//------------------------------// // Chapter 21 - Life and Death // Story: Little Lost Raichu // by CommanderX5 //------------------------------// Little Lost Raichu - Chapter 21 - Life and Death “Regirock, use ‘Stone Edge’!” Brandon commanded, his forearms crossed. Nica bent her legs as if preparing for a race, her eyes not blinking as she watched large stones burst from the ground before her, one after another. Waiting for the attack to get closer, she dashed, zipping between the emerging stones. She had memorized the pattern of the attack after seeing it used against her so many times. “Use ‘Focus Punch!’” Nica’s ears perked up upon hearing the loud noise of heavy steps and crushed rocks. She backflipped onto the closest boulder to get a better view of the attacker. “Use ‘Thunderbolt!’ Keep your distance!” Astra commanded. Nica attacked the giant with bolts of electricity, slightly slowing it down. She grinned and jumped from the boulder she stood on, zipping between stones while sending power to her tail. Once close enough, she leaped towards Regirock’s legs and spun, swinging her short tail against one of its legs with a powerful loud impact. Regirock knelt a moment later. “Regirock, hold her in place and follow up with a ‘Hyper Beam!’” Brandon commanded. Nica rounded the legs of the giant, evading its large rocky limbs. She backflipped and struck the giant with her ‘Iron Tail’ from behind. Her trainer may not have been the best at improvising, but she had enough experience to make up for it. “Change of plans. Use ‘Shockwave’ and follow it up with ‘Hyper Beam!’” Nica pressed her tail into the ground and braced herself, feeling electricity go through her body. Most of the electricity went through her tail into the ground. She backflipped, not allowing her foe to grab her as her eyes were now focused on the gathered ball of power. She stood up on two feet and waited, her senses sharps and muscles tense. Remembering how much time was needed for the legendary pokemon to charge the ‘Hyper Beam’, she jumped out of the way, evading the destructive beam while the explosion and dust covered half of the battlefield. “Now’s your opening! Use ‘Focus Blast’!” Astra commanded. Sensing the aura of her opponent despite a lack of visibility, she spread her forepaws and focused an orb of energy of her own. The moment she started falling, she pushed it towards the grey cloud. She heard an explosion a second later. Just as she landed, she started dashing, repeating ‘Pika’ over and over as a wave of electricity surrounded her. She jumped into the dust, only for the rock giant to be thrown out from the dusty cloud and crash into the battlefield with a loud quake. Nica landed on two feet, breathing lightly, as a few bruises were now present on her face. As she expected, the rocky giant stood up and stomped, ready to continue. “I must say, your Pikachu… I mean, Nica… just keeps impressing me.” Brandon praised before lowering his hands, only to clench his fists and swing his left arm. “Regirock, use ‘Stone Edge’ again. Cover the entire battlefield.” Nica looked around. With numerous boulders and stones all around her from the previous ‘Stone Edge’, free space to evade was somewhat limited. With a quick jump, she landed on the tallest stone, only to jump onto another and another, keeping her distance from the ongoing attack. With three massive rocks emerging from three sides around her, as if ready to trap her, she jumped up, speeding towards the ceiling. “We got her. Use ‘Hyper Beam’ and aim where she’s going to land!” Brandon commanded. Nica grit her teeth. Against a legendary pokemon while being a Pikachu, there was little place for mistakes. With the powerful beam on the way to strike her, she needed to minimize the damage as much as possible. “Nica, defend with ‘Iron Tail’!” Astra commanded. Nica nodded. With steel types being resistant to normal attacks, her ‘Iron Tail’ was tough enough to absorb a big chunk of the damage. The moment her tail collided with the beam of destruction, a massive explosion followed. Her body fell from the cloud of smoke, now covered in bruises from her legs to her head. She backflipped in mid-air and spread her forepaws, gathering energy. If she learned anything from her fight against the legendary pokemon, to win she needed to use every opportunity. Despite feeling pain in every muscle, she needed to push through it and take the opening. With ‘Focus Blast’ fully charged, she pushed it at Regirock, only to crash into the ground with her face. After a moment of struggle as sweat fell from her forehead, she stood up, her legs trembled against her will. She looked at the descending dust, revealing the giant in all its glory. “Regirock, use ‘Focus Punch’!” Brandon commanded. Upon seeing limbs made of stone tremble with each step, Nica smirked. She was getting close and needed to push herself a bit further. “Nica, use ‘Thunderbolt!’ Wait for him to lose focus and then counterattack!” Astra commanded. Nica looked to the side at the numerous stones filling the battlefield, directing her ‘Thunderbolt’ at the gathering of stones. One after another, the large stone towers started falling in Regirock’s way. With the giant piercing one stone obstacle after another while spreading dust all over the area, Nica charged another ‘Focus Blast.’ The moment Regirock was close enough, she jumped to the side and struck the right leg of the mighty giant with her attack. With her foe struggling to turn around and move, she sent one ‘Thunderbolt’ after another, feeling growing pain and exhaustion but pushing against it. After achieving victory over the rock giant for the first time, she rested a few hours before Astra challenged Brandon again, sending her to face a giant made of ice, Regice, whose poor durability didn’t last long against her ‘Iron Tail’ and ‘Focus Blast.’ After another long break she fought Registeel who she bested already in the past, evading its hits and putting it to its knees with her electricity. Nica ignored her battle-wounds and stared at the green shining stone with yellow lightning inside. After months of struggles, pain, harsh training, learning tricks and evading beams and boulders, finally the ultimate reward was presented to her. How she had accomplished this miracle she still didn’t know. Each incoming attack she saw in advance and reacted to in time. It felt as if her body acted on its own. Her senses were never sharper. She raised her forepaw, slowly moving it towards the thunderstone while a wide smile appeared on her face. Her eyes sparkled in joy. All her struggles and challenges led to this very moment. Upon touching the stone, she started to shine, and felt her body change. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the experience. Her forepaws grew only a bit, gaining bronze patches at the edges. Her little rear legs, however, grew up significantly, now feeling so much tougher and more solid. She could see her trainer becoming smaller before her very eyes. Her tail felt odd, as if becoming a different limb all together. The moment she opened her eyes, she examined her new features, looking at each of her limbs and then at her long tail. Tears of joy started to fall from her eyes. Never before had she felt so sturdy, so powerful. She stomped with her foot, slaming the ground with more force than she could as a Pikachu, and next moved her tail with a few experimental swings. “Congratulations on your victory! Even after all hardship you faced and challenged I put in your way, you triumphed. I take it you’re happy.” Nica turned to her trainer and leaped forward, tackling her a few meters away with a hug. She nuzzled Astra’s cheeks while holding her paws around her neck. “Wow, your grip sure got stronger!” Astra closed her eyes. “Go on, squeeze me as hard as you like, you deserve it.” Nica released her trainer and tested her tail, wrapping it around Astra’s hand while helping her to stand. She felt scratching behind her ear as her trainer picked her up. Curious, she moved her tail towards Astra’s ear and rubbed behind it. It may take some time to get used to, but longer reach sure comes in handy. Upon hearing clapping, they both looked at Brandon, noticing his surprisingly smiling face. “So, all this was not only to improve the skills of your team, but also to push the very limits of your Pikachu before evolving her.” He crossed his arms. “I also asked around a week ago and found out about your studies with the monks. I must say, when you set your mind on something, you spare no time, resources or effort.” He laughed very loudly. “So, where is your sight pointed now? There are still three months before the league in Sinnoh.” Astra stood up to her full height and smirked. “It took years of preparations and laying low, but now I feel ready to face my pursuers.” She looked Nica in the eyes and added, “All there’s left for me is to help my partner to adapt to having a longer tail. Once she learns how to use ‘Iron Tail’ defensively, we’ll crush even the worst of them.” Nica grinned. All that time, her trainer often showed a lack of confidence when facing elite criminals or the Elite Four. She was a trainer who knew when victory was out of their reach. However, Astra's attitude changed as she sensed her trainer's confidence, which was stronger than ever before. “If that’s the case, it is time for a farewell. I must say, I will miss seeing your face each week at the opposite side of my