//------------------------------// // Realizations // Story: Celestia's Rocket Adventures // by Snake Staff //------------------------------// “Are you quite certain?” Alakazam asked. “Fairly so,” Celestia, once again wearing a Rapidash guise, nodded. “I’ll admit to unfamiliarity with Poke Balls, but the data seem to fit the description of a Dark Ball far more than one of a Luxury Ball.” “To be perfectly honest, I’ve never heard of a Dark Ball before now, princess. Luxury Balls, however, can be bought with relative ease in Lumiose City, due south of here. Is there no possibility that you are simply mistaken? Perhaps this premonition of yours was in reaction to something else and the ball’s appearance was just a coincidence? Or perhaps simply a side-effect of your own adjustments to your body’s new configuration?” “I am pretty confident in what I saw,” Celestia answered. “Would you care to examine the memory for yourself? I would grant permission for that.” “To be entirely honest, your highness, I would be greatly reluctant to peer too closely into your head. There are a great many things in there, some less than safe for younger creatures.” “This is true, I admit.” “In any case, I do at least concede that the situation is very odd. The question that must be asked is: what do you intend to do about it?” “I must intervene,” the princess declared firmly. “If there is a creature inside that device being tortured and brainwashed…” she shook her head. “Poke Balls are one thing, but that is nothing less than black magic and slavery. I cannot stand idly by and allow it to happen.” “Even though this is not your world?” She nodded in confirmation. “Some things are too heinous to let stand, no matter where one is. If I can do anything to stop it, morality demands that I do so.” “A noble stance to take, some would say,” Alakazam looked thoughtful. “Others would call it the meddling attitude of an overzealous crusader.” “Then you will have to call me a crusader. I have long taken the stance that one should right wrongs when possible, and that those with power have a responsibility to use it to help others.” “You do not have such power here, Celestia.” “Perhaps not as much, but I am not some helpless infant. It isn’t always possible to correct everything, I admit, but some things can be righted. If I can do anything about these Dark Balls, I must do it.” “Would not going home be a greater priority?” “I have faith in my sister, my student, my niece, my nephew-in-law, and yes, even my actual nephew. Equestria will not crumble away if I take a little more time to help your world. I did set up a redundant contingency system for moving the sun and managing the nation after the whole plunder-seed “incident”, after all. I didn’t want any repeats of the panic and brief anarchy that broke out when Luna and I were taken. Besides, at the moment my prospects of dimensional travel from here seem rather dim. I almost give it fifty-fifty odds of Discord finding me first.” “You think that your spirit of chaos is searching for you?” “He’s the only being that I know who can travel through dimensions on a whim. He’s the first one everypony would go to. And I’m certain that Fluttershy could convince him to help. But there are more dimensions than can be counted, so it may take a little time.” Alakazam nodded. “Alright. I believe I understand your position. So, what exactly is it that you want to do now?” “I want to find that man again. To confirm my theory first of all, and then… go from there.” “Will your master not be upset if he should find out that you wandered out of our little library on your own?” “First, he isn’t my master. I would have thought you would have understood that much.” “Force of habit, I suppose. Most Pokemon not actively disobeying or running away tend to think of their trainers that way.” “Secondly, I think we might be able to find the man quickly enough. He did have a rather distinctive appearance.” “Well…” Alakazam stroked his mustache. “If he is as distinctive as you say, perhaps one of the local Fletching might have seen him. I’m friendly enough with a few of them.” “Then you’ll help me?” “Well, I’m not much for battle any longer, but I do like you… and if you are correct, these so-called Dark Balls must be eliminated. They are a crime against nature and Pokemon alike. So yes, in this I will help you.” “Excellent.” Around an hour and a half later, Celestia and Alakazam were walking down a smaller street playing host to some of Laverre’s many outdoor restaurants and cafes, following a tiny grey and red bird Pokemon. “This way,” the Fletchling said. “I know I saw him over here!” “That’s what you said about the last three spots you took us to,” Celestia noted. “Yeah, well I’m sure of it this time!” “Are you?” Alakazam asked. “Look, buddy,” the little bird Pokemon turned around and perched itself on the gutter of one of the buildings. “You want my help or not? I’m telling you: I saw the bigshot with the funny hair. It’s just taking me a little while to retrace my steps with you slowpoke grounders in tow.” Celestia’s wings fidgeted slightly under the tight bindings. “Please,” she said. “Continue.” “Yeah, alright,” it said, taking flight once again. A few people stared as the trio of Pokemon passed by, and it wasn’t hard to see why. A Fletchling, an Alakazam, and a Rapidash walking down the street without a human in tow was, according to her new friend, very unusual. Still, they weren’t hostile and appeared relatively domesticated, so most people just shrugged them