//------------------------------// // Chapter 87 – Restoration // Story: Pokémon Eclipse // by moviemaster8510 //------------------------------// Capper’s nose twitched to the fragrant smell that began to fill Sam’s bedroom where he slept, curled up on the foot of his bed. Soon, the smell became too heavenly to ignore, and his eyes fluttered open as he became awake. Unrolling himself, he stretched his arms and legs as far as he could, making them tremble. Upon his claw prodding the back of Skystar’s leg, whose entire body except for her head was covered in a fluffy comforter with Pinkie Pie, he recoiled in nervousness. As Skystar snuggled further in with Pinkie Pie, Capper breathed a sigh of relief as he slunk off the mattress and tip-toed out the door. Walking down the hallway into the large kitchen, the heavier sizzling sounds in the pans on the stove matched the intensity of the aroma of the food being cooked inside of it. He then saw as Sam, still in a large t-shirt and sweatpants, sautéed nearly a full wok of fried rice with several strong flicks of his right wrist. He then moved on to a mound of soft, herbed white cheese on the counter, scooping several dollops and patting them down in neat, thick lines on a sheet of wax paper. After feeling the heat of a buttered pan on the burner beside the wok just above its surface, he brought his attention back to a quart-sized measuring cup of finely-scrambled eggs, whipping them about with a whisk once more for good measure. Capper couldn’t help but get a stronger whiff, the hard hiss from inside his nose catching Sam’s attention as he looked back to him. “Morning, Capper.” Capper jolted slightly over being caught, but just as quickly maintained his cool. “I, uh… morning yourself, Sam. Whatever’s for breakfast smells just divine! Mm!! So what’cha making?” “Omurice.” Sam stirred the rice in the wok with a spoon. “Our parents’ restaurant serves this for Sunday brunch, and dad taught me how to make it.” “So the boy also cooks.” Capper couldn’t help but notice a smaller saucepan on one of the back burners, reaching his finger over to dip. “And what’s in–” Sam gently snatched Capper’s hand back, placing it back on his side. “That’s a vegetarian demi-glace for our vegetarian friends, if you catch my drift.” “Wow, and you’re going through all this trouble just for us?” “To be fair, the demi-glace was premade. But as for everything else, I don’t mind. If there’s one thing I still love more than Pokémon still, it’s cooking food for others.” Capper put his hand on Sam’s shoulder, giving it a firm shake. “You’re alright, Sam. Heck, what am I saying? You’re more than alright. In fact, you and your lil’ sis have been more than alright ever since you ended up on my world.” Sam nodded before feeling above the buttered pan again. “Appreciate it. If you don’t mind, actually, you mind waking the others up? I’m about to start the first round of omelets.” Capper snapped and pointed with both hands before walking backwards toward the hallway. “Anything for you, my human!” With a spin on the backs of his feet, Capper strolled over to the door at the end of the hall. Stepping in, he found Alice, Starlight, and Lady in a king-sized bed with an empty spot where Sam had been. Walking over and kneeling onto the empty part, he gently shook Starlight and Alice, Lady stirring awake over the slight commotion. “Hey you two,” he softly spoke, “Sam’s almost done with breakfast. You ain’t gonna’ wanna’ miss this.” Both of them began to stir and as he walked to the door, he waited until they began to sit up before he moved on to the next door on his left. Stepping in, he found Fizzlepop and Grubber sleeping in Alice’s bed, while Kaj and Dexio slept in sleeping bags on the floor at the foot and the right sides of it. Capper knocked on the door three times, all four of the room’s inhabitants wriggling where they lay. “Hey, y’all. Just want to inform you that Sam’s cooking the best breakfast you’re probably ever going to have. Just a few more minutes.” As the four of them looked to Capper, he gave them an excited nod before leaving. Returning to Sam’s bedroom, he opened the door to see Pinkie Pie and Skystar already standing there awake and alert, frightening him. “Good morning, Capper!” Pinkie Pie sniffed the air. “Woo wee! That sure smells good!” “Yeah, uh…” Capper was still coming down from his slight adrenaline rush. “That’s breakfast. Sam’s almost done cooking it.” “Sweet!” Pinkie Pie left the room first, followed by Skystar. “Thanks for the wake-up poke, Capper!” Skystar giggled, making herself snort. Capper felt embarrassed in more ways than one. Walking further inside, he stepped toward Sam’s dresser, breathing a sigh as if he couldn’t believe he was about to do this. He tapped on the bottom drawer with his foot. “Yo, Discord, Fluttershy. Breakfast!” Stepping aside, the drawer pulled itself open farther than physically possible, and upon it stopping, Discord arose from the abyss inside of it, stretching his arms out and letting out a big yawn. Stepping out from the drawer, he smacked his lips and scratched just above the base of his tail. “Who knew that a human’s dresser would be such a comfortable spot to snooze?” Reaching down, Fluttershy poked her head out and took Discord’s paw to help pull herself out and get to the floor. “You said it!” Fluttershy