Child of Thorns - A Pokemon Sinnoh Reimagining

The power of Dialga and Palkia began to fade from me, and I was left alone and powerless atop the peak of the mountain I'd just created with my own hands.

My brother remained dead. I'd almost brought about the end of the world. My mission had been for nothing.

However, I've never been one to let grief paralyze me.

Using the last slivers of godly power that remained in me, I tapped into Uxie's essence and thus, into the essence of Memory itself. What I would do required very little power, but incredible finesse.

I suppose even I was capable of a subtle touch when push came to shove.

Using the power of my own Spirit and that of the Creation Duo, I changed Memory itself.

Of course this mountain range and the new white sun… no, the moon, had always existed in this world. Of course I hadn't attacked the clan of Lorekeepers in my grief over losing my brother. Of course I hadn't attempted to use the power of gods to bring him back.

I changed the truth to a more…palatable one, though in no way more favorable for myself.

Instead of trying to bring my brother back, I'd gone on a rampage against those who'd killed him. Instead of cutting Noh down to steal Uxie from him, he fell after stopping my rampage, at the cost of his own life.

I don't know exactly why I included the bit about Mesprit erasing Emotion from my spirit. Perhaps I wanted my tale to end with a good moral. Perhaps it was revenge because I'd never really liked Mesprit all that much.

In any case… I sit here now. Immortal and hidden from the world, writing all this down and hoping with all my Spirit that no one ever needs this knowledge.

For if anyone does… I will pity them, yes.

But I will also envy them. For when Chaos comes to claim them, at least they will be able to rest.

Every single person in the room, whether part of the Association or Team Galactic, looked at Sarah as though she were a bomb quickly ticking down.

She stood in the middle of the room, one of her feet still resting atop Stella's chest, keeping her in place. Her arms fell limp at her side. A hushed, distant voice came out of the Poketch in her wrist, repeating her name, asking if she was there and asking what was happening. Sarah didn't answer. Her head was down, face hidden in shadows.

Kyle and Zofia, her subordinates, exchanged a look of worry. They were too scared to ask.

A couple minutes ago, Sarah had finally managed to contact someone in the Association, and had asked what on earth was happening outside. The two of them couldn't quite listen to what they told her. But judging by her reaction, they'd confirmed her fears after listening to that loud boom. Mt. Coronet had just erupted.

Then, swallowing, she asked if there were any news from the strike team. At that, the voice on the other side went silent. Sarah's lips pursed and her hands shook ever so slightly. She asked again, more forcefully this time.

The person on the other side said something then, and Sarah's eyes went wide like plates. Her expression broke. The arm she'd been holding up to talk into her Poketch fell at her side, limp and immobile.

And there she'd stayed for… gods, how long had it been already? A minute? Kyle and Zofia couldn't tell, but they weren't crazy enough to break the silence, not with how heavy… how dangerous it felt. Even Stella, with all the pain she was surely in, hadn't dared let out a whimper of pain so far. They all stood there in silence, holding their breaths for what felt like an eternity.

Then, something odd happened. Behind Sarah, the main computer's screen fizzled for a second, white noise filling the room, until it changed into something completely different from the graphs it had shown before. A video… no, a live feed, it seemed. A pale, exhausted blue-haired man looked toward them from behind the screen, his eyes cold and uncaring. Stella and the two chained-up Galactic grunts looked at each other as though they'd been expecting this, but they didn't say anything.

Sarah stood still and silent as the man began to speak.

"People of Sinnoh… and those beyond our borders. My name is Cyrus. I am the leader of Team Galactic." His introduction was the same as back in Celestic; even the tone of his voice was identical. "Fear not; my associates and I have taken over this broadcast simply so that I could deliver a message. So that I could give you the reassurance that the Association cannot."

He spoke in the same dispassionate, monotone way, though there was a fake energy behind it as though he were trying his hardest to imbue his voice with enthusiasm. It didn't work.

