Canterlot. A rain day.
It has been 2 weeks since Premium Polish had been brought to Canterlot under the care of Princess Celestia. She had been given a comfortable guest room to live in along with her Pokemon. And so far, the little unicorn isn't in the best mood.
She was missing her mother, Skyblue Shine, after all. So it would stand to reason why she has not only cracked a smile for days but hasn't even bothered to come out of the room.
"Premium Polish?" Celestia spoke, slowly opening the door with her head poking through. "May I come in or do you perhaps need more time?"
"I'd like some more rest please, Princess." Premium laid on the bed with the sheets over her. Her Pokemon were standing by her side, comforting their partner and her sadness.
"Alright. Just call me, the guards or anypony if you need something." Celestia chuckled as she backed up, slowly closing the door, allowing Premium to have more privacy. The Sun Princess then sighed as she walked towards her throne room.
"Still no progress?" Eventide and Sunlight showed up next to Celestia.
"No..." Celestia shook her head. "She's still thinking about her mother. And I can't blame her. Oh, this is all my fault...
"It was inevitable." Sunlight shrugged. "After everything that's happened, it'll take more than weeks for somepony to recover, after all."
"I've tried so much to connect with her, but nothing's cheering her up. Do you two know of a way?"
"Sorry. But even we haven't dealt with this situation when you and Luna were both very young." Sunlight apologized.
"I see...What do I do? So far, not much has worked. Even the Pokemon Cards."
5 days ago.
Celestia came bursting into the room with a large pack of Pokemon cards that she was carrying around her while wearing a hat designed after the trainer's cap from Unova.
"I've got Pokemon cards!" Celestia whistled. "We can open them together and maybe find an ultra rare care, huh?"
"Hm..." Premium Polish sighed.
"I'll go first!" Celestia grinned as she opened up the first pack of cards, reading them out. First up, we have a Pikachu, Espeon, Grubbin, Crobat, Gardevoir. Oh!" Celestia shot up. "I'm keeping this one." She placed the Gardevoir card to the side, continuing the read off the rest. "Wishiwashi, Krookorok, Spinda, Bewear, Indeedee and a Reverse Holo Mienshao, look at that! Isn't that beautiful?"
Celestia showed the Reverse Holo Mienshao to Premium Polish. The little unicorn looked over at the card as she did indeed find it to be impressive.
"It's pretty." She said before looking down.
"Ahah..." Celestia shifted her eyes nervously. "W-Well, we can find even prettier cards! She tossed the cards away as Passion caught them.
"Garde."
Celestia opened up another pack, further trying to cheer the little unicorn up with whatever she could as she started reading names off again. "Excadrill, Pidgey, Sliggoo-"
"I was sure that would be effective. Pokemon cards have become fairly popular in Equestria after all," said Celestia.
"Keep trying, dear! We know you'll succeed! Even if it takes years!" Sunlight cheered her daughter on.
"Not sure years would make it any better if her mood changes by age..." Eventide shook his head.
"I'll keep trying my best. Oh!" Celestia shot up with an idea. "She's a Pokemon Coordinator! And her mother never watches her contests or even when she practices...perhaps I can do that! Maybe that will work!"
"Hopefully. We'll be at the Ambrosial Plane for a while. Good luck!" Eventide and Sunlight gave their luck to Celestia as they both faded away into gold and silver stardust, returning to the Ambrosial Plane.
"Right. Contests. What do I know about contests?" Celestia walked off, giving Premium further time to rest. And then, later on, she'll try to connect with her via Pokemon Contest practice.
4 hours later.
Premium had some time to sleep and rest her head. But then again, sleeping is all she's been doing these past 2 weeks. Every day, the little unicorn sleeps for 4 hours. Whether it's in the day, afternoon or night. She hasn't left the room yet even.
It was no longer raining as Celestia told the pegasus to clear the skies for Premium's contest practice. The little unicorn woke up, letting out a prolonged yawn as Celestia entered the room once more.
