Baa-Ram-Ewe!

by Darkonshadows

252. Getting to know ewe...

-Equus, Ponyville, Carousel Boutique, Twilight Sparkle-

“No Rainbow, you are not going on the Tambelon mission.” I was putting my hoof down on this.

“What about Fizzy, she’s going and so is Jaded!” Rainbow, if a pony jumped off a… no wait, you’ve jumped of multiple things hundreds of times that were a lot higher up than bridges.

“Rainbow, martial arts is self-protection, Fizzle is rated for war both physically and magically. Also she can take you and half the royal guard in a fight and win, that’s before she even needs to start resorting to magic to take out the other half.” First explanation done, now for the next. “As for Jaded, she is a mercenary that can plan around a lot of things we can’t account for, she has a lot of tricks and is capable of defeating almost the entirety of the day guard shift with rubber bands… didn’t help that she bribed most of the night guard with fruit baskets to not stop her that day. Also, no, I couldn’t fire the night guard, they still did their jobs even if they wouldn’t or couldn’t stop Jaded.”

“Speaking of, have they recovered from that incident?” Applejack asked.

“Yes Applejack, they’re fine.” It still left me wondering… how did she find that many uses for a single rubber band ball?!

“I’m fine with not going.” At least Fluttershy was the sensible... “If none of you do… otherwise I’ll pick up some medical kits.”

Well at least Fluttershy is thinking ahead.

“Can I please be left out of it too?” We’ll try to oblige you Fœnum Pom, but you took out a number of guards and your friends just might drag you into it anyway. Mine were certainly threatening to do that to me.

“I actually want in on this adventure too, because how can I ignore an entire realm without laughter?! So I want to go to this Tambelon place and brighten it up and rescue who we can! Besides, I can get Cheese Sandwich to cover for me while I’m gone at least.” It seemed Pinkie actually had heroic aspirations. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking Pinky?”

“I think so Pinkie, but where will would we even find that many rutabagas in time for the festival?” Said a white mouse with a red nose who was sitting on top of a strange, goofy looking, pony.

“Pinkie…” I said slowly.

“Yes?” The mouse and pink pony both responded.

“Please, stop breaking dimensional boundaries and bringing weirdoes into this world to learn friendship.” I sighed audibly.

“Can we go back to our world so that we can get back to taking it over?” Said a second mouse with a large head, we couldn’t let him go before taught him to learn the value of friendship. “I would loathe to miss a night where I fail spectacularly, I have a world record to upkeep for most failed attempts to conquer a planet in unique ways.”

“Honestly, I’d rather stay out of Tambelon place.” Applejack muttered. “I’m happy with being a teacher and a farmer, but a warrior… well if Rainbow Dash does manage to sneak in, then I’m going to.”

“It would be a bit of a bother, but I already have enough of a thriving business that I can spare plenty of time to go on the mission.” Rarity stated as she continued to quietly teach Yona how to make a dress by hoof, apparently she was somewhat enthralled that Spindle was quite capable of helping Yona with it. So long as Spindle the wolf pack spider didn’t crawl onto her, she was perfectly fine with the familiar’s presence on her apprentice. “I’d rather not, but if Pinkie or Rainbow asks me to, I wouldn’t say no to actually finding ways to assist in the excursion to the best of my abilities.”

We’d learn that Pinky seems to already know what being a true friend was, despite trying to help his friend take over their world. Brain said it was more of a hobby at this point, because if he ever succeeded that would mean the world was doing far worse than he would like.

-Ransei, Helper’s Hamlet, Pom-

By the time Happiny had finished looking over Dazzle, it had become too late to start lunch. So I was going to holding a big feast and bade some of our new friends to gather the food to cook up a lot of soup with. Evan, Maiden Jig and Motochika would be informed by Happiny.

Miltanks would help with the milk I needed to create a cream for the soup I’d make later, but I made sure to tell them to pasteurize it first. They knew how to do that, so it was taken care of.

Until then, I had some Pokémon to talk to and some training with Dolly I needed to cover.

-Team Harmony HQ/Helper’s Hamlet Guild Hall, Smolder-

“So what did you mean that she at least always wins every battle placed before her mentally?” It had been bothering me that Ocellus and Pom had that strange talk. I leaned against the table and thought about when I would be able to eat.

