Fairy Tails
by Leto
Story 3 - White wings, purity of power
"Just look at me," whispered Ponyta, gazing at her reflection in the water.
Her body was a dull white, all over, and without exception. Her eyes glittered unhappily.
The reflected Ponyta rippled violently, and the real one stepped back. The water split and a Squirtle popped its head out.
"Hello, friend Ponyta. Thou lookst unwell."
Ponyta sighed and swung its white mane back. "Squirtle, you have great fortune."
"They do say that seven is a lucky number," said the turtle, "but may I ask, t'is what that leads thee to say such a thing so suddenly?"
"Friend turtle, the water is your element and your home. It is you."
"Wish to swim?"
"If it were only that! My problem is greater. My strength is limited, and to humans I am a near-worthless."
"Why say thou this? Humans appreciate having a strong back to ride on."
"The back is not strong enough. But I am not for domestication, turtle, I am for fighting."
"Thou art a Pokemon," agreed Squirtle.
"Indeed, and if I were an animal, I would no doubt be satisfied with my current abilities, but as things stand, how could I possibly? I tire of losing!"
The Squirtle looked thoughtful. "Friend Ponyta, if this concerns thee so dearly, I recommend to paying a visit to the Oracle. Full of wisdom and the epitome of Pokemon types, it has developed power that few can hope to advantage themselves against."
"I will do as you say."
***
The Mew blinked her large and seemingly innocent blue eyes.
"Your request is not a new one," she said, "indeed, I have turned even another Tauros and Raticate away this morning. Why should I listen to your plea?"
"Mew, fighting blood runs through me. I need this, and not merely for appearances."
"For respect, then?"
"Indeed not, respect is a fickle thing. Respect is only acquired through a true strength of one's own self. My reasons are not so shallow, but I sense I am worth more than I am."
"Well spoken, Ponyta," said the Mew, suddenly smiling. "It will be as you wish."
There was a long silence, and Ponyta was unsure of what was supposed to happen. She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could get any words out, she felt a sudden burning sensation along her back. She shook her head, feeling the familiar white mane brushing over her neck, but the sensation did not fade.
Had anyone been watching, they would have seen an unusual sight. A perfectly ordinary, plain horse Pokemon, stood shaking its head nervously as two fine feathery wings sprouted from its back.
This happened in the span of around ten seconds. When it was finished, Ponyta flapped its wings unsteadily.
"Mew? I have become a flying Pokemon!"
She looked very happy, but Mew's expression became grave.
"Ponyta, you must earn power."
"What shall I do?"
"Will you do something for me, Ponyta?"
She lowered itself onto her knees, in what served among horse Pokemon as a bow. "Name it."
"You must travel far for me and find the moonstone."
"Moonstone?"
"Go through the sun to the moon. Your white wings will carry you."
Ponyta bowed low again, but her eyes looked disconcerted.
"How will I know the moonstone when I see it?"
"Tha'll find it. My power senses it, it needs it."
Mew had clearly finished talking, and suddenly disappeared. Ponyta stared after her in anxiety.
"To find the moonstone," she whispered, "I will earn these fine white wings.
She began to run along the forest floor, flapping her wings strongly, before rising off the ground and soaring like a swan.
And she climbed higher in the sky, towards the sun and the moon.
***
"Go through the sun," muttered Ponyta, gritting her strong teeth, as the star became closer.
With an extra spurt of speed, she drove herself on, until she felt the heat licking at her wings, mane and tail. She ignored it, deciding that she would rather die than fail to complete her deal with Mew.
The fire swirled around her as she flew right into the sun, but she barely felt it. She was just concentrating on moving forward. She was sure she could feel the moonstone's power not far ahead.
She shook her head to clear it, the crackling of the flames made it difficult to concentrate. And she was beginning to forget, forget why she'd started out....
No! It wasn't for respect. It was because she wouldn't be real without it. This power. She closed her eyes and concentrated and kept flying.
***
The crackling was gone.
Ponyta opened her eyes, uncertainly. Instead of seeing a red haze around herself, there was nothing but the cold grey outline of the moon ahead.
She had come through.
She could feel the moonstone. She flapped her wings to move on faster, but something was wrong.
No longer could she feel her wings. Had she done something wrong? Mew said she would get to keep a new power if she got the moonstone as ordered. Had she failed before she began.
And now she was falling, plummeting towards the unfriendly moon, with no wings to break herself.
The horse neighed in terror as she free falled.
***
A small group of Clefairies looked up in horror. A glowing form was in the sky, and looked to be on a collison course with their moon.
"Protect the moonstone," said one urgently. It was their source of power.
"Protect it?" said another, "but to touch the moonstone...? We are just its guardians, we do not have the right to -"
"Don't worry about that! Just do it!"
The Clefairies all ran to their moonstone, prepared to fight for it. When they touched it, they glowed brightly and evolved. It gave them more power.
"We can protect it now, it has given us permission," said the leader Clefable, "take it with me, and leave the moon. People know of its whereabouts, so we must hide it."
The Clefables each took a piece of the moonstone, and flew into the air with it. Then, like a dozen meteors, they teleported through the air, towards the Earth.
And a dazed and confused Ponyta flew right into the surface of the moon.
***
Ponyta weakly opened its eyes. It was dark.
Its white coat was covered with dust. Its wings were gone. Its mane and tail still felt hot from where it had flown through the sun.
"Power is a dangerous thing to search for," came a soft voice. Ponyta managed to raise its head, and saw the small familiar figure of Mew.
Ponyta couldn't get up to bow, she simply lowered her head.
"I failed?"
"You didn't fail. Because of you, the moonstone has gone to where everyone can use it without fear."
"And you?"
"Mew too."
"And my wings? I didn't earn them."
"I said you would earn power. Not the wings. The wings were just to help you on your way."
"What is my power?"
"Look at yourself, Ponyta."
Suddenly, in a flash of light, Ponyta found herself back at the lake where her friend Squirtle lived.
She looked around herself in surprise. Mew was gone.
But now, she looked into the water and was amazed.
The heat from her mane and tail were still there, and she could see why. After going through the sun, her body burned brightly with its pure flames. Set alight.
Squirtle popped its head from the water again.
"Friend Ponyta, tha'art thee?"
"Yes."
"Ahh, to think that thou hast changed so! I scarce recognised ye!"
"As didn't I," whispered the Ponyta, admiring the beautiful flames that were now part of it, and its power.
A Tauros ran by. "Mew gave you power? She refused to give any to me. Stupid!"
"Those who don't understand power will never get it," replied the Ponyta, and blew flames from her mouth. The Tauros stepped back quickly and ran away.
"Ah, that'll be a good power for thee to master," said the Squirtle cheerfully.
Ponyta nodded, and trotted off into the woods, understanding.
Mew smiled to herself. Another true fighting spirit was born.