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Pokémon Legendaries of the Present World

#1: The Original One

Bluwiikoon

waow!
Location
Gensokyo, Past and Present ~ Flower Land
Pronouns
He/him
Partners
  1. nosepass-bluwiikoon
2021-02-19 arceus-pats cover.png

Summary: An aspiring project to write one-shots of Legendary Pokémon enjoying life in the current day and age.

Warnings: None as of yet! I'm hoping things should be relatively light-hearted in this series. ^^ Individual chapters will have their own warnings as needed.

Index:
#1: The Original One (you're here!)
#2: The One Born from Mew's Shadow
#3: The Wishing Star
#4: The Dauntless Shield

#1: The Original One [718 words]

In a place beyond space and time, they slumbered.

Sometimes their rest was dreamless, and at other times, their mind's eye wandered to the small blue planet. The world they had crafted.

It was an imperfect world, for they had made it that way. Only then could the life upon it flourish, change, and become many differing things. An endless number of possibilities, an unfurling blossom of hearts and souls and minds, each one distinct, unique. The planet grew in any way it so pleased, and it was beautiful.

From their dreams, they could watch life on the small planet unfold. They could see creatures co-operating, building, fighting one another, creatures with sorrows spilling from their eyes. And, they could see living beings smile, their souls shining with warmth. All was as it should be.

And yet, the original one was dissatisfied. Something was not right.

They contemplated it for an age, unable to find an answer even as a dreamless sleep washed away their thoughts. A soothing oblivion.

Silence.

Darkness.

And then, colours gently washed through their mind. More dreams, more visions of the living.

...

They stirred. A realisation.

Struggling into full awareness, their turned their attention to the small world. Their visions of the world had brought them such joy, and yet, some kind of sadness. A yearning. They knew what they needed to do.

Gathering their spirit together, they began to manifest in the universe, for the first time in an eternity.

-----

Traversing the living plane was a different experience, but a welcome one. It was easy to forget the simple joys of inhabiting a body, to reach with corporeal limbs and to feel the energy of the universe around them. With the strength of the full awareness of their mind, locating a being with an ideal heart was as simple as merely crafting a star.

They descended before the human, grass and flowers sprouting where their hooves touched the soil. As the human staggered back in uncertainty, cradling her tiny sunkern friend, they tilted their head and regarded her with a certain fondness. They could see that this human had experienced a difficult life, and yet had grown a beautiful soul through her own efforts and through the love for her Pokémon. Despite the hardships, she had persevered - a worthy soul.

Realising the extent of their incredible stature, the original one settled into a sitting position in front of the unsure human. They were still, yet, gargantuan in comparison, but it had been eased some amount. Sending forth a feeling of amicability with their mind, they beckoned the small human forward.

Leaning down to meet them, they got what they had arrived for. The human was petting their head. They were soothed.

Enjoying the feeling of head scratches, feeling the gentle breeze and the nurturing light of the sun, they yet considered more possibilities. They posed a question to the mind of the human.

Taken aback once more, the human "hmm"ed and "ahh"ed to herself, before retrieving a communications device from her pockets. The little sunkern nestled himself comfortably against the original one whilst his human friend was busy, no doubt feeling the warmth of their divinity. They watched the human, and they patiently waited.

-----

Several humans of different shapes and sizes had come to meet the original one, summoned by the communications of the girl they had originally met. Among them were also various species of Pokémon. They were pleased to see so many different creatures with such thriving friendships, in yet such an incredibly small part of the world they had made - all of them, fully willing and ready to come forth to aid their friends.

The conglomeration had quickly gotten to work at petting the divine being, and had even brought treats. They carefully picked a PokéPuff out of the hands of a short boy, savouring the sweet senses of taste that the pastry evoked. Some of the Pokémon, not having hands nor petting-capable limbs, merely huddled and nuzzled against their physical form, among the bed of flowers that their presence had called forth.

Overcome by the comfort their attention brought, the original one carefully rolled over upon their side, allowing the eager humans access to some tummy pats. They were finally content.

All was as it should be.
 
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Bluwiikoon

waow!
Location
Gensokyo, Past and Present ~ Flower Land
Pronouns
He/him
Partners
  1. nosepass-bluwiikoon

Flyg0n

Flygon connoisseur
Pronouns
She/her
Partners
  1. flygon
  2. swampert
  3. ho-oh
  4. crobat
  5. orbeetle
  6. joltik
  7. salandit
  8. tyrantrum
  9. porygon
You actually legit made me tear up with happy tears 😭
lov. precious. gud

thank you
 
#2: The One Born from Mew's Shadow

Bluwiikoon

waow!
Location
Gensokyo, Past and Present ~ Flower Land
Pronouns
He/him
Partners
  1. nosepass-bluwiikoon
Warnings for this chapter: Mentions of abuse, POV of a character who deals with anxiety and negative thoughts. Enjoy!

#2: The One Born from Mew's Shadow [595 words]

It had been one week since he had stopped lurking and stepped into the light.

There were still those who gave him looks of curiosity and awe, questions and doubts bubbling in their minds that they had not the courage to speak. It was only natural, after the circumstances of his birth and the various media publications and news outlets that wouldn't let him forget. They had even produced a movie based on it, as if the struggles he went through were just another entertaining story.

...No, that was far too negative a way to perceive it. He still had his demons, but he tried to remind himself that people were just curious about him. Nobody was out to get him, his abusers were long gone and he had every means of power to stop anyone else who ever tried.

He was safe. He was welcome to walk anywhere a normal Pokémon could.

His thoughts had brought his tail closer to him as he sat at the café table, taking small bites out of a toasted bagel. Outside the window he could see wild Pidove picking at the ground and cooing, and feel the presence of a lone Meowth watching them with great interest. The appliances in the café hummed, a warm and full sound. Steam billowed out of the coffee machine and brought with it an earthy, invigorating scent. He could hear the thoughts of a young woman turning over dialogue and story elements in her mind, tapping at a laptop nearby.

He had soon calmed down, his tail unfurling a relaxed distance as he watched the world go by. Having such a nice, fresh-baked meal certainly helped, too. Watching the world from so close by was unnerving at first, but now it was something he greatly savoured. He had taken his first step into the city of day for a reason, after all.

It was warm in the café, cosy. Were he a less dignified individual, he could happily curl up and just rest here. His residual anxiety warned him otherwise.

Eventually he saw fit to leave, nodding gratefully at the café owner as he stepped into the streets. He drew his tail close to avoid the door, and kept it close still out of politeness for other pedestrians. He could feel more people looking at him, but did his best to ignore their stares. He belonged here, just as they did.

He walked for a while, paw pads cool on the brickwork of the unravelling streets. Many shiny and moving things tried to catch his attention from shop windows, but he ignored them. (He was not like his mother Mew, he did not need to chase after small and enticing objects.) Walking the streets at day was a vastly different sensory experience, sounds and sights and thoughts swirling all around, but he was familiar enough with the city to know exactly where he wanted to go. He couldn't let himself get distracted.

He paused in front of a modest, professional-looking office. A stylised, clean logo of a rising sun adorned the front window - "Dawnside Pokémon Therapy".

Perhaps today would be the day he began to put his demons to rest. Perhaps.

...No, it would be the day. He drew his breath in, tail swishing behind him as he clasped his hands. Courage.

He opened the front door to the office, and stepped up to the reception counter.

"Oh-" The startled receptionist cleared her throat, quickly collecting herself together and smiling politely at Mewtwo. "Dawnside Pokémon Therapy, how may I help you?"
 

kyeugh

you gotta feel your lines
Staff
Pronouns
she/her
Partners
  1. farfetchd-galar
  2. gfetchd-kyeugh
  3. onion-san
  4. farfetchd
  5. farfetchd
love these!! :quag: it's awesome that you've been so productive recently, it's always great seeing new content from you! 😁

1. the original one
this is such a cute story, i love the idea that even the almighty creator of the universe simply wants to get some pats sometimes. it's a nice reminder that no matter who you are, we can all benefit from good company and physical reassurance. some lines that i really liked:
With the strength of the full awareness of their mind, locating a being with an ideal heart was as simple as merely crafting a star.
ah, if it's only as simple as creating a star, i guess it must be a piece of cake.

They could see that this human had experienced a difficult life, and yet had grown a beautiful soul through her own efforts and through the love for her Pokémon. Despite the hardships, she had persevered - a worthy soul.
this is so cute... arceus's signature move may be judgement, but here they're immediately so loving to this stranger, and sympathetic to her plight. instead of her struggles and shortcomings, they see someone who's strong enough to persevere through life's tribulations. very heartwarming. if there's a god out there, i hope they're something like this. 😁

---

2. the one born from mew's shadow
i liked this story even more than the first! it seems like there's a pattern here of showing the legendaries' more vulnerable sides—arceus getting scritches like a goodboy, mewtwo seeking out help to cope with his turbulent past. mewtwo is often depicted as someone who rages violently and lashes out at others as a way of coming to terms with the horrors they've endured; it's refreshing to see an alternate take here, where mewtwo is simply glad to be free, and seeks healing. you've also built such a nice world so succinctly, with its own rules about what is and isn't normal for pokémon to do on their own.

these little vignettes are a lot of fun, looking forward to seeing more!
 

Flyg0n

Flygon connoisseur
Pronouns
She/her
Partners
  1. flygon
  2. swampert
  3. ho-oh
  4. crobat
  5. orbeetle
  6. joltik
  7. salandit
  8. tyrantrum
  9. porygon
AAAHH good fic pls write thank you

These little shorts bring me such a sense of peace and joy. Mewtwo eating a bagel... learning to overcome his past... the people are cruel they're curious..

bagel!!! I love this thank you
 
#3: The Wishing Star

Bluwiikoon

waow!
Location
Gensokyo, Past and Present ~ Flower Land
Pronouns
He/him
Partners
  1. nosepass-bluwiikoon
Thank you so much my friends for the reviews!!! :D I responded to them on Discord as you know, but I'm so incredibly happy that you're enjoying these shortfics. I hope this one will be really good, too!

Warnings for this chapter: Themes of loss and grief. Fun! :quag:

#3: The Wishing Star [980 words]

On the first night, they emerged from their cocoon. They blinked, blearily, and yawned, feeling the weight and exhaustion of a thousand years' slumber.

They lifted their head to face the one holding them - a tall, greying man. They could sense the passion of the wishes in this man's heart, they could feel some kind of strange anguish from his soul. And yet, as he looked upon Jirachi, his expression softened considerably.

He did not make a wish that night. Instead, he took to caring for them. They didn't yet understand how, but they could sense both happiness and sadness in the man's heart.

On the second night they awoke bundled in soft blankets, almost too cosy to consider moving. They didn't realise they had fallen asleep, but it must have become daybreak when they hadn't noticed. The plates of delicious food the man had made the prior evening had vanished, but the memory of it and Jirachi's smile had not.

The man was quiet, but not unkind. When he realised Jirachi had awoken, he took once more to preparing a small banquet for his tiny guest. Jirachi attempted to summon the moving visions with the buttoned slab, and was happy when the man helped them to do so successfully. Perhaps, before they were cursed into hibernation once again, they would get the hang of using the "TV".

