Little Lost Pikachu
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Chapter 14
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Little Lost Ace - Pt.3
Coco Pommel observed the bustling crowd of ponies from the behind the polished glass counter, already feeling her confidence dwindling away. The hoof-made outfits, neatly hung on each available mannequin, ranged from anything a pony could dream of. Simple dresses easily attracted the eye of any mare in the vicinity, while lines of crisp, black suits were in high demand with the colts. Though now, rather than hung up for display, nearly every article of clothing she had made was stuffed in some ponies bag, prepped and ready for check out.
A few drops of sweat slid down her face, leaving an unsettling ‘plop’ on the glass as her breathing became erratic. She gripped her chest, struggling to calm herself. Ever since her fluffy bodyguard locked up the heart of the local crime organization, the most dangerous part of Manehattan became much more lively, resulting in her little shop getting a major boost in customers. During her short-lived time with Suri, she was prepped to deal with high class ponies, taught to help them find the most fashionable creations. Here, she ended up with a mix of poorer ponies demanding cheaper products, picking the first clothes that caught their eye before exchanging it for a meager amount of bits at the counter.
Of course, once in a blue moon, a customer with higher standards wandered into her little boutique, though it was much too rare for her liking. While she didn’t dream too big, hoping only to run a little humble shop of her own, she still wanted to make use of her talents and creativity, not end up stuck on manufacturing duty.
When it came to her customer base, their style was never a guarantee, constantly challenging and pushing her to create something unique for every client. A pony could walk through the doors, decked out in a casual, business sheek one moment, and the next could trot through with a disorderly array of metal earrings, topped with a shaved mane and a mess of tattoos.
A gruff cough snapped her out of her daydreaming. With a sheepish smile, she glanced to the front desk, noticing a bulky stallion impatiently waiting in line.
“How much for this one?”
“T-that will be… twelve bits,” Coco murmured hesitantly, as the stallion glared, tapping his forehoof repeatedly against the tiled floor. He held an emerald, leather jacket in the other hoof. The moment the stallion dropped his bits on the counter and turned around, she let out a deep sigh, wiping the pooling sweat from her forehead. Even after months of dealing with customers, the fear of having a confrontation with one never left her.
Coco looked at the growing line of customers and gulped. It was only a matter of time before she would run out of stock, having nothing left to satisfy the growing mob of clients. Dark bags were present underneath her eyes, showing the result of numerous sleepless nights.
She glanced over her shoulder, spotting the opening to her back room. Inside was filled to the brim with spare clothing materials and all of her hard-earned bits, the same space she used to craft every outfit displayed in her store. Her young assistant, an orphaned unicorn colt, walked outside the back room, several jackets levitated in his buttercup yellow aura as he set them on the dummies, one at a time. She watched as he trotted from stand to stand, his violet mane frazzled, similar to her own. He glanced back at her with wide eyes, giving her a clear message that they couldn’t keep up with the overwhelming demands. It was obvious she needed to hire a bigger workforce and expand to keep up.
Coco looked over at another waiting customer, a unicorn who levitated an elegant, grey suit with black stripes in his magical grip. She gave a small smile, noticing one of her finer pieces.
“How much?” The stallion grunted, staring down at the watch fastened around his hoof.
Coco gathered her fleeting courage and whispered, “This one… fifty bits.”
“Fifty?” The unicorn’s head popped up, a look of disbelief written across his face. “Really?” he added in firm tone before glaring at her with narrowed eyes. “Do you really expect anyone would pay such a large amount of bits for this?” He gestured at the suit in distaste, refusing to pull his eyes away from her.
She felt her heart pounding against her chest as a narrow bead of sweat found its way down her face. A meeker part of herself demanded she lower the price, simply to please the customer, but her intuition warned her against it immediately. If she showed such signs of weakness so quickly, others would start to bargain with her, something she wasn’t all that good at.
Her attention shifted away from the stallion as she noticed a police officer entering her shop. Her heart froze for a second, picturing the worst, until she spotted the mare’s interesting company. “N-Nica? No… it can’t be… it’s someone else…?” she murmured to herself as she focused in on the fluffy animal levitating next to the officer. While this creature resembled her cute and trusty bodyguard, there were some big differences. Not to mention that the tinted glasses were no longer hiding the officer’s eyes, quickly changing owners as they now rested on the animal’s button nose. The mare squinted her eyes in annoyance, but simply sighed, seemingly used to the levitating creature’s antics.
The stallion behind the counter pounded on the desk, muttering, “Can I get some service around here?”
Coco stepped back and gave an apologetic smile, before glancing at her young assistant and calling, “Leaf, would you cover for me for a moment?”
