Arms of Arceus

Princess Celestia walked through the halls of the palace, her face dour and her mind focused on the nightmare outside the city’s shields. She, Luna, and Cadance had been given private suites on the tenth floor to live among the council. The structure reached twenty stories into the sky, and twenty stories deep into the earth, as well. Celestia had been amazed to discover the extent to which the Pokémon could control their environment. Intricate mazes and tunnels crisscrossed throughout the landscape of God’s Breath. Deep chasms, massive caves, and relaxing underground hot springs had been built and maintained by the creatures here for generations. Thanks to an ancient blessing the city had received from two powerful Pokémon known as Dialga and Palkia, these underground structures moved with the city regardless of where it went or how it got there.

Despite her fascination with these wonders, the princess had more pressing matters to attend to. The city had emerged in the middle of the most hateful battle she had ever witnessed. Only the deepest horrors of the nightmare, or the vile god who had brought them here, could outmatch these creatures for pure loathsomeness. Cadance’s loving heart had taken a heavy blow in the confrontation with Dark Arceus, while Luna had seemed distant and melancholy during their last conversation. Celestia had been filled with disgust and hatred at the sight of the battle, and it was this hatred that bothered her. She hadn’t been able to think of much else since the moment she had laid eyes on the creatures. The green ones enacted their brutal fantasies with wild abandon, showing no signs of care or consideration for each other or their foes. On the other hoof, the insectoids battled for dominance as they devoured the corpses of the fallen, not hesitating to consume the still living bodies of friend and foe alike. There was no end to the carnage, and neither side seemed to care. Her hatred for them threatened to consume her heart and mind as she walked through the palace.

Celestia turned a corner, leaving the Grand Atrium and entering the long corridor that led to the palace library. A line of four Gallade stood to attention on either side of her, their expressions showing worry and fear as she walked between their saluting arms. She turned to question one only to come face to face with her scowling reflection in one of the hallway mirrors. To her horror, her eyes were glowing with purple and black flames as a furious aura began to surround her. She frowned as she realized what she was doing, and the fires in her eyes dissipated. Bowing her head in shame, she continued down the hallway.

The suites of four of the council members lay here. The princess had assumed they were all on the wall, watching the enemy and learning their battle tactics, but as a loud sob reached her ears she realized that she was not the only leader present. The familiar voice piqued Celestia’s interest, and she quickly narrowed down its location.

Cautiously, she walked through the tall, oak doors of the library and saw the sobbing form of the ruler of the fairy-types sitting on the ground in the center of the room. The polished wooden floor was wet with her tears as she struggled to wipe them away. Joan stood and bowed as Celestia approached.

“What troubles you, Joan?” Celestia asked as she led the Gardevoir to return to her seat. Joan sat down and stared at the table, her face red with embarrassment.

“Forgive me, majesty. This is the second time you’ve found me like this.”

“You knew that I found you crying in my castle?”

“With respect, majesty, of course I knew. I could sense you coming. A well trained psychic-type is difficult to surprise, but I fear that Dark Arceus surprises me time and time again.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well… I didn’t expect it to bring us here,” Joan admitted slowly. “In my meditations I saw visions of victory, and visions of defeat, but I imagined that the dark god was trying to scare me again, so I ignored the darker portents and focused only on the good. My hopes were raised and I expected the Elements of Harmony to seal Dark Arceus immediately, but…”

“But they failed,” Celestia said, finishing Joan’s sentence.

“Forgive me,” Joan said as she rose from her seat. Celestia took hold of the girl’s arm with a gentle, telekinetic grip to keep her from leaving.

“Joan, there is nothing to forgive. You speak the truth. Though I do not truly understand the reason myself, the Elements of Harmony failed to unite with King Siebold’s spell. I’m sorry for that. There was so much love and friendship in the existing seal, why… how could it possibly fail to embrace the elements? They are the purest embodiment of love and friendship in our world. It makes no sense.”

Joan stood next to the alicorn, watching in surprise as the strong, regal pony divulged her fears.

“Then there is the matter of where Dark Arceus brought us,” Celestia continued. “I have no doubt that it wanted us to suffer. The mere sight of those abominations outside fills me with a hatred I have never before felt, and the fact that I feel such hatred greatly disturbs me…”

“I understand your feelings,” Joan said, sitting next to the princess and putting a hand on her shoulder. “I believe this is all a part of the dark god’s trap. I just don’t know what to do about it.”

