Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescuers of Harmony

Chapters

Journey's Beginning
The Positive and The Negative
Moo-ments of the Past
The Purr-fect Crime
Laundry Mishap
Anything But Normal
Raging Storm
Prologue

Journey's Beginning

Twilight groaned, knocked for a loop after she and her friends were sucked into her backfired spell. From the unfortunate dogpile, hearing her friends groan as they all rolled off each other, she began to feel a little nauseous as she rolled onto her stomach, no longer in the library and out in a field of grass.

"What the heck happened to them?" Squinting her eyes open, Twilight grunted as she tried to stand up, only to collapse on her belly again with a grunt as her hooves felt different. "Whoa! Hey, are you alright?"

She was helped up by whoever was nearby, but they helped her up on her hind legs, making her immediately lose her balance and fall on her back with a grunt. "Ow. Why did you-?" Twilight sat up to berate the one who attempted to stand her up, only to gasp when she saw the Riolu and Charmander, strange creatures she never saw before. She didn't know if they were dangerous beasts, just staring at her, waiting for her to make the first move before they pounced her. "Uh oh..."

"You ok there, miss?" Scott asked.

Hearing the blue and black canine talk made Twilight squeak in surprise. "Y-You can talk!?" she exclaimed, her reaction making the Riolu and Charmander look at each other in bewilderment.

"Uhh, yeah, and so can you," Scott stated dumbly.

"Scott," Johann hissed, grabbing his friend's tail and pulled him away from Twilight, giving him a disapproving leer before looking back at her with a friendly smile. "Forgive my friend. You're probably just a little confused from that fall you took. I'm Johann. What's your name, Miss Ralts?"

"My name is Twilight Sparkle, and-" Twilight paused, raising a brow at the Charmander. "...What did you call me?"

"Well, you are a Ralts," Johann explained. "That's what kind of Pokemon you are...or do you not remember what kind you are?"

"Huh?" Confused, Twilight brought her hoof up to scratch her head, only to pause with more confusion when, instead of her fur or mane, she was rubbing a strange dome-like hat. Shifting her eyes up, she now noticed half of her vision was blocked by her "bangs", which were green, and felt like the very same dome she was wearing. She then looked at her hooves, gasping in shock that her limbs weren't purple, or even hooved; they were white and thin. "W-W-W-What in the name of Celestia!?"

"Uhh, Cele-who?" Scott questioned.

Twilight began to freak out, then looked down at herself to see what else had changed. Her body was as white as her arms, far smaller than probably Spike, and two legs with wide feet, though it looked like she was wearing some sort of dress or nightgown when it was a part of her new body. While looking at her dress, she could see her cutie mark was still there, the fuchsia star and the smaller, barely visible white stars against her "dress" marked on both sides. She felt above her head for her horn, but instead of her spiraled unicorn horn, she felt a thinner, flatter one in the front, and there was another smaller one in the back. Her breath caught in her throat, her pupils under her "hair" shrinking to pinpricks, then let out a scream in terror, startling Scott and Johann.

"What did I turn into!?" Twilight screamed, trying to stand up, but her new bipedal body made her wobble, and one single step made her trip over her new feet, but Johann quickly caught her before she fell again.

"Hey, take it easy," Johann said, trying to calm down the hyperventilating Ralts. "Try to remember what happened to you and the others."

"O-Others?" Twilight asked, then gasped in shock. "My friends! W-Where are they!?"

"Twilight?" Twilight heard Spike's voice, quickly turning to see the group of new creatures lying on the ground, some trying to recover from the disorienting pull of her backfired spell. The one that got up was a Gible, marks similar to what Twilight had on his sides, only the stumpy-looking land shark had a scroll with green flames behind it. The Gible rubbed his head groggily, senslessly looking around. "What happened to us?"

"S-Spike!?" Scrambling out of Johann's arms, she wobbled over to Spike, stumbling a bit before grasping her baby dragon assistant's transformed face with her hands. "Spike, is that you!?"

"Yeah," Spike said, his vision clearing up when he finally saw Twilight, letting out a yelp in surprise. "Whoa! Twilight!?"

"Yes!" Twilight nodded rapidly while Spike tried to look at himself.

"Did...Did I shrink?" Spike questioned, wiggling his shorter limbs angrily. "Why do I feel so stubby!?"

"...Do these guys have amnesia or something?" Scott asked Johann.

"I'm not sure," Johann uttered.

The other Pokemon began to stir and come back to reality. "Ow. At least that wasn't as bad as when I crashed and busted my wing." Twilight and Spike heard Rainbow's voice come from a bird with gray, black, and white feathers, Rainbow's cutie mark located on its wings. The Starly brought a wing to its face, only to flinch when it focused on its face. "Huh? A...beak!?" Rainbow looked over herself, letting out a yelp in shock, then glared angrily. "Why did I turn into a bird!?"

"Rainbow Dash?" Twilight asked.

Rainbow quickly turned to look at Twilight, her beak dropping when she glanced at the familiar cutie mark on the Ralts' dress. "Twilight?" The Psychic-type nodded. Rainbow glanced at her wings, thankful to still have those despite being an avian instead of a pegasus, along with her cutie mark now that they moved to her new anatomy's coverts. "Where are we? And...WHAT are we!?"

Before she could try to answer, they heard Applejack growl like a dog, which she ironically transformed into when Twilight, Rainbow, and Spike saw the trio of apples of her cutie mark on the brown canine with yellow cheeks and a small, lightning bolt tail. "That hurt," the Yamper grumbled, shaking her body before trying to reach a paw up to her head. Applejack noticed her shorter limbs, gasping in shock. "What in tarnation!?"

"Whoa, Applejack! You're a dog!" Rainbow exclaimed.

"Thanks, Rainbow Dash, Ah could see-" Applejack turned to leer at her friend/rival, her annoyance dropping along with her jaw when she noticed her friends' changes. "...Whoa nelly. Twilight, what in Equestria happened to us?"

"I-I think my spell went haywire when Pinkie scared the hay out of me with her party cannon," Twilight mumbled nervously, worried she poured too much magic to not only send them to this world against their will, but also transform them into the creatures of this world permanently.

"At least we're all together, right?" Spike asked.

"Hopefully." Applejack looked around, letting out a sigh of relief when she found her stetson resting on a whitish-looking mass of fluff. "Thank goodness mah hat's still here," she said, walking over to her hat while getting used to her stubbier legs. After Applejack grabbed her hat in her mouth, then flipped it back on her head where it belong, she looked down at the fluff, only to yelp when she saw a face on it. What was more surprising was the three balloons on its cheeks, two blue and one yellow, matching the similar cutie mark Pinkie Pie had. "P-Pinkie Pie???"

The fluffy creature squinted, blinking a few times as if it was waking up from a nap. "Applejack?" It was indeed Pinkie Pie, sitting up with her new form. The Swirlix looked at Applejack, smiling groggily and tried to pat her on the head, but the only appendage she had was a small tail. "Hello, cute puppy. Have you seen Applejack?"

"Pinkie Pie, it IS me," Applejack stated. "Are...are ya some sort of livin' cloud?"

"Hmm?" Pinkie glanced down, blinking curiously as she moved her small tail attached to her fluffy head. "...Oh...my...gosh..."

"Uhh, it's not as bad as it seems, sugarcube," Applejack said to reassure the party pony turned cotton candy Pokemon.

"Not as bad? I'M LIVING A DREAM!" Pinkie shrieked with joy, somehow able to leap as high as the Nidos' home. Her reaction baffled her fully conscious friends and the Riolu and Charmander trying to figure out what the Swirlix was talking about. Pinkie landed back down, gently plopping on the back of a pink and white kitten with a slender tail, though with a bulky pink section at the end, three pin-like structures with yellow ball-like tips at the end of the appendage. "I've turned into living cotton candy!"

"...What?" Twilight muttered, her deadpanned expression hidden under her bowl-cut hairstyle.

Rainbow snickered as she and the others watched Pinkie stick her tongue out and lick her fluffy body. "Mmm! I taste like strawberries!" Pinkie said, then licked her lips, tasting more of her flavored body. "Who wants to try!?"

"P-Pinkie, you're...sitting on me." Pinkie's little pink ears on top of her fluffy body twitched, looking down where she heard Rarity's voice coming from the small kitten. Pinkie bounced off the Skitty, who let out a disgusted groan. "Eww. Why does my back feel sticky?"

"Oopsie. My new cotton candy body must be a lot more stickier than I thought," Pinkie giggled sheepishly. "Sorry kitty cat who sounds like Rarity!...Wait, Rarity?" While the Skitty stood up, Pinkie noticed the three blue diamonds cutie mark the fashionista had was on the pink kitten. "Hey! It is Rarity! And you're a kitty! Way cuter than Opal, with those squinty eyes and cattail tail!"

"Pinkie, what in Equestria are you babbling-" Rarity turned to look at Pinkie, her jaw hanging open mid-sentence in shock as she saw the earth pony was now a piece of cotton candy on a fluffy stick-like tail, along with the rest of her friends and the two rescue team Pokemon, who were still silently watching them as they had their moments to reacting to their situation. And Rarity was next when she looked down at herself, starting to panic as she turned around and examined every inch of her. "W-What am I!? W-Where's my beautiful tail!? My coiffed mane!?"

"It's all gone, and now you're a kitty cat!" Pinkie cheerfully explained, which wasn't a good idea as, even though her eyes were squinted, Rarity frowned in shock and disbelief.

The Skitty then let out a loud shriek, her high-pitched wail causing everyone to wince and cover their ears. Scott and Johann grimaced, the former especially with his sensitive hearing.

"Agh! I didn't know Skitties could use Screech!" Scott exclaimed.

"I don't think they can!" Johann stated.

Rarity's screeching wails woke Fluttershy up, instinctively grabbing her ears, somehow far more sensitive with sound than usual. "Ow. What's with all the loud noise?" Fluttershy stood up, falling on her rear end with a squeak, feeling more of her body was off than just her ears. She first noticed a fluffy yellow lower half, her new paws sticking out from the fluff, then her brown paws. "Am I...a bunny?" she asked herself, running her new paws over her face. She didn't have buck teeth like a normal rabbit, but she did have the long ears, the back of them covered in the same yellow fluffy fur that was below her waist. She still had her trio of butterflies cutie mark on her hips, but nothing else about her as a pegasus. "Oh my..."

"Well, at least one of them was relatively calm about who they are," Scott said.

One of Fluttershy's new, long ears sprang up while the other remained folded on her head, looking over to where the male voice came from. When the Buneary saw Scott and Johann, she gasped in awe, eyes sparkling at the new, adorable critters watching her, and the animal loving side of her came out.

"Oh my gosh!" Fluttershy squeed, quickly climbing on her feet and hopped over to the two Pokemon, her fascination more important than her transformation. She didn't even have any troubles adjusting to her movements, too focused on the fire lizard and fighter lupine, coming to a stop between them and shifted her head to look at the two of them with an open-mouthed grin. "You two are so adorable!"

"Uhhh," both Pokemon stammered, glancing at each other for a brief moment before Fluttershy pounced Johann first.

"Aww, what a cute lizard!" Fluttershy gushed, rubbing Johann's head, who blushed in embarrassment at the attention. She wasn't even aware of the flaming tip at the end of his tail, too focused on cuddling and nuzzling the Charmander, the orange of his smooth skin turning a deeper shade of red, making him look like a mini-Charmeleon. "And such warm body heat. Are you warm-blooded, little guy?"

"U-Uhh, I-I-I am a...F-F-Fire-type, so, umm..." Johann continued stammering, glancing over to Scott, silently begging for his help.

The Riolu just snickered, watching his friend's new "mate" snuggle with him, his bashfulness being the funniest thing he's seen on the Charmander. Fluttershy then turned her sights on Scott, who immediately stopped his sniggering and gulped nervously, the unfortunate next victim as she leapt away from Johann. Twilight and her other friends watched Fluttershy hopping around without a care as she devoted her attention to the two Pokemon.

"Well, at least Fluttershy seems to fit in well," Spike said.

"So much for being afraid of 'big, scary monsters' in another world," Rainbow mumbled.

"And what kind of puppy are you?" Fluttershy asked Scott, grimacing at being called a puppy.

"Uhh...A Riolu?" he said nervously. "Haven't you ever-?"

"How cute!" Fluttershy squealed, then began to scratch the back of Scott's head with her paw, making him stiffen in surprise with a shocked gaze. "Who's a good boy? Who's a good boy!?" the Buneary cooed, wishing she had a dog treat to give the Riolu.

Though his body was frozen, an instinct inside of him enjoyed it. His tail began to wag, willing it to stop despite how good the scratching behind his ear felt. His right leg twitched when he desperately kept his tail straight out, giving light thumps to the ground. His subtle satisfaction to Fluttershy's amazing scratching skills didn't go unnoticed by Johann, who snickered right back at him now that he was on the receiving end of the Buneary's affections.

"Enjoying yourself?" Johann asked with a snort.

"N-No," Scott answered, gritting his teeth to try not to pant in exhilaration.

"Then why is your tail wagging like that?" Scott flinched, quickly grabbing his traitorous tail, which made Johann burst out laughing, falling to the ground and rolling around while clutching his sides.

Now it was Scott's turn for his face to go beet red. "Ok, that's enough!" he exclaimed, backing away and leaping up into Nidoqueen's berry tree.

Fluttershy was disappointed to have her new animal friend feel embarrassed from the petting and scratching. "Oh, please don't run away. If you don't like scratchies, I can give you more pets," she bartered.

"Neither would be great, please and thank you!" Scott yelled out, then turned to glare at Johann, who was still laughing uncontrollably. "You better not tell the others in the guild about this, Johann!"

Nidoking stepped outside, hearing Scott's yelling and went to check his backyard. "What's going on out here? You boys try practicing your fighting in my mate's garden, she's gonna-" As soon as he got around the house and made his presence known, the girls froze in terror at the sight of the large, senior Pokemon. Nidoking blinked, swearing he thought there were only two Pokemon working on his and his mate's yard, and there were seven more that were here on his property. "...Uhh...Who are you lot?"

All the newcomers sans Fluttershy screamed, scrambling away and hid behind the tree Scott was in, some tripping over their new limbs while Pinkie bounced and rolled away. Nidoking scratched his head, looking to Johann and Scott for an answer. Scott jumped from his perch, landing on the ground as light as a feather, then peeked around the tree to find the fallen Pokemon cowering in fear.

"W-W-What is that thing???" Twilight questioned.

"It's gonna eat us!" Pinkie screamed. "I'm too delicious to be eaten!"

"You were licking yourself earlier," Scott stated, giving the Swirlix a deadpanned glare.

"Exactly! Only I can eat my cotton candy sweetness!" The Riolu's eye twitched, suddenly feeling a headache coming on just from trying to reason with the goofy Fairy-type.

"...Right." Scott looked back to Johann, surprised to see Fluttershy wasn't as frightened as her friends were as she stood next to him and admired the flaming tip on his tail she just now noticed he had, then to the baffled Nidoking. "Well, you guys don't have to worry about Nidoking. He's not going to hurt us."

"Dude, he's a giant monster!" Rainbow exclaimed. "He towers over us like a mountain!"

"He's not THAT scary," Scott said. "Mostly confused because he thinks it was just me and Johann here helping fix up his yard."

"...Say what now?" Applejack questioned.

"Yeah, I know. Pretty lame mission for the start of our rescue team," Scott grumbled.

The girls and Spike looked at each other, then back to the Riolu. "Rescue team?" Twilight asked.

"What, you guys haven't heard of Pokemon rescue teams?" Scott waited for a response, but the looks on their faces showed genuine confusion. "...They travel across the land to help others in need? Search through Mystery Dungeons to find lost Pokemon or items?"

"Mystery...Dungeons?" Spike questioned.

Scott stood silently, a little baffled how a group of Pokemon like them have never heard of rescue teams, or even Mystery Dungeons. Curious, he closed his eyes, focusing his aura to sense their inner feelings, a basic skill Riolu like him can perform. Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow, Rarity, Pinkie, and Spike wondered what he was doing, watching the two appendages that almost looked like droopy ears on the sides of his head begin to rise up on their own. Ignoring their fascination, he could sense they were confused, frightened, and anxious. He gasped and opened his eyes, glowing a light blue when he sensed something else mixed in with their auras, something that wasn't like the normal aura energies he's seen while practicing enhancing his aura-sensing abilities.

"W-Why are his eyes glowing?" Rarity asked nervously. "Is he going to use magic on us???"

Scott blinked, the glowing aura in his eyes disappearing as the black appendages flopped down, shocked by what he felt. "What...was that?" he uttered to himself. He had to tell Johann what he saw while also wondering if Fluttershy had the same mysterious energy the others had. "Uhh...Wait here..."

"As if we want to get eaten by that...whatever you called that thing," Twilight grumbled.

Scott ran over to Johann and Nidoking, making sure to avoid Fluttershy and her wonderful scratching techniques. "Uhh...I didn't sound that aggressive, was I?" Nidoking asked. "Are they all friends of yours? Or future rescuers like you boys?"

"I don't think you'd believe us if we were completely honest," Johann said.

"Well, with all the hard work you boys did on our yard so far, I'll trust you to telling me what's going on," Nidoking said.

Scott and Johann looked at each other, shrugging their shoulders before facing their first client. "They...kinda fell from the sky," Scott said first. "There was this...purple lightning that shot through the sky, then this strange light appeared from it, and they fell through it and right on top of us. I'm kinda surprised you and Mrs. Nido didn't hear that earlier."

Nidoking looked up at the sky, humming curiously. "Well, it's a pretty nice day. Not a cloud in the sky," he said. Glancing over at the tree the other Pokemon hid behind, they quickly hid back when he looked in their direction. "Hmmmmm...Maybe that little Ralts got a bit too eager and used Teleport, sending herself and her friends here and winding up in the air."

"Ok, but that doesn't explain the mysterious lightning and the bright light they fell from," Johann said. "You don't think this is one of the natural disasters still giving this land trouble, is it?"

"More like unnatural," Scott said. Johann looked at his friend with a confused tilt of his head. Looking at Fluttershy, Scott sensed her aura, and just like with her other friends, she had that same mysterious energy within her aura. Fluttershy stared at his appendages in awe, reaching out to touch them. Scott could still see her while seeing through his aura, quickly opening his eyes and grabbed her paw, startling the Buneary. "I know you're interested in...us, but, do you think you can persuade your friends that nothing's gonna hurt them?"

"Oh. Umm, ok, Mr. Riolu," Fluttershy said.

"It's Scott," he corrected, then let go of the Buneary's paw. Scott then smirked and pointed at Johann. "But you can call him Mr. Lizard."

"Hey, I have a name, too!" Johann exclaimed. "It's Johann!" Fluttershy nodded, then made her way over to her friends. Johann grumbled as he glanced at his friend, slightly annoyed by the remark he made. "'Mr. Lizard'? Couldn't have come up with something better, 'puppy'?"

Scott growled at the nickname, especially when Johann smirked right back, getting the upper hand. "I guess I'll tell the Missus to make some more cookies. Never expected more guests today," Nidoking murmured to himself, making his way back inside and left the starting rescue team to themselves.

Scott just sighed, draping his arm around Johann's shoulder and guided him around the building. "Ok, serious talk," he said.

"What? What is it?" Johann asked.

"I'm actually not sure myself, but I think those girls and Gible really have no idea where they are, let alone what kinds of Pokemon they are," Scott explained.

"So, do they really have amnesia?" the Charmander asked.

"Maybe, maybe not, but when I looked at their aura, it was...different." Johann tilted his head curiously at the claim with a hum in thought.

"Different how?" Johann asked.

Scott rubbed his chin, thinking of a way to explain it to his friend. "...Well, think of aura like a stream of water," he explained. "If it's calm, the water flows gently down, and if something disturbs it, it ripples or splashes. Aura acts the same way and can be influenced by things like stress, adrenaline, fear, even excitement." He poked Johann's chest with a grin. "Yours is like a tsunami with all that positive energy in your core."

Johann let out a small laugh, taking the compliment in stride with a grin. "Jeeze, don't flatter me too much," he said bashfully. "But, what's so strange about their aura that we needed to talk in private?"

"Well...It's a lot harder to explain," Scott said. "Uhh...Well, say that stream of water has...something spilled into it, and it mixes and blends with that water to...illuminate."

"Like a Chinchou or Lanturn's antennae with those glowing lights?" Johann guessed.

"Well, maybe not like that, but it glowed...something," Scott said with uncertainty. "I have no idea what it was, but...they don't have any ordinary aura inside them." Peeking around the corner, he saw the girls and Gible talking to each other, having their own personal meeting. The Riolu sighed, then looked back at Johann. "But, since I don't know if their aura's dangerous, they seem pretty harmless. And if they're lost, as a rescue team, we should help them."

"Yeah, you're right," the Charmander agreed.

While the two discussed what to do, Fluttershy was still trying to convince her friends that the Nidoking wasn't as scary as the others thought. "Are you loco in the cocoa, Flutter-bunny!?" Pinkie exclaimed while bouncing up and down. "I saw that look on that Nido-Meano's eye! He had a hankering for some cotton candy!"

"I didn't think he was that bad," Fluttershy said. "Besides, he seems pretty elderly for his size and stature."

"Ah think Fluttershy's right," Applejack said. "Plus, he didn't even go after them other two critters. Said they were workin' on his yard."

"You know, when you say that, it's kind of strange to think that these creatures are civilized," Rarity said.

"Rares, we TURNED into some of these creatures!" Rainbow reminded the Skitty, flapping her wings wildly in frustration, then turned to Twilight. "Twilight, take us back home!"

"I-I don't know if I can! I don't think I even have my magic!" Twilight exclaimed.

"W-Well try, then!" Rainbow exclaimed. "I don't want to be stuck as a bird!"

"Alright, I'll try." Twilight took in a few deep breaths to calm herself, then tried to focus her magic. She strained her hardest to get her new horns to light up, but nothing came as she let out the breath she was holding. "I-I can't," Twilight uttered, tears beginning to well in her eyes. "I-I have no magic...I can't bring us back home."

The others gasped, shocked by the unfortunate news. "You mean...We're really stuck here?"

"I'm sorry, everypony," Twilight sniffled.

"Well, it wasn't entirely your fault," Rarity uttered.

She then leered at Pinkie Pie, the Swirlix giggling sheepishly. "Maybe I should have kept my party cannon at home."

"You think!?" Rainbow exclaimed. "You startling Twilight got us into the mess! And if we don't get back to Equestria, I'll never be a Wonderbolt!"

"But you can still fly?" Pinkie said, trying to find some good news out of the terrible situation they were in.

"I DON'T WANT TO BE A BIRD!!!!" Rainbow shrieked, flapping her wings hard, accidentally creating a powerful Gust that sent Pinkie tumbling backwards.

"Rainbow Dash, calm down!" Applejack scolded, pouncing the Starly. "It was an unfortunate accident! Nopony's blamin' nopony! Y'all can still fly, so don't look a gift pony in the mouth!" Rainbow pouted, folding her wings across her chest while looking away from the Yamper. Getting off the grumpy Starly, Applejack approached Twilight, gently patting her leg with her paw. "Don't worry, Twilight. We'll find a way to get back home. Until then, Ah suggest we try to get used to our new bodies and ask them two critters if they can help us find a way to our world."

"Well, I don't think it's that bad here," Fluttershy said.

"Yeah, yeah, because you love animals, and this world has plenty of them for you to gush over," Rainbow grumbled.

"But I'm not an animal," Pinkie stated. "I'm living candy. And it's the best thing ever."

Pinkie began licking her fluffy face, making Rainbow groan irritably at the semantics. Seeing there was nothing they could do to return home, they all agreed with Applejack's plan to try to make due with their current situation and ask Scott and Johann if they could help them. Luckily, the two Pokemon came over to check on them.

"You guys doing ok?" Scott asked.

"As well as we can be," Applejack said with a nervous chuckle. "Ah know this might be a bit out of the blue, sugarcube, but...ya think the two of ya can help us? We...don't really know where we are, or what's happened to us. In exchange for helpin' us, we could help y'all in return."

Scott and Johann looked at each other, the latter giving a grin and shrugged his shoulders slightly. "Well, I did sort of call us finding some new Pokemon to drop out of the sky," the Charmander reiterated, earning a playful nudge from the Riolu.

"Then you jinxed them along with us when they decided to drop in on us," Scott replied with a snicker, then looked at the lost newcomers. "As a rescue team just starting out, this is the perfect opportunity to help Pokemon in need."

"Pokemon?" Fluttershy asked, tilting her head in curiosity. "Is...that what we are?"

Scott and Johann's eyes grew wide after hearing Fluttershy ask such a question, along with the others' confused but curious expressions about what they were. "Wow. They really don't have any idea, do they?" Johann whispered.

"Huh? 'No idea', what?" Fluttershy asked, her raised ear twitching slightly.

The two rescuers blanched, almost forgetting just how sensitive a Buneary's hearing can be. "Uhh, n-nothing! Ignore Johann! He's not that bright!" Scott quickly said, Johann nodding hastily in response, only to pause in shock, then glared at his friend.

"Hey, I didn't daydream during our briefing when we signed up in the guild!" Johann exclaimed.

"Most of it wasn't all that important, right?" Scott nonchalantly asked. Johann let out an exasperated sigh and shook his head. "Anyways, if you need a place to stay, you can crash at our base."

"Well, how generous of you," Rarity said. "Even in this place, there is some chivalry that seems to be lacking back home."

"Since you're going to stay with us, let's introduce ourselves," Johann said. "My name's Johann, and this is my partner, Scott, the lazy, know-it-all Riolu with his head in the clouds." Scott gave the Charmander a sideways leer with a grumble, but remained silent, promising to get back at him later. "We got Twilight's name earlier when she woke up, and I'm guessing you also have names, too."

Before the others could give their names, Pinkie chimed in. "I'm Pinkie Pie!" she said, then hopped over to her friends to introduce everyone else for them. "This is Spike, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rarity!"

"Nice meeting you guys," Scott said. "We'll guide you to our base once we're done with our first job. Just a bit of pruning with Nidoqueen's garden and we should be good."

The Mane Six and Spike nodded, leaving Scott and Johann to continue their work as they fixed up the garden. While the two Pokemon worked, the girls and Spike watched while sitting in the shade. They stared in awe when they noticed Scott's metal stubs on his paws extended into claws, carefully cutting overgrown branches and trimming some with those claws. They had no idea what these Pokemon were capable of, nor what they could do if they were turned into the creatures of this world.

"Wow. I wonder what else they can do," Fluttershy wondered aloud.

"That...actually is pretty cool," Rainbow mumbled.

After their work was done, Scott and Johann signaled to their new friends to follow them, going around the building to the front door. Johann knocked on the door, where the Nidos came out to examine the work the rescue team had done.

"Well, boys, this yard's a whole lot cleaner," Nidoking said.

"And I saw you two helping with my garden! How sweet of you two!" Nidoqueen said, then gave the two another round of hard cheek pinching and pulling.

"Ahh! Not again!" Scott squealed in agony, the girls and Spike snickering at the comedic stretching of the rescue team's cheeks and hearing the Riolu's anguish while he flailed his arms.

Nidoqueen finally let go, their cheeks snapping back to their faces. "I made more berry cookies for you and your friends to share. I didn't know you brought friends, but Nidoking let me know, and they do look a bit hungry."

She then pulled out a basket, a heavy aroma of delicious berry cookies wafting from inside. Johann's mouth watered as he reached for the basket, but Scott dragged him away from it.

"She said it was for THEM," he stated to his still hungry partner. "We already had our snack, and they could probably eat something."

"Uhh, heheh. Right," Johann giggled sheepishly.

"You two did an amazing job. Far better than any others have tried on their first go," Nidoking said. "Such dedication will get you far in life."

"Uhh, thanks, Mr. Nido," Scott said.

"And, as I promised, not only will we approve a job well done for your guild, but a little bonus for you two." The two wondered what their bonus was as Nidoking headed back inside, then came back out. "Hold out your paws, boys."

Scott and Johann obeyed, holding out their arms and opened their palms. Nidoking then hovered his large paw over theirs, placing a few seeds in their hands, the "bonus" confusing Twilight and her friends.

"Seeds?" Spike questioned. "Is...that all they get for doing somepony's chores?"

Though the group didn't know, Scott and Johann knew just what kinds of seeds they were: a Quick Seed, increasing a Pokemon's speed temporarily, two Joy Seeds, which enhance a Pokemon's strengths and defenses permanently, and two Warp Seeds, which warps anyone who eats it to another room on a floor of a Mystery Dungeon. "Wow! These seeds will definitely help us in the future!" Johann ecstatically said.

"Good luck out in those dungeons, you two," Nidoking said, encouraging the beginner rescue team.

"But be careful," Nidoqueen added. "It's really dangerous work, and two cuties like you shouldn't be pushing yourselves too hard."

"You don't have to worry about us," Scott said with confidence. "You're looking at the next best rescue team in the world! We won't let anyone down!"

The Nido couple laughed in amusement at the Riolu's enthusiasm, even when they could see how adamant he seemed about their first rescue team mission handling an old couple's overgrown yard. The Nidos thanked Scott and Johann again, Scott taking the basket of freshly baked cookies while Johann placed their seeds in their new toolbox for future use. After saying their goodbyes, Scott and Johann began making their way back to their base with the Mane Six and Spike following behind.

The casual stroll down the road took a while, the two rescuers slowing down at times for their friends to get used to their bodies. While Fluttershy seemed fine and Rainbow flew circles around everyone, Twilight wobbled and stumbled as she was forced to learn how to walk on two legs, Applejack, Rarity, and Spike waddled awkwardly with their stumpier legs. Pinkie bounced along while humming a random tune, Scott and Johann thinking they were hearing the sound of springs with each bound she made. Whatever it was, they left the Fairy-type be, considering she had been trying to eat herself, though they were a bit curious about the strange marks that they had on them.

"So, Twilight, why do you guys have those marks?" Scott asked curiously. "Are they some sort of tribal marking? Weird scars?"

"They're our cutie marks," the Ralts explained.

"Cutie marks, huh? They're pretty neat," Johann complimented.

"And they also show what our talents represent!" Pinkie added, bouncing her way in front of their guides while eyeing the cookies Scott was carrying for them.

"Talents? For what? Performing or something?" Scott asked, being wary and kept the basket far away from the hungry Swirlix.

"Well, for me, I love throwing parties and making ponies happy!" Pinkie said.

"Uhh...'ponies'?" Johann asked, her statement confusing him and the Riolu. "You mean Ponyta and Rapidash? Just for those Pokemon?"

"No, silly! I'm talking about parties for you, and my friends, and new friends I can't wait to meet!" Pinkie reiterated.

"...Ok..." Scott ignored Pinkie and her strange word choices, which the others must have as well judging by their reactions, he noticed Spike's cutie mark. "Spike, what's your...'talent'?"

"Actually, I don't have a cutie mark," Spike stated, unaware of the scroll and green fire mark on his sides. "I'm actually Twilight's number one assistant."

"But Spikey, you do have a cutie mark," Rarity said after finally noticing it.

"Huh? I do???" Spike tried to turn his head, which seemed impossible for the Gible as he mostly turned around. "Is there a mirror or a lake that can show my reflection?"

"I think we have a pond out in the forest behind our base," Scott said.

"Well, what's it look like!?" Spike asked.

"A scroll with your green fire breath in the background," Twilight said.

Spike was a bit stunned, almost looking disappointed before he jumped for joy. "Awesome! Just what I thought it would be if a dragon like me DID have one!"

"But...you are a Dragon-type," Johann stated. The girls gave each other confused glances, having no clue what the Charmander meant. "Seems like we're gonna have to teach them about Pokemon types, along with their strengths and weaknesses."

"Yeah," Scott agreed. They soon arrived at the simple-looking hut that was their base. "Well, here we are. Welcome to Team Rescue Rangers' base."

"Ooh. Cozy!" Pinkie complimented.

"Kinda small for a base, isn't it?" Rainbow questioned.

"Well, we just got approved as a rescue team today, and the Nidos' yard work was our first official mission," Johann said.

"And we also just got this base today, but we can get some renovations done to make it bigger," Scott added. The two rescuers lead the group inside. The hut had only one large room, a few potted plants to decorate the room, some small tables to place their belongings, and only two beds of hay at the far end of the room from the entrance. "...And it looks like I'll have to ask the guild for some extra beds. Heh."

"We're going to have to sleep on the floor?" Rarity whined. "And...on hay?"

"Well, what else is there for us to rest on?" Scott asked rhetorically, giving the Skitty a deadpanned stare.

"How about an actual bed!?" Rarity exclaimed. "And there's no bathroom! How am I supposed to get clean after I get all sweaty and need to groom my fur!?"

"...The pond I mentioned to Spike earlier," the Riolu grumbled, slowly getting a little annoyed with the whiny fashionista and her higher standards of living.

Rarity let out a disgusted mewl and whined more. "Egh! Really!? Is there no indoor plumbing in this world!?"

"'Indoor plumbing?'" Johann asked with a scratch of his head.

"Rarity, quit your fussin'," Applejack chided the prissy Skitty. "You're gonna have to deal with what they've got."

Rarity grumbled, then let out an annoyed huff. "...Fine...At least I don't have to worry about...cleaning my mane..."

While the others got the layout of their temporary home, Scott walked over to Johann, who set down their toolbox on the table. "Hey, you think you can handle watching our guests while I take Twilight to the guild master?" he asked.

"For the...strange aura?" Johann whispered.

"Yes, and if we can get more beds and renovate our base a little earlier than expected," Scott said. "I'm not sure if it's allowed for a rescue team to allow Pokemon in their bases as guests, and considering their situation, they might not really be from around here."

"...You don't think..." Johann paused, looking over his shoulder to make sure their guests weren't listening in, especially Fluttershy's highly sensitive hearing. Luckily, they were content snacking on Nidoqueen's berry cookies, though most of them had to keep Pinkie from jumping in the basket and scarfing down every last cookie inside. "...Would it be just like that one story?"

"I doubt it. I didn't sense any malice when I checked their auras," Scott said. "But if their sudden appearance causes the natural disasters to get worse again like what happened a few years ago, I don't want them to get run out of the area over something out of their control." Johann nodded, then both Pokemon walked over to the snacking group. "Hey, Twilight, can you come with me for a moment?"

"Umm...sure?" Twilight stood up after taking the last bite of a cookie she had, wondering where the Riolu would take her. "Where are we going?"

"Out of all of you, I think you're sort of the 'go-to leader' out of your friends?" he asked.

"W-Well...I guess you can say that," Twilight answered sheepishly, not wanting to be rude and dismiss her friends and loyal assistant as anything beneath her.

"Ok. I'm gonna take you to our guild to see our guild master and see if we can acquire enough beds for the rest of you," Scott said.

"You mean you don't own the base yourselves?" Fluttershy asked.

"There's a lot to go over when it comes to guilds and the rescue teams they're a part of," Johann explained, then gave Scott a blank stare. "And one of us was too busy thinking about how great we'd be without listening to all the rules."

"You're still going on about that?" Scott questioned bitterly. Johann just stuck his tongue out in response, making the Riolu grumble. "Whatever. Let's go, Twilight. 'Fire lizard' over there can explain everything to your friends."

Scott heard Johann snicker as he turned to leave, ignoring him while making sure Twilight didn't fall too far behind. "Take care, 'puppy'!" the Charmander teased, laughing uproariously as he watched his friend stumble slightly, then quickly turn around to glare at him with a blush on his cheeks before storming off with an embarrassed growl.

Twilight followed Scott down the road, seeing what appeared to be a town in the distance after several minutes of walking. Once they reached the gates, Twilight stared in awe, seeing far more Pokemon than she thought there would be. Scott had to take her hand to guide her through Pokemon Square while she was both highly curious and a little startled by the different types there were in the large settlement. He would have to give Twilight and her friends a tour with Johann when everyone else was with them. They walked around Pokemon having a chat with each other, waiting in line in the many different shops, even younger Pokemon playing in the middle of the square or those in a hurry to run errands, deliver messages, etc.

After passing through the main square, they made their way to the north end of town, where they took a left on a forked path, the one on the right leading to a pond where the elder of Pokemon Square resided. Further ahead on the path was a building that was much larger than Team Rescue Rangers' hut and the shops in town. Outside, there were a whole lot more Pokemon, some gathered around a wide message board near the entrance, training with others, or guiding newer members on certain tips or rules. Twilight figured this must be the guild Scott and Johann mentioned, but when she saw the sparring Pokemon nearby, a Bewear and an Ursaring, she winced when she could feel some of the painful impacts both ursine Pokemon unleashed.

Making their way inside, Scott paused, causing Twilight to bump into him. "What? What is-?" When she saw what the Riolu was looking at, her face went pale and quickly hid behind him. Peeking around, Twilight trembled when she saw a Pokemon that looked like a huge, orange dragon in the middle of the foyer, looking at a few envelopes in his claws. "W-W-W-What...is...that???"

"That's Charizard, one of the guild master's partners in their old rescue team," Scott said. "He's also Johann's father."

"T-That's his dad!?" Twilight shrieked in shock. "...T-Then...does that mean...Johann's gonna grow up into...a dragon!?"

"Well, technically, Charizards are Fire/Flying-types." Scott's explanation only baffled the Ralts more, clearly seeing a dragon-like creature glancing at the letters. "With enough training, Johann will evolve into a Charmeleon first, then into a Charizard."

"Evolve?" Twilight questioned.

Charizard looked up from his mail, immediately leering at Scott, followed by a disgruntled sigh when he approached the fire dragon, Twilight cowering behind the Riolu and sticking to his back closely. "Hi, Charizard, sir."

"What do you want, kid?" Charizard asked, feeling annoyed. "If you're still waiting for your team's toolbox, Johann already picked it up, along with your badges."

"Uhh, I know," Scott said sheepishly. "But, we got our first mission done, and we did a really good job."

Charizard snorted bitterly, smoke flowing out from his nostrils as he huffed. "We got word of your 'mission' being accomplished," he grumbled. Scott felt a little uneasy with how irritated and aggressive Charizard was toward him. Johann told him all about his father's greatest feats, but he never mentioned how harsh and terrifying he seemed to behave toward anyone. "So why are you here? If you're expecting your pay, you'll get a cut from it sent to your team's account at the Felicity Bank."

"N-No sir. I...I was wondering if...I could talk to the guild master about something?" Scott asked, feeling very intimidated.

Charizard grumbled, lowering his long neck and stared right in the Riolu's eyes. "Is it pointless? If you waste our time, I'll make sure you and Johann run a thousand laps around the entire area. With no breaks."

Scott gulped nervously, quickly shaking his head in response, but the words failed to come out. "Hey, Charizard! There you are!" Coming up from the main doors leading to the guild master's room was another dragon-like Pokemon to Twilight, only lacking wings, its green scales almost seemed to look like it's made of stone, though it seemed a bit more friendly than Charizard. "Any decent missions for us to cover solo?" The Pokemon looked around his friend, finding Scott and Twilight looking really uncomfortable with Charizard leering at them. "Hey, if it isn't one of the new rookies. How'd your first mission go?"

"U-Uhh...G-Good, Tyranitar, sir," Scott answered with a shaky salute.

"Hmm? What's up?" Tyranitar asked. Glancing at his friend, he placed a paw on Charizard's shoulder, getting the fire dragon to twist his head and look at him. "You trying to scare off the newbies?"

"...What if I am?" Charizard questioned. He shoved the envelopes into Tyranitar's paws, keeping one as he stomped off. "I'm doing this one."

"...Ok. Weird," Tyranitar mumbled awkwardly, then looked down at the trembling Ralts and Riolu. "Uhh, sorry about Charizard. Guess he's having a bad day or something."

"Uhh, y-yeah," Scott stuttered, finally able to relax now that Charizard was gone. "Anyways, umm...Can I speak with the guild master?"

"Sure. Let me check if he's not too busy." Tyranitar turned and entered the guild master's room. While they waited, Twilight looked around the interior of the guild's main base: spanning two floors with many different rooms other Pokemon of different kinds wandered about, some rooms for training or briefing on the first floor while dorms were on the second. There was an entrance to a kitchen for guild members assigned as chefs to feed the residing Pokemon, and whatever they were cooking actually smelled delicious. Despite seeing creatures that seem feral, Twilight was amazed by how intelligent the Pokemon were. Tyranitar came back out, holding only one envelope as he must have placed the rest in the guild master's room. "His schedule's free for the day. Go on in, kid."

"Thanks, Tyranitar, sir," Scott said with a salute.

Tyranitar chuckled in amusement, patting the Riolu's head. "You've got the enthusiasm of a rescuer, kid. Good luck on your future missions," he said before making his way out the door to his solo mission.

"Well, at least he wasn't as scary as Charizard," Twilight mumbled. "What was wrong with him?"

"I don't know. Johann never really talks about his dad," Scott said. "Maybe he doesn't like me or something..." He shook his head, forgetting the terrifying encounter with one of the greatest rescue team members ever known. "Let's just see the guild master."

Scott led Twilight to the guild master's door, inviting themselves in. Inside, there was a plethora of books, maps, even dozens of letters sitting on many of the tables and shelves placed evenly on the sides of the room. The scent of a calming incense wafted from the small purple pots hanging from sconces on the walls, which affected Twilight and gave her that same sense of calm from the scented smoke. At the other end of the room was a Pokemon of gold and brown, really thin, a long mustache drooping from its upper lip, and levitated itself over a mat while hovering a pair of metal spoons in an orbit around its floating, meditative position.

Scott and Twilight silently approached the Pokemon, standing before it, though the Riolu didn't announce their presence. Twilight was going to speak up, but as she opened her mouth, she paused when the Pokemon's eyes shot open, looking down at the two who entered his room. The spoons orbiting it flew into its hands, slowly leaving its sitting position as it placed its feet down on the ground.

"I suppose neither of you have heard of knocking," the Pokemon said, then let out a small chuckle. "But, then again, I had a feeling you would show up, Scott."

"You...knew, Alakazam, sir?" Scott asked curiously.

"Alakazam??? That's its name???" Twilight uttered to herself, both impressed by its powers, but disappointed that the name of this Pokemon was a phrase magicians like Trixie would have made up while performing a trick.

"Yes, that is my name," Alakazam said, startling Twilight as she quickly covered her mouth, fearing she disrespected the powerful Psychic-type. Giving the Ralts a small, teasing smile, Alakazam glanced at Scott. "So, what is it you wish to ask of me, young Riolu?"

"Uhh...Well, a lot, actually," Scott answered sheepishly. "This is...Twilight Sparkle. Johann and I met her and her friends while we were working on Mr. and Mrs. Nidos' yard."

"Already making some new friends, eh?" Alakazam asked curiously.

"Yeah...but, how we met is...kinda interesting." Scott then went into detail with the guild master about his and Johann's meeting with Twilight and her friends.

Alakazam listened intently, remaining stoic and waited for the Riolu to finish. Once Scott was done, the guild master hummed in thought, glancing over at Twilight curiously.

"So...they do not know what kinds of Pokemon they are after falling from the sky," Alakazam restated. "And by some type of portal created by mysterious lightning..."

"Johann thinks that their lack of anything about Pokemon and their strange appearance might be related to that infamous story we're all told," Scott added.

"Story? What story?" Twilight asked.

"You mean the tale of the miscreant human who turned into a Pokemon after abusing some from his world?" Alakazam asked. Scott nodded in response, but Twilight was confused by what this story was, or what a human even was, let alone the Pokemon in THIS world. "Hmmm...Even if they were human, they should have at least heard of us Pokemon and knew what kinds we are, or even what they turned into. And, as one of us, they would be able to understand how their new forms functioned." Wanting to test something, Alakazam held out one of his spoons, then used his psychic powers to levitate it out of his hand, making it float over to Twilight. Confused, Twilight caught the spoon as it approached her. "Miss Twilight, I would like to see you bend this spoon."

"...Umm...ok?" Twilight uttered.

She was about to try to bend the metal utensil with her hands, only to pause when the stronger Psychic-type cleared his throat, getting her attention. "Not with brute force," he corrected, then tapped the side of his head with a finger. "With your mind."

"H-Huh? My...mind?" Twilight asked nervously.

"Yes. As a Psychic-type, a Ralts like yourself can easily manipulate objects this small with their psychic powers," Alakazam stated. Twilight gulped nervously, unsure how to do that without her horn. She at least tried, staring intensely at the metal spoon to bend it by at least a millimeter with her thoughts. Scott and Alakazam watched silently for a couple minutes before Twilight gave up, hanging her head in shame. "Hmm...not even an ounce of psychic energy was unleashed."

"I-I...I don't even know how to use psychic energy," Twilight admitted. "Even if I could bend it, I can't even use my magic at all."

"Magic?" Scott questioned, raising a brow in confusion as he looked to Alakazam to explain.

To the Riolu's surprise, the guild master was just as speechless, eyeing Twilight with curiosity and caution. Raising his free hand, he used his psychic powers to take back his spoon, startling the Ralts when she felt it move in her hands.

"Miss Twilight, who are you?" Alakazam questioned calmly. "And please be honest. We have had a couple incidents where we have judged certain Pokemon without hearing their side of the story, or not acquiring every single fact to prove their innocence."

Twilight bit her lower lip, glancing over at Scott for assurance. She knew Scott and Johann don't really know who they are, but the look the Riolu gave her surprised her; he trusted her, but had a gut feeling that she was no ordinary Ralts. Dreading their reactions, she nervously took in a deep breath and exhaled to compose herself.

"...My friends and I...aren't from this world," Twilight admitted. "We're not these 'humans' you mentioned, either. We call our home Equestria, and myself and my friends are ponies whereas Spike is a baby dragon. I'm actually a unicorn, not a Ralts. And how we got here...I don't think I can take us back home, even if I tried."

"You mean...you were the one who created that strange portal you guys fell through?" Scott asked in surprise.

"It wasn't meant to be a portal; just a viewing window to see other places I've seen before, or explore others within my world I've never seen with my own eyes or other locations beyond our own," Twilight continued. "In Equestria, any other place didn't require that much magic for me to use, but when I think we were watching yours, Pinkie blasted her party cannon at me, throwing off my concentration and accidentally pour too much magic in my spell, which caused that window to turn into a portal that sucked us in like a vacuum." Alakazam nodded silently, letting Twilight finish her story, although some of the things she mentioned flew over the Riolu's head. "I promise you that we're not in any way dangerous. We're trapped in these new bodies, and I can't get us back home without my magic, or even any psychic powers as a different creature I know nothing about."

Twilight began to tear up at the silent gaze Alakazam gave her, fearing they weren't going to be accepted by the Pokemon. Scott felt a bit concerned, sensing Twilight's anxiety even if her hair hid most of her face. The guild master then looked at Scott.

"Scott," he called out, snapping the Riolu to attention. "I know that Riolu and Lucario have the ability to use their aura to sense others, including emotions. Is Twilight being truthful?"

"...W-Well...I'm kinda surprised by all this news, but...even without sensing it, I know she's telling us the truth," Scott said, giving Alakazam the confirmation he needed with a nod of his head. "But...maybe that explains why their aura was so...different..."

"Different how?" Alakazam asked curiously.

"...S-Sorry, guild master, but...it's hard to explain," Scott admitted. "Maybe it's this 'magic' Twilight mentioned that's...mixed with their aura, but it wasn't dangerous."

"...I see..." Alakazam looked back at Twilight, giving the nervous Ralts a calming grin. "You have no need to worry, Twilight. If Scott believes you are innocent, then you and your friends will not need to worry."

"T-Thank you, Mr...Alakazam," Twilight said. "...Sorry if it sounds weird knowing that's your name."

"It's the name of my species, but whether or not I was given another name, I am still the Pokemon that I am," the guild master said.

"Right...I guess there's a whole lot my friends and I will have to learn until you help us find a way back home," Twilight said with a nervous laugh.

"Sadly, I don't know how to send you back home, but I will look into what I can to help you return to your world," Alakazam promised.

"Thank you, again," Twilight said. "But, I am a bit curious about this 'human' story you mentioned, and how that made my friends and I seem...suspicious."

"I suppose that should be explained." Alakazam cleared his throat, sitting back down in his meditative pose, Twilight and Scott sitting down as well, the Ralts catching the Riolu's twitching ears, seeming excited to hear a story he's heard several times over. "In our world, Twilight, we Pokemon try to live in peace. However, others may like to start trouble, and natural disasters shake our world, threatening to destroy it and harm us. For many years, even before I was born, Pokemon formed rescue teams to help those in need; from an earthquake that would decimate homes, to active volcanoes threatening to burn anyone that isn't a Fire-type and engulf lands in magma, brave Pokemon come to others in need of their assistance.

"A very popular story was the claim to the natural disasters getting worse and worse as the years progressed, though it was mostly speculation and rumors that made everyone believe it could come true. This story involved a human, from another world, who was turned into a Pokemon, and sent here as a punishment for the harmful actions he's done to any Pokemon he sees." Twilight was shocked, appalled how someone could actually be so hurtful toward creatures who not only had incredible powers from what she's seen, but also intelligent, and for those like Scott and Johann, kind of cute if they acted like household pets. "This human pulled many pranks on Pokemon, finding it funny to inflict pain on us for his amusement. Ironically, he had a Pokemon partner who kept him from getting hurt: a Gardevoir."

"A Gardevoir?" Twilight asked. "What does that look like?"

"It's what a Ralts like you will evolve into with enough training," Scott said.

"Scott, an illustration can explain much more than mere words, especially when Miss Twilight and her friends have no idea what we Pokemon are," Alakazam chided. The Riolu winced, letting out a sheepish giggle as he rubbed the back of his head. Levitating a book over to them from his many shelves, the pages flipped to show the evolution line of the Pokemon Twilight was. Already turned into a Ralts, she would turn into a bigger Pokemon that looked like a ballet dancer, named Kirlia, then splitting up into two different, taller Pokemon: one that looked a soldier with blade-like elbows named Gallade, the other a maiden with a flowing dress, which was what Gardevoir looked like. "This is a Gardevoir. Male and female Kirlia will evolve in this form, but a male can become a Gallade if they come in contact with an item called a Dawn Stone."

Twilight grimaced as she imagined a male Kirlia, or even a male Gardevoir. "I hope the Gardevoir in the story was a female."

Scott snickered at the thought while Alakazam continued with the story. "The human's Gardevoir was always by his side, always protecting him from the Pokemon who were irritated by his malicious pranks toward other Pokemon. The last Pokemon he harmed would be his downfall in life, and Gardevoir's." The pages flipped again, showing an illustration of a large, radiant, nine-tailed fox with tannish-white fur with each tail at the tip orange. "The human's next target was a Pokemon called a Ninetails, this specific Pokemon of her kind able to travel between our world and the human's world." Twilight was about to ask, but Alakazam seemed to know exactly what she wanted to say. "Sadly, she might not be able to help you and your friends return to your world. I know where she lives, but she could be here now or currently be in the human world."

"Oh..." Twilight felt disappointed, but she didn't expect to find a solution so soon. "Sorry. Please continue."

Alakazam nodded and resumed where he left off. "The human grabbed one of Ninetails' beautiful tails, and pulled harshly. She did not approve his behavior, speaking to him and scaring him. For his cruel acts toward Pokemon, she placed a curse on the human as he cowered in fear...However, Gardevoir, being the loyal protector she was, took the curse for her partner, but the human fled as she reached out to him, pleading for his help as she perished from the deadly curse meant for him." Twilight let out a horrified gasp. She looked at Scott, who shook his head, letting out a low growl at the awful human leaving his Pokemon to die for him and be forgotten like a thrown out rag. "Disappointed and feeling sympathy for the fallen Gardevoir who protected her partner unconditionally, Ninetails followed the human, and instead gave the human a new curse: turning him into a Pokemon and transporting him to our world, as judgement for not only the harmful pranks he's done toward other Pokemon, but leaving his Gardevoir to die for him without so much as feeling any remorse for his actions, nor the loss of his partner."

"That's...That's terrible," Twilight uttered. "But...if the Ninetails in the story exists, does that mean that human is really in this world still?"

"Possibly, but we have no idea which Pokemon he turned into," Alakazam said. "Many different species the exist on this continent and across the seas."

"But, there was another human, and Alakazam and his teammates were saved by him and his rescue team," Scott added, surprising Twilight as she looked at the Riolu, then back to the guild master.

Alakazam nodded, giving in to telling another factual story he experienced for the eager Riolu's sake. "There was indeed another human who came here, but he was far different than the other one," he confirmed. "I even had the pleasure of meeting him face to face, even what kind of Pokemon he was: a Squirtle."

"Wow. Just how many Pokemon are there in this world?" Twilight asked, flabbergasted as she feared she might actually get lost with learning about each Pokemon and what they look like.

"Quite a lot, but I have plenty of tomes detailing a vast majority of Pokemon, from the most common to see to the powerful legendaries," Alakazam said, seeing Twilight's eyes sparkle under her hair at the mention of his library of books. "Moving on with this tale. Squirtle woke up near a Mystery Dungeon called Tiny Lake, where he met his partners, a Charmander and Chikorita, and called their rescue Team Go-Getters. However, despite going along with his new friends, Squirtle had no memory of his past aside from the fact he recalled being human. Surprisingly, they were a very talented rescue team, completing missions far faster than my own team had when we started out."

"What was your team's name?" Twilight asked.

"Team A.C.T.," Scott answered faster than Alakazam could respond. "They were the best before Team Go-Getters managed to outrank them, even rescuing them from one of the most powerful legendary Pokemon ever known!"

"A.C.T.?" Twilight questioned. "Is that...an acronym?"

Alakazam let out a sigh, quickly using his psychic powers to silence the excited Riolu before he constantly interrupted him. "Yes. A.C.T. is an acronym for mine and my partners' names: Alakazam, Charizard, and Tyranitar, which also spells out the word 'Act'."

"Ohhh. That's really clever!" Twilight complimented.

"Yes," Alakazam mumbled, clearing his throat after freeing Scott's muzzle, giving the Riolu a stern glare to keep quiet until he was properly finished. "Things went well for Squirtle for a time, but when he eventually heard of the former legend of the terrible human, he thought he was the one who was responsible for the natural disasters coming more frequently. It didn't help that the story included the Gardevoir appearing in the human's dreams to haunt him, and Squirtle was seeing her in restless nightmares, which only worsened the guilt he thought was his. Word had eventually got out, and the Pokemon in the square turned on him and tried to harm him.

"Luckily, I offered the Pokemon to give Squirtle and his team a chance to prepare themselves for their long journey to find Ninetails, the only Pokemon who would give them the proof he needed to show he wasn't the very same human she cursed. My team caught up with Team Go-Getters as they reached Ninetails' home, and lo and behold, she proved his innocence. Squirtle, Charmander, and Chikorita were welcomed back with opened arms and apologies for the Water-type for the mistaken identity.

"They've faced many tough Pokemon, as Scott mentioned, including rescuing my own team when we tried to stop the legendary Pokemon who shifts the earth, Groudon, from the constant earthquakes he kept causing for weeks. We failed and were held hostage, but through the odds, Squirtle and his team entered his domain, defeated him when their sizes pale in comparison to the gargantuan legendary, and rescued us." Twilight was impressed, though she was terrified to know what Groudon looked like, so she remained quiet, wondering what happened next. "Though, Squirtle's last rescue mission involved a meteor that was heading straight for our world, and it would have decimated everything."

"A meteor!?" Twilight exclaimed.

"Yes. There is yet another legendary Pokemon, named Rayquaza, who flies around the atmosphere of the planet, protecting everyone from threats that could come from space," Alakazam explained. "Distracted by the effects of the natural disasters throughout the world, he didn't even notice the meteor until Team Go-Getters volunteered to bring him back to his senses at a Mystery Dungeon in the skies that Rayquaza makes as his home known as Sky Tower. They succeeded, Rayquaza blew up the meteor with a Hyper Beam, but with how close the large mass of space rock was, the powerful attack ricocheted smaller beams, striking Squirtle and his friends, nearly killing them, but they woke up after we recovered them after falling from the top of the tower."

"...Wow...So, where is Squirtle? I'd sure like to meet him after hearing everything he's done," Twilight said.

Alakazam frowned slightly, closing his eyes with a slight bow of his head. "...He returned to his world," he said.

"...Really?" Twilight asked, stunned to see the calm guild leader look upset.

"Yes. It was his last mission, and...it was a tearful goodbye for everyone present as we watched Squirtle, Charmander, and Chikorita undertake such a dangerous job," Alakazam said. "The whole town was going to celebrate, but Squirtle began to fade away as glowing orbs flew from his body. He never wanted to leave, but he had no choice, and if he told us all that this mission would be his last, he thought all of us would have refused to let him do it."

"I heard it was pretty tough for Squirtle's partners, having bonded with him for so long through the best and worst times," Scott said. "I never met Team Go-Getters myself, but it's a painful feeling to say goodbye to a friend. Even when you know they'll be gone forever."

"I wouldn't know," Twilight uttered. "I've only just learned about friendship not that long ago, and I cherish being with my friends after realizing how important they are to me."

"Indeed," Alakazam agreed, then stood up, followed by Scott and Twilight. "Team Go-Getters are still active, though, keeping their human companion's memory in their hearts. And, Squirtle had inspired me to do more good in this world, thus creating this guild to create more future rescuers who have the same courage and determination to helping others in need, no matter how tough the road ahead may lie." Alakazam glanced over at the Riolu. "And I have a good feeling about you and Johann, Scott."

"R-Really, guild master?" Scott asked, his tail wagging eagerly.

"The enthusiasm you both have, albeit slightly different, shows you two have promise to be an incredible rescue team," Alakazam complimented, making the Riolu beam with pride. "However, you need to pay attention to the rules and guidelines of the guild. Overconfidence can be your downfall if you underestimate your opponents, or brushing aside what experienced veterans like myself can teach you to be the 'best rescue team'. Understand?" Scott's smile turned to an embarrassed grimace, nodding his head as he humbly heeded his guild master's advice. "Good. Always fight with your head, not just your strength."

"Yes, Alakazam, sir," Scott said.

"Now, is there anything else you'd like to say?" Alakazam asked.

"Well, since my friends and I are staying with Scott and Johann until we find a way home, there isn't much for bedding in their base," Twilight said for the Riolu. "Are we allowed to stay in their base with them? And...can we get more beds for us?"

"Hmmm..." Alakazam stroked his mustache in thought. "...How many of you came through again?"

"Seven," Twilight answered.

"Mhmm...Well, since the base is assigned to Team Rescue Rangers, I'm afraid guests who will be staying in the base are not allowed," Alakazam stated, turning his back toward the Ralts and Riolu. Scott and Twilight flinched, Scott giving the Ralts an apologetic look, but he wouldn't stop helping her after knowing just how truly lost she and her friends were. "However-" The guild master pointed a finger up, snapping the other two Pokemon out of their disappointment. "-multiple Pokemon who are part of the same team are allowed to stay in their base if they are recruited by the leader, or leaders, of said rescue team." He turned back around, giving Scott and Twilight a smirk, hoping the young Fighting-type would get the hint. "Scott, have you and Johann decided on adding these new Pokemon to your rescue team?"

Again, Scott and Twilight looked at each other, surprised by Alakazam's implications. Applejack had promised Scott and Johann they would pay them back for helping them out, and if the others agreed, they won't have to find somewhere they can live until there was a way for them to return home.

"Umm...As members of Scott and Johann's rescue team...does that mean I can peruse any information the guild has?" Twilight asked curiously. "Like studying this world, what we can do as Pokemon, history, and so on?"

"Yes, even in my personal library as long as you share more information about your world," Alakazam said.

Twilight let out an excited squeak of a gasp, then quickly looked at Scott and nodded her head rapidly, who took the hint and faced his guild master. "Guild master, I know Johann will agree with me when I say we both are recruiting Twilight and her friends onto Team Rescue Rangers!"

"Very well." Alakazam gave the two Pokemon a nod, then stared behind them, his eyes glowing blue for a few seconds before they returned to normal. "I just informed the delivery crew about your new beds, and they'll arrive later this afternoon."

"Thank you so much, Mr. Alakazam!" Twilight gratefully said. "I'm going to borrow a lot of different subjects for us to read over! Where's the guild library?"

"Down the hall on your left as you leave my room, and it's all the way down the hall to the door on the left," Alakazam informed.

Twilight giggled and ran as fast as her new legs could carry her, acting like a filly in a candy store as she made a beeline for the library. "...I guess I'm going to have to carry those books for her," Scott uttered, then faced Alakazam. "...Sooo...since we're getting new beds...you think there's any way we can get our base renovated to fit all of us?"

Alakazam chuckled slightly, then held out his arms, his spoons bending as he used Psychic on the Riolu. Scott felt his body float, yelping in panic as he flailed about, hovering upside down as he was moved toward his guild master, the amusement in his expression gone and replaced with deadpanned seriousness.

"Don't press your luck, young one," he warned. "Raise your rank enough, and we'll see if you've accumulated enough Poké through your missions to upgrade your base."

"Heheheheh! I-I was just kidding! New beds are good for our new teammates!" Scott exclaimed with a nervous laugh.

Alakazam let out a small grunt, bending his spoons back to normal, dropping Scott from his Psychic hold. Scott quickly landed on his paws and flipped back, smiling sheepishly as he backed away, then zipped out of the guild master's room to catch up with Twilight. Alakazam shook his head, a small laugh escaping his lips as he made his way back to his mat and went back to meditating.

"The energy of the youth of this generation is immeasurable," he uttered to himself before returning to his serene trance, taking in deep breaths, inhaling the incense billowing in his room.

Author's Note

Ralts:

Gible:

Starly:

Yamper:

Swirlix:

Skitty:

Buneary:

Bewear:

Ursaring:

Charizard:

Tyranitar:

Alakazam:

Kirlia:

Gallade:

Gardevoir:

Ninetails:

The Positive and The Negative

"Ahhhhhhhh!" Twilight stared in awe at the sight of Alakazam's rescue guild's library. It was a large room with shelves that reached the top of the two story building, balconies on the upper floor for those who weren't able to climb any of the sliding ladders to reach the higher shelves. "So...many...books!"

Ignoring the odd looks from the other Pokemon either looking for a specific book or were currently reading, Twilight was practically popping around the whole library, enamored by the different titles of fiction and nonfiction, or trying to peer over their shoulders to see what they were reading. It only brought more joy to the Ralts when all the books on the shelves were organized and categorized by subject while also in alphabetical order. It was proof that these Pokemon were really intelligent as a pony was, and it made studying this world all the more exciting for the former unicorn.

Scott entered the library as he followed her. He stood at the doorway, watching the overly excited Ralts bothering his other guild members while squealing and giggling with glee.

"Oh boy. She's definitely a nerdy one," he mumbled to himself. He calmly approached her, giving the other Pokemon she bothered an apologetic smile. "Twilight, calm down, will ya? It's just a library."

Twilight gasped in horror, giving the Riolu a look of shock. "Just a library!? I didn't think Pokemon could have books of THIS magnitude in one place!" She glanced up at the tall shelf, her eyes sparkling under her hair as she cupped her cheeks in her hands. "So...much...knowledge...And in a whole new world. I think...I'm in heaven."

"If this is heaven for you, I'm afraid to know what's the opposite," Scott mumbled. He sighed and looked around at the shelves. "Well, if you're this eager to learn, you and your friends have got a lot to learn about Pokemon and your own abilities."

"Oh. Right. Rescue teams have to defend themselves, huh?" Twilight asked, snapping out of her daze. She watched Scott browsing the titles on the spines of some of the books, searching for the best ones suited for otherworldly beings new to their world. "Sooo...is there a limit to how many books we can borrow from here?"

"I'm not sure. I really hope so, because I don't want our base to be filled with books YOU want," Scott said.

"Well I want to get everything I can so that we can learn more about your world," Twilight argued. "That includes history, biology, geography, and the like."