flared her wings out once before putting them back to her sides. “I can’t remember the last time I slept so well.” With a flick of his left talon, the drawer closed itself. “I’m sure the accomplishment of saving the world does wonders for that too!” Discord and Fluttershy giggled as they walked out of the room to join Pinkie Pie and Skystar in the kitchen with Sam. Curious, Capper knelt down to the bottom drawer of the dresser and pulled it open a crack, seeing that it was once again filled with its original contents of folded pants and shorts. Closing it, he forced a shrug. “Meh. At least it wasn’t his underwear drawer.” Thinking nothing more about it, he waited for Alice, Starlight, and Lady to walk by before he left the room to join his friends for their first meal of the day. Dexio opened his mouth as Fizzlepop held his fork covered in her blue magic aura much like her unbandaged horn up to his face, a hearty portion of egg and rice packed onto it. Gently putting it in past his lips, Dexio closed them around the tongs, allowing the unicorn to pull away, smiling proudly at another successful bite for her friend. Dexio exhaled in refreshment. “How’s it feel?” Fizzlepop already began to break off another morsel. “To be honest, it feels just like when I had my crown, but now that it’s actually… my horn, it only feels that much more wonderful.” “That’s good. As much as I enjoy your assistance, I’m looking forward to being able to eat on my own again.” Fizzlepop grinned again as she picked the fork back up. As Dexio opened his mouth for his next bite, Sam walked to the table with two fully-prepared omurice plates in his hand. Placing one in front of his sister, he set the other at the head of the table and sat down, looking at all of his Equestrian guests crowding the outside of the rest of the dining room table, their plates mostly clean and empty. Despite her plate having been polished clean, Pinkie Pie still continued to lick at her dish. “Thanks a whole bunch for breakfast, Sam! That was deeelish!” “I’ll say!” Kaj speared individual grains of rice with her fork, putting each one in her mouth at a time. “This may even be better than the shanks you made us on Friday!” Sam deftly ran a knife across the length of his omelet, his friends still focused on him watching as it unfolded over the entirety of his rice. “I… aim to please.” Sam took his first bite just as he heard a buzzing coming from the pocket of his sweatpants. Pulling his Holo Caster from his pocket, Alice rolled her eyes. “Come on, Sam,” she admonished, “it can wait.” Upon looking at the screen, his eyes went wide and he inhaled to gasp, catching a portion of what he hadn’t swallowed in his throat. Sam began coughing and gagging profusely, destroying the tranquility at the table as all eyes turned to him, each pair filled with worry. “Sam!” Alice stood up and began pounding her brother’s back, his coughing beginning to settle down. “Holy shit, what was that?” As Sam settled his breathing, he handed Alice the Holo Caster, and upon looking at the screen, her shock slowly matched his. On the screen was a banner showing a text message. We’re outside. Come down! At the top of the banner was its sender: Dad. Outside the apartment building, crowds of people, most of them construction workers, gathered around the spot where Princess Celestia and several other Equestrians had appeared. With Starswirl’s arcane circle outlined on the street, the people kept their distance just outside the border, giving the numerous creatures inside plenty of room. Surrounding Celestia, who stood in the center, were the Pillars of Equestria, Celaeno’s crew, Ember, Zecora, as well as Benji and Susan, the latter of whom sat straight in a wheelchair. Upon the doors of the apartment building opening up, Celestia and those in the circle saw as Sam and Alice run out and toward the circle, followed by their Equestrian friends close behind. Sam and Alice tried to break through the gathered crowd as quickly and as politely as possible, their parents barely visible in the gaps the people still standing about made. “Dad! Mom!” Sam struggled as the people closer to the inside of the crowd became tighter. “We’re here!” Finally, Ilima and his Smeargle appeared at the inner edge of the crowd, the two of them working to part the way for the two siblings. “Hey, hey! Let them through! Those are their parents in there!” Hearing the Captain’s words, the people closer to the front stepped aside, soon making a path for Sam and Alice in the center. With their way cleared, Sam and Alice were free to run to their parents. “Mom!” Alice began to bawl. “Dad!” Sam threw his arms upon Benji upon reaching him, the two hugging each other in immense gratitude for each other’s survival. Alice swung Susan’s wheelchair and embraced her from behind, her chin digging into her shoulder. As the parents hugged their children, forever safe from the wrath of Necrozma and Team Prism, several ponies near them, namely Celestia, Mistmane, and Mage Meadowbrook, let their tears fall freely. As the other Equestrians approached, the crowd was far more willing to let them through. Among the first was Fizzlepop and Grubber, Starswirl and Stygian rushing to greet them. As Grubber and Stygian hugged, Starswirl was forced to stop as he noticed her newly constructed horn, gawking up and down its