"I'm sure most citizens are aware of at least some of the events which have transpired tonight," he continued. "The most pressing one being the fact that Mt. Coronet has erupted from its sides, and now there is lava flowing down from the mountain. For this, there truly is no excuse I could give. I admit that we are responsible."

Kyle and Zofia gasped, though Sarah didn't react in the slightest.

"However, I can only hope that you will all understand why. We are finally moving forward with the last stage of our grand plan; our incursion into the guts of Mt. Coronet itself, and our journey toward its peak. There, in the place known as Spear Pillar, we shall finally transform this world." He let the silence hang for a moment, then continued. "Unfortunately, this is the only way we can reach it. The Association has been monitoring the mountain closely; they would never allow us to scale its side or fly up toward its peak. As such, traversing its labyrinthine insides was our only path.

"Why the eruption, then? Simple. So that the Association could not follow us. Below, the constant flow of lava will make it impossible to enter the inside of the mountain, while outside, the wall of noxious smoke rising from the lava itself will prevent any aircraft or flying Pokemon to fly up to the peak.

"I know what you must all be thinking in your homes. That we are mad. That we care not for the lives of anyone who gets in our way. But you'd be wrong." The man let his shoulders fall, letting out a sigh. "For starters, we made sure to warn Veilstone and Celestic –both of the places closest to the mountain's base– of this imminent eruption, thus allowing for a quick evacuation and preventing any human or Pokemon losses. Secondly, the continuing out-pour of lava from now on will be slow enough to solidify into igneous rock before it reaches any human settlements.

"Still… I am aware that this will do little to dissuade the rage of those who adamantly refuse to understand our side. I will not blame you. I only ask you to look to your side, toward your neighbors and those suffering, and ask yourself… must it really be this way? Must we as a people continue to hang our heads low and repeat to ourselves that this is our lot? Shouldn't we strive for more, even if it means sacrificing some of the things we hold dear?

"Our dear Champion advocates for a free land in which we all can strive toward the greatness we choose, yet deep down she is a spoiled brat who doesn't understands that her own greatness was facilitated by the privilege she's enjoyed all her life. All of you back home… those who have heard her talk about how anyone can follow the path they want while she adamantly refuses to clear the impossible hurdles blocking said paths… those who recoil at her words, feeling a hot ire burst within you… do you not agree that it is time for things to change?

"Well… I can promise you. That time has come."

A powerful shiver ran down their spines as he said that. It felt as though the temperature of the room had dropped a few degrees.

"I've embarked in this journey through the guts of Mt. Coronet with only a few of my associates, as well as the equipment I need to make this dream a reality. And we will make it a reality. I will not sell you empty platitudes, nor tell you that change is only possible if everyone –regardless of their circumstances– can come together in an impossible situation. I have the power to change the world for the better on my own, and so I shall, even if it costs me everything. I ask of all of you nothing except your patience, and your consideration.

"The rest of the members of Team Galactic have scattered all throughout the region. They are tasked with interfering with the Association, to spread our word and to make as many people as possible understand just what's at stake. If you are on our side, if any of what I've said rings true with you… please, join them. Join them, and do not let the Association stop us from creating a world in which all of us will be equal.

"Trust me; they will try. Those in power rarely enjoy having that power taken away, even if it's for the good of others. If you do not believe me… then ask the Champion how she obtained her position."

At that, Sarah tilted her head to the side, toward the man's face, ever so slightly. Her eyes were still hidden in shadows.

"One last thing," said the man, showing a smile that was wrong in all sorts of ways. "I'm sure a few of you have noticed the rain of light meteors falling upon most of the Gyms across the region. Should you want to know their origin… once again. Ask your dear Champion. I'm sure she would be delighted to answer."

The screen went black. No one said anything for what felt like an eternity, the tense, suffocating silence seeming to emanate from a single source.

Sarah looked down again, and took a deep breath. The finger hovering above her pistol's trigger twitched ever so slightly.

"Leave."

Kyle and Zofia felt their veins freeze at the sound of that voice. It wasn't even a voice anymore. Just a sound so full of pain and white-hot fury that they were surprised the room itself didn't crumble under its terrifying weight. It actually took them a few seconds to realize what she'd said.

