Prologue
In the weightless abyss of space, the Deoxys drifted, listening with fin-like ears to the grand music of the spheres. The voice of the verdant planet below him was gentle and soothing, lulling him into an almost dream-like state of half awareness. Along with the fainter singing of the other celestial bodies in the solar system, it created a sedate calm within his mind, relieving the stress and burdens of the past month. The indigo and crimson DNA Pokémon closed his bright eyes and curled into a tight ball, luxuriating in the choir of astral voices.
He was a privileged individual amongst his species, having been granted the role of ambassador between the Deoxys and the more powerful of the creatures inhabiting the planet that revolved serenely below. Many of his kind would never be able to set foot upon the blue world, he knew, and they envied him, for to land upon a life-bearing world was a rare honor. Yet despite this great privilege, he preferred the tranquil songs of the void to the chaotic beauty of the living earth.
Below, there were too many voices, overwhelming the stately melody of the divine choir with their incessant chatter. Even then, he could hear their jarring thoughts, shouting and cursing and whispering sweet lies of poisonous praise. They disgusted him, their thoughts.
Humans were a narrow-minded race, focused only upon themselves and their little lives, ignorant of the grandeur of the infinite universe that surrounded them. Ignorant of the blessed music of the spheres….
No, that's an unjust thing to think about such a young species, he chided himself. It was true that the humans were narrow-minded, but only because they had yet to even discover the glory found in the cosmos, as his race had done so long ago. They could not spurn what they had not been granted the opportunity to hear...
...and yet, even accounting for their ignorance, it disturbed him that they took so much of their existence for granted. They accepted the earth beneath their feet as a constant, as something that would last for all eternity. Poor fools, why couldn't they realize the precious gift they possessed? Their world was green and rich in life and beauty, magnificent in its scope. They had animals, Pokémon, to cherish as companions. The humans had air to breath and water to drink, fertile soil beneath their feet in which to plant crops to eat, and an open horizon ripe with opportunities. They had not lost their Paradise. They had not burnt it to choking ashes and dust in the storms of nuclear fire, as his race had… at least, not yet.
In a way, mankind was not so dissimilar from how his own people had started; the two races were kin in their humble beginnings. How different from humanity had his own ancestors been when they first lifted their gaze to the welcoming, star-speckled cosmos? How different from the young race below had his forebears been when they had raised their collective voice, the first Nexus, in exultation at the sheer beauty of sentience? How different, how similar?
But such memories were from an age long dusted over by the sands of time, and barely kept alive by the collective consciousness of the Deoxys race, the Nexus. The precious memories originated from prior even to the Cataclysm, the world-shattering war that had forced the Deoxys to become celestial nomads, ever-searching for a new world to call home. A world like Earth.
Mankind was greatly blessed by Arceus to have been given such a treasure… That humanity had found such favor with Arceus as to be gifted with such a verdant dominion was impressive, and instilled him with a faint feeling of jealousy at the luxury the humans enjoyed, while the Deoxys were forced to live on the lifeless husks of Mars and Mercury.
No matter. There was little that he could do to change the current situation of his people, what with his low standing in the Elder Council, but he would still do his best to convince the Legends to allow the Deoxys to establish a settlement on Earth. Regardless, it would take many years for the Legends to trust him, what with his species' turbulent past regarding the blue planet…
It was at that moment that he heard an incessant, unintelligible shriek rising from far below, growing steadily louder with each passing second. As there was no sound in the abyss of space, but for the music of the spheres, it was obvious that the noise was of psychic origin; but where was the source?
Uncurling slightly, the ambassador narrowed his red eyes at the shadowed side of the planet resting below, seeking out the cause of the unholy scream that interrupted his solitude. After a brief moment of searching, he saw it, a spectrum blur of pink and blue rocketing from the world's southern pole, gradually gaining speed as the gravity holding it back lessened its implacable hold. Abruptly, the pale cobalt orb changed direction, and shot straight for him, leaving an afterimage streak as it drew closer, the shriek becoming even louder.