“Sure,” the golden furred colt said as he trotted towards the counter. As he neared the desk, he balanced on his rear hooves and propped himself up against the counter, giving the stallion a quick one-over.
“Thank you,” Coco said before walking towards the officer, passing by numerous, waiting customers. She didn’t dare look them in the eyes as she scurried by, her head ducked low.
“So… about that discount…” The stallion mused, attempting to turn the tables on the young colt.
“Fifty bits, pay or leave,” Quiet Leaf snapped back with a sharp tone, pulling the suit over with his magic. A buttercup aura coated the fabric as he held it up, inspecting the clothing. “No, scratch that. I want sixty bits considering the circumstances.”
“W-what?”
“Look around you.” The colt gestured behind the stallion, motioning towards the numerous ponies waiting for service. The line wrapped around the store, just a few ponies away from peeking out the front doors. Many were conversing with their neighbors, trading fashion advice, while some stood off to the side, glancing at the time every ten seconds with annoyed expressions.
“We have an overwhelming amount of customers and we’re running low on all of our best products,” he continued, leaning on his hoof in boredom while lazily pointing at the customer’s clothing. “One of which you’re currently buying. We should have raised our prices a while ago…” He tapped his chin thoughtfully. “Now that I think about it, sixty bits is a bit too low, maybe we should…”
“Here, sixty bits,” the stallion stuttered before dropping the bits on the counter. He snatched the suit away before trotting out the front doors, pushing a disgruntled client out of the way. Quiet Leaf held a satisfied smirk, eying the great amount of bits resting in front of him before peeking over at Coco and giving a quick wave. The mare merely shook her head and chuckled, turning her attention back to the floating creature.
She zeroed in on the animal’s pearly white belly, imagining herself stroking the rich and fuzzy fur. Nica was always more than happy to let me rub her silky soft stomach to relieve stress… I miss that. Her ears drooped for a moment. With a small sigh, she tore her gaze away from the creature’s fur and gave the visiting mare a smile. “Hello Officer Copper Top. What brings you to my little store? And who’s your adorable companion?” She raised a forehoof up to her face. “I hope it’s nothing serious.”
“Nah, nothing to worry about,” the officer responded. “Just wanted to let you know about this little guy I found hanging out around Manehattan’s Statue. He said his name is Ace, and he kept going on and on about finding his sister, Nica.” She grinned, noting Coco’s shocked expression. “Since she worked for you as your bodyguard, I thought you may be able to help him out.”
“You’re Nica’s brother?” Coco gasped, her eyes becoming as wide as saucers. “So that’s why you resemble her so much!”
I sure am! A cheerful, male voice resonated within Coco’s mind, but before she could question it, the tail-surfing creature eagerly picked up her forehoof and shook it, practically shaking the mare as well. The name’s Ace, nice to meet you miss! He levitated up to her face and gently booped her muzzle with the white tip of his forepaw. I must say, you look both cute and stylish, prefect for a mare of your profession. Coco blushed, taking a few steps back, but the pokemon simply flew beside her and continued. Also, such a nice bowtie you got there. He tapped the tip of scarlet tie against his button nose and brought it closer, nuzzling it with his cheek.
With a nervous chuckle, she slipped out of the animal’s hold and stumbled backwards. She gave a sheepish smile, overwhelmed by this creature’s boldness. “N-Nice to meet you, Mr. Ace.” She looked at his wide neck before pointing at it with the tip of her forehoof. “You don’t have translating collar?”
Translating collar? Ace’s voice echoed in her mind.
“You don’t have one of Princess Twilight’s collars… and you’re not even speaking!?” Unconsciously, her voice began to rise in volume, attracting the attention of some nearby clients. “How are you communicating with me?” She shouted in confusion, her face flushing in embarrassment as nearly half the line of customers gave her questioning looks. Her head ducked down, avoiding each of their ludicrous gazes.
Ace poked his bulky ears, seemingly ignoring her outburst. Telepathy. It’s so much more helpful than my sister’s ability to write. He displayed his trademark toothy smile as he fixed “his” glasses. Cool, isn’t it?
Copper Top looked between Ace and Coco before saying, “I take it he introduced himself already? His telepathy may seem a bit weird at first, but you’ll get used to it after a while.” Noticing the fashionista’s head dipped low, she added “Oh, and you’ll learn to ignore the looks.” She gave Ace a mock scowl as he rubbed his neck.
Hehe, sorry… but telepathy still rules!
The seamstress nodded before looking at the officer’s outfit with a growing curiosity. Small drips of water splashed onto the tile, creating a mini puddle underneath the mare’s hooves. “Your uniform’s a bit wet, what happened?”
