Prologue: The Peak of Light
In the aether, where time did not flow and space was immaterial, was a single Pokemon—Arceus, the Creator of All. As it had done for most of its existence, it remained motionless in a state of deep focus.
"Lord of All! Hear my cry!"
The Alpha awakened, flaring his red eyes wide.
His meditation had been broken by a voice! In its current and purest state, the Hall of Origin possessed no medium for a voice to travel through. Someone of exponential power was calling out to the creator.
Arceus released his statue-like posture, roving one pointed and perfect hoof forward. Within the Hall his discernment was boundless, yet he was unable to determine the origin of this voice.
"Hello?"
"Creator of the Heavens!"
"Please, answer me!"
I am here. Arceus replied. I can hear you.
"Yes!"
"Oh, thank your name I found you!"
Who may you be? Arceus inquired.
"I'm a human, and I need your help!"
"You're our only hope. Our adversaries can only be stopped by you!"
"We don't have much time! Something big is going to happen at any moment—and I believe it's going to be destructive for even you!"
Arceus had suddenly become aware of some big, disastrous feeling. Although the Hall of Origin was beginning to hum with the stress of this bad omen, the Alpha remained unshaken and focused. He was the creator of everything with unmatched strength and might. Who or what could truly harm him?
But before the conversation could get any further, a third voice screamed wrathfully into the void:
"STOP! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!"
Arceus staggered, paralyzed by the words themselves; out of nowhere some ungodly force had struck him like lightning. He felt a foreign and wicked sensation attempting to slip into his mind.
NO!
The Alpha bore down and tried to recover, but his might was being quickly overtaken. He reared his hooves high, stamping and thrashing, tossing his head wildly as he battled the evil phantom force. The glowing halo of light radiating from within him was weakening.
No! What is this?!
Arceus fought to keep his thoughts in order. He became aware that there was another presence with him.
You! Who are you?! What have you done to me?
WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME?!
As he thrashed, losing himself to the mindlessness infecting his brain, his white hide began dulling and losing its luster. His light vanished completely. His eyes lost their wisdom and burned red with wrathful judgment.
The Hall of Origin now trembled around its creator, who had become the enemy of existence itself—Primal Arceus.
Elsewhere…
Kanto Region—The Viridian Forest
BANG BANG BANG!
"What the!?"
Blue Oak woke up to the sound of someone absolutely demolishing his door. He blindly reached for a light, forgot he had fallen asleep on the couch, and swiped at air before crashing to the floor.
A woman was screaming outside. "Blue, BLUE! ARE YOU THERE?!"
"Yo, I'm coming, I'm coming, chill!" he snapped, tripping over his blankets. He found his hysterical sister Daisy on the porch still in her pajamas. She leapt onto him, squeezing him with the strength of an Arbok.
"Daisy—easy!" Blue gasped. "You're breaking my ribs, here! What's going on…?!"
"Are you okay?!"
"Uh, yeah?"
You're not hurt?"
"No, why would—"
"When did you get home from Sinnoh?!"
Blue sighed heavily, looking over her head at the moon. "Looks like it's been…two hours tops?"
"I didn't know if you were going to stay the night or just go ahead and fly back! You didn't send a text!"
He kneaded his temples, impatient from weariness. His Eevee waddled to the door looking just as grouchy and exasperated as he was.
"Yeah, I forgot to shoot a message this one time, Daisy…" he deadpanned. "What's the matter? Is someone in trouble?"
"I thought you were," she exclaimed, slipping by and pulling him into the living room. "Oh my goodness, I had no idea, I'm so glad I was still up to check on you, imagine if you weren't home—"
"What? Daisy, you're not making sense. Either the world's ending or you stayed up too late knitting sweaters again."
She turned on the TV and switched it to a Sinnoh news station. The first thing they saw on the screen was Jubilife City on fire. From the reports at least sixty-five percent of the city was either burning, in ruins, or both. Since he'd been there just over six hours ago, Blue could see why his sister was so upset.
"…okay. You got me," he said, now wide awake as he stared at the TV. "What'd I miss?"
"Arceus!"
"Yeah, that's what I'm saying!"
"No, I mean, Arceus!" Daisy cried. "It...he—they're saying it came down from Mt. Coronet and started firing off attacks in every direction!"
"Wait, what!?"
"Yes! When it got to Jubilife City, things got so much worse. They—they're saying the death toll of people and Pokemon are already in the hundreds."
"Holy geez! Where's Arceus now?"
Daisy dropped her arms, exhausted. "Gone. It just stopped rampaging and vanished. They don't know what caused it to do this, but there's a good chance it's still roaming around angry."
...what? What the hell am I hearing? And seeing? Blue wondered, stunned. Arceus, of all Pokemon, just snapping…that's the scariest thing I can think of. Is he hurt? Angry? What or who would be able to push him to the point of doing something like this?
I've gotta check in on Cynthia and Professor Rowan. I hope they're alright.
...
Wait…was I supposed to be doing something else?
Blue was sleep-deprived and felt like he was forgetting something obvious. Daisy wiped her eyes. "And, you know...I'm just glad I can wish you another Happy Birthday," she said thickly.
"…ah."
That's what today was, his birthday. That was more than awkward.