EPILOGUE
The day after the disasters Fernando caused had ended, the city began to regroup and recover. Even while much of La Ciudad Dorada lie in ruins, the general attitude of the people was amazingly upbeat and optimistic.
At the time, however, work on rebuilding was halted. Most if not all of the town was packed into the square, awaiting a speech from their true ruler. Two of the guards stood with their staves crossed to block the entryway to the balcony beneath the destroyed video screen.
When the leader of the guards approached from inside the palace, her two subordinates cleared the way for her.
"Citizens of La Ciudad Dorada, the tenth and current ruler... Queen Rosalita!"
A great cheer went up in the crowd as Rosalita, now wearing the symbolic red cape, stepped out onto the balcony. Shaymin, now back in its Land Forme, rested peacefully in her arms.
"My people, let me first say that I know how bad things have been lately... I apologize from the bottom of my heart for it all. I should have done something sooner.
What stands before us now is the daunting task of rebuilding. The first step in that is fully grasping what has happened.
Three suspects have been identified in the attempted coup against the royal family. The first, Cassy Natsuka, has so far evaded arrest. Her whereabouts are unknown. An accomplice, Howard McKenna, has however been captured and will be punished to the full extent of our law."
Rosalita looked downward, a tear forming in her eye as she prepared to deliver the last bit of news.
"The final suspect and ringleader was my brother, Count Fernando la Dorada VIII. He murdered our parents, the previous king and queen, then manipulated everyone in an attempt to get himself named king. He was angry that he was passed over for the throne. Fernando VIII died in battle yesterday, however, he had crowned himself king already prior to his death. Because of this, and because I will not engage in the petty hatred he did, his body will be installed in our museum alongside the first seven kings.
Now, we move on to those who helped save our kingdom. With my first act as queen I am bestowing honorary titles of nobility. The Pokémon Ranger, Ross, has already turned down an honorary knightship on the belief that he was only doing his job. Carter McKenna will receive the honorary title of Earl, while Matt Chiaki shall gain the title of Margrave. I have one last title to bestow, but sadly, it must be given posthumously. Eleanor Laplace, who perished in the final battle for the kingdom, shall go to her grave with the title of Duchess. We've recovered her body, and she will lie in state in the lobby of our palace for three days and then be returned to her only known family in Kanto.
My subjects, please do not be discouraged by all that has happened. We will persevere in the end. My brother, before he died, was fond of saying that the night is darkest just before the dawn. That dark night is now behind us, and we are facing a new dawn stronger than ever!"
Once again, the square erupted in the joyous cries of the townspeople.
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Later that evening, when the sun was setting and casting a dim light over the land, the train out of La Ciudad Dorada was finally ready to leave. Having all his bags packed, Matt, who had replaced his eyepatch, was just about ready to board when he heard some voices behind him.
"Matt, stop! Wait up a minute!"
"Huh?"
Surprised, Matt turned around and found Carter and Ross standing behind him. Even though he just wanted to get on the train and leave, he decided to be polite and talk to them, so he stepped down from the coach's entrance.
"Matt, I just wanted to thank you for helping us out with everything," Carter said. "If it wasn't for you, I would have never learned the truth about Shaymin or my father."
"Yes you would have. My role here was only to help Fernando realize his plans..."
"Don't talk like that!" snapped Ross, teetering forward on his makeshift cane. "In the end it was you who came up with every plan we needed to win!"
"I guess..." Matt desperately wanted to escape this conversation and hide in solitude within his room on the train, but he couldn't find a way out. "What are you guys gonna do now then?"
"I'm staying here for a while to help the people rebuild. I feel a sense of duty to this place after everything that happened."
Ross coughed, then said, "I'll return to the Ranger Union, but with my injuries, I'll probably be forced to take an early retirement... What about you, Matt?"
