Above the open plains of Equestria, a hot air balloon floated gently across the open air, its occupants constantly surveying the expansive land below. Not too far away, a small red airplane zoomed by, circling around the balloon while its pilot performed his own reconnaissance. Within both aircraft, all eyes were frantic and all expressions were of worry. Whatever they were looking for could be anywhere by now.
"I don't see them!" called Spike, peering down at the grassy lands below. Twilight turned her nervous eyes to Tails, who replied with a shake of his head from behind the controls of the Tornado. Standing on the plane's top wing, Knuckles held a hand above his eyes and peered around like a sea captain searching for land.
"They did go in this direction, right?" he said to the fox, earning a nod from the pilot. "I'm sure…" Tails' voice was low and depressed, which caught Amy's attention in the seat behind him. "Hey… are you okay, Tails?"
"I…" He wasn't sure how to answer. "Yes? No? I don't know! I mean, one moment, Sonic's just his usual cheery self, and then he just attacks Rainbow Dash without a second thought?"
"And not only that, he doesn't want us to help him!" Knuckles added. "There's something fishy going on around here… with both of them. Now that I think about it, Rainbow Dash looked pretty normal last time I saw her."
"I can't help but worry, Amy," Tails muttered as the Tornado glided across the sky. "Just what in the world's gotten into them? Why do they not want us to help? And…" Tails sighed. "Oh, Sonic… where are you?"
…
Dozens of miles away, birdsong reverberated through the lush, beautiful lands of Equestria. Blades of grass swayed back and forth in the gentle breeze, intent on remaining undisturbed for as long as they stood… until they were suddenly and violently ripped from the ground by a tremendous force of wind kicked up by something racing by at high speed. Those that remained shuddered until a similar force from the air sent them flying; a force that quickly gained on its target.
"GET BACK HERE, YOU SPINY LITTLE SOURPUSS!"
"Oh, what's that?" taunted the Blue Blur. "This colorful knock-off of a flier thinks she can out-speed moi? Don't you have little girls to play with?!"
The infuriated pegasus flew parallel to the hedgehog with a stern look in her eye. "I'm gonna make you regret coming here! And when I do, every creature here will know that I'm the fastest thing EVER!"
Sonic had a challenging-yet-mocking look on his face. "Well, you're welcome to try!"
Rainbow blasted ahead and looped around, homing in on Sonic like a rocket. With a scoff, Sonic dropped into a slide and watched the pegasus sail over him. "HAH! LATER!" He called, blasting off into the distance. Gritting her teeth, Rainbow shot into the air and restarted her pursuit. From the sky, her opponent resembled a blue streak of light tearing through the area that threatened to escape her even as she tried to catch up. If she needed to beat this guy- and she did!- she needed to slow him down. But how…?
Rainbow's eyes caught a peculiar land formation off in the distance: something that resembled a scar within the land, like a canyon. Or maybe even a… Rainbow Dash's memory kicked in the moment the name found its way into her mind. Ghastly Gorge! Things are about to get rocky for you, quillface!
She flew in the opposite direction of the gorge and circled back towards Sonic, who watched her movements like a hawk. "Oh, no! She's coming back around to get me! Whatever will I do?!" he cried dramatically. "Well, how about THIS?!" As soon as Rainbow neared him, Sonic hopped up and grabbed onto her body, leaving the two to struggle in midair. "Grrh! Hope you like black and white, because I'm gonna knock all the colors outta you!" Sonic growled.
"You like the ground so much?!" Rainbow roared in reply. "Well, here!" She slammed him face-down into the dirt and dragged him through until she neared the gorge. Just as she was reaching the edge, she released Sonic and pulled up into another high loop, leaving the hedgehog to skid through the dirt and stop at the cliffside.
With a weakened moan and an irritated growl, Sonic lifted his head out of the dirt and spat chunks of earth from his mouth. "Bleh! Gah! Oh, when I get my hands on that stupid horse-"
WHAM! Rainbow plowed both forehooves into Sonic's back, knocking him into the canyon below. The hedgehog banged against a rocky wall and hit the ground hard, tumbling to a stop. "In… in the back?!" he groaned as he slowly climbed to his feet. "That's it! You're the worst, Rainbow Crash!"
Rainbow just laughed, ignoring the insult thrown at her. "Welcome to Ghastly Gorge, Needlemouse! You want me?! You're gonna have to CATCH me! Ha ha ha!" she took off in a colorful flash, leaving a stunned Sonic behind. "Grrr! That rotten-!" He shot after her in a blue blast, racing through the narrow gorge at subsonic speed. The hedgehog shot through a long and winding river while the pegasus zigzagged through the canyon with acrobatic ease. Sonic tailed the flyer through every turn and crevice, managing to keep the colored comet in his sights. The speedsters raced around trees and rocks, which Sonic either jumped over or smashed by spinning through them.
"I thought you were a fighter, not a coward!" Sonic shouted in annoyance. "The great and brave Rainbow Dash running from a challenge! What everyone in this world would give to hear that!"
"If I was a coward, would I go through here?!" Rainbow shot down a long, dark tunnel, leaving a colored trail behind her. Narrowing his eyes, Sonic ran in after her, kicking up water from the river as he did so. Like the countless corkscrew loops he had blazed, the hedgehog immediately ditched the ground level and started to circle the tunnel's area until he was speeding at an angle parallel to Rainbow's current altitude. Just as the pegasus noticed him and turned her head, the hedgehog jumped off the wall and lunged at her with outstretched hands. "Now I've got you, you-AUGH!"
A sudden gust of wind snagged Sonic and threw him down onto the river, his landing announced with a splash. Rainbow's laugh echoed through the tunnel and into his ears. "Get a move on, spiky! Unless you want to be literally blown away by my awesomeness!"
"That stupid-!" Sonic seethed, hopping to his feet and initiating the Figure-Eight Peel Out to build up speed. "Blowing people away is MY thing!" With a loud boom, he blasted down the tunnel with the wind roaring in his face. Up ahead, Rainbow smiled at the breeze against her fur and pushed onward through the mighty gales until she burst from the end of the tunnel with nothing but a ruffled mane…
…and a blue streak not too far behind her.
"Okay, so you handled the tunnel!" Rainbow shouted although she doubted Sonic could hear her. "But let's see you get through this!" The pegasus surged ahead down the gorge, flying right for a batch of overgrown and thick thorn-covered vines. Taking a quick stop to hover in the air, she looked over her shoulder and saw her competition racing into view off in the distance.
