Sinnoh. Mount Coronet.
Volo had done it. He had opened up a tear in space. By using the Shards and Life Plates he had on him while also adding the magical items he's gathered into one, he managed to reach a level of power strong enough to rip into space.
The hole in space howled with a cosmic essence, being so large that it was visible to everyone in Sinnoh. It was like a portal to another dimension, but it wasn't stable. But that didn't matter to Volo, as long as it was capable of being used to summon either Arceus or Giratina. A vile pressure came from the tear in space, enough to blow winds in multiple directions as the trees of Sinnoh would sway constantly
And because so many shards and Life Plates were around each other, the whole thing was downright unstable, causing the tear to fluctuate in size. If not handled properly, it could potentially destroy Mount Coronet and everything around it.
"Yes!" Volo's pupils would dilate upon looking at the celestial terror he's created, a wide grin forming around his face. "That's an amazing step I've just made! Look at this! This is what I was always capable of reaching!"
"That tear in space might rip everything around here into pieces!" Twilight bellowed at Volo. "Is that what you really want?!"
"That tear won't matter once the Pokemon I need passes through. Ever since I became convinced that Arceus really does exist, there has been one question that consumed my thoughts...How can I meet such a being myself? In an attempt to answer this question, I originally sought out Giratina to try and open a rift in space-time. After all, Giratina wished to stand against Arceus, but that didn't do the trick."
"Is that why you talked about Giratina with me that night?!" Sci-Twi would gasp, recalling the talk at Galar during the campfire. She just assumed his interest in Giratina was simply because it was the only way to reach Arceus. But recent events have shown that it would go beyond just a simple meeting.
"Correct, Twilight. And I actually came incredibly close when I began combining the Life Plates which started opening a massive rip in space-time. In fact, the reason Lena showed up in my era was because of my actions. Arceus actually responded to my actions that caused disruptions and sent her here."
"So it was all your fault from the very beginning...!" Twilight commented. Now it was revealed that Volo started all of this and once more, he was doing it again but in the present.
"Of course, they shattered once Lena got in the way, so I had to restart from a certain point, gathering all those shards and even reforming some of them." He would then hold out the Life Plates and shards he currently had, their power reaching their absolute maximum thanks to the tear above.
Ash, Twilight and Sci-Twi could feel the divine essence as it was as if the Sun was giving off extra heat. The sound they made was entirely new too, matching what was coming from the tear.
"Eighteen Plates said to be the fragments of the all-encompassing deity. The Hallowed God himself. And right now only four remain and as of this moment..." Volo would then turn his head as the sound of an aircraft could be heard approaching. Up in the sky was none other than Team Galactic, appearing here to assist Volo. "The last three are just now arriving."
In the hands of Team Galactic were the Blank Plate, Fist Plate and Meadow Plate, which were once the Normal Shard, Fighting Shard and Meadow Plate. They had the ponies and Pokmon to thank for finding two of them.
"We got the Fighting Shard and Grass Shard from one of the ponies, Volo! Now we're down to just 17!" Mars yelled from this distance while holding up the Blank Plate. "It's only the Fire Shard we're missing!"
"Excellent." Volo was pleased to hear that. Using all those ponies as a way to get the remaining shards was a great idea on his part as he looked back at Ash, Twilight and Sci-Twi. "I can deal with the missing 18th Shard. The Magical Items I've unleashed will do just fine for the time being. And now, I can do away with this silly getup!" Just then, Volo would remove his usual uniform, revealing that it wasn't what he was truly wearing.
He wore a white robe underneath, having a gold accents in some places. His hair was also extended and loose, going upwards and making him look like a true member of ancient times. In fact, it looked a lot like Arceus's head the way his hair was styled. His hat kept that hidden the entire time.
"Behold! This is who I am! You are looking at the true representation of what remains of the Celestic People! The one who'll meet Arceus by the end of it all! And at the start of it all!" He declared, stunning Ash, Twilight and Sci-Twi once he revealed his true self. "I'll do you all a favour! When I recreate existence, I'll make sure the places you love are kept around. Except for you, Ash Ketchum."
"Kh...!" Ash grit his teeth once Volo referred to him.
