Equestria. Ponyville. SugarCube Corner. Nightfall.
The Moon rises on Ponyville once more. The town known for having its residents involved in some of the wildest events. And just a few hours ago, they went through yet another one involving a Fairy Egg. Pinkie Pie, who was involved in that wild event, was ready to call it a night.
By now, it's already been one night without Mew here, but after what happened recently, Pinkie Pie could sleep peacefully while also giving Mew her best wishes.
But as she was doing so, someone had entered her room. To her surprise, it was the Pokemon caught up in this mess. Turning her head, Pinkie Pie saw Blissey standing in her doorway.
"Blissey. You're still here? I thought you went somewhere else by now." She asked.
"Bliss..." Blissey had a reason. Normally, she would be heading off, helping others, but there was one thing she wished to do. With a smile on her face, she dug into her pouch, moving past the egg as something else was residing in it. From her pouch, Blissey revealed a Poke Ball. Afterwards, she would offer the Poke Ball.
"You want me to catch you?" A stunned Pinkie Pie spoke upon seeing the Poke Ball.
"Bliss."
"B-But aren't you going from place to place? Isn't this gonna slow you down?" Pinkie asked. While true, Blissey found a new purpose after being with Pinkie Pie for a while. Despite going from place to place, cheering others up as a wild and rogue Pokemon, Blissey was never attached to anyone.
Until now.
"Okay then! Throw it here!"
"Bliss!" Doing just that, the Poke Ball would be launched towards Pinkie Pie as if she was the Poke Ball. It bounced on her mane, immediately heading back to Blissey. Touching Blissey's face, it pulled her in before dropping to the floor.
1...2...3...Gotcha! Blissey was caught.
A new friend was added to Pinkie Pie's group as she would trot over to the Poke Ball. She wishes Mew were here to see it, but right now, this also made her happy. She held the Poke Ball close to her face, making sure to cherish this new friend, just as much as she did for Mew and all of her Pokemon.
Unova. Castelia City. The Pokemon Center. Nightfall.
Speaking of Mew, coming to check up on him, Pheromosa and Mew were their Trainers. Before they could truly call it a night, they had to say something to their injured Pokemon as well as give them something.
Get-Well Soon Gifts were brought over to them, consisting of their favourite things. For Mew, it was his favourite food and for Pheromosa, it was all the dresses she loved and the films she enjoyed making the most. Kartana didn't have much but Twilight went the mile to buy him something to cut. If he wakes up, he'll have a block of Dynasite to tackle.
"Get well soon." The three of them said in unison, wishing the best for their Pokemon. Afterwards, they would depart from the Pokemon Center.
"Let's come and see them again in a week or two." Twilight suggested after walking out of the Pokemon Center. "By then, something else would've happened."
"I don't think I can go and continue filming a movie now. But, I can at least hope for Pheromosa's wellbeing." Rarity said. "It won't feel the same with her being away though..."
"I've got an idea!" Pinkie Pie had something in mind that could change that. "Bring the students over! That'll do!"
"The students? From the Pokemon School?"
"Yeah! Let them make movies with you! Twilight, you can make that work, right?"
"Well, sure, I can but, I have to wait for Potion Nova to return. She still hasn't appeared since she went into space with Galaxy Master."
"She hasn't returned?" Rarity questioned.
"I haven't gotten an update yet, even if it's just been a day." The alicorn then looked up to the night sky, along with her friends. "I hope she made it out safe."
All of them had to wonder what was going up there and if Lunala was safe. There was no indication. The Moon seemed fine but there was an ominous aura in the atmosphere, lingering here and there.
The Next Day. Equestria. Canterlot. The Pokemon School. Day.
Even after another day passed, there was no sign of Potion Nova. She was not present for her class, leaving the students disappointed since they always enjoyed her lessons. Absolute silence filled her classroom as the lesson was immediately discontinued with the teacher being absent.
So, other teachers would take on that role with the arrival of Rarity. She took Pinkie Pie's suggestion and it went through. A happier Rarity showed up for today, here to treat the students with something wonderful, specifically, the students who chose the career path of a PokeStar Studios Actor during Career Day.
