Equestria. Canterlot. The Pokemon School. Day.
On the same day that Fantina's Pokemon Contest was about to become bigger than what it usually was, another day at the Pokemon School would go by. But this would be the day a change would happen. A change that will effect the Pokemon School later down the road.
Gathering here were the many ponies who had a lot to learn about Pokemon. And the two ponies who were newer to this than anyone else were currently doing whatever they wanted.
"Daisy! Paradise!" Crying out the names of these two specific ponies was Twilight Sparkle, who was essentially their mother. She even yelled their names in the same way a mother would. Currently, streams of flowers had decorated the walls of the school hallway, adding some beauty to it. A mixture of daisies and Paradise flowers were scattered everywhere while the Princess of Friendship was pursuing them.
"Oh, this looks fun." Some ponies rather enjoyed the decorative look that the Pokemon School gained. They walked by to see the two flowers beautify the hallway. And noticing this change was Cynthia, who hasn't shown up here at the Pokemon School for a while now.
"See?! I can make them faster than you can!" The reason for this array of flowers across the school was simply due to a competition of all things. Daisy exclaimed as she was competing with her sister. Around them were flower objects that they made, representing their respective flower. And they certainly made a lot to fill up most of the hallway. Tables, dresses, utensils and more were scattered around them.
"No, you can't. If you could, you would see this coming." Paradise smiled as she held her hoof out. In a flash, paradise flowers would materialize over Daisy's head. They immediately formed into multiple hats, rapidly bombarding Daisy's head.
"Ow!" Daisy cried out, prompting Paradise to laugh. Daisy retaliated by summoning a cup of flowers, holding her hoof into the air. The power to create objects out of flowers was something they were capable of. Daisy proved it when she first made a dress out of daisies. Paradise would quickly summon something else to drop and outnumber Daisy with as it was a flower brawl in the hallways with seemingly no one else caring. Eventually, Twilight found them by following the trail of flowers they left behind.
"Aha! You two!" Twilight roared their names, causing the sisters to grimace. Daisy slowly turned her head while Paradise already saw her mother figure. Twilight had a rather narrow look in her eyes that made them both gulp. It was only a matter of time until something like this happened.
"H-Hey Mom!" Daisy greeted as a flower hat would drop off her.
"Look at this! What are you two doing?!" Twilight bellowed while teleporting over to them. "Why now?!"
"Well, we were just testing this out." Paradise summoned a blanket of flowers that would cover the other flower objects on the floor. "We can do this neat thing where can make anything with flowers."
"But we had a little contest where we could see who was better at it." Daisy continued.
"You couldn't have done this back home? And why did you choose now of all times to do it? and I thought you already knew you had this ability." Twilight questioned.
"I thought I could only make dresses. But one night, I got pretty thirsty and ended up making a mug." Daisy explained how she came across other objects.
"Same here. It just felt like the right thing to do instinctively." Paradise looked at her hoof. "And I think I'm pretty good at it. I can make anything with this kind of power!"
"I can see that...but you're making a mess of the school." Twilight swept away some of the flowers. "It's not destructive damage but it can get in the way. You're here to learn, not mess around like this. This is over the top." Twilight then showed the number of flowers everywhere. There were so many that they might as well be a natural part of the school that have always been here.
"Sorry about that." Daisy lowered her head. "We got a bit carried away, I guess."
"Yeah. I was just excited to show everyone else this." Paradise grumbled. "I mean, everyone else thinks it's cool. Plus, no one's really studying around here that much. The teachers aren't around right now so..."
"Well, not everyone is needed here at the school." Twilight sighed. "Most of us were taught about Pokemon before the Pokemon School came along. I went out of my way to teach myself, visiting Canalave Library and other libraries across the many regions."
"And that's why you were chosen as a Pokemon Professor." Speaking to Twilight and appearing at the scene was none other than Cynthia. In her hands, she held the many flowers that Daisy and Paradise generated.
"Oh, Cynthia?!" Twilight gasped. "I haven't seen you for a while!"
"Sorry. I've been busy. A new world means new things to see and get adjusted to." Cynthia approached them. "But I've been caught up with the news recently and everything that's happened. Congratulations on being a mother, Twilight." Cynthia giggled, bringing up how Twilight was seen as a mother because of how she brought Daisy and Flora into this world.
"It wasn't this bad when Nyx said it." Twilight sighed.
"I believe only Roxanne is in today. But with how things are, I'm not surprised many of the teachers aren't here for today's lessons. They might not show up for tomorrow's either. After all...you've been teaching yourselves."
"We have?"
