Equestria. Out in the wild. Afternoon.
Under the expansive skies of Equestria, Applejack, Fluttershy and Pinkie were on their way to find this special Blissey. The fields stretched out before them, a tapestry of green and gold under the sunlight. Tackling small towns was the way to go since that's where this heroic Blissey is said to appear at. Pinkie Pie's Slurpuff was currently using his strong sense of smell to track Blissey's magic, leading the way.
Applejack walked beside Fluttershy, who had a gentle expression on her face, clearly ready to extend her nurturing touch to any Pokemon or person they might encounter. Pinkie Pie skipped ahead, occasionally doing a little twirl as she kept an eye on Slurpuff's movements. In the distance, Audino could hear the sounds of the Pokemon Festival currently ongoing.
That's not all. They also saw the effects of what Daybreaker and Gardevoir did to the world. One of the mountains in the distance have been cleaved off with electricity violently crackling from the destroyed spot.
"Boy...That's a shame." Applejack shook her head at that sight.
"It's not hopeless though." Fluttershy used her wings to mimic a finger wag, looking at the positives. "Remember Zygarde? We just have to count on all of those cells and everything will be as good as new."
"It'll be a lot of work though~" Pinkie added. "This is the entire world we're talking about. But it's a Legendary Pokemon so it can fix it no matter what."
"Yeah, but it can fix that!?" Applejack gasped at the sight of a disaster. In the distance, one of the hills of Equestria would start rippling as if it were made out of bubbles. Right before their very eyes, the hills started melting, sending the distorted grass downwards in a surreal display.
As the rippling effect of the distorted hills moved closer, the trio soon realized it was heading straight for them. Pinkie Pie, ever the optimist, tried to find a silver lining.
"M-Maybe it's not as hot as magma?" she stuttered, attempting to look on the bright side with a nervous smile. That would soon be answered once the melted grass laid down its dangerous effects. Rocks were being destroyed by this bizarre combination, covered by the Melting Grass while nearby grass that had been kept safe from Daybreaker's actions were consumed.
Fluttershy took a step back, her wings folding slightly, "I don't think it's just heat we have to worry about." Upon seeing what this grass was capable of, the best thing to do here was hide from it. If caught, they might either be trapped in the grass or they might melt. Either one would be horrific.
The trio hastily made their way to a nearby cluster of trees, seeking refuge from the strange phenomenon that continued to distort the landscape. The air around them seemed to shimmer as the melting hills drew nearer, leaving the ponies with a sense of urgency to escape its path.
They watched how the Melting Grass moved across the land. Any rocks nearby were engulfed and ruined by the bizarre combination of distorted hills and grass. A once-sturdy cliffside succumbed to the effects, losing its shape as the land beneath it became flat.
Thankfully, they were out of its line of sight, but they could expect more like this now that they've seen it. The girls would move away from their hiding spot, continuing on their path and distancing themselves from the Melting Grass. Slurpuff's nose would twitch all of a sudden. When tracking the scent of the Blisseys and their hidden Fairy Magic, the scent of the Melting Grass caught his attention, making him wince.
Slur...Puff?!" Slurpuff grimaced at this scent which was not pleasant to whiff. Poor Slurpuff had to withstand thoug if they wanted to find that Blissey. He had to focus on the scent of Blissey only and try to ignore the Melting Grass. But that was rather difficult since it was so potent, gathering up the scent of the destroyed flora and environment and smacking the Meringue Pokemon in the face with it.
The trio continued to move across the transformed landscape, with Slurpuff leading the way as they followed the lingering scent of the Blisseys' Fairy Magic. They stayed vigilant, their eyes scanning the surroundings for any signs of further unexpected disasters. The effects of Daybreaker's and Gardevoir's actions had left an indelible mark on the land, and the ponies were prepared for anything.
As they journeyed through the changing terrain, the once-familiar paths and landmarks took on an alien appearance. The Melting Grass had altered the topography, and they found themselves traversing landscapes that seemed to defy the natural order. Hills morphed into valleys, and trees appeared twisted and distorted.
