My Little Pokémon: Grander World

Universe 42.

Calem had recently found himself being pursued by the Arcane Institute, but he managed to flee from them, leaving them to handle a horrific monster that exists to challenge those in this world. Everything in this world was related to mazes, making this thing an obstacle. A horrifying and powerful obstacle.

As the Unicorn sisters and students faced the monster, the wall of Flesh was a disgusting foe that was truly vile. The creature's appearance was repulsive and terrifying, its multiple heads, twisted faces, and oozing slime-coated skin making it a truly horrifying sight. Its huge, bulbous eyes glowed with a malevolent energy, and its many mouths gnashed with jagged, yellowing teeth.

The ground shook as it moved, its enormous mass crashing through trees and buildings alike, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. The air around it was thick and heavy with the smell of decay, and its grating roars echoed in the distance.

"Ugh, gross..." Flawless muttered, levitating above her sister, and the other members of the Institute who accompanied them on their journey to this universe. Phantasia was hovering beside her and was visibly displeased at the horrendous sight. Violet BlueLight, meanwhile, was flying alongside the rest, her eyes narrowed in disgust.

"This thing's gross...Like, what even is it?" Violet wondered. "It's like, definitely not a pony, that's for sure. Maybe some kinda mutant?"

"I have no idea, sis. But my cloak...! Eeugh! This is like, so totally, icky!" She shuddered, feeling the sticky and wet slime of the creature clinging to her body, and the putrid odour wafted through the air. "It's ruining my perfect outfit, too!"

The three unicorns had to navigate around the slimy, pulsating mass of flesh, watching as it moved and contorted in grotesque, unnatural ways. They could see its muscles, bones and tendons twisting and stretching as it slithered forward, its gaping jaws drooling with a thick, greenish-brown ooze. As they got closer to the writhing monstrosity, its eyes were visible, rolling in their sockets, unseeing and uncaring.

"Eurgh, I can't bear to look at the thing, let alone fight it," said Flawless, cringing in revulsion. "But we have to. We can't afford to lose any of our team. I'm so totally peeved after what happened back at Mirados. So I'm not letting some freak of nature get in my way!" Her eyes lit up, her Flawless Aura activating.

"Same," replied Violet, her aura shimmering with an intensity that matched her sister's. "I'll blast this creep to bits and then go find that jerk from the Kalos place. No matter where he is, I won't rest until I have him." The younger sister's power was growing, becoming more intense with each passing second, her determination showing in her every gesture.

The Trio all released their Aura, focusing it on this creature that had the audacity to interfere with their mission. Their magical energies merged, swirling around the abomination, trapping and crushing it, while simultaneously tearing its flesh apart. With a unified shout of triumph, the sisters combined their might, and with an explosive burst of light, the monster was reduced to a mess of broken magic, dispersing afterwards.

They grinned in satisfaction after getting their revenge. Now they were on the hunt, ready to capture Calem and send him back to their world to be used as an asset against Prisma's threat. The Unicorns flew off, their mission continuing. They were relentless, determined to take him and use him, no matter what. Nothing could stop them now, and their goal was within reach.

"So...that thing's gone," said Flawless, her expression a mixture of confusion and amusement. "Now to find Calem...I can still sense his Aura, though. He's pretty far from here. But not impossible to reach." Her senses were acute, and her magic was powerful, allowing her to detect the faintest of magical auras from miles away.

With that, the three of the four sisters were off, their hooves pounding the earth and their auras burning brightly in the pursuit of their prey. The race was on and the prize was Calem, and none of them was willing to back down or slow down in their quest.

As the chase was underway, Calem had made his way to the center of the maze. A giant structure stood tall, reaching high into the skies. The Labyrinth of Stars was an immense structure of stone and metal that towered over its surroundings. Its pathways and chambers housed abstract symbols. The Labyrinth was a place of great beauty and power, but also where many have been lost trying to find meaning in this universe.

Calem was standing in the entrance, looking around. The interior was barely lit but it still managed to reveal the various corridors that led deeper inside. As he walked further in, he felt an unsettling energy that surrounded him. The atmosphere was heavy, and the sound of his footsteps echoed throughout the halls.

"It's pretty quiet here, old guy," he remarked, taking a step towards a door, only to have a pair of swords suddenly spring forth, blocking his way. He jumped back in surprise. "Oooh..."