length. “Fizzlepop!” He panted as though he ran several miles. “Your horn… but how?” “This world…” Fizzlepop sniffed, “and the creatures that live here are truly wonderful!” Starswirl and Fizzlepop finally hugged, able to express their joy for each other’s safety. As Alice continued hugging her mom, she felt a firm, hard hand put itself on her shoulder. “Looks like you guys took care of things here.” Turning around, Alice let out a single laugh as she found her blue dragon friend holding her arms up. “Ember!” Alice squeezed her arms around Ember’s waist, Ember quickly tensing up after her friendly pounds on the back did not stop her from letting go. “Uh, Alice? You’re kind of killing me here?” “Shut up and let me have this!” Ember relaxed herself and frowned, now forced to wait for her friend to be done. Sam then moved to lovingly welcome Susan, also hugging her from behind. “Sam…” Susan breathed out. “Hey, Mom,” Sam squeaked, squeezing tighter. “How’re you doing?” “Your ma’s a real fighter, that she is.” Mage Meadowbrook wiped her eyes as she came toward the two. “She mustn’t have lost that much blood due to the cauterization, but to go through what she did and still be alive to tell the tale, that takes an awful lot of grit.” Sam nodded, also thankful for his mother’s fighting spirit. “Strength must run deep in the blood of their kin.” Zecora stepped up to stand beside Mage Meadowbrook. “It should come as no surprise how we’ve attained this win.” “Zecora!” Sam gasped. “You’re here too! Why are all of you guys here?” “Oh what, you’re not happy to see us?” Boyle teasingly chuckled as he and the rest of Celaeno’s crew approached. Sam smiled again. “Of course I am, but still–” “We unfortunately had no way of knowing if your world was still in mortal danger,” Celestia explained. Alice let go of Ember, who felt compelled to keep her distance from her for a while, as the other Equestrians, as well as Dexio walked in to join with their other friends in the circle. Celestia continued. “We could only hope that your strength, courage, and friendship had already won the war, and I’m so happy to see that it has. Along with returning the parents of Sam and Alice home where they belong, we came to offer our assistance in any way we can. Seeing as how the threat of Necrozma has seemingly been extinguished, perhaps we can offer our services to help rebuild your city. Speaking of, whatever happened with Necrozma?” “Sun could probably answer that,” Kaj spoke up, walking up to her. “He’s at the hospital now. A bunch of others too!” Celestia pouted her lips in surprise before they comfortably spread out in a warm grin. The Equestrians and their human friends stood outside the hospital, watching as Sun, Lillie, and Luna became the first ones to walk outside. Luna’s tears filled her eyes upon sighting her sister, crying as she galloped to her. As Luna rubbed her head against her neck, Celestia caressed her neck with the bottom of her chin, Celestia’s tears also flowing down her face. “Sister!” Luna choked. “How good it is to finally see you again!” “Thank goodness you’re safe.” Celestia put her arms around the base of Luna’s neck, unable to resist embracing her. As Sun and Lillie continued looking upon the reunion, more humans and Equestrians began to spill out from the building. Among the first of them was Celaeno, who happily ran on her new leg towards her crew. After catching her, all four parrots laughed merrily at their successful reunion. At Squabble’s shrill call, the others looked down to her leg where he was focused. “Captain!” Mullet exclaimed. “Your leg! What hap–” “Big cat got to it!” Squabble began to turn toward Capper’s direction, only for Celaeno to turn his head away. “Not that cat!” Spike weaved through the legs of the crowd, his eyes locked onto the blue dragoness standing beside Alice. “Ember!” Seeing the small dragon running to her, Ember’s smile lit up. “Spike! You’re okay!” Catching him and hugging him close to her chest, Alice couldn’t help but look mildly betrayed. “Hey, you get all antsy when I hug you, but you get all gushy with him?” “What?” Ember said suddenly matter-of-factly. “I’ve known him longer!” Alice huffed through her lips. “No respect…” Twilight, having followed Spike, felt her eyes well up upon them meeting Celestia’s, her former mentor unable to stifle a sad chuckle to see her student alive and well again. “Princess Celestia!” As Luna stepped aside to give her room, Twilight leapt up and wrapped her arms around her neck, Celestia putting an arm over her back and both wings around both sides of her body. “Oh… Twilight…” Celestia began to weep herself. “It’s so good to see you again, but your wing! Are you still hurt?” Twilight sniffled in a breath. “Not as bad now…” From inside, just before the entrance doors, Sophocles and Molayne watched as more friends reunited with the newest Equestrian guests, none of whom were less than elated to see each other once again. Walking toward them from a hallway was Zeraora, who, despite being bandaged in several spots on its chest arms, and legs, strode strongly as it took their side, gladdened by the sight he helped bring about. Sophocles reached up and grabbed Zeraora by the shoulder, getting it to turn and look to Sophocles who gave him a thankful nod. Zeraora’s smile grew as it continued to watch the scene. Finally, Gladion