Author's Note
Fair warning, I almost cried writing this, and I very seldom cry over anything. You may resume.
Somewhere in the Everfree Forest, Marcus and Blitz made their way back to Ponyville from their den further back in the forest, eager to hear what Pinky wanted to tell them the evening prior.
“I hope she'll understand why we practically stood her up yesterday,” Marcus commented. “Do you think we should have tried to go back later last night?”
“I never thought I'd say this, but Aria needed us there with her more,” Blitz replied. “She needed her family with her. I'm sure Pinky will understand.”
“But that being said, do you think it was a good idea to leave Aria back in the den this morning?” Marcus said.
“Don't ask me,” Blitz replied with a shake of her head. “It was your idea. You yourself said that she'd be okay with Tiny.”
Marcus was silent for a moment before replying, “Touche.”
After that, the two walked in general silence for a time before something caught Blitz's eye. “Hey Marcus,” she said while nudging her mate, “do you see that over there?”
Marcus looked in the direction Blitz indicated. “Is that a Meganium?” he asked, spying the very Pokemon standing in a partial clearing on the other side of some brush. “Felix, to be precise?”
“Could be,” Blitz said. “What's he doing all the way out here so early?”
“Well, it's not like he's a stranger,” Marcus said with a shrug. “Why don't we go ask him?” He then reached up to pull away the brush, but Blitz caught his foreleg before he could touch the flora.
“Let's not ignite these vines and burn the forest down, hmm?” Blitz said as Marcus lowered his hoof.
“Oh, and you won't?” Marcus asked.
With a deadpan expression, Blitz reached up and pulled back the vines herself, hardly so much as charring the plants. “False flames, remember?” she said.
“Right… sorry,” Marcus said as he followed Blitz into the opening she made in the vines. The two then began carefully approaching Felix, who had his back turned to them and seemed completely oblivious to the presence of the two Rapidash. “Felix?” Marcus called quietly.
Felix perked up, seeming a bit startled at first, but calmed down and turned around to glance at the two. “Marcus, Blitz,” he said in almost a whisper, “come look.”
Marcus and Blitz glanced at each other and shrugged before coming around to either of Felix's sides and looking down where he indicated. “What are we looking at?” Marcus asked.
Felix was silent for a moment as he smiled before replying. “Something I never thought I'd be so happy to see,” he said. For poking up out of the ground, in a small patch of clear space in this twisted forest, was a small foreign plant that the three Pokemon before it thought was lost to them forever. An Oran plant sprout.
Meanwhile, somewhere else, Lord the Chandelure was sipping a cup of tea (with some burnt souls sprinkled in for flavor, of course) as Breeze continued having his panic attack. “Breeze,” Lord finally said after several minutes, setting his tea down, “I know you've just found out that you're dead, but is it really worth a ten minute panic attack? The longest I'd ever seen was seven minutes.”
Upon hearing this, Breeze looked up at Lord with an almost angry expression. “Do you have to have such a dark sense of humor about this?” he almost shouted.
“Hey, I just cook the souls,” Lord said with a shrug. “Very few of us Ghost-types actually associate with departed souls, and those that do only do so for two reasons. One of those reasons, obviously, is to host a little dark comedy with them before getting down to business.”
Breeze was silent for a moment. “Okay, first question, because I know asking the second question first will have painful consequences,” he started, “why?”
Lord giggled a little. “My line of work is entirely just dark and depressing stuff,” he replied with a shrug. “I gotta take the edge off somehow, and despite what they tell you, 'lit Oddish' doesn't do the trick. I tried once, I almost hacked up a lung, and would have easily died if I wasn't… you know, a Chandelure.”
Breeze sighed. “Okay, follow-up question,” he said. “Why me? Why do you have to torture me, out of all the dead Pokemon that might have been in that forest, in this way?”
“I did say we Ghost-types only associate with deceased souls for two reasons, did I not?” Lord replied. “But I'll get to the second reason in time. You had another question, right?”
“Yes, but I don't wanna ask it until I know what the second reason is,” Breeze replied, backing away from Lord a bit.
