//------------------------------// // Zephyr Heights // Story: Pokemon Alola Journey - Trials of Sarah: Journey for the Royal Family Arc 1 - MLP: A New Generation // by Zipp Storm //------------------------------// At the same time, while the dark presence started to take shape and Sprout was beginning his temporary position as sheriff for his goal of "safeguarding" Maretown Bay that he had in mind from Hitch, Izzy, Sunny, Sarah, and her family had managed to set up camp, planning to make their way to Zephyr Heights the next morning. Luckily, and surprisingly (despite having been sent to Equestria by Zekrom from her dream), Sarah had her satchel brought with her when they went through the Deep Black Pokemon's portal (hanging from her right side now according to her new body structure), still holding everything she had packed for her intended journey to find her parents. This included the enchanted tent for the girls and much of her family to sleep in for the night (which threw both Izzy and Sunny into a loop and made them gawk in amazement when they saw the size of the tent's interior despite its two-story appearance). Once everything was set and they decided to hang around for a bit before going to sleep, they huddled around the campfire to talk about anything and everything, particularly on the subject of magic. "So, Tsukumaro, Sarah........ I've been wondering ever since you confessed to not doing this stuff, but," she began, trying to find the right words again. ".......Can you two do any magic, like, real magic?" "I-I don't know, Ms. Sunny," Tsukumaro answered. "We've never even known about your magic, we've never bothered to try to use it with everything that has happened." "I'm not sure if we can if no Unicorn really has any and if the magic you mentioned really is gone from this world," Sarah agreed while deciding to humor her new pony friend. ".......But, I suppose it won't hurt to try." ".....You sound like you two don't know how to perform magic as well," Sunny replied, not sure of what to make of her answers but eventually smiling again as she had an idea. "But, if you really can do magic, maybe I can help you find out." Reaching for her saddlebag, she took two pins she had on it and placed them in front of the older Unicorn and the young Alolan Alicorn princess with the others and Izzy watching curiously. "Try and levitate these." Sarah and Tsukumaro looked at each other as they tried to come to terms with what is being asked of them; the magic that Sunny was asking them to perform was foreign to them and nothing like what they had done and witnessed, the most notable and shared between them being the Patronus Charm. They knew it would take some time to learn a new form of magic or a new spell as was exemplified when they and the rest of their family had been watching from the Harry Potter movie series during movie nights at their house or when Sarah was at any of the others' places when holding or attending sleepovers. But, the magic Sunny and Izzy mentioned was nothing like what they had practiced and learned in their own times and they were antsy about what would happen if they tried to learn this new magical power. It didn't help that their suspicions and worries were compounded by the fact that Izzy couldn't perform her magic and telling them that Unicorns in her and Sunny's world, as a whole, couldn't perform it. "Guys, are you okay.....?" asked Sunny, feeling worried for them. That got them to snap out of their trances and look between Sunny and each other before they nodded, deciding that they have to take a chance if they were to have any means of helping her and Izzy with restoring Equestria. So, knowing what they and the rest of their family came to do and deciding to trust Sunny with her help, they looked to her pins laid down before them (one housing an emblem of Twilight Sparkle's Star Cutie Mark for Sarah and the other with an emblem of Fluttershy's Butterflies Cutie Mark for Tsukumaro) and concentrated, closing their eyes as they tried to focus on the pins. At first, nothing happened and it looked as though Izzy's prior explanation on Equestria's magic being gone for everyone was proven right. However, while that might be the case for her and her species, that changed when Tsukumaro and Sarah's horns finally lit up and they were coated in their own distinct magical auras (Sarah - rainbow-colored, Tsukumaro - dark brown). Then, their energies focused on the pins still, the pins ultimately floated in the air as they were coated in the same auras. Tsukumaro was left speechless as he opened his eyes and gasped, seeing the Fluttershy pin floating in his own aura. Even Sarah was also taken aback by the fact that she also had Equestrian magic unlike Izzy and the Unicorns she referred to as she took in the sight of the Twilight Sparkle pin floating in her new magical grasp, her entire family also sharing her and her godfather's shocked sentiments. "No......" she gasped quietly in total shock. "B-b-But, how......?" stuttered Sunny, stunned. Izzy was quiet in shock herself until she finally squealed with excitement. "EEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!! MAGIC, MAGIC, MAGIC! You still have your magic, both of you! YIPPEE!" she cheered, startling the two as they looked at Izzy, both looking flabbergasted at what she said while Sunny took back her pins. "W-W-What-Ms. Izzy! What are you talking about?!" replied a still-gobsmacked Tsukumaro. "This is our first time using this form of magic, we had no idea about it and we were only just able to use it!" "Yeah, we don't know about this magic! How were we supposed to know what to do with it?" a still-shocked Sarah agreed. "Um, well, yes...... Moving on, I think it's time to see what else your parents can do now that they're an Earth Pony and a Pegasus before we turn in," put in Phoenix, stopping Izzy and wanting to get some sleep before long. "You think they would have some form of Equestrian magic along with what Mom and Tsukumaro just demonstrated?" asked Aqua. "Well, we won't know until we have them try and see for themselves, Sis," replied Milotic, wanting to have Nikki and James give it a go. "But, I don't know how to even fly with these wings on my body and I don't know anything about this Equestrian Magic business!" Nikki fretted, not fond of the idea of flying in her new Pegasus body. "And, what else can I do besides trotting and running?" put in James, feeling uneasy about testing his Earth Pony body as well. "I don't know what I'll be doing, I might as well be plowing a field or just grazing in the open sun!" "But, this is a real breakthrough for all of us! There has to be some form of Equestrian magic that you two can also perform!" Sunny urged excitedly, now rejuvenated with newfound hope for Equestria with Sarah and her family's help. "With your magic to help us along the way, we can get more ponies to help us with our cause to find out what happened to the Unicorns' magic, find