//------------------------------// // Estranged Aura // Story: My Little Pokémon: Grander World // by Amarvax //------------------------------// Kalos. Anistar City. The Pokemon Festival. Day. Here at Anistar City, this space of Infinity Energy and Equestrian Magic was still around, mainly as a means to utilize the Harmony Phenomenon. So far, the only one to come up with something new was Scootaloo and her Pachirisu. A new Electric-Type move that grants slow motion to the opponent, making them slower than ever. Lucas had fully recovered to see the space of Harmony formed by Celestia's work. "Aw, I've got nothing! Why?!" And yet, there was no result. The Harmony Phenomenon didn't respond to what they were thinking at all. It seems as if Scootaloo and Pachirisu struck lightning in a bottle and no one else was able to capture it. "I thought I had something there...Shucks." A disappointed Applejack commented, lowering her head. Her Golett was equally disappointed. "Are we sure we know how this thing works?" Showing a disgruntled face was Rarity, who was already brimming with so many ideas. But the Harmony Phenomenon did not respond to those ideas at all, leaving the fashionista gutted. "Hm..We'll have to postpone the Moves part since we aren't getting that far with them." Celestia put a pin in this, halting the progress. "Perhaps, we might be getting a bit too greedy with what we want. The Harmony Phenomenon is exactly that. A Phenomenon. So it's never going to be that easy. Although...Scootaloo and Pachirisu were very lucky with theirs." "Why?! I was thinking of a pendulum!!" Sweetie Belle groaned, pulling on her mane. "It was going to be so much fun! Prinplup would make an energy pendulum out of thin air and a bunch of attacks could be on it! It would swing all over the place and...you had to see it..." "Prinplup..." "How'd it go?" Entering this Harmony Space was Ash and now-recovered Lucas. "Did ya figure something out?" "No..." Luna sighed before stomping her hoof on the ground. She was truly looking forward to unlocking something new. "What a waste!" "Frillish..." So was Frillish, who simply wept. He had only one thing in mind and it wasn't going to come to fruition anytime soon. At this rate, everyone else was going to have to resort to just having it all come to them naturally. Perhaps, in certain scenarios. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie both giggled since they both had access to the Harmony Phenomenon. For them, it was their eyes. Fairy Magic was greatly brimming within them, allowing them to see things others can't. They had that benefit to their side and Fluttershy even gained enhanced hearing in the process. It wasn't on the same level as Audino though. Walking over to the table of food to join the others was Lucas, who wasn't too late to snack on something. Even with all these gluttons here, there was still food to be had. "Wait. What's the Harmony Phenomenon?" Lucas was just now hearing about this phenomenon after getting back up. "Sol...? Absol!" At that moment, Absol's horn started shaking. He promptly ceased his delicious morning meal for something far more important. "What's wrong, Absol? Did something happen? Or is it about to happen?" Twilight leaned over. Absol had her attention. The Disaster Pokemon was sensing a small-scale disaster brewing that wouldn't really affect everyone here. But it was still a disaster that would eventually evolve into something dangerous. Absol was looking to the north of Kalos, sensing the incoming disaster from that direction. He still wasn't sure what it t was but he knew it could become something rather dangerous. And it involved the life of another. Of course, this grabbed Ash's attention as well as the rest of his friends nearby. Whenever Absol's horn starts shaking, they would all focus on him. "What's up? What's happening over there, Absol?" "I don't think he's sure just yet. But judging by how his horn is shaking, it's something that hasn't happened yet or it's something small." Twilight could also observe Absol's horn speed. The fact that it was rather gentle and slow showed the scale of this upcoming disaster, but it still had to be taken seriously. Tropezete Town. The coastal town of Tropezete. This was home to the Frontier Brain Nadya and of course, the secret gateway hidden behind a fridge of all things. But it was only a secret among a very few. But in the case of Tropeze Town's visitors, it might as well be dozens. Setting foot here was Daybreaker's group. They were here for the gateway located at Nadya's home and the one to inform them was none other than Pokemon Hunter J. With a map already given to them, the eyes of Daybreaker, Second Wind and Gardevoir locked onto the small house sitting peacefully with the relaxing waves being heard. The town was rather silent at this time. Everyone seemed to be inside even during the Pokemon Festival. There was a lack of decorations around or any Pokemon enjoying themselves. Perfect for Daybreaker's group. She wouldn't have to worry about the public. Then again, she had an answer for that. Gardevoir was already hungering for some Auras and