//------------------------------//
// The Magic of the Shards 
// Story: My Little Pokémon: Grander World 
// by Amarvax 
//------------------------------//

Equestria. Magehold. The Pokemon Festival. Afternoon.

Quite the exciting battle came to an end between Celestia and Dimstar, with Celestia claiming victory. It was worth coming here to Magehold. Celestia enjoyed herself and so did Dimstar as both of them were in the stadium's waiting room. All of their Pokemon were back to full strength, healed up and refreshed.

"Whew. I needed that." Celestia sighed while lying on a couch. "Not too shabby for my first big official Pokemon Battle, right?"

"Personally, I would have sent out Reshiram." Luna added when looking down on her sister. "I'm surprised you didn't unleash him. I hope you aren't feeling insulted by this, Dimstar. Having my sister not use everything in her arsenal to challenge you."

"I have no regrets. Even if you didn't send out Reshiram, that battle was truly enjoyable." But Dimstar didn't mind. As long as she got to have a fun battle, that was all that mattered. This was the most that Dimstar was smiling. Being exempt from the Black Crusade mission and everything surrounding it was heavenly for her.

"Well. I'm satisfied as well." Celestia stretched her hooves. "But I'm not quite done with Magehold just yet, I believe. This is an entire land that we didn't know about for a long time, even though it's in Equestria."

"Magehold is home to many secrets. I was sealed away for centuries so any new ones that have emerged aren't in my memory bank. But everything else prior to that moment, I know about. Even the Primordial Magic."

"I suppose so. Liches are the closest thing to it. Similar to us alicorns. Did your father teach you?" Luna asked.

"He did. He said it was rather mandatory that I had to learn about the Primordial Magic since I was Half Lich. What about you?"

"We learned about it as well when we were young and just starting out as Starswirl's students. We didn't think too much about it, however. Too much else on our plate." Celestia answered. "To think that the Lich Queen was attempting to go straight for it. But it would've been pointless. No one can tame that kind of magic."

"Well, not no one. Those higher beings who put Ash and Jirachi on trial perhaps. They are most definitely related to it. I can imagine that those angels know more about it than us or even Starswirl.

"Perhaps we can ask Lightwing when we get the chance. She's our guardian angel now. Equestria never had a guardian angel until now." said Luna. "Not sure if we need one though. I'd say we do a decent job at defending ourselves but..."

"Guardian Angel?" Twilight Moonlight, who was in the bubble, repeated. The last time she recalled the word 'Guardian Angel', it was spoken by Silver Swirl. From where she comes from, she was also a Guardian Angel and this universe had one as well.

"Angels? Haven't seen one in ages." Dimstar looked up, saying something rather surprising that made the two alicorns lean forward.

"You saw an angel?!" The Royal Sisters collectively said.

"I did. When I was rather young. My father actually saw more angels than I ever did. He showed me one, which was another lesson in learning about Primordial Magic." Dimstar did have some knowledge that extended far past Magehold. She had her father, the First Lich King, to thank for that. 





"Come on...Fit!" At the moment, the older Flurry Heart was trying her best to fit a suit onto Cobalion. But she would soon come to find out that nothing was really working. The young alicorn had already gone through 30 different suits that were lying on the ground, unable to match Cobalion. The 31st suit was being used but that one was also failing.

Meanwhile, Cobalion stood there with a straight face, unbothered by this. He could barely even feel Flurry Heart's actions since his boy was as hard as steel. Strangely, the clothes would also rip when trying to fit on Cobalion. The store owner stood there with an elevated face. She didn't mind that the clothes were being ruined simply because Flurry Heart was paying a huge helping of money thanks to her wealth.

"Hah...Hah..." An exhausted Flurry Heart fell flat on her face. "I give up. Why won't anything fit? I've seen creatures larger than you wear suits!"

"I told you that they were not for me." Cobalion shook his head. "But you tried your best. I am fine with how I am and I can assure you that Celestia feels the same way."

"Then go to her. I know she's waiting and seeing you will make her happy." Cadence encouraged.

"Mm. It will also be a good opportunity to see how Zeraora is doing." Cobalion would make his way to Celestia while the older Flurry Heart would lie there, defeated. Walking up to her was her baby self and Manaphy. Both would poke her face while she was currently out of stamina.

"They won't fit him. But what about-" Cadence was about to face Shining Armor, attempting to put him in a suit. But as soon as she turned around, her husband was gone, knowing what was coming and immediately departed. All that was left was a faint afterimage of where he once was.



As for Fluttershy, she was elsewhere in Magehold during the entirety of the intense battle. Currently, she found herself in a Botanist Shop. The same shop that Fantina entered and found the seed to create the Heavenly Maiden Tree.

Ever since she visited it, the shop has received some fame, being one of the first examples of entertainment returning to Magehold. And now that Fantina was the Lich Queen, this small shop that belonged to a vampire and her daughter had transformed into something bigger. 

It received an upgrade, growing in size as the building had extensions onto it. Inside, a marvellous assortment of potted plants, from delicate orchids to towering carnivorous flora, line the shelves, their leaves and petals swaying gracefully as if moved by unseen hooves. And now, the pony living here wasn't working alone. She had other vampire ponies assisting her. It was now a bigger business while still staying confined in her home. But the number of ponies here isn't what stood out.