walked out of the hospital with all four Kahunas behind him, and as he came down the steps to approach Celestia and the others, Sun and Lillie joined them. As Celestia saw the seven humans come to her, she lightly patted Twilight on the side with her wing before pulling them back in. Twilight stepped aside for Sun and his friends to approach. Celestia grinned as she looked directly at Sun, who stood front and center. “I do believe I remember you from a couple of days ago.” Sun forced a chuckle, trying to humor the uncomfortable memory. “But I’m glad that we can finally formally meet in far better circumstances.” “Indeed.” Celestia reached her hoof out for Sun to shake. “Princess Celestia. I do believe you’ve met my sister?” Sun felt a more natural smile come on, her dry humor growing on him. “Yes, and I’m Sun. These are my friends Lillie and Gladion, and right behind me are the Kahunas of the four islands of Alola: Hau, Olivia, Hapu, and Guzma.” Slowly scanning her head around to meet these newer faces, she felt her warm smile settle more comfortably on her face. “While I’m sure you all played a major part in saving both of our worlds, I’m certain that each human, Pokémon, and Equestrian alike has each helped contribute in a way that I can hardly imagine paying you back for.” Sun felt his gaze drift to the ground before he forced himself to pick it back up. “You don’t owe us a thing. The taking of the Equestrians was a mistake that I take full responsibility for, and I feel as though if I hadn’t meddled with the exploration of worlds beyond our own, none of this would have happened.” Celestia’s grin faded a bit, but she still refused to show the remotest of a bitter emotion. “Sun, please. Necrozma attacked my world long before any of you were born. While I did not mean for his banishment to send him to your world, he was sent to your world all the same, and for that, I do feel that I must shoulder the burden of fault here.” Sun felt a grateful smile creep on his face, yesterday’s words ringing truer than ever now. “Then I suppose we both have both ourselves to blame, but now, we have to get to live in the future we’ve earned. Today… we rebuild.” A wave of simultaneous murmuring washed over all present. Though it was somewhat vague in nature, they seemed to understand what Sun wanted, their smiles suggesting they were all in with his plan. Celestia herself lightly giggled. “It sounds like a most excellent idea.” Sun shook her hoof once more. Twilight and Starswirl set up tents inside a large empty parking lot as Shining Armor and Discord placed cots inside of them, the latter holding on to dozens of them in his stretched-out arm as he flicked and slid them across the asphalt like playing cards, yet managing to set them up in perfect rows and columns. A bit down the street, Applejack and Hapu, riding her Mudsdale, pulled an open tilted trailer filled with asphalt, Rockhoof standing behind it as he scooped hefty portions with his shovel and fed it into the front end of a street paver driven by a construction worker. With the paver moving at the same speed as Applejack and Hapu’s Mudsdale, and Rockhoof deftly moving rock from trailer to paver in a tight rhythm, they created a well-oiled machine that left the broken streets behind them looking fresh and new. Towards the beach, Dexio stood atop the blackened wreckage of the Aether yacht alongside Molayne, their Metagrosses floating beside it. With their psychic energy surrounding it, they groaned and strained as they tried to pull it free from the back wall connected to the street. Several construction workers grabbed hold of any gaps or cracks in the hull along with several incredibly muscular Pokémon with light-blue skin and four arms, pushing it out with all their might as they dug their feet into the wet, somewhat compacted sand. With a loud iron groan from the bow and the unrelenting efforts of the workers below, the ship finally came free, the immense strength exerted yanking the ship out and flinging the construction workers and their Machamps onto their stomachs. With the harder work finished, Dexio and Molayne’s Metagrosses were able to lift the wreckage off the ground, carrying it off toward a large freighter ship a few hundred feet away from the shore. As the workers cheered and congratulated their Pokémon, they made their way back to the wall, stacks of bricks and a cement mixer waiting for them. Once Twilight and Starswirl had set up the last and largest tent, Shining Armor and Discord set up several tables and even more chairs underneath them. With their rest area completed, the four Equestrians came together and bumped hooves and paw against each other. Beside the larger tent, Sam and Mallow stood before a large grill and oven with another table stacked with plates, napkins, and silverware. Sam reached a metal spoon into a giant soup pot containing a creamy brownish-red sauce, licking whatever the bowl of his spoon dipped into. After smacking his lips, Mallow leaned in, awaiting his answer. Sam cocked his head and kept his thumb and index finger from touching. As he wiped his spoon clean, Mallow quickly ground more salt into her sauce before stirring it with a larger wooden spoon. Sam put his spoon back in and tasted once again, instantly shaking his head up and down and putting his fingers together, signaling