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Another Journey Begins3,533 words
Arrival of Change2,721 words
Out of the Forest2,365 words
Enter Ponyville Part I2,397 words
Enter Ponyville Part II5,798 words
Holiday Happenings4,415 words
Operation Awesome8,277 words
Revelations5,499 words
Unexpected Visitors Part I3,089 words
Unexpected Visitors Part II3,725 words

Out of the Forest

Ash walked out of the forest, with his head held high and taking long, commanding strides. He had the natural look of a leader, a man (or pony) on a mission.

With his faithful Pokémon, and his newfound ally Fluttershy, he would soon discover his true purpose here, and fulfill his destiny!

Eventually at least.

Now, Ash had decided to be the gentlemanly type and offered to find the way to wherever Fluttershy lived. “Near somewhere called Ponyville I think. At least from what I could hear,” thought Ash as he wandered along the road.

Despite Fluttershy’s near-silent protests, Ash began walking from the forest on the hard-packed dirt road on what he imagined would be a long walk.

And so, due to Ash’s brilliant navigation skills, they’ve crossed the same intersection of road about four times in the past half an hour.

“Erm….Ash?” Fluttershy timidly asked.

“Huh?” responded Ash, staring at a map he apparently just drew with Pikachu out of….something. Pikachu was pointing at one part of the map, while Ash shook his head condescendingly and pointed to a different part. The two then glared at each other, sparks flying from their eyes (almost literally in Pikachu’s case), when Fluttershy yelled “WAIT!”
Both Ash’s and Pikachu’s eyes widened; it was the first time they’d heard their new pink and yellow friend speak loudly……ever.

“er…yes Fluttershy?” asked Ash nervously, not sure about this new loud Fluttershy. To be frank, it scared him slightly.

“Well…you see….my house….is right back there,” said Fluttershy quietly, pointing her hoof at a nice quaint little cottage on the side of the road. Ash recognized it almost instantly, having passed it already. Multiple times.

“Oh…how long has that been there?” asked Ash sheepishly. “Also, why didn’t you say anything? You knew I was listening.”

“Well actually I was trying to tell you when we left the Everfree Forest…that’s the forest back there….but I think I was being too quiet. I’m sorry…”

Ash mentally facepalmed (or facehoofed? Since he was now a pony, he didn’t know) at his ignorance, realizing him and Pikachu had been having an argument on where to go ever since they left. “I’m sorry Fluttershy, this is my fault, and I wasn’t listening for you to say anything. If anything, this isn’t even slightly your fault.” Ash placated.

“Okay…”

Thus an awkward silence fell upon the duo, marred only by the occasional bird chirping or squeak from Fluttershy.

“….well should we be off then?” asked Ash hesitantly.

“Um…yes, let’s” replied Fluttershy, almost undetectably.

The duo turned around and began walking towards the newly discovered cottage, Pikachu and Squirtle wandering alongside, conversing amiably.

“So…Ash…what’s it like being a Pokémon Trainer?” asked Fluttershy suddenly.

Ash was jolted out of his thoughts of food when he heard her speak. “What?”

“Oh…I just asked what it was like being a Pokemon trainer..."

"That? Well, it’s the greatest thing ever! I’ve made lots of friends, and caught a lot of Pokémon, and-“

“Wait, caught? As in capture? And keep?”

“Well Fluttershy, when you capture a Pokémon, you don’t just make it fight. You train it, and become friends with it. That’s how I became friends with Squirtle, and Larvitar, and all the other Pokémon you’ve seen. Well, where I’m from, they’re bigger, and have different names, but they’re the same Pokémon inside.”

“Wait, I’m still not sure…you said capture?”

“Yes, Fluttershy, capture. I throw a Pokeball-“ he said, lifting up a ball- “And throw it at a weakened Pokémon I’ve battled.”

“Oh, do these Pokémon like being captured though? I don’t think it’s fair if they don’t want to be captured.”

“In my personal experience, the Pokémon often chooses if they want to come with you, and you agree or not. But as a trainer, I don’t like keeping a Pokémon who didn’t want to be captured in the first place, and I bet a lot of people agree with me about that. Except maybe Paul…” he muttered at the end.

“Are there a lot of these Pokémon?”

