Pokémon Journey - A Trainer & His Adventure in Equestria

by NinjaMare

Chapter 16: Rough Patches and Plans Ahead

Since the little expedition into the Everfree Forest yesterday, and learning of the circumstances of his being in Equestria now revealed, Matt was now waiting for when both Celestia and Luna have come up with a sure-fire way to send him back to his home world without the possibility of being sent to another world entirely, which was said to be incredibly difficult. If not dangerous if everything isn’t done correctly.

For the time being while the princesses worked on the spell, in-between their usual duties, Matt decided to hang out in Ponyville for a while to not only give the princesses space, and not distract them by accident, which Twilight was happy to agree as she could offer the young man a place to stay. So the trainer spent the rest of the day spending time with Twilight, and getting reacquainted with the town and the ponies. Which wasn’t too hard on the later part thanks in part due to Pinkie Pie throwing a party to welcoming the young man back to the town, and allowing the towns ponies to interact with him and his Pokémon. Well, most of his Pokémon. The entire town was really surprised and shocked to see Matt’s newest Pokémon, especially when Druddigon broke some stuff mostly by accident, and was just scaring ponies just by looking at them. Luckily with Matt’s help, and a little assistance from Spike, the dragon Pokémon’s introduction inevitably went over smoothly.

~~~~~

The next day Twilight and Spike, along with Pinkie & Fluttershy, were guiding Matt to Sweet Apple Acres as the young man wanted to ask the farmer a question. As the group traveled along the dirt road making their way to the farmer, Twilight and the others occasionally looked over to the young trainer, and Lycanroc who was sticking close to her trainer, they would see that Matt was fiddling around with the device he calls a Pokédex. What he was doing on the device neither pony nor dragon could figure out, or outright understand with his mumbling, but for what they could gather at the bare minimum was something that involved fruit. And possibly some other stuff for food for his Pokémon. While the group was trotting along Pinkie tried to get a little closer to Lycanroc, but the bipedal wolf Pokémon just snarled at the pink mare causing her to flinch back.

“Okay, okay, sorry Lycanroc.” Pinkie said as she returned to her previous position while Lycanroc just stuck closer to Matt’s side, where she got a pat on the head.

“I told you guys that Lycanroc doesn’t like it when others try to get close to her.” Matt said as he continued to pat the wolf Pokémon’s head to calm her down, which seems to be working as she nuzzled into his side for a moment before walking beside him normally.

“Sorry. I just wanted to show that we’re all really friendly.” Pinkie said as she trotted backwards to the group to make eye contact with the trainer as he responded to the mare’s statement.

“It’s not that she doesn’t think that you’re not friendly Pinkie. She’s just very slow to trust new people that she’s just met, heck, back when she was just a little Rockruff she also slow to trust me.” Matt said as he looked down at the wolf Pokémon for a moment with a small smirk.

“Really?” Fluttershy asked as she eyed both trainer and Pokémon for a moment, unsure if what he said was true as Lycanroc has always been by his side whenever she or the others see her.

“It’s hard to believe that when she’s so attached to you.” Spike commented in response to Matt’s words which the trainer spun a hand as he went into more detail.

“Well when I first found her she was pretty roughed up, and even when I tried to help her she was very skittish.” Matt explained to the group as he began to tell the story of how he and Lycanroc first met each other.

“Was that when she grown attached to you?” Fluttershy asked as the group drew closer and closer to the front gates of Sweet Apple Acres.

“Nope.” Matt simply said before continuing on with his story.

“After I patched her wounds up, and made sure she would be alright, she was still cautious of me. I stuck around for a bit to make she was back to being one hundred percent, and once she was I left.”

“Wait! You just left her?” Pinkie asked with a clearly confused, if not baffled, tone of voice as she continued to trot backwards while looking up to Matt who just gave a small nod to her question.

“Well she was just a wild Pokémon at the time, and I only catch Pokémon that want me to catch them…but once I left she actually started to follow me. She kept doing it for a few days and was just intent on watching me.”

“What happened then?” Twilight asked as her curiosity of how Matt met and captured one of his Pokémon.

“She pretty much just hung around me wherever I went, and over time she grew more comfortable with me and my team at the time.” Matt said as the group reached the entry way of the farm.

“Eventually she finally warmed up to me and the others, that’s when she wanted to be part of the team, and that’s how I caught her--.”

“Hey there ya’ll!” As Matt was telling the ending of his story the group turned to where they suddenly heard the familiar greeting of their friend Applejack, and found her exiting the barn, dusting herself off and shaking some hay out of her mane. Once the farm pony was all cleaned up she made her way to the group who met her halfway.

“So what brings ya’ll down to the farm today?” Applejack asked the group as she straightened her stetson.