However, their journey took an unexpected turn as they approached what seemed to be a serene lake. The water, once crystal clear, now shimmered with an unnatural hue. Slurpuff's nose twitched once again, picking up a different scent from the lake.
"Slur..."
"Slurpuff, what is it?" Pinkie Pie asked, noticing Slurpuff's reaction.
"Slurpuff!" The Fairy-Type Pokemon hesitated, clearly detecting something unusual about the lake. As the trio cautiously approached the water's edge, they witnessed a startling scene. The lake, affected by some unknown force, started to churn and bubble. An eerie glow emanated from its depths, casting an otherworldly light across the surroundings.
"What in tarnation is happening now?" Applejack exclaimed, her eyes narrowing at the strange occurrence.
Fluttershy, her concern growing, observed the distressed Pokemon swimming near the surface. "Those are Corsola! What's happening to them?"
The water continued to churn, and the Corsola seemed to be in distress, swimming erratically as if trying to escape an unseen force beneath the surface. "Corsola...!"
"Hold on!" Fluttershy hollered to them. Mew was the right Pokemon for this job as he immediately took on the form of a suitable Pokemon. In this case, Mew transformed himself into a Swampert.
"Swampert!" Upon taking this form, Mew leapt into the lake for the Corsola. But it wasn't that simple, especially when Swampert got up close. With his body over the water, the light from within would expand, reaching Mew's body. "Swamp?!"
The mysterious light from the lake struck Swampert, the transformed Mew, with an unknown power. The Pokemon winced as the energy surged through its body, dealing unexpected damage. The trio, witnessing this unforeseen turn of events, gasped in concern.
"Swamp...!" Mew cried out as the strange energy fizzled around his body. Not only that, he suddenly detransformed, returning into his original form. "Mew...!"
"It knocked him out of his transformation?! No way!" Pinkie Pie was in disbelief. One hit and her partner was back to normal.
The Corsola, still in distress, continued to swim frantically near the surface, seemingly unaware of the Pokemon that had come to their aid. The trio, standing at the water's edge, exchanged worried glances. The light from below was also enveloping their bodies but it didn't knock them back like it did with Mew.
"As if! grab' em Sceptile!" Applejack bellowed, having her Sceptile come to the rescue.
"Tile!" The approach to save them was done from a distance. Sceptile held his arms out, summoning hidden vines that would fly out. He barely made it in time, wrapping the vines around each of the Corsola. Upon touching them, the strane energy would start burning Sceptile's vines which were soon felt by him. "S-Scep?!"
Looking at it, the enery seemed to resemble that of Dragon Matter. It had the same colourin and energy style. The girls had to wonder if this was Dragon Matter at play and Daybreaker's actions ended up forcing more of it out. Noticeably, Sceptile's vines weren't knocked back by the light but they were still taking damage. Scetile felt the burn but he also felt a sudden increase in his own energy. Specifically, the latent Dragon Energy inside of him that allows him to Mega Evolve.
"Audino" Pulling him back was Audino, who managed to give him the strength he needed to save the Corsola. The Corsola were all pulled out of the lake, saved from the light while Sceptile retracted his vines out of pain.
"Mew?" Mew gasped upon seeing the Corsola in the air, attempting to save them from falling. Powering through what he just took, he quickly turned his body into that of a Torterra. In the nick of time, he saved the Corsola by having them land on his back. "Torterra..."
"Nice save, Mew!"
"Are you doing alright?" Fluttershy looked at the Corsola, hoping that the energy didn't harm them badly. Thankfully, the Corsola were in one piece, taking no damage whatsoever. But they wouldn't have time to rest. Not when the energy was still active here. They couldn't exactly get rid of it after all.
"Yeah, that's gotta be Dragon Matter." said Applejack. As the trio observed the energy in the churning lake, a sudden disturbance occurred beneath them. The ground quivered, but it wasn't an earthquake in the conventional sense. The disasters they faced were anything but natural and always took on unique and unpredictable forms.
