//------------------------------//
// Chapter 23: Back To Ponyville  
// Story: A New World, And A Better Way 
// by Recteik Shade 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 23: Back To Ponyville


"Finally!" Allen sighed as he relaxed into a bench on the train.

"We aren't leaving yet Allen." Dawn reminded him choosing to sit on the carpeted floor in front of his bench.  

"We found you and we're on the train.  I'll call today a win thank you."

"You're awfully cocky." Loki noted from where ever he was this time.  "For all you know a Buffolant could knock over the train or something."

"What!?" Sparkler asked alarmed.  "What could knock over the train!?"

"Don't sweat it Sparkler." Nova said.  "Loki just likes to hear the sound of his own voice."

"Quit spoiling my fun Charcoal Brain!"  Loki snapped becoming visible and glaring down at Nova.

"How about I burn you back to the afterlife?" Nova threatened.

Dawn sighed as they began to bicker,"Oh would you two just kiss and get it over with already!"

"What!" Nova and Loki screamed simultaneously.

Allen sighed,'One big happy dysfunctional family.'  "Alright!" He called.  "That's enough.  Nova! Loki settle down.  Dawn you know better than to rile them up."

"I have not yet begun to annoy!" Loki announced, holding up one of his small hands like a politician making a declaration before phasing out of sight.

Sparkler chuckled,"Pretty easy to tell you're a family."

"Loki's like an annoying little brother." Dawn laughed.

"We should be worried about him." Nova added.

"He'll be fine."  Allen said.  "He's still annoying as hell but I seriously doubt he'll pull anything."  He reached down with a hoof and rubbed the top of Dawn's head she closed her eyes and leaned into the petting. The train's bell started to ring and he heard the conductor call "All aboard!". A few seconds later the car rocked as the locomotive began to push itself forward.

Just as the passing scenery turned to Rocky mountain rather than sprawling city, Dawn jumped up and placed a paw on the side of Allen's muzzle.  "Uhh, Dawn what are you doing?"

"It's gone." She said surprised. "I thought it might have been under your fur but it's just gone."

"What's gone?" He asked confused.

"Your scar." She said.  

From the spot under the window Nova's head shot up and he scrutinized Allen's face,"I'll be damned.  It is gone."

Allen brought a hoof up and ran it along the length of his muzzle.  As a human he had had a small scar about two inches long on his cheek.  He had had it for as long as he could remember, it had faded over the years but was always there.  Now however his face was free of such a blemish. "Whoa."

"You had a scar?" Sparkler asked. "How can a scar just disappear?"

"It must have something to do with when Arceus made me into a Pokemon." Allen reasoned after a moment a thought clicked with him. "It kinda makes sense.  What if a person he changed had some crippling disease?  Why would they still have to have that disease as a Pokemon?"

"You think Arceus healed the maimed and badly injured before he brought them here?" Sparkler asked.

"He must of." Allen replied. "Why did we not notice until just now?  I've looked at my reflection a couple times since we got here."

"I don't think it was that important." Dawn said.  "It was something we all were used to and basically blind too.  You see someone with a scar everyday after a while you stop seeing it and just the person."

"Hmmmm neat." Allen said with a smirk.

After the train had begun to run down the mountain, Dawn looked up at Allen. "So do you have a plan once we get to this Ponyville?"

"According to Arceus, we'll find Drakarus in Ghastly Gorge." He explained.  "And judging by the maps the Doctor showed me, that's in the southern part of a forest called the Everfree."

"Doctor who?" Dawn asked confused.

"My sister's husband." Sparkler explained not quite able to keep the sour tone out of her voice.

"And," Allen added.  "Apparently a time traveling alien."

"What?" Dawn deadpanned.  "Have you been reading those Sci-fi books again?"

"I am being dead serious." Allen answered.  "Guy has a time machine.  Nova, Loki and, I had to fight some insane Nightmare pony!  What was her name again?" He asked turning to Sparkler.

"Nightmare Moon." Sparkler replied.  "Which reminds me.  My sister said the things with the Doctor are all classified.  So don't just go around telling it to everypony you know okay."

Allen saluted with a hoof, "Can do."

"And Allen I-" she started to say but stopped and shook her head.  "Nevermind, It can wait until we get to Ponyville."