out where the Pokemon and dragons had been banished to, and restore Equestria back to its former glory!" "And, you think everything would be riding on us by the time we get going and see what's about to go down at Zephyr heights at the top of this world's version of Old Smokey?" quipped Silvally. "Positive! We've got to see if you have your magic as well! Even if there's even a slight chance of it backfiring, it'll prove that you know something about the magic lost around here that we don't!" "Come on, Ms. Nikki, Mr. James, give it a go for us. Please.....?" peeped Mai, trying her best to do the sad puppy face along with her younger siblings and cousins who agreed to the idea. "I don't know........" James replied. "We're still new to this whole, magic, thing...... We don't know anything about it by the looks of it, Sunny, girl." Sunny did consider his words and was concerned that she should've said something different but she still smiled nonetheless, "That's fine; whatever it is, we'll take what we can get." "But-" Nikki began, wanting to stay out of what was being suggested of her and her husband but Sarah took it upon herself to join her adopted mother and soothe her. "Mom, my opinion may not matter because I also don't know how to fly yet and I don't know how to use my wings for other things besides that, either. But, if it means giving us another possible opportunity to find out what happened to Equestria's magic, you and dad have got to try," she encouraged hopefully, getting both of her adopted parents' full attention. "We may not know exactly why we were able to have Equestrian Magic compared to Izzy and Sunny and those Pegasi if they don't have any or if they do but what other choice do we have? This may be our only chance or so to figure out what those Pegasi know and to see if they have magic left in them as you do along with us. if Tsukumaro and I can use Equestrian magic for some reason, then perhaps you and Dad can use it, too. Just trust yourselves as well as us and Sunny and you'll be able to fly, to take the first step and learn to spread your wings and truly fly, to be free. And, Dad will probably know what kind of magic he has on him as well. You and Dad, we're all here with you, always." Nikki and James looked at each other as they tried to take in Sarah's words and they did their best to try and ignore the younger Pokemon and the dragon hatchlings' sad puppy faces; they're still opposed to experimenting with an unknown form of magic they have no idea on controlling or knowing what to do with it. But, even so, they knew that they had no choice as Sarah and Tsukumaro haven't and they had to take that chance, too. Eventually, they nodded in agreement, and with the sad puppy faces from the younger Pokemon and the dragon hatchlings off of them as they cheered in response to their answer, Nikki and James prepared to see what they can do as a Pegasus and an Earth Pony. Twenty minutes later, things were going about as smoothly as they had hoped but they did have the occasional bumps along the road while experimenting with any possible abilities with any hidden Equestrian Magic in the two. James, after some particular experimenting with what they have and after being told by Sunny that Earth Ponies back then once had phenomenal strength that surpasses that of a Unicorn or Pegasus, discovered that he did have that sort of unnatural strength. He also discovered that he was much more in tune with the earth around him and could hear the thoughts and feelings of plants and animals. The adult man-turned-Earth Pony was stunned and in awe with his new abilities and he seemed to be amazed that he had something a normal human being wouldn't normally be capable of (even though he'd much rather return to his old self again when this adventure was over). Nikki, in the meantime, soon discovered that her Pegasi Magic (after some considerable trial and error along with some careful coaching from Sarah's Flying Types) allowed her to walk on clouds naturally and essentially have control of the weather. She was even able to fly despite finding the process terrifying and difficult in the beginning although nobody wanted to take a greater chance at what she can really do with her wing power since she was still getting used to her new body. It proved to be a success for everybody and they were satisfied with what they had found and accomplished. But, that also left them with a burning question that'll continue to plague them; how was it possible for the four to even have Equestrian Magic? Deciding not to dwell on it further, they all went to sleep, preparing for the trek up to Zephyr Heights. The next day, everyone was carefully walking through a small ravine together. They had gotten up bright and early in the morning so they were able to get a considerable head-start on their way to Zephyr Heights. As they walked along, Izzy decided that it was a perfect time to strike up a conversation with her new friends. "You know, not to freak you out or anything but you do happen to know that Pegasi can possibly steal your luminescence, don't you?" "Wait, my lumi-what?" asked Sunny, stumped. "Luminescence! You know, like your sparkle. Like, yours is.......lavender." "Don't even start," Eternatus grumbled to Izzy as he, Reshiram, and much of Sarah's dragons and Flying Types flew beside them. "I hate to be a party pooper to you but where'd you get that stupid idea from, anyway?" "Huh?" Sunny blinked again. Izzy, however, ignored him as she continued to speak with Sunny. "And, the happier you are, the brighter it shines!" "Forgive me for being so blunt on that, Little Moonbow. But, I must tell you that what you're saying is ludicrous and downright nonsense," retorted Reshiram skeptically as he looked to the happy-go-lucky unicorn. "No pony species in this world would be capable of doing such a foolish thing and it's never been attempted given what we have seen thus far. And, do you happen to know anything about the Pegasi in person that has done anything as reckless as that?" Izzy tried to come up with a response to Reshiram's retort as her ears twitched in hard thought (all while coming up with wacky faces while doing so). But, before she could think further, a whooshing sound was heard, attracting everyone's attention. "Hey, what's that sound?" quizzed Hashimoto, looking around but finding nothing that made the noise as they went along the path to Zephyr Heights. Everyone kept their eyes and ears open for the sound as they continued on but then, the whooshing sound from before sounded off once more. "There it is again," Sarafina pointed out. "Who's there?" demanded Sarah, lighting up her horn and preparing to fight despite not knowing how in her new form as she followed a shadow that appeared. "I'll be lenient with you, I'm not afraid to hurt you if you threaten my family, Izzy, and Sunny. Show yourself!" The whooshing sounds were heard again and in the bright sun, the shadow was making