Chapter 7 - In Plain Sight
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12:29 PM
Southern desert region
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Turning wheels rattled over the straight metal rails as the Friendship Express rolled through the bone-dry desert. Inside, the school children chattered jovially to each other, the experience of their field trip still giving them a fresh bout of excitement. In one booth, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom all sat together.
“What a great time!” Sweetie Belle chimed. “We finally got to see somewhere cool outside Ponyville!”
“Plus, no Diamond Tiara around to cramp our style,” Scootaloo added, prompting laughter from the other two fillies. The trio gave a celebratory triple high hoof.
“And best of all, I got a great souvenir!” Apple Bloom beamed, her newly acquired gift from Silver Star perched proudly on her head. That is, until it slipped down, covering her eyes.
“Don’t you think that’s a little big for you, Apple Bloom?” Sweetie Belle asked.
Apple Bloom readjusted it, unconcerned. “Ah, it’s nothin’! I’ll grow into it.”
As the three kept talking, Cheerilee stood up and raised her voice over the chatter to address the class. “All right, my little ponies! So tell me, did you enjoy your field trip?”
The class responded with a resounding, “Yes Ms. Cheerilee!”
She smiled. “I’m very glad. Let’s take a moment to thank Apple Bloom for her– um, ‘initiative’ in recommending this trip to be organized. I think I speak for everypony when I say it was well worth it.”
The young ponies responded with a round of applause and cheers. Apple Bloom smiled sheepishly, her cheeks coloring a soft tint of pink from her teacher and class’s praise.
“You’re certainly lucky to be able to see a part of Equestria so different from what you’re used to,” Cheerilee continued, “and it’s just as important that you take a lesson from what you’ve seen these past two days.”
While the rest of the class hung on Cheerilee’s words, Apple Bloom quietly groaned to herself. She knew the ‘boring teacherly lecture voice’ when she heard it. Uninterested in listening to anymore classroom boiler, she leaned her cheek on her hoof and turned to gaze out the window.
“So, who can tell me the most important thing you’ve learned from your trip to Appleloosa?” Cheerilee asked. A few hooves went up.
“Buffalo smell kind of funny?”
“Appleoosa pies are even better than Ponyville ones?”
“I don’t like sand!”
Cheerilee’s struck a vacant stare on the last foal, Lickety Split, for a long moment. All the while resisting the urge to facehoof. She took a calming breath and continued.
“Perhaps I should fill in some of the blanks… The important thing to take from this is that Equestria is full of all kinds of remarkable creatures, each with their own unique customs and ways of life.” She paced a few steps through the train car, looking around at the young ponies. “And one day, it will be up to you as responsible citizens to meet and engage with them courteously and respectfully for the betterment of Equestria.”
The colts and fillies murmured in agreement. Apple Bloom, however, was still lost in her own world, her eyes wandering over the dry landscape rushing by outside the window.
That is until she noticed something. Something in the distance. She squinted, trying to make it out. And her expression gradually morphed into one of surprise, her eyes widening and mouth opening. She half turned her head to call back to her teacher.
“Um… Ms. Cheerilee?”
Cheerilee looked over her shoulder at the filly. “Yes, Apple Bloom?”
“What kind’a creature has blue fur, a spiky head, and runs really really fast?”
Cheerilee cocked her head, looked utterly confused. The rest of the class turned in her direction, baffled by the odd question.
“Apple Bloom, what in Celestia’s name are you on about?” asked Scootaloo.
Sweetie Belle responded with similar confusion. “That has to be the weirdest riddle I’ve ever heard.”
“It’s no riddle! Look!” Apple Bloom exclaimed, pointing out the window.
Following her hoof, the other two Crusaders scooted closer to the window to see what she was looking at. When they saw it, their mouths fell open. Barely fifteen feet away was the blue form of Sonic running alongside the train.
“What in Equestria is that?!” Scootaloo nearly shouted, wings fluttering.
The other foals flocked to the windows on their side of the train, trying to get a better view. The sight of the Mobian brought stares and gasps from the passengers. Lickety Split scampered between the Crusaders’ seats and perched his head up to the window, his face filling with astonishment.
