//------------------------------//
// Chapter 20:  Syncing the Clocks  
// Story: A New World, And A Better Way 
// by Recteik Shade 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 20: Syncing the Clocks 

Allen wandered through the streets of Canterlot. He was taking in the sights, stopping to look over a vendor's wares every now and then. Having pleasant conversations and learning more about Canterlot. If he could, it would be great to visit the city again some day. At least that's what it he wanted it to look like and it was working brilliantly.  He had suspected that his equine form would be enough to put the ponies at ease.  'I guess I'm only a mild curiosity when aliens invade.'

"Excuse me! Sir?"  Called a voice.  Allen turned and saw a mare and stallion looking at him.  "Can you help us settle a disagreement?"

Allen raised an eyebrow,"You want my help?"

"Ha!" The mare exclaimed pumping her hoof in victory. "Point for me!" The stallion groaned and rolled his eyes.

"Oookaaay." Allen said taking a step back. "What's up?"

The mare looked  embarrassed and coughed into her hoof. "Oh! I'm sorry.  My friend thought you were one of those creatures that have been everywhere." She motioned with a hoof to the stallion, who was still eyeing Allen like a dangerous predator. The mare  jabbed him in the ribs angrily. "Clearly he was wrong and should apologize! Shouldn't you Copper!?"

"Actually he doesn't have to." Allen said with a smile. "The creatures are called Pokemon.  And yes I am one." 'Might as well get used to it.'

The mare looked astonished for a second before Copper ribbed her. "What was that about an apology?" He gave her a smug grin. "Told ya."

"But you can talk!" The mare cried drawing a few stares.

The stallion quickly clamped his hoof over her muzzle,"Sandy! Don't be rude!" He then threw a panicked look towards Allen as though he feared that Allen had been offended.  "I'm sorry about her.  She tends to blurt things out without thinking."

Allen just smiled,"Reminds me of a friend of mine. And to answer the comment about talking.  All Pokemon are talking, it's just their own language. My friend Sparkler used a translation spell. It let's you hear what I'm saying in words you understand."

"Oooh." Said the mare. “So that's how you do it."

"If you don't mind my asking." The stallion began, "Why are all you Pokemans here? Where did you come from?"

Allen paused, it was better if he acted like he was clueless about the situation. "Why I can't say. All I know is I was in the middle of a Gym challenge the next thing I know I'm here." He looked between the two ponies. "But I'd bet money that we're not from this planet and something moved us here."

"What could do something like that!?" The mare, Sandy, asked.

"Why would it do that is the better question." Copper added.

Allen shrugged confident that they believed he was none the wiser,"I couldn't say. I'm just looking for my friend."

The stallion seemed to finally relax, "Who are you looking for?"

"Her name is Dawn.  We got separated in all this." Allen said gesturing with a hoof at the world at large.

"I'm so sorry to hear that." The mare said hugging the other pony close as though she feared he might disappear.  "I would hate to be separated from the ponies I care about."

The stallion nodded and held out a hoof, "I'm Copper Coils." Allen awkwardly shook his hoof and introduced himself.  Then Copper gestured to the mare still hugging him. "And this is my marefriend Sandy Shoals."

"Nice to meet you." Allen smiled and nodded to both of them.

"Can we help you look for her?" Sandy offered.

Allen smiled and shook his head,"I appreciate the offer but odds are it will be her brother who finds her."





Nova sat on one of the many benches found near the train station sipping from a half full cup of coffee. The train station had lead passed the same coffee shop as yesterday and Nova and Sparkler had treated themselves at Allen's dime... or bit.

The coffee was already cold but it was one thing he could do that he hoped made him look calm and peaceful. He and Sparkler had tried small talk but he had little to add about the weather or how busy the station was.  In the lull that followed in their conversation, Nova had poured most of his attention into his senses, his eyes, ears, and nose. They were working overtime to process the sights smells and sounds.  He could hear the mare behind the ticket counter muttering about rude ponies.  He could smell that the foal on the other side of the station fussing in its mother's arms needed to be changed.  

He slowly turned his head this way and that focusing his eyes on the dark and shadowy places.  Though he knew Dawn could be in any shadow it was difficult to remember that she was not in every one.  Often he would have to double take to be certain the odd shape in the dark was not his stealthy sister.

