Creation and Destruction: A X-overs Fanfiction
Disclaimer: This story is a work of fiction. Characters involved are the legal property of their respective owners, not me.
Chapter 1: Awakening from an endless sleep.
Narratives throughout time have held solid to one particular idea more than any other. Whilst certain narrative imperatives hold true, such as "any ancient master will either die in the arms of his favourite student or will turn evil and have to be struck down by his favourite student." Or "It's always the most pathetic child in school who will save everyone and earn the respect of his peers." One that is particularly latched onto by the people at Disney is "the underdogs always win." However, this tale uses none of these as its basis although some have undoubtedly been used in it's making. Nor is this the full tale. The full tale would take too long for any one man to write and too long for anyone to read. Think of this tale, as more of a final chapter in one branch of an epic. There will be other final chapters along the road walked by this tale. And other tales will walk alongside it. Think of this story as one page of an atlas that spans all of eternity and is certainly too big to fit in your glove box. This one page will end, but the final book goes on, because after all, no story ever truly ends. Or does it?
"You don't have to be that big to start something tremendous." That is the fundamental rule that this story works upon.
The tale starts on a planet. While the occupants of this planet could probably tell you its name, for the sake of this story the name is unimportant. This planet is shared by two dominant species. The first is a collection of tall hairless apes known collectively as humans. The other is a collection of wide and wonderful species which go by many names individually, but collectively are called Pokemon. It is on the Pokemon that we will turn our eyes for, in the Viridian Forest, on the continent of Kanto, a female Rattata is just about to give birth. For the faint of heart among you, we will skip the intricate details of the birthing procedure and merely focus on the results. Five Rattata babies have been born, two female, and three male. This also is of little consequence. What is important, is the one difference that separates the second male from it's four siblings. For, whereas normal Rattata are purple in colour, this one has acquired a genetic mutation and its fur is, against all the odds, green. This is important as it means that this Rattata is now perfectly camouflaged against its home forest background. This birth marks the pinnacle of evolution for the Rattata species as a whole. In fact, it means that all the species on the planet have reached the pinnacle of their evolutionary plateau. And this one planet was the last to achieve such a state. Some may still mutate and for some species in the wider universe, this mutation may be beneficial for the species as a whole. But, in the opinions of those higher up, life has just hit the peak.
For the time has come to waken the two agents. Two creatures more powerful than gods. More powerful than anything. They existed when the universe was but a minute old, and they will exist when time and space themselves cease existing and once more become as naught. For you see, life has evolved far enough in the eyes of the governing forces. The universe has no more interesting variation to offer, not in their eyes. So, it's time to tear it all down and start over.
It is dark here. That is because light cannot exist here. Nothing can exist here. Not even time. That which lives in this pocket dimension will not age. There is no way to get out, but there is no way to get in either unless you're already inside. For this is what existed before the beginning. Before time sprang into existence this one point of singularity kept continuing as it always had done and always would do. Whatever may happen to time and space in between, there will always be the Time before the Beginning and the Time after the End. The perfect prison. This pocket's single occupant views it not as a prison though. He has never seen anything else. The Time before the Beginning is all he knows. When it was time for all to begin he worked his talent. Life sprang from his fingers and universes teeming with life opened unto him with the merest gesture. But, once it had all began, he remained in the Time before the Beginning as it is the only place where his power can be contained. He cannot create life here, however skilled he may be as there is no time to do it in. He is not evil, nor is he good. He just is. But, after the end, there must be a new beginning, and he will bring it forth as he has done countless times before. The circle ever repeats itself. But he will be there at the end. He must be there to see it unfold. If circumstances demand it he will even help to bring about the end. The circle must be maintained. The lives of millions of bacteria can end the lives of humans or other creatures. Life can take life. And if needs must, he will take all life away. His existence is known only to very few. Those who do know of him call him "The Master" but he gives himself no such title. He just does what he does, and when the time comes. He will begin his work anew.
The time is coming.
The agent of creation dwells in his singularity at the Time before the Beginning. Likewise, his opposite, the agent of destruction dwells in another singularity in the Time after the End. When the time comes, he will take the planets and galaxies away, to let the other agent create new ones in their stead. Even with his power of destruction, he cannot destroy this singularity which holds him. But, like the other, he views it not as a prison. But whereas the agent of creation must wait, this other, the agent of destruction will not wait. He will take an active role. It is what he was meant to do. The only way he knows. As before, he is not evil, nor good. He just is. He has destroyed existence many times before. And he's gotten very good at it. He will not destroy wantonly, nor quickly. There is always time. He has lived in a point without time for so long, he will savour the time that he is given to do his work. Like his brother, (And brother may be a word that can describe the relationship between the two agents) he is known only to a very few. Those who do know him feel compelled to give him a title also. They call him "The Crazy" He doesn't know why. He isn't even aware of it, and it wouldn't bother him even if he was. He's been called countless other names in the past. This is just one more added to the list. When the time comes, he will awaken like his brother and begin the work of eternity.
