A Brave New World

by Ausbrony

Chapter Eight

Dawn was beginning to break as the train pulled into Canterlot Station. Seth, Fritter and the others had gotten a little sleep, but the Luxray had always found it difficult to fall asleep on any kind of transport. Rika on the other hand was dead to the world, snoring gently while Seth carried her on his back.

“Talk about missing a golden opportunity,” Selena mused.

“Once we get home, I’ll have to get straight to work,” Fritter explained. “Seth? Y’all mind givin’ me a hoof today?”

“Of course,” Seth nodded. “I said that I‘d help any way that I can and I meant it.” He shifted as Rika began to slip, “What is it you need help with?”

“Well, I’ll need to prep the kitchen for baking, so do y’all could harvest some fresh apples?”

“Sounds easy enough, how much will you need?”

“Hmm, ‘bout four bushels should be enough. One fer bakin, one fer making some fancy deserts and two fer sellin’ by themselves.” It was miniscule compared to what Applejack dealt with, but it was enough to make money that Apple Fritter could live off of.

Elesa though, had a thought that could throw a wrench in that plan. “I have to ask, but is that what you would usually make?”

Apple Fritter nodded, “Eeyup, it makes enough fer what I usually sell… why?”

“Well, I don’t want to question your methods… but with us staying with you, will you have enough money still?”

Apple Fritter paused and frowned, “Oh Horseapples!”

“As I thought,” Elesa nodded. “That’s why I’m making this proposal. It would be most shameless for us to continue living with you and not help out financially,” Elesa pointed at the other Pokémon dramatically. “And that is why we should go out and find jobs!”

To her surprise, Seth and Selena nodded in agreement.

“Yeah, I was thinking the same thing,” Seth said. “I just hope that there’s a place that would actually hire a creature that cannot talk with the general public.”

“Well I was thinking of finding that Photo Finish mare, perhaps she could use another model?” Elesa wondered aloud. “And if that turns out to be a bust, well… I have other skills.”

Apple Fritter wiped a tear from her eye. “Y’all don’t have to worry ‘bout that…”

“But we do,” Elesa said adamantly. “It’s not fair to you and I feel bad just sitting around doing nothing.”

Seth wondered what he could do. He had a decent education, but what he learned back on Earth meant squat here in Equestria. There was no need for Trainer skills either, with no League, no Contests... What else did he have? Well, he was sure he’d figure something out eventually.

“Well, we had better get home first,” Fritter said. “We gotta lot ‘o work to do and not a lot of time to do it.”

 
Once they had gotten back, a new problem presented itself to Seth.

How the heck was he supposed to get the apples from the trees? Despite being a large Luxray, he still couldn’t reach the apples that lay in the high branches.

“Hey Fritter? How do I do this?” he called out. The Earth Pony mare walked outside and without a word, she turned her back to the tree and gave it a swift buck, knocking several apples loose and into the buckets at the base of the tree.

“An that’s how y’all buck apples!” Fritter smiled and went back inside to continue cooking.  Seth watched her leave and then looked back to the trees.

“Okay, seems simple enough…” Mimicking Apple Fritters’ move, he raised his back legs and slammed them against the tree trunk. There was a painful moment of silence before a shiver went up Seth’s body and he collapsed to the ground, howling in pain.

“Owowowowwww, goddammit!” That hurt like hell and not a single apple had fallen. Selena laughed while Rika had rushed out from the kitchen to see if he was alright.

Zebstrika on the other hand, seemed to have no problem in knocking the apple free of their leafy confines.

“Are you okay?” Rika asked. “You didn’t hurt yourself too badly did you?”

“Naw, I’m cool.” Seth groaned as he got to his feet. “But I did it exactly as Fritter showed me, so why?” He stretched until the tingling in his legs disappeared. He gave a softer kick this time, but the tree just refused to give. “Oh come on!”

Selena laughed again, “What’s up boss? Haven’t figured it out yet?”

“Figured it out? What aren’t you telling me Selly?” Seth grumbled.