After nearly an hour, his hindquarters were asleep and he stood and dropped to all fours, drawing Sparkler's attention.  She dropped the magazine she had been reading and jumped up. "Oh is something up Nova!? Did you find Dawn!?"

Nova smiled and shook his head,"No nothing yet. I just need to stretch my legs. I don't like sitting still for too long."

"Oh alright. The magazine was a really old issue anyway."  She dropped it on the small table with other bits of literature meant for ponies waiting for their train.

Nova chuckled when he saw the cover,"So then you read Cosmare often then?" He grinned devilishly, having noticed that this world had a thing for puns. Odds were the magazine was basically the same thing as on earth.

Sparkler bought it beautifully too, flushing a shade of red that should have combusted the air.  "S-sometimes... No never read one in my life."  She gave a defeated sigh.  "The only reason I know it was old was because I saw the date on the label."

Nova laughed,"So was there nothing  better to read?" He asked setting off at a steady pace with Sparkler a few steps to his left.

"I guess not." Sparkler replied looking around the station nervously.

Nova grinned tempted to tease her but he decided against it, "So miss Sparkler? What is it you do in Fillydelphia?"

The change of subject took a moment to register with her, "Oh! I um. I am a student of Filly University I studied Construct Theory.

Nova raised an eyebrow, "What theory?"

Sparkler brightened and Nova had a moment of terror as he realized he had just opened Pandora's box.  "In magic there is a field that revolves around conjuring. The term conjuring can refer to anything shaped coloured or voiced by magic." She paused and lit her horn the cobalt blue aura snaking out and shaping itself like a pony.  "This for example is Construction Magic." The little pony reared up and whinnied then ran through the air straight at Nova and through his head.

"That was something." Nova added as the little thing ran out the other side of his head and back to Sparkler.

" As you can see this construct has shape colour and sound.  These things are easy to do with magic.  But it has no substance that takes more energy and more focus to do." Her horn flashed brighter, and the little phantom pony ran at him again. Only this time, it bounced off the top of his head and fell to the floor.  

Nova watched as the phantom pony failed on the cobblestone, the color draining from it and it's shape became harder to define. After a few seconds, the phantom was gone and Nova looked back to Sparkler. "So you're looking for a way to make it easier to give these constructs a physical form?"

Sparkler smiled broadly,"That is exactly what I want to do. Magic could be used for anything! Deep mining operations that are too dangerous for ponies! Exploring inhospitable environments and then there's the potential for medical applications!  Artificial organs and prosthetic limbs that only take the smallest amount of magic to maintain!"

Nova smiled, "That sounds like groundbreaking work."

Sparkler nodded as they rounded a corner,"That's the plan to make everyponys lives better."

"Have you made much progress?" Nova asked, genuinely curious.

"Some." Sparkler admitted.  "It involves a lot of reorganizing the structure of a spell and Spell Weaving is much more difficult.  All that I can make right now are the little things, like the little pony I just used."

"I see." Nova said. "Then what will you do once we're done here in Canterlot?"

Sparkler stopped and cocked her head, “What do you mean?"

"Sparkler, Allen Loki, Dawn and I aren't going back to Fillydelphia." Nova said, "And Allen won't rest until he's certain Penny is safe.  After this we're going into the Everfree Forest... Which is in the opposite direction of your town and school."

Sparkler stopped dead,"Oh. Right." She stared at nothing as she worked this over in her mind. 'How could I have forgotten that!?' "Buck!" She cursed out loud. "I'm... not sure."

Nova nodded again and guided her back to the benches. "Allen would tell you to go home and focus on your schooling.  But I'm not going to tell you what you should do... that's your choice." He sat back on the bench.

"Thanks Nova." Sparkler said as her mind worked over the puzzle put to her. Should she go back to Fillydelphia and resume her studies, or should she go with Allen and help him find his friends?  A silence settled over the pair that would last the rest of the day.





Ninetales was less than pleased.  The cage she found herself in had been moved to a small rickety cart and was now being pulled through the city.  She disliked all the stares she was getting too. A large group of ponies had gathered around the cart, all of them watching her with mixed emotions.  The general consensus was that the group was going to ask the Princess what they should do with her, and many other ponies had joined in, all  hoping to have their own questions answered.

