A New World, Burning an Old Way
Written by: BUBBA 1995
Edited by: zeus demigod 131
Edited by: tdnpony
Pre-Reader: Dragaen
Chapter 2 - Princess Cadance and the White Mage
In front of me stood Princess Cadance. Just one look at her told me that she was the fairest in all the land. From the way Shining Armor looked at her you would think that they were together. Wait… Strike that. She just kissed him. They are together. HA! My detective skills are amazing.
“From what I have been told,” She spoke in a lovely voice. “I have you to thank for stopping the… Feraligatr? Odd name.”
“Yes Cadence, this is John. From what I have learned he’s the leader of these two… Pokémon.”
“Well I am sure the two of you have a lot to tell me, but first,” She looked back into the carriage. “Holly Heart.”
A unicorn popped her head out of the carriage. She looked… scared. Hesitant would be a better word, as if the sun itself was going to burn her if she stepped out into the light. Her fur was a dark green., her eyes were a light green, and lying on her nose was a pair of square glasses. Her silky black mane, was pulled back into a ponytail, while her tail was braided and ended in a white bow.
“Y-yes Princess.” She stuttered.
“Come now Holly Heart, don’t be scared,” Shining started. “It’s just a monkey with it’s head on fire. Though he did almost burn down a coffee shop just by standing next to it…” Shining’s attempt at jokes was not funny! It’s not my fault that things spontaneously combust around me. I mean it’s really entertaining, but come on.
“Nice to meat you Holly Heart. My name is John. Why are you here?” I scribbled.
She read the note and a let out a laugh. “You have a funny name.” She was still hesitant, but stepped out slowly. “Now… Hold still. Sir Shining Armor’s message said that you were intelligent, but didn’t speak our language. So he asked me to cast a spell on you so that we can understand you…”
I looked down at my notepad to write a message. Something along the lines of thank you, or that would be appreciated. But then I was blinded by a quick white flash. “Ah what was that?” I asked covering my eyes.
“Ah good… It worked.” Princess Cadance commented.
“Wow, your voice is deep…” Holly Heart added.
“Well, John. Now that you can speak, anything interesting to say?” Shining Asked.
I looked at him. Though most of my questions where answered, I needed some more information on the things that he had said to me. Like how we were living on Equus, and how he didn’t know what a Pokémon was. Oh and before I forget, how on earth did I get here. Granted that would not be the right ‘phrase’ for this situation now, would it?
“First off,” I started. “Planet Equus. How is it? Is it safe?”
“Mostly,” Shining Started. “Wild monsters are common in most parts. Though Equestria is a very safe place for the most part.”
“Alright. Second, other than Ponies, what other creatures live here?”
“Let’s see,” Holly Heart started. “Griffins, Zebras, Buffaloes, Dragons and Diamond Dogs, just to name a few.”
“And third, don’t you think we should finish dealing with this Feraligatr situation? Even though he is caged up, he can still do some damage. Hydro Pump, if aimed correctly, can hit us at this distance.” We were at least a good two hundred feet away from the Feraligatr, and though the chance was small, it could happen.
“In that case come with me to the castle, I have my own questions,” Princess Cadance stepped back into her carriage and beckoned me to join her. “And would like you to answer them, and for the Feraligatr,” She turned to Shining. “For now just take him over to the prison. Find the largest cage there and throw him in it for now.”
“Two things,” I interrupted. “First, I am not riding in that carriage.”
“Why not?” Holly Heart asked.
“Because I lit a coffee shop on fire, and my notepad...just by being next to them. I will not add the royal carriage to the list,” All three of them laughed at my comment. “And two, my Pokémon are coming with me, and they won't fit in here with us.”
“That reminds me,” Shining thought aloud. “How intelligent are Pokémon?”
“Most are as smart as you and I.” I stepped past him, and looked at Lex and Snow. “These two are smarter than I sometimes, but they listen to me because I know what I am doing.”
“So does this mean I could speak to the Feraligatr?” Shining asked.
“Yes, you could,” I looked over at Holly Heart, and was about to ask her to cast that spell again but.... She was missing… “Where is Holly Heart?”
Cadance gave me a sad smile. “She is hiding in the carriage.”
Why was she hiding? I glanced over at Feraligatr… Oh, right. Mass destruction. Everything exploding. Big scary monster. She probably didn’t want to go near it. It was kind of similar to how a child would act. Though she herself was a timid young girl. So I myself had to act diffrent so that she could trust me, or at least do what I asked her to. “Alright Holly Heart, you don’t have to go over to the cage if you don’t want too.”