"Continue my research, I guess. I've got a sample of soil I just took that I want to analyze for my experiment." Suddenly sensing a chance to get away from the exchange, Matt then said, "And that's important work, so I have to get going. It was good meeting you, Ross, and good seeing you again, Carter."
Matt turned and climbed up into the coach, not seeing Ross and Carter waving goodbye to him. He just wanted so badly to be alone.
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The Azure Angel, without his mask, stood over the city on a cliff, taking in the beauty of the view. His long hair blew gently in the wind.
"The people of this city will recover. If there's anything I've learned, it's that they're strong, always looking for a better tomorrow." He looked up to the sky and began addressing someone who wasn't even present. "But what about you, Matt Chiaki? Will you recover? Will you win out over everything? This is just the tip of the iceberg for you. Will you be able to make the right choice and complete your life? I'll just have to keep an eye on you and see..."
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[url=.com/watch?v=vMVuUY0T9KQ](Closing theme)[/url]
~Pokémon Ranger and the Gardener of Gratitude~
A Great Butler Presentation
[In his room on the train, Matt sits at his computer, a cheeseburger resting on the table next to it. The screen displays a soil analysis reading "NUTRIENTS SUFFICIENT."]
-Chief Executives-
Nando
Nekusagi
Bay
[The guards attend to Rosalita, sitting on her throne with Shaymin resting on the armrest.]
-Cast-
Wayne Grayson ... Matt Chiaki
Lisa Ortiz ... Eleanor Laplace
Crispin Freeman ... Carter McKenna
Yuri Lowenthal ... Ross
Moneca Stori ... Cassy Natsuka
Dan Green ... Satsukoro
Liam O'Brien ... Sutter Chiaki
[With the aid of one of the guards, Carter tends to an orange farm in the city. He looks up at the sky and wipes his brow.]
-Featuring-
Tara Platt ... Rosalita
Veronica Taylor ... Guard 1
Amy Kincaid ... Guard 2
Michelle Ruff ... Guard 3
Rachael Lillis ... Guard 4
Rebecca Forstadt ... Shaymin (Land Forme)
Mia Bradly ... Shaymin (Sky Forme)
Parker Anderson ... Count Fernando VII, Viktor Zerossen
Benny Andersson ... Garret
Bjorn Ulvaeus ... Billy
Frida Lyngstad ... Tiffany
Eric Stuart ... Clyde
Steven Rattazzi ... Fernando VII
Megan Hollingshead ... Queen Cassandra
Herb Lawrence ... Charon Chiaki
Tom Wayland ... Arceus
Ross Douglas ... Giratina
Sean Schemmel ... Fernando II
Maddie Blaustein ... Minnaara
[The row of statues in the museum is now complete. Fernando I has been returned to his place, while Fernando VII and Fernando VIII have been installed.]
-Special Guest Stars-
David Bowie ... Fernando I
Stellan Skarsgard ... Howard McKenna
[In the dungeon beneath the palace, Howard has been put to his punishment – making doll clothes.]
-Ending Theme-
"I'll Always Remember You"
Vocals by: Kirsten Price
Written & Produced by: John Loeffler and David Wolfert
[In a monochrome world, Sutter walks through a forest, stopping to look at carvings on a tree. Eleanor appears to assist him.]
Dedicated to the memory of
Maddie Blaustein
1960 – 2008
~~~The End~~~
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Being careful to be quiet so she would avoid notice, Cassy stalked through the pathways in the Golden City, a robotic viewing lens over her left eye.
Finally, she spotted what she was looking for using the lens's help and rushed over to a pile of dirt nearby. After she knelt, she reached down into the dirt and dusted off what was underneath – the Griseous Orb.
Her eyes widened in glee, and she put her hand to her left ear. "G-3 to headquarters, come in. Stage one of Operation Red Birth is complete... the baby is in the cradle and she's a live one. I repeat, the baby's in the cradle and she's a live one... as for the father, it looks like he lost three of his plates..."
Cassy held up the Orb and smiled into it.
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