“Matt actually asked us to bring him here, he has a question for you.” Twilight explained as she made her way to the forefront of the group, catching her stetson wearing friends attention.

“Really now?” the orange mare then looked up to the young man who looked down at her. “So big fella what’s this question you got for me?”

“Well I wanted to know if it was alright if I could plant some of my berries here for my Pokémon?”

“Berries? What berries?” As Applejack asked the trainer, Matt knelt down and dug around in his pack, and presented a small box that had a selection of very colorful fruits, and several small pouches.

“These are the berries that I have left, I use them to not only feed my Pokémon, but also use as ingredients in Pokémon food.” Applejack looked over the berries and saw that all of them looked ripe and fresh, and they all smelled incredible.

“Unfortunately these are the only berries I have left, so I was wondering if I could plant some seeds to grow new berries.”

“Is that all? Shoot of course you can big guy, actually follow me fer a tick.”

Applejack then trotted off and headed towards where the barn was, the group then followed after her as she trotted behind the building. As the group trailed behind the farmer they all came upon the crop fields, where they could see all of the other vegetables that the family grows, from cabbage, potatoes, corn, and many more. Trotting the crop fields the group came to a stop when they arrived at a fairly empty stretch of land, the fields were plowed and appeared to be ready to start growing stuff.

“We just finished tilling this section of the field and haven’t decided what we were going to plant, so if you want Matt your welcome to use this field.” Applejack informed the young man as she stood on the empty plot of land while Twilight and the others stood on the path, except for Matt who stood next to the orange mare in the field.

“Thanks Applejack, this field looks perfect for planting these berries! Though I’ll only need a small section of the field to grow more berries, I won’t take up a lot of space.” Matt says graciously to the farmer who nodded her head in response as she then scanned the field.

“In that case Ah could use some rope, or make a small fence around the section of the fields that you need to go grow your berries, once you measure out how much space you’ll need.”

Nodding in response to the mare’s words the young man then made his way over towards one of the far end corners of the field, before taking out his Pokédex and appeared to be looking something up. A moment went by before the ponies watched as he started pacing, or measuring the section of land he needed for his berries by taking very precise steps, while muttering something to himself while keeping an eye on his device. Once he had measured out the amount of land that he needed, the ponies then watched the trainer then use his foot to mark the area of the field he was planning to use.

“I think that should be enough land to plant and grow my berries.” Matt said before looking back over to the farm pony.

“What do you think Applejack?” the pony then made her way over to where Matt was standing, and started to look over the outline he had drawn, and measured with his footsteps.

“Looks good to me Matt. Ah’ll get to work in getting this section blocked off so no pony else messes with it, or the berries that you’ll be growing here.” Applejack said confidently as she tilts back her hat as she looked up to the trainer who gave a thankful smile in return.

“Thanks again Applejack.”

“Not a problem sugarcube.” Applejack retorted with a joyful tone as she seemed happy to provide help to the young man.

“Say since your all here why don’t ya’ll stay for lunch?” Before the group could give a response they all heard a sonic boom off in the distance, and when they all looked up to where the sound came from they all saw the familiar rainbow trail zipping through the air, doing loops, air dives, and other aerial maneuvers.

“Looks like Rainbow Dash was back at in practicing more of her aerial tricks.” Pinkie Pie commented as she watches her cyan friend zoom around in the air.

“Does she do this a lot?” Matt asked the ponies as he watches the pegasus as well.

“Yeah. Rainbow practices like that all the time, so she can participate in any & all flying competitions, that way she can get into the Wonderbolts Academy.” Twilight explained to the human as they all watched the pegasus bolt high into the air.

“Wonderbolts Academy?” Matt replied, obviously a little confused at what Twilight meant.

“It’s a place where all of the top flyers across Equestria go to and train to become Wonderbolts, the best flyers in all of Equestria.” Fluttershy added as she watched Rainbow climb higher and higher into the air, before dive bombing to the ground at a rather steep arc.

“Ah don’t recall seeing her practicing a nose dive like that before?” Applejack commented as she watches their friend continue to dive straight to the ground, but loses sight of her over the hillside just a little further in the distance, and not seeing her immediately fly back up into the air.

“You think she’s--”

Before Spike could ask his question the group heard a distant cry, along with something crashing into another thing! Not wasting a moment the ponies and dragon raced off to head over to the hill, with Matt & Lycanroc chasing after them. Once the party had reached the top of the hill they started to look for their feathered friend, but the only thing they could see were a few scattered trees, bushes, and open fields. But they soon heard what sounded like grumbling and rustling coming from a small patch of clustered trees, and that’s when they found Rainbow Dash stumbling out of a large thicket of bushes. Mane and tail disheveled and full of leaves, which she tried shaking off along with dirt that clung to her fur, while flapping her wings to get leaves out of them.

