Unova. Near Undella Bay. The Pokemon Festival. Late Afternoon.
At this moment, Celestia was with Cobalion. After the two finally met up with each other, taking the opportunity to spend some time together during the Pokemon Festival while time was still ripe. The Unova Region was Celestia's decision upon teleporting. What better region to tackle than the one that Cobalion comes from? And so far, things were doing well. They went across the land, having all the time to themselves.
But, they also had all the opportunity to discuss recent events and how to manage them. After all, Celestia was still the Ruler of Equestria and Cobalion was always true to his duty. They found themselves walking by another beach out in Unova as the calm ocean waves could be heard.
"You forced them away from the Diamond Domain. But you're worried that they might cause more harm without any eyes on them." Cobalion was obviously referring to Daybreaker's group and the attack they launched on Tropezete Town and the Diamond Domain.
"I haven't heard anything about them yet. Most likely, they already returned to their own universe, but they'll be back. After all, somewhere in our world, Team Plasma is still around. Losing the gateways was a huge detriment. Even still, we have Lucas to thank for reviving them, but..." Celestia sighed after responding.
"Perhaps, we relied on those gateways all too much in the past. If they were not all that frequent, things would have been different. And it seemed like that was about to happen once a plethora of them vanished."
"Mm...a part of me wants to agree with that, but if I'm being honest...Simple travel such as that is what I prefer." An honest Celestia preferred the easy travel that gateways brings. Saves all the work of long travels. All these years and she's not yet used to these distances. "It'd be much better if I had a gateway that led to you."
"I don't stay in a single spot. Truth be told, I don't have a home of my own."
"No? Your entire life and there's not one place where you consider your home?"
"Unova is my home, in reality. But you will never see me in one place. Even with Shining Armor as my student and my appearance at the Crystal Empire being scarce, I always have to keep moving. The threats that live in this world, even before we met, are abundant. You never know what can threaten everyone's lives."
"Mm-mm." Celestia agreed wholeheartedly. Everytime she thinks something is fine, the most unexpected thing shows up and turns everything upside down. No matter how big or small, anything could become a threat. "How about this then?"
"Hooh...it's getting chilly all of a sudden." Celestia felt a chill run through her body, which was rather odd. The Sun was shining and they were near a beach. "Luckily, I can warm myself up with ease." Using her magic, Celestia generated a body heat around herself, granting her protection against the chill.
"Hm. It is getting noticeably chillier." Cobalion wasn't that affected by it. His steel body gave him a grand resistance after all. Even so, he still felt the shift in the temperature. "Strange. This part of Unova is not usually cold. This is one of the warmer regions."
"Well, it's fine. There should be a nice spot for us nearby. I've been keeping up with Unova's geography. More than any other region."
"I wonder why." Cobalion already knew why that was the case. Celestia grimaced, already being figured out. But this spot they were heading for, wouldn't be as close as they thought. They continued to pass by the wonderful beaches around this part of Unova, seeing the sights and all the Pokemon nearby.
The sandy shore of this new world stretches out as far as the eye can see, with the crystal-clear waters gently lapping against the beach. The more the duo walked across the sand the more they felt the welcoming warmth beneath their feet, and the salty scent of the ocean fills the air.
But that was all changing. A sudden gust of frigid wind cuts through the warm coastal air that would cause a shiver to run down anyone's spine. But not these two. Not with Cobalion's resistance and Celestia's magic. And without them even noticing all that much, the scenery was beginning to change.
Water-Types were still present in the seas but some Ice-Types were visible to the eyes. Why would there be Ice-Types in such a warm area? Possibly, the same reason the temperature was beginning to change. Celestia then felt a slight change of magic in the environment, prompting her to come to a halt.
"Oh, right. Something is strange, Cobalion." said the Sun Princess. "Is an Ice-Type responsible for this?"
"If it was an Ice-Type, perhaps it could be Kyurem. But Kyurem wouldn't have a reason to decrease the temperature on any place unless he has a reason." Cobalion closed his eyes, slowly shaking his head before reopening them. Lo and behold, the second he opened his eyes, everything changed.