“Look at your feet.” Seth looked at his furry black paws. “And what do you see?” Selena asked.

“Uh, fluffy black paws?” Seth responded.

Selena nodded, “And now think of Fritter, what sort of feet does she have?”

It took the Luxray a moment and then he realised what Selena was getting at. “She has hooves, while I have squishy pawpads.”

Selena nodded once more, “Hooves are designed for striking, while paws absorb impacts, like when you make large jumps.”

Seth just groaned and decided that bringing the bushels inside was a suitable enough task to do. Zebstrika continued to fill a few more while Fritter and Rika hummed away as they cooked.

“So where do we start?” Rika asked the mare. Apple Fritter had asked Rika if she could help out in the kitchen and she’d teach the fairy Pokémon how to make apple pie.

“Well, first we need that ingredients list over there,” Fritter explained, pointing at a book laying on the countertop. Rika reached up with her prehensile ribbons and took a look, forgetting that she couldn’t actually read.

“Um, what does it say?”

“Oh right,” Fritter took the list and read it aloud for her.

Ingredients
1 3/4 cups (260g) plain flour
1/2 cup (75g) self-raising flour
(185g) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small pieces1/3 cup (75g)
caster sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon milk
Demerara or caster sugar, to sprinkle

Filling

8 large Granny Smith apples
Juice of 1 lemon
45g unsalted butter
1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 

“Okay, that’s a lot of stuff for just one pie,” Rika said. With Fritter’s directions, the Sylveon sorted out the various ingredients. “So what’s first?”

“Sift flours and a pinch of salt into a large mixing bowl. Add butter and rub lightly into flour with your ribbon thingies.” Rika snorted at the description for her ribbons. “Lift mixture high above the bowl as you rub, to incorporate air into the pastry and make it lighter. Continue until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, and then stir through the sugar.”

As Fritter explained what Rika needed to do, she lightly beat 1 egg with 1 tablespoon chilled water, and then drizzled it over flour mixture. “Alright, start to bring the dough together by cutting the liquid into the dough with a blunt knife, then form into a smooth ball with your hooves, adding a little more water if necessary. Divide the dough into two pieces, one slightly larger than the other. Wrap in plastic wrap, and then we have to chill it for 30 minutes.”

“30 minutes? What do we do until then?” Rika asked, Fritter repeated that process until they had enough for a dozen pies and then proceeded to the next step.

“Step Two! In order to make the filling, we’ll peel and core the apples, and cut each into 8 pieces.” Fritter’s foreleg was a blur as she sliced the apples with surgical precision and tossed immediately with lemon juice in a large bowl, “This will prevent apples from discolouring.” She explained. “Next, place the butter and sugar in a large frypan over medium-low heat. When butter has melted, add apples and spices, then stir to coat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until the apples have softened. Then set them aside to cool.”

By the time they repeated this step, the dough had chilled long enough to begin crafting the pie.

“Step Three, Roll out the larger pastry ball on a floured workbench to a 30cm circle and around about 2mm thick. Roll the pastry around a rolling pin, and then unroll over a 22cm metal pie dish.” Apple Fritter hummed happily as rolled the pastry, this step was the most fun. “Gently press into corners and allow excess to overhang. Place filling in base with a slotted spoon. Roll the small pastry piece to a 25cm circle. Beat remaining egg with milk, brushing some on rim of the base. Top with small pastry.”

“Alright, we’re almost done!” Apple Fritter smiled. “Lift the pie dish and cut excess pastry from edges with a sharp knife. Crimp edges of pastry together, and then they need to chill for another 30 minutes.” They used this time to catch up with the other pies. The oven had been preheated to 180°C (356°F),

“Alrighty, now place the pie dish on a baking tray and brush top of pie with more beaten egg, and sprinkle with Demerara or caster sugar.” Using her knife, Fritter cut four small air vents in the centre of the pies and placed them in the ovens to bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

“And we’re done!” Apple Fritter smiled as the scent of baking apples filled the room. “You did really well Rika, I may just have to keep you around as my assistant!”

