The first thing Rapidash noticed when she woke up, was that she wasn't anywhere familiar. Not inside or outside her pokeball. The second thing she noticed was that she was lying on her side in a bakery and, when she looked at herself, she saw that her appearance seemed to have changed as well. Instead of being a tall, white horse with flames coming out of her hooves, mane, and tail, she was the size of her Ponyta form, but her horn was still there when she looked at her forehead. Her coat had also changed from white, to a glowing reddish color. Her mane and tail however still looked the same as before.
She wondered what had happened to cause her to be here, in a bakery, in a weird new body without her trainer. She tried to think about what happened before getting here, and came up with a hazy memory of some kind of blue laser, before having no other images.
Rapidash shook her head and stood up, before looking around the bakery. There were cakes, cookies, muffins, brownies and other tasty treats all around the bakery. The sweet smell of all the sugary treats made her so hungry she could almost taste them, but there wasn't any food for a pokemon to eat in there. She snorted sadly before the sound of a door opening made her ears swivel, and she turned her head to look. An odd, blue ponyta devoid of any sort of fire wearing an apron had came out from a door past the counter, a small smile on her face as she observed Rapidash carefully.
Rapidash tilted her head as her ears perked up in interest as she turned to face the Ponyta, deciding to get information about where she was first before anything else, “Rapidash?” she asked, hoping the Ponyta, though fairly odd in its type, would understand that she meant to ask Where am I? in her language.
The Ponyta tilted her head, a look of confusion replacing her smile, “I’m sorry dear, Are you asking me if I am named Rapidash? I am sorry to say that is not my name, I am Mrs. Cake.” she hummed a second, before she looked at the door she came out of before looking back at Rapidash, “Is Rapidash your name or are you looking for somepony with that name?”
Rapidash tilted her head again, confused as more questions popped into her mind. She didn't know that a pokemon could be named differently from their species. She also wondered how the Ponyta wasn't speaking Ponyta, or understanding what she was saying.
Rapidash shook her head, deciding that she misunderstood her, so she tried again, “Rapidash.” she said, watching as Mrs. Cake’s frown got a bit bigger.
“I don't know if that was a yes to either question, but since you didn't say you're looking for a Rapidash, I can only assume that it's your name.” Mrs cake opened a part of the counter and walked onto Rapidash’s side of it, looking at her worryingly, “Are you quite alright? Pinkie Pie brought you in here an hour ago, told me not to touch you and that she would fix the floor later, then hopped out the door to meet her friends. I’m not quite sure what to think about a flaming pony really...”
Rapidash frowned, this information making her more confused then before. She stared at the blue Ponyta, trying to figure out if it was a new evolution, perhaps an ice variation, but besides the blue fur, no fire, and an odd three cupcake brand on the ponies flank, saw no ice on the Ponyta at all. She also noted that the Ponyta looked like it wouldn't be too good in a battle either.
An idea struck her, and she turned to her own flank, seeing a blazing fire branded on it. She smiled, figuring this scenario could just be one of her environment healing dreams in her pokeball it would create when she was defeated in battle to give her a calm rest. It was the only logical explanation as to how everything looked.
This was however the first time her Pokeball had ever made anything as weird as what was before her, but it meant that it was allowing her the one time chance to speak English as well, “I’m...ok.” despite the Pokeball allowing her speech, she still found it oddly hard to push the words out, them coming in more of a musical tone then she had thought her voice would be.
The words also still felt weirdly alien, like even inside her Pokeball during rest sequence she was never supposed to speak them. It felt oddly satisfying to speak the human language she had wanted to speak for so long, if only just so her trainer could understand her.
Mrs. Cake smiled, “While I don't quite understand why Pinkie wanted to leave you here, I am happy that you are at least ok.” she watched her quietly for a second before she spoke again, “Would you like something to eat, I can give you a cupcake on the house, consider it compensation for whatever caused Pinkie Pie to bring you here.” she offered.
Rapidash shook her head, distracted by her surroundings as she looked at everything, “No thank you, I’m going to just...look around.” she turned towards the door and walked towards it, pushing it open before she walked out of the bakery. The door closed behind her as she looked at the surroundings around her, taking note of how bright it was and how the rest sequence decided to make the environment have cottages instead of anything else.
