• Published 24th Apr 2017
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Spike meets Mimikyu - Zephyr Spark



While walking through the Everfree Forest, Spike comes across a ghost who needs a friend. But being near this ghost could kill him and all dragons.

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Chapter 7 Evolution

Garble opened a single eye. The room was empty. He could still smell that pony keeping watch at the front entrance. He could not squeeze through the tiny window and escape. He would have to confront her. A thought stopped him. He had no idea what this mare could do. If she had magic like that alicorn, she might overwhelm him. He knew nothing about her, so a direct confrontation would be reckless. He had to wait a bit longer. Then, he heard a second sound. Delicate feet rushed across the hospital wings like a racing shadow. The footsteps faded, replaced with the sound of hooves. Something was off. Something that didn’t belong was crawling through the hospital. The watch mare must have sensed the disturbance, for she rose to her hooves and went to investigate. When the sound of her hooves faded down the hallway, Garble slipped out of bed and grabbed the bottle of Roseli medicine left near his bed.

He sniffed the air for traces of Roseli medicine and found a waft trailing out of his room into the hallway. Sticking to the shadows, he snuck across the tiles towards the medicine cabinet. His nose led him past several patient rooms into the offices, where doctors and nurses sat during the night shift. A yellow mare yawned, but soon returned to her papers. Focused on their work, none of doctors or nurses spared him a glance as he peered in through the door. Garble’s nostrils twitched. The medicine was through the offices and down the hallway. He just had to find a way past these ponies. Already, a plan formed in his mind. He retreated out of the offices, back down the hallway where he came until he found a waiting room, full of sofas, chairs, books for fillies, but not a single pony waiting for treatment. He opened his mouth, and set it all on fire.

A floorboard creaked in the Apple Family house, as a small brown figure tiptoed across the wooden planks. He held out his free hand to grope his way in the darkness, avoiding a hard oak desk and Winona, lying asleep in her doggy bed. The family dog opened a curious eye. At the sight of Boney, she drifted back to sleep. Boney came to a closed window, where dim moonlight pierced the home, and traced his hand across the wall. His stubby legs took him towards where he remembered seeing the door this morning.

His hand found a familiar crack where the wall merged with the door. He reached for the silver doorknob, which mocked Boney, a foot out of his grasp. He extended his bone club to the knob, and tried to maneuver the club to turn the door. Marrow scratched on steel. Boney’s club kept slipping, and the door remained shut, aggravating him. Winona yawned, unable to sleep with the ruckus and walked over to him. She showed him the doggy door that she normally used, helped him out, and returned to her sleep.

Blades of needle grass pricked Boney’s feet, yellow insects jumped away where his feet touched the grass. Crickets hummed an eloquent chorus, a staccato pattern of chirps layered on a long buzzing bass. The shadows of apple trees hung against the sprinkling stars like phantoms on the edge of candlelight. Brisk wind chilled his body, but could not penetrate his mother’s skull. Boney walked past Sweet Apple Acres towards a hill, protruding on the outskirts of the farm. He climbed over an ivy patch, brushing away burs from his soil hide as he took each step through the ragged grass. The mourner reached the base of the mountain and walked. Each step hammered his heart as he chased the ghost he could never reach.

His mother seemed so distant now. Even as she sparked to life in his memories, her rebirth was artificial and transitory. His memories of her were sensations that could only live in his heart. Mother died. All he had now was memory of mother, where she ghosted, not alive but yet not dead.

He straggled to the top of the hill and climbed upon a gray, jagged boulder to move closer to the starry heaven. His eyes filled with blazing tears of ice. His mouth opened and unleashed wails into the sky. He whined and sobbed, unable to stem his anguish. It was now two years since mom died. It felt like eternity. He railed against the stars, begging for his mother’s return. They blinked and shimmered. The stars cared nothing of earth, nothing of his pain. He cried against the injustice, the cruelty of the world.

He felt a pair of hooves wrapped around his chest. Boney heard Applejack’s voice. She whispered words of comfort into his stricken heart. She stroked his head and held him like his mom once did. They did not move, even after Boney lost his strength to shed another tear.

“Boney, I want to show ya something,” Applejack hoisted Boney onto her back and led him down the hill.

She walked into Sweet Apple Acres where the apple trees seemed to sleep like weary birds. Her face set in iron, Applejack sauntered into the deepest edge of the Apple Farm with a flashlight in hoof. Boney glanced around as the mare came to a pair of apple trees, carved with initials within a heart. The trees extended feet beyond every other tree, with brilliant leaves of green. At the base, Boney saw a flower bouquet next to a framed picture of two ponies. Applejack bowed before the pictures with a slight nodding gesture. She absentmindedly reached for her hat, only to remember she left it at home. She gestured to the trees, nodding with her chin.

“This here was my parents’ favorite part of the farm. They loved to just come out here and watch the sunrise through the trees,” she wore a faint smile, lined with creases of heartache. “They carved their initials into these trees, took naps by these trees, and had picnics here. Granny told me ma loved the way that they turned orange and red in the fall, like nature’s fireworks. Pa said these trees were older than every other one on this farm.

“Well, it was a special place for all of us.” The orange mare’s smile faded like a wilting flower, “Until ma and pa died.”

Boney stared at the photograph set between the trunks of the twin trees, fresh tears forming along his eyes.

“Since then, we only visit once or twice a year. It was just too hard on all of us. For the longest time, I didn’t believe they were gone. I thought maybe they’d come the next morning or that they were on an extended business trip and couldn’t come home yet. It just didn’t seem fair. That the world could just take away my parents and I couldn’t do a thing about it,” she knelt before the photograph. Boney slid off her back and placed a hand on her course orange fur. She glanced at him and found a smile, “Thanks. To be honest, I don’t think anyone in the family’s gotten over it. I’m not sure we ever will. Luckily, we have each other. We can smile and laugh because we’re a family. I just want ya to know that you’re never alone. Everyone in Ponyville, specially us Apples are your family.”

Applejack could not read Boney’s expression through his skull mask or dark eyes in the night. His eyes still brimmed with tears, but they seemed softer somehow. Her gesture of kindness struck him, as he nestled his face into her fur. Applejack patted his head, stroked his spine with her hoof. They sat beneath the twin trees, together.

An alarm blurred from Ponyville, interrupting their revelry. She recognized the hospital siren. Her heart throbbed. Ember was there. The farm pony jumped to her hooves and bolted towards town. Boney raced to her side and leapt onto her back, clutching her yellow mane with his free hand. The demons of the past evaporated as the present went into flame.

