13 - Identity Crisis Over Tequila
{Somepony’s not coping well with an uncomfortable reveal}
Rarity leaned on the starboard railing near the stern of the SS Sakura next to one of the poolside tables, with its associated chair tipped over and shunted aside several metres. She stared out into the deep dark of the night over the ocean with a square-bodied bottle in her telekinetic grip. Her mane was a flattened, frizzy, tangled mess, and her tail wasn’t much better. On the northern horizon was the glow, shape, and shadow of Hotel Grand Lake. A ways left of that were some dancing lights against the sky in the shape of Twilight’s cutie mark. Rarity pressed the bottle to her lips and took its last few gulps of the amber liquid. After sucking on air, she set the emptied bottle on the table next to another empty bottle, and opened a third. She briefly looked over the yellow label with its red seal, shrugged, and took another gulp. As her eyes looked back at Twilight’s projection of her cutie mark, Rarity slurred her words with marked gaps between her sentences. “Daahling, I see it. I see you thairre. I’m over here, Twilight! I’m over here.”
She smacked her lips together a few times, and lazily blinked. A passing elderly couple gave her the stink eye, but walked along. She continued staring northward, oblivious to their passing and derision. Rarity continued in the same tone, “Do you wanna come play? I’m sure we’ll have a fun battle! I doubt we’ll hold long, but maybe you can join our team! What kind of ball would you like to be in? I heard there’s a ‘Luxury Ball.’ Why couldn’t I get in one of those?”
“I thought I heard you,” said a girlish voice. Rarity turned and saw Doyel standing there with her hands on her hips and shaking her head. She had a small purse over her left shoulder that was a near-perfect match to her sari.
“Heya,” Rarity began as Doyel walked up to her, still with lapses in her grammar. “How you doing, daahling? Come to see thisss Pokémon get ‘ossified,’ as my trainer likes to say?”
Doyel frowned at the change in identity. She said, “Please not this again, Rarity...you’re not a Pokémon.”
“But I ammm,” Rarity said, taking another sip. “I am a Pokémon. You heard Paddy; you were right thairre! How can I argue against that?”
“Because you’re not one! You know too many moves to be a Pokémon! You yourself said earlier you’re an ‘Equestrian pony;’ that’s no Pokémon anyone’s ever heard of,” Doyel protested. She began walking up to Rarity, but stopped as her eyes drifted toward the empties on the table. “How many have you...whoa. Dang...you’re totally hammered, aren’t you?”
Rarity had a small burp. She looked out over the water again, and said, “Still doesn’t...doesn’t...what’s the damn word...counter! It doesn’t counter his point.”
“So he bred the original Trixie with his Zebstrika, and got a number of eggs from them! So what?!” Doyel grouched, throwing her hands in the air.
“Viable offspring!” Rarity yelled as she stumbled. Righting her balance, she unevenly continued, “You can’t get offspring that can breed again if you cross species, except with us Pokémon!”
Doyel scoffed, “I still maintain my point from earlier: Pokémon cross-species breed all the time; who’s to say they can’t mix with an Equestrian pony?”
Rarity toddled again. “The eggs, Doyel. The eggs. She would have been knocked up if we weren’t Pokémon; she instead laid eggs. You saw his photos of all those...those...blank flanks! Dammit, how the hell did that bitch get laid before me?”
“Yeah, his little ‘Twixies.’ Pokémon eggs always hatch as the mother species’ bottom-most stage of evolution,” Doyel muttered, with her fingers in air quotes where expected. “Even though he got a ‘Twixie’ to evolve into a so-called ‘Trixie,’ it still doesn’t refute my point.”
“There’s no doubt the father is a Pokémon, but the whore, I mean, mother? If we weren’t Pokémon, she’d be pregnant...that is, if we could cross-breed at all. She would not lay eggs. That’s what I can’t get around,” Rarity sighed, taking another gulp.
Doyel scoffed and marched up to Rarity. She barked, “Holy cow, girl, you’re driving me nuts! Give me that!”
Rarity irritably beatboxed as Doyel snatched the bottle, “Tch-mm-puh-kaa! What do you think you’re doing? You can’t have that!”
