//------------------------------// // Chapter 8: Introductions Pt. 1 // Story: Equestria, I Choose You! // by BronyDJ //------------------------------// Twilight, Rarity,Fluttershy, and Applejack were waiting in the Royal Dining Hall with Celestia and Luna for breakfast. Stephen, as they had learned to call him, had refused to join them and demanded to have breakfast in his room. The Princesses obliged, and let him eat in peace. "I still feel very bad about yesterday." Twilight spoke up, breaking the silence of the unusually quiet meal. "There must be some way to get through to him." "Don't worry, darling," Rarity assured Twilight. "Once Pinkie Pie gets here, I'm sure things will be much easier." "She's right, sugarcube." Applejack nodded. "Who else to cheer up that mean old Stephen than the Element of Laughter?" As if on cue, a Royal Guard entered the room for an announcement. "Your Majesties and esteemed guests," he bowed to them. "I am... pleased to announce that Miss Pinkamena has arrived." A pink ball of energy bounced past the gilded armor wearing stallion and giggled. "You don't have to call me that, silly." Pinkie stopped bouncing and looked to the guard. "Just call me Pinkie Pie, okay?" The guard raised his eyebrow and walked back out. The pink earth pony didn't mind; she was hear for her friends. "Oh look, the gang's almost all here! Where's Dashie? Is she still in Cloudsdale? When will she get back? Are we going to get her? Is the author going to-" "Pinkie," Twilight cut off her friend so they could get to the point. "We're here on important business, and Rainbow Dash will be joining us later." Princess Celestia nodded to Twilight in thanks. "She is correct, Pinkie." the Solar Princess added. "We have a grumpy visitor taking temporary residence in the castle, and we were wondering if you and your fellow Elements could try to cheer him up and gain his trust." This time, Pinkie spoke for her friends. "Yes, ma'ams!" she saluted the Princesses, and with her friends, they walked out of the Dining Hall and went up to start their mission. ~~~Stephen's POV~~~ I lay in my bed, and empty plate on a small table beside me. I was looking through my PokeDex for entertainment. Unless there was a good reason, I would not go out and try socializing these ponies. I don't know how to deal with them yet, let alone trust them. I had been looking through my Unova section on my PokeDex when I heard a knock at my chamber door. Someone was rapping, tapping at my chamber door. I got up, PokeDex in hand, and walked over to the door. I put my ear against the wood, but heard nothing on the other side. I opened the door just a bit so that one could only see my face: nothing, just an empty hallway. Or so I thought. "HI THERE!" a flash of bright pink suddenly appeared in my face. Great, another pony. "I'm Pinkie Pie, and I heard you were from a whole other universe and I got super duper excited and began thinking of what kind of party I should throw, do aliens like parties? I hope you do because you're gonna have possibly the grandest, most funnest party in the history of all Equestria and you'll make so many friends and eat cake and cupcakes and play Pin the Tail on the Pony and meet my pet Gummy and...." She rambled on and on at the speed of sound without any evidence of further intake of oxygen. I held up my hands to try to slow her down. Thankfully, she did. "Whoa there," I said, out of breath just by trying to keep up with what she was saying. "I'm sorry, but you're gonna have to say all of that a lot slower and a bit more concisely, please." She simply nodded, took a deep breath and responded. "Well," she started. "I heard you were from a completely different universe. As a good host, I'd like to extend an invitation to you for a party, for you, so that you can meet other ponies and become great friends with everypony and eat cupcakes with us and party even more!" "As fun as that sound, um... What was your name again?" I asked. "Pinkie Pie!" she answered. "But you can call me Pinkie." "Well, Pinkie," I repeated her apt name. "My name is Stephen. I'm going to have to ask that you postpone that party for another time. I'm still trying to get used to things, and I just happen to be doing some very important things." "What kind of important things?" Pinkie asked. Man, I thought. She's like a child! "Things that you wouldn't understand." I answered. "Alien stuff. Wibbly wobbly kind of stuff." "I wanna learn!" she insisted. "It'll be fun!" "No, sorry I-" I cut myself off for a moment, thinking of my PokeDex in my hand. "Actually, you might be able to help me." "Really?" I nodded. "How?" She was getting really excited. "Just stand still, okay?" She seemed a bit disappointed at the command, but did what she was told. Her eyes widened in