"You and Lena are far too troublesome, so I will have no issue wiping you from existence! The new universe won't have you around for even a moment. You will never exist. But do not worry, Lena will be around, but her bloodline will end with her. I can't take the risk of another Ketchum getting in my way. But if you want to keep this world from disappearing, then try and stop me in a battle. If you can."
"Pika...!" Pikachu's sacs would flare with electricity at Volo's threats. No way he was going to threaten Ash's existence like that and get away with it.
"Fine then." Ash would adjust his hat a bit before looking at Twilight and Sci-Twi. I'm counting on you two to stop Team Galactic from getting those last plates over here."
"Mm! Good luck, Ash!" Twilight Knew she could count on Ash to stop Volo. She would take flight, using her magic to lift up her Human Counterpart. Sci-Twi gasped a bit after being picked up, closing her eyes once her body took flight.
Ash would turn back to Volo, clenching his fists. "I'm gonna beat you, Volo. And I'll make sure you don't reach Arceus or Giratina!"
"Then come at me, boy. And let's see if you're capable of stopping me." Volo would say, holding out his hand as the shards and Life Plates would float around him. The Magical Items would also start floating around him, creating an aura that made him look like a deity himself. He threw a Poke Ball forward, summoning his Spiritomb. "Appear, Spiritomb!"
"Gengar, I choose you!" As for Ash, he had sent out his Gengar to battle.
"Spiritomb!"
"Gengar!"
Alola. Akala Island.
The tear in space continued to grow larger without anything to keep it under control, reaching its maximum size. It was so large that parts of it were visible from different regions in the world, including Alola. Of course, it was mainly visible at Sinnoh but bits of it started leaking through. The people of Alola were watching the skies, seeing the cosmic energy gather in one spot.
"What is that?" A young girl asked.
"I don't know." Her mother replied. "It looks out of control though..."
"That couldn't be...Is that all those shards finally coming together?" Kukui said, gazing at the sky. "Whatever that thing is, it's not stable. We need to evacuate this area!"
"We have to move?! But we haven't even stopped everyone else from moving forward!" Burnet replied.
"We'll just have to group them all up and restrain them." said Kukui. That seemed to be the best way to get all the ponies away. They could already handle the Pokemon thanks to the Sweet Scent and it was even easier since the Aether Foundation went out to buy so many of them.
"But what about Charizard?!" Kiawe questioned before looking at the volcano. Charizard has not yet returned from the volcano and has not yet retrieved the Fire Shard. Inside, Charizard was still on the ground, overwhelmed by the Fire Shard's ferocity. The Flame Pokemon groaned while on the floor, unable to get close at all.
He stayed there for a while, his eyes slowly opening to look at the shard once more. He noticed how its glow was only growing more and more, all thanks to the tear in space. Not only that, but this intensity began to make the volcano act up as it started rumbling.
"Charrrr!" Charizard would get back on his feet, feeling the heat of the volcano. He could tell that something bad was happening to it. And he knew that if he didn't do anything, the volcano would erupt, destroying the entire island.
Charizard would stand before the Fire Shard, staring at it with determination. He wouldn't back down now. He couldn't. If he did, then the whole island would be destroyed. He had to retrieve it no matter what.
"Rrrr...!" Charizard would roar, unleashing a mighty flame from his mouth. The fire would surround the shard, causing it to react to the flames. The shard glowed even brighter than before, almost as if it was trying to combat the flames. If he could casually reach it, he would have to attack it, issuing a challenge.
That's what it felt like anyways. The fact that it kept rejecting him proved that it didn't want Charizard to easily obtain it. Thus, Charizard, with a burning spirit, would decide to fight for it if that is what it took.
"Charizard! Rrrr...!" Charizard would flap his wings, sending a powerful gust of wind towards the shard. The shard would start floating, being pushed back by the strong winds. It would fly through the air before landing on a rock nearby. Charizard would take this opportunity to try and grab it.
However, the shard would glow brightly, creating a barrier that would block Charizard's hand. The Flame Pokemon would growl, seeing that the shard wasn't going to give up. "Charizard!" He would use Flamethrower, hoping to break through the barrier.
The flames would hit the barrier, but they were unable to break through. The shard would release an intense glow, causing the barrier to grow larger and stronger "Zard!" Charizard would roar, unleashing a massive stream of fire. The flames would engulf the entire area, but the shard remained unharmed. It was as if the flames were nothing to it. And yet, he persisted, throwing all that he could. Charizard closed his eyes as he was being pushed back, his feet continuously planting on the surface.
