//------------------------------// // Why He's King // Story: My Little Pokémon: Grander World // by Amarvax //------------------------------// Galar. Somewhere Unknown. Nightfall. They were on the move, trying to find a way out of this strange place that was a part of the Lost Universe. The Sea Temple, now serving its King as intended, would stroll across the seas and the land, its head moving through the clouds. While Gallus had his fun controlling the Sea Temple and getting the hang of its Spiritual Defense, the others were on the move, trying to escape. "Gallus, come on! Get outta there already!" Smolder banged on the door, the water preventing her from passing through. "You're having too much fun in there!" "Oh, come on. Just a little longer, okay?" Gallus smirked, playing with the interface. "This is so stupid." Smolder rolled her eyes. "Come on, Gallus. Get out. This is a bad idea." "Relax. I'm the guardian, remember? It's my job to play with this stuff." Gallus pointed out, using the interface to scan the area outside the Sea Temple. "To be honest, I think you're just jealous, Smolder. You wish you could do this too." "You're not wrong." She admitted. Smolder wished she was the one to accidentaly enter the alcove, the thought of playing with a giant temple making her feel giddy. "Just a bit, though." "Don't worry, I'll find a way for all of us to join. I bet there's something in here that can do that." Gallus checked out the interface, wondering what other functions were in this thing. But as he did, a blue light would emerge, brightening the area. Gallus gasped as the light would then reach the others, catching them off guard. "Woah, what is this now?!" Sandbar yelped, the sphere surrounding him, turning blue. The sphere began to shrink and the boy found himself being thrown around inside the sphere, his body becoming one with it. "Sandbar?!" Ocellus shrieked. "It's not stopping!" Yona panicked. "Haha!" Gallus chuckled, watching it unfold. "What is going on?! Why's this happening?!" Sandbar shrieked, feeling his body become one with the sphere. "How did this even happen?!" "Don't know. But whatever it is, it looks fun!" Gallus observed the sphere, seeing Sandbar's face inside of it. The sphere was changing, forming a new body for Sandbar. As the transformation ended, the sphere would change, its colour shifting to yellow. "Aha! There you are!" Suddenly, entering this part of the room was none other than Twilight, who burst the door open. The others would gasp, seeing the Princess of Friendship. "So you're the ones who activated the Spiritual Defense! "Oh, hey there." Gallus waved, smiling. They have been busted now that Twilight had found them. After learning that someone in the secret part of the Sea Temple activated the Spiritual Defense, she and a few others decided to check it out. Some of the Samiyan Guards could also be seen appearing here. "So, it was you guys, huh?" Twilight raised her eyebrow, her eyes glowing. "Why am I not surprised?" "Oh, hi, Principal Twilight.." Sandbar nervously waved. "Hi." Gallus replied, casually. "I guess you guys are wondering what's going on." "Well, yeah. I am." Twilight sighed. "Gallus got chosen by this thing and became it's guardian. I'm guessing you found out about it from the outside..." Ocellus explained while Gallus tried hiding his face behind the interface. "I see." Twilight narrowed her eyes. "Hah...Well, that's not the most surprising thing that's happened so far. But it's dangerous for you all to be out here. Your parents must be worried sick about you all." "Yeah, sorry." Sandbar bowed his head. "I don't think we have a way out of this place yet." "We're not stuck here, are we?" Smolder asked. "We're still trying to find a way out of here. It's already past midnight." Twilight approached them. "Now, come on. Get out of there." Responding to Twilight's words, the Alcove would shoot Sandbar out, causing him to spin across the floor, his eyes rolling as he became dizzy. However, it would not spit Gallus out, keeping him in. "You too, Gallus." Twilight requested. "Umm...I'd love to, but uh...this thing won't let me." Gallus chuckled, realizing he was stuck. He tried moving forward, attempting to leave, but himself unable to move from this spot. "You're stuck?" The Princess of Friendship tilted her head. "Seriously?" "Yeah.." Gallus lowered his head, the camera lowering with him. "That's weird. Maybe there's a reason why you can't leave." Twilight suggested. "Can't you turn it off or something?" "Well, I was trying to figure out what to do, but then I kinda messed around with it, and now this happened. But I think I'm getting the hang of it." He made a sheepish grin. "Okay..." Twilight sighed before facing the guards. "Do any of you know how to remove him?" "N-Not exactly. The First King of the Sea sealed it off before we could know every detail about it." One guard answered. "Hmm.." Twilight pondered on her next action. Her mind raced to one solution. The solution she's always had with