*kick*
Reimu was stirred awake by a stiff punt to her back. Her mind was still hazy, and she groaned lightly as her consciousness came back to her.
"Ya two lovebirds done cuddlin' yet?" Marisa teased. Reimu looked across and saw her hands were still across a snoozing Elio.
"EEEK!" Reimu yelped, blushing and jumping up which jolted Elio awake, while Marisa pointed and laughed at them like a hyena. Looking around, Reimu realized the witch wasn't the only one peeping on them, as a ring of people had gathered around them and watched them nap together. Aya was already waving a photo between her fingers and grinning, no doubt hoping to publish it in her paper, Guzma grinned like an idiot, even Gladion couldn't resist the urge to chuckle at their embarrassing predicament.
"I-it's not what it looks like!" Reimu stammered.
"Oh really?" Marisa sneered crossing her arms. "It's painfully obvious to anyone he's got a crush on you. Lillie told me all about it. Why else would he go out of his way to dance with you at a twist dance contest? Or come see you after you killed that ski slope and then saved ya from falling to your death? Heck, he even came with us on this crazy mission just 'cause he wanted to see you fight! And you think you're just a tough miko who doesn't need anyone in her life, but the way ya held onto him like that tells everyone that you-"
"That's quite enough," Reimu interrupted. Elio, for his part, smiled awkwardly at the crowd that had gathered around them.
Getting up from the ground and brushing the dust off of herself, Reimu realized they must have dozed off while trying to shield their eyes from the light blast. Maybe it was just because of how warm it was from the blast, or the body heat of Elio next to her...
Reimu blushed again, trying to get that ridiculous thought out of her head.
She decided to distract herself by looking at her surroundings… she was awestruck.
The sky was baby-blue, with small, puffy clouds scattered about, and the sun high above casting its glistening rays down onto the valley. Looking out past the torii, the valley opened right up, from the verdant fields and forests, to the rippling, shimmering waters of the Misty Lake, the yellow flowers on the Garden of the Sun blending together into a yellow mat, crowned by a snowcapped, glaciated Youkai Mountain towering above it all. Birds chirped, fairies frolicked and played, foxes, deer, even bears wandered about, and Crested Ibises soared in the winds. The breeze gently blew her hair, as she stood at the edge of the stone staircase, taking it all in.
"So beautiful…" she said.
Lillie, Hau, Marisa, Alice and a few others joined her at her side to enjoy the view with her. No longer was this fake Gensokyo a barren, dark wasteland. It was light and pure, a fresh spirit with clear air free of the miasma that had built up in the real Gensokyo from all the prejudices and fear that had accumulated over the centuries.
It was a fresh slate. One which Gensokyo's residents simultaneously wished to have, yet felt unworthy of deserving, fearing they would pollute it with their vices and emotions.
"So this is what Necrozma meant by giving this place light," Lillie remarked. "It's like it has a soul now…"
The three Ultras came out of the Shrine, and once they laid eyes upon the new land in which they found themselves, they were enthralled.
"Woooooow…" Ultra Alice said in awe, looking up at the snow capped mountain above them. "It's so pretty!"
A cool breeze blew under Ultra Marisa's dress as the warm rays of the sun radiated on her skin. The contrast prompted a shudder from her, before she smiled and looked up toward the shining beacon in the sky.
Ultra Reimu walked up to the real one, Naganadel floating just behind her. "So… this is the power Sunshine packed, huh?"
Reimu looked over at her double. "Looks like it," she smirked. "You have to admit, it was one hell of an explosion. She has a lot of power compared to your god, all because she had the support of everyone here."
Alice gasped when she realized, "...where is Sunshine?"
*CRASH*
Everyone jolted when a loud noise and strong force crashed down on the ground in front of the shrine, rattling the tiles and even knocking some people down. When they turned around, it was Stardust, back to normal and carrying a limp girl on its back. Its mighty roar shook the ground and the air, making people cover their ears.
"Sunshine!" Alice rushed up to Stardust, with Reimu and the others behind her, and the onlookers watching curiously. Stardust leaned slightly in order to let Sunshine down. The girl slid down its side, and Alice caught her and laid her down gently onto the ground. She was unconscious, but as Alice could tell, mercifully still alive.
Alice patted over her body, trying to get a rise from her. "Sunshine?" she said worriedly. Marisa also looked on with apprehension. "Don't give out on me, kiddo," she gritted. Everyone else looked on, hoping that the girl would come to.
Sunshine's fingers and toes twitched.
"Mmph." A soft groan came from her mouth. She shifted around some more, before her eyes fluttered open, where Alice's face was the first thing she saw.
"Hey… how are you feeling?" Alice asked softly, putting a hand on Sunshine. She didn't want to rush it, knowing she would likely be dazed from her exertion.
"...I… I feel okay." Slowly, she pushed herself up, then brushed herself off. She shook her head, then her arms. She was a little wobbly, so Alice helped steady her.
"You hungry at all?" Hau asked. He reached into his bag and got out an apple-cinnamon malasada out of it, before offering it to Sunshine. Sunshine took it and practically sucked it down, surprising everyone around her. Within moments, her shaking stopped, and for all intents and purposes she seemed absolutely no worse for wear from the intense experience.
Sunshine turned to Hau, and smiled while bowing, "thank you."
"No problem!" Hau chirped. "Good thing I always come prepared!"
"You know eating a lot of those things isn't healthy for a growing boy like you!" Lillie playfully scolded.
Hau rolled his eyes. "Yes, mom ." Everyone laughed.
Reimu smirked. "You know, Yukari might be right. You two do have an interesting relationship."
Lillie blushed. "I… I just try to make sure he's okay! He doesn't have a mother in his life, so I-" She stopped once she realized what she was saying. "Er… I didn't mean it like that! I just meant that-"
"MAHIA!"
Suddenly, a piercing shriek came from the sky above, as a large, elegant bat-like creature with golden rims and a night sky-like body swooped down near Stardust, blowing dust around as it flapped its wings upon reaching the ground.
The Beast who Calls the Moone, Nebby.
At first, everyone thought it was Necrozma again, but when they realized that Nebby was totally different, they backed down from trying to strike at it. Satori, in particular, identified it as the being Necrozma was possessing.
"...Nebby?" Lillie said, wide-eyed. Nebby reared back, and cried to the sky again.
Lillie rushed over, pushing Reimu aside and standing right in front of the graceful being before her.
"Thank goodness you're alright!" she exclaimed tearfully. "You had me worried sick!"
Nebby cried out again, causing Sunshine to turn her head.
"Nebby is trying to talk to you," she said.
Lillie, realizing Sunshine could read the minds of these beasts, was touched. She knew Pokemon could understand humans, but the reverse didn't usually happen other than just sensing what your companion was trying to say.
"Oh…" she smiled softly while blushing and crossing her hands. "...what does it say?"
Sunshine answered, "it's asking why you're wearing a weird shirt."
Lillie's expression practically read, wat . And after Sunshine revealed more of what Nebby thought and said, Lillie learned that Nebby had something of a loving jackass streak which was also the reason why it constantly tried to get out of the bag. It also revealed that after the initial possession, it spent a lot of time trying to get on Necrozma's nerves in hopes that Necrozma would give up and release it from its control, such as by bombarding it with "yo momma" jokes. This complete betrayal of how a legendary Pokemon was supposed to act was very jarring, to say the least.
Everyone thought this was very funny, of course. Reimu in particular asked Sunshine, "y'know, I wonder what my Pokemon think of me." And Sunshine just faced her, telling her, "Sasha loves you and thinks you're a strong trainer, but is still waiting for you to play spin-the-kitty with him."
... that was way too awkward for Reimu's brain to process, as the thought of trying to spin a large, muscular cat-man on the floor invaded her cranium and refused to leave. Turning around, she saw Sasha grinning at her and wagging his tail expectantly, causing her to blush even more.
"Nyaa~!" came a voice from the crowd. It was Orin. The kasha ran up to Sasha and started hugging him. "Satori-sama, I found a friend!" Sasha was highly confused, because he didn't even know this girl that was hugging him.
