//------------------------------//
// Chapter 13: Lunch With Friends 
// Story: Fire and Steel 
// by shirotora 
//------------------------------//

I rummaged through our ice box, grabbing a couple things as I asked, “Who eats meat and what kind?” I looked back at the ponies. “Am I right to assume you ponies are all vegetarian?”

Twilight nodded as Yomega came up to me. <<When you get a chance,>> he murmured as he looked over my shoulder, <<let’s try to get a bit of privacy. There’s things we need to talk about. How’s your arm?>>

<<It’s sore, but healing fast.>> I said. <<Ember learned a nice healing spell, so I’ll be back at one hundred percent by morning.>> I chuckled and added, <<It’s kinda weird actually talking to someone out loud after so long.>>

“Alright, we don’t have a ton of veggies, but I can at least get you guys a light lunch.” 

Rarity gave me a warm smile and offered, “Dear, why don’t I handle the food. I’m sure you have a lot to catch up on with your friends?”

“That’s true,” Twilight said. “I mean, Lulu must be unrecognizable to you.”

You have no idea, I thought to myself.

“Thank you,” I said before turning back to Yomega. <<Shall we?>>

I led my old neighbors back outside to the cliff face overlooking the forest.

<<So, first things first,>> I began, looking at Yomega, <<how the heck did you know it was me? I don’t exactly look the same.>>

He shrugged. <<Some intuition, some logic.>> He admitted. <<You seemed to recognize our names, and us by extension, not to mention the fact you got too emotional for someone who’s never met us before. We’ve never met a Lucario before, so you’d have to be either a time traveling summon, which is unlikely, or you used to be human, too.>>

Leo stared at the grey Eevee. <<You got all of that just from his reaction?>>

<<No.>> Yomega sighed. <<I’m just very good at rationalizing my gut feelings…>>

<<How have you been finding Equis so far, Luke?>> Lulu asked.

<<Is that what this world's called?>> I shook my head. That wasn't really important, anyway. <<Well, if you asked me that last winter, I would have said it sucked, but that was only because I was completely alone until I ran into Ember about... a couple months ago, I think?>>

I told them a slightly abridged version of my time here, and meeting Ember.

<<I'll tell you all about our stint as Laura Croft and Indiana Jones another time. Suffice it to say, Ember came out of it with magic powers.

So, I guess, that's just a long way to say, I love it here. I have awesome powers, my friends are here, and I got a badass girlfriend. What's not to love?>>

<<Missing legs.>> Leo groused. Noting my arched eyebrow, he- she elaborated. <<Zann’s here, too, and lost a leg to a timberwolf our first day. Other bullshit that’s happened so far are my genderswap, some evolutions, and several broken bones and eggs later, here we are.>>

<<Eggs?>> I looked at Leo in surprise. <<Leo... are you a mommy?>> I couldn't keep the shit-eating grin off my face.

Leo's blush was all I needed. <<Oh, god, you are! Who's the daddy? Yomega, is it you?>>

<<One of them…>>

Lulu cackled. <<Conner and the Duo are the others!>>

<<Speak for yourself!>> Leo snapped. <<You’ve mated with Conner and Zann!>>

I was rolling with laughter at this point. <<oh god! I mean, I knew you weren't exactly straight, Leo, but not even a year as a chick and you got three boyfriends?!>>

<<Moon.>> Yomega stated as if by rote.

<<Spring was an awkward time of year.>> Leo shook herself. <<But, hey! Enough of that. There’s other things that you need to know!>>

I reigned in my laughter and sat back up. <<Yeah, I figured. Go on, then.>>

<<Oh, boy. Where to start?>> Leo asked.

<<Summons.>> Yomega stated. <<Basically, Pokemon are summonable creatures that most races use. There’s rules for summoning, but we can go over those later. You can tell if you’re facing a summon because they will be Poke-speaking in their non-English names, and you won’t be able to understand what they’re saying.>>

<<You may want to check in with Ember to see if dragons summon at all.>> Lulu interjected.