"You sure?" Allen asked raising an eyebrow.  

"Yeah it's not that important." She said with a small smile that Allen clearly didn't buy.  However much to her relief, he let it go.

"Alright if you say so." He said softly and leaned further into his bench.

'I'll have to tell him soon though.' She fretted silently as she noticed Nova watching her out of the corner of his eye.  She just shook her head slightly. He sighed and closed his eyes after a few minutes he was snoring.

"I swear." Dawn joked,"He could sleep through anything."





Knock, knock, knock

"I'll get it!" Ditzy said as she got up from the kitchen table.  Dinky, Pip and, Veevee looked up from their lunches.  The door  to the hall lead Allen  straight to the front door, which was being held up by a chair that had been pushed against it.  The reason being that after being used three times the cracked frame had finally broken meaning the door was not connected to the house anymore.  So when the pony on the other side knocked again as she pulled the door away it fell free and crashed to the floor making everyone jump.

"Oh! Ah'm so sorry Ma'am." An older stallion stood attention the threshold, dressed in the armour of the Lunar Guard.  

"It's nothing to worry about." Ditzy answered.  "It was already broken."

"Ah see." The Guard said clearing his throat.  "Ah'm Captain Eastwood.  We've been sent from Canterlot ta survey an' repair the damage caused by the 'splosion earlier today."

"Wow you guys move fast!" Pip said from the kitchen.

"Eastwood chuckled,"Mah job ta move fast son."  He turned back to Ditzy,"If'n it's not too much trouble ma'am, ya mind if we look around to see wat needs replacin'? We've only done bout a tenth o' the town and ah want to get started soon as our supplies get in on the next train."

"Not at all." Ditzy said stepping aside for him and the other two ponies who followed him. "Would you like some tea?"

"No thankye ma'am. We're on a tight schedule." One was a unicorn mare who immediately began to write down notes on what this building needed.  The other two moved through the house calling out broken windows.  The foals weren't even done with their meal by the time Ditzy was following them back to the door.

Eastwood gave her a small bow,"Thankye kindly ma'am.  We'll be back in an hour or so and get started."

"No thank you so much for getting here to help us so fast." Ditzy said with a smile.

Eastwood smiled back,"Just doing our duty ma'am."  

As they walked away Ditzy squeaked in surprise as a pale grayish aura surrounded the door and chair.  The moved two moved back into the position they were in before the guards had arrived.  "That was nice of her."

"Nice of who?  Did I miss company?" The Doctor asked as he walked into the kitchen from the backdoor.

"Yeah!" Dinky said excited.  "Some Lunar Guard were just here to see what needs fixing."

"Really?" The Doctor asked surprised.  "Well that was quicker than I expected." He smiled at Dinky before turning to Ditzy.  "How long do they think it would be?"

Ditzy turned and walked out of the kitchen and into the sitting room the Doctor behind her.  "He said they were just looking at how bad it was.  But their supplies are supposed to be on the next train."

"Oh brilliant!" The Doctor said, sitting in his favourite chair only to yelp and jump up again a small shard of glass poked into his flank.  

Ditzy giggled, as she plucked the sliver out with her teeth and spit it into the trash.  "And what about you?" She asked,"What have you been up to all day?"

"Going over the TARDIS systems.  You know there were things on it that never worked but do now?"

"Like what?"  Ditzy asked laying down on the sofa.

The Doctor smiled and laid down next to her,"Like that the Voice Interface can be used as a help menu to change the desktop layout."  He sighed happily as Ditzy rested her head on his shoulder,"And it turns out she's got Course Correction and a Temporal Homing Beacon."

"Course Correction sounds like it should make our next trip smoother." Ditzy said.  "That last trip was pretty bad."

"Well I don't think anypony could have predicted a god from another dimension to show up with a few billion people in tow." The Doctor smiled.  "But yes.  Our next trip will be much much smoother."

"Mommy we're done with lunch can we go play some more?" Dinky asked as she trotted into the room with Pip and Veevee behind her.  

"Of course Muffin.  But why don't you play in the backyard for the rest of today?  'One close call is more than enough.' She added silently.

"Okay!" The filly replied happily spinning on one hoof so she faced Pip, poking him in the nose.  "Tag! Your it!" She then galloped away giggling Veevee not far behind.  

