Chapter 25
Giratina gave Arceus a flat stare. “Why am I not surprised?” the changeling stated sourly.
“I’m not entirely sure,” Arceus said. He gave Giratina the smallest of shrugs. “I suspect it has something to do with your hatred of me, but other then that, I have no answers for you.”
The changeling rolled his eyes. “I’ll tell you why then... it’s starting to become clear that you did have a ‘hoof’ in all of this. Especially with the reason why I’m stuck in my changeling form and the reason why I was unable to use my powers. A mere shadow of me shouldn’t have those types of abilities.”
“Very perceptive,” Arceus said, his face lifting up in what could almost be described as a smile. Lacking lips, it was rather hard to give one. He waved a hoof at Giratina and the other Legendary’s form shifted into his natural one. “Of course, you’re not seeing the full picture, but that's to be expected.”
Giratina peered down at his father with red eyes, the golden mask hiding his scowl. “What I saw is you taking away a dangerous threat and not letting me deal with it. Since it’s my problem to deal with. Because unlike you at least I’m making an attempt to correct my mistakes.”
“The Pokemon, Mew calls him Darkrai, has a place in the Balance,” Arceus explained with a small shrug as he too grew to his full size. “Though, he is rather too far to the right side of it, need to find someone to balance him out.”
The dragon blinked. “You are kidding right? He’s a shadow, a threat to the ‘balance’, and again he’s my problem to deal with. Not yours.”
Arceus began to fly gently through the Distortion world, gesturing for Giratina to join him. “Actually my son, he’s your son, not a mere shadow and as such he is a Legendary.”
“Funny, I don’t remember Luna giving birth to him,” Giratina stated flatly as he followed Arceus, though keeping his distance.
“She didn’t, obviously, that comes later,” Arcus said, smiling again. “No my son, you gave him life with your rage and your anger. And then you blessed him with the powers of creation.”
The dragon blinked blankly again. “What?”
“You have the power of creation,” Arceus replied as they continued through the Distortion world, a slight screaming being heard in the background. “You are my direct son after all.”
“Yes, though I never knew I had that. Palkia and Dialga are your ‘direct’ children too,” Giratina stated back.
“Well, yes of course they are,” Arceus said with a nod. “And they have power over Time and Space, the most important laws of creation. They do not however have the power to directly create. That was to be your job.”
The dragon scoffed. “Oh really? I thought it was to just watch over the Earth and help judge some of the human and pokemon actions. That didn’t turn out so well...”
“That was where you were going to start,” Arceus said. The God let out a sigh. “You were supposed to learn what it was like to live amongst the humans so that you could come to appreciate their problems on a more personal level.”
“Again, that worked out so well...” Giratina stated once more, giving his father a low glare.
“Would you stop that? It was your own fault, not mine,” Arceus said with an annoyed narrow of his eyes.
Giratina looked away. “It was your own fault not parenting me before hand, back then I was spoiled and didn’t know any better. So yes, I did lose myself when my savants died back then, but it was only because my ‘father’ didn’t have the time to teach me any better.”
“We all makes mistakes Giratina,” Arceus said. “Mine was believing that I’d formed you three with full intelligence.”
“Just because you give someone intelligence doesn’t mean they know how to use it correctly...” Giratina pointed out. “And my mistake was letting my rage control me, and now it seem to taken shape and you’re not letting me amend that.”
“Ah, am I not?” Arceus asked, looking at him puzzledly as the screaming in the distance increased in volume. “I could have sworn I put him around here somewhere.”
The dragon stared back at him flatly. “Torture is not the same thing as destroying his form.”
“That’s him screaming in rage Giri,” Arceus said in an amused tone.
“Don’t call me that,” Giratina said sharply. “And again, he’s still here and not destroyed. Something you keep trying to prevent me from doing.”
“Obviously,” Arceus agreed with a nod as they continued floating towards the source of the screaming. “Because, you’re not going to my son. You’re going to judge him.”
“And if the judgement means death, then why stop me from doing so before?” Giratina asked.
