Just because one star falls doesn't mean it isn't content to fall. This could not be more true than for the greatest and most powerful of the fallen stars, Arceus the all-powerful creator. The king of the cosmos had a story well-versed in the history books, but few know of what became of him after he had given life to the Creation Trio and the Lake Guardians. Even with the greatest of company, Arceus lived a quiet life high up in the clouds, in the land the mortals call Heaven. So many Pokemon prayed to the Creator God that it had turned his heart cold. Where he once loved to see the smiles on the faces of many, now only a few are given his grace and mercy. Still, he did have those who cared for him. And he still had those that he cared for. On this day, he had just accepted the full destructive ability of a catastrophic storm upon a small village.
"Arceus," Dialga said, "Why must so many suffer and die? Do you hold some kind of hatred for these mortals?"
"No," Arceus said, "So many believe they must cry to me for mercy or for more than what I can give or prevent catastrophe from occurring... but the bad of this world must play out or they will become complacent."
"But to let children perish with no remorse...!" Dialga exclaimed.
"What else can I do?" Arceus asked. "Without these storms, their crops won't grow, and if their crops don't grow, so many others will perish that could have yet been saved."
Dialga bows her head. "I see..." she said. "So then... this is nothing more than a mercy killing."
"Of course, my child," Arceus said. "Were it nothing more than this, I would have acted against it. You have my word, all the suffering and torture and death are for a good cause."
Dialga nodded and hummed in thought.
Arceus noticed her concern. "My child..." he said. "I promise, I hold nothing but love for all those below us."
"But, how would you feel to be down there on that planet, facing a true disaster?" Dialga asked.
Archie paused. "I can't say that I can answer that," he admitted. "But... we all must do what we must, and we all must pull the trigger at times."
Dialga nodded. "Then, I suppose life goes on for all of us," she said, though still a bit sad. "Life must go on," Arceus said. "No matter how painful it may seem to be on the surface, all life must go on, even through pain and hardship."
Dialga nodded and stepped away without another word. "Well, if life must go on, then so must ours. I'll be expecting you in my chambers tonight," she said, giving him a meaningful look.
"You know I wouldn't miss it," Arceus said. "Not when it's your chambers I'm invited to."
Dialga stepped away, giving a wiggle of her hindquarters before stepping into her chamber. Arceus smiled before turning to another strong cause for him, the sight of a younger woman living in the Sinnoh region. He smiled at the sight of her. It was not the first time he had seen her, nor would it be the last. In truth, he was in love with her, like he had never felt towards any other girls.
Akari, a loner except for a single friend, a blonde-haired girl named Emily, who went by Fang due to her fierce appetite. Akari had told Fang to find a table for the two of them at their lunchroom only to find Fang had already finished her meal and still looked starving afterwards from the same meal that had filled Akari herself. Akari was no Pokemon trainer, even less so from seeing how much trouble Fang had with her Arcanine. Both girls kept a Reviver Stone on hand, enchanted by a mysterious Ninetales to never be exhausted, in case the Arcanine got too rowdy with them and decided he'd found his next meal. It was their latest escape, thanks to Akari casting a fireball spell, that earned her the nickname of Flare. The only dream she had in her life was to become a powerful mage, capable of wielding even the most powerful of spells.
As for Arceus's dreams of her, it was to be at her side, to be happy with her, to be her doting husband. Perhaps learning side-by-side with her as well. The world had seemed much more interesting when it was her world that he was watching. He'd even granted her own prayers more often than the prayers of anyone else. Now, he was spying down on the girls, watching with admiration and affection. Both girls were quite intriguing to him, even if Akari more so. He sighs, saddened by just one hitch.
"But I don't have the chance, not when that Emily's already taken it from me," he bemoaned. "She and Emily have been lovers for years, what could I possibly do to make her see me the way she does her?" A smirk came across his face. "Perhaps I do have a chance. Palkia! I would like an audience with you."
Palkia enters the room, feeling suspicious about the situation. "Yes, Arceus?" he asked.
"Remind me," Arceus said. "When I created this world, and I let love take shape on its own, just what kind took shape?"
Palkia pauses and smirks. "Don't fear, my lord," he said. "You'll have your chance. Monogamy is uncommon down on that planet, monoamory even less so. Does that answer your concern?"
Arceus pauses. "Yes... thank you," he said. "How did you ever suppose that that was the purpose for which I summoned you?"
"Because you never summon any of us without it being because of Akari?" Palkia teased. "Seriously, my lord, why not go down there and meet her?"
"No," Arceus said. "Not only would so many come begging me for what I could never give them, but she would never be impressed if I tried to step up to her and said 'Hello, I am the one behind your entire world's creation and I have a deep crush on you, want to go out sometime?' She'd laugh at me at best and run from me at worse."
"But you don't know that," Palkia said. "Perhaps she would reciprocate."
"Perhaps, but it's a risk I would rather not take," Arceus says, looking away.