The time has come.
Deep in the singularity at the Time before the End, a tiny hole opens between it and reality. It is a point no larger than an atom but it is all he needs. The two agents are always separate in the intervening time. But for this, the latest Apocalypse, they will need to reunite. Only one key exists to the Time before the Beginning and the Crazy holds it. Rousing from the slumber that has lasted both for eternity, and also only a second, the agent of destruction turns and lets loose one shrill cry. A sound that cannot be comprehended by mortal minds but it spreads across time, space and realities faster than thought. It hits the Time before the Beginning with the force of ages and shatters it like a billion pieces of glass. The Master stirs and heeds the call. The two share a conversation that spans billions of light-years and billions of years. They will proceed as they have always done before. They will meet at the centre. At the point from which all life comes. Even they sprang from it in ages past. It is the only thing that exists that is older than they.
The Crystal.
The cry sped across time and space faster than light. It passed through all known worlds. Only a few highly skilled individuals picked it up, and even fewer knew what it meant, or what that cry heralded. Those who did not know felt shaken to their cores.
In the deepest corner of the Cerulean Cave, Mewtwo sat. He had not moved for years, so intent was he on his meditation. His psychic powers knew no equal on his world as he had sat, as still as a statue for over fifteen years. The few foolish Golbat who had dared attack him in his secluded chambers had paid dearly for their stupidity. Without even a gesture Mewtwo was able to rend them limb from limb as he would allow none to interfere in his training; and the other wild Pokemon had been clever enough to quickly learn to steer clear of the nameless terror that dwelt in the deepest cave. His heart beat less than once a day but his brain fired almost constantly. He was one of the few that were able to pick up the cry and upon receiving it, Mewtwo opened his eyes. It took him many minutes to get used to seeing with physical sight once more but he would bear it in order to better understand this new cry. Mewtwo was the cleverest being on the planet with one exception, but he did not know what he had sensed. And it scared him.
In the invisible pathways that lie between dimensions and timelines, few may travel safely. Of these travellers, one of them stands out for he is the only one who could know this cry for what it truly means and it is fortunate that he has intercepted the cry. Although he does not understand it, his ship does.
"So! Where to now?" The Doctor grinned pulling manically on a lever attached to the dashboard of the TARDIS. He pulled it a bit too vigorously and it snapped. It sent him crashing to the floor and the lever itself sailed through the air into the lap of his latest companion. Donna took the lever and handed it back to the Doctor who was picking himself off the floor. The Doctor took it and began reattaching it.
"Might need to go to a hardware store actually," the Doctor groaned trying to attach the lever with the sonic screwdriver but failing. He frowned for a second but quickly brightened up. The effect was instant, like flicking a switch. "Yeah! Interstellar hardware! How about that? It'd be great." Donna frowned and the Doctor's face fell. "Not so great?"
"You could show me all of space and time, and you want to take me to a hardware store?" Donna said firmly. The Doctor grinned again.
"Sure! Why not? Great place interstellar hardware stores. You never know what you could find. They've got everything. Edible paintbrushes, wallpaper that changes colour every time you look at it. I mean it's a bit weird at first but once you get used to it it's pretty neat. They've even got flat-pack furniture. Your boys back in IKEA didn't know what a breakthrough they'd had." And that was that. The Doctor descended into a stream of random babble about interstellar hardware and Donna couldn't help but smile and laugh at the situation. The Doctor grinned again and moved around to the computer to input the co-ordinates.
And then he noticed the little red light that had turned on over the main screen.
"Um, we may need to postpone that trip to the hardware store," he said slowly. "We might have a little bit of a problem."
In the ancient kingdom of Hyrule, the Princess Zelda awoke from a fitful sleep. Her dreams had been haunted again, and by now the princess had long since learned to trust her prophetic dreams. Hyrule had burned. It's people had been mercilessly slaughtered and all the while, two great shapes had hung in the sky, raining death onto her followers. She had not seen herself, or Link, but she knew that the two of them had to have been dead. Sweating, Zelda reached out and grabbed the rope by her bed that would summon her guardian. In two minutes, Impa flung open the doors and had rushed to the bed to comfort her princess.