"Young outsider. You're in the presence of an intelligent being. One that's been trapped in its own maze for a very, long time," the elder spoke, his eyes widening in awe at the labyrinth's interior.

"Intelligent, huh? Guess that makes sense, the whole 'maze' part of this universe." Calem glanced at the two blades. They were not only made of steel but had the appearance of a pony's face, with its eyes closed and a solemn, emotionless expression. "Hey, you, uh, sword. Can we get through? I wanna free your people. And the residents here, of course."

There was a moment of silence before the swords responded. "Our master has decreed that no one shall pass without their approval. All those that wish to enter the chamber that holds their heart, their essence, their very life force that sustains them, must answer our question. Do you agree to the terms, outsider?" their voice echoed in the large corridor, their tone serious and commanding.

"Alright, alright, chill, man," Calem held up his hands, his tone light and easy. "What's the riddle? Ask, and we'll answer."

The two blades opened their eyes and their expressions shifted from a neutral gaze to one of focused intent. "Tell me this: If the day before yesterday is Thursday, what is tomorrow?"

Calem was dumbfounded. "Uh, that's it? That's the riddle? Geez, that's, well, that's not really a puzzle, is it? It's more of a trick, ain't it?" he asked, a bit disappointed. He scratched the back of his head. "Anyway, the day after tomorrow is Saturday. Easy."

"Is it, young outsider? Is it?" The Swords repeated, their eyes twinkling. "Are you certain of your answer?"

"Uhhh..." Calem looked to Starlight for guidance, but the old stallion simply shrugged, equally perplexed. Calem furrowed his brow in thought, trying to decipher the riddle, or if the Sword was just playing games. He finally gave up and shrugged, offering a sheepish smile. "Alright, alright, I give. What's the correct answer?"

The Sword smiled. "If the day before yesterday is Thursday, today is Friday, and tomorrow is Sunday, the correct answer is Saturday." With a flourish of its blade, the doors to the room swung open. "You may pass, young ones."

"Ah, thanks." Calem and the other entered the room, the doors shutting behind him. The chamber was vast and empty, the only source of illumination being the flickering light of several candles placed in sconces on the wall. In the centre of the chamber stood a massive statue, depicting a warrior of unknown origin, his armour shining in the candlelight.

"Whoa...you've been trapped in this maze, right? For centuries and decades and stuff." He looked to the left of the statue. There was a lever. Curious, he went over and pulled on it. Instantly, the statue's head spun and faced him. Then, a large boulder appeared from out of nowhere and slammed on top of the figure.

"I suppose that would have been a bit too gruesome," the Elder chuckled, amused. "So, this is the Heart of the Maze. This is where the soul of the entire maze resides, in a form of a gigantic gem. Where so many have failed to advance and have found themselves trapped."

"Huh. So that's the deal. Alright, well, let's do it. Old timer. Time to work." Calem held out his hand and concentrated. His eyes would close as he placed his hand on the walls.

Everything went silent as Calem focused deeply. Starlight watched as Calem's soul was starting to pulsate. Specifically, the Soul of Xerneas. Like a drumbeat, its rhythm was strong and steady. The power of Xerneas's spirit flowed into Calem's body, giving him the strength to perform a miracle. After all, according to the Insitute, out of all 10 Counterparts, he is the one who has somewhat of a control over his Soul.

He felt the warmth of its presence fill his body and mind. The glorious power of Xerneas flowed through him, giving him the capability to attempt a miracle. With the Life Energy rapidly rising, Calem's eyes began to shine and his body glowed. He extended his arms, calling out to the souls of the ponies who have failed.

"Old Timer, please, hear me. Free the souls of these lost and trapped creatures." His words echoed in the vast space. Suddenly, a blinding light illuminated the area, enveloping him. His soul shined and the entire Labyrinth was soon shaking. It's time had come, the souls of those that had been lost, were about to be returned home, thanks to the Miracle of Xerneas. Or rather, the soul of a boy who had access to its power, at the cost of nothing.

From the walls themselves, ponies would start falling out. The confused and startled voices of the trapped souls rang out in the vast space as they fell. Their bodies were glowing with an awesome light, their forms solidifying from the walls, and their eyes widened in shock. They stumbled and floundered, disoriented and uncertain of what had happened.