"Of course you have. Twilight, you got ahead of everyone else in Equestria, so eager to learn about our world. Before the school was made, you learned so much from your new friends. Honestly, I'm not sure why you show up here when you have such a large resource of knowledge back home."
"Right? We don't need to be here." Paradise raised her hoof. "We can just learn at home and it'll be all the more better!"
"But it is fun to get out there though," said Daisy, preferring the expanded horizons of the world.
"I just love learning in any way that I can. Daisy, Paradise. School's a good way to catch up on a lot of things. Plus, I'd prefer that you were all safe when learning about Pokemon. The things I had to go through to learn about certain Pokemon..." Twilight's pupils shrunk along with her eyes expanding.
Indeed, she and many others went through struggles when it came to new Pokemon. Spiritomb, Eternatus, Malamar and many others come to mind. She did learn a lot about them and what they were capable of but she'd rather not revisit them. And with Daisy and Paradise now in her life, Twilight wanted them to be safe.
"I don't want you all getting hurt and going through what I did." Twilight expressed her worries. "So learning in the safety of the Pokemon School and I suppose back home is better than ending up somewhere and fleeing from whatever Pokemon manages to spot you."
"Aw, but that sounds like it would be the fun option!" Paradise groaned. "I wanna do what Ash does!"
"Being chased by a Pokemon sounds fun actually..." Daisy said with a daydreaming face.
"Unfortunately, it's hard to stay that safe." Cynthia laid out the truth. "Part of the fun is experiencing what these Strange and Wonderful Creatures can do. But that can't stop you from learning here either. Roxanne is a teacher back where she comes from so it's only natural for her to be here. I love to teach myself and so do others."
"I guess so. Rainbow Dash and the others are doing their own things right now while I'm in here." Twilight was the only one of her common friend group in school today. "They'll learn all that they can. But you two have a lot to learn compared to us. And I mean a lot. I'm surprised you don't have the mind of babies due to how new you are."
"I know right?" Daisy nodded in agreement. "Lucky us. What's a baby's mind like, anyway?"
"Well, since you've brought this up, I can tutor you while everyone else is doing their own thing. Olympia's class should be available. This is technically the one time where I can have a lot of free time with you two so let's not waste it."
"You'll be teaching us? Right now? I thought you'd do it back home?"
"Lots of things were on my plate but now I'm free. Just leave it to me, okay?" Twilight promised that she could teach them a lot. With her vast knowledge and adaptive mind, she could share a lot in a matter of seconds and Cynthia would take the time to watch this. "But...Could you clean this mess up first?"
Entering Olympia's classroom, Twilight would be the one to teach Daisy and Paradise. The two of them knew a bit about Pokemon. Mainly their types and some of their moves due to how many battles happened at Saddle Lake. When they were still flowers, they got to see a lot of these battles play out and the vast array of moves that existed. But knowledge on these moves needed to be expanded.
"Okay. Here's one thing you should know and one thing I didn't even know. You already know how Pokemon shrink when a Poke Ball connects with them. But...They actually have the power to do that themselves." Twilight explained, already having artwork on the board to express this.
"Wait, they can do that?" Daisy replied.
"All Pokemon can do that apparently. They rarely do thought unless it's inside the ball. But the Poke Ball also helps with that. I've yet to see a Pokemon do that but it is possible. Now, I think I should let you all get comfortable with Pokemon that'll be safe."
"Safety again, Mom?" Paradise groaned. "Aren't we technically old enough to protect ourselves?"
"No, you're still young when it comes to the world and there are a lot of Pokemon that will take some time getting used to. It's not easy. Paradise, you already have two Pokemon but they were friendly towards you. There are many Pokemon out there that won't be so easy to approach. But you can count on Grass-Types. Most of them will be safe. Since you two were originally flowers, I think Grass-Types are perfect Pokemon for you to have."
"Oh, goodie!" Daisy clapped her hooves, loving that idea. "We can just have any!?"
"It's best that you spend time around those that make you healthy. You still benefit from the Sun, after all and a lot of Grass-Types can help with that. Try the Pokemon House or even PokePark. Just the Cove and Arbor Area though."
"This is cool and all but what about the fun stuff? Like types and moves?" Paradise asked.
"I know, I know. You want to get into that the most. Well, pay attention. Now that we're here, there's a lot to go over and I hope you can keep up."
"I hope we can. I can write it down with this!" Daisy summoned a pen that was made out of daisies while also having a sheet of daisies. "Ta-dah!"
"Daisy...I'm not sure that will work. I mean, it looks like a pen but does it function like a pen?" Twilight questioned, wondering if it had the properties of a pen.
