//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: Pokemon: Battles are Friendship // by GoodKnight //------------------------------// "Oh sweet Celestia!" Rarity exclaimed theatrically. "Are they alright?" "Where did...?" Twilight began, looking back up to where the portal that dropped them used to be. "Wh-who are they?" "A fall like that... with that speed..." Rainbow flew up to that height and dropped onto the floor with a soft thump. "They're definitely knocked out..." "Oooh! I'll get some water!" Pinkie declared before disappearing into the castles many corridors. "Good thinking Pinkie," AJ said with a smile. She quickly followed the party pony. "A splash o' water'll wake 'em up." "U-um... actually," Fluttershy began with a soft poke to one of the strange looking quadrupeds. "I think they're waking up..." "What?!" Rainbow and Twilight exclaimed at the same time. "Ow... my head..." groaned one of the bodies. The taller one stood up with a stagger. It's features reminded all the mares of a giraffe, but much smaller. Instead of the yellow-brown spots pattern a giraffe would normally have, this being seemed to be yellow and purple, with rounded spots trailing along the neck and halfway along his body. Halfway down his back, the color scheme of his coat would change entirely. His eyes blinked open and scanned the room of mares. "Yo, buddy," Rainbow began with a little confusion. "You alright? That was one nasty fall..." "Was it? It didn't really hurt too bad..." he said with look over of his body. "Hey, wh-" "I got the water~!" Pinkie exclaimed quickly throwing it upon the pile of strange creatures. "OUCH!!!" shouted a feminine yet gritty voice. Suddenly, a pony leapt off the ground and began to run around the room as if her mane was on fire. ...Actually, it was on fire! "Hold on!!" AJ said, throwing the rest of the water. In one second, the giraffe leapt between the two and threw up a wall of yellow light. The thrown water splashed against it and fell onto the floor much to the chagrin of Twilight. "I really think you shoul-" "What the heck?!!" the fiery mare interrupted while walking through the screen. "Are you trying to kill me?!" "Yer mane's on fire!" AJ shouted back. She seemed fairly confused by why the mare seemed unharmed by the whipping flames. "A lil water won't hurt ya!" "Yeah, it will!" she replied curtly and with a challenging stance. "Show's what you know, ya Dunsparce!" "Who's shouting?" groaned another voice. Another stood up while rubbing his eye. His coat was mostly a dark black with white stripes partially crossing his body. It was almost like a reverse zebra. His mane stuck straight up and was shaped like a bolt of lightening. "Nobody can get any sleep around here..." "Like you need a few more minutes of Sleep, Blitz," the fiery pony said with a roll of her eyes. "I will if you keep shouting..." "Please stop fighting..." a different voice mumbled. Another stood up with a weary look. Her coat was mostly a bright pink, but also a cream color. Upon her head was a lone flower. "You know what happens when you fight..." "Yeah! I win!" The fiery pony declared. "Pfft," Rainbow huffed. "You got something to say?" "Yeah," Rainbow said with annoyance. "You should let the air out of you head before it pops." "Oh kettle! I see you've met pot!" Rarity exclaimed with sarcasm. Soon multiple arguments filled the room. Twilight was seemingly left helpless. "Hah!" a boyish tone scoffed, silencing most of the other voices. "You gotta admit it Brandi... You've got a little bit of an ego." Up stood a unicorn of a somewhat outrageous design. His mane was a deep red, but his coat was a yellowish cream color. Around his neck appeared to be a light blue frilled collar that matched his tail as well. Out of his forehead was a ridged grey . He had a charming smile on his face that faltered into confusion upon looking into the room. "Oh MY...!" Rarity exclaimed with sparkles in her eyes, She maneuvered over to him with a dreamy look. "You are simply fabulous! Please, you must come back to my boutique so that we can... get to know each other..." "H-hey!" th giraffe cried out, dashing over to get between the two. "S-stop that! You can't talk to him like that!" "And why..." soon the room was filled with arguments. Some were trying to stop the arguments, but it was in vain. Twilight slumped against the back wall, watching the friendship she had with her friends be ruined by these new beings. "Celestia... what do you want me to do?" the mare muttered to herself. She shut her eyes trying to think of something- anything to save the friendships she had. Despite her best efforts, she couldn't think straight with all the noise going on in the room. She rubbed her temples , hummed a song to drown them out, and even plugged her ears. She still could not think. "EVERY PONY BE QUIET!!!" she shouted. However, even her go-to solution for calming the masses did little to stop them all from arguing. While she was taken aback, the violet mare would not be dissuaded. She scanned her shelves carefully before finding the right book. Over One Million uses for the Bandanna: Advanced Edition. She hefted the massive book up into the air and, holding back her intense care for the things, dropped it onto the table. The resounding boom was loud enough to make thunder seem quiet. Everyone winced and stared at the unamused princess. "Right. Everyone who knows what the Elements of Harmony are, please gather on the left side of the table," Twilight explained in annoyance. "Everyone else, gather on the other side. Now... MOVE!" With a