My Little Pokémon: Grander World

Delia's Mindscape.

Delia had encounted Prisma. In her own Mindscape, she encounted the man who resembled her son. And by extension, somewhat resembling her husband. Prisma. She's only heard of him, but now here she was, meeting with the man from a lost universe.

"...Who are you?" Prisma asked the same thing, looking at Delia curiously. His attention was focused on the woman and her features, his gaze never wavering.

"That face...Are you Prisma?!"

"Tch. Seems I need a bit more time to awaken. I was hoping to overtake his mind while he was asleep, but it seems I miscalculated the spread. I ended up reaching your Mind instead. How annoying." He chuckled, folding his arms and looking away. "Sorry to bother you. You'll soon forget about all of this. This isn't even a nightmare, or a Dream, to be exact. You are speaking to a spirit that resides within your Son."

"So you really are Prisma!" Once Delia realized this, her tone changed instantly. She wasn't afraid. Instead, she was rather upset. She glared at him. "Hmm...You have some nerve causing my son this much grief?! And his friends!" She yelled at him.

"Hmhm. Oh, how typical of a parent to worry about her child. Do you not realize the kind of person your son is? His power, the abilities he can do, and the potential that lies within him? Honestly, the boy is wasting his talents. He should just give in and accept me as his true self. With that, he can go beyond himself. Reach greater heights that don't involve playing with animals." He spat in disgust.

"He is not 'playing' with Pokemon! Those creatures are a part of his life!" Delia responded. "They're not pets, not toys, nor playthings! You as a Trainer should know that!"

"Technically, they are animals." Prisma shrugged. "But it matters not. "Pokemon are capable of granting the trainer what they desire, only if done correctly. I've achieved that goal. More than once. Soon, I'll achieve something greater by eventually awakening fully and having my Pokemon finish what I started. Absolute destruction of everything. It is the only way to stop that Star Tyrant."

"Destroy everything?" Delia questioned, her brow furrowing in concern. Her eyes were filled with confusion, her lips pursing together in a thoughtful pout. What does that mean?

"Your universe is a shadow of a former one. Your world, and every living creature in it, is a mere echo of the previous reality, which has since faded into the annals of time." He spoke, his voice soft yet cold, devoid of any emotion whatsoever. "Once that was the case, we had no choice. There was no other option for us. Or rather, me. All that remained was to destroy our world to stop the threat, but I never anticipated that a new world would be created in the process, a brand new canvas. But there's a guarantee that the threat will come back, and due to that, everything in existence has to die. I have to erase everything."

"Until nothing is left? That's outrageous?!"

"There is no other way of stopping the Star Tyrant. I have tried 88.8 Billon Times. This will be 88.8 Billion and one. I have no time for new approaches that won't guarantee anything. I need to close the book. Permanently."

"Nonsense!" Delia exclaimed, suddenly walking over to Prisma, not the least bit terrified of the man who was considered the strongest Trainer in his existence. "I know for a fact you are nothing like my son! Even if you have his face! My Ash would never give up and just take the easy way out!"

"That's the thing. There is no easy way. Only the hard way that'll succeed." Prisma retorted, sighing in annoyance.

"That's giving up so easily!" Suddenly, Delia pointed at Prisma, causing him to jerk back in surprise. "You already view Pokemon as nothing more than tools, but you don't understand that they can defy all those odds! What kind of Trainer are you to not realize that?!"

"I-I am the World's, no the Universe's Greatest Trainer! You should realize that I-"

"You don't feel like it." She said sternly, not letting him have the chance to rebuttal. She continued to point her finger at him. "If you were that great, you wouldn't have to resort to destroying the entire world! A trainer that's truly great would have faith in their Pokemon, no matter the situation! Have you even brought out the full potential of your Pokemon?!"

"I-I most certainly have! More than anyone!" Prisma stuttered before thinking to himself. "This woman...Why does it feel like I can't argue with her..."

"If you really are the incarnation of my son, then you'll do your best to go above and beyond, not regress. Honestly! With how drastic you've taken it, I wonder what your mother has to say about this! You're making a mockery of my son's image!"