The whole scenery was different. The Iron Will Pokemon gasped as standing before him was now a snow-swept land. Now the chill made more sense.
"I knew there was something weird about the magic here. The scenery's changed." Celestia soon saw it herself once she blinked for a slight second. It was practically the opposite of a Blink it and you'll miss it scenario.
"I've been through this part of Unova before...and this was never here." Cobalion knew his geography well thanks to being around for so long. Every length and breath of Unova was knowledgeable and this area was certainly not in his memory. It didn't make sense for it to be so close to the beaches of Unova.
Magic was afoot, but Celestia wasn't sure what kind of magic it was. It didn't feel like Equestrian Magic. She couldn't even tell if it was Pokemon Magic. There was just something off about it. But now that the two of them were here, they wouldn't turn away from it. Why would they? Considering who they were, a place such as this shouldn't be ignored.
They stepped forward, venturing into this strange snowscaped area. When looking behind them, they no longer saw the beautiful beaches but only the white snow that fell and covered the land.
Celestia dug into her own saddlebag, whipping out a map. The Sun Princess came prepared after all, especially when it came to getting out there. She opened up the map to see what part of Unova this was, because this didn't seem right. However, to her surprise, when observing the map for a while, this place did not come up.
Of course, Unova had cold areas with the coldest being Kyurem's Castle, but those areas were far from here. Celestia and Cobalion were mainly at some of the hottest spots of Unova. Near Undella Bay and Undella Town.
"It doesn't even appear on the map. What is this place? Is it the result of the new world we live in?" Celestia had to wonder if a new terrain was formed because of how the world has changed. That would be a reasonable conclusion..
"Perhaps anyone residing in there can answer that for you." Cobalion came to a stop, referring to what was seen in the distance. There was a town here. An actual town was present in this mysterious area, sitting there. This town didn't appear on the map either, making it equally strange.
Spotting this town and seeing it nowhere on the map, Celestia and Cobalion knew that they had to approach it for some answers. The whole place looked like an average snowy area but there was just something very off about it.
They arrived at the town, moving through the beautiful snow and stepping foot on new grounds. This town was nestled in a valley between towering mountains of ice and snow. Giant icicles hang from the eaves of the wooden houses, glinting in the pale winter sunlight. The Sun could still reach this place despite how hidden it was earlier, bringing its rays through the cloudy and misty skies.
Upon entering, the biting cold wind carries the faint sound of sleigh bells, echoing through the streets. And indeed, there were residents here. Not just average residents, but Humans and Ponies. In fact, despite there being wooden houses, some of these buildings looked more advanced than others.
Celestia gawked at the structure, seeing buildings that were on par with what Castelia, Lumiose or any big city in the Pokemon World were capable of. She even saw some buildings that reminded her of Manehattan. It as starting to register for Celestia. A place that borrows elements from the Pokemon World and her home Equestria? Sounds all too familiar to her.
But these residents were not partaking in the Pokemon Festival from the looks of it. Nothing from the Festival could be spotted. No attractions, no banners, nothing. Even still, it was a beautiful place to look at. And speaking of the residents, Celestia and Cobalion paid attention to their clothes.
In this snow-capped land, the residents wore clothes to keep them warm, obviously, but some of these clothes looked rather advanced, much like the buildings. They carried a futuristic feeling to them. But some weren't even wearing clothes to keep them warm. Instead, some were seen using Fire to do so. Not just having Fire-Types warm them up but conjuring Fire themselves.
Celestia watched as a young girl flicked her finger, causing a spark of flames to appear in front of her. She was using it to not only warm herself but to also heat up some marshmallows just for her Totodile. Others were casually using fire around them, either fueling already existing fires or creating new ones once another died out. And they did this with hand motions.
Celestia knew what she was looking at. Magic. These were humans who could effortlessly use magic. The ponies made sense but she is very much not used to seeing Humans pull off magic.
"Magic. Actual magic. But it doesn't feel like it's Equestrian or that it even comes from this world." said Celestia.
