A New World, A New Family

Chapters

1. Separated
3: Forest of Revelation
4: Life Changes, but we Must Adapt
5: Destiny Awaits
6: Clearing the Air
7: When a Plan Comes Together (Arc 1 finale)
Extra 1: Distant Memory
8: A New Life to Live
9: Fires of Friendship
10. Flames of Love
11. Reflections
Extra 2: Jailbreak
12: Change is in the Air
13. Reunions
14: Crossroads on the Horizon
15: Destined Battle
16. Ghost Story
17. The Question
19. The Angel's Choir (Arc 2 finale)
Extra 3. Knight's Honor
20. Awakening
21. Life or Death
22. Shed Skin
23. Catalyst
24. A Spark to Start the Fire
1Ex25. Another Dream
Prologue: Father Figure
2: Someone Else's Bundle of Joy
18. Frost and Flame

1. Separated

Bon Bon woke up slowly as the morning sunlight trickled into her bedroom and onto her face. She groaned a little at being woken up so rudely, but her displeasure was quickly replaced by curiosity as a familiar scent filled her nostrils.

“Pancakes?” she asked out loud as she rose from her bed and sniffed the air with greater intensity. “Not just any pancakes... Lyra's pancakes.” A warm smile graced Bon Bon's face at the thought of her marefriend's smiling face, her beautiful golden magic aura levitating a pan over their stove, delicious fluffy pancakes taking shape within said pan. Bon Bon quickly got out of bed and trotted downstairs to meet Lyra.

“Morning, Bon Bon,” Lyra said as her marefriend entered the kitchen. “Hope you don't mind, but I decided to get up early and make us pancakes.”

“You're so sweet,” Bon Bon said as she walked over and kissed Lyra on the cheek. “What's the occasion?”

“Oh, nothing special,” Lyra replied as she levitated the pancake onto a plate and set it on the table right in front of where Bon Bon sat down. “Just our anniversary, that's all.”

“Really?” Bon Bon asked. “I can't believe you remembered.”

“Well, why wouldn't I remember the day I started dating the mare of my dreams?” Lyra asked with a smile. “You remembered, didn't you?”

“Of course I did,” Bon Bon replied. “Why else would I have such a fancy” (under her breath, Bon Bon mumbled “and expensive”) “dinner planned for tonight?”

“Really?” Lyra asked as her eyes lit up. “Is it at... the place?”

“The very restaurant where we first kissed,” Bon Bon replied.

“Oh Bon Bon,” Lyra said. “I... I don't know what to say.”

“You'll only need to say yes,” Bon Bon replied with a smile. The smile was partially from seeing the excited look on her marefriend's face, and partially from the thought of a small black box hidden in her bedroom. A box that contained a small circular item that would convey the most important message Lyra would ever receive from Bon Bon.

Will you spend the rest of your life with me?

But Bon Bon would have to keep her mouth shut about that. At least until tonight.

“Then yes,” Lyra said. “Yes I will go to this dinner with you.”

“Thank you, Lyra,” Bon Bon said as she got up and hugged her soon-to-be fiance.

“So, shall we have breakfast first?” Lyra asked. Bon Bon just smiled and kissed Lyra.

“If you're the one who made it, how could I say no?” Bon Bon replied. The two were just about to sit down when a loud CRASH! from outside rocked the whole house, as well as all of Ponyville and most of Equestria, possibly even all of Equus.

“What was that?” Lyra shouted.

“I don't know,” Bon Bon replied. This was followed by what sounded like a chorus of screams of panic coming from outside.

“Something's got the town riled up,” Lyra said.

“What doesn't get this town riled up?” Bon Bon asked. “I'll go outside and see what's going on.” Bon Bon then got up and walked to the front door to see what was going on. Once she opened the door, she looked left down the street. Panicking ponies. She looked right. Panicking ponies. Above her. Panicking ponies. Right at her hooves. Panicking- wait, that wasn't a pony.

”What in Equus?” Bon Bon thought to herself as she leaned down to get a closer look at the creature at her doorstep. It looked sort of like a tiny cross between a dinosaur and a rabbit. It was mostly gray, save for a whitish stomach and a patch of brown where its mane would be if it were a pony. It had tiny pointy ears, stubby legs and arms, and a tail shorter than its other appendages.

And it was curled up in a tiny ball, sound asleep.

“Well aren't you the cutest thing?” Bon Bon asked with a smile. It was right then that Bon Bon was snapped back to reality by more screaming ponies. (Probably ones that saw a sleeping Swampert in the fountain nearby.) “This is no town for something as cute as you,” Bon Bon said as she carefully picked the creature up, carried it inside, and closed the door. She then walked back into the kitchen to show Lyra her discovery.

“So what's going on this-?” Lyra started, but she stopped when she saw what Bon Bon was carrying. “Bon Bon, what is that?”

“I have no idea,” Bon Bon replied. “But isn't it adorable?”

It was right then that the creature began to stir before stretching out and yawning before looking up at Bon Bon with a confused expression.

“Kangaskhan? (Who are you?)” the baby Pokemon asked.

Felix woke up with a terrible headache. One far worse than what he had one time when he and Kanga tried to teach Roo how to use Dizzy Punch and Roo struck Felix right in the side of his head. He was completely disoriented for the remainder of that afternoon and evening, and the ringing in his ears didn't stop until the following day.

And yet, what he was feeling right now was worse than that.

“OH ARCEUS, MY HEAD!” the trainer shouted as he tried to grip the sides of his head. However, for some reason, he wasn't able to reach it. “Unn... looks like I'm gonna have to tough through this one for now.” Though the pain in his head was immense, Felix found the strength to open his eyes. Instantly, sunlight blasted into his retinas like a Cherrim firing Solar Beam right into his face. However, his eyes were able to adjust quickly and he was able to get a view of his surroundings. From what he could tell, he was laying on his side in the middle of a forest. At first, he just figured that some Pokemon had moved him from the clearing he and his team were in to somewhere in the surrounding woods.

“I really hope this isn't Pinky playing another prank,” Felix grumbled. Of all the Pokemon on his team, Pinky was probably the most mature. Even more so than Tartar. Intelligent, philosophical, always has some type of plan for the situation. Heck, she could have been a Slowking if Felix had a King's Rock on him when she evolved. But even then, she could be quite a prankster if she wanted to be. “Alright, Pinky,” Felix called out as he tried to stand up. “You've pulled your prank, but it's gonna take a lot more than moving me a few yards and making my neck about 3 feet longer to-”

At that exact point, Felix probably would have stopped to realize that his neck actually was suddenly 3 feet longer. But he didn't have that chance as a loud roar erupted nearby. “What the-?” Felix started.

“WHERE IS SHE?” the voice roared. Felix looked in the direction of the noise to find a Kangaskhan rampaging towards him. Kanga, Felix quickly recognized the Pokemon to be.

“Kanga, what's going-” Felix started. However, he stopped suddenly when Kanga suddenly Comet Punched him backwards into a tree, leaving him no time to realize that he was actually talking to his Pokemon.

“YOU!” Kanga shouted. “WHO ARE YOU? AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH MY CHILD?”

“What?” Felix asked. “Kanga, it's me, Felix!”

Kanga was about to give Felix another Comet Punch, but stopped suddenly when she heard her trainer's name. “Felix?” Kanga asked. “No, this can't be. You aren't Felix! DIZZY PUNCH!” Kanga then threw an attack by the same name at Felix. Fortunately, Felix was able to duck underneath this one. It was then that Felix saw why Kanga was acting this way.

Roo was missing.

“Kanga, stop!” Felix shouted. “I don't know what's going on, but you have to calm down if we want to find Roo.”

“You can't lie to me!” Kanga shouted. “I know you've done something to her, and if you value your life, you will-”

”Both of you, stop,” a voice boomed from within both their minds. Felix and Kanga quickly looked around before they found a Slowbro standing not too far away from them with an unamused expression on her face. “So childish,” she said out loud while shaking her head.

“Pinky?” Kanga asked. “Is that you?”

“It's me, Kanga,” the Slowbro replied. “And that... is indeed Felix.”

“But... how?” Kanga asked.

“Can someone please explain to me why a, Kanga doesn't recognize me, b, why Pinky isn't acting like she's pulled a prank, and c, why I can suddenly understand you both?” Felix shouted.

“You haven't taken a second to look at yourself?” Pinky asked. “That might be a good idea.”

“Okay...” Felix said as he looked down. “But I don't see how- WHAT IN THE NAME OF ALL THINGS KAWAII?”

Felix looked down, and the first thing he saw was several pink petals surrounding the base of his neck. The second thing was that his neck was three feet long and bright green like the stem of a flower. Felix then tried to raise one of his hands, only to find that it had been replaced by a thick green stub which he assumed to be a leg. Felix then looked behind him to find that he had a small tail that was green like the rest of his body, and three more legs similar to the first one.

Finally, Felix turned to Kanga for the final piece of the puzzle. “Kanga...” Felix started, his voice shaky. “Do I... have antennae?” Kanga did nothing but slowly nod.

“Felix,” Pinky said. “You're a Meganium.”

Felix quickly turned around to face Pinky. “Gee, ya don't say? I could have pieced that together after Kanga told me I had antennae.”

“Sorry, but you were taking a long time examining yourself,” Pinky said with a shrug.

“Felix...” Kanga said as she stepped forward towards the Meganium that was once her trainer. She just stood there for a moment, taking in the sight before her. What was once a beautiful pale face with blue eyes and a perfectly short blonde head of hair topped with a red cap had been replaced by a perfectly round light-green face with big yellow eyes on either side of the head, long yellow antennae that resembled pistils, and, despite the circumstances, a mouth that seemed to naturally curve into an adorable smile. Tossing all of this around in her mind for a second, a thought occurred to Kanga. “Felix, can you remember anything before we blacked out?”

“One of the Metapod we were caring for evolved into a Butterfree and was playing with Roo,” Felix replied. “Why?”

“No reason,” Kanga replied. ”Looks like he doesn't remember the speech I gave him.”

“What speech?” Felix asked.

“How did you-?” Kanga started before turning around and glaring at Pinky. “You never canceled the psychic link?”

“I didn't?” Pinky asked. “Huh... odd.”

“Kanga, what were you talking about?” Felix asked again.

“I'll tell you another time,” Kanga said. “But for right now, we have several mysteries on our hands.”

“You're right,” Felix said. “Where's Roo? Where are we? Why the hell am I a Meganium? Where's everyone else? And, the icing on the cake, what exactly was that 'speech' about? In addition, how come I can't remember a thing about said speech?”

There was a short silence before Pinky set up a psychic link with Kanga. ”You do realize that the speech would be much less awkward now that he's a Pokemon too, right?”

”I know,” Kanga replied. ”But I don't want to overwhelm him. Plus, finding Roo is a little more important right now.”

“Again, I'm still linked to you guys,” Felix said to the two out loud.

“Oh,” Pinky said. “One second...” The Slowbro turned to Felix and her eyes flashed blue for a brief moment. Once the light disappeared, she said “There, you two shouldn't share any more thoughts. At least, I'm pretty sure you won't.”

“Thank you, Pinky,” Kanga said. “Now, next issue. Where's Roo?”

“You and her are close, right?” Pinky asked the Kangaskhan. “Parental bond and that sort of stuff?”

“And you dare to deny it?” Kanga asked.

“I wasn't denying it,” Pinky replied. “I was just trying to explain that, if you let me into your mind, I could probably use the bond you two share, add a little Psychic-type magic to it, and just like that, we've got a baby finder.”

“And you're sure that'll work?” Felix asked.

“Do I look like a Gardevoir?” Pinky replied. “Of course I'm not sure. But if you have a better idea...”

“No, you go right on ahead,” Felix said.

“Thank you.” Pinky then turned to Kanga. “Now I have to warn you, I won't just be looking into your mind, I'm going to be using your mind for this. It might put a little more of a strain on you than you're used to.”

“I don't care,” Kanga said as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Just find Roo... please.”

“Don't say I didn't warn you,” Pinky said as she closed her eyes and reached into Kanga's mind with her psychic powers.

Good, it looks like I can use your bond as a signal. Now just one Psychic attack... sorry about that. I think I've got something. West of here. I think that's a settlement of some sort. More than just a settlement. There's Arceus knows how many buildings, and even more living creatures. The whole surrounding area is fuzzy. Mass confusion all over the place. Roo's somewhere in there, but I can't seem to find her. Maybe if I boost the power...

“GAH!” Kanga shouted as she was suddenly blasted backwards by an overpowered Psychic from Pinky. Slowly getting up and rubbing her head, she glared at the Slowbro and shouted “What was that for?”

“Sorry about that,” Pinky said. “I don't think your mind was strong enough to handle the kind of stress I had to put on it in order to find Roo. I got a general direction, but anything past due west and we're walking blind.”

“What if I helped?” Felix asked while stepping forward.

“Felix, I mean as little offense as possible when I say this,” Pinky replied. “You might be a Meganium now, but your mind is still that of a human, and it's a lot weaker than that of most if not all Pokemon.”

“No offense taken,” Felix grumbled. “But I didn't mean using my mind instead of Kanga's. The way I look at it, Roo sees me as a father figure, so maybe I have a little bit of a bond similar to what she has with Kanga. What if Kanga and I were to put our bonds with Roo together? Would both our minds together be able to handle the kind of stress you need to put on us?”

“Are you sure about that, Felix?” Kanga asked. “I could take the kind of pain Pinky gave me, but I'm not sure how you could take it.”

“You want to find Roo, right?” Felix asked. “Obviously you can't do it alone, so I'm offering to help. Like I always have.”

Kanga was silent. True, Felix was always willing to help with Roo however he could whenever he could, but he never had this kind of resolve before. “I don't know what to say, Felix...” the Kangaskhan finally said. “Thank you.”

“No problem,” Felix replied. He then turned to Pinky. “Fire when ready, Pinky.”

“You two are gonna have to stand a little closer together,” the Slowbro said. “I don't want to waste too much of my own energy linking you two, and that'll be a lot harder if you're even an inch apart.”

“So you're suggesting we...” Kanga started.

“You're gonna have to be pressing up against one another,” Pinky finished. “You might as well be cuddling while you're at it.”

“Real funny,” Kanga said sarcastically. Despite this, she and Felix moved closer together. Close enough to the point where their bodies were pretty much right up against one another. From Kanga's point of view, she could easily see the height difference between her and Felix. Being a Meganium, he was about six inches or so taller than normal, but he was still a little over a foot shorter than her.

“I wasn't joking about the cuddling, by the way,” Pinky said to the two. “It'd be a lot easier if you had more surface area in contact with each other.”

Kanga and Felix just stared at each other for a moment before the Kangaskhan slowly wrapped her arms around her trainer.

“Good,” Pinky said. “Now... it might make things a little bit easier if you two-”

“We're not kissing,” Kanga said sternly. Felix looked up at her with a confused expression on his face, but he stayed silent.

”It was worth a shot,” Pinky thought to herself while smiling. “Alright, I'm gonna need you two to brace yourselves and concentrate as hard as you can on Roo.” Both Kanga and Felix shut their eyes and held each other tightly before they felt Pinky enter their minds.

Wow, this should give me a lot more room to work. Let's see... west. Definitely a large town. Lots of Pokemon all over the place. Half of them Ponytas and Rapidashes, apparently. Aha! I think that's Roo. She's with one Ponyta and one Rapidash. Wait, they feel... odd. Something about them isn't right. Wait a second... what's this?

This time, it was Felix who recoiled, knocking all three of the Pokemon out of their link. “What in the name of Arceus?” Felix asked out loud. He then looked at both his Pokemon with a confused expression on his face. “Pinky, I saw Roo, but I also saw something else. It felt... weird. Like it was given to me despite something else trying to pull it back.”

“Like what?” Pinky asked, trying to hold back a smile.

“I don't know,” Felix said.

“I'm sure it was nothing,” Kanga quickly said while giving a stern glare at Pinky, who only began to noticeably grin.

“No, it was... a memory,” Felix said. “It's just a jumble of words right now, but I definitely see you somewhere in there, Kanga.”

“We don't have time to talk about whatever it is, right now,” Kanga said. “We know where Roo is, we don't have time to worry about a broken memory.”

“You're right,” Felix said. “West of here, right?” He then turned and began walking, stumbling slightly as he tried to walk with four legs that were far shorter than the two long ones he was used to.

“I guess we should follow our trainer,” Pinky said to Kanga. Just before the Slowbro could start moving, though, Kanga stopped her.

“Tell me what you did to him,” Kanga said with an angry tone.

“He had a broken memory,” Pinky replied. “If I'm a Psychic-type and he's my trainer, aren't I supposed to help him out with that sort of thing?” Then, with a devious smile, Pinky added, “Besides, you're the one who decided he was ready to hear what was in that memory. Just a little bit of time, and he'll remember it all clearly.”

“Yeah, well I'm not ready anymore!” Kanga said. “Not while there's a better chance of me and him actually having to-”

“Hey!” Felix called. “Are you two coming?”

“Yes!” Pinky called back before walking towards her trainer. Then, aside to Kanga, she added, “You know your egg groups. You know you like him that much more now.”

“Grr...” Kanga grumbled as she began following the two. It was true, she did like Felix more now that he was not only a Pokemon, but a Meganium. A 'Mon one of whom she used to be rather fond of.

At least until Team Rocket came into the picture that fateful day...

Author's Note

If you figured out who Roo's father was by now, let me just apologize for how contrived/convenient it seems.

Also, lesbian ponies. I warned you. Not comfortable with it? Drop that dislike. See if I care about your homophobia.

3: Forest of Revelation

Deep in the Everfree Forest, Felix, Kanga, and Pinky were trekking through the dangerous woods on their way to the town that Roo was supposed to be in.

“How far away did you say this town was, Pinky?” Felix asked after a while.

“I never said how far away it was,” the Slowbro replied. “I'd guesstimate about a day's walk if we move uninterrupted, but we might be looking at a day and a half or more if we want to sleep tonight.”

“Oh,” Felix said. “I guess all we can do is hope Roo isn't frightened and she's being taken care of.”

Meanwhile at Lyra and Bon Bon's house...

“And then there's the Pokemon Wynaut, which is the pre-evolution of Wobbuffet, but its discovery stayed exclusive to the Hoenn region for a few years before it came to Kanto and Johto...”

“Don't worry,” Pinky reassured. “I'm sure she's fine.”

This reassured Felix a little, but upon looking at Kanga, who was walking next to him, he realized that she wasn't entirely comforted. “Are you alright, Kanga?” the Meganium asked.

The Kangaskhan just sighed. “Honestly, no. I'm not alright,” she replied. “My only daughter is missing, stuck in some town full of Arceus-knows-what kind of Pokemon and the same for how many. I don't know if she's alright, I don't know what she's doing, I don't know if she's being cared for....” Kanga shook her head before continuing. “It's really difficult being a mother who doesn't know how her baby is faring.”

Felix was silent for a moment, expecting Kanga to say something else. When she didn't speak further, Felix said “Try not to stress about it too much. Roo's more mature than either of us give her credit for. I'm sure she's ok on her own.” Kanga once more shook her head in response to this.

“I don't know,” she said. “I just don't know, and it's such a pain not knowing. It's almost as if-”

“Shh!” Felix suddenly said. “Did you hear that?”

All three Pokemon stopped dead in their tracks. “What do you hear, Felix?” Pinky asked.

Felix was silent for a moment, trying to listen for the sound he heard again. “I... don't know...” the Meganium replied. “I sounded like- shh! There is is again.”

After another moment of silence, Kanga spoke up. “Felix, I don't think-”

“Shh!” Felix repeated. “I know I hear something. I think it sounds like... crying? Screaming? A combination of pain and sadness. It sounds muffled, but...”

“Felix, I don't hear anything,” Pinky said. “And I can't even pick up any negative thoughts in our vicinity.”

“I know I hear something,” Felix said. “I know... it's nearby...” Felix then turned to Kanga. “Kanga, take a step backwards. Please.”

“But why?” the Kangaskhan asked.

“Because you stepped on something,” Felix replied.

With a look of confusion on her face, Kanga stepped backwards to find that there was a crushed plant under her foot. It looked like a mangled mess of leaves and pink petals thanks to the Kangaskhan's foot.

“That's what was screaming?” Kanga asked. “But I don't see how... Felix, what are you doing?”

Ignoring his Pokemon's comments, Felix stepped forward and knelt down to the point where he was at about eye-level with the plant. “Shh, shh,” Felix said in a consoling to the plant. “What's the matter?”

“Felix, are you talking to a plant?” Kanga asked.

“Yes he is,” Pinky replied as she walked up next to Kanga. “But fear not, for your trainer hasn't gone crazy.”

Meanwhile, Felix was still busy consoling the mangled plant. “Shh, shh, she didn't mean it. She just didn't see where she was going.” … “No, she's not a monster, she's a Kangaskhan.” … “A Pokemon.” … “Oh, please stop calling her that. She's my best friend, and I know she didn't want to hurt you.”

Kanga flinched a little when Felix called her a “friend,” but she didn't say anything. Instead, she turned to Pinky. “What's even going on here?”

“Felix is a Grass-type,” Pinky explained. “I've heard that most Grass-types have the ability to communicate with plants. Especially in the case of Pokemon like Meganium who are more closely related to plants than, say, a Chesnaught.” Pinky then turned back to watch Felix, who was still trying to comfort the plant. “Let's see how long it takes him to realize what makes Meganium special in this case.”

“I'm sorry, little one,” Felix said to the plant. “You had so much to live for. But please, don't die angry at Kanga.” … “I wish there was something I could to, too.” As he heard the plant's crying cease, Felix let out a loud sigh before getting up and walking towards Pinky and Kanga, the latter of whom looking confused, but the former of whom with a near expressionless face. “What? I heard it crying, and I just.... Actually, I honestly don't know what just happened. I just felt... compelled to comfort it.”

“Well your comforting paid off,” Pinky said. “You might wanna turn around and take a second look at your new friend.”

Felix turned around to see that the crushed plant had begun to glow. Faintly at first, but then it grew to a more intense white light. Then, as though by some magic, the petals and leaves that had broken off floated back into place, the stems straightened back up, and everything that was torn seemed to become completely repaired. Within seconds, the plant was returned back to its former condition. A small group of four pink flowers with a base made almost entirely of sweet-smelling leaves.

“D-Did I do that?” Felix asked as he turned around and looked at Pinky with a shocked expression on his face.

“I thought you knew of a Meganium's natural ability,” Pinky replied. “Your breath has the wondrous ability to revive dead plants. Even if they're completely mangled like that one was.”

“I... can do that?” Felix asked. “That's awesome! I mean, I knew about that power Meganium had, even though I'd forgotten about it recently, but to actually wield that power....” Felix then turned around to the plant he had just revived. “Aw, you're welcome.” … “Hey, keep saying that, and she just might have to step on you again.” … “Oh calm down. I'm just kidding.”

Meanwhile, Kanga could only stare at the sight before her. ”I knew it from the day I met him,” she thought. ”His kind heart, his unrelenting spirit, his willingness to help those in need, no matter how small or insignificant. And now he actually is a Meganium... exactly like Roo's father.”

“Alright, I guess we'll see you another time,” Felix said to the plant. He then turned back to his Pokemon. “Good news, guys. Flores here said that he knows an apple tree not too far from here, and since we helped this little guy, the apple tree would gladly offer us a late lunch.”

“An apple tree?” Kanga asked. “Well, I suppose we aren't going to cover much ground on empty stomachs. Besides, a late lunch is better than no lunch.”

“You sure he doesn't know any Oran Berry trees around here?” Pinky asked.

“I asked Flores, and he told me he has no idea what an Oran Berry is,” Felix replied. “Maybe it's just because he's a regular flower or maybe Oran Berries just don't grow in the forest we're in. If I still had arms, I'd shrug right about now.”

“Well, apples are better than nothing, I suppose,” Pinky said. “But if Oran Berries really don't grow in this forest, let's just hope we don't have to have an encounter with any wild Pokemon.”

“That might not be an issue,” Felix replied. “Flores also said he had no idea what a Pokemon was, so my guess is, for one reason or another, we're the only Pokemon in this forest.”

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the trio, two pairs of huge, piercing red eyes were watching them from above, both pairs belonging to two of the most dangerous Pokemon discovered in Kanto.

“Let's hope that flower was right,” Kanga replied to her trainer before the three made their way to the apple tree Flores mentioned, the two Bug-type Pokemon following closely, careful not to reveal their presence.

“...Shellos is an odd Pokemon, though,” Roo continued. “It was the first Pokemon discovered where, though its species was the same, its coloring could be different without it being shiny, and its form would be different naturally rather than if certain conditions are met, unlike Castform or Deoxys. Depending on Shellos' habitat, of course. It's different from Spinda, though, because Shellos' forms are set rather than the randomized spot patterns on a Spinda. It's also different from the differences between the two Nidoran because both male and female had enough distinctions to let them be classified as different species altogether. But back to Shellos...”

After about five minutes, Felix, Kanga, and Pinky had made it to the apple tree. As opposed to most of the other trees in the forest, which were dark and foreboding, this tree had bright green leaves, a trunk that was a lighter shade of brown, and, above all, huge red apples growing in it.

“Um... hello?” Felix said to the tree. … “Yes, I know I'm not actually a plant. Hey, do you know a small flower named Flores?” … “My name is Felix, not 'Flower of Life'.” … “Yes, I know my breath can bring life. That doesn't mean that's what my name is based off of.” … “No, she's a Pokemon, like me and the pink one.” … “Man, the plants in this forest are talking like they've never even heard of Pokemon or Oran Berries or anything. It's like we're not even on Earth.” … “Hold on... say that again?”

Felix was silent for an unusually long time. “What's it saying now?” Kanga asked.

The Meganium slowly turned around with an astonished expression on his face. “You guys aren't going to believe this,” he said. “According to Abel, we really aren't on Earth right now.”

“What?” both of Felix's Pokemon asked in the same astonished tone.

“What's that supposed to mean?” Pinky asked.

“At a guess, that means we're on an alien planet,” Felix replied. “Maybe the one Clefairy and/or Deoxys are from.”

“No, that can't be,” Pinky said. “That would be physically impossible.” Just then, Shelly bit down hard on her host's tail. “AH! UNLESS SOME OUTSIDE FORCE WITH FAR GREATER POWER THAN WE COULD COMPREHEND WAS IN PLAY!” she shouted. The Slowbro took moment to recover from her shout before turning to Shelly. “Thanks Shelly. You always know when I need a boost.” The Shellder probably would have smiled in reply if its mouth wasn't still around Pinky's tail.

“I suppose that's one theory,” Kanga said. She then turned to Felix. “That could also explain how... this happened.” The Kangaskhan gestured to Felix's whole body.

“Could be the work of a Legendary Pokemon,” Felix concluded. “But I don't see how we'll be able to get to any definite conclusions on empty stomachs.” Felix then turned to Abel the Apple Tree and looked like he was listening for a moment before speaking again. “Flores told me you two were good friends.” … “Oh, the whole forest is connected? Every plant is linked to one another?” … “Every plant and animal. Okay. But what about Pokemon?” … “You mean there's no Pokemon on this planet? Odd.” … “Yes, I believe those strange creatures you're talking about are, indeed, Pokemon.” … “I really don't have time to answer questions right now. We have a lost child and we're trying to find her, but it's a long walk to where she is.” … “Yes, we are going to need food.” … “Could we please just have some of your apples?” … “I have no idea what a Timber Wolf is, but if that's what it takes, I'll be sure to keep an eye out for him.” Felix then turned to Pinky. “Go ahead and grab a few apples, but if we see something that looks like a Mightyena made of branches lying injured on our way to Roo, remind me to heal it.”

“Alright,” Pinky said. She was about to turn to the apple tree and use Psychic to grab a few apples, but it was then that a thought occurred to her. “Hey, Felix, if you're a Grass-type, can't you use Vine Whip or something to grab a few apples yourself?”

Felix was silent for a moment while he tossed this thought around in his head. “I don't know, actually,” he finally replied. “I mean, I know a Chikorita can learn Vine Whip if it's hatched with the move, but its pretty weak; and most of the time, that move is forgotten in favor of a stronger move.” Felix was silent for a moment before continuing. “Then again, I suppose a quadrupedal Grass-type or one who just doesn't have arms would have to keep their ability to at least use vines as appendages in order to grab food and other things. Yeah, I could probably use Vine Whip to grab some apples. The only question is how do I use the move?”

Pinky and Kanga looked at each other for a moment before turning to Felix. “Well for us, using a move like that is as natural as any ordinary movement would be for you,” Pinky said. “My first guess would be to just try.... Form a mental image of yourself using Vine Whip, and then go from there. See how that works.” Pinky then turned to Shelly. “Shelly, don't bite down just yet. I want to see how this idea works first.”

“Okay,” Felix said. He then turned to the apple tree, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes. “Vine Whip... I want to use Vine Whip...” Felix took another moment to try to get the mental image a little clearer before he opened his eyes to find that two vines, just slightly darker in color than the rest of his body, had sprouted from the base of his neck and were hanging in the air in front of him. “Did I do it?” Felix asked as he tried to move the vines around. He tried to send them forward a little. Success. He called them back and then pointed them both to the left. As natural as breathing. “Wow! A few hours as a Meganium and I think I've already mastered this body.”

“Well, you've mastered Vine Whip,” Pinky said. “Well, if you really have mastered it, let's see if you can grab some apples with those vines of yours.”

“No problem,” Felix said. He then turned around and threw his vines forward, both of them quickly wrapping around two apples. “Sorry if this hurts a little, Abel,” he said before yanking the vines back, both apples coming down as well. Felix then tossed the two apples to Kanga and Pinky, the former of whom almost fumbled her apple before getting a grip on it, and the latter grabbing the apple with her psychic power just before it hit her in the face.

“Wow,” Kanga said as she looked back and forth between Felix and the apple in her hand. “You could fool a lot of Pokemon if you told them you've been a Meganium your whole life.”

“Well, I've always been a fast learner,” Felix said as he used his vines to grab one more apple for himself. He then brought the apple up to his mouth and took a bite out of it. After chewing and swallowing the bite, his face quickly lit up. “Woah, this apple's delicious! I don't know what planet we're on, but it definitely has better apples than the ones back on Earth.”

“I suppose I'll agree,” Pinky replied after she took a small bite of her apple.

“Yeah, it is pretty good,” Kanga said, having to stop herself from eating the entire apple whole. “Almost as good as-” The Kangaskhan stopped suddenly, her ear twitched, and she looked to her left. “Felix, Pinky, I don't think we're alone here.”

“You're right,” Pinky said. “I thought I'd sensed other Pokemon around us earlier.”

Felix finished his apple, tossed the core aside, and ran up to the other two. “You mean we might have to battle something?”

“I don't think so,” Pinky said. “I think these two were just following us because they wanted a snack.” Pinky then turned to the bush where the rustling noise was coming from. “You two, show yourselves before I pull you out of there!”

A small “Eep!” was heard from the bush before a Butterfree flew out. “Don't hurt me or my brother,” it said. “We just wanted some apples.”

“Wait a second...” Kanga said. “I think I recognize you. Before you blacked out, you were playing with a baby Kangaskhan, correct?”

“Actually, that was my brother,” the Butterfree replied. “I was still a Metapod when that was happening. Hey, how did you know he and I blacked out in the first place?”

“Because that baby Kangaskhan your brother was playing with was my daughter,” Kanga replied.

“Oh yeah, I recognize you now,” Butterfree said. “Yeah, my brother had all kinds of fun with your daughter.” The Butterfree then turned around and called to the bush. “Come on out, bro. They're those same Pokemon from yesterday.”

“Really?” another voice asked from the bush. Instantly, another Butterfree leapt out of the bush and flew over next to his brother. He then cocked her head to the side as he looked at the three Pokemon before him curiously. “I know I recognize two of you. Kanga and Pinky if I remember right.” The fun Butterfree then flew a little closer to Felix. “I don't think I know you, though.”

“I'm their trainer, Felix,” the Meganium replied. “Well, I used to be. Then whatever this is happened.”

“You got turned into a Pokemon?” the fun Butterfree asked. “I think I saw that happen once before. Back when I was a Caterpie, I saw this boy with green hair turn into a Zoroark. No, wait, that was just Zoroark's Illusion. Never mind. This is the first time I've seen a human turn into a Pokemon.” Butterfree then turned around and looked at Kanga curiously. “Hey, where's your daughter?”

“We were looking for her,” Kanga replied. “She's lost in some town a ways from here, and we were on our way to-”

“Hey, quick question,” Felix interrupted. “Sorry, Kanga, but this was kinda bothering me. Don't Butterfree usually feed off of nectar from flowers or something?”

“We tried,” the boring Butterfree replied. “But all the flowers around here are weird. We tried getting nectar from several, and all of them tried to eat us. It was then that we noticed you guys. We thought you were familiar, but we didn't pay much mind to that when we heard you talk about apples. Those were our favorite food as Caterpie, so we just thought maybe we'd try those and hope we don't get eaten by an apple tree.”

“Well, I don't think this one has any plans to eat us anytime soon,” Felix said. “You two can grab a couple for yourselves, but first I have to ask the tree if he's ok with it.”

“Huh?” the fun Butterfree asked.

“Grass-types can communicate with trees and other flora,” Pinky explained.

“That's... cool?” the fun Butterfree replied.

“What do you mean 'butterfly'?” Felix continued to the tree. “I said 'Butterfree'.” … “Yes, they're Pokemon too.” … “Also good friends of mine.” … “Thank you very much.” Felix then turned to the two Butterfree and nodded. Both of the Butterfly Pokemon then flew up and each grabbed an apple.

The fun Butterfree was the first to take a nibble of the apple. “Oh wow!” he shouted. “This is way better than the apples we'd have has Caterpie!”

The boring Butterfree was a little more reluctant to eat his apple, but hearing his brother's words, he decided the apple was worth a taste. Similarly to his brother, he took a nibble of it, and he instantly lit up. “Well, I guess these apples are pretty good,” he said.

“The apples around here are a lot different from the ones you might be used to,” Felix said before grabbing another apple and taking a bite out of that one. “I dunno what planet we're on, but it has great apples, so that's a plus.”

“What does that mean?” the fun Butterfree asked. “When you said 'what planet we're on', I mean.”

“Oh, I guess you don't know,” Pinky said. “By some mysterious force, we've all been transported from our old world to some new alien planet. At the moment, the consensus amongst the three of us is that it's the work of a Legendary Pokemon.”

“Really?” both Butterfrees asked, their compound eyes somehow widening.

“Well, the 'alien planet' thing is all we know for sure,” Kanga said with a shrug. “We're still not 100% sure how Felix was turned into a Meganium.”

It was then that Felix had finished his apple. “Still, that's a mystery we need to save for later,” he said. “The sun's going down, and we should probably get moving. Also, these apples are remarkably filling! Whatever planet this is, the apples are definitely something else.”

“I'll agree with both of those points,” Kanga said. “It's killing me not knowing how Roo's doing.”

“Then I guess we should get going,” Felix said. However, he was stopped when the fun Butterfree flew in front of him.

“Um... Felix?” he said. “Could we come with you?”

“Why?” Felix asked.

“Well, my brother already told Kanga, but you don't know yet. Since we were Caterpie, it's been our dream to travel with a trainer. I mean, I know you're not a human anymore, but...”

“Sure,” Felix said with a smile. “If you want, I can take you two with me.”

“Really?” the Butterfree asked. “That's awesome!” He then rushed up and hugged Felix's neck, followed shortly by his boring brother hugging Felix from behind. “Thank you, thank you, thank you, Felix!”

“You're welcome,” Felix said. “Now, could you please get off my neck? You're kinda weighing me down and it's a little hard to breathe.” Both Butterfree quickly got off of Felix and flew over in front of him.

“We can't thank you enough, Felix,” the boring Butterfree said. “But, if you could do us one more favor, we've also always wanted nicknames.”

“Oh, that's easy,” Felix said. “The fun Butterfree?” the same Pokemon flew forward slightly. “How would you like the name 'Butters'?”

“Butters...” Butters said as he thought about the name for a moment. “I like it. Thanks.”

“You're welcome,” Felix replied. “And the boring Butterfree, how does 'Breeze' sound?”

“It's definitely a lot better than 'the boring Butterfree',” Breeze said. “Actually, I think I really like that name. Thank you, Felix.”

“You're both welcome,” Felix said. “The only thing I can't provide for you is a Pokeball, but something tells me you wouldn't be big fans of that anyway.”

“Yeah, that's the only reason we haven't tried harder to get caught,” Butters said with a shrug.

“Well then, Butters and Breeze, you might not be my Pokemon, but you can definitely be my, no, our friends on this trek to find Roo,” Felix said. He then turned to Pinky. “Alright Pinky, which way do we go again?”

“West,” Pinky replied. “Same direction as the sunset.”

“Right,” Felix said. He then looked up, just barely seeing the sun beginning to sink beneath the canopy of the Everfree. “We can probably move a little further, but we'll have to stop soon if we want rest.”

“Okay,” Kanga said. The five then began moving again, but Felix stopped for a moment to massage the side of his head with one of his vines. “Are you alright, Felix?”

“Yeah,” Felix replied. “Just a little headache. It's nothing.” He then began kept moving.

“Not long before his memory's fixed,” Pinky said with a sly smile as she walked by Kanga.

“Why you little...” Kanga growled before following the others. It was true, though. Kanga knew she only had a couple hours before she had to face Felix about the conversation she had with him back on Earth. She wasn't sure if Felix had gotten over all the changes that he had just gone through, and she wasn't sure if he'd be able to handle everything Kanga said whether he was over his new body or not. And above all, she wasn't sure if she was ready to confront him about it. At least, not now that she really had to follow through with it.

Author's Note

You probably thought we'd never see the Metapod brothers again. Well, if you thought that any more than two days ago, you would have been right. They were originally supposed to be there just to showcase Felix's caring personality, but now they're back and joining Felix and the others to find Roo.

You make it sound like some grand quest. But seriously, how can even Butters and Breeze not guess that I'm the one who brought everyone to Equestria?

Wait a second! What are you doing here? This story's non-canon!

That doesn't mean I can't pop by just to say hi. I am a god, after all.

Well, Arceus' sudden appearance aside, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Trust me, I've got some more interesting stuff in store for later chapters. Until next time, goodbye.

4: Life Changes, but we Must Adapt

"Don't ask me how, since I wasn't hatched yet, but that's the day everyone found out Clefairy was a Fairy-type," Roo continued to Lyra and Bon Bon. "That discovery was followed by Mawile, Granbull, and Gardevoir, in that order. At least that's what Felix told me." Roo would have continued, but she saw that Bon Bon was falling asleep and Lyra was dozing off. “Oh, I must have started monologuing again...” Roo then got up, walked over to Bon Bon, and tapped her gently on the head.

“CHURROS!” Bon Bon shouted as she leapt backwards and landed flat on her back, the sound of the impact jolting Lyra awake as well.

“What's going on?” Lyra asked as she saw Bon Bon lying on her back and Roo standing on the table at about eye-level with the unicorn, the Pokemon looking slightly sheepish.

“I'd guess Bon Bon was dreaming about churros,” Roo replied.

“Yes, and it was a rather pleasant dream, too,” Bon Bon grumbled as she got back to her hooves. “How long was I asleep?”

“I think you fell asleep around the time when Roo was talking about that garbage bag thing,” Lyra replied. She then turned to the Pokemon. “Really sorry about dozing off, by the way.”

“Oh, it's no problem,” Roo replied. “Like I've said before, I have a problem with talking too long too often.”

Bon Bon simply smiled at this. ”Just like a foal,” she thought. ”Give her a topic, and she'll talk until trees stop producing oxygen.”

“Wait a second, what time is it?” Lyra asked. She then turned around to look at a clock that was hanging on the wall. It was about 8:45 in the evening.

“Oh no!” Bon Bon shouted. “The reservation was for 9 o' clock! There's no way we'll be able to get ready, get out the door, and get there in 15 minutes. Plus, what would we do with Roo?”

“Sorry,” Roo said. “I'm guessing it's because of me that you two won't be able to make it to your dinner.”

“It's ok,” Lyra said. “If I remember correctly, that restaurant is pretty lenient with postponing reservations. Besides, even if this date won't be on our anniversary, the sentiment will be the same. Right Bon Bon?”

“I guess that's true,” Bon Bon said with a sigh. “So much for proposing tonight,” she thought.

“Wait a second,” Roo said. “You said something about dinner, reservations, and I distinctly heard the word 'anniversary.' Are you two mates?”

“Well, sort of,” Lyra replied. “Not officially yet, but we are in love with each other.”

“Okay,” Roo replied.

“Wait, you're not even going to question the fact that we're both mares?” Bon Bon asked.

“I don't know what a 'mare' is, but I'm guessing that means 'female,'” Roo replied. “But no, Felix told me about humans who like others of the same gender before. He never had a problem with them, and while it's a kind of odd concept for Pokemon, me and the rest of Felix's team were taught to accept these kinds of relationships.”

“Oh, good,” Bon Bon said. “Now we don't have to kick you out of our house.” Both mares laughed a little at this, and Roo just kinda laughed nervously. “Oh calm down, I could never abandon something as adorable as you.”

“Speaking of, nopony's come by looking for her yet,” Lyra said. “I'd have thought someone would show up by now.”

“I know Mamma and Felix are looking for me,” Roo said. “Every time I get lost, all I usually have to do is hang out, stay calm, and wait for them to find me. Oh! I should tell you about this time when I got lost in Pinwheel Forest.”

“No, that's alright,” Bon Bon quickly said. “We can save that story for tomorrow. I think it's about bedtime now.”

“Is it?” Roo asked. “Funny. Usually by the time 8 o' clock rolls around, I'm out like a-” Roo wasn't able to finish her sentence before she quickly fell flat on her back, sound asleep.

“Aw,” Lyra said with a smile. “I'd heard stories of foals doing that, but I didn't think it actually happened in real life.”

“She is pretty adorable,” Bon Bon said. She then turned to Lyra. “Hey... if nopony comes around looking for her, do you want to adopt her?”

Lyra turned and looked at her marefriend with a shocked expression. “R-really?” the unicorn asked. “But I thought we planned on adopting a zebra foal.”

“Well, yeah...” Bon Bon said. “But we've talked over and over again about how complicated that would be. But here, right here in front of us, is a child who needs us right now, and all we need to do to take her in is just promise to take care of her.” Lyra was looking down while thinking about this, but Bon Bon walked up to the unicorn and lifted her chin up. “Hey, there's nothing to worry about. You and me, there's nothing we can't manage together, and there's no doubt that includes taking care of Roo.”

Lyra returned Bon Bon's smile. “You're right, Bon Bon,” the unicorn said. “Why would I doubt that we'd make great parents?” Just then, a thought occurred to Lyra. “Oh, I should head out to that restaurant and reschedule our dinner.”

Bon Bon smiled and kissed her marefriend on the cheek. “Is there any limit to how sweet you could be?” she asked.

“Not as long as I can keep seeing that smile of yours,” Lyra replied, returning the smile. She then turned and trotted out of the building. “I'll bring back some takeout.”

“Alright,” Bon Bon called back. Lyra then walked out of the door, leaving Bon Bon alone with Roo, who was still fast asleep, but now curled up into a tiny ball. The earth pony walked up and looked down at her. Much to the pony's dismay, though, she saw that the young Kangaskhan was crying softly in her sleep.

“Felix...” Roo mumbled as a tear streamed down her face. Bon Bon had no doubt Roo was dreaming about her missing family. In response to this, Bon Bon gently stroked Roo's head. Fortunately, this seemed to calm her down a little.

“Don't worry, Roo,” Bon Bon whispered. “If nopony comes for you, Lyra and I won't abandon you.”

”Kangaskhan, go. Take our child and get out of here. I'll be fine.”

“But Meganium-”

“GO!”

Kanga was reluctant to leave her mate, but the Team Rocket grunts were closing in fast. With a nod, Kanga turned and ran into Glittering Cave at top speed with her newborn snug in her pouch. She wasn't able to get far enough away to hear the pained cries of Meganium, though. She also heard the shouts of the humans he was fighting, but even Kanga knew that Meganium was woefully outmatched.

Suddenly, there was one final scream. Then... silence.

Kanga jolted awake quickly, sweating and panting from the nightmare she just had. She sat up and looked around. She, Felix, and the others had chosen a small clearing to rest for the night. Much to the Kangaskhan's relief, she saw that the nightmare wasn't real. She was still there. Pinky and Shelly were sleeping not too far away to her left, and Butters and Breeze were sleeping in a pair of branches not too far above her. But when she looked to her right, where she expected to see Felix curled up and sound asleep, he wasn't there.

“Felix?” Kanga quietly called to the night.

“He woke up and went for a walk about fifteen minutes ago,” Kanga heard Pinky said. The Kangaskhan turned around to see that Pinky had stood up and was rubbing her eyes. Kanga looked up at the moon to try to tell what time it was. About 1 o' clock, she guessed. “He told me he had a 'strange dream,' and wanted to find somewhere to clear his mind.”

“His memory's fixed now, isn't it?” Kanga asked. Pinky nodded slowly. Kanga simply sighed. “Then I guess he knows everything I said before.”

Pinky walked up and put her hand on Kanga's shoulder. (Which was a bit of a stretch for the Slowbro.) “Kanga, it was you who told him everything,” she said. “What makes it so hard to admit it all of a sudden?”

“You know about Roo's father,” Kanga replied.

“And why would that make a difference?” Pinky asked. “You don't know this, or maybe you've guessed because you know how nosy I can be, but I know how you've thought on more than a few occasions that Felix was like your old mate but in a new body.”

“And that's what makes it that much more awkward,” Kanga replied. “I can't just walk up to him and say 'Hey, Felix, I wanted you to know that Roo's deceased father was also a Meganium and he had the exact same personality as you. And while we're on the subject, let me mention that that's the primary reason why I love you.' Can you imagine how creeped out he'd be?”

“Well, you don't have to word it quite like that,” Pinky said. “Maybe you could just try talking to him. Don't bring up Meganium just yet if you don't have to. Your relationship with Felix at the moment is shaky enough as is. Focus on stabilizing the raging maelstrom that makes up his thoughts at the moment, then go from there.”

Kanga was silent for a moment before replying. “You know, that just might work,” she finally said. “Thanks, Pinky. I didn't think you could give such great advice.”

“Well you just never listened to me,” Pinky replied with a slight smile. “Now go. I think he went that way.” The Slowbro pointed to a trail to her east.

“Thanks,” Kanga said. She then turned and headed in the direction Pinky indicated.

Meanwhile, not too far from where the two Pokemon had just finished their conversation, Felix was sitting in another clearing, this one smaller, with a Weedle sitting on a rock next to him.

“I'm not crazy, am I?” Felix asked the Weedle after he finished explaining his dream. “There's no way it actually happened, right? I mean, sure I've been a big help with raising her child, but for her to basically ask to be my girlfriend?”

The Weedle was silent for a moment before replying. “Wait, was I supposed to be paying attention?” he asked.

“No,” Felix replied. “I was talking to that patch of moss you're standing on.” The Weedle looked down to find that he was, indeed, standing on some moss. “Well you don't have to use such harsh language,” Felix continued, this time to the moss.

“Hey, can I answer your first question for you?” the Weedle asked. Without waiting for Felix to reply, he said, “No, you are very crazy. String Shot!” The Weedle then used the move it called and fired some sticky string onto Felix's face before turning and scuttling off.

“Both of you, huh?” Felix asked as he used Vine Whip to wipe the string off his face. Just then, he heard a twig snap behind him. The Meganium turned around quickly, ready to defend himself against whatever was sneaking up on him, only to find that it was Kanga who was behind him. “Oh... hi Kanga...” Felix said as he looked down and away from his Pokemon.

“Hi Felix,” Kanga said, walking forward and sitting next to Felix. The two sat in an awkward silence for a moment before Kanga made a desperate attempt to break it. “Is... something on your mind?”

Felix glanced at Kanga, but his head was still angled down and he wasn't making eye contact with her. “Yes,” he finally said. “But I don't really want to talk about it.”

Kanga sighed. “Talking might help-” she started.

“I said I don't want to talk about it,” Felix replied in a tone slightly louder than normal. “I just... wanted some time alone. To think about it, I mean.”

There was another pause before Kanga spoke up again. “You know why I said all of that, right?”

“It was for Roo, I know,” Felix replied. “But even for her, for us to be... I thought I told you I didn't want to talk about it.”

“Felix, the sooner we can get over this issue, the sooner both of us can get any restful sleep,” Kanga said. “You and I both know that.” When Felix didn't speak up, Kanga continued. “Felix, there's something else you need to know. About Roo's father. That might put this situation into perspective.”

“That was a little bonus Pinky added in when she fixed my memory,” Felix replied. “At least at this point, that's what I'm assuming happened. I know everything about him.”

“Oh?” Kanga asked. Then, with a slight growling tone, she said, “Remind me to thank that lying little Slowbro of yours next chance I get.”

Felix turned around and faced Kanga. From this angle, Kanga could tell by his expression that he was both confused and exhausted. “Kanga...” Felix said. “I can understand where you're coming from with all of this. If our lives and situations were switched, I have no doubt I'd consider asking the same from you. But the thing is... a relationship like ours just wouldn't... work.”

“Wouldn't work?” Kanga asked. “How so?”

“Because you're a Pokemon and I'm, or I used to be, human,” Felix replied. “And even still, even with this new body that I got from who-knows-where, I'm still a human on the inside. I'm sorry, but... I just don't feel like it would work. I just... can't. I can't think straight... hell, I can still barely comprehend everything that's happened today. This, you confessing your love to me, it just doubles up everything that's on my plate right now. I don't blame you for any of it by any means, but....” Felix finished his sentence with a stressed groan. “Look, I just don't want to deal with any of this right now. I just want to sit here, alone, in this clearing, look up at the moon, and let my thoughts settle down before I deal with any of them, alright? I've had a bad day, and all I want to do is-”

Felix wasn't able to finish his sentence. He wasn't even allowed to process the thought anymore. Kanga could see that his trainer was in dire need of consolation. He didn't know what to do, and quite frankly, she didn't either. So, without thinking her action through, she leaned forward, grabbed the back of Felix's head with both her arms, and pulled him in for a kiss. The Meganium's eyes were flung wide open in surprise, but even so, the kiss felt... comforting. At least that's what Kanga guessed since he wasn't resisting. Kanga held the kiss for a few more seconds before finally breaking away. She opened her eyes to see the startled expression on Felix's face.

“I can understand if you don't have the same feelings for me,” Kanga said. “I can understand if your life feels like it's falling apart, if you're confused and you don't know what to do, but I just can't stand to see you in this much stress.” When her trainer didn't speak for a moment, she continued. “Felix, I want to help you. You need to know that. Even if you don't want us to be together, I at least want you to accept me as someone who's here for you.”

“Kanga...” Felix said, still looking a little dazed. “I... I'm sorry.” Felix then quickly got up, turned and ran off into the woods.

“Felix!” Kanga called. But it was too late. Her trainer was gone, and it would take a lot more than Kanga could manage to get him back. “Ahh, why did I kiss him?” she scolded. “Why couldn't I just... gah!” The Kangaskhan threw her arms into the air in exasperation and sat there silently scolding herself for a moment longer before she got up and headed back to where Pinky and the Butterfrees were.

“So... how'd it go?” Pinky asked Kanga as the latter walked back to the clearing. Kanga simply glared at the Slowbro.

Breeze was woken up when Kanga shouted “Dizzy Punch!” Butters was woken when the tree he and his brother were sleeping in was shaken violently by a Slowbro getting knocked into it.

With the exception of Pinky, whom Kanga knocked unconscious, no one else in the group slept very well for the rest of that night. Kanga because she was afraid of how badly she'd ruined her relationship with Felix, Felix because of the torrent of thoughts and emotions raging through him, and Butters and Breeze because they could pick up the hostility in the air and were unnerved by it.

Meanwhile, two little ponies and one baby Kangaskhan were sound asleep far away from the others. But even in her dreams, Roo could tell that something was wrong with her family. She didn't know what it was, nor did she know how she could pick it up, but her dreams clearly involved something happening with her mother, and Felix was involved as well. She wouldn't know about the disturbance when she awoke, but at that time, she did know now that, somewhere, something was happening. Something that would affect her on a monumental scale.

But she wouldn't know tomorrow, when it would count. She'd dismiss it as a dream, and it would be forgotten until she faced the reality for herself.

Author's Note

That one scene when Kanga and Felix were talking, I wrote it last night when I was going through quite a bit of stress, myself. LibreOffice, the program I use to type these stories now, was giving me serious problems with my homework, and that got me way more stressed out than it should have. Still, I think that stress I was going through made that scene a little better than it would have been before.

About the ending, though, I honestly had no idea how to close the chapter out, so I just vomited all over my keyboard and hoped the result wasn't TOO bad.

Anyway, this is the last chapter of this story I'm gonna post for a while. I need to get back to some other fics. Cya.

5: Destiny Awaits

”Promise me one thing, Kangaskhan... No matter what, make sure you do whatever is best for our child."

Kanga awoke with a start, almost swearing she had been awake when she heard Meganium's last words just then. But that wasn't the case. That was the end of her dream. The words she heard were spoken almost 2 years ago, and now are little more than echos in the Kangaskhan's mind. But it was now more than ever that those words were prominent. Roo was lost, and Kanga was doing everything she could to be reunited with her daughter.

But there was more. Felix. Kanga knew that she and Felix being in a more serious relationship would help raise Roo better. But after what happened the night prior...

Kanga just sighed as she finally registered the morning sunlight on her eyelids, breaking her train of thought. She shielded her eyes with her hand as she opened them and slowly got up, still really tired due to how little rest she actually got that night. Looking to her left, she saw Pinky sat up against a tree, still sound asleep. At least, that's what Kanga assumed for a second until she remembered that she Dizzy Punched the Slowbro unconscious last night. Kanga smiled as she remembered that moment, a moment for which she had been waiting for a long time. Even if the whole situation with Felix went south, knocking that annoying Slowbro unconscious almost made the whole thing worth it.

Almost.

“Oh good, you're awake,” Kanga heard a voice above her say. She looked up to see Breeze hovering above her. Or was it Butters? The two looked almost completely identical.

“Morning, Breeze,” Kanga said. She figured she guessed the Butterfree's name right since he didn't react much. “I didn't keep you and your brother up last night, did I?”

“Oh no,” Breeze replied. “We got back to sleep a few minutes after you blasted Pinky into our tree. We didn't sleep well, though, mind you. Butterfree have limited psychic abilities, and those make us rather sensitive to certain emotions. Especially hostility.”

“Sorry about that,” Kanga said. “Hey, you wouldn't happen to know where Felix is, would you? He ran off last night, and I was wondering if you got curious and looked for him.”

“No, my brother would be more likely to do that,” Breeze replied. “But even he didn't go looking.”

“Hmm...” Kanga said as she looked down. “I hope he's ok.”

“I'm fine,” a familiar voice said. Both Kanga and Breeze turned to see Felix walking towards the two. He also looked like he didn't get much sleep, but he still had a trace of that natural cheerfulness that's permanently imprinted on a Meganium's face. It didn't hide the stress, though.

Kanga lit up a little when she saw Felix, but the quickly deflated when she remembered why he had run off in the first place. “Um... good morning, Felix,” Kanga said after a short silence in which no one knew what to say.

“Yeah...” Felix replied. “Kanga, I want to apologize for last night. It wasn't right for me to run off like that. I just-”

“Felix, I'm the one who needs to apologize,” Kanga interrupted. “You already had enough going on, and I only made things worse for you. I understand why you ran off, and I'd also understand if you wouldn't be able to forgive me for what I did.”

Felix was silent for an uncomfortable amount of time. So uncomfortable, in fact, that Breeze had to leave. “Kanga...” he finally said. “You have to know that no matter what you do, as long as I can understand your reasoning, I'd forgive you no matter what. Like I said last night, I'd do the same if I was in your position. But...” The Meganium took a deep breath before continuing. “Kanga, we traveled together through most of Kalos, the entirety of Hoenn and Johto, and a small part of Kanto for a grand total of about two years. Over that time, we became best friends. But at the moment, I... want to keep it that way. Us being friends. I'm sorry, and don't take this the wrong way, but I've never been able to imagine myself in a relationship like this, particularly with a Pokemon. (Though I quite frankly never saw a problem with such a thing.)”

“Oh...” Kanga said, looking more than a little defeated.

“But,” Felix continued, “with the present... situation, I might be willing to...” Felix's words seemed to be stopped dead in their tracks at his throat, and his normally green face was gaining an increasingly intense shade of crimson. “I mean, with time, we might be able to... you and I could probably... I'm not saying yes to your proposition, but it's not a definite 'no,' either. I just need time. Time to make sense of this new world where Pokemon didn't exist two days ago and two or three apples will replace lunch, as well as time to figure out this new way life seems to be going all of a sudden. That's all.”

Kanga was silent for a moment as she let her trainer's words sink in. “Thank you, Felix,” she finally said with a slight smile. “Thank you for at least giving me that chance.”

The two probably would have hugged right then had they not been interrupted by an “ahem” from behind them. Both turned around to find Pinky, holding a block of ice she had materialized with Ice Beam to her head and wearing an annoyed expression. “So I take it you two are done with your quarreling for a while?” she asked.

“Um...” Felix started while turning to Kanga, wordlessly asking for an explanation.

“Eh heh...” Kanga said while rubbing the back of her head. “I may or may not have knocked her unconscious last night.”

“I'd go with the first option,” Pinky said. “All I did was ask how your conversation went.”

“And I'm assuming you have your answer,” Kanga replied. She then turned to Felix. “I know, I shouldn't have-”

“We can deal with that another time,” Felix interrupted. “I'm sure you had good reason for your actions, but we're still going to have to address the issue. After we find Roo, of course.” Felix then turned to Pinky. “You said we'd be at that town by noon, right?”

“If we get moving, probably,” Pinky replied, dropping her block of ice. It was right then that Butters and Breeze descended from their tree.

“Is everyone done arguing?” Butters asked.

“I think so,” Felix replied. “Now come on. I wanna find Roo just as much as anyone else here.”

“And put last night as far behind us as possible,” Felix added in his head. Somehow, he figured that the others were thinking the same thing or something along those lines, but he'd never be completely certain.

The five then began resuming their westward course towards the town, Felix and Kanga at the head of the group.

“By the way,” Kanga started to Felix, “where exactly did you run off to last night?”

“Well...” Felix said, looking up at the trees overhead. “It's not really important at the moment. I can tell you later.”

Kanga was fairly confused at what Felix said, but she decided that trying to coax the answer out of him wasn't worth the effort at the moment.

Meanwhile at Ponyville, Roo woke up to a familiar scent. Pancakes.

“Can I have two pancakes today, Felix?” Roo mumbled as she woke up. But as she opened her eyes, she was met with an unfortunate reminder of what happened yesterday. Felix, Kanga, and the others were still gone, and she was still at Lyra and Bon Bon's house. She probably would have cried if she was a year younger, but she was two years old now. Fairly old in Pokemon years. Still young, of course, but also too old for crying.

After realizing this, something else hit her. As the sleep fell from her eyes, she noticed a row of vertical wooden bars in front of her. She quickly sat up to find that these bars were all around her. Was she in prison? She got curious about prison and asked Felix about it once in the past, and the description he gave was fairly close to her current situation. Aside from the bars being wooden... as well as a mattress underneath her, small sheets covering her, and a pillow where her head was before she stood up.

“Wait a second...” Roo thought out loud. “This isn't prison.” The baby Kangaskhan rolled her eyes and chuckled to herself. “It's just a crib. Some of Tartar's pessimism must have rubbed off on me over the years.”

Roo probably would have tried to find some way to get out of there at that point, but it was right then that a door on the far end of the room Roo was in opened. Roo turned around to see Lyra walking into the room.

“Oh, Roo, you're awake,” she said, her face brightening up a little. “Good morning.”

“Um... would you mind explaining why I'm in a crib?” Roo asked.

Lyra looked at Roo with a look of confusion for a moment before saying, “My translation spell must have worn off overnight. Looks like I'll have to work on it.” Lyra then cantered over to the crib Roo was in. “Before you panic, I'm just going to lift you out of there.”

“Why would I pa-” Roo started, but she was cut off when Lyra gripped her in magic and levitated the baby Kangaskhan out of the crib and onto the pony's back. “Ah, now I can see where you'd think I was going to panic.” In truth, the whole “levitation” thing happened to Roo quite often thanks to Pinky.

“Hope you're hungry, Roo,” Lyra said as she began trotting out of the room with the baby Kangaskhan on her back. “I decided to whip up another batch of pancakes just for you.”

“Yay! Thank you, Miss Lyra!” Roo cheered as she hugged the back of Lyra's neck.

“Aw, you're welcome,” Lyra replied, guessing solely by Roo's hug that the little one was thanking her.

A few hours passed, morning turned to late morning, and late morning turned to a few minutes prior to noon. It was around this time that Lyra and Bon Bon had decided to take Roo with them to get lunch out. Fortunately, they had a stroller for Roo in their attic, right next to where the crib was.

As they walked, they noticed that Roo wasn't the weirdest thing to show up the day before. As the three made their way through the town, they saw all sorts of Pokemon. A flock of Fletchling and Fletchinder flying overhead, a Delcatty sleeping on a roof snuggled up against two Skitty, a Gallade wearing a baseball cap walking by and giving them a friendly wave, and two Pichu dashing across the road from one alley to another, closely pursued by a Houndour.

“Are you sure you didn't have Pokemon in this town before yesterday?” Roo asked curiously. “They all seem pretty at home here, and the ponies don't seem to be paying them very much mind.”

“Well, Ponyville kinda has that effect sometimes,” Lyra replied with a shrug. “Something weird shows up, and we often hardly blink twice. It's never happened on this scale before, but the ponies here are used to the completely-out-of-left-field. Ponyville just seems to be that kind of town.”

It was right then that the two were approached by a gray pegasus carrying a notepad. “Hi Lyra, hi Bon Bon,” Derpy said as she flew over to and landed in front of them.

“Hello, Derpy,” Bon Bon said. “What's the notepad for?”

“A friend of mine asked me to go around and document all I can about the creatures that showed up yesterday,” Derpy replied. She then looked down at Roo. “I don't think I've seen something like you before. Would you mind telling me what you are? I mean, I know you're a Pokemon, so don't give me that.”

“I'm a Kangaskhan,” Roo replied.

“Kangaskhan...” Derpy said as she flipped through her notes. “That's odd.”

“What is?” Lyra asked, deciding not to ask how the mailmare how she could understand Roo, opting to believe that her translation spell affected everyone Roo talked to.

“I think I already have notes on a Kangaskhan,” Derpy replied. “And from what I remember of it, the one I saw looks nothing like this one.”

“Huh?” Roo asked. “Wait a second, was the Kangaskhan you saw huge, brown, and had an empty belly pouch?”

“Yes,” Derpy replied. “Is that what you're supposed to grow up to be or something?”

“Yes, but that's not it,” Roo replied. “I think you saw Mamma!” Roo then leapt out of her stroller and ran up to Derpy. “Tell me where you saw her!”

Derpy took a step back, surprised by the baby Pokemon's sudden actions, but was still able to tell her, “I saw her a few streets over that way.” Derpy pointed to the east. “If it helps, she was with two huge butterflies, a pink cat thing with something biting her tail, and a large green dinosaur flower.”

“One of those is probably Pinky,” Roo said to herself. She then scratched her chin and thought. “One of those 'butterflies' sounds like it could be that Butterfree I was playing with yesterday, and the other one might be its Metapod brother. 'Large green dinosaur flower' sounds almost like a Meganium, but who would that be?”

“Roo?” Lyra asked, snapping the baby Kangaskhan back to reality. “Are they your missing family?”

“I'm almost positive,” Roo replied with a nod. She then turned around and shouted “I'm coming, Mamma!” before dashing off at a speed that could have made Rainbow Dash jealous.

“Roo, wait!” Lyra shouted as she galloped off after Roo, Bon Bon following closely.

Derpy just stood there for a moment, looking a little bit confused. “Hm...” she finally said. “I'd better get back to work. Don't want to upset the Doctor for the 12th time this week.” She then looked up and took off after a flock of Swablu and Altaria.

Meanwhile, Felix and the others were making their way through Ponyville, all five of them on alert for Roo.

“For a world that didn't have Pokemon two days ago, there sure are a lot here,” Felix commented. “All these strangely-colored Ponytas and Rapidashes are a little puzzling, though.”

“That one's actually more obvious,” Pinky said. “These Ponytas and Rapidashes are this planet's indigenous species. That explains why we've never seen anything like them before.”

“I guess it would also explain why most of them just stared at us with confused expressions when we tried talking to them,” Felix added. “That gray one being an exception, but-”

“Mamma!” the group heard a voice squeak loudly from down the road they were walking. All of them turned to find Roo running towards them at top speed.

“Roo!” Kanga shouted as she began dashing forward as well. Just before the two collided, Roo jumped up and Kanga caught her daughter in a massive Ursaring hug.

“I missed you, Mamma,” Roo said as she hugged her mother.

“I missed you too, Roo,” Kanga replied.

It was then that Felix and the others caught up to the two. “Roo, I'm so glad you're alright,” Felix said. “You have no idea how relieved we are.”

Kanga released Roo from the hug and the child quickly hopped back into her mother's pouch. “I'm relieved you guys found me, too,” Roo replied. “You won't believe what I-”

“Roo!” another voice shouted from the same direction Roo had run in from. All six of the Pokemon turned to see two of the Ponyta-like creatures galloping towards them. However, both of them skidded to a stop when they saw all the Pokemon Roo was with. “What the...?” the tan-colored one said as she took a step back.

For the longest time, both parties stood in an awkward silence, neither side knowing quite what to say. For the Pokemon, they were trying to process a) what these creatures were, b) how they knew Roo, and c) why they seemed to be chasing Roo. For Lyra and Bon Bon, they were just trying to process how strange what they were assuming to be Roo's “family” looked, given the fact that four out of the five looked nothing like her.

Then Kanga stepped forward.

“Um... hello.” the Kangaskhan said. But all the ponies heard was a familiar “Kan... Kanga.”

“Hello to you too,” Lyra said. “Before this conversation goes any further, you need to know that we can't understand you.”

“That'd explain all those confused expressions those other Ponyta creatures gave us,” Pinky thought out loud.

“So I'm guessing you're called Slowbro,” Lyra said as she turned to Pinky. “And judging by your color, I'm also going to guess you're this 'Pinky' character Roo told us about.”

”That would be correct,” a voice suddenly said from within Lyra's mind.

“Ah!” Lyra shouted as she recoiled back from the sudden “intrusion,” as she would later describe it.

”Funny,” the voice continued. ”Felix has that exact same reaction every time I telepathically communicate with him.”

“Telepathic communication?” Lyra asked. “So you're some kind of psychic or something?”

“Are you talking to one of them?” Bon Bon asked her marefriend.

“Yes I am,” Lyra replied. “That Slowbro, Pinky, is a psychic.”

It was then that Pinky stepped forward and held her hand out to the two of them. “It's nice to meet you two,” Pinky said as she shook Bon Bon's hoof, followed by Lyra's. ”Having sorted through your memories, I can see you two are the ones who have been taking care of Roo for the past day, and I'd like to thank you for that on behalf of the rest of us.”

“Wha-?” Bon Bon asked. “How did you...?”

”Psychic. Remember?” Pinky replied.

“Pinky,” Felix said as he stepped forward. “How many times do I have to tell you that it's bad manners to sort through the memories of someone you've just met.”

“I've lost count,” Pinky replied with a shrug. “Shelly probably knows, but she's not talking anytime soon.” The Shellder simply blinked once in response to hearing her name.

“Alright, so you're Meganium,” Bon Bon concluded as she stepped towards Felix. “Nice to meet you. And if no one's said this yet, let me be the first to say that you are incredibly adorable and I'd like permission to hug you.”

Felix stepped back a little in response to this. “Uh... permission denied,” he replied. “Sorry.”

One translation courtesy of Pinky later, “Alright. I understand,” Bon Bon replied.

There was another brief pause before Lyra spoke up. “I don't think we've done any proper introductions,” the unicorn said. “My name is Lyra Heartstrings, and this is my marefriend, Bon Bon Sweetiedrops.”

“Marefriend?” Felix asked. “Oh, you mean like mates. I get it.”

”My name is Pinky, as you know,” Pinky said. ”This Meganium is named Felix, the adult Kangaskhan is named Kanga, Roo you already know, and these two Butterfree are named Butters and Breeze.”

“Nice to meet you two,” Breeze said.

“Do you have any apples?” Butters asked, earning him a slap on the back of the head from his brother. “Ow! What was that for?”

“You don't just ask for food from people you just met,” Breeze replied. “It's rude.”

“Those two are brothers,” Lyra concluded. When the others turned and looked at Lyra in confusion, she explained, “Well even if all I heard was 'Butterfree,' they still act in a mildly hostile way that only siblings can trust each other to act.” She then turned to Felix and Kanga. “And from that same deduction, I'm guessing you two are Roo's parents.”

Both Kanga and Felix quickly looked in opposite directions in response to this. “It's, um...” Felix said nervously. “It's a bit... odd right now.”

Lyra looked at the two with a curious expression for a moment, then looked back at Pinky. “Excuse me, but what did they say?” she asked the Slowbro. Pinky didn't respond, however. She was instead looking upwards and to the south.

“Pinky?” Felix asked as he noticed the same thing. “Is something wrong?”

“I... don't know,” Pinky replied, not turning back to the others. “Whether something's wrong or not, however, you all might want to brace yourselves. We're all about to be hit by a huge wave of psychic energy.”

“What do you mean by that?” Felix asked inquisitively.

“I mean-” Pinky started.

”Greetings citizens of Equus, both new and old,” a voice that could only be described as powerful boomed from within everyone's minds.

“That,” Pinky deadpanned. “That's what I mean.”

Author's Note

Yup, we've finally gotten to the part where Arceus does his little speech.

Not much else to say, so I'll say this:
In an earlier draft of this chapter, Kanga and the others arrived at Lyra and Bon Bon's house, Pinky having managed to track Roo there. Some stuff happens, a shouting match between Lyra and Kanga begins, and Kanga is about to attack the ponies when Arceus "intervenes." That bit was scrapped entirely because I had no idea how the shouting match would even begin. :ajbemused:

That being shared, I take my leave.
Wait! What about Clefairy? You haven't done anything to help find her lately.
Dinky? How'd you get here?
I let her in, silly. How else would somepony just be able to jump stories like that?
Of course it was you, Pinkie Pie. :ajbemused: Dinky, just know that Clefairy is going to be just fine. I haven't updated your story lately because-
Hang on! I'm here for something too!
*sighs* What is it?
Pound and Pumpkin went missing yesterday. They're back now, but I was wondering if you knew where they went.
And you didn't think to ask Zeus first? You know, the guy who started this whole thing?
Your story is non-canon, remember? Yours is a probable timeline that Zeus didn't manage to follow, and-
Alright, Arceus, enough. Pinkie, I'm sure the Cakes were in perfectly capable paws. Very tiny, very adorable, very electrically-charged paws.
Now that that's settled, let's talk about how your "Endgame" arc in MLPR is going to close. You haven't updated that in months.
Rainbow Dash, I'm working on that.
And Fighting is Magic?
Yes, Sombra, I'm working on that too. You know, I can't spend my every waking hour on fanfiction. I have this little thorn in my side called SCHOOL!
Don't lie. We all know you've been playing Smash non-stop.
And what authority do you have on that, Mewtwo?
The authority of a veteran who finally got his long-awaited callback.
Oh.

6: Clearing the Air

“Greetings citizens of Equus, both new and old,” a powerful voice boomed within the minds of every being on the planet.

“Mamma, what's going on?” Roo asked, as she held close to her mother.

“I don't know, Roo,” Kanga replied as she tried to comfort her terrified daughter.

“Pinky, you're the psychic here,” Felix said. “Can't you tell us?”

“Just because I'm a Psychic-type doesn't mean I'm as smart as an Alakazam,” Pinky replied. “I don't have all the answers all the time, ya know.”

“Something tells me they don't know either,” Lyra commented aside to Bon Bon.

”I am Lord Arceus, creator of the Pokemon realm,” the voice continued. ”You have no reason to fear me. I come in peace.”

Felix, Lyra, and Bon Bon were generally unaffected by that explanation, but merely a glance to the other Pokemon around them indicated that what was just said was very important.

“Felix, do you remember that book I showed you about myths and legends surrounding Legendary Pokemon?” Pinky asked as she noticed that Felix wasn't reacting much. “I'd refer you to that one chapter that explained how our world came into existence.”

Felix thought for a moment before he realized what Pinky was talking about. “You don't mean... this is that same Arceus? He's actually real?”

”I have revealed myself to inform you that I am the one responsible for the Pokemon's presence in this world,” Arceus continued. ”For the citizens of Equus, the Pokemon are the beings who have appeared over the past few days.”

“Look at that,” Pinky said. “I guessed that part right. It was Arceus who- GAAH!” Pinky shouted and leapt up into the air as Shelly bit down hard on her tail. “Ow, alright, it was you who helped me guess this was something like Arceus all along. That doesn't mean you have to bite me for not giving credit.”

”I have my reasons for bringing them here, and to the leaders I shall reveal them in time. But for now, a warning. The Pokemon, while some may not seem it, are just as intelligent as any race who calls Equus home. And, seeing as they are my subjects, I will not tolerate them being treated any differently than you would treat your fellow pony, griffon, minotaur, diamond dog, changeling, deer, hippocampi, zebra, horse, buffalo, cow, donkey, or dragon depending on which race you belong to.”

There was a pause, and Lyra was about to say something before she got cut off by Arceus speaking again. ”To my Pokemon, I say this. I brought you, all of you, here so that you could live in peace. Do not seek to harm the natives of this world, for I am the one responsible for your displacement. And to the Pokemon who went through changes when I brought you here, I say this.” Felix blinked once as he realized that Arceus was talking about him now. ”You are the ones who proved themselves worthy, those who were fair, kind, and good in the old world. Consider this your reward. And to all of you, as sapients, the laws of Equus and the varying countries now apply to you, and only the laws of Equus.”

Kanga gave a side glance towards Felix upon hearing this. She knew what Arceus was talking about, but it seemed to her that this completely flew over Felix's head at first. Maybe he'd get it after thinking it over for a minute...

”That is all for now, but just to be clear, the Pokemon are not to be harmed simply out of spite. If you have a problem with what I've done, feel free to contact me. I currently reside in an ancient temple deep in the Everfree Forest, or in a pocket dimension outside the space-time continuum, so if any of you wish to face the sheer power of a god, feel free to come by.”

“Man, I can feel him smirking at that last bit,” Pinky commented.

”Goodbye for now, though I doubt this will be the last you hear of me, and peace to you all.”