The Sylveon blushed at the praise and rubbed one leg with the other. “Well you’re a really good teacher, I can’t believe you do this every day.” Rika looked around at the kitchen, which was so large that it took up half of the first floor. The mare had four ovens, which had about four or five racks in each, as well as three refrigerators and a massive chest freezer. “And this is the biggest kitchen I’ve ever seen.”

“It does what ah need it to do,” Fritter smiled. This kitchen had cost a fortune to remodel, but it made her job a lot easier. “But thank you fer the compliment.”

Seth, Selena and the others walked inside, humming happily at the delicious smell.

“Ooh, that smells great!” Seth murmured, right as an excited Sylveon pounced on him.

“Seth! I did it, Apple Fritter said I did well!” Rika bounced excitedly, stopping only when Selena pinned her tail to the ground.

“Have you been eating raw sugar again?” Selena asked, earning a pout from Rika. Elesa just laughed but that was cut short as her stomach rumbled loudly, Seth’s own tummy quickly echoed.

“Well, everything’s done, so how about we go and get some breakfast?” Fritter said.

 
Even though it was still early, the streets of Canterlot were already bustling. A lot more Pokémon were wandering around too, it seems that ponies were slowly starting to get used to them. It didn’t stop almost every pony that passed to give a second glance at Apple Fritter and her entourage.

“I wish they’d stop staring,” Fritter whispered, using her Canterlot accent once more. Haven’t they seen a pony fetch breakfast before?”

“I think it’s more that they haven’t seen a single pony travel with so many Pokémon.” Elesa waved at a few ponies, and even got a response from a few of them. “I think it’s going to take quite a while before everything settles.”

They eventually got to the marketplace where Fritter sold her apples. Berry Smoothie was already at work, running orders to the tables outside her roadside café.

“Hey Berry!” Fritter waved, getting the mares attention. “Got some spare tables?”

Berry squealed and promptly glomped her friend. “Why don’t you tell your friends when you disappear for a few days? We were worried!”

“Sorry,” Fritter laughed, returning the hug. “I was in Ponyville visiting family.”

Berry gave her a stern look and nodded, “Well alright, I have three tables over there you can use. Just take a seat and my little sis will be with you shortly.”

“Heya Friter! Mr. Fluffy~” Banana Smoothie ran over them. “What can I get you guys today?”

Seth glanced at the menu and looked it over for a moment. “Um, hmmm. Oh? Waffles! I want waffles!”

Banana giggled. “We don’t have Luxluxlux Luxrays.”

What the what? He looked over to Fritter and then slapped his forehead. He’d gotten so used to having been able to talk to her he forgot that other ponies couldn’t. Apple Fritter also joined in on the giggles and pointed at the menu. “He said he’ll have waffles.”

Banana nodded and Fritter translated the rest of their orders.

“Well that was embarrassing,” Seth muttered. “I wonder why that spell Arceus cast hasn’t worn off yet?”

“And y’all are complaining?” Fritter pouted, causing Seth to wave a paw frantically around.

“What? No, I mean, I just-” Seth stopped when he saw the mare laughing and folded his forelegs. “Oh, real funny Miss Fritter!”

“Ah’m jus’ teasin you,” she wiped a tear from her eye and smiled. “I feel sorta special that ah can talk to y’all...”

Banana soon returned with their orders, a large stack of waffles for Seth, some coffee and toast for Fritter and pancakes for everyone else.

“Um, what about the pies?” Rika asked. “Don’t we have to take them out of the oven soon?”

“Ah set the timer, so the ovens’ll just switch off.” Fritter sipped her coffee and sighed contently. It was nice coffee, not as good as Mocha’s, but still good.

Some idle conversation was passed back and forth as they ate, garnering some attention from nearby ponies as they witnessed a mare that seemed to be able to understand the pokemon she was with.

“Alright, time to get to work!” Apple Fritter placed the empty coffee mug on the table. “What about the rest of you?”

“I’ll try and track down Photo Finish,” Elesa replied. “How about it Rika, want to be a model again?”