itself clearer despite the mist around them upon their slow but careful ascent up the mountain. The princess squinted as best she could and she could make out the silhouette of another Pegasus just as another whoosh filled the air and the shadow zipped by across the cliffs, startling Izzy and Sunny. Sarah didn't have time to react as the Pegasus knocked some rocks loose from the cliff above them, sending them tumbling down their way and scaring both Sunny and Izzy into running, surprising Sarah and her family. "Girls, wait! Don't run, we have to stick together!" cried Sarah, she and her family quickly galloping, running, and flying after the frightened mares. As they ran ahead, Sunny looked back to see that the Pegasus that scared her and Izzy off was hot on their heels. "Hurry!" she called to everyone behind her as they soon reached the edge of a cliff that had appeared to have been a landslide at one point. Seeing the Pegasus catching up to the group, Winter and Shadow cursed and decided to grab the two mares before they flew them over to a rocket edge. Nebby and their dragon friends along with the other powerful reptiles followed their lead as he carried the younger Pokemon, they and the dragon hatchlings following suit, and Cressela, Danny, Danielle using Psychic to help their trainer/human mother's other and larger Pokemon get up the landslide (sans Eternatus and her Flying Types). James and Tsukumaro managed to scale the landslide along with Sugarcoat, Shortcake, and Siren while Sarah and Nikki were able to flutter over it (the former managing to get some practice in during the previous night as well). They managed to regroup on the top of the cliff, all of them unknowingly reaching Zephyr Heights at the same time, all of them relieved to be alive from their near-death experience and who nearly killed them. Seeing Izzy and Sunny safely in Shadow and Winter's grasp, the princess quickly rushed over to them. "You okay, girls?" she asked, looking them all over. "We're fine, Sarah, thanks," panted Sandy in relief. The group then looked back over the cliffside after they caught their breath, seeing nothing but a sea of clouds below them before they all exchanged looks, wondering who would be crazy enough to try and kill them all just now. But, the adrenaline rush they were feeling wasn't over as they were soon greeted by the Pegasus that supposedly attacked them, revealing itself from the clouds. The new Pegasus startled Sunny and Izzy as it approached, the two of them screaming as they hugged each other, sandwiching Sarah in between them. Everyone watched as the Pony swooped down, then over their heads, landed on several nearby rocky ledges, and then perched herself atop a nearby rock, revealing itself in a display of pride and glory found only in an Equestrian Pegasus. The Pegasus looked to be female and based on her appearance, she was white with silver hooves. In contrast to Nikki and Sarah's wings, her own wings are covered in long and light blue and lavender feathers, and her mane (resembling gelled hair) and tail (at an average length) are both a hot pink with aqua and pink streaks. She is discovered to have turquoise eyes with pink eyebrows and her Cutie Mark on her flank showed a pink lightning bolt with a yellow crown resting on top. Izzy and Sunny couldn't believe what they were seeing. "Another real Pegasus!" gasped Sunny in awe. "No way, just like Mistress Nikki?!" "Now, that's an entrance," Hashimoto admitted. "If only she didn't try to kill us if she threw those boulders at us," snorted Siren, thinking she nearly killed the entire group. "What is with that ludicrous hairstyle?" admitted Sarah's Rapidash in surprise. The Pegasus relaxed herself and then gasped, seeing the entire group before her. "Whoa! Check it out, Pokemon and dragons, after all this time? Two unicorns, a Pegasus, an Earth Pony, and a Pegasus-Unicorn hybrid-an Alicorn, like in the legends?! Together?" the Pegasus commented, impressed. "Well, now, this day just got a whole lot more interesting......." Suddenly, before anybody could answer, they all heard the sound of metal clanking and running hooves coming from nearby them along the path to Zephyr Heights, seeing two Pegasus guards coming around the corner. The sight of them frightened the Pegasus before them and prepared to take off before she looked at the two mares and their friends, "Don't tell them that you saw me." Then, she quickly darted off, disappearing into the clouds as Izzy then called out after her, "There's no way we could!" "Wow, we didn't even know her name. But, she seems nice. Is she cool or what?" buzzed Izzy excitedly to Sunny and Sarah, nudging them coolly. "AAAAAHHH!!!!!!" A frightened scream called their and everyone else's attention as they turned and saw the two Pegasus guards before them, one of them between looking startled at the giant group before them and looking incredulous at her partner as the latter looked to be cowering behind his fellow guard. ".......Hello there," replied Sarah awkwardly, waving a hoof. "Oh, Thunder, pull yourself together! Will ya?" groaned the blue female Pegasus guard. "B-B-B-B-B-But, Zoom! Look at them, there are two Earth Ponies over there!" the green Pegasus guard, Thunder, whimpered. "Ah, don't worry about them, they're harmless. They probably have peas for brains," snorted Zoom. "We're standing right here, you know," commented James indignantly as he and Sunny threw offended glares at them. "A-And, w-w-w-what about that big Pegasus?" "She's a Pegasus, obviously, 'oi! She's one of us, you know." "Oh, yeah? Then, how do you explain that ALICORN, THOSE DRAGONS, THAT UNICORN, AND ALL THOSE POKEMON, THOSE DEVILS WAITING TO ATTACK US?!" screamed Thunder, still in his panic as he pointed at Sarah, her family, and Izzy. "Listen here, you bastard! Nobody makes that comment in front of-!" snarled Hydro impulsively before she was cut off by Winter and Shadow as they raised their wings at her, shocking them. "Winter, Shadow! You-!" "Enough, we know that it's only natural for the pony to freak out upon seeing all of us here given they've seen our kind in years," pacified Shadow firmly but calmly, startling the two guards as they saw the dragons talking amongst themselves. "We'd do well to see what they want with us and if we really mean any trouble to them so let's give them the benefit of the doubt first before we react," added Winter in agreement, making Hydro snort in disgust before she backed off and Hurricane soothed his little sister figure. "I'd normally prefer to be originally called the Darkest Day back then. But, I'll be setting myself up with my pipsqueak as usual," commented Eternatus, startling Thunder again along with Zoom before she shook off the shock and turned to her partner. "Well, have you brought the shield with you?" ".......Uh, what shield?" "Didn't you read the guard guide.....?" "YES! Dugh, okay, no....." "What?! You-! Why didn't-ARGH!" groaned Zoom, exasperated