Take Back Control
"Sheriff Hitch? Are you feeling alright?"
The voice was extremely distant in my mind as my vision slowly began to return. I could see some small pinpricks of different things in my mind as I looked about the world in front of me. It seemed alien yet familiar somehow. It was clearly taking a while for my brain to wake back up, so I got ready to move forward if need be. I glanced about again, and tried to say something.
"Clearly I took a nap," I said, realising my voice was deeper than normal. And American, to boot. After a bit longer, things stopped being horriby out of focus, and I was finally able to focus on the things I needed to focus on whilst I was in this place. So I was on the coastline? I could handle that. I'd been to seaside settlements before, and could handle life there.
After a while, everything finally cleared up. I appeared to be in a seaside town consisting of various multi story buildings, each painted a different colour and some decked with iron railings. A set of tracks ran through the cobbled streets, and the street stretched away down the road and coastline, eventually vanishing into the distance. A large tower sat at one end, and a factory like building sat at the other.
So it seemed I was in Maretime Bay somehow. No worries. I'd just need to wait for my brain to wake up again and I'd probably be back in my hotel room safe and warm and safe from the horrors of the outside world.
"Sheriff Hitch? Are you feeling alright?" the voice asked again, sounding quite concerned and urgent in her speech.
This snapped me back to attention. I glanced about and finally spotted something. I saw a spec of orange fur as I glanced about, and looked down to confirm this.
Yep. Still a pony. A pony apparently in Maretime Bay.
Bugger.
Though, oddly enough, I seemed to be missing most of my gear, which was a nuisance. How was I supposed to carry out my duties as sheriff if I lacked any of my equipment or useful tools? This was annoying.
Having said all that, maybe I should be greatful. Whomever had been watching me that lonely night in Virginia had given me a second shot at life. Admittedly, it was a second shot at life as a pony in a children's cartoon, but beggars really can't be choosers when you're about to be burned to death. Besides, in a peaceful place like Maretime Bay, law enforcement can hardly be that difficult, right?
I looked over to the pony (assuming it was a pony who had spoken- and seeing as this is G5 Equestria you have a one in three chance of being correct) and immediately saw who it was. It was Dahlia, who owned a local flower shop.
I finally got around to answering her question. "Yes, I'm fine. Just resting my eyes, that's all. Thanks for the concern, Dahlia."
Dahlia nodded. "It looked like you were out for quite a while. You see, I wanted to ask you something. Two things, actually."
This interested me. Maybe this would let me learn more about how interpersonal relations work in the world. The film rather skimmed over that. "Sure thing, go ahead."
Dahlia nodded. "Firstly, what's going to be done about the unicorn?"
I looked closer. "The unicorn?" I suspected she was probably referring to Izzy, but I didn't know when I was, so wanted a bit of a clarification. "Which unicorn?"
"The one that attacked Maretime Bay earlier," Dahlia replied. "And that crackpot Sunny helped her escape. Last I saw of them the unicorn was luring her away from Maretime Bay, probably so she can fry her brain where nopony can see her!"
Oh, so we're in that era. Well, there goes my hopes of a peaceful time in Maretime Bay. I seemed to have arrived a ways into the film, and this rather threw a spanner in the works, so to speak. I nodded. "Ah. Thanks for refreshing my memory, Dahlia. Don't you worry. The fugitives will be caught and will both face justice. The arm of the universe is long, but it bends towards justice."
I rather had to say that. The citizens would get rather suspicious if I started spouting reunification platitudes seeing as the Earth Pony legal system was rather built around preserving the climate of fear and denying the other races basic rights. Anyway, it's all better now. On top of that, I couldn't really set off without knowing these streets better.
"It's always good to see a sheriff who will uphold the law," Dahlia replied. "Hopefully you won't let your personal friendships get in the way."
"Justice knows no favourites," I replied. I was fully aware Hitch shows nepotism in the film, but this was hardly here or there. "So, what was the other thing you wanted to ask about?"
Dahlia passed me a letter. "I got this letter from somepony. It was in my letterbox earlier, and I'm pretty certain it's meant to go somewhere else."
I took a look at the letter, and glanced at it in confusion. What an odd letter to be getting out here, based solely on the address.
Donut Lord
1991 Naka Way
Green Hills, MT
0214-2020
Looks like the transdimensional post got lost again, I thought to myself. "Thank you, Dahlia. I'll ensure this gets to the right per- uh, pony. Was there anything else?"
"No, Hitch," Dahlia replied. "You have a nice night."
"Thank you, though I suspect with all the chaos happening around here it won't be a quiet one at all," I replied, and made my way down the street.
