Alrighty, here’s my latest story! Honestly, I am quite happy with how it turned out, and how fast I got it turned out too! I hope you all like it as well! This story is about Arceus, again, but with a bit more story first focus. Don’t worry, there’s still plenty of absurd growing going on. X3
https://www.furaffinity.net/view/65021160/
Long ago, when the world was freshly created, both the gods and mortals were still new to each other. Despite the former having created the latter, interactions were a bit tense, as gods felt curiosity towards these creatures, and mortals felt awe towards these deities. As such, there was not much interaction as they would struggle to find ways to communicate their emotions. This was also a result of the Mental Trio, Azelf, Uxie, and Mespirit, all having only recently gifted these little ones their sapience. Things would continue like this for a time, until the one considered the leader made a decision.
Before now, gods had only interacted with mortals via telepathy and mental images. Arceus, the Alpha and the creator, decided to appear before them physically and at a size they could relatively comprehend. Arceus would begin to interact with mortals regularly, descending before them daily in order to garner trust and understanding. Over time, mortals would see how the god’s blessings aided them in their day to day lives, and began to request to meet other deities. Thus, would gods begin to descend and intermingle with the mortal races they watched over from above. Mortals would come to appreciate and venerate divinities, and the gods themselves would appreciate the care and attention mortals gave them.
As the years passed, gods stopped living out of mortal reach, and decided to create their temples and homes on the mortal plane. This not only allowed mortals a direct line with their lords and ladies, but also created a stronger level of worship and power base for these deities. The humans and Pokemon that lived on the land, the sea, and the air would find themselves more fervent for their gods they so cherished. As such, the powers of the gods would begin to grow more rapidly and with greater potency than ever before. While the general order of who was stronger remained mostly the same, the average level of strength would be constantly rising.
However, this order only remained mostly the same, as there was one major change that shocked both divine and mortal alike. Arceus would step down from his leadership role, and would take a step back from constant divine intervention. This confused everyone, especially his fellow deities as they wondered why the Alpha would make such a decision. When asked he would deflect, or give a simple “It is no longer my time” without further elaboration. No matter how they tried to breach the subject, Arceus would not give an answer that satisfied them. And for a while, he would not, as his divinity remained stagnant, and his power plateaued. The others would grow and ascend, but he would remain at the same level for ages.
The gods eventually decided to cease attempting to get an answer from him, and the mortals sought out his aid less in turn. It would make it seem as though he would fade away into obscurity at some point. But, divinity is not something so easily lost. And a bit of encouragement can go a long way to allowing one to take up its mantle.
-– — —
The city of Klaros(Klaa-rose) bustled and hustled as many others do: traffic of all kinds, customers walking in and out of businesses, and kids playing where they could. Here, Pokemon would be helping in various ways, whether that be advertising stores and restaurants, or helping keep kids out of the streets. Some flying types are also just simply perched on whatever ledge or post that they could fit themselves on. Despite how chaotic and loud it all was, life was good here, as the citizens could attest to.
Many problems that would plague other cities and towns were usually solved or mitigated quite quickly. A homeless shelter running out of space was suddenly given the permits to expand they requested. A stretch of road and sidewalks in need of repairs found themselves being worked on swiftly and efficiently by well paid construction workers. And crime was practically non-existent, as social services would provide the basic necessities for people to live without turning to illegal methods. Each of these surprisingly well timed turns of good fortune always came from some well meaning entrepreneur, a group of united citizens, or even a benevolent politician. Never seemingly from the same source, but their origin could always be traced to the one who set them in motion.
In the center of the city, near parks and various government buildings, lies a rather dilapidated structure. The building itself was structurally sound on the whole, but it was clear that it had fallen into disrepair, assumedly from neglect. The walls had minor cracks on them, the roof was dusty around the ventilation, and the windows were smudged and filthy looking. To anyone who was visiting from out of town, the fact such a place wasn’t already condemned would strike them as odd. However, the people of Klaros would attest that it was actually safe and good for the city. Nobody could explain exactly why, however, despite their insistence on its importance.
Indeed, should anyone be brave enough to attempt to enter and explore it, they would be finding themselves back at the entrance. No matter where they entered, no matter when they did, the courageous ones always ended up at the front doors mere moments after entering it. However, despite what seemed ominous and sounded foreboding, that would be quite the opposite to how the citizens felt. As a matter of fact, they would always find some minor wish or need of theirs apparently granted upon exiting. Some would find a bit of cash needed to pay rent, others would come with a lost item they’d been looking for, and still more would simply find themselves in perfect health. Such blessings were not lost on them, especially as it seems the building chose even those outside of it to receive them.
Guidance would come to those who sought it out, to those who might have lost their way, or those who needed a friendly hand and face to do what they needed to do. And all of them would always come to this building in particular for that guidance. Either drawn here for reasons they didn’t know, or they came because others had sought it out for similar reasons. In the end, this is where politicians and the rich ended up coming when a project to better the city came up, personal or otherwise. What was it about this place that drew so much of the city’s life to it, and yet the structure itself showed signs of neglect?
In truth, the state of the building and its intentions were a reflection of its owner. The building itself was larger on the inside, full of more rooms and halls than what one would assume from the outside. Yet, they were usually fairly empty, only a couple of Pokemon that help to keep the place clean. None of them could be seen from the outside, regardless of the cleanliness of the windows anyway. The few who did this duty also lived here, and they lived here for the one they dedicated themselves to. The creator, the Alpha, the former head of the gods of the world: Arceus.
