For the next few weeks, Zinnia fell into a morning routine of wake up, run to the bathroom, and vomit . She tried to get out of the house as much as possible, going on daily trips into Canterlot with Stryker. Whenever the weather prevented this, she spent the day trying to teach her son how to speak English - or Equuish, as Whiplash insisted on calling it - so that he could speak to others without her. He seemed to struggle to form the words at first, but after a while he seemed to pick it up easily enough. By the fifth week, he could hold a conversation completely unassisted - to the extent of a child, anyway. When asked why Stryker was so smart despite being just over a month old, Sonar explained that all Pokemon’s brains become active a mere week after their egg is laid, and that a Bagon takes between three and five years to hatch. He then stated that the Bagon had actually hatched on what would have been his fourth birthday.

Today Zinnia, Whiplash and Stryker were in Canterlot, walking down the main street towards the castle. Zinnia wore simple grey jogging pants with a blue, loose-fitting tee shirt and matching trainers, her wings having been fed through a pair of holes she had cut in the back. Whiplash wore a sunset yellow button-down shirt under a purple vest, a purple skirt, black stockings and white slip-on shoes with little bows on the top. Stryker, having dressed himself, was wearing white jeans, a long-sleeved white shirt under a forest-green tunic, brown boots and a green cap. They had received a summons from the Princesses, delivered by a grey Pegasus post-mare with blonde hair and a wandering eye.

Zinnia looked up as the group passed under the main gate, following the path up to the main doors. Guards saluted as they passed, Stryker copying them so adorable that even the normally stoic centurions had to crack a smile. Whiplash led them through the halls with practiced ease, coming to a stop in front of a pair of doors carved with caricatures of the two princesses, Celestia holding the Sun itself above her head and Luna doing the same with the moon.

“Wait here,” Whiplash said, pushing one of the large doors and slipping through. “I’ll come and get you in a second.”

“Uh, okay?”

Whiplash then disappeared through the door, Zinnia waiting patiently where she was. Stryker had found a small stick somewhere and was now swinging it about like a sword, much to his mother’s delight. After a few moments Whiplash cam back out, a nervous smile on her face.

“Okay,” she said, stepping up beside Zinnia. “We go in on the signal.”

“Signal?” Zinnia shot the mare a suspicious glance. “What signal?”

“Oh, you’ll know it…”

Zinnia was about to retort when a great, booming voice rang out, the doors opening fully inwards, revealing what looked to be a Royal Court in full swing.

“Now announcing Lady Zinnia, her escort Madame Whiplash, and her son Sir Stryker!” a short, fat, bespectacled stallion with brown fur and a receding white mane called. Zinnia glared at Whiplash out of the corner of her eye before striding into the room, head held high. She could hear the nobles on either side of the room muttering about her in disgust, and she didn’t care. Who needed the approval of a bunch of snooty pricks with sticks so far up their own arses that you could practically see them sticking out of their throats?

“Who is that ruffian?”

“What a disgraceful girl, dressing like that!”

“She clearly has no shame.”

“Why do they have one of those disgusting things with them?”

Zinnia stopped mid-stride. Whiplash walked a couple more steps before noticing, turning back to ask what was wrong before she saw the fury in the woman’s eyes. Stryker, unfortunately, had heard every word, and was clearly fighting back tears, which just fed Zinnia’s anger more. Her head turned slowly towards the pony who had angered her, a stark white stallion with a perfectly styled blonde mane who looked even more uptight than the tightest pair of tighty whiteys worn by a virgin nun trapped in the most powerful clamp in existence at maximum tightness. They locked eyes, and Zinnia could practically feel the utter disgust this stallion felt towards anyone lower than his social standing as she stared into his sky-blue eyes.

’Hitler would’ve loved this guy.’ she thought, eyes narrowing even further. Some of the crowd backed off, but not him.

“Can I help you?” he asked, smirking smugly and wiping invisible dirt from the lapel of his pristine white suit.

“Apologise.” Zinnia growled, fists clenched as she tried to contain her Rage. She could tell her power was growing from her anger.

“Why, whatever for? I merely stated what was everypony’s mind - that freaks like you and your pet are not welcome here.”

Zinnia’s pupils turned to slits. The veins in her eyes pulsed, becoming more pronounced. Her vision went red. Everything faded but the stallion before her, who had the nerve to insult her family to her face! Faster than anyone could even begin to comprehend, Zinnia had the stallion pinned against the far wall, his hands clutching at the claw of shadows around his throat as flames licked at the woman’s lips, begging her to scorch him alive. She leaned in close to his face, relishing in the fear in his eyes as he eyed the fire, before letting out a Roar of pure rage.