Rainbow Dash and the pegasai rounded up storm clouds over the hospital. They hammered the clouds with their hooves, unleashing a torrent of rain onto the fire. The flames raced across the hospital, smog poured out of the windows into the pegasai’s eyes. They learned to cover their faces or risk filling their lungs with chalky smoke. Rainbow Dash glanced around and counted the patients lined around the grass. She saw Ember lying on a stretcher beside Starlight. The pink unicorn’s fur was smirched with black dust, but she refused any doctor’s attention and insisted they focus on the patients. Rainbow Dash was certain most of the nurses, patients, and doctors escaped the fire but she couldn’t shake a nagging feeling that someone was missing.

Before the fire broke out, Starlight went to investigate a strange sound in the hallway. She found a pony she could not recognize with a short, bushy black tail. When she asked who he was, the colt did not respond and took a few steps away. She noticed a bleeding cut running along his leg, and realized he was hurt. After some coaxing, he allowed her to coat his cut in antiseptic and bandage the injury. Finally, he trusted her enough to shed his disguise. The hospital went up in smoke around them. Starlight now cradled a black, furry fox with red accents to her chest as he coughed. His black tuft of chest fur shook with his coughs, but his eyes opened to see the concerned mare. He felt the heat of flames against his fur and saw the building, blazing with fire. He met Starlight’s eyes. He craned his neck towards her chin, and gave her face a single gentle lick.

By now, much of Ponyville gathered around the building. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle were having a sleep over at Carousel Boutique with their new friends, when they heard the siren. Applebloom’s dog Pyro, stood before the flames. A thought crossed her mind. When she asked what he could do, Pyro breathed a trail of fire like a dragon. If he could breathe fire like a dragon, then maybe he could resist heat as well. Rainbow Dash called to the ground below, demanding where was Nurse Redheart. No pony could answer, but Applebloom had a suspicion she was still inside.

“Pyro,” she called above the confused yelling and screams. The dog snapped to attention at her voice. “Can fire hurt you?”

Pyro tilted his head, perplexed by the question. He shook his head, prompting Applebloom to ask further.

“Could you get in there and rescue Nurse Redheart?” She meant to ask whether Pyro was capable of this feat, but Pyro took the question as a command. He leapt past lines of ponies blocking the hospital and bolted headfirst into the cackling flames.

Even as Applebloom cried, begging him to come back, Pyro faded like a shadow into the flames. She stared at the hospital, worried that she sent her friend to his death. Five minutes passed that seemed like eternity to Applebloom as the inferno spiraled into a frenzy, despite Dash’s efforts. The west wing burst in a fireball explosion, knocking several pegasai off their clouds. Tears rolled down Applebloom’s face. A mare pointed to the entrance where Pyro leapt in, as a shadowed figure rushed forward. Splitting through the wall of fire, the orange dog rushed into the open with a soot-covered Nurse Redheart holding onto his flank. Paramedics intercepted the nurse and hooked her onto a machine. Pyro returned to Applebloom’s side. His orange fur seemed brighter than before, his eyes cackling with energy. He studied his partner’s tears, wondering why she was not pleased.

“Don’t ever do something like that again,” Applebloom embraced him, “I thought I lost you.”

Pyro licked her face, replacing her tears with slobber. She laughed, glad her friend survived. His body radiated heat like an oven, and with each second, that heat intensified. His body became engulfed in a white light, startling several bystanders. Pyro bathed in those flames, touched several bricks blazing with fire. His body absorbed enough fire to grow. Applebloom staggered back, as Pyro’s body stretched within the blinding light. His tail became longer, tufts of fur grew alongside his knees and ankles. His round muzzle narrowed and a yellow fur burst around his neck, forming a lion’s mane. His size doubled, and he now stood two feet above Applebloom. When the light vanished from his body, Applebloom could hardly recognize the stranger in front of her.

Garble cursed as he fumbled with the saddlebag that he stole from the hospital office. He filled the bag with that medicine before rushing out of the hospital, but he couldn’t figure out how to put this on his back. The straps were too small for him. They couldn’t even fit over his wings. He grumbled, deciding to carry it in one hand. He had to move. Now. After a quick hop, he flapped his wings and rose into the air. An object came whistling straight at him. His vision flared red. An unexplained pain clawed onto his left temple. Disoriented, Garble screamed as he tumbled to the ground.

Boney caught his bone club as it returned to his hand. His boomerang move found its mark and nailed that dragon. The crimson lizard caught his eye as Applejack raced to the hospital. Bent on reaching the hospital, she did not seem to notice the dragon or Boney’s tugging her mane. So, he threw his club at the dragon’s dumb, ugly snout. Applejack finally noticed Garble when he cried out in pain. She stopped running to the hospital and squinted through the darkness, struggling to discern who screamed. Boney tugged her mane. Using his bone club, he pointed to where the dragon had fallen. Cautiously, Applejack made her way to the place. She saw an unfamiliar red dragon, rubbing a green bruise on his head. Another dragon in Ponyville and a fire at the hospital? Applejack grimaced, that ain’t no coincidence.

“Who’re ya?” She demanded. As the dragon turned towards her, she noticed the bag in his claws and recognized the bitter Roseli odor. “And what are ya doin’ with that medicine?”

The dragon rose to his full height, towering over Applejack and Boney. Applejack was certain he was about to attack them. A sinister flash twinkled across his eyes and he relaxed.

“My name is Garble. I’m taking this medicine back to dragons. I’m sure you don’t object to helping dragons?”

“That so?” She narrowed her eyes. That name sounded familiar, but she couldn’t recall where she heard it before. Something about this dragon rubbed her the wrong way. Applejack knew lying was never her strong suit but she could sure pin a liar a mile away. “Hope ya don’t mind waiting for Twilight’s a-okay.”

“That purple pony? She already said she’d give me the medicine.” Technically, that wasn’t a lie. Twilight did promise a fresh batch of medicine for dragons. “Now if you don’t mind, I need to get home before any more dragons die from the flu.”

“Hold on.” Applejack said. She had to stall him until some pony came to help and she could subdue this cretin. Garble had not seen Boney yet, but even with surprise, Garble was at least six times bigger. “I was hoping ya could help us. See the hospital’s on fire and we ponies can’t get though fire. Ya’ll could get any pony trapped in there.”