“International waters; there are no drinking age laws here. And I hear it takes the edge off,” Doyel said flatly as she raised the bottle. She took two swallows before reeling and almost throwing up. With her tongue out and her face revolted, she exclaimed, “Eeeuuggh!! Baap re baap, that’s nasty! What is this??”
“The barman called it ‘tequila,’” Rarity said, resuming telekinetic hold of the bottle.
Doyel spat over the railing and into the ocean. She reached into her purse, pulled out some gum, and popped it in her mouth as she said, “I don’t know how you stand the taste.”
Rarity took another gulp and said, “It’s...I don’t know. It is pretty bad. But I stopped caring halfway through the first bottle.”
“Ach! You’re all-but legless, I see,” said Aengus as he walked up. “You’ll be in bits in the morning, you will.”
“So what? Everything, everything I thought I knew was a lie. Just coming to grips that I’m a Pokémon,” Rarity grumbled as she raised the bottle again, but Aengus grabbed it before it reached her lips.
“No. You’ve already had too much,” he ordered firmly. Rarity looked up at him with tears welling up in her eyes. He continued, “And no, you’re not a Pokémon. You’re...well, something completely different. I may be reaching, but it looks to me that your magic is close enough to a Pokémon’s energy that the balls can’t tell the difference.”
Rarity began, “But—”
“Stop,” Aengus said. “I’ve heard enough of this argument for one day, or even for the whole year. Right now, to bed with ye.”
“Okay...just...just put me back in the ball,” Rarity sighed.
“No,” said Aengus. “You’ll just use the replicator you talked about in there to hit more bottles. Back to the suite, and go to bed.”
“But Paddy will be there,” Rarity began.
“Not there. He’s with Rajni right now,” Doyel said, rolling her eyes. “Asked me to put the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign on the door on my way out.”
Rarity dismissively waved a hoof. Aengus rolled his eyes too. “I was wondering what you were doing out this late; it’ll be dawn in a few hours.”
Rarity said, “I guess he—”
“Bed!” Aengus cut her off. Rarity’s head drooped as she staggered away in a not-at-all straight line. As the pony stumbled through the doorway, Doyel and Aengus looked at each other. Aengus turned toward the ship’s aft, watching the churning water below. He grumbled, “He really got to her, put it in her head she’s something she isn’t. I didn’t think she actually believed him, until now.”
{What do you do with a drunken pony early in the morning?}
Doyel said, “If you don’t mind me saying so, your brother’s an asshole.”
Aengus sighed and nodded. He turned to her with a saddened smirk and said, “Coming from the lass that pushed for them to get together?”
“That was before I got to know him at all,” Doyel retorted.
“Ah,” Aengus said. “And I can’t disagree with you, sad to say. He’s been a right foul git since he was accepted at university, and he’s steadily gotten worse.”
“I believe you. Then he and my sister thought on the day they met they should go and...can’t believe her. At least he bought her dinner first,” she quipped.
“Well then, will miracles never cease,” Aengus said sardonically.
“By the way, I’ve been wondering,” Doyel began, “where is the original Trixie?”
“Released,” said Aengus. “Paddy dumped her off before even setting foot out of the Sinnoh Daycare.”
Doyel’s face shone a glimmer of hope. “Does that mean she’s home in Equestria?”
Aengus shook his head in aggravation. Doyel scowled at the water below in response as he lamented, “Were it that simple, lass. Were it that simple. I’ve had no hand in any of the PokéComputer networks, and have no idea where they release unwanted Pokémon back into the wild, just that it’s not that close to where the release order came from. She’s somewhere in Sinnoh, but I can’t guess where.”
“Why haven’t you told Rarity that!?” scoffed Doyel.
“Paddy needs to own up to what he’s done; I shouldn’t have to rat him out. I keep expecting he’s man enough, because he’s done so before with his peers,” Aengus grumbled. “But today made it clear he never respected Rarity, and never will. He just sees her as another Pokémon, admittedly smarter than most, maybe even sentient, but nonetheless just a Pokémon in his eyes. He barely considers Pokémon above common animals, let alone on the same level as people.”
