Prologue
All was peaceful in the forest. Low background noises could be heard, such as several birds singing, rustlings within the bushes, and the distant call of a very loudly buzzing bug Pokémon. Sunlight streamed through the trees, halted in some parts by the thick, intertwining branches that turned the treetops into a maze of sorts. There was not much undergrowth - an occasional shrub hugged the edge of a tree, but that was it. The ground was a fresh carpet of green grass, with a patch of patted-down dirt every now and again.
The air was still when suddenly a jet of cool air tore through the trees. From a standstill, all that could be seen passing through was a flash of a somewhat blue, somewhat purple blur whizzing by. One would not recognize the Goddess of Purity racing at such a speed. And what a loss it was, for she was elegant beyond words. Her lithe form and beautiful light blue coat were, without a doubt, the object of envy for many lesser female Pokémon. The milky white fur that defined her delicate muzzle also streamed down her throat and belly, and were the same color as a few large spots along her sides. Two thin, ribbon-like white tails usually flowed forward in a gentle breeze but, at the moment, were trailing behind her. From the base of the crystalline formation on her forehead came a billowing cloud of purple.
Her dash through the forest came to an abrupt halt at the edge of a lake. The lake was a very clean one - so pure, in fact, that you could see straight through to the bottom. While standing at the edge of the lake, the Goddess of Purity closed her eyes and laid her paw so smoothly on the surface that not a ripple appeared. Under her breath, she mumbled certain words, words that would have no meaning to anyone else. She seemed to be reciting something ancient and powerful. Reinforcing that image was the glowing of the lake's surface which, slowly, crept across the Goddess herself, starting from her paw and embracing the rest of her body steadily. When her whole body was wrapped in a warm, sea-green light, she disappeared.
"Suicune!" A loud voice called, so deeply that the sound reverberated throughout the canyon. The name was spoken by a Divine Being, one who glowed with radiance. His four limbs looked lean, but flowed with strength unmatched. His lengthy white neck was a dark gray on the front, the same shade that ran down to his underside. His face was also the same color, as was the bottom of the long, flowing extension at the back of his head. The rest of his coat was a pure white color. A sacred golden seal encircled his waist and extended out at his sides. "Suicune," he called, "you are late! What matter has proved so urgent that you may hold up the ceremony?"
"Please, Lord Arceus," begged the newcomer in the valley, Suicune the Goddess of Purity. "It was my pups. They awoke as I was leaving, and they cried for me. I had to comfort and feed them, as I am the only female in my tribe that currently cares for any young. Had my pups not thirsted for my milk, I would have been on time." All the while, not once did Suicune raise her eyes to meet those of Arceus. She remained with her head bowed, even now, as she awaited a reply.
"Raise your head then, Suicune," bellowed Arceus. "You are forgiven, commended even, for prioritizing in such a way. One's children should always be taken care of before anything else is attended to." His gaze swept around the valley. Assembled there, each standing on or floating above his or her own tall pillar of rock, was an assortment of Divine Beings. They were of all shapes, sizes, and colors. They on their pillars filled the entire valley, assembled for one purpose. Most of their eyes were drawn to the ground far below, where a tiny Pokémon awaited some sort of signal.
This Pokémon had a very simple structure - it was simply an orange sphere, with an even smaller sphere attached to the center of its bottom, and a long horn protruding straight up from the top of its head. Its gaping eyes stared up at the majestic Pokémon gathered above it, and it quietly emitted light blue sparks in anticipation. "Now," began Arceus, "we are gathered here today to witness the forty-eighth Crowning Ceremony since the dawn of time." At this point he reared, and between the tips of his two front limbs, a ball of light appeared. He dropped back down on all fours and weaved his head around the ball of light in a rhythmic pattern, as though carving the light into a crown-like shape. When he was finished, there floated before him a crown of light. He turned his eyes downward, back to the anxiously waiting Pokémon far below and continued, "Rotom! You are to be the forty-eighth Divine Being, the God of Manipulation. With this sacred emblem of divinity I, Arceus, God of Origin and Lord of Creation, call forth this Rotom, symbolizing the entirety of the Rotom population, to hereby acquire official status as-"
"Halt!" A voice thundered out of nothing, causing the entire valley to shake. It drowned out Arceus' last words with its booming volume. In the same instant, the light that formed the crown that was to be Rotom's gift flickered for a moment, then dissipated. Gasps were heard from every being within the valley. "You all must halt this foolishness immediately," continued the disembodied voice. "Flee to what you know as the safety of your homes and witness the horrors that have befallen your subjects. The more you linger in this pathetic excuse for a sanctuary, the further the curses will progress. Do not make any attempt to fight it, for any attempts will be futile. Do not try to find me, for you never will. You self-assured false royalties have deserved this since the Origin. Chaos will ensue, as it should."
And just as spontaneously as it began, the voice stopped and did not speak again.