The day started as most do in Ponyville. Luna's moon sank below the horizon as Celestia's sun rose into the sky, and the crowing of roosters from Sweet Apple Acres and Fluttershy's cabin heralded the coming of morning, awaking the sleepy little town. It's a quiet village, full of little ponies who go about their daily routines, and this Tuesday was no different. Of course, given that it was a Tuesday, it was inevitable that something was going to happen to break the peaceful monotony.
As it was, it wasn't until very late morning that anything out of the ordinary happened: if one can call a certain pink mare running about like a chicken with her head cut off unusual, that is. Pinkie Pie running about screaming, yelling, or singing about something was a daily occurrence in Ponyville. All the same, when Pinkie's Pinkie Sense was acting up, everypony payed attention.
"TWILIGHT!"
Twilight, startled by Pinkie Pie's sudden entrance via previously empty bookshelf, jumped back in shock, the magical aura around the purple unicorn's horn cutting out from the surprise. She was promptly buried under the pile of books that she had been in the midst of re-shelving. Pinkie, still half-in, half-out the bookshelf, reached in and pulled Twilight out of the book pile by the armpits.
"No time for books Twilight! I've got a pinchy knee, floppy ear, twitchy tail combo," the pink party pony shouted, shaking Twilight back and forth as she did so.
Shaking her head clear and straightening out her spinning eyes, Twilight focused on Pinkie's last words. "Wait, what's a pinchy knee, floppy ear, twitchy tail mean?" she asked, thinking back to the ill-fated attempts at quantifying Pinkie Pie. "I don't know that one."
"It means," Pinkie explained, popping out of the bookshelf while still somehow holding Twilight up in the air. "That something really scary is going to happen to some of our friends!"
Pinkie's declaration of doom and woe was punctuated by an explosion off in the distance.
"Oop! There it is!" Pinkie promptly dropped Twilight into the pile of books. "Wow, that was a doozy. Wonder what it was."
It was at that moment that Spike ran into the room. "Twilight! Explosion! Sweet Apple Acres! What's going on?!"
"That's what we're going to find out," Twilight declared. "Spike, stay here. Pinkie, let's go!" Rearing up on her hind legs, Twilight spun about and charged out the door.
Pinkie popped up into the air. "Coming, Twilight!" Racing out the front door, Pinkie's body momentarily stretched like a rubber band before her hindquarters rebounded out the door after her.
The denizens of Ponyville gave no notice to the members of the Elements of Harmony rushing towards Sweet Apple Acres. Indeed, they had hardly given the earlier explosion at Sweet Apple Acres any mind other than an initial gasp and panic. It was Tuesday, after all. So long as whatever it was stayed out of the town proper, it wasn't their problem.
Besides, the Elements of Harmony were on the case. Whatever it was would probably be solved within the hour.
As they galloped through the town (Well, Twilight was. Pinkie was Pepe LePew'ing), the pair was quickly joined by Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Rarity.
"Twilight, dear," Rarity asked primly as she pulled up next to the lavender mare. "Would you be able to tell me what's happening? Half the town saw Pinkie having one of her moments, and, well, curiosity seems to have gotten the better of me."
"Well," Pinkie said thoughtfully as she bounced along. "It's something really scary and dangerous, but with nopony in danger."
"You didn't say anything about danger before," Twilight said to Pinkie with a bit of confusion and worry.
"I didn't?" Pulling out a sheaf of paper labeled "SCRIPT," Pinkie flipped through it. "Huh, so I didn't."
Twilight gawked as the ream of paper vanished back into Pinkie's mane, before deciding to preserve her sanity and not question 'Pinkie being Pinkie.' The lavender unicorn turned her attention to the alabaster fashionista on the other side of her. "We're not sure, Rarity, but Pinkie seems to think it had something to do with the explosion at Sweet Apple Acres."
"Well, duh," Dash replied condescendingly, swooping down from above. "That explosion was all wood, and Applejack doesn't have any more old barns to tear down."
"How do you know that, Rainbow dear," Rarity inquired curiously.
