Draco: You have no idea how much strength it took me to actually decide to work on this. I royally fricked up Legend of Ransei and just sunk into despair.

Pokémon and protagonist © Nintendo. Character designs © Koei. Ransei © somewhere in the middle.

Shining Ruins: The Army of Ransei

For a moment, Ina was certain that her memories were bleeding into her perception of the present. Here she stood, before a mighty legendary Pokémon that she knew she could not overcome - just as she had been so long ago. Surely, then, that she heard that roar again was nothing happening around her; it was her memory resonating with the familiar circumstances.

But then the Alpha turned its head towards the sound.

Slowly, the gathered Warriors and Pokémon all followed its gaze. Standing in the rubble of what had once been the colosseum was a tunnel of light; a row of shining arches in parallel, with the furthest one containing a starry rift. From it emerged a quadrupedal figure - a dragon in plates of steel, with iron horns extending parallel up its helm and claws to stand on equal with the finest blades in Ransei. Upon its back was a massive plate like a gear, and where its neck met its body was covered by a heavy chestplate, with a diamond set into its heart.

Time emerged from the tunnel, its steps heavy and firm. As it stepped away from the last arch, four figures descended from its back - four figures that Ina recognized. A Metagross, an Aggron... and two Warriors in heavy plate mail, carrying polearms of vastly different girth.

"Lord Ieyasu-? Father!"

She and Empoleon charged forward, astonished, and the Valoran Warriors advanced to meet her halfway as Dialga advanced to Arceus' side. "Ina," Tadakatsu greeted. "To think you would stand against an opponent such as this... I couldn't be prouder."

"What are you doing here?"

Evia's query, in that empowered voice, sent a shock through Tadakatsu; Ieyasu flinched at recognizing it, but maintained his composure a bit better as he responded. "The Time Traveller told us of the battle you had found yourself in," he replied. "Surely you won't reprimand her for calling for aid, under circumstances such as this?"

"W-Will it be enough?" Ina asked. "The two of you, and Time...?"

Tadakatsu smirked. "Who said it would only be the two of us and Time?"

Another cry emerged from the passage behind them - a much bolder, truer cry that blazed as it terminated. From the tunnel of light emerged a figure in vast white; feathered wings trailed from its arms, two brilliant plumes trailed from its helm, and its tail looked like a mighty brazier. The White Yin swept its wings forward to slow its flight, and three figures descended from its back - or rather, four figures, a Crobat keeping a ninja aloft on its four wings as an Infernape descended alongside a Warrior in a brilliant white coat.

"Lord Hideyoshi!" Hanbei exclaimed. "Lady Nene!"

"Hey, boys!" Nene greeted, releasing Crobat to land at Hideyoshi's side. "Hanzō says thanks for not dragging him along with you!"

Kanbei regarded Hideyoshi in astonishment; his coat and cape were donned over a full chestplate, and his helmet's prongs had become crystalline. "What in the world...?"

"Never thought I'd see another one again, either!" Hideyoshi admitted. Then he turned to Evia, pulling apart his sansetsukon, and called out, "Got yourself in quite the situation, haven't you, cutie?!"

Evia tried to glare, but the smile on her face made her expression too soft to be reprimand, even with the golden glow in her eyes.

Hideyoshi recognized it for what it was, and laughed. "I know, I know!"

One more cry sounded from the passage of time - a piercing cry that had once challenged the Alpha upon Infinity. A long figure extended out of the tunnel, black as night, though lined with emerald patterns; the moment its tail was free, it curved upward into the air as the passage vanished, curling into a move combative position. Two figures separated from the crest upon the Sky Demon's head - or rather, three figures, a Hydreigon carrying a Warrior in black, purple and gold, and the Time Traveller who had called them here - while two more descended from its tail - a Lucario, and a Warrior with a zanbato.

"Brother!" Oichi cried, charging forward. "Ranmaru!"

Hydreigon descended towards her, allowing Nobunaga to leap off. "I hope we are not too late to contribute."

As Ranmaru drew near, Oichi saw a familiar makeshift necklace around his neck - and realized that Lucario was carrying a small, egg-shaped stone. "You're wearing your-"

"I think this situation calls for it," Ranmaru observed, "don't you?"

Nobunaga smirked, drawing his longsword and turning to Evia, whom the Time Traveller had approached. "So," he observed, drawing their attention, "now you find yourself opposing such a powerful legend."

"...But legends can be overcome. With an army mighty enough."

Evia's words earned a nod from the Dragnoran Warlord. "Yes. And we will be that army." He raised his gaze to Arceus, and found the Alpha's gaze upon him. "Will you accept Nobunaga's aid?"

So long as it sincere, it is welcome.

Arceus turned to face Eternatus again; the titan loosed its terrifying cry, and power began to gather in its grip as before. This time, the Alpha's opposition was not alone - Dialga, Reshiram, and Rekkūza stood at its sides, and when that terrible blast descended towards them, they all acted to oppose it. Dialga roared, the sound projecting a terrifying power with all the force of Time itself; the brazier of Reshiram's tail ignited as a searing Blue Fire was propelled forward; Rekkūza opened its maw, and a ferocious Dragon Pulse was launched forth.

The three attacks converged on the oncoming beam, warring with it for just long enough that Arceus could retaliate. This time, the light struck Eternatus from within, rays of divine light bombarding across its coil; the beam faltered, and the three dragons' attacks surged forth, slamming into Eternatus' palm and causing it to recoil.

"Yes!" Nobunaga roared.