clatter of hooves, everyone went to their respective sides. Not a word was spoken, but a few glares were exchanged. Twilight gazed to both sides before moving over to her friends. "As much as we enjoy biting each other's heads off, I'd like to get to know everyone," Twilight said with a fake happy tone. "I'mPrincess Twilight Sparkle, and these are my friends; Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Rarity." The five beings stood in slight shock of the information unloaded on them. "Er... ok," the giraffe-esque being began. "I'm Jeri, that's Blitz..." "Hiya!" the zebra greeted cheerfully despite the obvious tension. "That's Fauna," Jeri said whilst pointing out the deer creature who gave a half-wave. "Next to her is FireBrand but she prefers being called Brandi." The pony with mane ablaze decided to act like she didn't care. "And finally," he began with slight build up. "This is the Legendary Keldeo." "Jeri... I'm not that important," Keldeo said with a slight groan. "I'm just a normal pokemon like you." "Poke-what?" Aj said with a tilt of her head. "And what makes him so special?" "He's one of the Swords of Justice," Fauna piped up. "They're sole purpose is to protect pokemon like you or me." "Yeah, they're kinda like superheroes," Jeri clarified further. "Except... real I guess..." "You're not a pokemon," Pinkie began with a dramatic point of her hoof. "You're a giraffe." "Girafarig," Jeri said quickly. "I'm a Girafarig." "I thought you were a pokemon..." Fluttershy mumbled. "I am. We all are," Jeri gestured with a cloven hoof. "W-wait a minute..." Twilight began with a wave of her hoof. "What you're saying is that you, a Girafarig, are a species of pokemon." "Yes..." Jeri said with a slow nod. "I have to say though that you guys are the strangest group of pokemon I've ever seen." "We're not pokermons," AJ stated flatly. "We're ponies." "Pokémon," Brandi growled. "And you aren't any Ponyta's that I've ever seen!" "She means that we are not pokemon at all," Rarity groaned before the potential argument could arise. "What do you make of it, Twilight? ...I-if you don't mind..." Fluttershy whispered. "Celestia said that this will be my greatest puzzle..." the princess of friendship hummed. "Maybe... hmm..." "Who's Celestia?" Blitz asked with an eyebrow cocked. "Or am I the only one who's wondering that." "I'm curious too," Fauna agreed. "She's, like, the ruler-" Rainbow began before being interrupted by bouncing blur. "Princess Celestia is one of the co-rulers of Equestria! She lived for over one thousand years, and raises and sets the sun all on her own!" Pinkie explained in seemingly one breath. "So she's like a legendary," Keldeo stated. "She's like Arceus." "Uhm... what's-" "I've get a bigger question!" Brandi declared, interrupting the yellow Pegasus. "Just where are we?!" "You are in Equestria," Twilight said calmly. "What region's that?" Fauna asked. "I've never heard of it. Is it a route...?" "No," Jeri said with a shake of her head and a thoughtful look. "I think she means...' "Jeri, you don't think..." Keldeo said with a knowing look. "I think it is..." Jeri sighed. "Arceus." "Who is Arceus?" Twilight asked with an exasperated gaze. "He's like Celestia, but different," Keldeo explained. "He has powers beynd imagination. He watches over all pokemon, but never interferes unless it's necessary." "What you're saying..." Twilight began slowly. "Is that this... being... sent you here?" "Yes," Keldeo said with a slow nod. "That... ok, too much information at once..." Twilight said, much to the remaining elements shock. "I think that we need to jut try and get to know each other. Now-" "DIBS!!" Pinkie Shouted, suddenly appearing next to the Ponyta. Before the fiery maned pokemon could react, she felt a Pinkie Pie hug cut her breath short. "Pinkie..." Twilght sighed. "Oh come now, Twilight..." Rarity began with a roll of her eyes. "We are fully capable of making our own decisions. Also..." She quickly stood next to Keldeo with an innocent look. "I call the legend~!" "I-I don't think that's a good plan!" Jeri said with a huff. "Keldeo should-" "I'll be fine Jeri," Keldeo said with a small smirk. "Why don't you stay with Twilight?" "But-" "You know more about our home than I do," Keldeo said with confidence. The Girafarig blushed slightly but nodded reluctantly. "Great! Now-" "This is ridiculous!" AJ stated with an annoyance. She stood up and began to trot out of the room. "I can't stay any longer! I got apples t' harvest!" "Hey Blitz," Fauna began in a small whisper. "Maybe you should..." "Way ahead of you," Blitz said with a wink. "Hey! Wait up! Let me help you out!" "I don't need...!" Aj's complaint faded into the halls of the castle. She was soon followed by Rarity. "That just leaves me, I suppose," the Deerling said with a cheerful smile. "Yeah... um... Unless you can fly," Rainbow said while rising into the air. "You might as well go with Fluttershy." "Y-you don't have to..." Fluttershy looked away from the pokemon. "No, I do..." Fauna smiled sheepishly. "If you don't mind putting up with me..." The awkward silence was near palpable as the two slowly sauntered out of the room. Rainbow Dash followed in flight. "W-well..." Jeri began with a cough. "What now?" "Now ylou're going to tell me everything you know about your world." Twilight summoned forth a parchment and quill and sat down at her table. "Oh... well could I-" "No." Twilight looked at Jeri with an innocent look that somehow made Jeri feel very uncomfortable. He didn't need to be psychic typed to know that it would be a long night...