22 - Vs. Koga
The third battle chamber again had its field marked in white, albeit subdued. No sunroof meant no moonlight, and all the artificial light sources were recessed, indirect, and dim. Tree foliage in the room had a bluish hue. Ground-level flora included poison ivy, belladonna, several varieties of hemlock, and some white mushroom. Rarity was no mycologist, but the skirt-like thing on the mushroom’s stalk made it look like an “amanita,” or something phonetically similar that Sweetie Belle prattled about after doing her homework one evening. Flagstones of a dull lavender made up the battlefield. Aengus said, “Destroying angels and everything. Certainly likes to flaunt his poison.”
Rarity raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean by ‘destroying angels?’ I don’t see anything heavenly in here at all.”
Aengus pointed and said, “See those white mushrooms? Those are called ‘destroying angels,’ and aren’t just poisonous, but deadly poisonous.”
“Oh,” said Rarity. “Thought I remember it as an amanita.”
“A variety of amanita, yes.”
“How do you know this?” Rarity asked.
“Grew up dirt poor, remember? Had to go into the woods and find enough to supplement what mom bought at the grocers. You learn quickly what plants and mushrooms are edible and which ones are poisonous like that,” Aengus said sadly.
A rough low tenor/high baritone called out, “Back again, Aengus?”
An aging ninja had appeared in the middle of the room, wearing no head cover at all. His short, spiky hair was grey-white, and frown lines creased his face. He wore a black gi with armoured kneepads, elbow pads, and shin guards. A red capelet fell over his right shoulder.
Aengus smiled at the ninja. “Sure am, Koga. I’m surprised you remembered me. Will didn’t.”
Koga nodded with a closed-mouth grin. “Will is an excellent trainer, with powerful Pokémon, yes, but he himself is not a warrior. I am.”
“So it’s safe to presume what you’re wearing isn't just a personal style, but the style of your...army? Guild? My apologies; I’ve had no sort of interaction with...uh, fighters of your sort,” Rarity said somewhat sheepish.
Cracking a slight grin while narrowing his eyes a touch, Koga replied, “‘Clan’ is the word you’re looking for, Rarity.”
She curtsied and said, “Clan, then. Good to make your acquaintance, Mr. Koga.”
“Charmed,” he answered, not exactly in a charmed tone. “And just ‘Koga’ will do. Quite the impression you make: Legendary Pokémon wanting to talk to you, Mythical Pokémon tracking you down across multiple regions to talk to you. Looks to me like some consider you a threat.”
Rarity raised an eyebrow. “Me? A threat? Whatever do you mean?”
Koga’s expression and voice were stern as he crossed his arms. “Ho-Oh came to talk to you, others watching be damned, when his distrust of people is well-known. Keldeo tried to physically drag you away from your trainer, or whatever relationship you wish to say you have with Aengus. In case you could not tell, both are quite unusual, for both of those Pokémon. Perhaps this has something to do with your ilk’s encampment in The Great Marsh, and the host of the world’s strongest Pokémon all there keeping close tabs? I can’t blame them; I’d be doing the same, what with an army knocking on the door. With the number of you ponies coming and going through that portal on a daily basis, I surmise your friend, the princess, has a force of at least twenty-five hundred more soldiers encamped on the other side. Likely five-thousand-plus. And she herself already showed Cynthia that her best Pokémon have no chance against her in combat.”
“What’re you tryin’ to say, brah?!” Devontae demanded from the spectator seats above.
Aengus frowned. “And how did you know about Keldeo?”
“I was there, outside, watching and listening, not ten feet from you, Aengus,” Koga answered smugly.
“Where?” Rarity spluttered, bafflement riddling her face and voice.
“Ninjutsu, the art of stealth, is my trade, little pony,” Koga sneered. “Even wearing a red cape, you did not see me. Only a few have mastered the ways, including my daughter. But I am the keeper of the ways.”
Rarity tightened her lips before saying, “So I gathered.”
“For your question, Devontae,” Koga began, looking up. “It’s quite simple, what that spells: invasion. Sure, all the platitudes say they’re here for Rarity and this elusive ‘Trixie,’ but this song and dance in all its variations has been recorded in the annuls of history time and again.”
“We certainly are not!” Rarity protested.
Looking at her sideways, Koga pressed, “And how can you tell, being separated from the rest of your kind?”
