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Description
MASSIVE SPOILER WARNING!!!

A thousand years ago, Alastor buried his best friend atop the hill they awoke on together when they first came to the Pokémon world together. Her dying wish was that he find his own happiness in the new life that had been granted to him, but he couldn't fulfill it. Instead, he allowed grief, anger, and hatred to consume him. Driven by vengeance, he became the worst version of himself and it eventually led him to his downfall and cost him yet another innocent life. It was only until it was too late that he realized his mistakes and he met his own untimely end. That should have been the end of it all... Right?

A thousand years later, Alastor was reborn in the Pokémon world as a Ghastly. Almost as if a punishment for his past misdeeds, he could remember all the horrible things from his past life and the lives that were lost at his expense. He also remembered his friend's dying wish. Ashamed of what he had become and the broken promises he left behind, Alastor feared to face his past and refused to visit his dear friend's grave. If, by some chance, a part of her still remained atop that hill, he couldn't bear to let her see how far he had strayed. He was no longer the friend she had admired so much and put her faith in. He couldn't bear to break her heart any more than he already had by allowing her to see what he had become.

Despite his vow to never face his past again, fate seemed to have other plans for him. Instead of being able to run away from his past, he became engulfed in the consequences of his past actions and found himself presented with a second chance to make things right. Although highly reluctant, he was not only able to face his past once more, but able to make amends for many of his misdeeds. He became a true hero and began to reclaim his true self. Still, regardless of the positive changes in his life, he still felt too ashamed to face his friend again. He so dearly wished to visit her grave again and tell her everything that had happened since his last visit and show her that he was finally okay. But his fears of disappointing her were too strong.

When his new friends and niece learn that Alastor was still running from such an important part of his past, they all join in on encouraging him to visit his friend's grave and assure him that if she's even a quarter as kind and compassionate as he claims then she would be more than thrilled if he visited her and told her all about what he's experienced. It might be hard, but it's clear to everyone that Alastor will never truly be able to move on and live his life to the fullest until he can face her again. With a heavy heart, Alastor travels to the Water Continent to the hill overlooking a valley that was his friend's grave.

Alastor nervously wonders if the simple gravestone to mark her burial was still there and how the valley may have changed over the past thousand years. By some miracle, would it have remained untouched and in the same wondrous state as he had left it? Or would the valley have changed drastically and the grave vanished over the course of a developing utopia? The more he pondered over how things might have changed and the concern of whether or not her grave still stood overcame his thoughts, he found himself fearing the worst and worried that he may have already been too late. However, upon his arrival, he is welcomed by a miraculous sight. While a small civilization had been established in the valley, it was quaint and respected the land that the villagers called home. It was a serene harmony. However, the village wasn't what had caught his eye.

Atop the hill where his friend's grave lied, something that had not been there before now stood strong and firm: a tree. Tears welled in Alastor's eyes as he got a better look and realized that this was real. A distant memory played in his mind as he cautiously approached the tree. He remembered how his friend had once asked if they could plant a tree atop the hill after the war to serve as a symbol of hope and new beginnings for all. That hill had been the place of their rebirth and newfound hope when they came to the Pokémon world, presenting them a whole new world they could call home and make a life with each other without being haunted by an evil beyond their control. Alastor was more than happy to do so with her as he believed with all his heart that it would be a much needed message to the world. But Alastor and his friend had never fulfilled that promise. She had died just as the war had ended, succumbing to fatal wounds intended for him. He had been so lost in his grief that he had forgotten their promise and thus buried her atop the hill instead of a tree like they had planned. He wondered how this could have happened. That's when he remembered that someone else had known of their promise and had taken a bit of time saying his goodbyes to her during her burial. As much as he hated him for dragging them into that war, Alastor couldn't help but wonder if he had anything to do with this miracle.

Regardless of how it came to be, Alastor was overjoyed to see that at least one promise could be fulfilled. Just as she had wanted, a tree had grown into a strong symbol of hope that overlooked the valley. And it soon became clear to him that everyone in Serene Village greatly valued and respected the tree even without knowing of just how precious it truly was. Alastor gently placed a gloved hand upon the tree, tears flowing down his face as a genuine smile escaped his lips. Somehow, even after a thousand years, a part of her was still alive and impacting the lives of others. At the base of the tree, he found it. Alastor found the gravestone that marked her final place of rest. Although overgrown and the tree threatening to consume it, he could still just barely see her name engraved upon the stone. Here, atop this hill, Aster's spirit lived on within the tree that continued to watch over Serene Village in their absence.

(I was on YouTube when I came across this video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8vYn_… . It really sparked the inspiration I needed for the moment when Alastor learns that a tree had grown in place of Aster's grave. I honestly loved the idea of someone's remains becoming the fertile substance that can allow something so strong and beautiful to grow that can be loved and cherished by future generations. It's actually something I wish to do when I pass on from this world. I think Aster would love it, too. And the fact that her grave would be marked by the tree that became such a significant place for her reborn self, being the very spot where she first saw her home with Mr. Fife, where she truly became friends with Atlas, formed Team Seekers with her best friend, made a tearful goodbye to Atlas, and so much more, it was just too perfect of a chance to pass up on. There are so many memories embedded in the tree. Whether they be memories of happiness or sorrow, they all played a great importance to someone. And now, Alastor has a chance to set aside his heartbreaking past for something better now that he can see that the promise that was made to Aster so long ago was kept in the end. Sometimes, after one loses their entire world, something that once seemed to small and simple can become the foundations of what you need the most and give you the peace you desperately need.)