Garble didn’t have a good excuse to that, so he decided to end this conversation. He lunged like a cobra with his claws primed to shred the mare. His claws met thin air where she once stood. A force like a rockslide hammered his gut, sending him soaring through the air into the trees.

Applejack’s hind hooves scored a direct blow on the cumbersome dragon. As he soared through the air, she called to the town for help. Her call was cut short as Garble raced at her. Boney had fallen from her back when she dodged, but now he looked on as Applejack darted out of Garble’s grasp. He drew back his club ready to boomerang if the dragon came too close. Garble’s claws kept reaching for the mare, but Boney’s earlier attack left him too dazed to keep up. He had to end this now, before reinforcements arrived. He broke from his assault, and noticed the brown creature standing close by. That was the same creature this mare rescued from the yellow monster. A devilish grin flashed on his face. He knew how to win. They might be tough, but all ponies had one big weakness.

He darted at Applejack. As she clenched her haunches, readying herself to dodge, he altered his course, flying past the mare towards the brown toddler. Applejack tried to scream, to tell Boney to get out of the way. In an instant, Garble closed the gap and Boney had frozen. His fist sent Boney rocketing across the ground, screaming in pain.

“Boney, no!”

That’s it, Garble smirked, their weakness. As Boney struggled to his feet, Garble walked towards the sobbing mess, flashing his talons. Applejack charged headfirst at the dragon. When she was a few feet away, he turned around and sent another punch directly into her face. The mare toppled through the grass with a groan. But Garble had yet to repay the pain she gave him. Before she could move, he pulled her up by her mane. She struggled and shrieked, but Garble slammed her face into the ground with a cackle. He placed his foot onto the back of her head and shoved her into the dirt.

“This is where you ponies belong,” he twisted his foot, forcing another grunt of pain, “beneath my foot.”

Boney’s eyes watered as Garble tortured Applejack. He felt every blow Applejack suffered, every insult Garble thrust at her, and cried as he relived that terrible day. He couldn’t protect his mom from those bad men. Their leering faces haunted him, looming over his soul. No. Never again. Boney narrowed his eyes. His knuckles whitened as he clenched his bone club. Summoning all of his strength, he wiped away his tears and charged at the dragon. He lost family once. He would not lose them again. His mom gave up her life to save him because she loved him. He could not let her sacrifice be in vain. He had to grow strong like she would have wanted so he could protect his loved ones, and—he leapt into the air—he had to live like she wanted him to. His body brimmed with a white light. Boney struck Garble with unfamiliar power he never knew, sending the dragon rolling.

Applejack blinked the dirt from her eyes and watched a light like the glow of a full moon engulf Boney. His body lengthened, stretching three times its normal length His bone club grew longer as well, green sparks ignited both ends into a violent flame. Boney’s light brown body was now a dark purple brown, and the skull on his head no longer had rough edges. The skull was sleek and streamlined. Boney twirled his bone torch in his hand and faced Garble, unafraid and no longer hampered with ghosts of the past. He decided to move forward. And kick this dragon’s butt.

Garble took a deep breath, expanding his chest. Boney did not move. The dragon opened his mouth and unleashed a fiery flood. Applejack watched in horror as the flames raced towards Boney. The bone club began spinning in his hands. Green fire tips blurred into a stream of light as he windmilled his club. Garble’s flames slammed into Boney’s spinning weapon with the force of ten stallions, but not even a spark broke through Boney’s club. He held against the torrent like mighty floodgate, unwavering and firm. Garble closed his mouth, so he could open his eyes and see why the mare was not screaming. Garble’s eyes gaped as the last trail of his flames passed over the grass, dying far from the mare. The fire belch left a trail of charred grass that stopped abruptly at Boney’s feet. The bone club ceased its hypnotic spin.

It soured out of Boney’s hands in a deadly curve. Garble’s vision flashed red and he fell. The impact sent him rolling across the ground, scraping through the dirt and the grass. As he rose to his feet, he heard an object whistling through the air. Even as he turned around, the bone club mauled him, knocking him down, and soared back to Boney’s hand. Boney had closed the distance between himself and Garble. The red dragon raised his hands in front of his body, a feeble attempt to ward off Boney’s wrath. Blazing like ocean’s abyss of murky unknown, the tips of the bone club arced in a deadly pattern. He hammered Garble with unworldly energy, scarring his scales with ghost fire. The dragon crumpled. Garble realized something. This creature forced him into a place where he had never thought any living being could force a dragon. He was scared he would die.

The next blow cracked Garble’s ribs, forcing him to his knees. The attacks became more painful. Whatever that club did, it made him feel weaker. If he didn’t stop it, he would die. Garble’s eyes narrowed—a plan forming in his mind. Boney smacked Garble once again, driving him to the ground. As the club descended to break his skull, Garble’s hand shot forward. He caught the club inches from his face. Boney’s eyes widened, as Garble’s face twisted into a smirk. He extended his wings and raced into the air, carrying Boney with him. He soured above the clouds, prepared to throw this beast down to the earth. Boney fumed at Garble’s insolence. How dare this monster threaten his family and then grab his bone? His rage fueled his ghastly fire, bursting into a violent explosion of flames. Garble screamed as the fire burned through his scales, and dropped Boney. The orange mare raced to intercept Boney from his fall.

Garble dived to the earth, soaring past Boney and his club. He stretched out his claws. In a single motion, he plucked the medicine bag off the ground and rose into the air, above the treetops then above the night clouds and then out of Ponyville. His body felt like a twisted mess of flesh and pain. Though it was far from the pain of the fairy flu, Boney’s attacks pierced his hide and bruised him. He had what he came for. That was all that mattered.

Applejack caught Boney on a soft patch of grass. Her side ached and her head felt close to exploding. As her sides heaved, she took a closer look at Boney. She could no longer find that cute crybaby that clung to her hoof. He looked fierce. His posture reflected a solemn knight, his eyes narrow and mouth closed firm. He did not grip his bone like a teddy bear, but held it with a warrior air. Applejack realized Boney was stronger. Part of her feared this newfound strength, wondering if he would have ended Garble’s life if given the chance.

“How’d ya get so big?” Applejack mumbled, still pinned under Boney’s weight. He rolled off her, and helped her stand. He regarded her with unwavering devotion. “Did ya get stronger to protect me?” Boney nodded his head, never taking his eyes off her injuries. Ponies were racing towards them from the hospital, whose fire was at last smothered under rain clouds. Applejack pushed aside her fears, and touched her nose to Boney’s skull forehead. He hummed, with an appreciation the mare recognized from his crybaby days. He was still Boney. That’s all that mattered. Applejack and Boney walked towards the crowd, supporting each other with every step they took together.