wonder as I pulled up my Pokedex, and set its eye on her. "Name: Pinkie Pie." Dex's robotic voice said. "Species Unknown. A Fairy Type." Wat. I looked at Pinkie, who looked a bit confused. "What's a fairy type?" She asked. "Well," I answered. "It a certain type of creature capable of interesting abilities that most others can't do. Their powers are quite mystical and can barely be explained." At this, Pinkie's eye's widened. "Oooh, really?" I nodded again. "Can you use that red box speaky thingy on my friends?" "Um, sorry." I was getting pretty eager to end this conversation. She moved closer to me and seemed to want to get into my room. "Kay bye now." I shut the door in her face. Yeah, a bit rood, but I really did not feel like starting my day with an hyperactive pony like her. ~~~Pony POV~~~ Pinkie hopped back to her friends and the Princesses in the Throne Room, where they were waiting for any results. When thep ink pony returned, they all looked to her in hope. "Well," Twilight egged on. "How'd it go, Pinkie?" "He said he didn't want to have the party now." The other ponies seemed dismayed; they thought a good party would brighten him up. "But he said postpone! That means we can party later!" That seemed to pick up their spirits. "What else did he do?" Princess Celestia asked. "Did you learn anything about him?' "Oh!" Pinkie remembered the PokeDex. "He had a weird box that said my name and said I was fairy!" The ponies in the room seemed confused. "A box... talked?" Luna was very confused. Modern technology already confused her; she preferred the abacus to the calculator. "How?" "I dunno." the pink one answered. "It just spoke. And Stephen said a 'fairy type' has 'awesome mystical powers that go unexplained' or something like that. Twilight and the others giggled. "I do guess that that is one way to describe you, Pinkie Pie." Rarity remarked. "But did anything else happen?" "I tried to get him to invite me in to chat and stuff and be friends," Pinkie added. "But he said he had stuff to do and close the door." She frowned a bit a the thought of not being able to make a new friend. "It's alright." Twilight put her hoof on Pinkie's back. "We've only just started to get through to him. We're making progress. It's slow, but it's still progress." "That's correct, Twilight," Celestia proudly commended her student. "Next, I believe Rarity should go." The ivory coated unicorn wondered why she would go. "It seems that doesn't exactly have enough clothes for an extended stay. Why don't you introduce yourself as well and see if you can make him some new garments? Who knows, maybe he might know a bit of fashion from his world and inspire some new pieces for you?" Rarity practically squealed at the thought of otherworldly designs. "Oh, of course, Princess!" Rarity bowed in thanks. "I will try my best to gain his trust, and hopefully learn about his world's fashion! Oh how exciting!" The fashionista pony exictedly trotted out the room and went up to visit Stephen. She would not fail in this task! ~~~Stephen's POV~~~ I was thinking about PInkie Pie since she left. A fairy type, huh? I mulled it around in my thoughts a bit. That reminds me, I never went to visit Kalos. I smirked thinking of the new journey. No, I'm done with that now. I just want to settle down and relax. My Pokemon are old now, too. I'll just take care of my Pokemon family until I can't anymore. I kept my mind wandering until yet another pony was knocking at my door. "Who is it?" I opened the door that same way I did the first time, only my face showing. I looked down and saw that it was one of the ponies from the forest. "Oh, hello there. I remember you." "Yes, of course." she said. "You were quite talented in controlling and taming those creatures." Her posh accent kind of annoyed me, but hey, books and covers. "So, uh," What was she here for? "Can I help you somehow?" "Actually darling," she looked at my face, somewhat pleadingly. "I'm here to help you." She saw my confused expression and asked. "Is that one outfit all you have to wear?" I nodded. "That simply can't do! Your marvelous clothes would get dirty, and it would be most unsanitary to have you wear the same items every single day!" "Well," I pushed the door aside, revealing my clothes. "I guess I could use some more clothes." "That's the spirit." she smiled at me. "May I come in so I can take your measurements?" "Um... sure." I opened the door to let her enter my room. She looked around the room and pointed me to a spot close to the middle of the room. I stood, arms raised parallel to the floor. This was quite the favor, so it was only necessary that I thank her. "Thank you, Miss..." "Rarity, darling." she finished the sentence, pulling out measurement tape, a quill pen, and a notepad out of nowhere and