FIVE MONTHS LATER….
His ever-trusty partner Pikachu atop his shoulder, Ash gazed down upon what had become of Goldenrod City's ruins. He whistled, astounded by the progress that had been made in its recovery in such a short time. The land had been fertilized and covered with green. There were almost no trees, resulting in an emerald plain that stretched out as far as the eye could see. Dozens of skyscrapers had risen up where the city had once been, and he could see that many others were in the midst of being built as well.
"Mr. Star's certainly been busy," Ash remarked. "Isn't that right, Pikachu?"
"Pika!" Chirped Pikachu with a nod.
A bright smile crawled up Ash's face. He took out a letter from his pocket, holding it up to the sun. It was from Mr. Star himself. A summons of sort. Though he didn't specify much further than a request for Ash to meet him in what he called New Goldenrod, the old man certainly appeared ecstatic to meet him once more judging by the way the letter was written. Pocketing the letter, Ash took a step down from the hill and began sliding down.
The wind in his hair reminded him of the days in Pallet Town when he and Gary would race each other down steep hills on the backs of Pokemon. It was more often than not back then that the contests ended with both of them tripping and ending up with a variety of green cuts and bruises. Now, that was no longer a problem. Thanks to his Aura training, Ash was able to weave between the rocks in his path with ease. Feeling confident, he reached his hand up to hold Pikachu down and hopped onto one of the stones, launching himself high into the air.
"Woah!" Ash exclaimed. He hadn't expected to reach such heights, but his newfound strength never ceased to amaze him. He turned to Pikachu with an embarrassed grin. "Good thing I held onto you, huh buddy?" Now came the trip back to the ground. He was eager to test out just how durable he was now, but Pikachu and his clothes would have thought differently. Remembering how Riley let them descend down through the lab before they met Zero, Ash created a ball of white Aura around himself, levitating himself and Pikachu right down to New Goldenrod's entrance.
"See? That wasn't so bad." Pikachu, in all his ruffled fur, disagreed. Above them, a gilded sign wrote 'New Goldenrod City: Land of Loss and Victory' in broad gold. "Mr. Star's really not sparing any expense, is he?" Upon entering the city, it wasn't long before he found that, in spite of everything that had happened here, the city was utterly bustling with people. Workers rushed to and fro to wherever their next job took them. Many buildings were crawling with workers as well.
Besides the leagues of reconstruction crews, it seemed that ordinary citizens had already moved into the finished buildings, because groups of them were walking about, busily chatting with one another. It wasn't quite Saffron City levels of people, and he was thankful for that because attempting to move around there was nigh impossible with people shoving every which way. Here was more mellow. There were plenty of people around, but not to the point that he couldn't walk.
"Man, this is great!" Ash exclaimed. "Who'd have thought Goldenrod would have been fixed this quickly? I gotta hand it to Mr. Star." He took out the letter Mr. Star had given him. "...But, he never actually gave me an address…" So, Ash was forced to resort to something he'd been dreading: Asking other people for help. When he returned home, he and Gary were heralded by the people of Pallet Town as heroes without end. Even to this day, some cheered whenever they saw him. Though he appreciated the gesture, there were times where it was downright embarrassing.
So going into a bustling city and asking around for directions was far more likely to get him swarmed by adoring fans than actually being helpful. Still, he didn't exactly have much of a choice. He was in a rather large opening in the city with a fountain. By that fountain sat a group of teenage girls, and Ash knew right off the bat that asking them was a death wish. There was also a creepy lecherous man ogling them from afar. He had half a mind to confront him, but having that guy ogling him instead would give him nightmares.
"My best bet would probably be the builders," He said aloud. "They probably know the entire city by heart, and hopefully they won't freak out over-"
"OH MY ARCEUS!" Cried a masculine voice from behind, making Ash's face scrunch up. "IT'S OUR SAVIOR ASH KETCHUM!" Ash glowered at the source of the voice, being a muscular man with a hard hat. He was grinning from ear to ear ecstatically, jumping in place and pointing Ash's way. "THERE HE IS! EVERYONE, LOOK! IT'S ASH, IT'S REALLY HIM!"
A series of cheers and screams erupted from the onlooking people. Pikachu's ears drooped, knowing what was to come. Before either could hope to escape, Ash and Pikachu were blocked in by the crowd of people on all sides. They began bombarding him with questions and praise. Some tried shoving gifts into his face. The group of girls from earlier in particular were aggressive, pushing others out of their way to get to him.
"AAASH!" They cried in unison. "WE LOOOOOVE YOOOOOU-" They were violently shoved aside by the creepy ogling man from before, who pushed his face uncomfortably close to Ash's. He screeched Ash's name at an octave so high pitched that he was baffled at how the man's vocal chords were able to humanly perform such a feat. Ash entertained the idea of making a barrier of Aura around himself, but that would end up knocking the fans backward and he wasn't aiming to hurt them.
Noivern suddenly erupted from his Pokeball on his own and momentarily deafened the fans with a screech. Everyone in the vicinity, including Ash himself, covered their ears and were forced to their knees in a desperate attempt to blot out the agonizing sound. Elsewhere, two men who were in the midst of carrying a glass pane were interrupted when the screech shattered the glass. Seeing as the fans were distracted, Noivern threw Ash and Pikachu onto his back and took to the skies.
Ash peered down at the ground and let out a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Noivern. I dunno what I would have done without you." Noivern happily chirped back at him. This was one of the few times that Noivern's overbearing affection actually happened to be useful. After Ash had returned from defeating Necrozma, most of his Pokemon had become far more affectionate to him than before. Noivern and Hydreigon stood atop that notion, and thus, they often fought one another for his affection.
He assumed Noivern's affection stemmed from remorse for his actions moments before his trainer's apparent death by Necrozma's hand, as well as the loss of Hawlucha, making him fiercely loyal. This often came at the price of the wyvern acting aggressively to strangers and refusing to leave Ash's side at even the most inopportune times. Though he couldn't help worrying over Noivern, Ash knew he only meant the best.
To his side, Ash spotted the memorial of the war. It was still lit with his Aura. Curiosity overtaking him, Ash gently pat Noivern's wing and pointed down. "Hey," He said, "Mind taking us down?" Upon seeing where Ash was pointing, Noivern's ears perked up. He nodded, crying 'Vern!' and tilting his body to the side. When they landed, Ash took out the four remaining Pokeballs in his bag and threw them to the air, unveiling Greninja, Charizard, Sceptile and, of course, Hydreigon. Pikachu, Noivern and them made up his current team.
"I'm sure you guys want to get some fresh air and check out the memorial again," Ash said, "So feel free to stretch your legs and go wherever you want." He pointed up to the glowing statue. "Meet me here by noon, alright?" His Pokemon, save for the ever-proud Charizard and Sceptile, pumped their fists and immediately scattered. Hydreigon was quick to fly up to Zero's portion of the statue. Charizard waltzed over to a sunny area and plopped down to take a nap.
