Welcome to my newest story, Wings of Oblivion!
This idea was commissioned to me by Recycler, and I have to say, he's been an immense help, clarifying ideas, and coming up with concepts.
Now, for those curious about how this and RWBY: Reckoning will coexist, here is your answer: This story and RWBY: Reckoning are their own continuities. At no point in time will they overlap, or intersect.
Now that that's out of the way, enjoy!
The sun beat into Ash's window, the beams of light forcing the boy's eyes to flutter open. He groaned, and rolled over, trying to get some more shuteye.
It had been five years since Ash had begun his journey through the Pokémon world, and to say it was the best time of his life was a gross understatement. Over the past five years, every moment had been a wonderful experience, making lifelong friends, rivalries which challenged everything he ever knew, and most importantly, having matured from a brash, headstrong trainer to a cool, clear-headed, and strategizing Trainer. But it became most apparent when one compared his battles of his first tournament, the Indigo League, to those of the Kalos League. Back then, when he placed 16th in the Indigo League, mainly due to his lack of control over his most powerful Pokémon at the time, his Charizard.
But in the Kalos League, it was an entirely different story. Every one of his Pokemon obeyed him without question, including Charizard, Greninja, and a large majority of his most powerful Pokémon. Playing his Pokemon's strengths, and covering their weaknesses, Ash slowly worked his way through the ranks of the Kalos League, until he was finally facing down another for the glory of 1st place, a trainer known as Alain. Ash smiled, thinking back to the battle.
"WELCOME BACK, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! DRAW YOUR EYES TO THE CENTRE BATTLEFIELD! WE'RE COMING CLOSE TO THE NAIL BITING CLIMAX OF THIS YEAR'S KALOS LEAGUE FINAL BATTLE! FOR THOSE OF YOU JUST JOINING US AT HOME, ON THE LEFT WE HAVE ASH KETCHUM FROM PALLET TOWN, ALL THE WAY IN THE KANTO REGION! HE HAS BEEN GIVING US QUITE A SHOW AGAINST HIS FORMIDABLE OPPONENT, ALAIN, OF LUMIOSE CITY! BOTH ARE DOWN TO THEIR FINAL POKEMON, AND WE AWAIT TO SEE WHAT WILL BE REVEALED. TRAINERS, ARE YOU READY?!"
Ash stared down Alain, a grin on his face. Alain just smirked, and held a Poke Ball aloft.
"Ready for this, Ketchum?" He asked. Ash punched the air, and cocked his fist.
"Bring it on, Alain! Let's see what you got!" Ash yelled back across the field. His foe smirked, and drew his fist back.
"Charizard! Show me your power!" Alain yelled, throwing the capsule skyward. As it glinted in the sun, it cracked open, releasing a stream of white energy. It cascaded to the ground, slowly taking form to reveal a winged lizard-like creature. With a billowing flame at its tail, and enormous wings, it seemed to resemble a large dragon. The white glow dissipated, revealing the creature's full body. It was primarily orange, with a cream belly, and on its head were two blunt horns, its eyes shining a brilliant electric blue. Around its neck was something resembling a necklace, but what truly drew one's eyes to it was a small, spherical stone cemented in the jewelry, about the size of a marble, which gleamed in the sun. Truly an intimidating opponent for some. But not Ash Ketchum.
"Well, isn't that a surprise! You too, huh?" Ash grinned. Alain gasped softly in surprise, clearly wondering what Ash meant by his words.
"Wait… you have a Charizard too?" He asked. Ash nodded, and raised a finger to the sky.
"Okay, buddy! Time for your grand appearance!" He yelled to the sky. As everyone looked, a dark shape blotted out the sun, causing a few spectators to scream in panic. The dark shape grew closer, until finally, it slammed into the rough terrain of the battlefield, creating a dust cloud. As the dust dissipated, a familiar body slowly became visible, until the cloud exploded away, revealing another Charizard, slightly larger than Alain's, with outstretched wings, and a cocky grin plastered on its face. It looked to the heavens, and emitted a mighty roar, causing the very stadium to rumble with tension.
As Alain inspected his opponent's Charizard, he noticed an unfamiliar sight: Ash's Charizard was wielding a piece of jewelry on its tail. And set in the band was a stone not unlike the one his own partner was wearing. He smiled.