"I see you have," Satori chuckled, "and what a friend he is".
"I know…" Orin's voice soon went from sweet to sultry, as her tails wagged expectantly. "Y'know," she grinned lewdly, "I got this itch a couple days ago, and perhaps this big, strong man could help me deal with it…"
Sasha pushed her away while shaking his head.
Orin was shocked, but then tried to tease him, "what's wrong, big boy? Am I too human-looking for you? I can assume another form if you want~..."
Satori giggled again. "Oh it's not that. It's just that he's already faithful to another."
Orin's ears folded while Sasha started visibly freaking out. In the corner of his eye, Adele was smiling and laughing. Sasha shook his hands desperately trying to play it down, but even the idiots in the crowd could figure it out… except for Okuu, who wouldn't know what romance was if shown Twilight.
"Ohohoho," Reimu teased. "Guess humans aren't the only ones who can have crushes." The crowd went up in uproarious laughter while Sasha nearly tore himself apart trying to appear tough and hide his embarrassment. Even Hedwig could sense it, spinning her head all the way around and winking at him.
As the laughter quieted down, Reimu declared, "well, I guess all this is a lighthearted end to another incident, just like always."
"I know, right?" Marisa said elbowing Reimu. "We just never get a truly epic ending, it always just gets dumb in the end and we end up having tea."
Then, a thud. Then another. And another, followed by several smaller thuds.
Everyone looked around, and saw what was happening: it was Necrozma's various parts, blown apart by the blast and dropping to the ground just beyond the shrine. The last part to fall was a jagged piece resembling the head of the dragon form Sunshine took, except black and depowered. A faintly shimmering crystal could be seen within the head. The Tapu dropped down and carefully approached the various body parts, inspecting them and making sure Necrozma was completely inactive.
"Is that…" Hau said, pointing at it.
Reimu crossed her arms. "It would seem so. Necrozma got what was coming for it. Now it's just a bunch of pieces lying on the ground." She whipped out her gohei. "I reckon it will be easy to finish off in this state." She began to march over to the head, hoping to shatter the brain crystal and put an end to this menace once and for all… before a strange force stopped her in her tracks.
"Hm?" she wondered, trying to wiggle around. "Why can't I move?"
"Stop," said a voice. It was Sunshine's. Sunshine lowered her hand, releasing Reimu and motioning her to get back.
"What are you doing?" Reimu asked sternly.
Alice shouted, "Sunshine! It might still be dangerous! Get back!" But these words fell on deaf ears, as the girl made it clear she had business to take care of. Standing in front of the parts, she swept out her arms, and commanded, "clear the way." The Tapu, unsure what to do but sensing Sunshine was about to do something big, quietly backed away and watched her closely.
Sunshine started by holding her hands together as if she were praying, then closing her eyes to focus. A light wind kicked up underneath her as she began amassing a large amount of power. Everyone wondered what it was she was trying to do, whether that was destroying Necrozma or, for whatever reason, trying to revive it.
Moments later, lights came down from the sun, and it was immediately clear that this sun was unlike the sun that bore down on Gensokyo previously, being more like Alola's special sunlight. The rays shone on Necrozma's parts, producing seemingly no reaction at first, before slowly flickering to life. Pulses of dull, yellow light coursed along the surface of the prisms, increasing in frequency until the glow became persistent. As the process continued, the glow grew in intensity until the yellow light flash, changing color to a bright platinum blue.
"What's going on?" Reimu asked. "What is she doing?"
"Iunno," Marisa said back. "Obviously, she thinks she needs to do this, otherwise she wouldn't be doing it." Not sure what else to do, everybody just kept watching her.
Sunshine's focus intensified, and after a moment, the parts began to levitate, starting with the head. The parts floated in a haphazard jumble at first, before Sunshine started forming them into a more coherent alignment, very similar to how she looked as Ultra Necrozma.
Reimu saw this, then it hit her. "Oh, I get it," she said. "The dragon is its true form, and it looked like what it did before because it didn't have enough power to assume that form, so it either just threw itself together into a workable shape, or possessed something else to get one."
Once the parts were in place, Sunshine prepared one final burst, intensifying the rays and focusing them into a beam centered on Necrozma's chest plate. Lights bled out from it, and as they expanded the light shaped itself into appendages connecting its feet, head and limbs, before ultimately shaping wings and forming a tail. Once that was done, Sunshine opened her eyes, broke her pose and threw her arms out, releasing the power and blowing a fierce wind in all directions. Before her and everyone else, Necrozma, having now attained its full power.
After Sunshine released control, Necrozma staggered to the ground, putting one hand down trying to steady itself. Once it managed to recover, it slowly got back up and floated in the air, looking down at Sunshine, who in turn looked up at it.
Reimu was about to speak up, when a voice called out "wait!" Spinning around, Yukari pushed, shoved and shouldered her way through the crowd, rushing up to Necrozma with a look of worry on her face.
"What is the meaning of this?" Reimu demanded.
Yukari, still panting, looked at her and answered, "I will explain everything." She turned around to Necrozma. "Starlight… I thought you had died back then!"
"THE PHOTON GEYSER," it explained. "I FUSED WITH ITS POWER, AND THAT IS HOW I GAINED THIS FORM."
Reimu came up to Yukari with her Ultra counterpart walking alongside her. "Yukari," she asked, "this thing claims you were its mother back in the day. Is that true?"
Yukari shook her head. "Yes, it's true. All of it is quite true."
Reimu was shocked. Everyone was shocked. This was a secret that literally no one was privy to.
"Why did you not tell us?" Kasen asked crossing her arms.
Yukari looked down. "Because when it died, it shook me so hard, it was debilitating. I scrubbed everyone's memory of it not long after the Lunar War when it was killed by manipulating truth and lies, which is why you all don't remember it even though you were alive at the time."
Yuyuko came out of the crowd and accosted her. "So, it's passing is the true reason why you wouldn't agree to my plan to invade the moon again, which is why we fought?"
"Yes," Yukari admitted. "I didn't want to invade the moon again because it reminded me too much of when Starlight died, and I couldn't bear to tell you about. And that's why I attacked you; I couldn't control my raw emotions in that moment."
Yuyuko huffed while crossing her arms. "Well, I still can't bring myself to fully forgive you… but, I do understand you. Losing a child can affect you heavily. How do you think my family felt after I killed myself?"
Hau jolted. "Wait, what?"
"That's Yuyuko from the ghost story," Reimu reminded him. "She's the princess who killed herself because of her powers, so that means she's a ghost."
"...oh," he said. He felt compelled to try and touch her to verify this, but realized that would be inappropriate, so he just took her word for it.
"I can apologize as much as you want later," Yukari assured her. "Right now, I want to speak to speak to Starlight."
Yuyuko rolled her eyes. "Whatever," she said.
Yukari looked back at Starlight. "Well, I'm certainly glad you're still alive… but why? Why did you do all this, disrupt Gensokyo so much and causing all this collateral damage?"
"I WANTED TO PROTECT GENSOKYO," Starlight answered. "I LONG SENSED THE BORDER'S WEAKENING, DUE TO THE INCREASING BLEAKNESS AND LOSS OF FAITH ON THE OUTSIDE. IN DOING THIS, I HAVE ENSURED THAT THE HAKUREI BORDER WILL LAST FOREVER, POWERED BY ULTRA RADIATION SO THAT IT IS NOT SO RELIANT ON THE POWER OF FAITH ALONE. I ALSO WISH TO BRING LIGHT TO THIS WORLD, AND TO GUIDE IT OUT OF THE DARKNESS SO THAT CIVILIZATION CAN THRIVE, SO THAT LEGENDS CAN LIVE."
Yukari looked down, and conceded, "now that you mention it, I too have long had concerns about the border and how it could withstand the changing outside world. I didn't know how I would be able to fix it, and I hesitated to tell Reimu about it." She looked back up. "But this is a drastic action you have taken, and you put so much at risk in executing it."