“Oh, that… I had a little accident while on my boat, but that’s irrelevant,” Copper Top said with a shake of her forehoof before shooting the Raichu an annoyed glare. With a quick strike of her forehoof, she knocked the black glasses from Ace’s nose, and darted to the side, displaying a smug grin as the shades landed directly on her snout. The pokemon crossed his paws and displayed a pout in response. “I’ll get to the point. Mr. Ace here is looking for his sister. I assumed you may be able to help him since she was your former employee.”
Ace peeked at her with a big, hopeful smile while hopping up and down on a single leg. I was told my sis was a badass bodyguard before she became the heroine of Manehattan and stuff. You gotta tell me all about her adventures and help me find her. He held his forepaws together and added, Please, please, pleaseeeee!
Coco felt her heart nearly melt as Ace gazed at her with his ocean blue eyes, a small silver spark shining from within. She glanced back at the crowd of ponies and paused, before dejectedly murmuring, “I… I’ll do my best to help you… but…” She was abruptly cut off as she felt Ace’s fuzzy paws wrap around her neck, her face soon being pulled into the creature’s soft fur. As much as she didn’t want this hug to end, she couldn’t afford it the delay it caused. “But I can’t deal with any more responsibilities on my plate right now.” The moment she was released, she gestured at the numerous ponies. “As you can see my hooves are tied.” She gave the fluffy create an encouraging smile. “Though, you may stay here for now, if you’d like. The store closes in about an hour. I’ll help you then.”
“That’s very kind of you, Miss Coco,” Copper Top said before taking off her hat and lowering her head politely. “I’m afraid I need to return to my duties, Patrols won’t do themselves! I’ll leave Ace in your care.”
“B-but your uniform…” Coco started.
“Oh, this? Don’t worry about it, it’ll dry up in no time. Farewell!”
The fashionista watched as the cop strode away, trotting towards the front doors before disappearing into the inner weaving of Manehattan. Turning with a renewed vigor, she glanced at Ace, only to be met with his pleading gaze, one filled with expectation and hope. At this point, she could only pray to satisfy the energetic Raichu and repay Nica for her kindness, the least she could do for her former bodyguard.
With a gentle shake of her forehoof, she uttered, “This way please.” She swerved in between her customers, stepping with a practiced grace as Ace merely levitated a bit higher, flying over the heads of the waiting clients. She gave one last glance at her trusty assistant, assuring he didn’t need any help handling the customers. He caught her stare and waved her forwards, giving her a confident wink. “Don’t worry boss, I got this!” Quiet called as she walked behind the counter and opened the door, inviting the pokemon inside.
Ace examined his new surroundings with a growing interest.
Giving the room a quick one over, he noticed the space they were in now was much larger than the previous one, though not nearly as pristine. Random machinery lined the walls, some propped up on an oak desk while older ones were thrown haphazardly in the corner. Numerous rolls of mismatched fabric were neatly piled beside the sewing machines, certain colors specifically picked out. A stunning diversity of colors lit of the room, adding a refreshing shine to the dulled walls and covering up the rips torn on the wallpaper. Small swaths of yellow tapestry attempted to mask one of the right walls, along with two tiny windows, but only succeeded in blocking the natural sunlight struggling to break through. The lack of light caused a dimmed shadow to fall over the space, accented by the dust bunnies scurrying about.
Hmm… looks like she got started trying to fix this place up, but never finished. Ace thought, floating over to the wall and rubbing a single, stubby paw over the paper. It came back with a small smudge of dust, nearly unnoticeable for those who weren’t looking for it. He shrugged as Coco spoke up, gesturing towards the room’s decor.
“This is my main area for storage,” Coco explained before pointing at a sofa in front of square table, poking the couch as an invitation for her guest to sit on. “Though it also doubles as a workplace.”
Accepting the invitation from the adorable pony, he dashed towards the sofa, but slowed his speed before colliding with the furniture. With careful steps, he hopped down from his tail before perching himself on a soft pillow. He lowered his tail onto the sofa while coiling it next to pillow.
“Would you like some tea?” Coco asked with a warm smile as she pointed at the teacup, which already sat prepared on the square table. “Leaf made it for me earlier, but I didn’t have time to drink it; so if you’re thirsty, just help yourself.”
Ace looked at the precious smile of this cute earth pony, one of the three pony species that Copper Top told him about on their way here. While waiting in the front of the store for Coco, he recalled gazing at the different breeds, giving small gasps as he was able to spot a unicorn, or an excited squee as he noticed a pegasus. It took almost all of his willpower to stop himself from flying over and giving those wings a snuggly, squeeze.