"Fine, then. Just...not a lot of books, ok?" Twilight grinned, then began looking around. Scott grumbled and followed her, holding the books the skipping Ralts picked out for her own enjoyment while he grabbed the ones she needed for her and her friends. "Please don't grab a lot of books..."

Sadly, to Scott's dismay, Twilight grabbed way too many books as they finally left. Along with what he had chosen, he was carrying a huge stack of books that nearly hit the ceiling of the entrance to the guild, baffling the other Pokemon as they stepped aside for the Riolu to carry without dropping them. It wasn't exactly heavy with how strong Riolu are, but Scott was incredibly annoyed at the amount he left with. There may be some things he'll want to look up that can be found in a book, but he preferred to learn through experience and training. And Twilight and her friends were going to need a lot of training to better understand their skills as the Pokemon they turned into.

They arrived back at the base, the new sets of beds Alakazam telepathically sent out having arrived before the duo did. Inside, Johann helped the other girls and Spike set up their new beds, but when they greeted Twilight and Scott, the Equestrians-turned-Pokemon weren't surprised to see Twilight return back with a haul of books. The moment Scott placed the books down, Twilight immediately got to reading up on this world, nearly toppling the stack over and on top of the Riolu.

For the rest of the evening, Johann was informed by Scott who the Pokemon with the cutie marks really were, and though he was a bit surprised, it didn't change his mind in the slightest. Then it was the Equestrians' surprise to hear from Twilight that how she got all these books was because, by Scott's decision as one of the two starting members of the rescue team, all seven of them were now enlisted in Team Rescue Rangers. It was thrust upon them so quickly, but Scott assured them that they don't have to do anything dangerous for them, at least until they were properly trained in how to fight as the Pokemon they are. Johann and Scott began to teach them about the different types of Pokemon there are in the world, along with what types they were, which ones with the right moves they can hurt more and ones to be wary of to avoid getting hurt right back, learning what moves they can or possibly learn, and so on. Fluttershy was really concerned, unable to believe that creatures in this world actually grow stronger by fighting others, terrified of even so much as flicking an ear of any of the several Pokemon there were.

After several long hours of real introductions and an understanding of the world, the rescue team and its seven newest members went to bed, some unable to get comfortable with sleeping on hay like Rarity, but she was definitely going to have to make due. Just as the sun was about to peek over the horizon, Applejack instinctively got up with her internal alarm clock, used to waking up at the crack of dawn growing up her whole life on the farm. As she quietly got out of her bed and put on her hat, she exited the base for some fresh air, surprised to see Scott was out on the grass, sitting cross-legged while deep in a meditative trance.

"Did he sleep outside?" Applejack wondered curiously. The Yamper waddled over to him, seeing those appendages on his head were sticking straight out like yesterday. "Are these like...another set of ears?"

"Not exactly." Scott's response startled Applejack, making her jump back in surprise. "You're up early."

"Y-Yeah," Applejack uttered, sighing heavily as she controlled her racing heart. "Consarn it, sugarcube. Ya almost gave me a heart attack."

"Sorry," Scott apologized.

"How did ya know Ah was comin' closer? Ah don't think Ah made too much noise," Applejack pondered.

"I can see your aura from inside the base," he said.

"Aura?" Applejack asked with a tilt of her head.

"It's the life force inside all living things," Scott explained. "My kind have a unique ability where we can sense the aura around us and use it as different ways of attacking our opponents." The appendages drooped down, opening his eyes as he turned to the Yamper. "But for Riolu like me, it takes a lot of training to utilize it to its fullest. I can even sense your emotions with my aura, even this strange swirl of energy that was mixed in yours and your friends'."

"Strange energy, huh? Ya think you're seein' our magic?" Applejack asked.

"Maybe, but whatever it is, it's actually really warm from what I sensed," Scott said. He giggled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "Johann and I also wanted to make sure you guys weren't...well, dangerous. You know, with you falling out of the sky and being from another world."

"Well, Ah can understand that much, so ya don't have to worry about doubtin' us, sugarcube," Applejack said.

"And...being forced into the team after Twilight and I got back?" Scott asked nervously.

Applejack chuckled, looking a little embarrassed. "Well, Ah did say we'd do anythin' to help y'all for takin' us in and help us find a way back home. Ah go by mah word as a good, hard-workin', and honest apple farmer."

"Johann and I won't let you go on any tougher missions until you're really ready, which is why we're gonna teach you and the others the basics on fighting as Pokemon." Applejack nodded, ready for anything, even though it'll be a whole lot different fighting back as a dog than an earth pony. Scott stood up, stretching his limbs while showing the Yamper how flexible of a Pokemon he was. "So, you said you're a farmer?"

"Yup. Grew up farmin' apples, and Ah wouldn't trade mah livlihood for anythin'," Applejack said with pride, trying to cross her paws together like she used to as a pony while exuding her confidence, only to stumble slightly with her stumpier body.

"You think you can use that farm work for some berry groves?" Scott asked curiously. "We can save Poké on food for everyone and keep some for trips through Mystery Dungeons if things get dicey. Maybe even an apple tree to take a couple for incredibly long and winding dungeons."

"Hmm...Ah guess Ah can give it a try." Applejack felt around the ground, giving the grass a little sniff. "This field outside the base has some pretty good soil. Ah'll have to borrow one of them books ya brought. Ah noticed a book about flora in that stack, so that'll come in handy, too."

"Johann can help you out. He loves his berries, and he loves them even more while blended in a smoothie," Scott said.

The sun cast its morning glow on the land while Scott and Applejack waited for the others to wake up, the former continuing his stretches and morning workout while the latter went back inside to grab the book on horticulture for this world. Johann was next to wake up, noticing Applejack as he went outside and saw her digging up a few plots for the base's berry grove. When Scott told him what she was doing, the Charmander's eyes lit up, letting out an excited cheer, then eagerly volunteered to help Applejack build their new berry grove. Once they got some berry seeds, they'll be able to grow their unique grove in no time. The different kinds of berries surprised the Yamper with some of them having unique affects that almost acted like magic when she looked them up in the book, even with how they're known to taste. As long as they have at least one apple tree in their grove, she can easily work her magic on it when she knows her apples.

Dawn soon turned to early morning as the rest of the group woke up. They exited the base, some groaning a little as they slept a bit uncomfortably on their hay beds. Rarity let out a mewling yawn before letting out a whiny, tired grumble.

"Oh my goodness, Rarity, that was adorable!" Fluttershy gushed.

"I don't feel it," the Skitty whined. "No shower, no soap or conditioner. I'm going to have to search around for a spa, otherwise I'm going to be filthy every day."

"W-Well, I think you still look great, Rarity," Spike bashfully commented, his cheeks blushing heavily.

"Oh, you say that all the time, Spikey-wikey, but this is serious! I really don't want to take a bath in a pond or lake to get 'clean'!" Rarity complained.

"No wonder you turned into a cat," Rainbow teased. "You're just as needy as your crazy cat."

"Opalescence is NOT crazy, Rainbow Dash!" the Skitty argued. "She's just...got really high standards, and I love to spoil her."

"Opal can be a bit mean, but she's got nothing compared to the kitty cat you turned into!" Pinkie said as she bounced past Rarity.

"Rarity's a Skitty, Pinkie," Twilight corrected, flicking through the pages of another one of her borrowed books from the guild. "Even if some Pokemon in this world look like animals in our world, they each have their own species, just like how each creature is distinguished back home."

"Then...what exactly is Pinkie?" Rainbow asked curiously. "She's definitely not an animal I've ever heard of."

Twilight skimmed over the pages until she found a similar Pokemon from the illustrations that Pinkie was. "She's...a Swirlix. A Fairy-type, known as the Cotton Candy Pokemon, and..." She took a closer look at the image in the book, then looked at Pinkie. "Oh. That's odd."

"What? What is it?" Pinkie asked curiously.

"It's so hard to tell with your white fluff, but Swirlix actually have feet tucked away underneath," Twilight said.

Pinkie hummed, rolling on her back and managed to poke out two three-toed feet. "Whoa. I actually thought Pinkie was just a ball of cotton candy with a tail," Rainbow said in awe.

"Me too! But then I felt some hoofsies when I was getting comfy before bed," Pinkie said.

"So, what about the rest of us?" Fluttershy asked.

"Let's see..." Twilight flicked through some more pages, finding the rest of her friends' new forms, their species names, and typing. "Spike is a Gible, a Dragon and Ground-type."

"Sweet. I've got two types," Spike gloated.

"Rainbow Dash is a Starly, a Normal and Flying-type." Spike wilted, thinking he was special having two different types. "And mine is a Psychic and Fairy-type. Weird." Twilight continued going through the pages. "Fluttershy is a Buneary, Normal-type. Rarity is a Normal-type as well. And Applejack's known as...a Yamper...and is an Electric-type."

Altogether, the girls and Spike glanced over at Applejack and Johann, the two busy digging up some land while casually chatting about the best kinds of berries for their future grove. They were a bit baffled by how a small puppy like a Yamper was able to generate any form of electricity.

"Twilight, I know there's a lot of dangerous creatures back home that could do anything, and even use magic, but that's a little far fetched," Rarity said. "I mean, there are timber wolves, but canines that can shock ponies?"

"Well, there's lots of different creatures that can do just about anything," Twilight said. "Johann's like a fire salamander...who can evolve into a big dragon." She shuddered after her encounter with Johann's father back at the guild, terrified to see a more chipper expression on a Charizard's face if it was Johann. "But, just in case we get shocked by accident, let's try not to get in a group hug. And, for Rainbow Dash, be careful around her since Electric-types can hurt Flying-types. There's this helpful typing chart for every type of Pokemon in one of those books and which ones are weak to what types."

"Ugh. We're going to need to learn about a lot of things, aren't we?" Rainbow asked with a groan.

"And you're all going to start training right now!" They looked out across the road, where Scott was carrying several logs about twice as tall as him from the woods. The amount of strength in the Riolu surprised the Equestrians as they watched him set the logs upright with one arm while keeping the others stacked in the other, spacing all seven logs evenly. "Johann, quit setting up your new garden! We got some training to do!"

Johann looked up after finishing his last plot, giving his friend an annoyed look. "Come on, Scott! We were almost done!"

"Hey, these guys are part of the team now, so they need to learn how to defend themselves!" Scott exclaimed.

"Ugh. Fine," the Charmander grumbled. "We'll plan out where to set each berry bush later, I guess."

"Scott sounds like he's got the same trainin' mindset as Rainbow Dash," Applejack said with a chuckle. "Let's just hope he don't take naps five times a day."

The two Pokemon stopped their gardening and made their way over to the "training grounds", the rest of the Equestrians already across the road and on the grass. Applejack joined her friends, each one standing in front of a log while Scott paced in front of them like a drill sergeant with his paws behind his back, Johann staring blankly at his friend on the sidelines.

"Alright, new recruits!" the Riolu announced. "You ladies and boy are going to need to learn how to defend yourselves if you ever encounter enemy Pokemon if you plan to join us in a Mystery Dungeon! Some of us may be peaceful and refuse to fight, but protecting yourself is just as important if you're also a pacifist!"

"Oh my," Fluttershy uttered worriedly. "Umm, can we just...talk to them? Maybe they'll understand?"

"Not all Pokemon will listen to reason; some of us can be quite territorial, or try picking a fight just to grow stronger," Scott explained, to the Buneary's dismay.

"Like you?" Johann asked with a teasing smirk.

Scott turned to leer at the Charmander. "I don't act like that."

"You expected our first mission to be in a Mystery Dungeon, and you were itching to, 'Take on a thief who stole a very important item,' in your own words." Scott flinched, his reaction making some of the girls laugh as Johann flipped the Riolu's words around.

Scott quickly turned away from his friend, wearing a straight face while a bead of sweat ran down the back of his head. "W-Well, I expected us to do something much more dangerous than simple chores, that's all," he reasoned. He turned back to the Equestrians, ignoring the stifled snickering from his friend. "Regardless, you'll never know who we'll run into in a Mystery Dungeon, or even out in the continent. So, to start things off, you guys will practice learning how to fight in your bodies and use moves beginner Pokemon like us can use."

"Moves?" Rainbow questioned. "Don't we just beat them up, bite them, or...-" She let out an annoyed sigh, pointing at her beak with a wing. "-...peck them?"

"Well, we can do that, but it won't do as much damage to another Pokemon than using a move, as we call them," Johann explained. "Some of the basics most Pokemon learn are Tackle, Quick Attack, Pound, Scratch, any Normal-type moves like that. Or, for Pokemon not physically capable like Twilight is, they have different starting attack moves. I think Ralts can use Disarming Voice. Most Psychic-types are pretty powerful with Special attacks."

"But when Alakazam asked me to bend one of his spoons with psychic powers, I couldn't get it to move," Twilight said dejectedly.

"Maybe you're not strong enough to use any just yet," Scott pondered. "With enough training, you could learn Confusion in no time."

"Huh? 'Confusion'?" Pinkie asked. "Sounds confusing already. How many moves do Pokemon know?"

"Heheh. There's quite a lot of them. Some we can learn naturally through training, or through little devices that can be found called Technical Machines," Scott explained.

"We just call them TMs for short," Johann added. "And Normal-types can learn a lot more variety of moves than other types, so Fluttershy and Rarity can learn certain moves none of us can learn."

"Awww! Lucky!" Pinkie whined.

"We're just going to start with the basics for now," Scott reassured. "And until you guys get comfortable, you'll be surprised by what you can do later on." The girls and Spike nodded their heads, Fluttershy being more reluctant as she would have to resort to violently hurting other Pokemon that could be just as cute as they are. "Johann and I will show you just how intense a battle can be, then we'll let you get to practicing on your wooden dummies."

"Sweet. I get the living dummy to train against." Johann chuckled at his joke, both rescuers walking over to the more spacious part of their training grounds.

"Yeah, yeah, yuck it up, flame breath," Scott goaded as he cracked his knuckles.

The Mane Six and Spike watched as the two Pokemon stared each other down, the two rescuers anticipating each others' movements while their audience began to feel anxious about what they'll expect to see. After what felt like several minutes of the silent staredown, Scott made the first move and rushed toward Johann.

"Ember!" Johann exclaimed, then exhaled and shot out several small flames at the charging Riolu.

Scott quickly slid under the fiery embers, sailing inches over his body. When Johann stopped, Scott quickly vaulted back on his feet and continued charging with his arms across his chest.

"Metal Claw!" the Riolu cried out, the stubs on the back of his paws glowing and forming a pair of claws. Johann grinned, knowing that move won't hurt him too much even if he got hit, leaping away and dodging the flurry of swipes. The Equestrians watched in awe at how fast the Pokemon moved, Fluttershy unfortunately whimpering and couldn't bear to watch as she pulled the fluff around her lower half and covered her face with it. "Getting a bit better dodging me."

"Thanks to all our training sessions," Johann agreed, ducking another swipe, then lunged and rammed Scott with his shoulder, pushing him back a bit.

Scott grunted, but let out a small chuckle, rubbing his chest from the impact. "But can you handle keeping up with me?" Scott asked, crouching slightly, then sped off at incredible speed with a cone of wind forming around him. "Quick Attack!"

Johann braced himself to get rammed by the Riolu's Quick Attack, but Scott decided to show off and taunt his friend, changing directions about two feet away from him, then zigzagged around the Charmander to disorient him. Rainbow Dash's beak dropped as she watched Scott zip around, moving blindingly fast that could rival even her speed.

"Wow, he's like a blur," Applejack uttered.

"This is so cool! It's like watching the Power Ponies in the comics really fight!" Spike cheered. "And we can do all those cool moves, too!?"

"Probably not all of them," Twilight stated.

Johann remained calm, waiting for the right time to strike. He noticed Scott's weaving while moving at high speeds were in a pattern. Taking aim, he unleashed another Ember attack, aiming at the Riolu's legs and where he would end up dashing to. The small flames hit their mark, making Scott yelp in pain from the Fire-type attack and tumble into a roll. He landed back on his feet, only to grimace and kneel down, his paws clutching at one of his legs. Out of all the unfortunate luck, Johann managed inflict Scott with Burn, a painful burn mark appearing around the injury.

The Equestrians gasped in shock, even Johann was a little startled. "W-What?" Fluttershy asked, still hiding behind her yellow fluff. "A-Are they done?"

"Johann just burned Scott with that Ember move!" Rarity exclaimed.

Both Fluttershy's ears perked up, her paws releasing her fluff to see Scott wincing in pain while holding his burned leg. Gasping in horror, she turned to glare at Johann, who gave his friend an apologetic grimace.

"Sorry, Scott!" Johann said. "At least I managed to catch you off guard when moving that-"

"Why would you do that!?" The Charmander flinched when he heard Fluttershy yell. The Buneary was bouncing over to the young fire lizard, Johann staggering away when the angry animal caretaker got up to him, standing on her toes while looking down at him like a mother scolding their child. "This is what you two call sparring!? You just burned him!"

"Uhhh, w-well, I-I kinda didn't mean to," Johann tried to reason. Fluttershy began glaring intensely at him, using her famous Stare she resorts to if any of her animal friends refused to listen or stop what they're doing. Johann was paralyzed, but this wasn't a Glare attack; he was terrified of the Buneary's gaze, silently scolding him and feeling guilty talking back to her. He wilted sadly, looking down in shame as her eyes won over his resolve to explain. "I-I'm sorry..."

"H-Hey, Fluttershy, what's the deal!?" Scott called out. He stood up, wincing from his burn, but toughed it out. "We're still in the middle of our match!"

Dropping her Stare, Fluttershy bounded over to the injured Riolu. "You shouldn't even be fighting with that burn! You can barely stand!" Fluttershy said.

"I'm still raring to-WAH!" Fluttershy knocked Scott over, elevating his injured leg as she examined it. Frustrated, he sat up with an annoyed leer. "Fluttershy, this is normal in battles! I don't need medical attention right now!"

"I don't care how tough you're acting! You just got a serious burn!" Fluttershy scolded. "You're not going to be standing, or fighting, for weeks!"

"That's the benefit of inflicting status ailments to our opponents!" Scott argued. He managed to flick his leg out of Fluttershy's paws, wincing with each movement, but he got back up and balanced on his good leg. "Some moves can debilitate Pokemon and make them weaker! Burns are one of them; it hurts like mad when I try to move, and it lowers the strength of my physical attacks because of the pain!"

"That's just awful!" Fluttershy said. "How is it that you two enjoy doing something like this?"

"Battling other Pokemon and knocking them out helps us grow stronger, which is why we spar to practice in case we run into dangerous Pokemon outside of towns or in Mystery Dungeons. You know, the whole point of us showing you how to protect yourselves?" Fluttershy frowned, her ears drooping sadly. Scott just sighed and shook his head, understanding why someone like Fluttershy would be overly concerned with their health when she mentioned she took care of other creatures in her world. "I guess our sparring session ends in a draw. Next time, try not to get between any Pokemon fighting with each other, or else you could get hurt instead."

"O-Oh..." Fluttershy murmured guiltily.

"Well, now you know." Scott gently patted the Buneary's shoulder. "Sorry for snapping, but you're lucky Johann and I are one of the more sensible Pokemon to stop fighting if it gets too hairy. Others might not be, and can be hard to reason with if the natural disasters get them to be more aggressive than they should." Fluttershy understood with a slow nod, following the hopping Riolu as he went over to check on Johann. That bravado he had earlier was gone, and he seemed to look upset and guilty, which was a surprise to Scott. "Hey, you ok, dude?"

Hearing his voice, Johann snapped out of his guilty daze and looked at Scott. "...Uhh...Y-Yeah. I'm...I'm good."

"Umm...Sorry for...scolding you, Johann," Fluttershy apologized. "I...I don't like seeing other animals getting hurt, and...e-even if it was training, I couldn't help but react like that when Scott got burned."

Johann seemed wary, avoiding eye contact with Fluttershy. "Y-Yeah. I get it," Johann said. "B-But, you'd be surprised just how durable we can be. We're...not like any other creatures in your world, so..."

"I-I see now," Fluttershy uttered, then approached Johann and gave him an apologetic hug.

The Charmander was a little surprised by the gesture, but he accepted it and hugged her back, letting bygones be bygones. Fluttershy walked back over to her friends, while Johann helped Scott limp back over to them.

"You sure you're alright?" Scott asked curiously. "I was kinda cringing in pain so all I heard was her yelling at you."

"I-I don't know," Johann admitted. "I tried to tell her this was a part of how we fight, but when she gave me that look, I froze and...gave in to her judgmental eyes."

"Huh? You froze?" Scott questioned. "...Can Buneary use Glare? Or even Hypnosis?"

"I don't think so, but it didn't feel like either of those moves..." The two regrouped with the Equestrians, Johann letting Scott sit down. "I think now's a good time to get some berries from town. Get the berry grove started, get us some breakfast, and lots of Rawst Berries if that happens again."

"From your fire breath or your tail?" Scott teased. "Remember yesterday? You almost burned the Nidos' yard because of that flaming torch attached to your backside."

Johann blushed, grinning sheepishly before turning tail and rushing off to Pokemon Square to get their future berry grove started, and some berries to help with Scott's Burn affliction. "Ya sure you're alright, sugarcube?" Applejack asked nervously.

"I'm fine," Scott assured. "Once I eat a Rawst Berry, I'll be good as new."

"Eating a berry will cure your burn?" Rarity questioned skeptically. "You need ointment or something to at least sooth it."

"You'll be surprised when you see it," Scott said. "But forget about me for now. I'll live. Now, on to practicing, guys!"

The Mane Six and Spike began to practice fighting in their new bodies, even Fluttershy, though only as a means of self defense rather than getting stronger. After seeing the example battle Scott and Johann gave them, they had to be extremely careful when he mentioned status ailments when enemy Pokemon will attempt to use them to gain the advantage. Scott and Twilight made sure to give the others details on their starting moves on the log posts: Fluttershy using Pound, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Spike, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity using Tackle, and Twilight herself using Disarming Voice. While practicing their attacking moves, Scott gave them pointers if they had trouble dealing some damage to their dummies. Fluttershy's Pound always ended up more as a light tap than a hard enough punch, her training definitely going to be fully hands on if she's ever going to let go of the fact that the cute Pokemon around her can all handle themselves in any situation. The others were doing fine, and Twilight felt satisfied she could do something, even if it was at a distance, and it was with her own voice instead of her psychic powers that'll eventually develop.

Johann came back several minutes later with a basket carrying several different types of berries. He placed most of them in the base, leaving one of each inside to grow his berry grove while taking the rest out to the field. He could tell the Equestrians were hard at work, most of them working up a sweat and doing a nice bit of damage to their practice logs.

"Hey, guys! I'm back!" Johann called out.

"Ooh! Look at all those yummy berries!" Pinkie said, licking her lips in hunger.

"Dig in, guys." While the group took their break and helped themselves to the berries, Johann took one of the Rawst Berries and tossed it to Scott.

"About time," Scott teased as he caught the light blue berry. He bit into it, his face grimacing at the bitter taste, but toughed it out and ate it, leaves and all. Once he downed the Rawst Berry, the healing affects kicked in, the Riolu's burnt leg returning to normal like he had never gotten scorched by fire at all. He sighed in relief, vaulting back up on his feet and stretched his formerly injured leg. "Much better. Johann, you'd better plant a whole row of Rawst Berries in that grove. If it doesn't come from your mouth, your tail's gonna burn everyone more."

"I'll be careful next time," Johann promised. "So, how'd they do?"

"They didn't do so bad," Scott said. "A good start, but there's still a lot of work to do." He glanced over at Fluttershy, daintily nibbling on an Oran Berry to taste it. "Fluttershy's...not really much of a fighter. Maybe she can do some supporting moves to help us or debilitate enemies."

"You sure? I mean, with that weird glare of hers, she could stop ANY Pokemon in their tracks if it worked on me," Johann said, emphasizing the look she gave him to Scott.

Scott hummed curiously while watching the group. Their aura still made him curious if what was mixed with their energy was indeed their magic. If so, then what Fluttershy may have done might have been something no other Pokemon is able to learn. Johann didn't get paralyzed, nor was he under Fluttershy's hypnotic commands or fell asleep. He believed Fluttershy could stand up and defend herself, but she's way too kind to so much as hurt any other creature unless they were in a dire situation or someone got seriously hurt.

"Hey, this is a weird looking one!" Pinkie held up a round red berry with soft spikes jutting out from its surface.

While she examined it as she held it in her tail, Johann and Scott flinched when they saw what she grabbed. "Ahh! Pinkie, don't eat that! That's a Tamato Berry!" Johann exclaimed.

"A tomato berry!? Sounds yummy! It's like a vegetable, but it's actually a fruit!" Pinkie giggled, ignoring the Charmander's warning and tossed it in the air, looking up with her mouth wide open and took a bite out of it.

"No! Tamato Berries are-!" He was too late to warn her. The moment the juices poured out in her mouth from that bite, Pinkie's eyes widened in shock, her whole quickly going red from her feet to her ears. Her eyes watered as steam began pouring out of her ears, her cheeks puffed out before opening them in a yell, blowing out flames from the intense spiciness that came from the berry. "-...really spicy..."

"Ahhhh! It burns!" Pinkie screamed, bouncing around in a desperate attempt to find anything to cool her burning mouth. Everyone watched, though Rainbow was the only one who laughed at the hilarious disaster Pinkie brought on herself. Scott quickly ran over, grabbed another Rawst Berry, then managed to tackled the bouncing fluffball to the ground and plop the berry in her mouth. Despite getting sticky from her cotton candy body, he persevered and quickly shut Pinkie's mouth, letting her bite down and let the bitter juices from the Rawst Berry soothe her burning tongue, lips, and gums. The berry did help, though the Tamato Berry left her lips and tongue swollen and red. "Ith's juth ath bad ath when I tathted liquid rainbow in Cloudthdale."

"...Uhh, I have no idea what you just said, but hopefully you learned that, next time, you don't go for Tamato Berries." Scott helped the whimpering Swirlix back on her feet, then looked over at Johann, who gave them an embarrassed grin while rubbing his neck.

"I...got the Tamato Berries for me," Johann said sheepishly. "I know I can handle the spiciness..."

Scott sighed heavily, trying to wipe off the stickiness from Pinkie's sugary fluff from his fur. "Ok. Next training lesson: learning what each berry tastes like and what they can do. So that no one eats another Tamato Berry and mistakes it for something else..." He saw the cheeky grin on the Starly's face, almost as if she was going to plot a way to use a Tamato Berry to prank someone. "And Rainbow, if you try to pass off a Tamato Berry as another kind of berry as a prank, that spicy scent alone makes them stand out from the others."

"What!? Aww, man!" Rainbow whined. "There goes some good pranks I had in mind..."

"On who?" Applejack questioned.

"...Everypony?" Rainbow answered nervously.

The group gave the Starly a blank stare, even Pinkie with her swollen tongue sticking out to soothe it in the much cooler air than in her furnace of a burnt mouth. "...Anyways, moving on to the berries..."

The rest of the day was spent with more training, more important lessons on the world, battling, status effects and which moves can cause what, the berries, and much more. They even had practice duels with the two rescue team Pokemon to get a feel for how battles would work for them. Where most of the Equestrians were into it, even Rarity with how scuffed her fur would get if she missed a Tackle and hit the ground, Fluttershy was still afraid to hurt either Scott or Johann when it came to her turn. They understand she likes all sorts of creatures and finds Pokemon to be just like them, but more sentient, and her friends are able to talk to them like she had with her animal friends back home.

The next morning, Scott and Johann left the girls and Spike to continue practicing while they headed out in the woods to forage for wild berries so they didn't spend too much of their Poké in Pokemon Square's stores. "They seem to be adjusting well," Johann commented.

"Yeah, but let's not expect them to help us with everything," Scott said. "They may be improving, but they're beings from another world. Their world sounds so much more peaceful than ours." Their search led them to an Oran Berry tree, the fruits ripe for the picking. Scott leapt up to the branches, picking each berry and dropped them down to Johann, the Charmander catching them and tossing them in a basket they brought. "I mean, I probably wouldn't mind, but it'd be really boring not taking on a challenge from time to time."

"Can't you just be patient for any serious missions involving taking on other Pokemon?" Johann asked irritably. "For someone who's focused on training our new friends, you want to jump into a Beedrill nest and pick a fight with the entire swarm."

"Hey, you think there is a nest somewhere out here we can take on?" Scott asked eagerly.

"Exactly my point," Johann muttered under his breath with a frustrated sigh.

"I'm kidding! I'm not THAT crazy!" Scott laughed, though Johann didn't believe him for a second.

"Help! Someone help!" The two rescuers looked in the direction of the feminine voice crying out for help. Through the rustling bushes, a small yellow mouse-like Pokemon ran through the underbrush, the tips of her ears and front paws were red, a small red tail in the shape of a plus sign, and her cheeks had red circles with the yellow of her fur marking them like plus signs as well. "Oh, where in the world is the square!?"

"A Plusle?" Scott uttered to himself. He dropped back down to the ground next to Johann, then they both approached the panicked Plusle. "Hey, what seems to be the problem?"

Plusle noticed the two Pokemon, quickly running over to them. "Please, I need a rescue team! I'm trying to find Pokemon Square!"

"Well, you're talking to Team Rescue Rangers," Scott proudly said, showing off their badge pinned to his red scarf.

Plusle looked at the badge, though instead of being grateful to run into them, she looked more concerned. "Umm...What rank are you?"

"Normal rank," Johann answered. "We...kinda just formed our team a couple days ago, but we did a great first job with an elderly couple's yard, so we have some good credibility with daily chores."

Scott gave Johann a sideways leer, then nudged him hard in the shoulder. While the Charmander grimaced and rubbed his shoulder, Plusle sighed and shook her head.

"I'm sorry, but I need more experienced rescuers to help me," she explained, apologizing for getting their hopes up in asking Scott and Johann for help. "My brother's in trouble, and I don't think your rank will help with the situation he's got himself in."

Getting fed up not being able to do any missions for their team not involving important rescue missions, Scott quickly stepped in front of Plusle before she tried to find the square. "Whoa, whoa, hold on a second! We're a rescue team, and we can handle anything your brother got himself into!"

"W-Well, I don't doubt you have the potential, but Minun's been captured by two really dangerous Croagunks, and they're really tough," Plusle explained. "I was out in the forest finding food for us, but when I came back, they began harassing him about giving them our Poké or berries. They're holding him hostage, so I ran away before they noticed me to find help."

"Pth. That's all? No problem," Scott scoffed confidently, startling Johann. "Plus, we just got ourselves seven new members on our team. We'll outnumber those Croagunks and rescue your brother!"

"Uhh...I don't know," Plusle mumbled with uncertainty.

"Just stay right here. We'll be back with our full team, and we'll rescue your brother!" Johann gawked at his friend's overconfidence, stammering slightly to try to reason with him about this crazy idea.

Before he could even get the words out, Scott was already sprinting back to their base with glee, forcing the Charmander to chase after him. "Scott, wait!" Johann called out. The Riolu managed to slow down for his friend to catch up, only to get tackled to the ground, Johann angrily looking down at the Fighting-type canine. "Are you nuts!? Why did you tell her that!?"

Scott rolled Johann off of him, quickly getting back up giddily. "Because we're finally taking a mission where we get to fight Pokemon holding someone hostage! Something that rescue teams like us are supposed to do!"

"You're getting in over your head! We don't know how strong these Croagunk are!" Johann scolded. "And you're going to bring our 'full team' to outnumber them!? They're not ready, and you know that!"

"They can just stand by and help on the side while we do the real fighting," Scott reassured. "I told her we'd bring the girls and Spike, but I never told her they'd be doing the fighting. Just surround them to startle them in a fake ambush, and we'll take them out easy-peasy."

"Two of them are Normal-types and two of them are Fairy-types, which Croagrunk can easily overpower with their types, Rainbow doesn't know how to use Flying-type attacks yet, and Twilight can't use any psychic moves because she's not strong enough," Johann reminded the oblivious Riolu. "You think we have the advantage, but if they find out two of our friends don't have the right moves to hurt them badly, they'll target them first before dealing with us."

"Come on, Johann. I've been itching for a real battle, and if we keep doing pointless chores, how else are we supposed to grow our team's rank?" Scott questioned. Johann just gave him a disappointed stare with his arms crossed over his chest. Scott let out a sigh in annoyance. "...Alright, they'll stay hidden with Plusle and watch us fight the Croagunk. If we get in over our heads-"

"If YOU get in over your head," Johann corrected.

Scott rolled his eyes in response. "Ok. If I get in over my head, they can go to the guild and request help if we're in trouble," he rephrased.

Johann continued staring at Scott silently for a moment before responding. "...Fine. But next time, you'll wait for a mission like this when we're stronger and at a higher rank."

"Alright!" Scott cheered, then caught Johann off guard as he picked him up and hugged the Charmander. "This is gonna be awesome! Team Rescue Rangers taking on our first group of baddies!"

He unceremoniously dropped Johann and continued running back to the base, leaving Johann to sigh again, get back up, and slowly follow after him. "What has he gotten us into?" he muttered to himself.

"Hiyah!" Pinkie yelled out as she rammed into her training log in a Tackle. She knocked it over and sent it rolling across the grass, getting better with her new body along with her friends. "Yeah! Take that, log! Nopony can stand the might of delicious sugary cotton candy power!"

Rainbow flew into her log, ramming it harder and sending it farther than Pinkie did. "Man, I am one tough bird!" she said, no longer irritated at what kind of Pokemon she turned into. "I wonder what else I can do. I hope I can move faster than Scott, because I'm the only one who's supposed to be fast around here."

"Practice more and you just might," Twilight said, taking a break from training to read up more on the moves they could each learn.

Applejack was next, crouching low before kicking off and charging forward. While running toward her log, electricity began to spark around her tail. She yelped in surprise and skid to a halt when she felt this strange surge of electricity course through her while she ran, then couldn't when she stopped.

"Whoa nelly," she uttered in awe. "This is so weird. Anytime Ah run fast enough, mah hindquarters get all tingly from this electricity Ah seem to keep makin'."

"You're so lucky you're able to use attacks with lightning!" Rainbow complained.

Applejack just stared blankly at the Starly. "Yeah, sure. Ah'm lucky Ah get to feel lightnin' comin' out from mah flanks and tail," she grumbled while emphasizing her stubby lightning bolt tail.

"According to this, Yamper generate electricity whenever they run, where most Electric-types would be able to discharge their stored lightning from a source on them," Twilight paraphrased. "One such move you can learn soon is something called 'Nuzzle'."

"Nuzzling is a Pokemon move?" Spike questioned while Rainbow laughed at the ridiculous move.

"Oh no! Applejack's gonna snuggle with her opponents to hurt them!" the Starly laughed, which made Applejack smirk, wanting to try it out if she's able to.

"Oh, it's funny, huh? How about Ah try it out on you, Rainbow Dash?" Applejack asked. She pawed at the ground, wiggled her rump, then dashed toward the guffawing Starly. Electricity sparked along her tail as she moved, which began to surge up to her cheeks. The crackling made Rainbow stop, look at Applejack, then yelp and flew up high, barely avoiding her as she hit one of the other training logs with her cheek. The log crackled with lightning as the Electric attack surged over it, then stopped when Applejack moved away. Applejack was stunned, surprised she was able to do that at all. "Sweet Celestia...Did Ah actually do it?"

"I...think so," Twilight said in awe.

"That electricity went right to your cheeks," Rarity pointed out.

"And the log went zappity-zap-zap!" Pinkie added. "Nuzzle me next! I wanna be extra floofy and toasty!"

"And almost got me with that!" Rainbow complained, flapping her wings angrily. "I don't want to know how painful it feels to get zapped like that when I'm not a pegasus anymore, so don't do that again!"

Her hard flaps caused a powerful gust of wind, accidentally aiming at Applejack. Her Gust attack sent the Yamper's hat flying off her head, then sent Applejack tumbling backward a few inches before falling on her belly. It didn't hurt Applejack that badly, but it annoyed her.

"Consarn it, Rainbow Dash, that stung!" Applejack exclaimed. She got up and retrieved her hat, setting it back on her head. "Ah was only teasin' ya, but Ah wasn't gonna actually hurt ya!"

"Huh? But...I just flapped my wings," Rainbow uttered, lowering herself back to the ground, then looked at her wings as she stretched them out. "How did me flapping hurt you?"

"I think that was Gust," Twilight explained. "A powerful wind generated by the flapping of wings, and is a Flying-type move. Thankfully, Flying-type moves won't effect Electric-types, so Applejack isn't too badly hurt."

"Ah am still annoyed by that," Applejack grumbled. "Y'all better stay grounded if ya can't control your wings, Rainbow."

"Heheh. Sorry," Rainbow apologized.

A moment later, Scott and Johann came back to the base, forgetting their berry hunt as the Equestrians could see the excited glint in the Riolu's eyes as he approached them. "Hey, guys! We got some news!"

"You got breakfast?" Pinkie asked, her tummy grumbling in response. "I'm hungry for some more yummy berries!"

Scott winced, as well as Johann, nearly forgetting their basket they left behind with Plusle. "Uhh, well, we forgot," Johann said, making the others groan. "But that's because someone-" He gave Scott a sideways glare before looking back at their friends. "-decided to enlist us to a rescue mission from a Plusle looking for help."

"And I mentioned all of our team would help save her brother, Minun, from two Croagunks," Scott added with a sheepish giggle.

"What in Equestria is a Croagunk?" Rarity asked.

Twilight flipped through the pages of her book, finding an illustration of the Fighting/Poison-type amphibian Pokemon. "Here it is."

"Eww! They're giant frogs!?" Rarity shrieked.

"And they're poisonous while also excelling in martial arts," Twilight added. "They sound pretty tough."

"Yeah. And we're the ones who'll take on the Croagrunks, not a different team who's more experienced handling tougher Pokemon," Johann said, emphasizing Scott's lack of common sense just to pick a fight with tough opponents.

"And...we're going to fight them, too?" Fluttershy asked.

"Well...you guys can stay back and be our backup," Scott said. "Johann and I will be the ones to fight them. But if we don't manage to succeed, then go and get help from the guild and have a stronger rescue team take them on."

"Just so you guys know, this was all Scott's idea, so if we fail, it's all his fault," Johann said, putting his two Poké in.

Scott grimaced, but he nodded, agreeing to taking full responsibility despite him getting fired up for a tough battle. The new rescue team members looked at each other, some a little worried they might lose, but they definitely outnumber the two Croagunks if they work together.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go save us some Pokemon!" Rainbow cheered, her friends all agreeing despite the danger they might face.

"That didn't take long for you all to agree," Johann said in astonishment.

"We've had our fair share of facing scary baddies back in our world, so this shouldn't be any different," Pinkie said. "We just have more new powers and stuff besides our magic of friendship rainbow beams to defeat our villains."

"If we had the Elements of Harmony with us, that is," Twilight said.

With everyone gathered, Johann went inside the base and grabbed their toolbox, carrying it for the team as he and Scott led the way back to Plusle. They found her where the two rescuers left her, the electric mouse sitting by their half-filled basket of Oran Berries.

"Here we are, Plusle!" Scott called out.

She looked over and saw the rescue team she found by chance. Despite the numbers, Plusle still seemed unsure about a beginner rescue team taking on other Pokemon.

"This is...your team?" she asked.

"Yup," Scott gloated, letting the idea of fame get to him already despite their low rank as a rescue team. "We've already got other Pokemon signing up to join us."

"We just started as a team two days ago," Johann corrected, which made Scott nearly trip over from him telling the truth over his exaggerated statements. "Ignore anything else my co-partner keeps spouting. It's gonna bite us in the tail later anyway."

"H-Hey, we can handle this!" Scott argued. "I don't get why you're not as excited as I am about fighting Pokemon thugs! This is the best thing to ever happen to us, and you're always the one who's so optimistic about everything!"

"I am, but only when I pay attention, follow the rules, and not rush into danger," Johann clarified.

Both Pokemon glared at each other, concerning Plusle as she watched them arguing with each other while approaching their teammates. "Uhh...do they not get along with each other?"

"They do, but they usually poke fun at each other," Twilight said. "Johann seems pretty annoyed deciding to help your brother and fend off these Croagunks holding him hostage."

"Which one's the leader?" Plusle asked.

"I think they both are," Spike said. "But they're great instructors. Taught us how to battle and everything."

Plusle only seemed more worried as the beginner rescue team had rookie recruits, but the Equestrians seemed pretty confident in Scott and Johann's leadership skills and combative prowess. "Well, ok then," she finally said after much thought. "Follow me. My home isn't too far from here."

Plusle guided Team Rescue Rangers through the woods to her home. Scott and Johann occasionally glared at each other, the former sick of being reminded how thickheaded he was while the latter was frustrated with him acting as the decision-making leader and failing to understand what sort of trouble they can get into without preparation. It didn't take long for them to get through the woods to where Plusle and her brother lived. She crouched over to a bush and hid, ushering the rescue team to quietly come closer and peek through or around the leaves. There was the natural den she lived in, big enough for a pair of small electric mice Pokemon like them to live in. Outside, however, there was Plusle's brother, Minun, similar to a Plusle, but with blue paws, ears, tail, and cheeks with the yellow fur on his cheeks and tail in the shape of a minus sign, tied up with rope against a nearby tree while two blue toad-like Pokemon, their midsections with one black stripe then two whites, black toes and fingers, the middle digits on their hands orange, orange pouches on their cheeks that occasionally expanded, and yellow eyes with black markings searched around their den, carrying whatever berries the siblings hoarded for their snack.

"Is this all you seriously have, twerp?" one of the Croagunks questioned the tied Minun. "Just berries? Not even any Poké?"

"I live off the land, you no-good thieves," Minun growled, his cheeks sparking aggressively.

"On your own?" the other asked suspiciously. "We know you little mice exist in pairs, so where's your other half? Foraging?"

"I live alone!" Minun lied, making the Croagunks laugh in disbelief.

"Well, if you did, you probably would have zapped us a bit harder, you little pest," the first Croagunk mocked. Minun growled again, trying not to let the bandits call his bluff. "Tell us where the Plusle's at, and we'll just leave with your stuff without having to rough either of you up."

"I'm telling you I live by myself! I have no siblings or other family!" Minun exclaimed.

The two Croagunks looked at each other, clearly not buying the electric mouse's lie. Plusle whimpered nervously, fearing the Croagunks were going to hurt her brother to get him to talk.

"They can take whatever we want. I just don't want to see my brother get hurt," she said.

"Don't worry," Scott reassured the worried Plusle. "We'll rescue him."

"And how are we going to do that again?" Johann questioned. "Just blindly rush at them and pummel them into submission? Great plan."

Scott's eye twitched in irritation, then brought his attention to his partner. "And you have a better one?"

"Yes: NOT being here and having a more experienced rescue team handle this," Johann hissed, making sure to keep his voice down so they didn't get caught.

"And we'd be getting some of that experience without having our paws held every step of the way," Scott argued, emphasizing his point by grabbing the Charmander's paw and waved it in front of him.

Johann snatched his arm back, the others watching blankly as the two team founders continued bickering with each other. "...So...these two are just going to keep fighting and not come up with a plan, are they?" Plusle asked.

"Afraid so," Applejack mumbled. She decided to take charge, biting Scott's tail and pulled him away from Johann, letting out a yelp as he was chomped. "Y'all need to break it up. Now ain't the time to be squabblin' when we got somepony to rescue."

"Why bite my tail if you're siding with me?" Scott asked bitterly. "Shouldn't you have bitten-?" The Riolu looked back at Johann, who gave his friend a blank stare and pointed to the flaming tip on his tail. "...Ok, point taken, but why me?"

"Because you don't seem to care about our 'new recruits' and their safety when they've never fought other Pokemon before," Johann said.

"I do so care," Scott hissed, his yelping going higher when Applejack bit harder, quickly covering his muzzle to keep the Croagunks from hearing them.

"Enough!" Applejack growled, spitting out the Riolu's tail, then got between the two Pokemon. "You two are best friends, right? So put aside whatever differences ya got and focus on this rescue mission."

"Yeah," Pinkie agreed. "We've faced lots of mean creatures before, so this would be a good experience for us, too. And we'll do it together, as friends AND as a team."

"Ha! They agree with me," Scott gloated, making Johann growl.

"But they don't know how seriously hurt they can get around here!" Johann argued.

Plusle sighed, regretting her decision to ask for Team Rescue Rangers' help when she should have found another rescue team. "I should have just kept moving on to the square," she mumbled. When she looked up, she noticed the Buneary in the team was missing. "Huh? Where'd that Buneary go?"

Scott and Johann finally stopped their arguing as everyone looked around for Fluttershy. Peeking around the bushes, they found her making her way up to the Croagunks.

"Oh, she's just going to try to talk to the Croagunks," Scott said, oblivious to what the animal lover was planning. "But if Johann has a much better idea, I'd love to-" He froze, looking at this friend as the Charmander looked back at him, then back to Fluttershy as they let out a startled gasp. "What is she doing!?"

"Like you said: she's probably going to try to talk to them," Rainbow said nonchalantly. "She does have a knack for taming any sort of wild creature."

"Fighting-type moves can really hurt Normal-types!" Johann exclaimed quietly. "If they know any, she could wind up in a lot of pain!"

Fluttershy calmly approached the Croagunk duo, one of them holding up their fist as he threatened to hurt Minun. Minun glanced over at the Buneary, confused by her randomly showing up, catching the Croagunks' attention as they turned around.

"Hello, Mr. Croagunks," Fluttershy greeted innocently.

"...Umm...Hello?" one greeted back, slightly startled at the random interloper intruding in their robbery. "...Can we help you? We're kinda busy."

"Well, you seem to be taking food that doesn't belong to you. That's not very nice," Fluttershy stated. The Croagunks looked at the pile of berries they took out of Plusle and Minun's den, then gave each other a confused look. "If you were hungry, you probably should have asked first. And there's plenty of fruit around the woods to get a snack."

"We aren't looking for food," the second Croagunk stated. "We're trying to take this Minun's Poké, but the little rat's got nothing."

"I have a lot of different berries," Minun grumbled. "How is that 'nothing'?"

"That's still not very nice," Fluttershy repeated, though a bit more sternly. "Neither is tying the poor thing up to a tree. Now, let Minun go and give him back his food so we can all go on our merry ways."

"Pth. Or what?" the first Croagunk scoffed.

"Or else you two are going to get...the Stare," Fluttershy warned.

"The what?" Minun asked in befuddlement.

Scott and Johann squinted blankly in exasperation at Fluttershy's threat. "D-Did she...just say...'the Stare'?" Scott uttered.

"Ooooh. She's gonna give it to them good," Pinkie said. "Now if only Pokemon invented popcorn, this would be a fun show."

The robbers glanced at each other, then burst out laughing at Fluttershy's threat. "Oh no, I'm going to submit to those innocent eyes!" the first toad Pokemon mocked. The Croagunks calmed down, then gave the Buneary a menacing glare. "If you think you can help this Minun, you're sadly mistaken, little bunny."

"Ok, I guess you two leave me no choice," Fluttershy said.

"She's crazy!" Scott exclaimed. As the Croagunks approached the Buneary, Scott dashed out of his hiding spot with Quick Attack, zipping off to aim for both Croagunks and rammed them away from Fluttershy before she could give them her patented Stare. The Fighting/Poison-types flipped back onto their feet after getting knocked away, staring down the Riolu standing in front of Fluttershy. "Back off or you're gonna tussle with me!"

Johann sighed and shook his head. "Twilight, watch the toolbox," he said, then leapt out from behind the bush and headed toward Fluttershy. "Fluttershy, please stay back. Let us handle them."

"But I was just about to-" Fluttershy was interrupted, gently being pushed over to Minun by the Charmander.

"Who are you runts?" the second Croagunk asked in annoyance. His eyes grew wide when he and his brother in crime spotted the rescue team badges on the Pokemons' bandannas. "A rescue team? Ah. Of all the rotten luck."

"These two are just runts," the first one said. "Those are rookie badges."

"Well, we 'rookies' are gonna kick your slimy butts back to the bog you hatched from!" Scott taunted, which made Johann groan.

"Great. Act like a cocky hero before we're the ones whose butts are gonna get kicked," Johann muttered.

"You should have gotten the adults to handle us, brats," the first Croagunk said. "We're the Poison Twins, Croak-"

"-and Wart!" the second added, the duo getting into fighting stances. "Two thieves looking for Poké from weak runts like you two!"

Scott and Johann prepared themselves, both sides staring each other down while anticipating their opponents' first moves. Johann made the first, using Ember between Croak and Wart to separate the twin Croagunks, Scott charging after Croak while Johann dealt with Wart, who retaliated back at the Charmander with Poison Sting. Johann ducked to avoid the small, poisonous needles firing from Wart's mouth. He kept his distance, letting Wart come to him as the Croagunk rushed at him. Johann avoided several punches and side kicks, thankful to have had his sparring sessions with a Fighting-type like Scott, avoiding each jab and kick while retaliating with his own claws.

Scott and Croak, however, were having a martial arts brawl. Both Pokemon were squaring off, fists and feet flying, punches and kicks blocked or clashed with each other. Croak was a bit impressed the Fighting-type pup was able to hold his own despite being a beginner rescuer, but he wasn't going down without taking him out. While the two teams fought, Fluttershy helped Minun, getting him untied and freeing him.

"Thanks," Minun said. "Are you part of the rescue team?"

"Mhmm," Fluttershy said with a nod. "So are my friends."

She pointed over to the bushes the others hid behind, Pinkie waving at them, signalling them to come over while Scott and Johann have their foes distracted. Taking the opportunity, Fluttershy and Minun ran over to the hidden group, thankfully avoiding getting spotted, and dove through the foliage.

"Minun!" Shaking off the leaves, Minun looked up to see the relieved expression on his sister's face.

"Sis! You're ok!" he said, both siblings hugging each other while nuzzling their cheeks.

"I should be saying that!" Plusle said. The two electric mice Pokemon released each other, then turned away and tapped their tails together, causing powerful sparks to expel from their tail and cheeks. The act was a surprise for the Equestrians, curious if that's something Electric-type Pokemon do. "Now that we're together, I think we should show those jerks a shocking time."

"So would I, but those two seem like they've got it covered," Minun said.

Everyone looked at the battle to see how Scott and Johann were doing. Scott met Croak's fists with his own, ducking and flipping away before lunging into a Quick Attack, ramming the Croagunk and sent him skidding across the ground a few yards.

"Pretty spry for a runt," Croak praised. His eyes glanced at the tree where he and his partner tied up Minun, finding no sign of him or Fluttershy. "Turned out that Buneary was actually part of your team. She was the distraction, and got our little hostage out of there, too."

Scott smirked, even though Fluttershy casually approaching them to catch off their guard and with him and Johann being the real distractions for her to save Minun wasn't as planned, but he went along with it if it perturbed the Croagunks. "Yeah. Exactly as planned," he said.

Croak could see the Riolu's grin twitch slightly, grinning in amusement as the rescuer was merely improvising, even when Johann told Fluttershy to let the two of them handle him and Wart. "Well, you two must be pretty brave for a couple of rookies," Croak said. "But if you're this confident, I think the baby gloves should finally come off." Glancing over at the other two Pokemon, Wart dodged Johann's Scratch attacks, then ducked under his tail as he spun around to smack him with his longer appendage, quickly grappling it while avoiding the Charmander's fire tip. "Wart, let's stop playing around with such 'experienced' rescuers."

Wart's grin widened, keeping a firm grip on Johann's tail as he struggled to pull away from the Croagunk. "Finally. I was done toying with this one, anyway." Johann turned his head, opening his mouth to use another Ember attack, but he gasped when Wart's poison sacs in his cheeks expanded as he took in a deep breath. "Sludge Bomb!" the Croagunk shouted, his cheeks bulging out before he spat out a big glob of purple sludge from his mouth.

The ball of poisonous goop struck Johann point-blank, exploding upon impact, sending the Charmander flying back with a splatter of ooze raining around them. Scott gasped and looked at Johann, watching him struggle to get up while covered in purple gunk, fearing his friend could get poisoned from such a powerful attack. His ears perked up when he heard Croak rush toward him, focusing back on his opponent too late when a powerful jab struck his abdomen, knocking the wind out of him.

"Bit of advice for ya, kid," Croak said. Scott down while gasping for air, finding the Croagunk's triple-digit hand connected with his gut was glowing purple; Croak used Poison Jab, and to make matters worse, Scott's breathing hitched when the poisonous punch took its effects and Poisoned him, his cheeks turning pale and getting incredibly sick. Croak chuckled, leaning his flat-toothed mouth over to the stunned Riolu's ear. "Don't take your eyes off your opponent."

Croak pulled his arm back, his fingers turning back to normal before throwing another punch, hitting Scott right in the face. Scott stumbled back from the blow, but he couldn't defend himself when the Croagunk jumped and kicked him hard in the chest, sending him tumbling across the ground. Johann shook off the sludge coating his skin, hearing Scott groan in pain and saw him getting beaten up by Croak.

"Scott!" Johann called out.

He ran over to help his friend, only to get caught off by Wart, quickly blocking him and delivering a kick into the side of the Charmander's head. "Where do you think you're going!?" Wart cackled as Johann hit the ground with a grunt. "You're mine, little lizard!" Johann growled as he struggled to get up, turning his head as he opened his mouth to unleash another Ember attack. "Sucker Punch!" Wart shouted, his reared back arm glowing a shadowy aura before throwing it, punching Johann in the face hard enough to send him sprawling on the ground in a daze. Wart snickered, lightly shaking his hand from the blow, then clenched his fist. "Come on, brat. I know you're not down for the count just yet."

Behind the bushes, everyone's hopes for Scott and Johann to come out on top quickly went sour when the Croagunks began using incredibly tough moves. "Oh no," Fluttershy whimpered. "They really are strong."

"That was...so vile what that dirty frog did to Johann," Rarity shuddered, thankful that the Sludge Bomb didn't splatter toward them when it blew up in Johann's face.

"This isn't good," Minun growled. "They don't stand a chance." He then looked at the Equestrians as they all just watched their friends getting pummeled from the sidelines. "You guys gotta help them!"

"How!?" Spike exclaimed. "I'm not sure what we can do! We just started learning how to fight yesterday!"

"Well, there's got to be something you can do! We won't be able to find another rescue team in time!" Plusle said. While blaming herself for agreeing to let a rookie team handle two tough Croagunks, she noticed the toolbox Twilight had by her feet. "The toolbox! You guys must have something useful in there that can help them!"

Twilight glanced down at the toolbox, almost forgetting about it as she opened the lid. Sadly, the only items inside were the seeds Scott and Johann earned after doing the Nido couple's yard work.

"T-They only have these seeds," Twilight uttered, trying to figure out a plan while worrying for their friends and team leaders' safety.

Plusle and Minun looked in the box, both of them letting out a gasp when they saw the normal-looking seeds. "No way," Minun uttered. "Where'd they get seeds like THESE!?"

"What good will plain, boring seeds do!?" Rainbow exclaimed. "That's not gonna help!"

Plusle grabbed one of the seeds, holding it up to the confused Equestrians. "You guys have never heard of a Joy Seed? These are incredibly rare, and can help strengthen a Pokemon's abilities!"

"...Is there a difference?" Spike questioned.

The siblings looked at each other in bewilderment. "...What planet did you guys come from?" Minun asked back, earning a hard nudge from his sister.

"It's...quite a long story," Twilight admitted.

"Well, there's no time for stories!" Plusle gave Twilight the Joy Seed, startling the Ralts. "Do you know any Psychic-type moves?"

"N-No. I don't even know how," Twilight said.

"Eat that, and you might be able to learn something, like Confusion!" Plusle said.

"But...these seeds belong to Scott and Johann," Twilight explained. "I can't use something they earned the other day."

"It's in your team's toolbox! I don't think who those seeds belong to doesn't matter when they're getting wailed on!" Plusle pointed out to the fight, where Scott's reactions were slowed down due to being Poisoned and getting knocked around by Croak, while Johann tried to keep his distance from Wart with Ember, but the other Croagunk managed to bob and weave around the fiery bits, then threw his fist into the Charmander's chest when he was close enough, and sent him staggering back before lunging forward for another punch. Everyone cringed when the Poison Twins knocked Scott and Johann toward each other, making them smack into each other and collapse in a groaning heap. "There's not time to look for help. They're going to be the ones next to be held hostage, and your leaders need your help."

Twilight looked at the Joy Seed, then back to Scott and Johann. The two struggled to get up while the Poison Twins were egging them to fight back and be the rescue team meant to stop them. She glanced back at her friends, all of them heavily concerned for their new friends, and they were willing to help back them up despite being warned to go find help now that they were in trouble.

"We have to help them," Twilight said, her friends and surrogate brother all nodding in agreement. Twilight sighed, holding up the Joy Seed. "Hope this thing is more capable than it seems."

She stuffed the seed in her mouth, chewed it, then swallowed after ignoring the bland taste and crunchy texture. After gulping it down, Twilight let out a gasp, surprisingly feeling a bit stronger than before. She looked down at her hands, then down at the toolbox. She began to focus on her new psychic powers, trying them on the toolbox to make it levitate with the power of her mind. Feeling a power from her thoughts, she finally managed to perform a Psychic-type move: Confusion. Her eyes faintly glowed a light blue under her hair, creating a similar glow around the mobile carrier, and lifted it in the air a couple feet. Dropping her concentration after managing to levitate something, Twilight felt a bit more confidence in herself as a Psychic-type Pokemon.

"Whoa! You managed to make it float!" Spike cheered. "You really did get stronger after eating that seed!"

"Yeah. That seed must have helped me discover a Psychic move, and I feel a bit stronger after eating it." She looked out to the battle, glaring intensely at the Croagunks mocking Scott and Johann as the two were on their last legs, covered in bruises and scuffs, and Scott barely able to stay conscious from his Poison status.

Croak and Warts' backs were turned to them as the Equestrians crept out of their hiding place to give them a proper ambush. "Not much of a team, huh?" Wart taunted.

"Even that Buneary friend of yours is long gone with that Minun," Croak added. "But I bet you'd make a much better incentive for getting rescued by a different team in exchange for some Poké."

"Ugh...Y-You-" Scott grunted, falling to his knees as he struggled to stay conscious, his body going numb from the poison damaging him slowly.

"I think it's time to put these babies to bed, Wart," Croak said, his partner chuckling darkly with his fist held up, his fingers turning purple as he prepared to use Poison Jab.

"With pleasure," Wart said with a grin.

Johann winced, preparing himself for a painful defeat as Wart reared his fist back, while Scott weakly raised a paw to try to defend himself. "Confusion," Twilight uttered, holding out her arms with her eyes closed, then opening them with a faint blue aura in them.

Wart yelled and threw his Poison Jab, only for his body to freeze up mere inches before his attack made contact with the Charmander's face, surrounded in a similar aura to Twilight's Psychic attack. "...Wart, what are you doing?" Croak questioned. "We're done tormenting them. Knock them out!"

"I-I...I can't...move!" Wart said, struggling to push his arm forward, but failing to budge. Twilight swung her arms, forcing Wart to jerk about, then punch Croak in the face with his own fist. "Ahh! W-What the-!?"

Johann and Scott looked up, surprised to see Twilight, Spike, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie, Applejack, and Rainbow behind the Croagunks, Twilight holding Wart back with a Psychic move, much to their surprise. "Agh! You idiot!" Croak exclaimed angrily, rubbing his face after getting blindsided by Wart. "Why'd you hit me!?"

"I didn't mean to!" Wart argued, then yelped when he was suddenly turned around. "What's happening to-!?" His breath caught in his throat when he saw the seven Pokemon behind them. "...Uhh, Croak, we've got more company."

"Huh?" Croak turned around, surprised to see Fluttershy again, but also new Pokemon glaring at them. "More? Where did you lot come from?"

"Back away from our friends," Twilight warned. "You've messed with the wrong rescue team."

"Yeah! Team Rescue Rangers are here to kick your plots into next week!" Rainbow exclaimed.

"W-What are you guys doing?" Scott uttered weakly. "G-Go...get...help..."

"You said we're your backup, and we're backing you up!" Pinkie said.

"Guys, they're too strong," Johann tried to reason.

"Maybe, but together, we're stronger than these two brutes," Rarity said.

"An inspirational group speech," Croak taunted, slowly clapping his hands, then quickly stopped and flexed his fists. "Too bad words won't do much to defeat us!"

Twilight quickly swung her arms, her hold on Wart still affecting him as she flung him into Croak, causing the Croagunks to tumble to the ground. "Fluttershy, you and I will help Scott and Johann," she ordered, Fluttershy quickly nodding and hopped over to help Scott up on his feet. "Rainbow, Pinkie, keep their focus on you two."

"Yay! I love being the distraction!" Pinkie cheered while bouncing excitedly, Rainbow smirking cockily as the Starly and bouncing Swirlix dashed off toward the dazed Croagunk duo.

"Rarity, Spike, Applejack, you three attack them when they're too distracted by Rainbow and Pinkie," Twilight said to the other three Pokemon.

"Not a problem, Twilight," Applejack said. "Ready to get your hooves - or should Ah say paws - dirty, Rarity?"

"No, but I will not tolerate these disgusting frogs hurting the Pokemon who helped us," Rarity said.

"And I finally get to go on dangerous adventures with you girls," Spike cheered, then looked at Rarity, hearts appearing in his eyes. "Especially with you, Rarity."

"Spike, just be careful," Twilight said, worried for the Gible's safety.

"If I can be as tough as Scott or Johann, I think I can take a few hits," Spike assured confidently.

"...Ok. I know we're in different bodies, but you're still a baby dragon to me," Twilight said. Spike flashed her a grin, then ran on ahead with Applejack and Rarity beside him to join Rainbow and Pinkie. Spotting the berry pile over near the den, Twilight used Confusion to levitate the fruit over to them, hoping Plusle and Minun won't mind them borrowing their berries to heal Scott and Johann. "Ok, let's see. The round blue ones are Oran Berries, and they help heal injuries. And Poison...Pecha Berries."

Plusle and Minun ran out from the bushes, meeting up with Twilight, not minding her using their small berry hoard to heal the two rescuers. Fluttershy managed to get Scott over to Twilight with Johann limping beside them. The Buneary lowered Scott down on his back, who let out a weak groan from his injuries and the Poison debilitating him further.

"Oh man. He's not looking too good," Johann uttered nervously.

"Not...feeling good...either," Scott weakly mumbled. "...I should have...just listened to you...I'm so stupid."

"Just relax and don't talk," Fluttershy shushed gently, rubbing the Riolu's head softly.

From their lessons on berries yesterday, Twilight found a Pecha Berry in Plusle and Minun's berry pile, which almost resembled a normal peach with its heart-like shape and pinkish color. "Plusle, Minun, I know this is your food, but-"

"Don't worry. We can always find more," Plusle reassured.

"He needs that Pecha Berry really badly," Minun added.

"Thank you." Twilight also grabbed a couple Oran Berries, giving one to Johann to eat and heal his injuries, while she knelt beside Fluttershy with an Oran Berry in one hand and the Pecha Berry in the other. "I'm surprised you didn't get sick after getting hit by that Sludge Bomb attack, Johann."

"Guess I got lucky," Johann said, taking a bite of his berry, his injuries slowly beginning to fade away as he swallowed his bite. "Some moves that can cause status problems have chances of affecting an opponent, so it can happen instantly or after several attempts."

"Burnt by you...Poisoned by a Croagunk," Scott uttered. "Guess I'm...not so lucky..."

"Don't talk," Fluttershy gently repeated.

She held Scott's head up while Twilight fed him the Pecha Berry first. Scott took a small bite, slowly chewing it with the juices from the bitten berry dribbling down his lips. The poison in him was slowly beginning to fade, giving him back some strength as he continued nibbling on it until the leaves on the stem were completely devoured. He sighed in relief from the sweet-tasting antidote, then began eating the Oran Berry. With enough strength coming back to him, Scott managed to sit up, looking over at Johann, who finished his berry and was already feeling good as new.