“... Pom… well… the anxiety issues aren’t the worst of her problems. It’s okay Ocellus, just rip the bandage off.” Ocellus muttered that last part to herself out loud before returning her gaze to me. “I can feel what… ‘death seeker’… emotions are like. I have counted a number of occasions throughout our adventure where Pom sorely wanted to give up on life entirely, there were possibly more times that I wasn’t around for. Pom has to actively try hard to keep a positive attitude around me, mostly for my sake despite how hard that is for her to do.”

“I’m only learning this now?” This left me completely worried for our caretaker, especially when she was winning mental victories against herself to just to keep going.

“Pom is probably going well out of her way to never do things to upset us… aside from trying to make sure we were taking our relationship safely, which was an incredibly awkward attempt at being an adult.” Not going beyond the hoof holding and kissing stage until we are a few years older. “Still, it’s nice that she told us to be careful.”

“At least the beings in this world are somewhat cute and cuddly looking.” Right now, after hearing that, I think I needed some cute silly stuff in my life. I moved over to Ocellus and put an arm around her, good things Ocellus was pure cute and we could do silly stuff together.

-Different table, Shanty-

“That was a boring mission.” Favela be wanting some excitement. I can be understanding the sentiment, but Pom be needing help. “Though I’m somewhat glad it was, I wouldn’t want to fight a Salandit. I, Favela, know that they have powerful poisons that even poison type Pokémon can’t be immune.”

“Pom can’t avoiding trouble.” Silently, I be wanting to hug Pom more as we almost be losing her again. “Trust me, things just be getting started and that is not exactly being a good thing.”

-Field outside of Helper’s Hamlet, Dolly-

“Aero!” Having a magical ability to suddenly summon swirling vortexes of wind wherever I wanted was easy to utilize, what wasn’t easy was what Pom was asking me to do.

Since Pom learned I could somewhat absorb impacts, provided I don’t get knocked over and I can’t be in the air where I’m in control of how I fall, she’s been trying to get me to branch out my wind magic.

Surprisingly… we’ve discovered the spell was more than just circular vortex of green wind and blasts of air.

I was now being followed by a silver swirling wind and Pom struck at me as I leapt at her to try and hit or bite her. I didn’t have my equipment as Pom had told me to leave it in our room at the base.

I took the blow across the belly and flipped backwards to land on the ground while absorbing the impact of her attack. Clapping my paws together wouldn’t restore energy, it had to be an impact I’m not causing so that I could absorb the momentum for recharging my magic and Pom wasn’t exactly going easy on me.

Pom was definitely pulling her hooves when she struck me. It still hurt, but it was a lot less painful with the swirling silver winds moving around me.

“So what is it doing? It buffeted me somewhat when I struck you.” The silver winds whipping around me continued as Pom asked.

“I think it’s just a magical barrier that moves with me.” My response made Pom looking thoughtful as she held her stance. She looked behind herself for some reason, nothing but grass and wide open spaces here Pom and I didn’t smell anything… unless it was underground. “Really cool looking, but not exactly my color or style. Also it really seems to be making sure I stay perfectly in the middle of it.”

Pom lunged and threw a left hoof at me and managed to tag my side as I evaded, she was pushed back roughly and a bit off balanced.

“It seems to push back whoever tries to hit you and it also noticeable reduces any injuries you would have taken otherwise.” Taking a moment to drop to all four hooves, Pom lifted her right hoof back up and motioned behind her. “Okay, try to create a wind behind me, but instead of blasting outward or in a given direction… I want you to make it do this inverse. By that, I mean I want you to make it pull me backwards when I leap at you, fail to do so and I’ll land a blow.”

“I always did learn better when consequences were on the line.” I readied myself three paws and my right raised and ready to pull her away. I just had to concentrate right? If Pom hits me, I would have to try and stay standing.

“Ready?” Pom crouched. “Go!”

“Aero!” I did as she asked and tried to place a wind that pull her backwards behind her.

I got the suction part right, but… Pom slammed into me at a high speed.

The swirling winds having sucked her in at me even faster and her attempt to strike out turned into an impromptu, and rather painful, shoulder tackle. A tackle that left us being dragged back and forth across the ground several times as we were sucked towards the center of the swirling winds until they died out.