arena. Oh, and if you want to fly back on your befriended Articuno, visit Noland’s Battle Factory.” “Noland? Why?” Astra asked. “You took so much time rechallenging me, and Articuno needed a place to hide. It appears that it started bonding with Noland over the past few months. Nica rolled her eyes. When she thought about it, she and her trainer were so busy with training that they left the legendary pokemon to its own devices. I suppose it's a good thing. It’s never bad to have more friends. Astra placed Nica on the floor and pointed towards the exit. “Let’s go. Our team is stronger than ever, and nothing will stop us now.” The electric crystal on her Z-move ring started shining for a moment, which ended up unnoticed by the excited trainer. Nica punched the air with an uppercut, shouting Nica ran through the flames inside a burning building, rescuing whoever she could while her trainer and the rest of the team helped elsewhere. Starmie played the most important role in keeping the flames from spreading to the lower floors. With her bigger size, stronger limbs and more flexible tail, she didn’t have too much of a problem with carrying a scared pokemon or a grown up human if necessary. Her hardened body proved to be tough enough to ignore the fire while ‘Iron Tail’ allowed her to keep the bigger, heavier creature raised above the floor. No matter how hard she would land when jumping from the windows of a tall building, she would still keep those she rescued above her head as long as she had enough power to maintain her ‘Iron Tail.’ Upon hearing screams for help, she ran into a kitchen with a family surrounded by spreading fire, who were filling glasses with water before throwing the water at the fire, a desperate yet fruitless effort. Using her electricity, Nica sent a ‘Thunderbolt’ to make a passage hole in a few walls. she shouted, gesturing with her paws for the humans to follow her. Her ears perked up upon hearing a noise of cracking. She turned around and the pupils in her eyes shrank. Several wooden shelves stuffed with clothing covered by flames fell through the unstable ceiling. Overwhelmed by panic, she took too long before jumping to their rescue. Both mother and father pushed the child away before ending up under the heavy weight and fire. Sirens filled the area, coming from fire trucks, ambulances, and police cars. Nica observed one ambulance leaving before sitting and covering her head, her ears drooped. Her legs sank in the water flowing in to the sewers. “What're you thinking about?"  Astra asked, approaching slowly from behind. “Are you still blaming yourself for what happened?” Nica ignored her trainer as a stream of tears fell down her cheeks. “You did your best and saved many lives. The daughter, Milenda, outside of a few burns she’s fine. The mother will survive as well… despite her… injuries.” And the father? Nica thought, not needing to hear the answer as she already knew the truth. Upon feeling the hand of her trainer on her shoulder, she slapped the hand away with her tail and made a 180° turn, now glaring at her trainer in anger. Her breathing fast. She pointed at Astra and shouted, Her trainer stared back at her in shock, taking several seconds before presenting a notepad and pen to her before stepping backward. Nica grabbed the notepad and pen, writing in haste as her writing became blurry and messy. She threw the notepad at her trainer and shouted, Astra took a moment to read before starting back in shock, her mouth agape. “Are you insane? I put you through the hardest and most painful training I could. Every fight and challenge pushed you to your limits.” She knelt, looking at Nica in terror. “You struggled more than any other member of the team, maybe even more than any pokemon under any trainer’s guidance. If I trained you even harder, it would have put your life in danger.” Nica frowned and turned around. “You have become very powerful and extremely skilled, capable of defeating legendary pokemon. There’s probably no fight you can’t win now. Even if you failed once, you still did everything you could,” Astra said, spreading her arms in attempt to embrace her. Nica leaped to the side and shook her head. She looked at her trainer with watering eyes, feeling her throat become dry. She turned around and sighed. Her trainer did everything she could, but it wasn’t enough. She needed to push herself even harder, only then would she never fail again. Luna approached the shining star indicating a nightmare, turning it into a door with her magic. Stepping inside, she entered a familiar dream. Her attention focused upon a badly wounded creature lying in a hospital bed, covered in bandages with oxygen mask placed on its mouth. The device next to