“-and so I deduced that the butler did it!” Was the opening narration, or rather an end to a very long non-sequitur. “It was obvious when you consider that no sane man keeps a Grimer in his bedroom, especially if you consider it wasn’t in it’s pokèball. It was guarding something!”
The fancily mustached man spoke to the screen of his personal PC, twirling his stache magnificently.
The person on the other end laughed shortly, clearly a woman. “Always out on your adventures, aren’t you Edgar?”
“But of course!” Edgar proclaimed, puffing his chest to look more regal, though his slightly round physique made it more comical than anything. “A man is not a man unless he spends his free time solving the mysteries life presents him.”
“And you did all of it yourself, no doubt.” The woman asked in a teasing tone.
“Ahem...” Edgar couched. “To give credit to where credit is due, Watson was an immense help, as per usual. Why, he’s just downstairs brewing tea, shall I call him over?”
The woman chuckled. “No need. Considering what he has to live with, I think he has earned his peace and quiet at the end of the day.”
“As you wish.” Edgar conceded, like a gentleman!
“Alright, to get back to the original point before Story Time,” The woman said calmly “I just wanted to make sure you are there when we start negotiations.”
The man just twirled around dramatically and pointed his index finger at the screen with righteous conviction! “Must you even ask. If I were to miss such an event, what would I be? A cowering coward? No, ma’am! For I am the eyes and ears of justice!” He said, his voice rising as he got more into it. “Were I to refuse this invitation, I’d be nothing but a heartless knave!”
Another chuckle came from the woman. “I appreciate it. Your presence and connections should make this just a bit smoother.”
Edgar patted his chest and laughed heartily. “Haha, but of course! After all, what is a man? Nothing were it not for his friends!” He finished with another round of booming laughter.
“Well, in any case. It’s good to hear you have such a positive outlook at this.”
Edgar glared at the screen seriously, twirling his mustache with a hand while the other rest behind his back. “Were I to say this is an easy feat, I’d be amongst the vilest of liars. Nay! I’d be far lower!” He suddenly shifted into a heroic pose with his hands on his hips. “However, I have utmost faith in you, our shared acquaintances and your plan.”
Another laugh from the woman’s end. “Always the dramatic one…Thank you. Those are comforting words.” The woman said sincerely. “Well, till we meet again, Edgar. Farewell.”
“The very same, Cynthia.”
With that the PC’s screen turned off, dispelling the woman’s image. Edgar stretched and looked out of the window. He currently inhabited his own room and personal study in the house he had bought many years ago. Well, it was really a small mansion, but Edgar was not picky on details. If it has a roof and walls, it’s a house.
He glanced at the streets of the town and the people and Pokèmon that meddled together. Trainers, travellers, kids, all sorts of people.
He averted his gaze and walked over to his comfy armchair, sat down and relaxed. He could smell the soothing scent of herbal tea brewing downstairs. Watson made the most delectable tea in Kalos.
He off-handedly grabbed a small silver bell and rung it a few times. At the exact moment his mind was assaulted by a mental message.
‘I am not your slave! Get off your fat behind and come get your tea.’
Edgar chuckled, expecting a response just like that. Sometimes it was just fun to mess with him every now and then.
Leaving the comfortable confines of his chair he opened the door to his study and headed for the stairs. But as his foot began to descend down, his whole body felt sudden feeling of weight. His foot slipped and he began to tumble down the stairs and time seemed to slow down.
His vision began to darken as he heard the sound of a tea cup shattering in the kitchen. As the fall continued he felt darkness take his consciousness away.
“Rest now my children, for when you awake a whole new world shall be your home.”
Forests were not places ponies. They were often dense, dark and quite possibly dangerous. The nefarious Everfree forest comes to mind when thinking of such places. Not in the least a place ponies normally wished to traverse.
But as it happens, Dayglow Woods is nothing like that. Trees positioned just the right distance from each other, always lit at daytime and most likely one of the most safe places in Equus, not counting all the towns and cities. It was a place even children could play in safely.
Speaking of which.
“See anything interesting yet?” Asked a small filly who traversed the forest with another, nearly identical looking filly. These two were so identical in fact that it would be impossible to tell them apart from one another without a different cutie mark. Which they lacked.
