My Little Pokémon: Grander World

Universe 17. Mindspire City. Day.

A beautiful and bountiful palace that was home to the most elite telepaths in this city. The Princess who was in charge of the place the greatest mind of this city, being the equivalent to Princess Celestia, or more specifically, every other ruler from each respective world in the Universal Alliance.

The palace itself was tall enough to pierce the clouds, its structure shining with an elegant and brilliant light that was reflected by the clouds and the sun above. This place was certainly more than a simple castle, being able to house an entire kingdom, or even more.

Upon entering, Fluttershy and her friends were met with many servants who were telepathic, and a lot of guards that could defend the place against any potential attack, especially any mind attacks. They would be escorted up to the throne room, being allowed to meet with the Princess. While walking this massive palace, they heard all the telepathic conversations around them.

"Have you heard? That guy's really giving her a run for her money."

"Yeah, and she's getting angry. I've never seen her that passionate before."

"She might end him at this rate."

"Pfft." Rarity couldn't help but snort as she listened. She couldn't believe what she was hearing, and she had no idea why they were laughing about it. It sounded like Red had really gotten himself in trouble.

They made it to the throne room, and they saw Red there, staring directly at a large, majestic Alicorn. Her mane was a light yellow and her coat was white, but the tip of her wings, her legs, and the bottom of her hooves were golden in colour.

This Alicorn was the ruler of this city, and Red had her complete and undivided attention, his presence being the source of a large commotion within this city.

"I won't ask you again." The Princess stared daggers at him. Fluttershy and the others shuddered at the scene. They could feel the tension in the air and how mighty it was. Clearly, this was a big situation that Red was in. Even if he was an ally, somehow, he managed to get the Princess like this. The Princess in question did not seem to resemble Celestia or Twilight, rather, being her own pony of a different origin. And as she stared intensely at Red, who stood there with his usual expression, Fluttershy and the others gulped, afraid to say anything to break up this tension.

That is until the next choice of words from the Princess caught them off guard.

"Please! Marry Me!" She proclaimed.

"Huh?!" The girls exclaimed in their minds and their expressions said it all. If there was an audible sound in this universe, the whole collective gasp would echo across the palace. It seems that Red wasn't exactly in trouble. Rather, he seemed to be facing a request that he has not taken at all.

"Did she say...marriage?" Rainbow Dash repeated in disbelief.

"...." Red did not respond, not even bothering to use telepathy whatsoever.

"Oh, come on! Pretty please?!" The Princess slid over, her eyes full of hearts as she stared directly at Red, her eyes wide and sparkling with the intent of marrying him. "You're the first person been able to handle my Aether Telepathy, so you have to be the one! You just have to be! I love you!"

"..."

"I will make it worth your while. All you need is to stay here in the palace with me and be mine! Please say yes, please, please, please!" The Princess was on her knees, begging him. Red still refused to give an answer.

"Um, excuse me, Your Highness." Fluttershy's soft and gentle voice rang through the Princess's head, prompting her to turn and stare at the shy pegasus.

"Huh? Who's this?" The Princess rose, seeing her and the rest of her friends. "Ah. Ponies from the Original Universe, I see. What is it?"

"I apologize for our intrusion. We're here for the human named Red." Fluttershy bowed politely.

"I'm not sharing him. He's mine!" She would exclaim, promptly wrapping her hooves around his arm, clinging onto him. "You can't take him from me!"

"U-Um, that's not why we're here though..." Fluttershy giggled nervously.

"And here I thought ya got into a fight, Red. Hah!" Applejack chuckled. "So that's what it was! Just love, that's all!"

"Indeed. It is love. True Love" The Princess gushed while holding onto Red's arm. "Oh, our first encounter was written in the stars, don't you think so too? After years of searching for a husband, all those who couldn't withstand my Aether Telepathy would constantly faint, or have their brains short-circuit. I have waited so long, and it finally happened! My prince charming is here!"

"That's how you two met?" Pinkie Pie tilted her head. "Hm. I didn't know love could happen with messed up brains. So, you really wanna marry him because of that?"

"Of course! For 10 years, I've been the Princess of this world, having the strongest mind out of anyone. I had to. In this universe, with total silence being the driving force and creatures that benefit from that, I had to develop a mind so powerful that I can withstand the dangers around me. I trained every day, and I became a true master. But this obviously created a great power gap. There were those who could not understand me or be around me due to the strength of my mind. Even when it was reduced by a significant degree, none of the stallions could withstand the power and the intensity."

"Geez, that sounds rough." Rainbow Dash pointed out. "All that on the mind? This universe is something else?"

"You didn't settle for any of them without needing that option?" Rarity questioned.

"Settle for a weak mind? Are you insane? For generations, my family line have been the leaders of this world because of our exceptional minds. To have a husband or wife without one would be an absolute disgrace. As a result, I never married." She sighed, resting her chin on his arm. "I was lonely."

"..." Red was still silent, but he did seem a bit more sympathetic to what she had to say.