the bed showed heartbeat and other data, with a few cables attached to the injured critter. “That’s odd… wasn’t she yellow before? Why is she bigger and so different?” Luna asked herself before focusing on a spell. A transparent Raichu was pulled from the wounded critter, and than its transparent body regained full color. “Greetings, Nica.” The critter looked back at her in confusion, and next at the Raichu in the hospital bed. “W-what’s going on? Who are you?” She took a step forward, carefully examining her features. “You look… like Twilight… but bigger and with a different color? What’s up with your mane? It keeps moving.” Luna knelt, lowering herself to the large critter before holding a forehoof on her own chest. “My name is Luna, and it is my responsibility to protect my subjects from nightmares. I came to aid you in time of need.” “Nightmare?” Nica asked before looking at the ongoing events in the background. No doubt some time passed as the nearly-dying Raichu recovered enough to escape from the Pokemon Center by the window, running towards the nearby mountain to continue her training. “With the help of my magic, you became aware of your own dream. You can now spectate instead of experiencing it,” Luna explained. Nica nodded, watching herself using ‘Thunderbolt’ on a wall of stones, forcing a bunch of small pebbles to rain on the ground. With a quick jump and swift movement of her tail, the Raichu turned several pebbles into dust and used ‘Thunderbolt’ on all the stones she missed. Despite her efforts, more than half of the falling stones hit the ground unharmed. The time passed quickly as she repeated her training over and over, her legs trembling from exhaustion as she struggled to stand. Despite heavy injuries still present on her body, the dream-Nica used ‘Thunderbolt’ to cut a large boulder from the stone wall. Using ’Volt Tackle’ she smashed the boulder, only to hit the hard ground while screaming in pain. Despite the injury, she kept standing up, using whatever stamina she had left before collapsing. With another boulder falling down, she used ‘Volt Tackle’ once again, only for the aura of electricity to vanish mid-way. Her body ended up smashed into the ground with the boulder pressing against her. The earth trembled under the impact. With the leftovers of her power, dream-Nica pushed the large stone to the side with ‘Iron Tail’, only to lose consciousness as drops of blood started falling from the side of her mouth. The next scene took place in hospital bed once more with Nurse Joy doing her best to keep her alive. “Why, why were you pushing yourself to near-death? Wasn’t the training that your trainer put you through painful enough?” Luna asked, looking at her with pity. “Is your desire for power this strong?” Nica’s ears drooped. “It’s not about the power. I just…” She looked to the side. “It’s my fear of failure…” “Fear of failure?” Luna asked while observing the following events. The dream-Nica kept sneaking away from her trainer to train herself, even fighting against her own team members who tried to stop her. Luna rounded the real Nica and raised her head, now looking into her oval eyes. “Can you tell me more?” “When I evolved into Raichu, my trainer assured me that I was skilled enough to face every challenge, yet because I didn’t act fast enough, I failed to safe the life of a father.” Nica’s eyes started watering. “Since that day, I learned that I need to be even more skilled to properly use my powers. I stopped caring about winning or growing stronger, all I wanted was to never fail ever again.” Luna nodded before looking at the scene before them, listening with full attention. “Nica… I just… I want to make a deal,” Astra said with desperation in her voice as she was sitting next to her injured partner. Despite forcing a fake smile and composed attitude, there were signs of desperation and insanity visible on her face. Dream-Nica looked back at her, staring curiously while unable to move due to numerous bandages. “I believed you had the potential and will to become the strongest and most skilled, so I challenged your resolve whenever possible. I wanted to teach you how to win fights without relying on the power of evolution, so when you finally evolved you would overcome even the strongest adversaries. When I shared my ideology with you, I had no idea you would put my words so deep into your innocent heart.” Astra’s eyes watered. “Because of my training and what I’ve said, you decided to train yourself to near-death and proved to me that I can’t stop you no matter what I do. I can’t lock you away—my pokeball won’t hold you, and no amount of sweets or pleading changed your mind.” She sighed. “So instead of trying to stop you, I