16 - Meanwhile, Twilight Ignores a Warning....
{Top-notch trainers are inbound.}
Twilight stood over the “battle map,” as Dash had come to call it. They had acquired a proper map of the Sinnoh Region, enlarged it, and had filled in local climes and topography. She traced a hoof along the contours of the eastern slopes of Mt. Coronet, between the steep drop-off and Route 212. She sighed, shaking her head and tapping that part of the map. A giggle nearby drew her mind away. Twilight looked up to see Fluttershy giving Mesprit a belly rub, to which the pink-headed Pokémon sprawled on that patch of dry ground.
Shaking her head but with a grin this time, Twilight was pleased her instincts were correct. Fluttershy was just as good with Pokémon as she was with ordinary animals. Twenty-eight distinct species from The Great Marsh had stopped by to garner whatever favours they could from Fluttershy before returning to their normal feral lifestyles. Certain “legendary” or “mythical” Pokémon had come and stayed, though by and large spending their time around Fluttershy. Azelf had returned to Twilight about an hour after she sent Starlight home, mostly watching Twilight with occasionally laying a paw on her muzzle, until Fluttershy arrived through the portal. From then forward, Azelf paid attention to Twilight only if she was near Fluttershy. Mesprit showed up about two hours after Fluttershy did, and Uxie an hour after that. A flying dog-like creature with ears shaped like caribou antlers came the morning after, but it transformed into a hedgehog when it nuzzled against Fluttershy. This one called itself “Shaymin.” Two more came the day after that, looking like mother and daughter cerulean Pokémon with bag-like bodies, overly long paddle-shaped arms, huge noggins, and some kind of antennae coming off of said huge noggins...self-identifying as “Manaphy” and “Phione.” Just before that midnight, something unusual came, something with a blue back, ochre underside, and magenta crescents for arms, and more crescents on its head. Twilight did all she could to not roll her eyes at its name of “Cresselia.” Last night in the wee hours came the last one so far. This one was mostly black with broad masculine shoulders, buff-looking arms, a wasp-waist, what almost looked like a miniskirt, and no legs. “Darkrai” is what Cresselia called it, glowering that it, too, came by.
While Pokémon had no trouble finding them, their search thus far had not gone well at all. The better part of a week gone, and the regiment had all of one sighting betwixt every search performed. A three-pony squad north of The Great Marsh saw Trixie at a great distance, under harassment from local trainers. She had fended off their Pokémon, and seriously injured one of the trainers with a two-leg rear kick to the chest; the other trainer fled. She disappeared into the woods, to the chagrin of that search party. They had no idea what became of her after that, as though she had gone to ground. Twilight took some relief that at least Trixie was away from her “trainer,” but that did add the complication of every other one of them in Sinnoh. The wounded trainer, an early- to mid-twenties blonde-haired man named Barry, was hospitalised, and stabilised, but did not look as though he would take a full deep breath for a long while yet. That was during their second full day in Sinnoh. Twilight frowned, not only about the injury, but also with Trixie in hiding: she may employ any number of spells to avoid detection, even canceling or muddying divination magic, and those would not impede any physical means and magician’s tricks to remain hidden. Violence like that did not suggest happy things about Trixie’s smoke bomb supply.
Rarity, however, was just plain gone. There was no trace of her to be found, and the denizens of Sinnoh weren’t particularly talkative, at least, to the ponies. There was no divination spell with the sort of range she needed. When not talking to Azelf on that first night, Twilight had at length discussed with Sunburst how to boost the range. He had an idea, but needed to send for something from the Crystal Empire’s library. In the meantime, Twilight found sending Princess Luna’s guard into towns to be far more effective than expected; their ears picked up the muttering and hushed whispers behind closed doors. Those findings were the only hint of what became of Rarity. The last anyone had seen was them heading toward distant Snowpoint City. That northernmost municipality would require a lengthy expedition, or perhaps setting up a fort northwest of Mt. Coronet. She wasn’t keen on the idea; the thought of Rarity or Trixie happily sticking around in frigid areas was laughable. Twilight needed a few more mission results before she could adequately determine which Lunar Guards to send and eavesdrop on the people there.
Twilight, of course, was not about to give up. Using the “battle map” she had plotted out a well-organised combing of the Sinnoh Region, expanding radially. All told, she had a good three hundred ponies out on search patterns at any given time. Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie should be finishing up their pattern along and just off of Route 214. Seven minutes into their half-hour return window, and she had to force herself to not prance. Something about their search tickled at her horn...she had heard of some ponies temporarily gaining some indistinct foresight after using bunches of divination magic, but hadn’t given the rumour any thought until now. She hoped they bore good news, but the tickling wasn’t leaving her that impression.
Some humans approached, one woman and two young men. The woman was on the left, in black from head to toe with fur cuffs, and black bows in her long straight blonde hair. The man on the right had short brown hair and wore a red jacket, red ball cap with a white Pokéball pattern, and blue jeans. Centred was a man with spiky strawberry blonde hair, a blue coat zipped up, and pressed dark blue trousers. All three of them had six Pokéballs in reach and view. The woman was angry, while the man in blue’s face was concerned and pensive, and the last one just looked curious.
Nine guards met them ready for combat while the others charged up their horns or drew their spears. One of those nine barked, “Halt! This is a serious operation, not a tourist attraction! Unless you have legitimate business with Her Highness, leave now!”
A magenta glowed passed over all of their Pokéballs while the man in the centre said, “The name’s Blue Oak; I’m the World Champion. We’re not looking for trouble, just for answers, and to see if we can in some way help.”
“Sergeant, let them through,” said Twilight.
Spears returned to a non-aggressive position as the nine parted. The three humans stepped onto the stone platform. Blue gave a courtly bow and said, “Good evening, Your Highness.”