"What now?!" Applejack gasped, her eyes widening as she looked down at the ground beneath them.
As they braced for the unexpected, the ground beneath them began to shift and ripple. A peculiar energy seemed to surge from the earth, creating a bizarre pattern that extended outward from their location.
Fluttershy's wings fluttered anxiously as she tried to maintain her balance. "This doesn't feel like a typical earthquake..."
The land beneath them began to warp as the Dragon Matter moved through the earth, rising up. The girls gasped and screeched as the Dragon Matter met with them, only for Audino to use Protect immediately once she heard the energy approaching. Forming a green barrier, Audino shielded everyone from the attack which immediately sent them upwards.
The group continued to yell after being sent upwards and the Dragon Matter followed them, continuing to surround the barrier. Audino held the barrier together with all of her might but some cracks were beginning to appear.
"Now might be a good time to count on Bayleef!" Digging into her saddlebag, Fluttershy was prepared to summon Bayleef, whose unique ability to change fate might come in handy. But before she could do so, the Dragon Matter split the barrier in half with the grip of a Dragon.
Not only that, it separated the group, grabbing two halves of the barrier to the point where the duo were all launched. Mew switched forms, turning into a Pokemon that could hold them all. He instinctively turned into Lugia, the one Pokemon he turns into the most.
Taking on the form of this Legendary Pokemon, Mew used Lugia's massive wings to catch Pinkie Pie and the Corsola, but he was too late to grab Applejack, Sceptile, Audino and Fluttershy. The four of them found themselves plummeting through the air, their barrier now shattered by the Dragon Matter's force. Panic set in as they descended, surrounded by the swirling energy that defied the laws of nature.
The Dragon Matter howled, almost as if it knew what it had done. And it wasn't done with Pinkie Pie and the Corsola, who would grimace upon seeing a bit of the energy coming their way. Mew continued to shield them from the energy as the Dragon Matter would touch his body. Mew was pushed back as well but with greater resilience on his side and yet the Dragon Matter didn't seem to care all that much. The massive body of Lugia was pushed away, moving through the winds and the clouds while the Dragon Matter around this area would keep moving, failing to slow down.
The barrier the four of them were in had come apart as that was all Audino could muster. "Sceptile...!" Sceptile extended his vines, attempting to create a makeshift safety net at the right moment. Fluttershy, her wings fluttering nervously, tried to keep the group focused amidst the chaotic descent.
Up ahead was some sort of forest that was nearby which Sceptile would try and place them in. When reaching the forest, their bodies would suddenly pulsate. A familiar cosmic light would flash as if they had hit something, but they kept moving instead of coming to a halt.
They didn't recognize this cosmic light or the sparkles that came from them as they were already reach the surface of the forest. Thanks to Sceptile, they managed to save themselves from a crushing fall as the Dragon Matter around them would slither elsewhere. The group fell on the net, rather perplexed and dazed.
"Whew, good thinking, Sceptile!" Applejack praised, trying to regain her composure.
Fluttershy, with a hint of relief in her voice, added, "Glad I didn't have to risk Bayleef's leaf for this one."
Sceptile nodded, feeling a sense of accomplishment despite the unexpected turn of events. Audino, always the caring Pokemon, approached the group, ready to offer her assistance if needed.
"Is everypony okay?" Fluttershy asked, her gaze shifting between her companions.
"We're good, but that Dragon Matter is something else," Applejack commented, eyeing the strange energy still present in the air.
The quartet took a moment to gather themselves, assessing their surroundings and contemplating their next steps. They weren't in the same area anymore. They certainly went far thanks to the Dragon Matter as they watched this enigmatic energy move away.
"I think we got separated from Pinkie Pie and Mew." Fluttershy looked up at the sky. They were away from the hills and in another wild, forest-like area. "And I don't see a town nearby. Do you think we're further away from a town?"
"Probably. The Dragon Matter...messed us up outta nowhere. I thought it was just what Daybreaker did."
"Do you think Prisma was involved somehow? Spike did say he saw Prisma inside the Dragon Matter. Maybe he's the one who intercepted us."