Deeper inside, in a living room that reflected the neglect on the outside of the building, sat the god himself. He sat back against a chair that was torn and scuffed in a few places, showing the wear and tear of its use over the years. He wore whitish robes, sitting in an anthropomorphic form. His golden thick fingers were reading over some papers at the current moment, as they were filings made by the city’s council on the budget this year. He wasn’t the mayor or anything of the sort, but he always wanted to make sure things were going well. Considering the usage of these finances, he could safely say it was indeed.
Nobody knew that he lived here, not just amongst them, but in this city in particular. When he announced his abdication many centuries ago, he never made it clear to anyone where he would be going. Intentionally so, as he wished to be left alone due to his own view of his redundancy. The god believed with so many others growing closer to mortal kind, and also in power, that he would not be necessary for the grander visions. Cosmic sway over life and guiding of the path that man and Pokemon would take? Neither did he feel worthy of holding a position of power over.
His own children of Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, and Mew, in particular, were far and away the biggest and strongest of the gods as of now. All four of them were the kindest to mortals, but always acted in a way that ensured mortals would still live fulfilling lives. Their divine blessings were numerous, as they would make many Pokemon into mini-giants, towering over all as guardians of sorts. Such Pokemon were considered chosen by these four gods, which they indeed were. Such benevolent rule naturally lends them the most in terms of followers and power. None of the other gods were able to contest it, as they would be seen as selfish and lose their own faithful devotees.
Thinking back on the many years he’s spent in solitude, relatively speaking, left Arceus feeling nostalgic in a manner. Recalling how he would often appear massive, looming over his fellow gods and teasing them. How they generally enjoyed his games of growth and showing what their powers could do. But over time, as every one of them became more adept and gained greater power, he began to wonder why they followed him. Was it his power, the very thing they could surpass him in? Was it because they saw him as the most knowledgeable, despite how they learned just as quickly? Or was it simply because he was the first, and thus that alone commanded their subordination?
These questions were ones he was terrified to voice, afraid to find the answers to from their minds and mouths. Thus, he didn’t impose this upon any of them, and simply came to the conclusion that there was no need for him as a leader. After all, as they learned and grew, they would no longer need him eventually, regardless of if it was a few centuries or millenia. And what reason would they have to indulge him if he was not the Alpha, the creator, the divine leader of them all? No, better to leave them be, and to allow them to grow as the best gods they can be without him. And so, when they heard his proclamation, he ignored their questions, refused to answer…and left.
Only a few servants of his remained by his side, as they managed to follow despite him trying to cover his tracks. They swore themselves to secrecy, and told him that they only wished to aid him in whatever small way they could. He didn’t have the heart to send them away after this, their pleas too sincere, and their hearts set on staying with him. So, he asked them to at least help the building he would come to settle in remain clean looking. His power would prevent others from being able to sense or see anything strange within it. If they did, they would only see a rather regular structure with people going about their business in it. And thus, did it appear to everyone, the Alpha disappeared.
Cutting back into the present, Arceus was sitting on the chair, holding a phone in one of his hands. Such a curious device that mortals developed, all on their own and without intervention from the gods. It didn’t help his insecurities unfortunately, but he was able to still feel proud and happy for their achievements all the same. The other gods likely thought the same, as phones and other electronics became something they all used in their work. It may have been superfluous since they could communicate well with each other, but it also allowed easier stable communication with the masses. And it also allowed for other potential advantages.
“The newspaper, sir.” Arceus was shaken from his thoughts when he heard one of his servants approach. He was a Houndoom, holding the newspaper in his mouth, before gently setting it down. Thankfully unstained and undamaged by teeth or saliva.
“Ah, yes, thank you. I’ll read it in a moment.” He says nodding his head gratefully at the other. When they bow and take their leave, he returns to his phone, opening up an app only the gods could access.
While the gods of this world still held vast amounts of power in general, they could always grow more so and not just physically. Mortal worship would grant greater depths to their energy, making them able to hold more on the whole. It would often depend on the fervency and the dedication mortals showed them, but nobody really rejected prayers. Just the same way that one would happily take money lying around, a prayer is a prayer, and it meant even just a bit more power. Of course, as the population of Pokemon and humans rose, so too did the amount of worship gods received. This led to the concern at some point of some gods growing too powerful.
Thus, was the Divine Dedicated System created to answer this worry. All mortals and the gods they worship were automatically registered into it, and it would track them easily. It would be able to show how many found themselves faithful to a particular deity, how often they worshiped, and the general opinion on them. Such information was not capable of being manipulated, as mortals’ true feelings were always shown in this regard. If a god was either doing a bad job or terrifying their subjects, they would learn quite quickly. And so too would the other deities.
This initially started on various boards scattered around the pantheon building and the gods abodes on the physical plane. Eventually, though, this would come to be included in the applications of phones and computers. Allowing for the gods to check things on the spot, rather than needing to rush off to see it with their eyes. It also was enabled for mortals to see who stacked where, though they could only see the barest of information related to the amount of worshipers. Overall, it really helped most deities in knowing what they could do and what they should do. The keyword here, however, being most.
Arceus opened the application, as he was part of the system before he left, and thus couldn’t erase himself from beyond dying. It thankfully told nobody of where he was, as his new abode didn’t come with a physical board to show off. His phone was capable of showing that though, and he tried his best to ignore it for a time. But, he feared how the others were doing, if they might be plotting something in secret, and he ended up downloading it. Thankfully, such concerns were unfounded and the gods were getting along well without him. Though, this too ended up a problem for the Alpha.
He could see that everyone had many worshipers and devotees. Since they were a polytheistic pantheon, mortals could worship multiple gods without worry. Of course, this also meant that everyone had absolutely huge numbers of followers, and thus incredible power to show for it. Any one of them could simply glance at the system, and know who was the most followed and get a gauge of their power from it. This was supposed to allow for healthy competition in a way, and it succeeded for the most part. Yet, how does it affect one who isn’t part of the contest, yet wishes they had the right to? Arceus fitted into that category, and unfortunately, he knew his numbers, but couldn’t resist checking them.
