Pokémon: Adventures in Equestria

Volume I: How It All Began

Chapter 3

The Chosen One of Honesty

Soon, Celestia arrived in the small yet renown town of Ponyville. All of the buildings, whether they were tall or small but all covered in snow, were quaint and colorful with Hearth's Warming wreaths and lights everywhere, making the falling snow seem even more beautiful. There was always this homey and comfortable feeling whenever one comes into Ponyville, since it was the oldest town establishment in all of Equestria. The famed Pokémon School was on the outskirts of the town, standing with all of its charm and significance.

Celestia called her Gardevoir back to its Poké Ball and took out the orange geode. It was still blinking like a beacon, and it glowed even brighter when she guided to the other part of the outskirts. If Celestia remembered correctly, over there was Sweet Apple Acres, the "core" of Ponyville and the top-leading apple orchard in its industry. This one ought to be very interesting.

Over at the famous Sweet Apple Acres, a 10-year-old girl was stringing up lights around the patio porch. The Chosen One of Honesty.

She had blonde hair tied in twin pigtails over her shoulders with a beige Stetson hat, pale orange tan skin with small freckles across her cheeks and the bridge on her nose, and green emerald eyes. She wore a blue and white polo shirt under a red winter jacket, jeans, and black cowgirl boots with light green apple prints. Around her neck, she wore a cream beige wool scarf.

Applejack finished steadying the lights and carefully climbed back down the ladder. As she stepped back to make sure they were good enough, a sad look came on her face. This will be the first Hearth's Warming Eve without her parents.

The previous autumn, both of AJ's parents, Bright Macintosh and Pear Butter, or Buttercup as she was mostly called by, had passed away from an illness she couldn't understand right now at this age. All she knew that they would have trouble breathing, and that they were always cold. Her mother passed first, and then her father followed the following week; the doctors mentioning that it was his broken heart that had added to the reason.

Tears soon went down Applejack's face and came dripping down into the snow. Why must they go so soon? They had a young teenage son who needed his father for some advise when he's out on his journey. They had her, who needed to learn more about life and how to help others when she gets eligible enough to begin her own Pokémon journey. And they had a younger daughter who needed her mama and papa to guide her through life. It just wasn't fair.

Two barks caught AJ's attention, snapping her out of her mourning state. Two large Stoutland, who belonged to her parents, came outside to check on her. They were followed by an elderly yet strong woman with grey hair into a bun, apple green skin, and hazel eyes. She wore a worn orange work dress under a golden yellow shawl that was draped over her shoulders. It was her grandmother, Granny Smith.

"Applejack, sugarcube." Granny Smith said. "Come on inside and get yerself a nice warm mug of hot apple cider."

AJ shook her head. "No thank you, Granny Smith."

"Why not?" A much younger voice asked. A girl of five years old came out onto the porch. She had apple red hair in a cute braid held back with a pink bow, pale yellow skin, and eyes that matched her grandmother's. She wore a pink overcoat and matching winter boots. It was her younger sister, Apple Bloom.

Applejack sighed and came back onto the porch, sitting down on the swing. The two Stoutland came beside her and whimpered, sensing her sadness. She then began petting one of them softly on the head.

"I just miss Ma and Pa." She said, feeling the tears well up again.

Apple Bloom sat next to her sister and rested her head on her chest, silently crying as well. Granny Smith then took the other spot and took her elder granddaughter in a hug.

"We miss 'em, too, sugarcube." She said. "But what do we do when loved ones ain't here with us?" Both AJ and AB looked up at her, not knowing the answer. "We celebrate them, and as long as we remember them, it'll be like they're still here."

The girls smiled softly at their grandmother and gave her a big hug. "Thank ya, Granny." Applejack said.

Just then, a teenage boy of 16 came out onto the porch, bringing a guitar. He had orange hair, pale red skin with freckles on his cheeks matching Applejack's own, and green eyes like hers, too. He had on a dark green coat over his overalls. It was Big Macintosh, the oldest of the Apple siblings.

"Hi, there, Big Mac." Apple Bloom said. "You here to play a little something?"

"Eeyup." Big Mac said. He isn't much of a talker, but when he wants to say something, he'll say it.