Leo nodded. <<We’ll check in with the Crusaders to see if Lucario is a summon. If they are, you may be in for some trouble…>>

I blinked, confused by something. <<They? Wait, Lucario isn't a legendary? But... he had a movie?>>

The three stared at me as if I had grown another head. Eventually, Leo smacked a paw over her muzzle. <<Fuck, right.>> She sighed. <<You weren’t a Pokemon buff like us. No, Lucario isn’t a legendary, you evolve from a fighting type called Riolu. Your best stats are attack, special attack and speed.>>

<<You can even Mega evolve if you and Ember have a special stone that I don’t think naturally exists in this world.>> Lulu added. <<Figured you might want to know if you ever find an odd looking pair of stones.>>

<<If you do, you’ll gain a substantial stat boost, but it won’t change your types.>> Yomega finished.

<<Speaking of,>> Leo smirked, <<How’s life with a fire type?>>

I raised an eyebrow. <<Ember's not a pokemon. But, if you mean a fire breather, it's pretty nice.>>

<<Don’t matter if she’s a Pokemon or not.>> Leo stressed. <<Twilight could barely levitate Abes after he evolved into an Umbreon. He’s dark type, which psychic type isn’t effective against. And unicorn magic appears to match up with psychic typing.>>

<<Ah, I guess that makes sense. Still, it's great. Living in a volcano kinda sucks, but Ember has a spell to help me feel more comfortable in the heat.>>

Leo whistled. <<Playing pretty risky there, Luke.>>

<<How's that? I stay away from the lava.>>

<<You’re a fighting and steel type.>> Yomega answered. <<Fire is super effective against you. You’re lucky you’ve not had more burns.>>

"First off, steel? I thought I was fighting psychic! I even have Mewtwo's move from the movie. I mean, sure, I use it with this aura stuff Star mentioned, but... It's something totally different isn't it?>> I finished, resigning myself to the fact that I knew squat about Pokemon. 

<<Whatever! It's not important. What is, is that if fire is super effective, why doesn't it hurt more? I mean, Garble blasted my shoulder, and it hurt, but it was pretty minor.>>

<<Don’t know.>> Leo shrugged. <<We only know the mechanics and theory.>>

<<If I had to guess…>> Yomega paused to gather his thoughts. <<It might be because he wasn’t using a proper move? That’s assuming that it was a fire type move and not a dragon type move, or that it was a move in the first place.>> He waved a paw. <<Irrelevant right now. If it wasn’t a proper move, then it might not properly fully follow the Pokemon mechanics. This is, sorta, backed up by the levitating example Leo gave earlier: if Twilight’s magic was truly psychic type, as per the games, then she wouldn’t have been able to lift Abes at all.>> He got up to pace. <<But dragon type is weak to steel, as in, they deal half damage. Which might explain the lesser wounding?>>

Leo sighed as Yomega began to mumble. <<And there he goes. He’ll be at this for a while.>>

I suddenly had an idea. <<Couldn't moves have two types? I mean, this isn't the game, so maybe his breath is fire and dragon type. And since Twilight used magic, maybe it was more like psychic and... what's that new one? Pixie... fairy... something?>>

<<You had it right with fairy.>> Lulu tapped her chin. <<With the dual typing attacks, well, going from game mechanics, they would cancel each other out? I mean, one deals half damage, and the other doubles it, so it’s like multiplying by two then dividing by two?>> She squinted at Yomega, before splashing him out of his muttering.

<<Hmm, what?!>> He blinked at us. <<Uh, yeah, something like that.>>

I gave him a deadpanned stare. <<You didn't hear a thing we said, did you?>>





Back inside the cave, Rarity hummed a little tune as she prepared a nice, light lunch. Meanwhile, Spike and Smoulder talked together in the corner and Rainbow caught a quick nap on the enormous bed.

“So...” Twilight began, trying to put her thoughts into words. “I’m curious. What was that magic you used? I’ve never seen anything like it?”

Ember looked at the pony with a suspicious gaze. “You mean my sorcery? Yeah, long story, but this old ghost dragon empress gave it to me. Why?”

“Oh, nothing, really,” Twilight replied. “I’m a student of magic and I just enjoy learning about it. I’m kind of curious how it works. Is is runic based? Or maybe it uses circles or matrices?”

Ember cocked an eyebrow. “I have no idea what any of that is. I just kinda look at reality and say, ‘Hey! Do what I want, or else!’ and it does it.”

Twilight’s face scrunched up in confusion. “So... you... intimidate reality into changing for you? I... don’t think that’s possible.”