Though, with Miss Coco, there was something warm and pleasant, something that made him feel comfortable and calm in her humble enclosure. It also helped that her mane glistened like a crystal clear wave, mimicking a bold waterfall collapsing from a mighty cliff. He held his forepaws together as he resisted the urge to rub that aqua mane. If only he was able to learn the move ‘Minimize!’ He could surf for hours on that mane of hers. Thank you. His ears lightly flashed silver as he levitated the cup over, taking a tiny sip.
“Feel free to take a nap. You must be exhausted if you went through the same ordeal Nica went through. I’ll tell you all I know about your sister whenever you wake up,” Coco said, making her way to the door. Moments before she opened it, she spun around and added, “Oh, and please don’t touch anything!” With that, she trotted out the opening, leaving the Raichu alone.
Ace observed the pony walking out until she closed the door. Almost immediately bored, he then looked around the room, noticing a large quantity of golden coins stocked in a secluded corner, along with a handful of other resources. <Leaving a stranger with such valuables for the taking? Now that’s some serious trust,> he said to himself before returning to surveying the area.
A store filled to the brim with clothes… all these materials… dust covering the walls... he thought, piecing together the random assortment of clues while tapping his chin. Wait… she’s making clothes, amazing quality clothes, and using all these cloth-making gadgets with her hooves? Wow… now that’s something. Ace’s ears perked up and a mischievous grin formed on his lips upon noticing rolled tapestry, the very same that decorated a small portion of the room’s inner walls.
He shrugged. If he was gonna be stuck here for an hour, he might as well help out. He stretched his tail out before balancing himself on the dulled-lightning point. With the help of a weakened ‘Psychic’ attack, he levitated the material, now searching for something to glue it to the wall.
It didn’t take long before a mop, pieces of wet fabric and tapestry hovered all over the room, surrounded by his silvery aura. With a flick of his ear, the mops spun, trapping a corner of dust bunnies while the wet rags gently scrubbed the walls. Together, they made quick work of the dust on the floor and walls while all the little cracks were spotted and covered. Ace levitated from one spot to another with growing excitement. Upon noticing a few buckets of paint stashed behind a couple of boxes, he displayed a toothy smile, and quickly set to work.
“Thank you for coming. Please visit us again soon,” Coco exclaimed as she waved at the last pony, before locking the door and collapsing against the wall. She gave a small huff, and paused. Her face was aching from all the smiling she did, some fake and some real. It made her day interacting with the clients that wandered her shop, but never before had she had so many. To be frank, it was getting more than a tad overwhelming. The moment she was left alone with her assistant, she wiped the drops of sweat from her forehead and leaned her head back, taking a deep breath as she heard her mane connect with the wallpaper.. After this experience, she could safely say she prefered to get less customers than more in the future.
“We’re really in over our heads,” the unicorn colt mumbled as he approached her, staring back at her with a starling look of worry.
“I know that, Quiet Leaf, but I’ve never hired anyone before. This shop has been my responsibility alone ever since I opened it, and to be honest, I never expected or even considered the need to expand my work force. I don’t even know the first place to start,” Coco answered as she began to walk towards the backdoor, Leaf by her side. His flank was decorated with nothing but a single, green leaf, reflecting on his impressive stealth as at times she failed to even hear his hoofsteps. Despite his young age, thus far he had proved himself quite reliable as an assistant.
“What about me and Nica? We both work for you,” The colt pointed out.
Coco shook her head. “Oh, but it was Miss Rarity who asked Nica to work for me, and you’re under my care. It’s just not the same as hiring.” Her breathing became shallow, as a worried look overtook her. “Should I hire somepony to focus on manufacturing, or maybe someone to sell at the counter? Or maybe someone who would do the bookkeeping. How much workforce can we even afford?”
Leaf trotted next to her and puffed his chest. “Just leave the counter to me. I can squeeze some nice, extra bits from the customers, not to mention that raising prices is a must if we are forced to continue on like this.”
Coco rolled her eyes. While she appreciated how smart her assistant was, and how skilled he was at interacting with the clients, she didn’t approve of his cunning methods. To make matters worse, his habits of pickpocketing hadn’t died out yet.
As she opened the door, her jaw dropped open in shock, nearly hitting the floor. The renovating she had started and never found time to finish was… finished… for lack of a better word. Maybe even too finished for her liking. Layered above the yellow tapestry hanging from the walls, she saw hastily painted images with naval themes, from waves of water crashing into a beach to lone islands flourished with palms. While the quality of the paintings weren’t of the highest calibre, just looking at them filled her with vacational longing.
She looked up as the Alolan Raichu seemed to be working on something on the ceiling. She bit her lip and rushed to pull her limited stock of materials away before drops of paint could fall on them. “C-careful, please,” she called up, catching the creature’s attention.
