The Riftby Sparkers16ChaptersPrologueBright Lights, Loud NoisesTake Two...And Take ThreePrologueA light, but chilly breeze swept through the savannah. The moon was but a sliver, few stars dotting the sky. The land was bathed in inky blackness. All was silent, until the grass rustled. Then the world exploded with noise and light. "There it is!" "Get it!" "Who's got the Pokéballs?!" Three tall, bipedal figures sprinted side by side, hot on the tail of their prey, waving bright flashlights. One of the humans fished through their bag, pulling out a small red-and-white ball. "I got one!" "Well, don't just stand there, moron! Throw it!" The human with the Pokéball prepared to throw, but then frantically pivoted around, unable to find the Pokémon the three of them had been chasing. "I-I can't find it! I think it got away!" The other two groaned. "For Pete's sake, Joey!" one of them growled. "We've been chasing this one forever! You just HAD to screw it up, didn't you?!" "Wait, wait, wait!" the one with the Pokéball, Joey, said. "Rattata's picking up its scent!" He shined his flashlight on the small, purple rodent snuffling about on the ground. "C'mon, boy, where is it?" Meanwhile, up in a large, lone, tree on the flat plains, the exact Pokémon they were chasing clenched the knotted bark with her talons, her heart pounding. They had been chasing her ever since she was spotted infiltrating a human city, over an hour ago. She would've been able to lose them easily, if it weren't for that Rattata. It had a top-percentage sense of smell, and always lead the humans in her directions. The Pokémon would fly up into the sky, but her diamond-shaped wings intensely burned from flying at top speeds for so long. She had several bruises and scratches from the Rattata and powerful attacks from the other human-trained Pokémon, that smarted and ached. She was so tired, and just wanted to stop... She could tell from the sound of their footsteps and the ever-growing light from their flashlights that they were getting closer. She could feel the adrenaline pumping through her veins, her heart beating faster and faster in the massive effort to restore energy. But she was too exhausted. The humans had food healing medicines they could consume if they were winded. But she had nothing. Even if she exerted a gargantuan effort into taking to the air again, she still wouldn't be fast enough. She didn't want to be captured; that was the absolute worst future she could ever imagine. But she couldn't go on...maybe she should just give up... Just as she was about to close her eyes and accept her fate, she remembered the cargo she was carrying. No! I can't stop now! She had almost forgot about it. The precious item she had. She quickly pulled it out of the sack draped on her back. The item was about the size and shape of a loaf of bread, yet its function was anything but. It was made out of metal, with elaborate circuitry, long antennae, and numerous buttons on the front. She was glad to see it was safe and sound. After all, the materials to make it were what she risked going into the human city to get. Yes, she had made this contraption herself. It had taken years. My alternate universe portal creator. She knew now, for sure, that she couldn't let herself be captured here. Though she had made many other inventions before, this was her passion, her magnum opus. Being captured would result in all those years of work going to waste. The humans could even find out the function of the device and use it for their own purposes. That sickened the Pokémon. No, she couldn't give up! Yet though she commanded herself to get up and away, she was still too exhausted to take to the air again. That left her with only one option. The way the Dimension Skipper--or DS as she liked to call it--functioned was incredibly simple, especially considering the complicated wires and circuitry laying inside the contraption. The buttons on the front were all different numbers. Each universe had a different, random numerical code. Punch the code in, and it would create a portal to that universe. There was only one problem. She knew the DS worked. She had tested it by tying long ropes to objects and sending them out in portals, only to pull them back eventually. But she had never tested the effect of going through a portal on something LIVING. If she was really and truly going to create a portal and go through it to another dimension, she had no idea what the effects would be on her body. And she would have no idea what the universe she would travel to would be like. It could be toxic there. She could die! Yet...if it meant avoiding capture by humans and preserving her precious cargo... Suddenly, a bright light flashed upon the Pokémon. "There it is!" The smallest human's arm swung back to throw its Pokéball, and the Pokémon's mind was made up in an instant. She was willing to take the risk. She frantically punched in a long stream of random numbers, her heart racing and her whole body trembling. When she was finished, the machine glowed. Electricity crackled and jumped up the antennae. The white-hot energy concentrated above the DS and formed a circular shape. A portal. She began to feel an invisible force sucking her in. There was no time for hesitation. The Pokémon gathered up her strength, braced herself, and plunged headfirst into the portal. Mere seconds before the Pokéball collided with its target, the Pokémon and her machine disappeared in a flash of light. Bright Lights, Loud NoisesThe Pokémon tried to open her eyes in the darkness. Her sight was filled to the brim with dim, blurry shapes she couldn't decipher and dark, muted colors she couldn't name. Every part of her body ached and throbbed faintly, enough that she could feel it but not enough to feel like it was coming from her. It felt like she wasn't in her body, like she was watching from somewhere else through a muffling veil neither light nor sound could breach. The only sounds she could hear were the constant beeping of an electrocardiograph monitor and bits and pieces of indistinct conversations she couldn't understand. Finally, she cried out to the void. "I...I...urgh..." She tried to form words but her mouth seemed full of cotton and all she could do was groan. Suddenly, one of the voices from those muted conversations came through to her clearly, ringing in her ears. "Look, Rainbow Dash! She's awake!" It sounded like a young female. R...Renbodash? She repeated mentally, not hearing the name well enough to correctly pronounce it. "Huh?!" Another voice loudly called, resounding in her sensitive ears. "Hey, you're right, Scoots! I'll go get the doctor." She felt a wave of dizziness at these sudden sounds. With a funny clip clop sound, one of the voices left. Another clip clop. "Hey...are you okay?" The young voice said, much closer than before. It took the barely-conscious Pokémon a few seconds to realize the voice was questioning her. It took another few seconds for her to gather up her strength and speak from her numbed mouth. "I...I can't...see..." her words were slow and raspy. "Oh, uh, yeah," the little voice said, and she could imagine it nodding. "You're wearing a blindfold. The doctor said it was because you had a...what was it called...a cun-cush-in." A concussion? Ugh, that would explain the nausea... "W-wait...doctor?" the Pokémon queried with her croaking vocal cords. "Like...a human doctor?" She was feeling a bit more awake now, her senses and mind less dull. Not by much, but enough to feel a twinge of fear at the prospect of the bipedal, fleshy creatures she loathed. "A what doctor?" "N-nevermind..." Maybe this was a small hatchling who hadn't learned yet about humans and their dangers. "Just...who are you?" "My name's Scootaloo," the hatchling answered excitedly, and the Pokémon heard a buzzing, like the sound of wings flapping rapidly. She wondered what kind of creature the hatchling was. She had never heard of a Pokémon called Scootaloo, or Renbodash, so they were probably both nicknames. Maybe a Pidgey, or a Ledyba? But she didn't get time to ask Scootaloo what species she was before more clip clopping came. This time it sounded like two pairs of quadrupeds. The older voice, Renbodash, and the "doctor" they were conversing about, most likely. "Ah," a new voice came in, this one belonging to an older male. All these voices were beginning to overwhelm her, and she felt lightheaded. "So you're awake. How are you feeling?" She surveyed her body, all the dull aches and nausea and darkness. Just how was she feeling? She felt...different. "I...I can't see. I hurt, but I...feel kinda numb all over...and I'm really dizzy." "Mmhmm, that was to be expected," the older male, the doctor, replied in a low, soothing voice. "We've put a thick, black cloth over your eyes to block out any alarming sights or sounds that would only serve to make you feel worse. If you're feeling up to it, I can remove it now." Just trying to process those words brought on a new wave of vertigo. She shook her head, and winced as one of the aches became more prominent. "No...I'm not up to it yet. Maybe later..." "Alright then," the doctor said. "But I'm going to have to ask you a few questions, Miss. Are at least up to that?" Talking? I'm still pretty uncomfortable...but this doctor is very courteous. I'd hate to sound rude in comparison. "Okay...ask away." The doctor didn't hesitate. "Miss Rainbow Dash here found you unconscious on the edge of the Apple Family land. She carried you all the way here to Ponyville