20th Spell [Video/Action for Cianwood]

[friendyousohard]

Tower- Tower no!

[An enormous roar accompanies the sudden rush of sand by the lens of the Pokegear as an enormous Tyranitar begins stomping around, roaring at something that can't be seen through the sandstorm. Twilight backs up a few steps, holding her arm in front of her face as the sand threatens to blind her.]

Gah, it's everywhere... Tower, stop! It's just a-

[With another roar, the hulking monstrosity sends the object of its rage hurling over its shoulder past Twilight.]

... Tentacool.

[The hapless jellyfish is forgotten already, though, as Tower seems to have taken the opportunity to just start stomping around wildly, roaring challenges at what appears to be the world at large.]

Oh by Celestia's mane... When I get the sand out of my eyes you are going in your ball for a week!

Comments

[artofthestress]

Just a minute, Twilight. You've got one more chance, mister!

[ She sprints over to Twilight and squints at her belt. ]

I've got nothing. What we really need is a better pair of eyes!

[ Rarity fumbles for her own pokeballs and throws one open. A glittered, shining, beribboned Hans the Feebas flops uselessly on the ground. ] Oops, no. Oh, where is that bird?...

[friendyousohard]

Arrrrgh. Here, I'll just try a random one. It can't make the situation any worse...

[She hurls out a ball... and her Zubat pops up, skree's in pain as the sand buffets her, and races to the safety of Rarity's hair.]

Ah! Echo, no, don't-... There's literally no way I can stop you from hiding there, is there?

[artofthestress]

[ Sand in Rarity's hair was bad enough. A bat is just about the final straw. Rarity shrieks again and glares up at the tyranitar. ]

I've had just about enough! Pidgey, this had better be you!

[ She lobs a Pokeball at the monster. Amazingly, it's the right one (possibly helped due to the fact that Rarity does not have a lot of mons yet). The Pidgey bursts out, takes one look at the monster... and also tries to take shelter behind Rarity. ]

No you don't! Oh, go on! You'll be fine! [ Rarity waves at the bird to get it closer to the beast. It reluctantly flies up, and... the wind increases in speed. ]

[friendyousohard]

I'm sorry, Rarity, I forgot I had her along for training today!

[She's really not sure what a Pidgey is going to do against the towering bulk of... Tower, but she does seem kind of distracted. She tilts her head back and forth at the bird as if trying to decide what to do with it.

Meanwhile, Twilight manages to pull another ball out, this one she squints at for a few moments before grinning.]

Ah-ha! This should help turn the tables! Go, Tesla!

[Out of THIS ball pops a huge, floating spaceship with magnets on each end and three glaring red eyes. It hovers in front of the two, blunting the effects of the sandstorm.]

Rarity, I apologize for this, but I think we can both agree rain is better than blowing sand! Tesla, Rain Dance!

[And indeed, Tesla begins bobbing back and forth in some bizarre... well one might call it a dance. And almost immediately, it begins to rain, drowning out the sandstorm.]

[artofthestress]

[ Rarity's drenched, of course. And still has a bat in her hair. And now-muddy sand. She stands perfectly still, except for the odd shiver of cold and very noticeable twitch in her left eye. ]

Yes. Of course. We can. [ Not bothering to look up where the dinosaur was; Rarity's just gone completely rigid. This is the worst possible day. Ever. ]

[friendyousohard]

[Okay she needs to finish this quickly before Rarity gets even more out of sorts.]

Tesla! Take her down! Thunder!

[The sky opens up, and at Tesla's call a huge bolt of lightning strikes down and hits Tower like a lightning rod. She actually glows for a couple moments, eyes wide as electricity arcs through her, then staggers and collapses.]

Oh thank goodness. Tesla! Drop the rain, we're done.

[Another little beep and an adjustment to the weather pressure, and the clouds break up like pegasi were ripping through them. Twilight groans with relief and kneels down to start searching for her Tyranitar's pokeball.]

If I'd known she'd cause this much grief, I'd never have evolved her...

[artofthestress]

[ Rarity straightens herself up and gives Twilight a very forced smile. With mud and two flying creatures in her hair, and drenched clothing, she looks just a little bit crazy. ]

Well, lessons learned, Twilight! Lessons learned! It could have been worse, you know!!

[ Flop. Flop. Rarity whirls around, sure that something else horrible is going to attack her. Instead, she's greeted with Hans, who is spurting tiny bits of water using his Splash attack as he wriggles around the damp ground. ]

Oh. Hans. [ She just stares at him. Then she picks him up and roots around for his pokeball to put him back inside. ] ... Good effort, dear.

[friendyousohard]

Right. Lessons learned. From now on every time a Pokemon's about to evolve I'm going to have another, stronger, more in-control Pokemon there to make sure they don't go crazy.

[Finding the ball in question, she recalled Tower, and then Tesla... then after looking at Rarity's hair, she quickly recalled Echo as well.]

I think... we both need a very, very long shower.

[artofthestress]

[ Hans and Pidgey both snapped back into their balls, Rarity turns back to Twilight. Still sopping wet. ]

Yes. For a start. And then I am going to ask Bell for one of the massages I've been teaching her how to do.