the sauce’s perfection. Mallow beamed as she continued stirring the sauce to keep it from separating. Sam began to lay down marinated chicken breasts upon the grill, putting a new one on each couple of seconds in a tight rhythm. On the freighter, Celaeno, Boyle, Mullet, and several workers stood around the open space in the center of the deck, directing the two Metagrosses who slowly lowered the wrecked yacht down. Upon reaching their targeted area, the ship was gently lowered until it stayed still and balanced upon the spot. Those around the wreck cheered as the humans and parrots worked together to tether it to the freighter. Molayne and Dexio were brought down on the tops of their Metagross' heads. The two walked toward each other, both reaching to shake the other’s hand. Molayne, seeing the bandaged stub still left there, hesitated before grabbing hold of Dexio’s forearm near his elbow, Dexio blushing and grinning in reply. Sam took an ear of corn off the grill by the stalk, before dipping it in a long metal tub of melted butter. Shaking off the excess he placed the corn onto a construction worker’s plate. Sam then speared a chicken breast with his fork before transferring it from the grill to a cutting board, cutting it into thin strips with a knife before picking it up on its broad side and pushing it off onto the worker’s plate. With a thankful nod, the worker went over to Mallow, who ladled some sauce onto the worker’s chicken before moving to a large bowl of mixed and dressed salad on the counter beside the stove, picking a portion up with a pair of tongs and placing it on the last open spot on the plate. Mallow watched happily as she watched the worker lick his lips hungrily as he went over to sit with his friends, most of whom were already nearly finished with their meals. On one of adjacent tables, its occupants wiped their mouths with their napkins before placing them on their empty plates with their silverware and their bottles of water or cans of soda. Walking together to the garbage bin, they tossed their trash into it before walking toward the unpainted, but otherwise renovated street. Standing on the sidewalk, they kept their eyes on the middle of the road until a bright spot of light appeared there, spreading out to draw an arcane circle that spread out just inches from the curb. A halo of light then spread out from the center, unveiling Starswirl and Celestia within it. From another corner of the dining tent, Shining Armor galloped to join the group of waiting workers, panting as he came to a stop. “Is this… the Crystal Empire group now?” Celestia giggled. “Yes, Shining Armor, this is the one. I shan’t keep you from your wife and foal any longer. Shining Armor hopped onto the street beside Celestia, the others more formally walking on until they were closely standing together. “Are we all here then?” Starswirl’s question was answered with affirmative nods and murmurs “Hey, uh…” an older woker piped in, “we just ate. We’re not going to get sick are we?” Celestia and Starswirl charged their horns. “Don’t worry about that,” she replied. “I’ve done this a few times before.” Another arcane circle of light began to form under the feet and hooves of everyone inside, a wall forming along the barrier. The inquisitive worker began to get nervous. “That doesn’t answer–” With a burst of light and crackling pop, the circle and everyone within it vanished. Underneath the Crystal Empire castle, several ponies with colorful, refractive bodies did what they could to mend their damaged kingdom, whether it be picking up debris from the broken streets or buildings, or using the debris to fix the holes and chips left in them. Sunburst oversaw this from the center of the castle’s underside, walking around the Crystal Heart floating in the center and monitoring everything outside of it. Just then, the arcane circle formed on the ground just underneath one of the castle archways, summoning Celestia, Starswirl, Shining Armor, and the human workers. “–my question!” Jolting at his suddenly unfamiliar surroundings, he suddenly realized that his stomach felt exactly as it did before he left. “Oh… oh wow…” Along with the humans they had never seen before, the Crystal Ponies were stunned to see Celestia, Starswirl, and their missing ruler amongst them, Sunburst broke the silence as he galloped toward the newly arrived group. “Shining Armor! You’ve returned!” “Sunburst!” Shining Armor stepped away from the group to allow Sunburst to run to him, the two engaging in a short but meaningful embrace. “It’s great to see you too! Is Cadance inside?” With a whoosh of feather-ran wind and a quick series of clinks upon the ground, Shining Armor and Sunburst turned to the former’s left, seeing Cadance standing there, a look of sheer bewilderment on her face as she could hardly believe her husband standing right there in front of her. Shining Armor let out a hard huff, unable to believe his being there himself. “Cadance…” With tears filling her eyes, she galloped at him, and he at her. Throwing their full weight upon each other, they collided into each other’s arms, sobbing as they clopped their back legs to keep balance while running their necks and faces against each other. Despite the chaotic unorganized display before them, the ponies and humans there smiled warmly at the sight of