“Koga, sir, it’s obvious there’s little either of you can do to convince the other. We intend to return her after earning the championship,” Aengus said bluntly. “I’d rather get on with it than continue the accusatory guesswork.”
Koga grunted. Throwing a ball, he yelled, “So be it! Go, Scolipede!”
“Excadrill, let’s go!” Aengus answered. An oversized magenta centipede appeared across from Excadrill. With a snort, Aengus commented, “Two from Unova to start, eh?”
Shaking his head with a frown, Koga muttered, “So it would seem. Use Toxic Spikes!”
Aengus grouched, “Entry hazard...go figure. Excadrill, Aerial Ace!”
Scolipede hurled a cereal box’s worth of purple caltrops around the feet of Excadrill that seemed to disappear there almost immediately. Excadrill lunged forward, slashing her left foreclaw in a swallow-tailed strike. Scolipede reeled and staggered, backing up a few steps. Breathing hard, it shook its head and stepped back to the line.
Aengus grinned, and ordered, “One more, Excadrill, and that should do it!”
“Steamroller, Scolipede!” Koga answered.
Rarity looked up at Aengus and said, “I see this time you started off with the advantage.”
A grin crossed Aengus’s face as Scolipede curled up and rolled over Excadrill. She didn’t seem much bothered by the attack. As she repeated her move from the first round, Aengus answered, “Sure did. Nice being on the other side of it for once.”
Scolipede fainted, gracelessly tipping over with a thud. Koga threw another ball, yelling, “Dragalge, you’re up next!”
“Seriously?” Aengus replied with an eyebrow up. “You know it’s too slow against an Excadrill, right? Use Earthquake!”
“Dragalge, use Hydro Pump!” Koga ordered, not even looking at Aengus when he spoke.
Koga’s Pokémon looked nearly identical to some faux-pony marine life Rarity had seen in pictures, namely the muddy sea dragon, though it was a colour family off in places. In one leafy “paw” was a well-shined bear’s claw. She could never forget that species. She designed, sewed, and wore a costume of one for her first Nightmare Night after getting her cutie mark. To this day her design was rated as the best youth-designed Nightmare Night costume across Equestria. Rarity could not help but to chuckle at the memory. Aengus looked down at her as Excadrill made the floor dance, and asked, “What’s so funny?”
“Just remembering something from when I was a filly,” Rarity said with a smile. “But now’s not the time for nostalgia, I dare say.”
Dragalge flopped onto the now-still floor, fading into pale blue sparks that disappeared into a Pokéball. Rarity and Excadrill exchanged a hoof-/claw-bump as Aengus replied, “True. Stay focused.”
Koga snarled, “Since you don’t want slow, how about something fast!? Crobat, your turn!”
Once freed from its ball, a large, dark purple, sleek bat hovered before Koga. Both of its feet had been swapped out for another set of wings. Aengus shook his head. “Even after all those years, and with everything new available, some still remain in your lineup, huh? Paddy would just hate this.”
“Hate what? Apart from the, uh...obvious mutation, what’s wrong with this bat?” Rarity asked.
Aengus sighed, “Remember when he rambled about Zubat and Golbat?”
“Yes...is this the final form?”
Aengus nodded. He muttered under his breath before bellowing, “Definitely should’ve had her learn a Rock-type attack. Well...use Metal Claw!”
Sneering, Koga answered, “Crobat, use Confuse Ray!”
“Ray” was not at all an apt word for Crobat’s action. This did not look the same as when she saw this move used on the SS Sakura. A ball of light half the size of a golf ball danced out of Crobat’s mouth, moving in an uneven wave pattern with an exaggerated magnitude until it caught Excadrill. Her eyes immediately went out of focus. Charging, Excadrill moved to strike Crobat with her right front claw raised. She jumped and slashed, catching herself in the belly and missed Crobat by a sixty degree angle, whom had not even attempted to dodge. As Excadrill staggered back to her place in front of Aengus, Rarity said, “This again?”
“Remember me saying his attacks were also psychological? Koga’s known to terrorise young challengers who don’t know how to handle their Pokémon whittle their own selves down,” Aengus explained.
Koga ordered, “Fly, Crobat!”
“Looks like it already is,” Rarity commented sardonically.
Frowning, Aengus said, “Guess it doesn’t matter which move. Metal Claw, I guess.”