“Neither is Pinkie,” Rainbow Dash commented, nonchalauntly from the bed.

“Fair enough,” Twilight conceded. “And, you say a ghost gave you this power?”

“That’s right,” Ember said. “Star said it was the last dragon Empress, Empress Aurora.”

“I wasn’t aware dragons ever had an empress,” Twilight admitted.

Ember waved her off, “You’d have to ask Star. I don’t know much about it.”

“I might do that,” Twilight said. “You know, I have to admit, I’m learning quite a bit about dragons here. You’re culture is a lot more nuanced than I thought it would be.”

Ember snorted in amusement. “Nuanced? Pony, are you sure you’ve been paying attention? We dragons are far from nuanced. We’re straightforward and blunt.”

“You aren’t.”

Ember grunted, folded her arms and scowled. “Yeah, well, I’m different than other dragons.”

“Still, I wouldn’t mind getting to know a bit more about you, your people, and your magic,” Twilight continued. “Perhaps I can convince you to visit Canterlot sometime?”

“What the heck is a Canterlot?” Ember asked.

“It’s the capital city of Equestria, and the home of the Royal Sisters,” Twilight explained. “I would have to speak to the princess and arrange something, but I’m sure she would love to host you.”

“I’ll think about it,” Ember said, though she didn’t think she would want to actually go.

Twilight continued with, “Plus, the princess is the most gifted magic user on Equus, so she might be able to help you learn a little more about your magic. She might even know something about Luke’s magic.”

That did get Ember’s attention. Maybe it would be worth seeing this pony city. “Luke doesn’t use magic. He uses Aura. It’s kinda like spirit energy, or something. I don’t understand it very much.”

“Well, I’m just glad to learn that not all dragons are like that brute and his friends,” Rarity added.

“Hey!” Smoulder growled, glaring at Rarity. “My brother isn’t a brute! He’s just being stupid because he wants to impress those losers he calls friends. He’s a very nice, sensitive dragon!”

“I apologize... Smoulder, wasn’t it?” Rarity gave the younger dragon a sad smile. “But even if that is the case, the side he showed us today was far from that.”

Smoulder harumphed. “Yeah, well, mom’s going to tan his scales when I tell her. Don’t you worry about that.”

“Hey, if he was just acting like that to impress his jerk friends, maybe he just needs new friends,” Spike offered.

Smoulder rolled her eyes. “Don’t you think I tried telling him that? I love my big bro, but his head’s thicker than than cold lava.”

“Cold lava is just rock,” Twilight stated.

Everyone else just gave her a flat look.





After explaining everything we had just said to Yomega, he went back to thinking, while me, Leo, and Lulu let him to it.

We talked a bit more, telling each other about everything that happened to us while we were here. Obviously, they had a lot more to talk about, seeing as most of my time in this world was spent just surviving.

According to them, we were still in the season two timeframe, a ways past where I left off in the show. That meant I knew absolutely nothing about coming events. Of course, Leo and the rest weren’t much better off, considering how much our being here had changed things.

I also found out why Ember looked familiar. She’s in the show, apparently, though she didn’t meet the ponies until much later. I must have seen fanart of her, somewhere.

Eventually, we came back to their living arrangements and the fact that the ponies didn’t know who or what we were and where we came from.

<<You guys know, you’re going to have to tell them the truth eventually,>> I said. <<I really don’t understand why you haven’t already. You’ve already shown you’re not a threat, so I doubt they’ll treat you any different. If it’s a question of communication, I could always explain it for you.>>

<<It’s not about a lack of communication.>> Leo shrugged. <<Three ponies can understand us well enough. It’s Twilight and Moon Dancer that are the problem.>>

Lulu nodded. <<Darling, you don’t live in Ponyville. They’ve already filled a room with everything they think know about us. The information they could gain from Earth would need its own castle!>>

<<Nevermind what having them have knowledge of the future would do to the timeline.>> Leo cut back in. <<We want things to conform as close to what we can expect as much as possible. And that’s if they can get past the existential dread. And if you doubt Twilight’s manic need to know, you can ask Ember what Twilight got up to while we were out.>>

<<Seriously? The timeline? That's what you guys are worried about?>> I sighed, rubbing the bridge of my nose. <<You guys watch too much TV. Alright, look, I may not have gotten far in the show, but I think it's safe to assume that Pokemon were never a part of it, yes? Don’t you think that would be a pretty big deal? 

