My Little Pokemon

by Alabenson

Rainbow Rises

“I never want to see another cliff as long as I live,” Rainbow Dash huffed as she made her way down the sloping path. The sheer cliffs that she and her friends had been hiking along had been gradually becoming less and less steep until now they gave way to a gentle path winding down to the seashore.

“Oh come on, Rainbow, it wasn’t that…okay, maybe it was that bad, but at least we’re past it now,” Twilight said as she followed her friend.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. Anyway, at least we’re almost at the next town, and once we get there I’m totally going to take down that gym leader!” Rainbow Dash said, the prospect of having another chance to battle in a gym restoring some of her enthusiasm.

“I’m glad you’re excited, I don’t think I’m quite ready for another gym battle quite yet,” Twilight replied.

“How come? You managed to beat that Arnold guy just fine and now you have one of those crystal-things so you can do that crazy super-move too,” Rainbow Dash said.

“That’s just it; I still haven’t been able to figure out how to actually get that move to work. I’m positive that I’m performing the movements correctly, but every time I’ve tried to practice it with Venipede nothing’s happened. I just can’t figure out what it is that I’m doing wrong,” Twilight said dejectedly.

“Why don’t you try asking the gym leader at the next town?” Spike suggested. “I mean, the gym leaders are the ones who hand out those things, so maybe they’d be able to tell if there’s something wrong with the one you’ve got.”

“That’s a great idea, Spike,” Rainbow Dash said. “See, Twilight? You’ve got nothing to worry about. Just make sure to ask the gym leader before me and my Pokémon demolish them with our awesomeness. So, how close are we to wherever this place is, anyway?”

“It’s called Mesa Town,” Twilight said. “And according to the maps we should be practically there already.” Frowning, Twilight pulled out her Pokédex and tried to orient herself. “Let’s see, according to this, Mesa Town should be just to the northeast of where we are right now. I don’t understand, we should be close enough to see the town from here, but all I see is more cliffs.”

“Maybe we could see it from up to of that huge mountain over there,” Spike suggested as he pointed to a large steep-walled elevation that stood apart from the other cliffs.

“Actually, Spike, going by how flat the top of that formation looks the proper term for that would be a…mesa,” Twilight said as realization slowly dawned on her.

“Hey, mesa, like the town name! You think the town we’re going to might be up there?” Rainbow Dash asked. “That’d be pretty cool, actually. It’d kinda be like the setup we have at Wonderbolt HQ. So, how do you think we’re supposed to get up there?”

“I have no idea,” Twilight admitted. “Maybe there’s some way up to the top that we can’t see from here, like an elevator or a cable car. In any even we’re not going to find any answers just standing around here.”

I hear that, let’s move out!” Rainbow Dash declared as she marched down the path, Twilight and Spike hurrying behind.

It took nearly an hour for the group to circle around to the north side of the massive mesa, which turned out to have formed at the mouth of a tremendous ravine. More importantly, an elaborate elevator system had been built into the north face of the mesa, allowing access to its summit, with a moderate-sized building standing at its base. Twilight and her friends entered the building to find a drab but functional waiting area inside, decorated with fading posters celebrating the wonders of Mesa Town.

“Geez, this place looks like the Division of Magical Vehicles back in Canterlot,” Spike said as he looked around the room.

“I know! Do you think they’ll have any forms for us to fill out? I’m pretty sure the only identification I have is the Pokédex, you don’t think that will be a problem, do you?” a practically giddy Twilight asked.

Before Rainbow Dash could comment on the singular delight Twilight apparently took in the workings of bureaucracy, a disheveled old man dressed like an old west prospector popped out from behind the desk of a nearby information booth. “Well howdy partners! Are you fine folk fixin’ to visit our fine Mesa Town?”

“We are,” Twilight confirmed while trying to remain straight faced. “Is this the only way to get to the top of the mesa?”

“It sure is, little lady, unless you’re one of those folks who’s got Pokémon that can fly them up there. But don’t you worry none, ole Cletus’ elevator will get you to our town faster than you can say sassafras. Come on in.” As Cletus spoke he cheerfully motioned for Twilight and the others to follow him through a doorway labeled ‘Elevators’ at the back of the room.

Twilight hesitated for a moment before shrugging her shoulders and following Cletus, with Spike and Rainbow Dash following her lead. The latter of the two was desperately struggling to keep herself from bursting into laughter at Cletus’ odd behavior, while Spike seemed somewhat apprehensive. “Is anyone else getting a kind of ‘Pony Island mascot’ vibe from that guy?” Spike asked.