“Oh, but what if my second reason is the answer to your second question?” Lord asked, advancing on Breeze and gaining a sinister expression. “Wouldn't that save us both so much trouble?”
Breeze gulped. “W-what did you mean by 'business'?” he asked, his voice shaky with fear.
Lord giggled before his flames flared and all the light in the brightly-lit room suddenly vanished, the light from Lord's fires following suit immediately, and leaving Breeze in pitch blackness for a time. Breeze did nothing for that time, fearful of what would happen if he moved, until suddenly, a burst of purple flame erupted from underneath him. The flames didn't touch him, but a circle of small purple fireballs appeared around him. Before Breeze had time to question this, two rows of flames began appearing in front of him, almost resembling a runway. At the end of the runway, the light from Lord suddenly appeared.
“You asked what else I do with the souls I capture, correct?” Lord called, though to Breeze, it almost felt like Lord said it right in his ear. “It's a little harder to explain, so I'll just go ahead and show you!” Lord then began advancing towards Breeze at an alarming speed.
“N-no!” Breeze pleaded, finding himself unable to move. “Lord please don't do this! I have a brother! I have a family! I CAN'T DIE YET!”
“That's hardly my decision…” Lord said gravely as he was almost right on top of Breeze. With a final charge, Lord crossed his flames together right in front of Breeze. And suddenly… everything went dark and numb for Breeze. Only a small glimmer of light remained in his vision.
“Butters…”
And with a ping, the light vanished.
Back at Ponyville, Marcus and Blitz had just arrived and were on their way to Lyra and Bon Bon's house, along with an antsy-seeming Felix. “I know I've got my family here,” Felix said, “but I don't feel right leaving that Oran plant…”
“You just need to learn how to control your instincts,” Marcus said. “I know you can hear the plants calling to you, but trust me, there's other Pokemon who'll take care of them.”
Felix sighed. “Alright, I'll try,” he said. “But… if Kanga says it's okay, I'm going back.” Marcus gave Felix a look before shaking his head.
“You'll get used to it,” he said with a chuckle. He then turned around and was about to knock on the door, but he stopped when the door opened from the inside, Lyra and Roo on the other side, the latter on the former's back.
“Felix!” Roo cheered as she leapt off Lyra's back and embraced Felix, who returned the hug with his vines. “Where'd you go? Mamma and I woke up twenty minutes ago and you were nowhere to be found!”
“I could have sworn I asked Pinky – or I guess Shelly, since she's the one active when Pinky's asleep – to tell you two where I was going,” Felix replied. “Didn't she?”
Roo leapt off of Felix, landed on the ground, and shook her head. “Lyra told me Pinky and Butters went out for a walk just before Mamma and I woke up,” the baby Kangaskhan replied. “Though, if what you say is true, you might wanna make sure Mamma finds out fast. I don't think she's very happy with you…”
“Oh dear…” Felix said, his antennae drooping. He then turned to Lyra. “She hasn't destroyed anything, has she? She can get a bit destructive when she's angry.”
“Eh, it's all well and good,” Lyra said. “Well, in terms of property damage, which there's none of. If she is, indeed, angry, it's more of a silent rage. She's been standing at the window all morning, just staring out into space.”
“Yeah… this won't be pleasant,” Felix said as he trudged into the house. He paused for a moment and turned back to the others. “If I don't come out of that room alive, Pinky has my will memorized word for word. She's trustworthy when it comes to this sort of thing.” With that, he continued on.
“Man, that's something I'd always wanted to see,” Marcus complained. “Felix getting chewed out by his first mate. Can't believe I'm gonna miss it.”
”I'll memorize the exchange and tell you about it later,” a voice – obviously Pinky's at this point – said from within the minds of all present. Everyone turned around to see the Slowbro walk up to the group, Butters following close behind.
“Hi Pinky!” Roo said with a smile and a wave. “Where were you this morning?”
“Walking,” Pinky replied, her voice a bit heavy. She then turned her attention to Lyra. “Lyra, could you please take Roo inside? I have something I have to discuss with Marcus and Blitz.” ”Not the happiest news, I might add.”
