ohmyarceus | NOVEMBER - DECEMBER TEST DRIVE MEME

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[It's late at night and your eyes may be drawn to a young blonde woman in a cowboy hat staggering down the street. Stumbling like a newborn deer, she carefully takes one step at a time, knees trembling and buckling as she continues this never-ending struggle against gravity. A tiny, berry-shaped creature bounces in circles around her, letting out a number of concerned squeaks.

At first glance, you might think this woman to be heavily intoxicated. No one walks like that unless it's their first day on two legs. But when she stops to address the pokemon, her words are surprisingly coherent, draped in a heavy southern accent.]

I dunno what you're complaining about. [She pauses to brace herself against the brick wall behind her.] I can't just bounce around town like you can.

[Maybe her feet weren't planted right, or maybe her pushoff was a little overzealous, but when the woman goes to move away from the wall she ends up flat on her face. She'll lay there, groaning for a second before sitting back up, hands balled into fists with frustration written on her face. Maybe you approach her willingly after she falls, or maybe she turns in your direction to ask for help.]

Hey, give a gal a hand, won't you Sugarcube?

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I've about had it up to here with pokemon sneaking into my orchard and eating my crops. It's bad enough that harvest yields are low this time of year, but how in the hay am I going to turn a profit when every time I turn around another bushel's got half a dozen Applin making themselves at home?

Reckon I might just go get some fairy types do patrols, or something.

Edited 2019-12-29 23:09 (UTC)

Of course, AJ.

[Oh, thank goodness. It's a familiar voice. And face. And... well, everything, at this point. Twilight laughs lightly as she kneels down to offer her friend her hands. Memories of Pokeworld (or whatever it's called) may be a little fuzzy at the moment, but she knows where they are.

It's Canterlot High that's to credit for her ability to brace herself properly as she helps Applejack to her feet.]

Wow... does it feel strange to be like this again.

[She can't begin to describe how relived she feels when it's Twilight that responds. Being in this weird world, in these weirder bodies is bad enough. At least she doesn't have to endure it alone.

It's almost difficult to recognize her at first, but as the old memories begin to fall into place, she can at least focus on that familiar voice. For now, she'll just focus on not pulling her friend down with her as she slowly works her way back to her feet.]

Yeah, real nostalgic, ain't it. [You can really sense the enthusiasm in her voice.]

Well, I'm not gonna say I never missed this place, but I was hoping that if I ever saw it again, I'd do it in my real body.

I don't think that was ever an option, I'm afraid. Much like when I go to Canterlot High, being human is part of the package here.

[She shrugs apologetically, but honesty is the best policy, as Applejack herself would surely say.]

I'm a little more concerned as to where... everyone is.

[Everyone meaning their Pokemon, in this case. The only one she seems to have now is the curious little Deino poking her head out around her left leg to peer at AJ.]

[Oh! New friend! AJ's bounsweet bounds between her trainer's legs, rolling into the side of Twilight's shoe to stop her momentum. She pauses, shaking her head to gain her focus, before happily bouncing up and down in front of the little dragon. Hi! Hiii!!]

Reckon this place ain't gonna let you come and go so easily.

[But Twilight's words take her out of that thought, her hand instinctively going down to her belt, where her pokeballs once were. Gone, save for the one ball that presumably belonged to the excitable little fruit beneath her.]

Dang it, where could they have gone off to? I know it wasn't exactly yesterday we were here but they gotta be somewhere right?

[The Deino leans in to sniff, pulling back a bit as an errant bounce accidentally smacks her in the nose. She shakes her head, and leans back in again, undeterred.]

I wish we could just find a mirror that let us hop back and forth between this world and our own.

[Or some other sort of portal, whatever. It didn't matter how they got here, really.]

Whenever someone goes home from this world, their Pokemon divide up between people they know, right? Do you think we've still got friends here they might have gone to?

[Smacking the Deino's nose sends the Bounsweet tumbling backwards, but that she seems particularly upset about it. In fact, she lets out some playful squeaks that almost sound like giggling as she rolls.]

I ain't sure. It's been a long while, who knows who'd still be around. For all we know, they've all been released back into the wild at this point.

...Sweet apples that means Dozer's on the loose somewhere, don't it?

[The Deino bounds after her, clearly delighted by this new game. And it's a good thing too, because Twilight's paying no attention to the two of them right now.]

How long has it been, exactly? I don't feel like we spent all that much time at home on Equestria. Do we know how long it's been here?

Don't think about that. Try not to, at least.

[New game! The bounsweet continues rolling, bouncing around and between the two trainers to keep her momentum up. Faster, faster!

Meanwhile, AJ reaches for her pocket and thankfully her pokegear is still right where she left it, although it still takes her a moment for her body to remember some of the finer motor skills of hands with fingers. Thankfully the date and time are right here on the home screen and... what she sees nearly makes her drop the gadget to the floor.]

How in the...? Twi, this can't be right. Unless this thing's playing tricks on me, it's been five years since I've been here.