Ash chuckled, expecting just that from those two. Walking off himself, Ash began to make his way toward the murals of names. He came across a sign just before the entrance. "Rings of the Lost?" Ash read. Well, it was a better name than just "murals." In any case, he entered the rings and began making his way to the names of his lost Pokemon. Out of fairness to the others, he put his Pokemon in alphabetically like everyone else instead of one piece of wall. So, finding them would take a while.
Eventually, he came upon the 'I' section where Infernape's name lay. Upon finding it, he knelt down to view it up close and sighed. "Oh, Infernape…" He recalled days long passed when he first took in that small, beaten Chimchar after Paul had abandoned it. Ash couldn't help but chuckle at the memory of finally taking a win over the smug trainer. Infernape himself was possibly even happier than him on that day.
He heard approaching stomps from beside him and found an Electivire. It gave Ash a blank look before quickly turning it upon the names and glowering. "Wait a second," Ash said, recognizing the Electivire. "You're…"
"Hey," Ash heard a voice say from behind. None other than the purple-haired once-menace of a trainer, Paul, approached him. "How've you been?"
"Paul!" Cried Ash, perking up. "What brings you here?"
Paul nodded to the mural behind him. "Same as you, I see."
Ash blinked, genuinely surprised. "Wait- you're here for...Infernape?"
His expression unchanging, Paul nodded. "I was fortunate enough to escape that hell with my team intact. I realize that not many others were as fortunate and well…" He eyed Infernape's name solemnly, even if his expression didn't mirror his feelings. "I came to pay respects to a key few that changed my life before I head over to Star Tower."
Ash was barely able to prevent his jaw from dropping. This new Paul was a far cry from the ruthless trainer that wouldn't hesitate to put his Pokemon through hell or abandon them on the spot so long as his team became stronger for it. "You...you're the same Paul, right?"
Paul wasted no time in dispelling that thought. "No," He said, "I'm not. That war…and those damned paparazzi bastards!" He clenched his fists. It was clear that he was as disgusted with the entire incident just from thinking of it. "After all that, I went home to rest. You met my brother, right?" Ash nodded, so Paul continued. "Well, when I went home...let's just say it was only then did I realize that I actually still had people that cared for me."
He rubbed his head in apparent embarrassment and changed the subject. "Anyways…" He took out a roughly-opened letter. "I assume the old guy called you here as well?"
Ash took out his own letter, proving that the two matched perfectly. "That's right. Is there anyone else?"
Paul shrugged. "Dunno yet, but I guess there's only one way to find out." He motioned for Electivire to follow him and turned to leave, but stopped when he noticed Ash wasn't following "You, uh...coming?"
Shaking his head, Ash looked past Paul to the other names. "Nah, I still got a few friends to catch up with."
Nodding in response, Paul said, "Well, you'll know where to find me." With that, he turned and left, his Electivire following suit. Glossing over the fact that he actually had no idea where the tower was, Ash decided to explore the rest of the mural. There were millions of names; all of people he never actually knew.
"I wonder," He said to himself, "If I ever saw any of these people before the fight…"
As he wandered, he eventually came upon an exit to the Rings of the Lost and found himself staring out at the wide emerald field once more. Though, there was one single stain on the beautiful canvas of nature: a giant wall not too far away. It encircled something, but it was so high that he couldn't see exactly what. "Huh," Said Ash. "I wonder what that's about?" Taking to his knee, Ash used his Aura to launch himself at the wall. Before he could crash into it, he was able to negate his momentum in mid-air and fall back to the ground.
Now that he was closer, he saw that there was warning tape lining the walls. "Danger," He read aloud, "Unstable area. Keep away." He chuckled. "Well, that just makes me want to see it more!" He figured that, with the protection of his Aura, he could avoid any danger that awaited him on the other side. With a mischievous grin, Ash crouched down and prepared to leap over the wall when a gruff voice called out to him.
"HEY!" It screamed. A large man in an official-looking black tuxedo and wearing shades to cover most of his face ran toward him. "What the hell do you think you're doing?! Can't you read, you damned idiot?! This place is off limi-" When Ash turned to him, he stopped in his tracks. His eyes went wide, and his entire body froze up all of a sudden.
"Sorry about that, sir," Ash replied with a smile. "I didn't mean to cause any trouble. Just wanted to satisfy my curiosity, you know?"
"U-uh…" Stammered the man in black, tearing something that sounded like velcro off of his suit and pocketing it. "Y-you're Ash! Ash Ketchum!"
Ash's face fell. 'Oh no,' He thought. 'Please don't tell me he's another fan…'
The man shuddered, pale as a sheet. Unknowingly, he backed away from Ash until he tripped on a rock. He scarcely had the time to scream until he realized that he wasn't actually falling. Ash managed to grab hold of his wrist to keep him from eating the dirt. "Careful, there," Ash said, pulling the man back to his feet, "You almost took a nasty dive."
Clearing his throat, the man replied, "Th-thank you for that, um…"
Ash waved him off. "Please, just call me Ash. I've had enough people treating me like some kind of saint or whatever for one day."
The suited man nodded. "-Ash. You um...surprised me." He halfheartedly chuckled. "B-but anyways, I still can't let you go into that area. Mr. Star himself ordered it off limits to everyone!"
To the man's relief, Ash nodded. "Don't worry, I getcha. I'll stop messing with your business and let you get back to work, then." Hearing a sigh of relief from him, Ash waved and leapt back to where he was once standing. However, his curiosity was not yet sated, so he decided to take a peek at what laid beyond the walls with his Aura. Upon placing his hand on the ground, Ash was able to see every living thing for miles. Where there was once a concrete wall, there were now several busy-looking people rushing to and fro across a lifeless landscape in stark contrast to the pains outside.
"Probably because of those volcanic vents," Ash surmised. He saw a group of people in hazmat suits preparing to descend into one of the caves. Out of further curiosity, Ash scanned the cave system itself and was astonished by its sheer size. There were dozens if not hundreds of entrances alone, leading to weaving, looping systems that all descended into a gargantuan caldera that was seemingly bottomless. However, one thing stuck out to him above all else: An Aura signature.
Down in the caldera itself was a being. He couldn't quite make out its shape from his distance, but it was definitely a living being. "It's probably just another hazmat guy, but…" He shook his head in disbelief. "Why would they send him alone?"
"Piiikaaaa!" He was snapped back into reality by the call of his partner. At the edge of the mural, Pikachu and the rest of his Pokemon awaited. Hydreigon and Noivern raced against one another toward Ash, tackling him into a hug. "Okay, okay," He pleaded, "I'm sorry for worrying you! I had no idea I was even gone that long!"