decided to support you.” She stood from her chair and raised Raichu’s head gently, looking her deep in the eyes. “In return, allow me to accompany you. I’ll use all of my medical knowledge to keep you alive and escort you to the Pokemon Center.” Her eyes started to produce tears at a faster rate. “Please, I beg you! I know I bottle my emotions all the time, rarely showing them, even in a hard battle, but I really care about you and the team. After all we went through together, I would never forgive myself… if you… please…” Astra’s voice broke and wavered. The answer to Astra’s request became apparent in the following days. The whole team formed a large circle as their trainer Astra commanded to specific team members to attack another, while ordering what defensive maneuver the targeted pokemon need to perform. Occasionally Astra commanded another pokemon to defend their team member, trying to improve their cooperation and prepare them to defend one another from danger. When the team felt too tired to continue, dream-Nica still had stamina to keep going. Together with Astra, she approached the side of a mountain to start her brutal training. Just like before she pushed herself too hard as Astra took her to the Pokemon Center, using knowledge acquired under the tan Nurse Joy to provide first aid if necessary. Despite being tired, Blissey shared some of her vitality with the unconscious pokemon on the way. “You want to know something interesting?” Astra asked in a saddened tone as she talked to her partner who was once again perched on the hospital bed. The moment dream-Nica looked back at her with a satisfied smile, she said, “Both pokemon and humans possess a power that keeps us alive, which is why the more we get hurt, the tougher we become. However… if a pokemon or human is pushed over their limits, exhausting every bit of their stamina and life energy, our bodies become vulnerable.” Astra looked at the ceiling and continued, “Bleeding is a rare sight, as no pokemon dares to fight or train to this point, knowing their life would be on the line.” She stroked Nica’s cheek. “But this risk is what you choose for yourself. I won’t leave your side. I’ll keep you alive no matter what.” The Z-ring flashed again for a moment. Luna looked away from the scene and embraced the real Nica with her wing, pressing her cheek against her fur. “Is training and fighting really part of your species’ nature?” “I think so. Becoming stronger was my desire from my youth, and I found fulfillment under Astra’s guidance. Most pokemon I met shared such desire, with some exceptions of course. But, when I started changing little by little, so did my priorities. After I evolved into Raichu, I was more interested in protecting others and helping my trainer accomplish her goals.” She lowered her head and whimpered. “After I had an opportunity to save another life and failed, however, I no longer desired to become stronger just for the sake of being stronger, nor was I interested in winning battles. Making sure that I’d be useful and never fail when it mattered became my motivation for pushing myself… more than I should.” Luna chuckled. “Such an irony. You live among species who want to improve themselves, yet you ended up as one of the most powerful among them not because you wanted power, but because you had a different and selfless motivation. Is the desire to be useful and fear of failure still driving you forward?” “It is,” Nica responded with a saddened tone. “I may be away from home, but my goals haven’t changed. Ponies showed me so much kindness and affection. I wish nothing more than to be useful to them, and I fear of failing them.” “Do you miss home?” Luna asked. “Not really.” Luna’s eyes widened as she asked with shock being clear in her voice, "Why? Why would you not miss your home and friends?" She withdrew her wing and looked at the pokemon in confusion. Nica shrugged. “I’m not sure. Maybe because my memories haven't fully recovered yet, or maybe because I know that my trainer would want me to help others as much as I can. By being useful to ponies, I realize her ambitions, despite our distance.” Luna chuckled. “That’s an interesting way of thinking.” The princess and Nica kept watching the events before them unfold as something new happened. After two months of near-death experiences, Nica’s attack power… decreased. ‘Thunderbolt,’ ‘Volt Tackle,’ ‘Iron Tail’ and ‘Focus Blast’ became weaker, which seemed odd. Shouldn’t training make a pokemon stronger? In return, however, Nica’s durability and stamina increased to extreme level. According to Astra’s theory, Nica using every bit of her stamina and life-energy over and over forced her body to make a desperate countermeasure. By weakening