somehow holding it up. Her white horn was surrounding in a blue aura, as was the aforementioned items. "Now hold still as I-" "Actually, wait, Rarity." I grabbed my PokeDex very quickly. "May I?" "Is that the talking box Pinkie told me about?" She asked, curious at the new item. "Um, yes." I answered. "Can you stand still for a moment please?" She did so and I brought up the Dex's eye up to her. "Name: Rarity." Dex spoke again. "Species Unknown. Psychic type." "Hm," I assessed. "That seems about right." "Psychic type?" She asked. "Like somepony that can predict the future?" "I supposed they are able to do that," I answered, "But Psychic type are known to use energy from their minds to control things or do things" Rarity pondered this. "How interesting..." She then remembered why she was here. "Now you stand still as I take your measurements!" She quickly had the measuring tape measure the width of my chest, waist, back, and side, as well as the length of my arms, legs and torso. It was quick and quiet, and she wrote the information down on the notepad.. "There we go, darling, all finished!" Rarity put away her tools somewhere, then turned to me curiously once again. "Now, do you have any knowledge of the fashion in your world?" Of course she'd ask that. However, Kara knows more about fashion than me. Girls do that, right? "Actually, I don't. Sorry." I answered. "I just know what colors to wear and not to wear together, and how not to look to obnoxious. I at least know the difference between outwear, sportswear, and dress clothes." Rarity took this in, a bit disappointed. "That's all fine, darling." She accepted. "Thank you for your time. Your clothes will be ready in a few days." I nodded and let her leave on her own, closing the door behind her. I walked back over to my bed. Time for a nap I decided. That's enough pony interaction for now. I closed my eyes and dozed off. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to somehow get more sleep in a nap than I did last night. ~~~Pony POV~~~ Rarity came back trotting happily, and the ponies waited patiently for results. Twilight and the others stepped forward to meet their friend. "Rarity," Twilight said. "Did you learn anything? Anything new?" "Well, he's certainly not an authority on fashion." Rarity joked. "He seems good natured. He didn't attack me or say anything hurtful while I took his measurements. His box said I was a Psychic type thing or something like that. He said that they used energy from the mind to control and do things." "It sounds like basic unicorn skills." Twilight commented. "That's a good sign." Celestia smiled. So he was a good creature after all. Maybe if they tried a different approach, they'd get more out of him. "He's open and doesn't seem to be making any attempts at a violent escape. He seems more intent on learning what we are and learning about his surroundings in somewhat of a subtle way. "Should I go next, Princess?" Twilight asked, eager to learn. "I think not, Twilight." The purple alicorn frowned at this. "We're saving you for last, when we know we can fully trust each other." Then she turned to another pony. "Applejack, I have no idea how you might be able to connect to Stephen at the moment, so we can think of something before Rainbow Dash arrives. The pony I want next... is Fluttershy." "A-are you sure?" the yellow pegasus asked meekly. "I don't exactly know how I'll introduce myself or start the conversation." "Remember, Fluttershy," Celestia thought this may be an issue. "That you have a keen talent for taking care of animals, sweet and scary. He has such creatures along with him. Maybe you can learn more about these creatures, and others from his world." Fluttershy's eyes widened in excitement. "Oh yes, that would be nice." She pondered. "I'll go now then!" She turned before Luna called out. "Wait!" the Night Princess called. "I can sense that he is napping, maybe we can try this next encounter later, when he wakes? I might even be able to read his dream this time; he didn't really sleep last night, and I was not able to enter any such dream of his." Celestia nodded at this new development. "Very well." she turned to Fluttershy. "Fluttershy, you and your friends should go ahead and relax, maybe go out into the city and look around. We'll let you know when we'll resume our assignments." The five Elements of Harmony nodded their thanks and headed their way out. Celestia looked to Luna and asked, "Shall we take a look into his dream together?" The younger sister nodded and replied. "Yes, we'll learn about this creature together." Luna added, "Then we can better understand and find a way to gain this creature's trust." They sat down together in their respective thrones, closed their eyes, and Luna's dreamwalking spell began.