"Then he showed up." She looked at him. "And guess what? He's from another universe. He's not even born of this universe. But he came, and he was the first one ever to resist my Aether Telepathy and still be able to think and move without stumbling, staggering or even falling unconscious. It's a miracle. A miracle! It has to be fate, don't you think?"

"He can handle it, huh?" Applejack scratched her head, looking at the trainer who still remained silent. "Heh. Ya really do have somethin', Red."

"And that's why you wanna marry him?" Pinkie Pie asked.

"Mhm! I don't wanna let go of the only guy I met that could handle my powers and resist it." The Princess nodded. "He's the one. He has to be."

"Pfft! Gee!" Rainbow Dash snickered. "What a score, Red. Wait 'till Sunset and Adagio hear about-" But right before she could finish, Rarity and Applejack used their telepathy in unison to silence Rainbow Dash, covering her mouth with their mind. They did not want to reveal to the Princess that Red actually had two other ladies with him. "Ow! My head!"

"Hm?" It was too late. The Princess had heard Rainbow's thoughts, despite her words being silenced. "Other ladies? With him? He has other girls?"

"Oh, uh, um, that's..." Rarity stammered, trying to come up with an excuse.

"Other girls?" The Princess glared at Red, her horn glowing. Fluttershy and everyone else in the room could feel a strong pressure emanating from her. A pressure that was strong enough to shake the very foundation of this palace and make it crumble. She was getting incredibly angry.

"Uh oh." Pinkie Pie backed away, feeling an intense power from the Princess. "That's not good."

"So, that's it. There's competition. You've been keeping secrets from me, Red." She turned to face him fully, her expression changing from a giddy princess to one filled with a fiery anger. "That's not fair! I wanna be a part of that too!"

"What happened to all that fire...?" Rarity said with a dumbfounded expression. The Princess could switch up her tone so quickly.

"You know what? That's fine. I can share." The Princess nodded, her eyes sparkling once more. "We'll all be married and be together, and we'll have the greatest time of our lives! And we'll have a huge house and a bunch of kids, and we'll all live happily ever after! Oh, it'll be so wonderful!"

"You'll have to excuse Princess Quartzstar." A butler strolled on over. "Being strong-minded doesn't change the fact that she is a hopeless romantic. In fact, that may be the reason for her strength of will. But your friend here seems to have an equal will. Truly impressive."

"..." Red was not interested. He simply turned away and started walking out.

"Hey, wait!" The Princess exclaimed. "Where are you going?! Don't you want to go through the ceremony first?!"

"..." He did not say anything, continuing to walk out of the throne room. The girls followed behind him.

"Mmrrgh...This isn't fair! He's the first one to be a match for me but he's so stubborn!" Quartzstar puffed her cheeks and then let out a huff. "I won't let this moment escape from me!" She clapped her hooves together, gathering the attention of all her servants and guards. "Listen up! Go and find the perfect spot for our marriage and make the preparations. We can't let this moment pass! He is my fated husband, and I will have him!"

"Yes, Princess!" They all said in unison. They then went on their way, following the Princess's orders. They did more than just that though. Red would find himself suddenly stuck in motion, a magical aura surrounding him and forcing him to stand in place, unable to move. This was the doing of the Princess who was now behind him, grinning from ear to ear.

"Not yet, Red! At least stick by for this one. Please~?" She begged him with the sweetest voice she could muster. "I won't let you go until it's done. I promise!"

"..." Red's expression was still blank. But he was clearly annoyed by her persistence. The Princess was not someone to take no for an answer.

"Princess! We have the results! The best spot for a wedding ceremony is at the highest point of the Upper Spire!" One of her guards returned and gave his report.

"The Upper Spire? Hm, yes, that would work. Alright, let's get ready. To the top!"

"Princess, wait!" Fluttershy tried to plead her. "Red! We're here to talk to you about Prisma! It's urgent We need you to-"

"Stuff about Prisma or whatever can wait. It's a momentous day. And you girls can all get involved. Guards~" She clapped her hooves once more as the girls were all grabbed by magic, promptly getting involved in this mess as well. "Let's get moving! We have a wedding to prepare for! And for all of you to be dressed!"

"Wha...?! Hey, wait a minute!" Fluttershy tried to stop her. "I don't think that's-"

But before she could continue, the girls were all whisked away by magical forces. Fluttershy, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Pinkie Pie were all gathered up and carried away, along with the Princess, her servants, her guards, and Red.

The Upper Spire was the highest point of the city. It was a place where everything was quiet and peaceful. No noise was allowed, so as not to disturb the citizens of the city below.

A large area was prepared, with a large altar at the front and many chairs arranged around it. There was a red carpet that ran through the middle of the altar. Everything was ready to go for the wedding ceremony. A wedding that Red had no idea he was about to be a part of.