Popping her head out from the carriage she asked. “Really?”
“Yes, really.”
“Then how am I going to talk to it?” Shining Asked.
“I can translate for now.” I turned to the Princess. “Please excuse us Princess. We shall only be a moment.”
Shining followed as we started to walk to the Feraligatr. He did not speak. It might have been because how I had been acting. I always had that impression on local authorities when ever I would show up for an investigation. Then again, it could have been just because the Feraligatr was staring at us, it’s orange eyes were staring us down. I could see hate in them, fear too.
Lex and Snow on the other hand where looking as happy as ever. They normally had to deal with situations like this one. Whenever a wild Pokémon would attack, and after everything was done and done, they would watch them until the Pokémon Rangers would show up. From there I would just let them do their job, but now I had to do the cleanup job… It wasn’t really cleanup, though. Just Pokémon transfer. Move the Pokémon out of the way so that it didn’t harm anyone.
Ask me to deal with a emotional child that lost his Pokémon. I could do it. Ask me to battle through an army of Pokémon without my Pokémon. I could do it. I would just sneak past them, but I would do it. Moving a Pokémon was just annoying.
When we arrived at the cage Shining Armor was the first to speak. “Lex and Snow is it?”
They nodded. “It is nice to meet you Shining Armor.” Lex said. However to Shining it sounded more like… “Lux Lux Ray ray, ray Lux.”
“Can we get something to eat?” Snow asked. And like Lex she sounded more like… “Sol Absol, ab ab?”
“Sorry you two, the translation spell was only cast on me. He can’t understand you. Though if I ask I am pretty sure Holly Heart will cast it…” I looked over at Snow. “And as for your question, once we get this situation over I am sure the Princess will be gracious enough to provide some food.”
“Is she hungry?” Shining asked.
“Yes,” As I answered him my stomach growled. “It seems that I am also hungry…”
“We’ll get you something to eat soon, but for now,” He turned to the Caged Feraligatr. “Do you understand me.” The Feraligatr nodded. “Good… Now John here said that most Pokémon are just as intelligent as ponies, therefore I shall inform you of the charges that you face,” I raised an eyebrow. Charges? “You destroyed three two-story buildings, six shop stalls, one jungle gym, and one major gas line,” He let out a sigh. “Normally I would have read you your rights, but seeing that, at the moment at least, you are not a citizen of Equestria. Therefore, until the damages have been payed off, you are to work for your freedom.” Oh… Charges…
The Feraligatr's eyes went wide, then she furrowed her brow in anger. “What in the hell?!” Wait… the voice sounded feminine. He was a she… “I just woke in the middle of a no where, get attacked, and am now in trouble for that?!” She yelled. This time my eyes went wide.
Shining turned to me. “What did he say?”
“Give me a moment Shining, I would like to hear all that she has to say.”
“She?!” He looked surprised.
“Can you explain in more detail?”
“What does the Ponyta looking Pokémon mean by what did she say?”
“He can only understand me, but that’s not important. What do you mean by ‘You woke up in the middle of a pond and got attacked?”
The Feraligatr let out a sight. “I woke up, heard a scream, got attacked by a ponyta looking Pokémon with wings, protected myself, something exploded, he attacked me,” She gave a death stare at Shining. “Then he attacked me,” She gave a fearful stare at Lex. “Then I woke up in this cage. Is that simple enough for you?”
I face palmed. “This is going to be annoying…”
“You have handled worse.” Lex gave me a reassuring smile.
“Thank you… Now Shining,” I turned to him. A look of absolute determination on my face. He knew I was serious. “What would be the chances of one of your stallions or mares attacking the Feraligatr first?”
His demeanor changed. He looked me right in the eyes. He knew what I was asking him. I was hoping he didn’t. “What do you mean?” He knew what I meant. Just from my question he knew I was asking that maybe one of his ponies attacked first, and made the Feraligatr defend itself. That all destruction today was caused by a pony, and not a rampaging monster.
“Because the Feraligatr says that a Pegasus attacked her first.”
“...”
“If you could speak to the Feraligatr yourself then you would believe me.”
“I didn’t say I didn’t believe you.”
“The Feraligatr may have been the bullet that caused the damage, but who pulled the trigger?” Shining looked confused at my analogy. I let out a sight. “Pokémon, no matter what the size, are very strong. If you attack one of them you better know what you’re doing, because it will defend itself, and it will attack you.”