“You are so incredibly dense at times,” Arceus said. “It makes me wonder if that mask is actually made of gold or something thicker.”
“No, I’m just being straight in my thought about this. He’s a threat, a shadow of my rage, and also a kidnapper and attempted murderer. So yes, he needs to be destroyed.”
Arceus sighed. “Giri, this is why you are not going to be replacing me for quite some time.” He shook his head. “You’re far too black and white about things.”
Giratina blinked. “What?”
Arceus just looked at him. “You’re far too black and white about things.”
“Don’t play dumb with me, I meant the one before, the whole replacing you,” the dragon stated.
“Well, what do you think you exist for?” Arceus asked him as they drew closer to the screaming. “Your brother and sister control Time and Space, until you went ballistic, what did you control?”
“Other than having strong Pokemon moves... nothing,” Giratina replied, a frown forming beneath his mask. “You just put me in charge of that task of judging and such.”
“Indeed,” Arceus said. “And I respect your blighted intelligence far too much to spell out the rest of things. Figure it out.”
The dragon remained quiet for a moment as he closed his eyes. “...you always planed me to replace you later on.” He opened his eyes and glanced over at him a bit sourly. “You could’ve told me that before hand way back then.”
“That would not have helped you,” Arceus said. “And it would have defeated the whole point.”
“And what point would that be? And don’t dance around the question, for once answer it fully, because right now I’ve had enough of your vague answers,” Giratina commented, giving the ‘god of all’ a flat look.
“Making a better me,” Arceus answered honestly. “I’m too removed. You were supposed to become like them. It was supposed to help you understand what it was like to judge over them and give you a far more ‘down to earth’ point of view. I suppose it succeeded at that, eventually. If I’d just told you that at the beginning you wouldn’t have absorbed all the lessons I wanted. That and you’d more than likely be a braggart about it.”
Giratina scoffed. “You didn’t know what I’d do. In fact a goal to try to achieve for is better than simply ‘observe the humans’.” He glanced over at the white and golden Pokemon. “In fact I might not have acted the way I did when I lost my savants.” He looked away and forward once more. “But it doesn’t matter, it’s all a matter of ‘what ifs’ now.”
“Welcome to omnipotence,” Arceus said with a small shake of his head. “And by the time I got involved, things had proceeded too fast and too far for me to turn time back on itself. So you went from my favorite son to an angry wreck.”
“And sent me to a place where my anger was able to manifest itself into the physical plane,” the dragon pointed out. “Something which I am going to fix.”
“I had not intended the Distortion world to develop such a mind of its own, it was a universal dumping ground more than anything else,” Arceus said. “But no, you’re not going to simply ‘fix’ him. You’re going to judge him, and then you’re going to find a way to counter him.”
“Again, judging him to death is simpler,” Giratina commented. “Because I don’t see how he could be part of the ‘balance’, only a threat. Because what you said before about a solution to keep overpopulation in check sounds to me as allowing a psychopath to have free range of killing anyone he feels like it.”
“Well, I most certainly didn’t create him Giratina,” Arceus said, gesturing a leg towards Darkrai who was chained to a hunk of rock in the blackness around them struggling. “Fix him so that he fits into the Balance and then create a counter-point.”
The great dragon Pokemon looked at the phantomon like Pokemon. “Again, you’re not really convincing me that my idea is wrong either. If he really is ‘my’ creation, then let me just destroy him and I don’t have to worry about it any longer.”
“That is the easy way out of things Giratina,” Arceus said simply. “If you are truly to wield my power you must realize that you cannot destroy every problem you create...” He looked at Giratina. “After all, wouldn’t it have been easier for me to destroy you and create a new son?”
“...” Giratina began to fly forwards, his golden mask looking down upon Darkrai, his red eyes glaring disapprovingly at the dark being.