The yellow mouse hopped over to him and ripped the envelope from Mr. Star out of his pocket. Managing to free himself from the two dragons' grasps, Ash took the envelope in hand and chuckled. "...Shoot, you're right. We've probably been keeping him for a while, and I missed out on that noon deadline, didn't I?" Pikachu and the rest of his team firmly nodded in annoyance, earning another chuckle from their trainer. Returning them to their Pokeballs save for the usual, who sat atop his shoulder, and Noivern, Ash hopped aboard the wyvern's back and took to the skies once more.
Ash, Pikachu and Noivern furiously scanned the cityscape for anything that could be Star Tower. They didn't exactly have a guide or an address, so all they could do is pick one and hope for the best. The trio eventually set their eyes upon a giant skyscraper far taller than the others. It had doors on all sides, which people and Pokemon busily moved in and out of by the hundreds. Deciding that this was as good of a place as any, Ash told Noivern to land.
The wyvern Pokemon slowly spiraled down around the building, looking for a place to land. Then, Ash saw him: an old man in a labcoat pacing to and fro just outside the building atop a set of stairs. "Hey!" Ash called down, catching the old man's attention. Immediately upon seeing Ash, the old man began excitedly jumping in place and waving his hands. Ash knew that this was his guy.
Leaping off of Noivern's back, Ash returned him to his Pokeball and landed gracefully before Mr. Star and nearly causing him to fall flat on his withered back. "Woah!" Cried Mr. Star with a hearty chuckle. "That- that was a killer landing, my boy!"
"Heya, Mr. Star!" Chirped Ash. He grinned up at the colossal building. "I see you've been busy in these past five months."
"Well, of course!" Cried the old man. "I simply couldn't stand the dreariness of old Goldenrod any longer and had my fine men and women working to the bone to reverse it." He smirked, rubbing his gloved finger under his nose contently. "Well, let's just say I think it's turned out pretty good so far, eh sonny?"
Ash nodded. "You're telling me. That grass field is beautiful, and the progress you've made on New Goldenrod City is astounding!"
The old man reached up to Ash's shoulder, chuckling. "Well, with some determination, morale and grit, anything's possible. Though, I suppose you of all people don't need me to tell you that." His eyes went wide suddenly. "Oh, but what is a foolish old coot like me doing running my lip?" He gently grabbed Ash by the wrists and urged him to follow to the tower. "Everyone else I've contacted are still waiting! I have some big plans, Ash, let me tell you!"
"When you and I are done, this world can finally return to peace!"
Hall of Origins
Arceus was completely alone in the hall with his thoughts. No matter how hard he tried to escape them, he could not. The faces of his children...scarred, beaten, burned...and dead. For those he had never gotten to see, their faces during the final moments they were still alive was perhaps even more haunting to him. He had failed them time and time again. All he could possibly do now was believe that, wherever they were now, that they were happier there. Now, at least, they were free from his tyranny.
The last five months hadn't been easy for him or the Legends. For anyone, really. He saw much worldwide despair from atop his throne. The entire world's population had dwindled immensely with the deaths of most trainers. The few remaining trainers mostly became discouraged and retired to help in the rebuilding effort. Not for Goldenrod or other areas caught in the crossfire, but for families. Practically everyone had lost something or someone during the fight. For those who partook, it was friends or Pokemon. For those who couldn't fight or were too afraid to, they cursed themselves endlessly for their weakness.
Of course, there were a key few good samaritans who spent every waking moment trying to help whoever they could. Like that Mr. Star fellow, for instance, and the many volunteers who stepped up to aid those who lost friends and family in the war in any way they could. Arceus felt that he should have been among them, but in his accursed weakness, he would have only gotten in their way.
Some of the Legends went about helping in the repair efforts, namely Xerneas and the two remaining Lake Trio members. Arceus endorsed this, feeling that the time for Legends to hide away from humans and Pokemon was over. There was still the issue of Christopher Lee and Yveltal's whereabouts, though, which Lugia was keen on reminding Arceus about.
Arceus not so fondly remembered the look of rage on Lugia's face when he was confronted by him. The Beast of the Seas demanded to know why Arceus had yet to take action upon it in accordance to their promise, though when he saw Arceus's frail state, he dropped that part of the subject. No Legend had escaped the final battle with Necrozma unscathed, and Arceus was no exception. He had used nearly every ounce of energy in his body futilely to fight Necrozma. There was also the matter of Palkia and Groudon's rebirth, which was not privy to many yet, and the further effect it had on his body.
The Father of all Pokemon's weakness was something that Lugia chided him for. Arceus didn't have the physical or mental strength to deny it, furthering his point. Not wanting to let down Lugia any more than he already had, Arceus allowed Lugia to enlist the aid of several other Legends of his choosing to firstly find Lee's location. So far, he successfully enlisted Moltres, Articuno and attempted to do so with Ho-oh. The phoenix itself, passive as it was, did not want to get involved. It did, however, offer Lugia the aid of its beasts.
Beyond that, Lugia apparently even convinced Kyogre to join in. Arceus wasn't sure how Lugia managed to do that. Reshiram, surprisingly enough, volunteered to join where Zekrom did not. She claimed that there was a "truth yet unshadowed," and while that unsettled Arceus, he trusted her to know what she was doing. Xerneas, albeit concerned with her counterpart's disappearance, knew that undoing Necrozma's damage was more important at the moment.
So, Lugia went to Zygarde, and though they refused initially, it was only so they could remain as cells and look from multiple angles. Two-hundred eyes were better than just two. The Tapus, when asked, refused to leave their islands. But Lugia was...persistent. To get him off their backs, they eventually agreed to keep a close eye on their islands for Lee. The most shocking of Lugia's search members was Mewtwo. What's more, he offered to join. There was apparently something about a little girl, but Arceus didn't hear the details.
He also asked about Giratina, but not even Arceus knew of his whereabouts.
The thought of Yveltal missing and evil still lurking somewhere in the corners of the world even after Necrozma was defeated sickened him to his core. What was worse was that he was helpless to put a stop to it. An old, tired, useless fool was what he had been degraded to. Even Mew hadn't so much as contacted them since their last meeting. A sickening feeling bounced around in his mind: that there was still a great evil out there. That Yveltal's disappearance and the appearance of humans that could take on a Legend in a fight were connected. The world couldn't handle another evil like that so soon. It was-
THUMP!
Arceus recoiled as something bounced off of his head and interrupted his plagued train of thought. A beach ball flopped to the floor and bounced into the hands of none other than Palkia. Or rather, the new one. "Sorry, papa!" He called out. He was much smaller than the original, given his short time. However, in these five months, he'd already matured to the mentality of a child. He was a child. As of now, he couldn't grow to fit his role, but that would come in time.
Chuckling, Arceus replied, "It's fine, Palkia. Just be sure to be careful in the future."