“Rainbow Dash!” Fluttershy cried out as she glided over to her friend while the others ran after her and towards the cyan pony.

“Are you alright?! Are you hurt?! We watched you fly around before you vanished behind the hill over there.” Rainbow quickly brought up a hoof to stop Fluttershy from sputtering off into panic mode.

“Yeah I’m fine, just a little sore that’s all.” Rainbow said as she stretched out her body before wincing as her back popped and her left hind leg cracked, causing the others to flinch at the loud crack. “Ow!”

“Maybe you should take a break Dash. Knowing you Ah bet you’d probably been practicing since dawn huh?” Applejack remarked.

Just as Rainbow was about to make a comeback she took notice of Matt who was hanging in the back of the group, and the moment the pair made eye contact the pegasus seemed to immediately look sheepish, and when the group noticed the brash pegasus’s change in mood they started to wonder what was wrong. Though it seemed that Pinkie might have a hunch.

“Are you two still not on good terms with each other?” Pinkie Pie asked as she looked between the two while catching the others attention. Before Matt could say anything Rainbow spoke up first after a moment of hesitation.

“…it’s not that we’re not on good terms, it’s just…” Rainbow said before scuffing the ground with a hoof, looking a little nervous as she does so before continuing.

“I’m just not sure how to talk to him.” Matt walked up to the mare before kneeling down and started talking.

“It’s not like you have to try and talk to me in a special way Dash, just talk to me like how you talk to your friends.” Matt said to the mare who just shook her head slightly before speaking up.

“I know that. The thing is that after everything that happened at the wedding, and then seeing you and your Pokémon fight off the changelings and send them flying off…it just makes me feel--.” Rainbow paused for a moment as she seemed to be thinking of a way to express how she feels, yet it looks like Fluttershy might know what her friend is trying to convey.

“You feel bad about of your actions when you two first met, and now want to try and make up but don’t know how?” Fluttershy asked aloud voicing her hunch, to which the cyan mare just nodded her head.

“Well if that’s the case Rainbow then you don’t need to worry.” Matt said as the pegasus looked up to him with a slight timed yet uncertain look as he continued.

“I know our first interaction may have been, rough, but I’ve moved past it awhile ago. And I’m willing to get to know you better, and put everything aside and start over. That is if you’re willing?”

Rainbow Dash peered up to the young man as he finished speaking and held out a hand, a second later the pegasus gave a small smile before placing her hoof in Matt’s hand where they shook. At the this the rest of the group smile as well, happy to see that the pair of them finally seemed to have reconciled, and are willing to give each other a second chance. Once everything was patched up, and Rainbow Dash insuring that she was indeed fine from her crash, the group then made their way back to Applejack’s farm where they all stayed for a nice lunch. Once they finished Rainbow went off to practice some more, and promising to be more careful, while Twilight, Spike, Pinkie & Fluttershy left the farm to head back to town. Matt meanwhile stayed behind with Applejack to begin planting seeds in his section of the crop field, while Applejack started making some basic wooden posts which soon became a fence. Along with a little sign signifying that the section was for Matt’s use only.

~~Hidden Hive~~

Within the hidden underground changeling hideout in Canterlot, in the private chamber Chrysalis was standing at a large rocky table that had various maps, charts, and old books scattered about, looking through them as if searching for something in particular. And every now and then the queen of the changelings would scribble something down on a piece of parchment, before flipping through more pages of the books she was reading through.

“Approach.” Chrysalis suddenly said before turning away from the table and seeing a trio of changelings trot up to her, all of whom bowed.

“We have arrived at your request queen Chrysalis.” The larger changeling of the trio said as he stood tall and gave the queen a salute.

“We have brought the reinforcements as requested, along with Lieutenant Pharynx and his brother Thorax.” The changeling gestured to the other two, who booth stood at a attention as they were called by name.

“Reporting for duty your majesty.” The pair said in unison.

“Excellent. Now as to the main reason why you are here, I need the two of you to perform two central tasks.” Chrysalis stated as she looked down to Pharynx first.

“Lieutenant I have a list of items that I need you and a squad to go out an look for, with them in our possession we might be able to launch a more successful take over of Canterlot.” the queen then floated the parchment that she had been writing on over to the changeling, who took it in his own magical aura and began studying the notes written down.

“You can count on your majesty!” the queen nodded to the changeling before looking squarely at Thorax, who flinched a little at the queens more stern and harden gaze.

“H-how can I serve you, your majesty?” Thorax asked nervously as he tried to remain calm.

“I’m giving you a task that even you should be able to handle without bungling it up. Your task is to track down and keep an eye on this creature called Matt.” Chrysalis says harshly as she levitates a different piece of parchment and holds it before the changeling, showing that it has a picture of the creature in question on it.

