazor Djinn had been defeated. He’s the reason I’m here now, and that is why I want to help him… Because he saved me, and I owe him my life.”
Unnoticed by the others, Cadance quietly used her magic to probe at Badoura, examining her feelings. She quirked an eyebrow, a tiny, nearly unnoticeable smirk appearing on her lips at what she sensed. “I get the feeling that repaying a life debt isn’t the only thing on your mind, Badoura…” she thought to herself.
Shining spoke, “We get it now, Princess Badoura. Since that’s the way you feel about Aladdin, then what reason is there for us to say no?” He gestured to Cadance, “After all, Cadance and I rule over an empire, and we’re here getting our hooves dirty.”
Badoura nodded, “I see.” After a moment, she looked at Sonic and asked, “Do you have any thoughts on this matter, Sonic?”
As the others looked at him, the blue hedgehog started, “I was just thinking…” He looked up at Shahra and said, “Shahra, let’s say that this essence is just a fragment of the World Ring’s power that was left behind; do you think the ‘other’ part of the legend would still hold true for it?”
Twilight asked, “What are you talking about, Sonic?”
Sonic replied, “There’s a little bit more in that legend that Shahra talked about. Specifically, it mentions the World Rings.”
Shahra nodded, “He’s right, Twilight. I didn’t finish because I thought… well, I didn’t think the World Rings would come up like this.”
Cadance asked, “How does the rest of the legend go, Shahra?”
The young genie answered, “Well, the rest of the legend goes, ‘When the seven rings that control the worlds are gathered, the portal between worlds shall open. But the life of the collector of the rings shall be offered up in sacrifice as the key for that control.’”
Rainbow exclaimed, “Whoa, whoa, whoa! What’s all this about a sacrifice?!”
Shahra explained, “To put it simply, Rainbow Dash, in order for someone to gain the full power of the World Rings, someone else has to collect the rings and their life must be sacrificed. Without the sacrifice, only a fraction of the World Rings’ power can be obtained.”
Rainbow asked, “Seriously? You actually have to…?”
Sonic nodded, “Yeah. So what I was thinking was… Whether he’s collecting the World Rings or this essence that each of the rings left behind, he might be using Aladdin to do something like what Erazor Djinn tried to do.”
Shahra gasped and said, “But… that would mean… Aladdin’s life is in grave danger!”
Badoura gasped and ran up to Sonic; she grabbed him by the shoulders, her eyes wide as she exclaimed, “If that man truly intends to sacrifice Aladdin and he doesn’t realize it, then we have to find him before it’s too late! Please, Sonic…!”
Sonic put his hands on Badoura’s wrists and gently removed her hands as he said, “I know, Princess. We’re gonna find him; I promise.”
Fluttershy spoke up, “Um, how are we going to find him, Sonic? I-I don’t mean anything by that, but we haven’t found anything that could tell us where he might be right now…”
As he let go of Badoura’s wrists, Sonic replied, “Actually, we do have a clue now, Fluttershy.” He looked over at the imprint in the sand and said, “We found the imprint of the World Ring, with the essence in it, right in the same spot where the ring was when Shahra and I found it.”
Applejack shook her head, “Ah don’t get it, Sugar-hog…”
Twilight spoke, “I think I get what you’re saying, Sonic. Like Princess Badoura said, that man is most likely looking for the World Rings or at least their essences for something big. So unless you had the World Rings or knew where they were when you left this world…”
Sonic answered the unicorn’s unspoken question, “The only ring we ever found after stopping Erazor Djinn was the Water Blue Ring, and that’s because I wanted to return it to Sinbad. I never saw the others after I stopped Erazor Djinn.” He looked at Shahra and asked, “Has that changed, Shahra?” The young genie shook her head in reply.
Twilight continued, “Then the most likely places that man is going to look are where you originally found the World Rings. If we go to those places, we’re sure to find him and/or Aladdin!”
Sonic pointed at her, “Bingo!”
Applejack said, “Well, let’s get movin’, then! Where’d ya find the next ring?”
Sonic thought for a moment before saying, “There’s an island that Shahra and I traveled to rescue King Shahryar from Erazor Djinn. We found the Green World Ring while we were there.”
Shining Armor groaned, “An island? Then they already have a huge lead on us. It’s bound to take a while to get out to an island.”
Sonic smirked, “Maybe on a boat, but…” He held his right hand up and rubbed Shahra’s ring with his left index finger.
