An Unknown Planet.
After a crash landing thanks to the fierce confrontation in space, Ash and his friends found themselves on another planet somewhere in their Solar System, which of course, was bigger than ever now that everything was together. The ship did suffer damage from that heavy impact, crash landing on this iron-like planet. At least by appearance. It resembled iron but there was a difference.
They found out that this bizarre planet had oxygen in it, making it breathable. The doors would open as they all stepped outside.
"Check it out...Is this iron?" Ash wondered when looking at the environment.
"Hmm..." To see this for herself, Twilight banged her hoof on the ground and to her surprise, a part of the floor felt hard, just like metal, but another part of it would bounce, wobbling and pulsating, almost like foil or rubber. "This is definitely iron. What is all of this?"
"It's hard and bouncy at the same time!" Pinkie Pie giggled with Mew as the two of them started bouncing all over the floor once they found out how strange it was.
"This must be an alien planet." Rarity uttered. The fact that their journey had led to here was quite the leap. From hearing about aliens, meeting with Ultra Beasts who were also classified as aliens and to finally being on a planet that is considered alien.
"Yeah, but I don't see any aliens. Heck, I don't see any buildings here." Rainbow Dash pointed out. It was all landscape with the complete emptiness of any structures whatsoever. "Guess it's a lot like those other stranded planets we have."
"Hmm...What part of the solar system is this?" Twilight began thinking. She's done her studies on her solar system and beyond, so this planet should ring a bell to her. "What planet matches this description...?!"
"Can you fix this?" Meanwhile, Fluttershy was asking the pilots if the ship could be repaired. The damage the ship gained was fierce as even after landing it, the odd material of this planet punctured and pierced through it despite there being a strong lack of spikes.
When looking at the damage, they saw that an odd glimmer was now present in the ship, coming from this bizarre material. The Unown immediately tried patching things up, but even with their combined Hidden Power, they were unable to immediately fix it. It was only gradual as the glimmer was still present.
"Just when we gave it a new design and everything..." The main pilot groaned. "We can have the Unown patch it up but...Not sure for how long."
"What's that sparkle all about?" Applejack gazed at the glimmer.
"I got it!" At last, it clicked with Twilight. She figured out what planet this was. "This is Planet Vinlie! It's situated within 12,000 light-years from Earth. That's how far away we got knocked back!
"Um...That's far, right?" Rainbow Dash asked, unsure of how much of a distance that was. But with Twilight nodded in response, it was clear that it was insanely far away.
"It's in the outer reaches of our own galaxy too. I've heard about this planet before. The books call it a planet that shimmers like a star." Twilight continued before raising her hoof to the sky. "And look! It has its own Small Sun and Moon!"
"Sweet..." Ash gazed up at the smaller celestial bodies. Those two lights in the sky would beautifully shine down on this planet.
"Now what? Do you think Rayquaza's alright? And what about our Moon?" Fluttershy asked, worried about the circumstances back in their respective galaxy. "We're in an entirely different galaxy now."
"Whatever just happened, it sent us flying. That clash over there must've reached its climax. We won't be able to make it back in time with the ship damaged, especially if it means heading to another galaxy." Twilight grumbled. "Then again, the full capability of this ship hasn't been shown yet..."
"Dino..." However, Audino's ears picked up on a sound. With her advanced hearing, something else was happening on this planet. She faced the North of the planet, looking at the vast shimmering landscapes.
"What is it, Audi? Is someone here?" Fluttershy asked.
"Audino." The Hearing Pokemon pointed to the north as her ears were not deceiving her as always. It wasn't just them that was on this planet.
"Could it be...Aliens?!" Pinkie Pie bellowed, making Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Applejack shudder.
"N-No way! It can't be!" Rainbow Dash stuttered.
"What are you three shaking for?" Twilight lowered her eyes in confusion. "You've met Ultra Beasts before. Rarity, you even have a Pheromosa! I just recently caught Kartana too!"
Rainbow Dash shook her head vehemently, her wings fluttering with agitation. "Yeah, but like... we've never seen aliens that come from our universe. The Pokémon came from another world before we merged so this is totally different! Just imagine what they look like!"
Thoughts were swirling in their heads, picturing what aliens from their universe before the unification looked like. Based on the books and movies they watched, they were expecting something completely difficult to comprehend.
"It might not even be an alien at all. But if there's something or someone on this planet, maybe it can help us so we aren't stuck here for too long," said Twilight.