Crobat flew up high, to in front of Devontae’s seat in the spectator section. He looked over the Pokémon and said, “Look, we’re not supposed to feed the animals, okay? My popcorn.”
“What’s it doing up there?” Rarity asked as Excadrill lunged forward and slashed, only to find her target was way out of reach.
Aengus said, “The move ‘Fly’ is a two-turn attack. First turn, get some height. Second turn, drop onto the opponent from above. So let’s get it this time! Metal Claw again!”
Almost as if that was its cue, Crobat tucked its wings into a fast dive, popping Excadrill on its descent. Excadrill staggered, went to strike, and flopped. She somehow managed to throw her legs upward with the graceless attempt to attack, landing on the crown of her head. Excadrill did not appear to remember anything at all for a moment.
“One more time!” Koga yelled.
“Geez,” grumbled Aengus. “Slow knockouts are the worst. You see it coming long before it arrives, but there’s not much that can be done to stop it...Metal Claw. Puh.”
The next two rounds played out about the same as the previous two, except Excadrill faceplanted when going to strike a target that was no longer there. And she also fainted after Crobat dropped upon her. Devontae had no commentary for Crobat this time; he instead opted for a cross-armed mothering look of imminent scolding and/or paddling as he set his bucket of popcorn behind him.
Aengus threw his next ball. “Rapidash, you can get this one!”
Rarity smiled. When Rapidash appeared and found her gaze, he winked at her. She tittered briefly, earning a raised eyebrow from Koga. Rapidash winced as one of the purple caltrops appeared underneath as he set his foot down. He looked...violet. Aengus shouted, “Rapidash, use Wild Charge!”
“Uh, no. Crobat, Confuse Ray!” Koga answered.
The weird light shone again, striking Rapidash. His balance wavered. He shook his head rapidly, then took off at a full canter, electricity jumping off of him. Crobat hunkered down just above the ground, poised to suddenly jut to one side or the other. As Rapidash neared, Crobat flitted upward quickly, but to no avail: Rapidash had jumped. Crobat bounded and skidded across the floor before disappearing into a series of pink sparks. Rapidash’s gaze was off-balance as he returned to his spot before Aengus. Once there, Rarity strode up to him. She wait for both his eyes to be on her, then she nuzzled him, rubbing her muzzle against his. He closed his eyes and returned the gesture, to a delighted gasp from Rarity.
Koga, however, watched both of them intently, one finger upon the end of his nose, tapping thoughtfully once every few seconds. His hand stilled as a malignant grin wormed across his face with angrily happy eyes. He stood up straight, and threw his next Pokéball. “Salazzle, I have a job for you!”
From the ball came a feminine dark lizard, somewhat crocodilian in the snout, but with very smooth scales. Above she was nearly black, and below a medium-dark grey. Pink markings on her chest and sides just above the hip traced letter-like shapes. Countershading on the tail was the same pink. Two much smaller tails jutted from above her main tail. Her face was slathered with an up-to-no-good smirk, maybe even lascivious. Both of her eyes locked on Rapidash as she licked her lips. Rarity glared at her, snapping, “You better get that thought out of your head right now, missy!”
Koga chuckled darkly. He ordered, “Salazzle, use Attract!”
Aengus’s eyes widened. He quickly said, “Rarity, whatever happens, remember it’s just because of a Pokémon move; it won’t last longer than this battle. Okay?”
Rarity raised an eyebrow at him. “O...kay??”
“It won’t be real. Keep your head on straight,” he pressed. Turning to Rapidash, Aengus said, “Another from Alola, I guess. Try Flare Blitz.”
“Oh, you wouldn’t want to hurt little old me, would you?” Salazzle cooed, standing up on two legs, and turning away coyly. She blew a kiss with a wink, and, facing away, lifted her tail ever so slightly. “You big, strong hunk...!”
A pink hue overtook Rapidash’s pupils. He stood there swaying back and forth a little, bearing a stupefied, besotted smile. He would not budge as he nickered at Salazzle a little too happily. Rarity’s face fell as tears started welling up. She sniffled, “But...but Rapidash....”
Salazzle turned toward Rarity and said, “Best get used to it, chica. Males always jump ship when a better female shows interest. Always.”
A vicious, sneering smile shone from Koga. Devontae yelled, “Uncool, brah!”
Koga openly laughed, and said, “Young man, you ought to know by now that as long as you’re not attacking the trainer, all’s fair in love and Pokémon battles!”