Then, there was silence. An unusual silence, however. It wasn't an awkward silence, it wasn't painful or strained, it was just... still. At least until...

“Oh, that's what he meant by 'only the laws of Equus'!” Felix shouted, startling those around him slightly. “I am just not functioning today, am I?”

There was another short pause before Lyra spoke up. “So...” she said, “I guess that means you guys are about stuck here, huh?”

”Looks like it,” Pinky replied with a shrug. ”I mean, you have to be pretty stupid and/or reckless to try to get Arceus to change his mind.”

Princess Celestia sneezed.

“If that's the case... what do you all plan on doing now?” Bon Bon asked.

Kanga blinked once. “What do you mean by that?” she asked.

“Well, I mean, I'm guessing you don't have a home now that you're in a different world, and-” Bon Bon started, but she stopped suddenly. “Wait, I just understood you!”

“That would be my doing,” Pinky said. “I took the liberty of setting up a psychic translator in your minds while there was a pause in our conversation. It's really powerful and is supposed to translate any and all Pokemon you talk to, but it's also really stressful on my powers, so it might not last that long.”

“Well thank you,” Bon Bon said. She then turned back to Kanga. “As I was saying, do you all have somewhere to stay?”

“No, actually,” Kanga said. “I mean, last night we just slept in a clearing in that forest over there.” She indicated the Everfree Forest in the distance. It was about at this time that everyone noticed Spear Pillar in the heart of the forest, but no one really paid it any mind.

“You mean... you all spent the night in the Everfree Forest?” Lyra asked, her expression a mixture of shock and impression.

“Is that what it's called?” Felix asked. “Huh, I guess that's good to know.”

Lyra and Bon Bon looked at each other for a moment before turning back to the Pokemon. “You mean... you didn't encounter anything that tried to eat you or something in there?” Bon Bon asked.

“More than one flower tried to eat my brother and I,” Butters said.

“Other than that, nothing particularly odd,” Pinky added. “And even then, it wasn't even the worst place we've spent the night before.” The Slowbro shuddered at the memory of the time She, Piggy, Drake, and Felix, along with a couple of other Pokemon that Felix had at the time, got stuck in the Castelia Sewers one night when Felix was just a month into his journey.

Meanwhile, both ponies were silent for a moment as they tried to process the fact that these creatures had spent more than 24 hours inside the Everfree Forest, the most terrifying place within range of Ponyville. And they hardly seemed fazed, at that.

While the two were silent, Felix put a thought at the front of his mind. ”Pinky, can I get you to do me a quick favor?” His hope being that the Slowbro would pick his thought up with how diligently she scanned the thoughts around her normally.

Fortunately, he made his guess correctly. ”No, I'm not going to pin the blue one down for you,” Pinky replied.

”What?” Felix almost shouted out loud. The reply managed to stay in his mind, however.

”Calm down, I'm joking,” Pinky replied. ”Yes, those two are in a relationship and yes, they do plan on making it final tonight.”

”How did you- oh,” Felix thought. ”I am just not on my game today. Thanks, though.”

”Anytime, Felix,” Pinky replied, taking a moment to look into why her trainer asked her for such a favor.

“Hey...” Felix said out loud as he stepped forward towards the ponies. “Bon Bon, was it? Can I have a quick word with you?”

Bon Bon looked to her marefriend, who just gave a shrug in response. “I guess,” the earth pony said to Felix.”

“Good timing,” Lyra said. “Kanga, there was something I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Oh?” Kanga asked. “I suppose so.”

Both sides gave nods to their partners before going aside with whomever asked for them.

“Alright, I'm not going to beat around the bush here,” Felix said to Bon Bon. “I know you and Lyra are together. And I mean... together.”

“Are you saying you have a problem with that?” Bon Bon asked, quizzically raising an eyebrow.

“No, no,” Felix replied. “In fact, I'm happy for you. You see... I've never been in a relationship before.”

“But you and Kanga seem so close,” Bon Bon replied with a curious tone. “You even have a child.”

“Roo isn't mine,” Felix replied. “And me and Kanga are just... in the world we lived in before yesterday, a relationship between me and her would have been... frowned upon, for lack of a better term. And even then we weren't- Never mind. That's not important right now. What is important is that you two took care of Roo for the past day, and I want to thank you for that.”

“How so?” Bon Bon asked.

“Pinky knows you plan on tying the knot with Lyra tonight,” Felix replied. “And if it doesn't conflict with any other plans you might have with her, I kinda wanted to help you with making your proposal... special.”

“Special how?” Bon Bon asked.

Felix took a deep breath before explaining himself.

Meanwhile, Kanga was talking with Lyra, while Roo was left with Pinky.

“If I haven't said this already, thank you for taking care of Roo,” Kanga said to Lyra. “These past few days have just been all over the place, and knowing Roo was being taken care of yesterday... I think Felix would say 'It means a lot to me.'”

“You're welcome,” Lyra replied. “Actually, Roo is kind of the subject of what I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Oh?” Kanga asked.

“You see...” Lyra started. “I don't know if you were able to tell or not, but Bon Bon and I are in a relationship. And... I hate to admit it, but we were going a bit south. When Roo appeared on our doorstep yesterday morning though, a new kind of spark ignited between us. Roo seemed to refresh our relationship. I don't know how to explain it, but it's like she came into our lives for a reason.”

“Before you go any further,” Kanga said quickly. “I don't plan on letting Roo go a second time.”

“Oh heavens no!” Lyra said. “I wouldn't dream of breaking a mother away from her child. Especially after what I'm sure you went through yesterday. What I was actually asking was... what if we helped with taking care of her? I mean in the sense that we become part of your family with Roo as our centerpiece. I know it sounds stupid and I probably shouldn't have said anything about it in the first place, but... I don't know. Roo just holds something that Bon Bon and I been missing, and I felt like I needed to at least try.”

Kanga was silent for a moment before responding. “You'd actually be quite surprised at how stupid your proposal doesn't sound,” she said. “I mean, adopting yourself into a family is one of the more sane ways of extending your family in our world. Where we come from, Felix's 'family' is comprised almost entirely of Pokemon that he's caught throughout his journey, myself and Roo included. And by 'caught,' I mean Pokemon he already had battled others, and then once that Pokemon was weakened, Felix threw a Pokeball at it and captured it. That being said, it might be obvious that we aren't literally his family, but we become so close to each other...” Kanga trailed off as she struck one of her own nerves. After a few seconds' pause, she shook her head and continued. “My point is that we could probably do that.”

“Than-” Lyra started.

“However,” Kanga interrupted, “this is bound to two conditions. One, this has to be cleared with Felix. He's our main authority when it comes to matters that affect any one of us, especially if it affects the whole team. Second...” Kanga donned a serious expression. “It's only because Felix has been teaching me better trust skills lately that I haven't beaten the ever-living Krabby out of you and Bon Bon, assuming the whole time that you two were responsible for Roo's disappearance. I have some degree of trust in you two, seeing as Roo seems perfectly ok, but if you do anything to hurt her, or Felix, or any other member of my family... you'll be sorry. Do I make myself clear?”

Lyra stepped back a little and gulped before making several motions with her right hoof, consisting of drawing an X over her chest, flapping her hoof slightly, and finally sticking it in her eye.

Pinkie Pie sneezed, spawning a small cloud of confetti.

“What was that?” Kanga asked.

“A Pinkie Promise,” Lyra replied. “You know, 'Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.'” Kanga simply raised an eyebrow. “It's a... 'thing' in this town. Never mind. The point is I make the ultimate unbreakable promise that no harm will befall Roo or anyone else you care about by our hooves.”

Kanga was silent for a moment before replying to Lyra. “Good. Maybe this won't be the second decision I've made in this world that I'll come to regret.”

It was only a few more seconds of idle chatter later that everyone regrouped.

“Felix, there's something I need to ask you,” Kanga said, not willing to waste any time.

“Oh?” Felix asked. “That's funny, because there was something I wanted to talk to you about. You say what you want to say first, though.”

“Alright,” Kanga said. “Lyra was talking to me, and she told me that she and Bon Bon have become quite fond of Roo.”

“I guess I just have that kind of charm,” Roo said with an adorable smile.

“Anyway,” Kanga continued, “Lyra made a proposition to me.” The Kangaskhan turned to Lyra and gave her a nod.

The unicorn stepped forward towards Felix. “Um...” she started. “Would it be all right if... Bon Bon and I become a part of your family for the sake of helping to take care of Roo? I'd understand if you said no, it's just that-”

“I don't see a problem with that,” Felix said with a shrug.

“WHAT?” both Lyra and Bon Bon asked at the same time.

“You mean... you don't even have the slightest objection to us being a part of your family?” Lyra asked.

“Well of course I have slight objections,” Felix replied. “I hardly know you two, after all. But seeing as you two spent all of yesterday taking care of Roo, it's obvious you care for her just as much as any of us do. Plus, if you had any ill will against us, you surely would have acted upon it by now.”

“Well...” Kanga said, turning to Lyra. “If you've got Felix's vote, then I guess I'm on board with it.”

“If this decision binds us to this town, I'm good,” Pinky said with a shrug. “It seems pretty interesting. For instance, on our way in, I saw some ponies holding a Chess tournament. I love Chess.” Pinky was silent for a moment as she noticed the ponies looking at her in confusion and the Pokemon (save Butters and Breeze) face-palming. (Or face-vining in Felix's case.) “Um... plus with how many Pokemon there are in this town, it's not impossible that others from our team might be around here.”

“Hey, that's true,” Felix said. “I didn't even think about looking for the others while back in that forest. Oh, and while we're on the topic, I was planning a little trip for tonight.”

“How is a little trip on the topic of your lost team?” Butters asked inquisitively.

“Because the trip is up to that mountain over there,” Felix replied, turning and pointing towards a mountain looming in the north. “Don't ask me how, but I have a hunch a certain Tyrannitar might be up there.”

“Tartar?” Pinky asked.

“Exactly,” Felix replied. He then turned to Lyra and Bon Bon. “I think you two might like him. He's a bit... out of the ordinary for a Tyrannitar, but that just makes him good with strangers. (Well, by 'good with strangers,' I mean he doesn't try to attack them violently like most Tyrannitar do.)”

Both ponies raised a curious eyebrow at this.

“Oh calm down,” Felix said. “Even if he doesn't take you two well, I can stop him from doing something stupid. And even if he's not there, there is something else I'd like you two to see.”

“Like what?” Lyra asked.

Felix simply chuckled at this. “Oh, it's a surprise. But trust me, when you see it, you'll-”

*rumble*

Felix was cut off suddenly when he heard a familiar sound come from his midsection. Looking around, he noticed that a few of the others probably would have agreed with him.

“I don't need a translator to know what that means,” Bon Bon said with a giggle.

“Eh heh...” Felix said with a nervous chuckle. “Now that I think about it, I don't think any of us have had breakfast yet. We were so focused on getting here, we didn't bother to find any apples in that forest.”

“You mean you've been eating Everfree apples?” Lyra asked.

“Yes,” Kanga replied. “Why? Are they poisonous or something?”

“No,” Lyra replied. “They just taste awful.”

Felix raised an eyebrow. “They didn't taste that bad in my opinion,” he said. “In fact, they tasted delicious in comparison to the apples we had in our world.”

Bon Bon and Lyra just looked at each other before turning back to the Pokemon. “Well if that's what you think...” Bon Bon started, “just you wait until you taste apples from Sweet Apple Acres. They will blow your minds.” She then turned and indicated for the others to follow her. “Come on. We'll treat you all to some pies and fritters.”

“Really?” Felix asked. “I don't want you to spend more money than you have on us.”

“Oh, it's really no trouble,” Lyra said. “We're pretty well off, so we can treat you guys to a lunch, especially if you've never had Sweet Apple Acres apples.”

“If you're offering, I don't see why we should say no,” Felix said. He then turned to his Pokemon. “What do you all say?”

“I say let's go!” Roo cheered, nearly bouncing out of Kanga's pouch in her excitement.

“I guess that's the only vote that counts, huh?” Butters said. He was likely smiling, but it would have been difficult to tell.

“Seems like it,” Pinky said.

“I could go for some pie,” Kanga said with a shrug.

“Alright,” Lyra said. “Follow us.” She and Bon Bon then began walking off, the Pokemon following. However, Felix was pulled to the back of the group by Pinky.

“What is it, Pinky?” Felix asked.

“You and I both know that Tartar isn't the reason you want to bring everyone up to that mountain tonight,” Pinky replied.

“Alright, you've got me,” Felix said. “I wanted to get a nice backdrop for Bon Bon's proposal to Lyra, and-”

“Lying to me?” Pinky asked while shaking her head. “Come on, Felix. I was the second Pokemon you ever caught. We've traveled too long together for you to be forgetting what I can do.”

Felix simply let out a sigh. “Alright, fine,” he said. “There's more to it. But please, I am begging you, just this once, don't tell any of the others about it.”

“Felix, you really need to learn to give me more credit,” Pinky said. “You may know me as a... you call me a 'troll,' correct? But believe me when I say that even I know when boundaries are not to be crossed.”

Felix was caught speechless at this sudden change in what he'd likely call his most annoying Pokemon. “Th-thank you, Pinky,” the Meganium said. “I can't tell you how much this means to me.”

“How much what means to you?” Kanga asked. Both Felix and Pinky looked up to see that the Kangaskhan had fallen behind slightly to try to find out what the two were talking about.

“It's nothing,” Pinky replied.

“Yeah, nothing,” Felix added. “We were just talking about... where everyone else might be. Drake, Piggy, and Nana, I mean. Pretty sure we'll run into Nana if we look through that Everfree Forest again.”

Kanga was a little skeptical at this, but she figured nothing really bad could be afoot if Felix was in agreement with Pinky over something. “Alright,” Kanga said. “It would be nice to get to trying to bring the family back together as soon as possible.”

“Hey Felix,” Roo said. “There's something I wanted to ask you.”

“What?” Felix asked.

“Is there something different about you?” the young Kangaskhan asked. “I know something's changed about you, but I can't put my finger on it.”

Both Kanga and Felix looked up at each other with looks of confusion before just shrugging off Roo's comment and laughing.

Meanwhile, Lyra and Bon Bon were looking back at the group.

“I dunno about you, but I think they're all really adorable,” Lyra said to Bon Bon with a smile.

“They are kinda,” Bon Bon said. “From what I can gather, though, they're just a drop in the bucket in terms of what these 'Pokemon' could be. I mean, for all we know, one could be as adorable as Roo, and the next one could be a huge three-headed dragon who will devour everything in its path!”

Lyra was silent for a moment before smiling and patting Bon Bon on the shoulder. “You can be a real pessimist sometimes,” the unicorn said. “But you know what? It's because of the little quirks like that that I love you.”

“Aw,” Bon Bon said with a smile. “It's sometimes hard to believe how sweet you can be, Lyra.”

“Yeah, well... I do have my moments,” Lyra replied, returning the smile.

Author's Note

First off, I'm done providing Bulbapedia links. It's far more of a hassle than you might expect.
Sounds more to me like you're just being lazy.
Oh shut up, Pinky.
Next, you should probably know that I'm not going to write any more here until nightfall. All you need to know is that they all had lunch, then Felix and the others left to make some preparations. (Of course Roo is with Kanga. Why would Lyra and Bon Bon bring her to their romantic dinner?)
As for why Felix wants to bring everyone up to the mountain, half of the reason should be fairly obvious. I couldn't move the story forward very effectively without revealing it. As for more details, I'll go into it all in the next chapter.
Ah, I remember that night we spent in the Castelia Sewers. I don't think my wool ever got clean, even after I evolved.
Yes, Drake. It was a night we all remember fondly. By the way, where are you in Equestria right now?
I'm... looking for someone. Not Felix, but someone else.
Mysterious much? You're an Ampharos, not a Gengar.

7: When a Plan Comes Together (Arc 1 finale)

Shortly before sundown, Felix, Kanga, Roo, and Pinky were making their way up a mountain to the north of Ponyville.

“Remind me again why we're on our way up here right now if Lyra and Bon Bon aren't supposed to meet us for about two hours,” Pinky said.

“Because we're scouting that cave at the top out to make sure there's no dangerous Pokemon hanging around,” Felix replied. “I mean, it would be a real disaster if we brought those two up there and we were all suddenly confronted by an Aggron or something.”

“Hmm... I suppose that's a good point,” Pinky replied as she lifted herself and the others up a steep climb.

“So Felix,” Kanga said as they all landed and began walking along a path again. “What exactly do you know that you're not telling me? Let's start with why we're all going up this mountain, and we'll go from there.”

“As I said back in Ponyville, it's a surprise,” Felix replied. “But trust me, it's a good surprise...”

Felix ran through the Everfree Forest. Even if he could run at top speed without slamming into a tree or tripping on a plant, it wouldn't have been close to how fast his mind was racing as he attempted to process everything that had just happened to him. Finally, he came across a small stream. Without hesitating, he ran over to it and dunked his head in, seeing as he had no hands to bring the water up to his face. Quickly, he pulled out and tried to shake the water off of him.

“Calm down, Felix,” he said to himself as he gave his head another shake. “Calm down... calm down... WHY AREN'T YOU CALMING DOWN?” The Meganium gave himself another dunk before sitting down and trying to take a deep breath. “A little more calm? Good.” With another deep breath, he made another attempt at processing everything that just happened to him. “Okay... so Kanga actually does like me. This is actually happening. Why am I stressing out so much over this, though? It could be partially attributed to the fact that I was completely clueless when it came to human women. But even then, Kanga and I already know each other so well, she's obviously committed to me. Even Roo sees both of us as her parents. Why doesn't all this make things easier?”

It was right then that Felix heard a voice from in front of him. “Having trouble with something?” a feminine child-like voice asked. Felix looked up to see a head poking up out of the water. It was blue, had a white nose, big dark eyes, and... for a moment, Felix couldn't tell if on her head were ears of wings. “Or more specifically someone?”

Felix just sighed. “It's nothing, really,” he said.

The Dragonair huffed and swam towards Felix. “I might not know you, but you're making it no secret that you're lying to me right now,” she said before slithering up onto land and raising her head so that she was about at eye-level with Felix. “Tell me what's wrong, and I might be able to help. Trust me.”

There was another pause before Felix sighed and responded. “Something tells me you aren't going to leave me be until I let you help me.” The Dragonair nodded. “Alright, fine. But please get out of my face first.”

“Alright,” she said before slinking back down and coiling up next to Felix, resting her head on her coiled form.

“You see...” Felix started. “There's this... girl I know, and she and I have been best friends for years. But the thing is, I've never considered being anything more than that with her. She's been thinking a little further than I've been for a while, though. Do you get what I'm saying?”

“Mm-hmm,” the Dragonair said, never seeming to lose interest.

“Well...” Felix rubbed the back of his neck with one of his vines before continuing. “Okay, this is too difficult, so I'm just going to be blunt. I used to be a human. I wasn't always a Meganium. And the girl who likes me, she's a Kangaskhan. A Kangaskhan that I- well, I didn't exactly 'catch' her by the definition most people give it. I saved the life of her and her child and they wanted to travel with me after that. Back to the topic at hand, though. The thing is, she admitted her love to me while I was still human. Well, she tried to, but then... something happened. We still don't know what, but...” Felix trailed off and shook his head.

“Anything else?” the Dragonair asked.

“Actually...” Felix replied. “There might be one other thing. I... I think I like her, too.”

“So then what's the issue?” the Dragonair asked while tilting her head to the side.

“The issue is that I have no idea what to do,” Felix said. “I mean, everything's been happening to me so fast lately and... I kinda ran away from her the first time she tried to kiss me. I don't know why, I just panicked.”

The Dragonair was silent for a moment while thinking about everything Felix just said. “And I'm assuming just simply apologizing and trying again is out of the question for you,” she said. Felix nodded. “Well, I don't know what plans you might have, but I might have a suggestion. Look up for a moment.”

Felix did as he was told. “It's a full moon tonight,” he commented with a frown. “It looks so much different than the moon back on Earth.”

“But the point is that it's full,” Dragonair replied. “You might have been a human up until this morning, but try to look at it from the perspective of a wild Pokemon who's lived the same way every day of its life. I doubt that moon would look much different in the eyes of a Meowth or a Clefairy.”

“I... suppose,” Felix said as he looked back down at Dragonair. “But how does that help me?”

“Do you know about Mt. Moon in Kanto?” she asked. “Back on Earth, I mean.”

“Yeah,” Felix replied. “I was going to make my way there within a couple of weeks before this happened.

“Well, do you know what happens there on full moon nights?”

Felix thought for a moment. “From what I remember, I think many of the Clefairy who live at that mountain come out and dance in the moonlight. I've heard it's the most beautiful sight in Kanto. Beaten as the most beautiful sight in the world by Lumiose City at night in the Kalos region, but that's the opinion of the traveler's guides, not me.”

“Think about the Clefairy that lived on Mt. Moon,” the Dragonair said. “If they're in this world, do you think they'd notice they're on a different planet as long as they're still on a relatively quiet mountain and there's a full moon out?”

“Maybe?” Felix replied after a short pause.

“Why don't you look up at that mountain over there for proof?” the Dragonair asked, indicating a mountain far to the north. Felix looked up and for a moment couldn't see anything. However, upon looking closely, he noticed a faint light towards the top. Straining his eyes to see better, he noticed a number of small forms rising into the air, all emitting a small amount of light.

“Are those the Clefairy from Mt. Moon?” Felix asked.

“Perhaps they are,” the Dragonair replied with a nod. “But if they are, what would you plan to do about it?”

Felix was silent for a moment while thinking about the Dragonair's question. “What would I do about it?” he repeated. “I'd... I'd take Kanga up there, and show her the most beautiful sight I know of to show that I care about her very much, and that, though I might have panicked at first, I now want nothing more than what she wants. For us to be able to spend the rest of our lives together.” Felix smiled a little as she continued watching the Clefairy from afar. He then turned to the Dragonair. “Thank you for the help, miss...”

“Mangol,” the Dragonair replied. “I go by the name Mangol.”

“Mangol?” Felix asked. “That's a fairly weird name for a Dragonair. But, who am I to judge? I called a Mareep Drake when I caught him.”

“Did you now?” Mangol asked, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

“Yeah,” Felix replied. “But because he's now an Ampharos, the name Drake make slightly more sense. What with his Mega Evolution adding the Dragon type to him and all. I never found an Ampharosite for him, though, so what I just said is possibly meaningless.”

“Whether you could mega evolve him or not, I'm sure the name Drake fits him perfectly,” Mangol said. “But enough about him. Was this conversation not about you?”

“Oh right,” Felix said. “Ah, I don't think I could go back right now, though. The air between me and Kanga would be too... awkward. Granted, it would still be awkward if I came back in the morning, but...” Felix looked back at the mountain where the Clefairy were just finishing their dance. “What do you think I should do?” the Meganium asked as he turned back around to... no one. Somehow, Mangol had disappeared. “Mangol? Where'd you go?” The stream was still flowing, so there would have been no telling whether or not the Dragonair had slipped in without Felix noticing. The Meganium simply sighed before walking away back towards where the rest of his Pokemon were.

Meanwhile, a pair of menacing blue eyes with red shading around them was watching the Meganium leave. “So it truly is you, Felix...” she said. “You looked different, but you always had the same smell about you. And since you're here, that can only mean... my dear Drake can't be too far away.” The Zoroark then dropped her illusion, rematerializing on the other side of the stream that Felix was at. “I'm glad to meet you once again, but before we can catch up, I have an Ampharos to find.” Mangol then turned and ran into the trees behind her, disappearing into another illusion.

“FELIX, LOOK OUT!” Kanga shouted, snapping Felix back to reality. The Meganium shook himself aware and looked up just in time to notice a rock slide heading towards him.

Felix had very little time to react, so without wasting a second, Pinky jumped in front of her trainer and shouted, “PROTECT!” Quickly, a protective barrier spawned in front of the two, causing the rocks to be redirected to either side of them.

“Are you alright Felix?” Kanga asked while running over to the two as Pinky dropped her barrier.

“I'm fine thanks to Pinky,” Felix said while breathing a sigh of relief and turning to Pinky with a smile.

“You're welcome,” Pinky replied. She then looked up at where the rocks came from with a worried expression. “That wasn't an ordinary rock slide. That was aimed at us.”

“You mean another Pokemon tried to use Rock Slide on us?” Roo asked.

“Possibly,” Pinky replied with a nod. “Or it could be something from this world trying to keep these strange foreign creatures off of its mountain.”

“Either way, we can't let this stop us,” Felix said. “Maybe whoever did this is a reasonable being and we'll be able to explain that we'll just be up here for a night and we'll be gone before he or she knows it.”

“Are you sure about that Felix?” Kanga asked.

“Well, we're not going to get anywhere with a negative attitude,” Felix replied with a shrug. “We might as well try to stay positive and hope there's a way to settle this peacefully.”

“And if there isn't?” Pinky asked.

Felix sighed. “We'll leave, of course. But if we're attacked again, we'd have to defend ourselves.”

The others just looked around at each other in silence before Pinky spoke up. “Then I guess the choice is clear,” she said. “Besides, if what Felix said earlier today is true, this could be Tartar's doing. Maybe he's just scared and is trying to keep himself safe. He probably didn't even recognize us from where he threw that Rock Slide.”

“Way to stay positive, Pinky,” Felix said with a smile. “Now come on. We should be close to the summit.”

Meanwhile, back in Ponyville, Lyra and Bon Bon were just then finishing up their dinner at [shameless restaurant advertisement denied].

“Now THAT was worth every penny,” Bon Bon said as she wiped her mouth with her napkin.

“I'll agree with that,” Lyra replied as she rubbed her belly. “Though I probably shouldn't have had desert. I'm trying to lose weight, after all.”

“Oh Lyra,” Bon Bon said with a smile. “You know that no matter what, I'll always think you look perfect.”

“I know,” Lyra replied. “It's just...”

Lyra stopped mid-sentence as their waiter trotted up to them. “Can I get anything else for the fine ladies?” he asked in a heavy French accent.

“No thank you,” Bon Bon replied. “But please do give our compliments to the chef.”

“I shall,” he replied. He then placed the bill on the table. “Whenever you are ready,” he said before walking off.

“Bon Bon, this has been a wonderful evening,” Lyra said while gazing into her marefriend's eyes. “I consider myself the luckiest mare alive.”

“Aw, thank you,” Bon Bon said, looking back into Lyra's eyes. “But this evening is just getting started. Felix told me earlier that he's got something planned for us, and he wanted us to go right after dinner.”

Lyra was silent for a moment. “Where did he want us to go?” she asked.

“I... I don't know,” Bon Bon said. “Hm... maybe Pinky is still in town. We can probably ask her. But first...” Bon Bon picked up the check. “I'll handle this.”

One payment later, the two mares were walking out of [shameless restaurant advertisement denied]. As they walked out, though, they were greeted by a familiar voice.

“Lyra, Bon Bon,” the voice said. Both mares looked up to see Butters and Breeze flying towards them.

“Hi Butters, Breeze,” Lyra said with a wave. “What are you two doing here?”

“Felix asked us to bring you two to the top of that mountain over there,” Butters replied, indicating the mountain at the north of Ponyville. “That's where his surprise for you two is.”

“All the way up there?” Bon Bon asked, astonished. “Um... I don't think we could make that walk. Not at night, at least.”

“Oh don't worry about that,” Butters said. “We're going to fly you two up there.”

Bon Bon and Lyra exchanged confused expressions before turning back to the two Butterfree. “Um, no offense,” Lyra started, “but you two don't look quite... well you're a little...”

“Let me guess,” Butters cut in. “You think we're too frail to carry you.”

“Well I didn't want to word it like that, but...” Lyra said.

Butters and Breeze turned to each other and nodded before turning back to the two ponies. “Prepare to be amazed,” Butters said before both of their eyes began glowing blue.

Before either pony could react, they suddenly felt themselves being grabbed by something akin to a unicorn's magical aura and lifted into the air.

“Bet you two wouldn't have guessed we could do that,” Breeze said as she held Bon Bon in the air, Butters holding Lyra. Neither pony seemed to be panicking, but they were quite surprised. “A little known fact is that Butterfree have limited psychic abilities. Not nearly on Pinky's level, but we can still use some Psychic-type moves, including the move Psychic.”

“Wow,” Lyra said as she looked down at the ground about 3 feet below her. “I can honestly say that you Pokemon impress me.”

“Well you haven't seen a thing, yet,” Butters said. He then turned to his brother. “Alright, Breeze, let's get them to Felix.”

“Alright,” Breeze said. “You two ready?”

“Wait, you mean we're flying?” Bon Bon asked. “But I'm afraid of-”

The earth pony was cut off when the two Butterfree quickly took off, the two ponies in psychic tow.

“WOOOAH!” both ponies shouted as they suddenly found themselves soaring into the air, towards the clouds, the Butterfree keeping them flying close.

“This is awesome!” Lyra shouted as they all flew amongst the clouds. Occasionally, they'd pass by a confused pegasus or bird, but other than that, the ride was exhilarating. Lyra and Bon Bon looked down to see their town lit up in a way that almost mirrored the stars above. It wasn't just the sights, though. The wind in their manes, the feeling of weightlessness as the two ponies were carried by Butters and Breeze, neither mare had ever experienced anything like it.

“We're almost at the mountain,” Butters called back to the ponies. “Any special flight-related requests before we land?”

“And air sickness bag?” Bon Bon asked in a queasy voice.

“I just happened to bring one,” Breeze said as he pulled out a small brown paper bag. She tried throwing it towards Bon Bon, but the wind caught it and the bag flew away. “Um... oops.”

“Oh, that's alright,” Bon Bon replied. “I'll just... I can wait.”

Meanwhile, Felix and the others had made it to the summit of the mountain. And just in time, too. It was probably 20 minutes prior to sundown. In half an hour, the full moon would be up and the Clefairy would come out to dance.

“Well, we're here,” Felix said as he looked around at the generally uneventful but very large and flat plateau. There were some rocks around the edges, all of which were still a comfortable distance from cliffs. Directly in front of them, the Pokemon saw a massive cave. “And we got up here without any trouble aside from that Rock Slide. I think this just might-”

“DARK PULSE!” a loud and angry voice shouted from inside the cave. Felix was just barely able to duck before the blast of inky darkness hit him, and the attack sailed over his head.

“Felix, are you alright?” Kanga asked, running to her trainers aid. (Roo also took up an offensive posture, which looked very adorable.)

“I'm fine,” Felix replied as he got up. “But it looks like we've got a battle on our hands.”

All four Pokemon regrouped and faced the entrance of the cave, out of which a loud and constant stomping noise was heard. Soon, they were all faced with a very angry looking Tyrannitar.

“I suggest you four leave,” the Tyrannitar said. “Lest you wish for me to blast you off this mountain myself.”

“Tartar,” Felix said, “is that you?”

Hearing his name, Tartar's attitude quickly changed. “Ah! Felix?” he asked, guilt and worry now in his voice. “And Kanga, Roo... Pinky...” The Tyrannitar, now looking very emotional, stepped forward towards the four, all of whom now dropped their combative postures. Felix stepped forward to meet Tartar. “Felix, is that really you?”

“It is me,” Felix replied with a nod.

“So that's what Arceus was talking about when he said 'Pokemon that went through changes,'” Tartar thought out loud. “Huh. And I thought that shiny Charizard who called himself Red was just crazy.”

“Wait, are you sure his name was Red?” Felix asked, a tinge of excitement in his voice. It was his dream to meet the World Champion himself. But what self-respecting trainer didn't have that dream?

“Ah, don't get your hopes up,” Tartar replied. “He left a while ago and he said he's not coming back until morning.”

“Aw,” Felix said with a frown, his antennae drooping slightly.

“But enough about Red,” Tartar said as he walked past his trainer and towards Pinky. “It's truly a pleasure to see you again, milady.” Tartar grabbed one of Pinky's hands and leaned down to kiss it. “Pray tell, what brings you all up here? I know that even your skills could not track me easily.”

“Oh,” Pinky said as she pulled her hand away and giggled, blushing slightly as well. The Tyrannitar always tried to talk with a fancy accent and use similar words in order to impress her. As rarely as Pinky would admit it, Tartar's actions usually met their desired effect. “Well, we're actually up here because Felix wanted to-”

“ATSTSTST!” Felix shouted as he ran towards Pinky. “Surprise, remember?”

“Oh right,” Pinky replied. Though no one noticed, Kanga raised an eyebrow in curiosity because of this. Meanwhile, the Slowbro turned back to Tartar. “Felix is treating some friends who are making their way here as we speak to a special gift.”

“Oh?” Tartar asked, turning to Felix. “Who exactly is coming?”

“We're here!” another voice shouted. Everymon turned to see Butters and Breeze flying in with Lyra and Bon Bon. Quickly, all four of them landed, and Bon Bon ran behind a rock to throw up. Meanwhile, Butters and Breeze collapsed onto the ground, panting heavily.

“Oh my Arceus,” Felix said as he ran over to the two downed Butterfree. (Arceus sneezed, if gods even do that.) “Are you two alright?”

“We'll... be fine...” Breeze replied through her pants. “It just... takes a lot... to carry two ponies... and fly at the same time... over that distance.... We're just gonna lay down, and... we'll be back up in a few minutes.”

Felix reached out his vines and stroked both Butterfree. “Thank you very much,” he said. “I'm sorry you got so tired out. Feel free to rest as long as you need to.”

“Thank you,” Breeze replied.

Felix got up and turned to Lyra, who was just then being rejoined by Bon Bon. “Are you alright, Bon Bon?”

“Yeah,” the earth pony replied. “Just regretting desert, that's all.” Both ponies then looked up to see the rest of their friends... accompanied by a six-foot tall green armored dinosaur.

“Um, Felix?” Lyra said. “There's a-”

“Tyrannitar,” Felix replied. “He's a Tyrannitar, and his name's Tartar.” Felix turned to Tartar. “Tartar, these are our new friends, Lyra and Bon Bon. They're ponies.”

“Ponies?” Tartar asked. “Strange...”

“Indigenous to this world,” Pinky explained. “They're far weaker than Pokemon, but have abilities that still make them stronger than humans.”

“Hey!” Lyra, Bon Bon, and Felix shouted in unison.

“Just giving an explanation,” Pinky replied with a shrug.

Felix dismissed what Pinky said and turned to the ponies. “Don't worry about Tartar,” he said. “He's really nice.”

“Unless you mess with my friends,” Tartar replied. “In which case, I'd have no problem with smearing you across the continent.”

Lyra and Bon Bon instantly donned terrified expressions. “I said he's nice,” Felix said. “But... I didn't say he had a great sense of humor.”

“I wasn't even trying to make a joke,” Tartar said. “I was just asserting that-”

“We've already been over what would happen if they tried to hurt us, Tartar,” Kanga said, walking up to the Tyrannitar. “Besides, they're nice enough.”

“And Lyra makes great pancakes, too,” Roo added. “Almost better than Felix's.”

“Uh-huh...” Felix said, wondering if Roo even remembered he was still there. But he'd have to bother with that another time. A quick look to the west and he found that the sun was already setting and that the full moon was rising up from the eastern horizon. “Everyone,” he said, “out of that cave over there, a bunch of Clefairy are going to come out and dance in the moonlight.”

“Really?” Kanga asked. “As in the Clefairy from Mt. Moon?”

“Yes,” Felix replied before turning to the ponies. “If you're wondering, it's said that the dance Clefairy do under the full moon is the most beautiful sight in the entire Kanto region. I'd argue it's the most beautiful sight in the entirety of our old world, but tourists are more attracted by a huge city at night rather than natural wonders.” Felix shook his head, but continued. “But the point is, it's beautiful. The only problem is that Clefairy are really shy, so if they see us, they might stop dancing and hide. That being said, we should hide behind those rocks over there.” Felix indicated a group of rocks, the largest of which had a huge U-shaped hole broken through it.

“Well, I'll take your word for it,” Bon Bon said. “Hiding behind rocks isn't exactly first-class seating, but whatever it takes to keep these 'Clefairy' from hiding.”

“Alright,” Felix said. He then turned to Butters and Breeze. “Are you guys good to move or do we have to carry you?”

“We're fine,” Breeze said as he and his brother got up and flew over behind the rocks, the others following.

“Are you ready, Bon Bon?” Felix whispered to the earth pony.

“I was ready yesterday,” Bon Bon whispered back, turning for a quick glance at Lyra. “I trust this really will be special enough.”

“You have my word,” Felix replied.

“We've only just reunited, and now we're viewing the most romantic sight in the world together,” Tartar said to Pinky. “As if destiny couldn't be any more subtle.”

“Tartar, please,” Pinky said, turning away but still smiling. “This is Lyra and Bon Bon's evening. Besides,” Pinky donned a smirk, “it's been so long since we've seen each other. I feel like I need to get to know you all over again.”

“Oh, Pinky,” Tartar said with a laugh, “surely it could not be so easy to forget one as amazing as I.”

“Shh, you two,” Felix said to Pinky and Tartar. “I think the Clefairy are coming out.”

Sure enough, as soon as Felix said this, everyone saw as a group of small pink creatures began walking out of the cave. (Some of them bouncing rather than walking.) More and more kept arriving, and each one, upon being touched by the moonlight, began glowing. Not so brightly that everyone had to shield their eyes, but just bright enough so that their beauty could be seen. As the last few Clefairy left, four slightly different-looking Pokemon walked out as well, the four Clefable carrying a large stone that was as black as the night sky.

“A Moon Stone...” Felix thought to himself. “I knew Clefairy usually danced around one of those, but I didn't think Arceus would bring evolutionary stones to this world, too.”

The four Clefable brought the Moon Stone to the center of the area, and set it down with an ungraceful *thud*.

“Clefairy!” they all chirped happily as the Moon Stone was set down. With that in place, they all began to dance. Gracefully hopping and boucing around in a circle, all floating to the ground after each leap, and all chanting “Clefairy, Clefairy, Clefairy...”

“I...” Lyra tried to say. “I never thought I'd ever see such a sight. They're so graceful, so eloquent, so...”

“Adorable,” Roo finished with a smile.

“Yeah, that,” Lyra said.

“I never thought I'd see such a large number of Fairy-types so close to me and still be in such awe at their beauty,” Tartar said.

Pinky just giggled. “Oh, you and your way with words,” she said teasingly while leaning up against the Tyrannitar.

Felix and Kanga just watched in silence, though they were standing next to each other. Neither of them seemed entirely focused on the Clefairy dancing, however. Every so often, they would both take side glances at each other, trying to figure out the other's emotions at the time.

”It's now or never,” Felix thought to himself. He then casually scooted a little closer to Kanga.

”Is he getting closer to me?” Kanga thought to herself as she noticed Felix's movement. ”I shouldn't, but I just have to try...”

Kanga faked a yawn and stretched her arms upward. She then brought them down, but one of them landed around Felix's neck in what could almost be mistaken as an embrace.

”I think this is working,” Felix thought as he felt the Kangaskhan's arm around him. ”Don't panic, Felix. Just lean into it casually.” The Meganium did this, his head resting on Kanga's shoulder.

”Is this really happening?” Kanga thought. ”Is Felix really...?”

The two stayed like this for a while before Bon Bon walked over to them. “Thank you so much, Felix,” she said, getting the attention of both Pokemon. “Oh. Sorry, you two were having a moment.”

“No, it's fine,” Kanga said, removing her arm from around Felix. “Are you ready?”

“It's now or never,” Bon Bon said with a sigh.

“Alright,” Kanga said. “Roo, if you would.”

Roo nodded, reached into Kanga's pouch, pulled out a small black box, and handed it to Bon Bon. “Good luck, Miss Bon Bon,” the baby Kangaskhan said.

“Same from the rest of us,” Felix added.

“Thank you all,” Bon Bon said, taking the box from Roo. “Is there any way I could repay you all?”

“Bon Bon, this was us repaying you for keeping Roo safe that first day,” Kanga said.

“The housing thing we talked about earlier couldn't hurt, though,” Felix said. “I mean, if that's alright.”

“It's no problem,” Bon Bon said. “Now if you'll excuse me...” She smiled at the Pokemon before turning and trotting towards Bon Bon.

Lyra was still watching the Clefairy in awe. Even after how long they've been dancing, they still looked graceful and beautiful. The only thing that could have pulled her away from the sight was Bon Bon walking up to her.

“Lyra,” Bon Bon said.

“Yes?” Lyra asked, turning to her marefriend.

“We've been marefriends for a full year now,” Bon Bon said. “And in that year, I've felt something with you that I've never felt with any other pony I've ever met before. True love. And over these past two days, with the Pokemon appearing, Roo especially, I'm more sure than ever before that we're meant to be together. Because of all of that that...” Bon Bon knelt down on one knee and held out the box that Roo gave her. “...I have only one question for you. Lyra Heartstrings...” Bon Bon opened the box, revealing a gold (colored) ring that had a small diamond on it. “...will you marry me?”

Lyra gasped, overcome with emotion. “Oh Bon Bon...” she said, taking a moment to catch her breath. “Yes. Yes I will marry you!”

“Lyra, you can't imagine how happy I am for you to say that,” Bon Bon said, standing up and hugging the unicorn.

“I can't tell you how happy I am you asked,” Lyra said. The two then broke their hug, Lyra levitated the ring onto her horn, and then the two ponies spent another moment just staring into each other's eyes. “You... wouldn't be mad if I didn't kiss you right now though, right? I mean, you did kinda throw up earlier.”

“Oh, I understand,” Bon Bon said with a giggle.

Meanwhile, Felix and the others just looked at the two, all of them smiling at how cute they were together. There was general silence before Roo spoke up.

“Mamma,” she said while looking up and Kanga, “can I go dance with the Clefairy? Please?”

Everyone almost completely forgot about the dancing Clefairy in the background, none of them even seeming to notice their audience despite how much noise the ponies were making.

“They'd let her dance with them,” Pinky said. “I just asked one of the Clefable. They seem to be alright with Pokemon spectators. I guess it was just humans who they were shy around.” Felix grumbled at this, but didn't say anything.

Kanga thought about what Pinky had said for a moment before saying “Okay. Go crazy, little one.”

“Yay!” Roo cheered before hopping out of her mother's pouch and running towards the dancing Clefairy.

“Be careful!” Kanga called.

“Don't worry, Kanga,” Butters said as he and Breeze flew up. “We'll go keep an eye on her.” The two Butterfree then flew off to join Roo and the Clefairy.

“You know what, Tartar?” Pinky asked. “I think we'd get a better view of the Clefairy from over there. You know... away from this exact spot.”

Tartar was confused for a moment before he caught on. “Oh, you're right,” the Tyrannitar agreed. He and Pinky then walked away, leaving Felix and Pinky together. They didn't leave sight, however, before Pinky gave Kanga a wink. The Kangaskhan almost didn't notice this. Almost.

“I should go congratulate those two,” Felix said while turning to walk towards Lyra and Bon Bon. However, he was stopped by Kanga.

“Felix, I need you to tell me something,” she said. The Meganium turned around, giving his undivided attention to Kanga. “You brought us up here for reasons beyond giving Bon Bon a good backdrop for her proposal. I know Pinky knows, but I want to know. I want to know for sure.”

Felix took a deep breath before replying. “When I first met you and Roo,” he started, “it was by mistake. That day two years ago, I saw a bunch of Team Rocket Grunts heading towards Glittering Cave. My first instinct was to run and get help, but the nearest police station was about an hour's run. And that was round-trip. Plus, I felt... something. Something was calling to me. I had to take immediate action. So I ran in, and attacked as many Grunts as I could. From that point, I think you know the rest either by seeing it for yourself or me telling you afterwards.

“From that day on, you know how the others and I helped take care of Roo after what happened with her father. (I guess now that I know he was a Meganium, I should call him that, huh?) Also from that day, though, something bugged me. I could never quite put my finger on it, but some nights, when I'd be dreaming, and I knew I was safe from Pinky's prying, one thought would occur to me regarding what that thing that bugged me was. From the beginning, I'd managed to convince myself that the reason I went in was because I could sense a young soul in distress. That soul being Roo, of course. But in these dreams, my subconscious would consider another option. Maybe the reason I went into that cave wasn't Roo, but you. Maybe I saved you because...” Felix paused for a moment and looked like he was fighting to maintain his composure. “Because there was something about you that completed me. And not just in the way a friend would, but... in the way... a significant other would.”

“Then...” Kanga tried to say. She was having just as hard of a time processing this as Felix was having saying it. “Then how come you never said anything before?”

“Because the society we lived in wouldn't allow it,” Felix replied. “The society I was raised in. True, I didn't have a problem with 'good Pokephilia' as that one Ranger we ran into that one time put it. (If I remember correctly, that is.) But even then, my mind was hard-wired to fool me into thinking that this was just my imagination, and that the sole reason I went into that cave was to save Roo and any family she might have left. And any thoughts I had of us being together gradually faded away...

“But then this happened. I was turned into a Pokemon, and we were whisked away to this strange world where we could be free to love. But I wasn't able to process that last part the first day. Everything happened so fast, and my mind was struggling to make sense of it all. Then once I found out that you actually loved me, a part of me wanted to be happy, but that was a small part, and the rest was so overworked already. This news drop just made everything... fall apart.”

“And that's why you ran away when I kissed you,” Kanga finished, managing to put the pieces together. “Oh Felix, if I only knew all of this, I wouldn't have-”

“It's ok, Kanga,” Felix said. “I forgive you for what you did. It's myself who can't be forgiven for how I unwillingly played with your emotions like I did.”

The two were silent for a moment before Kanga spoke up. “I guess that leaves one last question,” the Kangaskhan said. “Why did you bring all of us all the way up here?”

“Because I needed some grand gesture to apologize for what I did,” Felix replied. “And to show you how much I truly care about you. Also, I figured I'd need a way to thank Lyra and Bon Bon for taking care of Roo, so... two Pidgeys with one Rock Throw.”

Kanga was silent once more, but unlike the last few times, she had a smile on her face. She almost couldn't believe everything Felix had just told her. Not only did he love her back, not only did he have these feelings in some way for ages, but he cared for her so much, he brought her all the way up to this mountain to witness one of the most beautiful sights in the world.

“Felix...” Kanga said finally. “I... I don't know what to say.”

“There's nothing to say, Kanga,” Felix said. “Except...” The Meganium looked up into Kanga's eyes. One of his vines reached out and rested itself on the side of Kanga's face. “Kanga...”

Kanga replied by placing one of her hands on the side of Felix's face. “Felix...”

The two leaned in closer to each other. “I...” Felix tried to say. He took a deep breath before trying to talk again. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Felix,” Kanga replied with a smile.

The two stood there for a moment, simply looking into each other's eyes. The two had been harboring feelings for each other for ages, and at long last, they were finally able to confess to each other. All they had to do from there was lean in closer to each other, purse their lips, close their eyes, and with a flare of emotion, they kissed.

At the same time as the two kissed, the Clefairy's dance reached their finale, and the Moon Stone exploded, causing it to rain many small, glowing, and strangely slow-falling shards of the evolutionary stone, creating a sensation not dissimilar to flying through space among the stars. A feeling that Felix and Kanga felt as they continued their kiss, neither one truly wanting to break away from each other.

Pinky and Tartar could only watch as Lyra and Bon Bon held each other close, Kanga and Felix remained locking lips, the sensation of falling stars continued, and several of the Clefairy evolved into Clefable after shards of the Moon Stone touched them.

“There sure is a lot going on atop this mountain...” Tartar commented.

“Indeed,” Pinky replied. After watching everything going on around her for a while, she finally said “Oh what the hell,” then reached up, grabbed Tartar, and pulled him down into a kiss. It was less romantic and more dramatic, but the Tyrannitar wouldn't have complained if Pinky let him.

In two different places, both Princess Cadence and Cresselia shuddered. There was a massive influx of romance going on somewhere. There was nothing either of them could have done about it, but it's not like either one wanted to do anything anyway. Rather, both were happy for whoever was generating so much love in one spot.

After a few minutes, everything calmed down on the mountain. Felix and Kanga sat together while watching the Clefairy, Clefable, and a few Cleffa who possibly either hatched during the dance or just plain went unnoticed, finishing everything up and retreating back into the cave. As this was happening, Roo was walking back to the two while wearing a pair of sunglasses.

“Hi Mamma, hi Felix,” Roo said with a smile on her face.

“Roo, where did you get those sunglasses?” Felix asked.

“And for that matter, why are you wearing them?” Kanga added.

“Well...” Roo said with a chuckle, “let's just say you'll never guess who got to first base with one of those Cleffa.”

Felix and Kanga just exchanged confused expressions before turning back to Roo. “Roo, you don't even know what 'first base' means,” Felix deadpanned.

“Yes I do,” Roo replied. “It's when you're playing baseball and... oh forget it.” Roo sighed and took the sunglasses off. “I saw that line on a TV show once and I thought I'd try using it.”

“Well I think you're a little young to use that line anyway,” Kanga said while patting Roo's head. “But I'm glad you at least found a new friend.”

“Yeah, and he's really cool, too,” Roo said. Kanga flinched slightly when Roo confirmed that it was a male she was talking about. “He even knows how to use Present!”

“That sounds... nice,” Kanga said, still a bit unsure of what to make of the fact that her only daughter now has a friend who happened to be male.

“Back to my question, though,” Felix said. “Where did you get those sunglasses?”

“I found them...” Roo started, but then she paused and looked at the sunglasses that were still her hand. “Actually, I don't know where I found them. They were just lying on the floor.” The baby Kangaskhan shrugged.

“Okay then...” Felix said. “I guess it'll just be one of life's many mysteries.”

“But all in all, I had fun,” Roo said, regaining her smile. “Thanks for bringing us all up here Felix.”

“You're welcome, Roo,” Felix said.

There was a slight pause while Roo gained an expression of curiosity. “There's something different about you again, Felix,” she finally said. “And it's not just you.” She turned to Kanga. “Is there something different about you too, Mamma?”

“Oh, something's very different,” Kanga said while turning to Felix with a smile. “We-”

“Kanga, Felix,” a voice interrupted. The Pokemon turned around to see Lyra and Bon Bon walking up to them. “Once again, thank you two so much for bringing us up here,” Bon Bon said.

“It was no problem,” Felix replied. “Rather, I think we could even say it was our pleasure.” The Meganium leaned in a little closer to Kanga to emphasize the point he was trying to get across.

“Oh, congratulations you two,” Lyra said. “How soon after our wedding will we have to start planning yours?”

“Um...” Kanga said. “Well, most Pokemon don't have any kind of grand ceremony like a wedding. We usually just-” Kanga stopped herself and covered Roo's ears before finishing. “We usually just mate and that's that.”

“Oh,” Lyra said, her ears flattening slightly.

“But what's stopping us from having a wedding anyway?” Felix asked. “I mean, I told you about that thing that happened in Unova some time back. Sure those two got busted by the Ranger Union and both the Gardevoir and her trainer likely got arrested, but... never mind. I'm not proving my point well enough.”

“Well, we'll give you two time to think it over,” Bon Bon said. “But for now, could you please get Butters and Breeze to take us home? We kinda wanna 'celebrate' our engagement... in private.”

“Gotcha,” Felix said. He then turned to see Butters and Breeze flying up.

“We already heard,” Breeze said. “We'll take them back to Ponyville no problem.”

“Are you sure you two will be ok?” Felix asked. “I don't want you to strain yourselves again.”

“We'll be fine, Felix,” Butters insisted. “Besides, we'll be flying downwards and the wind is in our favor this time. It'll be an easy flight this time.”

“If you say so,” Felix said. “But please be careful.”

“We will,” Butters said. The two Butterfree then flew up to Lyra and Bon Bon. “Please don't throw up this time, Miss Bon Bon.”

“Oh, I'll be fine this time,” Bon Bon said.

With that, the two Butterfree lifted the two ponies and took off towards Ponyville.

After a short pause, Kanga turned to Felix. “How would two females mate, anyway?” she asked.

“I don't know,” Felix replied. “But who knows? Maybe there's a pony thing we don't know about.” There was another pause before Felix spoke again. “Well, I don't think they're gonna want us down there with them tonight whatever the case may be.”

It was then that Tartar and Pinky walked up. “Red won't be back until morning like I said earlier,” Tartar said. “And I'm pretty sure the Clefairy will let us stay. Besides...” Tartar looked up. “This mountain is rather nice. Good view, strangely comfortable, and warm. How could a mountain be warm?”

“I heard from somewhere that Red gives off intense amounts of body heat wherever he goes as a side effect of his aura of pure incredibleness,” Felix replied. “That could be it.”

“Well, do you want us to leave you be?” Pinky asked the two.

“Actually, I don't think we're quite there yet,” Kanga replied, figuring out the meaning behind Pinky's question. “Besides...” Kanga gestured towards Roo.

“Right,” Pinky said with a nod. “Well if that's the case, try to keep her on this side of the mountain because Tartar and I do want to be left be.”

“I understand,” Felix said with a nod. “Oh, and Tartar... try not to hurt her too badly. She's still our means of communication with the ponies.”

Tartar sighed. “Fine.” The Tyrannitar then turned to Pinky and took her hand in his own. “Well, milady? Shall we digress?”

“I suppose we shall,” Pinky replied with a giggle. The two then made their way to the other side of the surprisingly large plateau and behind the cave.

“I hope they aren't too loud,” Felix said. “I kinda want to get some sleep tonight.”

”Don't worry,” Pinky said to Felix and Kanga telepathically. ”I'm putting a wall of silence around us. We shouldn't bother you.”

”Thank you,” Felix replied. He then turned around to see Roo yawning. “Yeah, I think it's about past bedtime for all of us.”

“Agreed,” Kanga said.

“What?” Roo asked. “But I'm not even ti-” Roo stopped short as she fell onto her back, out like a light and snoring adorably.

“I can't help but smile every time she does that,” Felix said.

“Neither can I,” Kanga said as she picked her daughter up and placed the little one in her pouch. Feeling where she was, Roo instinctively curled up in a little ball.

“So I guess today's over, huh?” Felix asked.

“Yeah...” Kanga replied. “This chapter of our relationship has come to a close.”

“Nah,” Felix replied. “I think this was more of a story arc than a single chapter. The past three days were, I mean.”

“Well if that's the case, I can't wait to see what the next arc has in store for us,” Kanga said with a smile as she looked into Felix's eyes. “But for now, I think we need a well-deserved good night's sleep.” The Kangaskhan leaned in and gave Felix a quick peck on the lips. “Good night, Felix.”

“Good night, Kanga,” Felix replied. The two then lay down and fell asleep, subconsciously embracing each other.

Author's Note

I've been spelling "Tyranitar" wrong this whole time... and I didn't catch it until just now.
Way to go, Mister Grammar Nazi.
Alright, I'll admit to my own faults just this once.
Despite that, I hope you all enjoyed this incredibly lengthy and cheesey chapter. Now I'm going to take a break from this story and try to write some more in my other stories.
You lie. You're just going to play Alpha Sapphire non-stop now, aren't you?
Actually, Nana, I've already completed that game, as well as the Delta Episode. Even got my hands on the shiny Beldum. Speaking of, where are you in this story?
In a forest, I'm pretty sure.
That helps a lot. :ajbemused:
Anyway, I hope to see you all again another time. Writing this story has been fun. In fact, once I've written some more in my other stories, I just might treat fans of this story to a neat little bonus...

Also, I have a Zoroark (the Illusion Fox Pokemon) named Mangol. Now where in the past have I heard something similar to that...?

Extra 1: Distant Memory

Author's note
This chapter is set two years prior to Arceus' release and all the events that follow that. As such, there are some things I want to acknowledge and make sure you know before you flood the comments section with... whatever.
First, some of Felix's Pokemon will be in different forms since this is in the past.
Second, since I'm assuming that wild Pokemon don't often give each other names and they just have some kind of... "thing" that lets them know when others are talking to them, neither Kanga nor Roo will be named until the end.
Third, I'm well aware this chapter contradicts with the story Roo told in chapter 3 in some ways. That is because she is two days old when these events happen. Even putting it into perspective, can you tell stories with exact detail from when you were two years old? If the answer is yes, I extend my congratulations, but please think about the majority who answer "no" before you comment.
Fourth, there will be some slightly brutal beating and abuse in this chapter. I don't expect it to make many people uncomfortable, but just know that it's there.
Fifth, if you find any other plot holes in this chapter that I didn't mention here, the excuse I'm going to give is that they were among the damaged memories Felix had when he was sent to Equestria, which Pinky fixed.
Wow. Who knew a bonus chapter would come with so many disclaimers? Sorry about that. Enjoy the chapter.

At the entrance of Glittering Cave in the Kalos region, a lone Kangaskhan stood silently, looking out upon the horizon. It was a mostly clear day, but she noticed that there were storm clouds gathering over the ocean far away. Surely it couldn't mean anything, but the Parent Pokemon couldn't help but feel... something as she looked on.

It was about at this point that she sensed a presence attempting to sneak up behind her. Quickly, Kangaskhan whirled around and was about to hit the entity with a Mega Punch, but she stopped short when she saw just who it was she was about to hit.

“Well...” Meganium said as he used a vine to lower Kangaskhan's fist. “I suppose that's one way to greet your mate.”

“I'm sorry, Meganium,” Kangaskhan said with a sigh. “But you did sneak up on me. You know how jumpy I've been lately.” She looked down to indicate the egg nestled comfortably in her pouch. It was mostly white with many green spots on it, no different from any other Pokemon egg.

“I don't blame you,” Meganium said as he rubbed a vine on the surface of the egg. “I'm at least glad our child will have a great protector.”

“Oh, you'll be great too, Meganium,” Kangaskhan said with a smile. “I wouldn't have chosen you to be my mate if you weren't strong.”

“You flatter me, Kangaskhan” Meganium said with a laugh. “Look at me. I'm quite literally as frail as a flower. My strength is not the reason you chose me.”

Kangaskhan smiled and placed a hand on the side of Meganium's face. “Then tell me why I did choose you.”

Meganium laughed. “Let's see... I've got these beautiful petals, this adorable face... there's also the fact that I'm one of possibly three Meganium in the entire Kalos region and you wanted to feel special. That could have something to do with it.”

“Heh, you can be so self-centered sometimes,” Kangaskhan said with a laugh. “I think you missed the real reason why I wanted you to be my mate.” The Parent Pokemon poked Meganium's chest. “Your heart. One of the reasons why I love you is because you're so kindhearted. You'd never hurt a soul unless you needed to, you're there to help whoever needs help, and if I may bring up how you wooed me...”

Meganium chuckled at the memory. “At least you can say you're one of the few living beings in the world who can say a flower brought you flowers,” he said. His smile then turned to a frown. “That poor Sunflora, though...”

“Don't be so hard on yourself,” Kangaskhan said. “You didn't know she was there. Besides, I'm sure saving her from those angry Floette made up for what you did.”

Meganium was about to say something else when a crackling noise stopped him. “Kangaskhan, did you hear that?”

“I did,” Kangaskhan replied. She looked down to the egg in her pouch to find that, sure enough, there was a small crack in the top. She quickly took the egg out of her pouch and held it out so that she and Meganium could see it shake once more, causing the crack to become larger. There was another crackling sound, the cracks got larger still, and the shell looked like it was about to burst. Then, with one last shake, the shell burst and a bright light illuminated the area, despite the sun being out. When the light faded, both Kangaskhan and Meganium found that instead of an egg in Kangaskhan's arms, now there was a baby Kangaskhan curled up. The little one stretched and yawned before looking up at the two with a pair of very adorable and beady eyes.

For the longest time, no one said anything. Kangaskhan and Meganium were just soaking in the feeling of calmness that lingered in an area whenever an egg hatched. After a moment, the baby spoke up.

“Are you my mommy and daddy?” she asked.

“Yes we are,” Kangaskhan said, a tear of joy sliding down her cheek. “Welcome to Earth, little one.”

Ding, ding, din-din ding...

An eleven-year-old boy named Felix, who seemed to be dozing off in a chair, quickly jolted awake as he heard that noise. Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, he picked up his bag and made his way to the back of the Pokemon Center, where Nurse Joy and her Wigglytuff were walking out of a back room, the Wigglytuff carrying a tray with five Pokeballs in it.

“Thank you for waiting,” Nurse Joy said with a smile as Felix walked up to the counter they were behind. “Your Pokemon have been restored to full health.”

“Wigglytuff,” the Pokemon chirped as she placed the tray on the counter so that Felix could take his Pokeballs back.

“Thank you Nurse Joy and Wigglytuff,” Felix said as he grabbed the Pokeballs and placed them in his belt.

“Anytime,” Joy said with a smile. “But, if you don't mind me asking, I was curious as to why you only have five Pokemon with you. I understand that Ambrette Town is a fairly early stop for trainers in the Kalos League, but you look like you've been on the road a while.”

“I don't mind you asking, actually,” Felix said. “I've gotten that question from almost everyone I've met since my plane landed in Lumiose City. These five are all Pokemon I caught back in the Unova region where my journey started. My starter, Piggy the Pignite, my first catch, Drake the Flaffy, a Slowpoke who stole the book I was reading one night, Pinky, one of my favorite Pokemon of all time, Nana the Tropius, and a Pupitar who didn't get any love back home. His name's Tartar. All five of them are important to me, and they offer great type coverage so I can be prepared for almost anything that comes my way. At least, that was my thinking until I came to Kalos. I'm still getting used to these Fairy-types.”

“Yeah, we get that from a lot of foreigners,” Nurse Joy said with a chuckle. She then turned and patted her Wigglytuff on the head. “I bet you didn't know Wigglytuff were Fairy-types.”

“No, I didn't,” Felix said, sounding a little bit surprised. “Any Wigglytuff I ran into back in Unova were just Normal-types.”

“Well, maybe the Fairy-type is just on Kalos-born Pokemon,” Nurse Joy said. “The Fairy-types who don't have that type in other regions, I mean.”

“Huh...” Felix said, looking down at the Wigglytuff, who was staring back at him with ~~soulless~~ innocent eyes and a ~~murderous~~ adorable smile. “Well, I guess I've got a lot to learn and re-learn in that case.”

“Looks like it,” Nurse Joy said.

“Tuff,” the Wigglytuff added with a nod.

“Well this has been a nice chat,” Felix said, “but I'd better get going. I wanted to go check out that Glittering Cave place nearby before the end of today.”

“Yes, do that,” Nurse Joy said. “It's a beautiful place, and many people from outside of Kalos are often awe-stricken when they see it. It's even said that some very beautiful stones can be found there around sunset. Have you yet been told about Mega Evolution?”

“No,” Felix said, his eyes wide with curiosity. “What's Mega Evolution?”

“Oh, it's not my place to say,” Nurse Joy replied with a chuckle. “But if you happen to be at Glittering Cave around sunset and you find a glowing orb somewhere, I'd suggest picking it up.”

“Alright,” Felix said. “Thanks again, Nurse Joy. Bye.” Felix then turned and walked away.

“Goodbye,” Nurse Joy called. “We hope to see you again.”

Felix walked out of the Pokemon Center and looked around at Ambrette Town. It was small, quiet, perched comfortably on a cliff overlooking the ocean. The young trainer had never really cared for the taste of salty sea air, but it had the same relaxing effect on him as it had on anyone else.

He looked out at the horizon. There were some storm clouds gathering in the far distance. They'd been there for about two days, and they hadn't seemed to move at all since then. Almost as though they were waiting for something to happen before moving close to land...

Felix's train of thought was derailed when a tall man wearing black ran into him, almost knocking him over. “Ah!” Felix shouted. He turned around to see that the man actually had fallen over. Ordinarily, Felix would have offered a hand to help him up. This time, however, there was something... off about him. Arceus knew what it could have been were it not his all-black uniform, his angry expression, or the giant red R on his shirt.

“Watch where you're going, kid,” the man said with an angry tone as he got up and ran past Felix in the same direction that he was going previously.

“Well that was rude...” Felix said to himself. He then did something that Pinky had taught him to do a while back whenever something felt off. He went over the situation that just transpired in his head. Felix didn't know what, but something about what just happened was off to him, and if what Pinky always kept blabbering on about had any truth behind it, then the truth behind hunches lay in the details. It didn't take Felix long to realize that the uniform the man wore was familiar in some way, and it was only a moment longer when he realized how it was familiar.

”Team Rocket?” Felix thought to himself. ”But I thought they got taken down once and for all years ago by that one kid. Was it... Ethan? Was that his name? I can't bother with names right now. No doubt that if that guy's around, something real bad is going on.” Felix looked around only to find that there weren't any authorities around. The closest police station was probably back in Lumiose City, but that was at least an hour's bike ride. Sure Felix could call out Nana and fly him back to Lumiose, but the police probably still wouldn't get there for a while. ”I've never considered myself on the same level as Ash or Brendan or any of those other kids who stood up to criminal organizations, but I guess there are some days when you just have to take charge.” Felix then began running off in the direction that Rocket Grunt went, assuming that he'd let the Grunt gain enough distance for Felix to run after him at a decent speed.

At Glittering Cave, Kangaskhan and Meganium were playing with their newborn daughter. It had been about two days since the little one hatched, and the entire cave was abuzz with energy following that event. The other Pokemon were leaving the family alone for the time being, however.

At the moment, Meganium was bouncing around with his daughter on his back. (Held securely by vines, of course.) “Faster, Daddy, faster!” she said while laughing.

“Oh dear...” Kangaskhan said as she watched her daughter getting tossed all over the place atop Meganium's back. She trusted him, but that didn't mean she wasn't allowed to worry for the safety of her young. It was about this time that a large group of Zubat flew by at a high speed, followed by several other Pokemon running in the same direction.

Meganium quickly stopped a Mawile and asked, “What's going on? Why's everyone running?”

“There's a bunch of strange humans on their way here,” the Mawile replied. “And they've violently attacked several of the Pokemon who wound up in their path already.”

Meganium and Kangaskhan exchanged nervous glances as the Mawile continued running. Quickly, Meganium lifted the little one off his back and into her mother's pouch. “We should start running too,” he said to Kangaskhan.

“Good idea,” Kangaskhan replied with a nod. They turned and were about to run when a shout stopped them.

“Shadow Ball!” a deep and angry voice shouted, followed by an attack by the very same name flying past the three and causing an explosion in front of them, which caused the baby to start crying. They turned back around only to be faced with about six Team Rocket Grunts, one of them accompanied by a Golbat. (Apparently the very same one that fired the Shadow Ball.)

“Well lookie what we got here,” one of the grunts said. “A Meganium and a pair of Kangaskhan. They’ll fetch us some dough.”

“Hey,” another grunt spoke up, “didn't that guy who ran that brothel say he was looking for really young Pokemon like that baby over there?”

Kangaskhan shuddered when she heard what the grunt had said. There were a few Pokemon at Glittering Cave who had escaped that kind of captivity, and some of the Pokemon who weren't too badly damaged emotionally were able to share their stories for the purpose of cautioning the others.

“That he did,” the first grunt replied. “Looks like there's use for two of them, but...” A wicked smile crossed the man's face as he looked at the adult Kangaskhan. “Looks like that doesn't leave much room for you in our haul.”

Kangaskhan was about to take up a defensive position, but Meganium stopped her and stepped forward. “Meganium, what are you doing?” Kangaskhan asked.

“I'm going to fight them,” Meganium replied.

“But you can't,” Kangaskhan said. “What happens if they capture you?”

“What happens if they capture you?” Meganium asked. “You know what plans they have for our daughter, and they won't even let you survive. My priority is to make sure the little one is safe, and I'd never be able to forgive myself if something were to happen to you if I could have helped it.”

“But-” Kangaskhan tried to protest. She looked up to find that the Team Rocket members had gotten tired of waiting and had begun advancing upon the group. “But you can't-”

“Kangaskhan, go. Take our child and get out of here. I'll be fine.”

“But Meganium-”

“GO!”

Kangaskhan was reluctant to leave, but before she could consider leaving her mate to the Grunts any longer, the Golbat swooped in and tried to attack them. Meganium quickly lashed out with his vines to knock the Golbat back with Vine Whip, but the attack did little more than pester it and cause it to retreat slightly. “You need to get out of here,” Meganium said to Kangaskhan. He gave his mate a quick kiss on the cheek before saying “I'll see you again. I promise.”

Kangaskhan took a deep breath before replying. “I'm going to hold you to that, Meganium.” She then turned around and started running further into Glittering Cave.

“Golbat, don't let those Kangaskhan get away!” one of the grunts shouted. His Golbat quickly took off in accordance to its trainer's command, but it was stopped suddenly by Meganium pulling it out of the air and straight into the ground with another Vine Whip.

“So you wanna play like that, do ya?” another grunt asked with a devious smile. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a small device which quickly extended into a long electrically-charged rod. He then turned to the Golbat's trainer and two other grunts. “You three, follow the Kangaskhan while the rest of us keep this Meganium distracted.”

“Yes sir,” the Golbat's trainer said. He, his Pokemon, and two other grunts then took off after the Kangaskhan.

“Oh no you don't!” Meganium shouted. He then ran towards the two grunts who were trying to get past him, but he was stopped when a sharp pain suddenly shot through his body from his midsection. He screamed and fell to the ground, but was able to get up and turn around to see the grunt with the cattle prod, joined by the other three grunts who now weld similar weapons.

“Alright, little Meganium,” the lead grunt said, “you come quietly with us, and we won't hurt ya... much.”

Meganium wasn't even fazed. He simply looked the grunt straight in the eye with the most serious expression he could manage.

“What's the matter?” the grunt asked in a teasing manner. “You're not gonna do anything to- AHH!” The grunt was stopped suddenly when he felt one of his legs yanked out from under him, causing him to fall to the ground, throw the cattle prod, and somehow cause the weapon to land right on his chest, giving him quite a shock.

Meganium quickly retracted the vine he had used to steal the grunt's foot out from under him before turning to face the other grunts. He then did something he never thought he'd have to do in his entire life. He let out a loud and surprisingly intimidating Roar, causing the grunts to huddle together and quake in fear.

It was about at this time that the lead grunt had gotten back up. “Don't just stand there, you dolts!” he shouted. “Get him!”

Despite their intimidation, the other grunts quickly charged forward towards Meganium. Meganium charged back and attacked them with Razor Leaf, stopping them in their tracks but not deterring them. It was at this point that the lead grunt ran up and struck Meganium hard in the neck with his cattle prod. This dealt a significant amount of pain, but Meganium was still able to retaliate by hitting the grunt's hand with a powerful Vine Whip, knocking the cattle prod out of his hand. Meganium was about to follow this up with a Body Slam, but one of the other grunts snuck up behind him and struck him with another electrical blow, causing Meganium to fall to one knee and allowing the other two to run in and strike the Pokemon with their own prods. Despite having a resistance to Electric-type attacks, Meganium could still feel the unimaginable amount of electricity coursing through his body, not to mention the injuries he was taking from how hard the grunts were striking him. But he had to keep fighting. He made a promise that he'd see Kangaskhan again, and the only way he'd be able to stick to that promise was by winning this battle. He also had to escape these grunts in order to chase after the other two that went after Kangaskhan. This was probably the only thing keeping him going despite how many times he had been struck by those cattle prods, which was at this point possibly a near-fatal number.

After several more strikes against which Meganium was powerless, he finally fell to the ground, only to have the lead grunt walk up and give him another zap right to the base of his neck. “Not so tough now, are you?” he said with a sneer. “Alright, boys. Let's bag this Meganium and-”

“PIGGY, USE TACKLE!” an unfamiliar voice shouted. One of the grunts turned just in time to face a Pignite that crashed into him head-on, knocking the grunt to the ground. Another grunt watched his comrade fall and wasn't able to defend himself from another form, this one a human, slam into him and bring both of them to the ground.

“A kid?” the lead grunt asked. He then turned back to Meganium and gave him another shock, causing the Pokemon to scream in pain once again. “You stay down. I'll be back to deal with you.” The grunt then turned and walked towards Felix, who had managed to knock the grunt he tackled unconscious. “What the hell do you think you're doing, kid?”

Felix quickly got up and faced the grunt with a stoic expression. “What does it look like I'm doing?” Felix asked. “I'm here to stop whatever crazy scheme you're up to.”

The grunt simply laughed to himself a little in response to Felix's reply. “Are you, now? You make that so evident with those quivering knees of yours.”

Felix looked down and gasped as he realized that his legs were, indeed, quaking with fear. “Well... legs have nothing to do with courage!”

“Oh no?” the grunt asked before arming his cattle prod and charging at Felix.

“Nope!” Felix shouted before reaching behind him and pulling out his Pupitar, Tartar, to take the electrical strike. Not only was the attack nullified because of Tartar being a Ground-type, but his Rock-solid body was hard enough to snap the grunt's cattle prod in two.

“Tar! (Ha!)” Tartar taunted.

“Thanks, Tartar,” Felix said. “But we can't stop at breaking this guy's toys. Use Crunch!” Felix then tossed the Pupitar towards the grunt.

“Pupitar! (Take this!)” Tartar shouted as he opened his mouth and clamped down hard on the grunts arm.

“AHHHH!” the grunt shouted as he ran around frantically, trying to shake Tartar off of him. “GET THIS THING OFF OF ME!”

It was at about this time that Piggy returned to Felix's side. “Pignite? (Now what?)” the Pignite asked.

Felix looked over to the downed Meganium and knelt down towards it, placing two fingers on the Pokemon's neck. He waited for one second, two seconds, three... Suddenly, Felix's expression went from dim, to sad, to angry. He then got up and turned to the grunt that Tartar was still latched on to. “Piggy, Tackle that grunt to the ground and hold him there.”

“Pignite. (Okay.)” Piggy said with a nod before rushing towards the struggling grunt.

Taking his cue, Tartar quickly leapt off the grunt. The latter had only a moment to breathe, however, before Piggy hit him with a full-body Tackle and knocked him to the ground. “GAH! Not another one!” the grunt shouted as he struggled under the Pignite's weight.

Shortly after the grunt went down, Felix walked around to the grunt's head and knelt down. “I'm gonna tell you something about me,” Felix said with an angry tone. “I'm usually a nice guy. Need an assist of some type? I'm there. But if you have the nerve to hurt Pokemon, or even do what you and your pals just did to that Meganium...” Felix took a deep breath, attempting to compose himself, before continuing. “I will show you no mercy.”

“What are you?” the grunt asked. “Some kind of freelance cop?”

“No,” Felix replied. “Just a really nice person who you just made really angry.”

“Pupi! (Felix!)” Tartar said while nudging Felix.

“Do you mind, Tartar?” Felix asked. “I'm trying to intimidate a criminal here.”

“Tar tar tar, Pupitar! (There's more going on, though!)” Tartar continued while turning and “pointing” further into the cave.

“Your Pupitar's smarter than it looks,” the grunt said with an evil grin. “Seems like he knows where the rest of my comrades are.”

“What?” Felix asked reaching down and grabbing the collar of the grunt's shirt to pull him closer. “I should have known there were more of you. What are they doing further in the cave?”