“You’re nothing but a failure! I’m going to get out of these bindings and I’m going to kill everyone you care about!” ‘Darkrai’ shouted at him, struggling in his bonds. “I will make you watch as I torture the woman and her baby! I will turn the man into a gibbering madman and laugh as he eats that wretched Absol! I will-”
“No, you will not,” Giratina simply said in a firm tone, cutting Darkrai off. “You... you’re evil, there’s no denying that. An insane Pokemon who was born from the darkness of my own heart... you’re a risk to everyone.” His red eyes narrowed down on themselves. “I should destroy you to the point where there is no doubt that you would never be able to come back.”
“You could do that,” Arceus agreed.
“Do it! I bet you wouldn’t even be able to get that right!” Darkrai said with an angry scowl. “You're a pathetic waste of breath and atoms!”
“...is that what you think of everyone?” Giratina asked, his tone more... far off as his eyes stared deeply at Darkrai. “That they weren’t worthy of living, for what reason other than just having a disability or were just different...” His eyes narrowed once more. “That was all the justification you needed to interfere with their lives, to give them nightmares so you could torture them.” The dragon lowered his masked head closer to Darkrai, his words sounding more authoritative than before. “Stabbings, piercings, ripping of fleshing, along with anything that cause them pain. It was your delight... now let it be your nightmare.”
Darkrai let out a scream of actual pain and was thrown back in the rocks, his eyes closed, his head slamming from side to side. “ARGHHHH!”
“Well done,” Arceus said with a nod. “Judgement is delivered... now you must change him and counter him.”
Giratina blinked, feeling as if he came out of a trance as he lifted his head and move back away from Darkrai. “I don’t know if he can be change... it would be best to keep him locked up... or destroyed.”
“I won’t keep him locked up, and I will not allow you to destroy him,” Arceus said. “Change him or counter him.”
“He’s a shadow, he can’t be changed unless he wants to copy someone else,” Giratina replied.
“Giratina... he is not a shadow. He is a Pokemon,” Arceus said with a touch of annoyance. “He is a Pokemon because you gave him life. Now stop referring to him as that.”
The dragon rolled his eyes. “The point still stands, beside I didn’t even know what or how I cast that... judgement. So how do you expect me to change or counter him? You’re not exactly giving me a clear picture or even a manual of what you want me to do.”
Arceus nodded. “Think of what he is, and then think of the kind of Pokemon who could counter it. It’s fairly easy.”
Giratina gave him a flat look. “Gee, that makes it so much clearer.”
“You may have some time to think on it,” Arceus said with the hints of a smile on his ‘lips’. “Now, you should probably go see to Luna. I’m sure she’s annoyed with me.”
“It wouldn’t be the first time,” Giratina said before glancing over at Darkrai, still screaming in agony and pain. “And I better not find him gone when I return,” he stated before flying off.
“Oh, he’ll be here,” Arceus said, casting a glance at Darkrai. “And I expect my next grandchild to be better.”
“Not my son,” the dragon called out as he flew away and began to make his way back to the Equestria portal.
“Luna, I think you should go wait in Equestria, I have to have a chat with my son,” Arceus said to Luna as he continued to look at Giratina
“I would like to-” she started to say before the world around her suddenly changed to her standing in the fields of Equestria, Canterlot mountain off in the distance with the sleeping form of Applejack lying in the grass beneath the moon. “... Gods.”
She shook her head before glancing down at Applejack. “I’m going to have quite a lot of work to do on you aren’t I?” she asked rhetorically. She shook her head and then leaned down to nuzzle Applejack awake. “Applejack, are you okay?”
The orange pony’s eyes sleepily blinked open, looking very confused at first before it triggered in her mind who she was looking at. “...Princess.... Luna?”
Luna smiled. “Yes, it is me Applejack, you are back in Equestria and I promise you it is no dream,” she said, extending a hoof out to the mare to help her to her hooves.
The earth pony staggered to up on all fours as she looks around the field she was in, stopping in her tracks when she saw Canterlot up in the mountains. “...oh thank Celestia,” she with a heavy, happy sigh all but falling back to the ground to feel the grass beneath her.
“Well, technically, Tia did nothing, but fair enough,” Luna said with a small chuckle as she moved down and nuzzled Applejack’s cheek. “Would you like to go to see your family first, or your friends?”