She walked off the bakery steps and trotted on the dirt road, looking at everything while she went through the town.
Rapidash didn't understand why her Pokeball would create a whole town of cottages, or how it could even simulate Ponyta’s, no matter how malfunctional, and move them around to make it seem like a functional village. She was also a bit on edge after the few Ponyta’s she did see gave her weird looks, and she had to stop herself from trying to initiate a battle, reminding herself she wasn't supposed to do that inside her ball.
The only thing that really stuck out to her was a giant tree in the middle of the village that had a balcony and a door. It reminded her slightly of a gym the way they always stuck out in the cities.
She decided to see if she could go into the tree while in rest, and walked up onto the steps to the door, knocking lightly on it, making a hollow sound with her hoof, thinking instead of being allowed in, the building wouldn't allow her inside and would disappear. She was surprised when a male voice called called out from the other side of the door instead, “Come on in, its open.”
Rapidash stared at the doorknob, wondering how she would be able to open it with hooves. She tried using her forehooves to hold either side of the knob and turn it, but it kept slipping out of her grasp. She snorted angrily and tried using her mouth instead, holding it firmly with her teeth, tasting the frustratingly smooth metallic texture of the knob as she turned her head diagonally to open it, and ended up having her teeth slip on the knob as well.
She stomped a hoof angrily on the small porch and frowned, thinking of how else she might be able to open the door, before it opened with a quiet creaking noise and a small, purple charmander look alike stared up at her.
“Are you alright?” The charmander asked, looking at Rapidash with concern in its eyes.
Rapidash looked down, embarrassed and scuffed a hoof on the porch, “I’m fine, just a little trouble with the door.” She said as she looked into the tree, wondering what type of gym her pokeball would make up, and instead saw a library, with books of different shapes, sizes and colors on the shelves.
“Huh, alright then,” The charmander said, rolling his eyes as he walked away from the door. “Are you here to see Twilight or do you want a book?” he asked, looking her over, interest clear in his eyes.
Rapidash tilted her head, wondering about who the charmander was talking about as she walked into the library, looking around at all the books, “Sure, I would like to see what it put in the books.” she said, not seeing the odd look the other pokemon gave her.
Spike wasn't really sure what he would see when somepony knocked on the library door and nopony came in when he said they could. He was weirded out though when he heard frustrated snorts and angry hoof stomps on the other side of the door, while the doorknob jiggled repeatedly like the pony had no idea how to use a door. He thought about it, and decided it could probably be a young foal still learning how to use their hooves, why their parents weren't with them he had no idea, so he went over and opened the door himself.
The last thing he ever expected was a full grown unicorn whose fur glowed slightly and whose mane seemed to have a fire enchantment on it to appear to actually be aflame standing there instead. He stared at her, trying to figure out what the ponies problem could be, and why she would even want to look like she was on fire, but pushed those thoughts out of his mind when he saw her staring back at him. Instead he asked about what she wanted, and let her in, deciding he would tell Twilight about the visitor later.
Rapidash could tell that the charmander was watching her out of the corner of her eye, and it made her uneasy, like he wanted to challenge her to a battle. She shook her head and focused back onto the bookshelves. A thick brown book on an upper shelf caught her eye, and she thought of how she might get it. She put her front hooves on a lower shelf and lifted herself up so she was standing on her hind legs.
She stretched her neck to get the extra inches out of the way and turned her head ninety degrees to grab the spine of the book gently between her teeth, before carefully setting back down to all fours and putting the book on the floor to read the name. Magic enchantments, Potions and plants The name looked back at her as well as a plane 2D picture of an odd looking plant and a brown potion.
She stared at the title for a minute, bewildered as she tried to figure out what it meant, before she shook her head and picked up the book in her mouth again, deciding to find the meaning out later as she gave it to the charmander. He looked at the cover and smiled slightly, “I read this once, couldn't do anything in it, but it was still a good book I guess.” the smile went away as he tapped his chin with a claw, looking around, “I don't know how Twilight usually does this, but I guess you need a library card or something to take this book? Lets just say...you can take it, and Twilight can fix it later if you can come back.”
He lifted the book up, and Rapidash hesitantly took it back, confused as he continued talking, “Don't damage it though, Twilight will get really mad if any more books get damaged because of me. Whats your name again? I gotta know so I can tell her later.