“Just rounding up a few more Pokemon to sell,” the grunt replied with a smug look. “Not that you'll be able to save those Pokemon, though.”

“That's all I needed to know,” Felix said. He then let go of the grunt before pulling out two of his Pokeballs and aimed one of them at Tartar. “Tartar, return.” A red beam of light shot from the Pokeball, enveloped Tartar, and pulled the Pupitar into the ball. Felix then threw the other Pokeball into the air. “Pinky, come on out!”

The Pokeball burst open and out of it fell a Slowpoke, who quickly yawned and stretched after landing. ”What is it this time, Felix?” Pinky asked telepathically.

“Use Hypnosis on this guy,” Felix said, indicating the grunt.

“What?” the grunt shouted, squirming under Piggy's weight.

”Seems like a waste of my talents, bur ok,” Pinky said before she turned to the grunt, her eyes flashed red, and an invisible wave of psychic energy washed over the grunt, causing him to quickly grow drowsy and fall asleep.

“I could have knocked him out, you know,” Piggy said to Felix thanks to Pinky setting up a mental translator. The Pignite then got up off of the grunt.

“I know,” Felix said. “But we have to be delicate here... to an extent. We can't go 100% vigilante here. Now both of you come on. There's some more Team Rocket members further in this cave who we have to stop if we wanna save the Pokemon in this cave.”

“If you say so,” Pinky said while psychically lifting herself onto Piggy's shoulders.

“What are you doing?” Piggy asked.

“I can't run,” Pinky replied. “And Felix is too scrawny to carry me.”

“Hey!” Felix shouted. “You know what? Arguing over this would just be a waste of time. Come on.” The three then quickly made their way further into the cave.

“Keep the heat on that Kangaskhan!” one of the grunts shouted at his Golbat as they and the other grunts chased Kangaskhan. “Hit her with Air Cutter!”

“Golbat! (Take this!)” the Golbat shouted as he flapped his wings hard and generated a powerful blast of wind that quickly caught up to Kangaskhan and hit her square in the back, causing her to stumble and almost fall over. However, she was able to recover. It wasn't enough to maintain her distance from the grunts, however, and the Golbat took advantage of this opportunity by flying ahead and stopping right in her way. Now Kangaskhan and her child were trapped between the grunts and the Golbat.

“Nowhere to run now,” Golbat's trainer said with an evil smile.

“Kangaskhan. (Then I'll fight.)” Kangaskhan said angrily as she readied herself for an attack.

“Golbat, use Screech!” the trainer shouted.

Golbat quickly followed his trainer's order and opened his mouth wider than normal. “BAAAAAAAAAT!” a deafening screech echoed through the cave, overloading the eardrums of the two Kangaskhan. The grunts, however, had protective earplugs in, so they were unaffected. While Kangaskhan was incapacitated, one of the grunts quickly rushed up, pulled out his cattle prod, and struck Kangaskhan right in the chest, causing electricity to surge through her body, all but immobilizing her just long enough for the grunt to swipe the baby right out from her pouch.

“Gotcha,” the grunt said as he held the struggling Kangaskhan in his hand.

“KHAAAAAN! (HEEEEELP!)” the baby screeched as she struggled to break free of the grunt's grasp, though to no avail.

“Kangaskhan! (I'm coming!)” Kangaskhan shouted as she tried to charge towards the grunt.

“Gol Golbat! (Not so fast!)” the Golbat shouted as he rushed forward and struck Kangaskhan hard in the back with his wings, causing her to lose her balance and fall right on her face.

“Heh, how sad,” the grunt that was holding the baby said while shaking his head. He then turned to the other grunts. “You two, finish her and-”

“WATER GUN AND HEAT CRASH!” a voice shouted from behind the grunts. Suddenly, one of the grunts was struck by a powerful jet of water fired from a Slowpoke flying at it, while the other grunt was knocked off his feet and into a cave wall by a charging Pignite.

“What in Kalos?” the lead grunt asked. He looked over to see Felix running onto the scene, his Pokemon quickly joining him.

“Put the child down,” Felix said with a serious expression.

“You really think you can just barge in here and start demanding things, kid?” the grunt asked. “Lemme teach you something about business.” The grunt then turned around and was about to give an order to his Golbat, but he was instead met by Kangaskhan having gotten up and was about to attack the grunt.

“BAT! (NO!)” Golbat shouted as he rushed to h is trainer's aid. He quickly flew forward and sunk a powerful Poison Fang into Kangaskhan's shoulder.

“KHAAAAN!” Kangaskhan shouted in pain as she quickly fell once again.

“HOW DARE YOU!” Felix shouted. “Pinky, get that Golbat off the Kangaskhan! Piggy, save the child!”

“Got it!” both Pokemon shouted as they leapt into action.

Piggy ran at full speed towards the grunt and quickly Tackled him to the ground, causing him to toss the baby into the air. The little one screamed on the way up and the way down, but she stopped when Piggy caught her. As for the grunt, the force with which Piggy Tackled him was enough to knock him into the cave wall, which was about ten feet away, knocking him unconscious.

Pinky used Psychic to levitate herself at high speed towards the Golbat, as well as using the move as an attack on her target. The Slowpoke's psychic energy struck the Golbat like a ton of lead, the fact that he had a type disadvantage only adding to his pain. With a shout, he let go of Kangaskhan and fell to the ground. However, Pinky wasn't finished with the Golbat. She used another Psychic attack to lift the Bat Pokemon and throw him over to his unconscious trainer, the Golbat himself knocked out.

“Great job, guys,” Felix said. He then turned his attention to the downed Kangaskhan and ran over to her. He placed a hand on her. She had fainted, but she was still breathing, albeit barely. The Golbat's Poison Fang did its job: badly poisoning her. “She's not looking too good...”

“Khan... (No...)” the baby said with tears in her eyes as she leapt out of Piggy's arms and ran over to her mother and hugged her head.

“Pinky, link me to that baby,” Felix said.

“Alright,” Pinky replied. She then turned to the baby and her eyes flashed blue for a second before she turned back to Felix and nodded. Felix then stepped forward towards the little one.

“Please wake up, mamma,” the baby said as she hugged her mother while crying. She almost jumped when she felt Felix place a caressing hand on the back of her head.

“Don't worry about it, little one,” Felix said. “I'm going to make sure she gets better. Trust me.”

The little one looked up at Felix with eyes full of tears. “Y-you will?”

“I promise,” Felix replied. He then took off his bag and began rummaging through it. “I know there's a Pecha Berry in here somewhere. I just have to find it. Bicycle, fishing rod, Charizardite, I need to figure out what to do with that soon... here it is.” Felix then pulled out a single Pecha Berry. “My last one. I'm glad I haven't had to use it yet.” The trainer knelt towards Kangaskhan, opened her mouth, and fed her the berry. Felix had to help her chew, but she was fortunately able to swallow on her own. “I wish there was more I could do, but I'm useless when it comes to first aid. She'll live now that that Pecha Berry is clearing the poison from her system, but we'll still need to get her to the Pokemon Center in Ambrette Town if she's gonna recover completely.” Felix then pulled out one of his Pokeballs and tossed it. “Nana, I choose you!”

Out of the Pokeball came a Tropius. “Tropius! (All right!)” he roared.

“Nana, I need you to do something for me,” Felix said to his Tropius as Pinky set up Nana's translator.

“What is it?” Nana inquired.

“I need you to carry this unconscious Kangaskhan back to Ambrette Town so she can get medical treatment,” Felix replied.

“Uh... I don't think I can,” Nana admitted. “Not if you expect me to fly at the same time, I mean. I have my weight limits.”

“Oh,” Felix said, moving to rubbing his chin while thinking of another plan. “Wait... Pinky, what if you carried the Kangaskhan?”

“As Nana said, not if you expect me to fly at the same time,” Pinky replied.

“No, I mean Nana flies us while you tow Kangaskhan with Psychic,” Felix explained.

“Huh...” Pinky said as she rubbed her own chin. “I wonder why I didn't think of that.”

“So you'll be able to save Mamma?” the baby Kangaskhan asked, tears still flowing but a smile now breaking through.

“I will,” Felix replied. “No, we will. My team and I.”

”Good save,” Pinky thought to herself. “So, are we gonna get out of here and get this Kangaskhan to the Pokemon Center or what?”

“You're right,” Felix said. He then turned to Piggy and pulled out his Pokeball. “Piggy, return.” A bright light shot out of the Pokeball, enveloped the Pignite, and returned him to the Pokeball. “As for everyone else, let's get this Kangaskhan out of here.”

“Just so you know, I'm gonna have to cut your translator so I can focus on holding Kangaskhan,” Pinky said.

“Alright,” Felix said. He then turned to the baby. “Don't worry, little one. Your mom is going to be fine.”

“Thank you,” the baby said as she ran up and hugged Felix. “Thank you so much, Felix.”

“You're welcome,” Felix replied as he hugged the baby back.

”If only I could help your father...” Felix thought to himself.

It was a ten minute flight for Felix, Nana, Pinky, and the two Kangaskhan. The little one was tense the whole time, but Felix did his best to comfort her the whole way. And he didn't even stop with the comforting when they got to the Pokemon Center and the mother was rushed into care.

“It's very lucky you were there when it all happened,” Nurse Joy said to Felix after he explained the whole situation to her as Wigglytuff moved Kangaskhan to the back. “I didn't even know Team Rocket was still around. Who knows what they would have done if you weren't there.”

“I try not to think about that,” Felix said as he looked down to the baby Kangaskhan in his arms. “I just try to focus on the fact that I was there.” Felix then patted the little one's head in a comforting way while looking back up at Nurse Joy. “And have you alerted any police?”

“We have our fastest Chatot on its way to Lumiose City,” Nurse Joy replied. “They should have Jennies out there in less than an hour.”

“Oh, something tells me most of the grunts in there will be napping longer than that,” Felix said with a slight smile. “But back to Kangaskhan...”

“She'll be all right,” Nurse Joy replied. “She's in stable condition, but exhausted. A little bit of rest and she'll be back on her feet in no time, but we're going to keep her under observation for some time to make sure she recovers fully. She should be back in shape in time for you to take her back home by this evening.”

“Thank you, Nurse Joy,” Felix said.

“Kanga! (Thank you!)” the baby cheered.

“You're both welcome,” Nurse Joy replied with a smile. “Now if you'll excuse me, I need to join Wigglytuff in treating Kangaskhan.” With a bow, Nurse Joy turned and left.

It was another couple hours before Kangaskhan was back on her feet and was rejoined by her daughter. It was a heartfelt reunion, and everyone who happened to be in the Pokemon Center at the time took notice and couldn't help but smile.

After that, it was another ten minute flight back to Glittering Cave. The Officer Jennies had moved in and arrested the Team Rocket members earlier, so the cave was relatively safe now.

“I can't thank you enough for what you've done,” Kangaskhan said to Felix with a smile.

“I couldn't have done it without my team,” Felix said while glancing back at Pinky and Nana, who were standing behind him.

“Then thank you all,” Kangaskhan said. “You saved me and my daughter.”

“Yeah, about that...” Felix said, shifting nervously. “I, uh... I'm sorry, but I couldn't save the Meganium. Was he the little one's father?”

“He was,” Kangaskhan replied. “I'll miss him, but I'm glad our daughter is still alive, and for that I'm in your debt.”

“Don't worry about it,” Felix said. “I was just passing through and I sensed there was someone in danger. Helping was just the natural thing to do for me.”

“If... if you say so,” Kangaskhan said.

“Oh come on, Mamma,” the baby said as she looked up at her mother from the latter's pouch. “Just ask him already!”

“Ask me what?” Felix asked.

“Well...” Kangaskhan said. “The thing is, we don't feel quite safe at Glittering Cave anymore. I mean, sure this was an isolated incident, but...”

“Bad memories, huh?” Felix asked. “I can understand that. I have a friend who's in the same predicament.”

“Oh,” Kangaskhan said. “But the point is, my daughter and I want to travel with you.”

“I wanna see the world!” the little one cheered. “I wanna battle trainers and take on gyms and participate in contests and-”

“Now hold on there, little one,” Kangaskhan said with a laugh. “You're two days old. You don't think you're getting a little ahead of yourself?”

Felix couldn't help but smile as he watched the exchange. “Okay,” he finally said. “If you really want, I'll add you two to my team.”

“Thank you,” Kangaskhan said. She winced slightly as Felix pulled out a Pokeball for her, but she quickly recomposed herself.

“Ready?” Felix asked as he held the Pokeball out.

Kangaskhan looked down at her daughter before looking back up at Felix. “Yes,” she said. She and the little one then reached out and touched the Pokeball together, quickly being pulled into the spherical capsule. The ball bounced into the air upon the Kangaskhan being sucked in before landing back in Felix's hand. It rocked once, twice, three times... THUNK!

“Welcome to the team, you two,” Felix said to himself. “Now come on out for a proper introduction!” Felix threw the Pokeball into the air and out of it emerged the two Kangaskhan once more. “I said this to your Pokeball, but I want to say it to you two personally. Welcome to the team.”

“Thank you, Felix,” Kangaskhan said. “It feels... strangely good. Being your Pokemon, I mean.”

“Yeah, I feel warmer,” the little one said with a smile.

“I'm glad you feel that way,” Felix said, returning the smile. “But first, if you don't mind, I'd like to give you two nicknames. I don't want to be addressing you both as 'Kangaskhan' after all.”

“Fair enough,” Kangaskhan said.

“I've always wanted a nickname!” the little one cheered. “I've wanted one for literally my whole life. Sure my whole life has been two days, but...”

“Alright,” Felix said with a smile. He looked up at the adult Kangaskhan. “Something simple and straightforward... how would you like to be called Kanga?”

“Just Kanga?” the mother asked. “It... sounds alright. Yeah, I think I actually like that name.”

“Good,” Felix said. He then looked down at the little one. “Now you need an adorable name. Something that'll match your cute little face.”

“Hey! I am not that cute!” the little one said while pouting, only adding to her cuteness.

“Let's see...” Felix said while thinking out loud. “The word 'khan' means monarch. Like a ruler. Ru...ler. How about Roo? Short for ruler and still adorable.”

“Roo?” the little one asked. “Well... I suppose it is short for ruler, and that's kinda what I'll grow up to be, so... very well. I shall agree to being called 'Ruler.' Er, I mean Roo.”

“Then it's settled,” Felix said. “Kanga and Roo. Welcome to the team.”

“Thank you so much, Felix,” Kanga said with a smile.

“Thanks a lot!” Roo said.

“No problem,” Felix replied. He then pulled their Pokeball back out. “Now come on. I'd say it's about bedtime.”

“Bedtime?” Roo asked. “But I'm not even ti-” She wasn't able to finish her sentence before she suddenly fell asleep, quickly curling up into Kanga's pouch.

“She's had an eventful day,” Kanga said with a chuckle. “But yeah, I'm a bit tired too.”

“In that case, return,” Felix said. Kanga and Roo were then pulled back into their Pokeball. “I hope we'll be able to make a lot of good memories together, Kanga and Roo,” he said to the Pokeball in his hand, which rocked once in reply. Felix then turned, returned Pinky, and climbed onto Nana's back to fly back to Ambrette Town, where the trainer would spend the night at the Pokemon Center. However, he didn't tell Nana to Fly yet. His attention was drawn westward, where storm clouds were still gathering in the far distance. They still haven't moved inland, as though they were still waiting for something.

“Tropius? (Felix?)” Nana asked his trainer, who seemed distracted.

Felix shook his head. “It's nothing, Nana,” he said. “Just... thinking about something. Not important. Just Fly us back to Ambrette Town.”

“Trop. (Ok.)” Nana replied with a nod. He then took off in an ungraceful fashion that was standard for a Tropius. All throughout the flight, however, Felix did nothing but focus on the storm clouds in the distance. He didn't know what they were waiting for, nor what they were supposed to mean, but he was sure they were there for a reason. He just didn't know exactly what that reason was...

Inside of her Pokeball, Kanga slept. And as she slept, she dreamed. Her dreams weren't entirely pleasant, however.

Kanga stood in a bright white space. Roo wasn't there with her, but that wasn't her concern. No, Kanga's main concern was the form standing before her.

“Meganium...” she said to the Pokemon before her.

“It's me, Kanga,” Meganium replied as he stepped forward.

“I...” Kanga tried to say. With a tear in her eye, she finally spoke. “You didn't come back. You promised you would.”

“I'm sorry, Kanga,” Meganium replied. “In form, it was too late for me. But in spirit, I'm still with you. You and Roo.”

“But...” Kanga said. “But I miss you.”

“And I miss you too,” Meganium replied. “But you cannot dwell on me. You have our daughter to take care of. Looking back on the past will not help your future.”

“But what about you?” Kanga asked. “It's like you're telling me to completely forget about you.”

“No,” Meganium replied. “As I've said, I might not exist in this world anymore, but I'm still with you in spirit.” With a slight smile, Meganium added, “The trainer, Felix, is a good person. He is kindhearted, he'd never hurt a soul if he didn't need to, he's there to help anyone who needs help...”

Kanga quickly realized what Meganium was talking about. “You don't mean... but that can't be...”

“Roo needs her father, no matter how she gets him,” Meganium said with a nod. “Follow your heart, and promise me one thing. No matter what, do what's best for our daughter.” Meganium then began to glow brightly, and when the light faded, rather than Meganium, Felix stood before Kanga. “This isn't the end,” he said. “It's a new beginning.” Felix then began glowing before fading away while waving goodbye to Kanga. As Kanga watched him fade, she felt... something. It was calm and soothing. She could only akin the feeling to what one feels while bathing in moonlight. But that wasn't what she was thinking about. She only had one thought on her mind as her dream concluded.

“Meganium... you did come back.”

Author's Note

For those of you who are less than perceptive, no, that was not Meganium's deceased spirit in Kanga's dream. It was Cresselia, the one who oversees dreams in the Pokemon world and deals with nightmares.

Anyway, I have no idea why I wrote this chapter. I had so much fun writing this from Roo's point of view, but I couldn't get all the details in and maintain some sense of realisticality in terms of how Roo would remember everything. So... here we are.

The next chapter is already written, but I'm going to wait a while before I post it. Why? Because it will be among several chapters to other stories that I haven't updated in ages. A little "coming back in full force" sort of deal.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter. Until next time, (insert comedic but still polite outro here.)

8: A New Life to Live

Atop the mountain north of Ponyville, Pinky slowly woke up with the sun in her eyes and a slight headache. Last night had been... wonderful. Bon Bon had managed to propose to Lyra, Felix and Kanga finally got together, and to top it all off, Pinky and Tartar had finally-

”Wait, did that actually happen?” Pinky quickly thought to herself. She looked down to see that she was, indeed, laying on top of Tartar, who was still asleep. ”Oh no. Please tell me that didn't actually happen.” Pinky closed her eyes and tried to reach into Tartar's memories to confirm. He was a Dark-type, so breaking into his mind was fairly difficult... usually. This time, however, something happened that caught Pinky completely off-guard. She managed to look through Tartar's memories with hardly any trouble. As if that wasn't evidence enough, a quick skim of his memories confirmed her fears.

“Mnh...” Tartar grunted as he slowly woke up and looked up at Pinky lying on top of her, his mouth forming a smile. “Morning, sweetie.”

“Uh... morning,” Pinky replied, forcing a smile. “Did, uh... did you sleep well?”

“I slept great,” Tartar replied. “Thanks to you.”

“I'm... glad to hear that,” Pinky said. In truth, this isn't what she wanted to happen... at all. The most she expected to happen was she and Tartar enjoy a nice evening in each other's arms and maybe kiss before falling asleep in each other's embrace. But somewhere along the way, things... escalated. Pinky's memory went fuzzy somewhere last night, and the only conclusion she could draw based on all of that was the worst case scenario. She'd gone into heat sometime last night, and being so close to Tartar for so long and then seeing him that night...

”I can't believe this is happening,” Pinky thought to herself. ”I'm not ready for commitment like this, and I'm definitely not ready for an egg. I never even went to law school. What am I going to do?”

“Are you alright, Pinky?” Tartar asked. “You're starting to sweat.”

“Oh, I'm... fine,” Pinky replied, doing her best to maintain her forced smile while using Psychic to discreetly wipe the sweat from her forehead. “Just... thinking. About... Felix and Kanga. We should go see how their evening went.”

“Good idea,” Tartar replied. “But, uh... you kinda have to get off of me before we do that.”

Meanwhile, Felix had just woken up as well. Waking up in Kanga's embrace was a slight shock to him at first, but then he remembered everything that happened the night before. After that, a content sigh escaped from him. “Can't believe how perfect this is...” he said to himself with a smile. “I never thought I'd be here with anyone. But with Kanga...” Felix didn't finish his sentence, but rather opted to just enjoy this moment in silence.

He was only enjoying the moment for another minute before Kanga began to stir and then woke up. “Good morning, Felix,” Kanga said with a smile.

“Good morning, Kanga,” Felix replied, returning the smile. “Did you sleep well?”

“I slept great,” Kanga replied. “You have no idea how long I'd been waiting to tell you that I love you and to have you say the same thing back. I hadn't realized until now how much of a weight it was on me.”

“Well, sorry about that,” Felix replied. “If it's any consolation, I'd have probably said yes if you asked me back on Earth. It probably would have taken me longer to reply, and in that time there probably would have been a lot more awkwardness between us, but... the point is, I love you, and I always have, even if I never realized it.”

Kanga simply laughed softly at this. “I love you too, Felix,” she said. The two then leaned in to kiss, but they were interrupted when they heard Roo yawning and waking up in Kanga's pouch. “Maybe later,” Kanga said to Felix with a chuckle. She then stood up and looked down at Roo, who had looked up at Kanga with a smile.

“Good morning, Mamma,” Roo said.

“Morning, Roo,” Kanga replied. “I hope you had a good night's sleep, little one.” ”I'm guessing she did,” Kanga thought to herself. ”I didn't hear her crying at all last night.”

“Actually, I had an awesome dream,” Roo replied. “I dreamed that me, you, Felix, and someone else were all playing together as a family. I think it was a... Chikorita who was with us.”

Instantly, several thoughts crossed Kanga's mind. First, why would Roo even have such a dream? Second, who was this Chikorita? Third, that Chikorita couldn't possibly be.... Fourth, the answer to her first thought. (The events that transpired the night prior.) Fifth, a mental face palm for taking so long to figure out the answer to the first thought. Sixth, what was that smell?

“Oh good, you're all awake,” Pinky said as she and Tartar walked over to the others. “Morning, everyone.”

“Good morning, Pinky, Tartar,” Felix said. He was about to ask how the two slept, (and possibly regret asking immediately), but he stopped suddenly when a strange smell caught his nose. “Hey, does anyone else smell something... odd?”

“Oh right, you're new to being a Pokemon,” Tartar said. “That 'smell' you smell is my scent on Pinky and hers on me. It's because we had-” Tartar stopped himself when he remembered Roo was there. “Ahem. It's because Pinky and I 'became mates' last night. The smell is to let other Pokemon know that she's taken.” Tartar said that last sentence with a chuckle and a pat on Pinky's head.

“Yeah, I'm his now,” Pinky said with a chuckle that, to Felix, sounded nothing like one that normally came from the Slowbro.

“Uh-huh...” Felix said with a slow nod. “Well, thanks for the science lesson.”

“No problem,” Tartar replied. “Huh, look at that. Looks like my new mate's eagerness to teach is already rubbing off on me.”

“Heh, well I've been told I've got too much for myself,” Pinky said with another odd chuckle. It was then that Felix realized what was going on. That was a nervous chuckle that came from Pinky. But this was the part where he was stumped. Pinky? Nervous? About what? Okay, the last thing may have been obvious to Felix. But still, those first two?

“I think we should get back to Ponyville,” Kanga said, snapping Felix back to reality. “I mean, we can't stay up here all day.”

“Yeah,” Felix added. “Plus, I wanted to ask Lyra about how she makes pancakes. See if there's some kind of secret pony cooking thing I should know about while we're in this world.”

“Sounds like a good idea to me,” Roo said. “And while we're on the subject, could we please have pancakes for breakfast today?”

“Haven't you had pancakes for breakfast two days in a row, little one?” Felix asked.

“Um... yes?” Roo replied. “But what happened to the whole 'new world, new way' thing? Doesn't that mean new rules?”

“You still don't need that much sugar,” Kanga laughed while rubbing Roo's head. “But yeah, we should get back to Ponyville.”

“Alright,” Felix said.

“You all go,” Tartar said. “As much as I'd love to go with you, I want to try to avoid causing too much of a panic among those ponies.”

“Come on, Tartar,” Felix said. “You really should try to lighten up a little. I mean, you should have seen how most of the ponies reacted to us. They've pretty much gotten used to Pokemon in their town by now.”

“Well...” Tartar said. “I believe you, Felix, but the fact still remains that Tyranitar don't exactly have a perfect reputation. You've seen how many children I scared back on Earth. Besides, I'm a little more comfortable up here. It feels like home, minus living in terror of a raging Steelix.”

“If you say so, I guess I can't change your mind,” Felix shrugged. “Alright, you can stay up here until you feel comfortable enough to come down.”

“I'd stay with you, Tartar,” Pinky said, “but I'm kinda their line of communication with the ponies.”

“I don't mind, sweetie,” Tartar said, leaning down and giving Pinky a quick peck on the forehead. “Just don't forget about me up here.”

“We won't, Tartar,” Felix said. “As soon as we find Nana, we'll fly him up here for a visit. But that doesn't mean I don't want to see you joining us down there sometime soon.”

“Maybe once things settle down,” Tartar replied. “The other day, I could feel the panic that was going on down there from up here.”

“Alright,” Felix said. “We'll see you again soon.”

“I should hope so,” Tartar said, turning to Pinky. “And you shall be in my thoughts the whole time.”

“Heh heh... ditto,” Pinky said.

With that, Felix, Kanga, Roo, and Pinky turned and left.

In the Everfree Forest, Mangol the Zoroark had been sleeping in a small clearing before she quickly woke up to the sound of rustling leaves. Following her first instinct, Mangol quickly got up and initiated an illusion that turned her invisible. She'd done this sort of thing before. She hid, assessed the situation, and if it was a foe she could take on, she'd do so. If not, she'd form another illusion to trick her foe before fleeing. She waited for a moment and focused on the source on the source of the rustling. She was only waiting for a second before she discovered what was making the noise. It was a Leafeon.

“Odd,” the Leafeon said as she walked into the clearing. “I could have sworn someone was here. Oh wait a second, someone is here. Isn't that right, Mangol?” The Leafeon then turned and faced the exact direction where Mangol was.

“Ki? Is that you?” Mangol asked from behind her illusion, which she quickly dropped. The Zoroark then flipped and transformed into a Glaceon before using that form to run up and hug Ki. “I can't tell you how happy I am to finally find a familiar face in this place!”

“Heh, I'm happy to see you too,” Ki replied, returning the hug. “Wait, you haven't seen anyone we know yet?”

“Well, I ran into Felix Light two nights ago,” Mangol replied. Before continuing, she broke the hug and returned to her normal Zoroark form. “But the thing is, he's changed in an... interesting way.”

“How exactly has he changed?” Ki asked.

“He's a Meganium now,” Mangol replied. “Oh, and do you remember Kanga? His Kangaskhan? Turns out someone's gotten their shipping right.”

“You mean Felix and Kanga are...?” Ki asked. She then looked like she was trying to contain excitement for a moment before she ultimately failed by leaping into the air, doing a backflip, and shouting “YES!” She then landed gracefully before continuing. “I knew there was something between those two! For once, I've gotten a ship right that Tiny doubted! I can't wait to rub it in his adorable little-” Ki stopped her celebrating suddenly, however, when she realized something. “Wait, if Felix was in a relationship with Kanga, how come he's never told Marcus whenever they had one of their secret meetings?”

“Because they weren't in a relationship on Earth,” Mangol replied. “This development happened in just the past couple days. But that's enough about Felix. Do you realize what him being nearby could mean for the rest of his team?”

“Oh, I get it,” Ki said. “You're more focused on finding Drake than anything else.”

“The last time we met was so long ago...” Mangol said, turning to look up at the sky and noticing a particularly fluffy cloud that reminded her of the thick coat of wool that covered Drake when he was a Mareep. “Since we last met, not a day has gone by in which I had even a second's rest from the burning sensation caused by waiting to see my one true love once again.”

“You really miss him, huh?” Ki asked. “And let me guess. In your search for Drake, you haven't given even the slightest thought to finding a single member of our team?” Mangol simply shook her head, causing Ki to laugh a little. “Why am I not surprised? But I'll tell you what. Since you've managed to find at least one member of our team,” (Ki paused for a moment to indicate herself) “I'll go ahead and reward you by aiding in your search for Drake.”

“Really?” Mangol asked. “That's so kind of you. Thank you.”

“Heh, what are metaphorical sisters for?” Ki asked in reply. “Now come on. I found you by talking to this forest, I can find Drake for you the same way.” Ki then walked off into the forest, Mangol following close behind. “On the subject of finding Drake, have you even eaten in these past couple days?”

Back on the mountain trail, Felix and company were on their way back to Ponyville. Felix and Kanga were walking side by side, one of the former's vines in the latter's hand. Behind them, however, Pinky was lagging behind, which was rather unnatural for her. Felix noticed that she hadn't been acting quite like herself all morning, and now he was starting to get a little worried.

“Excuse me,” Felix said to Kanga, pulling one of his vines away. “I need to check on Pinky. I don't think she's well.”

“What makes you say that?” Kanga asked. “Is it the fact that she hasn't said one annoying thing since we woke up?” The Kangaskhan quickly realized that she answered her own question. “Yeah, you'd better check on her.”

“Thanks,” Felix said. He then decreased his pace, allowing Kanga to go ahead and Pinky to catch up to the Meganium.

“I'm fine, Felix,” Pinky said as she realized that Felix had started walking right next to her, though she was still looking down.

“Pinky, I've been your trainer for almost three years,” Felix replied. “Did you really think I wouldn't pick up on any unusual behavior? And for that matter, did you really think I wouldn't do anything about it?”

The Slowbro sighed and looked up at Felix. “What do you want?” she finally asked.

“To know what's bothering you,” Felix replied. “And then to help you in any way I can.”

“I... really don't want to talk about it,” Pinky replied.

“Does it have something to do with you and Tartar?” Felix asked. Pinky didn't say anything, but rather kept walking. An evident “yes” to Felix's question. “You know, you don't have to come down with us. You can stay with Tartar. Kanga, Roo, and I will find another way to talk to the ponies.”

“It's not that,” Pinky said. “It's.... Exactly how familiar with Pokemon biology are you?”

“Probably familiar enough,” Felix replied.

“Then do you know about heat cycles?” Pinky asked.

“Um...” Felix replied, starting to blush slightly as he realized where this conversation was headed. “I'm not a hundred percent familiar with the subject, but I know of it.” Felix then rubbed his chin with one of his vines. “So that's it! I didn't think there would be any other reason why you'd finally let Tartar get to you. If it's egg trouble, congratulations first and foremost. Second, I'm sure Kanga could help you better than I could.”

“It's not 'egg trouble' in the way you're probably thinking,” Pinky replied. “And no, I don't know for certain that I'm pregnant yet. But the real problem is... I don't want an egg. And I don't want a mate either. I know Tartar would be crushed if he knew any of this, but I've never been able to see myself as part of a family. You and the rest of our team aside, that is. My dream was always to learn a lot, enroll in a human law school, and become a politician. When I let you catch me that day three years ago, that was just me placing myself in a position in which I'd be exposed to more opportunities to learn. Of course, you turned out to be a decent trainer and I started to enjoy traveling with you, but that didn't mean I was going to abandon my dreams. I was sure you'd understand when it came time for us to part ways.”

“Uh... yeah...” Felix said, donning a slightly irritated expression.

“But that plan of mine didn't involve a mate or an egg,” Pinky continued. “I'm not blaming Tartar for anything. I'm just saying that life threw me a curveball last night that I wasn't expecting and now my plans are probably going to fall apart as a result. I... I hate to admit it, but I don't know what to do. Something unexpected happened, I have no idea how to deal with it, and it's causing me to panic on the inside. I'm supposed to be the one with all the answers all the time, but now I'm completely lost. Do you have any idea how-?”

Pinky was stopped suddenly when Felix suddenly wrapped his vines around her and pulled her into a hug. “Pinky, shush,” Felix said. “There's no need to panic. I'm sure you'll be a good mate for Tartar, a wonderful mother for your child if you have one, and still be able to become a politician. There isn't a doubt in my mind about that. You wanna know why? Because you're Pinky, the smartest Slowbro in the world. No matter what happens, you always have the answer, even if you can't find it right away.” Felix then released Pinky from the hug and looked her in the eye. “That's the Pinky I know and lo- er, the Pinky I know and tolerate.”

Pinky couldn't help but smile up at the Meganium. “Th-thank you Felix,” she said. “That's the kindest speech anyone's ever given me.”

“I'm glad,” Felix replied. “Now quit your nervousness and internal panic. It's creeping me out.”

Pinky simply rolled her eyes, but was also still smiling. “Alright,” she said. “I'll try.”

“Hey!” Kanga called to the two from further down the trail. “Are you two coming?”

“We'll be right there!” Felix called back. He then turned to Pinky. “Remember what I said. No matter what comes of this, you can handle it.”

“Okay,” Pinky said. She then took a deep breath and began walking again. Felix was about to follow, but he stopped when he saw something out of the corner of his eye. He turned and looked into the distance to see a large creature flying in a circle.

“That can't be...” Felix said to himself as he strained to look closer. This simply confirmed is suspicions. “It is!” Felix then ran down the trail towards the others. “Pinky, Kanga, I found Nana!”

Nana slowly descended into the forest to join Drake.

“Sorry, bro,” Nana said to the Ampharos as he landed on all fours with a loud thud. “I couldn't find anyone.”

“No one?” Drake asked, his ears drooping. “Oh... ok. Then I guess our only option left is making our way to that town and hope either we find them or they find us there.”

“Alright,” Nana replied. “But we're gonna have to go on foot. These flyovers tend to tire me out.”

“Okay,” Drake replied. “Now... do you know which way that town was?”

Nana was about to reply (with a “no”) when a shouting voice stopped him. “Nana! Nana where are you?”

“Felix?” Nana asked, momentarily unable to believe he was hearing his trainer's voice once again. “Felix! We're over here!”

It was a few moments before Nana and Drake came into the view of Felix and the others. “Nana! Drake!” Felix called as he ran over to them.

“Felix?” Drake asked. “Is that-?” The Ampharos was stopped short when Felix ran up and hugged Drake with his vines.

“I'm so glad to see you again, Drake,” Felix said. He then quickly released the Ampharos and hugged Nana. “And Nana, I'm so glad to see you, too!”

“Um...” Nana said, trying but failing to back away from the Meganium.

It was at this time that Kanga and Pinky had finally caught up to Felix. “Kanga! Pinky!” Drake called. He then mouthed “Who is this guy?”

“Felix,” Pinky said, “you're in a new body, remember?”

“Oh, right,” Felix said, releasing Nana from his hug. “Uh, sorry about that guys. It's me, Felix. Just... as a Meganium.”

“So that's what Arceus meant by Pokemon who underwent changes,” Drake said with a nod of understanding.

“At least you were turned into the right type,” Nana said, patting Felix on the back with one of his leaves. (The problems being the force with which Nana “patted” and the fact that Felix's back was mostly the back of his neck.)

“Yeah...” Felix said as he tried to regain his balance. “So, how have you two been for the past two days?”

“Mostly just looking for everyone,” Drake replied. “Nana was my first find.”

“Actually, I found you,” Nana replied. He then turned to the others. “I dive bombed him thinking he was a tasty Pikachu. It's a good thing I'm no good at dive bombing.”

“I beg to differ,” Drake replied with a laugh. “You can dive bomb pretty well if you use Body Slam at the same time.”

“Anyway,” Nana quickly said, “Drake and I have been looking for the others, but so far you four are the only ones we've found.”

“Okay,” Felix said with a nod. “Out of curiosity, what have you two been eating?”

“Apples,” Drake replied. “There's a lot of them in this forest, and they're... different from the ones in our world.”

“Very tasty and surprisingly filling?” Felix asked.

“Yes,” Drake replied. “But enough about apples. What have you guys been up to?”

“I'll summarize what we've done and explain afterwards,” Felix replied. “Basically, the past few days have held Pinky revealing Kanga's crush on me...”

“And fixing your memory,” Pinky protested. “You're welcome.”

“...lesbian ponies who took care of Roo...”

“And one of them made me pancakes,” Roo added.

“...almost getting killed a couple times by Tartar because he didn't recognize us, an incredibly romantic evening atop that mountain over there, Kanga and I getting together, and Tartar probably getting Pinky pregnant. Let's see... I think that's everything that's happened the past couple days.”

Both Drake and Nana could only stare at Felix in confusion. It was a few seconds before Pinky stepped forward. “Good try, Felix, but I'll take it from here,” she said. She then turned to Drake and shared her memories with the Ampharos. After a minute of psychic transfer, Pinky turned to Nana and did the same thing.

“So those are what populate the town,” Drake said. “They seem varied enough to be able to adapt easily to Pokemon. And those two, Lyra and Bon Bon, really wanted to help take care of Roo?”

“They did,” Kanga replied. “I'm not sure what it was about Roo, but they seemed to really bond with her. Like she saved them from something.”

“I've been told I'm a 'Mon of many talents,” Roo said proudly. “Saving relationships is just one of the above-mentioned talents.”

“Well that's...” Drake started. “Well, it's not the strangest thing we've ever seen. That's for sure.”

“I was a little skeptical at first as well,” Kanga said. “But Lyra and Bon Bon are good people. Or... good ponies?”

“If you wanna meet them, we were on our way back to town,” Felix said.

“Uh... no thanks,” Drake replied. “We're still looking for Piggy.”

“And Mangol,” Nana added.

“What?” Drake quickly asked, blushing and nervously looking this way and that. “No, no, I never said anything about looking for a Zoroark with perfect hair and a beautiful face. Heh heh...”

“Mangol?” Felix asked. “As in Mangol the Zoroark? Odd. The other night, I met a Dragonair named Mangol. Hmm... now that I think about it, she did disappear after we were done talking, so... yeah, I think your Mangol is in this forest. Probably even looking for you.”

“Mangol's looking for me?” Drake asked excitedly, his tail glowing and wagging. “I mean, uh, ahem, maybe she'll make finding everyone else easier.”

“If you say so,” Nana laughed.

“So we'll see you two when you find everyone else on your list?” Felix asked.

“Yup,” Drake replied with a nod.

“Alright then,” Felix said. “Well, at least I know where six out of my seven team members are now. I just hope Piggy's staying out of trouble.”

Meanwhile, somewhere in the Appleoosan Mountains...

“Come on, weakling!” Piggy shouted to the downed, battered, and beaten Aggron before him. “Is that really all you've got?”

Back in the Everfree...

“Piggy? Staying out of trouble?” Nana asked with a laugh. “Come on, Felix.”

“I suppose you've got a point there,” Felix said. “Lemme rephrase. Let's hope he's not in over his head with whatever he's doing.”

“...and your mother was a Whismur!” Piggy continued to his defeated opponent. “Are you really going to take all of that from me? If not, then GET BACK UP AND FIGHT!” Piggy's taunting was interrupted by a tap on his shoulder. Quickly, the Emboar whirled around and shouted “What do you-?”

Piggy stopped mid-sentence when he found himself face to face with a Charizard, and an angry looking one at that. “Do I look like a Whismur to you?” the Aggron's mother asked with an angry growl.

“That sounds better,” Kanga said. “So, are we gonna get going?”

“Oh yeah,” Felix said. He then turned to Nana and Drake. “I guess we'll see you again. Good luck on your search.”

“Thanks Felix,” Drake said. “And whatever comes your way, good luck with it.”

“Thanks,” Felix said. He then turned to Pinky and Kanga. “Come on. Lyra and Bon Bon are probably wondering where we are by now.” With that, the four left for Ponyville, leaving Drake and Nana.

“So I guess we only have one more 'Mon to search for,” Drake said.

“Forgetting someone?” Nana asked. “Maybe an Emboar we know?”

“Oh! Yeah, you're right,” Drake said. “Let's... let's just get back to searching.”

Author's Note

Okay, so we're back to the present. First and foremost-
The first person to comment something along the lines of "Pinky you slut," I'm Cutting.
Yes, your anger towards those trolls is noted, Pinky.
As for Mangol and her Leafeon friend Ki, they will play a vital role later on. Also, those names they mentioned who don't yet have faces... all in good time. *evil chuckle*

9: Fires of Friendship

Late in the morning, Lyra and Bon Bon were just on their way out of the house to run errands. (Mostly wedding stuff.) As she walked out the door, Lyra turned around to Butters and Breeze.

“Are you two sure you'll be ok watching the house while we're gone?” the unicorn asked the two Butterfree.

“We should be fine,” Breeze said. “But out of curiosity, what should we do if Felix and the others come back and you aren't here?”

“Just tell them where we are,” Bon Bon replied. “If they want to come find us, they're welcome. Oh, and make sure they find the note on the fridge if they haven't had anything to eat yet.”

“You got it,” Butters said, doing a salute. “Have fun dress shopping and such.”

“Thanks,” Lyra said. She and Bon Bon then turned and walked off. “Bye you two.”

“Bye!” Butters and Breeze called while waving.

Once the ponies were gone, Butters and Breeze closed the door and went back into the house. “So...” Butters said to his brother. “Do you have any idea how we're supposed to do this 'house-sitting' thing?”

“I'd guess we just stay here and keep the house safe,” Breeze replied.

“From burglars and stuff?”

“I... guess.”

The two just floated in the middle of the living room in silence for a little while after that. At that point, Butters was about to proclaim that he was bored before he was stopped by a knock at the door. “Is it burglars?” Butters whispered.

“I don't think so,” Breeze replied. “But let's at least make sure.”

“Okay. You go check the door, I'm gonna grab a frying pan.” Before Breeze could stop him, Butters had already flown into the kitchen.

“This can't end well,” Breeze deadpanned. He then flew to the door and looked through the peephole to find Felix and the others standing at the door. “This really can't end well.” The Butterfree then opened the door. “Felix, Kanga, Roo, Pinky, hello all!”

“Morning Breeze,” Felix said. “Where are Lyra and Bon Bon?”

“They left a few minutes ago,” Breeze replied. “They went to-”

“YAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!” Butters shouted as he flew at top speed towards everyone, holding a frying pan high. However, he was stopped by an invisible force, which happened to be Pinky using Psychic.

“Hello, Butters,” Pinky said.

“Oh, hi guys,” Butters said sheepishly. “I was, uh... practicing something.”

“Okay...” Felix said. “Go ahead and let him go, Pinky.” The Slowbro complied and released her hold on Butters, allowing the Butterfree to fly on his own again.

“Sorry about that,” Butters said. Then, in an attempt to change the subject, he asked “Hey, where's Tartar? How come he's not with his mate right now?”

Pinky tried to smoothly and discreetly hide behind Kanga when she heard Butters mention that last part. Felix noticed this, but ignored it. “He didn't want to scare any ponies, so he decided to stay at the mountain for the time being,” Felix said to Butters.

“Okay,” Butters said with a nod. “I suppose I could understand that.”

“So... Lyra and Bon Bon are out for the morning, huh?” Kanga asked.

“Yes they are,” Breeze said. “They went shopping for things for their wedding. They said you could go find them later if you wanted to, but they also said there was a note on the fridge they wanted you to read.”

“Okay, thanks,” Felix said. “Yeah, I think we're gonna rest here for a while before we do anything else around town today. We did spend most of this morning walking, after all.”

“I can imagine,” Butters said. “It's an easy fly up and down that mountain, but on foot, no thanks.”

Felix laughed a little at this, as did the others. They then walked into the house. Pinky and Kanga were quick to sit down, but Felix and Roo made their way to the fridge. Before even opening the fridge, Felix found the note Lyra and Bon Bon had left, grabbed it with one of his vines, and read it.

Felix and company,

Bon Bon and I will be out of the house until this afternoon. In the meantime, there's some apple pie in the fridge for everyone. Butters and Breeze already ate breakfast with us, but if they want some pie, you're welcome to share with them.

As for something to do, you can either come find us at one of the shops listed on the back of this note or you can find something to do in town. Ponyville is fairly eventful if you know where to look, and the ponies are much less weary of Pokemon than they were two days ago, so you should be alright.

Sorry to leave you alone like this, but we'll try to hang out this afternoon if you want to.

Sincerely, Lyra.

Felix sighed after reading the note. “Apple pie, huh?” he asked himself. “I think I'm already starting to miss filleted Finneon.” Pushing the thought aside, Felix opened the fridge to find all sorts of apple-related foodstuffs. “Caramel apples, apple fritters... where's the apple pie? Aha!” The Meganium found the pie, pulled it out with his vines, closed the fridge, and set the pie on the counter. “Not my first choice, but who can say no to pie?”

“I can't!” Roo shouted while raising her hand.

“I figured that much,” Felix said with a smile. “Now, I need to cut this pie. Do I look for a knife or do I try to use Razor Leaf on it?” It was only a few seconds of deliberation before Felix turned and began looking for a knife.

Meanwhile in the living room, Kanga and Pinky were catching Butters and Breeze up on what's been going on with them.

“I'm happy you've found almost everyone on your team,” Butters said. “And congrats to both of you for finally getting your mates.”

“Heh... thanks,” Pinky said, giving a small sigh.

“What's wrong?” Breeze asked the Slowbro, cocking his head to the side.

“Well, the thing is-” Pinky started.

“Who wants pie?” Felix called, he and Roo carrying in six plates with pie on them. (Roo was only carrying two, and Felix carried the rest by balancing them on his vines.) “A slice for everyone.”

“Thanks Felix,” Kanga said as Felix handed her her slice.

“No problem,” Felix replied as he handed a slice to each Pinky and Butters, with Roo handing a plate to Breeze. “You two wanted pie, right?”

“Oh. Sure,” Butters said as he took his place. “Thank you, Felix.”

Everyone ate, and within an hour, everyone was ready to do something. Butters and Breeze went out for a midday flight, Felix, Kanga, and Roo went for a walk through the town, and Pinky volunteered to take over house-sitting so she could be alone for a time.

“We'll be back in less than an hour, Pinky,” Felix said to the Slowbro as he, Kanga, and Roo walked out the door.

“Go ahead and take your time,” Pinky said. “I'll be fine here.”

“If you say so,” Felix said. “See ya.”

“Don't have too much fun without me,” Pinky said as Felix and Kanga turned and walked off.

“So what should we do?” Kanga asked. “Go find Lyra and Bon Bon and accompany them?”

“Maybe later,” Felix replied. “For now, I kinda just wanna wander and familiarize myself with this town. Besides, we'll be able to spend more time together that way.”

“Oh you,” Kanga laughed, leaning in to give Felix a quick kiss.

The three walked on down the street for a little while, passing all sorts of ponies and Pokemon. None were even remotely familiar to the group, but something that caught their eye was how many were coexisting. The ponies had known of the Pokemon's existence for less than three days and some were already working and living together in harmony. Even if Felix, Kanga, and Roo didn't realize that this was mostly because Ponyville was the town that everything happened to and this made the ponies less susceptible to panic and more so to adapting, it was still a wonderful sight to them.

After some more walking, they passed by the cafe. However, one sight at the cafe stopped them. Two creatures who looked like ponies were sitting together. They weren't ponies, however, and the three Pokemon could recognize that instantly.

“Hey look, there are some Rapidash over there,” Roo pointed out.

“You're right,” Felix said, taking a closer look at the two. “I'd almost forgotten what they look like.”

Kanga just looked at the two Rapidash in silence before a thought occurred to her. “Hey Felix,” she said, “don't we know at least one Rapidash?”

“I... think you're right,” Felix said with a nod. “And if I've been turned into a Meganium, it's not impossible that Marcus was turned into a Rapidash. You wanna go see if it's him and Blitz?”

“It's a one in a million chance, but ok,” Kanga replied. The three then walked towards the Rapidash.

“I still can't believe all they have here is apples,” Marcus said while looking around.

“Well, it is a different world from the one we're used to, honey,” Blitz replied.

“I know, but still...” Marcus replied. “Eh, who cares if all we have to eat is apples? I'm just glad we can really be together now.”

“Are you saying our relationship wasn't real on Earth?” Blitz teased.

“No, no. I was just saying...”

Marcus stopped when he heard an “ahem” behind him. Both him and Blitz turned around to find a Meganium and a Kangaskhan standing behind him.

“Sorry to interrupt,” the Meganium said, “but I wanted to ask you... would you care for a pizza?”

Upon hearing this question, Marcus's eyes went wide. “Only if it comes with a cupcake,” the Rapidash replied.

“In that case, you're golden,” the Meganium finished with a smile.

Marcus couldn't believe his ears. “Felix, is that you?”

“It's me, Marcus,” Felix replied. “Surprise.”

Marcus quickly got up and hugged his old friend. “Felix, it's so good to see you again!”

“Ow! Ow! Fire on your head!” Felix shouted, causing Marcus to quickly release the Meganium from his embrace.

“Heh... sorry about that,” Marcus said. “I'm still getting used to this body.”

“It's ok,” Felix said. “I'm really happy to see you again, too.”

“Hold on,” Roo said. “I'm sorry, but I forgot who these two were.”

Felix and Marcus looked at each other and smiled. “How could you forget Marcus?” Felix asked. “My childhood friend who you've met about five times?”

“Wanted in four regions for loving Blitz over there?” Marcus added, indicating the female Rapidash, who had gotten up and joined her mate.

“Oh yeah!” Roo said. “I remember Felix talking about you now. You two met seven years ago at a summer camp and were best friends ever since.”

“And aren't you the reason why Felix doesn't see a problem with Pokephilia?” Kanga added.

“You flatter me, Kanga,” Marcus joked.

“So what are you two doing here?” Felix asked. “Well, I suppose it's obvious that you two aren't here entirely by your own free will, so what I should say is, what have you been up to?”

“Not much,” Blitz replied. “Looking for team members, making love, trying not to burn a forest down. Nothing too eventful.”

“So far we've only found Tiny,” Marcus said. “He's around town somewhere. As for Mangol, Ki, Princess, and Aria... nothing.”

“Oh,” Felix said. “Well don't worry. I found Drake earlier today, and he and Nana are looking for Mangol in the Everfree Forest as we speak. Maybe if I see them again, I can have them look for the rest of your team.”

“Thanks Felix,” Marcus said. “Out of curiosity, the Everfree Forest is...?”

“That forest outside of town that you probably woke up in,” Felix answered. “The ponies have said it's a weird place, but so far I haven't seen anything unusual.”

“Same here,” Marcus said. “So what about you? What's been going on on your end?”

“Not much,” Felix replied. “For starters, Kanga and I are together. And I mean 'together' together.”

“Really?” Marcus asked, shocked. “Congratulations you two. Ki always said there was something between you two, but the rest of my team, including me, had our doubts.”

“Well, it didn't actually happen until we got here,” Kanga admitted. “But the feelings have been there for a while. All we needed was a little push, and... here we are.”

“But you haven't actually...” Blitz started.

“Not yet,” Felix interrupted. “We're not quite there yet.”

“Hopefully sometime soon, though,” Kanga said, placing an arm around Felix.

“I get it,” Marcus said. “With me and Blitz, it was almost two weeks before we... did that.”

“I still remember that day like it was yesterday,” Blitz said, leaning in to give Marcus a kiss on the cheek.

“As for my team,” Felix said, doing his best to change the subject, “I've found almost everyone. Drake and Nana are in the Everfree, Tartar's at the top of that mountain over there, and Pinky's also here in town. We just don't know where Piggy is.”

“Well, looks like we've got some catching up to do if we want to beat you in team finding,” Blitz joked. “But still, we're happy for you guys.”

“But that's enough about what's happened here in Equestria,” Felix said. “The last time we saw each other was near Violet City. A lot's happened since then.”

“Oh, don't I know it,” Marcus said with a laugh as he sat back down at the table he and Blitz were at, followed by everyone else. “But you go ahead and tell us about your adventures first.”

Roughly an hour later...

All five Pokemon at the cafe were laughing following a break in one of Felix's stories.

“So then I ask the Gyarados' trainer 'Are you sure you should be using your mother for this battle?'” Felix continued. “And that's when the gloves came off and the Pokeballs fell. He charged at me like a raging Tauros, and I swear he couldn't have been stopped by a wall of Bastiodon. So I did the only thing I could have done: sidestep. And you should have seen his face when he fell into that pit. The perfect combination of rage, confusion, and pure stupidity. And that, my friends, is how you take down a band of poachers with nothing but insults and a Dunsparce.”

“Are... are you serious?” Marcus asked through his laughs. “Man, I couldn't manage any of that on one of my good days.”

“Yeah, Johto seemed to have that effect on me,” Felix said. “It's amazing how creative you can get if you have to, but that was definitely the last time I set my Pokeball belt down while climbing a tree. Enough about the Lake of Rage, though. I should tell you about the prank Drake and Pinky pulled at Blackthorn City a week after that. So when we got there, Lance was in the gym battling Clair, and-”

“Marcus!” a child-like male voice called from above. Everymon at the table looked up to see a Togetic flying towards them.

“Tiny!” Marcus called as the Togetic landed on his trainer's back. “I thought you'd be gone longer.”

“There's a lot of happiness in this town,” Tiny replied with a smile. “In one flight, I gathered enough of it to last me a week.” The Togetic then looked up at Felix, Kanga, and Roo. “Kanga! Roo! Good to see you two. Who's the Meganium?”

“I'm Felix,” Felix replied. “And it's good to see you too, Tiny.”

“Oh really?” Tiny asked. “I thought all the humans were turned into either Ponyta or Rapidash so they'd fit in with these ponies. Looks like I was wrong.” The Togetic laughed to himself before continuing. “Oh, sorry. It's good to see you, Felix. How have you all been?”

“Well, nothing particularly exciting,” Felix replied. “Cleared the Johto League, failed to beat the Elite Four (again), got turned into a Meganium, sucked into a world full of ponies, and finally fell in love with Kanga.”

“That's ni- wait, WHAT?” Tiny shouted, staring at the Meganium and Kangaskhan with wide eyes. He then flew up to the two and just looked at them dumbfoundedly. “You mean... you... and her... and I... and Ki... oh gosh darn it! I can't believe Ki saw it before I did! I mean, you were a human back on Earth, and there was no way it could have-” The Togetic stopped suddenly when he noticed Marcus and Blitz glaring at him. “I mean, uh, congratulations you two. Heh heh.”

“Thank you, Tiny,” Felix said with a smile. “If it's any consolation, we didn't actually admit anything until two days ago.”

“Though the feelings were still there on both sides,” Kanga added. “Make sure you tell Ki that if you see her again.”

Tiny just sighed. “Fiiiiiine,” he said. “Don't get me wrong, I'm legitimately happy for you two. I'm just upset there was a ship that I got wrong, that's all. I mean, I knew Marcus and Blitz would wind up together from the time she was a Ponyta, I knew about Mangol and Drake before anyone else in our parties knew, to not be able to figure you two out is a bit of a blow to my pride.”

“There there, Tiny,” Marcus said as he wrapped his foreleg around the Togetic. “You win some and you lose some, but you can't let the losses hang on you forever.”

“I know,” Tiny replied, quickly flying up and assuming a proud stance. “I'm a Togetic. I don't let things hang on me. If I fall off my game, I get right back on the Rapidash and keep on riding.” To emphasize her point, Tiny quickly flew over and landed on Marcus' back. “See? I'm already back on!”

“Hey, I've watched enough Tauros riding competitions to know how to send you flying off of me in less than 8 seconds,” Marcus teased, earning a snicker from Blitz. “What's so funny?”

“Oh nothing,” Blitz replied with a smile. “I'm just admiring how you've only recently figured out how to walk on your own four hooves, you still can't run at all, and now you want to try to buck a Togetic off your back without falling over.”

“Hey!” Marcus said. “I could totally do it... with practice.”

Felix was laughing to himself quietly as he watched the exchange, but he stopped when he remembered something. “Hey Kanga,” he said, turning to the Kangaskhan, “weren't we supposed to go back and meet Pinky at the house about now?”

“I think you're right,” Kanga replied. She then turned to Marcus, Blitz, and Tiny. “It's been nice catching up with you three, but we need to get going.”

“Okay,” Marcus replied with a nod. “We understand.”

“Now hold on,” Tiny said, flying right up to Felix's face. “You said you were going back to Pinky, correct?”

“Yes,” Felix replied, gently pushing the Togetic back with his vines. Now that Felix thought about it, Pinky and Tiny did have a bit of a rivalry in the past. The only problem was that their rivalry sometimes became rather... hurty. Not just for the two, but also for anyone caught in the blast radius.

“Then we're coming with you,” Tiny stated. “That Slowbro of yours still owes me a game of Chess.”

Felix turned to Kanga and Roo for some kind of input. “I'd assume Lyra and Bon Bon would like to meet them,” Kanga said with a shrug. She then turned to Marcus and Blitz. “Speaking of, where have you two been living for the past three days?”

“Everfree Forest,” Blitz replied. “We found a comfortable cave where we could sleep until we found somewhere in town to live.” The Rapidash then smiled and leaned up against Marcus. “But if we don't find a place here, that cave might make a nice den once we get a family going.”

“Eh heh heh...” Marcus said with a goofy smile. “I, uh... hadn't really thought about that.” Marcus then shook his head and tried to change the subject. “What about you two? Where are you living, I mean?”

“With Lyra and Bon Bon,” Felix replied. “Two ponies who took care of Roo after she was separated from us the first day here.”

“Oh really?” Tiny asked with a chuckle. “Typical Felix. Two days in an alien world and already he's made friends with some of them.”

“Hey, I helped make those friends,” Roo said.

“Yeah, I gotta give credit to Roo on this one,” Felix admitted with a smile. “They're pretty chill around Pokemon, so I'm sure they'd be delighted to meet you guys.”

“Then it's settled,” Tiny proclaimed. “We shall go meet these ponies, 'Lyra and Bon Bon,' so that I can see Pinky again and utterly demolish her in a battle of wits.”

“You do that, Tiny,” Marcus laughed while rubbing his Togetic's head. The Rapidash then turned to Felix. “So... shall we go?”

“Sure,” Felix said. As they all began walking, Felix turned back to the two Rapidash. “Just so you guys know, Lyra and Bon Bon are out of the house right now, so don't expect to meet them right away. Also, I sort of 'adopted' two Butterfree after we woke up in Equestria.”

“Oh boy! More Flying-types to hang out with!” Tiny cheered.

“I thought that would get his mind off Pinky,” Felix whispered to Marcus, the latter of whom chuckled softly.

After a few minutes, the six Pokemon made their way to Lyra and Bon Bon's house. Felix walked up to the door and knocked on it. After a short pause, the doorknob glowed blue before it turned and the door opened with Pinky on the other side.

“Oh good, you guys are back,” the Slowbro said. She then looked past Felix and Kanga to see Marcus and Blitz. “Oh, and I see you found-”

“PINKY!” Tiny suddenly shouted as he dive bombed Pinky and knocked the Slowbro to her back. “Ha! You never were good at anticipating surprises.”

“Tiny?” Pinky asked, using Psychic to lift to Togetic off of her. “Well, I can't say I'm not surprised to see you. But honestly, a surprise attack? Is that how you greet rivals nowadays?”

“You just can't admit that I got the drop on you this time,” Tiny said with a smirk.

“It's good to see those two reunited,” Marcus said with a slight smile.

“It's too bad she's taken,” Blitz added, noticing Tartar's scent on Pinky. “I was sure those two would hit it off one of these days.”

“Actually, don't mention Tartar to Pinky,” Felix said to Blitz. “She sorta... didn't want that to happen. It's a long story, but not one she's gonna want to share right away.”

“Gotcha,” Blitz replied with a nod.

“So...” Pinky continued to Tiny, the latter of whom was finally allowed to fly on his own, “shall we continue where we left off during our last encounter? I happen to have a game of Chess already set up courtesy of an Abra who pranked me a few minutes ago by teleporting away before she and I could begin.”

“It's on,” Tiny replied with a determined expression. The two then made their way into the house and towards the living room, where a game of Chess was ready to be started.

“Just so you know, the pieces are a bit different here,” Pinky warned. Then, with a smile, she added “Think you can figure them out?”

“If it means beating you, certainly,” Tiny replied.

“Those two are so adorable,” Felix laughed as he and the others made their way into the house as well.

Author's Note

And now we're introduced to Marcus, Felix's childhood friend. I'd love to go really in-depth with him because I like him as a character, but that'll be saved for a later date. For now, just know that he's some kind of badass.

And for those of you who thought Felix was based off of Pewdiepie... wait, there was only one of you I think. In that case, no need to try to compare Marcus to a Youtuber. :applejackconfused:

10. Flames of Love

Around mid-afternoon, Lyra and Bon Bon were making their way home while carrying saddlebags full of goods.

“What a shame Carousel Boutique was closed today,” Lyra commented. “I was really looking forward to looking at dresses for our wedding.”

“Eh, let's cut Rarity some slack,” Bon Bon replied with a slight smile. “With the Pokemon around, I'm sure Princess Twilight Sparkle has had a lot on her plate, so it's not impossible that her friends got pulled into whatever's going on with her.”

“I guess that's true,” Lyra said, looking up at a flock of birds flew by. Some of the birds were indigenous to Equestria, but there were a few Pokemon in the flock as well. “The world's changing, and we're just gonna have to get used to it.”

“Look on the bright side, Lyra,” Bon Bon said. “This is Ponyville. All kinds of things have happened to this town that no other Equestrian city could even shake a stick at. I give it less than a month, and everything will be back to normal. Or at least, whatever 'normal' will become with the Pokemon in our lives.” The earth pony said that last sentence with a laugh.

“You're right, Bon Bon,” Lyra replied with a smile as the two made it to the front door of their house. “No matter what happens, we're gonna adapt to it, and in time, we'll wonder how we ever lived without the Pokemon in our lives.” The unicorn then grabbed the house keys with her magic, unlocked the door, and the two walked inside... only to be met by the sight of a group of shouting Pokemon in their living room.

“TOGETIC! (THAT'S CHECKMATE!)” Tiny shouted as he twirled in the air in celebration.

“Slowbro slow! (This can't be!)” Pinky shouted as she stared at the Chess board in astonishment.

“Rapi rapi! (All right, Tiny!)” Marcus said as he patted his Togetic on the back.

“Meganium megani... (Better luck next time, Pinky...)” Felix said with a slight smile as he consolingly patted Pinky on the shoulder with one of his vines.

All the while, Lyra and Bon Bon could only look on in confusion. Felix, Kanga, Roo, and Pinky they already knew would be there. But now there was some kind of tiny fairy thing and two flaming unicorns in their house. And were Pinky and the fairy thing playing Chess just now?

After staring at the scene for a moment, Lyra finally spoke up. “I remember back when I was a filly living in Fillydelphia and I would have screamed at the top of my lungs if I saw something even remotely as strange as this in my own home,” the unicorn calmly said with a smile. She then cleared her throat and stepped inside. “Felix, we're home.”

“Num? (Huh?)” Felix asked as he turned to see the two ponies walking in. He then turned to Pinky.

“Translator's active,” the Slowbro said to Felix with a nod.

“Thanks,” Felix said before turning back to Lyra and Bon Bon and smiling. “Hi Lyra and Bon Bon! How was shopping?”

“It was fine,” Bon Bon said. “But before the subject changes, do you want to introduce us to your friends?” The earth pony indicated Marcus, Blitz, and Tiny.

“Oh right,” Felix said. “This is Marcus, Blitz, and Tiny. Marcus and Blitz are Rapidash, and Tiny is a Togetic. They also happen to be some of my best friends from back on Earth.”

“It's a pleasure to meet you two,” Marcus said as he stepped forward and extended his hoof to shake with Lyra and Bon Bon. The two ponies, however, simply looked at him with concern. Marcus was confused for a moment before he remembered that he was on fire and that these two ponies were probably worried that he and Blitz would set their home ablaze. “Ah, you're probably worried Blitz and I are going to set your home on fire.”

“Gotta admit, that did cross our minds,” Lyra replied with a nod.

“Well don't worry about that,” Marcus replied with a smile. “Pinky has a protective barrier around me that keeps my fire from setting anything ablaze, and Blitz...” He looked back at his mate, who was frowning slightly. “Well, the exact reason isn't something we talk about, but you have our word she won't burn anything.”

“If you say so...” Bon Bon said, still a little unsure of the validity of the Rapidash's word.

Marcus was about to say more, but he was quickly interrupted by Tiny zipping forward and forcefully shaking Lyra's hoof. “It's good to meet you two,” the Togetic said, quickly releasing Lyra's hoof and moving to shake Bon Bon's. “My name's Tiny, and I can guarantee that I won't burn anything. I'm also the Happiness Pokemon, so if you ever need a pick-me-up, just ask.”

“Uh-huh...” Lyra said. She then turned to Felix. “Um, Felix, can I talk to you for a moment? In the kitchen? In private?”

“Sure,” Felix said, following the unicorn into the kitchen. “What's the matter?”

“First, try not to take this conversation the wrong way,” Lyra said. “It was Roo who brought Bon Bon and I closer together, as well as all of us together at all, but these three...”

“Oh, you're worried about their living arrangements,” Felix concluded. “Don't worry, I don't expect you and Bon Bon to take those three in as well. They have a place to live. I just invited them over because Tiny and Pinky have a rivalry they're still trying to settle. And not only that, but back on Earth, Marcus was kind of a... does this world have the term 'badass'?”

“Really?” Lyra asked. “What exactly makes him a badass? Is it his flaming mane?”

Felix chuckled slightly. “No, he didn't have that before. Actually, he's one of those guys who doesn't let authorities get in the way of his life, but at the same time, he tends to do their job and subdue elusive criminals on occasion.”

“I've only seen that kind of behavior in movies,” Lyra said while looking through the doorway at Marcus. “He's really that kind of guy?”

“Yup,” Felix replied. “I thought you and Bon Bon might be entertained by some stories of his escapades. Trust me, he has a lot, and he loves to share them.”

“Hmm...” Lyra said while rubbing her chin. “I guess. Bon Bon and I did kinda wanna learn a little more about your world.”

“Great!” Felix said. “There sure is a lot to learn. Plus I'm curious about Equus, so maybe we could exchange stories.”

“Sounds like a plan to me,” Lyra said. “I mean, if it'll keep Pinky and Tiny from shouting at each other like they were when we walked in.”

“Trust me, there is no conceivable way to keep them being at odds with each other if they're in the same room,” Felix said with a chuckle. “But Pinky's polite enough to know not to interrupt people, and Tiny... maybe he'll compete with Pinky for how long they can stay quiet? I don't know. Tiny's one of the strangest Togetics I've ever seen. I don't think even Arceus knows how he works. He's a mystery wrapped in an enigma wearing a helluva kawaii but devious smile. But enough about Tiny, let's get back to the sitting room.”

Roughly an hour of stories later.

Lyra and Bon Bon stared wide-eyed at Marcus and Blitz, who seemed to be wearing s proud expressions. “You mean... you two kissed in front of every single Ranger in Hoenn?” Lyra asked.

“Well, every Ranger is a bit of an exaggeration,” Marcus replied. “But there had to be a couple dozen at least.”

“I'll admit, the circumstances for that kiss weren't my favorite,” Blitz huffed. “But the kiss itself... it was better than our first one.”

“Plus, it bought Mangol enough time for her to get back to us and bail us out of that situation,” Marcus said. Then, with a smile, he added “Oh, what I'd have given to see the look on the face of that one Ranger who thought he had us earlier that night... I almost wish we'd stuck around to find him.”

“And I'm glad we didn't,” Blitz said with a slightly annoyed tone while nudging Marcus.

“I'm curious about something, though,” Bon Bon said. “You haven't really gone into detail about this Aria character. I mean, I know she's pretty important to you if you risked your lives to break her out of jail that night, but...”

Marcus looked over at Blitz, silently asking the female Rapidash for her opinion. With a sigh, Blitz replied. “Sure, go ahead and tell them,” she said. “But make it sound more like the day we fell in love than the day we met Aria.”

“Oh fine,” Marcus said. He then turned to Lyra and Bon Bon. “The story of how Blitz and I fell in love and how we met Aria are one and the same, but it's a pretty interesting tale nonetheless.”

Blitz trudged through the snow-capped Mt. Coronet with her trainer, Marcus, on her back.

“Huh...” Marcus said to himself as he looked around to see... nothing but snow. “I was sure there would be something at least slightly interesting up here.”

“Yeah...” Blitz replied, even though she knew all her trainer would hear was “Dash...”

“Hmm, maybe we just need to go a little further,” Marcus concluded. “I'm sure that cave that houses Regigigas is somewhere around- WHAA!” Marcus was cut off suddenly when something grabbed him by the shoulders, lifted him off Blitz's back, and began carrying him into the air. “BLITZ! HELP!”

“MARCUS!” Blitz shouted as she galloped after her trainer. She recognized that it was a Pokemon who had taken Marcus, but Blitz could barely make out what it was with how fast it was moving. Whether she knew what the Pokemon was or not, she knew one thing: she had to save her trainer at all costs. However, despite her galloping at top speed, Blitz was quickly losing sight of Marcus. “No, I won't let you get away!” Blitz shouted as she spurred herself on, slowly gaining speed, but still not catching up to Marcus. Her attempt at catching her trainer quickly became worth it, however, as the Rapidash saw whatever had Marcus carry him into an outcropping atop a rock that towered at least ten feet over her.

“BLITZ!” the Rapidash heard Marcus' voice shout from inside the cave.

“I'm coming Marcus!” Blitz called back. “Hold on!” The Rapidash then tried to break out into full gallop up the rock. But the slope was too steep and Blitz quickly slid back down to the bottom. Blitz got up and reassessed the situation. “It's too steep... but I have to get up there. If Tiny were with me, he could fly me up there. Maybe Princess could throw me? No, I can't be thinking about solutions I can't follow through with. It's up to me and me alone to save Marcus.” Blitz then looked up at the cave above her, then at the ground below. “Hmm... I've seen other Pokemon do this before...” The Rapidash then turned herself around and took a deep breath. “Let's hope this works. FIRE BLAST!” Blitz then launched the attack from her mouth to the ground at an angle, propelling herself upwards and towards the cave. Fortunately, she just barely made it into the cave, landing with the back half of her body in the cave but her front half still outside and in danger of falling back down. Blitz frantically pushed her hooves against the ground in front of her in an effort to get herself the rest of the way into the cave. Realizing this wasn't working, Blitz fired another Fire Blast outward, giving her just enough thrust to get the rest of the way into the cave. “Well... that was close,” she said to herself with a sigh. She then turned around and walked into the cave. Surprisingly enough, there was quite a bit of room inside. Blitz didn't bother with this fact, however. She was there for one reason: Marcus. Fortunately, with only a little bit of walking, she found him. The unfortunate part was what state he was in: frozen in a block of ice. “Marcus! No!” Blitz shouted as she galloped over to her trainer. “Don't worry Marcus. I'll save you.” The Rapidash then pressed herself against the block of ice, trying to use her flaming mane to thaw him. However, once she tried to do this, she heard what sounded like a disturbing childish laugh, followed by the voice beginning to sing. (It sounded something similar to the song “Ring Around the Roselia”)

”One little Rapidash,

Tries to save the human.

Warm him up,

Thaw him out,

But I don't think she can.”

“Who's there?” Blitz asked, readying herself for a battle. “Show yourself!”

The voice just giggled in reply. “My my, you seem a bit hasty,” it said. “I don't even know anything about you and you want to get so personal.”

“That's my trainer you have encased in ice,” Blitz stated. “I demand you show yourself and then release him.”

“Boring, too,” the voice continued. “Wouldn't it make things so much more fun if I made you work to save the human?”

“I will battle you for him if I have to!” Blitz shouted in anger, her flames flaring menacingly.

“Oh, now isn't that a better idea than what I had in mind?” the voice asked with a giggle. “Aw, but I kinda have to show myself for a battle, huh? Oh well. We all must make compromises in our lives.” As soon as the voice said that, a strange wind began blowing from inside the cave, pulling a bunch of snow into a small tornado in front of Blitz. The snow swirled around for a while before it finally faded away, leaving behind a Froslass that spun around a couple times before finally stopping and looking up at Blitz. “You'll have to forgive that introduction,” the Froslass said. “I have almost as much of a passion for theatrics as I do for singing.”

“I don't care if you have a passion for pyrotechnics,” Blitz growled. “You're either going to release Marcus, or I'm going to make you.”

“Ooh, you really wanna save this human, huh?” Froslass asked with a giggle. She then donned a serious expression. “This situation can go three different ways. First, I'll just release him so you two can be on your merry way. BORING! Second, you leave the human with me and I'll let you walk out of here with all your limbs intact. Once more... BORING! That's why I'm counting on you choosing option 3.”

“The option where I battle and defeat you for Marcus?” Blitz asked.

“Hmm... you're probably the sharpest Fire-type I've met in a long time,” Froslass complimented. “You probably already guessed that option 3 is the not-boring one, huh?”

“I know it's the one where I burn you to a crisp and walk out of here with Marcus,” Blitz replied. “That's everything I need to know it's the right choice.”

Froslass giggled menacingly. “I'm not sure we have the same definition for 'the right choice' here,” she said. “But if that's what you choose... THEN SO BE IT!” Both Pokemon then readied themselves for battle, while a song began playing in Blitz's head.

“FLAMETHROWER!” Blitz shouted as she charged forward and opened her mouth to unleash a blast of fire at the Froslass.

“Ominous Wind!” Froslass shouted as she threw her ribbon-like appendages forward and a gust of dark wind flew forward at a speed that was just enough to stop Blitz's Flamethrower in its tracks. “Don't think you're the first Fire-type I've faced. I wasn't just being ironic when I complimented your intelligence earlier, so don't think this will be an easy battle just because you have a type advantage.”

“I wasn't counting on an easy battle,” Blitz replied. “I was counting on causing you as much pain as I possibly could before you gave up and released Marcus.”

“So very confident,” Froslass complimented. “I can't wait to watch that confidence falter before you follow suit. FROST BREATH!” She then unleashed a blast of icy cold breath from where her mouth would be if she had one. Blitz was unable to dodge this attack and was knocked backwards. Sure the Rapidash had a resistance to Ice-type attacks, but the fact that Frost Breath always resulted in a critical hit canceled her resistance out, causing her quite a bit of pain.

“Not a bad hit,” Blitz complimented. “But I've got some tricks up my sleeve as well. Will-o'-Wisp!” The Rapidash fired several balls of sinister blueish flame right at the Froslass, aiming to burn her and drop her attack power a little as well as deal some extra damage.