Croak and Wart groaned, untangling themselves and stood back up. "Curse our insane weakness to Psychic-types," Wart grumbled.

"You confused?" Croak asked, being wary of his partner's movements.

"No. I think I'm good," Wart assured.

"Hiya, Good, I'm Pinkie Pie!" Pinkie greeted, startling the Croagunks, barely aware of the Swirlix popping in between them.

"Ah! Where did you come from!?" Wart shrieked, both him and Croak jumping away from Pinkie and faced her in their fighting stances.

"Well, that's easy! When a mommy pony and a daddy pony love each other very much-" Pinkie's story was interrupted when Rainbow rammed into Croak, sending him skidding back while Wart went from baffled to shocked.

"I don't think they're interested in THAT story, Pinkie!" Rainbow said, then flapped away when Croak yelled as he threw a punch at her, barely missing her by a few inches.

"Aww. Fine," Pinkie pouted.

Wart growled as he faced the sour Swirlix. "I don't know what you runts are doing, but you don't stand a chance against-!" Pinkie bounced toward Wart, frontflipped, and smacked him in the face with her tail, stunning him. "...Did you just Tail Whip me?"

"Maybe, or perhaps I'm just gonna torture you with my tail!" Pinkie smacked Wart's face around with her tail, getting him peeved. "And here comes the double tail!"

He was suddenly smacked by two Swirlix tails on both his cheeks, snapping him out of his anger as he looked at Pinkie in bewilderment, confusion, and slight terror. "...W-Wait, what?" he questioned before Pinkie shoved her tail against his nostrils, catching the hint of strawberry sugar from the cotton candy Pokemon.

"Smell it. Smell it," Pinkie taunted. "Now get Tackled by a baby land-shark!"

She flicked her tail away from Wart, tilting his head in confusion before Spike let out a yell and rammed into the Croagunk's side. Spike quickly chomped down on Wart's arm with his sharp teeth, distracting him from Pinkie and Rarity for them to double Tackle the Croagunk. They knocked Wart to the ground, Spike keeping his grip on his arm while Pinkie bounced repeatedly on his stomach.

"Take this, you ruffian!" Rarity shouted, clawing at the Croagunk's face, yelling in pain while flailing his free arm.

Croak ignored his partner's cries for help, too focused on trying to punch Rainbow Dash out of the air. She was too quick for him, constantly taunting and teasing him by making faces, shaking her tail feathers in his face, or dancing around while avoiding the Croagunk.

"Get down here and fight!" Croak yelled, using Poison Jab and jumped after the Starly, missing her feet as she soared higher. He got frustrated as she began laughing at him. "Coward! You weren't flighty when you rammed into me!"

"Well, you're gonna be in for quite a shock!" Rainbow taunted.

"What? You can't learn Electric attacks!" Croak was unaware of Applejack charging up to him, electricity building up as she ran and built up around her cheeks.

"But Ah can!" Croak turned around as he heard Applejack, reacting too late when she lunged toward him, slamming into him cheek first. "Nuzzle!"

The electricity discharged from her cheek, shocking Croak as he yelled out in pain. To add insult to injury, Applejack's Nuzzle managed to Paralyze him, his body twitching and freezing up. Left open, Rainbow dove toward him and began pecking at him. Applejack joined in a bit down hard on Croak's arm, dragging his helpless, literally shocked body over toward Wart. Wart had managed to shake Pinkie, Rarity, and Spike off him, his face covered in scratches from Rarity's sharp claws.

"That's it! I'm blasting you twerps!" Wart screamed, fuming mad while ignoring the comical scratch marks on him. "Sludge Bomb!"

He fired a Sludge Bomb at his three assailants. "INCOMING!!!!!" Pinkie shrieked, prompting the trio to dive away from the ball of purple gunk.

It struck the ground, missing them as it exploded and splattered sludge everywhere. Rarity shrieked as she felt some hit her back, glancing a the disgusting mess that made her fur stand on end from the viscosity and awful smell. She glared at Wart and hissed angrily.

"How DARE you!? You got this disgusting sludge you spewed from your mouth on me!" Rarity screamed. "You better hope this doesn't stick to my fur, because if it takes forever to clean off, I will NOT be a happy Skitty!"

"Oh, it will, and it'll reek, too!" Wart laughed mockingly.

Pinkie and Spike winced, hearing Rarity's growls get worse. "Oh boy. You shouldn't have said that," Spike said.

"Why? What's a weak little Skitty gonna do to-?" Rarity shrieked, startling Wart, only to look back at a very angry Skitty charging into him hard enough to send him flying back into a tree.

"You disgusting toad!" She ran toward Wart again, Tackling him in the gut and pinning him to the tree with a painful grunt. She the turned around and began repeatedly smacking him in the face with her tail in a Double Slap, emphasizing her anger with each slap. "I! Will! Destroy! You! If! I! Smell! Like! A! Skunk! You! Walking! Talking! Sewer!"

"Yup. Knew that was gonna happen," Pinkie said. She looked at the small puddles of sludge, curiously leaning down and took a sniff. She regretted it, her face turning green as she backed away from the purple goop. "EWW! It really does smell bad! BLECK!"

"Pinkie, be careful! Fairy-types are weak to Poison moves!" Twilight warned.

"You don't need to tell me twice!" Pinkie exclaimed while gagging at the stench.

Scott and Johann were surprised by how well they were handling the Poison Twins, even though this was technically their first battling experience as Pokemon. The Oran Berries healed them back to health, getting them back on their feet.

"Wow...They're not doing too bad," Scott uttered in awe.

"Yeah. They did a lot better working together than we tried fighting them one-on-one," Johann said, making the Riolu flinch and his ears droop in guilt.

"You two just rest up," Twilight said to the two Pokemon. "Fluttershy, can you make sure Scott's ok while I join the others?"

"No. I'm going to teach these bad Pokemon they don't hurt our new friends," Fluttershy said, her tone far more serious as she glared at the two Croagunks getting beaten by their friends.

"Are you sure?" Twilight asked. Fluttershy looked at her, giving her a nod. "Ok, then. Let's go!"

Twilight and Fluttershy hurried to join their friends while Scott, Johann, Plusle, and Minun watched them. Twilight used Confusion again, grabbing hold of both Croagunks with her psychic powers and dragged them over to her and Fluttershy. Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Spike regrouped with the Ralts and Buneary, Pinkie and Spike holding back Rarity to stop her from beating up Wart more as she hissed at him.

"D-Darn it. D-Did...we get beaten...by a bunch of runts?" Croak growled, barely able to feel his limbs from the Paralysis along with being held still by Twilight's power.

"Yes you did!" Rainbow cheered. "Don't mess with Team Rescue Rangers!"

"Y'all ready to give up?" Applejack asked.

"I've had enough abuse to my face," Wart grumbled.

"We...refuse to give up," Croak grumbled.

"I guess that's a no after all," Twilight said. "Fluttershy, they're all yours."

Fluttershy stepped in front of the two psychically bound Croagunks. "I'm going to give you two one last chance to apologize to our friends and leave peacefully, or else you really will get the Stare this time," she warned.

Croak and Wart glanced at each other, then leered at the Buneary and her idle threat. "When your Ralts friend lowers her guard, we're going to give you all a world of pain," Croak promised.

"Very well, then." Fluttershy calmly shut her eyes, then opened them and gave the Croagunks her patented Stare.

Wart was about to laugh at Fluttershy's intense glare, but both him and Croak felt unnerved when they looked at her eyes. Those round eyes went from adorably cute to menacing, their hearts dropping to their stomachs and, for the first time since encountering Team Rescue Rangers, they were absolutely terrified of this one Buneary, and just from her eyes alone. Seeing they were under Fluttershy's judgmental glare, Twilight dropped her psychic hold on them, and their own threat faltered as they stood completely still, unable to move in fear. Scott, Johann, Plusle, and Minun were surprised Fluttershy froze them up with just one look.

"H-How?" Scott questioned. The four Pokemon stepped closer, barely getting noticed by the Poison Twins when their full attention was on Fluttershy. "...What is she-?"

"Uhh, might not want to get too close, guys," Rainbow quickly said, blocking them from getting their peripherals within eyesight of Fluttershy's vision. "See, Fluttershy has a thing with other creatures, and she can really stare them into submission without batting an eye. Literally."

"You mean like...Glare?" Minun questioned.

"But Glare causes Paralysis, and Applejack Paralyzed Croak when she used Nuzzle on him," Johann uttered to himself. He then remembered what happened to him when he accidentally got Scott Burned during their example battle the other day. Fluttershy approached him and harshly glared at him, which made him feel terrible despite both of them understanding how dangerous his Fire attacks can be. His jaw hung open, figuring out just what Fluttershy meant when she called her move "The Stare". "...Is her Stare...something she used back in her world?"

"Yup. I think she did that to you the other day when you sparred with Scott, Johann," Rainbow added. "She really doesn't like when other animals get hurt or hurt each other."

"Was that why you froze up?" Scott asked Johann. The Charmander slowly nodded, the duo now understanding not to get on Fluttershy's bad side, even after seeing she can be a bit timid when it comes to fighting back in self-defense. "...I hope I don't get Stared at."

"Now, I want you two Croagunks to apologize to Minun for tying him up like that, apologize to Plusle for worrying her about her brother's safety, and apologize to Scott and Johann for hurting them so badly, especially Scott when you got him sick with that hurtful move you used on him!" Fluttershy demanded.

"A-Apologize?" Croak asked.

"W-Why should we?" Wart asked as well.

Fluttershy's Stare intensified, making the Poison Twins sweat bullets, and to the Pokemons' surprise, they obeyed and ran over to the electric twin mice, fire lizard, and bipedal canine, getting on their knees and bowed to them in forgiveness. "We're sorry!" they both apologized.

The four Pokemon were a bit startled seeing the tough thieves submitting to Fluttershy's demands. "...This is a little awkward," Minun uttered to his sister.

Croak and Wart then crawled back to Fluttershy, forcing themselves to look directly at her eyes, even though she stopped using her Stare. "There, we apologized!" Croak said.

"You'll let us leave now, right?" Wart begged.

Fluttershy hummed in thought, then shook her head. "I don't think you two aren't punished enough," she said, making the Croagunks gulp and sweat bullets. "You two are going to report yourselves to the authorities and turn yourselves in for what you did today, and every other day you've harmed other Pokemon or stolen from them."

Croak and Wart grunted in shock and fear. "W-What!? No, please! Anything but that!" Wart begged.

Fluttershy gave them the Stare again, silencing anymore of their pleas. While they were the ones being held hostage, Scott ran off to get the Pokemon in charge of handling wanted ones that have a bounty on their heads. He reached Pokemon Square in no time with his speed and quickly returned with another Pokemon. This Pokemon wasn't a living creature like the others, which surprised the Equestrians as this machine-like Pokemon hovered alongside Scott. This was Magnezone, a metallic, almost robotic Pokemon with a silver steel circular body in the shape of a flying saucer, its red eye as its main eye in the center of its body while its "shoulders" had small black ones, screws jutting out from them with its arms resembling magnets, even a third magnet on its back that resembles a tail, and had a yellow antenna on top of its head.

"Oh no," Croak uttered. "Magnezone..."

"AH! IF IT ISN'T THE POISON TWINS! BZZT!" Magnezone said in a robotic tone. "UP TO NO GOOD AND BESTED BY A RESCUE TEAM! YOU TWO ARE UNDER ARREST!"

"What is that?" Rainbow asked curiously.

"That's Magnezone," Minun introduced. "He's like a security drone, but he also handles carting off wanted Pokemon once they've been captured."

"In other words, he's the 'authorities' Fluttershy mentioned," Croak grumbled.

Magnezone hovered over to the two Croagunks, then, with his magnets, he released a sort of shock that shifted the gravity around the Poison Twins, causing them to hover in the air and in his magnetic grasp. "I WILL NOTIFY YOUR RESCUE GUILD ABOUT THESE TWO MISCREANTS AND SEND THE BOUNTY TO THEM! BZZT! BRAVE WORK, YOUNG RESCUERS, BUT BE CAREFUL HUNTING MORE RUTHLESS CRIMINALS! BZZAP! A TEAM AT YOUR RANK SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO GO AFTER POKEMON AS INFAMOUS AS THESE TWO!"

"Y-Yeah. Will do, Magnezone," Scott said.

Magnezone then took Croak and Wart away to send them to jail, everyone watching the officer escort the Croagunks before Plusle approached Scott. "Thank you all for saving my brother," she said gratefully. "I had my doubts when you were a beginner rescue team, but your friends worked really well together and beat those two thugs."

"...Uhh...Y-Yeah, they sure did," Scott uttered. He glanced back at Johann, his ears drooping after Plusle praised Twilight and her friends for their teamwork. He and Johann were supposed to be a team, but they fought each Croagunk alone, and he made the choice for them and their Equestrian friends to take on this dangerous mission without any forethought or proper preparations. He would have cost them their lives thanks to his recklessness and over-eagerness to do what much higher ranked rescue teams can do. "...No problem..."

"We have to thank you all for this in some way," Plusle offered.

"That won't be necessary," Johann interjected. "Those berries we borrowed to heal us were enough payment. This wasn't even an official rescue mission anyway."

"Are you sure?" Plusle asked curiously. "Doesn't sound all that fair after fighting two tough Pokemon."

"I think I've got something we can reward them with, sis." Minun ran off into their den, then came back out a moment later with a bundle of sharp thorns bound together with some string. There were twenty of them, all of them shaped similarly like throwing darts. "I found some of these Iron Thorns lying around while scavenging for berries in the trees and stored them up. I hear these can be really useful darts that can cause quite a bit of damage from a distance in Mystery Dungeons. Maybe you guys can put them to use in the future."

Scott and Johann looked at each other, both of them surprised to see quite a stack of strong projectiles that really could aid them if they exhaust their energy going through Mystery Dungeons. "...Uhh...if you insist, I guess we can take those."

"Great!" Minun gave Johann the bundle of Iron Thorns, then returned to Plusle's side. "Next time we're in trouble, we'll come to you guys!"

"Maybe after we've gotten a bit more experience as a rescue team," Johann said.

"Right. Until then, we'll request your help if my brother gets into trouble again," Plusle reiterated with a giggle.

Minun gave his sister an annoyed glare, giving her a weak zap even as she kept teasing him. Team Rescue Rangers said goodbye to the positive and negative electric mice twins, making their way back to the base to relax after their first difficult mission out of many more yet to come.

Later that evening, Scott sat by the edge of the lake behind their base, letting the experience they had today sink in. Applejack and Rainbow Dash went out to gather berries after finding the basket Scott and Johann left as they returned and continued their task for them. Spike helped Rarity clean off the strands of sludge from Wart's Sludge Bomb here earlier, even though the Skitty wished she had some type of soap to clean her fur with. The Riolu let out a sigh, regretting his actions and realizing that being in a rescue team isn't as easy as he thought it was.

"Still out here?" Scott's ear twitched, hearing Johann approach him from behind. He didn't turn to look at him, feeling ashamed to be his friend and teammate after behaving like a cocky, overconfident thrill seeker. "We're about to eat dinner soon. Or...are you busy meditating?"

"I wasn't meditating. I was...reflecting," Scott said. With a heavy sigh, Scott stood up and faced his friend. "...I really messed up today."

"Well, you kinda did," Johann agreed. "What were you even thinking?"

"...I really wasn't," Scott said. "I'm sorry. I was just so excited being in a rescue team, and I wanted us to take on a challenging first mission, not do chores..." Johann remained silent, but he was hearing Scott out as he apologized. "And I never meant to just...take charge like that. I should have listened to you, and you were right; we aren't ready for any tough missions like that. And like an idiot, I forced the others along and endangered them, because I was so eager to do a real mission, and they shouldn't get too involved with tough jobs like that." Scott waited for Johann to respond or harshly agree with him that he was dumb, but his blank silence only made him feel worse. Scott lowered his head, turning away with a sigh. "...We started this team together, and we're supposed to work like a team, too...Twilight and the others did so much better than we did...I don't feel bad that I almost lost; I feel terrible for letting my expectations as a rescue team outweigh our friendship, making every decision for us without talking to you about it, and acting like the leader when we're both supposed to lead this team together...I'm really sorry, Johann..."

After a moment of complete silence, Johann walked up to Scott, then gently placed his claws on the Riolu's shoulder. "Well, at least there's something you finally learned about being in a rescue team," he said. Scott lifted his head, then turned to look at the Charmander, who was giving him a small smile. "I was upset at first with how much you want to just get right into it, but even without telling me you told the guild master the others were joining our team, I would have agreed with you regardless."

"Really?" Scott asked curiously.

"Of course. They needed our help, and we promised to help them in any way we can," Johann said. "It was dumb bringing them along, but without them helping us, we probably would have been goners."

"Yeah...Yeah, you're right," Scott agreed. He turned around, giving his friend a nervous smile. "If we have to do anymore missions tomorrow, I'd rather do another old couple's chores then go through our first Mystery Dungeon."

"Haha! Really!?" Johann laughed. "Who are you and what have you done to my partner?"

Scott let out a sheepish chuckle and rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm not sure myself. But I won't do anything like that again. Swear on my stubs," he promised as he held the backs of his paws to the Charmander. Johann chuckled, taking his word for it by giving him a nod in acceptance. "So...we still friends?"

"Duh. Best friends and partners," Johann assured, then held his claws out in a fist to Scott. The Riolu grinned, clenching his paw and gave his friend a fist bump, feeling relieved to be forgiven. Suddenly, Scott's stomach began growling, making him groan and rub his hungry belly. "Heheheh! Sounds like you're ready for dinner."

"Yeah. I've been sitting out here feeling guilty since we got back, and I'm starving," Scott said. "I hope Applejack and Rainbow Dash found a big haul of berries. I can't wait until your grove fully grows and we get a ton of delicious berries to eat."

"And with Applejack as a great teacher in farming, we'll have enough to eat for snacks and store some for future missions." Scott and Johann began heading back to the base. "Think we should give them a tour of Pokemon Square and look for some missions?"

"Sounds like a plan," Scott agreed. "And we'll take things slow. No more rushing, and we can face everything in our way if we work together."

"I don't know how I feel about this," Johann teased. "You making sense and playing it safe is so weird."

"Oh, so you want me to be my old, reckless self? Ok! Let's find ourselves a Beedrill nest!" Scott tried to drag the shocked Charmander deeper in the woods to actually find a Beedrill hive to attack.

"W-Wait, you're not seriously gonna-!?" The Riolu snorted, unable to hold back his laughter as he stopped dragging Johann, then ran on ahead toward the base after pulling his small prank. "H-Hey! Come on, don't do that!" Johann called out as he chased after Scott. "I don't want to get stung by Beedrill!"

"You're a Fire-type!" Scott shouted back. "You could overpower those Bug Pokemon with one breath!"

Johann winced, realizing that his Ember attack could scare off an angry swarm of Beedrill if they really ran into one. "Oh...B-But still, you're insane for thinking about doing something like that!" He heard Scott laugh, watching him speed on ahead through the woods, reaching the base faster than he could. Panting heavily, Johann finally arrived back at the base, staggering inside while catching his breath. He found his friend sitting with their Equestrian friends, already stuffing his face with Oran Berries. "W-Were...you...always serious...about that...Beedrill nest?" Johann asked Scott while gasping for breath.

"Hmm?" Scott mumbled, his cheeks filled to the brim with chewed berries.

"Uhh, question: What's a Beedrill?" Spike asked.

"I'm guessing it's some sort of bee by the name," Rainbow said.

"Yes," Johann said, finally able to breathe normally as he stomped his way over to Scott and pointed at him. "And Scott's crazy enough to just charge into a swarm of them in their nest and risk getting stung by them!"

Scott swallowed his mouthful, then gave the Charmander a teasing smirk. "Hey, it could be fun." Johann growled and puffed out his cheeks angrily. The face he gave made the Riolu laugh. "Dude, come on! I'm just messing with you! No Pokemon's that insane enough to attack a Beedrill nest!"

Johann finally gave up and just sighed heavily, plopping down with the others with a pout. "I hate when you do that sometimes," he grumbled before grabbing a berry and chomped on it.

"Ah think that's a sign of a good friendship, Johann," Applejack said. "Two friends pokin' fun at each other, and then laugh it off in the end."

"Providing nopony ends up hurting each other," Rainbow added, lightly smacking the Yamper's side with her wing. "Don't actually zap me if we have to spar with each other."

"Can't promise nothin' with mah runnin' causin' electricity to surge around me," Applejack said, then poked Rainbow with her paw. "Zap!"

"AHH!" Rainbow shrieked, flapping up to the ceiling of the base to avoid getting shocked in fear of it hurting a lot more than what she's experienced as a pegasus.

Applejack began to laugh, soon followed by the others. Rainbow grumbled, hovering back down with a ruffle of her feathers while she was being teased. Johann grinned and laughed a little as well. He glanced over at Scott, glad to have a friend like him, despite his faults and constant teasing.

Author's Note

Plusle:

Minun:

Croagunk:

Magnezone:

Moo-ments of the Past

Once everyone was up and motivated, Scott and Johann led the Mane Six and Spike down the road to Pokemon Square. "So, what are we gonna do today!?" Pinkie excitedly asked, bouncing alongside the Riolu and Charmander. "More training? Berry farming? Odd jobs? Cooking? Go in our first Mystery Dungeon?"

"Oh, there's definitely going to be some training," Scott said. "But we thought it would be a better idea to show you guys everything in Pokemon Square."

"Yeah. There's a lot to see there," Johann added. "Different sorts of shops, all kinds of Pokemon running them or passing by while their own teams get prepared for their own missions. It's also a big tourist spot with the famous Team Go-Getters' leader, Squirtle, and his team saving everyone from that meteor."

"That sounds like an exciting story," Spike said.

"I wonder if Charmander and Chikorita from that team are still doing missions without Squirtle," Twilight uttered.

"I think they're still working. It'd be pretty cool to meet a rescue team that went from rookies to awesome pros faster than Team ACT did," Scott said.

He and Johann gave the rest of their friends a short summary of Team Go-Getters' heroic efforts in the past, from their humble beginnings, everyone in the Square learning about Squirtle as a human, someone from another world just like the Mane Six and Spike, proving his innocence, and saving countless Pokemon from the meteor that would have decimated this world before he was forced to leave and return to his real home. The others were a bit disappointed in all the Pokemon for judging Squirtle over a rumor, but with the legend becoming true with the natural disasters that frequently occurred, they could see why they were that worried back then when a Pokemon as small as a Squirtle was able to take on tough legendary Pokemon throughout the continent. At least he proved he wasn't as dangerous as they all believed and saved this world just in the nick of time.

The group arrived at the entrance to Pokemon Square, where the girls and Spike stared in awe at the number of Pokemon they could see just from the entrance arch. "Here we are! Pokemon Square!" Johann introduced.

"There's so many of them," Rainbow uttered in shock. "Just how many of you guys are there!?"

"Uhh...Quite a lot?" Scott answered, scratching his head to try to come up with a best estimate. "There's...hundreds of different kinds? Including evolutions?"

"Roughly one thousand different species, actually," Twilight stated, startling the rest of her friends as they gaped at her in shock. "I know. I'm just as shocked as the rest of you when I read through one of Alakazam's books that featured all the Pokemon documented inside it. Including the rare 'legendary' ones."

"One thousand!? That's more than the different animals or sentient beings back home!" Pinkie exclaimed.

Fluttershy let out an excited squeal, nearly knocking over Twilight as she bounded up to her. "Where's that book!? I want to see all the cute baby ones! How many of them are there!? I bet they look so cute!"

"Uhh, it's back at the base," Twilight said, leaning back as Fluttershy leaned closer while spouting her cuteness-gushing tangent. "And there are a lot of adorable ones...and some...not so adorable."

"Like what?" Rarity asked nervously. "Anything like those disgusting frog twins?"

"Those were Croagunks. And as an example...two of them are...blobs of sludge," Twilight said with a grimace.

Rarity grimaced, along with the others as Scott and Johann let out disturbed groans. "Ugh. Grimer and Muk," Scott whined as he held his nose. "When we had one of them show up at the guild asking for a team to help them, their scent reeked so bad that I thought my nose was gonna get melted off from the smell."

"I remember that day," Johann grimaced. "You had to dunk your head in Elder Whiscash's pond for hours for you to breathe again. At least they know their smell is horrible and don't get offended when your sense of smell is pretty sensitive."

Thankfully, a distraction tore them away from the painful memory as they heard a pair of voices nearby. Facing the sound, they were close to one of the many shops in Pokemon Square, where a small line of Pokemon were buying some of their wares. On the other side of the counter were two Pokemon that looked similar to a chameleon from the Equestrians' perspective: one was green with yellow lines connecting its frills, lips, and the rings around its eyes, the other was purple with green lines instead of yellow, and they both had a red zigzag stripe along their abdomen. Scott and Johann led their friends to the two reptilian Pokemon running the store, whose attention was brought to them after the last Pokemon finished purchasing their wares.

"Hello, there!" the green one greeted first.

"Welcome to the Kecleon Bros. Shop!" the purple one greeted as well.

"How can we help you?" the two Kecleon said simultaneously.

"We're just browsing," Johann said. "And showing our new friends around."

"Ah, you must be the new rescue team Pokemon," the green Kecleon said. "Heard you got into a little scrap with some wanted Croagunk."

"The Poison Twins as they called them," the purple Kecleon added.

"Heheh. Yeah. I...thought we could handle them," Scott laughed sheepishly.

"A rookie move there, kiddo," Green Kecleon chided. "But, if you're looking for some good items we've got in stock, you might have a much easier time running into wanted Pokemon."

"What exactly do you sell?" Applejack asked curiously.

"Loads of different stuff!" both Kecleon said.

Green Kecleon started first, showing his side of the store, which had a plethora of different berries, seeds, apples of varying sizes, and a couple different kinds of accessories. "I have some helpful consumables and special gear for sale when you're in a pinch in Mystery Dungeons. It really helps to have some berries and a few apples for those longer treks in lengthy dungeons."

Purple Keckleon then showed his side, which had several different blue orbs and strange circular discs, some of the backs on them a different color than the others. "And I sell TMs and Wonder Orbs. Also quite useful, though not exactly for Mystery Dungeons. You can learn a new move right away before you train enough to learn one, or get rid of one weaker move for a stronger one! Just as long as you're compatible with it, otherwise it won't work."

"And what do the Wonder Orbs do?" Spike asked. "They just look like round gems."

"They have different helpful effects in a Mystery Dungeon to help your team: clearing strange weather conditions, teleporting away from a dangerous confrontation, help you 'see' the layout of a dungeon floor, and so many more!" Purple explained. "Rescue teams rely on these babies, especially in longer dungeons just like my brother's wares."

"But our stock changes every day, so take what you can get now before we sell different items or someone else buys our inventory dry," Green added.

"So, see anything you like?" both Kecleon asked simultaneously with their incredible twin telepathy.

Rarity noticed the couple different scarves the green Kecleon had to sell, humming curiously at their designs and color schemes: one was a bright pink, another a light shade of blue, and the last one a pure white. "Which of those would best suit my fur color?"

"I think all of them suit you best, Rarity," Spike said dreamily, envisioning the unicorn-turned-Skitty wearing the different scarves, making her both fashionable and adorably beautiful as a feline Pokemon in the Gible's eyes.

"Oh, yes, obviously, Spikey-Wikey, but which one would be best for adventuring in these Mystery Dungeons?" Rarity asked, waving off the little Dragon-type's swooning.

"Uhh, we're just browsing right now," Scott said to the Kecleon Bros., gently pulling the curious Skitty away from the counter. "We'll come by tomorrow to see what else you guys have."

"Ok, then," Green said.

"See you around!" Purple added, both Kecleon waving to the rookie rescue team as they continued on deeper into the town.

"Wait! I can't go do any missions without something fashionable and functional to wear!" Rarity whined, letting out a distressed mewl as she was dragged away by the Riolu.

Scott let out a frustrated groan, dreading having one of their new teammates care more about their fashion choices rather than what the accessory can do to aid them. "Our budget isn't that high to buy you every single accessory the Kecleon Bros. might have," he said. "And they're not a fashion statement; those scarves have special abilities for the wearer, like avoiding status ailments, increase strength or defense, and several other things."

Rarity scowled, smacking Scott's paw away from her as she turned to leer at him. "Well, you and Johann are wearing bandannas," she argued.

"Ooh! Let's all wear colorful bandannas!" Pinkie cheered as she bounced in place. "I call a pink bandanna!"

"I got mine from the guild," Johann said. "Maybe we can ask Guildmaster Alakazam if he can have some custom made for the rest of you."

"Sweet!" Rainbow exclaimed.

Rarity sighed, accepting a simple bandanna for now until they had enough money to buy something much more extravagant, or create something for herself if her tiny paws could sew. When she glanced at Johann and Scott's bandannas, her keen eye for fashion noticed how worn Scott's was compared to Johann's.

"Wait. If you two got your bandannas from the guild, how come Scott's is a bit faded and slightly torn?" Rarity questioned.

Scott looked down at his neck, lifting a paw to touch his bandanna. "...Uhh, this was...a gift from someone a couple years ago," Scott said. "The Pokemon who gave me this inspired me to be part of a rescue team. So this is a very important memento of mine."

Spike and Pinkie were in awed fascination at the brief, yet meaningful story behind the Riolu's bandanna. "What kind of Pokemon was it?" Spike asked curiously.

"He was a Lucario; what I will evolve into," he said. "He was so cool, brave, powerful, and he led his own team. When he gave his own bandanna to me as a keepsake, I've wanted to be a rescuer just like him." Scott struck a triumphant pose as he had a burning fire of confidence in his eyes. "Now I am part of a rescue team, and I'll be just as courageous and strong as he is!"

"Did he jump headfirst into danger without thinking about who or what he'll face?" Johann questioned with a sly smirk.

Scott kept his pose, though his eyes squinted in irritation at the Charmander with a grumble. Rarity could see how much that bandanna meant to the Riolu, but it wouldn't do his hero's justice if he didn't keep it in good condition.

"Well, if I can learn how to sew with paws instead of hooves or my magic, I can touch that up for you so it doesn't look like a discarded, overused rag," Rarity offered.

"What!? No way!" Scott exclaimed, clutching his prized possession in his paws. "This is really special for me! If I see Lucario again, I want to show him that I'm still wearing his bandanna, tears, dirt, and all!"

Rarity grimaced, but sighed and shook her head. "Fine. Suit yourself. Boys..."

Scott and Johann continued their tour, their next stop taking them to what was called the Felicity Bank. Behind the counter was a feline Pokemon, standing a couple feet taller than the beginner rescue team with pale tan fur, black-rimmed ears, three whiskers on each side of its muzzle, a red jewel embedded in its forehead, and red slitted eyes. The Pokemon's eyes were closed as it licked the back of its paw to groom its head fur, but it paused with a twitch of its ear when it heard the team approach his bank. With a slightly annoyed huff, the feline Pokemon opened its eyes and stared at the young Pokemon.

"Welcome to the Felicity Bank," it said with disdain, his voice dripping with sarcasm in a posh tone as if it had no interest in wanting to deal with the rookie rescue team. "How can I help you?"

"My, that's a big kitty cat," Pinkie said.

"I am a Persian," the feline corrected while introducing himself. "If you have no business here, then leave me to my grooming."

"Uhh, Mr. Persian, sir, sorry to interrupt your...grooming," Johann apologized while bowing his head to the disinterested Pokemon. "We're just showing our new friends around since they're new around here, and your bank was next on our tour."

"...How amusing," Persian mumbled sarcastically. "Would you like me to show you the gift shop after your tour is done?"

"I...get the feeling he doesn't like company, does he?" Twilight asked.

"What was your first clue?" Scott uttered to the Ralts, earning a growl from Persian as his sensitive hearing heard his remark.

"If you waste my time, then you are wasting Poké," Persian stated grumpily. "Do I really need to explain how a bank works? You withdraw or deposit your Poké from your account, and if you're in a rescue team, you all share that same account as long as the team leader, or leaders, allow transactions."

"Umm...Mr. Persian, what's Poké?" Fluttershy asked.

The Buneary's question made Persian's eyes quickly shift toward the rabbit Pokemon, raising a brow with a glare that wondered if she was kidding. "How do you not know what Poké is?" he questioned. "You cannot purchase anything around here without it, or anywhere else in the world."

"T-They're not from around here!" Johann quickly answered. "They...don't believe in...currency where they're from?"

The Charmander let out a small, sheepish laugh, hoping the temperamental feline Pokemon would believe him. Letting out an irritated sigh, Persian glanced down at Scott.

"You look like a rescue team. What's your team name?" he asked.

"Team Rescue Rangers," Scott said.

"Hmmm...I see." Persian headed deeper inside his bank, coming back out a few seconds later with a slip of paper and some Poké, which were just gold coins with the letter "P" in a darker shade on both sides. He held up the coin to the Pokemon with the strange tattoos to see what it looked like. "This is Poké. You earn these, or find them in Mystery Dungeons, and pay for goods at the other shops."

"Ah think we get the picture," Applejack said, getting annoyed by the haughty Pokemon's snarky tone. "We ain't dumb; we just don't know what it looked like."

"Then your local 'friends' should have educated you on something so simple themselves rather than let me explain," Persian said, then leered at Scott and Johann. "Is there anything else you need?"

"Uhh, no thanks. I think we're good for now," Scott said, leering back at the annoyed Persian.

"Then come again. With some business," Persian said, putting the Poké and Team Rescue Ranger's account away. "Have a nice day."

"Don't you mean, 'Have a purrrrrrrrfect day?'" Pinkie asked, then giggled at her own joke. "Get it? Because you're a cat?"

Persian wasn't amused, giving the Swirlix a blank stare. "...No," he said, his tone wanting nothing more than the younger Pokemon to leave him be and make way for other sophisticated customers.

They took their leave, all of them dreading to come back to the Felicity Bank to withdraw their funds. "Well, that Pokemon was pretty rude," Spike stated.

"He acts just like the snooty nobles in Canterlot; lookin' down on other ponies who don't have a bit to their name," Applejack grumbled, only to realize what she said and glanced at Twilight with an apologetic grin. "Er, no offense, sugarcube."

"None taken. I don't really associate with nobility all that much growing up, and after seeing their looks at you girls during my birthday party...Yeah. They can be horrible," Twilight said with a sheepish giggle.

"Maybe he'll warm up to us if we get him something nice," Fluttershy suggested.

"Unless you have a ton of Poké to give to that greedy, prissy Persian, that's gonna take forever," Scott mumbled.

They continued on with the tour, passing by other shops and pointing out some of the directions to other locations in Pokemon Square. They headed to the east side of town, passing by some other shops, including one ran by a small blob of green with squinted eyes, a black diamond mark on its back, a yellow feather-like adornment on its head, and a puckered face. Johann gave a brief summary of that Pokemon, known as a Gulpin, specialized in teaching other Pokemon about linking together two of their moves into a combo to get the upper hand on opponents, especially against dangerous wanted Pokemon. Despite it sounding useful, they heard from other Pokemon that using linked moves exhausts them more if used too often, and could wind up tiring them out at the worst time in a lengthy Mystery Dungeon if they weren't careful. It was pretty busy at the moment with many different Pokemon looking into which of their moves they wanted to learn to link up, so they'll have to come by some other day when it's not too crowded.

They soon left the town and headed toward what looked like a cliff side overlooking the ocean, and near the edge was a building in the shape of a large white and blue pelican-looking Pokemon in the Equestrians' eyes. "Wow. What's this place?" Spike asked.

"This is the Pelipper Post Office," Scott said. He led the girls and Dragon-type up to a bulletin board next to the building, where there were notices scattered along it, each one detailing requests from troubled Pokemon in need of help from a rescue team and how difficult their request might be. "Here's where we can get some missions to help other Pokemon in need. There's even different rankings to show if they're simple tasks, like chores-" Scott glanced at Johann, who merely grinned cheekily after getting their first request as a rescue team. Scott grumbled, then quickly looked back at the board and pointed at one of the actual requests with an eager smile. "-or helping a Pokemon with a real emergency: saving someone lost in a Mystery Dungeon, bring back an item they lost or are searching for, escort them to help them find their lost friend, and so many more exciting requests than fixing up lawns!"

"Cool! Let's take on some tough requests!" Rainbow cheered.

Before Rainbow could pick one of the requests on the bulletin board, Johann quickly grabbed the Starly and pulled her away. "Whoa, hold on a second! We're not accepting harder ranked requests!" he said. After setting the confused and slightly annoyed Flying-type down with her friends, the Charmander marched over to his friend with a scowl. "I thought we agreed you wouldn't try to pick tougher missions until we're properly ready."

"Well, as one of the tour guides, I wanted to tell them that there are harder missions out there that we can take so they don't get too overwhelmed with what we'll be doing some day in the future," Scott explained nonchalantly. "I wasn't suggesting we do something difficult after last time. Am I not trustworthy enough to find us some good jobs?" Johann gave Scott a deadpanned leer, crossing his arms and tapped one of his feet like a disappointed mother. Scott wilted and groaned. "Seriously? I learned my lesson yesterday."

"I'm gonna keep my eyes on you, buddy," Johann warned.

Scott grumbled under his breath, quickly clearing his throat and continued giving their other friends the other aspects the Pelipper Post Office had. "Anyways, we can get missions here and at the guild's bulletin boards, but there are wanted Pokemon posters up there with big rewards compared to simple requests. Requests from the guild pay more, but we only get a percentage of the Poké reward while the rest goes to the guild."

"So, when we stopped those two Croagunk, we got the reward for their capture?" Twilight asked.

"Unofficially," Johann stated. "The posters have certain locations pointing out where they might be hiding, like a Mystery Dungeon, but Magnezone will inform the guilds who a team belongs to if they were the ones to stop the criminals. We just got lucky." He then gave Scott a blank stare. "Or should I say unlucky?"

"I'm ignoring you now," Scott said, turning away from Johann haughtily, not seeing the Charmander stick his tongue out at him while the girls and Spike stifled their laughter at their banter. They looked up when they heard wings flapping, watching some of the Pelipper from the building shaped like the pelican Pokemon flying off in different directions, all of them carrying satchels. "There go some of the Pelipper now."

"Where are they going?" Pinkie asked curiously.

"It is a post office, darling. They must be the couriers of this world," Rarity said.

"Yup. They deliver mail to Pokemon, even gathering new requests from other Pokemon," Johann said.

"They can even deliver requests to our base's mailbox from Pokemon who ask specifically for our team to do them," Scott added. "So if there's nothing on the bulletin boards here or at the guild, we can get some jobs from Pelipper in the morning with any news going on in the world."

"And the higher our team's rank is, we'll get higher ranked jobs as well," Johann said. "But the Poké or items the requester will offer as payment won't matter to us as long as we help other Pokemon in need."

"Right," Scott agreed. "...Even though we kinda sorta need Poké to buy supplies for future jobs, or renovate our base so we have enough room to live in with nine of us under one roof." He heard Johann growl and give him another distasteful leer, making the Riolu giggle nervously. "B-But we vowed to help any Pokemon in need. Even doing their chores if they're unable to."

"I'm going to be choosing the jobs for us if you just take those with Poké rewards," Johann sighed.

"Y'all wanna just kiss and make up and continue showin' us around instead of arguin' like a married couple?" Applejack asked.

The two leaders flinched, their reactions making the Equestrians laugh. Scott and Johann were finished their bickering and led their friends back into Pokemon Square in silence. They pointed out a location further south in town called the Makuhita Dojo, where the Mane Six and Spike can get a little more training in and grow much stronger than they would practicing outside their base or in the field. Their last stop before returning back to the base was just across from Gulpin's Link Shop, which looked more like a house compared to the stands the other shopkeepers had.

"Ooh. What's this building?" Pinkie asked in awe. "Is it a cake factory?"

"I don't smell any cake," Spike said, then grimaced when his stomach grumbled. "But I sure am hungry for some."

They didn't see a Pokemon at the counter, Scott and Johann assuming the one who ran this place was somewhere in the back. "Hello!? Anyone here!?"

"Oh dear. Bad timing," they heard a voice somewhere down the corridor deep inside the building. "Could you greet them, sweetie?"

"Ok, mamma!" another voice said, though sounding much younger like a small child. They heard the child pant as it ran up to the counter, seeing a pair of tiny paws reach the top, and with a grunt, the Pokemon lifted itself onto the counter to reveal itself. It was pretty small, only a few inches smaller than the group's height, light purple skin with a cream yellow underbelly, and pointy ears. "Welcome to Kangaskhan Storage! Can I help you?"

Upon seeing the little Pokemon, Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Rainbow squealed at the sight of the cute baby Pokemon greeting them. "Oh my gosh!" Fluttershy gushed.

"It's so adorable!" Rarity squealed.

"I wanna keep her!" Pinkie added.

The Pokemon tilted its head in confusion, then was suddenly snatched by Fluttershy and brought into a cuddly embrace. "Ooh, you're the cutest thing ever!" the Buneary cooed. Scott and Johann chuckled nervously as the baby was given Fluttershy's "greeting", and the other girls joined in, petting or surrounding her in a group hug while making baby talk. Fluttershy then held the confused, but unperturbed by the attention. "What kind of Pokemon are you, little one?"

"Uhh...Kangaskhan?" the young Pokemon answered.

"I think we should call you 'Cutie-mon' instead!" Pinkie squealed, nuzzling the baby Kangaskhan, making her giggle while her body got sticky from Pinkie's cotton-candy body.

"What's all the noise out here?" Coming out from inside the building was a bigger Pokemon that towered over the group, similar to the Nido couples' height. It looked just like the baby, but it had brown skin instead of light purple, with some raised patches around the shoulders and legs, rounded ears, an extra layer on its belly that looked like a pouch, narrow, red eyes, a pair of fangs, a thick, black plate on its forehead, and a row of spikes down its back. The mother Kangaskhan looked down at the girls cuddling its baby, but instead of showing aggression as the Pokemon may seem, she actually chuckled in amusement as her child was getting a lot of attention from her new customers. "I see we have a way to bring in new faces."

The girls looked up, freezing in terror at what the baby Kangaskhan they were coddling over would grow up to be. The baby squirmed out of the group of female Pokemon and ran to her mother, leaping toward her belly and climbed in the pouch.

"Umm, I think I did it right, mamma," the baby said with uncertainty.

"Close enough, but try not to have too much fun with our guests," the mother said with a chuckle, gently rubbing her child's head before looking back to the startled females, shocked Gible, and the amused Charmander and Riolu. She recognized the two new rescue team leaders. "Oh! If it isn't Scott and Johann."

"Hi, Auntie Kangaskhan," Johann greeted.

"Auntie!?" the Equestrians exclaimed in surprise.

"That's your aunt!?" Rainbow Dash questioned.

Scott burst out laughing at their shock, even Kangaskhan laughed along with him. "Oh dear, no! That's just a nickname a lot of young rescue team Pokemon call me," Kangaskhan explained. "My 'store' is basically a huge storage space for the rescue teams in this area. Those toolboxes won't be able to carry everything you find through Mystery Dungeons, so to keep any important gear or items you don't want to risk getting lost or stolen, you can store them here for safekeeping."

"Uhh, why do they call you 'Auntie Kangaskhan'?" Twilight asked.

"Because she's like a second mom to many young Pokemon," Johann answered for Kangaskhan. "Auntie Kangaskhan's really nice and quite helpful, especially toward us pre-evolved Pokemon."

"Oh, please. You're flattering me," Kangaskhan said with a bashful grin, her baby giggling as Johann's response about her mother was one hundred percent true. "But you two came at the right time. I just finished setting up your team's storage space, so if you have any items you want me to keep for you, I've got you covered."

"I think we're good for now, Auntie Kangaskhan," Scott said. "We only had one mission, and we didn't get the chance to explore a Mystery Dungeon yet."

"Only one? I heard you two and your friends took on a pair of nasty Croagunk the other day," Kangaskhan said.

"Yeah! And you beat them all together like a team!" the baby Kangaskhan cheered, throwing punches with fighting sounds for emphasize while still riding in her mother's pouch.

"Well, not at first," Johann said, giving Scott a cold stare. "Someone took on the job a bit too hastily."

Scott flinched and giggled sheepishly, his eyes shifting everywhere to avoid his friend's gaze. "Y-Yeah...Got a bit too excited is all," he said, but Johann let out a heavy sigh.

Kangaskhan hummed curiously while rubbing her chin, her baby mimicking her motions. "How about I give you your second official job as a rescue team?" she asked, peaking the group's interest as they looked at her. "I sometimes buy some Miltank Milk for my daughter, and I placed an order from the farm for a fresh batch to be delivered. I'm always busy with rescue teams and organizing their storage units to shop often for us. But when I expected my order this morning, it didn't show up."

"Yeah. No yummy milk," the baby whined with a pout.

"Huh. That is odd," Johann mumbled.

"The hay's a 'Miltank'?" Rainbow asked her friends, most of them shrugging before they turned to Twilight to see if she saw anything in her borrowed books on the Pokemon.

"Uhh, I think I glanced at something named that while skimming through the hundreds of Pokemon species," Twilight said. "I believe it's like a cow. Just a bit different."

"Ah'm a might curious to see what a Miltank looks like," Applejack said.

Johann and Scott looked at each other, curious to know what happened at the Miltank farm that's causing their shipments and personal orders to be delayed. "You think there's a roadblock keeping them from making their deliveries?" Scott asked.

"Or maybe they're unable to meet up with demand," Johann said. "Miltank Milk is really good. Especially a nice, cold glass. With some yummy berry cookies." The Charmander drooled as his stomach growled, wanting another sample of berry cookies baked by the elderly Nidoqueen they helped before. Scott rolled his eyes, clapping his paws in front of his friend to snap him out of his hunger daze. Johann snapped back to reality with a shake of his head, ignoring the amused smirk on he Riolu's face as he faced Kangaskhan. "Auntie Kangaskhan, we'll gladly accept your request! In fact, we'll deliver your order to you if the Miltank aren't able to!"

"Oh, that would be wonderful," Kangaskhan said gratefully, her daughter cheering with joy hearing they were gonna get her favorite milk.

"You guys up for a trip?" Scott asked the Equestrians.

"As long as we don't run into anymore trouble," Rarity said. "I want to keep my fur clean today, and I think I still smell from that icky gunk those Croagunk spat out."

"Shouldn't be that hard making a simple delivery," Spike assured the Skitty.

With the whole team in agreement, Kangaskhan gave the two leaders her order slip, along with a note to the Miltank to let them deliver her order for them. The motherly Pokemon and her daughter wished them luck as Team Rescue Rangers began making their way back to the entrance to Pokemon Square to make their leave to the Miltank farm.

"Ok. Our second official job," Scott said. "At least it's not cutting down yard in need of a long-overdue trim."

"Baby steps, Scott," Johann reminded his friend. "Remember: build our reputation with smaller jobs, then work our way up when we're ready for the tougher stuff."

"Yeah, yeah. I'd just like some more excitement on a job every so of-" Just as they were about to reach the entrance gate to the town, Scott and Johann suddenly got tripped up by two sprouts of grass shooting up conveniently in front of them, wrapping around their feet tightly. "-TEN!!!!"

Both Pokemon tripped and fell flat on their stomachs with a grunt, dropping Kangaskhan's letter and the order slip in front of them. The girls and Spike saw the mysterious grass around the Charmander's and Riolu's legs quickly disappear, wondering what happened until they heard a trio of mocking laughter coming around the corner.

"Have a nice trip!?" Loitering by the entrance were a trio of Pokemon, deliberately waiting for Scott and Johann to come around to trip them up.

In the middle with its arms crossed across their chest was a black and white furred, bipedal, badger-like Pokemon. The black stripe along both sides of its long neck had a jagged pattern with white diamonds spaced inside it, reaching up to its eyes and muzzle. White, four-pointed marks were on its shoulders, and the fur around its forearms, lower legs, and chest were very thick where the fur on its chest looked like a vest. On the Pokemon's right was a ghostly-looking Pokemon in the shape of a pumpkin. The lower half of it was brown with a carved face, the "carved" sections glowing an eerie yellow, but its face was actually on the long stem connected to it, a pair of yellow eyes with a mouth, and long pink hair, the sides of its hair shaped as arm-like tendrils, and one of the bangs hid one of its eyes. The last one on the bipedal one's left looked like a long-haired imp with the oddest color scheme for one. Its lower body was green while the upper was pink, prominently large ears, a long nose pointing upward at an odd angle, muscular arms with three sharp nails, three toes, black hair with the bangs covering its right eye while its length at the end looked like the end bladed end of a pole arm.

The trio continued laughing as Scott and Johann got back up, letting out a disgruntled sigh at the three Pokemon they had the misfortune of knowing. "Oh great. Those three," Scott growled.

"You know them?" Rainbow asked.

"Unfortunately," Johann mumbled. He went over to pick up their dropped papers, only for the tall black and white Pokemon to snatch the order slip and Kangaskhan's note out of his reach. "H-Hey! Give those back!"

"Hah! Hey, get a load of this!" the bipedal Pokemon said to his two companions. "The babies are off getting milk for their first real mission!" The other two Pokemon laughed uproariously at the mocking insult, even more so when Johann tried to jump up and take back the two pieces of paper while the bully kept yanking them out of the Charmander's reach. "Come on, you big baby! You gotta jump for it to get your milky-wilky!"

"Back off!" Scott was about to leap up and grab them from the Pokemon, only for the ghostly gourd Pokemon to quickly dig its roots in the ground, making a sprout of grass pop up underneath the Riolu and grasp around one of his feet.

Scott yelped and fell back on his stomach, his face turning red in anger and humiliation as he got tripped up again. "Aww, the poor baby fell down again!" the living ghost pumpkin teased in a babyish tone, which made the colorful imp snicker.

Seeing enough of their new friends getting picked on by the bigger Pokemon, the girls and Spike stepped in to help them against the not-so-friendly Pokemon. Rainbow flapped her wings and zipped toward the punk rock-looking Pokemon teasing Johann, swiftly snatching order slip and Kangaskhan's note in her talons.

"Hey, pick on another Pokemon your own size!" Rainbow called out.

As the Starly flew back around, Spike and Fluttershy helped Scott back on his feet after the grass around his foot sank back into the ground. The trio glanced at the other seven Pokemon helping their victims, the taller Pokemon sneering at them after a few seconds of losing the pieces of paper to the surprisingly fast Starly.

"Oh, don't tell me you've already started gathering team members for your baby squad," the bipedal badger Pokemon grunted.

"Yeah. You just became an official rescue team for like...what, two days?" the imp questioned. "Three?"

"Who cares how long?" the leader questioned.

"These meanies definitely don't seem to be the friendly type," Pinkie said.

"Who are they?" Twilight asked. "They seem to know you two."

"They're a rescue team like us, except they chose to pick on beginners like us so they feel better," Scott grumbled. The shock on the Equestrians' faces wasn't a surprise to him, only nodding his head to confirm that he wasn't joking. "I know. I can't believe it either. The leader's the furry menace, Obstagoon, and his friends and partners, the overgrown squash and rainbow nutcase, are Gourgeist and Morgrem."

Obstagoon smirked, taking the nickname Scott gave him with pride, but Gourgeist and Morgrem didn't appreciate theirs and glared at the Riolu. "Excuse me!? What did you just call me, you little brat!?"

"Oh, this twerp's dead!" Morgrem added.

Obstagoon held his arms in front of his companions, halting them from marching up to pummel Scott. "Easy, guys, easy," he assured his team. "Let the big babies talk. They can't do anything to us. Except cry, that is."

Scott growled in frustration, but he was stopped by Johann as his friend held him back before trying to pick a fight with the stronger Pokemon. "Scott, don't. It's not worth it," Johann said.

"Yeah, listen to the Fire-type failure, runt!" Obstagoon taunted. Johann froze up, his grip loosening on Scott, freeing him as the Riolu ran up to the bipedal Pokemon. Scott used Pound to give Obstagoon a good hit, but the Pokemon smirked, quickly crossing his arms in front of him. "Obstruct!" A dark aura-like barrier appeared in front of Obstagoon, and as Scott's paw made contact, Obstagoon flicked his arms out, smacking Scott back along with the aura. Scott yelped and was sent tumbling across the ground, bowling over Johann while their friends quickly leapt out of the way. "Ha! Nice try, twerp!"

Morgrem and Gourgeist laughed while Obstagoon taunted them by holding up both his paws, stuck out two digits on each paw, and shook his head wildly while letting his long tongue loll out of his mouth, making it flop with each hard shake. The girls and Spike helped the two Pokemon up, Twilight keeping the dazed Riolu on his feet.

"That was not very nice!" Fluttershy scolded.

"Yeah! And not nice Pokemon don't deserve any cupcakes!" Pinkie added, hopping madly in anger.

"L-Let me at 'em," Scott slurred. "I can...take him."

"Ah think you're definitely out of your league with them, sugarcube," Applejack said.

After he was done taunting the two leaders, Obstagoon chuckled as he looked down at his bullying victims' new teammates. "I suggest you bunch get out of their team while you have a chance. They're just gonna let you down."

"So what!?" Rainbow questioned. "They literally started up this team a few days ago! And we're not gonna leave them to some punks who pick on little guys!"

"Ya mess with our leaders, then y'all mess with us!" Applejack added, to which the others all agreed and stared defiantly at the Pokemon trio.

Obstagoon scoffed and shook his head. "Fine. Stick with the wimpy losers. Just know that you're being led by a little runt who thinks he can take on anything that moves." He then glanced at Johann, his lips curling to a smirk as he saw the Charmander shivering with his head held down. "And that Charmander's only lucky to even be in the guild, let alone a rescue team. With his pops being one of Team A.C.T., he thinks he can do anything he wants, but he can't because he's pathetic! I even heard Charizard grumble about how worthless his own son is one day while we were hanging around the guild; how he'll never live up to his family's legacy and send it crashing down with his weak, happy-go-lucky behavior."

The girls and Spike glowered at Obstagoon for the horrible insult, including Scott when he managed to snap out of his daze, though none of them noticed Johann's shivering suddenly stopping. "Hey, they're not weak!" Spike exclaimed. "In fact, they took on wanted Pokemon who were much stronger, and won!"

"Ah, right. They got the Poison Twins arrested," Morgrem remembered, his tone snide and sarcastic.

"Oh yeah. I remember now," Gourgeist agreed. "I also heard that they got their tails handed to them, and their new teammates had to step in and finish the job for them."

"Ha! That proves just how weak you two are!" Obstagoon laughed. "You babies needed your team to do your dirty work!" The bullies laughed even harder, frustrating Scott even further as his and Johann's first wanted Pokemon capture had spread across the whole guild. It was embarrassing enough that Obstagoon and his team knew he and Johann got whupped by the Croagunk twins, and it was a miracle they weren't reprimanded by Alakazam. Not yet, at least. Having enough fun tormenting the two rookie guild members, the disrespectful rescue team exited the village. "See you babies later! Us real rescue Pokemon have some actual jobs to do!"

Once Obstagoon and his pals disappeared down the road, Scott clenched his paws, gritting his teeth in anger. "I hate those guys," he growled.

"I can't believe those three Pokemon are a rescue team as well," Rarity said. "Shouldn't all the rescue teams work together to help others and not pick on each other?"

"Not every Pokemon has the same mindset," Scott said. "Johann and I are willing to help anyone, but other teams might just be in it for the Poké. Like Obstagoon and his team."

"So what's their team name? Team Meanies?" Pinkie asked.

"That's a completely different team, but I heard the Pokemon from that team disbanded some time ago," Scott said. "But you're not far off; they're Team Neo Meanies."

"'Neo Meanies'?" Twilight questioned. "You mean they're a newer version of a former rescue team?"

"Yeah, but they can actually do well unlike the former team," the Riolu said. "Which I hate, because they pick on me and Johann ever since we started training at the guild. As soon as I get stronger, I'm gonna whup those three jerks into next week and show them a thing or two!"

"I don't like them either, but violence isn't going to solve everything," Fluttershy chided.

"I'd like to pummel those jerks," Rainbow muttered.

"Let's just ignore them," Applejack said, patting the agitated Riolu's side with her paw. "How about we focus on gettin' Auntie Kangaskhan's milk delivery and relax back at the base?"

Scott sighed heavily and silently nodded. Rainbow Dash gave him back the note and order slip to hold onto before everyone headed off to the Miltank farm. However, as everyone walked at a normal pace, Fluttershy noticed that Johann was lagging behind, or rather, he barely moved from where he stood after being helped back up.

"Johann? Are you ok?" she asked. The Charmander didn't respond, but his body forced him to trudge forward, his head down with a distant gaze. He didn't acknowledge the Buneary as he passed her, which made her worry if Obstagoon's bullying hit Johann harder than they thought. "...Johann?"

Scott led the team down the road toward the Miltank farm, letting the Mane Six and Spike see the landscape, along with some Pokemon passing by or being content living out in the woods rather than a settlement. Johann lagged behind, lost in his daze as he subconsciously walked with the group, which made the trip take longer as they waited for him to catch up. Scott barely noticed his friend's chipper attitude changing to a solemn, eerie silence, still fuming over Team Neo Meanies' bullying.

"So, what's the farm gonna look like when we get there?" Applejack asked, both out of curiosity and to distract Scott and Johann. "Who runs the place?"

"Other Pokemon, obviously," Pinkie stated matter-of-factly.

"I don't think other Pokemon would run a farm if it has Miltank," Fluttershy pondered. "They might be a big family and run the farm themselves, just like Applejack and her family."

"Have you been to this farm, Scott?" Twilight asked.

Scott grumbled bitterly, barely focused on the conversation diverting him from his ire. "Stupid Obstagoon. Stupid jerk," he mumbled, making Twilight sigh in annoyance. "He wouldn't be bragging if he were a Normal-type Zigzagoon, then he'd only have one evolution and leave him only a little bit taller than us."

"You're still upset about Obstagoon?" Twilight grumbled, only to blink and do a double take at what the Riolu said. "Wait, what do you mean? How many evolutions does Obstagoon have?"

"I thought you read through that huge book on all the different Pokemon throughout our world," Scott muttered. Twilight's eye twitched, resisting the urge to yank his tail and scold him for not learning everything from the huge encyclopedia on all the Pokemon that were cataloged from the guild's library. Sensing Twilight's irritation, he turned around and walked backwards with his arms behind his head, giving the Ralts a deadpanned stare. "Obstagoon and his goons are from someplace called Galar, some other land far from this one. Obstagoon's the final evolution of a Zigzagoon from there, and they're Dark-types instead of Normal-types."

"I saw what a Zigzagoon looked like in that book," Twilight said. "It had white and brown zigzag stripes in the illustration."

"But Obstagoon had white, black, and gray fur," Spike pointed out.

"Some Pokemon have different evolutions, and that happens due to the environment they live in or something like that," Scott explained. "I don't really know about how that works, or even care about Obstagoon's fully evolved form. Johann might explain it better than me." He was about to ask the Charmander about how Pokemon have different evolutions compared to normal ones commonly known in another habitat, but he grumbled as he saw his friend still sulking, and so far away from the group as he slowly shambled along. Sighing in frustration, Scott stopped and raised up his paws. "Hang on! Gotta wait for Johann to catch up...again..."

The others turned around to watch the depressed Charmander to catch up. The others noticed how solemn and spaced out Johann was, barely walking straight as his body seemed to drag him along to the sound of the group.

"Is he feeling alright?" Rarity asked, greatly concerned for the psychologically lost Charmander.

"Doesn't look like it," Rainbow noted.

"Come on, Johann! We've got a mission to accomplish!" Scott yelled out.

"Scott, don't rush him! He's clearly not feeling well!" Twilight scolded. "What kind of friend are you!?"

"He started acting like this after Obstagoon talked badly about you two as awful fighters," Fluttershy said. "I don't think he's said anything after that. Or reacted to anything."

"We get picked on by Obstagoon all the time whenever they're around," Scott grumbled. "He won't be messing with us anytime soon when we rise up the ranks and get stronger."

Using Confusion, Twilight yanked the grumpy Riolu's left ear hard, making him yelp and wince as he was dragged toward the Ralts. "Sounds like YOU'RE the only one who can't get over it!" Twilight scolded. "Words can hurt just as badly as getting hit can!"

"OW OW OW OW OW! Let go of my ear!" Scott whined, only to yelp in a much higher pitch when Twilight tugged his ear harder. "AHH! Stop! Please! My ear is very sensitive!"

"Just like feelings?" Twilight questioned.

Getting the hint, Scott glanced at Johann, who was now starting to walk past everyone in his semi-conscious daze. He just now noticed how forlorn and blank his expression was. Even his pupils seemed to shrink as he stared off into space, barely acknowledging him or Twilight as he bumped into the Ralts, making her lose her concentration and let go of Scott's ear. Rubbing his sore ear, Scott quickly got in his friend's path, grabbing his shoulders to get him to stop walking.

"Hey, Johann? You ok, buddy?" he asked, beginning to worry when he was given nothing but dead silence. This was the first time he saw his friend seem so...dejected. Johann always had a big grin on his face, only to scowl when Scott did or said something stupid, rude, or reckless. Even after getting picked on by Team Neo Meanies, he would be just as annoyed as Scott or slightly hurt, but it didn't last this long. "Yo. Johann? Earth to the fire lizard? You in there?"

Johann kept his head down, barely lifting it up to look at his friend. Scott looked back at the girls and Spike, wondering what made his happy-go-lucky companion suddenly turn into a moody moper. Before he could suggest going back to Pokemon Square to help his friend, his ears perked up when he and the others heard cries coming up down the road.

"No! Not again!"

"Quick, stop him!"

"He's eating everything!"

"What was that?" Fluttershy asked, both her ears springing up as her far more sensitive hearing heard the voices farther ahead.

"Sounds like some Pokemon are in trouble," Scott said. He glanced back at his friend, then the girls, taking responsibility in leading the team with his partner lost in his depressed haze. "You guys ready to face whatever's attacking?"

"We are a rescue team, so of course we're ready!" Rainbow said, the rest of her friends voicing their agreements, ready to face their next Pokemon foe.

Hoping he doesn't make the same mistake with the Poison Twins, Scott nodded, grabbing Johann's hand and dragged him along while the others followed behind him. They soon came up to a vast grove of various berries protected behind a white picket fence, spanning several acres down the side of the road. The rescue team reached the Miltank farm as they saw a huge red barn farther behind the berry trees, only to skid to a halt in shock when they saw the commotion that they heard.

Out in the middle of the grove, they found several bovine Pokemon attacking another that was much taller and heavier, which was eating every single berry in their branches while practically ripping the branches down to get at the fruit. The bovines were the Miltank: pink fur with a yellow belly, four pink teats on their udders which were as yellow as their bellies, black angular markings on their backs, a black hood-like marking around their head and upper shoulders with a pink triangular mark on their foreheads, floppy ears, black cloven hooves, and tails with a black sphere at the tip. The Pokemon the Miltank were trying to fend off made Scott grimace, his faith in asking for less of a challenge unanswered today: it stood taller than the Miltank by around two and a half times their height, had blue-green skin with a cream-colored face, huge, overweight belly, and feet, where its limbs pale in comparison to its massive body, small pointed ears, and two pointed teeth protruding from its lower jaw.

"Oh no," Scott groaned, letting go of Johann's hand as he fell on his knees in exasperation. "Today is not a good day for us."

They watched the Miltank fighting the large Pokemon, many of them curling up into a ball and rolling swiftly toward it. Despite their conjoined Rollout attacks, the intruder's large, blubbery body was barely fazed and made the Miltank bounce off like it was made of rubber. Frustrated as its mealtime was constantly being interrupted, the Pokemon yelled angrily and smacked away the returning bovine balls coming back for another pass. Its small, but powerful arms punched the Miltank away, sending them crashing to the ground with pained grunts before continuing aggressively munching down the berries, branches and all.