“Not yet. Gimme time.” The other filly answered, inducing a small groan from the other.
These two were Midday Glow and Noon Light, earth ponies and identical twins and they were out exploring. But there was one problem.
You see, Dayglow Woods, while one of the safest areas in Equus, and partly because of it, was to put it in a simple word: Dull. Boring. Uninteresting. Take a pick.
Still, these little rascals wanted to find something exciting to waste their day on.
“... We’re not gonna find nothing. Let’s go home.” Noon Light complained, tired of their fruitless quest.
“Nope! I’ve gotta feeling.” Midday Glow defended this endless waste of personal time. “I know something’s gonna happen. I feel it in my funny bone.”
“That’s not a real thing!” Noon Light interjected. She was not above begging to get her way, so. “Let’s just go home, please big sis...”
Midday Glow made an effort not to glance at the puppy eyes her sister was giving her. Those things were dangerous. “Just gimme a while longer.” She kept an adamant attitude. “I promise, if we don’t find nothing in ten minutes we go home. That okay?”
“Well...” Noon Light said, trying to think of any reason not to.
“Please? For big sis?” Midday Glow asked hopefully.
After a moments thought Noon Light smiled. “Okay, fine. Ten minutes, but that’s a promise, you hear?“
”Right on, sis!” Midday Glow exlaimed and pulled her sister into a cute hug. “Now let’s not waste any time. This feeling just keeps getting more intense!”
“You know what mom said about getting excited over feelings.” Noon Light reminded her sister of their mother’s lesson of not putting too much faith in gut feelings.
“I can’’t help it! It’’s just… just...” Midday Glow tried to come up with the words to describe her feeling. She just shook her head. “I just know something big is gonna happen. I know it!”
“Ditto!”
The two froze on their tracks. “Did you hear that?” Midday Glow asked, just to verify it was not just her.
Her sister nodded, looking around. Normally all you hear in Dayglow Woods is ruffling of the leaves or the occasional woodland critter or pony who wanders there.
“It came from this direction, I think.” Midday Glow said and began trotting ahead of her sibling. “Come on, sis!”
“Hey, wait up!” Noon Light called after her sister and gave chase.
It did not take much time for the noise to make itself known again, but this time they could hear it quite well. It was closer.
“DIIIITTO!”
“... zzzz….zzzz-amgh-Pumpernickle!” Edgar muttered as he jumped awake only to be assaulted by sunlight. “Ahh, rays of morning rage, weakness of tired eyes!” He bellowed out and squinted, placing a hand over his eyes to let them adjust.
As they did, he was quick to note, “Hmm, it appears I am not in my house anymore” he deduced by the lush forest in front of him. He also took note of a pink thing in front of his eyes. “... How very strange.” He tried to grab it, only for the lump to move as his arm did. “... How ludicrously curious.”
He jumped up from his supposed sitting position and gave his surrounding as look-see. Immediately his brilliant mind was coming to a deduction of this mystery. “Aah, I see what is going on! I clearly remember falling down some stairs. Then there was a voice. Ergo...”
Pause for dramatic effect.
“... This is a dream!” He announced to the air around him. He looked at his hands, only to see two pink gelatinous lumps. “Why, that certainly explains why I feel different. Based on the pigmentation and looks of it, my dream self appears to be a Ditto. Must be a reflection of my shapely figure, yes!”
He laughed at his own horrible pun.
“Oh well, time to see what this dream has in store for me. I do like a good nap and I doubt Watson will just leave me lying around...” Her cupped his supposed cheeks, probably making his now silly Ditto face look even sillier. “My word, that gives me an idea!”
He pointed one appendage forward, pointing at absolutely nothing. “First agenda of this dream, find the mental image of Watson! Even in a dream a great detective is little without his loyal aid!”
“Onward-” He began and immediately fell on his face… however that works with no real feet. He pushed himself up easily enough. “Hahaa! My mind truly is fantastic. Of course the motor functions are different now that my form is altered. No matter, all is in the mind and nothing beats mine!”
He then slowly, extremely slowly moved forward, lurching along the ground with the grace of a snail, only slower. “Watson!” He called out in hopes his partner and loyal vassal was near enough to hear his call to action.