“But he’s going to university, to study Pokémon, with that attitude? Really?” Doyel grouched with a snort, eyes demanding explanation.
Aengus nodded in concession. “You’re right. Really says where he stands, doesn’t it? Guess it looks like he’s not man enough. Guess it falls to me after all. I’ll have to talk to her about it later, once Paddy has left for his studies. Mom might call him ‘a bleeding thick’ for how he’s behaved, but that bleedin’ thick is our flesh-and-blood. I can’t let Rarity beat the ever-lovin’ shite out of m’ own brother over this, or possibly kill him. That’s my job.”
Doyel snorted and shook her head. “He doesn’t really love any of his Pokémon, does he?”
Aengus said, “Indeed, but he sure gets angry, and quickly, if they screw up.”
Doyel also watched the water below. “Seems you’ve been angry yourself.”
“Perceptive, aren’t you?” Aengus said. He sighed as he watched the ocean’s horizon. “I’ve been mad, all right. I was mad the day they took my dad away, mad the land of my birth is still ruled by a foreign king, mad at all the times me and mine got the short end of the stick, mad that it seems every time I try to help my family somebody else throws it back in my face how hard up we’ve been, and lately, mad at how Paddy’s carrying himself. Getting tired of being angry all the time. I know I can be a better person than I’ve been, and it’s been eating at me as of late.”
“Rarity, right?”
“Aye. That little pony has a way with people. You wouldn’t think it of somebody as prissy and snooty as she can get, especially when it comes to finery, but she’s selfless. She’s designing outfits for some of my Pokémon, just because. And she took my measurements this morning so she can make a ‘dapper suit’ for me once she has the material. Gave up what she wanted to try at lunch to a stranger because it was the last one and he wanted it too. Did it with a smile on her face, a genuine smile,” Aengus said.
“Wow,” breathed Doyel.
“Helped a mother who had three little rascals who wouldn’t listen. Hugged the one that just wanted to be held while she brushed the older boy’s hair, so that their mum could redress the youngest,” Aengus said, shaking his head.
“Redress?”
“Haven’t been around many toddlers, have you?” Aengus asked with a knowing grin.
Doyel facepalmed. “Oh. That phase.”
Aengus said, “And Rarity refused compensation for it.”
“Huh. She really is something,” Doyel said.
Aengus said, “That she is. Makes me feel terrible that I caught her and trained her to do something completely against her nature.”
Doyel said, “Sounds to me like you should apologise to her once she’s sober, and tell her the truth. All of it, both your part, and Paddy’s. If just seeing what she does and how she behaves is enough to make you want to be a better man, she ought to know, and deserves to know. And then be that better person. If you feel yourself getting angry or doing something you ought not, ask yourself what would she do instead, and do it.”
“Yeah,” said Aengus. He turned for the door. “I should check on her, and make sure she actually went to bed and not back to the pub. I’ll try to do what you said.”
Doyel huffed and crossed her arms. “You’ll only ‘try’ to be a better person?”
“I meant, try to apologise,” said Aengus as he looked back for a brief moment. “It’s a bit harder for men.”
{This is what you do with a drunken pony, sailor, or anybody/anypony else early in the morning}
The LED in the door turned green as Aengus removed his card key. The suite was dark as he opened the door. Aengus turned left and went into his room. He flipped on a single lamp and left the other four dark. Rarity had passed out on the closer of the two queen-sized beds. In her hooves was another bottle of tequila with a quarter of it already consumed. Aengus blinked at the scene and blurted, “Damn, you really can hold your liquor.”
Aengus took the tequila and locked it in the cabinet. He picked up his satchel from between the beds and opened the main pouch. After a moment of digging, he pulled out a peachy-coloured spray bottle with a white nozzle and trigger. He pointed it at her and pulled the trigger, covering her in a clear mist. She seemed to glow green for a moment, and the clear mist faded away. He shook his head at Rarity. Aengus sat down on the edge of the bed. Gently petting her along her neck before settling on scratching her behind the ears, he whispered, “That should prevent any real harm from drinking that much, but waking up will still be unkind. I’ll try to be quiet and keep the blinds shut, and maybe find something to dull the coming headache.”