"INDEED IT IS," Starlight replied. "I TRIED LESS DISRUPTIVE SOLUTIONS FIRST, BUT EACH ONE FAILED, BECAUSE ULTRA RADIATION IS STABLE ONLY IN THE PRESENCE OF A CREATION OF ULTRA SPACE. THAT IS WHY I REPLACED GENSOKYO WITH ONE OF MY OWN CREATION. I MOVED THE ORIGINAL GENSOKYO TO WHERE I DID BECAUSE FAITH IS STRONG THERE. NOT ONLY THAT, BUT I CARE ABOUT EVERYONE HERE LIKE IT WERE MY OWN FAMILY. I DESIGNED MY COPIES OF ALL OF YOU SO THAT THEY COULD LIVE HARMONIOUSLY WITHOUT CONFLICT, FEAR, BIGOTRY AND HATRED LIKE WHAT PLAGUED GENSOKYO BEFORE." As it finished, a few more "Ultra" copies of people came up the steps, and there were a few surprises: Ultra Kaguya and Mokou were holding hands like they were friends, both of them had darker skin than the originals, Ultra Kaguya had white hair instead of black and a blue-and-light blue dress, while Ultra Mokou had black hair and blue-and-black clothes. Ultra Sanae had yellow hair instead of green and a green skirt instead of blue, Ultra Kogasa had a blue umbrella and a purple color scheme, Ultra Utsuho had feathery white wings, white hair, a blue Yatagarasu eye and a robe with a tabard (and who also seemed far more intelligent and mature than her airheaded counterpart), and Ultra Cirno, instead of being an ice fairy, had green, wispy wings and power over wind, while Ultra Sanae justified her new color by raising her gohei up and shooting lighting, demonstrating power over electricity. Ultra Mokou, meanwhile, spun an ice crystal on her finger, revealing her to be the new ice user, while Ultra Kaguya similarly demonstrated fire powers with a blue flame on her fingertip.
Reimu eyeballed them all, and realized something they all had in common, besides their differing color schemes and appearances. Cannily, she asked Starlight, "you know, I wasn't going to ask about it, but seriously, what is it with you and breasts?"
Starlight declined to comment.
Reimu then turned to Ultra Mokou and Kaguya, asking them, "and you two, you seem all chummy over there, as if you weren't about to, say, rip each other limb from limb over the other's misdeeds."
The two looked at each other awkwardly for a moment, then Ultra Mokou (with a notably more "womanly" tone than regular Mokou used) asked "why would we do that ? We both live in the Bamboo forest, we play games, drink tea, and hang out!"
The originals grimaced for a moment, wondering why on Earth any copy of them should ever be different. But, it did make sense in a way: these two were directly creations of Starlight, and so wouldn't have the history between them that the originals did, and therefore, no reason to hate each other. In a rare moment of agreement, they silently decided not to spoil it.
Cirno floated up to Ultra Cirno, and shouted "heya! I hope that thing made you just as strong as me!"
But Ultra Cirno replied with disdain, "well, He certainly didn't make me as boorish and moronic as you seem to be." The idea of a mature, serious Cirno almost caused a BSOD in the minds of all those familiar with the ice fairy. It was as if Starlight was intentionally going for as far from the originals as possible while still keeping their basic concept. It was rather endearing in its own way, seeing an Okuu who, aside from hating being called that, was graceful, wise and serene if a bit self-righteous (she spoke in Futo's archaic dialect with something of a husky, Russian accent), a Kogasa with Sekibanki's personality and vice-versa, a Yuuka who acted like a hippie, or Flandre and Remilia having swapped positions with Flandre being the weaker, refined and mature(ish) one while Remilia was the immature child whose powers had to be kept under chains. Since they were also speaking Japanese, Sunshine cast a field allowing everyone to understand each other. It was an interesting experience for all the Alola natives.
Reimu naturally asked Starlight, "why did you make them all so different?"
Starlight replied, "NOTHING CAN EVER BE THE SAME TWICE, AS NOTHING CAN REPLACE THE ORIGINAL. THE WORLD CANNOT GROW WITHOUT CHANGE. YOU WOULDN'T GET THE SAME TYPE OF DOG TWICE, BECAUSE THE REPLACEMENT CANNOT COMPARE TO THE ORIGINAL. I HAVE DONE THE SAME HERE."
"Makes sense," Reimu admitted.
"ALLOW ME TO SHOW YOU ALL WHAT I MEAN." Starlight then produced a light ball which grew in intensity until it flashed. Slowly, it floated toward Junko, who was still standing off to the side. As the light faded, it revealed a bundle, which landed in her arms. Looking down, she unwrapped it just a little. A small hand poked out and reached for her. Then, the face of a baby girl, looking up at her with beautiful green eyes.
Junko's heart grew eleven sizes in that moment.
"NOTHING CAN REPLACE YOUR SON," Starlight explained. "BUT OLD LIFE GIVES WAY TO NEW LIFE. I HOPE YOU WILL TAKE THIS CHILD AS YOUR OWN AND RAISE HER INTO A STRONG, INDEPENDENT WOMAN."
Junko was in tears as Hecatia held her close and looked at the baby.
"She's beautiful," Junko smiled. Really, really smiled for the first time in a long time. "This is all I could have ever asked for." The crowd congratulated her with their aww's.
Yukari smiled. "So… this is what you wished for. A Gensokyo that could go on freely, forever, in peace without any of the things it required before in order to exist, such as human fear of youkai."
"THE POWER OF ULTRA RADIATION ENSURES THAT THIS GENSOKYO CAN GO ON WITHOUT FEARS AND SUPERSTITIONS," Starlight told her.
"You have a big heart, as always," Yukari said. "I'm glad to see you never really changed from that ...but then, what of the rest of us?"
"I WANTED TO CREATE A WORLD FREE OF FEAR AND PREJUDICE FOR THESE NEW RESIDENTS WHO NEVER KNEW IT BEFORE THEIR CREATION. AT THE SAME TIME, I WISHED TO GRANT NEW LIVES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU ALL. I SPENT A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME SEARCHING FOR A PLACE THAT COULD ALLOW YOUKAI TO CONTINUE TO EXIST. I FOUND THE PERFECT PLACE, A PLACE I HAD LONG AGO VISITED, IN ALOLA. THERE, IN THAT WORLD, THE YOUKAI COULD BE ACCEPTED. THEY MAY HAVE TO CAST ASIDE THEIR OLD FORMS, BUT IT WAS THE BEST OUTCOME FOR THEIR SAKES." It turned to face the Tapu. "I HAVE CREATED MUCH STRIFE, BOTH IN THE PAST AND NOW. BACK THEN, I WAS SCARED, AND MERELY TRYING TO DEFEND MYSELF. NOW, I AM TRYING TO DO THE BEST FOR MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY. I HOPE YOU WILL ACCEPT MY APOLOGY, AND I AGREE TO FIX ALL THE DAMAGE I HAVE CAUSED."
The Tapu approached it. And because of Sunshine's influence, for the first time, they spoke.
Tapu Koko spoke first. "Your casting the prince away caused the kingdoms to fall into disarray. But, given your history I could scarcely have done better in your position, and I applaud your efforts to make amends and right the wrongs you have left."
Next was Tapu Lele. "You have great power which you are now only learning how to use, and you have always intended it for good, even if your execution did not appear that way. I hope you continue to refine them and lead the world towards the light."
After that came Tapu Bulu. "You could not have chosen a better ally than Reimu. I daresay she is just as great as the prince before her, if not even better. She has potential which I hope continues to build and refine."
Tapu Fini spoke up, "you are very mature to state how nothing can be truly replaced. You cannot and should not bring back Prince Kamehameha. You can recover the damage you have done and mold someone who will fill his role, and you have succeeded in doing just that."
The last one to address Starlight was Tapu Mo'o, formerly the Great Dragon. Everyone expected him to have choice words for Starlight, considering what it did.