her from the start. Magic. Shrugging off, Twilight's horn would glow, the water that was blocking her path would disperse. "Looks like the only way is through magic." "I'm not sure about that, Principal Twilight." Gallus told her. "If you try anything, this thing might act up. Like really bad. "Well, we can't stay here. We have to get back to school and our homes." Twilight stated, stepping forward. "Besides, I'm a professional." "I think that's your ego talking, Principal." Gallus chuckled. "Maybe." Twilight's horn glowed, preparing to cast a spell. "But it's better than not trying." From her horn, a ray of magic was unleashed, hitting the alcove. As soon as that happened, the Sea Temple's eyes would flash, a red aura suddenly appearing. The sphere surrounding Gallus would start to glow, becoming brighter. Gallus grimaced as Twilight continued to pour her magic inside, trying to get him out. The Sea Temple fought against Twilight's Magic, using its own magic to combat against her. Twilight narrowed her eyes, sensing some retaliation. The guards shielded their eyes as the magic would aggressively fly everywhere, hitting the walls, ceiling and the floor. Twilight could feel a strong resistance against her, but she was also pushing the magic of the Spiritual Defense back as well. "Come on!" Twilight focused, pushing the magic even further, forcing her way into the Alcove. The magic would continue to fly, the two types of magic fighting one another. Twilight was doing her best to force her magic inside, but the magic of the Sea Temple was preventing her from doing so, refusing to budge. "Esp!" Espeon cheered her on, encouraging her Trainer to keep pushing. Twilight's eyes would glow, focusing even harder, her body trembling. As she was fighting against the magic, she felt her horn being hit with an electric shock, a surge of electricity running through her body. Quickly, Twilight would use some of her Sorrowful Rage Magic along with Rift Magic, boosting her capabilities. With a final surge, she managed to push her magic through the sea Temple's, her magic overtaking the Sphere that was surrounding Gallus. Gallus cried out as he felt his body being pulled, a bright light filling the room. The guards were forced to cover their eyes while Twilight, using the magic to pull Gallus out, would be surrounded by the light as well. It was a powerful sight, a mixture of red and blue magic. Once Twilight pulled hard enough, Gallus was forcefully ripped out of the alcove, crashing onto the floor. "Ooohoo.." Gallus groaned while on the floor, absolutely bewildered. "Did it work?" "Sure did. Are you alright?" Twilight helped the young griffon up, her body aching. "My everything hurts.." Gallus stood, wincing. "Man, I'm not even the one who does magic. How do you put up with all that?" "Practice." Twilight replied. "Alright. Now that that's over with, getting ourselves back home is the next objective. "Hold on! If Gallus is out, doesn't that mean the Temple will stop moving?!" Smolder gasped. "Huh?" Twilight gasped, her eyes widened. She realized the mistake she had caused. "Oh, no..." Right on cue, the Temple was beginning to come to a halt as tremors were felt, the Sea Temple starting to fall apart. The quakes were so strong that the guards were being pushed out of the temple, unable to withstand the power. "Ahh!" Twilight was almost swept off her feet, the floor shaking. The Temple was attempting to stop, slowly descending back to the water. The others were losing their footing, struggling to stand up. Soon, everyone else in the Sea Temple would feel it, absolutely confused by it all. Without anyone as a host, the Sea Temple would return to its original state, getting them nowhere. Seeing this drawback, Gallus managed to get back up with all of his might, gazing at the Alcove. Since he was the reason it started up again, the young griffon was about to try and rectify it. Having no second thoughts, he threw himself towards the Alcove, taking flight. He would land right on top, sitting on it and facing the others. The second he entered, the Spiritual Defense reacted to his presence, recognizing him immediately. His entire body would be surrounded by a blue light, the sphere once more surrounding him. Everything was coming back, giving Gallus the interface once more. Gallus immediately placed his hand on two of the spheres, gripping them with all of his might. By doing so, he would feel a connection with the Sea Temple, becoming its host once more. His mind and the Sea Temple's were synced, both connected by a mysterious bond. Just like that, the Sea Temple would rise, the legs appearing once more. This time, the legs would actually start moving, the Sea Temple now able to walk. "Yes! There we go!" Gallus grinned. He managed to keep it moving, preventing any more tremors from going on across the entire Sea Temple. Knowing he pulled it off, he would let out a proud and hearty laugh, feeling a rush. "I told you I'd make a great guardian! See?!" "Yeah yeah..." Smolder