The young Palkia hastily nodded. "Y-Yes, papa." Arceus noticed that he was averting his gaze from him. Of the two new Legends, Palkia was, surprisingly enough, very timid. He often wondered if the original Palkia had been similarly mannered...though Arceus's lack of knowing regarding that meant he wasn't properly there for the early Legends in the way Mew was. He chuckled to himself, realizing the ironic twist of character between them.
Floating down to his son, Arceus smiled at him kindly. "Come now," He said, "What's with that look? There's no need to be afraid." He knelt down, gently pressing his forehead onto the trembling Palkia's. Almost immediately, the young Legend stopped shaking. "There we go, my boy. The mistake was harmless. I would never hurt you, you know."
He slowly pulled back from Palkia, his kind old smile ever-persisting. "You do know that, right?"
After a moment of hesitation, the young Palkia nodded. "Y-yes, papa."
Arceus nodded approvingly. "That's my boy. You know…" Palkia gasped as the ball in his hands disappeared in a flash of gold and re-appeared over Arceus's head. "I've spent far too much time brooding. I think we're both overdue for some playtime, don't you think?"
The small Legend's face lit up at that, any of his timid nature suddenly disappearing without a trace. "Really?!"
Arceus winked down at him. "Really, really, my boy." He backed away from Palkia, floating above the floor until he stood below his throne. "Get ready," He said. Palkia crouched down, his eyes locked on the ball. Lowering his head, Arceus hid a mischievous grin. If the kid thought his old man was out of touch, he was mistaken. "THINK FAST!" Arceus whipped around and punted the ball with his back legs, sending it hurtling into the air at high speeds.
Without missing a beat, Palkia jumped into the air and drove his fist into the ball, making it fly right back to its sender. Smirking at Palkia's bravado, Arceus lurched up and sent the ball right back with the edge of his foot. Diving to the ground, the small space deity slid on his back and used his wings to push himself off the ground, flipping forward in the air to retaliate with an axe kick. The game was far more competitive than what might have been during a game of ball with an ordinary father and son. But this was beyond that. It was a battle between gods.
A sidewinding sweep sent the ball to the side where it bounced off the wall past Palkia, to which the little legend spread his wings and bolted backwards, double-hand slamming it back just in time to avoid losing a point. "Yeah!" He cheered. "Take that!"
Chuckling at Palkia's vigor, Arceus tucked down and spread his legs. Palkia's eyes went wide when a barrier suddenly appeared to block the ball, bouncing it back at him. "H-hey!" Whined Palkia after catching the ball. "How did you do that? That's not fair!"
"All is fair in love, war and sports, my boy," Retorted Arceus. "And this is Wide-Guard. In time, should you keep training hard, you'll be able to do this too." He dispelled the barrier and stood back to full height. Grinning at his son challengingly, he said, "Now, come o-"
Arceus cut himself off as the ball whizzed by and hit the wall behind him. He stood still, unmoving as Palkia cheered over his victory. "Yeah!" Cried Palkia, throwing his hands into the air. "I'm the best!"
He stopped when he heard a chuckle from his lord-father. "So," He said, "You actually managed to pull one over on your old man, eh?" The ball was cloaked in a golden glow and flew up to Arceus's side. It began rapidly spinning in the air to the point that literal streaks of plasma erupted from it in sparks. "Let's see if you can stop THIS!" The ball took off faster than a lightning bolt, but Palkia was ready.
"You won't beat me!" Brazenly declared Palkia. "Taaaake this!" He jutted forward, slamming his shoulder into the oncoming projectile. Unbeknownst to the young Legend, the impact caused the pearl embedded in that shoulder to mysteriously glow. An odd, pink-colored energy seeped out from the gem and, combined with the force behind the shoulder slam, caused the ball to hurtle back at Arceus with immense force.
As the ball approached, Arceus gathered his energy. "You're getting better, Palkia," He complimented, "But you've got a long way to go!" A golden pulse exploded from Arceus's forehead when the ball came near, sending it rocketing right back at Palkia. The young Legend was more concerned about his father's display of power than the ball, his jaw and eyes wide open. When Arceus saw the disaster that was nearing, he called out, "Palkia, the BALL-" But it was too late. The ball slammed into the young Palkia's face with a resounding crash.
Arceus winced, internally cursing himself out for what he'd done. "P-Palkia!" He cried, floating over to aid his son. "Are you alright?" The ball fell from his face and lazily bounced across the floor. Palkia sniffled up at him, tears welling up in his eyes. The second Palkia's mouth opened, the hall was beset upon by a wail that soon became ear-piercing. Arceus winced, recoiling at the offending sound. "P-Palkia!" He stammered. "P-please don't cry."
Palkia ignored him. It was likely that he couldn't hear anything over the sound of his own voice. Arceus narrowed his eyes at the young Legend, leering over him with his fiery red gaze. He knelt down and pressed his forehead into Palkia's chest...then flipped him over onto his back. The surprise of it all seemed to shock Palkia out of his crying. Before it could continue, a wondrous golden glow emerged around them.
Initially, Palkia was terrified of it, given how his last experience with golden light went. Yet, when it gently caressed his cheek, a warm feeling erased all fear and pain from his body. "Do you see now, young Palkia?" Gently cooed Arceus. "I would never hurt you. Not intentionally, that is."
A smile came to the young Palkia's face as he rested his head upon the back of his father's neck like a pillow. "...I know, papa."
Arceus nodded approvingly. "Thatta boy!" Gently, the golden glow lifted Palkia off of his back and back to the ground next to the ball. "Now, is my brave, strong little Legend ready for round two?"
Palkia didn't respond at first, blankly looking back and forth between Arceus and the ball. Arceus's kind, wise-looking gaze faltered after literal minutes of inactivity passed. "Uh…" Palkia lurched at the ball suddenly, taking it in his right arm. Unbeknownst to him but not Arceus, the same pink energy from before escaped from his pearl and into his arm. It seemed like he was eager to pay his father back for earlier.
When he threw the ball, he did not throw it alone. The energy in his arm escaped as an odd curvature, much like the blade of a scythe. It flew through the air, leaving a whistling sound behind as everything it touched was warped. The ball was sliced in half upon contact with the rending of space, and immediately after, it was crushed into nothingness as space closed back in on itself. Reducing the ball to nothingness, the blade whizzed past a stunned Arceus's head and into the ceiling of the wall where it disappeared.
"What was…?!" Arceus said in disbelief.
Realizing only that he had destroyed the ball and not the means by which he did so, Palkia was swiftly brought back to guilty tears. "I-I'm sorry, papa… I-I didn't m-mean to break the b-ball…"
To Palkia's shock, Arceus was far from angry. In fact, he appeared to be so joyful that he was laughing. "Nonsense, my boy!" He shouted, making Palkia flinch. "That was incredible! At last, you've awakened your power to control space!"