Finally, gathering what little remained of her courage, Zofia swallowed and replied.

"B-boss, what…?"

"Leave. Go back to Solaceon." It sounded like it was hard for her to even speak. "They'll… send someone for us there. Go."

Zofia's gaze went from Sarah to Stella, and both of them seemed to realize what Sarah intended to do at the same time.

"W-wait, boss! You don't… I mean you can't–!"

But then Sarah turned to look at her, and all signs of protest of rebellion were snuffed out in an instant. Zofia took a sudden step back, and whimpered. The look upon Sarah's face was inhuman.

"W-w… what a-about…" Kyle swallowed, forcing himself to speak the words. "T-the two grunts. What should we…"

Sarah looked at the two young grunts, who immediately stiffened at the gesture. It was only for a moment. But still they couldn't ignore the cold, dispassionate indifference in that gaze, as though she were a butcher trying to decide which parts of a dead Tepig to preserve and which to throw away.

"…Take them with you," she finally said. "I'll need them as evidence."

Relief was clear in the grunts' faces as they heard that, and they seemed almost gleeful and desperate as they rushed toward Kyle and Zofia so that they could take them away. The two assistants didn't share the enthusiasm, however. Kyle looked down at Zofia with worry, while the latter shot one last glance at Stella, something almost like regret in her face. The woman met her eyes, tears running down her face, pleading silently for salvation.

For a second it looked like Zofia would say something, but Kyle quickly grabbed her arm and shook his head.

"Let's go," he whispered, voice shaking. "Come on."

And she had no choice but to obey. And as the door began to close behind the four of them, Zofia almost considered looking over her shoulder one last time, but ultimately knew that she wouldn't dare.

She never wanted to see such an expression again. Not for as long as she lived.

The slow, tense trek back toward Solaceon was completely silent, with one exception. The sharp, booming sound of gunfire. It echoed for a moment, then there were three more.

And then, silence once more. Zofia's hands shook around the ropes she was using to lead one of the grunts. At her side, Kyle looked as though he'd cry at any moment.

"Once this is done," she said, barely above a whisper, "I'm… quitting."

"Yeah," replied Kyle, his tone as pale as his face. "Same here."

Cyrus let out a deep breath after cutting the feed. He took a step back and adjusted his collar, the dryness in his throat starting to itch.

Public speaking wasn't his forte. What's more, without Saturn around to tell him exactly how to emote during the broadcast, he doubted he'd been as convincing as he could have been. He could only hope that the content of his message would be enough. He didn't expect the entirety of Sinnoh to rally behind his banner, but a bit of rage and indignation against the system –perhaps even some riots– would certainly help keep the Association out of his way for some time.

"Yo', boss. There's a…"

Jupiter stopped on the sill of the small cavern's entrance, looking in with a hazy, exhausted expression. She frowned at the sight of the machine behind him.

"Oh. You done with the transmission?"

"Indeed. Make sure to thank Charon for successfully infiltrating the communication channel. As for this transmission device, have one the grunts carry it with them. A second announcement will not be necessary, but it will prove useful to communicate with our grunts on the outside." He spoke quickly and firmly, though Jupiter squinted as though she were have some trouble remembering all of it. "Is everyone ready to start the trek?"

"Uh… yeah, I think so," she shrugged. "All twenty of us and the Pokemon carrying the equipment."

"Excellent. And what of the map Charon made?"

To that, Jupiter lazily raised her hand, showing the modified Poketch on her wrist.

"Got it. Though it'll be hard to estimate how long it'll take to reach Spear Pillar," she said. "Depending on how much we advance and how many Pokemon we run into… could be between ten and fourteen days, who knows."

Cyrus considered her words for a moment, grabbing his chin with one hand.

"…It will be two weeks."

"Huh?" Jupiter let her hand fall to her side, eyes narrowed. "But… that's the worst-case scenario."