Tapu Mo'o crossed his arms. "I will be blunt: what you did was exceptionally foolish." He paused and looked down, then said, "but sometimes, you are only given foolish options. In those situations, where it is impossible to make an objectively right choice, what matters is how you decide to resolve the issue, and your willingness and ability to work outside of the box. I certainly did not think the Hakurei Border was an effective long-term answer to the crisis the youkai faced, but there were no alternatives at the time. I observed you as a worthy partner of Yukari who could assist in great crises; your sacrifice to defend Gensokyo so long ago was a truly commendable action. Had I known your intentions through your initially vague and menacing exterior, I may have even cooperated in your plans to ensure a smooth transition. But hindsight, as they say, is 20/20. I was a being of terrible power, and still am; I merely limit it out of respect for my new peers. But you possess even greater powers still, which allowed you to save Gensokyo in a most unorthodox way." He looked out toward the valley, and told him, "I hope you understand, in creating this new Gensokyo and its inhabitants, that you have assumed the role I once held."
Starlight nodded. "OF COURSE. THIS IS A LAND OF MY OWN CREATION, IT WOULD BE IRRESPONSIBLE OF ME NOT TO."
That was when Seiran, Ringo and Reisen came up to Starlight. "I heard you absorbed Chang'e's power," Reisen said. "That would also make you the new master of the moon rabbits."
Starlight thought for a moment, then responded, "YOU ARE CORRECT. I SHALL ALSO REPRESENT YOUR COMRADES AS BEST I CAN, AND GIVE THEM RENEWED HOPE AND RESOLVE." The rabbits agreed: with a new leader who was free and strong, maybe it could inspire their kin to achieve their long-held dream of gaining their independence from their Lunarian masters, a shining beacon of hope which they had before lacked and could rally around.
Alice asked the next question. "What about Sunshine?" she asked. "Why… why did you create her?"
Starlight answered, "AS I SAID BEFORE, I REQUIRED A BEING WITH THE POWER OF THE SUN IN ORDER TO BRING LIGHT TO THIS LAND. THAT COULD ONLY HAVE BEEN ANOTHER OF MY KIND USING SOLGALEO'S POWER. SOLGALEO EXUDES LIGHT FROM ITS SHINING MANE, AND THIS POWER COMBINED WITH SUNSHINE'S WOULD ALLOW THE REALIZATION OF THIS GOAL."
"Did Nebby and Stardust figure into this plan at all, or was it just a coincidence?" Lillie asked.
"THERE WAS NO COINCIDENCE. BOTH WERE COSMOGS I FOUND IN ULTRA SPACE WHICH I THEN RELEASED INTO THE POKEMON WORLD. AS A MATTER OF FACT, STARDUST IS DESCENDED FROM THE SAME PAIR THAT I WAS BORN FROM, WHILE NEBBY IS THE GRANDCHILD OF THE SOLGALEO AND LUNALA THAT HELPED BANISH ME FIVE HUNDRED YEARS AGO. I DID NOT HAVE THE POWER TO CAPTURE FULLY-GROWN BEINGS, AND FRESHLY EVOLVED SPECIMENS HAVE MORE ENERGY THAN OLDER ONES. I KNEW THEY WOULD EVENTUALLY EVOLVE IN ALOLA'S LIGHT."
"Then why did you possess Nebby?" Lillie sternly pressed.
"YOUR MOTHER USING NEBBY WAS NOT PART OF MY PLAN, AND IN FACT JEOPARDIZED IT AS NEBBY WOULD LIKELY HAVE PERISHED, RELEASING ULTRA BEASTS INTO ALOLA AND ENDANGERING THOUSANDS. TO PROTECT NEBBY AS WELL AS ALL OF YOU, I HAD TO STEP IN AND POUR CHANG'E'S ENERGY INTO IT BEFORE BINDING WITH IT. THIS ALSO GAVE ME THE ENERGY NEEDED TO TRANSPORT GENSOKYO TO ALOLA MUCH EARLIER THAN I HAD PLANNED." Starlight paused. "THAT SAID, SHE DID CAUSE ONE WORMHOLE TO OPEN BEFORE I ARRIVED."
Marisa thought for a moment, before she realized, "so… mom actually did succeed in getting at least me back. What a lucky chance." She turned to Okina, who was standing nearby. "This thing claims that you're the reason I'm here."
"...so it told you," Okina replied glumly.
"You knew?" Marisa harshly said.
Okina took a moment to respond. "When I used my power to assert my presence, I felt something was very off, like I opened a door on the back of a tremendously powerful being posing as a weak youkai. And as it turns out, that's exactly what happened. I… putting the pieces together after so long, I realize now I am directly responsible for the 'Delta Cascade' the professors spoke of." She looked up at the three Kirisame siblings. "I am deeply sorry for splitting your family apart. I was the one who overloaded Starlight, so your blame lies with me, not with it."
Marisa replied, "...eh, you couldn't have known. If Starlight was good enough at hiding itself that even the three sages never noticed it was there, I can't totally blame you."
"It still sounds like what you did was selfish," Gladion scolded. "You of all people should know about unintended consequences."
"...yes, yes I should have," Okina conceded. "I had been in hiding for quite some time and merely desired to 'make a splash' if you will." She held out her arms. "I will accept any punishment you suggest. I feel it is only fair that-"
Suddenly, Marisa was dressed in the dancer outfit Lillie had previously been wearing.
Okina's mind went blank for a moment before she fell over with blood gushing out her nose, with a dumb smile painted across her face.
"Master!" Satano and Mai rushed over to her aid, her face pale and frozen in joy.
Both Sakuya and Marisa snickered.
"Sakuya, you're a sly bastard," Marisa said.
Sakuya grinned triumphantly. "Well, being a maid does get boring, and stopping time is useful for eavesdropping on all the hot gossip."
"Ah, so you're not as refined as you make yourself out to be!" Marisa snided.
"I am refined," Sakuya primly countered, "but you will agree that you must 'let your hair down' every once in a while."
"Yeah, but that sounds like something Aya would do," Marisa elbowed. "If I were you, I'd you'd use your powers to be an awesome thief!"
Sakuya lightly smiled. "Well now, how do you know I don't? After all, I keep a track of all the books you steal and make sure you're missing an equivalent number of drawers."
Marisa's face reddened. "...so THAT'S where they keep goin'!" She shook Sakuya repeatedly in rage, with Sakuya's only reaction being the smug look on her face.
I hope she doesn't do that to me, thought literally every girl and woman from Alola, who realized they had a super panty-thief on their hands.
" Getting back on topic, " Alice said rolling her eyes, "what are your plans for Sunshine now that she's finished the job you created her for?"
"SHE'S ALL YOURS," said Starlight.
Alice's eyes widened. "R-really? What do you mean?"
"YOU ARE HER MOTHER, AFTER ALL. IT WOULD BE WRONG TO SEPARATE HER FROM YOU. I WANT HER TO BRING LIGHT TO THAT WORLD THE SAME AS I PLAN TO DO. PLEASE DO RAISE HER INTO A CAPABLE WOMAN."
Marisa stepped up and asked, "so does that you're gonna pay child support? Ya know, since you're the dad?"
Starlight was silent.
"I'm kidding," Marisa grinned. Then suddenly a light ball formed, which turned into a massive gold brick and crashed in front of the magicians, spooking them.
"I HOPE THIS IS SUFFICIENT COMPENSATION," Starlight asked, with just a tinge of playfulness. The glistening block of greed caused Marisa's mouth and eyes to water, as she reached out for it lustfully.
"That is for Sunshine," Alice scolded grabbing Marisa's collar.
"Aww," Marisa groaned. Some people in the crowd chuckled.
Finally, Reimu spoke up again. "Well… now I understand everything," she said. "Your past, how you saved the border, and how and why you wanted to give us all better lives… I'm sorry for judging you."
"YOU HAD EVERY RIGHT TO JUDGE," Starlight said. "I HAVE CAUSED MUCH DISRUPTION AND COLLATERAL DAMAGE."
