.
.
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There are times when there is nothing left to do but listen.
-saying of various worlds.
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.
.
Whiteness. Fade to blank.
Tess opened her eyes and saw more whiteness. The ground was cool and glossy. Her Poke Balls were gone from her body. In fact, there was not really much at all...except for a plush chair and a cup of Apricorn juice sitting on its wooden arm.
Taking a seat, Tess saw that Bronze, Jake, Hopper, and L.S had already awakened and gotten themselves comfortable. However, their attention was focused on a figure cloaked in silvery raiment, with a fine trail of smoke curling out from under its hood. The world was a white plain, with nothing but the six beings to populate its vacant expanse...
Or at least that was what it seemed at first glance. Around the Stranger in a pyramid were the specters of Azelf, Uxie, and Mespirit, ethereal and unmoving. Their heads were bowed and their hands were clasped, and their mouths were moving with a silent song. "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of All..."
"Anyone going to tell us what this is about?" Bronze said, looking very pale against the even whiter background. "I feel like...Tess, Jake. You've been somewhere, places not from around here. I don't know about you two, serpent woman and big guy, but I know that you had something to do with this! And who are you, hood?"
The figure held out an androgynous hand, and the robes shifted in a way that suggested that the being did not have human anatomy under its cloak. Its voice was definitely male, although there was a spiritual element to its tenor and resonance that prevented one from assigning a definite gender to the speaker.
"I am known by many names. I have called Myself into Creation for My own delight. None came before Me. I was the One who brought about the enshrinement of the Heavens and the Earth, the Vaults of the Sea and the Deeps of the Airs. My power is Trencendant, for none can comprehend the Great Mystery that is Me. I know what everyone has held to be their own knowledge, and far more than that. I am the One Above All. I am the omnipotent, omniscient, omnibenevolent. I am Arceus Elyon, and you are to have no other Gods before Me. Is this an acceptable answer?"
Bronze's eyes buldged. "Arceus?! You look...well, different. What is this for, sir?"
Elyon smiled under His robe. "There is much that you need to know, and much that I must thank you for."
Looking about once again, Tess saw that Anabel and Looker were still not present. "Where are Miss Anabel and Officer Looker? They helped us defeat the Shadow. Also, Bronze wasn't even on the journey! What's he doing here, wherever it is?"
"Bronze's deeds must be addressed with the rest of yours," Elyon began. "As for Anabel and Looker, their future purpose lies outside whatever I may tell them. They are grounded within reality, you see. My ways are not their ways. My words cannot speak into their hearts. I will explain. For you, Bronze, Tess, Jake, you must understand that as you grow older, your hearts are dimmed with the harsh prosaic and poison of reality and responsibility. You are young, and still have time. As children and youths, you dream in only half-formed thoughts. You try to make sense of it, but they require the wisdom of age to interpret.
"L.S, or Allison Chao, Hopper, you have seen the mystical for your own eyes, yet you have not attempted to categorize or contextualize it to an unhealthy extent. You dream of more mature things, but you are not like other men. You awake in the night with strange visions of enchanted gardens and hills, of fountains that sing in the sun, of golden cliffs overhanging murmuring seas, of plains that stretch down to great cities of iron and stone, and of shady groups of heroes that ride white horses along the edges of thick forests. You keep the glimpses of your far-forgotten first youth, when wonder and pleasure lie in the mystery of the days ahead. Before you may become wise and unhappy. Before you are spoiled by reason..."
"That is very good stuff and all, sir," Jake said, clutching his drink until his knuckles turned red. "But what exactly did you bring us here to tell us, now that the Shadow is gone and all? Why didn't you just intervene in the first place and destroy that monster?"
"Please do not mistake my noninterference for cruelty or apathy," Elyon said. "I do wish to end the Darkness for ever. And I could, you see. I am all-powerful, the Dark One is not. He is not my equal opposite, far from it. He is also not the only source of Evil, if you would believe it...but that is a tale for another time. I saw that whenever I took away the nexus of choice from my Children, their fates became more rigid and defined, and their free will was spoiled. Do you know how much I value free will, Bronze?"
Bronze seemed pressed to respond. "I think you do very much, sir."
"That is correct. I value free will enough to allow all Evil. Please, think of that. I have digested all the suffering in the omniverse, and wept a tear for every act of wickedness and harm. I can only guide you with the power to carve the paths you desire for yourselves. I oftentimes suppress the Dark One's power directly, as my wrathful avatar, Yahweh, did in the belly of the Grand Machine. It is not that I cannot interfere, it is that I cannot afford to. The Story and Great Plan is progressing as I see fit."
Tess almost scoffed despite herself. "Non-interference? Do you mean when you used your avatar Arceus to directly imprison the Evil Djinn? How does that fit with your policy?"