"Whoa, nelly," Applejack uttered.

"What in Equestria is that Pokemon?" Spike asked nervously.

"No, Spike, you need to ask, 'Who's that Pokemon!?'" Pinkie Pie corrected. "And then a fun jingle rings and we cut to commercial!"

"It's a Snorlax," Scott answered, ignoring Pinkie's exasperated groan, then mumbled something about ruining the fun of guessing. "And if you couldn't tell from how the Miltank are failing, they're...kinda tough."

Some of the Miltank continued using Rollout to try to at least shove back the resilient Snorlax, but it barely budged and got more angry. "Let! Me! EAT!!!!" the Snorlax roared, then threw a hard punch at the incoming Miltank.

One got hit pretty hard, sent flying back far from the battle in the middle of the grove and headed straight toward the rescue team. The smaller Pokemon yelled and panicked as they ran out of the Miltank's trajectory, Scott needing to go back to grab Johann since he was still out of it, pulling him out of the way as the Miltank let out a yell and grunted as it smacked against a tree outside the farm's property. Leaning upside down from the crash landing, the Miltank groaned as it rolled back on its feet, the others racing over to check on the dazed Pokemon while it rubbed its head.

"Miss Miltank!" Scott called out. "You ok!?"

"Ugh. That consarned Snorlax is gonna ruin us," the Miltank grumbled. She noticed the worried Pokemon surrounding her. "Y'all shouldn't linger round these parts for long. We've got a little problem goin' on."

"Yeah, we kinda noticed," Rainbow stated.

"Why's that Snorlax chomping on your berry trees?" Twilight asked.

"Eatin' away our profits is what," the Miltank sighed. "We don't exactly sell berries, but us Miltank need them in order to produce the sweetest, tastiest milk in the area to sell. And that Snorlax has been attackin' us, bargin' into our farm, and eatin' darn near everythin' that's edible for the last few days! He even found where we stored our milk to disperse throughout the land, and drank several huge supplies of it in one sittin'!"

"I guess that explains why Auntie Kangaskhan's milk delivery was falling behind this week," Scott pondered.

"Well, we're a rescue team!" Pinkie said. "Let's do some rescuing!"

"Rescue team?" Miltank questioned. Glancing at Scott, she noticed the rescue team badge pinned to his scarf. "Oh dear, no. You're just rookies. If mah friends and sisters can't fight that Snorlax off, how can y'all stand a chance?"

"No problem!" Rainbow assured. "We took on two Croagunk! What's that Snorlax gonna do? Sit on us?" The Miltank gave Rainbow Dash a deadpanned stare, doubting this group of young Pokemon and the Starly's lack of knowledge on how powerful a Snorlax is. "We'll beat him faster than you can say, 'Milk and cookies!'"

"Ooh! Milk and cookies!? Where!?" Pinkie asked, looking around excitedly for the treats Rainbow mentioned.

Miltank sighed, then glanced down at Scott. "Aren't ya the leader, hon? Can't ya reign in that hotheaded Starly friend of yours?"

"Uhh, I'm one of the leaders. The other's Johann." He looked to his friend, who was still locked in his moody haze. "...And he's...out of commission..." Scott let out a nervous grumble, stuck between two options: run back to the guild to ask a stronger rescue team for assistance, or blindly follow his gut instincts and do what he and Johann had promised as a rescue team by helping Pokemon in need, no matter the mission. The latter was a completely stupid idea, but with how small they were, they were able to move much faster than the Snorlax could walk. If Johann was awake, he'd have a better solution, which probably would be to recruit a stronger team from their guild. Unfortunately, one team that came to mind was Neo Meanies, and if they were the closest team to find, he was not going to be subjugated to their heckling and give them proof that they can't handle this job. His pride clouding his judgement, Scott looked at the Snorlax, who wiped out the other Miltank and continued aggressively munching on the berry trees. Pounding his paws together, he growled and made his decision. "Alright. We're running this Snorlax out!"

Rainbow and Pinkie were the only ones who cheered while the others sans Johann gaped in shock. "Now, hold on there, sugarcube!" Applejack quickly got in front of the determined Fighting-type before he rushed off to handle the Snorlax for the Miltank. "Remember what happened last time ya got too cocky when ya decided to fight them Croagunk? Ya underestimated them and almost got yourself and Johann badly hurt. That large critter's definitely somethin' ya don't wanna mess with."

"I agree with Applejack, Scott," Twilight said. "If that Snorlax is able to bounce off attacks like nothing, there's no way we can land a scratch on it."

"Then we'll just exhaust it and knock his lights out!" Scott exclaimed. He jumped over Applejack and charged into the grove. "Let's get him!"

Rainbow cheered while Pinkie giggled in excitement, the two following after him to take on the Snorlax. The others stared at the Riolu, flabbergasted and disappointed that he didn't learn his lesson the first time.

"I think this was a bad idea joining if we're going to face certain doom in the future," Rarity grumbled.

"Let's go help him before he gets crushed by that Pokemon," Applejack grumbled, straightening her hat before charging into the grove after Scott, Pinkie, and Rainbow Dash.

Miltank shook her head with a sigh, questioning the Riolu's bravado despite his heart being in the right place. Twilight, Spike, and Rarity hurried on ahead while Fluttershy stayed behind, mostly to make sure nothing happened to Johann while he was out of sorts. While figuring out what to do to snap the Charmander out of his funk, she noticed it was getting a bit sweltering around him, and his trembling seemed to be more visible.

The Snorlax had his back turned to the first wave of smaller Pokemon, finally left alone as he ate the Miltanks' crops to his heart's content. Scott picked up a nearby rock and gave it a hard toss at the Snorlax, hitting the back of his head.

"Hey, Snorlax!" Scott called out. Snorlax grunted angrily, turning around with some branches sticking out of his mouth. "You better get off this property before we have to drag you out by force!" Growling, Snorlax munched the last of its mouthful with a loud gulp, turning around to stare down the smaller trio interrupting its mealtime. "Alright. The hard way it's gonna be! Metal Claw!" Bringing his paws up, Scott's metal stubs elongated into claws before he charged forward with a yell, thrusting both paws at Snorlax's belly. Sadly, like the Miltanks' failed attempt to physically attack Snorlax, the Riolu's paws dug into the heavy Pokemon's flab, then bounce his attack back, nearly knocking him over. Scott blinked, staring at his paws, then up at Snorlax, who sneered and growled grumpily. "...Heheheheh. Uhh...You need a belly scratcher? I'm your Pokemon."

Scott giggled sheepishly as he used his Metal Claw to try convincing the Snorlax by using the sharp claws to scratch a small portion of the Pokemon's rotund belly. Snorlax let out an aggressive yell, making the Riolu pause in his scratching.

"Body Slam!" the Snorlax shouted, then began falling forward.

"...AHHHHHH!" Scott scrambled to get away, but reacted too late as Snorlax's heavy body flopped on top of him with a loud thud. Pinkie and Rainbow grimaced as they watched Scott get flattened. Snorlax finally got back up, then continued on to eat more of the Miltanks' berry grove, leaving behind a dazed and crushed Riolu left in an imprint of himself in the earth. "Ok...Maybe later?"

Pinkie and Rainbow approached him and looked down, Twilight, Rarity, Spike, and Applejack joining them as they witnessed the aftermath of Scott's "retaliation". "Yo, Scott...Ya alright?" Spike asked.

"I doubt that after he got squished by something that weighs more than a ton," Rarity muttered.

Sighing, Twilight helped Scott sit up, though he was still in a daze with his eyes spiraling while letting out a disoriented groan. "You're so stubborn," the Ralts grumbled. "You know you deserve that, right?"

Scott quickly shook his head, shakily climbing out of the small crater of his body. "Yeah, yeah. And Johann would tell me the same thing," he grumbled. "If we can exhaust that Snorlax, we can beat it."

"Then why not just make our way back to Pokemon Square and find a tougher Pokemon to help us instead of having us handle it!?" Twilight exclaimed.

Scott grimaced, letting out a frustrated grunt. "...I...I was considering that before," he admitted, making Twilight facepalm while the others questioned his last minute decision. "Ok, I'm not great at making choices! I get it! I just...didn't want us to run into Obstagoon and his team again if we're asking for help."

"You were afraid of getting bullied more? THAT'S why you decided to take that brute on like a lunatic instead of seeking help like a sane pony!?" Rarity asked, pointing at the Snorlax. It was then the others noticed that their questioning Scott led Snorlax to eat up several more trees, making the others wince. "Oh dear."

"Well, we ain't got much of a choice right now," Applejack said. "We just gotta try to lure the huge varmint away from the farm before it destroys anymore of them berry trees."

"Maybe if we attack it together, we have a chance of hurting it," Spike suggested.

"Sounds like a plan to me!" Rainbow said.

Twilight stayed back, being the least physically adept as a Ralts, Scott, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie, and Spike lining up in a row. "This isn't going to end well," Twilight uttered.

"Ready, guys!?" Scott exclaimed, getting vocal agreements from the rest of his charging troupe. "Let's get him!"

The group charged together with a battle cry, ramming themselves as hard as they could into Snorlax's back. They managed to nudge Snorlax forward, but not by much as they bounced off his fat and crashed to the ground. That got his attention, and Snorlax was really mad that he's constantly interrupted while he was in the middle eating.

"Just let me eat in PEACE!!!!" Snorlax shouted, turning around and made a small jump, falling belly first onto the stunned group.

The smaller Pokemon looked up and winced, waiting to get smashed into the earth, but Twilight quickly used Confusion, stopping Snorlax from squishing them as she kept him over the ground by a few inches. "Urgh! G-Guys, get...out of the way!" Twilight called out with a grunt. "So...heavy...!"

The others scrambled out from underneath the telekinetically held Snorlax just as Twilight lost her grip, letting it slam to the ground and shake the ground around them. Twilight panted heavily, already working up a sweat from using Confusion and hefting a Pokemon that weighed so much more than she does. She took note that her psychic powers seemed to have a limit to how much weight her mind can carry, which gave her more incentive to practice these new powers to grow stronger and possibly use it to find a way to bring her and her friends back home.

Snorlax got back up, glaring intensely at the rescue team with its squinted eyes. "Ok, we've got its full attention now," Scott said. "Just try not to get crushed."

"Like you?" Spike asked, making the Riolu glower at the Gible.

"Focus, guys," Applejack warned. Snorlax began stomping toward the group, prompting everyone to prepare to run away if it used Body Slam again. "Ok. Let's try givin' this big boy a shock! Nuzzle!" Applejack ran toward Snorlax, electricity surging through her cheeks to perform her attack. She leapt up and rammed her cheek into Snorlax's stomach and unleashed the built up electricity. Even though the shock connected, Snorlax didn't even flinch, making Applejack panic while avoiding the Pokemon's fist slamming down on her. "Whoa! What's Snorlax made of, rubber!?"

"Electric attacks don't work on it?" Rainbow asked.

"It's a Normal-type, so only Fighting-type moves will deal some serious damage to it," Scott said.

"So use a Fighting-type move, then!" Twilight exclaimed.

"It won't matter if any physical contact with Snorlax bounces off of him!" Scott yelled back. Snorlax roared and charged at them, causing the team to scramble away from the rampaging Pokemon. Scott leapt away, landing beside Twilight while the others handled distracting Snorlax and lead it away from the farm. "Try using Confusion on it again. Snorlax has incredibly high defense with its huge body. Or did you not read that thoroughly in that book you borrowed?"

"You think I can lift that thing with my mind!?" Twilight shrieked. "It took so much of my mental focus to keep it hovering in the air to keep it from crushing you all!" She pouted and glowered at the Riolu. "Though I'd rather have it just crush you again so it can flatten out your insecure ego."

"What did you just say?" Scott growled and glared at the Ralts.

"Well, this is the second time you decided for all of us to be in a dangerous situation!" Twilight argued. "And since Johann's not going to knock some sense into you, I'm gonna! Your actions are going to get us all hurt! And you get in way over your head without properly planning how you'll handle facing Pokemon tougher than you!"

"Hey, I knew it was dangerous, and I even said I was considering finding help elsewhere! But after being constantly teased by Obstagoon..." Scott grunted, looking away with a morose grimace. "...I think what they said finally caught up with me. And I wanted to show them that Johann and I weren't a bunch of babies...Not much of a great leader if being called a bunch of names gets to me."

Twilight's frustration ebbed as she heard Scott's admittance. She didn't know what it was like to get picked on by someone else, but from what she saw with Obstagoon picking on him and Johann, it's not a good feeling being insulted or knocked down by someone who thinks they're better than their victim. Johann had taken it the worst with his silence, but she didn't think Scott would be that bothered aside from getting angry at Obstagoon and vowing to get back at him and his team. It was no wonder he started feeling adamant about his other choice; he didn't want Obstagoon to add more fuel and torment him and Johann even further.

The sounds of fighting snapped Twilight and Scott out of their thoughts, both of them looking out to see their friends dealing with the Snorlax. Rainbow Dash was flying around Snorlax's head, who was blindly trying to swat her while Pinkie bounced on his head while smacking his face with her tail. Rarity, Applejack, and Spike were trying to ram into Snorlax, trying to force it out of the grove and the farm's property. Pinkie made the mistake of smearing her fluffy, strawberry-scented fur around Snorlax's nostrils, making her next landing right in his open mouth. She shrieked and flailed about, making Snorlax's cheeks stretch out before popping out of his mouth, drenched in saliva as she sped away from the hungry Pokemon.

"I may be delicious, but I'm not food!!!!!!!" Pinkie screamed.

"Don't run away, dessert!" Snorlax called out, chasing after Pinkie, where she thankfully ran out of the berry grove and out onto the street.

"I SAID I WASN'T FOOD!!!" Pinkie shrieked, yelling in terror as she hopped over the fence, but Snorlax ran through it, smashing the section to splinters, which made the Miltank standing beside Fluttershy and Johann grimace.

"Oh landsakes. Now we need to rebuild THAT section of fence, too?" Miltank asked in disdain. "Can this week get any worse!?"

Pinkie ran toward them, quickly hiding behind Miltank. "Quick, pretend you never saw me!" she begged.

Scott, Twilight, Rainbow, Applejack, Spike, and Rarity quickly made their way to the road, hurrying after the Snorlax as he stomped menacingly toward Miltank, Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Johann. "Stay back, ya berry munchin' menace!" Miltank warned.

"Oh no. None of us can stop it," Fluttershy uttered nervously. She backed away, accidentally bumping her shoulder against Johann's. She was about to warn him and try to get him to safety, but the intense heat from him began to grow hotter, and Johann's trembling got a bit more violent, and he let out a low growl. She never heard him make a sound that menacing, startling her as she backed away. "J-Johann?"

She yelped and glanced down when she heard something flaring up, the flaming tip of Johann's tail roared to life and seemed to flicker wildly. The more he growled, the wilder the flame seemed to flare, including the overbearing heat. Slowly, Johann lifted his head up, and any sense of adorableness Fluttershy saw in the Charmander was out the window when she saw his eyes: his huge eyes shrunk to the size of pinpricks as they glowed a fiery red, turning him from a cute fire lizard into a terrifying, demonic fire dragon lacking wings. His eyes locked onto Snorlax, who was trying to grab Pinkie Pie from behind Miltank.

Something in him snapped, and raising his arms high along with his head, Johann let out a shrill, ear-piercing scream, the fire on his tail suddenly erupting and flaring several times bigger than his body as it shot up over the treeline. His scream distracted Snorlax and caught everyone else's attention, including the other Miltank in the grove who got knocked out by the hungry Snorlax. No one knew what was going on with Johann, not even Scott, and he knew the Charmander for a good while.

"Ok, what's happening to him?" Twilight asked nervously.

"I don't know, but...I think he's awake?" Scott said. Johann finally stopped screaming, then glared at Snorlax as he took in a deep breath. Fire began to spew from his maw, and with another roar-like scream, he unleashed a powerful Flamethrower, fueled by this sudden anger as his tail erupted once again. Miltank quickly grabbed Pinkie and rolled them out of the way of the stream of fire as it struck Snorlax, making him cry out in pain as he was finally taking an attack that hurt him. Everyone gaped in shock as the flames engulfed Snorlax, Scott's jaw hitting the ground from witnessing the stronger Fire-type attack. "H-How...!? That's Flamethrower! When did he learn that!?"

Once the flames dispersed, Snorlax was still standing, though slightly stunned and covered in scorch marks from the attack. Johann wasn't done as he ran toward Snorlax, moving faster than Scott knew he could move before, then ran around the Pokemon while Scratching his wide body. Snapping out of his daze, Snorlax roared himself and used Stomp to crush Johann, but his feet missed as Johann slipped out of his reach while his claws bounced off his body. Running to a nearby tree, Johann leapt up and bounded off the trunk in a wall kick, gaining more height as he reached Snorlax's head, Scratching at his face while making the Pokemon cry out as his arms tried to swat the enraged Charmander off of him.

"Whoa, look at him go!" Rainbow said. "Go, Johann! Scratch that Snorlax up!"

"Rainbow, I don't think we should be cheering him on," Twilight said. She then looked to Scott, though the shock and nervousness on his face told her he was just as clueless as she was. "Have you...ever seen him like this?"

"No...Not even when we first met," Scott said. Gulping, he closed his eyes and activated his aura to sense what his friend was feeling. When he got a good look, Scott gasped and opened his eyes, shocked in disbelief. "O-Oh sweet Arceus..."

"What?" Twilight asked.

"...I've never felt...so much rage from him," the terrified Riolu uttered. Through his eyes, Scott watched the aura of his friend, ignoring the others from Snorlax or his friends and the aura of the trees near the road. Like the roaring flame on the tip of Johann's tail, so too was the Charmander's aura, writhing and flaring out of control within him. But in the center of that wildfire of blue energy, Scott grew shocked and greatly concerned by a small flicker of a darker, yet paler aura, that small piece of Johann looking as if it would be engulfed by his fury and snuffed out. "...No way...Is that...?"

Snorlax finally managed to grab Johann, pulling him off his face, then flung the Charmander toward Scott and Twilight. Scott quickly snapped out of his aura sense, both Pokemon diving away as Johann tumbled toward them. The furious Charmander rolled back onto his feet, barely fazed as he let out a growling hiss. That sound unnerved the Riolu, like his friend had turned feral, or he was possessed by an evil Ghost Pokemon with those enraged and furious eyes of his.

Before he could reach out to him, Johann let out another screech, then charged after Snorlax again, flames spewing from his mouth as he was preparing another Flamethrower attack. Snorlax roared and tried to slam his fist down on the Charmander again with a powerful Mega Punch, but Johann leapt to its side, bounced back into another tree, and jumped off it to headbutt Snorlax, surprisingly making the larger Pokemon stumble back. With one more draconic roar, Johann unleashed a Flamethrower more powerful than the last, burning Snorlax point blank as he scorched the ground behind the Pokemon as well. The powerful flames sent Johann flying back, landing back toward Scott and Twilight, panting heavily while glaring menacingly at the stunned Snorlax.

Seconds turned to hours until the Snorlax finally moved, letting out a weak groan before falling over on its back, heavily crashing and knocked out with spirals in his eyes. "...Mah stars. The little Charmander beat him," Miltank uttered in awe.

"Hooray! Go, Johann!" Pinkie cheered, then bounced over to the wheezing Fire-type, letting out an enamored sigh as light shimmered around her as she slowly approached Johann, ready to show her appreciation for her rescue with a kiss. "My hero."

Unfortunately, the moment for Pinkie was ruined when Johann let out another shrill roar, looking into the heavens and unleashing another Flamethrower in some sort of angered triumph. Pinkie yelped and quickly hid behind Scott as everyone watched Johann let out one final cry before the stream of flames finally ended, followed by the Charmander slowly collapsing on his stomach, completely passed out. Luckily, as his rage died out, so did his inferno of a flame tip, now back to burning like a gentle fire.

Once the shock of seeing the gentle, cheery Charmander turn into a rampaging Tauros passed, Scott quickly ran up to his friend. "Johann!" he called out, gently rolling Johann on his back. The rest of their new friends cautiously approached the Charmander while Scott tried waking him up. After gently shaking his shoulder, Johann stirred and opened his eyes, which were back to their normal state as he blinked in confusion. "Hey. You, uh...You alright, buddy?"

"Uhh...Yeah," Johann said. Scott helped him sit up, still worried about his little episode. Thankfully, Johann was completely back to normal. Johann looked around him, looking past his friends and failing to recognize where he was. "...Where are we? This isn't Pokemon Square."

Everyone looked at each other, then back at Johann. "You don't know where we are?" Twilight asked.

"We're at the Miltank farm to pick up Kangaskhan's order," Applejack reminded the Charmander.

"Huh?" Johann sat up, gently pulling Scott's paw off of him while he made sure his friend didn't keel over. He looked down the road, tilting his head curiously as he spotted the farm, along with the Miltank, some eyeing the rescue team while talking about them. "Wow. That was fast." He then spotted the Snorlax he defeated, just laying on the road. "...Was there a Snorlax blocking the road or something?"

"More like it was eating the Miltanks' berries and ruining their trees," Scott corrected, startling Johann until he saw the damage to the berry grove, along with the broken fences and some of the injuries on the Miltank.

"Yikes." Johann glanced at the Snorlax, noticing it had some injuries, too, which meant it didn't decide to take a nap after munching on a huge percentage of the grove. "Who could have managed to stop a-?" He paused, then turned and gave Scott a blank stare. "Scott, please don't tell me you didn't try to force us to fight a Snorlax and help the Miltank?"

Scott grimaced, but hung his head. "...Yeah. I did," he admitted, but quickly lifted his head up. "But you're the one who managed to beat it by yourself!" Johann's eyes widened, startled by the news, which only concerned the others. "Don't you even remember what happened? What you did?"

"N-No. All I remember is leaving to get here before we got stopped by..." Johann went silent, looking upset and staring at the ground. "...By Obstagoon..."

"Do you have amnesia?" Rarity asked.

"I...I don't know," Johann uttered. "I don't have any memory problems..."

There were so many questions to ask, both from Johann and from the others, but they were interrupted when everyone heard a groan. Looking in the direction of the sound, Snorlax's foot twitched, then the huge Pokemon began to move again.

"Oh no! It's awake!" Pinkie shrieked, then quickly cowered behind Johann. "Quick! Blast fire at it! Burn it!"

"Ah guess it wants a second round," Applejack growled.

Everyone, including the Miltank, prepared to fight the awakened Snorlax, The Pokemon rolled over onto his stomach and climbed to his feet. As he turned around, he looked around in confusion at his surroundings, not the Pokemon ready to defend themselves and the farm.

"...How'd I get here?" Snorlax asked, no longer aggressive and genuinely lost. "This isn't my home."

"Huh? So...Snorlax has amnesia, too?" Spike questioned. "What's going on here?"

"I just hope he doesn't catch a whiff of my sweet, delicious strawberry body," Pinkie hoped.

Snorlax looked down at the angry Miltank. "Does anyone know where I am?"

"You're near our farm, ya big lunk!" the Miltank the rescue team spoke to said. "And ya caused us quite a bit of grief the last few days: ya broke through our fences, tore down our storage fridge where we stored our milk to drink the several thousand bottles to sell in the towns, and ya ate and darn near ripped apart our whole berry grove with that bottomless stomach your kind has!"

Instead of being insulted by the assumptions, Snorlax gaped in shock, looking quite guilty as he observed the damage he couldn't recall, but knew this kind of wild hunger carnage would be something he would do. "Oh. Oh dear, I'm so sorry. W-Was I sleep eating again?" he asked nervously.

"He was sleeping that whole time?" Rainbow questioned skeptically. "Hard to tell with his squinty eyes."

"Rainbow Dash," Twilight chided.

"What? He's got the same eyes Rarity has," Rainbow pointed out. "How do we even know which way they're looking?"

"Well, you'll know that, right now, I'm giving the most disappointed glare at YOU, Rainbow Dash," Rarity said as she leered at the Starly.

"...Yeah, I don't see it." Rarity just growled, then looked away with an annoyed huff.

"Ya cost us quite a lot of Poké with all the damage you've done!" the Miltank continued scolding as the rest of her friends voiced their agreements.

"I-I'll pay you back! I'll work to repay for what I did wrong!" Snorlax begged. "I love drinking a big, tall glass of Miltank milk with my meals! Please don't ban me from buying any!"

"Then Ah suggest ya start gettin' to work on the broken fences ya barged through on your munchin' frenzy." Snorlax quickly nodded, led by some of the Miltank as they showed him the building tools and the spots he's busted through. The leader of the Miltank watched Snorlax before turning to the rescue team with a grateful smile. "You young'uns are a lot more than Ah thought y'all were. Especially your Charmander friend."

"Umm...I actually don't know...what I did," Johann said.

"Oh, don't be so modest! You're quite strong for a little Pokemon," Miltank said. "Ah should reward y'all for takin' quite a tough job."

"Oh, w-we don't need-" Johann tried to object, but the Charmander was cut off as one of the other Miltank came up to him and gave him a bag filled with Poké.

"Ah think one thousand Poké should be enough for a rookie team takin' down somethin' as tough as a Snorlax," Miltank offered, stunning the rescue team.

While Johann looked inside the bag, slowly counting the Poké he didn't feel he deserved, Scott grinned nervously and addressed the Miltank. "Uhh...Thanks. Just...came at the right place at the wrong time," he chuckled sheepishly. "We actually traveled this way to pick up an order that was running later than scheduled."

Scott showed Miltank Kangaskhan's order slip and her written note allowing them to pick up her order for her if there were complications. "Ah. Auntie Kangaskhan. Quite a regular with her kid lovin' every drop of our milk," Miltank said. "Even brought the young'un over to sample a fresh batch straight from the source." Miltank rubbed a hoof over her udder with a grin. "A healthy, delicious source, and can help ya feelin' fresh in the middle of a battle."

"Umm...Are we even allowed to?" Twilight asked. They soon heard a slurping sound, everyone turning to see Pinkie in front of one of the other Miltank with her face buried in her udder, taking a sample of Miltank milk for herself. "Ahh! Pinkie!"

Pinkie popped her lips off of one of the teats, licking her lips with a delighted hum. "It really IS delicious! Better than the milk we have back home!"

"Pinkie Pie, don't be so rude!" Rarity chided.

"Oh, we don't mind," the Miltank Pinkie sampled from assured. "We sometimes get baby Pokemon to nurse on us if their mothers aren't able to produce their own milk, or if they want to feed on our milk regardless."

"You guys gotta taste this fresh milk!" Pinkie said. "I bet they'd make some good ingredients for some delicious cupcakes!"

"I think we'll take your word for it," Spike giggled nervously. "We've...kinda got a job to finish."

"Eh. You guys are missing out~!" Pinkie sang.

The group left the farm with Kangaskhan's milk order after they got a little tour of the Miltanks' farm. With two cases of six bottles of ice cold Miltank milk, Scott carried both cases with ease while Pinkie bounced along with the bag of Poké they earned, Johann handing them to her as he felt he wasn't the one who deserved to be rewarded the money. The way back was filled with silence with unanswered questions from earlier. Seeing how they didn't want the milk to get to warm and get spoiled, they saved all the questions for later when they got back to the base and tell Johann what he missed while he was blanked out.

"Yay! Miltank milk! Miltank milk!" the baby Kangaskhan cheered in her mother's pouch as the cases were set down on the counter.

"I hope the walk there and back didn't get too exciting," Kangaskhan said.

"We kinda ran into a little problem, but...we took care of it," Scott said, clearing his throat nervously while rubbing the back of his neck.

"I'd say you completed my request with flying colors. Now for your reward." Kangaskhan took the cases of Miltank milk, bringing them deeper into her workplace to store them before coming back with her arms full. "Here you go."

Kangaskhan placed their reward down, making the rescue team's eyes widen in awe at the items. In front of them were what looked like five big jelly beans, only they had rainbow stripes. "Oooh! Jelly beans! Best reward so far!"

"Those aren't jelly beans, whatever those are," Johann said.

"Are those...Gummies!?" Scott asked in shock.

"They are," Kangaskhan said with a nod. "Gummies usually come in a variety of colors, matching a Pokemon's type and become the sweetest if eaten by the right Pokemon, but these are a lot different than the ones I used to run across, or store away for other teams. I call them Rainbow Gummies because of all the colorful stripes."

"And they're really yummy!" the baby chimed in.

"Wow. Too bad there's only five of them," Scott noted. He looked back at the Equestrians, then back at Kangaskhan. "Auntie Kangaskhan, you think you can hold onto these for us? I think all of us want to try them when we have enough for us to have at least one."

"Not a problem!" Kangaskhan said, taking back the Gummies, then placed down something else. "I also want to give you this. Not sure what it is, but it's just as mysterious as the TMs in the dungeons or in the Kecleon Bros. shop."

Everyone gathered around the counter to see this strange device. It was definitely something that seemed much more advance than the two rescue team leaders or the Equestrians ever saw before. It was a very thin metallic-looking book in a red color with a blue light on the upper left corner. Curious, Scott took the strange book in his paws, flipping it around to see if there was anything on the back or sides.

"What is this thing?" he asked.

His paw nudged a small bump on the side, making it open up to reveal some buttons and a small screen. Upon opening it, the screen lit up, and as he had it aimed at Johann, an image of a Charmander appeared, along with a dinging sound that startled everyone and the blue light blinking on and off.

"Charmander, the Lizard Pokemon. A Fire-type," a voice coming from the device said, making Scott drop it in surprise. It continued talking even after it hit the ground. "Charmander's health can be gauged by the fire on the tip of its tail, which burns intensely when it's in good health."

"Wah! It's alive!" Scott exclaimed.

"Oh my. I didn't think it had something inside it," Kangaskhan said.

As Scott backed away from the talking device, Twilight approached it and picked it up. "That's strange. I recall one of the books of different Pokemon say something similar about Charmander and their tail's fire," she said as she glanced at Johann.

"Well, it's not wrong," Johann said, then waggled his tail a little to show his fire tip to everyone. "The stronger the flame, the healthier I am. And...umm...if it ever gets doused out...I could die," he explained with a nervous laugh.

The news startled the Equestrians, even making Fluttershy teary-eyed. "Y-You could die if your fire goes out!?" she exclaimed, then looked up at the partly cloudy afternoon sky. "Oh, I hope it doesn't rain! O-Or we get pushed in a pond or lake! That's awful for Charmanders!"

"That explains why water is a Fire-type's weakness, though," Twilight said. Looking down at the device, she hummed curiously, wanting to test something.

She aimed it at Kangaskhan, making it beep again with the same small flashing light blinking, only this time, it showed an image of a Kangaskhan instead of a Charmander. "Kangaskhan, the Parent Pokemon. A Normal-type. Kangaskhan carries a little one in the pouch on its belly and will protect it at all costs."

Kangaskhan looked down at her child after hearing the device describing her species' nature, her child looking back up at her with a big smile. "It's true!" the baby Kangaskhan said.

"Wow. So this must be some sort of device that has information on Pokemon like in those books," Twilight pondered with intrigue. "Smaller, much more portable, and it can scan Pokemon when it's pointed toward them." She closed the device, letting out a disappointed sigh. "That means I can't really keep the books I borrow from the guild, but this will be very helpful if we run into new Pokemon we meet."

"Yeah. You handle the weird talking metal thing," Scott uttered. "Auntie Kangaskhan, where did you find that?"

"I found it one day when I went for a stroll," Kangaskhan said. "I thought it was a rare trinket, but I really didn't have much use for it since I didn't know what it did. Until now, that is."

"I wonder what we should call it," Twilight uttered.

"Ooh! Ooh ooh ooh! How about we call it a 'Pokedex'!?" Pinkie suggested. Everyone stared at her, unable to follow her logic in naming the device that. "It's a huge index in a tiny thingie about any Pokemon we point it at! 'Poke'-mon and in-'dex'! Eh?"

"...I...guess that does make sense," Spike said. "I can't come up with anything."

"Pokedex it is, then," Twilight said. She tried searching for any other Pokemon, but it only had the Pokemon that it had just recently scanned: Charmander and Kangaskhan. "Huh. That's weird. There's only two. It must have been empty."

"Which means, if we want to gather more info on other Pokemon, we have to scan them with that thing to store it?" Johann asked.

"Ugh. That'll take forever," Rainbow whined.

"It might not with Pokemon Square getting many different species traveling around," Johann said. "Most of them would be rescue teams from across the world."

"Let's just hope the other Pokemon won't mind us waving around that device at them," Rarity pointed out. "Scott doesn't want anything to do with it after it talked."

Scott puffed out his cheeks as everyone sans Johann laughed at him. "I-I'm not scared of that thing if that's what you're all thinking!" he exclaimed.

Twilight smirked, opening the Pokedex back up and pointing it at the Riolu. "Riolu, the Emanation Pokemon. A Fighting-type. Riolu has the power to see and understand emotions like happiness and anger in aura waves."

Scott flinched when it spoke and explained what he was as a Pokemon, sneering at the Ralts as she gave him a cheeky grin. "What's the matter? Is the big, strong puppy afraid of a little, talking metal book?"

"...Shut up," Scott grumbled with a pout, getting another laugh from his friends.

His irritation quickly faded when he looked at Johann. The Charmander had a distant look, his mind still wondering what happened to him between Obstagoon's bullying and waking up at the Miltank farm. Scott could only hope his friend would take it well, and maybe understand how badly Team Neo Meanies' insults toward them affected him so badly.

Later that evening, Johann sat out by the lake. He needed some time alone after his friends relayed the events that happened at the farm, along with how he behaved. Johann couldn't believe how badly he ended up repressing himself that strongly to avoid feeling the emotional pain from only a few hurtful words. He knew Scott would have tried to fight the Snorlax despite their odds, but he believed his friend and co-leader when he really did consider getting help from a stronger Pokemon or rescue team, only to make the poor decision of fighting Snorlax because of how he felt toward Obstagoon's tormenting as well.

What really bugged him the most was the blind rage he fell into after being silent and lost with himself for a long while. Johann grimaced, able to see the events unfold within his imagination from the descriptions of his fury: screaming and lashing out like a mad Pokemon, his tail tip roaring like an inferno, turning into an angry dragon ready to tear his opponent to pieces. Tears began to well up in his eyes, feeling terrible and guilty as he could have wound up hurting his friends or the Miltank instead of that Snorlax.

"Hey, Johann!" Quickly wiping away his tears, Johann tried to compose himself as he stared straight out at the lake. He heard Scott approach him, trying his best to ignore the Riolu, even as he walked over and sat beside him. The two sat in silence for a while before Scott spoke up again. "...You doing ok?"

Johann sighed and shook his head. "No," he mumbled.

Scott gently rested a paw on his shoulder, getting the Charmander to glance at him. "Hey, if it makes you feel any better, none of us are scared of you," Scott assured his friend. "We were actually pretty worried when you just went quiet and shambled after us like you were possessed by a Ghost Pokemon." Johann lowered his head, shutting his eyes to prevent more tears from leaking out. Scott didn't know what to say, never seeing his best friend this upset. He gently rubbed the Charmander's shoulder, looking around while finding something to distract his friend. "...So, uhh...When did you learn Flamethrower?"

Scott silently chastised himself for bringing up Johann's much stronger Fire-type attack. "...A long while ago," Johann said, shocking Scott as he looked at his friend. Johann opened his eyes and looked at the Riolu. "...My dad taught me."

"R-Really?" Scott questioned. "But...you still know Ember? Why?" Johann looked away, feeling ashamed. "...How strong are you?"

"I-I...Dad forced me to train a lot. Before joining the guild," Johann admitted. "My family comes from a long line of tough Charizards, and I want to try to keep that tradition going. But after fighting those Croagunk and earlier today...even all the times he's pushed me to the brink of exhaustion..." Johann curled his tail around himself, staring into the fire tip. "...I've always looked up to him. I wanted to be a rescue Pokemon like him...but he's been so mad the last few years. I don't know why, but...maybe it's because I've failed to live up to his expectations. And...I think when Obstagoon said my dad thought I was a...a f-failure...I-I just..."

Johann was about to break down and cry, but Scott gave him a light tap on the head with his paw. "Don't listen to Obstagoon or his cronies," the Riolu said. Johann looked at his friend, who gave him a reassuring grin. "All they're trying to do is get under our skin. They got me, too, but they're not going to bother us anymore. Whatever's got your dad acting like such a jerk, if you've been holding back on me, then he must have been teaching you something right." Scott chuckled, giving Johann a light punch in the shoulder before standing up. "Obstagoon's got another thing coming if he thinks he can pick on us forever. We'll prove how wrong Team Neo Meanies are when we work hard and keep getting stronger, then we'll be the ones who has the last laugh."

"...But...what if I lose myself like that again?" Johann questioned. "I-I don't have thick skin like you do. If I black out and go on a rampage again, I might hurt you or the others."

"Then we'll take precautions and keep you from going into mini-Charizard rage mode," Scott suggested.

"'Mini-Charizard rage mode'?" Johann questioned, giving his friend a blank stare. "I'm pretty sure what happened to me is equivalent to my ability: Blaze." His eyes widened, then glanced at his fire tip again. "But...I thought that only happens if I'm on my last legs."

"I kinda like my description more than boring Blaze," Scott teased.

Johann leered at Scott while he brought his arms behind his head with a cheeky grin, but the Charmander didn't stay mad for long as he gave a small smile. "Heh. You're so stupid."

"Yeah, but we wouldn't be friends if I didn't do stupid things, right?" Scott asked. Johann let out a small laugh, but he nodded. Scott held his paw out to Johann, helping his friend stand up. "We're a team. Together, nothing's going to bring us down."

"Yeah. You're right," Johann agreed.

"Good." Scott patted Johann's shoulder again. He then gave another small punch with a determined smirk. "Next time we train, you better dare not hold back on me. Give me more of a challenge so we can both get stronger, got it?"

"Heh. Alright, but you might regret it," Johann teased.

"We'll see, lizard," Scott teased back.

The two friends laughed, then began making their way back to the base to get a good night's rest. As they walked, Scott tapped into his aura, checking Johann's to see how he was feeling right now. The Charmander's aura was back to being its usual calming flow, barely a hint of sadness within. He thought he'd sense some of that sadness like back at the Miltank farm, but if Johann was able to hide his inner emotions that well, then that'd be a good opportunity to further perfect his aura sensing so he can see how his friend is really feeling. Hopefully he and the Equestrians can help keep Johann's sensitive feelings from tipping to a boiling point, otherwise they might end up getting caught in an emotional wildfire that'll surely burn them if it spreads too far.

Author's Note

Kecleon Bros.:

Persian:

Gulpin:

Pelipper:

Kangaskhan:

Obstagoon:

Morgrem:

Gorgeist:

Snorlax:

Miltank:

The Purr-fect Crime

It was a new day as the sun rose across the horizon. Johann walked out of the base, stretching out his arms with a smoky yawn as their team's toolbox was strapped over his shoulder.

"A new day to help others in need!" Johann said, eager to start his day. After his talk with Scott last night after sulking and losing control of his rage, he felt a little better after revealing how much stronger he was compared to his best friend, but he still worried he'll let his rough patch with his father and being bullied by Team Neo Meanies. Pushing his sadness and fears, not wanting to let his friend constantly worry about his true feelings more than he already has, he inhaled deeply through his nostrils, breathing in the morning air. "Ahhh. Today's gonna be a good day."

"Glad you're ready, Johann, but we've got something to do first." The Charmander turned around to find Scott with an annoyed look, carrying the huge stack of books Twilight borrowed from their guild. "We need to take all these back to the guild's library. Somehow, in only a few short days, she's read all of these."

"And I'm going to borrow even more~!" Twilight sang, making Scott groan and wilt in agony.

"Hey, I'm not gonna be your pack Mudbray anytime you want to take several dozen books every week!" Scott complained.

"Yeah, that job isn't really easy when dealing with Twilight and her book crazes," Spike said with a shrug. "But I'm used to it."

"I don't know how she can read all of these that fast! It'd take me weeks to just read one of these!" Scott whined.

"Because you'd rather train than read," Johann teased, grinning widely as his friend grumbled with his eye twitching in irritation.

"At least my tail isn't considered a fire hazard that keeps me banned from the library," Scott teased back with a smirk, getting back at his friend as the Charmander let out a frustrated sigh.

"And my day's already gonna be ruined," Johann groaned.

Once everyone was ready, they headed off to the guild to return the surplus of books Twilight borrowed, along with showing her friends what the guild was like and meet Alakazam. As they entered Pokemon Square, Twilight held the Pokedex out to gather and store information on the many Pokemon in town for future use. She already got her friends' Pokemon forms after testing it some more, learning more details than what the huge glossaries had to offer. The other Pokemon were a bit perturbed seeing the odd device pointed at them, and despite it being harmless, they were cautious with the unknown technology.

"I swear, if I have to carry another huge stack of books again-" Scott grumbled, barely paying attention to where he was walking with the books blocking his vision.

He heard someone yelp a bit too late, stumbling into another Pokemon and sent them falling over each other. Books scattered around the two, along with a large pink pearl that rolled a little bit away from the toppled Pokemon. The unfortunate victim let out a groan underneath Scott.

"Should have watched where you're going, dude," Rainbow said.

"Gee, it was like I had a bunch of books blocking my vision," Scott grumbled. He then noticed he was squashing someone underneath him, quickly leaping up and helping them back up. "S-Sorry about that."

"Uhh. I should have watched other Pokemon while sightseeing," the Pokemon groaned.

The Equestrians got a better look at the bumped into Pokemon: a small, gray pig-like creature, a large snout, short ears, stubby arms, and a spring-like coil beneath it as its legs. "It's a cute piggie!" Pinkie squealed.

"But where are its legs?" Spike questioned.

Twilight hummed curiously and aimed the Pokedex at the spring-tailed Pokemon. "Spoink, the Bounce Pokemon. A Psychic-type. Spoink moves around by bouncing on its tail. Its psychic powers are made stronger by the pearl on its head."

Looking at the image of the Spoink on the picture compared to the one in front of them, Twilight noticed a huge difference between them. "Spoinks carry a pearl on their heads, but this one doesn't," she noted.

Hearing the Ralts, Spoink looked up, then began to panic as it bounced around frantically. "Oh no! My pearl! What happened to it!?" he exclaimed.

Rarity spotted the pearl nearby, letting out an intrigued mewl as she approached it. "Oh my. What a beautiful pink pearl." As much as she wanted to examine its luster more, she figured this must have been the pearl Spoink had. She picked it up with her tail, then walked over to the bouncing Spoink while blindly searching the area. "Is this yours, darling?"

Spoink stopped bouncing and looked at Rarity, letting out a relieved snort before bouncing up to the Skitty. "My pearl! Thank you!" Spoink took back his pearl, setting it on top of his head, and with perfect balance as he bounced happily. "I really don't want to lose it again. I mistook a Cleffa for my pearl once, and that was an embarrassing moment when their parents found me carrying off my 'pearl'."

"You mistook a Pokemon for a pearl?" Johann asked.

"Well, it was round and pink," Spoink explained with a bashful giggle. "We Spoink find it hard to tell the difference between our pearls and something else. But they help increase our psychic abilities."

"How does that work?" Rainbow asked. "Is it magical?"

"I think the pearls Spoink carry come from Clamperl," Johann said. "Nothing magical, but it has special properties for a Spoink's psychic prowess."

"Just don't use any psychic attacks anywhere near me," Scott said. He went around and picked up the scattered books, brushing the dirt off them with a grimace. "Ugh. I really hope they didn't get ruined. I don't want to pay the guild for damaging the library's books."

"Sounds like you care about books, even though you're not an avid reader," Twilight teased.

"I'm more worried about paying all the Poké we just got from our last tough fights to replace these things," Scott grumbled, leering bitterly at the Ralts. "And you're only going to borrow one or two books at a time. No more giant stacks that make it hard for me to see around these things."

Twilight huffed with a small pout. "Fine," she grumbled. "At least until I master using my own psychic powers, then I'll take all the huge stacks I can without your help."

"Did you say you're in a guild?" Spoink asked Scott curiously.

"Yeah. We're just a beginner team for the guild here in this area," Scott explained.

"That's so cool! I wish I could be part of a guild!" Spoink said.

"There's always openings, and you'll get assigned to a team if you don't have a partner to start one for yourself," Johann said.

"Maybe I'll check it out later. I want to see more of this town. Thanks for the info!" Spoink hopped down the road to explore the square some more after giving the team a wave.

"Spoink's a really cute Pokemon," Fluttershy said with a squee. "That little snout, and the curly tail it bounces on."

"Wonder if we'll see him join up at the guild one day," Johann said.

"Speaking of, let's keep going, guys," Scott said. He then plopped the small stack he picked up in Johann's hands. "Here, you share the workload so I don't run into a cranky Primeape or something worse."

Johann sighed, holding the half stack for Scott while he took the last of the other half after checking to see if the pages, covers, and spines weren't busted or dirty. They continued heading north of the square and down the path toward the guild. The other Equestrians saw the huge building in the distance and the massive variety of Pokemon out in the field. Twilight took the chance to catch all the information she could with the Pokedex, scowling at it for describing them so slowly before it scanned the next one, only getting a few Pokemon before entering the front doors. Scott and Johann led the girls and Spike to the library to return all of Twilight's borrowed books, but the Riolu warned her again that she can only take one or two books at a time from now on. Twilight grumbled, but complied, waiting until their next visit to borrow some books.

They then made their way to Alakazam's room, Johann knocking politely before backing up as the door opened. "Enter," the Psychic Pokemon called out. The moment they walked inside, the Charmander froze when he saw his father in the room with Alakazam, along with their third partner, Tyranitar. "Ah. The rookie team, Rescue Rangers. And I believe the rest of our otherworldly guests with Miss Twilight Sparkle."

"Yes, guild master," Scott said. "Figured you'd want to meet the others while we don't have any missions or jobs to do yet."

"I was hoping sooner, but now's a perfect time," Alakazam said. Twilight introduced Team A.C.T. to the rest of her friends and number one assistant. While the girls and Spike greeted the veteran rescue team, Scott's aura sensed Johann's fear. Looking back at his friend, he noticed that the Charmander was frozen still near the guild master's door, barely budging an inch while staring at his dad. Scott looked at Charizard, who seemed just as grumpy as the last time he saw him. Sensing Charizard's aura, he seemed to be angry, as he expected, but the dragon was glaring at his son with a look of discontent. He didn't have much to dwell on Charizard's attitude when Alakazam spoke to him next. "Scott? Scott!"

"H-Huh? What?" Scott asked, snapping out of his thoughts.

"I asked you a question: are you helping our guests get accustomed to their forms and practicing their self-defense as members of your team?" Alakazam asked.

"Er, yes, guild master, sir," Scott quickly said as he stood at attention. "We've...had a few hiccups between training, but they seem to be fitting in and fighting pretty well."

"Hmm...I see." Alakazam then floated a piece of paper over to him, then cleared his throat. "I find that hard to believe when your first unofficial mission involved taking on the dangerous Poison Twins, then a reported Snorlax attacking the Miltank farm not too far from here, which you all seemed to handle at your level as a rescue team." Scott stiffened in shock, then lowered his head in shame. He knew the guild master was going to find out about their exploits sooner or later. "Now, as noble as you are, Scott, you need to accept these jobs first, and learn not to jump headfirst into trouble when others are in it worse than you are. While I commend you and the others for stopping these Pokemon, don't risk our Equestrian guests when they're still new to our world, and endangering yourselves, too."

"Yes, guild master," the Riolu mumbled dejectedly, part of him relieved to be given a warning, but still felt dumb for getting excited for a tough fight with the Poison Twins and left with no other options against the wild Snorlax. His head perked up, almost forgetting about mentioning the Snorlax's odd behavior after Johann beat it. "Oh yeah. About that Snorlax. It sounds crazy when I say this, but after we knocked it out, it woke back up and didn't remember crashing the Miltank farm at all."

Tyranitar and Charizard's eyes widened in shock, the latter finally taking his eyes off his son to stare at the Riolu. "He didn't know he made a mess of the farm?" Tyranitar asked.

"Snorlax can learn Amnesia. It's possible he tried to get out of trouble by claiming innocent in that way," Charizard grunted.

"Oh, no way, Charizard. Snorlax usually live further north in forests that have a ton of food for them to eat," Tyranitar explained. "One of them making a long trip down here to munch up groves of berry trees and guzzle gallons of Miltank milk? That makes no sense when Amnesia's meant to strengthen one's defense against special attacks."

"And you believe this runt and the pint-sized squeak squad took down a Snorlax of that size without so much as a limp?" Charizard questioned as he glared at his teammate.

"Actually, Johann was the one who really beat it," Pinkie pointed out.

Charizard quickly snapped his head toward the Swirlix, then to Johann. Giving a growl of disbelief, his glower made the Charmander gulp nervously, silently ordered to come over to him. Johann lowered his head and walked forward, twiddling his claws while avoiding his father's gaze. Scott could tell his friend didn't want to be anywhere near his father just from his facial expression, and his aura was struggling to hide the sadness mixed with the terror inside.

"Johann," Charizard said in a low tone. Johann trembled, shutting his eyes tightly. "Look at me. Now." Swallowing nervously, Johann opened his eyes, tilting his head up, and flinched at his father's gaze. "Did you really take down a Snorlax that strong by yourself?"

"I-I-I...I-I d-d..." Johann stammered, unable to answer.

Scott gently placed a paw on his friend's shoulder, giving Charizard as tough of a glare as he could back at the powerful Pokemon. "He sure did," he said, making Johann wince.

"I didn't ask you, runt!" Charizard roared.

"Charizard!" Alakazam scolded. The dragon Pokemon glanced at his leader, earning a serious glare from the Psychic-type. The two stared each other down before Charizard huffed, giving up and stomping off in frustration. Johann dared to look back as his father left, regretting it as the frown on the larger Pokemon's face expressed his disbelief, dejecting the Charmander. "I must apologize. Charizard is not usually this angry."

"Somepony needs a hug," Pinkie grumbled as she watched Charizard slam the door behind him. "And certainly not from me."

"I'll see what's got a burr tangled in that hot-headed butt of his," Tyranitar said. "But still, Johann, that's quite an impressive feat, even though it was dangerous."

"Actually, we saw Johann defeat Snorlax, but he had no idea where he was or what he was doing after we left the square," Twilight said. Alakazam and Tyranitar looked at each other in bewilderment, then back to the depressed Charmander. "Before we got to the farm, we were stopped by another rescue team who calls themselves Team Neo Meanies, and they made fun of Scott and Johann."

"They were really hurtful and mocked them," Fluttershy said with an angry pout. "That meanie Obstagoon said Charizard didn't care about Johann, and it really hurt his feelings."

"And during the fight with Snorlax, Johann's Blaze ability activated and he went into a rage," Scott added.

As the Riolu rubbed his friend's shoulder, reassuring him that they didn't think anything differently about him, Rainbow Dash gave him a curious gaze. "Ability? What, does he have some secret move we don't know about that makes him stronger?"

"Many Pokemon have different abilities that can aid them in battle against opponents, even catching some off guard when they discover a certain move won't affect them," Alakazam explained. "You each have one as well, but what it is, you'll have to figure out what it may be."

"I thought that Blaze increases Fire-type attacks when the Pokemon's on their last legs," Tyranitar pondered aloud. "Did Johann even get hurt yesterday?"

The group sans Johann shook their heads in response. Alakazam brought a finger to his chin with a hum in thought.

"...Perhaps it was not physical damage that unleashed Johann's fury and activated his Blaze ability," Alakazam said. "Sometimes, if a Pokemon is emotionally or psychologically scarred, trying to repress their sorrows and fears turns into anger that cannot be contained if triggered. Fire-types with Blaze can sometimes lose too much control if push comes to shove and will continue their rampage until their anger has been quelled by releasing all of their pent up pain or be knocked unconscious in a fight." He saw the shocked reactions from the Equestrians, feeling just as much pity for Johann as Scott was. Alakazam let out a sigh, knowing more about the Charmander than the others with his father being a part of his team for a long while. "I'm going to also give a stern talking to Team Neo Meanies. They represent our guild, and if they harass other rescue teams, they disgrace what our guild stands for and could potentially drive off young up-and-coming rescuers wishing to do some good for our world."

"Good luck with that," Scott said. "They'll probably think we're lying to get them in trouble."

"With a group named Neo Meanies, they are probably just as bad as the former Team Meanies," Tyranitar said, then let out a sigh and shook his head. "Except those three can fight pretty well, even though they only go for missions that have Poké as rewards instead of helping any Pokemon in worse trouble."

"Just leave those three to me, and if they do this again, I'll take their rescue team badges away faster than they can blink," Alakazam assured. "Now, go and help some Pokemon in the meantime. And this time, accept missions from the board or at the Pelipper Post Office. No more random heroics."

"Yes, sir," Scott said, giving the Psychic-type leader a bow.

The group took their leave, Fluttershy walking alongside Johann to help comfort him. After leaving, Tyranitar sighed again.

"Charizard got a little too rough with the kid," he said. "He's happy, upbeat, and optimistic when he's not around, but just being in his presence dampens his mood."

"If I were him, I would be ecstatic learning he took on a tough Pokemon like a Snorlax," Alakazam said. "I think our friend needs some time off. Clear his head and reflect on his actions." The guild master walked forward, levitating his spoons to his hands. "Now to have a talk with Team Neo Meanies."

Tyranitar chuckled as he followed his team leader. "Oh, this is gonna be good."

Halfway down the path to the square, Team Rescue Rangers slowed their pace while Johann tried to recover. Luckily, they didn't run into Charizard, who must have gone off somewhere to vent his anger. Johann felt humiliated being defended by his friends, but he was grateful to have Scott back him up like that.

"You feeling ok, Johann?" Fluttershy asked while rubbing the Charmander's back.

"Not really," Johann mumbled. "Sorry about my dad. He's kind of...intimidating."

"More like aggressive as a bull seein' the color red," Applejack said.

"What was up with him anyway?" Rainbow asked.

"I...I don't know," Johann said. "Even if you all confirmed you saw me beat Snorlax, he still wouldn't have believed me."

"I think your dad needs a vacation," Scott said. "He's probably being such a grump because he forces himself to take on tough missions every day."

"It doesn't really bother him," Johann said. "Our family line has had tough male Charizards that never lost a battle against any Pokemon. Even with types that have a stronger advantage."

"And you're really strong, too!" Pinkie said as bounced in front of Johann, keeping up with the group while hopping backwards and talking to him. "You rescued those Miltank from Snorlax with that super fire breath attack!"

"Flamethrower," Johann corrected.

"Yeah, that attack!" Bounding closer, Pinkie snuck in a quick kiss on the Charmander's cheek, startling him and almost made him stumble in surprise. Pinkie stuck out her tongue teasingly. "That was for saving me from getting eaten yesterday. I wasn't able to when you were still kind of in your angry rage stage, but later is better than never."

Johann stammered, fumbling with his words as his cheeks burned bright red. "W-W-Well, I-I wasn't e-even...I-I-I-I d-d-didn't..."

Scott snickered at his friend's bashfulness. "Don't be so embarrassed, Mr. Hero," he teased, then glanced at Fluttershy. "Hey, Fluttershy, why don't you give him a 'reward' on his other cheek?"

Johann tensed up, his blush only intensifying as he stammered more. Even his tail seemed to flare up slightly, turning a brief flash of pink before returning to its reddish-orange glow. Scott couldn't hold back his laughter at Johann's embarrassed reaction. The Charmander couldn't find the words to chide his friend for teasing him.

"Alright, Scott, leave Johann alone," Applejack said. "He's gettin' more flustered than Twilight tryin' to find a friendship problem to solve."

"H-Hey! I thought Princess Celestia wanted me to send her a friendship letter every week! I assumed it was a weekly assignment and I panicked!" Twilight exclaimed.

"You know, in hindsight, the princess knew that it would be difficult finding a friendship problem EVERY week," Spike said. "And with your fear of being tardy all the time, you just made it worse by enchanting your Smarty Pants doll and threw the whole town into chaos."

Twilight grumbled irritably, then glared at Scott as he stifled his laughter. "Don't you say anything, mister," the Ralts warned.

"You freak out...over being late?" Scott snorted, his body shaking while doing his hardest to hold back his laughter. Twilight's eyes glowed, using Confusion to freeze the Riolu and lift him up in the air. "Ahh! Ok, ok! I'll stop! Psychic moves hurt me!"

"Good," Twilight mumbled, dropping the Riolu unceremoniously to the ground, making him sigh in relief. "I take my studies seriously and complete my assignments and projects on time. Unlike you, I don't procrastinate or make rash decisions."

"Yet you did some weird magic to make your town in your world go crazy?" Scott questioned.

"Do you have any idea how powerful an alicorn princess is compared to the likes of you!?" Twilight exclaimed. "She could banish you to the sun if you so much as sneezed in her direction!"

"That sure doesn't sound like Princess Celestia," Spike commented.

"Yeah. Didn't you say this Celestia was kindhearted or something?" Scott asked, bringing his paws behind his head while he questioned why Twilight would fear someone who was like a second mother to her.

As Twilight continued bickering to Scott, the group made it back to Pokemon Square. Johann was grateful for the distractions from what happened at the guild, even though he looked away from Fluttershy bashfully after Scott mentioned her giving him a kiss on the cheek after Pinkie gave him one. Scott blankly stared ahead as he walked, trying to tune out the boring lecture Twilight gave him about the importance of studying and taking every matter seriously. He wasn't paying attention to his surroundings as a trio of purple blurs rammed into the Riolu, tackling him to the ground, trampled over him, and kept on running.

"Outta the way!" one of the blurs shouted as they ran toward the entrance of Pokemon Square.

Scott groaned as he laid flat on his back, dirty pawprints all over his body from the trampling trio that rammed him. "Maybe you should have watched where you were going instead of zoning out on me," Twilight chided.

"Maybe you should stop worrying about everything and relax a little more," Scott grumbled. He stood up with a grunt, rubbing his trampled face while sticking out his tongue in disgust. "Ugh. They looked like they were in a rush. And no thanks to their dirty paws, I need a bath."

"What kind of Pokemon were they?" Fluttershy asked.

"They looked like small purple cats," Rarity pondered. "Those pawprints look similar to mine, but at least I keep mine clean."

"No! Come back!" Hearing a familiar voice, everyone looked toward the road where the rushing trio came from, and found Spoink trying to bounce after them. He panted, looked absolutely mortified, and to their shock, his pearl was missing from his head. "Give me back my pearl, you thieves!"

"Thieves!?" Pinkie shrieked.

Spoink bounced up to the rescue team, tears streaming down his face. "Those Purrloin snatched my pearl from me out of nowhere!" he cried. "I was being so careful, too, and they just came out of nowhere, tackled me to the ground, and stole my pearl when I fell!"

"Purrloin?" Twilight questioned. She pulled out the Pokedex, scrolling through the Pokemon she's documented in the device today, but she never saw one on their walk to the guild to get its data. "Ugh. If only this thing explained everything about a Pokemon when I wanted it to so I could scan every one we came across."

"To summarize what that thing might say, they're Dark-types, and can be really sneaky thieves," Johann explained. "And with Psychic-types having a huge weakness to Dark-type moves, there's no way Spoink could have been able to fight back against them."

"Please, you have to get my pearl back!" Spoink begged. "I don't know if I can find another one like it, and I'll be completely helpless without it helping me practice my Psychic powers!"

"Don't worry, Spoink. We'll get your pearl back," Scott promised, then grabbed his scarf and showed his rescue badge to the troubled Pokemon. "Team Rescue Rangers are on the case!"

"Oh, thank you so much!" Spoink said with joyous relief.

"Come on, guys! Let's hurry and catch those thieving Purrloin!" Scott said, then dashed off after the fleeing trio.

The Equestrians were surprised by how fast Scott ran, and he wasn't using Quick Attack as he was already halfway out of town before they could blink. "Wow. He's a speedy puppy, isn't he?" Pinkie asked.

"That's why he trains so much," Johann said. "I heard Riolu could sprint for miles without rest for a whole day. That probably explains where all his excitement and energy comes from."

"Then let's hurry before we lose both of them!" Rainbow said, then flew on ahead, the others following the pursuit at a bit of a slower pace than the Riolu and Starly.

"Good luck, Team Rescue Rangers!" Spoink called out as he watched them disappear down the road.

Running down the path, three feline Pokemon laughed as they escaped Pokemon Square. They had mostly purple fur, though they had violet markings over their green eyes and parts of their bodies had cream-colored fur: their muzzles, shoulders, hind paws, necks, even little oval-shaped markings above each of their eyes. They had tufts of fur from their cheeks and ears, and their long tails at the tips were curved and vaguely scythe-like. Two of them had a sack riding on their backs, each one filled with their haul. After getting far enough away, they came to a stop and looked back before jumping in the bushes. Completely hidden, the Purrloin giggled as they stood up, able to stand on two legs despite looking bipedal, then dug through their "treasures".

"We scored some pretty good loot today," one of them said, all three of their voices feminine.

"Oh yeah, we sure did," the second of the trio giggled, pulling out random amounts of Poké or rare, valuable items.

The third one dug in the other bag, pulling out Spoink's pink pearl. "And nabbing that clumsy Spoink's pearl was way too easy. Too bad we couldn't have roughed him up more because of that town."

"Us Dark-types are completely immune to Psychic-types. Easy targets for us," the first one gloated.

"You don't think we'll get in trouble running into that Riolu, will we?" the second one asked.

The Purrloin let out a perturbed hiss at the mention of the Pokemon they rammed through. "I can't stand dogs," the third one grumbled. "And it's bad enough they're Fighting-types."

"Let's just worry about getting our goods to the boss before someone finally realizes their stuff is gone," the first Purrloin said, the other two nodding in agreement.

As they put all their loot back in their sacks, their ears twitched when they heard fast footsteps coming down the road. Peeking through the brush, they waited for the Pokemon to pass, then get going when the coast was clear. Down the road, Scott grunted as he sprinted down the road, following the footprints the Purrloin left. He skid to a halt as the trail ended, letting out an annoyed huff as he looked around the forest the path split down.

"Drat. They must have gone into the woods," Scott mumbled. Humming, he closed his eyes and focused his aura, the hidden Purrloin watched the Riolu they knocked over back in town curiously, hoping he'd move along and search further down the road. Scott's dread-like appendages floated and stood straight out, focusing hard to expand his inner sight to see beyond the trees. He was able to see maybe twenty to thirty more yards from where he stood, but it should be enough to find the frisky felines if they're slinking in the underbrush. As he scanned his surroundings, he didn't need to search far as he spotted three brighter aura signatures among the faded glow of the plant life around him, and they took the shape of the familiar thieving cats he was searching for. Quickly snapping his eyes open, his appendages drooped back against his head as he crossed his paws across his chest and extended the metal stubs into claws. "Gotcha!"

Quickly shifting his feet, Scott dashed toward the bush, and with a swipe of his Metal Claw, he went through the leaves and skid to a halt with his arms held out. The bush was sliced apart, sparing the Purrloin and revealing them, letting out a shriek in surprise.

"Holy Tauros, that was fast!" the first of the trio exclaimed.

Scott turned around, his metal claws quickly turning back into stumps as he pointed to the thieving Purrloin. "You three cat burglars are in for it now!" he exclaimed. "Hand over your stolen goods and come quietly, or else you deal with Team Rescue Rangers!"

"A rescue team!?" the second Purrloin squeaked.

"We ran into a rescue Pokemon," the third one whimpered. "And it seems like this Riolu's the leader if he caught up with us."

As much as Scott wanted to gloat that he is one of the leaders, he had a job to do, and that was getting Spoink's pearl back. "I won't ask again. Turn yourselves in, or I'll make you."