"Exploring a whole new planet? Sounds good to me. We'll be right back, you guys!" Ash and Pikachu immediately took off, waving to the pilot. "Good luck fixing the ship!"
"Pika!"
"Just uh! Be careful out there!" One of the pilots bellowed, seeing the group off as their silhouettes faded into the metallic landscape.
As they ventured forth into the alien landscape, the group couldn't shake the images of the unknown beings that might await them. Rainbow Dash's mind conjured up images of sleek, silver creatures with multiple eyes and tentacle-like appendages, while Rarity imagined elegant, ethereal beings draped in shimmering robes of stardust.
Audino was leading the way, using her hearing to find the source of this noise. Her ears were picking up on the most peculiar sound that she just couldn't make out. Definitely wasn't anything she's heard back on Earth.
As they delved deeper into the heart of Planet Vinlie, Ash, Twilight, and their friends began to witness the fascinating ways in which the planet's unique material interacted with its environment.
They observed as the ground beneath their feet seemed to ripple and undulate, responding to unseen forces with a fluidity that defied conventional physics. Strange, shimmering tendrils of the metallic substance snaked their way across the landscape, weaving intricate patterns that pulsed and shifted with a life of their own.
So far, no life has been seen here. Not even a Pokemon. Espeon looked up at the skies above, getting a good look at the silver colouring. It looked like it was about to rain, but she wasn't sure if this planet could produce rain. There wasn't even any wind blowing. Not a semblance of it.
Within the depths of Vinlie's caverns, tiny metallic-like spheres were starting to move, almost as if they were sensing the presence of Ash and his friends. These unknown spheres that shimmered even in the darkness started rolling, moving through the darkness and lighting it up.
Their surfaces were adorned with whimsical patterns of etched lines and geometric structures, resembling miniature circuitry and machinery. They threw themselves up to the roof of the caverns before going through them. Moving through the roof, the spheres would then emerge onto the surface. And when appearing, they looked like bubbles on the ground. These odd spheres looked at Ash's group in the distance, specifically reacting to them.
As they rounded a bend, the source of the sound finally came into view. A strange, shimmering structure nestled amidst the metallic landscape. It was constructed out of a material that did not look like it belonged on this iron-like planet. In fact, it appeared to be wood and stone.
"What...is that?" Rainbow Dash murmured, her eyes widening in awe at the sight before them. "Some kind of house?"
"Looks like a tower," Ash observed. "We didn't see it that far."
"This structure..." When taking a longer look at the structure, Twilight noticed one thing about it. "It looks Equestrian-made!"
"Equestrian-made?! That can't be!" Rarity gasped. Based on what Twilight was saying, someone from Equestria built this structure.
"But how...?" Fluttershy murmured, her voice barely above a whisper as she gazed at the structure in wonder. "Do you think someone else showed up here we before we did?"
Before any of them could formulate a coherent explanation, their attention was drawn to the tiny metallic spheres that had been silently observing them from the non-existent shadows. The spheres, adorned with intricate patterns reminiscent of circuitry, rolled and bounced across the landscape, their movements synchronized as if guided by some unseen force.
"What are those...things?" Applejack wondered, eyeing the spheres warily as they drew closer to the group.
"Bubbles?" Pinkie Pie uttered as that was the first thing that came to mind.
"Those look way too small to be bubbles. They look like they're part of the environment." Twilight observed, seeing how these spheres matched the appearance of the planet's entire landscape. They still had no idea what this iron-like material was and these spheres were not helping.
They got closer and closer, making the group rather cautious. Some were afraid that the planet was reacting in a hostile way to their presence since they were essentially strange visitors. However, to their surprise, instead of pulling off something hostile, the groups of orbs would start gathering in one spot, forming a shape.
They swarmed in that single spot, building and building with excellent precision. Right before their very eyes, these orbs transformed to form what appeared to be a construct of Ash himself, made out of that odd material.
They altered their metallic surfaces to resemble human skin, complete with texture, colouration, and elasticity. They even replicate the nuances of his skin tone, hair follicles and so on. It was like the spitting image of Ash was right in front of them.
"Awesome!" Ash's eyes lit up after witnessing this. He immediately slid over to get a closer look. "It's just like me!"
"Pi! Pikachu!"
"But...how is this possible?" Twilight wondered aloud, her mind racing with questions as she studied the metallic replica of Ash. "Is it because of the material we're standing on?"