“Pathetic,” Froslass said. “Will-o'-Wisp!” She then fired a similar attack which connected with Blitz's Will-o'-Wisp in midair, causing both attacks to fizzle out. Blitz looked stunned, but Froslass simply giggled “That really should be a Ghost-type move, Will-o'-Wisp should. Even I can use it with ease. Twice in a row, even!” She then launched another round of blueish flames that Blitz was unable to avoid, somehow managing to burn the Rapidash.

“How is that even possible?” Blitz asked as she looked down at her shoulder, where Froslass' attack just barely clipped her and a small blue fire was burning away at the Rapidash's HP.

“Like I said, it should be a Ghost-type move,” Froslass replied. “Fortunately for me, this move is a Ghost-type move. HEX!”

Blitz's eyes went wide as several small clouds of sinister purple smoke suddenly materialized and flew towards her, hitting her several times, most of those hits right where she was suffering from her burn. “Gah!” Blitz shouted as she was slid several paces backwards by the force of the Hex. “I've gotta get out of this situation fast.”

“Oh, I'll get you out of this fast,” Froslass taunted. “Out of this battle, and out of this life! HEX AGAIN!”

“FIRE BLAST!” Blitz shouted as she unleashed a powerful star-shaped blast of flame to block the incoming Hex. “AND DRILL RUN!” Suddenly, Blitz leapt right through the flaming star and started galloping at full speed towards Froslass with her horn in striking position. Froslass was caught off-guard by her Hex failing and was unable to avoid Blitz's horn, which impacted right on her head and sent her flying backwards. Froslass recovered quickly from this attack, however.

“Not a bad combo,” Froslass complimented. “But that burn of yours kept that Drill Run from doing very much.”

”She's right,” Blitz thought to herself. ”Not only am I not doing very much when I get a hit in, but I'm gonna keep losing stamina the longer this battle gets dragged out. I'm gonna have to get creative. What was that one combo Marcus taught me...? Oh right!”

“Time to change the game,” Blitz said. “RING OF FIRE!” The Rapidash then leapt upwards and fired a Flamethrower attack in a circular motion around Froslass, leaving a flaming ring around her.

“Is that the best you've got?” Froslass asked. “That missed me entirely.”

Blitz landed on the ground inside of the ring in front of Froslass. “Maybe it missed you, but now you can't escape,” Blitz replied. “Which means I can now do this! FIRE BLAST!” Blitz then unleashed another Fire Blast at point-blank range right at Froslass.

“OMINOUS-” Froslass started, but she was unable to get her move off in time before she took the Fire Blast head-on, knocking her backwards and dangerously close to the flaming wall. She quickly got up, however. “Impressive, but you just aren't going to win this battle. I've got my own fair share of tricks. “OMINOUS FLURRY!” Froslass then unleashed an Ominous Wind and a Frost Breath at the same time in a circle, dousing the flames around her and hitting Blitz with a double attack. “Now that that annoying Ring of Fire of yours is out of the picture, HEX!” Before Blitz could react, she was pelted by several purple clouds once again, knocking the Rapidash to her knees.

“No...” Blitz said as she panted. She'd taken several attacks now, plus the burn was still eating away at her stamina, and then there was the fact that Blitz has barely dealt any damage to Froslass. At least, barely any damage that she would show. “I'm... not going to give up...” She then tried rising back to her hooves.

“You might wanna rethink that decision!” Froslass shouted as she unleashed another powerful Hex attack that hit Blitz and sent her flying off her hooves and onto her side. “Hehehehe... give up yet, my little Rapidash?”

Blitz just lay there, unable to get up from all the damage she's taken. “This... this can't be...” she said as she struggled in vain to get back up. “Marcus... I... I have to save you...”

“Oh, won't your precious Marcus be so disappointed?” Froslass asked with another giggle. “Peh. At the end of the day, you're nothing but an ordinary Pokemon, and he's nothing but an ordinary trainer.”

“He's... he's not just my trainer...” Blitz said.

“Neither of you were ever really destined for anything,” Froslass continued, ignoring what Blitz said. “He'll be my new friend for eternity, but you... I'm afraid you've reached the end of the line.”

“No...” Blitz said. “No... it doesn't end here. He... he still doesn't know.”

“Doesn't know what?” Froslass asked. Then, to her surprise, Blitz began to slowly rise back to her hooves.

“He doesn't know... but I'm going to tell him...” Blitz said. “I'm going to free him so he can know the truth...” By this time, Blitz was back on all fours. “He's not just my trainer... HE'S THE LOVE OF MY LIFE!” Blitz's flames suddenly tripled in size and intensity, causing Froslass to back up several paces.

“Impossible!” Froslass said, not sure if she was talking about Blitz's sudden power boost or the fact that a Pokemon was attracted to a human. “No, you're going to stay down! FROST BREATH!” The Snow Land Pokemon tried to fire a Frost Breath at Blitz, but the attack melted from the intensity of Blitz's flames.

“You're going to pay for what you've done,” Blitz said to the Froslass coldly. “You're going to regret ever crossing our path. FIRE BLAST!” Blitz then unleashed the strongest Fire Blast she could manage. Froslass tried to avoid the attack, but the flames were so intense, her movement was impeded and she was left completely defenseless, causing her to take the attack full-force, creating an explosion that sent Froslass flying into the far wall. She could almost feel a green bar above her begin shrinking and turning yellow, then red, then completely vanishing as she fell to the ground.

“I... I can't believe this...” Froslass said as she looked up to find Blitz walking towards her intimidatingly. “I... I just now realized that I had something else I had to do... away from here. Goaheadsaveyourtrainerpleasedontkillmebye!” Froslass then phased through the ground and vanished from the cave.

“And good riddance...” Blitz said. She then let her flames die down and she sighed. However, she didn't let herself rest. “Marcus!” She then turned around and galloped over to where Marcus was still frozen.

After laying down by the block of ice for almost twenty minutes, Blitz could finally see Marcus start to come back to life.

“Nnnnn...” Marcus groaned as he fell out of the block of ice. Blitz was quick to catch him, however. “B-Blitz? Is that you?”

“Dash. (Yes.)” Blitz replied with a nod. She then pulled Marcus into a tight hug, tears streaming from her eyes.

“Thank you... Blitz,” Marcus said with a slight smile as he hugged his Rapidash back. “Thank you for saving me.”

“Rapidash. (You're welcome.)” Blitz replied. ”It's now or never,” the Rapidash thought to herself. She then leaned down and nuzzled around Marcus' belt, which was the signal most of Marcus' Pokemon had for “I need to talk to you.” Of course, talking with Marcus required the help of Tiny, who could use his Fairy-type abilities to allow Marcus to understand Pokemon speech.

“You have something to say, Blitz?” Marcus asked as he reached down and grabbed Tiny's Pokeball. “Can it wait?” Blitz simply shook her head. “Alright then. Tiny, come out!” Marcus then tossed his Pokeball into the air, releasing Tiny.

“Toge-TIC! (Now let's- COLD!)” Tiny shouted, quickly wrapping his stubby arms around himself and quickly flying up next to Blitz while shivering. “B-B-Blitz, c-care to explain why M-Marcus c-called me out in th-th-this weather?”

“I need to talk to him about a really important matter,” Blitz replied.

“And it c-couldn't wait until we g-got to a warmer p-place?” Tiny asked. Once more, Blitz shook her head. “Ugh! F-fine.” Tiny then turned around to Marcus and waved his arms, releasing a fine pink and white dust that fell over Marcus. “Th-there you go, Marcus. Whatever B-Blitz has to say to you, n-now you'll hear it.”

“Thank you, Tiny,” Marcus said. “If you wanna go back in your Pokeball now-”

“Arceus yes,” Tiny quickly said, flying over to her Pokeball that was still in Marcus' hand, tapping it, and quickly being sucked into the ball.

“What a shame,” Blitz commented. “He really wanted to be here when I told you this.”

“Tell me what?” Marcus asked.

Blitz sighed before beginning. “Marcus... there's something I've been meaning to tell you for a long time,” she said. “Do you... do you ever notice how you treat me? How special you make me feel?”

“Well...” Marcus said. “I do spend a little more time with you than I do everyone else, I brush your hair on occasion, and I ride on your back a lot. I mean, these are little things. I do these sorts of things for everyone else. Like how I... with Princess, I... oh. Eh heh heh...” Marcus rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. “I guess I do treat you a little differently than I do the others. Hmm... maybe it's because you're the first and only Pokemon in my party who I caught straight out of the wild.”

“Are you sure, Marcus?” Blitz asked. “Are you sure there isn't... another reason?”

Marcus was silent for a moment as he thought. “I... don't think so,” he finally said. “Why do you bring this up, though?”

“Because... there's only one reason why I was able to overpower that Froslass and save you,” Blitz replied. “That reason... is that I... I like you, Marcus.”

“What was that?” Marcus asked.

“I said I like you Marcus,” Blitz repeated.

“Blitz, you're gonna have to speak up,” Marcus said. “It almost sounded like you said-” The trainer quickly stopped mid-sentence as he realized what his Rapidash had just told him. “S-say that one more time, please. I don't think I heard you very clearly.”

“I said...” Blitz started as she looked up into Marcus' eyes and he looked back into hers. “Marcus, I... I love you! There, I said it! I love you, Marcus, and I've loved you for a long time! I tried to keep my emotions under wraps because I knew how human society frowns upon human-Pokemon relationships, but that didn't stop me from feeling the way I do. The rest of the team, Tiny in particular, always tried to pressure me into admitting this, but I was never able to build up enough courage to say it to your face. And today, when I thought I was going to lose you forever, I just... I couldn't bear to think about my life without you. If nothing else, I couldn't let you go without letting you know how I felt, and it was that fact that gave me the power I needed to overcome that Froslass and save you.” Blitz was quiet for a moment, and in that moment, Marcus noticed that tears were beginning to form in her eyes. “So now you know, Marcus. Now you know the truth, now you know how I feel, and now you know how I was able to save you. I've loved you for such a long time, and to finally be able to tell you...” Blitz trailed off. Marcus was about to say something in reply, but it was right then that Blitz broke down into tears and leaned in close to Marcus, crying softly into his shoulder.

“Don't cry, Blitz,” Marcus said while patting the Rapidash's shoulder reassuringly. “You don't have any reason to cry.”

“I-I know,” Blitz replied through her sobs. “I-I-It's just... I've wanted t-to tell you for such a long time... and n-now that I h-h-have...” The Rapidash trailed off a second time, and the two sat there for almost a full minute, Blitz crying into Marcus' shoulder and Marcus holding his distressed Fire Horse. After a while, Marcus leaned his head into Blitz's shoulder comfortingly.

“I'm the one who should be sorry, Blitz,” he said quietly. “I'm sorry for making you feel this way.”

“No, Marcus,” Blitz said as she removed herself from Marcus' shoulder and faced him once more. “You don't understand. I'm not crying because I'm sad, I'm crying because I'm flooded with emotions. I'm happy that I've finally told you this, but I'm also still so shaken up by what happened with the Froslass. I'm just... it's just...” Blitz looked down, trying in vain to hide more tears. “The point is that I've finally told you how I felt about you, Marcus. But now I have to know.” The Rapidash then looked back up and looked her trainer in the eyes. “Marcus... will you love me back?”

Marcus was silent for the longest time. On the one hand, he couldn't stand to see any of his Pokemon—any member of his family—like this. But on the other hand, he didn't know what to feel. Did he truly love her back? Or didn't he? He'd heard stories of human-Pokemon relationships that started out like this, but he never expected to be in this position himself. But still, back to Blitz—a member of his family—breaking down into tears over him. Marcus had no idea what to do. After some time, Marcus finally decided.

“Blitz...” he said. “I... can't answer you right now.”

“What?” Blitz asked, tears quickly forming once again. “W-what do you mean?”

“No, Blitz, please don't start crying again,” Marcus said quickly. “What I mean is... the reason I can't answer you is... is because I think my head is still a little frozen. I can't think clearly right now.”

Blitz simply snuggled up to Marcus with a determined expression. “Then I'm going to stay here with you until you thaw out completely,” she said.

“Blitz...” Marcus started, but he stopped when he noticed the burn on her shoulder. “Blitz, you're hurt!”

“I know,” Blitz replied. “But I feel ok, Marcus. I'm more worried about you.”

“Blitz, I know you're not ok,” Marcus replied. He then pulled out Blitz's Pokeball. “I'm going to get you to a Pokemon Center as fast as I can.”

“Marcus, I'm fine,” Blitz insisted. “I need to stay with you so I can keep you from freezing to death.”

Marcus was about to keep arguing, but it seemed to him that Blitz was determined to keep Marcus trapped there until he gave her a proper answer... even if her own well-being was put in jeopardy. “Alright, Blitz,” Marcus finally said. “I'll let you stay with me. But the second you start feeling weak, let me know right away, and I'll get you to a Pokemon Center no questions asked.”

“Just being with you gives me the strength I need, Marcus,” Blitz replied while nuzzling Marcus. The trainer blushed profusely at being treated like this by one of his Pokemon, but he remained quiet and stayed in Blitz's warm embrace.

“...and once she fell asleep, I put her back in her Pokeball and made my way out of that cave and towards the nearest Pokemon Center,” Marcus continued to Lyra and Bon Bon. “I kinda took the long way back down the mountain, though, as opposed to having Tiny Fly me to a town. In hindsight I probably shouldn't have done that for the sake of Blitz's health, but at the time, I needed a walk to clear my head and allow myself to think some more about Blitz's question.”

“And your decision was yes, right?” Lyra asked.

“It was,” Marcus replied with a nod. “But the problem was that I kinda dragged my reply out a little longer than I should have. I didn't actually say anything until three days later, and the awkwardness between Blitz and I in that time was thick enough to cut with the move Cut.”

“Wow...” Bon Bon said. “Risking your life to save your beloved, even if said beloved doesn't love you back yet... I've never seen truer love before. But I still have to ask about the Froslass Blitz fought. That was Aria?”

Blitz huffed, but replied. “Yes, a few days after Marcus and I became a couple, he went back to that cave where I saved him and tracked down Aria.” Under her breath, the Rapidash murmured “I still say it was a bad call.”

Ignoring his mate's comment, Marcus continued the story. “As it turns out, the only reason Aria kidnapped me was because she was lonely. No other Pokemon wanted to be around her for two reasons. First was the bad reputation many Ghost-types have, but there was also the fact that she was shiny, or colored differently than what's natural. You see, shiny Pokemon are incredibly rare, and a lot of Pokemon on Mt. Coronet thought that if they hung around Aria, she'd bring nothing but greedy trainers who sought to get their hands on rare Pokemon like her, and the other Pokemon would get caught in the crossfire.” Marcus sighed before continuing. “It was flawed logic on their part and unfair of them to exclude Aria based on that, so I asked her if she wanted to come with me on my journey. My request was for a number of reasons: making her feel included in something, giving her friends and family, thanking her for helping Blitz and I fall in love, protecting her from greedy trainers who would take advantage of her rarity, and finally getting the sixth member of my team. Granted, that last reason might seem a little selfish, but the other reasons I think Aria picked up on since she agreed to come with me. The only real issue from that point on was the fact that she and Blitz still to this day don't see eye to eye.”

“Marcus, she tried to kill you,” Blitz defended while nuzzling Marcus. “You can't blame me for being protective of my mate.”

“I don't blame you, Blitz,” Marcus replied while returning the nuzzle. “I just wish you two would learn to get along even when it's not absolutely necessary for you to.”

Blitz sighed and didn't say anything more, and it was then that Tiny spoke up. “Hey, how about enough with our stories?” the Togetic asked. “I kinda wanna hear what Lyra and Bon Bon have to share.”

“I thought you'd never ask,” Lyra said with a devious smile. “Trust me, stuff has happened to this little town that your adventures can't even shake a stick at. It all started last year during the Summer Sun Celebration, which we celebrate every year on the summer solstice...”

Author's Note

Yes, one of my characters owns a shiny. Sue me.
Yeah, Aria is, at the present moment, nowhere near Ponyville. However, I will try to chronicle her misadventures in Equestria, as well as back on Earth, as well as misadventures from back on Earth for everyone else I've introduced so far, in another way.
Possibly...

11. Reflections

“...and in a brilliant flash of light, the vines disappeared,” Lyra continued to the Pokemon. “Princess Twilight and her friends did it... somehow. But still, it was pretty funny to see the disappointed look on Discord's face when that vine he was sitting on vanished and he fell on his face.” Lyra looked up to the others, expecting them to laugh, but all they did was stare with astounded expressions.

“That's...” Felix started, but he was unable to continue.

“Wow...” Kanga said. “That's... wow...”

“I have run from police, attacked poachers, and calmed some really intimidating rampaging Pokemon,” Marcus said, “but everything that's happened to this town... damn...”

“MARCUS!” Kanga shouted while smacking the Rapidash on the back of his head. “There is a child in this room!”

“Ow, sorry,” Marcus replied. Blitz glared at Kanga, but the only thing keeping her from Fire Blasting the Kangaskhan at that moment was the fact that Marcus actually deserved that hit... this time.

“So what's happened to this town after that?” Pinky asked.

“Um...” Bon Bon said while rubbing her chin. “Actually, I don't think very much else has happened since then. Well, the Pokemon showing up out of nowhere was pretty exciting, but I don't think we really need to retell that story.”

“Yeah, I could hear screaming ponies left and right when I woke up,” Tiny replied with a laugh.

“Well if we've run out of stories about Equestria, who wants to hear about the time I almost crushed Professor Elm?” Kanga asked. The others seemed a bit curious, and Kanga was about to tell her story, but she stopped herself when she looked down and noticed that Roo had fallen asleep. “Huh... I hadn't realized how late it was.”

“Is it?” Felix asked. He turned around and looked at the clock to find that, sure enough, it was about 9 o' clock. Hardly late by most of their standards, but Blitz, Marcus, and Tiny knew how dodgy the Everfree could get after dark (even if the first two were a fairly reliable light source), and Kanga didn't really like staying up very much past when her daughter fell asleep.

“Hmm... what a shame,” Lyra said. “Hey, we should all get together and hang out tomorrow. I dunno, maybe do something. Stories are nice to share, but activities are much more fun.”

“Can't argue with that,” Blitz said with a wink off to the side towards Marcus.

“That's... not what I meant,” Lyra said, picking up on what Blitz was talking about.

“I know,” Blitz replied. “But for Marcus and I-”

“Yeah, I think that's enough with sharing life stories for tonight,” Kanga interrupted.

“I agree,” Felix said with a yawn.

“Okay,” Bon Bon said. “Marcus, Blitz, Tiny, I can show you three out.” She then turned to Lyra. “Can you show Felix and Kanga to their room, Lyra?”

“Sure,” Lyra replied. “Oh but wait...” The unicorn turned around to Pinky. “I'm so sorry, I think we forgot about you.”

“That's alright,” Pinky replied. “I'm probably gonna stay up for a while and then fall asleep on the couch. I've certainly slept in worse places before, after all.” The Slowbro snuck a quick glare at Felix.

“Hey, it's not my fault that Muk wanted to make you its snuggle buddy that night,” Felix said. “I didn't even know there were Muk in the area.”

“Eh, just be glad I could fight it off,” Pinky said. She then turned around to Lyra. “I'll be fine, really. Don't worry about me”

“Well... if you say so...” Lyra said with an unsure tone. She really didn't feel comfortable kicking a guest—particularly one of Felix's friends—to the couch. But, if Pinky insisted she was fine, then there really wasn't much Lyra could do. She then turned around to Felix and Kanga. “Okay, I'll show you two to your room.”

“Thank you,” Felix said with a smile. He and Kanga then followed Lyra up the stairs.

“I think we'll get going then,” Marcus said. “It was really nice to meet you and Lyra, Bon Bon.”

“Same to you three,” Bon Bon replied with a smile.

With that, Marcus turned to Blitz. “Shall we get going?” he asked.

“Yes, let's,” Blitz replied, giving Marcus a kiss. The two then walked out of the door, Tiny following behind.

“Bye Bon Bon,” Tiny said while turning around and waving before turning back and following his trainer.

“Sweet Celestia, that Tiny is adorable,” Bon Bon said. “Not nearly as adorable as Roo, of course, but...” The earth pony shook her head before closing the door and walking towards the stairs.

Outside, Marcus, Blitz, and Tiny were making their way towards the Everfree Forest. “So... I guess we'll head back?” Marcus asked.

“You two can,” Tiny said. “I'm gonna head out looking for... someone.”

Blitz chuckled and shook his head. “Tiny, you can be worse than me sometimes,” she said. “So, any particular targets for your 'happiness' tonight?”

“Meh, nothing really,” Tiny replied with a shrug. “First 'Mon I find who needs me like usual.”

“Well in that case, I wish you luck,” Marcus said.

“Thanks Marcus,” Tiny said. “But you know me. I don't need luck.” With a smile, the Togetic turned and flew off.

“That Tiny...” Blitz said as she watched him leave. “How come you never evolved him again?”

“I wanted to,” Marcus replied. “But he insisted on staying a Togetic. He liked having arms, he thought his face would lose its adorableness, and his biggest reason: Togekiss are monogamous. Tiny just wasn't the kind of soul who wanted to settle down.”

“Hmm...” Blitz said. She then leaned her head onto Marcus' shoulder and smiled. “I can't imagine a life without settling down. Especially when I already have such a wonderful mate.”

“You're so sweet,” Marcus said as he nuzzled Blitz. “So, shall we return home so that I can remind you of what makes me so 'wonderful'?”

“I thought you'd never ask,” Blitz said with a devious grin. “Last one back has to be on bottom!” She then set off galloping.

“Hey, no fair!” Marcus shouted as he half-galloped, half-stumbled after Blitz.

Meanwhile, Felix watched the two Rapidash gallop into the forest from the window in the room Lyra showed he and Kanga to. “Those two...” the Meganium said with a chuckle. He then turned around to Kanga, who looked like she was thinking about something. “Something on your mind, Kanga?”

“Oh,” Kanga said, apparently startled by having been pulled back to reality from deep in her thoughts. “Actually, if you'd excuse me for a moment...” Kanga quickly turned around and walked out of the room towards Lyra. “Um, Lyra? Can I get you and Bon Bon to do me a favor?”

“Oh?” Lyra asked. “What do you need?”

“I kinda need you and Bon Bon to let Roo sleep in your room tonight,” Kanga replied. “Because I kinda wanna...” The Kangaskhan leaned in and whispered something into Lyra's ear.

“Really?” Lyra asked, apparently startled by what Kanga told her. “But I thought you two weren't a couple until just last night.”

“I know,” Kanga said. “But the feelings have been there for ages on both sides, plus there's...” She leaned in and whispered something else.

“Ah, I can understand that,” Lyra said with a nod. “Ponies go through the same thing.”

“So you'll take her?” Kanga asked.

“Not a problem,” Lyra said with a smile as Kanga handed her Roo. Lyra picked Roo up with her magic and set the sleeping Kangaskhan on her back.

“Hey,” Pinky said as she walked up to the two. “I couldn't help but overhear a particular topic of conversation.” She then smirked at Kanga.

“Pinky, do you really have to do this?” Kanga asked with a huff.

“Fine, I won't soundproof your walls,” Pinky said while walking off.

“No wait!” Kanga called. Pinky simply chuckled.

“Heh, I'm just yanking your chain,” the Slowbro said. “Don't worry. You two scream to Arceus all you want. I'll make sure no one hears you.”

“Thanks Pinky,” Kanga said with a smile. “Well, good night to the both of you.”

“'Night Kanga,” Lyra said.

“Give him hell, Kanga,” Pinky said. Kanga gave the Slowbro a playful punch to the shoulder, but didn't say anything. Rather, she turned around, walked back into the room, and locked the door.

“What were you talking to them about, Kanga?” Felix asked, completely oblivious to what was in store for him.

“Oh, just asking them for a couple quick favors,” Kanga replied with a smile while walking towards Felix.

“Favors?” Felix asked. “What do you mean by-?” The Meganium was stopped suddenly when Kanga pulled him into a kiss, which quickly shut him up.

“Enough questions, Felix,” Kanga said when she finally broke the kiss. “There's something I need you to do.”

“Oh?” Felix asked, legitimately curious. “What do you-?” Felix stopped suddenly when he realized what Kanga was talking about. Immediately, he broke into a nervous sweat. Something told him this night was going to last a while.

“And soundproofed,” Pinky said as she applied a psychic soundproof barrier to the walls of Kanga and Felix's room, literally a split second before Felix shouted in shock and surprise. Meanwhile, Pinky turned around to Lyra and Bon Bon. “You two should be able to sleep soundly.”

“Thanks Pinky,” Bon Bon said with a smile. She then looked over at Roo, who was still sleeping on Lyra's back. “It's good to have her back.”

“Yeah,” Lyra said. “Just having Roo in the house makes the whole place feel... lovely.”

“Well, I'm glad we came into your lives,” Pinky said with a smile.”I dunno what we would have done without you two.”

“Same for you and everyone else,” Lyra replied, returning the smile. She then sighed. “The world just feels so... different now. But in a good way. I think we'll get used to an Equus full of Pokemon. Not just Bon Bon and I, but the rest of Ponyville, too.”

“And I think us Pokemon will get used to this world as well,” Pinky said. “It's so much more peaceful than our old one.”

“Well I'm glad we could offer that much,” Bon Bon said.

“Are you sure you're ok on the couch?” Lyra asked. “I mean, I don't want to-”

“I'm telling you, I'm fine,” Pinky replied. “Besides, I gotta stay up for a while to keep this soundproof barrier going.”

“Gotcha,” Bon Bon said. “Well, thank you for that.” She then turned to Lyra. “Well, I guess we're gonna go to bed too.”

“Yeah,” Lyra replied. “Good night, Pinky.”

“'Night, Lyra and Bon Bon,” Pinky said with a smile. With that, the two ponies turned and walked into their bedroom, where Lyra gently placed Roo in her crib while Bon Bon closed the door, leaving Pinky standing there in the hallway.

The Slowbro stood there in silence for a moment, unsure of what to do now. “Well, I suppose I won't need the translator active if Lyra and Bon Bon are asleep,” Pinky said to herself, thinking about how she could make keeping the soundproof barrier active. Even with the translator still on, a soundproof barrier was easier to maintain while she wasn't... “preoccupied” like she was the night before. Still though, she did need to wind down. “Hmm... maybe they've got something I can read.” Pinky then headed downstairs so she could search for a book to read.

Over the Everfree Forest, Tiny was flying around while looking for some Pokemon. “Hmm...” he said to himself. “Let's see...” The Togetic tapped into her hidden Fairy powers to expand her search ability to search for Pokemon who were really... down. As in “incredibly sad and in desperate need of a sexual pick-me-up”. Tiny had done this kind of search on at least a weekly basis... provided Marcus would let him out. (They found themselves on high alert in terms of police presence fairly often.) There were some nights when the thought occurred to Tiny that maybe, just maybe, what he did could be counted as taking advantage of these Pokemon, but Tiny didn't think of it like that. He was the Happiness Pokemon, and he was going to stop at nothing to spread that happiness... no matter how.

“Here we go...” Tiny said to himself as he picked up a soul in distress. “Let's see... a Typhlosion, lost as can be. Male, but... that kind of male. I suppose it has been about two weeks since my last encounter of that type.... What the heck? No one else is around.” Tiny then flew towards the Typhlosion. The Togetic was considerably different from most Pokemon. 90% of Pokemon who were capable of mating were attracted to those of opposite genders. Another 7% were homosexual. But then there was that small 3% who didn't care either way, (not counting Dittos), and Tiny happened to land in that 3% region. He didn't really have a preference in terms of gender. (Heck, he'd do a Porygon if need be.) Just as long as he was making someone happy. Tiny didn't feel like it made him particularly different. He was just like any ordinary Pokemon in all other respects except for sexuality... and other obvious respects.

It wasn't long before Tiny descended to within viewing range of the Typhlosion. He was lying down, not asleep, but rather softly crying. “Okay, I've been here before,” Tiny said to himself. “Just stick to the routine.” The Togetic took a deep breath before moving towards Typhlosion. “Um, hello?”

Typhlosion's ears instantly perked up and he turned around towards Tiny with a startled expression. “Who are you?” he asked, getting up and preparing to defend himself.

“I'm a friend,” Tiny replied. “I'm, uh... Togetic.”

“Togetic...” Typhlosion said. “What do you want? I was having a private moment.”

“I can tell you're having a pretty bad day,” Tiny said. “What I want is to help you.”

Typhlosion snorted, blowing a small bit of fire. “You wanna help me?” he asked. “Turn me back into a human. Take me back to Earth. Reunite me with my friends and family. Can you do any of that? Huh?”

Tiny flew backwards a bit, knowing how volatile angry Typhlosion could be, especially if this one used to be a human and doesn't entirely know how his new body works yet. “I... I can't,” Tiny admitted. “But I can try to cheer you up.”

“How?” Typhlosion asked, looking to the side with a mildly angry expression. “You don't know my story, you don't know what'll help me.”

“I do, actually,” Tiny said, taking a chance and moving a little closer towards Typhlosion. “And... I have the same story.”

This caught Typhlosion's attention. “What?” he asked, staring at Tiny with a confused expression. “What do you mean 'same story'?”

“I mean...” Tiny started, reaching out and placing his hand on Typhlosion's shoulder. “...I know how it feels to not have someone in your life, or at least for one night.”

“You mean...?” Typhlosion asked. He then looked away, blushing. “I... I'm not that kind of guy, though. Not a one-night-stand kind of guy, I mean.”

“But I can still tell you're having a bad life,” Tiny replied. “Don't you just wanna... take your mind off of it?”

“I...” Typhlosion started. “I guess... thank you, Togetic. I know I don't know you at all, and I'm guessing you don't know me, but what you're offering... it means a lot to me.”

“You're welcome,” Tiny said with a smile, flying down to where he was at eye-level with Typhlosion. “All I need from you is to see you happy.”

“Well if you wanna see me happy...” Typhlosion said with a devious smile. He then grabbed Tiny and pinned him to the ground. “You wouldn't mind taking a passive role tonight, would you?”

“Not at all,” Tiny said, returning the smile. It was right then that Typhlosion leaned down and roughly kissed Tiny, who gladly returned the kiss. The Togetic knew tonight was going to be a good night. Painful, maybe, but he was still making someone happy, so it would be worth the pain.

Meanwhile, somewhere else in the Everfree forest, Mangol and Ki were walking at a tired pace.

“Mangol, we need to rest for the night,” Ki said as she lagged behind the Zoroark. “Think about Drake. Do you want him to see you exhausted and tired?”

Mangol sighed before stopping in her tracks. “Fine,” she said. “I guess we can rest here for the night.”

“Finally!” Ki said as she allowed herself to fall over and onto her side. The Leafeon sighed in relief as she felt her feet finally be released of the burden of her weight. “Hey Mangol, I've got an idea. Why don't you tell The Story?”

“Ki, I really don't want to,” Mangol replied as she sat down. “Not after everything that's happened over the past couple days.”

“Mangol, you know about the Curse of The Story,” Ki replied with a grin. “Every time you tell it, something good happens. Remember? Like that time you told Aria and Marcus went on to win the Sinnoh League? Or when you told Drake and then Felix rescued Tartar a few days later? You know the list goes on. Maybe if you tell The Story now, we'll find everyone else tomorrow without a problem.”

Mangol sighed. “Fine, if you insist, I'll tell it.”

“Thank you,” Ki said, rolling over onto her stomach and looking up at Mangol, listening intently.

Mangol took a deep breath before starting. “Back when I was a Zorua, not even a year old, Marcus wasn't my trainer. I belonged to his older brother, Conner. As did my twin brother Fluff, a Mareep. Conner was ten years older than Marcus. He'd be... 26 human years old if he were alive today.

“A month before he died, he applied for a job at a place called Freddy Fazbeartic's Pizza. It was a children's restaurant where parties were held. Conner didn't do anything with the children, though. No, the entertainment was left to the animatronics.” Mangol paused and clenched her claws. “Those damned robots...”

“Mangol, try to stay calm,” Ki said.

“Sorry,” the Zoroark said. She took a deep breath before continuing. “He usually just worked on serving the pizza and such, but one night, he was offered another position. The old night guard had quit the night before, and there wasn't enough time to look for a new one to hire. Conner jumped at the chance to earn some extra money. He figured he'd have no problem with that job. After all, who would wanna rob a kid's pizza parlor at night? Conner brought Fluff and I with him, but we were in our Pokeballs the whole time. It was very likely nothing was going to happen, but he had us with him just in case. I should have protested. Maybe then I could have saved him when... they arrived.

“I don't know exactly what happened, but sometime during the night, the animatronics started walking around on their own. Conner could keep an eye on them with the security cameras, but even with those, he couldn't have seen them coming right for him. He was stuck in his office while the animatronics periodically came after him. He was able to keep them out for a little while, but then the doors jammed, and one of the animatronics, Freddy Fazbeartic himself, made it into Conner's office. I don't know what happened after that. All I know is that, the next morning, Conner was found dead. Stuffed inside of a broken-down animatronic from the storage room. As for Fluff, he just vanished. He wasn't in his Pokeball, his body wasn't found anywhere, he was just... gone.

“Marcus lost his brother that day, and I lost both my brother and my trainer. He and I were both very young at the time—Marcus was only eight—and coping with our losses was difficult. However, we found shoulders to cry on in each other. For two years after that, Marcus took care of me as though I were his own Pokemon. He even kept my Pokeball.

“Then, when Marcus turned ten, it was time for him to go off on his journey. I wanted to go with him, but... but he didn't want me to come. He thought I was too fragile to go out on an adventure. And in hindsight, I probably was. But that didn't stop me. When Marcus came back home to say goodbye to his family after receiving his first Pokemon, Princess, I came up and insisted that I come with him. He was reluctant at first, but he was the only one I had left in my life. My original trainer dead, my brother gone...” Mangol paused as she began to tear up a little. “Marcus was all the family I had left. After some convincing, Marcus decided to take me with him, and I was so happy. Absolutely giddy. I could finally go out, be a part of an adventure... like I know Conner always wanted.” Mangol sniffed and wiped her eyes. “Everything I did on my journey with Marcus, I thought about Conner and Fluff. They wanted to see the world, and so did I, but they could never get out there. I don't know why. Maybe Conner was frightened that something would happen to us...” Mangol trailed off and began sobbing. “But... but that was exactly what happened to him and Fluff! And I couldn't save them!” It was here that Ki decided to step in. The Leafeon stood up, walked over to her friend, and patted the Zoroark on the shoulder.

“There there, Mangol,” Ki said in a consoling tone. “You've lived most of your life in their honor. I'm sure they're happy for you wherever they are.”

“I-I know,” Mangol replied through her sobs. “I know they'd be proud of how far I've come, but... but that doesn't mean I don't miss them.” The Zoroark reached down and hugged Ki. “Ki... I have to tell you something...”

“Anything, Mangol,” Ki replied.

“If the Curse doesn't work this time... I'm gonna kill you.”

Ki hardly even flinched at this, but rather smiled. “You go ahead,” the Leafeon replied. She wasn't worried about Mangol's threat. Sure, the Zoroark could cleave Ki as though trimming a hedge, but Ki was confident the Curse of the Story would work since it hasn't failed once in the past. “I'm sorry for making you go through this, Mangol.”

“It's ok,” Mangol replied. “I just hope it works.” The Zoroark stayed there for a moment, crying into the Leafeon's shoulder, before finally speaking again. “You want me to let you go so you can get some sleep, don't you?”

“Take all the time you need, Mangol,” Ki replied. “It's the least I can do for making you relive all of that.”

“Th-thank you,” Mangol said. It was probably another twenty minutes before Mangol finally let Ki go and the two went to sleep, but Mangol slept rather nicely soundly with the knowledge that something good was likely going to happen tomorrow.

After all, it was always darkest before dawn.

Author's Note

So, a couple of revelations took place this chapter. First, the side of Tiny we didn't know about before. It's in a Togetic's nature to want to make everyone around them happy... Tiny just has a different way of going about it. Don't worry, though. The scene with Typhlosion won't just be some random encounter. I plan on doing some kind of character development in regard to that scene.
Second, Mangol's true past. Now you know why Felix and Marcus used that code when they first saw each other at the restaurant. As for Conner... well, I seem to have a running theme with basing my human characters on Youtubers. I bet you'll never guess who Conner was based on, though. (I'll give you a hint: he actually hasn't played FNaF.)
After this chapter, I'm going to post another bonus chapter, this one giving a little more insight into Marcus' life back on Earth, so stay tuned for that.

Extra 2: Jailbreak

Author's note

Yet another extra chapter, this time going into a little more detail about Marcus' life back on Earth. If you'd remember chapter 10, when Marcus was telling Lyra and Bon Bon stories of Earth, he and Blitz mentioned something about breaking Aria out of jail. (Actually, they told Lyra and Bon Bon, I didn't write the story out, and Bon Bon asked the question regarding Aria.) So yeah, this is that story. Just giving a good example of Marcus' badassery. This chapter, once again, doesn't necessarily affect Marcus, his team, or anyone associated with them (i.e. Felix and his team) in Equestria. It's just a fun little bonus thing I wanted to do.

Also, once you read this chapter, you'll probably realize that Marcus and Blitz exaggerated something when they told this story to Lyra and Bon Bon. See if you can spot that something.

“Marcus, I really wish you wouldn't do this,” Blitz said to her trainer as he donned a stolen Pokemon Ranger hat, thus completing his disguise.

“What do you want me to do, Blitz?” Marcus replied. “I can't just let them euthanize Aria for something she didn't do. I mean, what right did that guy have to apprehend Aria just because she was shiny? She's not even from Hoenn.”

“But she has killed in the past,” Blitz replied. “You know that, right?”

“Once,” Marcus said. “She killed once, and she's made it clear she was remorseful for that. The Froslass she's mistaken for has at least a dozen victims, probably many more by the time someone finally finds her. I plan to track that other one down sometime soon, but I'm rescuing Aria tonight.” The trainer then turned to Tiny and Mangol, the latter of whom was currently disguised as a wanted criminal in Hoenn, Gene Phillips. “Are you two clear on the plan?”

“You can count on me,” Tiny said with a salute.

“All I really need to do is act captured,” Mangol replied with a shrug. “How hard could it be?”

“Alright,” Marcus said.

“Marcus, you know how dangerous this is,” Blitz pleaded with her mate. “Hoenn is on high alert for Pokephilia. We need to keep a low profile.”

“Yeah, because taking on all eight gyms here is keeping a low profile,” Marcus deadpanned. “I'm telling you, we'll be fine if this goes right.”

“And what if it doesn't?” Blitz asked. “I'm begging you, Marcus. Stay out of this. For me. For the rest of the team.” The Rapidash indicated Tiny and Mangol.

“Blitz, the team is exactly why I'm doing this,” Marcus said. “Aria is a part of our team. Our family. Don't you care about her?”

“Honestly? Do you want me answer that honestly?” Blitz asked. “Aria. Tried. To. Kill. You. And she could have done the same to me. How could you forgive her for that?”

“So you're saying you don't care about her?” Marcus asked.

“I'm saying I do care about you,” Blitz replied. “And I care about the fact that Aria is the most dangerous part of our team.”

“Aria is the most dangerous part?” Marcus asked, almost shouting. “Blitz, you're probably the most dangerous member of the team! Have you seen your head or tail lately? Plus there's the fact that you and I could get in serious trouble if our relationship is discovered. Do you have any idea what they'll do to you if they catch us and they can't convince you that I haven't brainwashed you into loving me? The exact same thing that they're going to do to Aria first thing in the morning!” Marcus turned away from Blitz. “I know you and Aria don't see eye to eye, but no matter what you say, I'm going to save her tonight. Oh, and I should probably apologize for one of the first things I said. The fires on you won't hurt anything thanks to me.”

Blitz might have been steamed before, but that last sentence made her downright furious. “You didn't just...” she started, but she was too angry to continue. “Grr... Marcus, how could you?!” Blitz was angry, but tears were starting to form as well. “Fine, if that's really what you think, I can't stop you from going through with this plan. But I'm not going to have any part of it. Just put me back in my Pokeball for this jailbreak. If anything happens to you, I'm not going to be responsible. It'll all be either your fault or Aria's. I'm too angry at you to decide right now.”

“Fine,” Marcus said, pulling out Blitz's Pokeball and turning around. He returned the Rapidash, and she glared at him all the while. Once she was finally inside the Pokeball, Marcus looked down at it. “Why, Blitz? Why do you keep this up?” The trainer then put Blitz's Pokeball back in his belt. “Aria is going to tear us apart one of these days... but she's still family.” He turned to Tiny and Mangol. “Tiny, that translator thing you gave me will last the rest of the night, right?”

“Yes indeed,” the Togetic replied.

“Okay, then I'm gonna need you to return for now,” Marcus said as he pulled out Tiny's Pokeball. “The fewer of us get put in harm's way tonight, the better.”

“Okay,” Tiny replied with a nod before Marcus returned him.

Marcus then turned to Mangol. “Alright Mangol... let's go save Aria.”

“I don't know this 'Mangol' you're referring to,” the Zoroark replied with a devious grin. “I believe my name is Gene.”

“That you are,” Marcus replied, catching on to the scenario Mangol was trying to put together. He then walked up to the Zoroark while pulling out a pair of handcuffs. “And you're coming with me, scum.”

“Hey, can we go easy on the insults for this?” Mangol asked as she let Marcus put the handcuffs on her.

“Sorry,” Marcus replied. “But I'm gonna give one or two if our cover gets close to being blown.”

“Alright,” Mangol replied with a nod.

About a mile's trek through the forest later, “Ranger” Marcus and the apprehended criminal “Gene Phillips” had made their way to the Pokemon Prison where Aria was being held. “It's showtime, Mangol,” Marcus whispered to his Zoroark.

“Got it,” she replied with a nod.

The two weren't ten yards away from the entrance before one of the gate guards came up to them. “Hold it!” the guard shouted at them. “Who are you two?”

“The name's Conner Lyre,” Marcus replied, having decided to use his deceased brother's name as a part of his disguise. (Mangol wasn't too happy about that given Conner was her original trainer, but she agreed nonetheless.) “Top Pokemon Ranger. I was doing a sweep of the forest and I happened upon a wanted criminal here in Hoenn. Does the name Gene Phillips ring any bells?”

The guard looked shocked as he stared at “Gene.” “What... how...?” he tried to say. “But I thought he wasn't even in Hoenn anymore.”

“Looks like you got the wrong intel,” Marcus replied. “Dunno why he's here, but the point is that I caught him.”

“Well, congrats on that, Ranger Lyre,” the guard said. “But I'm afraid this is a detention center specifically for Pokemon. Unless you're here to drop off his Pokemon, we can't hold him here.”

“I'm aware of that,” Marcus replied. “But I'm afraid my Pokemon who uses Fly, my Togetic, is injured right now. Is it alright if I just dump him here while Togetic gets medical attention?”

“Well...” the guard said while scratching his chin. “I mean, I guess we could keep him in an interrogation room if healing up your Togetic only takes a few minutes.”

“That should be enough,” Marcus said with a nod.

“But I can't help but ask, what did you do about his Pokemon?” the guard inquired.

Marcus did everything in his power to refrain from kicking himself for saying what he was about to say. “When I caught him, all six of his Pokemon were more than happy to run away and leave him behind. Especially... especially the Gardevoir.” Marcus tried not to gag at what he just said, but the guard caught onto that.

“Are you ok, Ranger?” he asked.

“I'm... I'm fine,” Marcus replied, sticking to the gagging. “It's just that... I caught him... 'in the act' if you know what I mean.”

“Oh Arceus,” the guard said, looking appalled. “I'm sorry you had to see that. But thank you for getting this scum off the streets nonetheless.” The guard gave “Gene” a poke in the arm with his baton. Mangol simply glared at the guard. “Though we should still try to find his Pokemon and rehabilitate them. I'm sure they've been through some pretty horrible stuff.”

It took every ounce of energy in Marcus' body to keep himself from punching this guard in the jaw right then and there. “They should still be in the forest somewhere,” he replied. “A search could be in order, but later. I've gotta get this... monster out of here as soon as possible.”

“Yes, please do that,” the guard said. He then led Marcus and Mangol to the gate and unlocked it, leading inside the outer wall. On the other side of the gate, two more guards walked up to the trio. “Take Gene Phillips to the interrogation room,” the first guard said to the other two. “He's gonna be held there until Ranger Conner Lyre here can get his Togetic medical attention and they get Gene out of here.”

“Gene Phillips, huh?” one of the other guards, this one fairly large and buff, asked. “It's because of people like you that I fear for my Kirlia.” He then gave Mangol a shove. The Zoroark would have retaliated, but Marcus stepped in the second he saw the look on Mangol's face.

“Hey, go easy on him,” Marcus said. “The Ranger Union will have harsh enough punishments in store for him. He doesn't need to get roughed up.”

“Oh fine,” the buff guard said. He then glared at Mangol before he and the third guard carried the disguised Zoroark into the building.

Mangol gave one last fleeting glance behind her towards Marcus. I hope you planned for this, she pleaded with her eyes. It was at this moment that Marcus realized how poorly planned out this jailbreak might have been.

“Now then,” the gate guard said to Marcus, “shall I escort you to the medical wing, Ranger Lyre?”

“No thank you,” Marcus said politely. “I can find it on my own. You should probably keep your position here. You know... maybe keep watch for Gene's Pokemon. You never know what kind of promotion you could get if you rescued a Pokemon from the clutches of a Pokephile, after all.”

“You mean...?” the guard asked, his eyes alight with eagerness.

“I might even put in a good word for you,” Marcus said with a sinister smile. “But of course, you have to be the one to find his Pokemon first. You can't do that escorting me to the medical wing, can you?”

“Uh, no sir,” the guard said, quickly saluting. “Uh... good day. Er, evening? Night?”

“As you were, good sir,” Marcus said, returning the salute. The guard gave a quick nod before running out the door and returning to his position. Marcus then chuckled to himself as he turned and walked towards the main building. “Controlling a man with his desires... I've learned more from Blitz than I realized.” Marcus then frowned as he entered the building. “Blitz... no. You made your opinions clear. You aren't going to help save Aria, so what use do I have for you here?”

All the while, however, Marcus couldn't help but feel... sorry. Sorry that he told Blitz off the way he did. He knew the fact that Blitz's flames would never burn as hot as they should since he was her mate was something they never talked about and therefore a line that was to never be crossed... even Aria never mentioned it.

“No,” Marcus thought to himself as he walked through the halls. “I shouldn't be thinking about that right now. I need to focus on saving Aria.”

As Marcus rounded a corner, he encountered another generic guard. “Oh, hello there Ranger Lyre,” the guard said with a salute. “I was informed you would be in this building.”

“As you were, guard,” Marcus said as he tried to walk by. “I'm not here for anything important.”

“Oh, but I insist on assisting you in any way possible,” the guard said, following Marcus. As he looked up, Marcus noticed that this guard was far younger than the guard at the gate. More eager to go somewhere in life, make a mark for himself.

“Actually, there is something you can do,” Marcus said, stopping and looking up at the young guard, who began grinning eagerly. “Do you know what I'm here for?”

“No sir,” the guard replied with a shake of his head. “All I've been told is that there's a Top Ranger in here and that we all need to be at the top of our game.”

“Good,” Marcus said. “I'm here as part of an inspection. I need to make sure your prisons are adequate for detaining the various Pokemon that are held here.”

“I... believe we're up to code,” the guard said in an unsure tone.

“Well then, you wouldn't mind me taking a look, would you?” Marcus asked. “I think we'll start with... where would you keep a Froslass, for instance?”

“In the Ghost-type wing,” the guard replied. “We actually got a particularly dangerous Froslass earlier today.”

“So I've heard...” Marcus said while looking down and gritting his teeth. He then looked back up at the guard. “You wouldn't mind taking me to where she's being held so that I can ensure that you've made the necessary accommodations to make sure she can't, I don't know, freeze her way out of her cell, would you?”

“Not at all, Ranger Lyre,” the guard said. “I'll lead you to where we have her held right now if you want.”

“That would be much appreciated... sir,” Marcus said with a smile. He was starting to get the idea that, to these guards, being addressed as “sir” by a high-ranked official (namely a Pokemon Ranger) was quite an honor, mostly because it looked like the guard was doing his level best to keep himself from squealing like a little girl when Marcus said that.

“Y-yes, right this way please,” the guard said. He then quickly led Marcus to where Aria was being held.

”Looks like this is going smoother than I had planned,” Marcus thought to himself as he followed the guard.

”This really isn't going very smoothly,” Mangol thought to herself as the guards threw her into the interrogation room on the other side of the building from where Marcus was. The force with which she hit her face on the ground (since she was still handcuffed and unable to break her fall) was almost enough to break her illusion. Fortunately, she'd recently been honing her illusion skills specifically so that she'd be able to maintain them if something were to break her concentration.

Good to know that practice was paying off.

“Okay, Mister Phillips,” the buff guard said as he picked Mangol up and set her in a chair on the opposite side of a table in the center of the room, the two guards sitting across from her. “Ranger Lyre's gonna be back to pick you up any minute now, but until then, you're gonna stay here and behave yourself.”

“And you two are gonna babysit me?” Mangol asked. “You seriously don't have anything better to do?”

“Well... no,” the other guard, this one particularly scrawny, replied. “We usually just-”

“Shut up,” the buff guard said while slapping the scrawny one on the back of the head. “You know we're not supposed to talk to the prisoners.”

“But I'm not a prisoner here,” Mangol replied. “I mean, this is a prison designed for Pokemon, isn't it? Though I'm not a Pokemon.” ”As far as you dolts know,” she added in her head.

“Yeah? Well...” the scrawny guard started. “Well, you're here as long as Ranger Lyre is here, you were arrested by him, you're his responsibility, so therefore, you're a prisoner here until Ranger Lyre takes you to the Ranger Union... or wherever.”

Mangol saw that the scrawny guard seemed a little bit confused. As for the buff one... well he seemed downright brainless. If she was going to be stuck here until Marcus gave the signal, Mangol might as well have a little fun with these two. “Hey, how many Dittos and Zoroarks do you guys get around here?” she asked.

“I'm not talking to you, scum,” the buff guard replied with a huff.

“Well, we either talk or sit here and stare at each other silently for half an hour,” Mangol said with a shrug.

“Hell no,” the buff guard said. “I ain't staring at you for that long. I can't even look at your face. People like you make me sick, Gene Phillips.”

”Okay, time for the fun to really begin,” Mangol thought to herself. “But what if I'm giving you two a puzzle to solve with this conversation?”

“A puzzle?” the scrawny guard asked.

“Yes, a puzzle,” Mangol replied with a devious smile. “Suppose, for a brief moment, that someone at this base isn't who they say they are. Maybe that person is a Ditto or a Zoroark you recently apprehended and is now planning an escape. Or worse... a sabotage.”

“What would you know about Dittos?” the buff guard asked. “We have them under maximum security. There's no way one of them could be impersonating a guard.”

“Hey, are you completely disregarding the possibility of a Zoroark impersonating a guard too?” the scrawny guard asked.

“Pfft. A Zoroark could never get around this place undetected.” Mangol had to stifle laughter at this comment. Fortunately, the guards didn't catch this.

“But Dittos are the worst at disguises. They can't even hide their face.”

”Do take all the time you need, Marcus,” Mangol thought to herself as she relaxed and prepared to enjoy the show that was about to ensue.

On the other side of the building, the young guard had led Marcus to the wing where the Ghost-types were held. “If you need me to, I can show you where the Froslass is,” the guard said.

“No thank you,” Marcus said. “I'll go look for her on my own.”

“Are you sure?” the guard asked. “Because it would be my pleasure to-”

“No, thank you,” Marcus repeated. “Rather, shouldn't you stay out here and keep watch in case any of the craftier criminals in there try to manage an escape?”

“Oh! I mean, of course,” the guard said. “I, uh... great suggestion, Ranger Lyre.”

”Your ass-kissing is noted and will be mentioned when I talk to Hastings about your promotion,” Marcus considered saying. He kept his mouth shut, however, and replied with simply a nod before he walked into the room.

When Marcus entered, he noticed that the place was entirely just a hallway with barely identifiable doors lining the walls that led to the cells. Apparently these cells were made of some kind of special material that Ghost-types couldn't phase through or affect in any way. “I'd suggest closing that door,” Marcus said to the guard, who was apparently too scared to enter the room. “You never know what tricks a Ghost could have up its sleeve.” With a chuckle, Marcus added “Two or three of them probably could have escaped in the time it took for me to say that to you, in fact.”

“But those walls are made of-” the guard started.

“And we're up to five,” Marcus interrupted. With a quick nod of acknowledgment, the guard quickly shut and locked the door. “Good. Looks like I'm alone in here with all these Ghost-types.” Marcus looked around at the cells. None of them even had a kind of window on the door. To make matters worse, each and every door looked exactly the same. “I wonder if these are soundproof...” To test his theory, Marcus whistled a tune that he knew Aria would recognize in a heartbeat.

Somewhere else in that very same location, Aria sat alone in a room. She was quiet, which was a first for her. Usually if she was sad about something (or feeling any emotion at all), she would sing her feelings. Not this time, however. She knew what fate was in store for her come the next morning, and she never imagined she'd ever sing her swan song. As such, she never came up with one.

“It's not fair...” the Froslass said to herself with tears in her eyes as she looked down at the floor, which was made of some special kind of metal that she couldn't affect at all with her ethereal abilities. “It's just not fair... I'm not even from Hoenn, and for that guy to mistake me for a killer... Wait, I've killed once. Does that make me a killer? Not in comparison to that other one. She's likely killed dozens. I wouldn't—couldn't—in my life ever even-”

Aria silenced herself when a familiar tune hit her ears. It was faint, but she recognized it instantly. A tune from a land far away. Far, far away. So far away, Pokemon didn't even exist there. And it was being whistled... poorly. Aria knew only one person in this world who could botch such a simple tune so easily.

“Marcus!” Aria shouted as she floated towards the door to her cell. “Marcus! I'm in here!”

”Aria?” Marcus's voice called from the other side. ”I'm coming, Aria!”

Aria couldn't believe her ears. She was sure she was going to be killed in less than 12 hours, and now her salvation had arrived. She was so happy, she began singing. The very same song that Marcus tried to whistle just now. This worked to her advantage since Marcus probably wouldn't have found her again had it not been for that consistent indicator of where she was.

Soon, under her singing, Aria could faintly hear hurried footsteps approaching. They came to a halt just on the other side of the door, followed by a muffled CRASH from the other side of the door. “Marcus?” Aria called, worried about what that crash was. “Did you just try to knock the door down with just your own body weight?”

”Uh... no,” Marcus replied from the other side. Aria simply rolled her eyes and smiled, thinking about how typical something like that was for Marcus.

“Okay, how am I going to do this?” Marcus said to himself as he looked at the door, which seemed to be locked with a key that he didn't have. “Aria, can you freeze something on that side of the door? One of the door hinges maybe?”

”I've already tried that,” Aria replied from the other side of the door. ”This cell is 100 percent Frosslass-proofed.”

“Damn...” Marcus said to himself. “Welp, there's always plan B.” He then reached down into his belt and pulled out Tiny's Pokeball. “Praying and hoping. Tiny, I choose you!” Marcus then tossed the Pokeball into the air, releasing Tiny.

“Yay!” Tiny called as he flapped his arms, legs, and wings around with an adorable smile on his face. However, that smile quickly faded when he saw where he was. “Don't tell me, it falls to me to rescue Aria?”

“That it does,” Marcus replied with a nod. “I need you to make a key.”

“You realize the only move I have that could possibly do that is Metronome, right?” Tiny asked, a slightly worried look on his face.

“Then use Metronome on that door,” Marcus replied. He then shouted at Aria “Aria! Did you hear that?”

”I'm pressed against the far wall right now,” Aria called back. ”Whatever you've got, fire away!”

“Alright,” Tiny called. He then took a deep breath. “Here goes nothing. Metronome!” The Togetic raised his tiny hand and wiggled it around while closing his eyes. ”Please no Flare Blitz. Please no Double Edge. Please no Wood Hammer. Please don't give me anything with recoil,” he thought to himself. Right as he finished that thought, his finger flashed once before his whole body began glowing. “Oh crap! I'M USING EXPLOSION! TAKE COVER!” Marcus instantly ran as far down the hall as he could, Aria huddled in the corner of her cell, bracing herself, and Tiny hugged the door while closing his eyes. ”This better work!” the Togetic thought to himself immediately before a massive explosion went off with him at the center. An explosion powerful enough to both blast a hole in the door just barely large enough for Aria to float through, but also powerful enough to shake the entire prison.

Once the smoke from the blast cleared, Marcus got up from where he had fallen and taken cover before running over to Aria's cell. “Tiny! Aria!” he shouted. When he got within view, he saw a hole in the door and Tiny laying on the ground with swirls replacing his eyes. “Oh my Arceus, Tiny!” Marcus ran over and knelt down over the Togetic. “Tiny, speak to me!”

“I... can't...” Tiny replied absently, barely moving. “I... can't see... my health bar...”

“Thank you for at least trying,” Marcus said to the barely conscious Togetic as he pulled out Tiny's Pokeball and returned him. “I'll get you to a Pokemon Center as fast as I can after this is done and over with.” Marcus then got up and turned his attention to Aria's cell. The hole created by Tiny's Explosion was too small for Marcus to fit through, (what the hell were these cells made of, anyway?), so the trainer could do nothing but look inside for Aria. “Aria! Aria, are you okay?” He waited, scanning what he could see from top to bottom for one second. Two seconds. Three...

“BOO!” Aria shouted as she suddenly appeared right in front of Marcus' face, causing the trainer to shout and fall backwards. Aria then giggled while flying out through the hole. “Heh, I knew you'd fall for that.”

“Aria, you little...” Marcus said as he got up. He then ran over and hugged Aria, who hugged him back. “I'm so glad you're ok.”

“All thanks to you, Marcus,” Aria replied, doing her best to fight back tears. “I was starting to think you weren't coming for me.”

“Of course I was gonna come for you,” Marcus replied. “You're a member of the family, and-”

“Ranger Lyre?” the young guard from before called. “Are you okay? I thought I heard a-” The guard stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Marcus on the ground, hugging the shiny Froslass who was set to be euthanized the next morning, while a massive hole was blown through the door to that Froslass' cell.

“Um...” Marcus said as he looked up at the guard. “This isn't what it looks like.”

The guard was silent for a moment before turning around and running out of the room, more than likely to alert the rest of the guards. “I think this is a good time to run,” Aria suggested.

“Yeah, probably,” Marcus replied as he got up. “Come on. If we run into any guards, freeze their feet.”

“You got it,” Aria replied. Marcus then ran off, the Froslass floating close behind.

“That sounds exactly like something a Zoroark would say!” the scrawny guard who was tasked with guarding “Gene” shouted as his buff companion.

“Like hell it is, Mr. Ditto,” the buff guard replied. “And if you really aren't a Ditto, you wouldn't mind if I tickled you, would you?”

“What?! Why the hell would you even suggest such a thing?”

“'Cause Dittos can't stay transformed if they laugh.”

“And you had to jump to tickling me instead of telling a joke?”

Mangol was thoroughly enjoying the argument these two guards were having. And the best part: they were either too caught up in their argument or just plain too stupid to register that she had dropped the hint that she was a Zoroark. ”Hmm... maybe I should stop this before it turns into a tickle fight, though...” she thought to herself. ”A tickle fight between two human men is something I really don't wanna see.”

Fortunately, Arceus seemed to smile down upon Mangol at that moment. The walkie-talkies in their belts suddenly became active. “All units,” the voice on the other side of the walkie-talkies called, “there is a jailbreak in progress. I repeat, a jailbreak in progress. Suspect is a Pokemon Ranger impersonator accompanied by a shiny Froslass on death row for multiple murders.”

“Woah! A jailbreak?” the scrawny guard shouted. He then turned to his companion. “We can settle whether or not you're a Zoroark later. We should go do something.”

“Oh hey, speaking of Zoroarks,” Mangol said. “Your buddy there isn't the Zoroark in the room.”

“So it was you!” the buff guard shouted at the scrawny guard.

“Nope,” Mangol said with a smile. “You're wrong too. Come on, you've got one more guess between the two of you. I know you can figure this one out.”

The two guards were silent for the longest time as they thought about what Mangol was saying. “Is the Zoroark... invisible and hiding in the corner?” the buff guard asked.

Mangol face palmed and groaned. “I am legitimately astounded by how stupid you two are,” she said. “Let me just tell you the answer.” Mangol then slipped off her handcuffs, which had been rigged so that she could escape at any time from the beginning, before she leapt into the air and did a frontflip, removing her illusion and landing as the Zoroark she truly was. “Surprised?” she asked with a smirk, even though the guards wouldn't have understood her anymore.

“Wah!” the buff guard shouted as he leapt backwards. “A real Zoroark!”

“Now it's showtime,” Mangol said to herself as she readied her claws before charging at the two guards. “NIGHT SLASH!”

In the blink of an eye, Mangol delivered several slashes before landing on the ground behind the guards in a resting position. A second later, their pants fell to the ground, having been shredded by the Zoroark's claws. As well as having lost their pants, the two guards were too stunned by what had just happened to move.

“And the best part...” Mangol said to herself. She gave her claw a flick before two sets of keys that she swiped from the guards appeared hanging off of each claw. “A little slight of claw never hurt the situation.” Mangol then got up, used the keys to unlock the door, ran out of the interrogation room, and locked the door behind her before either guard realized what was going on. By the time they came back to reality, they found they were locked in that room with Mangol taunting them from the other side. “You two have been fun, but I have a job to do,” she said, despite knowing they wouldn't understand her. With a quick salute, she dropped the keys and ran down the hall to try to rendezvous with Marcus.

Meanwhile, Marcus and Aria had made their way through the building and were about to exit into the courtyard. “We're home free, Aria,” Marcus said as the two approached the door. “Just past this courtyard is the exit. From there, it'll be- oh son of a Mightyena!” The second Marcus opened the door and the two stepped into the courtyard, they found themselves surrounded on all sides by guards, some of them accompanied by various Pokemon.

“What was that you were saying about being home free?” Aria asked with a mildly terrified expression as she floated closer to her trainer while looking around at the guards.

“Conner Lyre,” one of the guards called using a megaphone while several spotlights shone on Marcus and Aria, “your attempt at breaking this criminal out has failed. You are surrounded on all sides. Return the Froslass to its Pokeball, set her on the ground, and step away.”

Aria looked at her trainer with pleading eyes. “Please tell me you have a plan,” she whispered. “I'm legitimately scared right now.”

“I'm scared to, Aria,” Marcus replied. “I honestly thought this would turn out better.” He then pulled out Aria's Pokeball, causing the Snow Land Pokemon to gasp. “Trust me, Aria. Even backed into this corner with no way out, I'd never let anything happen to you.”

“Marcus...” Aria said, but she couldn't say anything else. “I hope you know what you're doing.”

Marcus returned Aria to her Pokeball before replying, “I really hope so too.”

“Now place her on the ground and step away,” the megaphone guard called to Marcus.

Marcus looked down at Aria's Pokeball before looking back up at all the guards around him with a determined expression. He then did something that he legitimately thought he'd regret within seconds. He placed Aria's Pokeball back in his belt. “I'm not leaving here until I speak my mind,” he said in a serious tone. “And you all are going to let me speak my mind. After that, I'll surrender Aria.”

“To be clear, Aria is your Froslass, correct?” the megaphone guard inquired.

“Yes,” Marcus replied with a nod.

“Very well. Say what you will, but know that you and your Froslass will be arrested afterwards.”

”Well, getting arrested in a few minutes is better than getting arrested on the spot,” Marcus thought to himself. “I'm not going to testify Aria's innocence here. This isn't a courtroom, after all. And honestly, Aria isn't innocent. She has murdered in the past. That much, you've been right about. However, there are several facts that you overtly neglected when apprehending her. First, she isn't the Froslass you've mistaken her for. True, both Froslasses are shiny, but there are several striking differences. First and foremost is the fact that Aria is from the Sinnoh region, and the Froslass you're looking for—I'll just call her Lassie to save time—is from Hoenn. Second, Lassie has more than a dozen murders under her belt. Aria has killed only once in her life, and she has proved very remorseful about her actions. She even visited her victim's grave and vocalized her remorse. And what has Lassie done? Stayed on that mountain or in that cave or wherever she is and continued to kill while you all took the easy way out and decided to bully another Froslass just because she matched the physical description in order to settle the case quickly, that way you could all get on with your lives and sweep the issue with Lassie under the rug. But that would only be a temporary fix. Lassie would kill again, someone would recognize who it was that did the killing, and then all the blame would fall to the Hoenn Police Department for euthanizing an innocent Pokemon as well as allowing a criminal to go free. When you think about it, I'm actually saving you all this trouble by breaking Aria out of jail. How's that for a Wake-Up Slap?”

When Marcus finished his monologue, several murmurs began being exchanged amongst the guards, and some of the Pokemon were giving nods of acknowledgment and agreement. “You make a compelling argument, Mr. Lyre,” the megaphone guard called. “However, this fails to change two facts. First, you have no substantial evidence that Aria is not Lassie and is as innocent as you say she is. Second, you are the one who's guilty of impersonating a Pokemon Ranger, illegally infiltrating a detention facility, causing collateral damage using your Pokemon, and breaking one or more criminal Pokemon out.”

It was at this moment that Marcus realized that there was no way he could talk his way out of that one. “Perhaps I can't prove Aria's innocence,” he admitted. “And perhaps I have caused a little more damage than I intended to. But what would any of you do in my position? Wouldn't any of you do anything in order to save your Pokemon from a horrible fate, especially if you knew they didn't deserve that fate?”

“Once again, you have a point, Mr. Lyre,” the megaphone guard said. “But that does nothing to change how guilty you are and how guilty your Froslass potentially is. If it's any consolation, we will lift her death sentence until more substantial evidence can be gathered, but both you and her are still under arrest for the charges I mentioned prior.” At this moment, several of the guards closed in on Marcus.

”Well, I told you I'd save your life, Aria,” Marcus thought to himself with a weak smile. ”We might not be getting out of here, but at least we're alive.”

Right as the guards were about two yards from Marcus, one of the Pokeballs in his belt exploded, and Blitz leapt out between Marcus and the guards, ready to defend her mate. “All of you stay back,” she growled, despite the fact that the guards only heard “Rapidash Rapidash.”

“Blitz?” Marcus asked. “What are you doing? I thought you weren't going to be responsible for whatever happened to me. And how did you know I needed help in the first place?”

“Marcus, you're my mate,” Blitz said. “No matter what, even if you're risking your life for something stupi—I mean, risking your life for a member of our family, I have to be there by your side. I just forgot that for a little while. For what it's worth, I'm sorry for what I said earlier tonight.”

“We both said things we need to apologize for,” Marcus replied with a smile. “I'm just glad to see that you came around as well as I did.”

“Recall the Rapidash,” the megaphone guard ordered. “If you don't, I will not hesitate to add 'resisting arrest' to your list of charges.”

“Don't worry, Marcus,” Blitz said while readying herself for battle. “I won't let them near you.”

“Hold up a second, Blitz,” Marcus said. “You actually gave me an idea that won't involve any of these guys getting hurt.”

“Aww,” Blitz complained. “I can't just cook that one guy's Carnivine?”

“No, Blitz,” Marcus replied. “No one's getting cooked tonight. Just follow my lead.” Marcus then turned back to the guards. “There's one more thing I wanna say before you arrest me.”

“The deal was you plead your Froslass' case before surrendering her and yourself,” the megaphone guard replied.

“The deal was that I speak my mind,” Marcus shot back. “And I haven't finished doing that.” Without waiting for a reply, Marcus continued. “Aria represents just one example of a very, very flawed justice system that's in place here. Not just in Hoenn, but all around the world. Another example... do any of you recall Gene Phillips? The Hoenn-born trainer who tried to marry his Gardevoir last year?”

“But you're the one who brought him in earlier,” the megaphone guard replied.

“Seriously?” Marcus deadpanned. “After me impersonating a Ranger and breaking Aria out of jail, did it not once occur to you that the Gene I brought in wasn't the real Gene? A Zoroark, maybe?” Marcus paused for a moment and let that sink in. “But that's beside the point. The Ranger Union busted his wedding in Unova. And for what? Because he was a human who tried to marry a Pokemon? Is that all the reasoning that can be given? Is that all the reasoning behind Pokephilia laws in general? Granted, there are those who are... less than honest in their pursuits in that respect, but why should they ruin the happiness of those who are truly in love with their Pokemon and their Pokemon love them back in that exact way? To say that all Pokephilia is taking advantage of Pokemon implies that Pokemon have less intelligence than a human does. What does that make them? Animals. That's what you're implying Pokemon are with these laws. Nothing but mindless beasts who have no intelligence or free will to be spoken of. Sad. If you'd actually pay attention, you'd be able to tell that Gardevoir are actually highly intelligent. And beyond just Psychic-types, almost all Pokemon have a similar degree of intelligence. But what your people and your flawed laws imply... how do you think it makes those Pokemon feel? These laws are degrading. They mock Pokemon.” Marcus then walked up right next to Blitz. “My own Rapidash, Blitz. She's got quite a lot of intelligence if you could understand her. Hell, she can even upstage me sometimes. But that's not the best part. The best part is that it's because of her that I can speak so confidently about how degrading Pokephilia laws are. In fact, here's an example of that.” Marcus then leaned in and kissed Blitz, who seemed startled at first, but quickly leaned in to return the kiss.

The reactions from the surrounding guards were various though immediate. Some of them gasped, some of them shouted angrily, some of them gagged, a couple whistled (probably without realizing it), and at least one threw up, but none of them were silent. Those were the human guards. As for the Pokemon, most of them watched the scene unflinchingly. Sure, a couple of them saw this as a bit weird, but they could smell that Blitz and Marcus were together the second she broke out of her Pokeball. Some of the Pokemon smiled, happy for the two, and one Growlithe applauded while his trainer was distracted with throwing up.

“That's it, arrest that pervert,” the megaphone guard ordered. A few of the guards who didn't react too heavily closed in on Marcus and Blitz, who were still making out and seemingly unaware of what was going on around them.

”Come on, Mangol,” Marcus thought to himself. ”I can't buy you any more time.”

Once more, Arceus seemed to smile upon Marcus at that moment, because before the guards could get in close enough to taze the two, there was a loud growl before Mangol appeared between the two and the guards. “Sorry I took so long,” Mangol said to Marcus. However, the trainer didn't seem to pay attention to what she said as he was still making out with Blitz. “Hello? Earth to Marcus and Blitz. We're kinda surrounded by guards here.” The Zoroark groaned and faceclawed. “Must I do everything myself?” She then pulled an illusion over herself, Marcus, and Blitz, causing all three of them to vanish from the sight of the guards. “Alright, we've got cover. Let's get out of here already!” The two still didn't respond. With a shake of her head, Mangol walked around behind Blitz before giving her a jab to the flank with her claw.

“WAH!” Blitz shouted as she suddenly reared up and started galloping out of panic. Mangol was holding onto Blitz and had grabbed Marcus so he wouldn't get left behind. The Zoroark hoisted her trainer onto Blitz's back before jumping up there herself. “Was that really necessary?” Blitz growled at Mangol as she galloped towards the gate before jumping over it in graceful fashion, landing on the other side and continuing to gallop without missing a beat.

“I tried calling to you two,” Mangol replied. “But you two were too 'busy' to answer, apparently.”

“What Blitz means to say is 'Thank you, Mangol',” Marcus clarified as they galloped into the woods and far away from the prison.

Later on, when the trio had gotten far enough away from the prison, Marcus had changed back into his regular clothes and set the Ranger uniform in a pile in front of him. “Alright Blitz, Flamethrower,” he said. With a nod, Blitz breathed a stream of fire onto the clothes, setting them ablaze into what could make for a nice campfire. “Well... that turned out okay.” Marcus then turned to Blitz. “Blitz... now that we have a chance to breathe, I wanna apologize for what I said before. It wasn't right for me to explode at you like that, and no matter how angry I ever get, nothing could ever justify me reminding you of... that.”

“Marcus, I'm the one who needs to apologize,” Blitz replied. “If I hadn't acted like such a bitch to you, neither of us wouldn't have gotten angry enough to the point where things were said that shouldn't have been. You were right. Aria's a part of the family, and I shouldn't have been so indifferent about her being on death row. I just... need to learn to get along with her.”

(At Lyra and Bon Bon's house, Marcus added “For the record, they haven't completely made up yet.”)

“Thank you, Blitz,” Marcus said. “I'm glad to know you'll at least make an effort to make peace with Aria.”

Right at this moment, one of Marcus' Pokeballs exploded open and Aria jumped out. “I heard my name,” Aria said with what was probably a coy smile. “Is someone talking about me?”

“Not at all,” Blitz replied while shaking her head.

“Oh...” Aria said. “Eh, I'll let that lie slide for now.” The Froslass then flew over and hugged Marcus. “Marcus, I can't tell you enough how grateful I am for what you did for me. I literally owe you my afterlife.”

“You're welcome, Aria,” Marcus replied, returning the hug. He caught a sharp glare coming from Blitz, but he shot a similar glare back. “You said you were going to make peace with her,” he mouthed. “First step is to let this happen.” Blitz simply rolled her eyes before Marcus went back to Aria. “I would have done the same for anyone else on the team.”

“Well, now that all's said and done, I'm glad I was the first you did something like this for,” Aria replied with a sincere smile. “Thank you, Marcus.”

“Again, you're welcome,” Marcus said with a laugh. “But enough from me. Blitz has something she wants to say to you, too.”

Blitz frantically made a “No! Cut!” gesture with her hoof when Marcus said this, but it was too late, and Aria turned around to face Blitz. “You do, huh?” Aria asked, floating over to Blitz with a cocky look in her eye. “What is it you wanna tell me?”

Blitz looked down and avoided making eye contact with Aria before saying ”I'm sorry.”

“What was that?” Aria asked with a smirk. “I didn't quite catch that.”

”I said I'm sorry,” Blitz repeated.

“What? You're 'starry'?” Aria asked teasingly. “Why in the world would you be starry right now?”

“I said I'm sorry!” Blitz shouted. “Okay? There, I said it.”

Aria thoroughly enjoyed this humility coming from Blitz. “How come you're sorry?” the Froslass asked. “Did you say something I didn't hear but should have?”

“I... I didn't want to help Marcus save you,” Blitz said while looking down, pushed on by Marcus glaring at her. “I would have... I would've left you there.”

“Really?” Aria asked with a nod. “Well... I can forgive you for that. It was Marcus who made the final decision, after all.” With an evil expression, Aria leaned in and whispered “It's too bad he didn't listen to you. I'd probably be better of dead at this point for the sake of your own health.”

“Wha-? Marcus, did you hear that?” Blitz shouted.