The other man bowed as well, though the woman crossed her arms. Twilight nodded and said, “Good evening. Roger Davidson hinted you may be coming. Who else is with you?”
Blue gestured to the woman. “This is Cynthia. She is the Champion of the Sinnoh Region, where we are now. You might say she’s effectively the region’s governor.”
Cynthia did not successfully mask her displeasure. “Hello.”
Blue looked back at the other man with a knowing grin. “And this is my lifelong friend Red, the only living trainer named a ‘Pokémon Grand Master.’”
Red smiled and bowed again, but said nothing. Twilight acknowledged him, then asked Blue, “The only? Why isn’t he the World Champion then?”
“He doesn’t want it,” said Blue. “He’d rather be out roaming the world in search of new and different Pokémon than fulfill all the administrative duties that go with being Champion.”
Twilight cracked a grin. “I can relate to that. But you said you were here to help; I appreciate any help you can give. I don’t like occupying space like this.”
“Then why don’t you stop, and let us handle it?” Cynthia scoffed.
“Cynthia...,” began Blue.
“Sir, I’ve had it with this! There are literally hundreds of these pony soldiers all over my region! It’s like we’ve been conquered! I don’t know how many children and parents I’ve had to reassure that it’ll be okay when I have no idea if or when this will be done! There are young trainers who were scared to even have Pokémon because of them! Not even Team Galactic terrified Sinnoh as much as these ponies have! I’ve had enough! I’m the Sinnoh Champion; I have to protect my region!” Cynthia yelled. Mesprit looked up from the belly rub with concern, beginning their way. Azelf and Uxie followed suit.
Blue was not pleased at her outburst. “You said you’d be fine before we left.”
“That was before a bunch of spears were pointed at me!” Cynthia answered.
Twilight sighed, “I’m sorry this became necessary, but our missing citizens must come home.”
“You can go home first, and I’ll send you!” Cynthia shouted as she reached for one of her Pokéballs. Mesprit, Azelf, Uxie, Shaymin, and Manaphy rushed forward, waving their hands and shaking their heads no. Twilight’s horn charged up. Cynthia threw the ball anyway. “Go, Garchomp!”
The aura around Twilight’s horn brightened as Garchomp emerged with a roar. Cresselia and Darkrai joined the others around Cynthia, Red, and Blue as Shaymin switched to its Sky Forme. All those Pokémon began tugging the three trainers to the side with urgency chiseled into their expressions. Red went willingly, as did Blue after some initial resistance. Blue looked at Manaphy’s yanking on his left arm with its head-tentacles, and murmured, “Um, hi there? Why’re we going over here?”
Cynthia began, “Garchomp, use—”
Azelf, Uxie, and Shaymin yanked Cynthia out of the way in time, but barely. Before she could finish her command, a blue-white ray lanced from Twilight’s horn at Garchomp. Several metres in front of Garchomp the spell burst in a crashing array of ice shards, swirling mist, and frigid air. Downrange from the blast in a somewhat conic shape were hardened masses of ice, most of them like an obtuse wedge pointed away from Twilight, all over of thick frozen carpet, in a thirty-degree spread over twenty-five metres. Garchomp had returned to her ball very quickly, having fainted.
“Whoa...she’s not even fazed, too,” Blue breathed, unable to blink.
Red picked himself up and walked over to the new ice...“sculpture.” He tapped on it with his hand, then foot, and stood up on it, giving it a stomp. Red looked closely at where his foot impacted, but only a smudge of The Great Marsh’s mud remained there. Turning to Blue, he nodded with an overwhelmed grimace.
Cynthia had hyperventilated some, but was coming down from it. She looked at the Pokémon who drug her away from the attack and unintentionally to the ground. Her right foot lay about five centimetres from the frozen mass. All three of the Pokémon returned her gaze with worried expressions. With a sigh, she petted them, and softly said, “Thanks, guys.”
“Buddy, what was that move? Never seen one like it,” Blue said in amazement, looking at Red. Red shook his head with a shrug, still with an overwhelmed face.
Sounds of a falling tree whispered from beyond the edge of the marsh. Twilight said sadly, “I don’t like violence. My goal is to spread friendship across Equestria and beyond, and now to new worlds, but I will defend myself if I’m attacked.”
“So I gathered,” said Blue, still in disbelief. Getting back to his feet, he continued in a more matter-of-fact tone, “Look, something’s not adding up for me. News spread quickly of your arrival, and that you’re looking for a ‘Rarity’ and a ‘Trixie Lulamoon.’ I don’t know how a trainer crossed into your world or took any of your subjects, but I have to ask, is it really worth all of this for two of your citizens? I can point to any of this world’s metropolises, and honestly say they lose more than two people every day to automobile accidents alone.”
More crashing timber echoed, but a little louder. Twilight said, “Both Rarity and Trixie are national heroes in Equestria. They have both alleviated disaster, though Rarity’s done it a few more times. Speaking of her, she’s one of my closest and dearest friends. Now let me put it to you this way: say something somehow managed to abduct both of your boon companions there. Would you stand by idly, or would you mount a rescue?”
Tree-smashing noises were unmistakably getting closer. Blue looked over toward the source of the sounds for a moment, then back to Twilight as he said, “Well, when you put it like that, that’s different. I saw the video online of them arguing. With your battalion running all over Sinnoh, have you learned anything that would help us help you?”
{Looky what the cat dragged in.}
Several trees at the edge of The Great Marsh fell down into the mud hard enough to cause a hefty splash and splintering sound. They all looked and saw a large bipedal creature come through, along the lines of an allosaurus, but with a much smaller head, longer neck, and more substantial arms. It was a mostly-pale pink creature with some purple and white accents, and semi-metallic parts that looked like armour from a mecha anime around the shoulders and back. At around fifty metres away, eye colour and voice were both indistinct. Cynthia blinked, and blurted, “Palkia...??”