"On the contrary. I want us to be as thorough and careful as possible. We will advance slowly, but surely." With a casual flourish he raised his own Poketch, looking down at its screen. "Besides, exactly fourteen days from now, we will have the first moonless night of the month. It will be the perfect time."

Jupiter shook her head in confusion, looking as though the matter of the conversation had left her.

"I… What do you…" Then she froze, eyes going wide. "Oh, I get it. 'cause of Darkrai and Cresselia, right?"

"Precisely. And if what I've heard is to be believed… it seems both of them have been freed tonight," said Cyrus. "I will not have them interfere with our plan."

"Right…"

Jupiter scrunched up her face as though she were thinking really hard, and after a few moments she seemed to have reached a conclusion. The one Cyrus had expected her to reach.

"Wait… I mean, not that I care," she said, shrugging. "But if those two are free doesn't it mean that…?"

Cyrus looked to the side, letting out a small exhalation that could have passed for a sigh. Indeed. He supposed no plan was perfect, especially when you had to rely on someone like…

"We were hoping to embark upon this trek with all our pieces in place. However, we were unable to obtain two of them," he said. "Rotom is… of lesser importance. Having it with us would have certainly made our job easier, but it is not a matter of life or death. Uxie, on the other hand…"

"Yeah… I'm guessing we kinda need it or we're fucked."

A crass choice of words, but Cyrus couldn't help but agree.

"At least Mesprit has returned to us," he said under his breath. "But… yes. That is part of the reason I left most of our agents scattered throughout the region. In case I needed them for something like this."

Jupiter nodded slowly, understanding what he was implying. Her gaze went from him to the communication device in front of him.

"Should I give the order, sir?"

"…Yes. I wish I didn't had to resort to such brutality, but there is no other choice. Uxie must be retrieved no matter what," he said. "Contact Pyxis, Orion and the rest of the group leaders on the outside. Tell them to locate Inyssa Dawn, the holder of Uxie's power, and deal with her immediately. Tell them… tell them that the girl must die," he finished, tone firm and merciless. "Or else, all Team Galactic has fought for will be for nothing."

She nodded, not a hint of guilt or regret in her face.

"Oh, and… what was it that you came here to tell me?" he asked. "Before you got distracted by the communication device."

"Oh! Right, right." Jupiter took a step back and looked over the corridor leading to where everyone else was. "It's about that Rowan guy."

Cyrus froze for a moment, then frowned. "What about him."

"He said… he's ready to talk. He'll tell us everything we want to know."

A sudden gust of scorching air hit Lucas and Saturn in the face as Togekiss landed in the middle of Celestic as gracefully as a feather, letting them down. A few feet in front of them, Cynthia jumped out of her Garchomp. She stood up with a clear sense of urgency and looked up toward the highest point of the city.

It was hard to be sure due to the rushing sound of the hot wind and the distant panicked screams, but Lucas could've sworn the Champion whimpered at the sight. The top of the town was swallowed by a red and yellow so bright it stung their eyes. A slow, constant stream of lava slid down the mountainside, swallowing everything in its path.

Horrified, Lucas realized that about a tenth of Celestic had already disappeared under the sea of molten rock.

"No…" Cynthia whispered, her voice broken. "L-Lorencia, Devias, come on!"

And, without even glancing their direction, Cynthia took off up the town alongside her Pokemon, disappearing in the night.

Lucas and Saturn stood there, unsure of what to do or say, for what felt like an eternity. Despite the scorch in the air, they could both feel a persistent chill run through their bodies. The cries of people and Pokemon echoed through the night; those running away and those trying to evacuate as many people as possible. The sky was dotted with flying Pokemon trying to rescue those who might have stayed behind. The Association was already here.

Finally, Saturn took a step back and unceremoniously let the weight of his body fall against the nearby wall of an empty house. He pressed his uninjured hand against his face and took a deep breath. His whole body shook with pain and… something else.