The girls were all in a dressing room, putting on their gowns and getting ready to participate in the ceremony as bridesmaids, much to their dismay. They didn't want to get involved, but they had no choice in the matter. They were being forced to participate. Fluttershy was dressed in a light pink and blue gown that matched her mane and eyes perfectly. She also had a veil and a pair of earrings. Applejack wore a dark green dress with some flowers attached. Rainbow Dash wore an outfit that made her look like a superhero. She had a blue cape, a dress with yellow accents on it. Rarity was dressed in a fancy purple gown, and she had a pair of purple high heels. Pinkie Pie was in a bright pink and blue gown, and she had a pair of pink high heels.

"This is beautiful and all, but do we have to? We only came here to speak with Red and leave." said Rarity to one of the servants.

"Our greatest apologies, but once her Highness gets like this, it is hard for her to change her mind." One of the servants bowed. "However, we will be happy to assist in any way possible. Now, if you'll excuse me."

"..." The girls looked at each other, wondering what to do next.

"Well, this is unexpected." Applejack sighed. "I was hopin' that we could just talk to him and get back to Ash. It's been 3 weeks now."

"We'll have to do that later." Pinkie Pie said. "For now, let's just enjoy the party. Dont't wanna waste this."

"Easy for you to say, Pinkie. We're not even here for a party." Rainbow Dash sighed. "But I guess you're right. Maybe Red will be in a better mood after the wedding is done?"

As for Red himself, he was in a room getting dressed in a white suit with a black vest and a red tie. His expression said it all. Red wasn't exactly the type for relationships or anything. Being forced to do this was not okay with him either for obvious reasons, but the Princess just couldn't take no for an answer.

"Listen, Red. We could try and convince the Princess, but I'm sorry." A butler apologized. "Her head is filled with nothing but love. She's always dreamed of this day, ever since her powers grew and her search for someone like her became a priority. We didn't expect her to find someone outside of our universe."

"..." Red's expression remained unchanged.

"To her, you are the ultimate priority and a way to defend against future threats. For you see, she obviously didn't have to deal with Daybreaker. There was also the threat of Empress Twilight she had to tackle. When the Empress conquered this universe, the Princess was still young and was distant of most things, needing to balance our kingdom while working another."

"..."

"We helped her grow w into a powerful leader while keeping our alliance with the Empress, avoiding any potential mishaps. We certainly weren't strong enough to go up against her. We especially had to keep her safe at such a young age, being a child prodigy in the field of Aether Telepathy. Even then, despite all of that, she found happiness in reading certain books. You can imagine that they were books on romance."

"..."

"That was the only piece of happiness she could experience while being under the Empress's overarching rule, so naturally, she greatly values it. Now that the Empress and more recently Daybreaker have been defeated, she's been allowed to be as free as possible and meeting you is the freest she's been. Please do not take her advances the wrong way, Red."

"..." Red took it all in, obviously seeing that the Princess was mainly driven by that passion for love. Being under the rule of an Empress and having to deal with Daybreaker taking the light from her universe away left an impact. And besides, Red didn't even hate her at all.

"Red! Darling!" The door to his room suddenly burst open and in came the Princess, wearing a long white veil that covered her face and a long flowing gown with golden accents and a beautiful crown on her head. She was also wearing a necklace around her neck that had a diamond in it. "Are you ready?"

"Princess!" The butler exclaimed. "You're not supposed to see the groom before the ceremony!"

"Oh come on, it's fine. You act like a disaster will happen due to this." The Princess waved her hoof dismissively. She then walked over to him. "Besides, we're just getting ready. No harm, no foul."

"..." Red was still expressionless.

"Come on, Red. Let's go!" She took his hand and started to walk away with him.

"P-Princess, wait!" The Butler tried to stop her.

"It'll be fine!" The two of them left the room, leaving the butler behind. The two walked out of the dressing area and onto the red carpet. As they walked, all of the guests stared at them, whispering and murmuring among themselves. The Princess was smiling brightly while Red was expressionless as always.

Fluttershy and the rest of the girls were waiting at the end of the carpet. They all looked pretty in their gowns and dresses, but they were also very nervous and anxious. Usually, weddings would be a wonderful thing to celebrate, but now was not the time. "This isn't the time for this..." Fluttershy muttered. "I just want to speak to Red about what's going on, and he can be on his way, but this is going to take forever."

"Yeah, but what can ya do? That Princess sure is somethin'. Can't imagine what she's like when she's in love." Applejack shrugged.

"I'll tell you what it's like. It's annoying." Rainbow Dash grumbled. "Why do we have to do this? For all we know, Ash and Twilight have probably come back by now. We're wasting precious time! We already found Red and now we gotta focus on finding, Ethan, Brendan, Lucas, Hilbert, Nate and so on!"

"Let's just get this wedding over with and head home with Red as soon as possible." Rarity sighed. "We've wasted enough time as is."

Along came the Princess and Red, with him walking with an emotionless expression. He didn't even look at the others, and he seemed to be focused only on the Princess. He was clearly not interested in getting married at all.