“It’s a… It’s a… Ms. Cheerilee, what is it?”
Cheerilee, who’d made her way over to the seat directly behind the crusaders’, peered out the window with a perplexed look on her face. “I… do not know. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a creature like that before.”
A pink haired earth pony a few rows back gazed out at Sonic with amazement, starting to speak in her soft voice. “I think I know what he is, he’s a—”
“It’s gotta be a new, rare species of super evolved squirrel!”
“Maybe it’s a giant porcupine that got his fur dyed?”
“Or maybe it’s a thylacine!”
“A what?”
The chatter of the class drowned her out, and she shrunk in on herself a bit, awkwardly rubbing her hooves together.
“Maybe it’s a hedgehog,” Sweetie Belle interrupted the rest of them, looking thoughtfully at Sonic while rubbing her chin. “The thin nose, the quills, the spines on his back? I’m not sure about most of him, but those parts look a lot like a hedgehog if I ever saw one.”
Again, Lily tried to speak. “That’s what I was going to—”
“That’s ridiculous!” Scootaloo declared, cutting the filly off, who looked away dejectedly. “What kind of hedgehog has such a big head and stands on two legs? And wears gloves? No real creature could look like that! That’d be totally stupid. It’s gotta be some weird, mutated freak of magic or something.”
“Or maybe it’s some twisted, evil creature that escaped from Tarturus…” Twist shivered.
“I dunno,” Apple Bloom commented, “Don’t look like anything bad to me.”
“Well, look at him go!” Lickety Split piped up again, knocking on the glass. “He’s as fast as a speeding train!”
Outside the train Sonic’s ear twitched, catching the colt’s tapping, and he looked to his right at the train windows. A good portion of the young ponies suddenly held their breath.
“He heard you…” Snips said shakily, shrinking his head down so that only his eyes peered over the glass.
The ponies stared nervously back at the alien. Sonic, however, smiled and made a sudden swerve towards the train. In a few seconds he was right beside tracks, mere feet away from the windows. Cheerilee and the students awkwardly held his gaze, waiting, wondering what this strange creature might do. Thankfully, their fears were allayed when Sonic flashed them a peace sign.
Lickety Split laughed. “Cool! Do some tricks, do some tricks!”
Evidently, the blue Mobian could make that out through the window too. Flashing a confirming grin, he did a couple of jumps, twists, and midair poses, eliciting ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ from the audience of school children.
“First buffalo, now this? I’m seein’ a whole lotta creatures I ain’t never seen before these past two days!” Apple Bloom bubbled.
All the students started bunching up into the seats on the left side of the train, until all the sections nearest Sonic were crowded with eager little ponies clambering for a better view, cheering on the show.
“Awesome!”
“So cool!”
Scootaloo, however, didn’t look all that impressed. “Big deal. I could do that too,” she scoffed.
As the others clambered for a better view, pushing started breaking out between some of them. One retaliatory shove from a purple-haired unicorn filly sent Snips tumbling backwards from off his seat.
“Don’t push!” Cheerilee chided, going over to help him.
Apple Bloom was also feeling just as cramped. A bunch of foals had all but swamped the window space, and Lickety Split’s elbow kept stabbing into her ribs. “I can’t see a thing like this!” she complained.
Finally getting fed up, she squeezed herself out of the mass of ponies and into the aisle. Sweetie Belle was also there, shaking out her mane, which the other rushing ponies had messed up. Apple Bloom headed immediately down the aisle towards the door at the other side of the car.
“Apple Bloom, where do you think you’re going?”
“To get a better look, o’ course!” she said back. Silver Star’s big hat slipped down over her eyes again, forcing her to adjust it before she opened the door.
“Apple Bloom, wait!” Sweetie Belle called, but her friend slipped through the door and left her behind. She scampered after her, leaving Scootaloo as the lone crusader left in the car.
Scootaloo hissed her teeth, not particularly keen on the idea of getting involved in all this. But inevitably, she groaned and trudged out of her seat, running along after them.
Meanwhile, Snips was up on his hooves again thanks to some help from Cheerilee. “That hurt…” he moaned, climbing back up to his seat. “Thanks Ms. Cheerilee.”
