//------------------------------// // Fantastic Fashion Fallacy // Story: Sunset Shimmer and the Land of Pokémon // by The Skyrunner //------------------------------// Sunset smiled as she talked to Sycamore. “I’m sort of practiced with magical, space-time travel. I think I’ll go talk to your colleague in… Sin-oh, right?” “The Sinnoh Region. I’ll be sure to call Professor Rowan about your visit.” The good professor pulled out a small map, this one labelled ‘The Kalos Region.’ “Now how about some directions, huh?” “That would be great, professor. Thank you for all your help, considering how new I am here…” Sunset replied. Espurr stared at the map, turning its head slightly to the side. “We’re currently here, in Lumiose City, the capitol.” Sycamore pointed to the largest circle on the map, labeled as such. “Now, the only port town in Kalos is Coumarine City, just a short jog through the clay fields northwest of here.” Sycamore frowned, and added on, “However, the power plant there is on the fritz again, and the authorities have blocked all access to route 13 for the foreseeable future.” “So I guess I’ll have to take the long way around?” Sunset asked, receiving a nod from the professor. “Let’s see… in that case, it looks like I’ll have to travel down Route 5, pass through Camphrier Town, go along Route 7 until I hit Cyllage City,” “Non, non.” Sycamore interjected. “The cave at the end of Route 7 connects to Route 8, where you’ll have to go south to Ambrette Town before going back up.” He traced a finger along the path. “However, from there it’s a relatively straight shot past Geosenge Town and Shalour City until you get to Coumarine. If you don’t stop for much, it should be about a week and a half of travel, maybe two.” “A week and a half?!” Sunset said in shock. “From the map, it looks like I could travel the entirety of the region in a day! How could this take me a week?” Sycamore chuckled. “The region of Kalos could look like something from a cartoon, Sunset. However, it is a very real and very vast place to explore. We don’t have the editing powers of the movies in real life, you know.” He sighed, and smiled. “And why not take the slow way around? It would do you good to see some sights while you’re here. Don’t rush through it trying to get home; enjoy your time here since who knows when, or if, you could come back?” Sunset sighed in defeat. “I guess you’re right. Well, if I’m to be traveling for a week, I’ll need some supplies. The shop over there sells backpacks and food, right?” As she got up, she slapped her forehead hard enough to dislodge Espurr. The Pokémon fell to the floor and got back up, staring with a slight frown at Sunset. “Sorry there…” “What’s wrong?” “I just noticed… I don’t have any of your world’s currency. I can’t buy any supplies.” Sunset sighed, pulling her wallet out of her jacket pocket. “I mean, I do have some of my world’s money, but here it’s just paper.” She pulled out a dollar bill to prove her point. “How can I buy anything when I don’t have any useable money?” Sycamore thought for a second, before snapping his fingers. “There’s plenty of places in Lumiose that would like some help for a day. I’m not sure off the top of my head, but you could take a look around.” “Well, I’m not unused to working as soon as I get dumped in a new place.” Sunset said dryly. “I’ll take a walk around. Thank you for all your help, professor.” Sunset made to leave the Pokémon Center, and Sycamore waved farewell. “Be sure to call me on your XTransceiver from time to time! I’d be glad to help!” Smiling, Sunset walked out into the city, walking down the main street. “Well, time to go job hunting, I guess.” She glanced up to the Pokémon on her head. “Do you have any ideas?” Espurr glanced around, then pointed to a glowing sign that depicted Pokémon battles. “No, I’m not that good at battling with you, Espurr. But thanks for the help.” Feeling lucky, Sunset walked down the street, confident enough to find someplace to give her a few bits for a day’s work. “Why is it so hard to find a Celestia-damned job here?” Sunset asked aloud after three hours of searching. Every place when walked into did not need any help, or flat-out refused her. She almost had a job as a waitress at a local restaurant, but Espurr had angered the chef by psychically moving around all of his spices, making him mess up the dish he was cooking. Sunset denied it was her Pokémon that did it, but even she knew she shouldn’t go near that city block for a while. “YOU!” A voice screamed out behind her. Wincing, believing it to be the chef in question, Sunset turned around, only to see a young woman no older than herself pointing at her. She had rather pale skin, and was dressed up in a violet coat/dress hybrid, matching her mulberry hair to a point. Her hair was styled in elegant curls, and her eyes sparkled with the color and shine of sapphires. “YOU are just what I’m looking for, darling!” “Rarity…?” Sunset asked under her breath as the woman approached her. Espurr glared at the girl, as if daring her to approach the trainer it resided upon. Unfazed by it, the girl walked up and began to look over Sunset, inspecting her and her wardrobe. “Umm… can I help you…?” “Darling, that skirt, with that shirt?” She said, pointing to the orange and violet items. “Sorry, dear, but I can’t let such a crime against fashion go unfixed. Come along, will you?” She started to grab Sunset by the wrist, and dragged her a few feet before the girl got her bearings. “Whoa, whoa! Who exactly are you, and what’s