Hospital on her back." Apple Family? Ponyville? She didn't recognize any of the terms, but the gist was obvious. Renbodash had saved her life. "Th-thanks..." she breathed. "No need to thank me!" Renbodash reacted quickly. "I mean, c'mon. I couldn't just leave somepony lying there without helping them!" The doctor cleared his throat. "The point here being, we know next to nothing about you, Miss. So could you please tell us about yourself?" After she didn't answer, he spoke again. "How about you start with your name?" "M-my name? You mean, like...my species?" "No, Miss. We know that you're a pegasus. But what's your name?" "A...pegasus? Wh-what..." "Hm..." the doctor grunted, deep in thought. "It would seem you have a bit of amnesia. That is to be expected with a concussion. Don't worry, I'm sure your mind is just a bit foggy right now. You haven't suffered any cognitive or mental damage." "Maybe we should leave her alone for a bit, Doc," Renbodash suggested. "Give her some time to remember?" "Yes, perhaps that would be for the best," the doctor agreed. "No, wait...I know my name," the Pokémon interrupted. They said she was a...Pegasus. They must be mistaking her for a different species. So they wanted to know her name? Like most Pokémon, she went by the name of her species, but she DID have a nickname, one her parents gave her, but she preferred not to use it. She decided not to tell these creatures her nickname, and instead her species name. "Flygon," she said. "My name is Flygon." "Good," the doctor said approvingly. "This way we can find out more about you. Where do you live, Miss Flygon?" "I live..." This one took a little longer to remember. "I live...in the Kalos region." "The what-region?" Renbodash interjected. "Hm, there's no place known as the 'Kalos region,' in Equestria, as far as I know," the doctor's deep voice grew confused. "Do you live outside Equestria?" "Wh-what's Equestria?" "It's the country we're in," Scootaloo answered the obvious question proudly. "This town is called Ponyville!" "Oh," Flygon mumbled. "In that case...yes, I live outside Equestria." "That complicates things," the doctor sighed. "It's very difficult to get in touch with other countries across the world, and Equestrian borders are very strict in who passes in and out." "But if that's true, then why and how was she flying around in Equestria?" Renbodash pressed. I wasn't "flying around in Equestria." I was...wait, what was I doing again...? Ugh, I can't seem to remember. Cursed amnesia... "We'll have to ask around about that," the doctor said. "But for now, let's stop grilling Miss Flygon. Our questions seem to be stressing her out." It was true, Flygon was almost panicking from not being able to recall simple things like what she was doing when Renbodash rescued her. "Heh, sorry," Renbodash apologized, placing what felt like a limb with a hard surface on Flygon's shoulder. Though it was hardly more than a pat, it made Flygon suck in a quick breath and flinch away in pain. "Oh...sorry!" Renbodash gasped. "I mean it this time!" You didn't mean it LAST time? Flygon thought in exasperation. "Be careful, Miss Dash," the doctor warned, tsk-ing. "Miss Flygon has some rather severe injuries. Though we have casted painkilling spells, I'd advise against touching." "Severe injuries?" Scootaloo gasped. "What's wrong with her, Doctor Horse?" Doctor Horse, eh? So that's his name... "Not so fast, my little pony," Doctor Horse tsk'd again. "It is her decision whether she is comfortable learning what happened to her. It isn't very polite to pry into these types of things, you know." "Oh...m-my bad," Scootaloo stammered. "No, Doctor," Flygon cut in. "I want to know what happened to me. It's okay if you tell everyone here." Doctor Horse hesitated for a second. "Well, I suppose, if you really want to know...This may shock you, Miss Flygon, but while flying around the border between the White Tail woods and the Apple Family orchard, you were struck by lightning. Do you remember?" Flygon reflected upon that, and after some mental strain, she did find that she recalled a bright flash of light, then seeing the ground rushing up towards her as she fell. A nagging voice in her head told her that it wasn't lightning, that the flash had come from something else, but she ignored the voice. "Y-yes. I think I do." "Good. Well, most of your injuries were from your fall, not from the lightning strike itself. You've been impressively bruised and scratched, but nothing too serious externally. You were very lucky, to hardly have any injuries from the lightning. Especially your wings. They're the most vulnerable to lightning strikes while flying. The main problem is that when you hit the ground, you fractured three ribs. One of which punctured a lung. We had to perform surgery, and though it was successful, you'll have a rather nasty scar on your chest from now on." "Oh...okay." Scars, Flygon could deal with. She already had a few from battling. "How long will it take me to recover?" "If everything goes well, you'll only have to be staying in the hospital for a couple days. We'll bandage you up and you'll be free to go. However, after you leave, you MUST leave your bandages on and take it easy for as long as it takes for your ribs to heal, which should be about...two weeks." "T-two weeks?" The words felt weird coming out of her mouth. What did he say? Take it easy...for two whole weeks? No battling, no high-speed chases, no raiding human cities for two whole weeks?! "Ooh, that's awful..." Renbodash cringed. "I feel you. I once had to spend a day and a night in this place with a broken wing, and I only had to 'take it easy' for one week. It felt like an eternity!" "It isn't as awful as it seems," Doctor Horse condoled. "Two weeks will fly by like lightning...if you excuse the pun. After several days, you'll even be able to fly again. Just be careful not to overexert yourself once you leave." "A...Alright," Flygon sighed. "I'm glad you understand." Flygon shifted a bit, ignoring the dull ache that resulted. Her vision was still black and shadowy. Like Doctor Horse said, it was to prevent even more nausea. But as a Pokémon relying on sight to guide her, the lack of it was distressing her. She fidgeted and tried to blink her eyes, but the heavy black cloth restrained fast ocular movement. "If it's okay, I think I want to take the blindfold off now." "Of course, Miss Flygon," Doctor Horse intoned. She felt him place a limb on the cloth. "But I'd like to warn you, this room is lit very brightly. You're about to feel an extreme amount of nausea. Are you ready?" "Yes. I'm ready." The limb on her eyes shifted upward, dragging the blindfold with it. Yet everything was still dark. Flygon realized her eyes were still shut tightly, blocking off all light. With a gulp that stung her dry throat, she steeled up her courage, dread and curiosity bubbling in her stomach. With one last push from her mind, she opened her eyes wide. White, everything was white. It was a blazing, brilliant light that burned her eyes, but she couldn't close them once again. The radiance focused all of her attention, like a Venomoth drawn towards a lightbulb. Then, her vision focused. Something was wrong. Something was absolutely, terrifyingly wrong. Thanks to her special eye-cases, meant to protect her eyes against the harsh winds and sands of the desert, her world was constantly tinted a warm, comforting magenta. The magenta was gone. Every color was massively intensified. When she was a Vibrava, her world was tinted green. And all the way back when she was a hatchling, a little Trapinch, her world was black-and-white. Now she saw everything. Every sharp, shocking shade she had learned the names of but never truly understood. It was shocking and overwhelming. She started feeling dizzy and lightheaded, and she knew it wasn't only because of her concussion. The world spun in circles and it took all of Flygon's will not to gag and vomit. She felt light-headed and weak. What happened to her eye-cases?! As Flygon started to panic, three odd figures came into view. They looked like...Ponyta, but smaller and more plush. They had no fire in their manes and tails, and their pelts were many absurd colors. The first was--what was that color?