Aengus looked over at the closet. Getting up, he opened it and pulled out two spare blankets. He unfolded them both and laid them over Rarity. Gently he lifted her head and slid one of the pillows underneath. He sat down next to her as before, tucking the blankets under her nose. Aengus cracked a fatherly smile as he stroked her across the top of her head. He said, “I still can’t believe he convinced you that you’re a Pokémon. We’ll just have to get that out of your head, and make you right as rain again, lass. Whether by stroke of luck, stroke of genius, or good old-fashioned perseverance, we’ll get you out of this funk. I promise.”
Paddy's a real charmer, ain't he? 
Thought approaching a clearing of the air at a different angle was a better way to do it. Not to mention, there are times that writing Paddy can be infuriating, because I keep finding him becoming a worse and worse human being on me. I wasn't intending for him to be well-liked, yet his descent into becoming a right-royal scumbag happened quicker than expected.
Thus the air has been cleared somewhat. Most of that had sufficient hints dropped prior to now that this is what had happened, especially in regards to Trixie. I could only ever guess where released Pokémon end up. The thought's crossed m' mind that it may be something far darker that happens to them, that the data on the PC is simply erased and go poof into the Ether, gone, naught but a memory. 
I suppose we really can't go erasing Trixie....
I suppose many would turn to the bottle if thrown into that kind of mental shock which Rarity's currently facing. Poor girl. Got to see much more bluntly what she actually thinks. Some have commented to me that "alcohol brings out the truth." Perhaps it does to a certain point, because parts of the brain disengage, including the filter, and Aengus using an Antidote won’t stop that. Don't drink before giving a toast at a wedding reception, especially if you're the Best Man or Maid/Matron of Honour. By the same token, don't let your Best Man or Maid/Matron of Honour knock a few back before the reception gets underway; grandma may learn more about you than she's comfortable hearing in public. 
Not a problem I had when m' wife and I tied the knot. 
Secondary classic rock reference...do I even need to say it?
I suppose Aengus's lines gave folks something else to consider. Landfall in Johto next time. Hope everybody has a happy holiday, whichever one you're celebrating. 
As always, thanks for reading.
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Hell, that's hardly dark compared to some theories.
Have a look at this, and correlate it with not knowing where released pokemon go: http://aminoapps.com/page/pokemon/7940731/pokemon-go-poke-candies-theory
TL;DR version: Rare Candy may very well be the pokemon world's version of soylent green.
Paddy needs to die.
Or he needs to spend an hour alone with Starlight Glimmer.
So Rarity saw the search lights indicating that Twilight's looking for her. I can only wonder if she'll even remember that come morning, given how much she had to drink...
If Trixie got erased I can almost 100% guarantee there would be a war that No pokemon would be able to stop short of Arceus himself. Twilight wouldn't stop pretty sure she would let starlight glimmer come back over and might even allow starlight to sanction the use of the time spell to make sure trixie was never released and paddy removed from the equation.
Eh at least I would. Then again pretty sure when arceus found out what actually happened he would 99% of the time side with the ponies and would call any loyal pokemon to him to his side and would start a war between pokemon and humans. And seeing as there are no Humans that can breath massive fireballs that would not end well.
Yep. I've been saying for a while I don't like Paddy. And Aengus shares my opinion of him. Poor Rarity though. I mean wow... Don't care about Trixie though. Mare had an attitude issue just as bad as Paddy's. I do wanna see a Twixie though XD
Every chapter I read leaves me wanting more. I'm so hooked on this story!
poor trixie getting dumped after she was bred with zebstrika.
i hope she gets found by Twilight soon so she can join Twilight on the search for Rarity and a chance to find Paddy and give him hell.
7810681 so basically die or die
7811335 no. get it right. its die or get every bone in his body broken and then die
7810676
Oh...my....
7810757
Yeah...not missing that sort of thing at all...been sober for over twelve years now. Looking to keep the streak going, too.
I remember a number of times I had to investigate what happened the night before and piece it all together before I could give a proper apology or two...hundred, it felt like.