Outside, everyone was quickly trying to flee from the rumbling volcano, seeing that it was on the verge of erupting. All the ponies that were being held back were soon gathered up and restrained, ready to be taken away. Charizard feared that he might not be able to save everyone and retrieve the Fire Shard.
"Charizard!" Just then, Kiawe would roar at Charizard, his voice managing to reach him all the way into the volcano. "You can do it! I know you can! We're counting on you!"
"Rrr...!" Charizard narrowed his eyes, knowing that his trainer was counting on him. But not just that. By extension, so was the whole world. If he fails to get this shard and Volo eventually does, everything will be undone. Charizard could not let that happen. Not even for a moment. There was just too much at stake here.
Seeing that he couldn't defeat it with his own flames, Charizard figured that the opposite would work. He would then switch into Fire Punch and with all of his might, smashed his fist into the surface. The impact caused a tremor strong enough to launch the Fire Shard off the ground.
It would fly through the air, hovering there for a while. But this was Charizard's chance now that he's gotten it to move. The Flame Pokemon used Aerial Ace to swiftly move through the air, promptly flapping his wings to create a gust of wind that would send the shard even higher.
The further the shard went, the less it would react to the magma around it. With this disruption from Charizard, its barrier was down for the time being and Charizard made sure to keep it that way. He kept flapping his wings as fast as he could, making sure the barrier wouldn't have the time to reform.
The shard would continue to ascend, reaching the top of the volcano. The closer it got to the sky, the more its power would weaken. It all added up. Because it was within such a hot place, its power was greater than ever, but now that it was further away from it, Charizard could approach it without any worry. With his claws out, he snatched the Fire Shard, ascending out of the volcano.
Charizard had done it.
The moment he emerged from the volcano, he could be seen high in the sky, his body in front of the radiant Sun. "Charrr!" Charizard roared, holding the Fire Shard in his hand. Everyone cheered upon seeing Charizard emerge with the shard. They knew that they were saved now that the Fire Shard was in their hands.
"Charizard!" Kiawe smiled brightly, feeling proud of his partner. "You did it!"
And now that the Fire Shard was out, the volcano would calm down, its rumbling coming to an immediate end. The people of Alola were safe and sound, thanks to Charizard. The affected ponies would look at the Fire Shard that Charizard held, attempting to reach it. But that moment, they were being held back by many of the Pokemon of the Alolan People, making sure they wouldn't break free for even a moment while their own Pokemon were still enamoured by the Sweet Scent.
For the most part, the situation in Alola was under control.
Sinnoh. Mount Coronet.
The battle against Ash and Volo was about to begin. This battle would decide the fate of existence itself. To preserve this existence or to recreate it entirely. Divine lightning would crackle above, coming straight out of the cosmic tear itself as the winds would strongly blow in all directions, failing to stay in one.
"Gengar! Use Dazzling Gleam!"
"Spiritomb! Dark Pulse!"
Both Pokemon would unleash their ranged attacks, clashing with each other in the middle. The two moves would push against each other, creating a stalemate. However, Spiritomb's Dark Pulse would soon overpower Gengar's Dazzling Gleam, pushing it back. Hs body was still affected by the power of the Dark Shard from last night.
"Gen!" Gengar just barely managed to avoid the attack as the beam of darkness would pass by him, soon passing Ash as well before vanishing into the distance.
"One more time! Dazzling Gleam!"
"Gar!" Gengar would then ascend, raining down rainbow rays onto Spiritomb. The Ghost-Dark-Type was bombarded by these rays, taking super-effective damage as the area around it would sparkle.
"Phantom Force!"
"Tomb!" While the rays kept coming down, Spiritomb found an opening that made it vanish out of thin air. Spiritomb was currently moving all over the place, unseen by Gengar or anyone else, ready to strike. Gengar tried to watch out for the Ghost-Dark-Type in any direction and knew that there was one way he could defend himself. "Spirit!"
"Now, Gengar!" And Ash knew what that way was.
"Gen! Gengar!" By using Dazzling Gleam for a third time, Gengar released a bright shield of light that was blinding to the eyes. The same strategy that was used on Spiritomb back at Kalos was used yet again with the same efficiency, making Volo growl.