Scott flexed his paws and crouched in a fighting stance. Having a type advantage against the Purrloin trio, he was going to put these thieves in their place, seeing they weren't going to comply.

"Yo, Scott! Wait for me!" Scott grimaced when the Purrloin turned around. Rainbow Dash swooped down, spotting the thieves and barely paying attention to the startled Riolu. "Aha! There you thieving rats are! Taste wind, kitties!"

Rainbow Dash used Gust, flapping her wings hard to create a powerful gale toward the Purrloin. The trio smirked, then dove away from the gale wind, now headed straight for Scott. Too flabbergasted by Rainbow's dumb sneak attack, the Gust attack struck him, making yell out in pain as he was flung back from the harsh winds, then smacking into a nearby tree with a grunt.

"Make a break for it!" the leader of the Purrloin trio said, then scattered into the woods to escape.

"Hey, get back here!" Rainbow called out. She was about to fly off after the Purrloin when she finally spotted Scott sitting against the tree. "Scott, what are you doing taking a break!?"

"That Gust you aimed at them hit me instead," Scott growled. He stood up, a bit shakily with a hiss after getting struck by a move that was one of his type's few weaknesses. "That really hurt."

"How are you that badly hurt from a small gust like that!?" Rainbow questioned.

"Fighting-types like me are weak to Psychic-, Fairy-, and Flying-type attacks!" Scott listed. "And when you come up to try to block them in, any attacks you fling at them could miss and hit whoever else is in front of you!"

Rainbow just stared blankly at the Riolu. "...Seriously? You're weak to birds?" she questioned skeptically.

"Yes! Did you even bother looking up what your strengths and weaknesses against another Pokemon are!?" Scott yelled angrily. "That's pretty important to know unless you want to get knocked out with one blow!"

"And you're weak to Flying attacks?" Rainbow questioned again.

Scott grumbled irritably, struggling to keep his cool despite having a vein pounding in his head in frustration. "You're reading up on type weaknesses again after this. Now shush. I need to concentrate." Scott calmed himself and focused his aura again to search for the Purrloin. Ignoring Rainbow Dash's unique aura signature, his aura view reached out, managing to spot one of the Purrloin not too far from where they stood, only for the aura to disappear into a cave. "Over this way."

Scott led Rainbow through the woods, carefully trekking through the bushes and around the trees. They soon came upon the cave where he saw the Purrloin flee into, unable to pick up anymore aura signatures inside.

"Nowhere to run now, you thieves!" Rainbow called out. "Come on out!"

"Wait, this...isn't a normal cave," Scott said. "It's not that deep going farther."

"So...what does that mean?" Rainbow asked.

"Find the others and guide them over here. I'll keep an eye out." Rainbow nodded, then flew off to find their other friends. Scott looked in the mouth of the cave, unable to see the back from the sun's lighting, and there was no sign of the Purrloin trio through his aura. "Oh, great. This isn't an ordinary cave, is it?"

A moment later, the others finally arrived, Spike panting as he ran out of breath no thanks to his stumpy limbs. "So...much...traveling," the Gible panted. "I-I...I gotta...get in more shape."

"Where did those Purrloin go?" Johann asked.

"Right here in this cave," Scott said.

"So we got them cornered?" Spike asked, then sighed in relief. "Good. No more running."

Johann stepped closer to the mouth of the cave, bringing his tail closer to illuminate the entrance a bit more. "Hmm...Doesn't look pretty deep."

"Except I can't sense their aura anymore," Scott said. Johann glanced at his friend as the Riolu nodded his head, already guessing what the Charmander was thinking. "I think this cave is a Mystery Dungeon."

"A Mystery Dungeon!?" the Equestrians exclaimed.

"How can you tell this is a Mystery Dungeon?" Twilight asked. "Are there signs? Markings? A strange magical force unexplained and only felt by certain Pokemon?"

"Well, considering my aura's still improving with the training I put myself through, if I concentrate enough, I can see the aura of every living creature in a wide area," Scott explained, peaking Twilight's curiosity. "I can see that look on your face. I can't see that far beyond where I stand, but if I were a Lucario, I could sense the aura of anything from miles away."

"Wow. That's impressive," Fluttershy mumbled.

"So...you can't 'see' those Purrloins' aura?" Rainbow questioned. "Can you only see two feet farther or what?"

Scott growled, giving the Starly a dirty look. "Far beyond your own eyesight," he said.

"What did you say!?" Rainbow exclaimed, diving down and butting her head against Scott's. "You still ticked that you were having a casual conversation with those Purrloin rather than knocking them out!?"

"I'm not just gonna attack like a wild Pokemon, and I would have easily handled them if you didn't intervene and waited for the others so we could corner them!" Scott argued. "And no thanks to your Gust attack, that missed them and hit me, so you gave them and any other Pokemon roaming inside that cave a bit of a handicap!"

The others were surprised by the confrontation they missed, and were shocked hearing Scott getting struck by Rainbow mistake with an attack that he was weak to. "Rainbow Dash, you can't just attack with any of your moves any time you feel like it." Johann said. "You could end up hurting your teammates if you're not careful."

"Fighting-types are weak to Flying-type attacks, too," Twilight added.

"Oh, come on! How does that make any sense!?" Rainbow exclaimed.

"We went over type advantages and disadvantages a while ago, Rainbow," Applejack scolded. "Strange as they may be, ya have to understand that. You're the only one out of us aside from Twilight who can really hurt him."

Rainbow grumbled, still questioning how Scott got that seriously injured by a harsh breeze made by her own wings. Fluttershy walked up to Scott, fretting over him to see if he was badly hurt.

"Fluttershy, I'm not that hurt," Scott assured the worried Buneary. "I'll live, but Rainbow Dash needs to calm down more than me."

"I just want to make sure you're not too hurt if you and Johann are leading us in that cave," Fluttershy said. "Do you need an Oran Berry? Those are the berries that heal you, right?"

"Yeah, but I can tough it out. If we run into those Purrloin, I've got the type advantage to take on Dark-type attacks," he said.

"Don't push yourself too hard or we won't have our ace against the Purrloin," Johann said to Scott. The Riolu nodded, ensuring his team that he wasn't going to be reckless this time. Not when they were about to jump into a Mystery Dungeon. "Ok, guys. Stay together. Who knows what other Pokemon will be roaming around in here."

Together, Team Rescue Rangers filed inside the cave, reaching a stairway in the back of the short cave leading down into the Mystery Dungeon. Once they reached the first floor of the cavern basement, the stairs behind them seemed to have vanished once the last of the group got off the final step. The room they were in was empty with a couple different pathways leading who knows where in the maze-like dungeon.

"Ok, where do we go from here?" Rarity asked.

"Hey, lookie!" Pinkie bounced over to a corner of the room, grabbing some Poké sitting on the ground. "I found some money!...Uhh, we can take it, right?"

"Anything in a Mystery Dungeon is up for grabs," Scott said. "Berries, seeds, accessories, Poké, anyone and everyone can take it."

"Oh, goodie!" Pinkie picked up the Poké with her tail, then hopped back over to Johann to place their free money inside for safekeeping. "More cash for a bash!"

"Just don't wander off too far," Johann warned. "I'm not sure if this dungeon has any, but Mystery Dungeons can sometimes have floor traps that can hurt or disorient us."

"Heh. Lucky for me, I can just hover over the traps," Rainbow gloated.

"They affect every Pokemon, even those who can fly, float, or hover off the ground," Scott mentioned drolly. Rainbow leered at the Riolu with a growl. "That's what we've heard about these Mystery Dungeons. Take the advice or ignore it, but don't come crying to us if you set one off in the future."

"Pth. No dumb trap's gonna stop me," Rainbow muttered.

"Hey, who's over there!?" Down one of the halls came a Pokemon who spotted them. The group turned to face another feline Pokemon, though this one seemed to look like a smaller version of Persian. Similar white fur and a curled tail-tip, but he had a bit of brown fur on his hind legs and the tip of his tail. He stood on his hind legs rather than on all fours like Rarity, Persian, or the Purrloin, four whiskers on his cheeks with two on his head next to its ears, and instead of a red jewel on his forehead, a big gold coin takes its place in the center of his forehead. The Pokemon's big eyes eyed the group, then at their toolbox and Scott and Johann's rescue badges, his charm glinting for a second upon glancing at the box holding their supplies. "Oh. What do we have here? Some rescue team twoips invading the Cat's Den?"

"The Cat's Den?" Rarity asked.

"The name of this here dungeon, toots," the feline said with a shrug. "You're a Skitty. You should know about this place since a lot of cat Pokemon love this place. Myself included."

"More cat Pokemon?" Fluttershy asked, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. "And this one's so cute!"

"What Pokemon is he?" Spike asked.

Twilight took out the very handy Pokedex, opened it, and pointed it at the cat Pokemon. "Meowth. The Scratch Cat Pokemon. A Normal-type. When Meowth encounters something shiny, the charm on its forehead gleams."

"A Meowth, huh?" Twilight uttered. She looked up from the image of the feline Pokemon to the one standing before them. "He almost looks like Persian from the Felicity Bank. Are you related to Persian from Pokemon Square?"

Meowth's ears twitched as his scowl deepened. "No. Persian is what I'll evolve into," he explained. "And I ain't related to no Persian you know of, nor do I want anything to do with those prissy, stuck up cats!"

Taken aback by Meowth's outburst, the rescue team glanced at each other quizzically. "Wait, can Pokemon choose not to evolve?" Twilight asked.

"Its not rare for pre-evolved Pokemon to stay the way they are, but most of them stay that way because some a bit faster than their evolutions, or they learn different moves while training than what they can learn after evolving," Johann explained.

"And he doesn't want to associate with Persians," Scott added. "I can see why with how stingy Persian back in town acts."

Fluttershy began walking toward Meowth, seeing he didn't attack them right away and was probably friendly. "Have you seen three Purrloin run through here?" she asked. "They stole a pearl from a Spoink, and we're here to take it back from them."

"There's lots of Purrloin that run around here," Meowth said. "And with how random these Mystery Dungeons can be, I might not have seen the trio you're hunting down." Fluttershy looked a little disappointed, but she understood considering the explanation about Mystery Dungeons Scott and Johann gave them. "Oh, and by the way, little Buneary-" Meowth smirked, held up his front paws, and unsheathed his claws. "-don't trust any Pokemon you run into in a Mystery Dungeon!"

Meowth yelled and lunged forward with his claws slashing. Fluttershy squeaked and quickly hopped away, avoiding Meowth's Scratch attack and regrouping with her friends.

"Hey, that's not very nice!" Pinkie shrieked.

"I don't play nice, you fluffy puffball!" Meowth said, then charged forward for another Scratch attack.

Scott quickly jumped in, using Metal Claw to block Meowth's claws from harming his friends. "Neither do we, cat!" he said, then let out a grunt and slashed back.

Meowth was knocked back with the sound of something getting sliced through. Meowth growled and held up his claws for another scratch, only to have one set of claws falling off his digits. Glancing at the broken claws, Meowth yowled in pain, hopping around while clutching his hurt paw with tears in his eyes.

"Ahhhh! My poor claws!" he whined while Scott smirked, showing off his tougher, metallic claws. Meowth glared at the Riolu angrily. "You're gonna pay for that, twoip!" Sheathing his other paw's claws, Meowth brought his arms across his face, his coin charm gleaming brightly before swinging his arms down, unleashing a barrage of coins similar coins appearing around him and flung toward the Riolu. "Eat Pay Day, twoip!"

Scott quickly brought his paws up to block the attack, grunting slightly from the coins smacking him and scattering across the ground. The coins changed to Poké once the ones that hit Scott hit the ground.

"Hey, more free money!" Pinkie pointed out.

"That's what Pay Day does; not a strong attack, but it can help get you change in a pinch," Johann explained.

"If Meowth knows that, then how come the Persian in town doesn't use it all the time to get all the money he needs?" Applejack asked.

Johann shrugged his shoulders in response. "I don't know if we should ask him."

Meowth laughed as his attack hit Scott. "How's about that, kid? Cowering at my strength?" he mocked, even though Scott was barely phased. "Now, be a good little bunch of twoips and hand over what other goodies you got in that toolbox before I really put the hurt on ya?"

"Is he joking?" Rainbow asked. "Scott cleaved off some of his claws."

Scott grunted with an amused smirk. In the blink of an eye, he used Quick Attack, startling Meowth as he shortened the distance between them. Before the feline could react, Scott yelled and gave Meowth a swift roundhouse kick against the side of his head. Meowth grunted, sent flying from the much stronger Fighting-type's kick until he smacked into the wall in a daze. Slinking against the wall, Meowth groaned as his eyes spun, easily beaten despite his threats. While Scott dusted off his paws, Pinkie bounced around and gathered up the Poké from Meowth's Pay Day.

"So much for that wannabe cat burglar," Scott said.

Even though Scott was highly confident in his fighting prowess, the others could see his legs shaking a little, still feeling banged up from Rainbow's Gust attack. "How about I take the lead for now, Scott?" Johann suggested.

"What? I'm good. Lots of the cat Pokemon are weak to my type," Scott argued.

"And you already took a hit from an accidental attack from Rainbow Dash and just got struck with Pay Day," the Charmander countered. "You may be tough, but you're not invincible."

"And if you get knocked out, then we lose our ace against the Purrloin since Dark-types are weak to Fighting-types," Twilight added.

Scott grumbled, but he could see neither of his friends were going to back down from his own arguments to push himself to get stronger. Sighing in defeat, he nodded his head. Johann decided to take the lead and picked a direction before handing the toolbox to Twilight since her Confusion attack won't do much if they run into any other Purrloin that Meowth had mentioned. Scott took the rear, forced to recover from his prior injuries, but he can keep watch in case they end up getting ambushed. He didn't like being the backup against Pokemon he could easily trounce with one move, but he was going to keep his mind open to letting the team come up with better decisions and not jump the Sharpedo with his own choices that'll knock him out faster than he can say, "Oops."

The caverns were like a labyrinth, corridors twisting around corners to either wind up in another room or, at worse, a dead end. Luckily, there weren't many that they found as the group traversed into big, opened rooms, some of them with some useful items to keep on their trek. And just like Meowth said, the Cat's Den had mostly feline Pokemon roaming around: Purrloin, Skitty, Meowth, and two other Pokemon the Equestrians have never seen before. One was a Shinx, small, blue and black-furred Electric-type cubs with tufts of fur on their heads and smaller tufts on their cheeks, yellow eyes, yellow fur-bands around their forepaws, yellow star-shaped markings in their ears, a tiny red nose, and a long tail with a yellow star-shaped tip. The other was a Glameow, slender, gray Normal-type cats with crescent-shaped heads with white-tipped ears, a white muzzle, small black nose, pink eyelids, yellow eyes with blue irises, two rows of thin whiskers, white paws, fringes of fur on their necks and legs, and a curled, spring-like tail with a white, fluffy tip. Scott and Johann had to keep Fluttershy from trying to cuddle with the Shinx whenever they bumped into one, finding them adorable and like baby lion cubs, only with electrical shocks sparking from their fur and could shock anyone with strong Electric attacks.

There were only a few floors in this Mystery Dungeon, though it was hard to tell how far they've gone with each new floor looking similar to the last, just with a different maze layout. And the stairs they took to descend when they found them on the previous floor seemed to disappear, trapping them on that floor until they found the stairs to the next. They found some more Poké in piles on the ground, a few assortments of berries, and some clumps of Gravelrock to fling at distant foes to catch their attention or batter them up for an easy victory.

Johann used Ember to knock out a Shinx that was blocking their way into the next room where the next staircase was located. "Oh, I feel so bad for all the poor Shinx we have to fight," Fluttershy whimpered.

"You don't feel bad for the other Skitty, Meowth, or Glameow we ran into earlier?" Rainbow questioned.

"Oh no, I do, but Shinx are just too cute," Fluttershy gushed.

"At least we can tell Rarity apart from the other Skitty thanks to our cutie marks," Pinkie mentioned. "Otherwise, we would have accidentally attacked her if we got surrounded."

"All the better for us to have our own bandannas to tell us apart," Rarity said. "Maybe with enough Poké from this dungeon, I can buy some sewing supplies and make our own." She then looked down at her paws as she walked, letting out a small grumble. "Without my magic, I'll have to figure out how to sew with my hooves alone. Er, paws."

"Uhh, I-I can help with the sewing, Rarity," Spike said to Rarity, flexing his claws on his tiny arms.

"Oh, thank you, Spikey-wikey, but if there's a challenge in fashion, I won't back down from it," Rarity said. Scott snickered as he heard Spike's pet name Rarity gave him, and the Gible was too infatuated with the Skitty to hear him or pay attention to anything but her. "But I do appreciate the help, Spike."

"Anything for you, Rarity," Spike sighed with a goofy grin.

"Oh, jeeze," Scott mumbled with a shake of his head. "What does he see in her?" They soon found the next staircase and headed down, finally reaching what appeared to be the lowest floor of the Mystery Dungeon. There was only one passage leading further ahead and no more split paths or winding trails. Halfway through the corridor, everyone paused when they heard voices come from the room up ahead. "Sounds like our thieves are just ahead."

Sneaking quietly to avoid getting spotted, they inched closer to spy on the three feline perps. They watched the Purrloin gathering their spoils in a pile, Spoink's pearl sitting on the top of the Poké, gems, and jewelry or really expensive-looking accessories. Along with the Purrloin was another feline Pokemon, though it was much bigger. Similar purple fur, but the cream yellow fur was a bit darker than the Purrloins', and had speckled yellow rosettes along its purple fur. The pink around its eyes looked like a mask, and it had two pairs of long whiskers.

"Quite a nice haul you girls acquired today," the Pokemon said, which happened to be male. One of his paws reached for the pink pearl, letting out a curious hum as he picked it up and examined it. "And this...Oh, my. A pink pearl. How did you three manage to get one of these?"

"We 'borrowed' it from a Spoink we accidentally 'bumped' into," the leader of the trio answered, followed by them snickering impishly.

The bigger Pokemon smirked, setting Spoink's pearl back down on the pile. "How very kind of this Spoink for chipping into our charity," he said with a chuckle. "At this rate, we'll be able to get out of this cave and live in the lap of luxury in a huge manor far from this continent and these natural disasters destroying it."

With Johann's tail glowing and could give away their position, Scott moved a bit closer while staying in the shadows to investigate. He watched the thieving group gather today's stolen goods and place it in a bigger pile in a corner of the room with a few hay beds.

"No way. How much money did these guys steal?" Scott uttered to himself. "They must have robbed other Pokemon right under their noses." He snuck back to his friends to relay what he saw. "Those Purrloin are led by a Liepard, and they have a whole lot more treasures they nicked from other Pokemon back in town."

"A Liepard?" Spike asked.

"They're the evolved form of Purrloin, and that's already bad news if a stronger Pokemon's leading them," Johann said.

"And they're no good, rotten thieves," Pinkie grumbled. "No good, rotten thieves don't get any cupcakes. Ever!"

"Let's take back the stuff they stole and kick their flanks into next week!" Rainbow said, but Scott quickly grabbed her by the tail feathers, making her yelp as she was yanked down to the ground. "Hey! What are you doing!?"

"You ever hear of being stealthy?" Scott questioned. "You don't plan anything in advance, do you?"

"Why does everypony keep going for my tail?" Rainbow grumbled.

"Because you're acting like Scott and jumping in without a plan," Twilight said.

"Yeah," Scott agreed. He then leered irritably with a grumble before slowly turning to face Twilight. "Hey, I take offense to that."

"If ya know Rainbow long enough, she pulls these kinds of stunts all the time," Applejack said.

"We need to figure out how to beat them," Johann said. "There's no way they can escape that easily with all the stuff they stole, and they'll more than likely fight us to keep all of it. We'll need to split the Liepard up from the Purrloin and take them out in different groups."

"Well, we're unfortunately down to nine Pokemon with Twilight's Confusion attack useless against Dark-types," Scott mentioned. "But...Ralts are also part Fairy-type, too, and they have moves that can really hurt Dark-types. Don't you know Disarming Voice, Twilight?"

"I'm still learning how to just use my Psychic powers. I haven't had the chance to try using a move like that," Twilight said.

"Then I guess Twilight will stay back and offer support with the stuff we found in the dungeon," Johann suggested, to which Twilight agreed with a nod as she pulled out a small stack of Gravelrocks they gathered. "Pinkie should have gotten strong enough to learn a Fairy-type move while we traveled through the dungeon."

"I did?" Pinkie asked curiously.

Twilight pulled out the Pokedex and looked over Swirlix's data, looking over its moves that it can learn. "There's a Fairy-type attack Swirlix can learn called Fairy Wind."

"Oooh. Sounds pretty," the Swirlix said. "I can give that a try!...If I can figure out how to make fairy wind."

"So I guess it's more up to me, even though I don't know any Fighting-type moves just yet," Scott said. "Johann and I will take on Liepard while the rest of you can handle the Purrloin."

"Yeah. The two of us more experienced fighters against the leader sounds reasonable enough," Johann agreed. "If you guys are ready, let's-"

"HEY! THIEVES!" Everyone balked when they heard Rainbow shout. Scott had let go of the Starly while discussing their plan of attack, and she flew on ahead, bored and itching for a fight. "We got a bone to pick with you!"

"Darn it, Rainbow Dash," Twilight growled.

The rest of the team quickly ran down the hall, finding the Purrloin and Liepard already alerted to Rainbow's presence and now spotting them joining the Starly. "Nyah! It's that Riolu!" one of the Purrloin exclaimed as she pointed at Scott.

"And he's brought friends," the second Purrloin added.

"Hay yeah, we do!" Rainbow said.

"We're not talking about you, you dumb Starly," the third Purrloin said, making Rainbow growl in irritation.

"What'd you call me!?" Rainbow shouted, but Twilight held her brash friend back with Confusion.

"Can it, Rainbow Dash!" Applejack said. "Ya can't go rushin' in when we don't know what these cats can do!"

"And let them try to run off with all the loot they stole!? Like hay I'm gonna just sit still when we're trying to stop evil Pokemon like them!" Rainbow argued.

Liepard chuckled at the dysfunctional group of young rescue Pokemon. "How amusing," Liepard said, then glanced down at his three lackies. "Were you three followed by these children?"

"I kinda thought we lost the Riolu and Starly, but we were pretty close to the Cat's Den before losing them," the first Purrloin answered.

"No matter. Even with their large group, they won't stand a chance," Liepard said. He and the Purrloin trio glanced back to the bickering rescue team, most of them berating Rainbow Dash as she continued arguing back with everyone about making plans before the bad guys could get away. "Let's kick these miscreant runts out of here."

The Purrloin smirked as all four feline Pokemon crouched down. They then lunged forward simultaneously, in sync with each other like a proper team. Fluttershy's drooped ear quickly sprang up as she heard the thieves' footsteps, then quickly looked toward them.

"AHH! Look out!" she shrieked, getting everyone's attention as they turned toward them.

They didn't have time to react. Liepard, leading the pack, quickly jumped over the group, distracting them as the Purrloin moved closer. The trio jumped at them, stopping mere inches from them, then clapped their front paws together simultaneously, unleashing a shockwave that sent the group flying back into Liepard. Everyone cringed in surprise aside from Scott, leaving the others to get rammed by the bigger feline and sent tumbling into a heap between the thieving group while the Riolu jumped away. The group groaned as they struggled to get up, still caught off guard by the Purrloins' strange attack.

"Ugh. Ow. What was that?" Spike asked.

"They just...clapped? And it hurt us?" Applejack questioned.

"Fake Out," Johann grunted. "Only useful on a Pokemon's first turn in a fight. It's weak, but it can make us flinch."

Rainbow looked up, finding Scott the only one of them who was still standing as he faced down Liepard. "Why's Scott not crumpled in the pile with us?"

The Purrloin were just as baffled when their combined Fake Out attacks failed to make Scott flinch. "Heh. Thank you, Inner Focus," Scott said with a cocky smirk.

"Inner what?" Rarity asked. "Is that a move?"

"An ability," Johann explained, getting back up on his feet as he and the others slowly recovered from the triple Fake Out. "He won't get affected by most moves that can make a Pokemon flinch."

"Lucky pup," Liepard uttered. "Shouldn't underestimate a Fighting-type like you."

"Then let me show you what else I've got." Scott charged Liepard with a Quick Attack, letting out a battle cry as he threw a punch at him.

Liepard leapt to the side to avoid Scott, then back away as he planted his feet against the wall and pushed off to continue pursuing the purple feline. Scott kept the leader split from his Purrloin followers, exactly how they intended before Rainbow nearly messed their plan up, letting Johann handle them until their other friends recovered. While keeping Liepard distracted, Johann used Ember to keep the Purrloin back as they tried to rush them and swipe their claws at them. It didn't take long for the Equestrians to get back on their feet, ready to fight back, although Twilight was completely helpless with Confusion as her only attack move while they were facing Dark-types.

"You guys ok now?" Johann asked.

"Yeah. At least that's only going to happen once, right?" Twilight asked.

"We've still got more tricks up our sleeves!" one Purrloin said.

Pinkie began to giggle at the Purrloin's statement. "But you guys don't have sleeves. Or pants, or even scarves like Scotty and Johnny. OOH! Maybe Rarity can make you some if you turn yourselves-"

While Pinkie was going on a tangent, the Purrloin charged forward, one heading straight for the Swirlix and tried to scratch her with her claws. Pinkie squealed and hopped away from one as the other two attacked the others. One headed straight for Twilight, but Rainbow sideswiped the Purrloin, ramming into the Dark-type hard with a swift Tackle.

"Trick this, you thief!" Rainbow shouted, then blew the Purrloin back with Gust.

"Yeah, I think you guys got this," Johann said, leaving their friends to handle the Purrloin while he ran over to where Scott and Liepard were fighting to help his partner.

Scott and Liepard continued dashing across their half of the room, each one avoiding the other's lunges and respective claws. Liepard tried to scratch Scott with Fury Swipes, but the limber Riolu leapt and vaulted backwards. "You're quite agile, little pup," Liepard complimented, but Scott didn't get the chance to reply with a snarky comeback. Liepard suddenly dashed forward, leaving behind a splitting afterimage before reappearing as he rams into the Riolu hard. Scott grunted as he was pushed back, startled more by the Feint Attack than the weak amount of damage it dealt with his strength against Dark-type attacks, then was pounced and pinned down by the big feline Pokemon. "But it's not enough for the likes of me."

Liepard was blindsided by Johann's Ember attack, hissing in pain as he leapt off of Scott. Johann ran up to his friend, helping him back on his feet.

"Luckily, I've got a great partner backing me up," Scott said, brushing the dirt off his fur. Liepard stared down the two young Pokemon, ignoring the slightly singed fur on his side. "You're in for it now, Liepard. Johann, let's give him a real burn with your Flamethrower."

Johann nodded, then took in a deep breath. Liepard crouched, preparing to dodge the incoming fire breath. Johann exhaled heavily, only for a puff of smoke to escape his opened maw. The three Pokemon stood silently, ignoring the background fight between the Equestrians and Purrloin trio as they processed what happened. Scott's confidence quickly waned as sweat began to bead down the back of his and his friend's heads.

"...Uhh..." Johann grimaced, trying again to use Flamethrower, but he kept exhaling puffs of smoke.

Liepard smirked in amusement, relaxing his stance as he watched the Charmander struggle to breathe a blast of fire. "Uhh, Johann, I said Flamethrower, not a pitiful Smokescreen," Scott grumbled nervously.

"I-I'm trying!" Johann said with another smokey breath, getting more anxious with each failed attempt. "I-I don't know why I can't!"

"You did it before with that Snorlax!" Scott exclaimed. "And you know the move when you still kept Ember! How can you NOT use it!?"

"I said I don't know!" Johann exclaimed right back, getting more frustrated and began trembling.

Before Scott could try to figure out what gave his friend such a strange case of stage fright, Liepard dashed toward them, quickly spinning and smacking Scott back with his tail, sending him tumbling away, then faced Johann. "A Charmander who can't use Flamethrower. You children really are in over your heads, aren't you?" Johann tried to steel his nerves and tried using Flamethrower again, but he just kept blowing out smoke. Liepard chuckled in response to the Charmander's attempts to burn him, then slapped him away with his paw, sending Johann to the ground. "Veteran rescuers will let any child be a part of a rescue team nowadays."

Scott yelled and rammed into Liepard with Quick Attack, pushing the Pokemon away from his friend. "We'll show you we have what it takes to be rescue Pokemon!"

Liepard hissed, retaliating as the feline and canine Pokemon went back to their speedy duel. Johann got back up, shaking his head from the smack, composing himself before jumping back in, using Ember instead of Flamethrower to avoid embarrassing himself and disappointing his friend. On the other side of the room, the remaining team members from thieves and rescue team were going at it in different groups: Rarity and Spike facing one Purrloin, Rainbow Dash with the second, Pinkie and Applejack with the third, and Twilight and Fluttershy on the sidelines to jump in if their friends need help, even though Twilight can't do much until she figures out how to use Disarming Voice.

While their friends fought, Twilight pulled out the Pokedex to get their opponents' entries in the little device if they ever run into anymore of these Pokemon. "Purrloin, the Devious Pokemon. A Dark-type. Purrloin fools people into letting their guard down so it can steal their possessions. When angered, it uses its claws to fight back." Twilight looked up, watching Pinkie bouncing around and distracting hers and Applejack's Purrloin, giving the Yamper an opportunity to zap the cat Pokemon with Nuzzle. Rainbow was flying circles around her opponent on her own, and Rarity and Spike double Tackled their Purrloin, sandwiching the Purrloin and knocking the wind out of her. She then focused on Scott and Johann and their fight with Liepard, though they seemed to be having a bit of trouble with the evolved Pokemon. "Liepard, the Cruel Pokemon and the evolved form of Purrloin. A Dark-type. Well-known for its beauty, Liepard uses the element of surprise when battling opponents, attacking before they react."

"Liepard's pretty strong," Twilight noted. "Fairy and Fighting-type moves could do so much more damage, but I have no idea how to use Disarming Voice."

"Twilight, does that also show what moves Pokemon can use?" Fluttershy asked curiously.

"I'm not sure. Maybe it does." Twilight scrolled through the Pokedex, accessing Ralts's information, and as luck would have it, it showed what moves it can learn. "Huh? Disarming Voice is one of the first moves a Ralts can learn? I had an attack before Confusion???"

"Maybe you can use it," Fluttershy said. "How does it work?"

"It says, 'Letting out a charming cry, the user does emotional damage to opposing Pokemon. This attack never misses.'" Twilight read aloud. "So, do I just...scream?"

"Twilight, Fluttershy, look out!" Rainbow called out.

Looking up from the Pokedex, Fluttershy and Twilight yelled in surprise as the Purrloin Rainbow faced slipped from the fast Starly and charged straight for them. Fluttershy bounced away with her powerful legs, but Twilight wasn't so lucky. The Purrloin rammed into her and pinned the Ralts down, noticing the Pokedex she had in her hand.

"Ooh. What's that?" the Purrloin asked. "Must be pretty expensive. Hope you don't mind if we add it to our haul after we knock you rescue team wannabes out."

Purrloin raised her paw, ready to strike, but Twilight wasn't going to let this thieving Pokemon take away something that can hold vast information on the species of this world. "Hope this works. Disarming Voice!"

Taking in a quick breath, Twilight let out a harmonizing wail, releasing a pink aura wave with different music notes and hearts flowing within the aura. The song-like soundwave hit the Purrloin point blank, making her yowl in pain as she was flung off the Ralts. Purrloin hit the ground with a painful grunt, damaged severely by the super effective type. The other two Purrloin heard their friend getting hurt, quickly running from their foes to help her up.

"Hey, get back here! You can't run away from this battle!" Pinkie exclaimed. She hopped after them, only for one of them to hiss at the Swirlix and swipe at her with her claws. "Eek! Hey, make up your mind! Oooh, you kitty cats are making me so angry, I could just-!" Wagging her tail wildly in frustration, Pinkie began to unintentionally pick up a strange, sparkling dust around her. Pinkie then flipped and let out a yell, blowing the dust at the Purrloin. The trio yelled in pain as they were struck by her Fairy Wind, all three of them sent tumbling away from the sparkling wind attack. Pinkie blinked, then looked at her tail with a big grin on her face. "Hey! I think I did my Fairy Wind attack thingie! I didn't need to blow any wind at all; just with my tail!"

"Well, ya finished them off," Applejack mentioned as she pointed her paw to the downed Purrloin, each of them groaning in agony while slumped in a pile. "That Fairy Wind did a number on them."

With the Purrloin defeated, the girls and Spike quickly ran up to Twilight, Fluttershy quickly helping the unicorn-turned-Ralts back on her feet. "Are you ok, Twilight? I'm so sorry. I should have fought back."

"I'm fine. I just can't believe I figured out how to use that move," Twilight said.

"At least we're all ok," Spike said. The Equestrians winced when they heard Scott yell as he was bashed hard by Liepard, turning in time to watch the Riolu rolling into the thieves' hoard of stolen treasures. The Poké, gems, and other assortment of shiny, expensive currency and accessories buried the Riolu as he let out a groan. "Uhh, I completely forgot about the Liepard."

Johann struggled to keep up with Liepard, avoiding the feline's sharp claws, only to lose sight of him when he used Feint Attack. As soon as Liepard reappeared, he slammed into Johann and knocked him on his back with a thud. The Charmander crawled back, blowing out smoke as he desperately tried to use Flamethrower as Liepard prowled toward the Fire-type.

"What's Johann doing? Why's he blowing out smoke?" Rarity questioned.

"Oh no. Did he lose his ability to breathe fire?" Fluttershy asked worriedly.

"We gotta help him! Come on, guys!" Rainbow flew off, dive bombing onto the Liepard with her talons.

Liepard roared, swatting away the Starly while she continued to pester and distract him from Johann. "We'll keep him away from Johann!" Applejack said. "Twilight, Fluttershy, help Scott!"

The Ralts and Buneary nodded, racing off to help Scott while the others charged in to attack Liepard. Scott was already trying to pull himself out of the treasure pile, grunting in effort to climb out. Twilight and Fluttershy helped dig him out, grabbing one of his arms and pulled him out. From the pile, Spoink's pearl rolled down, bumping into Fluttershy's foot. She picked up the pink pearl, making sure to keep it safe and return it to Spoink.

"Ugh. Who let the Tauros out of their pen?" Scott mumbled, holding his hand with one paw, but clutched a disc he grabbed while pulling himself out of the treasure pile.

"If a Tauros is some sort of bull, I think they would make much more of a mess," Fluttershy said.

Twilight dug into the toolbox, pulling out an Oran Berry, then used her Confusion to split the berry in half, keeping the other for Johann after getting him to safety. "Open wide," Twilight said, plopping the one half for the dazes Riolu into his mouth. The moment he bit down on the berry, he quickly chewed it up and swallowed, feeling more energized with a sigh of relief. "Why do you have a knack for getting knocked out of the loop?"

"That Liepard's stronger than he looks," Scott said.

"Don't you know any Fighting-type moves to help you?" Fluttershy asked.

"Er...not at my current strength," he admitted bashfully. He was about to rub the back of his head, only to grimace when he bumped the disc against his noggin. "Hmm? What the heck am I...?" Scott looked at the disc, never realizing he grabbed a TM buried under all the treasure while struggling to free himself. "They even stole TMs, too? Why these if they can't use whatever moves they hold?"

"Maybe to sell for a quick bit," Twilight said. "What's even on it?"

"Not a...clue..." As Scott stared at the reflective side of the disc, he trailed off when he felt something strange coming from the TM.

It was odd, but whatever move was contained inside, he seemed to understand how it's done. He didn't know how these discs granted other Pokemon moves they couldn't learn through training, but the reflective side shimmered, making him gasp as the move within it was instantly given to him. The reflection faded away, leaving the TM empty. A few seconds of silence passed before Scott slowly lifted his paws, feeling the new move it gave him flowing through him.

"Scott? Are you alright?" Fluttershy asked, feeling worried as she and Twilight noticed the Riolu staring into space.

Their attention was soon brought back their friends' fight with Liepard, hearing the girls and Spike grunting as Liepard used Feint Attack on them all to scatter them away. "I'm starting to get really annoyed by you pests!" Liepard snarled. He faced Scott, Twilight, and Fluttershy, only for his eyes to widen in shock when he spotted the TM that was in the Riolu's paw. "That TM...You didn't...?"

Scott smirked, dropping the empty TM, then clenched his paws. "I did," he said. "Thanks for tossing me into your hoard. I really needed that." Suddenly, a small gust of wind began to billow around him, startling Fluttershy and Twilight as they backed away from him. The wind was a light blue as it swirled around him and to his outstretched paws. Bringing them together, they began to form a small sphere of wind. "Might not be an Aura Sphere, but this'll be good practice for when I learn it."

"No you don't!" Liepard shouted, using Feint Attack again to reach the Riolu.

Anticipating his attacking, Scott leapt back, pulling one of his arms back, which now carried the sphere of wind alone. "Vacuum Wave!" he shouted, then thrust his arm toward Liepard.

A swirling gust of wind shot out from his paw, flying swiftly at the stunned Liepard. The beam of wind struck, making the feline yell out in pain from the super effective attack as he was knocked back hard. Crashing to the ground, Liepard grunted, but he wasn't down just yet. The others of the rescue team stared in awe as Scott smirked, flexing the digits on his paws after using Vacuum Wave for the first time.

"Wow. Was that some sort of Flying-type move?" Rainbow asked. "Can I do that?"

While the others were relieved to see Scott learning a powerful move from the TM he luckily snagged from the thieving felines, Johann stared at his friend, looking heavily disappointed; not at his friend, but at himself. Lost in his thoughts, he was snapped back to reality when Fluttershy helped him back up on his feet, giving him the other half of the Oran Berry Twilight split. Johann silently nodded his head, taking the berry half and slowly chewed on it. The others regrouped with Scott, Twilight, and Fluttershy, the Riolu looking at Twilight with a wink and flexing his arm.

"I think I found the perfect starting Fighting-type move," he gloated, disappointed Rainbow Dash after hearing what type Vacuum Wave was.

Twilight rolled her eyes. "Don't get too carried away, now."

"How is that a Fighting move!? It uses wind! Air!" Rainbow complained, only to groan in frustration. "Ugh, I give up. I'm just gonna have to go along with however anything in this world works and stop questioning things."

"Hey, just like me!" Pinkie chimed in. They all heard Liepard groan as he shakily tried to stand up. "Uh oh. He's still up."

"Then let's end this with a triple finish," Scott suggested, glancing at Twilight and Pinkie. Both Pokemon grinned confidently, nodding to the Riolu, then stepped forward to deal a triple finishing blow to the leader of the thieving Pokemon. "Let's go, girls!"

"Disarming Voice!"

"Fairy Wind!"

"Vacuum Wave!"

All three attacks fired simultaneously toward Liepard, the swirling vortex beam flying through the pink soundwave while spiraling the sparkling fairy dust inside. Liepard looked up, bracing himself as he couldn't muster the strength to dive out of the way. The triple attack struck him as he let out a yell in pain and sent flying back across the room. Liepard crashed into the wall, then fell forward, his eyes swirling as he was knocked out and finally beaten. Waiting a few seconds to be sure that he wasn't going to get back up, Pinkie cheered and bounced around in victory.

"Yay! We did it! We did it! Oh yeah, yeah, yeah!" the Swirlix chanted.

"That was quite a beautiful combination," Rarity said. "Ooh, if I had some sewing supplies, I've got enough inspiration to make some fabulous new dresses!"

"I'd call this a job well done," Scott said as he grabbed his rescue team badge. "Let's call in Magnezone to haul these cat burglars away and give back all the stolen goods to everyone they robbed."

Scott's badge began to glow, teleporting every single Pokemon in the room out of the Cat's Den, including the treasures Liepard and the Purrloin trio stole.

The rescue team made their way back to Pokemon Square after the criminals were apprehended. Magnezone was summoned by Scott's and Johann's badges, taking away the thieves along with the stolen money and items to return to their rightful owners while they kept Spoink's pearl to give back to him. They found Spoink in the center of town, hopping back and forth worriedly about his stolen pearl.

"Hey, Spoink!" Scott called out, getting the Psychic-type pig's attention. "Good news! We caught the frisky felines and their leader at their hideout!"

"Oh? Is...Is that all?" Spoink asked nervously, fearing there would be bad news.

Thankfully for Spoink, Fluttershy walked up to him, and she was holding his stolen pearl. "We got your pearl back, too," she said.

"Ahh! Oh, thank you!" Spoink squealed with glee. He bounced up to the Buneary, then lowered his head to let her place the pearl atop his head. Spoink laughed joyously and hopped in place with his tiny arms against his head. "I never thought I'd get it back! Thank you again...uhh, I don't think I got the name of your team."

"We're Team Rescue Rangers," Scott said.

"Rescue Rangers. Sounds fitting for a big group like you!" Spoink complimented. After calming down from getting his important possession back, Spoink pulled out a few seeds. "I don't really have much on me besides these Blast Seeds. I hope this might be enough for a reward for all your hard work?"

Scott chuckled and rubbed his snout cheekily in response. "Just happy to help, but if you insist, I guess those might come in handy to surprise our foes. Right, Johann?" Looking to the Charmander for his approval, along with everyone else, Scott's grin faded as he noticed his friend looked miserable. It was starting to get frustrating for the Riolu to not notice the change in his friend's mood, especially through his aura. "Johann?"

"Huh?" Snapping out of his daze, Johann noticed everyone was staring at him. "Uhh...Y-Yeah. That's...that's fine," he said, trying to give a reassuring grin, but he wasn't fooling his teammates.

Spoink gave the Blast Seeds to Fluttershy, thinking everything was fine with the Charmander. "If I ever need help with anything, I know who to come to first!"

Spoink bounced off on his merry way after waving goodbye to Team Rescue Rangers. "So, we got dumb seeds as a reward," Rainbow mumbled.

"Blast Seeds cause an explosion when thrown at someone. Or, if you munch on it, you can literally blow the blast in their face," Scott said. Fluttershy squeaked at the explanation as the Equestrians looked panicked, the Buneary carefully and slowly placing the seeds in the toolbox that Twilight still carried. Scott laughed at everyone's cautious reaction. "They're not gonna blow up if you drop them. It takes a lot of effort for those things to blow up on anyone."

"Still ain't a good idea carryin' somethin' that's like a bomb waitin' to go off," Applejack chided.

"At least we got something out of chasing and fighting those Pokemon," Twilight said.

"And to celebrate on a mission success, berry smoothies on me!" Scott said.

"Yay!" Pinkie and Spike cheered while the girls all voiced their agreements on their reward for the hard work they did today.

"You guys head back to the base while Johann and I get the smoothies." The Equestrians nodded, then headed back to the base while wondering how good the berries in this world would taste in a blended beverage. As soon as their friends were out of sight, Scott draped his arm around Johann's shoulders, casually guiding him to the town's malt shop. "You know, when I mentioned berry smoothies, I thought you'd be the first to jump at the chance to get the first one. You're addicted to those things."

"O-Oh...Uhh, I'm...not really all that thirsty," Johann uttered.

"You're upset again," Scott said, knowing full well his friend wouldn't turn down a berry smoothie. "Is it about what happened against Liepard? Your Flamethrower not coming out?" Johann stopped, making the Riolu stop as well. Releasing his friend, he gently patted the Charmander's back. "Hey, I may have sounded a bit miffed back there, but we were under a bit of pressure. And you know me; I always underestimate how good we are against some tough foes and get in over my head." Scott chuckled, trying to help assuage Johann's self-doubts, but he was still disappointed in his part against Liepard. "Maybe you choked? I put a lot of pressure on you and you got some stage fright or something."

"I wasn't afraid. I was ready to stop Liepard," Johann said, letting out a depressed sigh. "I don't know why my Flamethrower failed. I kept trying and trying, but...it just didn't want to come out."

"Because you're afraid you would have burnt any of us by mistake?" Scott asked, trying to find the answer. Johann shook his head in response. "Is it your ability and you afraid of going into a rage and hurting us?"

Johann shook his head harder, getting more frustrated with the questioning. "I don't know why! I just kept trying and looked stupid in front of Liepard!" he shouted, startling Scott. Panting slightly, Johann calmed his anger with a depressed sigh and turned away from Scott. "...I'm some co-leader. I let all of you down when you put all your faith in me. Without that Vacuum Wave TM you found in their hoard, we wouldn't have stood a chance..."

"Hey, come on, don't think that. We'll just keep on training and get better," Scott reassured. "If you get stronger, you'll use Flamethrower easily." Johann looked over his shoulder, feeling unsure about his friend's idea. "Let's just take it easy for now and get those smoothies. I'll buy you your favorite one, extra large size~."

Johann stared at the cheeky grin on his friend's face as he teased him with his favorite smoothie flavor. "...You're buying, you said?" he asked as he turned back around, crossing his arms against his chest. The Riolu nodded silently in response. "...With OUR team's Poké from our bank?"

"We made a lot from our other two jobs, and we'll probably get more if Liepard and his crew had a bounty," Scott reasoned.

Johann blankly stared at Scott, finally giving up the staring contest and walked past him, giving him a light punch in the arm. "Make it extra EXTRA large," he said.

Scott smirked and let out a chuckle before catching up with his friend. "Alright. But you're gonna be carrying that massive cup on your own. I've got eight other smoothies to take back, too."

Laundry Mishap

It was early morning in Team Rescue Ranger's base as both Scott and Johann were up and headed into town, letting their new friends sleep in after the long day through the Cat's Den. They stopped by the Kecleon Bros. store to pick up a little something for the Equestrians, and as luck would have it, the two Kecleon twins had just what they needed today. They purchased several scarves that were on sale, one for each of them and a different color: purple, pink, yellow, orange, blue, white, and green. The scarves were just basic colors, but it'll help them stand out as being part of their rescue team.

"Wait till they get a load of these," Johann said. "I think these scarves are perfect for them."

"At least Rarity won't complain about fashionwear for a while," Scott said. They soon returned to their base, where they could see Applejack already up and about. The Yamper was digging a few plots, starting the team's future berry grove. "Morning, Applejack!"

Applejack looked up from her digging, waving to the two Pokemon. "Mornin', y'all," she greeted back. She was about to return to her digging when she noticed the new accessories the Riolu and Charmander had in their arms. "What'cha got?"

"Some new scarves for you and the others," Johann said. "There weren't many of them that were the same color, but we hope this'll suffice."

"Eh. Rarity will find a way to spruce them up. Even yours," Applejack chuckled. She grabbed the orange scarf and put it on, finding it a little strange being able to grab the cloth with her paws rather than hooves. "Now it'll feel like we're really a part of the team."

"Hey, Scott, why don't you give the others their scarves. I'm gonna help Applejack with setting up our new grove," Johann said, then licked his lips. "And soon, have all the berries we can mix into delicious smoothies."

"Fine, you tubby fire lizard," Scott teased, taking the other scarves Johann carried before he got them dirty. "After that, we're doing some serious training. We'll get that fire burning in your gut before you know it." Johann nodded, then made his way to the plots with Applejack to learn how to farm their new berry trees. Scott headed inside the base, where the other girls and Spike were starting to wake up. "Morning, recruits. How'd you all sleep?"

"Ugh. Still pretty exhausted," Twilight said as she stretched her arms. "Who knew our first Mystery Dungeon would have left me this tired?"

"Maybe because you don't go out much, egghead," Rainbow teased with a snicker, earning a deadpanned leer from the Ralts.

"Wait until we go through even tougher dungeons in the future," Scott said. "Instead of traveling for a couple hours, we could be in a long one for weeks."

"Weeks? Without a break or rest?" Rarity questioned in shock. "I'd be all dirty and grimy on top of being exhausted. And if I plan a spa day, I'd better not have to reschedule when I need my most important relaxing sessions."

Scott sighed and shook his head. "Well, being in a rescue team's not all about luxury when there's Pokemon that need to be rescued." Ignoring whining for beauty needs, Scott held out the scarves for them to see. "Anyway, Johann and I went to the Kecleon Bros. store and got you guys some scarves."

"Awesome!" Spike cheered. He approached the Riolu and snagged the green scarf, which was a more lighter shade than Johann's. Spike tried to put his on, but his tiny arms weren't able to reach behind his neck as he grunted while attempting to tie his scarf. "Ok, not awesome. Stupid tiny arms." Scott set the scarves down on the little table so the rest of the girls can get theirs, then helped the Gible put his scarf on. "Thanks. These look pretty cool."

"Well, these are so...plain," Rarity said. She watched her other friends take their scarves and put them on: Twilight with purple, Rainbow with blue, Pinkie with pink, and Fluttershy with yellow, leaving the Skitty with the white one. "Oh well. Once I figure out how to sew with these paws, I'll make sure these all look absolutely fabulous."

As Scott watched the rest of the Mane Six put on their new accessories, he glanced at Pinkie, who had her scarf on immediately while the others were still tying theirs. He knew Swirlix didn't have arms, and her tail wouldn't be able to tie knots on its own, but one second his eyes were off of her, she's already got it perfectly worn around her fluffy cotton candy body. He shouldn't question it, and he was going to avoid questioning it as more important matters with him and Johann were his top priority at the moment.

"Ok. It's gonna be a free day for today, guys," Scott said. "You can do an easy mission or relax, just make sure to let me and Johann know so you don't end up in any trouble with rogue Pokemon."

"Okie dokie lokie, sir, captain, sir!" Pinkie said, making a mock salute with her tail and her tongue sticking out while wearing a serious expression on her face.

"...Right. Just...don't do anything...weird," Scott advised Pinkie, then went back outside to get Johann for some training.

"Sweet. A whole day off," Rainbow said. "I've been meaning to catch up on my power naps."

"We literally just woke up, Rainbow Dash," Spike said.

"Exactly. I need all the energy I need to chase down anymore no-good thieves like those Purrloin," Rainbow said, then flew off to find a comfortable tree to perch on for her power nap.

"Well, if we've got the whole day to ourselves, I'm going to help myself to the guild library and do some more research," Twilight said, rubbing her hands giddily before racing out the door.

"Oh, wait, Twilight! I want to come, too!" Fluttershy called out, hopping after the eager Ralts. "I want to see what other cute baby Pokemon there are in this world!"

Spike and Rarity watched Twilight and Fluttershy disappearing down the road toward Pokemon Square. Spike sighed, glad to not be responsible cleaning up after Twilight with her usual reading binges. Hopefully, she didn't get kicked out for hogging any books from the other guild members. He looked out to the other side of the road, where Scott and Johann were prepping themselves for their sparring match.

"I'm just gonna watch them practice," Spike said to Rarity. "Maybe get some battling pointers. And figure out how to breathe fire as a Gible." Spike took in a deep breath, then blew heavily, only letting out air with no embers or a lick of flame coming out. "I kinda miss that part of being a dragon...even though I still am a dragon."

"Whether you can breathe fire or not, you're still the same, lovable baby dragon, Spikey-wikey," Rarity said, startling the Gible as she nuzzled him.

Spike giggled sheepishly, his cheeks turning a bright pink from feeling his crush's cheek against his. "W-Well...uhh, heheh, I...I'm gonna...just go...over there," he stammered before sprinting off to join the male Pokemon and watch their battle.

Rarity tittered, finding a little entertainment in making the baby dragon bashful with his obvious crush he fails to hide. Finding nothing to do, Rarity decided to spruce up the base a little, and while she cleaned, figure out what to add onto their new scarves.

Scott grunted as he leapt away from Johann, avoiding the Charmander's sharp claws as he charged toward him. Scott skid to a halt, grabbed both of Johann's hands, then started pushing him back as the Fire-type's feet skid against the ground. Johann growled, doing his hardest to push his partner back while Scott pushed harder and picked up speed. Both Pokemon were coated in dirt and clumps of grass, making a mess of their training field after only an hour of nonstop sparring.

"Come on, Johann! Where's that muscle under your tubby, scaly belly!?" Scott taunted, driving his friend to push himself harder. "Munchlax have more muscle under their fat!"

"Grgk! Taking...it...too far!" Johann grunted. He managed to slow Scott's pushing, only to lose his footing and slid forward. Scott quickly released his friend's claws, then slammed his paws down on the Charmander's back, slamming him to the ground. Groaning, Johann rolled onto his back, panting heavily as he stared at the sky, which was then blocked by the Fighting-type canine's head as he looked down at him. "Ok. I think...I'm done."

"Alright, let's take five." Scott held his paw out to Johann, who immediately took it and was helped back up on his feet by the Riolu.

"How do you have so much energy?" Johann questioned.

"I've got plenty of energy to burn in a whole day," Scott said with a toothy grin. "But you're doing a good job keeping up with me."

"I can't do it forever, though," Johann mumbled.

"Wow. I don't know if I can be as good as you two," Spike said. He got both their attention, almost forgetting the Gible was standing on the sidelines watching them train. "I'm so short and...tubby. Even more so than I was as a normal dragon."

"I think you did pretty well for your first time fighting as a Pokemon," Scott said. "Just wait until you evolve into a Gabite. You'll do much more when you grow out of your small size. Just ask Johann."

"Will you stop making fun of my belly?" Johann grumbled with a deadpanned leer.

"I was actually talking about your height, but you said it, not me." Scott patted Johann's stomach teasingly with a cheeky smirk.

The Charmander smacked his friend's paw away. "A Gabite, huh?" Spike pondered. "Wonder what that looks like...Oh! I think Twilight left that Pokedex thing in the base. Maybe I can see what I'll evolve into with that."

"Uhh...I don't know how that thing works, but maybe it can," Scott said.

"Still afraid of that thing?" Johann asked, giving him a teasing smirk this time.

The Riolu grumbled bitterly before stomping off to the base. Spike and Johann followed, but just as they were about to enter the base, Rarity jumped out from the entrance, startling Scott as he stepped back.

"Not another step in here, mister!" Rarity scolded, then pointed a paw at Johann. "You too, Johann!"

"W-What's your deal, Rarity?" Scott questioned.

"Do you two have any idea how filthy you two are!?" the Skitty exclaimed. Scott and Johann looked down at themselves, noticing how dirty they got from their sparring session. "I just cleaned our base, and I don't want to see a single dirty footprint anywhere in here!"

The three boys peeked around the Skitty, noting how much cleaner the inside of the base looked: the hay beds were neatly formed, some mail they got was stacked perfectly on the table, even some of the berries they had for food were arranged in piles by their type. "...Wow," Johann uttered. "Definitely clean."

"And you two are the exact opposite," Rarity reminded the two team leaders. She glanced at their scarves, which were just as dirty as their bodies. "Your scarves need a good washing as well. Take those off so I can get those cleaned while you go and wash yourselves at the pond."

"A little dirt never hurt anyone," Scott said.

"You are living with several ladies, and it's not gentlecoltly of you to leave your abode like a pigsty," Rarity lectured the Riolu, finding his opinions on filth similar to that of a real dogs with his canine appearance. "If you were to find another girl Riolu, would she be glad to see you covered in muck?"

Scott sighed heavily, already getting frustrated being forced out of his own base by one of his own teammates, and she just so happened to be a neat freak as well as being prissy and into clothing fashions. "I'm never going to get the strange customs you have in your world." Rarity continued staring defiantly at Scott and Johann, refusing them entrance to their own base until they obeyed her whims. "...You're really not going to let us in, are you?" She shook her head in response. Scott grumbled, giving in as he untied his scarf around his neck. "Fine, but let me remind you again, Rarity. I treasure this scarf, and I don't want it ruined or lost."

"If you 'treasured' it, you should probably take much better care of it," Rarity uttered under her breath, making Scott's ears twitch with an annoyed growl. He gave his scarf to Rarity, who immediately cringed as she could smell just how filthy the scarf was. "Egh! It reeks! You've never so much as washed this thing ONCE in your life!?"

"That makes that scarf so much more valuable to me!" Scott argued. Rarity cringed, using her paw to grab the red scarf, refusing to carry that in her tiny mouth. She then glanced at Johann, waiting for him to give her his scarf, but the Charmander seemed hesitant and nervous. Scott noticed, though his annoyance toward Rarity's prissiness overlooked how his friend was feeling. "Just give her the scarf, Johann. She's just gonna keep whining about 'dirt' and 'smells' all day, and she's going to kick us out of OUR base."

Johann cringed, mumbling under his breath as he twiddled his fingers anxiously. "U-Uhhh...B-But..." Johann knew not to argue with a female over something as petty as cleanliness. And with Rarity, Spike, and the other girls from a different world, they lived in different ways compared to how Pokemon like he and Scott live out theirs. The look Rarity gave him and his friend's impatient foot-tapping made him cave in, letting out a sigh as he untied the knot behind his neck. "O-Ok..."

"Thank you," Rarity said as she took Johann's scarf. "Now, off you go to get a bath. And make sure to get behind your ears."

Scott growled, glaring daggers at Rarity. "W-Wait, I can't take a bath!" Johann exclaimed. "I'm a Fire-type, remember? And I can't get my tail wet. I guess I can't-" Before the Charmander could pass by the Skitty, thinking he got away with a good excuse, Rarity's tail flicked from behind the entrance, tossing a pair of sponges at Scott and Johann. They both caught them, staring at the sponges quizzically. "Uhh, w-what?"

"You can take a sponge bath, Johann," Rarity said. "Just soak the sponge and rub it over your body. Your tail won't go out, and you can get yourself cleaned without jumping into a bath. Or pond, since that's the closest source of water."

Johann whimpered and hung his head. "Where'd you find these?" Scott questioned.

"How else do you think I got the cleaning supplies?" Rarity responded with her own question. "Sadly, not many Pokemon in town have any proper cleaning chemicals, but I'll make due with only clean water."

"You bought stuff without telling us!?" Scott exclaimed. "How much did they even-!?"

"Get going before I have to force you to take a bath like a bad puppy!" Rarity interrupted, her shrieking voice making the Riolu wince.

"Ok, ok, fine! Sheesh!" Scott grabbed his friend's arm, dragging him off to the pond. "I swear, some females are so pushy."

As soon as the pair disappeared into the trees, Rarity let out a sigh. "They behave like little foals," she mumbled. Scott's whiny complaining reminded her of her little sister, Sweetie Belle, which made her miss the unicorn filly. "Oh, I hope Sweetie Belle is alright." All she could hope was that they'll find a way back home soon. Looking down at the scarves, she grimaced at the dirty accessories, then to Spike, who had been silently watching them "discussing" their living arrangements. "...Spikey?"

"Yes, Rarity?" the Gible asked.

"Would you mind helping me clean these?" Rarity asked. "And maybe after, help me make a laundry line?"

Her eyes may have been in a permanent squint as a Skitty, but she didn't need to flutter her eyelashes to entice Spike. "Anything for you, Rarity," Spike dreamily sighed, grabbing Scott and Johann's scarves and skipping inside.

Rarity watched him approach the bucket of water she used to clean the base. "Remember not to ruin Scott's scarf," she reminded Spike as he began to wash the scarves. "At least, not as much as it already seems to be."

Spike nodded, making sure to be super careful with Scott's scarf. "Right. Not a single scratch will come to-" As he grabbed the green scarf, Spike's claws brushed against something that was a bit rough around one section. "Hmm? What the...?" Pulling Johann's scarf out of the water, he felt around the strange bump. "That's odd."

"What is it, Spike?" Rarity asked.

"I think there's...something in Johann's scarf?" Spike showed Rarity where he found the strange roughness that was somehow inside the accessory.

Rarity peered closer, noticing a small bump protruding from the simple piece of fabric, and she could see a small patch of it sewn around this bump. It wasn't a pocket, finding no opening, and having a pocket in a scarf, something used to cover one's neck, seemed to lack any sort of functionality.

"Huh. That is quite odd," Rarity uttered. She touched the bump, feeling what seemed to be a rounded stone inside. "Doesn't feel heavy, so it's not some sort of weight for Johann. I could try to pull out this stitching, but I shouldn't pry if whatever it is is important to him."

"I wonder what's inside it?" Spike uttered.

"I only hope that he isn't choking himself when he wears it," Rarity said.

After the scarves were washed, the duo headed outside to create their own makeshift laundry line. Little did they know that there were a pair of eyes peering at them through the dense shrubbery of a tree near the base, mostly eyeing the scarves the Gible held onto.

Down by the pond, Scott sat in the shallows, grumbling to himself while using his sponge to wash every speck of dirt out of his drenched fur, while Johann stood by the edge, being careful to scrub himself when he got to his tail. "'Don't forget to get behind your ears. Be all squeaky clean or else you're not allowed inside your own base. Meh meh meh meh meh.' Jeeze, why are females so bossy?" Scott muttered to himself, subconsciously getting behind his ears while complaining. "Sounds just like my mom."

"Well...w-we were kind of...filthy," Johann stated. "I just want to be clean as quickly as possible..."

"Yeah, yeah," Scott mumbled. The two males finished washing themselves, with Scott jumping out of the water, staying far enough away from Johann as he quickly shook his fur dry. "There. Clean and dry. Hope that satisfies that prissy Skitty."

Scott and Johann hurried back to the base with their damp sponges in hand. Applejack was taking a little break from her hard work, drinking some fresh water while relaxing under the base. "Enjoy your bath, fellahs?" Applejack asked with a teasing chuckle.

"You know Rarity's going to force you to take one, too," Scott grumbled. "You've been literally working in the dirt since the morning started."

"Yeah, Ah know," Applejack sighed. "Hard to argue with Rarity about cleanliness. Had a spat with each other durin' a bad storm and took shelter in Twilight's home for the night. Mah hooves were covered in mud and she forced me to wash them outside with a hose. While it was pourin' rain."

"Sheesh. Some friend," Scott scoffed. "And the rain would have washed the mud off if you ran for Twilight's place. How picky is Rarity?"

"Ya have no idea," Applejack uttered with a shake of her head.

Scott rolled his eyes, then walked into the base, where Rarity was humming and sweeping up some dust around their beds with her tail. "We're clean. Give us our scarves. And our dignities while you still have them."

"They're drying outside, darling~," Rarity said. "Spikey-wikey and I made a little laundry line to dry any clothing we acquire after getting a proper wash."

Scott sighed, but Johann rushed out to the left side of their base, where the drying line was set up. A pair of sticks held up some strong enough wire, which was only raise to maybe a couple feet considering the heights of most of the group being so short. However, the three sets of wires were bare of any clothing.

"Uhh...They're...not here," Johann said.

"What do you mean they're not here?" Scott questioned. He looked at the bare drying rack, already beginning to panic as he looked around the area if it fell off or got carried by a gust of wind. Finding no sign of his treasured scarf, he ran back inside the base, Johann flinched as he heard Rarity squeal and yell before watching Scott carrying Rarity over his head, run toward him and the laundry line, then plopped the unfortunate fashionista to the ground. "Where is my scarf!?"

"Uhh, OUR scarves?" Johann pointed out, but the Riolu ignored his nervous friend.

"I told you they were hanging on the-!" Rarity looked and pointed at the laundry line, only to pause when she saw nothing hanging on it. "Huh? I could have sworn we just hung them up to dry a few minutes ago."

"Well, they're not here!" Scott exclaimed.

While the Riolu pulled his dread-like appendages in exasperation, Johann noticed something on the ground underneath the line. There was a black feather that Scott missed in his panicked search, clearly belonging to a Flying-type. Johann picked up the feather, holding it out to Scott and Rarity.

"I think someone took them," he said. "And by the color, this clearly isn't Rainbow Dash's. Starly feathers are more gray and a lighter shade of black."

"A Pokemon stole a couple of scarves?" Rarity questioned. "Who would be crazy enough to steal them?"

"Someone who knows who that scarf originally belonged to!" Scott growled, snatching the feather out of Johann's grasp. "Let's find the scarf thief and show him not to mess with my precious treasure!"