Palkia looked over at them, then faced back the direction it came, roaring. It continued vocalizing, but the words still could not be discerned from each other at that distance. Palkia gestured toward the command post with both hands, even though it continued looking back the direction it came. After a second, another two large Pokémon, both taller than Palkia, came out of the smashed path. The first was mostly grey, with black wings and accent lines, golden fixtures around its head and six legs, and red claws on the underwing and striping on its neck. The other was the tallest of the three, and at first blush was a brachiosaur that had a parasaurolophus head slapped on it instead, albeit with a much thicker back-of-head crest. This quadruped was mostly a cobalt blue with powder blue accent stripes. It had longer forelegs than hind legs, similarly stylised white plating on its chest to Palkia’s bits on the shoulder and a plated sail perpendicular to its spine just over the hips. Blue pursed his lips and said, “Huh.”
“Giratina and Dialga too!?” Cynthia squawked.
Dialga looked over at the command post as well, then nodded at Palkia. Giratina simply stared. All three looked back, though Palkia was the most vocal of them. Something shorter and thinner came out next, all white, except a broken gold ring jutting out from its midsection. All the other Pokémon nearby stopped what they were doing and bowed to it, face in the mud, unmoving. Blue walked over to Cynthia, keeping his eyes on this gathering but minding the ice beneath his feet. As he leaned over her shoulder, he asked, “Is that Arceus?”
Weakly she answered, “Uh-huh...what’s going on here??”
Palkia spoke at length at Arceus with hands that could not sit still. It made a chopping motion in unison with both hands, pointed toward Twilight and the others, shook a finger pointed straight up, shook both hands with palms facing upward, smacked the back of one hand’s fingers into the palm of the other five times rapidly, and pointed at Twilight and them again. From time-to-time throughout unclear roaring, Dialga would nod, sometimes emphatically. Giratina just stared. As Palkia gestured at them yet again, Blue muttered, “Well, he’s certainly got a lot to say.”
Palkia continued on in much of the same style as before when the portal flashed brightly and out stepped Sunburst. He stopped at the sound of roaring, and turned to face it. Twilight started his way as Sunburst stopped moving altogether, glasses sliding down his muzzle at a lazy pace. He adjusted his glasses as he looked on agape at Palkia’s highly animated tirade. Twilight said, “Sunburst! I trust you have good news?”
“Um, yes. Yes I do, I think,” said Sunburst, shaking himself. As he telekinetically took a book out of his saddlebags, brush at the close edge of the marsh rustled. Applejack stepped out, with an emotionally worn-out countenance. Rainbow Dash followed right behind with the same look. Pinkie emerged last, right on Dash’s heels, but looked bewildered and stupefied. Sunburst blinked at them and said, “Twilight, your friends, uh...look like they have news.”
Applejack scoffed, “That’s puttin’ it mildly, mister.”
“I just don’t know what to say,” said Pinkie, shaking her head. “I’d usually throw a party, but the thought of that just feels wrong.”
Twilight’s eyes widened. Worriedly she rushed to them and said, “What happened? If it’s enough Pinkie doesn’t want to party because of it, that’s troubling.”
Dash flatly said, “You might want to sit down, Twi.”
Rainbow Dash used her left wing to reach into her saddlebag. Blue, Red, and Cynthia drew in a little closer. She pulled out a Pokéball, one whose black top sported a yellow “H.” She nudged the button with her other wing and it opened. Yellow sparks coalesced into a small equine form, no bigger than a foal about to attend his or her very first day of school. This little filly had golden eyes. But her coat, mane, and tail were of colours and shape that should belong to just one magician.
Twilight fell back into a sitting position, jaw hanging as low as her body could physically allow while Dash went toward the portal. Sunburst exhaled long and low, squeezing his lungs emptier than usual. The little filly looked up at Twilight in wonder, lightly reaching toward the princess. Applejack nickered, and said, “Yeah, Ah ‘spect Trixie’s pa ain’t gonna be real pleased ‘bout this.”
“But how is the bigger question,” Twilight muttered.
“Bigga ques-chun?” echoed the filly.
Twilight blinked, and cautiously asked, “What’s your name, little one?”
“Twixie!” answered the filly, thoroughly pleased with herself. Applejack looked at Twixie, then at the ball whence she came...reared up, and brought her hooves down on it hard. The Ultra Ball went to bits.
Cynthia frowned and gritted her teeth as the crushed ball's last sparks flew and died. “Did you kidnap her from a trainer!?”
“Ma’am, Ah hardly think any o’ y’all got room t’ talk ‘bout abduction after the way Rarity ‘n’ Trixie went missin’,” Applejack retorted sharply. Cynthia huffed, crossed her arms, and looked away, but said nothing.
Twilight sighed, further burdened by such an answer from one so small. Her horn lit up, making Twixie levitate. The filly squealed happily as the princess looked over at Blue. Twilight said, “You said you wanted to help; here’s the perfect chance to start. This little filly looks like Trixie as a foal, except her eyes are the wrong colour. How did this happen?”
The portal flashed again. Twilight turned to see Rainbow Dash coming back through leading Spike, and was saying, “...is something you won’t believe. Heck, AJ, Pinks, and I were totally blown away when we saw this.”
Spike stopped in his tracks right there, both eyes locked on Twixie. She said, “Hi!”
Spike gasped, “Whoa, dude...that’s just weird.”
As Twilight’s horn powered down and returned Twixie to the ground, she grumbled, “She’s a hybrid?? Half-pony, half-Pokémon, and has both Equestrian magic and a Pokémon’s energy...but there’s still no way she should be this big already! It’s early enough Trixie shouldn’t even know she’s pregnant yet, let alone have a school-aged foal!”
