"Are we ready?" Medusa asked. She was standing on a hill just outside of the largest forest in all the Zones of Nature. The battle royal was only a day away, and she was busy preparing her strategy.
"We're ready as we're gonna get," Mario said. The Poliwrath flexed his muscles to stretch the tension out of them. He seemed calm, but Medusa knew better. He was nervous, as were all the Pokémon under Medusa's command. She could tell from the way the occasionally looked at the forest, as if expecting something to charge out of it at any moment. They all did it when they thought others weren't watching. Some of them shared small quips about the coming battle, often followed by nervous laughter.
She had more support than she had expected. There were the Gigalith, Ford and Decker with ten Boldore. They had brought a pair of Forretress, Marie and Germain, who were commanding two-dozen bug-types. A Throh named Kyuzo, and a Sawk named Tenshin had taken command of a group of twenty-four fighting-types to support Medusa's cause. They were all disciples of Lord Gallah, and were all eager for a fight.
Sixty-five fairy-types had followed Sassy into the battle royal. The Granbul champion stood in the forefront of the small army, her purple, unembroidered cape blowing in the gentle wind. Mario, a particularly strong Poliwrath, had brought a number of water-types equal to Sassy's fairy-types. He and his brother, a Politoed named Luigi, were perspective champions themselves. Luigi was nervous about taking up the challenge required to gain the title though, and Mario was determined that they take it together. Medusa had convinced them that if they managed to reach their destination together, then they should take up the quest to conquer the four zones of nature and become champions.
Royce, the troublemaking Toxicroak, had brought fifty-two poison-types all approved by Lady Rose. He and his cousin Conor, a bulky Seismitoad, were laughing and joking among their poison-type followers. Yet, for all these numbers they were still outmatched fifty-to-one by each of their rival groups.
"Are you all prepared?" Lord Bartholomew asked. He was watching her organize her fighters from a line of trees several yards away. He approached with her children next to him. They were packed tightly around the young lord, and quite relaxed.
"We are," Medusa said. She couldn't help but smile to see how well her children had taken to Bartholomew. "I wish you could stay, my lord."
Medusa frowned. It was painful saying goodbye like this. Her children frowned too, their eyes wet with tears. She had comforted them the night before, but it was still difficult to see Bartholomew off to battle.
"I wish I could, too," Lord Bartholomew said. "But the princesses have come to a compromise with our allies. The original plan goes forward, with some significant changes. The Cybertronians and the human heroes hope to strike at the heart of the conflict and stop it with this mission. Our side isn't so sure that's possible. We'll give them all the support we can, but our goals aren't the same. The greater part of our force will be fighting to free Equestria from Unicron's clutches."
"Good luck, Bartholomew," Medusa said. She hugged him tightly, as did her children. She didn't want to let him go, but she knew she had to. He hugged her back, and she could feel his desire to stay in the tightness of his grip. Eventually, though, she kissed him on the cheek and they separated. "Be safe."
"Thank you," Bartholomew said. He was blushing. "I will return to you. I promise."
He paused awkwardly, his hands grasping the air as if their emptiness felt strange and uncomfortable. Then, with a final nod of his head, he turned and left. Medusa wiped away the tears in her eyes, and sighed. Her children gathered around her, and gave her a comforting hug.
"I want to go with you," Jone said, her arms crossed in frustration as she glared at a nearby tree. Her brother was next to her, a proud smile on his face.
"You could, if you wanted to," Gallah said. "Dorris can't force you to stay."
"I made a promise, though," Joan said, though there was hesitation in her voice as if she didn't want to believe her own words. "Promises shouldn't be broken."
"It's good you're staying. I get the feeling you're needed here. I can't say what might happen, but my intuition tells me it's good for you to stay. You feel it too, don't you?"
"I do," Joan sighed. "As did Dorris, though that wasn't her primary reason. She was worried I'd be killed if I went. She had a vision similar to the one I had for Charles. I agreed to her promise partly because… I just feel like I'm needed here, somehow. But Dorris' vision could be wrong, as could my intuition and yours. We could all be wrong. It could be that I play a vital role to this mission, and we fail if I stay."
"It's our curse to second guess ourselves," Gallah said with a small chuckle. "The psychic-types of God's Breath have perfected the art of seeing the future as closely as we can, but for all our skill it's still an unknown that we're compelled to question. Will our visions really come true? Is the awful fate we just foresaw for our friends and family really meant to happen? Are we right to try and stop it? The thought is terrible, but could their deaths be necessary? Did we miss something in that vision? Is there something we should have done differently in response to the future we foresaw? These second guesses… these questions are the primary reason we suffer casualties during heavily predicted battles."