"Well, this will be a battle for the ages. You want to pit your Pokémon's true power against mine?" He asked, grinning. Ash looked to him, and returned the grin.
"You bet, pal!" He yelled back, reaching for the brim of his cap, and turning it backwards, revealing a stone set in the hat, identical to the one on Alain's wrist. Alain raised his hand, and tapped the band on his wrist.
"Key Stone! Respond to my heart!" He yelled, the stone on his band now glowing with incredible power.
"Beyond evolution… MEGA EVOLVE!"
He punched the sky, holding the stone high above his head. As he did so, six yellow tendrils, glowing and comprised of pure energy, emerged from his wristband, and weaved around his Charizard. The stone embedded within the necklet also glowed, and more strands of power appeared, colliding with the Key Stone's tendrils, and connecting seamlessly. Alain's Charizard roared mightily, as he became coated in a crimson aura. Right as the power was seemingly about to explode, the crimson aura shattered, revealing Charizard. But it looked differently. Now it was a sleek black, and what was once red hot flames, now glowed an intense blue. With this power now overflowing, on both sides of Charizard's mouth were two small infernos. Its eyes had changed from blue to a dangerous-looking red. It stared down its foe, and roared to the heavens.
"UNBELIEVABLE! ALAIN'S CHARIZARD HAS EXPERIENCED A MASSIVE SURGE IN POWER! THIS IS NO LONGER CHARIZARD, BUT… BUT… MEGA CHARIZARD X!" The announcer yelled. The crowd murmured quietly, afraid of this new development. But Ash wasn't frightened. If anything, he was watching the spectacle in awe.
"Okay, now it's my turn! Key Stone, listen to my wish!" Ash yelled, tapping the stone on his cap. It glowed a similar yellow, and streams of power appeared from within, connecting directly with the stone on his Charizard's tail. Charizard howled with anticipation, as the crimson aura now enveloped him. Moments of tension passed, as the aura slowly crystalized into one gigantic cocoon. The audience whispered and murmured, afraid of what would happen next. But Ash wasn't done.
"Beyond maximum power… MEGA EVOLVE!"
Moments of tension passed, each more agonizing than the last, until finally, the crystal shattered, the fragments splintering to dust, as Charizard stood proudly. But like its opponent, it too had changed. Its body had become sleeker, and it appeared to have become taller. Its stout legs were replaced with muscular trunks, and its neck had elongated. Small wings had sprouted from its wrists, and the wings on its back had grown larger, and more streamlined. The flame on its tail still burned a brilliant orange, but it had grown larger, almost looking like a comet.
"So that's Charizard's alternate Mega Evolution… Mega Charizard Y…" Alain whispered to himself. The crowd watched in stunned silence for what felt like an eternity, before cheers began to erupt everywhere. They grew in volume, until finally, the audience's excitement was insuppressible.
"I DON'T BELIEVE IT! BOTH CHARIZARDS HAVE MEGA EVOLVED! THIS WILL BE AN INCREDIBLE BATTLE FOR THE AGES, FOLKS! NOW, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, LET THE FINAL BATTLE… COMMENCE!
While it was true that Ash had lost the battle, it was still an incredible experience for him. Charizard had achieved Mega Evolution, something he never thought would be possible. The battle lasted for what felt like hours, if not days, and the news went wild over the Mega Charizard Showdown for weeks afterward.
But after things had died down, Ash returned home to Pallet, while his partners, Clemont, his little sister Bonnie, and Serena, all went their separate ways. Now he was back home, and trying to catch up on some much needed sleep. But not if his best friend had something to do with it.
A small, yellow, mousey creature hopped up onto Ash's bed, and tottered over to the sleeping boy's face. The little creature had a small face, with big brown eyes, red circles on its cheeks, and two brown stripes on its back. But its tail was the most surprising feature: it was large, and jagged, like a lightning bolt. One might mistake this little creature for a pest, but they would be blind to the truth. This little creature was Ash's very first Pokémon, Pikachu, and his lifelong friend. Ever since Ash had protected him from a flock of bloodthirsty Spearow, Pikachu was forever loyal to the young man. Wherever Ash went, Pikachu would always be there for him.