Matchstick sharpened his hunk of iron between his jagged teeth, grinding the edges into a blade. His lonely vigil left him numb with chills. Crafting a dagger kept him alert as he waited for his replacement. Hundreds of dragons rested at their campsite, finding comfortable patches of grass. They had to move slowly, ensuring no pony caught sight of the horde crossing the sea. When they arrived, Boiler explained Garble infiltrated the pony village. He told them everything Garble had witnessed, including the dragon killer. Now, they all waited for his return. Matchstick shaded his eyes as the sun began to rise over the forest.

A giant red bird flew towards their camp, shaking in its path. The bird came closer and Matchstick recognized Garble, blistered and bruised. He sounded the alarm and dragons rose to their weary feet. Garble soared down into their midst, and made an awkward landing. He staggered forward and almost tripped. Every dragon asked him a thousand questions, what happened to him, where was the dragon-killer, had ponies hurt Ember? When he caught his breath, he lifted his hand into the air, demanding their silence.

“My fellow dragons,” he exclaimed as a hush fell onto the crowd. “I have come from Ponyville with medicine.” He hoisted the bag above his head, and then placed it onto the ground. Dragons gasped and marveled at Garble’s bravery. “Having been in the Pony village, I can confirm it. The virus reeking havoc on our species comes from this town. They decided to shelter a being with powers lethal to all dragons, one that has spread disease across Equestria, even to Princess Ember. They mayor herself welcomed this monster into their town, knowing it’s a dragon killer. This all begs a question. Why haven’t they told us?

Dragons muttered as Garble gazed at them, “Didn’t Ember form an alliance with these ponies? Didn’t she personally befriend their princess? Why then have they withheld the source of our illness? And why have they not contacted us to say they have a cure? The answer is simple but too dreadful to imagine. They wish to control us. With this monster, they could wipe out all dragons. They could threaten to withhold this medicine if we ever refuse their demands. They could force our children and grandchildren into slavery, using their monster to keep us in check.”

A murmur of suspicion circled through the dragons. They had little reason to trust Garble, but they could feel the flu intensify in their veins as they came closer to Ponyville. Garble let his words sink in.

“We all look to Princess Ember for order. And she has led our kind well. But she has not lifted a claw against the monster. While Boiler and I studied this beast to learn its weaknesses, she let the ponies keep it, and spoon-feed her medicine. Has she demanded medicine be sent back to dragons immediately? Well, did any of you have this medicine before today?”

Several dragons muttered no, prompting Garble to spread his hands, “She insists we can work together with ponies, but I ask you, how can we be equals when they hold the virus and the cure? Ember’s love for ponies blinds her to our suffering. And this is only the beginning. With each passing day, the ponies bring in more monsters with the power of a thousand dragons. One of them did this to me,” he gestured to his injuries, “when I tried to escape with the cure. One of their own creatures throttled me for trying to save our race. Have you seen Ember risking her life for you like this? No. Because she cares more about ponies than for us. She made this journey across the sea, and my friends and I followed her, worried for her wellbeing. Upon reaching Ponyville, she was not beaten and bruised like I was. She was welcomed like an old friend. Why? Ponies knew she is Dragon Lord, capable of ordering dragons to assault their village and give up the monster. But she did not. She chose to come here alone, without telling a soul. Can any of you trust a Dragon Lord who goes behind your backs? Who throws away your lives to keep ponies happy? Or,” his voice thundered to the skies, “who conspires with ponies against her own kind?”

The dragons went into frenzy. Half called Garble insane, and insisted Ember would never betray them. The other half gnashed their teeth, speaking words of insults to their traitor. Garble’s voice rose among the horde.

“Ponies would welcome the dragon who would sell her own kind into slavery. They would grant her the medicine. But a dragon like me who wanted only to save his own?” Garble thrust out his chest, revealing patches of bare skin where scales had peeled and green bruises and blisters marred his red hide. “They fed me lies that they would give us the medicine, and it would take time to make more, instead of working with haste to produce even more. They used one of their beasts to keep me from returning with the cure. I was fortunate enough to escape, but had my wings failed, their beasts could have torn me to shreds. Why did Ember not rush to my aid? Why did my cries for help fall deaf on her ears? She does not care for us. Worse still, she lost the Bloodstone Scepter to a pack of timber wolves.”

Dragons bellowed with rage and confusion. The Bloodstone Scepter was single most important relic of dragon kind. To lose it meant they had no ruler.

“You may say it was an accident, but there are ponies who can tame wild beasts. They already have a dozen monsters in their town. Who is to say they could not tame the wolves and find that scepter? Then, they could control our will, robbing us of our freedom. Or they could appoint a new Dragon Lord who would bend to their every whim, who would allow the dragon-slaying beasts to run rampant through Equestria, who has never been one of us or had any loyalty to dragons. Spike.

“We stand at perhaps the most important moment in all dragon history. What we do now will decide whether dragons will continue to fly through Equestria, or become fossils in the ground. Either we lie down, wait for Ember to decide where her loyalties lie, and let them assemble an army, use their medicine to control us, and allow our race to become slaves. From then, who knows what could happen? Dragons may become extinct. Perhaps, we will become relics of the past. Perhaps, they will work our species to death, clip our wings, muzzle us, plunder more of our already limited gemstones. Or we rise up and meet this challenge, assemble an army of our own, take down the source of the virus, retrieve the scepter, and appoint a Dragon Lord who cares for his people first. Then, we take back everything they took from us. Our health, our treasures, our land, our country. We take back Equestria, and show the world that ponies will never control dragons. We remind them that we are the rulers of this world, that they can not decide our future!”

Every dragon raised their fist and belched flames in a sign of solidarity. Garble copied their gestures and descended into the crowd, barking orders. He found Matchstick and put his clawed hand on his shoulder.

“Thank you, my friend,” he said, loud enough to be heard by all. “You got all the dragons ready to fight.”

“I just brought them here. You’re the one who’ll lead us to victory.”

“Yeah,” Boiler made his way to the two dragons through the throng. “You’ve been risking your life for all of us. Without you, we wouldn’t even have known about this.” A chorus of dragons chimed in their agreement, vowing their support to Garble.

“Come my friends,” he said, “we have to move quickly.”