apparently, past this secret gateway was an Aura Feeding Ground for her. According to Daybreaker. She could already sense the Auras of the people and Pokemon inside of these buildings, knowing that they were indeed around and seemingly hiding. But they weren't hiding from Daybreaker's group. However, despite how surprising their appearance was, it wasn't to one person, in particular. Opening the door to meet with Daybreaker's group was none other than Nadya herself. "Oh, you're here," Nadya said, keeping up that bright smile of hers even in the face of such intimidating forces. Especially with Daybreaker's blazing mane. It was very much different from a Rapidash but that didn't matter to Nadya. Not one bit. "Hm. So you're the one called Nadya that J mentioned." Celestia was also aware of Nadya's existence. It was her home that possessed the gateway after all. "That's me. You must be Daybreaker. I heard a bit about you. You really do look like Princess Celestia..." Nadya replied when getting a closer look at Daybreaker. "I am Celestia...Well, not anymore. My name is just different, that's all." Daybreaker shrugged. "Hmph. I suppose you're already aware of my existence then, child?" "Mmm...Nope. No clue who you are." Alas, Nadya had no idea who Second Wind was, which was rather humorous considering Second Wind launched quite possibly the greatest attack on Equestria by using the Unown and yet she wasn't talked about all that much compared to Daybreaker or Ghetsis. Empress Twilight still has ponies and even people bringing up her name to this day and Rosa Maledicta was in the same conversation. "Kh!" Second Wind twitched, alerting the guards behind her. The disrespect to their Queen was shocking and Second Wind twitched. But swiftly, Daybreaker got in front of Second Wind before any action could be done. "I just need to know something. How is it that your fridge of all places received a gateway?" Daybreaker asked, curious about the gateway and if there was any way to replicate this specific one since it was so hidden. Nadya hadn't revealed it to others all that much. "Well, it just happened out of nowhere. I think it was after all those Jirachi put everything together. Maybe 6 days after the Wish." Nadya recalled to the best of her abilities. "So, it was probably the result of Jirachi's power..." Daybreaker slowly nodded. "Forget about how it happened. Take us through. There's some Aura waiting for me." Gardevoir stepped forward, caring little about everything else. "Patience. We're here to see J. She's past that gateway and living in another world. She uses that and this town as her base of operations, correct? Is that why everyone is so quiet?" "Mhm. The Pokemon Hunters took control of this town and the world past the gateway. It's been pretty boring here." Nadya sighed. "It used to be so lively. Not many know that it's under her control which sucks." "Alright then. Off we go." That's all Daybreaker had to hear. She was essentially in the right territory since it was under J's control. Her forces would enter Nadya's home. Nadya stepped back as droves of soldiers were flowing through in a single file line. Nadya's home was still very much silent and it didn't help that her parents were still gone. But she wasn't the only one residing here. Hidden from the others and staying hidden under the couch was none other than another Frontier Brain. Luca. After hearing the news from Nadya involving her parents and her current situation, he was willing to help. Naturally, against Pokemon Hunters, he already had a tall task but he never expected to see Daybreaker of all ponies here. Staying silent, Luca would observe from underneath, biding his time. His knees were rather sore as he was in a rather uncomfortable position. But for the sake of Nadya's well-being, he had to do this. "They finally showed up. I didn't think that Daybreaker would be here for real." Luca thought to himself. "I finally show up here and they appear on the same day too? If only I could get past that world but..." Support for Nadya has been lasting a while after she informed Luca. He made sure to tell the authorities, especially about Nadya's missing parents. However, something was holding them back from getting things done. And it was all thanks to the gateway. Speaking of which, after approaching the location of the fridge, it was already wide open. In there, the slim-shaped gateway that was made to fit the shape of the gateway was right there. Passing through it would be quite the task for certain people. For the ponies, it wouldn't be an issue. They were small enough to pass through. The same couldn't be said for Gardevoir. She'd had to really squeeze herself in there. Entering the fridge was also cold for obvious reasons, but not for Daybreaker, who was always warm. Gardevoir shivered while Second Wind had the Unown grant her warmth Another World As for what this world was, it was a rather dreary place to look at. The base of operations was nestled within the ruins of a once-grand city, its walls crumbling and overgrown with ivy. As for what building made up for the base of operations, Hunter J and her group