//------------------------------//
// Stranger Danger 
// Story: My Little Pony: Red Version 
// by FaelaArts 
//------------------------------//

The next time Red opened his eyes, things looked very different. Blue and the two ponies had been bound and gagged, and the cages were about to be covered with a piece of cloth. The rockets had returned all the Pokémon and were slowly setting up a base of operation. Turning to look to Giovanni, he saw his belt being held out for him to take. Red took it, and put it back on.

“Return your Pokémon.” At his command, Red raised his head and tossed the Pokéball to return his Charizard. Blue’s Dragonite, a fierce fighter by it’s own right, could not battle against both of Giovanni’s Pokémon, and was quickly subdued. Rapidash and Ponyta stood to the side, being held off by the two Sneasel.

“Look at me.” Giovanni’s voice reached Red, and he turned to meet Giovanni’s gaze. The grunts about to cover the cages paused, watching the exchange. Blue strained his head around and looked at Red.

“Bow.” Giovanni narrowed his eyes, waiting to see the results. He needed to ensure he had complete control of Red, lest he be stabbed in the back at a later date. It was fortunate he did, because as he waited for Red to do as he commanded, he realised the action was taking longer than it should.

Red gazed at Giovanni for a long time, neither moving nor blinking. If one were to look closely, they might notice the occasional eye twitch. It was two full minutes before Red finally blinked, and Giovanni frowned in response.

“I see, so I can only control you as long as it does not conflict with your morals, that’s a shame. You’ll make a good lap dog however.” Giovanni turned and began ordering the grunts to begin preparing to invade the town.

Blue looked to the grunts as they finally pulled the curtain over them, getting one last look at Red, before lowering his head and closing his eyes. 

Lyra woke up in darkness, bound and gagged. Managing to light her horn, she realised she was in some sort of cage, and let her body slump.

Twilight was too knocked out to even think about escaping.

Red looked toward the town, and his hand slowly curled into a fist.

Rapidash and Ponyta tried to push through the two Sneasel.

Giovanni smiled to himself, things were going well. He had the main contenders subdued, and Red would destroy any opposition as long as he had Blue and the two pets captive. If he was correct in his theory, it would only take a week for Red to finally accept it and become a full slave to him.










And that was when a large Charizard exploded from the sky, landing on the ground with a large explosion of dust, and gave an ear-splitting roar. On it’s back a tall cloaked figure stood, hidden under the cowl of the cloak. It leapt off the back of the Pokémon, and began making it’s way toward Giovanni.

“Who the Arceus is that?” Giovanni growled, and looked to Red. However, Red was just as perplexed as Giovanni, he had no idea who this mysterious trainer was.

“Red, go and teach that trainer not to interfere with Team Rocket.” Giovanni pointed toward the cloak figure, who slowly came to a stop. Giovanni walked a good distance away to watch the fight, confident in the abilities of Red. 

Red pulled out a Pokéball and tossed it into the air, the cloaked figure doing the same. As the two Blastoise appeared, and began to fight, a frown appeared on Red’s face. Both Blastoise had the same moveset, the same attack pattern, and yet there was something strange going on.

Red was losing.




Throwing out Pokémon after Pokémon, Red’s frown slowly turned into a scowl of frustration, and he switched tactics. Each Pokémon he threw out would be met with ease, and never once did Red manage to gain the upper hand. Wind began to pick up, and the cloth over the cages began to ripple, grunts going to secure it.

Red tossed his final Pokémon, and looked at his opponent, taking in how outmatched he really was. Red was loosing, but in such a way the opponent never even seemed slightly worried. It was as if Red was looking at the next level in Pokémon training, someone who had surpassed him long ago.

As his final Pokémon was defeated, Red returned his Pokémon and gazed upon the cloaked stranger. Giovanni looked on in surprise, never expecting to see Red lose so easily. The grunts stood by, hands going to their Pokémon. The Charizard behind the cloaked man began to approach.

As the grunts sent out their Pokémon, it was obvious how outmatched they were. No attacks even seemed to dent the Charizard as it made it’s way over to the ensnared Dragonite that belonged to Blue, and casually tossed Giovanni’s Pokémon aside, helping the Dragonite up.

Giovanni turned on the cloaked stranger, and began to send out his own Pokémon. But once again, the stranger defeated them as if it was no effort at all, and approached Giovanni.

“Tch,” muttered Giovanni, looking around for a means to stop the cloaked trainer from approaching. Finding none, he straightened up and faced the cloaked stranger head on. The stranger stopped a step away, and snatched the Master Ball from Giovanni, shattering it with his hand.

“Why you,” spoke Giovanni, barely containing his anger. Behind the stranger, the Charizard watched him carefully. In an act of frustration, he dived at the cloaked stranger, only to be pushed aside as the stranger approached the cages. The grunt with the key backed into one of the cages, and reached for his now empty Pokéballs. Looking at the cloaked stranger, he flinched as a hand reached for him.

Opening his eyes, the grunt relaxed, the cloaked man had only taken the key. Realising he should probably make an attempt to get it back, the grunt opened his mouth, and closed it a moment later when the cloaked man’s Charizard passed by. The cloaked man tossed the key to Red, who caught it, and continued watching the guy.

Finally, the cloaked man walked toward Giovanni once more, who watched him approach, venom in his eyes. The stranger paused for a second time, and raised his hand, forming a fist.

The stranger decked Giovanni in the face, hard.

Giovanni fell to the ground, out before he had even hit it.

The stranger leapt back on his Charizard and looked to Red, a stray breeze picking up and blowing off his hood. Red’s eyes widened as he looked at who had saved them. Of all the trainers in the world, only one had bested him.

He wasn’t expecting the second person to best him to be…