//------------------------------// // Chapter 4: My Permanent Fate in a Political Debate // Story: A New World, Burning an Old Way // by xBUBBA1995x //------------------------------// A New World, Burning an Old Way Written by: xBUBBA1995x Edited by: zeusdemigod131 Edited by: tndpony Pre-Reader: Dragaen Chapter 4: My Permanent Fate in a Political Debate         “One thing after another,” Shining sighed. “One thing… after another.”         “Look at the bright side, hunny. If we have questions, I’m sure that John will answer them.” Cadance reassured him. Though it was not that effective, considering from just the tone in her voice you could tell she was trying not to freak out. Hey, just like me!         “I hope so, Cadance. Because what he told us yesterday isn’t really going to help if everything blows up because of it.”         “What’s going to blow up now?” I asked. The two of them looked over to me. Then at Blastoise. He smiled and waved. And Shining just facehooved.         “Oh, who is this now?” Cadance asked.         “This is Eclipse,” I introduced. “He’s a Blastoise, a water type, a general badass, and my childhood friend,” I looked at Eclipse. “And this is Princess Cadance, and her husband, Shining Armor.”         “It is a pleasure to meet you both,” Blastoise gave a little bow.         “Sorry Eclipse, they can’t understand you.” He gave me a confused look. “They have to cast some type of spell on you so that they can understand you. I am sure Holly Heart would love to perform the spell,” I started to look around, and… I didn’t see Holly Heart anywhere. “Speaking of which, where is Holly anyways?”         “Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!” We all jumped in surprise at Holly’s scream. She then came running out of the bushes, screaming at the top of her lungs as a small yellow spider clung to her back. “Get it off, get it off, get it off!” She cried out.         “Get me off of this thing!” It cried out.         I let out a sigh before stepping forward. Holly was running in a circle. Timing it just right, I swiped my hand forward, and snatched up the small Joltik clinging for its life. Holly didn’t notice. She just kept screaming. However, the Joltik did.         “Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!” He said, giving my hand one hell of a hug.         “Well you are welcome little guy, now why were you on her back?”         “Well… I, um, I’m kind of out of juice.”         “Come again? I’m pretty sure Holly is not filled with juice…” It was then that Holly tripped. I glanced up, and my eyes widened. I didn’t have any time to brace myself before she slammed into me.         “Holly Heart, John, are the two of you alright?!” Princess Cadance asked.         “What hit me?” Holly asked in somewhat of a drunken haze.         “Oh, you know, nothing much. Just a monkey with low self esteem.” Snow told her.         Holly looked down to see me under her. She blushed like mad and jumped off. “Oh my, um, I am so sorry, John!”         “It’s alright… I’ve… been hit by worse…” I slowly stuttered. “Really, I have… you just… knocked the wind out of me…” I took a deep breath.         “Not to interrupt, but don’t we have a ‘riot’ to look for?” Lex asked.         “He’s right, everypony. John, pull yourself up. As for everypony else,” Shining turned to the guard that they brought with them. “Head back to the city.”         As everypony started to walk away, Holly was at my side, helping me up. “I am so sorry, John.”         “It’s alright, Holly. And don’t worry about it, I’m fine. Now where did that Joltik go?”         “Um, what’s a Joltik?” She asked.         “That bug on your back was a Pokémon.”         “You mean… there are Pokémon that look like… large… Spiders…” Her pupils shrank.         “Aaawwwww, he’s so cute!” We looked over at Cadance, and saw the small Joltik sitting in front of her. However, he didn’t seem happy.         “I’m not cute, I’m fearsome!” He called back.         “Excuse me, Princess,” Holly started, catching Cadance’s attention. “What are you doing?”         Cadance picked up Joltik and held it towards Holly. “Holly Heart, just look how cute he is!”         Holly Heart jumped back, and hid behind me. “But, but, it’s a massive spider! Put it down, please,” She pleaded.         I chuckled. “Don’t worry, Holly Heart. Little Joltik here is not poisonous. The most he can do is give you a good zap.”         “Hey, don’t call me little!”         “But he’s a big Spider!”         “Aren't spiders suppose to have eight legs? I only see four…” Lex commented.         “I am a Spider!”         “I don’t care if he had ten legs, keep him away from me!”         “But he is soooo, cute!”         “That’s it! Everything dies!” The little guy yelled. He then sparked up, ready to electrocute everyone. Then… nothing happened.         Snow started to laugh. “Have a problem there? Need help? I’m sure they make medicine for your problem.” This made the little Joltik start crying. Frowning at his teammate’s action, Eclipse gave Snow a smack on the back of her head.         “Aw, don’t cry,” Cadance started. “John, why is he crying?”         “Because he’-*s an electric Pokémon that is too small to generate it’s own electricity, and can’t electrocute us because he’s out of juice,” I turned to Holly. “It’s the reason he was on your back. He can absorb electricity, and was trying to use your static electricity to charge himself.”         “Just… keep him away from me, for now, alright?” Holly asked. I nodded to her.         “Well then, if electricity is what the little dear needs, I’m pretty sure the generator we installed in the Crystal Castle could help this little guy out. How about it? If you come with me little cutie, you can feed off some of that electricity?”         “Wait, that thing is coming back with us?!”         “Yes, Holly Heart, he is, now please. Stop calling him a thing’.”         “Wait, don’t I get choice in the matter? I didn’t even say yes to coming with you yet,” Joltik stated.         “Oh, Holly, could you please cast that translations spell on Joltik here? I would like to know his name.”         “While you’re at it, could you please cast it on Eclipse too?” Snow commented, rubbing the back of her head.         “I am sorry to interrupt,” came a voice, and I looked to the side to see Flash Sentry. “But don’t we have something to do? Like, see if there is a Riot?”         “Of Course, of course. Thank you Flash Sentry for reminding us,” Princess Cadance stated. “Let’s head on back for now. Holly, you don’t have to cast the spell on Joltik, I’ll have another court wizard cast it. But please do cast it on Eclipse.” -:-:-         Do I have to say it again? I hate dealing with rich nobles. Especially the ones in politics. No, a riot did not occur...yet. But one was certainly in the works. We watched as a pair of noble stood in the Conference Hall of the Crystal Castle, literally preaching about the ‘Tragedy’ that was bestowed upon Sir Clay, and they had a rather larger crowd on their side…         “It was horrible,” A Pegasus started. I recognised him, it was Winter Breeze. “We were about to eat our breakfast, then the horrible Monkey just grabbed Clay and threw him out the window.”         “It was all unprovoked,” Added a Unicorn. I recognized him too. It was Green Horn… “And that dreaded wench ‘Holly Heart’ was with him. I bet you she had something to do with this!”         My eye twitched.         “This is absurd,” One of the many onlookers stated. “Was this ‘Pokémon’ even punished? Didn’t his ‘God’ say to follow our laws?”         “Sadly no,” Green Horn stated. “He was taken by the guards, but later released.”         “That is why you all must sign this Petition. You have to get these monsters out of the city.”         “Come now,” Princess Cadance added in. “That is not what our records say happened. John threw Clay out the window after Clay threatened Holly Heart.”         “It must have been a lie, Princess. To get released,” Winter Breeze let out a sigh of despair. “I’ve known Clay for most of my life. We grew up in Canterlot together. He would never do such a thing.”         My eye twitched again, and this time Lex took notice to it.         “Ah nuts, code red! Code red!” He whispered to Eclipse and Snow. They looked at me, and with one glance they knew I was angry.         “What’s code red?” Flash Sentry asked.         “It seems that I have sparked a discussion of debate,” Flash Sentry, as well as my friends, looked up to see me walk into to the Conference Hall, and the room went quiet. “Isn't it appropriate for the party in question to defend itself?”         Princess Cadance was first to speak. “Yes, John, normally the ‘party in question’ gets to speak. If you would like to present your side of the argument, feel free to do so.”         “This is absurd! He should be kicked out of the city.” Winter Breeze commented.         “Calm yourself, Winter Breeze. We all must follow the laws of Equestria, whether we like them or not.” Princess Cadance warned.         “Yes, Princess. But as far as I can see it, these Pokémon have illegally entered Equestria, and are not protected by our laws.” Some random pony in the crowd added.         “So I’m an ‘Illegal Immigrant’’ who’s different from you, and because you’re both scared of me and don’t understand me, you want to kick me out of the city? As far as I can see, that is nothing short of racist behaviour, especially considering I heard that this world is supposed to be populated by various different species. What then, makes us any different from the other species that share this world with you? And as for my action, I do stand by what I did,” I took a step forward, and placed my hands behind my back. “And from what I have heard, the two of you have been lying about what had occurred earlier today,” Everypony was taken aback at what I had said. I rubbed my nose with my finger, still somewhat sick.“At the time in question, I was having breakfast with Lex and Snow, both of which are fellow Pokémon, and the lovely mare Holly Heart,” At this, I could see Holly Heart blush at me. “Then the two of you, as well as Clay, walked into the room. At first you didn’t bother us, but then Clay asked if I was going to see the Princess while being sick. I told him I was, and he went off. As he should. Seeing Royalty while being sick is not proper, but then he kept bugging us about it. And would not stop,” I started to pace around the room, not a soul would interrupt me. “So I started to ignore him, as did Holly Heart. We wished to mind our own business, and he would not have it. Then he threatened Holly Heart,” I took on a stern look. “No one threatens my friends, so I told him off. Again, he would not have it. Said to me that if I don’t give him respect he would kick me out of the city, kind of like how the two of you are doing. I was angry, at the time, and was suffering from lack of sleep. So what did I do? I threw him out of the window. I’ll admit that it was ill-thought of me, especially when I could have handled it better. However, because of that, I am currently working with the Crystal Empire in dealing with the issues concerning the other Pokémon, to make up for it. I am sorry for what I have done, and I promise to do my best to make up for it, but I will not stand by and let these two worthless stallions lie to this good city.” As I ended my speech, Snow started to clap. I gave her a stern look, but stopped as I saw the look of surprise on her face. Then I smiled.         It was a rather long time before anypony spoke up, and the first to speak was Princess Cadance. “Winter Breeze and Green Horn,” She had a rather strict tone in her voice. “Considering the fact that John is helping the Crystal Empire with the Pokémon problem, as well as how his story matches up with Holly’s story, I am considering throwing your petition in the trash. Now do you have a counter argument?”         They turned to each other. Muttering under their breath, and trying to come up with something that might help them.         “Princess, if I may,” A mare in the crowd stood up. “At the moment I am, as well as most of the ponies in the room, split in this matter. Yes, John here did help with the Pokémon matter yesterday, for I myself witnessed the matter, and understand that he can be a big help. However, he did still break the law. He has to answer for that in some manner,” she said, to which the two stallions smiled. Too bad for them, she wasn’t done.  “However...” She looked down at Winter Breeze and Green Horn, frowning at the smug looks on their faces. “Throwing them out of the city is not an answer,” she said, almost smiling as the smirks on said stallions’ faces evaporated.         “Thank you.” I said, giving the mare a courteous bow.         “Then what are we suppose to do?!” Green Horn shouted out. “This ‘thing’ put Clay in the hospital, in critical condition I might add!”         “Ah, shut up Green Horn! I went to see Clay this morning. Other than a broken leg and some scratches he is doing just fine!” A stallion in the back yelled out. It was beginning to become clear to the crowd that their motive wasn’t as noble as they had tried to make it seem.         “That is beside the point! He needs to pay for what happened to our friend!” Winter Breeze yelled out, throwing all false formalities out the window, making it clear that this was all about petty revenge from the start.         “Enough,” Princess Cadance yelled out. “I don’t normally do this, but in this case I am! The petition to have all Pokémon expelled from the Crystal Empire is being revoked! And due to both the false information and lies spoken in this Conference Hall, I hereby revoke Winter Breeze’s and Green Horn’s right to be on the Council. Guards, please escort them out of my sight.” At her orders, a group of crystal guards seized the two stallions, dragging them out of the room kicking and screaming about how ‘they’re nobles’ and how ‘they can’t treat them like that’, which we all promptly ignored.         “Well that went better than expected.” Snow whispered to Lex and Eclipse.         With a slight smile on my face, I turned to Princess Cadance. “Good to see that the truth always prevails in this world. Now if you’ll excuse me, I would like to find your husband. It’s about time he and I started to train your soldiers to handle Pokémon,” I turned to Holly Heart. “Would you like to join me, Holly Heart? I have a feeling that the translation spell you casted on me yesterday is going to wear off soon.”         “Um,” Holly looked at Cadance, as if looking for her approval, and Cadance nodded. “Of course, John. Wouldn’t want the spell to wear off in the middle of something important.” She then trotted over to me, and we walked out of the Conference Hall.         “Come on you three, I shall need your help.” I told my Pokémon companions. They could not help but smile as they followed me.         “Hey, quick question, whatever happened to that Joltik?” Lex asked. I paused when I thought about it. Since we arrived back at the castle, we had lost track of the little guy.         That was when we heard a scream from the Conference Hall. “Aaaahhhhh, what is that yellow thing?!” A mare yelled out.         “Well that answers that question…” Lex sighed, as they went to collect the little troublemaker. -:-:-         “Hey, John, do you mind if I asked you something?” Holly asked me, as we walked through the castle, heading to the courtyard where Shining Armor was waiting for us.         “I don’t mind, Holly Heart. Ask me anything you like.”         “Did you really mean it, when you said I was a lovely mare?” And my brain stopped.         I did not answer right away, but I really did not know what to say. Surprising, isn’t it? In a short speech that I came up with practically on the fly, I was able to get a room full of stallions and mares to turn on both Winter Breeze and Green Horn, and yet this question stumped me. I truly did not know what to say.         “Oh my Arceus,” Snow gasped. A tone of worry in her voice. We all turned to her, and she had a look of shock surprise to her face. “It happened…”         “What happened, Snow? What’s wrong?!” I asked, somewhat worried, but glad for the distraction.         She turned to Eclipse. “Do you see it?” She asked him. He simply nodded. The same look of shock on his face.         “See what?” Joltik asked. “Is it the light? Don’t go into the light!”         “I don’t get it, what is going on?” Lex asked.         “Ya... what is going on?” Holly asked.         “It happened. It finally happened,” She whispered, before taking on a mischievous smile. “John here’s got a crush on someone.” Holly’s reaction was simple. Her face light up as she blushed. Snow started to laugh. Lex made a ‘Oh.’ of understanding. Eclipse started to laugh with Snow. Joltik, the newest member of our little group, started to chant. “John and Holly Heart sitting in a tree. K.I.S.S.I.N.G!” And Flash Sentry, who has been quiet for most of the time spent with us, just looked confused. As for myself… apparently, I knew the move Headbutt. Because I just headbutted the wall next to me. There reaction lasted as long as I held my tongue, because when I opened my mouth two words echoed out. “Shut up.” Joltik stopped chanting, Snow stopped laughing, and Eclipse made a ‘Oh shit.’ noise. I suspected that Holly Heart was taken back at my sudden change in tone, but I was not really looking at her at the moment. “You are acting like children, and though Joltik here is a child, the two of you are not. So grow up, you know I don’t like it when someone teases another about those types of feelings,” I turned to Holly Heart. She looked confused, and well… I know I was, but I really didn’t know how how to handle this situation, so really… my only option was to other say no to this or to say I’m not ready. “Listen Holly Heart. I do think you are a wonderful mare. In the two days that I have met you, you have been kind, nice, and helpful. As is, I see you as a friend, and though I can’t see the future, that has the option of changing. Though I myself would be somewhat uncomfortable about the whole situations, considering I have not even been attracted to anyone not of my species,” A small smile light up on Holly’s face when I said ‘attracted’. “ I do not have anything negative to say to the idea. Back in my old world, the closest thing to this that I can think of is Poképhiles, and that is a negative topic to think about. To most that is, but…” I let out a sigh, then a small sneeze. It seemed that me stressing out was making the medicine wore off. “Ask me to take down an organization, hell bent and taking over the world. No problem! Ask me change the minds of those who look to harm Pokémon? Childs play. This? Ya, can we talk about this another time?” Holly’s answer to this was simple. One that surprised the shit me. “You talk too much,” She smiled then kissed my cheek. “So I’m attractive?” I facepalmed at this point. ‘Dear Arceus, why me?’ -:-:-         I needed a stress reliever, and the rush of battle was exactly what that stress reliever was. Shining told me that he was to face one of my Pokémon when I entered the Castle’s training hall, and that he would decide who he faced. As for the Training area itself, it was a large wooden building that lead out to a somewhat small outside coliseum. About the size of an average Pokémon arena. It seemed that it was recently built.         “So Shining Armor, who shall you fight,” I asked. My Pokémon at my side. “Eclipse here may be large and strong, but he is fast, and would make your fight with that Feraligatr look like childs play. Snow here may joke a lot, but she is fierce in battle, leaning more of messing with her opponent then anything else, always taunting her opponent more than anything else,” Shining nodded, then looked at Lex. “Lex here is the fastest of out of all of them, and can fight at close ranges and at long ranges,” Then I saw Joltik sitting on Lex’s head. Ready to fight! Looking proud. “And, um, Joltik here is not going to fight,” I reached out and picked him up off of Lex. “Sorry man, another time.”         “How dare you deny me the ferocity of battle,” He squeaked at me. “I’ll have your head!”         “Calm down little one,” Lex barked at him. “Besides, the ponies can't understand you either way, Holly Heart never casted that spell on you.”         “I still don’t understand why she didn’t! She casted it on Eclipse!”         “Silence,” I ordered. “Now Shining, who do you want to fight?”         Shining looked at me, then my Pokémon. He smiled as he looked over at his souldiers. Stallions and mares alike watched us. “I want to fight,” He gave me a seasoned look. One of experience. “I wish to fight you, John.” You know when I said I needed the rush of battle to relieve stress? This is not what I meant.         I kept my composure. I was surprised, and kind of freaked out. As an International Officer, I did know some fighting styles for self defence, and even trained with fighting-type Pokémon on a daily bases, but I saw how Shining fought. He could throw up a shield, use magic, and had probably many other things at his disposal. “Very well,” I started. Wait… Do I even know how to use Pokémon moves?! “I shall fight you, however, let us have some simple rules so that to not really hurt each other.”         “Good idea,” Shining started. “Considering that your Pokémon follow you, you must be very powerful.” Didn’t I tell him on the first day that I was a human, and that my Pokemon follow me because they had been with me for a long time? Wait… now that I think about it, I did NOT tell them that. I just told them about Pokémon types, and how they had sex…         “Ya, that is not why they follow me, and as for those rules. One, I won’t use any fire based attacks, if you don't use magic,” Or because I didn’t know how to use fire-type moves… “Two, Hooves and Hands only,” Didn’t really know how to use a sword, and did not want to fight him if he had one… “And Three, win conditions are either forfeit or first blood.”         “Those are acceptable battle rules, now come on,” Shining gestured to the arena. “We shall start right away.”         As I  faced Shining Armor, my Pokémon headed to the stands with Holly Heart and Flash Sentry. A large group of stallions and mares started to cheer for Shining Armor. I felt somewhat thrilled about the situation, especially after that uncomfortable situation earlier. Then Holly Heart called out. “Kick his flank, John!”         “Why is she rooting for him?” A guard asked Flash Sentry, who could only shrug in response.         “And… Fight!” I glanced back to Shining armor, only to find him already launching a kick at me, and by sheer reflex, I managed to duck under his kick.         He was fast. Very fast. I back pedaled, only for Shining Armor to chase after me. He was getting in close, and fast. Not giving me time to breath. I had to act, to get him off of me. He threw another kick, this time spinning around and firing both back legs at my face. I moved to the side, and lashed out with a punch to his side. There was a ‘twap’ when the blow struck, and Shining was sent tumbling back as the blow knocked the wind right out of him.         