“Spike! Be polite,” Twilight swiftly admonished. “He’s probably just eccentric and lonely, that’s all. It doesn’t look like many people come by here.”

“Probably because they get spooked off by old Cletus,” Rainbow Dash muttered, eliciting a glare from Twilight. Cletus himself didn’t appear to have heard, however, his attention instead focused on an intercom system set up next to a pair of numbered doors.

“You folks can go and take a seat in booth one. You should get a great view of the valley on the way up,” Cletus said as he fussed with the intercom. “Go on, I’ve got it taken care of on this end.”

Nodding politely, Twilight opened the door marked one, which led into a small room lined with chairs. Curiously, three of the walls of the room featured large windows that looked out to bare cement walls, with the wall on the right sporting a smooth metal door. The moment all three were inside the door snapped shut behind them and emitted a series of clicks. “What the hay?” Rainbow Dash protested as she tried to pull the door back open.

“Don’t you good folks worry none about the door, it’s gotta lock itself tight before the elevator starts,” the voice of Cletus could be heard coming from a rather scratchy speaker in the corner of the room. “Otherwise folks might fall out, and that can be a long way down. Now, just sit back and enjoy the ride.”

As Cletus spoke the room shuddered and started to rise up, lifting away from the visitor center and up along the side of the mesa. “Wow, he wasn’t kidding about the view,” Spike said as the elevator-room climbed higher into the air.

Twilight was forced to agree, at least once she acclimated to the notion that she was in a room dozens of feet in the air and still rising. “It is an impressive sight. I wonder why they choose to build a town in such an inconvenient location, though?”

“What’s the big deal? Pegasi have loads of towns in places like this back in Equestria,” Rainbow Dash said as she leaned back in one of the chairs.

“Yes, but humans can’t fly, so it’s a lot harder for them to get to a place like this than it would be for a pegasus,” Twilight countered.

“Not if they’ve got flying Pokémon that they can ride on. You heard that guy; people can just ride Pokémon up to the top if they want. Man, I wonder if Tank Jr.’s going to get big enough to ride, that would be so awesome,” Rainbow let out a sigh as she pictured herself riding astride a giant Squirtle.

“I don’t know, do you really think Tank Jr. will grow big enough for something like that?” Twilight asked.

“Why the hay not? Spike’s tiny back in Equestria and look how big dragons get,” Rainbow Dash said.

“Hey!” Spike angrily objected. “I am not tiny! I’m…just a little shorter than the rest of you, that’s all.”

“Also, Spike isn’t a Pokémon,” Twilight added. “But, I understand what you’re saying.” Any further conversation was forced to be put on hold as the room suddenly shook before it started to move backwards. Moments later, the room came to shuddering halt and the room’s side door let out a series of clicks before sliding open. Cautiously, Twilight and the others stepped out of the room into what turned out to be a hallway leading into another drab visitor center, this one manned by a bored-looking teenager idly flipping through a magazine.

“Welcome to Mesa Town, the Pokémon Center is a few doors down on Main Street and the gym’s in the center of town, you can’t miss it,” the teen unenthusiastically intoned without even bothering to look up.

“Uh, thanks,” Rainbow Dash said as she walked by, eliciting a barely audible grumble from the teen. “Geez, I think I actually prefer the wacky old guy at the bottom, at least he seemed friendly.” Thankfully, the teenager seemed utterly apathetic towards Rainbow Dash’s comments and the trio hurried out into the sunlight. Once outside, the group found themselves looking out at a town that wouldn’t have seemed all that out of place alongside Appleloosa or Dodge Junction.

“Let’s head to the Pokémon Center first,” Twilight said as she quickly spotted the center’s distinctive Poké Ball façade. “We can figure out what we’re going to next after that.”

“I already know what I’m gonna do, but I definitely agree with you about hitting the center first. Gotta make sure my guys are ready to give it 110%,” Rainbow Dash said.

Twilight opted to forgo pointing out the mathematical impossibility of giving 100% of anything as she let Rainbow Dash led the way to the center.

*********

“So, what do you think this place’s gym leader is going to be like?” Rainbow Dash asked as she and Twilight sat in the Pokémon Center’s waiting area.

“Honestly, I have no idea. Everything about the two gyms we’ve visited so far were completely different, and I think a large part of that was a result of the types of Pokémon they focused on. You may want to think about scouting out the gym before you challenge it so you can put together a strategy.’