"I'm still here Ninetails!" A voice called through the general chatter of the ponies.  Ninetales turned just in time to see the glowing red and yellow of Dawn's eyes and ring pattern.  Several ponies saw the color in the shadows and just like that the Moonlight Pokemon was gone.

Ninetales smiled knowing that the moment they opened the door Dawn would pounce and free her. "I'll be ready." She said to herself.  

The Pegasus mare was walking to the left of the cart watching her,"Don't worry." She said in a soft voice,"Nopony's going to hurt you."

"Ponies have been trying to hurt me since yesterday!"  Ninetales countered knowing the mare could understand her.

"You sure like to say Ninetales a lot don't you?" The mare asked with a smile. Ninetales chose to ignore her and just wait.  "Aw don't give me the cold shoulder, please Ninetales?" The mare gave her puppy eyes that would make a Growlithe envious.

"Leave me alone." Ninetales replied after almost succumbing to the ploy. She glanced to her right and saw Dawn silhouetted, watching from the top of a building she also noticed that more ponies seemed to be joining the group. She saw dozens of ponies fall in with the group shuffling and bumping into each other to get a look at her. It was also a chance for her to get a better look at the ponies. Most were brightly colored, and the ponies at the head of the growing mob were some of the only ones wearing clothes.

These ponies paused periodically to send hateful scowls in her direction. "Damn Nobles think they're better than us." said one of the ponies only to be hushed by the mare walking next to him.

"Copper not so loud. They might hear you." Warned the mare.

"Sandy don't act so afraid of them." He countered.  "There's nothing they can do to us."  

"They could buy the building out from under us and evict us from the apartment." The mare replied.  "That's what happened to Glitter Burst. It's why she had to move to Baltimare.

The stallion sighed, "Sandy, I love you to death but we keep telling you. Glitter moved because of her job. No pony forced her to leave. The Nobles are just pampered foals who think they're better than everypony else because they were born with money." The stallion raised his voice on the last bit and judging by the furious glares he was getting, none of the ponies up front liked his opinion.  

Ninetales watched as the Nobles glared and muttered amongst themselves, yet the bulk of her focus was on the palace.  It was beautiful, and nothing like the buildings in Ecruteak with tall towers and massive ramparts.  

As the growing mob finally reached the outer gates the ponies up front stopped dead,"Oh no!" She cried, "One of these abominations is in the castle!"

This got Ninetales attention and she pressed her head against the top of the cage to see. Sure enough an Aegislash was barring the gate alone with a few pony guards. As the mob approached the Aegislash moved forward, "You shall not pass!"(1) It boomed, making everypony, guards included flinch.

"How dare you! You vile creature!" Shouted one of the Nobles.

The Aegislash rose a few feet into the air and slammed its blade into the cobblestone then, drug itself through the stone causing an earsplitting screech.  "You will not pass."  It said calmly.  Ninetales smiled as she saw the Noble ponies take a few steps back.  She saw the guards at the gate exchange worried looks and one whispered to another.

"Eeeeeeeeeeehhhgggggrrlll!" The ponies all jumped and turned to stare at Ninetales as she began to make the most Arceus awful racket.  'I hope this works.' She began to yip and howl, as the Pegasus mare approached with a look of concern.  She jumped with as much force as she could, crashing into the cage making to rattle and shake.  As the cage settled she looked and saw the two pony guards watching her.  One said something and rushed off as the Aegislash continued to float in front of the main gate.  

It only took a few minutes for the Princess to arrive and as the Aegislash moved aside for her Ninetales gasped.  Being mildly psychic, even from in her cage she could feel the power that emanated from the Alicorn. It was like what she thought meeting a Legendary would be like, both beautiful and powerful.

The Princess cleared her throat. “My little ponies,” she began. “I understand that you are all unsure of what is happening, and I wish to answer any questions you have to the fullest of my ability. But first, I would ask you to show me the Poké-… the creature, that you have found.”

While missed by the gathered ponies, Ninetales perked up at the phonetic slip. 'She knows what we are!  How!?'  She was curious now, Dawn had made having a trainer sound like the best thing in the world.  In addition, as attuned as Ninetails was, she could sense that Celestia's lifespan was on a similar scale to her own.

A faint sound caught her attention, and she turned to see Dawn standing on the overhang of a nearby roof, watching.  With as subtle a motion as Ninetales could, she lightly shook her head trying to tell Dawn to back off.