Rarity quietly sobbed to herself. She moaned, “Rapidash...."
Aengus sharply said, “I told you it’s not real! It’s just the effect of that move!”
“Oh, honey, you know it’s real, ‘cuz I’m hot-blooded!” Salazzle countered. “And like so many others, your man wants me over you!”
Rarity’s jaw quivered as she glared at Salazzle. Aengus declared, “I don’t know what she’s telling you, but she lies! Don’t listen! Rapidash, try Wild Charge!”
“Salazzle, use Venoshock!” Koga shouted.
Rolling her hips, Salazzle slowly sauntered up to Rapidash, who was still swaying. Glowing magenta orbs gathered, swirled, and danced around Rapidash, and all rushed into him as Salazzle lustfully said, “Tell me how much you want me, you naughty boy...!”
Rapidash breathed a long, low droning that should have been a comprehensible syllable, but failed to be. Salazzle cupped her hand under Rapidash’s snout, pressing their faces together cheek-to-cheek. Still holding them together, she turned both of their eyes toward Rarity and cheerfully said, “Aren’t we just adorable together? Rapidash and I make such a cute couple! So much cuter than you could hope to be with him. Isn’t that right, sweetheart?”
Rapidash absentmindedly nodded. Rarity broke down, mascara running all down her face. Rarity wanted to pound that lizard, just pummel her senseless. Being rejected by Trender Hoof hurt, but paled in comparison. Never had she ever dreamed of feeling this way. The word “heartbroken” finally was something real, something that made sense, and was understood. As much as it hurt, she was angry. She felt fury. She felt rage. Pummeling Salazzle might not have been enough to sate Rarity. She knew no Ground-type attacks, but she could imagine one. She could see the shaking ground suddenly burst under Salazzle a few times, and make her feel that pain. Still crying, but with a livid glower, she imagined it, pretended, yearned, that she could take such an Earth Power and teach that lizard to find her own male companion, and get her claws off of Rapidash.
Salazzle started back for her spot in front of Koga, dragging a finger along the underside of Rapidash’s muzzle, who looked barely conscious. She arched her back toward him as she went, saying, “Just a moment, lover.”
Rarity snarled. She started scraping at the ground with her front hooves, tears still flowing freely. Devontae worriedly called out, “Uh, Aengus? I think you should get her out of there.”
Aengus grabbed Rarity by the shoulders. Giving her a shake, he said, “Listen to me! It’s just what the move ‘Attract’ does! It won’t last past this battle! Keep it together!”
Salazzle retorted in a sing-song voice, “He’s a big fibber! Your heart is chopped liver!” She chortled, then continued abusively, “Even if I don’t see him again, he’ll be wishing you were me!”
Rarity’s entire body convulsed as she gritted her teeth. Veins bulged on her forehead, legs, and eyeballs. She could not speak. Nothing but broken hisses and grunts escaped her throat. A mist shot from her nose as she exhaled, not steam, but a few ice microcrystals wafted before melting again. Koga ordered, “One more Venoshock, Salazzle!”
“Rapidash, buddy, don’t let your girlfriend down! Wild Charge!” Aengus shouted. He then turned to Rarity. His head jerked back, and cautiously he said, “Calm down, Rarity. She’s just trying to get to you. It’s not real!”
Salazzle goadingly laughed as she strutted toward Rapidash, licking her lips and rubbing herself up and down her sides, sighing contentedly. Gently she held Rapidash’s head with both hands, looked at Rarity, and taunted, “Let me show how real it is!”
“Is she really gonna...?” Devontae began in disgust.
Salazzle leaned in for a kiss, leading with her tongue. Koga stared wide-eyed, with two blinks as his right fingertips found their way to his mouth. Aengus simply glared with flaring nostrils. Rarity’s tears had been replaced with falling ice as the magenta orbs appeared again. Salazzle opened her eyes in the middle of her making out with the entranced Rapidash, hers looking straight into Rarity’s. As she broke the kiss, Salazzle licked Rapidash’s lips as she leaned away. He keeled over, disappearing into his Pokéball. With a wink at where he was, Salazzle cooed, “Dream of me, lover.”
Salazzle shook her hips slowly as she returned to her place in front of Koga. As Aengus reached for his next Pokéball, Rarity pointed a trembling hoof at him, barking, “No! I got this!!”
Devontae hollered, “Brah! She gonna go HAM! Get her outta there!!”
