Sammy stretched out her arms, careful to ensure she didn't shrug off the feelers of her affectionate Sylveon, Pinkamena. The cute Pokémon's ribbon-like feelers were wrapped around her trainer's forearm protectively. Sammy grinned, stroking the Pokémon's pink little head with one black-gloved hand.

Christina giggled from across the clearing, "Pinks really does like you, doesn't she?" The campfire sitting between the two girls illuminated the blonde's face in that spooky story sort of way.

Sammy nodded. "If she didn't, I wouldn't be able to sleep at night. You know how scared I was that she wouldn't forgive me after I lost her in Terminus Cave! It's a good thing that we found her."

Chrisy smiled. "We should probably get some sleep."

"Katie beat you to it!"

Sure enough, the blonde was tucked comfortably into her sleeping bag, her Pachirisu curled by her head for extra warmth.

Chrisy glared at the sleeping girl before discarding her red jacket and sinking so deep into her sleeping bag that you couldn't even see her stupidly long hair.

Sammy giggled before removing her own black jacket, resting it across Pinkamena's back and tucking into her own sleeping bag. Before she drifted off, she made another mental check of everything they'd done today.

We're starting to run a little low on food, she thought. At least water won't be a problem, we have two Pokémon that can produce fresh water. We should still stop at the Pokémart when we reach Snowbelle though. Could use some potions for my battle with Wulfric, too.

The last thought got her suddenly excited, but she forced it down and rushed into the darkness of sleep before she started muttering all night about battle strategies again.

Twilight burst through the doors to the throne room, her friends in tow, panting harshly. "Princess Celestia! What's the problem?"

The regal alicorn walked over to the sextet of friends. "Our guards were patrolling the castle and stumbled across a mirror oddly resembling the one you have travelled through before."

Twilight looked at the princess in surprise.

"So I called you here because I believed you may know something about it."

Twilight nodded as the princess led them through the castle to a small room containing nothing but a tall, blue-rimmed mirror.

Twilight stepped up to the mirror and pressed one hoof against it. The surface rippled and her hoof went straight through the mirror.

"I used some tracking spells and found that there are no copies of any of you through this mirror, so if you wish to explore it, you may bring your friends." Celestia explained.

Twilight nodded and turned to her friends. "Girls, what do you think?"

"Are you kidding me? There's no way we're getting left behind this time too!" Rainbow exclaimed, flying up to the mirror. "Am I right?"

The rest of the friends nodded and stepped up to the mirror. Twilight smiled. Celestia nodded and the six ponies stepped forwards.

Going through the mirror felt like passed through a wall of water into an empty pit. Twilight gasped as she felt the ponies by her side disappear. She heard a few distant screams before she was blinded by the light of the sun. Suddenly she was above a large forest, falling to the ground. She quickly spread her wings and tried awkwardly to fly down safely, but the shock caused her feathery limbs to not react properly.

As the trees neared, she used one last burst of effort to teleport directly to the ground, were the sudden pressure jolted up her legs. She panted with wide eyes, looking around in worry. She was surrounded by tall trees with odd flowers and bushes everywhere.

Gulping, she began walking away from the clearing she was in and deeper into the forest.

A few minutes later, she heard a voice shouting: "Sammy, wake up!"

With slight hope, Twilight turned towards the voice and began trotting towards it. As she went, she heard a conversation begin to unfold.

"But whyyy?" said another voice.

"I want a Pokémon battle, two each!" replied the first.

"Oh! Well, in that case, let's go!" the second voice laughed.

Twilight pushed a bush aside and looked through at a clearing. Inside the clearing two humans were glaring at each other over the remains of a campfire. A third human was sitting on the ground on the opposite side of the clearing to Twilight, looking admirably at the standing human with glasses.

"You pick first, Sammy." The first voice, belonging to the standing human without glasses smirked.

Sammy cocked an eyebrow. "Okay then." She reached to the back of her belt and took an orange-sized red and white ball. "I'll choose... Jolt!"

The girl threw the ball, and as it hit the ground it opened and exploded with white light. The light suddenly stilled and shaped itself into a small yellow creature with red cheeks, brown stripes on his back and black-tipped ears. The creature dropped onto four paws and shouted angrily, "Pika pi!"

The other human smirked and took another ball from her own belt. "In that case, I'll use Garchomp! C'mon out!"