Wary, he uncurled fully from his fetal position, stretching out spread-eagle; prepared to face the radiant ball in battle, if necessary. After all, very few creatures that dared approach a Deoxys had noble intentions, in his experience; such was the reputation of his race. As the blur of blue light came nearer, the ambassador calmly reached into himself, drawing out a coruscating sphere of white light energy from the massive reserves contained in his Soul Gem; the beginnings of a Solar Beam.
Focusing on the rapidly approaching orb, he narrowed his eyes against the dazzling blue light; he could almost swear that there was some being within the sphere, a blurred shadow of his adversary. He drew out more energy, carefully feeding it into the glowing ball of solar energy that hovered before his chest. This challenger would easily be defeated in the face of such a strong beam.
It was then that the ambassador cocked his head slightly; the unending psychic screech was beginning to sound…almost familiar…like…
"!"
With an undignified curse, the Deoxys recognized the indistinct shadow concealed within the cerulean orb: it was that damned eccentric feline, Mew. Judging from her speed, she'd hit him in less than a moment, with no way for her to slow down and lessen the impact. Needless to say, the collision would be extremely painful for the both of them, but any injury to Mew at his hands would shatter his already fragile relationship with the other Legends. To make matters worse, the pulsing ball of light energy suspended before his chest was far too large to be safely returned to his Soul Gem without the risk of a fracture from the influx of power, and the only direction he could aim the Solar Beam by that point was at the tiny pink kitten.
So the ambassador did the only thing he could do.
Muttering a small prayer, he released the Solar Beam full blast against the speeding Mew's Barrier, the immense beam thundering silently against the feline's shield, arcs of deflected light lancing off toward deep space.
If the void was on his side, then the beam's concussive force would lessen Mew's speed considerably, perhaps just enough to avert any shattered bones. If not, then the injuries he'd sustain would be the least of his worries.
As luck would have it, the Solar Beam did manage to cut much of the pink kitten's speed, though it did shatter her protective bubble.
Regardless, it still wasn't quite enough to prevent the jarring impact that followed.
The Deoxys felt something hard slam against his Gem, pain arcing through him as the invaluable crystal was jolted in its socket, before he was sent careening away from the pink form of Mew. The stars melted into a hurricane of streaks of light, the planet gone from view. Concentrating hard upon his link to the Nexus, his chaotic flight gradually began to slow, the spinning stars coming to a halt.
Shaking his head to clear away the dull, aching fog, he entwined his right pair of tendrils into a single arm, and formed a hand. He closed his eyes, not daring to look down at his chest. Slowly, the anxious ambassador probed his gem for any sign of a fracture; thankfully, there were none, though the area surrounding his gem was sore and bruised.
Heaving a mental sigh of relief, the Deoxys felt around for other injuries, and gave a mental hiss of pain as his hand brushed against his chest. A fractured rib, most likely.
Turning his gaze toward the planet, he swiftly spotted the diminutive Legend that had dealt him so much damage.
His eyes widened at the sight of the small, limp figure. Pain forgotten, the ambassador surged forward, frantically calling upon the Nexus for more speed. If Mew had come to any serious harm, his life, along with the hopes of his entire race for a new home, would be forfeit.
The Deoxys came to a halt before Mew's limp form, and quickly looked her over for injuries. Aside from a nasty bruise forming on her forehead, she was unhurt. Drifting closer, he examined the bruise for a little while longer before deciding it would not prove to be a risk to the pink kitten's already suspect mental health.
Suddenly, Mew's large, shockingly blue eyes snapped open, only to find the intimidating visage of the Deoxys scant inches from her face. With a startled squeak, she jerked away, thrashing her limbs and long tail in a futile attempt to distance herself from the disturbingly close ambassador. With nothing for her mind to telekinetically influence so as to "fly", she was utterly helpless.