Pip hesitated and the Doctor laughed,"You'd better go get her!"  The colt laughed and was off like a shot.  The Doctor chuckled,"So how long before Pip realizes he has a crush on Dinky?"

"I'd perfer a few more years." Ditzy admitted.  "I want her to stay my Muffin a little longer."

The Doctor chuckled,"Oh she'll be your muffin forever!"  He turned and kissed her forehead. "But their growing up together in a world that's about to change forever.  They'll be stuck to each other like glue.  But I would still give it a while, they're both still young by pony standards."

Ditzy smiled and began to giggle,"Everyponies young by Time Lord standards." She laughed,"Mister nine hundred and thirty."

"Oiy!? You calling me old?" He asked in mock insult.

"Nope." She replied with a smug grin.  "You say it every time a bad guy shows up." She then jumped off the sofa and posed heroically, then did a very bad imitation of his voice and accent. "I am the Doctor! I'm ten qiuntillion years old! I've been to the end of the universe and fought armies with a bar of chocolate and a very cross squirrel! Don't mess with my planet!"

"Pfft haha haha!" The Doctor  started to laugh so hard he fell off the sofa,"Oh! That is too cute!"

Ditzy reached over and grabbed his Sonic Screwdriver and sang,"~Sonic, sonic, sonic, sonic.~" She lightly tapped it on the table,"It doesn't do wood!"

The Doctor was clutching his ribs at this point gasping for breath. "I can't haha breathe! Hahaha. I'm gonna pee!"  She laughed and went to help him up and was surprised with a hug that she gladly leaned into.  







"Best muffins EVER!" Dawn said biting into another one of Ditzy's baked goods.  Mind you it was her fourth and her cheeks were comically overstuffed so it came out more like,"Eeeff uffffih EEEFFRR!"

Allen and Sparkler laughed at her enthusiasm.  As they had started off the mountain Sparkler had started passing out muffins.  Dawn jumped at the offer saying she hadn't had meal since Earth.  Now she was happily munching them as quickly as possible.

"Are you sure you're not related?" Sparkler asked Allen. "She eats like you."

"Hey are you calling me fat?" Dawn asked with her cheeks still half stuffed with muffin.

"No it's just that Allen ate like twelve when he first had them." She said trying not to laugh at her chubby looking face.

"I had just been in a battle for the first time." Allen defended. "And the fact that they were so good didn't help either."

"So you battled?" Dawn asked then glanced at Nova who was munching on his second muffin. "How did he do?"

Nova held up a paw as he finished chewing and swallowed. "He missed everything, threw himself into a blind rage and caused a massive amount of damage to himself."

"Hey!"

"What!? Unbelievable." Dawn said looking disappointed. "We'll have to train him."

"My thoughts exactly." Nova agreed.

"Hey how bout that I fought a demi-god and didn't die!"(1) Allen challenged with a smug grin.

Nova chuckled,"Granted he used high level moves on the fly.  But that feat would be more impressive had he actually beaten his opponent."

"Well." Dawn stated.  "We'll just have to make a Mon out of him."

"You know the irony of the situation is not lost on me." Allen chuckled.  "So where do we begin?"

"First my patawon." Nova began with a grin, he'd been waiting to use that one. "You must learn how to use your flame and when not to use it."

Allen turned to Dawn,"He's gonna do this for the whole thing isn't he?"

Dawn just nodded,"Oh yeah."

"Great." He groaned, glancing out the window to see that the train was now rushing through stands of trees and open crop fields.  "We should be there soon."






"Captain Eastwood! The train with our supplies just arrived!" The lieutenant said quickly as he stood at attention and saluted.


"Thankye." He said rubbing on his ears. "Care to explain why yer shoutin'?"

The young stallion faltered," Um, sorry sir."

He looked him over once,"Yer one o' the volunteers from Amethyst's Division ain't ya?"

At the mention of the former captain his expression darkened,"With respect sir, I'd rather not talk about it.  I just want to help."

Eastwood nodded,"After what happened it ain't that surprisin'.  If'in y'all excuse me Miss Mayor." He turned back to the mayor they had been looking over the repair effort together.  "Time fer us to go to work."

"Not at all Captain." The Mayor said smiling.  

