A New World, a New Way: Against the Book

by Speven Dillberg

Flaring Tempers

Flaring Tempers

Jenny sat stoically outside the door to Nightingale’s surgery. She had awoken some ten minute ago and, after a quick drink, had placed herself on guard. Part of it was because she felt responsible, part of it was a sense of duty, but it was mostly because she was worried. After waking up in a different body on an alien world, Scorch had been the only constant, the rock she could cling to. And now, she had no idea just what condition he was in. At the very least she knew that his leg was broken. But what if there were more injuries? What if, in bringing him here, she’s made things worse?

None of this inner turmoil showed on the outside though. To Remedy, it was like she had become a statue. “Come on,” she moaned, prodding the Growlithe with a hoof. “Do something.”

“Now Remedy, stop that,” Nightingale chided as she opened the door. “She’s just worried about her friend, aren’t you?” Jenny nodded once, still staring straight ahead. “Well, you can see him if you want. He should still be awake.”

Jenny moved so fast that it left Remedy blinking at the Growlithe-shaped space she had just occupied. “Scorch!” she yelled.

He lay in a basket on the floor, his left foreleg wrapped in white plaster. Attached to his head was a number of bandages to stop infection after Nightingale had stitched his head back together.

“Not… not so loud,” Scorch groaned. “I feel like I got hit by a truck.”

“It was the Aggron,” Jenny explained.

“Oh. That makes sense.” Scorch’s head fell back onto the cushion. “Why?”

“I think it was an accident. He was swinging his tail around, I yelled at him to stop, he turned around and… you just got in the way.”

“But I’m a Fire-type.

“Mass and weight don’t care about typing,” Jenny pointed out. “You’re lucky the worst you got was a broken leg and a concussion.”

Scorch brought up his good leg and rubbed at the adhesive bandage stuck to his head. “I guess. Just wish she didn’t have to shave me to get this on,” he complained. “And I’m stuck with this thing for a week,” he added, waving his broken leg around.

“It... looks good,” Jenny hazarded. “Like you’re a real... fighter!”

“A real fighter wouldn’t get caught off guard like that,” he muttered. “I should have known bringing someone as dangerous as him would get me hurt eventually.”

“It was my fault too. If I hadn’t yelled at him he wouldn’t have turned around and…” Jenny wiped at her eyes.

“Are you okay?” Scorch asked, worried at this change in her demeanour.

“I’m... I’m fine... I was just worried about you Scorch,” Jenny said with a small smile before she hesitantly leaned over and gave him a single lick on the cheek.

“You’re really comfortable with the whole ‘licking’ me thing, you know?”

“I used to kiss most of my friends on the cheek, this isn’t any different,” she explained.

“... then I hope you don’t mind if I return the lick,” he said with a small smile before he leaned over and licked her cheek.

Jenny chuckled before reaching over and hugging Scorch. “Thank Arceus you’re okay,” she muttered. “If I lost you I don’t…” She sighed wearily. “You’re the only thing that hasn’t changed since we woke up here.”

“Jen, you know I’ll always stick by you. I’m a Growlithe,” he said with a grin, “it’s what we do.”

“I’m a Growlithe too. Does that mean we’re stuck with each other?” Jenny asked. “Could be worse,” she admitted. “At least I don’t have to worry about you setting me on fire anymore.”

“That happened once,” Scorch said with a frown. “And I said I was sorry.”

“Greetings citizens of Equus, both old and new.”

“What was that?” Scorch asked, looking around for the source of the voice.

“I am Lord Arceus, creator of the Pokémon realm.”

“A-Arceus?” Jenny choked out. “Arceus is real!?”

“You have no reason to fear me, I come in peace. I have revealed myself to inform you that I am the one responsible for the Pokémon’s presence in this world, for the citizens of Equus, the Pokémon are the beings who have appeared over the past few days.”

Scorch’s jaw hung loose from shock. “W-w-why?”

“To my Pokémon, I say this: I brought you, all of you, here so that you could live in peace. Do not seek to harm the natives of this world, for I am the one responsible for your displacement. And to the Pokémon who went through changes when I brought you here I say this...”

“Changes? You don’t think…?”

“You are the ones who proved themselves worthy, those who were fair, kind and good in the old world, consider this your reward. And to all of you, as sapients the laws of Equus, and the varying countries, now apply to you, and only the laws of Equus.”

Jenny’s head was spinning. She was here because ARCEUS thought she deserved to be!? And that was the same reason she was now a Growlithe?

“That is all for now, but just to be clear, the Pokémon are not to be harmed simply out of spite, if you have a problem with what I’ve done, feel free to contact me, I currently reside in an ancient temple deep in the Everfree Forest, or a pocket dimension outside of the space time continuum, so if any of you wish to face the sheer power of a god, feel free to come by.”

“Jen, are you okay?” Scorch asked, seeing the other Growlithe begin to hyperventilate.

“Goodbye for now, though I doubt this will be the last you hear of me, and peace to you all.”

As Scorch did his best to placate the now-unmoving Jenny, Nightingale and Remedy stared at them. “They’re aliens…”

“They’re aliens!” Remedy shouted in glee, her eyes shining with happiness. “This is awesome!”

“Arceus… Arceus abducted us?” Jenny asked, her voice suddenly very low.

“Umm…” Scorch leaned back and took a good look at her face, a decision he immediately regretted. He’d seen kinder looks on a rampaging Hydreigon. “J-Jen?” he asked timidly.

“He abducted us and changed me? And other humans?” she growled. “What gives him the right?”

Scorch could feel the heat radiating from Jenny now, and he was sure he could smell something burning. “Jen! Calm down!” he shouted, trying to get through to her.

“What gives him the right to take somebody from everyone they love, everything they care for, everything they know?” she asked, flames licking at her teeth. “What?” she snarled.

