As Hoopa moved its arms, a spark appeared at the base of the shining frame. The mote of light travelled up to the center of the frame, and started to expand to the edges.
As Bronze looked into the amorphous texture of the gateway, all his hopes that the new world would be better than the current one vanished. On the other side of that purple vortex were horrors so indescribable and eldritch that they surely could not exist. Some of them didn't, but hated nonetheless. Names flashed through Bronze's mind without a obvious source. Pattern Screamers. The Color out of Space. The Elder Things. Omothel. Qippoleth. Neverwhere. Things only existed in the mind, and hated their own existence. Beings with the same nature as the Evil Djinn. All waiting for release.
And there was another, far older, yet horrifyingly tangible presence. Bronze knew that even the Enemy, or the Evil Djinn, did not know of it. It was older than he. It was the Abyss, for when the Light of Arceus first touched the still waters of Nothing, a shadow was cast. This shadow was across all Creations, and nothing was above it but the Original One. Even the Enemy was a slave to it, however much he would deny it. The true, greatest Enemy, a multiversal threat, the nuclear chaos, the Devourer of God's Light, the Source of all Evil and Night, was going to emerge, and devour the entire world.
Cypress was sobbing with joy, giving a disgusting spectacle of a rotting corpse twitching with glee. "We have won! You have won! It's over, over, over. You have achieved your victory, o lord of the universe! Your glory will spread and devour the entire world!"
"WELL SAID, LOYAL THRALL. AS I HAVE PROMISED, YOUR STRENGTH WILL BE RESTORED FOR YOUR MEAGER EFFORT." Hoopa waved its arms again, looking rather bored. Cypress straightened out like a board, and was restored to his former health in a instant.
The restored Eclipse Lord viewed his new body, cackling in triumph. "Gyahahaha! My lord's promises are true! I have been restored from my previous state, with not a shred of weariness! Now, the only thing that remains in my way...are you fools!"
Cypress raised his arms, still talking. "Of course, I cannot kill you myself. It seems that ability has gone to my lord. But I can still channel it, with his aid-WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"
Jake had suddenly sprinted over to Cypress, hoisted him up, and thrown him in the portal, the man disappearing with a cry, the spiraling, undulating waves of the Other Creation devouring him. The portal flickered, and swirled faster than ever, and the other grunts ran out of the room in terror.
"Jake!" Tess yelled, and sprinted over to hug him. "Thanks, Tess," Jake said, blushing. "I was waiting for that moment...it's been a long time since I thought clearly. I had my doubts...but as soon as I looked into that portal..."
Petrel, still holding Bronze's parents at wingpoint, seemed like he was about to run. Hoopa noticed this, and yelled at him to stay put. "DO NOT LEAVE! MY VESSEL HAS SIMPLY PASSED ON TO THE NEW WORLD! I MUST CONTINUE MY EXPANSION OF THE SEED WITHOUT THE MEDDLING OF ANY MAN OR BEAST!" Petrel squeaked, and did not move.
"ALL OF YOU! STAY FAST, IF YOU DO NOT WISH FOR THE DEATHS OF THESE MISERABLE MATES! PERHAPS THIS THING CALLED 'LOVE' WILL PREVENT YOU FROM TAKING ACTION! HEHEHEH..."
Hoopa continued its ritual, and the portal glowed brighter and brighter, although it did not quite spread in the sense that it was physically growing, but the influence it had was waxing. Bronze felt a pull toward the terrible gateway, and it may have literally began to exert a stronger gravitational pull, not just a psychological one.
The Evil Djinn noticed a nearly imperceptible flash in Crystals' Xatu's eyes. "FUTURE SIGHT?! DO NOT THINK THAT HAS GONE UNNOTICED! I MAY LOSE MY LEVERAGE OVER YOU ALL...BUT I WILL NOT STAND FOR A DIRECT VIOLATION OF A COMMAND FROM MYSELF! WINGED CREATURE, KILL THEM BOTH!"
For a horrible second, Bronze thought that Golbat would do it. But it did not move. "ARE YOU DEAF AS WELL AS WEAK?! DO IT!"
Golbat was then hit by the attack of Future Sight, making it instantly faint. Bronze's parents instantly ran away, safely out of reach of Petrel sent out some of his other Pokémon, looking around for a source. "What? My Golbat...it was confused before it was knocked out!"
"Exactly." A older man's voice came from the darkness of the entryway. "That Golbat had already been affected by Flatter. No matter what, it couldn't execute any commands that you gave it, or even Petrel." Red looked surprised. "Hey, that can't possibly be..."
Two figures were now visible, surrounded by Pokémon. "WHO ARE YOU TO STYMIE MY DESIGNS?!" Hoopa demanded. "I CAN SMELL YOUR FEAR...OF ME? NO, OF THE GATEWAY..."
