"Luna, slow down," David panted as he struggled to keep his light jogging pace.
Luna heard David's plea and slowed her quick trot, despite her excitement begging her to push forward. The day had so far been a rush of adrenaline, and it forced her to move with extra pep and enthusiasm upon every step.
"I'm sorry, I forget you aren't quite as quick on your feet as I am on my hooves," she said as David reached her side. David ran his hand through her mane, an acknowledgment of her apology.
"You're fine, but I'm surprised you aren't getting tired. We've been in five or six battles today, I can't even remember how many for sure," David responded.
"It has been six battles unless we count the altercation with that wild pigeon. Then it would be seven battles," she corrected, an air of cockiness within her response.
"Wild Pidgey, you mean," David corrected back. "Let's call it six and a half, considering the battle with that Pidgey was a one-hit knockout. But still, after all that, you aren't tired at all?" David asked, amused. He had never seen Luna so excited. But then again, he had never seen Luna in this younger, power-restricted form either. Maybe that had something to do with her mannerism.
"Are you joking? I can not remember the last time I felt so alive," Luna shouted. It was not an exaggeration, either; she felt as if she had gone back in time to a younger version of her, full of vibrancy and ready to take on anything or anypony in her way. She had long forgotten the feeling of being a warrior, wary that danger could lurk around every corner. But this dream was allowing her to relive years gone by, and she loved it.
"Alright, I just don't want you biting off more than you can chew, that's all," David replied.
"No, I am ready for a challenge, the fights today feel like merely a warmup for this gym you described in Pewter City," Luna responded, feeling the fire burning within her growing in intensity at the thought. "If we make haste, there could yet be a chance or defeating our foe before the day is over."
While Luna's little speech gave him an extra jolt of vitality, David still could not help but be concerned by her mannerism. A battle against a gym leader was never a walk in the park, and Luna's type disadvantage against the Rock type they would face only kept him further grounded within the realms of reality. He really hoped her cockiness would not get the best of her; it could spell disaster if she lost her head in the middle of the battle.
"It's not a bad thing if we don't make it today, Luna," David said cautiously. He watched as her excitement slowed ever so slightly as her ears shifted downward.
"You think I am going a bit too fast," Luna stated bluntly. David hesitated a moment as he started piecing his thoughts into words.
"A little bit, yeah," he replied, trying to be as gentle as possible. "I'm glad you have your confidence back, which is why I didn't want to say anything. I just don't want you to get in over your head. I'm personally still feeling nervous about it."
Luna spread out her wings, draping one across David's back as best she could. "I understand. You may be right, I am getting a bit excited over our early success, perhaps too much," she admitted. "What do you expect from our first gym battle? Perhaps I can better understand what we will be facing, and it may, in turn, help you calm your uneasy mind."
David nodded, relieved and glad that Luna was more receptive to his ideas and concerns than she had been just twenty-four hours ago. "Well, if this dream stays true to the games, we will be facing Brock in Pewter City," he replied. "From what I remember, he has two Pokemon with which to battle - Geodude and Onix, both straight Rock-types. As I explained earlier, the Flying type that you possess is weak to Rock types, so keep that in mind. Also, your Quick Attack will not be of much help; Rock types are resistant to Normal types."
"Indeed, I remember you telling me that earlier," Luna responded. Her mind quickly conjured up a memory from earlier. "But you said that move I used in our first battle today, Double Kick, that is a key to success?"
"Part of it, yeah. It's a Fighting-type move, which is strong against Rock Pokemon. But Double Kick still is not a very powerful move by itself, I can't just expect you to use it over and over."
Luna turned her glance away from David, taking notice of a flock of Spearow that had taken a rest within the trees nearby. She narrowed her eyes, silently daring the few that were attentive to her and David to just try their luck. None moved a muscle, content with staring back with their beady eyes.
"So what did you have in mind? I remember you telling me my other attacks would do little good," Luna inquired as she turned her focus back to her friend.