One by one, thousands upon thousands of ponies, along with other creatures, including Pokémon appeared. Everyone who was trapped was released. As they fell to the ground, a collective gasp was heard. Some cried tears of joy and relief, others screamed in terror.

Confusion, fear, and disbelief were evident on their faces. Many were asking questions, desperate to find out where they were, and how long had passed since they were trapped in the walls of the maze. Some were embracing and rejoicing, happy to be reunited with loved ones.

Starlight could only watch in awe at the spectacle unfolding. He was witnessing an event that would forever be remembered. "Amazing...he truly did have the strength to free them," he murmured in admiration, his eyes sparkling. He was in complete wonder of the power of a higher being, something far greater than the mundane reality of his world.

"Phew, I'm tired." Calem would pant. His body was feeling drained. While he was not losing his sense of self like the others, his body was definitely going through strain from the Soul's power. "That was a lot of folks..."

"Ugh..." The ponies groaned, naturally feeling out of it due to many being trapped for so long. However, their attention turned to the boy responsible for freeing them. Immediately, the crowd of creatures surrounded Calem, the boy responsible for freeing them.

One Unicorn in particular, would slowly rise, looking at the young Trainer. His mane was black, but with the slightest hints of greys in there, indicating his age, while his coat was a dark grey, almost black. Around his neck was a necklace with a red orb embedded in the middle. On his back were three swords and his Cutie Mark had an emblem of a Sword piercing the planet's core.

"Young, outsider." he began, a gruff, deep voice speaking. The pony approached the human and knelt, bowing his head in respect and gratitude. "On behalf of my soldiers and the rest of our kin, we are in your debt. Had it not been for you, we'd still have been trapped in that infernal Labyrinth."

"Oh, uh, gee, don't mention it," Calem would chuckle nervously. "I'm just glad to help, is all."

"You overcame the labyrinth in another way! Without even needing to navigate out of it! Are you perhaps one of the few who can clear the maze that is our entire planet" A pegasus asked. His mane was a light brown colour and his fur was a pale green, making him appear rather unassuming, yet his expression showed great curiosity.

"Well, yeah, kinda." Calem shrugged, not sure why everyone was getting so excited. "It's, y'know, a thing, right?"

"A thing? A THING?! How can a feat like that be brushed off as simply a mere 'thing'?" An earth pony exclaimed, his coat a bright red and his mane a stark contrast of blue. He wore a look of disbelief and confusion. "What does that even mean?"

"What the hay, man. Don't stress," Calem replied, attempting to diffuse the tension in the room. He flashed a grin at the gathered crowd and waved his hand. "Look, it's not that important, okay?"

"But, to have overcome the entire labyrinth in one move, to have overcome its power...it's unheard of," another unicorn spoke. "And yet, you've done it. You're no ordinary being, are you, lad?"

"Yeah, not that impressive, I guess." Calem chuckled, hoping his nonchalance would calm the group down. But his efforts had no effect, and the ponies were still in shock, unable to believe their savior was brushing aside such an accomplishment.

"Unimpressive, you say? You, the stranger who has saved us, is a god, an angel in the guise of a young boy." the unicorn with the sword on his flank, and the swords strapped on his body stated. His voice was filled with reverence, and his gaze held an intensity that was both intimidating and respectful.

"It's very clear who he is! The one who can bring meaning to our life! A savior! The World Savior himself"

"I-I'm not a World Savior!"

"He is the World Savior!" They all said in unison. The group of individuals were now gushing over their hero. The Earth Ponies were the first to make the proclamation, the pegasi were quick to follow, their eyes alight with awe and adulation. Even the Unicorns were swept away by the excitement and joy that the others felt. They couldn't help but join in on the praises and celebrations.

This was the most they'd ever known excitement in the longest.

As the cries and shouts of jubilation and thanksgiving filled the room, a sense of elation washed over the group of individuals, the Earth Ponies leading the charge, followed closely by the pegasi and unicorns, all of them chanting and shouting their gratitude to their new hero, the one who had given them hope, and had brought an end to their nightmare.

"Man..." Calem scratched his hair, chuckling a bit. "Well, I guess I can use this for one thing. I'm trying to get away from a group that are hunting me down. If you don't mind, I know you guys were just freed, but could you help me out? Anywhere else I can head to that's pretty far?" He was a bit sheepish to ask, after everything he had done for the group, and didn't want to push his luck, but the situation was desperate.