"Heh heh heh! That's it, spiky boy! Right this way!"
Rainbow darted into the brush and the prickly mass, using her natural agility to evade the thorns. She dipped down, slightly rose, and weaved this way and that to avoid touching any of the spiky hazards, leaping off a thick thorn in the process.
The pegasus reached the end of the thorns in no time, giving herself a complimentary pat on the back. That blue poser had to be tangled in a long vine by now, and Rainbow couldn't wait to see the look on his face when he had gotten a taste of his own-
BRRRRRZZZZZZ!
A bewildered Rainbow turned to the thorny vines, which were now toppling like trees. Something inside whizzed like a buzzsaw, slicing up the plants with ease. Rainbow's eyes widened when she saw the cause, prompting her to turn and start flying away. But before she could beat her wings, a blue ball burst from the brush and smashed against her body.
"AAH!" Sonic unfurled and stomped on Rainbow's back until she hit the ground head-first, the momentum propelling her forward while Sonic laughed from on top. "How's that taste, cloud-butt? Betcha you like rain better!" Vaulting off, Sonic whooped with another loud laugh, taking off into the distance. Rainbow popped her head out with an angry growl, ready to spread her wings and speed after him. But once she saw where the hedgehog was heading next, that growl turned into a devilish cackle.
As he zoomed through the long chasm, Sonic glanced over his shoulder to update himself on Rainbow's location. The pegasus was airborne again, but something was off. She wasn't making any move to intercept or attack him, prompting Sonic to narrow his eyes in annoyance. "HEY! I thought you said you wanted to be faster than me! Which is obviously not gonna hap-"
GRAAAAAAGH! A gigantic red serpent lunged at Sonic from a hole in the gorge's cliff, its jaws wide open. The startled hedgehog only had time to scream before its jaws snapped shut around him. Rainbow flew a safe distance away from several holes, which had hisses of warning coming from them.
"The quarray eel nests," she said. "I'd say it was nice knowing you, blue… but it wasn't! Good riddance!" With a chortle of victory, she sped off and ascended out of the cavern. The eel, identifying no further threats to its territory, began to withdraw back into its cave.
Suddenly, its body gave out a violent lurch, followed by a confused grunt. The eel looked down at itself, curious as to what the problem was. The moment it did, something slammed against the inside of its throat, causing a moan of pain to erupt from its maw. It lurched again as the object ricocheted within its body, reaching higher and higher towards its head.
ARRRRRGH! With a final howl of agony, the eel opened its mouth and spat out a soaking-wet (and very ticked off) blue hedgehog, who glared at the eel and others that emerged from their holes.
"I'll tell you the same thing I told the whale!" he shouted with a pointing finger. "This hedgehog isn't gonna go down as a snack!" He sprinted forward and shot into the air, aiming for another eel that was already snaking towards him. Spinning up, Sonic barrelled towards the eel and smacked off its head in a Homing Attack, making it roar in pain. He bounced off several more eels, stunning them before hitting the wall and boosting ahead. Another eel hit the rock wall headfirst, missing the hedgehog by meters.
"Okay…" Sonic huffed as he caught sight of the oblivious Rainbow up ahead. "I have had ENOUGH of this stupid gorge!" He angled himself right at the edge of the cliff and picked up speed so that he was close to breaking the sound barrier. The Blue Blur shot off the edge and sailed into the air like a rock flung from a catapult, closing in on Rainbow Dash like a missile.
The pegasus heard something quickly approaching and turned around… right before a spinning blue ball reached her. "NO-!" The sphere slammed into her and knocked her off-course just as Sonic uncurled, propelling her back down to the surface with the hedgehog in tow. The two speedsters failed to notice a slight shifting in the air… until a rift opened right before them and they fell through to the other side.
Rainbow bounced off solid hard pavement while Sonic skidded to a halt, his eyes adjusting to his new surroundings. "Whoa…" he gasped at the citizens and buildings surrounding him. "Station Square? Neat!"
"Uh… huh?" Rainbow snapped to full alert with a gasp and looked around. "What the… where am I?"
"We're on my turf now, pint-sized pony!" Sonic called. "You know what that means! Time for round two!" He broke into a run, punching the pegasus across the head before stopping in the middle of an intersection. "Let's see how well you do far, far away from your little pasture!" Without another word, he took off down the right turn while Rainbow, now visibly agitated, flew off in hot pursuit.
The hedgehog blazed down the open road, weaving between lanes every time the pegasus got close to him. With every miss, he stuck out his tongue and made a face at the flier, annoying her to the brim.
"A change of…" she grunted as she swooped towards Sonic, only for the hedgehog to evade again. "Scenery… ugh! Won't… urgh! Help you!" Sonic ducked underneath an attempt to grab him. "Whoop! Over here!" He shot down another turn, prompting Rainbow to sharply follow…
…and fly right into a road of oncoming traffic!
"GYAH!" As horns blared and screeched in her ears, Rainbow narrowly avoided a taxi cab, a sedan, and a truck before shooting a safe distance above the vehicles. With her heart pounding wildly, Rainbow scanned the road as to where the hedgehog had run off to. The sight of a blue light zigzagging between cars gave her the answer she needed, and she shot over the vehicles with a colored shockwave behind her.
On the road below, Sonic zoomed between cars like a hedgehog possessed, determined to shake Rainbow off his tail… or at least make her think that was what he was trying to do. "Whoop!" he shouted, making a 90-degree turn to the right in another intersection. Rainbow was flying so fast she missed the turn, correcting it by flying over the next street. "Gah! Little blue twerp!"
The sight of the hedgehog making faces at her past the buildings they sped by sent the pegasus further into a rage. She swooped down the next two turns to meet the grounded blue streak at another intersection. Just before she reached it, Rainbow could've sworn she heard a metallic clang…
…and a huge jet of water swallowed her up! Her sudden cry of surprise turned into a gurgle as her altitude dropped. The pegasus hit the road in a soggy heap, coughing frantically for air and her fur drenched to the brim. It took her a moment to look around the scene: a fire hydrant had been knocked over, causing its water to jettison into the air. And the perpetrator was standing close to the sidewalk… and he was laughing and pointing!
"Ha ha ha ha!" he chortled. "Now that's what I call watercolor!"
"You… you…" Rainbow could hardly control her breathing as droplets dripped down her soaking mane and wavering face. "YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS!" She shot for the hedgehog, who was already taking off across the road with another laugh. "Come and get me, Lame-bow!"
