Rainbow flew over the Everfree Forest. As usual, there was nothing there. Scootaloo had mentioned something about a Pikachu. She could have hit her head and gotten a concussion. This whole ‘Pikachu’ thing could be a dream. However, she figured that she might as well look. Scootaloo could be right.
Rainbow landed in front of Twilight’s house. Perhaps Twilight knew something about Pikachu. She knocked then flew in immediately after. She was surprised to not hear Twilight asking her what she wanted when she normally flew in uninvited.
“Twilight?” She called. No answer. Maybe Twilight was down in that underground laboratory she built last month. Twilight had built in hopes of learning more about different types of magic in a safe room in her own home. The door to the lab was open too and the smell of coffee came from downstairs. It was a little late for coffee but perhaps she had been up all night. Suddenly a scream came from downstairs.
“PIKACHU!” It screamed. Pikachu? Wasn’t Rainbow supposed to find a Pikachu? Why would it be down in her lab?
She quietly tiptoed downstairs. Twilight had her back to the door and seemed to be working on something. A cup of coffee was sitting beside her and towards the side wall was a cage. Inside the cage was a creature yelling and shaking its tiny fist at Twilight.
“PIKACHU!” It screamed and banged on the cage. Twilight didn’t seem to hear.
It seemed unlikely that Twilight would actually capture a creature just to study on it. This wasn’t the Twilight that Rainbow knew. But Twilight did seem to be acting a little odd. Her magic was green instead of magenta and when she turned to look at Pikachu, Rainbow Dash saw that her eyes had a weird green glow to them like she was hypnotized or something.
The more important question was: how would she rescue Pikachu? She could try to break Pikachu out of the cage then try to fight Twilight, but Twilight had powerful magic. There wasn’t anything she could do without some help.
Maybe she could try and reason with Twilight? No, Twilight was acting weird. There was no telling what was wrong with Twilight and how she might react if she saw Rainbow. Reasoning wasn’t an option. What did that leave exactly?
Maybe Rainbow could pin down Twilight while somepony else grabbed Pikachu. But who would be willing to help her now?
******
“Pinkie, I need your help.” Rainbow said as Pinkie hopped around the store. If anypony could help, it was Pinkie. Plus, Twilight could never
truly get mad at Pinkie. She was Pinkie Pie, after all.
“Sure. I suppose you came to have me help you rescue Pikachu.” She said happily as she bounced around while putting up streamers. “Sure
thing Rainbow Dash!”
“How did you know I needed help rescuing a Pikachu? And what’s with the party?” Rainbow asked.
“Well, the party’s for Princess Celestia! It’s her birthday.” She whispered. “Don’t tell her. There are rumors about her cake problem! That’s why the party has to be a surprise! She won’t come if she knows the party is for her birthday.”
“Ok… how did you know about a Pikachu then?” Rainbow asked as Pinkie bounced around with streamers in her mane.
“There are things I know.” Pinkie said almost a little sinisterly.
“There are rumors about a Pikachu?” Rainbow asked, deciding to ignore the new creepy tone that was added to Pinkie’s last statement.
“Yeah…rumors…sure...” She trailed off. “So I’ll take care of Twilight and you bring the cake that Scootaloo ordered yesterday.”
“I’ll go with you. Wait, what cake?” Rainbow asked. Pinkie pointed to the counter. On it stood a very tall cake that Rainbow didn’t see when she came in. “How did that get there?”
“Bye Rainbow!” Pinkie called and the door shut.
“Wait, Twilight’s crazy-” Rainbow was cut off as the door slammed shut. Rainbow stared at the door. She could easily have followed Pinkie, but something told her she should stay here. Plus, Pinkie said this cake had to be delivered to Scootaloo. If Scootaloo needed a cake, then Rainbow supposed she would be the one to bring it.
Rainbow lifted the cake off the counter. She knew if she flew quickly back to her place, she could deliver the cake and end up at Twilight’s just in time to help Pinkie with whatever her plan was. It was a pretty light cake.
Unfortunately, she realized that the cake would not easily fit through the door.
*****
Pinkie bounced to Twilight’s. With a grin on her face that was as wide as an ocean or perhaps smaller than a very large lake but a very large smile indeed, she waved and nodded at passing ponies. Assuming that Twilight was in her craziest state for Rainbow to have to ask for Pinkie’s help, Pinkie bounced inside the house leisurely.
Pinkie knew she’d need the ultimate Pinkie Power for this mission. That was assuming that Rainbow wasn’t overreacting and she was making a gigantic mistake.
As soon as she shut the door behind her, her smile turned into a grimace and her fluffy mane dropped in a very straight and much darker mane. Her coat dulled and she gave one last smile before she shuffled quietly downstairs.
Pinkie touched the wall with her hoof as she carefully stepped down the stairs. She sighed and shut her eyes. When she re-opened them, her vision was sharper. The hoof on the wall was now a hand. A dark furry hand with red claws. She was much taller and was standing on two skinny supportive hind legs. She smiled once more and took another step.