Rainbow Dash thought about Twilight’s suggestion for a moment before shaking her head. “Nah, I’m good.”

“Rainbow! Remember what happened the last time you rushed into a gym battle without adequate preparation,” Twilight protested.

“Relax, Twilight, this isn’t going to be like that at all,” Rainbow Dash assured her friend. “Tank Jr. and I have been getting ready for this since before you took on that bug guy. Besides, you know what they say; ‘everypony’s got a plan until they get bucked in the face’.”

“I’m pretty sure not everypony says that,” Twilight grumbled, as much to herself as Rainbow Dash. Despite her misgivings, however, Twilight didn’t press the issue. Rainbow Dash had confirmed that she had at the very least thought what she was doing through, which realistically was the most Twilight could really hope for. “I think I’m going check with the nurse to see how our Pokémon are doing.” Twilight said as stood up.

“Sounds good,” Rainbow Dash replied. “Could you do me a favor and grab me a lemonade or something while you’re up.”

“Sure thing.” As Twilight exited the waiting area she struggled to keep her frustration in check. At the moment, Twilight was helpless to do anything to further her goal of reversing the predicament she had dragged her friends into and that fact ate at Twilight like nothing else. Unfortunately, Twilight knew that she stood no chance of earning her second badge without first figuring out how to perform a Z-move, so for the moment all she could do was support Rainbow Dash and hope she could solve the issue soon.

“ –and I’m just saying you should have seen this place. It makes the library they’ve got in Canalave look like some dinky little used bookstore.”

Twilight froze mid-stride as she overheard a pair of trainers chatting to each other mention the word ‘library’. Doing her best to appear completely casual, Twilight sidled up so that she could better listen in on their conversation.

“Look, I’m sure the place is impressive, but it doesn’t exactly sound like it’s all that easy to get to. Besides, I need to focus on getting the rest of my badges before the league championship starts.”

“That’s the best part; the Drakefang Monastery is where one of the island’s gyms is!”

Having heard enough, Twilight started to make her way back to the vending machines with an extra spring in her step. It appeared as though Twilight had found her next destination and a starting point towards finding a potential solution to her ongoing problems.

*********

“So, is it just me, or is there something kind of weird about this place,” Rainbow Dash asked as she and Spike waited for Twilight to return.

“You mean besides the fact that it’s an old west-type town built on a giant mesa that you have to take an elevator run by some kooky old guy to get up to?” Spike asked sarcastically.

“I get what you’re saying, but yeah, besides that. This whole place just feels, I dunno, fake. Like its some sort of theme park made up to look like Appleloosa or something.”

“That’s probably because that’s basically what this town really is,” a voice grumbled from behind. Turning their heads, Rainbow Dash and Spike saw that the voice belonged to a serious-looking, dark-haired man leaning against the wall. “Mesa Town was supposed to be a research outpost keeping an eye out for seismic activity on the island, but then the league insisted on installing a gym here. Which wouldn’t have been so bad, except the gym leader the league assigned to us is a complete nut for the whole cowboy aesthetic, so she arranged to have the whole town done up like it was the set of a Western film. She even went as far as to put her grandfather in charge of the main elevator between here and the base of the mesa.”

“You mean ‘old Cletus’?” Rainbow Dash asked with a smirk.

The man grimaced and nodded his head. “That old coot is even crazier than his granddaughter, the whole ‘wacky prospector’ shtick was his idea. The scary part is the guy was supposedly a massively strong trainer back in the day.” The man shrugged. “Anyway, I’ve griped enough for one da. If you’re here to challenge the gym leader you’ll be able to find here in the big building in the center of town made up to look like an old time saloon.” With that, the man walked off, leaving Rainbow Dash and Spike to digest what he had said.

“Hey, Rainbow Dash,” Spike said after a minute or so. “What exactly does ‘seismic activity’ mean?”

“I dunno, you’d probably want to ask Twilight about that,” Rainbow Dash said. “It sounds like some of the stuff Maud talks about, you know, when she actually talks anyway. So, maybe it has something to do with rocks and stuff.” This explanation seemed to satisfy Spike, who settled back into his seat and pulled out his Pokédex.

“So, where do you think we’re gonna go after you beat the gym leader here?” Spike asked as he scrolled through photos of various Pokémon.

“After here we’re heading to the Drakefang Monastery!” an excited Twilight replied, startling her friends.

“Geez, Twilight, don’t spook us like that. I mean, not that I was surprised or anything, but…” Rainbow Dash said as she mumbled something unintelligible about Spike. “What the hay is this ‘Drakefang Monastery’ place, anyway?”