"GAAAAAAH!" Shaking the water off like a dog, Rainbow shot after Sonic with an enraged scream, flying over a bus that he had slid under seconds prior. Rainbow flew low close to Sonic's position, getting so close she could see the bottoms of his shoes. She inched closer and closer, his body almost in range for her to grab...
HOOOOOONK! An oncoming truck suddenly drove right for them, catching Rainbow by surprise while Sonic just smirked. He dashed to the left while Rainbow zipped right, narrowly avoiding the front of the vehicle as its blaring shape zoomed by. The huffing pegasus soared meters above the street to avoid similar incidents, her eyes trained on the blue streak that darted between honking cars and drifted down turns. The pegasus leaned her body to match the direction, her wings beating as fast as they could while she held both forehooves in front of her.
She quickly gained on him after taking a right turn, about to land on top of the hedgehog with an enraged cry. Sonic let out a noise of surprise before swinging an arm at the pegasus. His arm just grazed the top of her mane, leaving him wide open to a tackle that slammed him into a taxi. The impact cracked the glass of the windows while nearby pedestrians were startled at the sight. Rainbow threw Sonic atop the hood of the car, prompting the hedgehog to shove her away with his feet and slam her into a parked sedan across the street. Sonic quickly sped up and landed three quick punches to Rainbow's face until the pegasus retorted by forcefully biting his arm.
While Sonic yelped in pain, Rainbow head-butted him into another car and chased after to land her own blows. The speedsters threw each other at car after car with Rainbow ducking a punch that cracked a window, the pegasus dragging Sonic along the side of an SUV by pinning him with a hoof, and Sonic kicking the pegasus down the street before jumping off another car to launch a Homing Attack at Rainbow. The pegasus jumped into the sky just as Sonic smashed the asphalt, leaving the hedgehog to hit the ground running and resume their previous chase. Rainbow flew high above the streets, shaking bits of glass off her mane as she did so.
Rainbow wished she was an alicorn just so she could use her horn to blast that stupid little speed freak. But he would just dodge it in the blink of an eye, wouldn't he? The thought of it made her even madder… and even more desperate to crush him.
Sonic screeched down a right turn and Rainbow sharply followed, landing on a skyscraper's side and launching herself off to gain extra momentum. She aimed down and sped for the hedgehog like an arrow, hoping to ram him with the force of a dozen- no, a hundred boulders. She screamed towards him as the wind howled in her ears…
…and Sonic just jumped backward in an acrobatic flip, landing right behind the pegasus with a cocky smile. With a cry, he boosted ahead and curled up into his ball form, slamming into the pegasus' flank like a cannonball. Rainbow screamed and hit the asphalt in a tumbling heap while Sonic bounced off and blasted down the road.
"No…" Rainbow croaked, tears leaking out of her eyes. Not now. Not like this. Not by… by him! Or by anypony else! Never again! NEVER AGAIN!
"NYAAAAAAAAAGH!" Her anger reaching its highest point yet, Rainbow shrieked in an unbound rage as she launched off the road and down the turn Sonic had taken, barely catching a glimpse of the blue streak fading from sight down a left turn. Rainbow took that turn and kept after the hedgehog until he shot onto a street on the right. The pegasus swooped through the intersection, her furious eyes locked for the one thing in the entire universe faster than her.
But he was nowhere to be found. All she saw was traffic, towering buildings, and flat roads for miles. At the sight, something inside Rainbow snapped and she howled into the sky with complete and utter despair.
"NOOOO!" she shrieked, her tear-filled eyes darting around like a predator. "COME OUT, YOU LITTLE BLUE FREAK!" She hardly recognized her voice, strained from the screams… not that she cared. There was only one thing she did care about. "THE NEXT TIME I SEE THOSE LEGS IS WHEN THEY'RE FLAILING ABOUT WHEN YOU'RE BURIED INTO THE GROUND!"
She expected no reply. Instead, a sharp whistle made the pegasus' ears perk up. She spun around just as a red sneaker smacked into her face from the air. Sonic rode Rainbow down to street level like a surfboard, slamming her against the road and making her skid painfully to a stop. When Sonic vaulted off her, the pegasus was buried face-first in cracked asphalt.
"How the tables have turned," Sonic chuckled. "But you must really be thick-headed if you think you're gonna beat me and become the fastest. Well, guess what? You're. Not. Ever. Many have tried, many have failed, and you're just next in line. A horse beating a hedgehog sounds reasonable… but not this horse and not this hedgehog. Deal with it. So, ready to surrender?"
"..."
Sonic seemed to anticipate her reply. "Hmph. Thought so."
"YAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!" Rainbow shrieked and barreled into Sonic, nearly knocking the breath out of him as he was taken into the sky. Both creatures tussled with each other mid-flight with the pegasus rolling in efforts to shake him off, smacking against the side of a building in the process.
"We're gonna get quite the audience if we haven't already!" Sonic shouted after a glance to the road and curious humans below. "And if I know this place- and I do- they're gonna be cheering on me to kick your paint-brushed butt! They've done that for years, and they'll do it for years to come! Who's gonna cheer for you, huh?! Who?!"
"SHUT UP!" Rainbow screamed, purposefully slamming against another building that failed to loosen Sonic's grip on her. "Yeah, that's right! Nobody! You know why?! Because that's exactly who you are here! Another faker pounded flat!" Utilizing Rainbow's momentum against her, Sonic threw her to the street and bounced off an overhang, landing atop a flagpole bearing the symbol of the United Federation. His green eyes narrowed at the sight of the colored comet looping upward inches from hitting the asphalt.
Sonic grabbed the flagpole with both hands and swung himself around it, nailing Rainbow in the head with both feet and knocking her away. He released the flagpole as soon as he could, sailing into the air and rocketing back down with a stomp. The flagpole bent from the force until it sprung back into place, launching Sonic up the building. The moment his speed began to falter, Sonic sprinted upwards with a blue aura surrounding him and a colored streak hot on his tail.
He sailed into the air once he rocketed past the rooftop, landing on his feet perfectly just as Rainbow shot into view with widespread wings in front of the sun. She immediately burst for him like a missile, giving Sonic a small opportunity to dart to the side and kick her as she passed; an opportunity he took well. "Ha!" The pegasus tumbled right off the edge of the roof, with the hedgehog jumping down after her.
