//------------------------------// // chapter 23 // Story: Friendship, magic and pokémon // by daniboyi //------------------------------// I AM SO SORRY FOR TAKING THIS LONG! I was on vacation for two weeks and stuff and then I had to catch up with school, which is getting harder as we get closer to exams and then I got into a small writers block again! But I am back, happy and with new ideas! Also already begun on the next chapter, which will be out within two weeks! Promise and shit! __________________________________________ Outside the awkward silence of Pinkie’s room in Sugarcube Corner, were ponies walking happily around, enjoying another bright day in the paradise of Equestria, where danger was rare and quickly dealt with thanks to the elements of harmony and the princesses. That was until they discovered a danger like no other in this world, an unbound rage of total destruction and chaos, worse than Discord and more terrifying than King Sombra and crueler than Queen Chrysalis. The rage of Delia Ketchum. The scream could be heard through all of Ponyville and even into the depths of Everfree, where a shocked Zecora looked up as her potion exploded in the middle of a brewing. The scream was that of a woman and she yelled. “ASH KETCHUM! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN THE LAST MONTH! WHO ARE YOU TO THINK YOU CAN CALL HOME AFTER A WHOLE MONTH OF DISAPPEARING!? YOU ARE GETTING HOME RIGHT NOW YOUNG MAN! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW WORRIED I HAVE BEEN?! YOU MIGHT BE AN ADULT, BUT I AM STILL YOUR MOTHER AND YOU WILL NEVER DO ANYTHING LIKE THIS AGAIN! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?!” As she finished yelling, her whole face red from lack of air, Ash and Pinkie being scared into silence, she looks much happier and says with a confused look “And why are you a pony?” Ash was still a little nervous as he answered with a light grin, Pikachu on his back to prove it was Ash for real and Pinkie peaking over his shoulder, curious, but also slightly startled, something that is in a surprise itself, from the sudden screaming, as Ash said “Errhh… You see… This is actually quite a long story, but it basically starts like this…” He was just about to start the story, when the door was shut open and Mrs. Cake stood in the door with wide eyes “What was with the yelling from here?” Ash grinned a little embarrassed as he said “I just called my mother… She wasn’t happy with me not having called for a whole month after disappearing without a trace…” Mrs. Cake send him a brief look of disapproval and just rolled her eyes amused, before she walked out of the room. Ash turned back to his mum and smiled sheepishly, as she raised an eyebrow “Ok Ash Ketchum. Where are you? Why did that pony just talk and why are you a pony?” He grinned nervously again and said “You might want to sit down… this is a very long story…” She sighs and nods “Ok, but let me get Professor Oak first. He is very worried. I can guess Brock is with you, since he also went lost last week?” Ash nodded quickly, knowing not to make it worse for himself than it already was. Just before Ash could start to explain the whole story, as Oak had arrived, of how he got to Equestria and why he hadn’t returned home yet, did Pinkie had enough of waiting for her turn to speak out, and she jumped in front of Ash with an excited smile. She looked directly at Delia and the retired professor and began to speak rapidly. “Hello! My name is Pinkie Pie! Are you Ash’s mom? Because if you are it is so super-duper fantastic to finally meet you! Or at least talk to you, since you aren’t really here, but it is still awesome! Ash has told me so much about you! I’m Ash’s best friend in all of Equestria and his marefriend! Ash is so nice and his Pokémon are so awesome! I really like Feraligator! He is like a big Gummy, who is my pet alligator by the way!” Pinkie didn’t get much of a chance to say much more, as Ash stepped in front of her again and said nervously “Pinkie sweetheart. Do you mind if I speak with my mum alone for a second?” She looked confused, but nodded with a smile and bounced out of the room happily. As she had left the room, he turned a bit tired back to his mother and his mentor and said “Ok. What do you want to know?” Delia looked back at him with a raised eyebrow and just asked “Where are you? Why are you there and why are you a pony?” Ash grimaced and said “This will take some time to answer, but I try my best. This land I am in is in fact a whole other world or reality. This country is called Equestria and is inhabited by a species of sentient ponies and is ruled by two immortal goddesses, who control the sun and the moon. The ponies are all divided into three groups. The unicorns, who can control magic and cast spells, the pegasis, who have wings and can fly and control the weather and the earth ponies, like me, who lack of horn and wings, but have enchanted strength and stamina, they also make the food of Equestria.” He took a deep breath and continued. “I was sent here by Arceus, you know him, because he wanted a champion to introduce this world to Pokémon and wanted see how the ponies reacted to the new specie and he choose me, because of my pure heart and clean soul. And to your last question, I am a pony to fit in with the others.” Delia and the professor looked shocked as they nodded silently, and after a minute asked professor Oak a little curious and with a hint of excitement “So how did the ponies react? To the Pokémon I mean.” Ash gave a happy smile and answered “Quite good actually. They were very interested in their powers. The only small problem we had was the diet of Charizard and Feraligator, as all ponies are vegetarians and eating meat is frowned upon. We managed to learn that fish is ok to eat and luckily Charizard is not very picky and Feraligator loves fish like no other.” Professor Oak grinned to Ash and was about to continue asking, until he was interrupted by Delia, who asked a question that sent a shiver of fright and dread down Ash’s spine and make him snow pale. “What did Pinkie mean with ‘Marefriend’?” Ash and Pikachu both looked nervous now, while Oak looked at Ash with a knowing grin, and Delia had a raised eyebrow. “Eerrgghh…. You see…. She and her friends was some of the first ponies