The older man in a long black overcoat and bowler hat responded to Hoopa's question. "Who am I? You may see that I was once under your thumb, worshiping your false promise of eternal power. Now, I will fight against you, perhaps for reasons that are not entirely selfish. Petrel, stand down. Remember your true loyalty."
Now the two figures were fully visible, revealing both Giovanni and Silver.
Amid the uproar of greetings, Hoopa yelled mightier than all. "HOW...HOW DID YOU PIERCE THE SHIELD OF ENERGY? I DEMAND TO KNOW!"
"We don't feel the need to tell you anything, Enemy." Silver said. Petrel was also standing at attention for Giovanni as well. "And we are going to defeat you, here and now, forever! Feraligatr, Hydro Cannon!"
The attack hardly made the Enemy flinch, but seeing that it no longer had any leverage, a barrage of assaults ensued. The portal stopped growing in strength, and Hoopa was pushed back, roaring.
"NO...NO...NO! I WILL NOT BE DEFEATED IN THIS BODY! WITNESS THE POWER OF...HYPERSPACE FURY!"
Hoopa summoned some rings, twirled them about, and the resulting cataclysm threw everything and everyone about, slamming into wall and the floor, the Pokémon smoking from wounds. The portal gained in strength once again, only now it started increasing exponentially, the dark power from within radiating outward faster and faster.
"PATHETIC! TINY GNATS REBELLING AGAINST THE TRUE LORD OF THE UNIVERSE! I AM NOT ONE TO BE DEFEATED SO EASILY, BURIED IN A MASS GRAVE LIKE A RANKING SOLDIER! NO ATTACK OF FLESH AND BLOOD MAY LAY ME LOW!"
Crystal got up, holding a circular object. "Heh...well...if that's the case...then I'll capture you!"
The Catcher kicked the only Master Ball in her possession at the forehead of Hoopa. The ball activated, and the demon disappeared with a flash. The portal went dark.
No one moved. The ball rattled furiously, slowed, and clicked. Crystal slowly approached the still capture device, and gingerly picked it up, examining its contents.
"I can only see a dark cloud, but I think-" There was a groaning sound, and the ball shattered, dark smoke spewing everywhere, searing the walls with scorch marks and licking the roof of the citadel. Crystal was thrown away, looking at the freed creature, as the portal ignited again.
"I WAS ONLY TOYING WITH YOU! IT WAS FOOLISH THAT YOU BELIEVE THAT I COULD BE CAPTURED LIKE A COMMON POKEMON! I AM NOT ONE OF THEM! FOR THOSE CREATURES WERE MEANT NEITHER TO RULE NOR BE RULED OVER, BUT I WILL TAKE MY THRONE AS A EMPEROR! I AM RATHER CROSS AT YOUR MEAGER ATTEMPTS TO PREVENT THE INEVITABLE NEW CREATION, SO I WILL DISPOSE OF YOU ALL...SLOWLY, OF COURSE."
Hoopa began to batter everyone around again, howling with laughter as the portal started to glow red. The evil in the room was a present, tangible thing, and it was simply so overwhelming that the temptation to give up and die was such a viable option that it took all the will of Bronze to resist it.
Enjoying himself, the Enemy addressed Red. "I REMEMBER WHEN YOU HAPPENED TO BE TURNED TO STONE, AS WEAK AS I WAS. WHAT JOY I FELT! FINALLY, YOU, THE INSUFFERABLE, CLICHE HERO WAS ELIMINATED. I DID NOT COUNT ON THE PRINCE OF WISHES FREEING YOU AND OTHERS FROM PETRIFICATION, UNFORTUNATELY, BUT THE POWER OF MY REBELLION WAS ONLY DIMINISHED, AND MY LAST VICTORY MERELY DELAYED! THROUGH THE UNCOUNTABLE EONS, EVER SINCE THE MOMENT OF MY SUNDERING, THROUGH THE YEARS OF THE WAR OF WRATH, AND TO NOW, I ALWAYS HAVE RISEN AGAIN!"
"We need more help!" Blue yelled, as he was knocked against a stone pillar. "Somebody, Arceus, whoever!"
The Enemy noticed the mention of Arceus.
"AH, THE FALSE ONE! JUST LIKE THE OTHERS...OH, I ASSURE YOU, THEY ALWAYS CALL OUT TO HIM. YOU THINK HE WILL HELP YOU, PERHAPS? MANY HAVE THOUGHT THAT, ACROSS COUNTLESS PLANES OF EXISTENCE. I HAVE KNOWN HIM LONGER THAN YOU, LITTLE ONE. THEY ALL THINK HE IS GOING TO HELP THEM...UNTIL THEY COME TO THEIR SENSES SCREAMING IN THE FIRE, ROTTING IN CONCENTRATION CAMPS, WRITHING UNDER SAWS, TRODDEN IN THE MUD, TORTURED IN THE DARK, CHOKING ON THE GALLOWS, DYING ON A HOSPITAL BED, HOWLING IN MADHOUSES, OR NAILED TO CROSSES! WHERE IS THE ORIGINAL ONE? WHERE IS HE, SON OF EARTH?"