Eastwood nodded  again and left with the lieutenant heading for the station.  He smiled when he arrived and saw most of his Division already there and off loading dozens of crates and pallets of shingles.  He saw his second in command, Lieutenant Wash, giving out orders and assigning work details, never taking her eyes of her clipboard.  He stepped back and watched as his Guards did what they did best and began to scatter throughout Ponyville; there were already a few houses being worked on.

"So Wash what's the story?" He asked as another detail was given their assignments.

"Can't say there really is one sir." Wash said turning to face him but was still staring at her clipboard. "The materials we've requisitioned should be adequate for now.  Based on the numbers I doubt we'll need anymore for Ponyville."

"That's good work Wash." Eastwood said. Looking out at the station.  Because the relief was given top priority the passengers that were disembarking had to wait to actually get off the train.  Now though he stared as a group of Pokemon and one mare stepped off the train.  He had no negative opinions about the creatures, but what caught his eye was the very skittish looking black cat that traveled with them.  'I wonder?' He casually strolled up to the group. As soon as the cat saw him coming it jumped off the platform and disappeared into the dark space under it.

Allen kneeled down and looked under the platform,"What are you doing?"

"Hiding." She answered.

"Hiding from what!?" He asked baffled.

"If'n ah was to wager a guess it would be from me." Eastwood answered walking up making Allen jump.

"Oh! Didn't see you there!" Allen chuckled nervously.

Eastwood ignored him and looked under the platform.  In the shadows the lingered there he saw a pair of crimson eyes watching him intensely.  "Ah'd bet my pension you're the one that caused all that ruckus in Canterlot yesterday ain't ya?"

"What if I was?" Dawn replied defensively.

"Then ah'd like to apologize on behalf of the Royal Guard." Eastwood answered in a neutral tone. "We're supposed to be better than that."

"Not like I was helping things any." Dawn added sounding ashamed.

"Is this going to be a problem officer?" Allen asked.  "I can pay for everything but we're kinda on a tight schedule."

Eastwood grinned,"You'd have to take that up with Captain Ironside.  Not my case."  He turned and started to leave,"Y'all take care now."

Allen gave a relieved sigh and looked down to see Dawn climbing back onto the platform. "Did I really just get away with that?"

"Apparently." Allen answered.

"We should go." Sparkler added.  "Before he changes his mind." They all agreed with her and left for town.

The town itself was also full of Lunar Guard, but they were preoccupied with repairing the houses that had been damaged.  Allen gave an impressed whistle,"The relief aide on this planet is way better than on earth.  It would've taken a day or two just to get the Rangers out here, then even longer for anything big to get done."

"Why?" Sparkler asked.  "If people needed help why waste any time?"

"People at the top liked to drag their feet."  Allen explained. "I guess Slateport City was never the same after the cataclysm."

"Are we almost there?" Dawn asked not liking being out in plain view with so many guards about.

"Its right up there." Sparkler pointed.

They saw the Doctor and Ditzy's home with terror high wall in the backyard.  A group of four guards were packing up tools and taking them to the next place.  One, a mare was shaking the Doctor's hoof and he appeared to be thanking her.

He brightened what he saw them waving his hoof enthusiastically. "Sparkler, Nova, Allen!  Your back! How was Canterlot?"  He turned and thanked the Lunar Guard again. He smiled as he saw a new face,"And you must be Dawn.  Nice to meet you.  I'm the Doctor."

"Your the time traveling alien that Allen told me about?" She soaked in disbelief looking back at the azure maned Pokemon.  "Seriously? This guy?"

The Doctor got a nervous look,"Allen? Who else did you tell about that?"

"Just Dawn.  Sparkler already explained it." Allen replied quickly.  "Your secret is safe with me Doc."

"That's a relief." He smiled and opened the door,which was also fixed.  "Well come in! Come in!"  As he closed the door behind him he smiled again. "And yes Dawn I am an alien... though technically so are all  you Pokemon, so it can't be that much of a shock."

Dawn stopped dead,"Oh!  I guess I am." After a moment she started to giggle. "This is so weird."

"You should see the TARDIS some time." The Doctor replied side stepping as a small grey blur went by and slammed into Sparkler.

"Ooph! Dinky, please stop jumping on me like you haven't seen me in years!" She sighed hugging the little filly,"I mean you just saw me a few days ago."