It was the fact that some of them were being held up by plants who managed to grab onto them. Alas, even though this business had grown, there was a reason why this mother was the only one working here. Not many were trained well in this. And those who were trained still had ways to go.

"Afternoon!" The Botanist greeted Fluttershy. "Don't mind this. These greenhorns are still in training."

"Oh, alright. I was just hoping to see if I could maybe plant a seed myself."

"Hm? Is it because of Queen Fantina?"

"Yes. I heard she's the one who made that Heavenly Maiden Tree outside."

"She was! And it was thanks to my assistance!" The botanist put on a rather proud face, boasting about it. "I mean, it was also because she encouraged my daughter. Things were so dull here and I had to grow the same plants over and over again for years with little progress. But that's all changed now."

"Aw, this one is so cute!" Fluttershy gravitated herself to one of the plants sitting on the table. These plants were very much sentient, including one that was of three peas in a pod. They each had these adorable eyes, finding their home in this pod. Once they saw Fluttershy getting close, they would yelp, closing the pod up as if it was a zip. Another group of plants that caught Fluttershy's attention was a pumpkin that looked rather lazy. Its eyes were droopy as it would let out a unique yawn.

"Oh-ho-ho-ho. Don't let those adorable faces fool you, dearie." The Vampire Botanist chuckled. "They're harmless now but they become feisty when they grow up. But you can train them to be peaceful. Here's your first seed~" She would pass the seed over to Fluttershy, giving her full access and a free try to creating her own special plant. "Anything you want and it can happen."

"Anything I want? Hmm..." Fluttershy would go into a deep state of thought. There was one thing that's always been on her mind and comes up regularly. Becoming a tree. She's had that wish fulfilled once but now she was thinking about it again. But this time, things would be different. "I know!"

"Now. I don't expect yours to grow so quickly. I suspect that Queen Fantina's sprouted instantly because she was destined o be the next Lich Queen. So it might take a while before yours sprouts up."

"That's fine. I hope mine has a Pokemon living inside of it too~" She squeed, excited about what this seed will grow into.

"Since you're still here, mind getting my shop's name out there? I know who you are. You're the pony who has a bit of a vampire inside of her. I mean, you're not one anymore or even showing signs of it, but it'd be wonderful." The botanist pleaded, flashing her eyes at Fluttershy. She even tried pulling off the puppy-dog eyes tactic, but it didn't look good on her at all.

"Oh. I guess I can help with that." But Fluttershy went with it either way.

"Great! And if there's ever a problem, you can come right to me~!"



Pegalysium. Newcloud Path.

At last, Lena Ketchum's group had arrived at Pegalysium thanks to the help of Hisuian Braviary. It was a rather long trip. Longer than they thought it would be. But that was all thanks to the height of Pegalysium. Now that they were here, they landed on a place known as Newcloud Path. A path that was made entirely out of clouds.

Up ahead. it had a narrow, winding mountain trail that snakes between towering cliffs and dense foliage. The air is crisp with occasional gusts of wind rustling through the trees. Along the path, there are intricate carvings of mystical creatures, etched into the rocks with remarkable precision and artistry. Naturally, Lena's group couldn't step on them since they were clouds. They weren't pegasi, unfortunately.

"Hmm...We still have to go on foot for this." Lena observed. "Do you need to rest up, Braviary?"

"Viary." Hisuian Braviary did need the rest. He's been flying since yesterday and he was rather spent. He was glad to hear that Lena would let him take a break, finally.

"On foot?!" Jessie gasped. "We'll fall right through! Can't he just walk along the cloud?!"

"No, Braviary's too tired. He needs to rest. Besides, we can sort this problem out with ease."

"How? We don't have a way to step on those clouds unless we have got wings." Diadora asked.

"Oh. That's easy. Like this." To the shock of Team Rocket, Lena Ketchum did the most casual yet surprising thing out there. She would get off Braviary and immediately touch the cloud. But she did not fall through. Instead, much like a pegasus, her feet were stationery as the cloud became solid for her.

Naturally, Team Rocket were flabbergasted by what they were seeing. Lena stood on the cloud as if nothing was wrong. The only thing that seemed somewhat natural was seeing Lena wobble, trying to keep her balance.

"Oooh...They're a lot bouncier than the clouds below." Lena said. That was the only thing on her mind when stepping on the clouds.

"How did you do that?" James questioned. "Do you have secret wings we don't know about?!"

"Hm? Oh, no, no!" Lena chuckled, seeing why Team Rocket would be befuddled by this sight. "Truth is, it's the egg that I ate."

"Egg? team Rocket collectively said. Lena was referring to the egg that was shaped a lot like the Arceus Symbol and had a strong connection to the Creator Deity.

"Mhm. I didn't think too much about that egg when I first saw it, but it's rather surprising. It's the reason why I'm able to figure out where some of these shards might be. And it's also the reason why I'm able to stand on the clouds. I'm practically a Flying-Type right now! Think about it in that way."