However, Red had something brewing in his mind. An idea sprung up in his mind. There was a lack of music here, meaning the usual wedding songs were non-existent. Music wasn't even a concept here. Pinkie Pie scrunched her face, wanting to hear music so badly at this very moment, but alas, that was not happening whatsoever.

Princess Quartzstar was shaking with glee while walking forward. She was finally getting her big moment, and she was going to make the most of it. She looked over at Red, who was still emotionless. She didn't care though. This was her moment and she wasn't going to let anything ruin it for her.

That is until Red stopped walking, relaying a telepathic message to everyone here. The message he sent had an odd sound that made everyone here grimace. Even when using telepathy, Red was obscure in terms of speech. Quartzstar twitched, trying to make sense of the sound she heard. "W-What was that...?!"

"Ah. I get it." However, Fluttershy perfectly understood Red clearly, knowing what he wanted. "I understand, Red."

"W-What? What did he say?" Quartzstar ahd to kow right away. "Is something wrong!?"

"Red says...If you want to marry me, then there will be a test." Fluttershy replied. "Since I'll be on your side, you have to be on par with what I do at all times. If you can't keep up, then we're done. That's what he said."

"Hm!" Quartzstar nodded. "I understand! Both sides have to bounce off each other perfectly! But I can do that without any issues! I promise you! I've been the Princess for years and have honed myself to be excellent at many things! Cooking, Dancing, Singing, Acting, you name it! And with my telepathy, I can easily learn anything in an instant!"

"..." Red's expression remained unchanged. Fluttershy took a deep breath, and then she began to speak once more, relaying what Red was conveying to her.

"Red wants a demonstration. He wants you to prove that you can keep up with him. If you fail, then the wedding is off. And the test will involve something you're not familiar with."

"Something I'm not familiar with? What would that be?" The Princess tilted her head in curiosity.

Fluttershy then turned to the girls and relayed the message to them. "Pokemon. Red wants to see if you can catch a Pokemon or even be a strong Trainer to begin with. By having a Pokemon Battle." She then turned to the Princess and relayed that message. "Red wants to see if you can catch a Pokemon and have a Battle with him. If you can catch one and be a great trainer, then the wedding is back on. If not, then it's off."

"Pokemon Battle?!" Quartztar staggered from those words, gritting her teeth. "I-I mean...I do have a Pokemon but, I...it's only recently I caught my first Pokemon!"

"..." Red wagged his finger. Clearly, he was putting up a standard. A standard that the Princess had to meet and despite her expertise in everything else, Pokemon Battles were practically alien to her. Never once has she been in a Pokemon Battle.

"Red says you have the fire, but you're going to need the strength for...Wait, Red. Do you like girls with a lot of passion?" Fluttershy paused the translation for a moment, looking at Red. It was starting to make sense why he was seen around Sunset Shimmer and Adagio more recently. Those two have a ton of fire in their hearts.

"..." His eyes narrowed.

"Hm. So I'm guessing you do like Sunset and Adagio like that. Or is it just friendly?" Rainbow Dash scratched her hair. Red did like them, but to what extent? That was unknown. Red wasn't exactly raving about them.

"Oh, that makes sense." Rarity nodded in agreement. "To be honest, I wouldn't mind if you were with either one of the two. Even Adagio. She can be quite the character but the way she'll bounce off you will be amusing~"

"No kidding. She's got a mouth on her." Applejack agreed.

"Sunset...Adagio...Those two names again!" The Princess bit her hoof. She was not happy with this situation one bit. She had to prove herself, but she was also competing for the same guy. "Fine then! I'll do it! But I'm issuing a challenge of my own! A challenge to decide the outcome of this wedding!"

"...?"

"Bring me Sunset and Adagio at once! I'll challenge them both to a Pokemon Battle! I'll defeat them both, and then we'll get married! If not, then I'll give you up! But that's not gonna happen! I will be victorious! And then I will have my happily ever after!"

"P-Princess?!" One of her guards was shocked. The Princess was normally not one to make demands like that. This was the most amount of passion she's ever had. Red smiled, accepting it. It would be settled. To decide his future, Quartzstar would battle Sunset Shimmer and Adagio Dazzle collectively.

All they had to do was get in touch with them back at the main universe.

"He's just like Ash, alright. Always choosing the wilder options." Rarity shook her head. Despite being more silent and reserved, Red was still Ash's counterpart. It was hard to believe they were alike, but when it came down to these decisions, it became clear. The two of them would often go for the most exciting and wild option available. This was a good example of that. Red was setting the bar high for the Princess, but it was clear that the two of them had a connection.

"I have a feeling we might have to do the same with the other counterparts. They're all the same." Fluttershy sighed. Once they're done here, there was no doubt that Ethan and the others will be in wild situations, only to choose wilder options in the end.

Universe 1. Equestria. Canterlot. Canterlot Gardens.

"You want me to what?" They got a hold of Adagio via an XTransceiver. Rarity had her number, calling for her at a great distance from the other universe to theirs. "Battle with someone from another universe? What's this all about?"