"If it was him, the next time we see him, I'll..." Applejack was about to rant about Prisma, only to come to a stop, focusing on what truly matters. "Nah. Gotta find Pinkie Pie first. Where is this anyway?"
"Mmm...I don't recognize this place at all." Fluttershy commented as this area did not look all that familiar to her. It appeared as just another forest but there weren't any Pokemon around at the moment. However, it wasn't just a forest.
The four of them recognized what appeared to be baskets lying around. Baskets with fruits, indicating that this place was somewhat occupied. Not only that, when observing the place a bit longer, they spotted a small fountain, which was right near food stands of some sort.
"Uh...Maybe this is a small town after all." Fluttershy said. They might have found one of their towns by accident. The four of them advanced in this new area, captivated by it. They were hoping this might be where Wigglytuff could be considering the Dragon Matter was nearby.
Lo and behold, buildings were present here. Hut-shaped buildings to be exact. They were either nestled underneath leaves or were on top of trees and hills. This was clearly a nature-built area. The air was filled with a gentle melody of nature, and the surroundings exuded an otherworldly tranquillity. The two friends exchanged intrigued glances as they cautiously stepped into the serene landscape.
In the heart of the clearing, a shimmering pond reflected the lush greenery that surrounded it. Mystical flowers in vibrant hues dotted the landscape, emitting a subtle glow. As Applejack and Fluttershy explored further, they noticed graceful, dragon-like entities with pony features gracefully roaming the area.
"Who are they?" Applejack questioned. These beings would approach Applejack's group, taking notice to them. Fluttershy scrunched her face in the presence of these strangers as she has never seen them before. They didn't look familiar in any way shape or form.
But one thing was for sure, they recognized one of them as someone important. Not by face, but by stature, knowing how height signifies importance, at least when it came to Princess Celestia.
Behind this individual was a Pokemon. They did indeed exist here and in this case, it appeared to be a Chatot. Leaving the bushes were Smeargles, Espurrs and Meowths. Quite the collection of Pokemon here.
"Well, hi. I'm Applejack, and this here's Fluttershy." Applejack greeted the tallest one here. But she didn't get a response. The tallest individual of the group looked at her for a moment, making Applejack feel awkward. Afterwards, she would nudge Chatot while also looking at Espurr.
"Tot! What brings you here?" Chatot spoke for her. She didn't say anything herself.
"N-Nothing. Just pure accident." Fluttershy spoke while looking this leader in the eyes. "W-Who are you though?"
"Tot! Kirin!" Being the translator, Chatot revealed the names of these individuals.
"Kirin?" Applejack and Fluttershy spoke in unison. These were the Kirins that Celestia spoke of.
"Uh..." Applejacksquinted her face, trying to figure out if she recognized them. Alas, the name Kirin didn't ring a bell. Neither did it for Fluttershy. "Never heard of ya. Sorry."
"Your place looks fine. Very fine. We were just looking for a special Blissey that goes from town to town, helping others thanks to the disturbances." The pegasus explained. "We'll be out of your manes as soon as possible once we get to our friends."
"Chatot! How'd you get past the barrier?"
"Barrier?" The same thing they passed through earlier but didn't recognize. But apparently, there was a barrier around the area.
The leader nudged her head towards the Smeargle, communicating with them. But it was also done by looking at the Espurr, who were just as vital to this. Nodding in understanding, the Smeargle began painting something on the ground. Using two specific colours, the Smeargle crafted a familiar-looking energy.
Rift Energy.
Applejack, Fluttershy, Sceptile and Audino collectively gasped when witnessing it. They were involving Rift Shenanigans once more and that barrier was made out of Rift Energy.
"Aw, really?!" Applejack wasn't too pleased about this. "Rift Magic too?"
"Well, at least that's something we're familiar with." Fluttershy looked on the bright side. "Sorry about this. But we'll be leaving soon."
"Tot! Can't leave! Can't leave!"
"We can't leave? Why not?" Applejack questioned. She was hoping that they weren't being kept captive here because of their intrustion.