“Shoot, what was that guy’s name...not Oak, not Birch, or Rowan, Juniper, or Sycamore...um...Maple, Ash, Pine, Cherry, Apple, Hickory, Beech, Elm...Elm! Professor Elm is a specialist when it comes to Pokémon breeding and eggs,” said Blue.
Dash said, “Uh, hey guy? Ponies don’t lay eggs.”
Blue said, “Ponies don’t, but Pokémon do. We know they do because we’ve hatched Pokémon, but somehow no one has ever seen a Pokémon lay an egg, even on camera. Still, the eggs are there.”
“Hey guy, ponies don’t lay eggs!” Dash said again, louder and grumpier. “Unless Pokémon are the only species ever that the male makes the egg, your egg theory is fried!”
“I don’t know, miss. Pokémon seem to hatch fully grown for a given species, but why is beyond me. And it doesn’t seem to matter how big they are after hatching, either; all the eggs they hatch from are all about the same size,” said Blue, gesturing with his hands to indicate a box about one and a half times the size of a grapefruit, “from a tiny little Joltik to a lengthy Onix. Professor Elm’s the expert. I suppose you could ask the Daycare man about it.”
Dash gave him a horrified look. She slowly said, “You’re...not saying they...did that at a daycare, are you??”
“Did...what now?” asked Spike.
Twilight sighed, “I’ll tell you when you’re old enough to understand.”
“It’s not what they originally built Pokémon Daycares for, but it’s what trainers use them for,” said Blue, shaking his head. “Send in a male and a female, ride your bike back and forth a few times, and they get an egg. Hatch the egg, see if the new Pokémon is worthy of being on the team. If so, great. If not, breed them again, rinse and repeat until a satisfactory Pokémon is born.”
Pinkie said in a sly voice, “Ah. They’re into those kinds of parties.”
“What parties?” asked Spike like a child who’s unhappy with being treated like a child.
“Pahtie!” chimed in Twixie.
“The kind of party without cake, but plenty of chocolate syrup, and whipped cream, maybe honey, and some ice cubes. O-o-o-oh, the ice cubes...,” Pinkie answered, growing entirely too happy by the end of it. Twilight had covered Spike’s ears. Blue looked around uncomfortably while Red rolled his eyes. Cynthia appeared unsure how to react.
“Consarnit, Pinkie, why would you say that around children!?” Applejack snapped.
Dash rubbed at her forehead with her eyes closed. “Pass the brain bleach, please.”
Sunburst hurriedly said, “Let’s move on...! Twilight, I brought the spell booster.”
“‘Spell booster?’ What’s that mean?” asked Cynthia.
Twilight looked back at her a moment before reading over the page to which Sunburst had opened the book. “I know spells that help me look for things, but they don’t have a wide enough range. Sunburst brought a book that shows me how...ooh! That’s a great find! I should be able to cover the globe!”
Azelf, Mesprit, Uxie, Shaymin, Cresselia, and Darkrai shot worried looks between each other. Blue asked, “Cover the globe with what?”
Happily Twilight closed the book and powered up her horn, saying, “Detect Equestrian magic all across your world! That should allow me to find Rarity, Trixie, and however many of these hybrids there are all in one-fell swoop!”
All the legendary and mythical Pokémon near the command post immediately flew to Twilight, motioning for her to stop. Darkrai said, “Don’t do it. If you do, the nightmare will truly begin.”
“Sorry, it can’t be avoided. I have to find them,” said Twilight.
A magenta ring enclosed on Twilight’s horn, then a beam shot into the sky. From there a thin ring flew outward, into the distance, and below the horizon. The Pokémon around her all facepalmed, nearly in unison. Palkia’s ranting suddenly stopped; he, Dialga, Giratina, and Arceus all stared at her in shock...well, Giratina with as much expression as it could show.
Twilight closed her eyes, and slowed her breathing. She murmured, “Now to wait for the data to come in...Spike, send your notes in triplicate, to my lab, Princess Celestia, and Princess Luna.”
Spike finished scrawling a sentence, rolled up the scroll, and headed for the portal, saying, “You got it!”
{Twilight’s spell is still expanding its area of effect...}
A red-haired mop-top small equine Pokémon with a cream-coloured coat, pale blue mane and tail, and a huge blue horn ran as fast as he could over the mountains. Southeast of him loomed the Mt. Moon massif. He then suddenly stopped with a shocked and scared gasp, and looked up. A thin magenta line passed overhead. He shook a little as he watched it, gulping air in rapid deep breaths. After a moment of this, he screamed at the top of his lungs, “WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT!!?!”
He stomped angrily on the ground, cracking the rock. With a grumble he took off again, muttering to himself, “Dammit, Twilight Sparkle, I was already short enough on time; why did you go and make it worse?”
Over the last hour Rarity had been seeing exactly what the brothers meant about their kinsmen excelling at song and dance. Their family was quite good indeed, yet they claimed they were nowhere near professional play. Paddy was right; their mother noticed immediately from their playing that they had not practiced, even though Rarity thought it sounded lovely from the beginning. What amused her more than anything else was that their father, in spite of being away for all those years, also could tell immediately the boys had not been practicing their instruments.
At the insistence of their dad, Aengus and Paddy had both brought out some of their Pokémon: Aengus had out Feraligatr, and Paddy had Typhlosion and Espeon. They had played a number of songs, with Aengus on the flute, Paddy on the violin, their father on the bodhrán drum, and their mother on an acoustic bass guitar. Rarity found herself enamoured of the “pastoral feel” of the musical style. She also wanted to dance, but knew better than to try with the family already doing so with considerable coordination between them in spite of never playing together before now. Their father was singing the end of the refrain, smiling and nuzzling up against his giggling wife, “No maid I’ve seen like the fair cailín that I met in the County Down!”