The young genie straightened up at this, bowing to Sonic as she spoke, “O Master, what is thy wish?”
Sonic answered, “Summon that magic carpet we used to get around, Shahra. And if you can, you think you could make it bigger?”
Shahra straightened up as she hovered off the ground and held her arms out, yellow motes of light beginning to form in front of her as she said, “Your wish is my command.” Seconds later, the motes came together and a carpet that was mostly blue and purple with yellow and red mixed in appeared, shooting up above the heads of the group and spinning around once as some of the motes still hovered around it. Suddenly, the carpet extended in length and width, becoming the size of a rug before it came back down and hovered above the ground a little below Sonic and Badoura’s chest height in the middle of the group.
Twilight placed a hoof on the carpet to feel it as she asked, “We get to ride a real magic carpet? That’s amazing!”
Spike shrugged and muttered to himself, “Yeah, amazing. Because you’ve never used magic to make things fly and hover before, Twilight.”
Sonic, while courteously giving Badoura his hand to hold as she took a seat on the carpet, replied, “Yep. Forget a boat; we’ll travel in style!”
As the others, save for Rainbow Dash, gathered closer to the carpet, Rarity placed one of her hooves on the carpet, feeling it for a moment before saying, “I must agree, Sonic! This is not only a fabulous piece of cloth; it is indeed stylish! I would go so far as to say it’s the best way to travel!”
Rainbow piped up, “More like the second best, Rarity! The best way would be to go there in a second; can’t we do that?”
Shahra looked surprised for a moment, but then she said, “Um… No, I’m afraid not, Rainbow Dash.”
Rainbow asked, “Why not, Shahra? You’re a genie; you’ve got magic!”
Shahra replied, “Well, it’s true that my magic has improved since Sonic left, but… I’m not that powerful yet…”
At the look on the pegasus’ face, Sonic asked, “What’s the big deal, Dash? Shahra’s a young genie; not every genie starts off with phenomenal cosmic power, you know.”
Rainbow turned to him and said, “It’s a big deal because Shining Armor is right, Sonic! Getting to this island you mentioned is going to take time, so the sooner we get there, the sooner we can find Aladdin! A flying rug isn’t going to cut it! Unless Twilight can jazz it up with her magic, that is.”
Twilight spoke, “I don’t know enough about the magic in this carpet, or rug rather, to try tampering with it, Rainbow Dash. I don’t want to damage the fastest means of travel we have available to us.”
Rainbow groaned and then asked, “Look, which way is the island from here?” Sonic looked up at the sky and, after a few moments of thinking about where the desert was in relation to the island, pointed in one direction. Rainbow glanced in that direction briefly before turning back to Sonic and saying, “I’m gonna fly on ahead. I’ll get there long before a piece of fabric can. I’ll have Aladdin found and ready to be taken home by the time you guys get there!” Without another word, the pegasus turned and shot off into the sky.
“Rainbow!” Twilight called, but the pegasus was already out of earshot.
“Argh, Dash! You ornery cuss!” Applejack growled out.
Badoura asked, “Is she always this… impatient?”
Fluttershy replied, “Oh no, Princess. Rainbow Dash is usually very fun to be around. She just gets like this when she has her mind set on something.”
Applejack said, “That’s what Ah said! That mare is stubborn! This carpet may be way slower than her, but that ain’t no reason to just leave us behind!” The farm pony only realized her choice of words when she noticed the way Shahra’s head was tilted, the young genie looking rather downhearted.
Upon noticing, Rarity immediately attempted to do damage control. “Oh, Shahra, dearie, it’s okay, really! Both Rainbow Dash and Applejack sometimes say things they don’t mean when they get a little… riled up! You and Sonic had your own way of getting around during your adventure; we don’t expect you to be an all powerful genie all the time! Twilight’s had to learn a lot of magic since we first met her too!” she exclaimed.
Shahra somberly said, “She does have a point, though. Because I’ve been living in the palace, I haven’t spent as much time improving my magic. If I had, I surely would be able to do the things Rainbow Dash mentioned…”
Sonic quickly moved to Shahra’s side, placing his hand on her shoulder. “Shahra, no, don’t think like that; that’s not like you! You know there’s a difference between automatically having great power and taking time to learn how to use it properly! So…” he started, but was cut off when Pinkie suddenly popped up in front of him and Shahra, both of them moving back slightly at the sudden surprise and the serious look on the party pony’s face.