I met.” He answered with a scared voice “She offered me a home and was my best friend from this world. After some time we sort of got a crush for each other, and we are now dating each other…” He looked up, and against all of his dreads, she smiled happily and said with a happy voice with a hint of amusement “Ohh! I am so happy for you finally found someone you are happy with Ash! I hope you treat her well, as I had raised you to do!” she gave him a warning glance, and he gulped and nodded quickly, as Pinkie appeared out of nowhere behind Ash and said excited and happily as always “Of course he does silly head! Ash is the sweetest, most understanding pony I know! Or human. He doesn’t think I’m weird or crazy at all!” Delia smiled kindly to the pink pony, which captured her son’s heart and said “Glad to hear he is behaving well Miss Pinkie.” She smiled as she turned to Ash and said “Now Ash, would you mind if me and Pinkie had a little girl chat alone?” He smiled to his mother as he said “Not at all mum. I had to meet the guys anyway soon. Have fun you two!” as he turned and left with Pikachu on his back and he walked out of the sweet shop, after greeting Mrs. Cake who was in the living room downstairs and he went outside, first to get Spike in the library. He arrives to the library after a few minutes. Pikachu now resting on his back, as he knocked on the door and he heard a voice calling “Just a minute!” as he heard some noises from the inside and soon the door opened and revealed Twilight with a smile “Hello Ash! What can I do for you?” He smiled to the librarian and said “I was just here to get Spike, if he has time of course?” He looked at Twilight, who turned around and looked inside, she looks back at him and says “Give it a minute, he just has to place the last few books, and he can go.” He nodded and waited patiently outside the library as Spike walked outside with a smile to his friend and one of his only male friends as he says “Hey Ash. Is it time for our meeting with the guys again?” Ash nodded with a grin as Spike cheered silently, not to let Twilight hear, as they both began to walk towards Sweet Apple Acres. They quickly met up with Big Mac and he was allowed to leave, as he had done the duties for today, or most of them, but AJ figured he deserved a reward now and then for good work. She, herself, had left him with the duties alone a few times, because she went to see her friends. They all together walked towards an old left barn from a former farmer family in the town, unused and left alone without nopony living nearby and as they enter, summoned Ash Feraligator and grinned to the large alligator Pokémon and said “you know the drill my friend. Let nopony inside, besides us.” The Pokémon nodded with a mocking salute, and Ash rolled his eyes as he entered the barn. :with Pinkie: Pinkie grinned as she finished her talk with Delia, who smiled brightly back to the energized pony and she said “Well. It was really fun to talk to you Pinkie, promise me that we do this again someday and I will try the tip of smiling more and enjoy my life. It certainly seems to help you a lot. I have to go now, but make Ash promise he will call me again at some point. I am still worried about him.” Pinkie smiled to her coltfriends mother and said “I will look out after him Mrs. Ketchum! In fact I wonder where he went. I think I go look for him!” as she bounced off, leaving Delia, as she chuckled amused and ended the call and the screen turned off. Pinkie bounced through the town, looking around for Ash as she smiled happily to anypony who she met on her way and she noticed Applejack walked through the street and went over to her “Heya Applejack! Have you seen Ash? I have been looking anywhere, but can’t find him at all!” She smiled to the ever happy party pony and said “Ah think he talked about meeting with Spike and Big Macintosh about something, don’t ask me what, Ah ain’t got a clue. Big Mac won’t tell me.” Pinkie looked interested and grinned widely all the sudden as she stormed off with a yell “THANKS APPLEJACK!” She grinned, as she ran towards the Sweet Apple Acres to find Ash and talk to him. She was soon at the farm and looked around excited for Ash as she sees Granny Smith and ran over to her instead and asked “Hey! Have you seen Ash or Big Mac?” The elder mare smiled to the young excited pony and said “They went to the old forgotten barn outside the town. Easy to find ma dear.” “Thanks Granny Smith!” as she ran towards the location spoken off. She arrived a few minutes later, even if she had to go through the entire town again, and looked at the huge barn with a brilliant smile, as she noticed Feraligator standing outside the door, guarding it as he spotted Pinkie and let out a growl against the door, warning Ash of Pinkie’s arrival. She walked up to Feraligator, as she heard a lot of voices and a bit of noise inside, like somepony was packing something away, and asked Feraligator “Is Ash here?” The large Pokémon let out a growl and nodded with a smile to the pink Pony. Pinkie grinned happily and asked “Can I see him?” Feraligator held up a hand and one finger and Ash walked out of the barn one second later and asked Pinkie nervously “What are you doing here Pinkie?” She grinned and said excited “I just wanted to know what you are doing! What are you doing with the guys and all?” Ash sighed relieved and smiled to his marefriend and said. “Nothing special Pinkie. Just a little guy time. Like you have some girl time with the others.” She nodded in understanding, but still asked, as she tried to look into the barn. “What are you doing?” as she looked over his shoulder. He immediately pushed her back in front of him gently and kissed her shortly “That will be a surprise Pinkie. Just be patient. I promise you will like it.” She looked now very excited and bounced on the spot as she said. “A surprise! I love surprises! Surprises are the best thing in the world next to parties! But surprise parties are the very very best!” she gasped loudly and said “I SHOULD TOTALLY MAKE A SURPRISE PARTY NOW! Wait… Now I have told you, it won’t be a surprise party…. I make it an anti-surprise party!” She stormed away leaving a dusk cloud behind as Ash blinked for a few seconds and sighed. “I do love her… but sometimes she confuses me really.”