Author's Note: WHOO! Chapter #10 is here! Man, I never though I would get this far with the story, but I have prevailed, and its thanks to YOU, the readers!
ON WITH THE STORY!
"John..."
"Wake up...John."
Master Chief opened his eyes and quickly sat up. He was still on the lounge couch from the study, but Zee was missing.
For that matter, everything was missing.
Chief quickly jumped off of the couch and looked in every direction. He was in an empty void of nothing but white. His footsteps echoed on what he believed to be the floor, even though it looked like he was still looking downwards into a white abyss.
"John..."
The Spartan spun around to look behind himself. Nothing was there.
"John..."
Master Chief faced forward and immediately jumped back in shock. Standing in front of him was a large, equine figure that had gold hooves, fin-like protrusions on it's neck, a wheel shaped object on it's midsection that had jewels on it, a face that was black, and it had eyes that were red on green.
It spoke in a female voice.
"John. It is good to finally meet you."
Master Chief took on a defensive stance. The equine creature only chuckled.
"You must not like being called 'John'. Perhaps you prefer 'John -117'? Maybe 'Spartan'? Or why don't I just call you what everyone calls you. 'Master Chief'."
"How do you know my name!"
The equine shook her head.
"I know many things about you, Master Chief. Past, present, but not future. That's Dialga's job."
The Spartan's stance didn't loosen an inch.
"Who are you?"
John felt like something was now gripping his entire body. He could feel it on his exposed head. John started to flail slightly as he was lifted off of the ground and was now floating towards the white equine until he was now close to her face, which was huge, now that he was close enough to her.
"I am the first... I am the beginning...The one who created all who govern all... I am the Alpha...I am..."
"Arceus."
The name barely escaped John's lips in a whisper.
Arceus nodded.
"Yes, Master Chief. I am the one who created all that exists in this universe. Though, I mostly just created the Legendary Pokemon, who in turn created everything else."
John struggled a little against the invisible force that seemed to be immobilizing him, but nothing happened.
"How do you know so much about me?"
The Alpha Pokemon gave a sly smile.
"You mean despite that fact that, no matter how much you've been trying to suppress your emotions and memories, you've been radiating them like, as the humans would say, a shockwave emitted by a large bomb?"
John was stunned.
"How did you-"
"Mew said that she could feel the distress in you heart when she got close to you. And Cresselia could see your memories in your dreams when you were asleep in the Forward Unto Dawn. You must have been so upset after all that had happened during the war."
Now John felt a little violated. He also felt confused on how this Pokemon new about the ship he had been sleeping in.
"You've been digging into my head?"
Arceus leaned her head in closer and spoke with a voice that sounded offended.
"No. It's more like you have been forcing them on us. Despite popular beliefs that the humans have, we Legendaries do sleep. And the emotions and dreams you have have been making things rather difficult for Darkrai and Cresselia. Neither of them have the power to travel into space to deal with your dreams. Deoxys could, but she doesn't have the powers to calm the mind. When she first found you in the Forward Unto Dawn, she told me about you."
Master Chief was about to speak, but was interrupted.
"Only the Legendaries capable of influencing the minds of others could sense your presence. In only two months, we had learned so much about your world. It's people, it's fighting, it's technology. All through your dreams."
John was brought closer to the Alpha's face, where she leaned forward more and gently rested the Spartan's forehead against her's. John was speechless.
"We have felt the anger you felt against the Covenant, the hate you harbored for the Prophets, the fear you had of The Flood, the sadness for the deaths of your fellow Spartans, and the regret you felt for the deaths of Captain Keyes, his daughter Miranda Keyes, and Sgt. Johnson."
John began to feel irritated.
"We all saw your friends and comrades as they fell. We saw and felt the pain that you went through when you first started in the Spartan Program. We felt your sorrow as you lost your memories as a child."
The Spartan couldn't control the anger that was now boiling inside of him like an angry serpent.
"It must have hurt you so mu-"
"YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT 'HURT' IS COMPARED TO THE PAINTHAT I FELT!"
Master Chief didn't care that he was showing more emotion than he would ever allow, he didn't care that he was yelling at the God who created this world, he didn't care that he felt the tears of hate and anguish rolling down his face.
"YOU DON'T KNOW THE PAIN I FELT WHEN I SAW MY FELLOW SPARTANS DIE BY THE HANDS OF THE COVENANT, THE LOATHING I HAD FOR THOSE DAMN PROPHETS AND THEIR ACCURSED LIES, THE ANGUISH OF HAVING TO REMAIN BEING THE STRONG ONE DESPITE BEING THE ONLY ONE OF MY KIND! I HAVE KILLED HUNDREDS IN ORDER TO WIN A WAR THAT WOULD JUST NOT END!"
Arceus, still holding the Spartan against her forehead, began to glow, then shrink until she was now about three feet taller than him. She could now stare evenly into his eyes.
She gave a small smile.
"There's the emotions you have suppressed for so long. Doesn't it feel better to have released all those feelings that you have kept bottled up?"
John looked back into Arceus's eyes with his teary and bloodshot ones. He sighed, using a now freed arm to dry his eyes. It felt as though a huge burden had been lifted off of him. He felt...calm...peaceful even.
"...Yes."
Arceus's smile grew.
"Good. Now that we got all of that out of the way, now we can discuss the reasons why I am here now."
John signaled for her to continue. She gently set him back onto what should be the ground.
"There are evil forces looking for you and Thel 'Vadam. The Arbiter, as he prefers. They wish to rule over this world, and they will use The Arbiter's technology to do it. I ask that you and your comrade retrieve and destroy that rescue ship's wreckage, before Team Galactic get's their hands on it."
John took a step forward.
"But then how are me and Arbiter supposed to get home without a ship?"
Arceus smiled.
"That is where I come in. When you successfully manage to salvage what you can and destroy the rest, you two, and your 'Artificial Intelligence', Cortana, can make your way to Mt. Coronet in the Sinnoh region. Dialga, Palkia, and I will attempt to send you two back to your home."
The Spartan narrowed his eyes.
"And why can't you simply send the two of us home and destroy the ship yourselves?"
Arceus sighed.
"We can't. As much as I and the Legendaries want to help, we are currently unable to do so. Team Galactic currently has Mt. Coronet on lockdown and they are currently watching over the area. They are waiting for me to make an appearance so that they can try to capture me. Even I can't take on an entire army of soldiers."
John nodded in understanding.
"I guess that makes sense."
"And the rest of the Legendaries can't risk exposure for too long. Having them looking for your ship is like wearing a giant target on their backs."
John thought long and hard about this proposal. He was being asked by what is God in this world to basically take on an entire organization with Arbiter by his side. This mission, he knew, wasn't going to be easy.
...And he liked it that way.
"...Okay."
Arceus looked deeply into Master Chief's eyes.
"We have a lot of faith in you and Arbiter. This mission requires a lot of commitment, courage, and determination."
John, for the first time in almost half a year, saluted to the God Pokemon.
His eyes burned with the fiery blaze that he hasn't had since he was still a young Spartan.
"You can count on me. But you'll need to see the Arbiter for his opinion on this mission."
Arceus smiled and bowed to the Spartan as the void became brighter and she started to fade away.
"If you ever need me, I'll always be in your dreams. Thank you, John."
Arceus disappeared and Master Chief was instantly blinded by the white light.
TO BE CONTINUED...sorry.