Arms of Arceus

Luna, Cloe and Mora walked through the Black Gates, emerging in the glistening stone fortress of Moon Shrine. Twelve hundred guard ponies stood near the portal to greet her, mixed with the Pokémon under Master Trickster’s command. They all saluted as she and the elders entered the fortress. Luna wore a new set of Royal Guard plate armor, with a newly cast shield spell to reinforce it. Her dream sword was strapped tightly to her back, and her Tantabus hovered close by.

As the others prepared to embark on their mission to stop the madness surrounding them, Luna had the task of breaking the golden chain. She had forged her sword in a single night, transforming it from a mass of jumbled dreams in the form of a dull blade, to a true weapon of purity. Now, she needed allies and a clearer idea of what Charles had said when speaking of “proving a point to” someone. Mistress Cloe had suggested that this person was Lady Feefee, yet she only suspected that the dark god might be keeping her in its fortress. A hunch was all they had to go on, and so a hunch was what they would follow.

“All is clear on this side, majesty,” Master Trickster said with a proud sneer. “The enemy has emptied out their strongholds in favor of assaulting the world beyond. Their armies still inhabit the southern pits, but they should not be close enough to bother you.”

“Good,” Luna said, with a smile and a relieved sigh. She had seen too many battles lately, and while there were still more to come, the calm between them was quite enjoyable. “I would love to stay here and rest, but we must be off for the Fields of Evening.”

“Of course,” Trickster said as he turned and led the group past the large, brick buildings of his fortress. They shone like starlight in a clear sky, but there was a power about them that, to Luna, resembled the abstraction of the Dream.

Though most of Trickster’s warriors were ghost-types, there were Pokémon of all types and species defending Moon Shrine. Many still wore bandages from the assault they had endured while God’s Breath had been on Octaria. Even some of Luna’s pony guards carried fresh scars and the signs of battle about their armor. Luna smiled at her servants with pride as they saluted her passing.

“Your soldiers have mixed well with mine,” Master Trickster said. “We have great respect for those who have faced the shades and survived.”

“Ponies are not ones to simply lie down and die when danger threatens,” Luna said as she followed the Mega Gengar through the winding streets of his fortress. “We have brave hearts and strong wills, much like our Pokémon friends. Where does this door lead, Master?”

“This is the pathway to the Fields of Evening,” Trickster said as he opened a pair of large bronze doors on the edge of his fortress. “Lynn and Ann await you at your destination. Despite our differences in outlook and personality, we are good friends with those who guard the fields.”

“How are your preparations coming along?”

“Most of my forces are securing our entry point on the golden chain under the leadership of the remaining Elder Council members. They will not engage the enemy until our arrival. The opposition is busy enough without us. My forces here will depart with you once your business is done.”

“We hope to return soon,” Luna said as she walked through the doors.

The journey was longer than she had expected, though the transition had been sudden and relieving. At a certain point along the road the dull, depressing Wasteland immediately gave way to green pastures and flowering fields. It took four days for them to reach the final hilltop along the path. The group enjoyed the scenery and the chance to relax. Their cause was not urgent. Their armies on Battleworld had been withdrawn from all kingdoms but Ashes. The fighting in Dystopia and Greenland had been largely abandoned due to poor battlefield conditions. Those forces were reorganizing, and would be redeployed once Luna had announced her presence on the golden chain. The weak had been sheltered, and Doom’s forces were holding their own. For now, the forces of God’s Breath and Equestria would take their time and prepare accordingly.

“It’s gorgeous,” Luna said as she looked at the small buildings in the distance. Though she could barely make them out, she could see the rainbow colors cast by the light of the Volcanora reflecting off the flowers that covered the hillside structures.

“They replant the flowers of their town every season,” Mora said, smiling as she appreciated her friend’s reaction. “They are artisans of nature.”

“This place is peaceful,” Cloe said. “We do our best to keep it that way. Trickster sends patrols here regularly. He’s had to commit entire armies here on more than one occasion.”

“That doesn’t seem like it will be necessary, now.”

“We have Dark Arceus’s arrogance to thank for that,” Luna said as she began walking down the path. Groups of Butterfree and Beautifly floated through the air, humming a greeting as they passed. Flowers bloomed before them as they approached the town, created by seven Shaymin that stood before them on the road. Ann and Lynn levitated to either side of the Shaymin, and hovering in the air slightly behind the gathering was Vincent the Victini and all of the Jirachi. They flew near the antlers of a beautiful Xerneas whose eyes shone with life-giving power.

“Greetings, Princess Luna,” said the wise, youthful voice of the Xerneas as she bowed her head. “Greetings, Mistress Mora and Mistress Cloe. I am Dain, eternal protector of the Fields of Evening. It is our honor to have you in our home.”

“It is an honor to be able to visit such a beautiful place,” Luna said as she bowed before the friendly Pokémon. “I would love to stay longer, once the mess on the outside is finished with.”

“Speaking of which,” Ann said, softly as she looked longingly at the field. “We must continue with our business, however much we wish to stay and enjoy the peace of this place.”