There was no doubt in which she wanted to see first. “My family... I want to make sure they’re alright, and they know I’m alright.”
“A good choice, they’re staying in Canterlot at the moment,” Luna said with a small smile. Applejack frowned and gave the alicron a questioning look. “Ah, yes, the one who has been antagonizing you these last nights destroyed your house. No, your family were not harmed but many of your possessions were lost,” she said quietly. “I’m sorry Applejack.”
The mare’s ears flattened. “My house is just.... gone?”
“Well, the foundation is left, as is much of the basement and the rooms themselves, they are just heavily damaged if not completely destroyed,” Luna answered with a sigh. “We have already made provisions for it to be repaired.”
Applejack nodded her head. “Okay... anyways, I’m ready to meet my family.”
“Good,” Luna smiled and her horn began to glow. They blinked out of existence and then suddenly back into it inside of a room in the castle with four beds, a bookshelf, and several chairs. All but two were occupied by members of her family, Apple Bloom and Big Mac sleeping together, the stallion cradling the filly softly against his chest. Her eyes were tearstained.
Applejack stared at them, especially at Apple Bloom. She slowly advance towards them and lower her head to nuzzle her little sister. Apple Bloom stirred softly in her sleep before her eyes opened.
“... Applejack?” she asked quietly, as if unsure if she was dreaming or not.
The orange mare smiled. “Hey there little sis...” She nuzzled her once more to make sure to herself that this wasn’t a dream.
“You... you’re okay!” Apple Bloom suddenly shouted, leaping at Applejack and wrapping her legs around her in a hug, starting to cry into the orange mare’s neck.
Applejack stood there, eyes closed as she felt tears of her own crawling down her face. “I’m home...”
Cres woke up in the hospital, his vision red. He blinked several times before realizing that he was looking into Belle’s chest. “... Belle?” Cres asked quietly.
The female Absol’s head perked up to look over at him. “Oh Cres, thank Arceus you’re awake!” She then began to nuzzle him in a flurry of love and relief.
Cres simply smiled, leaning into the love and kept his eyes closed, not wanting her to get him in the eye with her tongue as they nuzzled and licked at each other. “Yes, yes I’m awake,” Cres said, pulling his head away from hers a little so that he could look her in the eyes. “And I just woke up into the most beautiful dream I could think of.”
Belle gave him a warm smile before nuzzling him one final time. “Corny as always... even after nearly dying.”
“Thanks Belle,” he replied, giving her nose a lick before he blinked. “Did I really almost die...?”
The crimson Absol nodded her head. “That... thing, nearly tore out your lungs. The doctors said if they hadn't arrived when they did, you could’ve... could’ve...” She pressed her head hard against him. “I lost you once, I do not want it to happen again and be permanent.”
“Shhh,” Cres murmured, pulling her closer to his chest, leaning his head down against the back of hers and licking her neck. “Shhh, it’s alright Belle.”
Belle sighed and pulled her head away. “No it’s not alright Cres... I almost lost you, again, for good almost. Xav is still young and he looks up to you, and if he lost both you and Ohm at the same time... it would devastate his heart.”
Cres froze and looked down at Belle. “Xav... is he alright? That monster didn’t hurt him when I wasn’t there did he?!” Cres asked frantically.
“Xav is fine, that thing didn’t try to attack him at our home, thank Arceus,” Belle said, calming him with a reassuring nuzzle. “Though he is just as worried as me, if not double considering the two figures he looks up to in life are both in the emergency ward.”
“Ah... yes... thank Arceus,” Cres said with a sigh of relief as he leaned his head down against hers. “And is Ohm okay as well?”
Belle nodded her head. “Yes... he had a similar tear in his body like yours, but don’t worry, like you he is recovering. I think he is still asleep, mostly from the fact his body was completely drained of electricity. They’re pumping some energy into his system and Matt is there waiting for him to wake up.”
