Everfree Forest. I have watched episodes of My Little Pony (on Kirby's insistence), some of them involving Everfree, and it seemed quite eerie. Now that Tails and I were at its entrance, I could tell just how eerie it was. It was mysterious and dark. All kinds of dark auras were emanating from it, auras of dangerous creatures.
"Are you ready, Tails?" I asked.
"Actually, I'm kind of nervous. I mean, I've had experience with going through forests and the like, but it's kind of... dark."
I chuckled. "I completely understand. That is something that you have no need to worry about." I showed Tails my paws, which were giving off an indigo flame of sorts. "Look, my Aura glows. It will act as a torch and light the way."
"That's so kind of you, Lucario!"
I smiled. "I'm used to assisting others. Don't mention it. And if any monster ever threatens to harm you..." I formed a glowing blue bone out of thin air. "...then they will face my wrath."
"I can take care of myself when it comes to battling monsters, but thanks."
"Then let us proceed."
Hand in paw, we entered the dark forest. There were plant species neither of us were familiar with, unnerving noises, and the many auras gave the feeling that anything could jump out and attack. However, using my Aura and Tails' Energy Sphere-finding gadget, we made sure to steer away from trouble and to head right for the parts.
Tails looked around. "Why is it that dark and scary forests always seem to have eyes staring out of the shadows at travelers?"
I noticed several pairs of frightening eyes in the shadows. "They're probably monsters that are too afraid to show themselves. I can prove it." I glared at the eyes, causing them to widen and disappear. "You're safe with me."
We continued forward, but I stopped Tails from advancing using my bone. "Remember the episode Bridle Gossip? It introduces us to poison joke." I motioned towards the leaves that were in our path. "Those blue leaves cause absurd side effects to those who make direct contact with them, the effects always having to do with the victim's personality and traits. For instance, it ruined Rarity's mane, and it turned Rainbow Dash's wings upside down."
Tails replied, "I remember. We had Rainbow Crash, Spitty Pie, Hairity, Appletini, Flutterguy, and Twilight Flopple. Personally, I don't like the name Twilight Flopple. It doesn't sound right. A much better name would be Twilight Wobble."
Normally, I'm a calm and cool Pokemon, but this epiphany... it was just too much! "What are you trying to do, murder me with laughter?! I have never had a belly laugh like this before!" It took me a full thirty seconds to pull myself together. "Whew, that was exhausting... Okay, let's go onward, without making contact with poison joke."
Tails flew over, using his namesake as propellers to fly, and I made my way over using Extreme Speed. However...
"Ugh, was that you, Lucario?" Tails asked while holding his nose.
I followed suit. "So... this is what timberwolf breath smells like. It's as horrendous as Just For Sidekicks made it out to be."
"Did you just say timberwolf?"
As if on cue, a trio of canine monsters made of branches and twigs leapt into our path. I stared them in the eye. "Yes, those are timberwolves. Their weakness seems to be stones, but I presume fire also works, given that they're made of wood."
Tails frowned. "Stones are their weakness? If only Sticks was here. She'd go all out with her slingshot. I guess I'll have to settle for fire." He took out what seemed to be a laser rifle. He switched the setting to one with a flame symbol on it. "I learned this from Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice."
He fired an orange, heat-infused laser at the timberwolf at the front of the pack, and it burned to ashes. Seeing this, the other timberwolves panicked and ran away. They didn't get far, though; Tails grabbed a nearby rock with his Enerbeam (an energy tether) and hurled it at them, turning them into a pile of wood.
"I never knew you were so good at hammer throwing," I said.
Tails smiled. "I'm not that good at hammer throwing. The rock was just lighter, that's all."
We began to continue, but Tails' gadget alerted us to something in the timberwolf rubble. We brushed away the ashes, revealing a blue, glowing sphere with a gear inside. Tails picked it up. "This must be an Energy Sphere!" He then feigned disgust. "Ugh, it's covered in splinters and sawdust!"
We both chuckled as Tails put the Energy Sphere in his utility belt.
1/45 Energy Spheres obtained
We continued through Everfree Forest until we heard something rustling in a nearby bush. I held my paws in a fighting stance, and Tails aimed his blaster at the bush. But that was when my Aura warned me of the creature that was in the bush. "Tails, get away, now!"
Something poked out of the bush before Tails could react. It was... a chicken's head. Tails asked, "Why should I be afraid of a chicken?"
I covered Tails' eyes with my paws as I closed my own. "You should be afraid because it's not a chicken..." My Aura told me that the creature jumped out of the bush and screeched. "It's a cockatrice! Their stare will turn you to stone, like Medusa. Whatever you do, keep your eyes shut. I'll take care of this cockatrice."