grumbled, her head spinning. "Ugh..." Twilight groaned while getting back up. "M-My bad. Didn't know the temple would do that. "No problem. It was worth it." Gallus responded. "I got to be in here again." "Wait. You were able to activate it, even though you're not a Samiyan?" Twilight inquired. "Yeah. Pretty neat, right? I was chosen." "And it was just a random chance that you stumbled into it? And it chose you?" Twilight's mind was racing, finding all of this weird. She could sense something strange, feeling the Aura of the Sphere surrounding Gallus. "Well...In that case, you're going to have to keep this temple moving until we get out of this place. I'm leaving it up to you, Gallus." "Really? Haha, yes! I'll gladly take that offer! This is so cool!" Gallus smiled. "Don't worry, Principal. I'll get us all out of here. "Glad to hear that." Twilight sighed, relieved. Granted, getting out of here was easier said than done since this strange area was seemingly in one spot and nowhere else. "You guys are going to need to help me find a way out of this place. If not, we'll be stuck here forever." At the upper levels of the Sea Temple, Lena was looking out at the expansive land, sea and sky before her, taking in the sights. Even if this place was seemingly endless, it was beautiful to look at. She was leaning on the railing, the wind blowing through her hair, feeling the fresh breeze. "Hah.." Lena let out a sigh, taking everything in. The air, the ocean, the sounds. It was a nice moment. One that she felt she deserved after the events that happened last night. She had been awake for a while now, not having slept much. Her mind was still filled with the thoughts of last night, remembering her experience. She was mainly thinking about Volo, her former friend and enemy. And of course, the man she fell in love with. Her suspicion of him being in the present too and continuing his mission was true. It was a shame that this was Volo's path. A part of her wanted to talk to him and convince him not to follow through with his plan. But that wouldn't be easy considering the last time they talked, she ended up fighting him. And even if she was successful, what would happen afterwards? Lena looked at the Fairy and Flying Shards in her hand, seeing the mystical powers within them and the trouble they were causing. Lena just wished to restore them all as soon as possible and return to her time, hoping that things would finally end. But it would not be so easy. "Volo..." "Okay. We've been walking for hours, so it's time to put our heads together and bust out of this place!" Ash spoke in front of his subjects AND his friends, addressing everyone. "Yes, Your Majesty. However, we are not sure where we are. No matter how much we have searched, we haven't been able to find a way out of here. It's just as an endless array of land, sea and sky." A Samiyan Soldier spoke. "So, what are we going to do now? Are we trapped here or something?" Rainbow Dash asked, concerned. "I can't be stuck here forever! I'm gonna become the first ever Equestria League Champion!" "And I have to be there for Pheromosa when she recovers!" Rarity leaned forward. "My family needs me!" Applejack would shout as well "All my Pokemon back at the Pokemon House will be so worried if never come back." Fluttershy spoke. All of them had their reasons for getting out of here and returning back home, not wanting to stay here forever. "Well, we've got the Sea Temple Crystals to count on." Ash turned his attention to the Crystals placed in the Sea Crown Altar. "Now's a good enough time to use their power." "Your Majesty. The Crystals haven't recovered fully yet. They still need time." Safia approached her King. "Are you positive we can use their power?" "Yeah. I know they're still resting up. But we gotta do something and we gotta do it fast. Don't worry. I've got an idea." Ash grinned. "Very well, Your Majesty. Please proceed." Safia stepped back, bowing her head. "Okay." Closing his eyes, Ash would focus on his Aura, summoning the Staff of Sir Aaron out of thin air to aid him. He grabbed it, preparing to use its power. Clearly, Ash was about to use his Aura to figure something out, but he would go a step further. "Okay. Rainbow Dash. Applejack. Rarity. Pinkie. Fluttershy. I'm gonna need your Z-Crystals for this. Think you can use them?" "Our Z-Crystals?" Rainbow Dash would take out her Fightinium Z, Fluttershy unveiled her Firium Z while Pinkie Pie held out her Mewnium Z. Applejack and Rarity didn't seem to have theirs on them right now, leaving them back home. "What're ya planning?" Applejack questioned. "We're gonna give the crystals some more power and get them back to speed." Ash spoke before holding up the Pikashunium Z. "The Z-Crystals all have light in them, so we're gonna pass some of that power to the crystals." "Oh! An excellent idea, Your Majesty!" Safia clapped. "The Z-Crystals posses a similar light to the Crystals!" "They do?" "Indeed. It's even presumed that the Z-Crystals are a lot like