Lyra's ears drooped, but she nodded and turned to Roo. “Come on, Roo,” she said, picking the little one up and placing her upon Lyra's back. “Maybe you can help me with breakfast.”
“Ooh!” Roo cheered. “I always love helping Felix with breakfast. What are we making today?” The answer was unheard by the others when Lyra closed the door with her magic.
“I'll leave too,” Butters said. “I've got, uh… OH CRAP! BREEZE IS STILL MISSING!” That realization in mind, Butters sped off towards the Everfree Forest to search for either his brother or Mangol and Drake, whom Butters hoped would be in Breeze's company.
“And that just leaves us…” Pinky said with a sigh as she turned to Marcus and Blitz. “Now then, I know what you're going to inquire about. A 'foal,' as the ponies call it?”
Marcus and Blitz grinned excitedly and nodded. “We should be mad you didn't let us say it ourselves,” Marcus said, “but how can we?”
Pinky sighed. “You two might wanna sit down.”
Meanwhile, Felix cautiously opened the door to his and Kanga's room, finding the Kangaskhan standing at the window, staring up at the partly cloudy sky. Against his better judgment, Felix called, “Kanga…?”
“Good morning, Felix,” Kanga said, not turning around.
After Kanga didn't say anything for a while, Felix spoke up again. “Kanga, I'm sorry about sneaking out like that,” he said. “I didn't feel comfortable waking you up over something that I at first assumed was something just outside, and Pinky was supposed to tell you what was going on, but she went out for her walk.”
“And what exactly was it that you were doing?” Kanga asked.
“There was…” Felix started. “I heard a voice calling out somewhere in the forest. Like a child crying for protection. I followed that cry, and in the forest, I found an Oran plant sprout.” Felix looked down. “I know that doesn't justify what I did for you. Hell, it really doesn't justify what I did for me. But…”
After Felix trailed off, Kanga turned around and looked down at the Meganium. “Felix, you have to understand that I'm not angry at you,” she said. “I was just worried, that's all.”
“Really?” Felix asked, a confused expression on his face. “You're not mad at all?”
“Of course not,” Kanga replied with a shake of her head. “Don't forget, my first mate was a Meganium as well. I know how your body is going to work. What I'm really worried about is whether you'll stay you in the face of your new instincts.” Kanga sighed. “Just promise me you won't do this again without telling me yourself.”
Felix smiled. “You can count on it,” he said. The two then embraced and shared a kiss, but this was short-lived when there was suddenly a lot of shouting, followed by an explosion outside.
“What was that?” Kanga asked as she released Felix.
“I've got the sinking feeling I know,” Felix replied. The two then rushed out of the room, down the stairs, and towards the front door, where Lyra, Bon Bon, and Roo were headed as well. When the door opened, they saw Pinky lying on the ground in the middle of a circle of charred ground, Marcus and Blitz nowhere to be found. “PINKY!” Felix shouted as he rushed to the Slowbro's side. “Pinky, are you alright?”
Pinky was motionless, presumably unconscious, but telepathically, she said, ”This is why I don't like giving bad news.”
A few minutes prior, Pinky had sat Marcus and Blitz down to tell them what she needed to tell them. “Alright, Pinky,” Blitz said, grinning, “I'm pretty sure I know the answer, but I need to hear it from you.” She took a deep breath. “Am I pregnant?”
Pinky frowned. “That's…” she started. “Urf…”
“Pinky?” Marcus asked, suddenly getting a bit worried. “Are you okay?”
Pinky looked down and took a deep breath before turning back to Blitz. “I'm sorry, Blitz,” she said. “But the egg you think you have… it's no longer alive.”
The transition of Blitz's face from excitement to crushing fear and sadness was impossible to put into words. “W-what?” she asked, her voice shaking.
“There's really no easy way to say this,” Pinky continued, “but your body can't support a child.”
“You mean…” Blitz started. “B-but I can't be infertile! I-I know I felt the egg!”
“And there was, indeed, and egg,” Pinky replied. “But something in your internal structure just can't handle another living thing.” Pinky looked down, but angled herself towards Marcus. “And here's where things get really, really hard to say or hear.”