had chosen a Tower. This tower was still standing, having a bit of damage around it. But it's clear it had been redone here and there by Hunter J's group. The entrance is marked by a toppled statue, its shattered marble hand pointing ominously towards the sky. Inside, an eerie silence hangs in the air, broken only by the distant sound of wind whistling through broken windows. "What an awful sight." Second Wind scoffed at the sight of this area which repulsed her. "Who would make this place their base of operations?" "I'm not sure they chose it for its appearance. Perhaps it's the solitude," said Daybreaker. "But it's clear that this isn't a place that exists in this universe. This is another universe. "She's right...The Aura here is different..." Gardevoir could already tell that the Aura was vastly different from what she knew. She wasn't sure, but despite how dead this place appeared, there was still a strong semblance of Aura. "That's because this world follows different rules than ours." Exiting the tower was Hunter J, who finally met up with Daybreaker and the others. "It's not mine. And it certainly isn't yours." "J. How long have you known about this gateway and the world behind it? I doubt you would have just happened to know that there was a random gateway behind a fridge of all places." Daybreaker knew that finding a place such as this behind a fridge was impossible without the proper knowledge. "It happened by luck. One day, while me and my group were hunting down an Alpha Pokemon, our positions were suddenly changed. My guess was that it was because of Jirachi without a doubt. It all happened in a flash. Everything around us got bigger and we lost the Alpha Pokemon. But we got something equally as good in return. The Desire of Twilight Sparkle still has Rift Magic and she's still within me." J explained. "I was able to figure out that a gateway was nearby." "Then what is this world anyway?" Second Wind questioned. "Turns out, this world is older than we think," J answered, already gathering information about this world. Or specifically, this city. This city resembles Jubilife City a bit, but it's clearly not the same place. Based on what I've learned about my own world and connecting it back to this one...This belongs to the one they call Prisma." "Prisma?" Daybreaker was hearing that name for the first time. It has never come up until now. Second Wind and Gardevoir both learned about this name as well. This place was yet another area of the Lost Universe, hence the eerie destruction. "Nevermind that right now. We've reunited at last. Ever since all those Jirachi put everything together, my group and I have had to go at it solo." J looked back at her group. "This place is perfect for us for a few reasons. It's not just an extra hideout for us." J would show them these bonuses. All it took was opening the crooked door nearby. A new Pokemon Black Market was found here. J and her group started another one, using their on resources and the resources found here at this lost universe. The new Pokemon Black Market was tucked away in this tower, already filled with criminals. Away from the authorities, this Pokemon Black Market was thriving in a city that was essentially dead, but with them here, they could make it their new home. They were even starting the process of rebuilding some of these ruins in their own image, just to make business easier. As for these Pokemon that Gardevoir could feel on, they were very much present here as well. "With this new Pokemon Black Market, we can really get things going," said J. "I see..." Daybreaker paused for a moment, observing the area around her. She didn't care much for what was going on here. That is until she saw two people who strongly resembled Nadya. Both of them were tied up, sitting on a chair together with downed faces. They've been here for a while and haven't seen their daughter in so long. "What about those two? "Oh them? Just the parents of that girl on the other side. As long as we have this girl's parents with us, we're practically invincible. Plus, the authorities can't safely enter this world. It's almost as if it was made for us." J continued. "Now onto business..." "Right, right! " Second Wind stepped forward. "I've been waiting for this. With the Black Crusade debacle finally over, my own plans can continue. I've been missing out on a few things, honestly. The Unown are powerful and useful, but they can be so much more. What say we tap into the thing known as the Harmony Phenomenon?" The Harmony Phenomenon was soon brought up this dastardly alliance. It was only natural that Second Wind would be aware of it and she very much wished to utilize it. She first gathered the power of the Unown, but with the way things were, she needed more than just their power. And the Harmony Phenomenon was the perfect response to that. Gardevoir approached the Pokemon that were brimming with Aura. Specifically, a group of Riolus that could be seen. J and her group managed to gain a hold of Riolus. "Hmmm..." Gardevoir faced them all. That strange Aura was felt yet again but it was even stronger when coming from the