Twilight Sparkle groaned as her alarm went off. Another day of classes she would normally be looking forward to but her study session last night had gone far too late and she'd only gotten a couple of hours of sleep. As she debated rolling over for another hour of sleep (and thus being only one hour early for classes instead of two,) her dex blooped softly at her.
Squinting against the light of the small screen she saw she had a message from Professor Celestia. A prerecorded voice message at that. A truly rare event which meant something deathly important but the professor was also strapped for time. Propping the open pokedex on her dresser while she rummaged for clothes, Twilight listened to the message.
"Twilight Sparkle, first of all, good morning. I'm recording this late at night as I expect to be leaving well before you awaken for classes today," Twilight scoffed at that, she'd been up anyway, "and I wanted to make sure you had your instructions. Your classes for today and the future are canceled."
Twilight snapped up straight, her sweater half-on as she was adjusted her bra, "WHAT?"
"Now, calm down. You're an excellent student, Twilight, and I'm proud to have called you my protege these last few years, however, if you wish to truly become an expert in all things Pokemon, you can't just stay in a classroom for the rest of your life."
Again, the purple unicorn mare scoffed at that, in addition to blushing because her mentor knew her well enough to tell her to calm down after cancelling classes.
"To truly learn about Pokemon, you have to see them in their natural habitat, get to know their uniqueness and the differences even among members of the same species. It's time for you to go on an adventure. I've updated your trainer card with the standard beginner perks and a few little extras you've earned, but you don't get to start out with any other bonuses. You'll have to do like everyone else who can't get into Canterlot Academy and start your Pokemon journey in Ponyville, face all eight gyms, and challenge the Elite 4.
"There will be trials, troubles, and problems along the way, but there will also be joys and friendships formed between you and your Pokemon, and even other ponies as you journey. The region of Equestria is vast, with Pokemon everywhere and new discoveries to be made! I'm sure you're not happy, but you'll learn knew things and come to enjoy the journey. Now go forth Twilight, your adventure in the Pokemon world is about to begin! Oh, and I've sent you a little gift, check your PC box before you leave, and make sure you stop by a Pokemon center for supplies before you head to Ponyville."
Twilight sighed as the message came to an end and sat in front of the laptop in her room. Soon it would lose half it's functionality, unable to function as a PC box when it wasn't hooked up to a hardline and the proper equipment necessary to bring an item or Pokemon from the digital storage to the real world. Opening up her personal database she found there was a gift waiting for her. She clicked on it and waited as it was transferred to the receiving pad attached to her laptop.
When it was fully corporeal and the machine beeped that it had finished the transfer, she took hold of it and opened the note attached, also from Professor Celestia.
Dear Twilight Sparkle,
Obviously I couldn't send you on a Pokemon journey without a starter. Normally you would receive your choice of one of the standard Equestria region starters but your case is unique. I thought you should have an old friend back.
Professor Celestia
Twilight blinked a few times before tearing open the box and holding the Cherish ball in her hands. Engraved along the top was the name she'd given the first Pokemon she'd seen up close, just as he'd hatched. Spike had hatched and imprinted on her immediately when she was six and they'd grown up together until she'd started classes at the Academy. He'd had to remain behind as students weren't allowed to have Pokemon until they had caught one.
Most of her class at this point had dozens, but Twilight only had Spike since she never left the campus. She smiled wistfully as she called him out.
Before her appeared the off-colored Axew she'd hatched all those years ago in a blast of red light, "Hi Spike!"
The Pokemon looked around and blinked before perking up at hearing her voice, "Twilight!" he said, jumping at her and giving her a small hug, "It's been so long!"
"Only about six months. I see you every time I come home from school," she joked.
"Well, yeah, but that's a long time for me."
The unicorn smiled and stood up, grabbing her backpack and removing most of her school books before packing in some clothes and a few other items before disconnecting her laptop and shoving that in as well while she explained what was going, "Professor Celestia is making me go on a journey. I have to challenge the gyms. She said you were going to be my starter instead of one of the usual ones."
"Yeah, she explained it to me a few days ago. I wanted to tell you but your parents wouldn't let me borrow one of their Pokedexes. They can't understand me like you do."