Ace peeked down at her before descending, now floating in front of her with smeared forepaws placed on his hips, rubbing the ocean blue paint into his formerly spotless fur. Lone brushes coated in different shades of paint descended into their respective buckets as he focused on the entering ponies. Neat, isn’t it? It will totally bring a chill atmosphere into your workplace.
Coco opened her mouth to rebut, but before she could even speak, Ace floated towards her side, snatching the colt next to her up into his embrace. She turned around, now starring as the odd Raichu held a pony much bigger than him with little difficulty. She could see a strong blush and look of annoyance on Leaf’s face as Ace started to eagerly rub his belly with the white-dusted tip of his forepaw.
“H-hey… stop it… c’mon, cut it out!” Quiet Leaf sputtered, most likely responding to the pokemon’s telepathy. He started wriggling, pushing himself out of Ace’s surprisingly strong hold. With an ungraceful ‘thud,’ he landed on his back on the tiled floor. “Ugh… dude, that was embarrassing.”
Ace awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck, displaying an embarrassed smile.
Pushing himself to his hooves, he gave a suspicious look at the floating mouse-like creature. “More about me? Mind your own business…” Leaf muttered, finally showing all the pent up stress collected from the day. Coco glared at her young charge, giving him a stern look.
Oh Quiet Leaf… she thought, watching as the colt paused and realized what he said. He sighed, and turned back to Ace. The pokemon was looking down, wringing his paws together in an anxious show as he hovered lower, nearly brushing against the floor.
“Hey, uh… sorry,” Leaf continued, hanging his head in shame. “Guess I’m still a bit stressed from all those orders earlier. Do ya’ still wanna know more about me?”
Ace nodded enthusiastically, springing back up into the air.
“Well, long story short, I’m an orphan.” Quiet started, sharing his past while more words followed. He began reluctant, but as he continued both Ace and Quiet became enraptured with the story.
A small smile began to form as Coco watched on with pride. It was a big challenge to get him to open up, more or less get along with the cops. It was like pulling teeth when they questioned him about those gangs. Now, he’s practically sharing his life story. I am glad he’s willing to trust Ace with his past… I hope he’s feeling a bit more comfortable living here. .
Quiet Leaf continued as Coco focused back in on the conversation. “I was raised by some of the local gangs, though they’re all locked up now, thanks to Nica. They taught me how to survive, as well as how to steal, cheat and beg for bits. Anything you can imagine, as long as it helped benefit them in some way. They used me to distract those they tried to rob or to use my charm to beg bits out of richer ponies.”
Ace’s mouth opened agape, which only encouraged the colt to keep going.
“It was the same gang that started to demand bits from Miss Coco.” He pointed at the earth pony, who rubbed her forehoof nervously at the unpleasant memory. “After Nica crashed the gang and sent them to the police, freeing me, Miss Coco offered to give me shelter, and I have been her assistant ever since. It’s nice to feel genuinely needed, rather than used to make some other pony richer.”
Ace held forepaws on his cheeks before looking at her in excitement. His admiring gaze only making Coco blush even more than she was, leaving her at loss for words for a moment.
“I… just did what I felt was right.” She stuttered. “This poor dear had nowhere to go and nopony to look after-” She was abruptly cut of as her hooves floated from the floor, her entire body being levitated into the air as Ace dashed forwards and embraced her. She was perched on the sofa she had offered her guest before. Leaf was gently placed in front of her while Ace leaped from his tail onto the pillow.
I need to know it all! My sis, why she worked for you, how you two met, tell me more, more I beg! Pleaseeee!
Coco cleared her throat as she was once again assaulted by the puppy dog stare of those blue-silvery eyes. “Well… it all started when I bought an old storage building in this part of Manehattan, which I then tried to turn into a little store of my own. It was really, really cheap, so I thought it was a good investment.” She lowered her head and sighed. “It turned out this part of the city was controlled by the mob while Crusher’s gang demanded a ridiculous sum labeled as ‘protection money’ from me.”
Quiet Leaf raised his forehoof as if he were in class and spoke up. “The leader was way too bold. If the mob found out that they operated on their territory, they would be either recruited or killed. My streetsmarts told me to escape before they dragged me to my early grave.” He pointed under his eyes. “Got a hard hoof in the face for it though.” Laughing he added, “Guess it’s better than being six feet under.”
Ace narrowed his eyes.
“If not for your sister, I don’t know what would have happened to me,” Leaf revealed with a warm smile, which in turn brought a newfound happiness to Ace’s expression.