"I… I d-didn- I mean, I should've, b-but…" His voice wavered in tone. His fingers curled over his own hair. "I s-swear I didn't know they'd… do this. Dammit! I should've investigated more! I just… I just d-did whatever they told me a-and… and–!"

Lucas hurried to put a hand over his shoulder, holding on to him with the other. He could feel his own eyes wetting with tears but he forced himself to stay firm.

"Saturn, it's…" But he stopped himself. It really wasn't okay. None of what had happened… none of what he'd done... "It's… going to be okay. Please, try to breathe and calm down. You're… you're really injured and we need to get you to a hospital as soon as possible!"

Just then, a sudden frustration flared in him. Why on earth had Cynthia brought them here of all places? She didn't seem to want to capture Saturn. And yet she'd brought him here, wounded, to a town where all hospitals and medical facilities would surely be overflowing with patients. What was she thinking!?

I guess… she just wasn't, he thought, biting his lip. The Champion had seemed pretty out of it after what had happened.

"I'm… sorry," muttered Saturn. "Lucas, I should've…"

"It's fine," he cut him off. "We can deal with that later, okay? I'm… freaking out more than a bit right now after all the crazy stuff that just happened and at the very least I need to make sure you're okay. Okay?"

His voice got higher and more heated the more he talked, all the fear and panic he'd been forcing down these past few hours overflowing out of him. Saturn gulped at the sight, then gave a weak nod.

"I… yes, okay."

"…Good. But before we go, here."

Then, Lucas did something Saturn would have never expected. He grabbed him by the hem of his coat and started taking it off. It was only a couple seconds later, when realization of what he was doing dawned on him, that he froze in the same way Saturn had, a pale red washing over his face.

"I–It's c-cause of that!" Lucas was quick to excuse himself, pointing at the Galactic logo in Saturn's coat. "If anyone sees you with that you're… I mean they'd arrest you for sure and…"

"Right! Yes, of course." Saturn was quick to reassure him, embarrassment clear in his voice. "Here, I'll do it myself. I'll just…"

It wasn't easy with a broken hand and bruises all over his body, but Saturn truly wanted nothing more than to never have to wear that symbol again. The coat fell at his feet with a deaf thump. Lucas let out a sigh of relief, though Saturn didn't know if it was because of what he'd just done or because he was glad he actually wore a shirt under that coat.

Saturn looked at the torn, grimy coat crumpled into a heap and couldn't help but feel a certain… lightness at the sight. When he breathed again, it came easier to him. The pain cursing through his body felt… less. As though a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

Not that it helped the grief any less, though. Saturn had to struggle not to sniffle or let any tears out. He wouldn't worry Lucas unnecessarily, not now at least.

"…Thanks," he finally said, turning toward the boy. "I can, er, go myself if you want. I know came to… I mean went to our base to get the Professor back and… if it weren't for us, I mean I know you didn't–"

But once again, Lucas cut him off. He closed the distance between them with a step and grabbed onto Saturn's good hand with his own, raising the other one toward his face. Saturn felt a shiver as the boy's fingers grazed his cheek.

"I came for you too," he whispered, barely avoiding choking up. "And I'm not letting you go again."

Now, in all honesty, in his heart of hearts, Saturn knew that Lucas hadn't delivered that line in the way he had probably expected. He'd stuttered. He'd clearly been doubting himself. It sounded as though he'd realized how bad an idea it was to say such a hammy thing at that specific moment, after all that had happened. Both of them knew that his attempt to sound confident and romantic had failed miserably.

Yet, strangely enough, that's exactly what made it work.

An easy smile formed on Saturn's lips, and before he could stop himself he leaned forward and gave Lucas a short, soft peck on the lips. His were bruised and bloody, Lucas' were dry. It was perfect.

Mt. Coronet had erupted. Almost all Gyms had been accidentally demolished by Cynthia's attack. Team Galactic was on its way to complete its plans. The world was going to hell all around them, but in that short moment, the measly thought that Lucas didn't hate him, that he wanted him at his side, was enough to keep him going for a little bit more.