"I felt it too." Cobalion could also feel the magic, but it was mainly the Pokemon Magic that he picked up on. "It is most definitely otherworldly.
"Excuse me. Little girl. What is this place?" Celestia managed to speak to one of the ponies here who was speeding through the streets.
"Hm?" The young filly came to a halt once her name was called. "Ooh...Princess? You look a bit different. A bit."
"I do?" The Sun Princess blinked, leaning back before using her magic to bring out a mirror from her bag. Looking at herself, nothing seemed all that different about her. She looked the same. "Mmm..."
"You aren't Equestrian residents, are you?" Cobalion asked. Since the magic here didn't feel like it came from this world, he felt the need to ask where this girl and the others come from.
"Equestria?" The little girl repeated with a strong sense of confusion in her tone. "Umm...Sorry. I don't know what that is."
"You don't?" This came as a shock to Celestia. A pony who didn't know about Equestria? "Then what is this place? This town? I've never seen anything like it?"
"Do we have visitors?" Before she could respond, a few of the residents approached and among them was an old man who spoke. Upon approaching, he noticed Celestia and immediately had a similar reaction to the little girl. "Princess? Why the new look?"
"Again?" Celestia pouted as they obviously had to be referring to her. They clearly recognized her appearance and yet something was very off. Celestia looked completely fine after all. "Nevermind that. You know that you're in Equestria, correct?"
"Mmm...Can't say. Never heard of it." Alas, even the old man and the other residents weren't aware of such a name. "Why? Is something the matter?"
"The Magic here doesn't feel Equestria or like anything I've experienced before, that's all. Everything about this is rather odd and frankly, almost perplexing. I've never seen this town and this area isn't on the map, even with Starmap's expertise."
"Oh? This place? Our home, Frostfall. What of it?"
"Well, it's just that...I didn't see it earlier and only when I blinked for a moment, it just showed up. One minute we're at the beaches and the next, we're in this cold area."
"Could it be...that you're not our princess?" A lady spoke, realizing that Celestia might not be the princess that they were each referring to. Celestia wasn't even aware that there was another princess in the conversation.
"Ah, you're just as confused as us. Well, we're in the same boat then." The old man sighed, slowly facing away from Celestia and Cobalion. "Truth be told, we shouldn't be here. Clearly, this isn't our world."
"So you come from another world then. Another universe?" Cobalion questioned.
"We do. But...we already know that something is wrong." A flame-covered man answered. "The last thing we remember is seeing a bright flash. I believe it was due to an intense battle but I wasn't able to register it in time. Not many could. We figured that our bodies would be destroyed but here we are."
"Something brought us here but we don't know what. But Princess Azurelia is doing what she can to free us, even if we cannot go anywhere else. It's only Frostfall and the snow-scaped lands. Nothing else in sight."
"Nothing else? You haven't seen the rest of Unova? You've been trapped here then?!"
"Afraid so." That was the sad truth. These mysterious people were stuck in this frosty area, unable to see the rest of the world. It was unknown how long they've been here as they couldn't even answer that. "One thing is for sure. The Princess who is helping us comes from somewhere else as well. Not from our world. I'm not even sure she even comes from another world."
"Who is your princess? I'd like to speak with her and I'll see what I can do. I can't leave now since you're all facing an issue. Not that I can leave either way." The Sun Princess shrugged. The residents pointed ot the largest building here. It appeared as a castle but without all the grandeur. That was where they would find the Princess.
Moving through Frostfall, they saw that the town was rather festive currently. It looked like it was setting up for Christmas and Hearth's Warming. That didn't seem right though since it was far from those two festive holidays.
Either way, they were enjoying themselves as if it was those two festive seasons. Celestia would stop to view this town's festivities, partaking in the cake that was free to consume. The Sun Princess couldn't help herself. When looking at the items here, she saw that the name was very much different than she expected.
It seems they weren't celebrating the two seasons but rather a merger of the two. The banner above her read "Hearth's Christmas." While those two names were very familiar, there was obviously something different about it, further revealing just how mysterious this place was. But despite its mystery, there was a strong sense of unity.