Pinkie, in a tone that was not her usual happy voice, spoke, “You hear that?” She snorted, “Are you the Genie of the Ring? Are you the one who’s learning new things? Did you help save this world? And now all of a sudden, you want to start doubting yourself? I don’t think so! Not right now!” Raising a hoof and shaking it, she continued, her voice starting to rise in pitch, “You’re gonna be an amazing genie, SO SIT DOWN AND PAY ATTENTION!!!”
Sonic and Shahra were so startled that they fell back onto the carpet, Twilight, the rest of her friends, brother, and sister-in-law quickly sitting down on it as well so as not to unintentionally incur the pink pony’s wrath. Pinkie Pie hopped onto the carpet, sitting at the supposed front of it and wearing her usual cheerful expression. She started talking, “In case of emergency, the exits are,” she began pointing with her forehooves, “here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, anywhere! Please keep all your appendages and personal belongings inside the carpet!” She turned around and grabbed the front of the carpet, and all of a sudden it shot up into the air with surprising speed after Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie exclaiming, “We’re OUT OF HERE!”
Rainbow Dash, meanwhile, had left the desert behind and was now flying over the ocean, still going in the direction Sonic had pointed. Her eyes glanced around the area as she flew, scanning for the island, mostly seeing a lot of rocks dotting the water. Suddenly, she heard a sound behind and turned her head to look back, seeing a purple and blue blur shooting towards her. Her eyes widened, but she didn’t have a chance to react before it shot past her, spinning her around and around for a second. After the dizziness had worn off, she looked and saw the blur still going in the same direction. “What?! Hey, wait!” she called before shooting off after it.
In reality, the blur was the magic carpet that Shahra had summoned, the large rug still being propelled forward by whatever Pinkie Pie was doing. While the pink pony ‘drove’, everyone else was hanging on tightly to the rug, Applejack having one forehoof placed protectively on top of her hat while the other held on.
“How is she doing this?!” Shahra yelled over the rush of wind surrounding everyone.
“I have no idea!” Sonic yelled back.
“It’s better not to question it! Believe me, I’ve learned!” Twilight called to them. Hearing this, Sonic turned and scooted up to sit beside Pinkie Pie, watching ahead.
Suddenly, he could make out the silhouette of a large landmass up ahead. He quickly tapped Pinkie on the shoulder and called, “Pinkie!” The party pony turned to look at him, the carpet slowing down enough to allow for normal talking as the island came into view. “That’s the one! Down there!” Sonic told her, pointing at the island.
Pinkie took up the ‘reins’ again and said, “Alrighty then! Coming in for a landing!” After drifting a little closer to the island, the carpet angled downwards and shot down towards it, aiming for the lush inland instead of the rocky shore. As the carpet broke through the jungle foliage, it began to slow down and Pinkie moved off to the side as it leveled off, hovering just above the ground. “Thank you for choosing magic carpet for all your travel needs. Please don’t stand until the rug has come to a complete stop.” she said, the rug landing in the middle of a green clearing as she finished talking. As the others stood up and stepped off the carpet, Pinkie kept her act up, smiling and saying, “Thank you, goodbye! Goodbye now! Goodbye! Thank you, goodbye!”
Once they were all off, Spike grinned, “That was AWESOME!”
Pinkie nodded, “Yes, indeedily, Spikey!” She then looked at Shahra and asked, “Well, how about that, ‘Miss Doubty Doubt Pants’?”
Shahra replied, “That was… quite a show of… power, Pinkie. Although I’m afraid I’m not quite sure what I was supposed to learn from that…”
Before Pinkie could reply, Rainbow Dash flew down to the group through the trees, panting and sweating slightly as she landed. “So that was you guys! How the hay did you do that?!” she exclaimed, taking in a breath between sentences.
“Pinkie Power!” Pinkie grinned.
Sonic smirked and rolled his eyes, “Evidently.”
After straightening her cloak out, Badoura looked at Pinkie and spoke, “Ignoring the explanation of your power for the moment, Miss Pie, I have to say Shahra is not the only one confused here. What exactly was she supposed to have gained from this experience?”
