I was sitting back at my desk, doing homework. I was not fond of the dark clouds rising over our little farmhouse. I saw my little sister wandering around outside near the big tree, I dropped my pen and bolted out of my room. Bursting out of the house I ran toward my sister, I grimaced as a bolt of lightning struck near the tree. I ran over to her as she cowered near the tree, I shouted “Emily! We need to go! Now!”

Emily ran over to me, tears in her eyes “Henry, I’m scared!”

I grabbed her arm and pulled her along “I’ll get you to safety!” I pulled her towards the farmhouse, bolts of lightning were striking all around me. This was not natural, I shouted at her as I pushed her towards the house “GET INSIDE! NOW!” Before I could follow, I screamed as felt my body burning.

I suddenly felt myself tossed forward at incredible speed, reality blurring around me. I groaned as I regained my bearings, I felt shorter. I looked at my arms, they were blue with oversized white gloves covering my hands. I also was wearing a pair of red shoes with white stripes. My name was Henry but another name popped into my mind, Sonic. Hmm, was that to be my new name.

I saw a small town, I ran towards it. I moved so fast that I barely avoided crashing into someone, they were a strange looking orange mare. She frowned “Where are ya going, moving so fast like that.”

I was taken aback by their speech. I then bowed “Sorry, I wasn’t expecting to move that fast. You can call me Henry or Sonic.”

She looked at me “You’re rather polite aren’t ya. Ah’m Applejack, it’s nice to meet ya. Do ya have a place to stay ‘cause ya don’t see to be from ‘round here.”

I nodded “I’m not. That would be helpful.”

Applejack smiled “Follow me, Ah’ll show you around on the way.” I followed Applejack, she pointed a hoof to a building that looked like it was made of sweets “This is Sugarcube Corner, if ya looking for a place to have a load off this is the place. Mah friend Pinkie Pie works here, she is very eccentric but ya’ll always have fun with her ‘round. Ah guarantee it.”

We continued on, I frowned as I saw a building that looked like a carousel. I frowned “Who lives there?”

Applejack frowned “That’s Rarity's place, she is the local dressmaker. Generous to the core, she gives away a lot of dresses to those who need them for special events but can’t afford them. She can be a bit of drama queen and her occupation isn’t really too important here. We don’t talk much, Ah tried to be that type of pony once. It didn’t suit me.”

I nodded “That’s fair.” We walked through the centre of town, I frowned “Is there somewhere I could practice my speed. If I can’t learn how fast I can move, I might hurt someone.”

Applejack frowned “Well there is the local pond or if you are really fast the Everfree Forest. Most of it is full of monsters, so chances are you won’t bump into anypony in there.”

I smiled “I think I’ll do that, thanks Applejack.”

Applejack nodded with a smile “No problem.” We walked towards a huge farm, apple trees were covering most of the hillside. A small farmhouse was visible, a large barn nearby. Applejack smiled “Welcome to Sweet Apple Acres.”

I grinned “This reminds me of home, I lived on a farm before I came here. I’m glad to be somewhere familiar.”

Applejack nudged me “Well then let’s get ya settled in. Maybe tomorrow ya can help me with some of the farm work.” I nodded in agreement, the two of us headed towards the farmhouse. When we entered, a small pale yellow pony was sitting at the table with two other small ponies. One was orange and had wings, the other was white and had a horn.

I turned to Applejack, she smiled “That’s mah sister Apple Bloom, the two beside are her friends Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.” She then turned to them “Ah met him in town, he had nowhere to stay so Ah asked if he wished to stay with us and he agreed. Treat him with respect, he is a guest.”

An elderly pale green mare approached, she eyed me carefully before nodding “He can stay with us. I can see it in his eyes, he is a dependable sort.”

I bowed “Thank you ma’am.” Soon Applejack took me upstairs to the guest room, it had a small bed and a bedside table. It was all I really needed.

Applejack smiled “Ah have work to do so, just remember that ya need to get up early if ya wish to help on the farm.” I nodded with a smile, I went to the nearest bathroom. I looked in the mirror, I looked like a blue cartoon hedgehog, I groaned. Today was just weird, still I’m alive and considering I got hit by lightning during that freak storm, that is a plus.

I shook my head of those thoughts, I headed for the forest. I arrived at the edge and burst into a run, I tried to turn at the incredible speeds, I was barely avoiding crashing into a mountain. I turned around to realise that I had moved far past the forest. I decided to rush back, actually managed to stop before entering the forest. I decided to run between the mountain and the forest, as I practised stopping I started to realise that my mind was speeding up. The landscape that passed around me started to get slower and slower.

This made turning easier as I could see what around me, by the time the sun went down I was able to stop and turn easily. I supposed controlling such speed can be done quickly, I rushed back to Sweet Apple Acres, stopping at the part of the forest in which I entered. Applejack frowned “Where were ya?”

I rubbed the back of my head “I was practising my speed, running between the other side of the Everfree Forest and a bunch of mountains near a barren plain. I lost count of how many times I ran that distance.”

Applejack blinked “Ya ran to the Macintosh Mountains multiple times in one day without even the slightest sign of exhaustion. How?!”

I frowned “I’m not sure Applejack, to be honest I was struck by a bolt of lightning and ended up somewhere nearby before I ran to your position. I bumped into you by chance,I know as much as you do.”

Applejack shook her head “Ah have no reason to doubt ya, come in and get something to eat.” I nodded, I was not going to get anywhere by worrying about these things.

Author's Note

I hope you enjoy this story, it literally came from a bunch of ideas that popped into my head one day.