A sigh left Cres as he slumped down against Belle, closing his eyes. “Good... that’s good.” He nuzzled her softly and licked at her cheek. “I love you, Belle... I won’t leave you until I get torn screaming, kicking, and clawing into the night.”
“You better, otherwise when we meet in the afterlife the first thing I will do is Night Slash you across the face,” Belle said, chuckling lightly.
“I’d deserve it,” Cres said with a small chuckle of his own as he leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips. “Thank you for waiting here for me love.”
“You would’ve done the same for me,” she replied, nuzzling him. “Now, get some more rest. If anyone comes to check up on you, I’ll let you know you woke up.”
“Thanks... I’m still really tired,” Cres said, letting out a large yawn. “Wait... before you go, where’s Xav?”
“Still at home, being watched by Emilia,” she replied.
“Ah, okay, wanted him to snuggle with me...” Cres let out another yawn before giving her a nuzzle and collapsing, his eyes closed as he leaned against her crimson fur.
She nuzzled him once more. “Good thing I’m here,” she whispered before laying her head close to his and joining him for a warm loving sleep.
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well this shall be interesting.
I bet Giratina will create Cresselia next.....
So...no solid reason why Applejack/Cres and their families were toyed with? Only torture for torture's sake? I needs pondering
6076596
Yeah, we may have peaked 'early' for this chapter, oh well, and yes, neither Darkari nor Cresselia were known to exist in this world (we left you guys a clue in a number of Pokemon earlier on)
Edit: Oh, and thanks for the kind words on the Arceus/Giri bit, we rewrote that part several times and it's nice to see it came out well!
It does feel like so much is I resolved especially with Applejack. Though I gotta say the part with Arceus and Giri was amazing. Loved how Giri's frustration with his father finally manifested into childish, purposeful refusal to verbally acknowledge what he knows what Arceus is saying is right. Made me laugh.
I am guessing, that Luna will have a big part in creating Cresselia.
I love this story, and I am sad for it going to end...
Ps. I hope AJ will be with Ohm, they are soo cute together, and they seem to fit really well.
And I like that conversation witj Arcerus. it felt natural, how would a conversation of son with a father that was always absent, but demanding.
6076395 Darkari knew about their experiences and how painful it would be for them to go about this whole thing, amusement for him, basically Majora.
And Arceus came out little bit like Dumbledore, greater good speech, shitty past decision making and allways beign cryptic, vague and talking in riddles much to the ire of his listeners. Though that last part has its reasons for beign done.
6079942
I missed that, somehow. Didn't Darkrai change Applejack in the beginning? Does she still have those qualities?
6080291 We just have to wait and see, but is possible that Arceus reverted any changes.
Pretty sure he already knows that, Belle.
well im back, a day late it seems. I am truly sorry of my absence, since finals and other projects. i guess for the last time
-i really did enjoy this ending, even if it seemed a little rushed. it would be nicer if we had some descriptive language at the meeting with Applejack/ family and Cres/ Belle. I am well aware that you focused mainly on Giri and Arceus, but a quick " Cres laid on a crude, metal bed in the center of a white room" is reasonable enough,
- The Giritina and Arceus scene is very well thought out and fit the characters personalities. Giri looked very frustrated, lazy, and annoyed in the scene which went in line with everything else he did in the previous chapters. It felt like Arceus was on the spot of what i usually think of Arceus, but i didnt get a specific feel for him throughout the novel.
- This chapter didnt stand out as much as the previous one in the ways of conversation but did hit its mark. Im not really sure how to fix this one but i assume it needs better dialogue between Applejack and his family. Just wanted to point this out since i could barely remember any conversations other than Giri and Arceus
- I felt from the beginning of the story that," it needs a third party to make this story work" third party as in, villain, disease, or a competition. I kept it on the back-burner since i believed that you guys got it under control. However, It needed something to get the ball rolling, and the whole Darkrai Incident came a little too late for us to actually care if he wins or not. I'll take the blame since i didnt bring it up earlier, but next time, please make sure that something like this never happens
-this is pretty glaring, and the previous reviewer already covered this but, it got pretty boring in the last few chapters. it may have gotten a huge audience in the beginning but a nice story still needs to keep drawing crowds in. a big part of why I personally left this story for a while (other than being busy) was that i got bored. I wanted to distance myself in hopes that i will get absorbed back in thinking that it was just oversaturation. Just like a climax of a book or film, it needs a huge outburst of activity.