I hate to break it to you, but this isn't the show. The timeline you're trying to protect doesn't exist here. There may be similarities, but it's not the same. The only thing you can really do is warn of possible threats. Even then, though, those threats may not take the same form. One of the big bads may have a host of summoned Pokemon, or maybe a Pokemon will be one of the major villains. 

Besides, if you're really worried about the timeline, just don't tell her about the show. Tell her how we're from another world and we used to be human. Trust me, it’s better than lying to them. The longer you lie, the more hurt and betrayed they’re going to feel when you tell them. Right now, you at least have the excuse that you didn’t think you could properly communicate what you are, but you won’t have that for long, especially with me here.>>

<<I tried, once.>> Yomega admitted. Leo and Lulu turned to him in shock. <<I can write Equish, and I wanted to write a book about earth, and us, and the show. Everything would’ve been laid bare! But I just couldn’t get the words out onto the paper.

So I wrote a different book, just about Earth. I was able to get the prehistory mostly written, but the damn thing disappeared shortly after the zapp apple harvest. Every other attempt has either vanished, or I would get pulled away before I could write anything.>> He shrugged. <<So I gave up trying. I mean, we can try again later, but right now just doesn’t seem to be the time…>>

<<Another gut feeling, dear?>> Lulu asked. Yomega sighed and nodded.

Leo spoke up. <<When we first arrived, we didn’t know about the summoning. We kept quiet because we didn’t want to be barraged with questions and experiments before we had a chance to settle. Get used to our new home, y’know? I’m not sure about the others, but I like it here. If the Princesses can send us back to earth, I wouldn’t be going home. I love living here, helping with the weather, training with my pony, helping out around Ponyville...>>

Lulu nodded. <<Dress making with my Rarity, trying to keep Sweetie out of trouble...>>

<<Going on adventures with Spike!>> Yomega added. <<Helping him organize the library and making sure Twilight gets enough sleep!>>

Leo smiled. <<We’ve built up a life here. If they find out, we will give them our reasonings, and go from there. But I highly doubt that it will ever come up.>>

I sighed. <<I still think it's better to tell them, but I can't make you. If you don't want them to know, I won't tell them, but I will say that I doubt the princesses would be so cruel as to force you away from your new lives. Especially since they would have to separate you from your... eggs? Or did they hatch?>> I shook my head. <<Whichever. I doubt Pokemon can exist in our world, so they wouldn't be able to return with us. That's even if they know anything about other worlds. Well, other than maybe that weird Equestria Girls world. Is that even a thing?>>

Leo shook her head.

<<Then, yeah. There's obviously multiple universes out there. They'd have to find ours. I mean, maybe that Discord guy could...>> I paused for a moment, thinking.

Nah, he's stone. I dismissed the idea before it even fully formed.

<<Whatever.>>

Our conversation was put on pause by Smoulder coming out and calling, "Hey! Come get your food before I eat it!"

I looked back at my old neighbors. <<Well, who's hungry?>>

Leo seemed to vanish, before what sounded like Rainbow gave out a squawk of surprise. Lulu chuckled. <<Come on, let’s go before she eats it all.>>

We returned to the cave in time to hear Ember asking, “So, how long do you think you’ll be staying.”

“As much as I’d like to meet with Star and explore your people’s history, we really should be heading home soon.” Twilight sighed. “So not for very long.”

“Hey, we still have some time!” Spike spoke up. “I still need to teach Ember the Mail Breath, remember?”

"The offer to keep Spike for a day or two is still open. We can even escort him back ourselves. I said.

"We can bring him when we visit that Canterlot place," Ember added.

“Well...” Twilight dragged to word out. 

I decided to step in. "How about this. It's getting kinda late, and the sun should be setting in a few hours. Why don't you stay the night and sleep on it. We can arrange a ride for you in the morning."

The mares all shared a look, before Twilight turned back to Spike and his pleading eyes. “We can stay that long at the least.” She relented with a smile.

While we had been eating, Yomega had been sniffing the air. Finally, he turned to look at me with a twinkle in his eye. <<Just so long as you avoid fucking somedrake in the night, we should be good.>>

I grinned. <<No promises.>>