"Premium Polish?" Celestia came in.
"Hm?"
"If you don't mind, I'd like to see your contest moves. A bit intrigued by how they're performed. If that's okay with you."
"Sure." Premium nodded as she got off the bed. She knew she couldn't stay in the room forever. Besides, she hasn't experienced any fresh air for a long time. Premium knew that staying in here wasn't making things better for her anyway.
Princess Celestia led Premium Polish outside to the Canterlot Gardens, where Pokemon battles always and usually take place. Now, they would be involved with Pokemon Contest training too.
Through the window, Luna was observing this herself. She couldn't get involved since she didn't have a clue on how to be a mother herself. Unlike Celestia who has some experience of having motherly traits.
Premium sent out her Flareon and Inkay this to show off her contest moves. Celestia sat down on a bench, spectating over Premium and her Pokemon.
"Flareon. Use Fire Spin. Inkay, Lash Out."
"Flare!" Flareon closed its eyes, surrounding itself in a twister of orange-yellow fire as it was spinning around on the spot.
"Kay!" Inkay then released black and red tendrils from its glowing spots as the tendrils were pulled in by Flareon's Fire Spin, making them a part of it. Fire Spin now had black and red tendrils spinning around them.
"Now lift Flareon with Telekinesis."
"In...!" With its eyes flashing blue, the Revolving Pokemon controlled Flareon while it was inside of the aura of flames and darkness, raising the Flame Pokemon into the air.
There was now a spiralling aura of fire in the air with dark and red tendrils as Celestia, Passion, Arcanine and Luna all raised their heads, witnessing this. It was like a smaller sun in the sky.
"Now separate."
"Flareon!" Flareon then separated Fire Spin and Lash Out by exerting force from its body. With the two moves separated, tiny little black and red tendrils and fireballs came raining down, filling the grass with them as Flareon descended.
"Ooh! Celestia and Passion clapped while Luna did the same through the window. "Impressive!"
"Gardevoir!"
"Thank you." Premium bowed along with her Pokemon. "I worked hard to try and make that move perfect."
"Well, it looked great!" Celestia grinned. "I'm sure the judges will love it when you enter your next contest! Um, where is your next contest actually?"
"Trottingham but...it's still being repaired after that whole Eterantus attack. Might have to wait way longer now." Premium sighed.
"Well, that just gives you enough time to practice even further, right?" Celestia flew over. "Here, I can help you."
"You? Are you planning to be a coordinator too, Princess Celestia?"
"Oh um..." Celestia scrunched her face. "No, not really. And I'm not exactly well-versed in contest moves honestly. But, you can show me a thing or two, huh?"
"Me?"
"Of course! I love learning new things from others. Especially if it's Pokemon related!" Celestia squeed.
"I guess I can teach you something." Premium nodded.
"Great. Passion, Arcanine and I are all ears. Right, you two?"
"Voir?" Passion pointed at herself while Arcanine was just laying on his back. Celestia nodded, insisting that they helped out. Anything to cheer Premium up after all.
Passion and Arcanine gathered together with Premium standing the side, taking the role of a teacher, which Luna definitely had to see as she pressed her face on the glass.
"All you need to know is um...just experiment with whatever moves you think work together. Don't go overboard though and be careful. Move combinations can end up bad the first time they're used." Premium instructed. "And um...just put faith in your Pokemon."
"Got it." Celestia nodded in understanding. She began thinking of which moves would work well with her Pokemon. For quick clarity, she took out her Pokedex, going over the moves of her Pokemon.
"Gardevoir. The Embrace Pokemon. Psychic. Mystical Fire. Thunderbolt. Dazzling Gleam."
"Arcanine. Extreme Speed. Flamethrower. Flare Blitz. Dragon Pulse."
"Alright. I may have something that could work." She put her Pokedex away. "Arcanine! Use Dragon Pulse in the air!"