the Life Plates that belong to Arceus. The Original One." Alo approached. "Huh..Now that you mention it..." Rainbow Dash thought for a moment. "We heard something just like that back at Kukui's Lab. I think it was Lena who said they looked a lot a like." "Could it be that Z-Crystals and Life Plate come from the same thing? Is that possible?" Fluttershy asked as there was now an extra layer of mystery to these Z-Crystals. And as a bonus, it also played into the connection the Alolans and Samiyans have. "Maybee." Ash took a guess. "Well, anyway, the point is the light inside the crystals can recharge the crystals' power, making them work again. Then, we'll use Lightspeed!" "L-Lightspeed!?" One of the guards gasped. "Y-You're majesty. The mechanism is made for Lightspeed Travel, not the Crystals. We have never used them to travel at lightspeed due to how much power that would take. That is why we created a mechanism for it." "But if we were to do so, it would be ven greater than the Mechanism. The Crystals are far superior to the mechanism we created anyways." Alo replied, backing Ash up. "And I suspect his Majesty is planning to help the Crystals withstand the immense amount of power needed for Lightspeed. Using the Z-Crystals for it should lessen the strain." "You got it." Ash nodded before facing the Crystals. The Samiyans had faith in their King, who had full confidence in his plan. He was willing to take the risk and help his friends. "I'll use Aura to boost their power, giving them enough strength to handle the trip." "But your Majesty! What if this does not work?! This is a serious risk you are taking!" A guard pleaded. "Then we'll try something els." Ash would then place his staff down on the floor, letting his Aura flow through his body. His boy would exude an azure light, the Aura surrounding his body. The Staff would also glow, resonating with his Aura. "Come on. Let's try this." Soon, his friends would hold up their Z-Crystals, aiming them at Ash. They would focus on their friendship, letting their thoughts reach him. This would result in an array of different lights appearing, the energy being sent to Ash. He would gasp, feeling the energy entering his body, the staff reacting as well. He felt the energy flowing through him, the Z-Crystals giving their light. The Aura surrounding him would grow, the energy intensifying. As soon as the energy was ready, Ash would close his eyes, his mind connecting with the Crystals and the Staff. He could feel the energy coming from all of them, the power flowing through him and the crystals. With that, the Samiyans were stunned by the display. They couldn't believe their eyes, watching their King using his Aura to connect himself and his friends with the Crystals and the Staff, giving them all the energy needed for a boost. "Don't just stand there! Prepare to travel!" One of the soldiers said to his fellow Samiyans, ordering them to use the Crystal's power for Lightspeed Travel. Quickly, the soldiers and guards would all rush to the Crystals, getting ready for their travel. Ash was keeping the energy flowing, letting the power build-up. With each passing second, the energy would grow more and more, reaching a certain threshold. It was then that Ash would open his eyes, the Aura bursting around him. His eyes were blazing with Aura, changing from their usual colour to the azure beauty that Aura always has. The People of the Water held their hands out, closing their eyes and humming a specific melody. A melody meant to resonate with the Sea Temple Crystals. It was a soft and calming tune, a song of tranquility. The melody reached the Crystals, causing the gemstones to respond, emitting their own light. The Samiyans would all begin praying and whispering their chant, the melody resonating with them as well. Joining in was the Prince of the Sea Manaphy, who would also chant that melody. "Mana...!" The melody would reach Ash, who was still pouring the energy into the Crystals and the Staff. He listened to the soothing tune, hearing the words the Samiyans were saying. With a clear mind, he would begin repeating their chant, saying it in unison with them. "Mana...!" Soon, a powerful wind would blow around him, the staff spinning in the middle of the air, the energy coming from the Z-Crystals still flowing through the staff. The energy was becoming more and more intense, the staff's spinning becoming faster. "Mana...!" With their song continuing, the entire Temple was covered in a beautiful golden light, a shining beacon on this endless sea and land. Everyone was stunned by this sight, amazed by the beauty of this light. Twilight ran over, finally showing up and seeing the amazing sight. She watched the light shining from the temple, the golden light covering the endless area. She would join the others, her eyes staring at the shining temple, mesmerized by it. But not only would she gaze at the sight, she would take out two of her Z-Crystals. The Normalium Z and her exclusive Z-Crystal, the Twilightium