"Nice! Now, use Ice Punch!"
"Gen...Gar!" Gengar would then cover his hand in an icy chill, bringing it down on Spiritomb while it was stunned. The chilling blow had landed, causing Spiritomb to cry out. "Gengar!" Gengar would then follow up with another Ice Punch, striking Spiritomb once more.
Gengar brought his fist back for one more powerful Ice Punch, putting his all into it. Volo saw a golden opportunity right before his very eyes, causing the Dark Energy within Volo to suddenly erupt. He used the power of Dread Plate to elevate Spiritomb's power, causing the Ghost-Dark-Type to form a vortex in the centre of its spectral body. Once Gengar's punch came down, his fist was then caught by the vortex.
"Gengar?!" Gengar gasped, feeling the strong suction force of the vortex. It was so strong that he couldn't break free from it.
"Heh! Dark Pulse! Fire!"
"Spirit...!" Spiritomb would begin charging up a Dark Pulse while Gengar was this close. The Shadow Pokemon's eyes widened as he was on the verge of being absolutely engulfed by this incoming wave of darkness.
"I don't think so! Dazzling Gleam!"
"Gar!" But Gengar wasn't about to go down so easy. He would generate a radiant magical light from his body as the two forces of Light and Dark were building up. In unison, both of them had unleashed their attacks, the Dazzling Gleam and Dark Pulse clashing against each other in an up-close exchange, causing a White and Black explosion to form on the spot.
The clash between these two moves would create a large shockwave that would send both Ghost-Types back, causing them to tumble and roll across the ground as there was now a crater left here. The result was that the two of them had fainted, knocking each other out.
"Gengar..."
"Spiritomb..."
"Thanks, Gengar! Return and get some rest!" Ash would thank Gengar for battling so well, managing to get one oVolo's Pokemon down.
"Tch." Volo simply scoffed at this defeat, but it wasn't over yet. He would look at Ash, knowing that he was going to be more than just handful and a nuisance. He was right to want him out of existence since he posed such a threat. "He's just as troublesome as Lena. No...In fact, he's far worse. Lena never used any Pokemon of her own. But since he does and has such skills...stopping him won't be easy."
Volo would then turn his attention to the airship, seeing that it had yet to reach here All thanks to Twilight and Sci-Twi getting in the way. At this very moment, Twilight had barged into the Airship, using her magic to blast open a hole in it. And once inside, she met with the only three members of Team Galactic left.
Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.
"Get out of our way already!" Saturn bellowed while controlling this airship. "We're this close!"
"Once we get these plates to Volo, we'll be even closer to bringing back Master Cyrus! There's only one shard in the world left!" Mars would point at the two Twilights.
"If you give him those shards, he's just going to redo everything!" Twilight protested. "Do you really want that to happen?!"
"Master Cyrus had a similar goal. Even though he failed, we never gave up on him. We don't care about redoing the universe anymore, as long as we get to bring him back." Jupiter explained.
"Please, Mars! We can bring him back without resorting to all of this!" Sci-Twi would try and reason with her, hoping that they could see the error of their ways.
"This is the only way. Now, you can step aside at once or be knocked off this airship." Mars held out a Poke Ball. Her decision was final since it was the only way she believed in. The only possible way to bring back Cyrus. Jupiter felt the same, holding her own Poke Ball out as well.
"If you want them to listen, there's only one way to do so." Twilight would say to Sci-Twi. "Defeat them and bring some closure afterwards."
"Alright..." Sci-Twi understood. She would prefer that they wouldn't have to battle, but that didn't seem to be the case. All of them had their Poke Balls out, ready to throw down in this airship.
"W-Wait. You're gonna battle in here?!" Saturn's serious tone would rapidly fade away once he realized that they would have their battle in the airship. And right now, it was way too late to stop them as all of their Poke Balls were thrown, bouncing off each other.
The final confrontation was here. Almost all pieces were together and the chance to stop Volo had truly begun on top of Mount Coronet. There could be only one outcome in all of this. If Ash were to succeed, then life would continue in this Grander World. But if not, Volo would potentially remove the possibility of this Grander World ever existing, in exchange for something else. Something that was potentially distant from Twilight and everyone else.
As the journey continues.
Chapter 533 End.