“Oh yes! Well, let’s see, I’d guess about….say 500 of them, give or take a few. And that’s counting the Legendary Pokémon, like Arceus, and Giratina, and Ho Oh, and Lugia, and- er, Fluttershy?”

Fluttershy had fallen over as soon as she had heard 500, overcome with sheer excitement.

“There are that many of them?! Oh my, I can make lots of animal friends! Yay!” squealed Fluttershy, clapping her hooves together in a way that Ash thought was awesome. (I mean seriously, pony clapping is awesome clapping).

“Uh, Fluttershy?”

“And we can stay up all night, and have snacks-“

“Fluttershy?”

“- and play games with each other and-“

“FLUTTERSHY!”

“Eeep! Oh I’m sorry Ash, I must have gotten carried away again,” said Fluttershy apologetically.

“It’s okay Fluttershy…..hey, have you seen Squirtle or Pikachu and the rest?” asked Ash.

“Oh, they ran towards my house just a few moments ago! They seemed so excited and playful; they’ll get along great with my other animal friends!”

“Other animal friends…..” Ash mumbled as he remembered what Pokémon he had. “Oh boy, this won’t end well.”

Meanwhile, inside the house

Ash ran into the door, knocking furiously and finding out it was locked.

“No way,” said Ash. “PIKACHU! Open this door now! Open it, or by Arceus I swear I’ll break it open for you!”

No response from Pikachu.

“You were warned!” yelled Ash as he broke into a gallop and leapt towards the door.

“Uh…Ash?” squeaked Fluttershy, but it was too late as Ash tumbled through the shattered remains of the door.

“Huh, they didn’t even mess anything up.” He looked at the door. “Well, besides that. Hey Fluttershy, where’s your animal friends?”

“Uh Ash, my house is the one next door….the on with lightning bursting from the roof….and water flooding from the
door…and the really loud screeches coming from it…..and ” said Fluttershy quietly. It almost sounded like she was standing somewhere far away. Very, very far away.

“So you mean….this isn’t your house..?” A small squeak was all he got in response.

“Oops….Oh no…”

Meanwhile, in Fluttershy’s real house

“PIKACHU! Just because you see ketchup, doesn’t mean you can just go for it! You have to ask! And if they refuse, you can’t just go attacking them!” berated Ash to Pikachu standing over a smoky white Buneary (or bunny as Fluttershy called it) which occasionally twitched and rolled. “Squirtle! Just because you see Pikachu doing it doesn’t mean its right! And not everything that has smoke is a fire! And Larvitar, please just be quiet! Why can’t you guys be like Turtwig there, being the peacemaker and just talk with the other animals…or Pokémon…whatever, just don’t destroy anything? Please?!”

The three main troublemakers said their names in apology, looking down at the ground in shame.

Turtwig agreed, looking sternly at the group. Well, however sternly a turtle could look at a Pokémon.

“Thank you. Starly! It’s okay to come down now!” yelled Ash to the sky. “I need you for something!”

Starly descended from the clouds and perched itself on Ash’s shoulder, while Pikachu huffed.

“Hey Starly, help me find Fluttershy, okay? I think she was really scared from the attacks going on in here.” Starly nodded agreement, and took off again. “And you three I expect to have cleaned up this house by the time I get back, okay? Turtwig, watch them for me, ‘kay? And- hey wait, where’s Charmander?” asked Ash. The four Pokémon shrugged. “Oh no! Starly, let’s hurry!”

And at full gallop, Ash raced out of the ruined house with his bird overhead, searching for a pink and yellow pony and possibly some burning animals….

“Fluttershy? Charmander?” yelled Ash to no avail. “Starly, you see anything?”

“Starly!” exclaimed the bird, before dashing off towards the town Fluttershy had pointed out earlier.

“Wait, I forgot what town that was? What wa-”

Ash abruptly stopped in midair and fell to the ground due to the sign that was in his way.

Welcome to Ponyville!

Where the ponies are nice and friendly!

Someone had crossed out the nice and friendly line however and replaced it with a 20% cooler!

Starly stopped and turned back towards her master, with a surprised and amused look in her face.

“Meet you there Starly, let’s go!”