her attack and special attack, it greatly increased her survivability. With this development, Astra and Nica came to an agreement that an update to their fighting style was necessary. Nica weakened the force behind her attacks, and instead started using them more often, creating combos on the offensive. Whether it was to combine ‘Volt Tackle’ with ‘Iron Tail’ or to use ‘Iron Tail’ for defense and quickly counter with ‘Thunderbolt,’ her fighting style became more defensive and flexible. In terms of attack power, Nica was now slightly weaker than she was as a Pikachu, yet her superior stamina let her use attack moves in greater numbers without getting tired, more than making up for her new weakness. In a sense, her new weakness turned into a great strength. Two weeks before the Sinnoh League, Astra and Nica went toward the league grounds to participate in preliminary rounds, only to be ambushed by the invisible hitman called ‘Phantom.’ Nica’s ‘Iron Tail’ intercepted each pokemon or weapon attack directed at her trainer or team members, be it slamming aside ‘Shadow Ball’ or grabbing and throwing back paralyzing grenades. Using her ability to sense Phantom’s aura, she struck against the invisible assassin while destroying his camouflaging equipment. The team of ghost pokemon who defeated Astra’s team before ended up quickly and easily overwhelmed. “Wow…” Luna said, her mouth agape. “Never in my life have I seen such a display of speed and reflexes. You were an incredible bodyguard.” The real Nica chuckled, giving the princess a patient smile. “I’m shocked myself. A year ago, back when I was a Pikachu, we tried to prevent this elite hitman from capturing Moltres. He and his team defeated us in a one-sided battle. I can’t believe how much the tables have turned. Also, it seems that I learned how to use some sort of barrier and used it to protect my team from special attacks. I’ll test it out as soon as I can.” “I suppose after fighting three mighty giants over and over for months, changing into a much more powerful form, and even training yourself to near-death would be enough to turn the tables,” Luna commented. “My team improved as well. Speaking of improving...” Nica stood up, walked forward and turned around, now staring up at the princess eye-to-eye. “Would you be interested in lessons of self-defense?” “W-what?” Luna stood up and raised her foreleg defensively. “Self-defense?” Nica nodded before pointing at Luna accusingly, her eyes narrowed. “From all the stories I heard, you and your sister are the most powerful ponies in Equestria, yet despite all this power, you never do anything when the danger arises, or you fail.” “Excuse me?” Luna said, offended. She stomped. “Watch your tone. You may not be my subject, but I won’t take such accusations lightly.” “Even if those accusations are the truth?” Nica placed her forepaws on her hips and said, “Princess Twilight and her friends saved you from being Nightmare Moon and reunited you with your sister. You must feel grateful for all they did for you.” “Of course I’m grateful. Twilight Sparkle is my dear friend, and I respect Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash for their bravery and heroic deeds.” “If that’s the case, why don’t you repay them? Why don’t you protect them from danger? Why don’t you fight by their side?” Nica asked, her tone sharp and filled with disappointment. “You are more powerful than Twilight, and her power is already far greater than the power of a legendary pokemon like Articuno or Regirock. Was there a single time you protected your subjects when Equestria was in danger with that magic of yours?” “Of course I have…” Luna said with an annoyed frown. “Tantabus for example. I fought valiantly in the dream realm to stop it.” “What’s Tantabus?” Nica asked. “A creature I created to punish myself in my dreams, but it went out of control and grew in power. It became large and strong enough to escape to the real world, but I…” Luna corrected, “I mean we… stopped it.” Nica narrowed her eyes and shot the princess a judgemental glare. “So, in other words, it was a creature of your own creation, and by saying ‘we,’ that must mean that you had help. Please, be honest. Did Twilight and her friends assist you in this fight?” “Yes, they did,” Luna said with a nod. “I was too focused on maintaining a collective dream to fight, so the ponies of Ponyville used their imagination to fight Tantabus. In the end, Twilight and her friends convinced me to forgive myself for my past mistakes, and when I overcame my guilt, my creation returned to me and was no longer a threat.” “So, you stopped a threat you created, and your subjects did most of the fighting. Once again, Twilight and her friends