"Arca...Nine!" Opening his mouth, the Legendary Pokemon fired a dragon-shaped shockwave into the air.
"Now, Passion! Use Dazzling Gleam!"
"Garde...Voir!" By putting her hands together, Passion generated a ball of rainbows with stardust flying out of it. She then aimed the ball upwards, firing multiple beams of rainbows out of it, directly at the Dragon Pulse.
The beams had all entered the dragon-shaped shockwave one by one, giving the Dragon-Type move a glow up. Dragon Pulse's usual blue colouring was now altered as it was now emanating the colours of rainbows with stardust and fairy magic surrounding it as well.
A Dragon Rainbow had been born from this combination. The Dragon Rainbow was flying high into the sky, moving around like an actual dragon would. Everypony in Canterlot witnessed this because of how vibrant it was. Each time the dragon flew, rainbow streams were flying out. Luna, who still had her face pressed on the window, shifted her eyes up, following the Dragon Rainbow.
"Ah!" Celestia gasped as she gawked. "Success!"
"Gardevoir!"
"Arcanine!"
"Oh...That's really impressive..." Even Premium was stunned as her eyes widened. In truth, this wouldn't be the first time Celestia has done move combinations. She did start it with Passion and Plasma Bolt after all. So, she had that to ride on if she ever performed contest moves.
However, at the end of the day, it was still Celestia's first run. And thus, mistakes and slip-ups would happen. The Dragon Rainbow didn't last long. After a short while, it exploded and with that explosion, tiny draconic projectiles and fairy spheres came raining down.
And unlike Flareon and Inkay, when they land on something, it isn't exactly going to be a peaceful, gentle or graceful landing at all. Something more along the lines of destruction would be accurate. And one of them was heading straight for Luna.
"Uh oh." Luna gulped as she backed away, not wanting to get caught up in Dragon and Fairy madness. The tiny projectiles of two different magic types hit the window and wall of the castle, destroying it.
"Garde?!"
"Arca?!"
"Oops..." Celestia scrunched her face as Luna slowly approached the destroyed wall, gazing at Celestia with narrowed and not-so-pleased eyes. "Hehe...Apologies." Celestia squeed, covering her face with her hooves in embarrassment.
"Mrrrgh..." Luna growled as she backed away.
"Pfft...!" But that entire interaction was something that Premium needed after so long. Suddenly, she let out a tiny little laugh, chuckling at Celestia's somewhat victorious failure.
"Hm?" Celestia heard this, turning to face the little unicorn who found some amusement over this. And seeing that made Celestia feel some sort of accomplishment and progress had been made.
"Well, first time for everything. I think that's what they say." Premium smiled.
"I suppose so." Celestia laughed back. "Perhaps, I'll need some more practice, don't you think?"
"Sure. I can keep helping you." Premium agreed. Having somepony to experience contest moves with her was something Premium needed. Her own mother never had the time to do so after all. But with Celestia, she had enough time to not only watch her contest moves but also learn from her.
As some cleaning up on the destroyed window and walls were being made, Luna continued watching her sister practice with Premium Polish even further. Some more mishaps were made along the way. With Passion and Arcanine's moves continuously leaving destruction behind in some way. Mostly minimal thankfully.
All the while, high up in the Ambrosial Plane, Sunlight and Eventide were observing Canterlot and their daughter's practice with Premium Polish. They could see how Celestia was truly trying her best. While she wasn't trying to be a mother to Premium Polish, she did have those traits and motherly instincts that at times, she doesn't even realize is being put to use.
Time with Sunset, Twilight and Passion truly did help for this one moment. And after weeks, Premium was finally being active as she found enjoyment over one of the many things in life she enjoys. Pokemon Contests. And sharing it with somepony else.
While it was impossible to get rid of the thoughts of her own mother, it's the little things in life that are enough to really change the mood and lift her spirits.
As the journey continues.
Chapter 371 End.