To see Ponies and Humans occupy one town and call it their home while the Humans utilize magic was one of the greatest things Celestia had ever seen.
"You seem exceptionally happy, Celestia. A new cake caught your attention?" Cobalion noticed this aura of happiness around Celestia and on her face.
"This town. It's exactly like the world I've been dreaming about, Cobalion. I'd say it's perfect if it weren't for the confusion. One day, things might end up like this. Where ponies, humans, dragons Pokemon and all other species can live in one place as if it's normal."
"The chances of that happening are high. With you at the helm and the way the world is developing after all." Cobalion smiled, believing that Celestia could make something like this a reality one day. She was the Ruler of Equestria after all and she had the capability to do so.
Celestia let out a light giggle, pleased to hear that. The duo continued on their way to the castle to meet with the princess, whose castle was also decorated with that festive feeling. No guards stood at the castle and the doors were unlocked, making it rather welcoming.
The design of the castle bore a slight resemblance to Canterlot Castle but with some notable features missing. And since it was sitting in a town, it was noticeably smaller. Opening the door, the castle looked bigger on the inside, sporting that grandeur that was missing from the outside.
And yet, there weren't any guards inside. This castle did seem rather empty despite how decorated it was. There weren't many rooms either. Thanks to this size, this castle was very much limited, only having two floors. When moving through the castle, Celestia could feel the lonely aura exuding from the castle. There was something sad about it, especially since there was a princess currently here.
As they entered a chamber in this castle, their eyes are immediately drawn to a figure standing by the window. The soft glow of the morning sun that pierced through the misty skies illuminates her delicate features, yet she exudes an aura of strength and resilience. Standing there was the Princess who looked rather familiar.
"Hello? Can I help you?" The Princess speaking to them was a pony who looked a lot like Celestia, but with notable differences. Celestia herself gazed what was almost the spitting image of her. Standing there was the only other alicorn here and the princess who was helping these residents.
"Oohhh..." Now Celestia's confusion had been broken. It made sense why the others mistook Celestia for this princess. The resemblance was certainly there. The two observed each other, moving their heads in unison and trying to see if the were seeing things correctly.
They waved their hooves in front of each other, being in perfect sync. To Cobalion, it was rather amusing to see them move in such unison, flapping their wings at the same time. Both of them were seeing correctly. There was indeed a resemblance.
"Goodness. Am I seeing things...?" Azurelia's jaw would slowly drop before reforming into a smile. A rather shaky one too as seen by how her mouth was trembling. She had a certain reaction when looking at Celestia. But the same went for when she looked at Cobalion. "Mother! Father?!"
"W-What did you say?" Was Celestia hearing things wrong? It sounded like this other alicorn was referring to her as a mother.
"You look like her, but taller! And you're definitely him!" Azurelia uttered with the most spectacular smile on her face. And without hesitation, she went to hug both Cobalion and Celestia. Her grip was rather strong, strong enough to even move the Iron Will Pokemon. "I didn't think I'd ever see you two again!"
"Apologies. But I'm not sure we're your parents." Cobalion wasn't sure about that, being upfront with Azurelia.
"You're not...?" The alicorn pulled back, taking a longer look at them. "N-No. You're definitely them. I know your faces anywhere. No matter how much time passes, I'll never forget your faces."
"I'm sorry. I just thought that...You know..." Azurelia's smile transformed into a frown. A rather gutted one. And so was her heart.
"Hold on, Cobalion." But Celestia wasn't ready to write it off just yet. "First things first. You're the princess, obviously. What's your name?"
"My name is Azurelia." She introduced herself. "Princess Azurelia. Apologies for the sudden hug. Just an instinct of mine. I couldn't help myself. I really thought you were my parents. I mean, you look a lot like them. Mainly you, Cobalion." She even knew the name of Cobalion despite how closed off this town was from everywhere else.
"Well, you know who I am." said Cobalion. "As for Celestia, I can see why you had such a reaction. The resemblance between the two of you is strong. Obviously, you'd refer to her as your mother."
"But it's not just a coincidence we look similar. It's also the name. My mom is also named Celestia."