Arceus pointed at Palkia's pearl, making the young Legend follow. His eyes went wide upon seeing his now-glowing pearl. "I...I did?" The realization hit him suddenly, and his face lit up like a christmas tree. "I DID IT!" He cried jubilantly, jumping for joy.
"That's right," Goaded Arceus proudly. "If you keep at your training and learn how to use it, you could very well become as powerful as your brother Dialga."
Palkia's jaw dropped at that. "No way! As strong as Dialga?!"
Chuckling, Arceus nodded. "Perhaps stronger if you really try." He knelt down so that he sat eye-to-eye with his son, pressing their heads together and earning a giggle from young Palkia. "I know you can do it. You've done nothing but make me proud, you know."
Palkia embraced his father, managing to wrap his arms halfway around Arceus's neck. "I love you, papa!"
Ever since Palkia and Groudon's creation, Arceus, as a father, knew nearly nothing but happiness. That was especially true for now. At long last, he felt like he was finally doing something right. Righting some manner of his limitless wrongs. "I love you too, little Legend."
The two heard a noise from behind and were pleasantly surprised by the sudden appearance of Dialga. "Father, brother," He said with a bow. "I am glad to have walked in on a moment like this, though I apologize for interrupting it."
Palkia separated himself from Arceus, instead choosing to rush over to excitedly greet his older brother. Arceus nodded to him. "There is no need for apologies, Dialga. What brings you here?"
"Nothing special," Replied Dialga. "I simply wished to check up on you both." In the time since the new Palkia's creation, Dialga had been a ready and very welcome helping hand in raising him. In the earlier days, Arceus would have found himself at a loss without Dialga's oddly more-responsible nature than he gave him credit for. He was learning something new about his children every day.
Dialga turned his gaze upon the burnt part of the Hall's roof where Palkia's first Spatial Rend struck and smiled. "Though, perhaps it is something special after all."
"Yeah, it is!" Chirped Palkia, hopping up and down in place in his excitement. He showed off his pearl to Dialga. "I finally learned how to use my space powers!" His face fell suddenly. "Oh, but...I broke that ball you gave me…"
"That's incredible!" Replied Dialga with equal enthusiasm. "And don't worry about the ball. We can just go find another!" To help keep Palkia occupied while Arceus was busy with his overseeing duties, Dialga had enchanted an ordinary beach ball to immediately reverse to a previous state in time whenever it was damaged, thus making it invincible by any ordinary means.
Palkia's face immediately lit up at that. "Really?!"
Dialga nodded. "Of course, dear little Palkia. In fact…" He looked up at Arceus, who knowingly nodded with a smile. Returning it, Dialga continued. "It's settled, then. We will search for a new ball immediately."
"Yaaay!"
Arceus watched the brotherly bonding with a bright smile upon his face. As he watched his sons chat away like an ordinary family for the first time in their existence, As he watched them, he felt all his stress melt away like snow in spring's sunlight. As he watched his sons...his worries melted away. The world's scars. The evils lurking behind every shadow of the world's corners. The looming thought that Necrozma might not be the end… All of it felt small when he simply saw his children...acting like the family he wanted. The family they should have always been.
Dialga and Palkia left through a portal, leaving Arceus alone with his thoughts once again. Only now, they hadn't a shred of negativity within them. Letting out a happy sigh, Arceus relished the fleeting moment's feeling. When his senses returned to him, he had to wonder if Rayquaza was having a similar time with Groudon. It would have made him incredibly happy to see the Weather Trio getting along for once.
"I do hope they're having fun."
Abandoned Beach off the coast of Sootopolis City, Hoenn.
"What do you mean no?!"
The young Groudon turned away from Rayquaza, crossing his arms indignantly. "I mean no! Making land is boring! All I ever do is sit on an island and pour lava onto the water, and it takes hoooours!"
The new Groudon, much like the old one, was very problematic. Only now, Rayquaza no longer had permission to beat him into submission. Thus was the unfortunate fate of the once-guardian of the skies and keeper of peace of the Weather Trio. From appointed guardian of Earth to babysitter of his reborn charge. Was this his punishment for failing his duties so many times during Necrozma's invasion?
"This is not negotiable!" Roared Rayquaza. "If you don't start creating land, the entire world will be thrown out of balance!"
Still, he was far from getting through to Groudon. "Yeah right, idiot!" He kicked up a mound of sand into Rayquaza's face. "There's tons of land! I don't need to make more!"
Rayquaza angrily wiped the sand from his face, grinding his teeth together. "That's not how that works…!"
"Oh, lay off," Said Kyogre. "Let the kid have fun once in a while. To Rayquaza's bafflement, Arceus had allowed Kyogre to know about the young Groudon's existence but forced him to swear to secrecy. Rayquaza was sure that wasn't going to last long. Arceus claimed he did it to "keep balance between the trios," yet he hadn't exactly been inclined to inform Giratina about the new Palkia. Not for a lack of trying, he hoped. He wasn't the type to doubt Lord Arceus, but babysitting was where he drew the line.
"Yeah, lay off!" Mimicked Groudon, earning an amused laugh from Kyogre. Just as Rayquaza's luck would dictate, Kyogre was having an awfully fun time playing the young Groudon to his favor. No doubt he would use it to try and spread his dominion, spelling disaster for the world. Kyogre hadn't taken as much damage or fought as much in general during the battle against Necrozma, leaving Rayquaza wondering if he could still match him in battle if he had to.
Perhaps Kyogre was betting on the chance that he couldn't. Rayquaza never pegged him for the manipulating type, but the war against Necrozma changed much in many, and Kyogre was likely no exception. "Don't you go egging him on, Kyogre," Warned Rayquaza. "If you're trying anything underhanded, I won't hesitate to inform Arceus."
Kyogre rolled his eyes. "Tell him what? That I'm actually letting Groudon do something in his existence other than work?" He chuckled snidely. "Maybe I should tell Arceus that you're ruthlessly working the kid half to death."
"And I'll tell him exactly how you're corrupting his mind!" Retorted Rayquaza. "And stay out of this! I know you're only acting like this so you can expand the oceans!" He narrowed his eyes at Kyogre threateningly. "I honestly don't know what you're thinking. Do you really believe Arceus would allow you to submerge the world? Surely you know how much death that would entail!"
"Shut up!" Cried Groudon, stepping in between Kyogre and Rayquaza. "You're just a stupid green jerk!"
Rayquaza scoffed at him. "I am doing my duty, which is to help keep balance between land and sea!" He pointed out to the ocean. "And I can only do that if you cooperate!"
Vigorously shaking his head, Groudon cried, "I don't wanna! You always make me do boring stuff! Why can't you be cool like Kyogre?!" Before Rayquaza could retort, the small Legend stomped his foot into the sand angrily. "I don't know about 'balance' or whatever, but if you want it, I don't! Besides, Kyogre's water is cooler than land!"