Blitz had already started crying at this point, and Marcus was holding her tightly. “How could things get worse?” Blitz sobbed.
”This is gonna get me killed…” Pinky thought to herself before continuing. “The reason your body isn't functioning properly… might be Marcus.”
At the mention of Marcus' name, the air around the three Pokemon instantly became still, and a deafening silence fell upon them. Blitz even stopped sobbing and looked up at Pinky, glaring daggers at the Slowbro. “Run that by me again…” Blitz said coldly.
“Blitz, let's try to stay calm,” Marcus said, but Blitz released herself from Marcus' embrace and took a step towards Pinky, who couldn't bear to look Blitz in the eye.
“No, Marcus,” Blitz said, not taking her gaze off of Pinky. “I don't think I heard Pinky correctly. I just want her to repeat what she said so that I've got a clear understanding.”
Pinky still didn't look up, and she tried once to speak, but her voice was hoarse. She cleared her throat and tried again, this time forcing herself to look up at Blitz. “I'm sorry Blitz,” she said, “but I don't see any other answer. That's where all the evidence points to. Your false flames, your five years as Marcus' mate, the fact that I can't, with all my ability, find anything else wrong with you. It's just-”
“Oh, so now you're bringing the flames into this!?” Blitz shouted angrily. “Because I was in love with a human, my flames lost their heat, and because of that, I was less of a Pokemon. I've heard it all before, but from one of my friends… and now you wanna tell me that very same reason is why I can't have children!?” Blitz's flames flared at that last word to a point that Marcus hadn't seen very often, and Pinky had seen for the first time just then.
“Blitz, please calm down!” Marcus pleaded. “That's not what she said at all!” He reached down and grabbed Blitz's foreleg, holding it between his own two hooves. “Let's just take a moment to cool off-”
“NO!” Blitz shouted, pushing Marcus away and advancing on Pinky, who tried to step back, but tripped and fell onto her rear end. “I am SICK and TIRED of this sort of thing happening! I thought we'd left all this back on Earth, but come to find out, YOU'RE STILL BRINGING IT UP!?”
“Blitz, please listen!” Pinky pleaded. “I know you're upset, but I'm willing to help you-”
”I DON'T WANT YOUR HELP!” Blitz shouted before rearing back and unleashing a powerful rage-fueled Fire Blast that hit Pinky at point-blank range, creating a large explosion that was easily heard throughout the town.
“BLITZ, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?” Marcus shouted into the smoke and dust spawned from Blitz's attack. But his question was never answered. All he heard through the aftershock of the explosion was the sounds of sobbing and hooves running away. “Blitz…”
”I'm sorry, Marcus…” Pinky said to the Rapidash telepathically as the dust cleared, revealing the Slowbro on the ground, charred, beaten, and seemingly unconscious. ”I knew this would happen, but she had to hear it…”
“Pinky, are you-?” Marcus started.
”Leave me here, Marcus,” Pinky interrupted. ”I'm in bad shape, but Felix and the others will take care of me. You need to go to Blitz. And for what it's worth… I'm praying my theory was false.”
Marcus nodded slowly. “Alright, Pinky,” he said. “And I'm the one who should apologize.” With that, he turned around and ran after where she saw Blitz running.
”Why couldn't I convince Tiny to do this for me?” Pinky thought to herself. It was at this point that Felix and the others ran outside to the scene.
“PINKY!” Felix shouted, running to the Slowbro's side. “Pinky, are you alright?”
Pinky was aware of Felix's presence, but her injuries prevented her from waking up. ”This is why I don't like giving bad news,” she said telepathically.
It was at this moment that Kanga had made it outside, but she turned around towards Lyra and Bon Bon. “Keep Roo inside,” she said. “She doesn't need to see this.”
Lyra nodded and passed Roo over to Bon Bon, who ran inside. “What's wrong, Bon Bon?” Roo asked.
“There's something happening,” Bon Bon replied, “but I'm not sure what. For now, best we stay safe, okay?”
Meanwhile, Kanga picked Pinky up, carried her inside, and set her down on the sofa. “You still with us Pinky?” Kanga asked.