“Bowwww-aghhhaaa-owwww…” I groaned lamely after having my body dragged along the ground with Pom’s several times through the inward swirling winds. Thankfully they stopped before I was pummeled into the grass too badly.

Several attempts later proved that the suction of air would always be centered on me. Thankfully the suction doesn’t seem to actually have an effect on me, at least until I’m hit by something that is… which is highly likely.

“Do you think I’ll get up to tornadoes like the one we created at the volcano?” My Aero magic felt like it was always at the same strength, except when I was using it as a swirling silver shield. “I mean without you, Smolder and Shanty adding power into it.”

My Haste magic was cut and dry in its simplicity by comparison to what my Aero spell could do. It still felt like there was more to Aero that could do, at best I can extend my time with haste by a few seconds with practice and practice was slow thanks to those darned side effects.

“Maybe someday Dolly.” Nothing gets a tail wagging like fun positive reinforcement like some petting or cuddling, like what you are doing right now Pom. “I think we’re done here Dolly, I got some Pokémon to talk to before I start dinner.”

-Farmlands south of Aurora Castle, Shine-

Bidoof were pretty amazing, as were my new friends that made this place possible basically a day after I met them. Outsiders really were incredible like legends say they are.

Speaking of friends, I was gathering wild vegetables for them to eat… also I was sneaking snacks of the surrounding soil for myself after I pulled the vegetables to see how healthy the soil was for some replanting.

Many Pokémon might see me as spooky or dangerous, but I was okay with that as long as I could still make a few friends that would show them I wasn’t something to be feared. Ghost types in general weren’t very scary if you had methods to actively deal with us.

Ghost types did have a reputation and while I wouldn’t say it’s entirely undeserved, it was to be expected when ghost types can be quite mean in their playfulness. No one could tell me that absolutely all ghost types were horrible, I was one of the ones that wasn’t.

“Excuse me…” Jumping slightly, Pom was coming up to me with a weak smile and a curious look in her eyes.

“Oh, hello Pom, was there something you wanted?” I giggled at being spooked so easily, I quickly made sure the dropped basket of vegetables was okay.

“I wanted to know more about how ghost types phase through things.” Oh, interested in ghost types now are you? I’m happy to oblige! “I want a little more idea of how that Trick-or-Treat move of yours works, more to the point why Favela managed to get free and avoided getting hurt. I know it’s an immunity thing, but I want more of a solid explanation.”

“Well to start, we can phase through most solid matter and other Pokémon who aren’t charged up with or are in the middle of using an effective move. We have some problems with phasing while in liquids, even ghost water types are a bit slow in water. If we’re attacked with average, normal or fighting type attacks, it phases straight through us unless a Pokémon has a move to counter our phasing abilities and break our immunity to said attacks.” I thought about that Seviper that got a hold of Favela, she had used an average attack and stabbed herself in anger while Favela was a temporary ghost type. Even if the Seviper had prepared to use a move, the same result would have happened. Favela would have slipped out of the Wrap move the next time the Seviper flexed with normal energy or a move is prepared thus causing a flex. The normal type energy of a wrap attack pulsed throughout the body with every flex. So in any case, no matter what the Seviper did, Favela would have escaped safely. “Average attacks are basically what we’re doing when moves are not involved using our natural bodies alone to deal damage, like if I were to punch you with my hair arms with no move based energy behind it. Also I’m sorry to say, but the fear of ghost Pokémon is actually warranted.”

“Why would you say sorry? You seem nice enough to me.” That’s nice of you Pom, but I couldn’t overlook the many problems that ghost Pokémon tended to cause.

“We ghost types can possess others, mess with souls, cause nightmares and can even eat good dreams. That’s not even getting into how often ghost types like to make people miserable at times.” I started twiddling my tufts of think pink strands of leaf hair. “If someone mentions ‘mean spirited’ pranks when in reference to ghost types, it is quite literally done by mean spirits.”

“Well it’s a good thing you’re a nice spirit then, even if you are a bit lonely in that…” As nervous as Pom seemed about something, I waited patiently to hear what she wanted to say. “I kind of want to know what it feels like to be a ghost and you’re a quick answer to that… so can you ghost me and let me move through one object?”

“Are you sure?” I ask because becoming a ghost can be disconcerting to some Pokémon.

