(The ruins of the Hall of Origin are incredibly dark, but a silhouette of Arceus can still be made out in the midst of the darkness.)
"Grovel in terror mortals!" a voice cried out presumably from Arceus, though it sounded a bit to high pitched to be his. "For I, the great and powerful-"
"MEW!" another voice shouted.
(Light suddenly floods the area, revealing the Arceus to be nothing more than a dummy made out of rubble and Mew floating in front of it. The real Arceus then hovered over to Mew and started staring her down.)
"I thought I told you to get back to work cleaning up!?"
(Mew started sweating bullets as she tried thinking of an excuse for shirking work.)
"B-But I did! I turned the rubble into a likeness of you!"
(Mew then smiled as wide as possible and blinked a few times for good measure, only for Arceus to growl at her and send the rubble flying. She then quickly flew off, getting the message Arceus was sending.)
"I'm awfully sorry about that, Mew has a habit for- well- anything that does not involve hard work. And as you can probably gather she's made a mess of my home."
(Arceus then looked around at the smoldering, rubble filled ruins of what used to be the Hall and then over to Mew who was trying to move a boulder with a broom and dustbin.)
"Anyway, I have decided to take up reviewing on recommendation from a few other Legendaries as a hobby. So I think it is fitting to review a story about starts for my start as a Critic."
"Before I begin though, I would like to apologize to FuneralBell for not putting in the period in your pen name (between the Funeral and Bell). For some odd reason whenever I do insert the period and save Fanfiction deletes the entire name."
Arceus the Critic
"Children of Creation" by FuneralBell
Children of Creation
Author: FuneralBell
Arceus watched them hatch from their eggs, from their first growl to their first step: his children of creation. And then, as the world shapes through the centuries, he wonders—as the trio drifts apart—where he went wrong.
This story is essentially a three act play. Act One involves me making the Pokemon World, Act Two is about me raising Palkia, Diagla and Giratina, and Act Three is watching them tear each other to shreds and concludes with me exiling all of them.
(Arceus then rolled his eyes.)
Doesn't that sound like a happy ending?
The three eggs rested on the glassy transparent tiles of the Hall of Origin, underneath rested heaps of rubble and volcanic ash constructing the world's rugged structure – he realized the world was lacking, he knew there could be so much more to 'Earth,' so many aspects to be filled.
I think rubble and volcanic ash is good enough. It's not like Pokemon or Humans have any need for water or grass anyway.
When he began to shape the world—after learning slowly and gradually how to harness his powers during growth—
He is effective against all types.
He once went on a rampage for the sake of it.
His voice can be anything he wants.
He is... The Most Interesting Pokemon in the World.
(The scene suddenly changes to a fancy restaurant, with Arceus sitting on a ridiculously over-sized leather booth. A spanish guitar can be heard being played in the background.)
I don't always create planets. But when I do, I am completely inexperienced and liable to create an utter mess. Stay reckless, my friends.
The Original One set the three plates aside—the stone plate, the earth plate, and the fire plate—in a far corner away from the eggs. Despite no particular attraction set in the Hall, Arceus hoped the infants, if hatched while his presence was absent, would not destroy the elemental plates. The alpha jumped over the blackened mountains, once he reached the peak he planted his golden hooves on the thick rocky mass, a large square lining engraved in the stone, out of reach from the lava steadily overflowing the mountain again. Craning his neck, readying a ball of concentrated white energy a few centimeters away from his face, he snapped back his focal direction, the beam blasting into the crooked square embedded on the earth.
Out of curiosity he blasted a new hole into the mountain, his hooves running a single streak that would conflict with the lava.
So I just blast a hole in the middle of a mountain and hope for the best? The problem here is that while I have the power and foresight to create and design the three creatures who would ultimately become my biggest source of grief-
(Arceus then looked over to Mew, who had rearranged the rubble like a Jungle Gym.)
-second biggest source of grief- I don't have the power or the foresight to know what I am doing with the world I am creating.
Anyway, after I create water I head back to the Hall of Origin, which is really just a glass platform at this time, in time to watch the first two eggs hatch.