--blue with a full spectrum in her mane and tail. The second was small and orange, with a pink mane and tail. The last was taller and built more stockily...a male, maybe? He had a light brown coat and a darker brown mane and tail, wearing a crisp white lab coat. Were they...Pokémon? She had never seen anything like them. They must've been a species she'd never seen before. The bright lights, the startling colors, and the unknown Pokémon were too much for her. She was breathing fast, on the verge of dry heaving. I...I can't... She reached her arms up to cover her eyes. She had to ask to put the blindfold on, she couldn't go on like this... When she tried to cover her eyes, Flygon didn't expect something hard and blunt to painfully smash into her jaw, which felt farther out than usual. What the... She got a closer look at the offending object. It was pea-green, like her scales. Except it was a limb covered in fur and ended with a circular, stiff object. A hoof. She moved her arm, and the furry appendage moved too. Flygon touched the appendage to her face. Sure enough, her eye cases were gone. Her eyes felt much bigger. Her jaw was protruded and her teeth were flat, not sharp. Fur covered her face, and most likely, her entire body. ...Does not compute. "Hey, uh, Flygon? You alright?" Renbodash's tomboyish voice cut through her confusion. Flygon screamed. And then she blacked out. Take Two...And Take ThreeWhen Flygon's heavy eyes cracked open once again, she refused to be confused. Though the bright lights and different colors made her stomach flip-flop once again, this time she was ready for it. After taking several heaving breaths, she felt the dizziness diminish slightly. Not enough to feel normal, but enough to at least regain her composure. She had to understand everything that was happening around her, obtain all the facts. That was the duty of a true scientist. The throbbing aches in her muscles and bones prevented from swiveling her head around, but she could view the place she was in with her eyes alone. Her bare, distastefully large eyes. The place she was lying in was a dark wooden bed. Her deformed body was lying under a fuchsia blanket. It looked scratchy, but it only felt odd against her new fur. Due to her injured state, Flygon decided it would be best if she didn't remove the blanket. From looking down at herself, she did see white bandages peeking out, tied around her barrel chest, though. That must be where my ribs are. Despite the shock of finding myself in a different body, I want to learn as much about this species as possible. And the place I'm in. She slowly raised her head, a tiny bit. Just that gave her a sharp pain. It seemed the pain-nullifying medication they gave her was wearing off... The floor was tan and tiled. The walls and the curtain hanging next to her bed were blue. The ceiling was painted a bright, nauseating green. Flygon took her attention away from the colors and focused on the monitor hanging from the ceiling. It showed a picture of a skeleton on a black background. The ribcage of the skeleton had three fractured bones. That must be an x-ray of my body, Flygon realized. It looked like the skeleton of a quadruped, a horse-like creature. It would appear I'm the same species as the doctor, Renbodash, and Scootaloo. I have to find out what species this is. I also have to find how I got this way, where I am, and how I got here. What worried Flygon the most was that this hospital strikingly resembled a human hospital, if not a bit less hi-tech. Obviously, the creatures she saw weren't even close to human-like in appearance, but natural Pokémon behavior wouldn't result in this kind of building. Pokémon were equally as intelligent as humans, but they weren't nearly as civilized. The difference between Pokémon and humans was that humans were a much more social species. They formed communities and lived in towns and cities. And humans could pool their intelligence together to further their technological advancement. That's why they were able to invent things like Pokéballs and Potions. So, I can hypothesize that these equine creatures must have a similar social structure to humans. Though I doubt they have invented things as progressive as humans have. These theories were reassuring, but they weren't helping Flygon discover how she got here and why she switched bodies. She'd need primary sources for that. And one of those was her own memory. I need to remember what happened before I woke up in this hospital. Searching her brain, she still hazily remembered the bright flash of light, and falling towards the ground, too stunned to move her wings. The question is, did the lightning strike happen before the transformation, or after? She strained, trying to recall every little detail. Flygon suddenly remembered looking at her paralyzed wings shortly before she hit the ground. They were...feathered. She glanced at the equine body under the blanket. Sure enough, two green, feathered appendages stuck out from her bandages. They were definitely too small to fly with, though. No wonder she couldn't save herself from plummeting. So when she was hit by lightning, she had already changed bodies. That still didn't answer her questions, though. She needed to think farther back. What was her last memory in her normal, Pokémon form? That's right. She was being chased by a group of humans trying to capture her. Exhausted, she had hidden in a tree. But they had found her. And then...and then... She reached into her satchel and pulled out the Dimension Skipper. She used it to create a portal, and jumped through it. That bright flash wasn't lightning, it was the portal! Then she fell to the ground and broke her ribs. After falling unconscious, Renbodash came and brought her to this place... "Ponyville." In the country of "Equestria." She was in a completely different universe! A completely different dimension! No wonder the creatures and their social structure weren't like her world. This new world...It probably didn't have Pokémon, or moves, or regions, or humans. It was hard to comprehend. Everything she knew was turned upside down, and she hadn't even left the hospital bed yet. She felt like a Volbeat trapped in a jar. She needed to go out and see what this new world was like! Flygon was petrified in anxiety, but at the same time, euphoric that the DS was functional for living things. But, wait...just where was the Dimension Skipper? Flygon frantically scanned the room and searched under the covers and on the nightstand next to her bed, ignoring the pain that resulted. She couldn't find her magnum opus anywhere! Where was it?! She clearly remembered picking it up in her talons before plunging into the portal. Oh, no...could it have vaporized while traveling between dimensions? Or could it have been damaged beyond recognition in the fall? Was she trapped here?! The rising wave of panic mixed with her nausea was not a good combination. Flygon screamed. And then she blacked out...again. When Flygon's eyes opened once again, another pair of large, magenta eyes were staring into hers, too close for comfort. "Aaagh!" she shouted in surprise. The eyes pulled back, and Flygon saw that they belonged to none other then Renbodash. She was back. And this time, another brightly colored equine was standing next to Renbodash. This one had purple fur, and a dark mane streaked with pink. A hard protrusion reached out of the purple one's forehead. A horn. Flygon couldn't help but notice that she and Renbodash had those tiny, feathered wings, while this new one had that horn. Different variants of the same species, perhaps? "Oh, you're awake!" Renbodash's already huge eyes widened. "Sorry 'bout that, Flygon." I wonder when she's going to say sorry and actually mean it. The purple equine stared at Flygon. She--Flygon guessed it was a she--seemed both interested and confused. Flygon wondered why. "Are you feeling better?" Renbodash cocked her head. "Earlier today, when we took the blindfold off, you didn't look so good. I mean, you blacked out. Guess you weren't able to handle it yet." "It's not that I was not able to handle 'it,'" Flygon said, irritated. "This is different." She hated it when others questioned her strength. So she blacked out when she had a concussion and found herself in another world, in another body! Who wouldn't in that situation? "How is it different?" the purple one spoke up. Her voice was smooth and intellectual-sounding. "N-no reason..." Flygon stammered. She couldn't just tell them she was from another dimension. They'd put her into a different hospital...a mental one. "A concussion normally wouldn't even faze me." That last part was true. Flygon had a sneaking suspicion that this new body was weaker than her Pokémon form. She supposed she was lucky she transformed into one of the normal species in this world, though. If she had stayed in her normal body, the equines would've thought she was an alien monster. The purple one's mouth quirked up. "So you're tough, hm? I think you and Rainbow Dash here could get along well. I'm Twilight Sparkle, disciple of Princess Celestia. I'm studying the magic of friendship here in Ponyville." Flygon literally had no idea what any part of that meant. "My name is Flygon. It's a pleasure to meet you." Renbodash grinned, showing the same flat teeth Flygon could feel in her mouth with her tongue. "So, Flygon, do you like racing?" She quickly switched into a defensive pose. "Not like you'd ever beat me, though!" "Racing?" Flygon hardly ever raced anyone, except for when she was teaching hatchlings how to fly. The only reason she had to travel fast is if she was being chased. Therefore, she had never raced for as long as she could remember. But I think that being on good terms with these creatures would be optimal in my situation. I'll just have to lie a bit. "Yes, I enjoy racing. It's one of my personal hobbies." "Cool," Renbodash smirked. "Maybe we can race when you get better!" "No," Flygon said, a little more harshly than she intended. Renbodash raised an eyebrow. "I mean, uh, as soon as I am released from this hospital, I would like to go back to my home. My home outside of Equestria." Though I have yet to figure out how I'll be able to accomplish that. "Outside of Equestria? Oh, where do you live?" Twilight Sparkle asked. Flygon felt a pit of empty anxiety in her stomach. This Twilight Sparkle character looked knowledgable. She'd probably know that the Kalos Region didn't exist in Equestria. Flygon would lie, but she didn't know the names of any places in Equestria. Besides, she had already told Renbodash, Scootaloo, and the doctor where she was from. That was a dumb move...If only I'd known I was in a different dimension at that point. Cursed amnesia! "I'm from a place called