On the third night, they settled into the man's lap as he pressed buttons on a different kind of "TV". This one had a lot more buttons, and they made a pleasing sound as he pressed multitudes of them, in so many patterns that Jirachi couldn't discern. The moving visions were less entertaining on this one, so their eyes wandered to the different doors in the hallway. They were yet too cosy to investigate further, happily huddled against their friend.

The fourth night did not yield many answers for Jirachi. They had hovered over to a particular door, but could not figure out a means to open it without potentially breaking it. They did not want to upset their new friend by breaking his things, so they merely observed it and traced the glyphs upon it with their hands. When the man gently took their hand and guided them back to the "TV" area, they made no further fuss of it. Once more, however, they could feel a deep sadness running through the man's heart.

The man was quieter than usual on the fifth night, although still extremely accommodating of his tiny guest. Jirachi had happily eaten the spaghetti the man made, but his own meal remained untouched. They huddled up to him as they usually did and received some very comforting head pats, but it only seemed to make the man sadder, more absent-minded. Jirachi asked him if he had thought of a wish yet. He didn't answer.

On the sixth night, the man showed Jirachi what was in the locked room.

There were too many colours to take in at first, they hardly knew what to focus on first. The walls of the room were dark with large stars, which they happily glided up to touch. Dotted all around were toys and books and plushies, neatly arranged into little shelves and boxes. The bed was a rainbow of pastel colours, with giant pillows that were just as fluffy and soft as they looked. And yet, it was all too perfect. As Jirachi joyously investigated as many toys as they could, they began to realise that this room had been untouched for some time - every single thing they picked up had a thick layer of dust on it.

The man smiled as he watched Jirachi play, but they could see his sadness grow deeper still. They flew close to him, seeing now that his eyes were soft with tears, and the man gently pulled them into a hug. They stayed like that for a very long time.

The seventh night was the last night. Jirachi knew they would be leaving soon, pulled back into a deep slumber for yet another millennia. When they awoke on the final night, they wanted to spend as much time with their friend as they could.

Happily nuzzling and cuddling the man, they were treated to the biggest selection of treats and delicious food yet. It had taken a week for Jirachi to realise why the man was so adept at cooking, or why he had so many extra plates and small plates when he lived alone.

The man picked up an overturned rectangle that Jirachi had seen before - underneath, it showed a picture of the man with a young child, both of them smiling brightly. He looked happier than they had ever seen him before in the picture, and nowhere near as grey-haired or wrinkled.

He explained that when her mother had passed, his child was the only thing he had left. She, too, was taken from him too soon.

Jirachi asked him if he wanted them to bring her back, but after a time, he refused. He shook his head, smiling with those same soft, teary eyes.

Gently taking Jirachi's hands, he told them that he had thought of a better wish, a much kinder wish. He wanted Jirachi to be able to live and enjoy the world, to be able to experience more than a week of life at a time. He wanted to release Jirachi from their thousand-year prison.

As the ribbons on their head lit up with a mystical force, both Jirachi and the man cried and hugged each other. The pain was still there in the man's heart, but they could sense it had lessened considerably. In some small way, he was finally at peace.

On the eighth night, they would wake up again, and every single night after that. Jirachi's life had only just begun, and they were overjoyed.
 
#4: The Dauntless Shield

Bluwiikoon

waow!
Location
Gensokyo, Past and Present ~ Flower Land
Pronouns
He/him
Partners
  1. nosepass-bluwiikoon
Warnings for this chapter: pupy :quag: Very brief mention of violence at the start

#4: The Dauntless Shield [735 words]

Hop sighed dramatically, his arms behind his head as he reclined on a bench. "I really thought we had it that time! We'll beat Leon next time, right Zamazenta?"

Zamazenta nuzzled the boy gently, receiving a thorough head pat in return. The boy had not yet realised that it was not a matter of power that drove their losses, but a matter of restraint. Hop's brother had mastered the art of defeating an opponent without slaying them, an admirable skill in these times of peace. A skill the old wolf needed to hone, for he had only been shaped by the arts of war. Until then, he was perhaps too careful in order to avoid bloodshed.

Another deep sigh, but it wasn't long until the boy's bright smile returned. "Well, I have some good news, at least."

Zamazenta tilted his head quizzically, tail wagging softly as he regarded Hop.

"I'm gonna go home and visit my Mum today! You're gonna love meeting her, mate," said Hop, grinning happily.

Zamazenta barked and nuzzled Hop once again, tail wagging harder, as the boy laughed and ruffled the wolf's fur. The mother of such a noble boy could only be a very noble and honourable person herself.

"I'm gonna have to recall you while I'm in the taxi, but I won't leave you in the Poké Ball for too long, ok?" Zamazenta licked Hop's hands in affirmation, and the boy gave the wolf a good few pats on his side. "We'll be there before you know it!"

The Poké Ball, at least, was a great place for a nap.

-----

"...And this must be Zamazenta!"

He couldn't help but wag his tail furiously, bowing his head to the woman as a sign of respect. Hop's mother was soon petting Zamazenta all over and scratching him behind the ears, which, if anything, only increased the amount of joyous tail-wagging.

"Muuum...! That's a legendary hero, you know!" Hop laughed, giving the old wolf some pats of his own.

"Well, it's certainly an honour to have him here!" She hugged Zamazenta tightly, putting her face near one of his ears. "And thank you for keeping my little Hop safe, hmm?"

He nuzzled the woman happily, nearly knocking the laughing Hop and Mum off their feet. She was, indeed, a kind and noble person.

"Dinner shan't be too long, my dears," she said, dusting off some stray wolf fur. "Make yourself at home!"

While his charge and his mother set to tasks in the house, Zamazenta enjoyed the sights of Wooloo meandering in the fields, of Butterfree chirping and fluttering through a clear blue sky. The gentle wind felt refreshing on his fur, bringing rich and full scents of fresh grass and hay, of the slowly bubbling stew in the kitchen. Sprawled out in the garden in front of Hop's house, Zamazenta felt comfortable.

His daze slowly left him as something soon caught his attention. Cinderace, his ally in battle, was kicking around a large ball in a neighbouring field. It seemed the hot-headed bunny had seized a toy from the boy's house.

"You having fun there, mate?" Hop laughed, walking out of the door with a glass of juice. He cheered enthusiastically as Cinderace kicked the ball high into the air, and when the rabbit made quick, flourished movements to catch it on the way down.

Zamazenta watched the ball get kicked and bounced around, a feeling growing in his chest. He slowly got to his feet, stepping towards the playing field, regarding the speedy plaything with an intense interest. He paused, for a while. And then - he struck.

Cinderace squealed and laughed indignantly as he had to jump even higher than before to catch the ball, doing a forwards roll in the air and landing squarely on his feet. Zamazenta, brought into the field by a mighty jump of his own, crouched before the bunny and wagged his tail slowly and playfully, while Hop hooted and hollered.

"Yeah! I didn't know you wanted to play, Zamazenta!" He fist-pumped the air, nearly dropping his drink in all his enthusiasm. "Go get 'em!"

He barked, happily, and Cinderace hopped around and kicked the ball from one foot to another, eager to duel his ally in a game of catch. A most worthy opponent.

The world was now a place where play and sport could thrive, and Zamazenta was ready to enjoy it.
 

IFBench

Rescue Team Member
Location
Pokemon Paradise
Partners
  1. chikorita-saltriv
  2. bench-gen
  3. charmander
  4. snivy
  5. treecko
  6. tropius
  7. arctozolt
  8. wartortle
  9. zorua
Finally here for catnip! Sorry I took so long!

This is an absolutely adorable anthology!

Arceus getting pets was really cute. The most mythical of mythicals, enjoying having tummy rubs. I quite liked it!

Mewtwo gets therapy! That was really nice to see! It was also really nice to see him just enjoying being alive.

(He was not like his mother Mew, he did not need to chase after small and enticing objects.)

This line made me giggle.

The Jirachi one was sad, but probably my favorite one of them all. After thousands of years, Jirachi is finally released from being awake only a week every thousand years. I really liked it!

And the Zamazenta one was just cute. Despite being a legendary hero, Zamazenta is also just a big dog. Adorable.

Overall, I really enjoyed this! I look forward to more!
 

Rainfall

minVP ADC atomic step action potential
Location
blue-green spinning rock
Pronouns
he/they
Partners
  1. minior
Hey Bluwii!
Read this a while back, planned to have a quick response sometime, finally here (after another timelapse since writing that, haha)! This seems like a very wholesome series, which of course won't purely be sunshine and rainbows, which is a good thing, too.

(Probably going to be extra casual so I actually write a review rather than never write one again, haha :smile: )

Thank you also for how digestable these are, as well! That's a strength in itself.

Here for chapter the 1th: The Original One.
__

Everyone loved the most important part of the story. Arceus wants headpats, and Arceus gets headpats. Smol. The Original One gets to spend some time with a few of the beings in (one of?) the world(s) they've molded.

I'm sure plenty also appreciate the intro. I loved the intro myself. It's an essential part to the story. I can't get away from the worldscape speak.

In a place beyond space and time, they slumbered.

Sometimes their rest was dreamless, and at other times, their mind's eye wandered to the small blue planet. The world they had crafted.
Lovely entrance : )

It was an imperfect world, for they had made it that way. Only then could the life upon it flourish, change, and become many differing things. An endless number of possibilities, an unfurling blossom of hearts and souls and minds, each one distinct, unique. The planet grew in any way it so pleased, and it was beautiful.
YESSSSSSS. All this.
Imperfection as endemic to all these things: variation, change (including decay and growth), thriving.

This paragraph is perfect. You certainly have me at "unfurling blossom of hearts and souls and minds".

They could see creatures co-operating, building, fighting one another, creatures with sorrows spilling from their eyes. And, they could see living beings smile, their souls shining with warmth. All was as it should be.
: Adoration eyes :

Struggling into full awareness, their turned their attention to the small world. Their visions of the world had brought them such joy, and yet, some kind of sadness. A yearning. They knew what they needed to do.

Existence is often bittersweet!
___

Traversing the living plane was a different experience, but a welcome one. It was easy to forget the simple joys of inhabiting a body, to reach with corporeal limbs and to feel the energy of the universe around them.
Changing modes (whatever that may mean to you--taking a different path to a physical destination or the same or different logical conclusion, looking at a problem or an occasion in a different light, approaching a situation or a relationship from a fresh angle) can make you feel alive in the moment.

With the strength of the full awareness of their mind, locating a being with an ideal heart was as simple as merely crafting a star.
(I wonder! does taking on a corporeal form limit or change the "current" operation of abilities, including thought, sensing, whathaveyou.)

Of course! crafting a star is such a small task to do. A single pinprick of light in a single universe. Even life on a planet, while even smaller in energy scale, has quite a little more complexity to it.