Kyogre's water was cooler than land, according to the little Groudon. Rayquaza thought there would be a cold day in hell before Groudon and Kyogre ever saw eye to eye. Apparently, hell had completely frozen over. Taken aback, Rayquaza frantically attempted to retort. "L-listen here, you! If you don't create land, the world will rot and die! Even the oceans will too!"
Ignoring him, Groudon pointed at the two chipped-off horns under Rayquaza's chin. "Hey, what's with the dumb little nubs on your chin?"
Rayquaza uselessly tried to cover them. "I-I don't know what you're talking about." It wasn't a matter of embarrassment or pride. Someone as young as the new Groudon couldn't possibly be allowed to learn of Necrozma. Such horrible tales would scar any child, and that isn't even taking into account...what happened to his previous self.
Groudon futilely attempted to pry Rayquaza's hands away to see the broken spikes. "Yeah, right. You probably just flew into a rock like an idiot!"
Well, it was better than him knowing about Rayquaza. "Y-yup, you got me! Smacked right into it!" He laughed unconvincingly. "That's absolutely what happened."
Kyogre rolled his eyes. Rayquaza's terrible acting only served to make Groudon fail to believe him. "...So it wasn't a rock. What was it then?"
"Well," Said Rayquaza, "That's not really-"
"The kid deserves to know the truth," Kyogre said, managing to hide a smirk.
Rayquaza glared at him. "You stay out of this!"
Groudon pouted at him. "No! I wanna know! Kyogre says so too!"
"Well I don't-"
But Groudon was persistent. "Well I do, so tell me-"
"ENOUGH!" Rayquaza roared with such force that the sand underneath them was blown away.
Groudon's eyes went wide, and he was knocked onto his back. He wore an expression of terror on his face at Rayquaza's sudden outburst. Before long, he descended into tears. "Y-you're so mean!" He whimpered, making the serpentine Legend roll his eyes. "You're j-just a bully! I'm going with Kyogre!" He hastily scampered over to his counterpart, who allowed him to stand atop his head. "I-I don't wanna ever s-see you again! L-let's go, Kyogre."
A wry grin crept up Kyogre's face. "Well, you heard him, Rayquaza. We don't hang out with bullies."
"H-hey!" Shouted Rayquaza as Kyogre turned to leave. "Get back here! Don't you dare take him!" Rayquaza could already see the seeds of something terrible being sown. There was no doubt that Kyogre's behavior meant no good. Their rivalry in Groudon's past life was so deeply rooted that Kyogre would no doubt use this opportunity to his advantage. It was disgusting. Even Groudon's sacrifice seemed not to have had any impact on his counterpart.
He sighed in exasperation. "I hope Arceus isn't having this kind of trouble with Palkia…' With that, he raced after the two, disappearing across the horizon.
The room was nearly pitch black.
The Man sat in his chair, looking upon his new gun with interest. It was no longer a prototype. Now, the bullets it discharged destroyed themselves along with their targets, meaning there would be no evidence to its use. It was sleeker, and the chamber that stored the crystal shard wasn't as exposed, but the shape of the gun in general prevented both the proper firing of the bullets and complete obscuration of the crystal. At the very least, the windup was reduced significantly, meaning that this model would likely be the best it ever would before he put his plans into motion.
Behind him, Ryder entered the room suddenly and bowed. "Sir," He said, "We believe this to be the most accurate data regarding the current status of the Legends." The Man wordlessly motioned for Ryder to approach, so he obliged. Ryder pressed a button on The Man's desk, causing a holographic screen to appear. Articuno was shown on the screen, along with the subtitle, "Injured in beak/wings. Injury type: blunt. Location: Ice Island"
"This data," Said Ryder, "Was constructed using not only the footage captured of the battle against Necrozma, but also the behavioral patterns of the ones known to survive after." He held out a remote for his master's use, which The Man eagerly took in hand. When he flipped through each Legend, he was shown their supposed status and a picture of their sustained injuries.
"Zapdos: Dead." There was a picture of its lifeless corpse near Lugia.
"Moltres: Injured. Type: Full-body blunt wounds. Location: Fire Island." There were pictures of the battle taken on the islands, and one of it retreating from Necrozma.
"Unknown Legend with tremendous Psychic ability: Heavily Injured. Type: Head injuries. Broken head piece in (suggested) Mega Form. Severe blunt trauma in lower chest area. Multiple plasma-induced burns. Location: Unknown." There was a picture of his unconscious body after defeat at Necrozma's hands. The Man leaned forward, taking interest in this one. It seemed familiar to him somehow.
"Entei: Mildly injured. Type: Fractures of back growths and torn fur. Unlikely to be moderately detrimental in a combat scenario. Location: Johto."
"Raikou: Injured. Type: Facial. Breaking and severance of one fang. Other is cracked. Unable to use Thunder Fang. Location: Johto." A zoom in of its broken fangs was shown.
"Suicune: Mildly injured. Type: Scarring of its sides and fracturing of crystal-like structure of its head. Location: Unknown. Reports range mostly from Johto near the battle zone, but reports at multiple lakesides around the world have been reported." All three of the beasts were shown sprawled out across the battlefield after defeat.
"Lugia: Heavily injured. Type: Multiple blunt, piercing and laceration wounds all across its head, body and wings. A flap is missing from its back. Location: Likely by the Elemental Islands. (Unverified)." He was shown being held up limply in Necrozma's grasp.
"Ho-oh: Moderately injured. Type: Full-body blunt force trauma. Was heavily injured, but previously-gathered knowledge of its regenerative abilities suggests most wounds were healed. Location: Unknown." A picture of Ho-oh flat on its back after defeat by Necrozma was shown.
"Celebi: Dead. No trace of its body was left." Celebi was shown in Necrozma's grasp moments before annihilation.
"Regirock: Unknown. Did not appear at the battle."
"Regice: Unknown. Did not appear at the battle."
"Registeel: Unknown. Did not appear at the battle."
The Man mentally took note of this. There was obviously some kind of connection between them that stopped them from fighting Necrozma.
"Latias: Minor injuries. Type: Nothing more than scrapes and scratches. Inconsequential to battle prowess. Location: Altomare, Johto." Latias appeared by the side of Latios and its trainer, Tobias. The Man made a mental note to keep track of that trainer.
"Latios: Dead. No traces of its body were found." Latios was shown intercepting a blast meant for Latias in one picture. In another, a ball of plasma from Necrozma was rocketing toward the fallen Latios. In a third, there was only fire where Latios once was.
"Groudon: Dead. Its body was left during the battle, but eventually taken by Arceus after." Groudon's corpse was shown sporting a gaping hole straight through its chest and back. The Man viewed the image intently. That was one large problem out of the way.
