#plot: creator clash

"So, Heidi's gone and did that, huh?" The Bounty Hunter had just finished watching the provided video. "I'm impressed. The little girl's grown up fast, and well-adjusted, to boot."

"Yes." Dinah nodded. "Dinah was informed that you would take a particular interest in learning of this."

"Well, of fucking course I would! 's my damn sister we're talkin' here! You know how long I've hunted that bitch down, only for her to escape at the last possible second?"

"Dinah was informed that it was a significant amount, yes." Dinah agreed. "Dinah apologizes if this has ruined your bounty."

"Nah, don't be. Heidi's done the right thing, and that's what matters. Besides..."

Heidi found a proper place to bury her All-Mother. There was a plot of land not too far off from the Clocktower. It seemed to have been undisturbed despite everything around it. Heidi started digging into it to give it some distance under the ground.

It... was finally over. She was... able to defeat Friede and keep her friends and family safe. Yet, sorrow plagued her heart. She missed her All-Mother already. Heidi wished that she could go back in time... spend more time with her.... She wished that Friede had changed her mind and wished to live with everyone... that her heart had never closed or that she never was traumatized.

Heidi wanted to protect her All-Mother, too... along with everyone else.

Heidi flew down and placed Friede's Legend Plate in the hole and re-filled it. She then took Friede's greatsword and stabbed it into the ground as some sort of tombstone.

"...Rest well, mom."

Heidi started to walk away--

--but stopped for a moment.

Heidi summoned Izanami's Legend Plate as well. She thought of the Arceus that gave her the opportunity to make the choices that she had... the enigmatic yet loving creator that wished nothing but the best for her, her family, and her world. She deserved to be given a proper burial as well.

Besides, just as she said, she's not an Arceus. As such, she had no use for this anymore.

Heidi found another plot nearby and made a hole. She placed Izanami's Legend Plate inside and then re-filled the hole. Heidi summoned a standard sword and plunged it down at the head of the hole.

"...You too, Nami. I promise that I'll do whatever it takes to keep our home safe."

Heidi turned around and walked away. She pulled out her Portal Gun and shot in front of her, stepping through it and into the Hall of Origin.

It was from this moment that Elysium became the Land Without a Creator -- for, while Heidi will fill that role for now, she will never truly identify herself as Arceus...

"Heidi fell within expectations." Now that the stream was over, Dinah had left Shukukou's domain to go on a little venture herself. She was told to contact a special bounty hunter of an Arceus at this stage.

"We're SAVED!"

"WOO HOO! The world is safe!"

"You always had it in you, Miss Lacey.... Thank you."

"...." Kathy looked at her friends. "Hey, everyone."

"Huh?" Rosa was the one to turn around. "What is it?"

"...I think we should check on Lacey later. She... looked really sad about this."

Hilda pivoted, too. "Well, that was her Arceus, right?"

Kathy nodded. "I could tell that she was still pretty upset."

"..." Lillie gave it some thought. "...I'd say let's give her some space, then visit her one at a time. She said that she's going to be a little while, right? So, she needs some time to herself."

Kathy nodded. "Agreed."

"I'm not sure if it's okay for me to visit her, though?" Rosa shook her head. "You guys know her a lot better than I do."

Lillie shook her head. "You can come with Hilda if you want. Just, not all of us at once."

Friede's body slowly started to disappear, leaving behind her greatsword and her Legend Plate where she was slain.

Heidi turned and walked over to Ghost. "...It's over, Ghost. You can turn on the feed."

Ghost turned on the video again. Heidi was in view, along with the remains of Friede.

---

"My name... is Heidi. I am a Latias from a faraway land... and I serve as acting-Arceus of this world." Heidi decided to finally correct myself. She shook her head. "The World Cleanser... has fallen. While she has fought well and the battle nearly was lost, I have been successful in slaying her myself."

"To my friends... and my family... to those that that survived from my home world... to those who live in the world that I share with you... to anyone who had believed in me. Thank you. Thank you all for being there for me when I needed it. Thank you for creating a world where people and Pokémon work together, for believing in a vision that we all can believe in and work on. Thank you for doing anything that you can to make our shared world one where anyone can feel welcome, and where everyone feels at home. Without you... without all of you... I do not believe that I could do this without you."

Heidi turned around and picked up both the greatsword and the Legend Plate. She looked at them and examined them before looking back.

"I... have just now called myself acting-Arceus because.... Because I am no Arceus. Despite the strength that I have received and the responsibility that I have taken upon myself to give you, I cannot deny what I feel deep inside. At the end of the day, I am as I always was -- a Latias... a Legendary Pokémon similar to the likes of Zapdos and Suicune. That is what I truly am... and what I truly wish to be. As such, I will maintain the role of Arceus until I determine a solution where an Arceus is no longer necessary in our world. Once that is complete, then I will demote myself back to a mere Latias, only stepping to the plate whenever it is necessary. For now, please respect my wishes and address me as a Latias, only addressing my title as Acting-Arceus when necessary. Thank you."