"What is it my lady? Another nightmare?" Zelda could only nod as she cried into her guardian's shoulder. "What do you wish me to do?" Zelda took a few shuddering breaths and seemed to calm down.
"Find Link. I need to tell him. Something must be done." Impa nodded and motioned for the two guards stationed outside the door to go and find scouts. She turned back to Zelda and laid a hand on her shoulder.
"Was it Ganondorf again my lady?" Zelda shook her head.
"No. Something much, much worse."
In space, sound does not travel. But, floating on a charred piece of an ancient spacecraft, a creature arose from it's hibernation to listen to the cry. It was still grievously wounded but it heard the call and knew what it heralded. It's hive mind had assimilated much information over the creature's lifespan and this call was known to it.
"Now is time to face our fears, for the world we know is ending.
As cities burn, and soldiers fall, dead souls will need the mending"
The creature laughed with a guttural chuckle that died instantly in the vacuum of space. It turned to look at the stars, seeing them in a new light after hearing the cry.
"I shall send this message to both of you. But, will you do anything about it? Or will you both watch your worlds burn?" The creature laughed again as it continued to drift.
He was drifting alone in a warm sea. All around the sky flashed with green and pink swirls. Dusty brown clouds filled most of his vision. He sighed as the warm water covered him. If this was death, then it wasn't so bad. He closed his eyes. And allowed himself to drift.
"Wake up." It wasn't shouted. But he opened his eyes anyway. He'd recognised the voice and knew who he'd see. The man before him was wearing a suitably disapproving expression and glared at him over the top of his sunglasses.
"What do you want Auron?" Tidus asked sitting up. "It's enough you had to keep bugging me while I was alive. Can't you just leave well enough alone now I'm dead?" Auron smiled slightly and shrugged.
"You aren't dead. You were never alive. Come. The Fayth need us." Tidus sat up in the water. Or, at least, what felt like water.
"Them? What do they want? They already used me enough. Whatever's going on, count me out." Tidus crossed his arms and glared at Auron, who simply bent down, grabbed Tidus around the waist and started walking off.
"Darkness is coming. Yuna and the others will not be able to fight it on their own. They will need our help. Come." Auron said plainly. Tidus shook him off and stood up.
"Alright, alright! I'll come. But only to help Yuna, Understand?" Auron chuckled.
"Fine."
NOW, I PUT THIS PIECE HERE CORRECT?
The scrawny man nodded and a skeletal hand placed the final jigsaw piece into its correct slot. The picture was a fairly tasteful view of a seaside resort. Death looked at the picture and then turned to Albert.
AND NOW WHAT? Albert looked nonplussed for a moment before saying.
"Well, now you break up the picture and put it back in the box master." He indicated the jigsaw box helpfully.
WHY? Death asked.
"Well, cause you've finished the puzzle. Well done by the way." He added as an afterthought. Death looked impassively with blue eyes like supernovas at the jigsaw.
BUT IF I AM JUST GOING TO BREAK IT UP, WHY DID I PUT IT TOGETHER IN THE FIRST PLACE?
"Well, for the fun of it master. The challenge, especially with the sky." Death hadn't had any trouble with the sky. He'd done the entire 1000 piece puzzle in two minutes only hampered by the fact that his hands couldn't move faster. "Well, I guess not in your case sir." Albert conceded.
ALAS, IT APPEARS THAT…Death paused looking for the right word before settling on PUZZLES ARE JUST ONE MORE THING THAT I DO NOT UNDERSTAND ALBERT.
Then the cry arrived. Death's realm was not bound by the laws of physics and time and space didn't apply. As a result, the cry could very faintly be seen as a tiny line of rippling haze, like you see on a hot road, moving through the air. Death snatched it with one bony hand and held it to where his ear would be. After he had listened, he let it go and gave a small sigh.
SADDLE UP BINKY ALBERT. THIS MAY BE AN ALL-NIGHTER. Albert nodded and went to fetch the nosebag. When he reached the door he turned around.
"Er? Plague is it master?" he asked as he lifted the bag off the door.
NO Death said, Albert nodded and unlocked the door.
IT'S ARMAGEDDON. Albert paused for a second.
"Right. I won't wait up then."
Thanks very much for reading the first part of the story. Do not fret if you haven't seen your favourite series represented in this opening part. This is nowhere near the whole cast of the story. If you have any suggestions as to who you'd like to see in the story, drop me a line in your review but I will only use the suggestions that I feel I can write about. Also a special prize to anyone who can identify the creature mentioned in section 7. Thanks for reading and don't forget to review.