"Of course! Anything for our World Savior. There is an exit to the West that leads to an area outside the Labyrinth. We can lead the way and take you there. It'll be safe from those that are hunting you, I guarantee it." the unicorn nodded, determination burning in his eyes.

"Or, we can attack them for you!" An excitable earth pony sugested as many agreed.

"Uh, are you sure? You guys were just freed. Aren't your bodies still a bit weak?" Calem was hesitant, but the group insisted, saying that the journey would give their muscles some much-needed exercise and their minds the fresh air and sunshine. "Besides," they added, "we can't have anyone bothering the one who saved us."

They were willing to go above and beyond for him, and that alone made Calem feel incredibly thankful. It was a strange sensation to have such loyalty and devotion from complete strangers, but it was a feeling he wasn't going to take lightly. After all, they were ready to fight to keep him safe. That meant a lot to him. He could only nod in appreciation and follow the eager crowd as they led him to the western exit of the labyrinth, a smile forming on his face. These people were truly something else, and he couldn't wait to see where this adventure would lead.

Universe 1. Kanto. Pallet Town.

Away from Universe 42 and back at the Main Universe in the Ketchum Household, Delia had finished cooking for the day, leaving plenty of food for Ash and his Pokemon. But as Ash and his Pokemon were chowing down, Delia decided to visit Ponyville for a while to clear her head. She hasn't been visiting it a lot often. Using the gateway that was right next to her home, she passed through, setting foot in Equestria once more.

Sometimes she clears her head in Pallet Town and sometimes, she does it in Ponyville.

She walked towards a park bench, and took a seat. Looking up, her thoughts were on the situation her son had been facing recently. Her kind, brave and strong willed little Ash was being hunted by a powerful organization and she was doing nothing about it, which caused a knot of anxiety to twist in her stomach. Her worries were growing, her concern for him and his safety.

But her recent encounter with Prisma elevated that. While she wasn't afraid of Prisma, learning that he had no mother figure or even a father figure in his life, made her think a bit of how that held him back, according to her.

"Mrs Ketchum?" A voice spoke to her. That voice belonged to Twilight Sparkle who approached her.

"Afternoon, Twilight." She greeted her friend warmly. The unicorn trotted to her and sat down, and her expression changed to a worried frown. "Is everything alright? You look a bit distressed if you don't mind me saying."

"Mhm. Quite distressed. Thankfully, not too much." Delia confirmed. "I came here to clear m head. But I also feel like there's something you must know, Twilight."

"Oh? What is it?"

"In my sleep, I met him. Prisma" Twilight was in shook at her words, eyes wide with fear, ears pinned, and tail lowered. She had a look of utter shock and worry on her face. But then, her expression hardened.

""You met Prisma?! In your dreams?!"

"No. In my mind. He was trying to gain a hold of Ash's mind, but was unable to accidentally reached me instead. So, I was in there for a while, talking to him. He didn't attack me r anything of the sorts."

"Oh....well, what did he say? Were you in danger?"

"Well, I was natually upset with him. Ruining Ash's image and putting him in all this danger. I did what I could in there, mostly speaking to him and a bit of arguing."

"Eh?! Y-You weren't afraid?!" Twilight's voice would raise, causing a passing mare to jump in fright. Realizing her volume, she shrunk and apologized. "Oh, sorry, miss." And turned to the mare. "You were in the same room, same mental space, as Prisma and ended up fine?" Delia would nod at this, confusing the princess. "Yeesh. I know you were tough but not like that..."

"I suppose because I could never be afraid of someone who has my son's face. He even resembles my husband in some parts. It's too cute~! Of course, my words didn't change or anything. He's still bent on destroying everything."

"Figures." Twilight sighed.

"But...I did learn something. It turns out that during his childhood, he had no parents. No father or mother at all by his side. He was born yes, but left behind it seems. He was raised by himself in his household."

"W-Wha...that's impossible! H-he's an only child without a father and mother?! How can that happen?" And then it hit Twilight. She remembered how in Unilight Palace, she saw parts of Prisma's past before the first reset and after the many resets. In those memories, it all came back to that one household. The one home that he would always exit to start his journey. She never knew that no one else was in there but him and his Pikachu.

