[A video is attached; it appears to pick up directly where the last one left off. As Maria and the Kimono Girls watch, Ho-oh makes a loop around the tower, wings shimmering in the light of dawn—then comes in for a landing, perching upon the spire, wings still outstretched.
The Kimono Girls bow. Maria looks around at them, evidently weighing her options, and after some hesitation bends a knee.
"...Ho-oh," Maria greets, voice tight.
A voice seems to come from everywhere and nowhere at once—
Ho-oh, perhaps? But then why is it being picked up the video?
"So it was you who called upon me," Ho-oh says. "I had hope that it would be you. Tell me, human from another world—what is your name?"
For a few seconds, Maria just stares. Naoko clears her throat meaningfully, looking directly at her.
"...My name is Maria," she says at last. "How did you..."
"You were not born of Johto; that, I would sense. Traces of your home still linger upon you, visible to few, tangible to none."
"Oh," Maria murmurs, very quietly. "I see. You... I have seen you before. Though I did not wish to believe it..."
"Yes. You are of much interest to me; those who were reborn through a power that was not my own always are."
She stiffens. "It was not you, then, who...?"
The massive bird shakes their head. "I bear no responsibility for your resurgence, no. Nor can I be certain of who—or what—was."
"Ah," Maria murmurs, even quieter. She looks down. "I see."
"...You have called upon me for a reason, have you not?" Ho-oh says eventually, when it becomes clear that Maria isn't going to say anything else. "Not that I particularly mind having an excuse to return here at last, if you did not..."
"I have."
"Speak of it."
"There is... a group of humans, called Team Rocket," Maria says uncertainly. "I thought that I could stop them... I failed, evidently, to stop them in any way that mattered. Now, they are a threat to the entire region. I call upon you as Johto's protector."
If a giant bird can blink in utter confusion, this one does, cocking their head to one side as if what Maria has said will make more sense at a ninety degree angle.
"It seems," Ho-oh says, "that some legends have not been passed down entirely correctly."
"...What do you mean?"
"I am a protector, yes," Ho-oh clarifies, "but not in the way you believe. I am the new growth rising from the ashes of a forest fire, the scar tissue over wounds that have healed. I am renewal itself. I lend my power to a chosen mortal, so that they may do what I cannot."
"I... see," Maria says, glancing over at the nearest Kimono Girl. "You have several options to choose from."
"I would choose you," Ho-oh says without hesitation, "if you are willing."
Maria makes a noise like something dying in her throat. She takes a big step back. Then another. Ho-oh watches her all the while, unblinking. Unmoving.
"That," Maria says, "is a spectacularly terrible idea. You don't know what I have done."
"Perhaps not," Ho-oh says. "Would you care to enlighten me?"
She freezes. Then, very slowly, nods. Mutters something under her breath, too far away for the camera to pick up.
"...I am not going to smite you," Ho-oh says.
"You might just change your mind about that," Maria says. "In my old world, there was a god that died, for a certain value of the word. Kos. I stood by and allowed others to desecrate her corpse. Then, when her followers took issue with this, I... I-I..."
The Kimono Girls are starting to look horrified. The camera shudders a little. Ho-oh merely nods for her to continue, and continue she does.
"I slaughtered them," Maria says, her voice detached. "You do not want me, Ho-oh. Anyone would be better."
"...Would they?" Ho-oh sounds unconvinced. "Whatever you did in your old world, you clearly regret it. Here, you have done nothing but attempt to do good."
"Attempt, yes. No amount of good can ever truly make up for what I have done, but—"
"That is untrue," Ho-oh says. "Good and evil are not absolutes, Maria. Everyone is capable of great good, and great evil, regardless of what they have done before. More than that... you are aware that rebirth can be in a metaphorical sense, too, yes?"
"Which means?" Maria does not sound like she was aware of that.
"Second chances," Ho-oh says. "I choose you because you are who this region needs, because in spite of your professed crimes there is great sorrow in your heart, great pain—you would not do such a thing again, I presume."