"Oh, you might be onto something with that Equestrian thing, Twilight! I bet this is magic!" Rainbow Dash cooed with excitement.
"Maybe. There's a few magic out there that can do this but...I didn't see any magic at play." Twilight scratched her hoof.
Ash would then make movements with his arms, which prompted the Construct to do the same. Ash put on a smile, which the constructs would also do. Then, the Trainer from Kanto would pull off different poses, wanting to see if the Construct could keep up. And indeed, it could. Shot for shot perfection.
"Pika! Pikachu!" Pikachu applauded such an impressive display of mimicry that was on par with that of Mew. And speaking of Mew, he popped his head out of Pinkie Pie's mane, marvelling at the Construct of Ash and how impressive it was. Mew himself had to transform into a Ditto or Zorua just to get the appearance of a human, pony or any other non-Pokemon's appearance.
The spheres that made up this Ash Construct then noticed how Pikachu climbed up Ash's shoulder as he always does. And in response to this, they would mould more of their body to immediately match this sight. Pikachu watched as a smaller group of those spheres formed into a Construct of Pikachu that was on the Construct Ash's shoulder.
"Pika!?" Pikachu gasped in astonishment.
"Aaah...!" Fluttershy's eyes would also light up as she immediately believed these were creatures. Specifically, alien creatures. The thought of it made the pegasus get all giddy inside.
"Okay! Now do us!" Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie collectively said. However, the Constructs did not transform into ponies. Instead, they would just shrug as Ash and Pikachu, essentially telling them that they wouldn't do it. "Huh?"
"Why not?" Pinkie Pie questioned, only for the Constructs to wag their fingers. They seemed to understand simple gestures and mannerisms at least.
"Hmm..." Twilight moved in closer, her curiosity piqued by the Constructs' refusal to transform into ponies in response to Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie's request. "It's like they're trying to communicate something. Maybe they have their own limitations or preferences."
"Lame." Rainbow Dash grumbled.
"But hey. At least we're not alone on this planet. Maybe they can help us fix the ship way quicker." Ash turned to the Constructs once more. "But uh...who are you all, anyway?"
Right as Ash said that, the structure in front of them would suddenly make a whirring noise, causing them all to reacth. Their eyes met with the structure as now it was doing something and wasn't as still as it should be. From the tower-like structure, a door was forming right before their very eyes.
And this door was also made up of these strange spheres. To their amazement, this entire tower was built off these spheres as they could be seen moving and pulsating all across it. And from it, something was appearing. Two lights that would pierce through the already shimmering landscape, flashing Ash and the others which caused them to squint their eyes in response.
The cause of the lights appeared to be some sort of vehicle that was in the shape of a chariot, made up of the same material as these constructs. And on it, someone was riding this chariot. They all gawked as there was certainly someone else on this planet. No mistaking it this time.
"Whoa..." Ash breathed, his eyes wide with wonder as he took in the sight before him.
"It's...someone else!" Twilight exclaimed, her heart racing with excitement at the prospect of encountering another inhabitant of Planet Vinlie.
This figure seemed large at first, but that was only thanks to the distance. When leaving the chariot by hopping off it, the shape of this figure was that of a pony. Specifically, a foal.
The group watched as this small figure walked through the light, making an appearance. Lo and behold, the mysterious character was none other than a filly.
"Well, I'll be." Applejack removed her hat in astonishment.
"A little girl?" Not quite the character Rainbow Dash or anyone expected to see on this planet. The structure of the tower made sense for it being Equestrian-style, even if it was made up of those strange spheres.
"...What is that thing?" But before they could even speak to her, the girl spoke first, specifically looking directly at Ash and Pikachu.
"Me?" Ash pointed at himself, being the first person this filly spotted. Not the ponies. She then turned her attention to the constructs that mimicked Ash and Pikachu's appearance.
"Pika?"
"Great work copying them, all of you!" She then praised the spheres who would give a collective thumbs-up in their Constructed Bodies.
"Little girl? What are you doing on this planet all alone?" Rarity asked, curious as to why there was a child here on this planet.
"Oh, right! I shouldn't be rude! I need to do greetings first! My name is Doll!" She introduced herself as Doll.
"Doll?" Twilight repeated, her curiosity piqued by the young filly's presence. "What exactly are you doing here on this planet all alone?"
"I'm not alone. I have all of these Nanos with me." She spread her hooves out, referring to the strange spheres around her. Finally, they learned their names.