As they began the next verse, Rarity looked out the window in time to see a thin magenta line pass overhead quickly. She walked toward the window and looked out. As she pondered what looked suspiciously like the colour of Twilight’s magic, she felt something pawing at her side. She looked down and saw Espeon right there, looking her full in the face with those hypnotic purple eyes. Rarity blinked at her. Feraligatr and Typhlosion also had come to the window. Espeon sat there a moment, then head-bunted Rarity like a cat does, and asked aloud, “What was that?”
Rarity shrugged and shook her head. Espeon purred and rubbed up against Rarity’s legs, and continued in sweet tones, “Don’t give me that, you little horse-faced bitch! I know you know what that was!”
“Aw, look! They’re chums now! Din’ae tell ye’, Maggie?” chortled Mr. Meagher. Rarity stared at Espeon, mortified. Espeon continued to look her in the eye in return with its mesmerising gaze. Feraligatr and Typhlosion exchanged concerned glances, while Aengus and Paddy looked at each other with subtle shakes of the head.
“Um...,” Rarity began, losing the entire sentence in those purple eyes.
Paddy picked up Espeon as one would a Maine Coon at the large end of the breed’s spectrum, petting her. She purred as he said as one does talking to a pet, “C’mere, you. Are you playing nice?”
“About as nice as your mother’s face, so no,” Espeon answered, nuzzling Paddy and purring. She looked back at Rarity. Lost in those violet eyes, Rarity heard Espeon’s voice echoing in her skull, despite her mouth remaining shut, “Bint, don’t think you’re getting out of this so easily! I will have an answer from you!”
Paddy gave his brother the sort of look a parent gets when they want to apologise to somebody over what their kid did, and are still upset with the child. Typhlosion leaned to Rarity’s ear and whispered, “Don’t take it personally; she’s always like that to everymon, and to Paddy half the time, too.”
“By the way, did you feel that too? That wave of energy?” Feraligatr asked.
Rarity whispered to them, “No, but I saw it. I have no doubt that was my friend Twilight, looking for me.”
Typhlosion cocked her head to the left, and whispered, “Whatever that was, it sure got my attention.”
{...and now every legendary and mythical Pokémon know right where she is. They’re coming.}
Twilight’s spell continued passing around the globe, edging towards meeting on the far side of the world. Everywhere, upper echelon Pokémon perked up and cast their eyes in the direction of Sinnoh as the wave came overhead. There weren’t all that many from common Pokémon, but plenty of trainers in battle saw both Pokémon turn and look that way in unison. Numerous wild unique individuals, though, stopped what they were doing, many starting their way toward Sinnoh, and consequently The Great Marsh; there were nearly thirty of them, from several different regions.
“...which makes all the difference. I’m a Master myself, but that whole spiel? No one else can make that claim,” concluded Blue. Under his breath he muttered, “At least, not yet can I say so. I’m almost there.”
“Whoa,” breathed Rainbow Dash. “No wonder he’s the only Grand Master, if you gotta do all that and study that much!”
Blue was talking to AJ, Dash, and Pinkie about training Pokémon. Red had joined Fluttershy in settling the frayed nerves of Azelf and company. Cynthia stood before Arceus and his entourage, searching for something to say; the last thing the Alpha Pokémon said left her speechless and feeling mighty guilty. Sunburst and Spike had both departed. Twixie fell asleep forty-five minutes ago. Two hours had passed, and still Twilight stood there, taking in data from her spell. Not until then did she finally open her eyes with a deep breath. Fluttershy was the closest and flittered to her. “Did you find them?”
“I don’t know,” started Twilight. “I detected twelve more sources of Equestrian magic than what I accounted for with those out on searches and us here. Two of them are far, far away.”
“Oh my. I hope it at least helps,” Fluttershy offered.
“In some ways yes, but Trixie’s hiding,” said Twilight. “North of here there’s a muddled reading, but it covers a large enough area we could be searching in there for days, not knowing if she’s in the trees, on the ground, or in a cave or some such. I’ll have to redo the checklist and search patterns.”
A flash from the portal heralded Spike’s return. His face was anxious. Just behind him came Starlight Glimmer with a guilty expression. Twilight growled, “I told you to stay home!”
Spike offered her a scroll and timidly said, “Uh, Twilight, you might want to read this before you say anything.”
Twilight frowned as she took the scroll in her magic. Unfurling it, Spike and Starlight stood aside with nervous tension as Twilight’s other friends gathered to read over her shoulder:
Dear Princess Twilight,
While we are pleased at your efforts and persistence, news of this “Twixie” is most disturbing. The fact that there could be many of them is unacceptable. My sister and I have been in conference over this finding, and we agree this is theft of Equestrian magic. Due to some deeply troubling and perilous extenuating circumstances surrounding this finding, all of the Equestrian magic must be returned to our world, willingly or not. Inform General Merry Weather their orders are now to locate and confiscate every “Twixie” in that world, and should they exist, every Rarity lookalike as well. All levels of force escalation are authorised.
We need to know how this “Twixie” came to be, along with however many others there are. I am revoking your grounding of Starlight Glimmer, and sending her and Rainbow Dash to this so-called “Daycare” to investigate. Have them take two volunteers with them from among the soldiers.
I will be arriving tomorrow at sundown. At that time you are to return to your laboratory with this “Twixie,” and find a means to separate the pony from the Pokémon. I will assume command of the rescue operation during that time. While we do not wish harm upon this “Twixie,” the recovery of Equestrian magic takes priority, even over the safety or life of the hybrid. We understand this is harsh, and arguably cruel, but not half as cruel as what suffering they already inflicted, nor what is to come if you should fail. Again, preserve its life if you can find a way to do so, but if there is no other way to return Equestrian magic, we will assure you receive proper counseling.