Maretime Bay looked completely different at night. The only light came from the moon and the street lamps which glowed like beacons of hope in the middle of nowhere. The spots between the light made some navigation difficult. In many ways it reminded me of being in New Orleans. As did the humidity. I could see how Sunny was able to support herself on selling smoothies. She must have sold out most days.
I whistled a tune to myself as I walked along the absurdly wide streets, and finally found the police station. I pushed open the door to find Sprout already there at his desk, seemingly intoxicated based on the way he was slumped. Drinking on the job. Not a good sign. As per the film, the notice on his desk was spelled incorrectly. It's 'uty' in deputy, not 'ooty'. That doesn't even make sense.
I put the letter away in an evidence box, and then pulled on my bandolier and badge, before packing a supply bag.
"Err, what are you doing?" Sprout asked.
I turned to him. "Considering the earlier disturbance, there is now a problem. The justice is out of balance, and I must correct it. I'm going after Sunny and that unicorn and bringing them back to Maretime Bay."
Sprout blinked. "You cannot be serious. Wander straight into the lands of the unicorns and pegasuses? What if they fry your brain? Or you get eaten?"
This did raise an obvious question in my mind. Presumably clues must have been left behind for Hitch to follow. "I'll cross those bridges when I come to them. Besides, you cannot stop the beat of the long march of justice. I turned to the door and prepared to set off. "Hopefully there'll be no buses either. And one more thing, Sprout."
"Yes, boss?" Sprout asked, adjusting stuff on his desk to create the illusion he had more work than he already had.
"Try not to start a war whilst I'm away, OK?" I said.
"Understood," Sprout replied. His eyes looked sincere, alongside the buildings I could inexplicably see in his eyes. That was weird.
I stepped outside the door and looked up into the night sky. "Sunny, Sunny, Sunny, Sunny. You think you've escaped? Well, think again." I paused. "I will not eat! I will not sleep! Well, maybe a quick nap and a snack if I can't find you in the next few hours." I took the opportunity to check my supplies were properly secured on my back. "But after that, nothing will stop me! I'll follow you wherever you go. Whether harshest deserts, the coldest tundras, no trail too dangerous, no clue too small. The past matters not! It's justice. The law is blind, and the long arm of the law bends towards a just resolution."
I decided to head to my sleeping quarters in order to rest in preparation for what would probably be a very long journey for me. I had to be in tip top shape in order to perform at my highest level, after all. The world cared not for excuses, and based on the film I'd have some very challenging terrain to cover.
Ah well. All in a day's work for the employees of Maretime Five-0.
Well, here we are in Maretime Bay at last! The opening sequence was inspired by images of the town as seen in the film, and trying to picture how they would appear at night:
Hitch is also now off on his own quest, but I also hid a number of references to roles James Marsden has played or voiced over the course of his now-thirty year career. Can you spot them all?
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The next chapter has arrived!
Excellent work on the exchanges, characterizations and future chapter set-up. Definitely liked "Hitch's" reflections on when and where he was and knowing he had to at least mostly "Stick to the script" for the time being to avoid suspicion even having some general knowledge of how things are going to turn out (maybe not the full exact details, but still - ). Also understood the reaction to the alteration in "Sprout's" response and surprising sincerity concerning the final instructions for the time being.
Very much looking forward to more of this.
Sunny is not a crackpot, and unicorns can't fry a brain out!
Lmao, a sonic movie reference since James Marsdan aka Hitch's movie va played tom aka donut lord in the film and it's sequel which I recently rewatched. Still, great reference!!
Don't let those lies get to your grain Sprout. They're nothing but loads of hogwash someone made up to scare you and many others.
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When Jimmy updates later today, some of the stuff in here will make a tad more sense.
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1. Dahlia doesn't know this. They only know what they have been taught, and they have no alternative way of finding out the truth.
2. I'm surprised they didn't make more of that in ANG. Still, Tom and Hitch are rather different characters; the latter is rather closer to Marsden's usual repertoir.
3. Sprout has no way of establishing the truth, remember?
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1.& 3. Ik.
2. Indeed.
cool chapter mate
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Well, glad to have that sorted. I also forgot to point out that the ZIP code is not a real Montana one.
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Glad you liked it.
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I figured.
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No worries. I didn't use a real one to avoid idiots spam mailing a potential real address.
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Yeah I noticed that that was a reference to the movie release date (0214-2020 = Feb 14, 2020). Clever.
Btw what were the other James Marsden references in this chapter, since nobody here seemed to have picked them out yet?