Scott dashed off down the road toward Pokemon Square, leaving Rarity and Johann coated in dust he hastily kicked up as he sprinted off. The two coughed until the dust settled with Rarity letting out an annoyed mewl.

"Who would even want a scarf that tattered?" she questioned. "I suppose we better rein Scott in before he causes a ruckus."

Johann nodded, biting his lower lip nervously as he, too, wanted his scarf back. The two walked over to Applejack, who tilted her hat curiously from witnessing Scott's mad dash down the road.

"What in sam hill is goin' on with him?" the Yamper asked.

"He's freaking out over his special scarf," Rarity explained. "A bird Pokemon swiped his and Johann's scarves while they were hanging out to dry."

"Oh boy. Ah knew he told us he got it from a...what Pokemon did he call it? A Ru-carry-oh?" Applejack pronounced poorly. "Somepony from a rescue team he looks up to."

"Lucario," Johann corrected. "That's what Scott'll evolve into."

"Right. Kinda hard to say these Pokemon names," Applejack uttered. "Let's get the others and find Twilight and Fluttershy. Either we got a curious bird thinkin' it found somethin' for a nest, or it might actually be a thief that needs to be stopped." Rarity just sighed, but went with Johann to gather Pinkie and Spike while Applejack wandered off to find Rainbow Dash. Luckily, she spotted the lazy Starly perched on one of the trees' branches close to where she was creating her plots of land. "Rainbow, wake up! We got a job to do!"

Rainbow didn't even budge, snoring away like the heavy sleeper she is. Looking down at her stubby legs, Applejack wasn't able to do much tree bucking, but she could ram Rainbow Dash out of the tree with her whole body weight. Taking a few steps back, Applejack charged forward, tackling into the tree hard.

"Znrk! H-Huh!?" Rainbow was startled awake as the tree shook, her talons losing their grip as she fell to the ground with a yelp and crashed with a thud. "Ugh...What happened?"

"Nap time's over, Rainbow. We're headin' into town," Applejack said.

"So my power nap was ruined by a grocery trip?" Rainbow grumbled irritably.

"Somepony stole Scott and Johann's scarves," Applejack said, peaking the grumpy Starly's interest.

"A thief, eh? More evil Pokemon to stop? My power nap can wait." Applejack shook her head with an amused smirk, knowing that would change Rainbow's mind.

"I can't believe EVERY species of Pokemon reproduces by laying eggs," Twilight said, shocked, exasperated, and highly confused. She and Fluttershy spent some time at the library before heading back into town, looking up books on baby Pokemon, but when they found out the reproduction process, everything about baby Pokemon threw them for a loop. "How is that even possible for mammalian Pokemon like what we are? And being so big! I know it makes sense for avian, aquatic, and insect Pokemon, but mammals!? They're supposed to give live birth!"

"Well, the egg groups for the parents are a bit...interesting," Fluttershy said. "But the different patterns for the eggs feel like a mystery. You never know what the baby will look like unless it matches their parents' fur or skin color. It's still adorable, though."

"I need to see the birthing process for myself one day, from a mammalian Pokemon, and see them lay an egg for myself," Twilight grumbled. As they reached the center of town, a blue and black blur whizzed by them, nearly knocking them over. "Whoa! Hey!"

"W-Was that Scott?" Fluttershy asked.

Her suspicions were correct when they saw the blur skid to a halt, then looked around shiftily while holding a feather. He dashed toward other Pokemon wandering around town or selling their wares, searching mostly for Pokemon with feathers than fur, holding up the black feather to find who it belonged to while eyeing everyone skeptically.

"What is he doing now?" Twilight groaned. "Did he forget what personal space is?" Using Confusion, she snatched the Riolu, dragging him away from a brown and tan bird called a Pidgey hopping merrily down the road, hanging him upside down as he yelped and flailed about in a panic. Scott stopped his flailing when he saw who was levitating him against his will, only to be dropped unceremoniously on his head, dropping the black feather he was holding on to. "Why are you going around bugging everypony with a feather?"

Scott flopped over on his stomach, quickly getting back up, but Fluttershy kneeled down to pick up the bird feather before he could. "A Pokemon with black feathers took my precious scarf when Rarity forced me to take it off to get washed!" Scott exclaimed. "And...she forced me to take a bath!"

Twilight gave Scott a blank stare, making it so much easier to hide her disdain from her bowl-styled hair. "...Seriously? You're upset with Rarity...for getting you and your scarf clean?"

"YES!" Scott shouted.

"Well, umm...you kind of did need a bath after yesterday," Fluttershy said. "You were pretty smelly."

"Me being clean or dirty is not the point!" Scott exclaimed as he flailed his arms about. "Someone took my scarf!"

"So then get a new one," Twilight stated, which irked Scott as he glared at the Ralts with a twitchy eye.

"Lucario from Team Swift Savers gave me his very own scarf! I can't replace that with boring, useless piece of scrap!" Scott yelled with a frustrated growl.

Before Scott could go on a tirade about how important his scarf was to him, the rest of their friends arrived. "Hey, guys!" Pinkie called out.

"Where's the thief!? I'm ready for some action!" Rainbow cheered.

"No dice so far, but when I find that bird thief, I'm gonna pummel them into next week!" Scott said, pounding his fists together.

"And Fighting-types have a weakness to Flying-types, remember?" Twilight reminded the Riolu, but he didn't care unless he got that scarf back.

Fluttershy looked at the feather curiously. She may not know much about the Pokemon in this world just yet, but since many of them were similar to animals back home in Equestria, she could put some pieces together with the shape, color, and texture of the black feather left at the scene of the crime.

"...A crow feather." Everyone quickly turned to Fluttershy as she voiced her deduction. Realizing her friends went silent, she glanced at them, her cheeks turning pink, feeling bashful as all their attention was on her. "Oh. Uhh, well, I think the feather is similar to a crow's...if there are any like them."

"A 'crow'?" Johann asked. "You mean...like a Honchkrow? Or a Murkrow?"

"Of course!" Scott snatched the feather out of Fluttershy, startling the Buneary. "It's gotta be a Murkrow!"

"What's a Murkrow?" Spike asked.

"Come on, these gotta be worth something!" Overhearing someone down near the Kecleon Bros. shop, they found the twin chameleon Pokemon talking to a Murkrow, the possible Pokemon suspect in the scarf snatching. Black feathers along its body, its plumage looking like a witch's hat while the tail looked similarly to the bristled end of a broomstick with a red band around the base of its tail. They saw its red eyes and its oddly shaped beak as he grabbed several different accessories from his bag and scattered them on the counter. "There's high demand for these special bands, scarves, ribbons, and all that junk! You can't tell me all these ain't worth at least five thousand Poké!"

The twins glanced at each other, barely buying anything the Murkrow was trying to sell. "You know, we can tell exactly which kinds of accessories have special properties," Green stated.

"And these are absolutely worthless," Purple added. He then held up a red scarf, making Scott gasp when he saw the very same amount of wear and tear from his own scarf. In fact, that actually WAS his scarf, and along with the other random pieces of fabric or plastic, Johann's was in the pile, too. "This one's been through so much abuse, its value means absolutely nothing. You have better luck finding better looking accessories in Mystery Dungeons."

"I guess that's a Murkrow," Twilight figured.

Spike, who was currently carrying the team's toolbox, pulled out the Pokedex and gave it to Twilight. She aimed it at Murkrow after opening it, revealing an image of the same Pokemon as the electronic voice rang out from its speaker.

"Murkrow, the Darkness Pokemon. A Dark and Flying-type. Many people believe that if you see a Murkrow at night, it will bring bad luck."

"Another Dark-type," Twilight mumbled.

"But it's the middle of the day, so I guess they're good luck right now?" Pinkie pondered randomly.

"Oh, I believe so, because that's my scarf!" Scott said, he stomped over to the shop, the others following close behind him to keep him from acting out in the middle of town and causing trouble with the Kecleon twins. "Hey, Murkrow!" The dark crow Pokemon shifted its head toward the irate Riolu, barely flinching as Scott pointed a digit at him. "That's my scarf you're trying to pawn off! You take something that precious to me, you're gonna feel my wrath!"

"What are you talking about kid? I found that ragged old thing in a Mystery Dungeon," Murkrow scoffed. "And it should be worth its weight in Poké."

"You lying, birdbrained thief!" Scott shouted, only to be held back by Twilight's Confusion before he could pounce Murkrow.

"Hey, bro, now that I'm looking at that old scarf, that does look like the one that kid wore," Green Kecleon said to Purple.

"That's because that IS mine!" Scott exclaimed, then struggled to hold his arm out, showing the Kecleon Bros. and Murkrow the culprit's "calling card". "This feather seems to match yours quite nicely! Molting a bit too early before snatching things that don't belong to you, Murkrow!? Especially from a rescue team like us!?"

Green and Purple looked at Scott's scarf, where his rescue team badge was still pinned to his treasured possession. Johann's badge was also still on his as well in the pile of stolen accessories. Murkrow barely even flinched, even knowing that stray feather pointed him out as the thief. Sighing in defeat, Murkrow raised his wings up, his head hung low and eyes closed.

"Alright, alright, you win, kid. You got me. I stole all this stuff," he said. Surprised, Scott had calmed down slightly, though he was still a bit skeptical of Murkrow giving up so easily. Twilight released her psychic hold on the Riolu, preferring not to have him cause a scene in the middle of town. "What can I possibly do against a rescue team of this size? I sincerely hope you can forgive me and my horrible crimes."

"Huh. That was actually really easy," Spike said. "I guess not all Pokemon want a fight when they know they've done wrong."

Murkrow snapped his eyes open, a small smirk around the corners of his beak when he glanced at the toolbox Spike was carrying and the Pokedex in Twilight's hands. Rearing his head back, Murkrow let out a caw, along with a black mist that spewed out from his opened beak. Startled, everyone covered their faces as the mysterious smoke blinded Team Rescue Rangers and the Kecleon Bros. and coughed as they inhaled it. Murkrow flew out of the mist, laughing at them mockingly as he made his escape.

"Agh! W-What...is this smoke!?" Rarity exclaimed while hacking her lungs out.

"N-Not smoke!" Johann said. "Murkrow used Haze on us!"

"Rainbow Dash, blow this wind away!" Twilight exclaimed through her coughs.

"Oh, right!" Rainbow used Gust, blowing away black, though completely harmless mist. Once the Haze was clear, everyone gasped in surprise when they saw the Kecleon Bros. counter was completely bare. "Hey! He ran away!"

"AHH! The Pokedex!" Twilight screeched. She panicked and looked around for the Pokedex, knowing for a fact she didn't drop it in the sudden veil of black mist. "What happened to it!?"

Spike yelped, suddenly feeling light when he noticed that their toolbox was gone, too. "W-What happened to the toolbox!?"

"Murkrow took the rest of our stuff while we were blinded by that Haze!" Scott growled.

"Hey, some of our inventory's gone, too!" Purple exclaimed in shock.

Green glowered angrily toward the road. "That lowlife stole from us. He's gonna pay severely for robbing us like that." Green hopped over the counter, startling the others as he looked back at Purple. "Stay here and watch the shop. I'm going after him."

"Wait, can you even fight?" Twilight asked, mostly concerned for one of the shopkeeper twin's safety.

"You think we get our rare stock from bartering with other Pokemon?" Green asked back, then turned to Scott. "Hey, kid, your kind uses aura, right? Think you can find where that Murkrow ran off with our stuff?"

"I hope so." Scott quickly closed his eyes and focused his aura. He looked around, looking past the several dozen aura signatures from nearby Pokemon to find Murkrow's. Luckily, he managed to catch sight of the thieving bird Pokemon before he left the Riolu's farthest range. "Got him! He headed down the road and turned toward the woods!"

"Let's hurry before we lose him!" Green Kecleon said.

The rescue team hurried after Murkrow with Green Kecleon alongside them. Rainbow Dash flew on ahead, being the only Pokemon not restricted to chasing on foot, hoping to catch up with the thief and slow him down.

"Ha ha ha ha ha!" Murkrow cackled, relishing in the spoils of his thievery as he flew to the next town. With Team Rescue Rangers' toolbox strapped around him, along with their items stored inside were the Pokedex, his stolen accessories, and some extra goods he snagged from the Kecleon Bros. "Bunch of suckers. Rescue team brats are so gullible, they'll believe any bad Pokemon is willing to change with one little apology. Lots of loot I could sell elsewhere before hitting that town again."

"HEY!" Murkrow turned his head toward the voice, only to squawk when something fast slammed into the back of his head. He spiraled out of control for a few seconds before flapping his wings to right himself, making sure he didn't lose anything in his "new" toolbox. He look toward where he was struck from, and when he turned around, he found what sucker punched him. Rainbow hovered in Murkrow's path, glowering at him. "Not so fast, buddy!"

"Whoa. Quick little Starly, aren't ya?" Murkrow questioned.

"Faster than you think," Rainbow gloated. "Now give back our stuff before I knock you out of the sky!"

"I'd really like to see you-" Rainbow, in the blink of an eye, rammed Murkrow in the chest, knocking the wind out of him. Coughing, he smacked Rainbow away with his wing. "Y-You little runt! I'm gonna-!" He yelped as Rainbow flew circles around him, getting pecked and scratched at by the insanely speedy Starly. "Hey! Get off of me! How are you so fa-!? AHH! Cut it out!"

Down below, Team Rescue Rangers and Green Kecleon caught up with the avian pair, watching Rainbow zipping around the disgruntled Murkrow. "Your Starly friend's got some impressive speed," Green commented. "I thought we'd be running for a mile to catch up to Murkrow."

"Rainbow's the fastest pega- er, Starly around!" Pinkie said, quickly correcting herself to avoid confusing Green.

"We gotta knock that Murkrow out of the air somehow," Twilight said. "But my Confusion won't work on a Dark-type."

"You know Thunderbolt?" Green asked Applejack.

"Err, Ah know Nuzzle," the stetson-wearing Yamper said.

"Huh. I guess that makes sense with you guys being a young rescue team," Green said. Reaching a paw behind himself, his curled tail opened, revealing a small stack of sharpened spikes colored pink with white tips. Taking one, he observed the strange-looking dart with coral-like flights at the other end. "Luckily, I keep plenty of spare Corsola twigs on me in case of an emergency."

"Corsola twigs?" Spike asked curiously.

"Is a Corsola a Pokemon?" Fluttershy asked.

"Yup. From the shed coral off their backs and carved into nifty, yet very tough darts," Green explained. "Useful for hitting thieves who try to make a break for any of our inventory when we set up shop in a dungeon."

"You set up your business inside Mystery Dungeons too!?" Twilight exclaimed. "Are you helping rescue teams or wanted Pokemon!?"

"Hey, if anyone's got Poké, and they don't steal anything from under our noses, then anyone's a loyal customer," Green said. Twilight sighed, questioning the business ethics with businesses and dealing with criminals, even if they had money to buy their wares. Green looked back up, gripping the Corsola twig in his fingers and brought his hand up. "And this Murkrow's no longer a customer. Let's take this birdy down."

"Wait! What if you hit Rainbow Dash!?" Johann exclaimed.

"Relax, kid. I've practiced with these twigs plenty of times," Green assured the nervous Charmander. The Kecleon took aim, rearing his arm back to prepare his throw. He waited for Rainbow to back away, letting her distraction steer Murkrow's sight on him and the others down below. "Alright...Carefully...And riiiiiight..."

Seeing his opening, Green Kecleon let out a grunt and threw the Corsola twig hard. Murkrow finally smacked Rainbow Dash away from him again, but just as he was about to attack the Starly, the pink and white coral dart struck one of his wings. Cawing in agony, Murkrow fell, flapping his free wing wildly while his injured wing was clutched to his side. His quickly descending hover ended with a painful crash to the ground down the road, where the others ran toward the crash site. Murkrow groaned and winced as he staggered back on his feet.

"Ow! What just clipped my wing!? A random Beedrill!?" Murkrow grunted as he stretched out his injured wing. Looking at the appendage, he spotted the twig that struck him contrasting against the black feathers. "A Corsola twig?"

Rainbow hovered down to the ground beside Murkrow, giving him a hard peck in the face, sending him staggering backward and falling on his rump. "I'll be taking all of this back!" she said as she snatched the strap and pulled it away from Murkrow, adding insult to his injuries as the stuffed toolbox smacked into his bad wing.

"AHHH! OW! My wing!" he cried out as he clutched it tightly. He quickly dove his beak into the twig embedded in his wing, then yanked it out swiftly. Murkrow let out a pained grunt as he pulled the coral twig out, spitting it on the ground with a grimace. Glancing at the cocky Starly, the rest of her friends arrived to join her. "Of all the rotten luck."

"That was a nice shot!" Pinkie cheered, waving around a random white board with the number ten on it. "I give that a perfect ten!"

Rainbow set the toolbox down in front of everyone. "Good thing this didn't break when that Murkrow divebombed after he couldn't handle my awesomeness," she gloated with a cocky smirk on her beak.

"You were just a blockade and a distraction," Applejack grumbled.

Scott quickly ran up to the toolbox and opened it. Luckily, all of their stuff was intact, but he was more focused on his prized scarf.

"Oh, thank goodness!" he cheered as he picked up the slightly tattered, but clean scarf, he quickly tied it around his neck and nuzzled the cloth. "I'm never taking you off ever again!"

Johann and Kecleon joined the Riolu, the former grabbing his green scarf and putting it on while the latter checked to make sure his and his brother's inventory was all in check while mixed up with Team Rescue Rangers' items. "Good. Everything's still there, along with all the other stuff this thief took," Green said. He closed the toolbox, giving it to Johann. "I'll sort out my stuff with yours after we take Murkrow in."

"I'm not going anywhere, shopkeep!" Murkrow shouted. "Night Shade!"

Murkrow's eyes began to glow a menacing dark purple and black, followed by a pair of laser beams of a similar color shooting out from his pupils. Scott and Johann dove away, but Green Kecleon crouched, not even trying to leap away as the beams were headed straight toward him. The attack connected, making the Kecleon stagger back as the beams split and kicked up dark energy from it as they struck him.

"Oh no! Kecleon!" Fluttershy cried out in shock.

The Equestrians worried about Green, but to their surprise, he stood back up with a smirk, barely phased by the powerful beam attack. Even Murkrow was aghast, clearly hitting the shopkeeper dead on. Green's skin let off a very faint glow, which only lasted for a brief second.

"Not the smartest bird of the flock if you forgot what type of move Night Shade is." Green pulled out another Corsola twig hidden in the coils of his tail. "Word to the wise: know your target before you try to rip them off!"

Murkrow began to panic and tried to fly away, only to yelp when his injured wing flared up in pain. Green Kecleon threw his second twig at the stumbling Murkrow. He cawed in surprise, ducking and narrowly avoiding getting struck in the chest, but as he looked up, he was met beak to fist with Scott's paw. The Riolu punched Murkrow hard, making the Dark-type stumble back.

"You messed with the wrong Riolu, buddy!" Scott quickly leapt behind Murkrow, then thrust his arm out at him. "Vacuum Wave!"

Blue wind shot out in a beam from Scott's palm, striking Murkrow's back as he yelled out in pain and flew back toward his friends. Murkrow crashed to the ground, letting out a dazed groan as he passed out. Scott grunted, slightly disappointed at the easy win, but that was another no-good thief taken down by him.

"H-How did Kecleon survive something that powerful?" Twilight questioned.

"Night Shade is a Ghost-type move, but it didn't affect me at all since I'm a Normal-type," Green explained. "Normal and Ghost-types don't affect each other, so that Night Shade didn't even harm me at all."

"It sure looked painful to me," Rainbow said. "So, what would happen if I got hit by that? Would that hurt me?"

"Technically, Rainbow Dash, you're also part Normal-type along with Flying, so it wouldn't have hurt you at all," Twilight explained.

"...Cool," the Starly said, already getting a swelled ego for any future encounters with Ghost-types.

"Ok. Let's take this thief in and head back to the base," Scott said as he took his rescue team badge off his scarf and called Magnezone. The security Pokemon hovered down from the air, snatching up Murkrow in its magnetic hold. "Make sure you let guild master Alakazam know that Team Rescue Rangers bagged another wanted Pokemon thief. We're sure to go up in rank faster than he can blink."

"THIS MURKROW IS NOT A WANTED CRIMINAL! BZZZT!" Magnezone said. Scott balked, giving the metallic UFO Pokemon a baffled stare. "HE IS KNOWN TO BE A PETTY THIEF, STEALING CLOTH AND ACCESSORIES THAT ARE WORTH NEXT TO NOTHING TO PASS OFF AS SPECIAL GEAR! STILL, HE WILL BE PLACED UNDER ARREST, BUT THE REWARD IS NOT AS BIG AS ANY WELL-KNOWN WANTED CRIMINALS! BZZT-ZZT!"

Scott balked in disbelief, letting out a small grunt in annoyance. "Seriously? All our luck running into wanted Pokemon, and we stop a weaker, pettier thief?"

"Define 'luck'," Johann uttered, giving the Riolu a deadpanned leer.

Magnezone took his leave with another caught criminal while the rescue team and shopkeeper headed back to town.

After returning to Pokemon Square, Green Kecleon retrieved his and his brother's stolen goods from the clumsily stuffed contents of Team Rescue Rangers' toolbox. They even took the stolen accessories Murkrow nabbed from other Pokemon to help return them to their rightful owners. Like Magnezone stated, the scarves, ribbons, bandannas, and all manner of fashionwear Murkrow stole were just plain accessories, with little to no value. At least for rescue teams or adventurers.

Back at the rescue team base, the sun was beginning to set as the group sat in a circle and had a large variety of berries for dinner. "Well, that was an interesting day off," Twilight said.

"You're telling me," Scott agreed. "I almost lost my scarf to a terrible thief." He then leered at Rarity. "If Rarity didn't force us to take a bath, that wouldn't have happened."

"Excuse me!? You're blaming me when that Murkrow stole your scarves by pure chance!?" Rarity exclaimed angrily.

"If we were still wearing our scarves, they wouldn't have gotten taken in the first place!" Scott argued.

"Oh, great," Spike grumbled, shaking his head in exasperation. "He's still going on about his scarf."

"Scott, we got our scarves back. Just let it go," Johann said, trying to calm his friend down.

"No way! This scarf is important to me!" Scott exclaimed, grabbing his scarf and practically showing it off to the group.

"Yes, yes, we get it! It's getting as old as Rainbow Dash gushing over the Wonderbolts!" Rarity said.

"Hey, the Wonderbolts are awesome, and I'm a shoo-in to be one when they see what I can do!" Rainbow exclaimed, but the Skitty ignored the irate Starly, even as Applejack held Rainbow back by chomping down on her tail feathers.

"You have a lot of nerve blaming me for something out of my control!" Rarity continued. "Even if it got lost, you could get another one just like it and find this Lucario you got it from to sign it or something!"

"Wow. For someone who's so obsessed with fashion, you clearly don't understand how special something can be for someone!" Scott exclaimed. "I CAN'T replace this because this scarf is what helped inspire me to become a rescue Pokemon after he rescued me!"

The room went silent as all eyes were on the Riolu. Scott's scowl slowly faded, feeling a bit embarrassed as he looked down at his paws. Rarity had no rebuttal after such an outburst and the Riolu's hesitant reaction after he blurted out that he was once a rescued Pokemon. The Equestrians looked at Johann for some clarification, but the Charmander was just as surprised as they were.

"I...I never knew that," Johann said. Scott grunted, averting his gaze from the others as he reached for a berries and stuffed his mouth. "You talked about Lucario and his team so much, but...I thought you followed them and their heroics and were the lucky Pokemon to be chosen to be given his scarf."

"You had to be rescued?" Twilight questioned in disbelief. Scott grumbled, slowly chewing his mouthful as his ears drooped bitterly. "I shouldn't say I'm surprised with how much you boast about being strong, but...you actually needed a Pokemon to rescue you?"

Growling, Scott swallowed his food to speak. "It was like a year ago," he said. "My kind train at a very early age, but...I got lost in a long...very dangerous Mystery Dungeon...Near where me and my parents live."

"In a Mystery Dungeon?" Rainbow asked skeptically. "Aren't you always excited to jump into a Mystery Dungeon for a request or job?"

"It was a highly dangerous Mystery Dungeon. It wasn't like the Cat's Den," he explained. Scott reached out for another berry, trying to avoid embarrassing himself further. But since no one was asking him anything, just staring at him quietly, he sighed and set the berry down in front of him. "Riolu are supposed to be tough, but that doesn't mean I'm always ready to take on just about every Pokemon that towers over me. We have our limits and weaknesses, too. But I didn't explore that Mystery Dungeon because I wanted to be an adventurer or a rescuer; I wound up getting lost when I stumbled into a hidden entrance."

Up in the forest near the mountains, there lived a small village of Lucario and Riolu. Most lived there peacefully while some trained hard to protect their homes from rogue Pokemon. Far from the center of the village was a hut where Scott lived, along with both his mother and father. Lucario shared a similar blue and black fur, but in different places along with the cream-colored fur around their torso, and the blue fur around their thighs look like they're wearing furry shorts. Other differences between evolutions are the longer ears, their forepaws are now black instead of being all blue, spikes now jut out from the backs of their paws, along with one from the center of their chest, and they have four hanging appendages instead of two, and were located more behind where their ears were on the back of their heads instead of on the sides.

Out in their yard, Scott was busy training with his father, throwing punches and kicks while the male Lucario blocked his son's attacks. "Don't just swing wildly! Keep your eye on your opponent and concentrate on finding their weak points!" he instructed.

"Hiyah!" Scott shouted as he leapt up and kicked. The Lucario blocked his foot, and with a hard flick, sent the Riolu flipping rapidly in midair. Scott was sent flying in the air a few feet before falling back down, only to be caught upside down by the waist by his father, who wore an amused grin. Scott groaned, his head spinning as he limped helplessly. "Did I land?"

"If you meant landing a hit on me, then no," Scott's father said.

"Honey, what are you doing to our son?" Looking up from his son, Scott's mother stood by the road with her arms crossed over her chest. On her upper right drooping appendage, she wore a red ribbon tied up in a bow. She also had a basket of juicy apples sitting by her feet. "If you want to hold him, you can't do that while he's upside down. The blood will rush to his head."

"Just a little bit of training," Scott's father said. He flipped Scott back upright, still groaning dizzily as his head hung back lazily. "He still needs to learn to have a little more patience with his aggressive fighting, but he's improving...Sort of."

"Uh huh. Just no roughhousing without me to supervise you two," she warned. "Now, wake him up. We're gonna eat some lunch."

"Alright." Scott's father shook the dazed Riolu until he woke up. "Practice is over for now. Time to eat, son."

"Ok. Then back to sparring!" Scott cheered.

Both Lucario laughed at their son's eagerness to get back into training. Ever since the natural disasters got worse, hearing stories about rescue teams traveling around and helping Pokemon excited Scott. He wanted to hear every bit of news about every rescue team out there. They were all shocked when the worst of the disasters, a giant meteor, was heading toward the planet. They all wouldn't have survived were it not for the bravery of Team Go-Getters, the team of Squirtle, Charmander, and Chikorita, volunteering to be teleported to Sky Tower, climb it to reach Rayquaza, and getting the guardian of the Earth to destroy the meteor. Ever since they heard the news and watched the meteor shatter pieces in the sky a few months ago, that heightened Scott's excitement even more. He wanted to meet a rescue team so badly, no matter if they were famous or not.

As Scott was finishing power munching his share of apples, ready to get back to some more training with his dad. "All done!" he said with his mouthful before swallowing.

"Honey, you're going to choke if you keep eating that fast," his mother scolded.

"Why don't you go warm up some more until I'm finished with lunch, son?" his father suggested.

"Ok! And this time, I'm gonna land a hit on you! Right in the chest!" Scott promised confidently, hearing his parents laugh faintly as he ran out and passed the time by practicing his agility through the woods. Weaving between the trees, even hopping from branch to branch, he pretended he was rushing through waves of Pokemon as he hurried to save a missing or captured Pokemon from harmful ones. "Take that! And this!" the Riolu said to his invisible foes, making swishing and impact sounds as he threw punches and kicks at the air, imagining taking down tough Pokemon in his way. "No Pokemon stands against my might! I'll be the strongest Lucario in the world!"

He came to a stop with a dive kick, landing on the ground and striking a heroic pose, imagining being admired by other Pokemon and his opponents all cowering at his "amazing" skills and power. While lost in his fantasy as he slowly sauntered his way back home, he froze when he stepped on a patch of ground that suddenly shifted under his weight. The second he looked down, the ground caved in, sending him falling into a hidden pitfall and crashing into an underground cavern. Not prepared for the mysterious pitfall, Scott fell and landed on his stomach, groaning slightly with a wheeze.

Sitting up, he rubbed his stomach with a grunt. "That hurt..." Scott looked around, staring at what seemed to be a long tunnel with two different ways to go down. "Don't tell me Diglett dug through here and left traps around for a laugh. That's so annoying." He looked up to see if he could leap out of the hole, but for some odd reason, the hole he fell into was gone, and the ceiling seemed a bit closer than the higher fall he seemed to have taken. "Huh? Where'd the hole go?"

Thinking it was concealed by something, Scott jumped up to the ceiling, only to smack into solid wall. He fell back, landing on his feet this time, but now his muzzle hurt after ramming into it face first. Once the pain dulled, Scott looked down each direction, left with no choice but to find the exit to this underground cavern. Picking a random direction, he walked down the corridor, turning corners to other corridors, and wandering around big, wide open rooms. Scott didn't know much about tunnels Ground-types dig, but he was sure they didn't make such elaborate mazes in their spare time.

After walking down each corridor, Scott began to feel lost. He kept making random turns, hoping to find some sort of way out, only to be met with either a dead end or feeling like he's been in the very same empty room. He did find a random staircase in one of the rooms, which brought dread to the Riolu's gut; he wound up falling into a Mystery Dungeon. He thought there would be Pokemon roaming around, but didn't run into anyone. With nowhere else to go, Scott went down the stairs to the next floor, hoping he didn't have to travel too far to escape.

Scott continued searching for the stairs, going down floor after floor after floor, growing more anxious the longer he was stuck in here. Still no sign of any rogue Pokemon, or any items for that matter. Scott's heard of Mystery Dungeons before from all the heroic feats rescue teams go through, but all of them were supposed to be inhabited by Pokemon in some capacity. As he began to wonder if there were abandoned Mystery Dungeons, once he set foot into a massive room, a huge group of Pokemon dropped down with a yell, startling Scott as he leapt back in surprise. Judging by the heavy thuds, all of the Pokemon in the room must have been pretty big and heavy.

Most of them Scott couldn't make out, mostly due to three massive Pokemon standing before him and obscuring most of his view of the rest of the room. On his left was a Magmortar, its hulking body a mix of fiery orange and red, cannon-like arms with three claws, its hair, shoulders, and tail billowing with flames, and its prominent feature on its face is the big pink lips in a sadistic-looking smile. On his right was an Electivire, a yellow-furred beast with black rings around its forearms, legs, and around its head along its eye level, other black markings along its upper thighs and torso, two antennae with bulbous tips on its head, and two long black tails with small, rounded red tips. And between these two was a Rhyperior, a massive beast of brownish-gray with some of its body covered in orange, rocky plates around its torso, shoulders, and head, a club-like tail, and two horns: one small one on its forehead and another longer, drill-like one on its nose. Scott didn't worry much about the other Pokemon in the background when he was already face to face with three incredibly powerful Pokemon.

"Well, well, well. Looks like a runt wound its way into our Monster House trap," Rhyperior said as he looked down at the startled Riolu. "We were expecting a rescue team to show up, but it looks like it was all a waste."

"We should probably teach this little pup a lesson," the Electivire said as he pounded a fist in his open palm.

The other Pokemon agreed with the Electric-type, some snickering mischievously as they eyed the Riolu. Gulping nervously, Scott tried to put on a brave face as he put his paws up.

"I-I'm not...scared of you!" he bluffed, failing miserably with his stutter. "I can...I can knock you all out with one punch!"

The menacing Pokemon burst out laughing, embarrassing Scott, but he wasn't going to let them poke fun at him. Scott yelled and ran toward Rhyperior, giving the Rock and Ground-type Pokemon the hardest punch he could throw into his belly. A light thud rang out as Scott struck Rhyperior's gut, but the tough Pokemon was barely fazed as he glanced down at Scott. Scott grimaced, his paw aching from the thick hide of the Rock and Ground-type's body, but he wasn't going to back down and threw more punches with a yell. All the Pokemon stared at the Riolu, unamused, until Rhyperior glanced at Electivire and Mamortar with a chuckle.

"Ain't that cute?" Rhyperior asked as he pointed to the small Pokemon pup. He then grabbed Scott by the scruff of his neck, making him yelp as he was yanked up to Rhyperior's face. "BUT IT'S WROOOONG!!" Rhyperior roared, nearly deafening Scott while getting drenched in the Pokemon's saliva. "To throw a punch strong enough to hurt, you pull your arm back. Like this."

Confused, Scott watched the Rhyperior pull his free arm back, ball his paw into a fist, and before he realized his advice was laced with sarcasm, Rhyperior threw his fist straight toward the Riolu. Getting struck in the gut, Scott wheezed and was sent flying across the room as the Pokemon let him go. Smacking into the wall, Scott let out a strangled yelp, nearly blacking out as his head struck the wall as he collapsed to the ground. Struggling to breathe, Scott coughed, his body shaking as he forced his limbs to prop himself up. That Mega Punch should have knocked him out cold, but Rhyperior must have held back so he and his buddies could torture him some more.

"Aww, now don't tell me you're done yet?" Magmortar mocked. "Come on, get up! Fight back!"

"Aren't you supposed to be a little tough guy?" Electivire questioned. "Not so tough when you're put in your place, huh, runt!?"

Scott managed to get up on his knees, clutching his injured stomach. Shakily looking up, the Pokemon began to surround him. He winced as he backed away, only to bump into the wall he was punched into. Scott was completely outnumbered and outmatched. He could barely move and was in excruciating pain. All he could do was shut his eyes tightly and cover his face, awaiting his unfortunate fate with incredibly tough and brutal Pokemon.

Down one of the cavern hallways of the Mystery Dungeon behind the large group from the Monster House, three sets of swift footsteps came rushing into the room, along with three voices.

"Water Shuriken!"

"Energy Ball!"

"Aura Sphere!"

Some of the Pokemon in the back turned around, only to be met with a pair of explosive forces and hard strikes, startling the rest of the Monster House. They all turned around, some of the rogue Pokemon already fallen as smoke from the two exploding attacks kicked up dust in the room, shrouding their view from the mysterious attackers. As the dust cleared away, Scott could see between Rhyperior, Magmortar, and Electivire, and the trio who intruded on them harassing the Riolu.

"Hey, you know how low you have to go to beat up a kid?" The Pokemon who spoke once the air was cleared was a Lucario, but it wasn't Scott's father; this Lucario wore a red scarf around his neck, both his paws at his right side as a sphere made of pure aura formed between them. Between him were his partners bearing similar colored scarves, though they wore theirs on their right arms. On Lucario's left was a Greninja, a blue bipedal, frog-like Pokemon with a yellow chest, white triangular markings over his eyes, a fin-like extension running down the middle of his head with similar fins on each side of his head, light blue webbing connecting the three head fins, large, white bubble-like bumps on his knees and elbows, and around his mouth was what seemed to be an elongated pink tongue that acted like its own, longer scarf. On Lucario's right was a Sceptile, a green bipedal lizard Pokemon, his lower jaw, the rims under his yellow eyes, and the belt-like band across its waist a red color, two rows of yellow nodules running down its back, a bushy palm tree-like tail, and three sharp claws with two sharp, elongated leaves on both of its arms. Respectively, they had shuriken made out of water and a sphere of green energy at the ready with Lucario. "Why don't you pick on someone your own size?"

"Who the heck are you!?" Magmortar questioned.

"We've come to get that kid back home to his parents after he disappeared a while ago," Lucario said. "Luckily, Team Swift Savers came at the right place at the right time while we had a few jobs to do around this area."

"A rescue team, huh?" Electivire chuckled and cracked his knuckles. "Perfect. Let's beat up the wannabe heroes, then keep messing with the twerp."

Greninja remained stoic while Sceptile rolled his eyes. "'Wannabe heroes'? Yeah, right."

"Well, let's show these guys how heroic we are," Lucario said with a sly, confident smirk. "Swift Savers, scatter!"

On Lucario's command, Sceptile and Greninja dashed off to opposite sides of the room while Lucario leapt into the air. All three Pokemon unleashed their attacks, catching the Monster House off guard as they were focusing on one of them, only to get struck by the others' attacks. As their rescue team was named, all three Pokemon moved incredibly fast, far faster than the Pokemon in the room. Magmortar, Electivire, and Rhyperior ignored Scott and scattered with their gang to stop the rescue team, doing so painfully with poor coordination and using brute force impatiently.

Scott watched in awe despite the pain in his body. He couldn't believe a rescue team came to his rescue, and that his parents requested their aid to find him and get him out of this dungeon. Scott watched the rescuers fending off the brute Pokemon group with ease: Sceptile sprinting around while using Leaf Blade, which extended the leaves on his forearms to sharper blades, Greninja ducking and leaping over his opponents while using Night Slash, his webbed fingers glowing a dark aura as he slashed through Pokemon, and Lucario, whom Scott was mostly paying attention to, rushed forward after landing, bringing his paws together and slowly spreading them apart, creating a long staff with his aura in the shape of a long, very thin bone. Scott recognized this move as Bone Rush, and watching Lucario twirl that aura bone staff in his paws while whacking his foes around with it was exhilarating. And Lucario was facing down Magmortar, Electivire, and Rhyperior, too.

Ducking and weaving around the Pokemon, Lucario smacked or thrust his Bone Rush staff into them, all three of them weak to the Ground-type attack. Magmortar tried to unleash his Flamethrower at the rescue Pokemon, but Lucario sank down into a split, jabbed the Fire-type multiple times in the abdomen, knocking all the air out of Magmortar, then shot back up and kicked him hard in the face, knocking him out as he fell on his back. Electivire tried to thrust its electrical tails at Lucario while his back was turned, but missed and instead wrapped around the aura staff. With a hard pull, Lucario sent Electivire staggering forward as he dispersed the aura, then thrust both his palms hard into Electivire's chest. As the Electric-type wheezed, Lucario delivered another swift blow to Electivire's chest, then grasped one of his arms and flung him over his shoulder, throwing him on top of Magmortar.

Rhyperior roared and charged Lucario, rearing his fist back to hit him with a Mega Punch. Barely flinching, Lucario turned to face the incoming rhino Pokemon. He lifted a paw up, and to Scott and Rhyperior's shock, he managed to grab Rhyperior's fist, and he didn't even budge an inch from the impact. Rhyperior tried to pull his arm back, but Lucario had a tight, firm grip on his fist.

"You know, you shouldn't judge appearances," Lucario advised. Pointing his free thumb, he urged Rhyperior to look around the room. He did so, only to find the rest of his Monster House Gang beaten to a pulp and knocked unconscious, Greninja and Sceptile left with barely a scratch after nonchalantly dusting themselves off. Rhyperior gulped nervously as he glanced back at Lucario, who held an Aura Sphere in his palm. "We're not one of the best for nothing. We rescue Pokemon swiftly, and we make sure jerks like you get just as swift of a beating."

With a yell, Lucario thrust his Aura Sphere into Rhyperior's chest, creating a powerful explosion on impact that sent the heavy Rock and Ground-type Pokemon flying across the room. Rhyperior crashed into the wall with a grunt, slowly falling over with a small groan onto his stomach. Lucario dusted off his paws while his partners regrouped with him.

"Too easy," Greninja muttered.

"What a waste of time," Sceptile grumbled.

"Hey, we got a bit of a warm up before our actual mission," Lucario said, reassuring his two adamant comrades. Seeing they were going to be a bit miffed, Lucario shrugged his shoulders, then looked at Scott. Calmly, he walked over to the injured Riolu, then knelt down as he stood next to him. "You alright, buddy?" Speechless, Scott couldn't even utter a word in response, his heart racing in excitement as he met a genuine rescuer and watched him and his team fight. Instead, he dumbly nodded, even though he winced slightly from his bruised torso. "Just barely hanging on, huh? Up we go." Lucario picked Scott up, being careful not to squeeze him too tightly and bother his injuries. He joined back with his team, hefting Scott up to sit him on his shoulder, then grasped his rescue team badge pinned to his scarf. "Mission accomplished, boys. Let's get this kid back home."

In a bright flash, all four Pokemon warped out of the Mystery Dungeon, blinding Scott as he blinked and rubbed his eyes to get rid of the annoying spots in his vision. When he could see, he found himself and Team Swift Savers at the entrance to what seemed to a hidden cavern in the mountainside, not at the hole he fell into. It wasn't too far away from his home, but it baffled him by how he found what seemed to have been a secret entrance to this Mystery Dungeon.

"I'll fill up the hole the kid fell in so no one else accidentally drops in there," Sceptile said before leaping away, dashing away into the forest to find the second hidden entrance.

"And while he's getting that, let's head back to the village and get you back to your folks," Lucario said to Scott. Greninja followed his leader as the duo ran down the path to the village, Lucario holding Scott tightly while he rode on his shoulder. In less than a minute, they arrived at the village entrance, Team Swift Savers living up to their name in and out of Mystery Dungeons. And waiting for them were Scott's parents, his mother greatly relieved as she was nearly in tears. "Here's your son, safe and sound. A little banged up, but he's quite a trooper, as our species is."

"Oh, thank you so much!" Scott's mother exclaimed, rushing over to the leader of Team Swift Savers and grabbed her baby, oblivious to his cries of pain as she squeezed him in a tight hug. "I was so worried about you, sweetie!"

"Ow! Mom! Pain!" Scott cried out while flailing his limbs.

"Yeah, I'd ease up on the poor kid," Lucario said. "He took a really nasty blow from a Rhyperior in that Mystery Dungeon, but a couple Oran Berries should heal that up." The mother quickly let go of the Riolu, grinning sheepishly. Scott rubbed his sore chest as he turned to face his saviors. "Try not to wander too close to any loose bits of ground. Your aura should be able to see those, even Mystery Dungeon traps if you focus hard enough. In fact, you might have some potential being a rescuer yourself. Didn't even faint after that injury."

"I wouldn't want to put ideas in his head after he fell in a Mystery Dungeon not even several hundred yards away from our backyard," Scott's mother said worriedly.

"Relax, dear," Scott's father said, trying to assuage his mate's fears. "We'll try to keep a close eye on him. He's pretty excitable. Especially during our little training sessions."

Sceptile suddenly dropped down beside Greninja, barely startling his teammates with his swift entrance. "Hole's all covered. Even placed a small warning sign to warn anyone else."

"Great work, Sceptile," Lucario said. Scott's father pulled out a small bag of Poké to give to the rescue team, but Lucario shot it down. "Nah, no need for payment. Just knowing your boy's safe is good enough for us." Sceptile and Greninja didn't like shooting down the small reward while they were already busy today, but they hid their disdain in front of the parents and their child. Scott was a bit surprised to see Lucario turning down his parents' reward for rescuing him. Scott was even more shocked to see Lucario take off his rescue badge from his scarf, then took off his accessory, kneel down to him, and wrapped his scarf around the Riolu's neck. Scott's jaw hung open, glancing down at Lucario's scarf briefly before looking back at him. Lucario grinned and gave Scott a wink. "A little gift for ya, bud. You got a lot of heart to be part of a rescue team. Maybe even a leader.

"When we meet again, I want to see how much stronger you've gotten. And if you haven't found some partners to form a team, we just might recruit you in Team Swift Saviors." Scott's pupils shrank, and if his jaw could open any wider, it would have fallen out of his muzzle. Lucario pat Scott's head, leaving the stunned Riolu stammering in awe as excitement bubbled and threatened to explode in his chest. "Swift Savers, move out!"

The three rescuers leapt overhead into the trees and hopped from branch to branch to their next destination. Scott watched them leave with his parents, though their words fell on deaf ears as the Riolu slowly, shakily brought a paw up to touch his new scarf. His slack-jawed mouth slowly curled into a wide, open-mouthed smile. He was never going to forget Lucario's words, nor the incredible fight he witnessed, tempted to continue his training and be just as strong and awesome as he was.

"Ever since that day, I kept training, and a couple months later, I decided to come here to enter the guild and be a rescuer," Scott said, continuing his story. "That's when I met Johann, we became friends, and then later partners in our rescue team in a couple months of training at the guild." He looked around the circle, wowing everyone with his story. He touched his scarf, the memories of his rescue from Team Swift Savers still replaying in his mind. "This scarf may be from the first rescue Pokemon I've ever met who saved me, but it reminds me how much of an inspiration Lucario was to me; to be strong, courageous, and help those in dire situations, no matter who or what gets in their way. That's what I believe a rescue Pokemon should be, which is also why this piece of cloth is priceless to me."

Rarity did not expect such a story from Scott. As a fashion designer, all that mattered most to her was what styles were in for the season, which always changes every year and no past styles ever make a return to be considered retro. At least she knew now why Scott was so possessive of that scarf. Simplicity and heavy wear and tear were one thing, but a memento with both of those poor qualities mean a whole lot more to the owner than just an extravagant fashion statement that would last a few months for a crowd going with the latest fads.

"...I didn't know it meant that much to you," Rarity said. "But, why did you feel embarrassed telling us about it?"

"...Because...my first Mystery Dungeon was filled with tough Pokemon, and I lost and had a rescue team sent by my parents when they couldn't find me," Scott explained.

"THAT'S embarrassing?" Twilight questioned.

"Oh, like you're embarrassed by worse, Ms. I-Freak-Out-Over-A-Boring-Test," Scott muttered, making the Ralts grumble irritably.

"I think, to a Fighting-type or like Scott's species, losing in a fight is humiliating," Johann guessed. "But with such strong Pokemon in a Mystery Dungeon that has a Monster House, you shouldn't feel that embarrassed."

"Which is why I'm going to keep training and get stronger so that doesn't happen again," Scott said.

"Yes, that's fine and all, but if you get into a scuffle, can you at least wash that scarf every once in a while?" Rarity begged. Scott growled, leering at the Skitty as he protected his scarf from her future attempts to take his treasured scarf. "I will not touch it. I promise. I just ask that you clean it so it doesn't smell bad or get so filthy...Along with you taking a bath, too. There are ladies present in the base, too." No sooner did Rarity finish her statement, Applejack let out a loud belch after swallowing a mouthful of berry, which was then followed by one from Rainbow Dash, then a comically loud and long one from Pinkie Pie, which rumbled the whole base. A few seconds of silence passed before the whole room burst out into laughter sans Rarity, who grumbled and looked away bitterly. "Well, most of us are ladies..."

Once the laughter died down, Scott looked down at his scarf again, humming in thought for a moment before looking back at Rarity. "...Alright. I'll try to keep this clean. But no promises." Rarity smiled, satisfied, and just as she was about to make another demand, Scott interjected. "And no, you're not going to 'fix' it. It's staying like this, but I will wash it."

"Oh...Very well, then," Rarity sighed. "Although, it would look so much better if I tailored it just a tad so it didn't look like it ran through a mower." She looked over at Johann, remembering something that was hidden in the Charmander's scarf. "Johann, there's something I wanted to ask about your scarf." Johann flinched, his eyes quickly darting toward Rarity with a nervous grimace. "While Spike and I were washing your scarves, we felt a strange...bump inside it, like there's some sort of stone sewn inside. Do you know what's inside it?"

Johann's eyes shifted nervously before he quickly stood up. "Uhh, gotta use the bathroom!" he said with a sheepish laugh. "Man, those berries go straight through me! Be right back!"

Johann ran out of the base and ran around the side. "Well, when nature calls, nature calls," Spike said.

"I warned him all those berries were gonna be the death of him," Scott sighed with a shake of his head.

"Don't ya find it a bit weird Johann's got some kind of rock in his scarf and it don't bother him none?" Applejack questioned.

"Maybe it's some sort of weight," Scott reasoned. "I know I'd wear something to weigh me down for training."

"Didn't feel that heavy when we picked it up," Spike said.

Scott hummed curiously, he and the rest of the group wondering what sort of stone Johann's hiding in his scarf.

Sitting by the lake in the woods, Johann stared at the night sky in silence. Slowly, he took off his scarf and lowered it onto his lap. He gently ran a claw along the mysterious bump hidden inside, letting out a relieved sigh.

"I thought I was going to lose it forever," he mumbled to himself. After taking a breath, he tied his scarf back around his neck, then stood up and headed back to the base. "I don't want any of them to know...Not yet..."

Anything But Normal

Down at the rescue team guild, many Pokemon from their assigned teams picked up some jobs to fulfill from the bulletin board or hung out to weave tales of their many misadventures throughout the world. Inside the library, Twilight hogged an entire table to herself, which was littered with opened books, and those she hadn't read yet or were about to read next were piled in high stacks several times taller than her Ralts-sized height. The other Pokemon perusing the library were impressed by the studious Ralts, even though she was hoarding some of the books they were interested in looking through.

Given this chance for an actual free day to herself along with the rest of her friends, Twilight poured as much research as she was allowed in the guild. She even dragged Spike along to help her search for some helpful information to get them all back home to their world. Psychic powers of her level won't be enough to create a dimensional rift wide enough for her and her friends to return to Equestria. As much as she wants to discover new Pokemon and learn all about each and every single species that exists in this world, Equestria needed the bearers of the Elements of Harmony back in case anything dangerous dares to attack their peaceful kingdom again.

Spike was off searching down the aisles for some more books, thankful to find some ladders meant for specific Pokemon builds: tall, wide, short, and even stumpy like himself, though it was more like a mobile staircase than a small stepladder. "Let's see. What other subjects would help us?" he mumbled to himself. "Too bad there's no magic section. If that existed, Twilight would have another squealy freak-out moment and go on a study binge for the next couple days."

Finding a section he had yet to explore, Spike set the ladder and climbed up the steps, scanning the rows of shelves for something that could help Twilight's research. While focused on the titles on the spines of the books, the Gible didn't hear someone glide down to the floor and stand beside his ladder. After Spike grabbed a few books, as much as he was able to carry with his stubby arms, he turned around, only to yelp in surprise at who was staring at him, almost falling over and down the steps.

"Gathering more books for your friend down there?" the Pokemon asked, sounding like an elderly male. To Spike, it looked like a tall owl, his feathers on his body a light shade of brown while the feathers of his wings and tail were different darker shades of brown. There were six dark brown triangle marks on his torso in a pattern. His red eyes staring at the Gible had a black ring around them with a cream-colored ring around the first rings. Above the Pokemon's eyes, its feathery eyebrows look like curved "horns", making him all the more creepy with his soul-piercing eyes. There was also what seemed to be a tuft of feathers beneath his chin that made it seem like it had a beard. The owl Pokemon tilted his head at an awkward one-hundred thirty degree angle after waiting for a response from the dumbfounded dragon-turned-Pokemon. "Did I startle you, young Gible?"

"...Please don't do that with your head," Spike begged. The Pokemon tilted his head back upright, making Spike shudder after seeing their pet owl, Owlowiscious, twisting his head around nearly one-hundred eighty degrees. "Sorry, just seeing owls do that makes my neck hurt...And it's kinda creepy."

"Well, I am glad to see my ability can still debilitate anyone, even in a safe haven," the Pokemon said with a small chuckle.

Spike wondered what that ability was, though he still had a question the avian asked him in need of answer. "I was gathering some books for Twilight," he said. The owl Pokemon turned his head, making Spike cringe at the impossible head twisting as he looked at the Ralts busy with her reading, then looked back at Spike. "Uhh...Were you wanting to look through these ones?"

"No, but I have been watching you two for the past hour. What kind of research are you two conducting?" the owl asked curiously.

"Er...complicated stuff?" Spike answered nervously. "You...probably wouldn't understand what it is."

"Then all the better to look into it myself," the Pokemon mumbled, then flapped his wings and flew over to Twilight.

Spike gulped nervously, wondering if he offended the elderly owl as he hurried down the steps and carefully balanced the books in his hands toward Twilight and the overstuffed table of books. The owl Pokemon perched himself on one of the tall stacks, peering down at the book Twilight was reading through. One of his pinions of his wings fell off after he folded his limbs, the feather slowly floating down and catching Twilight's attention slightly.

"Oh, hi, Owlowiscious," Twilight said, too focused and lost in her study binge to remember where she was.

"Who?" the Pokemon asked, thinking the Ralts was talking to him and mistook him for someone else.

She was about to point to him, but giggled when she realized what she was about to do and shook her head. "Oh, no. Spike may keep falling for it, but not me," she said.

"I'm sorry, but you must be mistaking me for another Noctowl," the avian said.

Startled, Twilight finally tore her eyes away from the pages and looked to where she thought her pet owl was perched. "When did you start tal-?" The moment she locked eyes on the Noctowl, she gasped in shock, completely forgetting she wasn't at home in her library and was in a different world. "Oh! Oh my goodness! I-I'm sorry!" she exclaimed with a bashful giggle. "I-I thought you were...somepony else."

"Yes, I figured that. I am no stranger to a good book as well," Noctowl said.

Spike finally caught up, panting a little, then let out a grunt as he set his held stack of books down on the table. "Sorry, Twilight. I mentioned to this Pokemon you were researching something."

"Can you blame my curiosity?" Noctowl asked, lifting a wing and pointing to the side of his head. "As a scholar, knowledge is highly imperative to such an occupation. Whether it be historic legends from folklore of a civilization of Pokemon in times of old, or even literature where a tale weaved from one's imagination tells a captivating story from start to end, I make it my goal to travel to each land and research whatever tomes hold the knowledge I seek to learn and share with others."

"Wow. A Pokemon who loves research and learning like me," Twilight said in awe. She looked around the desk, moving over a few books until she found the Pokedex, keeping it around with her in case she ran into new Pokemon. "I wonder what this'll say about you."

Noctowl tilted his head curiously as Twilight aimed the red device toward him. "Noctowl, the Owl Pokemon. A Normal- and Flying-type, and the evolved form of Hoothoot. This highly intelligent Pokemon often twists its head one-hundred eighty degrees when it is thinking."

As the Pokedex described, Noctowl twisted his head the exact same angle, growing intrigued by the electronic Pokemon encyclopedia. "Hmm...An interesting machine," he said. "...And quite accurate."

"Ugh. How does that not break his neck?" Spike mumbled to himself as he grabbed his own neck with a wince.

Noctowl twisted his head back to normal, jumping down from the book stack perch and landed beside Twilight, who stared at the picture of the owl Pokemon in the Pokedex entry. "Huh. That's weird," she said. "This Noctowl doesn't have the cream-colored feathers under its chin."

Noctowl hummed as he peered over the Ralts's shoulder, dragging the tip of his wing against his small, feathered beard. "Most Noctowl don't have these beards unless they are around my age," he explained. "I may be old, but I believe I'm still in my prime."

"Ah. That explains the small difference," Twilight uttered. "Not all Pokemon always look the same, and some changes can be a bit subtle."

"Exactly," Noctowl agreed. The owl Pokemon glanced at the covers of the books, tilting his head curiously, but not enough to keep making Spike cringe. "Pardon my asking, but what sort of research are you conducting? There are many different subjects from the pileup of books you've accumulated."

"Well...If I told you the reason why, you probably wouldn't believe it," Twilight said.

"I have an open mind," Noctowl assured. "There have been legends that became more than such. I have even heard of a recent event with the meteor approaching the world, and a young rescue team climbed Sky Tower and fought Rayquaza, one of the most powerful legendary Pokemon who protects the planet from certain threats. And the leader, a Squirtle, was something called a human from another world, but not the one of a story about a horrible human who painfully yanked one of the tails of a Ninetails. If it is anything stranger, then I'm more curious rather than perturbed."

Twilight looked over to Spike, who only shrugged in response. "Should we tell him? That Alakazam guild leader seemed ok with us."

After thinking it over, Twilight looked back at Noctowl. "Are you part of the guild?" she asked.

"No. I'm more of a wayfarer, traveling the land and scouring libraries, and even some ancient ones if they still stand, wanting to learn more about the histories of each land, legendary Pokemon, and much, much more," Noctowl said.

Feeling like she can trust Noctowl, and able to see a glint in the older avian's eye for his thirst for knowledge similar to her own, Twilight told him about who she, Spike, and their friends really are and the world they came from. They expected Noctowl to be shocked, or even express any sort of emotion while learning about the Equestrians, their lifestyles, even the cutie marks shown clearly on their bodies. Noctowl was taking this all in stride with a stoic gaze, occasionally tilting his head curiously with a small hum.

After being told everything about Twilight and her friends, Noctowl stroked his short, feathery beard with the tip of his wing. "Intriguing. Another world beyond ours, and with different creatures unlike humans in the legends," Noctowl said. His eyes glanced at the marks on the sides of the Ralts and Gible. "And what I believed to be odd markings along your hips are these 'cutie marks', describing one's traits, hobbies, or professions."

"Yeah, it's...a little weird having our cutie marks on these bodies we're in," Twilight said as she looked down at her cutie mark.

"And the 'ponies' of your world have a close resemblance to Pokemon like Ponyta, Rapidash, Blitzle, Zebstrika, Mudbray, and Mudsdale," Noctowl continued. "Although, to my knowledge, there are none who have the ability of flight like these 'pegasi' in your world. I would love to see a winged equine creature soar through the sky." He then looked at the insane number of books Twilight had gone through or were about to go through. "So, the extensive research you're doing is to search for any means of returning home to your world without your kind's unique powers, correct?"

"That's right," Twilight said with a nod, only to sigh in exhaustion. "I've read and reread what books might give me some idea of probably making a portal, but Pokemon don't have much in the way of technology."

"Aside from that Magnezone guy who takes away the wanted Pokemon we run into, that's the only odd thing we never could imagine thinking of," Spike added. "Never thought Pokemon could also be objects with eyes."

"Just be wary of Voltorb and Electrode. They can be quite...explosive when riled up," Noctowl warned. While thinking of an idea to help give Twilight a bit of a nudge toward her research, his eyes browsed the books on the table. His eyes began to glow with a blue light, using Psychic to move all the books in one of the stacks to pull out one he spotted. The move startled Twilight and Spike, neither of them knowing a Pokemon like him was able to use levitation. Noctowl used his psychic powers to flip through the pages before stopping at a section with a small nod. "I might not have any technical knowledge on creating a portal to another realm of existence, but maybe it's possible to easily wish for one."

"Wish?" Spike asked.

"Might sound hard to believe, but there is a Pokemon who is able to grant any wish a Pokemon requests." Noctowl turned the book around to show Twilight and Spike what he wanted to show them. There was a silhouette of a creature in an illustration of a night sky with a comet flying pretty close from the angle of the artwork. It was in the center of the comet, and the only features that could be seen from its small body was the star-shaped head and what appeared to be two streamers flowing from behind it, making it similar to the tail of a comet like the one behind it. "They call this Pokemon Jirachi, the Wish Maker. It is told that this Pokemon appears from a certain comet that flies by the earth every millennia. Those who have seen Jirachi have been granted a wish, and this space-faring Pokemon stays for a week until the comet leaves for another millennia."

"There are other Pokemon that live out in space?" Twilight asked in awe. "We've heard of Rayquaza, but to think there's other Pokemon beyond the atmosphere is incredible."

"Some Pokemon might only be legends or exist far beyond our reach," Noctowl explained, lowering the book down on the table for Twilight to read about what's known of Jirachi. "But even though some Pokemon are considered 'legendary' because they are very rare and powerful combatants, that does not mean they cannot have children and more could be seen around the world. In fact, some legendaries reside in many of the tougher Mystery Dungeons around the continent."

"Do you think there's a Jirachi in one of these dungeons?" Spike asked curiously.

"Perhaps." Using Psychic again, Noctowl pulled out a map of the huge continent and placed it on the table, scanning the general area before pointing a wingtip at a section in one of the mountain ranges. "I may have heard rumors on my travels about Jirachi's whereabouts, but most of them had led to a Mystery Dungeon in this section of the mountains. Though I have heard it is quite a tough dungeon to climb up. Tough Pokemon reside there, whether taking residence or endlessly searching for Jirachi to have their wishes granted, some with quite possibly selfish desires."

"Maybe this Pokemon could be just the ticket we need to get back home!" Twilight said. She closed the book with the information on Jirachi and took it with her as she ran out of the library. "Thank you, Noctowl!"

Spike sighed, leaving behind the mess of books they grabbed and chased after her. "Twilight, hold up! I've got a big head and tiny legs!"

Noctowl simply waved goodbye to the duo. "Hope I meet Miss Twilight again soon," he murmured to himself, then helped himself to a few books Twilight was looking through. "She has quite the thirst for knowledge, I'll give her that."

Scott stretched out his limbs, warming up for another day of training. "Alright, Johann, time for some more training today!" he said, feeling pumped up. Once his body was loose and limber, he did a few hops in place, alternating between each foot every two to three hops while shaking his arms. "I've come up with a perfect warm up regimen for us to do, then we do some sparring. We're gonna start with some push ups: five hundred for me while you do fifty, just to help get them flabby arms of yours in shape."

Scott had a cheeky grin as he playfully teased his friend, then dropped to the ground and started his rep of push ups. To up the ante for his training, the Riolu kept both his front paws planted on the ground, but he lifted his legs up, only using his arms as leverage as he pushed his entire body weight up and down. However, while Scott was already getting to around his twentieth push up, Johann was more focused on his scarf, his digits pawing at the stone stitched inside.

"I really hope this doesn't get undone," Johann mumbled to himself.

"Yeah! Feel the burn in your biceps!" Scott cheered, his motivational spiel barely reaching the distracted Charmander. He lifted himself up with a grunt, rising into a handstand and still continuing his push ups, showing off his strength and stamina at this point. He stopped his exercise when he spotted Johann not working out with him. Grumbling with an annoyed scowl, Scott approached Johann while still on his paws. "Yo, Johann! Quit daydreaming!"

Johann didn't hear Scott, which aggravated the Riolu more. Scott inched closer, then smacked Johann's face with his tail a few times, finally snapping him out of his daze as he sputtered in surprise.

"Bah! Huh? What's going-?" Johann shifted his gaze to the hand-standing Riolu, staring at his flicking tail, flinching slightly as it bopped him in the nose, then down to the upside-down Riolu giving him an annoyed scowl. "...Uhh, what are you doing?"

"Oh, nothing much. Just working out with some push ups, which YOU should have also been doing along with me!" Scott exclaimed. Pushing himself off the ground, Scott flipped back on his feet. "Come on, Johann! I planned our whole workout routine, and you're the one being lazy!"

"Since when did you make a workout plan for us?" Johann questioned.

"It's mostly for you, and I made it up as soon as we woke up," Scott proclaimed, making the Charmander sigh and wilt his shoulders in exasperation. "Hey, don't give me that look! It's a good routine!"

"That you made up only a couple hours ago," Johann grumbled. He then yelped as he was suddenly smacked in the back, falling belly first to the grass. He tried to get back up, but Scott had one of his feet pressed firmly against Johann's back, pushing the Charmander back down. "H-Hey!"

"You're doing your push ups right now! No distractions, dude!" Scott said. "Give me fifty, and don't stop until you get there!"

"F-Fifty!?" Johann exclaimed, letting out a grunt when Scott put more pressure down on his back, not enough to keep him pinned to the ground, but enough to get his point across. "I think...I'd rather have...my dad train me right now."

"Less yapping and more pushing, smoothie boy!" Scott barked.

As Johann was forced to doing his fifty push ups, Rainbow watched the two Pokemon from a branch in one of the nearby trees around the base. "Man, wish I had a different body," Rainbow grumbled. She spread out her wings, examining them for a few seconds before folding them back to her sides. "Can't do wing ups as a bird. I already miss being a pegasus."

Feeling bored, Rainbow began to fly off, only to hear a familiar giggle as something sprang out from the leaves above her. "Surprise attack!"