wrong with my clothes?” She asked. “Sorry, dear, where are my manners. I am Crystal, fashion designer and owner of Simple Rarities Boutique. When I saw you, I knew you had the means to make a great model for my new line, and I could really use the help. However, I got closer and realized how much in need of a fashion upgrade you really needed!” She said this with a dramatically disgusted look at Sunset’s skirt. “So, I’ll offer you this. You help me by modeling a few dresses and outfits, and I compensate you with a new wardrobe and some cash for your time. Deal?” Sunset hesitated. Here she was, looking out for a job, and one suddenly (And quite literally) came up and grabbed her. “Sure. I was looking for a little work anyway. My name is Sunset. Sunset Shimmer.” She held out a hand, to which Crystal shook it. “Fabulous, Sunset. We’d best be off! My fashion line awaits!” As it turns out, her store was not far from there, a small business tucked into an alley near Verde Plaza. The interior of the establishment was decorated with frilly lace and gentle curves of the architecture above. Mannequins were dotted around the boutique, each one posing a new dress or fabulous design. Farther into the back Sunset was led, to a small workshop filled with bolts of fabric and various sewing machines and threads. “Esmeralda, darling, I am in need of your assistance!” “Gar!” A voice said form nearby. Descending from the staircase near the rear of the room was what looked to be a human with green hair, and red eyes. It had immaculately pure white skin, and its body seemed to be fused with its clothing, a green jacket and white, slitted dress. It smiled happily as it used psychic power to levitate a few bolts of clothing around to Crystal’s workshop. “Whoa… Is that a Pokémon?” Sunset asked. “She acts as though she hasn’t seen Pokémon at all.” A voice said inside her head. “I like her.” Sunset panicked, before noticing the Pokémon laughing. “My kind is known as a Gardevoir, and my personal name is, as you heard, Esmeralda. The pleasure is mine.” “Whoa… telepathy. Neat, I’ve heard about powerful psychics like that, but I’ve never met one.” Sunset replied, secretly freaking out a bit. She herself had attempted telepathy back in Equestria, but never could figure out the right spell to use. “So, when do I start?” She asked, placing Espurr down on a side table. The Pokémon simply looked on as the bolts of fabric floated around in Esmeralda’s psychic grip, Crystal grabbing a roll or two and getting to work. Over the course of the next few hours, Sunset had her measurements taken and various garments created for her to try on and model for Crystal’s camera. The sun had begun to set as they finished up, Sunset currently wearing a light blue mini-dress with a sheer yellow skirt, blue jeans, and a jacket that resembled her previous one, but slightly smaller and with yellow stripes on the arms. The resemblance to one of her outfits back home was uncanny, but she paid it no mind. After hearing about Sunset’s money issue, Crystal had made her a backpack to go along with it – black fabric with yellow stripes similar to the jacket, and on Sunset’s request, a red-and-yellow sun design in the center of the front pocket. “Thanks for your help, Rar- err, Crystal.” “It was no trouble at all, dear. I should be the one thanking you for modeling those outfits. Why don’t you keep the one you’re wearing? It does suit you very well.” She walked over to the new trainer, and handed her a large stack of bills. “I do hope this is enough to compensate you fro your time, I know it’s not too much, but…” Sunset looked at the bills, noting that the smallest denomination was 50. In total, she had acquired 5,000 of this world’s credits. “No, this is… this is enough. Thank you.” Sunset said, slipping her previous outfit into her bag, and slinging that across her shoulders while Espurr climbed up on her head once more. She went to leave, the door opened when a voice stopped her. “Wait, dear!” Crystal said. She approached Sunset, a nervous look in her eyes. “I’m afraid to ask, but… where exactly is it you’re going?” “Coumarine City, to catch a ferry to Sinnoh. Why do you ask?” The flame haired teen responded. Crystal composed herself, and asked, “Would you mind terribly if I went with you?” Sunset was taken aback by the request, not expecting it. “Oh, it’s not any reason in particular, dear, it’s just that I have a friend over in Sinnoh who recently asked me to come visit. I knew you were going somewhere from our conversation, but I figured that if you were going to the same place, why not go together?” Sunset laughed a bit. “Wouldn’t that ruin your new fashion line?” Crystal made a few scoffs. “Oh, pish-posh, darling. My line won’t be ready to actually sell for a while now, and when I saw you on the street I was actually headed for the market to pick up some supplies for my trip. However, I did get a little sidetracked when I saw you, and how perfect you’d be to model it all.” She smirked softly. “I see no reason that you couldn’t.” Sunset replied, holding out her hand. Crystal took it, the two shaking hands to solidify their newfound friendship. “So, when would you want to leave? We’ve got a long week ahead of us.” “In the morning, Sunset. You can stay at my place for tonight, and tomorrow we will get our supplies and be off to Sinnoh!” The fashionista twirled around slightly, before heading back into the store. Sunset followed, still laughing inside over how similar her new friend was to another she already had.