"Or is the reason we suffer losses that we just aren't fast enough?" Joan said, voicing the other side of the argument. "Seconds in a battle cost lives. Seeing the future and making sense of it take time. It's filled with confusion, even without second guesses. With so many creatures doing so many different things, both on the battlefield and off of it, it's often impossible to tell where a chain of events begins and ends. Then there's the need to analyze all of the various outcomes of every possible decision. To do it in a manner that even comes close to being perfect, how many thousands… how many millions of psychic-types would we need? Would it ever be enough?"
"The current consensus among the Slowking College is that… we don't know," Gallah said, with a heavy sigh. He was still smiling, but there was a sorrow in his heart that was shared by all the leaders of God's Breath. They all mourned those who died under their command. "There are always nagging questions about what more we could have done, especially among us psychic-types. We can't know these things for sure, and so we must simply do our best. That's what Master Satori said when he lectured us on this topic last, wasn't it?"
"It was," Joan said softly. She gave her brother a tight hug. "Please, just be safe."
"I will," Gallah responded as he returned her hug. "I will do my best."
The next day started early for everyone involved in the battle royal. The teams gathered around the edge of the forest, awaiting the call to start. High in the sky sat a stadium made of clouds. It had been built by one hundred pegasus ponies, and enchanted by Princess Cadance to let wingless creatures walk on it. In the center of the stadium were four gigantic viewing screens, operated by Pikachu and Pichu. They were connected to the thousands of camera drones that flew through the forest below to bring the images of the fight to the spectators in the stadium.
"Is there something wrong Quincy? Xiao?" Mistress Ceto asked as she glanced over her shoulder at the two Decidueye that stood to attention behind her. They had been a bit distracted all morning.
"N-no," Xiao said. He was the oldest of the Decidueye, and an influential leader among their kind. Though younger, Quincy had almost as much respect as his elder for his skill in leading others. "I just wonder at your decision to hold us here, Mistress. We were supposed to help Princess Celestia and Princess Twilight Sparkle in their assault on Gorilla City. If I may ask ma'am, why did you hold us back? We would have been great assets to their plan."
"You would have been," Mistress Ceto said with a sly smile. "But you're both rather cute, and Gallah was busy. Besides, I'm sure Yue will handle things effectively."
"The boy is an excellent shot, that is true," Xiao said, his voice tensing as a pang of worry stabbed his heart. "But he tends to freeze…"
"Papa!" Archi yelled as he soared over to land on Xiao's shoulder. Poe repeated his friend's cry of joy, but he was focused on Quincy. The young Rowlet perched atop their father's shoulders and gave them both a tight hug.
"Where are your human friends?" Quincy asked his son.
"They left us here," Poe said. The tiny Rowlet frowned sadly at the thought. "Miss Medusa already told Leon he couldn't go. Twilight and the other girls agreed. They said the next part is too dangerous, but…"
"But nothing," Quincy said. "They were right. It would be far too dangerous for them too, if not for their Rainbow Power. Now, go find your seats with your friends."
The Rowlet obeyed.
"Do you doubt your eldest son's capabilities?" Mistress Ceto asked Xiao a minute later. Archi was talking excitedly with his friends now. They were too focused on the coming battle to hear the conversation.
"No," Xiao said. He smiled as he watched his youngest son talk to his friends. "I suppose not. The boy is good and he tends to freeze up when something doesn't go his way. It's a habit of our kind that I've sought to train him out of, but I will have faith in him. He's not alone, afterall."
Mistress Ceto smiled and turned her attention back to the battlefield preparations being displayed on the screens overhead.
"Are you sure this will be suitable for Flurry Heart?" Princess Cadance asked as she sat between Mistress Ceto and Lady Welshi several minutes later. Xiao and Quincy bowed to her, and spread themselves out a bit further to act as her guardians as well.
"Sure it will!" Lady Welshi said, from her seat atop her Venusaur attendant, Morrison. Though she walked with a limp now and she had trouble moving quickly, the Whimsicott's recovery had been miraculous. "No one will be seriously hurt. It's Pokémon Battle Rules! Those who are deemed unable to fight will be removed from the battlefield and their injuries will be treated."
"I don't see why everyone thinks this is necessary. Couldn't they settle their differences over tea?"
"That would be more pleasant under normal circumstances, but the two gangs hate each other. Tea would erupt into a Pokémon battle regardless."
"The winner earns the right to fight Charles," Mistress Ceto said. "That is a powerful incentive for all three groups. This will be a wonderful event, but I'm still not sure you should be out of bed, Welshi."
"I'm fine, mistress! Honest," Welshi said. She leapt to her feet and did a little dance atop Morrison's back, but she was unsteady. She quickly lost her footing, and fell. Morrison caught her with his vines and sat her back down on the wooden chair he had strapped to the top of his flower. Mistress Ceto frowned in concern and disapproval.