“In that case I’ll go question the ponies around here, but for now ‘she’s to stay in the cage.” Shining turned around and walked away.
As he walked away, Snow took a step forward. “About that food…”
Yet again, I let out another sigh. “Snow,” I gave her an annoyed look. “You will get your food, but for now… Stop asking.” She then looked sad, and I know, I could have just told her not now, but the day has been… a bit stressful. “As for you, Feraligatr. For now just stay calm… Please.”
-:-:-
I gotta to say, Shining Armor knows his shit. We stood there for about two minutes before he showed up with an orange Pegasus. I wanted him go around to every single guard that had been on the scene. Narrowing the search to six Pegasi. Then to three. Then to just one. And that one looked worried. His fur was orange and his mane was blue, like Shining Armor’s, and his eyes were also blue… Were they related? Oh, and Holly Heart was with them. I thought she didn’t want to come near the Feraligatr...
“Holly Heart,” Shining stated clearly. “Cast the spell on the Feraligatr, and John’s Pokémon.”
“Y-y-yes sir!” Holly Heart replied. Her voice sounded strained, as if she wanted to cry, but she held it in. This… annoyed me. With a flash of her horn, a white glow went over Lex, Snow, and Feraligatr.
“Now this will let me understand you Feraligatr. I want you too tell me exactly what you told John. Word for word.” At that moment Holly Heart fainted. I moved fast, catching her. Her head lay over my right shoulder. She must have been so scared that she fainted.
Wrapping my arms around her I picked her up, letting her head rest over my shoulder. “Give me a moment Shining.” I started to walk towards the Princess. Who had been watching us this whole time, and apparently the coffee shop that I had almost burned down was still opened. I know this because she was sipping coffee out of a cup that had the logo of said coffee shop on it.
“Princess,” I said walking up to her. “Holly Heart fainted.”
She let out a annoyed sigh. “I told Shining that making her go over there and cast that spell was a bad idea. She’s not as powerful as Twilight, and could only cast the spell two or three times…”
Alright, so she fainted because of exhaustion. “She cast the spell four times... and who’s Twilight?”
Before Princess Cadance could answer we heard Shining yell the following. “YOU WHAT?!” We both glanced over to see the Orange Pegasus mumble something. At this distance, we could not make out what it was though.
“Is that Flash Sentry?” Cadence asked.
“I didn’t get his name,” I answered, before I placed Holly Heart in the unoccupied chair next to Cadance. “And again, I ask, who is Twilight?”
“She’s my sister-in-law, right now she’s over in Ponyville tending to her library or something.” Candace's face was beaming with pride. she must have loved her a lot.
“And is she stronger at magic then Holly Heart?”
“Yep. She is the bearer of the Element of Magic, and is the strongest magical user I know, other than Princess Celestia and Princess Luna that is.” She then took a sip of her coffee.
“So you’re not the only Princess?”
“No, I am not the only Princess. There’s Princess Celestia, princess of the sun. Princess Luna, princess of the moon. Princess Twilight, princess of… something, I don't really know what she is the Princess of really. Then there’s myself, Princess of love.” She then took yet another sip of her coffee.
Four royal Princesses. One of whom is the Sister-in-law to the mare sitting in front of me. They must not be related then, other than the title. Sadly any questions I had about the subject had to wait, I had work to do. Cadance took another sip of her coffee, and this time it was starting to bother me. Not because it was annoying, but because I wanted coffee now. I normally drink it when I’m stressed out, and this whole situation is stressful. Oh and let’s not forget the fact that I’m trying my best not to freak out.
“One more thing Princess,” I started. “Well... two things really. One, can I get some coffee?”
She smiled. “Take Holly Heart’s,” She pointed at the table. “She is not really going to need it now…”
“Very well,” I took the coffee and took a sip. It was sweeter than I liked, had a flavor of mint to it, and smelled like candy cane. “And for my second request, may my Pokémon and I get something to eat? Once this situation is over with that is.”
-:-:-
“Oh, so you get coffee , and I don’t get anything? How is that fair?” Snow commented sarcastically. Before I could even ask Shining of what had transpired while I was gone that is. I gave her a death glare, but she just smiled.
I took a drink of the coffee and turned to Shining. “Alright, where were we?”
“I took care of it.” Was all he answered. He looked… stressed out. Considering how I was facing the situation, I could only image how he was feeling.
“May I have some details?” He let out a sigh.