“I assume the Jirachi are ready,” Cloe said as the ghost-types escorted the legends to float beside her.

“Yup!” Kazuo said happily. “This is a pretty big wish, and it’s only because Destroyer’s Grace is broken and empty that we can even do this.”

“Take hold of a vine, then,” Mora said as she extended her vines to the circle. Each member obeyed, connecting mentally and spiritually through Mistress Cloe as a newly formed psychic circle. Vincent landed atop Luna’s back, and her Tantabus began zooming happily around his head. They closed their eyes and focused on their goal as the Jirachi gathered their power.

“I wish to be where Lady Feefee is,” Luna said. “I wish for the elders, Vincent, and myself to be where Lady Feefee is.”

“Let it be done,” Kazuo said as he and his fellow Jirachi granted the princess’s wish. A brilliant light filled the sky, and the circle was broken. The Jirachi were all that was left. They flew into the fields to rest as Dain and the Shaymin returned to their gardening.

The bowels of Destroyer’s Grace were far larger and more imposing than that which existed above the surface, yet the effects of the battle that had shaken the fortress were still evident. Stone stairs had been shattered, rocks lay in heaps atop the bones of long dead prisoners, and several of the pillars that held the ceiling in place were now broken. Pieces of the ceiling continued to fall around them in small chunks, and the place felt like it could collapse at any moment. Luna led her group through the torn remnants of the building, down to the very bottom.

“To think Dark Arceus would let its prized fortress come to this,” Mora said as she used her vines to carry herself over the rubble and broken stairs. “They haven’t even begun rebuilding it!”

“They’ve abandoned it in favor of the destruction they can sow elsewhere,” Cloe said as she levitated next to the Ann and Lynn.

“I think I see our destination,” Luna said from down below. Vincent looked over her shoulder and cheered as the others hurried to her side.
Princess Luna stood before a broken dais with a small, square box atop it. The box was broken, the top half missing. Behind the dais lay the titanic bones of a Milotic, still chained to the wall. A song hung in the air, though none of them could find the source.

“It sounds like the song the Unown were singing in the Dream World,” Luna said, awestruck at the purity and beauty of the music. “But, it’s different. There’s nothing but love in this one’s voice, whereas the Unown hummed a dark and twisted version.”

“What is she saying?” Cloe asked as tears began to well in her eyes. “Who could this be?”

“It’s Feefee,” Ann said as she, too, began to shed tears of joy. “It must be her!”

“Shh,” Lynn said, gently. “Let’s listen to her words for a moment.”

The group stood around the broken prison and listened intently as the song came to them.

“You and I were born, right here in the same world.

For this one brief life, we’re beneath the same sky.

The great flow of time, the wide expanse of space.

We are lucky enough to share this lifetime we get.

We can gain more if we give. By taking, we only lose.

Let us make this a new age, where we show our gratitude….”

The song continued, growing stronger as it filled the broken fortress with its love and light. As it came to an end, a long, translucent shape appeared before the group. It shone with a soft, blue light as it took form.

“Lady Feefee, I presume?” Luna said as she wiped the tears from her eyes. “It is good to finally meet you. I am Princess Luna, and I require your help. Our situation is dire.”

“I have watched you for some time princess,” Feefee said. “I have heard of your deeds from the shades Korish sent to inform me. I know what you need, and I am here to provide it. Hope is never lost when friends stand beside each other in defiance of the darkness.”

“Your spirit…” Cloe said, as she took a hesitant step toward Feefee. “You’ve been trapped here all this time?”

“I was imprisoned and starved,” said the ghostly Milotic. “My body rests behind us. The prison cube on the dais was where my soul was held for a year. I have been free of it ever since, though I have never left the fortress. In my imprisonment before and after death, I managed to accomplish a very important task.”

“What was that?” Mora asked as she slithered up to rest beside her friend.

“I sang my song,” Feefee said, simply. There was pride in her voice as her eyes shone with joy. “I’m sure you remember it well.”

“It was King Siebold’s favorite,” Lynn said, happily. “We sang it for him on his birthday sometimes, didn’t we sister?”

“Aye, we did,” Ann said with a smile. “It always made him so happy. Though, Feefee is the one who wrote it for him.”

“This song,” Luna said as she tried to understand the topic. “Is it the one you were singing just now?”

“It was, your majesty,” Feefee said. “I wrote it alongside a human friend when I was young. I sang it for the Mouthpiece of Dark Arceus when I confronted her. Even as we fought, I continued to sing. What she sees so does the god see. What she feels so does the god feel. I could tell that I was making an impact, though I didn’t know of what sort. So I kept singing, even after she imprisoned me down here. She would yell at me to stop, but she wouldn’t force me to. I took that as a sign that I was changing something within her. When my body died, she even mourned for me.”

“Then she imprisoned your soul,” Cloe said. “Why?”

“So that I could continue to sing for her. After a year, she came to me and said that her connection to the god had weakened. She could block its thoughts out when the dark one sleeps. She had come to regret her betrayal of God’s Breath. Power, it turns out, is not worth much without friendship. Korish told me of the god’s plans, but she couldn’t release me from the fortress without Dark Arceus finding out.”