Rainbow righted herself in midair, turning her eyes to the falling hedgehog… and something else he failed to notice. With a grin, Rainbow rocketed upwards and nabbed Sonic, the latter letting out a grunt before they both vanished through the small rift in the sky…
Once they emerged, Rainbow threw Sonic against the ground. The hedgehog bounced back onto his feet and slid to a halt before noticing his new surroundings: they had returned to the Equestrian plains. "What the-? Oh, for the love of- fine!" he huffed in frustration and balled his fists at the pegasus.
"What? No running away?!" Rainbow sneered. "Glad to see the big, brave hero isn't a coward anymore! Besides, there's nowhere you can run here that I can't find you!"
"Forget running! And forget home-turf advantages, too!" Sonic shot back, equally angry. "I think it's about time we got this thing on for real! So get ready to be broken, horse!"
"The only thing that's broken is my reputation and fame!" The pegasus screamed back. "The very first thing you did when you showed up in Canterlot! Now, I'm gonna fix it and turn everypony's attention back to me, myself, and I! And I'm not gonna hold anything back this time!"
"Oh?" Sonic couldn't resist the chance. "You were holding back?"
"THAT'S IT!" She screamed, rocketing for Sonic again, who was ready for her this time as he grabbed her hooves in his hands. "Okay! Time to get serious! GRRRRRRRRRRRR!" The two speedsters shot away from each other, tearing up dirt and conjuring dust in the process. Looking each other in the eye, they lunged at each other at blinking speed and collided together with a loud shockwave, racing across the land as they did so…
…
Meanwhile, miles above ground
"Ugh!" Knuckles groaned impatiently. "How long have we been looking?!"
"Longer than I'd care to admit," answered a worried Twilight. "I haven't seen any sign of Sonic or Rainbow Dash… I'm starting to get nervous."
"You're Twilighting again!" Pinkie chirped. The alicorn only replied with a glance from the corner of her eye. "Not helping, Pinkie."
The earth pony dropped her smile and sighed. "I know… I just really, really hope they're alright."
"What in Equestria would make them fight like that?" whimpered Fluttershy. "They have so much in common." Applejack nodded in agreement, nervousness of her own shining in her emerald eyes. "Yeah… who knows how long they've been at it…"
"One of them could be gravely injured by now!" murmured Rarity. "Or perhaps both! Oh, I dread to think of it!"
"Sonic's as tough as they come, believe me," Knuckles countered. "He can fight armies of robots, a single giant robot, and even humongous monsters without breaking a sweat. He can get right back up after any hard hit thanks to those rings he's picked up throughout his adventures. Heck, he even went toe-to-toe against me several times and we fought to a standstill!"
"If Rainbow Dash is anything like Sonic, is it safe to say that she's also stronger than she looks?" pondered Amy. Applejack nodded again. "Yup. She sure is. Whacked against trees and rocks, had a hay bale dropped on her… she may be fast, but she can sure as heck take a beating. That is, if she can even get hit."
"Guys, this isn't helping!" Twilight spoke up. "Thinking about who's tougher isn't gonna make them stop! The sooner we find them, the better."
"Which brings me back to my original problem," Knuckles replied. "We've been looking for what feels like hours! Sonic and Rainbow are two of the fastest things out there. They could be any-"
BAM! CRACK! KRAPOW!
"-where?"
Everyone's eyes turned to the ground, where they at first saw nothing but grass. Suddenly, shockwaves burst into view and exploded across the area like fireworks that never launched. They paused for a moment, and everyone watched in silence. The only sounds that could be heard were the gentle creaking of the balloon and the humming engine of the Tornado.
A blue streak raced across the plain, speeding past rolling hills and ducking through small valleys and natural trenches. From the sky, a colored comet zeroed in and collided with the blue streak, the impact kicking up dust. A split second later, the blur zoomed out of the cloud with the rainbow trail in hot pursuit. Another dust cloud appeared where they met again, followed by another and another as the blur attempted to out-speed the comet.
"There they are!" Tails shouted, pointing at the land. "Hang on, Knuckles, I'm taking us in!"
"Spike!" Twilight called. "Move us forward!"
"Aye-aye!" the dragon saluted before facing the back of the balloon and letting out a stream of fire that acted as a thruster. The two air vehicles accelerated across the sky, with the balloon moving at the velocity of a traveling airship while the Tornado zoomed ahead in a gentle descent. All the while, the two blurs of color sped across the open land and smashed against each other repeatedly, uncaring of anything around them but themselves…
…
Meanwhile still
"Still no word from your teammates?"
"No," answered Shadow in a low tone. "They must be taking longer than expected in their mission."
"And…" Sunset was hesitant to continue. "What mission is that?"
"That's on a need-to-know basis only," Shadow sternly replied. "You may be an honorary member of Team Dark now, but you're not a full-on team member. But once we get in contact with them, we'll know exactly what the-"
Shadow cut himself off in mid-sentence, something that also caught Sunset by surprise. The hedgehog and unicorn paused in their tracks, the former's face becoming stern for a reason Sunset couldn't place. "Uh… Shadow? What's-"
"Quiet," he said. "Something's coming."
Sunset said nothing, listening for anything suspicious bound for their location. For a moment, she heard only the rustling breeze of the wind. But… was it just her, or was the wind picking up every second? And what was that she was hearing? It sounded like a jet engine, but…
The two looked over their shoulders to see something moving at an insane velocity right towards them! It was getting closer and closer by the second while something tailed it from the sky. With a startled gasp from Sunset and barely any noise at all from Shadow, the two creatures teleported out of its path the moment it blasted past, reappearing in a flash of light within the cloud of dust it left behind.
Sunset broke into a coughing fit and clenched her eyes closed. "What… ack! Koff! What was THAT?!" Shadow waved the cloud away with both hands, his eyes peeled for the one responsible.
"RAH!" Someone cried from above, striking someone else and making him topple to the ground. The target groaned in frustration and stood back up, revealing a blue hedgehog with small bruises covering his body. Shadow narrowed his eyes. "Sonic. What do you-?"
"HA!" The second figure swooped down and grabbed the surprised hedgehog's arms, holding them back with her forelimbs while he struggled in her grip. "I've got you now, you oversized porcupine!"
Sunset gasped in horror at the sight of the attacker: a cyan-furred pegasus with a ruffled coat and a rainbow mane that looked completely messy. And she had a gleeful, anticipating smile on her face while Sonic grit his teeth in an annoyed manner. "Rainbow Dash?!" she cried. "What are you-?! Get off him right now!"