Are there mortal beings with ideal hearts? Normally, I'd say you can come close, but not quite. But semantics. Why not? : )

As the human staggered back in uncertainty, cradling her tiny sunkern friend, they tilted their head and regarded her with a certain fondness. They could see that this human had experienced a difficult life, and yet had grown a beautiful soul through her own efforts and through the love for her Pokémon. Despite the hardships, she had persevered - a worthy soul.
(Question, not for here--how do you quantify and/or judge worthiness?)

Worthy souls for some sense of worthy, certainly why not!

grass and flowers sprouting where their hooves touched the soil. As the human staggered back in uncertainty, cradling her tiny sunkern friend
Is life (complexity) something that is entwined with the original one's energy? What does it mean to thrive?

Is being physically revived here in some sense the better path?
Again, for many, why not, and yes!

Realising the extent of their incredible stature, the original one settled into a sitting position in front of the unsure human. They were still, yet, gargantuan in comparison, but it had been eased some amount.
(Repose, re-pose!)

Taken aback once more, the human "hmm"ed and "ahh"ed to herself, before retrieving a communications device from her pockets. The little sunkern nestled himself comfortably against the original one whilst his human friend was busy, no doubt feeling the warmth of their divinity.
Yay for little sunkern friend!

Several humans of different shapes and sizes had come to meet the original one, summoned by the communications of the girl they had originally met.
Group message! Different shapes and sizes is lovely to hear.

all of them, fully willing and ready to come forth to aid their friends.
All of them : o

Some of the Pokémon, not having hands nor petting-capable limbs, merely huddled and nuzzled against their physical form, among the bed of flowers that their presence had called forth.
It's a wonderful gathering, pretty and peaceful.

Overcome by the comfort their attention brought, the original one carefully rolled over upon their side, allowing the eager humans access to some tummy pats. They were finally content.

All was as it should be.
Mutual comfort and good feelings : )

You captured a lovely moment, Bluwii! : )
 

kintsugi

golden scars | pfp by sun
Location
the warmth of summer in the songs you write
Pronouns
she/her
Partners
  1. silvally-grass
  2. lapras
  3. golurk
  4. booper-kintsugi
  5. meloetta-kint-muse
  6. meloetta-kint-dancer
  7. murkrow
  8. yveltal
  9. celebi
I think these are really lovely. I'm reminded of a series that a friend showed me called Miffy and Friends, which I ended up watching a few episodes of after reading this--basically it's just a collection of events happening in a character's life, some of which could be bad or dangerous, but there's no actual conflict. Structurally I think it's interesting/unique to consume because it isn't that there's minor conflict or overlooked conflict; it's just, there isn't really conflict--and idk structurally I find it's an interesting lens to tell stories through because traditional stories rely on conflict to create intrigue, so what would you do instead?

And I'm also reminded of games like Stardew Valley or like, on an even more abstracted level, Farmville--there's something really reassuring about life just happening in a low-key way. I like the subversion here (I'd remembered that I hadn't left a proper review of this when I was writing out a similar paragraph during Find Your Way oops!), in that there's a lot of room for weird things or bad things but it's sort of a reverse Murphy's Law, in that the universe is just pulling things towards the good ending. It's a super cool concept, and one that I think works in these little microdoses that you've been providing so far, and one that I think is especially soothing for darker years.

The Original One
Arceus gets belly rubs. All is right with the world. I liked the intro in particular here since it's reminiscent of a lot of myth intros and it definitely telegraphs a certain flavor of story, telling us that imperfection and conflict are necessary in this kind of world. We then follow Arceus on their very important quest and we realize the real conflict was the belly rubs we failed to receive along the way. This is an excellent subversion of expectations.

The One Born from Mew's Shadow
This one is the saddest one in the collection for me, likely because it breaks the mold on my whole cool speech of "no conflict happens"--this one is a lot of conflict and it's all really sad but well done haha. I liked what this one brings to the collection in the sense that the other ones are set in a world where bad people don't really exist; Arceus gets hugs and scritches because no one would be mean to them; the spaghetti man is sad but wise/compassionate enough to make the kind choice; Zamazenta just wants to catch the very large ball--but there's bad shit that happened to Mewtwo here. We don't really linger on it but we can see the effects.

Sometimes I think some lighthearted fictional worlds exist because characters aren't looking the darker aspects of said worlds--which I know isn't exactly a fair assumption either; fiction/art has no onus to try to solve anything or really do anything besides exist--but I do find myself with a deeper appreciate for the flavor of lighthearted worlds that are light because characters are consciously trying to make it that way. Mewtwo isn't forgetting that bad things are happening; the therapy office existing means that people aren't ignoring it--this is a step towards helping people heal.

The Wishing Star
I thought this one had a really nice fairytale sorta quality to it, with the focus on each of the different nights, the thematics of wishing, and the general tone used, wherein Jirachi basically makes "TV" sound like actual witchcraft. But the real witchcraft was the friends we make along the way.

I really like this one as well. Genre-savviness suggested to me that "I wish the genie were free" was going to be the solution here, but it still snuck up on me when the ending actually dropped, and I thought this one was really cute and heartwarming as a result.

The Dauntless Shield
Dogs are good. bork bork.

I really love the intro section for the wisdom it confers to Zamazenta--pacifism is a choice that requires strength. It's a lot less cool, you don't get to blow things up, and you don't get to look cool in front of your friends. But in these cases it's the kind of restraint that shows bravery, and I thought that was a really neat angle to add some context to why Zamazenta is choosing Ball here; it feels a lot more like a choice since we get the backdrop for what the alternative is.

---

These are adorable, goodness; they are also adorable goodness. Thank you for sharing!

some tiny line thoughts, most of which are "awww this is so cute"
They contemplated it for an age, unable to find an answer even as a dreamless sleep washed away their thoughts. A soothing oblivion.
I thought this was a super interesting take for Arceus to find the oblivion soothing, given their pride in making the world explicitly non-oblivion in order for good and bad things to give meaning to people.
Leaning down to meet them, they got what they had arrived for. The human was petting their head. They were soothed.
this is a good and very important mission
Overcome by the comfort their attention brought, the original one carefully rolled over upon their side, allowing the eager humans access to some tummy pats. They were finally content.
DOES ARCEUS TAKE OFF THEIR WHEEL TO DO THIS? THE PEOPLE MUST KNOW
It was warm in the café, cosy. Were he a less dignified individual, he could happily curl up and just rest here. His residual anxiety warned him otherwise.
I like the dip between dignity and anxiety here, how Mewtwo's consciously trying to adhere to an image of himself that doesn't need to exist.
...No, that was far too negative a way to perceive it. He still had his demons, but he tried to remind himself that people were just curious about him. Nobody was out to get him, his abusers were long gone and he had every means of power to stop anyone else who ever tried.
:(
this kind of anxiety hurts a little to read (in a good way)--especially the "his abusers were long gone and he had every means of power to stop anyone else who ever tried". For Mewtwo it's pretty explicit and I get that on some level he's a borderline-omniscient psychic with the power to lift buildings or whatever, but at the same time the idea that raw power is what allows you to prevent abuse is a really common but heartbreaking mindset in abuse victims that isn't always true. There's a lot of ways to be hurt/coerced/abused by someone that aren't just physical, and we can see throughout this section that the damage that was done to him wasn't just physical either; power dynamics are a really messy thing. And I guess the other sad implication is that if he now can't be abused because he's strong, he must've been able to be abused in the past because he was weak--which, oof.

(but that's not really a flaw of the story or anything--just something I hope comes up in his therapy)
The moving visions were less entertaining on this one, so their eyes wandered to the different doors in the hallway. They were yet too cosy to investigate further, happily huddled against their friend.
good yes star friend must be cozy this is the way
Gently taking Jirachi's hands, he told them that he had thought of a better wish, a much kinder wish. He wanted Jirachi to be able to live and enjoy the world, to be able to experience more than a week of life at a time. He wanted to release Jirachi from their thousand-year prison.
:o
The mother of such a noble boy could only be a very noble and honourable person herself.
there's something incredibly pure and dog-like in this kind of logic and I love it.
He barked, happily, and Cinderace hopped around and kicked the ball from one foot to another, eager to duel his ally in a game of catch. A most worthy opponent.
YES GOOD. YOU ARE A GOOD DOG.
 

Spiteful Murkrow

Busy Writing Stories I Want to Read
Pronouns
He/Him/His
Partners
  1. nidoran-f
  2. druddigon
  3. swellow
  4. lugia
  5. quilava-fobbie
  6. sneasel-kate
  7. heliolisk-fobbie
Whelp, writing up a review at this hour this isn't exactly the healthiest thing I've ever done. But I had heard decent word of mouth about your series, and they seemed decently cute and bite-sized. So just gonna plow along and throw a review for your first three installments.

#1: The Original One

In a place beyond space and time, they slumbered.

Sometimes their rest was dreamless, and at other times, their mind's eye wandered to the small blue planet. The world they had crafted.

It was an imperfect world, for they had made it that way. Only then could the life upon it flourish, change, and become many differing different things. An endless number of possibilities, an unfurling blossom of hearts and souls and minds, each one distinct, unique. The planet grew in any way it so pleased, and it was beautiful.

I'll admit, there's something enrapturing about the premise of a creator deity that kicks off its creation and then just sits back to watch it unfold from its own volition. And it works wonderfully as a stylistic choice here.

From their dreams, they could watch life on the small planet unfold. They could see creatures co-operating, building, fighting one another, creatures with sorrows spilling from their eyes. And, they could see living beings smile, their souls shining with warmth. All was as it should be.

And yet, the original one was dissatisfied. Something was not right.

They contemplated it for an age, unable to find an answer even as a dreamless sleep washed away their thoughts. A soothing oblivion.

Giratina: "Me being back outside the Torn World?" :3
Arceus:
807798727154728961.png


Silence.

Darkness.

And then, colours gently washed through their mind. More dreams, more visions of the living.

...

They stirred. A realisation.

Struggling into full awareness, their turned their attention to the small world. Their visions of the world had brought them such joy, and yet, some kind of sadness. A yearning. They knew what they needed to do.

Gathering their spirit together, they began to manifest in the universe, for the first time in an eternity.

Let's hope that Arceus is a bit more humble than Cuzco from The Emperor's New Groove about paying visits.
:loltias:


Traversing the living plane was a different experience, but a welcome one. It was easy to forget the simple joys of inhabiting a body, to reach with corporeal limbs and to feel the energy of the universe around them. With the strength of the full awareness of their mind, locating a being with an ideal heart was as simple as merely crafting a star.

Interesting point of comparison. Since one could interpret it either as something trivial, or else as something involved but doable. Nice dichotomy there.

They descended before the human, grass and flowers sprouting where their hooves touched the soil. As the human staggered back in uncertainty, cradling her tiny sunkern friend, they tilted their head and regarded her with a certain fondness. They could see that this human had experienced a difficult life, and yet had grown a beautiful soul through her own efforts and through the love for her Pokémon. Despite the hardships, she had persevered - a worthy soul.

Realising the extent of their incredible stature, the original one settled into a sitting position in front of the unsure human. They were still, yet, gargantuan in comparison, but it had been eased some amount. Sending forth a feeling of amicability with their mind, they beckoned the small human forward.