"Alright, class. Glad to be here. Today, I'd like to take you all to PokeStar Studios, over at the Unova Region."
"We're heading there?" Even those who showed no initial interest in it from the start such as Smolder were heading there today.
"That's right. Just for fun. know some of you wanted to try it out during, career day." Rarity's eyes then met with Yona, who was the most interested. And speaking of Yona, once those words passed through her ears, the absolute elation on her face said everything.
"Oh, that's nice. We get to make-"
"Movies!" Yona interrupted Sandbar with a joyous cry, causing him to shake and tremble. All the other Yaks would do the same, excitedly cheering and causing a ruckus. Out of all the species here, they were the most excited for PokeStar Studios. The other species were too, but not as much as the Yaks.
"Do you have to be so loud?!" Gallus covered his ears.
"Apparently, the Yaks saw one PokeStar Studios movie and fell in love immediately. I think Pinkie lent one to Prince Rutherford," Twilight explained, her voice cutting through the noise with clarity.
"Ah, that explains it," Gallus muttered with a grimace.
"Alright! Time to go!" Rarity exclaimed. It was time for them all to take off. "We'll be using the gateway to Virbank City, of course. We can find it just around Manehattan,"
Leading the way, Rarity guided her eager students through the corridors of the School. In her mind, Rarity as immediately thinking about Pheromosa and how making a movie without her would feel off. Granted, she's done it before with her other Pokemon even before she met Pheromosa but the Lissome Pokemon brought a nice aura to things that Rarity absolutely loved.
That aura would be exempt today, but the Fashionista was willing to power through it. All the while, her little sister watched her eyes, knowing that something was wrong.
"Sis, is everything okay?" Sweetie Belle asked quietly, stepping closer to Rarity's side as they walked.
Rarity turned to her sister, her smile softening at the concern evident in Sweetie Belle's voice. "Oh, darling, everything will be fine," she replied, mustering up a reassuring tone. "I'm just a tad preoccupied, that's all. But I promise, once we're at PokeStar Studios, I'll be fully focused on helping you all create the most marvelous films."
"It's about Pheromosa, isn't it?" Already, she knew this involved Pheromosa. This whole thing was driven by her.
"It is but, I won't let it get the best of me. Believe me, Sweetie Belle. I have a good feeling about today."
Unova. Virbank City. PokeStar Studios.
As the class arrived at Virbank City, the air crackled with anticipation and excitement. The students, their enthusiasm uncontainable, rushed towards the towering building that housed PokeStar Studios, their footsteps echoing against the pavement.
"Please slow down! It's easy to get lost in there!" Rarity called out to them, urging them to slow down and wait for guidance, but her pleas fell on deaf ears. The allure of the studio's grand entrance, with its promise of creativity and adventure, was simply too irresistible for the young minds eager to explore.
"I'll leave everything up to you, Rarity." Twilight turned around, ready to leave. "Good luck and have fun as always."
As the students entered PokeStar Studios, their eyes widened in wonder at the sight that unfolded before them. The grandeur of the studio's interior, with its towering sets, elaborate costumes, and bustling activity, was unlike anything they had ever seen.
Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, and Apple Bloom weren't all that taken aback since they've visited PokeStar Studios before. Multiple times, along with some other pony students such as Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. But as they watched the reactions of their classmates, the awe in their eyes, the excitement in their voices – they couldn't help but feel a renewed sense of appreciation for the magic of filmmaking.
"It's incredible, isn't it?" Scootaloo remarked, her gaze sweeping across the bustling studio floor.
"I mean it's alright." Smolder tapped her foot on the floor, feeling the clean and fun surface. "Not really my thing. Did we all have to come along?"
"I thought you would like making movies?" Silverstream walked over. "Doesn't it sound fun?"
"Eh. I don't even know what they're all about." Smolder shrugged. Most of the Dragons had no clue what movies are or they knew the bare minimum. Only Spike had the most knowledge on it. "What do we do here?"
"Well, you'll find out once we start getting dressed." Sweetie Belle passed by.
"Dressed?" Smolder froze for a moment once those words hit her ears. Her pupils would also shrink."