“If I were a Levanny, I'd be dead,” Pinky replied. “Fortunately, I resisted the attack type-wise, so I'll live. But damn… I'd be in so much pain if I were still conscious.”
Felix came over at this point. “Other than pain, what's wrong?” he asked.
”I'm going to go out on a limb and assume I'm Burned,” Pinky replied.
“Burned?” Lyra asked. “That's not much of a surprise, isn't it? I mean, Marcus and Blitz are… Rapid Ash?”
“Rapidash,” Felix corrected. “And in our world, 'Burned' refers to a state in which a Pokemon is hit by a Fire-type attack, but a special injury lingers that causes additional pain over time. Like… some part of your insides are on fire.”
“Sheesh,” Lyra said. “You guys come from a really dangerous world. No wonder you came here.”
“Do you think you can Rest it off?” Kanga asked Pinky.
”I can try,” Pinky replied, ”but someone thought Rest wouldn't fit in my moveset. I'll have to remember the move myself.”
“Hey, don't blame me for this,” Felix said. “You still know Protect. Why couldn't you use that?”
”Blitz was faster on the draw,” Pinky replied. ”Ngh… guys, I'm sorry about this, but staying low-consciousness is getting a bit difficult. I'm gonna have to go blackout.”
“Pinky, no!” Felix pleaded. “Stay with us!”
”I'll be fine, Felix,” Pinky replied. ”Shelly will warn you if something goes wrong with me. Just promise me you won't bring this up with Blitz if she comes back. You'll regret it…”
“Pinky?” Felix asked. “Pinky, what happened?” No response. After a while, he turned back to the others. “She'll be fine. I trust her with that much.”
“But I'm still curious as to what she told Blitz…” Lyra said.
“Oh, I get the feeling Shelly will fill us in when she realizes Pinky's out,” Felix replied.
Meanwhile, Marcus was chasing Blitz through the Everfree Forest. He'd gotten to the point where she was in view, but she was still running away. “Blitz!” Marcus called, but she didn't slow. “Blitz, stop!” ”Come on, legs, don't fail me now!” Marcus thought to himself, realizing that he hadn't run this far before without stumbling and/or falling. With any luck, he'd stay this way until-
“NGAH!” Blitz suddenly shouted before seeming to trip, leaping forward and slamming face-first into the ground in front of her.
“BLITZ!” Marcus shouted as he rushed to his mate's side. “Blitz, are you alright?”
Marcus saw that Blitz was still crying, even after falling. “I-I'm not alright, Marcus,” Blitz sobbed. “You heard what Pinky said. We can never have children… and for whatever reason, she thinks it's your fault.”
“Blitz, you should have heard her when you ran away,” Marcus said. “She was praying that wasn't the case. Maybe that is the case or maybe it isn't, but the point is that we can't take this lying down.”
Blitz sniffled and wiped her eyes. “W-what do you mean?” she asked.
“I don't know,” Marcus replied with a shake of his head. “But I do know that there's a way to fix this. There just has to be a way.” Marcus leaned down and kissed Blitz's horn. “We'll find a way. I know it.”
Blitz looked up at Marcus and smiled. “That makes me feel a little better…” Blitz said. Suddenly, an idea popped into her head, and she sprang to all fours. “Marcus, I just had an epiphany!”
“What is it?” Marcus asked, a twinge of worry in his voice.
“When we first landed on Equus, Arceus sent us all a message that explained what all happened,” Blitz replied. “Included in that message, he told us that we could contact him if we have a problem. All we have to do is find him!”
“Uh…” Marcus started, rubbing the back of his neck, “I doubt we'll be able to just come across that pocket dimension he said he was in.”
“No, he didn't just say the pocket dimension,” Blitz replied with a shake of her head. “He also said he lived in some ancient temple right here in the Everfree Forest! We could take this problem right to him!” Blitz squealed excitedly. “Come on, Marcus! We have a temple to find!” She then sped off with a prance in her step.
“Did you happen to forget that he said we'd be facing the sheer power of a god!?” Marcus called, but Blitz wasn't listening. With a sigh and a shake of his head, he began following her. “This is gonna be a long day…”