5. He had a total of 5 worshipers and followers. That was every single servant he had staying with him in his current abode of hiding. Not a single person knew he existed outside of here.
Naturally, the god of creation knew that these numbers were this way due to his own actions. He refused to allow people to recall him when they met him, changing their memories so that they do not reveal where he is. He never got any prayers, because he never answered them when he first hid himself away all those years ago. And he certainly didn’t try to court new ones either, never even stepping foot outside the building he holed up in. So, with all of this in mind, surely he should feel satisfied looking at this, yes? Certainly, he must be feeling good that he finally has the silence he wanted so long ago, right?
No. Not even close.
Arceus slowly set the phone off to the side on a stand by his chair. His hands then came up to his face as he let out an upset groan tinged with his frustration. He realizes that, despite what his insecurities made him believe, it wasn’t solitude or peace and quiet he desired. What he truly wanted, was to be wanted and that he mattered regardless of his power and position. That he had worth and merit that went beyond his title and strength. Only now, though, is he realizing that this didn’t have the desired effect.
Burying his face in his hands, he huffs as he knows that nobody has managed to find him. Did they give up, believing they could never find him? Has he been gone so long that they feared something terrible had happened? Or…or…was it that they really, truly never cared for him?
That last thought set off an imagined conversation in his mind, the voices mimicking that of his children. Laughter, joy, camaraderie, all manner of positive feelings he could get the sense of. But without him there for it all.
“You know, wasn’t there a god that we used to look up to before? Like, a while ago, anyway?” Mew ‘spoke’, as it was all just their voices imagined in his mind.
“Was there? I feel like they would be towering above us if there truly was someone of such power.” Dialga ‘mused’, clearly thoughtful of who Mew could refer to.
“Oh, I remember! I think there was this one god, some white kirin with a golden ring and claws. What was his name…Ark…something?” Palkia ‘chimed’ in with, unable to truly pinpoint in her memory who was being referred to.
“Hah, that fool Arceus, I remember now! What a laughing stock, he left, and he never came back! Some god he was, if he just decides to up and vanish like a baby. Don’t even know why he left, really.” Giratina mocks the idea of the Alpha. Despite this being imagined, Arceus felt pain as he thought of the conversation going this way.
“Hmm, true. Maybe he was never worth worrying about. I mean, if he left us, that means he didn’t really matter, did he? Just someone who we can chalk to being acquainted with.” Mew said, the real Arceus’ emotional pain stinging more acutely.
“I suppose that isn’t incorrect. What merit did he have if he decided for us we no longer needed him? And it would appear, in my opinion, that he was correct. He is not needed.” Dialga reasons, the kirin’s eyes welling up at the thoughts running alongside this imaginary discussion.
“I think it’s best we forget him entirely, stop talking about him, yeah? We got more important things to do, than worry about someone who doesn’t matter.” Palkia finishes with, and he can hear the conversation turning away from him, unable to hear what else they say. Of course, this was all illusionary and in his own head to begin with. Yet, just the thought of them potentially saying this, and there being the likelihood of it all…
Arceus begins to quietly sob. All he’s truly done is cause himself to become isolated and alone, given them full reason to not care about him. And perhaps they didn’t from the start. After all, it was hardly like his place of residence didn’t invoke questions and oddities that they would want to understand. But neither the city nor his children truly cared to look any deeper into it, nobody but his servants knew he was here. Reminding himself of this causes his tears to flow stronger, as he just can’t hold it in anymore.
He hates himself. He hates his stupid self-pitying party. He hates how mind numbingly foolish he is. And his servants might just follow suit when they see him broken like this. What right does he even have to let them be his servants, when he’s barely even a god at all?
He had to tell them, he had to make them understand, he had to convince the servants they were no longer needed. He felt it was time to truly pass on, for he has made an irrecoverable mess in how he’s handled all of this. He manages to dry his tears, and begins trying to calm down his heavy breathing and slight hiccups. He had to at least look serious and stern when doing this, lest they feel pity towards him, and try to stay with him regardless. But, before he could even get up and out of his chair, his phone…started ringing.
The sound jolted him out of his thought process, his train of thought screeching to a halt to stare at the device. Not once has he ever received a call, whether it be from his servants or anyone else for that matter. There wasn’t a soul beyond these walls that knew his contact information, so he was instantly suspicious. But he wouldn’t deny that he was equal parts curious, and he couldn’t just leave this alone like this. It also helped that the caller id was listed, even if he didn’t know the name shown. Slowly, he picks up the phone sitting on the side table, and hits the answer button.
“Hello. May I inquire who you are, Reyna?” He asks, his voice even and calm.
“Hi, I’m speaking with Arsene the Arceus, yes?” She asks through the other end.
“W…how do you know my name? I never told anyone about it!” He demands to know, suspicion and concern immediately rising in his voice.
“As you saw, my name is Reyna. As to how I know, well, it’s kind of part of my powers as Goddess of Divinity. Anyone who is a god, could be a god, and will be a god, I know all about.” She explains with relative casualness.
For a moment, Arce-Arsene is quiet and processing the information just shared with him. He had never heard of the idea of a Goddess of Divinity for one, so the title and domain already felt off. Yet, somehow she not only had been able to contact him via his phone, but she also somehow knew his chosen name. A name he never shared for being the one Arceus here made it feel like there was no need to share it. If what she says is true, it would explain these oddities, yet he’s not fully convinced all the same.