The crowd shifted as the older Unicorn who had caught her pushed the cage to the front of the group with his magic “Caught it myself,” He said proudly. “Use ta catch critters for them fancy fur coats.” Ninetales eyes went wide and she looked at the older stallion in horror “S’too bad I retired – could’ve made a lot a bits off of this one.”

As the crowd parted he placed the cage at Celestia's hooves,as the Princess finally saw what it held she gasped. “What?” Asked the Fire-type as she stared up at Celestia.

“Could’ve made at least a few coats outta this one, I’d bet.” The stallion said aloud. Ninetales whimpered and tried to move further from the stallion, but the cage stopped her.

“Open it.” Celestia ordered.

“Pardon, your highness?” The stallion asked, not believing what he had heard.

“Open the cage,” She repeated, staring directly at the unicorn. “Now.” An almost cold edge came into her voice as if she were deeply upset but trying hard to conceal it.

The stallion realized the Princess wasn’t joking and walked to the front of the cage where he quickly unlocked the door and let it swung open. Ninetales immediately leapt out of the cage, and hid underneath Princess Celestia.

Celestia’s eyes went wide as the creatures nuzzled her legs affectionately. “Thank you.” she said not caring that the mare couldn't understand her.

“You’re… welcome, little one.” She said with a smile.  She turned back to the assembled crowd. “Now I assume you’re here because you have questions about these creatures?”

A murmur of agreement went up from the crowd.

“Then I’ll explain,” The Princess took a moment to gather her thoughts, then explained. “These being are all members of a race collectively known as Pokémon.  Due to recent events, an… acquaintance of mine felt it was imperative that the Pokémon be moved to Equestria. I have yet to work out all the details myself, but one thing is clear – the Pokémon are just as intelligent as you or I, and they all have their own special kind of magic. I suggest you treat them as equals and, if you find any that seem to need help, direct them to the city guard. The same goes if you encounter any that are hostile. Do not engage them, just contact the guard.”  Celestia finished with a smile. This seemed to appease most of the ponies present including Ninetales former captors.

Save the stallion who had been very open about his opinion of the Nobles earlier “Princess, just what is that thing?” He pointed to Aegislash.

Celestia turned to the Steel-type that floated silently beside her. “This is… one of the Pokémon, they come in many, many forms, and he is... serving as a temporary addition to the palace guard.”

“Greetings, little ponies.” Aegislash said in a friendly tone as if he hadn't been intimidating those same ponies only minutes earlier. Several of the ponies took a few steps back, and most decided that they had most of their questions answered for now and began to leave.

The crowd dispersed and left Celestia at the gate with the Ninetales she had freed.

“Well, I think that went rather well, actually,” Said a white Unicorn that Ninetales hadn't noticed. “It certainly could have gone worse.”

“Yes, I suppose so.” Celestia agreed with a nod. “But what about this?” She gestured to Ninetales now sitting at her side.

“Hi!” She cried happily looking up at the Princess.

“Oh, how sweet,” The mare cooed. “I think she likes you.”

Celestia tilted her head and looked back at the Fox Pokémon smiling up at her. “Wait a moment.” The Princesses horn glowed golden and Ninetales felt some flow into her.  “That’s better,” Celestia bent down and looked right into the Pokémon’s eyes. “You realize that you don’t have to stay with me, don’t you? I would have done the same for anyone.”

“But I can stay, can’t I?” Ninetales asked hopefully. “I sorta just evolved and I don’t have a den anymore.” Ninetales had no idea where she was, or what was going on.  All she knew was that she was living in the woods near Ecruteak City and the next she was in an alley with Dawn.

Celestia sighed but smiled . “Of course you can stay here, miss....”

“I’m Ninetales,” She answered happily. “Unless you wanna give me a nickname?”

The Princess seemed confused by her answer for a moment “Um, no, that’s alright.” This didn’t deter Ninetales in the least.

“Ok,” Ninetales said happily and fell into step behind the Princess, the mare, and the Aegislash. However, she paused briefly to look back at where Dawn had last been.  She was still there but, behind her was the imp like shape of a Gengar.  She wasn't sure if Dawn knew it was there but the Moonlight Pokemon made a 'go’ motion with her head. With a smile and a nod she picked up her pace and caught up with the ivory alicorn “What’s your name?”

Celestia smiled. “I’m Princess Celestia.”