Unfortunately, Eternatus would not be dissuaded so easily. Its fingers splayed, and from the tip of its outermost and its center was launched a narrower beam - one much like those it had fired before its empowerment. They soared in trigram around the Shining Ruins, and each found a target; after a moment, Dynamax began to swell at the site of each impact, and three mighty Pokémon were made victim to new-forged Dark Storms - a Dragonite, a Tyranitar, and a Garchomp.

"More?!" Naotora exclaimed. "Now!?"

Naomasa turned to Evia. "What do we do?"

"Fend them off! Keep them at bay - however long it takes to deal with Eternatus!"

"Yes, Lady Evia!"

Hanbei, Kanbei, Raichu, and Chandelure led Hideyoshi, Nene, Infernape, and Crobat towards the Dragonite; Ina, Nobuyuki, Empoleon, and Emboar led Ieyasu, Tadakatsu, Metagross, and Aggron towards the Tyranitar; Naomasa, Naotora, Togekiss, Lopunny, and Audino led Nobunaga, Ranmaru, Hydreigon, and Lucario towards the Garchomp. Dialga, Reshiram, and Rekkūza remained with Arceus, and now Evia, Oichi, Espeon, Wigglytuff, and Celebi joined the legendary Pokémon in facing Eternatus.

"You shall not have Ransei! We will defend this land of Warriors and Pokémon with every drop of blood, every mote of flesh, every inch of steel! If you will not return peacefully to Galar, you will return in pieces to be brandished!"

Arceus stood its ground, hooves planted firmly upon the earth; the others broke ranks, Rekkūza and Reshiram flying to opposite flanks as Dialga charged forward. Eternatus clearly felt a different approach was necessary, as a more familiar power began to gather around it; it thrust its hand towards Dialga, who braced itself as a massive plume of flame seared forth from Eternatus' palm, searing over its body with enough intensity to drive Time to its knees and filling the air with an unpleasant heat.

Reshiram retaliated with a blast of Blue Fire from the side, slamming into the back of Eternatus' hand, and as it turned towards the White Yin, Rekkūza loosed a Dragon Pulse into its wrist. The titan decided that Rekkūza was the greater threat, lashing its hand out in the Sky Demon's direction; light began to gather on the earth below, and then ascended heavenward in a radiant pillar, too fast for Rekkūza to evade before the strike connected, nearly knocking it out of the sky.

Dialga recovered enough to unleash another Roar of Time, striking Eternatus from below; Arceus followed rapidly, unleashing a rain of light that arced forward to slam into Eternatus from the fore. The titan lunged its hand towards the Alpha, closing its fingers as the apex of the motion, and noxious puddles began to gather around it; the ooze burst out in deadly geysers, striking the Alpha from below and then nearly throwing it into the air.

Oichi struck the earth again with her staff, forcing her power as a Warrior to run its course once more, even as her body screamed at her to stop. Her soft light washed over Time, the Sky Demon, the Alpha, easing their wounds and giving them new endurance; then her own strength started to flow out of her, and that staff became the only thing keeping her on her feet. Evia drew her sword, pushing her own power to an extent she had never done before as she drove the blade into the ground; the sigil of Aurora manifested in light before each of the legendary Pokémon gathered around Eternatus, filling them with power, with drive, even as Evia was left keeling with her hands upon her planted sword.

Eternatus' power began to well again, for that devastating beam... and this time, its opponents would not let them have it. Reshiram and Rekkūza soared skyward, higher even than Eternatus flew, and Dialga charged below; once they each had a clear shot, they unleashed their attacks towards the titan's core. Searing Blue Fire soared down in a mighty spiral, only to be overtaken by a ferocious Dragon Pulse; a Roar of Time with all the fury of the ages ascended heavenward, and the three attacks collided with Eternatus' core in rapid succession.

The titan staggered, and for a moment it seemed it would fall - but then its massive hand turned heavenward, curling into a fist as though pulling something towards itself, and something began to gather towards it. In the distance, and all around them, Evia and Oichi could see the Dark Storms subsiding, without the victim Pokémon having been defeated, and the light of Dynamax began to depart from each of them, gathering towards the titan from when the power came.

Arceus would have none of it, rearing with a devastating cry as divine light gathered within Eternatus' body; then it slammed its hooves into the earth, and the power burst, tearing through its core and bombarding the titan from within. The light of Dynamax dispersed en route to Eternatus as a blast consumed its body; its coil began to slack, its strength subsiding, and soon enough its own empowerment began to leak out of it, its body becoming so bright its form was inconceivable as it fell to earth.

When the glow subsided, the skeletal dragon from the Scar lay helpless upon the earth of the Shning Ruins.

Draco: Often, when I write fanfiction, there's something about the story that... requires a level of effort that I find a bit much. So I will go out of my way to make sure that effort leads to something that is absolutely worth it. Even before my terrible mistake, writing Ancient Ruination required that level of effort. And so I planned this epic scene with #TheCavalry of Legendary Pokémon and the alliance of Nobunaga's army to make sure that it was worth it. And that is probably what gave me the strength to make it happen at all.

"Draco, I thought Tadakatsu with a legendary Link pissed you off, why did you include it?" Because I feel that Dialga would have been better served as Ieyasu's legendary Link, so having both him and Tadakatsu be part of the arrival with Dialga meant I could play the tricky workaround game like I did with Type: Full. That scene above works equally well if you read it as Dialga being Linked with Tadakatsu or Dialga being Linked with Ieyasu.

I'm evil like that.