Palkia smiles. "Call me again if you need me. I'll be in my chambers."
Arceus nods and returns to watching Akari. He still has just as warm a smile watching her before a Mew he is quite familiar with flies into the room.
"What is it, Myao?" Arceus asks. "Come to try and convince me to choose you over her?"
"Yes, I mean no," Myao blurted out. "I mean... there's something wrong with the Distortion World. Really, really, wrong. It's out of balance, like someone took a sledgehammer to half the place and Giratina smacked into the rest of it!"
"Odd," Arceus says. "Giratina is usually so perfect at making sure everything stays in order. It's why I tasked him with the responsibility of watching over that world."
"That's not all of it, sir," Myao said. "There's no sign of Solgaleo or Lunala, either. You know they only leave their post if a threat to our universe was to appear."
"I know," Arceus said. "This is most troubling. I fear there may be something going on that is worse than anything we could ever imagine." He smirks. "Perhaps you have earned an audience with me. Perhaps, if your report proves true this time and we are able to defeat this latest foe, you would earned yourself something you've been begging for all this time."
Myao giggled with delight. "I really, really, really hope that we end up saving the world, then!" she exclaims before pausing. "Well, you know. I hope we don't need to save the world, but..."
Arceus places a hoof on the little Mew's mouth. "Alright, alright," he said. "You've said enough, and I understand your excitement. You've begged me for a date since you were a kitten."
Myao smiled with a blush. "Well... can you really blame me? You're, like, the most amazing thing in this whole entire world because you're the one who created the whole entire world. So... what do I do now?"
"Prepare for battle," Arceus commands. "There's no knowing when the battle will happen, but we need to be ready for it when it does come."
Myao salutes Arceus before zooming out of the room. Arceus takes another look at Akari before an idea comes across his mind. "Perhaps... we could use your help in this," he said. "Perhaps we need a human mind and human coordination skill in order to help save our world from whatever is coming."
He smirked at her as he sees her drifting off the sleep. He always avoided watching her putting on her pajamas for her own dignity and respect, even if he did tend to watch over her in her sleep. He knows this is his one and only chance to earn her faith and loyalty.
He waits for her to enter her dream state, knowing well that this could very well end badly. Once she's fallen well and truly asleep, he closes his eyes and begins to speak to her.
"Akari," he began. "Akari, are you there?"
"Who are you?" Akari asks into the darkness. "Are you my guardian angel?"
"In a way, yes," Arceus responds. A glow takes shape within her mind. "Do you see me for who I am?"
"I see a light, but nothing more," Akari admits.
"If you're willing to provide it, I need your help," Arceus said. "Would you help me?"
"Help a talking voice in the middle of my dreams that may not even be real, sure why not?" Akari said with a smirk.
"I assure you..." Arceus said before showing himself, letting his body be projected before her. "I am very much real."
"Holy Arceus," Akari blurted out.
"Yes, that is my name," Arceus said. "I always find it odd that my name is used in such a way."
"It's just that, this is so unbelievable," Akari said. "Being called upon by the lord of all creation himself. What could I possibly be able to do for a big boss like you?"
Arceus smirked. "Our world is in danger," he said. "Everyone within our world is in great peril by a threat I know very little about. I could not think of anyone better to handle this threat than you."
"I'm guessing that you didn't look very hard, then," Akari said with a smirk. "I'm not even a second-rate magician." She paused and grinned. "You have a crush on me, don't you?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Arceus said in a wavering, unconvincing tone.
Akari smirks. "You're lucky you're literally God," she said. "Alright, I'll do it. But only if Fang comes with me."
"I didn't plan on anything less," Arceus said. "I know how close you two are, and I don't wish to separate you."
Akari paused and smiled. "Good," she said. "Even though she's my girlfriend?"
"Even so," Arceus promised. "She's quite attractive herself. So... shall we go?"
"Yes," Akari said. "Wherever it is we're going, let's go there."
Arceus smirked. "Exactly what I was hoping to hear," he said. "When you wake up, you'll be right where you need to be."
Akari yelped. "Already?" she exclaimed. "Don't I get to get dressed first?"
Arceus smirked. "Don't worry. I've already accounted for that. You won't be going in pajamas."
Akari sighed with relief. "You really are amazing," she said. "So... is this my only dream tonight?"
"I'm afraid so," Arceus said. "Unless you want a dream where Fang eats you."
Akari paused and shook her head. "No, no, I'd rather not dream that," she said.
Arceus nods and smiles as he departs, awakening to find the entire room around him completely dark. "Wh... What?" he asked quietly to no one in particular.
He looks about, trying to gain some light into the room. "Dialga," he said quietly. "Dialga, I'm coming."
"Not tonight you're not, my liege," a voice said from the darkness. Still, there seems to be no proof of anything but sheer, unpenetrated, darkness.
"Who are you?" Arceus called out.
"I've been watching you," the figure said. "Been watching how you treat your world. And they say that I'm cruel. Little do they suspect just what you're doing up here, just what little you have been doing to change the fate of your world."