Prisma's eye twitched, trying his hardest to keep a straight face, but the words were hitting hard, harder than a Hyper beam. He couldn't stand the lecture that was being delivered, not at the hands of someone he viewed to be beneath him.

"I...I don't know my mother! Or even have one!" Prisma bellowed in response while twitching in frustration.

"You...don't have a mother?" Delia slowed down her rambling in that instance.

"Not at all! I don't even know who she is, let alone even know my father. So I don't have to worry about what she'd have to say." Prisma crossed his arms, smirking as hfe felt like he get one-up over Delia. But Delia's expression said otherwise.

"But why?"

"Why? As if I care. I was born, sure. But I was raised on my own, awakening in a household known by no one but me. I could care less about what my mother would think. She's never been a parto f my life anyways."

"But you have to wonder why that is the case, right?!" Delia continued.

"Hmph. As if. Either way, there's no point in being here. I intendd on entering Ash's mind. Clearly, I need to go through another awakening to grow stronger. Farewell to you. You won't remember this at all." Prisma turned, ready to end this conversation and rest once more within Ash.

"I won't forget this moment." But Delia said otherwise, declaring that this entire conversation would not be forgotten. Prisma narrowed his eyes at her as everything was fading to white, the dream ending.

Kanto. Pallet Town. Ketchum Household. Day.

With that, Delia woke up in her bed, and the morning sun had already risen, indicating the beginning of the day and her chores. After rubbing her eyes and stretching, she rose to greet the rising rays, yawning contentedly, as her feet touched the ground. Her gaze wandered outside her window, where the sunlight streamed brightly across her lawn.

A small smile played at the corner of her mouth and her brow creased in confusion, unsure of why or how. Shrugging it off, she began her daily routine of cleaning the dishes from the prior evening. She gathered plates from the kitchen table, stacked cups neatly into the sink and wiped away crumbs with a damp cloth.

Humming softly, she set about preparing her family breakfast, cracking eggs into a hot skillet and toasting slices of bread in an ancient toaster oven. It was the simple pleasures of everyday living that brought her joy and satisfaction. Then, a few minutes later, a familiar face greeted her. Mr. Mime, also known as Mimey, had woken from his sleep, joining her in her kitchen duties. Together they worked harmoniously, moving about the tiny space with ease.

"Good morning, Mimey." Delia welcomed him warmly, setting two place settings on the wooden dining table. Mimey returned the greeting with a nod and a smile. They continued on in companionable silence, but in Delia's mind, she was thinking about something else. She had managed to remember, despite what Prisma had said.

In his own words, he said she would never remember the conversation. Lo and behold, that didn't work. Even Delia wasn't sure how she remembered. Prisma does seem to hold incredible power even as a soul and that isn't even taking his awakenings into account. So for Delia to remember confused her. Either way, she's glad she didn't forget, and now, her son is on her mind.

"No mother in his life..." Delia said while cooking. "Not that it's never happened to someone, but for a child to be raised on their own without anyone, let alone their parents, is so strange."

"Mime, Mime." Mimey noticed Delia's change of expressions.

"Hm? Ah." Delia blinked and shook her head lightly. "Sorry, I spaced out there. Was thinking of some things. With a gentle laugh, Delia brushed off the thoughts and resumed the task at hand, hoping that the lightness in her heart would return. "It's okay, no worries, Mimey." She patted his shoulder, and then continued cooking. "Go see if Ash is awake."

"Mime!" Mimey saluted her, and ran to his trainer's room, ready to wake him up, or not.

And as Ash was resting, deep within him, Prisma was waiting for another moment to awaken. However, despite how Prisma usually is, the conversation with Delia, specifically one part of it, stuck with him. There was one truth to it that not even Prisma could deny. A truth that he hated. Not the one involving family, but the one involving Pokemon.

"Tch." He scoffed, irrirated by it. "That woman...I hate to admit it...but she has a point. A Pokemon's full potential. I'm more than capable of bringing it out from any Pokemon. But...why could I never stop the resets." It annoyed Prisma, which only helped to boost his drive to destroy everything for good.

But there was also something that he couldn't forget.

"But...there's something familiar about her..."

Universe 42.

