azume | End.

RESTORATION.

There's a distinct feeling that comes along with the knowledge that the world is about to die; you've experienced it once already, and you can feel it again now - another of those sensations that permeates your body clear through, shaking you to your core, and Arceus...

Arceus doesn't hesitate.

There's another burst of light, almost blinding as it shoots upward and splits into a myriad streaks of light coursing down toward the earth; it's almost beautiful in its impending destructiveness, though perhaps it isn't something that can be fully appreciated with the knowledge of what it's about to cause. All those people, all those Pokémon, reset to what they once were - to say nothing of yourselves.

And then, suddenly and sharply, the world stops.

Not the world.

The universe.

It isn't the first time you've felt time and space simply stop - but instead of the stagnation of the reset or the Distortion World, there's something very deliberate-seeming about this; it doesn't feel like stagnation so much as it does protection, keeping the world in stasis until something can be done. Exactly what that something is...well, it's difficult to say. But one thing is certain: even if they can't be seen or properly felt, Dialga and Palkia are certainly here, and it seems that for the time being at least, they're with you.

Arceus shrieks out another of those primal roars, the sound harsh and agitated; the remnants of the incomplete Judgement remain bright and hovering above you, above everything. A reminder, perhaps, of everything that's at stake; after all, no one can defy the Creator forever.

The frozen timespace doesn't seem to have affected you, nor Cyrus or his Commanders; you're all still capable of acting for yourselves while Judgement is stalled out. Exactly what that entails has yet to be seen.

Best of luck to you.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Sounds fake, but okay.]

...is that your default response to that question, or the actual truth?

There's no reason it can't be both.

...have it your way, then.

[God, you're exhausting.

...we're clearly getting somewhere, though.]

What changed your mind?

[...]

Consider it an extension of that kindness you're so fond of mentioning.

[...you know what?

That actually makes her laugh softly.]

So you're finally admitting it, then?

Not in so many words.

I'll take it.

[Any small success is still a success!]

You're not the most forthcoming of people, you know.

[It's gentle, however.]

So I've been told.

[Cyrus.]

[Cyrus......]

...what do you plan to do now, then? Because I don't think my group are backing down with this whole 'kindness and compassion' thing.

Yes, I've noticed.

[Y'all are persistent.]

For the time being... I'm not certain yet.

I think that's allowed.

[Particularly if it isn't some variant of 'get Arceus to attack us'. Speaking of which....]

...how did you capture Arceus, anyway?

The ball I keep it in allows for a guaranteed capture, regardless of what Pokémon it's used on.

[So, yeah.]

I did get to know it first, however... I prefer to not die.

I can imagine.

[...well, that's. kind of a really simple answer to what she thought was a complicated question, huh.]

Was that ball something you invented? I don't remember seeing anything spherical in your journal, but I may have missed it.

It wasn't, no. It came from another region entirely.

[So there's that.]

My inventions always tended to be a bit more large-scale, and more aimed toward humans than Pokémon.

...towards humans?

[...okay, she doesn't want to kill the mood by bringing up the...everything with the red chain and the lake guardians and the etc etc, but that's...actually surprised her a little.]

What sort of things did you make? Before all of...this, I'm assuming.

[...]

...I'm more than happy to return to our previous topic of conversation, but I can't deny I'm interested. I like machines.

...I'm aware.

[...]

Saturn has told me a fair amount about you.

[okay so saturn, who is as we have noted many times over by now right there, probably wants to fucking die now but you know what this is fine]

...he has?

[....

.......that's....s-so nice...........Saturn......]

He's been really good to us, from the start. I think the whole group is rather fond of him. He talked about you in such a adoring manner that I think I couldn't help but see you through his eyes, in a way.

We've also been writing letters to each other! I've never had someone to write letters to before. It's been lovely.

[....that is probably Not Helping with that whole 'wanting to die' thing, um]

[SATURN IS ABOUT FIVE SECONDS FROM VERY POLITELY ASKING MASTER CYRUS TO PUT THE APOCALYPSE BACK IN THE SKY, YES...]

...I'm sure he appreciates it as well.

I certainly hope so. I'd tell you all the lovely things he said about you, but I don't want to embarrass him any further.

[SHE. MAY HAVE NOTICED A LITTLE]

Just know that all of your commanders hold you in incredibly high regard, despite what you think of yourself.

[...]

I know they do. And however things progress from here, they always have a place with me. They're aware of that.

[god

why couldn't the Resistance have ended up with Team Galactic as their enemy, instead of the First Order]

...how do you want things to progress?