earnest true love. “Hmph,” a worker commented. “Good for them.” Starswirl, having heard him, nudged him in the back with the back of his hoof. “I do believe they deserve a few uninterrupted moments with each other. Until then, we have a kingdom to repair.” Still wanting to keep their focus on the lovers’ reunion, the workers began to spread out throughout the city, introducing themselves to the crystalline pony populace. Ember overlooked the top of the town hall, swirling slowly around with her hand upon its spire. Under her eye, she did not see a single occupied street or plaza that did not have at least one dragon, pony, human or Pokémon working hard in it. Among them, Alice’s Mudsdale and a large red pony of similar size and build helped pull the completed wooden frame of the open front of a building up, two dragons and two construction workers up on the roof to keep it in place. Upon the dragons and workers catching and nailing the frame to the edges of the house, the red stallion looked to Mudsdale and held his hoof out to it. Confused, Mudsdale put its hoof against his, humoring the stallion greatly. Ember continued watching as Alice approached the stallion, holding her fist out in a similar gesture, only for him to rope her into his chest with a single-armed hug, nuzzling the bottom of his jaw against the back of her neck. Ember couldn’t help but giggle and blush, glancing around despite the lack of anyone near her. Luna flew around the city of Canterlot, the streets filled with human construction workers and their Pokémon as they repaired the damages to its buildings and roads. Landing atop a building, she looked down as a worker dried a newly repaired window with a squeegee. The well-dressed unicorn family inside gathered around on the other side of the window as they watched the alien creature finish the renovation to their home. A young colt put his hand upon the last spot of wetness before the worker wiped it off. With his hoof still on the window, the worker placed his hand over the same spot as a sign of goodwill. The colt giggled, the sight of which made the worker laugh himself. Luna nodded gladly, happy to see the two different creatures get along. With a flap of her wings, she took off to the skies to monitor the rest of the kingdom. Mohn, Fluttershy, and Zecora walked through a dense, dark, and foggy forest, the former looking chipper and excited as he looked through the foliage. Surrounding them on all sides were several species of bird Pokémon, who hopped from branch to branch as they followed the trio and searched for more of their missing brethren. Mohn pointed up at a dead-looking tree with even more Pokémon upon it, and after blowing a short, sharp whistle through his bit lips, the tree began to rotate, soon facing him and the two ponies with a sinister glare. Fluttershy jumped behind Mohn, trembling, while Zecora reared back to fight the Trevenant now walking at them on its root-legs. Mohn laughed as he approached the tree and put as much of his arms around the bark as he could. To Zecora’s added surprise, the tree smiled back and put its branched limbs around Mohn’s back. In Konikoni City, Olivia over saw as Carly swept and gathered the last of the broken glass and bits of rubble from the floor of their jewelry store into a dustbin. As she discarded them into a trashcan, several workers began to pull the frame of the broken display window out from the wall toward the street, Rarity, Capper, and several other workers and their Pokémon ready with a new, unblemished window to promptly replace it with. As the orange afternoon sun began to paint the sky, Mina and Pinkie Pie oversaw as workers nailed the last of the new wooden boards into the walkways of the Seafolk Village. Upon one of the workers setting their hammer down on the edge, he accidently pulled it farther out, causing it to fall and quickly sink into the water. After lightly punching the floor in frustration, Skystar rose out from the water soon after, now sporting a more equine appearance with sleek, smooth scales in place of fur or plumage, as well as a blue membranous mane and matching tail fin. Reaching up, she held the worker’s hammer to him, wrapped in her hoof-fins. After taking it, he smiled to her and appreciatively petted down the length of her neck with his gloved hands, making her tremble in excitement. Diving backward into the sea, she disappeared under the depths before she shot back out from a corner behind Mina and Pinkie Pie. Upon her entire fish-like body breaching the water, the center pink seashell of her necklace began to glow brightly as the light overtook her body. As she came back down, her tailfin split off into a pair of equine legs and silky tail, her flipper hooves compacted into two talons, her wings shot off her back, and her face transformed into an avian shape. The moment she landed directly behind Mina and Pinkie Pie, the light receded back into her necklace, returning to her hippogriff form. Giggling madly, she hugged the human and pony around their backs, the latter nuzzling into her. Mina, once she had her bearings straight again, also leaned in and stroked down her downy chest. In Po Town, Guzma, Plumeria, and nearly a dozen Skull grunts gathered in a tight group and brought their mugs of beer together in cheers, most of their heads splashing outside