My Little Pokémon: Grander World

Universe 30.

The Arcane Institute had finally made landfall on a Universe, tracking down one of Prisma's reincarnations.

They found themselves in a universe where Dreams can be harvested. Known as the Dream-Harvesting Universe or Universe 30, dreams are a currency. Citizens harvest and trade dreams to gain power, knowledge, or wealth.

The Dream Harvesters are those who have the ability to enter and manipulate dreams, and they use this power to extract dreams from sleeping individuals. These dreams are then traded in a market, with some dreams being worth more than others depending on their content and emotional impact. The value of a dream can fluctuate based on the desires and needs of those in the market.

In a way, dreams are like a currency. And right now, Ethan was figuring that out for himself. He found himself in the Dream Nexus, a gigantic and wonderful hub located at the crossroads of the dreamscape, where all dreamers eventually pass through.

The Dream Nexus is a city suspended in a swirling void, with floating pathways and bridges connecting various markets and towers. It was a hub of activity and trade, with Dream Harvesters, dreamers, and merchants all mingling and conducting business.

"This is so cool..." Ethan was starstruck once he entered here. Naturally, he was allowed to be here thanks to the Universal Alliance. "So this is a dream, huh?"

Ethan wanted to see just how this universe truly functioned. Right before his eyes, he saw many beings coming together, trading dreams for other things, such as goods and services. It was a big market, the largest in any universe since it targets the dreams of everyone, and Ethan was excited to explore it all.

"Ohooo!" Ethan's eyes lit up at the sight of the currency itself. It came in the form of ethereal, pulsating and flowing orbs that were vibrant and full of life, glowing in various colours and emitting a soft, mesmerizing light. "I bet some awesome dreams are happening in there, I totally wanna look inside!" He grinned, wanting to touch one badly.

"Hey!" A powerful voice bellowed. A figure was coming towards Ethan. She was a pegasus, a mare to be precise, having a nice midnight coat and her hair flowing in a beautiful way. "You're only here as a guest, so don't start causing any trouble!"

"I'm just trying to see what it's like. That's all." Ethan shrugged, not seeing the big deal. "Besides, I can touch it, can't I? Everyone else is touching them, why can't I? It's just a dream. Nothing to worry about."

"No, you cannot." The pony sternly replied. She was clearly not taking Ethan's attitude well at all. "And if you are going to touch them, at least wear these!"

She gave him a pair of gloves to wear, which Ethan did, and then she let him feel the dream orbs, which had a smooth and silky texture, as if made of the finest silk. He could also sense the emotions and memories contained within each one. The pony was simply doing her job and looking out for any sort of trouble.

"Ooh, these feel nice." Ethan wiggled his fingers in the gloves, feeling the orbs.

"They're Dream Gloves. Anyone outside of our Universe is required to wear these." The Pegasus informed. "If you touch a Dream without these gloves on, you will be pulled in and experience the Dream, becoming trapped inside until it ends, which could last a long time depending on the Dreamer. As a visitor, we can't allow that to happen to you. So wear those gloves."

"You don't have to worry about that?"

"It's our universe. We can naturally fully interact with the Dreams. It's the outsiders we have to worry about." The mare explained before turning away and walking away.

"Oh! Hey, wait! I wanna see more!" Ethan rushed to catch up to the pegasus. "So...what's your name anyway? iI never got it."

The mare sighed. "You are one needy human...The name's Medly." She answered, looking up at Ethan with a glare, who simply shrugged it off, being used to this sort of behaviour. "Now that you're here, viewing our Universe, you must be as careful as possible. Not just with the Dreams, but for your own safety. Princess Celestia wants to ensure that you and your other counterparts are safe no matter the cost. Even if it means keeping a close eye on you."

"Thanks." Ethan grinned.

"But that doesn't mean you can't be caught off guard. Especially in the Dreamscape." Medly added. She had a serious tone in her voice. "The group that wants you, the Arcane Institute, could arrive at any moment. Little has been heard from them recently, and we're not sure where they could be. And if they find you, they'll surely get you. So it's best if you remain on guard and always be ready for anything, no matter what. But I assure you that you will be safe."

"Don't worry, I got this!" Ethan said with a smile. "I've been through a lot over the years already. I'm sure that whatever the Arcane Institute throws at me, I'll be able to handle it."

"You better..." Medly sighed, not really believing him.

"But don't worry about that right now!" Ethan slid over. "You've gotta tell me more about this place!"

"Fine. You've already got your hands on a few dreams so listen carefully. I'll tell you about the Dream Economy itself." Medly explained, knowing that Ethan was likely to ignore the warning anyway. She looked at Ethan with a serious expression. "The rarity and the emotional intensity counts more than anything. First, from the Medium to High-Value Range, we have Nightmares. All of that is powered by Dark Magic."

"Wouldn't something like Nightmares be way higher than that?" Ethan tilted his head.