Neither of them responded to the unicorn, their jade and ruby eyes focused only on each other. "Just try to run away from me now, spi-"
VWEEEEEEEE! Instead of a verbal reply, Sonic only growled before tucking into a ball and spinning wildly… with Rainbow in tow! Shadow and Sunset were left in stunned silence as the two speedsters were replaced by a spinning blue ball swirling with all kinds of colors, all while Rainbow screamed and held on for dear life.
"WHOOOAAAAA! GET ME OFF THIS RIIIIIIIIIDE!"
"That looks… super nauseating…" Sunset groaned as if she was about to puke at any moment. "So not pretty…" The spinning sphere took off across the grass, trailed by both colored light and the screams of the pegasus inside. It shot past Shadow and Sunset and zoomed through the open landscape until it finally shot off a rock formation and launched into the air.
"AAAAAAAAAAH!"
Sonic rocketed towards the ground like a meteor and slammed back down with an earth-shattering boom, kicking up more dust and forming a small crater from the impact. Shadow and Sunset immediately hurried over as the massive cloud rose and faded from the pit. Shadow clenched his fists at what lay inside while Sunset froze from fear. Rainbow Dash lay dazed and bruised, her fur covered in dirt while a quiet moan left her mouth. A frowning Sonic stood over her with a frown, brushing dust off his shoulder.
"Rainbow… no…" Sunset whispered under her breath. The pegasus winced and tried to open an eye as she strained to rise. A gloved hand snatched her by the throat and lifted her off the ground, hate burning in the emerald eyes that reflected her battered body.
"This is the only way it would end, Paintbrush Hair," Sonic spoke slowly in a deepened tone, Rainbow moving in his grip. "With you lying broken and beaten like the millions of robots I've torn apart. Left behind and discarded like all the wannabes before you and forever denied the top spot. Because there's only one guy who deserves to be number one and let me give you a hint: it's not someone who pushes around clouds all day. In fact, that someone…"
Sonic drew back a fist, ready to drive it through Rainbow's chest in the blink of an eye. "That someone is never going to touch the sky again." A sadistic grin appeared on his face and a low imp-like chuckle made its way from his mouth. "Game over, Rainbow Crash."
Sonic started to throw his arm forward… but something snagged him by the wrist. With a grunt of anger and confusion, he whirled his angry eyes to the side. Looking the blue hedgehog dead in the eye, Shadow had a grim expression on his face and spoke in a demanding tone.
"You have ten seconds to explain to me what you are doing. Now."
"Get lost, faker," Sonic snarled.
Shadow was taken aback by the words. "What did you just say to me?!"
"I said GET LOST!" Yanking his arm from Shadow's grip, Sonic pounded a fist right in Shadow's face, knocking the black hedgehog down. "And come back when you're ready for a beating of your own, Ultimate Loser!"
"N…no…nobody…"
Sonic and Sunset turned to who had spoken. Shadow's distraction had allowed Rainbow to regain consciousness… and she was boiling with rage. "NOBODY CALLS ME CRASH!"
With an enraged roar, she boosted forward in a colorful flash, lifting Sonic up and out of the crater. The duo ascended rapidly into the sky until they twisted about in tumbling heaps, leaving Sunset in complete horror and confusion while Shadow groaned from the hit.
"Grrr… that ungrateful-!"
"Shadow, wait!"
Sunset's call was too late. The black hedgehog shot out of the crater with an irritated growl and skated down the plains in pursuit of the airborne trail. From afar, Rainbow hit Sonic hard and caused him to fall to the plains below. Bouncing off a rock, the hedgehog hit the ground running in a blue flash, colliding with the rainbow streak every few seconds. The unicorn had no chance of catching up, even if she teleported. All she could do was watch the speedy figures fade off into the distance with Shadow doing his best to catch up.
"Wh… what in Celestia's name is going on?!" Sunset said aloud, bewilderment in her tone. "What's gotten into them?!" She didn't expect an answer to come; and yet one did in the form of buzzing rotors.
Sunset's eyes turned to the sky to see two air vehicles moving in the same direction as the battling heroes. One was a craft most ponies would find strange, yet one Sunset knew well thanks to her experience in the human world: a red-and-white biplane that soared through the open sky. Following it from behind was a familiar sight to Sunset: the Twinkling Balloon that Twilight and her friends used for far transport. Sunset made a face of concentration and focused the magic in her horn, vanishing in a green flash.
She reappeared in the basket of the balloon, surprising everypony onboard. "Sorry!" she quickly shouted. "Sorry if I made it a little crowded! Hey, Twilight!"
The flying alicorn turned her head back to the basket and her eyes widened. "Sunset?"
"Care to give me a little context?" asked the unicorn. "Like, why is Rainbow Dash even madder than usual?" Applejack was the one to reply. "Well… it's kinda a long story. We're asking ourselves the same question, to be honest."
"But whatever it is, we're getting to the bottom of it and getting her back!" Spike added. "But they're not stopping! They just keep going at it! We can't get in close to stop them!"
"I can!" Twilight answered. "Spike, keep everypony airborne! I'll go check on Tails!" With a nod from the dragon and an assuring glance from Sunset, the alicorn turned and flew off towards the distant plane.
Aboard the Tornado, Tails kept his eyes trained on both the colored trail in the air and the blue blur on the ground. Both trails smashed against each other repeatedly, each of them giving the other everything they had. Tails' heart sank; what could have made this happen?
"Hey!" Knuckles shouted from the top wing. "Isn't that Shadow down there?!"
Tails scanned the ground to see what Knuckles was talking about… and sure enough, a black hedgehog was skating across the plain in desperate pursuit of Sonic and Rainbow. He didn't look happy either.
But if Sonic was gonna be troublesome and uncooperative, Shadow would be the one to keep him in check. "Hang on, Knuckles!" Tails called. "I'm going in!" The echidna grasped the top wing with both hands just as Tails sent the Tornado into a downward dive towards the ground. The fox pulled up before the front of the plane could make contact, grass blades flying loose as the aircraft passed over. He put more pressure on the throttle, accelerating to Shadow's position until the black hedgehog was alerted to the sound of the engine. He spun to face the plane without breaking his stride.
"You again?" he shouted over the engine. "What do you want from me now?!"
"Hey, we're not here for you, edge-hog!" Knuckles shouted back. "Sonic's the problem!"
"Sonic?" Shadow repeated in shock before his expression narrowed as if he had been insulted. "Explanation. Now."
"He's gone crazy for some reason and he started attacking Rainbow Dash!" Amy explained. "And when he tried to help him, he attacked us too! We've got to find out what's wrong with him!"