“Apologise. Now!” she demanded, tightening her grip on his throat ever so slightly.

“N-never!” the stallion choked out before spitting in her face. “I-I am a - grk!” He was cut off as Zinnia tightened her grip a little more, crushing his windpipe and cutting off his air, before letting go and dropping him to the floor. She turned to walk away as the stallion struggled to his knees, glaring at her.

“That’s right, walk away!” he called after her. Many of the other nobles shook their heads, groaning at his stupidity. “Coward!” Before he could say ‘Meep!’, Zinnia had crossed the distance between with a single, powerful beat of her wings, delivering a Brick Break attack to his stomach that sent him flying through the wall that he was pinned against not one minute prior. Zinnia stood there, breathing heavily for a moment, before straightening out and walking calmly back to where Stryker had been sat, sniffling quietly to himself. She bent down and picked him up, the drake latching on to her neck as his tears flowed, sobbing.

The room was silent for the time it took for Stryker to calm down, no one wanting to incur the mother’s wrath. The stallion was carried to the infirmary by another white stallion, this one with a two-tone blue mane and wearing purple armour lined with gold.

“Mares and Gentlecolts,” Celestia called, causing Zinnia to jump. “I regret to inform you that court is cancelled for today. Guards, could you please vacate the throne room? I wish to speak with Zinnia,” she paused, turning to look Zinnia in the eye. “Alone.”

“With all due respect Princess,” Zinnia replied. “Stryker and Whiplash aren’t leaving my side.”

Celestia just nodded, waiting until the guards and nobles had left before speaking. “Firstly, I’d like to apologise for Blueblood. My nephew unfortunately views the world as his to rule.”

“That Hitler wannabe was your nephew!” Zinnia cried. She flinched at Celestia’s slight glare, mumbling an apology.

“I know not of this ‘Hitler’, but yes. Blueblood is my nephew.” She paused, standing from her golden throne that directly contrasted the empty obsidian one next to it and walking down the steps towards the group. “But that is not why I called you here today. Come, walk with me.”

Celestia lead them through a doorway hidden behind the platform that held the thrones, hidden from public view, revealing a dark stone stairwell. They followed the passage down, Celestia lighting torches held in sconces along the way. Zinnia remained silent the whole time, but Whiplash couldn’t help but question the solar diarch on her secrecy. Celestia just smiled sadly in response. Before long they came out into a large, circular chamber. A pedestal sat in the centre of the room, holding a large, leather-bound tome embroidered with a large blue swirl surrounded by silver stars. Celestia’s golden magic enveloped the tome, lifting it gently from its resting place and bringing it into her waiting hands, where she began to delicately flip through the pages.

“Princess, is that…” Whiplash whispered, staring at the book. Zinnia just looked on, confused.

“Yes,” the Princess replied, smiling fondly at the book. “Starswirl the Bearded’s ‘lost’ journal - except it was never lost. He asked my sister and I to hide it.”

“What’s so special about a dusty old diary?” Zinnia asked, receiving a punch to the arm from Whiplash. “What?!”

“If it were any of his other journals, Zinnia, nothing. But this one,” Celestia turned around, showing the woman the journal’s spine, which was marked with a small circular symbol - one half red, the other white. “This one Starswirl’s notes and findings from his research into the magnificent creatures that roam Equestria’s lands.”

“You mean Pokemon? Please, I bet he barely even scratched the surface.”

Zinnia took the slack-jawed expressions of both mares as her opportunity to grab the journal, flipping through the pages, giggling at random intervals.

“How long did this Starswirl guy study Pokemon? This looks like a five year old’s show-and-tell project, the amount he’s got wrong.” Zinnia paused, frowning at one of the pages. “This, though. This worries me a little.”

“What is it?” Celestia asked, peering at the page that had caught Zinnia’s attention. “Oh, yes. Starswirl’s dream log. Is something troubling you?”

“Yeah, a dream involving two of the fifty-four most powerful Pokemon in existence.”

“Oh?”

“Listen to this.”

Journal Entry: XX

Date: XX/XX/XXXX

‘Tis with a heavy heart that I hath awoken this day. In mine slumber, I hath witnessed the clash of two titanic powers, each seaming to cancel the other.

Of the two beings, the darker one most certainly appeared the most malicious force. His black, billowing, cloak-like body just exuded an air of ill intent.

The lighter being, however, doth remind mine eyes of mine fair Princess Celestia. Pastel colours coat it’s crescent-like body, from the baby blue body to the soft yellow head, accentuated by it’s pink crescent-shaped wings.

