Sonic Forces: The Sombra Wars

It was meant to be a simple recon mission. A milk run, if you will. The esteemed Wonderbolts soared high above, staring down at the barren wasteland that was once a peaceful world full of happy ponies and colorful towns. Ever since the war against King Sombra and the Crystal Empire started, Equestria's resources have started to run thin.

If they could find anything useful in these parts of the world, it would be rare.

"Find anything yet?" Fleetfoot called over to the others.

"Negative." Soarin replied.

"Same here. What 'bout you, Spitfire?" Rainbow Dash asked, turning her head to face their leader.

After another moment of staring down, Spitfire stared back and started to bark commands. "Guys, angle down forty-five degrees. We're being watched."

Rainbow blinked. "By who?!"

"Shadowbolts."

Without anymore questions, all four Wonderbolts dipped down to the ground and landed, looking back up to the skies to find five shadowy figures descend after them. As they landed the Wonderbolts could get a clear view of their enemies.

In front of them were the pegasi, Nightshade, Stratus, Starry Skies, Charger, and Blueball Blitz.

The Shadowbolt leader stepped forward, a devilish grin plastered on her face. "You know, it would be easier if you just surrendered to King Sombra's Empire."

"Cut the crap! You know damn well that we would never join you!" Spitfire shouted.

Nightshade chuckled. "Well, you try to be reasonable... and look where it get you..." In a flash, the Shadowbolts and Wonderbolts clashed, Nightshade and Starry Skies going after Spitfire and the other three found a match against another Wonderbolt.

Nightshade and Starry Skies started their all-out assault on the fiery mare, smirking as Spitfire struggled to keep up.

"I thought you Wonderbolts didn't get tired." Starry Skies taunted, throwing a roundhouse kick.

Spitfire saw her chance and ducked under her leg, grabbing it in the process. "We do get tired, but we don't get sloppy." The captain then spun Starry Skies around before tossing her at Nightshade. She narrowly dodged her comrade, growling in annoyance.

"Clever. But would you really have been satisfied with a grapple like that?" Nightshade then darted up to Spitfire as she started to ascend. With her spare leg, Spitfire then smashed Nightshade in the face. As the Shadowbolt leader staggered. Spitfire started to escape, but Nightshade soon shrugged off the blow and tailed behind her.

Soarin and Stratus struggled against one another, hooves locked together. Both looked for an opening against one another. A scowling Soarin tried to use his hind legs to sweep Stratus and knock him off balance, but his opponent was quicker to the punch.

Soarin soon fell to the ground as the Shadowbolt assaulted him in every direction, using his speed to land solid blows on his fallen prey. A battered and beaten Soarin shot an angry look at Stratus. "Don't you dare lay a hoof on my friends."

"Don't worry, I won't." Status softly chuckled, quickly chopping him on the neck, practically shutting down Soarin's body in seconds. "I'll let my friends do that."

Fleetfoot and Charger slammed each other constantly, hoping to outdo each other in a war of attrition. All the while, both were hoping to catch up to Spitfire and Nightshade to help their respective leaders.

One more side bash put Fleetfoot in front by a few inches, but Charger was not going to have that. The Shadowbolt silently pulled out a potion with his mouth. Its strange orange substance was going to help him end this quickly. He chucked the bottle at his Wonderbolt enemy, nailing her on the back.

As Fleetfoot continued to gain ground, she suddenly felt something pierce her back. Turning her head, she found her entire body begin to cover itself entirely with black crystals. "Spitfire! Charger's heading towards- ACK!" The cold, shiny, crystalline solid only allowed her to finish half of her warning as the crystals finished encasing her body.

Fleetfoot's frozen body fell to the ground with a heavy thud, a look of horror plastered on her face.

Spitfire and Nightshade swooped down towards the ground below, pulling up just in time to avoid smashing into the ground at 120 miles per hour.

"Get back here!" Nightshade shouted. The battle of attrition was wearing her patience thin. Spitfire kept dipping and rising, trying to get Nightshade off her tail. However, as the other mare started to show signs of fatigue, Charger tackled the Wonderbolt out of the sky and onto the ground.