at her partner before she walked up to the confused and incredulous group, watching as they succumb to their xenophobia while she spreads her wings to try and look threatening (but failing). "Oh, very well. I've got this." Soon, Sarah, Nikki, James, Tsukumaro, Izzy, and Sunny were crowded in an elevator, being escorted by Zoom, Thunder, and a few more Pegasus guards with Izzy, Tsukumaro, and Sarah having tennis balls on top of their horns. The latter two were confused by the use of tennis balls as locks for their magic but they decided not to question it. "That's creative," commented Izzy about the tennis ball as Sunny just skimmed through her notebook again. When they were taken to Zephyr Heights, Sunny and Sarah were stripped of much of their belongings their satchels, Sunny's Rapidash Guardians, and the latter's Pokemon half of her family (sans Magearna and her parents' Special Ops Squad (Tomoe Squad)) as they were forced back into their Pokeballs along with Nikki, James, and Tsukumaro's Pokemon (and the advisor's belongings as well) But, they weren't able to confiscate Sarah's heirlooms, her Dragon Blade, and the Dragon Heart Scepter, so they had no choice but to let her keep them. They also couldn't bother to do anything to her dragon half of her family since they'd be both signing their death warrants by going up against them at any time and they don't have the means to subdue them. As they all couldn't fit in the elevator at once, they were simply ordered to follow the guards and their "prisoners", a task made easier with their ability to talk with them (much to their shock). "That's right, be smug until we beat the damn snot out of you with Odin's fury, you creeps," snarled Charger. "Charger, calm down," replied Rosa, trying her best to soothe the annoyed Rumblehorn. "Man, I can't believe Sarah would be willing to have us all turned in peacefully even if those Pegasi were scared of all of us just as Maretime Bay's Earth Pony fraidy cats are," commented Dawn. "It's hard for them to take us seriously since we not only dwarf them in terms of power despite their numbers but we dragons and Pokemon like Sunny's guardians and the rest of our family haven't been seen in years ever since they were kicked out until Sarah reasoned with them, Son," replied Melody. "It would be best for them if we don't give them any more reason to be frightened of us and start antagonizing everyone for one reason or another," suggested Magearna as everyone took in the sights of Zephyr Heights from down below. Looking down upon the Pegasi town, Sarah and her family with her have discovered that it almost looked like New York City as there were many food shops, alleyways, areas similar to Times Square, Madison Square Garden, and other sights similar to any locales on the real-life city, and theaters for movies and Broadway musicals. The city even had a large TV billboard screen that depicted a newscast about a royal celebration being held in honor of the Pegasi Queen, Haven, and that the real treat of the celebration would be a performance of one of her two daughters, Princess Pipp Petals. The screen then showed Pipp herself and everyone could see how she looked by her appearance - a light pink Pegasus with gold hooves (her legs having a slight gradation to a lighter link color on her feathers), fluffy white wings that are made out of soft, white feathers, and a wavy mane being swept up on one side and her average-lengthed tail in a similar wavy manner. She had kiwi-green eyes with violet eyebrows and while her Cutie Mark was obscured on the TV screen, she looked as though she was wearing a golden tiara with a green jewel and golden wheat encrusted on it. Pipp simply smiled at her cheering fans, telling everybody that she has a brand new song dedicated to them that she was going to perform at the celebration. It meant a lot to her but not as much to her fans before she signed off on her live stream but that didn't matter as she was too excited to care. Before long, the elevator arrived at the top floor of their current destination as it clicked open. "Move, now," barked Zoom, still uneasy with the dragons as they landed near the others. "You betcha!" chirped Izzy in compliance. But, her enthusiasm wasn't shared by Sarah and Sunny as they looked at the Pegasus and her fellow guards suspiciously. Sarah was surprised by what she was seeing; none of the guards could even fly as she and Nikki could and like the Earth Ponies and Unicorns, they didn't have any magic, too. "Do you see anyone flying here besides Nikki and Sarah?" Sunny asked quietly but her question soon fell on deaf ears. "They even have a castle!" Izzy exclaimed with a gasp, seeing the castle before them before they walked over. "Uh, Mom, Dad, Tsukumaro........ Did you notice anything strange about these Pegasi the moment we were brought here?" quizzed Sarah, seeing that not a single Pegasus was flying as she and Nikki could prior. "Yeah, now that you mention it, Ponchita......" "Yes, something is definitely wrong." "Indeed, none of these Pegasi we're seeing here knows how to fly. Strange, very strange," pondered her adopted parents and Tsukumaro in surprise. The walk through the castle took several minutes as they all walked through several hallways but at long last, Sarah, her family with her, Sunny, and Izzy were brought to the throne room with another squadron of non-flying Pegasus guards waiting for them until they took their places. "Ahem, bow before our queen!" ordered Thunder, a few other guards blowing their trumpets at hand or hoof, sounding off a fanfare. Magearna, the Tomoe Squad, the dragons, Sarah, Nikki, James, Tsukumaro, Izzy, and Sunny all watched as the guards bowed their heads in respect to their queen, first seeing a small, white, winged female Pomeranian appearing before them, sitting in front of the throne and scratching her head with one of her hind legs. "Your Majesty," replied Izzy, bowing before the dog while getting a facehoof from Sunny and an amused eye roll from Sarah along with annoyed sighs from everyone else. But, everyone watched on as spotlights were then shown from the ceiling above them, making the little dog yip in excitement as she watched. Sunny nudged Izzy upright to watch as well and in the background, the sound of upbeat music was soon heard. The group gathered in the throne room saw as three Pegasi soon came swooping down before they landed gently, lowering themselves to the throne as they flapped their wings. As everyone decided to bow in respect to them, Sarah took a glance at the three Pegasi before them. The oldest one of the three was Queen Haven herself, a pale pink Pegasus with a blue and purple mane and tail, purple hooves, blue and purple wings, and ocean blue eyes while wearing a pair of sunglasses on her, a purple vest with a blue and gold necklace, and a crown of the same coloration. The second was actually Princess Pipp who was the youngest of the small family of three. But, to