"Because she didn't ask me to help like she did with the last one," Rainbow stated matter-of-factly. A moment later she stumbled mid-flight as what Pinkie had said registered in her mind. "Wait," she demanded as she recovered from her near wipe-out. "How can something be dangerous but not a danger?"
"I dunno," Pinkie shrugged. "Never had that combo before."
"Oh, I hope everything is okay," Fluttershy worried quietly.
As the five reached the edge of Sweet Apple Acres, they ran into Applejack galloping the opposite way into town. "Twilight, girls, boy howdy am Ah glad tah see y'all."
"Applejack," Twilight exclaimed, skidding to a stop. "What's wrong? What's going on?"
"It's the girls," Applejack exclaimed worriedly, referring to the Cutie Mark Crusaders. "Mewtwo, he-!"
"Mewtwo," Rainbow Dash interrupted heatedly. "I knew he couldn't be trusted. I'll take care of this!" And with that, the spectrum-haired mare zipped into the air and sped off into the orchards.
"Wait, Rainbow," Applejack shouted fruitlessly. "Consarnit, girl. C'mon, Twi, girls, we need ta make sure Dash doesn't do somethin' bullheaded."
"What? Applejack," Twilight exclaimed as she and the others raced to catch up with the farm mare. "What's going on?"
"I'll explain on the way," Applejack promised over her shoulder. "Let's just hope Rainbow actually looks before she leaps, fer once," she muttered with skeptical hope.
"Stop right there, you...uh...you..." I could practically hear the record scratch as Rainbow Dash's 'heroic rescue' introduction monologue ground to a halt. Turning my head what little bit I was able to, I was just barely able to see the poly-chromatic mare hovering in the air with a stupefied look on her face.
I sighed. It wasn't hard to guess why she was acting that way. After all, the Cutie Mark Crusaders' enthusiasm had left me swaddled from head to toe in a thick layer of gauze and medical tape. With the only parts of me not covered by bandages being my eyes and the tip of my tail, the sight would have been humorous if not for the extensive bloodstains.
"BWA-HAHAHAHAHA!"
Or, I deadpanned, it was humorous despite the blood stains.
I glared impotently at the pegasus rolling around on the ground in her paroxysms of laughter. Next to me, the three fillies of the Cutie Mark Crusaders huffed at the adult pony's behavior.
"Not cool, RD," Scootaloo muttered, crossing her forelegs in disgruntlement at her idol's behavior.
"S-sorry, squirt," Rainbow apologized, somehow holding in the giggles. "It's just he...snrk...BWAHAHAHAHA, oh, he looks ridiculous! HAHAHAHA," she shrieked, the laughter returning with a vengeance as she looked at me again.
"Rainbow Dash, you ought to be ashamed of yourself! Laughing at somepony who's hurt."
I blinked. Was that Fluttershy? I couldn't quite turn enough to see for certain, but I think that was Fluttershy. Holy crap, Fluttershy's got a momma bear thing going. I'm feeling somewhat intimidated.
"But, Fluttershy, he looks-"
"That's no reason to laugh at anypony," Fluttershy scolded. "Especially after they got hurt protecting somepony from timberwolves."
I saw Rainbow look at me in shock. "Wait, he did what?"
"It was amazing," Scootaloo exclaimed. "The timberwoves were all like, grrrr, and he was all, rargh, and he clobbered 'em!"
Rainbow looked at me, a torn, confused expression on her face, before trotting over to Scootaloo and pulling her off to the side. After a short, but intense conversation, Dash jogged over to me, an inscrutable look on her face. "Look, I don't like you," she declared, poking me in the chest with a hoof. "Something about you just rubs me the wrong way. But you saved Scoots and her friends, and for some reason, they like you, so I'm gonna trust you." She drew in close with a snort. "Don't make me regret it." She turned around to see Fluttershy's disapproving stare. "...and I'm sorry for making fun of you."