Coco continued, “When I told my friend, Miss Rarity, about all of this in a letter, she came to me with a... ” she placed her forehooves on her cheeks while displaying a dreamy smile, “cute, cuddly, fluffy, long-tailed pokemon, a Raichu named Nica. She became my bodyguard, protected me from the mean ponies, and stopped the gang from terrorizing ponies such as myself.” She took a quick breath. “She was more than a hero, but no one could ever convince herself of the good she did.”
Her voice took on a grim tone as she narrowed her eyes. “Things became serious as the mob set a nearby building on fire, torching the ponies inside because they didn’t pay their dues. I was terrified, I thought my neighbors were going to burn alive, as the firefighters still hadn’t arrived.” A small smile snuck onto her anxious expression. “That’s when I looked to my side and saw Nica was gone. When I glanced forwards, she was already halfway gone, fearlessly charging into the building. She saved countless ponies stuck on the higher floors, as they couldn’t escape the flames, more and more burns scarring her coat as she jumped back in. I had never seen such an inspiring act of bravery.”
Ace seemed overjoyed, a bright smile showing as he exclaimed, That’s my great sis, I would expect nothing less from her.
Coco nodded. “She was great indeed, and very strong and durable. Not only had her tail managed to support the weight of any pony, her legs were tough enough to endure a fall from the highest floor, and I believe that leftovers of a melted pan were stuck to her rear leg. It had to hurt a lot.”
Ace bit his bottom lip, wincing as he imagined going through the same thing. He would be forced to tap out if he were in his sister’s post, lacking her incredible durability and willpower.
“In anycase, when the police asked Nica to help them punish the mob, she was more than eager to assist. Despite being badly burned, she raided the mob’s base the same night and defeated their strongest officers. I was afraid she wouldn’t come back, but she did. She was my hero that night.” She pushed herself to her hooves, and walked over to her desk, pulling out a set of newspapers stashed away. “And many other ponies in Manehattan seemed to think the same thing.” She pushed over the same article Ace first saw when he arrived in this strange world, gently placing into the Raichu’s open paws. “She was dubbed the heroine of Manehattan!”
Ace tapped his forepaws together before jumping onto his tail and flying in circles around the sofa. He dropped to his knees, tucking the stray papers at his side and supported himself with his forepaws. Gazing at her from the edge of his tail, he begged, What happened next? Come on, tell, tell!
Coco tilted her head backwards a little, pulling it back from the pokemon’s button nose. “Well… with my store safe, she started taking on different jobs. The last I heard from her was that she saved a cluster of ponies on a rescue mission into a mine, and later that she moved to Canterlot, but that was more than a week ago.” She lowered her head to the colt in front of her and nuzzled him, who gladly returned the gesture. “Thanks to her, my store became very popular, and I’m even considering to adopt Quiet Leaf and give him the care and love he never experienced.”
The pokemon looked at the exchange with a dreamy smile.
Coco raised her head and tapped her chin. “I’m almost positive she’d be back in Ponyville by now. If you wish to visit her, that is the best place to look.” She lowered her forehoof and smiled. “I can even escort you to the train station and buy you a ticket. It’s the least I can do to make you and Nica happy.”
I’ll pass.
“W-what?” Coco asked as she blinked in confusion. “Isn’t that why you came here in the first place?”
Ace flew over and started nuzzling her cheek. He snuck black-part of his tail around Quiet and pulled him in closer, trapping both ponies in a massive hug while still balanced on the edge. He gave a happy squeeze, adding, My sister is always teaching me to help others. And, to be honest, an adorable, elegant and fluffy cinnamon bun like you...” he tapped her nose, making her give a small snort, “needs all the help you can get! He withdrew his face before booping Quiet’s muzzle in a similar manner. From today forward, I’m your personal assistant.
<Personal assistance?> Coco asked in confusion.
Ace glanced at Leaf’s pissed expression before adding. I mean, your secondary assistant.
Coco opened her mouth, but wasn’t able to say much as Ace’s voice started talking to her in her mind without pause.
I mean, it’s obvious you’re too trusting for your own good, leaving strangers in a room with all your materials and golden coins, especially after adopting a child who was taught his entire life how to cheat and steal. Your voice is just so calm and innocent, and your storage looks like a mess. With a sheepish smile, he added Hehe, no offense.
“None taken,” she sighed, motioning for Ace to continue.
Ace pointed at her forehooves before adding, Not to mention that that police officer told me about the other races. Unicorns have their horns, which work almost the same as my ‘Psychic’ and allow them to levitate objects. Not to mention pegasus have their wings for delicate matters, but all you have are your hooves to work with. He gestured over to the machinery and materials used for clothing production. You make all these clothes, which look really neat by the way, without the help of psychic powers. He poked his left ear and added, Long story short, my psychic power is now at your disposal. Bowing, he looked up at her and smirked.
“W-what? But what about your sister?”