‘... I must be quite the magnificent dreamer. This moving thing is surprisingly testy. But nothing will dominate...’ He struck an utterly ridiculous pose, pointing his lump arm high in the air before shouting at the top of his lungs. “MY MIIIIIIND!”
For a moment he sounded like an opera singer.
“Woah...”
Edgar turned like lightning to the new voice, only to fall flat on his face. Again. Getting up was no challenge, and he saw a head poking out of shrubbery. It looked like a Ponyta, sort of. The coat matched, but the mane was not of billowing flames but blue hair.
Edgar did the first thing that came to mind. He raised his nubby hand-thing and yelled. “Salutations!”
Midday Glow’s eyes sparkled as a huge grin rose to her face as she jumped out the the bush and began hopping around like the kid she is. “I knew it! It knew something was gonna happen!”
While the Ditto just looked at the cute little Ponyta-type-thing when another identical one jumped out the the bush. “Sis, what are you yelling… about...” Noon Light’s words stopped as she too saw the pink mass with a funny face.
Said Ditto however. “Good gravy, they’re multiplying! Via bush no less!” He said in shock. “And clones too! My mind truly is a work of art. I should really write this down when I wake up. Novel writer fame, here I come!”
Midday Glow pranced to her sister, ignoring the pink creature for just a moment. “See, see! I told you I got a feeling sis!” She said proudly, not even trying to contain her excitement.
Her sister was too preoccupied with the pink blob more than anything. “What… is that?” Noon Light pointed at the smiling blob. With a face.
“Why, I am glad you asked, young miss.” Edgar said, speculating this was a young child. “For you see, I am the magnificent-”
“I’unno. It keeps saying ‘ditto’ a lot. Maybe that’s it’s name?” Midday Glow interrupted.
Edgar’s mind got quick on work with this new data. “... Aah, how realistic my mind is! Of course I cannot speak normally. I am a ditto in this dream. Oh mind, you flatter my unimaginable imagination.” He praised himself, even if the two little foals only heard a tirade of “Ditto dit-to di ditto” or the like. “But this is implying that these two are not pokemon. Curious.”
Midday Glow trotted close and poked the blob. She laughed. “Haha, it feels like jelly.”
“Don’t touch it!” Noon Light yelled. “It might be dangerous.”
Midday Glow gave her sister a flat look and pointed at the goofily smiling face of the Ditto. “Does it look dangerous to you?”
And while Noon Light wanted to retort, just looking at that utterly silly smile and those beady eyes made her rethink her claim. She sighed and she too gave the pink jelly monster a poke. “... Hey, it does feel like jelly!”
“Ora~, acceptance!” Edgar shouted with gallant joy. “Also, that tickles.”
Midday Glow grabbed the pink blob and found out it was kind of light. she more or less showed it in her sister’s face. “Let’s go show this to mom!”
“What? No!” Noon Light refused the idea and pushed the blop away. “We can’t take some...” She looked to Ditto over, which just kept smiling like a doofus. “... thing home with us. We don’t even know what it is.”
“Mom could.” Midday Glow rebutted adamantly and as much as Noon Light wanted to rebuke that, she honestly could not.
“... Okay fine. But make sure nopony else sees it.”
“What, like a secret?” Midday Glow asked.
“Yeah, a secret.” Noon Light confirmed.
With a grin that reached ear to ear Midday Glow hoisted the pink mass onto her back and trotted along, followed by her sister.
“Yes, onwards my steed!”, Edgar exclaimed with great glee.
Getting out of the forest and onto a pre-made path through the woods was easy. These parts were like a playground to the kids from these parts and Midday Glow and Noon Light were very aware of their surroundings so getting onto the dirt road was no challenge.
The suns light made the leaves of the trees and even the grass appear orange as it slowly started setting.
The two fillies and their now secret blob monster kept on their merry way, with Midday Glow talking to the adorable pink mass.
“Wait till you meet our mom. If anypony knows what you are, it’s her.” She claimed proudly.
“Ditto!” The Ditto replied, though it’s meaning escaped the fillies understanding.
“Mom knows a lot of stuff. Maybe it’s because she reads a lot, but she just knows things we don’t. It’s really cool sometimes.”
“Ditto.”
Noon Light groaned. “Why are you talking to it, big sis?”