“Yes.” It sounded like Pom wanted to say no and be wary of me, yet she was still going through with it?

“Trick-or-Treat.” I stated softly and Pom shivered as her body took on the effect and began to glow in an ethereal manner.

“… Everything feels so cold all of the sudden, is this what it’s like to be a ghost? It’s even lonelier than I thought.” Saying that, Pom got up and started moving towards the nearest tree, after walking her full body through it she came back to me. “Okay, that felt really interesting. Can you please … oh… wow… it just stopped immediately?”

“Yes, you were clearly uncomfortable. I can only turn someone into a ghost temporarily, but I can turn off the effect long before the time limit runs out. I can only do that to two, possibly three, targets at maximum. Also I can’t use it on you for a few minutes after it wears off in any given manner.” Thinking on it I decided to tell her. “It can last an hour, provided I’m not knocked unconscious. If something happens to me, the effect immediately wears off. If you’re phasing through something and it wears off, you’ll at least be forcibly pushed upwards out of any solid object safely into a large enough space before solidifying.”

“You mentioned souls?” Tentatively asked a wary Pom.

“Yes, I did, one of the most dangerous moves I know of is called Destiny Bond and now that I think of it… I want to warn you what it looks like and how to avoid the effects of it.” I would proceed to teach her what it looks like, much to Pom’s interest of avoiding the move.

After explaining the move Pom gently pulled me into a hug.

“Thank you for telling me about that, one less thing for me to worry about now that I know what to look out for if I meet any ghost types that would use it… so…” Given that Pom was still hugging me, I started hugging her back. “Want to continue being friends Shine?”

“Of course!” I stated cheerful.

“So how was your life growing up?” It seemed like Pom was interested in my life and I was in her, we started to share stories.

Remembering my time as a sweet little Pumpkaboo brought back fond memories and some equally upsetting of being bullied. I even thought about that nice Bulbasaur that stood up for me.

I will try not to let them down!

-Two hours later, north end of Helper’s Hamlet, Quetal-

If I were them, I wouldn’t trust any Sneasel or our evolution form Weavile. That includes me, how unfortunate that I was not them.

“You know… Shine pointed something out to me when I had a talk with her, I know why she doesn’t use ghost type attacks and her only attack is the fire that she’s highly reluctant to use.” The leader of the outsider group, Pom Lambchop, approached me with curiosity. I could almost taste her honest fear, and possibly respect, for how powerful we Pokémon really were. “She told me I should bring something up with you related to that.”

“What would that be?” I grunted and kept my arms crossed as I leaned against the empty building.

“Do you have any ice or dark type attacks?” There was no way Pom could have missed my flinch. “The Skitty Squad used ice beams, so I have idea as to what ice type attacks entail. I’m guessing that dark type attacks are focused on brutality and are usually used by nocturnal Pokémon.”

“They are.” I tried to calm down, Shine had noticed and had likely figured something about me out.

“So why would you handicap yourself like that?” That… was not the question that should be coming from you Pom.

“I live how I want to.” Huffing this indignantly, as I continued to stare in the direction of Ignis’s mountains.

“I have a friend who uses the power of darkness as a hero, her name is Oleander. She’s always trying to proclaim that dark is not evil. Even if the unknown can eventually lead to that, she hangs out with a being who generally seemingly lacks empathy for most things alive. That person is my friend too.” And… where were you going with this Pom? I didn’t want to talk about this. “It’s strange, but I would figure you to be more pragmatic for someone who has notably survived incredible hardships with the way you act. Having attacks that benefit your strengths would be conducive to your survival, instead you stick to two not aligned attacks and two evasion based abilities.”

“I haven’t even used Double Team in front of you once.” I stated bluntly.

“But you did just confirm to me that you don’t have ice or dark type attacks. So… I’ve notice a lot of Pokémon tend to stick to four moves, why is that?” Why is she asking me this? Is it because I will tell it to her straight?

