My Little Pokémon: Grander World

Equestria. Canterlot. Afternoon.

Ash, The Mane 6 and Spike arrived at Canterlot to speak with Celestia, informed about the Arcane Institute being on the move once more. Celestia caught them up, speaking about how the Arcane Institute had left their world, continuing their mission.

"Their mission has continued." Celestia spoke with a serious voice as the group entered the room. "They've already made landfall into another Universe, one where Dreams are the main currency. They thought they could mask themselves from me, but I have the magic to sense them." Celestia tapped her head, easily bypassing the Arcane Institute's concealment thanks to her evolved magic. "The Arcane Institute is currently in Universe 30, the Dream-Harvesting Universe."

"You want us to head there?" Ash asked.

"No, no. As much as I know it would be a plethora of fun for you to explore that universe, you must stay away from them just in case. Now that they're active again, they'll be coming for you and Twilight. All that protection that I and the Azoth Kingdom chose for you and your friends will now have to stay with you all the time."

"Aw, man. No exploring?" Ash lowered his head, gutted by that. There as a universe out there that he couldn't explore thanks to the Arcane Institute. "But can I at least help out? If they're there, then one of my counterparts are there too, right?"

"You're right. Ethan is there. He's been spending the day with one of our agents in that universe, getting a good feel for the place." Celestia explained to him. "We have a few of our agents in the other universes. While some of the Universes are completely new, we still need to monitor the actions and keep tabs on the Arcane Institute."

"Shouldn't we go and help Ethan then?" Rainbow Dash asked. "I mean, since they're both there, he could be in trouble. They could kidnap him!"

"Yeah! I wanna head there and help out, even if I'm the one in danger!" Ash exclaimed.

"Naturally, that's how you are, Ash." Celestia smiled, knowing that Ash would help his friends regardless of his own safety. "But just this once, let's have a compromise. You will help out as always, but with a different approach from usual."

"I guess..." Ash scratched the back of his hair.

"Now, I'll alert everyone there to let them know the Institute is there and to prepare themselves." Celestia said before having her horn glow. Using her newly improved magic, she would transcend the boundaries of her own world, peering into others. Yet another example of how far she's come.

Universe 30. The Dream Nexus.

In the Dream Harvesting Universe, Ethan was walking along, being shown more and more of the Universe he was exploring by Medly.

"So you don't sleep all that much? Like at all?" Ethan asked Medly. She had been showing Ethan the universe he was in.

"I don't sleep at all. It's unnecessary, and besides, I have a job to do, protecting people and ensuring the safety of the Dreamscape." Medly answered, her voice firm. "I'm too busy with that."

"Come on, even if you've got a big job like that, you should take a break every once in a while. I mean, what if you have a nightmare?" Ethan asked, looking down at the Pegasus.

"Pfft. I'm not afraid of anything, not even nightmares." Medly chuckled. "If you think that a nightmare is enough to make me scared, you're sorely mistaken. I can take care of myself and my dreams."

"You're really tough. I bet that's why Celestia sent you here, huh?"

"Yes. She was the one who sent me. But it doesn't mean I have to like it. It's still a job, after all, and I'll do whatever I can to make sure that it's done." Medly replied.

"Well, you better do a good job. Because if you don't, you're not the only one who could get hurt. There's a lot of people out there that could suffer. I don't want to be one of them, but I will if it means protecting someone else." Ethan grinned, but was serious at the same time. "So you gotta do your job, or else someone might get hurt. I'll make sure of that, no matter what."

"Hey. Don't think you're all high and mighty. I can do my job just fine. I'll have you know that I'm also a retainer to the Royal Family in this Universe." Medly said, looking over at the boy.

"Hehehe! Yeah, I know." Ethan laughed, having already known that. As he laughed, a sound caught his attention, prompting him to stop. He heard something. Something faint, but noticeable enough for him. He listened intently, and he could hear the faint sounds of magic. It was faint, but it was there. He knew something was up, so he turned to look around, scanning the area carefully. But Medly stopped him. "What's up?" He asked her.

"Hmm..." Medly narrowed her eyes, sensing the magic in the air. Something was amiss. The magic she felt didn't resemble anything she's ever sensed before.

"What is it, Medly?"

"It's magic, but not from our Universe." She told him, causing Ethan to raise an eyebrow in suspicion. He could sense it too, the same feeling. It was a powerful magic that didn't feel right, and he knew that it meant trouble. "Come with me. Now."

"W-Where are we going?" Ethan asked while following Medly, who spread her wings.

We're heading to the Dream Vault. Your pursuers might be here finally, but I'll only know by speaking to the higher-ups." Medly told him as she took off. Ethan nodded and followed close behind her as they raced through the sky, hoping to reach their destination in time.

The two of them reached a large and imposing building that was built out of gleaming white stone and decorated with intricate carvings. The entrance was a massive, ornate archway, guarded by two fierce-looking dream-harvesters. Medly led Ethan through the entrance, and the two of them stepped inside the vault.