“Aria, take that threat back right now,” Marcus said sternly. “You're both at fault for something here, so neither of you are in position to say anything mean to each other.”

“Fine,” Aria said while rolling her eyes. “I promise I won't do anything horrible to Blitz because she would have left me for dead.” Marcus glared at her for another moment before she added “And I sincerely forgive her now that she's apologized and no harm fell upon me. Happy?”

“Not entirely,” Marcus said before looking over to Blitz. “You're turn, sweetie.”

Blitz grumbled, but spoke up. “And I forgive you for saying what you said to me and promise to make an effort to get along with you better after tonight.”

“Thank you,” Aria replied with a forced tone.

“There, was that so hard?” Marcus asked. “Now let's all get some shuteye. It's been a long night.”

“With pleasure,” Aria said as Marcus returned the Froslass to her Pokeball. “And as for you, Blitz...”

“Not tonight, Marcus,” Blitz replied. “I'm still a bit angry at you. You're not getting any flank for at least a week.”

Marcus just chuckled at this. “Knowing you, Blitz, I could challenge you to hold true to your own punishment,” he said. “Though we should probably be a little more careful for a while anyway. We did kinda kiss in the middle of a prison with a couple dozen officers of the law watching us. Odds are they're gonna be looking for a fake Pokemon Ranger sleeping with a Rapidash.”

“Fair enough,” Blitz said. She then leaned in and gave Marcus a quick kiss. “I'll see you in the morning then, honey.”

“You to, Blitz,” Marcus replied with a smile. He then returned Blitz to her Pokeball before setting up a sleeping back and curling into it to try get the rest of the night's worth of sleep. “Hold on a second,” he suddenly said while sitting up in his sleeping bag. “Blitz never told me how she knew I needed her help.”

”Why, that was me of course,” a soothing female voice replied from inside of Marcus' head.

“What?” Marcus asked. “Who are you?”

The voice giggled as Marcus suddenly grew incredibly drowsy. ”Oh, you'll meet me eventually. But for now, off to dream land, young one. Maybe you'll see me there.”

With that, Marcus fell back in his sleeping bag, sound asleep, never truly learning whose voice that was.

Author's Note

Oh, Cresselia. Why must you always intervene in everything?
...
Seriously, though. If the Doctor were to regenerate into a Pokemon for whatever reason, I haven't a doubt he'd become Cresselia.
Speaking of the Doctor, I've got a feeling like I've forgotten something...
Oh yeah! I just realized that I've referenced the fact that Blitz's flames can't burn anything twice in this story, but haven't explained why. Well, I didn't wanna explain it in an author's note, but I haven't figured out how I'm going to fit it into the story since Blitz doesn't like to talk about it, Marcus and (most of) the rest of his team respects her wishes, and the part of Marcus' team that's more likely to not respect those wishes isn't accounted for in Equestria at the moment, so... I guess it's up to me.
So, my headcannon here goes something like this:
It's a known fact that there are some Pokemon, for instance Rapidash and Ferrothorn, who have natural hazards on their bodies that could potentially harm anyone who gets too "close" to them. ("Close" in the sense of how "close" Marcus and Blitz are.) That being said, some of those Pokemon might significantly harm anymon they're mates with if they're of the wrong type. (For instance, Grass-types getting charred by a Rapidash or stabbed repeatedly by a Ferrothorn. It's lucky this applies to humans as well.)
Therefore, since Marcus is Blitz's mate, her body won't let her flames burn as hot in order to keep Marcus from getting charred. This is a little-known fact, however (which is why Rangers don't use it when tracking down Pokephiles) and it doesn't necessarily apply to all Pokemon that it could apply to. (Like Arcanine or Gallade. Only to Pokemon who possess a clear, present, and difficult to avoid or entirely unavoidable danger.) As well, this adaptation doesn't affect attacks, a Flamethrower from a Rapidash or a Pin Missile from a Ferroseed/Ferrothorn would work the same.
I dunno. It was just a thought that occured to me. One of those "How the hell is my character still alive if he does this?" moments.
That being said... I wonder how Marcus survived his first time with Blitz...
Anyway, bonus chapter posted, headcannon shared, I think I'm done here. In the next chapter, we return to Equestria, where some lives will change even more than they have over the past three days, for better or for worse. See ya then.

12: Change is in the Air

Early in the morning, well before Celestia even rose the sun, a train arrived in Ponyville from further north. Several ponies and a couple of Pokemon disembarked from the various cars, but there was one Pokemon who set herself apart from everyone else on the train... partially because she had actually stowed away on the train and had ridden from between two of the cars. She was never noticed there, however, because she had turned invisible for the whole ride. When the coast was clear, she left the train and turned visible once again. She was a Froslass, but she wasn't an ordinary Froslass. She looked different. Humans referred to Pokemon like her as “shiny.” This “shiny” Froslass took a moment to look out upon the moonlit town before her.

“So this is Ponyville, huh?” she asked herself. “A bit dreary, but even a dreary place is better than getting attacked by some unknown shadow thing.” The Froslass shuddered as she remembered the story that one Glalie told her about some kind of shadowy creature attacking and possessing a Gengar. She couldn't think about that, though. She considered herself lucky enough to avoid a similar fate.

And perhaps, if all the stories she'd heard about this Ponyville were true, her lucky streak would continue. Perhaps... he would be here. With that thought in mind, she floated away from the train station and into the town.

A couple hours later, when the sun had finally risen, Kanga slowly woke up. The first thing she noticed was someone snuggled up next to her. She looked down to see that it was Felix, still sound asleep with his head nestled cozily between Kanga's shoulder and neck. It was at this moment that Kanga remembered what went on the night prior. Kanga thought about this and smiled. Finally, the night she'd been wanting to share with Felix for so long had happened. The Kangaskhan couldn't have been more content with the situation. (Well, she could have done without her shoulder still being sore from where Felix bit her. But other than that, she was content.)

“I still can't believe it's finally happened,” she thought to herself with a smile. ”Felix, the one who saved me and Roo, and now my love. I couldn't thank fate enough for bringing us together.”

Kanga lay there for another moment, just enjoying having Felix so close to her, when the Meganium began to wake up himself. He slowly opened his eyes and looked up at Kanga. “Morning, Kanga,” he said with a smile. “Did you sleep well?”

“I didn't, actually,” Kanga replied. “I was a bit... 'busy' last night.”

“Oh dear,” Felix said. “Did I keep you awake?”

“Yes, but it's okay,” Kanga said with a chuckle. “I'm sure I kept you awake too. I was making quite a lot of noise after all.”

“Well, I can forgive you for that much,” Felix replied. “In all seriousness, though, I had a great time last night.”

“Glad I could help with that,” Kanga said. “But it didn't look like you needed me to help you too much.”

“Well, I sorta just went with whatever came to me,” Felix said. “On the subject, sorry about biting you.”

“It's okay, Felix,” Kanga replied, leaning down and giving the Meganium a kiss. “I didn't bleed all over the place, so no real harm done. Besides, many Pokemon do that. No need to feel ashamed.”

“Okay then,” Felix said with a smile. (Had Kanga paid attention, though, she would have noticed the unsureness behind Felix's smile.) The two were silent for a moment before Felix spoke up again. “So... what now? I mean, should we just lay here for a little while longer, or...?”

“Actually...” Kanga started. “I had some more plans for you today. But if you wanna keep laying here for now, we can do that. You'll need all the rest you need.”

“Wait, you mean...?” Felix asked, gulping out of nervousness.

Kanga quickly realized what she sounded like she was saying just then. “A battle, Felix. I wanted to have a battle with you.”

“Oh,” Felix said. “I, uh... thought that was what you were talking about. But why?”

“Well, if you're gonna be living your life as a Pokemon, you're gonna have to know how to defend yourself,” Kanga replied. “And maybe protect your young, too. I can't do that on my own, after all.”

Felix began to sweat as he realized what Kanga meant by that. “Y-you're talking about just Roo, right?” he asked.

“Heh, take your guess,” Kanga said with a smile. However, her smile quickly faded when she noticed how nervous Felix suddenly seemed. “Oh calm down, Felix. Even if another one does happen, it's not gonna be for a while.”

“O... okay...” Felix said. He then snuggled up closer to Kanga. “It feels like life is starting to happen so fast all of a sudden.”

“Don't worry, Felix,” Kanga said as she wrapped her arm around Felix. “I'll be there with you every step of the way, and I promise to never leave your side.”

“I don't know...” Felix said. “I don't know how good of a father I'd be.”

“Well you were a great father for Roo,” Kanga said. “Why would another one be any different?”

“It wasn't just me, Kanga,” Felix said. “It was the whole team who rallied behind you two.”

“And why wouldn't they rally behind another child if it's your biological child?” Kanga asked. “I'm telling you, you're over thinking it. You and I are going to work out no matter what happens, Felix.” The Kangaskhan then kissed Felix on the forehead. “I promise.”

Felix smiled a little at this. “Thank you, Kanga. That makes me feel a little better.”

“I'm glad.” Kanga then let out a content sigh. “Don't worry, Felix. I won't leave your side. Ever.”

The two then lay there for a time, not doing anything, not thinking about anything, just enjoying each other's presence. Even if they both knew that they'd get a lot of each other's presence for a long time.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the Everfree Forest, Marcus woke up slowly inside of his and Blitz's small but cozy cave. The sunlight didn't illuminate the cave much because of the forest above the entrance, but for the two Rapidash, lighting was never really a problem.

Or at least, Marcus thought there were two Rapidash in the cave. However, as he woke up, he noticed that Blitz wasn't sleeping next to him like he expected. “Blitz?” Marcus asked out loud as he got up and looked around the cave. There wasn't a sign of his mate, however. Marcus quickly got to his hooves and tried to scan the cave better. “Blitz, where are you?”

“Right here, silly,” Blitz said, suddenly appearing behind Marcus. The latter turned around and nearly jumped out of his horseshoes when he saw Blitz standing there, apparently having just then reentered the cave. “Heh, Aria was right. You do scare easily.”

“I wasn't scared,” Marcus defended. “You just... snuck up on me. Where were you, anyway?”

“I was out grabbing breakfast,” Blitz replied as she moved her head to reveal a small pile of apples carefully balanced on her back. She then bucked one apple off the top before catching it with her hoof and tossing it into Marcus' mouth.

“Mnph!” Marcus shouted as he suddenly found his mouth blocked by an apple. (Fortunately it stopped at his teeth, so he didn't choke.) He grabbed the with his hoof and took a bite before pulling the apple out. “Thanks, Blitz. You're so caring.”

“What can I say?” Blitz asked as she grabbed an apple for herself. “I always look out for the ones I care about. You, Tiny, the rest of the team... maybe someone else...”

Marcus was swallowing a bite of his apple when Blitz heard this, but didn't realize this when he tried to shout “What?” However, all that came out was “Wackh!?” Marcus chocked for a second before he finally swallowed the apple and was able to respond. “What did you say?”

“I look out for the ones I care about,” Blitz replied.

“No, after that. You said something about... someone else?”

Blitz looked down and smiled slightly. “Well... I don't want to raise your expectations since I don't know for absolute certain yet, but...” Blitz looked up at Marcus with a wide grin. “Marcus, I think I'm pregnant.”

“W-wha... say again?” Marcus asked, thoroughly stunned. “It sounded like you just said that we were probably going to have an egg.”

“Well of course it was going to happen,” Blitz said with a laugh. “We've done it at least five times since we've been in Equestria, after all.”

“Oh yeah...” Marcus said with a nod. “Hm. Looks like your overly-frisky personality is finally paying off.”

“I'm gonna take that as a compliment,” Blitz said as she leaned in and planted a kiss on Marcus' cheek. “Think about it, Marcus. We won't have to keep pretending Tiny is like our child, anymore. We'll finally have our own little Ponyta to raise.”

“That's... I can't believe it...” Marcus said, sitting down and taking another bite of his apple. “I... I never thought this day would come, but now.... Heh, Tiny's going to be so crushed.” He looked up at Blitz. “Wait, you said you're not 100% sure, right?”

“I did,” Blitz said with a nod. “Try not to get too overwhelmed. And let's not tell the others until we know for sure.”

“Sounds like a good idea,” Marcus said. He then smiled. “We're gonna have to start thinking about names, soon.”

“Let's cross that bridge when we get to it,” Blitz said as she set the apples down in front of Marcus and sat down next to him. “You seem to be taking the prospect of finally becoming a father pretty well.”

“I don't think I've completely absorbed it yet,” Marcus replied while rubbing the back of his head. “When I finally completely process this, I think I'm gonna panic.”

Blitz just giggled at this. “Do you need me to hold you when that happens?” she asked while leaning up against Marcus.

“I think I'd like that, yeah,” Marcus replied with a smile. The two then sat there for a while, eating their apples in silence. Eventually Marcus had the delayed panic attack he was worried about, but Blitz was right there to comfort him when it happened.

Meanwhile, Tiny had woken up at around the same time in a different part of the Everfree. The first thing he noticed was that he was in someone's embrace. The Togetic turned around to see the Typhlosion from last night still sound asleep, cuddling Tiny tightly.

”Right...” Tiny thought to himself with a slight smile. ”I'd almost forgotten about last night.” The Togetic sighed with content. Last night, Typhlosion seemed like little more than a ball of misery. But now, he seemed to be very happy, and that made Tiny happy. He wanted to stay there and enjoy Typhlosion's new aura of happiness, but he couldn't. He had to get back to Marcus and the others. Carefully, Tiny tried to get out of Typhlosion's embrace without waking him up. The Togetic managed to get his neck out of Typhlosion's arms and thought he was home free, but without realizing it, Tiny's wing brushed against Typhlosion's nose, causing him to stir. ”Crap. Looks like I'm in for the 'morning after' bit.”

Tiny turned around and forced a smile as Typhlosion slowly opened his eyes and looked up at Tiny with a smile. “Well good morning there, Togetic,” he said. “Are you leaving already?”

“Uh...” Tiny said while rubbing the back of his neck and looking down. “Sorry, Typhlosion. I have friends I need to get back to. My time with you was great, though. Don't worry about that.”

“I'm glad you thought that,” Typhlosion replied as he got up and stretched. “Go ahead and go. You said last night that this would be a one-time deal, after all.”

“Well when you say it like that, you make me sound shallow,” Tiny said. “I'm actually a pretty interesting guy if you got to know me.”

“I'm sure about that,” Typhlosion said with a nod. “Who knows? We don't know how small this world is, so we might see each other again. I'd be more than happy to get to know you better if that day came.”

“Same here,” Tiny said with a smile. “I might as well ask, did I offer you a better outlook on life after last night? Make you a little happier in more ways than one, I mean?”

“Actually, last night taught me something,” Typhlosion replied. “It taught me that, even in this new world, maybe I won't have to be lonely. Maybe there are others in the world like you and I. Maybe there's one out there just for me... and maybe he'll be willing to return my feelings when I find him and ask him to be my boyfriend.”

“That's the spirit,” Tiny cheered. “You see, this is why I do the things I do. To encourage others.”

“Well, you certainly have a strange way of encouraging people,” Typhlosion said with a laugh. “My name's Alonzo, by the way. If we ever see each other again, that is.”

“I'm Tiny,” Tiny replied. “It's been nice to meet you, Alonzo.”

“Same to you, Tiny,” Alonzo replied. He then frowned. “Tiny... will you remember me? Or will I just be just one more anonymous bang to go on your list?”

Tiny stared intensely at Alonzo. “Alonzo, I remember the names of all of my mates if they have names,” the Togetic said. He then smiled. “Of course I'm gonna remember you.”

Alonzo returned the smile. “That means a lot to me, Tiny,” he said. “Thank you.”

“You're welcome,” Tiny said. “Now, I've gotta go. I have friends to get to, and you have a crush to ask out.”

“Well, you're certainly right about that,” Alonzo said with a laugh. “I've gotta find him first, of course.”

“Well good luck on your search then,” Tiny said. He then flew off, waving down at Alonzo, who was waving back. “Alonzo... I got him up off the ground. Now let's hope he can find happiness for himself.” With a smile, Tiny made his way to a lake to bathe real quick before going on to Ponyville.

Back at Lyra and Bon Bon's house, Lyra was quietly making her way downstairs to get breakfast started, careful not to wake anyone else in the house. When she got to the bottom of the stairs, she noticed that Pinky seemed to be still asleep, but in a rather... odd position. She was sitting up straight, eyes closed, and face expressionless. Like she was concentrating on something. ”I wonder if she's actually asleep still,” Lyra thought to herself as she walked on.

”In a sense, I am,” Pinky replied telepathically, startling Lyra. ”And yet, I heard your thought and replied. Pokemon are very fascinating, no?”

”So... are you asleep?” Lyra asked.

”Yes, I am,” Pinky replied. ”But I am not unconscious while asleep like most others. No, most Psychic-types merely go into a type of 'standby mode' at night, if I may make such an analogy. My body rests, but I am still aware of what goes on around me.”

”Okay then...” Lyra thought.

”And before you ask, yes there is a reason why I reached out to you,” Pinky continued. ”There has been something wrong with this house for the past two days. An unknown force is at play here, but I do not know what that force is, nor whether it has dark intentions. I know that it has not affected anything yet, but the question is whether that is from lack of trying. Is it biding its time? And why is it here in the first place? I have been trying to figure that out all night. From what I've gathered so far, everyone here is safe for now, but I've also found that I know next to nothing about the nature of this force.”

”Well Kanga did tell me-” Lyra started.

”That was not what I was talking about,” Pinky interrupted. ”Believe me, I have first-hand knowledge of that type of force. Lyra Heartstrings, I must ask you something... what do you know about ghosts?”

”What kind of question is that?” Lyra asked. ”Are you saying this house is... haunted?”

Pinky smiled, but did not wake up. ”The house is not haunted,” the Slowbro said. ”But someone here is.

”Who?” Lyra asked.

”I'm afraid this sort of thing is outside of my jurisdiction,” Pinky replied. ”I know someone, however, who is better with this subject. Whether we find her, I'm unsure of.”

”So why tell me all of this?” Lyra asked.

”Because Shelly likes to have a little too much fun while I'm asleep,” Pinky replied. Right as she thought this, she began to stir before slowly opening her eyes and turning to Lyra. “I'm sorry about that, Lyra. When I'm asleep, Shelly likes to play around with anyone who comes near me.”

“Wait... who's Shelly again?” Lyra asked, confusion evident on her face.

“The Shellder on my tail,” Pinky replied, turning around and indicating Shelly, who didn't seem to sleep at all and was rather wearing her signature glare. “Yeah, she and I get along, but that doesn't mean she won't mess with me if she gets the chance.”

Lyra looked at the Slowbro with a look of concern. “And... that's just a regular thing that happens?” she asked.

“Oh, I think I know what you're worried about,” Pinky said. “Yes, I've heard of some Slowbro who become... overtaken, for lack of a better term, by their Shellder. But that's because Slowbro are usually rather dim-witted. Me, on the other hand...” Pinky smiled and pointed at her head. “I've got a little more going on up here than most Slowbro do. Shelly's not getting her chance for a long time. The most she'll do is mess with whoever comes near me while I'm asleep. She's completely harmless otherwise.”

“Okay...” Lyra said. “So, if Shelly usually just messes with others, does that mean that what she said wasn't true?”

“I'm sure of it,” Pinky replied with a nod. “I don't know first-hand what she said, but from what I gathered from your memories of the conversation, I didn't find anything I couldn't prove right now.”

“Wait... what do you mean by that?” Lyra asked.

“I'm a multitasker,” Pinky said. “I can talk to someone, check their memories, keep an ear open for anything and everything around me, and keep a good awareness of what everyone around me is thinking. Oh, and let's not forget activating your translator. It's taken years of practice.”

“Uh-huh...” Lyra said with a slow nod. “I'm gonna go start breakfast now. Do you wanna help me?”

“Oh, Felix would never let me,” Pinky replied with a shake of her head. “I can do a lot of things, but cooking is not one of them.” The Slowbro then shuddered. “That Kelpsy Berry Stew I made still haunts us all to this day...”

“Well, even if you can't cook, I could still use an extra set of hooves,” Lyra replied. “Or at least, a little more levitation room. If you're willing to help.”

“Hmm... as long as I don't have to mess with the food,” Pinky said as she got up and walked over to Lyra. “Trust me, it would be better for all of us.”

Meanwhile in the Everfree Forest, Drake woke up with a twitch of his ear. The previous day had brought no results in terms of searching for others after he and Nana found Felix. The forest was massive, far more so than Nana told the Ampharos. Still though, Drake had a good feeling about today. This was the day things were going to turn around.

Hopefully.

It was another moment before Drake finally got up, lifting his head off of the side of Nana's chest, whom the Ampharos had used as a pillow. Nana gave no objections to this. The Tropius did just about anything for anyone he considered his bro, which was pretty much all of Felix's team. (Including Kanga, Roo, and Pinky.) Drake yawned and stretched before looking around. He and Nana were in a small clearing, just barely large enough to fit the two Pokemon. The canopy above kept sunlight to a minimum, but that didn't give Drake a problem since his tail and forehead could both make really good light sources if he needed them to. As well, the forest around was thick, too thick for anyone to sneak up on the two without making noise. Though, Drake knew of at least one Pokemon who could potentially be an exception to that rule...

“Heh, wishful thinking,” Drake said with a chuckle and a shake of his head. He then began walking towards an apple tree he knew was a couple yards away. However, as Drake walked, his leg hit something, causing him to trip and fall flat on his face. “Ah! What the heck was-?” Drake wasn't able to finish his question before some invisible force suddenly flipped him over and onto his back. Right when he tried to get up, something pinned him to the ground and held his arms on either side of him. “Nana, I could use some-” he tried to call. However, he was stopped suddenly when something pressed up against his lips, silencing him. As this happened, however, the culprit of all these actions slowly came into view. Drake instantly recognized the Pokemon as she pulled away and her illusion faded. “It's... it's you...” Drake said with an astonished expression as he stared into the Zoroark's eyes.

“I've finally found you... my dear Drake,” Mangol said with a smile.

Author's Note

Dunno if you were able to tell at this point, but I'm not that good at writing scenes in which the characters are interacting right after they wake up. :derpytongue2:
But either way, secks has happened, we might finally have the first confirmed egg in this story, (though not in this AU), someone who I tried but failed to disguise the identity of has entered the stage, and we might have an unknown player the role of whom is unclear to even Pinky. Stay tuned for more.

Also, Zeus, if you happen to read this chapter, can you please do me a favor and PM me? I have a question I need to ask you regarding one of the legendaries being in a future chapter. Thanks.

13. Reunions

Nana was awoken suddenly when he heard Drake shout and fall onto his face. The Tropius looked up to see Drake get rolled over onto his side and pinned by an invisible force. “Nana, I could use some-!” Drake started, however, he was suddenly silenced by whatever invisible force pinned him.

“Hold on, Drake!” Nana called as he tried to get up. However, just before he leapt into action, the entity that had attacked Drake came into view. It was a Zoroark… and she currently had her lips locked with Drake's. “It can't be…”

“Hell yeah it is,” another voice said from behind Nana. The Tropius turned around to see a Leafeon standing on his back. “You two didn't seriously think you could escape us by disappearing to a different planet, did you?”

“Ki?” Nana asked with wide eyes. “You… and Mangol… how did you find us?”

“Well, no offense,” Ki started as she leapt off of Nana's back, “but you aren't too hard to spot when you're in the air.” The Leafeon giggled for a moment before adding “Plus, the forest told me where you guys were.”

“Oh did it?” Nana asked. “Hmm… I wonder why I didn't bother asking the forest where everyone was…”

“Well it's a good thing one of us is keeping our head on in this crazy new world,” Ki said with a roll of her eyes. “I already asked where the remainder of our teams are, by the way. The only 'Mons that are in this forest that we haven't found are Marcus, Blitz, and Tiny. I'm afraid the rest of your team is somewhere else.”

“Actually, we know where almost all of our team is,” Nana replied. “We found Felix, Kanga, Roo, and Pinky yesterday, and they told us Tartar was atop a mountain around here.” The Tropius then smirked. “So, unless I'm mistaken, we've got six out of seven team members found, and that's counting Kanga and Roo as one. And you've only got five out of seven, right?”

Ki opened her mouth to respond, but closed it quickly when she realized something. “Uh...” she tried to say. “I mean... just you wait. It just so happens that Mangol and I have a good feeling about today. This is gonna the day when… well, something's gonna happen! I mean, we've already found you two. It's not even noon and we're on a roll.”

“Heh, don't count your Pidgey before they hatch,” Nana said with a laugh. “But seriously, it's great to see you and Mangol again.”

“Same for you two,” Ki replied. “And I'm sure Mangol and Drake feel the same way about each other.”

Meanwhile, Mangol had finally gotten off of Drake and allowed him to stand. “Mangol, I...” Drake tried to say, but he was rendered just about speechless. “I… I… How did you…?”

Mangol giggled. “I've forgotten how adorable you are when you stutter, Drake,” she said with a smile. “Let me guess. What you're trying to say is 'It's wonderful to see you again, Mangol!' Am I correct?”

“Ah… yes, that is,” Drake replied. He then recomposed himself and smiled. “I'd… been starting to think that thing back at Violet City was gonna be the last time we saw each other for ages.”

“Well, it has been almost a year,” Mangol replied. She then ran the back of her claw gently down Drake's neck. “For me, every day away from you feels like an eternity.”

“You make it sound like I haven't spent many a sleepless night wondering where you were, whether you were safe,” Drake replied with a smile.

“Now, I never said that,” Mangol said with a laugh. “Every night, I could feel you somewhere out there, I could feel you thinking about me… and I couldn't think about anything but you.” She then ran her claw further down the Ampharos' body, pausing for a moment to stroke his chest. “And each one of those nights, I couldn't stop thinking about Violet City, what would have happened had that Ranger not attacked our teams that day…”

“Oh, you mean…?” Drake asked. His yellow cheeks gained a slight tint of red. “Yeah, I… couldn't stop thinking about that either. You waited for me, right? You never got impatient and… found someone else?”

Mangol pulled Drake in for a kiss that lasted for a few seconds before she broke away. “For you, my one true love, I could wait an eternity and a half,” the Zoroark replied. “And I would never, ever, betray you.”

Right as Mangol said this, the two were interrupted by Nana clearing his throat. Both of them turned to face the Tropius, on whom's back Ki sat. “Sorry, I know you two were having that 'reconnection' moment,” Nana said, “but I thought you might be interested to know that Ki and I were on our way to regroup with the rest of our teams in Ponyville. The forest told us Marcus and Blitz were headed there, and if Pinky's in Ponyville, I can only assume Tiny's on his way as well.”

“Oh… great...” Mangol said, her ears drooping slightly. She looked over at Drake to hear his opinion. The Ampharos winked at her and turned to Nana and Ki.

“You two go on ahead,” Drake said. “Mangol's been through a lot lately, and she needs a loved one to 'comfort' her.” He stressed the word “comfort”, hoping Nana would get the message. The Tropius caught this and nodded.

“Gotcha,” Nana said. “Well, you two take all the time you need. We'll leave you be.”

“Mangol,” Ki called, “don't forget that thing I taught you. He'll appreciate it, trust me.”

“Ki!” all three of the other Pokemon shouted in unison.

“Yeah, we're outta here,” Nana said, deciding at that point that it was best to get Ki out of the area as fast as possible. “Don't feel obligated to catch up until you want to.” With that, Nana took off in his usual ungraceful fashion with Ki on his back.

After the two Grass-types left, Mangol and Drake sat there staring at each other for a moment. “Just out of curiosity,” Drake finally said, “what was that 'thing' Ki was talking about?”

Mangol sighed. “It's not for our first time,” she replied. “Later, I promise to show you. But for now...” The Zoroark reached up and pulled Drake into a passionate kiss.

Back in Ponyville, Felix was walking downstairs and yawning. “Oh man…” he said to himself. “I must have dozed off again. Sure hope I'm not too late to help with breakfast.”

“Sorry, but I'm afraid you are,” Lyra said with a smile as Felix walked by the kitchen.

“What?” Felix asked as he walked into the kitchen. “Sorry about that. I kinda…”

“Kanga told us last night,” Lyra replied. “I don't blame you at all for sleeping in.” Then, with a chuckle, she added, “But I would appreciate help with lunch and dinner.”

“Not a problem,” Felix said with a nod. “So… what's for breakfast?”

“Nothing really special,” Lyra replied. “Fruit and eggs.”

“Fruit and eggs…” Felix said thoughtfully. “You ponies seem to have a thing for fruit, huh?”

“That's a race of herbivores for you,” Lyra said with a smile. “You don't mind that, do you? I mean, since you're a plant and all, I don't wanna, like… eating fruit wouldn't be cannibalism for you, would it?”

Felix chuckled a little at this. “I don't think so,” he replied. “If I were to eat flowers, I think that would be cannibalism, but I think I'm good eating fruit and most vegetables.” The Meganium then looked down and sighed. “There's all these little things about my new body, and yet everything seems so… complicated.”

“Well don't worry, Felix,” Lyra said while placing a hoof on Felix's shoulder. “I'm sure you can get used to it.”

“Thanks Lyra,” Felix said with a smile. He then laughed a little. “If I'm having this much trouble, I wonder how Marcus is holding up. And I'm sure he and I aren't the only humans turned into Pokemon in this world. I wonder where they all are, how they're doing…”

“I'm sure they're fine, Felix,” Pinky called from the kitchen. It was then that the Slowbro walked out of the kitchen, levitating a bowl of fruit.

“Oh, good morning Pinky,” Felix said with a hint of nervousness in his voice.

“Calm down, Felix,” Pinky said. “I didn't even touch the food. It's all still edible.”

“Thank you, Pinky,” Felix said. “But don't think I'll let things stay that way. I am gonna teach you how to cook sometime.”

“If you say so,” Pinky said with a chuckle. Felix had been telling her that for the past three years, and not once has he gotten around to actually following through with this promise.

Meanwhile in the Everfree Forest, Marcus and Blitz were taking a stroll through the woods, having decided that just running towards Ponyville would be a bit much… for the time being.

“I think the first one to notice… this,” Marcus said while gesturing towards Blitz's midsection, “is going to be Pinky.”

“Yeah, that one's a bit of a loudmouth,” Blitz commented. “But I'm sure she'll be willing to keep her mouth shut if we just-” Blitz stopped mid-sentence and suddenly began looking around with a startled expression.

“Blitz?” Marcus asked. “What's wrong?”

“I feel something,” Blitz replied in an almost growling tone. “Something I haven't felt since…” Blitz trailed off as she continued scanning the area. “It's a presence… cold… lifeless…”

“You should know by now that I take those adjectives as compliments,” a voice said from above the two Rapidash. Marcus and Blitz looked up to find nothing but air, however.

“Aria, is that you?” Marcus asked. There was silence for a moment before Marcus felt a chill over his shoulder.

“You didn't think you could get away from me that easily, did you?” Aria asked as she made herself visible once again and appearing over Marcus' shoulder. Marcus leapt back in surprise, but quickly shifted gears and hugged Aria.

“It's so good to see you again, Aria,” Marcus said.

“Same to you, Marcus,” Aria replied as she returned the hug, doing her best to endure Marcus' flames. ”Why did he have to become a Rapidash?' she thought to herself. ”Why not a Zebstrika?”

Fortunately for Aria, Marcus finally released her. “How did you find us?” Marcus asked, entirely oblivious to the pain he caused Aria. (Not that she showed it.)

“I heard some rumors about this town that seems to be a huge magnet for chaos,” Aria replied. “Knowing you, I was sure you'd be the mayor of that town by now.”

Marcus chuckled at this. “Nope, not yet,” he replied. “Hey, wait a second, you haven't even flinched at the fact that I've been turned into a Rapidash. You aren't surprised or something?”

“I'll be honest,” Aria started, “if this one Jynx I ran into wasn't able to share her memories with me in order to explain that she was a human just a few days ago, I wouldn't have believed any Pokemon who claimed to have been human before. And even then, I recognized Blitz from a mile away, and after hearing about the humans turned into Pokemon, I hadn't a doubt in my mind that the other Rapidash she was with was you. Although… I think you would have looked a lot more adorable as a Zebstrika.”

“Hey, I'm cute enough as is,” Marcus retorted.

Aria simply giggled at this. “Sure you are.” The Froslass then looked over to Blitz, who had been silently glaring at Aria the whole time. “But enough about you, Marcus. It's Blitz who I wanna reconnect with most at the moment.”

“Dare I ask, what you want with me?” Blitz asked, not breaking her glare.

Aria took a deep breath, the air before her quickly freezing as she exhaled. Marcus had seen Aria do this only twice in the past. Once when she was about to ask Marcus to take her to the grave of the man she'd killed not long after she'd evolved and didn't know how to control her new powers, and once when she'd finally decided to stop pursuing the other Froslass who had tricked her into evolving when Aria was a Snorunt. What Marcus gathered from this was that, whenever Aria took a deep breath and froze the air as she exhaled, she was about to say and/or do something that was immensely difficult for her.

“Blitz…” Aria started, “from the moment we first met all those years ago, neither of us liked each other. At all. Can we agree on that?”

“Is that even a question?” Blitz asked.

“Yeah… I figured that much…” Aria said. “Do you know why I kidnapped Marcus that day?”

“I don't wanna stereotype you Ghost-types, but…” Blitz started, but she was cut off when she caught a nudge from Marcus.

”Don't,” Marcus said silently with his eyes before he turned to Aria. “I don't think you ever told us why you kidnapped me that day, actually.”

“I didn't?” Aria asked. “Then I suppose I should add that to my list of apologies I owe you. But we'll get to that later.” The Froslass shook her head before continuing. “I did, however, tell you about the man I killed when I had just evolved into a Froslass, right?”

“Yes,” Marcus replied. “You told me you had no control of your powers at the time. You weren't able to overcome your own instincts before it was too late for him. How come you're bringing this up?”

“And what does all of this have to do with what you want to tell me?” Blitz asked.

“I'll get to that part,” Aria replied, “but first, you have to know a little more about me than you already do. You see, Froslass are known for kidnapping travelers lost in snowy mountains and then trapping them. That doesn't mean we all do this, of course, but such a terrible thing is in our very nature. I'd heard of this when I was a young Snorunt, and I'd always wondered why. And… when I finally evolved… I understood.” Aria paused for a moment to wipe her eyes, where tears were apparently beginning to form. “You see, when I evolved—and I'm sure this happens to some other Ghost-type Pokemon—I… the Snorunt I used to be… she died. The second I touched the Dawn Stone, I died, and then I came back as a Froslass. And it felt… I could never describe it. It was just… horrible. Like I was being ripped from my own skin.”

“Aria… I had no idea…” Marcus said.

“That isn't all,” Aria continued, wiping more tears from her eyes. “After I'd evolved, I had all these new emotions, a new mind… like I wasn't myself anymore. I felt… sadness. Sadness like I never could have imagined before then. And I also felt cold, empty… and angry. Angry at what had just happened to me. I was angry that I'd lost my life. Instinctively, I needed something to direct my anger at. The first candidate for my rage: the living. I didn't want to hate the living. I knew that just because I was no longer alive, that didn't mean those who were still alive were to blame. But even still, it was like… there was this voice in my head, this other Froslass, a real Froslass who was talking to me while I was still a Snorunt under my new skin. It was filling my head with all these thoughts that weren't my own. Most prominently was hatred, and that overcame me. I tried to fight it for a few days, I'd secluded myself in a cave far away from my old home. I didn't want to hurt any of my old friends and family. I knew they'd fear the worst for me when they noticed I never came back, but… that's kind of what happened, isn't it? Anyway, I was in the cave, just laying there on the floor. I didn't have the energy to do anything else. And that was when he appeared.

“Wade Roberts, the man I'd kill within minutes of seeing him. He was just a tired traveler; he and his partner, an Umbreon, had taken shelter from a blizzard in my cave. I hid myself, of course, so neither one saw me at first. I did, however, watch them from behind a rock. As I watched them, though, I heard that voice in my head again. Filling me with all the rage and hatred I'd been trying so hard to suppress. I retreated back behind my rock and just sat there with my eyes closed and my ribbons gripped around my head. I'd done my best to shake all those thoughts out of my mind. I probably could have managed to do so, too, but…”

As I lay there, snuggled up next to Wade, I felt… some kind of presence. I could tell something was watching us, and its gaze felt cold. Not quite the same kind of cold as the air around us. No, I recognized this kind of cold. The cold, soulless glare of a Ghost-type. Of course, I'm not one for typism being a Dark-type myself, but I knew that only a couple species of Ghost-type Pokemon would be out here. Amongst those were Froslass, of whom I'd heard stories. Terrible ones. I looked over towards where I thought I'd felt the glare, and sure enough, I could sense some kind of movement in that direction. Quickly, I got up to see what there was.

“Gatsu?” Wade asked as I leapt off of his lap. “What's the matter?”

“I don't think we're alone in here,” I replied, even though he wouldn't have understood me. Instead, I turned forward and continued towards the rock behind which I thought I could sense the movement. I approached it cautiously, not knowing what was behind the rock. As soon as I got to the other side of the rock… I was honestly caught off-guard. It was, indeed, a Froslass, and a shiny one, at that. The shiny bit wasn't what surprised me, though. What surprised me was that she seemed to be curled up in a ball, softly crying and seeming to struggle with something. Now, I wasn't oblivious to the sort of thing I thought she was going through. It seemed she had some kind of internal struggle going on. I couldn't have said that I knew what she was going through first-paw, but I did help Nyx, Wade's Steelix who he received as an Onix from a friend, get through an altered mindset brought about by evolution. Being the good Pokemon I was, I felt like I should have tried to help this Froslass who was going through the same thing.

Slowly, I approached the Froslass. “Hello there?” I called. This seemed to startle her, and she tried to scoot away from me.

“S-stay away!” she said in an almost panicked tone. “I don't want to hurt you!”

“Woah, calm down there,” I said, moving my paw down in a calming way. “I don't want any trouble-”

“No, you don't understand!” Froslass said, turning away from me. “You… and your trainer… you need to leave! Now!”

“Look, miss… can I just call you Froslass?” I said, taking a step towards her. “I won't pretend that I know first-paw what you're going through, but I do know what's wrong with you. I understand that you don't feel like yourself anymore. Like you're an entirely different Pokemon. I have a friend who went through that same thing, and I helped him. I wanna help you, too.”

“NO!” Froslass shouted as she blew me back with a Powder Snow. I took the hit and was skidded backwards, but I kept on my paws. I looked up to see that her expression had changed. There was something different in her eyes. I could sense anger, hatred. They weren't there before. And as quickly as they appeared, they disappeared, and Froslass returned to her timid and scared state. “Please… you have to go away. I can't control myself. There's someone else in me, and she hates you and your trainer. I can't fight her, but I can give you a chance to escape. You can't help me. No one can. Just go away and I won't be able to hurt you.”

I stood up straight, steadfast, and looked at Froslass with a determined expression. “No one is ever beyond help,” I said. “Nyx wasn't, and I know you're not. If you'll just give me a chance-”

“GO AWAY!” she shouted, attacking me with Ominous Wind. I had a resistance to Ghost-type attacks, but for some reason, this Ominous Wind was strong enough to blast me backwards into the wall of the cave. As I slid down to the floor I saw that Wade had gotten up and ran over to me.

“Gatsu! Are you alright?!” he shouted as he did his best to run over to me despite being so cold from the blizzard.

This was his big mistake. I was stunned from impacting against both the wall and the floor, and unable to save him when I saw Froslass get up, her eyes once again full of that hatred, and turn her attention towards Wade. I didn't see any remorse or regret in her eyes. Just… hatred. I tried to reach out, but I wasn't able to before she attacked both me and Wade with a blast of Icy Wind. Instantly, Wade moved in and tried to shield me from the cold.

“You should have fled when you had the chance,” Froslass said as she ended her attack. Wade got up and looked over towards her. By the look on his face, I guessed she was speaking through some kind of telepathy. I'd been practicing that so that Wade could talk with me and the rest of the team easier, but I had no such luck. “You should have left me here so that I wouldn't have had the chance to hurt either of you. But I can't fight her anymore. She's filled me with all this rage, all this hatred, hatred I don't want to have… but it's there, and it's consumed me. You can't help me, and I can't help you. Now you both are going to die… and I'm sorry for that.”

“Froslass, you don't have to do this,” I pleaded. “I can help you. And Wade can too. Our whole team, we'll do everything in our power to help you. You don't even have to join us. We can just-”

“NO!” Froslass shouted. “IT'S TOO LATE FOR YOU!” She then attacked with a Shadow Ball that exploded between Wade and I, sending us flying across the cave in different directions. I tried to get up, but I couldn't. I was so cold, and I'd already been hit several times. All I could do was lift my head and watch as Froslass approached Wade. I could feel my strength fading fast, and I felt like I'd black out in a matter of seconds. Through fading eyesight, I saw Froslass hover over Wade's downed form. The last thing I remembered was Froslass attacking Wade with another Icy Wind… and then I blacked out.

“Oh my Arceus…” Blitz said as Aria finished telling her side of the story. “I had no idea… I thought this whole time you were just- Ow! Marcus, quit it!”

“Then don't say any of the rude things I know are on your mind,” Marcus replied as he returned his foreleg to the ground after nudging Blitz. “Please continue, Aria. Whatever happened to the Umbreon?”

Aria took a deep breath before continuing. “After I… after I froze the trainer over, I moved on to the Umbreon. I was about to kill him, too, but I was able to stop myself with a last surge of reason. It was then that I looked down at the Umbreon, who I'd knocked unconscious, and I asked myself 'What have I done?' I'd already taken a life, like the other Froslass took mine and so many others. All too late did I realize that I didn't want to live like she did. It was too late for the trainer since I didn't know Will-O-Wisp at the time, but I knew that I wanted to give the Umbreon a second chance. I picked him up and quickly flew towards a Pokemon Center near the base of the mountain. I couldn't have gone inside, that would entail me having to face the Umbreon when he woke up. Instead, I left him at the front step and banged on the door several times before retreating and hiding so I could make sure Nurse Joy came out and found Umbreon. Sure enough, she came, and quickly brought Umbreon in. I wanted to stay behind and make sure he was okay, but I couldn't. I killed his trainer. There was no way I'd be able to face him. On the other hand, there was no way I could go back to my cave for at least a week. I knew that Umbreon would lead someone back there, where they'd find Wade Roberts' body. And I also knew they'd find a way to communicate with Umbreon so that he could ID me. Instead, I spent several days just wandering the mountain. I didn't sleep or eat at all the whole time. I just moved aimlessly, like I was on autopilot. I don't know when it was that I'd finally collapsed, but when I finally came to, I was in that cave you and Blitz would find me in just days later. I was weak, tired, and shaken. I didn't move from the cave, I hardly even bothered to get up off the ground for several days before I finally just gave up. I'd decided that there was already blood on my ribbons, so there was no other choice for me. I wouldn't fight the voice in my head any longer. I was a killer, and I'd just have to come to terms with that. The next day, I went out and found you two… and then I think you know the rest of the story after that.”

For the longest time after Aria finished her story, none of the three Pokemon said anything. The only noises were the various distant sounds of the forest and the gentle crackling of Marcus' and Blitz's flames. After a while, Marcus walked up and hugged Aria again. “I'm so sorry, Aria,” he said, almost crying himself. “I never had any idea…”

“Don't be sorry, Marcus,” Aria replied, this time completely ignoring Marcus' flames and returning the hug unflinchingly. “If it weren't for you, I would have stayed the same for my whole life. I'm thankful that I nearly killed you. I know that sounds evil and sinister, but I mean it in a good way.”

“I know you do, Aria,” Marcus said. “And I'm glad I could help lift you from that terrible life.” Marcus then looked over at Blitz, who had just stood there for the past couple minutes, doing absolutely nothing but watch. And honestly, Blitz didn't know what to do. For over five years, Blitz saw Aria as nothing but this soulless ghost who had attempted to murder the love of her life. Marcus was able to forgive the Froslass, and the rest of the team welcomed her, but Blitz was always on the defensive. That was just the kind of mate she was, protective of Marcus to a great extent. But now… even Blitz had no choice but to look past Aria's ghostly outer form and see a damaged soul beneath.

That didn't mean Blitz liked Aria all of a sudden by any means, but for the first time in ages, she felt sympathy for the Snow Land Pokemon.

“Aria…” Blitz said, but she wasn't able to say anything else. She was at a loss for words. “I…”

Marcus released Aria and allowed her to float over to Blitz. “Blitz…” Aria said, “there's a reason why I told you and Marcus all of this.”

“Aria, before you say anything, I have something I need to say to you first,” Blitz replied. “I wanted to apologize for how I've treated you ever since we've known each other. Sincerely. I had no idea what was beneath the surface you've tried to paint.”

“You really mean that, Blitz?” Aria asked, seeming legitimately surprised at Blitz's apology. “Th… thank you. It means a lot to me. But there's still something I need to tell you. Both of you.”

“What is it, Aria?” Marcus asked.

“It's about where I woke up in this new world,” Aria replied. “But it starts at something that I've never told anyone ever before. Far deeper into my past. As I said, I died when I evolved, and after that, I had a… a fear of a second death. I thought it was irrational for a while, but then there was that incident where the Ranger Union put me on death row for the crimes Lassie committed. I was actually faced with a second death… and I was terrified. I didn't think I could have been faced with a worse fate… until a few days ago when I woke up in this world.”

“What do you mean by that?” Marcus asked.

“I'd… heard from this Glalie…” Aria started. “Where I woke up, way north of here in a snowy land, there was some kind of monster attacking Pokemon. It even possessed one Gengar and forced it to do unspeakable things to a kingdom of crystals. I don't know how many inhabited that city. I fled just before that ordeal was confirmed to be over. The whole time, I was thinking to myself, 'That could have been me. That Gengar was in the wrong place at the wrong time. What if I was in the wrong place at the wrong time? That thing could have attacked me.' Then I wondered, 'No one would have known it was me. No one would have known that I'd been attacked and possessed. I don't know if even Marcus would believe me, provided I ever woke up. Oh Arceus, Marcus is probably still wondering where I am, somewhere on the other side of this world. And he'd never see me again. Nor would anyone else.' And that made me realize… how important you are to me, Marcus. You, the rest of the team…” Aria turned to Blitz. “Even you, Blitz. We might not like each other, but you're still part of the family who took me in when I was at my worst, and brought me up to my best. And that made me think to myself…” Unless Marcus was mistaken, he could have sworn he noticed Aria smile a little here. “When was the last time I actually thanked you?”

Everyone was silent for a moment before, strangely enough, Blitz was the one to break first. “Dammit, this is the part where I hug you, isn't it?” she asked. Without waiting for Marcus' glare, however, the female Rapidash walked up and hugged Aria. “I'm sorry you had to go through everything you did.”

“Thank you, Blitz,” Aria replied. “And I'm sorry for everything I've put you through over the years.” Aria then noticed something and began chuckling. “Are you crying, Blitz?”

“What?” Blitz shouted, quickly releasing Aria and wiping her eyes. “Of course not! I… got something in my eye, that's all!”

“Admit it, you're starting to care about me,” Aria said.

“Aw, Blitz,” Marcus mockingly cooed. “I knew you had feelings under that tough exterior.”

“I…” Blitz tried to defend, her cheeks gaining a twinge of crimson. “No, I…”

Marcus and Aria laughed a little before the former put his foreleg around Blitz. “I'm just teasing you, honey,” he said. “But for real, thank you for giving Aria this second chance.”

“Eh… thanks,” Blitz said with a slight smile. “In a desperate attempt to change the subject, shouldn't we be heading to Ponyville? Felix and the others are probably wondering where we are by now.”

“Yeah, I think you're right,” Marcus said as he released Blitz. He then turned to Aria. “We found Felix and some of his team, by the way. They're in Ponyville, a town not too far from here. They also seem to have made some new friends since we last saw them.”

“Yeah, I took a peak at them when I arrived before sunrise,” Aria replied. “I'd have said hi, but I wanted to find you two first. Two ponies named Lyra and Bon Bon, right?”

“Yes, actually,” Blitz replied. “How'd you figure-” Blitz stopped herself before she finished her question, but it was too late.

“Ghost-type abilities, remember?” Aria said. “Also Pinky sensed me outside and shared a couple minor details. Or was it Shelly? Eh, whatever.” Aria shrugged before continuing. “Sure, let's get going.”

“Okay,” Marcus said as the three began walking/floating. “Oh, and just a heads-up, there's a chance Lyra and Bon Bon will freak out a little when they see you. From how I've noticed most ponies have been reacting to Pokemon, I think a Ghost-type like you will be one of the most… 'out there' for them, for lack of a better term.”

“Oh?” Aria asked.

“No, I will not let you scare them,” Marcus said sternly, sensing the evil idea forming in Aria's mind.

“Fine,” Aria grumbled as the three continued on towards Ponyville.

I awoke slowly, not entirely sure what was going on around me. For a moment, I could have sworn I was dead. Where I lay was soft, the lighting around me was far too bright as I opened my eyes, and the last thing I remembered was the Froslass killing Wade and coming for me next.

“Wade!” I shouted as I jolted awake and leapt up from my laying position. From this vantage point, I could tell that I was in a mostly orange room, atop a bed with blue sheets. The temperature was rather warm, which felt a little comfortable despite how much I enjoyed the cold, but despite this, I felt a serious chill within me, and it was this chill that suddenly sucked all the strength from my legs and sent me back onto my side on the bed below.

Right as this happened, a door on the far side of the room opened, and a human accompanied by a Blissey ran into the room. Right away, I recognized the human as a Nurse Joy. “Oh no!” Joy shouted as she ran up to me. “I'm glad you're awake, but you need to take it easy.”

“What… what's going on?” I asked as I lifted my head off the ground, which seemed to be all I could do at the time.

“You're in a Pokemon Center,” Blissey replied. “Can you use a psychic translator or telepathy to talk with Nurse Joy?”

“I… no, I can't,” I replied. “I've been trying for some time, but-” I cut myself off mid-sentence and shook my head. “I'm sorry, can you please explain to me what's happened?”

Blissey looked up at Nurse Joy and shrugged before turning back to me. “Okay, let me try to explain,” she said as Nurse Joy bowed and left the room. “We found you lying unconscious at the front door three hours ago. You looked badly beaten, and you had serious hypothermia, so we brought you in and put you in here, where we've healed you as best we could, but you're taking a long time to thaw completely.”

“My trainer and I were attacked by a Froslass,” I said. “And she… she froze him. She froze Wade.” I began to tear up and raised my voice. “We need to go back and find him! I need to make sure he gets medical attention too!”

“Calm down… I'm sorry, I don't know your name,” Blissey said, trying to speak calmly.

“Gatsu,” I replied. “My name is Gatsu.”

“Gatsu…” Blissey repeated. “I'm sorry, Gatsu, but we don't know where your trainer is. Like I said, you just appeared.”

“We were in a cave,” I said. “I know that doesn't narrow the search area down much, but… but I have to try.”

“I'm afraid we can't,” Blissey said while shaking her head. “A huge storm rolled in an hour ago, and it's not gonna pass for a while. We can't go out.”

“But…” I started, but I didn't say anything else. I could feel the world around me crashing down. Blissey said something else to me, but I didn't hear her. My body went numb, and I fell back to my side. Wade was dead. There might have been a glimmer of hope for saving him before, but with this blizzard, there was no way I could get to him in time. My trainer, my best friend, had been ripped away from me. And it was all because of that Froslass. The one I tried to help.

I mumbled something. I'm not even sure I understood what I said at the time, and Blissey certainly didn't. “What was that?” she asked.

“I said…” While getting back up on all fours and donning a serious expression, I repeated, “I'm going to kill that Froslass.”

Author's Note

Only just now did I realize that the only two Eevee-loutions in this story are named after Japanese words for what they represent. ("Ki," meaning "tree," and "Gatsu," meaning "moon.") I might do this a couple more times... or not...
Speaking of Gatsu, if that last sentence he said wasn't indicator enough, I'll go ahead and tell you that we will see him again.

Derpina-mon 420 commented 6h 9 m in the future:
But why did you have some of those scenes told from Gatsu's perspective?

Derpina-mon 420 Well I couldn't tell them from Aria's perspective, or I wouldn't have been able to do that last scene.
Anyway, this is where the real story begins to be told, so make sure you pay close attention from here on out.

14: Crossroads on the Horizon

Alonzo was walking through the Everfree Forest, searching for members of his team. As well as one person in particular…

He'd found that, as a Typhlosion, walking on all four of his legs was more efficient than trying to remain balanced on two. He was also able to move faster if he so chose. “Arceus, how big is this forest?” he asked himself as he looked around, only to see nothing but trees. “I seriously thought I'd at least come across-”

“Lancer! Sparkles! Jell-O!” Alonzo heard a strangely familiar voice call in the distance. “Tuff Puff! Kunoichi! Alonzo!”

“That voice…” Alonzo said to himself. “But it can't be… Gatsu! Is that you?”

“Alonzo?” the voice called back. Alonzo heard some leaves rustling before out from a bush on his right jumped an Umbreon. “Alonzo? Is that you?” the Umbreon asked as he gazed curiously at the Typhlosion before him.

“It's me, Gatsu,” Alonzo said as he ran up and hugged the Umbreon. “Oh Arceus, it's so good to finally see a familiar face in this twisted place!”

“Ah… it's good to see you too,” Gatsu replied, a little startled that his trainer was now a Typhlosion, though that was frankly the least of his concerns. “So… you look well.”

“Hm?” Alonzo asked as he released Gatsu, only momentarily confused by the Umbreon's question. He understood after a second, though. “Oh, you mean… yeah, I just sorta… woke up like this.”

“I think it suits you rather well, actually,” Gatsu commented. “I know you always wanted to be a Sylveon, but you seem to be okay like this.”

“Took a bit of getting used to, but I managed,” Alonzo replied with a smile, but that quickly faded. “By the sounds of your calling, I'm guessing you haven't found anyone else so far.”

“You haven't had any luck either?” Gatsu asked as his ears drooped. “Jeez, where do we have to be to have everyone so lost?”

“Well, Arceus did say we were on a world called 'Equus,' so that might be a start,” Alonzo said with a weak chuckle. “Outside of our team, though, you haven't happened to have found Jack, have you?”

“Afraid I didn't find him, either,” Gatsu replied. “Not from lack of trying, though. I know how close you two are.”

“Close?” Alonzo asked. “I was gonna finally ask him before all this happened, remember?”

“Sure you were,” Gatsu said with a sarcastic smile.

“Well… maybe not before…” Alonzo said while looking away. “But I've gotten a confidence boost since I've been here. As soon as I find him, I'm gonna pop the question. For real this time.”

“Like your past three meetings were for real?” Gatsu continued to joke.

“I mean it, Gatsu!” Alonzo shouted, the flames on his back flaring a little. The Umbreon giggled a little before replying.

“I'm just messing with you,” Gatsu said. “If you wanna be his mate, far be it from me to get in your way.” ”Although… that doesn't mean there isn't someone else who wants to get in your way…” Gatsu added in his head.

“Thanks Gatsu,” Alonzo said, calming down. “Have I ever expressed how happy I am you and the team are cool with me being gay?”

“Heh, a few times,” Gatsu laughed. “Though I'd have to say my favorite part is how much Tuff Puff considers herself your team mascot because of that.”

“Yeah, the poor girl,” Alonzo said with a chuckle. “Anyway, shall we continue searching for the others?”

“With one teammate down, why stop now?” Gatsu asked with a smile. “Come on. I thought I saw a quiet pond nearby where I'm almost positive Kunoichi is.”

“Really?” Alonzo asked as the two began walking. “Well, it'll be nice to have one 'Mon with us who has her head screwed on securely.”

Back in Ponyville, Lyra, Bon Bon, Felix, Kanga, Roo, and Pinky were all sitting and eating breakfast together. Conversation was kept to a minimum, which only Roo found odd. Everyone else had one reason or another to remain silent. Particularly Lyra, who was looking around nervously, wondering just who was the source of the “mysterious force” Pinky (or Shelly) told her about a little while ago. Lyra knew it was a ghost, so the only question was who held the ghost. Her gaze first fell upon Felix, and instantly she could feel a chill emanating from him. He seemed innocent and harmless enough, but there was definitely something about him that Lyra hadn't been able to notice until right now.

”I know someone, however, who is better with this subject,” Shelly's words echoed in Lyra's mind.

”So I shouldn't try to do much poking,” Lyra thought. ”Or should I? Celestia, this situation is confusing.”

“Someone's at the door,” Pinky suddenly said, breaking the silence at the table. A second later, there was a knock at the front door. “Hang on. I've got it.” The Slowbro got up and began walking towards the front door. She did a quick scan to see who was on the other side, and cringed as she discovered who it was. Despite this, she opened the door.

“Well good morning, Pinky,” Tiny said with a smile as the door opened. He then looked down at Pinky's midsection. “Well, looks like something's finally confirmed.”

“Don't. Say. A word. To. Anyone,” Pinky said quietly through gritted teeth. “And good morning to you, too. Where are Marcus and Blitz?”

“Dunno,” Tiny replied with a shrug as he floated into the house. “I kinda figured they'd show up a few minutes after I did. Anyway, where's everyone else?”

“We're eating right now, actually,” Pinky replied. “You don't wanna wait until after we're finished to annoy me?”

“On the contrary,” Tiny said, “I had a plan to annoy you in a new way, and this situation suits my plan perfectly.” The Togetic then flew into the dining room, where he was first noticed by Roo.

“Hi there, Tiny!” the baby Kangaskhan called as she waved. Everyone else looked up to see the Togetic fly in.

“Hello all,” Tiny said. “If your morning has been boring, consider that over.”

Everyone chuckled a little at this before Felix spoke up. “So what brings you by, Tiny?” he asked.

“Actually, I come bearing a gift of sorts,” Tiny replied. “Mostly for Pinky, but Lyra and Bon Bon will benefit as well.” He then turned to the Slowbro. “I noticed you looked a little tired. Want me to take one of your workloads off your hands?”

“What are you-?” Pinky started, but she stopped when she realized what Tiny was talking about. “No, you are not going to upstage me this-”

“A more efficient, longer lasting translation spell for the fine mares over there,” Tiny interrupted, flying over to Lyra and Bon Bon. “Pinky's too proud to admit it, but doing that psychic translator for you two really puts a strain on her.”

“It does not!” Pinky shouted, despite the fact that it was, indeed, a lie.

“Like I said, pride,” Tiny said. “Anyway, I've got a little something that'll work much better than what Pinky offers you. Ah, out of curiosity, neither of you have any kind of allergies, do you?”

“I'm allergic to Bugbears,” Lyra said.

“No idea what that is,” Tiny said, not losing his smile. “Anyway…” The Togetic then rubbed his hands together for a moment before throwing them outward, spawning a fine pink dust that spread out in the air and settled on Lyra and Bon Bon. The latter sneezed as some of the dust entered her nostrils. “So, that feel better?”

“Eh, not really,” Bon Bon said with a sniffle. “Wait, were you always talking that fast?”

“Am I talking fast?” Tiny asked. “Or did you hear us all talking slowly before?”

“Wait, is that actually a thing?” Felix asked. “I only ask so you two can make sure.”

“Yup, I think Tiny's right,” Lyra said with a confused expression. “I hear you faster and clearer.” The unicorn then turned to Tiny and smiled. “Thanks Tiny.”

“Oh don't thank me yet,” Tiny said with a smile. “I didn't even tell you everything else. First off, this translator will last for days without me having to refresh it, whereas with Pinky's, she had to be in the same room and actively put in effort in order to maintain it.”

“Are you done upstaging me yet?” Pinky asked with an unamused expression.

“And there's the best part,” Tiny continued. “It annoys the heck out of Pinky.”

“Don't you think that's a little… rude?” Kanga inquired.

“Well, I didn't really intend to upstage her,” Tiny said, “but it was a bonus.”

“And consider that bonus received,” Pinky deadpanned.

“Thank you for the new translator, Tiny,” Lyra said. “Oh, and Pinky, you're still welcome to stay here with us. Just in case Tiny was trying to get you kicked out.”

“Thank you,” Pinky said, casting a glare towards Tiny.

“Oh don't look like that,” Tiny said. “I was only here to upstage you, not kick you out onto the street.”

“So you did intend to upstage her!” Felix said a little louder than he intended to.

“Ah… well you know how things go between me and her,” Tiny said with a shrug.

“Well, between the chess game yesterday and this today…” Pinky said, but before she continued, she chuckled a little to herself. “Just you wait, Tiny. My move's coming up real soon.”

“Ooh, I'm scared,” Tiny joked. However, his smile quickly faded. “Actually… I think I kind of am. Now that I think about it, the last time I took two shots at her, she painted me purple and trapped me in a cage full of horny Venomoth. Helped me a little with my checklist, but…”

“Ha, you're worried about that?” Pinky asked. She then grinned evilly. “You should be begging me for a punishment so merciful now that I've got this new world with new space to work with.” She then looked over at everyone else. “Do you guys mind if I go out for a walk? I've gotta get the layout of this town so I can figure out where to lay my trap for Tiny.” She then turned to the Togetic. “You're welcome to join me, by the way.”

Lyra looked over at Felix. “You aren't going to stop her or something?” she asked.

“Nah,” the Meganium replied. “Their rivalry has always been healthy. She won't do anything to Tiny that'll leave any lasting injuries.”

“If you say so…” Lyra said, looking over nervously at Pinky.

“Alright, I'm heading out,” Pinky said. She then looked over at Tiny with a sinister smile. “Tiny, will you be joining me?”

“Uh… I'm gonna stay here,” Tiny replied, backing away a little.

“Heh, suit yourself,” Pinky said before she turned and walked out.

For a little while, everyone in the room was silent. Then Roo broke the silence. “Hey Mamma, what does 'horny' mean?”

“It means…” Kanga started.

“They all wanted to use Horn Attack on Tiny,” Felix said. “I think all those Venomoth had a hard time since they don't actually have horns, though.”

“Thanks Felix,” Kanga whispered.

“No problem,” Felix replied. He then turned to Tiny. “Hey Tiny, Kanga and I were going to have a battle after breakfast, and Pinky was going to be the referee, but… I think it's a bit obvious she's not coming back until later. You wanna take her place?”

“I'd love to,” Tiny said with a smile. “Thanks, Felix.”

“No problem,” Felix replied, returning the smile.

Somewhere in the Everfree Forest, Butters and Breeze the Butterfree Brothers were on their way back to Ponyville. At least, they were until they stopped to help a Raichu and a Wigglytuff who seemed lost.

“Thank you again for your help,” the Wigglytuff said.

“Not a problem, miss Tuff Puff,” Butters said. “Breeze and I are happy to help.”

“Alright, let's do this,” Breeze said. “You two know how to do this?”

“Concentrate on who we're looking for, form a mental image?” Tuff Puff asked. “I'm not new at this, you know.”

“Right,” Breeze said. “Sorry. Anyway, just get started, and Butters and I will help boost the signal.” The Butterfree then looked over at the Raichu, who was generally silent for the longest time. “You can help if you've got a really significant bond with whoever we're looking for, Sparkles.”

“Uh… it's a little complicated,” the Raichu replied. “I don't think I could help.”

“Alright, if you say so,” Butters said. He then flew over to Tuff Puff, quickly joined by Breeze. “Let it rip, Tuff Puff.”

“Alright,” the Wigglytuff said. He then turned to Sparkles. “Even with their help, I'm only gonna be able to look for two teammates. Requests?”

“Alonzo, obviously,” Sparkles replied. “Um… do me a favor and also look for Jack. See if… he's around.”

“Gotcha,” Tuff Puff said with a nod. She then turned to Butters and Breeze. “Alright, get ready. I'm gonna be searching a pretty wide area. 15 kilometers to be exact. I'm experienced in large search areas, but I'll need your help for the last five kilometers. Think you can handle it?”

“We should be able to handle that,” Butters said as he and Breeze held held close to Tuff Puff so as to keep a secure psychic connection.

“Alright, here we go…” Tuff Puff said as she took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

15 kilometers… that doesn't even cover this whole forest. It might if we were at the top of Spear Pillar… oh hey, that's Spear Pillar! Sorry guys. I'll focus. Alonzo… aha! There you are! And you're with Gatsu and Kunoichi! That's a sigh of relief. A little less searching to do later. Now for Jack. Ah… I should be able to recognize his aura in the same way as Alonzo, shouldn't I? Unless… Sparkles will be very happy about this.

“Alright, I'm done,” Tuff Puff said to Butters and Breeze. The latter pulled away, but Butters remained clinging to the Wigglytuff. “Um… you can get off of me, Butters.”

“I can't,” Butters replied. “Tuff Puff, I haven't said this to anyone ever before, but… I think I'm in love with you.”

Breeze just groaned. “Tuff Puff, do you have Cute Charm?” he asked.

“I'm afraid I do,” the Wigglytuff replied. “Are you alright with me Wake-Up Slapping him off of me, or would you rather I let him down gently?”

“Eh, go ahead and slap him,” Breeze replied with a shrug.

With a nod and a sinister grin, Tuff Puff pulled Butters off of her and tossed him a little into the air before rearing back and delivering a powerful Wake-Up Slap that rattled the Butterfree back to reality. “Ah! What?” Butters shouted as he shook his head. “What happened?”

“Better I don't tell you,” Tuff Puff replied. “But as a warning, please don't touch me again.” She then turned to Sparkles. “I found Alonzo, but as for Jack…” With a wink, she said, “No luck.”

“Really?” Sparkles asked as his face lit up. (Not literally, though.) “Great!”

“I take it you weren't really looking for Jack?” Breeze asked.

“Jack and Sparkles have an… uneasy relationship,” Tuff Puff replied. “They both want to be in the, uh… same place with our trainer, Alonzo. The only problem is that Sparkles has never-”

“Tuff Puff, do we really have to go into detail about all that?” Sparkles asked quickly. He then turned to Butters and Breeze. “Again, thank you two so much for our help. We're so indebted to you for helping us find Alonzo and not find Jack.”

“Think nothing of it,” Butters said with what was probably meant to be a grin. “We're happy to help.” He then looked over at Tuff Puff. “I hope we see each other again one day, Tuff Puff.”

“I am not afraid to slap you once again,” Tuff Puff said, causing Butters to backpedal and hide behind his brother. “But if you ever regain your sanity, I'd be happy to see you and your brother again… as friends.”

“Don't worry, Tuff Puff,” Breeze said. “I'll make sure he's back in top condition before we meet again.” Just then, the Butterfree realized something. “Oh no! Butters, we were supposed to meet Felix and the others so we could watch the battle in a few minutes!”

“What?” Butters asked. “Oh crap!” He then turned to Sparkles and Tuff Puff. “It was really nice meeting you two, but we need to dash.”

“It's no problem,” Sparkles said with a smile. “May we meet again.”

With a nod, Butters and Breeze quickly turned around and took off at high speed, leaving Sparkles and Tuff Puff. “So, shall we go?” Tuff Puff asked her companion.

“Lead the way, my furry friend,” Sparkles replied. With a smile, Tuff Puff turned and began walking, Sparkles following close behind.

In a field just on the outskirts of Ponyville, Felix and Kanga were preparing to have their battle, and most of their friends were there to watch… by which I mean Lyra, Bon Bon, and Tiny, though the latter doesn't really count since he was a referee.

“I seriously thought more 'Mons would show up,” Tiny said as he scratched his head. “I know Marcus and Blitz really wanted to watch this battle.”

“We might have to start without them,” Kanga said with a shrug. She then lifted Roo out of her pouch and onto the ground. “You go ahead and watch, little one. It's important we at least give Felix a fighting chance here.”

“What does she mean by that?” Bon Bon asked Tiny.

“A Kangaskhan usually fights much better if their child is with them,” Tiny explained as Roo ran up to Lyra and climbed onto her lap. “Something about a parental bond. I don't know much, but I know it's far stronger when they're Mega Evolved.”

“Mega Evolved?” Bon Bon asked, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

“I'll explain that another time,” Tiny said. “For right now…” The Togetic then turned to the field where Felix and Kanga were facing each other. “Now Felix, you should know up-front that Pokemon battling in the wild, while it's different from how humans battle Pokemon, there is still a structure… most of the time.”

“Okay,” Felix said with a nod. “Tell me what I need to know.”

“Alright,” Tiny said before clearing his throat. “This battle between Felix the Meganium and his mate, Kanga the Kangaskhan, will commence. This will be a one-on-one battle with league rules, meaning each Pokemon is only allowed four moves. The battle will end when one combatant feels they have taken enough damage and resigns or I feel the same way and declare a winner myself.”

“So in other words, you'll make sure we're not so focused on the battle we hurt each other too much?” Felix said.

“Basically, yeah,” Tiny said. “Try not to do that, though. I might know Heal Pulse, but you'll still be sore.”

“I can't make any promises,” Kanga said with a smile. “I'd rather you learn the best way possible, Felix. That's the hard way.”

“Uh…” Felix said, looking a little nervous. However, he quickly shook this nervousness off and smiled. “You know what? I think I just might be okay with that.”

“Okay, then it seems the combatants are ready,” Tiny said. “Now, without further ado…”

“We're almost there, Aria,” Marcus said to his Froslass as the trio neared the edge of the Everfree Forest. “With any luck, we'll get there in time for something exciting to happen.”

“Exciting?” Aria asked. “How so?”

“I… don't know,” Marcus replied with a shrug. “Something exploding, maybe?”

“Or what about a Pokemon battle?” Blitz asked.

“Yeah, something like that,” Marcus agreed. “Wait, why do you bring up a Pokemon battle?”

“Because I think one's about to start,” Blitz replied while pointing several yards in front of the trio at a Meganium and a Kangaskhan that were facing one another with serious expressions.

“Is that… Felix and Kanga?” Marcus asked. “They're battling already? And is Tiny refereeing?”

“Looks like we're in time for something exciting,” Aria said as a pink flare burst upwards from Tiny.

“Come on, Breeze!” Butters shouted as the two brothers flew at top speed above the canopy of the Everfree Forest. “Hurry up!”

“I wanna see this battle as much as you do,” Breeze replied. “I'm trying my best.”

Right as Breeze said this, the two Butterfree saw on the horizon what looked like a pink firework going off in the air. Immediately after seeing this, the brothers heard two words.

“Battle… BEGIN!”

Author's Note

In the next chapter, we get something that I actually haven't seen so far in this AU. (Despite the fact that I haven't read that many stories here...) And that thing... an overarching storyline that includes three trainers and a grand total of 23 Pokemon.
...
Oh yeah, and there will also be a battle between a trainer and his Pokemon. Start looking forward to it, because it might not come very soon...

15: Destined Battle

On a beach in far southern Equestria, an Empoleon was lying comfortably in the sand, not asleep but simply relaxing. At least, she seemed this way until she noticed a shadow fall over her face. The Empoleon scrunched her face into a scowl before opening her eyes to observe her new companion. “Who are you?” she asked angrily.

“Salutations, madame,” the intruder said in a haughty voice. “I am Knight Lancer, designated guardian of the trainer Alonzo Halgamlith.”

”Arceus help me,” the Empoleon thought to herself as she sat up to get a better look at the speaker. As per her expectations, the Pokemon before her was an Escavalier, and he seemed rather serious about something. “Um… hello, knight. I am Princess, designated… 'ruler' of the trainer Marcus Lyre.”

“It is a pleasure to meet such a highly-ranked member of nobility,” Lancer said with a bow. “Forgive me for my rudeness, Your Highness, but there is something of great importance that I must request of you.”

“Rise, knight,” the Empoleon said. “And you may address me as Princess if you so choose.”

“As you request, Your Highness,” Lancer replied. Princess rolled her eyes at this. “If I may resume, there is something very serious that will occur in a matter of days, and I must ask for your help with finding and eliminating the threat before my trainer.”

“You want my help?” Princess asked. ”Hm… this guy seems pretty desperate,” she thought to herself. ”I wonder just how desperate…” Princess smirked below Lancer's perception. “You, noble knight, request of me, a member of the nobility, assistance in a quest?”

“Yes, I do,” Lancer replied. “Will you accept my request, madame?”

“Hmm…” Princess said while bringing her flipper to her chin and examining Lancer. “You seem like a competent enough knight. If I were to join you, would you be able to protect me whenever we find ourselves in danger?”

“I would put my own life before yours,” Lancer replied. “You are very important to this quest, and I'd gladly relinquish my own well being in order to defend yours.”

”Well, this guy seems determined enough,” Princess thought to herself. ”How charming… wait, what did I just say?” With a shake of her head, Princess continued. “And you are sure that this quest is of noble aim?” she asked out loud.

“Very much so,” Lancer replied with a nod. “I aim to protect my trainer and several others around him.”

“Hm…” Princess said. ”This guy could be telling the truth… but on the other flipper, he could be crazy. I've met plenty of crazy Escavalier, after all. Let's put him to the test.” “Give me the best reason you can for why I must accompany you and no one else will do.”

“Because the lives of those I care about are in danger,” Lancer replied.

“Those you care about, huh?” Princess asked. “Sorry, but I'm afraid I cannot believe you without proof of what you say.” The Empoleon then turned and walked off. ”Now for the final test. Take the bait, my little Escavalier.”

“Wait!” Lancer called. “I-I can prove what I'm saying!” ”I need her to come with me,” Lancer thought to himself. ”I could… no, I would never. But she's getting away. Ah… may Arceus find it in his heart to forgive me for what I'm about to do.” “I have orders to go on this quest and have you accompany me! Orders from Sir Cobalion of the Swords of Justice!”

“What?” Princess asked out loud, though it was supposed to remain in her head. The Empoleon turned around and looked curiously at Lancer. “Say that again?”

“I have orders from Sir Cobalion,” Lancer replied. “There is a threat that affects a number of Pokemon. Sir Cobalion came to me in a dream, informing me that some close to me were among that number, and tasked me with taking matters into my own lances.” Lancer sighed for a moment before continuing. “And there was more. In my dream, I saw you. You are very important to my quest. And no matter what, I need you to come with me.” With another sigh, Lancer added, “Please, Your Highness.”

Princess thought about everything Lancer had just said for a long moment. ”'Orders from Cobalion' my ass,” was the Empoleon's first thought. ”How could I trust someone like this? But… what if he's done this because of how serious he feels his quest is? Grr… and why do I get the feeling he's gonna do something stupid if I'm not there to protect him? Better question, why do I give a damn?” Princess was able to keep her grievances in her head, but Lancer got curious about her silence.

“Are you okay, Your Highness?” Lancer asked.

“I…” Princess started. She then cleared her throat. “And you swear upon your knight's honor that you speak the truth?”

Lancer paused for a second before nodding. “Knight's honor,” he said while crossing his right lance over his chest. ”I will never be able to show my face in public ever again… but this is for you, Alonzo.”