Sarah's shock, standing with them was the same mysterious white Pegasus that she and everyone else met at the cliffs leading to the city. "Wait, that must be the Pegasus we met from earlier today! What's she doing here with them and why is she a princess like me.......?" she thought. "Hi, new friend!" Izzy waved impulsively to the mysterious Pegasus happily, the pony in question shaking her head frantically and quietly pleading with her to not get her involved. "Guards, state your business, and please make it quick. We're on a very tight schedule today and before the celebration, Cloudpuff needs his pedicure," Queen Haven ordered, wanting to know what's going on. "Pipp needs to rehearse soon and I need to practice my laugh for the celebration. HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA! Ahem, nope, still not right, oh....." "Your Highness! We found these intruders scampering around in our territory, one of them having a gigantic amount of Pokemon that we've just confiscated," replied one of the guards as he and the still-antsy Thunder presented the group before her. Queen Haven lowered her glasses and balked in shock to see Sarah, her family joining her right now, Sunny, and Izzy along with Magearna and Tsukumaro, Nikki, and James' Pokemon (who the guards failed to confiscate), present with them. "AH, IMPOSSIBLE! Two Unicorns, a hybrid, Earth Ponies, POKEMON, AND, DRAGONS! Here, in Zephyr Heights!" she gawked. "Hold on! We've got them all under control, your Honor!" reassured Zoom quickly to her. "And, we've deployed the shields on them before they could do anything, at least until the hybrid made a deal with us peacefully involving this," Thunder added, gesturing to the balls on Izzy, Tsukumaro, and Sarah's horns. "Is this an attack on the night of our royal celebration? Why are you all here, who sent you fools?" demanded Queen Haven suspiciously before she gasped. "HAH! Nobody must know about their presence, they must not know they're here!" "Sorry, Mom, forgive me," thought Pipp for she had already started casting a livestream of what had transpired in the throne room with the mysterious Pegasus, showing the group on screen, resulting in her mother to reassure the citizens that they've been captured and she'll protect them and angrily forcing Pipp to cancel the stream. "Excuse me, Your Majesty?" Sunny asked. "We just wanted to ask you a few questions about magic. You see, we-" "Guards! Please escort the prisoners to the dungeons until I can question them properly!" snapped Queen Haven, now having also succumbed to her xenophobia. "And, what about the Pokemon and the Dragons we have from them?" questioned Thunder. Queen Haven let out a huff as she gestured with a dismissive hoof wave and said, "Put them all in solitary confinement until we exile them for being in our presence and confiscate the book while you're at it!" "W-What?! NO!" gasped Sunny in horror, the mysterious Pegasus gasped in shock at how far her mother was willing to go to do something to protect their citizens, even if it didn't feel right to her. "HEY! That's not fair!" Dart spat furiously, she and her brothers snapping at Queen Haven as the Pegasi gasped at hearing her talk before her brothers pitched in, also angry. "You're a big, fat bully!" agreed Pouncer. "You're a monster!" snarled Ruffrunner. "NO! What are you doing?!" Sarah gasped in shock, horror, and utter outrage. "Don't you know that you're just going to kill off my family by kicking them out?!" "Oh, please! We're all better off without those ugly createns, young lady! You don't seem to realize but you've thrown your lot in with them the moment you and your friends met them and became one of them in the process," scoffed the arrogant Pegasus queen. "Haven't you known the trouble they've brought to us years ago, the legends that told of their terrifying power and threatening to kill us with their mighty strength and unholy presence? Everything that Ponykind once thought good of them was gone the moment they turned on us and when we finally realized the extent of the power we had on our hooves with them still around! Who knows who would be willing to target us by using those same beasts and what good will it do to us just to consider living alongside those wretched beings with them? Life with those menacing creatures will be a living nightmare for us, that's a fact! Everypony knows that they're all nothing but monsters! Worthless, savage, deadly beasts are what they all are and that will never change! So, let me be the first to say to you and your friend that you're better off without them, it's for your own good!" Unfortunately, her rant about the dragons and Pokemon and how they were deemed to be nothing but monsters to the Pegasi was a step too far in Sarah's eyes. The little human-turned-alicorn princess couldn't stand to hear Queen Haven continue to demean the two species she saw as friends and the insults that extended to her family as angry tears filled her eyes and her rage built up. Her party was growing worried as they knew she would explode and go on her own extreme tangent on Pipp's mother if she wasn't careful with her emotions. "Oh, dear, I was hoping this wouldn't happen to her!" squeaked Magearna worriedly as she saw Sarah preparing to blow up in her outrage and her rainbow aura appeared on her horn, giving off a rainbow glow that looked more violent. "Wh-what's going on?!" Pipp stammered. "W-w-w-What's she doing?!" Zoom demanded. "Oh, you've done it now, partners," replied James, looking worried for his adopted daughter. "I think you all might want to cover your ears." "S-s-s-s- STOP! D-d-d-d-Don't t-t-t-try a-a-a-anything stup-" Thunder began as he pointed his spear at Sarah and trembled with fear before he was cut off by Hydro as she screamed, "Just do it!" Fearing that this could be big trouble for all of them, Magearna, the dragons, Tsukumaro, Nikki, and James braced themselves while the latter two got Izzy and Sunny to do the same, the mysterious also looking frightened as she followed suit. Finally, when she couldn't handle it anymore........ "RRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Sarah finally let her emotions loose as the tennis ball on her horn shot off and ricocheted around the throne room as everyone ducked, screamed, and ran for cover, her rage boiling over as she couldn't take it anymore and her aura exploded, forcing everybody still standing to be knocked down hard. It looked as though that Sarah had finally reached the end of her rope with the ponies' xenophobia (despite not seeing the other Unicorns and how they would react) very early on as her rage-filled screaming can be heard for miles, the Pegasi down below hearing her as they all got shivers running down their spines. When she had finished, she was breathing heavily, trying her best to calm herself down as the thought of her being permanently separated from her Pokemon and dragon family was too much for her to bear, let alone go through. Everyone else soon managed to pick themselves up and they saw the angered and devastated Sarah focusing her attention on the frightened Queen Haven, her own outrage dwarfed by the pissed-off alicorn's. "How dare you say that Pokemon and dragons are nothing but monsters.........!" she seethed as she took one step forward. ".....How dare you demean my family as nothing but creatures when you haven't even seen what they can really do!" "Stop right there!" shouted Zoom as she and Thunder blocked her off from Queen Haven, as she took two more steps forward and then glowered angrily at them before she continued, her angry tears streaming down her eyes. "You would knowingly shackle my heart with banishing, killing off my own family, who are all helping me to find two very special people in my life that I wanted to see again after so long? Who would all do anything and everything, risking life and limb, just to ensure my safety and my happiness ever since I started meeting them?!" Not wanting to look weak, she rubbed her tears off her face and continued glaring at the offending Pegasi (sans the mysterious Pegasus she and her family and new friends met earlier). "You're wrong about them; yes, they're everything you said but they're always so much more!" she continued to spit. "You're speaking to the queen, Winged Unicorn!" snarled Zoom, getting angry herself. "Stand down right now and respect her or we'll either force you out of our kingdom or kill you now!" "First of all, I'm actually an Alicorn, not just termed a winged unicorn. And, second, you'd be wise not to get in trouble with me because........." She took a deep breath and told the Pegasi as she spread her wings, deciding it pointless to keep her true identity a secret anymore, ".......I am a princess!" While her family looked on sorrowfully for the little princess as she was forced into a position she didn't want to be in and thus, expose herself in the process, Izzy, Sunny, and the Pegasi with them all looked on and gasped in utter shock. "WHAT?!" "No way!" "Say, what?!" Queen Haven and her daughters gasped, aghast and flabbergasted as Sarah continued again. Izzy and Sunny were shocked after the bombshell was dropped; none of them knew that Sarah was a princess when she lied to them about where she and her family had come from and now that they did, along with finding out they didn't belong in Equestria, they didn't know what to say. "........My name is Sarah, Princess Sarah Tomoe, the only daughter of my real parents - King Doug and Queen Delilah Tomoe. And, for your information, I do not tolerate nor appreciate the fact that you and all of the ponies living in this world besides Izzy and Sunny and a little bird in the room would demean the only family I have anywhere as monsters. You may think of them as such and I understand that I can't change your opinions but trust me when I say again that they're so much more since you haven't seen what they can really do and you only knew what you knew because you didn't even get to know them by taking the first step." Feeling emotionally drained and wanting to get out of Zephyr Heights now, Sarah took her satchel back along with her Pokemon family and Sunny's Rapidash Guardian friends from the frightened and stunned guards that confiscated them. "I see now that there's no point in helping ponies who have given in to their fears and pointless xenophobia reconnect with one another if any and all encounters are going to be like this. And, I suspect that the Unicorns, apart from Izzy, won't be as welcoming just as you guys and much of Maretime Bay besides Sunny all aren't. If it helps, we're leaving, goodbye........" And, with that, she turned away in a drained huff as she led her worried family along with the greatly concerned Izzy and Sunny out of the throne room, leaving the shocked Pegasi behind. All but one, though, as the mysterious white Pegasus felt sorry for Sarah and quickly decided to follow them while grabbing Sunny's book in the process. Once they were a good distance away from the throne room and in one of the large hallways, Sarah soon released her Pokemon and brought out Sugarcoat, Sugarcake, and Siren before returning them to Sunny. Then, she started to cry heavily as she hugged Blitz in relief and sorrow, her family feeling her pain as they came for a group hug while Sunny and Izzy sadly watched on. "Oh, Sarah......." whimpered Izzy sorrowfully. "Tsukumaro....... Is Sarah really a princess?" asked Sunny, wondering if she chose the right words to ask. Tsukumaro sighed solemnly as he faced the two ponies. "Yes, you heard right. What you've heard from my goddaughter is the truth. She's a princess from another world," he confirmed to them. "Whoa......!" the two ponies gawked in awe and amazement. "Please forgive us for deceiving you earlier but a friend of ours warned us about what happened to your world and the inhabitants living in including your own kinds and we didn't want to compromise the mission we were given from him by telling you who we are and why we're really here," replied Magearna as she broke from the hug and faced them as well, bowing apologetically. "Yeah, we're sorry for lying to you about our origins but as Meagerna put in her own way, it was necessary for us to keep you in the dark and ensure that you don't know about our true purpose for your own good," agreed Shadow, coming to face them an also giving the two ponies an apologetic bow. "Above all else, please don't take it too harshly and blame Sarah for lying earlier." Seeing that Sarah would have no alternative reason to lie to them and neither would her family since they all cared too much for each other and them to do so, Izzy and Sunny nodded warmly and understandably at them. "We understand, I suppose what happened to her to cause her to break down like that must've been really painful," replied Sunny gently, just as the mysterious Pegasus came from around the corner and quickly hid herself away, deciding to eavesdrop on the conversation and discover why Sarah exploded as she did. "But, what I don't understand is why, why did Sarah blow up like a giant volcano on a hot stove turned up to eleven?" pondered Izzy in her usual, optimistic way. "Was she really that scared of losing her family when the Pegasi Queen wanted to banish them?" Sunny asked, her concern taking over. Blitz wiped Sarah's tears as she tried and failed to pull herself together, still lost in her angst and tearful sorrowful fear of losing her family all over again as most of her Pokemon and dragons in her family continued to hold her to their comforting embrace. Tsukumaro could see that she was too emotionally distraught to tell them calmly herself so Tsukumaro sighed, deciding to tell them everything until Sarah would be ready to confirm his story herself. Breaking off from the group hug, Nikki and James joined the trio, looking apologetic at the two ponies as they also knew they had to tell the truth. "Look, we're