The small creature barely able to stand on its four legs cried softly, its blue body colored in brighter blue stripes, a winged-like structure near its tail, its head decorated with gray protruding crest, three pointed gray spines on its neck, the chest plate bright and glimmering – half of its body was covered with a new structure never seen before. Arceus called it 'metal'
Oh, so I didn't know what I would come out of the eggs either? So basically my carefully constructed, master plan for designing the world and the Creation Trio was a shot in the dark?
(Weird Al: Dare to be Stupid!)
Unlike the first newborn hatched from its egg, the newer being was armored completely by the same material as Dialga; the only discoloration from its purple lined armor was the grayish colored underarms and waist. Its back decorated with metallic like-wings, two arms and two legs unlike the Original Being's and Dialga's all fours, and unlike its sibling it did not cry, rather it stared at the alpha with its own set of red irises. Just like Dialga it did not take long for the new being to unleash its power, its arm slashing in what seem like nothing before jumping in a overlooked vortex. Arceus panicked, Dialga was just giggling childishly, his eyes searching for the disappearing infant.
Well that was quick. They just hatched and I already lost track of one of them.
(Arceus then sighed.)
They grow up so fast.
Well Palkia drops onto my back from another vortex, and I decided to wait for the third egg to hatch before I create a metal plate from Dialga and Palkia.
For his child of creation, Arceus was pondering whether he should create a special item to individually enhance their skills.
…When they grow older and less destructive.
In addition to this being a title drop, this is also the first of many times in this story where I will be wrong.
Palkia crawled on Arceus' mane, its sharps claws accidentally leaving scratch marks deep within the pink skin underneath the white coat, but he tolerated the pain for his children's amusement. Resting on the platform tiles, Arceus dangled one hoof above Dialga, the blue creature pleasingly trying to clamp the golden pointed hoof with its front legs. While Palkia was pleasingly crawling over the golden wheel around Arceus' abdomen, the Original Being allowed Dialga to nibble on its hoof while he stared off into the distance where the third egg lied.
It was unmoving. It showed no signs of hatching.
Arceus was tempted to disturb time to see when the third egg will hatch, but he shook his head indignantly. He decided to wait, adamantly against cheating the birth of a new life to be seen earlier than it should.
So I wait a while for the egg to hatch while Dialga and Palkia continue to use me as a playground, but I get impatient. So I apparently only have one option left: Smash it.
(Arceus' eye then twitches and he growls.)
WHY!?
Am I incapable of looking inside the egg to see if it stillborn? Or even just go forward in time to see if it will hatch? Sure, I didn't want to "cheat the birth of a new life" but I think knowing if that life will ever come to be is more important than cheating it.
So right before I smash it, this turns into a CSI: Miami episode and the egg moves literally right before my hoof comes down to crush it.
(Phoenix Wright: Hold It!)
Disaster averted!
The egg fell forward on the clear tile, shattering a large portion of the egg. Arceus frantically poked his head in the egg shell, pushing aside the pieces to see the infant a month late to birth. A sharp red claw pricked Arceus' head; the sudden jolt of pain had Arceus back away cautiously. Ghostly black wings flapped, three red claw-like objects resting on its wings, its body entirely compromised of gray, red, and black with bands of gold around its six legs and half-bands around its long neck. Like its siblings it shared the gleaming red eyes and head crest, although golden-yellow rather than gray-steel.
Arceus tried to brush of the wild disbelief he almost came close to crushing his child to death.
Arceus nuzzled its head on the newborn's crest, he was overwhelmed with a mingled amount of excitement and relief a new being was able to live in the world shared by himself, Dialga, and Palkia. Giratina, he decided to call his child, mewled softly, returning the affection to its parent, its tail whipping left and right happily.
The trio was his children of creation.
And another title drop. So after almost killing my own child, I nuzzle him and the four of us live in peace, ending Act One. Act Two starts off a few centuries later with me making more plates.
Three plates were created shortly after the trio was united for the first time: the spooky plate, the draco plate, and the iron plate. He knew he had nothing to worry about, seeing as his children obediently listened to him and got along with each other fine, but he created two extra plates that would serve as an elemental advantage over his children. Dialga was already planned, but the zap plate—which, Arceus found out, helped fertilize the land when combining it with the other plates—was created for Palkia, the dread plate for Giratina. Having created the new plates, he eased the apprehensive feeling when he stared intently at his playful children.