off after a quick glance and went back to whatever they had been doing. They passed through several different streets and alleyways, following a complex and, to Celestia’s mind, rather circuitous route through the city. Alakazam, being more aged if not actually older, lagged behind slightly. At last, Fletchling came to a halt atop the corner of a small scent shop. “Yep,” it said in a rather self-satisfied tone. “He’s right down the street. I can see him from where I’m standing. You should be able to poke your heads out from down there and look without too much risk.” “Let me see,” Celestia looked around the corner with one eye. “Third building on the right. Sitting by the second window from the left. There’s a purple-haired lady with him.” Celestia’s eye flicked towards the position indicated. “That’s him,” she declared almost immediately. “Am I great or am I great?” asked Fletchling. The princess smiled good-naturedly. “You are an excellent tracker, my friend.” “Yeah,” it said, puffing out its chest. “And don’t you forget it!” “I won’t.” “Well, my part’s over. I’ll be seeing you. Tell the old fogey he owes me now!” Fletchling took flight again, disappearing easily over the many roofs of Laverre. Several seconds later, the old fogey in question walked up to Celestia’s position. Alakazam’s breathing was slightly labored, and Celestia began to worry that she’d inadvertently overtaxed the old mon. “Let’s have a look,” he said after he had caught his breath, peering around the corner. “Where is this man?” The princess pointed him out. Alakazam’s eyed flicked in that direction. A moment later, his jaw dropped. He turned back to Celestia with an astonished expression on his face. “Begging your pardon, princess, but are you certain that this your man?” “Without a doubt. Same face, same clothing, same hairstyle. As you can no doubt tell he’s very distinctive.” “… You’re not aware of who that is, are you?” “Should I be?” “Let me put this into perspective: I haven’t left this town in more than two decades. I pay virtually no attention to current events. My entire day is frequently spent either in my research or at play with my great-grandchildren. And even I recognize that man on sight.” “Who is he?” “That is Lysandre, owner and proprietor of Lysandre Labs.” “He has a reputation, then?” “Yes, but…” Alakazam blinked. “As a brilliant inventor, former student and personal friend of the regional Pokemon Professor, and a very generous philanthropist. Lysandre is known throughout the Kalos region for his endless passion for making the world a more beautiful place for all. He has visited this town on more than one occasion, and contributed greatly to improving the conditions of the most impoverished segments of the population. I recall him giving a speech celebrating the opening of a local orphanage that he financed from the ground up not even two years ago,” he blinked again. “Are you quite certain that you have the right man?” “He matches my memory down to the last detail.” “Then I fear you must have been mistaken, princess. Whatever the cause your premonition, it could not have come from this man. I am sure of it.” “Evil can often disguise itself in the most beguiling or seemingly innocent of forms.” “That may be true, but to accuse a man like Lysandre of something like that…” he shook his head. “Celestia, I think that you must have simply seen a Luxury Ball. The man is more than rich enough to afford one. You are not yet familiar with this world. A simple case of mistaken identity must be at work here.” “I maintain what I have said.” “And I maintain that you must be mistaken. You cannot seriously expect me to believe a wild accusation against one of the Kalos Region’s most beloved figures without a good deal of evidence.” “I have offered to allow you to examine my memory in detail.” “And now that I know who you are accusing, I cannot be sure of its objectivity! And that’s in addition to the safety hazards involved in probing your mind that I’ve already mentioned!” “Then how about this?” Celestia offered. “You and I can probe for the Dark Ball. The sense of malevolence and pain coming from it is very powerful even when you aren’t looking for it. I’m sure that between us it should be obvious.” Alakazam hesitated. “I…” “Please?” “… Very well. If only because this accusation is so serious. I cannot believe that you would carry it so far if you weren’t very certain…” he chewed his lip a little. “I don’t know what to believe right at this moment.” “Then let’s find out.” “Together?” “Together.” Both Celestia and Alakazam closed their eyes and dug deep inside themselves. Alakazam lifted both hands with dual spoons held high. Celestia’s wings would have done the same but for the bindings around them. Working together, with just a little quick tutoring from the native Pokemon, the two projected their minds over towards where Lysandre and his purple-haired companion sat eating. They registered the presence of what minds there were, reading the aura coming off of them. They felt around mentally, ascertaining the total environment, and then pulled themselves back into their flesh. “My lady,” said the somewhat winded Alakazam after he had opened his eyes. “I could sense even the minds of Lysandre’s Pokemon in their balls. And yet there was no pain, fear, or malevolence radiating from any of them. If there is a Dark Ball in this city, this man does not have it.” “Uuuuurrrgggghhhh…” a pony struggled against quicksand enveloping both of her forelegs. “Rargh!” she roared, as she yanked