“Just be more careful, Snips,” she cautioned.
“I will. I’d hate to have to go through that again—”
Suddenly, and without warning, there was a powerful rumbling. A tremor shook the ground, making the Friendship Express rattle and rock. Snips immediately stumbled backwards and fell out of his chair again, landing awkwardly on the back of his neck and hitting his head on the floor. The student’s cheering went mute, replaced by panicked gasps and screams.
Cheerilee was stunned. ‘An earthquake? Out here in the desert? But there aren’t any fault lines for miles!’ She took hold of edge of the nearest seatback and shouted out to the class, “Everypony keep your heads down and hold on tight!”
The foals ducked down and grabbed their seatbacks, the train sides, each other, and any steady surface they could find as they held on for dear life. The loud, violent shaking of the train warped the windows and slid the small ponies around in their booths. A few in the back of the train whimpered, fearing certain doom.
And then, strangely, as quickly as it came, the earthquake was gone. Again everything was still. The train, quiet, save for Snips groaning on the floor while he held the back of his head. One by one ponies gingerly lifted their heads up when they thought it was safe.
Lickety Split was the one to break the silence: “What was that?”
Apple Bloom quickly made her way across the gangway connection and into the conveniently empty second train car. Her run was only slowed by the sudden tremor that rocked the train. But she was able to grab onto the edge of a booth, and quickly resumed running once it passed, barely even phased by the tremor. She wasn’t about to miss a close-up view of this weird-looking, two-legged thing. Her hooves carried her across the car, through the opposite door, and into the second open platform car led only by the engine. She stood herself up on the edge of the car with her hooves on the railing, leaning over the side.
“Apple Bloom!” Sweetie Belle’s call came from behind her, the young unicorn having finally caught up with her. “What do you think you’re doing?” she asked. Scootaloo followed through the door behind her a moment later.
“Ain’t it obvious?” Apple Bloom replied, looking at her. “Y’all saw how quick that blue thingy was. We wait up here, we’ll have the best view in the house!”
“That’s not the point. I don’t think we’re allowed to be up here,” Sweetie Belle stressed. “Especially without even telling Ms. Cheerilee.”
Scootaloo rolled her eyes. “I don’t see what the big deal is. It’s just one freaky-looking furball.”
Apple Bloom turned to her in disbelief. “You outta your mind, Scootaloo? When’s the next time you’ll be able to say you saw somethin’ like this?” She looked back out to the arid wasteland around them. “Now just wait and see. With how that big thing was hightailin’ it, I bet you’ll be able to see him any… Look, here he comes!”
Sure enough, Sonic’s blue body came creeping up into view a few yards from the side of the car. Sweetie Belle’s, cautious yet intrigued, stood up next to Apple Bloom against the car railing to look.
“Wowza…” she marveled.
Only reluctantly and with much chagrin did Scootaloo finally give in too, joining them on the ledge.
As Sonic crossed in front of their view, Apple Bloom took the direct approach and waved eagerly. “Hi, mister blue thing!”
But as she called out, she leaned just a bit too far outside the railing. The whipping air outside the rolling train caught under the brim of her loose hat and blew it right off her head, throwing her souvenir into the wind. The little filly couldn’t do anything except reach out helplessly, pangs of loss and distress instantly flooding her.
“My hat! No!”
Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo grabbed her as she lunged, keeping her inside the train car.
“Are you crazy, Apple Bloom?!” Scootaloo shouted as she held on tightly to her friend’s barrel. “You’ll break every bone in your body!”
“But that was a gift from Sheriff Silver Star!” Apple Bloom cried, her voice high and tight with despair. “I was supposed to take care of it! We gotta go back!”
“We can’t stop now, Apple Bloom!” said Sweetie Belle. “We’re in the middle of the desert, there’s no way we can reverse! You’ve just gotta let it go!”
“Noooo!”
The commotion made Sonic look over. He saw the three fussing fillies, and the hat tossing in the wind, and quickly deduced their plight. In an instant he ceased his run, braking and sliding on his heels, and running back in the opposite direction.
All three of the Cutie Mark Crusaders paused when they saw the hedgehog suddenly reverse.