”Wow… what an idiot,” Princess thought with a mental laugh. “Very well. Since there is no way I could question the validity of your request now, I shall join you.”

“You have my thanks, Your Highness,” Lancer said with a bow. “Now come. We've no time to lose. The town we must go to is a long trek away, and we still have two more Pokemon to find and have accompany us.” The Escavalier then turned and began walking, or rather floating, away.

”This should be exciting,” Princess thought to herself as she began following Lancer. ”If I'm remembering the knight's code correctly, once it's revealed that he lied, it will be up to the highest-ranked member of nobility available to determine his punishment. Hm…” The Empoleon grinned to herself as thoughts of sinister punishments began to fill her mind. As well as one punishment, though she tried to avoid at first, that would cause very severe suffering for the Escavalier.

(Fight time)

Upon the sound of a flare being shot into the air, Kanga moved surprisingly swiftly forward towards Felix in order to deliver the first strike of the battle. “Sorry, Felix,” Kanga said as she reared her fist back for a Dizzy Punch, “but you're on a learning curve!”

Right as Kanga delivered the Dizzy Punch, Felix ducked out of the way of the attack and replied with a Headbutt that wasn't strong, but was still enough to knock Kanga away a few paces. “Wouldn't have it any other way,” Felix replied with a smile. He then charged forward and was about to strike with Vine Whip. However, Kanga grabbed Felix's vines before the attack made contact.

“Too slow!” Kanga taunted before using Strength to pull Felix forward before delivering an uppercut that sent Felix into the air. However, he was able to recover back to his feet. “But not sloppy… I'll give you that much.”

”Those are the only two moves I know right now,” Felix thought to himself. ”If Kanga can grab me with Strength like that, I'll have no hope of winning. Time to get creative.” With a deep breath, Felix sent forward another Vine Whip, which Kanga was able to catch once more. However, as she pulled Felix in, the Meganium quickly switched into a Headbutt that was empowered by the speed at which Kanga pulled him towards her. With both her arms occupied by the Vine Whip, Kanga was unable to guard against the attack and she was knocked backwards, allowing Felix to free his vines.

“Not a bad combo, Felix,” Kanga complimented. “But this battle's just getting started. Comet Punch!” As soon as Kanga shouted her attack, she rushed forward at blinding speed.

“Uh, vines guard please,” Felix said worriedly, raising his vines. Kanga attempted to deliver several punches, and strangely enough, Felix was able to block some of these using his vines. However, Kanga was able to get one punch past Felix's defense and strike the Meganium right in the face, causing him to stumble backwards a few paces. Fortunately for him, however, that was the last hit of Kanga's attack.

“Hey, that wasn't bad,” Kanga said with a laugh.

“Thanks,” Felix said with a smile. “Now, I believe it's my turn. Headbutt!” The Meganium charged forward, aiming to strike Kanga at top speed.

“Sucker Punch,” Kanga said with a smile as she employed dark energy to move swiftly around Felix's charge and instead give him a solid punch that sent him flying across the field and right at the feet of the spectators.

“Holy Miltank, this is exciting!” Roo cheered. “Come on, Felix! I know you can do better than that!”

Felix slowly got up and shook himself off before smiling at Roo. “Thanks Roo,” he said before turning and jumping back into the battle.

“This is a Pokemon battle?” Lyra asked curiously. “It just kind of seems like they're crashing their bodies into each other until one of them falls.”

“Well, they don't exactly have complete movesets right now,” Tiny explained. “Kanga's using four of her weaker moves, and Felix has only been a Pokemon for a couple days, so he's not very experienced. But don't worry…” Tiny then turned back to the battle and grinned sinisterly. “I think I foresee a Trump Card… or something powerful.”

Meanwhile, Felix had gotten an idea. Kanga was faster than he gave her credit for, so he had to do something about that speed. “Alright, Kanga, time for my famous second wind!”

Kanga chuckled. Felix had always claimed he got a “second wind” whenever he was on the brink of loss. Since Felix never really did anything in a battle, this second wind more often entailed some kind of convoluted command for a combo. As such, the Kangaskhan readied herself for anything. From her perspective, Felix was readying another Vine Whip. Kanga raised her guard, preparing to defend against and counter the vines. However, she didn't expect for Felix to strike low, attacking Kanga's feet and knocking her off balance long enough for Felix to deliver another Vine Whip, this time striking her in the chest powerfully twice in a row. Then, to finish the combo, Felix charged forward and was prepared to deliver a Headbutt, but instead, he felt some kind of energy well up inside of him, causing the petals around his neck to glow pink.

“Wait…” Tiny said as he leaned forward and tried to figure out what move Felix was using. When the Togetic realized, though, he gasped. “No. No, he wouldn't. Does he realize what move he's using?”

“What's he doing?” Bon Bon asked Tiny curiously.

With a dark tone, Tiny replied, “Petal Dance.”

“A new move, eh?” Felix thought out loud as he charged forward. “Alright, let's see what I've got in store.” As Felix was right in front of Kanga, the petals broke off and spun around Felix at high speed, striking Kanga several times.

“Ah!” Kanga shouted as she tried to defend against the Petal Dance to no avail. “A bit sloppy, but jumping from Vine Whip to Petal Dance is impressive.”

“Heh, thanks,” Felix said with a smile. “Now to finish this!” The Meganium then focused and created a storm of petals, both his own and others drawn from the wind, that struck Kanga several times before hoisting her into the air, spinning her several times, and sending her flying backwards and onto her back.

“Nice… move…” Kanga said weakly while trying to raise her head. However, she quickly fell back down, defeated.

“And that's the battle!” Tiny shouted. “Kanga has been defeated, so the winner is Felix!” There was a little bit of cheering from the peanut gallery, but Felix didn't hear any of it. As his Petal Dance ended, he simply stood still, his gaze focused on the ground before him and a loud ringing filling his ears.

”So this is being confused…” Felix tried to maintain as his prominent thought, but it was being overtaken by the ringing, combined with bright lights, unidentifiable sounds, and the world around him that he could see suddenly seeming like it was off the Nintendo 64. ”Just… stay… still… can't… do… anything…”

“Is Felix okay?” Lyra asked, eying the Meganium curiously.

“See, there's a problem with Petal Dance,” Tiny said. “It's immensely powerful, but the user becomes confused after using it. A confused Pokemon will usually run around madly, attacking everything in its path before they recover. Fortunately, Felix seems to know how to handle his confusion. Lucky Psyduck…”

“Um…” Roo started, “shouldn't you be healing them?”

“Oh right!” Tiny shouted. He then rushed over to Felix before summoning a strange bell. “Heal Bell!” Tiny then rang the bell, causing a soothing wave of energy to rush over Felix, clearing him of the confusion. Tiny then put the bell away before flying into Felix's face and grabbing his head. “Felix, look at me. You okay? All healed up?” Without waiting for a response, Tiny gave Felix a slap.

“Ow!” Felix shouted, pulling away and shaking his head. “I'm fine, Tiny. Thanks, but was the slap necessary?”

“No,” Tiny replied with a chuckle. “Congrats on winning, by the way.”

As Tiny flew away towards Kanga, the events that just happened came back to Felix. “Wait… I won? My first battle as a Pokemon and I won?”

After using Wish on Kanga, Tiny turned around and called, “Yup, and a pretty exciting victory at that. Sure the battle was a bit boring, but nothing rouses a crowd like a huge finale.”

Felix was stunned. She couldn't believe what just happened. He stood still for almost a minute, just letting the disbelief shake off before he suddenly leapt into the air, did a surprising backflip, and let out a cheer. “YAHOO!” he shouted as he landed on his face, but that didn't faze him in the slightest. He got back up and just started dancing. (Not Petal Dancing, of course.)

Meanwhile, Tiny was looking on and shaking his head while smiling. “Yeah, I remember how I felt when I won my first battle,” he said. “But he's dancing rather well for just finishing a battle.” It was right at this moment that Kanga was healed by the Wish and got up. “Did you go easy on him?”

“Heh, I could have snapped him in two if I didn't,” Kanga chuckled as Tiny helped her back to her feet. She then looked at Felix celebrating. “Arceus, when's the last time I saw him this happy?” She then walked over to Felix. “Hey Felix… that was an excellent performance.”

“Really?” Felix asked as he looked up at Kanga. “Thank you. Oh! And sorry about beating you. You're not too badly hurt, are you?”

“I'm still walking thanks to Tiny,” Kanga replied. “But before him… damn, I didn't give you enough credit. You're a pretty good battler for having been a Pokemon for only three and a half days.”

“Thanks Kanga,” Felix said with a smile.

“Felix! Kanga!” a familiar voice called. Everymon and everypony there looked over to see Butters and Breeze flying into the clearing. “That was an amazing battle! Breeze and I saw the whole thing. Kanga was all like 'Woah!' and then Felix was all like, 'Yaaaah!' and then Kanga was all like 'WHARGARBL!' and…”

“What Butters is trying to say,” Breeze continued, “is 'Great job, Felix.'”

“Thanks guys,” Felix said.

It was right at this point that Marcus and Blitz galloped onto the scene. “Oh no! We missed the battle!” Marcus complained as the two Rapidash skidded to a stop.

“Tsk, I wanted to see Felix get destroyed,” Blitz complained.

“Well if that's the case, you didn't miss much,” Felix replied with a smug look.

“Wait a secon- wha…?” Blitz asked, stunned. “But you're… and she's…”

“Yeah, it caught me off-guard at first, too,” Kanga said with a chuckle. “In fact, I'm considering challenging Tiny's call since Felix didn't know Petal Dance when the battle started.”

“Hey, that's how all the heroes of anime win the pivotal battles,” Felix protested.

“Ah, I'm messing with you,” Kanga said with a laugh. “You got a win on me. But next battle, I won't hold back.”

“Looking forward to it,” Felix replied with a smile. Kanga then leaned down and planted a kiss on Felix's forehead.

It was right at this moment that Aria had joined the group. “You two didn't have to take off at full gallop like that, you know,” the Froslass complained.

“I told you to hang on,” Marcus said with a shrug.

“Yeah, but-” Aria started, but she stopped in the middle of her sentence suddenly. “What the hell…?”

“Aria?” Blitz asked. “Are you okay?”

“No…” Aria said as she directed her gaze towards Felix, her expression seeming startled. “No, I don't think I'm okay at all.” The Froslass then started floating towards Felix, who backed away a little.

“Aria, what are you doing?” Felix asked.

“Felix, I have absolutely no idea what's about to happen,” Aria said, “but it couldn't possibly be worse that what will happen if I don't do anything.”

“Aria, I think now would be a good chance to explain what's going on,” Kanga said. It was right at this point that the others joined the group. Lyra was first to realize something about Aria.

”Is this what Shelly was talking about when she mentioned a ghost?” Lyra thought.

“I'm not sure what exactly is going on,” Aria replied. “But there's something within you, something I've never been able to detect before. I don't know why, but I have to know what this is.”

“Um, is… whatever you're about to to going to hurt?” Felix asked as Aria reached out to touch Felix's forehead.

“Ah… how good are you with cold?” Aria asked, but without waiting for a response, she placed her hand right on Felix's head between his two antennae… and nothing happened.

“Is something supposed to happen?” Kanga asked as she observed Felix and Aria standing completely still.

“Yes… something is supposed to happen…” Aria replied with a curious expression. “Whatever this is, it must be resisting my attempts to reach out to it.”

“Is there something I can do?” Felix asked.

“Afraid not,” Aria replied. “With a different environment, I could probably-” Aria stopped when she tried to pull her hand away, but wasn't able to for some reason. “What the…?”

“Aria, you can let go of him,” Marcus said.

“I… can't pull away,” Aria replied. “I'm stuck.”

“Your hand's starting to get pretty cold,” Felix said as he did his part to try to pull away. “Like… 'hurty' cold!”

“I can't!” Aria shouted. “Something's wrong!”

“Marcus, you're Aria's trainer, what do we do?” Kanga shouted in a panicked tone.

“I don't know,” Marcus replied. “This hasn't happened before. Uh… if they're trying to pull themselves away, we could try pulling them ourselves.”

“But that might hurt one of them,” Kanga said. “Felix's body length is literally 60% neck.”

“And I don't think it would be a good idea for us to apply that much force to Aria,” Blitz added. “We could badly burn her.”

“I'm seriously okay with any ideas you guys have!” Felix shouted, his head starting to feel like ice.

Lyra was about to jump in and try to do something, but instead what happened was her horn started flaring with an icy blue aura and started pulling her towards the two Pokemon. “Hey! Whoever's doing this, knock it off!” Lyra shouted as she tried to stop herself to no avail.

“Um…” Marcus said, racking his brain for an idea. “Tiny, use Metronome!”

“What's that supposed to do?” Tiny asked.

“Do we ever really know?” Marcus replied in a panicked tone. “Just… try something!”

“Okay…” Tiny said. He was about to raise his hand and use Metronome, but it was right at this moment that Lyra's horn had made contact with Aria's hand and Felix's head, creating a huge pulse of strange energy that blasted outwards and knocked everyone back, as well as finally separating Felix and Aria.

“Ow…” Felix groaned as he got up and rubbed his head with one of his vines. “What just happened?”

“Your guess is as good as mine,” Kanga replied as she lifted Felix off of her and got up.

As soon as Bon Bon got up, her first instinct was to help Lyra to her hooves. “Lyra, are you okay?” the earth pony asked.

“I feel like I just downed a dozen milkshakes in five minutes,” Lyra complained as she got up and rubbed her head. “What happened to Roo?”

“We caught her,” Breeze said as he and Butters flew up, Roo riding on the latter's back.

Meanwhile, Marcus was quick to get up and rush to Aria's side. However, what he found was Tiny standing over her with a worried expression. “Tiny, is she okay?” Marcus asked.

“She's not breathing!” Tiny replied, causing Marcus to jump right to the brink of panic. “Marcus, calm down. I'm messing you. She normally doesn't breathe, remember?”

Marcus took a deep breath before replying to this. “Not the best time, Tiny,” the Rapidash said. “Just please answer my question.”

Tiny felt around Aria's body in a few places before getting up. “She's… I dunno if I want to say 'alive,' but she seems normal. Except…”

“Except?” Marcus asked.

“Well… this is a bit difficult for me to explain to even myself,” Tiny said while taking a deep breath. “Aria… isn't quite… Aria.”

“'What does that mean?” Blitz asked as she cantered up.

“There's… well it's… I don't understand it…” Tiny replied while shaking his head. “It's like there's… something inside of her.”

“Like another Ghost-type?” Marcus asked as the others joined the group.

“In a sense,” Tiny replied. “But I don't see how it could have… unless…” Tiny then directed his gaze towards Felix and Lyra. “Unless those two had something to do with it.”

“Us?” Lyra asked, indicating herself and Felix. “But what would we have done?”

“Well, Aria's hand was stuck to Felix,” Tiny explained, “and it was Lyra's magic that caused that explosion… it's all just conjecture right now.”

“So… what do we do?” Roo asked.

“Aria's more experienced with this sort of thing,” Tiny replied while shaking his head again. “And even then, Pinky would be a closer second than me. The best thing to do would be-”

“Look!” Bon Bon shouted as she pointed at Aria. Everyone turned to see that Aria had opened her eyes, but her irises, rather than their normal icy blue color, they were now green. Everyone took a step back as Aria, expressionless, rose from her lying position and looked around at everyone.

“So it worked…” Aria said in a voice that wasn't her own. “After all these years… I can finally talk to my family once again…”

“Who are you?” Marcus demanded, his flames flaring.

After a moment of silence, Aria replied. “I am Meganium…” she then looked over towards Kanga and Roo. “Kanga's first mate… and Roo's father…”

Author's Note

Surprise! I bet you didn't think you'd get this chapter for a while, huh?
Derpinamon 420 commented 6 h 9 m in the future:
We thought we'd get this ages ago.
Well... sorry. Also, sorry for leaving with yet another cliffhanger like this. But in the next chapter... well, what's going to happen may be obvious... or not. Do you know? And what's with the chapter title? Is it what it seems?

Lance Skyes is back. :twilightsmile:

16. Ghost Story

Author's note

In order to clear up confusion later in this chapter, while it's technically Aria being talked to and interacted with, I will refer to Meganium as such. (That is to say, “he said,” “shook his head,” and that sort of stuff.) Also, I've updated the story's description slightly. I just felt like it.

Everyone stared in a mixture of disbelief and confusion at Aria, who apparently was now possessed by the ghost of Meganium, Kanga's first mate and Roo's father.

"Probably a stupid question, but am I the only one a little bit confused?" Felix asked the others.

"No, this is kinda catching us off guard, too,” Bon Bon replied.

“Um…” Kanga said, but she wasn't able to say anything else. She just plain couldn't believe what was in front of her. Meganium, back after dying at the hands of Team Rocket three years ago. It was just… impossible.

“I guess the first question is… wha…?” Lyra asked. “Like… how even…?”

“I'll explain myself,” Meganium said. “You see, three years ago, I died protecting Kanga and Roo from evil humans. I knew I was finished when Felix suddenly appeared and, alongside his Pokemon, succeeded where I had failed. Sadly, my time was over before I had a chance to thank him. However, when he made contact with my deceased body, my spirit was able to find a new home in Felix.”

“Wait, so… after that day… you were in my head or something?” Felix asked. “Um… a little creepy. Not gonna lie.”

“I apologize for that,” Meganium replied. “In reality, it was not my choice to occupy you. In fact, I'd considered instead becoming a Pumpkaboo. Because, you know, not all dead Pokemon have to move on. But I was kept from doing either of these by you, Felix. When you touched me, it was at that moment that I was trying to move on, but I was stopped, and I became bound to you.”

Felix took a step back, a look of horror on his face. “I… I didn't know…” he said. “I-I'm sorry. I swear, I didn't mean to-”

“Don't be sorry,” Meganium replied. “At first, I was angry. But then, I was able to watch you rescue my two darling Kangaskhan. I was happy that I could know that they were safe. I thought I'd die without knowing what happened to them.”

“Wait, hold on a second,” Lyra said. “In theory, if you had become this… 'Pumpkin Boo' or whatever you called it, couldn't you have gone back and saved Kanga and Roo?”

'No,” Meganium replied while shaking his head. “The passage into a new life, particularly into a Ghost-type, is a long and difficult process. I would not have been the same, there would have been no guarantee that I'd even retain my old memories, and even then, I still would not have made it in time.”

“Oh,” Lyra said while drooping her ears. “Then… I guess it was pretty lucky that Felix came, huh?”

“I saw him as a gift straight from Arceus himself,” Meganium replied. “I watched as Felix put his own life in danger in order to save the two I cared about with all my heart, and then I was able to watch them live on. Watch my darling child grow…” Meganium then looked over to Felix. “In life, I had never, ever been more grateful to anyone than I have been to you in death, Felix Light. I am sad I can no longer be with Kanga, but I take joy in the fact that she has found a new, truly worthy mate.”

“Uh… thank you,” Felix said, forcing a smile. “I'm… glad you think so.”

Meganium gave a nod to Felix before turning to Kanga, whom Roo had rejoined during the prior conversation. “Kanga… I'm sorry, but it feels weird for me to call you that,” Meganium said with a chuckle. “I'm aware that it's your name now, but…” Meganium shook his head. “I digress. It's wonderful to talk to you again, Kanga.”

“I…” Kanga tried to say, but words failed her. Instead, she reached out and gripped the possessed Froslass in a hug so tight, it would have made an Ursaring jealous, tears in her eyes all the while. “But… but you died. Why are you still here? How are you still here?”

“For two reasons,” Meganium replied, returning the hug. “And I'm hugging them both right now. I'd wanted you two to live on, and I found the chance to watch you do so through Felix.” Meganium then looked down at Roo. “Roo… I couldn't think of a more perfect name for you, my daughter, and I couldn't be prouder of how you've grown these last three years.”

“Thank you, Daddy,” Roo replied with an unsure smile. Sure, it was great to talk to her father again, whom she'd only known for a day or two after she was born, but… the whole concept was still a little strange to her. Despite this, she smiled.

“Hold on, I'm still trying to piece something together here,” Tiny said. “Sorry, I know you were having a family moment, but this is really bugging me. Between me, a Fairy-type, Pinky, a Psychic-type, and Aria, a Ghost-type, how come not one of us was ever able to notice you in our presence? I mean, all three of us have a rather acute sense of what can't be easily noticed.”

“I'm not sure what answer you're looking for, Tiny,” Meganium said, looking over to the Togetic, “however, I may be able to offer something. In the past three years, my spirit was very weak. It's honestly a miracle that I was able to keep myself together, in fact. However, in just the past couple of days, I felt a new strange surge of energy.”

“Residual magic!” Lyra suddenly blurted out. After realizing everyone was looking at her odd, she cleared her throat and explained. “I heard something about it in middle school. Every living being on Equus, whether it be pony, griffon, minotaur, what have you, has some kind of residual magical signature, and in turn, this world itself has residual magic. The trees, the clouds, the air, everything. I don't see how it could have an effect on you, though…”

“Hmm…” Felix said while rubbing his chin with one of his vines. “We did spend a whole day in that Everfree Forest, and we did eat apples from there. Would that make a difference?”

“The Everfree has one of the highest residual magic concentrations in Equestria,” Lyra replied with a nod. “That would definitely have an effect.”

“So that brought Meganium's strength up to the point where Aria would be able to detect it,” Tiny concluded, “though not quite enough for neither me nor Pinky to find you first.” With a chuckle, the Togetic added, “That little Slowbro would have a field day with all of this.”

“Okay, but I'm still unclear on something,” Lyra said. “If you wanted to possess… Aria, or whatever her name was, how come you needed my magic? Why couldn't you just go straight from Felix to her?”

“The residual magic wasn't enough,” Meganium replied while shaking his head. “And in our world, possession isn't all that easy to begin with. I'd gained strength, and I wanted to talk to you all, but I wasn't strong enough. I needed more of your magic.” Right as Meganium said this, he suddenly called out in pain and sank to the ground. Kanga, Tiny, and Marcus all quickly rushed to him.

“Meganium, what's wrong?” Kanga asked.

“Aria… is resisting me…” Meganium replied. “The magic I gained from Lyra is wearing thin. If I linger for very much longer, I may cease to exist.”

“Well we can't let that happen!” Felix said. “What do we do?”

“It's simple,” Meganium replied while regaining altitude. “You don't resist me, so I just return to you. I may need a little more magic to get back, though.”

“Okay…” Felix said. “But, ah… you're not going to possess me, are you?”

“Even if I wanted to, I don't have enough energy to do so,” Meganium replied. “Don't worry. I'll return to the sidelines like I've been for the past three years.”

“Wait!” Kanga called. “Meganium… there's still so much I want to ask you. Can I talk to you again in the future?”

“You may have to clear that with Aria,” Meganium replied. “She really didn't take my being here too kindly, and she's not likely to fall for my little trick a second time.” He then placed his hand on Kanga's cheek and gave her a quick kiss. “I never stopped loving you, Kanga, but Felix loves you just as much. I don't ask that you forget about me, but I do ask that you let Felix be your true mate.”

Kanga did not say anything, but rather smiled. “I… thank you,” she finally managed to say.

“And Roo…” Meganium said as he looked down at the young Kangaskhan, “I know you'll grow up very strong. You'll face challenges in your life, but never give up.”

“You got it!” Roo said with a salute.

With a nod, Meganium turned towards Felix. “And for you, Felix… you are an excellent trainer, a wonderful father, and above all, a good person. I couldn't think of anyone better for my family to be with. Thank you.”

“You're welcome, Meganium,” Felix replied with a nod. He then bowed his head as Meganium placed his hand upon the trainer's forehead while Lyra walked up and placed her horn at where the two Pokemon met. There was a brief flash of light, far from what happened before, and Aria fell to the ground while Felix recoiled a little. “Ow… that hurt a little.”

“Aria!” Marcus and Tiny shouted as the two rushed to the downed Froslass. Tiny flew down and checked on Aria.

“Aria, talk to me,” the Togetic said as he looked down at Aria, who seemed unconscious. Tiny closed his eyes and uttered, “Wish.” A soft light enveloped Aria for a moment before the Froslass finally opened her eyes.

“Nnn…” Aria groaned as she looked up at Tiny. “Tiny…?”

“Aria, I'm so glad you're alright,” Tiny said with a smile.

“Oh holy hell, my head,” Aria continued as she rose up from Tiny's hold and massaged her head. “Something terrible just happened. I saw this Meganium, and-” Aria stopped dead in her tracks as she looked over at Felix and fixed her gaze on him. “YOU!” With that shout, she fired a powerful Frost Breath that hit Felix square at the base of his neck and sent him sprawling backwards.

It was then that the scene instantly erupted into chaos. Tiny moved to restrain Aria, who was trying to advance for another hit on Felix, Kanga was torn between rushing to Felix's aid and tearing Aria in two, (grudgingly deciding on the former), Marcus followed suit, Roo began to cry, Lyra and Bon Bon froze in shock and fear, Butters and Breeze retreated to a safe distance, and Blitz readied herself to attack Aria.

“ARIA, CALM DOWN!” Tiny shouted as the Froslass struggled against him.

“WHAT THE HELL, ARIA?” Marcus shouted as he helped Felix up.

“Felix! Are you alright?” Kanga asked as the Meganium got to his feet.

“I'm shaken, but fine,” Felix replied as he rose and shook his head. “Ow, never mind. The adrenaline's wearing off. I'm not fine.”

“You have five seconds to explain yourself, Aria!” Blitz shouted as her flames began flaring.

“HIM! IT WAS HIM!” Aria shouted madly. “GET HIM AWAY FROM ME!”

“ARIA, CALM DOWN!” Tiny repeated, but it was no use. Aria wouldn't stop struggling. Finally resolving to take action before Blitz did, Tiny spun Aria around and gave her a Wake-Up Slap across the face. It didn't hurt her, of course, but it caught her by surprise enough to get her to stop struggling for a moment and stare at Tiny.

“T-Tiny?” Aria asked as she rubbed her cheek.

“I'm sorry, Aria, but you needed to calm down,” Tiny said, regret for his actions evident in his voice.

It was at this moment that Marcus, noticing Blitz ready to pounce, galloped over. “Take Tiny's advice, honey,” Marcus said to Blitz before turning to Aria. “What the hell is your problem, Aria? Why did you just attack Felix all of a sudden.”

“I… I what?” Aria asked, seeming confused. “I attacked… oh Arceus. Where's Felix? Is he okay?” She quickly turned around to see Felix, whom Kanga quickly stepped in front of while glaring at Aria.

“You're gonna pay dearly for that unless you have a damn good reason for attacking him,” Kanga growled, either not remembering that Roo was still with her or not caring at this point. (Although the young one was still crying, so she probably didn't hear anyway.)

“I-I-I…” Aria stammered, still in shock. “I thought- I felt- I couldn't…”

“Aria, slow down,” Tiny said. “Breathe.”

Aria followed Tiny's advice and took a deep breath. “The… the Meganium—the other one—possessed me,” she said. “It… it felt awful. I couldn't…” Aria began shaking and tearing up. “Oh Felix, I'm so, so sorry. I didn't mean to. I just… stopped functioning. Stopped processing everything. I just…”

“Calm down, Aria,” Marcus said, gently holding the Froslass. He then turned to the others. “I think I know what's happened. Aria doesn't have many fears, but the few she does… she doesn't handle them well. Not being in control of herself… that's easily her biggest fear.”

“So when Meganium possessed her…” Felix started, his antennae drooping. “I'm sorry you had to go through that, Aria.”

“You don't have to apologize to me, Felix,” Aria said, looking down and shaking her head. “I…” She looked like the tried to say more, but after a few seconds of silence, she turned around and began floating at top speed towards the Everfree Forest.

“Aria, wait!” Marcus called, but she was already gone. “Great. She's doing this again.” The Rapidash then turned to Butters and Breeze. “Can you two follow her and make sure she doesn't get herself in serious trouble? She doesn't function well when she's gone through fear and then regret.”

“Not a problem,” Butters said with a nod before he and Breeze flew after Aria.

“Is she going to be alright?” Lyra asked Marcus.

“She should be fine…” Marcus said, but then he added, “I hope.” He then turned to Felix. “What about you, Felix? Are you okay?”

“I've been better,” Felix replied, “but I'll thaw. Don't worry.”

Kanga breathed a sigh of relief. “You have no idea how glad I am to hear that,” she said. She then looked down at Roo, who seemed to be done crying, but looked ready to start back up if called for. “What about you, Roo? Are you alright?”

With a sniff and a wipe of her eyes, Roo looked up at Kanga and said, “I'm fine. All that just startled me, that's all.”

“Well, I'm glad everyone's okay, at least,” Blitz said.

“Not quite everyone,” Bon Bon interjected. “What’s gonna happen to Aria?”

“I think she'll be fine,” Marcus replied. “But… she hasn't had to deal with facing one of her two biggest fears since the jailbreak two years ago. She handled nearly dying alright, but she was straight-up possessed here without any warning. I'm willing to bet she'll need a couple days to completely recover.” Marcus shook his head. “She won't show it, but she knows fear. She knows what's real and what can grip her. And when something does grip her…” He let out a long sigh. “She wouldn't want me to be talking about this. Let's change the subject, please.”

Everyone gave a weak nod of agreement, but there was nothing but silence for a moment before Lyra finally spoke up. “Um… did you two have any plans or anything?” she asked Marcus and Blitz. “I mean, like… Bon Bon and I were going to go shopping today, and if you two want to come, we could show you around Ponyville.”

“Thanks, but we actually wanted to talk to Pinky,” Blitz replied. “Would you happen to know where she is?”

Lyra shrugged. “Somewhere in town, if I remember right. She said something about plotting a trap for Tiny.”

“Oh, you messed up, huh Tiny?” Marcus asked, looking over towards his Togetic.

“I was honestly trying to do a good deed this time around,” Tiny replied. “It's not my fault Pinky can't take two losses in a row.”

“Well, I wish you luck against whatever happens this time,” Marcus said with a chuckle. “I'm sure she doesn't have the resources this time around to do something of quite the same caliber as Operation: Venomoth Vengeance.”

“She named that thing?” Tiny asked, a little startled.

“Actually, it's a name Marcus and I came up with,” Blitz replied. “But when we told Pinky, she kinda liked it.”

“Whose side are you two on, anyway?” Tiny asked with a pout.

After a brief pause, Felix spoke up. “Come on, you three,” he said. “It'll be nice to get out and do something together. Marcus, we never really got a chance to just hang out back on Earth.”

“Eh… you've got a point,” Marcus replied.

“Ooh! This is going to be fun!” Lyra said with a smile. “We're going dress shopping, mostly, but I'm sure Rarity will go crazy with inspiration when she sees you all. Then after that, we'll go out for lunch at Sugarcube Corner. Ooh! You should see the crater Discord made while he was still evil. We turned it into a pool.”

“Ah…” Marcus started.

“Don't ask,” Felix said aside to his friend. “You'd rather be sitting down when you hear about all the crazy things that happen here on a daily basis.”

“Yup,” Bon Bon replied. “Everything's happened to us short of a battle between an alicorn and a giant centaur demon, complete with giant laser beams and explosions.”

“Ooh! That I'd love to see!” Roo cheered.

“No, let's not,” Kanga said quickly. “I think we've had our share of crazy occurrences for today.”

“Pfft, not by Ponyville standards,” Bon Bon chuckled. “But since you've only been here a couple days, we'll be nice to you.”

After another moment's pause, Lyra said, “Anyway… shall we get going?” With no objections, the eight friends got going.

Somewhere in the Everfree Forest, Butters and Breeze were still flying. “By the beard of Latios, how is this Froslass so fast?” Butters complained.

“Maybe she pounded the Carbos when she was young,” Breeze replied. “Ah, I think we've lost her. Let's stop.” With that, the two stopped.

“Well, what do we do now?” Butters asked. “Go back and tell Felix that we lost her?”

“I don't see what else we could do,” Breeze said with a shrug. “Brr… did it get cold around here all of a sudden?”

“I think so,” Butters replied, dropping altitude until he was standing on the ground, Breeze following suit. “Oh crap! Isn't Aria an Ice-type? Something must have happened to her!”

“Or something's happening to us…” Breeze said weakly. “We need to get out of here.”

”You two aren't going anywhere anymore,” a strange voice said. Both Butterfree looked over to see a figure emerging from a cool mist.

“A-Aria?” Butters asked. “Is that you?”

It was, indeed, a Froslass that was approaching the two Butterfree, and she looked exactly like Aria, but there was something different about her. Drastically different. With a sinister chuckle, the Froslass leaned down and put no less than three inches between her face and Butters'.

“I'm sure you wish it was, little Butterfree,” she said in a sinister tone.

17. The Question

As a gentle afternoon breeze blew through the Everfree Forest, Mangol woke up from her nap. At first, she didn't quite remember where she was, but it took only a quick glance at the sleeping Ampharos she was cuddled up against to jog her memory. She smiled and closed her eyes once again, not wanting this moment to end. Never wanting to leave Drake's side. All she wanted now… was to be right there with him. Forever.

Unfortunately, and she would think in hindsight that she should have seen in coming, she heard a noise not too far away. A rustling noise that seemed like it was coming near, but at a slow pace. She was careful not to wake Drake as she got up to investigate, but this failed as the Ampharos stirred just as Mangol stood up.

“Something the matter, dear?” Drake asked, though he didn't seem to be paying much attention. His eyes were still closed and he still wore a content smile. He hardly even rolled over in Mangol's direction.

“It's probably nothing, Drake,” Mangol replied as she looked back and returned the smile. “I just wanna see.”

Drake chuckled. “You and your curiosity.”

Mangol returned the chuckle halfheartedly before turning back to the source of the approaching noise. The Zoroark heard the rustling get within feet of where she was, but then it stopped. ”It could be nothing,” she thought to herself. ”Maybe it wanted to approach, but got scared when it realized I knew it was here? Or… an injured Pokemon, perhaps?” Overtaken by curiosity, Mangol reached down towards the brush before her and pulled a couple branches away to try to reveal what or who was beneath. What she found was, indeed, an injured Pokemon. A Butterfree, and a seemingly unconscious one at that. (Although, they never so much as blink, so Mangol wouldn't have been able to tell.). She reached down and tried to pull it out, but found that it was cold to the touch. Near frozen. Despite this, she pulled the Butterfree up and out. “Are you alright?” she asked as she held the Butterfree in her arms. She noticed here that its wings were torn slightly in some areas and were covered in a layer of frost. The Butterfree seemed barely able to move, but it managed to slowly look up to face Mangol and hold out one of its tiny legs. It whispered something, but Mangol couldn't hear. “What?” Mangol asked as she leaned in closer.

“Help… Breeze…” the Butterfree choked out before losing consciousness.

In Ponyville, Lyra and Bon Bon were at Carousel Boutique with Blitz, Kanga, Roo, and Tiny. Felix and Marcus, on the other hand, decided to stay outside the shop and let the girls do their dress shopping.

“You know they're gonna come out here pretty soon and force us to go inside and try something on, right?” Marcus asked Felix as he looked on at the town, which had almost completely acclimated to the Pokemon by now.

“Yeah, I know that,” Felix replied with a chuckle. “But I wanted a chance to talk to you. Like… friend to friend.”

“Oh?” Marcus asked, turning to the Meganium. “I'm listening.”

“It's…” Felix started. “Eh… it has to do with… this.” Felix indicated himself and Marcus. “What Arceus did to us, I mean.”

“Just to clarify, you mean how he turned us into Pokemon?” Marcus asked.

“Exactly,” Felix replied. “I've been thinking over the past few days, I understand how this is a gift that so many people back on Earth were denied – obviously for good reason in most cases – but… what did it cost us?”

Marcus raised an eyebrow. “Are you asking for the obvious answer, or are you trying to get deep?” he asked.

“Little bit of both,” Felix replied.

“Alright,” Marcus said with a nod. “Then the obvious answer would be our old lives, our old bodies, and our old world.”

Felix nodded. “But… what if there was a fourth thing we lost? Or rather, a fourth thing that can be lost, but isn't even worth hanging onto anymore?”

Marcus sighed. “You're talking about our humanity, aren't you?” he asked.

“I am,” Felix replied as he looked up. “I mean, I'd like to try to hang onto it so we don't become…” the Meganium paused and looked around to make sure no ponies nor Pokemon were in earshot, then leaned in and whispered, “so we don't become animals.”

“Um…” Marcus said, taking a step back. “I don't know if saying that is such a good idea.”

“You act like I wanted to say it,” Felix said with a shake of his head. “My point is, if we're not human anymore, is our humanity worth hanging onto?”

Marcus took a deep breath before replying. “You know… I'd been thinking about that as well,” he said. “And… I think I decided this a long time ago, actually.”

“What do you mean by that?” Felix asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I mean…” Marcus started. “I love Blitz. With all of my heart. I've loved her for years, but… we've never been able to connect on a level she's satisfied with. She wouldn't say it to my face, but I pick up on it.”

“Please don't get innuendo-y,” Felix said.

“That's not what I meant,” Marcus replied. “I mean, like… we were from two different worlds. Worlds that were never meant to cross in the way we did. And…” Marcus sighed. “I've never told anyone this, not even Blitz, but… I didn't want to be human anymore.”

Felix gasped. “What? You mean… like… you wanted to be a Pokemon?”

Marcus nodded. “It had been my dream to become a Pokemon and spend my life with Blitz. Properly.”

“But…” Felix started. “Sorry, it's a little difficult to wrap my head around. I mean, you seem so sure of this. Granted, we're two different sides of a coin when it comes to relationships with Pokemon.”

“Not so far away these days, though, are we?” Marcus asked with a smirk.

Felix backed away and looked down, though a slight smile was on the corners of his lips. “How'd you figure it out?” he asked.

“Not hard when you're in tune with your Pokemon side,” Marcus replied with a chuckle. “I mean, you could sniff out a pair easily if you gave it some effort.”

Felix shook his head. “We're getting off topic here,” he said. “Here I was, wondering if I should hang onto my humanity, and come to find out my best friend and role model says no?”

Marcus was silent for a moment before smiling. “You think of me as a role model?” he asked.

“Who wouldn't think of you as a role model?” Felix asked. “You're an excellent trainer, a wonderful friend, and… basically a damn good person. That day we met all those years ago at the Unova Young Trainer's Camp, how we instantly became friends, the way you saved me from those bullies, I've looked up to you from that day on.”

“Aw, Felix,” Marcus cooed. “How come you never told me this?”

“Don't know if you ever noticed, but we don't meet very often,” Felix replied.

“Oh,” Marcus said.

Felix shook his head again. “It's just so confusing for me,” he continued. “I've been wondering for so long if it's worth fighting to keep my humanity, and I thought I'd come to you for help, but…”

After a moment, Marcus realized Felix wasn't going to continue. “Look, Felix, there's something you should know,” he said. “I'm flattered that you saw me as a role model for these past seven years we've been friends. Really, I am. But you can't let me be the basis of your life. We're two different people, remember. If I want to take this chance to learn how it feels to live as a wild Pokemon, I'll do that, but you don't have to. It's up to you to choose your path.” Marcus smiled and pulled Felix in for a gentle hug. “You're not a kid anymore, Felix. It's time you started living your own life. If you want to go out there and be a human Meganium, go right on ahead. No one's gonna stop you.”

Felix looked over to Marcus and smiled. “Thanks Marcus. I really needed to hear that.”

“I think we both did, really,” Marcus replied. “I think I've finally come to realize-”

“Marcus! Felix!” the two heard Tiny call from the entrance to the boutique. “Your lady friends want you to get your flanks in here. That Rarity pony wants to take a look at you two.”

Felix chuckled as Marcus released him. “You called it,” he said.

“I guess I did,” Marcus replied. “Well, at least we had the chance to have this talk.”

“Yeah,” Felix replied as the two made their way inside. ”It's finally off the table,” he added in his head. ”Two sides of the same coin…”

At a camp somewhere just east of Castelia City, one little six-year-old boy was huddled in a corner with a group of three older kids standing around him.

“Aw, look,” the leader of the three said in a mocking tone, “the baby's crying. Does someone want his bottle?”

“Please go away,” the boy said quietly as he tried to hide his tears.

“I'm afraid we can't go away,” one of the older kids said. “You still haven't payed up.”

“I don't… have any money,” the boy almost whispered. “Please just leave me alone.”

“Oh, well if you don't have any money,” the shortest of the three said, “then I guess we'll just have to-”

“Hey!” another voice called. The three turned around to see a kid just a year older than them walking up to the group. “Mind telling me what you three are doing here? You know we're not allowed in the mess hall this time of day.”

“We're just getting acquainted with our friend Felix here,” the leader said as he indicated the boy. “I mean, this is his first year here. He's gotta make some friends, doesn't he?”

The new kid said nothing as he took a step forward, reached into his pocket, and pulled out a Pokeball. “Here's how this is going to go down. I have with me a Pignite. If you three don't clear out of here and promise to leave this first-grader alone, I will send him out, and he will ruin. Your. Day. Sound like a good deal?”

The three bullies were silent for a moment before the leader nudged the second-in-command's shoulder. “Let's bail, guys,” he said. “We'll get a better bounty ratting this one out for having a Pokemon on him.” With that, the three left, never losing their glare on the oldest kid, who glared back until they left the room.

“They didn't learn their lesson,” the kid said with a shake of his head. “But they will one day.” He then turned around and started walking towards Felix. “Hey, you alright?”

Felix sniffed and wiped his eyes before looking up at the other kid. “I-I'm fine,” he said. “Thank you.”

“It's not a problem,” the kid said with a smile. “My name's Marcus. Nice to meet you.” He held out his hand, and after a moment's pause, Felix took it and was helped to his feet.

“I'm Felix,” he said. “Um, how come you came to help me? No one ever comes to help me.”

“Because it's about time someone did,” Marcus replied with a smile. “I saw you yesterday when we all got here. Ducked into the crowd, instantly noticed by those three creeps, no one around you, I couldn't just stand by and watch.”

Felix smiled. “No one's ever done that for me before,” he said. “I don't have very many friends.”

“Can you put a number on that?” Marcus asked jokingly.

“Um… zero,” Felix replied.

Marcus chuckled. “Well, change that to one,” he said. “It's great to meet you, Felix.”

“You too, Marcus,” Felix said. “Um… can I see your Pignite, by the way? I've never seen one in person before.”

“Ah, I don't have one,” Marcus said, pulling the Pokeball back out and opening it to reveal that nothing was inside. “I was just bluffing those three out.”

“Oh,” Felix said, a little disappointed. “You know, I was planning to make my first Pokemon a Tepig. I guess I'll get my chance to see one then.” There was a pause before Felix got an idea. “Hey, do you wanna come over to my cabin so we can hang out? I brought my Super Grentendo and a copy of Jiggly Super Star. We could play that together if you want.”

“That sounds like a good idea,” Marcus said with a smile. “But, um… you're gonna have to teach me how to play. I've never played a Jiggly game before. The only Grentendo game I've ever played is Kid Moltres.”

“Ooh, that one's difficult,” Felix said. “But don't worry. Jiggly is a lot easier. Come on.” With that, Felix began running out of the mess hall, Marcus close behind, and both of them thinking to themselves that this was the start of something beautiful.

Author's Note

Sorry about the short chapter. I really only needed a filler chapter this time, and there was a question I really wanted to address early(ish) in this story. As well, I couldn't live with myself having killed off Butters and Breeze, so... three Pidgeys with one Rock Throw in this case. Oh, and a little bit of background into Felix's and Marcus' friendship, so make that four. Let's see... can I make this a full swarm of five...? I finally got back to Mangol and Drake. I guess that counts.
Anyway, that's this chapter. Cya next time.

19. The Angel's Choir (Arc 2 finale)

It got late. Felix and the others returned home. Pinky agreed to be the one to look after Butters until he woke up. (Despite his injuries healing without problem, he still suffered enough of a chill to keep him unconscious for a while. Pinky could confirm that the Butterfree would live, however.)

“I'm worried about Marcus and the others,” Felix said to Kanga as the two settled into bed. “Mostly about Aria, though. Is it… is it wrong for me to say that Meganium possessing her like that wasn't right?”

Kanga shook her head. “I have to agree with you,” she said. “Sorry if you're listening, Meganium.” With a sigh, Kanga added, “Still, what were the odds Meganium would know Aria's story beforehand? We didn't.”

“I guess that's true…” Felix said. “I just hope Aria can recover from this…”

“I'm sure she will,” Kanga replied. “She's a lot stronger than it seems.”

“How would you know that?” Felix asked quizzically.

“I… don't,” Kanga said with a slump. “I'm kinda just hoping for a good scenario to come from this.”

“I'm sure it will,” Felix said reassuringly. “If I know Marcus, he'll stay strong for his team. He'll do anything, and I mean anything, to make sure anyone on his team with a problem is helped.” The Meganium rolled over and looked out towards the Everfree Forest, where Drake and Mangol were just now setting out to find Breeze. “I guess that just leaves one question, though… Who's beyond help?”

Deep within the Everfree Forest, Marcus, Blitz, and Tiny were searching desperately for Aria.

“Aria!” Marcus called. “Aria! Where are you?”

“I knew I shouldn't have let her run off like that,” Tiny said with a shake of his head. “I should have stopped her.”

“Don't beat yourself up over this, Tiny,” Marcus reassured. “There was nothing you could have done. You know how Aria needs space when she's dealing with something.”

“I know, but…” Tiny said with a frown. “I just feel like I could have-” The Togetic stopped mid-sentence and perked one of his ears up. “I hear something…”

“What is it?” Marcus asked as he motioned for Blitz to rejoin the two.

“It's…” Tiny started, straining himself to hear. “I think it's singing…” With an excited gasp, a grin, and a joyful flutter of his wings, Tiny exclaimed, “IT'S ARIA! Come on! It's coming from this way!” The Togetic then took off at high speed, Marcus and Blitz following close behind.

“Tiny really cares about Aria, huh?” Blitz asked Marcus.

“Of course,” Marcus replied. “We all do.”

Meanwhile, in a small moonlit clearing, Aria was sitting on the ground, singing a sorrowful tune with tears in her eyes. The origin of the tune was indecipherable—likely an original work of Aria's—and her crying seemed to fit the song perfectly, as though the song were meant to be sung alongside tears. She continued singing for a little while until a familiar voice caught her ear.

“Aria!” Tiny's voice called from far away. Aria rose off the ground slightly and turned in the direction of the Togetic's voice.

“Tiny?” Aria asked quietly. After a moment, Tiny emerged from the brush behind Aria.

“Aria!” Tiny called happily as he rushed up and hugged the Froslass. “Oh my Arceus, you have no idea how happy I am to see you're okay!”

Aria was about to respond when Marcus and Blitz galloped in after Tiny. “Aria! You're alright!” Marcus said with a smile. “We were worried about you.”

“I… I know,” Aria said while looking down. It was at this point that Tiny released the Froslass from his hug. “I'm sorry about running off before.”

“It's okay, Aria,” Marcus said reassuringly. “I don't blame you. None of us do. But we are worried about something else. Did you see two Butterfree named Butters and Breeze out here?”

Aria looked a little confused for a moment before seeming to understand what Marcus was talking about and looking down. “Those poor Butterfree…” she almost whispered.

“You saw them?” Blitz asked. Marcus quickly motioned for her to back down, just as a precaution.

“I… I couldn't save them…” Aria said, continuing her hushed whisper. “I didn't get there in time… one disappeared, and the other… the other…” Aria clenched her fists as tears began rolling down her eyes once again. “It was her, Marcus. She followed me into this world.”

“Her?” Marcus asked. “You mean… Lassie?”

Aria nodded. “I caught up to her as she was attacking two Grass-types,” she continued. “I didn't see who they were, though. My focus was Lassie. I found her, and it was at that moment that I knew I was through running… I had to confront her.”

“You battled her?” Marcus asked, surprised.

“I…” Aria started, but before she could finish, she broke down in tears and rushed up to hug Marcus tightly, despite his flames. “I-I killed her, Marcus! I finally did what she'd wanted me to do for so long! I killed her! She's dead! It was the only way I'd ever be rid of her! She'll never kill anyone else ever again because I'm the one who killed her! Oh Marcus, I'm so, so, so sorry! I had no choice! She forced my hand and now she's dead because of me!” It seemed like Aria tried to say more, but her words were completely drowned out by her crying at this point. Marcus wasn't sure what to do, and Blitz and Tiny didn't seem to have any answers either.

“Uh…” Marcus said in an unsure tone as he raised a hoof and stroked the back of Aria's head consolingly. “It's okay, Aria. Shh. Shh. There's no need to cry. I… I forgive you for what you've done.”

With a sniffle, Aria looked up and met Marcus' eyes. “How…?” she asked. “How could you forgive me? I just fell right back into the hole you risked your life to pull me out of. Everything you did to help me, Lassie just undid it all in one fell swoop. Tell me, how could you forgive a murderer?”

Marcus gave a weak smile. “Are you going to kill again?” he asked.

”Marcus!” Blitz called in a hushed whisper.

“I… I don't want to…” Aria replied, looking down. “I'm afraid of becoming that again. I don't want to become like Lassie…”

“Then you have nothing to worry about,” Marcus said as he hugged Aria back. “If Lassie's gone, then so is her influence over you. She'll never harm you or any other Pokemon ever again. And it was because you did the right thing. She might think she got a final victory over you, but that's only if you let her take that victory. Just because you killed her… doesn't mean you have to be her.”

Aria was silent for a moment before resting her head on Marcus' shoulder and sighing. “Thank you, Marcus,” she said. “I'll… I'll try to remember what you've said.”

“Good,” Marcus said as he released Aria, her doing the same. “Now then, what do you say we all go home? It's been a long day.”

“I'd… I'd like that,” Aria said with some semblance of a smile. “I could use some sleep.”

“Then let's get going,” Marcus said, returning the smile. As the four began walking towards Marcus' and Blitz's den, Marcus added, “Tomorrow's a new day.”

Somewhere on Mt. Coronet, a young shiny Snorunt trudged quickly through the thick blanket of snow, closely following a Froslass, who was also shiny. Froslass had told Snorunt of something the little one had been seeking for a long time: a Dawn Stone. Being a female, Snorunt had an opportunity to evolve into a Froslass rather than a Glalie. It was true that her clan wouldn't think anything different of her if she did evolve into a Glalie, but it was just something Snorunt… didn't want. No, she wanted to be different, and more so than being a shiny Pokemon entailed.

Fortunately, Snorunt encountered this Froslass, who told her of a Dawn Stone that she'd hidden away for a very special occasion, and in Froslass' words, “What better occasion than the opportunity to help a young Snorunt fulfill her dream?”

After several minutes of walking, Snorunt and Froslass stopped at the foot of a tall and, to Snorunt, intimidating hill. “It's just up there,” Froslass said. “There's a cave near the top of that hill.”

Snorunt took a step back and started shaking, not out of cold like normal, but out of intimidation. “I… I don't think I can climb that,” Snorunt said in a worried tone.

“Oh, well if that's all you're worried about…” Froslass said with a giggle. She then reached down and wrapped her ribbons around Snorunt before flying up towards the cave at the top of the mountain. Snorunt screamed a little, but she didn't scream much before she found herself with feet back on the ground inside the cave. “There. That wasn't so bad, was it?”

“I… I guess not,” Snorunt replied, still shaking a little. “Um… where's the Dawn Stone?”

“It's right there in the back,” Froslass replied while pointing into the cave. Snorunt turned around to see the Dawn Stone sitting in the back of the cave. Despite the cave being dark, the Dawn Stone glowed almost as brightly as the sunrise. (Snorunt then mentally face palmed as she realized why.) “Go on. It's right there waiting for you.”

“Thank you, Froslass,” Snorunt said with a smile and a nod. She then turned around and began running towards the Dawn Stone excitedly, but as she got closer, she began slowing down before stopping about a foot away from the evolutionary stone, staring at it worriedly.

“Is something wrong?” Froslass asked as she floated up next to Snorunt. “This is what you've been waiting for, isn't it?”

“It… it is…” Snorunt said in a deflated tone. “But… something doesn't feel right…”

“What do you mean?” Froslass asked, her eye twitching outside of Snorunt's perception. “It's right there. All you have to do is touch it, and your dream will come true.”

“It's been my dream for so long…” Snorunt said as she stared into the core of the Dawn Stone, where she could swear she saw a reflection of herself as a Froslass. “I want to take it, but… something's holding me back… telling me I shouldn't do this…” With a sigh, Snorunt turned around and looked up at Froslass. “Thank you for bringing me here. It really does mean a lot to me, but I don't think it's right for me. Thanks a lot for showing me this.”

Froslass clenched her fist and began advancing on Snorunt slowly and menacingly. “You think I'm just going to let you do that?” Froslass asked as she glared down at Snorunt, who began backing away. “You think I went through the trouble of tracking you down, finding and digging up a Dawn Stone, planting it right here, away from everyone you know, and leading you here just so you could say no?”

“Um…” Snorunt said before stumbling and falling onto her back inches from the Dawn Stone.

“No…” Froslass said as she leaned down right into Snorunt's face. “No, I won't let you get away. I don't care what you say, you're going to evolve into a Froslass.”

“W-why?” Snorunt asked. “Why do you want me to evolve so badly?”

“ISN'T THIS WHAT YOU WANTED?” Froslass shouted in a menacing voice, causing some of the ice from the ceiling to fall down around the two. “You wanted to evolve into a Froslass, of course! I was just…” With a sinister smile, Froslass leaned in and whispered, “I was just helping.”

There was a pause before Snorunt shouted “Ice Shard!” She then fired several small shards of ice right into Froslass' face, causing the Snow Land Pokemon to recoil backwards. Snorunt took this opportunity to leap back to her feet and make a break for the exit to the cave.

“You're not getting away from me!” Snorunt heard Froslass shouting from far behind, but Snorunt didn't pay any attention. She just kept running until she was out of the cave… where she quickly realized that there was no ground for her to keep running and she instead began tumbling down the side of the mountain. She fell for almost a minute before finally landing face-first in the snow below, heavily battered and beaten. Snorunt was in pain, but she knew this wasn't the time to rest. She had to get back to her clan. She got up and started running as best she could, but she couldn't get far before she felt the familiar grasp of Froslass' ribbons around her body. Snorunt struggled against the grip, but her struggle was useless, especially since Snorunt probably had a broken bone or two right where Froslass had her.

“You didn't have to run, you know,” Froslass said coldly as she brought Snorunt up to meet her gaze. “All you had to do was take the Dawn Stone. Absolutely no harm would have befallen you. But now look at yourself. You're battered and beaten… and for what? What do you find so intimidating…” Froslass paused for a moment as she used her free ribbon to pull out the Dawn Stone from before. “...about this tiny little rock?”

“I-I-I don't know,” Snorunt replied, still struggling. “But I do know it's bad. My instincts tell me not to go near that thing… not to be near you anymore.”

Froslass giggled for a moment. “My my…” she said. “Aren't your instincts right?” With a sinister smile, Froslass shoved the Dawn Stone forward right onto Snorunt's forehead before dropping them both into the snow below. Snorunt tried to back away now that she was released from Froslass' grip, but for some reason, the Dawn Stone was stuck to her.

“G-get it off me!” Snorunt shouted as she tried to pull the stone off, only to have her hands stuck to it as well. It was at this point that the Dawn Stone began glowing.

“Don't fight it, Snorunt,” Froslass said in an intimidatingly calm voice. “Your fate is already sealed. Embrace your new life.”

“N-no!” Snorunt shouted, but it was hopeless and she knew it. Still, she struggled until she felt all her energy being sapped right out of her body, eventually causing her to fall onto her back. That was when the Dawn Stone began glowing brightly, and Snorunt could feel herself being pulled into this light. It felt awful. Like her skin was slowly being peeled off of her body inch by inch until there was nothing left of her physical form. Then she felt as though she was being pulled inside-out, every part of her being ripped right out of her mouth. She tried to scream, but her cries were never heard. She was dead… and a second shiny Froslass was all that remained of her.

“This is just the beginning, my dear Aria…”

Aria woke up suddenly and let out a loud scream that echoed throughout the cave, jolting Marcus, Blitz, and Tiny awake.

“Aria! What's wrong?” Marcus asked as he got up and galloped over to the Froslass, who was panting and sweating. “Are you alright?”

Aria looked up at Marcus, panic in her eyes, and was unable to speak for a moment before she took a deep breath to try to calm herself down. “I'm… I'm sorry, Marcus,” she said. “I just had a nightmare, that's all.”

It was at this moment that Tiny floated over to Aria's side and patted her consolingly. “It's alright, Aria,” the Togetic reassured. “We're here for you.”

Aria looked over to Tiny and smiled. “Thank you…” she said. “Um… Tiny? Would you mind sleeping by my side tonight? I don't think I'll have the same nightmare again if I'm with a friend.”

Tiny returned the smile. “Of course,” he said with a nod.

Aria then turned to Marcus. “I'll be fine if he's here,” she said. “Again, sorry about the screaming.”

“It's okay, Aria,” Marcus said with an understanding nod. He then turned around and rejoined Blitz before laying down and going back to sleep.

Meanwhile, Aria had laid down, curled up next to Tiny. “Comfortable?” Tiny asked.

Aria nodded. “Thank you, Tiny,” she said.

“You're welcome,” Tiny replied, smiling. “Now try to get some sleep.”

Aria returned the smile. “I will.” She then rolled over and closed her eyes. But she didn't sleep easily, though. The last words she heard from Lassie still echoed in her mind.

“This is just the beginning, my dear Aria…”

Author's Note

Lassie is gone, the remainder of Aria's story is told, and peace can finally return to our dear Froslass.
...
...right?

I want to point something out, if you don't mind. Technically, this is the finale of the second story arc, but I had one more chapter planned before this one. However, upon further examination, I realized that the chapter I was originally going to post would have shattered the flow of the story. So instead, I'll be doing two extra chapters after this one. The first one's already written, obviously, but I've got a strawpoll up so I can let you all decide what the second one will be about. (I'm a bit indecisive over this. Sorry.) Anyway, now that this arc is wrapped up, I shall take my leave.

Extra 3. Knight's Honor

Author's Note:
Thank you, zeusdemigod131, for looking over part of this chapter for me before I wrote the rest.

Celestia's sun began setting upon a sparsely-wooded field in southern Equestria. It was in this field that many animals and Pokemon began retreating underground into burrows, up into the hollows of trees, and some even just laying down in the grass and deciding to hide there for the night. All except for Lancer and Princess, who were making their way through this field at the moment.

“So you haven't divulged very much in terms of the nature of this quest,” Princess said to Lancer as the two walked. “If I'm such an important part, shouldn't I know what's going on?”

Lancer was silent for a moment before stopping and holding his lance out, indicating for Princess to stop as well. “There is very much going on,” Lancer said, turning his head, but not his body, towards Princess. “I do not even know all of the specifics. However, I am willing to share anything I do know with you upon your request. But first, we must stop and make camp for the night. A day of walking results in a tired body and soul.” The Escavalier then turned around to face Princess. “I shall gather wood to create a fire so as to keep predators at bay while we sleep. Would you please clear a spot in the grass for us to sleep?”

“Hum… I suppose I shall,” Princess said. “But it is not very becoming of a knight to ask royalty to do any labor.”

“I sincerely apologize, my lady,” Lancer said. “I would never do such a thing unless the situation demanded it.”

“If that's what you say, I'll find it somewhere in my heart to forgive you,” Princess replied. ”Arceus, when do I get to stop talking like this?” the Empoleon thought to herself. ”I never thought the day would come when I started annoying myself.”

“I will return soon,” Lancer said before turning and making his way towards a tree.

“Be careful not to disrupt a Pokemon's home!” Princess called.

“But of course!” Lancer called back.

After half an hour, Lancer and Princess had set up what could probably be passed for a camp. Just a circle of patted-down grass with a small fire in the middle, a ring of rocks surrounding it so as to not risk burning the entire field. It was by this time that the sun was bidding its final farewell to the day, the last rays of sunlight giving way to the soft glow of the moon.

“If you do not mind me asking,” Lancer started as he and Princess sat in front of the fire, “you are a carnivore, correct?”

Princess chuckled. “I've actually tried to be a vegetarian most of my life,” she replied. “But if you happen to have already hunted something for us to eat, I promise not to turn my nose away in disgust.”

“Good,” Lancer said, “because it just so happens that one of the indigenous creatures of this planet attacked me unprovoked, and I had no choice but to defend myself.” The Escavalier reached behind him into the tall grass and pulled out a creature that looked similar to a Sawsbuck, but it was a lot more… featureless. Similar to a Summer Sawsbuck, but there was nothing on its horns.

“Oh, the poor thing…” Princess said with a frown. “I wish it could at least know what it died for.”

“Yes, I have the same wish for those I'm forced to kill,” Lancer added. “For the record, that number is only six, counting this creature.”

“So there has been blood on your lances before?” Princess asked.

“And not a day goes by when I can forget any of them,” Lancer replied. He then looked down and sighed. “I'm such a sorry excuse for a knight…”

“Now now, don't go discrediting yourself,” Princess said reassuringly. “I'm not going to pretend taking a life isn't a big deal, but it's one of the moral risks a knight must take.”

Lancer looked up and smiled a little. “Thank you, Princess,” he said. “I think I really needed to hear that come from someone else. Now then… I believe I know how to cook this.”

It was another uneventful half-hour before Lancer and Princess were eating. (The creature cooked rather fast, to Lancer's surprise.)

“So Lancer,” Princess started after swallowing a bite of meat, “you said you would share what you knew of your own quest?”

“Hmm?” Lancer asked with a bit of food still in his mouth. He took a second to chew before swallowing, then continued. “Yes, of course. You see, when Arceus said that he brought the ones who were, and I quote, 'fair, kind, and good in the old world,' he might not have been entirely accurate.”

“But wasn't he just talking about the humans when he said that?” Princess asked, cocking her head to the side curiously.

“I would believe so were it not for the strange dreams I had in the weeks prior to these happenings,” Lancer said with a shake of his head. “In my dreams, I saw a Froslass. A dangerous one. If something isn't done about her, she'll go on a murderous rampage that affects the entire population of a town, including multiple Pokemon, some of my family being among that number.”

“A Froslass…?” Princess asked. “Is she shiny?” Lancer nodded. “I… I think I know her.”

“You do?” Lancer asked, a little startled.

“Yes,” Princess replied with a nod. “Her name's Aria, and she's part of my family.”

“Aria?” Lancer asked. “Why would a Froslass have that sort of name? I didn't know they were known for singing.”

“I don't think they do, normally,” Princess replied. “Aria does, though. Whether Froslass sing is the least of my concerns, though…” Princess brought a flipper to her chin. “I'm trying to think about why Aria would do the things you say she'll do.”

Lancer sighed. “I've never been an advocate for typism, but Ghost-types do have a bit of a reputation,” he said. “I don't want to-”

“Then don't,” Princess cut off. “You don't know Aria's story. She's lived a terrible life. Before Marcus found her, she was far from in her right mind. She said there was this other Froslass inside her that kept telling her to kill every living thing in sight. That voice plagued her for years before Marcus and the rest of us got a chance to help her. It's been almost six years, and she's relatively better, but to this day, we never knew what actually happened to that other Froslass.”

“My sincerest apologies for what I'm about to say,” Lancer started, “but are you sure there was, indeed, another Froslass, and Aria wasn't just… I don't know, mentally ill?”

“Trust me, that was my first thought as well,” Princess replied with a shake of her head. “But after some time, we found out that there was actually another Froslass, a shiny one, who was everything Aria was told to be by that voice. We never actually encountered her, though, and she just sort of… faded over time. The entire year before all this happened, we hadn't heard a thing about deaths related to a Froslass anywhere in the world. And this was something we had been following, mind you.”

There was a moment's pause before Lancer spoke up again. “Maybe this other one has been following you?” he suggested. “I mean, if she had any relation to Aria, wouldn't she…?” Lancer trailed off and shook his head.

“There's no way she could follow us into an entirely different world, though,” Princess said before sighing. “We should finish eating then get some sleep. I'll stay up and take the first watch.”

“Nay,” Lancer said. “I cannot let you do this, Your Highness. As your guardian on this quest, I insist on taking the first watch.”

“You dare to question the authority of a member of nobility?” Princess asked. “You've been on your feet—er… You've been up all day. I had a nap earlier. I'm a lot less tired than you.”

Lancer seemed about to try and protest, but he instead hung his head and sighed in defeat. “As you wish, Your Highness,” he said.

After an hour, the two had finished eating and Lancer had dug a grave for the remains of the creature they ate. (“The only reason I insisted Alonzo teach me Dig was so that I could give those I'm forced to kill a proper burial,” Lancer explained.)

Lancer fell into an uneasy sleep, already anticipating a nightmare in which he'd see the face of the creature as he impaled it. The fear in its eyes, obscured by the tears Lancer shed. Lancer deciphering the creature saying “I'm afraid” in its language, while Lancer repeated “I'm sorry,” both of these phrases echoing all throughout the dream.

But it was a risk Lancer had to take as a knight.

Lancer found himself unable to fall sleep, however. He spent too much time anticipating this nightmare that never came. With a sigh, he opened his eyes and rose up from the ground. “I'm sorry, Princess,” Lancer said as he rose, “but I cannot sleep. I must request that I take this watch.” He waited for a reply, but none came. “Your Highness?” Lancer looked around to see that he was alone. There was still the circle of patted-down grass, still a pile of smoldering wood in the center with rocks surrounding it, but his Empoleon companion was gone. “Princess? Are you there?” Lancer surveyed the area as best he could, but it was impossible to see a thing. He looked up to see if it was just because of a new moon or a cloudy sky or something, and what he saw shocked him. The sky was completely empty. No clouds, no moon, no stars… if he didn't know any better, he could swear even space itself was gone. “What's going on?” Lancer asked.

“A dream, obviously,” a serious, stern, and steeled voice said from behind Lancer. The Escavalier turned around, noticing an odd light behind him, to find himself face-to-face with his hero, his idol, everything he strived to be, the Iron Will Pokemon and leader of the Swords of Justice himself.

“S-Sir Cobalion!” Lancer said in a startled voice before composing himself and bowing. “It… it is a great honor to meet you! But if you do not mind me asking, why have you come to me?”

“I think you know exactly why,” Cobalion replied, glaring down at Lancer with an intense expression.

Lancer seemed confused for a brief moment before realizing what Cobalion was talking about and hanging his head in shame. “Yes… I know exactly why,” Lancer said. “I have made a mockery of both myself and you by falsely invoking your name and my own honor in attempting to convince the Empoleon, Princess, to join me on my quest. And while I understand that what I have done is unforgivable, I must request that you hear why I have committed such a terrible act before accepting whatever punishment you have for me.”

Cobalion's expression remained unchanged. “Go on,” he said.

“For several weeks prior to our awakening on Equus,” Lancer started, “I had been having strange dreams—dreams that I am convinced are prophetic. A terrible event is going to occur at a small settlement near the center of this country of Equestria, and many of those I hold dear are in the center of this happening, as well as countless innocent lives. I know Princess will play a key part, for hers has been one of the most recurring faces in these dreams. This was why I had to get her to come with me at all costs.” Lancer bowed once again. “I do not expect forgiveness for what I have done despite these reasons. I am prepared to suffer whatever punishment you see fit for me, but please, I beg of you Sir Cobalion, allow me to proceed with this quest afterward. I have devoted myself to protecting my family, and they face great danger right now. I must get to that town, and Princess must be with me.”

Cobalion was silent for a long time after Lancer had finished speaking, but he never ceased glaring down upon the Cavalry Pokemon. After an elongated pause, (in which Lancer hadn't even looked up), Cobalion finally spoke. “It would seem you had quite a reason to abuse your honor as you did,” he said in the same steel voice as he had been speaking. “But that does not prevent me from issuing your punishment. Now listen carefully to my words.”

“Yes, of course,” Lancer replied, not looking up in order to hide the fear in his eyes.

“When you awaken, you will tell the Empoleon that you lied to her,” Cobalion said. “You will tell her that you falsely invoked my name and made a mockery of your own honor in the presence of royalty. You will explain that to her word for word.”

“Of course,” Lancer replied.

“After you tell her all of this, your punishment shall be up to her and her alone,” Cobalion continued. “You will allow her to do to you anything she sees fit short of abandoning you.”

Lancer resisted the urge to look up and stare at Cobalion quizzically. “I'm sorry?” the Escavalier asked, still bowing.

“Once she is finished with her punishment, or if she is about to leave you, you will tell her that I did, indeed, come to you in this dream,” Cobalion explained. “Tell her that I was made aware of your actions, and that it was by my request that she punish you herself. After I did this, I condoned your quest, and requested that she remain by your side and accompany you.”

“With all due respect, Sir Cobalion,” Lancer started, rising from his bow and looking at Cobalion with a confused expression, “why would you do this for me?”

“Because I, like you, am a knight,” Cobalion replied, “and as such, I know how a knight's instincts work, especially those of the young and foolish trainees. (I'm sure you're familiar with the story of young Keldeo.) As such, I will trust that you know what you are doing, knight Lancer, and let you off with a warning. But if you ever abuse your honor in the future, I will hunt you down, and personally deliver the punishment of my blade. Do you understand?”

“I understand entirely, Sir Cobalion,” Lancer said with another bow. “I am eternally grateful for your mercy.”

“Good,” Cobalion said with a nod. “Now prepare yourself. While it may not have seemed like it, four hours have passed since you fell asleep. Princess will awaken you at any moment so that you can take the second watch. Remember what I ordered you to do.” The Iron Will Pokemon then turned and walked off, but he stopped momentarily and looked back towards Lancer. “One last thing… I never specified that Princess was to stay with you until the end of you quest.”

“What?” Lancer asked, but right as he asked this, Cobalion suddenly vanished. No fog, no wind, no flash, he just… disappeared. Lancer sighed. “At least he showed me mercy…”

“Lancer!” a faint voice called, startling the Escavalier.

“What?” Lancer asked, looking around but finding nothing but darkness. “Who's there?”

“Lancer!” the voice called again. This time, Lancer could almost swear that it was Alonzo's voice calling.

“Alonzo?” Lancer called back. “Alonzo!”

“Lancer!” the voice boomed from all around the Cavalry Pokemon. Lancer turned around to see the creature from before, all life gone from its eyes and the gaping wound in its chest from Lancer's weapon still bleeding. The creature leapt at him with startling speed and strength. ”LANCER!”

Lancer awoke with a start, shouting and coming within an inch of striking Princess in the face with the side of his lance. The Empoleon leapt back, also startled. “Woah! Calm down Lancer,” Princess said. “Are you alright?”

Lancer slowly got up. “A thousand apologies, Princess,” Lancer said. “It was an… intense dream, for lack of a better term.”

“Uh-huh…” Princess said with a slow nod. “Anyway, I've fulfilled my watch duty, so now it's your turn.”

“Ah, wait Your Highness!” Lancer quickly said.

Princess turned around and looked at Lancer curiously. “What is it?” she asked.

“There's… something I need to talk to you about,” Lancer said in a defeated tone. “I… I lied earlier today. I swore upon my knight's honor that my quest was given to me by Sir Cobalion, but this was entirely false. In truth, I've only my own instincts to justify this quest.”

Princess looked surprised, but for some reason Lancer couldn't quite put his lance on, it didn't seem like sincere surprise. “So… was everything else you said false as well?” she asked. “About your family being in danger?”

“No!” Lancer quickly said. “No, that part was true. What is also true is that I need you on this quest.” The Escavalier sighed before continuing. “Sir Cobalion visited me in my dream just now. He aimed to deliver punishment for my abuse of my knight's honor, but after explaining my reasoning, he decided that my punishment would be up to you. However, he also requested that you remain with me anyway.” With a sigh, Lancer crossed his lances across his chest. “Shell Smash.” In a flash of light, Lancer lowered his defenses significantly. “Whatever punishment you see fit, I will accept it without question. But I still must humbly ask that you stay by my side, for I need you with me.”

Princess thought for a moment. “Holy Miltank… this guy's devoted,” the Empoleon thought. “I can't tell if he has a problem or if he just takes his job that seriously. And he needs me with him? If I didn't know any better… no, that's preposterous. He knows we're in two different egg groups, right? Then again… Marcus and Blitz are as well if you think about it, and… I can't believe I'm about to do this…”

“I've decided on your punishment,” Princess finally said out loud. “First and foremost, know that I will remain by your side without question. If what you say is true, then my family in danger as well.” Princess stepped forward. “That being said… close your eyes.”

“With all due respect, I find not seeing a punishment coming to be more merciful,” Lancer said. “And as I've established, I'm not worthy of mercy.”

“Trust me, closing your eyes will only make things worse,” Princess reassured. Reluctantly, Lancer closed his eyes. With her victim unable to see her actions, Princess leaned in close to Lancer's face, and after a moment's hesitation, whispered, “Peck,” before planting a quick and decisive, but at the same time demented cross between an attack and a kiss on Lancer's cheek. The attack itself did little to Lancer, but what he felt most was the kiss. Startled and confused, Lancer opened his eyes and looked at Princess with a puzzled expression… only to find that she'd leaned back and was readying another attack. “And Steel Wing!” With that call, Princess' flipper glowed white before she swung it powerfully across Lancer's face. The attack didn't hurt much due to Lancer's type resistance, but it caught him well off-guard.

“I… what?” Lancer asked. “I'm confused. Did you…?”

“Oh, those hits I gave you weren't your punishment,” Princess said with a coy smile. “This is your punishment…” Princess then yawned and stretched before turning and taking a few steps in the opposite direction. “Boy, keeping watch makes a lady tired. I'll just have to go to sleep right now. Without another word spoken to you the rest of the night, I mean.”

“Wait!” Lancer called as Princess laid down.

“Can't talk, already asleep!” Princess called back. “Goodnight, Lancer!”

Lancer tried to say more, but he knew it was rude to awaken a lady. (While he was at best a disgraced knight at this point, he still had to uphold his code as best he could.) Instead, he turned back around and sat. And he thought. He thought about what everything Princess had just done meant. “That Peck… it wasn't an ordinary Peck…” he thought aloud. “Could it be that she…? Well… I do have a certain charm, but she couldn't possibly…”

For the entire remainder of the night, Lancer sat there and tossed all these different thoughts and ideas around in his head, hoping that, by some miracle, an answer would present itself.

Author's Note

The shipping train has no brakes.

Anyway, now we know a little more about this odd little Escavalier and what his intentions are. A disgraced knight traveling with royalty to save his family from something he's been warned about in dreams, and then his hero appears to condone his quest... wait, haven't I seen that somewhere before?
...
Eh, anyways. I feel I should point out that this chapter was originally going to go up before the last chapter, but I decided to switch the order around so the story would flow slightly better.
Also, I've compiled the votes from the strawpoll I mentioned in the previous chapter, and literally everyone wanted a chapter about Alonzo. ("Literally everyone" being two people.) So... that's what's coming next. Until then, see ya.