"I know that I'm just happy you're back... whoa." Dinky aged when she saw Dawn,"Wow you're pretty." She jumped off of Sparkler and galloped back into the kitchen.

"That was... different." Dawn noted. Until the filly returned a moment later with Pip and Veevee in tow and the PokeDex hanging in her magic.  "Hey isn't that yours?"

"I decided to let her have it.  Not like i can use it with these hooves anyway." Allen explained waving a foreleg about to emphasize his point.

The PokeDex pinged and listed off information about Dawn and her species.  "Umbreon: The Moonlight Pokemon. The evolved form of Eevee, Umbreon evolved as a result of exposure to the moon’s waves. It hides silently in darkness and waits for its foes to make a move. The rings on its body glow when this Pokemon is agitated."

Dinky looked at the device confused then at Veevee,"Evolved? What does that mean?"  Then she looked at Allen,"Wait, you said something about Nova doing that in your story."

Allen smiled,"Yeah I did.  Lots of Pokemon evolve and Veevee is extra special because she can become a lot of different kinds of Pokemon."

The Doctor reached out and grabbed the PokeDex,"Where did you get this?"

"Mister Allen gave it to me."

"Do mind if I borrow it for a little while muffin?" The Doctor asked eyeing the device."I want to make a copy of this data."

"Just don't break it." Dinky replied her little face scrunched up trying to look serious.

The Doctor and saluted,"Not a problem Muffin!"

"Hey Tur-" Sparkler started but caught herself,"... Doctor? Do you know where Ditzy is?"

He leaned in close and whispered,"She went to Sugarcube Corner.  We wanted to get something special for Veevee."

"Ah!" Sparkler said glancing at Dinky and finding her staring hard at them.  She had long ago realized when the grownups started whispering, it was because they were planning something.  "I'll go find her then.  I need to talk to her."

"Alright then." The Doctor said before he glanced at one of many clocks on the wall. "Are you gonna eat here tonight Pip?"

The younger colt thought about it briefly before he shook his head. "After that big explosion I shouldn't."

"I'm surprised she hasn't shown up to check on you." The Doctor added.

Pip's eyes bugged out,"Oh crud!  I better go find her before she organizes a search party!"  He spun around,"Bye Dinky, bye Veevee see Ya tomorrow!" He spun back around and charged the door behind Sparkler.

"A search party?" Nova wondered aloud,"Seems like an over exaggeration to me."

The Doctor chuckled,"You haven't met chief Hard Times.  She runs the Police in Ponyville.  She moved here because she felt the crime was getting out of hoof in Trottingham.  She's a might paranoid."

"Ahh." Nova nodded.  

The Doctor nodded as well,"Now then, make yourselves at home.  I'm off to copy this." He held up the PokeDex.

As the Doctor left Allen noted that Veevee was staring at Dawn and smiled.  He nosed her and nodded towards the little Normal-type,"Dawn, this is Veevee.  She and Dinky are just getting started."

Dawn smiled down at her,"Is that so?" She asked sweetly.  

Veevee blushed and drew little circles with her paw,"Allen mentioned Iron Tail."

The level of cute was more than Dawn could stand and she pulled Veevee into a hug,"You are so cute!  Of course I can teach you!"

Allen sighed in relief having been about to do something similar if Dawn hadn't beaten him too it.  Dawn and Nova began to head towards the backyard with Veevee at the lead, practically prancing with excitement.  He moved to follow them but was stopped when something tugged on his tail.

"Mister Allen?" Dinky asked.  "Can I ask you something?  About Veevee?"

"Um, sure Dinky.  What did you want to know?" Allen asked confused. 'Why doesn't she just ask Veevee?'

"I wanna show you something." Dinky said turning quickly ascended the stairs.  

"Um..." Allen chose to wait at the bottom of the steps.

Dinky returned a moment later with a cloth bag held in her mouth.  When she reached the ground floor she opened it with her magic and tipped it upside down.

Allen's eyes widened as an evolution stone clattered to the hardwood floors.  "A Thunderstone? Where did you find this?"

Dinky sighed,"Hoopa gave it to me.  He said it was for me to use on Veevee.  But I didn't understand."  She gave him her biggest puppy eyes,"Mister Allen?  What will this do to Veevee?"