“It’s the location of another of this island’s gyms. But, more importantly, it’s also apparently home to a massive library, meaning it’s the perfect place to learn more about this world,” Twilight said.

“Uh huh, and do you even have any idea where this place is?” Spike asked skeptically.

“Well, no, not really,” Twilight admitted. “But, I’m willing to bet the gym leader here would. We’ll just have to ask them after Rainbow Dash has had her battle. Speaking of which, are you sure you want to head straight to the gym once your Pokémon are ready? I still think it might be a good idea to so some research before your challenge.”

“Like I told you already, Twilight, Tank Jr. and I have got this. This gym leader isn’t even gonna know what hit them.”

*********

Once their Pokémon were fully recovered it didn’t take long for the group to reach the Mesa Town gym, which true to what they’d been told had a façade resembling an old west saloon. The building was obviously far larger than any saloon would have needed to be however, and the edges of what looked to be some sort of stadium could be clearly seen behind it.

“Are we absolutely sure this is the gym?” Twilight asked as they approached the swinging doors in the front of the building. “I mean, I know it was supposed to be in the center of town, but…”

“Yeah, this is definitely the place,” Rainbow Dash affirmed. “Some guy we met at the center told us the gym leader here has a real thing for the old west look, which is why the whole town looks like a bunch of Applejack’s relatives should be living here.” With that, Rainbow Dash pushed open the doors and strutted inside. The lobby of the gym had been set up to resemble the interior of a saloon to match the outer façade, completely with a bar in the back and a player piano playing an upbeat tune in one corner. “Sheesh, that guy really wasn’t kidding when he said the gym leader here was big on the whole cowboy thing.”

“So, what now?” Twilight asked as she scanned the room for anything that might point the way to their target.

“Just follow my lead,” Rainbow Dash said. With an exaggerated swagger, Rainbow Dash sauntered up to the far and slapped her hand down onto the counter. “So, I here this is the place where I can find the Mesa Town gym leader.”

The bartender simply rolled his eyes at this and let out a sight that was equal parts exasperation and resignation. “If you here to challenge Terra you’ll want to head through those doors over there to your right. Just go straight down the hall until you get to the doors leading to the arena, she’s usually messing around in there.” With that the bartender meandered away, muttering about how he should have never passed up a post down in Keystone City.

Slight perplexed at the nature of this response, Rainbow Dash nevertheless shrugged and headed through the doors with Twilight and Spike following behind. “Is it just me or do people here seem to not like the gym leader all that much?” Spike said as he followed his friends through the doors.

“Maybe this Terra person is some kind of jerk,” Rainbow Dash said. “It’s not like the other gym leaders we’ve me were all that terrific either.” Rainbow Dash would have likely continued, but the entire building suddenly started shacking as a thunderous pounding could be heard from up ahead. “What the hay, is this some kind of earthquake or something?”

“Oh for Pete’s sake, she at it again!” a voice cried out from a side room, from which a bespectacled woman in a lab coat promptly emerged. “How many times do I have to ask her to at least give us some advance notice before she – oh, who are you three?” the woman asked as she noticed the presence of Rainbow Dash and her friends.

“I’m Rainbow Dash and I’m here to challenge your gym leader! Oh, and these are my friends Twilight Sparkle and Spike,” Rainbow Dash added.

“Terrific, a challenger. Well, it’s not like I was going to get anything actually done today anyway. You may as well follow me; I’ll take you three to Terra. I’m Rachel, for what little its worth.” Rachel motioned for the group to follow her down the hall.

“So, what the deal with this place, anyway?” Rainbow Dash asked as they walked.

“In theory, Mesa Town is supposed to be a seismic research outpost. Most of the island was built up artificially and sizeable chunks of it are potentially unstable, so it’s important that we keep an eye on things to make sure nothings falling apart.” Rachel let out a deep sigh. “The problem is it’s a little hard to monitor seismic data when you have upwards of a thousand pounds worth of Pokémon jumping around less than a hundred yards from your equipment. It’s not even that I have anything against Terra personally, she’s certainly nice enough in general and her family did finance a considerable portion of our budget. It’s just that she’s…well, see for yourselves.” As Rachel spoke the group had reached the end of the hallway, which terminated at a large pair of double doors. Stepping through Rainbow Dash and her friends found themselves standing outside at the edge of a rodeo arena surrounded on three sides by bleachers. In the center of the arena a young woman who was dressed like a stereotypical cowgirl, complete with a Stetson, was riding a massive, brown, horse-like Pokémon. The Pokémon was jumping and bucking wildly, sending bits of red mud spattering in every direction.