"Oh." The Sun Princess uttered before looking at Cobalion and then back at Azurelia. There was one thought rushing through her head that brought a sudden realization. "Oh!"
"You came here for something else. Not that though." The other alicorn shook her head.
"The residents here said that you come from somewhere else. Not even their own world." Cobalion added. "You're not from this universe or theirs, are you?"
"No. I'm afraid not. This isn't my home. Neither is this town. I never had a place known as FrostFall after all. But we both ended up here."
"The world you come from...Are your parents by chance...named after us?"
"That's right. That's right!" Azurelia's smile returned. "Cobalion and Celestia. I don't mean to brag, which...I shouldn't, but that's where I get my name. It's a union of both their names."
"Then that explains it. From another universe, we are your parents. But not in this one."
"R-Right! Right!" Celestia puffed her cheeks as her face turned red. She cleared her throat as she was essentially looking at her own daughter. Even though she wasn't from this universe, the fact that her parents were both Cobalion and Celestia said a lot. "That's what I was going to say. Thank you, Cobalion."
"Even still...I know those faces anywhere. And those names." Azurelia responded. "And seeing them makes me so happy...The perfect time to be happy. Then again, it's the only time around here."
"Well...I'm sure the different universe thing doesn't matter. Not for a moment." Celestia uttered.
"It doesn't?" Azurelia and Cobalion said in unison.
"Not for a moment. If you feel that we're your parents, then why not? Different universe or not, it changes nothing. After all, my niece is in a similar boat." The Sun Princess chuckled, referring to the fact that the older Flurry Heart from another universe found a new home here, coexisting with her younger self.
"Really? Well...That cushions things for me, honestly." The other alicorn was truly glad to hear it. "I mean, you're much taller than my Celestia. Plus, you're also an alicorn, just like me."
"I wasn't? Not even there?" It was surprising to hear that Celestia in that other universe was not an alicorn but her daughter was.
"Mm. Maybe if you were, things would be different." Her smile faded away as a certain memory popped up in her head. "Truth is, I was so happy to see you because I thought I lost you both. Ever since that incident."
"You're free to tell us what it is. Have no fear." Cobalion welcomed Azurelia to share whatever it was she was harbouring to him and Celestia.
"Well...Both of you, in another world, gave your all to protect me. Where I come from, I was the first alicorn baby to ever exist. Other alicorns only existed because they used to be pegasi, unicorns or earth ponies. But not me, even though my mother wasn't an alicorn. News about my existence got out there and I was a target for a terrifying force. I was saved thanks to the both of you, but it took you giving yourselves up to make it happen."
"So, that's why you reacted to us in such a way. Were our bodies destroyed or taken away?" Celestia asked.
"Taken away. I don't know where, but you were gone. And I was all on my own. I still managed to grow up since Virizion, Terrakion and Keldeo took care of me in your absence. But I never stopped missing you and I always wished for you to return. Even had to try and search for Jirachi, which didn't work out."
Azurelia's past was one that was devoid of her own parents, even though she knew what they looked like at a young age. But now, that wish to see them again practically came true. Funnily enough, it was also done by the Jirachi since something like this was only possible due to how Jirachi changed the universe itself.
"It's all fine now. it feels fine now that I'm seeing you, even if things are different. But I know this isn't my world. There's quite a few technicalities here."
"About that. What of this place and why is it so hidden?" Cobalion got back to the other topic.
"Oh. As for why things are this way, there's a reason for it. And it's something I haven't been able to stop just yet. Not that I have the experience." Azurelia took a deep breath as this issue was something she as an alicorn apparently couldn't easily solve. "There's something here at Frostfall. Just north from here. It's not the one that brought us all here, but it's the one keeping us from leaving. It calls itself a Desire."
There it was. The cause of this issue. A Desire. Knowing this, Celestia knew what had to be done. She was experienced enough to deal with Desires, having the perfect cure. "Take us to the Desire."
North of Frostfall.