Leaning down to meet them, they got what they had arrived for. The human was petting their head. They were soothed.

I'll admit, I didn't peg Arceus as the type to want pets and affection... but yeah, I'd imagine just chilling and watching the cosmos from afar gets lonely, so I dig it.

Enjoying the feeling of head scratches, feeling the gentle breeze and the nurturing light of the sun, they yet considered more possibilities. They posed a question to the mind of the human.

Taken aback once more, the human "hmm"ed and "ahh"ed to herself, before retrieving a communications device from her pockets. The little sunkern nestled himself comfortably against the original one whilst his human friend was busy, no doubt feeling the warmth of their divinity. They watched the human, and they patiently waited.

Oh, so is this how PLA's godphone came to be?
:loltias:


Several humans of different shapes and sizes had come to meet the original one, summoned by the communications of the girl they had originally met. Among them were also various species of Pokémon. They were pleased to see so many different creatures with such thriving friendships, in yet such an incredibly small part of the world they had made - all of them, fully willing and ready to come forth to aid their friends.

Ah, it's a flash mob to come and gawk at the divine llama. I hadn't picked up on that, but yeah. That seems like a handy thing to do with your phone just lying around.

The conglomeration had quickly gotten to work at petting the divine being, and had even brought treats. They carefully picked a PokéPuff out of the hands of a short boy, savouring the sweet senses of taste that the pastry evoked. Some of the Pokémon, not having hands nor petting-capable limbs, merely huddled and nuzzled against their physical form, among the bed of flowers that their presence had called forth.

Overcome by the comfort their attention brought, the original one carefully rolled over upon their side, allowing the eager humans access to some tummy pats. They were finally content.

All was as it should be.

That was far cuter than it ought to have been, but it's a pleasant contrast to the prevailing depiction of Arceus in the fandom being some combination of aloof, distant, or hostile. So congrats, it certainly put a smile on my face to see the divine llama himself just soaking in being a Pokémon.

#2: The One Born from Mew's Shadow

It had been one week since he had stopped lurking and stepped into the light.

There were still those who gave him looks of curiosity and awe, questions and doubts bubbling in their minds that they had not the courage to speak. It was only natural, after the circumstances of his birth and the various media publications and news outlets that wouldn't let him forget. They had even produced a movie based on it, as if the struggles he went through were just another entertaining story.

It also killed like 30 people, but let's not talk too much about that. ^^;

...No, that was far too negative a way to perceive it. He still had his demons, but he tried to remind himself that people were just curious about him. Nobody was out to get him, his abusers were long gone and he had every means of power to stop anyone else who ever tried.

He was safe. He was welcome to walk anywhere a normal Pokémon could.

I mean, if so inclined, he could also go many places a normal Pokémon couldn't, but let's try not to send people to the hospital here.
:loltias:


His thoughts had brought his tail closer to him as he sat at the café table, taking small bites out of a toasted bagel. Outside the window he could see wild Pidove picking at the ground and cooing, and feel the presence of a lone Meowth watching them with great interest. The appliances in the café hummed, a warm and full sound. Steam billowed out of the coffee machine and brought with it an earthy, invigorating scent. He could hear the thoughts of a young woman turning over dialogue and story elements in her mind, tapping at a laptop nearby.

>Mewtwo comes across a fanfic writer in a cafe
Never thought I'd ever see that scenario. But it's surprisingly endearing.

He had soon calmed down, his tail unfurling a relaxed distance as he watched the world go by. Having such a nice, fresh-baked meal certainly helped, too. Watching the world from so close by was unnerving at first, but now it was something he greatly savoured. He had taken his first step into the city of day for a reason, after all.

It was warm in the café, cosy. Were he a less dignified individual, he could happily curl up and just rest here. His residual anxiety warned him otherwise.

Oh come on, Mewtwo. Stop being such a big baby and indulge your inner cat. >:V

Eventually he saw fit to leave, nodding gratefully at the café owner as he stepped into the streets. He drew his tail close to avoid the door, and kept it close still out of politeness for other pedestrians. He could feel more people looking at him, but did his best to ignore their stares. He belonged here, just as they did.

He walked for a while, paw pads cool on the brickwork of the unravelling streets. Many shiny and moving things tried to catch his attention from shop windows, but he ignored them. (He was not like his mother Mew, he did not need to chase after small and enticing objects.) Walking the streets at day was a vastly different sensory experience, sounds and sights and thoughts swirling all around, but he was familiar enough with the city to know exactly where he wanted to go. He couldn't let himself get distracted.

I mean, yeah. I'd stop and stare at a Mewtwo just making his way down the street too, just saying. ^^;

He paused in front of a modest, professional-looking office. A stylised, clean logo of a rising sun adorned the front window - "Dawnside Pokémon Therapy".

Uh... yeah. It's kinda glossed in most depictions of Mewtwo in canon and the fandom. But yeah, realistically Mewtwo would have some issues from everything surrounding his early life.

Perhaps today would be the day he began to put his demons to rest. Perhaps.

...No, it would be the day. He drew his breath in, tail swishing behind him as he clasped his hands. Courage.

He opened the front door to the office, and stepped up to the reception counter.

"Oh-" The startled receptionist cleared her throat, quickly collecting herself together and smiling politely at Mewtwo. "Dawnside Pokémon Therapy, how may I help you?"

I take it that the premise of this series is just Legendaries being wholesome? Since while there was a much darker undertone to this installment than the first one, I don't think I've ever seen a depiction of Mewtwo that made me feel as warm and fuzzy inside as that one there.

#3: The Wishing Star

On the first night, they emerged from their cocoon. They blinked, blearily, and yawned, feeling the weight and exhaustion of a thousand years' slumber.

But did Jirachi wake up on Tanabata? It's important. :V

They lifted their head to face the one holding them - a tall, greying man. They could sense the passion of the wishes in this man's heart, they could feel some kind of strange anguish from his soul. And yet, as he looked upon Jirachi, his expression softened considerably.

He did not make a wish that night. Instead, he took to caring for them. They didn't yet understand how, but they could sense both happiness and sadness in the man's heart.

I'm guessing this guy had a loved one die and is seriously weighing whether or not to try and wish for him/her back.

On the second night they awoke bundled in soft blankets, almost too cosy to consider moving. They didn't realise they had fallen asleep, but it must have become been daybreak when they hadn't had noticed. The plates of delicious food the man had made the prior evening had vanished, but the memory of it and Jirachi's smile had not.

The man was quiet, but not unkind. When he realised Jirachi had awoken, he took once more to preparing a small banquet for his tiny guest. Jirachi attempted to summon the moving visions with the buttoned slab, and was happy when the man helped them to do so successfully. Perhaps, before they were cursed into hibernation once again, they would get the hang of using the "TV".

Oh? Is that a Pokémon Channel nod there? Since admittedly the talk of Jirachi and TVs made my mind go places.

On the third night, they settled into the man's lap as he pressed buttons on a different kind of "TV". This one had a lot more buttons, and they made a pleasing sound as he pressed multitudes of them, in so many patterns that Jirachi couldn't discern. The moving visions were less entertaining on this one, so their eyes wandered to the different doors in the hallway. They were yet too cosy to investigate further, happily huddled against their friend.

The fourth night did not yield many answers for Jirachi. They had hovered over to a particular door, but could not figure out a means to open it without potentially breaking it. They did not want to upset their new friend by breaking his things, so they merely observed it and traced the glyphs upon it with their hands. When the man gently took their hand and guided them back to the "TV" area, they made no further fuss of it. Once more, however, they could feel a deep sadness running through the man's heart.

I can't tell if that's a phone, or some sort of medical device there. But this is at once cute and worrisome.

The man was quieter than usual on the fifth night, although still extremely accommodating of his tiny guest. Jirachi had happily eaten the spaghetti the man made, but his own meal remained untouched. They huddled up to him as they usually did and received some very comforting head pats, but it only seemed to make the man sadder, more absent-minded. Jirachi asked him if he had thought of a wish yet. He didn't answer.

Jirachi: "You could always wish for another TV. I don't think it'd be that hard for me to grant that one!" ^^

On the sixth night, the man showed Jirachi what was in the locked room.

There were too many colours to take in at first, they hardly knew what to focus on first. The walls of the room were dark with large stars, which they happily glided up to touch. Dotted all around were toys and books and plushies, neatly arranged into little shelves and boxes. The bed was a rainbow of pastel colours, with giant pillows that were just as fluffy and soft as they looked. And yet, it was all too perfect. As Jirachi joyously investigated as many toys as they could, they began to realise that this room had been untouched for some time - every single thing they picked up had a thick layer of dust on it.

The man smiled as he watched Jirachi play, but they could see his sadness grow deeper still. They flew close to him, seeing now that his eyes were soft with tears, and the man gently pulled them into a hug. They stayed like that for a very long time.

... Oh. Though it looks like I was onto something with that hypothesized wish earlier.
401083507872366598.png


The seventh night was the last night. Jirachi knew they would be leaving soon, pulled back into a deep slumber for yet another millennia. When they awoke on the final night, they wanted to spend as much time with their friend as they could.

Happily nuzzling and cuddling the man, they were treated to the biggest selection of treats and delicious food yet. It had taken a week for Jirachi to realise why the man was so adept at cooking, or why he had so many extra plates and small plates when he lived alone.

The man picked up an overturned rectangle that Jirachi had seen before - underneath, it showed a picture of the man with a young child, both of them smiling brightly. He looked happier than they had ever seen him before in the picture, and nowhere near as grey-haired or wrinkled.

He explained that when her mother had passed, his child was the only thing he had left. She, too, was taken from him too soon.

Yeah, I kinda guessed that things would be going in this direction from the start of the mention of the man having lingering grief in his soul.

Jirachi asked him if he wanted them to bring her back, but after a time, he refused. He shook his head, smiling with those same soft, teary eyes.

Gently taking Jirachi's hands, he told them that he had thought of a better wish, a much kinder wish. He wanted Jirachi to be able to live and enjoy the world, to be able to experience more than a week of life at a time. He wanted to release Jirachi from their thousand-year prison.

... I actually didn't expect that to be the man's wish. Though I'm shocked that it never occurred to anyone in canon to try and wish for this.

As the ribbons on their head lit up with a mystical force, both Jirachi and the man cried and hugged each other. The pain was still there in the man's heart, but they could sense it had lessened considerably. In some small way, he was finally at peace.

On the eighth night, they would wake up again, and every single night after that. Jirachi's life had only just begun, and they were overjoyed.

Well that was wholesome. Bittersweet, but wholesome.

Though altogether, I had a lot of fun with this series, @Bluwiikoon . It's a cute and surprising look at figures from the Pokémon roster that often aren't commonly depicted in a down-to-earth fashion and carry a few wrinkles that have legit surprised me as to how I've never heard of someone else doing something with them before.

Kudos on the great work. A bit too beat right here and now to just plow along into the fourth entry, but I'll be back for more before Review Blitz is over, especially if you update this series at all before things wind down. ^^
 

ShiniGojira

Multiversal Extraordinaire
Location
Stranded In The Gaps between Multiverses
Pronouns
He/him/they/her
Partners
  1. froslass
  2. zorua-gojira
  3. salandit-shiny
  4. goomy
Hi, Bluwii! Hope you're doing great! Gotta say that cover art is cute as hell!