(Arceus then rolled his eyes.)
Sure, I trust and love my innocent and harmless children, but I'm going to make something so I can easily destroy them if the need arises.
I will give this version of me credit though, since this is probably the only thing in this story that he did right... sadly.
Giratina nudged its head underneath its parent's arm, its ghostly wings tucked close to its small body. Palkia rested on top of Arceus' head, Dialga nuzzled on the fur of its parent's neck and body. Palkia pointed to the night sky's moon brightening up a small portion of the Hall, excitedly Palkia urged Arceus to create tiny little lights to fill the dreary blackened sky, its sibling eagerly agreeing.
Arceus could not deny his children's request, the creatures crawled a distance away to give their parent some space, and then the Original Being's eyes glowed intensely. The dark sky was filled with tiny specks of light, the 'stars' brightening the night. The trio jumped animatedly, in a flurry of childish energy they began to talk about the stars in the sky and eventually snuggled close to their parent.
Arceus inwardly smiled warmly: a life full of happiness for his children was happiness enough for him.
(Arceus sniffled for a moment, a distant look in his eyes. Mew heard him and floated over.)
"Arceus... are you... crying?"
No, I am only reminiscing. Now, get back to cleaning up your mess!
(Mew's fur stood on end and she quickly floated away.)
The white sky now painted in a light blue color from the new landmass filling with water: Arceus had no need for water, his children did however. Food was found abundantly on the trees and shrubs, but then began his worries with the reoccurring tendencies of his children.
Dialga was the constant victim for their bullying, Palkia was becoming increasingly territorial, and the little Giratina he remembered from birth affectionately cooing to Arceus' head nuzzles was becoming severely hostile.
Dialga was the constant victim for their bullying? Have you seen the tenth movie!?
He chose to believe the three beings were going through a phase, their emotions hiked to the highest peak during their first half millennium anniversary of their birth. Arceus could sigh in relief it has only been three centuries since his children breathed life, by the end of the millennium the trio would have mellowed down and returning to the once loving siblings they use to be.
Arceus, the Original Being of Creation, was never more wrong.
I've been wrong on worse things.
(Arceus then looked over to Mew, who was, to his amazement, actually working on fixing a wall.)
Chief among them trusting Mew.
So after that piece of foreshadowing- maybe I should ask Keldeo if I could borrow that Munna for a bit?- we skip to the part of the story where all hell breaks loose.
Dialga was blasted across the Hall of Origin by Palkia's hyper beam, the dual dragon-water type slashed the air before Giratina could overpower its shadow to immobilize the spatial being in place. Blood was shed as Giratina immobilized Dialga instead, its jaws chomping harshly on the time-user's tail, Dialga cried loudly from the searing pain delivered by both its siblings, gathering its wavering strength it roared loudly to escape the clamped maws of the dual ghost-dragon creature. The rippling roar disturbed time that several inactive volcanoes exploded ahead of time, nearly bringing down the wandering Arceus with it. In a frenzied dash, Arceus panted heavily, his glimmering red irises settling on beams of energy shooting around the Hall.
Arceus rushed to the Hall, thoroughly disturbed Palkia and Dialga were shrieking in pain Giratina's legs were pressed on their necks, the look in his creation's eyes simply murderous and without a trace of remorse. Arceus demanded Giratina to free his children with a mighty growl; the dark creature regarded him with a passive look of disinterest.
Palkia sunk its claws into the flesh of Giratina's leg, with a yelp Giratina raised its legs, cursing under its breath as the pain pulsated through its leg. Palkia pounced, blasting Giratina directly on its face with hyper beam. Dialga, severely weakened by the abuse inflicted from both Palkia and Giratina, watched the two with a flaring resentment. The two beings collapsed from exhaustion, Dialga spat at them with a weak kick before curling up in a ball to rest.
Let me break this scene down. Now pay attention, this is very complicated.
The Creation Trio get into a fight, I come on the scene and prove how pathetic I am as a parent, Palkia bails Dialga out, and they all decide to take a nap before killing each other.
His…What was happening to his precious children?
They're tearing each other to shreds. Have you been paying attention?