"Normally I like to hit fast and hard, but I think in this case, your Flash is going to be important," he said.
This struck Luna as odd, especially as she reflected back on her first unintended use of the move. Both David and their opponent had been amused by it. Then again, it had come in handy against the Rattata's attack earlier, allowing her to evade the Pokemon.
"So you hope to use Flash to aid in evasion of the attacks that are super effective against me while being able to whittle away at the other Pokemon?" she guessed.
"Wow, you're a quick study. I'm thoroughly impressed," David said with a wide grin. "I'm hoping that will work. Stinks that we will be going up against two Pokemon, but oh well."
"I can do it, David," replied Luna, her face hardened with determination. "No, we can do it. I'm sure of it."
"Well, there's a chance you will get your wish yet today," David said, raising a hand to point at the path ahead. The trail abruptly sloped downhill, giving the pair a view of the landscape in front of them. The tree line began receding just a few hundred feet away, before yielding to the muted gray of metropolitan architecture.
"Pick up the pace, David," urged Luna, falling behind him and pushing the young man forward with a gentle headbutt.
"Alright, alright. You're going to be the death of me, Luna," David joked.
==========
The view from above had fooled the pair into believing Pewter City lay just ahead. Instead, the journey had stretched onward until the late afternoon before arriving in the quaint city. Much like its namesake, the city's structures were all a light shade of gray, not far off what one would expect otherwise. But it had a subtle beauty to it, a contrast of the natural foliage David and Luna had trekked through all day.
"What does the gym look like? Do you know where it is located?" At once Luna began rambling off questions, too quick to give David a chance to respond.
"Just relax Luna. Shouldn't we head to the Pokemon Center first and get you all checked out and ready one hundred percent?" he suggested.
"I want to set my eyes upon our destination before we do anything else," she answered, determined to sate her hunger for a worthy challenger yet today. David didn't see much of a point in arguing now, but he would step in if she tried convincing him to charge in right away.
"Okay, we'll do that first," he replied with a firm nod. "If my memory serves me right, the gym should be in the northwest part of the city, should be a larger building in terms of ground area."
"Do you think it would have a large awning over the door marked to look like one of those capture balls Pokemon are kept in?" she asked, flaring out one of her wings to point. David turned his eyes to the direction, and sure enough, one of the larger buildings in the area stood out, a sign above the door with a white Pokeball on a forest green background.
"Yeah, I'd say that's probably it," he replied as he began to turn around. "A deal's a deal, let's head back to the Pokemon Center we passed a bit ago. But instead of an agreement, David heard the unmistakable sound of hooves upon the concrete rapidly growing quieter. He whirled around to find Luna in a mad sprint toward the gym.
So much for listening, he thought to himself, reluctantly running after her.
After a few minutes, David finally caught up to Luna, but only because the alicorn had reached the entrance to the gym and stopped.
"Luna... we had... an agreement," David huffed as he struggled for his breath. Luna turned around, finding David with his hands on his knees, Instantly, her blind excitement drained away, realizing she had completely ignored what David had requested of her.
"I - I lost my head in the excitement," she responded forlornly, her perky ears drooping in turn. "Sorry."
"Well, I don't think it matters anyway, Luna," David replied as he took a step closer to the doors. Sans handles or push bars, it was clear the doors were meant to open automatically, but they did not budge. Furthermore, as David peered into the building, it looked dark and unlit.
"You believe they are closed? But how can that be, it is still daylight," his friend whined. Perplexed by the early closure himself, David was unable to offer an answer besides a shrug of his shoulders.
"Wasn't meant to be, I guess. It's still light out, but it is getting rather late in the day," David said, noting the low angle of the sun in the sky. "Let's head to the Pokemon Center and then find somewhere to stay for the night, shall we? Get something to eat, too."