The Labyrinthine Universe. A mysterious universe where the inhabitants have lost their sense of purpose, and live their lives aimlessly, searching for meaning. There is an endless labyrinth that spans the length and breadth of this strange realm.

It is an ever-shifting cosmos where everything from planets, cities, and even entire galaxies exists as interconnected, living mazes. The Labyrinth is more than just a backdrop but a sentient entity, constantly reshaping itself. Whether out of knowledge or a need, its motivations are unclear. Trapped in its vastness are the souls and bodies of those who failed to find their way in its intricate pathways. Every step taken is watched and judged. Those that can survive its challenges may emerge from its depths with newfound wisdom and insight.

This was that world Calem was currently in.

Yet another Counterpart.

And currently, he was running for his life. Why? Well, a group of Unicorns were after him. All three of them being those powerful sisters. The trio were Flawless, Phantasia, and Violet BlueLight, three sisters and agents of the institute.

"Come back here, you!" Phantasia yelled, pointing at Calem with her hoof. Her mane swayed with the wind, her eyes narrowing. She was determined not to lose him. "We've been looking for you!"

"Give me a break, can't you give up!?" Calem shouted, jumping over a fallen tree, his legs carrying him as far away as possible. His chest rose and fell with the exertion, sweat pouring down his face, his heart pounding. "You've chased me nonstop!"

"Only because of the order we've been given! We're not gonna fail!" Phantasia yelled again, continuing to pursue him, their galloping getting louder and faster. Her horns glowed and her body pulsed, the energy in the area surging. She and her sisters would not relent. They would capture him, even if it was the last thing they did.

"After what happened back at Mirados...we refuse to fail again!" Flawless and her sisters were still stuck-up on their defeat in Mirados. To them, they weren't allowed to lose and the fact that they did altered how they acted. They weer still their usual selves, but a strong drive to be far more aggressive while appearing more annoyed came into fruition. The sisters hated losing, and refused to have a repeat of what happened in that battle in that parallel world.

"Don't take it out on me then!" Calem would slide, passing by a group of ponies who looked so bored and soulless. Due to the nature of this universe, not many emotions of joy were present. Even when there were visitors from another world here, initating a chase scene, they seemed uninterested in the spectacle.

Eventually, he'd climb to the top of the labyrinth walls and run across the top. "Just leave me be!" Calem would eventually leap and jump on the head of a pony and land on the other side of a street, before sprinting away. The Unicorn Sisters were behind him, and would eventually catch him. Or so that was their plan, until...

"Oof!" Something hit the three of them and they were knocked down to the ground, skidding and grinding against the rocky floor of the labyrinth. The sisters groaned, rubbing the pain of the impact away from their heads. Looking ahead of themselves, they'd see that a massive wall of flesh was in front of them, blocking the pathway to their target.

"See ya!"Calem smirked, throwing a Poke Ball in the air. Out of it emerged a Charizard, the flames on its tail blazing. Without another word, he climbed onto its back and flew off. This didn't deter the Unicorns.

"Urgh...!" Flawless groaned, instantly taking flight by levitating herself via magic. Her sisters and the students did the same, going after Calem and his flying mount. However, the wall of flesh would grow once they tried going over it. Calem managed to get over it in time, but the same could not be said for the rest. "What in the name of Arceus is this...?" The eldest sister wondered to herself, seeing the wall of flesh expand to a gigantic degree. In a split second, it would suddenly fall apart, revealing its true identity.

The fleshy mass was an incredibly large creature that towered high above the city. Its grotesque form was a writhing, undulating amalgamation of different creatures and objects. Its body was composed of a wide range of textures and colors, including slimy, wet skin, dry, scaly hide, coarse, bristly hair, and rough, leathery hide.

It had an array of different limbs and appendages, ranging from multiple arms, legs, claws, talons, tentacles, and wings. Its face was an assortment of mismatched features, with eyes, noses, and mouths of varying shapes, sizes, and positions, some even located on parts of its body other than its head.

The creature was an ever-changing mess of mutated anatomy and distorted physiology. Absolutely vile. Just then, a loud, ear-splitting roar erupted from its maws, echoing throughout the area.

"Ew, Eww, EWWW!" The Sisters were instantly disgusted, screeching and cringing in response. It was a disturbing sight, to be sure. As the creature's roar echoed, the walls of the labyrinth shook and trembled.