"Nonsense. Dark Magic is what powers that so not at all. Nightmares can fuel dark magic or provide immense power for those who thrive on fear and chaos. They're often used to intimidate, control, or harm others. In this economy, nightmares are considered dangerous, so they sell for less."

"I guess that makes sense..."

"Next are Prophetic Dreams. The one you're holding right now is a Prophetic Dream." Medly pointed out. "These dreams are visions of the future, and they are highly valued and rare. Usually, they’re sought after by leaders, rulers, and strategists who use them to foresee challenges, uncover threats, or gain an edge in negotiations. Those who trade in these dreams wield immense influence and can practically change the future."

"Woah...So this is a Prophetic Dream..." Ethan gazed at the Dream he was holding. The way it appeared compared to the others was very distinct. It was a shimmering, glorious orb that radiated an ethereal glow. Its surface was a swirl of celestial patterns, like a glimpse into the cosmos. And inside, there were faint, magical symbols and images that seemed to shift and change as one gazes upon it. "This is so cool!"

"But very few in this world can actually have Prophetic Dreams. You'd have to be born with that kind of specialty." Medly added. "Thus, they are extremely high."

"I bet I could have a Prophetic Dream!" Ethan's eyes lit up with glee, imagining himself having a prophetic dream.

"Yeah, right. As if you of all people could have a prophetic dream." Medly laughed at that. "At best, you'd probably have Inspirational or Lucid Dreams. The former is self-explanatory. Most of our media and entertainment come from those dreams. They fund all the creativity and media. The latter can be used for self-improvement, training, or learning, allowing individuals to master skills or knowledge in a fraction of the time."

"Nah, nah. I bet I could do more than that." But Ethan thought bigger, tapping his head. "I know I can!"

"Hm. In that case, the highest we have here are Memory Dreams. The most cherished and valuable of all dreams, these dreams are considered priceless and are rarely traded. They are memories of significant events, loved ones, or personal experiences, and their value is immeasurable. They are kept as treasured possessions, and their owners are fiercely protective of them. So, no touchies."

"That would be the best, huh? I've got a lot of great memories." Ethan smiled while looking up at the beautiful blue sky, thinking back to all those wonderful memories in his life. "But what about you? What kinda Dreams do you have?"

"Me? I don't do much trading, so I don't dream all that much. But the ones I usually have are just normal ones." Medly replied, not really wanting to talk about herself all that much. "Besides, I've been busy with work, and I've been on patrol duty around this area, looking out for intruders. So I haven't had the chance to dream lately. I'm too focused on my job. I need to make sure everyone's safe, and it's important to keep an eye out for any suspicious activity."

"I getcha. But ya know, even if you're working hard, doesn't hurt to Dream all that much." Ethan wagged his finger while leaning towards Medly with a smile. "It's nice to relax every once in a while."

"Maybe, but that's for later. Anyways. How about a test run? Dream for a moment, why don't you? See what you create and how much it will go for." Medly suggested as that was music to Ethan's ears.

"I get to make my own? Sweet! Oh, man, I've got something for sure!" Ethan chuckled, getting ready for anything. He closed his eyes immediately and thought about all of his best memories, all the things that made him happy in his life, like his friends, his family, and his Pokémon, and then concentrated on all of those wonderful memories, focusing on the feelings of joy and happiness that he felt when he thought about them.

He felt a warm energy surge through him, and he knew that he had created something special. He opened his eyes and looked down to see a small, glowing, orb-like ball in his hand. "Awesome...!"

Medly was quite impressed, taking the Dream from Ethan. It was a wonderful sight, as it was an iridescent and glowing orb that shimmered with all the colours of the rainbow. Inside, there were vivid images of Ethan's happiest memories. There were pictures of his family, friends and Pokémon, and even of his travels. "This is both a Memory Dream...and a Dream of Inspiration. It's a pretty rare and valuable dream, to be honest with you. This could go for quite a lot. I'm impressed."

"You can go ahead and take it." But Ethan didn't really care about the money. He was just happy to have been able to create something so beautiful and magical. "I don't need it."

"You're giving it away just like that?" Medly raised an eyebrow.

"Yep! I'm just happy I was able to make something so cool." Ethan grinned.

"Alright. Thanks." Medly smiled, accepting Ethan's gift and putting the dream in a special container to keep it safe.

The Arcane Institute, after making Landfall, would mask their presence from everyone else. They had already been informed about this universe and how it works and now, the Arcane Institute was about to pull a big move. A few Arcanines had already been deployed to make sure the coast was clear, and the Institute would now make their move.

Twilight Moonlight stepped out along with all the members of the Arcane Institute. "We're here..." She said, scanning the area. "If we're right, one of them should be here. Tracking down the signature, the one called Ethan is present in this universe."