My sis can wait a few days. I bet she would totally approve of me helping you. He levitated towards a stack of materials, patting it. I’ll claim this as my bed. I think I’ll crash here and maybe explore the docks of this large city in my free time. A place to sleep on and some food and water is all I need in exchange for my help.
“B-but…”
Ace levitated towards another stack of materials, separating the pile into a few smaller stacks, organising them by color. How about we start with a little reorganization. Just tell me what to do and I’ll get all this stuff cleaned up and organized in a jiffy.
“But I…”
Ace levitated over, leaped into her embrace and patted his belly. And if you feel stressed, you can rub my belly! But… that will cost you extra. He pressed his forepaw into the fur on her belly and added, Unless you let me rub the creamy fur on your belly in return. I’m always up for cuddling and snuggling exchanges.
Coco closed her mouth and sighed. It became obvious that her newest, enthusiastic assistant didn’t leave any room for negotiations. All she could do is ride this crazy wave and hope she wasn’t pulled under.
Seems all of Nica’s family is very enthusiastic
Eeyup. Also, ever since Ace joined Emily, he had many opportunities to interact with his taller sister, and she have a lot of enthusiasm to share.
Also, congrats on being the first to comment. I didn't expect that there will be such a desert in the comment section on this chapter. (I planned to dedicate only 4 parts for Little Lost Ace before the story will catch up with the events in the spa. I hope my readers don't fear that the story took too big of a shirt for long).
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I fear you may be a bit dissapointed.
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To be fair, going from zero to infinity when someone is in danger is more of Nica's thing (since she hate fighting for the sake of it, but is obsesed about keeping others safe). Pikachu always try to go all out, no matter if it is a fight against bad guys or just for fun, so their fight would be fairy even. (In terms of raw power, Starlight and Twilight go into category of legendries. Starlight would certainly be as powerful as for example Entei, while Twilight would be even stronger than that). The issue in here is combat experience. While pokemon fight for most of their life as it is part of their nature, ponies are more peaceful creatures. Even if Starlight is not afraid to use her raw power to hurt someone, and Twilight was trained by Nica for past 2 weeks, they still lack in terms of combat experience and skills.
In other words, Starlight as pseudo-legendary will have a big advantage in terms of raw power against unevolved pokemon like Pikachu. In terms of experiene, skills and willpower, Pikachu have the advantage. Since Pikachu already defeated a legendary (even though I find the fight agianst Regice rather odd, allowing Pikachu endure one powerful blow after another while KO-ing Regice who kept using rest over and over) I think that on the long-run, Pikachu would be the winner. (On the other side, usually trainers take care of strategy and tell their pokemon which attacks to use. Pikachu rely a lot on Ash in this regard, so this kind of even the odds).
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Like I said before: Starlight have advantage in raw power and magic allow a greater variarity of attacks than your typical 4 moves. Pikachu however have way more expeirence and willpower, certainly able to endure more hits and evade. Since Pikachu don't have Ash's guidance, he need to rely more on his instincts and intuition, and there is no one to warn him when opponent teleport behind him. I think Pikachu would be the winner in the end, but Nica interupted their fight since it stopped being enjoyable.
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That pissed me off big time. A pikachu with so much experience being dominated by a first time snivy. Not to mention, he shouldn’t have even had the moves he used. That was a big low point in Pokémon. Though Serena and greninja really helped out (Gen seven I think?)
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Gen 6 actually. Gen 7 is Sun and the Moon. (Gen 7 is the brightest point when it comes to Pokemon games, but the lowest point when it comes to anime).
Man, I bookmarked "Little Lost Raichu" when it first came out, but I never expected to come back to it and find all this! (I have this awful habit of bookmarking things and never reading them) And a sequel! I've been desperately reading all week trying to sate my hunger for your writing! I've laughed, I've cried, I LOVE your stories!! I get excited every time a new character is introduced, they're all so hilarious and memorable!
Of course, as an obsessive shiny hunter/breeder/trainer, I know what I must do now... I hope you're satisfied knowing I'll be spending months recreating all these characters in-game!
...as soon as I get that shiny stakataka so I can unlock the IV checker...But seriously, thank you so much for writing all this! I'm definitely going to check out anything with your name on it, now, you're amazing!
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Are you refering only to Astra's pokemon? Or Emily's as well?
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Well, you are in for a dark and a bit sad story of Fluttershy being a pureblood vampony, and slice of life story filled with struggle of Twilight living as a tiny pony whose will have to train her raw power and physical strength in order face the giant world without fear. Hope those will be to your liking.
Also, on a side-note. How much do you like the characters introduced in the story, especially Nica, Pikachu and Ace? And if you had to secgregate your characters to who you liked the most, which ones would be number 1,2 and 3 ?
