Pokémon Journey - A Trainer & His Adventure in Equestria

by NinjaMare


Chapter 18: News From the North - Pt.1

At Carousel Boutique Matt was standing on a podium, still as a board, arms stretched out, and was wearing only a pair of shorts while Rarity was trotting around him and taking measures and writing them down. the reason that the young man was in this position was because the white mare had what she called a, burst of inspiration, when she was thinking of making new clothes for Matt. And after rushing down to the library and fetching the young man, Rarity went right to work in measuring Matt while also drafting up some sketches for clothes. The trainer was more than happy to help as he was pretty much wearing the same clothes almost daily, and having to wash them multiple times every other day, and using a spare set that he got from the Celestia who had tailor make him more. So getting more clothes at this point was an Arcues sent gift.

“Okay Matt you can stop posing now dear I’ve got all your measurements and dimensions jotted down, and give me about…an hour or two and I’ll have a couple of new clothes ready for you.” Rarity said as Matt stepped down from the podium and got re-dressed.

“Thanks Rarity. I really do appreciate this.” Matt says graciously to the mare who simply waved him off.

“Think nothing of it darling I’m happy to make you new clothes. I’ve been meaning to do this for a while ever since I first met you, as I thought it would be quite the challenge to make clothes for a biped.”

“Actually Rarity can you answer this question for me? Why do you ponies wear clothes, seems a bit redundant to me.” Matt questioned as he finished belting his pants and started putting his shirt on.

“Well normally its usually only the ponies in more well-off families, or those with PLENTY of bits to spare to spend on such things. But even if ponies don’t need to wear clothes, it’s nice to dress up every now and then. It’s like changing your coat of fur without actually doing so.” Rarity responded as she tries to explain the situation to the young man, who seemed to understand the majority of it.

“Though I’m more curious as to why you humans wear so much clothes.” The mare said as Matt finished putting his shirt on.

“If you don’t mind me saying darling you are quite fetching when you show your body, so why do you hide it away with all your clothing?” Matt blushed a little as Rarity paid him a complement as she looked up to him with a questioning look.

“Well its mostly for modesty sake more than anything. Since most of our private regions are easily visible when we’re not clothed and standing up, and it’s also a social thing where its seen as incident or perverted to flaunt ones naked body.” Matt explained as he finished putting his clothes on.

“The only time that humans wear very little clothing is when we go swimming, or other physically demanding activities or exceptions that require us to be less clothed. Among other more, intimate things.” A small blush then graced Rarity’s muzzle as she turned to look down at her notes.

“I see! Well I’m sorry for making you strip down so much, gosh now I feel embarrassed.”

“It’s fine Rarity. This is one of those few exceptions.” Matt said to the mare to help her feel less embarrassed, though it seems that the mare is still a little red in the face.

“Any way, I thank you for sparing me your time and agreeing to my sudden request, I’ll bring the clothes to the library when I finish them.” the mare says as she starts to trot to the stairs.

“No problem Rarity, and thanks again for the offer.”

The mare again gave off a small wave as she ascended the stairs while looking at her notes and sketches in the little book she had. Once the mare was gone Matt made his way out of the boutique and started to walk down the street though he wasn’t going straight back to the library, instead the trainer decided to wonder around and see the town. As the trainer was walking around many of the towns ponies stopped and greeted him, asking mostly small questions like how was he doing and how he liked being in town. But as he was wandering around the town and sightseeing, and enjoying the rather peaceful day, Matt started to feel this odd sense tickling the back of his mind. It was like there was something in his brain telling him to be on guard, but he couldn’t understand why as nothing seemed out of sort wherever he looked.

“Hmm. It’s probably just nothing.”

Matt muttered to himself as he continued to walk about the town, that is until he came to the part of the town that led to the park and heard a lot of commotion going on. Curious as to what was going on the trainer made his way to the park to see what was up, though upon arrival a smile quickly came over him as he saw Camerupt, Ninetales, Probopass, and Kingdra playing with a bunch of foals and Spike.

“Guess Spike decided to take most of the group out for a nice walk and play date.” Matt said as he approached the group and was immediately being charged at by Camerupt who was ‘bahing’ happily.

“Hey there bud. You guys seem to be having fun.” Matt said as he met Camerupt’s charge and started to pet the large bovine.

“Hey Matt!” the voice of Spike called out as the young man turned to look back at the group and saw the little dragonling waddling his way over to the group.

“Hey there Spike. Decided to take the group out for a play date with the other kids?”

“Yeah. Though Lycanroc and the others didn’t seem keen on coming.” Spike informed the trainer who gave a knowing nod.

“Not surprising. But it’s good to see that the others are having.”