A bell could be heard as the elevator from before appeared.

"...I will return home soon. I must bury my All-Mother and give her the send-off that she deserves. I must also require time to mourn her passing. In the meantime, please be mindful of one another, respect your neighbors and friends, and continue to make this world a better place. Thank you." Heidi turned around and walked into the elevator with Friede's items in tow.

Ghost cut the feed once more and followed her. The elevator closed and descended towards its destination.

The remainder of the battle was quick. Friede, despite being at her maximum strength, could not keep up with Heidi at her High Power. With blow after blow, it was quickly looking like a beatdown, until...

Friede is unable to battle! Heidi wins!

Friede fell to the ground, her greatsword fallen by the wayside.

"...."

Heidi downgraded her form and reached for Friede's holy blade. Friede attempted to try to get back up, but before she could even see if she had the strength to do that, she was kicked down by Heidi, who kept her shoe plunged right on her shoulder.

"It's over, Friede. Don't make this any harder than it has to."

"urk--" Friede coughed. It looked like she didn't have the strength to continue.

"....Cut the feed, Ghost. I... don't want this to be shown to everyone."

Ghost nodded and stopped recording for now. From the end of the Iono Zone, a "Be Right Back" banner could be heard with some music.

Heidi continued to hold Friede's greatsword as she kept her foot on the Creator. Friede stopped struggling at this point. "...Friede."

"H--h--Heidi." Friede was having a hard time speaking.

"You... fought well. This battle has taught me more about you than anything else -- about your experience, your pain, your struggles, your goals...." Heidi shook her head. "Unfortunately, while I cannot express my gratitude for you enough, I am afraid that this is where we must part ways. If it is true that you are perpetuating a Cycle, then allow me to end this iteration... and, should you come back, I... merely pray that you can break it, so that you may live freely without fear or without doubt."

"..." Friede looked straight up at Heidi but didn't dare speak a word. A soldier dies without regrets.

"Goodbye.... All-Mother. May you find peace on the other side." Heidi adjusted herself so she could lift the greatsword, charge it with Infinity Energy....

"..."

"...What?"

"...Seriously, what is so special about you and your parallels?"

"Oh, you're one to talk, Hel."

"...what?"

Cue Arceus chuckling. "Ohhhh, you'll see. If you think Heidi and Hera are special, just wait until you get your turn~"

"SISTERRRRRRR!"

Lauren reached out to the screen, tears strolling down her face. It took the force of Rayquaza AND Zinnia to hold her back.

"HEIDI! NOOOOOOO! YOU CAN'T DIE LIKE THIS! PLEASEEEE! PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME!"

Lauren broke her disguise and started crying. Zinnia and Rayquaza started consoling her.

---

"This... this isn't the end... right...?"

Even Hilda was starting to quake in her shoes.

"We--we're... we're not doomed, right? She's... she's fine, right? Please tell me that she's fine!"

Lillie was ready to break down crying already.

---

Others weren't as credulous at the results.

"Do you sense it, Melmel? Something isn't quite adding up."

"I agree." Melony shook her head. "There is still but one thing that she is leaving behind."

"Do you think that she is able to use it?"

"She is... After all, I still sense her life force. There is still time."

---

Hel looked at the Arceus in the room. "...Shouldn't you be requesting for her soul right about now, Lacey?"

"Oh, who said that she's dead?" The Arceus giggled.

"...That blade says so."

The Arceus shook her head. "Oh, you'll see. She's not down just yet."

"Hm. She is best not to be." Hel turned back to the screen.

---

....

....

Friede looked down at the figure. The greatsword was still directly in the middle of the creature. While there was no blood, it should have been enough to drive right into her and kill her.

...but if that was enough to end her, why has she not lost her disguise?

...

... unless--

....

Hehe.

hehehe

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Heidi slowly started to change, with her power skyrocketing as well. The dragon grabbed onto the greatsword and slowly began rise, driving the sword deeper and deeper through her sternum.

Once she was close enough to meet her attacker face-to-face, she had nothing but a snarky grin.

"You've lost, Friede."

Friede yanked herself away and brought the greatsword with her. The hole in Heidi's chest suddenly disappeared, as if it never happened to begin with.

"...So this is how you interpret yourself as an Arceus, Heidi."

"Arceus? Us? HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Heidi used Neutralizing Tera Blast!

The attack caused a large explosion on Friede, causing her, even at her immense strength, to flinch for a moment.

"We are not Arceus. We may have the abilities to defeat your kind... we may be able to perform your duties better than you.... We may work to protect this world from vermin such as yourself... but we are not like you. No matter what happens to us, we are, and will always be, Latias."

"....Then, if that is the case, I will ensure that you perish with that thought."