“What are your orders?” Boiler asked.

“If we want to beat their army of beasts, we need to make our own. We need to build a horde bigger and better than theirs. Those ponies know how to capture those things. Whenever they go out, follow them. Let them subdue the monster, then rush in and take it. Give it some food and it should follow you. At least, that’s what I’ve seen. They’re probably hiding out everywhere, waiting for someone to come feed them. We’ll need to know about the beasts those ponies have; their strengths, weaknesses, and that stuff if we want to beat them. So we'll have to send spies to monitor them.”

“We’ve already been building iron and steel weapons for the dragon-killer,” Matchstick showed Garble his iron dagger and pointed to a line of dragons crafting steel shields and tools. “Boiler said you think the dragon-killer is weak against steel.” Garble nodded.

“Well done,” Garble said to every dragon. “Now let’s get to work. This is a new dawn for our kind.”

“Is everything alright, sister?” Princess Luna asked when she noticed the concerned expression on her face after raising the sun.

“I’m afraid not,” Princess Celestia turned to her sister. Dribbles of sweat dotted her face. Her breaths escaped in ragged pants, as she moved to her sister who reached out to support Celestia. She said, “For the first time in centuries, raising the sun was difficult. I don’t understand.”

Luna placed a hoof on Celestia’s forehead and pursed her lips, “It’s not a fever. Have you been sleeping?” The white alicorn nodded, as Luna guided her to a chair. Luna ordered a servant to find a doctor and a glass of water.

“Something is wrong,” Celestia muttered. “It’s like the world is out of balance.”

“Come now, sister,” Luna patted Celestia’s shoulder, “you’ve just been working yourself too hard. A day or two off and you’ll feel good as new.”

“Luna, this is serious,” Celestia turned to Luna, her face rank with uncertainty. “We must get to the bottom of this right away.”

“We will. First, just rest a bit. I will contact Twilight Sparkle.”

Hooves beat on royal floor tiles as a mare raced through the castle. In the presence of royalty, one would obey customs but this mare had no time for such trivialities. She burst into the Princess’ chambers, startling both sisters with her wide-eyed, bewildered expression. Her mane coiled, her tail flicked. When she realized her grave breach of décor, her voice failed. She flushed red with embarrassment and made a hasty bow, bending her head to the ground. In her sudden movement, parchments slipped out from her saddlebag. Scrolls unraveled across the room, rolling away from her grasp. The yellow mare scrambled to retrieve her documents, causing more parchments to fall from her saddlebag. She felt her heart plummet as Royal Guards’ lips pinched into snickers, as they peered into the room to check out the commotion.

Blue aura surrounded the mare’s scrolls, levitating them all back into the mare’s saddlebag with calm precision. The mare hung her head, wishing she could fade away. Princess Luna smiled with immeasurable patience. The mare cleared her throat.

“Your highnesses,” she began. She curtsied both rulers and continued, “Ponies all over Equestria have been sending us reports of bizarre animals with strange powers haunting the world. Some have been benign, but others kidnap ponies, steal food, or attack ponies. Few magicians have the power to match them, and some can outspeed pegasai. Some of them fly, move on land, swim in the water, or walk through walls, which makes them difficult to capture and impossible to contain.”

“Write a letter to Twilight,” Princess Celestia said. The mare drew a blank parchment and a pen. She transcribed every word the Princess dictated, and then handed the letter to her majesty. She rolled the paper into a scroll and bound it with her seal, and then she focused a yellow aura on the parchment. It disappeared, racing to Spike. She turned to the mare, “Thank you, Cotton Breeze. You have done well.”

The mare nodded. Her embarrassment began to fade, replaced by warm pride.

“Sister,” Luna frowned, her eyes studying her sister in thought, “do you think these creatures could have something to do with the imbalance you sensed?”

“I’m not sure. It can’t be a coincidence.”

A new letter popped into the air before Celestia and plopped into her lap. She unraveled Twilight’s message and read. A gasp escaped her lips, her pupils trembled as they traced over the words.

“What is it?” Luna asked, disturbed by Celestia’s silence.

“It would seem Twilight and her friends have encountered similar creatures in Ponyville. Thankfully, Mimi helped them bring down most of the threats. She says many of the creatures they fought have become their allies but,” her voice trailed off. "A dragon named Garble stole Roseli medicine. Zecora believes he took at least a month’s worth. Now, they only have enough for two or three weeks. And it would seem Dragon Lord Ember lost the Bloodstone Scepter.”

“Oh no,” Luna’s heart plummeted. “Did some other dragon take it?”

“No. It’s lost in Everfree.”

Luna sighed with relief, but then realized their situation was still problematic. Celestia read further down the letter. Luna noticed the edges of Celestia’s lips curve into a smile.

“Twilight believes these creatures can become friends, if a pony feeds them or protects them. Furthermore, she proposed a solution to the creature problem. She suggests sending her team and their partners to deal with these threats.”

“Fight creatures with creatures?”

“She believes the creatures are more adept at fighting their own kind. Given time, she believes she could deal with the creatures who threaten ponies. Oh, and she says they have a name. Fluttershy says that one of them called itself a Pokémon.”

“A Pokémon? Not a creature I’ve heard of.”

“That’s because they’re not of this world. According to Twilight, Daring Doo accidentally released them in a mirror located in the Temple of Alterum.”

They exchanged knowing glances.

Celestia turned to Cotton Breeze. She had forgotten herself in the excitement until the Princess focused her eyes on the mare. She straightened, awaiting her commands.

“Draw up a list of all the areas troubled by Pokémon. Give whatever information of the Pokémon that others have observed: appearances, abilities, preferred targets, and so forth. I want the full list on my desk as soon as possible.”

“Yes, your highness,” Cotton Breeze bowed and rushed out the door, careful not to scatter her scrolls once more.

Princess Celestia’s brow furrowed, an oncoming storm on her face to the oncoming storm in her kingdom.

“What?!” Rainbow Dash slammed her face with both her hooves, exasperated beyond measure. “No, no, no! It’s not fair! Why does everybody have a partner but me?”

“I’m sorry, Dash,” Starlight ran her hoof down her black fox’s spine, eliciting a delightful mewl. “I just ran into Foxy in the hospital. Ever since I helped him, he hasn’t left my side.”

“So if I just stayed at that stupid hospital, I could have been the one with a partner?” Dash pouted, “Why does the universe hate me?”