“She wants to fight this badly, then she can fight,” Aengus said with a dark grin. Rarity’s horn had already powered up.
Salazzle sneered, “I bet he’s already dreaming he’s bedding me! I bet he’s all—” and she dropped her front legs to bring her shoulders near the ground, straightened her back legs, and kicked her tail over her back. Bumping her hips backwards repeatedly, she faux-moaned, “Oh, Salazzle! I think I love you, Salazzle! Oh yes, yes, YES!!”
“Ew...,” Aengus blurted with an upturned, scrunched nose at the tone. Koga blinked rapidly as his mouth parted, his upper lip curling and his face blanching.
“You...,” Rarity growled as a secondary aura surrounded her horn, spurting blue sparks every which way. For a split-second, her pupils partially contracted into cat-like slits.
“Yes, me,” Salazzle answered. “Even if you get lucky with him, it’ll be me he’s imagining the whole while!”
Devontae pounded on the railing, yelling, “Aengus! She’s gonna lose her shit!!”
Koga grimaced uncomfortably and said, “Too far, Salazzle. Just use Flamethrower.”
Rarity screamed, “YOU—” and used a word that made Aengus’s and Devontae’s jaws both drop “—WHORE!!!”
She incomprehensibly roared as the ground burst all over, most of it under Salazzle, but close enough to Koga and Aengus from them both to fall back a number of steps. Salazzle was juggled by the bursting ground, spun around and tossed about like a toddler’s rag doll. She screamed out, not in ecstasy, or bogus excitement, but agony. Only unbridled pain. One last burst from below, and Salazzle tumbled back to the floor. Devontae blurted in a stunned, overwhelmed tone of voice, “Jesus....”
Salazzle could not move much, let alone stand up. A red splat came from her coughing. She lay on her side, twitching all over in no pattern whatsoever, staring vacantly with rapid, broken, small breaths. Blood oozed from her mouth in a slow, steady trickle. Despite the obvious defeat, Salazzle’s ball was not taking her back in. She murmured, “So thirsty...so...cold....”
Rarity approached. She looked different, although the furious shake to her remained. Her coat seemed a pale pastel blue. Both her mane and tail were no longer purple, but a cerulean and indigo, the specific shades seen in glacial ice. A freezing mist billowed behind her. Hoarfrost manifested around her feet with every step, slow to melt away. Aengus, Koga, and Devontae all stood in shock as Rarity continued her slow march up to Salazzle. Standing over her, Rarity looked down her nose upon her defeated opponent, her eyes viper-like in shape. Salazzle could not raise her head, but still twitched with blood coming out of her mouth at its unvarying, unhurried pace. Her pink markings, including the underside of her tail, were losing colour and quickly. Rarity coldly said, “What’s wrong? Out of smart comments?”
Salazzle’s glazed-over eye looked toward Rarity. A hidden door in the side of the room opened. Out rushed three men wearing teal surgical masks and gowns, two women dressed as nurses pushing a gurney with surgical equipment, and two Blisseys. Both of these Pokémon wore nurse’s caps. One carried an IV stand, and the other brought a clear plastic box holding quite a number of IV bags; many of them were blood. Rarity did not look over or acknowledge them in any way as she continued even icier, “Was that as good for you as it was for me?”
“Rarity...that’s enough. Go calm down,” Aengus said softly. His voice seemed hollow, disquieted, and disappointed. A click from her Pokéball, and Rarity suddenly found herself back in the round room.
Rarity muttered angrily and inaudibly to herself, pacing back and forth with the occasional louder syllable, or stomp; her eyes, however, had returned back to normal with round pupils, albeit livid. Hoarfrost became a rough, thin sheet of ice once she laid down enough layers. Feraligatr, Mismagius, and Salamence anxiously looked on from their pictures on the wall. After a moment, Feraligatr timidly offered, “You, uh...gonna be okay there, champ?”
Salamence looked upward, and said, “Duty calls.”
His picture disappeared. Rarity seemed not to notice as she continued as if she was uninterrupted, still fuming words to herself. Feraligatr and Mismagius looked at each other nervously. A moment later, Feraligatr sheepishly joshed, “There’s...something wrong with your mother? Well, I’m sorry to hear that, but—”
“Feraligatr, this is hardly the time for such nonsense!” Mismagius protested. “Rarity, what’s wrong?”