“My name is Rapidash.” Rapidash said, smiling awkwardly as she thought about why anything would need her name in her sleep.
The charmander nodded, smiling, “Nice to meet ya Rapidash, I’m Spike. Uhhh...where will you be staying around here? I didn't know there was any places vacant.”
Rapidash frowned, “I’m not staying anywhere, I don't know how my pokeball made this place, but I woke up in a bakery. I probably won't be around too long though, only long enough to rest.”
Spike stared at her oddly, “Ok...You just woke up in Sugarcube Corner? Thats weird...” he looked at her for a second, “You know, you could use your magic instead of holding it in your mouth.”
Rapidash frowned, putting the book on the ground so she could speak. The door opened before she could say anything, and a purple Ponyta, this one with a horn like a miniature Rapidash, came into the tree backwards, waving to someone outside before shutting the door.
The Ponyta turned around and stared for a second when she noticed Rapidash, before she smiled, “Hello, I didn't know anypony would visit the library today, I only came back because I had to reshelve most of the books this afternoon.” she glanced down at the book on the floor and turned to Spike, “You already took care of getting her book all checked out?” she asked, sounding impressed.
Spike shook his head, a light blush showing through his scales, “Well no, I was going to let her take it until you could do that stuff...”
Twilight sighed as her horn glowed purple, the book floating towards her in the same color, “I know that originally before we got here the check out for books in this library was hard, but I have worked on it in case of this, and it has worked for everypony who has taken books out so far. Just a white card and a stamp letting it out instead of a full survey for validity.” a small smile spread across her lips as a small white card appeared right next to the book as it floated next to her, before a red stamp appeared and pressed against the card, putting a date on the card, before it disappeared.
She put the card into the back of the book and floated it over to Rapidash, who grabbed it with her mouth again, staring intently at the purple glow. “You can bring it back in a few weeks.” she explained as she walked over to them.
Psychic type Ponyta Rapidash thought as she stared at Twilight, this can't be real, my pokeball must be broken to make such huge mistakes. she snorted, frowning over the book before she put it down on the floor once more, “I won't be here that long. I'll be waking up soon and this will disappear once it gets fixed.” she said, figuring no matter how screwed up, it wouldnt matter what she said in a dream sequence like this.
Twilight glanced at Spike, and he shrugged, “All I know is she woke up in SugarCube Corner and isn't staying anywhere. I think she's lost or something.” he said, as he walked towards another door and pushed it open, disappearing into the other room.
Twilight turned towards Rapidash, and she got a feeling from the look in her eyes that this strange ponyta knew something she didn't, “Do you know how you got to the bakery or where you had been?” she asked, a hint of worry in her voice.
Rapidash shook her head, “No, not really. I don't think it matters though, I mean, it is just me...dreaming.” she frowned, beginning to get a suspicion that said otherwise. She knew her Pokeball would never mess up this bad, or put other pokemon, even fake ones, into her resting cycle. She didn't have any other logical explanation to explain this though.
Twilight looked at her, and Rapidash heard her say under her breath, “Could be amnesia, or shock making her have denial.” she looked directly at Rapidash afterwards and smiled, “Well, sleeping or not, I think it would be a good idea if we checked out the bakery, see if anypony can explain your appearance. Ill give you the book afterwards and help you find a place once that’s done.”
Rapidash frowned, watching her for a few seconds, before she sighed, deciding not to get into a battle while still not entirely sure of where she actually was and nodded, “Ok, there was a Ponyta there...Mrs. Cake, I think. She said something about a Pinkie?”
Twilight nodded smiling, “Pinkie did mention something about a new pony before I got here. I think we should talk to her then, see what she has to say and figure out where she found you. Maybe a clue is hidden wherever you were.” she took the book and put it on a shelf, before she turned towards the door Spike had gone through, “I'll be back in a little bit, Spike!” she yelled.
“Bring back a gem cupcake please!” he yelled back.
Twilight nodded and walked towards the door, before she turned and smiled kindly at Rapidash, “Lets go and see what we can find...” she frowned, “I’m sorry, how rude of me, what's your name?” she asked.
Rapidash walked towards her, letting her open the door with the glowing light emanating from her horn, “I’m Rapidash.” she said, as they left the library, her mind already racing in thought.
Author's Note
Picture made by jumpingshinyfrogs