They went north, which would obviously be the coldest part of this hidden area. The hooves of this family stepped through the deep snow, leaving hoofprints of differing sizes. Azurelia's was slightly smaller than Celestia's while Cobalion's was bigger than all three of them combined.
Using her magic, Celestia protected herself yet again and it seems that Azurelia could do the same. When heading north, they would head to the source of the Desire and thankfully, this area wasn't too large. Frostfall was a small time and the surrounding area, while large, wasn't as vast as the Frozen North.
The Desire specifically sat over a massive hole in the snow, appearing in its purple form. And that was just it. It was only its purple form and nothing else. There was no silhouette or outline of another individual. Instead, it was ball of Rift Energy hovering there.
"Princess. You've come back. But with nothing new to offer, I presume." And yet, the Desire still had the voice. It was that of an old man. A disgruntled voice too.
"Not this time. This time, I'm ready!" Azurelia said with her chest out, showing a great ordeal of confidence. "Because now...I've brought my parents with me!"
"Princess Celestia? And Cobalion?!" The Desire recognized who these two were based on the tone of his voice.
"So you know who we are. Then obviously, you know why we're here." Celestia stepped forward, moving past her daughter with a smile on her face. "Seems like while everything here comes from other worlds, you're a resident of this one. And yet...you're keeping others from different worlds here?
"Yes. For as long as I can. Until I'm truly satisfied. But that hasn't happened yet...and I feel as if it won't ever happen. You know this all too well, Azurelia."
"I do. I wish I was powerful enough to stop you, but..." She lowered her head. "I don't have the means to do it. That can all change and we can all go home happy. That's really what I want for everyone, sir. Including you."
"If only you could. But here we are. Months and months have gone by and despite being a princess, you're unable to solve this. A lack of a body to reach. I'm just a mass of Rift Energy after all."
"Why? Why do this?" Celestia asked, wondering what this Desire was all about. "You have to have a reason to keep them trapped here. Not only that, but you don't even have any semblance of a body, which is new for a Desire."
"Why? A missed opportunity on my part. For years, I was exempt from the Christmas Holidays. I always found it to be a confusing time. Lost in it. I did not detest it, but I was just confused. It was until a most pleasant moment with my family that was also eye-opening that changed it all." The Desire used his power to create a memory projection made out of Rift Energy.
There, he showed them what things were like before he emerged as a Desire. The old man was visible as a Rift Projection and around him was his family. Christmas Holidays came and went and yet one thing stayed the same for so long. The old man never found any enjoyment out of it. Not a slither of it. Not a taste, not even a ration of Christmas.
He watched as his family were at their happiest during this one time while he just stayed the same, unchanging in many ways. But the reason for this indifference was also shown. Another projection appeared, showing the old man in his younger years.
"Even back then, I never found interest in it. Some found that odd since I was a child, showing no love for such a time. Couped with my studies and my future, I had no time for it. And even after reaching my goals..." As time went on, he grew, improved and achieved the goals in life that he wanted. And yet, Christmas was practically an afterthought for him.
The older he got, the more distant he grew from others, especially during Christmas. But not when it came to his family. The one thing he would always return to. This was for one reason. He wished to understand it. That wasn't to say he didn't feel any love.
"It was a shame. I was practically asking why I couldn't find the meaning of this season. No laughter that was brought to me or anything of the sorts. I had nothing to latch on to. My world stayed the same for the longest but so did Christmas. Always staying the same with slight changes.
For some of his age, it seemed like a slow burn. Time went by so slowly for him, especially since Christmas came at the last month of the year. He was growing more and more jaded, unable to truly grasp this holiday, even though it was practically everywhere.
"I didn't understand it at all. But then, I did. I have my grandchildren to thank for that. I finally felt what Christmas was when I lost something important to me. Losing Stoutland was hard. At that moment, I thought I would absolutely despise this holiday. And yet, because of my family, that was never the case. They dropped their Christmas experience just to come to see me. But that was also a part of Christmas." He did eventually find it, seeing what it was truly about. His grandchildren and his own children came to him in his weakest time after Stoutland's passing.
"So then...what happened?" Celestia had to know how this all led to a Desire.
