//------------------------------// // 1 - Enter Sandpony // Story: Who's That Pokemon? // by AutoPony //------------------------------// "David, have you even moved an inch since I left?" Luna's voice cried. The aforementioned human looked up from his handheld for a split second, before returning to the screen. "Probably not," he replied, mumbling as if in a mindless trance. Princess Luna merely sighed and chuckled at the response received, taking a moment to kick off her slippers and lay them neatly in the corner of her room. She rather enjoyed David's company ever since he had arrived in Canterlot, lost and alone before she and her sister, Princess Celestia, had taken in the young man. By this point in time, he had become essentially a permanent addition to Canterlot Castle. In fact, he had taken to the new life quite well, helping out in the kitchen, keeping the place tidy, anything at all to earn his keep. But he was also well known for his gaming binges, especially once a new game came out. It was something Luna never quite understood could be enjoyable, eyes transfixed on a screen for hours on end. Hence the scenario Luna found herself, eyeing David sprawled out on the spare bed she had dragged into her room many moons ago. "Did you have fun at work tonight?" David asked. An amused grin spread across his face as he looked up. "Same scenarios, just a different night," replied Luna, placing her tiara on the nightstand before flopping backwards into her bed. The fresh linens felt heavenly across her weary body. "Some minor late night issues to resolve relating to the kingdom, a handful of nightmares to vanquish. Nothing major." She rolled over to her stomach, craning her neck to see the screen to which David was attuned. "What are you doing this morning?" "Pokemon, same as the last few nights," he said, tilting the screen of the small electronic device to give her a better look. Bright pixels danced across the screen as a showdown started, two creatures facing opposite each other. As David continued to play while she spectated, Luna took note of this hesitations as he chose attacks, or even chose different creatures with which to do battle. Luna had heard of the series before but had never stopped to actually learn what it was about. "There seems to be quite a bit of strategy to this game, no?" she asked. "Yeah, there's a fair bit of planning and strategizing," David replied, his eyes still glued to the screen. His fingers danced across the controls, making selections before the battle continued. His creature attacked first, strong enough to knock out its opponent in one strike. "I suppose that's why I have always been a fan of this series, I like doing something that makes me think and isn't mindless button-mashing." "It makes me feel a bit better that you're doing something that is mentally stimulating, but you still get too carried away with your games from time to time," Luna lightly scolded. She cringed a bit as she actually thought about her words, sounding less like a friend and having more of a motherly tone. Her attention turned to the window to the outside world, the sun just beginning to peek up past the horizon. Luna's sister Celestia was likely about to bring the heavenly body up to light the sky at any moment, signifying the end of her duties for the night. Time to get some shut-eye myself, she thought to herself. "I guess I get a bit wrapped up in this, but I did at least get the chores done you requested," David said, finishing up his game and turning off the system. He placed it atop the nightstand near Luna's tiara, groaning a bit as he stretched his tightened muscles. "But man, it would be awesome to actually battle and train and stuff for real. Maybe then you could stop harping on me to get more exercise then, huh?" As the two of them prepared to get some rest, Luna's mind wandered with David's last few statements. No, she did not have the power to alter reality itself to such a degree. But perhaps it would be a nice change of pace to dabble with her magic in a dream world. It never hurt to keep practice, and dealing with nightmares of other ponies only scratched upon the surface of her capabilities. It would even give her a chance to learn about his hobbies and the games he enjoyed. Not to mention, such a scenario would be an easier way than peering over one's shoulder at a tiny screen. "Good night David, may your dreams be pleasant," she said, a small sly grin forming upon her face. "Good night, Luna." -------------- As if a light switch had been flipped, David suddenly found himself standing before a sprawling two-story complex. He looked around, a few small homes dotting the otherwise vacant lot. The whole area was surrounded on nearly every side by vast thickets of bushes and trees. David turned back to the building in front of him, trying to figure out how he got here. The last thing he remembered was climbing into his bed in the castle, telling Luna goodnight before getting some shuteye... Of course, he thought to himself. I must be dreaming. He looked himself over, finding himself attired in the clothes he wore to bed, being a plain white t-shirt and a comfortable pair of basketball shorts. But in addition, he found a decent size pack slung over his shoulder, though the lightweight told him it was empty at this point. But why did he have it anyway? And what was this place? Really, it didn't matter. Recalling what Luna had explained to him in the past, dreams often had a deeper meaning than what was presented on the surface. A provided object or doorway was not something to be avoided, as it many times was something that the mind needed to resolve or face head on. Evidently, he had such an obstacle to overcome right here in front of him. Still, even as David stepped forward and twisted the doorknob, he felt uneasy. And strangely, a sense of deja vu. Cautiously poking his head through as the door crept open, the building was awash with fluorescent lighting, so much so David's eyes took a bit of adjusting to refocus. At least it isn't dark, he mused, stepping into the room with a bit more confidence. All around were various machines and computers, complex and foreign to him, as well as bookcases crammed with books upon every shelf. But aside from the quiet hum of