010 Bushels ❦ [Video/Action for New Bark Town]

[buckyouup]

[Good evening, residents of Johto. I hope you're a fan of loud sounds! The 'Gear feed opens to the sound of a loud crack of a backpack hitting a tree, before splashing down into a pile of snow.]

You ate all my food, you good-for-nothing thief! [A young woman's voice yells out in a heavy southern drawl. The target of her frustration wanders into view: a Munchlax, who takes the opportunity to rummage through her backpack for any morsel he might have left behind in his last raid. His eyes grow wide at the sight of the pokegear. It's so shiny and red, like a big yummy apple.

...And then anyone watching gets to find out what the inside of a Munchlax's mouth looks like.]

Gimme that! That ain't for eatin'!

[A woman's hand rips the 'Gear from the pokemon's mouth, the force causing her to topple backwards into the snow. She appears to be in her early twenties, her face dotted with freckles and framed with golden-blonde hair tied into a ponytail near the bottom. Wearing nothing but a pair of blue jeans and an orange button-down, she doesn't exactly look properly dressed for the weather. She shifts awkwardly in the snow, fumbling with the 'Gear.]

Darn these wiggly things, an' this weird body. [She snorts in frustration, before giving up and using her mouth to turn off the feed.]

Comments

[friendyousohard]

Well, we'll worry about that in summer. At the very least, they do have the decency to make summer clothes if they're going to be so absurd about it.

[Well, now that AJ's dressed for the weather...] So, do you think you're ready to fly?

[buckyouup]

[She finishes wriggling awkwardly into the new clothes. This new body is a bit difficult to move correctly. The clothes are a bit tight on her, but right now, she's just happy that she's warm.]

I reckon so.

[friendyousohard]

Alright. Here, I know you're still probably having some difficulty with your new legs, so I'll help you climb onto his back.

[She offers AJ her hand.]

[buckyouup]

[She nods, reaching up and taking Twilight's hand, gripping it hard.]

[friendyousohard]

[With a grunt of effort (she's still not the strongest girl around), Twilight pulls Applejack up onto Spike's back. The Dragonite decides to give a little assistance of its own, bending down a bit to make climbing on easier. Only once AJ looks fairly steady does Twilight let go.]

Okay, think you can hold on like that? [She slips onto her usual spot on Spike's back as she asks, not-so-coincidentally giving AJ something to actually hold on to.]

[buckyouup]

[Applejack clings to the dragon for dear life. These wiggly new "finger" things are really awkward, but oh by do they grab on tight.]

D-don't you worry, Twilight. I'll be just fine.

[friendyousohard]

Alright. Then here we go! Spike, Fly!

[Spike affirms his master's command with a bellow, and spreads his wings wide to take off into the sky.]

Getting off the ground is the worst part! Hang on tight!

[He begins to flap, raising off the ground slowly but surely, the wind made by his flapping wings buffeting the ponies.]

[buckyouup]

[Ohgodohgodohgod. Applejack clings as tight as she can, wincing her eyes shut.]

[friendyousohard]

[That's probably a fair reaction, really. They rise slowly, up to the treetops, moving forward a bit as they go...

Until Spike finally finds an air current. Finally, he's able to catch the wind and flare his wings out to soar. He still flaps to get some height, but now he can mostly focus on speed.

And holy crap is he fast when he gets going. They're now rushing over those trees at a clip that's as good as your average pegasus. The wind rushes past them, rustling their coats.]

I am so glad we're bundled up!

[buckyouup]

Y-you can say that again!

[Applejack, on the other hand, has decided that she is not opening her eyes for the next hour or so. Something about the wind, the cold temperature and oh Celestia the ground is so far away.]

[friendyousohard]

Did the others get in touch with you while I was flying down?

[She has to pitch her voice a little louder than she usually does to be heard over the flapping of Spike's wings, but she doesn't really mind as long as she doesn't actually have to yell.]

[buckyouup]

Y-yeah. Rainbow Dash was tellin' me a bit about that "Team Rocket", an' Fluttershy...

[She sighs.]

She looked real bad.

[friendyousohard]

[Twilight's face isn't visible, but her body goes rigid when Applejack mentions that.]

Those two facts are related. Fluttershy was poisoned by a member of Team Rocket.

[buckyouup]

...You're kiddin'. [Her eyes narrow. She's met some evil ponies in her life, but who in their right mind would poison an innocent mare like Fluttershy?]

[friendyousohard]

[Discord, Chrysalis, and Sombra come to mind...]

They weren't necessarily aiming for her. They decided it would be hilarious to bake a bunch of poisoned cookies and distribute them among the people here. Fluttershy was one of the ones who had the bad luck to receive some.

Not that that makes it any better, mind you. [Arguably worse, since it shows they didn't care who they hurt, they just wanted to hurt someone.]

[buckyouup]

Somepony's gotta do somethin' about them. I ain't gonna let anything else happen to any of you gals.

[Especially Fluttershy. If there was ever a picture definition of "innocent bystander", it's her.]

[friendyousohard]

Yeah... I can look after myself, but Dash just got here and Fluttershy is... well, herself. When you get stronger Pokemon and are more used to this world...

[She stops there, trailing off in a manner that is completely and totally unsuspicious.]

[buckyouup]

...We'll send those Rocket's packin' with their tails between their legs.

[At first, she wasn't exactly thrilled about the whole "catching monsters" idea, especially if the guide said it wasn't going to get her home. But now? If she's going to be stuck here, she's going to make sure these criminals go nowhere near her or any of her friends ever again.]

[friendyousohard]

[She can't help but smile at that.]

That's the AJ I know and love. And we won't be alone either.

[buckyouup]

We won't?

[friendyousohard]

No. Now listen, what I'm about to tell you does not go beyond you, me, Fluttershy, Rainbow, and if they show up, Rarity and Pinkie Pie. It's a very well-kept secret and it needs to stay that way. Understand?

[buckyouup]

...My lips are sealed, Twi.

[friendyousohard]

There's a group dedicated to stopping Team Rocket, called the Pokemon Guardian Corps. I'm a member. Fluttershy's not, for obvious reasons. Rainbow might be in the future. You, I'm almost certain will be. But for now, all I can tell you is that the Corps exists and I'm part of it.

[buckyouup]

Guardian... Corps, huh?

[Well, that sounds a whole lot better than her running around alone trying to fight them all off. Who knows how many Rockets there even are?]

[friendyousohard]

That's right. You didn't think the people who were brought in here were just going to let Team Rocket do as they liked, did you?

[Granted, given that Applejack probably hasn't met too many of them, she doesn't have any reason to expect otherwise.]