“We can actually use more than four moves, but keeping more moves tends to dilute the energy in our bodies for every move we hold on to. Our bodies can only have so much energy dedicated to each move.” I held up my left claw at her, she still approached me and sat down next to me. “Four moves is the best range for not diluting their power too much and we still have average attacks. There are a few moves where only holding onto one is actually a benefit in some cases, like take King Evan for instance… if he were to learn the move Last Resort and ditch all his other moves, he’d easily take down a Tyranitar with it. However it’d drain him of his strength so quickly he’d be reduced to struggling in a pitched drawn out battle with many more Pokémon than just a few big ones, plus he’d be entirely useless against ghost types. So four moves of any quality evenly spreads the power and gives you the ability to handle most situations depending on how you use them in a fight.”

“You don’t like fighting.” The minute she said that I slashed my left claws at her. She didn’t flinch, she didn’t move away and she didn’t even look at me she was looking at the mountains of Ignis in the distance like I had been. My claws never touched her, she calmly looked to me with a worry and not fear despite my threatening her so readily. “If you don’t mind me asking about it… what happened to you?”

“…” Could I really trust her with that information? I sighed, it’s not like I had much to hide. “My brother… he was killed by both ice and dark type attacks. One of the dark type attacks crippled him and then he took a spear of ice through the chest… he died protecting me and saving my life. They thought I had died too, given how close that ice attack was to piercing me mortally.”

“Older or younger?” She just reached up with a hoof, grabbed my right shoulder and I soon found myself sitting at her side where she gently embraced me.

“Younger…” The hug tightened, I slowly and carefully brought my claws around her and held her as she sniffled. “If I had cried out or tried to fight back… I would have died too.”

She was going to cry… for someone like me? She really shouldn’t waste her tears on me.

This crazy outsider didn’t entirely know what dark types were like.

She could stop now…

Anytime…

I’d let her comfort me for a few more minutes as I finally pressed my face into her wool.

If anyone asked, I’d deny having tears in my eyes.

“I sometimes wished fighting wasn’t one of the things I was decent at.” Pom confided in me. “Fighting for survival is something I understand all too well.”

I opened up and started talking about the harshness of the kingdom of ice type Pokémon and the darkness within, it was the kingdom of frozen hearts… Nixtorm.

The world wasn’t always a bright place, but I had found the help I could ask for eventually.

-Helper’s Hamlet guild, occupied room, late evening, Dazzle-

I didn’t think there were people out there that would help me. I’m quite aware that Salandits, or eventually a Salazzle in the case of females, had a history of being highly dangerous Pokémon.

Steel types and other poison type Pokémon trembled with our corrosive might. A might that I’m not exactly proud of having used on someone that was trying to approach me peacefully.

I wanted to get away from the stereotype of being one of the scariest monsters to meet in Viperia, I also wanted to get away from my other status entirely.

“Are you feeling okay?” Sitting up worriedly, I turned to see the Fennekin poking his head into the room. I just stared at the fire fox quietly and he stared back. “I’ll just leave the door open when you want to come downstairs. We’re going to have a feast soon and we want everyone currently in Helper’s Hamlet to be a part of it, everything here was built last night believe it or not.”

I was not in a talkative mood and kept my head facing away from him as I laid there on the bed.

“Well I hope you’ll feel like coming down and joining us.” He turned to leave.

“Wait…” I said quietly, almost hoping he wouldn’t hear me. He poked his head back in the open door with no guards standing around the entrance, did they not fear me running? Were there were no political games here, no hunting parties trying to drag me back or Pokémon trying to outright assassinate me? “Can you get the one that brought me here and got that Happiny to see to my body?”

“You want to talk to the beautiful boss Pom, sure thing!” Before he turned to leave, the Fennekin looked back at me with a smile “I’m Eriflamb by the way, call me Erif!”

He was soon gone leaving me to my thoughts.

I didn’t know when she arrived, but she moved up to me.

“Today has been a roller coaster of emotions… at least it’s been quiet in the violence department.” The white wooly one muttered to herself. “Hello, Erif said you wanted to see me? My name is Pom Lambchop.”

“Yes…” I hissed out as I rolled over to face her, but kept laying down. “Again, I apologize for the poison attack, I’ve just been hounded by the forces of Viperia as far as Pugilis… I barely crawled through Ignis without my injuries worsening by a magnitude. The civil war there is not pleasant, but I avoided most of their fights… most, but not all of them.”

“Since you want to talk, I’ve been learning the stories of my traveling Pokémon companions. So what’s yours if you don’t mind me asking?” At least she wasn’t demanding anything of me.

“I’m ‘a’ princess of one of Viperia’s major houses. I will eventually evolve into a Salazzle… only the females of my species evolve and we are known for having the most virulent poisons in the world that even other poison types fear. I’m trying to get away from my responsibilities of forced marriage and being chained to the kingdom.” I sat up on the bed and looked at Pom. “I don’t want to be a princess or a fief owner that is never allowed to leave the kingdom. I wish to travel wherever I want freely. The ruler of Viperia, Nene, is nothing more than a figurehead… while a very beloved one and the brightest spot in the kingdom, she can’t actually control any of the houses of poison types other than her own.”

“Well you’ve come this far, what do you want to do now?” That is the question isn’t it Pom. What do I, who have escaped the kingdom that would chain me to it, want to do most? “I can offer you a spot on my traveling companion team if you want to move around some with friends, otherwise you can stay in this guild hall for my Rescue Team as long as you need to before heading out on your own once you’ve figured things out.”

“Rescue Team… like the ones to have done things like stop world ending threats? I would like to join, but… I would also like help with being able to learn something.” Seeing the curiosity I had caused, I smiled. “I want to tell stories, sing and dance in merriment… to that end, do you know a Pokemon that knows the move Round?”

“I know a pervert.” Pom stated audibly with reluctance.

“I know Round!” Said a cheerful Minccino as he passed by dusting the floor with his tail merrily.

“Never mind who I was thinking of before, he can teach you!” The one eighty Pom did made me feel like I have dodged an amount of unpleasantness. “Can you do that Picochi?”

“Since you gave me an entire town to clean, gladly!” This Picochi threw a salute.

“Hey, you’re not doing it alone without me, I can teach her round better than you!” A swablu stated as she glared at the mouse. “We birds are proud singers!”

“I call dishes tonight!” Picochi stated.

“Oh no you don’t, I’m doing the dishes and the floors!” Never had I heard Pokémon sounding so competitive over chores before.

“If you do that, I’ll get the rafters and windows before you Pristi!” Declared the Picochi.

“Hah, fat chance, you flightless rodent!” Pristi yelled back.

“I will become a new member of your traveling companions Pom, some of the elder Pokémon in Viperia never wanted me to learn how to sing and this is quite joyous news for me.” I said with a cheerful grin as my forked tongue flicked about in manner representing how pleased I was. “All they wanted was for me to be bound to a husband I wouldn’t care for as a trophy wife and to be a warrior of some repute, they succeeded at the second all too well. With my injuries I did not think I would make it to a peaceful place.”

“Well if you want to make it official… by the smell of it, dinners done!” Pom stated brightly as she approached without fear. She gently took my left claw with her right hoof and tugged me onto my feet to start lead me downstairs. “Come on, join our feast Dazzle.”

It was strange that someone would interact so freely with one as poisonous an existence as mine. Still, I was eagerly looking forward to learning round and traveling with purpose behind my actions.

Going things alone by myself hadn’t been going very well anyway.

-Helpers Hamlet Guild Hall, feast time, Pom-

I’ve learned a lot from the Pokémon around me today as I ate with Dazzle sitting to my right. She seemed reserved around so many other Pokémon and while she seemed unapproachable, she was happy to start a conversation at the drop of a hat as long as it wasn’t talks about what Viperia was up to.

“Excuse me Pom, I want to commission your Rescue Team to help me test something out tomorrow morning. You won’t have to do any of the fighting if you don’t want to, but I would appreciate the help if you do. If my idea works, then I can started on taking my kingdom back.” Motochika was carrying a stringed instrument on his back. He quickly sat down and then readied his shell like a guitar pick. “Now let me add some lively music to this place, no feast should be this dull!”

Motochika really did light up the night with his playing.

Comments

[Herald of Opera]

Depending on how much Dazzle dislikes the noble houses' games, she may very well send a missive saying that she's leaving the universe. Because that will be an option for her.

[Booster Spice]

I think I really should have a go at watching that YouTube video on how to take down a squad of 6 legendaries with One Bidoof. Becasue it certainly sounds like at least a few of these guys.

Something about Last Resort?

[AllenVth]

I was wondering if Pom was ever going to get hit with a Destiny Bond, but Shine got that covered.