The Speed of Sound

Rolling over on the grass, she asked, she had to ask. "How can you do a… can you even call that a sonic rainboom?"

Sonic stared skyward, watching the clouds glide by. "Heh, I never heard of a ' rainboom' or anything like that before, but I've been able to make a sonic boom since I first found my love of running. Ever since I was just a little speedster I've known I love speed, the wind, the freedom, everything about it."

Every word Sonic spoke reached Dash on a personal level. Freedom, that's it, that's always it, that’s always the reason why. I always thought that, but I never even believed someone else would too.

Sonic's sight shifted towards the distant mountains. "You're a pretty cool gal, RD."

Rainbow Dash giggled out loud, her body aching slightly. "Wait, 'RD'?"

"Yeah, RD, as in Rainbow Dash?"

The giggle she was carrying grew.  "Yeah I know, but 'RD'? Really?"

Sonic smiled, his face full of mock insult. "What's wrong with that?"

Dash thought about it. "Nothing, I just never heard anyone say that."

"Well, there's a first time for anything, eh?"

After a short silence, and in a sudden realization, Sonic turned his head to face the bright blue equine.  "By the way, where am I? I’m pretty sure that's kind of important."

A laugh burst forth, echoing from Rainbow Dash's lungs, her chest aching. "Now? After all this, you ask NOW?"

"Hey; act first, ask later, you know how it works."

With some strain, Dash rose from her laying state, an extreme ache pulsing from beneath her wings and across her abdomen.  Oww, jeeze, that's what I get for flying so close to a sonic boom. "I guess so. Anyways, you're in Ponyville, Equestria, a great little place to live. "

The hedgehog's face was washed in a deep thought. "Equestria? Don't think I've heard of it, I don't think it's even anywhere close to Mobius. I guess that blast actually WAS from the emeralds."

Dash tried to comprehend what Sonic was saying, but all she could give was absolute confusion. "Mobius? Where the hay's that? I've never heard of it."

The question seemed to almost relax Sonic, but something was behind his eyes, just the slightest touch of.. sadness? "Mobius, my home planet, probably far, far away from here, a place where you could just lay back, relax, take in everything around you, a real beautiful world. Of course, it's has its share of problems, the wars, the brotherhood's disappearing, and then of course, Eggman."

She couldn't help herself, serious or not, she burst out into a small laughing fit, muscles aching. "Haha, 'Eggman'? What kinda name is that?!"

Sonic chuckled, but the action was obviously shallow, he didn't think this "Eggman" was that funny. "Heh, that's not his actual name, just a nickname I gave him, and he just kinda stuck with it." Sonic noted, his emerald eyes faded, his vision far off from this world.

"Eggman, take the most self-righteous, egotistical, traitorous guy you can think of, give him countless robots and resources, an army that will fight for him to the death, slap an I.Q. bigger than his weight, and that's saying something, and you've got him. A self-proclaimed genius and wannabe emperor of Mobius."

"Time after time he tries to take over, and make his 'Eggman Empire'-" A soft, honest, cocky scoff left his mouth. "- And time after time, I smash his plans and show him not to mess with us."

A feeling of admiration welled up in the winged pony, not a lot of admiration, but some. Not many people here get to ACTUALLY go adventure, beat the bad guys and save the day. I'm a little jealous.

"Celestia, you get to go around and do the whole hero thing? That's really cool, like, at least 20% cooler."

"Yeah, it's pretty cool, getting to mess with Eggman is pretty fun. Still, rather have a world where I never needed to do that stuff. All we want is freedom."

"We?" Dash asked, her eyes open and inquisitive.

"The Freedom Fighters, we're the ones who stop Eggman at every turn." As Sonic continued, he turn over, facing Rainbow Dash, smiling proudly. "In the few recent weeks though, Eggman's on the ropes, his 'empire's fallen, and Mobotropolis, our city, is, well, ours again." Sonic concluded as brought himself to his feet, his face showing a sliver of pain passing through.

Well, looks like you're not so hot either, the boom must have hurt you just as much as it did me.

"Aai, guess that's what I get for standing so close to a sonic boom, eh?" Sonic half smirked, half grimaced as he cracked his back, making a defined *pop* sound. "Anyhow, this is a real nice place you got here, I think I might take a look around, you know, instead of blurred glimpses of it."

Dash was about to remark when they were both silenced by the sound of galloping. With her pegasus eyes, Rainbow Dash could see who it was, and couldn't help grinning. How's Applejack gonna react to this! It should be good.

As the blonde earth pony reached her stop just in front of Rainbow Dash, she gave a few deep breaths. "Wha- what 'n tarnation are y'all up to? Here ah was, minding mah own business when ya went an' scared poor Apple Bloom straight out from under her bow. I undastand that y'all like ta practise, but SOMEPONY could use a warnin when you go an..” Her words drifted off when her eyes caught sight of the blue hedgehog, standing there and smiling.

"..an who- WHAT in the whole ah Equestria is THAT!?"

Dash couldn't hold it, she started laughing, her friend's confusion too much for the pony to handle. Sonic chuckled and gave a wave. "Sonic the hedgehog, nice to meet you."