"Pika…? Pika-chu?"
Pikachu tapped on Ash's nose with his tail, trying to coerce the young boy awake. But all that happened was Ash giving a quick snort, and rolling over, still sleeping. Pikachu just gave a quick huff, and hopped off of the bed, before turning back to Ash.
"Piii-kaaa-CHUUUU!"
With a loud yell, Pikachu curled up its body, squeezed the red circles on its cheeks, and unleashed a bright yellow jolt of lightning. The electricity arced up, and came crashing down on its target.
"AIIIIYAAAIIYAAH!" Ash babbled, twitching every which way as the electricity coursed through his muscles, until the violent jolt dissipated, and Ash rolled out of bed, crashing in front of Pikachu. As his eyes slowly opened, his first sight was Pikachu, looking mischievously innocent, and with sparking cheeks. Ash finally awoke.
"Good morning to you too, pal." He grinned, jumping to his feet, and picking up his small friend, giving him a pleasant scratch on the head. As Pikachu cooed in delight at the feeling, a knock sounded at the door.
"Ash! Are you awake yet?" yelled a female voice, that of his mother, Delia Ketchum. Ash sat on the bed, and continued to scratch Pikachu's head.
"Yeah, Mom! I'll be down in a second!" Ash yelled back, through the door.
"Be sure to change your underwear, dear!" Delia responded. Ash sighed in mock irritation.
"Top of my to-do list, mom!"
Ash stood in front of the mirror, wearing his traditional Kalos outfit, a blue jacket done up over a black tank top, and dark blue jeans, with black fingerless gloves and red sneakers. But instead of the cap Ash had worn to Kalos, he had dug his favourite cap out of his wardrobe, the one he had worn throughout his trips through Kanto and Johto. He looked in the mirror, adjusting the hat, until he was satisfied. Turning to Pikachu, he grinned, and winked.
"Looks good to you, buddy?" Ash asked. Pikachu returned the wink, and flashed a thumbs-up.
"Pika-chu!" came the response. Ash strode over, and knelt down, letting Pikachu climb up to his shoulder.
"Well, guess we should get started, huh?" He asked. Pikachu nodded, before motioning to the window, his eyes growing wide in a panic.
"Pi-Pika!" Pikachu cried out. Ash turned to look at what had Pikachu all riled up, before he saw a red streak coming straight towards him. Eliciting a yell of panic, he dived to the floor, as the dive-bomber streaked into his room, before pulling up, and resting on a rafter high above him. As Ash looked up, he saw his latest bird Pokémon, Talonflame, pecking at its plumage.
Talonflame was one of Ash's more powerful Pokémon, having been caught in Kalos when it was a Fletchling. Originally, it was mischievous and delighted in causing pranks, stealing food and leading Ash and his friends to a swarm of Beedrill. But after its capture, Fletchling began to mellow out, and accepted Ash and his friends as its own. Talonflame resembled an orange falcon, with a mottled gray lower body, and hard, red eyes that gave an iron gaze. One of Ash's fastest Pokémon, it was ideal for matches where speed was key.
"Tal-talonflame!" The falcon cried out, before fluttering down to Ash's level. Ash got to one knee, raising an arm for Talonflame to perch on. He winced as the bird rested on Ash's arm, its talons digging into his skin.
"Morning, Talonflame. What're you doing here? I thought you were meant to be at Professor Oak's." Ash asked. Talonflame said nothing, only extended its leg, revealing a small scroll of paper tied to it. Ash pulled it free from the falcon, and Talonflame fluttered down to the floor, right as Pikachu joined him. As the two began to play, Ash read the message.
To Ash,
Professor Oak has a surprise for you. I'll pick you up, and take you to him.
I look forward to seeing you soon.
Tracey
Ash smiled. Tracey Sketchit, his friend and former travelling companion from the Orange Island, now assistant to Professor Oak, was a person he hadn't seen in a while. Tracey often helped Professor Oak out with his research and rearing, tending to the Pokémon that stayed on the Oak ranch. Pocketing the scrap of paper, he got to his feet, and closed the window. Another knock at the door, Ash got to his feet, and opened it, revealing his mother.
"Morning, mom." Ash said, smiling.
