Ponies, Hedgehogs, and Genies

A dark shadow with looming red eyes watched as the ponies of Equestria relished in their freedom. He scoffed. "They seem to have forgotten my presence. Do they no longer fear the name, King Sombra?"

A grayish heliotrope colored unicorn with an arctic blue mane stepped forward. "It has been two years since Twilight Sparkle and her friends have defeated you. All has been peaceful in the Crystal Empire."

"They should have learned the first time that I would come back. Hope, it is time."

Hope stopped Sombra and sat him back down. "No, you must rest. You are their champion. We must remember our mission. There is no room for error. Don't worry, I have allied ourselves with others to grab the necessary materials for our siege. You must be at full strength for this. Once they have returned, they will distract Twilight and the others while we make our assault into the Empire from the inside."

King Sombra nodded. "Fine."

As Sombra rested, Hope closed her eyes and quietly sighed. 'Rest, Sombra. The umbrum is counting on us. Once this is over, no one will harm them ever again.'

(Cue Apotos Day - Sonic Unleashed Music Extended)

As Sonic chewed through his fifth chili dog,  Shantae and the others stared in awe as the hedgehog gorged himself with the food.

"Um, Tails?" Twilight asked. "Is Sonic always this hungry?"

Tails looked up fromhis work on his personal handheld device called the Miles Electric and nodded his head. "When chili dogs are involved, yes."

"What are these chili dogs anyways?" the lavender mare continued.

"It's meat in a bun laced with chili con carne."

Twilight and Rainbow's eyes went wide in shock and fear. "Wait, you eat meat!?"

Sonic licked the last of the chili off of his fingers. "Yeah. What do you think we-" A realization struck and he stopped mid sentence. "Oh, you guys are vegetarians. My bad. But don't worry. We don't eat ponies."

The two's expressions lightened. They at least knew that this food was not made out of ponies.

Shantae coughed in her hand and changed the subject. "So... What do you think about Scuttle Town?"

Rainbow Dash shrugged. "I really don't know since the only thing I've gotten to do while I've been here is clean up P.O.O.P. T.O.O.T.'s act."

"Well, in the short hour I've been here, I think that this town is very wonderful" Twilight stated, taking a sip of her milkshake.

Suddenly, a loud shriek of terror filled the air as a young woman with light blue hair ran up to the group. "YEEEEEK!!! It's terrible Someone please help me!"

"Whoa, Slow down!" Shantae replied, trying to calm the poor girl down.

"Can you tell us what happened?" Sonic asked.

"All of the young maidens from my village! they've... DISAPPEARED! I heard that a guardian genie lived in this town and that two new heroes have shown up as well. You must be them! Please! Will you help my village?"

Sonic, Shantae, and Rainbow Dash immediately nodded. "Of course!" the cyan pegasus exclaimed. "What kind of heroes would we be if we didn't help someone in need?"

"Don't worry. We'll take it all from here." Sonic said.

"You can count on us!" Shantae added.

The girl instantly perked up. "Oh thank you, thank you! Here's a map to mermaid falls!" She handed a rolled up map over to Shantae. As Shantae and the others walked away, the half genie quickly led them over to a large building that had a large cracked egg as a roof with a nest built inside of it.

(Cue Sky's Song)

As they walked inside, they were greeted to Sky catering to her birds. She turned around and smiled. "Oh hey, Shantae, Tails. It seems you have some new friends.

'Okay, Sky, no time to explain! We have to- Wait! You know Tails already?!" Shantae gasped.

"Yep. He crashed through the roof an hour ago, but he managed to fix it really fast and even fought off a few Tinkerbats!" Sky then turned to the blue blur. "So, you must be the Sonic Tails told me so much about."

Sonic pointed a finger to his chest. "Yep. That's me! Fastest thing alive, at you're service."

"Hey, that's still up to debate!" Rainbow Dash retorted.

"Forgive her. She's had a bit of a rivalry with him since they met. I'm Twilight Sparkle and she's Rainbow Dash."