"It was not that long ago, Princess Celestia. It was only last year. Now that I was finally understanding Christmas, finding it at last, a repeat of the past occurred. The next Christmas that came by, my own daughter was going through what I felt in the past. I couldn't believe my eyes. She always loved the holiday but everything happening in her life changed it. She's always the one who invites me during this season. It crushed that piece that I was missing to understand this season. I couldn't stand to see my daughter in such a way."
"And that's how the Desire within you awoke." Celestia pieced it all together. Years of this experience, culminated into the old man forming his Desire.
"Exactly. I will understand it. Every day in this space is Christmas. Despite all that I see here, nothing hits that feeling I felt that one year and I won't stop until I do."
"I understand." Celestia closed her eyes. "I understand what you mean. But I know for a fact that's the Desire talking."
"What?"
"You're speaking for him. I know that much. While it's nice that you're doing what you can to fulfil his Desires, something like this isn't the way to go. He'll never get that feeling again if you don't free him."
"I understood it too, mother," Azurelia uttered. "After all, I was born on Christmas."
"You were?" Celestia faced her daughter.
"Mm. The day I was born was on the morning of Christmas. But when next year's Christmas came by, that's when you were taken away from me. Christmas is my happiest and saddest time since it's where I met and lost you both. I felt where he was coming from, but I just don't have the method to stop him."
"I do. I'm freeing him from the Desire. After that, he'll head back to his family. Especially to hsi daughter." Celestia narrowed her eyes before using her magic to throw a Poke Ball into the air. Out of it emerged the Embrace Pokemon, Gardevoir.
"Gardevoir!"
"Don't try and stop me, Princess Celestia." The Desires, despite having good intentions, carried them out in the wrong way. And that also resulted in them being rather hostile, as seen by how this Desire would lash out at Celestia's group. The attacks appeared in the form of Rift Whips, vibrating the snow thanks to their movements.
"Dazzling Gleam!"
"Voir!" With one arm out, Gardevoir generated a magical flash that immediately stopped the incoming whips that would threaten to harm her trainer.
Cobalion would use Sacred Sword against these Cosmic Whips, slicing them in half. He rapidly swung his extended sword, cleaving and cutting away. Aurelia yelped once one of the whips came close to her. She used her own magic to put up a barrier, playing things defensively compared to her parents who were taking down the whips.
Gardevoir would fly forward, attempting to get up close and personal with the Desire. She was known for freeing others from the Desires after all. She would zip around, avoiding the whips that nearly got her. She even had to block some of them with her arms.
Right as one of the whips came close to her, the Mega Stone that Celestia had in her saddlebag would go off. It flew out of the bag, letting out a radiant light the second one of the whips managed to land on Gardevoir. There was a cosmic explosion that blew away a good chunk of the snow. But while Azurelia let out a gasp, Cobalion smiled, knowing what was coming.
Out of the Cosmic Light, Celestial-Gardevoir emerged. The unification of Celestia and Gardevoir, appearing as a single being. She wiped away the cosmic smoke, stronger than ever. The next whips that came close were immediately grabbed by her bare hands. She held onto the cosmic power, using Mystical Fire to incinerate them. The Desire was struggling to keep her at bay, unable to generate strong enough Cosmic Whips.
"You don't have to go through this anymore!" Celestial-Gardevoir bellowed with the power of the Royal Canterlot Voice coming through, making Celestia and Passion's voices audible to Azurelia's ears. And even the old man residing in the desire. Celestial-Gardevoir held her hand out, pushing through the Rift Whips by using Psychic which would condense the cosmic power until it was crushed.
Just like that, Celestial-Gardevoir touched the centre of the Desire. Upon making contact, she utilized Equestrian Magic and Fairy Magic, sending a brilliant Gold and Pink light that would dazzle not only the Desire, but also the entire area.
It was as if the Sun was rising as the lights could be seen from afar. The citizens of FrostFall watched in amazement as the most glorious light bestowed the skies, giving it a truly heavenly feeling. The Desire couldn't stop this. The Rift Energy within was being expunged. A cosmic sound emerged because of this as the light rays began piercing the space that kept this entire area hidden.