“Goddess of Divinity, you say? I apologize for my doubt, ma’am, but such a title and level of power seems…extraordinary, even to gods. I believe I might require a bit of a demonstration, if you may?” He requests, trying to sound as reasonable and diplomatic as he can about his doubts over her.
“Why, certainly! What would suffice as proof for you in this instance? Speak your challenge, and I shall clear it with ease!” She declared proudly on the other line. Arsene couldn’t help letting out a little chuckle over her enthusiasm. Either she was fully confident, or she was an excellent bluffer.
For a moment, he lets out a ‘hmmm’ as he tries to think of what she can do. But, then it hits him: if she is so powerful that she rules divinity itself as her domain, then she can take it away can’t she? Perhaps, this was simply a lucky coincidence of timing, or maybe it was part of her plan.
“I wish for you to remove my divine power from me. Make it so that I no longer have standing as a god.” He states, unable to hide his saddened tone as he spoke it.
Silence from the other end comes through, and he wonders if she is preparing something. “Sorry, I cannot do that. Not limited in doing so, mind you. But this is not something I can grant, for it runs counter to my intentions in contacting you to begin with.” Reyna finally replied.
Arsene is confused, as he was unsure as to why she would even be here for him otherwise. “I…apologize, but surely you must be able to tell as Goddess of Divinity, right? My powers and my aid are significantly faltering in comparison to my peers. Thus, would it not be sensible for me to be stripped of power and rank?” He argues, trying not to let his own emotions peek through.
“Hmm…no.” She rejected it with such simplicity. “Hold on, I’ll be there in a moment.” She adds, before the call ends.
The Alpha looked to his phone, his confusion only growing after that response. Before he could even scratch his head though, a flash of light appeared before him, forcing himself to cover his eyes. When the intensity faded, he could look again, surprised at what he was seeing. A blue lizard wearing armor, with amethyst-ruby frills, white wings, and golden eyes, stood before him. Equal in height, yet she had a smiling grace to her, and an unquestionable amount of power. She must have been Reyna, the Goddess of Divinity he just spoke with.
“There, much better. Helping others is significantly easier and more effective to do when you’re in person with them.” She states happily.
Arsene finally recovers enough from the shock, realizing her claims of divinity must have been true if she found him here. He straightens himself up, standing up tall from his chair, and then he bows his head respectfully. “I-It is an honor to greet you in person, Lady Reyna.” He says with graceful admiration.
Reyna waves her hand at this. “Please, please, it’s all alright. Your suspicions were justified in all senses. Plus, I am here to help you, so there is no need to keep your head bowed like this. Come, let us take a seat.” She tells him, conjuring up her own chair to be directly parallel to his, looking similarly comfy and worn. She then takes her seat, and motions for the Arceus to do the same.
He does so with confusion and a bit of nervousness. After all, this goddess was quite clearly more powerful than anything he’s seen or experienced before. And yet, despite her superiority, she seemed to desire to help him. “I…do not wish to sound ungrateful, Lady Reyna, but I am confused. Why would you have any desire to help me of all gods? Surely there are better ways to spend your time and energy. I suppose, I am just curious as to your reasons on why you are specifically helping me.” He argues.
Reyna shakes her head. “There is nothing so grand at play here. I noticed you struggling with your own feelings, and wished to help you through them. I might be Goddess of Divinity, but my desire to help is irreverent of position and power. I help, simply because I wish to, and nothing more.” She replies before smiling. “Now, please, tell me. What makes you so doubtful of your own power and worth, exactly?” She questions him.
He had not told a soul about his own insecurities, his own questions of whether he deserved this strength he wielded. To hear her ask it so directly was embarrassing, but he has no room to complain, really. He did attempt to ask her to remove his divinity to begin with, so it wasn’t exactly a secret to her anyway. “Well, I suppose it began after centuries of spending time amongst mortalkind.” He began his explanation as he leaned back into his comfy chair. His powers subconsciously end up conjuring images in Reyna’s mind, to help clarify and show his tale.
“We had spent a thousand years living alongside the mortals, our temples and pantheons descending to the world. Many of us settled into groups based around our preferred regions, and I was at first a part of Sinnoh. We always knew how others were doing, whether by visitations or by the Divine Dedicated system we have in place. We could see how different mortals’ lives progressed under our own rules, but we could see they were all happy. Culture developed around us, and progress surged with our guidance and power aiding them. In truth, we had made a lovely world together.” He explains, a small smile showing on his face. But it quickly turns into a frown.
“But that was, in essence, the exact reason I had begun to develop my worries and concerns. All the gods had done such a wonderful job in being the divine paragons I knew they could be. Mortals were flourishing and developing at a wonderful pace of progress, mixed with caution and care for the world at large. We always did our utmost to ensure that none of them would ever forget that we made the world they live on, and we expected them to treat it respectfully. Yet, what made me doubt was the question: Am I really needed for this?” He stated. The images showed him looking at a group of his fellow gods, frowning with a pensive look in his eyes.
“These questions held no answers at that moment, and thus my doubts would only grow more and more from it. Soon, I was worried that I had no reason at all to even be amongst the other gods, so superfluous and meaningless was my position. It all came to a head, when I decided to forsake them and hide myself away out of shame and disgust towards myself.” He continued, showing his abdication, where he walked away from his fellow gods. “In truth…I wanted them to find me, I wished for them to seek me out, and I wished to be told that…that I mattered to them.” He began to crack, his voice wavering and tears forming in his eyes.
“And they didn’t. I suppose…they decided that I was truly unworthy, and that they shouldn’t bother with a useless, forgotten god like me.” He ended with, using his arm to wipe his tears away. “So, that is why I doubt. And that is why, I do not feel I am worthy of your aid.” He told her, glancing to see her expression.