"Of course not," Maria says shakily. "I tried... for all the good it did, I tried to prevent others from visiting that place again. Even amid the waking nightmare I was thrust into as penance."
"...I cannot speak for this Kos, but that does not sound like penance. That rather sounds like malice." Ho-oh does not sound pleased. "You regretted your actions. You did everything you could to make amends. And she singled out... you."
Maria looks away. Utters a single word. "Yes."
Ho-oh considers this. "You have been wronged by the gods of your former world; I see now why you wish for nothing to do with me. Yet you were nevertheless willing to put your own discomfort and fear aside, for you believed I was what Johto needed."
Her shoulders slump. "If—"
"I choose you," Ho-oh says, gently but firmly, "if and only if it is what you truly desire. You are a hero."
"I—"
"You are a hero," Ho-oh emphasizes, "with or without my aid. You will find another way to save the region from Team Rocket; of that I am quite certain. You do not need my help any further than I need yours."
Maria looks at them again. "If I were to accept..."
"Then we would put an end to them together." The Legendary Pokémon almost smiles. "It is said that only one with a pure heart can call upon me; what is not said is that any heart has the capacity for such a thing. Even yours, Maria, as has been clearly demonstrated."
"...A question, then," Maria says. "Before I make my choice."
Ho-oh cocks their head to one side, regarding her silently, and says nothing. They wait, giving her time.
"You truly believe that... anyone can change for the better? Whatever their crimes?"
"I do," Ho-oh says. "It is my favorite thing about mortals, as a matter of fact—their potential to grow, so long as they remain alive."
She takes a deep breath. "Then I accept."
Maria steps forward, extending a gloved hand. Ho-oh spreads their wings again, enough to hop down to Maria's level.
Hand meets wing. There is a bright flash, the color as golden as Ho-oh's flames, bright enough that for several seconds there is nothing seen but that on the camera.
And then it fades. Maria looks back at the camera, the very faintest of smiles upon her face as she stands beside Ho-oh. Something looks... different, about her, and it isn't immediately obvious what.
"Very well then," Maria says faintly. "The days—no, the hours—of Team Rocket are numbered, and numbered few indeed. Shall we?"
The audible giggling of a Haunter can be heard behind the camera. It zooms in on Maria's face for a moment, making it far more obvious what has changed.
Her eyes are red. Almost blood red, in the light of early morning—the exact same color as Ho-oh's.
The video ends.]
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I keep seeing humans on roller skates around here. Not everyone, but certainly more than I used to see them back in Equestria. I almost wish I still had my own set, even though I was never quite coordinated enough to be good with them. It just looks so fun when I see people gliding by, you know?
Especially with the skate park here on Route 5. Sadly, skates made for human feet just wouldn't really fit me. I suppose I could--
Dude, look, a ponyta! Let me get my panpour.
Nah, bro, that's a galarian one, it's psychic. Beedrill, go!
Arden, set down the holocaster. It looks like we have a battle.
Beedrill, twineedle!
Ow! Hey, you two! Fight the braixen here, not me!
Whoa, dude, it's like that one meowth. We've got to catch it!
Arden, knock out the bee, please. They should be weak to fire, right?
Oof, super effective fireball... Just throw it, it'll be fine.
Take this!
Guys, please, I'm not a pokemon! My name is F--
Gotcha! Forget the braixen, let me just grab the ball and let's AAAAAAUUUGHHHH the bitch fucking set me on fire!
Bro! You're, like, caught in the fiery vortex, man!
OWW! Bad braixen! Just let me get the damn pokeball and go, okay? What's wrong with you?
They fucking lied to us, dude. Stop, drop, and roll isn't working! Aarrghhh it fucking burns!
That's cause you're still in the vortex, dummy. Screw this, I'm out!
But the ponyta-- Hey, wait up!
[An image is attached. It is a selfie taken by Arden, with her and the rest of Fluttershy's team all posing together around a pokeball resting on the ground.]
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