Sky giggled. "It's nice to meet you all. too."

"Now with introductions out of the way, we need to show you this." Shantae handed the map to her best friend.

Sky opened up the map and took a gook look at it. "This is a map to Mermaid Falls! Are you going there?"

"Looks that way." Shantae replied.

"Well, be careful. Mermaids around those parts can be very dangerous. Especially the saltwater variety." Sky continued.

The half-genie nodded."They won't get the drop on me! After all, I'm this town's guardian ge-"

"Hold it!" Just then. Mayor Scuttlebutt walked in the hatchery. "I'd like to introduce you  all to someone" The Mayor motioned for his guest to come in. She was a young girl that had bright orange hair done in pigtails and a green variation of Shantae's clothes. She was also taller by a few inches.

"Hello. Who're you?" Shantae asked, perplexed by the situation.

"Oh. you don't know?" she chuckled in an insulting voice. "How sad. I'm your replacement, of course!"

"What?" Shantae gasped. She had been fired before, but never in her entire life would she think that Mayor Scuttlebutt would go as far to replace her.

"Holly Lingerbean, Half-Genie Hero for hire. But you can call me Holly."

"You're mom was a genie?" Shantae asked.

Holly nodded. "That's right. And my dad was a stage magician. So I'm much more powerful than any other half-genie by far. Ha!"

Everyone sweat dropped. "Babies don't work that w-"

Before Shantae could finish, the mayor interrupted. "It's true. She removed my nose and removed her own thumb while I watched. As our old guardian genie, I'd like you to show her the ropes."

"Me?!" Shantae complained.

Twilight stepped forward. "I don't know about this. It seems as though you're forcing this upon Shantae pretty fast. Give her a little breathing room."

"No big whoop, Mayor. I'm sure I'll be fine without her. Later tiny tater!"

As Mayor Scuttlebutt and Holly left the room, Shantae fumed to herself. "I can't believe he actually did it!"

"Now, hold on a minute..." Sky tried to stop the half-genie from complaining anymore, but it was all in vain.

"He replaced me with that... SNOTTY... LITTLE..."

Sky shook her head. "Now, now. You'd don't have to get all competitive."

"Why are you all being so mellow! I don't have a job anymore... All because of that dumb pain in the re-" Sonic slapped Shantae right across the face, sending shock to everyone around him. "Ow! What was that for?!" she complained, rubbing the mark Sonic left with his gloved hand.

"I'm sorry, but you need to remember that we're on a mission."

Shantae nodded. "I guess you're right."

"But what I don't get is why you think that being a hero means doing it as a job!" Sonic exclaimed. "It's more than just holding some fancy name tag around that says that you're a hero."

"But I don't wear a-"

"That's not that what I mean!" the blue blur chuckled. "You be the hero because it's the right thing to do! Your call to action won't come by just standing around. I've learned that if you want something, you're gotta make it happen."

"Besides, you wouldn't want to leave your town hanging!" Rainbow Dash added.

"Alright let's go-"

"Wait for me!" another voice called out.

"Oh boy. What now?" If there was one thing Rainbow didn't like, it was waiting, and this was taking too long for her taste. If it weren't for the fact that she didn't know where Mermaid Falls was, she would have already left.

A young blue-haired man wearing a white tank top under a jean jacket walked in the room. He quickly received looks from all of those present. "Uncle Mimic said that you needed my help until he finishes the Dynamo and replaces you."

"Bolo!" Both Shantae and Sky scolded.

"Dude, we've got this covered." Rainbow replied.

"Oh, yeah? Then why would Uncle Mimic say you all needed my help?"

"Maybe to keep you away after the last incident." Shantae thought back to the time Uncle Mimic tried creating a machine known as "the video game console." Bolo had accidentally tripped over one of the console's cords and  spilled water on the project, effectively ruining it.

"That was a long time ago! I'm much older and more mature." Bolo countered.