“What’s it doing?” Scootaloo asked out loud.
“I don’t know,” Sweetie Belle began. She squinted as she looked out in the direction he had went, only for her eyes to widen a moment later. “But I think we’re about to find out!”
A blue streak shot past the train, a low trail of dust and debris kicking up in front of it as it came far faster than what they’d seen before. And it was heading right for them.
“Hit the deck!” Scootaloo shouted.
All three of them threw themselves down, covered their heads, and squeezed their eyes shut. A blast of air ‘whooshed’ in front of the open car frame, sprinkles of dust peppering the wood floor around them. And then, there was nothing. Nothing outside the familiar, persistent huffing of the train’s engine.
Sweetie Belle was the first one to crack her eyes open. When she lifted her head up and saw what was waiting, shock overtook her face. She shook her friends’ shoulders frantically. “Girls! Look!”
Scootaloo and Apple Bloom opened their eyes, and were surprised to see Sonic running right next to them, mere inches from the railing’s edge. A good-natured smile on his face, and Apple Bloom’s hat in his hands.
“Lose something?” He extended his arms, offering it back to the fillies.
Apple Bloom’s expression turned from shock to joy. “My hat!” She reached out and took back her precious cargo, giving the hedgehog the biggest smile she could manage. “Thank you! Thank you so much!”
Sonic grinned. “No problem.” And then he accelerated and went zooming off ahead, easily outpacing the train.
“Whoa! Did you see that?” Sweetie Belle remarked, looking out over the railing after him. “He’s fast!”
“And he saved my hat!” Apple Bloom cheered, snuggling her muzzle into her souvenir. “Oh, thank Celestia! I’ll never lose you again!”
While Apple Bloom rejoiced over getting her gift back, Sweetie Belle nudged Scootaloo in the ribs with her elbow, smirking. “So, what do you think of that ‘freaky-looking furball’ now?” she gibed.
Scootaloo pursed her lip, avoiding eye contact. “All right… maybe this wasn’t that much of a letdown.”
Apple Bloom continued to celebrate to herself. “This! Is! Amazing! A cross-Equestria visit, a great present from the sheriff, and I got to meet a cool looking critter face to face? There’s no way this day could possibly get any better!”
“Ahem.”
Somepony clearing their throat made each of the fillies flinch. They slowly turned, and there stood Ms. Cheerilee, staring down at the three of them with a most unhappy look on her face.
Sweetie Belle gulped. “I don’t think you knew how right you were, Apple Bloom…”
================
12:33 PM
Edge of Ponyville
================
Twilight trotted along the dirt path leading out and away from Ponyville’s central hub, saddlebags strapped to her sides. Her faithful dragon assistant had rejoined her and now rode on her back while they went about their daily errands.
“All right Spike, let’s go over the list of things for today once more. You have it?”
Spike confidently pulled out the rolled up list. “Got it right here.”
“Excellent! Now let’s review: return Pinkie Pie’s recipe book?”
“Check.”
“Order a new set of parchment and quills? …Again?”
“Check.”
“Help Cheerilee move the posters, new pulley, and the two spare curtains for the show this weekend?”
“Check, check, and double check.”
“Well then, it looks like we’re right on schedule.”
She then peered back at Spike, her pleasant tone breaking a bit as she frowned at him. “Or at least we would be if you hadn’t been so late. Seriously, Spike. You were fifteen whole minutes late today! That’s even more than what I usually factor in for your typical three to five and a half minutes! What kept you?”
Spike scratched a claw into his cheek with a meek expression. “Sorry about that, Twilight. First Base and I had a little accident when we were playing earlier. Almost lost my ball in town. But it’s all right, a nice stranger helped me out,” he said with a smile.
Twilight arched a brow. “Nice stranger?”
“Mhm. Tall, kind of red, carries a funny looking umbrella.”
Twilight looked up in thought. “Hmm, doesn’t sound like anypony I’ve ever seen before. And you outta be more responsible with your things, Spike.”
“I’m not a baby, Twilight,” Spike said, crossing his arms and doing his best to ignore the fact that the pretty mare from before had told him the exact same thing.