Rika thought about it for a moment. It was pretty easy work, but she also wanted to work with Seth. What to do?

“I think we should also get Seth trained up in his new body,” Selena pointed out. “I don’t expect us to be having Pokemon battles anytime soon, but we don’t him to accidently shocking anyone.”

“But how do you plan on training him Selena?” Elesa asked. “Do you know how to use electric moves?”

“Well, no... do you?” Selena asked the other former human. Elesa frowned and stared at the Absol.

“So what should we do, just find some random Electric-type to help him?” Selena glared back. “Cause I don’t really see that happening!”

“It’d beat a Pokemon that has no idea how Electric attacks even work!” Elesa shouted.

“I’ve been a Pokemon my whole life, you’ve been one for what, a week? What the hell do you know!?” Selena raised her own voice. This shouting match continued back and forth for a few more minutes before Berry Smoothie came over to sort things out.

“Um, excuse me?” Both Elesa and Selena turned to face the mare that dare interrupt them, Berry didn’t flinch though. “Could you please keep it down, you are disturbing the other patrons... oh, and Fritter and the others already left.”

The Absol and Flaaffy turned to see that the others had indeed left, already halfway down the street.

“Hey, wait up!” they both cried, chasing after them.

Fritter had loaded up her cart and headed for the marketplace. Selena and Elesa were still mad at one another, Seth deciding that it was better for his health to just stay out of it. The Luxray instead, had gone to the park with Elesa’s Zebstrika, who offered to teach him how to control his powers.

“The first step, is getting a feel for them,” Zebstrika explained. “You need to learn how to charge and discharge your electricity effectively and safely.”

Seth closed his eyes, trying to ‘feel’ his lightning powers. A lot of pokemon differed in how their power was created. The Pikachu evolutionary line for instance, had sacks in their cheeks that generated the power. Jolteon and Manectric used their fur and he had no idea how Magnemite worked.

Seth placed one paw over his leg and began to rapidly rub the fur, until static power built up. “Hah! I did it!”

“Congratulations, you have the power of dryer lint,” Zebstrika deadpanned. “DO try and get serious about this.”

“I’m trying, but I have no idea how I even use lightning.”

Zebstrika motioned to a tree that was split in two, it’s trunk was scorched black. “You did that, correct? Try and repeat the process.”

“That... was an accident.” Seth had been totally pissed at Arceus at the time, he wasn’t fond of moves he could only use in anger. “I dunno, can I even learn how to do this? Maybe because I used to human, I’ll never get this right.”

“Nonsense, I can feel the power within you, you simply need to figure out how it’s released.” This time, Zebstrika motioned towards a large rock. “Try zapping that.”

“Maybe I should try something a little different, change my way of thinking.” He stared at his enemy, a mighty... uh, Gigalith, yeah, that sounded like a badass opponent. “Alright, select attack, Luxray! Use Thunderbolt!”

He squeezed his eyes shut as he concentrated with all his might, but nothing, not even a little spark. “Oh, come on!”

“A valiant effort, but futile.” Zebstrika stamped the ground with a hoof. “Try again!”

This time, Seth got on his hind paws, striking a sort of kung-fu pose and imagined himself shooting great arcs of lightning. All he accomplished was falling on his back.

“Again!” Zebstrika simply said once more.

“I am a mighty Thunder Cat!” Seth roared, “Thunder HOOOOO!!” Surprise, surprise, still nothing.

“... I don’t even... Again!”

“RRRAAAAARGGGHHHHHHHH!!” So screaming loudly to build power sounded good in his head, but all it did was give him a sore throat.

“AGAIN!” Zebstrika ordered.

“Again, again, again! That’s it!?” Seth was getting pissed, not noticing the sparks arcing across his fur. “Try actually providing some useful, goddamn advice!” He blasted a bolt of electricity at Zebstrika without thinking, but the Pokemon’s Lightning Rod ability just absorbed it.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, are you okay?” Seth said, worried that he’d injured the Pokemon

“Not bad,” Zebstrika smiled faintly. “Now... Do it again!”