7810769
Would it end well? Remember, history is written by the victors, and I'm sure the Gardevoir or whatever writing, and the Smeargle illustrating, would present a glorious day indeed.
7811210
Yep...that was the moment that Aengus called his brother "a piece of work."
7810969
Great! Glad to know I have brought you some joy, and that my work is appreciated.
7810681
7811335
7811427
You know just as well as me that she wouldn't stop at one hour...or two...or three, six, twelve, full day, or two days. If she knew what Paddy had done to Trixie and Rarity, there would be three days, three very disturbing days over which she would bring the pain. Kinda like this guy:
irishcinephile.files.wordpress.com/2016/04/tv-flashback-firefly-recurring-character-adelai-niska-played-by-michael-fairman.jpg
7811691 Whatever the case, I'm hoping at the very least Paddy gets arrested and given over to the Equestrians for trial. Or that something bad happens to him, and soon. (Something other than Aengus lecturing him. He seems like the type that would just ignore those.)
That being said, you have MASTERED the art of keeping a reader interested in the story.
Yeah, Paddy is gonna get a paddlin' soon.
Hopefully, more Keldeo action next chapter and that he'll get to Trixie soon enough.
Paddy really sounds like the kind of self centered prat you can't help but want to throttle simply for being near you.
I hope Twilight and her search party manage to locate the real Trixie.
I'd say that right now Equestria has a pretty good casus belli. If Trixie, the original Trixie, winds up being gone forever.
War.
Seriously, this is fast moving beyond Twilight's level of responsibility and right up to Luna and Celestia.
7811837
Happy to hear I've done so.
Yes, Paddy's...nevermind. Very nearly spoiled something.
7812053
Keldeo has a very exact role. I think you'll love it, though when and how that fully comes into play...not spoiling it. Gotta be fair, ya' know?
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7812829
The mistreatment and subsequent death of a single common citizen rarely justifies war. I don't think abduction does either, especially if the those responsible stood apart from their governing bodies in such action. Just the same, there's a diplomatic nightmare going on. Logically it's only a matter of time before somebody further up in the world than Davidson comes to parley, but who, when, by what initial motivation, and to what end-goal...not nearly so obvious.
7813698 Respectfully, I disagree. The US declared War on England in 1812 partially for impressing US citizens off of ships in international waters. In other words, kidnapping and enslavement. So yes, Equestria has a reasonable Casus Belli
Also, Rarity.
Rarity isn't just an Equestrian citizen. She is a strategic asset. She is one of six keys needed to unlock the Elements of Harmony. Without Rarity, Equestria is vulnerable. At the very, very least there should multiple armed units storming into this world and spreading out in a search pattern to find Rarity.
Let's put this in Earth terms.
How would the United States of America react if one of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was kidnapped by an unknown African warlord while on vacation? The US would send in at least 2 Carrier Battle Groups into the region. Multiple, daily drone overflights conducting aerial sweeps. Multiple companies of Marines landing from Blackhawks following up any and every lead. Tensions in the region would ramp up to a huge level and it would all have the same message.
"Give us our people back."
7813698 I'm having a hard time wording this properly, it's hard to put my thoughts into words and then translate that into english and still make sense, especially when i feel passionately about something. Anyway here goes.
I really...well lets be honest.. I bloody hate Paddy right now. And that is ment as a compliment to you as a writer. Because it's easy to write an obvious villain, who is meant to be hated right off the bat. But it's a lot harder to write a character who you can feel such strong disgust for, without making him purposely over the top revolting. Despite all his flaws and all the other things we ( the readers ) dislike about him, he was written as just another human being. A, in my opinion very loathsome human being. But still just another human. No big obvious villain here. And that, to me at least, is a sign of good writing. Am I making sense?
I apoligise if that was confusing in any way. Its early in the morning, I havent slept all night, and i just wanted to share my thoughts.
And as always I look forward to the next chapter.
7813742
Solid argument. Nicely done.