“YEEHAW! That’s the spirit, Mudsdale! Really show me what y’ got!” The Mudsdale responded by intensifying its efforts to throw its rider off, causing the ground to shake as it wildly leapt about.

“Every day I have to put up with this,” Rachel muttered irritably before yellow out to the cowgirl. “Hey, Terra! There’s a challenger here for you, so knock it off with the rodeo stuff already.”

“Dang it, alright. Y’ heard her Mudsdale, time to cool things off.” The Mudsdale obediently ceased its thrashing and allowed Terra to dismount without a fuss. “So,” Terra began as she recalled Mudsdale to its Poké Ball without bothering to turn around. “Which one of y’all’s the one fixin’ to take me on?”

“I am! Name’s Rainbow Dash,” Rainbow Dash declared as she stuck out her hand.

Terra raised an eyebrow as she looked at Rainbow Dash before grasping her hand in a firm handshake. “That’s some name y’ got there. Ah’m Terra, the gym leader ‘round these parts. So, how many badges have y’ managed to get so far?”

“You’re gonna be my first,” Rainbow Dash admitted, trying hard to keep up her confident demeanor.

“That so? Huh, Ah haven’t had a first-timer ‘round here in Ah don’t know how long. Usually folks’ll have at least one notch or so in their belts before they get out here.” Terra said before noticing the expression on Dash’s face. “Ah don’t mean that as any slight on y’, just that we’re out in the boonies so most trainers have cut their teeth a bit by the time Ah get to fight ‘em. Anyway, no point in jawin’ all day when there’s battlin’ to get on with. Hop on in here and we’ll get started.” As Rainbow Dash climbed into the corral Tera causally walked across the field to the other end of the arena.

“The two of you can watch the battle from up in the stands,” Rachel said to Twilight and Spike. “Actually, I think I’ll probably join you. It’s not like I’m going to be able to get anything done while Terra’s battling a challenger anyway.”

As Twilight and Spike settled into their seats, they watched Terra head to a large device, which resembled an oversized tool cabinet, on the far side of the arena and press a few buttons on its front. “What’s she doing over there?” Spike asked.

“Pulling out her first badge team,” Rachel replied before noticing the blank stares she received from Twilight and Spike. “Every gym leader maintains different teams of Pokémon to use depending on how many badges their challenger has. Basically, the more badges someone has the stronger the team they have to beat.’

“Oh, that makes sense,” Twilight said as she observed Terra reach into a compartment that had opened up on the device and remove a pair of Poké Balls.

“Alright, y’ look like y’ already know how this all works, but Ah’m gonna say it anyway just to make sure. We’re each gonna use two Pokémon, the first one to bust up both of their opponent’s Pokémon so they can’t keep goin’ is the winner. Y’ ready?” Terra asked.

“You bet I am!” Rainbow Dash fired back as she took out Tank Jr.’s Poké Ball. “All right, little guy. This time we’ve got this. Go! Tank Jr.!”

“Alright Sandile, up and at ‘em!” Terra yelled as she tossed out her own Poké Ball, unveiling a small, tan, crocodile-like Pokémon with black stripes running across its back.

Sandile, the desert croc Pokémon. This Pokémon submerges itself beneath the surface of the sand in its desert home and travels with only its eyes and nostrils visible. Though primarily a scavenger, it has been known to attack unwary travelers when the opportunity presents itself.

“Sounds like a pretty underhanded Pokémon for a cowgirl like you to use,” Rainbow Dash quipped as she listened to Spike’s Pokédex read off its entry.

“Hah. Ah don’t mean to burst yer bubble, miss, but this ain’t some schoolyard tussle. Yer battlin’ in the Javik League now, and ‘round these parts we play to win. Speakin’ of, Sandile, let’s show this girl how we do things here. Give that Squirtle some Torment!” Sandile’s eyes promptly flashed at it began hissing and stomping its feet in an odd, mocking display.

“Uh, was that supposed to be an attack, because I don’t think it really –”

“Squirtle!” Rainbow Dash found herself interrupted by a suddenly enraged Tank Jr. “Squirtle Squirtle Squirtle!”

“Who, calm down and focus. If that sand-alligator thing’s got you worked up then let’s deal with it by taking it down.” Rainbow Dash’s words seemed to calm Tank Jr. enough for it to refocus, though it still seemed unusually agitated. “Alright, now, let’s try out that new move we’ve been working on. Use Bubble!”