I'm here for some cutesy things and this seem like it'd be a good read. The premise of Legendaries doing normal things rather than being the end of the world or like an ancient danger is a nice change of pace for me so I think I'm gonna enjoy whatever you're cooking up.

And now onto the review!

So to start with, #1: The Original One

This was a cute and short story about how powerful beings still require affection and comfort to continue their way of life. I love the way Arceus was portrayed as a benevolent god that likes to occasionally come into the world he created just to get some physical contact. It also shows us how easy it is for him to create things that are well beyond our abilities and that even with those powers, Arceus still wants a reassuring touch and some comfort in his immortal life. It teaches us that no matter who you are, you'll still need to take a break from everything sometimes and that's okay.

It's great. It's cute and it has a splendid message.

Next up is #2: The One Born from Mew's Shadow

A short Mewtwo story about him fitting into modern society. It starts off with some background about Mewtwo coming out of hiding just a week ago. People are still curious and wary of the Perfect life form that was built to be the best living weapon. It's a rational and reasonable excuse to be afraid of Mewtwo, and Mewtwo accepts that. He accepts that his power and unnatural body makes people afraid. He accepts that it'll take a while for people to adjust and that he himself has his own inner demons to deal with. And while he's facing those demons, he's taking some time to himself to enjoy the simple side of life. Which again is a lovely message in that sometimes you just have to enjoy the finer things in life rather than always focus on the bad side. It's okay to do things you want to do, no one's gonna say you're selfish for indulging yourself from time to time.

Then onto #3: The Wishing Star

This story's a bit sadder then the rest, but I think that's a good change of pace. It keeps things refreshing and makes me more invested to the other stories in this collection.

Anyway, we start off with Jirachi awakening from his cocoon after his millennium-long slumber. We get introduced to an old man that had probably spent a long time trying to find Jirachi.

But when the man found Jirachi at last, he starts to see the similarities between Jirachi, himself and his child. He starts to feel for the small legendary. While Jirachi is an immortal being, he realises that he himself had experienced more than Jirachi. That's a powerful feeling and it gives us some insight on what and how the man was when he was in his prime.

The man knows that he shouldn't be selfish and he should give someone else a chance to live whereas he knows he doesn't need the comfort for himself when he wasn't going to live for long. This message is another wonderful one as it tells us that we shouldn't be too selfish and we should help others if we are already content with life.

The current last one is #4: The Dauntless Shield.

And it's a cute and fun story about a boy and his immortal dog. Zamazenta is just the cutest here and he deserves a nice retirement after years of war. Hop was a nice surprise and the short interactions between Zamazenta, Cinderace and Hop's mom were great.

So here's some line-by-line thoughts:

their turned their attention to the small world
A little typo here; 'Their' should probably be 'they'.
A yearning. They knew what they needed to do.
Mortal Arceus! Let's go!

They descended before the human, grass and flowers sprouting where their hooves touched the soil.
This imagery is so wonderful, especially when it says so much of Arceus and its benevolence. (Now I wonder if there will ever be a Pokémon that's like the opposite of Arceus)

Leaning down to meet them, they got what they had arrived for. The human was petting their head. They were soothed
Doggo Deer God thing! They're so cute!

The conglomeration had quickly gotten to work at petting the divine being, and had even brought treats. They carefully picked a PokéPuff out of the hands of a short boy, savouring the sweet senses of taste that the pastry evoked.
Aw, this is just lovely.
Some of the Pokémon, not having hands nor petting-capable limbs, merely huddled and nuzzled against their physical form, among the bed of flowers that their presence had called forth.
So cute.
2: The One Born from Mew's Shadow [595 words]

It had been one week since he had stopped lurking and stepped into the light.
Ooh, Mewtwo! Now I'm excited!

They had even produced a movie based on it, as if the struggles he went through were just another entertaining story.
To be fair, a lot of stories with struggles are based on real life events.

but he tried to remind himself that people were just curious about him
I'd be curious too if I saw a giant bipedal cat walking about. (Not to diss Mewtwo or anything, just saying my thoughts)

His thoughts had brought his tail closer to him as he sat at the café table, taking small bites out of a toasted bagel
This is great! It makes Mewtwo feel so human and alive here. He just wants to enjoy life like any other person and this image tells me he's done a lot to achieve this peace.
Outside the window he could see wild Pidove picking at the ground and cooing, and feel the presence of a lone Meowth watching them with great interest.
Welp, that Pidove's as good as dead. Nice way to put in some subtle dark aspects of the world that still keeps its lovely lighthearted charm.

Also, a bit of a nitpick thought. You should probably add an 'a' before wild Pidove.

He belonged here, just as they did.
You belong, Mewtwo. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
He was not like his mother Mew, he did not need to chase after small and enticing objects.)
This line is great. I love the thought of him resisting the urge to chase shiny things. It's hilarious.

"Dawnside Pokémon Therapy".
Pokémon therapy. That's such a great concept (I can't believe someone else thought of that). It's great!

They lifted their head to face the one holding them - a tall, greying man.
Oh no, I can see where this is going.
He did not make a wish that night. Instead, he took to caring for them. They didn't yet understand how, but they could sense both happiness and sadness in the man's heart
Oh no, this old man's gonna die on us, isn't he? Hopefully he'll find peace with Jira hi.
The plates of delicious food the man had made the prior evening had vanished, but the memory of it and Jirachi's smile had not.
Cute.

Once more, however, they could feel a deep sadness running through the man's heart.
He... he lost his wife, didn't he?

The man picked up an overturned rectangle that Jirachi had seen before - underneath, it showed a picture of the man with a young child, both of them smiling brightly. He looked happier than they had ever seen him before in the picture, and nowhere near as grey-haired or wrinkled.
Oh... oh, so he wanted to make a wish from Jirachi but Jirachi's behaviour reminded him too much like his kid, and that brought a ton of pain onto the old man.
Gently taking Jirachi's hands, he told them that he had thought of a better wish, a much kinder wish. He wanted Jirachi to be able to live and enjoy the world, to be able to experience more than a week of life at a time. He wanted to release Jirachi from their thousand-year prison.
That's so sweet. He's giving Jirachi the chance to live like a normal person instead of reviving his wife and child. He's such a good and kind man that's seen a lot in his life, and it's cute to see that he's forgoing his idea for a temporary moment of pleasure to help another experience life.
On the eighth night, they would wake up again, and every single night after that. Jirachi's life had only just begun, and they were overjoyed.
A cute and wholesome end to a lovely story of loss and grief.
Hop sighed dramatically, his arms behind his head as he reclined on a bench. "I really thought we had it that time! We'll beat Leon next time, right Zamazenta?"
Yo! It's Hop! And his big old doggo!
Zamazenta barked and nuzzled Hop once again, tail wagging harder, as the boy laughed and ruffled the wolf's fur. The mother of such a noble boy could only be a very noble and honourable person herself.
Adorable doggo!
He couldn't help but wag his tail furiously, bowing his head to the woman as a sign of respect. Hop's mother was soon petting Zamazenta all over and scratching him behind the ears, which, if anything, only increased the amount of joyous tail-wagging.
He's so cute!
"Muuum...! That's a legendary hero, you know!" Hop laughed, giving the old wolf some pats of his own.
A legendary hero of pats and love!
He barked, happily, and Cinderace hopped around and kicked the ball from one foot to another, eager to duel his ally in a game of catch. A most worthy opponent.

The world was now a place where play and sport could thrive, and Zamazenta was ready to enjoy it.
Yes, Zamazenta! Break free from your past and live your new life!

So overall, a great read. More plz!

Take care!
 

Spiteful Murkrow

Busy Writing Stories I Want to Read
Pronouns
He/Him/His
Partners
  1. nidoran-f
  2. druddigon
  3. swellow
  4. lugia
  5. quilava-fobbie
  6. sneasel-kate
  7. heliolisk-fobbie
Heya, coming back with a clearer head and at a saner hour to round off this series. Picking up with the odd duck out that I didn't get to yet:

#4: The Dauntless Shield

Hop sighed dramatically, his arms behind his head as he reclined on a bench. "I really thought we had it that time! We'll beat Leon next time, right Zamazenta?"

Ah, you're a fellow Sword player. A man of culture, I see. :V

Zamazenta nuzzled the boy gently, receiving a thorough head pat in return. The boy had not yet realised that it was not a matter of power that drove their losses, but a matter of restraint. Hop's brother had mastered the art of defeating an opponent without slaying them, an admirable skill in these times of peace. A skill the old wolf needed to hone, for he had only been shaped by the arts of war. Until then, he was perhaps too careful in order to avoid bloodshed.

401074476474957834.png


Though there's something to be said for the idea of Legendaries being cognizant of their power and consciously holding back to try and interact with normies. Something something "with great power comes great responsibility", which I don't think is actually explored all that much in fiction related to Legendary Pokémon.

Another deep sigh, but it wasn't long until the boy's bright smile returned. "Well, I have some good news, at least."

Zamazenta tilted his head quizzically, tail wagging softly as he regarded Hop.

"I'm gonna go home and visit my Mum today! You're gonna love meeting her, mate," said Hop, grinning happily.

Zamazenta barked and nuzzled Hop once again, tail wagging harder, as the boy laughed and ruffled the wolf's fur. The mother of such a noble boy could only be a very noble and honourable person herself.

I mean, he's safe because it's Hop, but that entire train of thought is just a massive tempting of fate there.
701630550720512120.png


"I'm gonna have to recall you while I'm in the taxi, but I won't leave you in the Poké Ball for too long, ok?" Zamazenta licked Hop's hands in affirmation, and the boy gave the wolf a good few pats on his side. "We'll be there before you know it!"

The Poké Ball, at least, was a great place for a nap.

Actually, what do Poké Balls look like internally in this setting? From Zamazenta's thought process, I'm guessing they look more than a little drab inside?

"...And this must be Zamazenta!"

He couldn't help but wag his tail furiously, bowing his head to the woman as a sign of respect. Hop's mother was soon petting Zamazenta all over and scratching him behind the ears, which, if anything, only increased the amount of joyous tail-wagging.

I can already hear the "Must. Look. Dignified." mixed with the growls of content coming from this old dog.
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"Muuum...! That's a legendary hero, you know!" Hop laughed, giving the old wolf some pats of his own.

Zamazenta: "No! No! This is fine! Keep going!" ^^;

"Well, it's certainly an honour to have him here!" She hugged Zamazenta tightly, putting her face near one of his ears. "And thank you for keeping my little Hop safe, hmm?"

He nuzzled the woman happily, nearly knocking the laughing Hop and Mum off their feet. She was, indeed, a kind and noble person.

"Dinner shan't be too long, my dears," she said, dusting off some stray wolf fur. "Make yourself at home!"