Twilight nodded. She had the rare ability to understand Spike as if he were speaking normally. Where others just heard their normal pokemon noises and could get a general gist of what their friends wanted. Pokemon could understand ponies just fine.
Wanting to double-check, even though she knew everything by heart, having raised Spike herself, she picked up her Pokedex and scanned the young dragon-type.
Axew, the Tusk Pokemon
Nickname: Spike
Mold Breaker
Moves known: Scratch, Dragon Pulse, Endure, Return
"Wait, when did you learn Return?"
"Your mom thought it would be a good idea, based on how friendly we are. Told me to tell you it was an early Hearth's Warming present."
"I'll have to thank her," Twilight said, smiling softly and making a note to call her mom on the train to Ponyville, "Come on, Spikey, we have to stop at the center before we catch the train. The first gym is the normal gym in Ponyville, though the flying gym is there too, so we might challenge that after for our second badge instead of returning later for our fifth badge like most do. I think the leader keeps a second badge team around too."
"So we'll be training in Ponyville?"
"Until you're ready to beat the gym, yeah. I haven't been training you in combat much, I know. Just occasional wild battles against any Rattata that got too close to the house."
"Awesome, I can't wait to finally fight another trainer!"
Twilight motioned for Spike to follow her as she exited the room. It would remain hers even while she was gone but she would miss it, especially the bed. As she closed the door she started making a list on her dex of what she would need to get at the Pokemon Center.
By the time they reached the Pokecenter, Twilight had managed to create and triple-check her supplies list. Then she had checked her balance and realized she could afford maybe half of it, if she slept in centers for the first few nights of her journey until she could battle a couple of trainers and earn some bits.
Spike rolled his eyes as she bemoaned this fact, before being recalled to his ball as they entered the building. Heading inside, she went over to one of the help desks and checked what she was allowed to purchase with her student trainer license. After acquiring all of that she was directed toward a separate building where she could purchase an actual traveling trainer outfit ("You'll catch your death out there if you dress like you were going to classes") and some camping supplies that weren't Pokemon related.
An hour later and the newly clothed and weighed down Twilight Sparkle was ready to finally catch the train, with enough bits left for a meal when they arrived and the trip itself from Canterlot to Ponyville. As she sat down, she released Spike again and sighed, obviously depressed.
"Aw, c'mon Twi, it's not that bad. It'll be fun! You'll get to meet new ponies, catch some more friends for me and even earn enough money to buy those books you're constantly drooling over."
"I would never drool over a book, Spike, just think of the damage saliva would do to the pages! And this adventure... I was never going to go on the Gym Circuit challenge. I never wanted to battle. I just wanted to study hard, learn all there was to learn, and maybe, someday, be a Co-Professor at the Academy."
Spike chuckled, "That sounds like you, but even I know there are some things you can't learn from a book or sitting in a classroom. The world is meant to be experienced! What do you think I do while you're gone to school?"
"Sit in your Pokeball or the PC box and do whatever it is you do there?"
Spike rolled his eyes, "I help your Mom and Dad around the house, talk to the Pokemon that live in your backyard, and gossip with the Dratini next door. How did you think I kept getting stronger while you were off not training me?"
She sighed and leaned back as the train started moving, slowly at first, but then the countryside began to whip by as the bullet train got up to speed, "I suppose you're right. Still, I just want to get this over with. I'm not the biggest fan of camping, even with the latest collapsible yurt."
Her companion hopped up on her lap and bumped her in the stomach with his head, leaning against her, "It won't be that bad. Besides, I hear there's a baker in Ponyville who makes the best poffins and poke puffs in the world, after you've beaten a few trainers and gotten some bits."
"You don't like the ones I make you?"
A shudder ran through the Axew as he debated how badly to lie to his trainer. A little one that meant she would continue cooking the devil's own poffins (though he felt that the devil's would taste better) or tell her the truth and have a sad trainer that didn't torture his taste buds with creations that would have to be labeled hazardous materials in order to ship.
In the end, he decided a non-committal shrug would be best at this point, to save face. At least she hadn't decided to bring her cooking supplies.