"Ooh! I should've brought my own if I knew this was happening today." Silverstream said as she and others would pass by Smolder who was shaken up just by hearing the mention of a dress.
"What's up with you?" Gallus asked once he saw Smolder being so static.
"N-Nothing! Uh...Any masks in this place?!" Smolder took flight, immediately searching for the equipment.
Meanwhile, Rarity had a list of plots that she brought for the students to try out. But while she was going over them, thinking about which one to start with, something caught her eye. From her peripheral, past all the other Pokemon Trainers present here to make their own movies and the students she came with a familiar figure was seen. Shifting her eyes, Rarity, in the distance of the studio saw the figure of a Pheromosa.
"Pheromosa...?" Rarity called out softly, her voice barely above a whisper, as she approached her beloved Pokémon. The Pheromosa continued walking, seemingly unaware of Rarity's presence, her focus fixed on something else entirely.
As Rarity hurriedly made her way through the bustling studio, her focus solely on reaching Pheromosa, she failed to notice one thing off about this. Ignoring the curious glances of trainers and staff members she passed, Rarity's singular determination to catch up to Pheromosa drove her forward.
"Pheromosa, wait!" Rarity called out again, her voice filled with urgency as she closed the distance between them. But despite her efforts, Pheromosa remained oblivious to Rarity's presence, her graceful strides carrying her further away with each passing moment.
It wasn't until Rarity finally caught up to Pheromosa, her hand outstretched in a desperate attempt to reach her, that she realized something was amiss. As Rarity finally caught up to the Pheromosa, her heart pounding with anticipation, she reached out a trembling hand, hoping for some sign of recognition from her beloved Pokémon. But as the Pheromosa turned to face her, a scowl etched across its features, Rarity's heart sank.
"Mosa?" Rarity whispered, her voice filled with uncertainty as she looked into the Pheromosa's eyes. It was then that she realized her mistake – this wasn't her Pheromosa. The realization hit her like a ton of bricks, the differences between this regular Pheromosa and her cherished Shiny Pheromosa glaringly obvious.
"O-Oh...I-I'm sorry. I didn't know, I-" Rarity backed away, finding this awkward and heartbreaking. She got her hopes up for nothing.
"Pheromosa? What is it?" Just then, a familiar voice cut her reaction off. When hearing this voice, something clicked for Rarity. What are the chances that another Pheromosa would be here, especially when Ultra Beasts are rare and only show up via Ultra Wormholes? But it all made sense once the source of the voice approached.
Walking up to this tall figure was none other than Adagio Dazzle.
"Adagio?!"
"Oh, it's you." Adagio said with a straight face, kissing her teeth. This was her Pheromosa. The same one Rarity's Pheromosa took on back at that Canterlot Tournament a few years back. No wonder she was giving Rarity such a scowl. "Meh. I should've seen this coming."
"What are you doing here? Are't you and your family suppossed to be looking for the other sirens?" Rarity questioned.
"Duh. Yeah, we are. That doesn't mean we can't get to do whatever we want. Besides, our search led us to Unova this time." Adagio shrugged. She was just here for fun, dabbling in movies. "But nevermind that. What do you want with my Pheromosa?"
"N-Nothing. I thought it was my Pheromosa." Rarity lowered her head. "My mistake."
"What? Lose her something?" Adagio let out a light chuckle.
"I didn't lose her!" Rarity roared. "She's recovering at the Pokémon Center after sustaining an injury. That's all."
"Hm?" Adagio then looked over at all the students here, seeing an abundance of children, move than usual. "So...You're with kids today today too, aren't you?"
"...Too?" Rarity repeated, realizing what that meant.
Right behind Adagio, other children not part of the Pokemon School were present here. Instead, they were the children who grew to be fans of the Dazzlings.
"As you can see, I'm here with my fans," Adagio remarked, her smirk growing wider as she gestured towards the crowd of children gathered around them.
Rarity couldn't deny the impressive turnout of fans, though she couldn't help but wonder at the sudden expansion of Adagio's fanbase. "I thought you only had music fans? Since when did you have fans of movies?"