So how long until Zamazenta winds up beelining after a Skwovet in the yard or something like that? :V

While his charge and his mother set to tasks in the house, Zamazenta enjoyed the sights of Wooloo meandering in the fields, of Butterfree chirping and fluttering through a clear blue sky. The gentle wind felt refreshing on his fur, bringing rich and full scents of fresh grass and hay, of the slowly bubbling stew in the kitchen. Sprawled out in the garden in front of Hop's house, Zamazenta felt comfortable.

I... wouldn't have pegged Butterfree as the type to chirp, though admittedly, I'm not sure what sound effect I'd recommend replacing that with.

His daze slowly left him as something soon caught his attention. Cinderace, his ally in battle, was kicking around a large ball in a neighbouring field. It seemed the hot-headed bunny had seized a toy from the boy's house.

- Zamazenta instantly perks up -
Zamazenta: "... Ball?" 83

"You having fun there, mate?" Hop laughed, walking out of the door with a glass of juice. He cheered enthusiastically as Cinderace kicked the ball high into the air, and when the rabbit made quick, flourished movements to catch it on the way down.

Zamazenta watched the ball get kicked and bounced around, a feeling growing in his chest. He slowly got to his feet, stepping towards the playing field, regarding the speedy plaything with an intense interest. He paused, for a while. And then - he struck.

Zamazenta: "BALL!" 8D

Cinderace squealed and laughed indignantly as he had to jump even higher than before to catch the ball, doing a forwards roll in the air and landing squarely on his feet. Zamazenta, brought into the field by a mighty jump of his own, crouched before the bunny and wagged his tail slowly and playfully, while Hop hooted and hollered.

"Yeah! I didn't know you wanted to play, Zamazenta!" He fist-pumped the air, nearly dropping his drink in all his enthusiasm. "Go get 'em!"

I see even multi-millennia old weapon doggos are still doggos at heart. Not that I'm complaining about this depiction. ^^

He barked, happily, and Cinderace hopped around and kicked the ball from one foot to another, eager to duel his ally in a game of catch. A most worthy opponent.

The world was now a place where play and sport could thrive, and Zamazenta was ready to enjoy it.

Cute ending there, though I wouldn't expect anything less from an entry in this series. ^^

I'll admit, I was at first a little puzzled as to what you were going to do with Zamazenta since canon... admittedly hasn't done all that much interesting yet with the dog and Zacian is quite a bit more popular as a box legendary. Though I'm not opposed at all to the product that came out. It's a glimpse at a fantastical being getting a little slice of normality and cuteness from hanging around an old friend, and I'm all there for it.

There were a couple minor quibbles that they had, but honestly, there's pretty much nothing that I'd change about this piece. It's short, it's sweet, and it does what it set out to. Sometimes that's enough for a story.

Kudos @Bluwiikoon . If you bump your series later this year, I'll be looking forward to leaving more feedback on it.
 

unrepentantAuthor

A cat that writes stories.
Location
UK
Pronouns
they/she
Partners
  1. purrloin-salem
  2. sneasel-dusk
  3. luz-companion
  4. brisa-companion
  5. meowth-laura
  6. delphox-jesse
  7. mewtwo
  8. zeraora
Hi Bluwii! Glad to be reading more of your work again. It's honestly like eating sweets, it's so nice and easy and moreish. I love the highly-saturated, colourful and deeply wholesome title art! It really conveys the kind of sweet and joyful vibe you seem to be going for, and I think it works great to show off the fic.

#1: The Original One

I appreciate the use of they/them for legendaries, I wanna say that first! Love that for them.

So, this li'l story is super cute! Arceus creating the universe only to receive headpats is adorable, it's a fun little twist, and the transition from grand majestic deific thought to the mundane and immediate reality of petting the good pokémon is nicely paced. I like that it's so short and sweet! I reckon the fic would benefit from less summation and more specificity, particularly when Arceus is characterising the girl. I thought it'd be nice to see either some of the specific hardships she's endured via Arceus' omniscience, or indication of those hardships in the form of the marks on her they've left. I think my favourite line was the one where finding a kind person is implicitly a grander task than creating a star, which I found oddly but powerfully touching.

good fic pls update :veelove:

#2: The One Born From Mew's Shadow

I kindof love that you opened the thread by saying you hoped to keep everything light and free of content warnings and then immediately warn for the second story that it's about an anxious abuse victim. Oof! Anyway, hype to read your take on best cat.

So, this one was so touching I'm actually tearing up a little. Bless. I'm so proud of best cat. I think the early part is a little too summative, fic is stronger with detail, like the attention Mewtwo pays to tempting opportunities to be a kitty, and the implicit envy/empathy regarding the meowth watching some birbs. Recounting the stuff about the press strikes me as too much of an informative overview, when what would affect Mewtwo the most is, for example, getting hounded by the paparazzi or whatever. Anyway, it really breaks my heart to see Mewtwo trying to be respectable and human-like as a defence mechanism, when really deep down he just wants to pounce on things and play and enjoy a cosy nap in a sunbeam. I hope therapy will help him, and I'm glad he's safe.

good fic pls update :veelove:

#3: The Wishing Star

Themes of loss and grief are fun! Let's have some fun!

You have quite the aptitude for hitting the reader with powerful emotional catharsis. Or at least, I'm now tearing up at yet another lovely moment. This one had me worried for a moment, as limiting Jirachi's freedom of movement felt a little concerning at first, but they seem somewhat like a child, actually. It's a very caring dynamic, really. I guess from the old dude's perspective, he'd hoped to wish his child back, only to realise that Jirachi was a child in need of care, and that he wanted the best for them, in fact. The desire to be free of the long sleeps didn't feel all that pressing, Jirachi is a very passive character. It would have been nice to see some urgency to make the most of their week of wakefulness, or sorrow about what they've missed out on and will continue to miss out on. In any case, that moment at the end when the old man uses his wish for Jirachi's benefit is so wonderful and kind it made me deeply emotional. Even so, it'd be nice to see that last sentiment expanded on for Jirachi's part, what they're looking forward to and relieved about, and it'd be nice to see Jirachi have something to do with the old man's change of heartat the very beginning. Why didn't he make a wish? I wonder if that could be expanded on. It's already the longest of the shorts, but I think some of the midpart of this one could do with light trimming if you wanted to keep it short. Of course, it's very cute as-is!

good fic pls update :veelove:

#4: The Dauntless Shield

Thanks for warning of PUPY.

Okay, so this one didn't hit quite as hard for catharsis, but it was still heart-healing and very very cute. I love that Zamazenta is so clearly an old warrior, trying to adjust to a time of peace. It doesn't feel as if he's too deeply troubled by it at first, his relationship with Hop seems fine and he doesn't seem all that bothered by the losses. All the same, it's lovely to see him so pleased at the opportunity to use his power for fun, and it's tugging on my heartstrings to see him celebrate that the world itself has changed for the better and towards peace, not for his own sake only. And, naturally, it's very lovely to see him being PUPY, the little details are always the most captivating. I'd never thought of the warrior wolves shedding, what an excellent little mundanity to soften their legendary status. Very appropriate to this story collection!

good fic pls update :veelove:

Okay, so having read all four pieces, I wanted to comment on them as a whole! I feel like Legendary pokémon are very often portrayed as Cool Fighters or as massive unfathomable titans or as a sortof collective pantheon. All rather impersonal at times. Legendaries of the Present World manages to portray these beings as individuals, and ground them in relatable mundanities. It's not just cute and charming, it's enoough to make me freshly appreciate pokémon I tend not to feel as attached to due to being somehow 'unapproachable'. I gotta say, I really appreciate that! They're no longer than they need to be, and they're not melodramatic or overblown. There's a sense of calmness. I said at once point that they felt 'healing' and that really does feel right. PErhaps the prose could be a little smarter here and there, but you have a talent for making me feel things, mate. And you've used it! Great going, lad.

I will, of course, be avidly reading all future instalments with great pleasure. So one last time for good measure:

good fic pls update :veelove:
 

Chibi Pika

Stay positive
Staff
Location
somewhere in spacetime
Pronouns
they/them
Partners
  1. pikachu-chibi
  2. lugia
  3. palkia
  4. lucario-shiny
  5. incineroar-starr
o heck this is cute

Going into this, I was expecting adorable heartwarming fluff, and there was of course plenty of that, but along with it there's a lot of surprisingly poignant stuff! Also, a lot of genuinely pretty imagery.

I thiiink my favorite one so far is actually the Arceus one! There's just something that particularly hits me about lonely Arceus living separately from their imperfect creation, imperfect to allow for all the messy, beautiful growth and change that is life. There's conflict and struggle, and the signs of hardship are visible on the human he encounters. But there are also... head pats. Yes good.

I really like the gentle details of mundane life that Mewtwo distracts himself with, mixed in with the reassurances that he's safe, he's free, he belongs. But at the same time, he's not quite unguarded enough to follow all his wistful desires yet. But he's getting there. And he's getting healing! I'm proud of him <3

Jirachi is a quiet one but also a peaceful one. Wake up from a thousand-year nap, just hang around and watch TV and eat tastey foods for a week. I get the feeling Jirachi is sort of used to not really doing much living when it wakes up. I wonder at what point the man decided to give up on having a wish for himself, and instead let Jirachi get to live for the first time.

I really liked Zamazenta's observation that striking without lethal intent is a skill that needs to be honed, and for now he's a bit clumsy in his restraint, from his experiences in war. I'm glad that he gets to experience a time of peace, where he can actually enjoy things, and really appreciate that the people around him can just do things for the sake of it. It hits different knowing that he probably didn't get much of that in the past. Now I want him to get to chase the ball with his sister too!

good fic pls update :veelove:
 

silurica

All shall be well
Pronouns
They/Them
Partners
  1. arceus-beta
  2. arceus
  3. arceus-shiny
Henlo, henlo. I am here following words of mouth, and I have to agree with everyone else: good fic pls update. I'm fond of this kind of bite-sized format, and I'm deffo glad to read something as neat as these.

A general impression that I got from these stories is that they have such a gentle world. It's not without struggle, but how the characters try their best to be kinder both to each other and to themselves bring a good amount of sense that everything will be alright at the end. I think it's good to have a lil' reminder like this every once in a while.

#1: The Original One
Pupy. Yeah, before I got to the Zamazenta story I was already thinking "(god is) pupy..." I've read this one before on your fansite, still pupy. Also it reminded me of this fanart I saw on Twitter; it got similar energy.

Relating to the general impression I described above, this story works nicely as an opener for the anthology. The first half is a statement about the world that is about to unfold: imperfect but warm. Then Arceus had the realization and we see that warmth in action from how many headpats they receive. Pupy.

#2: The One Born from Mew's Shadow
I enjoyed how the story acknowledges that healing is a process, following Mewtwo's thoughts going through one mundane day even when people stare, but I especially liked seeing Mewtwo seeks that healing. It's a nice subversion of the Mewtwo I'm familiar with, and it's a nice vibe in general (like the entire anthology).

#3: The Wishing Star
Ohh, this is my favorite from the bunch. Let's see, I enjoyed seeing how the seven nights were used to reveal the man's story bit by bit. There's a bittersweet feeling throughout that's just (chef's kiss). I was so entranced by the story that the ending, which on hindsight feels like it should've been obvious, got me good on first reading. God, I'm a sucker for a story about grief and loss like this.