Z. "Take mine as well, Ash!" She would hold the Z-Crystals high, letting their light enter the Sea Temple and the crystals inside. Ash was able to sense this light as well, the light entering his body and adding to the power that was already being used. And since the Twilightium Z was also made by Arceus who worked alongside Twilight to create it, the energy inside was astronomical. The aura around Ash was shining brightly, the blue colour becoming more and more vivid. The Samiyans continued chanting, the melody flowing throughout the entire Sea Temple. They all joined in, letting their voices fill the temple, their words echoing throughout the area. Ash's hair would start rising, glowing two specific colours. The Light of Aura and the Light of Arceus. The Samiyans would notice this, the glowing of Ash's hair. This was something they had never seen before, a phenomenon unknown to them. The chant would continue, their hands glowing a bright blue. Lena would watch from afar, watching her descendant at work. She was shocked to see the glowing in Ash's hair, seeing him emit two lights. She was confused and astounded, wondering what this was all about. However, she would just continue to watch, seeing the lights emanate from Ash and his friends. "Now!" Ash declared, his voice echoing as the Sea Temple would take off in an instant, moving across the endless sea and sky at speeds unimaginable. And the temple was not alone, the entire area was beginning to change. Because of the speed they were moving at, the Temple was beginning to enter a strange space, the endless world around them starting to fade. As the speed increased, the Samiyans, Lena, Twilight and everyone else could see the area beginning to distort, their vision becoming distorted. "Ash!" Twilight yelled while holding onto a pillar. "Did you figure out how to travel through space with Lightspeed!? Since when?!" "Hehe!" Ash grinned while turning around. "Sci-Twi taught me that! Science is so amazing! If we move at light speed, we can leave this place and end up in a totally different place!" "I knew you were learning a lot, but this is insane!" Twilight replied, her face being squished a little bit. Pinkie Pie giggled while feeling her face wobble as they were moving, seeing the distorted view. Rarity was panicking, feeling her face becoming one big ball of flesh. "W-What is going on?! Is my face turning into a water balloon?!" Rarity screamed. "Haha, no way! It's just the weird light thing going on! My eyes are seeing like 5 of you!" Rainbow Dash laughed, her vision becoming blurry. "Oh wow, that's really weird." "I'm so glad I've never flown at Lightspeeds before!" Rainbow Dash yelled, her face becoming distorted as well. The speed was so fast that everyone's bodies were beginning to twist, their faces and everything becoming stretched out. But before the worst could happen, they passed through the space, the temple vanishing in a grandiose flash of light, leaving behind a trail of golden sparkles. Equestria. The Seas of Equestria. Nightfall. The Seas of Equestria. Currently tranquil and at peace. But they would soon be caught off guard by a sudden burst of light, a golden trail shooting through the seas, heading towards the lands. It was the Sea Temple, flying across the vast expanse. "Your Majesty! We've done it! We've finally managed to escape!" One of the Samiyans called out. Once they all realized where they were, a wave of relief would wash over them. They had escaped from the mysterious land, leaving behind an empty void. The Samiyans chattered, expressing their happiness. "Finally, we're out!" Applejack sighed. "Yeah! We're free!" Rainbow Dash shouted. "Haha! Now, we're actually home! I recognize this area!" "Yay! We're going home! We're going home!" Pinkie Pie cheered. "That was a wild ride..." Twilight sighed, relieved to be back. "Well, we're back to Equestria now." Ash smiled, his Aura disappearing. And just as he planned, the Crystals maintained their balance, the power having been restored. With that, the Samiyans could rest easy. Not only that, but they would cheer for the King, reminded of why he was their ruler. They would thank him for his help and praise him for his actions. He truly proved why he was the King of the Sea, earning the respect and gratitude of his subjects. Ash smiled back at all of them, accepting their gratitude. Being out of here felt greatly rewarding. Despite everything that's happened so far, Ash and everyone else had been working together and were finally rewarded with the results. The dangers that they face and the threats and obstacles that stand in their way, in the end, they were able to come out of it smiling. The King of the Sea could rest easy, knowing that the Sea Temple Crystals had been restored, and they were headed for the last one. Ash then looked into the Night Sky and at the horizon, thinking about Sci-Twi. This was not over. Their paths will cross again, for better or most likely, for worse. As the journey continues. Chapter 463 End.