[ She gives Twilight a look-over; she's not in much better shape than Rarity is. ] Would you like one as well, Twilight? You do deserve it, after dealing with Tower like that. Bell's no Lotus Blossom, but she really is getting better! Slowly.

[friendyousohard]

I'm not going to turn that offer down. I think half of my body's tensed after that.

You can have the shower first though. This whole mess was really my fault anyway, and I feel bad about dragging you into it.

[artofthestress]

Really, Twilight! That wasn't your fault, it was that awful beast's! ... Though, the bat didn't help much. [ She wrings some of the water out of her hair. ]

I won't take long, dear, and then you can go straight in and then to me and Bell.

[friendyousohard]

Well, Tower is my Pokemon, and hence my responsibility, after all.

[She opens the door to the inn for Rarity and nods.]

Alright. I'll try not to sit on anything in the meantime.

[artofthestress]

Well, you've always got the ground. I'm sure it won't mind the tiniest bit of extra moisture! But not to worry, you won't even know I've been in and out!

[ A few hours later, Rarity exits the bathroom. ]

[friendyousohard]

[And finds Twilight standing right outside the door with a little grin on her face, damp and dressed in an outfit so atrocious it could only have been borrowed from one person.]

Applejack let me use her shower. Good thing, too, it looks like.

[artofthestress]

[ Rarity has to make an effort not to vomit at the sight of the loose, haphazardly-adorned clothing. Twilight she thought you were better than this. ]

Aheh... yes, well, a good deep clean can be just as refreshing as an entire week's worth of beauty sleep. Now, as to that massage!

[ She leads the way down the hall to her room. ] Though I will say it was quite neighborly of Applejack to lend you her shower.

[friendyousohard]

Well, that's Applejack for you. She'd be a neighbor to someone she just met.

... Point of fact, when I first came to Ponyville that's exactly what she was. So there you go.

[Following Rarity with little to no knowledge of how close her outfit is coming to making her have conniptions, Twilight rubs her shoulders as best she can.]

I really hope this massage is as good as you claim. Even after that shower I think I have knots in muscles I didn't know could knot up.

[artofthestress]

Oh, well, hopefully it's adequate. I mean, Bell's no Aloe or Lotus Blossom, but she's got a very firm, round base, which is rather useful for such things.

[ She leads Twilight into her room, clears a space on her bed, and pats it. ]

Now since you've been waiting ever so patiently, you just lie down and I'll have Bell do you first. Bell!

[ The little green pokemon half-waddles, half-bounces in from a nearby corner, where she had been fussing with some of Rarity's supplies. ]

She's become quite the useful little assistant!

[friendyousohard]

So I see. Like Starswirl is for me.

[She lies down on the indicated space and gives Bell a warm, grateful smile.]

Thank you for doing this, Bell. I have a feeling I really need it.

[artofthestress]

[ Bell croons and hops onto Twilight's back, and begins kneading Twilight's tense muscles with her semi-hard lower half. Rarity, meanwhile, takes up her sewing glasses and begins arranging her workbench. ]

You and Starswirl are quite the pair. It's enough to make a certain dragon jealous! Though I don't know how I feel about him ... reading thoughts. It seems just a little too private, don't you think?

[ Missing the fabric she was going to work on, Rarity frowns and begins moving aside other stacks. Then she peers under the desk. It's small enough that it might have fallen off... ]

[friendyousohard]

He's more jealous of Spike the Second, for stealing his name. Never mind that the two of them fulfill completely different rolls, Spike's never been particularly rational about his place in my heart.

[Says the girl who freaks out apocalyptically whenever she thinks she might have disappointed a certain Princess.]

As for his thought reading- Ohhhhh, right there, Bell... Er, as I was saying, just because he can doesn't mean he does. Who do you think instilled him with morals?

[artofthestress]

[ Rarity smiles a little at that. ] Well, neither of us is exactly unfamiliar with the feeling of inadequacy among our peers, either. He just needs the occasional reminder that we love him, is all.

And you make a fair point, Twilight, but still... it's invasive. I'd like to keep my thoughts to myself if I can help it.

[ The search under the desk isn't having any luck, either. Drat! She really liked that piece of work. ] Twilight, do you see a small patchwork piece of thread anywhere near you? I think I've misplaced one...

[friendyousohard]

Well, I suppose you have a point. Still, I just wish he'd listen more when I reassure him. He's irreplaceable, and the last thing I want is for him to think otherwise.

[She frowns in consideration of that.] What color and pattern?

[artofthestress]

Of course! Ponyville wouldn't be the same without him. Where would we get those delicious nachos, anyway?

It's very small. I was working on it for Hans. A patchwork piece, with blues and greens.

[friendyousohard]

Careful, Rarity. He might genuinely think that's the main reason you want him around if he hears you.

[Judging by her wry grin, she doesn't really think there's much risk of that, though.]

Hmmm... blue and green, patchwork, small- [Her eyes suddenly bulge as she realizes that she has, in fact, seen that exact piece.]

Was it... about the size of a dishcloth?

[artofthestress]

That's it! [ Rarity stops her search and goes to look by Twilight's head, assuming she can see it where she's from. Goodness, she was worried about that piece. ] Do you see it?

[ Bell, sensing Rarity's distress, has halted the massage. ]