"Even if it means beating him into submission?"
Amy blinked in confusion. "Um… yes?"
Shadow leaped for the Tornado and landed on the right-hand side of the bottom wing. "Follow them," he instructed Tails, looking the fox dead in the eye. "Do not lose them." While the tone of the hedgehog's voice caused a wave of nervousness within Tails, he nodded. "Way ahead of you!" He pulled back on the control stick, raising the Tornado high into the air as both Shadow and Knuckles hung on tight. Once they reached a sufficient altitude, Tails redirected his gaze on Sonic and Rainbow miles away.
"Tails!" Twilight called, flying alongside the Tornado. "Can you see where they're going?" The fox narrowed his eyes at the streaks below. "Judging by their current positioning… I think they're headed for the mountains! I'll try not to go too far ahead of the balloon!"
"Be sure to give me some updates!" Twilight replied before flying back to the balloon. Tails, Amy, Knuckles, and Shadow kept their eyes trained on the streaks below, who remained to be aware only of each other.
Down on solid ground, Sonic roared across the open grass with clenched teeth and fists, blazing through the land like a race car on a large stretch of road. Seconds apart from him, Rainbow screamed behind and flew low like a fighter jet on its attack run, the wind whistling as she accelerated. With a boost of speed accompanied by a colored shockwave, she soared over Sonic's position and looped towards him at full speed with both front hooves extended. Sonic never made a move to slow or change course, leaving the two to barrel towards each other at breathtaking speed…
…until they collided with a bang, Sonic's hands grabbing Rainbow's hooves and their eyes glaring daggers at each other. The pegasus' wings beat as fast as they could while Sonic's legs spun in a figure-eight pattern. "Not only am I gonna make you eat my dust, I'm also gonna make you eat dirt, quillface!" Rainbow roared at the hedgehog.
"Hate to break it to you, horsey…" Sonic retorted. "But I'm unbeatable on the racetrack! Before this is over, I'm gonna Spin Dash those pretty little wings clean off!"
"Not if I stomp you into the ground first!"
"HHRRRRRRRGGGGGGH!" Both speedsters pushed against each other as hard as they could until their pressure canceled them both out and sent them flying in separate directions. While Rainbow righted herself in the air and took off flying, Sonic tumbled and rolled along the ground until he landed on his feet and slid back. With a boom, he shot off across the open terrain. He sprinted towards the swooping pegasus with adrenaline coursing through his veins, ready to knock her out of the sky and permanently ground her.
With a yell, Sonic jumped up as a spinning ball with hopes of hitting Rainbow at the top of his arc. The pegasus swiftly avoided the attack with a sharp roll to the side, a quill grazing her fur. Before Sonic had the chance to uncurl, she kicked him with a back hoof and sent him crashing to the earth. "NGUH!" Sonic caught himself and slid to a stop on all fours, grasping the ground and gasping for breath with closed eyes. He started to stand and open his eyes… until he was suddenly bombarded by a colored whirlwind from all directions.
"AGH!" Sonic cried out and held up his arms, but it was no good. Rainbow was too quick, she was hitting from everywhere! He barely had time to move or think as his ears were filled with victorious laughter.
"HAHAHAHA!" Rainbow howled like the winds of the storm she had conjured. "Not so hot against somepony with REAL speed, are ya, porcupine?! I'm gonna beat you! I'm gonna win! And YOU'RE the one who's gonna be forgotten while I get the life I always wanted! How do you like me NOW, Mister I'm-so-fast?!"
Something inside Sonic snapped. How DARE she?! What was she to talk about speed?! Did she even know who she was dealing with?! And why messing with him was the biggest mistake she ever made in her life?!
"RRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHH!" With an enraged bellow he hadn't heard himself do in years, Sonic became the tornado to Rainbow Dash's hurricane. A storm of blue surrounded the colored swirl, dwarfing it in both size and power. The startled pegasus tried to match the whirlwind's velocity, only for strong winds to throw her about like a ragdoll and push her against the side of the storm, where she was pounded and blitzed by both fists and spin attacks. Rainbow's breathing became frantic and her ears rang from the winds as she desperately sought an escape, but to no avail.
"Whoawhoawhoawhoa, nononononononoNOOOOOOO!" The pony ricocheted off the azure barriers of the storm until the winds threw her to the ground in a rustled heap, loose fur strands and feathers falling in her wake.
The storm died down and Sonic stood above her with heavy breathing. "That! Does it! You're-"
WHAM! Rainbow kicked him in the face with both back hooves, making him fall onto his back. "NOT DONE YET!" she screamed in response, tackling the hedgehog before he could get up and dragging him through the dirt. After an entire mile, Rainbow soared upward and shot past the Tornado with Sonic in tow, prompting all on board to follow her trail.
"Whoa, that was harsh!" Knuckles cried. "When was the last time Sonic was that ticked off?!"
"We've gotta stay on them!" Tails shouted, moving the plane to keep them in their sights. The Tornado surged ahead with the balloon trailing right behind it, both aircraft making their way to the mountain range. The speedsters, however, had already beaten them to it.
A blue streak raced across mountain trails and up the sides of the geological spikes, sending snow flying whenever it rushed by. The colored trail behind it conjured swift winds behind it as it weaved around peaks, keeping the azure trail in its sights. Down below, Sonic continued to blaze down trails and evade the pegasus by running up the rocky mountain surface. Glancing over his shoulder and narrowing his eyes at Rainbow Dash- who returned the glare- he shot off the mountain and sailed for another one like a cannonball. Rainbow threw herself into a roll, barely avoiding the blue spiked ball as it shot over her form.
Touching down on another mountain path, Sonic blasted down the trail. Rainbow moved to pursue him, only to pull back after the streak sped through a tunnel carved into the mountainside. Growling in frustration, the pegasus flew alongside the mountain and kept her eyes peeled for the other side.
The tunnel seemed to stretch for miles; it had to span at least half a quarter of the mountain. Rainbow felt more annoyed the longer it seemed to take, but she realized Sonic may have taken the best route. The wind was beginning to pick up, carrying hints of snow through the air. Brushing off the cold, the pegasus increased her speed and pushed onward, looking for the end of the tunnel.
It didn't take long before she found it: another carved hole in the rock. Her magenta eyes darted to what lay above it; a thick layer of snow that looked ready to drop at any moment. An evil grin spread across Rainbow's face as an idea appeared in her head. Going as fast as she could, the pegasus darted just above the tunnel and swooped downward in the direction of the slope at breakneck speed. The blowback from her velocity picked up considerable amounts of snow, which tumbled towards the edge.