Riolu. It was clear that their Aura had a strong connection with this world. Almost as if it was their home. "Your Auras are so unique. But that doesn't matter. I need to live forever so I'll be taking it from you. Nothing personal. But I refuse to perish and be a victim to a limited lifespan." "Rio..." A few of the Riolu shuddered while a single Riolu grizzled its teeth at the Embrace Pokemon. Speaking of approaching captives, Daybreaker would do the same to Nadya's parents. The two of them gasped once they saw the Celestia of another universe approaching them. They were very much aware of Daybreaker as well. "So...You've been here for months, have you?" Daybreaker spoke to them. "P-Please don't harm us. We haven't done anything. Not like we can do much." The mother of Nadya stuttered, absolutely terrified as she could feel the heat of Daybreaker's mane. "Your daughter. She survived on her own for this long?" "She's older than she looks but still young. For Nadya's sake, we have to endure." The father answered. "Endure against people like you. We know for a fact that Nadya's already planning to free us and she'll soon put a stop to all of this." "Hm." Celestia stood there for a moment. It happened once again. Much like what happened with Premium Polish, the Solar Queen seemed to really step in when family was involved. The heat of her mane wasn't just warming them up since they were so cold, but it was also burning away the restraints around them slowly. Without them even knowing, the rope was beginning to falter. Daybreaker made sure to generate minimal heat to make sure it wasn't seen as her who affected it. "Well, let's see if your daughter can truly stop us." Daybreaker smiled. "We already plan to use the gateway here to make new gateways. We truly struck gold here." Daybreaker still had plans. And one of them involved making new gateways. The Solar Princess walked away from Nadya's parents who were unaware of the faltering rope. Daybreaker got back to business, approaching Second Wind and Hunter J. As for Gardevoir, she gladly grabbed onto the Riolu, absorbing their Auras while they were in their cages. The RIolu gasped as they were having their Auras sapped from their bodies. The Riolu grimaced and flinched, feeling their main strength leave them. But Gardevoir also felt weird. There was a reason why this Aura felt so different from the rest. The Aura Vampire pulled back after absorbing some of their Aura. She suddenly stopped instead of going all the way. However, the Riolu were still weakened. "Oooh..." Gardevoir gasped, looking at her arms. While the nature of the Aura threw her for a loop, she could tell that it was valuable. Very valuable. Just a minor sap and she could feel a drastic change. Gardevoir did more than just gain some extra Aura in this body. "This Aura..." With a devious grin, she was feeling experimental, ready to absorb from the Riolu once more. But at that moment, while she had that thought, her eyes flashed white, halting her movements. Gardevoir was frozen on the spot, absolutely bewildered and caught off guard. Daybreaker noticed this instantly, seeing Gardevoir fluctuate a fierce flow of Aura from her body. "What the...?" J and the others soon noticed it. Gardevoir wasn't just feeling the effects of this strange Aura. There was something else affecting her. Unable to control her body, Gardevoir started moving in a crooked manner, as if she were a doll. "All that Aura...What is it, Gardevoir?!" "I can't control my own body!" Gardevoir growled. She was not in control of herself. It was almost as if someone else was. There was even another voice present that spoke to Gardevoir in her head. "Go and return the Aura at once." This voice spoke to her, wanting Gardevoir to release the Aura she just gained. Which was obviously not in her book since she wanted the Aura for herself. However, this voice inside of her head said otherwise. Gardevoir held onto her head, trying to maintain control. But once more, she was struggling to gain power as she was heading straight for the gateway. Daybreaker quickly saw that something was amiss and took action. She immediately ordered her troops to pursue Gardevoir. As for the voice inside of her head, it sounded rather familiar. It sounded like Twilight. When the troops approached Gardevoir, the voice inside of Gardevoir's head would go off a second time. "Use your power to topple this alliance." It was also encouraging Gardevoir to immediately defeat this alliance of evil. Not just wanting Gardevoir to return the Aura. Gardevoir tried fighting back, only for her hand to reach out and blast at the troops. A flash of Fairy Magic was unleashed, knocking away Daybreaker's soldiers. Daybreaker narrowed her eyes, obviously knowing that an external force was behind this. And she figured it out by Gardevoir's movements, words and even the fact that apparently, the Aura in this place was odd. Very odd. Soon, here at this hidden Pokemon Black Market, the voice within Gardevoir's head that sounded like Twilight was opting to seemingly do the opposite of what this alliance does. As the journey continues. Chapter 317 End.