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Definitely Astra's AND Emily's, and maybe a few others, like the Dewott Nica fought!
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Nica is definitely 100% my favorite. I can't help but read about her and want to go out and do my own training to improve myself!
Pikachu was admittedly a bit of a miss for me at times, but I think you did a good job of bringing me back around to liking your portrayal with the interactions between him and the rest of Ash's pokemon.
We haven't gotten to see a lot of Ace, yet, but I'm already having a blast reading about him! His enthusiasm is contagious and he always means well, even if he does seem a little obnoxious with his lack of boundaries at times. I think that might say more about me than him, honestly.
My top three would probably be...
Definitely Nica in first place. Like I said, she's the perfect balance of inspiring and adorable.
Ninetails would have to take second place. Not only has he been such a longtime mainstay of the cast, you nailed the concept of "jerk with a heart of gold." He's unpredictable at times, but it feels like with him by your side, your only fear in the world would be a cutting remark or angry glare from your own companion.
Third place is a toss-up between Umbreon and Mimikyu. I love overprotective sibling characters, and I won't lie, my heart practically leaped out of my chest when Umbreon turned on Darkrai in "Little Lost Raichu." Dark type pokemon are actually my favorite type of all (I know saying that screams "teenage edgelord," but it's true) and I love to envision Umbreon as this loyal friend through thick and thin.
Mimikyu has the same protective and loyal qualities, but is also hilarious in his occasional over-the-top violence and threats! Mimikyu was actually my first shiny in Gen 7, by complete accident, and I wound up calling her my "Little Crit-Slinger" from how often she pulled through with a critical Shadow Claw when things looked bad. I actually was cheering out loud when Astra's Mimikyu was introduced, I was so happy to see one of my favorite species getting good representation here.
I guess if I absolutely had to pick one, I'd have to choose Mimikyu for third place, if only because we haven't gotten to see a lot of Umbreon.
It's amazing how well you've managed to nail the warm and safe environment I would imagine Ponyville to have while also combining it with the fun and sportsmanship pokemon bring everywhere they go. I can't help but keep gushing about how much I love your stuff, but you definitely nailed the best of both worlds while not leaving out the harshness and problems that can come with both, as well.
If you don't mind me asking, there's two things I was wondering if we'd ever get a chance to see. Is there any chance for Astra and/or Emily to wind up in Equestria and get to not only meet the ponies, but also have an opportunity to talk to their pokemon directly? And secondly, I REALLY hope Starlight gets a chance to visit the pokemon world and become a pokemon trainer! I know you've been hinting at/building up to it, is that one of your end-game ideas? (I understand if you don't want to answer these for the sake of spoilers, of course.)
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So true. Though I am not sure if Ash's pokemon would get along with him if they were forced to travel together. Ash's team most of the time show kindness and is fair sport, and they work hard to prove themselves. A Ninetales who would act as if he was superior to them, point out that they still have a lot to learn, and even complain how most of Ash's pokemon never evolve, it would get annoying relly fast. Ash's Pokemon would no doubt try to prove themselves and develop as sort of rivarly with Ninetales.
Such a situation was between Ninetales and Litten. Though, when Litten decided to eat his pride and humbled himself, Ninetales quickly became more friendly with him and was even willing to help the little guy. It would all come down to if Ash's other pokemon would admit Ninetales superiority, or if they would fight to defend their pride.
Hehe, it kind of makes him quite handful for Nica, who is second in command and is responsible at keeping her team in check. Stopping overprotective Umbreon from jumping on strangers, teaching Mimikyu to lower his violence and threats and scaring factor, and also dealing with jerkish part of Ninetales, it all wasn't easy for someone who disaprove of bulling and violence.
Funny you say that, consideirng that this sportsmanship became a big reason behind the conflict between Nica and Pikachu. Pikachu was always willing to prove himself and grow stronger without the need to evolve, handicaping himself due to his bad experiences with violent Raichu. Nica on the other side knew that being fully evolved give her a big advantage over her hero. She was afraid that if they fought each other, even if it was a friendly duel, she was be nothing but a bully picking on her weaker hero while hurting his pride in the process. She was terrified that her hero would start seeing her as a rival to overcome and hate her for being a Raichu who can't be beaten. Both sides had good intentions, yet it took a lot of misunderstandings before they finally got along.
I rather not spoil anything. Considering that part 4 will be last part where Ace is shown in Manehattan, while part 5 will show how Ace arrived in Ponyville and meet others in the spa, and also considering that the portal to pokemon world is very very close to being finished, it is best to keep those questions unanswered.
i put this off for too long, it was a great chapter. see ya soon
I guess its genetic