With her wings and hooves pinned down, Charger grunted. "You know what needs to be done. Go." Nightshade nodded, taking off towards the last of the Wonderbolts. Spitfire tried her best to struggle free from his grasp, but she knew it was all in vain. Charger was the alchemist and muscle of the team.

She wasn't going anywhere.

Blueball Blitz randomly dashed around Rainbow Dash, stopping on the dime, only to go a different direction. The rainbow-maned mare did her best to keep up and even slowly started to close the gap. "You really think you can keep up?! 'Cause you can't!"

Rainbow gritted her teeth at the insult. She hated being called slow, even if it wasn't specifically stated. With one more bust of energy, Rainbow Dash flew ahead of Blueball before turning around and unleashing a hoof to her face. She stopped dead in her tracks. Another punch emitted a loud crack. She then ascended over Blueball Blitz and rammed her straight into the ground

Dash stood up and scoffed. "You know, I can be a jerk and do a lot worse, but I don't want to stoop to your level."

"RAINBOW DASH!" She quickly snapped her head to the sound of a young mare. Rainbow's gaze drifted over to someone she never thought would be in a place like this. The young filly known as Scootaloo waved to the Wonderbolt from behind her rock cover. At her side, a small pile of smoke bombs were stacked sloppily to her right.

"Scootaloo?!" Dash briskly trotted over to her biggest fan. "What are you doing here?! You need to get home, quick!"

"But I wanna stay here and fight!" Scootaloo whined. "I can handle myself just fine. I've got smoke bombs and my own four hooves."

Rainbow couldn't help but admire Scootaloo's confidence. She was willing to do almost anything to impress her. Such bravery, or, was it stupidity. Either way, this hit high on the list of things Scootaloo has done to try and impress her.

"Okay, squirt. While I am flattered that you want to follow in my hoofsteps, this isn't the best time or place. Please, you've gotta get outta here!"

With a bit of hesitation, Scootaloo nodded. "Okay, Rainbow. I'll write you a letter in a few days." With one last smile from Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo started back for home. Before she could even get more than a few feat, however, Nightshade grabbed the young filly by her mane.

"Nightshade!" Rainbow started. "Let her go! Or else..."

"Or else what? You're in no position to be giving out orders."

As the pegasus started to back up, she felt a burning sensation strike her leg. She quickly turned her head to find Charger and Stratus standing mere inches away from her. As she tried to move out of the way of a second strike, her leg's injury slowed her down and she took another hit, this time breaking her left wing. She lashed out in pain, trying to remain silent.

Tears of pain wanted to form in her eyes, but she kept them back regardless. She wouldn't give them that satisfaction.

As Nightshade stepped forward. Rainbow put on the bravest she could muster in her current state, hoping to maybe intimidate her.

"You know what, I'll let the brat go. Just like you asked." Nightshade tossed the filly aside, letting her hit the ground a few inches away. "You know, you've been a pain in the ass for a while now. You just seem to keep getting better and better. Let's fix that. Permanently."

Nightshade took another step forward, grabbing Rainbow's left wing with her hoof all the while the two stallions of the group holding Rainbow in place. The Shadowbolt leader tightened her grip. Finally, with an angered grunt, She pulled with all of her might, tearing Rainbow's wing straight out of it's socket. A sickening snap filled the air.

Rainbow Dash's eyes shrunk in complete horror.

"Aw, what's the matter? Sad over a damn little wing? I could have done a lot worse..." Nightshade taunted. For Rainbow Dash, it might have well been her life. In a fit of rage, she screamed, letting all of her frustration and pain out at once.

"GIVE IT BACK TO ME! YOU CAN'T TAKE IT AWAY FROM ME!...." Rainbow's screams echoed across the battlefield and quite possibly much further. She just couldn't take it anymore. Her pride and joy was dangling in the hooves of the Shadowbolt leader.

Rainbow didn't care about the blood pouring from her side. She didn't care about the stinging sensations that flooded her body's nervous system. She didn't care about the shocked and horrified look Scootaloo gave her. She wanted her wings. Without them, she was nothing. "Give... it back... I need it... You can't... I need it. Give it back...." Her voice slowly, but surely broke into uncontrollable sobs.