Pinkie rolled her eyes, “Easy, silly! To have fun!” When both Shahra and Badoura’s confused looks didn’t disappear, Pinkie explained, “Sonic was right when he said you shouldn’t be angry at yourself, Shahra! So what if you don’t have awesome magic yet? Laugh it off; that’s not a crime! Sure we might have taken longer to get here at just regular speed, but that doesn’t mean we’re not going to save Aladdin! Let’s focus on that right now and on your magic later, when the time is better! Like I said, you’re gonna be a great genie someday! Just give it time!”
Cadance spoke after a moment, “I think Pinkie’s words are absolutely correct, Shahra. Don’t worry about what you can do right now. You and Sonic saved this world once; I’m sure the time to play your part will come again.” Shahra smiled at that and turned to look at Sonic and Badoura as the former placed his hand on her shoulder again.
After a moment, Rainbow, who now had her breathing under control, said, “I’m sorry I got angry at you, Shahra. Really, I mean it. You are an awesome genie. Do you think you can forgive me?”
Shahra nodded, “Of course, Rainbow Dash. I do get upset when I am given a request I cannot fulfill, but being a less powerful genie isn’t all bad. It’s unlikely anyone will want to seal me away for centuries.” Rainbow smiled back at her at that.
Shining coughed, “I’m sorry for breaking up the moment, but we still have to find Aladdin, guys.”
Badoura nodded, “You’re right, Shining Armor. It’s good that everything’s okay between all of us, but we do have a task to focus on.” She turned to Sonic and asked, “Where exactly did you and Shahra find the World Ring, Sonic?”
Sonic replied, “It’s not far from here.” He turned to look where the plants got thicker and continued, “We should be able to cut straight through the jungle. If we do that, we’ll be there in no time.”
Applejack said, “Well, then let’s go! We don’t wanna miss Aladdin ‘cause we were standin’ around here.” The others nodded and, after Shahra whisked the carpet away for safekeeping, they headed into the jungle, following a trail that looked like it had been cleared by someone else.
As the group headed through the jungle, they all kept an eye on their surroundings, looking and listening for any clues that might tell them where to go, but there were no signs that they had to stray off the path they were following, and the only sounds they could hear were the sounds of birds and insects. “Hey Sonic, are ya sure we’re goin’ the right way?” Applejack asked after several minutes of walking.
The blue hedgehog replied, “Definitely, Applejack. I recognized the area outside of that clearing we landed in, so I’ve got a good idea of where we are. The way I remember it, this island isn’t very big.”
Shahra nodded, “He’s right, Applejack. The area where we found the World Ring is closer to the other end of the island and it doesn’t take long to get there. As long as we don’t encounter any trouble, going through the jungle will be the fastest way to get there.”
Fluttershy murmured, “Trouble…?”
Twilight asked, “What kind of trouble, exactly?”
Sonic answered, “Uh… well, some of the, uh, inhabitants of this island aren’t exactly the most friendly. And of course there are some that aren’t interested in eating plants, if you know what I mean.”
Badoura asked, “Surely that won’t be a problem we or Aladdin will have to worry about, will it, Sonic?”
Sonic said, “It shouldn’t be. We don’t have to go where the big predator on this island makes its nest. I don’t know what other predators live on this island since Shahra and I didn’t see any others while we were here.”
Rainbow asked, “Well, what’s the big one? A timberwolf? A cragadile?”
Sonic raised an eyebrow, “Uh, I don’t know what either of those are, but no. It’s actually…”
Spike suddenly spoke up, “Hey, what’s that sound?!”
Everyone stopped and listened carefully for a few moments, soon hearing what the sound of leaves snapping and rumbling that sounded animal-like coming from nearby. “It sounds like it’s coming from just up ahead,” Shining noted, everyone breaking into a jog as they headed for the source of the sounds.
They soon came to a small ledge that marked the end of the path, which was overlooking a clearing that had a stream flowing through it. And from up on the ledge they could see the source of the noises. “Whoa, what are these things?” Rainbow wondered as they all stood close to the ledge, looking down into the clearing.
Several large quadruped creatures were walking through the clearing, their overall size definitely dwarfing everyone in the group and possibly being even taller than Princess Celestia. Their bodies were almost completely a yellowish color. The plates that extended up from their backs also had a few blue lines mixed in with the yellow coloration, making the plates stand out compared to the rest of their bodies. Their tails had a cluster of spikes that pointed sideways and their necks were held upright, like a bird’s.
“Whoa…” Shining muttered as one walked near the ledge they were all standing on, getting a good look at it.
“Wow! They’re cool!” Spike smiled, Applejack and Rainbow Dash nodding in agreement.