“The universe doesn’t ‘hate’ anyone, Dash,” facing away from the pegasus towards the makeshift obstacle course, Twilight rolled her eyes. “You’re already the fastest mare in Equestria. You don’t need a partner.”

“You kidding?” Dash exclaimed, “You’re a flipping alicorn and you got a partner.”

Eevee stood by Twilight’s side, but glanced over his shoulder to cast an unimpressed, narrow eyed expression at the noisy, stinky pegasus. She had yet to name her new friend. In all the commotion of the previous day, she simply did not have the time. She decided not to feed Dash’s childish outbursts. Twilight turned to address the ponies and their Pokémon friends. Her words caught in her throat as she counted the heads.

“Where’re Bulk and Brawn? Matter of fact, where’re AJ and Boney? Or Applebloom and Pyro?”

“Bulk’s probably doing a morning run or stretch with Brawn before we start.” Fluttershy suggested. “The Apples had to finish their harvest.”

“Any idea when they’ll be here?”

Fluttershy was about to shake her head, but imagined when they would arrive. Her bottom lip pressed into her upper lip. She shrugged, “Maybe, five or ten minutes?”

“Um excuse me?” Sweetie Belle raised her hoof. Buttercup rested on her back, nuzzling her sweet, soft mane. Twilight nodded to Sweeetie. “I still don’t understand what we’re all doing here.”

“I’ll explain once Bulk and the Apples get here,” Twilight said. “I’d rather not go through the same explanation twice.”

“Okay, then,” Sweetie Belle sighed. “Can you at least tell me what happened last night?” Twilight started to recount Garble’s escape when Sweetie interrupted her, “No, I meant what happened to Boney and Pyro? Everyone says they got soaked by this bright light and then they changed.”

“That’s what I’m here to talk about.”

At last, the Apples marched into view, followed by their fiery partners. Rainbow Dash stared at the blazing orange dog that stood taller than Applebloom. Scootaloo glanced at Applebloom and Pyro for a moment, then cast her gaze back to Carp. Spike could have sworn he saw Mimi tense at the sight of Boney’s new form. The Apples joined the group. Applejack was still battered from last night, but Nurse Redheart and her newest pink partner Nurse Heart remedied the serious injuries. Soon, two new figures broke out of the town and raced across the open field towards the group. They came to a screeching halt, sending up dust clouds in their wake. As the dust settled, Bulk stood back-to-back with Brawn. Pyro and Boney were not the only ones to change last night. Brawn grew at least a foot and now wore a yellow belt on top of what looked like black briefs. His chest had expanded into chiseled pictorials, his face became more draconic with sharp teeth. His arms bore long parallel red lines that broke between his biceps and triceps.

“Thank you for coming,” Twilight said. “Princess Celestia sent me a letter. Some Pokémon are causing trouble in Equestria. I asked Princess Celestia to let us use our partners to stop them. To better our chances of success, I believe we need to help our partners grow. Pyro, Boney, Buttercup, and Brawn all changed into new forms, granting them new powers and abilities. Boney was terrified of Garble. But when he changed, he easily beat him. If we want to better our chances of capturing the rogue Pokémon, I believe we must trigger the same change in our partners.”

“You’re saying our partners can get stronger?” Scootaloo stared at Twilight, twitching with uncontained excitement. “How?”

“The catalyst behind these changes may be different for each Pokémon, so I’m not 100% sure what’s causes change in each one.” Scootaloo’s shoulders sagged, the tips of her lips curled into a slight frown. “Fluttershy determined which Pokémon can, as Jack put it, ‘evolve:’ Eevee, Brawn, Foxy, Nurse Heart, and Karp. But none of these Pokémon know exactly what triggers their evolution. Our job is to train our partners. Exercise triggered the change in Brawn, so it stands to reason that training could cause more changes.”

Spike had his arms folded and his head turned down. A snore almost escaped his throat until Sweetie Belle poked his rib cage, startling him. All eyes turned to the embarrassed drake, who looked for a way out of his predicament. Sweetie Belle came to his rescue. She lifted her hoof and asked to speak.

“I think all Pokémon should do the training even if they can’t evolve.” She gestured to Mimi who clung to Spike’s side, a toddler to his parent, “Mimi’s been getting stronger because she’s had training. She learned moves that she didn’t know before meeting Spike.”

“Indeed,” Twilight nodded. “Everyone’s running the obstacle course and working at the gym.”

Every Pokémon lined up at the starting line. Before Dash could blow her whistle and start the race, Bulk fluttered down and stood next to Brawn. He flexed his legs, his hooves scraped the earth, ready to run.

“Bulk, what are you doing?” The pegasus already rankled that she was the only pony without a friend, felt a headache festering between her ears.

“We’re workout buddies!” Bulk pounded his chest, “We get buff together! Yeah!”

“Let the stupid Pokémans or whatever do their run,” Dash’s caustic voice scathed every Pokémon except Karp. The crimson fish maintained a vacant-eyed expression. Pink fatty lips leaked salivating moisture. Rarity drew back her hoof, failing to mask her disgust behind a wall of impassivity.

“But Dash,” Scootaloo tugged her mentor’s fur, “shouldn’t teammates train together? You had a partner in flight academy, and for the Equestria Games you always make sure the team has training time together.”

“Well, yeah. But this is different,” Dash said. Scootaloo gave a tight-lipped, narrow-eyed expression with a single lifted brow that demanded an explanation. Dash opened her mouth but found her eyes glancing everywhere except at Scootaloo’s. Her eyes locked with Twilight. She pointed her pupils at Scootaloo before making eye contact again, asking Twilight to deal with her.

“Actually, Bulk might be on to something,” Spike’s index talon curled around his chin, his thumb reached towards his cheekbone. “Maybe, we could work better with our partners if we trained together. Mimi and I fought off those timber wolves because we trusted each other.” Mimi nodded, her bulbous head bobbing like a lure. Spike patted the top of her head, earning a delighted purr.

“And we could assist each other better should we have to fight,” Rarity said, though she cringed at the prospect of gross sweating. “Gem-eye needed my direction to hit a beast. He could need me again.”

“Boney helped me on the farm,” Applejack smiled. “We could buck more trees working together.”

“Sleepster and I could bake more yummy cupcakes together,” Pinkie Pie hopped in place.

“Well, I don’t like the idea of fighting,” Fluttershy rubbed her hooves together, her face edged down to the grass. She swallowed and moved her gaze back up, “But I would never forgive myself if Jack got hurt because I didn’t help him.”