She wanted to think that this was just a dream. Just some horrible nightmare that she would wake up from any second. But, alas, that was not the case. She dropped to her knees, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Nightshade trotted up to the fallen Rainbow Dash, kicking her over on her side, laughing manically. "Come on. Where's that fighting spirit I once saw? One injury and your a weak little crybaby. If your gonna be a poor sport, I might as well end you."

"Leave her alone!" Scootaloo shouted, running straight towards the Shadowbolts. She would not stand and watch as her idol bit the big one. "Rainbow Dash is ten times the pony all of you are combined!"

"Scootaloo..." Rainbow stammered. "R-Run, Scootaloo." With her message delivered, Rainbow Dash passed out from blood loss.

The filly's eyes widened. The Rainbow Dash she knew would never say something like that. Why would she want to be running at a time like this? The pony she looked up to was in trouble and she needed her help.

She flung her hoof forward at the leader with the intent of doing whatever damage she could. Nightshade caught the hoof with little trouble.

"Oh, look who's trying to be a hero. You're out of your league, kid." As the Shadowbolt leader raised her free hoof to strike Scootaloo down, she closed her eyes and braced for impact.

Suddenly, Scootaloo seemingly vanished as a blue streak whisked by, taking the young girl with it.

"How about you fight someone well past your league!?"

Turning to the voice, the Shadowbolts looked at the strange figure in front of them. Standing atop a nearby rock structure was a bipedal blue creature with slick, yet sharp spines down his head and back. White gloves were worn over his peach colored hands. Finally, sleek, red sneakers with a single white stripe and golden buckle covered his feet.

"What? Ain't ya ever seen a hedgehog before?" He said in a joking tone. It caught everyone off guard. No one had heard such a surprisingly genuine care-free tone since the war had begun.

He then gently sat Scootaloo down and gave a warm smile to her. "Sit tight, kid. I'll take it from here." His voice was confidant and strong, yet kind and loving.

"Who's this freak?" Charger asked. In a fraction of a second, the strange hero disappeared, only to reappear in front of the stallion, giving him a good punch to the jaw. He sprawled back a few feet from the blow.

"Freak? That's harsh. I'm a hedgehog! HEDGE-HOG! I'd spell it out for you, but I've got something different in mind." He jumped into the air and curled up into a ball; a glowing blue energy wrapping itself around him.

He then started a rapid assault on the Shadowbolts, first taking out Blueball, then Stratus and Starry Skies. Nightshade took more than a single hit, however. But surly enough, even she was starting to get overwhelmed. The blue hedgehog continued bouncing off of her; getting faster with each blow. After the tenth Homing Attack, the mysterious hero uncurled and posed in mid-air.

"Let's go!" He flashed a quick smile before curling up and launching a final attack. With one more strike, Nightshade fell to the ground beside the other Shadowbolts. "Aw. What's the matter? Couldn't keep up? I may have forgotten to mention that I move faster than the speed of sound." He casually dusted the dirt off of his side and smirked.

"You've dug your own grave." Was the only response he got back from Nightshade. As the Shadowbolts took their leave, the mysterious hero looked back at the terrified orange filly. She took a step back.

"Hey, kid. I'm not gonna hurt you." He said, holding both his arms out to emphasize his point.

Reluctantly, Scootaloo trotted out of hiding. "Why did you save me?"

"Because you needed saving. Why else?" He joked. "But all joking aside, your friends over there look like they need some help."The mysterious hero picked up the unconscious Rainbow Dash and set her on Scootaloo's back. She was surprisingly able to hold her weight.

"There's a hospital back at Ponyville. We should hurry before her condition gets any worse." Scootaloo suggested.

The hedgehog nodded. "I think that's around where our base of operations are. Kill two birds with one stone, right?"

Silence filled the air for what seemed like an eternity before Scootaloo spoke up once more. "Who are you?"

The bipedal blue hedgehog pointed a finger to his chest and smirked. "You're looking at the guy who's gonna help save this world from whatever evil creep is threatening it; Sonic the Hedgehog!"