“These… I remember seeing pictures that looked like these in some of my books. They were alive long ago in Equestria’s past,” Twilight said.
Pinkie chirped, “They’re so pretty!”
Rarity nodded, “They really are, Pinkie. So bright and colorful…” She looked at Twilight, “What are they called, Twilight?”
The lavender unicorn held a hoof to her chin, “Um… I can’t remember off the top of my head…”
Sonic spoke, “Well, in my world, we call them stegosauruses.”
Twilight looked at him, “Stegosauruses?” She thought for a moment before saying, “Stegosaurus… I’m not sure that’s the name I read, but that seems like a good name too.”
Cadance nodded, “It does. It fits for majestic creatures such as these.”
Badoura had been staring at the dinosaurs in silence. After a few more moments, she simply said, “They’re beautiful.”
Sonic looked at her, “Yeah, they’re really something, Princess.” After a moment, he said, “Listen, we should leave them to graze or whatever in peace and get going. We have to hurry.”
Badoura looked back at him and replied, “You’re right, Sonic. We must keep moving.” Sonic nodded and leapt down from the ledge, landing on a patch of moss. The others (save for Fluttershy) did the same, all of them taking one last look at the stegosaurs before they headed in the opposite direction. Fluttershy, meanwhile, sat on the ledge, still staring at the dinosaurs.
After a few moments, Applejack noticed something seemed off and looked around. A second later, she asked, “Wait, where’s Fluttershy?” The others came to a stop at this, all of them realizing that the shy pegasus wasn’t with them anymore.
They all soon turned to look back at the herd of stegosaurs and found their answer. The normally shy pegasus was excitedly fluttering around the dinosaurs, getting a closer look at them while trying not to disturb them. At the moment, she was examining the plates on one of the stegosaurs backs and muttering to herself, “Oh my, these plates look as hard as bone, but they don’t seem to be attached the same way. It reminds me of some of the lizards and alligators I’ve cared for, actually…”
Back with the rest of the group, Pinkie chirped, “Ooh! Fluttershy’s getting a real close look at those big lizards!”
Badoura seemed concerned, as she asked, “Is it safe for her to be doing… that?”
Sonic quickly replied, “No, absolutely not.”
Applejack looked at him and said, “She’s just lookin’ at ‘em, Sonic. She’s fine; it like ain’t she’s touchin’ them things or nothin’.”
Sonic replied, “Yeah, yeah, ‘ooh, ah’, that’s how it always starts. Then there’s running and screaming; I’ve seen enough movies and read enough books to know what’s likely to happen, especially after last time.” He ran back towards Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and Shahra following him at his sides.
After moving around one of the stegosaurs, Sonic, Shahra and Rainbow went over to Fluttershy, who was examining another stegosaur’s side, and stopped next to her, Rainbow saying, “Fluttershy, come on! We’re leaving!”
The shy pegasus turned her head to look at them, a bit surprised for a moment before she responded, “Oh, right. Um, I’ll just be another minute. You, Sonic, Shahra, and the others can go on ahead, Rainbow Dash.”
Sonic spoke first, “And leave you alone in the middle of this jungle? I don’t think so.”
Fluttershy smiled, “It’s okay, Sonic. Everything’s peaceful here, and I’ll be right behind you. There’s nothing to worry about.”
Rainbow objected, “Yeah, for now there’s not! We’re not going on ahead without you, Fluttershy!”
Fluttershy’s expression fell slightly at that, “Oh… okay. You’re right, Rainbow.” She turned towards them and said, “Aladdin and Princess Badoura are more important right now. I shouldn’t…” She stopped as she saw something out of the corner of her eye to her left and turned to look. She saw a log, and poking its head up above the log was a stegosaurus that seemed to be smaller than the rest. Fluttershy’s eyes widened, “Oh my goodness! Is that a baby?!”
Sonic, Rainbow, and Shahra looked as well, the last saying, “I think so.” Fluttershy turned and began to move towards the stegosaur, Shahra reaching a hand out to her and placing it on the pegasus’ shoulder as she said, “Wait, Fluttershy!”
Fluttershy looked up at the genie for a moment before looking back at the stegosaur and saying, “I know, Shahra. I just want to get a quick look at it before we go.”
Sonic crossed his arms, “Fine. Just don’t touch it, okay?”