Elyon became very much larger, and the temperature of the room heated up considerably. "Your world had defeated the Mbelekoro one too many times. Your ancestors in Logaria and Hisui brought the Dark One low. But when he arose once more, I deemed that the line of supernatural threats that humanity in your world had faced must end. You as a race fulfilled your purpose, but do mistake me for utilitarian. The wrathful Logarians chose to arm against the Mbelekoro, and they happened to be the perfect enemy for him to fight against while I worked for an opportune time to move against him. You may find these themes played through your history, for I designed them, the Shadow corrupted them, and I did not only repair them, but made them better and fairer than before."
"This seems all very complicated," L.S said. "Miracles! They happen so seldom these days. Or perhaps it was a miracle that the Shadow had been quelled for a time."
"Miracles?" Elyon said. "My actions are not always miracles. That word is tossed so much in earthly circles that it could mean a variety of different things. Now, a widow who works two full-time jobs and still finds a way to pick up her teen from sports practice, that could be a miracle. A boy who says 'no' to evil and 'yes' to good, that could be a miracle. People expect Me to do everything for them, but they don't realize that they have the power, at least in some cases. Be the miracle, for you are made in My image."
"I must ask that we start to get on with what you summoned us here for," Hopper said. "Is this sort of a slap on the back for our hard efforts?"
"Perhaps. Let us start with you, Tess, the unlikely hero..."
"When you first emerged from your home in Rosecove, you were perhaps more arrogant and overconfident than even some great villains and evildoers through history. But Bronze taught you patience and caution, and Jake taught you pity and caring. I am more proud of you than you know, for you overcame your overweening desire to perform great deeds, and learned humility. But you did not fall away from your quest to rescue your friend, despite your consuming fear. Now, you have seen the best of both worlds. You now only have to return to the city of your youth, and you shall find contentment therein. I give you your faults, so that you may remember them."
Tess blushed, and then realized that Elyon was right. The lessons she had learned, the fear of danger that she had forcibly acquired...they came about because of her journey and the choices she made along the way.
"Jake. I must say that you have emerged from your captivity unbroken. You were deceived by a wicked man and fell into the dark for a time. You still did not wholly redeem yourself, for in heart you had only vengeance in mind, for your sake and not for the safety of others. But you have helped to defeat the Dark One, and the blazing fire that burned within you has calmed. I hold your broken oath redeemed, and the curse shall follow you no longer. As a reward for your service to Me, I give you what you have lost."
In that instant, Jake's Poke Balls reappeared upon his belt. He opened his mouth to reply, and then smiled. Silence was golden.
"Bronze. Your deeds led to the Second Downfall of the Evil Djinn. Yet you do not claim to have done this unaided, and you have not learned pride and have kept your wisdom. I give you your faults as well, and a warning...
"You are perhaps the closest in mind to the fallen Jonathan Rowel Cypress, or even the Mbelekoro himself. This is not wholesome to hear, but the same desires for order motivate you, although you seek different ways to achieve it. You wished for good. The Enemy wished for control. But if you had the power, you would create a world of precision and perfection that only a divine engineer would enjoy. Embrace irrationality, for it is not the allotment of Man to know all. Be on your guard, for there is darkness crafting enough to deceive even you, out of your desire for knowledge and to do good. With this, it might wield power more terribly than even those who try to commit evil. For the cruelty of a Dark Lord may sleep for a time, but those who wish to help forever shall never cease in their destructive ways."
Suitably warned and chastised, Bronze looked at his feet. "I won't say that I haven't wished to run everything in the past. But now that I really think about it, it seems rather stupid. Who wants to be God?"
"Your wisdom is great, my child. Inspiration to become like Me is perhaps the highest foolishness in all the omniverse. I am what limited oral capacity describes as love. I am the greatest infinite power between lovers, family, friends, strangers, and even enemies. I am supreme light. I am hope, love, prudence, and blessing. I am the reason for existence for I am the only Why. This is why it is foolish to become God. Would you rather simply be the reason or be one that takes the reason and spreads it to every corner of everywhere? What seems more divine?"
Bronze processed this and went off-topic. "Omnipotency is somewhat like immortality. It seems great, but the only way you can accomplish it is by tying your fate to that of the world, like a Pokémon. Since the curse on them is that they have no rational will outside of what their masters imprint upon them, they are not reserved for judgment. They reincarnate over and over again, or at least that is what is supposed to happen."
"Yes, and the Pokémon will grow weary of their curse at last," Elyon replied. "They must remain in the world, for good or ill, for whatever fate it brings. But Man may die and leave for my halls, and the world is not their captor. For as the worlds grow old and weary, the Gift of Man, Death, is something that even the Powers may come to envy. They cannot escape the tides of their lands, and they are without hope at last. And I say this to those who are jealous of those with life everlasting: which of us should envy the other?"
Tess realized that Bronze seemed rather unconcerned about the whole event, not even asking about events or references he would have no way of knowing. "Bronze, aren't you going to ask about this 'Library?' The 'Serpents Hand?' The 'Shadow?' Or are you having some kind of breakdown?"
Bronze shrugged. "Actually, I already knew most of this already."
"WHAT?!"