"That's an understatement," Reimu snided. "But I'm glad you understand the effect of your actions."
Starlight approached her a little bit more closely, and looked down at her. "THAT IS WHY I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER A CHOICE, ONE THAT IS YOURS AND YOURS ALONE TO MAKE."
Reimu spun her foot on the ground. "What is your offer?" she asked.
"SHOULD YOU CHOOSE, I CAN HAVE EVERY COPY I HAVE CREATED IN THIS REALM GO TO ALOLA AND LIVE OUT THEIR LIVES THERE, WHILE THOSE FROM THIS REALM CAN COME INHABIT THIS NEW GENSOKYO. I UNDERSTAND I HAVE BROUGHT MUCH CHAOS TO YOUR LIVES, AND NOT ALL OF YOU ARE WILLING TO MAKE THE CHANGE. THIS WAY, YOU CAN CONTINUE YOUR LIVES AS YOU ALWAYS HAVE, BEFORE THIS ALL STARTED. YOU WILL STILL BE ABLE TO ENJOY A BARRIER WHICH SHALL NEVER FADE AWAY AND BE PROTECTED FROM THE INFLUENCE OF THE OUTSIDE FOR ETERNITY." It paused, then continued, "OR YOU CAN CHOOSE TO STAY IN ALOLA. I OFFER THIS CHOICE TO YOU, THE SHRINE MAIDEN, AS THE ONE WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR GENSOKYO'S ORDER AND PEACE."
Reimu took her time considering this choice. On one hand, getting things back to normal was what she had set out to do from the incident's first day. And Starlight had a point: not everyone wished to live in Alola, where they would have to conform to that society's expectations and way of life, not least of which the unabashed human-eating and scaring youkai who would be forced to give that up if made to live in the Pokemon World. This way, she could resume her duty of the shrine maiden, and she could rest easy knowing that Gensokyo would have peaceful times ahead of it without danger of the Hakurei Border collapsing.
...but then she thought about Yukari's words, how people in that world were willing to accept the youkai for their quirks, how faith was strong there, how that world had light and promise. How the youkai could become even more powerful there as a result. Youkai didn't necessarily need to physically eat humans, just live off their emotions, so they could learn to adapt. She also thought about all the humans in the village, who lived mostly confined there their whole lives in fear of the monsters outside the town walls. They deserved a better life in a wider world, she reckoned. If nothing else, they deserved freedom from oppression that the youkai posed.
And then she looked around at all the Alola natives, all the friends she made, from Hau and Lillie, Gladion and Elio, to the trial captains and kahunas, the professors, even Team Skull, looking at her anxiously awaiting her answer. She had made such a huge, positive splash on their world: a master trainer, surfer, racer, skier… an inspirational image, a celebrity, a role model to so many. She thought about how many people would be devastated by her departure. There was also the fact that Marisa was finally reunited with her family and would likely want to stay there, even if Reimu accepted Starlight's offer. That girl was such an inspiration to her, even if she was stubborn and a character, Reimu just couldn't imagine life without her.
Plus, there was something about Elio…
"I appreciate your offer," Reimu said. "It would have been careless and irresponsible of you not to make it, after all you've done." She took a deep breath, then stood tall. "But I'm going to have to turn it down."
There was a gasp in the crowd, as the weight of Reimu's declaration hit them so suddenly. People chatted and whispered to the person next to them. Reimu and everyone else, all of them, were really going to stay?!
"I've come a long way and grown so much in a short time," Reimu said. "And I've had experiences unlike anything in my life before. That world has so many opportunities, it would be selfish of me to deny that to anyone."
Starlight was silent. For a moment, nobody spoke, still shocked by what Reimu had said.
"I KNEW YOU WOULD WISH TO STAY," Starlight replied. "I KNEW THAT, AFTER THE EXPERIENCES YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH THAT YOUR HEART WOULD WANT TO REMAIN IN ALOLA WITH YOUR FRIENDS FOR ALL TIME."
"Yeah…" Reimu did think about the weight of the words she just said. A major decision like that was difficult to make in a pinch, especially when hers wasn't the only life it would alter. Even so, she just knew in her gut that it was the right thing to do.
All eyes trained on her, Gensokyo's representative. These were people whom she had battled while solving incidents who were impressed by her sociality, her tenacity, and her nonchalance in the face of danger. Which was why they had all come here, right now, in a time of need. The fact that Yukari was able to rally all of them was proof that, for all her playfulness, manipulation and tendency to confuse her with riddles that the old girl still had her back, no matter what.
As for the Alola crowd, she could tell not a single one was unhappy with her choice. The way Hau's eyes lit up, how the professor crossed his arms and smirked, Team Skull doing their stupid dance poses (which it seemed Cirno had decided to join in), but most of all Lillie, who just stood there and smiled. And why not? Reimu had essentially given her life and her family back. And the way Gladion and Marisa both stood on either side of her, holding each other's shoulders and also smiling?
And then Sasha came up behind her and gave her a squeeze. Just recently, he was a tiny little Litten, yet thanks to her he was all big and strong and even had a girlfriend as well as girls trying to hit on him.
Reimu gave the most beautiful smile anyone had ever seen from her.
Yukari faced Starlight again. "You did good," she told it. "There were… bumps in the road, yes, and trials ahead to be sure, but you never once abandoned your love for Gensokyo."
"THANK YOU, MOM," Starlight said.
"Now, you know you're in charge of keeping the world together now," Yukari said waving a finger. "You're the master of Moon and Earth, so you have to hold those things together. That means no opening up Ultra Wormholes willy-nilly, impersonating comets to get people riled up, committing tax fraud…"
"MOM."
The crowd laughed once again, as this god with near infinite power was being scolded by Yukari like a little kid being told when their bedtime was. But it was also endearing, to see two ancient beings, mother and adoptive child, who had shaped Gensokyo into what it was finally be reunited. It made Ran and Chen, who were still in their Pokemon forms, feel more like the pets/servants that they were instead of really part of the family. Ran, at least, did not mind, as she had long sensed that there was one that came before that Yukari would not talk about, and here they were.
"Now be good now," she told Starlight. "The world is in your hands now."
"I WILL," Starlight answered. It turned to Sunshine. "I WILL MAKE SURE TO VISIT YOU REGULARLY TO ENSURE YOU ARE GROWING WELL. I EXPECT YOU TO COME VISIT ME ONCE YOUR POWERS IMPROVE."
Sunshine clenched her fist and nodded. "I will… dad." Alice couldn't help but tear up.
Starlight then levitated up into the air, looking up at the sky.
"Where are you going?" Yukari asked it.
"TO BRING LIGHT TO THE WORLD," it said. "THE WORLD IS FULL OF DARKNESS AND FILTH. I SEEK TO REVERSE THAT. AND I WISH SUNSHINE SHALL DO THE SAME." It bellowed a piercing metallic roar, before shooting up into the sky, soaring through the air on wings of light, before speeding into the horizon, disappearing as a twinkle in the sky.
Yukari looked at the sky longingly in disbelief, before collapsing on her knees, absolutely bawling. Others quickly came to her side to try and console her, including her servants who fluffed up her leg.
"Yukari-san?!" Kasen exclaimed.
"Yukari?!" Reimu said, holding Yukari's shoulder. "Are you alright?"
Yukari managed to collect herself just long enough to get out, "Starlight's grown so much!" She buried her face in Reimu's chest. Reimu wasn't sure what to think. This was completely unlike the trollish, playful trickster that she knew. Giving her reassurances and comfort was… not something Reimu was used to doing.
"Geez… are you okay?" she asked, slightly annoyed.
Yukari backed off and looked up at her. "I'm… I'm fine. I'm just… so… I still can't believe it…" She looked off to where Starlight had flown off.
Reimu smiled. "I guess this is how mothers feel when their little angels grow up and go on to do big things. Except in this case the 'little angel' is essentially God."