#4: The Dauntless Shield
At this point I was already expecting fluff, especially when seeing the star of the story this time is a doggo. Doggos are certified fluffy, and Zamazenta in this story proves that. So from the start I was already going "pupy..." before eventually going "wait I actually really like the theme here". Pacifism takes effort, especially when you came from a less peaceful background, but you can take your time to learn about it. Time has changed, and the puppy is happy to adapt into the new era. What a good boi.
 
Partners
  1. skiddo-steplively
  2. skiddo-px2
  3. skiddo-px3
  4. skiddo-iametrine
  5. skiddo-coolshades
  6. skiddo-rudolph
  7. skiddo-sleepytime
  8. snowskiddo
  9. skiddotina
  10. skiddengo
  11. skiddoyena
  12. skiddo-obs
Blu! Hi! I read the first two of these a while ago but never commented and frankly that's criminal because these are adorable. So now I'm gonna gush about their adorableness, along with the two newer ones!

The Original One

The original, the classic, the God Just Wants Headpats, Actually!

I love the implication that imperfection is required for a world to grow on its own; it's always kinda hard to hear that [insert deity here] allowed things like conflict or troubles to exist on purpose, but at the same time it carries a lot of hope that the world will be okay, that the beings on it will grow and persevere in spite of all that. It's just kinda nice, you know?

Also: locating an ideal heart is as easy as "merely" crafting a star? That's a great sense of the scale of their power and what they consider important, and also maybe that explains why it's so difficult for us :unquag:

savouring the sweet senses of taste that the pastry evoked

I like the way this is worded because the sense of taste itself is sweet here—not a sensation that Arceus gets to enjoy often in general, so I imagine so!

The idea that a great and almighty creator is most content when enjoying something simple, when spending quality together-time with their creations, is absolutely adorable, and such a delightful contrast to the usual imposing distance deities in fiction usually keep. Even when you get a story about a deity who cares about one or more humans, they always seem to have to act from afar, through the medium of either subtle blessings/signs or whopping huge storms and what have you. They never just pop in for a hug! and I love that Arceus does here. And it's also nice, of course, to see the pokémon getting in on the snuggling action just as much as the humans do. Sweet and simple and yet much more satisfying than I ever would've thought.

The One Born from Mew's Shadow

Aaahhh, I'm such a sucker for Mewtwo getting a chance to actually interact safely with the rest of the world. Poor kitty deserves it!

It's always kinda neat to see Mewtwo's tail body language, especially here with the little details of it being a coping/comfort mechanism for him (of course, he definitely only does it out of politeness!). It's so clear that the poor guy's still uncomfortable enough that he constantly needs to remind himself that he's okay, doesn't easily allow himself to slip into thoughts of just relaxing and feeling nice. :(

And yet as sad as that is, I love that meanwhile, he's just... going to a café and ordering a bagel. Such an unusual thing to see, for us as readers as well as the people getting used to this giant alien-looking catmonster strolling through their town, but so precious! Gib Mewtwo bagel. (Where did he get the money? Proceeds from the movie? I hope he at least got paid for that...)

It genuinely makes me happy that this is a world where a pokémon can just roll up and make an appointment with a therapist—that that's just a thing that's normal and available and good. And given that this would be both a fairly new concept for him and something that it's difficult for a lot of us out here in the real world to admit that we need, good on him for being so willing to give it a shot!

Most of all, though, the thing I think I love about this is that Mewtwo is anxious rather than angry. As someone who has written a very angery Mewtwo and enjoyed it more than they thought they would, it can be a lot of fun to play with! But it's so refreshing to see something different there, to see a Mewtwo who actively wants to be happy and comfortable and be accepted by others rather than just going "alone is good enough for me, I promise". I think it's what a lot of us ultimately want for angry, confused Mewtwo, and in some stories maybe eventually Mewtwo gets there after a lot of struggle and probably some violence, but here we get to jump right to Mewtwo deciding that he wants to feel good and make healthy choices and I'm about twenty-seven different kinds of here for that.

p.s. it's great that he is trying very hard not to Cat at tiny shinies and warm spaces (but clearly he secretly wants to Cat!)

The Wishing Star

ngl, I had a brief initial thought that the man might do something bad, that maybe it would take a few people finding Jirachi before they met someone nice they could grant a wish for, but I have no idea why I was worried given I knew this was all about fluffy vignettes going in, lol. Once I got over that, I could quickly guess that the man was lonely and might wish for a friend—but it turns out that wish was already granted simply by spending time with Jirachi! (And then extending that time!)

But even with that guess, the slow realization of the reason he was so lonely was extremely effective. I teared up a little the moment Jirachi noticed the dust in the room. This also makes looking back at the man's initial discovery of Jirachi really touching—he could've just made a wish for his wife and/or child to come back to life and been done with it, but in that moment he was so taken by the realization that Jirachi was possibly also lonely that he set his own wishes aside to help. It's really telling that you had Jirachi describe hibernation as a curse... they are also lonely and want friends!

We don't usually think about that much, given that Jirachi is supposed to be asleep during that time and I don't consider myself particularly "lonely" while sleeping/dreaming, but who knows what Jirachi actually experiences while sleeping for a thousand years as opposed to a few hours? And if nothing else, they're probably all too aware of the fact that they only get to actually interact with people for seven days a millennium.

On the second night they awoke bundled in soft blankets, almost too cosy to consider moving. They didn't realise they had fallen asleep, but it must have become daybreak when they hadn't noticed.

One small clarity thing: I can tell that you're using "on the Xth night" here to reference the seven nights during which wishes can be made, but the "become daybreak" just after Jirachi "awoke" confuses this a bit. Maybe that could be reworded to "They didn't realise they had fallen asleep, but the day must have passed without them noticing" or something similar?

But at any rate, this piece had a definite pang of bittersweetness to it, but it made the warm and fuzzy time Jirachi and the man spend together that much more heartwarming. Probably my favorite of the set!

The Dauntless Shield

This is another one that deals with having to set old traumas and habits aside, and about accepting that the world you're in now is different from the one you've been used to for so long, which is a theme I really enjoy. Zamazenta might not need therapy, per se, but just time to adjust and, frankly, time to PUPY. The aforementioned theme isn't quite explored in quite as much depth here—I do wonder whether we could've seen a bit more evidence of Zamazenta actually having expectations/habits that he then needs to reassess—but at the same time it's plenty clear that he's appreciating the mounting signs of peace and happiness and safety that he sees. (And given that those expectations are about a world of war, I do appreciate that dwelling on them for too long might run counter to the tone you want this anthology. I'm sure you could come up with something that touches on it without being too much of a drag, though, the way you did with Mewtwo's!)

---

Overall, these were a lot of fun to read! Quick, light, easy-breezy, and yet genuinely touching every single time. I adore anything that offers a break from the usual epic or stodgy or terrifying depictions of legendaries, and this delivers in spades.

...wait, I just noticed: Arceus gets pats. Jirachi gets pats. Zamazenta gets pats. Mewtwo did not get pats!! Injustice!!!! I can understand that Mewtwo will likely need time to feel comfortable with touch but I must demand an epilogue where therapy has been successful and Mewtwo has found a good friend for good pats!!!!!!! /jk

In conclusion: Happy birthday! :quag: :veelove: also gud fic upd8 moar!
 

Adamhuarts

Mew specialist
Partners
  1. mew-adam
  2. celebi-shiny
  3. roserade-adam
Chapter 1: Barky

It was an imperfect world, for they had made it that way. Only then could the life upon it flourish, change, and become many differing things. An endless number of possibilities, an unfurling blossom of hearts and souls and minds, each one distinct, unique. The planet grew in any way it so pleased, and it was beautiful.

I really like the idea behind this bit. I'd have imagined a creator wanting to make a world beyond perfection as a reflection of their capabilities, but a world that's made imperfect so those imperfections can lead to greater possibilities is very valid too. In a way, a world that changes and grows into something greater is already perfect in its own way.

Struggling into full awareness, their turned their attention to the small world. Their visions of the world had brought them such joy, and yet, some kind of sadness. A yearning. They knew what they needed to do. Gathering their spirit together, they began to manifest in the universe, for the first time in an eternity.

Oh no, is this the part where Arceus realized that their true vision for the world is to run as the president of the United States????!!!

Traversing the living plane was a different experience, but a welcome one. It was easy to forget the simple joys of inhabiting a body, to reach with corporeal limbs and to feel the energy of the universe around them. With the strength of the full awareness of their mind, locating a being with an ideal heart was as simple as merely crafting a star.

Oooooh, this is cool. It's interesting that Arceus can switch between a corporeal form and an ethereal, drifting one. Makes me wonder if they only choose one or the other depending on circumstances and what perks either form grant to them.

They descended before the human, grass and flowers sprouting where their hooves touched the soil.

Environmentally friendly God.

As the human staggered back in uncertainty, cradling her tiny sunkern friend, they tilted their head and regarded her with a certain fondness. They could see that this human had experienced a difficult life, and yet had grown a beautiful soul through her own efforts and through the love for her Pokémon. Despite the hardships, she had persevered - a worthy soul.

And that's how the trainer became a chosen one. A chosen one to be tasked with a great duty.

Leaning down to meet them, they got what they had arrived for. The human was petting their head. They were soothed.

I feel so jealous. Also this is an incredibly blessed and adorable moment. It's also funny to think that the yearning they've always sought for were headpats. Though a deeper read into it makes me feel that it was the connection their creations had with one another that Arceus yearned to be a part of too.
:happyshrew:


Several humans of different shapes and sizes had come to meet the original one, summoned by the communications of the girl they had originally met. Among them were also various species of Pokémon. They were pleased to see so many different creatures with such thriving friendships, in yet such an incredibly small part of the world they had made - all of them, fully willing and ready to come forth to aid their friends.

If I was part of this crowd and got to experience this literal once in a lifetime opportunity, I'd singing speaking words of praise about Arceus the next day. And I shall let every man, woman and child know the legends about how I gave Arceus head pats

The conglomeration had quickly gotten to work at petting the divine being, and had even brought treats. They carefully picked a PokéPuff out of the hands of a short boy, savouring the sweet senses of taste that the pastry evoked. Some of the Pokémon, not having hands nor petting-capable limbs, merely huddled and nuzzled against their physical form, among the bed of flowers that their presence had called forth. Overcome by the comfort their attention brought, the original one carefully rolled over upon their side, allowing the eager humans access to some tummy pats. They were finally content. All was as it should be.

Man, this is all just so adorable. I really love Arceus' depiction in this even though it's so short and not much happens. This Arceus gives me the impression that they're a pretty chill God, one who doesn't mind mingling with his creations to receive all important headpats. Overall I say this was a pretty joyful read and I only wish it'd been longer. Then again, some things taste best in small servings. :D

Chapter 2: Mew's Son Needs Therapy

It had been one week since he had stopped lurking and stepped into the light. There were still those who gave him looks of curiosity and awe, questions and doubts bubbling in their minds that they had not the courage to speak. It was only natural, after the circumstances of his birth and the various media publications and news outlets that wouldn't let him forget. They had even produced a movie based on it, as if the struggles he went through were just another entertaining story.