"This whole family is so lucky it's unfair...!" Jessie grizzled her teeth, wanting to curse the Ketchum Family for their incredible luck.

"Tell me about it..." Diadora related to Jessie on that part. She was jealous of Ash since he was the King of the Sea when she wished to be the Queen of the Sea. But that title went to both May and Delia.

"Ah, but you three can't really walk on the clouds, can you?" Luna found one other predicament. Team Rocket weren't exactly airborne beings and neither did they eat a special egg related to the Creator of all Things. Thinking hard by pressing her fingers on her head, Lena came up with something. "Aha!"

With her bare hands, Lena would face the other clouds, digging her hands into them. Thanks to the egg, she could interact with the clouds perfectly. And much like a pegasus, she started moulding it. Team Rocket gawked as Lena was playing around with the clouds as if they were clay. But that wasn't all.

"Please pass me the Fairy Shards. It'll do us a great service." Lena requested. She looked like she knew what she was doing and who were Team Rocket to object? Meowth dug into the huge bag, whipping out the Fairy-Type Shards they found over at the Changeling Hive. Once they were passed over, Lena would get to work.

With a wide grin, she started harnessing the power of these shards without any issue. A beautiful pink glow left her hand, prompting Lena Ketchum to pull off something that only pegasi and alicorns could do. She unleashed Fairy Magic onto the clouds as the pink rays would fly out. Just like that, Lena Ketchum created a new path that was layered over the Cloud Path.

A beautiful pink platform was made, completely solid and eligible for Team Rocket to use. Jessie would gently touch the Fairy Platform, finding it to be completely solid. Diadora and Team Rocket now had a way to move across the sky without worrying about falling.

"There you go. This is just a small bit of what the shards can do." Lena said. Team Rocket finally saw just what these shards were capable of. Only a small bit of it since the Fairy Shards were once something larger according to Lena. These weren't just valuable for their glimmer and shine. The power they held was also very valuable in so many ways.

Team Rocket would step on the platform, safely walking on it while Hisuian Braviary was sent back to the era he came from. Moving on foot, Lena would start running, wanting to get a move on. Team Rocket soon followed, running behind the distant ancestor of Ash Ketchum.

While running, Lena already came across a long vine that led to the higher points of this area. She grabbed onto them, climbing her way up the area which would bring her to another cloud platform. Lena would have to use the power of the shards once more to make another Fairy Platform for Diadora and Team Rocket's safety. She was doing all of this since she could detect where there may be some shards. It wasn't perfect but it certainly works.

"Up here should be the Flying-Type shards." Lena uttered when making a new platform. "Once we get a hold of it, travelling through the air will be easier than ever. We won't always have to call for Braviary."

"Do you think we could use them too?" James asked.

"Probably. If you have enough of them, you can harness their power. But after this, the shards will have to return to how they originally were and they should never be used again." Lena answered. "I'll return to my original time and everything will flow as it should."

"Sounds like a mistake to me." Jessie shook her head. "Why would you want to leave this all behind? Look at what you can do!"

"It's amazing yes. But it's for the best. I shouldn't be here at all. If this were any other situation, Dialga would've interfered, but it's letting me stay around. Until I fix everything." Lena looked down, letting out a deep sigh. "It's a shame. Being able to harness this power and to meet so many new faces, explore different areas and even take part in contests...all of that will cease to exist. But I won't have any regrets."

"Really. You're a strong-willed gal for that." said James. "I couldn't imagine leaving all of this behind for a better future."

"Me neither." Jessie was on the same page, crossing her arms and looking to the side. "But honestly...when you say it like that, I can see why. You're lucky that Dialga is letting you do all of this. You'll completely forget our faces, won't you?"

"Ahaha! I don't think so." Lena chuckled. "A part of me feels like I will remember you. Even if time returns to normal. I-" Right before Lena could say anything, she saw that Team Rocket came to an immediate halt, having petrified faces. There was something behind them that stunned them. When turning around, Lena saw what was responsible for this. Or rather, who was responsible for this.

The Indigo Union from Pinnaculum Pegalysium were present here, facing Lena's group with the Unown. They were present here at Pegalysium even if they were seen as enemies. There were quite a lot of them, easily outnumbering Lena, Team Rocket and Diadora.

The Unown looked down at them, hovering over the group while Lena slowly stood up. So much for having a nice talk with Team Rocket and smoothly searching for the shards. It was only natural until she ran into trouble, but she wasn't expecting it to be from Pinnaculum Pegalysium. She didn't even know about their existence until now. The ancestor of Ash showed no fear in her face. It became completely serious instead.

Team Rocket on the other hand were absolutely terrified. Mainly because they knew what the Unown were capable of and how cruel the Indigo Union can be. They were once the Indigo Alliance but their tendencies did not change.

"What do we have here? Your face looks awfully familiar." One of the soldiers said, recognizing Lena's face. But that was mainly due to Ash's face. And since Ash and his friends were massive enemies of the Grand Queen Second Wind, it did not spell anything positive for Lena Ketchum and her group. Now that they were surrounded, there was a high chance they could be captured. But after that, what would come next?

As the journey continues.


Chapter 348 End.