"I'm amazed you can do that much after the injuries you sustained from fighting Charles," Cadance said. Flurry Heart was sitting in front of her, playing with a purple, stuffed bear. "And now all those other Pokémon want to fight him? They must know how strong he is."
"They do," Welshi said, her voice softening a bit. "They also know what he did to me. I mean, I'm a Whimsicott! We can scrunch our bodies, organs and all, down so much we can fit through any gap! Do you know how much force it takes to burst one of our lungs? Or break our bones? Or squeeze our nervous system until the tissues rip apart? I do. Charles does too, and every Pokémon down there knows what he did to me. That's…"
She paused for a moment, her heart suddenly filled with pain and fear. She wiped the tears from her eyes and struggled to put her happy smile back in place.
"All sides in this battle have voiced their desire to avenge you, my dear," Mistress Ceto said, soothingly. "They seek to avenge us all on Charles for what he's done to us."
"But he apologized!" Welshi said. "And I forgave him. I could tell he was sincere. I don't want to see any of them hurt. Not even Charles."
"Think of this as the last big step toward forgiveness," Mistress Ceto said. "I think it will do us all some good."
"I hope so," Cadance replied. "A society with such resentment in their hearts is doomed to tear itself apart."
"Which is exactly why we allow these battles, dear Cadance. Do you see the wisdom now?"
"I think I do," Cadance said as she lifted Flurry Heart off of the ground and set her next to Welshi. The baby alicorn gave Welshi a hug to help cheer her up. Welshi pulled some cotton from her hair, made a makeshift doll and they began playing together. Then, the Princess of Love flew to the small stage underneath the viewing screens to announce the beginning of the match.
Princess Celestia was in no condition to fight. Mage Meadowbrook had forbid her from taking part in the action, so she sat in a chair in the caves of the planet they were using to assault Unicron's Throne. Before her was a holographic table that projected the battlefield; a gift from the primes. She would direct her forces from here alongside Lady Dorris and her psychic circles.
"I was told you wouldn't be fighting with us, Lord Micronus," Lady Dorris said. The Meowstic purred as she watched the prime curiously.
"I spoke to the other primes," Micronus said. "We are all taking part in this assault. They will come with the majority of our forces and I will join them. Vector Prime is already making preparations."
"Lord Megatron jumped at the chance strike at Unicron directly," Celestia said. "He wasn't even bothered that I'm using him as a distraction. He honestly believes he can end this threat here and now."
"We have enough firepower to do significant damage, what with the human heroes and that green planet they brought," Micronus said. "When combined with our own weaponry, we may be able to crush both Unicron's army and Darkseid's. There is the problem of the third force, though. That God of War, Ares, and his endless army of the dead. He's been stoking the flames of this conflict on both sides ever since he entered. It's only escalated since his arrival, with no end in sight. Then, of course, there's the fourth threat you spoke of when earlier…"
"The nightmares from the Dark Multiverse are being dealt with. Their plans will be extremly difficult to accomplish, and they are dealing with forces they have no knowledge of. We have the advantage."
Megatron flew alongside a horde of spirits, high in the atmosphere of the planet that the Primes had captured. They were one of many such hordes, providing extra protection for this planetary base of operations. They were the second line of defense, as well. Out in space were their fellow spirits, forming a massive tide of souls that flew through the void by the will of the god they called Palkia. They took the form of the strange creatures Megatron had seen in the city of God's Breath during his brief visit. As he had walked to the palace for the war council, he had marveled at the diversity of its citizens. Now, next to these strange phantoms, he couldn't help but feel unnerved.
"It's strange," Lord Megatron said to the smokey, three-eyed creature beside him. "The ones in your city actually registered on my sensors as organic."
"That's because they were," Master Trickster said. The Mega Gengar's grin never faltered, and his third eye never lost sight his destination, far in the distance. However, his other two eyes had never left Megatron.
"What are you creatures then? Why are the ones here non-organic while those in your city were?"
"When you die, you're supposed to leave your body behind. What you see here are the Forces of Destruction; poor, pitiful Pokémon who died unfairly and tried to hold onto the forms they had in life. So, Dark Arceus let them. Though purely spirit, they maintain a composition resembling their previous bodies. Even their types remain the same as they were in life. The only difference is that they're dead!"
Trickster broke out in laughter, but the Transformers around him couldn't see the joke.
"You unsettle them, brother," Lord Ra said as he and his wife floated down to Trickster's side. The large Cofagrigus and his Froslass consort wore many jewels that glimmered strangely in the darkness. "We want them to be brave going into battle, not worried and fearful."
"They're supposed to be powerful, merciless conquerors but they fear death like all the living," Master Trickster said, scornfully.
"That's no reason to tease them," Sakura said. The Froslass hid a smirk behind her hand as she glanced over at Megatron. "There's nothing wrong with being afraid, though I'm a bit surprised a 'brave' warlord like Megatron would show such emotion."