"It will only be brief. You and Sunset will just have to work together to defeat a common...a common foe, let's just say." Rarity grinned while Adagio narrowed her eyes. "I'm sure you're not too busy, right?"

"Not really. I have a lot of free time, but why would I even come all the way to some random universe to have a Pokemon Battle? That's too much effort." She shook her head. "What's in it for me?"

"You can have a battle against someone from a different universe." Rainbow Dash butted into the conversation, snatching the XTransceiver from Rarity. "Think about it, Adagio! A brand new opponent you can face off! New strategies to use! I'm sure you're interested in that kind of thing, right?!"

"No. Who do you take me for? I'm not a battle fiend like you, Ash or even Red." Adagio rolled her eyes. "I have no interest in battling for the sake of battling. No matter who they are or where they come from. If there's a good reason, then maybe. Otherwise, no."

"Well..." Applejack scratched her cheek before grinning, pulling out her trump card. "It involves Red."

"?" That got her attention. "What about him?"

"I did say a common foe. You and Sunset have wonderful competition, I must say. Prior to this, the two of you were on equal footing, being that none of you were of royalty. No offence to you or Sunset of course." Rarity spoke. "But now...Red might become royalty...far out of your league, even."

"R-Royalty?!" She gasped. "You're saying that Red is going to be royalty? How?! What?! How is that even possible?!"

"A Princess has taken a great liking to Red and she's offered to challenge you and Sunset respectively. If she wins...she'll marry Red." That was the critical hit that hooked and reeled Adagio in. The words of marriage rang in her mind as she was shaking in anger. Someone was trying to outpace her.

"Tell and show me the Universe. I'll be right there." Adagio was in.

Universe 17. Mindspire City. Upper Spire.

It was easy to get Adagio involved but it was even easier to bring Sunset Shimmer along. The two of them did share a strong crush for Red and would often bicker. Then again, they bickered even before Red appeared, but now, they had a common enemy. And currently, in her room was Quartzstar, practising with her Pokemon.

In this case, her Pokemon was a Chandelure. It was a Ghost and Fire Type, so naturally it was levitating. As such, it was also a formidable foe. But would it be enough? No. That was why Quartzstar was practising with her Pokemon. She was learning how to battle with it. With the rest of them gone, she had to train on her own.

"Those girls will have a clear advantage. They've obviously been battling longer than I have, however, things are different here. In this universe, where all sound is devoid, they can't hope to shot out the moves of their Pokemon from their mouths. They'll have to rely on their minds. That is where I excel. Even if an opponent is stronger, using other benefits to your advantage can topple the greatest of foes."

Indeed, she did have that advantage. In her universe, there was no sound at all, meaning the girls were unable to call out any moves from their mouths. They had to rely on Telepathy to get the moves across to their Pokemon. Quartzstar was already used to that, but the girls were not, so she had that advantage over them.

With some brief training to get herself ready, the Princess was dedicated to winning. To fulfil her romantic fantasies, she would battle to her heart's content for the very first time.

Sunset and Adagio had arrived in this universe, the two taking on their pony forms after passing through Equestria and appearing here. Their first reaction was to cover their ears. "What's with all this silence?!" Sunset Shimmer yelled, but her voice was completely inaudible.

"You were the one to tell us that there was no sound." Adagio rolled her eyes. "We should have expected this." She spoke, but her voice was inaudible as well. "Relying on telepathy is annoying..."

"So, you're the two that are in my way!" Quartzstar got their attention, standing on her balcony. "Sunset Shimmer and Adagio Dazzle!"

"...Is that her?" Adagio questioned.

"I think so. Who else would it be? Once I heard she was going to try and marry Red, I took off instantly. I mean, forcing him to try and marry you just isn't it." Sunset shook her head.

"Yeah. Only because you would do the same." Adagio smirked, prompting Sunset to growl at her.

"As if! What do you take me for?!" Sunset roared at Adagio. "I wouldn't force anyone to do something like that! Well...not how I am now. My past self would, but that's besides the point."

"Hmph! You're right. I would though if given the opportunity." Adagio didn't sugarcoat it.

"Wha-?! You're so shameless!" Sunset Shimmer was flabbergasted. "Are you even here to battle for the same reason I am?!"

"Oh, I most certainly! I promise you, she's not getting the chance to get with Red. Not while I'm here." Adagio declared. "I'd do anything to ensure that, but it doesn't sound like you would. Shameless or not."

"Pfft! You wish! I could pull it off without needing to be forceful!" Sunset puffed her chest.

"Who's more shameless now, hm?" Adagio grinned.

"Hah. Those two look like they have terrible synergy." Quartztar observed, having a bright grin. She saw them as easy pickings due to the way they argue. "This is going to be easy pickings."

Sunset and Adagio continued to argue until they heard a whistle. Fluttershy had been watching the whole time and had to intervene. "Um...we should start the battle now...If you please...We have to get back soon... I kinda wanna check up on my Pokemon back home actually."