"Good morning Ash. Tracey's here to see you. Shall I-"
*CRASH!*
Startled by the noise, Ash spun around, instinctively raising one hand, and reaching for a Poké Ball on his belt. Looking around revealed no sign of an attempted break-in, but another glance showed a dazed Talonflame lying flat on his back, it's eyes spinning wildly, and letting out a dizzy groan.
"Aw, nuts, I knew I forgot something!" He groaned, before opening the window, and letting Talonflame get his bearings, before thrusting him out the window. He flapped his wings, almost a little ungainly, before finally managing to shrug the impact off, and disappear into the skies above Pallet. Shutting the window again, he turned back to Delia.
"You were saying, Mom?" Ash continued. Delia shook her head and gave a smile.
"Tracey's here to see you. Are you ready to see him?" she asked. Ash nodded.
"Sure thing, mom. I'll be down in two secs." He responded. Delia smiled, nodded, and turned around, walking back down the stairs. Ash turned back to Pikachu, and signaled to him. Before Ash could blink, Pikachu was on his shoulder. Giving him a quick rub on the side of the head, the two walked out of the room, closing the door behind them.
Unbeknownst to the pair of them, a holy presence watched their interactions from on high, filling the sky, but unable to be seen. A quadruped resembling an equine, and ensnared with a golden wheel-like appendage around its belly, it looked hard at the land down below. It gave a happy growl, before exhaling with a hint of sadness.
Arceus, the god of all Pokémon, made a point of watching its creations amble merrily about the land. From the highest mountaintops, to the deepest oceans, Arceus saw everything. But for a very long time, extending back into the realm of ages long forgotten, Arceus had been distracted. And he knew the reason why.
Thousands of years ago, a great war erupted over the world, a war which seemed to persist without cessation. Mankind and Pokémon alike fought, and bled, as it seemed to last forever. Arceus desperately searched for a solution, without luck. But during the chaos of the battlefields, one such conflict resulted in the deaths of all participants. All but one.
A small, baby bird lay, chirping weakly. It was scared, lost, and alone. But more importantly, it was angry. Angry at the war which had claimed its family, friends, and life. Angry at the war which would go on, without acknowledging the deaths of innocent lives. Angry at the world's inhabitants, who were more content to fight battles over the most trivial of reasons, rather than lay down arms and accept one another. And in its rage, surrounded by so much death and destruction, it absorbed the life-force of everything around it. The process was not gentle, nor was it subtle. Fires were smothered, plants withered, and bodies crumbled to dust, as this small bird drew in everything around it.
A terrible spectacle, for certain. It could only be described as a whirlwind, the gales of death smothering everything in its path. Finally, it was done. But the bird looked around at the destruction it had caused. The dead trees, the dust and echoes of soldiers and Pokémon. Everything was gone, never to be revived. Faced with the horrors it had inflicted, it wept. Wept for its terrible power, the power to absorb life from everything around it. Wept for all the destruction it had managed to inflict. Wept for having a darkness it could never hope to control.
The bird took wing, trying desperately to find sanctuary where peace was the only rule. But no matter where it flew, battles were emerging. And no matter how it tried, every flap of its wings absorbed more and more life force, ending every conflict with desolation, and razing the land. It didn't want this. Inflicting death was not its desire. It wanted to hide, to fade away. But it had no choice. Death and destruction followed closely behind this creature.
Arceus sighed, and thought back to that meeting with the bird in its mind.
The bird rested its tired wings on a large branch, trying desperately to get its breath back. Why? Why did everything around it have to die? It just wasn't fair! It let out a tired growl, frustrated with its power. It wanted it gone. It didn't want anyone to suffer. But it just wasn't capable of stopping.
"YOU, WHO STAND IN DEFIANCE OF THE CYCLE OF LIFE. YOU ARE ACCUSED OF INFLICTING UNTOLD SUFFERING ON INNOCENT LIVES. WHAT SAY YOU?"
The voice echoed endlessly in the creature's ears. It looked up, trying to find the one who was talking to it.
"I SAY AGAIN, YOU STAND ACCUSED OF INFLICTING UNTOLD SUFFERING ON INNOCENT LIVES. WHAT SAY YOU?"