and onto the streets. Around them, all of the buildings and roads had been mended. Though there were clear lighter patches in the walls where the new plaster had been placed, and the spots of cement holding the new cobblestone in the streets still looked partially wet, the grunts could only just celebrate what they accomplished today. Guzma broke away from his former gang, two mugs of cold brew held in each hand. Sitting off by themselves, the Mossdeep employees talked amongst themselves, trying their hardest not to humor the Skull grunts and their debauchery. Holding the mugs just above them so the spilled beer and condensation outside the glass would drip right in front of their faces, Guzma got their attention as he lowered down to hand them their drinks. Each one looked up to his eyes as they each took their mug, surprised to see such a token of kindness being given to them by the scruffy looking man. After giving the group a salute, he walked off to join Plumeria and the others, wanting nothing more than to celebrate with them. On the south side of Hau’oli, Benji took one of many small steaks off the grill, placing it on the counter beside Susan, who sat in front of it and began to slice it into thin strips. Beside her, Spittle hacked away at a pile of herbs with a cleaver while spittle snatched a pinch of them and threw them into a large pan on a stove with sliced potatoes, Mage Meadowbrook standing beside her to season them with olive oil and crushed garlic. Once Susan plated the steak and drizzled on a light green sauce from a squirt bottle, she passed the dish on to Spittle, who dumped a portion of the potatoes onto the empty half of the plate, handing it across to Kiawe. Taking his dish, he walked out of the line to make a beeline over to Lana and Flannery, who waved him down to the empty spot they saved for him. Also enjoying their meals on the table next to theirs included Sun, Lillie, Gladion, and Hau, who appeared to be engaging in merry conversation with Rainbow Dash, Gilda, Celaeno, Fizzlepop, and Grubber. As Hau savored his steak, he couldn’t help but be silent for a spell as he glanced to Sun, Lillie, and Gladion, completely uncertain how he could have earned such good friends. That night, Sam sat on the beach away where everyone was sleeping. While there was still a massive rut that the Aether yacht had left through the center of the sand, all he, Starlight, Fluttershy, Trixie, Thorax, and Chrysalis could focus on was the nebulous, starry sky that dazzled past the horizon. Even with reconstruction and his friends returning back home so soon to come, nothing could ruin the tranquility he felt watching such a gorgeous sight beside them. The next morning, Celestia and Luna stood beside the back wall of the beach with their horns charged, a circular portal to Ponyville formed against it. With a Lapras waiting just before it, using the rut as a channel, several land Pokémon hopped onto its back until its back shell was completely full. Once it reached full capacity, Mohn and Fluttershy directed it to push itself through the rut and into the ocean to join the many other Laprases and the Pokémon also riding on them. As the next unoccupied Lapras scooted in, many flying Pokémon spilled out from the portal to join their friends in the sky. Even before the Lapras was less than halfway between the shore and the portal, no more Pokémon flew out from it, filling Mohn and Fluttershy with surprise. Once the Lapras reached the portal, only a handful of Pokémon hopped onto its shell, no others joining it. “Oh my goodness!” Fluttershy exclaimed. “Is that all of them already?” “I do think it is!” Turning to the pegasus, Mohn knelt down to her and hugged her tight, Fluttershy tensing up in reaction. “Thank you so much for your help, Fluttershy. You’ll be home soon before you know it!” The sincerity of his words nearly melted Fluttershy as she relaxed in his embrace. “And thank you yourself, Mohn. I couldn’t have done it all without you.” Letting go, he prepared to hop onto this last Lapras before Lillie and Gladion approached him, stopping him in his tracks. Mohn smiled more relaxed, feeling better than ever. “Of course I’ll say farewell to my two beautiful children.” Gladion and Lillie walked to him fist, and Mohn put his arms around them as they put their chests against his, slinging their arms over his shoulder and around his gut. “We’ll be seeing each other again sooner than later,” Mohn whispered. “This I promise.” Celestia and Luna sniffled, happy to see yet another moment of joyous closure for yet another family brought back together. Fluttershy could not handle it, crying into Luna’s shoulder, the princess covering her with her wing in consolation. Sun, Lillie, Gladion, and Hau all waved Mohn farewell as he and his caravan of Pokémon returned home from where they came, Celestia, Luna, and Fluttershy now proudly watching them off. Once Mohn returned his focus to the open sea, the four humans walked back up toward the steps to the street, glancing over as Hapu, Acerola, and Kaj began to restore the beach to its original splendor with their Dugtrio, Palossand, and Rông. Celestia, Luna, and Fluttershy led them, and as they ascended the steps, they looked over as a worker painted stripes upon the smooth new street. Across the way, Flash Magnus and Somnambula helped a few