"Who knows...It's strange for that to happen. On top of that, when I saw his face, even though he said he doesn't care, the way he shouted back, saying that he doesn't have a mother, I'm afraid I may have struck a nerve. He doesn't seem to care that much, but that seemed to bring our conversation to an end. It is a shame for one to have no parent in their life, isn't it?"

"..." Twilight agreed while staying silent. But at the same time, her mind thought back to something else. Something rather crucial. She looked at Delia and then thought about Prisma, asking her a question. "Did he...recognize your face by any chance"

"Not at all. He had never seen my face before, I'm afraid." Delia shook her head.

"...Okay. Um, Mrs Ketchum. There's something you should probably see. And test out."

"Hm?" Twilight had something to show Delia. Something vital.

Twilight's Castle.

Twilight and Delia arrived at Twilight's Castle, opening the door to her room. There it sat. The elusive book that was hard to read in time due to its powerful magical nature.

The Book of Luminaria.

"You see, Mrs. Ketchum, I've been doing some digging into my history, and it led me to the book I've had in my bag, which contains the lineage of my incarnation's family, and the people that the first pony was connected to." Twilight then placed the book onto the floor, letting Delia open it. The mother opened the book and read through the contents of the first page.

"Hm....So this Bright character, the Earth Pony that is the founder of your lineage, came from a small village, similar to what I've seen back at home. He went to a different nation, a kingdom run by a King and Queen. So that means that these two royals are a part of the Luminarian bloodline. Which is, in turn, the same lineage you and Moonlight have." Delia nodded to herself, confirming the contents of the book in her own words.

"Yep." Twilight affirmed. "Along with Sci-Twi and Wish."

"But why is it that the names are vanishing? It seems the author of the book was pretty insistent that no one should find out." Delia was confused on that aspect of things. The pages of the book would not allow anyone to read the names of the King and Queen, leading to a rather big mystery to occur.

"That's the problem. See, the names of the king and queen were removed. But the weird part of this is the fact that the names of their allies, including their close friends and associates, are left in tact. But when the King and Queen are involved, their names just disappear." She then turned the pages, showing her the parts where the ink of the letters were missing, having vanished at some point, probably due to the mysterious force of magic that had been put upon it.

"Hm. Strange, isn't it?" Delia would ask. "Why not get rid of the names of the people associated with them as well? Wouldn't that make the mystery easier to cover up?" Twilight shook her head and explained.

"Not really, Mrs. Ketchum." Twilight would deny. "You see, the allies of the King and Queen are not the main focus. Sure, they are mentioned in a couple of parts and have a decent number of mentions, but there's one figure in the book that I can't seem to know a lot about. But...I know her face."

"Yes?"

"...She looks like you." Twilight revealed, flipping to a specific page of the book. Twilight didn't expect the image of this girl to be there anymore since the book would not allow her to read it in time. "It's a shame. The book doesnt want me seeing much at all. I can catch glimpses here and there, but they're never permanant and I can't figure out a spell to-"

However, for Delia, that was not the case. She was looking at the same page for a while and much to Twilight's shock, the words and images did not try and erase themselves in front of her. In fact, the book remained perfectly normal, not a single thing erased on it at all.

"Y-you can see the pages?!" She cried in surprise, seeing Delia read the text, not having to worry about any of the text being erased from the book at all. Delia could freely read the content of the book, much to Twilight's shock.

"Yes, I can." Delia confirmed. "Are you okay, dear?"

"No! You can see the book's contents without the text disappearing. That's impossible! And I'm the incarnation! So how come you're the exception?"

"I wonder..." Delia looked back at the book. "If that's the case, would you like me to read what's inside, Twilight?"

"Y-Yes, please!" More than anything, Twilight had to know and hear this at once. If this was her way of gathering info by someone not attuned with magic, so be it. "Go ahead, Mrs Ketchum."

"Mm." Delia would begin. For Twilight's curiousity she would read. And for her own curiousity. After all, this all relates to that Lost Universe where Prisma comes from. And since this woman resembles her, Delia had to know for herself. The mysteries within this book could only be maintained by Delia mysteriously and now it was time to unravel these mysteries here and now.

As the journey continues.

Chapter 715 End.