If I was Arceus in TTIGRAAS

Chapter 7: The Slime Problem

As Arceus left the village, she ventured deep into the heart of the Great Wild Woods. Sunlight filtered through the emerald leaves, creating a mosaic of golden patches on the forest floor. Birds sang melodious tunes, their songs weaving through the air like a symphony. The scent of damp earth and blooming flowers filled her senses, grounding her in the moment. The forest seemed to embrace her as she walked, with ferns brushing against her legs and the soft hum of insects accompanying her steps. Tall trees stood like ancient guardians, their trunks adorned with moss and lichen, whispering secrets of the ages.

Then, she glimpsed a weathered stone bridge spanning a narrow chasm. The bridge seemed out of place, as if it connected not just two sides of the ravine but two different worlds. On one side lay the familiar green forest; on the other, a shroud of mist obscured everything beyond.

Rotom: Notice. Fog in front of you isn't natural. Proceed with caution.

Arceus: okay.

Curiously, Arceus stepped onto the bridge, its ancient stones cooling beneath her hooves. As she crossed the midpoint, the air shifted. The vibrant greenery faded, replaced by a sepulchral gray. The fog thickened, clinging to her like a spectral veil. The once-friendly trees twisted into grotesque shapes, their bark gnarled and eyes-like knots staring at her.

Arceus: Rotom... Are you sure this is safe?

Rotom: I am 96% sure!

Arceus: What about the other 4%?

Rotom: ...

Arceus sighed in annoyance but pressed forward. The path underfoot turned uneven, roots snaking across the ground like skeletal fingers. Shadows danced along the fog, and the silence grew oppressive. No birds sang here, and no insects hummed. Only the distant rustle of unseen creatures echoed through the eerie stillness. The trees closed in, their branches clawing at the mist. Arceus's heart raced as she glimpsed fleeting shapes—a phantom deer with hollow eyes, a twisted vine that seemed to writhe. The ground squelched underfoot, and she realized it wasn't soil but a thick layer of decayed leaves and muck.

Arceus: Ew...

???: You slimes are useless!

Arceus: Huh?

The voice seemed to come from all around her.

Arceus: Rotom, can you locate where that voice is coming from?

Rotom: I can. ... ... ... Found! Turn to your left.

Arceus silently navigated through the eerie forest, moving closer to the mysterious voice. With each step, the voice grew louder, filled with increasing anger. Upon reaching the source of the sound, she concealed herself behind a bush.

???: Can't you stupid slimes do anything right?! It's just one stupid village! AUGH!

Arceus tried to see the person, but its form blurred, merging with the fog. With a swift, calculated strike, it hit one of the Slime Gluttonias. The impact sent the creature hurtling through the air, its gelatinous body contorting in pain. Yet it survived. The other Slime Gluttonia recoiled, fear etching across their forms. As the fog slightly dissipated, it slowly revealed the figure.

Arceus: Rotom, what is that...

Rotom: Analyzing ... ... ... Species found! A Fog Spirit. A rare spirit who only appears with specific circumstances. A Fog Spirit's form is shrouded in a sinister mist. Its ethereal figure takes on a ghastly appearance, with elongated limbs that seem to stretch endlessly into the darkness. Its eyes, glowing with an otherworldly luminescence, reveal a malevolent gaze that sends shivers down the spine of any unfortunate soul who meets its gaze. The spirit's body is composed of swirling tendrils of fog, constantly shifting and morphing, as if it is a creature born from the very essence of the mist itself.

Arceus: Does it have anything to do with the fog?

Rotom: It does. The ability you're referring to is called Fog Manipulation. The Fog Spirit wields control over the very mist that blankets its domain. It can thicken the fog, obscuring vision and disorienting intruders. Conversely, it can part the mist to reveal hidden paths or ambush locations.

Arceus: I see. Thank you.

Fog Spirit: I mean, how can you possibly be this useless?! You're legendary monsters almost able to rival demon lords!

The Slime Gluttonia recoiled even further as the fog thickened and the spirit seemed to grow bigger the angrier it got.

As the Fog Spirit grew larger and larger, he seemed to tower over the trees. His form expanded, casting an enormous shadow over the forest. When he finally stopped growing, he was an imposing 393.7 feet tall, his head nearly touching the clouds.

Arceus: Holy...

Suddenly, the Fog Spirit's massive hand shot down and grabbed one of the Slime Gluttonias closest to him. He lifted the trembling creature up to his face, his eyes glowing with malevolent intent.

Fog Spirit: I should just crush your slimy fricken ̞̎bőͅd̺̋ǐ̢͙̋e̪̐s̖̝̈͊ ̻̓̎͟a̒̿͜ͅn̻͍̩̍̓͌d͇͡ ̣͆le̙̓av̛̜̺̔ë͙̙̩͍̺͐͌̈́͘ ̢̭͙̱̋͑̍͋̕͢ẙ̨̭̯͇̊̓̀̃͟ȯ̞͉̼̥͔̋͆̌͠ų͇͉̺̻͊͂̏͒͋ ̝̬̜͎̠̅̎͋̓͠t̠͉̟̜̤͛̋̐̅͘ǫ̬̗̪͎̽̀̀̒̚ ̧͔̩̪̦̊̒̌̌̓r̫͎͉̭̹̄͐̌͂́o̦͉̘̹̬͋͆̈́͂͡t̻̺̞͎̝̉̈́̂̌̄!̨͎͕̰̊̋̔͊͑͟

The Slime Gluttonias began to tremble even more in fear, their gelatinous bodies quivering. The Fog Spirit looked down at the remaining Slime Gluttonias on the ground with fury, his eyes burning brighter.

Fog Spirit: Watch closely, you horrid creatures. This is what happens when you fail.

The fog around the forest began to swirl around the Slime Gluttonia in the Fog Spirit's hand. The mist thickened, wrapping around the creature like a suffocating blanket. The Slime Gluttonia's gelatinous body started to convulse as it struggled to breathe, its form writhing in agony. The fog tightened, stealing its breath away, and the creature gasped for air, its non-existent eyes bulging in pain.

The other Slime Gluttonias started to jiggle in worry, begging for their master to let their sibling go.

Slime Gluttonia #1: Please, Master!
Slime Gluttonia #2: Let him go!
Slime Gluttonia #3: We won't mess up again!
Slime Gluttonia #4: Spare him!

The Fog Spirit looked down at them, his eyes glowing a brighter red. A sinister smirk spread across his face.

Fog Spirit: No.

Just as it seemed the Fog Spirit was going to kill the Slime Gluttonia, something came flying through the air and chopped his hand off. With that the swirling fog began to dissipate and return to its original state. The Fog Spirit looked down at his now disappearing hand in confusion. As the Slime Gluttonia fell, he was suddenly caught by soft, white fluff. The creature looked around, bewildered.

Slime Gluttonia: I'm...Alive...?

As the fluff disappeared around him, his siblings rushed over to him, relieved.

The Fog Spirit looked around the forest, trying to find the culprit responsible for attacking him.

Fog Spirit: Who dares...

Arceus walked out from the woods and began walking towards the Fog Spirit. She stopped a few feet in front of him. The Fog Spirit looked at her, his eyes narrowing.

Fog Spirit: Oh? Are you the one that attacked me?

Arceus remained silent.

Fog Spirit: Not so talkative, are you? No matter.

The Fog Spirit raised his now reformed fist and aimed to punch Arceus.

Fog Spirit: PREPARE TO DIE, VERMIN!

Hey everyone! Sorry I've been MIA for the past few weeks. Life's been pretty busy, but I finally found some time to write this story. Hope you enjoyed it!