"Kyogre: Moderately injured. Type: Sustained heavy full-body attacks, but showed much less wounds than others. Most notable injury is a missing tail fin." Kyogre was shown being held up by its tailfin by Necrozma moments before it was ripped off.
"Rayquaza: Heavily injured. Type: Severe blunt trauma to the cranium, possible unnatural stretching of the spine, severed spikes beneath the chin." Rayquaza was shown in the midst of being thrown by its tail. A second photo showed it sprawled out on the ground, its chin spikes gone.
"Jirachi: Dead. Its corpse was in possession of a group of people and ordinary Pokemon before being abandoned. Was later taken by Arceus after the battle." Jirachi's battered corpse was shown in a crater with two survivors running toward it.
"Deoxys: Dead. No trace of its body remained, but before its death, an odd surge of power was displayed beyond that of any other Legend except Arceus. It is assumed to be either related to or directly caused by the entity 'Aura.'" Deoxys was shown being blown apart at the beginning of the battle. Another picture detailed it in the midst of fighting Necrozma later on, cloaked in white and assuming a fifth form. A final picture showed it and Rayquaza both in Necrozma's grasp, a black dust running up the former's arm.
"Uxie: Injured. Type: It and Azelf were used as makeshift weapons, giving them moderate wounds to the head and back. Its tails were stretched out and nearly severed. Location: Lake Acuity, Sinnoh."
"Mesprit: Dead. Frozen by Kyurem and shattered by Necrozma." Mesprit was shown encased in ice and in Necrozma's grip.
"Azelf: Injured. Type: Identical to Uxie. The two who remain should still be able to fight. Data of their injuries in regards to their current battle prowess is unknown. Location: Lake Valor, Sinnoh."
"Dialga: Mortally injured. Type: Full-body bruising and plasmatic burning. The gem on its chest was intensely fractured. It is unknown if Dialga still retains its power over time, but it was unable to move after the battle against Necrozma. Location: Unknown." A picture of Dialga showed it just before being blasted point blank by Necrozma.
"Palkia: Dead. The gem in its shoulder was stolen by Necrozma, suggesting that it was key in keeping it alive. This may prove true for Dialga as well." Palkia, its gem missing from the socket in its arm, was shown next to Dialga.
"Giratina: Mildly injured. It was only stricken once in the battle, but that single blow knocked it out for the battle's majority. Unlikely to have any effect on its battle prowess. Location: Unknown." Giratina was shown conversing with the Legends before Necrozma erupted out of a mysterious dark hole. Another picture showed it unconscious in an elongated crater.
"Cresselia: Dead. No trace of it remains."
"Heatran: Dead. No trace of it remains."
"Regigigas: Unknown. Did not appear at the battle. The various temples that were rumored to have held, or once held, Regigigas were found empty. Location: Unknown." That just proved to The Man that there was a connection between them even more.
"Manaphy: Unknown. Did not appear at the battle. Location: Unknown."
"Phione: Unknown. Did not appear at the battle. Location: Unknown, but likely is near Manaphy."
"Darkrai: Dead. No trace of it remains." Tobias was shown standing before the flames that consumed Darkrai, with Necrozma looming over him from behind.
"Shaymin: Mildly injured. Was knocked away by Necrozma and later fled when its Sky Form dispersed."
"Victini: Heavily injured. Type: Full-body blunt injuries and plasmatic burns. If the rumors of Victini's ability to grant victory to any it sides with are to be believed, this suggests that either Necrozma held the ability to bend reality to its will or the rumors surrounding Victini were false. Location: Has been sighted near Goldenrod giving strength to repair crews." Victini was shown being hurled into the air with a blast following close behind.
"Cobalion: Unknown. Did not appear at the battle."
"Verizion: Unknown. Did not appear at the battle."
"Terrakion: Unknown. Did not appear at the battle."
The Man chuckled at that, having an inkling as to their fate.
"Tornadus: Dead. Was impaled by Necrozma and electrocuted by Thundurus. Its corpse was later taken by Arceus." It was shown with Necrozma's arm straight through its abdomen.
"Thundurus: Dead. No trace is left of its body." It was shown with its head in Necrozma's hand.
"Landorus: Dead. Its head was completely destroyed. Its corpse was later taken by Arceus." Its body was shown plummeting to the ground with its head encased in smoke.
"Reshiram: Severely injured. Type: abdominal blunt force trauma. Many plasmatic burns. Location: Unova. Its behavior is nomadic, and sightings have been reported in many forests and caves. It does not approach civilization." It and Zekrom were shown with Kyurem moments before the two former were blasted away.
"Zekrom: Severely injured. Type: Intense cranial damage and plasmatic scarring. Location: Unova. Its behavior is identical to Reshiram, but the two have never been seen together."
"Kyurem: Dead. Its neck was crushed in Necrozma's grasp. Its corpse was later taken by Arceus." Its corpse was shown beside Keldeo.
"Keldeo: Heavily injured. Type: Brutal bruising to abdomen, back and head. Its horn appeared to be severed in a separate form it undertook. Location: Giant Chasm Cave, Unova." The photo of it beside Kyurem repeated.
"Meloetta: Dead. No trace of its body remains."
"Xerneas: Severely injured/Minor injuries. Was struck in the abdomen with enough force to rip it open. However, the wound was proven to have almost entirely healed. Location: Goldenrod City. Often appears to help aid the growth of plant life and ease any injuries accumulated by the reconstruction crews."
"Yveltal: Secured."
"Zygarde: Seemingly uninjured. It was dispersed back into its multiple cells and cores all across the world. It is unknown if it still retains the ability to merge. Locations known: Kalos: 56. Alola: 22. Johto: 12. Kanto: 8. Hoenn: 2." The Man decided it was best to leave them alone. The closer they were together, the more dangerous they were. Besides, they had all they needed from this trio.
"Diancie: Moderately injured. Type: Full-body scarring, bruising and fracturing of its crystals. Major blunt force trauma to the face. Location: Kalos. Last sighting was in Reflection Cave." A picture detailed its face caved in after a punch from Necrozma.
"Hoopa: Mortally injured. One if its rings was destroyed, seemingly causing it immense agony. It summoned a larger entity identical to the being that attacked Dahara City alongside multiple Legendary Pokemon. The larger entity was destroyed, once again causing Hoopa pain until it fell unconscious. Without its ring and mysterious entity, it is unlikely to have much combat strength. Location: Goldenrod City."
"Volcanion: Dead. No trace of it remains."
"Tapu Koko: Heavily injured. Its protective shell was severely cracked, and its titan form destroyed. It is unknown if it retains the ability to call upon its titan form. Location: Melemele Island, Alola."
"Tapu Lele: Identical to Tapu Koko. Location: Akala Island."
"Tapu Bulu: Moderately injured. Type: Damaged shell and horns. Location: Ula'ula Island."