"Once again, who are you?" Arceus called out.
"A being of the dark, always seeking the light," the figure said. "I grow tired of watching this world behind my home... your world is darkness. Your heart is darkness. That girl won't save you from me. It can't save you from me. You are nothing, you were always nothing, and through me, you will be nothing."
"Are you threatening me?" Arceus challenged.
"More than just a threaten," the figure said. "I know you will be nothing. Enough talk, your end begins now."
"Wait! I have unfinished business, it could cause a catastrophe to... certain lives if that progress was interrupted!" Arceus pleaded.
"I'm sure those girls will forgive you that you were unable to fulfill your promise," the figure said before the darkness begins to become suffocating.
Suffocation? How could this be? Arceus thought. I'm immortal. I shouldn't be able to feel pain, let alone suffocation. Yet, this creature is starting to kill me! Before he could even try to make sense of how he could be in such a state, Arceus found himself feeling tired and weary. He flopped down unconcious unaware of what was happening to him.
"Arceus?" Dialga called out, only having heard the hard thud.
The figure vanished, taking Arceus with it. The lights returned to normal, as if nothing had happened at all. Dialga poked her head out of her chambers only to see that Arceus was gone. She gasped in horror. "N... No!" she exclaimed as she rushed out to Palkia's chamber. All along the way, no sign at all.
Myao floated up to Dialga. "Hi!" she exclaimed. "Guess who might be getting a date with his majesty!"
"You might not be getting anything from him for a very long time, Myao," Dialga said. "He's gone!"
Myao gasped in horror. "H... How!?" she exclaimed.
"I don't know," Dialga admitted. "But this is one of the worst things possible!"
"I... I have to find him!" Myao exclaimed as she dashed out of the window and floated down to the planet below.
Fortunately, the peculiar black spot headed towards the ground provided some fortune for Myao's search. Myao gathered a powerful orb of pink that shades itself to white as it slams down onto the figure, forcing its retreat. After it dissipated, another Pokemon dropped from it. Myao gasped, knowing well who this figure would be. She zipped down to the ground before creating a pink bubble to act as a cushion for Arceus. After a hard slam into the bubble, Arceus bounced off and landed on his back in the middle of an open field. Myao flew over to Arceus before letting out a gasp of horror.
"Wh.. What did this to you!?" she exclaimed. "Who could possibly... Who even would... Why would anyone...?"
Before Myao's very eyes, the one she knows to be her lord, her hero, her beloved Arceus, is an Absol. He was still out cold. Even Myao's attempts to wake him up fell on deaf ears. It seems as though whatever caused this to happen prevented him from being able to recognize his situation until the light of dawn came. Myao flew around, looking for anyone that could help. But, there was no one. No one who could transform him back into himself. Even Dialga and Palkia were unable to combine time and space enough to transform Arceus back into his normal form. It was as if the creature that had done this erased that his old life had ever existed, that whatever had done this left Arceus as a blank slate, surely as helpless as a newborn.
"I can't see any proof of anything..." Myao said. "I did find them, though." She pointed to much further down the road.
Dialga and Palkia flew over to see what she could be intending to point out to them as they saw an Arcanine and a Braixen unconscious on the path. "Who are... they?" Dialga asked.
Palkia flew over and placed a hand on the forehead of the Braixen before gasping and jumping back into flight. "This... This is Akari, and this must be Fang!" he exclaimed.
"So he did do it," Dialga said. "He called the girls here, to help with our issue, but he must have been interrupted in the process and it tampered with how they came here."
Palkia nodded. "So, what do we do?" he asked.
"Guide his path, from above," Dialga said. "We can't interfere from the ground. And there's nothing we can do until morning."
Myao frowned. "There's... really nothing we can do?" she asked. "There's no chance of saving him more than we already did?"
Dialga nodded solemnly. Myao sighed, saddened by the fate of her god. She places a paw on his face.
"Well, there's nothing saying you can't stay with him," Dialga said. "We are the ones who cannot."
Myao lit up. "Then, I'll stay at his side!" she exclaimed. "I'll be his loyal servant and assistant! Maybe I still have a chance at that date!"
Dialga smirked. "If you charm him enough, I'm sure of it," she said.
Myao looked confident. "I can absolutely charm him!" she exclaimed. "You just watch, I'll make him want to be my boyfriend!"
Palkia smirks. "Good luck with that," he teased before the gods began returning to Heaven.
Myao laid down next to Arceus. "I don't know how you ended up in this position, but I promise, I will always be here for you, ready to handle whatever will try and come our way," she promised.
She soon found herself drifting off to sleep, wrapping her tail around his. Before long, she gained a chill and started to shiver. She maneuvered herself before she found his fur to be quite warm. Without a moment's hesitation, she nestled onto his back, resting her head on his, before she returned to the realm of sleep, scared of what the future might hold, terrified of what caused this, but ready to fight back against it.