The cockatrice flew right at me, but I dodged and used Force Palm, slamming it into the trunk of a tree. Judging from its awkward movement patterns, I concluded that it was left paralyzed from my attack. I took the chance to strike, unleashing Close Combat to send it miles away. "Tails, you can open your eyes now--"
I opened my eyes to a disturbing sight: Tails was petrified. Luckily, since I defeated the cockatrice, he returned to normal. "I'm sorry for not following your orders, Lucario. My Energy Sphere detector found one right at the cockatrice's location." Tails smiled as he showed me an Energy Sphere. "That's why I stole it from the creature."
I grinned. "That was dangerous, but worth the risk."
2/45 Energy Spheres obtained
Some more adventuring later, and we came across more poison joke. It would not have been important, except that there was an Energy Sphere stuck in it. I looked at Tails. "Do you have your Enerbeam ready?"
Tails smiled. "I never go anywhere without it." He twisted his belt buckle, and the energy whip formed in his right hand. He lashed out at the Energy Sphere, but something grabbed it. "A snake monster? My friends and I have dealt with one before."
I shook my head. "Look at the big picture. It isn't a snake monster." The beast that had grabbed the Energy Sphere had three heads: a tiger, a snake, and a goat head. "That's a chimera! Get your Enerbeam ready for battle, for it is the tiger head's weakness!"
Tails quickly struck the tiger head, making it roar in agony. "I think we only made it even angrier."
"That's because we still need to target its other weaknesses. Do you have a flute or ricotta cheese on you?"
Tails looked at me in confusion. "Do I look like I have a flute or ricotta cheese?"
Before I could answer, the snake hissed and lunged at me. I used my bone to keep it from snapping shut, but my bone began to crack. SNAP! The snake crushed my bone with its powerful jaws, and I was knocked off my feet by the force. I awaited the inevitable, but it never came. My Aura told me why; mysterious music was being played by a friend of mine, pulling the snake into a trance.
Meloetta was playing her Poke Flute to tame the snake head. "And you didn't invite me!"
"We still got one thing left ta do!" Applejack had also come, and she chucked ricotta cheese into the goat's mouth. It seemed quite satisfied.
"Now to get the Energy Sphere out of its grasp. I'll finish the chimera with my best move." I held my paws behind my back, concentrating my Aura between them. It slowly formed into a great ball of pure Aura power, at which point I forced my paws at the chimera. "HADOUKEN! Ah, I've been wanting to say that for quite some time. But really, this Aura Sphere should be super effective."
The Aura Sphere struck the chimera in the chest, sending it into the distance. Our prize landed away from the poison joke, allowing us to safely obtain it. Tails proclaimed, "We have obtained the Energy Sphere!"
3/45 Energy Spheres obtained
I asked, "Where's the next Energy Sphere?"
Tails checked his Energy Sphere detector, but the screen went black. "Huh, that's strange. My devices don't normally spontaneously go out like that."
My Aura alerted me yet again. "Tails, is there a chance that you accidentally stepped in poison joke?"
Tails gave me a confused look. "Poison joke can make my gadgets useless in my hands? Now that's pretty personality-specific. And you're right. I was so busy fighting the chimera that I forgot about the poison joke. Is there an antidote for it?"
"There certainly is. Meloetta and Applejack, I need you to go and let the spa pony know to prepare the antidote. Tails, you're coming with me to the humble abode of the first Equestrian I met."
Tails and I made our way to a small house made of natural materials such as plants. I knocked on the door, and my zebra friend answered. "Welcome back, my blue vulpine friend. Have you come back to tie up loose ends?"
"Actually, there is a creature I wish to introduce you to. This is a fox named Miles Prower, but he prefers to be called Tails. Tails, this is the zebra Zecora."
Tails shook Zecora's hoof. "Nice to meet you, Zecora."
"It is my pleasure to meet you, Tails. Tell me why you've come, you can spare the details."
I told her, "Tails accidentally stepped in some poison joke, and we could use the cure. Do you have the recipe?"
"Lucario, I do indeed." Zecora took a book off a bookshelf and gave it to us. It was opened to a page concerning poison joke. "Follow the directions, and you'll get what you need."
Tails looked over the page. "Apparently, this says I have to take a bath in the ingredients. I have to admit, Equestria is a pretty strange place."
We turned to leave, but my Aura told me that Zecora wasn't finished. "Is there something wrong?"
"I happened to find two glowing blue spheres. Within each floated a simple gear." Zecora showed us an Energy Sphere.
"I appreciate your telling us about this. We need to gather these to repair something." I took the Energy Spheres and left with Tails. "We'll be sure to come again."
5/45 Energy Spheres obtained
I received a notification on my Expedition Gadget as we went back to Ponyville. It was from Button Mash.
All Energy Spheres in Everfree Forest found! Return to the Lor Starcutter for further instructions!