“Seriously, this is worrisome. Never seen anything of the like out of you,” Feraligatr said earnestly. “A joke to break the tension getting no response whatsoever is odd, and the ice is not a good addition. Mega Evolved Pokémon return as their regular selves, which tells me something else happened.”
Rarity still continued as she was. Another long awkward silence passed. Mismagius sadly said, “There’s nothing we can do to help you if you won’t talk, Rarity.”
The icy mist began to fade as her colouration slowly returned to normal. But she still paced a moment before huffing, “That little bitch. She got what she deserved.”
“Cussing is also a bad addition,” Feraligatr said with an uneasy grimace.
Mismagius frowned and said, “The world is overrun with little bitches. Which one did what?”
“That Pokémon Koga had, that Salazzle, trying to take Rapidash from me!” Rarity exploded.
“Trying to take him away...how? Did she use the move ‘Attract?’” Mismagius asked.
“Well, yes, but—”
“That’s it, then,” Mismagius interrupted. “I hate that move. I was at the receiving end once, and found myself fawning over a damn Jigglypuff! A Jigglypuff!! You know how idiotic they look? There’s nothing cute about them! What’s worse is that consciously, I knew I didn’t care for him at all, even emotionally I didn’t want a thing to do with him. Yet there I was, swaying back and forth like a twit over his stupid teal eyes.”
“Be that as it may, that doesn’t excuse her salacious remarks, or that she Prench kissed him in front of me! Stuck her tongue into his mouth before her lips reached him!” Rarity exploded again.
“Yuck,” said Mismagius queasily. “He’s gonna want mouthwash.”
“I should like to hope so!” Rarity said curtly.
“You said it’s Koga out there, right?” Feraligatr asked.
“Yes, why?”
Feraligatr shook his head. “He likes to mess with his opponents’ emotions, especially Pokémon.”
Salamence’s face appeared, looking quite pale with a streak of anger. Very flatly he asked, “Why, Rarity?”
Rarity cocked her head to one side as she asked, “Why...what?”
“Dude, really?” Feraligatr interjected. “You close a battle victoriously against one of the Elite Four, and you don’t tell us about it?”
“Fine,” grouched Salamence. “Mega Evolved, one-shotted a Mega Beedrill with Zen Headbutt, then one-shotted a Muk with Zen Headbutt as well. Satisfied?”
“And you got back in a snit too. Just what’s Koga doing out there?” Feraligatr asked.
“Not him. Her. Rarity,” Salamence pressed.
Mismagius said, “She was just explaining to us how some Pokémon Koga used tried to take Rapidash away from her, but she didn’t know how the move Attract works.”
“A broken heart is no justification!!” Salamence yelled.
Feraligatr slowly turned. Suspiciously he said, “That tone worries me. When you said this Salazzle ‘got what she deserved,’ what did you do?”
Rarity frowned, taking a step back. She said, “I let her have it. Popped her good.”
“You did way more than ‘pop her good,’ Rarity!” Salamence spat.
“Not that we’re gonna find out more right now,” Feraligatr grumbled as a light flashed over Rarity’s head.
{Gotta get your head back in the game.}
A moment later Rarity found herself back in the regular world. There stood Aengus, tending to his in-ball Pokémon with the array of healing items he kept on-hand. With a sigh she stood beside him, and said, “I apologise for my outburst earlier.”
Aengus turned and gave her a long hard look. Still silent, he resumed healing the rest of his party. Her ears flattened as her face and shoulders drooped. After another moment, she sadly asked, “Is there anything I can do?”
“Keep your head on straight, like I said,” Aengus snapped as he stood up. “I had concerns, wondering if I could keep my own emotions in check, but it seems the one I was hoping to keep me levelheaded was the one that needed to be watched. I should have tried to do some more to warn you about that move, but the point remains, what you did was way too much.”
“You’re right,” Rarity sighed as she turned back. “I should go apologise to Koga.”
“No!” Aengus urged, pulling her away from the door to the previous room. “Don’t get near Koga ever again, for your own safety.”
Rarity shot him a perplexed face. She stood there, mulling it over for the better part of a half-minute. Then her eyes widened as she gasped. Still with fully-opened, unblinking eyes, she softly pleaded, “How bad did I hurt her?”
Aengus frowned. He hesitated, then said, “If you want, we’ll talk about it later, but right now I need you focus on the task at-hand, or ‘at-hoof’ if you’d rather.”
