Injustices New and Old

Dinner was very enjoyable. Tina prepared tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches for the ponies and Pokemon. It wasn’t high class food, but the Audino was a fairly good cook. During the meal she repeatedly got up and refilled Gallavant’s glass, telling him it was important to stay hydrated.

“Yes ‘mom’,” he chuckled as she brought the glass over from the sink for the umpteenth time.

Tina set the glass down and put her hands on her hips. “Gallavant, this is no laughing matter! I told you no fighting! And now you’ve just made the wound worse!”

Gallavant sighed. “Sorry. I guess I just needed to get some aggression out. It was a really short and easy fight!”

“That’s no excuse, and you don’t need to be apologizing to me. Apologize to yourself, after all that’s the only person you’re really hurting.”

Robin took a bite out of her sandwich. “She has a point you know. That’s a serious wound. You’ve made Shields go on the backburner for weeks even after less serious injuries.”

Raindrops blinked at the statement. “Shields? There are more of that guy” she looked to Aphex, “in your group?”

The sword Pokemon chuckled, “No, no. I’m the only Aegislash in the Shields of Justice. Shield is just the word we use for a member of our organization. I’m a shield, Robin’s a shield, Gallavant’s a shield, you get the idea?”

The mare nodded, “Yeah, that makes sense. So how do you organize your ‘shields’? Is it sorta military style?”

Gallavant shook his head. “No, not really. Most of the members operate as near equals. We only have two official ranks, Shield Master, which is me, and Shield Ace which is… the second in command.”

Realizing who Gallavant had been reminded of, Robin continued for him. “Beyond that we have four ‘tiers’ for our members, the Trainees, the Novices, the Adepts, and the Veterans. Everyone in here is a Veteran. It’s not really official, it’s mostly just based on social status in the group, skill, and time spent with us. Veterans don’t really get any perks other than usually being favored for leading positions on missions, and usually being given more high risk missions. Trainees are the only ones that aren’t official members yet, they have yet to complete training and take the oath, which only veterans can administer.”

Thunderlane nodded, “That makes sense I guess. How many of you are there?”

“About sixty” Tina answered. “But there were usually only about twenty members at our base at any one time. Most came and went as they wished, checking to see if there were missions they could join in on. Most of the people that stayed were younger members still in training, or some of the more core members of the Veterans.”

Robin suddenly stopped eating. “Arceus! What am I thinking! Just because we’re in a new place doesn’t mean we can part with tradition!”

Aphex laughed loudly. “I was wondering when you’d notice. I guess this just threw off your schedule. Don’t worry, I’d be more than happy to let you take a break for one night.”

The Meowstic glared, “I will not so easily abandon my duties! I have done it since before you even joined!”

Raindrops interrupted, “Um… what tradition is it that you’re talking about?”

“Robin always plays a song for us before we started eating back at the temple,” Tina explained, “I’m surprised at her as well that she didn’t.”

Thunderlane chuckled, “Well I think we can forgive her for one night since she doesn’t have an instrument to play on.”

Robin huffed, and lifted her ears up “I have no need for an instrument, observe.” Her ears began to glow, and a smooth sax solo began to play throughout the room. “There we go. You may continue eating now.”

The ponies eyes widened and they looked around, trying to locatethe source of the musc.

Robin giggled, “It’s not coming from a music player or anything. I can project music by vibrating the air in the room. I figured out how to do it myself.”

Gallavant put a palm to his face. “She has like four ways of using her psychic powers to produce music without an actual instrument.”

“Only three actually, but this is the least invasive and still allows me to use my hands and mouth,” she retorted before taking a sip from her soup.

“What are the other two then?” Thunderlane asked, impressed.

“I can compact air into a solid state in the form of an instrument, and play that normally, or simply project the tune from my mind to yours. I prefer this one though, or to simply use a real instrument.”
“Can all Pokemon do that sort of thing?” Raindrops asked.

Robin almost spat out her soup, “Heavens no. I’m one in a extreme few who attain this level of skill, in fact there are others even more powerful than myself. Of course, I am not necessarily ‘powerful.’ I can’t lift as much as many psychics, or attack as hard, but I am very adept at manipulating things on a miniscule scale.”

Raindrops nodded in understanding. “I guess it’s sorta like how most unicorns learn a few spells, but only some get to be very good at it. You must be very absorbed in music.”

Tina nodded, “That’s a good analogy I suppose. And you don’t know the half of it.”

The group finished up their meals, and cleaned up. Tina refused to let Gallavant do it himself and sent him off to the living room while she took care of his dishes.