"Nanos?" Twilight and the others repeated. And for Twilight, when learning their names, she began to piece together what they were based on what she knew. "Oh! Like Nano Technology?!"
"Nano Technology?" Ash said before looking at the Construct of himself who nodded in confirmation.
"Yes, Nano Technology," Twilight confirmed, her eyes alight with understanding as the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. "It's a form of technology that involves manipulating matter on an incredibly small scale, often at the molecular or even atomic level. My Human Counterpart and Zero talked about something like this, even if they've never interacted with them."
"Oh...So they're not alien creatures?" Fluttershy's ears would drop, followed up by a frown.
"You must be from Earth then if you know this." Doll said when pointing her hoof at them all. "All of you!"
"And you aren't? How else did'cha end up on this planet?" Applejack questioned.
"Oh, not me. I'm not from Earth." But Doll dropped a bombshell, revealing that she was not from Earth. At all. That only raised more questions.
"What do you mean you're not from Earth?!" Twilight bellowed.
"Born and raised here!" The young pony grinned as her teeth sparkled in this shimmering landscape. "Vinlie's my home planet from start to finish!"
"T-That can't be!" Twilight shook her head while stuttering. "Unless there are more ponies inside the tower."
"Nope. It's just me and the Nanos. Come inside!" Doll would gladly invite them all indoors, prancing away. She wasn't an alien. Or at least, she didn't seem like an alien, even though she was apparently born and raised on this planet. But there were no mentions of any parents and the only ones to keep her company here were the Nanos.
Outer Space. Parts Unknown.
Lost amidst the endless expanse of the cosmos, far beyond the reaches of the Solar System and outside the comforting embrace of the galaxy, the ships of Daybreaker and Empress Twilight floated aimlessly, their once-defined path now scattered and uncertain. Without any familiar landmarks to guide them, the crew members found themselves adrift in a sea of darkness, surrounded only by the distant glimmer of stars and the cold void of space.
"That clash sent us out of the Solar System." Daybreaker said. "Not only that, it's damaged our ships, making it hard for us to immediately return to our Universe. Clever Rayquaza..."
"The Dragon Matter's directly interfering the Rift Energy, Your Majesty." Sunrise Sparkle said. "It might take a while for us to clear it all."
"For it to already know how to use the Dragon Matter...I shouldn't have been surprised from the start. Rayquaza would be a Pokemon that would get the hang of such a power that fast." Daybreaker sighed.
Inside the ships, a sense of unease permeated the air as the crew members grappled with the realization of their isolation. Gone were the familiar sights of home, replaced instead by the vast unknown of the cosmos stretching out before them. With their communications systems damaged and their navigation equipment malfunctioning, they were left with no means of contacting anyone for help.
"Well, we'll do it the old-fashioned way. We'll make our way back to the Galaxy we already know of. Rayquaza only temporarily set us back. We can return to the Moon even if it won't be at our usual speed." Daybreaker scoffed, seeing this as a minor inconvenience.
"No need to panic..." Cozy Glow could be seen in the corner, rocking back and forth due to the current circumstances. "I'm far from home...In an unknown galaxy...! This is the worst! Why'd you bring me along?!"
"I was hoping you could help with Lunala. Obviously, I'm still betting on that, but we might have to wait for a while before we can reach the Moon." Daybreaker explained. "I'm sorry about this, Cozy Glow. I never expected us to be sent outside the Galaxy."
"Hah...At least I'm not alone." She could at least have that positive. It was a long way from home and the travel time was very much unknown. One thing was for sure, their mission to get to Lunala and by extension Solgaleo, has not come to an end. Not for a moment.
As the Solar Sword continued on its way, travelling through the darkness of space with the other ships behind it, the Solar Empire and the Twilight Imperium were on the move once more. But there was just one issue.
Empress Twilight's main ship suffered the most damage out of all of them and was lagging behind with minimal support, needing other ships to help it along the way. And as for Empress Twilight herself, she was currently unconscious along with many of her forces. She was currently being held up by Jackie, who injured himself during that devastating pushback. And unlike Daybreaker, he could actually leave.
The gateway in the secret compartment was still there. Wide open and available for use. He carried the Empress in her arms, aiming to return to his universe at once. But when looking back at the mess and knowing his fellow Rangers were still present, Jackie would be back. Hopefully, at least.
As the journey continues.
Chapter 421 End.