Acknowledging the apology with a nod, I watched Rainbow Dash walk off to the side, keeping an eye on me until she was distracted by Scootaloo and the other Crusaders. Fluttershy tried to apologize for Dash's behavior, but I waved it off. I knew why she was acting that way. I had wounded her pride, I think, back at the castle, and in front of her friends no less. Although she didn't like to admit it, the chromatic weather mare was very self-conscious about her image, how she appeared to others. Between that, her brashness, and her competitiveness, I wasn't all that surprised she didn't like me. But her willingness to put up with me for the sake of her friends spoke well of her. Perhaps someday we'd be friends, or perhaps not, but for now, I will settle for mutual nonaggression.
I turned my attention elsewhere as Twilight trotted over to me, her horn lighting up with magic as she looked me over. "Well, the good news is he appears to have just a few flesh wounds, nothing too serious. However, I can't quite...huh," the unicorn muttered absently. "That's interesting..." From the thoughts going through her mind, it would appear that Twilight has been lost in, well, thought. Good lord, those are some headache inducing math formulae going through her head.
I pulled my attention away from Twilight to find Rarity inspecting me, or rather, the bandages covering me from head to tail.
"The quality of the dressings is quite impressive," Rarity observed. "Which is somewhat worrisome considering some of the things you three get up to," the fashionista noted dryly as she gave a knowing look to the suddenly bashful Cutie Mark crusaders.
Any further conversation was cut off by the sudden and horrendous roar that emanated from my empty stomach. All ponies were staring at me in surprise, while poor Fluttershy (who had been looking over my bandages with Rarity) looked like a deer in the headlights. Apologies. I forgot to eat breakfast this morning.
"Well, we've got plenty of apples harvested now," Applejack offered. "Ah'm sure we kin spare a few."
"I don't think apples alone will be enough for him, Applejack," Twilight explained suddenly, the glow dissipating from her horn as her scientific curiosity was apparently sated for now. "The diagnostic spell results are a bit fuzzy, given Mewtwo's not a pony, but it looks like he's suffering from something akin to magical exhaustion. He'll need carbohydrates to start with, simple carbs for quick energy recovery, complex sugars..."
I blinked as Twilight began to make a list of nutrients and vitamins that I'd need to recover from magical exhaustion, or psychic exhaustion in my case... At any rate, I was barely able to keep up with the machine gun listing the unicorn was going through. The others looked like they were getting maybe one word in three, but poor Dash was just standing there with a glazed look in her eye.
"-And judging by his dental structure, he'll probably need at least a portion of animal protein, though I'm sure nuts or soy might work in a pinch," Twilight finished. "I've never seen any biology like his before though, even in my more obscure textbooks, so I'm not quite sure how much he'd need to eat," she said, looking at me uncertainly.
A lot, Twilight, I eat a lot. Nuts, berries, mushrooms, wild bird eggs, copious amounts of fish (Mr. Fish is safe by dint of I have no idea where he came from or what species he is), and that one elderly manticore. Though, come to think of it, I only ever felt full once I'd eaten some meat. Which brings up the question of why was I craving apples? Apples aren't very heavy in essential nutrients from what I remember...maybe I needed the fiber? Though why I'd need fiber when I don't defecate is beyond me. ...Man, I am just a mess of contradictions, aren't I?
Well, dang it, now I want Starbursts. Curse you random tangents.
"It makes sense that he'd at least be an omnivore," I heard Fluttershy respond to Twilight with a murmur. "Cats are predators, after all, and he does look like a cat." Somehow, that statement makes me glad I did not inherit my mother's cat allergy. I'd never stop sneezing.
"Ooh, ooh, ooh!" Oh, great. The Pink One is here. I'd been trying to ignore her. Damn you Murphy. "We should have a 'Thank You For Saving the Cutie Mark Crusaders' Party! My cupcakes have lots of sugars and carbs."
"You know, that's not a bad idea," Twilight said thoughtfully, tapping her chin with a hoof. "It would be a good way to present Mewtwo to Ponyville." She dropped her hoof and looked around at her friends. "You know, introduce him so that everypony doesn't freak out like they did with Zecora."