fans inside the electronics, the only sound was that of David's footsteps upon the tile floor, echoing across the plain white walls and cathedral-like ceiling. "Hello?" David called out, stopping to listen for an answer. Aside from his voice, there was no response back to him. Just ahead of him, David could see a large conference table, dotted with a few objects on the side nearest him. He approached with curiosity, moving a bit faster when he finally recognized the object set centered in between a piece of paper and a package. A ball red on top and white on the bottom, with both halves separated by a black stripe and a button in the center, there was no mistaking the object that lay before him. It was ingrained in his mind at this point in his life. David picked it up without a thought, surprised by the light weight of the Poke Ball as he turned it in his hand, awestruck and captivated by it. But his conscience stopped him from going any further, looking around the room before centering his attention on the handwritten note left on the table. David, I suppose if you are reading this note, I have not returned from my errands in Viridian City. But perhaps this presents a unique opportunity for you. I have left on this desk a Poke Ball with a Pokemon inside of it, along with a small package containing a few potions and heal items. If you would like, take these and make your way to Viridian City. Hope to see you soon. Oak David's heart skipped a beat as he read the name scrawled at the bottom. This was one heck of a dream, why was he worried before? At least everything made sense now. Here he was in Pallet Town, inside Professor Oak's lab, no wonder it felt familiar. Barely able to contain his excitement, he took the Poke Ball in his hand and pressed the button. A bright flash of energy erupted from the capsule, traveling to the ground in front of him and gradually solidifying into a form. As the light faded, his jaw dropped, finding the creature before him not at all what he was expecting. "Luna, what the heck are you doing here?" "Hi David, I was wondering when you would show up," she called out cheerfully. A moment passed before she took note of the situation, and the fact David was still staring at her. "You... you seem taller than normal." "I was going to say you look..... smaller. And different," he replied, feeling somewhat uncomfortable with acknowledging her suspicions. Luna quickly scanned the room, before trotting over to a glass case to examine herself. Rather than the elegant princess of the night she was accustomed to seeing, Luna found a much more youthful alicorn standing in her place. She really was not that much shorter, but her coat was a periwinkle blue, a far cry from the deep blue she had sported for many moons. In addition, her mane no longer carried the same energy it had previously, hanging there as any other pony's mane would, and without the twinkling stars accenting the colors. "Well, this was not what I had in mind at all," she lamented with a huff. "Er, what you had in mind? I apparently missed something here," David said, scratching his head. "Isn't this a dream?" "It is," Luna piped up. "But I created it. Well, filled in the basic framework and let your mind do the rest. At least, that was the plan." Luna frowned as she looked over herself again, as if unconvinced of what she was really seeing. "I haven't attempted something like this in quite a while, but it was much more difficult than I remember. Nevertheless, it was coming together slowly, then... I don't know. I'm here all of a sudden." "Maybe because you came out of this thing?" David suggested, holding up the Poke Ball. A beam of red energy erupted from the center, enveloping Luna's form before she disappeared, the trail of light retracting back to the ball. "Oops." David quickly pressed the button again, energy once again surging forth until once again his friend stood before him. Luna seemed dazed for a moment, before shaking her head of the mental cobwebs. She could only stare back at him in shock, realizing what had just occurred, before she gathered her wits enough to speak. "Am I actually one of these... these battling creatures?" she shouted. "Pokemon," David corrected. "And yeah, seems like it." "Why? How did this happen? Why did you think that was a good idea?" Luna burst out into a flurry of questions, too quickly for David to respond to any one of them. He set the Poke Ball back on the table, before putting his hands up in surrender. "Hold on, I don't even know what's going on," he protested. "You said you created this dream, right? So you should be able to change it to your heart's desire." Luna quickly replied back with a fervent shake of her head, and as her eyes focused back upon him, David sensed a bit of fear within them. "No, this is your dream. I may have coaxed your mind into creating what I wanted, but ultimately since I placed myself here - and ran out of magic, evidently- I have no control over what happens. Your mind filled in the blanks." "Sorry, I didn't mean to... fill it in improperly, I guess," David apologized with an awkward pause. "I don't really know how to control my dreams, or why I did what I did. But does it matter? I mean, it is a dream." Those last words seemed to strike a chord with Luna, who at once seemed to relax quite a bit. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before a small smile crossed her muzzle. "You're right, it is a dream," she acknowledged. "I suppose I am a bit disappointed things did not go according to plan, but it's still not a cause for concern. So what do we do now that we're here?" David picked up the note on the table and flashed it to Luna, as her teal eyes went to work quickly perusing the handwriting. Her brow furrowed as she reached what David figured was some of the more foreign terms, as well as the name of their next stop. "So, this 'Viridian City.' Is it far from here?" she asked. David gave her a warm smile. "Nope, should just be a short jaunt from here. A short, relaxing jaunt through the countryside, might I add," he replied. "Good," Luna said before her mind became troubled with a thought. "You don't have to put me back in that ball thing, do you?" "Nope, not unless you want a rest at any point," David said. "Supposedly