Hala and the other kahunas walked up to them looking up at the sky. "You know, I never thought ol' Hala would live to see the legend come full circle," the old man said. "Nor see it unfold in this manner…"
"It seems as if this whole saga was the result of a series of coincidences," Kasen added. "Had any one thing never occurred, this historic moment would never have happened."
"Fate can take interesting turns," Remilia said to them. "One small incident sets off a series of events, some branching from others, that have great consequences in the end. A lost girl and a hunted child, both in the wrong place at the right time, and brought together here in this land on this world. A vastly improbable occurrence made possible by the strings of fate, one which made the events that followed - the creation of the youkai, the prevention of Gensokyo's destruction at the hands of the Lunarians, the legends of your world, the anointing of the first Hakurei maiden, and now all this - possible. These strings are the only things uniting this realm and the other, against all odds."
"Strings of fate…" Professor Kukui wondered. "...ah, so just like this Destiny Knot!" he said pulling out a red ball of yarn.
"...that is a childish comparison, but yes," Remilia sighed.
Kukui looked down and saw that Ran was looking up at him wagging her tails, fixated on the yarn, so he threw it, causing her to run and catch it with her mouth. It gave Yukari a chuckle watching her servant, an old and powerful kitsune, playing fetch just like any normal dog, before she turned back to the crowd ignoring her. After catching it, Ran looked around, and saw Gladion's Zoroark nervously shuffling around trying to avoid the crowd, when he looked over and noticed her.
The Destiny Knot produces strange effects on Pokemon that make them a little more… amorous than normal, an effect which combined with Ran's forceful personality, causing her eyes to light up with absolute desire and her tails to twitch around. Zoroark began to sweat, looking around trying to find an out to escape the lustful, overpowering vixen behind him, only to turn around and yelp before being tackled by her like a runaway freight train.
The scene was still full of people chattering among themselves about what the future had in store for them, now that Reimu had made her decision. How could they integrate into this world they had been thrown into just a few days ago and didn't even really know? Not to mention all the villagers still back on the island who had yet to hear this news? As low an opinion as many of the youkai had of humans, they still understood that being surrounded by serious people in suits whom they didn't know as opposed to fearsome monsters which they did had to be very stressful, combined with the shock of Pokemon being all around them, the modern world invading their traditional lives and being thrusted into an alien culture with different values and customs from their own.
"Err," Sekibanki asked Reimu, "are you sure this is a good idea? Won't the humans there get like, spooked by all of us?"
"I don't think you're spooky," Mallow chirped walking over to the rokurobubi. "I mean, just because your head pops off doesn't make you a monster. There's several Pokemon out there with that ability." At that moment, she removed Sekibanki's head and tossed it in the air… before it split into ten heads, circling around her.
"But what about… when I do this?" she dared.
"Then I just need an energy shot before I deal with the threat!" Mallow pulled out more of her hot sauce and drank it straight from the bottle.
All the heads dissipated while the original returned to Sekibanki's shoulders. "...I ain't messin' with that!" She said in disgust, prompting more laughs.
Once the laughs died down, Reimu explained to everyone, "as you might have noticed, and I certainly did, Pokemon world people aren't anywhere near as put off by strangeness as humans from our world are. Strangeness happens around them daily, and they just live with it. Actually, all that strangeness is central to their culture, and they wouldn't have it any other way."
"Yes, but youkai feed of human's fears and negative emotions," Mamizou countered. "Wouldn't we all eventually disappear if left in that world?"
"...I don't think so," Reimu replied. "If anything, these humans and everyone else will actually accept and admire all your quirks, since you're a lot like the Pokemon they're used to. In fact, they used to regard Pokemon in almost the same way before they learned to live with and alongside them. They're far more open-minded than humans in this world. Because of that, all the youkai will be given a new lease on life, outside the confines of this barrier keeping the deadly lack of faith out and free to roam a whole new world… as long as you don't eat humans, of course," she said wagging a finger.
Yukari turned to face her, smiling. "I doubt that will be a problem. The entire reason youkai prey on and eat humans is because they're like wild animals, acting on instinct. It's the ultimate conclusion of them eating human emotions, is eating their bodies. If they have no reason to do that in a world where humans appreciate rather than fear them, I don't imagine any of them other than low-power diehards would be unhappy to give that up for all the freedoms they would gain. Besides, my servants have demonstrated that youkai can shift into Pokemon, so they can live like that if they choose." She turned to face her servants, but only Chen was still with her dutifully. Meanwhile, Ran was off to one side, smug and smoking a cigarette with two spotted eggs in front of her, while Zoroark was embedded within a three-meter-deep Zoroark-shaped hole in the rocky hillside.
…
"I think I'll have to discipline someone later," Yukari said in an annoyed tone. "I forget how vigorous she can be around men." All Gladion could do was toss a Full Restore at Zoroark before recalling him, trying to avoid eye contact with the sage while some people stared wide-eyed.
". ..anyway ," Reimu awkwardly said trying to get back to the topic at hand, "you all get my point, right?"
The people in the crowd just shook their heads.
"Excellent," she chirped clapping her hands. "I knew you'd all consider it the right thing to do."
Hecatia looked at her watch. "Eh, if I'm no longer needed, I have a meeting with Thanatos here in about an hour that I gotta get ready for."
"You're dismissed," Reimu said. "I'm not really interested in punishing anyone right now." Marisa snickered, oh how some things don't change.
"My thanks. Junko, wanna come with?"
"Yes, of course." The new mother followed Hecatia down the path, when Hecatia suddenly felt a tug. Looking around, it was Clownpiece.
"Master," she asked, wide-eyed. "I don't wanna be away from you!"
Hecatia smiled. "Clownpi-chan, you're a big girl now, and I'm sure you can take care of yourself in that new world." She snapped her fingers. "I hereby release you from my control." A soft glow resonated around the fairy, signifying she was now free.
A tearful Clownpiece hugged her master, who hugged and patted her back.
"Even if I'm not there to guide you, I'm sure that shrine maiden will help you along, every step of the way."
"I… I won't let you down, master!" Clownpiece said tearfully.
Hecatia wiped a tear off her own face. "I know… you're the best fairy I've ever had." And with that, her, Junko and the baby disappeared into the wind.
A silent Clownpiece turned back to the crowd, whose eyes were now squarely focused on Nebby. Nebby cried out once more, this time seemingly directed at Sunshine.
"What's it saying now?" Lillie asked.
Sunshine didn't immediately respond, before walking up to Nebby. "Nebby says it wants to be at my side from now on."
Lillie's curiosity was piqued. "Oh?"
"Nebby wants to see me develop my power. It wants to be there to help me realize my full potential, to make sure I can be a strong guardian for all." She clenched a Pokeball. "But first, it wants to test me. Test the bond between me and my Pokemon to best it in battle."
The Kahunas were impressed. Never before had they seen a battle between a trainer and the legendary Lunala, and now here it was happening in front of them. The Tapu were similarly impressed, wanting to see the strength of both Nebby and Sunshine.
Everyone shuffled aside as the battle commenced. Sunshine threw out a single Pokeball, out of which came a Pokemon freshly evolved from the previous conflict with Starlight: the four-legged, serious-eyed supercomputer heavyweight known as Metagross, who stared down Nebby. Then, Sunshine put her hands together, collecting a huge amount of energy which swirled around her before releasing it all into Metagross, around whom a diamond matrix manifested before shattering and revealing a powered-up, floating being with huge claws - Mega Metagross, whose thoughts and actions became one with Sunshine's, and whose moves she could directly control. Everyone was astounded, how this girl could manage a mega-evolution without a keystone, and whose Pokemon likely displayed a titanic amount of power.
Nebby didn't waste time opening with Moongeist Beam, but Sunshine could easily counter this by combining Metagross's Meteor Mash with her own Dragon Pulse, allowing it to fly up and dispel the beam with its fist. It then let loose with Zen Headbutt - not to do any real damage, since Nebby of course resisted the attack, but rather to break the shadowy aura Nebby generated around itself that acted as an armor, and cause Nebby to flinch to create an opening, in which it used Hone Claws to make its claws deadlier and more accurate. Meanwhile, Nebby sought to harden its delicate wings with Cosmic Power to absorb Metagross's blows.