"Tapu Fini: Heavily injured. Type: Nearly shattered shell. Plasmatic burning. Location: Poni Island."
"Solgaleo: Dead. No trace remains of its body." It and Lunala were shown being grabbed by their necks by Necrozma.
"Lunala: Dead. No trace remains of its body."
"Unknown Electric Legend: Moderately injured. Was engulfed in a blast from Necrozma. Was suggested dead at first, but later footage captured its escape. Its battle abilities show it moving at incredible speeds. When measured, it appeared to be as fast as lightning itself. Location: unknown." The Pokemon, a yellow and black wolf-like creature that stood on hind legs, was shown briefly fighting Necrozma before being sent flying. Another photo captured revealed a yellow blur shrouded in lightning.
The Man made a mental note to keep an eye on that one. A wordless look to Ryder told him all he needed. "It will be done, sir. I will issue its location to be discovered immediately."
"Arceus." The Man's attention snapped back to the presentation. "Mortally injured. Judging from its behavior after the battle, it was unable to move for quite some time. Though there are very few outwardly injuries, this suggests many broken bones if it has them. It appeared to have discharged all of its energy during its battle with Necrozma. It took multiple days for it to regain the ability to move afterward."
A grin crawled up The Man's face at that. He looked down at the gun in his hands, clutching it tightly.
"Aura: Unknown." He eyed the screen with interest. "Almost nothing is known about this creature. All that is known is that it referred to itself as Aura, used the body of Ash Ketchum as its vessel, and carried immense power far beyond anything even Arceus showed. The moon, Mars and even Jupiter were completely destroyed in its battle with Necrozma, though they were repaired immediately after with no visible damage."
"It is unlikely that Necrozma would repair them," The presentation stated, "So it can be assumed that Aura is the cause. Before they arrived on Earth for a second time, no traces of their battle were detected anywhere within the solar system. This suggests that they battled either in another dimension entirely, or another part of the universe. It can be inferred, then, that Aura protected Earth for some unknown reason. We concluded that it is either some previously-unknown guardian of Earth or perhaps a guardian of the universe itself. After the battle, it separated itself from Ash and disappeared. Location: Unknown or Unknowable."
Several pictures of the mysterious entity were shown, which The Man eagerly scrolled through to capture every last detail of it. One showed its first appearance, coating the entire battlefield in a blinding white. Another showed the battlefield itself being overturned by its presence alone. Telescope pictures of the planets affected by their battle were shown as well. More specifically, in the midst of their destruction. The final picture was of Aura planting its fist through Necrozma and destroying its body once and for all.
A hint of satisfaction twinging in The Man's mind, he alone knew that this picture did not truly detail the end of Necrozma. He turned the presentation off and wordlessly waved Ryder away. Bowing, Ryder took his leave to carry out The Man's prior orders. The Man shut the presentation off and turned back around to his desk, pulling out a painting. It was ancient and frail, but it held the key to everything. It was a mural...of Mew.
Mew hadn't appeared at the battle, which was infuriating. If Mew had been defeated by Necrozma, then his goal would have already been completed. But since she didn't, he was forced to withhold for another five months. But now...it was so close. Now, it was no longer a question of if. It was a matter of when. The extinction of all Pokemon was at hand, and with it, the age of man. He would deliver them their freedom at any cost.
He crumpled the painting in his hand, making parts of it turn to dust, and threw it into the trash by his desk. The Man took the cigar out of his mouth and tossed it into the trash, setting the mural of Mew aflame. Pocketing the gun, The Man stepped up from his chair and made his way out of the room. There were still a few key materials he needed. Of course, there was the matter of what to do with that boy, Ash Ketchum. Time and time again, he managed to show up on his radar with ever-increasing luminosity.
The Man wondered if he should order the boy's death. The last team he sent after him, of course, didn't work. He didn't expect it to, but now, he was a greater threat than ever. That being...Aura… Well, even if God himself stood in his way, The Man would find some way to achieve his goal. But perhaps he might not have to. Ash Ketchum...could perhaps be made useful.
Author's Note.
Creator: Sorry to spoil the illusion of an ending so soon, but we just had to release this ASAP. Welcome to Arc 2 where things hopefully actually make sense and the word "blast" isn't used ten million times because the English dictionary actually has words to describe what's going on. Here's a question for you all: What do you think is the saddest death in the story so far?
Hydra: Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah WE GOT YA hehe… yea sorry bad joke lol, but did you guys really think we were done, don't bet on it there's still so many questions left unanswered and to be honest I can only be left in suspense for so long.
Creator: Now, onto the reviews. It's only two again, but we did get one new one though.
Amourshipper35: "Thanks for the shoutout, guys, and I hope Ash and his friends will be able to find peace and how Ash became a Legend and how they made a memorial to the fallen."
Creator: No problem. Yes, perhaps peace will be found... One day.
Hydra: yes isn't that interesting ash a legend? Huh I could've never expected something like that to happen it's so cool seeing how far he has come since the defeat of Lysandre.
DarkPugLord23: "I must say, it's been one heck of a ride. A great epilogue to one of the best Fanfics I've ever read. I really loved the intense battles, and the pair of you actually made Necrozma a very threatening villain; powerful, scary, and a little bit of charm sprinkled on top. Also, that post credits scene... Oooh, I have the spine-chills, great work as always! Something tells me this is far from over…"
Creator: I see you are perceptive. The ride is far from over, my friend, and I hope this one is even more enjoyable than the last. For someone to call this one of their favorite Fanfics...all I can say is thank you. Necrozma was a good attempt at a villain I'd say, and I like that you agree with me. He's the first villain I ever wrote, and I'm glad I finally get to put him to rest...and yes...this is far from over.
Hydra: sorry for making you think this story was finished, but in a way It kinda was with the death of Necrozma and the destruction of the ultra beasts. The question now is what's coming moving forward.
Guest: "Is this getting a sequel? Please try to make chapters a bit shorter. Dunno maybe more chapters but each one shorter? More chapters more followers more notifications to your followers more reviews."
Creator: Well, it's not necessarily getting a sequel. More like a part 2 to the same story. And yes, the chapters will be much shorter from now on...but this chapter was meant to be 6-7k and it's 10k so I suppose I still have a long way to go.
Hydra: Do not worry my friend we have definitely learned our lesson with arc 1 we're now going under the pretense of quality over quantity.
Creator: I hope you enjoyed your first taste of Arc 2. Everyone is broken, and they'll only keep continuing to be broken. It's only a matter of time before someone shatters...yet after every fire, flowers bloom. Perhaps in the midst of all of this, someone will be fixed?
Hydra: Well boys I hope you enjoyed the beginning of something new. I can't wait to hear what your thoughts are about young Palkia and young Groudon that scene was so hilarious to write lol but anyways we hope you enjoyed this chapter and we look forward to you guys joining us on this new adventure!