“For now, we must survive,” Celestia said, suddenly wishing to keep Joan’s company. “That is all we can do. Come, I could use your help in devising battle strategies and figuring out a means for the city to escape this universe.”

“As you wish, your majesty,” Joan said, as she smiled broadly.

They left the library together, each fighting their own internal struggle, but grateful for each other’s company. Celestia felt relieved that she had shared her feelings with somepony else. She knew that she would have to overcome this hatred if the city she now ruled was to survive, but for now, she was just happy to be with a friend.

Celestia walked down the steps on the outer walls of the castle. Her footfalls echoed through the courtyard as she made her way past the ground level and into the depths of the building. She was angry, and she wasn’t sure why. She paused before the guards of the doorway that led to the entrance to the underground castle. She had been stomping the whole way down, and the Gallade that stood before her both looked worried. She brushed a wing past her eyes. There were no dark flames, this time. She took a deep breath, asked gently for the guards to let her through, and walked into the building.

“Majesty,” Sasha said as the princess entered the castle dungeons. “I got your message. I take it Joan didn’t want to join you?”

“No, she said that she had no time to think about Charles,” Celestia said as she followed the Mega Absol down the dark, stone corridor. “There was no hatred in her voice. Only resignation.”

“He hates his human name, majesty. I wouldn’t use it in his presence. As for Joan, she and Gallah gave up on Charles long ago.”

“That’s terrible!” Celestia said, suddenly taken aback.

“What would you do with someone who advocated the genocide of an entire species?”

Sasha had turned to stare at the monarch, the question pointed and her tone searching. Celestia considered this for a moment. Then she spoke in a soft, reserved voice.

“I probably would have sent him to Tartarus. It’s where all of the most evil creatures we face are sent.”
“King Siebold believed that there was good in Charles’ heart, somewhere. Our lord felt personally responsible for making Charles into a better person. Prison and banishment wouldn’t have done anything to further that goal. It was never our place to question the king, and we all knew that Charles couldn’t overtake the council, so we put up with it.”

“Has he ever killed humans?”

“No. He injured the humans who made him when he escaped, but they survived. That outcome could have easily been different. Perhaps it’s why our king claimed to see good in him? I’m not sure.”

“I’d like to speak to him alone, please,” Celestia said as they approached the door to Mewtwo’s cell.

“As you wish,” Sasha said as she opened the door and ordered her guards outside. “We’ll be just outside of the cell if you need us, majesty.”
Celestia nodded her head and entered Mewtwo’s cell. Thick chains held the Pokémon in place, his hands folded behind him. He was sweating heavily, and his eyes darted around the room in fear before finally coming to rest on the princess’s face.

“What?” Mewtwo said, as his brow furrowed. It took a moment for him to recognize the pony. When he finally did, his demeanor returned to the arrogant, angry attitude he had when they first met.

“Are they mistreating you?” Celestia asked as she examined the Pokémon’s condition.

“Hardly,” Mewtwo said. “I struggle against their control, and they must keep me in chains. I’d rage through this city if I were released, and drag as many into my way of thinking as I could. Neither the High Council, or the Elder Council command the respect that King Siebold did. So they must keep me here to keep me quiet. I can’t blame them.”

“Why are you so bent on this path? Why does hatred hold so tightly to your heart?”

“Because I stand for the rights of Pokémon in a way few wish to understand,” Mewtwo said, his voice full of conviction. He looked into the princess’s eyes and sudden realization dawned on his face. “For what reason do you ask these questions, ‘princess’?”

Celestia was silent as she met the Pokémon’s gaze.

“Could it be that there is a hatred in you that you struggle to suppress? Could it be that, perhaps, you aren’t so different from me?”

“I will request that you are given a bath, and a more comfortable living arrangement,” Princess Celestia said as she turned to leave.

“They cannot remove my chains, and you know it. Though, this has been an entertaining visit. I will think on it for a while to come.”

The princess didn’t say a word as she left the cell. She bid Sasha to follow her a ways, where she asked her to provide regular updates on his condition, and to make sure that he was given as much understanding as the Absol and her guards could muster. Sasha agreed to the princess’s requests in a tone that said she had heard similar requests before. Then, Celestia turned and left the dungeons. Her heart was heavy with sorrow and confusion as she walked back to the aboveground section of the palace. In the midst of her worries burned an ember of hatred, growing slowly as thoughts of the threat outside the walls began to take priority in her mind.