helped you while you never returned their kindness by helping them whenever they faced great dangers.” Nica turned around, showing her back to Luna. “I’m sorry, Princess, but if I was in your place, I wouldn’t be able to sleep well until I repaid my saviors’ and defended them with my live.” Luna opened her mouth to respond, but closed it immediately after. She still felt offended by Nica’s accusations, but the more she thought about them, the harder it came to deny them. “What about others threats? I’m sure there were many opportunities to protect your subjects while returning the favor to your friends.” Luna took a deep breath and spoke in a calmer tone, “I was still asleep during Discord’s attack, who spread chaos in Ponyville and hid the Elements. Only Twilight and her friends could turn him into stone, so there was not much I could do anyway.” “Just because only they could use the Elements doesn’t mean only they could find them. In fact, being the bearers just made them main target. Searching for the Elements or distracting Discord from targeting the mares who could defeat him was the least you could have done,” Nica said as her ears drooped. She turned to the princess and stared at her with saddened smile. Luna continued, “I was willing to assist against Sombra, but my sister convinced me to let Twilight handle it by herself. She needed to prove herself capable of taking up big responsibilities in the future.” “If you were willing to take action, were you at least ready to save her if she failed?” Nica asked. Luna remained silent as she looked to the side. As much as she didn’t want to admit, she never returned Twilight’s kindness. She took her friendship for granted and started relying on her and her friends to resolve every problem. Where was the honor in that? “What about the changeling invasion? Did you face a single changeling while Twilight and her friends faced an entire army of them?” Nica asked. Luna grit her teeth and closed her eyes. As someone who once bore the Element of Honesty, she couldn’t lie to herself anymore, even if the truth hurt. Her performance in recent years whenever a threat had arisen was terrible. To make matters worse, she owed Twilight and her friends a massive debt of gratitude, one she didn’t even think to repay. Nica crossed her arms. “I believe that the more power one possesses, the more they should do to protect others. I find you and your sister’s performance very disappointing.” She smiled. “That’s why I’m willing to train you. I can teach you how to defend yourself and others by training you the very important ancient art of… dodging…” She chuckled. “...among other things. Joking aside, after my training, you can cooperate with Twilight and her friends, protect them from danger and defend yourself from any villain who would try to capture you.” She waved her forepaws in excitement. “And you can show your gratitude to your friends this way. It’s a perfect plan." Luna raised her head. Despite feeling as if her pride had been severely wounded, she could do little but stare into the enthusiastic oval eyes of the large critter. “I appreciate your concern and find your suggestion intriguing, but shouldn’t we focus on helping you overcome your nightmares first? ‘Tis my duty after all.” Nica shook her head. “My problems are unimportant. Teaching you how to defend yourself and those you care about, and how to make the best use of your power, this is way more important.” She held a forepaw on her chest and added, “My problems and my well-being are insignificant when compared to those of a national ruler.” Luna was about to protest, only to end up pushed out from the dream. After finding herself in the endless space filled with stars symbolizing ponies dreams, she came to a single conclusion, someone awoke Nica from her slumber. She kept staring into endless space for a few seconds while considering Nica’s words. It was clear to her that this brave little creature—driven by guilt and fear of failure—was carrying a heavy burden of self-inflicted responsibility. “I may not have known her for long, but dreams and memories don’t lie. She shares her trainer’s beliefs and stands strong by them, ready to train herself to critical condition and put herself in danger for the sake of others.” She lowered her head and rubbed her foreleg. Her ears drooped. “I sympathise with her beliefs and can’t deny Nica’s words. Twilight and her friends showed me friendship, helped me in times of need and did Equestria a great favor many times. What kind of princess and friend I am if I can’t do anything in return?” She stomped and narrowed her eyes. “If Twilight and her friends will once again fight for the sake of Equestria, I shall fight by their side.”