sorry for what had happened earlier and for Sarah exploding as she did but there's a reason why she doesn't want to lose everyone she loves again," said James. "It's just, our daughter has been through so much throughout her life and she's had a previous life of hers ripped away by someone who's out to kill her after he was shamed and banished from her home for a crime he committed involving her," added Nikki remorsefully. Sunny, feeling that what she and Izzy are about to listen would be a truly tragic story, wanted to know so that they can give her a hand in pulling through whatever's ailing her behind their backs. Even if it would not be the faint of heart, she wanted to help in any way they can and she could tell that Izzy wanted to off Sarah her support as well. "Guys, Sarah, whatever it is....... We can help, just tell us, please," she gently begged. But, as the three adults were about to tell them Sarah's story, said princess had finally calmed down and approached them with Blitz, Curly, Silvally, Mai, Zeraora, Zorua, Keldeo, and Totem Luxray, deciding to tell Izzy and Sunny herself. "Princess," Tsukumaro spoke, only for her to shake her head solemnly. "I think it's best if they hear it from me," she told him, getting a reluctant nod. "You really want to know?" she asked her pony friends to which the two of them replied with, "Yes." Sighing and pushing her sorrow aside, she finally began her tragic story, one that would truly open their eyes to her about what she had to go through before coming to Equestria and see their royal friend in a whole new light. Recalling everything she had seen and was told throughout her time with her family and friends, she did her best to stay strong as she recounted each important detail in her story. "Alright, I'll tell you........ Many years ago, my ex-uncle, Lothor (formerly Donald Tomoe), attempted to have me killed when I was two weeks old so that he can have the throne for himself but my parents' Pokemon partners, the Tomoe Squad, saved my life and he was banished from our kingdom as a result. But, he returned with a vengeance with an evil syndicate he managed to create known as Team Eclipse and attempted to destroy us. My real parents and the Last King and Queen, Doug and Delilah Tomoe, were forced to send me to the future with the help of my godfather, Tsukumaro, to look after me. They gave me to my adopted parents, Nikki and James, for my own safety while they went back and sacrificed themselves to seal them away, or so we thought. Nobody knew what happened to them ever since until my family and friends found out that they're somehow still alive. Right now, we're on a journey to find them, guided by my parents' gift and my personal guardian intended to be given to me for my fifth birthday, Magearna. Until we can find out where they are and bring them back to my home, I can't afford to lose anybody I love, my family most of all........" Izzy and Sunny were floored by what they heard as they tried to wrap their heads around how tragic and heartbreaking her story is. Even the mysterious Pegasus couldn't help but feel deeply touched from her hiding spot as a few tears welled in her eyes, now realizing that Sarah was going through a lot on her end and she went through painful things her fellow Pegasi, the Unicorns, and the Earth Ponies can only imagine. "We were sent here to help you restore Equestria to what it once was while making sure to defend this world from an ancient evil that once plagued you all," finished Reshiram, knowing that Sarah is at her limit. "We knew of this world now because the princess' parents supposedly crossed over back then during their previous rule." "And, as it appears, the Pegasi Queen has compromised everything by foolishly pushing the princess to the breaking point and making her trapped between wanting to help save Equestria as intended or leaving it behind and allowing Ponykind to rot away under its own fear and xenophobia of the unknown after they lost their magic," added Calyrex. "It seems that if we're to have any hope of succeeding, we need your help, now more than ever." While the Pokemon joining the princess tried to comfort her as she was being overtaken by the painful memories of what she had to go through again along with the same heart wrenching loss she almost suffered through with losing her family, Sugarcoat, Shortcake, and Siren all approached her solemnly. They were also stunned by what Sarah told them, Izzy, and Sunny and they didn't know what to say. "Sarah, I'm so sorry, I had no idea," began Sugarcoat. "We all are, none of us knew the kind of pain you're going through, at all," Sugarcake agreed remorsefully. "We felt bad about losing Sunny's father, our old trainer, friend, and father figure before but having your life ripped away from you at such a tender age, we can't even begin to describe what it might be for us!” "Me too, I can't imagine what'll happen if we were stripped out of Sunny and her father's lives and if he hadn't found and given us to Sunny," added Siren, extremely sympathetic. "But, if you now fully hate Ponykind for all this, even if you haven't yet seen what the Unicorns can do to strangers, Pokemon, and dragons, why would you decide to stay even after everything Queen Haven did just to save her own ponies?” Sarah didn't know how to answer or what to tell him; she knew that her family came to Equestria in order to find Sunny and help her restore her home and rekindle the friendship and love between ponies, Pokemon, and dragons but after her meltdown and Queen Haven's hate-filled rant about the Pokemon and the dragons, she didn't know what to think anymore. "Man...... Sounds like you had a rough life back then before growing up in the future," replied a voice, making everyone turn to find the mysterious white Pegasus coming towards them and looking sympathetically at Sarah. "But, if you're still willing to help change the world for the better, count me in. I'm sorry for what my mother did to you guys but I hope you understand if you get past her rant about Pokemon and dragons. In the meantime......I have to talk to you." "Princess?" greeted Sunny Starscout in surprise. "Your majesticness," Izzy stammered. "Y-Y-Y-Your Graceful Highness, uh-!" "Zipp, just, calm me Zipp. Zipp Storm," replied the Pegasus princess, Zipp Storm. Sunny smiled, "Oh, okay, Zipp. Now, I'm Sunny, Sunny Starscout, and these are my friends." "Izzy Moonbow!" added Izzy, still smiling before she gestured to Sarah and her family as the princess finally recovered. "You already know Princess Sarah and her family from earlier, don't you?" "Well, now, at least someone in this modern-day death trap knows even a little sliver of kindness towards strangers," Inferno admitted, finding Zipp to be much more mature and kindhearted despite her once-proud exterior from before. "She's got a lot of spunk and she nearly tried to kill us but I'm seeing that she's not all-in on the flashy, pristine