Calem managed to catch a break as Charizard would descend on the next area. An area known as Hoofspire City. A towering city built vertically into a massive spiral structure that ascends endlessly into the sky. At the base of the structure lies the central area, an entire metropolis, and the further one travels upwards, the sparser the population becomes.

At the very peak, an imposing castle-like building stands tall, overlooking the city below. Calem landed right on the lower sections, ending up at a place known as the Twist Library, just on the outside.

"Whew...Thanks, Charizard." Calem said, getting off the Flame Pokemon with a relaxed sigh, his muscles tensing from the chase. "Guess I can take a breather. Return." Charizard nodded before being brought back into the Poke Ball.

Calem was safe for now, the Wall o Flesh keeping the Institute occupied. To sit down, Calem decided that the library was the best option. The interior of the building was a winding staircase, spiraling around and up.

Calem was in awe, amazed at the grandiose size of the place. He had expected to be caught, or at least in the midst of escaping. But he was not. Instead, the Unicorns had encountered something that made them cease in their tracks and allow the Kalos Champion to flee. Whatever it was, Calem didn't care. He was safe, and that's all that mattered.

"Man..." He had his hands in his pockets, and his shoulders hunched forward, the stress and exhaustion evident in his posture. His gaze wandered around the library, admiring the thousands upon thousands of books and scrolls lining the shelves. He passed by the different levels, his eyes widening at the variety and complexity of knowledge stored in this single place. He couldn't help but marvel at the wealth of knowledge and the effort taken to compile it all, the vast amounts of information and the beauty of the space.

"It's so amazing...yet, there's not much in terms of people, and the ones that are here barely look interested in the library." Despite the grandeur and magnificence of the Twist Library, there was a lack of activity, as if no one was truly utilizing the knowledge and wisdom stored in its archives. This struck a discordant note, leaving the impression of an underused resource. Calem sighed, feeling a little dispirited, his eyes drooping slightly. "I wonder what the issue is..."

And then...

"I believe the issue is quite apparent," a deep voice replied, and the Kalos Champ jumped, startled at the sudden response. He turned to see what appeared to be a librarian of this place. A mature pony, tall, proud and majestic. He wore glasses, was grey and had an orange mane. "You must be new to our universe, stranger. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Starlight Amell, and I am a Librarian in charge of this particular location."

"Oh. Uhh...well, the place is beautiful." Calem remarked, giving an impressed smile. "I mean, aside from everyone looking kinda...bored. Even you. No offence, dude."

"None taken, outsider. That is to be expected. For you see, our world has no meaning, no reason, no purpose, and most of us are trapped in this Labyrinth of ours. Not only physically, but mentally. We've lost the desire to keep moving forward and thus, have no will to live."

"Lost the will to live, huh?" Calem's eyebrows furrowed in concentration and worry. "How does that happen? I don't know the story, but something must've happened. Can't tell me a bunch of ponies are just like that because of no reason. You guys seem really similar to humans, and I can't say I've ever seen a person so...what's the word...disillusioned?"

Starlight chuckled. His laugh was hearty, but with an edge of sorrow. "Ah, yes, that is the correct term, my boy." His chuckling stopped, and his face became more somber, reflecting a deep sadness. "Our Universe, long ago, was once just one planet. One planet, and it had everything we needed. However, at some point during the 8th Movement of the Waving Star, another planet travelled lightyears from another galaxy, merging with the planet."

"Say what?!"

"By doing so, it ended up forming a Labyrinth-like planet. As a result, a massive labyrinth formed and engulfed the entirety of the two worlds. With the melding of the two planets, a cataclysmic event was unleashed. Our world, in its former state, was completely changed and remade in an unpredictable fashion. But it was more than just one planet. It was multiple. Multiple planets kept arriving, adding to the labyrinth and increasing the size of it, creating an endless loop of corridors and passages, filled with the remnants of various worlds, civilizations and cultures, forever trapped and entangled within its maze-like structures."

"Woah..." Calem's eyes were wide. "All that and the planet managed to survive? You've got one durable planet, old timer."