these things are really comfortable." "I'll pass," she replied rather coldly. "But what are we waiting for? Let's get going!" With that statement, Luna made a beeline for the door. David dashed after her, Luna's enthusiasm having taken him by surprise. Flinging the door open with the magic emanating from her horn, Luna had at least taken the time to remember someone was behind her, holding the door to the lab open for David. The two of them stepped into the sunshine, taking in the fresh air of the outdoors while they scanned their surroundings. "So, being new to all of this, where exactly are we?" Luna inquired. "Pallet Town," replied David. "It's where the original games start every player. But, this looks a little different, to be honest." "What do you mean?" "Apparently just because you used my dreams and memories to get this started, does not mean it is accurate. That was should be an ocean headed south toward Cinnabar Island," he said, pointing to the left towards the edge of town. Rather than the sparkling sea, the landscape was blocked by the rather imposing, dense forest he had noted earlier. In fact, the forest surrounded the whole village, on the verge of swallowing it whole sans a dirt path heading northward. "I suppose what should and should not be doesn't matter at this point. Only one way to go, " Luna chimed in, pointing a hoof to the dusty road. David's only response was a nod in agreement, and the two of them set out. "If all else fails, I guess all I need to do is wake up right?" David asked. "Yes, but I think you should be able to change the dream if need be, considering you are aware that this is a dream," Luna mused. She still felt rather frustrated her own powers seemed to have let her down. True, she was out of practice doing such in-depth work in someone else's dream world. But she was Princess Luna, ruler over the night, and all aspects of sleep and dreams. Repeatedly, she wracked her mind to recall what had happened. One moment, she had been carefully stitching together memories belonging to David with the current state that his dream world was in, molding it to fit with his fantasy. Then, black, endless nothing. No warning at all. Something didn't add up, and it made her uneasy. "Luna?" "Hm?" Luna snapped out of her thought process at the sound of David calling her name, she looked up to see him looking down at her, visibly concerned. "You haven't said a word since we left town, are you sure you're okay?" he asked. "I'm fine, I'm just trying to make sense of what's going on," she replied. Focusing her attention outward to the world around the two of them, the forest inched closer to the beaten path, infringing on it in places but allowing the sun's rays to beam down relatively untouched. All throughout the brush on each side echoed the sounds of native creatures, foreign to her ears. "You said something about your appearance tied to your magic, what did you mean by that?" David asked, in the hopes of distracting Luna from her own mind. Luna cringed a bit, feeling rather embarrassed by the question. The response caused David to quickly backtrack. "I didn't mean to get personal, I was just curious." "No, it's fine," Luna replied reassuring her friend. "I was the one that mentioned it in the first place. You see, alicorns tend to have their appearance directly tied to their magic prowess. Twilight Sparkle, as you have seen, looks quite similar to any other pony, aside from, well, horn and wings. But my sister and I, we have developed our abilities over the years, honed our craft. Somehow that seems to allow us to grow physically as well, something we have never quite understood. Most notably, our manes, radiant and flowing as if caught in a breeze. The theory has been that as our reserves of magic has increased, it is held within us, and needs more substance to be contained." "But it is not necessarily permanent," Luna continued, her tone becoming more ominous. "On a few rare occasions, most notably in the trials I have faced, our energy becomes far more depleted than normal. The times that has happened, it has led to a reversion of form, such as.... this." Luna motioned a hoof over her body. "Is that what's really bothering you, the way you look?" David asked, chuckling a bit. " Don't worry about it, I think you look fine, just a bit... younger than normal. Not to say you normally look old or anything like that, no offense." It was Luna's turn to laugh, in this case at David's frantic attempt to backtrack. "I thought you would know by now I am not one to be easily offended," she teased with a grin. " No, I am fine, this is just something to get used to at the moment." "I understand, but we should keep our eyes peeled," David whispered, barely able to contain his building excitement. "All this foliage makes for a good spot for something to lay in hiding. We could be up for our first battle right here." "Would a trainer really be hiding in the bushes waiting for somepony to come walking by?" The absurdity of the question caught David off guard, taking him a moment to regain himself. "No, I mean, wild Pokemon could come out of the woods on either side of us. We're a bit vulnerable here." Luna turned to give him a queer expression. "That does not make sense. Why would a wild creature just jump out of the underbrush to attack us? That seems absolutely foolish, especially considering there are two of us." "I... I didn't think of it that way," David admitted, before shrugging his shoulders. "I had no say in how the games were made, that's just how they were." No sooner had he finished his sentence, the two of them stopped dead in their tracks, as a violent rustling came from their right side. "That's what I call timing. You ready Luna?" David shouted. Luna merely stood up straight in a proud manner, staring down at the brush before her as she expected a small creature to present itself at any moment. "I have been in many a battle, David. Nopony here will cause me fear." At that instant, a form leaped from the shadows, startling both Luna and David enough they each took a step back. But as their eyes set upon their adversary for the first time, the duo could only stand there in wide-eyed confusion, before Luna finally found the words to speak. "Surely this is some sort of joke."