In addition to its powerful physical moves, Sunshine could also channel her own techniques through Metagross, although this required concentration and a moment of latency that left Metagross open to attack, meaning it could only be used whenever Nebby flinched. So Sunshine and Metagross developed a strategy, where it would use Zen Headbutt to fish for flinches, attack with Meteor Mash or Thunder Punch (its other move), then when Nebby was down unleash Dragon Pulse. Metagross danced around Nebby for a bit to figure out its other moves (Psychic and Moonblast) and once they established that Moongeist beam was its only real threatening attack they got down to business, and since Moongeist Beam had some charge time they could use that to maneuver if needed.
Metagross rushed Nebby in order to force it to fight fast and prevent it from using Cosmic Power or Moongeist Beam, instead forcing it to rely on its less powerful Moonblast and even softer-hitting Psychic, which Metagross was able to tank while delivering its punching blows with its four fists. As the fierce fight continued, everyone stood in awe of Sunshine's battling abilities, how she was able to channel her will through that of such a proud and powerful Pokemon as Metagross, enabling her to come toe-to-toe with one of the legends of Alola.
Eventually, after a long battle, Metagross and Nebby both were low on energy from taking repeated blows. Nebby tried one last attack to try and finish Metagross off, but at that moment, out of Nebby's notice, Sunshine produced a quite rare and valuable Pokeball, known as the Moon Ball. Curving the pitch, she spun around and tossed it right at Nebby, who noticed it and smacked it back with its wing, only for the ball to stop in midair, spin up and down in a sort of wheel, and lunge straight at the legendary moon bat, sucking it in and dropping to the ground. At this point, it was a matter of the capture sticking.
*rustle*
The audience looked on with anticipation.
*rustle*
Their breathing shallowed and their fists tightened.
*rustle*
Would history be made, the Kahunas wondered?
…
*CLICK*
All was silent, as Sunshine walked over to the Moon Ball, picked it up, spun it on her finger, then released Nebby from it, who let out a high-pitched cry upon doing so.
These avatars of Sunne and Moone, Solgaleo and Lunala, arbiters of day and night, were now in the hands of two of the strongest people to have tread across Alola's isles, both of them outsiders. A rare and momentous occasion witnessed by over one-hundred strong and capable fighters in their own right. Together, these two had confronted Necrozma and made peace with it, securing a future for many generations to come.
It was a moment worthy of a round of applause, which the two were given as they stood side-by-side. Joining them, Alice and Marisa, Lillie, Hau, and Elio, Gladion and Selene, the three starter Pokemon, Zygarde, Nebby and Stardust. A group brought together by circumstance who faced trials and tribulations to do the impossible. Just a couple of weeks prior, they were going about their normal lives, not knowing of the vast change that they would soon bring upon the two worlds from which they hailed.
As the clapping faded, Ultra Reimu came up to Reimu. "You're all pretty good," she said. "I wish I could be as skilled as you."
"Oh, no need to be jealous," Reimu answered, "like I said, you're every bit as good as me, if you can face the sages without trouble."
"Yeah," Ultra Reimu said, "when Necrozma's powering me up and I can summon a bunch of powerful Pokemon to fight for me." She kicked her foot a bit. "No, I want to be as powerful as you on your own, without needing to rely on all that."
Reimu shook her head. "I appreciate the thought, but the fact is, I've never fought on my own either."
Ultra Reimu looked up. "Come again?"
Reimu swept her hand around to all the people around them. "Look at all these friends and allies I've made. That's where my real strength lies. Sure, I may be able to fly, seal youkai and create barriers, but it doesn't matter how strong you are, because there is always something stronger. But if you can make friends and band with them, combine your powers, then you can pull off some really incredible things and share the glory together. The enemy wants to make you think you're alone. That's how they win. But you're never alone. Stick with your peers, and you'll always come out on top." She tilted her head. "You fight alongside Naganadel, right?"
Ultra Reimu looked to her right, where Naganadel was floating off to her side. She thought about her companion, back to the day she was given it, and how they trained and fought together. Just as much as Naganadel gave her an advantage in battle, it was her who had the patience and skill to raise it into a strong dragon to begin with, something it may very well have never managed to do on its own, showing Ultra Reimu that the connection went both ways. And she thought about her fellow "Ultras" gracing their presence, and how worthwhile it would be to get each other on the same side, sooner rather than later.
"I see," Ultra Reimu cheekily said.
"All I'm trying to say is, don't let power get to your head," Reimu told her double. "I didn't really realize this myself until recently, because I'm so good at naturally attracting people that I don't think about it, but you can't truly be at your strongest without fighting alongside someone. Even without all the friends I made, I still worked with the kami of my shrine, who lent me their powers and whose will I carried out."
Ultra Reimu then looked at her shrine, before looking back at Reimu. "Erm, you mention the kami of your shrine…"
"...something the matter?" Reimu asked her.
"...well, my shrine doesn't actually have a kami," she explained. "I've been given Necrozma's powers up until this point, but now that it's not here all the time I don't have anything whose power I can channel, nor something I can have to be worshipped."
Reimu rubbed her chin looking up. "Hum. Well, that's a problem. Without a kami, you can't use your powers to the fullest." She thought about how they could fix this problem. Perhaps one of the more "god-like" Ultras could be annointed to the shrine?
Then, she got a brainwave.
"Lillie," Reimu asked, "you said that Cosmog is the child of a Solgaleo and a Lunala, right?"
"Uh-huh?" she replied. "What are you thinking?"
Reimu smirked. Turning now to Sunshine, she asked the girl, "Sunshine, do you think you could talk these two into, erm, making a Cosmog for us?"
Sunshine took a moment to process this, not fully understanding what Reimu meant, before answering, "I can try." She closed her eyes, turning to Nebby and Stardust, seemingly communicating with them. After a few moments, the two beasts faced each other, let out their respective cries, and began sending out light from their bodies which converged into a small sphere. Sunshine assisted by drawing upon the power of Ultra Radiation - for the first time - and injecting it into the sphere, which burst into light and sparkles.
And from the light, came forth a bouncing, smiling baby Cosmog.
"Pew!"
It was a surreal sight to all, seeing these two legends combine their power to create new life, a new generation to carry on their legacy. Even the Tapu had never seen this happen before in their eons-long lives. Certainly, it was considered a great honor to witness the birth of a new legend.
Reimu gently picked up the little puffball and presented it to Ultra Reimu. "You'll take this baby god, won't you?" She asked.
"Wha… what is this, all of a sudden?" Ultra Reimu stammered.
"A kami, of course," Reimu smiled. "It might be a newborn now, but I'm sure you can raise it into a big, strong god worthy of being the patron of the shrine which holds up the barrier." Reimu kept holding out the Cosmog, who looked upon Ultra Reimu with a look of wonder and longing.
Reaching a shaking, nervous hand out, Ultra Reimu felt the little ball of stardust, before grasping it with both hands, and holding it in front of her.
"...Pew!" It shook around happily at its new mom. Ultra Reimu could practically feel her heart inflate.
Ultra Reimu looked the original in the eye. "Thank you. I will do my best."
"And I'm sure you will," Reimu replied. "You will be carrying the job I once had, after all." It sounded a little weird saying that, not just for Reimu herself but to everyone else that her duty as the border maiden had concluded, but it was a choice Reimu was willing to make for the greater good… and honestly, this is what her ancestors would have wanted.
Reimu turned to Sunshine. "Sunshine," she said simply, "take us home."
Sunshine nodded, then intensely focused on the space in front of her. It took some time to actually form the distortion, but soon the all-too-familiar buzzing sound resonated across the shrine grounds, before the distortion burst open into a sizable Ultra Wormhole capable of fitting everyone who had come here through it. Alice still couldn't believe it, that one of her creations had achieved not only sentience, but also godhood.