"Be extra careful here, okay? This universe and its dreams can get out of hand, or so I've heard." The pony by the name of Delight uttered, standing next to Twilight Moonlight.

"How do we want to go about this? You're the one in charge, Twilight." Venture asked her. "If we're gonna make our move, we've gotta make it count."

"Hmph. Of course." Twilight Moonlight nodded. "Now, listen up. Here's the plan." She looked around at everyone. "Knowing how Dreams work in this universe, it's the perfect opportunity for me to put my new ability to the test."

"Ability...?" The other Arcanines all looked at one another in confusion. What was Twilight Moonlight going on about? What was this ability?

"It's something I recently discovered. For this, my magic can be at its best. When the Moon is full, I will be able to use it effectively. Hopefully, I get the chance to use it that is. Ethan could very well be hard to pin down. What's important is that we corner him and capture him as soon as possible before he gets away again." Twilight explained, keeping her eye on the target.

"Right, understood." Venture nodded.

"Good. Now...let's get started." Twilight said, her eyes glowing a deep blue. This time, she would not fail to capture any of the counterparts. She had to prove that she was the best of the Arcane Institute and was capable of fully stopping Prisma.

Universe 1. Equestria. Ponyville. Twilight's Castle.

Back at the Original Universe, Strident Heart sat alone. She was still at Twilight's Castle, sitting on the bed with her head down. Twilight and the others had left to see Princess Celestia, leaving the Angel to her devices. But even after they were gone, Strident Heart couldn't do much. She could not return to Unova and continue her mission, or even return to the Light Canvas to report back. Her power had been drained and was taking far longer than expected to recover.

Thus, an aggravated Strident Heart sat there, her worst fears gradually becoming a reality. Her disdain towards mortals grew stronger as time passed by and her anger was only getting worse.

"Why haven't the Higher Angels brought me back yet? Surely they must know that I am unable to return on my own?" Strident Heart questioned herself, her eyes narrowed as she looked down at the floor. She was frustrated and confused. The fact that she couldn't use her Divine Magic to escape and get out of there was incredibly humiliating to her.

For an Angel, this was impossible. Angels are never supposed to feel frustrated or even confused, let alone humiliated. It's just not supposed to happen. Strident clenched her teeth, her pupils sharpening. For this to happen to an angel was ludicrous. And for this, she blamed one individual. She did not blame Colress since he was simply an example of what mortals using Divine Magic could do, rather, she blamed the one who was the catalyst for all of this to happen.

And that was Ash Ketchum.

"This is all his fault..." She muttered, feeling her anger grow even more as she thought of him.

All the events that have happened up until this point, from Team Plasma's use of Divine Magic, to the imbalance of the Universe, it all came down to Ash making that wish, that wish to make both existences become one. He caused this. He caused it all. And for this, Strident Heart felt no sympathy for Ash, but rather anger and disdain.

"Ash Ketchum..." She muttered once more, standing up and clenching her wings.

It was clear as day. She hated him more than any mortal. She hated him more than Colress, more than the entirety of Team Plasma, more than any threat to the universe that has come and gone and even more than Ghetsis himself, despite his evil nature.

Unlike all of them who were clearly destructive and visible evils, Ash was not an obvious threat to the Universe. And he didn't intend to cause any harm either, and even helped stop some threats. But in Strident Heart's eyes, he was still the worst of them all because it was all because of him.

Everything that has happened and that has caused problems is because Ash made a selfish wish, one that caused a massive chain of events that would not have happened had the wish never been granted. Ash is the main reason why all the problems exist in the first place. He's indirectly responsible for them and thus, the worst of them all.

"I have to do something...anything...I can't sit around and let things happen. I can't rely on anyone to save me, or fix everything." Strident Heart said to herself. She looked up at the ceiling. "I need to take action myself. That is what Angels are meant to do, after all." She was determined to take action and take matters into her own wings.

Without the Light Canvas responding to her, Strident Heart decided to go rogue. She had no other angels by her side right now and no sign of any help coming her way.

"But how? My strength is still recovering. By the time it returns, I may be too late. So much could happen in that timeframe. But...if I were to interact with certain figures, that could change." Strident Heart thought for a moment. As much as she hated getting help from mortals, if it meant being able to recover her power and finally be rid of Team Plasma, then so be it. But who would she go to?

And then it struck her.

"...Of course..." Strident Heart realized. "They can help me." Using the tiniest it of her remaining power, she brought a divine projection that showed the individuals that could help her. On that projection were certain figure. "They'll do. Some of his older enemies will do the trick."

Strident Heart was cutting deep, targeting the foes that Ash has taken on in the past. Not in the sense of Rivals, but those who came close to conquering the world in one way or another. Those much like Ghetsis without resorting to Team Plasma's help. And one individual on that projection caught her attention.

The man known as Gringis Kodai.

As the journey continues.

Chapter 641 End.