The battle I witnessed was of a magnitude much higher than those I hath previously observed in the creatures of Equestria’s wilds - much more coordinated, more desperate. The creatures clashed time and time again, body against body, mind against mind.

At the battle’s apex, the darker creature appeared to have either discovered mine observation or decided to acknowledge it, as it turned to me and spoke.

”Know this, Starswirl,” it spoke, voice ringing in mine mind despite it’s lack of any form of visible mouth. ”Your land will fall to my darkness. It may take one year, or it may take one thousand, but your world will fall.

It was at that moment that I awoke, scrambling to note the dream in this journal before the fleeting visions could fully flee. I only hope that it was a mere hallucination, otherwise…

I do not believe I shall tell the Princesses of this.

The room fell quiet when Zinnia finished, each party trying to process the information. Celestia seeming to take it the hardest. Zinnia turned the page, finding a crude sketch of the creatures spoken of in Starswirl’s passage.

“I see why this troubles you, Zinnia.” Celestia eventually spoke up, clearing her throat. “This dark creature sounds… determined, if nothing else. You say you know of it?”

“Yeah, I do.” Zinnia frowned at the sketch of the creature. “His name is Darkrai, often portrayed as one of the most evil minds in the Pokemon world. He has a history of using mind control and nightmares in order to try and plunge the world into an eternal darkness, due to the fact that he prefers to avoid the light.”

“I see. And the other one?”

“Cresselia, Darkrai’s complete opposite. She’s almost always the one that stops Darkrai when he hatches a new scheme, but sometimes she needs a bit of help. Her feathers are often used to ward off nightmares.”

“So if this Darkrai were to attempt to attack Equestria…”

“Cresselia would probably show up to stop him. Or die trying.”

At that moment, a massive explosion rang out from the castle above. Zinnia dropped the journal on its pedestal, following behind Celestia as she rushed back up the stairs. She flexed her wings and loosened her muscles, preparing for a fight. When they emerged into the throne room and rounded the corner, however, they were shocked at the sight.

Princess Luna was writhing on the ground, a black mist surrounding her, flowing into her eyes and nose. Following the mist’s path, the group found themselves staring at the exact creature they had just been discussing, floating just a few meters off the floor with a mutated Blueblood at his side. The stallion in question had been turned from his normal pristine white to a midnight blue, his blonde mane having turned completely black. The horn on his forehead had been tinted red, curving upwards, and his eyes had taken on a cyan glow.

“Luna!” Celestia screeched before a flash of golden light enveloped her. When the light faded, the solar princess stood in a set of heavy golden armour, a large, white, diamond-shaped shield with her Cutie Mark emblazoned on the front held aloft in her left hand as she raised a massive, golden, double-headed battleaxe normally reserved for two-handed combat in her right.

“Let her go, fiend!” the princess ordered, catching Darkrai’s attention. The Pitch-Black Pokemon chuckled at the display.

“Please,” he spoke, his voice deep and rumbling. “There is nothing you could do to harm me, Celestia.” He turned to the monster that was once Blueblood. “Deal with them, Bloodborne. I must finish with Luna.”

“Of course, Sire.” ‘Bloodborne’ replied, bowing before charging at the group. Celestia raised her shield as Bloodborne’s horn seemed to suck in the light around it, preparing to repel the dark magic. She was shocked, however, when Zinnia charged forwards, breathing purple flames at the stallion as she went. Bloodborne rolled to the right before firing his spell at the woman, who folded her wings around her completely, a green barrier erecting.

“Whiplash, take Stryker and run!” she shouted before dashing forwards, catching Bloodborne on the chin with a Dragon Claw. The stallion reeled back, black blood spilling from the wound before it closed itself. Zinnia frowned, charging in again. Bloodborne took the chance to fire a blast of dark magic at her, which Zinnia countered with a Flamethrower, the attacks struggling to overpower each other.

While this was going on, Celestia moved towards Darkrai, raising her shield to block his Dark Pulse. She grunted from the effort, sliding back slightly before pushing forward, the dark energy of the attack splitting and spraying around her. Darkrai frowned, dropping the attack in favour of opening a Dark Void in the ceiling, four mutated guards - a Unicorn, a Pegasus, and two Earth Ponies -  dropping into the room and forming a line between Celestia and their master. With his distraction sufficiently placed, Darkrai turned his attention back to the mare struggling against his corrupting cloud. Celestia grit her teeth, dismissing her shield in favour of better wielding her battle-axe as she swung, smashing the Unicorn guard away with the flat of the blade. The guard in question flew through the air, sailing through the hole made during my previous encounter with Blueblood. The Pegasus - whose wings had morphed into a leathery, bat-like variant - dive-bombed at the princess from behind, driving his fists into the small of her back, denting the armour and causing the mare to cry out in pain. The Earth Ponies took their chance, the stallion ripping the axe from Celestia’s hands as the mare punched her hard in the face. Celestia dropped to the ground, the guard’s strength having been enhanced by the Nightmare in their systems, and spat a small amount of blood, glaring at the living shadow as it’s cloud was absorbed into her sister.