Five-

[Twilight grabs her own Pokegear to double-check. Surely not. Surely AJ's has just... jumped ahead a few years or something, they can't have been gone that...

As their Pokemon play among their feet, Twilight's eyes widen as she stares at the screen of her own gear. No doubt about it.]

Mine... says the same thing.

This doesn't make any sense. Twilight, I hardly remember being home, and all of a sudden it's been five years?

[Deep breaths, AJ, everything's fine. As the next thoughts start to hit her, her hands immediately move to her face.]

I don't look any older, do I? Tell me we didn't just get knocked out for all this time.

It's just like I always thought, the timelines between the worlds don't match up. How long we spend in Equestria isn't at all related to time that passes here...

[She's jerked out of her theoretical mumblings by AJ's question, and just shakes her head.]

You look exactly the same, Applejack. Don't I? This is... way bigger than us.

[AJ wants to say "no" instinctively, but stops herself to get a good, close look at her dear friend. Sure at a glance she looks exactly the same, but the differences in looks over five years can be more subtle than that, can't they? Ugh, where's Rarity when you need her? She could spot a new wrinkle from a mile away.

But after another few seconds of intent staring and probably being way too close to Twilight's face in general, she's satisfied with her findings.]

...Nope, you look exactly like when I last saw you like this.

[Twilight holds perfectly still to let Applejack look her over. She does the same herself, only without moving her head, just her eyes. Not that she expects to see anything.

Once they're both satisfied that they themselves haven't aged a day, Twilight shrugs.]

Time is... weird, between worlds, AJ. I don't pretend to understand it.

When even you don't understand something, that's my signal to start worrying.

[She exhales, reaching up to rub her eyes in frustration.]

Still, if this place has taught me anything, it's that getting yourself worked up is only going to make things harder.

So... what's our plan from here?

I don't know everything, c'mon.

[She chuckles, though, amused by her friend's faith in her intellectual prowess.]

First things first, we've got to see if there's anyone here who remembers us. Beyond that, we're actually kind of lucky, aren't we? I mean, Johto has a path lined out for new trainers.

And we may not technically be "new", but we're kinda playing the role again, aren't we?

You know more than just about anypony does, and whatever you don't know, I know that you'll have your head wrapped around quick.

[She gives Twilight's shoulder a playful tap.]

But... you're not wrong. I reckon I'd be laughed out of any gym in the league if I walked in with nothing but whatever this thing is.

[She gestures at her bounsweet, which is now bouncing on top of the deino's head and using its neck and tail like a slide.]

[She flushes a bit, but her smile is wide as ever. AJ's confidence in her never ceases to raise up her spirits.]

So, we need to train, catch new Pokemon, and travel the routes. Like any new trainer does. Nothing special. Nothing we haven't done before.

[She glances down at their Pokemon and laughs.]

At least I've got a dragon again. I never did get a Hydreigon last time we were here.

Start from scratch, huh? Not exactly what I had in mind, but I reckon we don't have much of a choice.

[Still, she can't help but have a smile on her face. Having a clean slate, just her and Twilight sounded like it had the potential of a real adventure.]

Might be nice trying out a few new species we didn't have the last time around, but it would be mighty strange seeing you without a dragon.

We'll just have to make the most of what we have.

[She kneels down and reaches out to her Deino, who promptly trundles over and butts her head into her trainer's hand. Twilight laughs, delighted.]

Yeah, this suits me just fine, I think. And yours... I didn't think there was a Pokemon that could suit you more than Torterra, but I think Johto may have just proven me wrong.

[Aw, new friend is going to her trainer now. Bounsweet lets out a little chirp before bounding over to Applejack, who catches her in both hands.]

It ain't exactly an apple but the appearance is uncanny-- [She's cut off as the bounsweet starts to squirm, not exactly enjoying sitting still.] Even if her personality is more Pinkie Pie than Applejack right now. [She smirks.]

Pinkie's one comparison to make, but...

[Twilight glances between Applejack and the Bounsweet for a few moments, then a wide grin appears on her face.]

She's as bouncy and squirmy as any young thing. Like, oh... a little sister, perhaps?

[See, that's not a comparison she would have made. Not consciously, at least. AJ makes an effort not to think too much about her family while she's here, mostly to cope with how much she misses them. Still, when she takes a closer look at her... the energy, the enthusiasm, what she can tell right away is a penchant for getting into trouble... it all felt so familiar.

She chuckles.] If that ain't the funniest thing I've seen today. It's almost like I got a little piece of Applebloom here with me.

[Twilight, meanwhile, clung to anything that reminded her of home while she was here the last time. It's why she named her Dragonite the way she had. It's why she held onto the Sigilyph Celestia had left her.

And it's why she smiles so fondly as Applejack seems to find herself agreeing with her.]

A little piece, huh? So what are you gonna call her? Bloom?

Nah, nothing so on-the-nose. I never was a big fan of naming pokemon after friends and family.

[She gives the little fruit monster a gentle scratch behind the petals like it's the most normal thing in the world.]

Reckon I still need some time to think about it. Something will come to me soon enough.

Applejack | My Little Pony

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