20. Awakening

”You don't really think you can fight me, do you? You're just as incapacitated as your brother there, trying to crawl away like he is.”

“…I'll save… him…”

”Please. Just one strike, and I could kill you both.”

“…can't… let you… hurt him…”

”Well, as much as I'd love to get this over with, I guess I could toy with you if you so desperately want me to. Maybe I could do the same for the other one…”

“NO!” Breeze shouted as he suddenly leapt up into the air, awakening from his nightmare in a cold sweat and heavy breaths. He looked around, trying to find the Froslass that had appeared in his nightmare, but he didn't see her. In fact, he couldn't even see the setting his nightmare took place in: a forest. Breeze's present location was more of a huge, white, sterile room where the light was just a bit too bright. “Huh…? Where am I?”

“Oh good,” a mysterious voice said from behind Breeze, sending a chill throughout his body, “I was wondering when you'd wake up.” Breeze turned around to see the source of the voice, a Chandelure. “Sorry about letting you sleep so late. I'd have woken you up myself, but waking Pokemon up from nightmares has gotten me my fair share of… let's say 'bumps and bruises,' even though that's not very possible, now is it?” The Chandelure giggled a little. “But I'll hope you know what I mean.”

“Um…” Breeze said in a confused tone.

“Ah, sorry. I tend to get a bit chatty,” Chandelure said. “The name's Lord. Pleasure making your acquaintance.”

“Nice… to meet you?” Breeze said, still rather confused. Suddenly, the events of his nightmare struck him again, and he went into a panic. “BUTTERS! Where's my brother? Where's Aria? Where's the forest!?”

“Woah, try to calm down!” Lord said, moving his candle arms down in a calming manner. “Your brother's safe, I can tell you that much.”

Hearing that, Breeze paused for a moment before catching his breath. “How do you know that?” he asked.

“Because he's not here with you,” Lord replied, his tone getting oddly grim. “I'll explain that in a moment. You said something about a Pokemon named 'Aria,' correct? And was she a Froslass?”

“I… yes,” Breeze said with a nod. “How'd you know she was a Froslass?”

“Let's just say I know her from somewhere…” Lord replied, looking down and growing an angry expression. “Six years ago, did we meet…”

“What happened?” Breeze asked, curious.

Lord shook his head. “She took something from me, but that hardly concerns you right now,” he said. “Back to your questions, you were asking about a forest?”

Breeze nodded. “My brother, Butters, and I went out looking for her after she ran away,” he explained. “But when we found her, she attacked us. I don't know if she was quite in her right mind. Something really messed up happened to make her run away. She tried to… to kill Butters and I. We were both weak because she froze our wings with really cold air, but I knew I had to keep Butters safe, so I fought her so that he could run away.”

“So you fought her, eh?” Lord asked. “Interesting. Tell me what happened after that.”

“Well, I…” Breeze started, but he trailed off. “I… I guess I… beat her, or something? I mean, I don't know how else I'd have escaped.”

“But you said you were too weak to fight, didn't you?” Lord inquired.

“I was,” Breeze replied with a nod. “That's what's throwing me for a loop.”

“Hmm… a bit of a head-scratcher, now isn't it?” Lord said. “Do you want a hint?”

“Why would I need a hint to explain how I got away?” Breeze asked.

“Maybe you have amnesia,” Lord replied. “Or maybe… you're asking the wrong question.”

“What's that supposed to mean?” Breeze asked. “I mean… of course I got away… because then…” A wave of dread started washing over Breeze. “Where did you say I was, again?”

“I'm afraid that's not so easy to say,” Lord replied. “But, if you'd take a look around you, you'll find that you're not still in that forest, now are you? Sterile, bright light, seeming to go on forever… the feeling of being watched from all sides?”

Breeze began looking all around, and suddenly, he could feel hundreds of thousands of eyes watching them, even though there were none to be found. He also found the temperature of the room beginning to slowly rise. “No… you're not saying…?”

“I'm sorry, Breeze,” Lord said in a solemn tone. “I really, truly am.”

“No…” Breeze said, trying to back away from the Chandelure. “No, this can't be happening! G-get away from me! No! NO!”

“NO!” Butters shouted as he awoke from a terrible nightmare, likely one similar to the one Breeze had. This sudden outcry awoke Pinky, who was sleeping upright on the floor in front of the couch Butters was on.

“Butters!” Pinky said as she got up. “Are you alright?”

Butters took a moment to regain his composition before looking over at Pinky. “I think so,” the Butterfree said. “I just had a nightmare, that's all.”

Pinky reached into Butters' mind to see just what the nightmare was. But… something was blocking her. “Are you willing to talk about it?” The Slowbro inquired.

“I… I don't think I can,” Butters replied. “I don't remember it very clearly. I just saw…. Darn it, I'm drawing a blank.”

”This has happened before,” Pinky thought to herself. ”When we first met Tartar, and I tried to get a read on him. He was still a Pupitar, so it wasn't his Dark-type giving me problems. His mind was intentionally trying to block something off, and it kept me out as an added result.” Pinky paused for a moment before adding, ”That catch you up, Shelly?”

“Sorry about waking you up,” Butters continued.

“Oh no, it's perfectly fine,” Pinky replied. “I wasn't sleeping very well anyway. I've been sitting on bad news all night. I needed to stand.” The Slowbro then started approaching the front door.

“Bad news?” Butters asked as he got up and followed Pinky. “Can you tell me?”

Pinky sighed. “I need to get it off my chest,” she said as she opened the door and started walking outside. “But when Blitz and the others come by later this morning, you'll have to leave town. It's some pretty heavy stuff.”

Lyra could have sworn when she woke up that she was awoken by Roo screaming, but upon glancing outside, she realized that it was the sound of a screaming Pokemon outside. Upon closer inspection, she saw Butters and Pinky outside. “Must be some more Pokemon stuff,” Lyra said to herself with a shrug. She then turned around and was about to walk outside when Bon Bon caught her attention.

“Hey Lyra?” Bon Bon called from the bed, causing Lyra to turn around. “Can I talk to you for a moment?”

“What is it, Bon Bon?” Lyra asked.

“Are you alright?” Bon Bon asked in reply.

“Well, why wouldn't I be?” Lyra asked, backing away from the door and walking towards Bon Bon, who sat up in the bed.

“You spent half the night shaking and sweating,” Bon Bon replied. “Have a nightmare?”

“Did I?” Lyra asked. “I can't remember.”

Bon Bon moved the sheets on Lyra's side of the bed to reveal that most of it was, indeed, wet with sweat. “You sure?”

Lyra rubbed her chin for a moment. “Now isn't that peculiar…?”

Aria woke up groggily, her thoughts hazy and vision fuzzy, but how else would one wake up? She got up and rubbed her eyes before looking around the cave. Immediately, she realized that she hadn't woken up in Tiny's arms like she'd gone to sleep in. “Tiny, wherever you are, you can come out. I'm awake,” Aria called with a chuckle. However, when she stopped rubbing her eyes and looked around, she realized that Tiny wasn't there. Not only that, but Marcus and Blitz were gone as well. “Tiny? Marcus? Blitz?” She floated around the cave and found no trace of the three. “Alright, what's the big play today?” Aria asked as she made her way to the cave entrance. However, when she made her way to the opening, she found that it was frozen over. A solid wall of ice, easily four inches thick, had blocked the way. Aria placed her hand on the ice wall. “How…?”

“Why are you questioning it?” a familiar voice asked from the other side of the wall asked as another Froslass hand paralleled Aria's from the other side. Aria looked up to see her reflection, only it wasn't her reflection.

“It's you…” Aria said as a look of horror entered her eyes.

“Oh Aria…” Lassie replied with a sinister expression. “How I wish I could reply with 'It's you,' like I'd always wanted to. But alas… it no longer is you, is it?”

Aria awoke with a loud scream, tearing herself away from Tiny's arms and propelling herself into the ceiling, where she bumped her head, then slowly descended while rubbing the spot where she impacted. “Ow…” she complained.

“Aria!” Tiny called as he flew up to Aria's side. “Are you alright?”

“I'm… I'm fine…” Aria replied. “Just had a weird dream, that's all.”

“It's ok, Aria,” Tiny said while hugging the Froslass and stroking the back of her head consolingly. “Everything's fine. I'm here for you.”

“Thank you, Tiny,” Aria replied. “You're right. Everything's fine…” Suddenly, a thought occurred to Aria. “How come my loud scream didn't wake Marcus and Blitz up?”

“Oh, they already left,” Tiny replied, breaking the hug. “They wanted to get an early start, and with how rough your week's been, they wanted to let you rest.”

“Oh…” Aria said. “Well, should we follow them?”

“If you want,” Tiny replied. “But I mean, if you wanna stay and rest…”

“No!” Aria said in an almost shouting tone. “I mean… let's not make them wait. Sure, let's… go.”

Meanwhile, far away from everyone else, Lancer was slowly waking up. Okay, “slowly” wouldn't be the right word. More like “opened his eyes and suddenly jolted awake in a bad mood.” “Your Highness!” he called as he arose and looked around. Sure enough, there was Princess sitting in front of him, looking down with a smile.

“Good morning to you, as well,” the Empoleon said as she got up herself.

“H-how could you let this happen?” Lancer asked. “I requested specifically that you wake me up at first light. I intend no disrespect, but Ho-Oh has risen his boat to the point where it is entirely visible over the horizon!”

“Maybe I assumed you needed your rest,” Princess replied with a shrug. “I mean, if you want to save lives, you cannot so much as droop your eyes. Don't our families deserve a well-rested hero?”

Lancer was about to reply, but words escaped the Escavalier. “Very well,” Lancer said in a defeated tone. “Your logic is as sound as your integrity.”

“Now then, shall we continue our quest?” Princess asked.

“Of course not!” Lancer replied. “Oversleeping is inexcusable, but skipping breakfast is a far more heinous offense!” Lancer then raised his left lance and gave it a shake, causing two Sitrus Berries to fall out, where he caught them both with his other lance. “Fortunately, I am eternally prepared.”

“You keep Sitrus Berries in your lances?” Princess asked, a little stunned.

“But of course,” Lancer replied as he handed one of the berries to Princess. “I must apologize for the small rations, but it's imperative that I prepare for the worst at all times. Six days worth of Sitrus Berries left in one lance, three days worth of Lum Berries in the other.”

“Why only three days worth of Lum Berries?” Princess asked as she at the Sitrus Berry.

“They are rarer and strangely harder to farm,” Lancer replied. “But do not worry. I learned from a human called Emile how to farm berries at optimal efficiency. I had numerous secret farms across the world back on Earth. But here… I may be in trouble.”

“Don't worry about it,” Princess said. “I believe you'll be able to single-handedly – or… single-lancedly? – restore Earth's berry trees.”

“Of course!” Lancer proclaimed rather in a rather haughty tone. “Within my armor, I have two of every kind of berry!”

“That… sounds uncomfortable…” Princess said.

“It's part of my training,” Lancer replied proudly. “But, uh… between you and me, it's even more uncomfortable when one of them bursts. It's not impossible for a part of my armor to be suddenly impacted and a berry to be right on that spot.”

“Uh-huh…” Princess replied with a nod as she finished her Sitrus Berry. “Why don't we stop talking about this and get moving, eh?”

“Of course!” Lancer replied as he popped his entire Sitrus Berry into his mouth, chewing and swallowing it with great speed. “Let's go! Further north! And I sense more Pokemon shall join our quest this day!”

“Really?” Princess asked as the two began walking. “Do you know who?”

“I do not,” Lancer replied. “But! I do know that we will know them.”

Ki was the first to wake up in her group. The Leafeon looked around to find that Nana, Alonzo, and Gatsu were still asleep. However, Kunoichi was no where within Ki's vision. Ki closed her eyes and connected with the forest to search for the Greninja for a moment before finding her. Standing on a branch above the group. “Huh. Wonder what her deal is…” Ki thought as she looked up at the Greninja.

Kunoichi, meanwhile, was meditating atop the branch, every single one of her senses at their peak. However, she had to stop. “Need something, Ki?” the Greninja asked calmly.

“Huh!?” Ki asked, almost slipping from where she was climbing. “I'm not even halfway up this tree! How did you-?”

“Talk quieter,” Kunoichi said, not raising her voice. “My trainer, one of my friends, and a new acquaintance are trying to sleep.”

Ki shook her head before climbing the rest of the way up the tree and joining Kunoichi at the branch that almost grazed the forest canopy. “Did you ever sleep?”

“As far as Alonzo knows, I never sleep,” Kunoichi replied. “Though I must confess that I accidentally rested my eyes for twenty minutes at one point during the night.”

Ki wasn't convinced. “I'm not Alonzo, remember,” she said. “You can be honest.”

Kunoichi sighed and sat down. “I told the truth, if that's what you're asking,” the Greninja said. “I only slept for about twenty minutes. But such is the bar that is set for me. Alonzo accepted me as his first partner for his adventure, and I've tried so hard to be the partner he deserves. But… it's been so difficult. What I do is not an act, I want to make sure that's clear, but the stress gets to me.” Suddenly, Kunoichi looked over at Ki and stared with a confused expression. “Why am I telling you this?”

Ki shrugged and smiled, “Maybe it's just been too long since you've had a sympathetic ear?” she asked, edging closer to Kunoichi.

“Maybe…” Kunoichi started, but she couldn't find any other words.

Ki edged a little closer. “Maybe you need someone to… help you out,” she said.

“Or maybe…” Kunoichi continued, “just maybe, you're rather bad at pickup lines.”

“What!?” Ki shouted, almost falling out of the tree. However, before she fell, Kunoichi caught the Leafeon with her tongue. Ki dangled a foot below Kunoichi, the latter's tongue wrapped around the former. “Uh… thank you.”

Kunoichi pulled Ki back up onto the branch before wrapping her tongue back around her own neck. “You're a charming 'Mon, Ki,” Kunoichi said, “and you don't have to do much for me in the way of either of us coming out, but… you need a spirit stronger than that to equal mine.” With a wink, Kunoichi added, “Do give it another shot sometime, though.”

Ki was silent for a moment before sighing and shaking her head with a smile. “You know what?” the Leafeon asked. “Even just that made this Leafeon really happy. Thanks.”

“Now don't get cocky now,” Kunoichi said, picking Ki up by the tail and dangling her over the open air. “Remember… I want you eventually.” With a chuckle Kunoichi dropped Ki, sending her plummeting straight into the ground face-first right next to Nana's head. Nana woke up and looked over at Ki with a worried expression.

“Ki?” Nana asked. “Did you just wake up?”

“Nah,” Ki replied, not really paying attention. “I got up and went for a walk.”

“Some walk it must've been,” Nana said. “I could have sworn you just fell from a great height. Are you okay?”

Ki sighed and smiled. “Indeed I am…”

Author's Note

Yeah... EX chapter 4 isn't coming anytime soon. Hit a writer's block. So why halt the story just for that?
*followers of SSB: Harmony Rising glare at me*
Eh... that being said... NEW CHAPTER! Yay...?
...
Alright, so a lot of individual stories are inching closer to their inevitable collision, and just when you thought all was said and done, this guy Lord shows up.
Excuse me?
OH MY ARCEUS, uh... Arceus. I didn't think you'd show up. Don't worry, I'm not trying to replace you.
Or is he?
Alright, who the fuck is this?
The evil shipper in your head? Remember? From near the beginning of Harmony and Darkness?
...I could have sworn you used a different font back then.
Whatever, I was just here to throw another ship into the story. I'll take my leave now.
...can I get my line in now?
No, we've already dragged this AN out longer than it should have been. UNTIL THE NEXT CHAPTER, EVERYONE!

21. Life or Death

Author's Note

Fair warning, I almost cried writing this, and I very seldom cry over anything. You may resume.

Somewhere in the Everfree Forest, Marcus and Blitz made their way back to Ponyville from their den further back in the forest, eager to hear what Pinky wanted to tell them the evening prior.

“I hope she'll understand why we practically stood her up yesterday,” Marcus commented. “Do you think we should have tried to go back later last night?”

“I never thought I'd say this, but Aria needed us there with her more,” Blitz replied. “She needed her family with her. I'm sure Pinky will understand.”

“But that being said, do you think it was a good idea to leave Aria back in the den this morning?” Marcus said.

“Don't ask me,” Blitz replied with a shake of her head. “It was your idea. You yourself said that she'd be okay with Tiny.”

Marcus was silent for a moment before replying, “Touche.”

After that, the two walked in general silence for a time before something caught Blitz's eye. “Hey Marcus,” she said while nudging her mate, “do you see that over there?”

Marcus looked in the direction Blitz indicated. “Is that a Meganium?” he asked, spying the very Pokemon standing in a partial clearing on the other side of some brush. “Felix, to be precise?”

“Could be,” Blitz said. “What's he doing all the way out here so early?”

“Well, it's not like he's a stranger,” Marcus said with a shrug. “Why don't we go ask him?” He then reached up to pull away the brush, but Blitz caught his foreleg before he could touch the flora.

“Let's not ignite these vines and burn the forest down, hmm?” Blitz said as Marcus lowered his hoof.

“Oh, and you won't?” Marcus asked.

With a deadpan expression, Blitz reached up and pulled back the vines herself, hardly so much as charring the plants. “False flames, remember?” she said.

“Right… sorry,” Marcus said as he followed Blitz into the opening she made in the vines. The two then began carefully approaching Felix, who had his back turned to them and seemed completely oblivious to the presence of the two Rapidash. “Felix?” Marcus called quietly.

Felix perked up, seeming a bit startled at first, but calmed down and turned around to glance at the two. “Marcus, Blitz,” he said in almost a whisper, “come look.”

Marcus and Blitz glanced at each other and shrugged before coming around to either of Felix's sides and looking down where he indicated. “What are we looking at?” Marcus asked.

Felix was silent for a moment as he smiled before replying. “Something I never thought I'd be so happy to see,” he said. For poking up out of the ground, in a small patch of clear space in this twisted forest, was a small foreign plant that the three Pokemon before it thought was lost to them forever. An Oran plant sprout.

Meanwhile, somewhere else, Lord the Chandelure was sipping a cup of tea (with some burnt souls sprinkled in for flavor, of course) as Breeze continued having his panic attack. “Breeze,” Lord finally said after several minutes, setting his tea down, “I know you've just found out that you're dead, but is it really worth a ten minute panic attack? The longest I'd ever seen was seven minutes.”

Upon hearing this, Breeze looked up at Lord with an almost angry expression. “Do you have to have such a dark sense of humor about this?” he almost shouted.

“Hey, I just cook the souls,” Lord said with a shrug. “Very few of us Ghost-types actually associate with departed souls, and those that do only do so for two reasons. One of those reasons, obviously, is to host a little dark comedy with them before getting down to business.”

Breeze was silent for a moment. “Okay, first question, because I know asking the second question first will have painful consequences,” he started, “why?”

Lord giggled a little. “My line of work is entirely just dark and depressing stuff,” he replied with a shrug. “I gotta take the edge off somehow, and despite what they tell you, 'lit Oddish' doesn't do the trick. I tried once, I almost hacked up a lung, and would have easily died if I wasn't… you know, a Chandelure.”

Breeze sighed. “Okay, follow-up question,” he said. “Why me? Why do you have to torture me, out of all the dead Pokemon that might have been in that forest, in this way?”

“I did say we Ghost-types only associate with deceased souls for two reasons, did I not?” Lord replied. “But I'll get to the second reason in time. You had another question, right?”

“Yes, but I don't wanna ask it until I know what the second reason is,” Breeze replied, backing away from Lord a bit.

“Oh, but what if my second reason is the answer to your second question?” Lord asked, advancing on Breeze and gaining a sinister expression. “Wouldn't that save us both so much trouble?”

Breeze gulped. “W-what did you mean by 'business'?” he asked, his voice shaky with fear.

Lord giggled before his flames flared and all the light in the brightly-lit room suddenly vanished, the light from Lord's fires following suit immediately, and leaving Breeze in pitch blackness for a time. Breeze did nothing for that time, fearful of what would happen if he moved, until suddenly, a burst of purple flame erupted from underneath him. The flames didn't touch him, but a circle of small purple fireballs appeared around him. Before Breeze had time to question this, two rows of flames began appearing in front of him, almost resembling a runway. At the end of the runway, the light from Lord suddenly appeared.

“You asked what else I do with the souls I capture, correct?” Lord called, though to Breeze, it almost felt like Lord said it right in his ear. “It's a little harder to explain, so I'll just go ahead and show you!” Lord then began advancing towards Breeze at an alarming speed.

“N-no!” Breeze pleaded, finding himself unable to move. “Lord please don't do this! I have a brother! I have a family! I CAN'T DIE YET!”

“That's hardly my decision…” Lord said gravely as he was almost right on top of Breeze. With a final charge, Lord crossed his flames together right in front of Breeze. And suddenly… everything went dark and numb for Breeze. Only a small glimmer of light remained in his vision.

“Butters…”

And with a ping, the light vanished.

Back at Ponyville, Marcus and Blitz had just arrived and were on their way to Lyra and Bon Bon's house, along with an antsy-seeming Felix. “I know I've got my family here,” Felix said, “but I don't feel right leaving that Oran plant…”

“You just need to learn how to control your instincts,” Marcus said. “I know you can hear the plants calling to you, but trust me, there's other Pokemon who'll take care of them.”

Felix sighed. “Alright, I'll try,” he said. “But… if Kanga says it's okay, I'm going back.” Marcus gave Felix a look before shaking his head.

“You'll get used to it,” he said with a chuckle. He then turned around and was about to knock on the door, but he stopped when the door opened from the inside, Lyra and Roo on the other side, the latter on the former's back.

“Felix!” Roo cheered as she leapt off Lyra's back and embraced Felix, who returned the hug with his vines. “Where'd you go? Mamma and I woke up twenty minutes ago and you were nowhere to be found!”

“I could have sworn I asked Pinky – or I guess Shelly, since she's the one active when Pinky's asleep – to tell you two where I was going,” Felix replied. “Didn't she?”

Roo leapt off of Felix, landed on the ground, and shook her head. “Lyra told me Pinky and Butters went out for a walk just before Mamma and I woke up,” the baby Kangaskhan replied. “Though, if what you say is true, you might wanna make sure Mamma finds out fast. I don't think she's very happy with you…”

“Oh dear…” Felix said, his antennae drooping. He then turned to Lyra. “She hasn't destroyed anything, has she? She can get a bit destructive when she's angry.”

“Eh, it's all well and good,” Lyra said. “Well, in terms of property damage, which there's none of. If she is, indeed, angry, it's more of a silent rage. She's been standing at the window all morning, just staring out into space.”

“Yeah… this won't be pleasant,” Felix said as he trudged into the house. He paused for a moment and turned back to the others. “If I don't come out of that room alive, Pinky has my will memorized word for word. She's trustworthy when it comes to this sort of thing.” With that, he continued on.

“Man, that's something I'd always wanted to see,” Marcus complained. “Felix getting chewed out by his first mate. Can't believe I'm gonna miss it.”

”I'll memorize the exchange and tell you about it later,” a voice – obviously Pinky's at this point – said from within the minds of all present. Everyone turned around to see the Slowbro walk up to the group, Butters following close behind.

“Hi Pinky!” Roo said with a smile and a wave. “Where were you this morning?”

“Walking,” Pinky replied, her voice a bit heavy. She then turned her attention to Lyra. “Lyra, could you please take Roo inside? I have something I have to discuss with Marcus and Blitz.” ”Not the happiest news, I might add.”

Lyra's ears drooped, but she nodded and turned to Roo. “Come on, Roo,” she said, picking the little one up and placing her upon Lyra's back. “Maybe you can help me with breakfast.”

“Ooh!” Roo cheered. “I always love helping Felix with breakfast. What are we making today?” The answer was unheard by the others when Lyra closed the door with her magic.

“I'll leave too,” Butters said. “I've got, uh… OH CRAP! BREEZE IS STILL MISSING!” That realization in mind, Butters sped off towards the Everfree Forest to search for either his brother or Mangol and Drake, whom Butters hoped would be in Breeze's company.

“And that just leaves us…” Pinky said with a sigh as she turned to Marcus and Blitz. “Now then, I know what you're going to inquire about. A 'foal,' as the ponies call it?”

Marcus and Blitz grinned excitedly and nodded. “We should be mad you didn't let us say it ourselves,” Marcus said, “but how can we?”

Pinky sighed. “You two might wanna sit down.”

Meanwhile, Felix cautiously opened the door to his and Kanga's room, finding the Kangaskhan standing at the window, staring up at the partly cloudy sky. Against his better judgment, Felix called, “Kanga…?”

“Good morning, Felix,” Kanga said, not turning around.

After Kanga didn't say anything for a while, Felix spoke up again. “Kanga, I'm sorry about sneaking out like that,” he said. “I didn't feel comfortable waking you up over something that I at first assumed was something just outside, and Pinky was supposed to tell you what was going on, but she went out for her walk.”

“And what exactly was it that you were doing?” Kanga asked.

“There was…” Felix started. “I heard a voice calling out somewhere in the forest. Like a child crying for protection. I followed that cry, and in the forest, I found an Oran plant sprout.” Felix looked down. “I know that doesn't justify what I did for you. Hell, it really doesn't justify what I did for me. But…”

After Felix trailed off, Kanga turned around and looked down at the Meganium. “Felix, you have to understand that I'm not angry at you,” she said. “I was just worried, that's all.”

“Really?” Felix asked, a confused expression on his face. “You're not mad at all?”

“Of course not,” Kanga replied with a shake of her head. “Don't forget, my first mate was a Meganium as well. I know how your body is going to work. What I'm really worried about is whether you'll stay you in the face of your new instincts.” Kanga sighed. “Just promise me you won't do this again without telling me yourself.”

Felix smiled. “You can count on it,” he said. The two then embraced and shared a kiss, but this was short-lived when there was suddenly a lot of shouting, followed by an explosion outside.

“What was that?” Kanga asked as she released Felix.

“I've got the sinking feeling I know,” Felix replied. The two then rushed out of the room, down the stairs, and towards the front door, where Lyra, Bon Bon, and Roo were headed as well. When the door opened, they saw Pinky lying on the ground in the middle of a circle of charred ground, Marcus and Blitz nowhere to be found. “PINKY!” Felix shouted as he rushed to the Slowbro's side. “Pinky, are you alright?”

Pinky was motionless, presumably unconscious, but telepathically, she said, ”This is why I don't like giving bad news.”

A few minutes prior, Pinky had sat Marcus and Blitz down to tell them what she needed to tell them. “Alright, Pinky,” Blitz said, grinning, “I'm pretty sure I know the answer, but I need to hear it from you.” She took a deep breath. “Am I pregnant?”

Pinky frowned. “That's…” she started. “Urf…”

“Pinky?” Marcus asked, suddenly getting a bit worried. “Are you okay?”

Pinky looked down and took a deep breath before turning back to Blitz. “I'm sorry, Blitz,” she said. “But the egg you think you have… it's no longer alive.”

The transition of Blitz's face from excitement to crushing fear and sadness was impossible to put into words. “W-what?” she asked, her voice shaking.

“There's really no easy way to say this,” Pinky continued, “but your body can't support a child.”

“You mean…” Blitz started. “B-but I can't be infertile! I-I know I felt the egg!”

“And there was, indeed, and egg,” Pinky replied. “But something in your internal structure just can't handle another living thing.” Pinky looked down, but angled herself towards Marcus. “And here's where things get really, really hard to say or hear.”

Blitz had already started crying at this point, and Marcus was holding her tightly. “How could things get worse?” Blitz sobbed.

”This is gonna get me killed…” Pinky thought to herself before continuing. “The reason your body isn't functioning properly… might be Marcus.”

At the mention of Marcus' name, the air around the three Pokemon instantly became still, and a deafening silence fell upon them. Blitz even stopped sobbing and looked up at Pinky, glaring daggers at the Slowbro. “Run that by me again…” Blitz said coldly.

“Blitz, let's try to stay calm,” Marcus said, but Blitz released herself from Marcus' embrace and took a step towards Pinky, who couldn't bear to look Blitz in the eye.

“No, Marcus,” Blitz said, not taking her gaze off of Pinky. “I don't think I heard Pinky correctly. I just want her to repeat what she said so that I've got a clear understanding.”

Pinky still didn't look up, and she tried once to speak, but her voice was hoarse. She cleared her throat and tried again, this time forcing herself to look up at Blitz. “I'm sorry Blitz,” she said, “but I don't see any other answer. That's where all the evidence points to. Your false flames, your five years as Marcus' mate, the fact that I can't, with all my ability, find anything else wrong with you. It's just-”

“Oh, so now you're bringing the flames into this!?” Blitz shouted angrily. “Because I was in love with a human, my flames lost their heat, and because of that, I was less of a Pokemon. I've heard it all before, but from one of my friends… and now you wanna tell me that very same reason is why I can't have children!?” Blitz's flames flared at that last word to a point that Marcus hadn't seen very often, and Pinky had seen for the first time just then.

“Blitz, please calm down!” Marcus pleaded. “That's not what she said at all!” He reached down and grabbed Blitz's foreleg, holding it between his own two hooves. “Let's just take a moment to cool off-”

“NO!” Blitz shouted, pushing Marcus away and advancing on Pinky, who tried to step back, but tripped and fell onto her rear end. “I am SICK and TIRED of this sort of thing happening! I thought we'd left all this back on Earth, but come to find out, YOU'RE STILL BRINGING IT UP!?”

“Blitz, please listen!” Pinky pleaded. “I know you're upset, but I'm willing to help you-”

”I DON'T WANT YOUR HELP!” Blitz shouted before rearing back and unleashing a powerful rage-fueled Fire Blast that hit Pinky at point-blank range, creating a large explosion that was easily heard throughout the town.

“BLITZ, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?” Marcus shouted into the smoke and dust spawned from Blitz's attack. But his question was never answered. All he heard through the aftershock of the explosion was the sounds of sobbing and hooves running away. “Blitz…”

”I'm sorry, Marcus…” Pinky said to the Rapidash telepathically as the dust cleared, revealing the Slowbro on the ground, charred, beaten, and seemingly unconscious. ”I knew this would happen, but she had to hear it…”

“Pinky, are you-?” Marcus started.

”Leave me here, Marcus,” Pinky interrupted. ”I'm in bad shape, but Felix and the others will take care of me. You need to go to Blitz. And for what it's worth… I'm praying my theory was false.”

Marcus nodded slowly. “Alright, Pinky,” he said. “And I'm the one who should apologize.” With that, he turned around and ran after where she saw Blitz running.

”Why couldn't I convince Tiny to do this for me?” Pinky thought to herself. It was at this point that Felix and the others ran outside to the scene.

“PINKY!” Felix shouted, running to the Slowbro's side. “Pinky, are you alright?”

Pinky was aware of Felix's presence, but her injuries prevented her from waking up. ”This is why I don't like giving bad news,” she said telepathically.

It was at this moment that Kanga had made it outside, but she turned around towards Lyra and Bon Bon. “Keep Roo inside,” she said. “She doesn't need to see this.”

Lyra nodded and passed Roo over to Bon Bon, who ran inside. “What's wrong, Bon Bon?” Roo asked.

“There's something happening,” Bon Bon replied, “but I'm not sure what. For now, best we stay safe, okay?”

Meanwhile, Kanga picked Pinky up, carried her inside, and set her down on the sofa. “You still with us Pinky?” Kanga asked.

“If I were a Levanny, I'd be dead,” Pinky replied. “Fortunately, I resisted the attack type-wise, so I'll live. But damn… I'd be in so much pain if I were still conscious.”

Felix came over at this point. “Other than pain, what's wrong?” he asked.

”I'm going to go out on a limb and assume I'm Burned,” Pinky replied.

“Burned?” Lyra asked. “That's not much of a surprise, isn't it? I mean, Marcus and Blitz are… Rapid Ash?”

“Rapidash,” Felix corrected. “And in our world, 'Burned' refers to a state in which a Pokemon is hit by a Fire-type attack, but a special injury lingers that causes additional pain over time. Like… some part of your insides are on fire.”

“Sheesh,” Lyra said. “You guys come from a really dangerous world. No wonder you came here.”

“Do you think you can Rest it off?” Kanga asked Pinky.

”I can try,” Pinky replied, ”but someone thought Rest wouldn't fit in my moveset. I'll have to remember the move myself.”

“Hey, don't blame me for this,” Felix said. “You still know Protect. Why couldn't you use that?”

”Blitz was faster on the draw,” Pinky replied. ”Ngh… guys, I'm sorry about this, but staying low-consciousness is getting a bit difficult. I'm gonna have to go blackout.”

“Pinky, no!” Felix pleaded. “Stay with us!”

”I'll be fine, Felix,” Pinky replied. ”Shelly will warn you if something goes wrong with me. Just promise me you won't bring this up with Blitz if she comes back. You'll regret it…”

“Pinky?” Felix asked. “Pinky, what happened?” No response. After a while, he turned back to the others. “She'll be fine. I trust her with that much.”

“But I'm still curious as to what she told Blitz…” Lyra said.

“Oh, I get the feeling Shelly will fill us in when she realizes Pinky's out,” Felix replied.

Meanwhile, Marcus was chasing Blitz through the Everfree Forest. He'd gotten to the point where she was in view, but she was still running away. “Blitz!” Marcus called, but she didn't slow. “Blitz, stop!” ”Come on, legs, don't fail me now!” Marcus thought to himself, realizing that he hadn't run this far before without stumbling and/or falling. With any luck, he'd stay this way until-

“NGAH!” Blitz suddenly shouted before seeming to trip, leaping forward and slamming face-first into the ground in front of her.

“BLITZ!” Marcus shouted as he rushed to his mate's side. “Blitz, are you alright?”

Marcus saw that Blitz was still crying, even after falling. “I-I'm not alright, Marcus,” Blitz sobbed. “You heard what Pinky said. We can never have children… and for whatever reason, she thinks it's your fault.”

“Blitz, you should have heard her when you ran away,” Marcus said. “She was praying that wasn't the case. Maybe that is the case or maybe it isn't, but the point is that we can't take this lying down.”

Blitz sniffled and wiped her eyes. “W-what do you mean?” she asked.

“I don't know,” Marcus replied with a shake of his head. “But I do know that there's a way to fix this. There just has to be a way.” Marcus leaned down and kissed Blitz's horn. “We'll find a way. I know it.”

Blitz looked up at Marcus and smiled. “That makes me feel a little better…” Blitz said. Suddenly, an idea popped into her head, and she sprang to all fours. “Marcus, I just had an epiphany!”

“What is it?” Marcus asked, a twinge of worry in his voice.

“When we first landed on Equus, Arceus sent us all a message that explained what all happened,” Blitz replied. “Included in that message, he told us that we could contact him if we have a problem. All we have to do is find him!”

“Uh…” Marcus started, rubbing the back of his neck, “I doubt we'll be able to just come across that pocket dimension he said he was in.”

“No, he didn't just say the pocket dimension,” Blitz replied with a shake of her head. “He also said he lived in some ancient temple right here in the Everfree Forest! We could take this problem right to him!” Blitz squealed excitedly. “Come on, Marcus! We have a temple to find!” She then sped off with a prance in her step.

“Did you happen to forget that he said we'd be facing the sheer power of a god!?” Marcus called, but Blitz wasn't listening. With a sigh and a shake of his head, he began following her. “This is gonna be a long day…”

Author's Note

Here we are... at the point in the story where everything seems to be going entirely wrong. But, is there hope on the horizon? Eh... debatable.

Now here's where things get a little more difficult. I've got two chapters up next, but I don't know what order they should go in. I'll explain them in brief:

Chapter 2x: Marcus and Blitz go to Arceus, but what happens isn't at all what they could have expected.
Chapter 2y: Butters finally comes across Breeze's remains, and seeks closure. (Not vengeance, I should note.)

Obviously, more is going to happen than those short sentences, but I'm curious as to which chapter you'd like to see first. I can't decide, and it's not a difficult choice to screw up, (no offense), so I figured I'd ask you people. Thoughts?

22. Shed Skin

Somewhere in the Everfree Forest, the lifeless corpse of Breeze lay. Thawed in the morning sun, but still seemingly forgotten. It was at this point that a Nincada burrowed out of the ground right next to it, immediately coming face to face with the lifeless eyes. “Oh dear…” Nincada said to himself. “I fall asleep for seven days, and I wake up to a dead Butterfree.” With a sigh, Nincada approached the corpse. “Well, I guess I am hungry…”

“I'd stop right there if I were you!” a voice called, startling Nincada. The Trainee Pokemon turned around to find a Chandelure approaching him.

“WAH!” Nincada shouted as he leapt back. “I-I had nothing to do with this Butterfree's fate, I swear!”

“Oh, I'm not worried about that,” Chandelure said. “I just wanted to let you know that you're not allowed to eat my friend there.”

“Oh…” Nincada said. “Wait, did you kill him!?”

“Please,” Chandelure said. “I'm a lover, not a fighter. I just don't want this particular Butterfree to get eaten, that's all. But if you're hungry…” Chandelure flicked one set of his candles, and a Rare Candy appeared in one of the rings. “…it just so happens that I've got a treat for you.”

Nincada gasped excitedly. “Is that a Rare Candy?” he asked.

“That depends…” Chandelure said, eying his Rare Candy. “How close are you to evolving?”

“Um…” Nincada started, thinking for a moment. “My sensei told me I only had a little bit more training left before I finally evolve into a Ninjask. But if you're offering that Rare Candy…”

With a giggle, Chandelure tossed the Rare Candy onto the ground before Ninjask. “Eat up, kid,” he said. “But know that I'll want you to do something for me in return.”

“What is it?” Nincada asked, suddenly a little nervous.

“I can tell you right now that I'll leave your soul where it is,” Chandelure replied with a voice that would suggest a smirk if he could do facial expressions. “Just trust me, you've got nothing to worry about.”

Of course, Nincada was skeptical, but he eventually shrugged it off and ate the Rare Candy, wrapper and all. Upon finishing it, he instantly began glowing. “I'M FINALLY EVOLVING!” he cheered as he began rising into the air.

“And now for the payment,” Chandelure said as he reached into the light emitting from Nincada and starting to pull. After a moment, the light split into two, one backing away from Chandelure, and one staying in his grasp. When both lights dimmed, there was a Ninjask flying where Nincada once was, and a Shedinja in Chandelure's grasp. “Look at that. My plan worked.”

Ninjask spent a moment looking at and admiring his new body before realizing that Chandelure had his old shell in the form of Shedinja. “Uh… Mr. Chandelure?” Ninjask asked. “Can I please have my Shedinja back?”

“Of course not!” Chandelure said with a sinister giggle. “What? Did you think that the Rare Candy was gonna be free?”

“But… but that's practically my brother you have…” Ninjask said, deflating a bit.

“And now he's mine,” Chandelure said. “So, do you wanna skedaddle? Or should I tell your sensei that you skipped out on the last part of your training?”

“But…” Ninjask tried to say.

“It's called a hustle, sweetheart,” Chandelure said with a giggle. “Now, I'll ask again…” Chandelure raised his free “arm” towards Ninjask and flared the flames on that one. “Do you wanna skedaddle?”

Ninjask screamed and flew away at high speed, leaving Chandelure alone with the Shedinja in one hand, and a Butterfree corpse on the ground before him. “Well…” Chandelure said to himself, “that was certainly one of the more pleasant exchanges of this sort I've done before. Now then…” Chandelure looked over the Shedinja before turning it so that he was facing its back. “Alright Shedinja, I know you're actually sentient and have some semblance of a soul in you, but right now, your services are needed elsehow. Sorry about this.” Chandelure then raised his other “arm” and stuck the candles into the hole on Shedinja's back, filling the husk with an odd blue flame. After filling the husk for a moment, Chandelure dropped Shedinja to the ground, where it lay motionless for a time before a purplish light flashed in the eyes and it began shaking.

“BUTTERS!” Shedinja shouted before rolling over onto its back, where it found itself staring up at Chandelure.

“Alright, Breeze,” Lord said, “I cheated and granted you mercy. Happy?”

“What…?” Breeze asked, shaking helplessly in his new body. “What's going on? Where am I? Why can't I move? Why are we back at the forest? What do you want with-?”

“Please shut up,” Lord interrupted. “In order, your answers are: I cheated death to put your soul in a new body, the body of a Shedinja, which you're not used to, which answers your first three questions. We're back at the forest because there's something important we need to do here, and since you've been… we'll use the term 'associated' with a shiny Froslass as I've been, that makes you useful to me.” Lord paused for a moment as he watched Breeze continuing to struggle on the ground. “But this… I don't even know what to call this. I want to call it a “display” but…. Either way, it's making me rethink my plan.”

“Well I'm sorry that I just died, you made me think you were incinerating my soul, and I've just suddenly woken up in a limbless body!” Breeze shouted. “Why don't you try that sometime, hmm? It's not as fun of a ride as you make it out to be.”

“Well look at that,” Lord said with a chuckle. “You've got a much different attitude about your death than before. I'd say you're adjusting to being a Ghost-type well on a mental level.”

Breeze was silent for the longest time. “Can you please just teach me how to get myself off the ground?” he asked, trying to change the subject.

“You were once a Butterfree,” Lord replied. “Just imagine your wings are still there. Picture, in your mind, that you're flapping them. Concentrate really hard on the concept of flying, and it will turn into hovering in no time.”

“And I'm supposed to believe that will work?” Breeze asked in an irritated tone.

“Well, looks like it's working fine to me,” Lord replied with a shrug, indicating for Breeze to look down. Sure enough, Breeze had managed to get himself off the ground and start hovering on the same level as Lord without realizing it.

“I'm starting to really hate you,” Breeze said. “Do I look angry? I'm having a hard time figuring out how to do expressions.”

“That body doesn't do expressions,” Lord replied. “And just a warning, you won't do 'emotions' that well either.”

“Why do you say that?” Breeze inquired.

“Take a look behind you,” Lord said. With some difficulty, Breeze turned himself around to see his old body lying on the ground, lifeless.

“Oh… oh Arceus…” Breeze said, hovering towards his own corpse. Breeze was overcome with a strange emotion as he looked on at his body, which now felt like some foreign Butterfree whom he'd never seen before. “What… what is this…? Is this some kind of cruel joke?”

“I wouldn't put it past myself to pull something like this,” Lord replied, “but sadly, this isn't a joke. That really is you, Breeze.”

“That's not what I meant…” Breeze said as he tried to touch his corpse, but to no avail since he had no limbs. “What is this I'm feeling. I want to be sad, angry, sorrowful… but everything feels so strange.”

“You're a Shedinja now, Breeze,” Lord answered. “Shedinja aren't designed for emotions. Their bodies are husks for a weak half-soul to reside in alongside the Ninjask. That's why what I did is called cheating. Some things aren't supposed to happen the way they you want them to for a reason.”

Breeze felt the emotions welling up inside of him until he felt he was going to burst. “I can't…” he started, seeming to wobble in midair. “No… it's not that I can't…”

“You don't want to,” Lord finished. “You don't want to live like this, do you? You don't want to suffer emotions that you can no longer express. Move in ways more restricted than before. Live in a body you weren't born in.” Lord looked off to the side. “Every type of Pokemon has their curse, and now you know the curse of the Ghost-type.”

Breeze was silent for a moment before all his pent-up emotion boiled over and took the form of immense rage. “YOU!” he shouted as he turned around and charged towards Lord. He wasn't trying to use any particular move, he just wanted to cause Lord harm and nothing more. However, Lord stopped the charge with his candles. “WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO ME? WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO GAIN FROM MAKING ME SUFFER LIKE THIS?”

“You can't save your family if you're dead!” Lord shouted back, causing Breeze to pause.

“What…?” Breeze asked, taking a “step” back from Lord.

“I may burn and consume souls for a living, but I'm not a monster,” Lord replied. “I want to help you save your family just as much as you want to see them again. I can't do that without your help, and you'd be dead without me helping you. Do we have an understanding?”

Breeze was silent for a time longer. “Why do you want me to help you?” he finally asked.

“Because I didn't know who else could help me,” Lord admitted. “For six years, I've been lost, alone, and despite what my appearance may suggest, cold. So very cold. I can't stand this cold sensation that I know you have as well.”

“What…?” Breeze asked. “Now that you mention it… I am cold! What the heck is that all about?”

“Aria,” Lord stated. “It was her who killed us both. How? Freezing us to death. Fun fact about Ghost-types: however we died, if we weren't born Ghost-types, we suffer an echo of our death for the rest of eternity. It drives most of us insane.”

“Oh…” Breeze said. “But back to my previous question, why me of all Pokemon? Couldn't you just get another Ghost-type to help you? Like a Sableye or something? You know, something whose life you didn't have to ruin?”

“No,” Lord replied. “It had to be someone else who suffered Aria's wrath.”

Breeze looked down. “It had to be me…” he said. “Why did it have to be ME!?” With that shout, he unleashed a powerful Shadow Ball into the air that exploded like a firework of darkness. Lord was unfazed.

“The best I can do is offer my condolences,” Lord replied. “But I can do no more for you. I can only beg you for help in my plight.”

“What exactly is your plight?” Breeze asked coldly.

Lord sighed. “I made my plight yours as well,” he replied. “I want to die.”

Breeze looked over at Lord with a look that he'd intended to be quizzical. “Run that by me again?” he asked.

“I've already explained to you what the curse of the Ghost-type is,” Lord answered. “I don't want to live like this any more than you do. But the only way I can do that… is by finishing the unfinished business that's bound me to this world.”

“Killing Aria…” Breeze realized. “That's why you need my help? To get you close enough to kill her?”

Lord nodded. “I'm sure you know her, but I can't live like this anymore,” he said. “I've never been this close to her before, and now that I'm so close to death, I'm desperate to feel its warm embrace.” He then turned toward Breeze. “And now you're in the same boat.”

Breeze turned towards Lord. “What does that mean?”

“Something you could stand to learn about Shedinja…” Lord said, “their life force is connected to their host. Now, that's a term that's not supposed to be used, since the 'host' is supposed to be the Nincada – now Ninjask – that they were evolved from. But like I said, I cheated to get you back in the world of the living, so things got wonky. My assumption is that your life force is connected to mine now. That being said… you don't die until I can.”

Breeze was silent for a moment. “I never thought I'd hear that used as a bargaining chip against me…” he said.

“On another note, I'm curious about something…” Lord said. “You don't seem very… vengeful. I shouldn't make generalizations, but most Ghost-types that are brought back from death are vengeful. You know… wanting revenge on those who wronged them in life.”

“Is that something I'm supposed to feel?” Breeze asked. “Or is that something that I'll start feeling with time?”

“Could be the latter,” Lord said with a shrug. “I dunno. It was just something that occurred to me.”

Right then, there was a rustling sound nearby. Breeze and Lord turned around to see three Pokemon come towards them. An Ampharos, a Zoroark, and another Butterfree. Breeze instantly recognized the Butterfree as-

“BUTTERS!” Breeze shouted as he rushed up to his brother, despite Lord trying to hold him back. Breeze Tackled Butters to the ground, doing his best to hug him. “Butters, I'm so, so happy to see that you're okay!”

“Wah!” Butters shouted. “Someone get this Shedinja off of me!”

Breeze moved back, allowing Butters to get airborne again. “Butters, it's me,” Breeze said. “It's Breeze. I'm sorry I'm… it doesn't matter what happened to me. I'm just glad my sacrifice was worth it.”

“What's wrong with that Shedinja?” the Ampharos, Drake, asked. “He's just staring at Butters.”

“Yeah… could you please not stare at me silently?” Butters asked. “No offense, but you're kinda creeping me out.”

“What?” Breeze asked. “But I'm talking to you clear as day! Butters, can't you hear me?”

“I wonder why it's shaking like that…” the Zoroark, Mangol, wondered.

Breeze quickly backed away and went back to Lord, who was just watching the whole time. “You wanna tell me why they can't hear me?” he asked.

“Yeah… one other thing about Ghost-types…” Lord started while rubbing the back of his head with one of his candles, “you might lose some bodily functions in the eyes of the living. Like… some of us are completely invisible to the naked mortal eye. Or in your case, you can't communicate with the living, even though they can see you. The list goes on, but it's not very relevant.”

“OH MY ARCEUS!” Butters suddenly shouted, rushing past Breeze and Lord to Breeze's corpse. “BREEZE!”

Drake and Mangol instantly rushed over to Butters' side, followed by Breeze and Mangol. “We found him…” Drake said, his voice shaking a bit. “I'm so sorry, Butters.”

“Butters… please hear me…” Breeze said, floating over to Butters' side. “I want you to know that I'm still here.”

“I'm sorry for your loss,” Lord said to the group. Apparently, they heard him, since they all turned around towards the Chandelure. “I didn't know him, but I knew there was someone looking for him, so I kept what was left safe.”

“Okay, do you really have to do this?” Breeze asked.

“Thank you…” Butters said, his voice shaky. “You deal with souls, right? Where… where is he now?”

“I'm sure he's watching over you still,” Lord replied. “You were brothers, right?” Butters nodded.

“Lord, please have a little respect,” Breeze pleaded.

“I'm not telling him any lies, am I?” Lord asked aside to Breeze.

Butters turned to Drake and Mangol. “Could you two please leave?” he asked. “I need some time…”

“Of course,” Mangol replied with a nod. With that, she and Drake got up and left, leaving Butters to grieve.

“Are you two just going to float there?” Butters asked Lord and Breeze.

Breeze took his opportunity. “Lord… tell Butters that I want to be buried here.”

“You sure about that?” Lord asked. “An obscure grave in the middle of the woods? Then again, I had worse when I was killed.”

“Well, let him know that I want some kind of burial,” Breeze said.

“Fine,” Lord replied. He then turned to Butters and relayed the message.

“How would you know that's what he wanted?” Butters asked.

“Let's just say I know,” Lord replied. “You don't have to believe me.”

Butters sniffled and rubbed his eye, despite that he was biologically incapable of crying. “It has to be here,” he finally said. “With his immediate family. I know Felix and the others won't like it, but…”

Breeze moved a little closer to Butters. “Yes,” he whispered. “If that will make you happy, that's exactly what I want, little brother.”

Butters took a step back. “That couldn't have been…” he said. “Lord, did you say something?”

“What did it sound like?” Lord asked.

“It almost sounded like…” Butters trailed off, but recomposed himself. “It almost sounded like Breeze said 'yes,' but I could barely hear it.”

Lord nodded. “Trust yourself to know what the right thing to do is,” he said.

“I think this Shedinja knew how to use Dig,” Breeze said to Lord. “I'll do the burying.”

“Are you sure about that?” Lord asked. “Can you handle it emotionally?”

Breeze took a deep breath. “I don't have emotions anymore, remember?”

The actual process of burying was short. Breeze was able to dig the hole easily, and Butters had no trouble lowering the body into the hole. “I'm going to say a few words,” Butters said to Lord. “Thank you, both of you, for your help, but you don't have to stay.”

“Well?” Lord asked Breeze. “Do you think you can do it?”

Breeze was silent for a moment before replying. “I have to,” he said. “For Butters.”

Lord turned to Butters. “I'm going to see this through to the end,” he said. “I gave him all the protection I could while he was waiting for you. And my colleague… he's staying too. Just trust me, he wants to stay for you.”

Butters turned to Breeze. “Thank you,” he said.

“You're welcome,” Breeze replied, even though he knew he wouldn't be heard.

Butters then turned to the grave. “Ever since we hatched,” Butters started, “he was everything I could ask for in a brother. We never knew our parents, so he was all the family I had. He took care of me, practically raised me himself. Even when we were Metapod, he made sure I was safe no matter the cost to him. But now that cost… has finally become too much. Thank you for everything you've done, Breeze. I never imagined it would end like this, but you giving your life to save me… that and everything else you've done for me… that's a debt I could never repay in a million years. And for what it's worth… I never thought you were the boring Butterfree.” Butters then used Confusion vainly to lift the dirt pile that would bury his brother. He struggled for a moment, but suddenly, the dirt moved. Butters looked to his right to see the Shedinja also using Confusion to lift the dirt. “You're… helping me?”

“I just wanted to help you one last time, little bro,” Breeze said with what was supposed to be a smile, but the whole thing was just a blank stare to Butters. Even still, Butters seemed to understand to an extent.

“Thank you,” Butters said. “It's almost as though Breeze sent you here to help me one last time.”

The two then buried Breeze's old body. Together. “Now we'll take our leave,” Lord said when all was said and done.

“I can't thank you two enough for your help,” Butters said. “I know Breeze wouldn't be too thrilled about you two being here, but I still can't help but feel like he wanted you here anyway.”

Breeze couldn't take it anymore. He once more rushed up to Butters and held himself against his brother's chest. He was silent, of course, but this time, Breeze didn't even say anything. He just stayed there, desperately hoping Butters understood.

“You knew him, didn't you?” Butters asked as he embraced Breeze. “That's why you wanted to help.”

“More than you know…” Breeze replied.

“Well I'm happy you could be here for the last farewell,” Butters said, as he released Breeze. “Um… do you two have names?”

“Lord,” Lord said. “And this one's… Nensei.”

“Nensei?” Breeze asked. “Out off all the names you could have given me? Like, I don't know… BREEZE!?”

“It was nice to meet both of you,” Butters said. “Maybe… we'll see each other again someday.” With that, Butters turned and flew back to where Mangol and Drake were waiting.

“Why didn't you tell him who I was?” Breeze asked Lord.

“Rule number 1 of cheating: don't get caught,” Lord replied. “If word gets out that there's a dead Butterfree walking in someone else's body, there's a lot of pain in store for both of us. The only one besides us who could possibly know what I've done at this exact moment is Arceus himself, and we're not in his jurisdiction.” Lord sighed. “Besides, do you really wanna risk putting Butters through that kind of emotional stress? 'Butters, I know we just buried your brother, but he was actually standing right next to you the whole time, watching it happen! I just forcefully moved his soul into another body through an unnatural process. April fools!' Do you really want him to suffer that?”

Breeze looked down. “I guess not…” he said.

Lord put a candle around Breeze's back. “Come on, let's get going,” he said. “We've got work to do.”

Breeze took one last look at Butters as he disappeared into the forest. “Alright,” he surrendered. “Where are we going?”

“First and foremost, we'd better repent,” Lord said. He then pointed into the distance. “We're going to Spear Pillar!”

Lord then began moving forward, but Breeze remained motionless for a time. “Hey Lord?” he called, causing the Chandelure to turn around.

“What is it now?” Lord asked.

“You told me you had a life before you became a Chandelure, right?” Breeze asked.

“Well, technically I became a Litwick,” Lord replied. “But go on.”

“Who were you before all of this?” Breeze asked.

Lord took a deep breath. “I don't remember much,” he said. “Four things, to be exact. First, obviously, it was a shiny Froslass, Aria, who killed me. Second, I was human before I died. Third, I died in a cave somewhere on Mt. Coronet. And fourth, I was with an Umbreon when it happened. I can't remember what his relationship to me was, though I always assumed I was his trainer.” Lord sighed. “Hang on to your memories, Breeze. One day, you'll wake up and realize you can't remember a thing about who you once were.”

Breeze tried to frown, but remembered that he couldn't. Even still, he said, “I'm sorry, Lord.”

“We'll have plenty of time to feel sorry about each other after we finish this,” Lord said with a shake of his head. “Come on. We should get moving.” Lord then turned around and started moving forward again. Breeze followed for a bit, but before he left the clearing, he took one last look back at his grave.

“This isn't what I wanted…” he said to himself. “But it's what I had to do.” He then turned around and began following Lord again.

Author's Note

Okay, so I never actually finished the chapter that I was going to post, (the one where Marcus and Blitz go to Spear Pillar to have their "problem" solved), so in the meantime, I figured I'd post this one instead. Sorry for the feels. Trust me, things are gonna get worse before they get better, but they will get better. I promise.

Probably.

23. Catalyst

Author's Note

I'd like to thank Zeus himself for proofreading this chapter.

Back at Ponyville, Lyra was sitting next to Pinky, looking down at her and thinking. Felix, Kanga, and Roo had left to see if they could find any ripe Rawst or Oran Berries, either in the Everfree or just in the possession of Pokemon around town, so it was just Lyra, Bon Bon, and Pinky in the house.

In the midst of Lyra's thinking, Bon Bon walked into the room. “You okay, Lyra?” she asked.

“I'm fine,” Lyra replied, looking over towards her marefriend and nodding. “I was just thinking…”

Bon Bon walked over and leaned on the arm of the sofa Pinky and Lyra were occupying. “Thinking about what?”

Lyra sighed. “Why is all this happening to us?” she asked. “It feels like these Pokemon have some huge story going on amongst them, and we're just the backdrop. So what about our presence is making their story move forward? It feels like what's going on with them could have happened without us.” Lyra shook her head. “It's a weird thought, I know, but…”

Bon Bon shrugged. “Maybe we're the centerpiece of the story?” she suggested. “Like… we're the ones who brought them all together in the exact right way to make all of this happen. You know… like a catalyst.”

“Like a what?” Lyra asked.

Bon Bon shook her head. “I dabbled in potion brewing for a little while when I was young,” she said. “A catalyst is something that makes the reaction occur. They had the formula mixed together, but they needed us to set everything in motion. At least… that's what I'm thinking. I could be wrong.”

Lyra looked down at the unconscious Pinky again. “There are some things to be happy about with what all's going on,” she started, “but I'm starting to feel like things are getting worse. To the point where I'm not sure if we should have taken Roo in that day…”

Somewhere very deep within the Everfree Forest, Marcus and Blitz at last stood in front of the entrance to Spear Pillar. “It's been quite a journey to get here…” Marcus commented as he stared up at the structure.

“What are you talking about?” Blitz asked, looking over at Marcus. “We got teleported here by some mysterious force.”

“Oh yeah!” Marcus said, shaking his head. “I'm only going to assume that was Arceus' doing.”

“I wonder why he did that for us, though…” Blitz said, rubbing her chin with her hoof and looking down.

“You go ahead and wonder that,” Marcus said. “I'll stick to wondering why there aren't more people around. Ponies, Pokemon, anything.”

“Well, like Arceus said and you repeated, we are going in to face the sheer power of a god,” Blitz replied.

“I know,” Marcus replied with a nod. “I just… assumed there would be more idiots in this world.”

“You mean like us?” Blitz asked, looking at Marcus quizzically.

“You know what?” Marcus replied. “I mean exactly like us.”

Blitz chuckled a little at this. “We could stand here and argue about this all day,” she said, “but don't you think we should go inside and find Arceus so we can actually talk to him?”

Marcus nodded. “Provided we can actually find our way through this place…” he said as he walked into the building and looked inside. “Yeah… this is gonna be fun.” However, the two Rapidash didn't get very far before a pink blur zipped by the two, quickly doubling back to in front of the two. Both Marcus and Blitz instantly recognized the figure as Mew.

“Hi there!” Mew said with a smile and a wave. “I'm Mew.”

“Uh… hi,” Marcus said. “Nice to meet you. We were looking for-”

“Arceus?” Mew interrupted. “Yeah, my dad sent me down here to find you two and see if I couldn't solve your little… ahem, 'problem' quickly.” Mew looked over at Blitz. “I'm really sorry about what's happened.”

Blitz looked down. “Thanks, I guess,” she said.

“Oh don't look so down,” Mew replied, not losing her cheery attitude. “That's exactly why I'm here. This sorta thing is my forte!” Mew then flew over to Blitz and began examining her midsection while rubbing her chin. “Hmm…”

“Do you have to get so close…?” Blitz asked.

“I could get a lot closer,” Mew replied, “but there's probably children in the audience.”

“What does that mean?” Marcus asked, a little confused.

“Nothing,” Mew replied. “Just trust me, I know what I'm doing.” Mew then spent a little more time studying Blitz before backing away and moving in front of both of them.

“Well?” Blitz asked.

“It's no small fix,” Mew replied with a shake of her head. “Something real big happened to you to get you in this shape. I can do it, but I'm really curious as to what exactly you've done.” Catching a glare from Blitz, Mew quickly added, “I can assure you, 'what you've done' doesn't apply to Marcus here. Beyond doubt, doing stuff with a human doesn't cause infertility or… whatever this could be.”

“So Pinky was wrong after all,” Marcus said with a nod.

“Pfft,” Mew scoffed. “You really took her reasoning for a grain of salt? Not trying to stereotype her, but between her and I, which of us do you think has about 19 Professional degrees in different areas of the medical field from eight different countries?”

Marcus and Blitz exchanged glances and shrugged. “She's got a point,” Blitz said before turning back to Mew. “So… what do you need us to do?”

“What do you mean?” Mew asked, tilting her head slightly.

“Well… is this gonna cost us anything?” Blitz continued. “Do we need to… retrieve a Fire Stone from a volcano, guarded by a giant shiny Magmortar who commands a dozen Infernape minions?”

Mew chuckled. “You realize you just described Heatran's weekend last week, right?” she asked. “In all seriousness, no. You really don't have to anything in return. Helping Pokemon in need is my job, and I love it!” Mew said the last part of that sentence with a back flip in midair. “I just need an excuse to keep you relatively still for several minutes, that's all.”

“Well… I could do that,” Blitz said with smile. “Is it gonna hurt?”

“It shouldn't,” Mew replied with a shake of her head before rubbing her hands together. “Okay, now let's see if we can't-” Mew suddenly stopped mid-sentence and looked up slightly. “Oh, looks like the whole 'waiting' problem just got solved. Dad wants to see you two.”

“You mean Arceus himself?” Marcus asked. “He wants to see us?”

Mew shrugged. “Well, I don't see any other reason he'd contact me telepathically and say…” Before continuing, Mew started speaking in the deepest and most official voice she could manage. “'Sweetie, could you please let Marcus and Blitz know that I'd like them to come to my throne room? Something's come to my attention, and they might be interested in hearing it.'” With an exhale, Mew continued talking in her normal voice. “Well, he doesn't sound exactly like that, but you get what I mean.”

“Okay…” Blitz said. “So… are you gonna take us there?”

“Actually, he's likely to teleport us to him any moment now,” Mew replied. There was some momentary silence before all three were suddenly consumed by a flash of white light for a moment. When the light dissipated, the group found themselves standing before Arceus himself in his throne room.

“So this is Marcus and Blitz…” Arceus said as he looked down upon the two.

Both Rapidash were just staring up in aw at Arceus. They were actually meeting God himself. They probably wouldn't have been snapped out of their awe if it weren't for Mew whispering to the two, “This is the part where you bow.”

“Oh!” Marcus said in a surprised tone before he and Blitz bowed as best they could. (Even Blitz had trouble with this. After all, bowing isn't something a quadruped just… does.)

“You may rise,” Arceus said, and the two Rapidash did so. “Marcus Lyre, while I know the names of every single one of my subjects, you're easily in my top four-thousand in the 'Favorite Humans' category.”

“Um… I'm honored?” Marcus replied.

“And Blitz…” Arceus continued, “as much as I'd like to congratulate you, I understand that circumstances have yielded otherwise, and you have my condolences.”

Blitz looked down. “Thank you,” she said. Suddenly, though, she perked up. “Wait, I'm not in any of your 'Favorite Pokemon' categories?”

“Well, I suppose you are somewhere in the top three-thousand Naughty-natured Rapidash…” Arceus replied. “You have to understand, I have a lot of subjects.” Blitz sighed, but didn't say anything. “But enough about playing favorites. I know exactly what you two are here for.” Arceus looked over towards Mew. “You may go ahead and start. What I have to say may take a while.”

“Okay!” Mew cheered before floating over to Blitz's side. “Now, this might tickle a bit, but I'll have everything sorted out in no time.” Mew then began concentrating her psychic energy on Blitz.

“Thank you, Mew,” Blitz said with a smile. Mew returned the smile, but didn't say anything.

“And while she's doing that,” Arceus continued, “I've recently come across some information that you two may want to know. Regarding your friend Aria, I mean.”

Marcus was quick to perk up in curiosity. “About Aria, you say?” he asked. “What do you mean?”

“Where Aria comes from, Mt. Coronet, there's a small, very obscure prophecy passed down by the eldest Pokemon of that mountain,” Arceus continued. “It is titled, 'The Battle of the Five Ghosts.' An anonymous source recently came to me claiming that this prophecy is about to come true.”

Blitz was paying attention, but when Arceus said “anonymous source,” her attention was suddenly directed to the flaming pedestals on either side of Arceus' throne. Not quite that they were there, but rather their coloring. A purplish-blue. “Um…” Blitz started, “if you don't mind me asking-”

“It's the color of the day,” Arceus replied. “You're not the first one today to ask about the flaming pedestals.”

“Alright…” Blitz replied with an unsure nod. “Please, continue.”

Arceus nodded. “The legend is as follows…” he said before clearing his throat. “Upon the mountain where all has begun, three shall be born. Two of the same blood, who shine as beacons, one of whom with the lust for death, the other tortured by the first. These two shall bear a third, who will eternally suffer both the frost and the flame. He will seek these two for years to come, as will whom he leaves behind.

“Two score and ten moons later, the fourth shall leave the world,” Arceus continued. “He'll die protecting those he loves, but he will not become as the first three had. He'll be bound to this world, but as no corporeal form. Only can he observe, and await a fateful crossroads.

“One and fourteen then shall pass before the Thousand Arms – not my favorite reference to me in prophecies, I should add – plays the world's final card. The planet will be abandoned, those remaining left for dead, but the four spirits will come along. In the land of the Ponyta who can take to the skies, the fifth and final will be born. The fateful crossroads, which makes the fourth spirit known, will have the ultimate consequence on a poor soul, who will give his life for his only kin. His return will be by ungodly hands, but it was meant to be nonetheless. He and the third shall join another group, one bent on defeating an unknown foe before all is lost. The first, second, and fourth will then lie in wait. When the day comes, these five will do battle upon the battlefield created by the cyan Rapidash. Should the first or second remain, the new world shall be damned by eternal winter. If the third shall remain, the world reduced to ash. The fourth and fifth have nowhere to go, they cannot even be spared their own damnation, but they will allow this world to live.”

There was a long pause after Arceus finished the story. “The first and second…” Marcus started, “those are Aria and Lassie, aren't they?”

Arceus nodded. “They are of the same blood,” he said. “You didn't know?”

Marcus shook his head. “I get the feeling Aria didn't even know…”

“But wait...” Blitz said, “Aria said she already killed Lassie. Shouldn’t that ruin the prophecy or something?”

Arceus chuckled. “Prophecies tend to be quite resilient,” he replied. “Even if one party dies, the prophecy still tends to find a way to come true. That’s just a rule of thumb I’ve found in my time.”

“And Equus is the ‘land of the Ponyta who can take to the skies,’ isn’t it?” Marcus asked. “That means the cyan Rapidash is that Lyra pony who helped Meganium get out of Felix’s head. So we already know that he’s one of the five.” Marcus looked up. “Do you know who the other two are?”

“Even if I did know, it wouldn’t be your place to know at this time,” Arceus replied. “Sorry. Just one of those rules in the God-mortal relationship. Nothing personal.”

Marcus and Blitz looked at each other. “Should we tell the others?” Blitz asked. “More importantly, should we tell Aria?”

Marcus looked up at Arceus before turning back to Blitz. “I get the feeling Arceus wouldn’t have told us this if he didn’t want us to relay the message.” After a brief pause, Marcus looked back at Arceus quizzically. “Right?”

“Tell me you aren’t that dependent on my input,” Arceus said in what Marcus assumed to be a bemused tone.

“Well I mean, if you’re still in the room...” Marcus said. With a shake of his head, he turned back to Blitz. “We should at least ask Aria if she knew anything about this before telling everyone else. Maybe leave out the fact that she and Lassie are sisters, though. If she already knew, she’s more likely to bring it up herself.”

“Or not,” Blitz replied. “You know how she hates to talk about her past.”

“Good point,” Marcus said with a rub of his chin. “It couldn’t hurt to leave Lassie out of the conversation completely if that’s the case, I guess.”

“So have you two decided upon your course of action?” Arceus asked.

Marcus nodded. “We ask Aria first, and if she knows of any immediate danger, we tell everyone else. After Aria, I guess we’ll try to get Felix to keep it a secret until we know more.”

“We’ll need some luck with that,” Blitz mumbled. “But that’s a good idea.” She then turned to Mew. “Are you finished yet?”

Mew looked like she was staring off into space, but snapped back to attention when she heard her name. “Oh, that,” she said. “I actually fixed you up in the first few seconds you were in here.” Mew giggled. “Sorry, I just can’t resist a little bit of dramatic effect from time to time. Though I was serious about what went wrong being something I don’t see very often. I’ll look into it when I get the chance, but for right now...” Mew nudged Blitz’s shoulder. “I get the feeling what you two would rather wait on telling your friends all about what Arceus said for just a little while... if you catch my drift.”

Blitz didn’t need even a moment’s hesitation. She knew exactly what Mew was talking about and instantly looked over to Marcus with an excited grin. “You heard her, right Marcus?” she asked.

Marcus returned the grin. “I did indeed,” he said.

“If you two could please restrain yourselves until I can teleport you back to your den,” Arceus quickly said. “That would be nice.”

“Oh, and one more thing,” Mew said to Blitz. “I took the liberty of fixing your flames as well. You’re back to burning like a regular Rapidash.”

Upon hearing this, Blitz instantly ran up and hugged Mew. “I can’t thank you enough,” Blitz said, a tear rolling down her eye. “You’ve done so much for Marcus and I.”

“Again, it’s not a problem” Mew replied, happily returning the hug. Once Blitz released her, Mew added, “Alright you two, in your family, counting both yours and Felix’s teams, there’s seventeen Pokemon. That’s the number to beat.”

Marcus chuckled. “Challenge accepted,” he replied.

“It was nice meeting you two,” Arceus said. “May your lives be merry and all that other positive junk I’m supposed to send mortals off with.” Then, in two flashes of light, Arceus teleported Marcus and Blitz back to their den. After a slight pause, he turned to Mew. “Sweetie, could you please leave for a moment? I have a private conversation to attend before I can see the next group.”

“Okay,” Mew replied with a nod before flying out the giant doors on the other side of the throne room.

After a slight pause to make sure the coast was clear, Arceus looked down at the flaming pedestals before his throne. “Those two are the ones you were talking about?” Arceus asked, though it was more of a statement.

“Without a doubt,” a voice replied. Suddenly, the purplish-blue flames flared and threw themselves onto the ground before Arceus. When the flames died, a Chandelure and a Shedinja were revealed.

“I’ll still see to it you’ll be punished for your actions, Lord,” Arceus said with glare.

“And I’ll be in the next life before you get that chance,” Lord replied with a bow. He was silent for a moment while looking over at Breeze and nodding. “Breeze says he can map out everyone he knows is involved.”

“I know,” Arceus said. “I can hear him.”

“Oh...” Lord said. “Well, now you know why I’ve done what I’ve done, and why I had to drag poor Breeze along with me, so we’ll take our leave now.”

“One moment longer, Lord,” Arceus said. “Do you know who you must seek out as per the prophecy?”

Lord shook his head. “How hard could they be to find, though?” he asked.

“They are far away from Ponyville at present,” Arceus replied. “And their team is still fragmented. Have fun finding them yourself.”

Lord was about to speak up, but he stopped for a moment. “Don’t ‘neener neener’ me, Breeze,” Lord said angrily to the Shedinja. “You still have to come with me, don’t forget.” As Arceus chuckled, Lord turned back to the God. "And remind me again, what's stopping me from making my way to Aria right away?”

“She is stronger than she may seem,” Arceus replied. “If just the two of you go after her now, she will easily overpower you. Plus, her friends will not recognize either of you, and try to defend her.” Arceus looked over at Breeze. “That could include your brother.”

Breeze looked up for a moment, then looked down, appearing sad. Lord sighed. “Fine, we'll do it your way,” the Chandelure grumbled. “Where are we headed first?”

“The Appalosian Mountains,” Arceus replied. “You are to seek out an Empoleon named Princess and an Escavalier named Lancer. But be weary. Along the way, you will encounter a trickster named Monochrome. He will attempt to lead you astray for the sole purpose of his own amusement. Personally, the thought of you two getting the runaround from a Pokemon such as him gives me joy, but I understand you've got a lot at stake.”

Lord huffed. “So can we leave now?” he asked.

“Not quite yet,” Arceus replied. His eyes flashed for a moment, and in an instant, two cakes appeared. One of them, with red and black frosting, was placed in Lord's arm. The other, blue and pink in color, appeared on top of Breeze's head. “Those are apology cakes. If you came to repent for cheating death as you have, you'll give those to Xerneas and Yveltal on your way out of Spear Pillar.”

Lord sniffed at his cake, and instantly recoiled. “Ugh, it smells like death,” he complained.

“That one's Yveltal's,” Arceus stated. “Now then, just ask Mew to show you where the two are, deliver the cakes, and you can be on your way.”

“Fine,” Lord grumbled. He then turned to Breeze and glared. “How can you brag yours smells nice? You don't even have a sense of smell.”

“Enough,” Arceus finally said. “I suggest you two get moving.”

“Very well,” Lord said with a nod. “Until next time.” Then, with a bow, Lord turned and left, Breeze following close behind.

Once the two were out of the room, Arceus sighed. “Just one week ago, mortals were doing just fine without me,” he grumbled. “Now, all of a sudden, they've got all these problems they can't solve without me telling them what to do.”

“To be fair, you did move them all to a new and strange planet!” Mew called from outside the room.

Arceus sighed once more. “That I did…”

Author's Note

Blitz and Marcus have their lives back in order, but they also bear new knowledge that could potentially affect everyone they hold dear, with Lord and Breeze being the final two pieces of a deadly puzzle.

Blitz: Yeah, friends are in danger and all, but...

I understand. You and Marcus have your, ahem, "priorities."
Anyway, next chapter might be delayed in comparison to the last couple, mostly because I haven't started writing the next chapter yet...

Tiny: Or, you could post that bonus chapter about me you started writing for some reason.

Eh... I'll think about it. It's a kinda weird chapter compared to the last three bonus chapters, but I'll see how I feel about it when it's done.

24. A Spark to Start the Fire

Somewhere else in the Everfree Forest, Tiny and Aria were making their way to Ponyville to see if they could catch up with Marcus and Blitz. (Of course, they wouldn't find out until they arrived that Marcus and Blitz were long gone.) In order to pass the time, the two were exchanging stories.

“…and for some reason, I couldn't help myself,” Tiny continued. “I just started putting my hands on every part of the pony that I could reach. For a Pokemon who feeds off of happiness like myself, it was like a buffet fit for gods! And from then on, I knew I'd probably never have to eat solid foods ever again as long as we stay in this world.” Tiny chuckled. “Of course, that doesn't mean I'll turn my nose away to pastries.”

“Uh-huh…” Aria said with a nod. “Remind me again, how did all of this stem from you asking me if I was free this evening?”