"Really, it's only logical. Other universes exist, Ultra Space proved that. The Library I knew about ever since I realized years ago that every culture has some sort of story about a 'serpent' or collection of books. Of course, I must hear about what it really is like...as for the Shadow, I think it is a natural conclusion based on the available evidence. Didn't you notice that Cypress or the Evil Djinn never said anything about a multiverse? They were only focused on defeating this one. So where does the perception of evil for the people on Ultra Space come from? It isn't another Evil Djinn. Or if it is, is there one per universe? Or a single being manifesting itself through the multiverse in different ways? The latter seems more probable. I do wish to learn more about the function and organization of the 'Serpents Hand,' though. But that is a story for another time."
Azelf, Uxie, and Mesprit phased into incarnate forms and paused their song, speaking to Bronze with one voice.
"We are pleased with your Knowledge of Rightfulness, Emotion under Control, and Willpower to do Good, young mortal. Be warned, for all of those without the influence of Elyon are only of the Eternal Darkness and his chattels. Let them be cast down for ever! Blessed be He!"
"Allison Chao, the Little Sister." Elyon continued. "Among your brood sisters from the many worlds, you have not strayed from the path of righteousness. You have dwelt in the Library, which is the Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. The Spear of the Non-believer has given its troth to you, and by your Pity, this quest has come to a good end. For because of your Mercy and the wish to aid those who could not aid themselves, you have emerged the victor against the Dark Powers. Jake did not need to be rescued from captivity, certainly not by you and Tess, who alone could help him in redeeming the oath. I set you apart from your wicked sisters and shall prepare a place for you in my House. You have received the Crown of Righteousness, the Crown of Life, the Crown of Joy, and the Crown of Persecution. Only the Crown of the Martyr has not yet been given to you. Return to the Library in peace."
L.S bowed, and Elyon addressed Hopper.
"Thomas Yaltz, Agent Hopper of the Library. Although those who shall sing of the valor of the Five will only mention your name in passing, your deeds for Me and my Kingdom are greater than what shall be told of in the Annals of the Library. Fear not, for I shall remember you when others fail to do so. For by your rebellion against the Jailors you set upon the course to do war against the Black Foe in my name. I do not love war, but it must be used to remove the Darkness from the worlds, along with its many servants.."
"But only physically, sir?" Hopper said. "The Fall of the Mind of Man cannot be healed by weapons."
"Nay. For although the Black Foe can be defeated by material means as he has become part of the worlds and everything in them by the virtue of his original strength, the corruption that he has placed within the mind of men is as a black tree, and the evil that has planted there shall not die in this era of the worlds or the next. Deep run the roots of Evil, and the black sap is strong in them. That tree will never be slain by the hand of man. Let it be hewn as often as it may, it will thrust up shoots again once they turn aside. Never should the Axe of Creation be hung up upon the wall, not even in times of rest, such as the one that has come upon the many worlds. I give you your faults, and now you shall no longer be troubled by your disorder of shifting."
Elyon showed His authority, and Hopper's ailment was removed. The anomalous trait of unpredictable dimensional shifting vanished, the degenerative condition gone forever. Hopper's hands trembled, and he realized just how much his physical structure had been harmed by the anomaly now that he had been healed.
"You may return to the Library in peace."
Hopper looked into the blankness, smiled, and vanished.
"Now," Elyon said. "Allison, you must sojourn in the world of Tess, Bronze, and Jake for a time. The Spear still remains, and the Serpent's Hand must spread further. Bronze, Jake, Tess, you are to return as well. I give you a final warning..."
The three looked at Eylon attentively, trying to scry the meaning of the message before Elyon even gave it.
"This is by no means the final threat that will face your world. Another enemy that not even Bronze has known of is awakening. It is not yours to defeat, but the duty of others who will come. The Tree of Evil shall continue to grow until the End of Days. I love you, my children. The Time of the Second Creation draws near..."
Jake and Tess rose as if on command, bowed, and vanished. L.S disappeared without a sound. Only Bronze remained, as his will was not wholly focused on returning home.
"Sir...this may seem odd to ask, but I wish to see the Shadow, as much as a human can perceive without harm. I want to know my enemy, my real enemy."
Elyon lifted his hand mournfully. "As you wish, Son of Earth."
...
Bronze perceived first a region of the multiverse populated by colored gasses, sentient and anthropomorphous. They parted to reveal...
...the Demon Sultan at the center of the Void outside the ordered universe. Gnawing hungry and inconceivable, the true form of Qlippoth lay in unconceivable vaults beyond time and space. Bubbling and blaspheming within his prime reality, the Shadow plotted surrounded by his monstrous legions of Outer Gods and allied demons, not meant for the fathoming by the eyes that see. The Blacknesses of the Worlds were all lesser compared to the Dark One who guided the powers beyond the Wall of Night...
But Qlippoth had been dealt a wound, and it was bleeding.
Bronze broke away from the vision. Elyon was gone, and the Pokedex Holder felt that his time to leave was coming. The white plane split into pillars of glass which converged upon him, ready to spirit him away.
At the last moment, before he fell away, Bronze saw his own reflection and realized the terrific price of even seeing a fragmentally minute glimpse of the horror of the Dark One. A single streak of his dark hair had turned snow white.