“In any case, what’s next on the checklist?”
Looking back to the list, Spike read off the next item. “Drop off a copy of the next Daring Do book at Rainbow Dash’s place.” He paused, looking up. “Speaking of which, we’re here!”
Sure enough, Rainbow Dash’s floating cloud house was right in front of them. With a shine of her horn, Twilight teleported the two of them off the ground and up to the front door. Twilight had aptly remembered to cast the cloud walking spell on both Spike and herself before they got here. She raised her hoof and knocked on the door.
“Rainbow Dash?” Twilight pushed the door open and stepped inside, looking around. “Rainbow Dash, it’s me!”
“And me too!” Spike added.
“I’ve got that next copy of Daring Do you asked for! Are you home? Rainbow Dash?”
As Spike hopped down off her back, Twilight turned about as the two looked and listened for their rainbow-maned friend.
Spike looked left and right before giving a shrug. “Guess she isn’t here.”
Hardly a second after the words left his mouth, a multi-colored blur whooshed across his sight line at a high velocity, flying into the house from a window on the right and crashing into Twilight with a thud. Rainbow Dash had ended up awkwardly splayed on Twilight’s back, laying backwards on top of her with her haunches on the mare’s shoulders. The whole thing gave Spike a serious sense of déjà vu to when they first met the brash pegasus.
“Never mind.”
“Ugh…” Twilight groaned, blowing the hair of her pegasus friend’s tail out of her face. “Hello, Rainbow Dash.”
Glancing back, Rainbow chuckled sheepishly. “Sorry about that, Twilight.” She flapped her wings and lifted herself off of her and into the air. “I was just doing my mane.”
The two looked at Rainbow Dash as if she’d grown a second set of wings.
“Doing… your mane?” asked Spike, confused.
“Yup! I always start the day with a few flybys through some clouds. No better way to style!” Rainbow responded, giving her mane a flip.
Twilight rolled her eyes with a small smile. Only Rainbow Dash would high speed flying into a grooming practice. Lighting her horn again, she opened her saddle bag and drew out a book.
“Anyway, we came by to give you that book you asked me about last week. The next volume of the Daring Do series,” she said, presenting it to her.
Rainbow’s face lit up with excitement. “Awesome!” She grabbed the book and did a loop in the air before straightening herself up. “Daring Do and the Eternal Flower,” she read excitedly off the cover.
“I think you’ll really enjoy it,” Twilight grinned, starting to go into gushing nerd mode. “In it, she has to work her way from an event hosted by the Equestrian Botanical Society with her— oops, heh, I shouldn’t spoil it for you. You’ve just got to read it yourself.”
Rainbow smiled brightly in anticipation. It sounded like all the things she loved about Daring Do. Secret treasures, epic adventures, mortal peril.
And then she suddenly felt a lot less happy. Her giddy expression shifted for a moment, becoming sullen.
It was everything she wished she had.
“Y-Yeah, it uh… looks great!” She drooped back down onto the floor, her face and he tone faltering. “I’m sure it’ll be a… real blast.”
Twilight didn’t notice the shift in attitude, distracted as she was with her excited rambling. She trailed off into a monologue about A.K. Yearling’s creative genius, and wondering what sort of exotic places the author had seen that inspired such fascinating locations in her writing.
Spike, however, was a bit more perceptive, noticing Rainbow’s odd change in behavior. He lifted an eyebrow, studying her. Something was definitely off. But what? Was it the book? No, it couldn’t be that. She’d been jumping for joy not ten seconds ago. Had to be something else. It seemed like Twilight’s talking had made her remember something. So, what was so upsetting? What could manage to shake the brave and bold Rainbow Dash so much?
Just as he started to open his mouth to ask her, he felt something in the pit of his stomach, his eyes widening. He grabbed his mouth, making a retching sound. The other two both looked at him questioningly.
“Spike? What’s the matter?” Rainbow asked.
Her answer came when Spike belched a green burst of fire, which materialized into a scroll.
Twilight blinked in surprise. “A letter?” Picking up the scroll with her magic, she unfurled it and lifted it to her face, reading it.