Godspeed.
Princess Luna
Thunderstruck, Twilight rolled up the scroll. She muttered, “It just keeps getting worse, doesn’t it?”
“What’s the letter?” asked Blue. He and Cynthia stood expectantly.
Twilight muttered, “Correspondence from my royal peers.”
Cynthia snidely said, “That much is obvious. Dealing with an uppity baron who just simply has to have a new castle?”
“Well, don’t y’all have suspicious minds,” Applejack barked. “If it concerned y’all, she’d tell ya’.”
Arceus and his entourage approached. Twilight sighed, “Do me a favour. Inform every trainer that if they caught a ‘Twixie,’ they’ll need to turn it in to us. I’m trying to prevent a war from breaking out right now.”
“Strong words,” Blue growled. A cry overhead made them all turn. Four things flew over them, circled back, and three of them settled in a tree just outside the command post, with the last one landing in front of it. Blue blinked at them and spoke sounding stunned. “The legendaries just keep coming...how many are gonna show up before this is all said and done? These guys are a long way from home!”
Cynthia said, “I don’t know them.”
Pointing at each in turn, starting with the one that landed and now was walking toward them, Blue said, “Lugia...Moltres...Zapdos...Articuno. Hey Red, do you still have gramps’ old Pokédex? I think he’d like all of this.”
Starlight had stepped away from that conversation after getting a nod from Twilight. Dash flitted to her side, looked at the soldiers, and said, “We’re going on a dangerous recon assignment from Princess Luna herself, to find out how they made this ‘Twixie!’ I need two volunteers!”
Every soldier stepped forward. Starlight whispered in Dash’s ear, “A ‘dangerous recon assignment?’ How dangerous can a daycare get?”
“We’re about to find out,” said Dash. She looked among the soldiers, and pointed at two pegasi. “Okay, you two then, since all of you want to come! Let’s go! We fly!”
Starlight self-levitated as Dash swiftly led them into the skies. Her aura thinned and became more raindrop-shaped as they accelerated. As they left The Great Marsh behind, Starlight asked, “Do you even know where we’re going?”
Dash said, “The Battle Map says the ‘Pokémon Daycare’ is in Solaceon Town, which is almost due north of Pastoria City and The Great Marsh.”
“How likely is a daycare to be open at night?” urged Starlight.
Dash shrugged and said, “Hey, Princess Luna wants to find out how it happened. That doesn’t mean we wait for business hours.”
“I think it’d be easier when we can ask them face-to-face,” said Starlight.
“The humans aren’t talking to us,” said Dash. “Besides, I somehow doubt this is the sort of thing they do when some random person could just walk in on them. I certainly don’t want to be walked in on, like, ever.”
“Point taken.”
The four surfed the wind further inland as the moon crested the eastern horizon.
{And that’s about the last guy you want to know where you are.}
A strange being surfaced in the middle of the ocean. No land was visible along any horizon. It slowly floated upward, until it was completely out of reach of the swells. This thing stood taller than most people who do not professionally play basketball. The creature was mostly gray in colour, with a somewhat feline face, ears shaped like a castle battlements’ merlon, wide at the hips, three fingers and toes on each hand and foot, a redundant neck that attached at the back of the head but markedly curved, well-defined pectoral muscles, and a purple tail that as long as it was tall. It muttered, “Hmph. Something wants to flaunt to the world its strength...I’ll show whatever it is what true strength looks like.”
It looked at its hands. In each was a spherical rock that looked strikingly like a cat’s eye marble, neither any bigger than an average cherry. They looked identical, except the one in its left hand had a blue stripe in the middle while the one in the right hand had a white stripe there. The remaining stripe on each was an orchid-lavender colour. The creature looked between the two several times, closed its fists, and said to itself, “Hmm...why not both?”
Laughing malevolently, the being then aerially dashed forward, levitating across the water at great speed.
And here they come. I had started off describing those that were on their way after Twilight's spell swept over them, but that was becoming entirely too long a block of text that did nothing significant to move the plot forward, not to mention after all the other descriptions of legendary and mythical Pokémon, have an enormous block of them just didn't seem wise. Maybe even a little (lot) boring.
I've not watched the show; it's why we're seeing Red and Blue, not Ash and Gary. M' wife had me watch a few of the films with her years ago. I mention that 'cuz there's one particular early legendary who's savage and vicious, but has supposedly calmed down these days or something. I dunno. I prefer the angry villain-type for him. 
I ended up changing who's marked as who the story features, as Spike's original intended role is looking less and less significant, nor actually adding to the plot. Starlight, however, definitely has a role to play. Trixie's appearances are sporadic, though she still plays a significant part. Thus, the change.
As many of you accurately foresaw, Luna is NOT pleased about this. Twilight got the subtext of the letter easily, and it's about what a few of you were expecting. Could get real ugly real fast....
And welcome back, Starlight! It's gonna be great to have you back along. Luna intentionally sent a pair of hotheads to the daycare...do you wonder why?
It probably doesn't sound the part, but Espeon is actually m' favourite Eeveelution. Maybe it's 'cuz the first Pokémon game I actually played was Colosseum.
Secondary classic rock reference this time is courtesy of His Majesty, The King of Rock And Roll, Elvis Presley.
So then. Many high-end Pokémon coming, Luna's coming, and there are nine more 'Twixies' out there to bring in. And, Aengus and Rarity head toward the Indigo Plateau next time, dropping off Paddy along the way. Once little bro is gone, more of the truth is liable to come out. How will Rarity handle it? And how will she handle combat against consistently strong trainers? Be here next week to find out, same time, same place.