the Kalos Region," Flygon hesitantly said. "Kalos? I don't think I've ever heard of a place like that," Twilight Sparkle said, just as expected. "It's uh, a remote island. I doubt you'd've heard of it. It isn't on most maps." "Oh," Twilight Sparkle frowned. After a couple seconds, she brightened up. "Maybe you can tell me about it? I love to learn about new places." "Another time, maybe," Flygon said quickly. "Hey, Twilight?" Renbodash interjected. "Why did you want to speak with Flygon again? You said it was pretty important, and--no offense, Flygon--pegasi getting struck by lightning is a pretty common thing. We do fly, after all." Was Renbodash meaning to say that these puny wings could actually get her into the air? There was no way! Unless this species' chemical composition allowed these "pegasi" ignore the rules of gravity like many floating Psychic Pokémon. It was a possibility, and Flygon wanted to ask all about it. But she couldn't without sounding suspicious. After all, she was one of these pegasi. "Oh, yes, that's right," Twilight Sparkle's hint of a smile faded back into a frown of confusion. "I'm terribly sorry to trouble the injured, but I'd like to ask you some questions, Ms. Flygon." She's acting more formal now. She means business. "That's fine. I've been on the receiving end of questions all day, Ms. Twilight Sparkle." "Whoa, what's with you two acting so stiff all of a sudden?" Renbodash questioned. She was ignored. "I was curious, and I asked Rainbow Dash to show me the site where you got struck by lightning," Twilight Sparkle began. She chuckled a bit, but it sounded fake. "After all, it's not everyday when a pegasus gets struck by lightning in the middle of nowhere." "Is that so?" Flygon said, only meaning a little of the sarcasm laced in her voice. Lightning might function differently in this world. Who knows? "Well, I haven't been in Equestria for very long. I wouldn't know." "Mm," Twilight Sparkle made a noise somewhere between a murmur of agreement and a grunt in annoyance. "Anyway, while I was on the site of the lightning strike, I could trace a considerable amount of foreign energy. It wasn't even magic. It was something along the lines of which I've never sensed before." "What!?" Renbodash spun on her hooves and turned to Twilight Sparkle, a shocked expression on her face. "F-foreign energy? Why didn't you tell me, Twi? I didn't feel anything like that when I was there!" Twilight smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, Rainbow. You know I don't like to hide things from my friends. But I didn't want to make a big deal of it before asking the victim herself. I thought she might have an explanation for this." Flygon felt herself grow a bit irritated. "I'd prefer it if you wouldn't talk about me like I'm not here," she said. Twilight Sparkle's purple-gray eyes narrowed. "Then DO you have an explanation for this foreign energy? I've gone through all the possibilities in my mind. Like I said, I've never traced energy like this with my magic before. It's not from any creature that I know--and trust me, I know about a lot of different creatures. It isn't from the Everfree Forest either. I checked with Princess Celestia. There haven't been any breaches of dark magic from the Everfree since the Nightmare Moon incident. What I sensed in that clearing was a magic unprecedented in Equestria. Naturally, I'd find that pretty suspicious." Another monologue Flygon had no understanding of whatsoever. The gist was relatively comprehensible. Twilight Sparkle must've had the ability to trace certain types of electricities and auras, which she called "magic." The electricity from the Dimension Skipper, used to create a rip in time and space itself, was an alien magic to Twilight Sparkle. Flygon realized she wasn't in a very good position. Twilight Sparkle thought the source of the energy had come from Flygon, and deemed her as suspicious. Flygon would have to talk smoothly and learn fast if she was to get back to her world unscathed. Step #1: Recover fast and get out of this hospital. Pokémon healed very fast compared to humans, but there was no telling the recovery rate of these equines. Dr. Horse said it would take a couple days to get out of this hospital. She would be fully healed in a week or two. Fair enough. For humans, broken ribs could take up to two months to heal. Step #2: Find the DS. This was obviously the most important. If she didn't find it, she could be stuck here forever! Perhaps she could rebuild it, but it could take years to get all the parts. Flygon knew it was possible that the DS had already been obliterated during her dimensional travels, but she forced that thought to the back of her mind. Those were the only two goals she could think of. They were merely concepts, basic thoughts that only served to create a guideline to her escape. What Flygon desired to do was question Twilight Sparkle about the whereabouts of the DS. If she had searched Flygon's crash site, she would've seen the DS if it was still existing. Sadly, asking her where a dimensional portal device was would just make Flygon seem even more suspicious. She'd have to hold off her questions for now. "But what does this mean?" Renbodash pressed. Her expression a mixture of surprise, dejection, and aggression. "It means we can't trust Flygon, unfortunately," Twilight Sparkle replied, her eyes flinty. "She's most likely the source. In fact, I can sense the presence of some of the energy right now. It's possible that she possesses a different kind of magic than ponies. It could be a dark magic. She might not even be a pony. She might be a monster from beyond Equestria that's capable of taking on a pony form...like a changeling." "A changeling?!" Renbodash cried. "She's a changeling?! Then lemme at her! There's no way I'm letting those awful things try to take over Equestria again!" Renbodash almost charged at Flygon, but a fuchsia glow surrounded her tail, holding her in place. The source of the colored light seemed to be from Twilight Sparkle's horn, casting a shadow over her face. Levitation! This Twilight Sparkle must be a Psychic Type...no, I can't think like that. I'm not in a land of battles and types anymore. "Calm down, Rainbow," Twilight's horn dimmed, and Renbodash fell to the ground, sharply landing on her hooves. "We're not sure yet." Her gaze shifted to Flygon, who was watching the scene unfold with a look of wary attentiveness. "What do you have to say to these allegations, Ms. Flygon?" I have to be smart about what I say here. From the looks of it, "changelings" are another species besides ponies that are approached with revulsion. "I don't have that much to say," Flygon's words were slow and precise. "I could argue that I'm not a changeling, but it would be in vain. You wouldn't believe me. Since I'm bedridden right now, it would be for the best if you found a way to prove I'm not a changeling." "Hm," Twilight Sparkle seemed to be perplexed by this response. Her eyebrows knotted. "Can't you just cast that spell you used to reveal the changelings when we battled them?" Renbodash suggested, getting in Twilight Sparkle's face. "I could," Twilight started, "but that's a pretty violent spell, meant to cause harm to the pony--or changeling--it's cast upon. If I cast it on Flygon, I'd run the risk of injuring her even more. I wouldn't want to cause harm to a pony, if she is one." "Huh," Renbodash slumped. "Good point. So what do we do?" What do we do indeed. I hope they don't decide to get rid of me now... "I have an idea," Twilight Sparkle said. "Flygon, after you're dismissed from the hospital, I'd like to take you back to my home. Since you don't live in Equestria, I could give you a spare room to stay in until I confirm you're not a danger to us. I'd be running many different magical and technological tests to make sure you aren't a changeling. You'd have to do whatever I told you to. To be bluntly honest, you'd be my lab rat for a couple days. What do you think?" "Well, I don't exactly have a choice, do I," Flygon snorted. Tests in a lab were the last thing she wanted, and the prospect of being Twilight Sparkle's lab rat was horrifying. However, if it was to gain the ponies' trust, that would make it all the more easier to search for the DS without them getting suspicious. It was worth some discomfort to get home as soon as possible. "No, you don't," Twilight Sparkle's voice was stern. "Can I come too?" Renbodash demanded. "You know, just in case she does turn out to be a changeling, and tries to hurt you or Spike. I won't let anything bad happen to my friends!" Twilight smiled, and her eyes crinkled under the lavender fur. She was rather cute when she wasn't so rigid. "Of course. Loyal as always, Rainbow Dash. Let's go; I need to prepare some things down in the lab." "Got it," Renbodash looked at Flygon. "...See you tomorrow." Despite her casual tone of voice, there was distrust in her eyes. "Yes, see you tomorrow, Ms. Twilight Sparkle and Ms. Renbodash." It's clear nothing I say at this point will make them any less suspicious of me. Might as well turn the stiffness up a notch. "Renbodash?" the cyan pegasus repeated. "Uh, my name is 'Rainbow Dash.'" "Yes," Flygon nodded, not understanding her in the slightest. "Renbodash." "No, no, it's 'Rainbow Dash.' Two words. Like, rainbows and dashing." "Oh." Flygon blushed a bit. Rainbow Dash, eh? These ponies sure have weird names...In fact, everything about this place is weird. No matter how curious I am about this alternate dimension, I mostly just wish I was home.