Reyna’s face was full of sympathy and concern, her hand over her heart. “Oh dear, I am sorry to see you have torn yourself up so. Doubts are only natural, after all, and nobody is immune to feeling them. But it is terrible to see how they ripped your confidence and connections up.” She states, before she gains a soft smile. “However, worry not. Your gods do care for you, of that I am certain.” She proclaims with confidence.
Arsene looked at her, confusion in his eyes as he was unsure as to how she was so assured of what she just said. Yet his own nerves prevented him from voicing his doubt, as he didn’t want to crush this hope blooming in his chest. Thus, after a moment of silence, Reyna would decide to continue anyway.
“Tell me, Arsene, when you still worked alongside them, when you were the Alpha amongst them, did they ever treat you as lesser or unworthy of your title?” She asks him simply. When he shook his head softly, she would keep going. “When people, gods or mortals alike, respect another, they tend to approach them with care and caution. They do not wish to offend or hurt you. Rather, they would believe you are capable of solving your own issues, and trust you to handle yourself.” She explains gently.
The Arceus looked down when she said that, seeming upset more than anything. “And yet…I have failed that trust, failed their faith in me. Look at me. I’m a wreck of a wretch, with no cause for continuing forward as a god.” He rejects.
“Not true, my dear. You failed nobody.” She retorts, smiling softly still. “Look at you, still helping the world despite your hiding and your more humble position. You have done your duty despite walking away from it all. And in the end, you have done your best despite your struggles with your own heart. It was not your fault you did not tell them, and not their fault for not knowing outright. Simply a bit of an unfortunate circumstance, but one that can easily be remedied.” She encourages him.
The more she spoke and eased his worries, the more his gaze and demeanor became hopeful and determined. Perhaps she was right, and that this isn’t some great tragedy his mind makes him believe it to be. And perhaps he should finally make his return at this point, after so long away. But, his nerves rear up again, as he ponders over just how long it’s been since he’s seen his fellow gods or even other mortals. Reyna can see it written on his face again, and says her piece.
“I know you are worried about how long it has been. Like whether your power makes you worthy to show yourself again, or whether they remember you.” She begins with. “But I know they can remember you, and I know that they would love to see you rise again. You hold the power within you, my dear. You just need to let your belief in yourself become part of that strength.” She warmly says, her voice both caressing and soothing in equal measure.
Arsene let his soul drink in the words of encouragement and comfort, feeling like the doubts and worries he once held just melted away. In the end, he finally felt ready to return to the wider world and conscious, ready to show himself as the Alpha he was and still is. His confidence he restored, he looked to Reyna with beaming warmth and gratitude.
“Thank you, Lady Reyna, for your aid in this. I am ready to begin my ascent back to my place as the Alpha.” He said, as he began to rise. And he would find his body…tingling warmly all over. “Huh, peculiar. There is this…strange sensation, spreading through my very being. What is-mmph!?” He began before suddenly his body surged with great pleasure…and greater size.
His body began to tremble, and then bulge, shuddering bigger in every way in a mere instance. Normally, Arsene stood an impressive, if small by godly standards, ten feet and six inches, looming over mortal men, and most Pokemon as well. His muscular physique was well toned, about average though and in line with mortal body builders who are regulars at gyms. However, now both of these have changed and grown a considerable amount.
With a single spurt, his height had surged all the way up to 15 feet, looking down at the goddess who stood at only 9 feet and 6 inches tall herself. Not only that, but his muscles had bulked out considerably, reaching closer to that of top tier athletes and weight lifters. When his mind had managed to pierce the haze of pleasure he endured after this, he was able to examine himself and admire just how much he had grown. The kirin was unable to help himself to flexing his muscles, and feeling the bulging strength in them as they tensed up. He was stunned to see he had grown so much so quickly.
“In…incredible. My size, my strength, I haven’t felt this powerful and large at my base level ever before! How, though?” He wonders aloud in awe and confusion.
“Belief is a powerful thing, my dear Arsene.” Reyna muses, smiling up as she approaches him. “When others believe in the power of a god, that god becomes that much stronger. When a god believes in themsef, they grow so much more on their own. And, well…” She stops, before giggling. “When the Goddess of Divinity believes in you, you might end up far, far bigger than you ever thought was possible. And I believe in you quite a lot.” She teases winking up at the Arceus.
Arsene blushes as he feels the same tingling feeling of warmth and power spreading through his very being. His form began rumbling and the whole building along with it this time, as all the servants piled into the living room to see what was happening. Once there, they arrived just in time to witness the deity they serve begin to grow and grow and grow rapidly. Even as he attempted to kneel down, it proved fruitless, as his growth immediately simply had him filling the whole room within moments. Reyna and the others found themselves smothered by his growing frame, especially as he grew against the walls and ceiling!
Huffing and panting, Arsene had never felt so wonderful, so powerful, so big before! Sure, he was always capable of growing larger on his own beforehand. Yet, it was always by choice, and he usually had to expend his own energy to make it so. But here, he was growing by simply drinking in the belief and confidence, from both himself and Reyna. He was filling with power, at a faster and faster rate than ever before, growing with godly might as he deserved. The idea he deserved this was once foreign to him, but now it felt right to proclaim that this was just something he earned.
“Mmm, th-the building isn’t going to last long, brace yourselves everyone!” He declares, huffing as he began growing through his own structure he made to hide himself. He no longer needed to hide after all, not when he wanted to show himself to the world, and declare his return!