The eldest Apple sibling leaned against one of the nearby posts and began strumming a tune. Feeling a little better hearing the calm tune, and remembering what Granny Smith told her, Applejack began to sing.

Applejack: When family cannot be here,
Havin' journeyed far and wide,
We sing a song to honor them,
To remember days gone by.

Her little sister then joined in with her.

Applejack and Apple Bloom: So take your cup and raise it high,
Just as surely I'll do mine,
And laugh we will at stories told,
As we smile at days gone by.
As we smile at days gone by.

Next, Granny Smith began singing along with her granddaughters.

Applejack, Apple Bloom, and Granny Smith: For family not here, my dears
Havin' journeyed far and wide,
For loyalty and kindness both,
We smile at days gone by.

As the family began humming to the tune, they didn't notice that a group of four figures were traveling past the orchard. But their music caught the attention of the youngest one, a boy of 10 with spiky green hair, purple skin, and matching green eyes. He wore a black winter coat over a dark green T-shirt, jeans, and black shoes. The boy stopped to listen just as Applejack began singing again.

Applejack: Our paths will cross again one day,
In time to reunite,
For family is always near,
Even when the seas are wide.

The boy couldn't tear his eyes away from the girl his age as she walked up to the end of the porch and leaned out, feeling the snow. It was actually a pretty sight, and her voice was just amazing.

Applejack and Apple Bloom: So take your cup and raise it high,
Just as surely I'll do mine,
And make a toast for family,
And the tales of days gone by.

By now, Big Mac joined his family in singing as he began to end the song.

All: For family not here, my dears,
Havin' journeyed far and wide,
For loyalty and kindness both,
Take joy at days gone by.

For loyalty and kindness both,
We smile at days gone by.

When the song ended, AJ saw a flicker of orange light in the orchard. Her curiosity began to kick in.

"All right, now." Granny Smith said, standing up. "Who's up for some hot cider?"

"Y'all go ahead." Applejack said, jumping over the porch. "I need to check on something real quick." And before any of her family said anything, she ran off into the orchard, following the orange light. Little did any of them know that the boy that was watching them began to quietly pursue AJ into the many apple trees.

Soon, Applejack found herself at an apple tree that was growing alongside a pear tree and they were entertwined with each other into the shape of a heart. She had never seen such an amazing sight. She wasn't the only one admiring the sight, as the boy from earlier was watching from behind a different tree.

The orange light then caught her attention again. AJ looked around, and saw a glowing orange geode set in the snow. The young cowgirl reached down and, seeing that it was getting brighter as her hand got closer to it, hesitantly grabbed it. A pulse of the same light hit her and, unknown to her, the boy as well. When the light faded, Applejack saw that the geode had turned into an orange necklace with her signature apples engraved on it. The necklace then tied itself around her neck.

"Well, that was weird." AJ said to herself as she stood up and began walking back to the farmhouse, fingering the necklace.

Unbeknownst to her the boy who was watching her was also surprised about what had just happened.

"Spike!" A voice called him. The boy, now known as Spike, flinched when he heard the voice. He was going to get in trouble. He took one last look at where Applejack went, then left the orchard to where his family might be waiting for him once they had noticed he wandered off. He couldn't shake the feeling that one day, he will see her again. Secretly, he hoped so.

From another part of the orchard, Celestia had also witnessed the whole thing. She smiled. Honesty couldn't have chosen a more worthy wielder. It had always known what it was doing, so she trusts its judgment.

Where to next? She thought. Just then, the last geode, the red one, began blinking. This time, it was telling her to head back to Canterlot.

All right, then. Celestia thought as she put the geode back in her cloak pocket. She then released Gardevoir again.

"Back to Canterlot, Gardevoir." She said. "Use Teleport."

Gardevoir complied, and once more, she and her Trainer became millions of rainbow colored lines and vanished from Sweet Apples Acres.

Author's Note

A/N: I hoped you have enjoyed this. However, the next chapter, we will see how Princess Luna is doing with her own search. Can you guys guess who will she find first?

I'll see y'all in Chapter 4, then! Please let me know what you think!

Got to fly! ;)