“A Mewtwo named Charles is now the Avatar of Dark Arceus. He’s wreaking havoc in the world above.”

“That is the sum total of Dark Arceus’s goal. There is great evil everywhere, and the god wishes to prove that it is more common in creation than good is. Korish could not stop it, for she is a slave to the god when it is awake. However, she felt that we could use the dark one’s plans against it. Now that Charles is the Avatar, Korish’s connection has weakened further. Dark Arceus has gained its own mouth, and its need for her is greatly lessened. She is not in a position to oppose Charles, currently, but she will be soon.”

“It is good to know we have an unexpected friend, and that she thinks as we do,” Luna said, smiling. “Dark Arceus has dragged many great powers to one place, and anchored them all with a golden chain. It is our duty to cut that chain and release the realities that it holds. Your ideals, and your beautiful song, could aid us in that. Will you join us, friend?”

“I will gladly join you, my friends,” Feefee said. She hummed joyfully as she leapt into Luna’s blade. It glowed with a peaceful, blue radiance as the group made their way to the ground level of the fortress.

Entering the Dream World was not a pleasant task. A wall of rock-types marched out before the princess and her council. They were met by another wall of rock-types who were beating, and being beaten on, by a horde of deamons, orks and tyranids. Father, and all of his children, were spread out among the defensive line. The Swords of Justice danced through the enemy ranks, cutting foes to pieces as they led the advance. The Legendary Beasts of Johto dashed across the defensive line, reinforcing weak points long enough for the wounded to be healed or replaced.

A beautiful Cresselia hovered above the battle, giving orders and launching Moonblasts at weak points as her four Darkrai guards ripped their foes to shreds at close range. Thousands of flying-types darted around the battlefield, trying desperately to keep the surrounding firefight away from the army on the chain. Some fell into the void, only to be caught and returned to the ground forces for healing. Those whose injuries were too great were teleported straight out of the battle by a Mega Alakazam hovering just above the center of the army.

Above the battle was a host of ships engaged in a ruthless struggle. Tyranid, Ork, and Chaos fought each other across the void and all along the chain. Mixed in with them were armored humans, fighting and dying, but never giving ground. A screaming, Chaotic mass shot from one of the massive ships, tearing through space and flesh as it formed into the shape of a pale, feminine, multi-armed creature. It crashed into the chain, decimating a portion of the Pokémon’s defensive line. It roared in pleasure as it brandished its claws and blades at those it had injured. Mid-roar, a gnarled, old Feraligatr lifted itself off the ground and bit the daemon’s torso. The water-type elder was almost as long as Master Shen was tall, but his bulk was easily greater than his peer’s. His muscles tensed as he dragged the Keeper of Secrets into a death roll that crushed those of the Chaotic horde that were unlucky enough to be in their way.

“Excellent kill, Master Bruce,” Princess Luna said as the second half of her army walked in behind her. Dain was with them, her Fairy Aura pulsating out from her with each step. “How many forces do we have, Master Trickster?”

“Eight hundred thousand in all,” Trickster said as he and his wives began casting Confuse Rays and Hypnosis at the abominations in the sky. “My entire fortress is emptied. A single rung of this chain can hold all of us, with plenty of room left to fight. As you can see, we’re making use of every inch.”

“And we’ll make use of every second, as well. Call us forward, Master!”

“At your command,” the Mega Gengar said as he rose into the void above and began to shout. “All forces, forward! For God’s Breath! For Equestria! For the fun of the kill! Charge!”

The hardened, veteran army of Master Trickster gave a collective cry of joy as they tore into the monsters on the chain. The tyranids were larger, fiercer, and far more intelligent than any the Pokémon had seen, thus far. The Orks seemed cast from a similar mold. Their weapons were more exotic, though no less ramshackle than she remembered. They were at least a head taller than the Orks on Octaria, with larger teeth and a darkly crazed look in their eyes. Luna rose above the battle, lifted a group of Orks and Tyranids that were beating on each other, and launched them from the chain and into the void. Her unicorn guards began copying this tactic as their pegasus and earth pony counterparts charged into the thick of battle.

“Don’t let up, my friends!” the princess called as her forces began to gain momentum. “Master Thomas, how far to the goal?”

“Fifty kilometers, majesty,” said the Mega Alakazam as Vincent landed atop his shoulder. He reached out to the princess’s mind to talk as he balanced fighting, recovering the injured, and predicting the future with deft skill. “We must reach the point where the encroachment of Chaos has stopped, at the first line of alien defense just beyond your planet. They have surrounded the foes above and fooled them into conflict, but they will be departing soon. After they have led these beasts to Battleworld, they will vanish. We will be left to deal with this mess without their support. May Arceus protect us…”

“I have a feeling Arceus is focused elsewhere, Master,” Princess Luna said as she began forming the countless, grey dream clouds into a massive thunderstorm. “We’ll have to protect ourselves.”

Her storm engulfed the void, hiding her army from the brunt of the assault and sending the chaos of the fight into a fever pitch. Lightning shot flyers out of the sky and thunder rolled constantly as her army charged down the massive chain.