"Hm. I wouldn't say that. It feels like a cosmic force is responsible. Researchers in the past discovered that the same happened to entire star systems, galaxies and other planets. They all had their respective forces collide into each other to create these maze-like locations. They deduced that this is the nature of our universe. However, it has made us all obsessesed. Obsessed with overcoming these mazes."

"Was it like that before?"

"Indeed. Our ancestors were in the amazingly far past and instantly had a drive to figure out what lay beyond the mazes. Very few have succeeded but so many have failed. Over the centuries and eons, the mazes that reside here have been attempted at being traversed. They have not only crushed the body of those who tried, but also the soul. Every time one succeeds or fails at making a breakthrough, their memories are etched on the very fabric of the labyrinths. Those memories become part of the walls, and they're absorbed into them."

"A-Are they...?!"

"They are still alive. In a sense. There, they remain and will do anything to ensure that others don't make progress, especially those that failed. They're the main ones that are intent on ensuring that others share their fate. So that their own failure isn't a wasted experience. Some are still positive, hoping to assist those that try and traverse. Others are negative. Either way, the fact is that they are determined to stop anyone from trying, and failing is a guarantee."

"How are folks supposed to get through that if that's the case? Why even bother?"

"Well, there is an end to the Labyrinth, and the goal of the residents of this world is to find it and reach its exit. But the path to the end is filled with danger and mystery, and the end itself is a tantalizing prize for the most courageous and adventurous of souls. It's a daunting task, and many have been lost to the Labyrinth's secrets.

Calem was speechless, the magnitude of the situation weighing heavily on him. Between being chased by the Arcane Institute and this, he was already positive on which was more terrifying. It's only been a few days since he's been in this universe and all he's seen is uninterested ponies.

"Whoa..."

"Naturally, no one is rather optimistic about it, leading to years and years of boredom. Now, a majority have given up and just live their lives. Despite this, it claws away at them. That drive to complete the labyrinths is a part of us that can never leave. In essence, it's a curse." Starlight concluded. He paused for a moment to let the information sink in, then gave a slight chuckle. "But, enough of that, young one. What is your name, stranger from beyond our dimension?"

"Calem, nice to meet you, and thanks, man. Guess I'll stay here for the time being. Just gotta make sure those weird unicorns from earlier are nowhere to be found."

Starlight was intrigued. He arced his eyebrow in curiousity. "What's this, now?" He asked. "You're running away from someone. Tell me more, child. Perhaps I could assist."

"Well, that would be awesome. But...there's something I'd like to do for you instead." Calem looked at his hand, staring deeply. "You said they're trapped...maybe I can do something about that.

"Hm?"

"In me exists the soul of some guy who's my incarnation or something. still don't get it. But there's a second soul apart of me that can do something. Old Timer. Let me try and bring all of them back." Calem stood up. "By using the Soul of Xerneas."

"What is this...Xerneas?"

"Just trust me on this one. Plus, any excuse to get away from the Institute is already a good thing." Calem would advance forard, having the old pony follow him. Unlike most of the counterparts, Calem was not only aware of the Soul of Xerneas within him, but he was actually willing to use that power, having no real qualms of doing so. To the others, they had reservations. But to Calem, he just saw it as another move, and not a problem to his existence in any way, shape, or form.

Universe 12. The Arcane Institute.

And the Institute knew this. Or rather, Proefssor Grogar knew this. When looking at the screen presented to him by his scientists, he saw projections of Calem and his soul.

"Calem. Not just arguably the hardest one to achieve because of Xerneas's power to heal...But also because he is the most willing and adjusted ot such power." Grogar stated to himself with his non-existent body. "This makes things complicated. However, I believe a turnaround can be made. Alpha's recent ugrades will prove most useful."

He was betting it all on Alpha. The BlueLight Sisters were falling behind, dealing with that disgusting wall. However, Alpha seemed to be the favourite that Grogar was focusing all of his efforts on. Injecting her with many more souls as well as magic from different sources. Speaking of which, Alpha was already about to make landfall along with her team.

For the Professor, this next mission could not fail. He would not allow interference from Celestia's group this time. This time, he would succeed and have a counterpart with him or absolutely destroyed as the journey continues.

Chapter 714 End.