{Inside Luna’s mind}

Luna stood in a field shrouded in black mist, a large silver-bladed scythe in her grip. Her eyes roamed the mist warily, knowing that her next assailant could emerge at any moment. Sure enough, a pack of purple and yellow leopards leapt out at her from all sides, their claws shrouded in darkness and their tails glowing the colour of steel as they attacked. The lunar princess managed to fend off the first two, but the beasts had the advantage of numbers, and soon she had been separated from her weapon and pinned beneath one of them, staring into its cyan eyes. Its form melted into a more humanoid shape, slowly becoming the one creature that she truly loathed.

“Release me, Darkrai!” she cried, struggling against the shadow’s hold. “I shan't fall under your power again!”

“Oh, but my dear little Luna…” Darkrai replied with a sinister chuckled, his wisping head curling around to stroke Luna’s cheek, much to her disgust. “Thanks to my lovely little Liepard, you’re already mine!”

With that, Darkrai and the Liepard exploded into more of the black mist, surrounding and entering Luna in each and every way they could. All the lunar princess could do was scream in protest as tears streamed down her face, the shadows slowly staining her coat a midnight-black as her mane took on a more gaseous, star-filled quality.

Celestia watched in horror as her sister screamed in agony, slowly becoming the monster she was once before. Her own tears fell in tandem with Luna’s before she bellowed her rage, slipping into the Royal Canterlot Voice for the first time in centuries.

“LUNAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Celestia’s voice carried for hundreds and thousands of miles, reaching all the way from Canterlot to Cloudsdale to the Crystal Empire. All over Equestria, Ponies stopped, simultaneously turning towards their capital as a looming dread filled their hearts. The sky itself seemed to grieve for their loss, shimmering in a rainbow of colours for but a moment in tandem with the princess’s wail.

In the town of Ponyville, six mares grabbed their six powerful weapons before racing for the train station, demanding the conductor to take them straight to Canterlot.

In the Crystal Empire’s Palace, a bubblegum pink Alicorn stopped mid-speech as tears streamed down her face. Her husband swiftly banished everyone from the throne room before pulling his wife into his strong arms, holding her tightly.

In a dirty, run-down bar in lower Manehatten, twin mustard-yellow Unicorns and their mint-green Pegasus companion suddenly felt the need to help in any way they could. Across the street, a sky-blue unicorn felt the same need and promptly quit her job, leaving the strip club in naught but a set of purple lingerie hidden beneath her cloak. She ran into the three from the bar, and together they set out for Canterlot.

Zinnia stared in awe as Luna rose, changed. Her regularly dark blue coat had faded into a midnight-black, her mane becoming a mass on star-filled gasses. She had grown, now standing a good head taller than Celesta with her horn extending another five inches, ending in a sharp, deadly-looking point. Zinnia watched as Luna knelt before Darkrai, staring at the ground.

“I believe it is time to retreat.” Darkrai said, opening a series Dark Voids beneath the infected ponies, all of them ceasing movement as they sank into the shadow, Celestia watching in horror as her sister disappeared. “Until next time!” the shadow added, slipping into his own portal with a cackle.

Zinnia stood there, afraid to say anything as Celestia stood. She watched as the princess wiped her eyes, following behind her when she began walking out of the castle. Left and right, they saw guards either injured, unconscious or - much to Celestia’s horror - dead. Zinnia breathed a sigh of relief when they walked out the main door and saw Whiplash and Stryker safe, if a little shaken.

Celestia lead them all out of the city, more and more ponies following behind when they saw their normally-happy princess looking cold and distant. They eventually stopped on a small hill just off the road leading from Canterlot’s main gates, where Celestia finally broke down, dropping to her knees and bawling her eyes out. Zinnia frowned, her anger bubbling before she turned to the crowd.

“Hear me, Ponies of Equestria!” she bellowed, catching the attention of every spectator. “I hereby vow to bring back Princess Luna and put an end to the dark force that has taken her! I swear this on my honour as the Delta Guardian of Equestria!” Next Chapter: Interlude 2: Grabbing Trees Estimated time remaining: 13 Hours, 14 Minutes