herself free from the marshy muck and collapsed backwards onto the bank of the lethal trap. “Great…” she said, panting slightly. “Just great. There went my last shoe. Perhaps my crown is next?” Princess Luna rose back to her hooves with an annoyed expression on her face. She had been wandering this disgusting marsh for a day and half now, with no sign of any civilization to speak of. Her fur was wet and matted from the constant humidity, irregular showers, puddles of muck, and her own sweat. Her beautiful wings were gummed up from the slimy puddles she’d been dropped in and forced to wade through, feathers stuck together or jutting out at odd angles. She wouldn’t have dared to fly with wings in that condition even if she had felt up to it. None of her magic was working, not the simplest of spells. Countless tiny insects swarmed about her, looking to nestle in her hair or feast on her blood. And just to make the whole situation more miserable, she hadn’t even been able to get much sleep. Still, Luna was far from a quitter. She swatted irritably at the insect swarm, despite knowing how futile the action was, and set off once more along her chosen. Following a small stream down its current seemed the best option currently available. Water usually meant civilization of some kind. If, that is, there was any such thing on the world where she had landed. It was worth taking the chance; at the very least it would probably eventually lead her out of this horrible marsh. Luna continued to make her slow way through murderous heat and humidity, ears and wings constantly flicking out at the accursed bloodsucking swarm. Hours passed as the exhausted princess climbed over massive roots, waded through puddles of mud and murky water, and stamped angrily through reeds. Every so often she thought that there was some creature in the corner of her eye, but whenever she turned to look it was gone. The only native creature that she did see a lot of – besides her eternal insect companions – was a species of bizarre, brown fish that was all but completely flat, often buried in mud or murky water. Besides the odd yellow marking near their rear, the only thing of note about these fish was their tendency to lash out with electricity if stepped on. Luna only made that mistake once. It was late in the day, with the sun almost completely gone from the sky, when Luna first heard the sound of another’s voice. “Well well well…” said a high-pitched, raspy voice that seemed to come from nowhere in particular. “Who goes there?” Luna shouted, spreading her wings to try and make herself look bigger. “Heh heh heh,” the voice continued ominously. “A little lost traveler, alone in the swamp.” “Show yourself!” the princess demanded. The deepening shadows of a nearby tree seemed to coalesce on cue. Luna’s eyes went wide and she recoiled slightly as a thoroughly repulsive creature took shape. It was a deep, dark purple color, with a seemingly detached, spiky head floating in midair. Beyond the head, all that was visible of the creature was a pair of three-clawed hands that hovered in front of its face. Its mouth was completely outsized for its body, sporting several small purple fangs and a grotesquely long pink tongue. “The perfect meal for a hungry Haunter, wouldn’t you say?” it said, tongue reaching out towards the princess. “You would consume a sapient being?!” Luna’s face was aghast. “Hahahahahahahahaha!” it grinned. “Would, and have. But never one of your species before. I wonder how you taste.” “I am no one’s meal,” Luna leveled her horn at the Haunter, more for intimidation than any expectation of effect. “Oh? Because this Haunter thinks you’ll make a fine course for her dinner,” she laughed again. “Let’s find out!” Haunter’s claws came together and, with incredible swiftness, broke apart again to reveal an inky purple-black ball of energy. She propelled it towards Luna with a single gesture. The attack moved so quickly that the princess barely had time to throw a wing up to shield her head. The ball made contact and exploded dramatically against her feathers, and… Barely hurt at all. When the smoke cleared and Luna was still standing, Haunter’s eyes went wide. “What the-” she said, reeling back with a claw hanging protectively over her face. “How in the world could you-” then her eyes narrowed as realization set in. “Dark type.” Luna blinked. “Huh?” “No matter! Even Dark types can’t stand against this!” Both of Haunter’s clawed hands flew open, exposing palms. Waves of expanding purple-black circles rapidly emerged, crossed the distance, and enveloped Luna within a second’s time. Absolutely nothing happened. “W-What?!” Haunter now looked genuinely frightened. “How could you not be asleep?! Even Dark types are vulnerable to Hypnosis!” Luna started forward, a grin on her face. “Perhaps I shall tell you when I am done beating you into an appropriately-chastised pulp.” “S-Stay away from me!” Haunter reeled back, then dissolved back into the shadows from whence she had come. Even if she was a predator, Luna saw opportunity in the first sapient she had yet encountered. “Surrender yourself into my custody, and I will be merciful,” she called out into the swamp. “Refuse, and the consequences will be dire!” “HA!” Haunter’s voice came from everywhere and nowhere. “You may not be vulnerable to my attacks, but you have to sleep sometime! And when you do, I’ll be there to claim you! Don’t think that you’ve seen the last of me! Hahahahahahahahaha!” With that, Luna was – for the moment – alone once more.