The first person to go through the wormhole was Sanae, who was nerding out like crazy. "I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!" she exclaimed. "IT'S A MIRACLE I TELL YOU! I'M ACTUALLY GONNA LIVE IN POKEMON!"
Kukui asked Reimu in an aside, "is our world really a game outside this barrier?"
"I guess," Reimu shrugged. "I once listened to her going on at length about Pikachu long before I actually saw one."
More Gensokyo residents crowded through the wormhole, anxious to get back to their new lives, before Alola residents began mixing themselves into the line of bodies making their way through, while most of the Ultra copies dismissed themselves back to their homes. Kukui helped Reimu direct traffic, making sure no one accidentally ran over others (which almost happened when some Team Skull grunts shoved Wriggle aside), until the only ones left were the main players themselves.
"I'm going to go back home," Gladion declared. "...do you want to come with me?" he asked his sisters.
"Only if Alice 'n Sunshine come with," Marisa said. Lillie, for her part, was eager to discard her ridiculous getup, and so swiftly accepted. Alice swung back around with the Black Arwing (which Yukari had fetched for her) and offered Lillie a ride to get back to Aether Paradise that much faster, to which Lillie agreed. The two sped through the wormhole, with the others not far behind.
Elio then turned to Selene. "We should probably head home," he told her. "I'm sure mom's worried."
Selene looked at Hau. "You live just up from us. Would you like for us to take you home?"
"Hohoho!" came a big belly laugh. "Surely you don't think ol' Hala can't get his grandson home, do you?"
"Oh," Selene blushed. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Hala. I didn't realize you were still here."
"Oh, no problem," the old man told her. "But thanks for offering." So he, a smiling Hau, the other Kahunas and Zinnia all left, with Elio and Selene following behind them. The Tapu soon followed suit, with Tapu Mo'o taking a moment to get one last look at the world it would leave behind before doing so.
That left just the sages, Reimu, as well as Ultra Reimu, Marisa and Alice in front of the shrine. Before leaving, Yukari went up to Reimu to tell her something.
"Reimu," she said simply. "I have watched over the Hakurei line for countless generations, and never once has one single shrine maiden impressed upon me as you have. Your ancestors have all taken down both humans and demons which threatened to disrupt the balance of power in Gensokyo, and many lost their lives doing so. Not only are you the youngest ever shrine maiden to assume that role, but you managed to stand up to a threat of interdimentional proportions to safeguard what you love."
"Oh please," Reimu sneered sarcastically, "are you trying to ravish me so you can ask me out or something? Sure, it was a big-ass and weird-ass incident that was thousands of years in the making, but at the end of the day I was only interested in doing my job, come hell or high water. That is, after all, what you trained me to do." She looked at the wormhole behind her. "Although… it is really weird, and I guess sad in a way, that because of my decisions and those of Starlight, that not just my duty, but really the duty of the entire Hakurei line has ended… I guess it's just something I never thought would actually happen. I just kind of assumed I would just be one more chapter in a story that would go on forever, and yet…"
"Nothing ever really ends, young Reimu," Yukari said. "The end of one story merely gives way to the beginning of another. Your time as the keeper of the Hakurei Border has ended, but I'm sure there will be no shortage of incidents in that world that will need resolving, and because of your actions even the police will request your aid every time. And even if that isn't the case, you've opened up an entire new world of adventures for all of us and the people there."
Reimu looked at the ground. "I mean, I guess … but it's just not going to be the same. Do I regret my decision? Of course not. I've come to love that place, the people there love me, and this will be the best for everyone here in Gensokyo, myself included. But… as bad as the old times often got, there was still the magic of resolving incidents, flying around and tossing ofuda at things, dealing with fantastic creatures in a veritable fantasyland… you know? That's all ancient history now, and I don't know how I feel about it."
Yukari softly touched Reimu's shoulder. "Think of it this way: by solving this incident without your powers, you've proven you have outgrown them. Now you are an adult who can solve issues without magic. That is what the shrine's god was trying to tell you: you no longer require your powers, at least not all the time. Giving you your powers back would not have affected the incident's outcome at all, and you proved in the end that Stardust's aid was far more valuable."
...Reimu thought about it, and suddenly it made sense: she managed to solve this incident, which was far larger in scope than any before it, while barely using her shrine maiden abilities at all, instead getting by with her new Pokemon and human friends fighting alongside her. She already knew she probably wouldn't have used her powers even if she still had them, but there was a wide gulf between saving your energy in a minor fight and ultimately coming to face an entity which struck down the Great Dragon with next to no effort. It felt… oddly empowering, how not using her powers made her feel stronger and forced her to navigate the incident with only her own skill, strategy and wits. Which, in the end, was all she needed.
"...yeah… I guess you're right," she smiled.
"Guess my lectures have been getting through after all," Kasen snarked.
Reimu did an annoyed glace aside to her. "Oh… get outta here already, you one-armed hermit." The sages chuckled as Kasen did just that, hopping on Dragonite's back and flying through.
As Okina and her dancers stepped up, she turned to Reimu with an unsure expression. "I still feel the need to properly apologize to Marisa's family for all the damage I caused to them."
"Honestly, knowing them, I wouldn't sweat it," Reimu shrugged. "It's like she said: if Necrozma managed to keep its secret from you, a sage of all people, then I can't hardly blame you. Was what you did reckless in retrospect? Yes, and that's why my mom had to punish you. But if they want a proper apology, I'm willing to bet they'll just come asking for it themselves, because the Kirisames are a headstrong bunch. So no, I wouldn't lose sleep over it, but if it's really killing you that much, then maybe wait until the time is right and all of them are there before you do it."
Okina bowed. "I appreciate your thoughts. Your level-headedness is to be admired." And with that, she led her servants through the wormhole.
Yukari took a look at the sky. Reimu asked her, "something wrong?"
To which Yukari replied, "...I'm just taking one last look at this wonderful world before leaving it behind for good."
"You know this isn't the original Gensokyo," Reimu joked.
"I know, but I still can't help but look upon it anyway. I helped create the border and lead the youkai for thousands of years. It's difficult to leave that behind on such short notice." She thought for a moment, then said, "but I'm sure Starlight will take care of it well in my absence."
"Starlight is an extension of your influence," Reimu said. "I don't think your concerns will be ignored."
"True… true…" Yukari trailed off, before ultimately stepping through the wormhole herself.
Just before Reimu could leave, Ultra Reimu came up to her. "So… that's it, huh?"
"It would seem so," Reimu said. "I still can't believe how big this whole thing got in the end."
"Will I have to solve incidents as big as this one?" Ultra Reimu asked.
"Perhaps, or perhaps not," said Reimu. "It all depends on how well behaved the yayhoos living here are. And, of course, assuming no other dimensional monsters try to invade. As a Hakurei Shrine maiden you really have to expect anything and everything, and be ready to counter it."
Ultra Reimu thought, then smirked. "Well, I guess I was literally made to do the job, since I'm replacing you and all."
Reimu snickered. "Oh, I suppose. And don't forget: organizing parties for freeloaders is another big part of the job, so don't be a recluse."
"I won't," Ultra Reimu laughed. The two looked at each other for a long time, and bowed in understanding.
As Reimu walked through the wormhole, she turned around one last time and said, "this is just the beginning. You're the first of your line which history will judge. So please do your best to leave a good impression on future generations."
And with that, the red-white disappeared into the white void, which soon closed in a flash.
Ultra Reimu, Marisa and Alice just stood there for a minute processing what all had happened, the silence only broke by Naganadel grunting.
"You said it," Ultra Reimu said.
Ultra Marisa looked around for a bit, then suggested, "well, now that that's settled, why don't I make you all some tea?"
"I could go for a cuppa myself, sure why not?" Ultra Alice said in anticipation.
"Then it's a deal!" The three went back into the shrine, ready to brew Ultra Gensokyo's inaugural pot of tea, and toast to the bright future ahead of them, one marked by the Beast who Spreads the Light.