While spreading her wings, Fluttershy answered, “Don’t worry, I know.” Shahra floated back a bit as Fluttershy flapped her wings to get off the ground, flying a little above the stegosaur and moving slowly to show she meant no harm. The dinosaur stared at her as she got closer…
Suddenly, the baby let out a cry, startling Fluttershy and causing her to land on the ground as her wings locked up. The baby stegosaur wasn’t the only one making noise, though; the adult stegosaurs were letting out growls and roars as Sonic, Shahra and the two pegasi looked between all of them. “I don’t think mommy’s too happy about Fluttershy getting close to her kid!” Rainbow said while looking at one of the roaring stegosaurs.
Shahra looked at the stegosaurs as well, noticing something about the way they were acting. It didn’t seem like they were attacking; it almost seemed like they were communicating with each other. “I don’t think that’s it, Rainbow! This seems like something else!” she noted.
“What’s going on over there?!” Shining Armor yelled over the sounds of the stegosaurs.
“Not sure!” Sonic called back as he noticed Rainbow fly up to dodge the tail of one of the stegosaurs as it swung back and forth. He looked behind him and noticed another was walking towards him, Sonic and Shahra moving out of its way while Fluttershy dove to the side. After about a minute, all of the stegosaurs had left the clearing.
The others came over once the clearing was mostly empty, Twilight asking, “What was that all about?”
Spike commented, “They sure seemed upset about something.”
Rainbow nodded, “I know! It’s like they suddenly didn’t like us or something!”
Fluttershy sat up and said, “It wasn’t us. That seemed more like alert behavior. Something got their attention, but what?”
Sonic started, “I don’t know. Maybe…” He glanced down at the water flowing through the stream and noticed something odd. It seemed to be rippling slightly, like there were tremors nearby.
Applejack confirmed this thought when she asked, “What’s that rumbling sound? Sounds like something’s comin’ closer…” Sonic turned to look in the direction the stegosaurs had originally been going and noticed some of the plants rustling off in the distance. He squinted to get a better look…
Sonic’s eyes widened a second later as the rumbling got louder and a familiar group of figures began to appear. “Whoa, heads up!” he exclaimed, the others (save for Shahra) looking at him in confusion. Suddenly, a group of large, mostly brown quadrupeds with three horns on their heads burst out of the foliage, heading straight for the group at a fast speed! At the rate they were going, there was little time for them all to react, all of them staring as the beasts got closer!
Sonic and Shahra, remembering their last encounter with these dinosaurs, quickly sprung into action. Sonic dove and pushed Fluttershy, who was still sitting on the ground, out of the way while Shahra quickly summoned the carpet, which picked up everyone else and lifted them all up out of the way. After only several seconds, the herd of dinosaurs had run past the group’s location, all of them avoiding being impaled or otherwise harmed by the rushing dinosaurs.
The clearing was silent for a short while before Rainbow spread her wings and hovered a little above the carpet, staring at where the dinosaurs had run as she asked, “What the hay were those?!”
Sonic, after rising up onto his knees and getting off Fluttershy, said, “We’re familiar with those dinosaurs. They were the first ones Shahra and I saw on our tour the last time, actually.”
Shahra nodded, “Thankfully, they didn’t seem to be angry with us this time.” Looking back at where the dinosaurs came from, she added, “And it doesn’t look like they’re being pursued by a predator. They must’ve been charging like that for some other reason.”
Any further comments were stopped when Fluttershy, who was still on the ground and staring at where the dinosaurs had gone almost in a trance, suddenly cried, “I remember those! Those were magical horned lizards!” Without warning, she spread her wings and took off after the dinosaurs!
“Fluttershy, wait!” Applejack called, leaping off of the magic carpet and running after her friend, Spike climbing onto Twilight’s back before she and the other ponies save for Rainbow Dash leapt down, running into the jungle after shy pegasus while Rainbow Dash flew above them.
Only Sonic, Shahra, and Badoura remained in the clearing, all of them just looking in the direction the others had run. After a moment, Sonic raised an eyebrow, “‘Magical horned lizard’? The triceratops?”
Shahra and Badoura looked at him, the former saying, “Well, you did say they come from a different world than you, Sonic.”
Sonic looked back at her and shrugged, “Oh yeah, that’s right. Maybe their dinosaurs were different too.” He then stood up while Badoura leapt down to the ground and Shahra sent the carpet away again. The three of them then left the clearing, hurrying to catch up with the others.