From the outside, people had begun to see the strange building that once stood ominously in the city’s center was bulging. Humans were recording it via their phones, and Pokemon stared on in reverence and awe, knowing by instinct what was going on. The outer walls and roof began to bulge further and further, like something inside of it was just growing unstoppably so. By the time a news chopper was able to get onto the scene, the building itself was on the verge of erupting. And, just as the cameras started rolling, the whole thing blew up with debris flying everywhere. Of course, before it hits anyone or anything, it completely dissipates into thin air, like it was unmade from existence.
Standing, or rather sitting, in the midst of the broken remains of the structure, was a familiar figure to one and all. He might not have been seen for many years, but the ring itself, along with his face and general body, was something everyone knew. He then began to rise, standing up on his massive hoof like feet, towering over the buildings and people alike around him. The dust of the collapse couldn’t reach above his waist even, showing the looming physique of the god that was still slowly growing. Arsene the Arceus had returned, and he was quite pleased with his grand re-entrance.
Looking around, at onlookers both near and far, he gives a wave to all the cameras, smiling widely. “Hello, everyone! I appreciate the warm welcome, and the attention of your cameras. You likely all already know this, but I am Arceus, known by my name as Arsene. I have never shared that before now, but I feel with my return such information deserves to be known.” He explains, happily posing for everyone, as he grew to 125 feet tall by this point. It seemed like people were enjoying the sight of it.
Soon, one of the news helicopters got close, as Arsene slowed his growth to allow them to approach. “S-sir Arceus, I-I-I mean Arsene. To witness your return to the world at large is quite the honor and experience. Even more so knowing that it seems you were hiding out in our own city. I-If I may ask a question, though, what made you decide to finally reveal yourself to everyone?” The woman asks, shaking from awe, excitement, and the slight turbulence of being so close to a giant like this.
“I can answer that!” A voice calls out, as Reyna appears on Arsene’s shoulder closest to the helicopter that got in close. “Hi there, my name’s Reyna! I’m a goddess myself. I happened to meet Arsene, and I saw that he deeply wished to return. So, with some encouragement, I convinced him to finally let loose, and show off what a god of his standing would truly look like!” She proclaims.
Arsene was curious as to why Reyna did not reveal her full status as Goddess of Divinity. “This is your moment, my dear. I wish for you to take pride and confidence in your own ascension, rather than potentially steal the spotlight from you.” She immediately answered his query, telepathically of course. She smiled up at him, to which he would return a nod towards her.
“Indeed. Her kindness allowed me to find myself, and made me confident in my desire to return to you all.” He follows up out loud, deciding to roll with her story. People are murmuring in awe, whispers abound, and people at home are watching intently to see what happens. Of course, despite his best efforts at restraining his growth, it does falter at this point as the faith and praise he received increased drastically. And thus, the helicopter was repositioned away, safely, and Arsene began to grow even more again. Higher and higher he would loom, the city itself becoming a bit too small for him to remain in. Luckily, he could levitate with ease, and he floated himself up and out of the city before he could even hope of smashing it.
Not that he would do that anyway, even when he lands. There is no great shockwave that ruptures the buildings integrity, nor does any sort of quaking and shaking occur upon touch down. His power might be mighty, but he is more than capable of controlling himself, and preventing harm from coming to those he cares about. The Alpha is meant to be the leader and the divine protector of the mortals he helped to create. He couldn’t imagine the idea of using his great power to potentially bring harm to any of them.
He grew and he grew and he grew, Arsene’s body towering over the land and city alike as he allowed his restraint to ease up a bit. Now that he wouldn’t blow anyone back by accident, or even allow such a thing to happen, he could expand to his heart’s content. Gods were no strangers to just growing and growing and growing as much as they desired, but not nearly to this extent. Already 1,000 feet tall, surpassing that in seconds to reach a total of 2,000 feet tall. The world itself began to seem smaller and smaller, as he could see more and more the landscape around him. Mountains, open grasslands, roads, and forests alike were so small to him now. And he was just getting started too!
“Look at that! I don’t think we’ve ever seen Arceus grow like this before!” A familiar male voice cried out in awe.
“His name is Arsene, yes? He never told us, but it is a fine name for him to have, wouldn’t you say?” A female voice that the named Arceus can recall with ease.
“I think he’s still growing too! Gosh, I’m trying to keep up, but it looks like he’s barely trying at this point!” A different, yet still known, male voice declares happily.
“It’s so good though, you know? I always wished he would show off a bit more, and I’m not complaining about him showing off a lot more instead!” One last female voice he heard before cheered.
Showing up nearby, floating in the air, much smaller, but still fairly large at about 100 feet in size each, was his children. The first he made, of Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, and Mew, order of who had spoken first to last. They were absolutely beaming up at him, even as the three’s growth rate outright paled in comparison to Arceus’. It was only natural to them though, as no matter how much more powerful they have gotten, all of them still looked up to their Father. In the literal and the metaphorical sense.
“My children.” Arsene began, his voice becoming suffused with his power, giving it depth and an echo. “It has been…so long since I last saw any of you in person like this. So long since I made the choice to disappear from you all. And yet, you all are here already, the first of the gods to greet my return. You are not…upset with me for leaving you so?” He questions, feelings of amazement, gratitude, and curiosity underscoring his words. Doubt was not among them, thankfully, as he had no doubts about their answer, truly.
Mew giggles with glee and looks up at him. “Of course not! We knew you maybe needed some time to yourself, to figure out what you needed and needed to do. We’re gods after all, so we were fine with waiting!” She responds happily.
Dialga nods in agreement with Mew. “Even for us gods, we cannot help but harbor doubts over time. And we believed it was best to let you have the time to yourself, the space so to speak. Though, considering your companion, perhaps it was an assumption.” He admits.
Palkia looks up at him a bit sadly. “We should have thought about whether being alone was something you actually needed. Instead of just assuming and leaving it up to you to tell us. If anything, we should apologize for that!” She apologizes.