The Decepticon Warlord yelled angrily and swung at her, but his arm went through her body harmlessly.
"You're right!" Trickster said. "If we had the same destination, I'd offer to hold their hands. Perhaps we can send some Haunter to accompany them as bodyguards."
The ghost-type leaders broke out in laughter.
"I'll withdraw my forces now if you don't cease this insulting behavior," Lord Megatron said, his voice tight and seething with anger.
"And miss the glory of such a battle?" Lord Ra said, condescendingly. "You and your Decepticons would be called cowards for generations. The ponies of Equestria and their neighboring kingdoms are taking part in this assault. You would flee when they would stay?"
A mighty roar echoed through the air. Far below them flew Torch and five hundred of his full-grown dragons. One thousand smaller dragons flew around them, and at the head of the flight was Dragon Lord Ember. Alongside an army of other flyers, from Hippogryphs and Gryphos to various species of Pokémon, they were the third line of defense.
"Then again," Master Trickster said. "Perhaps it's better if we handle this situation without you, Lord Megatron. You're free to return to the safety of your homes."
"When this is over, I will find a way to kill you," Megatron said, his voice low and furious. "I don't care if you're already dead. I will find a way!"
Trickster, Ra, and Sakura laughed as the Decepticon Warlord transformed into his jet mode and flew off to another part of the formation. His warriors followed with angry grumbles and glares.
"I see it," Optimus Prime said. "There, in the distance. We are seven light-years away. At our current speed, we should arrive in twenty minutes."
"There they are," Lio Convoy said, his voice low and awestruck. "The two gods, Unicron and Darkseid. They sit upon their thrones, larger than suns, staring down at the planet below where their avatars fight each other for dominance. Their entire essence is poured into those avatars. The massive bodies that watch are their astral forms; the true representations of their beings."
"Our destination is the astral form of Unicron, which holds a thread to our universe," Princess Luna said. She sat atop the noble Optimus Prime's shoulder. Next to them sat Lio Convoy in his white lion form. "I'm surprised your eyes can see so far away."
"Our optic sensors are quite advanced, and have evolved over the eons alongside our technology. Though not practical for most combat situations, we are capable of high levels of magnification."
"Majesty," one of the Canterlot guards said as he came to hover in the air next to the princess. "We have our first battlefield report, courtesy of the Autobot scouting team. There is an unforeseen battlefield condition."
"What is it?" Princess Luna asked.
"There seems to be some disorder in the ranks of the enemy. The three armies that are fighting have all suffered large numbers of deserters. Those deserters have gathered together to form their own army. It seems to be focused on the defense of a large necrotitan from Unicron's army."
"That is impossible," Lio Convoy said. "Unicron's forces would never turn against his command. They are bound by his will, unable to disobey even if they wanted to."
"The same can be said for the Parademons and the undead that follow Ares," Superman said, as he floated down to hover next to the princess. "They serve only their masters."
"There seems to be some sort of music emanating from the titan they protect," the Canterlot Guard said. "Whatever comes close is either destroyed, or falls into ranks with the deserters. One of our scouts was hypnotized by it, and had to be forcefully dragged away."
"Oh my," Discord said. He had been hovering around the treetops just above Optimus Prime's head. "I know where I'm going first!"
"Discord," Princess Luna yelled. "We need you for our assault!"
"You have the Creation Trio," Discord said, pointing up at the sky where the newly crowned kings of God's Breath could be seen flying just outside of the atmosphere. They were at the front of the formation, pulling the planet and the Pokémon shades with them as they traveled. "You'll be fine. Besides, while they're engaging those astral forms, I can help our new friends distract their armies. It'll be fine!"
He popped out of view, transporting himself to the battlefield instantly. Luna sighed.
"Good luck, my friends," Luna said as she took to the sky to rally her troops. Celestia would be ready by now. Soon, this planet would be filled with the sounds of battle. Defenders could be seen hiding in the foliage, preparing for the invasion. Ponies and soldiers from their many allied kingdoms, as well as the Pokémon of God's Breath, were all preparing to hold their ground.
"Good luck," the primes responded. As Luna left Optimus' shoulder, Micronus' ship flew up from the surface to fetch the primes and carry them to the battlefield. Time and space rippled in the void, visible from the captured planet. Cybertron and its colony worlds appeared, surrounded by hundreds of thousands of ships. Every Lantern Corps lifted off of Oa, flying out in space to begin their assault on Unicron and Darkseid. They were so close now that the world where the two titanic gods fought could still be seen. It was a massive planet from the Dead Universe, and it was being drowned in warfare.
That view soon vanished, though. As the superheroes and the Transformers made their way to the primary battlefield, the endless tide of souls surrounded the lone world that belonged to them and guided it to the Throne of Unicron.