Midday Glow shrugged. “I’unno. I just feel like it gets what I’m saying.”
“That another feeling?” Noon Light raised a brow.
“Well, it was right before, right?” Midday Glow answered with and question, to which Noon Light just decided to drop the subject.
“Dit-to ditto!” The Ditto chimed.
Soon the path ended to a wooden bridge that crossed a large stream of somewhat deep crystal clear water. It was a pleasant sight and a sign that the fillies were nearing their destination.
You see, just a small distance away from the Dayglow Woods exists Sunset Hills, a peaceful little hamlet known for it’s stunningly gorgeous sunsets. It’s location at the far edge of Equestrian borders and limited means of travel make it hard to reach, but those few who came to visit sometimes choose to never leave.
While not as bustling as another small town, Ponyville, it is a safe place with a calm atmosphere. A place anyone could relax in and enjoy a little peace and quiet. Friendly citizens, stunning views and a safe atmosphere made it a perfect little village.
On the edge of the town called Sunset Hills is a simple, lone house detached from the rest of the village. This was the fillies home and destination. Getting there unseen was easy. Not many traversed outside this time of day and opted to relax indoors. The sun was setting already and most ponies opted to go prepare for the night.
The little fillies sneaked up to the front door of the house and opened it with a dual chime “We’re home!” before closing it swiftly behind them to avoid outside detection.
“Welcome back.” A sweet mature voice called out of what was most likely the kitchen. It was the fillies mother, judging from the maternal tone it carried. “How was your little adventure?”
“Yeah, about that.” Midday Glow said, putting Ditto onto the floor. “Mom, could you come here for a second?”
You could almost hear the frown their mother made when she heard that and the sound of her hooves drew closer. “Did you get hurt again sweetie?” She asked her daughter as she stepped into the hall, only to stop and look at the blob, which was looking at her.
Edgar could see the familial ties. The color of the coat as well as the color of the eyes was the same. Only the mother’s mane was a different color, green as a vine. He also note a horn on her head and an image of an open book on her flank.
Noon Light spoke up next. “Big sis found this thing in the woods.”
Midday Glow continued with a big smile. “And we thought if somepony knew what it was, it’s you mom!”
Their mother trotted close, looking at the Ditto curiously. Not like a scary unknown creature, but as a point of interest to be studied. She rubbed her chin as she looked it up and down. “... Fascinating.”
“Ditto!” The pink blob replied to the compliment.
The mare’s eyes narrowed slightly as she bent down to have a closer look. “... I’m not sure I know what this might be… hold a moment.” With that the mare trotted up the stairs and soon returned with a large book in a telekinetic grasp. The pages flipped as she read certain parts.
“What are you looking for, mommy?” Noon Light asked.
“Just trying to determine and narrow down possibilities. That and find… Ah, here it is.” She stopped the pages and read the page in front of her. “Alright… This isn’t too difficult. Barring the possibility it can’t think, this should work. Kids, get behind me for a bit, for safety reasons.”
The two fillies did as told and positioned themselves behind their mother’s forelegs as her horn began to glow azure.
“Ditto!” The Ditto quipped as it was struck with a tingly sensation. A glow of azure surrounded it’s body. “Dit to dit- a Psychic. I suspected as much!”
The two fillies “ooh”d as their mother smiled. “I knew that would work.” She set down the book and lowered her head to the blobs level. “Hello there.”
Edgar immediately shot his nubby limb up in the air in greeting. “Salutations!”
The mare smiled warmly. “Well, thank you.”
The Ditto stopped at that for a good two seconds before crying out in joy. “Huzzah! My gift of speech be restored. Or rather, your understanding of mine, am I wrong?”
Them are was visibly surprised as she blinked with a dumbfounded expression. “Why… yes, that is exactly what I did. I just adapted our minds to your language with a translation spell by sampling your words and mind. How could you tell?”
“Elementary! There are two options to adapt or to change and it is far easier to translate a mind to an unknown tongue than teach one to speak your own.” Edgar told his theory. “As you see, my logic is infallible.”
The fillies looked on with a mix of wonder and confusion. Confusion mainly because that sounded a lot like something their mom would say. The mare in question looked amazed.
“Such intellect… What are you?” She asked, mainly herself, but the Ditto saw it fit to answer.