So apparently I remain blissfully ignorant of my children's attempts to kill each other over the next few centuries, or just ignore it, until one night Giratina decides to launch a sneak attack.
Giratina opened its jaws wide, firing deadly projectiles of aura spheres directly on the soft underbellies of its siblings, both of them taking equal amount of damage before reflexively standing in an upright position, backstepping cautiously to avoid their violent sibling. The pair was caught unaware, the moment they blinked Giratina disappeared without a trace. They searched around frantically; the shadow-user beast reappeared beside Palkia's shadow and slashed the dual water-dragon type ruthlessly with its claws. The noise cleared Arceus' disoriented vision, he stood upright and called to Giratina in hopes his child would return to its senses.
Palkia caught itself in the air, angrily it blasted its hyper beam that skidded on the tiles and landed on the two unsuspecting pair blankly staring at their calling parent. Giratina flew into the air with its mighty ghostly wings, the beating flaps alerting Palkia to evade Giratina's long-range attacks.
It stopped beating its wings as it hovered above Palkia, its weight sending its sibling crashing on the Hall's glassy transparent flooring. Palkia twitched, and then stopped moving. Giratina walked over Palkia, readying a battle stance against Arceus.
—because Giratina was no longer within his control anymore.
(Arceus rolled his eyes.)
Really!? What gave you that impression I wonder?
This is usually the part where Keldeo would play that Portal quote, but I'll just have to make do with a roll of the eyes.
"Judgment!" Arceus roared. The beams of light falling like projectiles down from the sky, cornering Giratina into submission, the beams felt like it was falling endlessly on Giratina that it pained the alpha to watch. Arceus turned his head away, ignoring the anguished cries of the dark beast.
When it was all over, Arceus approached Giratina's twitching form.
"You are banished from this world!" Arceus stated curtly, "To a world on the reverse side: the Distortion World."
A few centuries overdue, but I'll take it nonetheless.
Why did his children seek to hurt each other?
It was becoming such a fine world, their assistance helped him wonders, and they use to get along so well!
Dialga body slammed Palkia, sending the creature flying towards a mountain.
Palkia snarled, it opened its mouth to fire its hyper beam in retaliation against the monstrous blue beast. Dialga dodged the incoming attack; the pair steadily hovered over the Hall.
Arceus joined the creatures to the sky, their fighting cut short to silently gaze at their parent.
"Out of my sight! Never come near the Hall of Origin!" Arceus bellowed, stressing every word venomously. When the two refused to acknowledge the order, both began readily preparing a hyper beam.
Once again I prove that I am completely ineffectual at controlling my children despite having easily bested Giratina not to long ago. So once I banish Palkia and Dialga, I toss aside the Adamant and Lustrous Orbs and create the last three plates before taking a look at the world one last time.
In such a grand world now filled with life he could feel the void deep inside losing all his children to their madness, the loneliness he would have no other choice but to endure. The world would progress without the Original Being – he created enough plates, he would fall into a slumber only to be awakened by the flute he embedded deep within the earth. The world will be fine without Arceus…
…After creating the three original beings, and what they eventually became…
The world could do without anymore of his mistakes.
And with that melancholy note, this story is over. So what is my Judgement on it? It's good. While most of my complaints were against myself, mainly my incompetence when it came to creating the world and handling my sons, it was necessary to create the conflict and character, as well as explaining why I went into hibernation. Likewise the extent of my power and role in the Pokemon World varies per author, so I applaud the author for keeping me in character (even if that character was a weaker, indecisive version of me).
Likewise it was also very touching at the parts that it wanted to be, which only made the scenes where I am forced to exile my own children all the more painful. All in all, this story was very well written and emotionally powerful, as well as managing to explain a few of the events in the Sinnoh games that weren't clear.
Now, If you excuse me, I have to get back to fixing my home and I think Mew has started to goof around again. How many times will I have to tell her "don't shirk work"?
THE END
Credits
The Wizard of Oz
The Most Interesting Man in the World
"Weird Al" Yankovic - Dare to be Stupid
CSI: Miami
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney
Pokemon: The Rise of Darkrai
Keldeo the Critic- Season Two
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky
Special Thanks
Matthias Unidostres