“You are to monitor him, watch him carefully for any weakness, or anything that can be used against him. and if you do discover anything you are to immediately report it, BUT ONLY if it is actually noteworthy.” Chrysalis then leaned down until she was almost muzzle to muzzle with the small changeling, who shrunk under the queens gaze while starting to lose whatever composure he had.

“Am I understood?”

“Y-yes your majesty!” Thorax quickly replied as he shivered in fear as Chrysalis stood back to her full height.

“Then go!” At the queens command both Pharynx & Thorax bowed and left along with the other changeling, and as they left the queen went back to her books and scrolls but before she could continue with whatever research she was doing, the queen turned to look behind her to see another changeling flying into the chamber.

“Report.” The changeling gave a quick bow before she spoke.

“I’ve just come from the castle your majesty and I’ve learned something. Rumors are going around that both princesses are researching some unknown spell.” The queen turned to face the changeling mare who continued to give her report.

“And from what I could gather it seems this spell has something to do with the creature known as Matt.”

“Is that right?” Chrysalis said mostly to herself than the changeling that was talking to her.

“Try and see if you can find out any specific details, otherwise continue monitoring the princesses and the inter-workings of the castle staff. pass this order to all other infiltrators in the castle.” The changeling mare bowed before turning and flying to perform her task, leaving Chrysalis alone in her chamber with her research and thoughts. and her ever evolving and changing plans in her second attempt to take Canterlot, and rule over the nation of ponies.

Comments

[Anomimo]

Thanks for the chapter! From what I can see Thorax will very possibly befriend Matt and the downfall of Chrysalis happens even before the appearance of the Crystal Empire. I wonder if you're going to adapt the whole series, including the movie, or just a part of it. And I'm trying to imagine which other pokemons Matt will catch since his limit here is the amount of pokeballs he has.

[AgentKorpsman]

11543037
What’s the romance tag for?

[ArcticAce01]

Amazing chapter my friend

[NinjaMare]

11551782
i have a few notes about hitching Matt with a pony, or at least starting to have him and the pony develop feelings. but that is further down the pipe line. also i've been debating whether or not i want to try ship Thorax with some one. but again this is going to be further down the story while also ironing out the details.

[NinjaMare]

11551718
i won't comment on the befriending of Thorax or Chrysalis so as not to tip my hand so to speak. but as as far the story involving the whole series + movie, right now my notes have stopped at when Twi becomes an alicorn, cause i haven't had time to explore further than that. I've been typing chapters that had been stuck in draft for awhile. as for possible added pokemon, right now i've got 2 or 3 others that i have jotted down but nothing conclusive yet.

[AgentKorpsman]

11553224
gotcha. But is it going to be with an Oc or princess or what?

[NinjaMare]

11553463
for both Matt & Thorax its going to be with an established pony. thorax so far i have written down in my notes in that he's paired with a background pony that i want to be someone other than the main cast to help him.

as for Matt i'm not sure if i want him to be with a Mane 6 or one of the princesses. when i do longer stories with romance, i want characters that i pair off to feel like the connection slowly builds up, instead of just saying 'oh now the MC & *insert pony name* now like each other. at the moment i'm not sure who to pair Matt with as i don't think i've made it where he & a particular pony enough time to develop a relationship.

[AgentKorpsman]

11555263
Hmm from what I seen princess Luna seems to be a good fit since they have similar and been through hell and back and more time to bond. Or at least form a connection. Plus Luna knows how Matt feels because she lives everyday in a world that isn’t the one she grew up in.

[NinjaMare]

11555274
interesting take. i was probably going to go with either Celestia (because she & Matt have spent more time with each other, and have talked to each other more with Celestia learning of him and his world), Twilight (mostly for the same later reason, but also she is so far the one of the mane 6 that he has been around the most as well, and has possible growth because of how Matt came to be in Equestria).

[AgentKorpsman]

11556148
Why not perhaps option d. Choose all three?

[NinjaMare]

11556150
hmmmm. maybe, problem is i struggle to right full on harm coupling cause i always forget or feel that not all characters in the 'harem' get to shine as a collective unit.

[AgentKorpsman]

11556188
What do you mean by that exactly?

And I may be able to help with what problem your having with that.

But first want do you meant by that exactly?

[NinjaMare]

11556206
i mean that i like to focus one 1 couple. whenever i write drafts that focused on multiple people groups for romance, harm (or herd), i have to juggle the mc and the various love interest they have to interact with and make it believable, and that the whole love group is a functioning unit. instead of just one couple that has love time with side characters.

so that's why most fics that are romance & intimate focus, have only 1 couple. i just prefer that type of coupling.

[AgentKorpsman]

11557237
Fair. But still you could ask for advice from some propels here. But I still recommend Luna or the royal sisters.

And maybe twilight later.