I leaped over to the middle of the ring, taking time to gather myself as Shining recovered from having the wind knocked out of him. I then took a fighting stance. Standing tall, I spread my legs apart and put my fists up. Ready to ‘Box’ my way through this. Shining Armor may be fast, but an average Hitmonchan and Hitmonlee was faster.         He took a deep breath, and charged at me. As he got closer, he suddenly jumped to the side, before charging forward and striking at me, catching me by surprise. I knew I could not dodge this attack because of the way I was positioned, so I elected to take the hit and counter. I leaned forward, throwing my weight into my punch. My fist slammed into Shining’s face, while his hoof slammed into me square in the chest. We both stumbled back. It hurt. Enough to bruise, but not break bone. As for Shining… he was more or less in the same position as me. He was going to have a black eye, but he was fine. I took a deep breath, and readied myself again.         “You can do it, Captain!” One of the many onlookers shouted.         “Come on, John! You’re fighting like a newborn Magikarp! Go in and take him down.” Snow yelled out, much to my annoyance.         I slowly stepped forward, watching Shining intently. He repositioned himself, getting ready for me to strike. I dashed forward, and he braced himself for impact. I smiled, and jumped up and over him. Before he had time to react, I swept his legs from out under him, making him land on his side, and proceeded to elbow drop him.         There was a ‘Boooo’ coming from most of the crowd, as I pulled myself up off of the floor. Shining just gasped for air again. He was slow to rise, as I did hit him in the same spot as before: Right under the ribs, and slightly to the left. All I had to do is keep hitting him there, and he would give in.         Shining then fell to one side, and rolled to me, then kicked out both of his hind legs. They both hit me right in the chest, and I stumbled backwards. Again, the hit was not enough to break bone, but oh man it hurt! I really wish I knew how to do some fighting type moves right now, just so I can get this over with! Like Mach Punch or something! Then Shining leaped forward, not giving me a moment to wait, and hit me in the chest again.         “Alright… now I REALLY wish I knew Mach Punch or… anything really…” I muttered under my breath. Then… I felt something strange. Energy began to gather in my right hand, and for some reason, I just knew that this was the time to make my move. Considering that Shining Armor was rushing me down again, I had no objections to the notion and made my move. The world started to seemingly move slower as I dashed around to Shining Armor’s side. He slowly turned to look at me, only to see the business end of my… glowing fist?         There was a sudden gasp from the audience as the blow struck, sending him several feet away, before landing painfully on the ground..         “Oh shit…” Snow commented.         Shining Armor slowly got up. He was looking to the ground, panting heavily. “I… Give…” He started. “You win…”         “Good,” I stated. “Because I doubt I could have kept fighting…” Sadly he did not understand me.         “I… can’t understand… you…” Shining started, then took a deep breath.         Then there was a cheer from the crowded around us. Stallions and mares cheered out at us. Most enjoyed the fight, some looked disappointed, others looked surprised. As for my group of friends? They just smiled. They looked surprised at me, but smiled. And as for Holly Heart, she rushed over to me, looking both happy and worried.         “Hey,” I started, but she just shook her head. Then her horn flashed. I felt the magic go through me, and relaxed some. “Well… that was kind of fun.” I told her.         “Ya, it was fun to watch,” She and I looked over at Shining. He was talking to a group of ponies, all of them checking to see how he was. They must have been a group of medics or doctors. “Come on, I want you to be looked at too.”         I nodded and slowly started to walk with Holly. Now I don’t know if it was from a concussion, or just my brain playing tricks on me, but Holly Heart’s hips seem to sway just a bit more then normal as I followed behind her. I would go with ‘concussion’ considering it was the easier of the two option.         Then hell was unleashed upon the world as the Princess stepped into the room, and boy did she seem angry, especially upon seeing the state Shining Armor was in. “What in Celestia’s name is going on here, and why was I not told that Shining was to fight a Pokémon?”         We were all thinking it, but Snow was the only one to say it. “Oh shit…”