The young man then gave Camerupt one more ruffling on the head before ushering him to go back to playing, which the bovine did with glee as he chased after a few foals as they laughed away. It was nice to see his Pokémon have fun with new friends, and be able to get out and enjoy not being cooped up in their Pokéballs, or stuck with him.

“So I take it things at Rarity’s are over?”

“E’yup. She even said that whatever clothes she has planned for me should be done in the next couple of hours, so I’m just scoping out the town.”

“Okay. And don’t worry I’ll be sure to bring everyone back before lunch.”

Matt gave a thankful nod before giving the little dragon a pat on the head, causing him to chuckle before he waddled off to rejoin the fun while Matt went back to his little venture in exploring the town.

~~Canterlot~~

Within the confines of Canterlot Castle princess Celestia was sitting at her desk in her private office, studying the book that she got from Twilight while also trying to find a way to help Matt find his way home. however the spell was indeed challenging and complex, which surprised the mare to know that her student was able to cast the spell, if by accident. Still the alicorn felt proud that her protégé was growing up to be a truly spectacular spell caster. Letting out a sigh the aged mare scooted away from her desk and trotted out of her room, and started to make her way down to the library to look for another book to help her in her endeavors, though as she trotted along her thoughts then shifted to wonder what Matt’s world was really like. aside from the stories he told her and the others, the princess was immensely curious, and was even wondering if she could find a way to free travel between her world and his.

“Although considering that Matt told me that any of us can pass for a Pokémon, we might be sought after by other trainers, or those dreaded Pokémon hunters.” As the princess was muttering to herself she spotted Cadence trotting towards her, looking a little startled.

“Cadence? What’s wrong dear you look upset.” The solar princess asked the pink alicorn as they met up.

“Aunty I’ve just received word from one of our guards posted up north, something strange has appeared there, and a vicious blizzard is now ravaging the domain.” As Cadence relayed the message to Celestia the older mare seemed to have an idea what was happening.

“Was there anything else in the report the guards told you?” Celestia asked the smaller princess who gave a small nod before responding.

“The guards did mention that there was something else, but they were unsure what it was exactly.”

Thinking for a moment Celestia turned on her hooves and trotted quickly back to her office with Cadence following in tow. Upon reaching the room Celestia levitated what looked like a crystal ball from her desk, which floated in front of the mare as she channeled magic into, and cast a spell. A moment later both alicorns watched as the orb shimmered with a bright light for a brief moment, before transcending into a very dim glow while the orb displayed the image of a swirling blizzard. While the pair looked upon the orb they watched as the blizzard image darken in brief flashes, while little blips of what looked be like a castle appeared before vanishing behind the blizzard and shifting shadows. Then the image of the orb shifted to a bear of glaring and piercing green eyes, boarded, and rimmed with purple and yellow-ish smoke.

“What was that?!” Cadence asked worriedly as she looked up to Celestia who looked equally worried, yet also apprehensive.

“So it’s returned.” Was all the white mare said before she turned to look at Cadence.

“What’s returned auntie?” Cadence asked the taller alicorn who levitated the crystal ball back to where it came from initially.

“An old city from the past, along with some pony I thought I would never see again.” Celestia says to the pink mare as she starts to pace around the room.

“And if he has returned then my sister and I must make preparations.”

“Auntie what is going on? Tell me, maybe I can help.” Cadence pleaded as she started to feel worried as her aunt was looking incredibly worried.

“Forgive me Cadence I didn’t mean to worry you. what we just saw in the crystal ball was an old city from a bygone era of Equestria’s history, the Crystal Empire.”

“I’ve never heard of this empire before what is it?”

“The Crystal Empire is an old city state from an early time of mine and Luna’s rule, just as we became the rulers of the nation. Though it was never officially part of Equestria’s sovereignty, it was an allied state that aided in Equestria’s old kingdom in various ventures…however it all came to a head when it was overthrown, taken over by a stallion named, Sombra.”

“Sombra?”

“A stallion that is briming with dark magic, magic he uses to enslave others to his will to rule them.” Cadence gasped at the news while Celestia nodded her head in agreement.

“Indeed, truly a horrid fate. To have your will sapped from you, and controlled like a puppet. Made to serve every hour by the hour, and work to harvest crystals in the dark mines until you drop of exhaustion…or worst.” The younger alicorn shivered in fright and terror as she listened to the older mares recounts about the usurper of the old empire nation.

“What happened to empire?”

As Cadence asked the question, Celestia retold her and Luna’s ordeal in holding off the enslaved forces of the empire, while trying to stop Sombra in his quest to subjugate all of Equestria under his rule, and power. In the end Celestia and her sister were forced to stop Sombra by casting a powerful banishing spell that was supposed to seal him away, but before he was sealed away the dark king cast his own spell to make the empire, and its citizens, share his fate. After the final conflict nothing was left standing where the empire stood, only snow and ice of the land where the empire once stood, and where the ponies lived.