“Did Rainbow Dash just say ‘bubble’?” Spiked asked. “What the hay kind of attack is that?” Even as Spike spoke, Tank Jr. took a deep breath before exhaling a stream of blue bubbles from its mouth towards Sandile. Strangely, the Sandile seemed to regard the attack as a legitimate danger and it did its best to try and scamper out of the way. Despite the Sandile’s efforts, however, several of the bubbles struck home, bursting upon contact with its back and sides. Much to Spike and Twilight’s surprise, the Sandile reacted to this as though the bursting bubbles caused it physical pain.

“Durn it, looks like Ah’ll need to get serious. Sandile, use Sand Tomb and bury that turtle,” Terra ordered. Sandile’s eyes began to glow in response as wisps of sand began to circle around Tank Jr.’s feet. The eddies of wind quickly increased in intensity before either Tank Jr. or Rainbow Dash could react, and in moments Tank Jr. was surrounded by a whirling tornado of sand an dirt. “That oughta keep yer little varmint in one place fer a bit, and good luck shootin’ any more of those bubbles through that.”

“Oh yeah?” Rainbow Dash shot back. “Well, if you think a little sand is going to be enough to slow Tank Jr. and me down then you’re in for one hay of a surprise. Tank, use your Water Gun attack!” While the swirling sand hid Tank Jr. from view, an affirmative ‘Squirtle’ could be heard from within the center of the storm. A second later a powerful jet of water blasted its way through the sand to strike Sandile head on. Caught unawares, the small crocodilian Pokémon was sent tumbling head over tail along the ground until it came to rest at its master’s feet.

“Dang it, looks like Sandile’s just about had it,” Terra groused as she recalled Sandile to its Poke Ball. “Still, the little fella put in some good work on that Squirtle of yours. Shouldn’t be too hard for mah next Pokémon to finish the job. Go Onix!”

As Terra tossed her second Poké Ball into the arena the sand whipping around Tank Jr. settled down enough for Rainbow Dash to see what Terra was talking about. To her horror, Tank Jr. had been left buried in the ground up to its waist by the attack and despite its best efforts it didn’t appear that Tank Jr. was going anywhere in a hurry. To make matters worse, as Rainbow Dash processed the situation a thunderous roar shock the stadium.

Onix, the rock snake Pokémon. This massive Pokémon spends most of its time burrowing underground where it feeds on mineral deposits. By incorporating these minerals into its body its segments become almost as hard as diamond.

“Oh…that’s…no, you know what?” Rainbow Dash said as she watched Terra’s Onix loom over her and Tank Jr. “Tank can still in this thing even if he is stuck in the ground.”

“Not that Ah don’t love seein’ a trainer who believes in their Pokémon, but what the heck makes y’ think Ah’m gonna give y’ the chance to pull out a victory?” Terra said as she readied a familiar looking bracelet. “Yer Squirtle may be a tough little varmint, but there ain’t no way it’s gonna handle this.”

As Terra began performing the series of movements needed to activate her Z-move, Rainbow Dash gritted her teeth but remained silent. Tank Jr. was similarly stoic, patting the top of its chest before bracing itself for the oncoming attack.

“What the hay is Rainbow Dash doing? She needs to find a way to get Tank out of there!” Twilight said as she watched the scene unfold.

“I think it’s a little too late for that,” Spike replied. “Look!”

As Spike spoke, Terra bent down and slammed her left hand onto the ground as golden light streamed from her into the aura surrounding Onix. “Alright, Onix, let ‘em have it! Tectonic Rage!” With a deafening roar, Onix dove into the ground, causing a massive fissure to split the arena wide open and pull Tank Jr. into the abyss.

“Tank!” Rainbow Dash cried out as she rushed to the fissure’s edge. To Rainbow Dash’s immense relief Tank Jr. appeared to be unharmed by the fall, hopping from one bit of rubble to another in an effort to avoid plummeting further. Unfortunately, Rainbow Dash’s relief was all too brief as the still glowing Onix could be seen surging up from the depths straight at Tank Jr. “Aw crud…wait, I know. Tank, aim your Water Gun straight down! Use it to jet yourself out of the way!” Realizing Rainbow Dash’s plan, Tank Jr. immediately leapt into the air and took a deep breath in preparation to launch its attack. Before it could do so, however, Tank Jr. suddenly stopped and clutched its head in apparent agony before thrashing about in the air. Rainbow Dash could only watch helplessly as Onix plowed into Tank Jr., sending the unfortunate Squirtle flying through the air until it came crashing back down into the dirt. At some point during the attack Tank Jr. had pulled its head and limbs back into its shell, making it hard to gauge how badly Onix’s attack had hurt it.

