Chu and the Storm
Chu and the Storm
It was going to be the biggest event of the century. Canterlot was going all out to celebrate its first official Friendship Festival to the point where it was considered to be bigger than the ‘Grand Galloping Gala,’ the Royal Wedding, and even Princess Twilight’s Coronation. It was to celebrate the friendship that Equestria had not only relied on for years as the foundation of their society, but also the bonds they had created over the years with the griffins, dragons, zebras, changelings, and other creatures.
Everypony from every city, town, and small hut in the country had come to visit for this moment. Many decided to pitch in and help prepare while others were just getting an early chance to look at the sites while planning out which inn or hotel to stay at for the weekend. Everypony was talking about how excited they were going to be and wondered what Princess Twilight, the main organizer of the event, was going to do for this amazing day.
“I can’t do this!” Twilight shouted as she began to pace around. “C’mon… I just have to get it together. Just go in there and ask!” She glared at the crystal glass window that displayed her among the other alicorns of Equestria. “This is your friendship festival! Everypony’s happiness rests in your hooves!”
“Hey, Twilight?”
Her thoughts were interrupted when she saw Spike enter the hallway carrying a bunch of scrolls she had written earlier.
The young drake glanced up at her with a grin. “I got all your charts and graphs like you asked!”
Sighing in relief, Twilight never felt happier to see her number one assistant. “Oh thank Celestia you’re here, Spike! I’m so nervous about this meeting.”
“What are you talking about?” Spike asked, tilting his head.
Sighing, Twilight tried to think of why she called the meeting in the first place. “I need to ask Princess Celestia, Luna, and Cadence for a huge favor, but I’m afraid they’ll reject it.”
“Come on, Twilight. It’ll be fine,” Spike said with a knowing smile. “You and the rest of our friends have done so much for Equestria. They’d grant any of your favors. Even Nica would get one for all she’s done.”
“I kinda wish she was here right now. She always seems to be brave enough to speak her mind on such things,” Twilight said, heavily sighing. “Being the ambassador to the Alola region in this other world, yet another responsibility to add to the pile.”
“Just remember the most important thing, Twilight,” Spike said.
“Smile?!” Twilight said while giving what had to be the scariest and creepiest smile that Spike had ever seen. It was something you would see in a comic book about a serial killer.
“Uh.... no,” Spike replied. “You’re a princess too.”
“...right,” Twilight said, slowly turning around while her maniac smile slipped into a frown. A princess that has only been a princess for less than a year and the others have been around longer and have infinitely more wisdom and power then me! Oh sweet mother of Celestia, I can’t breathe!
Slowly, Twilight opened the doors to the Royal Throne room where she found herself in the presence of her fellow Princesses. Princess Celestia, raiser of the sun and ruler of the day. Princess Luna, raiser of the moon and ruler of the night. Finally, Princess Cadence, protector of love and ruler of the Crystal Empire, also her sister-in-law.
Taking a deep breath, and bidding them good morning, Twilight opened her statement. “Princesses, I called this meeting into order because I have an idea that will make Equestria’s first Friendship Festival the greatest event that Equestria has ever seen!”
“Of course, Twilight. This is already such a huge celebration,” Celestia stated.
“Ponies from every corner of Equestria have arrived. I heard that even changelings have joined this celebration recently. The other races haven’t arrived yet, but the messages from our escorts say they are very excited as well,” Cadence commented with a smile.
“I’d like to think it was us they wanted to see, but I think Songbird Serenade might have something to do with it,” Luna jested.
“Or its the fact that they want to see Nica and Pikachu. After all, it's not everyday you get to see creatures from another world,” Celestia pointed out.
Twilight made a mental note to really thank Pinkie Pie for somehow getting her to come to the festival while also hoping Nica didn’t mind all the attention she was going to get when she got here.
“Anyway, I think I have something that can make this festival even more special!” Twilight said as Spike brought in her whiteboard. She began to go over the various details of each of the Princesses using their magic to help, or more specifically using their talents at moving celestial bodies. What would make a big celebration more special than that after all? Her attempt to explain her idea got the opposite effect though as some of her lecture left everyone in the room completely confused. Each pony stared at the whiteboard, trying to make sense of the mathematics and crossed lines that were scribbled on it, before ultimately giving up.
Raising the sun and moon, a simple task. Moving them while trying to memorize and understand several lines on the whiteboard, plus Twilight’s attention to detail and her rich vocabulary, not so much.
“Um, Twilight. No offence, but could you maybe make this a bit more... simple?” Cadence asked with a nervous smile.
“Oh, um... well, I was hoping you could just use your magic to make the lighting better... I mean I can’t do it because I need your specific magic and all. Plus, if Nica gets here in time I can maybe ask her to do a few lighting bolts for the ending!” Twilight asked with a nervous smile. “Do you think she would be up for it?”
“YES!”
“Great! I can’t wait to ask her!” Twilight said, with a sigh of relief.
“Uh, that wasn’t them, Twilight,” Spike pointed out as he and others looked outside a nearby window to see a familiar rainbow colored streak dashing in the air with two familiar yellow and orange figures on her back.
Rainbow Dash punched the last of the remaining clouds that were in the way before declaring the sky clear for the festival. She turned to her passengers, Nica and Pikachu, with a grin. “Hope you didn’t mind the quick turns and twists you two.”
“Not at all! I’ve dealt with much worse!” Nica said before Dash made her way down.
On their way down, they could see the others already helping out at the festival. From Pinkie Pie making balloons and catching the occasional stray to Applejack handing out cider that all ponies seemed to enjoy, everyone was pitching in. Even Rarity was putting in her all, finalizing all the finishing touches for the decorations. All in all, everypony looked to be busy yet excited for the event.
Dash pressed her hooves into the ground and grit her teeth, leaving a cloud of dust in her wake while finishing her speedy landing. She bent her legs, then spread her wings before lowering them to the ground, creating a staircase for the pokemon to use. “Thanks for flying the awesome lines of Rainbow Dash. I hope the trip was no less than amazing!” A saddlebag with Dash’s cutie-mark was barely visible behind the lowered right wing.
“It sure was, especially the view,” Nica said, sliding to the ground as the bronze tips of her rear paws went through the soft feathers. “Thanks for giving us a lift, I appreciate it.” Her tail was wrapped around two precious yellow eggs as she held them with her forepaws, pressing them gently against her soft belly, her motherly grip keeping them warm. A blue translating collar with magical gems and lightning as decoration adorned her neck.
“No biggie,” Dash said, her head raised in pride. “I would have gotten us here ten times faster, but slowed down for the sake of the eggs.”
Pikachu followed Nica’s example as his little feet sank into the soft feathers before touching the stone platform. A similar but smaller translating collar was present on his neck, filled with magical power and Rarity’s personal touch.
“Our future children are safe with me, no matter the speed.” Nica withdrew her forepaws and pointed at the black part of her tail which was wrapped around each egg, which shook on their own occasionally as if ready to hatch. “Especially when my trusty tail is on the job. It kept my friends and trainer safe for years and will do so for our children.”
Pikachu ran over and nuzzled Nica’s side. “As someone who saw her tail in action, I can say that no blizzard, no sandstorm, and not even a gigantic tornado or tsunami would separate these eggs from her.” He chuckled. “She’s like a walking bunker. There’s no pokemon in the world I would trust more with their safety.”
“Thank you. Your praises are always so sweet!” Nica gushed, gently rubbing the top of Pikachu’s head. She dipped her head in thought and giggled, before adding, “I guess I’ll have to call you ‘Sweetie the Pikachu’ from now on.”
“Sweetie the Pikachu? Really? That’s the best I get now?” Pikachu teased, returning Nica’s affectionate gesture with a tap on her nose. “I used to get such great ones like ‘Chu the Fencer’ or ‘Adventurous Bolt.’ At the very least call me ‘Sweetie Chu’, seems shorter.” He shook his head and grinned. “Oh, who am I kidding. Keep throwing ‘em at me. I was thinking about taking a name, so maybe you’ll come up with something really cool.”
“Challenge accepted. I'll keep throwing nicknames at you until I come up with something you'll be proud off!"
Rainbow Dash raised her foreleg, placing it on Nica’s shoulder. “I must say, it’s really cool how you can take praise and be proud of your skills now. You have changed a lot.” She looked at the sky while withdrawing her foreleg. “The old Nica would cover her blushing face and say how unworthy she was.”
Nica rubbed her chin, looking to the side while hiding her mischievous grin. “Now that you mention it, I think I’m becoming way too arrogant.” She winked at Pikachu who rolled his eyes in response.
“What? No, that’s not what I meant!” Dash said in panic as she shook her head repeatedly.
“I have made a decision. From now on, I’ll put extra effort into-” Nica failed to finish as she was snatched up by the panicking and hovering pegasus, now held close to her face.
“But you’re so much happier now. Don’t you dare going back to your old ways!” Dash shouted. In alarm, she shook the Raichu. “Go back, go back, oh please go back!”
She was awoken from her panic when a bronze paw tapped her muzzle.
“Got you,” she said cheerfully before pressing her paws against Dash’s hooves, freeing herself from her grab. She trotted backward, dancing on her rear paws while still keeping her full attention on the pegasus. “You should have seen the look on your face.”
Dash poked her muzzle before holding a hoof in front of her mouth, chuckling. “Good one.”
Nica danced in a circle while taking in her surroundings.
The rounded platform they were on seemed to be attached to the main castle as she could see tall towers in the distance and the entrance into the castle. In the middle, she saw a large stage decorated with violet curtains and golden lights. Was this stage set up for musical performances? Is it meant to be a theatre? Or maybe a modeling show? I can’t tell, she thought as she looked at the part of the stage on which models could easily walk while displaying their clothes. The lower part of the stage seemed to be covered by blue curtains and decorated with a few ribbons.
Fluttershy? I wonder who she is talking to? Upon closer inspection, she spotted familiar faces on the stage. A super cuddly pegasus stood next to a bunch of singing birds while talking with two other ponies. Coco Pommel? It’s nice to see her in good health. I wonder how her business is doing? Wait, the other pony looks like Oc… Octy… Octavia. She waved her forepaws cheerfully. I wonder if she could play something romantic. I would love to have a nice dance with Pikachu to classical music. A waltz maybe? On the other side, Pikachu is very energetic. I’ll need to ask Octavia’s professional opinion. She may know something romantic, yet energetic at the same time.
She turned, noticing numerous stands at the edge of the platform forming a circle. She heard unrecognized chatting done by numerous ponies as they didn’t seem to pay her any mind, too focused on food and the occasional fireworks.
“Traveling with your hero sure has affected you in a good way,” Dash said as she landed, now standing on all fours next to her. “You seem much happier than before.”
“I sure am,” Nica said as she stopped her cheerful trot next to the smaller pokemon. She lowered her head as they nuzzled each other. “Ever since we’ve been together, I feel as if I found something I was missing. He makes me really happy.” She looked between both eggs while clapping her forepaws cheerfully. “Under Astra’s guidance, I dedicated my life to protecting and helping others, but instead of being happy and proud of it, I often blamed myself for not doing enough. Now I feel the satisfaction I was missing. Not only can I do what I love by my hero’s side, but a new path of motherhood has been opened to me.” She cheered, “The eggs can hatch at any moment, I can’t wait!”
“It works both ways,” Pikachu said as he stole a quick kiss on the Raichu’s cheek, who blushed and quickly returned the gesture, only to expose her cheek as if asking for more. He kissed Nica’s cheek again before looking at Rainbow Dash. “For years I felt at home whenever I was with Ash as we faced challenges together. Making new friends and using Z-moves was also interesting, and proving that I can overcome great dangers and best powerful opponents without the need of evolution motivated me. But… to be honest...” He started to poke his paws together nervously as his ears drooped, “...our methods became a bit stale. We weren’t making much progress either.”
“You mean starting from scratch in each region, not winning any league and not getting any closer to beating the Elite Four or a Champion?” Dash asked, receiving a nod of confirmation. “Now that I think about it about it, my dream of becoming a Wonderbolt was way easier to achieve, not to mention the lack of strong competition.” She shrugged. “Oh well. The more challenging the goal, the more satisfying it is when you achieve it.”
Pikachu turned around, now looking Nica in the eyes. “While being separated from Ash and ending up in Equestria was very worrying and stressful at first, I don’t regret it at all as that was when I met you.” He pointed at his love. “You introduced a whole new world to me.” He grabbed Nica’s paws with his own as they kept smiling at each other. “Even after a few months you still don’t cease to surprise me and seeing your smile whenever I wake up makes me happy. I love our morning exercises and playing with you, and I have been growing stronger by training at your side. Instead of feeling satisfaction and thrills during challenges every other week, I’m overwhelmed with my love for you every single morning.”
He stood on the tips of his rear paws, stretching in order to reach and nuzzle Nica’s nose. “What’s more, I no longer wish to compete against my evolution. Having the ability to transform into a Raichu for a bit has opened my eyes to all the possibilities. Especially learning how to fence with a longer tail from you. Truly an interesting and unique experience.” He pressed his cheek against rich white fur on Nica’s belly. “In fact, I wouldn’t mind becoming a Raichu permanently as long as you’ll be there to guide me.”
“In other words, we…” Nica started.
“...complete each other,” Pikachu finished.
Nose nuzzling followed as the two pokemon became unaware of numerous pairs of eyes focused at them. The ponies approached, now watching the loving duo from up close.
“How touching,” Rarity said as she stood on her rear hooves, holding her forehooves on her cheeks in a charmed pose. “You too are simply adorable!”
“Ya two got together? Ah can already tell ya two together will make a stron’, hard workin’ and great family,” Applejack said with a shake of her forehoof and a cheerful ‘yipeee.’ A cart with barrels of apple cider was attached to her, shaking from her cheering.
Pikachu and Nica flinched and turned around, now looking at the gathered mares before a blush broke out on both of their faces.
“Are those eggs? You lay eggs?” Fluttershy asked while shooting the Raichu a confused glance. “I assumed… ummm… nevermind.”
A white rat peeked out from behind Fluttershy’s neck, looking at the shaking eggs before hissing and squeaking at Pikachu with a jealous glare.
“Mr. Patrik, such language,” Fluttershy scolded as she spread her left wing and shook her neck, pushing the rat onto the edge. She moved the tip of her wing closer to her face. “I understand you’re jealous, but it was Nica’s choice. You should at least respect that.”
The rat turned around as tiny ears dropped flat on his head. He lowered his head and squeaked an apology.
Nica shook her forepaw dismissively. “I forgive you.” She held her forepaws together and lowered her head apologetically. “And I’m sorry I haven’t visited. I’ve had my paws full for the past few months.” She looked between the mares. “Where’s Starlight, Twilight and Pinkie Pie?”
“I’m here!”
Pikachu flinched and spun in mid-air, taking a fighting stance as he glared back at the party mare.
Nica rolled her eyes, not surprised in the least. “Nice try, but I won’t fall for that.”
“Fall for what?” Pinkie asked as she started bouncing around the two pokemon. “I was so happy when I heard you would be joining this party, but when I heard all the super nice lovely words you told to each other and how you’re in love and are having kids, I got like three times more excised.”
Nica backflipped, evading Pinkie’s attempts to hug her. Her tail remained raised, keeping the eggs above the ground.
Not wasting a moment, Pinkie grabbed Pikachu, trapping him in a spine-breaking embrace as the little pokemon grit his teeth. “It has been so long since I saw you both and there’s so much to celebrate!” She straightened her hug, receiving worried glances from the other ponies as her forelegs further squeezed Pikachu’s paws and belly. “After this party, I’ll need to throw you a ‘You’re a family’ party and a ‘You’ll have kids soon’ party. I am so happy for you!”
Seeing Pikachu’s struggle and the stray lightning bolts sparking from his cheeks, Nica leapt towards Pinkie. She landed on the pony’s forelegs, pressing her forepaws against Pinkie’s neck while pressing her rear legs against the pony’s limbs. With a bit of effort, she loosened the hug enough for Pikachu to slide free, gasping for air.
“Thanks…” Pikachu said as the Raichu landed next to him. “Her hugs… are almost as strong… as when I was attacked by ‘Wrap.’”
“Really? They don’t seem so strong to me,” Nica responded. While her loved hero was making steady progress, she knew that there was a massive gap in durability between them. She looked between the mares and asked, “Where’s Starlight and Twilight? Are they busy?”
“Twilight is with the other princesses,” Rarity pointed out as a few decorations and ribbons seemed to float out from her saddlebag. “As for Starlight, she’s behind the stage, talking with Thorax and Pharynx.”
“Thorax and Pharynx are here?” Nica asked as she looked at Rarity with wide eyes.
“Who?” Pikachu asked, giving his love a questioning glance.
Nica grabbed Pikachu’s paw and gestured at the stage. “My changeling friends that I helped while doing a friendship mission. You have to meet them!”
Dash raised his head in pride. “I got Starlight to the changeling hive so we can invite them to the party. Thorax was hesitant at first, saying:” she continued, trying to mimic the panicked voice of the changeling ruler, “A big public event in Canterlot that we once invaded… n-n-no way… I’m not c-c-coming.” She smirked. “He changed his mind when we mentioned that you were coming and Pharynx joined as his personal escort.”
Nica glanced at Dash, asking, “That’s great, but what about Gabby? Is she going to be joining the party as well?”
“Gabby? You mean that over-enthusiastic griffon you befriended? No sorry,” Dash said, causing the Raichu to release a sad whimper. “She wanted to come, but she’s been too busy with all mail deliveries lately.”
“How sad. I was so hoping to introduce Pikachu to her. She’s a ‘must-befriend’ for sure.” Nica smiled before pulling Pikachu by his paw. “Oh well. Let’s have some fun. Thorax and Pharynx, here we come!”
A violet unicorn wearing black reinforced armor looked through the glass of the airship, ignoring the black smoke that the ship left in its wake while looking at the mountain in the distance. A place she once considered as the capital of her country, now nothing less than her next target to conquer. Any regrets of what she was about to do vanished in an instant the moment she poked at the missing part on her broken horn, wincing in pain at the mere touch.
“Commander Tempest, sorry to interrupt, but the Storm King… He… he wants to talk with you.”
Tempest looked to the side and down at the miserable creature, a grey hedgehog wannabe, but instead of needles, a long white mane stood from its back. The tiny size, short limbs and annoying remarks, truly a poor excuse of an assistant. I was put in charge of an airship and a powerful army, and yet I have this walking annoyance as my assistant. Sometimes I wonder if the Storm King appointed him to this job just to make fun of me. She sighed, turning around. “Let’s get this over with.”
Two guards brought in a large chalice with blue liquid inside. Their fur was covered by armor enhanced with magic as more than one rune decorated it. Both guards had white-red manes while their faces were hidden behind a black mask. Their clawed and big hands held the large chalice with little effort, though their rear legs seemed smaller and thinner in comparison.
The third guard followed them, adding a different liquid into the mix. The soldiers laughed and stepped back as blue smoke emerged from the chalice, forming an image of their infamous leader.
Tempest looked at her boss, whose long chin just seemed to be begging to get punched sooner or later. Black horns spiked from the King’s face, covering his face while a similar darkened armour was secured against his white fur. He glared back at her with those intimidating, narrowed blue eyes.
Tempest struggled to hold back her scoff.
“Sir? You wish to speak with me?”
“Yes I do, my dear commander. So here I am sitting here in my throne as my most competent subordinate is about to carry out an important invasion, and so I thought, maybe I should motivate her,” the Storm King drawled with a hint of humor hidden in his tone.
“If this is about invading my own home, I can assure you, I won’t hesitate.” Tempest stomped, her glare firm and unwavering. “You will get the power of four alicorns, and in return you’ll fix my horn and give me land to rule. Too much is at stake for me to stray from our goals.”
“Ah yes, your horn and your endless headaches. You’ll get it fixed, and better than the original. I’ll make you as strong as an alicorn and reward you with land, riches and influence for your flawless service,” the Storm King said, forcing a cheerful smile, before dropping his facade in an instant. He shouted in anger, “But get this through your head, Tempest. This invasion is far more important than any others. It’s not just about land and influence. There are great powers far away from this continent, far over the ocean, and it infuriates me. With the power of four alicorns on my side, with the power to control the sun, moon and the very forces of nature, even those powerful nations will fall to me, the Storm King! Screw this up and I’ll make you regret you were ever born, is that clear?!”
“Crystal,” Tempest said, not showing any weakness while drops of sweat slid down her cheek. She berated herself for feeling such fear.
“Good. Now, just to make sure, are you and your troops well prepared?”
Tempest nodded. “Of course we are. Each soldier has an enhanced shield that can deflect magic, and they are strong enough to win in direct combat.” She gestured at a small bag attached to her uniform. “I am in possession of crystals with outstanding magical properties. They can penetrate magical barriers and will turn the target to stone. Even the alicorns won’t stand a chance and I have the element of surprise.”
“What about the ponies and Royal Guards. Can they show any significant resistance?”
Tempest chuckled and just shook her head. “I assure you, the Royal Guard is just for looks. Equestria's defenses are pathetic.”
“Good. Still, I will not leave such important invasion to luck. The reinforcements I have sent you will arrive in Canterlot soon. Expect more ships to reinforce your fleet with a high number of my elite troops and assassins. When you contact me again, I expect good news.”
“Of course,” Tempest said as the image of her leader vanished from view. She turned around and wiped the sweat from her forehead.
“So ummm, ya’ need anything?”
The tall unicorn looked at her assistant before unleashing a random bolt from her damaged horn, scorching floor of the ship while scaring the little creature. “Go and announce my arrival. Make sure that the princesses get the message. If they come to greet us, it will save me the time of hunting them down.”
“Got it! An awesome introduction coming right up.” With a salute, the assistant ran away, leaving the darkened walls of the ship.
Tempest approached the glass window at the back of her ship, glancing at her fleet that followed not far behind, keeping enough distance while hiding in the black smoke. She looked to the left and smirked. Additional ships with more troops were but minutes from joining the invasion. I hope that the princesses decide to resist. It would be a shame to bring all those troops and not give them targets to attack.
“Nica! It’s so great to see you!” Thorax shouted as he ran over.
With everyone gathered backstage, Pikachu looked at what looked like a mix between an earth pony and a bug-type pokemon, who sat and spread his forehooves in an inviting gesture for a hug. For the leader of the changeling race that in the past nearly took over Canterlot, he certainly didn’t look intimidating.
“Hey, that’s my line,” Starlight said as she sat next to Thorax, mimicking his gestures.
Pikachu looked at Nica, who seemed to be at war with herself, unable to decide who to hug first. He laughed as the enthusiastic Raichu jumped in between both creatures, grabbing both their necks in a triple hug.
Noticing that he was now in the shadow of another changeling, this one slightly smaller than Thorax while being a darker shade of green, he looked up and waved. “Hello? You must be Pharynx. Nice to meet you.”
Pharynx lowered himself, now looking at him from different angles.
Pikachu smiled sheepishly, not too fond of this kind of attention.
“Not impressed.”
“Huh?” Pikachu asked, tilting his head to the side. “What do you mean?”
“You’re a Pikachu,” Pharynx stated as the pokemon nodded in return. “Pikachu is Raichu’s pre-evolution, correct?”
“Yes... and?”
Pharynx poked his belly, forcing Pikachu to step back. “Smaller legs, weaker build, shorter tail-range, inferior combat abilities, bland yellow fur without any diversity of colors, minimal intimidation factor. Not impressed.”
Pikachu rolled his eyes. “Sure, whatever.”
Pharynx glanced to the side as his eyes became wide. “Wait, are those eggs? Nice. Seems someone scored herself a love-source and is moving up in the world.”
“You’ll be a mother soon?” Starlight asked as her eyes became wide. She grabbed the Raichu by her cheeks, holding her in front of her face. “I’m so happy for you!”
“You’ll get your own cute little Chulings?” Thorax said as he clapped his hooves cheerfully. “Can I hug them after they hatch? Please, please, please!”
Fluttershy lowered her head as her wings drooped. “Awww… but I wanted to hug them.”
Thorax flew over while placing a carrying hoof on the pegasus’ shoulder. “Please don’t be sad. We can share.”
Pikachu watched as his love became the center of attention, specifically from the darker changeling.
“Wait, don’t tell me. Is that little guy the one you love?” Pharynx asked, pointing at Pikachu.
“Yes!” Nica leaped forward, spinning in mid-air as she landed next to the smaller pokemon. She gestured at him and said, “Thorax, Pharynx, meet my hero and the love of my life, Pikachu.”
Pharynx raised an eyebrow, giving the pokemon a judging glare. “Is he strong?”
“He sure is. The strongest Pikachu I know,” Nica said, standing on the tips of her hooves. “He puts many fully evolved pokemon and many Raichu I meet to shame.”
Pikachu rubbed the back of his neck while displaying his shiny teeth.
“Is he brave?” Pharynx asked.
“Extremely brave,” Nica answered. “Maybe a bit reckless, but who am I to talk?”
More questions followed. “Skilled? Dependable? Loyal?”
“Yes, yes and yes, and he’s more talented than I am,” Nica pointed out.
Pharynx forced a smile. “I’m glad you found someone worthy of an amazing soldier like you… despite his lacking features.”
“Pharynx, be nice,” Thorax scolted.
Pharynx looked insulted, his features drawn in confusion. “I am being nice.”
Pikachu opened his mouth, but closed it in an instant as his attention focused on the flashing coming from the eggs. His eyes became wide, his mouth opened agape while his heart began to pound. He ran over to his love who now held the eggs in front of her face.
The ponies and changelings surrounded both small pokemon, looking at the scene with expectation painted on their faces. Even a few nearby ponies glanced at the flashing light.
The golden light slowly vanished as the egg ended up replaced by two little figures with chubby cheeks. Black part of Nica’s tail was wrapped around their thin little bellies while long ears stood up from their large heads.
Pikachu gulped while resisting the tears of joy that formed in his eyes. Without hesitation, he leapt forward, wrapping his paws around both Pichu while pressing their cheeks against his. It didn’t take long before both Pichu ended up pressed into the fluff on Raichu’s belly as Pikachu felt the tips of Nica’s forepaws on his back, wrapping them all in a group hug. He glanced at Nica’s face despite his blurry vision as he could see tears of joy slide down from her eyes.
Both Pichu gratefully nuzzled their parents, more than happy with the received affection.
“Awwww…” the group said in unison, overwhelmed by the cuddling before them… with Pharynx being the exception who looked to the side, struggling to maintain his serious face.
“My turn, my turn!” Fluttershy said as she hovered in mid-air, flapping her wings in excitement.
“My turn, my turn!” Thorax mimicked before transforming into Fluttershy as he now hovered next to her.
Pikachu felt the hug weakening while Nica withdrew her tail from both Pichu. He picked up the one with a pointy tail before approaching Fluttershy on the right. “Sure.”
Nica approached the one on the left, holding the Pichu with whose tail was heart-shaped at the edge. “Just be gentle.”
Both Pichu curled, wary of the strange pegasi.
“There’s nothing to fear, they’re our friends,” Pikachu said.
“And Fluttershy is incredibly huggable, speaking from experience,” Nica pointed out. “Give them a chance.”
Both Fluttershy landed and sat on the ground while wrapping the Pichu with their wings.
“Who’s an adorable little pokemon, yes you are, yes you are,” the pegasus said as she rubbed Pichu’s belly with tip of her forehoof.
“Such a cute little chuling. Kuchiku, kuchikuchiku,” Thorax said as he tickled the Pichu’s nose with a feather at the tip of his fake wing.
“They are so adorable,” Rarity said while measuring both pokemon with her keen eye. “Their heads are a bit oversized though, while their bellies and necks are so thin. Making a cute costume for them would be a challenge.” Her horn lit with a blue aura as she levitated two pink ribbons, wrapping them around both Pichu’s ears.
“They are adorable indeed, so full of promise. Seeing their smiles alone was so worth enduring the wait,” Pikachu said to himself.
“Tell me about it,” Nica said with a roll of her eyes.
“Enduring the wait? What are you talking about?” Dash asked, giving the pokemon a curious glance.
“Nica, was it hard until you finally laid those eggs?” Pinkie asked, receiving frantic signals from Rarity, her head shaking ‘no.’ “I heard ponies act weird before giving birth. Was it the same for you?”
Nica lowered her head, covering her blushing face with her forepaws while Rarity shook her head in annoyance.
Pikachu smiled sheepishly. “Well… it certainly was weird. I think the worst part was that she wasn’t allowed to train or face danger until the period was over.” His ears drooped. “For a pokemon who trains to complete exhaustion a few times a day and gets hurt constantly, not being allowed to do that was unbelievably hard.”
Nica shook her forepaws in aggravation. “I was bored out of my mind!”
“Was it that bad?” Dash asked as many eyes were now on the pair of pokemon.
Pikachu rubbed his chin. “Well... “
Pikachu and Raichu stood across from each other in the hallway, looking into each other’s eyes with a few centimeters distance in between them, surrounded by white walls covered by numerous decorative lightning bolts. Their necks were bare as their translating collars were safe with their trainers.
Pikachu looked slightly up as the taller pokemon stretched her forepaw towards him, stopping the bronze edge between his ears.
<You’re small,> Nica said, keeping her forepaw above his head with little difficulty.
<Yes, I am,> Pikachu said with a little nod, his expression unchanging. Being smaller than the one he loved didn’t bother him in the least.
Nica withdrew her forepaw and placed it on her own chest before standing on the tips of her strong legs. She raised her chin pridefully and spoke with a hint of superiority, <And I am big.> She kept her eyes closed and nose high, towering over Pikachu as her long tail rose towards the ceiling.
<Yes, you are,> Pikachu said, once again performing a little nod. You may be taller than me, but I think you’re still a bit smaller than some Raichu I have met in the past. At least I can still kiss your cheek if I stretch my legs far enough. He took a closer look at his love’s belly as she had certainly gained a lot of weight recently, gaining mass which would one day take the shape of an egg.
Nica lowered herself closer to the floor, now standing on three paws rather than two. She kept one forepaw raised above the floor at half the height of Pikachu’s belly. <And our child is going to be so tiny,> she said in a squeaky and excited voice.
Pikachu smiled warmly and nodded firmly, <Yes, he will.>
<I wonder if it will be a him or her.> Nica looked up, now staring at him with overjoyed expectations radiating from her eyes. <Would you prefer our dearest Pichu to be a male or female?>
<I would be more than happy with either.>
Nica smiled before jumping up, landing on tips of her rear paws. <Same here, and we can raise him or her into a wonderful and powerful pokemon.> She clapped her forepaws in excitement before pointing at him. <When he or she evolves into a Pikachu, you can teach them your moves and show them the joy of challenges and adventure.>
She pointed at herself and continued, <And when she finally decides to use a Thunderstone, I’ll help him master the use of her long tail and teach her how to protect others. I’ll also do my best to show the importance of kindness, fairness and respect.> She pointed at the yellow edge of her tail, poking it. <And if she’ll becomes an Alolan variant, I’m sure my brother will have a lot to teach about the love for water and how surf on it.> She waved her forepaws. <We have so much to teach and so many great stories and experiences to share!>
<Those are some great ideas,> Pikachu said cheerfully.
Nica’s enthusiasm vanished in an instant as she raised her forepaw towards her gasping mouth. <Oh no!>
<Is something wrong?> Pikachu asked in worry as his attention focused on Nica’s drooped ears.
<What if he hates the idea of becoming a Raichu? What if he wants to stay as a Pikachu forever and ever, challenging all Raichu to prove how needless evolution is?> Nica asked in panic as Pikachu started to rub the back of his neck nervously, not daring to look her in the eyes. <I don’t want our child to hate who I am and challenge me at every turn. I want to teach them all the wonderful tricks he can do with her long tail.>
Pikachu stepped forward and opened his mouth, but failed to speak in time.
<Or what if it’s even worse!?> Nica placed both forepaws on her cheeks. <What if he even refuses to become a Pikachu, determined to fight for the honor of all Pichu while challenging all Pikachu and Raichu? What if he’ll rebel and hate us!?>
<There’s nothing to worry about,> Pikachu said as he stood on the tips of his little rear paws and placed a forepaw on Nica’s shoulder. With her attention now focused on him, he continued, <We’ll raise our child with care and love. There’s no way he’ll hate us, more or less hate the idea of evolution.> He patted her on the shoulder while giving a reassuring smile. <Besides, after seeing how amazing a Raichu you are, I am sure he’ll want to use the Thunderstone in no time at all. Take my word for it.>
Nica sighed and asked, <You really think so?>
<I do,> Pikachu answered firmly. <By being a great example and showing me kindness, you managed to change my outlook on evolution. You have nothing to fear.>
<Get over here my heroic and adorable piece of fluff!> Nica shouted as she snatched him with her forepaws, now pressing his face into her white fluffy belly, trapping him in a strong hug.
Pikachu yelped before feeling the softness of his love’s fur on his face. Now trapped, he considered some pros and cons of their relationship. I must admit, her hugs are really soft and warm. So much fur to feel and snuggle and so much love to experience. He grit his teeth, feeling Nica’s paws press against his neck as inhaling air became harder and harder. On the other side, her grip sure is neck-breaking. Her enthusiastic hugs keep reminding me how strong she really is.
After half a minute which felt more like half an hour, Pikachu landed on the cold floor, gasping for air. He looked up at the towering Raichu who once again stared at him with expectations in her eyes. <Y-yes?>
<I hunger,> Nica said as she placed her forepaws on her sides, a mischievous tone in her voice. <I demand an offering. A sacrifice in the form of a delicious sweet cake for me to devour.>
<C-cake? S-sure. One of our trainers can…>
<To the kitchen!> Nica shouted before leaping forward.
Pikachu took a step back in panic as his love landed in his arms, pressing her whole weight against him. He grit his teeth, taking another step back while struggling to maintain balance.
<The kitchen is this way. Go forth my brave little knight.>
Pikachu slowly turned his head, looking in the pointed direction before sighing. Step by step, he walked towards the kitchen on his trembling legs as drops of sweat started dripping down his face.
<Is this your best speed? You need to exercise more,> Nica said before pushing herself to the floor with a weak thud. With a quick movement of her tail, she snatched Pikachu, placing him gently in her paws. She trotted cheerfully towards the kitchen, bouncing from one rear paw to another.
Pikachu yelped as he suddenly fell onto the floor, released by his love as if he was a hot potato. He looked up from his sitting position, now staring at the Raichu in confusion. “Is something wrong?”
Nica stretched her forepaw, holding it above his head. “You’re small.”
“I… am…” he said in confirmation before standing up.
The Raichu placed a forepaw on her chest and raised her chin, taking a prideful pose. “And I am big.”
“You… already said that,” Pikachu pointed out.
Nica looked at him and then tilted her head to the side, confusion clear on her face. “I did?”
Pikachu lowered his head and paws, releasing a deep sigh. This is going to be a loooong period.
As cheerful laugher started escaping from the gathered ponies, Nica stomped, her face now red like a tomato. “Oh come on! For more than four years I have been training myself to complete exhaustion and have visited Pokemon Centers more than a few times a day. Do you have any idea how difficult it was for me to just stop doing that, not daring to crush falling boulders with my ‘Volt Tackle’ or lifting tons of weight with my ‘Iron Tail?’ I don’t even remember checking in the Pokemon Center for anything other than check up on my unborn kids.” She held forepaws on both sides of her head. “Add carrying unborn children in my stomach and I was going crazy bored and out of my mind.” She felt encouraging forepaw of Pikachu land on her right shoulder.
Dash raised an eyebrow. “Oh, right, your training methods.” She rubbed her foreleg nervously. “Even as an athlete, I still feel sorry for you. I know you’re afraid to fail when it matters the most, but no one deserves to train that hard. It can be dangerous, and that’s saying a lot coming from me.”
“Well… about that…” Nica tapped her forepaws nervously, only to receive an encouraging nod from Pikachu. She looked between the ponies and spoke up, “Pikachu and I, we made a compromise. I agreed to restrict the intensity of my training, toning it down from bloody to very intense.”
“Huh?” Both Fluttershy asked as they stopped nuzzling the two Pichu’s bellies.
“Care to explain?” Dash asked as she spread her wings, now looking the Raichu in the eyes. Rarity and Pharynx also seemed interested in a longer explanation.
“As much as I want to remain in top shape to keep my friends safe, I don’t want to make Pikachu and Ash sad. I decided, after a long talk with my love, that I’ll ease my training regime. I know it will make me weaker, slower and my skills will drop a bit, but…”
Pikachu stepped in front of Nica and gestured at himself. “In return, I swore that I’ll grow stronger and improve my skills to make up for her becoming weaker. We train together regularly and I learn a lot from her.” He showed a toothy smile. “Until now, I usually trained really hard mostly before very important battles, but not so much during our travels. Because of that, my power, durability and skill level jumped up and down.” He stood on the tips of his tiny feet, pointing at himself. “Now that I train regularly… with Nica’s pregnancy being an exception, I am in top form all the time, and once I become a Raichu and master Nica’s fencing techniques, I’ll become even stronger.”
“I’m looking forward to it,” Nica said as she kissed Pikachu’s head under his left ear.
“Now you’re talking,” Dash said with a hoof in the air.
Nica bit her bottom lip upon noticing bolts of electricity escaping from the dots on the Pichu’s cheeks due to the intense nuzzling and strong hugs. She leaped forward, wrapping her tail around both Pichu while pulling them away from Fluttershy and fake Fluttershy. Small burst of electricity went through her tail, yet didn’t hurt anyone present. “Please be careful. While the dots on Pichu’s cheeks aren’t fully developed, they are still very sensitive.” She placed both Pichu in her motherly embrace, who immediately pressed themselves against her fluffy white belly.
Pharynx looked at the sky, watching the black cloud in the distance that seemed to move towards Canterlot.
Applejack looked between Pikachu and Nica and asked, “Ah’m glad yer doin’ great and Ah wish yer family best of the best, but Ah gotta ask...”
“Yes?” Pikachu asked as Nica looked at the farm mare curiously.
“What’s yer plan? Ah mean, now that ya both are together and yer trainers are a team, where’re ya goin’ from here?”
“Oh…” Nica said before standing on the tips of her rear paws. “Well… we’ll still train hard and regularly while raising our children. Our trainers will assist us in taking care of them and we have many pokemon on the team who can help as well. Being parents won’t get in the way of our adventures, I can assure you of that.”
“Yeah, and what adventure will it be?” Applejack asked while lowering herself to the long-tailed pokemon.
Pikachu stepped forward, stood on the tips of his rear paws and patted the earth pony’s muzzle. “That’s simple. For now we’ll still remain in Alola and train until the league is ready, which should take a week or two at best.”
Nica spoke up, “Astra convinced Ash to form a team with his old pokemon and focus on mastering their skills. His current team is: Pikachu, Incineroar, Lycanroc, Sceptile, Krookodile, and Hawlucha.”
Pikachu sighed. “Rowlett didn’t show much motivation and kept falling asleep at worst possible times. It was hard for Ash to replace it while not helping him unlock his full potential, but for the sake of his dream, he had to adapt his methods.”
“And after the Alola League?” Dash asked, ignoring the black cloud which now covered part of the sky.
Nica tapped her forepaws nervously.
Pikachu leapt from one rear paw to another in excitement. “We’re going to challenge the Galar region!”
Nica’s ears drooped as she spoke hesitantly. “Since… since Ash failed to mega-evolve any of his pokemon… and since he mastered the use of Z-moves, Astra thought that Galar would be a perfect place for him to get stronger.” She sighed. “She’s hoping that aside from Z-moves, Ash would learn how to turn his pokemon into giants with the help of ‘Dynamax.’”
“Dyna-what-now?” Applejack asked, tilting her head to the side.
“Turning pokemon giant? You mean, like that gigantic Ultra Beast that invaded Alola?” Dash asked.
Fluttershy and Thorax looked at Nica in confusion.
Rarity rubbed her chin. “Becoming giant? That reminds me of when Spikey Wikey grew to a massive size due to his greed.” She shivered. “Not the most pleasant memory.”
Starlight glanced at Rarity and asked, “Wait, you can turn Spike into a giant and never took advantage of that during crisis? I certainly would.” She looked at the Raichu. “As for you, Nica, why didn’t you mention that you could grow in size? You need to be more open with this kind of stuff.”
Dash flew in circles around both pokemon before stopping in mid-air, now looking at them from the higher ground. “What’s this ‘Dynamax’ thing? Tell me all about it. Please, please, please!”
Nica looked to the side.
Pikachu continued his excited dance as he spoke, “According to Astra, if Ash masters it, not only will he be able to use at least one Z-move per battle, but also be able to massively increase the size of one of his pokemon temporarily. Ash has a lot of stamina, I’m sure he can pull this off.” His jumps became higher and higher. “Oh, I can’t wait!”
Nica raised an eyebrow at Pikachu and asked, “You just want to see me become a giant, don’t you?” Both Pichu withdrew their heads from her belly, now looking at her curiously.
<Mom… already big…> one Pichu said, their words stunted.
<Mom and dad… becoming bigger?> another Pichu asked.
Pikachu landed in front of Nica, excitement not leaving his face. “Guilty as charged, but seriously, seeing you grow to the size of a large building would be so amazing! I’ll finally see you grow to the gigantic and magnificent pokemon I always imagine you to be whenever I look at you.”
“You and your compliments, Sweetiechu,” Nica said as she accepted the comment and nuzzled the pokemon’s nose. The entire platform suddenly became covered by the shadow of the darkened clouds from above, which seemed to catch the attention of nearby ponies, yet she ignored it for the moment. “Fine, I’ll ask Astra to help me become a giant if it will make you happy, though I’m not a fan of doing that.”
Pharynx flew up and then towards the closest Royal Guard, speaking with him at a distance. The guard saluted before flying into the castle.
Dash looked at the sky. “Be right back,” she said, deciding to join other pegasi in dealing with the clouds.
“Why wouldn’t you want grow to a titanic size before or during a battle?” Starlight spoke up, finally breaking away her silence. “I certainly would.”
Pikachu tilted his head to the side. “To be honest, I’m curious as well. Dynamaxing would help make up for the skills and power you’ll lose from you stopping your intense workout routine as well.”
Nica blushed. “Well…” She tapped her paws nervously. “First, I already feel like a bully whenever I fight against water, flying and unevolved pokemon. While my skills and perception allowed me to easily hit normal-sized pokemon whenever I gained twenty five meters of size, I just can’t bring myself to hurt all those poor tiny opponents.” She held her forepaws in front of Pikachu’s face, very close to each other as if trying to grab his tiny nose. “I mean, I can’t even tell how microscopic you would be to me, Pikachu.”
“And what about fighting another giant?” Starlight asked.
“Considering that my fighting style focuses on defense, evasion and stamina, it would be a waste to use ‘Dynamax’ on me,” Nica pointed out. “When in Galar region, I jumped on every occasion to fight gigantic pokemon, stalling for time while evading their powerful blows until they became small. Then, I would let gigantic Ninetales sweep two to three pokemon on the enemy team. He’s into that stuff.”
“Of course he is.” Starlight grinned. “Still, that sounds like a great tactic. I may still be inexperienced with being a trainer, but I learned that weather is very important. Sunny day plus gigantic Ninetales, who can defend against that?” She asked, “Anything else?”
Nica pointed at her rear legs. “As you know, I was working very hard to improve my jumping over the years.” Her ears drooped as she curled a little. “Let’s… let’s just say that after becoming a giant… I wanted to test my strongest jump… to see how high I could reach.”
“And?” Starlight asked as Pikachu looked at his love with growing interest.
“The hill I landed on…“ She gulped, adding with a squeaky tone, “It became known as ‘Raichu’s Crater.”
Pikachu, Starlight, Applejack and Rarity raised their paws/hooves up to their mouths, laughing while imagining the scene in their minds, which only increased the intensity of red on Nica’s face.
“Girls!”
Everyone’s attention focused on a panicked Dash, who now gestured her hooves at the descending blimp. The balloon itself seemed to be covered in armor, but it could as well just be a decoration for intimidating purposes. The black smoke seemed to emerge from behind the airship while the transportation was made mostly of wood. The balloon itself was twice as tall than the part with the passengers, though one could tell it wasn’t a tourist ship.
Numerous Royal Guards flew from inside the castle. Unicorns secured the perimeter on the platform while pegasi surrounded the blimp from the sky.
Dash pointed into the black cloud. “I’m not sure, but I think I saw movement in all that black smoke. There’s a chance that more of those things are hidden there.”
“Good eye, Private Dash,” Pharynx said as he flew over to the pegasus, a stern look on his face. “Call me old-fashioned, but this smells of an invasion from a mile away.”
Starlight pointed at the four princesses that appeared on the platform in front of the blimp, ready to greet the intruder. She opened her saddlebag, pulling out a pokeball. “I better go there and help Twilight. My pokemon still have a long way to go, but I feel they’ll be of use in what’s about to happen.”
“Count me in,” Dash said as she picked up a pokeball of her own before flying above her unicorn rival. She glanced at the pair of chus and asked, “You coming?”
Nica looked at Pikachu as they stared at each other.
“I’ll keep our Pichu safe, you have my word,” Pikachu said as he took both Pichu into his embrace, who pressed their heads against his neck, wary of the unpleasant atmosphere. He exposed his tail as Nica put the translating collar on it for safekeeping. “I get the feeling that your supportive fighting style will be of much greater use than my offensive one.”
Thorax tapped his hooves together. “Aren’t you overreacting? Maybe it’s a friendly diplomat or something.”
Pharynx raised an eyebrow. “Sure… You just keep telling yourself that.”
With the announcement out of the way, Tempest walked towards the opened door while two of her soldiers released a thick mist for dramatic effect, something that the Storm King seemed to be a fan of. She stopped at the edge of the platform, satisfied upon seeing the four princesses waiting to greet her. It seems I don’t give my assistant enough credit. His announcement got just the attention I needed. Perfect. She noticed some random unicorn appear in a flash of light with some sort of long-tailed rat by her side, deciding to ignore the insignificant duo for the time being.
“Miss Tempest? Correct? Is there anything we can help you with?” asked Celestia as the four alicorns looked back at her, not seeming scared nor threatened by her presence. She would need to fix that, and soon.
“Oh, how nice of you to ask. First, I would like to suggest your complete and unconditional surrender.”
The alicorns looked at each other hesitantly while the smaller one walked from behind the rest, saying, “Greetings. I am the Princess of Friendship. I’m not sure what’s going on, but is there a chance we can talk about it?”
With firm steps, she walked forward, stepping on the long deck while approaching the four alicorns. Her armored hooves made firm contact with the wood. “Here’s the deal, I want your magic. Give it to me willingly, or else your subjects will pay dearly for your defiance.”
“And why should we fear you?” Luna asked as she and her sister narrowed their eyes. “You’re alone against hundreds.”
Twilight looked back in worry while Starlight shook her head at Luna’s statement.
Tempest chuckled, remembering rumors of the poor performance the princesses and Royal Guard showed during the changeling invasion. I was hoping I could show the mighty princesses how pathetic they really are and how weak their military is. Diligent training, hard work and proper equipment will always triumph over raw power, and I shall prove it. With a satisfied grin, she spoke up, “I was hoping you would decide to resist.”
She looked at the sky, watching her air force descend from the black cloud as numerous blimps now flew over Canterlot. Her troops jumped onto the platform while also attacking the rest of the city. Scream of panicked ponies filled the street. Much to her surprise the unicorns guards actually shot back, trying to hit the blimps or the descending troops as some of their shots weren’t reflected by shields. The pegasi intercepted some troops in mid-air.
The Royal Guard showing initiative? Did someone train them while I was conquering other lands? Tempest though as she displayed a little smile. While she had severed all ties she had with her home and was determined to reach the top by any means necessary, part of her felt a little pride towards the ponies who actually fought back. Maybe her home nation wasn’t as pathetic and worthless as she thought.
She stomped, bending her legs while preparing herself for a high jump. Her damaged horn flared to life as she picked up the crystal inside her saddlebag, lifting it with her magic. With a high jump, she levitated the petrifying crystal in front of herself, spinning as she kicked it with her cladded hoof. As she descended, she watched the pink alicorn raise a barrier, showing an impressive display of initiative in an attempt to protect the sun princess.
Tempest landed and smirked, waiting for her projectile to pierce the barrier. Wait… what? she thought as her attention focused on the long-tailed creature, whose tail flashed in bright light. The projective she kicked ended up stopped by the metallic tail in front of Cadence’s face. She watched as the edge of the tail turned into stone, only for said stone to fall apart, revealing an unharmed yellow tail. What the? It blocked the petrifying!?
Tempest leaped to the side, evading the beam of magic shot by the unicorn. She covered her face protectively as the Princess of Friendship attacked as well. The beam from the princess ended up deflected by her guard’s shield, who jumped in to her defense.
“Commander Tempest, focus.”
Tempest didn’t need to be lectured as she grit her teeth, deciding to take the situation more seriously. So they can fight back. Playtime’s over. Her horn sparked to life as she levitated two more petrifying crystals, double-kicking them towards the royal sisters. Much to her surprise, both alicorns flew to the side, evading her attacks. She gestured her hoof at the alicorns and commanded, “Attack!”
Her personal guards and nearby soldiers rushed in the pointed direction, some stopped by nearby royal guards.
The alicorns flew up and formed a defensive circle, shooting beams of magic at the approaching soldiers, only to evade as their attacks ended up deflected by enhanced shields.
The unicorn who dared to attack her summoned assistance with the help of three red balls, releasing a tiny yellow critter with a big head, a donkey and a little brown bunny.
“Mudbray, attack him with 'Mud-Slap,'" Starlight commanded as she grit her teeth. As the invader raised his shield, protecting his face and upper part of his body from the sticky mud, Starlight wrapped her magic around his legs, pulling them as she slammed the soldier against the ground repeatedly. The stone shattered from the impact as the enemy's armor started to crack.
The invader lowered his shield down to his legs, dispersing the unicorn's magic.
"This isn't going to work," Starlight said as she pointed ahead. "Pichu, attack with 'Thundershock.' Mudbray, push his shield away with 'Tackle!'"
Pichu leaped onto Starlight's head before shocking his opponent as electricity went through the enhanced shield. The donkey-like pokemon jumped at the enemy's shield from the side, separating it from the soldier.
Starlight grinned before blasting the enemy with her magic, shattering his armor into pieces. “Nice job you two!”
"Hey, leave some for me," Dash said as she deployed a flying pokemon of her own, this one having a long beak. "... attack with 'Bullet Seed.'" As her pokemon started bombing the enemy with rapid-fire, forcing the soldiers to hide behind their shields, the pegasus flew from the other side, targeting their rear legs with well-aimed kicks. As one soldier lost his balance, Dash flew up and dive-kicked his belly.
Using another pokeball, Dash summoned a combination of seal and a dog, who clapped her fins enthusiastically. "I thought about getting Litten, but changed my mind. Picked a female Popplio as my starter instead." She flew up, gesturing at the pinned solder who ended pressed into the stone platform. "Popplio, attack with 'Bubble' and then sweep him away with 'Aqua Jet.'"
Tempest growled in annoyance, watching as the little creatures in service of ponies humiliated her soldiers. Those critters seem to lack training, but can still fight. Our shields don't protect well against their attacks.
"You still haven't evolved your Pichu? You're a bit behind," Dash said as she pointed at her flying pokemon. "Keep slacking like that and I'll always be one step ahead."
"Says a rival with water and flying pokemon who are weak to my Pichu," Starlight commented, giving the pegasus a sassy smile. “Do me a favor and learn type advantages already.”
Tempest looked away, focusing her full attention on the alicorns. Much to her disappointment her soldiers still struggled to restrain them despite the number advantage. Well-aimed attacks at body-parts unprotected by enhanced shields, basic teamwork and proper use of barriers. That's odd. The way they fight looks as if Celestia and Luna received some lessons in self-defense. The smallest alicorn seems to be the most experienced though. Her agility and reflexes are kind of impressive.
Picking up another petrifying crystal with her magic, she charged forward, focusing her attention on Luna. At the same moment two of her soldiers jumped at the night princess from a nearby roof, pulling her towards the ground, Tempest jumped up, kicking her projectile. She frowned in frustration as the long-tailed critter blasted it away with a burst of electricity.
"Stop getting in the way!" Tempest raged as her personal guard rushed forward, charging at the troublesome foe. The noise of clashing metal followed as Raichu's 'Iron Tail' sliced against the enhanced shields. Both guards exposed their claws, trying and failing to slash the pokemon who simply jumped over their heads, striking the back of their necks. Bolts of electricity followed, knocking both guards unconscious as their large shields and armors proved useless against it.
Tempest rounded the long-tailed critter, focusing on Celestia whose wing ended up injured by the poisonous metallic claw of Tempest's assassin. I got you now, Celestia. Not bothering to jump, she kicked the petrifying orb as if kicking a tree, only for 'Iron Tail' to push it aside. The stone surrounding Raichu's tail shattered into pieces a moment later as the pokemon remained unharmed.
“I’ve had enough!" Tempest shouted and stomped in agreevation. Unlike the princesses who seemed to know the basics, this creature had to be an expert, masterfully using agility and its tail. If she wanted to take down her main targets, she needed to dispose of their aggravating defender first. "Prepare to meet your maker you abomination!"
Seeing as her opponent took a fighting stance on its rear paws, its tail raised defensively, she jumped, trying to smash the smaller creature with a strong stomp. Her attack missed as her foe leapt backward in the nick of time. Tempest jumped back as well, evading the slice of the 'Iron Tail.'
<You evaded? Not bad,> Nica said as only "Raichu? Rai" was heard by the angered unicorn.
Using her much larger size, Tempest pressed her offensive, spin-kicking, stomping and punching in rapid succession as the smaller creature danced in between her attacks. Tempest grit her teeth, speeding up the pace as her face was now covered in sweat. In response her opponent defended with 'Iron Tail,' swiftly blocking or striking against her attacks like a talented fencer using her tail like a whip, spear, and rapier. The noise of metallic clashes repeated itself as Tempest’s armored shoes broke into shards of worthless metal. Her armor followed in suit from quick and weak slices.
Feeling growing frustration, Tempest jumped forward, grabbing her opponent's tail. She jumped and swung her opponent with her foreleg, slamming her into the ground as Raichu yelped in pain. She lowered her broken horn, electrocuting her opponent... with little result. The usual smell of burned fur wasn't even there.
Tempest eyes became wide and she screamed from the bottom of her lungs as 'Thunderbolt' went from Nica's tail through her body, hurting her for a few seconds. She released her opponent, struggling to stand on her long trembling legs. She finally sniffed the smell of burning fur, but it was her own.
<I must say, you have impressive fighting skills. Your technique and strength is that of a well-trained pokemon,> Nica praised while clapping her forepaws in applause. <Your magic seem a bit unfocused though and you seem to be… Wait, your horn, it’s broken! No wonder your expression looks painful whenever you use magic. What happened to you?>
Tempest couldn't tell if her opponent was praising her or mocking her, but she was sure about one thing, she was outmatched. if she kept fighting one versus one, she would lose after several minutes. She took a quick glance at her surroundings. The alicorns are holding their ground while the ponies are fighting back. Both sides seem equally matched. My troops can't assist me in these circumstances. I have to find a way to gain the upper hoof.
<I'm not sure why you're leading those soldiers against your fellow ponies, but your invasion ends here!> Nica raised her metallic tail while bolts of electricity escaped from her cheeks. <I made many great friends here and I won't let you hurt them! While I feel sorry for whatever happened to you, if you don’t surrender, I’ll hold nothing back.>
Tempest looked into her saddlebag and groaned. Her ammunition was running out. Only six left, I have to make them count. Upon seeing the long-tailed critter charging at her as its body was now surrounded by an aura of electricity, she unleashed the full force of her magic, sending massive ongoing burst of electricity. She started stumbling backwards and sweat fell from her face as her opponent was breaking through, only slightly slowed down by her counterattack.
In an act of desperation, she pulled the petrifying crystal, throwing it at the charging foe. Much to her horror, her opponent spun, slamming the crystal back at her as her right leg ended up turned to stone. An explosion of electricity followed as she was pushed back with the direct hit of a 'Volt Tackle.'
As her tired eyes were on the verge of closing, she could see the long-tailed critter towering over her. I... lost... I just... picked up the winning side. Was this a mistake? Part of her felt relieved that her former home stopped this invasion. Another part however was filled with nothing but frustration. All her hard work, diligent training and flawless service, all for nothing as the reward she wanted the most was now forever out of reach. "C-curse... you..." Tempest said before losing consciousness, the petrification stopped after turning half of her body into stone.
<Mommy is amazing,> said the female Pichu as she cheered from between Pikachu's paws.
<Mommy is so fast and strong,> the male Pichu praised as he waved with his forepaws cheerfully.
Their cheering didn't last long though as at least three hostile figures covered by fur and armor knocked out three royal guards, now directing their attention to them. Large enhanced shields in one hand while a poisonous metallic claw was in the other.
Pikachu narrowed his eyes before unleashing a 'Thunderbolt' against the attackers, hitting one of them.
"Oh dear, maybe we should retreat?" Rarity suggested, gesturing for the pokemon to follow her, yet her idea was dashed as another invader blocked their escape from the other side.
"Oh no, oh no, oh no," Fluttershy said as her legs trembled.
"D-don't worry, I'll defend you," Thorax said before a vortex of green magic surrounded his body, shapeshifting him into a massive bear with six paws rather than four. With a loud roar, he charged at the enemy, exchanging blows. His strong massive hands slammed against enemy's mask while a large shield was smashed into his face.
Pikachu held both Pichu tightly while charging power into his tail. With a quick jump, he smashed his 'Iron Tail' into a metal claw, destroying it with a single blow.
He leapt left and right, evading enemy attacks. The opponent covered by burn marks made by his electricity snuck in from behind.
Pikachu panicked, covering his children with his shoulder as the poisonous claw slashed his back and side, leaving three marks on his spotless fur while pushing him away as his forehead turned purple. His feet landed on the stone with a weak thud.
<Daddy, are you alright?> Pichu asked, worried by her father's scream of pain.
<I... I want to fight... let me at them,> the male Pichu stated as he glared at the enemy.
"I'll keep you safe," Fluttershy said as she flew over, spreading her forehooves.
Understanding the plan, Pikachu handed over the Pichu into the safe embrace of Fluttershy before turning towards his opponents. He rushed forth with ‘Quick Attack’, intercepting a jumping enemy from grabbing Fluttershy who flew out of their reach. He stood on four paws as bolts of electricity burst from his cheeks, his forehead still showing signs of poison. The invaders almost struck his kids, he would show them no mercy.
The invasion that had been planned for so long was not turning out how anyone in the Storm King’s army was expecting. Not only were the ponies putting up a good fight, but reports of other creatures were being spread among the troops. Changelings were fighting alongside their former enemies -the ponies- while a mouse like creature was letting out lighting bolts as if she were a living storm.
Combined with the Princesses still not petrified, it was beginning to look like a stalemate. That was when one of the soldiers saw something in the distance. Something that was growing bigger and closer with each second. Curious, he asked one of his men for a telescope and decided to see what it was.
What he saw nearly made him drop it.
It wasn't an army of ponies, but an intimidating group of other creatures. Four fully grown dragons and a group of smaller ones being lead by a flying blue dragon with a scepter that had a blood red ruby on top, and she looked pissed off. The grown up dragons she had were as big as a tall building.
More changelings were coming, many of whom were transforming into larger and deadlier creatures.
There were even griffins of all things being led by a white and brown one who was screeching at them and flying almost as fast as that rainbow tailed one. How they left their mountains and why they were coming here boggled the mind of the soldier who knew of their culture and personalities. Were they hired mercenaries? Or was it something more?
Then he recalled a report on how Equestria had been trying to make allies of the other races. Was this them? Did they somehow know of the attack beforehand and come to assist or were they on their was to celebrate when they caught wind of the attack?
Either way, this was going to change things, and not in their favor.
Well, things went FUBAR real quick, he thought while deciding what might be the best sob story to give to the ponies before they put him in a cell.
"Tempest, report, now!" the Storm King yelled impatiently as his full attention was focused on his commander. "Why did it take so long for you to contact me? Are the alicorns turned to stone? Is Canterlot conquered yet?"
'"Of course my glorious master. The ponies are in chains and the princesses are petrified and awaiting your inspection," Tempest responded, her face cold and serious. Her personal guard stood by her side, presentable and silent.
"Glorious master? As much as I like the sound of that, I expect to be called ‘Storm King’. Am I understood?"
"Yes, Storm King."
"Good. Now, just to make sure, did you capture all four alicorns? I need no less than four to restore your horn and become almighty and powerful."
"All four alicorns are awaiting you inside the throne room. Once you arrive, we'll both get our well-deserved reward," Tempest responded.
The Storm King clapped his hands in applause before dancing in excitement. "Perfect. I knew you were the right commander for the job. Just make sure to dust-off the throne. I want my new seat of power to look presentable as I plan overseas invasions and bask in my glory."
"Your wish is my command."
As the mist displaying the image of the Storm King vanished from his sight. Pharynx dropped his disguise, revealing his grinning face. His two fellow changelings did the same. "What a fool. He's going right into my trap. It’s actually insulting that someone like him even got to conquer anything at all." He turned around, examining the interior of the captured ship. "I think I'll take a few of those back to the hive to improve our defenses." He rubbed his chin. "I wonder if Thorax will be mad if I dealt with the Storm King using his own petrifying crystals. Now that would be a fitting end for this pathetic dictator."