The creature's skull throbbed with the deep voice. It let out a caw, trying to tell the voice that it wasn't capable of speech. But the voice paid it no heed.
"YOU SAY YOU CANNOT SPEAK, BUT I KNOW THIS TO BE UNTRUE. WHAT SAY YOU NOW, WHELP?"
The creature cawed again, before words formed in its head. Unfamiliar ones, ones that its tongue could not pronounce. Maybe it could still communicate by… speaking with its mind?
"I am… I am… What am I?"
"YOU DO NOT HAVE A NAME? THEN I WILL DUB THEE… YVELTAL. A SUITABLE NAME FOR ONE SUCH AS YOURSELF. NOW, WHY DID YOU KILL ALL THESE INNOCENT CREATURES?"
"I… killed them? But… but… I don't know how I-"
"LIES! YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LOSS OF ALL THESE INNOCENT LIVES! NO BEING WOULD MISTAKINGLY PERFORM SUCH A CRUEL ACT! NOW, ANSWER ME THIS: WHY REVEL IN SUCH DESTRUCTION?"
"Wh… what? I… I don't-"
"YOU ARE A MONSTER, YVELTAL. A MONSTER THAT ONLY SEEKS TO ABSORB ALL LIFE. I CANNOT ACCEPT THIS. HOOPA!"
Before the creature, a small hole appeared, hovering in midair. It grew larger, until it was about the size of a cave opening. From within was a swirling vortex of energy. And within that vortex was a small… creature. It looked like an imp, with a mischievous smile, and coloured pink and purple.
"What is it, boss?"
"THIS… CREATURE… HAS COMMITTED A VILE ACT. I REQUIRE YOUR AID."
The small imp sighed.
"Another banishment? Okay, but this is getting old fast."
"DO NOT ANTAGONIZE ME FURTHER, WHELP. YVELTAL, I HEREBY CAST YOU FROM THIS WORLD. YOU ARE TO NEVER RETURN, LEST I WILL INFLICT A MILLENIA OF ETERNAL SUFFERING UPON YOU. NOW, GO!"
The creature looked up, as the portal that had summoned the imp grew ever larger, until finally, it dwarfed the creature. The portal began to pull violently, causing the bird to shriek and panic wildly. The voice growled, and the bird felt itself growing weaker, and weaker. Slowly, but surely, the portal enveloped the bird, and its wings wrapped around its body, giving the appearance of a cocoon. Hoopa clicked his tongue, and the portal collapsed into a ring, which quickly hung itself on one of Hoopa's horns.
"Y'know, I don't think banishment was necessary, O mighty one."
"SILENCE. THIS PETTY SQUABBLE WAS NOT TO END IN SUCH DESTRUCTION. NOW, HELP ME SEEK A BEING WORTHY OF REJUVINATING LIFE TO THIS LAND."
In that single moment of arrogance, anger, and naivety, Arceus had banished Yveltal for a crime he had no control over. Every moment Arceus thought back to that day, he hated himself. Yveltal was merely a child blessed with a terrible power. Arceus should have known better. After all, he was once in a similar state of youth and cursed with great power.
For eons, Arceus had thought about rescinding Yveltal's banishment, welcoming him back into the Pokémon world with a sincere apology. But he had other duties. He could not abandon his post, watching over all creation. But since his encounter with Ash, the boy who had returned the Jewel of Life to the Pokémon god, Arceus had begun to think that there would be hope for Yveltal yet.
It all depended on if the boy would help correct such a foolish error that should never have been made.
Within the darkness of the void, a large cocoon lay waiting. It had been watching for 1,000 years, hating all those who had seen fit to judge it as a monster. But now that time was up. And Yveltal wanted revenge. On Hoopa, on Arceus… everyone. They would all pay dearly. Every second in this hellhole was to be repaid in kind.
Before him was a glowing light. A way out. It didn't look anything like what home had once been like. Instead of thatch buildings and crops, there were castles, train tracks, and a shattered moon in the sky. But it mattered little to him now. Yveltal slowly inched closer and closer to the portal, grinning malevolently all the while.
Arceus had called him a monster. Well, he thought, as he plunged into the light…
Time to show that almighty "god" how much of a monster he could be.