“…in the end we couldn’t stop him…nor could we save any pony.” Celestia said in a greatly somber tone as she hung her head in shame and regret, while tears started form in her eyes.

“You and Aunt Luna did everything in your powers to not only stop this stallion, but also try in help the ponies that were being tyrannized.” Cadence says calmly as she tries to console her aunt, both nuzzled into each other.

“Thank you for your kind words Cadence. It is much appreciated.” The smaller mare smiled at the taller one before speaking aloud.

“So. What shall we do? If the empire has returned, along with, him, how will we go about this?”

“For that we should first wake Luna up from her sleep, and consult her on the matter.” The two princess then left Celestia’s office and trotted their way to the west wing of the castle, where Luna’s chambers lie.

~~Ponyville~~

As Matt strolled his way around the town, interacting with ponies and overall enjoying the sights, giving the trainer a sense that he was part of some whimsical story book tale. All in all, his time in this world is certainly a strange delight. Though as he was walking about the town the young man turned his sights onto Canterlot Mountain, where his thoughts wondered about how the research of his way home was going, but as his thought of the research that Celestia was probably in the midst of among her official work, Matt’s thoughts turned that of magic. Back in his world while there are indeed fantastical elements and attributes, but nothing that could be considered magic or other such wonders. At least as far as he knows. Growing more curious about the idea of magic the trainer turned on heels, and made his way back to the library where he sought to question Twilight about magic and the like.

“I wonder if I can learn magic?” Matt thought to himself as he glanced down at one of his hands.

“Probably not, but wouldn’t hurt to ask. But if I can well that would be quite the surprise.” The trainer said with a chuckle as he made his way through the streets and passing by ponies that he has greeted. Soon enough the young man made it to tree library, however when he entered the tree he didn’t Twilight anywhere on the first floor.

“Maybe she’s in the private quarters.” Hustling to the steps Matt climbed his way up to the living quarters but much like floor below, the mare was nowhere to be seen.

“Looks like she left. Oh well, I’ll just have to ask her later.” Matt said to himself as he stretches out his back and arms as he makes his way down the steps.

But as he reached the bottom of the steps the trainer stopped, as he saw something quickly bolt to an adjacent room. Unsure what it was that he saw Matt make his way to the room where he saw the shade move to, but upon peeking through the rooms entryway he didn’t see anyone in the room, but none the less he searched for whatever could’ve caused the shadow. Yet as he looked around he still saw nothing.

“Must’ve been seeing things.” The trainer thought to himself as he left the room and thought about what to do next. Just as Matt entered back into the main room of the library the door to the library opened, and that’s when Twilight came in carrying a stuffed saddlebag, and a few extra bags of items in her magic.

“Oh hi there Matt.” Twilight said as closed the door. “I wasn’t suspecting you to be back so soon.”

“Yeah I came back because I got really curious about something.”

“Really? What would that be?” Twilight asked as she trotted to the kitchen area of the library, with Matt following behind the mare. Even taking some of the bags she was carrying.

“I just realized that magic was common in this world of yours, and that’s when I got really curious about it and wondered if you could teach me about it. and maybe, well, wonder if its possible for me to learn magic.” the trainer nearly tripped over Twilight when she stopped in her tracks.

“Teach you about magic, and see if you can use magic?” Twilight says with surprise in her voice.

“I actually never thought about it, but it sounds like it could be fun! And I’m more than happy to teach—” Just as Twilight was really about to get into the idea of teaching Matt about magic, the pair was distracted when a window suddenly popped open as a wisp of smoke came bellowing into the room.

“What’s that?” Matt asked as the smoke drifted over to Twilight, where it then transformed into a small scroll.

“It’s a letter from Celestia.” A gasp then left the mare’s mouth as she placed the bags onto the ground, and unrolled the scroll.

“It might be a progress report on the research of the spell Celestia & Luna are studying from the book.” The mare then started to read the letter but as she did, Matt noticed that her expression shifted to look more concerned.

“Is something wrong Twilight?” the trainer asked as he knelt down as the mare looked at him.

“Princess Celestia wants to see us about something important.” Twilight then rolled up the letter before speaking.

“Can you help me round up my friends and Spike, this might be a real serious matter.”

“Sure thing! I know where Spike is, and I can get Pinkie Pie and Rarity, you’ll just have to get the others.” After nodding her head the pair made their way to the kitchen to quickly put the bags of supplies away, before leaving the library and ran off to gather up the rest of the group.