He sat on a couch for several minutes, listening to the sounds of dishes being washed, tables being wiped, and leftovers being stored. “This is so boooring.” He looked around in the room more, like most of the house, it was fairly bare, with only a lamp, and two sofa’s, together capable of holding five people. Behind the couch he sat on was a large window, still without blinds. A few boxes were placed next to a bookshelf on the opposite wall from where he was sitting, one open slightly, revealing a large number of books within.

“Well I suppose now is as good a time as ever to learn about local literature.” Gallavant opened up the box and pulled out one of the books on the top. “Daring Do and The Ring of Destiny. Hmm. I suppose I can give it a read.” He sat down with the book, and cracked it open, flipping to the first page. He read through it for the first three pages, before closing it again. “I get the feeling this is a sequel. It’d be nice if it was numbered so I’d know where to start.” He checked the back of the book, and found a list of others of the same series. “Here we go, ‘Quest for The Sapphire Stone.” He stood up again and searched through the box some, digging through the many other installments in the series, searching for the first. “Damn, this author publishes a lot. How many has she written?”

The only answer he got wasn’t much of an answer, as the glass window behind him shattered, sending glass all over the couch and carpet where he had been sitting moments ago. He whipped around, barely registering the pain in his side, and extended the blades at his elbows, ready for a fight. Instead, he found a Chespin laying on the couch, groaning in pain. After a few moments of awkward silence, Gallvant heard a few shouts from down the street, looking out he saw a few ponies, apparently law enforcement, searching around.

When the Chespin heard the voices he immediately jumped up and attempted to charge further into the house, but was caught in a psychic grasp.

“Just where do you think you’re going?” Gallavant asked.

“I dunno… away.” The Chespin struggled in midair for a few moments before giving up and hanging in the telekinesis. “Please, don’t let them catch me.”

It was now that Gallavant got a better look at the Chespin. It appeared to have significantly more spikes than normal for its species, almost entirely covering the shell on it’s back.

“Why are they chasing you?”

The Grass-Type shrunk away from Gallavant as much as he could. “I uh… I stole some food. I was hungry and didn’t know what else to do.”

Just then the rest of the household entered. Raindrops eyes widened when she say the broken glass everywhere. “Our window! What happened?”

Gallavant set down the Chespin on the floor, away from the glass. “This little guy stole some food, and was trying to find a hiding place away from the guard.”

Robin stepped forward and leaned down to the Chespin. “What’s your name little one? And why do you seem so much more… spinier than most of your kind if you don’t mind me asking?”

The Chespin puffed out his chest and put his hands on his hips. “The names Cody! I was subject Thirty One under Doctor Nurem! One of the few survivors.” Cody grinned stupidly. “He gave me these awesome spikes!”

The eyes of all of the Pokemon in the room widened. Robin stepped forward, “You seem awfully happy for someone who had to go through that experience. Why should we believe you?”

Cody shrugged. “I dunno, my spines are proof enough I thought. What’s it to ya?”

Robin quirked an eyebrow at the little grass starter. “The Pokemon here are members of the Shields of Justice, a group dedicated to fighting those who prey on the weak, and helping those in need. I was in charge of locating and freeing you and your fellow subjects from that madman.”

“Neato!” The Chespin looked around some more. “Do you guys have any more food in here? I’m starved.” He looked back out the window, noticing the guards were now closer he ran into the next room to hide.

Ignoring how little the Chespin seemed to care about his past, Tina followed him. “I think before we do anything of the sort we should attend to those cuts.” She called out behind him.

When she and the others entered the kitchen behind him, they found he had already opened the fridge, and had begun gorging himself on the still warm leftover tomato soup. He lifted his head out of the container, the red liquid dripping down his chin onto the floor. “Nah, just gimme a few minutes and I can take care of em myself. This isn’t that bad.”

Tina scowled and took the soup away from the Chespin. “Not that bad? Almost as much of the red stuff on your face is blood as it is soup!”

Returning the scowl Cody jumped up to the sink, and washed his face off. “Watch,” he instructed. He then scrunched up his eyes, and balled up his fists. After a few moments the cuts on his face became smaller, and the bits of glass were forced out, until there was no sign he had even gotten scratched up by the window. “See? Not that bad.”

Tina was mad that she didn’t take a look at him first, but he seemed to be fine now. She then stomped back out of the room mumbling about crazy kids not letting her do her job.

“Interesting,” Robin remarked once Tina was gone. “If you don’t mind, after you’ve finished eating I’d like to ask you a few questions. After whatever is going on here is finished I’d like to return to my search and free your fellow subjects, and you may know something vital to doing so.”