PrologueA light, but chilly breeze swept through the savannah. The moon was but a sliver, few stars dotting the sky. The land was bathed in inky blackness. All was silent, until the grass rustled. Then the world exploded with noise and light. "There it is!" "Get it!" "Who's got the Pokéballs?!" Three tall, bipedal figures sprinted side by side, hot on the tail of their prey, waving bright flashlights. One of the humans fished through their bag, pulling out a small red-and-white ball. "I got one!" "Well, don't just stand there, moron! Throw it!" The human with the Pokéball prepared to throw, but then frantically pivoted around, unable to find the Pokémon the three of them had been chasing. "I-I can't find it! I think it got away!" The other two groaned. "For Pete's sake, Joey!" one of them growled. "We've been chasing this one forever! You just HAD to screw it up, didn't you?!" "Wait, wait, wait!" the one with the Pokéball, Joey, said. "Rattata's picking up its scent!" He shined his flashlight on the small, purple rodent snuffling about on the ground. "C'mon, boy, where is it?" Meanwhile, up in a large, lone, tree on the flat plains, the exact Pokémon they were chasing clenched the knotted bark with her talons, her heart pounding. They had been chasing her ever since she was spotted infiltrating a human city, over an hour ago. She would've been able to lose them easily, if it weren't for that Rattata. It had a top-percentage sense of smell, and always lead the humans in her directions. The Pokémon would fly up into the sky, but her diamond-shaped wings intensely burned from flying at top speeds for so long. She had several bruises and scratches from the Rattata and powerful attacks from the other human-trained Pokémon, that smarted and ached. She was so tired, and just wanted to stop... She could tell from the sound of their footsteps and the ever-growing light from their flashlights that they were getting closer. She could feel the adrenaline pumping through her veins, her heart beating faster and faster in the massive effort to restore energy. But she was too exhausted. The humans had food healing medicines they could consume if they were winded. But she had nothing. Even if she exerted a gargantuan effort into taking to the air again, she still wouldn't be fast enough. She didn't want to be captured; that was the absolute worst future she could ever imagine. But she couldn't go on...maybe she should just give up... Just as she was about to close her eyes and accept her fate, she remembered the cargo she was carrying. No! I can't stop now! She had almost forgot about it. The precious item she had. She quickly pulled it out of the sack draped on her back. The item was about the size and shape of a loaf of bread, yet its function was anything but. It was made out of metal, with elaborate circuitry, long antennae, and numerous buttons on the front. She was glad to see it was safe and sound. After all, the materials to make it were what she risked going into the human city to get. Yes, she had made this contraption herself. It had taken years. My alternate universe portal creator. She knew now, for sure, that she couldn't let herself be captured here. Though she had made many other inventions before, this was her passion, her magnum opus. Being captured would result in all those years of work going to waste. The humans could even find out the function of the device and use it for their own purposes. That sickened the Pokémon. No, she couldn't give up! Yet though she commanded herself to get up and away, she was still too exhausted to take to the air again. That left her with only one option. The way the Dimension Skipper--or DS as she liked to call it--functioned was incredibly simple, especially considering the complicated wires and circuitry laying inside the contraption. The buttons on the front were all different numbers. Each universe had a different, random numerical code. Punch the code in, and it would create a portal to that universe. There was only one problem. She knew the DS worked. She had tested it by tying long ropes to objects and sending them out in portals, only to pull them back eventually. But she had never tested the effect of going through a portal on something LIVING. If she was really and truly going to create a portal and go through it to another dimension, she had no idea what the effects would be on her body. And she would have no idea what the universe she would travel to would be like. It could be toxic there. She could die! Yet...if it meant avoiding capture by humans and preserving her precious cargo... Suddenly, a bright light flashed upon the Pokémon. "There it is!" The smallest human's arm swung back to throw its Pokéball, and the Pokémon's mind was made up in an instant. She was willing to take the risk. She frantically punched in a long stream of random numbers, her heart racing and her whole body trembling. When she was finished, the machine glowed. Electricity crackled and jumped up the antennae. The white-hot energy concentrated above the DS and formed a circular shape. A portal. She began to feel an invisible force sucking her in. There was no time for hesitation. The Pokémon gathered up her strength, braced herself, and plunged headfirst into the portal. Mere seconds before the Pokéball collided with its target, the Pokémon and her machine disappeared in a flash of light.
Bright Lights, Loud NoisesThe Pokémon tried to open her eyes in the darkness. Her sight was filled to the brim with dim, blurry shapes she couldn't decipher and dark, muted colors she couldn't name. Every part of her body ached and throbbed faintly, enough that she could feel it but not enough to feel like it was coming from her. It felt like she wasn't in her body, like she was watching from somewhere else through a muffling veil neither light nor sound could breach. The only sounds she could hear were the constant beeping of an electrocardiograph monitor and bits and pieces of indistinct conversations she couldn't understand. Finally, she cried out to the void. "I...I...urgh..." She tried to form words but her mouth seemed full of cotton and all she could do was groan. Suddenly, one of the voices from those muted conversations came through to her clearly, ringing in her ears. "Look, Rainbow Dash! She's awake!" It sounded like a young female. R...Renbodash? She repeated mentally, not hearing the name well enough to correctly pronounce it. "Huh?!" Another voice loudly called, resounding in her sensitive ears. "Hey, you're right, Scoots! I'll go get the doctor." She felt a wave of dizziness at these sudden sounds. With a funny clip clop sound, one of the voices left. Another clip clop. "Hey...are you okay?" The young voice said, much closer than before. It took the barely-conscious Pokémon a few seconds to realize the voice was questioning her. It took another few seconds for her to gather up her strength and speak from her numbed mouth. "I...I can't...see..." her words were slow and raspy. "Oh, uh, yeah," the little voice said, and she could imagine it nodding. "You're wearing a blindfold. The doctor said it was because you had a...what was it called...a cun-cush-in." A concussion? Ugh, that would explain the nausea... "W-wait...doctor?" the Pokémon queried with her croaking vocal cords. "Like...a human doctor?" She was feeling a bit more awake now, her senses and mind less dull. Not by much, but enough to feel a twinge of fear at the prospect of the bipedal, fleshy creatures she loathed. "A what doctor?" "N-nevermind..." Maybe this was a small hatchling who hadn't learned yet about humans and their dangers. "Just...who are you?" "My name's Scootaloo," the hatchling answered excitedly, and the Pokémon heard a buzzing, like the sound of wings flapping rapidly. She wondered what kind of creature the hatchling was. She had never heard of a Pokémon called Scootaloo, or Renbodash, so they were probably both nicknames. Maybe a Pidgey, or a Ledyba? But she didn't get time to ask Scootaloo what species she was before more clip clopping came. This time it sounded like two pairs of quadrupeds. The older voice, Renbodash, and the "doctor" they were conversing about, most likely. "Ah," a new voice came in, this one belonging to an older male. All these voices were beginning to overwhelm her, and she felt lightheaded. "So you're awake. How are you feeling?" She surveyed her body, all the dull aches and nausea and darkness. Just how was she feeling? She felt...different. "I...I can't see. I hurt, but I...feel kinda numb all over...and I'm really dizzy." "Mmhmm, that was to be expected," the older male, the doctor, replied in a low, soothing voice. "We've put a thick, black cloth over your eyes to block out any alarming sights or sounds that would only serve to make you feel worse. If you're feeling up to it, I can remove it now." Just trying to process those words brought on a new wave of vertigo. She shook her head, and winced as one of the aches became more prominent. "No...I'm not up to it yet. Maybe later..." "Alright then," the doctor said. "But I'm going to have to ask you a few questions, Miss. Are at least up to that?" Talking? I'm still pretty uncomfortable...but this doctor is very courteous. I'd hate to sound rude in comparison. "Okay...ask away." The doctor didn't hesitate. "Miss Rainbow Dash here found you unconscious on the edge of the Apple Family land. She carried you all the way here to Ponyville Hospital on her back." Apple