On the 21st of July 2005, Moonlight's Shadow came online. Today is the 11th of January 2007. Moonlight's Shadow is officially COMPLETED.

And it only took… 1 year, 5 months and 21 days.

25 Chapters with 66,778 words; 63 walloping reviews; 3901 hits; 13 fav's and 10 alerts. nn

Oh yes… I don't own Pokemon. Can't forget that on the last installment, can we?

Hello reader, last long author's note of them all.

Because I don't think you'd want to read a hulking A/N at the end, it comes now!

I don't care if you don't know what this 'fic is about and only clicked on the last chapter for no reason OR if you read and reviewed to a certain point or here and there OR if you've been here from pretty much start to end, or just somewhere to the end… THANK YOU! You've got to do something to click this… and read. And this is for those unknowns out there who just read. Thank you to you also. Even without reviews, the hits and author alerts let me know your there. THANK YOU AGAIN! After all, what is a story with no one to read it?

To those who Reviewed:

I got those wonderful reviews somewhere. Yep, they came from you. I want to thank you all so, so SO much. Before I wrote this story I had no faith in any ability to write whatsoever. The reviewers gave me something that I NEVER had. Confidence. Thank you very very much. They gave me support, they cheered me up (especially what some people said ), they made me go on high and go cartwheels around the house, they gave me advice, they told what they thought of this story, they made me feel like lots of people wrote me letters, they made me feel that someone actually cared and bothered enough to say something.

I don't care what you said (especially since there were no flames) I just really really want to thank you! I hope most of you get to read this one day and know how much you actually GAVE me through me. THANK YOU! Firstly, a small list of names to those who reviewed (pen names change so):

\--\-- Lise icali --\-- .Aurorablu. --\-- Corlis --\-- Unforgiving Fate --\-- Twilight the Umbreon --\-- Arrrgh --\-- STEELIXLOVER --\-- Bubblefox473 --\-- Digital Skitty --\-- Names Are Overrated --\-- Foxyjosh --\-- lugia flyhight --\-- Someone --\-- Thief Master --\-- Gardie --\-- Sunlitsong --\-- Shiguya of the sands --\-- WildTotodile --\-- Hana --\-- kc --\-- Warrior of Darkness --\--\

Okay. Now to special mentions. Yes I'm sorry this is taking so long, but some people seriously need to get mentioned. I would give you all special mention but I don't have enough author note space without something flaming me… Sorry TT Firstly…

Lise icali: You changed your penname I think but you were the very very very first reviewer… You only did review once or twice but you had really really nice kind words in the beginning, I actually ran around the room squealing for about 2 minutes after reading it… Thank you for being so nice to a little newbie author!

Foxyjosh: Okay, you weren't the first or even near first. But once you started reviewing… you never EVER stopped. Whenever I posted a chapter I KNEW I was going to get at least one review and even when I only got one review I was so touched that you would keep going and keep supporting me no matter what! Lol, I remember I mentioned you either in the summary on in my profile, remember? You reviewed FOR EVERY SINGLE chapter after you got going, even when I was feeling down you would review… I'm serious you are basically the reason why I am here, typing this final chapter on the PC. I don't even think I deserve to have someone this faithful… THANK YOU SO SO SO SO much. Your reviews meant the world to me. THANK YOU!

Hana: You weren't on and most people who anonymously read stories don't review… I'm serious, I was at the end of my wits that day and I didn't want to continue. When I saw your review I nearly cried (yes I'm very emotional)- I was really REALLY touched. You actually bothered and to think that someone came in and read the whole way through from beginning… THANK YOU! I really do hope you see this!

WildTotodile, Thief Master, and STEELIXLOVER: The three of you, supported me majorly for quite a bit I always so looked forward to all of your reviews. I was half flattered that'd I get three mostly faithful reviewers… You offered me BOTH praise and advice… Which I always loved. I dunno where you guys went but THANK YOU!

Warrior of Darkness: You came late… But you ALWAYS made me laugh upon reading you dialog and your reviews! Cheering me up was the one thing I could count on for you… Thank you so so so much! I was half shocked that someone would pick this 'fic up (when nobody did) and starting reading AND reviewing. It really gave me some kind of speedy motivation to write… Thank you!

Okay that done. Lol, this author's note is probably longer then the story… But I can't help it, too many people to thank.