Dashing towards the city at breakneck pace, following Starly as it zoomed through the clouds, Ash had almost reached the outskirts of the small town when he heard singing coming from the bushes nearby. And not just any singing, but the most beautiful singing he’d ever heard. Soft and melodious, it reminded him of lullabies his mother sang to him before he had grown, before he’d left home to become a Pokémon Master. Following the voice, he came upon a scene he wouldn’t have ever imagined; Fluttershy was sitting upright against a rock, her eyes closed, cradling a sleeping Charmander in her forelegs, singing softly to the young dragon as puffs of smoke appeared at each soft snore.
“Hush now, quiet now, it’s time to lay your sleepy head. Hush now, quiet now it’s time to go to bed…”

Ash would’ve normally asked Fluttershy to move and continue on back to her house, but after hearing her sing…..he just didn’t have the nerve. Her voice was like angels to Ash, making him feel as though he wanted to just curl up and sleep to her song. So engrossed in his thoughts about her singing, he didn’t notice her finish, lay Charmander gently on her back, and begin to walk away, back towards her house.

“Wait! Fluttershy!” yelled Ash, tumbling through the brush and leaves.

“OH!” squealed Fluttershy, almost fainting before recognizing Ash’s voice. “Oh, hello Ash! I didn’t know you were there! I’m sorry for putting your baby dragon to sleep, but he seemed to be so scared after you ran to help the others, I don’t think he knew where you went! So he ran to me, with tears in his eyes, and I did the only thing I could do. I’m sorry Ash…”

Ash waved his hoof, saying “Why would you be sorry for that? You calmed down one of my most powerful, well in the future at least, and I hate to say this, but more temperamental Pokémon by singing.” He ruffled Charmander’s head with his hoof, and was rewarded by a sigh of contentment. “If anything, I should be saying sorry for the actions of my Pokémon! Speaking of which, I should go check on them? You up for going back? You can stay if you want to.”

“Oh heavens no, I want to check if all my animal friends are okay!” said Fluttershy.

So the duo, with Charmander snoozing on Fluttershy’s back, and Starly roaming the sky above, walked back to the cottage, where a……sparkling clean perfectly built intact structure stood?

“Whoa….no way that they could have done this…..I was gone for only about 10 minutes,” said Ash, dumfounded.

Fluttershy wore the same countenance as Ash, but spoke nothing. Ash lightly walked up to the doorway, and knocked on the door. He was soon answered by Squirtle standing on Larvitar, and politely ushered in, along with Fluttershy and Charmander, with Starly flying in through an open window.

The cottage was bustling with action. Pikachu and Turtwig were walking around and working, and directing some of the other animals to work with them. Turtwig was carrying a bunny on his back, and together the two were cleaning, with Turtwig cleaning low and the bunny cleaning above. Pikachu was also directing, when he saw Ash and ran over to him, and pointed at the room, as to say “Well, what do you think?”

“I think you’ve done excellently, Pikachu.”

“You know what he said?” asked Fluttershy.

“Well, not exactly, but me and Pikachu over here have been together for so long, that he and I know each other very well and can communicate on a higher-than-basic level. Kinda like what you do with all the animals here, Fluttershy.”

“Thanks…”said Fluttershy, blushing slightly. “Wait, how did you know about that?”

“Well, as dense as some people like Misty think I am,” replied Ash, “I saw how the animals came to you and I saw how much they adored you, and how you in turn did the same. It’s not possible to show that much affection without being able to communicate on a deeper level.”

“Ah, good point…” murmured Fluttershy.

The Pokémon then decided they were tired, which Ash fully expected, since they seemed to have all worked ridiculously hard in the past ten minutes. Ash returned each one to their Pokéballs, including the sleeping Charmander, all except for Pikachu.

“Well, should we go to Ponyville now? I’m really kinda worried about what my mom would think if I never came back again, and your friend Twilight may have the answer.”

“It’s dark out,” mumbled Fluttershy even quieter than before. “But if you want to go..”

“Ah.” said Ash, understanding Fluttershy’s fears at once. “We’ll leave tomorrow morning, okay?”

“Okay...” came a squeak. “You can stay here if you like; I have a guest room upstairs.”

“Thanks Fluttershy, me and Pikachu here will head up there now.”

Suddenly, Fluttershy hugged Ash and buried her face in his mane, murmuring, “Good night Ash.”

And with that, she walked to her room with her face furiously red, leaving a blushing and wide-eyed Ash as well as a snickering Pikachu in her wake.

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