For the first time since she could remember, Cynthia's body froze, the ever-burning ember within her smothered as though someone had dumped a bucket of water on it.

Lorencia and Devias stood there, waiting for orders. People called out to her, but she couldn't tell who or where they were, all of her attention focused on the sight of her town being devoured by an avalanche of molten rock. Those parts that had already been buried… Were those…?

What the hell am I doing!? a part of her yelled inside her mind. Move!

Sandra's house. Old man Finnegan's apothecary. The historical research center and the shrines surrounding it. That beautiful park full of blooming wisterias where her grandmother always sat to tell stories to children. They were all… They'd all been…

Had any of them… made it out? Or had they been…?

A shiver ran through her skin at the thought, so intense that she had to hold herself and take a sudden step back. Her hands were shaking. She felt so cold all of a sudden. So, so cold…

This is… this is my fault. All my fault. If I'd tried to… If I hadn't…

But even those thoughts were smothered under the heavy, massive weight of the fear and panic overtaking her. Memories and sensations flashed through her. All the time she'd spent in those places, playing, learning, doing mischief. All the smells, sights and laughs that had echoed inside those walls.

All memories of places that now no longer existed.

Had it not been for the scream that rang out then, Cynthia would have probably stood there, frozen, until it was too late.

"CYNTHIA!"

What snapped her out of it wasn't the anger or intensity in the voice itself, but the fact that they sounded terribly familiar.

She dazedly turned around. Her grandmother Carolina and Lucian hurried toward her, Pokeballs in hand, dust and grime dotting their clothes and faces. Cynthia let out a little sound of surprise. She opened her mouth to say something, but in an instant the man was upon her, his free hand grabbing onto the fabric of her coat with a strength that caught her off guard. A yelp left her lips as she was lifted up by a couple inches.

"L-Lucian, I–"

"What happened!?" he screamed in her face. His voice echoed all the louder because he was usually so quiet and composed. "Our forces arrived at Galactic HQ just a few minutes ago, but there was no one there! And this eruption… And the energy meteors that rained down on almost all the gyms… What is this!?"

It took a moment for Cynthia to find her voice. She'd never felt so out of her element.

"I… It was a trap," she whispered. "T-they knew we were coming. Cyrus... He g-goaded me into attacking him and… a-and–"

"I told you to stay put! I told you to hold on to your position until all of our forces arrived!" His pale face was red with anger and she could feel his hand shaking around the fabric of her coat. "Instead you abandoned the rest of the strike team and went off on your own! What the hell is wrong with you!?"

Cynthia stuttered for a response that never came, because she didn't have one. But… there was something more. In Lucian's expression, in the intensity of the fury behind his eyes… there was something else he was trying to hide. Something else that was wrong.

She didn't have to wait for the answer, though she wished she could have.

"The strike team…" Lucian's grip loosened. His voice shook for the first time, almost all his rage seemingly fading in an instant. "We… lost Palmer and Argenta. They were killed in action."

And just like that, the world around her felt like it dimmed. Another shiver hit her like a bucket of icy water, and suddenly she felt so cold that it was a miracle mist wasn't leaving her mouth every time she breathed. Lucian had let go of her. She took a step back, feeling her knees wobbly and weak.

She probably would have fallen to her knees on the spot if it weren't for Carolina.

"That's enough!"

Both her and Lucian turned to look at the old woman who'd just slammed her cane against the ground. The look upon her face was rough and glacial. Determined.

"G-granny…"

"I always knew you were an oaf, but this is too much. Listen to me, you two!" She pointed at both of them with her cane. "There will be time to assign blame later. Are you two so deaf that you can't hear the voices of those who need you?"

Once again, she slashed at the air with her cane, pointing up at the lava slide slowly advancing through the city.

"Instead of arguing uselessly about what's already been lost, how about you do your best to save that which hasn't?" she asked, reproachful. "Your feelings don't matter right now. Your grief, your anger, your guilt… throw them all away! You took on a responsibility the moment you appointed yourselves as Sinnoh's protectors; it is time you uphold it! Save what you can right now and worry about the consequences later, you pair of oafs!"