Elesa finally tracked down the studio where she and Rika had met that eccentric mare, Photo Finish. She didn’t get far though, as a sign on the door caused her to stop.

“I, can’t believe she even wrote the accent...” Elesa sighed. She wasn’t about to travel all the way back there for work, assuming the mare would even give her some. “What do I do now?”

She’d passed some Unicorn Royal Guard earlier, casting translation spells on Pokemon wandering about the city. Whoever came up with that idea was a genius.

“I guess I’ll have to find something, it’ll look bad if I show up empty pawed after all my boasting.” Elesa had left Fritter’s residence, claiming to that insufferable Absol that she’d have work by the end of the day.

It turns out that though ponies were indeed beginning to get used to pokemon, none were willing to give them work just yet. Her next choices were to try the local fashion boutiques, her sense of style was second to none after all, even the great champion, Cynthia, came to her for fashion advice.

But these prissy shop owners wouldn’t even give her the time of day, sayings things like ‘If you don’t wear clothes, how do you expect to sell them?’

“Says the practically naked pony,” Elesa muttered as she was ejected from a store named, ‘Polimare’. “Her dresses were ugly anyway.”

She wandered around aimlessly after that. Though a once powerful Gym Leader and fashion queen, Elesa hadn’t the faintest idea on how to perform manual labour, a weakness that she was a tad embarrassed about. She passed by a hole in the wall club when a peculiar sound caught her attention.

It was the powerful, rhythmic beat of music.

She nudged the door open and was almost blown back by the sheer force of the sound that pulsated from beyond that blue door. Treading softly down the stairs, she eventually came to a modest-sized bar with a dozen or so ponies in it. Some were just mingling, or drinking the day away.

What really nabbed her attention though, was the DJ that was performing on the stage. He was a pale-green Unicorn, wearing large aviator shades and a black shirt with a white tie. He held a pair of headphones to one ear as his head bobbed in time with the deafening dubstep music he was playing.

Elesa found herself drawn to the stage, weaving through the dancing ponies until she was front and centre, staring up at the stage, mesmerised by the music.

It stopped all too soon and though, and the DJ peered over his turntables to see the little pink sheep staring back.

“Whoa, you like, one of those Pokemon?” he asked.

She nodded back, “Yes, my name is Elesa.”

“Rising Star,” he returned the gesture. “Didn’t think I’d see one of you in my club.”

“I’m just passing through,” Elesa replied. “Those were some pretty sick beats though. I’m impressed, and a little glad that dubstep music exists here.”

“And I see you also have great taste in music,” Star grinned. Then a thought occurred to him, one that should it work, would really get the party pumping. “You know how to work a turntable?”

“I’ve been known to spin a disc or two,” Elesa smiled coyly. “Are you offering what I think you're offering Mr. Star?”

“Whoa, Mr. Star is my pops, but yeah, why don’t you come on up and show me what you got!”

Elesa could barely contain her glee as she climbed the staircase and walked around to the other side of the equipment, it was a nice setup.

She placed a paw on the controls and was soon pumping out a solid beat that had a few ponies in the bar bobbing their heads and tapping their hooves.

“Not bad, not bad at all!” Rising whistled. “A nice steady beat, the pitch and tone are just right too, you got some talent there Miss Elesa.”

“That was awesome!” Elesa smiled, her grin as wide as it would go. “I wish I could do this as a job.”

“You looking for work?” Rising Star tapped his chin and adjusted his shades. “Hmm, tell you what, why don’t you come back tonight, put on a bit of a show?”

“Really!?” Elesa bounced up and down, giggling. “Thanks so much Star~”

“No problem, it’d be cool I think, you could be the very first Pokémon DJ. Swing by around eight, okay?”

The Flaaffy nodded and with a final wave, Elesa skipped out of the door, looking forward to what the night was going to bring.
 

Selena sat on her bed back at Fritter’s place. She was still irritated over the fight with Elesa, and even more irritated that she got so wound up in the first place.