Family? Ponyville? She didn't recognize any of the terms, but the gist was obvious. Renbodash had saved her life. "Th-thanks..." she breathed. "No need to thank me!" Renbodash reacted quickly. "I mean, c'mon. I couldn't just leave somepony lying there without helping them!" The doctor cleared his throat. "The point here being, we know next to nothing about you, Miss. So could you please tell us about yourself?" After she didn't answer, he spoke again. "How about you start with your name?" "M-my name? You mean, like...my species?" "No, Miss. We know that you're a pegasus. But what's your name?" "A...pegasus? Wh-what..." "Hm..." the doctor grunted, deep in thought. "It would seem you have a bit of amnesia. That is to be expected with a concussion. Don't worry, I'm sure your mind is just a bit foggy right now. You haven't suffered any cognitive or mental damage." "Maybe we should leave her alone for a bit, Doc," Renbodash suggested. "Give her some time to remember?" "Yes, perhaps that would be for the best," the doctor agreed. "No, wait...I know my name," the Pokémon interrupted. They said she was a...Pegasus. They must be mistaking her for a different species. So they wanted to know her name? Like most Pokémon, she went by the name of her species, but she DID have a nickname, one her parents gave her, but she preferred not to use it. She decided not to tell these creatures her nickname, and instead her species name. "Flygon," she said. "My name is Flygon." "Good," the doctor said approvingly. "This way we can find out more about you. Where do you live, Miss Flygon?" "I live..." This one took a little longer to remember. "I live...in the Kalos region." "The what-region?" Renbodash interjected. "Hm, there's no place known as the 'Kalos region,' in Equestria, as far as I know," the doctor's deep voice grew confused. "Do you live outside Equestria?" "Wh-what's Equestria?" "It's the country we're in," Scootaloo answered the obvious question proudly. "This town is called Ponyville!" "Oh," Flygon mumbled. "In that case...yes, I live outside Equestria." "That complicates things," the doctor sighed. "It's very difficult to get in touch with other countries across the world, and Equestrian borders are very strict in who passes in and out." "But if that's true, then why and how was she flying around in Equestria?" Renbodash pressed. I wasn't "flying around in Equestria." I was...wait, what was I doing again...? Ugh, I can't seem to remember. Cursed amnesia... "We'll have to ask around about that," the doctor said. "But for now, let's stop grilling Miss Flygon. Our questions seem to be stressing her out." It was true, Flygon was almost panicking from not being able to recall simple things like what she was doing when Renbodash rescued her. "Heh, sorry," Renbodash apologized, placing what felt like a limb with a hard surface on Flygon's shoulder. Though it was hardly more than a pat, it made Flygon suck in a quick breath and flinch away in pain. "Oh...sorry!" Renbodash gasped. "I mean it this time!" You didn't mean it LAST time? Flygon thought in exasperation. "Be careful, Miss Dash," the doctor warned, tsk-ing. "Miss Flygon has some rather severe injuries. Though we have casted painkilling spells, I'd advise against touching." "Severe injuries?" Scootaloo gasped. "What's wrong with her, Doctor Horse?" Doctor Horse, eh? So that's his name... "Not so fast, my little pony," Doctor Horse tsk'd again. "It is her decision whether she is comfortable learning what happened to her. It isn't very polite to pry into these types of things, you know." "Oh...m-my bad," Scootaloo stammered. "No, Doctor," Flygon cut in. "I want to know what happened to me. It's okay if you tell everyone here." Doctor Horse hesitated for a second. "Well, I suppose, if you really want to know...This may shock you, Miss Flygon, but while flying around the border between the White Tail woods and the Apple Family orchard, you were struck by lightning. Do you remember?" Flygon reflected upon that, and after some mental strain, she did find that she recalled a bright flash of light, then seeing the ground rushing up towards her as she fell. A nagging voice in her head told her that it wasn't lightning, that the flash had come from something else, but she ignored the voice. "Y-yes. I think I do." "Good. Well, most of your injuries were from your fall, not from the lightning strike itself. You've been impressively bruised and scratched, but nothing too serious externally. You were very lucky, to hardly have any injuries from the lightning. Especially your wings. They're the most vulnerable to lightning strikes while flying. The main problem is that when you hit the ground, you fractured three ribs. One of which punctured a lung. We had to perform surgery, and though it was successful, you'll have a rather nasty scar on your chest from now on." "Oh...okay." Scars, Flygon could deal with. She already had a few from battling. "How long will it take me to recover?" "If everything goes well, you'll only have to be staying in the hospital for a couple days. We'll bandage you up and you'll be free to go. However, after you leave, you MUST leave your bandages on and take it easy for as long as it takes for your ribs to heal, which should be about...two weeks." "T-two weeks?" The words felt weird coming out of her mouth. What did he say? Take it easy...for two whole weeks? No battling, no high-speed chases, no raiding human cities for two whole weeks?! "Ooh, that's awful..." Renbodash cringed. "I feel you. I once had to spend a day and a night in this place with a broken wing, and I only had to 'take it easy' for one week. It felt like an eternity!" "It isn't as awful as it seems," Doctor Horse condoled. "Two weeks will fly by like lightning...if you excuse the pun. After several days, you'll even be able to fly again. Just be careful not to overexert yourself once you leave." "A...Alright," Flygon sighed. "I'm glad you understand." Flygon shifted a bit, ignoring the dull ache that resulted. Her vision was still black and shadowy. Like Doctor Horse said, it was to prevent even more nausea. But as a Pokémon relying on sight to guide her, the lack of it was distressing her. She fidgeted and tried to blink her eyes, but the heavy black cloth restrained fast ocular movement. "If it's okay, I think I want to take the blindfold off now." "Of course, Miss Flygon," Doctor Horse intoned. She felt him place a limb on the cloth. "But I'd like to warn you, this room is lit very brightly. You're about to feel an extreme amount of nausea. Are you ready?" "Yes. I'm ready." The limb on her eyes shifted upward, dragging the blindfold with it. Yet everything was still dark. Flygon realized her eyes were still shut tightly, blocking off all light. With a gulp that stung her dry throat, she steeled up her courage, dread and curiosity bubbling in her stomach. With one last push from her mind, she opened her eyes wide. White, everything was white. It was a blazing, brilliant light that burned her eyes, but she couldn't close them once again. The radiance focused all of her attention, like a Venomoth drawn towards a lightbulb. Then, her vision focused. Something was wrong. Something was absolutely, terrifyingly wrong. Thanks to her special eye-cases, meant to protect her eyes against the harsh winds and sands of the desert, her world was constantly tinted a warm, comforting magenta. The magenta was gone. Every color was massively intensified. When she was a Vibrava, her world was tinted green. And all the way back when she was a hatchling, a little Trapinch, her world was black-and-white. Now she saw everything. Every sharp, shocking shade she had learned the names of but never truly understood. It was shocking and overwhelming. She started feeling dizzy and lightheaded, and she knew it wasn't only because of her concussion. The world spun in circles and it took all of Flygon's will not to gag and vomit. She felt light-headed and weak. What happened to her eye-cases?! As Flygon started to panic, three odd figures came into view. They looked like...Ponyta, but smaller and more plush. They had no fire in their manes and tails, and their pelts were many absurd colors. The first was--what was that color?--blue with a full spectrum in her mane and tail. The second was small and orange, with a pink mane and tail. The last was taller and built more stockily...a male, maybe? He had a light brown coat and a darker brown mane and tail, wearing a crisp white lab coat. Were they...Pokémon? She had never seen anything like them. They must've been a species she'd never seen before. The bright lights, the startling colors, and the unknown Pokémon were too much for her. She was breathing fast, on the verge of dry heaving. I...I can't... She reached her arms up to cover her eyes. She had to ask to put the blindfold on, she couldn't go on like this... When she tried to cover her eyes, Flygon didn't expect something hard and blunt to painfully smash into her jaw, which felt farther out than usual. What the... She got a closer look at the offending object. It was pea-green, like her scales. Except it was a limb covered in fur and ended with a circular, stiff object. A hoof. She moved her arm, and the furry appendage moved too. Flygon touched the appendage to her face. Sure enough, her eye cases were gone. Her eyes felt much bigger. Her jaw was protruded and her teeth were flat, not sharp. Fur covered her face, and most likely, her entire body. ...Does not compute. "Hey, uh, Flygon? You alright?" Renbodash's tomboyish voice cut through her confusion. Flygon screamed. And then she blacked out.