"With pleasure! Appear! Chanedlure!" Throwing her Poke Ball forward, Chandelure had emerged from its Poke Ball.

"Chandelure!"

"If that's what you think, then don't try and fall behind, Sunset. You'll make yourself look bad in front of Red~" Adagio smirked, holding out her Poke Ball with her magic as Sunset did the same.

"Same to you too!" Sunset scoffed. "Go! Delphox!"

"Emerge, Vespiquen!" Adagio declared.

"Delphox!"

"Vespiquen!"

Now that all three Pokemon were out, this 2v1 Pokemon Battle was about to commence. The referee would be Pinkie Pie, standing in the middle before backing up. "Okay! You all look like you're ready to battle! You know the drill~ If your Pokemon can't continue, that's it! So good luck and have fun!"

"..." Red would be seated, making sure to watch this battle closely.

"I'll finish this right away and shut down any chance she thinks she has with Red. Don't drag me down, Sunset. Vespiquen! Use Attack Order!"

"Ves!" From her body, Vespiquen would summon an array of bugs that fired at Chandelure. The bugs flew in at high speeds and this was where Quartzstar could use her adavantage.

Chandelure would ascend to avoid the bugs, but Delphox had a follow up. Sunset would have to act quickly and rely on telepathy to issue commands. It was hard, since there was no sound, so she'd have to rely on telepathy alone. "Delphox, use Flamethrower!"

"Del!" She would aim her wand at Chandelure and launch a Flamethrower. While Delphox was preparing its move, Adagio was issuing a command of her own.

"Vespiquen, Power Gem!"

"Vespiquen!" Adagio had to rely on Telepathy. Her command would take a brief moment to reach Vespiquen, who would then form a Power Gem in her hands. She launched the attack, which was a bright, glowing ball. The bright ball flew in, with both attacks flying in towards Chandelure at the same time. It was a combo attack, but that wasn't the intention.

Chandelure would then spin around, using Inferno around its body. A spiral of flames emerged, acting as a shield. The Power Gem was pushed back from the Inferno and sent to the ground while the Flamethrower would be deflected, crashing through the window.

"Oh. She's not too shabby." Rainbow Dash observed. Quartzstar hadn't lost instantly for her first battle, so that was a good sign. She had potential, and her Chandelure was clearly experienced in battle, even if its Trainer was not.

"But that's strange...I don't hear anything coming from her mind." Sunset noticed that Quartzstar's thoughts weren't leaking out. She had a perfect guard to keep any and all thoughts hidden. That means she wasn't going to be able to read Quartzstar's thoughts at all.

"Hey! Why aren't you spouting anything from there?! We're doing it so why aren't you?!" Adagio pointed out while Quartzstar simply shrugged it off. Adagio growled in response. "I hate this universe already...if you wanna stay quiet, then I'll force you to speak up in Use Aerial Ace!"

"Quen! Vespiquen!" Moving at breakneck speeds, Vespiquen approached the Ghost-Fire-Type. However, Chandelure would turn itself intangbile, allowing Vespiquen to pass through and miss. After avoiding the attack, Chandelure would blend into the environment, turning invisible. This was where Quartzstar was about to use the biggest advantage possible.

Once Chandelure vanished, Sunset and Adagi looked around themselves to find the Pokemon, but it was nowhere to be found. "Where'd it go?!"

"Delphox! Flamethrower!" Without knowing the position of Chandelure, Sunset had no choice but to force Delphox to attack anywhere to deal damage to Chandelure. She had to be careful though, as she didn't want to cause any major damage to the area itself. Quartzstar was going to be a thorn in their sides, playing great defence.

"Del!" Delphox would unleash her Flamethrower, firing it at a certain point, but it would miss, leaving a scorch mark on the walls. But she failed to land a hit, Chadelure still being hidden. She fired Flamethrowers rapidly, trying to catch Chandelure at any angle or distance.

"Vespiquen, use Attack Order!" Adagio would try the same. Vespiqen sent her bugs to hunt down Chandelure, but the swarm would fail, not finding any trace of the Pokemon. The bugs would fly everywhere, trying to find their foe, but it was no use. No matter what, Chandelure was nowhere to be found.

"Oh, man! Since there's no sound, they can't hear where Chandelure even is!" Rainbow Dash realized how much of a disadvantage this was.

"I can't hear Chandelure's thoughts either, so there's no telling where it is." Rarity added. "What a tricky situation..."

"Oh my." Fluttershy gulped. They weren't sure if Quartzstar was going to win or not, but the fact that she had that much of an advantage was bad. If she were to win, that would mean a future with Red being married.

Adagio was getting frustrated already. "Ugh! Where is it?! Vespiquen, Defend Order!" The Vespiqen Queen summoned a barrier to protect herself from anything that would come from Chandelure. "I need to make sure that Vespiquen doesn't get hit. At the very least, she can't be defeated."