Ah yes, if I lived a traumatizing life I'd want people to commercialize and make a movie on it too. That sure would lift my spirits >:(. They better be paying Mewtwo a fat check in royalties every month, so he can buy his mom snacks every day

...No, that was far too negative a way to perceive it. He still had his demons, but he tried to remind himself that people were just curious about him. Nobody was out to get him, his abusers were long gone and he had every means of power to stop anyone else who ever tried.

Yeah, this is a much healthier way for Mewtwo to think about the way people view him. He is literally a pokemon unlike any other after all. Also I'm so happy for him that Team Rocket is long gone now and he'll not have to fear and or hate people coming after him and the innate power he possesses. :D

He was safe. He was welcome to walk anywhere a normal Pokémon could.

Bless.

His thoughts had brought his tail closer to him as he sat at the café table, taking small bites out of a toasted bagel. Outside the window he could see wild Pidove picking at the ground and cooing, and feel the presence of a lone Meowth watching them with great interest. The appliances in the café hummed, a warm and full sound. Steam billowed out of the coffee machine and brought with it an earthy, invigorating scent. He could hear the thoughts of a young woman turning over dialogue and story elements in her mind, tapping at a laptop nearby.

Oh man, this feels like a really relaxing atmosphere. I've never been to a Cafe before, but from here it sounds like a comfy place. Also I bet Mewtwo frequents this place and enjoys the bagel they make hehe.

It was warm in the café, cosy. Were he a less dignified individual, he could happily curl up and just rest here. His residual anxiety warned him otherwise.

Mew, on the other hand, absolutely would do this like it's nobody's business.
:MewGiggle:


Eventually he saw fit to leave, nodding gratefully at the café owner as he stepped into the streets. He drew his tail close to avoid the door, and kept it close still out of politeness for other pedestrians. He could feel more people looking at him, but did his best to ignore their stares. He belonged here, just as they did.

That's the spirit, Mewtwo. You belong in the world as much as everyone else. Your life and story are just as valid (ノ◕ヮ◕)ノ*:・゚✧

(He was not like his mother Mew, he did not need to chase after small and enticing objects.)

Quietly pockets this character trait for my own depictions of Mew

...No, it would be the day. He drew his breath in, tail swishing behind him as he clasped his hands. Courage. He opened the front door to the office, and stepped up to the reception counter. "Oh-" The startled receptionist cleared her throat, quickly collecting herself together and smiling politely at Mewtwo. "Dawnside Pokémon Therapy, how may I help you?"

I am proud of Mewtwo here and happy for him. He's taken the next step for his self betterment. It's only the first of many steps of a long journey, but it'll all be worth it in the end. As far as my overall thoughts on this chapter goes, I think it's great. It feels like the kind of chapter that could easily work as the epilogue or prologue to a longer fic. In the former's case it could be about the beginning of his hardships at his lowest point and the story ends with Mewtwo finally getting some much needed and deserved therapy. In the latter's case it could be a story about Mewtwo's journey through therapy, the hardships involved and him making small steps and changing for the better each time. I'd read either story if they existed honestly!

Chapter 3: The Japanese Star Festival Mascot

They lifted their head to face the one holding them - a tall, greying man. They could sense the passion of the wishes in this man's heart, they could feel some kind of strange anguish from his soul. And yet, as he looked upon Jirachi, his expression softened considerably.

Old man: Hey you, you're finally awake. You were trying to cross the cosmos, right?

He did not make a wish that night. Instead, he took to caring for them. They didn't yet understand how, but they could sense both happiness and sadness in the man's heart.

Jirachi: I am the granter of wishes! Speak your desires mortal, and I shall fulfill the—wait why are you wrapping me in a comfy blanket? ⊚_⊚

On the second night they awoke bundled in soft blankets, almost too cosy to consider moving. They didn't realise they had fallen asleep, but it must have become daybreak when they hadn't noticed. The plates of delicious food the man had made the prior evening had vanished, but the memory of it and Jirachi's smile had not.

Good bean is being treated so well. I'm so happy for them. Blu stop, your fics are too wholesome

The man was quiet, but not unkind. When he realised Jirachi had awoken, he took once more to preparing a small banquet for his tiny guest. Jirachi attempted to summon the moving visions with the buttoned slab, and was happy when the man helped them to do so successfully. Perhaps, before they were cursed into hibernation once again, they would get the hang of using the "TV". On the third night, they settled into the man's lap as he pressed buttons on a different kind of "TV". This one had a lot more buttons, and they made a pleasing sound as he pressed multitudes of them, in so many patterns that Jirachi couldn't discern. The moving visions were less entertaining on this one, so their eyes wandered to the different doors in the hallway. They were yet too cosy to investigate further, happily huddled against their friend.

When I first read this bit in the afternoon, I'd thought that Jirachi would be revealed to be in some experimental facility or something. Turns out the old man was just letting Jirachi use the puter. I suppose a puter can be less entertaining since it's not a constant stream of content playing on cable lol.

The fourth night did not yield many answers for Jirachi. They had hovered over to a particular door, but could not figure out a means to open it without potentially breaking it. They did not want to upset their new friend by breaking his things, so they merely observed it and traced the glyphs upon it with their hands. When the man gently took their hand and guided them back to the "TV" area, they made no further fuss of it. Once more, however, they could feel a deep sadness running through the man's heart.

This was a sweet paragraph. Jirachi is so nice to their human friend that they wouldn't let curiosity get the better of them and break the old man's stuff. What a sweet darling.

The man was quieter than usual on the fifth night, although still extremely accommodating of his tiny guest. Jirachi had happily eaten the spaghetti the man made, but his own meal remained untouched. They huddled up to him as they usually did and received some very comforting head pats, but it only seemed to make the man sadder, more absent-minded. Jirachi asked him if he had thought of a wish yet. He didn't answer.

What I enjoyed the most about this entry is how well you did in slowly leading us into the source of the old man's strange anguish. Here we had a man who seems reasonably nice, accommodating, and befriended a creature that can grant one's deepest wishes. So why then does the man continue to hold off? Why do they seem more tormented with each day that by? Just what could it be that's torturing his soul, and making him so hesitant to take his free wish?

The man picked up an overturned rectangle that Jirachi had seen before - underneath, it showed a picture of the man with a young child, both of them smiling brightly. He looked happier than they had ever seen him before in the picture, and nowhere near as grey-haired or wrinkled. He explained that when her mother had passed, his child was the only thing he had left. She, too, was taken from him too soon.

MAN This makes a lot of sense in retrospect, and rereading the chapter only made this reveal hit harder. I can only imagine how many decades this old man has spent, eagerly waiting for Jirachi to wake up. It's literally a once in a millenia opportunity, a single chance for him to have his daughter back. Yet when finally presented with the opportunity, he learned that he couldn't take it. It was what he's always wanted, but he understood that he needed to move on.

Jirachi asked him if he wanted them to bring her back, but after a time, he refused. He shook his head, smiling with those same soft, teary eyes. Gently taking Jirachi's hands, he told them that he had thought of a better wish, a much kinder wish. He wanted Jirachi to be able to live and enjoy the world, to be able to experience more than a week of life at a time. He wanted to release Jirachi from their thousand-year prison.

Wh—I must've been super tired when I first read this because I somehow completely missed the second paragraph initially. Wow, I'm really surprised that's the wish the old man opted for, and it truly is such a kind wish too. Like just imagine being Jirachi. Every thousand years you only get 7 days to experience consciousness before you're inevitably thrusted back into the dark embrace of sleep. Sometimes they'd wake up and meet someone wanting a wish, other times they may wake up in the middle of nowhere and spend a week alone before going back to slumber. It must be a sad life to live, and I'm glad to see Jirachi be released from those shackles. Well done old man, you're my favorite person on the planet now.

Chapter 4: Hop and Woof Woof Boi

Zamazenta nuzzled the boy gently, receiving a thorough head pat in return. The boy had not yet realised that it was not a matter of power that drove their losses, but a matter of restraint. Hop's brother had mastered the art of defeating an opponent without slaying them, an admirable skill in these times of peace. A skill the old wolf needed to hone, for he had only been shaped by the arts of war. Until then, he was perhaps too careful in order to avoid bloodshed.

Ah finally. After four chapters, head pats return to the limelight. And I'm here for it lol. That aside, I enjoyed that they're not losing because they're weak. They're losing because Zamazenta is holding back so much that they end up being too soft with their blows.

Zamazenta barked and nuzzled Hop once again, tail wagging harder, as the boy laughed and ruffled the wolf's fur. The mother of such a noble boy could only be a very noble and honourable person herself. "I'm gonna have to recall you while I'm in the taxi, but I won't leave you in the Poké Ball for too long, ok?" Zamazenta licked Hop's hands in affirmation, and the boy gave the wolf a good few pats on his side. "We'll be there before you know it!" The Poké Ball, at least, was a great place for a nap.

Man, Zamazenta is such an adorable doggo boi. I also like that he immediately concludes that Hop's mum must be kind and noble as well, and I gotta agree with that. Say what you will about him and Leon, but they're both genuinely nice dudes.

"...And this must be Zamazenta!"

The one and only.

He couldn't help but wag his tail furiously, bowing his head to the woman as a sign of respect. Hop's mother was soon petting Zamazenta all over and scratching him behind the ears, which, if anything, only increased the amount of joyous tail-wagging.

My heart has been healed by this paragraph. The world seems brighter now.

He barked, happily, and Cinderace hopped around and kicked the ball from one foot to another, eager to duel his ally in a game of catch. A most worthy opponent.

Finally, a worthy opponent for Zamazenta. Their battle will be legendary!!!! Now go fetch!

The world was now a place where play and sport could thrive, and Zamazenta was ready to enjoy it.

All is well that ends well. I didn't have a whole lot to say about this chapter in particular. Part of it stems from the fact that I haven't played Sword and Shield, and the other because it really was just a nice, quiet and wholesome chapter.

Okay so final cumulative thoughts on all four. I think chapter 1 is my second favorite, but only a close second, out of the four currently. It's rare to see such a truly benevolent depiction of a creator and their quest to become connected with their creations was touching to see.

Mewtwo's journey to therapy was very much uplifting. Like I said previously, it really feels like the end of something or the start of a new one. Love the hybrid catto and I need more non violent depictions of Mewtwo in my life.

The third chapter is by far my favorite out of all four. I don't know why, but this one in particular really resonated with me. I felt for that old man with his grief and his eventual arrival at peace, and I'm happy for Jirachi now that they're free. I almost want to say "next chapter when? Update fast pls" for this one specifically.

The fourth one is just a wholesome entry with lots of headpats. Wholesome, refreshing headpats. It managed to move me even though I'm more of a cat person. All in one you have a great hand at writing wholesome and soul healing stories, Blue. I look forward to reading more of your works in the future. That will be all for now, and thank you truly for writing these excellent stories.
 
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