1812 is why I said it rarely justifies it, as well as that solo individual common citizens almost never tip the scales alone. If individual deaths meant Casus Belli, the US would have beaten up Israel over its army murdering Rachel Corrie with a bulldozer almost 14 years ago. But no, that was swept under the rug because the US has a soft spot for Israel, and foreign interests in the region dependent on them (correct me if I'm wrong, but if memory serves, the US has used its UN veto power every time somebody brought up human rights violations against Israel for their treatment of the Palestinians). There are questions of legality on both sides, namely if the bulldozing of that house was legal and thus her standing in the way was illegal, or vice-versa (have yet to hear an unbiased answer, one way or the other)...but the point remains: Israeli soldiers intentionally killed an unarmed American citizen, but no war was declared.
And you'd better believe that wouldn't be all the US would do if one of the Chief of Staff was abducted by an African warlord...but I'm also pretty sure there would be nice cooperation on the part of the recognised governments. Things like a safe place to make landfall and set up a base, etc.
Do Cynthia and Karen even know about Rarity and Trixie? I kinda doubt it, at least, for the moment. Better question...what kind of government exists in the Pokémon world? League rule, and authority goes to the mightiest? That raises some concerns.
7813765
German's my next-closest, and my ability is nowhere near the eloquence with which you responded.
You communicated very well, I believe. I was not confused...but a little envious because English is the only language in which I'm fluent.
And I'm grateful and pleased you find my writing so. Thank you very much for telling me.
7813831 I can understand where you are coming from. I came to the realizations I have now when I wrote my own fic of bad things happening to Rarity. And to be fair, if it was just Trixie it might be very possible for this to be swept under the rug. Perhaps with some wergild thrown in for good measure. But with Rarity in the mix. Well, as you've said, my argument is fairly solid.
7813831 Thank you. And you are very welcome
Ooooh. Oooooooooh. Horseapples just got real.
I like this. I like this a lot.
Uhhhh.
This... opens a whole new fresh can of worms, entirely separate from the previous can we had opened.
For starters... I think Trixie would want to keep her foals.
Especially, if the alternative is to leave them with their....... "trainer". I don't for one second believe that he could provide them with a proper foalhood.
Well. She'd probably be completely freaking out about having them. Especially about having them instantly. Normally, ponies have, like 11 months long pregnancies, or something. But I suppose she may have had perhaps some time to contemplate by now.
Also, speaking of foalhood, one of Trixie's foals basically instantly growing to adulthood ..... that raises so many questions...
Trixie Jr. acted basically like her mother - well, I guess she got along with Rarity better than her - but she still copied her behaviors from Trixie so well that it took Rarity a whole while to realize she wasn't Trixie.
Personality doesn't transfer genetically. Well, okay, maybe to some miniscule degree perhaps, but not like this. Probably something "magical" about how they came to be. Which would warrant further study.
Plus, isn't Trixie Junior still only a few days old but with the body of an adult? This brings us dangerously close to Mirror-Pool ethics territory.
Also, just imagine bringing all the "Twixies" and Trixie Junior back to Equestria. Trixie's dad would be so ... err... proud? Furious? ......I'm not sure, but he'd certainly have a strong reaction to being a grandpapa.
Also, imagining Starlight going all "d'awww" over the Twixies.
...And then all of the great and powerful unicorns getting on Twilight's nerves.
YOU do NOT get to keep those foals! ...Bring Starlight back, I want to see her stuff him into a Pokéball (or magical equivalent) and see how he likes it.
This jerk needs to learn his lesson the hard way.
I dunno... maybe sentenced to perform manual labor for Trixie's magic show in Equestria for several weeks before he's allowed to return back home? Let Trixie be his "trainer" for a while. Oh, and help taking care of her foals. All under Trixie's watchful eye ...... and with an eqivalent to a Pokéball she can send him to if he misbehaves. Seems to me like a fair punishment.
Who knows, he might even learn a lesson from that?
7816895 yes, but to be fair, I feel that Trixie was wasted.
ok I am still making my way threw this story as I have time.
I am getting a idea of how this is going to go with Aengus in the long run that is.
Twixie
i2.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/006/482/template.jpg
Poor Trixie! All her foals sure want her... I don't think they would know about who's the mom