The ball hit the ground and again opened with white light, this time forming into a tall dragon-like creature with fin-like scythes on its arms. The creature let out a roar, "Gaaarchomp!"

Twilight's eyes widened in fear as the two creatures stared each other down, ducking under the bush to make a hundred percent sure she wouldn't be spotted.

"Good choice, Chrisy." Sammy smiled. "Garchomp's Rough Skin means that if Jolt attacks with a physical attack she'll be damaged, and my only special moves are Electric types."

"I've learnt from the best." Chrisy giggled, before suddenly turning deadly serious. "Garchomp, use Dragon Claw!"

Garchomp roared before lunging at Jolt. One of its claws began glowing light green as it raised its arm to strike.

"Dodge." Sammy commanded calmly.

With outstanding speed, Jolt dashed around and behind Garchomp with a tiny grin on its small yellow head.

"Now, Iron Tail!" Sammy shouted.

"Go Sammy!" yelled the third human.

Chrisy gasped and quickly squealed, "Garchomp, hurry, use Di-"

The girl was interrupted by Jolt's lightning-shaped tail glowing white as the small creature leapt into the air above Garchomp. Their tail struck down hard on the larger monster's head, causing a shout of pain from the dragon-like creature. At the same time, Jolt winced as the other creature's skin scratched their tail, however the smile stayed on their face.

Twilight suddenly leapt from the bushes, putting herself between the two creatures. The humans gasped in surprise.

How dare you force these creatures to fight each other! The princess attempted to say, but all that came out of her mouth was, "Twilight! Sparkle twi!"

The alicorn gasped in shock and looked around again. She already knew she wasn't in Equestria, but something was very wrong in this world. The only creatures that could talk were humans!"What Pokémon is that, Katie?" Chrisy turned her head to the third human.

Katie held up a small red device and pointed it at Twilight. A robotic voice spoke, "Pokémon unknown."

Chrisy gasped and shouted, "An unknown Pokémon! I'm gonna catch it!"

"No way! I'm gonna catch it! Jolt, use Electro Ball!" Sammy growled.

Jolt turned to Twilight and leapt into the air. A large, sparking, yellow ball of electricity formed at the end of the creature's tail. Jolt let out a shout as they swung round, firing the electricity directly at Twilight. The alicorn's eyes widened as the attack neared her, and she screamed as the golden ball connected with her side, shocking her.

Twilight landed hard on her side, sparking slightly.

"Now, Quick Attack!" Sammy smirked.

Jolt grinned and lunged at Twilight, silvery white light trailing behind the creature as it crashed into Twilight's side. Twilight whimpered and curled into a ball.

"Okay, now, Pokéball, go!" Sammy yelled.

Twilight squeaked as something smack the back of her head. There was a fizzing sound and suddenly she felt herself getting smaller. Her vision filled with white and her world went black.

"No faiiir! Why do you get to catch an unknown Pokémon?" Chrisy complained as Sammy returned Jolt and her new Pokémon.

In reaction to her drama, one of her Pokéballs shook before opening, the white light forming into her slender, green-haired Meloetta. The dramatic Pokémon placed a hand to its forehead and floated around, wailing dramatically.

"Because she's the better trainer!" Katie giggled.

"What? But…" Chrisy suddenly let out a scream and ran away from the other two and out of the clearing, Meloetta trailing after her.

"Chrisy!" Katie shouted.

"Katie, let her go. You know what she's like: she'll be back before midday!" Sammy told her reassuringly.

Katie sighed. "I guess you're right."

Sammy smiled. "Now to figure out a nickname for this beauty." She murmured, holding up her newly caught Pokémon's Pokéball.

"Well, it said 'Twilight', 'Sparkle' and then 'twi', which is just a snippet of twilight. So their species name is probably Twilight Sparkle." Katie analysed.

"That is the weirdest Pokémon name I have ever heard!" Sammy laughed. "But you know I prefer nicknames anyway. The purple reminded me of sunrise, so I'm going to name them Dawn."

Katie nodded her approval before stretching and returning to rolling up her sleeping bag.

Sammy stared down at Dawn's Pokéball and wondered, why didn't you fight back, Dawn? Are you just not an offensive Pokémon?

She sighed before clipping the Pokéball to her belt. Then the trainer kicked up the remains of the campfire and returned to her bag. She rolled up her sleeping bag and stuffed it into her backpack before zipping it up and hoisting it onto her back.

Katie smiled before the two set off in the direction Chrisy took.