Giratina hummed. “Solitude is a tricky thing. Sometimes, stimulus can be overwhelming and we need to be on our own to collect ourselves. Other times, solitude can be a poison instead of a cure, causing our problems to worsen instead of better. As Palkia said, we should be the ones apologizing to you for our assumption.” He comments.
All four of them bow their heads in apology and reverence to Arsene. “We’re sorry, Father.” They all say in unison.
While none of them expected any sort of harsh punishment or reprisal, as that wasn’t their Father’s way, something else unexpected happened. They would be light splashes of something wet falling down upon them from higher up. Raising their heads to see what exactly this was, they realized that Arsene was crying! His eyes filled with tears, and they would be falling down due to how much he produced.
He knew that they wouldn’t blame him, or revile him, or even really be upset with him when he made his return. But the Alpha wasn’t expecting them to outright apologize to him for the fact they let him be on his own. The sincerity, the gratitude, all the positive feelings he missed from seeing them was overwhelmingly cathartic. He couldn’t help but cry in joy as he realized this, wiping his eyes when he saw them getting wet from his tears. A light laugh filled the air as the Arceus felt his heart was now feeling just a bit lighter and fuller.
“You are quite alright, my children. You acted as you saw fit, and what you believed was best. I thought I needed it too, when the exact opposite was the truth. I am glad, no, overjoyed to be returned to you all, and to hear your voices once again! Upon the honor and power of my name, I swear to you all, I will be better in every way I can be!” He declares, standing at a mighty mile in height, looming over the land with such ease. And before any of them can say anything else, he immediately wraps his four children into a hug.
Despite the 500 feet tall gods being caught off guard by this sudden affection, they certainly don’t resist it. In truth, they missed their Father’s warmth dearly, and wanted to be close to him like this again. So, they simply giggle happily, and lean into the hug, nuzzling up against his massive form as they relax, ceasing their growth for the time being. Truly, this was the best moment for them, to see their Father return and to be held in his arms once more. They would attend to their necessities later, they were well within their rights to indulge in this.
Arsene for his part made sure they were happy, safe, and comfortable in the hug as he kept growing and growing. At this point, his height wasn’t the only thing growing. He grew to become 5 miles tall with ease, and his muscles of his more anthropomorphic form expanded as well. Not quite to the level of absurdity, or anything of the like, but they were beyond the normal levels one would see. His biceps and pecs bulked up, keeping his children a bit more tightly close to him, but safer and warmer from the strength they felt. He decides to lift one of arms out of the hug, and use to flex and show off how big and strong he was getting!
The whole world was watching in awe, excitement, and fervent devotion. Their Alpha had returned, and in such glorious divine fashion, they could feel their faith being renewed. As such, the temples and pantheons of other gods would begin to declare Arceus as the head of them all. The gods of said temples and pantheons, the other Legendary Pokemon, proclaimed their support for Arsene’s ascent. All would become his faithful and his devoted, even if they also were reverent to the other gods. As an Arceus, he was simply meant to be the one above them all, and thus worshiped by them all. Naturally, this led to a massive influx of power for Arsene, which made his body shudder in pleasure.
He let out a huff of satisfaction, as his body’s growth began to rapidly escalate even if he hadn’t yet fully removed his restraints. His size surged larger and faster than ever before, expanding and towering above more and more and more! Looming over the entire world and the many regions and continents of it was outright natural for him, as he grew to 500 miles tall. Of course, he hadn’t even a real moment to enjoy this new size, before he doubled that size, and then doubled the next one! The bigger he got, the stronger people prayed for him to grow even bigger, causing a lovely cycle of escalation to occur!
Reyna for her part was on his shoulder at this point still, and was still the same 9 feet and 6 inches tall she met him at. She grins up at him, the towering Arceus looking down when he feels her toothy smile upon him. “Well, what do you think? Isn’t this a fitting level of power for the Alpha?” She asks with a teasing wink. Because she already knew, even with her station, that he wasn’t anywhere near done growing yet.
He huffed and murred, the pleasure mounting with the escalating prayers and quickening pace of his growth. “Mmmm, it is a good start, I will admit. However, I am the Alpha, and thus, I feel I deserve more. Wouldn’t you agree, my divine friend?” He asks her with a friendly teasing smile in return.
The response of the lizard is to give a big grin with an enthusiastic nod, as words aren’t really needed for what was about to come. For the moment that Arsene was already looming over the entire planet, was the moment he decided to forgo all restraint. None of the other gods could keep up with him, even if they wanted to at this point. Not that any of them did want to, mind, but it is important for them to be realistic about their chances. His body would begin to rumble, as he kept his first four children close to them. He could hear them giggling and cheering him on from below, and he was most certainly going to enjoy showing off here.
Within the space of a single huff, this Arceus began to grow rapidly and massively, outright growing to the size of the sun within the mere instant. He disturbs nobody and nothing with his immediate and absurd level of growth, as his will is powerful to make physics a suggestion. He can phase through things if he so wishes, or he could collide with something and take it along for the growing ride. He would make the planet he was once on come along for the ride, as he wished for his people to see what he can do up close. Other planets might also be joining depending on the life upon them, or simply phased through to let things continue as normal.
People were stunned, yet ecstatic, when they saw the Alpha growing with such ludicrous speed and incredible care. Devotion and faith would swell in response to the display, as while everyone was already professing dedication to him, this only fueled it further. The mortals would immediately begin dedicating more of their time to prayer and worship of him. Some would even try to come up with offerings for him, but those he immediately shot down through mental suggestion. Gods likewise would attempt to grant him a smidge of their power to enhance his, but this was similarly shot down. He could grow just fine on his own at this point, even if he appreciates the effort.