However, as soon as the barrier of bugs surrounded Vespiquen, right behind her, a Fire Blast would emerge, striking at her barrier of bugs and blowing her back. Adagio gasped as Chadelure appeared for a brief moment before vanishing. "What?!"

"There! Delphox!"

"Phox!" Delphox quickly shot a Psybeam in Chandelure's direction, only for the Ghost-Fire-Type to disappear once more. It was a hit-and-run, a strategy that was effective, but annoying. Chandelure appeared once more, this time above Delphox. But there was no way to hear it as it unleashed a Shadow Ball. The ball of shadowy energy crashed into Delphox and knocked her back. "Del!"

"Oh, no! Delphox!" Sunset cried out. Chandelure cackled before vanishing yet again. Delphox and Vespiqen struggled to keep up for even a second. Chandelure kept reappearing in their blind spots and attacking them. There was nothing they could do.

"Baha! y marriage with Red is set in stone at this point!" Quartzstar pranced with joy. "I'll be a Queen and he'll be my King. We'll live out our happily ever after and we'll rule this universe together~" She was in a state of pure ecstasy, dreaming of her romantic future with Red.

"..." Red narrowed his eyes.

"This is the worst! I can't hear Chandelure! I can't even sense it!" Sunset pulled her hair. "What's up with this universe?!"

"There's no way I'm about to lose because of this!" Adagio stomped her hoof out of frustration. "Especially not to you!"

"Oh, don't worry too much you two. Look on the bright. After this is over and we're together, I'll do you two a solid. You two can be...extras." Quartzstar grinned.

"E-Extras?!" The two girls exclaimed.

"You can be the ones who do the chores for us." Her grin grew even bigger. "I'm sure that'll be a nice position for you both. Oh, the things you'll have to do~ You'll get to clean the whole place, cook the food, tend to the gardens, give us massages and other things~ Won't that be great?!" This was the ultimate humiliation for the both of them. They were being pushed down and forced into a corner.

"...You'd have us do that while you're walking around with Red? Taunting us?" Sunset's eye twitched.

"That's incredibly low..." So did Adagio. The two of them closed their eyes, their anger reaching a boiling point. The thought of having to be in that position while Quartzstar stands beside Red at all times was a nightmare to them. No matter what, they couldn't let it happen.

"As if that's gonna happen" The two of them telepathically shouted at the same time, startling Quartzstar as she stumbled back.

"I've had enough of this! Delphox! Flamethrower on the ground!"

"Del...Phox!" Delphox slammed her wand on the ground as her fire erupted, sending flames that scorched the ground. The area was enveloped by a thick veil of smoke that made the area hazy, making it difficult for anyone to see. The flames were also incredibly hot, being felt by everyone here. It was a risky move.

"Gh! T-This heat...!" Quartztar groaned and grimaced, feeling the scorching flames that instantly heated up the room. This was to try and flush out Chandelure and force it to make a move. It was an all or nothing gamble.

But there's no way a Pokemon would risk its safety like that. While this attack was risky, it didn't have the power to deal significant damage due to Chandelure being a Fire-Type. However, even if it didn't do that much damage, it acted as a both a shield and a way to break Quartzstar's focus. That was the most crucial part. As long as Quartzstar couldn't focus, then her silent commands to Chandelure will be dragged down

"Huh? What's with this smoke?!" She looked around, unable to find her Pokemon. Quartzstar tried to call out to Chandelure, but her thoughts were in a mess and she couldn't focus properly. Her focus on keeping her thoughts secret were also gone. She was completely open to Sunset Shimmer's Telepathy.

"Ah! I can hear you now!"

"Wha-What?!" She stumbled back and held her head. "My thoughts aren't being concealed?! How could that be?!"

"No focus?! No silence! And if I had to guess where Chandelure will appear next...it's from below!" Sunset predicted Chandelure's next position to appear. it couldn't appear beside of above Delphox due to the flame shield so it had to come from below.

"Gotcha! Aerial Ace!"

"Vespiquen!" Without even caring about the flames whatsoever, Vespiquen charged in, entering the Flame Shield and grabbing Chandelure. She willingly took super-effective damage to catch Chandelure in her grip. The flames scorched the both of them. With Chandelure firmly in her grip, Vespiqen flew into the air, ready to slam down the Ghost-Fire-Type.

"Are you crazy?!" Quartzstar screeched while Red smiled, knowing that the two of them would play as wildly as possible. That was the potential he saw in them.

"You wanna hide from us, eh?! Hide from this! Slam Chandelure at once, Vespiquen!"

"Ves!" The Bug and Flying Type flew up, enduring the flames before flying down. With an incredible speed, Vespiquen crashed down onto the ground with a slam, dealing a massive blow to Chandelure. The flames were extinguished as she crashed onto the ground, creating a small crater. She was holding Chandelure down on the ground, not letting go.

"Chandelure! Use Shadow Ball, hurry!" Seeing Vespiqen up close, Chandelure was at point-blank range. It summoned a Shadow Ball in its grasp and shot it at the Vespiqen Queen. The Shadow Ball blasted Vespiquen back, crashing into the walls, being plastered there.