The inside of the Dream Vault was a massive, open space with a high ceiling. It was filled with row upon row of shelves, each one lined with glowing, swirling dream-orbs. These were the dreams of people all over the world, collected by the dream-harvesters to keep them safe from thieves or other malicious individuals. The shelves were guarded by more of the dream-harvesters, who kept watch over the vault with their piercing gazes.

At the end of the vault was a large platform, on which sat the leaders of the dream-harvesters, a small council of three of the wisest and most powerful dream-harvesters in the world. Medly approached the leaders, her head bowed in respect as she greeted them.

"Ah, Medly. It's good to see you. What brings you here today?" asked the eldest of the leaders, a dream-harvestress unicorn with a long, flowing mane that seemed to shimmer in the dim light.

"We've noticed some new magic in the air. I don't recognize it. It could very well be those people that are after my charge." Medly spoke with a clear tone of seriousness, gesturing towards Ethan.

"Oh, you have? Hmmm.... We have not detected anything ourselves, but that does not mean there isn't a threat out there." The leader replied, her eyes narrowing.

"We've been monitoring this for some time now, but nothing is out of the ordinary." Another leader added. "If they're using magic that we don't recognize, that could be very dangerous. We'll wait for Princess Celesta to share something with us if that's the case."

The leaders exchanged worried glances before turning to Medly. Right before they could say anything, Princess Celestia contacted them. In the middle of this room sat an orb. This orb was connected to the other universes and could contact the leaders. The orb was pulsating with Rift Energy as it would exert some power to show a projection. Princess Celestia was displayed on that projection.

"Princess Celestia, what is it?"

"Afternoon" Celestia spoke to them. "I'm calling you all to inform you that the Arcane Institute has arrived at your Universe, most likely by tracking Ethan down."

"They're here?!" The leaders collectively shouted, all looking at each other in surprise and fear. Ethan looked worried and took a step back, ready to run at a moment's notice. "But how did they know he was here? How did they know about us at all?" The elder asked.

"Our Universe is protected by a vast collection of Dream Magic that has generations of Dreamers behind it. Our ancestors all dreamed of protecting our Earth from any outside interference, mainly from outer space. All those dreams of wanting to protect our world pased on from generation to generation, building up so much strength to the point where our world is shielded by anything. Not even the Empress or Daybreaker managed to find us." The Leader explained to Ethan and Celestia. "But somehow, the Arcane Institute managed to bypass it."

"I don't know, but I'll make sure to find out later." Celestia replied. "But for now, you must be ready for whatever may come your way. And make sure Ethan is completely safe. I will send assistance to your Universe as soon as possible." Celestia finished her conversation, the projection cutting out and the Orb returning to normal.

"You!" One of the ponies here would point at Ethan, grabbing his attention. "You're going to stay close to us. You won't move an inch unless it's necessary."

"Aw, come on! Let me help out! If I battle them, we can send 'em packing!" Ethan grinned, pumping a fist into the air.

"What part of protection do you not undertand?" Medly nudged his leg, shaking her head at his enthusiasm. "We have a way to defend ourelves and others. As you heard from one of our elders, our Dreams can be our power. It's how our universe has been protected for so long...until now though..."

"Ethan, my boy." One of the Elders approached him. "We can protect by using our Dreams. More specifically, we can store you within our Dreamscape and keep you hidden there, until the Arcane Institute is no longer a threat and the Universe is safe."

"Inside Dreams...? I can be kept in Dreams?!" Ethan was starstruck by what he had heard. He could be put inside dreams? That sounded otherworldly.

"Exactly. And it will be greatly beneficial since it's the Afternoon. Dreams are far weaker during the daytime, as there aren't any dreams being had at this time of day. With you inside one, they can't sense you. We'll do what we can until nightfall arrives, where our magic is at its best and we'll be able to fully defend the world from the Arcane Institute."

"Stand still, boy. So that we can tore you." Many of the ponies here would gather around him. Their horns and wings glowed with a magical light as they closed their eyes. Ethan stood still, watching all this magic gather in front of him.

Ethereal and Dream-like magic flowed out of their bodies as they opened their eyes, a mystical glow surrounding their pupils as they concentrated. As they focused, a powerful magical force emanated from their horns. This force enveloped Ethan, causing him to close his eyes as the energy began to affect him. He could feel his body being pulled inwards, his consciousness slowly slipping away.

And as the ponies channelled their energy into him, a large orb formed around Ethan, growing bigger and bigger, as he was slowly disappearing into the Dream Orb, the ponies' power increasing with each passing second, as they concentrated their energy on keeping Ethan safe and protected.

Ethan opened his eyes as he was no longer in the outside world anymore. Instead, he found himself standing in the middle of a dream. It was an amazing feeling to be surrounded by a dream, the world around him seemed so surreal, so ethereal. He couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder and curiosity as he looked around at the strange, unfamiliar environment.

He saw many creatures, all of whom seemed to be sleeping. It was peaceful and quiet. The creatures seemed to be peaceful, almost as if they were content to stay in this dream world. He noticed a strange aura surrounding them, a protective aura that seemed to keep the creatures safe and secure in the dream.