“Knight Flash Sentry was the first to confront the Feraligatr,” He turned to the Feraligatr and looked… sad. “However, the Feraligatr was asleep on a jungle gym and was awoken by a scream. Said scream was from a filly or some other pony, then Flash Sentry attacked. You know the rest, as for what we are going to do with her,” He pointed off in a direction south of us. “Outside the city, there’s a lake, it’s normally frozen during the winter, but at the moment she can go there.”
“So you’re allowing her to leave?”
“Yes. She can stay there as long as she likes, but if she enters the city then our little deal is off.”
“What deal?”
“I do not mess with them, and they do not mess with me,” Feraligatr answered. “And after a day like this, I don’t want anything to do with you Ponytas.”
“Alright then,” I took another sip of the coffee, and I could just tell that Shinning was now getting annoyed by it. He and I were somewhat alike. “Now what?”
“Now you come with me,” He started to walk back the Princess Cadance. “We have more questions, and it will help if you answered them quickly.”
Yep. He and I were much alike…
-:-:-
“And that is how Pokémon breed.” I finished. Finally explaining how ‘Pokémon’ work. I covered every topic. From Pokémon types, to Legendaries, to shiny pokémon, to… well, everything! Even how they have sex! Princess Cadance asked that one by the way.
Cadance and Shining sat across from me while Snow and Lex were sitting to my right. At the moment we were in the Crystal Castle’s Dining Hall! Larger than a house with a staff of over twenty cooks at its disposal. They had everything in stock. Well… almost everything, they didn't have oran berries. Damn shame really, grilled oran berries and hot coffee was always my favorite meal. As for what I did eat, whatever meat they had in the kitchen at the time. Something called ‘Manticore’, and my god’s. It was amazing. Snow had the same, but Lex had a fruit and veggie salad. Sometimes he can be so strange…
“Alright… last question,” Shining leaned forward. He no longer seemed stressed, in fact, he seemed happy. Why? Well ever since we entered the castle; he had removed his armor, taken some pain pills, ate a large hay sandwich, drank two large cups of coffee, and could not stop laughing when Snow told him about that time I got stuck in a washing machine. “What are you going to do, now that you’re both on Equus and are Pokémon?”
I… frowned. I didn't know, ever since I got here I had either been freaking out, fighting, or worrying. I didn’t really have any time to think about that, and I couldn’t even answer the question… I took on a sad expression. “I… don’t know, really. Before whenever I didn’t know what to do I would just call H.Q. for a mission, or for something that would pass the time. Here… I’m just an Infernape, no home, no job, and no idea what is going on. Hell I’m not even on the same world. This is even more stressful than the time I learned that Team Rocket was trying to Genetically Clone Pokémon.”
“Wait, what?” Cadance asked. “Genetic Clone? Like grow a life form?”
“This just raises more questions, but for now. Let’s think about those another time. For now, you don't have a place to stay, right?” Shining interjected. I just shook my head. “Well then why not stay in the Castle? You seem like decent ponies, I mean, Pokémon. That and if any more wild Pokémon shows up, whether they’re trying to destroy everything or not, you can deal with them. You do have more experience with Pokémon than I do, and I have a feeling that more will show up…”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Oh just say thank you,” Snow called over. “They are offering a free place to stay, how could you possibly say no?”
“She has a point,” Cadence added, giving us a large smile. “Now… how are we going to explain this to everypony…?”
“We’ll do that tomorrow,” Shining stood up and stretched. “For now, let’s get to bed. It’s getting late. That or I’m just tired, either way…”
“Well, you did fight a Feraligatr in head to head combat. They’re fierce in combat, and you did hold your own quite well.” Lex commented.
“Well,... thank you.”
“Well then, we should be getting to bed. I’ll have some ponies show you to your room. Do you all wish to share a room or...?”
“Two rooms,” I requested. “One fireproof, and with a large bed.”
Cadance blinked. Her eyes started to sparkle as she turned to Lex and Snow. “Awww, you two are together?” Snow blushed, and Lex just smiled.
Shining on the other hand laughed. “Now don't you go burning down the castle on us.” I couldn’t help but laugh. Though a part of me feared that it might really happen… But for now, time to get some sleep. Today is over, and I’ll worry tomorrow. Worry about what is going to happen. Worry about my Pokémon that aren’t with me… Oh shit.
“Ah! I forgot about my team!” I yelled out, startling everyone. Then there was a loud ‘slapping’ sound as Snow knocked me off my chair…