//------------------------------// // A Whole New World To Live In // Story: Starlight: Redshift // by the-pieman //------------------------------// I’m standing in the throne room of Canterlot in front of the princesses. “Are you ready Anthony?” “Yeah... about that. A few questions just to clarify some things.” “Very well, what would you like to know?” Luna asks, looking a little bored. I begin my questions. “You’re sure this will send me home?” “Of course.” “Do I really have to bring Twilight though? She’d just be a pain!” “Hey!” Twilight yelled in protest. Celestia rolls her eyes. “Well, if you ever need to come back, she’s the only one who could get you back. Also, you will be sent with Rarity.” “Rarity? Why?” “Because.” Twilight clears her throat for an explanation. “The spell requires two unicorns, and she’s the best candidate as she’s fairly good with magic herself, so although getting back will be more difficult, it will still be possible.” Celestia and Luna nod, confirming Twilight’s explanation. I let out a sigh. “Fine, well where is she then?” As soon as I say that, Rarity runs up with some luggage. “I’m here, I’m here! I just couldn’t leave without some of my supplies. If the weather is as uncontrollable as you say, Anthony, well... I just want to be prepared for any occasion.” I turn to Twilight. “And you’re supposed to be the smart one?” Twilight scoffs. “I’m sure I can handle whatever your crazy world throws at me. I’ll be fine!” “Alright, alright, if you say so.” I turn to the princesses. “Okay, I guess we’re ready. How does this work?” Luna answers. “Simple. My sister and I will generate the magic power needed, and all you must do is think of where you want to go. Then, you will be taken there. Just imagine being back on Earth or something.” An idea flashed into my mind. “Really?” “Yes really!” “I apologize for my sister. She hasn’t been getting much sleep lately. Are you ready Anthony?” I grin. “Oh yeah. You bet I am!” Celestia gives me a cursory glance, but just does that weird pony shrug thing. “Alright. Are you ready sister?” “Yes, now let’s get this over with, I’m tired!” The two princesses’ horns start glowing, then the glow merges, gold and midnight blue combining into a swirl of energy. “Just think of your home.” Celestia reminds as the glow envelops me and Rarity and Twilight by extension. I grin widely. I wasn’t going home. I was going somewhere better! I think about our destination and the glow completely envelops us in a blinding light, swirling with the blue and gold, then everything goes white. When the glow subsides and I shake the bright floaties from my vision, I see we are on a dirt path through a large grassy field. Twi and Rares are looking around, and Twi makes the first comment. “This place doesn’t look that different from Terra...” “Yeah.” I say, rolling my eyes. “Because your planet and Earth have to be completely different in appearance. Besides, if I’m right... we’re not on Earth at all. Well, my Earth at any rate.” “What.” Came the flat reply from both ponies. “I saw a chance and I grabbed it. If I’m right, we’re where I chose to go. Though I admit it does look a lot like Earth... I might have screwed up and sent us home anyway.” “Well good!” Twilight shouts. “I can’t imagine- Wah!” A tiny brownish lump shoots up from the ground right in front of Twilight, scaring her enough to make her rear back and topple over. Then the little lump speaks, sounding rather pleased. “Diglett!" "Oh hell yes! Whooooooooooo!” The Diglett looks up at me, very startled, and burrows back underground with the insane digging speed inherent to it’s species. Twilight stands up. “What was that!?” “I did it! We’re in the Pokémon world!” “The what?” “Pokémon...” I just breathe out the word as I look across the wide open landscape of grass and blue sky. “What is a... Pokey-man?” Rarity asks. I chuckle. Noobs. “Poke-Ey-Mon are like animals, but with extraordinary powers and abilities. They come in wide varieties from the smallest of insects and birds, to giant monsters, all with their own distinct traits and strengths, as well as weaknesses.” “So they’re magical beings?” Twilight asks. “Nope, their powers are all natural. Some of them draw power from the elemental basics of the universe, and in some cases, the power of the mind itself. It may seem like magic, but it’s not. It’s something much more. That thing that came out of the ground and scared you is a species of Pokémon called a Diglett. It’s one of the smallest recorded Pokémon, among Ground types. Their abilities include burrowing at speeds faster than one can register. They use this technique to surprise foes and avoid attacks.” Twilight and Rarity just look at me confused. I grin. “Try to keep up. You’re in for one wild ride.” As we walk along the path, I feel the urge to sing. I know it’s not Harmony doing it, we’re not in Equestria. We’re not on that planet. We’re in the Pokémon world, and I’m