The Desire had been defeated, dispersing into purple particles. And falling out of it was the old man, free of his Desire. With his eyes closed, he was currently over the massive hole where the Desire once sat. Quickly, Cobalion galloped as fast as he could, leaping over the massive hole and catching the old man before he could fall into it.
Celestial-Gardevoir hovered there for a moment, looking back at Azurelia. The princess was stunned by what she had just witnessed. The unification of two beings to create someone entirely new was astonishing. And it was her own mother. With a smile on her face, Celestial-Gardevoir ended the fusion, returning both hosts and their physical form.
"Oooh..." The old man, who was fittingly wearing a Christmas outfit, would groan, feeling rather perplexed. He was too old for this. Not as old as Celestia or Cobalion, but still.
"Rest easy." Cobalion uttered, looking up to see the effects of the rays piercing the space and the Desire being defeated. Cracks were beginning to show, revealing that all of this was about to come to an end. "It's all over now."
"So soon though..." Azurelia put a frown back on. "That means only one thing. With the Desire defeated, everything will go back to normal. Such as my place in this world." Alas, Azurelia wasn't meant to be here. This was not her universe, even though Celestia welcomed her.
The same went for those at FrostFall. They got to witness a truly splendid sight thanks to Celestial-Gardevoir. But this might be the only sight they get to witness. With the space breaking apart, the town and all the residents here were exuding blue particles that would gracefully fly out of their bodies.
More of the Sun was breaking through, bringing the rest of its rays. The blue skies of Unova were returning as the residents of Frostfall would at least have the chance to see it in all of its glory. No longer was it misty clouds. Now, they saw what the a piece of the rest of the world. And it was truly beautiful.
"Mother. Father. I'm at least glad I got to see you again, but...It's a shame it's so soon." Azurelia was gutted. "And it happened again. Why don't I get to spend all the time in the world with you."
"I'm sorry, dear. It is what it is." Celestia approached her daughter who was exuding the same particles. From her eyes, a teardrop was appearing. "Smile, knowing that you saw us again at such an age."
"I'm only 25." She sniffled. "I have plenty more years ahead of me as an alicorn."
"It's not all over, Azurelia." The Sun Princess placed her hoof on her daughter's face. "I promised myself I'd reach the other universes I lost contact with. Part of my Universal Alliance. Now I see there's another universe I need to reach.
"So...we'll see each other again?! You mean it?!" Hope was brought to Azurelia's eyes.
"I mean it. It's a promise. Until then, make sure you're doing well. Be the best ruler you can be. Celestia asked. Azurelia nodded, making sure it would become a reality. "Happy Birthday by the way. And even though it's not the correct month, Merry Christmas."
With that, Azurelia was gone. Once she dispersed into cosmic stardust, so did the chilling space. It was all over. The sunny beaches of Unova were seen once more. Celestia stood there for a moment, contemplating what she had just experienced. While short-lived it was an experience she would never forget. Seeing her own daughter was something else. She at least knew what she looked like and no longer had to dream.
"Are you alright?" The Iron Will Pokemon asked.
"I'm fine. I'll be fine knowing what's out there." She turned back with a smile. "Let's head on, Cobalion."
Despite all being over, the town of Frostfall was still around. The people there did not fade away. Instead, they were merely free from the hidden space and were now out in the open. Although, there was now a chilling aura around their own, making sure it was always snowing.
Clearly, while they were not from this world, they weren't going anywhere. And that was for one reason that Celestia already figured out. There was one Human she knew about who could effortlessly use magic that isn't Equestrian or Magic. Scione. The Sun Princess figured out that this was yet another example of Prisma's lost universe. Frostfall was one of those lost areas, but this time, the residents of that area stuck around.
"Well...I know where I'm coming later on." Celestia had answers for these citizens since they came from this lost universe. But there was something else on her mind. Her drive to bring all the gateways back was greater than ever. To restore the Universal Alliance and to see Azurelia again.
As the journey continues.
Chapter 358 End.