Twilight’s humming was heard. She saw as she crept down the stairs that Pikachu was trapped. It was sitting inside its cage and seemed to be crying. Twilight’s mane was indeed out of place, but something about her was odd.
Her movements weren’t Twilight’s. She knew how Twilight walked and these steps were much more wobbly as if something was controlling Twilight. Plus there was the green smoke coming out of her mouth occasionally, her green glowy eyes and a strangely familiar rock that sat on her desk. However, this was no time for theories. Pinkie had one job.
Get Pikachu out.
“Twilight?” She asked as she stayed in the shadows of the entrance way. The basement was a large room. Twilight was probably taking notes or something. She hoped that Twilight couldn’t see her, at least not yet. Neither could Pinkie see Twilight so she hoped that Twilight couldn’t see her.
“Pinkie?” Twilight asked nervously. She heard something drop. It was probably a quill. “I asked you to knock!”
“The door was open!” She giggled, trying to make it seem like Pinkie still existed. The truth was, she was Pinkie, but she also wasn’t. She was a creature of illusions and shadows. She wasn’t Pinkie anymore, not the Pinkie they knew. She wasn’t Pinkie Pie the pony anymore. She was Pinkie Pie the Zoroark now.
And she had one job.
“Pinkie… it’s not what it looks like.” Twilight said. Pinkie heard Twilight’s hoofsteps. She braced herself for the shocking surprise that Twilight would receive.
“Where are you?”
“Right here!” Pinkie screamed and burst out of shadows. Twilight screamed as Pinkie tackled her and held her down with two furry hands that gripped Twilight’s forelegs. She grinned down at Twilight who looked both terrified and fascinated. Her eyes brightly glowed green.
“What are you?” Twilight asked slowly. Pinkie looked up at Pikachu who was staring at Pinkie. Pinkie nodded at Pikachu.
“I’m Pinkie Pie and I have one job!” She said cheerfully and jumped off of Twilight. She walked over to the cage Pikachu was in and slashed at the bars. They broke and Pikachu hopped out.
“Thanks.” Pikachu said and looked up at her. “Who are you?”
“No time for questions. Get on.” Pinkie said sternly. Pikachu climbed onto her ponytail and up onto her head. Twilight was on her feet.
“How dare you steal my test subject!” Twilight growled in a deeper voice than before. Her eyes were fully glowing green now and green steam seemed to leak from her mouth much more than before. “I’m not done with him!”
“You are now, Spiritomb. Also, give Twilight back her body!” Pinkie said angrily. Spiritomb shook Twilight’s head.
“I can’t! However…” Twilight’s eyes narrowed, “How did you find out who I was so quickly?”
“It’s the green eyes!” Pinkie said and pointed at them. “They’re kind of obvious. Also your rock is over there.” She pointed at a cracked sad faced looking rock on the nearby table. Spiritomb/Twilight looked over at it.
“Oh right.” He said. “Never mind that. You’re not from this world are you? Why are you helping the Pikachu? We could team up and figure out how to get back home together.”
“I’m from Equestria.” Pinkie said cheerfully. “And what do you mean, you’re not from Equestria?”
“There are more Pokémon living here?” Spiritomb asked hopefully.
“Sort of.” Pinkie said thoughtfully. “Now you have to give up Twilight’s body!”
“Never!” Spiritomb shouted. Spiritomb/Twilight clutched her/his head suddenly. “Urgh, stupid pony! I’m in… control… now… stop… fighting…”
Twilight shook her head. Her eyes faded back to normal and the green steam that came out of her mouth disappeared. She stared in shock at Pinkie who grinned.
“W-what are you, Pinkie?” She asked. “And why are you kidnapping my test subject?”
“I think you’re the one who is kidnapping, Twilight!” Pinkie sang. “I’m sorry, Twilight, but I believe that you are going to need a nap after all this excitement.”
“A nap? But I’m not even tired-”
Pinkie’s eyes glowed pink and Twilight’s eyes flashed pink. Twilight’s eyes rolled into her head and she slumped to the floor and began to snore. Pinkie carried her up out of the basement. She looked around to make sure that Spike wasn’t around and then raced upstairs and set Twilight down on her bed. She pulled the covers over Twilight and kissed her forehead. Then she raced back downstairs.
“We can’t leave any evidence that you were ever here. Twilight needs to think it was a dream.” Pinkie muttered. Pikachu leapt out of her hair.
“I can help with that.” He said and raced back towards the basement. A yellow light flashed from downstairs. Pikachu ran back upstairs just as the basement exploded behind him.
“That works too.” Pinkie said as Pikachu leapt back in her hair. “I’ll clean up the place later. For now, let’s go!”
Pinkie burst out of the door and ran towards SugarCube Corner.