Anyway, loose ends. Business. So originally Shadow was meant to die and the story would be completely straightforward and follow the prophecy completely. Then I realized it'd be boring like that and tried to make it less obvious that Shadow was the 'fated' one. Finally I scrapped the whole idea altogether and placed Koja in the hot spot. The was also the sudden theme towards the end that the gods weren't perfect and all that. Inspired by a one shot called 'Final Flame' I wrote. I might have a 'fic one day with that being a major theme… lol, maybe. Anyway, Shadow's age. Yeah… That one is a wee bit complicated and I know you really want that epilogue so it comes to this. I know. This story has a lot of screwed up ideas, could bes, would bes, bad plot, Mary Sues, overangst and no character. So, if your wondering about anything, ask in your review or PM me. I'd be more then willing to explain.

Next… Like I said, this story is screwed up. No doubt about it. I had a 're-edit' phase which took yonks because I suddenly realized the fic was looking really really bad. After that, I realized the damage had been done and tried to make it decent as much as I could. Now here comes the end. I'm not satisfied… but I'm willing to let it go. This… was my first ever story that was taken seriously. It was part of my lifestyle for 1-2 years (yep, onto the computer every night for at least a half hour to get something done). And I'm serious, writing everyday for a half hour really helps… My readers may see or not see the improvement. And yeah, this story has no bounds on its own improvement.

I actually can't really believe I got this far. In the beginning, I was just a little new author who had her head full of Pokemon, fantasy, legends Gods and decided to stuff it all into a piece of epic writing. Moonlight's Shadow is derived from the song Moonlight Shadow because I liked the angst and drama of it. I had no idea what plot was, what good characterization was, I had no idea of anything. I just read some 'fics thought I could do something like that and strummed away. This is why my plot has things that hasn't matched up, left you not wanting to read this, and why my characters don't have character… AND a lot of other things. I know practically everything is screwed up- major time… But now it's over and thank you AGAIN from coming here with me.

Lol, I'm getting there, I know it's just hard to believe it's finally over… I guess I can look back and see with some fondess that this is what got me started into serious writing… Kind of sad, like growing up, you know? I loved everything about doing it though, the reviews, the chapters… I HAVE looked forward to this day, (is it normal, getting emotional over something like this!?), since battling with bad plot and characters was tough… I'm definitely ready to go on to other things. While I love this 'fic and I'm extremely grateful to everyone who helped me in this, I have always wanted to finish this and start real writing. I'm not exactly sure if I'll ever go back to writing Pokemon again (the craze is gone) but you never know…

W00t, the final paragraph, thank you… everyone. Final lines… I have no inspirational words other then if you wanna write, write everyday and get something like this completed… It helps. But I guess thanks. For everything…

Anyway, you wanna see what happens now, right? So please, read the last chapter of Moonlight's Shadow and enjoy, as always.

Moonlight's Shadow Chapter 25:

Epilogue

Her pack had kept their proposal open- they wanted her back.

She was no longer a demon, a monster, a freak.

That role has oh so conveniently been transferred to someone else.

Someone who was now dead.

But even if she had longed for this for so long, for so many months, for so many years she had simply shook her head, smiled and refused. After that, Shadow never made contact with her old pack again. To the very present those in that pack and those who knew her thought this was an act of revenge, to turn the tables, to shun her old pack just like they had shunned her. But it wasn't. If anything, Shadow still sometimes struggled with urges to come back to the pack. Deep inside, if she even thought about rejoining, deathly images of Koja would flash through her mind, even one enough to convince her that she should be independent.

She did not blame anyone for his death for a large portion of her life had been brought up with prophecies and myths and legends. And she would never, even if she somehow could, take his place as a sacrifice. Sometimes it was that Shadow fought for life so much, that she couldn't give it up because she knew how precious it was, how she had fought to keep it at her Ceremony of Evolution, how she fought to live it through her childhood. Other times, it was because she knew it was because Koja had no more life in this world. He would never, even if he lived, go back to his pack, release himself of his exiled rank, change his ways… too much damage had been done to him. But even so, this did not stop the mourning… the grieving.

For a period of less than a year this Absol had made more impact on her then anyone else she'd ever known. He was her guardian, the Pokemon who would never let her get hurt, her kindred friend, her wisest mentor, an elder brother- things she'd always dreamed of. He fulfilled a role as a subtle foster parent, an aching gap that had been in her heart for many years. These things she took for granted for so, so long… until now when she finally came to love him and respect him… far too late.

The world had been shaken by that epic battle, and scars of war took time to heal. Koja was immediately made into a legend, a rebirth of Lord Koja, like the rise of a magnificent phoenix. The Absol's half decimated body was given a full ceremony of passing, most likely the biggest funeral that had been held. Shadow didn't cry at this ceremony. Only when everyone had gone and the night was deep did she start to weep. Shadow was repeated questioned what happened on that rocky mount, but she only gave fleeting details. She did not care to break the world's happiness again by telling them that Lord Koja had been the Dark Lord nor did she say anything out the truth he spoke.