Description
MASSIVE SPOILER WARNING!!!

A thousand years ago, Alastor buried his best friend atop the hill they awoke on together when they first came to the Pokémon world together. Her dying wish was that he find his own happiness in the new life that had been granted to him, but he couldn't fulfill it. Instead, he allowed grief, anger, and hatred to consume him. Driven by vengeance, he became the worst version of himself and it eventually led him to his downfall and cost him yet another innocent life. It was only until it was too late that he realized his mistakes and he met his own untimely end. That should have been the end of it all... Right?

A thousand years later, Alastor was reborn in the Pokémon world as a Ghastly. Almost as if a punishment for his past misdeeds, he could remember all the horrible things from his past life and the lives that were lost at his expense. He also remembered his friend's dying wish. Ashamed of what he had become and the broken promises he left behind, Alastor feared to face his past and refused to visit his dear friend's grave. If, by some chance, a part of her still remained atop that hill, he couldn't bear to let her see how far he had strayed. He was no longer the friend she had admired so much and put her faith in. He couldn't bear to break her heart any more than he already had by allowing her to see what he had become.

Despite his vow to never face his past again, fate seemed to have other plans for him. Instead of being able to run away from his past, he became engulfed in the consequences of his past actions and found himself presented with a second chance to make things right. Although highly reluctant, he was not only able to face his past once more, but able to make amends for many of his misdeeds. He became a true hero and began to reclaim his true self. Still, regardless of the positive changes in his life, he still felt too ashamed to face his friend again. He so dearly wished to visit her grave again and tell her everything that had happened since his last visit and show her that he was finally okay. But his fears of disappointing her were too strong.

When his new friends and niece learn that Alastor was still running from such an important part of his past, they all join in on encouraging him to visit his friend's grave and assure him that if she's even a quarter as kind and compassionate as he claims then she would be more than thrilled if he visited her and told her all about what he's experienced. It might be hard, but it's clear to everyone that Alastor will never truly be able to move on and live his life to the fullest until he can face her again. With a heavy heart, Alastor travels to the Water Continent to the hill overlooking a valley that was his friend's grave.

Alastor nervously wonders if the simple gravestone to mark her burial was still there and how the valley may have changed over the past thousand years. By some miracle, would it have remained untouched and in the same wondrous state as he had left it? Or would the valley have changed drastically and the grave vanished over the course of a developing utopia? The more he pondered over how things might have changed and the concern of whether or not her grave still stood overcame his thoughts, he found himself fearing the worst and worried that he may have already been too late. However, upon his arrival, he is welcomed by a miraculous sight. While a small civilization had been established in the valley, it was quaint and respected the land that the villagers called home. It was a serene harmony. However, the village wasn't what had caught his eye.

Atop the hill where his friend's grave lied, something that had not been there before now stood strong and firm: a tree. Tears welled in Alastor's eyes as he got a better look and realized that this was real. A distant memory played in his mind as he cautiously approached the tree. He remembered how his friend had once asked if they could plant a tree atop the hill after the war to serve as a symbol of hope and new beginnings for all. That hill had been the place of their rebirth and newfound hope when they came to the Pokémon world, presenting them a whole new world they could call home and make a life with each other without being haunted by an evil beyond their control. Alastor was more than happy to do so with her as he believed with all his heart that it would be a much needed message to the world. But Alastor and his friend had never fulfilled that promise. She had died just as the war had ended, succumbing to fatal wounds intended for him. He had been so lost in his grief that he had forgotten their promise and thus buried her atop the hill instead of a tree like they had planned. He wondered how this could have happened. That's when he remembered that someone else had known of their promise and had taken a bit of time saying his goodbyes to her during her burial. As much as he hated him for dragging them into that war, Alastor couldn't help but wonder if he had anything to do with this miracle.

Regardless of how it came to be, Alastor was overjoyed to see that at least one promise could be fulfilled. Just as she had wanted, a tree had grown into a strong symbol of hope that overlooked the valley. And it soon became clear to him that everyone in Serene Village greatly valued and respected the tree even without knowing of just how precious it truly was. Alastor gently placed a gloved hand upon the tree, tears flowing down his face as a genuine smile escaped his lips. Somehow, even after a thousand years, a part of her was still alive and impacting the lives of others. At the base of the tree, he found it. Alastor found the gravestone that marked her final place of rest. Although overgrown and the tree threatening to consume it, he could still just barely see her name engraved upon the stone. Here, atop this hill, Aster's spirit lived on within the tree that continued to watch over Serene Village in their absence.

(I was on YouTube when I came across this video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8vYn_… . It really sparked the inspiration I needed for the moment when Alastor learns that a tree had grown in place of Aster's grave. I honestly loved the idea of someone's remains becoming the fertile substance that can allow something so strong and beautiful to grow that can be loved and cherished by future generations. It's actually something I wish to do when I pass on from this world. I think Aster would love it, too. And the fact that her grave would be marked by the tree that became such a significant place for her reborn self, being the very spot where she first saw her home with Mr. Fife, where she truly became friends with Atlas, formed Team Seekers with her best friend, made a tearful goodbye to Atlas, and so much more, it was just too perfect of a chance to pass up on. There are so many memories embedded in the tree. Whether they be memories of happiness or sorrow, they all played a great importance to someone. And now, Alastor has a chance to set aside his heartbreaking past for something better now that he can see that the promise that was made to Aster so long ago was kept in the end. Sometimes, after one loses their entire world, something that once seemed to small and simple can become the foundations of what you need the most and give you the peace you desperately need.)