Rainbow hit the trail hooves-first and slid to a stop with a proud smile. The bunches of snow collapsed in front of the tunnel like a miniature avalanche, completely sealing the exit from sight in a white blanket. The pegasus couldn't help but laugh victoriously. "Let's see how he likes it when he's the one trapped…" Her eyes watched the blocked tunnel while she listened for any sign of the blue hedgehog. But when that sign came, it came suddenly.
With an explosion of snow, a blue ball blasted from the blockage and smashed into the surprised pegasus, knocking her onto her back. Before she could stand, a hand grabbed her by the throat and a pair of jade eyes stared down at her. "Hi. Remember me?"
"You… you don't DESERVE to be remembered!" Rainbow screamed, smacking a hoof into Sonic's face and knocking him away. "Be-because that's how it is with you, isn't it?!" The hedgehog vaulted back to his feet, his fur blowing in the wind as he stared the pegasus down. The aforementioned flyer's eyes were starting to tear up with hatred and jealousy again, the moisture feeling cold already.
"You've won over the hearts of every creature in your world!" Rainbow cried angrily. "They call you the fastest! Y-you bask in their appreciation and relish it on a daily basis! And if you're challenged in any way, you defend it with your life! And you always win! It's because you love it, don't you?! You love the thrill, the attention, and the excitement so much you'd do anything for it!"
Sonic frowned and balled his fists as the pegasus continued her rant. "That… that was supposed to be MY life! But you just HAD to come here! You just HAD to show off and get the attention of all my fans! I worked hard to live a life of adventure, adrenaline, and excitement, and YOU RUINED IT! All because you want to eliminate your competition before they even know you! It-it just drives you crazy to see somepony else in the spotlight, doesn't it?! All the attention, gone?! That's when you become jealous! That's why you hold onto that stupid title of yours! That's why you don't let ANYPONY BUT YOU WIN!"
Sonic made no reply at first. His only response was a cold, hard stare directly at the seething pegasus. He clenched his fists before making eye contact with her and speaking three simple words.
"Look who's talking."
Rainbow surged with anger and spread open her wings, but Sonic shot for her in the blink of an eye, grabbed her by the coat, and slammed her against the side of the mountain. "You know what you are?!" Sonic shouted at her. "You're a bully! An egotistical, selfish, show-stealing bully! And I hate bullies! Especially ones who use others to get what they want under the ruse of friends! And those 'friends' aren't coming to save you, Cloud-Butt! This isn't about my title or being the fastest thing anywhere anymore! This is about giving you what you deserve!"
"I'm the one who's gonna give you what YOU deserve, you one-eyed freak!" Rainbow screamed back. "And once I'm through with you, you're gonna wish you NEVER stepped foot in-!"
A huge rumbling from above them made the two speedsters glance up. Far up the mountain, snow was starting to come down in clumps and piles. Soon, a huge wave of white was rushing down the side of the mountain, tumbling towards the trail like water down a storm drain. Seeing her chance, Rainbow head-butted Sonic and shot away from the mountain. Anger flowing through his body, Sonic got to his feet and raced down the trail just as the avalanche crashed onto it. With the snow at his heels, Sonic fought to outrun the white tide for as long as he could, the pegasus soaring overhead far from the avalanche's reach. "That's it, hedgehog. Run, run as fast as you can…"
Safely above the mountain range, the Tornado and the Twinkling Balloon surveyed the alps and the colored blurs below, which could hardly be made out among the snow. "That looked a little too close…" Knuckles muttered. "I'd prefer not to have our blue buddy buried before we have to help him."
"Twilight?" Tails asked, slowing the plane down a little once the balloon was in range. "Do you recognize these mountains?" The alicorn gazed over the peaks. "As a matter of fact, I do. These are the Crystal Mountains, and…" Her voice trailed off.
"I don't think I like where this is headed…" Amy whispered to Tails, noticing the princess' silence. The said alicorn now had her eyes turned to beyond the mountains, where nothing but snowy plains awaited any travelers. "No… oh, no, no, no! Not there! Anywhere but there!"
Tails didn't need to ask what lay past the mountains: Twilight's reaction was giving him a clear idea. The fox pushed up on the throttle just as Spike increased the fire of the balloon, the plane's engine giving out a loud roar before the tiny craft surged on through the mountains. The balloon hovered close behind, the basket gently swaying in the winds.
Meanwhile, Sonic had gotten clear of the avalanche and was chasing Rainbow up a snow-covered slope. While the pegasus turned in midair and faced down the hedgehog, Sonic was having some difficulty getting enough speed to reach her: something Rainbow taunted him for.
"Hard to get traction in deep snow, huh? Difficult to build up your trademark speed?" she called. "If only you had wings instead of legs, Cyclops-Eye!" Sonic's only reply was a growl as his legs spun like crazy in the snow. "If you make so much as a 'going nowhere fast' joke, so help me-!" With a shout, he blasted across the snow as hard as he could, sending the white fluff flying behind him. Rainbow made a move to flee, only for Sonic to snag her by the tail, slam her into the snow, and run around while dragging her with him.
"Heard you like clouds! Clouds are white! Snow is white! You get the picture! Enjoy!" He threw the pegasus into a snowbank; one she plowed clean through before she tumbled down the slope. Sonic gave chase and sprinted down the mountainside while Rainbow managed to right herself and slide across the snow, weaving around trees and rocks while she did so. A quick glance over her shoulder prompted Rainbow to crouch and speed up. Behind her, the hedgehog zoomed through the snow with his next move already playing out in his mind. Once he reached the halfway point down the mountain, Sonic hopped and curled up, hitting the snow in a spin.
As he rolled through the snow, the white mass began to pack and gather around him. After five seconds, Sonic was encased in a giant snowball that tumbled down the mountain like a huge boulder. Rainbow skidded to a stop at the bottom of the mountain, shaking loose snow off her fur. She didn't have much time to spread her wings and fly during that whole trip down; not with all the trees, snowbanks, and rocks in her way. Now, where was that-?
The pegasus turned around... just in time to see a huge snowball barreling towards her! She screamed in alarm before the sphere slammed against her body, immediately blowing apart in a loud boom-like puff. Snow flew everywhere while Rainbow landed facedown on the ground, a burst of mocking laughter managing to get into earshot. "What can I say? I saw my chance, horsey, and I rolled with it! Ha ha ha!"