"I suppose you're right, but I still am a little disappointed," Luna admitted. Knowing her weakness by now, David reached down and gave Luna a gentle scratch behind the ear. As expected, the alicorn leaned into his hand with a content, relaxed smile. "You keep doing that, and I will make it your full-time duty," she teased.
"I'm okay with that," he responded with a chuckle. But with a new goal, he retracted his hand and turned around, leading his way back through the streets the duo had traveled.
But as he led the way bad, David realized neither he nor Luna had eaten nor drank anything since this whole scenario had started yesterday. Quite frankly, he still felt no hunger pangs or thirst. He turned his eyes to Luna beside him.
"Luna, is it weird that we haven't consumed anything in over twenty-four hours?" he asked uneasily. It took a moment for the lightbulb to come on in Luna's head before she fully understood what David was asking. She shook her head.
"Not necessarily. While this dream seems to have gone on for over a day now, you forget that time has no meaning here. Quite often, hunger also is nonexistent, from my experiences."
"Right, but we still get tired. Or at least I do," David protested.
"Dreams are very fickle in nature. There really are no rules that govern them, aside from harm in here does not translate to the physical world," Luna replied.
"That's a relief," he sighed.
"I know this dream is unorthodox - even by my standards - but I would not worry, David. It's rare to have a dream that times passes in such as this one, but I can recall some fantasies of other ponies that I entered where a whole year seemed to have passed. When I am concerned is when you should begin feeling uneasy. But maybe this dream is meant to teach me something, or perhaps the both of us. It could be why I have no control with the powers I normally possess."
"You mean like you being stubb..." David trailed off as he realized what he was saying. Despite stopping himself, Luna caught what he was going to say, and bit her lower lip uncomfortably.
"It - yes, it could be my overzealous pride," she admitted reluctantly. Once again, David breathed easily, to which Luna took notice. "I don't make you uncomfortable, do I?"
"Not exactly. A little bit, I suppose," he said. "I mean, we are friends, but you're also a princess, a co-ruler of a whole world. So that's a bit of a challenge, I guess."
"That may be true, but that does not mean I do not respect my friends enough to hear what they have to say. I will admit, I can be rather strong-willed, but do not be afraid to talk to me, David." As she finished, Luna's muzzle slowly twisted into a smirk. "Plus, as you mentioned previously, I am not a princess here, not in this dream," she added.
With the air somewhat cleared, David and Luna took in the sights and sounds of the quaint city, only stopping so David could get a few supplies from the Poke Mart. The early victories had not amassed much money, but it was still enough for a couple of Potions and Full Heals. Items that he hoped would not be needed tomorrow, but nonetheless, it was best to be prepared
By the time the pair meandered back to the Pokemon Center they passed earlier, the sky had begun its gradual transition to night, the setting sun painting the horizon with a hazy orange glow.
"Hopefully we can get a room in this Pokemon Center as we did in Viridian City," David said as he stepped through the sliding door. "Though we are a bit late to be asking, maybe I shouldn't have stopped to buy supplies." He had been surprised how busy the store had been. In fact, much of Pewter City had still been busy, even as he and Luna had been walking back.
"Only one way to find out, I suppose," Luna said, stepping up to the counter, stopping when she actually took stock of the woman who was waiting to greet her and David. "Nurse Joy?" she shouted incredulously, not believing her eyes.
David leaned down quickly to Luna's ear. "Different one, just same last name. I know, it's confusing," he whispered, before standing up straight.
"Welcome, how can I help you this evening?" Nurse Joy asked with a benevolent smile.
"Hi, I was wondering if you had a room open for the night?" David asked, flashing a pleading smile. Instantly the nurse's face went from cheery to somber, a clear indication of the answer before he received it in words.
"No, I'm sorry, but we're completely full. Pewter City has so many visitors today for the new exhibit in the Natural History Museum, the whole city has been packed with overnight stays," she said reluctantly.