“I don’t mind working with Pyro,” Applebloom said to Twilight, “specially if it’ll help us.”

“I agree,” Starlight ran her hoof across Foxy’s spine lined with stiff fur. “This should be a partnership, not a dictatorship.

“Alright,” Twilight nodded. “Then, it’s settled. Each of us will run the gauntlet with our partner. Whenever we train, we’ll do it together. I’ll start with Eevee. Then, we’ll take turns between running the gauntlet and the exercise list Dash and I wrote up.”

“If I’d known I was going to exercise, I would have brought some deodorant,” Spike’s flashed a sly, charming smile at the mares. Twilight rolled her eyes with a smile while a few mares chuckled. Dash harrumphed, saying those weirdoes could do whatever the heck they wanted and saying she didn’t care. Only Scootaloo seemed less than excited to run anything with her partner. The obstacle course she built was far shorter than this one, and Karp took an hour to get through. She wanted to go fast, outrunning her friends like Dash could. She hid her sigh from every pony. Hiding her emotions seemed to be the only thing Karp taught her to do.

Twilight and Eevee took their places at the starting line. Dash blew the whistle. Eevee bolted but realized Twilight set an intentionally slower pace. Eevee slowed down, letting Twilight overtake him. The pair jogged side-by-side, conserving their energy. A low wall loomed before them, but Twilight and Eevee both cleared the obstruction in one leap. The two landed on the other side and went to the stepping stone blocks. Two rows of two-foot tall black cube blocks lined the ground, spaced out between the next and the other row. Twilight balanced on the stones, alternating her left and right hooves with each step. Eevee could not stretch his legs across the gap, so he hopped from block to block in a zigzag pattern. He had to admit, Twilight kept them well paced. He still felt bounds of energy within his body. Grudging respect grew in his heart like a sapling that burst from the damp sod. As they crouched and walked through the dark tunnel, that grudging respect began to blossom into something more.

Rainbow Dash stamped her hoof, shaking the cheering onlookers out of their trance. “I didn’t say you could sit around and watch.” She jabbed her hoof at a pile of dumbbells, mats, and various exercising equipment. “Get your lazy flanks in gear and start working out.”

“Yeesh,” Spike extended his palms, warding off the pegasus, “We’re going, we’re going.” With that, every other pony and Pokémon trudged off, regretting their decision to appoint Dash as their coach.

The first sensation Daring Do awoke to was her aching ribs and agonizing injuries lining her body. Her eyes opened, taking in her surroundings. Everything was pitch black, but damp air indicated she was underground. She placed a hoof on the ground. Her leg spasmmed, trembling under her weight. Once both hooves were upright, her legs stood firm. She took a few cautious steps forward. She made it halfway through the room when her hind leg jerked back. She ran a hoof along her leg and realized she had a cuff, chaining her to the wall.

Her mind raced through everything that happened before waking up. She came back to the Temple of Alterum and found the mirror when, a gasp escaped her lungs as the memories returned. All her fears, every monster she ever encountered, seemed a distant happy memory in the wake of a simple word: Mewtwo.

“You’re awake,” the voice trickled through her mind like raindrops creating ripples on still water. A pair of triangular eyes brilliant with hostile blue aura pierced through the darkness. The nighmare’s familiar shape reappeared, outlined in the dark haze.

“Where have you taken me?” Daring Do thought the question a moment before she said it. Mewtwo tilted his head, a shell of a long-dead emotion resurfaced in his mind though it lost flavor. Amusement faded from his mind like the memories of dream fade into day. He was in no hurry to answer her question. The blue aura in his eyes sparked, brilliant stars in the night of the dungeon.

“What are you doing?” Daring Do squinted, unaccustomed to the sudden brightness. Mewtwo did not answer her question.

“Who are you?” The mare demanded, “What do you want with me?”

Daring Do grew furious, being treated as a prisoner. “Unchain me. Or are you too scared to fight me fair and square?”

The blue eyes flared, sending a thousand images through Do’s mind. Unwelcome needles of shadowed faces probed her body, electric currents surged through her being, reminding her that this existence was agony. She saw herself but it was not her. This Daring Do lost her mind, drooling a trail of liquid as her dull eyes peered into space. She saw another Do, pulling out her mane. Her pupils drowned in a sea of twisting crimson tree roots. Her screams tore her vocal cords apart. Her mouth foamed, as unintelligible sounds roared from her lips. A third Do joined the other two. She stood on her four hooves, neither brain dead or insane. But something was very wrong. Desperation and fear clouded her face. Her mouth trembled, tears streaked down her face. She uttered six words that chilled Do’s once bold heart. “Do you know who I am?” The sobbing Do grabbed Daring Do’s shoulders and shook her, spewing at her face, “What’s my name? Why can’t I remember my name?” The visions crawled towards her, wrapping their decaying flesh around her body, dragging her into a crimson ocean, swarming with countless Daring Do’s. Some had eyes with no pupils. Some had their mouths sewn shut or their wings chopped off, revealing the white bone. They moved towards her, chanting a bestial rhythm as they reached at her with outstretched hooves.

The visions popped away. Do was back in the dungeon, facing Mewtwo. She gasped, sweat trailing down her body as terrors shook her. She gazed into her oppressor’s shining blue eyes, with a fearfulness she had never known. He made his message clear. If he wanted to, he could reduce her to a sobbing, retching mess in a straightjacket. All he had to do was will it, and she could forget her own name. She felt red-hot liquid coursing down her face. A hoof rose to her chin. She had a dim notion that blood from the vision had seeped into reality. Instead, she found tears coursing down her cheeks. Her fear mutated, growing new limbs and head and changing into a new creature, a new emotion. She berated herself. How could she let this monster see her fear? Swallowing her apprehension, she rose to her hooves and faced him.

“No more parlor tricks,” Do whispered with voice tempered with iron over a forge. Mewtwo’s expression shifted, but the change was so slight it was practically unnoticeable. But to Do, that shift was unmistakable. He wasn’t used to having anyone talk back to him. For a split-second, he seemed unnerved. “Answer my questions.” The silence between them stretched into the fathomless darkness of the pit. A growing fear emerged in her mind that Mewtwo was about to destroy her.