Take Two...And Take ThreeWhen Flygon's heavy eyes cracked open once again, she refused to be confused. Though the bright lights and different colors made her stomach flip-flop once again, this time she was ready for it. After taking several heaving breaths, she felt the dizziness diminish slightly. Not enough to feel normal, but enough to at least regain her composure. She had to understand everything that was happening around her, obtain all the facts. That was the duty of a true scientist. The throbbing aches in her muscles and bones prevented from swiveling her head around, but she could view the place she was in with her eyes alone. Her bare, distastefully large eyes. The place she was lying in was a dark wooden bed. Her deformed body was lying under a fuchsia blanket. It looked scratchy, but it only felt odd against her new fur. Due to her injured state, Flygon decided it would be best if she didn't remove the blanket. From looking down at herself, she did see white bandages peeking out, tied around her barrel chest, though. That must be where my ribs are. Despite the shock of finding myself in a different body, I want to learn as much about this species as possible. And the place I'm in. She slowly raised her head, a tiny bit. Just that gave her a sharp pain. It seemed the pain-nullifying medication they gave her was wearing off... The floor was tan and tiled. The walls and the curtain hanging next to her bed were blue. The ceiling was painted a bright, nauseating green. Flygon took her attention away from the colors and focused on the monitor hanging from the ceiling. It showed a picture of a skeleton on a black background. The ribcage of the skeleton had three fractured bones. That must be an x-ray of my body, Flygon realized. It looked like the skeleton of a quadruped, a horse-like creature. It would appear I'm the same species as the doctor, Renbodash, and Scootaloo. I have to find out what species this is. I also have to find how I got this way, where I am, and how I got here. What worried Flygon the most was that this hospital strikingly resembled a human hospital, if not a bit less hi-tech. Obviously, the creatures she saw weren't even close to human-like in appearance, but natural Pokémon behavior wouldn't result in this kind of building. Pokémon were equally as intelligent as humans, but they weren't nearly as civilized. The difference between Pokémon and humans was that humans were a much more social species. They formed communities and lived in towns and cities. And humans could pool their intelligence together to further their technological advancement. That's why they were able to invent things like Pokéballs and Potions. So, I can hypothesize that these equine creatures must have a similar social structure to humans. Though I doubt they have invented things as progressive as humans have. These theories were reassuring, but they weren't helping Flygon discover how she got here and why she switched bodies. She'd need primary sources for that. And one of those was her own memory. I need to remember what happened before I woke up in this hospital. Searching her brain, she still hazily remembered the bright flash of light, and falling towards the ground, too stunned to move her wings. The question is, did the lightning strike happen before the transformation, or after? She strained, trying to recall every little detail. Flygon suddenly remembered looking at her paralyzed wings shortly before she hit the ground. They were...feathered. She glanced at the equine body under the blanket. Sure enough, two green, feathered appendages stuck out from her bandages. They were definitely too small to fly with, though. No wonder she couldn't save herself from plummeting. So when she was hit by lightning, she had already changed bodies. That still didn't answer her questions, though. She needed to think farther back. What was her last memory in her normal, Pokémon form? That's right. She was being chased by a group of humans trying to capture her. Exhausted, she had hidden in a tree. But they had found her. And then...and then... She reached into her satchel and pulled out the Dimension Skipper. She used it to create a portal, and jumped through it. That bright flash wasn't lightning, it was the portal! Then she fell to the ground and broke her ribs. After falling unconscious, Renbodash came and brought her to this place... "Ponyville." In the country of "Equestria." She was in a completely different universe! A completely different dimension! No wonder the creatures and their social structure weren't like her world. This new world...It probably didn't have Pokémon, or moves, or regions, or humans. It was hard to comprehend. Everything she knew was turned upside down, and she hadn't even left the hospital bed yet. She felt like a Volbeat trapped in a jar. She needed to go out and see what this new world was like! Flygon was petrified in anxiety, but at the same time, euphoric that the DS was functional for living things. But, wait...just where was the Dimension Skipper? Flygon frantically scanned the room and searched under the covers and on the nightstand next to her bed, ignoring the pain that resulted. She couldn't find her magnum opus anywhere! Where was it?! She clearly remembered picking it up in her talons before plunging into the portal. Oh, no...could it have vaporized while traveling between dimensions? Or could it have been damaged beyond recognition in the fall? Was she trapped here?! The rising wave of panic mixed with her nausea was not a good combination. Flygon screamed. And then she blacked out...again. When Flygon's eyes opened once again, another pair of large, magenta eyes were staring into hers, too close for comfort. "Aaagh!" she shouted in surprise. The eyes pulled back, and Flygon saw that they belonged to none other then Renbodash. She was back. And this time, another brightly colored equine was standing next to Renbodash. This one had purple fur, and a dark mane streaked with pink. A hard protrusion reached out of the purple one's forehead. A horn. Flygon couldn't help but notice that she and Renbodash had those tiny, feathered wings, while this new one had that horn. Different variants of the same species, perhaps? "Oh, you're awake!" Renbodash's already huge eyes widened. "Sorry 'bout that, Flygon." I wonder when she's going to say sorry and actually mean it. The purple equine stared at Flygon. She--Flygon guessed it was a she--seemed both interested and confused. Flygon wondered why. "Are you feeling better?" Renbodash cocked her head. "Earlier today, when we took the blindfold off, you didn't look so good. I mean, you blacked out. Guess you weren't able to handle it yet." "It's not that I was not able to handle 'it,'" Flygon said, irritated. "This is different." She hated it when others questioned her strength. So she blacked out when she had a concussion and found herself in another world, in another body! Who wouldn't in that situation? "How is it different?" the purple one spoke up. Her voice was smooth and intellectual-sounding. "N-no reason..." Flygon stammered. She couldn't just tell them she was from another dimension. They'd put her into a different hospital...a mental one. "A concussion normally wouldn't even faze me." That last part was true. Flygon had a sneaking suspicion that this new body was weaker than her Pokémon form. She supposed she was lucky she transformed into one of the normal species in this world, though. If she had stayed in her normal body, the equines would've thought she was an alien monster. The purple one's mouth quirked up. "So you're tough, hm? I think you and Rainbow Dash here could get along well. I'm Twilight Sparkle, disciple of Princess Celestia. I'm studying the magic of friendship here in Ponyville." Flygon literally had no idea what any part of that meant. "My name is Flygon. It's a pleasure to meet you." Renbodash grinned, showing the same flat teeth Flygon could feel in her mouth with her tongue. "So, Flygon, do you like racing?" She quickly switched into a defensive pose. "Not like you'd ever beat me, though!" "Racing?" Flygon hardly ever raced anyone, except for when she was teaching hatchlings how to fly. The only reason she had to travel fast is if she was being chased. Therefore, she had never raced for as long as she could remember. But I think that being on good terms with these creatures would be optimal in my situation. I'll just have to lie a bit. "Yes, I enjoy racing. It's one of my personal hobbies." "Cool," Renbodash smirked. "Maybe we can race when you get better!" "No," Flygon said, a little more harshly than she intended. Renbodash raised an eyebrow. "I mean, uh, as soon as I am released from this hospital, I would like to go back to my home. My home outside of Equestria." Though I have yet to figure out how I'll be able to accomplish that. "Outside of Equestria? Oh, where do you live?" Twilight Sparkle asked. Flygon felt a pit of empty anxiety in her stomach. This Twilight Sparkle character looked knowledgable. She'd probably know that the Kalos Region didn't exist in Equestria. Flygon would lie, but she didn't know the names of any places in Equestria. Besides, she had already told Renbodash, Scootaloo, and the doctor where she was from. That was a dumb move...If only I'd known I was in a different dimension at that point. Cursed amnesia! "I'm from a place called the Kalos Region," Flygon hesitantly