"Psychic!"

"Del" Delphox would then use Psychic, it not on Chandelure. Instead, on the Flame Shield she created. She manipulated the flames to rise and form into a sphere. The flames would surround Chandelure, forming into a flaming sphere that trapped the Pokemon.

"Chan?! Chande?!" Chandelure was now encased in this Flaming Sphere, unable to phase through at all. It would have been impossible to do that. The flames were too hot to do so, and it was too powerful of an attack to escape from. It would also continue to deal damage over and over again. The Psychic energy around the sphere would also ensure it wouldn't escape.

"H-Huh?!" Quartzstar was left shocked that this had even happened. She couldn't believe that they managed to pull off such an attack and trap Chandelure. But it didn't stop there.

"Finish it! Heads up, Vespiquen!"

"Phox!" Delphox would then launch the sphere at Vespiquen, allowing her to deal the finishing blow.

"Vespiquen! Cut through with Aerial Ace!"

"Vespi!" Vespiquen launched off the wall she crashed into, flying at the sphere. Her wings would glow white as she pierced through the sphere. The flaming sphere would explode, revealing the two Pokemon within. Chandelure was no longer able to battle, floating in the air. Vespiquen had done the same, having collapsed on the ground. The two were unable to continue battling, resulting in a double knockout.

"Chandelure..."

"Vespiquen..."

"Chandelure and Vespiquen are down and out!" Pinkie Pie called it. "Even though Vespiquen lost, that means the winners of this battle are Sunset and Adagio!"

The two of them would look at each other and smile, having won. They had worked together and actually made a great combo, something they never thought would be possible, and yet they pulled it off. They got cocky, turning to Quartzstar, who was stunned. They both pointed at her.

"Well, that's that. So much for the marriage today." Sunset shrugged.

"And your future with him is over!" Adagio added.

"No way!" Quartzstar got on her hind legs, in disbelief. She was so close, and yet she lost. But she didn't want to accept it. "I can't have just lost like that! This can't be!"

"Hah...glad that's over with." Applejack wiped her brow.

"It seems we won't have to worry about Red's marriage." Rarity smiled, having been worried that they could've lost.

"That was a great battle! You all did awesome!" Rainbow Dash praised. "Good job, Sunset! Good job, Adagio!" She was happy that the battle had turned around so well and that they didn't lose. Red's future was safe.

"..." Red looked away. Quartzstar was disappointed that she couldn't beat them, and that she couldn't have that happy ending she wanted so much, and Red refused to let that be a reality for her. He couldn't leave her like this.

"Red? What are you doing?" Fluttershy saw Red rise and head to the pony. He went over to the disappointed Quartzstar, who couldn't believe that she had lost.

"No...no! I can't have just...lost like that..." She fell to her knees, having been so close to getting a happy future, to be in love. She just wanted to be with him so badly. She had a crush on him, but she had to accept it. "I...I lost..."

Red then kneeled to face Quartzstar, the princess looking up at Red with a saddened face. Quartzstar also felt embarrassed, the loss having been seeing by her servants which made it all the more hard.

Just then, Red placed his hand on her head and petted her. The pony looked at him, her eyes wide and a blush on her face. "R-Red..."

"..." Red tried that trick she used in the battle. The trick of being able to isolate her thoughts and send them to another without letting anyone else hear. He caught on to it rather quickly, speaking to Quartzstar privately. By doing so, Red made sure to tell her this. While she did lose, Red saw it. The potential. The same kind of potential he saw in Sunset and Adagio.

"I do?"

While Red wasn't looking to get married, he could appreciate affection still. He could also appreciate that Quartzstar finally found something that she could have a drive for. Meeting Red opened her up to a whole new world. Red would tell her that this wasn't the end for her, not just her marriage but everything. Her journey to become stronger and to improve. He was offering her a chance to train together and become even stronger.

"R-Really?! Y-You mean it?!"

"..." Red nodded in response.

"Did...did he just..." Adagio was speechless. She could've sworn that Red offered to help Quartzstar with her training. More than that, it sounded like Red was encouraging her to get better so that one day, she could stand beside him. And that's exactly what Quartztar wanted to hear. Red wanted her to grow from this point to become a greater pony. And by extension, a greater Princess of this universe.

"I...I will. I will become stronger. And I'll do it for you." She was determined now. She wanted to be with Red, but she was going to have to earn that right to stand beside him. "And then after that, we'll get married for sure! I won't stop!"

"..." Red raised an eyebrow. She did not give up on marriage whatsoever. She was going to have him no matter what. He sighed, shaking his head and smiling.

He had to admit that her determination was what made her charming. She was a bit wild, but that wasn't going to stop her. But Red was not one to give up either, and if she was willing to put in the effort, then he was willing to put it in too.

They could all call this a wrap and continue on with their day. And in the case of Fluttershy's group, they could finally speak to Red about Ash and Prisma as the journey continues.

Chapter 629 End.