The Deoxys chuckled, relief burning through his system. It was always amusing to watch a psychic try to navigate the void. They who relied so much upon their telekinetic abilities to move were helpless without matter to latch onto, to orient themselves with and to fly. Mew, like so many others, had yet to learn the graceful art of the void's dance…
Disoriented, Mew thrashed about for a moment until the ambassador reached out an arm-tendril and gently seized the tip of her tail, steadying her. Though stilled, she also happened to be "upside-down" relative to his view. Not that he deemed it necessary to change that; orientation mattered little to his kind, being seen as little more than a pleasantry.
Unperturbed by the DNA Pokémon's touch, she crossed her arms and glared at him playfully. "Hello to you, too, Ambassador Canthus. Nice to see you still have a sense of humor."
The ambassador nodded his head slightly. "Indeed. What, may I ask, possessed you to pull that little stunt? You jolted my Soul Gem with that rock-filled head of yours," he replied softly. While the Deoxys was not close to the eccentric kitten, he was particularly fond of her; it was hard not to be, what with her constant efforts to be friendly and accommodating. Even so, he grew weary of her mischief at times.
"Hey, it's not my fault! Saria and some of the other Shaymin were looking for you and they asked me to see if you were up here. Sure, I should have slowed down a bit…." She trailed off as she noticed the look of irritation Canthus was giving her.
"Only a bit?" Canthus asked sarcastically, annoyed at Mew's exaggeration.
"Okay, so I could've slowed down a lot more than I did before leaving the atmosphere, but I got into a race with this Latios to see who could go the fastest and since I didn't want to lose I had to go much faster than usual. Besides, it was fun," Mew declared. She rubbed the growing lump on her head, and flinched slightly, before continuing. "As for your shiny rock-gem-thingy, I think you got what you deserved, shooting at me like that!" She stuck her tongue out at him, and then winced as another throb of pain shot through her skull.
The Deoxys narrowed his eyes. "As I recall, you were the one who chose to irrespon-" He ceased his retort abruptly, slowly turning away from the bothersome psychic and toward the planet's brightening outline, toward the new voice that had joined the music of the spheres…
The dawn had arrived.
Sol's blinding smile quietly peeked around Earth's curve, her soft rays spreading like hands across the planet's face, caressing the continents and the seas. The pure clouds below seemed to glow at the slightest touch of sunlight, and the planet's atmosphere blazed in a brilliant cloud of dulled light. Light from the bright cities below dimmed and faded as they were engulfed by the cascade of solar rays. A massive influx of mental voices rose with the light, adding to the quiet cacophony of thoughts below.
The blaze of harsh, yet so beautiful light... It reminded him of... of...
A flash...
He was floating, still, in high orbit over the Earth...Yet, something was different... No... The planet below... so beautiful and vibrant... was not Earth.
It was the Homeworld. He watched it turn for a moment, awed. A feeling swept through him. Adoration. He was home.
He gracefully folded in his limbs, and dived toward the surface, eager to land and greet his people, to see sights not seen for nigh a thousand years...
Confusion swept through him, and he shook his head. Something felt wrong...
No... The Homeworld had never been destroyed. That was an insane thought. He'd have to speak to a gem doctor. The stress of work on the moon must be getting to him.
As he plummeted toward the surface, he heard something in the back of his mind, a cry of anguish and longing and hatred all bound together by cold resolve.
Something was wrong. Dreadfully, terribly wrong.
He saw pinpricks of light shoot up from various places across the globe, each soaring higher and arcing toward a different location on the planet. Nuclear weapons.
Armageddon had come for his species.
NO!
He increased his speed, shrieking into the atmosphere at a velocity that would kill him if he did not have a Barrier to protect him. He prayed, he begged Arceus that his family be spared, that his small island home would go untouched. He hoped against all odds.
It didn't matter.
By the time he'd smashed through the cloud layer, he could see that his home was ruined, ash and fire and death drifting up to greet him in a grotesque embrace.
They were gone.
He closed his eyes, and his impact against the ground threw up a shockwave of ash and dust. His Barrier shattered like his heart, with a sound akin to breaking glass.
His limbs were on fire, broken from his impact, charred by the hot air that had once soothed his lungs with the scent of the ocean. He stood, forcing his limbs to obey.