“Looks like that Squirtle of yers is at tis limit, y’ might as well call it back and send out yer next Pokémon,” Terra said.

“Not yet…come on, Tank, I believe in you,” Rainbow Dash muttered as she fixed her gaze on Tank Jr.’s shell. At first Tank Jr. remained still, but then it started to twitch and move before finally Tank Jr. popped back out. Strangely, it appeared that Tank Jr. was chewing on something, which it promptly swallowed before pulling itself back to its feet.

“What in tarnation? How in the heck is that little squirt still able to –” Terra quieted as she looked closer at Tank Jr., who was in the process of wiping a small dribble of yellow liquid from the corner of its mouth. “So that’s it the, the tricky little runt had a berry on him.”

“Yup!” Rainbow Dash said proudly. “I checked the rules these gym battles after seeing Twilight’s and they said Pokémon can have stuff like berries with them. I knew this was gonna be tough fight, so I gave Tank Jr. one of the big yellow lumpy ones we found while going through the forest.

“I don’t believe it,” Twilight said, in a state of absolute shock over what she was hearing.

“What, that Rainbow Dash actually read through the rules for how gym battles work?” Spike asked.

“No, that I didn’t. I didn’t even realize there was a rulebook for these things,” Twilight wailed.

Terra, meanwhile, seemed unfazed by this revelation. “Ah hate to burst yer bubble, but don’t think fer a second that y’ve got me on the ropes just because yer Pokémon brought a snack to the fight.”

“Oh yeah? Alright, Tank, let’s finish this. Use your Bubble attack to completely surround that thing.” With a quick chirp of acknowledgement Tank Jr. rushed into action, continuously firing bubbles from its mouth to fill the air around Onix.

“Dagnabbit, Onix, don’t just sit there and let it corral y’. Tackle it already!” Terra’s Onix obediently swept its tail across the ground at Tank Jr., only for Tank Jr. to nimbly leap over it while continuing to surround Onix with bubbles.

“Okay, good work. Now, finish that thing off with your Water Gun!” Rainbow Dash yelled out. As Tank Jr. sprayed the Onix with water it recoiled from the attack, causing it to stumble back into the bubbles Tank Jr. had surrounded it with. As the Onix struck the bubbles it lurched forward to escape, only to strike a cluster in front of it in the process. The Onix continued to bounce from one group of bubbles to another for several seconds before it finally collapsed to the ground unconscious.

“Whelp, Ah know when Ah’m beat,” Terra said as she recalled her Onix. “Y’ did yer best, Onix, but it looks like yer beat. And that means Rainbow Dash is the winner!”

“Yes! You hear that, Tank? We – Tank?” Rainbow Dash’s celebratory cheer and dance routine was put on hold as she noticed Tank Jr. tensing up. Suddenly, Tank Jr. was suffused by a bright white light as its body seemed to shift and expand. When the light subsumed, it revealed that Tank Jr. had more than doubled in height and looked considerably fiercer as well. Furthermore, Tank Jr. now sported a pair of large, feathery ears and a particularly large, fluffy tail. “Wha-buh-Huh?” Rainbow Dash sputtered as she tried to make sense of this new change.

Wartortle, the turtle Pokémon. The evolved form of Squirtle. The fur on Wartortle’s ears and tail trap air, which it uses to control its buoyancy while swimming. Legends state that Wartortle are able to live for up to 10,000 years and its tail is often used as a symbol of longevity.

Rainbow Dash blinked in confusion as Spike’s Pokédex once again read off one of its entries. “Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa, hold on. What the hay does that thing mean by ‘evolved from’?”

"It means yer Squirtle’s just gotten a lot stronger,” Terra said. “Pokémon will sometimes change forms as they grow and get stronger. Your Squirtle must’ve been almost there already and our battle was the push he needed. Anyhow, since y’ managed to beat me Ah hereby present to you the Strata badge along with a piece of Groundium-Z.” As Terra handed Rainbow Dash a small box containing a striped badge and a brown crystal, Rainbow Dash gave her an odd look.

“You feeling alright?” Rainbow Dash asked as she accepted her prize.