Thanks for reading. 
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When does the sex start?
Oh hell. Mewtwo (aka the Akuma of the Pokemon world) is getting involved.
Good fucking job, Paddy.
Also, this is the kind of thing I think of when I hear mention of a Twixie.
derpicdn.net/img/view/2016/12/28/1326956__safe_solo_cute_trixie_box_diatrixes_pony+in+a+box_artist-colon-alfa995.png
Both!?
Oh shit, there goes the planet.
Aww...Was hoping for more Keldeo than that. Maybe next chapter.
You know... most of this escalation is Paddy's fault... I know his bro is guilty too, but Paddy's actions just piled on accelerant on the fire... now the powerhouses of both worlds are being roiled up cause of Paddy's stubbornness and close mindedness, and Twilight's stubbornness and desperation.
Lord I hope Discord doesn't toss his interests into this...
7860684 The sad thing is that he was being as nice as possible to Trixie while still getting what he wanted. She got released right away, and seemed to enjoy the daycare immensely.
7860650
I didn't write a clopfic. As 7860667 said, it's Teen-rated; I'm not doing a smut scene. Jokes and innuendoes, and one chapter that shows it absolutely, positively, just happened a few moments ago.
7860716
I keep wanting to answer and let ya' know what's going on, but I don't want to spoil things. It's getting rather difficult.
7860673
7860709
Yeah...a constantly angry killer is on his way, threatening to do something that can't be done in the games.
7860684
Of course, the trouble started when Aengus captured Rarity in the first place, and it's not gotten better since.
7860968
Paddy's...I think Aengus got it right when he called his brother "a real piece of work." Somehow managed to raise the world's only evil Espeon, if that's any indicator of the guy.
7861202 The reason I can forgive Aengus is that he flat out apologized and made it a fair deal for both parties and, you know, actually treats his pokemon like mostly people, and Rarity as a person.
Actually... I'm really wondering how Paddy managed to get an eevee to attain a friendship based evolution with his... quirks and outlooks.
god damnit twi it's smarty pants all over again and add a helping of the parasprites with only it being the Legendary pokemon
in response to the author note: eeveelutions are best pokemons. I would love a team of nothing but eeveelutions.
7861586
Ah yes, a march of the Eevees on the League, eh? I'm not involved in the competitive metagame, since that requires time that I simply don't have, and as such, I don't pay it any mind. If you're like me and prefer going for the throat without spending much if any time setting up (except the last one; that's the tank-them-all guy), try this lot (I'll listen and not take offense if somebody involved in the metagame comes by and says "Dude, no; here's why not" and explains):
Espeon - Modest nature, EV focus on S. Attack & Speed, Magic Bounce ability, holding a Big Root or Scope Lens. Dream Eater, Yawn, Shadow Ball, Dazzling Gleam
Flareon - Hardy/Docile/Bashful/Quirky/Serious nature (the neutral ones), EV focus on Attack & S. Attack, Flash Fire ability, holding an Expert Belt or Wide Lens. Flare Blitz, Bite, Hidden Power (Grass), Iron Tail (will require porting from previous generation)
Vaporeon - Modest nature, EV focus on S. Attack & Speed, Hydration ability, holding an Assault Vest or Bright Powder. Hydro Pump, Ice Beam, Swift, Shadow Ball
Leafeon - Adamant nature, EV focus on Attack & Speed, Chlorophyll ability, holding a Muscle Band. Leaf Blade, X-Scissor, Aerial Ace, Sunny Day
Jolteon - Modest nature, EV focus on S.Attack & Speed, Volt Absorb ability, holding Wise Glasses or Razor Fang. Thunder, Rain Dance, Shadow Ball, Signal Beam (will require porting from previous generation)
Umbreon - Hardy/Docile/Bashful/Quirky/Serious nature, EV focus on Defense & S. Defense, Synchornize ability, holding Leftovers. Feint Attack, Psychic, Confuse Ray, Moonlight
Thoughts?
7861206
I dunno. Maybe he fed the poor girl a ton of the berries that boost friendship?
7861708 ohh I like that lineup. I havent really touched a pokemon game since pearl ( at least not for any significant length of time ) but I do keep tabs on it every once in a while. To be honest my choice of an all Eevee team has more to do with their flexibility and pleasing aesthetic than anything else.
img06.deviantart.net/7c00/i/2015/111/e/f/poster_of_the_eeveelutions_by_tails19950-d69xjf3.png
i mean who can resist that level of adorableness.
ohhh, random thought.... what if the mane six were somehow transformed into Eevee's. Who would be what?
shit
Well, finally decided to have a read of this, and things were pretty game and story wise, 4th wall prodding, till that last bit.
Theres a place for the type of people who write letters like that and have the resources to enforce it, Luna.
Nuremburg.
They got Number One Honcho Arceus there, and noone noticed? Luna is going to totally go Nightmare.
All it needs now is Discord to throw a party, the CMC to hide in the transdimentional supplies, and Pinkie to, well...
Always sad to see the deletion of a planet.
7861770
Twilight - Espeon
Rarity - Glaceon
Rainbow Dash - Jolteon
Pinkie Pie - Sylveon
Fluttershy - Leafeon
Applejack - Flareon
WHY IS THIS NOT MORE POPULAR
“Now our fam’lee’s all here...nothin’ can eva’ split us ‘gin,” she said, right before the Equestrian Royal Guard stormed in and Paddy gets arrested for his crimes against equinity... Ooops.
Which, ironically, now I don't want to see happen to him anymore, go figure.
Though before this chapter - something I didn't get around to comment on - I figured he'd get sentenced to "Community Service" in Equestria for a couple of weeks... with the added twist that, while in Equestria, his Pokémon would gain personhood-status, and subsequently be allowed to make their own choices.... Like, for example, if they wanted to stay with him or in Equestria.