“What is it Twilight?” Spike asked, once he was recovered from the unexpected expulsion from his gut.
Twilight’s eyes quickly ran back and forth across the page, before widening as alarm overtook her face. “It’s an urgent message from Princess Celestia… She wants the six of us in Canterlot at once!”
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Update!
well that was nice of Sonic to get Applebloom's hat back for her... course, wouldnt of had to do that if she didnt run off in the first place lol
The waits have been worth it so far.
I’m very interested as to where this story is going.
Bravo, my friend, bravo.
Hey. Found this work on Fanfiction.net which your newest chapter led me here. Thanks for introducing me to this site for being the first to mention it. I leave reviews on Fanfiction but you might see them here. All i gotta say is good work but please dont add any of that Fleet way Sonic garbage. Those comics just irk me to no end
9380246
Always to a pleasure to gain a new follower. And have a little faith, you won't be disappointed.
What a great way to start the year awesome chapter dude
I have a question im hopeing you are not planning to put a certain cliche aka sonic and rainbow dash raceing in are you? your story looks different and fresh otherwise your doing a great job on this story :)
9388916
You'll have all your answers in time. Glad you enjoyed.
9389198
Alrighty :) and thank you
Don't we all?
That's what I'm wondering as well.
This fic is awesome, everything authentically screams Sonic and is told at the perfect pace.
This series is amazing, so far the best interpretation of sonic yet, especially that one part with him running backwards, I was on the floor laughing and cheering, so amazing, can’t wait for the next chapter, I’m counting the seconds lol
Upload more we're all waiting.
9485302
Well as much as I'd love to dump entire days into writing and planning, I've got life and duties to take care of. More so than usual lately. Have a little patience, I'll get to it in time.
I’m patient, happy to wait for this awesome series, amazing job so for
Damn hit the road block. Looking forward to more from this story. You do a better job at portraying Sonic then SEGA does.
Cant wait for more!!
9419281
A Thylacine is commonly called a Tasmanian Wolf or a Tasmanian Tiger. It is now extinct and used to live in Australia and Tasmania. It was a marsupial, which means the female carried its young in a pouch, like a kangaroo, wallaby, Tasmanian Devil, or the North American Oppossum. It was overhunted due to it killing sheep, making many sheep farmers upset (they were losing valuable livestock for wool production).
9527800
You could've just said that it was a Tasmanian Wolf or Tasmanian Tiger. You didn't have to go full into detail about what it is.
i like this story i hope you continue it wonder what will hapen with sonic tho
Okay, I like this story and want it to be updated as soon as possible.
Any idea when that will be Mr./mrs author person?
9589737
Still taking care of responsibilities for a few more weeks. Adulting is a pain in the ass. I won't have an upcoming period until then, then we'll see. Just haven't had much down time.
I wonder when Shadow will show up. The last time we saw him was in the middle of chapter 2.
I can’t wait to see the main 6 reaction to sonic, it’s gonna be awesome
LEROY JENKINS!
I am very excited for twilight and the girls to meet Sonic!
How they will react about wonderbolts failed to catch our favorite hedgehog!
9590454
Take as much time as you need to get the next chapter out
Pretty cover!
Some fantastic new chapters. I really hope the story will continue soon, but I'm patient. Keep up the great work!
I discovered this story yesterday and read all the available chapters. I love crossovers and this is one of the best Sonic the Hedgehog X My Little Pony fanfics I have seen. Now, I have to wait for the next chapter to be uploaded...
This story is turning out to be good, but I swear you had another story; One where a guy was displaced as Vegito and gained other anime character’s abilities/equipment. By what I remember, it blew up quickly. I swear it was you who posted the story. If I’m wrong well damn.
9764493
You've definitely got the wrong guy. I'm not into displaced stories.
9766001
Umm... When Is the Next chapter again? Also WTFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
Can't wait for see chapter 8!
9766001
well, story's good so far
when ya gonna update
Nice cute scene with Sonic and the CMC.
ANAKIN CONFIRMID ?
I just returned from a long... looooong break, and this caught my eye because of one thing... Sonic... I've been on a kick over Sonic recently for some reason or another, but this story has been pretty good so far.