“Jen, he had his reasons! He didn’t want Pokemon getting hurt - ”

“And what about me, Scorch!?” Jenny yelled, pushing the injured Growlithe away forcefully. “What about the other humans he brought here!? I’ll never see my parents again, and they’ll never know what happened to me! All the parents who lost their children, the children that lost their parents, what about them!? Are they just meant to suffer, not knowing what’s happened!? What Arceus did is CRIMINAL!” she yelled, setting fire to the basket in her rage.

“Remedy, get the fire extinguisher,” Nightingale instructed.

“H-he’s a god, he’s sorta beyond laws - ”

“I DON’T CARE! He’s ruined hundreds, thousands, no, MILLIONS of lives! He has to be held accountable!” she screamed, flames and thick black smoke rising from her mouth.

“WHARRGARBLBARGL”

Nightingale put down the bright red fire extinguisher and looked warily at Jenny, now covered in a blanket of fire-retardant foam and blinking in confusion. “I’m not sure what’s wrong, but I can’t let you set things on fire,” she said firmly. “You’re aliens. Or something. So that means I probably just assaulted you. I’m sorry, by the way,” she added. “Can you understand what I’m saying?” Jenny nodded dumbly. “Good. Can you read?” Another nod. “Can you write?” And another.

“Why didn’t you think of that before?” Scorch asked Jenny, poking her with his good leg.

Jenny spat out a wad of the foam. “I don’t know. Never thought about it,” she admitted. “Can you get me a towel? I feel ridiculous.”

“You look ridiculous,” Scorch affirmed, shaking the foam on his paw back at her. “Do you feel better?”

“Remedy, get me some ink and some paper, would you?”

“I’m still mad,” she said. “But… What can I do? You’re right, Arceus is a god. I’m just a Growlithe. I can’t do anything,” she muttered despondently.

Scorch simply rolled his eyes and muttered “Females…”

“What.”

“Nothing!” the other Growlithe quickly said, looking away from the glare he was getting.

Jenny looked down as a stack of paper and a pot of ink were dropped before her. “Okay then. You know that I’m Nightingale. This is my daughter, Remedy,” she said, motioning towards herself and the smaller pony. Jenny could see that her grin was taking up almost her entire face.

Jenny looked at the open ink pot before turning to Scorch. “Do they expect me to use my paw?” she asked sceptically.

“I guess,” Scorch shrugged.

“Okay then…” Jenny carefully dipped a paw into the pot and, as carefully as she could, wrote her name on the paper. It looked like a mess, like something you’d expect a preschooler to write, in all capitals, but it was legible enough. Using her other paw she moved the first piece of paper so it was next to her, then wrote ‘Scorch’ on another piece of paper.

“So, you’re Jenny and he’s Scorch?” Nightingale asked. Jenny looked at her flatly as Scorch rolled his eyes. “Right, stupid question. What are you?”

“Okay. Growl… Oh.” Jenny frowned at the page, having taken up most of it with just the first half of the word. “Okay.” She smeared everything she had written with a paw and maneuvered two fresh pages so they were side by side.

“Growlithe? The word you’ve been saying all the time?” Nightingale sounded genuinely confused by the idea. “That’s certainly odd. Still, it’ll make identifying more of you… what did the voice say? Pokemon?” she asked, looking at what had just been scribbled. Jenny nodded. “I’ll need to make a note of that somewhere…”

“Ask her where we are,” Scorch suggested.

“Good idea. Where… are… we… question mark.”

“Trottingham!” the filly shouted.

“Thank you, Remedy,” Nightingale said, glancing at Scorch as he moved his paws from his ears. “So, yes, Trottingham, in Equestria. Nice place, though some ponies can be a bit… close-minded,” she added darkly.

“Got any other questions?” Jenny asked, turning to look at the other Growlithe.

“Who’s in charge?”

“Okay. Government,” she said, writing the word as best she could.

“Equestria is a principality, but all the other countries refer to us as a kingdom. There are two princesses in charge, which make us a diarchy. No, wait, there’s that third princess, but I can’t remember if she has any real power,” Nightingale said, half to the Growlithes and half to herself.

“Princesses?” Scorch asked.

“The government’s a bit primitive, isn’t it?” Jenny asked. “Bet it’s completely corrupt and full of incompetents. Now, what about the police…?” she wondered.

“Police? You mean the local guard? What about them?” Jenny shrugged before writing ‘EVERYTHING’. Nightingale just sighed. “I’m a veterinarian, I don’t know anything about them that you’d want to know. My husband’s in the military, but that’s completely different.”

“Help me,” Scorch croaked out, suddenly getting smothered in a hug from Remedy.

“You’re so warm and soft and cuddly.”

“That’s nice, but you’re crushing my ribs!” Scorch said loudly as he tried to wriggle out of the filly’s iron grip.

Jenny put a paw to her mouth to laugh, but realised it was still covered in foam. “I really need that towel,” she muttered.

Comments

[SeventhBrony]

Poor Scorch, he's been cuddled far less than I'd have figured, considering how Growlithes look. Or are suppoesed to, when not covered in fire retardent foam

[Fetch]

Now we just need to find a Chancy or Blissy named Joy, and all will be right with the universe.

[Rhodesm96]

“You’re so warm and soft and cuddly.”
“That’s nice, but you’re crushing my ribs!”

Excuse me, that is a perfectly good reason to crush someone's ribs.

[Fancy Fox]

5011455
I concur

[Speven Dillberg]

5011346
I'm pretty sure there was either a Chancey or Audino that used to be a Nurse Joy as a character that got mentioned in passing in another story.

[EonAon]

5013348 chancey in the one with the Meowtastic

[Nitro Indigo]

Why does Nightingale understand Jenny asking about the police?