I'd imagine Trixie to persuade her ... stallion-friend to stay....
*Le next chapter*
What what WHAT WHAT WHAAAAT?!??!
derpicdn.net/img/2013/1/26/223903/large.png
....the Hay?!
Where did this come from??!
"[...] the recovery of Equestrian magic takes priority [...]"
So... Why do Sunset Shimmer and her friends get a free pass? Please elaborate why "recovery of Equestrian magic" is so important that Luna would order Twilight to endanger the lives of innocent foals.
Bringing them to Equestria, yes, that makes sense. But possibly murdering them?! What?!
Those are Trixie's foals! Hay, Trixie's father just became a grandfather!
Luna, look that little filly in the eyes, and tell her that she must die. Tell her grandfather that his daughter has had foals and that they are going to kill them "for the good of Equestria". ...Yeah, see how that works out for ya.
Also, I'm waiting for the moment when someone points out that, technically, Rarity isn't a Pokémon (Legendary Bird confirmed it in front of witnesses, it'll be in the news), so she isn't actually legally allowed to compete in Pokémon league battles.
Her being able to learn 40+ moves alone would be considered reason for disqualification - just because there isn't a rule against it right now - the issue never came up before - doesn't mean it couldn't be added to the official rulebook if Aengus doesn't make it there fast enough.
7869516
I was figuring that part of Luna's letter would draw that reaction from somebody. There are two points pertaining to whence that came:
1. When this letter was written, both royal sisters were livid, hopping mad, furious, pissed as hell, or however you'd put it when somebody's anger has taken hold, and kicked reason and logic out the door. I'm certain they'll have something different to say once the rage abates. Funny how neither side started off thinking of this new other as a sentient individual with human rights (for lack of a better term).
2. In the case of Sunset Shimmer and the Sirens, Equestrian magic either left of its own volition, or was exiled. The Humane 7 mostly were imbued by Twilight; the princesses thus far remain blissfully unaware of the events of the fourth film, not to mention that's more of a leak than a theft. In the case of this story, two outsiders broke into Equestria, snatched two citizens, and one of them has been, near as they can tell, forcibly bred. That is against the will of any of them, hence the accusation of theft (not likely helped by the aforementioned anger).
7869267
If you can recommend where all I should advertise, I'm all-ears.
I thank you.
7870260
Yes... I hope that changes quickly.
...For instance -- somepony has to look after the Twixie they've already got, right there, at the portal to Equestria. Who better than Trixie's dad? Kinda doubt he'll let them take away his grandfoals.
Read: Try not to kill the foals, but if they die, we'll make sure you'll get therapy afterwards.
Yes.......... So take them back to Equestria, where Trixie can raise them as her foals.
There! All Equestrian magic is back in Equestria, problem solved, no innocent foals have to die.
General adorableness all around.
7869267
I ask that of myself for several fics. This one, I am genuinely surprised doesnt have hundreds of likes by now.
after 6 chapters I just can't get in to this story.
I was hoping as I have found one other Pokémon cross over that was really good but alas not this one.
I will not down vote it and I will keep it in my read later folder who knows at a later date I may like it.
7873630
I appreciate the thought.
Since it seems reader reviews have more weight than author adverts, I would not object in the slightest if you gave m' story props somewhere. That, I'm running low on ideas of where and how to advertise for this fic.
7873878
There seems to be a correlation of likes to followers. Which one the cause and which one is the effect might be subjective and selective biased, but I fancy thinking the two related to some degree. Not sure how far I'd lend credence to advertising of a fanfic. Havent tried beyond my blog posts about it. I personally just try my best in every one of my works and hope its good enough to gain traction. My journey on this site is just beginning still. And Id be happy to call you a friend in this community.
Im not sure how i strayed topics so drastically there. How oddly inane of me
7871888
Would work...but there's still one outstanding issue there. Ten eggs hatched, we know that much. One has been found and forcibly taken in. Eight of them are out in the wild somewhere. Paddy has the last one, the perfect one of the ten...and she's already evolved into "a Trixie." Getting her away from Paddy will not be easy; he is no pushover. I wonder how Presto will handle suddenly having twins.
7874310
Twins? Try decuplets! Or... undecuplets, counting the original Trixie.
Yes, but then again, he is the one who kept treating Trixie like a non-person to begin with...
Getting the "Trixie" from him isn't really a matter of "will it be difficult", it's more a matter of "well, duh, you broke the law, now you've got the police from another dimension on your heels".
And just when we started feeling sympathetic towards him.
I can so see him using his "Trixie" to attack those trying to free her, and then we open a whole 'nother barrel of issues. What does this "Trixie" want? She never was in Equestria, Pokémon-battles is all she knows - maybe she doesn't want to go? Maybe she's scared of an unknown future? One mustn't forget - despite her appearance and demeanour, she is only a couple days old!
She's like those poor Mirror-clones Pinkie made; same basic personality, zero life experience.
It may be interesting to actually explore Paddy's "Trixie" as a character, at least a bit. One thing we noticed right away was that she - unlike Trixie - didn't seem to have a gripe with Rarity. Plus, if being "in the party" allows her to interact with Paddy's other Pokémon... those might be the closest thing to "friends" she ever knew! And for all we know, they might be an influence on her young mind.
well shit the Equestrian sword is getting involved the shit is going to hit the fan.
if the trainers thought Twilight hade power I want to see how they take Princess Luna
7922323
More than that, with the way the legendaries and mythicals drawn to Twilight's alicorn magic, what happens when Luna's markedly increased power output arrives? I've started writing the chapter when Luna comes to Sinnoh. It's gonna be a fun one.