Cody ignored her, and took the soup back from Tina, drinking up the last of what was in the bottom, before letting out a large belch.

“This could be difficult,” Robin facepalmed.

“Your mom is difficult.”

Before Robin could further comment on Cody’s immaturity there was a knock at the door. “Police, open up!”

Thunderlane began moving towards the door but Gallavant stopped him. “I got this, we have more experience with dealing with law enforcement.”

He walked to the end of the hall, and opened up the door, finding a stallion and a mare, both in guard armor. “Hello sir, we’re searching for a thief. He stole some apples at the market and assaulted several guards while we were attempting to apprehend him.”

Gallavant nodded. “Yeah I guess that was the guy that jumped through the window a minute ago,” he pointed to the shattered glass to his right, “He got out through the back door and scaled the fence. Doesn’t seem like the smartest guy to me. Would've been easier to go around the house instead.”

The mare nodded in thanks. “Got it, cmon, let's get to the next street over to see if we can find him.” The two then dashed off down the street.

Gallavant closed the door behind him and returned to the kitchen, everybody but robin and Cody had left the room to do something else. Robin was attempting to extract answers from the grass type. “I dunno.” Was the answer she was getting to most of them.

Looking very frustrated, Robin tried again. “Look, you must know something. You were there for a year you said.”

“I dunno.”

“Are you even trying?”

“I dunno.”

“Uuuurgh.” The Meowstic clasped her head in her paws. “You’re impossible!” She continued to glare at Cody until and idea came to her. “I think this would be easier if you allowed me into your mind. You may know something important but simply not realize it. i won’t tamper with anything while I’m in there, I just need to search around for anything relevant. Do you mind.”

“I dunno.”

“I’ll take that as a yes.” She looked to Gallavant, who gave a curt nod in the affirmative. She then closed her eyes and lifted up her ears. There were a few minutes of silence in the room. Gallavant reached out to observe Robin’s search, and she was keeping to her word, so he pulled out, and observed from the physical world.

Several minutes more passed, and Gallavant was about to leave to see if the glass had been cleaned up, when he heard a soft sound behind him. Turning around, he saw a tear streaming down Robins face. She let out a few more soft sobs before exiting the young Chespins mind, and turning around to wipe off the tear.

“He has a lot of suppressed memories of what went on back there.” she communicated telepathically. “I was careful not to let any of them out. Some were… grisly. And hold no place in the mind of one so young.”

“That would explain how he’s so… ok with all that has happened to him. Leave them for now. I’ll take a look later tonight while he is asleep. We should probably try to find Hannah, she’d probably have a better idea of what to do in this situation.”

Robin nodded, their Swoobat therapist would likely be the best choice for consultation. “I did manage to get some information out of him. The biggest thing is general location. He was born in the Kalos region, and often when lab assistants had just come back they smelled like swamp. Sounds to me like Route 14.”

Gallavant cracked a smile. “While that is good to know. I could tell from some of the fresher memories in there that little Cody was in the lab when he passed out and found himself here in Detrot.”

“Yes, I know. Most of the other subjects may have been teleported away as well. But it’s still worth looking into in case not all made it out, and the ‘scientists’ there still need to be punished.”

“Of course but… I’d have thought you’d have figured it out by now but, I think we’re all on a different world.”

Robin quirked an eyebrow. “Yes, I did have the same theory as well, but it still sounds completely ridiculous, like something some mediocre writer who lives in his basement would come up with.”

Gallavant laughed. “Yes that is true, but I’m not sure if I’d describe it like that. But… looking into his mind, I noticed something that I heard before as well, but forgot about.”

She nodded, “Yes, I know what you mean. ‘Rest now my children, for when you awake a whole new world shall be your home’. I heard the same thing all the way in Kalos, so if both you and I heard it whatever transmitted it must have been immensely powerful. Perhaps powerful enough to bring us all here, wherever here is.”

“Indeed. Let’s just hope that he reveals his intentions soon.”

After a while, all the ponies and Pokemon all began going to bed. Tina offered to sleep on the couch, which had been completely cleaned of glass by Gallvant and Robin’s psychic ministrations. Robin and Cody were sharing the top bunk in the guest room, and Gallavant was on the bottom, while Aphex decided to lean in a corner in the kitchen.

The lights were out, and Gallavant had already begun drifting off to sleep when he felt something climb into his bed with him and poke him. Opening his eyes, he found Cody standing over him, looking rather nervous.

“Is there something you need?” Gallavant whispered.