Pinkie pounced Rainbow, making her yelp as the Swirlix landed on her and sent them crashing to the ground. They hit the ground with a thud, Rainbow letting out a small groan while Pinkie cheered at her "victory" against her opponent.

"Even as something else, Pinkie is still Pinkie in every way," Rainbow grumbled.

"I win! Pinkie earned 49 Exp.!" Pinkie announced, then did a victory dance by standing on her tail, then leaned to her left with her right foot kicking the air and repeated the same motion in the other direction with the opposite foot. "Go Pinkie! Go Pinkie! Go Pinkie!"

"Pinkie, we weren't even fighting!" Rainbow exclaimed.

"But I knocked you down, so I still got the win!" Pinkie sang while still dancing.

"Ugh. That's not how it works." Rainbow stood up, brushing the dirt off her feathers, though she winced as her back felt sticky from Pinkie's sticky, cotton candy fluff. "And what in the hay is 'Exp.'?"

"Experience points, silly! I mean, the abbreviation is pretty obvious," Pinkie explained. "When we fight bad Pokemon, that's how we get stronger! Why do you think Scotty and Johnny are busy training right now?" She looked over to the training duo, where Scott continued yelling "encouraging" words to Johann while he struggled to lift his upper body up to do a push up. "See? Scotty's already winning the fight! He's gonna get lots of Exp. really fast!"

"...They're working out, Pinkie," Rainbow responded, deadpanned. "Scott's been wanting to help train Johann so he can get strong enough to use that Flamethrower attack."

"...Ohhhhhhhhhh. That's way different, then." Down the road, Pinkie spotted Twilight running up to the base with a book in her arms. "Hey! It's Twilight! Or a Ralts who looks like Twilight. Or a Twilight who looks like Ralts. Either way, TWILIGHT!"

Pinkie bounced off to greet Twilight, Spike eventually showing up a while later, panting and wheezing in exhaustion. Rainbow flapped her wings and curiously headed toward the base, wondering why Twilight was back from the guild's library so soon. The other girls were hanging around the base, too: Applejack was tending to the berry tree field, Rarity was tidying up the base, and Fluttershy was saying hello to some Bug-type Pokemon in the woods nearby before returning from her morning stroll to meet new Pokemon.

"Guys, I've got good news!" Twilight announced.

Scott looked over as he heard the Ralts, along with gaining everyone else's attention. "Oh boy. Wonder what 'exciting' book she wants to show and tell?" he playfully joked with a chuckle. Johann collapsed under Scott's foot, panting heavily, turning his attention back to his tired friend. "...I guess we can take a break."

"G-Gee...thanks," Johann panted. Scott finally lifted his foot off his friend's back, letting him finally stand up. Even though he'd barely managed to reach ten push ups, Johann rubbed his sore arms as he followed Scott to the base. "Next time, I'm putting my whole weight down on your body while you do push ups."

"Sweet. More challenge for my workout later," Scott said cheekily. Johann grumbled and glared daggers at the back of Scott's head, unsure if he made fun of his weight intentionally or not. They entered the base, where all the Equestrians, including a very tired Spike plopped in the middle of the room, were waiting for them. "What's going on?"

"While looking in the library for any way of getting us back home, a friendly and very wise Noctowl helped us in our search." Holding the book she brought with her, she opened it up to the page Noctowl showed her. Everyone gathered around and looked at the information pertaining the legendary Pokemon, Jirachi. "There's a Pokemon named Jirachi, and it can grant anypony any wish they want."

"Any wish?" Applejack asked. "Like...takin' us back to Equestria?"

"Or for a thousand cupcakes to rain from the heavens!?" Pinkie asked, getting a few odd looks from the others. "...What? It can grant any wish, right?"

"Jirachi the Wish Maker, huh?" Scott pondered. "I've heard the stories, but I think that Pokemon's just a legend."

"Well, with our luck, some legends and myths tend to come true," Rarity said. "Nightmare Moon was real, and was the long lost sister of Princess Celestia."

"Maybe your world's fairytales might be real, but there's lots of legendary Pokemon we've heard about that haven't been seen or existed many years ago," Scott said.

"It looks cute," Fluttershy commented as she eyed the silhouette of the legendary Pokemon. "I wonder what it looks like up close."

"As it turns out, Noctowl also told me where we could find Jirachi," Twilight said. This startled Scott and Johann as they looked at each other, then back to Twilight, who set the book down and walked over to the map of the continent hanging on the wall. Grabbing a pointer, she pointed to the location Noctowl showed her where the comet-traveling Pokemon would most likely reside. "There is a Mystery Dungeon it lives in around this mountain range, but Noctowl says that it has some really tough Pokemon inside."

Twilight's friends wilted at the unfortunate news. "Oh, great. So that means we'll get our tails handed to us the moment we find this Mystery Dungeon, right?" Rainbow asked.

"So much for a simple way of getting back home," Applejack mumbled.

“Then in order for us to get one step closer to meeting Jirachi, we’ll just have to keep practicing and perfecting our abilities in order to reach it,” Twilight said.

“Ooh! I’m up for some training!” Pinkie excitedly said. “I just beat Dashie with a clever sneak attack and got me some Exp.!”

“We weren’t battling or fighting, Pinkie!” Rainbow argued, flapping her wings angrily. “That didn’t even count!”

“But I do feel a bit stronger, sooooo…” Rainbow just groaned and smacked herself in the forehead, giving up before Pinkie continued restating her crazy logic.

“Scott, Johann, is there somewhere we can go for some training?” Twilight asked.

“Preferably nowhere with ruffians that are tougher than all of us combined?” Rarity added. “I would like us to not encounter criminals again and I do not want to get my fur mussed up with tougher foes.”

“Ah thought ya could take care of yourself, Rarity,” Applejack teased. “Ya did a mighty fine job handlin’ them diamond dogs, but ya can’t deal with a few other critters?”

“I lady always knows how to defend herself,” Rarity scoffed. “Until I find a suitable spa nearby, I do not wish to be absolutely filthy and take a bath in a lake when I need to get cleaned.”

Applejack rolled her eyes, annoyed by the Skitty’s obsessive need for cleanliness and an over the top pampering session. Scott hummed in thought as he observed the map, looking around any place nearby that would be easy enough for the Equestrians for training, but not too difficult to get them too seriously hurt or wiped out.

“I think there’s a Mystery Dungeon nearby that would be perfect for all of us,” the Riolu said. He approached the map and pointed to an area just a little ways west of Pokemon Square. “A bunch of Normal-types that any of us can beat at The Cave of Normality.”

“Really? ‘The Cave of Normality’?” Twilight questioned. “Who comes up with the names for these Mystery Dungeons?”

“Someone who explored them,” Scott said. “Or who lives there. Whichever was first.”

Spike finally managed to sit up after catching his breath, having been listening to everyone during the conversation. “I could have come up with a better name.”

“Really?” Twilight questioned. “When we ran into Poison Joke, my horn wobbled and flopped around like a wet noodle, and I heard you come up with my nickname ‘Twilight Flopple’ before we all left to fix that mess.”

Scott and Johann blinked in astonishment. “...Uhh, where exactly is a unicorn’s horn supposed to be?” Johann asked. Twilight pointed to her forehead. Both Pokemon imagined Twilight with a horn, though they envisioned her to look more like a Rapidash since that was the closest description of a unicorn from what the girls explained about the pony tribes. Scott began snickering as his face scrunched up, trying his hardest to stifle his laughter. Even Johann snorted and covered his mouth. “...O-Oh...And it...f-flopped around…”

Scott burst out laughing, falling over and rolling around on the floor while clutching his stomach. “I-I-It...It flops around! All over her f-face!” Scott guffawed, struggling to breathe from how hard he’s been laughing.

Twilight grumbled, then glanced at Spike when she heard him snickering. “At least it weren’t as bad as bein’ the size of a mouse from that plant,” Applejack said.

“Or overgrown hair and fur that made it hard to see or walk,” Rarity added.

“Or having your wings upside down on your stomach, making it hard to fly,” Rainbow added.

“My tongue was so swollen and spotted, I couldn’t even talk and just sputtered on everypony!” Pinkie said, then emphasized her Poison Joke plight by blowing raspberries while rambling nonsense, splashing Johann with her saliva.

Johann grimaced and wiped his face from the Swirlix’s slobber. “Eck. Just say it, don’t spray it,” he grumbled. He looked over at Fluttershy, who didn’t mention what this strange flower did to her. “What happened to you, Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy blushed bashfully, tapping her paws together timidly. “...U-Ummm...W-Well…” She bit her lower lip, then pulled up the fluff around her waist to hide her face, embarrassed to recall her horrible, yet harmless prank. “I-I don’t...want to talk about it.”

Scott sat up, finally silent as he grew curious about what happened to Fluttershy. “Did you turn into a giant monster and smash everything?” he asked, earning a deadpanned leer from Johann.

“Spike gave Fluttershy the nickname ‘Flutterguy’,” Twilight said. “Take that as your only hint.” Both the rescue team leaders gawked at Fluttershy, who peeked behind her fluffy waist fur, her face burning red as she hid her face again at the shocked looks on their faces. Johann was speechless, but Scott laughed even harder. Sighing, Twilight levitated the rolling, uproariously cackling Riolu off the floor with Confusion, then began heading out of the base. “Let’s just get some training done today so we can meet Jirachi in the future.”

The other girls agreed and followed Twilight, all while Scott continued laughing in hilarity as he imagined how Fluttershy would sound with a male voice. “H-Huh!? Now!?” Spike exclaimed. “But I just ran from the guild back to the base! Isn’t that enough training for me!?”

“Come on, Spike!” Twilight called out, dragging the Gible in her psychic aura as well.

Johann and Fluttershy were the last to leave, the former still shocked that the Poison Joke didn’t do anything to her physical appearance in Equestria while the latter was still hiding her face. Eventually, Fluttershy peeked out from her fluff, spotting Johann staring at her with a dumbfounded, open-mouthed expression. She squeaked and quickly hopped out of the base, startling Johann from how fast she literally bounced away. Snapping out of his stupor, Johann hurried after the others before he got left behind. As much as he wanted to avoid training today, he didn’t want Scott to drag him off by the tail if they realized he wasn’t with them. He made sure his scarf was tied as tightly as possible so he didn’t risk losing it again.

Team Rescue Rangers arrived at the Cave of Normality, ready to take on the Normal-type Pokemon that roamed the Mystery Dungeon to get stronger. The entrance was just a regular old cave in a small hill, nothing out of the ordinary until anyone steps inside to wind up in the Mystery Dungeon’s maze. Scott took the lead, his typing the only one to do a lot of damage to Normal-types, while Pinkie volunteered to take the rear. Scott was ready to whoop some tail after his on-the-fly training schedule was interrupted by Johann’s “daydreaming” and Twilight’s discovery of Jirachi and a possible way for her and her friends to return home.

“Alright, this should be a cinch with a huge team taking on some easy Normal-types,” Scott said. “With me around, I’ll just give them a flick and they’re out like a light.”

“Snorlax are Normal-types,” Twilight reminded Scott, making the blue and black pup flinch nervously. “You seemed to handle the one that was down at the Miltank farm very well.”

Scott quickly turned around, putting on a brave face as he stood defiantly as he addressed the Ralts calling him out. “T-That’s a fully evolved Pokemon! That doesn’t count!” he exclaimed. “The Pokemon that live around here are smaller, and just weak enough for even Fluttershy to handle.” As luck would have it, one such Pokemon wandered into the room the team found themselves in, just minding its own business. It was a brown-furred beaver-like Pokemon with a cream-colored underbelly and face, round tufts of fur that make up its tail also surround its face and ears, and it has large incisors protruding from its upper jaw. “Aha! There’s one!”

The group looked at what Scott was pointing at, even getting the Pokemon’s attention from his exclamation. “Awwww! It’s a cute beaver!” Fluttershy squealed.

Twilight pulled out the Pokedex and aimed it at the Pokemon. "Bidoof, the Plump Mouse Pokemon. A Normal-type. It gnaws on trees and rocks with its strong front teeth and lives in nests near the water."

“A ‘plump mouse’?” Twilight questioned, staring at the picture of the Bidoof on the screen, then back to the Pokemon eyeing them curiously. “Looks more like a beaver than a mouse.”

“It’s still cute!” Fluttershy stated once again.

“You think everything small with adorable eyes is cute,” Rainbow muttered under her breath teasingly.

Bidoof shrugged and continued on its merry way, startling Scott. “H-Hey! Where ya going!?” he asked. “Aren’t you supposed to fight intruders in your ‘home’!?”

The Bidoof didn’t respond, making Scott sigh and droop his head in dejection. “Well, that was odd,” Rarity said. “Don’t the Pokemon who live in these Mystery Dungeons attack intruders?”

“Maybe not all of them are bad. Some might be friendly,” Fluttershy said. “I want to be that little Bidoof’s friend!”

Fluttershy hopped ahead of the group, making Scott and Johann balk in shock and chase after her with the others following after. “Fluttershy, wait, don’t go off on your own!” Johann called out. “It could be a-!” As soon as Fluttershy hurried into the next room after Bidoof, her paw pressed a switch hidden in the dirt. A section of the ground quickly vanished and revealed a hidden vent, which sprayed out a blue mist around the Buneary, making her yelp in surprise. “-...trap…”

After the mist quickly evaporated, Fluttershy fell over while the Bidoof she was chasing continued casually strolling along. “Oh no! Flutters!” Rainbow cried out.

Rainbow tried to help the unconscious Buneary, but Scott swiftly dashed in front of the Starly’s path. “Stop! Don’t get close to that trap!” he warned.

“Fluttershy just got poisoned by whatever gas was sprayed on her, and you’re gonna let her just lie there!?” Rainbow exclaimed angrily. “That’s my best friend in danger!”

“These traps are pressure-plated!” Scott explained. “If you step on that tile, the trap will reactivate and spray you next!” Rainbow grimaced, looking over to Johann to be sure the Riolu wasn’t making up anything. Johann nodded his head, silently confirming what his friend said was true. “Just be glad it wasn’t a Monster House the moment we walked in here. Although, in hindsight, I’d rather take a trap than a Monster House.”

“And from the color of that mist, I don’t think it was poison,” Johann added.

“T-Then why did Fluttershy just fall over like that?” Spike asked.

After making sure Rainbow wasn’t going to rush in, Scott turned back around to the trapped tile with Fluttershy lying face down on the ground. Stepping close to the edge of the trap, Scott leaned over and grabbed Fluttershy’s feet, then carefully dragged her away from the tile while keeping her body weight on the trigger to avoid setting it off again. Once she was on safer ground, Scott flipped the Buneary over, where everyone surrounded her and looked down at her...and she was snoring softly.

“Is she...sleeping?” Rarity asked, baffled.

“Yup. Sounds like it,” Scott said. “She ran into a sleep trap. Not too bad, luckily.”

“Not too bad!? I thought she was gonna die!” Rainbow squawked.

“Would you rather she stepped on a trap that blows up under her feet?” Scott questioned blankly, making the Equestrians gasp in shock. Rainbow quickly shut her beak, preferring her best friend to be hit by sleep gas than a bomb. “We gotta wake her up.”

“Ooh! Ooh! I got this!” Pinkie hopped over to Fluttershy, volunteering to wake the sleeping Buneary. Wiggling her tail, Pinkie tip-toed over to Fluttershy’s head, then started tickling her nose with her strawberry scented appendage. “Tickle-tickle-tickle!” she teased, though Fluttershy’s nose just twitched from the scent as she continued sleeping. “Huh. That didn’t work. Let’s try something else!”

Pinkie kept using her tail, this time giving Fluttershy a few light smacks against her cheeks. She barely reacted, even as Pinkie put a bit more force into her tail whipping. When that failed, Pinkie did a number of other wake-up tactics that would get even the heaviest of sleepers to a startling wake: tickling under Fluttershy’s arms, licking her feet, even shouting in her very sensitive ears. The others stared, a bit perturbed when Pinkie began licking the Buneary’s paws, wondering when she ever woke up someone back home by licking their feet. After a few minutes with no results, Pinkie wilted as she gave up.

“Ah don’t think Fluttershy’s that heavy of a sleeper,” Applejack said. “Unless that gas is strong enough to knock out an adult dragon, then she might not ever wake up.”

“Well, you guys know about Poison and Burn statuses, right?” Johann asked the girls and Spike. “Sleep is...also a status that can affect Pokemon. And in a fight, they can be pretty helpless for a while when they get attacked.”

“Wait, sleeping is considered a status ailment!?” Rainbow exclaimed.

“Rest is a move many Pokemon can learn, which puts the Pokemon to sleep and heals any and all wounds it sustained,” Scott explained. “It can even replace harmful ailments like Poison or Burn. But there are some moves that can wake up sleeping Pokemon, like Aromatherapy or Wake-Up Slap. The second one will...kinda hurt the Pokemon a bit.”

“So we have to wait until she wakes up? How long will that take?” Twilight asked.

“It depends on how long they’ll stay asleep for,” Scott answered. His ears twitched, getting an idea as he looked at Twilight, who was carrying the team’s toolbox. “Or if we had a Chesto Berry.”

“Uhh, do we have one?” Twilight took off the strap and set the toolbox down. She opened it and looked through their inventory.

“It kind of looks like an acorn, but a bit bigger and has a blue and pale yellowish color,” Johann said.

“Hmmmm...Oh! Found one!” Twilight pulled out the Chesto Berry from the box. “Uhh, can Pokemon eat and sleep at the same time?”

“That Snorlax probably could,” Scott said as he took the Chesto Berry from the Ralts.

He lowered the berry close to Fluttershy’s muzzle, her nose twitching as she unconsciously sniffed at its scent. As it touched her lips, her mouth opened and bit down a quarter of the berry. She swallowed the piece she ate after chewing on it for a few seconds, slowly stirring awake as she leaned forward and continued eating the rest of the berry. Once it was fully consumed, Fluttershy’s eyes fluttered open as she let out a sleepy groan.

“W-What happened?” she asked, sitting up with a small yawn. “Did I take a nap?”

“An unintentional one, yes,” Scott said, then pointed to the sleep trap nearby. “While chasing that Bidoof you wanted to snuggle with, you stepped on that trap tile.”

“...Oh...I didn’t even see it,” Fluttershy mumbled.

“The traps are hidden in the ground in Mystery Dungeons,” Johann explained. “You never know what you’ll trip until you step on it.”

“And they could be anywhere, even on repeat visits?” Twilight asked.

“Afraid so,” Scott said. “There could be more around here, so we’d better watch our step. And not run off to hug potential enemies, hostile or not.”

Fluttershy giggled sheepishly, wishing she had better control over herself whenever she sees a cute and fuzzy little critter she wants to get to know more about. The group continued exploring the dungeon, only being very wary of the ground they walked on now that they know some traps were hidden in any of the rooms. Fluttershy ignored trying to find the harmless Bidoof, and any other Pokemon. Unless they weren’t in a Mystery Dungeon, then she was allowed to freely gush over the cute Pokemon they ran into.

While being careful of any future traps, the team ran into some other hostile Bidoof, along with some other Normal-types that lived in the Cave of Normality. There were Normal-type Zigzagoon, having cream and brown stripe-colored fur that stood out in patterns like they got zapped by an electric wave from their head to their tail and it got stuck in that backwards, spiked way permanently, and a patch of black around their eyes like a mask. They weren’t like Obstagoon’s pre-evolved state as Twilight also got the Galarian version in her Pokedex: black and white striped with their mask sporting a star shape around their eyes. There were also Rattata, purple little rat Pokemon with white underbellies, a long, thin whisker on each side of their face, sharp teeth, and a curled tip at the end of their tail. And the last of the many Pokemon they encountered, which the others HAD to hold Fluttershy back, were Lilipups: cute, little light brown puppy Pokemon with really fuzzy cream-colored faces. Fluttershy really couldn’t help herself; many of the Pokemon looked adorable to her, even if some of them were as big and menacing, like the elderly Nido couple they first met.

Their exploration of the Mystery Dungeon was slow going due to the possibility of other traps inside, but that made it easier for them all to train and fight the Pokemon lurking around. That is, except for Johann. While running into different groups of Normal-type Pokemon, Scott took care of most of them, hogging some of the fun from the others. Johann simply stayed away from the fights, getting more and more concerned with how many Pokemon they encountered. Some Pokemon wound up stepping on a trap, revealing it to Team Rescue Rangers to avoid while also taking out a weaker or vulnerable foe. Johann clutched his scarf, knowing how much Scott wanted him to get stronger to use Flamethrower to help fight stronger Pokemon, but at the same time, he was afraid to grow stronger. He went into a furious rage the last time he unleashed his strongest Fire-type attack, and he didn’t want to hurt his friends if he blindly struck anything out of his control.

Scott grunted, throwing a Vacuum Wave at a group of Rattata that charged them down a corridor, knocking them all back and unconscious as they tumbled into a pile in the next room. “I love this move. Too bad I’ll end up dropping it for Aura Sphere when I evolve.”

“Hey, quit hogging all the Pokemon!” Rainbow complained with an annoyed flap of her wings.

“Yeah! Let us do some fighting now!” Pinkie agreed. “That battle with Dashie isn’t going to last me forever!”

Rainbow grumbled and gave Pinkie the stink-eye at her remark. “Hey, why not let Johann take on a few fights,” Spike piped up, making the Charmander grimace as he began to sweat nervously.

“Oh. I don’t think he’s fought anything since we entered the dungeon,” Twilight added.

Scott glanced over his shoulder, giving his friend a deadpanned leer. “You’re skimping out on more training, dude?” he questioned. “Come on! We gotta get stronger! I can’t carry the whole team!”

“Even though you were bowling through several Pokemon the last couple floors,” Rainbow muttered.

“U-Uhh...W-Well, the others need more training than I do,” Johann reasoned nervously. “I’m just...supervising! And making sure we don’t get attacked from behind!”

“Nothing snuck up on us while we went from room to room,” Rarity mentioned.

“We do appreciate ya lettin’ us get some trainin’ in, sugarcube, but ya should be trainin’ just as hard as we are,” Applejack added.

“I-I did some push ups today,” Johann argued weakly, but Scott was already marching up to him with a disgruntled frown.

“Not enough for me!” Scott exclaimed. “What’s your deal blowing everything off today? Is it because I’ll push you too hard because I LIVE for training as a Fighting-type?”

“I-I never said that,” Johann said.

“Are you not feeling well, Johann?” Fluttershy asked. Johann shook his head, but the Buneary was concerned for his health. She walked up to him and pressed her paw against the Charmander’s forehead to check for a fever. “...Uhh, it’s kind of hard to tell if you’re running a fever when it’s with a Fire-type Pokemon. But you do look a little clammy. Do you have a sore throat?”

“I’m not sick,” Johann assured, though failing to prove he was fine with his anxiety kicking in.

“You’re sweating. And you’re trembling,” Fluttershy noted. “You must be catching a cold. You shouldn’t even be standing, let alone fighting.” She turned to Scott, who silently groaned in irritation at his friend finding excuses to avoid training today. “Do you know how long this Mystery Dungeon is, Scott? We should get him back to the base and in his bed so he can rest.”

Sighing, Scott shook his head in disappointment. “Well, this is the first time I’ve set foot in this dungeon. I’ve only heard about it and what Pokemon reside here. It could be maybe five or six floors deep, maybe a little longer.” He glanced at Johann, pointing a digit at him. “Tomorrow, you’re not shirking on any training. No ifs, ands, or buts, and I’m gonna double what I had planned for you today.”

Johann stammered for a moment before letting out a defeated moan and hung his head. They continued progressing, Scott muttering under his breath over how the whole day of training, both from what he originally planned and the impromptu Mystery Dungeon trek, were ruined because Johann wasn’t up for it today. Johann, however, felt disappointed in himself for letting his friends down. His claw traced the lump hidden in his scarf, debating if he should tell them what’s inside or keep it a secret to avoid disappointing Scott even more than he already is.

Continuing finding the steps down the next few floors, the Equestrians continued their training sans Fluttershy, who stayed beside Johann to make sure he didn’t collapse from “exhaustion”. Scott spotted the others while taking out stragglers, though a bit too forcefully with his sour mood. They found the last set of steps leading down to the end of the Cave of Normality, walking down a long corridor with a much larger room down at the end.

“Do we have to walk all the way down the final floor before going back down the hall to exit a Mystery Dungeon?” Spike asked, panting slightly from the long walk and the few battles he took part in.

“Well, they don’t call them Mystery Dungeons for nothing,” Twilight said.

“Ooh! Maybe there’s some treasure at the end we can take!” Pinkie gleefully exclaimed and hopped on ahead. The moment she set foot in the room, everyone heard a loud bellow from what sounded like an angry bovine, followed by a large body ramming the small Swirlix and sent her flying out of sight in the room. “WAHH!!!”

“Pinkie!” Everyone quickly rushed into the room to help her.

“W-What in Equestria was that that attacked her!?” Rarity exclaimed.

“Ah recognize that sound; some kind of bull charged into Pinkie!” Applejack said.

“I really hope it wasn’t!” Johann exclaimed.

As soon as they ran into the large room, another bellow rang out as the Pokemon that attacked Pinkie made a wide turn as it continued charging, turning its sights on the intruders in its “den”. It was indeed a bull-looking Pokemon with light brown fur, a thicker brown mane around its neck, two curved, gray horns on its head, three gray bumps running vertically down its forehead, and had three thin black tails with tufts of fur at each end. Those tails shook and purposefully whipped the Pokemon’s behind, enraging it more and causing it to run faster.

“Scatter!” Scott shouted. Everyone quickly leapt out of the bull’s way, narrowly getting struck by its head and horns as it rushed down the corridor. “You know, Johann, any time we say anything, we tempt fate in the worst way possible.”

“W-What kind of Pokemon is that!?” Twilight questioned fearfully, pulling out the Pokedex to check what this Pokemon was while it was busy skidding to a halt and turning its massive body around the tight corridor to charge them again.

"Tauros, the Wild Bull Pokemon. A Normal-type. Tauros run in herds in the wild. The herd member with the longest, thickest, and most scarred horns is said to be the leader." After the Pokedex gave Tauros’s description, the Tauros that nearly ran through them managed to turn back around, snorting angrily and ready to charge again as it stomped the ground with a hoof.

“Well, they don’t look too badly scarred, so I assume it’s not in charge of a herd?” Twilight pondered nervously.

“Spike, check on Pinkie before Tauros runs back in the room,” Scott quickly advised the Gible. Spike glanced over at Pinkie, who was lying against the wall with stars swirling over her head and badly scraped after getting rammed and smacking into the wall. Spike nodded, taking the toolbox from Twilight before running off to help the injured Swirlix. Tauros bellowed, his whipping tails making the rescue team wince at the swift smacking sounds as the Pokemon began its rampaging charge again. “Here he comes!

“Move out of the way!” Scott stood his ground as he readied a Vacuum Wave. The others quickly leapt out of the way to avoid getting trampled and struck by the aura wind of the Riolu’s attack. “Vacuum Wave!” Scott shouted, unleashing the swirling gust of blue wind in Tauros’s face. Sadly, the attack didn’t even make the bull Pokemon flinch or slow down his charge, only spurring on his rage and setting his sights only on Scott. “Oh, Arceus me!”

Unable to jump away in time, Scott held out both of his paws, grabbing Tauros’s horns and tried to push him back to slow the angry bovine down. His feet skid across the ground as he grunted, but he barely managed to slow Tauros down by a tiny fraction of the speed he was running. There was less distance between them and the far wall as Scott was continuously pushed back until they finally made impact. Scott’s back struck the wall, then Tauros’s thick skull slammed his gut and practically squished the Riolu harder against the wall within milliseconds. Scott let out a breathless wheeze as his eyes nearly bulged out of his head, getting no time to catch his breath as Tauros flicked his head back, sending the winded Riolu flying into the air, then turned and picked a new target with a snort, leaving Scott to crash to the ground while weakly clutching his abdomen..

“Sweet Celestia above, he’s coming back!” Rarity screeched as everyone panicked.

Twilight stood her ground, holding out her arms as her eyes glowed blue. “Confusion!” she cried out, casting Tauros in a blue light. She managed to slow down the raging bull Pokemon, but her concentration was waning as Tauros was fighting back against her psychic hold on him by thrashing about. “Urgh! N-No!…Can’t…Hold it…!”

Tauros snorted angrily, glaring at the source of the Pokemon trying to keep him held down. Letting out a loud bellow, sparks of electricity surged from the Pokemon’s body. Twilight lost her concentration, startled by seeing the yellow sparks surging from the Normal-type. As Tauros roared, a powerful stream of lightning shot down from the ceiling and struck Twilight, who screamed in agony as her body seized up from the painful Electric attack.

Spike looked back and gasped in terror. “Twilight!” he cried out.

After the huge bolt of lightning disappeared, the light blinding everyone for a brief moment as it faded, Twilight was slightly charred, electricity sparking around her body as her limbs twitched. She didn’t stay standing for long, collapsing on her knees before falling over, her body still twitching from the lingering electricity coursing through her muscles.

“W-W-Was that a...a massive bolt of lightning!?” Rainbow exclaimed, her eyes darting from the ceiling, to Twilight, and to Tauros every second. “T-That’s supposed to be a Normal-type! How can it use Electric attacks!?”

“T-That wasn’t a Thunderbolt,” Johann uttered. “That was...Thunder.”

“Thunder’s just noise, you crazy fire lizard!” Rainbow exclaimed.

“Whatever it was, Ah felt the amount of power that came from that massive bolt,” Applejack uttered, feeling a strange sort of electric attraction from the electricity still surging around Twilight’s unconscious body.

Freed from the Ralts’s Confusion, Tauros continued its rampage. Applejack snapped out of her stupor, needing to teach this bull a lesson. She ran toward Tauros, startling Johann with her bold charge.

“Applejack, wait!” he called out.

Applejack jumped toward Tauros, leaping over his ducked head as he tried to headbutt her. The Yamper landed on Tauros’s back, biting down on a huge chunk of his mane and hung on for dear life.

“Yee-haw! Giddy up, pardner!” Applejack cheered, staying on Tauros as he tried to buck and spin in place to shake the Yamper off his back. Johann was flabbergasted seeing someone crazy enough to ride on an enraged Tauros’s back and stay on for more than a few seconds. “That all ya got!? Ah’ve ridden buckin’ broncos who knock a full grown stallion off in record time! Ya ain’t gettin’ rid of me, buddy!”

Tauros suddenly froze in place, panting heavily, but remained perfectly still. “...I-Is he...tuckered out?” Fluttershy asked.

“Heh. Guess Applejack can handle bull riding in Equestria and this world,” Rainbow said with a small laugh.

Scott grunted, getting up on his knees with a cough. He held his torso, wincing slightly with each shallow breath he took. When he looked up, he saw Tauros standing still with Applejack on his back, confused by what he missed while the wind was knocked out of him. He was about to ask what was going on when he saw Tauros’s tails twitching slightly and hind legs flexing, poised to spring at any moment.

“Oh no. Don’t tell me he’s gonna-?” With a snort, Tauros suddenly let out a bellowing roar, then resumed its bucking, though his movements were far more violent than they were before. Applejack was caught off guard, quickly latching onto Tauros’s mane as tightly as she could as she was getting flung around, desperately clinging her paws around what she could on the Pokemon’s back. “He’s using Thrash! Applejack, get off that Tauros!”

Applejack didn’t respond, too scared to let go at this point. Her grip on Tauros’s mane began to slip, ripping off a clump of dark brown hair as she was flung backward. As she fell, she didn’t have time to recover as her underbelly was met with Tauros’s back hooves, giving her a very swift and powerful kick. It not only knocked the air out of her lungs, but she was also kicked clear across the room, heading straight toward Scott. The Riolu didn’t have the strength to stand and save her, wincing and looking away as the Yamper struck the wall with a pained yelp, then fell to the ground in a crumpled heap. Applejack’s stetson flew up as she hit the wall, floating back down to land in front of the unconscious Electric-type.

“Oh no! It knocked out Applejack, too!” Spike exclaimed, getting Tauros’s attention as it turned to leer at the frightened Gible. “U-Uh oh.”

“We need to escape this Mystery Dungeon, fast,” Scott growled. “Spike, we should have an Escape Orb in the toolbox! Find it and use it, now!”

Spike panicked, fumbling with the toolbox as he opened it and scrambled to find the orb. Tauros began his charge toward the Gible, only making Spike panic as he rearranged their inventory instead of grabbing what he needed. Rainbow quickly flew at Tauros, keeping up with the bull Pokemon as she scratched his face with her talons. She steered Tauros away from Spike, keeping him distracted, giving Spike more time to find the Escape Orb.

Johann ran over to Scott and Applejack while Fluttershy ran over to Twilight’s aid and Rarity rushed to Spike to help him. “Is Applejack ok!?” he asked worriedly.

“I see her breathing, but she’s definitely down and out,” Scott said. He scowled, ignoring the pain in his own body as he stood up. “I couldn’t help her. That Tauros is way too strong.”

Spike hyperventilated, his claws grasping at berries to dig out their inventory. “C-Come on! Come on!”

“Spikey-wikey, did you find it!?” Rarity asked. Spike was too startled to respond, more worried about getting trampled by Tauros to focus on his crush. Rarity helped look in the toolbox, finding the orb, but her triumphant grin faded when she saw another orb the group brought with them, or found in the dungeon. It was hard to tell which orb did what, even with her trained eye in spotting very subtle differences in a spherical gem with a strange enchantment. “Uh oh. There’s two? W-Which one’s the right one!?”

“I-I don’t know!” Spike exclaimed as his anxiety was skyrocketing.

Rainbow grunted, flapping wildly around Tauros’s face to scratch him while also avoiding his horns from his flailing head. She was fast enough to dodge each swing of his neck, but she couldn’t keep it up forever. This Pokemon didn’t even seem to tire out, even after running around for what felt like an eternity. She used Gust after flapping away, but the strong winds she kicked up with her wings did little to push Tauros back, just like Scott’s Vacuum Wave.

“Sheesh! This guy’s tougher than that Snorlax!” Rainbow exclaimed. “And that guy was all flab!” Tauros roared as electricity crackled around his body. Rainbow gulped, forgetting about the Thunder attack he used on Twilight earlier. “O-Oh, horseapples.”

Rainbow scrambled to fly away from the incoming stream of a lightning bolt, hoping she could outfly lightning as a Starly. She yelped when she just narrowly avoided getting zapped, her feathers puffing up from the surge of electricity in the area where the Thunder attack struck. Tauros used Thunder again, just as Rainbow was heading straight for Fluttershy, who was struggling to carry Twilight over to Spike, Rarity, and Pinkie. Fluttershy looked up as she heard Tauros’s bellowing roar again, along with the sparks of electricity surging from him.

Panicking, the Buneary tried to rush faster, unsure where the Thunder attack was going to strike next. Rainbow flew right over her and Twilight, a big mistake as the next stream of lightning not only struck the fleeing Starly, but it also struck Fluttershy and Twilight as well. All three of them screamed and convulsed in agony, including Twilight as she was getting a second dose of a painful electrocution. Scott and Johann gasped in shock as they watched Rainbow fall, landing on Fluttershy and Twilight as they both collapsed to the ground.

“D-Darn it,” Scott growled. “This was supposed to be a simple Mystery Dungeon. This Tauros doesn’t belong here.” Tauros set his enraged sights on Rarity and Spike, inhaling deeply as he reared his head back. Inside his open maw, the two Pokemon rescue leaders’ eyes widened as they saw a mass of yellow energy forming into a sphere, growing bigger and bigger as it continued to store in Tauros’s mouth. “No way. Is that-!?”

“He’s gonna use Hyper Beam!” Johann exclaimed. Rarity and Spike were still panicking over the two orbs they had, barely paying attention to Tauros. “GUYS, MOVE!!!!”

Johann’s warning came too late. Tauros roared, unleashing the energy into a massive beam of yellow, sparking energy at the Skitty and Gible. The pair looked up, only to scream in terror as the beam struck the ground at their feet, creating a massive explosion that sent them flying toward Pinkie. They both hit the wall, knocked unconscious from the Hyper Beam’s blast before they made contact with the hard surface. Spike and Rarity fell next to Pinkie, leaving their toolbox alone with their items out in the open and the two orbs rolling away in different directions.

Tauros stomped about, not celebrating his triumph, still furious and raging out of control. Scott realized this was the second Pokemon they’ve encountered who have gone wild and had no conscious sense of what they were doing. All their Equestrian friends were knocked out, and seriously injured. No Oran Berries or Reviver Seeds could help them at this point, and he and Johann were clearly outmatched by this powerful Tauros. Glancing around the room, Scott spotted the Escape Orb Rarity had, but completely forgetting that their friends found it difficult to tell which seeds had what effects they had, he completely forgot that the Wonder Orbs looked so much alike to them as well. They needed to get out of here, and Scott only hoped the Equestrians weren’t out of commission for too long if they woke up.

“...Johann, get the Escape Orb,” he said, snapping Johann out of his fright and shock as he looked at the Riolu. “I’ll distract Tauros while you get that orb.”

“W-What!? Y-You barely stood back up after he slammed you into the wall!” Johann exclaimed. “Tauros can kill you!”

“I’m not in any condition to run, and he’s going after anything in his line of sight,” Scott said. “Get that orb while you have a chance, Johann!”

Refusing to hear a reason, Scott grasped Johann’s arm and pulled him toward the Escape Orb. He made the Charmander stumble a few feet away, barely enough to actually throw him toward the orb. Johann looked back once he regained his footing, watching Scott use another Vacuum Wave. The swirling blue wind struck Tauros, reigniting his fury as he set his sights on the injured Riolu. Scott braced himself for another crushing tackle as Tauros himself stomped his hooves to prepare his next charge.

Johann shifted his gaze from the Escape Orb to Tauros, unsure what to do. All of his friends were badly hurt, and he’s done nothing to contribute to their training, or even try to attack Tauros. And now Scott was going to take another ramming from the enraged bull Pokemon while he was told to get the Escape Orb. Feeling guilty for his lack of motivation for getting stronger, he ran back to Scott, refusing to let another friend of his get hurt anymore. Tauros was running toward Scott, his head lowered to headbutt the Riolu again.

Scott clenched his eyes and prepared to get flattened, only to gasp in surprise as Johann rammed him from the side, pushing him away from Tauros’s path. “Ember!” Johann shouted, shooting a stream of embers at Tauros’s face.

The burning bits of fire struck the bull, startling him as he shut his eyes, yet still continued running. Tauros shook his head wildly to cool down the burning embers. Scott landed on his side, still sore, and watched in horror as his friend took his place. Johann didn’t think about his next plan of action, beginning to panic as Tauros got closer. He tried to leap to the side, but Tauros’s shaking head caused one of his horns to scrape against his chest, which caught his scarf, and in one swift motion, tore the green fabric to pieces while being flung toward where Scott laid.

As Johann fell on his belly with a grunt, something else clattered near Tauros, who had slammed his head into the wall, stunned rigid in a daze. From the torn scarf, a smooth gray stone with some small, dark gray dots were scattered along its surface. Scott’s seen a few different types of stones involving evolution, but he had no idea Johann kept something like that hidden in his scarf.

“How long did he have that?” Scott uttered to himself.

Johann got on his knees, rubbing his belly from the fall, but when he looked down, he realized his scarf was gone and began to panic. “Oh no! My scarf!” He stood up, and when he saw the remains of his scarf and the strange stone near the Tauros, his joy turned to horror when Tauros regained consciousness, shook off his daze, then turned to glare at the two Pokemon, and with a harsh stomp, he unconsciously stomped down on the stone, shattering it to pieces. “NO! MY EVERSTONE!”

“Everstone?” Scott questioned. “Wait, doesn’t that-?”

Tauros roared, interrupting the Riolu’s thoughts. Scott stood back up, but when he glanced at Johann, the look of shock on the Charmander’s face quickly turned to anger. Thankfully, it wasn’t the same unbridled rage when he let loose on Snorlax, but Johann was definitely ticked. The flame on his tail kicked up, increasing in heat as well as size.

Johann had enough. Tauros hurt his friends, he destroyed his scarf and his hidden Everstone, and his best friend had been upset at him for avoiding training. The truth may have come out, in the worst way possible, but that wasn’t what was driving Johann to finally stop staying in the background while the others handled everything.

“You’re gonna pay for that,” Johann growled, mouth billowing with sparks of flames. Scott stepped away from Johann, his eyes growing wide as his friend reared his head back. “FLAMETHROWER!”

Johann threw his head forward, unleashing a stream of fire from his mouth toward Tauros. The flames engulfed the bull Pokemon as they heard him let out a distressed bellow. Scott was speechless; his friend was able to pull off a Flamethrower attack without breathing out smoke, and they barely did much training after it failed when they took on the Liepard and Purrloin thieves. Johann ceased his fire breath, unveiling Tauros from the burning flames, whose fur was badly scorched, and got Burnt from the burn marks on his face and forelegs.

“...H-He did it?” Scott questioned, finally finding his voice. “B-But how?”

Tauros wasn’t down and out yet. Despite the burning pain and his physical prowess hindered, he was still in a rage, intended to trample and mow down his foes.

“Scott, can you pull off one more Vacuum Wave?” Johann asked, never keeping his eyes off Tauros. Scott snapped out of his shocked daze, slowly nodding his head. “I think we can pull off a double attack that’ll cool this hotheaded Pokemon. When I say now, use Vacuum Wave.”

“...Alright,” Scott mumbled.

Tauros snorted, pawing at the ground, planning to charge the duo while it would be smarter to attack with another Thunder or Hyper Beam. “Wait for it,” Johann said. After moments of anxious anticipation, Tauros grunted and roared as he sprinted at them. Scott readied his Vacuum Wave, waiting for his friend’s cue to unleash it. He didn’t know what his Vacuum Wave would do since it didn’t do much to make Tauros flinch, but after seeing Johann finally use Flamethrower on his own, he had a feeling it was going to be a spectacular combination attack. Tauros began to get closer and closer, making Scott grimace at the tight window they had. “NOW!”

“Alright! Vacuum Wave!” Scott yelled out, throwing his paw forward and unleashed the vortex of aura wind.

“Flamethrower!” Johann exclaimed a second later and blew his powerful stream of fire.

Johann didn’t aim his attack at Tauros, though; he aimed at Scott’s Vacuum Wave, causing the stream of fire to spiral along with the wind. The flames spiraled with the swirling air of the Vacuum Wave, turning it into a sideways flaming cyclone. The power from Johann’s Flamethrower increased the pushback of Scott’s Vacuum Wave, striking Tauros head-on, and slowed the bull down before it pushed him back, all while the fire spun around him once again. Tauros cried out a painful moo as the wind flung him off his hooves. He hit the ground hard, rolling over slightly until he came to a stop on his side.

Weak grunts came from Tauros as he tried to get up, but as he lifted his head, it fell back to the ground with a disoriented moo, eyes swirling in defeat. Scott and Johann didn’t move, waiting to see if Tauros was trying to trick them, but they both sighed in relief after a moment.

“I can’t believe that worked,” Scott said, letting out a small chuckle in disbelief. Before he could gloat, he heard Johann gasp and a bright light start to envelop the Charmander. Scott gasped himself, watching the light engulf Johann while Johann looked down at himself. “W-What the..? Dude, are you...evolving?”

Panicking, Johann let out a strained grunt, flexing his muscles as he tried to fight back against the light around him. Scott had so many mixed emotions flooding through his mind: confusion, excitement, shock, pride, and a slight bit of anger, not in that exact order. He had no idea why Johann was trying to stop himself from evolving, but he thought they were at about the same level in terms of strength and experience. It began to dawn on him when Johann mentioned the Everstone, and its hiding place in his scarf. Charizard had brutally trained Johann to be a strong Charmander, even forcing him to learn Flamethrower, but after only taking out Tauros with just two attacks, including his own Vacuum Wave added to the mix, he had a feeling that his rage and stopping Snorlax wasn’t just a coincidence.

While baffled and trying to figure out just how strong Johann truly was, Johann began growling, which grew louder as he continued fighting his evolution into a Charmeleon. He finally let out a yell as the light dispersed, surprising Scott as he witnessed a Pokemon holding off from evolving. Johann panted heavily, looking exhausted from delaying his evolution. Once he caught his breath, he glanced at Scott, the two staring in silence for a moment. Johann lowered his gaze, then looked at his torn up scarf and the pieces of his Everstone. Slowly, Johann approached his destroyed scarf, kneeling down to pick up the bits of Everstone, letting the pebbles fall between his fingers. It’s completely useless to prevent him from evolving now.

He then picked up his rescue team badge, which was thankfully unscathed from Tauros’s trampling hooves. “...Let’s get out of here…”

Johann grabbed the orbs and the toolbox, then used the Escape Orb to get everyone out of the dungeon, leaving behind the unconscious Tauros.

After returning to the entrance of the Cave of Normality, Johann ran back to town to get some help. There was no way he or Scott could carry the unconscious Equestrians back to their base to recuperate after fighting a powerful Tauros, not even if Scott ate an Oran Berry to heal up. Johann hurried into town to get some help from anyone in the guild. Luckily, he caught a team of three Chansey in their guild who worked in the main headquarters’ infirmary as they shopped for supplies, and quickly brought them with him to help his friends. The Chansey were pink, ovoid Pokemon with stubby arms and legs, three hair-like growths on both sides of their heads with darker pink tips, and had a pouch in the center of their belly with a white egg nestled inside.

Once they arrived, the Chansey all used Psychic to easily levitate the unconscious Equestrians, then made their way back to the guild as quickly as possible with Scott and Johann following them. It felt like hours since they got to the guild, but they made it without any interruptions, only getting curious gazes from some of the other guild members as they wondered what happened. The Chansey trio laid the Mane Six and Spike down on actual beds, ensuring their patients were comfortable as they recovered, checking over them for any other injuries or illnesses as a precaution. One of them even examined Scott since he was in just as much bad shape. Since he was still conscious, they said he just needed to relax and he’ll be good as new, even giving him one of their eggs to eat to help him recover quicker.

Johann was relieved to know his team would be fine after a good night’s rest. However, during the rush back to the guild and after his checkup, Scott stared at the wall with a look of annoyance or anger, all while silently chewing on the soft, yet very nutritious Chansey egg. Johann didn’t know what he was thinking, but he could tell so much happened that surprised him, and he was going to be doing a lot of explaining to him and the others once they woke up.

“...So...how’re you holding up?” Johann asked. Scott remained silent, stuffing the last of the Chansey egg in his mouth. His injuries had healed up quickly thanks to the egg, already giving Johann his answer just from looking at his friend. Feeling awkward, Johann coughed slightly, trying to get Scott’s attention. “Umm...I...I can explain everything.”

Scott’s eyes quickly shifted in Johann’s direction, giving him a death glare as he swallowed the last of the egg. “Can you?” he questioned bitterly. Johann stammered, but wasn’t given any time to respond. “How strong are you? And I mean how strong you REALLY are.”

“U-Uhh…” Again, Johann couldn’t respond as Scott approached him and poked him hard in the chest.

“Don’t try to fumble around with finding an excuse! You were about to evolve into a Charmeleon, but you somehow managed to fight against evolving!” Scott exclaimed. “And you can somehow use Flamethrower now after you screwed it up against those cat burglars! Were you just goofing up on purpose so all of us could feel sorry for you!?”

“No! I really wasn’t able to!” Johann tried to explain. “I-I don’t know why I couldn’t-!”

Scott suddenly shoved Johann, startling the Charmander as he fell on his back. “You were strong enough to evolve the moment that Tauros went down! And you took it down in just two Flamethrower attacks! TWO!”

A nearby Chansey rushed over to them after hearing Scott shouting, trying to break up the fight between the two Pokemon. “Boys, please keep it down,” she hushed calmly. “There are other patients besides your friends. They all need rest and they can’t do so with your arguing.”

Scott growled, ignoring Chansey while scowling down at his friend, though he began questioning calling Johann his friend after he lied to him about his true strength. Letting out a huff, Scott walked off, too frustrated to talk to Johann if he was going to hear more excuses. Johann stood up after a few seconds, a bit stunned from getting shoved by Scott, then quickly chased after him.

“Scott, wait! Hold on!” he called out as they reached the front yard of the guild. Scott stopped, but he refused to turn and look at Johann. “Just let me explain, please!”

“What else do you even want to say!? That you’re far stronger than I am when I thought we were at the same level!?” Scott exclaimed angrily, turning around the glare at the Charmander.

“I’m sorry I lied about my real strength,” Johann apologized.

“It’s not just that!” Scott shouted. “You’ve been holding yourself back on purpose! If you could have taken down Tauros, you could have stopped The Poison Twins on your own! Even Liepard and the Purrloin trio! I may have gone in over my head, but you had the power to beat them without breaking a sweat!” Johann grimaced, wilting in dejection. “I tried to help you get stronger, but you clearly didn’t need my help! Or my training!”

Johann hung his head in shame. “...I-I...I really couldn’t use my Flamethrower in The Cat’s Den,” Johann mumbled, trying to explain. “I don’t know how I did it against Tauros. You all were getting hurt, and I did nothing but watch.” His claw reached up to his neck, trying to touch his scarf, only to realize it was destroyed, along with the Everstone that was hidden in it. He clenched his fingers, wishing he didn’t lose that stone. “...My dad constantly pushed me to train and get stronger. He wanted me to evolve, but when I was about to, I forced myself to resent the evolution. It kept getting more and more exhausting to do that, and I was afraid to evolve so soon. So, to help me, my mom gave me that Everstone. When Tauros smashed it, I was mad that he broke something special my mom gifted me, and after seeing all of you getting hurt on top of that, I decided not to hold back anymore.”

Scott scoffed in annoyance, looking away with his arms across his chest. “You’re unbelievable,” he grumbled. “So what? You’re afraid of getting too strong? Is that why you held yourself back?” Johann didn’t answer. “I should be jealous, letting that drive me to keep working harder to get to where you’re at. But when we’ve got new teammates who are actually from another world and are willing to face dangers unlike anything they’ve ever experienced, and they just got seriously hurt by a Pokemon who shouldn’t have been in an easy Mystery Dungeon like that, you wait until the last second to finally go all out. You know they’re still new to everything else about our world, and if they want to get back home, we promised to help them. That includes keeping them safe.”

“...I know,” Johann mumbled.

“So that’s why we all have to get stronger so we can go through that Mystery Dungeon where Jirachi lives.” Scott grunted, turning his back to Johann again. “Although, you shouldn’t have much trouble since you’re stronger than all eight of us combined.” That comment made Johann wince, a painful reminder that he had the strength to handle anything more than Scott could, yet the guilt from his lies only made him feel like an unwanted burden. “Next time, when I say not to hold back on me, do NOT hold back on me.”

Without looking back, Scott walked off, leaving Johann by himself. He didn’t know if Scott was going to head back to the base or blow off some steam with some more training, but it was obvious that his friend was highly disappointed in him. Now Johann had to tell the others, though that would have to wait until tomorrow after they got a good night’s rest.

Sighing, Johann slowly trudged his way back to town, mindlessly kicking a small pebble down his path while lost in his thoughts. His claws rubbed at his neck, that lingering fear of evolving if he fought another Pokemon coming back to haunt him. Eventually, he DID want to evolve into a Charizard, but not right away, unlike how his father wanted him to be. He didn’t want to keep tiring himself out by forcing back his evolution anytime they fought other Pokemon.

“Thank you! Come again!” Looking up from his mindless wandering, Johann realized he was in the square, walking up to the Kecleon Bros. shop. They waved off a Pokemon who bought one of their wares, Purple spotting the scarfless Charmander, though he immediately recognized him. “Hey, Johann! We just saw Scott walk on by!”

“And he had his scarf, but Johann seems to have lost his,” Green added as he heard his brother mention the Charmander. “Did another Flying-type nab yours alone this time?”

“...No,” Johann said as he approached the shop. “...We ran into a Tauros in a Mystery Dungeon...One of his horns caught it and tore it off when he attacked us.”

“Ugh. Not a fun Pokemon to mess with,” Green said. He looked around their inventory, finding a green scarf that closely resembled the same green color of Johann’s old scarf. “Still got a few scarves in stock, and we got one similar to your old one. Interested?”

“Yeah,” Johann said with a nod. He glanced at the Kecleon Bros. stock, curious to know what else they might have. “...Do you guys...also have an Everstone?”

“An Everstone?” Purple asked. “What do you need an Everstone for? You want to stay as a Charmander forever?” Johann didn’t respond, but the silence and embarrassed expression told the younger twin otherwise. “...Uhh, let’s check if we have one.” Purple and Green Kecleon headed into the back of their shop to see if they had an Everstone in stock. Johann could hear Green scolding his brother for questioning Johann’s life and who he wishes to be as he grows older and stronger. Eventually, the brothers came back out, and in Green’s hands was an Everstone. “We do have one, but no one really has a need for it since a lot of Pokemon evolve when the time comes.”

“It’s just a plain rock at this point, though not as painful as a Gravelrock,” Green added. “With that and the scarf, it’s a pretty good bargain.”

“I’ll take them,” Johann said without hesitation. “Put it on Team Rescue Rangers’ account.”

Both Kecleon nodded, Green pulling out a payment sheet for transactions for the Felicity Bank. After Green set the price on the items being sold, he signed his name as the purveyor while Johann signed his as the client, giving the brothers permission to take only the total of his purchase from the rescue team’s bank account. It was a bit easier than lugging around hundreds of Poké, getting it from the bank to the shops to buy what he needed, and store the rest back in the bank to Persian’s annoyance. Johann had enough disapproving looks from Scott; he didn’t need it from a judgemental, snooty feline who has much higher standards, yet works as a banker.

With his new scarf and Everstone, Johann left, tuning out the Kecleon Bros. as they wished for him and his teammates’ return to shop some more. Johann tied his new scarf around his neck, then looked down at the Everstone as he slowly made his way back to the base. He grasped the stone tightly between both hands, a sense of relief washing over him, but he still felt like scum for hiding how strong he was from his best friend and their new friends.

When Johann reached their base, he saw Scott sitting cross-legged in the middle of the field, meditating. He noticed the dread-like appendages on his head were floating, sensing the area with his aura, and possibly him as he got within range of his aura sight. Johann let Scott be and walked inside their small base, plopping down on his hay bed with a sad sigh. He dreaded telling the others tomorrow, fearing how they would judge him if they reacted similarly like Scott did.

Raging Storm

Twilight groaned as she opened her eyes. “What...happened?” she uttered. As she tried to recall what she was doing, she took in her surroundings. Expecting to wake up under a rocky cave ceiling, she stared up at a ceiling that was smooth, rounded like a dome, and made of wood. Her back was resting on something soft instead of a rough, rugged cavern floor. “...Where am I?”

“You’re in the guild’s infirmary, dear.” Looking to her left where the voice came from, Twilight’s eyes grew wide seeing the Pokemon beside the bed she rested on. Chansey grabbed the egg in her pouch, giving it to the awestruck and confused Ralts. “Eat this. This’ll help you feel better and fill your empty stomach.”

Twilight stared at the egg, sitting up as she held it in her hands and examined it. “...Uhh...Isn’t this your...baby?” she asked timidly.

Chansey chuckled in response and shook her head. “Oh, that’s not a Pokemon egg,” she assured Twilight. “Chansey eggs are really nutritious. We even snack on them from time to time when we get hungry.”

“You...make eggs naturally?” Twilight asked curiously.

“Yup. Quite often whenever our pouches are empty,” Chansey said, pointing both her small arms to the dark pink pouch on her lower belly.

Baffled by learning something about this new Pokemon, Twilight finally remembered what happened to her and her friends. “W-Where are my friends?” she asked.

Chansey pointed behind her, prompting Twilight to turn around. She was relieved to find her friends and Spike were ok and in the infirmary too, all of them awake as they ate the same Chansey eggs given to them by the other two Chanseys checking up on them.

“Hi, Twilight!” Pinkie greeted with a wave before holding out her half-eaten egg in her tail. “You gotta try these yummy eggs! They’re so good!” Giving her snack a toss, Pinkie tilted her head back and gobbled the rest of it down in one gulp. “I bet these would be great for baking!”

One of the Chansey near Pinkie winced and let out a nervous chuckle. “Uhh, that’d be quite a tall order to fill for us,” she said. “B-Besides, we only feed patients our eggs to get them back on their feet.”

Twilight looked at her egg before giving it a nibble. It really was delicious once she took the first bite, feeling a little energy pouring into her from the highly nutritious egg. While the recovering Pokemon finished their refreshing snacks, Johann walked into the infirmary, one of his claws hidden behind his back.

“Hey, you guys are awake,” he said as he approached the beds. “How are you all feeling?”

“I feel crummy,” Rainbow grumbled. “We got our tails handed to us by a rampaging bull.”

“And got badly hurt in the process,” Rarity said, chiding the Starly. “We should be grateful we’re still alive and these lovely Pokemon rescued us from that Tauros.”

“Actually, we were gathered by Johann to help bring you here,” the third Chansey said. “Whatever mess you all got yourselves in, he was the only one to make it out unscathed.”

The Equestrians looked at Johann, only to notice that Scott wasn’t with him or in one of the other empty infirmary beds. “Did Johann go into a frenzy again and beat Tauros on his own?” Applejack asked.

“And where’s Scott?” Twilight asked. She began to fear the worst after seeing him take Tauros literally head on and getting crushed by his thick skull. “...Did...Did he…?”

“Scott’s fine,” Johann said. “He’s...back at the base...He’s too stubborn to go down like that.” The girls and Spike noticed the Charmander growing timid, even as he tried to make a playful jab at the Riolu’s stubbornness. Seeing all his friends’ eyes were on him, worrying about his own health after all but Pinkie saw him nearly get crushed, Johann let out a sigh. They had to know, but he hoped they didn’t get upset with him like Scott did. “...I’m sorry, guys.”

“Sorry? What for?” Fluttershy asked.

“...I could have taken Tauros down myself...but I had been holding back my full strength,” Johann said, clenching his eyes to avoid any judgemental gazes.

“...What?” Spike asked.

“Can you tell us what happened with that Tauros?” Twilight asked.

Johann swallowed the lump in his throat, steeling himself for any complaints and scoldings he would get from his other friends. “When all of you were knocked out, Scott was badly hurt, but still standing, and I didn’t get hurt at all. He tried to have me get the tool box and use an Escape Orb to get us out of the Mystery Dungeon while he distracted Tauros, but I refused to see anyone else get hurt anymore. So, I attacked Tauros with Ember, shoved Scott out of the way, and...when my scarf got torn by Tauros’s horn...I was finally able to use Flamethrower, and we took it down together.”

“Then that’s great news!” Pinkie cheered. She hopped off the bed and bounced over to Johann, nearly bowling him over as she glomped him. “You can control your fire now! And all it took was a life-threatening situation with a mad bull Pokemon! Desperate times call for desperate measures, as they say.”

“Yeah! You took down that Snorlax on your own, but that was when you weren’t mad!” Rainbow praised. “You just needed a little bit of motivation to light that fire in your gut!...Uhh, both the confidence and the actual fire in your...actual gut.”

“Wait, didn’t he say Tauros tore his scarf?” As the others climbed out of their beds, Rarity approached Johann after he peeled the sticky cotton candy fluff ball off him. She looked at the cloth accessory around his neck, her keen eye for detail noticing the difference right away. “This is a brand new scarf. You got a new one after getting back?”

“Y-Yeah,” Johann admitted, his free paw subconsciously rubbing at it, forgetting that the Everstone that was hidden in his old scarf wasn’t there and the new one he bought yesterday was hiding behind his back.

Rarity noticed the odd nervous habit, using her tail to feel the bump she felt in Johann’s old scarf, only to feel nothing but the thin scarf and the Charmander’s chest. “What about that odd stone that was hiding in your old scarf? What was it, darling?”

“W-Well, that got broken by Tauros, too,” Johann said. “I...also found a replacement for that, too. And...it was this.” He then showed everyone what he had been hiding. Rarity expected the mystery stone to be something valuable, but it looked like any ordinary, smoothed out round stone. “This is called an Everstone.”

“...It’s...just a dull rock,” Rainbow commented.

“Maybe by how it looks, but there’s several different sorts of objects that have mystical properties in this world that have no significance to ours,” Twilight explained. “...Although, this is the first I’ve ever heard of an Everstone. What does it do?”

“It keeps Pokemon from evolving,” Johann explained. “It won’t work if the Pokemon’s already fully evolved.”

“Huh. So, if a Pokemon has it, it’ll keep them in the younger or weaker forms they’re in right now,” Twilight paraphrased.

“Well, that’s funny, because if Johann has had that since we first met him, then he must be super strong enough to evolve at any moment!” Pinkie said with a laugh.

Johann lowered his head as the realization slowly dawned on the group, their intrigue melding into shock and awe. He braced for the barrage of questions and ire, though the latter was far from that when they finally snapped out of their stupor.

“Ya mean...ya could have evolved against anythin’ we fought the last several weeks?” Applejack asked.

“You could have beaten those two Croagunks and the thieving Liepard and Purrloin on your own?” Spike asked.

“So you let all of us get trampled by a Tauros and watched as we did all the fighting in that Mystery Dungeon yesterday!?” Rainbow shrieked angrily, earning dirty looks from the others.

“Rainbow Dash, I don’t think either of us would have really stood a chance anyway!” Rarity scolded. “Besides, now we know what happens when we do get beaten: losing consciousness and needing to be rescued as well.”

“Thank goodness we didn’t lose all our goodies if Scotty and Johnny got knocked out as well,” Pinkie added.

Before Johann could get a word in, Twilight was already up in the Charmander’s face, grasping his shoulders with her hands and tried to shake him as hard as she could. “You were going to evolve and I would have to miss out on experiencing it in full detail until either of us did! And how did you hold off on evolving for so long if the other one you had got destroyed!? You can’t just halt a metamorphosis phase like that if it’s crucial for survivability!”

Johann pulled Twilight’s hands off of him and backed away. “I-It’s not that simple and very exhausting to do!” he said. “Not all Pokemon want to evolve into a stronger form! L-Like that weird Meowth we ran into in The Cat’s Den a while back!”

“Dude, you are wicked strong, and you’ve been holding back against Pokemon who are way stronger than all of us combined!” Rainbow exclaimed.

“I-I...I know…but…” Johann shook from Rainbow berating him, just like Scott did.

Fluttershy noticed how upset he was getting, quickly hopping between him and her friends. “Everypony, stop pestering him!” she exclaimed. “It’s obvious he’s not comfortable talking about his real strength, so back off before you upset him even more!” Startled from hearing how irate the Buneary was getting, especially Rainbow Dash, the girls and Spike shut their mouths and backed away a couple paces from Johann. Satisfied, Fluttershy turned around, giving Johann a gentle smile, encouraging him to continue. “I’m sure he has a good reason why he didn’t want to tell us until he was ready to tell us.”

“...T-Thanks, Fluttershy, but...I didn’t want to tell anyone,” Johann mumbled. Fluttershy tilted her head in confusion, but unlike the others pressing him for more details, she waited patiently for him to speak. “I guess it couldn’t have been helped when I lost myself and took out my pent up anger against that Snorlax.”

“Could you have beaten Snorlax without your Blaze ability activating that day?” Fluttershy asked. Johann silently nodded, clenching the Everstone tightly in both paws. “Why didn’t you want to tell us you knew Flamethrower and you were so strong?”

“And why were you failing to use such a strong attack after that?” Rainbow questioned. She earned a painless, but startling shock from Applejack as she growled and glowered at the Starly for her remark. “Ow! Hey!”

“Ya need to learn to keep that big beak of yours shut, Rainbow Dash,” Applejack warned. “Next time, it won’t be just a tiny zap.”

“No fighting in the ward, please!” one of the Chansey exclaimed, catching the harmless zap Applejack gave to Rainbow. “We already treated your wounds, and we don’t want to have to do it again over something trivial!”