“I know everyone’s on edge, but what makes her think she know more than me on how a Pokémon works?” Sure, she’d been a somewhat decent Gym Leader back on Earth, but when Seth had battled her, Selena had made short work of of her team. Zebstrika had been the only one to even land a hit.

“But fighting like that was something a hatchling would do, I’m supposed to be better than that, I’m supposed to be the reasonable one.” This was messed up, since coming here, the familial bonds that their team had seemed to crumble. Ignis, a Pokémon like a brother to Seth, had just upped and left. Rika had always harboured a small crush on the human, but the fact that he was human always prevented her from acting on it… until now.

And Selena was the voice of reason, she often prevented her trainer from doing foolish things and had saved his life on a few occasions.

But with him being a Pokémon now, it seemed like that was all in the past. Ignis was gone, Rika was starting to get more active in her advances… and Selena, what was she supposed to do? What was her role now?

She laid her head in her paws and sighed. “What do I do?”
 

It had taken a while, but Seth was starting to get the hang of things. It was still a hit or miss when it came to using electrical attacks, but he did manage to get Bite, Roar and Scary Face down pat.

“You’ve done well today, tomorrow I should teach Mistress Elesa as well.” Zebstrika stretched and sighed. “But we missed lunch, so perhaps we should go back home and remedy that?”

Seth shook his head, “Naw, I want to keep practicing, just have Selena bring me something later okay?”

“As you wish, just don’t push yourself too hard.” Zebstrika nodded his head and headed back to Fritter’s house.

“Okay, now let’s see if I can get Spark to work.” Spark was one of the weakest Electric moves a Luxray could learn naturally, so it made sense to start there. He concentrated and tried building up his energy. It was slow, but surely enough he began to build up power, until his coat coursed with sparking electricity.

“Well, I seem to have this part down.” Taking a deep breath, the built up power dissipated. His stomach grumbled loudly and he sighed. Perhaps he should have gone with Zebstrika after all.
 

By the time Zebstrika arrived back home, Apple Fritter, Rika and Elesa were also returning.

“Good afternoon Miss Elesa, Miss Fitter, Miss Rika.”

“Hey Zeb!” Elesa sang, “Guess who might have found a job~”

“Already?” Fritter exclaimed as they walked inside. “That was awful fast.”

“I’m just that good,” Elesa said proudly. “Well, I have to go back tonight before I actually get the job, but I have a good feeling about it.”

Selena came downstairs, wondering what all the ruckus was. “What was that? You actually found a place to work?”
“That’s right!” Elesa snapped. She wasn’t going to let that snooty Absol ruin her good mood. Selena just looked down, an abashed look on her face.

Look, I did mean what I said earlier, it’s just that-” She stopped as a cold chill ran down her spine. It was a chill that she’d felt a few times before.

“Just what?” Elesa asked, but Selena was already heading for the door. “Wait, where are you going?”

“Seth’s in trouble!” she shouted back as she bolted out the door at top speed.

 
Seth panted as he practiced building up electricity, dispersing it and building it up again. It still took nearly a minute to gather enough power for an attack, way too slow.

As he built up more power, a strange scent tickled his nose, causing him to sneeze and discharge the energy with a bolt of lightning, almost hitting a nearby Pokémon.

“Whoa, sorry about that!” He ran over to the fallen Pokémon, seeing that it was a Florges. “Did I hit you? I’m still trying to get the hang of this whole ‘being a Pokémon’ thing.”

“I am unharmed, but you should be more careful!” Her tone was sharp and curt, like that of a noble or something. “And what do you mean by that? Are you a former human?”

“Yeah, my name is Seth Crescent. Nice to meet you!” He held out a paw, but the fairy Pokémon didn’t take it, in fact, her whole demeanour seemed to change. Her eyes narrowed and a small sneer appeared on her face.

“Seth Crescent you say? I have heard that name before.”

“R-really?” Seth suddenly had a real bad feeling about this.

“Indeed, not too long ago in fact.” She hovered slightly in the air and loomed over him. “It was on a report all about you, along with the orders to kill you.”