The blue aura in his eyes flared once again. This time, Do saw the answers. They were in a dungeon beneath the Temple of Alterum. Mewtwo brought her here a day ago to extract information from her mind once she woke. He peered into her mind and saw everything: the nature of this world, its connection to the other dimensions, and Do’s friends. He saw that she knew her friends would come to rescue her and would end up confronting him. He recognized her unwavering confidence that they would never let Mewtwo keep her imprisoned. And he learned that they would keep coming, and keep fighting until they beat him. With their magic, elements of harmony, and friendship, they could banish him to Tartarus or wipe him off the face of Equestria as they did Nightmare Moon, Discord, Sombra, Tirek, Chrysalis, and so many other foes. Mewtwo left Daring Do in the dungeon, with the vision of her fate if she tried to fight him. Her screams echoed through the pit, piercing the ruins.

As the screams faded, Mewtwo stood on top of the temple spire. His next move seemed uncertain. Any preemptive strike could fail without a deeper understanding of this world’s power. But if he waited, those seven mares would come for Daring Do. Did he stand any chance against magic capable of petrifying a world-bender like Discord? Even if he could defeat them, he would then have to confront two demigods who lifted the sun and moon every day. A lone frontal assault was suicide. Waiting only delayed the inevitable conflict. A world of his own. Where Pokémon no longer suffered barbarous experiments. Where he could live in isolation, and slip into nothingness. No matter what he decided to do, the world he desired would remain a mirage, fading the moment he came to close as it taunted him.

He closed his eyes, surrendering to the morning breeze. He felt nothing where he should have felt pleasure at the brisk morning. His mind stretched beyond the mountain, casting a brief glance at the nature of the kingdom below. The frown on his face deepened. He sensed an imbalance plaguing the world centered on every Pokémon. The imbalance spread through the trees, into the clouds, and through the oceans, blazing a path of wildfire across the beautiful land. He felt nothing where he should have felt sadness or concern. The fires dimmed as he opened his eyes. For now, he decided he would wait. He surrendered his mutilated, broken heart to the open sky.

Sploosh! Karp plummeted into the muddy ground from atop the balancing bridge for the tenth, painful time. Scootaloo swore everyone snickered behind her back. She shouted her best encouragement to Karp, though much of it felt half-hearted. When she said “You can do it,” she wondered if she was trying to convince Karp or herself. The two of them were the last pair sent to the obstacle course for a good reason. Already, the two of them had been stumbling through the trials for the past hour long after most ponies finished the course in ten to fifteen minutes. Karp flopped across the mud towards the bridge starting point in his usual snail pace. She glanced at the other Pokémon, engaged with their partners in other exercises.

Eevee had evolved into a catlike creature covered with fine, lilac fur that matched Twilight’s fur. He had a red gem on the center of his forehead and dainty, slender legs. After his transformation, Twilight named him Wiz for his ability to lift objects like a wizard. Wiz was so overjoyed at his new form that he tackled Twilight, nuzzling his head into her chest. He was so pleased to have the form he wanted, the form of his mother and the likeness of his partner. Wiz and Twilight lifted boulders in their magical auras, testing his new abilities. He was not the only one to evolve. Foxy became a bipedal grey wolf with a long red mane resembling a ponytail, a tuft of darker, sharp fur lining his chest, a dark menacing crimson accents beneath his light blue eyes, and wicked red claws tipping his hands and feet. He looked like a scary werewolf, ready to destroy any foe who threatened his partner. Starlight launched magical blasts at him, but he nimbly avoided each one. Grins plastered their faces as they tested their limits, eager to push each other to new heights.

Sploosh! The sound of Karp falling off the bridge once again wrenched Scootaloo from her thoughts. She slumped further into the suspended bridge, feeling heat stain her red cheeks as she waited for the fish to at least reach her side. At least her friends had the common decency not to laugh. She noticed Spike and Mimi pacing by the obstacle course entrance.

“Hey, Scoots,” Dash flapped her wings to suspend in the air. “Not to be rude, but other ponies need to use the obstacle course too.”

“I know. Just give us a sec.”

“You’ve been here an hour.”

“I’m trying to get Karp to evolve. Twilight said he could.”

Rainbow Dash’s mouth twisted into a pained frown, “Listen, kid. No evolution will change what he is. He can’t move a foot without flopping around and he doesn’t have any moves. We need to focus our training on Pokémon who can become real fighters like Mimi or Boney.”

“You don’t know what he’ll become,” Scootaloo protested.

“No, I don’t,” Dash’s agreement surprised Scootaloo. The orange pegasus wondered if Dash was about to turn to her side. Dash’s ears twitched. Her eyes darted into the sky. Scootaloo was about to ask what Dash was listening to, when she heard it herself. The sound of wind screaming as a creature tore through the sky. It reminded Scootaloo of the sound Dash made when breaking the sound barriers to perform a Sonic Rainboom.

Rarity shouted a warning—too late. A blur swooped past the pegasai and plucked Karp off the ground. The poor fish floundered in the talons of a giant bird with a streaking yellow and red mane. Scootaloo froze. She wanted to rush after her friend, but her hooves would not move. The bird soared into the cloud, carrying away Karp. A violet aura surrounded it. Twilight brought the struggling bird back to the ground. Wiz unleashed a blast of psychic energy, freeing Karp from the razor talons. Scootaloo snapped out of her terror and grabbed her friend. The bird managed to flap its powerful wings. Everything went soaring into the air. Twilight’s magical grip on the bird slipped, allowing it to flap its wings once again. The gust sent every pony and Pokémon flying before a crushing return to the ground. Rarity recognized the bird that attacked Buttercup when she and Sweetie went out gem hunting. She never dreamed it would be so bold to come here. His eyes darted right past her to the orange pegasus, clutching his dinner.

With a shrill cry, he lunged with his claws extended at Magikarp. Before he saw her, Rainbow Dash leapt in between them and bolted straight into his chest. Her wings pumped like a machine, sending them both past the clouds. Pidgeott struggled to regain control as the blue pegasus shouted insults and pushed him further into the sky. At last, he managed to angle his beak into a striking position and pecked her head. The pegasus dropped him, and rubbed her head. Pidgeott glared at the upstart who dared to bring him here, to fight him in his domain. Rainbow Dash’s eyes widened as she stared at he brilliant plumage, his curved beak that could break through boulders, and his razor talons. She trembled. Pidgeott thought she was scared, until an alien, competitive smile spread across her blue face to her ears. She bumped her hooves together and smirked.

“I don’t know who you are. But I’m Rainbow Dash, the fastest flier in Equestria. And you’re gonna be my partner.”