said. "Kalos? I don't think I've ever heard of a place like that," Twilight Sparkle said, just as expected. "It's uh, a remote island. I doubt you'd've heard of it. It isn't on most maps." "Oh," Twilight Sparkle frowned. After a couple seconds, she brightened up. "Maybe you can tell me about it? I love to learn about new places." "Another time, maybe," Flygon said quickly. "Hey, Twilight?" Renbodash interjected. "Why did you want to speak with Flygon again? You said it was pretty important, and--no offense, Flygon--pegasi getting struck by lightning is a pretty common thing. We do fly, after all." Was Renbodash meaning to say that these puny wings could actually get her into the air? There was no way! Unless this species' chemical composition allowed these "pegasi" ignore the rules of gravity like many floating Psychic Pokémon. It was a possibility, and Flygon wanted to ask all about it. But she couldn't without sounding suspicious. After all, she was one of these pegasi. "Oh, yes, that's right," Twilight Sparkle's hint of a smile faded back into a frown of confusion. "I'm terribly sorry to trouble the injured, but I'd like to ask you some questions, Ms. Flygon." She's acting more formal now. She means business. "That's fine. I've been on the receiving end of questions all day, Ms. Twilight Sparkle." "Whoa, what's with you two acting so stiff all of a sudden?" Renbodash questioned. She was ignored. "I was curious, and I asked Rainbow Dash to show me the site where you got struck by lightning," Twilight Sparkle began. She chuckled a bit, but it sounded fake. "After all, it's not everyday when a pegasus gets struck by lightning in the middle of nowhere." "Is that so?" Flygon said, only meaning a little of the sarcasm laced in her voice. Lightning might function differently in this world. Who knows? "Well, I haven't been in Equestria for very long. I wouldn't know." "Mm," Twilight Sparkle made a noise somewhere between a murmur of agreement and a grunt in annoyance. "Anyway, while I was on the site of the lightning strike, I could trace a considerable amount of foreign energy. It wasn't even magic. It was something along the lines of which I've never sensed before." "What!?" Renbodash spun on her hooves and turned to Twilight Sparkle, a shocked expression on her face. "F-foreign energy? Why didn't you tell me, Twi? I didn't feel anything like that when I was there!" Twilight smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, Rainbow. You know I don't like to hide things from my friends. But I didn't want to make a big deal of it before asking the victim herself. I thought she might have an explanation for this." Flygon felt herself grow a bit irritated. "I'd prefer it if you wouldn't talk about me like I'm not here," she said. Twilight Sparkle's purple-gray eyes narrowed. "Then DO you have an explanation for this foreign energy? I've gone through all the possibilities in my mind. Like I said, I've never traced energy like this with my magic before. It's not from any creature that I know--and trust me, I know about a lot of different creatures. It isn't from the Everfree Forest either. I checked with Princess Celestia. There haven't been any breaches of dark magic from the Everfree since the Nightmare Moon incident. What I sensed in that clearing was a magic unprecedented in Equestria. Naturally, I'd find that pretty suspicious." Another monologue Flygon had no understanding of whatsoever. The gist was relatively comprehensible. Twilight Sparkle must've had the ability to trace certain types of electricities and auras, which she called "magic." The electricity from the Dimension Skipper, used to create a rip in time and space itself, was an alien magic to Twilight Sparkle. Flygon realized she wasn't in a very good position. Twilight Sparkle thought the source of the energy had come from Flygon, and deemed her as suspicious. Flygon would have to talk smoothly and learn fast if she was to get back to her world unscathed. Step #1: Recover fast and get out of this hospital. Pokémon healed very fast compared to humans, but there was no telling the recovery rate of these equines. Dr. Horse said it would take a couple days to get out of this hospital. She would be fully healed in a week or two. Fair enough. For humans, broken ribs could take up to two months to heal. Step #2: Find the DS. This was obviously the most important. If she didn't find it, she could be stuck here forever! Perhaps she could rebuild it, but it could take years to get all the parts. Flygon knew it was possible that the DS had already been obliterated during her dimensional travels, but she forced that thought to the back of her mind. Those were the only two goals she could think of. They were merely concepts, basic thoughts that only served to create a guideline to her escape. What Flygon desired to do was question Twilight Sparkle about the whereabouts of the DS. If she had searched Flygon's crash site, she would've seen the DS if it was still existing. Sadly, asking her where a dimensional portal device was would just make Flygon seem even more suspicious. She'd have to hold off her questions for now. "But what does this mean?" Renbodash pressed. Her expression a mixture of surprise, dejection, and aggression. "It means we can't trust Flygon, unfortunately," Twilight Sparkle replied, her eyes flinty. "She's most likely the source. In fact, I can sense the presence of some of the energy right now. It's possible that she possesses a different kind of magic than ponies. It could be a dark magic. She might not even be a pony. She might be a monster from beyond Equestria that's capable of taking on a pony form...like a changeling." "A changeling?!" Renbodash cried. "She's a changeling?! Then lemme at her! There's no way I'm letting those awful things try to take over Equestria again!" Renbodash almost charged at Flygon, but a fuchsia glow surrounded her tail, holding her in place. The source of the colored light seemed to be from Twilight Sparkle's horn, casting a shadow over her face. Levitation! This Twilight Sparkle must be a Psychic Type...no, I can't think like that. I'm not in a land of battles and types anymore. "Calm down, Rainbow," Twilight's horn dimmed, and Renbodash fell to the ground, sharply landing on her hooves. "We're not sure yet." Her gaze shifted to Flygon, who was watching the scene unfold with a look of wary attentiveness. "What do you have to say to these allegations, Ms. Flygon?" I have to be smart about what I say here. From the looks of it, "changelings" are another species besides ponies that are approached with revulsion. "I don't have that much to say," Flygon's words were slow and precise. "I could argue that I'm not a changeling, but it would be in vain. You wouldn't believe me. Since I'm bedridden right now, it would be for the best if you found a way to prove I'm not a changeling." "Hm," Twilight Sparkle seemed to be perplexed by this response. Her eyebrows knotted. "Can't you just cast that spell you used to reveal the changelings when we battled them?" Renbodash suggested, getting in Twilight Sparkle's face. "I could," Twilight started, "but that's a pretty violent spell, meant to cause harm to the pony--or changeling--it's cast upon. If I cast it on Flygon, I'd run the risk of injuring her even more. I wouldn't want to cause harm to a pony, if she is one." "Huh," Renbodash slumped. "Good point. So what do we do?" What do we do indeed. I hope they don't decide to get rid of me now... "I have an idea," Twilight Sparkle said. "Flygon, after you're dismissed from the hospital, I'd like to take you back to my home. Since you don't live in Equestria, I could give you a spare room to stay in until I confirm you're not a danger to us. I'd be running many different magical and technological tests to make sure you aren't a changeling. You'd have to do whatever I told you to. To be bluntly honest, you'd be my lab rat for a couple days. What do you think?" "Well, I don't exactly have a choice, do I," Flygon snorted. Tests in a lab were the last thing she wanted, and the prospect of being Twilight Sparkle's lab rat was horrifying. However, if it was to gain the ponies' trust, that would make it all the more easier to search for the DS without them getting suspicious. It was worth some discomfort to get home as soon as possible. "No, you don't," Twilight Sparkle's voice was stern. "Can I come too?" Renbodash demanded. "You know, just in case she does turn out to be a changeling, and tries to hurt you or Spike. I won't let anything bad happen to my friends!" Twilight smiled, and her eyes crinkled under the lavender fur. She was rather cute when she wasn't so rigid. "Of course. Loyal as always, Rainbow Dash. Let's go; I need to prepare some things down in the lab." "Got it," Renbodash looked at Flygon. "...See you tomorrow." Despite her casual tone of voice, there was distrust in her eyes. "Yes, see you tomorrow, Ms. Twilight Sparkle and Ms. Renbodash." It's clear nothing I say at this point will make them any less suspicious of me. Might as well turn the stiffness up a notch. "Renbodash?" the cyan pegasus repeated. "Uh, my name is 'Rainbow Dash.'" "Yes," Flygon nodded, not understanding her in the slightest. "Renbodash." "No, no, it's 'Rainbow Dash.' Two words. Like, rainbows and dashing." "Oh." Flygon blushed a bit. Rainbow Dash, eh? These ponies sure have weird names...In fact, everything about this place is weird. No matter how curious I am about this alternate dimension, I mostly just wish I was home.