In response, the leader of the Kirins raised her hoof, pointing to the sky. Applejack and Fluttershy looked up, but they didn't see anything. Not yet at least. Responding to their head movements, their eyes met with the cosmic energy of the Rift which decided to show itself.
But it wasn't the barrier. Their jaws dropped to see what appeared to be a manifestation of a familiar Pokemon. All the cosmic sparkles came together to give shape to a Pokemon that was larger than what it usually appears as. The four of them dropped their jaws to see a Kangaskhan.
Her skin shimmered with an ethereal glow, and her eyes sparkled like the night sky. Luna's newfound energy also granted her abilities beyond those of a typical Kangaskhan, making her a force to be reckoned with
"Is that Kangaskhan?! It's huge!" Fluttershy shouted. It didn't appear as a Dynamaxed Kangaskhan or even any Equestrian Variant. That was 100% a Rift-altered Kangaskhan.
And of course, her baby was with her, always present. This Kangaskhan was in the distance but it most definitely spotted Applejack and Fluttershy, letting out a bright smile.
"That thing made the barrier?" Applejack gawked before looking at the leader. "What in tarnation happened here?"
"Hold on. I can understand Pokemon, so let me speak for you." Fluttershy interrupted. She observed how they all communicated with each other and understood that it all came back to Chatot. But she could also act as a translator. The leader of the Kirin looked at Fluttershy for a moment before back at the Espurr. She nodded in understanding, allowing this to pass.
"Esp. Espurr." The Espurr all spoke to Fluttershy, hoping she could understand them.
"So you're the leader of the Kirin. Rain Shine?" Fluttershy translated, learning the name of this Kirin. This was the Kirin that Celestia spoke of. Her old friend that she has not seen in so long. "And that Kangaskhan has been here for four years?"
"Espurr. Espurr." The Espurr nodded, confirming Fluttershy's understanding. Rain Shine, the leader of the Kirin, looked at Fluttershy with a mixture of curiosity and acknowledgement. "Purr. Espurr."
"They say she's been keeping them here ever since the worlds met. The Kirin have been stuck with Kangaskhan watching over them. They call her 'Starry' for the sparkling pattern on her skin."
"Starry, huh?" Applejack mused, gazing at the majestic Kangaskhan in awe. "She sure is somethin'."
"Esp! Espurr!"
"They said she keeps them all here because she sees them all as her children." Fluttershy continued, revealing that this Kangaskhan saw the Kirin and everyone that shows up here as her children. One big family.
"All of 'em?" Applejack's expression softened as she watched Starry in the distance. "Well, ain't that sweet. A Kangaskhan takin' care of a whole bunch of Kirin. Who would've thought?"
"Esp! Espurr!" But the Espurr crossed their arms, responding to Applejack in denial. It was not sweet at all.
"Well...I don't think they want to stay here forever."Fluttershy shook her head. While motherly love was beautiful, clearly, there was something wrong here.
"Tot! I'm an adult! I'm an adult!" Chatot spoke for Rain Shine one more time, revealing that she shouldn't be treated as a child since she was an adult. The Kirin here were old enough for that.
"Wait...That means..." It hit Applejack. Her, Audino, Fluttershy, Sceptile and all of their Pokemon count as Kangaskhan's children. It was an automatic decision. They were essentially trapped. Applejack's realization struck a chord of concern and urgency. She exchanged a worried glance with Fluttershy, both understanding the gravity of the situation. Applejack and Fluttershy were now sharing the Kirins' predicament with Kangaskhan.
"Espurr... Espurr!" The Espurr expressed their discontent with the situation, emphasizing the complexity and challenges they faced while being watched over by Kangaskhan.
"Tot! Can't leave! Can't leave!" Chatot reiterated the fact that Kangaskhan's influence prevented them from leaving the home of the Kirins.
Fluttershy relayed the message, "Rain Shine and the Kirin are saying they can't leave because of Kangaskhan. It's like she sees them all as her children and doesn't want them to go. That goes for us too. We were already trapped the moment we entered!"