Cynthia and Lucian exchanged a quick glance. She could still see the rage and impotence etched into every inch of his expression, but with a quick breath and exhalation he erased it all away, then gave a short nod. She did the same a moment after.

Something she could still save…

"Come on," she told her Pokemon, voice almost entirely devoid of strength. "We've got a lot of work ahead of us."

Reiko closed the door to the empty hospital room behind her, then let herself fall against it, hiding her face in her hands.

A knock came at the door, but she ignored it. Had to be Percy. He'd looked pretty worried when she took off running, throat burning steam rising from her skin.

Heat gnawed at every vein in her body, hungry, furious. The Flame wanted to ignite inside of her, to burn her alive for what she'd done, and Reiko herself didn't exactly know what was holding it back from doing so. She'd failed. Another promise broken, another couple of people her fire hadn't been able to save.

We saved Barry, a part of her tried to argue, though weakly.

And yet she had to see the boy wake up to a world without his father. The man she'd tried so hard to hate. Part of her still hated him now for daring to die in such a stupidly heroic manner, even going so far as to do so with a smile on his face, like he'd done them a favor. Like he didn't know damn well that they'd…

That she'd… do anything right now to have him back. To be able to tell him…

I forgive you.

Reiko swallowed down a sob and hid her face between her knees, the sound of her heartbeat indistinguishable from the insistent knocks on the door.

As Metchi looked down from atop her Tropius, the sight that met her was that of a Mt. Coronet spewing lava as well as multiple pillars of smoke rising from various towns around her. A thought came to her.

Things were definitely not this fucked when I left a few hours ago.

She would definitely need to find someone to explain to her just what on earth was happening, but right now she was busy flying toward… well she wasn't exactly sure where. It was like a hunch. Every time she closed her eyes she could almost see it in the distance, far north. A pale golden light resonating with the one behind her eyes. A few minutes ago, there had been two of them. Now only one remained.

Metchi swallowed. She had an idea of what those lights were, but if she was right then that meant…

Don't think about it. Just find the other one!

"Come on Lyserg!" she cried out. "I know this is a long flight but you can do it!"

And yet, the Tropius didn't seem at all affected by how long they'd been flying. Her energy felt boundless. As Metchi looked down, she realized that the gold light coating her had extended toward Lyserg as well. They were flying faster than they'd ever done before, the rushing sound of the wind like music to their ears.

Metchi closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. She felt that familiar heat rushing through her body, the same as when she'd finally awakened Azelf's power, only slightly weaker. She wondered if she could fan those flames somehow.

Come on… Gotta get there faster…

With the sound of the wind and her own heartbeat rushing in her ears, a memory came to her. A strong one. The one she always came back to whenever she needed to calm herself or come down from a high.

It was the oldest, strongest memory she had. The clear, blue sky moving at incredible speed above her. The roar of the wind in her ears. The salty smell of the sea below her. The feeling of laying on her back atop a flying Pokemon as it soared through the sky.

A small hand being raised, her hand, its fingers hungrily closing around nothing, as though wanting to take a piece of the sky for themselves.

At the thought of that memory, Metchi felt a rush of power, a gentle heat enveloping her whole body. She didn't know what that memory was from. But she could always trust it to bring her the strength she needed.

Then, when she opened her eyes, she realized that the distance they'd covered in that time was simply impossible. A minute ago they were flying north past Hearthome. Now, she could see the distant shape of Snowpoint getting closer and closer. She knew they hadn't teleported, and yet here they were. She figured the coat of golden light enveloping her, making the hail melt around her, had something to do with it.

"Okay… there it is, I think," she told Lyserg. "I'm pretty sure the other light is there so we just gotta find…"

Her voice trailed off as she looked down. There in the middle of Snowpoint, a pillar of black smoke rose from the top of a tall stone tower. The cobblestone was shattered and smoking hot. A few people stood at the very top, the floor around them dotted with blood.