“Why wouldn’t Ah be? Sure, y’ gave my Pokémon a proper whoopin’ but-”

“It’s just, something about your accent…”

“Ah don’t know what you’re on about,” Terra said, suddenly seeming rather nervous. “There isn’t a thing wrong with my – I mean there ain’t a thing – oh blast it, I’ve gone and botched it all again, haven’t I?” Terra said in a voice that now sounded much more like Rarity than Applejack. “I’d thought I was doing rather well this time, but I always get so flustered after a loss.”

Rainbow Dash stared at the now rather posh sounding cowgirl with an expression of utter bafflement, with Tank Jr. mirroring its trainer almost exactly. “Could someone explain to me what’s going on?”

“If I’m to be honest, my earlier accent is something of an affectation. I’ve always been quite fond of the western aesthetic, but it’s almost impossible to be taken seriously in the rodeo circuit if one sounds like they’re fresh from a Galar finishing school.” Terra said.

“Okay then,” Rainbow Dash said, not really sure how she should react to this. “Well, if that’s it we’ve got to go and figure out where the hay someplace called the Drake-something Monopoly is.”

“Would you happen to be referring to the Drakefang Monastery?’ Terra asked. “I’d be happy to provide you with directions if you like. Are you planning on challenging the gym leader there for your second badge?”

“I was actually considering challenging them myself, but I’ve been having a problem using the Z-crystal I won from my first challenge,” Twilight said as she descended from the stands. “To be honest, I was hoping that I could ask you about it. You see, I haven’t been able to get the Z-move to work correctly no matter how many times I try, but I’m positive that I’m performing everything correctly.”

“Hmm, I can see how that could leave you hesitant to make a second challenge,” Terra said. “Why don’t you let me take a look at your Z-ring for a moment?”

“My Z-ring? Oh, you mean the bracelet they gave us when we first arrived on the island. Alright,” Twilight said as she handed the ring to Terra. “Do you think there’s something wrong with it and that’s why is not working?” Twilight asked.

“It’s certainly a possibility. Let’s see here, looks as though it’s a piece of Bugium-Z, so the move you’d be using would be Savage Spinout if I’m not mistaken. Now, what move is your Pokémon using to fuel the attack?” Terra asked as she handed the Z-ring back to Twilight.

“Fuel the attack?” What’s that supposed to mean?” Twilight replied.

“Oh dear, that’s probably it then. You see, Z-moves at their core are a way of amplifying one of the Pokémon’s existing techniques. So, in order to perform a Z-move the Pokémon using it first needs to know a move of the appropriate type. If none of your Pokémon knows the right sort of move then performing the Z-move just wouldn’t be possible.” Terra said.

“So, does that mean that Tank Jr. wouldn’t be able to do that whole exploding underground attack thing your Onix did?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“I’m afraid not, unless it knows a Ground-type move. But, if any of your other Pokémon happen to know a Ground move then they would be able to do so,” Terra replied.

“I guess I’ll have to figure something out before I get to this monastery then,” Twilight said. “At least now I have a better idea what the problem is. Now I just need to focus on finding a way to deal with it without some other crazy problem getting in the way.”

“Come on, Twilight, you worry way too much,” Spike admonished. “I mean, what do you honestly think we really have to worry about?”

*********

“From now on, Trixie is in charge of reading the map,” the Great and Powerful Trixie said.

“For the last time, how was I supposed to know the path ahead had collapsed?” Starlight protested. “You saw the barriers at the fork in the path; the other way was supposed to be unsafe. I just hope nobody was hurt when that thing fell apart, that looked really dangerous.”

Trixie let out a small sigh. “I suppose you’re right. It’s just we lost so much time backtracking that its going to be much harder to catch up with Twilight. This is finally my chance to prove that I’m better than her at something, and I’m not going to let anything stop m-Agh!” Trixie’s declaration was ignominiously cut short as Trixie tripped over a loose stone and went tumbling head over heels down the path.

“Well, it could be worse,” Starlight muttered as she rushed to help her friend. “At least she’s not doing this while the fate of Equestria hangs in the balance or something. And it just occurred to me that things like that are a regular occurrence in my life these days.”

Comments

[Heartdrop]

9099574
I agree are they going to meet ash and Pikachu

[Rhino23]

Ok I bet i can guess
Rarity will get the Waterium Z
and Fluttershy will get Poisonium Z based on the pokemon they got
if ur gonna give them gym battles in the next 2 chapter
Also who else saw Today's episode of SM

[HB_DS2013]

Looks like Sword and Shield are canon now.