"Yay! I get to invite everypony!" Pinkie Pie threw an arm around my shoulders. "Don't worry, Mewtwo, I'll be with you the whole time! Well, until I have to go bake the cakes. Or greet the guests. Or ice the cupcakes. Or do the dishes. Or-"
I could feel my pupils dilate at the mere thought of spending any amount of time with this walking spacial anomaly. Quick! Abort! Abandon ship! Head 'em off at the pass!
Thank you, but I'm not... I looked down to see three certain fillies (and one, full-grown, pink mare) giving me the puppy eyes. I cringed, but I could not fight it. ...currently able to move under my own power. I shall need to be carried. The three fillies (and one overgrown pink child) squee'd at a happy pitch that left my ears ringing, before Pinkie pulled a red wagon out of her mane (DON'T THINK ABOUT IT!). I let out a sigh over my wounded pride (and a groan over my suppressed terror) as I allowed a pair of purple and baby blue auras to lift me into the wagon being hooked up to Scootaloo's scooter.
The things I do for children.
Those cupcakes better be worth it.
The cupcakes were, in fact, worth it.
Best damn cupcakes I've ever had in my life, in fact. How does that Pink abomination do it? ...Actually, best not to think about it. It probably has something to do with breaking the laws of nature or something.
"Silly Mewtwo, I don't do any of that~." Oh sweet salty Christ how did she get there? "I just use lots of love."
As I watched Pinkie bounce off to do...something, I decided to forget the last five seconds had ever happened. Much better for my sanity this way.
I reached out with a paw to grasp another cupcake; Fluttershy had redone my bandages so that I could actually move properly. As adorable as the CMC were, their enthusiasm did not make up for skill. Picking from the platter on the table next to me at random, I took a bite from my selected cupcake. Ooh, peanut butter. Yum.
A small shuffling in front of my seat made me look down to see a small pinto colt staring up at me. "Blimey, are you the 'Ellcat?"
I blinked slowly as I stared down at the small colt. I am. You may call me Mewtwo.
"Oim Pipsqueak," the colt replied with a smile and what I recognized as a cockney accent. " I 'eard yew fought a pack ov timberwolves."
I did indeed. Including a king timberwolf. Hey, it's not bragging if you actually did it.
I could practically see the stars in his eyes. "Blimey. I bet yew 'ave a lot ov stories."
Well... I said thoughtfully. I looked about, seeing that I had somehow gathered an audience, adults and foals alike, without noticing. Well, I'd always enjoyed reading to my mom's students, so...what the heck. There is one story I grew up with. Ah, but I sure you don't want to hear it.
"No, tell us!"
I smiled. Well...alright. I conjured up a mist of psychic energy: I may not have fully recovered yet, but I was strong enough to make minor illusions. Let me tell you about...the Trouble With Trolls.
Rainbow Dash was...conflicted. She didn't like Mewtwo, the way he acted, so...(what was that word Twilight used?)...aloof, so above it all. It reminded her too much of...of Gilda. Her...friend, or someone she'd thought as a friend, had seemed cool, especially to a younger Rainbow Dash, but...she'd ended up being a jerk, a bully. And, if Rainbow was being honest with herself, it scared her, because she could easily see herself becoming like that, had become like that for a time, thanks to Discord's man...manula...um...cheating.
So Rainbow Dash could not help but be rubbed the wrong way by Mewtwo. He was arrogant, a jerk, and self-assured...but he had gotten hurt protecting Scootaloo (who was Dash's little sister in all but name) and her friends from a pack of timberwolves. And now, there he was, telling a story to a bunch of foals and ponies, complete with glowing blue pictures. And he was being so nice to them. It confused the pegasus, and she didn't like it.
But then, she realized, she didn't need to like him for Mewtwo to be a good being.
With that revelation, Rainbow Dash pulled out paper and quill and began to write.
Dear Princess Celestia.
I learned today that you don't have to like somepony for them to be a good
ponyperson. I've alsoreilizedfigured out that somepony you like can be a bad person. But sometimes, it's not a pony's fault that you don't like them. I think I can work around that, maybe make friends with somepony like that, but it'll take a while.Your awesome subject,
Rainbow Dash