"… Never mind. I think I found it."

Inyssa lay there, staring at the spot where her sister had disappeared, until the sounds of voices took her out of her stupor.

"Hey, wh–here! She's here!"

"Oh thank goodness."

Maylene and Candice ran up the stairs into the room, the urgency in their faces quickly transforming into relief as they saw her. Kuro and Johnny appeared behind them. The Luxray hurried to her side and pushed his head against her in an attempt to help her to her feet, while the Quagsire simply opened his mouth and smiled, eyes staring in different directions.

"I–hey, easy there," Inyssa whispered against Kuro's mane, the barest hint of a smile forming on her face. "I'm f-fine, just…"

"What happened?" she heard Maylene ask. "Did you…?"

Candice let out a gasp, one which echoed in a way that human voices did not. Inyssa soon realized that it had been Cresselia speaking through her, as evidenced by how quickly she exited her host's body and rushed back into her own. There was a burst pink light, and then the real Cresselia was there, shining and resplendent. She hovered in the middle of the room, the light emanating from her body making Inyssa feel as though she were breathing moonbeams.

"Darkrai! Oh, Darkrai!" Cresselia floated down to her unconscious partner, enveloping his arms with her ribbons of light. "Y-you're here… you've come back to me!"

Darkrai himself still seemed somewhat dazed by the thunder Inyssa had hit him in the face with, but she guessed that was a minor problem as long as he was back in his own body, safe of Shadi's influence.

Inyssa froze, blinking a couple times. What… Why had her name sounded so strange in her head just now?

"I... holy crap. You actually did it, Niss." Maylene let out a chuckle, shaking her head in disbelief. "That's… incredible."

Candice nodded, her eyes starting to wet at the sight of Cresselia reunited with her other half.

"I… don't think either of us could ever repay you enough," she said, voice thin, full of emotion. "B-but this isn't the time for this. Love, please help me get her up, will you? Her injuries need to be taken care of immediately."

"Yeah! On it!"

However, as the girls helped her up to her feet, Inyssa couldn't help but feel that…

"Something… feels off," Uxie suddenly said in her mind. "Do you…"

Yeah. I feel it.

Inyssa looked around. Was it Mars? No, the woman had left, jumping down the side of the building as soon as the fight had been done. Who knew where she was now.

Before they could take her out of the room, Cresselia turned around for the first time, addressing her.

"Child… No, Inyssa. Thank you… Thank you so much." There was so much sweetness and gratitude in her voice, it was overwhelming. She sounded so different from before. "I never should have doubted you."

Again, that odd feeling in the back of her mind. Inyssa frowned, then vaguely replied something before she was carried off by Maylene and Candice. Then, as they helped her walk down the stairs, she couldn't help but ask.

"Didya… I mean…" She swallowed, feeling her throat dry. Her scars ached with pain. "Did you see where she went?"

They both frowned at that.

"She?" asked Candice.

"Y-yeah… I mean we didn't… I didn't really win," she admitted. "At the end there, she just kinda…"

"Oh. You mean whatever was controlling Darkrai?" asked Maylene.

"I see," replied Candice. "If it escaped…"

"W-what? What are you two talking about?"

They stopped in their tracks. Inyssa looked at both girls as though they'd lost their mind, and they exchanged a confused glance in return.

"I meant Shadi," she specified. "Did you see where Shadi went after escaping?"

Again, that shiver running through her at the sound of that name. Why…?

"… Shadi?" muttered Maylene. "You mean your Kricketune?"

Inyssa couldn't reply for a few seconds. It suddenly felt like she'd swallowed something cold and hard which had settled into the bottom of her stomach. A terrible sense of dread came over her.

"M-my… my sister," she said, voice weak, pleading. "My sister Shadi."

Once again, Maylene and Candice exchanged a quick look, and at the sight of that Inyssa felt more terrified than she'd ever been in her entire life.

"Inyssa, are you…?" Candice whispered with the soft, worried tone of a teacher dealing with a scared student. "Are you sure you're feeling alright?"