"So for 4 whole years, ya haven't been able to get out?" Applejack asked. The Kirin shook their heads. They have tried but to no avail. Mainly because they were dealing with the power of the Rift, even though Kangaskhan believed she wasn't doing anything wrong.
Rain Shine then aimed her hoof at the Rift Kangaskhan once more, essentially telling Applejack and Fluttershy to go for them. They needed the help. "Tot! Make her understand!" Chatot suggested, still acting as the intermediary.
"Purr. Espurr."
"She said that we'll find ponies from where we come from there. Apparently, Canterlot Guards showed up here." Fluttershy uttered. To their surprise, Canterlot Guards were present in this area, mainly due to Celestia sending some of them here. And unfortunately, they were also Kangaskhan's children.
Now they definitely had to see this for themselves as the Kirin were undergoing a unique problem that was of motherly proportions.
Eventually, they reached a serene clearing surrounded by mystical flowers and gentle creatures. In the center stood Kangaskhan, her ethereal glow captivating the surroundings. She appeared to be in a peaceful state, surrounded by a harmonious aura. The size of her was just as large as a Dynamaxed Kangaskhan but without the reddish-pink glow.
They saw Kangaskhan holding the Canterlot Guards in her tree-sized arms, cradling them like children. The look on their faces spoke volumes. Being treated as a child would be uncomfortable for ponies their age.
"Uh! Can I go now?!" One of the troops asked, but all he got in response was a joyous cry from Kangaskhan and her actual baby that was the size of a castle.
"Tot! Approach carefully," Chatot advised, knowing that the key to reaching Kangaskhan lay in sincere communication.
"Hey! Kangaskhan!" Applejack bellowed, trying to get her attention. She very much succeeded in doing so as Kangaskhan looked down at her. Kangaskhan's cosmic eyes would meet with the four new children in her expansive family. And upon seeing them, she had a completely different vision compared to everyone else.
She didn't just see Applejack, Fluttershy and their Pokemon. She saw them as children. In her eyes, they appeared incredibly young as Sceptile was even appearing as a Treecko. Audino was even seen differently, having a new look that could be considered her pre-evolution.
It sounded like Applejack was just babbling like a baby, having no cohesion in her words, when in reality, she was speaking as clear as she could. Fluttershy would soon start speaking, trying to reach Kangaskhan. But even the words of Fluttershy became babble in the ears of this Rift Kangaskhan.
"KANGA..." Kangaskhan spoke and in response, she held her arms out, going straight for the two ponies and their Pokemon. They looked so adorable to her and she just had to cradle them.
"Hold on! Wait, wait!" Applejack screeched upon seeing this massive hand coming her way. In a split second, Kangaskhan's massive hands gently scooped up Applejack, Fluttershy, Sceptile, Audino, and their Pokemon, cradling them with an unmatched tenderness. The sheer size difference between them and Kangaskhan was comically apparent, yet the immense love radiating from her touch made the situation endearing.
Kangaskhan's eyes gleamed with a mixture of affection and joy as she held her perceived children close to her heart. "KANGASKHAN..."
"Aaaah...!" Applejack groaned within her clutches. She found herself overwhelmed by the inexplicable comfort of Kangaskhan's hold. It was as if they were cradled in the arms of a cosmic mother, and the sensations were unlike anything they had experienced before.
"Oh, this isn't so bad." Fluttershy smiled.
"Fluttershy!" Applejack bellowed before having her mouth closed by what appeared to be a binky. Kangaskhan managed to shove one in Applejack's mouth as it was made out of cosmic energy. It was constructed in Kangaskhan's arms as she had some power from the Rift that allowed her to create things. "Mmm?! Mmm!"
"How did you end up here?" Fluttershy asked the guards while Applejack was struggling to force this item out of her mouth.
"We were sent here by Princess Celestia. The Kirins sent her a message from a Butterfree. We came here to help, but this is not what we expected." The guards answered.
"If Butterfree broke free, then there's obviously a way out, right?"