"Uh...I don't really know how pens work." Daisy scrunched her face, pressing the pen on the sheet as nothing came out. Not even a dot or a blot. It had no ink.
"Hah! One step ahead of you!" Paradise laughed as she had an advantage. Her Paradise Flower Pen had something that could be written down as she had what looked to be blue text.
"That's not fair, sis! How'd you do that?!"
"How did you do that?! Is your magic developing faster than hers?!" Twilight gasped.
"Totally! That's why we were competing earlier! I told you I'm faster than you, so keep up! Haha"
"I will! As soon as I figure this out." She grumbled, trying to make text come out of her pen. She was slightly behind her sister as there was a visible gap between them.
"Anyways...here's what you need to know." Twilight would get started. And she wouldn't hold anything back while still making it simple for her daughters.
Cynthia watched Twilight go off, sharing her knowledge. And the way she was doing it so expertly in front of the board and her daughters made her seem like a genuine teacher. Twilight wanted the best for them since she was taking care of the duo.
Even if she wasn't ready to be a mother, she was certainly acting like one to them, focusing on their safety. It's a big world out there. One could say it's a Grander World now. And Daisy and Paradise just so happened to be born not too long after the worlds united.
Cynthia's observation of Twilight made her think for a moment. She took in everything Twilight knew and how she expressed it to others. Paradise and Daisy were heavily focused on their mother's words, not missing a beat on what she had to say.
"Excellent. Honestly, she's much more fit for this than I am. I barely show up for being appointed the principal of this. I'm not even sure why I was chosen." Cynthia smiled while thinking to herself. "Roxanne and the others made up their mind already. They know they can't be here forever and that's why they're entrusting these jobs to someone else."
Indeed, the Gym Leaders already told the others what they would do later on. And the same went for Cynthia, who was rarely here, doing her own thing. She was dedicated to the rest of the world and what she could find.
"Much like them, I wish to step down as principal. Someone else is better fit for this role than me. I'd love to have the Dragons and Changelings learn here but I'm not the one fit for that." Cynthia had it on her mind. She wanted to step down and leave it to someone else's care.
"Remember. If a non-Poison-Type Pokemon poisons you, the poison will be strong, yes. But if a Poison-Type does it, it's vicious and even stronger, so be careful. The same goes for other Pokemon Types. Afflictions are better if they're the same type. A paralysis from an Electric-Type is far better than what a Non-Electric-Type can do."
"Twilight was given that Pokemon Professor role for a reason but even she doesn't seem to be too into it as much. She's busy as the Princess of Friendship." Cynthia continued. "But she balances them so well."
"Don't overuse defensive moves. Protect is good but in succession, it'll decrease in quality. The same goes for moves similar to it. Defence is good but know how to use it. I'd suggest having your Pokemon use their natural traits. Umbreon has a secret poison within it so if in a pinch, let's say constricted, it can seep poison into its opponents. You can also use the flower on a Venasaur but be careful how you approach it or it'll backfire on you."
"Oh, is there a lesson happening here?" A few younger students would hear Twilight's voice, peeking into this classroom. Most were just doing whatever they wanted without many teachers around but Twilight was currently acting like one at the moment. It was mainly children who showed up who were also craving for Pokemon knowledge.
"Uh, I'm just catching these two up on things," Twilight explained. "That's all. Do you all have classes to be at right now?"
"Our teachers aren't here today. We've got nothing." The young ponies entered. "We were gonna continue learning about the Johto Region today."
"Oh, that's easy. I have a lot of books about Johto!" Twilight laughed. "You can gain a lot from what I have to say. Have a seat." Twilight would fill that role, choosing to tutor these children. "Daisy. Paradise. You don't mind, do you?"
"No way. Tell us about Johto too. But uh...Go on about that defensive stuff first." Paradise requested as the children would take their seats in Olympia's class.
"Alright. If Pinkie Pie were here, I'd have her give demonstrations on certain Pokemon but it's fine. I should also probably tell you about Infinity Energy and how that helps." Twilight was now teaching a full class. She would make things simpler for the children while still taking the time to give a wealth of information.
This went on for minutes and minutes with all the children glued to Twilight's words and the art she displayed. The Princess of Friendship even got interactive with them. She brought out her own Pokemon for demonstrations as the ponies in front of her were in need of all the knowledge they can get.
She didn't recognize most of them from either Ponyville or Canterlot, meaning these ones came from other towns and cities. All the more reason to teach them. Twilight had one benefit that the other teachers of the school didn't quite have. Sure, they had experience in a lot of things but thanks to the adventures that Twilight has been on, she had a wider experience when it comes to the world. Cynthia would finally interact with her, wanting to say what she needed to say.