The Dark Lord's followers faded back so easily that it seemed easy to forget that they ever existed. But Shadow knew, for if she passed one, made contact with one, they treated her with respect.

Pep grew up, as all innocent Pokemon must do sometime in their life. Pep, in particular, grew up during the days after Koja and Skye's death. She would never again want to use the name 'Pep' and stuck to Pepper, her original name. And with the loss of bliss innocence came the loss of other things as well… Pep was never full of trust of friendliness as she had been before… those traits somehow were lost forever. And while she was still a very loving and caring thing, Shadow and the rest that knew her, mourned for the lost of the old 'Pep'- for something had changed dreadfully.

Throughout her numerous travels through the world, Shadow stopped by to where Pep lived, every year or so. By these times, Pep had grown up and had a mate and both Pokemon would meet only on the night when the moon was full. Both sat together on some secluded hill, words being forgotten as the two Dark Types merely let past memories flicker through their mind. The two, out of the original group and ragtag cast were at last the only ones that kept in touch, albeit one night. As the years went the trips became less and less frequent, the yearly visit dropping to once in two years to once in three years till after the time between each visit becoming larger and larger until Shadow never came again.

Sami, Inferno, Ditto and Zan said their goodbyes to her and the rest a long time ago. And although Shadow never saw them again, she always knew, somehow, that there were well alive and traveling. Traveling, she always suspected through the various mountain ranges, hills and forests. They were wanderers, as was she. She hoped they were doing well.

It took Shadow awhile still, to accept the fact that she no longer was a monster, that her blue eyes were not some kind of infliction. And even then, the dark still frightened her on certain nights. She still kept to the light if she could. At least some things never changed from that time.

That time… the time where her life changed so dramatically so suddenly and so many things had happened… Shadow never forgot that. If anything, it seemed that her life had ended when the Dark Lord had been banished and the adventure had closed to an end. She never made contact with the Gods again. And even when they tried to contact her, she hid and refused any sort of communication. Perhaps she had had too much of them. Or perhaps maybe, the Umbreon understood at last the meaning of the Dark Lord's words, that her mind and heart finally decided to accept those painful truths. That Gods were not that much greater then the mortals themselves. That mortals could do Godly things. Like Koja.

Shadow didn't have some kind of spiritual connection with him after he passed on, or even has some kind of sense that he was there with her. She knew that he had known the Dark Lord's words… so heaven, the one controlled by Mew was not an option nor was hell. Where he went? Only she knew. But that first year after, the first year without him was definitely extremely lonely. But then, after wards, she knew she had the moon. Only few will understand it's significance, though, and it's link to Koja.

Through the rest of the life, it might have been nice to say that Shadow rose to worldwide fame and acquired far more power that she had ever imagined she would have. That she rose and conquered the Gods, that she let Koja be reborn again. That she could spread the message of the Dark Lord's as a climax of her life. But that is not the truth, sadly. Shadow never became one of Godlike strength, though, through the years she did steadily become a fearsome opponent to tangle to with. After the Dark Lord had been banished, the memory of that singular Umbreon began to dwindle away. Only certain members of the White Paw Pack remembered and even then, they forgot her name. They dubbed her Moonlight's Shadow, primarily Shadow because that's what they could remember. Shadow's real name was lost forever in the sands of time. But even so, they carried on her story by word of mouth through their pack, detailing the seven most important months of her life.

So Pokemon remembered this hazy legend, and even more, began to believe in it as Shadow made her existence known slowly, but surely. They began to believe that normal Pokemon could do Godly things, that they could do amazing things and have power. Shadow was a small proof of this. However she was only building the foundations.

Maybe one day… someone from a future generation would follow in her footsteps.

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As one gazes into the light cast by the moon at night

You might see a single thing, a single silhouette,

Following it's illumination into the distance.

She does not speak, she does not smile.

She has no pack, no tribe, no family.

She travels by night, sleeps during the day.

Her eyes an icy blue, her face set with the hardships she has faced.

Her past hold the memories that keep her alive.

Her present are the fleeting deeds she does to keep herself remembered.

Her future is full of years eternal, a blessing by the Gods.

Her fur is black, her ringlets golden.

She has no obligations, no acquaintances, no affiliates.

She needs none no more.

And she will remain that way

For as long as the wind blows and the moon shines.

Because she is Moonlight's Shadow.

Nothing greater

Nothing less,

Nothing more.

Because she is Moonlight's Shadow.