He had to see her... one last time... Even if only her gem remained, it would be enough. He was close to their tiny home. He'd always said he would get a larger one for her, but she never wanted one.
"Here is all I need. With you."
It was gone, the foundation stones being all that remained of it. He fell to his knees.
Gone...
But... There! Nestled amongst the burnt and melted stone, sat a small fragment of a green gem. Her gem.
The last trace of his mate in the living world.
He reached for her, dragging his body forward; he couldn't feel... His legs began to catch fire from the heat, his body slowly burning away even as he came closer.
It was a race.
His mate had always loved races. It was how he'd first met her, at the grand race held once every ten years at Silentview City.
Almost there... She was within reach... mere inches from his fingers...
He couldn't...
Blackness crept across his vision, narrowing all he could see to his outstretched hand, and a sliver of green. Fire licked around his eyes.
Almost...
Canthus gasped as the memory ended abruptly. It... It was a memory from a time long gone by, the time of the Cataclysm, when the Homeworld had been baptized in wave after wave of nuclear fire. When the very crust had shattered from the force of the explosions. When his people had first learned what it was to be without a home.
He bowed his head for a moment, whispering a small prayer to the void in his mind, and a thanks to the Nexus for deeming him worthy to know of such a precious memory. He would perform the rite of thanksgiving when he returned to his abode on Earth, but for the moment, he would think no more of it. Dark, sorrowful memories were to be contemplated where they belonged: in the dark.
Light shining into dark places reveals many great things... just as it reveals many vile things in the same breadth of time.
The ambassador averted his eyes as Sol's full radiance came into view; he held no desire to be blinded. He glanced at his sunglasses-wearing companion, then back at the dawn. This glance was swiftly followed by a double take, and he looked back at her, only to be met by a second pair of the dark glasses being thrust toward his face, as the pink feline slurped milk from a small carton with a straw. Stunned into silence, he quietly accepted the offered glasses, wondering where she'd gotten her paws on a pair of sunglasses out here, of all places, not to mention the milk….
"Uh... Mew?"
"Don't ask, Canthus, just don't ask."
Gradually, the sun's light became too bright for even their sunglasses (which happened to be of premium quality, "MADE IN HOENN", according to the label), and Canthus dragged Mew into the planet's shadow.
Before he could speak, Mew placed a gentle paw on his shoulder. "I see why you spend so much time up here now. It's beautiful."
The memory flashed through the ambassador's mind. "Yes... Yes, it is."
Mew smiled. "Saria's probably wondering where we are right about now. She is supposed to keep tabs on what you're up to, after all."
Canthus cocked his head. "True. Why did she send you up here anyway, other than to keep track of me?"
At this, Mew's smile vanished in an instant. She shut her bright blue eyes, and hugged the ambassador tightly. Blue and sadness burst from her in a supernova.
Canthus stiffened for a brief moment, then relaxed. Something was wrong with the pink feline, something making her terribly sad. He would give her comfort, if need be. Such was the duty of a friend.
He held her close for a moment, feeling her pain. Then, slowly, he lifted her face to his, and asked quietly, "Mew. What has happened?"
The sadness in her eyes was not her own; the sorrow radiating from her mind was held for another.
For him.
Silence reigned between the two beings, broken only by the music of the spheres and the whispering gusts of the solar winds.
Something was wrong. Dreadfully, terribly wrong.
Finally, she whispered, "Canthus, it's Team Galactic... They've done it."
He closed his eyes.
"So be it."
And there you have it! I'm hoping to get a bit of feedback before I post the next bit, but reviews are totally voluntary, so no pressure. :)
I don't have any planned update schedule, and I write REALLY slowly... Luckily, the next portion is already written out! It just needs some editing, then I'll post it! :)
Oh and a really awesome and special thanks to Pikamew (Fear The Pika), Firefeather (FirebirdXoX), Stolloss (I need to give you a nickname! :D), and FireOkami-Kitsune! :) They were a great help in getting through the editing process, and all of them are amazing! Thank you!
*cue applause*
Breath deep, seek peace! -Dinotopian saying