Robin spoke up then, “Don’t bother whispering he woke me up when he moved.”

Cody shrunk down some and Gallavant chuckled. He repeated, now louder, “Is there something you need?”

The Chespin nodded meekly, seemingly out of character. “Yeah, uh. Can you tell me a story?”

Gallavant blinked in confusion, “Why do you want to hear a story?”

“Well,” Cody gulped audibly, “I heard from some of the other Pokemon at the lab that their parents used to tell them stories before they went to sleep. I… I never really knew my parents, but I’d.... I’d like to try the story part, even if… if you aren’t my dad.”

Gallavant gave a light smile and sat up, moving the Chespin next to him. “Sure. I think I know just the one.” He cleared his throat then began.

“Once, a long time ago, well not that long really. Once, a fair amount of time ago, there was a beautiful, kind young trainer named Amy. Amy always took great care of her Pokemon, she fed them, trained them, patched them up after battles. All of her Pokemon loved her dearly, and she loved them back.

Emily and her Pokemon were very strong, they managed to collect seven gym badges in only a year! You know about gym badges don’t you?”

Cody nodded his head and motioned for Gallavant to continue.

“Amy and her Pokemon, an Audino, a Kirlia, a Chesnaught, an Aegislash, and… a Bisharp, were very strong, and collected seven badges, an impressive feat, and she was more than ready to try for her eighth and final badge!

Along the road from one town to the next, Amy discovered some strange men in the woods, who seemed to be doing bad things! She tried to stop them, but ended up getting very badly hurt, and her Pokemon were forced to fight to protect her. Her Pokemon were powerful, but the bad men had even stronger ones with them, that were badly beating us… er... them. But then, out of nowhere, a group of Pokemon appear and fight off the villain, and rescue the girl and her Pokemon. They called themselves the Shields of Justice, and were led by a strong and honorable Lucario by the name of James.

The shields fought off the bad guys and took the girl and her Pokemon to a hospital, but unfortunately, they were… too late to save the girl. She had been hurt very badly, and slipped into a coma, a very deep sleep that she couldn’t wake up from. Her Pokemon were all heartbroken, and didn’t know what to do.

A few days after the incident, the Kirlia was looking for through his trainers bag to remember her by. The doctors didn’t think she’d be waking up anytime soon. He dug through all of her equipment, Pokeballs, potions, random items she had collected over time. Suddenly, as he was looking through her stones, he began to glow. His body changing, through evolution. After it was over, the stone that evolved him disappeared, but he noticed a small tag that laid in the bottom of the bag. It read, ‘Dear Gallavant, I don’t know when your birthday is, but I know the exact date of when I caught you! I thought it’d be nice to give you something special. So here you go.’” Gallavant’s eyes were watering slightly, and he stopped to wipe them.

He continued on, “It was then that the new Gallade knew, that he would join the Shields of Justice, and help prevent anything like what had happened to him and his friends from happening ever again. Since then, he’s done lots of good. He’s helped fight evil organizations, bust all sorts of immoral activities, and saved countless innocents.” He then stopped and looked down at Cody, who instead of going to sleep like he had hoped, was beaming up at him with wide eyes.

“Keep going! I wanna hear the ending!” He begged.

Gallavant laughed. “There is no ending yet, and I hope there won’t be for some time.”

Cody’s eyes widened even more, “So… you’re the Gallade from the story!”

“You got me,” he grinned.

“So… the Shields of Justice, they… they fight crime, and protect people?”

“That’s right. We told you that before,” Robin responded from above.

The Chespin beamed, “I wanna be a Shield of Justice! They sound so awesome! Can I join? Please?”

Gallavant smiled and nodded, “Anyone is free to join, as long as they want to help others and are pure of heart.”

Cody gasped, and started jumping up and down, “I’m gonna be a Shield of Justice! I’m gonna be a Shield of Justice!”

The Gallade grabbed him and put him back down on the bed, “You’re not quite there yet. You have to complete training, and take the oath.”

“Aww.” his face fell. “How long will that take?”

“Depends. You can take the oath when I, or another veteran member decide you’re of high enough skill. Anyone here is capable of giving you the oath.”

“Aw. Ok. So when can we start training then?” He asked hopefully.

Robin piped up again, “If you like we can start tomorrow. Gallavant is still wounded so it will probably be me, Aphex, or Tina instructing you.”

Cody beamed again, “Awesome! I can’t wait! I’m gonna be the strongest Shield ever!”

Gallavant smiled and put him back on the top bunk, “I’m sure you will little one, I’m sure you will.”