just so pumped that I start singing as I walk. “I wanna be the very best, like no one ever was! To catch them is my real test, to train them is my cause! My whole life has led to this, time to test my skills. I know I just can't miss, gonna show the world!” "Born to be a winner, born to be a champion! Born to be a winner, born to be the very best!" Aw what the heck, I’ll do the full version, I’m just so excited! “Every challenge along the way, with courage I will face! I will battle every day to claim my rightful place!” “Come with me, the time is right, there's no better team. Arm in arm we'll win the fight. Gonna live our dream... Born to be a winner, born to be a champion! Born to be a winner, born to be the very best!” I pause to indulge myself in an air guitar solo “I was born to be a winner, born to be a champion! Born to be a winner, born to be the very best! Born to be a winner, Pokémon!” Twilight looks up at me. “Wow Anthony... that was awful!” Right. When I’m not aided by magical artifacts, my singing sucks. “Eh, bite me. It’s super effective against Psychic!” Rarity sighs. “Well at least you’re happier than I’ve seen you in.... Odd, I’ve never seen you this happy in two years of knowing you.” “Well duh!” is all the reply I give. “Pokémon!” “So...” Twilight begins. “What are we doing?” I... hadn’t thought that far. “Uh, well... I guess for now we keep walking along the trail until we reach a town or city. We could even see more Pokemon along the way!” I end up being right, as there are many Pokemon to see in the grass along the path. The ponies and I are equally awestruck, but for different reasons. I start pointing out various Pokémon, giving brief explanations of their species, types, habits, etc. “And that one there is called a Rattata. They are small Normal-types, and though they start out weak, their potential speed and reliability is an asset to any beginning trainer. One of it’s signature moves, Super Fang can be used to take a tough opponent and severely weaken it, making for quick victories even against foes they are weak against. It evolves into Rati-” “For the love of Celestia, shut up!” Twilight yells. “You’ve been talking non-stop about every single creature we see for the last two hours!” I shrug. “Well sorry for being the smartest one here.” “Excuse me?” Twilight responds indignantly. Seems she still thinks she’s knowledgeable. Time to turn a few tables. “Alright then miss Star Pupil of Celestia, tell me exactly what you should do if being attacked by an aggravated Lairon?” Twilight looks stumped. “Uh...” “Or the best way to deter a gang of Primeape?” “Er...” “Say you disturb a nest of Beedrill? Lost in a cave with a bunch of Sableye? Treat a Jellicent sting? A hungry Seviper?” “I- I don’t know!” Twilight just flops to the ground, defeated. Rarity rubs her back to console her. “I’m serious, Sparkle. Out here, I’m the one with all the answers. You know a ton about magic, more than I ever will, but here in this world all that knowledge is worthless. You’re gonna have to listen to me, alright?” Twilight just nods sadly and gets up. “Fine... but how about you only give us lectures when we ask for them?” I give her a sideways glance. “Pot, meet kettle.” That got a bit of a chuckle from Rarity, while Twilight just rolls her eyes. It seems my earlier assumption was wrong, as we end up in front of a forest rather than a town. Walking in, the thick canopy makes it rather dark, with rays of bright sunlight coming through. We see even more Pokémon. A Murkrow quickly pulls it’s head back into it’s nest when it sees me staring at it. I see a Cascoon resting at the base of a tree and a Stantler drinking from a tiny nearby pond. “Isn’t this place amazing?” I whisper. To disturb such a place with loud noise... a truly terrible crime. The ponies are still looking around at all the Pokémon, Rarity almost screaming when a Spinarak drops down from a branch in front of us. “These creatures are very odd, I’ve never seen anything like them before. Some are so beautiful while others are... less than appealing.” I’m about to make a witty retort when we see a pair of angry Combee chasing after a Teddiursa with a paw covered in golden honey. The Combee speed forward and corner the little bear and start slamming into it with their bodies. Twilight and Rarity gasp loudly at the relatively violent scene. I hold them back and watch. “You do not want to interrupt a Pokémon fight, especially one outside of the Pokémon League’s jurisdiction. This could get ugly.” “I’d say it already is!” Rarity exclaims. “Those things are beating the poor dear to death!” “Yeah, and if we get involved, we could become targets as well. Also, that ‘poor dear’ most likely got that honey by stealing it from the Combee’s colony, given the fact that Combee are normally rather docile.” The two mares didn’t want to see any more, so we just walked around the fight and continued deeper into the forest.