“Me? Oh, currently I am what you’d call a Pokèmon, a Ditto, to be precise.”
“ Pokèmon? Ditto?” The mother of the fillies wondered out loud. “I can’t say I am familiar with the terms… This is a new discovery!” She got really excited all of a sudden. She quickly caught it and stopped. “Calm down, Acacia… Calm...”
Edgar laughed heartily with his now squeaky voice. “Ahh, I can already tell I speak to a fellow intellectual. Greetings to thee!” He extended his nub arm for a shake, which he got returned.
“... Feels like jelly.” The mare noted.
“That’s what we said!” The twins exclaimed.
The Ditto twirled his non-existent mustache, lamenting how unnatural it felt. “Well, to get formalities out of the way. I am Edgar Holmes, ace Pokèmon detective!”
The mother of the twins chuckled at the overflowing energy this little guy had. “I’m Acacia, and these darlings here,” she pulled the twins into an embrace. “are my daughters, Midday Glow and Noon Light.”
“Well, admittedly that makes more sense than my bush theory.” Edgar replied, earning a confused look courtesy of the mare. The little ones did not seem to mind.
“Wow, a detective! That sounds cool.” Midday Glow said in awe.
“I’m just surprised it can talk.” Noon Light said with less enthusiasm.
This did not bother Edgar, no. He was basking in the attention. “Charmed to meet you, madam and little ladies. And yes, being a detective is, quote end-quote, cool. Solving mysteries and discovering truths, such is The Way!”
“The… Way?” Midday Glow asked.
“Yes, The Way..” Pause for dramatic effect, then Edgar did the most dramatic pose his Ditto body allowed, which was not that impressive. “The Way of an Agent of Justice!”
While Noon Light was not that impressed, Midday Glow was eating it up and clapping her hooves in excitement. Acacia just smiled at her daughter enjoying herself. Still, somepony had to break the mood.
“Alright kids, it’s late.” Acacia said as both the twins groaned in protest, knowing what was coming.
“Mom, no! I want to talk to the detective thingy.” Midday Glow whined in protest.
“And I’m not sleepy!” Noon Light protested, but was embarrassingly betrayed by a yawn.
Acacia shook her head, her look firm. “It’s getting late and you two need your sleep, or else you will never grow up and get your cutie marks.” She teased the two. This seemed to work as the two bid their farewells and zoomed upstairs.
Edgar chuckled. “What a funny dream this is.”
“Excuse me?” Acacia asked, wanting to know if she heard that correctly.
“Oh, nothing of note. Don’t mind the shifting tone of this conversation.” He laughed again at his stupid Ditto pun.
Acacia would question this, but she had other things in her mind. “Well, now that we have private time,” She said, her magic bringing a notebook from upstairs, along with ink and a quill. She dipped the quill in the ink and smiled a bit maniacally. “tell me all about these Pokèmon.”
Edgar sweatdropped a bit, but soon got over his passing sense of dread. “Well, to start with, let me tell you how the world was created. You see...”
And thus began an epic tale of how the universe came to be, but it is simply too long and awesome to be put to proper words. Followed by another story, and another. Really, Edgar was just on fire as his tales got more and more ridiculous and more and more sidetracked from the original point.
So to save your time suffice to say that the rest of the evening was spent talking and listening, mostly talking. And that’s how it ended. Goodnight!
Watson’s Journal
Entry.1
This journal I is finally proving to be a worthy investment.
Something is wrong. One moment I am brewing tea in the kitchen and the next thing I know I wake up in a field. This is far from normal. Geographically I cannot say my current location, but this is for sure. I am not on Kalos anymore.
I cannot seem to locate Edgar either. What that round imbecile is doing, I cannot even begin to guess. I’ve contemplated many times in the span of writing this of just leaving him wherever he may be. However, as much as I’d like to negate the fact, he is a friend. An idiot, but a friend. Not to mention the problems he’ll get into if I am not present.
I swear, if it weren’t for me, that fool would be dead by now, or at least missing a kidney.
Keeping tabs on my situation I deem crucial. Thus why I will keep this journal to keep note of all important events.
It’s late, so I will stop here and will survey the area for answers first thing in the morning.
Entry.1 End~☆