Seeing they were disturbing the Chanseys and their work, the group left the infirmary and went outside of the guild to talk. During the walk outside, Johann tried to settle his nerves, but he was still anxious to continue talking about his strength and hiding it from his friends. Ignoring the other guild members, they hung out around a tree to give them some shade, being as far away from hearing distance from the other Pokemon.

“So, as you guys know, my dad’s part of Team A.C.T., one of the strongest and famous rescue teams in the land,” Johann said. “Since I was a hatchling, I wanted to be a rescue Pokemon just like him. At first, the training was fun, but after he, Tyranitar, and guild master Alakazam were defeated by Groudon when they searched for what was causing so many terrible earthquakes...dad got...a bit more aggressive with the training.”

“Yeah, your dad’s kinda scary,” Spike agreed.

“And really, really mean. Daddies do NOT be that mean to their kids. Not even for training,” Pinkie said with a pout.

“What even got up your dad’s giant plot anyway?” Rainbow questioned.

“Throughout my family’s history, my ancestors were considered the strongest of Charizards among our kind, and my dad still holds that title,” Johann said. “Generations upon generations of my ancestors had faced tough Pokemon and never lost once to anything. Not even Pokemon who have a type advantage. My dad took pride in that and wanted to put that on me and my older brother to take that title when the time came.”

“I didn’t know you had a sibling,” Fluttershy said. “Is he a Charmander, too?”

“He’s a Charmeleon; the next form I would have evolved into if I wanted to,” he said. “I also have an older sister, but she’s...different.”

“Does she not like fighting?” the Buneary asked.

“No...It’s actually...complicated,” Johann mumbled.

“So...your sister’s not nice?” Twilight asked, wincing a little as she wanted to pry a bit more into Johann’s family life.

“I’m actually really close with her. My brother, not so much,” Johann groaned. He shook his head, getting back on topic. “Anyway, since my dad’s first real loss against a legendary Pokemon who can shift and increase the amount of land on the earth, he changed. I feel like I don’t live up to his expectations, no matter how much I tried to impress him. I’m too scared to try to talk to him now, or even tell him how I felt when he pushed me too hard. So, since then, I...I hid how I truly felt around everyone when I got upset. I pretend nothing bothers me, and even though I kept Flamethrower, I relearned weaker moves from a Pokemon move tutor so no one thinks I’m stronger than I’m supposed to.”

“Well, we saw what happened when all that bottled up emotion backfired on Snorlax,” Spike mumbled.

“So you hid behind a mask and suppressed your real power around others? Why would you put so much strain on yourself, darling? It’s definitely not healthy for you when you might lose control of yourself again,” Rarity said.

“Yeah! And being fake happy is NOT happy!” Pinkie added.

“What am I supposed to do?” Johann asked. “I feel like a disappointment to my dad, I’m afraid of letting everyone else down, and I didn’t want other Pokemon my age to feel inferior around me when I’m much stronger than they think.” He clutched the Everstone tightly, being careful not to squeeze too hard to crack it and ruin its power to keep him from evolving. “I still want to be a rescue Pokemon...but I didn’t want to take away my whole team’s glory when we face a powerful Pokemon by myself.”

“Come on, Johann! Are you kidding!?” Rainbow exclaimed. “You DESERVE all that praise! You’re a leader for a reason, and you can be pretty tough when you build up that confidence some more! Trust me, I’m a great motivator!”

“In what universe?” Applejack muttered.

“Is that why Scott’s not here?” Twilight asked. “He’s so jealous that he feels you upstaged him when you went all out on that Tauros to save his tail that he didn’t hear why you hid your real power in the first place?”

“I-I tried to explain, but...he did make some...decent points,” Johann mumbled.

Twilight wasn’t going to hear any excuses or whatever reasons Scott came up with, fuming angrily at how horribly the Riolu treated his best friend. “I’m going to give that stubborn mutt a piece of my mind. In both cases!”

The Ralts began to storm off back to the base, leaving Johann stammering, trying to tell her he was responsible for getting them hurt. “We better make sure she doesn’t hurt him too badly,” Spike said. “Or they get into more than just a friendly sparring match.”

The other girls agreed, but Johann tried to beg everyone not to attack Scott for calling him out and avoiding him. Fluttershy grabbed the Charmander’s paw and guided him along, looking just as mad as Twilight, though her expression showed more like she was disappointed in the Riolu.

Loud grunts and yells rang out in the small training field outside Team Rescue Rangers’ base. Scott punched and kicked at the air with intense force, training himself hard to reach the level Johann was at. He was still mad at Johann, feeling humiliated that he was trying to train his best friend to get stronger and find his inner fire, only to discover he was already tough enough without his help. Scott didn’t know what game his friend was playing with him, but if he was going to keep hiding secrets from him, then he wasn’t going to bother with whatever problems he has anymore.

After throwing several combo punches and a spinning roundhouse kick, Scott set his sights on a wooden log he had left standing. Several piles of broken wood and splinters scattered about, shattering over a dozen other training logs with his brute force. Letting out a yell, the Riolu charged at his final opponent, then swung a flurry of rapid punches into the center of the thick wood. After seeing and hearing it begin to crack, he brought both his paws together to his chest, then thrust them forward into a double-palm thrust. The impact caused the wood to split into hundreds of pieces, launching splinters and some good chunks of wood across the grass.

Scott stood silently with his arms thrust out, glaring at the wood for a brief moment before lowering his arms with a disappointed grunt. “All the training I could have given him. All for nothing,” he growled to himself. “His dad was THE Charizard from Team A.C.T. He had all the training he could have gotten, and yet, when Flamethrower didn’t work, it just magically began to work right for him. He’s got some nerve asking me for help when he could have easily burnt me to a crisp in a real fight.”

Scott clenched his paws angrily, letting out a huff as he walked over to a nearby tree. He leapt up onto a tall, wide branch several feet above the ground, curled his legs around it as he hung upside down, then proceeded to do some lifting curl-ups. While focusing on his rigorous training, Twilight stomped down the road with her friends and Johann trailing behind her. They spotted Scott on his workout branch and approached him. Scott noticed them, but ignored their presence and continued training.

“Scott, get down here!” Twilight exclaimed.

“Glad to see you all awake,” Scott greeted between grunts. “I’m busy training.”

“Is that really all you have to say!?” Rarity exclaimed in shock. “‘Glad to see you’re awake!?’ We all got trampled by a wild Pokemon!”

“Well, that’s life as a Pokemon sometimes,” Scott said, taking a moment to pause his workout to blankly stare at the group. “You win fights, you lose fights. And if you lose, all you need is a bit of sleep and some berries and you’ll be good as new. Just as long as one of us is still standing-” Scott gave Johann a sneer, making the Charmander wince and lower his gaze. “-we can make it out of a Mystery Dungeon with our tails still attached. Now get some training in before it gets dark.”

Baffled, the Equestrians stared at Scott as he continued his reps. “You’re really going to pretend like nothing happened yesterday?” Spike questioned.

“And yell at Johann because he’s afraid to show everypony how strong he is?” Fluttershy added with an angry look, ready to use her Stare on the disgruntled Riolu to force him to apologize and make up with Johann.

“I don’t know what kind of sob story he told you guys, but all of this could have been avoided if Johann put a bit more effort into fighting when it truly mattered!” Scott said.

Twilight snapped, using Confusion to snap the branch Scott was hanging from. The Riolu yelped, quickly flipping rightside up to land on his feet. Before he could berate Twilight for making him fall while he was in the middle of his workout, she was already up in his face.

“What is the matter with you!?” she shouted. “Johann’s your friend! You’re gonna be upset with him because your ego was hurt after seeing him take down a Tauros!?”

“M-My ego!? The heck’s that got to do with me being mad at him!?” Scott questioned.

“You keep boasting about strength and showing off like you’re better than any other Pokemon, but you still go way over your head! Even after you learned that lesson with those Croagunk twins, you seemed to have completely forgotten after that!” Twilight argued, pointing her digitless hand at his snout.

“Excuse me!?” Scott smacked Twilight’s hand away and pointed back at her, taking offense to her accusation. “First off, that Snorlax came out of nowhere, and that Pokemon was destroying a farm! I wasn’t going to stand around and let it eat everything in sight while he was berserk! Second, those thieving cats stole Spoink’s pearl, and as a team, we ALL agreed to take them down! And that Tauros took us all on by surprise when none of those Pokemon ever showed up in the Cave of Normality! Trust me, I’ve been there a couple times for training, so I know exactly which Pokemon roam down there!

“And if all of you are going to attack me because I yelled at Johann, you’re not seeing the real problem here! Because of this berry smoothie-chugging lizard-” Scott then pointed at Johann, who winced and slowly backed away from the group, feeling hurt as his best friend angrily called him names out of spite, not for playful banter. “-there were so many times he could have dealt with ALL the Pokemon we came across in the last few weeks in seconds! All the times he’s held himself back on purpose, that would have saved me from being reamed by all of you, especially HIM, for being reckless!”

“So you admit you were jealous of him after all!” Twilight exclaimed.

“I’M NOT JEALOUS! I’d prefer facing someone stronger than me to challenge myself, and if I ever lose, that’s a good motivation for me to train even harder and grow stronger than them!” As Scott bore his fangs, he startled Twilight as she backed away a bit, but had her hands ready to stop him with her psychic powers if he became too aggressive. “I’m mad at Johann for lying to me, and because he refused to unleash his full potential when we were in a dire situation, that Tauros could have done a lot more damage to you guys!”

Fluttershy hopped toward Scott, startling him slightly as she almost headbutted him while looking him straight in the eyes. “That doesn’t excuse you for putting Johann down like that!” she scolded. “He’s afraid to show everyone how strong he really is because he has so many expectations from his father to continue a family legacy, but feels like he can’t when he’s being pushed so hard! If you can sense the emotions in other Pokemon with your aura, why can’t you see that he’s distressed on the inside!?”

Scott’s gaze slowly changed back into a glare, even as Fluttershy began to use her Stare to get him to back down. He faltered a bit, but quickly shut his eyes and looked through his aura, avoiding eye contact while seeing through his aura sight. He could see Fluttershy’s aura the brightest, being so close, and the others’ auras behind her, all of them except for Johann’s flickering in a way that showed they were all cross with him. As usual with Johann’s no matter what expression he held, his aura remained perfectly calm.

Opening his eyes back up, he ignored Fluttershy’s Stare, gently grabbing her shoulders, then forced her to turn around and look at Johann, surprising her as her Stare didn’t work on the Riolu. “If you could see through my eyes, you would have no idea what he’s feeling,” he said. The Buneary stammered, trying to figure out why her Stare didn’t work on Scott when it affected Johann and the Poison Twins, Scott wrapped his paws around her head, covering her eyes. “He looks upset right now, but on the inside, his aura’s much more calmer than any of yours right now. No matter what emotion he bears on his face, every single time I look at his aura, it’s always like that. The only other time I’ve seen it change at all was when he went mad in his Blaze rage, and I felt so much inner pain in his aura than I ever could have imagined from someone like him.

“I’ve never heard of any Pokemon having that calm of an aura, no matter what kind they are. Neither my parents or any Lucario in the village I grew up in has ever seen that happen, so Johann’s aura is probably as unique as yours is. Although, I don’t know what to believe anymore if he’s just going to constantly keep things from his best friend.” He moved his paws, letting Fluttershy see and let what he said to everyone sink in, even if they’re all still against him for hurting Johann’s feelings. Scott brushed past Fluttershy and through the rest of the Equestrians, heading straight for the timid Johann. The others wanted to stop Scott, but even if they all ganged up on him, the Riolu was far more combat experienced than they were, even with Twilight using Confusion to freeze him in place. “So, is there anything else you wanna share with me? Or do you not trust me enough, as your PARTNER, to tell me what you told them?”

“I-I...I never said that,” Johann mumbled.

“Clearly, you open up to them, but not me! Why!? Because I’m a tough male who doesn’t want to talk about feelings and any other sentimental junk!?” Scott questioned. Johann shook his head, but couldn’t respond in time as Scott continued and pointed to Spike. “You told the girls, and even Spike, who is also a male like us! What did I ask from you that night when you went nuts on Snorlax!? I didn’t want you to hide anything from me, and, surprise surprise, you’re still hiding stuff from me!”

“Scott, that’s enough!” Applejack warned.

“What is it about me that you can’t tell me anything, huh!?” Scott continued, yelling at Johann as the Charmander winced more and more. “I try to help you, even when we were constantly getting picked on by Obstagoon and his team! You could whoop his butt into next week if you wanted to, but you kept taking his abuse while I was the only one who stood up to that jerk!” Johann shook as tears welled up in his eyes, unable to find his voice and keeping his eyes away from the Riolu and his tirade. “You could have saved us so much trouble if you actually showed me your real strength and not held back on me! We both need to be at our strongest as a rescue team to help other Pokemon; to help our teammates from another world find a way to get back home! We made a promise, and you’re going back on it by pretending you’re at my level of power!”

“I-I’m not. I swear,” Johann uttered. “...I...I don’t want-”

The moment Johann looked up, Scott had dashed toward him faster than any of the group could blink. Scott threw a swift punch into Johann’s chest with as much force as possible. Johann grunted in surprise while the Equestrians gasped in shock at what Scott did. Instead of expecting the Charmander to double over in pain and gasp for air, Johann barely even flinched. He slowly looked down at Scott’s paw against his chest, feeling only a slight, dull pain from the punch. His teary eyes slowly glanced up to his friend, who leered at him in discontent.

“...Not even a grimace,” Scott grumbled as he pulled his paw away. Johann subconsciously rubbed at his chest, his lips trembling, the pain in his heart hurting far more than the powerful blow he was given that he was able to withstand. “You really are strong after all. How pathetic of you for going so easy on me.”

The Equestrians were speechless, but they could see Johann was about to break down in tears. “Scott, stop it,” Twilight said.

“You’re supposed to be a rescue Pokemon. You wanted to be just like your dad. I don’t see a tough Fire-type Pokemon; all I see is a coward who hides who he really is on the inside. Whatever dumb legacy your dad expects from you to continue on, maybe that’s the reason why he’s mad at you. He knows you’re a disappointment to him, and you’re in denial, despite training hard enough to last a round against a legendary Pokemon!” Johann’s eyes widened with a shaky breath. His tears began flowing, but the dejected expression didn’t phase Scott in the slightest. “You’re also supposed to be a leader, but you’re no leader at all! You’re a terrible partner who doesn’t trust me after all we’ve been through the last few months in the guild! I’d rather have my own team than be partnered with a fat, pathetic, smoothie-slurping wimp like you! Either you grow a backbone and stand up for yourself, or run away and quit with your tail between your legs!”

Johann whimpered as his body quaked, desperately holding back his sobs while his tears ran down his face like waterfalls. He clenched his eyes and his fists, grasping his Everstone tightly. Scott growled, finding less hope that his supposed friend would retaliate and show that he wasn’t a coward. When Johann finally did move, he threw his Everstone at Scott, who quickly caught it before it struck his face, baffling him as he saw the brand new mystical stone the Charmander held.

Johann let out a heartbroken whine before running off, nudging Scott aside as he ran inside the base. Upon contact, as Scott staggered, his aura activated on its own as his eyes glowed blue and his appendages stood out. When he glanced at Johann as he fled, his eyes widened when he saw the Charmander’s aura; it was no longer calm as it wavered in a deep, dark shade of pale blue, expressing intense sorrow, misery, and depression. This aura was the very same feeling deep within the Charmander’s Blaze rage, making it the second time he’s seen his friend’s true emotions, both physically and internally.

He was snapped out of his daze when a wing smacked him upside the head. “Nice going, ‘leader’,” Rainbow growled.

“How could you call him such awful things!?” Fluttershy exclaimed before rushing off to the base to comfort Johann.

“You two are supposed to be friends,” Twilight growled. “Since I moved to Ponyville, I had been new to friendship. But...you treat Johann like that when you have no idea how much he’s suffering from his own self doubts and self confidence!? What kind of a friend does that!?”

“He’s a terrible friend, that’s what!” Pinkie shrieked. She then hopped up to Scott, smacked him hard across the face with her tail, then swiped Johann’s Everstone from his paw. “No treats for the bad fighting puppy!”

Pinkie let out a huff and hopped away to join Fluttershy. Rarity and Applejack shook their heads at Scott, the Skitty going on ahead to help Johann with Twilight and Spike following after.

“You’ve got a lot of nerve, dude,” Rainbow said. “You want to pick a fight with anypony, try me! Or Applejack!” Scott snapped out of his stupor from getting slapped by Pinkie, glancing at the base. His ears twitched, faintly hearing Johann sobbing from inside. Scowling, confused and still irritated that everyone sided with Johann over him, he turned away from the base with a grunt and headed into the forest. “H-Hey! Where the hay do you think you’re going!?”

Rainbow flapped her wings to divebomb the Riolu, but Applejack caught her tail in her mouth, making her yelp as the sharp teeth clenched her tail feathers hard. “Just leave him be, Rainbow Dash,” Applejack said.

“You have got to stop biting my tail,” Rainbow muttered, deadpanned. After Applejack spat out Rainbow’s tail, the Starly checked on her feathers before glaring at the stetson-hatted Yamper. “Why are we just letting him walk away!? He made Johann cry!”

“He needs to blow off some steam and calm down. Ah understand he’s mad because Johann lied to all of us, but that don’t mean he meant to hurt anypony,” Applejack said. “He was afraid of how others would think of him because of his pa not appreciatin’ him anymore.”

“That was still a low blow, though,” Rainbow grumbled.

“And Ah don’t think Scott meant it when he said all that,” Applejack continued, confusing Rainbow Dash. “When Johann ran past him, I noticed how quickly his expression became when them droopin’ ear-like things floated up. And his eyes were opened this time.”

“Uhh...that was a weird thing to mention,” Rainbow said. “Doesn’t he see farther with them closed?”

“There’s a lot about the critters in this world none of us know how they do the things they do.” Applejack looked out to the forest, watching Scott disappear into the trees, then back to the base. “Maybe that Pokedex can share with us some secrets about Riolu and their aura sensin’ abilities.”

Throughout the rest of the day, Scott mindlessly wandered around the trees, growing more puzzled as his anger toward Johann was long forgotten. He tried to snap out of his thoughts and try to continue training, but he couldn’t stop thinking about Johann’s aura. For so long as he knew the Charmander, he never saw his aura change with whatever emotion he was truly feeling. Not even a flicker until he unleashed all his pent up rage on Snorlax back at the Miltank farm. It couldn’t have been a fault with his own aura vision since he could see other Pokemons’ aura and their real emotions inside just fine, but Johann’s was always so calm and collected, even when he seemed a bit sad or angry. NOW he could see that depressing aura after he yelled at him, which seemed to be impossible for many Pokemon who cannot use or see aura to conceal it from a Riolu or Lucario.

The sun was beginning to set when he looked up at the sky, realizing he spent the rest of the day fretting over Johann and his emotional state. He tried to punch some trees to distract himself, but he didn’t put his all in his strikes, only minor taps like he was just giving them light pats. Sighing, he focused his aura to find his way back. He followed his sight until he spotted the lake, surprised to see he had practically made half of a circle around to where the back of their base was. When he reached the open field and the lake, he glanced at his reflection on the calm water’s surface.

“...What is happening?” he asked himself. “Johann shouldn’t have any control of his aura to hide all that...pain.” Sinking down to his knees, Scott reached a paw out to the water, gently disturbing the calm lake with a light touch and moved his paw around, simulating what he saw in Johann’s aura earlier. The weak ripples and quivering surface slowed down as he removed his paw, imagining the tear-stricken face of his friend in the water as he cried his heart out. “...What’s bothering you, Johann? Why can’t you tell me?”

Sighing, Scott realized how much of a jerk he’d been. Maybe he did go a little bit overboard and said a lot of things he shouldn’t have said, but he didn’t want his friend to hide anything else from him. He wanted to help, but he can’t if Johann refuses to say anything, even if it’s a personal or family issue he didn’t want to discuss. Getting back to his feet, Scott stared at the water for a moment longer before making his way back to the base.

Rounding the building, he was about to walk inside, only to be forcefully shoved out by a fluffy pink body. “Nuh uh! Bad puppies sleep outside!” Pinkie scolded.

“Pinkie, I just want to go to bed,” he grumbled.

“Nope a dope!” Pinkie said with a wild shake of her head. “You’re staying in the dog house tonight for being a bad, bad friend! Or...well, there isn’t another house, so it’s a metaphorical dog house for not being in the same room as the upset party. Or is that when you’re sleeping in the same bed?”

Scott’s eye twitched, his anger flaring up again over the defiant Swirlix and her random tangent. “Fine, then! I’ll sleep outside!” he exclaimed before storming off, walking past the garden and plopping himself down against the base of the closest tree. “I can’t believe this. They’re kicking me out of the base. And a pink fluff ball is the guard dog, whose logic and train of thought make absolutely no sense.”

As he sat under the tree, pouting angrily for being forced to sleep outside, he stared at the base. He wanted to snoop and listen in to whatever any of them were saying or doing, but knowing Pinkie, she’d probably sense his presence and block him from being within close proximity to the building. He will never understand Pinkie Pie for the rest of his days, what with all her wild, hyperactive antics and the ability to defy any form of logic he knew of.

His body relaxed, leaning against the trunk of the tree as his ire slowly faded. He did want to see what they were doing inside, only to realize he WAS able to through his aura. After mentally beating himself up for forgetting his unique ability, Scott closed his eyes and focused his aura. Peering through the rounded wall of the base, he could see the outlines of his team with their aura glowing inside them. Pinkie was guarding the entrance, making sure he stayed outside, Applejack and Rainbow Dash seemed to be talking to Twilight, Spike, and Rarity, and Fluttershy was with Johann. From the looks of their silhouettes, Fluttershy seemed to be hugging him, comforting him. And to Scott’s shock, Johann’s aura was still depressingly wavering, not a single bit of it changing back to the usual aura he saw in his friend.

Opening his eyes, Scott felt bad for what he did. He deserved to sleep outside. As much as he wanted to apologize, he doubted the others would want him anywhere near Johann, and he wouldn’t blame Johann if their friendship ended right then and there. Leaning his head back against the tree, Scott just silently watched the base, wondering what his friend thought of him now as the sun finally settled and night began. Eventually, Scott fell asleep, wishing he could take everything he said to Johann back.

The next morning, long before the sun was about to come up, most of the inhabitants inside Team Rescue Rangers’ were fast asleep. Applejack stirred, her inner alarm clock telling her to wake up and start her day. Sitting up in her bed, she yawned and stretched her back and limbs. Smacking her lips, she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, then grabbed her hat laying beside her small hay bed. After fixing it on her head, she glanced around the room at her sleeping friends. Before she got up, she did a double take when she thought there was someone missing. She knew Scott was outside after Pinkie temporarily banned him from the base, but Johann wasn’t in his bed. The only thing sitting there was his Everstone, something he didn’t want to leave behind to avoid evolving until he’s ready to.

“Johann?” she quietly called out. Applejack walked around the beds, being careful not to wake the others as she headed outside. Looking around, she didn’t see the Charmander out in their training field on the other side of the dirt road, or even near the garden. With so little light, it couldn’t be hard to spot a Pokemon with a tail lit up with a flame to illuminate and reveal himself. Beyond the garden, she could faintly see Scott sitting against a tree, fast asleep. “Wonder if he knew where Johann went.” Still upset with him for how he treated Johann, Applejack walked over to the Riolu. As she stood next to him, Applejack nudged his side with her paw. “Scott, wake up.”

Scott grunted, his eyes squinting open irritably. “What?” he grumbled, annoyed that someone interrupted his sleep. When he saw who it was that was forcing him awake, the embarrassing display he made of himself came back to him. Irritation shifting to confusion, he slowly began to wake up as he stared at the Yamper. “...What time is it?”

“The usual time for us to be awake at this hour,” Applejack said bluntly.

“...Oh.” Scott wilted and leaned back against the tree. “I...don’t really feel like training today.”

Applejack wasn’t all that surprised hearing the Riolu not feeling up to doing any of his daily training routines. “Ah suppose ya thought long and hard about what ya did yesterday, huh?” she asked. Scott averted his gaze, giving the Yamper his answer through his silence and guilty frown. “Where is he?”

Confused, Scott looked back at Applejack. “Isn’t he still asleep in the base?” he asked.

“No sign of him,” she said. “He even left his Everstone. Ah thought ya would have heard him walk out or sensed him with your aura.”

Scott shook his head, his heart filled with dread. “Did I...make him run away?” he uttered.

“Well, ya sure did give him that much of a thought after ya yelled at him,” Applejack scolded. “Ya think ya know your friend, but ya don’t.”

“Because he never tells me anything else about him,” Scott argued. “Ever since we met at the guild, he’s talked about how great his dad was, how much he wanted to be a rescuer like him, and through our training, we had fun learning about what we needed to know about creating our own team and the things we’re allowed to do as guild members.” He let out a sigh, running his paws against his face in exasperation. “He was always so positive and optimistic those past few months. Ever since we met you and your friends, I didn’t even realize how different he’s been.”

“So now you’re puttin’ the blame on us?” Applejack accused, her body sparking slightly in retaliation.

“Of course not!” Scott shouted as he glared at Applejack. “Quit treating me like I’m the bad guy! I could never tell how Johann was feeling, whether he showed it personally or through his aura! I don’t know how he can control his emotional state like that, but ever since he went into his Blaze rage, I saw a side of him I didn’t know he had kept hidden, and I wanted to help him! So don’t say I’m in the wrong when my best friend doesn’t tell me what’s on his mind, because I want to help him get better, not put him down!” Both canine Pokemon stared each other down, but Scott’s gaze weakened, looking down at his feet with his paws holding his head. “...And I ended up doing that anyway. All because I just wanted him to give me a straight answer about what’s been bothering him and got him so upset…”

Applejack’s expression softened a little, appreciating his honesty and admitting he was wrong to yell at Johann while he was in such an emotional state. She sat down next to the depressed Riolu, looking out to the base and the growing orchard she was building.

“Maybe he didn’t want to tell ya because he was afraid of how you’d think about him,” Applejack said. “He told us that his pa, Charizard, he got much more aggressive trainin’ Johann. Ah can see why that grumpy dragon seemed to be frustrated and bitter with him when we first met him. He ain’t much of a father figure for pushin’ his own kin to continue such an important family tradition.”

“I knew his dad was pretty terrifying, but I never knew why Johann would sometimes look...upset whenever he was around,” Scott mumbled.

“But your aura can sense emotions, right?” Applejack questioned, finding his explanation yesterday hard to believe through how he perceived other’s aura. “Ah looked at that Pokedex with some of the girls about Riolu, though there ain’t much detail about what they see in a Pokemon’s aura. You could see ours, even what might be some contained Equestrian magic within us, but ya couldn’t tell what Johann was feelin’ at all?”

“No. I always saw his aura as a calm, controlled wave whenever I snuck a peak,” Scott said. “Even when he seemed bothered by what I said or if he got frustrated or sad, I saw no change whatsoever.”

“And...that ain’t natural for anypony?” Applejack asked. “Or...anything?”

“No. Aura always flows and ripples differently, whether it’s weak or powerful,” Scott explained. “...I don’t know how Johann was able to do that. Not even a Lucario with years and years of constant aura training can perfect their own inner aura like that.”

“Did he know about aura at all?” Applejack asked. “Maybe his pa, or maybe Alakazam?”

“I don’t think so. I did tell him about what I could do with aura when we first met,” Scott said. “I was...pretty excited to be part of the guild, and I felt like showing off, so I told him how each other Pokemon was feeling right then and there. Maybe that explained how his aura behaved, but even then, it’s still impossible to do something like that.” He lowered his head with a sigh. “...Does he not trust me?...He probably doesn’t now after yesterday. I don’t blame him. I wouldn’t trust myself either…I hope he didn’t run away...”

He felt Applejack’s paw gently touch his shoulder, making him tilt his head in her direction. “We’ll find him,” she promised. “And we don’t hate ya. Ah can see ya care a lot about Johann, but sometimes, ya need to be a bit more patient if he’s afraid of tellin’ ya how he’s really feelin’.”

“You’re right. I need to make it up to him after I apologize.” Applejack nodded in agreement. Suddenly, her body began to release an electric shock, her paw still touching Scott’s shoulder and startled him with the weak jolt. “Ahh! What was that for!? I said I was going to say sorry to him! Do I have to apologize to you and the others, too!?”

“S-Sorry, sugarcube. Ah didn’t mean to. It just came outta no-” Another sudden spark of electricity shot through the Yamper, thankfully sparing Scott from another shock this time. Applejack’s fur bristled as a chill ran down her spine, sensing something as her head slowly turned to the road beyond the base. “...W-Whoa. What’s happenin’?”

“Uhh, you alright?” Scott asked, feeling wary touching the slightly sparking Yamper. “Do you...need to discharge some electricity? I heard from some Electric-types that they can get sick if they store too much electrical energy, and the safest way to do that is to let it out.”

“Ah...don’t know,” Applejack uttered. “Ah...feel somethin’ from here. Like...part of me...wants to go there?”

While Scott wondered what Applejack felt, his ears perked when he heard the faint sound of thunder rolling in the distance. “It’s going to storm today?” The sun seemed to be out a little bit, though the sky seemed to stay dark, almost muggy now that it was a bit brighter. In the clouds in the distance, they can see some flashes of light, followed by a slightly louder thunderclap as it seemed to be coming closer. “Oh no. It might rain! If Johann’s out there, he can’t stay out there for long!”

“R-Right! If his tail’s fire goes out, he might die!” Applejack said. From the incoming storm, lightning bolts began shooting across the sky, heading straight down to the earth. Applejack’s body tingled, feeling overwhelmed as she could practically feel the powerful bolts striking from this distance. “Ah-Ah have no idea how, but Ah think this storm is gonna get really bad.”

“Electric-types have that sense for electrical energy from storm clouds. If you’re this nervous, then that means this storm isn’t any normal one at all.” Now fearing for his friend’s safety, Scott leapt to his feet, having no clue which direction to run to to find Johann. “I don’t know when he ran away, but he could be anywhere! I’ll try to search ahead while you wake the others up!”

“Ya sure this is a good idea goin’ off by yourself?” Applejack questioned. “Shouldn’t we also rally the guild? Maybe Johann’s pa?”

“There’s no time! He could be out in the middle of that storm and it’s pouring rain down on him!” Before Applejack could try to talk some sense into him, Scott already began sprinting off down the road away from the direction of Pokemon Square.

“Scott, wait! Come back!” Applejack called out, unable to chase after him with her trembling body feeling the lightning being unleashed erratically at random moments. “Consarn it. Electric-type Pokemon are a strange bunch. Ah gotta wake the others and see if we can get a search party.”

Wandering aimlessly down the road a couple miles away from Pokemon Square, Johann depressingly walked with his head hung low. Tears trickled down his cheeks, his eyes red and puffy both from crying and lack of sleep, but in his heart, he didn’t care how exhausted he was. It was better for him to run away from his problems, including his best friend. The sky was dark and gloomy as the sun was beginning to rise, a perfect representation of how he was feeling on the inside. He didn’t even pay attention to the slowly growing thunder and lightning picking up in the dreary storm clouds high above.

Along the road, there was a wide stream spanning for miles, separating one section of land from the other, a bridge in the distance connecting the paths to cross over the water. Both sides had trees and bushes scattered about in two different forests, some of the foliage bearing some wild berries or fruits. Farther up the stream, there was a huge dam built out of twigs and branches that was made by a large group of Bidoof that had continuously grown for decades, creating a massive lake up on the cliff where it stood. Johann didn’t care about his surroundings or where he was going; he just wandered where his feet took him, somewhere far away from his best friend, who hates him for hiding so many secrets from him, and a troubled family life that he disliked, especially from the disgruntled, disappointed look in his father’s eyes.

Johann wiped his eyes, even as his tears continued to fall. He paused when he felt something small and wet hit the back of his head, followed by more as he also heard small drips coming from the water. He looked up, finally noticing the storm clouds in the sky, followed by several Flying-types flapping their wings as fast as they could to get away from the rain and sounds of thunder. As the rain began picking up, Johann watched as the rain went from a small sprinkle to a progressively stronger downpour. He panicked and ran toward the trees, feeling his body get soaked as he tried to stay under the cover of the rustling leaves. It didn’t do much to protect him, especially his tail, wincing slightly every time several drops struck the flame tip.

The wind began to pick up and lightning began to strike the ground. Each bolt was dangerously close, making Johann wince and jolt in surprise as he ran from tree to tree while trying to keep his tail flame from going out in the rain. None of the trees were able to provide him much shelter with how harsh the wind was blowing. Johann was already getting drenched, and there weren’t any big enough leaves he could use as a makeshift umbrella to keep his tail from getting doused out.

“I need to find somewhere dry,” Johann muttered to himself. “As if my life can’t get any worse than it is now.”

Johann peered through the pouring rain, hoping to find something to help his survival. Through the flashes of light with each lightning bolt erratically shot out from the clouds, Johann spotted a cliff on the other side of the river, and though it was hard to tell through the rain, he thought he saw the mouth of a small cavern at the base of it. If he was fast enough, he could make it across the bridge not too far away and hide in there until the storm blows over.

Up ahead at the Bidoof dam, several of the beaver Pokemon scrambled about as the heavy downpour was shifting up their dam. “Oh, this is bad!” one of them shouted. “The dam’s not gonna hold!”

“And the rain’s building up more water unlike any storm we’ve ever seen!” another said.

Lightning strikes hit the ground near the dam, causing the Bidoof to yelp and some to flee for better shelter. One bolt managed to strike the top of the dam, shattering the wood and began a domino effect as the gallons of water put more pressure on the weakened structure. The rain made it worse as it helped break the dam further, the sound of creaking and water shooting out from the growing cracks and holes appearing along the barricade.

“It’s breaking! Everybody move!” The remaining Bidoof abandoned their dam and fled, praying no other Pokemon who weren’t Water-types would be swept away by the incoming flood near the stream.

Johann sprinted down the path as fast as he could, panting heavily while trying his best to ignore the pain of his flame-tip tail getting drenched. He reached the bridge and ran across, being careful not to slip on the slippery wooden surface. Just as he was about to run onto the other side of the river, a lightning bolt struck the earth near that side of the bridge, startling the Charmander as he was sent flying back onto the bridge. His ears rang from the loud thunderclap the moment that bolt touched down and slightly disoriented when he smacked his head against the bridge. He couldn’t hear the Bidoof screaming out to any Pokemon nearby to get away from the river, nor did he notice the river sloshing about from the heavy rain and the water backed up by the dam about ready to crumble and flood the forest.

Snapping out of his daze, Johann shakily stood up, curling his tail against his chest to try to save his flame from going out. When his hearing returned, he turned his head in time to hear the sound of something breaking down and crashing, followed by rushing water. Johann’s eyes widened as he watched the torrent flood of water rushing toward him. He panicked and tried to flee, but the tidal wave caught up with the bridge before his feet did. The huge wave crashed into the bridge, shattering it and sending Johann flying into the air before the wave slammed him down into the raging river.

Johann felt immense pain as his flame tail was submerged in the water with him, his body tumbling along the now harshly flowing stream. After figuring out which direction was up, Johann breached the surface, gasping for breath as he flailed about, trying to keep his head up and struggled to do the same for his tail.

“Help! Someone help me!” he cried out before water sloshed over his head, making him cough as he was carried swiftly downstream.

“Johann! Where are you!?” Scott dashed through the forest in the pouring rain, ignoring his soaked fur and the lightning strikes connecting to the ground at a dangerous rate. His eyes were shut tightly as he looked through his aura vision, sensing the depressed aura of his best friend through the veil of rain and drenched foliage. “Come on, aura. Extend farther than this! He’s not going to make it at this rate!”

Chastising himself for his aura’s pathetic line of sight, he swore to do more aura training and hone his sight to go even further beyond what he’s capable of seeing. It didn’t help he couldn’t hear anything several yards away no thanks to the rain and thunderclaps ringing out every so often. Of all the times for there to be a natural disaster to occur, a freakish storm had to show up out of nowhere at the worst possible time.

As he got closer to the forest edge, Scott skid to a halt as he looked upstream. He recalled there being a Bidoof dam along that direction, but from the way the river had overflowed and was rushing like a raging rapid, the dam must have been destroyed by the storm and was flooding the area. He searched around for any auras of Pokemon nearby if any of them got swept up by the flood.

In the river, he found an aura signature under the water, but the energy within that Pokemon was pulsating wildly, which told him they were terrified as they were struggling to stay afloat while being carried downstream. Though aura may seem just like any sort of normal life energy to some, Riolu and Lucario can tell there’s always a slight difference in every creature’s aura, and Scott gasped when that aura felt familiar to him.

“Oh no. Johann!!!!” Snapping his eyes open, Scott sprinted off and ran downstream toward the water’s edge. He caught up with his friend as he flailed his arms, unable to swim while trying to keep his head above the surface, but what terrified Scott more was his tail. He had no idea if that flame was going to die out, but it would eventually if the drowning Charmander stayed in the river for too long. “Hang on, Johann! I’ll get you out of there!” he shouted over the pouring rain and loud splashes from the raging river.

Looking up ahead, Scott tried to think of a way to get his friend out of that river without getting himself swept away, too. Lightning struck in the forest a hundred yards away, which hit one of the trees and struck the trunk with enough force to send it falling. As Scott watched the tree hit the ground with a thud, the spark of fire from the burning scorch mark the bolt left behind quickly doused by the heavy rainfall, he found his makeshift bridge. Dashing ahead, he used Metal Claw as he approached the fallen tree, slicing off the branches attached to it to make it as smooth as possible in the short time he had. Seeing it was smoothed out enough from any stumps, with an exerted grunt, the Riolu pushed hard with all of his might, forcing himself to pick up speed and roll the log down the road before Johann was carried further down the river.

Once he managed to push the large tree far enough, Scott let it roll as he ran over to the “hacked” side of the log. With a yell, he thrust both his paws forward, pushing it hard enough to send it flying across the river, the opposite end reaching the side as the log was just tall enough to make the watery gap. Scott slowed the log down until it came to a stop, then hopped up onto it and stopped halfway. Using Metal Claw with his left paw’s metal stub, he carefully hung over the side of the log away from the water’s flow, then dug his claws into the bark, making sure it was deep enough to keep him attached to the bridge he crafted.

Planting his feet against the wood, he practically hung upside down, watching Johann getting closer. “Johann, grab my paw!” Scott called out as loud as he could over the rushing water.

He reached his paw out, nearly touching the water and hoping to grasp his friend’s paw. Johann was panicking too much to hear him, his arms flailing to desperately keep his head from submerging in the water. Scott had to time his grab, otherwise his friend would slip away. Ignoring the loud thunder, flashing lights, and the rain pouring down on his fur, Scott dove his hand forward, managing to grab Johann’s right paw with his free one. He held on tightly, refusing to let go, even with the rain and river soaking them and making his grip slightly more slippery. The river made it difficult to pull Johann up to dry land, let alone prevent him from getting swept away by the current.

“Come on, Johann,” Scott grunted. “I’m not letting you die in a river. I’m gonna get you out of here, and buy you a smoothie fit to fill a Snorlax tenfold.” He felt Johann’s arm beginning to grow limp and his panicked treading slow to a halt. When he looked at his friend, the Charmander seemed to have passed out, or at worst, his tail was extinguished after being underwater for so long. “No! Don’t you dare give up on me, Johann! You’re stronger than this!” Scott pulled with all his might, not letting go and losing his partner; his best friend. Unaware of the rushing water still rolling down the river, a lot of debris from the dam had finally crumbled away and was carried downstream. A huge piece of wood from the Bidoof dam struck the log, startling Scott and made him lose his grip. Scott gasped, watching in horror as Johann was swept away and sank into the water. “NOOOOOOOO!!!!!”

The Riolu’s paw stretched out in desperation, but his heart sank, his friend already being carried down the river, underwater, already drowning. However, under the water, Johann’s flame tail flickered, still burning despite how drenched it had gotten. In the Charmander’s consciousness, all the pain and sorrow bottled up in his heart played the depressing moments in his life as his life began flashing in his mind: his father no longer finding him worthy to uphold his family legacy, undergoing harsh training without any rest, Obstagoon and his team teasing him, but the memory that finally woke him was what Scott said to him yesterday.

You really are strong after all. How pathetic of you for going so easy on me.

I don’t see a tough Fire-type Pokemon; all I see is a coward who hides who he really is on the inside.

I’d rather have my own team than be partnered with a fat, pathetic, smoothie-slurping wimp like you!

Either you grow a backbone and stand up for yourself, or run away and quit with your tail between your legs!

Johann’s eyes shot open, his pupils shrinking to pinpricks and his fire at the tip of his tail grew despite being underwater. The intense heat radiating from him as the flame grew stronger and stronger as his ability kicked in caused the ice cold water to bubble and boil. Johann growled, his inner rage unleashing as the temperature around him continued to increase, steam rising around the area he was submerged in through the downpour.

Unaware of what was happening in the water several yards away, Scott believed his friend was gone at this point. He hung his head, fighting back tears as he climbed back on top of the log. How was he going to explain this to the others? To Johann’s family? If only he held on tighter.

Scott climbed back on top of the log and began solemnly walking back across to the muddy road. He began his slow trek back to the others, dreading to tell everyone who knew Johann the unfortunate news. As he sadly looked out to the river, Scott paused, thinking he was seeing something odd through the rain. It was hard to tell with the downpour, but through the hundreds of thousands of raindrops, there was some steam rising from the river. Confused, he approached the river, the air in the freezing rain slowly heating up while he saw a section of the water bubbling.

Just as he was about to ask aloud what was happening, the heat of the water became scalding hot as a loud hissing sound and a burst of steam suddenly blasted out. Scott stepped back, startled, his eyes growing wide in shock as he saw several feet of water had immediately evaporated, leaving a small gap of land where the water should have been for a few seconds before the running water upstream began to rush in and fill the dry section of the river back up. Rising out of the temporary trench before it filled up again, Scott saw an orange blur jump out and land on the road ahead. He recognized the roaring flame that came from it, stunned, but felt a huge wave of relief as he recognized that flame tip.

“Johann!” Scott ran up to his friend, amazed by how he managed to save himself from his watery grave. “Oh, thank Arceus! I thought I lost-!” As he got closer, Scott’s grin faded and his run slowed down. He came to a stop when he saw Johann hunched over and hacking up water, but that’s not what disturbed him. Johann’s tail flame was like a roaring bonfire, though it should have been much smaller and weaker while he was carried away by the river for the last several minutes. The rain around the Charmander’s body turned to steam before it even touched any part of him. The heat he radiated was so intense that it created a small protective radius, keeping him dry and stopping the rain from pouring down on him. The only time he’s ever felt this much heat from his friend was not that long ago, and while Johann wasn’t in the right emotional state. “Oh no...Please, don’t tell me…”

Scott slowly closed his eyes, gulping in anticipation as he looked through his aura; he immediately regretted it. Johann’s aura was blazing wildly like his flame, fueled with so much rage and anger, and it felt even worse than the last time. And from being underwater for so long, his Blaze ability must have kicked in, which must have explained how his body radiated the intense heat to shield him from the rain.

Johann slowly stood back up on his feet, panting heavily as he got some air in his lungs, then shot his head up into the sky and let out a loud, menacing roar. His fire grew even bigger and hotter, increasing the radius of the rain evaporating around him as his tail lit up the forest, which only made the scene more terrifying when streaks of lightning across the sky blindly flashed around the area. Scott opened his eyes, frozen in place, even after his friend let out his enraged battle cry. He silently watched as Johann panted, then slowly began to turn his head toward his direction. Scott’s fur stood on end when Johann’s eye caught him, the shrunken pupil within the burning red glare making him completely terrified of being in his friend’s line of sight. He began to tremble when Johann let out a low growl, slowly turning his body while baring his teeth in pure, beastial rage. Scott was going to be the next victim of Johann’s Blaze-induced frenzy, and even though he was scared out of his mind, part of him believed he deserved a proper beatdown for what he had done to him yesterday.

Prologue

In the quaint little town of Ponyville, a unicorn mare by the name of Twilight Sparkle was busy in the tree library she calls home. She originally lived in Canterlot, but by the ruler of Equestria's orders, Princess Celestia requested her pupil to study the magic of friendship while staying in Ponyville. Since coming here during the Summer Sun Celebration, she and five other mares she met not only became great friends, but also heroes of Equestria, discovering the Elements of Harmony and becoming their new bearers as they stopped Nightmare Moon, who also happened to be Celestia's younger sister, her real name being Luna. Lots of high jinks ensued with the Mane Six, along with lessons in friendship learned and exciting adventures to be had.

Twilight hummed in thought in the basement of the library, going over the calculations of a spell she was working on for a while on her blackboard. "Ok. After triple-checking these equations and double-checking my triple-checked checklist I checked one more time for safe measure, I think this spell is ready for its test run."

Her ear twitched when she heard the door leading downstairs opened. "Twilight, the girls are here!" Spike called out from the top.

"Thanks, Spike! Send them down!" While going over the last of her calculations as a precaution, she heard several hoofsteps clopping down the steps, one set actually sounding like someone bouncing off of springs. Twilight turned around to see her friends and fellow Element bearers, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and her baby dragon assistant, Spike. "Thank you all for coming, girls. I can't wait to show you what I've been working on for quite some time."

"Is it a way for you to stop being an egghead?" Rainbow asked with a snicker.

Unamused, Twilight leered at the cyan pegasus. "...No, Rainbow Dash. And I'd rather be an egghead than a lazy, overconfident flyer who never reads anything but a fictional book series everypony can enjoy. And don't forget I introduced you to reading something that I knew you would be interested in."

"Just ignore her, Twilight," Applejack said.

"Yeah, and show us what super secret thingie you were doing!" Pinkie exclaimed excitedly. "Is it a party cannon!? A new flavor of cupcake!? A cloning machine!?"

"Neither, Pinkie," Twilight said. She then showed the mares her blackboard of complicated math equations. "I've created a spell that creates a window to allow us to see other locations throughout Equestria, or anywhere beyond the kingdom!"

The mares expressed their awe at the explanation. "Interesting," Rarity voiced out. "And it can show us anywhere, even without us visiting that location at all?"

"Exactly! And with enough magic, it could possibly show us places not even from our world! Everything in the multiverse theory could be proven true if we can see other worlds, creatures, environments, and more!" Twilight clapped her hooves eagerly, growing more excited and anxious to try out her new spell. "I wanted you girls and Spike to be witnesses to the many amazing discoveries we'll experience!"

"Umm, what if...we fall into this...window?" Fluttershy asked nervously. "Or...any big, scary creatures from those worlds come through?"

"It's just a window, Fluttershy," Twilight assured the timid yellow pegasus. "We can see through it, but nothing goes in or out. It's perfectly safe."

"Did you test it yet?" Rarity asked curiously.

"Not yet, but now that I've made sure the formula is one hundred and fifty percent perfect, with no flaws, I'm going to fire it up and start with some places around Equestria." Twilight lit up her horn, then faced away from everyone and aimed at a spot in the room.

A lavender beam shot out and created a window in the air before them. The space inside began to shimmer and wave, transitioning to show the group a faraway shot of Ponyville. They could see their neighbors wandering about town, going about their business, and none of them were aware of the six mares and baby dragon watching them in the distance. Everyone expressed their awe, Twilight feeling proud of herself as her spell worked.

"This is so awesome!" Rainbow said.

"It's like we're flying, even though we're underground and watching a screen of the outside world!" Pinkie said, bouncing closer to peer closer at Ponyville. "Hey, I can see the Sweet Apple Acres waaaaaaaaay over there!"

"Ah can't believe it worked," Applejack chuckled. Twilight shifted their viewpoints with a zap of her magic, showing a closeup of the farm mare's home. "There's Granny in her rocker, Winona nappin' on the porch with her...Twilight, this is incredible!"

"Show us Canterlot!" Rarity requested, which Twilight obliged, shifting the window to an viewpoint looking over the mountain city of Canterlot, the capital of Equestria. "Oooh! This is quite exciting!"

"So far, it's a success," Twilight said. "Now, let's try exploring some worlds outside Equestria."

While Twilight focused her magic on her spell, Pinkie squealed and bounced up and down. "Ooh! Ooh! Show us a world that's got spooky monsters!" Pinkie demanded. "One with action! Adventure! Giant magic keys that destroy creatures of darkness!"

"Pinkie, calm down. I need to concentrate," Twilight chided. "I don't know which kind of world to explore, and wherever it takes us, I can't control the exact location unless it's in Equestria."

"H-Hopefully...there's n-no s-spooky...m-m-monsters," Fluttershy whimpered, hiding her face behind her long mane.

"Don't worry, Fluttershy! If any meanie monsters try to breach through, we'll through them a party and be their friends!" Twilight grumbled in annoyance as she heard Pinkie babbling, also finding it a horrible idea to try to win dangerous creatures they don't know about with a party if they were aggressive or territorial. Focusing on someplace outside of their world, Twilight saw the screen slowly transition and reveal their first look at a location not known in her geography books. It looked like a massive continent, showing different environments from snowy climates in the north, vast oceans, mountains that poured lava or crackled with lightning, lush forests, and much more while catching a glimpse of some of the world's avians flying through the air. "And if they get too close, I'll scare them away with my party cannon!"

Pinkie pulled out her party cannon and pressed the big button, the barrel aimed unfortunately at Twilight as she fired it. The unicorn screamed, startled by the explosive sound and getting covered in confetti, causing her horn to spark out of control as the scare accidentally made her unleash much more magic than she needed on her spell. The window sparked with lavender magic as the view of the world quickly turned into a blinding white, which made the others worry.

"Uhh, Twilight, what did you do!?" Spike asked fearfully.

"I don't know! Pinkie's dumb party cannon scared me into pouring more of my magic into my spell than necessary!" Twilight exclaimed.

The mares and baby dragon yelped as they suddenly felt themselves getting pulled into the glowing window, trying their hardest to resist the gravitational force trying to suck them in. "Twilight, get rid of this thing!" Rainbow Dash yelled out.

Twilight grunted, screaming as she nearly lost her balance, everyone quickly grabbing onto something heavy and sturdy to avoid getting sucked in. "I-I'm trying! I can't close it!"

The spell increased its gravitational pull, its force too strong as Fluttershy, being the weakest of them all, lost her grip and flew straight into the window while screaming in terror. "It ate Fluttershy!" Pinkie screamed, slipping from her hold and got sucked in as well.

The others soon began to lose their grip, slipping into the overcharged viewing spell one by one. Twilight watched helplessly as her other friends got sucked in, followed by Spike as he cried out her name in terror. She couldn't hold on any longer as well, unable to escape as she screamed, flying straight through the glowing window. As soon as she went through, the spell closed in on itself, finally stopping after the last of them was pulled into it and out in the last world it was focused on.

Down in a busy town, many different species of creatures known as Pokemon went about their errands, selling their wares, or hanging out with friends or partners to enjoy the sunny day. In this world, many of the areas around the large continent are home to many different Mystery Dungeons, caverns, mountains, crevasses, and more that always change, leaving the floors they have as a different layout every single time anyone enters. Pokemon also make their homes in some of these Mystery Dungeons, many being aggressive to those who intrude on their territory. Along with these unruly Pokemon, there are also natural disasters that endanger every Pokemon throughout the continent. This is where Pokemon rescue teams are called to answer to anyone, no matter what the request: finding a lost item, searching unexplored Mystery Dungeons, helping a Pokemon who was lost in these dungeons, and even stopping thieves and thugs from hurting the defenseless.

Far along the path from the main square, there's a small, rounded hut with an orange roof, several windows built around the walls to look out at the grassy lawn and the backyard forest. There was a bamboo flagpole to the left of the hut, a bell near the entrance to announce a visitor to the owners, and a mailbox near the dirt road. This building was the base for a new, young team of rescuers, and pacing impatiently in front of it was a Riolu, stopping every so often and tapping his foot with his arms crossed. He wore a red scarf around his neck, occasionally making sure it stayed tied snugly while huffing and grumbling to himself.

"SCOTT!!!" Ears twitching as he heard his name, the Riolu looked down the road toward town, where he saw his partner running excitedly toward him and their base. His partner was a Charmander, wearing a green scarf around his neck, and also carrying their team's toolbox to keep their items stored for future adventures and an envelope in his paw. "I got it! I got our first official mission!"

"Finally!" Scott called out. His friend skid to a halt in front of him, panting heavily, but sporting just as big of a grin as the Riolu was. "I knew it was gonna take a while, but you took forever, Johann!"

"Oh. Well, I had to stop to grab the tool box." Johann jostled the toolbox hanging from a strap worn over his shoulder to emphasize his tardiness. He then giggled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head. "...And maybe grabbed an Oran berry smoothie."

"Of course you did," Scott sighed, barely surprised as he shook his head. He smirked, approached his friend, then began patting Johann's belly teasingly. "You're gonna grow up to be a very chunky Charizard if you keep downing those berry smoothies."

"Hey, they are healthy for you!" Johann exclaimed, batting the cheeky Riolu's paws away from his body. Scott chuckled at the Charmander's reaction, but he sighed, brushing off the teasing as he showed his friend the envelope. "Anyways, I got our first assignment from the guild. They told me that this would be the perfect mission for two rookie members."

Johann then pulled out their new rescue team badges, an oval-shaped pin with wings attached to the side, the top half white while the bottom was pink. "Sweet! I am so ready to get started!" Scott snatched one of the pins, placing it on his scarf while beaming with excitement. "What's our first job? Rescuing a baby Pokemon who got lost in a Mystery Dungeon? Finding a valuable item that belonged to someone? Take on a thief who stole that someone's valuable item!?"

Scott threw a few punches, itching to get into a confrontation with a thieving Pokemon, amusing Johann as he opened the envelope and read their mission. "Even better!" he said.

Scott's eyes lit up, an open-mouthed grin on his muzzle at the prospect of doing something much more dangerous than stopping petty thief.

When they arrived at their mission location, Scott's joy and excitement made a complete one-eighty, his grin turning into a huge frown, the glint in his eyes gone as he stared blankly at where they were. "...Doing yardwork for an elderly couple???" Scott questioned. He slowly turned his head, staring at Johann, who still held his grin as they stood on the dirt path and looked at the large house with an overgrown lawn about as tall as the two small Pokemon. "This...is our first mission as a rescue team???"

"I know, right!?" Johann said. "It's so easy!"

"Is this a prank from the guild?" Scott asked, snatching the letter out of his friend's paw. "Or was this a random mission you grabbed without even looking at it?"

"No, the guild gave this to me," the Charmander stated, gently taking the letter back. "They said that it would be a good start for rookie adventurers like us. Plus, the pay is good, even when you count for what the guild takes."

"Yeah, sure. A great start fo-" Scott paused his grumbling, shocked by the strange news about the guild they were a part of taking a share of their missions' payments upon completing them. "Wait, WHAT!? What's that supposed to mean!?" he questioned, flailing his arms wildly in frustration.

"Well, duh, dude," Johann said, his calm demeanor only making the Riolu flustered as he felt like they were getting robbed for their hard work. "Remember that the guild has to take a portion of the profits to help pay for our equipment along with paying its members. They told us this during training, remember?"

Scott blinked a couple times, sweat running down the back of his head as he recalled what they were informed on upon joining. "...Oh yeah. Forgot about that," he uttered nervously, giving a small, sheepish laugh.

Johann wasn't buying it, giving the Riolu a deadpanned glare, leaning toward him with his paws on his hips. "You were daydreaming about being the number one adventurer again, weren't you?"

"W-Well, it's gonna come true one day, so I'll daydream all I want," Scott said, trying to brush off his embarrassment as he turned away while pretending to be nonchalant about his lack of learning how the guild worked.

"Yeah, sure," Johann said, rolling his eyes. "Just do it when we're not getting told important information."

"Uhh, who's the strongest between us?" Scott questioned, then started tapping the Charmander's chest, taunting him with a cocky smirk. "I betcha if we both evolved, I could Seismic Toss you ten feet into the ground when you're a Charizard."

"Ha! You wish!" Johann smacked away Scott's paw, pointing a thumb to himself while giving him the same smirk. "I could easily wipe the floor with you. If I was a Charizard, I could easily avoid you by just flying high into the air."

"Two words, buddy." Scott got into a wider stance, bringing his paws together to his side, pretending to create a ball of energy between them, then quickly pushed his paws out toward Johann. "Aura Sphere."

"Ha! You can't even learn Aura Sphere until after you evolve into a Lucario!" Johann laughed. "And I have two words for you, too: type advantage."

Scott scowled at Johann's comeback response. The two then glared daggers at each other, though they couldn't hide the grins on their faces. They always have friendly banters, all of which didn't involve any physical confrontations as they both knew they were just messing with each other. During their "conversation", the owner of the wildly grown yard stepped out, hearing the two young males' "argument" from their window.

"What's with all the racket?" Hearing the owner snapped the two friends out of their playful bickering. Coming down the path leading to the house was an elderly Nidoking and Nidoqueen, the tall grass barely reaching the towering Pokemon. The Nidoking squinted at them, his eyesight fading on him as he looked down at the Riolu and Charmander. "Hmm? Who are you boys?"

"Hi there, Mr. and Mrs. Nido!" Johann greeted cheerfully, Scott giving a forced, sheepish grin as he silently waved to the couple. "We are here on behalf of the guild to fix your yard!"

"Oh, you must be the new young ones the guild sent!" the Nidoqueen excitedly said. She stomped her way over to the Riolu and Charmander, unnerving the former rescuer with the coo she made, then began to pinch both their cheeks with her old, yet still incredibly strong paws, stretching half their faces like rubber. "Oooh, you two are just adorable! I bet you'll grow up into big, strong Pokemon helping others in need!"

With one last pull, Nidoqueen let Scott and Johann's faces free, their cheeks smacking back to their heads, where Johann didn't mind the pain with a big smile, though Scott grimaced in agony. "Thanks, ma'am! We'll do our very best to help others, but we need to start with your messy yard first!"

"I can't feel my face," Scott mumbled, rubbing his sore cheek.

"If you boys get a bit peckish during your work, I've got fresh berry cookies and some ice cold Miltank milk with your names on them!" Nidoqueen said with a giggle, then headed back in her house.

Johann licked his lips at the prospect of berry cookies as an added bonus for their first mission while Scott frowned in disappointment. "You know, I would take care of this grass myself, but these old bones of mine barely get me out of the house these days," Nidoking said, startling Scott, almost forgetting about the gruffer Nido's presence. "You boys do a really good job, and we just might give you boys an extra tip."

"Don't you worry, sir!" Johann said. "As proud members of the guild, we'll get your yard spic and span before lunch! Right, Scott?"

Scott flinched when he heard his name, giving the Nidoking a nervous smile. "R-Right. Team Rescue Rangers will...make this yard perfect in record time."

Nidoking laughed in amusement, giving both young rescuers a hard pat on the back, sending them crashing to the ground. "That's the spirit, boys!" he said before stomping back in his and his mate's home.

Scott and Johann shakily stood back up, wincing from the old Nidoking's "gentle" pat of encouragement. Scott then turned to give his friend and partner a blank stare. The Charmander ignored it and got to work, flexing his fingers and began slashing away at the tall grass with his claws. Scott huffed, left with no choice but to start their first ever mission as a rescue team with menial chores. Cracking the knuckles in his paws, Scott crossed his arms in front of him, creating claws from the metal stubs on the back of his paws with Metal Claw, then joined Johann in slicing through the grass.

With each Pokemon taking half of the Nido couple's yard, it was sure to be done in no time at all, just like they promised. After half an hour of slicing the grass to a perfectly cut level, they began gathering the piles of grass into several large clumps to throw out. It almost became a disaster when Johann took a breather after his sixth armful of grass, his tail hanging a bit too low, and the flame at the tip began to ignite the stack he was building. Scott noticed the smoke in time, yelling at his friend to move his tail as he was about to cause fire that could spread and burn the Nidos' home. Dashing off, the Riolu grabbed a bucket and filled it with water, then rushed back and quickly doused out the growing flames before it burned the pile. After that crisis was averted, Scott gave his friend a harsh leer, Johann grinning and giggling in embarrassment as he made sure to keep his tail held up high to avoid accidentally burning something else.

Next came the weeds growing around the house and the small garden Nidoqueen tends to. Scott was able to pluck out the pesky weeds with ease, but Johann had a bit of trouble with some of them. Scott made sure to pile up the weeds so his friend didn't ignite anything else with his tail. The yard was looking much nicer now, several piles of grass and weeds sitting by the road. The Nido couple were impressed with their work so far, Nidoqueen giving the new rescue team their promised milk and cookies as they took their break. The two relaxed in the shade of one of the berry trees in Nidoqueen's garden, smudges of dirt, swear, and grass clippings clinging to their bodies as they enjoyed their snack.

"You know, as tasty as these cookies are as a small reward, I'm still a bit disappointed that our first job as a rescue team was taking care of an elderly couple's yard," Scott said.

Johann downed his glass of Miltank milk, licking his lips before he spoke. "We could get some more tougher missions when we prove we can handle the easy ones," he said. Scott shrugged and munched on one of his cookies. "But while I was at the guild, I overheard that they're going to remove team member restrictions. I think that means we don't have to have just a team of three for missions anymore. We can have up to a team of nine all at once." Johann seemed to get his friend's attention, seeing him pause in another bite as he glanced over at him. "Maybe if we find more Pokemon to join our team, they'll allow us to go on tougher missions."

"Really? Huh..." Scott perked up a little bit at the good news, then glanced down at his badge pinned to his scarf. "I guess some Pokemon must have enhanced these badges for rescue teams. It'll be really helpful with Mystery Dungeons I've heard that could be over a hundred floors long."

"I also heard that this news also applies to the rookie teams, too," Johann added with a sly smirk, taking a dainty nibble of another cookie, already seeing his Riolu companion back to his eager, overconfident self.

"Sweet!" Scott cheered with a punch to the air. "We could have one of every type of Pokemon in our team, and keep our party balanced! The perfect rescue team with no weaknesses!"

"Yeah...Assuming we can find any Pokemon who aren't already part of a team." Scott's joy quickly faded as it came, letting out a disappointed groan. Seeing how many Pokemon were already in the guild they signed up to be a part of, there was probably a very low chance any of them were looking for a team to join, especially a beginner team like theirs that just started out today. "I mean, it's not like a group of Pokemon are gonna fall right out of the sky."

As if a higher power heard Johann's comment, they heard what sounded like crackling lightning coming from above. Startled, the two looked up, then at each other, quickly getting up and moving out of the shade of the berry tree's branches and looked at the sky. To their surprise, they saw purple lightning streak across the clear sky, definitely something not being unleashed by an Electric-type Pokemon as they were the only ones outside the Nidos' home. From the streaks of purple lightning bolts, they began to form a strange portal of the same color, hearing several screams come from it. Suddenly falling out from the portal were seven different Pokemon, and they were falling straight down toward Scott and Johann.

Scott glanced at his friend with a deadpanned stare. "...You just had to say something..."

"Heheh...Sorry," the Charmander apologized.

The screams got louder, forcing them to look back up and make the rescue team themselves scream. They flailed about, but couldn't escape as the falling Pokemon crash-landed on the duo, kicking up a cloud of dust from the collective thuds. Groans rang out from all of them, Scott and Johann crushed under the weight of the mysterious, teleporting group, but the Riolu at least got something a bit more exciting on his first day than assisting the elderly with their chores.

Author's Note

For those who are unfamiliar with Pokemon and what they look like with no details in the chapters, I'll place a list of those that are seen in this chapter and future chapters here in the author's notes with their images. Hope this helps, and hope you enjoy.

Riolu:

Charmander:

Nidoking:

Nidoqueen: