Heading back inside and back to my room, I hear humming and realize Rarity is rearranging her room. While it certainly looks less scary, on the other hand, it looks less scary which is the point of this place.

I decide to let her do as she likes and continue to my room. I figure I might as well look up the weird thing I caught.

- These seemingly huge, snaking pokémon are actually collections of hundreds of smaller worm-like creatures. -

- They have a strong telepathic connection between each part of their swarm, allowing them to move perfectly in sync with each other. -

- They move in swarms most easily measured by their combined weight rather than by the number of members involved. -

Yeah, that explains the fact that a simple Confuse Ray would totally fuck them over. Mess with the hive mind and the swarm falls apart in seconds. That said, aside from that glaring flaw, there are certainly uses for a Pokémon like this. I assume that, unlike a Dugtrio or similar, hurting or afflicting one doesn’t immediately affect all the rest of them unless the move has a lingering or ‘splash’ effect. There’s also a branched final evolution, but I can check that out later.

Not to mention that now that I have a Rock/Ground type, a Grass/Poison, a Bug/Psychic, Water/Dark, Ghost/Fire, Grass/Electric... hot damn, that’s some huge coverage. Just get everyone to a respectable level and evolved and I’d say I have a pokémon for any occasion, I’m just lacking a Lucario. If I could carry around a Fighting/Steel as well... I’d be totally set!

Damn ‘six-pokémon’ limit. Oh well, the rules are there for a reason, and I’m not gonna risk my license just for that.

I recall that while I didn’t scan it, I did get a picture of the pokémon with the doll. I run the photo through a cross-reference database and get a result almost immediately.

Chantlette, the Charming pokémon.

- These pokémon gather in groups of up to thirteen to chant wishes for good luck. However, because of their jealous natures, they often curse each other instead. -

- It is very hard to raise one of these pokémon, as they need companions to develop properly. -

- They will often form a coven of nine Chantlette, three Hexemme, and a Morgadamme leading. These covens can do miraculous things with their powers. -

Yeah, those are the things that ‘attacked’ me last night and I ran away from into the house. So given the information about curses, I consider running into the mansion the smart option.

Eh, might as well see how much danger I was in. It’s got two evolutions, after all.

Hexemme, the Witch pokémon.

- These pokémon chant to activate their powers, which makes it sound like they're casting evil spells. However, they are really wishes for luck.-

- They brew large amounts of poisonous drinks in huge pots carved from metal, stone, or tree stumps, and drink them. Because of this, they're immune to most poisons.-

- These pokémon have a cry like the cackling of a witch. However, they're very loving and generous pokémon.-

Oh, so they look and sound evil but they’re just misunderstood? Yeah, not totally sold here.What happens after that then? With the Morgadamme, the Coventry pokémon...

- These powerful pokémon lead covens formed of themselves, Hexemme, and Chantlettes. There is only ever one Morgadamme per coven, though.-

- Capable of incredible feats of psychic prowess, these pokémon keep their trainers and covens safe from any who would threaten them. They are extremely protective, and can curse or hex almost anyone with bad luck.-

- These pokémon can grant powerful blessings upon others, rendering them immune to many things which would harm them otherwise. No other pokémon seems able to naturally learn this ability. -

So they end up basically a Gardevoir with a Dark typing. Huh. Oh well. I decide to not look into Magomental’s forms, I want some mystery after all. I think I’ve technically already passed the amount of research a trainer would do before starting their journey. I may not recognize some of these, but with how much I know about the others, heck, I probably know more about Growlithe than anyone from here to Sinnoh, which according to the map, is the furthest from this region, Orre being the second furthest.

Speaking of Orre... Yep, still a total desert wasteland with a teensy patch of green in the far corner. Looking at all the lush, green forests and plains of other places, even after what sorts of Pokémon Wars used to go on and yet all the regions look fine now... What the Hell happened to Orre to still be a mostly-lifeless wasteland unfit for any but a few wild Pokémon?

Oh well, I’m not going to Orre. Too much garbage from Cipher going on over there. I decide to go see if Twilight’s finally woken up.

Walking in her room, I see that the little bundle has ‘grown’ some legs. “Finally awake? Or just too hot under there?”

“Mmph, yeah. Didja know that there’s a resort in northern Otaria that treats pokémon and humans? Apparently, they even groom wild pokémon.”

“Great, so how’s your progress to beating that Water gym going? I already got my Grass type. So I guess we’re just kinda waiting on you.”

“Oh, right! Drat, this book’s so good and I’m almost done with the chapter...” I hear a frustrated grown from under the blanket, shortly followed by the blanket getting thrown off, Twilight yawning a bit as she does so. A little mote of vibrantly blue light is nestled in the shadow of her side.

“Found a friend there, huh?” I recognize it as the thing I confused for a Gastly, that Wispeery thing. “Is that why you were up all night? Because you could read in the dark? You know the éTech has a backlit screen, right?”

“Yeah, but this is a book, Anthony.” Twilight retorts, obviously believing this to be all the argument she needs.

"...Really? You have a ghost type and you use it as a flying booklight?"

"Says the man who used his Liwick to roast marshmallows."

"That's different!"

"How?"

"Look! A Shinx!" I point out the window into the forested backyard where I may or may not have seen a blue-black figure with yellow highlights. “Yeah, so Rarity’s doing her ‘renovation’ thing, but that might take a while. You wanna do something until she’s done or what?”

“Uhm, I suppose, but what? Actually, let’s go meet the inhabitants of the house!”

“If you want. I already got a team of six on me. I’m not really planning on going anywhere special aside from a Pokémon Center. The other option is you getting your sixth, preferably a Grass type as we discussed.”

“That would help balance my team further... Although many pokémon can learn moves other than ones of the same types, right?”

“Your team doesn’t learn any Grass or Electric moves naturally. We’d need TMs or a Move Tutor, and the only Electric TM I have is Zap Cannon, which isn’t really available to non-Electric types, usually. Unless we can find a tutor or buy a TM for something like Grass Knot, you’re out of luck.”

“Ah, alright. Well, I suppose we should go, then, as long as R-” before Twilight could finish, a loud scream echoes down the halls, though it’s definitely a scream of rage, not fear.

“Well, someone’s having a bad morning.”

“What have you done to my beautiful house?!” The raspy, almost smoker-like voice could belong to none other than the Gengar who apparently runs this place. Guess he disagrees with Rarity’s renovating, as I suspected he would.

“And that’s the sound of Rarity about to be kicked out. What say we take our leave as well?” Twilight nods in agreement, and quickly begins packing up, her newest pokémon getting tucked into its pokéball with haste.

A few moments later we are making our way downstairs and heading for the front door. “As talented as she is, I have a suspicion that Rarity lacks a certain level of self-control.”

Twilight shrugs in mild agreement as we leave the house, Rarity storming out, positively fuming as she leaves, muttering things about ‘being tasteless’ or ‘drabby’ or whatever. After a minute, she starts on a rant about how he called her decorations ‘pink’.

“Rarity, we’re guys. To us, salmon is pink, cream is white, and there is absolutely no difference to us between brown or burnt-umber.”

Rarity just ‘Hmmph!’s, and walks off with her nose in the air. Twilight and I exchange a glance, and try not to burst into laughter, as that’d be rude and Rarity is really accurate with sewing needles.

So we make our way out of the forest, deciding we should try and get Twilight’s Grass type along the way. We avoid whatever semblance of a path we encounter and decide to just follow a compass back to the city when we feel it’s time to leave.

As we walk, we get increasingly further from what could be considered ‘the right way’ and Rarity decides we are lost despite our GPS clearly stating that we are just North of the city and it would just be a half-hour walk. Continuing on, there isn’t much to see as the trees and other plants become very thick, making the place shaded and very closed in.

As we’re walking, Twilight passes under the shade of a large, spreading tree. Without any kind of warning, something like a green throw-rug leaps out and plows into her side, sending her sprawling in the dirt.

“Shit, are you okay!?” I grab the rug thingy and toss it. It’s deceptively heavy and I assume it’s a pokémon or made of dark matter. Either way, I toss it as far away as I can -about two meters- and check on Twilight. Thankfully, she’s only stunned.

“Humph!” The rug makes a noise like it’s disappointed, and sits itself into a hillock shape, two dark eyes and a downward crescent making it look vaguely like a creeper-print bath mat thrown over a pile of laundry.

I nudge Litwick off my shoulder onto the ground in front of the thing and pull out my éTech. Rather have some defense while I study it. The device beeps and gives me its result.

-Mossulk, the Mossy pokémon. Grass-type.-

- These pokémon tend to sit in the shade, and avoid direct sunlight. However, they will attack any animals that wander past, in hopes of a meal. -

- These pokémon are basically large, living mats of moss, with a central nervous system that regenerates rapidly if injured. They can even regrow damaged portions of their brains. -

- There is nothing these pokémon hate more than being insulted. If their egos are hurt, they're prone to moping for hours or even days, which can make training them an absolute pain. -

It also spits out their relative stats, saying they’re durable and slow. Also says they don’t eat meat, fortunately. Looks like I picked a good choice with Litwick. Still, if it doesn’t eat meat why the heck did it jump us?

The Mossulk then extends an appendage, though it looks sorta like a green version of Cookie Monster’s hand than a proper limb. In that limb is a couple Cheri berries. The fucker stole Twilight’s berries!

“Litwick, Fire Spin! Don’t let it get away!”

The little candle-geist sends a swirling helix of fire towards the Mossulk, who... sits there. It’s like watching a Kakuna, but with less glaring. It raises a mossy limb, and spikes it into the ground, a tangle of grass suddenly grabbing Litwick and roughly shoving it aside. It doesn’t seem to do much beyond disrupt Litwick though. The Mossulk, apparently having exactly zero fucks to give about all this, simply hops forward through the circle of fire like a small green walrus, even though I can clearly see it’s got patches of still-smoldering embers all over it, and half a dozen burns.

Grass type immune to Fire? Well, time for Poison then. “Smog, before it gets out of the vortex!”

I immediately regret this when the gaseous cloud hits the Mossulk... and the column of fire. A brief explosion later, and I’m on my back with the Mossulk on my chest. Oh god this is heavy...

“Humph.” And the Mossulk is still able to ‘speak’ just fine. Fucking durable pokémon...

I can’t get the leverage to push it off me, and ordering Litwick to attack might hit me and if seeing a Confuse Ray up-close gives me a crawly feeling, I don’t want to know what it feels like to be hit by it... and that’s the least-damaging move I’m aware it knows.

“Hey girls, little help?” Great, talking hurts with this thing sitting on my lungs somewhat.

Twilight trots over, and pokes the Mossulk, who resolutely fails to react. “Uhm, I’m not sure what we could do that wouldn’t potentially end up injuring you as well... unless... well, would you mind if I tried to take this one?”

“I don’t care -koff- what you do!” I see a pokéball hover up, then a flash of light as the Mossulk disappears. I take a deep, gasping inhalation, and roll on my side. Oh geez, it feels like my ribs were pancaked...

“How... heavy... is-” My éTech responds for me, apparently hearing a keyword.

“Mossulk specimens average 135 pounds, or roughly 61 Kilograms, and are most often approximately 1.7 feet or 51.8 centimeters in height. Their preferred diet is decaying plant matter and fallen fruit. They are known to also eat junk food without ill effect.”

“And it tried to steal our berries. Great.” I hear the ‘ding’ of a successful capture. Apparently it gives about as many fucks about being owned as it does taking Fire damage.

“Wow Anthony, you did a number on this... by all accounts, it should barely be able to move.”

“Well it wasn’t doing much moving once it started crushing my skeleton, so we just find a Pokémon center, get our teams healed up, and find me a bed. I feel like laying down. With nothing on top of me.”

I check the map and see that the city is still a ways away, but decide to begin heading in that direction anyway. Deciding that we should get to the center first, I have the éTech set our course for the nearest pokémon center. No map icon appears, but we do have directions and it’s ahead of us. Off we go then.

After some walking, the device on my wrist tells me to head right, and we do. I don’t feel like we’re that close to the city, but I do hear faint voices of people talking. Maybe it got confused and expects us to walk through one of the walls...

With an abruptness I’ve sort of begun to expect in this world, the forest ends, and reveals a fairly large city, with a strongly renaissance themed air to it. Before we approach, Twi and Rarity change to human for the time being, and we head towards the town.

On the way in, groups of people and pokémon are setting up what seems like a fair, and when I see a banner go by, I feel myself squee. They’re not just setting up a fair, they’re setting up an actual renaissance fair, and have the entire town set up for it! Oh, this is awesome.

I can see people in armor and dressed like jesters, knights, squires, archers, princesses, and so much more. I can even see someone riding a full-grown Tyrantrum and carrying a lance, the word ‘SECURITY’ spray-painted onto the Tyrantrum’s chest.

That. Is. AWESOME!

“I can’t believe how renewal-aged this place looks, but with humans and pokémon, not ponies.” Rarity muses. “I had always wished this style could come back, I have so many ideas... Could we stay here? Please?”

“Sure, why not. I guess we can go when the festival is over. I like the way the place looks myself!”

Twilight, obviously makes the most ‘Twilight’ comment possible. “I feel like I walked into a History Textbook!” I facepalm. No shit, Sparkle... no shit.

We walk inside the Pokémon Center, this one having it’s interior mostly unchanged yet still fitting, only a few minor changes really stand out. We sit down at a table once our pokémon are being looked over. I laugh at the out-of-place drink machine and decide to get a soda for the sake of the period clash.

But when I make my selection, instead of a soft-drink can, rather, an iron flagon with a lid on it drops down. BEST. PLACE. EVER!!

As I grin my head off, I walk back to the booth, and find Rarity has moved over a booth to participate in an animated conversation with another woman, who is wearing an impressively well-made gown and corset combination. A hexagon pattern is embroidered on the brown fabric with gold-colored thread.

“Man, I never expected this kind of thing. I expected all the celebrations to be more... tribal, really.” I say, recalling the festival from the second movie.

“Really? Well, I’m certainly enjoying this. There’s so many little details, everywhere I look! Whatever holiday this is, it must be important.” Twilight says, looking around in wonder. I can’t help but laugh a little.

“Holiday... sure.” I say, watching a young man with a Lucario walk by in ‘nobleman’ style gear, the pokémon dressed like a duellist. “Hey, wanna get some costumes for ourselves?”

I am given Rarity’s answer in the form of a loud, very happy squeal. I’m sure the idea of going shopping in an older time period would be like a dream for her. And I want a neat get-up myself. We exit the center and half-drag Twilight to a place where we can get costumes and props.

Twilight spends a bunch of time getting dressed, and I’m already in my new outfit of a knight. I’m gonna look so badass. Of course I’m going for more of a ‘lightly-armored’ knight. I want to be able to walk around and jump without clanking like a pot with every shimmy.

I gape as I see Twilight's wearing a long, slim dress that hugs her curves, a stars, suns and moons pattern on the fabric. A tall, deep blue wizard’s hat of what looks like crushed velvet sits atop her head, her violet hair falling out the back slightly. To complete the ensemble, a single-arm plate cover on her right arm has six 'jewel' slots, each one with a Pokéball in it. Silvery engravings cover the sides, mixed with an 'ancient mew' design in what looks like either gold or brass in the middle of the six Pokéball slots.

Rarity is taking the most time, obviously, and has actually asked for spare fabric and is making her own dress or whatever she’s making. When she finally decides she’s ready, she steps out of the dressing room. “How do I look, dears?”

Woah.

She looks like Princess Zelda, but with purple hair and about ten times hotter.

...Why the hell did I just think that? Looking back at Twilight, she also looks pretty damn good. Not as good, but I’d still totally fu- why am I on this train of thought!?

“Whoo... Anthony, this corset seems a little loose, can you help me tighten it?” Twilight asks. I sneak a peek at the corset which is pushing her human ‘assets’ into a more... appealing position already.

Whyboner... of fucking course. “Sure.” After doing my deed and totally not thinking of just bending her over and augh...

I focus on not looking at either of them. Oh man, this is either the best day ever or the worst, I’ll decide which later...