workers and their Pokémon as they installed a large new window of the building overlooking the beach. For the most part, the city looked as though there had never been a climactic battle in it at all. “So what now?” Lillie asked. “Are we almost done?” Celestia nodded once. “Now we just have to see how our other friends are doing.” Alice and Ember walked through the streets of Ponyville with the large red stallion and the human workers that had been brought over. Looking throughout the buildings, it appeared as though the town was brought back to its original splendor, filling Alice’s heart with much contentment. As they reached the town square, the three friends and the group behind them stopped in their tracks upon sighting Celestia and Luna, who looked over the work everyone had done with impressment. Filling the street facing the Hau’oli Beach, most of the Equestrians and trainers from the over-week long journey were gathered alongside the workers who were brought back from Equestria, their work seemingly completed. Finally, another arcane circle appeared in the middle of the space around where everyone had gathered. Appearing on it were Celestia, Luna, Shining Armor, and the final group of human workers from the Crystal Empire. As Shining Armor and the workers rejoined their friends and family. Celestia turned to face as many of the creatures as she could. “I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for the work you have put in toward helping repair the towns, cities, and kingdoms of our world,” she began, “and allowing us the same courtesy to do the same for your cities. I think it’s safe to say that in some way, Necrozma and the war he waged against us has affected us all, and for all of us, human, Equestrian, and Pokémon alike, to step up to protect and aid one another fills my heart with a joy I can hardly comprehend. “Prior to this week, I was unaware that a world such as this could exist outside my own, but when I see the people and Pokémon who made this world a safe haven for my little ponies when they needed one the most, I’m reminded that friendship is a force and power that transcends time and space, and I’m overwhelmed with happiness to find that such a thing exists in abundance here. It is my great pleasure to announce that your hard work these past hours have all paid off, and that our worlds have been for the most part restored. Well done, and thank you all, everyone.” The workers flung their hardhats to the ground and whooped with cheers, followed closely by the Equestrians and each and every one of their trainer friends. Celestia and Luna merely stood by and watched as humans, Pokémon, and Equestrians hugged one another, Necrozma and the damages it caused now sealed away. Celestia and Luna waited for the right time to make their final piece, but it seemed that time would not be coming very soon at all. That evening, the commotion of the end of repairs had finally died down, and life in Hau’oli City seemed to mostly go back to normal. As such, the ferry station was about as busy as it ever was, all with the exception of a large crowd of Equestrians and some trainer friends gathered outside the terminal as they watched Dexio sling his bag onto his good shoulder with his good hand. Standing behind Sam and Alice were Sun, Lillie, Hau, Gladion, the Pillars of Equestria, Fizzlepop, Grubber, Capper, Skystar, Celaeno, and her four-piece crew, each of whom looked conflicted over his departure. “Are you sure you can’t stay for one more day?” Sam asked. “We’re going to be holding a service for Nanu, Cocoon, and a whole bunch of others!” “And then Pinkie Pie’s throwing a huge party afterwards!” Skystar squealed. “You can at least stay for that, can’t you?” Dexio blew a rueful sigh through his smirking lips. “I’d sure love to guys, but I gotta’ be heading home myself. I have quite a few people and other affairs that I need to see to. Besides,” he said with a wink, “that just leaves out another face you’ll have a hard time saying goodbye to before you guys go home in a couple days.” Starswirl kept a proud, strong face, despite the knowledge that this would be the last time in a long time he’d see his faithful companion. “We will miss you, Dexio. Don’t you forget that.” Dexio’s lips parted, a soft sob escaping them. “This is the final boarding call for the ferry to Ambrette Town,” a female’s voice announced through the speakers. “The ferry will depart in exactly two minutes.” With no time left, Dexio ran toward the friends he was soon to leave. Sam and Alice caught him and locked him in an embrace. The other four humans and the Equestrians then encircled Dexio as they each hugged him as well, using their final seconds to reflect on everything he did for and with them. Among them, Fizzlepop, Skystar, and Squabble were completely unable to hold back their tears, the latter of whom blew his beak into the back of Hau’s jacket. After several long moments, Celaeno patted Gladion on the back. “Alright, alright, let the guy get to his boat!” Gladion, Flash Sentry, and Celaeno stepped aside to give Dexio a clear path to the station where his ferry was still docked and moments away from setting sail. Jogging to his ship, all his friends behind him watched with deep admiration as he made his way off, having no intention of leaving until the boat had left the station.