Adagio's response was casual, her confidence unwavering as she twirled a lock of her hair between her fingers. "I dabbled in this PokeStar Studios thing one time. And it's only now that I'm showing up," she explained, her tone dripping with nonchalance. "I'm doing a musical, if you must know. And what's up with your group?"
"I-" Rarity soon realized she dropped the list when rushing over here. "Whatever comes to mind. That's all."
"Comes to mind? Are you sure you're one of the popular actors here? I saw a picture of you on the wall earlier and I didn't think I'd see you here in the flesh. I would've expected your Pheromosa too. Make my own feel vindicated."
"W-What do you mean vindicated?" Rarity stuttered.
"Isn't it obvious? She's still a bit bitter after losing to your Pheromosa back at the Canterlot Tournament." Adagio grinned before leaning next to her partner. "I mean, I'm not all that bothered by it. Kinda. Sorta. A bit. And I figured that she'd like to 1UP her on something. But it's a shame she isn't here. Skipping out on a golden moment like this."
Rarity bristled at Adagio's insinuations, her pride stung by the suggestion that her Pheromosa was somehow inferior. "Hah! She doesn't have to be here to better! Pheromosa and I have the experience!" Rarity scoffed. "We've been here far longer than you two have."
"Oh, you'd be surprised what this Pheromosa can do. Being stuck in Canterlot Castle in that Poke Ball has let her hear a lot of things. Believe me." But Adagio wasn't bothered. "Looks like you're going to have to stick with these kids."
"And you won't? You have children with you too!"
"I will. But I have my sisters and my mother, of course. And I guess our manager Baron Alberto too. I won't be dragged down by fith-grade acting."
"Fifth-grade?!" Rarity spluttered, her incredulity evident as she struggled to find words to express her outrage.
Rarity narrowed her eyes, seeing through Adagio's attempts to provoke her. "I know what you're trying to do... You're trying to get some negativity out of me. I thought you and your sisters gave up on that," She remarked, her voice tinged with scepticism.
Adagio merely shrugged, her smirk unyielding. "Eh. We like to mess around with others here and there," she admitted with a chuckle. "And it looks like it's working on you."
"Nice try. I won't be swayed by your games, Adagio," Rarity declared, her tone firm and unwavering. "I have more important things to focus on, like ensuring these students have a fun time."
"If you say so, but I wanna give Pheromosa here some satisfaction. Since she can't outdo your Pheromosa, she'll have to put up with beating you. Let's put our movies up against each other, Rarity and let the people here judge both of them. Then we'll see who's on top."
"Deal." Rarity immediately took the challenge, not hesitating for a moment.
Her decision was made. For a second time in a row, Rarity and Adagio would take each other on, this time in movies. Adagio easily got Rarity to be involved in this, attacking her while she was a bit vulnerable thanks to Pheromosa's absence, meanwhile, Adagio's own Pheromosa was active and healthy at the moment.
Eavesdropping and watching from the side were Sonata and Aria. They heard it all and have differing reaction as always. Aria's exasperated reaction didn't escape Sonata's notice, and she couldn't help but grin mischievously as she watched Rarity and Adagio's interaction unfold.
"No way she fell for such an obvious taunt," Aria muttered, her frustration evident as she facepalmed.
But Sonata's excitement only grew at the prospect of the upcoming competition. "Ooh, this is gonna be so much fun!" She exclaimed, rapidly tapping her feet on the floor "I can't wait to see what kind of movies they make! It's gonna be epic"
"What do you think even happened to her Pheromosa?" Aria wondered, a bit worried for Rarity and her Pheromosa.
"No clue. By the way, do you wanna slip that part in the movie? You could sing about Paul without making it obvious!" Sonata teased Aria about her crush on Paul.
"Quiet!" Aria nudged Sonata's head. "I'm not doing that!"
With their agreement in place, Adagio and Rarity parted ways, each focused on their own preparations for the upcoming movie-making challenge.
As they ventured off in separate directions, their minds buzzed with ideas and plans, determined to create films that would captivate and impress. Mainly Rarity, who had to do her best without Pheromosa. Their second showdown would be imminent here at PokeStar Studios as the journey continues.
Chapter 437 End.