"I'm afraid they spoke to Butterfree outside the barrier. The letter could pass through and leave, but no living being can leave it. Only enter it."
"Ptooh!" Applejack spat the Cosmic Binky out of her mouth. "I ain't living here forever! We've got two days of this festival and a lot to look forward to. You gotta let us go, Kangaskhan!"
But it was pointless. Kangaskhan just didn't hear any proper speech whatsoever, making this very hard.
"Tot! Impossible!" Chatot blurted, letting them know it was impossible to break free of that grip, unless Kangaskhan wanted to put them down.
"If it's Rift Energy...then there's only one thing to use." Thankfully, Applejack had the perfect response. By closing her eyes, she allowed the Aura within her to build up, concentrating on her inner state. From her body, an azure glow would appear. And upon summoning her Aura, it reacted to the Cosmic Energy around her.
"K-KANGA?!" Kangaskhan felt the Aura. There was a sudden sting on her body, specifically her arms. Her grip on them had greatly weakened, causing her to drop them.
"Sorry. It was the only thing I could think of." Applejack apologized. She didn't wish to harm Kangaskhan but there was no other way for them to break free.
"KA...KANGA..." Kangaskhan closed her eyes, growling for a moment. The faces of everyone watching her scrunched as this growl sounded like thunder rumbling. The eyes then opened, losing their joyous appearance for a more upset and slightly angry look.
"Hehe..." Applejack nervously chuckled. The Farm Girl glanced around nervously, realizing that her attempt to use Aura had agitated Kangaskhan. The once tranquil atmosphere seemed to shift slightly, and the cosmic glow in Kangaskhan's eyes reflected a mix of emotions.
Kangaskhan, who was originally sitting down, would stand up, causing a loud noise to emerge. The leaves around her would fly away as the cosmic energy cast a bright light over everyone as if it were a shadow. Their eyes followed the rise of this Rift Kangaskhan which made some of them shrink back in fear.
"Uh, that was my bad. I didn't mean to..." Applejack tried explaining herself, fearful of what Kangaskhan might do. "I'm just gonna take a break somewhere else." With a squee, Applejack would zip away, wanting to avoid whatever Kangaskhan had to offer.
But in response, Kangaskhan moved her massive arms once more, going straight for Applejack. The Earth Pony screeched upon seeing the arm coming for her yet again.
"It's alright! It's alright!" Shielding Applejack was Fluttershy, who would get in the way, shaking her hooves. Kangaskhan paused, seeing Fluttershy in front of her. She did not scoop Fluttershy up and immediately stopped going for Applejack.
Applejack sighed with relief, grateful for Fluttershy who let her get some distance.
"I don't think she can understand us properly. It doesn't sound like she's responding to our words." Fluttershy observed. She listened to everything Kangaskhan has said and neither has been a proper response to all that has been said. "Have you been dealing with this for four years?"
The faces of the Kirin spoke volumes. Four of being treated as children was not the most pleasing experience. They've had to miss out on the entire world of Pokemon and on top of that, Yveltal's destruction temporarily ended their lives before they were brought back by Xerneas which was rather perplexing.
All the massive events that have happened outside such as Empress Twilight's invasion, the Storm Behemoth, the Black Crusade, Tirek's rampage and so on were unseen by their eyes. All they had were a select few Pokemon.
"Hmmm...This is tricky. I don't know what to do here." Fluttershy was actually stumped. A Pokemon she just couldn't communicate with properly. "I might need some time to think." She walked off with Applejack, needing to gather her thoughts and discuss what to do next.
As Fluttershy and Applejack walked away from the towering figure of Kangaskhan, they exchanged worried glances. The situation with Kangaskhan was unlike anything they had faced before. It was clear that normal communication methods were ineffective due to the peculiar way Kangaskhan perceived the world around her.
"I've never encountered anything like this," Fluttershy admitted, her wings drooping slightly. "I think she might be treating us like little kids, Applejack."
