Ch. 4: To The Badlands

Down at the bottom of the waterfall, the team had taken refuge under a rocky outcropping, trying to get dry after their huge beatdown. Sonic shook the water out of his scabbards as Applejack fished her hat out of the water.

"Everypony okay?" asked Applejack.

"I think my bottom's on backward," groaned Rarity.

"Can someone please explain to me what just happened up there?" asked Sonic.

"We just got our cupcakes handed to us by the worst party crasher ever!" said Pinkie.

"Yeah, that sounds about right," said Sonic, stretching out his neck.

"We gotta go back there and fight!" yelled Rainbow.

"Well, you saw the size of those… goons!" said Spike.

"And how they mopped the floor with me, despite all my training," said Sonic. "You seriously wanna go back, be my guest!"

"So now what?" asked Applejack. "We can't hide here forever. And let's be honest, we can't go back. Look at what they did to the princesses. We gotta keep them from Twilight." That's when Twilight turned around with s serious look on her face.

"The Queen," she said simply.

"Yeah, the queen!" said Pinkie, obviously not knowing what she was talking about.

"The queen of what?" asked Sonic. "If we're looking for the Storm King's ex-wife, I'm pretty sure he either exiled or executed her, so we can cross her off the list."

"Celestia told Luna to find the queen of the… 'Hippos'. Luna can't, so I have to." said Twilight.

"Uh, hippos? Seriously?" asked Rainbow.

"I've heard they're surprisingly graceful for their size," said Pinkie. "Huh, but they're always hungry."

"Hungry?" asked Spike.

"Hippos?" asked Applejack.

"HA-HA!" laughed Sonic. Everyone just looked at him weirdly. "Oh cmon, you get that one, right? 'Hungry Hungry Hippos'? It's that kids' game with the four hippo-heads where you have to get the most of those little pellets to win?" They just kept looking at him weirdly. "What, you don't have that in this universe? Huh, must just be Mobius. Anyways, where exactly are these 'hippos'?"

"They're somewhere south, past the Badlands," said Twilight.

"That means we'll have to… leave Equestria," said Fluttershy in fear and whimpered.

"I'm not even packed!" said Rarity.

"I understand you're scared, and nopony else has to go," said Twilight. "But I have to find this queen. She might be our only hope."

"Oh, if you only knew how clichéd that line was…" muttered Sonic. Applejack nodded at Rainbow, who then flew in front of Twilight.

"Well, you're not getting all the glory," she said. "We're in this together."

"Going into uncharted territory to find super-powerful beings to save the world?" asked Sonic and scoffed. "I do that at least twice a month back home. Count me in!"

"We got yer back," said Applejack.

"Indeedy!" said Pinkie.

"I am ready to save Equestria!" said Rarity.

"Yay," said Fluttershy.

"We're all behind you, Twilight," said Spike.

"Let's go find this hippo!" said Pinkie as she bounced away in a direction. Sonic then pulled out a compass and checked it.

"Um, south's that way," he said, pointing the opposite direction.

Pinkie giggled and bounced away. "Anypony up for a game of 'I Spy'?" Everyone else just groaned.

"Oh, god no," said Sonic.

"No, really! Come on!" said Pinkie. "I spy with my little eye something that is orange. No takers? It's you, Applejack!" Then she giggled again.

"Is every road trip with her this annoying?" asked Sonic.

"No," said Twilight. "Sometimes she's really gritting." The two laughed at that as they continued.

Sonic: Cue "Indiana Jones" style map scene.

Sonic Prime: Can't. Time for a villain sequence.

Sonic: What, really? Okay, maybe next time.

Back in Canterlot, the ponies were doing anything but laughing. Tempest and her storm creatures had enslaved them for menial labor. Tempest was watching from the balcony of the palace where she had the princesses set up.

"All this power…" she said bitterly. "Wasted on parties! When there are far greater uses." Then one of the storm creatures came in with a potion bottle filled with a strange blue liquid that was ringing and vibrating like a phone. "Well? Answer it!" Tempest ordered. The monster poured it into a large cauldron of water in front of Tempest, and then after a few ear-piercing noises, the beast from the poster on the airship appeared in a sort of magic hologram.

"Where am I supposed to be looking?" he asked, trying several angles. "I never understand how this spell works. Tempest!"

"Over here, Your Excellency," said Tempest.

"Where?" asked the king.

"Over here," Tempest.

"Huh?" Storm King.

"No. No, right. Look right?" Tempest.

"My right?" Storm King.

"Yep," Tempest. Finally, the Storm King found the right angle.

"Oh. There you are," he said and moved back to give her a better view. "Here's the deal. I'm in the middle of a big re-brand here. 'The Storm King' is tracking well as 'intensely intimidating', but you know what, I need to back it up. You know what I need to back it up with? A storm! That would be great!" Then he pulled a large wooden staff with a blue crystal in the top into view "You promised me magic that could control the elements, and right now, I'm holding a what? A branch, a twig. Blech!"

"Uh, that would be the Staff of Sacanas, Your Excellency," said Tempest as the King gave affirmative remarks, not understanding anything. "And it will channel the magic of the four rulers of this land. You'll soon have the power of a hundred armies."

"So that would be a yes on you locking down the four Pegacornicuseses, or whatever you call them?" the king asked.

"Give me three days. I'll have everything ready for your arrival," said Tempest.

"Remember Tempest," said the King intimidatingly. "Only I have the power to make you whole. Make this twig work, and you'll get your reward. Fail me, and your horn won't be the only thing that's broken."

"It won't be a problem," said Tempest simply.

"Great! I'm gonna power up, grab some-" Then the king's message was interrupted as the magic hologram fell.

"Sorry, bad spell service," said Grubber. "You want me to call him back?"

"Do you have the princess?" asked Tempest.

"Well uh, funny story," he said nervously. "It kinda seems like she… she might've like, y'know, got away… a little bit." Tempest's eyes narrowed. "I know you're disappointed, but I got one word for you…" Then he reached behind his back and pulled out a slice of… "'Spongecake'." Tempest just shot him with a magic blast, frying him and the cake.

"I need all four for the staff to work," she growled as Grubber ate the cake. (Gross).

"Hey, I know!" said Grubber. "I want the Storm King to fix that crazy horn as badly as you do. It looks like a crackly chipped tooth on the top of your head. And you know you don't look good in hats."

"That princess is not gonna keep me from getting my horn back!" yelled Tempest, her horn crackling with magic. "Prepare my ship!" Grubber quickly ran for his life as she chuckled to herself. "Please. How far could one little pony get on her own?"