“Um....”
Aengus knelt down and held Rarity close. He said, “If it happens again, it happens. Don’t worry about it, because it happens from time to time. Don’t try to repeat it, obviously, but if it happens again, shake it off. Stay focused on the win. We’re almost done here.”
“Yes, of course,” she said, almost as a knee-jerk.
A worry sank deeply into her gut at the lack of direct answers about what occurred. There were not many possibilities here. One filled her with dread and guilt. But she had to bring her mind back into focus. Aengus stood up and led her down the hall. As they neared the door, he asked, “Are you going to be okay?”
“Whether I am or not, it’s a little late now,” Rarity answered. “You have a monkey to get off of your back.”
“Yeah,” he said grabbing the doorknob. “Hope you’re ready...Bruno....”
So...Rarity just, uh...lost her cool, to say the least. Yet Aengus doesn't seem too averse to her doing it again. 
For some, fierce competition brings out the very best in them. Others...the very worst. Looks like Aengus fell into the latter, and in one particular field, so did Rarity. This is gonna have some fallout...yeesh....
Secondary classic rock reference this time is from Foreigner. I keep wondering if folks have found or are just kinda "...meh" about the primary. Oh well.
Next week...Bruno. Aengus's nemesis. The one he could never beat. The one who set a fire in him to become better, albeit for the wrong reasons. Can Aengus finally beat him? Come by same time next week to find out! Thanks for reading. 
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Is Salazzle dead? I'm rather fond of the breed...
...Also, did Salazzle just rage Rarity into going Nightmare?
...only two words. Holy. Hell.
Two things come to mind.
Rarity lost it so bad she became Ice Queen.
She couldve used Diamond Storm.
But, this isnt a Warhammer 40k story.
Note to self: DO NOT take Rarity's man
The scary part is she held back!
Nightmarity was really OP in the comics and wasn't defeated through combat, only plot convenience. Than again she might have only a fraction of the nightmares' potential.
Kind of gives a whole new meaning to the old term; Hell hath no fury like a mare scorned.
...Poor Rarity
0_0 oh snap
gets scared and very protective over Bonnie the Salazzle
dont worry Bonnie the crazy Unicorn wont get you.
calls out Clyde the Toxapex and readies Baneful Bunker to protect Bonnie
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Well, uh...it doesn't look good for her...I don't think it's much of a spoiler to say the last any of them saw was the docs carting her off on the gurney, checking vitals, reporting them to each other, and administering crisis medication.
And very nearly, it would seem.
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Yeah....
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I figured with Twilight going all fiery when she loses her temper, Rarity seemed more apt to turn to ice.
And wow, I haven't thought about Warhammer in...long time. A real long time.
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Not sure; I'll have to reread those comics.
And...I honestly don't know if I'm thinking "poor [either of them]," to be frank. Both did things way in the wrong.
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...um, "Bonnie??"
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yeah i called my Salazzle for Bonnie and my Toxapex Clyde and they do great work together. (Bonnie & Clyde)
And a pokemon died. Though to be honest, she really did deserve quite a beating... though not necessarily death...
Never fuck with one of the strongest ponies in Equestria, 'cause you'll get the hoof... smashed all over your face...
If Koga pledged to destroy Rarity over the outcome of that battle, hence Aengus' sudden fear, or at least concern, telling her not to speak with him ever again I can only say to that... he certainly is a ninja this time around, though I highly doubt he'd maintain his status as member of the Elite 4 if he swore vengeance against anybody for a victory, even if said victory involved almost death of a Pokémon.
Rarity is a complete unknown, and to treat her as a regular Pokémon strikes me as rather foolish. She does not understand anything of this world, and hasn't learned about every aspect. Salazzle also struck me as a bit more than the move required, in other words she acted far too much like a plot element than a Pokémon. I wouldn't have interpreted this for a Pokémon using the move attract, certainly not acting the way she does here.
Nice chapter overall with a bit of food for thought, personally I fear that things will not go well from here on out, regardless of the outcome. Especially if Koga stalks them both back to The Great Marsh.
That Salazzle deserved that. One thing is psychological warfare, other is messing with ones emotions to the extreme and thinking that is either fine or fun. Koga, go to hell you dipshit ninja wanna be.
What are you talking about?
Noo! I didn't wait till author published all the chapters so I could take them all at once!
No, I have no idea what are you talking about!