royalty gig going on," Dawn (Midday Lycanroc) pointed out. "I wonder why she didn't want to be called out by Izzy when she saw her earlier," pondered Beautifly. "Who cares? At least, we know for sure that she's on our side by the looks of it," Oshawott smiled at Zipp. "We'll see," Hydro snorted. "Yeah, I'm more along those lines," Zipp replied before she looked around to see if they're alone before continuing. "Sunny, Izzy, I really need to ask you, Princess Sarah, and everyone else here something important........About magic." "That's why we're here! Maybe you can tell us how yours works?" Sunny smiled again, speaking on behalf of everyone. "Izzy has no idea how the Unicorns lost their magic. Well, apart from my Galarian Rapidash friends-family, I mean, and Sarah and her family's. So, we thought, maybe-" "Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait! Hold up, lost theirs? As in, no magic?" Zipp asked in surprise, getting headshakes from both Izzy and Sunny along with mostly everyone and Sugarcake, Siren, and Sugarcoat. "Well, that changes the game a lot." She then turned to Nikki, curious about her own magic. "So, your name is......" "Nikki, call me Nikki," replied the human-turned-Pegasus in question. "Alright, Nikki. So, aside from your Pokemon and the dragon's special attacks and such, can you really fly? Do you still have your magic?" "Yes, although, I'm not exactly sure how or why I was able to have it. Even Sarah, James, and Tsukumaro were also able to have Equestrian Magic in addition to Sunny's Rapidash outside of you Pegasi, the Earth Ponies, and the Unicorns. And, my daughter and I were barely able to know how to fly. We......honestly, don't know why that is...... But, we hoped to find out soon before this world is lost forever. But, why aren't you and your fellow Pegasi able to fly just as we can?" "I don't know, I've been thinking that a lot ever since I first met you guys hours ago and saw you two flying. Listen, I might have some information that could help. But, first, you need me to tell me about......" Zipp replied, reaching into her wings and pulling out Sunny's journal. "My journal! Thank you, Zipp!" Sunny exclaimed happily as she reclaimed it. "I thought I'd never see it again." "Wow, are you like a ninja or something?" asked Tepig in surprise. "Yeah. And, to answer your question, my little piggy - sometimes, I feel like one. But, honestly, yes and no, I can be pretty sneaky when I want to be even though I don't practice Ninjutsu." "Nice!" Izzy smiled at her, impressed. "I'm only medium sneaky." "So, where did that come from and who was that sword and shield you have slung on you made for?" "It's was my father's," replied Sunny, regarding her journal. "They're the heirlooms of my birth parents, why?" Sarah added, curious as to why Zipp would be interested in the Sun Sword and the Moon Shield. Zipp hummed before she replied while pointing to the star on the cover of Sunny's journal, "I think I've seen them before along with that star........" But, before Zipp could continue, she was cut off by the sound of a robotic fanfare as they turned their attention to a couple of other Pegasus guards, rolling a red carpet along the floor. The Pegasus with them was Princess Pipp who was taking a selfie with her cell phone for her famous PippSqueaks social media account before her performance. As she walked along the red carpet, she was surprised to find her older sister with the group. "Zipp, what are you doing here?" she asked, shocked to see her hanging around with the Pegasi's so-called "enemies". "Mom said to stay away from them!" "Right. Then, why are you here, anyway?" Zipp retorted, smirking. "Hmph, for the content." She then posed with a duckface for her selfie, prompting Izzy to quickly wrap her hoof around Sunny and bring the surprised Earth Pony mare close for the shot. But, this left the four humans-turned-ponies before them in absolute shock, all of them slack-jawed and dumbstruck that Pipp was able to work a cell phone as a normal human can in their world and even their family was flabbergasted. "W-W-W....... N-No way! Princess Pipp is actually using a cell phone?!” Sarah thought, her eyes twitching. "But, h-th-that's not possible! There's no way she can use it with just her bare hooves!" "Uh, Princess, can I ask you something?" pitched in Sunny. "Aside from Sarah and Nikki, why isn't anypony here flying?" Sunny's honest question threw Pipp for a loop as she gasped, trying to reel herself in as she regained her composure but failing to keep up the act in front of the others as she replied with nervous chuckles, "Well, ahem, everypony here knows that only royals can fly, of course." "WHAT?!" Sunny and Izzy balked in shock while some of Sarah's dragons and Pokemon comically fell with exaggerated and dramatic groans at her rebuttal. "Seriously?" Sarah asked, even more dumbfounded. "That can't be right, why would she put down her own fellow Pegasi from below like that? Why lie to us like that?" Tsukumaro questioned quietly, confused by what she's saying to the group. "The Pegasi we've been seeing can't fly given what we've seen since coming here. Why would she say that only Pegasi royals know how to fly when that same problem could ail her and her own family as well?" "Tsukumaro, it's okay. I can fly, as we found out, and I'm not royalty in one sense but we can't think too much on that now," chirped Nikki gently, shaking her head so as to keep him from questioning anything further, to which he relented with a nod. "That's a lie!” "We dragons were flying just fine along with Sarah and her Flying Types earlier!" snapped an offended Latios and Latias as Pipp ignored them (despite clearly hearing their angry retorts) and continued her bragging with Zipp not sharing her enthusiasm. "I know it's not fair but that's just the way it is. If there was some way we could teach the citizens to fly, you know we would in a wing-beat. Right, Zipp?" "Yeah, in a wing-beat," snorted Zipp sarcastically. Before their conversation could go on, Pipp's phone vibrated as she realized what she was about to miss. "Oh, dress rehearsals. Gotta go, and so should you," Pipp replied, gesturing Zipp to leave before she left with her guards, singing as she did so. Turning her attention back to Sunny and her companions, Zipp decided to speak, feeling that Pipp and their mother really put them down hard with what they said to them. “I’m really sorry about my Mom earlier, guys. Especially you, Sarah, what happened in the past really affected all of Equestria. And, out of all the ponies in the land, as far as I know, she's been taking it pretty hard. Never got over it, really,” she said apologetically, getting an understanding nod from the princess. "So..... What did happen?" Sunny quizzed curiously. "I'll have to show you something. Follow me," Zipp replied, leading the way to a place in the palace that only she knew about as everyone wondered what she had in mind to show them.