overall, this story was amazing since its birth last year(?). It had a nice mix of characterization, pacing, and action. This story had mistakes but was so great that i had to deliberately think about," what can the writers improve in the story?" after the end of each chapter. The concept was really nice, tackling very hard issues to think about like speciesism, and conflicting world views in a story about how a pokemon gets trapped in pony world and vice versa.
If you guys keep this quality of product up, you could get on that feature box way more often than before. Ed and Omega, i wish you luck on your future endeavors and challenges. Final rating: 8.5/10
6084093
Hey man, thanks as always for the honesty and the praise as well as the well thought out criticism, it's always good to have. One thing though, we do have an epilogue coming out soon so you might want to take this out of your 'completed' folder ;)
I'm not a brony anymore and stopped FIMmfiction but ed you have successfully got me back into the business.
For now i'm in chapter 17 but I keep reading like if only Giratina could go to Equestria... Why? In theory he is not the only...
Palkia and Dialga (for the info I have) are know to have powers to bend the dimensions...
Arceus, can do everything, if he want.
And there is also Hoopa that is know to put things to OTHER DIMENSIONS
Not to say, that when Giratina was first summoned was mainly because the lake trio, so they could try to do the same.
We have also Discord, Lord of chaos "reformed" if he is asked nicely, I don't think he could have a problem in make a portal and change Giratina if he have problems.
-----
Also, what happened in the end in the previous story with the barrier language? At first Absol could not talk with ponies, and then, when the Crusaders appear, begin to talk like nothing, and Applejack the same in this story.
----
EDIT: Readed chapter 23... Demostrated that Giratina is not the only that go to Equestria and back, so it's not like return Applejack is impossible, and even if IT'S GIRATINA PROBLEM... Applejack is a innocent that is in the middle of a crossfire.
And in Chapter 25 we can see Arceus is a Hypocrite... He sealed the original Darkrai in the dimension for some time, and when he say about do the same, Arceus don't want.
Sorry if it seems that I only point holes, but well... Even so, it's a good story, congratulations.
6118756
Thanks for the comment and the 'good story' part (quotes not meant to be sarcastic) Anyways, in order from the top
Palkia and Diagla are NOT the type who would help Giratina with anything
He doesn't want too.
Is busy with other things and also not the type to help Giri
Giri wouldn't trust Discord not to screw him over or attempt to teach him a twisted 'lesson' and he hates people like that, look at Arceus.
Well, if you'll recall, Twilight gave Cres a charm that would accumulate Equestrian/Pokemon over time so that near the end of the story he was able to speak it well without any difficulties. As for AJ, she was changed she'd become a Pokemon more or less so the language barrier kind of dissipated.
I'm not actually sure what you're saying with this one. There was no original Darkai in this universe, other than the one that we've seen in this story.
6119627 With Original Darkrai I mean, Daddy Dakrai, the one that was helping, and the "Not original" is the child, the one that was giving nightmares.
And even if Giratina don't want to ask help from Discord, Celestia could very well ask help. And about the other pokemon, even if they don't want to help Giratina, at last exist and they can travel, even if they don't want.
6120815
No offense but I have NO idea what you're talking about man. There's only one Darkari in this universe *shrugs* Anyways, I'm glad you liked the story.
6120815
There is no Daddy Dakrai.
Giratina is the father (a fact which he is denying/not believing) and the mother... well, technically is the Distortion World.
The Darkrai giving the nightmares is the only Darkrai out there.
6121274 Sorry, I was thinking the "NIGHTMARE THING" was a Darkrai... The evil one, the one that Darkrai is fighting, the one that Arceus is protecting.
Anyone else hearing Dumbledore speaking about 'The Greater Good' when Arceus speaks?