Speaking of growing just fine on his own, he was still doing just that, even as all of the people and gods planet side were reacting. As in the amount of time it takes him to let out another pant, he already was growing well beyond the confines of the solar system. He expanded more and more, further and further across the galaxy that the system itself is in. Said galaxy’s spirals could not contain the sheer massiveness he was becoming, as he simply passes through them all like it’s not even there. Within this mere instant, the entire galaxy was already too small for him to remain in, looming over it in its entirety. Of course, this would also start to include the other worlds that he never interacted with prior to this moment.
While Arsene did in fact make the entire universe, and the laws that governed it, he never forced all the life and deities he created to follow his rules, standards and beliefs. He preferred for them all to develop their own ways, find their own paths, and decide for their people what would be the best course of action. That does not mean, however, that they were entirely unaware of Arceus and the Pokemon he ruled over. Simply that they were free to choose their own lives without his constant supervision. Naturally, though, seeing him grow like this would do more than just turn their heads.
The sheer dominance that he exuded, in conjunction with the aura of safety and love he was showing, caused a massive spike in the number of followers he had. The gods of these alien pantheons would throw their lot in with him, declaring him to be the pinnacle that they must all look up to and emulate. The mortal followers of these gods were more than happy to join them in cheering him on, praising the Alpha as the One True God. Everyone would become faithful and devoted to him within the mere second that they knew he was watching over them all. Arsene was both pleased and embarrassed by the pivoting attention they threw upon him.
And yet, there was a curious thing he began to notice in feeling all these divine and mortal eyes upon him. For all the worship, prayer, devotion, faith, and all that he was fed from it, it felt like it came up short. Not to misconstrue what he means, as the sheer amount of it would push absolutely anyone into the most absurd levels a god could grow to. But, it felt like compared to what he had already been showing off of himself, it didn’t seem to truly stack up. As such, he decided to take a planck of time to sift this out, and understand what made for such a difference. It was then he realized: the belief and encouragement he was getting from Reyna alone made for such an impact, that it took multiple worlds and other gods to even start coming close.
He turns his head to Reyna, his thoughts reaching in the next planck of time and understood in the same breath. “Reyna, I believe your encouragement is proving to be more…effective than I could have anticipated.” He admits, feeling a bit shy about accepting such a boon from her.
Reyna for her part, smiled and responded with the same level of swiftness as has become customary for them. “It’s alright. I can remove it and let everyone else’s encouragement of you continue your ascent from here on out. But, while it won’t affect you physically anymore, I’ll still be here, cheering you on as you grow!” She replied, as she created some cute pompoms in her hands and began waving them as she cheered for him.
Arsene chuckled at the adorable display of her faith, even if it no longer counted metaphysically for him. He owed a lot to her already, for so much she has done in just this one moment and experience he’s been through. So much power and size has flowed into him from her alone, and her encouragement allowed him to connect with his people once more. More than just his people, he’s become the biggest god of so many others, and will become the biggest of so many more in this universe. Because all this introspection, this conversation, it all took place in the same exact second. And in the very next second, was when he would start growing again.
A loud moan of pleasure filled the seemingly endless and empty void with a sound that shouldn’t be able to exist in it. But of course, Arsene’s desire to indulge trumped the rules of physics that he once made up himself. His size and power continue to grow, allowing him to bend and alter the rules even further as he pleases, more and more of the universe being filled by him. Other galaxies beyond his own, teeming with life all their own, began to follow the same pattern as everyone else. Witnessing the massive deity expanding beyond all known possibility, caused a wave of fervent devotion and faith towards him to occur.
On and on he would grow, the universe feeling smaller and smaller by comparison to him at this point. Galaxies and clusters of stars all become little spots of light to his shining form, outgrown and outglowed by the divine might he radiated. No god in this universe would dare to challenge his rule, for they became convinced that the Alpha frankly deserved the top spot of divinity. He was the biggest and the strongest god that they knew of, and thus supported his ascension to outgrow the universe with glee. And it didn’t take long at this point for him to reach the edge of the universe, his body’s growth pushing him against it.
Arsene huffed and panted, the sheer pleasure of growing this huge was incredible and he still wanted to grow more. “All who witness me, and all who know me. My people, my children, my myriad of devotees. This universe will be outgrown, and even beyond its confines, I shall continue to grow. I will be back shortly after I finish my ascension, and the prosperity we all enjoy shall flourish! I am Arsene, your Alpha, and your Father! So watch, me, GROOOOOOW!” He roared across the universe before with a single push, he phased through the barrier containing him, and into the space beyond. Bigger and bigger he swelled with each passing zetosecond, unyielding strength and divinity bulging and rolling off of him in a mighty aura.
Now, he was there, floating within the multiverse itself, growing still. It would be the easiest thing for his divinity to start claiming other universes as ones he rules over. But, he believed for now, he should show some level of restraint. He wanted to prove himself with actions, not mere presence, that he deserved their faith and devotion. Besides, he wanted to just focus on growing for now, as did his continued little passenger.
The lizard goddess was still there, still waving her pom poms, still cheering him. “Grow, grow, Arsene! Grow, grow, Arsene!” She yelled with excited glee.
Arsene would smile, happily taking the power he earned and letting his growth push him further and further beyond. He had a lot to prove to himself and his followers, to show just how unendingly big the Alpha could grow. The multiverse itself would soon become too small for him to be contained by as well. In the end, no matter how huge and mighty he would become, he would always remember where he started from. Alone, frightened by his own insecurities, and all set to give up everything. And how much of that changed within him in so little time and effort.
After all, one should never discount the cascading effects of some divine encouragement.