"Don't listen to him!" Yellow screamed. "We have to stop that portal from growing any further! Attack the frame...NOW! Use all we have!"
A few powerful hits distracted Hoopa from continuing its assault, which made the barrage of Hyperspace Fury cease. Everyone gave everything, giving one last hurrah.
"TRIPLE BLAST BURN!"
"TRIPLE HYDRO CANNON!"
"TRIPLE FRENZY PLANT!"
"TRIPLE VOLT TACKLE!"
"MEGA VOLT!"
"DARKEST LARIAT!"
"DEVASTATING DRAKE!"
"CRUSH GRIP!"
"DRACO METEOR!"
And everything else came pouring into the dark miasma of the new creation. The portal vaporized, and the energy returned to Hoopa in obsidian bolts of lightning, creating a vortex around the Evil Djinn.
There was silence as the smoke and energy cleared. And once more...
"GRAHHHHHHH!" The Enemy emerged from a pile of debris, although covered in smoke and somewhat smaller than usual, seemed angrier than ever. The portal frame was stained but otherwise unharmed as the vortex started again, although only glowing a calming cerulean blue.
"ONCE MORE YOU RESIST! BUT THE CREATION CANNOT BE HALTED! A COMPLETELY POINTLESS EFFORT! I WILL RISE AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN, LIKE ROT IN A FOREST! I AM FAR MIGHTIER THAN ANY OF YOU. PERISH! NOW!"
Hoopa started throwing streams of rock and various supplies at the trainers, not seeming to pay attention to the portal. Bronze ducked under a piece of rigging, and saw a agonizing sight.
A crate of uniforms was headed for Tess, who seemed oblivious to its imminent collision. Only a foot from Tess, the crate was blocked my the flying form of Jake.
The crate knocked the wind out of Jake, and sent him spiraling through the air, flying, flying, until he flew directly into the depths of the portal.
"NOOOOO!" Bronze screamed, and charged at Hoopa, believing that he could accomplish something, anything. The demon raised one of its arms, prepared to finally crush one of its insolent rivals.
But Bronze was frozen in place, causing the swing to only barely miss. In fact, Bronze could no longer move forward at all. Stepping backwards, Bronze noticed that there was a hint of purity in the air, as if cleansed by a holy light...
Hoopa sniffed, and growled in anger. "I FEEL IT...BUT IT HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE...ONLY IN THE TIMELESS HALLS HAVE I SENSED THIS! NO...HAS THIS BOY...THIS MERE CHILD...MOVED HIM TO ACT?! ONLY NOW, IN THE MIDST OF MY VICTORY?!"
The hint of purification gave way to light. This light was soft, but yet it did not cast shadows, if such a thing was possible. It was warm, kind, emphasizing, and completely good and whole. The shine of it was so amazing that Bronze simply did not want to turn to see its source, as it might be another trick. This light, this light was the one that Bronze wanted to last forever. Yet, the single experience of it couldn't possibly be spoiled by anything.
Bronze looked.
A radiant being shone with a light that was impossible piercing, although it did not give of any raw heat, and it did not hurt ones eyes. The figure was humanoid, although it would be a insult to refer to it as anything relate to a mere human. And it cared. Even towards the Evil Djinn it gave a form of love, although mixed with sorrow, deep sorrow.
The being was so wonderful that Bronze hardly noticed the three other entities that stood before it, these definitely earthly, but shining with the same kind of light, although much fainter. One was a warrior dressed in adamant armor of pearl, the other in lustrous armor of diamond. The third stood in the center, although behind the others, dressed in griseous garments with a platinum hue.
Hoopa was absolutely terrified. In fact, it seemed to be literally shrinking, slower and slower, down to the size of the three entities before the radiant one. When it spoke, its voice no longer showed power, but hate, hate and terror, terror so great that it nearly rose up to choke the Evil Djinn. Yet still it rebelled.
"No...no! I will not relent! You will not best me...I will not declare you as lord! You will not end my schemes in the very last stage! Vanish!"
Hoopa launched itself at the radiant one, but the three warriors threw three chains made of diamond, pearl, and platinum which bound Hoopa in place, spitting and writhing.
The radiant one held out its hand, and a miraculous event began to happen. Hoopa began to melt, the outer layer burning away to reveal the normal, mischievous appearance of Hoopa before the dark essence of the Evil Djinn had taken it.
"Go in peace, and do not return to this place." The radiant one said, in a voice that was quite human, yet more powerful and higher then anyone could ever sound like. The freed form of Hoopa bowed, and disappeared.
In the jewel-carven chains, the void-like form of the Enemy appeared, although its brilliance was no longer burning or intimidating. It prostrated, tense and furious in the middle of the binds.
"And you...have come? To oppose me at last? You...the One Above All...the Original One...who they call...Arceus."