David turned to Luna, unsure of where to spend the night. By the sounds of it, there was not going to be a bed available anywhere tonight.
"I suppose we could sleep outside somewhere if it isn't against the law. It is quite pleasant," she replied with a shrug.
"You wouldn't happen to be in the city for a battle at the gym, would you?" Nurse Joy asked out of the blue. Both human and alicorn snapped to attention.
"Uh, yeah, actually," David replied, blindsided by the correct guess. Luna remained mute, for once remembering no one other than her friend could understand her. It was irritating, but she was getting used to it.
"No, I'm not psychic, if that's what you're wondering," Nurse Joy commented with a slight giggle. "You two just have that air of determination about you. But I think I know someone who can help you out this evening." Without another word, she turned away to a machine behind her, fiddling with a few dials before it lit up, emitting an electronic beep. As she turned back around, she held a Pokeball in her dainty hands, her eyes darting to someone behind David.
David turned around to see the entrance doors slide open as a man with spiky brown hair walked through the sliding doors. With tanned skin and a bright orange shirt, contrasted with a lime green vest and brown cargo pants, David instantly recognized the visitor.
"Brock, I've been expecting you. Your Geodude is back in tip-top shape," Nurse Joy cheerily announced. "And, I think I've found you a challenger for tomorrow," she added, motioning to David and Luna.
"Really now? I've been waiting for someone to battle, it's been a slow day," Brock said as he received the Pokeball from Nurse Joy. His attention focused purely on David as he stuck his hand out, inviting a handshake. "What's your name, young man?"
"David," he replied as he accepted the firm handshake, before turning to the alicorn beside him. "This is my friend, Luna." As David mentioned her name, Luna struck a pose, spreading her wings out wide and standing straight, her chest thrust outward.
Brock was surprised by the pale blue alicorn, squatting down to get a better look at her. "Well, this is a treat to see. I've never seen a Pokemon like this before."
For her part, Luna was calm as Brock inspected her, even willing to indulge in a scratch behind her ears once again. But all the while, she kept a wary eye upon this newcomer. David was calm, so she assumed he knew of this Brock character. But still, she was not willing to place blind trust in anyone.
"Yeah, she's kind of rare. Not from this region, and not a lot is known about her," David responded, continuing the facade he had started in Viridian City.
"With the Museum opening up their fossil exhibit today, the hotels in the city and my Pokemon Center are packed with travelers for the night. I was hoping you might be able to give this young man a place to stay for the night, since he was planning on challenging your gym anyways," Nurse Joy interrupted.
Brock stood up straight once again, nodding his head with a small smile. "Sure, I don't mind at all," he said. "I only have one minor stipulation."
"What's that?" David asked in a polite, but meek voice.
"We don't wait for tomorrow to battle. We battle tonight."
"Yes!" Luna shouted as she perked up at the suggestion, surprising everyone in the room. David patted her head as she blushed a little at her outburst.
"Well, she's up for it, so I am too," David replied with confidence. He could feel Luna beside him shaking slightly as she tried to contain herself.
"Excellent. If you two are all set, I'll lead you back to the gym," Brock said, his smile having grown wider with the promise of a gym challenge. David knelt down to face Luna for a quick check.
"I'm assuming you're too eager for battle to wait and have Nurse Joy check you out," he whispered to her. Luna shook her head at the suggestion.
"No, but I honestly feel fine, David," Luna responded. "I will leave it up to what you desire, but as far as I am concerned, I am in top form."
"I think we're ready, Brock," David announced as he rose to his feet, convinced that Luna was indeed ready to go. Before forgetting, he turned his head and thanked Nurse Joy for her help.
"Not a problem, good luck, David," she cheered with a slight bow.
As Brock beckoned David and Luna to follow him, David could only hope Luna was ready for a challenge the likes of which she had not yet seen. Luna was confident, and he was confident that Luna was receptive to what he had to say.
But he still could not shake the nerves that had begun to creep into him.