As the sun set, they made a game plan. Using the intelligence they received from guards who were unlucky enough to wander, they were able to make a rough map detailing the locations of the camps.
“So there’s four other camps beside this, both going in a horseshoe around Ponyville.” Blue pointed to the locations, and all nodded. Blue began drawing lines connecting them, and frowned as Pinkie Pie took the pen and transformed it into a bunny face. Realising the others were watching her, she smiled awkwardly and moved back.
“So we’ll split into two groups after hitting this camp, and finish off these grunts before Giovanni even get’s out of his little hidey hole. Then when he comes out, we’ll grab him and then transport him to a nice and secure cell fours years into the future, where he belongs.” Blue cut the map into two, and handed Red one half. Looking to Green and Lyra, he saw that while Lyra didn’t seem bothered which person she went with, Green was obviously aiming to be paired with Red.
“So, Green will go with Red, and Lyra will be with me. But for now we’ll stay together. Pinkie you should head back to town.” Blue looked to Pinkie Pie, who simply giggled, said ‘okay dokey’, and literally vanished into a puff of smoke. Blue turned toward the others, and stood up as they gave a nod.
“Ookay then, who should we send out to deal with these guys?” As Blue spoke, Red and the others stood up. Lyra looked toward the camp as the others spoke, and slowly a smile began to form on her face, eyes beginning to shine. Blue and Red noticed this, and both stopped thinking and nodded.
“Alright Lyra, we leave it in your capable han-er-hooves.” Blue smirked as he saw the thrill of an incoming battle hit Lyra, and closed his eyes and turned away. When Lyra started, it would be a sight to behold. Red had trained her well, she made a very good Pokémon.
“Red, Green, you head out for those two camps. When Lyra is done here we’ll head for the other two.” Nodding toward them, Blue watched Red and Green vanish into the woods. Looking to Lyra, he saw her waiting for instructions, as all Pokémon do before a fight. Letting a sly smile fall onto his face, he began to walk out of the clearing, Lyra following close behind.
“Sic em.”
Lyra walked into the clearing, horn sparking with energy. The grunts were quick to release their Pokémon. Some were ponies, but badly wounded and would probably fall to one hit. Lyra counted a least a hundred Zubat, fifty Growlithe, ten Houndoom, and about two hundred Rattata, give or take ten. Leaning back, she closed her eyes and charged her first spell, the forest around her silencing.
“Get her!” The spell released, and all over the clearing leaves began to form from nowhere as she began to charge, leaves flying at enemies as she barely spared them a glance. Quickly the numbers thinned, so much so that when her attack died down, spinning around and grinding to a halt, she could barely see more than twenty still standing.
Lyra charged another spell, flipping her head to look at the sky and closing her eyes, raising her front hooves and standing on two. A large black ball formed at her horn, and as it began to spin it transformed into pure shadow, which she sent flying toward the Houndoom’s. They growled and tried to dodge, however all but one fell within one attack. That left barely over ten standing.
Walking toward the ragtag group, she charged her final attack, her magic surrounding the Pokémon in front of her. As they began to panic, an almost sickening crunch sounded as her magic crushed them within an edge of their life, causing them to faint instantly. Releasing her magic, she then captured all the humans in it as Blue began to tie them up. Rolling them through the portal, they once more bothered the police on a coffee break, to which they were quickly jailed.
“Great job as always Lyra, though I noticed one Houndoom survived that shadow ball. And your Psychic seemed a little weaker than normal. Hasn’t Red been using you often?” Blue began releasing the ponies, ignoring any questions directed at him. Blue neither wanted to, nor needed to answer them.
“There haven’t been many chances to use me, my level’s too high nowadays.” Lyra followed Blue out of the clearing, also ignoring the pointed questions. As they walked Blue pulled out the map and began determining where they were going. Amazingly enough, Blue was able to do this easily, as long as he had a map.
“Fair enough, you want to take on the other two as well? My Pokémon have been getting plenty of training so I can let you do some low-level grinding for now.” As they walked, Blue looked to the sky and toward the moon as it slowly rose. According to the map, if they walked they would reach it by morning. And while Blue would love to use one of his flying Pokémon to get there, it would be hard to show them where to land without having been to it. Landing in Ponyville had been different, he’d had a general idea of where to land due to Lyra.
“Lyra, you’re a rideable Pokémon right?” Blue glanced to Lyra, who had stopped mid stride and looked at him as if he had asked the stupidest question in the world.
“I don’t care what you say Blue, you will not, and never will, ride me.” Lyra growled at Blue, before storming ahead. Blue watched her go, and sighed, rubbing his forehead. He understood her annoyance and reason not to be ridden like a Ponyta, but it was difficult to handle sometimes. If Blue were to bring it up, it was always no, and he understood that. Pulling out his PASS, he began to look in his boxes for a rideable Pokémon as he caught up to Lyra. She watched him with mild curiosity, not overly mad about him asking.
“Arcanine!” Blue released a fiery-red wolf-like creature with wide, loving eyes. Blue leapt onto Arcanine and they sped through the forest. With their current speed, they might be able to complete both before morning. Which was good for Blue, because he had a general idea of what tomorrow was, and didn’t want to be close to Ponyville during that time.
If there was one thing worse than Lyra’s ability to predict his thoughts, it was a Pegasus getting hold of Red’s rare-candy reserves and going mental.