Tiny tapped his chin. “I'm not sure…” he said. “Maybe I started thinking about what kinds of berries you like, which got me thinking about food, which reminded me that I hadn't been hungry in ages, which-”

“Point taken,” Aria quickly interrupted. “Sorry, it's just… you tend to talk a lot.”

“Oh…” Tiny said in a slightly deflated tone. “Sorry, I'm still working on that.”

Aria chuckled. “It's alright, Tiny. It's not that I don't enjoy talking with you, but you have a tendency to dominate the conversation.”

“Well, what do you have to talk about?” Tiny asked. “I can listen, too.”

Aria looked up and rubbed her chin. “I really don't have much of anything to talk about,” she replied with a shrug. With a chuckle, she added, “Well, nothing terrifying or traumatic.” Tiny didn't laugh. “Ah… I guess I still need to work on my sense of humor, don't I?”

“I mean, you're making progress,” Tiny replied with a patient smile. He then looked up. “You know, I just realized something.”

“What is it?” Aria asked, looking over at Tiny quizzically.

“This doesn't happen very often,” Tiny replied, looking back at Aria. “The two of us being alone. I mean, without Marcus or the others with us. Just you and I… hanging out.”

“Hmm,” Aria said with a nod. “You've got a point there.”

Tiny moved a little closer to Aria. “Which brings me to my previous question,” he said. “Do you have any plans for tonight?”

Aria backpedaled a bit. “Um…” Aria said, looking down. “I mean, I guess not. Why? Are you…?”

Tiny smiled and nodded. “Why wouldn't I?” he replied, taking Aria's hands in his own. “Aria, I know we've been friends for a long time, and you and I both know of my promiscuous personality, but every time I see you, every time I hold you close to me, I feel…” Suddenly, Tiny looked off past Aria as something orange dashing behind a tree caught his eye. “Sparkles?”

“Sparkles?” Aria asked, confused. “That's an odd way of saying-”

“No, it's…” Tiny started before looking back to Aria. “Someone I said I'd help some time back, but never found again.” Tiny shook his head. “I'm sorry. We were having a moment. As I was saying, just the sight of you gives me a feeling unlike anything I'd ever felt before.” Tiny looked down, unable to control his nervous grin. “Aria…”

“Yes, Tiny?” Aria asked.

“I know it's a bit out of the ordinary, especially for me…” Tiny continued, looking up into Aria's eyes, “but I just have to ask… will you go out with me? On a date? Like what Marcus and Blitz sometimes do?”

Aria gasped, utterly shocked by what she'd just heard. “Tiny… you really feel that way about me?” she asked.

“It's something I've been putting a lot of thought into,” Tiny replied with a nod. “Several month's worth, to be precise.” Tiny chuckled. “I know, it's probably a bit much, and I likely didn't need to say that, and you really don't have to say yes-” Tiny was interrupted when Aria placed a hand over his mouth.

“None of that matters to me,” Aria said with what was likely a smile. “I don't really care how much prep you've put into this, how much thought… what matters is that you care about me, and I thank you for that. But…” Aria looked off to the side, and Tiny looked a bit concerned. “I just… never thought of you that way, Tiny. No offense, but I never thought you'd be the kind of Pokemon who would try to find a life mate.”

Tiny sighed and looked down. “None taken. I see your point.” Tiny looked back up at Aria. “I don't blame you for only seeing my past. To be fair, I probably wouldn't have said yes if the shoe was on the other foot. Sorry for even asking.”

Aria looked up at Tiny and met his sad expression with her own. “No, it's not like that at all, Tiny,” Aria said while shaking her head. “Believe me, I'm likely the authority on second chances in our family. I'd definitely give you a chance if things were different, but…” Aria sighed. “Tiny… you're really great, and nothing anyone could possibly say could change that in my book, but I just don't think I'm ready for that sort of thing. Settling down with someone, forming a bond that could never be broken, spending the rest of eternity with the one you love – not to mention the fact that we might be on two different levels with that last thing – I just never gave it any thought.” Aria was silent for a moment before she started again. “I'm really sorry, Tiny. I can't imagine how much I mean to you, and for this to be my answer…”

Tiny shook his head and looked up at Aria with an attempted smile. “It's all good, Aria,” he said. “Really, it is. I knew from the start that this was a shot in the dark. Just… thank you for being honest with me.” Tiny cleared his throat. “Now that this spectacular train wreck of a date proposal is over… we can put this behind us, right? This doesn't have to change anything?”

Aria nodded. “We're still friends,” she said. “And to be perfectly fair, I'm know you'll find a girl or guy who's just right for you one day. I promise.”

Tiny smiled a little. “Thanks Aria,” he said. He then opened his arms. “A hug, maybe? Just between friends?”

Aria chuckled. “Just between friends,” she said as she embraced Tiny.

”This whole thing was so stupid of me,” Tiny scolded in his head. ”Why did I even think she'd be interested…?”

”That answer was so stupid of me,” Aria thought to herself. ”How could I have broken his heart like that? Why couldn't I just give him a chance…?”

The two then broke their hug and smiled at each other. A friendly smile, but neither one noticed the regret in the other's eye. “So…” Aria said, rubbing the back of her head. “Did you wanna follow that Sparkles character you saw? You seemed interested in him.”

“Oh right!” Tiny exclaimed. “Ah… I hope he's not angry at me. I told him I'd help him last year, and I haven't seen him since.”

Aria noticed that Tiny was a bit excited. “Are you alright, Tiny?” she asked. “You seem a bit mixed over this guy.”

Tiny chuckled. “Oh, it's not really Sparkles who I'm excited over,” he said. “I'm talking about that Sparkles, who belongs to him!”

Aria raised an eyebrow. “Who?”

Tiny shook his head. “Can't believe you don't remember me talking about him,” he said. “The only one I could be talking about is literally the biggest international star on the Pokemon Contest and Showcase scene, and the one I've gushed about every time I saw him on the news!”

Aria was silent for a moment. “Maybe you should remind me…”

“If not now, then I'll tell you later,” Tiny said. “Come on, I'm not slowing down if I wanna keep up with Sparkles!” The Togetic then dashed off in the direction he saw Sparkles run, Aria following close behind.

Somewhere else in the Everfree, Alonzo and his group were discussing their next course of action.

“There's a town nearby called Ponyville,” Nana said. “Neither me nor Ki have been their yet, but our trainers are there, and they claim to have found other members of their teams there.”

“Actually, we may have better luck here,” Kunoichi replied. “I can sense something special about this forest. It has a power unlike anything I'd ever-”

“Magic,” Ki interrupted. “The forest calls its power magic. From what it tells me, it's a far cry from any Fairy- or Psychic-type's abilities. You could have a point, that being said.” The Leafeon sighed. “Though I've been on this planet for about five days now, and I haven't been to this 'Ponyville' place. I've heard interesting stuff about it. Sounds like a nice tourist's destination, and really friendly towards Pokemon.”

“I'm sorry, I'm a little confused here,” Alonzo said while rubbing the back of his head. “Are we looking for teammates or sightseeing? Legitimately curious, because I think I zoned out somewhere in the conversation.”

Gatsu rolled his eyes. “Sarcasm noted, Alonzo,” the Umbreon complained before turning to Ki and Nana. “I think I've got a better idea. Maybe the time has come for us to go our separate ways.”

“No!” Ki suddenly shouted, causing everyone to stare at her with a curious expression, except for Kunoichi, who just gave an odd stare. “I mean… what's the rush? We were only just getting to know each other. As I've heard the forest say in passing, friendship is magic. Discern from that what you will, but I say-” Ki stopped suddenly and her ears began twitching. “Alonzo, do you by chance have a Wigglytuff on your team?”

“I do,” Alonzo replied with a nod. “Why?”

“There's one headed this way,” Ki replied, fixing her gaze a little past the Typhlosion. “And from what the forest is saying, she's got company.”

Sure enough, after just a few more seconds, there was a rustling sound coming from where Ki had everyone look. All of a sudden, there was a loud scream, and a huge pink ball came crashing into the clearing, hitting the ground with a loud thud. “Ow…” the ball groaned before rolling over onto its back, revealing long bunny ears, a white underside, and a partially crushed Raichu lying where face first where the Wigglytuff landed.

“Tuff Puff?” Alonzo asked the Wigglytuff. He then turned to the Raichu. “And Sparkles?”

“That's me,” the Raichu said while raising a hand, though not getting up.

“Nice seeing you again, Alonzo,” Tuff Puff said as she rolled herself back to her feet. She then dusted herself off before examining the Pokemon before her. “Wait, don't tell me. Alonzo, you're the… Leafeon, right?”

“Wrong,” Alonzo replied. “But you tried.”

“Wait, you're a Typhlosion?” Tuff Puff asked. “Wow, I really thought you'd be an Eeveeloution. Like a Sylveon or something.”

Alonzo shrugged. “Yeah, I was thinking the same thing,” he said before turning to Sparkles. “Uh… is he okay?”

“Oh right!” Tuff Puff exclaimed. “I got attacked by some weird spiky vine, tripped, caught Sparkles in my fall, and landed on him several times.” The Wigglytuff then turned to Sparkles and clasped her hands together. “Heal Pulse.” A wave of pink light emitted from Tuff Puff and washed over Sparkles. After a second, the Raichu leapt back to his feet. “Sorry about that, Sparkles.”

“It's alright,” Sparkles replied, massaging his shoulder. “But remind me to never let me run in front of you in the future.”

“Hey, you were the one who wanted to reunite with Alonzo as fast as possible,” Tuff Puff replied with a shake of her head.

“Eh… point taken,” Sparkles surrendered before turning to Alonzo. “Alonzo… it's great to see you again!”

“Same to you,” Alonzo replied with a smile.

Sparkles paused for a moment. “Uh… I kinda wanted to run up and tackle-hug you the second I saw you again,” he continued, “but I think the moment's kinda passed.”

Alonzo chuckled and opened his arms. “One for the heck of it,” the Typhlosion said.

Sparkle's face lit up with excitement before he ran up and leapt at full-force into Alonzo's arms. “You have no idea how happy I am to see you again,” Sparkles said.

“I'm glad to see you too,” Alonzo replied with a smile.

The two broke their hug and everyone was silently staring at each other for a moment. Tuff Puff then made a gesture at Sparkles. ”Well?” the Wigglytuff asked with the gesture, nodding towards Alonzo.

“What?” Alonzo asked, noticing Sparkles was looking at Tuff Puff weird, though when he turned to the latter, she was trying a little too hard to look innocent. Turning back to Sparkles, Alonzo asked, “Something you wanna tell me?”

“Um…” Sparkles said, looking down and rubbing the back of his head. The Raichu took a deep breath before looking up at Alonzo. “You know what? I'm done with this. Tuff Puff is right. It's time I stopped being so secretive about it.”

“What are you talking about?” Alonzo asked. “Wait… are you coming out?”

“I'd say I am,” Sparkles replied, taking a step towards Alonzo. “Alonzo Halgamlith, like you, I am attracted to males. I have no interest in a female mate. To be blunt, I am gay.”

The air around the group was very still for a time after Sparkles said everything he did. Kunoichi leaned over to Ki and whispered, “And with that, less than half of our team is officially straight.”

The first word that was spoken aloud so that everyone could hear was from Alonzo, who spoke his sentence with a smile. “That was very brave of you, Sparkles,” he said. “If you've been hiding this for as long as I'm assuming, mustering up the courage to tell us must have been difficult. I'm proud of you for doing this.”

Sparkles returned Alonzo's smile. “Thank you, Alonzo,” the Raichu said. “But… there's a little more to my whole 'coming out' thing. You see, I've already had my eye on a potential mate for a long time, and it's someone who I've grown very fond of over the years. Someone who's on our team.”

Gatsu instantly took a step back. “Woah, dude,” he said, “I'm flattered, but I just don't feel the same way.”

“Not you!” Sparkles snapped. Regaining his composure, Sparkles added, “Sorry. I shouldn't have snapped like that. I'm letting nerves get to me.” The Raichu then turned back to Alonzo. “Alonzo, I understand that your views on this subject aren't as positive as they could be, and not nearly as positive as I'd like them to be, but…” Sparkles paused to take another deep breath. “Alonzo, the one I love on our team… is you.”

Alonzo's expression instantly became that of one who was shocked beyond words, not only in description, but in the fact that he was legitimately without words to say. “Uh… Alonzo?” Gatsu asked, looking up at the Typhlosion. “Are you alright?”

Kunoichi walked up and waved a hand in front of Alonzo's face. “Alonzo, are you still with us?” she asked.

Alonzo blinked for a moment and stepped back like he had just lost balance before regaining his footing. “Um…” he said, looking down at Sparkles, but he found himself unable to form any other words. “Eh…”

Everyone stared with expectation and/or concern at Alonzo, whose gaze didn't break from Sparkles, who was in the “expectant stare” category. “Alonzo?” Sparkles asked. “I'm sorry if I upset you, but… don't you have anything to say at all?”

“I…” Alonzo tried to say. He gulped nervously before continuing. “Sparkles, I care about you, a lot, just as much as anyone else on the team, but…” The Typhlosion looked away from Sparkles. “I'm really sorry, but you already know how I feel. I can't. I… I just can't.”

Sparkles' ears drooped as his expression saddened. “I knew you'd say that,” the Raichu said. “But hearing it come out of your mouth… it hurts more than I thought it would. Still, I need to know why.”

“Why?” Alonzo asked, looking back at Sparkles. “Why can't I return the feelings one of my Pokemon have for me? Because I'm your trainer! Because I'm human! It isn't-”

“'It isn't' what?” Sparkles interrupted, raising his voice a bit. “Right? Natural? Fair? Normal? I've heard it all. And what's with this 'because you're human' thing, hmm? Last I checked,” Sparkles indicated Alonzo's body, “that's kind of a lie.”

“It's…” Alonzo started, but the words didn't come out. “I'm still human on the inside.”

“Maybe you are,” Sparkles replied, “but on the outside, you're a Pokemon like me. Like Tuff Puff. Like all of us. There's no longer a line.”

“Well maybe I'm still not ready to cross that line regardless!” Alonzo replied loudly, his flames flaring. “Maybe I just don't want to altogether! Maybe I'd rather not just throw my old life away just because I'm on a new planet in a new body with a new life!”

“Maybe you don't have to, and you're just being an ass about this whole thing!” Sparkles shouted back. “Face it, Alonzo, you can't argue with this! You're no longer human, ergo no longer my trainer, but rather an equal. You can still life like you used to, but alongside us on a more equal level. If you could just see what I'm saying as-”

“Well if you wanna invalidate all those other arguments,” Alonzo interrupted, “then that leaves just one possibility. Maybe the reason I can't love you is you!”

“Me?” Sparkles asked, taking a step back. “What do you mean by that?”

“What couldn't I mean?” Alonzo replied in a sarcastic tone. “You're pushy, you don't like to take 'no' for an answer – or even for a suggestion at that – not once have you ever followed a routine without adding at least one move of your own, which has cost us more losses than I've had with any other teammate… and have you ever brushed your teeth?”

Sparkles took another step back, obviously offended. “Alonzo, how could you?” the Raichu asked. “You really think all of that?”

“Well most of the evidence has been right here in this conversation!” Alonzo replied. “I don't talk like this is this is the first time, do I?” The Typhlosion turned to Ki and Nana. “Does this sound like the first time Sparkles has acted like this?” Ki and Nana quickly shook their heads, fearing Alonzo's wrath.

“Oh, and you're a pretty little angel,” Sparkles sarcastically added. “You love to take suggestions! You love to stick to your own plans, even when everything's going wrong! You just fucking enjoy dental hygiene! Need I add more? You've never treated any of the team as an equal. Yeah, I picked up on that. You treat us nice, sure. But for what reason? So we'll perform well for you on the stage. You don't accept victory very gracefully in comparison to most other trainers and coordinators we've encountered, and you accept loss even worse. Oh, and here's my favorite part. If I were to become your mate, I'd be with you for life. I would never be unfaithful, and I'd stick with you until the end. You, on the other hand? You've never had a stable boyfriend. Every guy I've seen you with, it lasted anywhere from one night to two weeks! You have no idea how that makes me feel! To watch you break hearts, to watch your heart be broken with me unable to do anything about it, to watch you just sleep around like it was nobody's fucking business! And the act you put on most of the time… 'Oh, I'm going through a rough spot, but I'm really not that kind of guy. Though, if you're that adamant about it…' It embarrasses me! And you know what? I'm willing to love you despite all of this! You see just a few of your quirks in me, and all of a sudden I'm no good for you! You can hide behind all your excuses, but you've shown me just what I was getting myself into! A heartless, closed-minded ass who's not worth half a damn!”

There was a long pause where Sparkles just panted angrily while glaring at Alonzo, who glared back. No one dared to say anything or even breathe. “So that's that, huh?” Alonzo asked finally. “That's how you truly feel about me?”

“I guess so,” Sparkles replied through gritted teeth. “Thanks for enlightening me, Alonzo.”

“Okay, let's try to take a timeout here,” Tuff Puff said, seizing her opportunity to get between the two. “Emotions are going all over the place, a lot of mental peace has probably been disturbed by all of this, and maybe some painful thoughts were triggered without anyone realizing it… but it's all off our chests. So if we could just put all this behind us, make up, and-” Tuff Puff stopped mid-sentence, causing everyone to stare at her awkwardly. The Wigglytuff rubbed the back of her head. “Oh… I kinda expected one of you to interrupt me and storm off or something…”

“I'd never do that,” Sparkles said, still glaring daggers at Alonzo. “After all, friends don't treat each other that way.” The Raichu then turned and stormed off. “See ya when you're ready to apologize, Alonzo.”

“You'd better come back with your own apology ready!” Alonzo called back as Sparkles disappeared into the forest.

There was general silence before Tuff Puff spoke up. “I'd… better make sure he doesn't do something particularly stupid,” she said. “For what it's worth, Alonzo, you did kinda escalate that conversation without need.”

“Well…” Alonzo said, looking down, but he quickly looked back at Tuff Puff and said, “He's the one who wouldn't drop the subject after I'd already declined.”

Tuff Puff sighed. “You don't know his feelings like I do,” she said. “You should see how he talks about you when it's just me and him. He really loves you, Alonzo. If you ever find the heart to apologize, you really should give the kid a chance.” With a slight smile, Tuff Puff turned and ran after Sparkles.

There was yet another silence amongst the remainder of the group. Ki noticed that Gatsu was looking around, almost oblivious to what just happened. “You alright, Gatsu?” the Leafeon asked.

“I thought I heard something while everyone was shouting,” Gatsu replied, turning to Ki. “I could barely hear it as it was, but it almost sounded like… someone throwing up.”

Hidden in the brush opposite where everyone had been looking, Tiny lay against a tree with Aria holding a ribbon to his head. The Togetic didn't look very well, and Aria was evidently concerned.

“So this is what happens when you're exposed to negative emotions?” Aria asked.

“It's gotta be real bad to make me throw up like I did…” Tiny replied weakly. “Hey, at least you've learned something. I feed off of happiness, but the opposite happens when discord and anger occur.” Tiny struggled to get up onto his feet. “I feel like this is my fault.”

“No, it isn't,” Aria said, trying to guide Tiny back down, but to no avail. “Not all turmoil is because of you.”

“But this is,” Tiny replied. “If I'd gone back to help Sparkles when we met last year at that contest, maybe this wouldn't be happening now.” Tiny tried to take a step forward, but lost his balance and fell to his knees.

“Tiny, you're too weak to move,” Aria said. “Wait… how are you too weak to move in the first place?”

“All that rainbow stuff I threw up?” Tiny replied. “That was all I've had to 'eat' for the past few days. I could regain my strength easily by spending time around ponies again, but just knowing that these two are quarreling like this… it just makes me sad.” Tiny gave a slight smile. “And I'm not too weak to move. I'm just not used to using my legs.”

“Oh,” Aria said. “Yeah, I have noticed that you're always flying.”

“Floating,” Tiny corrected. “Like you do. Flying would imply that I need my wings to stay airborne.” The Togetic then looked in the direction that Sparkles stormed off. “I'm going to see what I can do, but I need you to do something for me.”

“What is it?” Aria asked.

“I need you to look for two Pokemon for me,” Tiny replied. “Ace and Cross.”

Aria floated a pace back, a look of disgust on her face. “Ace and Cross? Really?” she asked. “You know how I feel about them.”

“Those two Meowstic taught me everything I know,” Tiny replied. “Ergo, they helped me teach you most of what you know. I wish this could be done without them, but what's going on here is beyond either me or you.” The Togetic sighed and gently rubbed Aria's cheek. “I wouldn't do this if I didn't absolutely need it. Please, Aria, help me. This sort of thing is something I can't just walk away from, and it's too big a deal for me to handle on my own. And… I'm afraid I'll mess this one up. That was him. Alonzo Halgamlith. I had my doubts before, but now I'm sure.”

“What do you mean 'before'?” Aria asked.

“It's not important,” Tiny replied while shaking his head. “Now please, Aria… help me.”

Aria was silent for a moment before replying. “Alright,” she said. “You know how much I hate them, but if getting Alonzo and Sparkles back together means that much to you, I'll help you.”

“Thank you, Aria,” Tiny said with a smile. He then reached up and hugged Aria, giving her a peck on the cheek. Instantly, both of them reacted to this.

“Um, Tiny-” Aria started.

“I-I know, that wasn't-” Tiny stammered.

“No, you don't have to-”

“But it wasn't-”

“It was my fault for-”

“Sorry,” Tiny said finitely. “I'm… sorry about that.”

“Apology accepted,” Aria replied.

There was an awkward pause before Tiny said, “We should get moving on this.”

“Yes,” Aria replied with a nod. “You sure you'll be ok?”

“I'll be fine,” Tiny replied. “Just…” The Togetic trailed off and shook his head. “Thank you.”

“You're welcome,” Aria said. She then turned around and began floating off, leaving Tiny alone.

“Okay…” Tiny said to himself while taking a deep breath. “In bad shape, low on happiness, can't even fly, and most of my magic is likely out the window as well.” With a shrug, he added, “I've worked with worse. Now then… time to meet him for real.” Tiny then stepped forward into the clearing.

Author's Note

Well.... that could have gone better overall...

1Ex25. Another Dream

Three years. It had been three years since everything that happened, and in those three years, life had settled down to the point where Marcus and Blitz couldn't even remember their lives before the Exodus. As far as they were concerned, they had lived happily together their entire lives, and it felt like Ashes and Ashi, their Ponyta foals, had been there to complete their family for so long.

Despite everything, though, something always felt... not right...

Kanga, Blitz, Pinky, Mangol, Alonzo, Sparkles, Lyra, and Bon Bon were gathered in Marcus' and Blitz's den on this particular afternoon, watching Roo, Verde, (a Chikorita), Ashes, Ashi, Tarmac, (a Pupitar), Nikki, (a Zorua), and Noe, (an Eevee, who wasn't actually related by blood to anyone in the room at the time), all play together. The youngest among them, Noe, was about a year old, but they all still played together with a kind of childish excitement that hatchlings usually lost about ten months of age. Maybe it was this world that most of them were born into that breathed a new life into each one when they were just eggs. Still, the mothers, (plus Alonzo and Sparkles), watched as their children played together. A true family, at long last.

Still, the absence of a Togepi or Snorunt that should have been there haunted them all in the backs of their minds...

Meanwhile, the fathers of all sans Noe were outside, talking and reminiscing.

"So Marcus, I haven't had a chance to ask you," Felix said after a while, "how's that whole, 'becoming a wild Pokemon' thing coming along? You've been at it for almost three years now."

The Rapidash sighed and shook his head. "I think I'm finally ready to admit you were right, Felix," he replied. "My humanity is a lot more challenging to let go of than I thought it would be." Marcus looked down at his hooves. "Everything before Equus feels like a fading dream, but I can still remember who I was. What I was..." There was a slight pause before Marcus reached behind him and handed Felix a bag that was full of coins. "A bet's a bet, even if it's two years old. I've finally given up."

Felix chuckled and took the bag of Bits with a vine. "I'm sure you'll get there one day," the Meganium reassured. "Just not today, is all."

Tartar sighed and looked up at the clear blue sky, seeing several pegasus ponies and Flying-type Pokemon flying by. "I honestly can't remember Earth anymore," the Tyranitar mused. "This world's so ingrained in my mind now..."

Drake shrugged. "I think I like Equus better anyway," the Ampharos said. "It's a lot nicer from what I remember. You know, aside from all that crap with Tirek, Necrozma, that 'Funny Valentine' human..."

"Yeah, that guy was a terrible comedian," Felix commented with a nod. The group sat in silence for a moment before a rustling sound from opposite the cave their mates and children were in caught their attention. They all turned around and saw Tiny, looking particularly excited today, zip out of the treeline, holding some kind of old book.

"Marcus! Marcus!" Tiny shouted as he flew up to the Rapidash formerly known as his trainer. "Marcus, you're not gonna believe what I found at the bottom of a volcano!"

Marcus tilted his head curiously. He wanted to ask what Tiny was even doing at the bottom of a volcano in the first place, but something about the book the Togetic held drew his attention more powerfully. "What is that, Tiny...?" he asked.

Tiny grinned and held the book up for the Rapidash to see. Miraculously, it was only slightly charred. "It's made of some kind of fireproof material!" Tiny said excitedly. "And look at the design on the cover! (If you can make it out.) It's... it's...!"

Marcus' eyes widened as he was just barely able to make out what was on the cover. It was a crayon drawing Tiny had made, depicting what their family looked like several years ago, when he was just a Togepi. There was Marcus, as a human, Blitz, Mangol, Princess, Ki, Tiny himself, and... a face that made Marcus' smile fade slightly. Aria's...

"It's our old journal," Marcus concluded. His voice started to shake a little. "From that first year of my journey." He placed a hoof on the cover, and for a brief moment, he could feel like he was placing a real hand on it again...

Tiny nodded. He then looked down at it, and his smile faltered a little. "Everything we went through..." he started, "I was starting to fear it would all fade away. But here it all is, in our hands..."

Felix looked over at Marcus and tilted his head curiously. "Oh yeah, I remember that..." the Meganium said. "Hey, I never did get a chance to read that like you promised me."

"If you were to read it, you'd know why," Marcus replied with a slight chuckle. "Believe me, there's a lot of stuff that happened back then that I never told you about myself, but it's all written in here if this really is what Tiny thinks it is..."

Marcus and Tiny both stared at the journal for a moment, and the rest of the group stared at the two. "What's wrong?" Tartar finally asked.

"Aria would've wanted to read it again," Tiny replied, a teardrop falling off his face and onto the journal. "Remembering everything... probably could've saved her, too..."

Marcus leaned in and hugged Tiny. "Don't talk like that, Tiny..." he said, though he was starting to cry a little as well. "Nothing we could've done would've stopped them from doing what they did to her. ...What she did to her."

Tiny nodded and sniffed, wiping his eyes. He then looked up at Marcus and smiled a little. "Hey, if we can't go back and save Aria, wouldn't it be a good idea to remember her? You know... the way she was? The way we were?"

Marcus looked down at the book and bit his lip. "Yeah... the way we all were..." he said as he eyed the book curiously. "Earth... everything we left behind..." Marcus' flames started intensifying. "Or we could leave it all back there..."

Tiny looked over at Marcus quizzically. "I'm sorry?" he asked, pulling the book away from Marcus, weary of the Rapidash's flames.

"Tiny, just before you joined us, we were talking about how I still haven't been able to lose my humanity completely," Marcus replied. "But I just got an idea. Do you think... if I burned this book, I could sever my last ties to Earth?"

Tiny gasped, and the others in the group followed suit. "Marcus! How could you say that?" Tiny asked. "This is what shaped us! Made us who we are. The beginning of our journey together! Does it really mean that little to you...?"

Marcus sighed. "It means a lot to me," he replied, "but... Blitz means everything to me, and I want to become a wild Pokemon for her. If this is what's maintaining my humanity... then I'll burn it without a second thought."

Tiny shook his head. "I can't let you do that, Marcus," he replied. "It's... all I have left to remember Aria by. And as much as I hate it, I want it to remember Mother and Father by too. And all of us, I want to remember all of us. You, Felix, Alonzo... we all contributed to this journal at some point. Each and every one of your Pokemon too. It's a tie that all of us share." Tiny took a deep breath. "If you burn this journal, you'll sever your humanity, sure... but you'll also sever something that binds all of us together. That's why I can't let you do this, Marcus. I know you want to love Blitz as much as possible, but burning this journal is something I can't let you do." The Togetic looked down at the journal again. "Besides... you all are the only family I've ever known, remember?"

Marcus wanted to protest, but he couldn't. He knew Tiny was right. His flames died down, but he looked at the grass below and stamped his hoof. "You're right, Tiny..." he said at last. "I'm sorry for suggesting it. I just... some part of me wants to forget it all. We went through some terrible things. But... I guess when it gets right down to it, a piece of all of us is in that journal, and all the others, too." The Rapidash smiled, then gestured towards the cave. "Come on. We should show this to Blitz. Maybe we can gather everyone - even the kids - and hold some kind of storytime or something. You know... so we can remember the past. The past we were all starting to forget..."

Author's Note

So... this is my official farewell to this fanfiction. But the journal... I've got a friend of mine filling that out, currently. If you want more of Marcus and his family, and eventually everyone else, you can find it here. I warn you now, though, I allowed her to take a number of creative liberties, since I... made a number of mistakes with this plot, not the least of which being a certain Zoroark's name and backstory. Think of it as an... "untelling" of A New Family. You're not likely to see that story end where this story starts, if Camilla has to say about it what I think she has to say about it, but believe me when I say, she's putting a lot of heart and soul into this story. A lot more than what I could...

Anyway, I just wanted to leave this behind, as my farewell to this fanfiction and this site. I just didn't want to leave you guys hanging if there was some way to catch you. So... farewell, I suppose. As I've stated elsewhere, you might see me again sometime in the future. Whether you recognize me will be another story...

Prologue: Father Figure

Felix was just like any ordinary Pokemon trainer. Early teens, short blonde hair, blue eyes, a neat blue jacket, a red cap similar to one worn by a legend, blue jeans, and comfortable white sneakers. That last article of clothing was pretty lucky for him. After all, if you're running through a heavily wooded area trying to avoid an angry Kangaskhan that's hot on your heels, the most important thing you'd want is comfortable shoes. Felix did his best to duck and dodge his way through all the branches, leaves, and occasional Caterpie as he ran, but all of this seemed like nothing to the Pokemon in pursuit. At last, Felix made his way to a clearing. Finally done with dodging branches, he slowed down for a moment to catch his breath. That was a big mistake. The trainer turned around only to find that the Kangaskhan hadn't slowed down and was now right on top of him. In the split second between when the Pokemon leapt up to pounce on Felix and when it actually impacted, time seemed to move slowly, just slowly enough for Felix to see the Kangaskhan's eyes. Deep, soulless, unforgiving.

They would have been intimidating if it was a fully grown Kangaskhan that pounced on the young trainer.

“KHAN! (Gotcha!)” the baby squeaked as she latched onto her trainer's face and tackled him to the ground.

“Oh no!” Felix shouted as he fell to his back while laughing, the baby landing right on his chest. “Ah, looks like you got me again, Roo.”

“Kanga, Kangaskhan. (It's not like you made it hard.)” Roo squeaked in reply with a smile. Felix replied to this by rubbing the baby's head, causing her to smile even more.

“With a little more practice, you'll be on the same level as your mother,” Felix said as he picked Roo up, set her down gently next to him, and got up himself. “Speaking of, where is Kanga? I thought she wouldn't be too far behind you.”

“Kangaskhan! (I'm coming!)” Both Felix and Roo turned around to find the little one's mother, a fully grown Kangaskhan, making its way out of the woods Felix and Roo just got out of, decorated in all manner of Bug-types that happened to latch onto her for one reason or another.

“Um, Kanga,” Felix said. “You've got something on you.”

“Khan? (Huh?)” Kanga asked before noticing that there were two Metapods in her pouch, three Weedle crawling on her arms, and a Spinarak sleeping on her head. “Kangaskhan... (Ay, Lillipups.)” Kanga said before shaking all the Bug-types off of her, most of them scuttling back into the woods with the exception of the two Metapods. Felix then picked up Roo and walked over to its mother.

“Hm... we should probably do something about those Metapods...” Felix said.

“Khan... (Yeah...)” Roo added as she looked down curiously at the two.

Kanga grabbed the two Metapods out of her pouch and set them on the ground, quickly replacing them with her child. Meanwhile, Felix knelt down to the two Metapods, who just stared at him.

“Metapod? (What now?)” one of them asked in a Metapod's usual defeated tone.

“Don't worry, you two,” Felix said. “I won't leave you alone here.”

“Meta, Metapod? (What's he talking about?)” the other Metapod asked.

“Tell ya what,” Felix continued. “I'll take care of you two until you evolve.”

“Metapod, Metapod. (Sounds like a good deal.)” the first Metapod said. “Meta. (I guess.)”

“Alright, then,” Felix said. “I know. I bet you two are hungry.”

“Metapod... Meta (We can't eat... No mouths.)”

“Well aren't you two in luck,” Felix continued. “I make awesome Pokemon food. Kanga and Roo here will keep y'all entertained while I get it ready.”

“Khan? (What?)” Kanga asked.

“Oh come on, Kanga,” Felix said, replying to the surprised expression on his Pokemon. “You never socialize with anyone other than me and our friends. This'll be healthy for you. Plus, it could be a good learning experience for Roo.”

“Kangaskhan. (He's got a point.)” Roo squeaked as she looked up at her mother.

“Khan. (Fine.)” Kanga finally surrendered.

“Good,” Felix said. He then turned around and started walking towards the center of the clearing so he could set up his cooking supplies. “Don't worry. The food will be ready quickly.”

“You two sure are lucky,” one of the Metapod said to Kanga as Roo played with the other Metapod.

“Yeah, I guess we are,” Kanga replied. “I mean, I'd met a lot of trainers in my day, but not one quite like Felix.”

“It's Pokemon like you and your daughter that I envy the most,” the Metapod continued. “Ever since my two brothers and I were Caterpie, it was our collective dream to be caught by trainers and see the world by their side. Only one of us got caught, leaving me and him behind.” The Metapod rocked a little in the direction of the other Metapod, who Roo was currently trying (but failing) to lift. “Do you think your Felix would take us with him?”

Kanga was silent for a moment before replying. “I really don't wanna shoot you down, but I doubt it,” she finally replied. “His team is a pretty close-knit family.”

“Oh,” Metapod said, sounding a little more defeated than normal.

“But look on the bright side,” Kanga said. “You and your brother over there still have each other. Plus, you might evolve soon. I hear Butterfree are really popular among younger trainers.”

“I guess that's true,” Metapod said, sounding a little perked up. “Becoming a Flying-type would probably help with seeing the world, too.”

“Food's ready!” Felix called.

“Come on,” Kanga said as she picked Metapod up. “If you only experience one joy in this world your entire life, it has to be Felix's cooking.”

“But my brother and I still can't eat,” Metapod replied as Kanga picked the other one up, Roo following close behind.

“Oh, you're so pessimistic,” Metapod's brother said. “Even if we can't eat, we can at least see what it's like to be cared for by a trainer.”

“So that's why you're the fun one,” Roo said. “Now I can see the difference.”

Felix had laid out a picnic blanket upon which sat nine bowls of what looked like generic Pokemon food. Generic to the untrained nose, at least. Kanga, Roo, and even the two Metapod could tell that there was something special about the food in each bowl.

“Alright, Kanga, Roo, your food is in those two white bowls over there,” Felix said. “Metapods, I made some special food for Bug-types. That's in these two green bowls.”

“Metapod. (Thank you.)” both Metapod said in unison as Kanga set them down in front of their bowls.

“And let's not forget everyone else,” Felix said as he pulled five Pokeballs from his belt. He then threw them up into the air while shouting “Come on out, everyone!”

Out of each Pokeball came a Pokemon dear to Felix's heart. There was Drake the Ampharos, Pinky the Slowbro (with Shelly the Shelder biting her tail), Tartar the Tyranitar, Nana the Tropius, and Piggy the Emboar.

“Lunch is ready, everyone,” Felix said to his Pokemon. “But first, I'd like you to meet these two Metapods.”

“Meta... pod? (Um... hi?)”

“Amp, Ampharos. (Hi, I'm Drake.)”

“Slowbro Slowbro. (I'm Pinky, and this is Shelly.)”

“Tyrannitar. (I'm Tartar.)”

“Tropius. (Name's Nana.)”

“Emboar, Emboar Emboar.. (And last but not least, Piggy.)”

“Look at that,” Felix said as he watched his Pokemon get acquainted with the Metapods. “They take after their trainer. Always ready to make new friends.” Felix stood there smiling for a moment before he heard an all-too-familiar rumbling noise. “Oh, I forgot to make myself lunch. I think I still have enough bread to make a sandwich.”

While Felix was making his sandwich, his Pokemon wasted no time digging into their food.

“So how'd you two meet Felix?” Drake asked with his mouth still half-full.

“Well...” the boring Metapod started.

“We hitched a ride on a vacant Kangaskhan,” the fun Metapod interrupted. “That Kangaskhan turned out to be Kanga and she turned out to be Felix's Pokemon.”

“I could see that happening,” Nana said. “Roo loves to play with Felix, and Kanga loves to let her daughter out to play with him. Pretty sure that's because of Kanga's crush on him.”

Upon hearing this, Kanga started choking on the food she just ate. “Ah! W-what?” Kanga spent a few seconds coughing before managing to expel the morsel. “I do not have a crush on Felix. He's just a father figure for Roo, that's all.”

“Are you sure?” Tartar asked. “I mean, you do walk with him quite often.”

“And what about that time when we were in Johto and you two were snuggling in the Ice Path?” Piggy added

“Have you any idea how cold it was in there?” Kanga defended. “We were trying to share body heat.”

“That's the exact reason why I was out in the first place,” Piggy deadpanned.

“Is this really a good time to talk about this?” Kanga asked as she returned to her food.

“That's your excuse every time this topic is brought up,” Pinky said. “It's not entirely healthy for you to keep emotions like this bottled up like this as long as you have.”

“Oh for the love of...” Kanga started. “Pinky, I'm about to verbally use Outrage. Can I get you to put a veil of silence over Roo for me?”

“Sometimes, I get the feeling that's the only reason I'm here,” the Slowbro sighed as she turned to Roo. “Roo, your mommy has to say some things she doesn't want you to hear.”

“Is she about to go Zubat-shit crazy?” Roo asked.

“Watch your language, little one,” Kanga growled.

Roo recoiled a little. She knew her mom could be really scary if she got angry enough. “Sorry,” Roo squeaked. It was then that Pinky used her Psychic power to put a veil of silence over the little one.

”By the way, yes, I think your mommy is about to go Zubat-shit crazy,” Pinky said to Roo telepathically. The Slowbro then turned and nodded to Kanga.

“Alright then,” she said before turning to the others. “Let's make a few things clear. Do I miss Roo's father? Yes. Do I consider myself and Roo lucky that we managed to escape from Team Rocket? Of course. Am I happy we met Felix? What self-respecting Pokemon wouldn't be? Do I consider Felix a father figure for Roo? Yes! But do I have any feelings for Felix further than that? No! Felix is a friend who helps me raise Roo like a good friend would!”

There was a moment of silence before the fun Metapod spoke up. “But do you want something more than that?” he asked.

“No!” Kanga insisted. “I... I mean, he's a human, and...” Kanga just shook her head and went back to her food. “This conversation is done. Pinky, you can let Roo hear again.”

“Ok,” Pinky said as she lifted Roo's veil of silence.

“Kanga, you should at least talk to Felix,” Drake said as he walked over and placed his hand on Kanga's shoulder.

“We talk plenty,” Kanga said flatly, not even looking towards the Ampharos. “It's not like Pinky is a new addition to the team.”

“Again, is that all I'm here for?” Pinky asked. “I can battle and I use Surf.” He then went back to his food, grumbling about “Psychic-types have other purposes.”

“Yes, but you never have any really personal conversations,” Drake continued to Kanga. “Think about Roo. She doesn't just need a father figure, she needs a father.”

Kanga and Drake looked over to see Roo offering the boring Metapod a piece of her food. “You wanna try it?” Roo asked. “It's really good.”

With a defeated sigh, Kanga turned back to Drake. “Alright, fine,” she said. “If it'll make you all feel better, I'll confess that I might have feelings for Felix. If you get off my back about it, I'll talk about it to him. Alright?”

There was a short silence before Tartar mumbled, “About time.”

“Alright,” Felix said out loud as he finished eating and packing his stuff back up. It had been about two minutes since his Pokemon had their conversation, but he, of course, had no idea the conversation had even transpired. (Obviously he figured they had a conversation, but the topic he didn't know about.) “If we get moving soon, we might be able to make it to Pewter City by sundown.” Felix then began walking towards his Pokemon, only to find that one of the Metapod had evolved into a Butterfree and was flying around with Roo on his back.

“Khaaaan! (Wheeee!)” Roo was shouting as Butterfree flew around above the heads of (most of) Felix's Pokemon. Of course, Kanga looked a little worried, but she didn't seem to be making any objections.

”Maybe she's finally overcoming her fear of strangers,” Felix thought to himself with a smile. “Hey everyone!” he called out loud. “Are we having fun?”

“Freeeee! (Yes we are!)” Butterfree cheered.

“Well I'm glad everyone got to meet each other,” Felix said. “Butterfree, Metapod, it's time for us to say goodbye.”

”Actually, Felix, Kanga wanted to talk to you first,” Pinky said to Felix telepathically.

“Ah!” Felix shouted, surprised by his Pokemon's voice suddenly appearing in his head. “Pinky, I really wish you would warn me before you did that.”

”Sorry,” Pinky said. ”But still, Kanga...”

“Right,” Felix said. “Go ahead and patch her through.”

Pinky turned to Kanga and both their eyes flashed blue for a moment before Kanga began walking towards Felix.

”Felix, I think we need to talk about something,” Kanga said.

“What about?” Felix asked.

”Well...” Kanga started. ”First off, before I say anything, I want you to know that what I'm saying is for Roo's benefit.”

“Noted,” Felix said. “But it's not giving me a very good feeling about where this conversation is going.”

”I know,” Kanga replied. ”That's why I've put this conversation off for so long.” The Parent Pokemon took a deep breath before continuing. ”Felix, we've traveled together for a long time, and in that time, you've done everything in your power to help me raise Roo, and she's needed that ever since she lost her father. You're a father figure for her, but what she needs is an actual father. And, as awkward as this is to ask, I was hoping if... if you could be that father. If we could step our relationship a little further up. For Roo's sake.” Kanga shut her eyes and braced for some kind of berating from her trainer. Like maybe an “Are you crazy?” or a “Why would you even consider such a thing?” or something else along the lines of what humans called “Pokephihlia.” However, all that came was silence. Kanga opened her eyes to see that Felix was still sitting there, but he had his eyes closed. ”Felix, did you hear me?” Kanga kinda prodded her trainer, but all that happened was he completely fell over face-first into the ground. ”Felix? Felix!” Kanga quickly knelt down to her trainer to see if he was alright. He wasn't breathing. ”Oh no! What have I done?” Kanga quickly picked her trainer up and ran to the other Pokemon. “Guys! Something terrible has-” Kanga started, but she was quickly stopped when she noticed that most of the others were asleep. Only Roo was still awake and was walking towards her mother, but even she had a kind of drowsiness in her step.

“Mamma...” Roo said. “Is it nap time yet?” Roo didn't even wait for an answer before collapsing right before Kanga's feet.

“What's going on?” Kanga asked. But it was right then that she felt an odd drowsiness overcoming her, as well. As she fell backwards into sleep, two thoughts ran through her mind.

First: ”I'm sorry, Felix. If I knew what was coming, I would have said something sooner.”

Second: ”Rest now, my children, for when you awake, a whole new world shall be your home.”

Author's Note

"What would happen if Pinky the Slowbro met Pinkie Pie," you ask? If this story were canon, I'd love nothing more than to address that conundrum. But since it isn't, sorry.

2: Someone Else's Bundle of Joy

Roo had no idea what was going on around her. One moment, she was riding on the back of a Butterfree, having the time of her life, the next moment, she fell asleep for no reason, and then just now, she woke up in the arms of some weird creature that looked a little like a Ponyta.

“Who are you?” the baby Kangaskhan asked as she looked up at the Ponyta thing.

“What did it say?” another creature asked, this one looking a little like a small blueish Rapidash.

“I think it said 'Kangaskhan,'” the Ponyta replied. She then looked down at Roo. “Is that what you said?”

“No, I said 'who are you?'” Roo replied, but all that came out was, “Khan, Kanga Kangaskhan.”

“Odd,” the Rapidash said. “Why's it talking like that?”

“I dunno,” the Ponyta replied. “It looks like a baby, so that's probably all it can say right now.”

“'Baby'? 'All it can say'?” Roo shouted. “I'm older and can speak better Pokenglish than some of my best friends!”

“Bon Bon, I think it's angry,” the Rapidash said.

“Oh relax, Lyra,” the Ponyta called 'Bon Bon' replied. “Maybe it's just one of those kids who doesn't like being treated like a kid.”

“Listen to your friend, Miss Lyra,” Roo said. “She seems to know her stuff.”

“It keeps saying 'Kangaskhan,'” Bon Bon said while looking at Roo with confusion evident on her face. “I wonder why...”

“Maybe that's its name,” Lyra replied with a shrug. “Isn't the first word most foals learn usually their name?”

“My name's Roo, for you information,” Roo replied.

“Kangaskhan...” Bon Bon said while thinking about the name for a little while. “It sounds like a mix between 'kangaroo' and another word for 'ruler'.” Bon Bon then raised Roo into the air and eyed her from this angle for a moment. “Whoever your parents were, they must have had pretty high hopes for your future, Miss Khan.”

“No, that's just the name of my species!” Roo shouted. “My name is Roo! Why isn't anyone here paying any attention to what I'm-” Suddenly, Roo stopped dead in her tracks and sniffed the air. “Are those pancakes I smell?”

“Is something wrong with it?” Lyra asked as she got up and walked over to Bon Bon, noting Roo's sudden attitude change.

“I dunno,” Bon Bon replied.

Roo wasn't paying attention to their conversation. She was busy surveying the room for the pancakes she smelled. There, to her left, on the table, was a plate with at least three pancakes on it. Upon seeing this sight, Roo's stomach began rumbling. She thought she had lunch a few minutes ago, but right now, she felt like she hadn't eaten in over a day.

“PANCAKES!” Roo shouted as she suddenly leapt from Bon Bon's hooves and towards the table. Both mares could only watch with stunned expressions as Roo leapt almost a full yard from Bon Bon's hooves to the table, landing with a perfect barrel roll.

“What the-?” Lyra started. She was interrupted, however, when she saw what Roo was doing. Without wasting a second after landing, the little one quickly ran over to the plate with pancakes on it and started inhaling them as fast as her little mouth could. “She's eating my pancakes!”

“I guess she was just hungry,” Bon Bon said with a slight smile. “That could be why it was angry.”

”No, I was angry because you were treating me like I was hatched just a few minutes ago,” Roo thought to herself. She would have said it, but her mouth was full. Plus the fact that she was finally able to gather that, for some reason, these creatures couldn't understand her. Kinda like Felix.

It took less than two minutes for Roo to eat all three of the pancakes, all of which probably added up to about her body weight. “Holy Miltank, that was good,” Roo said out loud as she fell to her back and caught her breath from the ferocity of the feast she just partook in. “Almost as good as Felix's pancakes...”

Meanwhile, Lyra and Bon Bon could only stare the whole time. This creature who clearly wasn't from Equus just showed up on their doorstep, went into a fit, then suddenly switched gears and devoured half the pancakes Lyra had made... all within less 5 minutes.

“Well then...” Bon Bon said after a while. “That was... something.”

“Now do you see what picking up random animals that show up on our doorstep and bringing them inside leads to?” Lyra asked.

Hearing the word 'animal,' Roo quickly picked up her head and glared at Lyra. “Hey! I'm not an animal! I'm a Poke- urp. Ate too fast...” And Roo quickly fell back down.

“Okay, so I guess it's not an animal,” Lyra said. “Though it can't say anything other than 'Kangaskhan', it seems to be trying to communicate to us.”

“You're right,” Bon Bon said. Just then, an idea popped into her mind. “Hey, Lyra, didn't you study some kind of translation spell once?”

“A few years ago,” Lyra replied. “Never needed it, though, so I never bothered to remember it. I think I still have the book that it was in tucked away somewhere upstairs.”

Bon Bon quickly froze when she heard that. She knew exactly where the book Lyra was talking about was. Right next to the ring.

“You mean '101 Spells a Tourist Should Know', right?” Bon Bon asked quickly.

“Yes,” Lyra replied. “I can just-”

“Oh, don't bother yourself,” Bon Bon interrupted. “I'll get the book for you. Besides, you already made pancakes, so it's my turn to do something for you.” The earth pony then gave a big nervous smile that just screamed “I'm hiding something.” Lyra didn't pick up on this, fortunately.

“Um... alright. Thanks,” Lyra said, a little confused at how quickly her marefriend offered to help, as well as how quickly Bon Bon galloped out of the room and up the stairs to their bedroom.

“She's funny,” Roo commented. Lyra turned around to the young Kangaskhan to find that she was now sitting up, though not daring to stand just yet.

“So... you're Kangaskhan...” Lyra said.

“That's not my name, but if what you and Bon Bon were talking about is what I think you were talking about, I'll be able to tell you that in a minute or so,” Roo replied.

Lyra sighed in response to this. “Sweet Celestia, you're adorable,” she said. “Can't wait to hear what's really coming out of that adorable little mouth of yours.”

“Oh, won't you be surprised...” Roo replied.

It was only a few seconds after that when Bon Bon returned with the book she was looking for. “Here you go, Lyra,” Bon Bon said as Lyra took the book with her magic. “'101 Spells a Tourist Should Know'.”

“Thanks, Bon Bon,” Lyra said. She then opened the book and began to flip through it before she found the translation spell. “Okay, here we are... Hmm, it seems a bit difficult for a unicorn with as little experience as I have, but it looks like it's the best one here. It says that it modifies the sound waves emitting from the target of the spell in accordance to its brain waves in order to interpret what is meant by the target and broadcast that interpretation to any other creature who comes in contact with these sound waves in the language that creature is most fluent in. Difficult, but worth it if it works.”

“You're sure you'll be able to cast it?” Bon Bon asked.

“I gotta at least try,” Lyra replied. She then turned to Roo. “Now, this might feel a little funny, but you're gonna have to trust me.”

“Won't you be in for a surprise when I tell you I don't trust you,” Roo mumbled.

“Here goes nothing,” Lyra said as she took a deep breath. She then leaned down and aimed her horn at Roo, where it began to glow a faint yellow that slowly grew in intensity. At this point, Roo could already feel the magic working on her. It felt oddly familiar, though. Sort of like what she felt whenever Pinky reached into her mind to do some kind of Psychic-type thing that Roo could never understand so she would be able to talk to Felix for a little while. Except rather than just feeling it in her mind, Roo felt this feeling all over her body. It felt slightly warm, but at the same time, it felt like it was compressing her body. Just slightly, not enough for Roo to panic, but still just enough for the young Kangaskhan to liken the feeling to a hug.

As soon as the feeling came to Roo, it left, and Lyra collapsed to the floor while panting. “Are you alright Lyra?” Bon Bon asked.

“I'm... fine...” Lyra said between pants. “Just... really wishing... I had practiced magic... a little more diligently... when I was a filly.” With her marefriend's help, Lyra rose to her hooves and looked over to Roo. “But hopefully... the spell worked.”

The two just stared at Roo for a moment, and the baby Pokemon stared back. ”Oh, they want me to say something,” Roo realized.

“Kangaskhan,” she said out loud.

“Huh?” Bon Bon asked.

“Kanga, Kangaskhan,” Roo replied.

“Oh no,” Lyra said while slapping her face with her hoof. “The spell didn't work!”

“Actually, it did,” Roo said with a smile, causing both mares to turn to her with a surprised expression on each of their faces. “I was just messing with you two.”

“Well what do you know?” Lyra said with a slight smile. “The spell worked.”

“Yes it did,” Roo said. “And while I have this opportunity to communicate to you two, let me first thank you, Miss Lyra, for the pancakes earlier.”

“You're welcome, Kangaskhan,” Lyra said.

“And that's another thing. My name's not Kangaskhan. Wild Kangaskhan are called Kangaskhan. My name is Roo.”

“Roo?” Bon Bon asked. “That's a much cuter name than Kangaskhan. It fits you perfectly.”

“Cute?” Roo asked. “I may have my charm, but you wouldn't call me cute if you saw how well I could battle!”

“Battle?” Lyra asked, confusion evident on her face. “No offense, but I don't think someone with your... stature could fight that well.”

“Oh no?” Roo asked. “I've trained for almost a year with Mamma, Felix, and all of my friends! I can almost take down a Raticate without any help!”

“What's a Raticate?” Bon Bon asked.

“What do you mean?” Roo asked. “I mean, Raticate's a Pokemon, but I don't know how to simplify it much past that.” Once Roo saw the look of confusion on the two mares, (which was happening quite often), realization dawned on the young Kangaskhan. “Or, do you not know what Pokemon are? Arceus, what region is this to be so cut off from the rest of the world?”

“Um... Equestria?” Lyra replied.

“Equestria?” Roo repeated. “Felix has never told us about Equestria. Are we on some kind of island hidden deep in the Orange Seas or something?”

Lyra would have asked about these 'Orange Seas' Roo was talking about, but Bon Bon was a little less curious about this topic. “Who's this 'Felix' character?” the earth pony asked.

“Felix?” Roo asked. “He's my trainer. Well, technically he's Mamma's trainer, but she and I kinda came as a set. At least I think that's how he put it that one time.... But either way, he trains me just as much as he trains Mamma or any of his other Pokemon.”

“So, when you say Felix is your trainer,” Lyra started, “do you mean like he helps you work out at the gym, or...”

“Oh no, he won't let me battle at a gym,” Roo replied. “But I think we've got two different definitions of 'trainer' here. What Felix does is that he catches and trains Pokemon in order to achieve the ultimate goal of becoming a Pokemon Master.”

Aside to Bon Bon, Lyra whispered “I don't think we're going to get very far on this topic.”

“You're right,” Bon Bon whispered back. “Maybe we should ask him about something else.” The earth pony then turned to Roo, who had cocked her head to the side and was looking at the two curiously, no doubt wondering what they were saying. “Um, Roo, rather than tell us about Felix, why don't you tell us about where you came from?”

“I guess I could tell you about that...” Roo said. “Well, I was hatched one morning just outside of Glittering Cave. That's in the Kalos region, by the way. After I hatched, I opened my eyes and looked up to see the smiling face of Mamma. She's also a Kangaskhan, but she's all grown up. And she said to me, 'Welcome to Earth, little one.' I didn't remember much else about that day, except for the tears of joy she had as she looked down at me.”

“What about your father?” Lyra asked.

“You mean Daddy?” Roo asked. Immediately, tears formed in her eyes and she looked down. “I... I don't remember much about him. All I remember was that a few days after I hatched, these weird humans in black suits came into Glittering Cave and started attacking all the Pokemon there. Daddy tried to fight them while Mamma and I ran away, but... but I never saw him again...” Upon finishing her sentence, Roo began to cry softly into her arms.

Now, when Bon Bon brought Roo into hers and Lyra's home, she wasn't sure what to expect. Something dangerous, something adorable, something that could change their lives (maybe even all of the above)... but what she didn't expect was for Roo to start crying because Lyra inadvertently brought up painful memories about the little one's possibly deceased father. Quickly, the earth pony turned to Lyra. “What do we do?” she mouthed so Roo wouldn't hear.

“You're the one who brought her in here,” Lyra replied in similar fashion. “I thought you would know.”

Not sure what to do, Bon Bon walked forward and placed a hoof on Roo's head. “There there,” the earth pony said. “Don't cry. You and your mamma still got out of there, right?”

With a sniffle, Roo wiped her eyes and looked up at Bon Bon. “Yeah, that's true,” she said. “But it wasn't very long after that before those weird guys started to chase after us. Mamma was running as fast as she could while carrying me, but she took a wrong turn and wound up at a dead end. She turned around and there were those guys in black suits again. Mamma set me down and told me to hide behind her while she went and fought them. One of the humans stepped forward and sent out a Golbat to fight her.”

“Whats a Golbat?” Bon Bon asked.

“Shh,” Lyra shushed. “I wanna hear how the battle went. Besides, if Kangaskhan is supposed to be some kind of kangaroo thing, I'm pretty sure Golbat is supposed to be a bat.” She then turned back to Roo. “Go on, continue.”

“Ok,” Roo replied. “Mamma tried to fight the Golbat, and she did have a really good advantage in both strength and defense, but she was completely outmatched by the Golbat's speed and flight. Every time she'd try to attack it, it would just fly out of the way and hit her from behind with a Wing Attack. This kept up for a while, but I didn't see most of the battle because one of the humans snuck around the battle to try to grab me while Mamma was distracted. I yelled loudly, and Mamma tried to come to my rescue, but the Golbat took this as an opportunity for a free hit, flew forward, and sunk its fangs right into Mamma's shoulder, causing her shout in pain, lose her last bits of stamina and fall to the ground with me just out of her reach.

“We were sure we were done for, but that's when Felix showed up. He and Piggy, his Pignite at the time, tackled two of the black-suited humans to the ground, and Pinky, who was a Slowpoke, blasted the Golbat off of Mamma with its Psychic attack.”

“Are you following this?” Bon Bon asked Lyra.

“Trying to,” Lyra replied with a shrug.

Despite the comments the two mares were making amongst each other, Roo continued. “Mamma was able to get up and charged at the human who was trying to grab me, but he just ran away the second she got back to her feet. I remember the three humans regrouping and mumbling something about 'Red' and 'Ethan' before turning tail and running away. Felix was also a human, but he was nothing like the other humans. He was nice, kind, really friendly, and he actually knew how to dress.

“After the other humans were gone, Felix came towards Mamma and tried to help her because she was pretty badly injured from her battle with the Golbat. If I remember right, it also managed to poison her with the last attack which I assumed was Poison Fang, and if that move poisons, it badly poisons. But of course, Mamma was really scared that Felix would try to hurt me just like the other humans did, and she tried to get him away from us. 'I'm not gonna hurt you,' he said to us. 'You're hurt, and I want to help you.' Mamma tried again to get rid of him, but she was too weak to throw an attack and rather fell to the floor, completely out of energy and unable to stay conscious. I remember feeling panicked and running up to her, trying to shake her awake. Meanwhile, Felix quickly ran over and set to work trying to heal Mamma. He cleaned out her wounds, sprayed some kind of medicine on them, bandaged them up, and tried to feed her a few berries to help get her strength back. But despite all of this, she still wouldn't wake up. He then turned to me, and I was looking up at him with tears filling my eyes. 'Don't worry, little one,' he said. 'I promise I'll make your mommy better.' He and Piggy then tried lifting her up and began carrying her out of Glittering Cave. It was a long process since she was so heavy, but Piggy was really strong, so he was able to carry most of the weight.

“About half an hour later, we had crossed a really rocky path that separated Glittering Cave from a nearby human town. I think it was called Ambrette town. There was a Pokemon Center there, and we brought Mamma there so that the human nurses could make her better. I couldn't be with Mamma while they were helping her, but Felix took care of me while we waited. I remember feeling really concerned, but every time I looked even slightly sad, Felix would stroke the back of my neck consolingly and say 'It's gonna be alright.' I wanted to believe him, but I was only a few days old at the time, so I could only believe him so much.

“But in the end, he was right. About an hour later, I heard the door at the back of the Pokemon Center open, and I couldn't believe my eyes. Right there in the doorway, Mamma was standing, completely healed up. I quickly got up, ran to her, and hugged her tightly. I thought I was going to lose her, but it all worked out in the end. Felix was then going to take us back home, but when we got there, Mamma couldn't stand to leave Felix and wanted us to go with him. Felix was happy to oblige, and we all traveled together ever since.”

There was a short pause between when Roo finished her story and when she spoke up again. “Oh no, did I start to monologue again? Felix always tells me I have that problem. But hey, I guess that's the kind of Mon I am. Ask me who my trainer is, and I'll tell you the whole first chapter of my life's story. Shall I talk about the first battle Felix used Mamma and I in next? It was pretty fun.”

“Um, no thanks, Roo,” Bon Bon said. “I'm still trying to process everything you just said. You had a pretty rough childhood. I'm surprised you can talk about most of it so casually.”

“Well only the first part was depressing,” Roo replied. “After the point where Felix shows up, the rest of the story makes me feel better.”

After what Roo said, there was a prolonged pause. Then, Lyra was the one to break the silence.

“What did your mom mean when she said 'Welcome to Earth' when you hatched?” the unicorn asked. “And for that matter, what do you mean 'hatched'? Did you come from an egg?”

“And what exactly are all these creatures you keep mentioning?” Bon Bon added. “You called them 'Pokemon', right? Since I'm assuming there are many different species, what do they all look like? Do they use magic?”

”Oh dear...” Roo thought to herself. ”I really didn't expect them to be that cut off from the rest of the world.” The young Kangaskhan then took a deep breath before she started talking again. “Okay, first off, there's over 650 different species of Pokemon in the world, not counting Legendary Pokemon. The regular Pokemon are Bulbasaur, Ivysaur, Venusaur....”

Author's Note

Welp, Lyra and Bon Bon are going to be there for a while.

So... yeah. Roo's version of her backstory. Obviously it's choppy and poorly told since she's so young and she was a newborn when it all happened, but the backstory will be expanded upon a little later.

18. Frost and Flame

Deep within the Everfree Forest, Alonzo and Gatsu were walking, this time accompanied by Kunoichi, Alonzo's Greninja.

“It really is great to see you two again,” Kunoichi said in a sort of whispery voice. “Have you been keeping well?”

“About as well as we can be,” Alonzo replied with a shrug. “You know… on a new world, going a new way. It's not easy, but we're getting by. What about you?”

“I woke up at that pond you found me at,” Kunoichi replied. “The atmosphere there, it was unlike anything I'd ever experienced before. It was so calm, so clear, so tranquil. When I heard what Arceus said, I knew that the answers to my problems would reveal themselves if I'd just stayed at that pond. So that's what I did. I trained, meditated, and lived there for the past few days, hoping to sharpen myself to the point where I'd be able to discover-”

“Hold up!” Gatsu suddenly said loudly as he came to a halt, indicating for the others to do the same. “Something's not right…”

“What's wrong?” Alonzo asked.

“I don't know…” Gatsu said, carefully surveying the area around the three. “But it feels almost…” Suddenly, without warning, Gatsu donned an angry expression and barred his fangs. “YOU!” The Umbreon then suddenly took off into the bushes off the path the team was following.

“Gatsu!” Alonzo called as he and Kunoichi ran after Gatsu. The Umbreon was fast, and Alonzo was still getting used to running on all fours.

“Don't worry about keeping up,” Kunoichi said as she was sprinting next to Alonzo. “I'll keep on his tail and make sure he doesn't hurt himself.” With that, Kunoichi leapt forward and began moving so fast, Alonzo could swear she was teleporting.

“Well, at least that's not new,” Alonzo said as he pushed himself to move faster. As he advanced, however, he noticed that the air was getting progressively colder. His internal fire was enough to keep him moving, but something about this cold made him feel… uneasy.

After a few more minutes of running, Alonzo finally made it to a clearing, at the center of which lay a Leafeon on top of a Tropius, Gatsu and Kunoichi standing in front of them. Kunoichi was the first to turn around and notice Alonzo.

“Alonzo, I think these two are on the verge of hypothermia,” Kunoichi said. “Can you get a fire going for them?”

“Um… I think so,” Alonzo said, running up to the center of the group and trying to ignite the flames on his back, which seemed to succeed. With his flames burning at a comfortable temperature, the Typhlosion turned to Gatsu and Kunoichi. “What's the story with these two?”

“Gatsu hasn't spoken a word,” Kunoichi replied with a shake of her head. “He's just been staring at these two. But whatever's going on, it's serious.”

Alonzo cast a worried glance at his Umbreon, who was just staring straight ahead at the two Grass-types before him. Carefully, Alonzo leaned down towards Gatsu. “Gatsu? Are you alright?” he asked.

“She's somewhere here,” Gatsu replied coldly, not turning towards Alonzo.

“Who is?” Alonzo asked.

With a shiver, Gatsu replied, “The one who murdered Wade.”

“Please tell me there's a good chiropractor in this town,” Felix complained as he and the others were walking back home from Carousel Boutique, Felix trying to no avail to re-straighten his neck.

“Rarity did go a little overboard when she saw you…” Lyra commented. “Sorry, she tends to do that when she gets a sudden burst of inspiration.”

“Well if that's the case, remind me to never go near that side of town again,” Felix replied as he turned towards Tiny, only to suffer another pop in his neck. “Tiny, can't you Wish my neck back in line?”

Tiny was silent for a moment before rubbing his chin. “You know, I hadn't even thought about that. Sorry Felix.” With that, the Togetic rubbed his hands together and threw them upward, sending a fine yellow dust into the air, where the manifested into a shooting star that shot across the sky for just a brief moment before disappearing. Tiny then turned back to Felix. “Alright, you'll be back to normal in a minute or so.”

“Thanks,” Felix said.

“No problem,” Tiny replied with a smile. However, his smile quickly faded and he turned around. “Mangol's headed this way. And fast.”

“Marcus!” a black earth pony mare with a red mane shouted as she ran towards the group, an injured Butterfree on her back. She was followed by a yellow stallion, also an earth pony, with a black mane.

“Mangol! Is that you?” Marcus asked as the two ponies skidded to a stop in front of the group. “What's with the disguise?”

“Precaution,” Mangol replied. “Drake and I weren't sure how the ponies here would react to us. But that's not important right now. This Butterfree's hurt real badly, and he mentioned something about Felix before he lost consciousness.”

“The second time, she means,” Drake added. “He's been fading in and out since we found him. He's suffering from hypothermia.”

“Well, it's a good thing you got him here then,” Marcus said as he leaned in to try to help warm the Butterfree. However, Tiny quickly pulled the Rapidash back.

“Not a good idea, Marcus,” Tiny said with a shake of his head. “That'll work usually, but this Butterfree's really badly injured. Thawing it too quickly, especially with open flame like yours, might do more harm than good. Wishing his injuries away might work, but the ice I'll have to be careful with.” Tiny then turned around and used Wish on the Butterfree.

“Did he tell you his name?” Felix asked Mangol.

“No,” Mangol replied with a shake of her head. “He did say something about someone named Breeze.”

“Breeze?” Felix asked, surprised. He tried to raise his head quickly to emphasize his surprise, but his neck was still in pain. “Ow. Tiny, when's that Wish gonna kick in?”

“Few more seconds,” Tiny replied.

“Alright,” Felix said while rubbing his neck with a vine. “This Butterfree, it's Butters. I sent him and Breeze after Aria when she ran off.”

“And he's frozen over…” Blitz said, looking down at the unconscious Butterfree.

“Blitz, don't start thinking what I know you're thinking,” Marcus said, quickly realizing what was going through Blitz's mind.

“Look at the evidence, Marcus,” Blitz replied. “What are the odds it was any Pokemon other than Aria?” With a shake of her head, Blitz added, “Trust me, I don't want to believe it either, but something happened to her, and she's not in her right mind.”

Marcus looked down with a frown. “If Pinky were here, she'd be able to sort through Butters' memories and answer our questions,” he said.

“Keep thinking that,” Felix said. “She's likely to hear our thoughts and come to us.” It was at this moment that Felix suddenly felt relief from the pain in his neck. “Ah, that's much better,” he said while straightening himself. “Thanks Tiny.”

“No problem,” Tiny replied. “But back to the problem at hand…”

“Which I'll get to the bottom of,” Pinky called as she hurried towards the group from behind. “Sorry I took so long. I was on the other side of town when I heard Drake and Mangol head this way, and you know I need to work on my sprint.” Pinky paused for a moment to try to catch her breath. “I already looked through Butters' mind. The one who attacked him and Breeze… it really does look like Aria. The only thing is that it isn't Aria.”

“How do you know?” Blitz asked.

“The Froslass told Butters herself,” Pinky replied before pausing to pant once again. It was in this time that Marcus cast a quick glare at Blitz. “But that begs the question. If it wasn't Aria, then who-?” Pinky cut herself off and turned to Marcus, who was looking down with an angry expression. Pinky's ears quickly drooped. “Oh… I guess it's not much of a question after all, huh?”

“What is it Marcus?” Felix asked.

Marcus looked at Felix with a serious expression. “I'm going to ask you this as a friend, Felix,” the Rapidash said. “For the sake of you and your family, don't follow us when we leave.” He then turned to Blitz and Tiny. “We need to go find her as soon as possible.”

Somewhere in the Everfree Forest, Froslass had met Froslass.

“I was wondering if you'd show up,” Froslass said as she turned slowly around to meet the gaze of Froslass.

“You mean Aria, right?” Felix asked.

“You caused me enough pain back on Earth,” Froslass said as she clenched her fist. “It's time I finally confronted you.”

“No,” Marcus said with a shake of his head. “Remember the other one we talked about passingly?”

“You know the only way to get rid of me, don't you?” Froslass asked with a sinister smirk.

“You mean that other Froslass who the Ranger Union mistook for Aria?” Felix asked.

“Yes… I do…” Froslass replied. “But I'm not a little girl anymore. I understand now more than ever that the only way I'll ever be rid of you… is to finally kill you.”

Marcus shook his head. “She did far worse to Aria than that…”

Froslass cackled evilly. “It's about time you embraced who you really are, Aria!” she said. “All it took was some bait.”

Aria readied herself for battle. “If it means stopping you from ending more innocent lives… then my own innocence will be a worthy price… Lassie.”

Felix took a step back, a look of shock on his face, when Marcus told him exactly what Lassie had done to Aria. “But… but there's no way Arceus would bring Lassie here if she'd done that!”

“It's confusing me, too…” Marcus said. “But if Lassie is on the loose in this world, we have to find her before she finds Aria.”

“Come on,” Tiny said. “We don't have any time to lose.”

Marcus and Blitz nodded in reply, and the three were about to head off when Pinky spoke up. “Blitz, hold on!” the Slowbro called. Blitz turned around. “I know you'll need to talk to me when you get back. Even if it's late, I'll be out.”

“Thanks Pinky,” Blitz said with a slight smile. She then turned to the others and nodded before they all finally took off.

“You forget one thing, Aria,” Lassie said. “You're not so innocent, are you? Remember Wade?'

“What you did with my hands, I'll never forget…” Aria said, “but I will take revenge for what you've done!” Aria then channeled her energy into a powerful Shadow Ball and fired it at Lassie, who replied with her own Shadow Ball. The explosion resulting from the contact of the two attacks marked the beginning of a battle almost a decade in the making…

Back with Alonzo and his crew, the Leafeon had just thawed out and regained consciousness, though there was still no luck with the Tropius. “Unn…” she complained as she got up slowly. “Where am I?” The Leafeon then noticed that she was surrounded by complete strangers. “And who are you three?”

“My name's Alonzo,” the Typhlosion said. “This is Gatsu, and this is Kunoichi. Are you alright?”

The Leafeon rubbed her head. “I think so,” she said. “My name's Ki, and this Tropius is Nana. He and I were making our way to a town not too far away called Ponyville when he suddenly hit a gust of cold air and lost altitude faster than a stone before crashing. He lost consciousness instantly, but other than a little chill, I think he'll be fine. As for me, I was able to stay on my paws long enough to chase off a shiny Froslass that was trying to get close to us. I think it was even the one that caused the cold air.”

“I'm looking for that Froslass!” Gatsu said. “Did you see which way she went?”

“I didn't,” Ki replied with a shake of her head. “A shame, too. She's one of my friends—my family members—and she looked in pain.”

“You… she…?” Gatsu asked, a little confused. “She has a family? But… but she was a cold-blooded murderer last time I saw her, which was when she killed my first trainer.”

Ki took a second to process what Gatsu said before sighing. “I'd argue with you, but Aria did have that past,” she said, defeated. “She looked ready to finish me and Nana, though. What would cause that…?”

“I don't know,” Gatsu said, “but I don't care. The second I see her, I'm going to make sure she never-”

“No!” Ki suddenly said, rising to all fours and facing Gatsu. “Look, I'm really sorry about your trainer, but my intention is to help my friend first. I understand that you might be angry at her, but you have to believe me when I say she's just sick, and she needs someone to help her.”

Gatsu was about to reply when Kunoichi put a hand on the Umbreon's shoulder. “Believe the Leafeon, Gatsu,” Kunoichi said. “You have to learn to be able to resist your urge for revenge. That's the only way you'll be able to grow.”

Gatsu shrugged the Greninja's hand off. “Your sage advice gets old fast, you know,” he said. “Alright, fine. We'll do Ki's plan. But if she goes off and tries to hurt anyone else I care about, her neck will meet my Crunch. Got it?”

“I hope it doesn't come to that,” Ki said with a glare towards Gatsu. “For your sake, I mean. No one threatens my family.”

“Alright, let's take a moment to cool off,” Alonzo said, getting between the two Eons. “I mean… not actually… let's calm down. No one's killing anyone, okay? I'm going to thaw this Tropius, we're gonna go look for your friend Aria, we'll sit down, have a civilized talk, and then we'll all be on our way. Alright?”

Everyone stared at Alonzo for a moment before Kunoichi spoke up. “Your plan is every possible definition of 'unrealistic,' but you drive home a good point,” she said. The Greninja then glared at the two Eons. “You two, take back what you said to each other this instant.”

“Hey, you can't just tell me-” Ki started, but Kunoichi intensified her gaze, and Ki suddenly felt intimidation like she'd never felt before. With a gulp, she turned to Gatsu and said, “I'm… sorry for threatening to kill you.”

“And I'm sorry for your friend,” Gatsu replied.

“Gatsu,” Kunoichi said, focusing her gaze on the Umbreon.

“I mean, sorry for threatening to kill your friend,” Gatsu corrected.

“Good,” Kunoichi said. She then turned and went back to sit down next to Alonzo.

“How… did you do that?” Alonzo asked, shocked. “You got both Gatsu and a Leafeon you don't even know to behave.”

Kunoichi shrugged. “When you have a gift, you have a gift,” she said. “Mine just happens to be keeping people in line. At least for now…” She looked over to the two Eons, who seemed to be trying to talk about something to change the subject from Aria. All the while, Kunoichi couldn't help but feel… unsettled. “There's a storm on the horizon… and it looks like a blizzard.”

Author's Note

Feels good to finally be back. Had a minor setback with my writing, but I've gotten over it for the time being.

Oh? Was I supposed to do a Halloween-y chapter? Um... this chapter was mostly foreshadowing something to do with Aria, who's a Ghost-type. That's spooky, right?