Rainbow popped her head out of the snow, quivering with anger as her magenta eyes locked on the hedgehog. "Oh, not broken yet, are we?! Then bring it on!" Sonic blasted off down the nearby tundra, snow kicking up in his wake. With an angry roar, Rainbow launched into the air like a rocket and gained the necessary altitude for her pursuit. He wouldn't get away with mocking her like that! Especially not after he'd done so many times already!
Rainbow shot forward in a burst of speed, quickly gaining on the hedgehog as he shot across the snow. She dove for the blue blur in a predatorial swoop, ready to tackle him from behind. Sonic caught this action from the corner of his eye and positioned himself to slide across a small patch of snow as if it was ice. The pegasus zoomed a hair's length over him just as he slid to a stop, immediately coming around for another attack. Smirking as another idea came to him, Sonic launched himself towards the pegasus.
"Hey, Cloud-Butt! How good are you at managing a snowstorm?!"
Sonic spun in a circular motion, kicking up swirling clouds of snow around him until they formed a whirlwind that rotated like a tornado. Trapped inside, Rainbow squeezed her eyes against the cold winds and beat her wings furiously in the mighty gales. "Rrrrrgh!" The wind howled in her ears and the blue streak flashed in and out of what little she could make out.
"Can't… see!" she groaned while fighting to stay in the air. "Gotta… get… outta here!" She zoomed directly ahead, bursting out of the white tornado in a flash of color. Rainbow gasped for air and took a moment to catch her breath… only to get knocked down by a spinning blue ball. She face-planted into the snow and popped her head out, shaking off the white substance.
Rainbow turned to look at the white landscape, only to feel a fist plow across her face and knock her down again. A sharp whirring sound cut through the air, prompting the startled pegasus to roll away from a sapphire sphere just before it could touch her exposed belly. It dug into the snow, instead, sending clumps flying everywhere. Some landed in Rainbow's face and mane, causing her to shake it off and spit out some that had gotten into her mouth. Suddenly, her attention was drawn to another sound: a determined cry.
Rainbow dropped onto her back and caught the approaching Sonic with her back hooves. With a grunt, she threw the hedgehog over her and dumped him into the snow. Sonic propped himself up on his arms with a gasp right before Rainbow jumped high and slammed down with her hooves. Turning onto his back, Sonic scrambled to get away from the stomping frenzy all while Rainbow tried to crush him underfoot. The hedgehog swung a leg high and nailed the pegasus in the chin, giving him the second he needed to get to his feet and run. Just as he blasted away in a blue flash, Rainbow cried out in anger and gave chase in a colored blur.
"NO!" she roared. "I will not be second-best to a creature that CAN'T EVEN FLY!"
The two sped through the land, so fixated on each other that they never noticed the snow had started to slow until it completely stopped, replaced with a clear blue sky and a shining sun. With an ear-shattering roar of sound-breaking levels, Sonic blazed down fresh green grass while Rainbow screamed through the claim air. The two speedsters made eye contact with each other, their course bound to deliver them through a crystalline arch and into a gleaming gem-like city…
…
Two pony guards with spears ushered a group of unicorns past the Crystal Empire's border, each of them looking at nervous and distraught faces with worry and uncertainty. After the last one and her filly had passed through, one of the guards turned to his partner. "Is Princess Cadence sure this is the best place for them?"
"What other choice did she have?" he answered. "Nowhere from Baltimare to Vanhoover is safe for them. Not even Canterlot. Until whatever's got the unicorns so spooked is settled by Princess Twilight and her friends, this is their best bet."
"What do you think it is?" asked the first guard. "Do you think it's King Sombra out for revenge again?"
The second guard shook his head. "No. King Sombra is gone. Princess Twilight made sure of that. You've heard about the sky cracking open like glass, right? But that's why they're all so frightened. I mean, I would be, too."
"I just hope we can keep everypony calm until this is over…"
"What do they have to worry about? The Crystal Empire is the most isolated place in all Equestria thanks to Princess Cadence's magic! No monster or evil tyrant is ever gonna find this place, no matter what they-"
The second guards' ears perked up and he immediately went silent. His partner became confused and blinked. "Um… Arctic? You alright? You just-"
"Sh!" the second guard quickly shushed him. "Sapphire… do you hear that?"
"Hear what?" The first guard listened for whatever had his partner on edge. There was nothing but grass and clear skies for miles before anypony was faced with the blistering cold of the Crystal Mountains. He was about to question whether or not his partner had been hearing things… until he heard something faint. Something that sounded like rushing wind.
And that's when he saw something, too. Something with a cloud at its back. Something coming towards them impossibly fast. "A-Arctic?" he found himself asking. "W-what is that?" His partner had gone wide-eyed in shock before straightening his posture. "Spears! Now!"
The two guards pointed their weapons forward, the second one clearing his throat right as the unidentified creature was closing in on them. "STOP!" He shouted at the top of his lungs. "STOP WHERE YOU ARE! RIGHT NOW!"
"HALT IN THE NAME OF PRINCESS CAAAAAAAAA-!" The first guard's shouting turned into a startled scream just as the creature reached them… and blew right by with a blue flash accompanied by a loud boom, sending them both spinning. Before either of the guards could recover, the blur had already broken through the border and was racing into the Crystal Empire. Another sound snapped the guards out of their daze: a cyan-furred pegasus with a rainbow trail behind her soared over their heads and flew into the city, hot on the heels of the unidentified creature. Both guards stared down the street they had sped down with mouths wide open… until the second one spoke.
"Arctic, warn the royals."
"W-what?"
"I said warn the royals! GO!" Both guards hurried away from their posts as fast as they could, not bothering to stop for anything. Just as they departed, a red biplane flew overhead and soared over the crystalline buildings of the city. Following it was a purple hot air balloon that gently floated into the city as wandering ponies looked on at the approaching aircraft.
Several of those ponies scrambled away just as the plane descended towards a street and touched down wheels-first, slowly coming to a halt as its propeller and engine died down. The balloon came down a short while later, with everyone getting off as soon as they could.
With narrow eyes, Shadow skated off in the direction of the speedsters while the rest of the group assembled in the open street. "Oh, no…" Twilight muttered. "The Crystal Empire… this is bad! We have to stop them!"
"I just have one question," asked Knuckles just as the sound of startled screaming and grunts of both pain and effort echoed through the city. "How the heck are we supposed to do that?!"
Neither Tails nor Twilight had a clear answer… but whatever they were going to do, they had to do it before any of their friends got themselves hurt.