"That was last week." Sky sighed.

Sonic looked around the room for any sign of his sidekick. "Hey, has any one seen Tails?" Before anyone could reply, the sound of a loud motor caught the attention of the entire town as the Tornado, a red biplane rolled out into the open, it's motor emitting a low hum. Sitting in the cockpit was Tails, keeping a toothy smile on his face as the others looked in shock.

"So, we good to go or what?" the blue blur asked, hoping on the top wing of the plane.

"You're insane!" Bolo exclaimed. "Couldn't you fit in another seat or something?"

"Nah. Where's the fun in that!" Sonic replied with a laugh.

"That's Sonic for you." Shantae told Bolo, hopping on the back of Wrench. Bolo looked around for a mode of transportation. His eyes stopped on Rainbow Dash.

"Dude. No. Don't even think about it." she growled.

The blue blur turned to Bolo and grinned. "Hey, Bolo, I just remembered, we have an extra spot!"

(Cue Bolo's Song)

"I hate this!" Bolo clung on to the wing on the plane with all his might, trying to hold on for dear life.

"Come on! Where's your sense of adventure!?" Sonic chuckled, keeping his eyes on the ground below. He turned his head to the girls flying beside him. "How much further?!"

"Just past those mountains!" Sky replied.

Sonic and Tails nodded as they swooped down towards the ground before Sonic spin jumped off of the wing of the Tornado while Shantae dismounted Wrench. Rainbow Dash and Twilight landed to the ground as Bolo fell face-first onto the ground. Sonic looked up at Tails and Sky and saluted. "We'll meet you all back at Scuttle Town!" he shouted.

"Looks like this is the place." Bolo said, taking note of the scene around him. Mermaid Falls was a grassy area surrounded by water and sunken ruins.

"For the last time, Bolo," Shantae started. "Sonic, Rainbow, Twilight, and I can handle this on our own."

"That's not what your uncle said. He insisted that I lend you a hand until he could create a machine to replace you." Bolo replied.

Sonic sighed. "Fine, we get it. Let's do this!"

"According to the girl back in Scuttle Town, locals have been vanishing from these parts by the dozens. One minute they're here, and the next... Poof! Gone without a trace!" Shantae explained.

"Gone? Gone how?" Bolo asked.

"Well, given the surroundings. I think it's pretty obvious who to blame for this. The answer is..." The Half Genie whispered into the other's ears before Bolo shrieked.

"FISH FOLK?!!"

Rainbow Dash put a hoof to his mouth as Shantae continued. "Shh. I've read that mermaids are beautiful, but often vain. And all the targets have been sweat, innocent, adorable maidens! It must be a jealousy thing!"

Bolo gulped. "That means I could be next!" Everybody and pony face/hoof palmed in frustration.

"Dude, seriously?" Rainbow groaned.

"Maidans are, you know... ladies only." Shantae finished.

There you go again!" Boo shouted.

"What!!" the Half-Genie groaned.

Bolo pointed a figure to Shantae. "Leaving me out like you ALWAYS do! I mess up ONE delivery and suddenly I'm useless!"

Everyone was about to retort before rubbing their heads in confusion."But-! Huh?"

"Ever since we were kids, you get to be the hero and I'm always the GOOF-UP! Well I'm sick of barfing in your shadow! I'm gonna prove once and for all that I'm every bit the hero you are!" With his message out in the open, Bolo ran off into the ruins.

"Bolo, come back!" Shantae called out, but to no avail.

"Rainbow Dash, remind me to slap Bolo as well once we get back." Sonic whispered.

"Can I do it?" Rainbow asked.

"Knock yourself out."

Shantae groaned, grabbing their attention. "That's not even a colloquialism! Ugh. That dimwit! He won't last five minutes!" Shantae ran off with the others following behind.

"TARGET ACQUIRED PRIORITY ONE IN SIGHT: CODE NAME: SONIC_THE_HEDGEHOG"