"Twilight." Cynthia stood up, approaching the Princess of Friendship. "The reason I came back here was because I wanted to make sure things were right for the new students that will one day show up here. So far, only ponies are learning at this school but other species want to learn more about Pokemon. Such as Dragons and Changelings."
"Yes?" Twilight looked up at her. "Did you see the dragons, Cynthia?"
"I met with some of them along the way and they were thirsting for knowledge. I recommended that they come to the Pokemon School but they aren't that eager since most aren't used to ponies at all."
"That checks out." Twilight shrugged as that wasn't a surprise. "Not every dragon wants to be around us. But I'm sure Ember can sort that out. And as for the Changelings, they're still suffering a huge hit after what happened with Chrysalis. But I guess they might show up here too."
"And unfortunately, I won't be there to get them started. Neither will the rest of the teachers. They already told you what they would do later down the road, leaving the school in the care of someone else. Someone capable."
"I heard. They said they were hoping that it was someone from Equestria that could handle it. It's easier for anyone here to get to the Pokemon School compared to crossing an entire region. I mean...then everyone would have to rely on using the Pallet Town Gateways and that can be very overcrowded fast. But...are you saying that you're also stepping down, Cynthia?"
"I'm not fit to be a principal, Twilight. They actually wanted Leon before me but even he knows he's not cut out for this. None of us are. We've all followed our own path long ago when it came to Pokemon and running a school just isn't it. We were mostly chosen for our status and we do indeed have a lot to share. Just not in the way a teacher can. Except for Roxanne."
"I guess so. You're all so busy with what you've achieved. Then...what's gonna become of the school at this rate? Everyone else in Equestria weren't exactly with Pokemon since the beginning like humans. Teaching will be different than what it used to be."
"Not exactly. I already see someone who has the knowledge to cover decades of information." Cynthia smiled, referring to Twilight.
"Oh...Oh!" It didn't take Twilight long to realize Twilight was talking about her. "M-Me?!"
"You're the smartest pony, I know, Twilight. Perhaps Celestia is tied with you. Your thirst for knowledge is why BigTime Ben entrusted you with a lab and the PokePark. The path you chose when it comes to learning about Pokemon is a long one, especially at your age."
"I know. But it's never too late, you know. Pokemon is one of the best things to ever happen to me." Twilight faced Espeon, petting her on the head as she purred. "And it feels like every day or week, there's something new about them that pops up. I mean...I just found out that Subspace Pokemon exist."
"Subspace Pokemon, eh? Well, that only proves my point." Cynthia giggled. "I hope you understand what I'm saying with this. But I believe you're the best pony to teach them. If anyone can teach Equestria, it's you. I can see it in you, Twilight. You could be the Pokemon School's next teacher."
"Huh..." Twilight pondered for a moment before looking back at Daisy, Paradise and all the other students here. "Are you sure? I mean, I'm not complaining. I love to spread knowledge and gather more but..."
"Apologies if I threw this onto you, suddenly. Honestly, I can't think of anyone else who'll have this opportunity to help make the Pokemon School thrive. It has a lot of potential and I wish I met others who can take the helm here."
"I can do that!" Twilight exclaimed. "I'd love to spread the knowledge of Pokemon to everypony. No, every species. And I know it can't just be me. I have some friends who keep looking into Pokemon too."
"Oh, really?"
"I have no qualms with being a teacher. I'm already a Pokemon Professor, but that means I'll have to balance three roles." She realized that she would be a Princess, Professor and Teacher at the same time.
"You don't have to take it. Think about it, Twilight. Whether it's you or someone else that does it, I want this school's full potential to be realized. There's something rather thrilling about spreading this kind of knowledge and you have plenty of it." Cynthia put her hand on Twilight's back, wanting her to take it easy and not rush.
"O-Okay. Thanks, Cynthia. So...are you going to stay behind?"
"Not today. I have places to be. But good luck. Miss Twilight Sparkle." Much like how Celestia saw a lot in Twilight, so did Cynthia. Twilight's potential was as big as the Pokemon School. Both had room to grow and they were promising.
"Right! Okay, everypony! Let's keep at it!"
"Yes ma'am!" They collectively shouted, enjoying Twilight's lessons.
Cynthia would depart, seeing that the future of this school could be alive and well. With ponies like Twilight, that can be reassured. Even with the current world events and the threat of many dangerous forces, there was still time to learn about the world. And in a way, this can help against these forces. Twilight was rather looking forward to becoming a teacher. But Cynthia saw something more than that which Twilight had yet to discover.
As the journey continues.
Chapter 115 End.