"I reckon she's stuck in her own world, seein' things her own way," Applejack mused, kicking a pebble on the ground. "I just hope we can find a way to get through to her. We can't stay here forever." Thinking for a moment, she then looked up to see one of the Kirin staring at her with a smile. "I wish you could say something. Maybe you've got a way out of this."
But this Kirin stayed silent, much like the rest. Applejack's eyes twitched as the silence was rather grating. This and the massive Kangaskhan that trapped her here didn't make for the best scenario. "Oh, for the love of Celestia! Can't ya just say somethin'?!" Applejack bellowed.
"Hmm...Can't say." The Kirin in question actually spoke, responding to Applejack's previous question.
"Ah!" Applejack and Fluttershy both pulled back. This caught them off guard. One of the Kirin actually responded to them with proper, audible words.
"Gotcha! Sorry, sorry, but that was too good. Oh, you don't know how much I missed jokes. Hi-larity!" She giggled before suddenly bombarding the four of them with a barrage of words. "Am I pronouncing that right? Some words I haven't said in a will. While! While. Hi, I'm Autumn Blaze."
"Uhh..." Despite having a Kirin to talk too, they were a bit stunned for a while. The rapid barrage of words would not stop just yet as this Kirin kept going.
It's a shame you showed up here. Now your Kangaskhan's kids. But don't worry. If you're tired or hungry or reflective and want to sleep, she's got you covered. I saw you in her arms back there, seeing you freak out like that. But forget about that! Oh! Oh, what joy to talk with another creature! It's been so long! You must tell me everything about you! There's so much to say, so much to do! Oh, look at me. I'm going on, and you haven't seen— I mean, have you seen—? What am I saying? Of course, you haven't. By the way, what's that Pokemon?"
"Audino?" Audino's ears caught everything. Even the Hearing Pokemon struggled to process all of that.
"How come...you can speak just fine?" Fluttershy asked.
"Don't worry about that. I'm just glad I get to speak to new faces and see new Pokemon. Oh, the outside world is so lucky to have all those colourful creatures running around. I only saw a few of them in the sky. I think I saw a White and Black Dragon one time, going at it." Autumn Blaze continued. "Did you see it?"
"W-We know about it." Applejack stuttered. "We saw it and everything."
"Well, I'm going to try again, Applejack. There has to be something I can do to try and reach Kangaskhan." Fluttershy said. "I know it's because of the Rift Energy and if push comes to shove, we might have to use the power of Aura."
"Pssh. Good luck with that."Autumn cackled. "She doesn't understand a word we say. All she sees are her lovely babies. Even after getting the chance to talk to her, it didn't matter so this is the best possible outcome for me. Glad you showed up. But I can tell you this. There's a way to sweeten up to her."
"You're not talking about what I think you are..." Applejack grimaced.
"That's right. I did it and it worked wonders for me. I got a lot of things in return from Starry. Act like a baby and just follow what she does. That's my go-to plan and it works wonders for me every time. Star-like food actually doesn't taste bad, ya know. You should try it out."
"Mmm...I'll be right back!" Fluttershy zipped away, taking what Autumn Blaze said. She had an approach she wished to try as Audino followed her.
"Hm. Probably should've told her the other ways to talk to her. Oh well." Autumn Blaze shrugged.
"So what's up with all the other Kirin being quiet? Are you the only one who can say something?"
"No. We can all speak. Every last one of us! But...Oh, I haven't been able to share all of this with anypony in forever! Since they all took that vow of silence. So it's a lot for me to pro-cess. Process?" She paused for a moment. Not talking for a long time has also slightly disrupted basic speech for her. But not by much. "Uh, deal with."
"Vow of silence?" Applejack repeated.
"Oh, you're going to want to hear this." She smirked, having something special to offer to Applejack.
Quite the odd encounter has happened here. First, it was coming across the Dragon Matter and a bit of Daybreaker's actions, then it was right here in the land of the Kirin where they had a silent meeting and the sight of a Rift Kangaskhan, who keeps them all as children. All this while Pinkie Pie was still away from them.
As the journey continues.
Chapter 391 End.