"Wow...so this is what it's like inside a Dream when you're awake. It's way different than when you're asleep." Ethan commented as he wandered about. He walked around, looking around as he took in the beauty and serenity of the dream. "This is probably how Princess Luna feels when she goes into the Dream Realm...it's peaceful, but a bit lonely." It was like he was in another universe entirely, a universe of dreams. He felt safe, protected, and secure in the dream.

"Can you hear us, Ethan?" Medly suddenly spoke, her voice entering the Dream. "Stay here while we handle the Arcane Institute. And no, you can't help." Medly added before Ethan could say anything. Ethan was going to ask if he could help but Medly was able to see him and his movements thanks to her powers and the power of her fellow Dream Harvesters.

As the Dream Harvesters prepared themselves, the Arcane Institute were actually rather static at the moment. They stood in a forest area near the city, not wanting to draw attention yet. The group of Arcanines were led by their Princess. "So how do you wanna do this, Twilight? Wanna show us your new tricks now?" Delight said with a giggle.

"I do. I've already learned everything I need to about this universe." Twilight Moonlight stoicly said. "I know their approach. To ensure that Ethan is safe, they're stored him in a Dream. That is their best form of protection in this universe, just like how all those Dreams from Generations almost prevented us from entering here, except that our technology and power is more than enough to surpass them. But I can use this to my advantage."

"Really?" Venture looked at her. "What are you thinking?"

"Their Dreams are weaker in the day...Finding Ethan in any of those orbs will be harder. But at night..." Twilight Moonlight closed her eyes, staying silent for a while, her horn suddenly glowing.

The other ponies and the Arcanines all watched, wondering what she was doing. As Twilight Moonlight focused her power and energy on her plan, the energy around her began to glow and shift in hue. She focused on the power of the sun and its power to make day, and the power of the moon and its power to make night. Her power grew stronger and more potent, as the sun began to set.

Twilight Moonlight's power continued to grow, her concentration on her plan was unwavering, her focus on her goal of changing day to night, as the sun set further and further, and the sky became darker and darker, and the stars and moon began to come out.

And soon enough, her plan had worked as she had changed the time of day to Night in an instant. Her plan had been successful. The sky had darkened and the sun was no longer in the sky, instead, the moon had come out, illuminating the world in a silvery glow.

The Arcanines and the other ponies looked on in amazement at Twilight's power, and how she had been able to manipulate the sun and moon in such a way, a feat only achieved by powerful Alicorns such as Celestia and Luna.

"Y-You can do that now!?" One pony said, gobsmacked by this feat. All of them were taken aback. For this, Twilight Moonlight would have to have magic on the same level as alicorns, or even close to it.

"Ah, but it makes sense...You're a part of Twilight Luminaria after all." Venture already knew the reason behind this feat. In a way, Twilight Moonlight could be considered an alicorn. While only the main Twilight Sparkle was an alicorn, all three Twilights were reincarnations of an Alicorn, making it a part of themselves.

"This is just one new thing I've learned. Now, let's go. Finding Ethan will be easier with all the Dreams at their absolute peak." Twilight Moonlight stepped forwards and lead her Arcanines to the city, all the ponies with them following behind. It was time for them to make their move.

At the Dream Nexus, the citizens were stunned seeing the Moon be up this early. The sun had only just risen not too long ago and yet, now it was night. This had caught all of them off guard.

"It's Nightfall already?! How?!" One pony shouted.

"I haven't even gotten my afternoon stretch yet!" Another said, sounding like an older stallion who just got up from his bed. A plethora of commotion could be heard all around, as many ponies were surprised and confused at this sudden change of events. It was like the sun had suddenly disappeared from the sky.

"Huh...? Is it Nightfall already? I don't get it..." A Pegasus would fly in the air and look up at the moon. As the Dream Nexus citizens all wondered what was happening, a few of the Dream Harvesters were looking around, as the place they were in had some form of magical barrier that could block the sun itself, which is how they were still able to do their work even with it being nightfall. Medly would fly over and join her fellow Dream Harvesters. She landed on the platform, where the three leaders stood.

"Nightfall this soon? Someone has raised the Moon early. But only the Princess of the Night is able to raise the Moon, Princess Luna." One leader said. The Dream Harvesters were a part of this Universe, meaning that this Universe had both Luna and Celestia, much like how other universes had them.

But before Medly and everyone could understand, even though Medly was leaning to the most likely outcome, the answer came straight to them all. In the distance, massive figures could be seen approaching, towering over some of the buildings. Everyone squinted their eyes and to their shock, they saw what these figures.

Massive and tall Rhyperiors approached, stomping towards the city and making the ground shake. There were at least 20 of them and neither looked like they were assisted by Dynamax Energy to get them to this height. It seemed to be how they naturally appeared, not through Dynamaxing.

"What are those...!" A pony screamed in shock.

And as the Rhyperiors all approached, one of them held its arm out, already prepared to attack. Instead of taking Ethan quietly, the Arcane Institute was about to use force.

Because in their eyes, anyone supporting the reincarnations of Prisma were enemies and needed to be defeated swiftly. Thus, the attack on this universe had begun as the journey continues.

Chapter 642 End.