When Candela saw the yellow blur rushing toward her in the sky, realizing Spark sent the beast, she waved in delight. Spark was an odd fellow that seemed more interested in Pokemon than the humans that were once part of their little team, but he fought with vigor and was well trained. Zapdos landed by her and screeched.
Electricity buzzed between its feathers, making the hairs on the back of her head stick up. The way he moved, the screeching that made Pokemon for miles cover their ears and hide, made the message clear. Spark needed to speak to her. He wanted an alliance. Her smile fell. She needed the alliance as much as he did, but there was something about the thought that made her uneasy.
Candela shook her head, and the bird seemed to glare at her. It adjusted its body into a fighting stance and screeched a war cry, then charged at her defenseless body. She tried to call Moltres, but for once her voice failed her. For once, all her instincts were gone, all her intuition was blocked, and her valor had disappeared. Lightning cracked around the Pokemon as it dove toward her. As its beak brushed her cheek, it changed its angle, flying back to its master.
Something did not seem right. Zapdos, though in possession of Spark, had never turned on her before. Even after the final fight, the bird had defined her from the Pokemon Spark had released against her instead of attack. Taunting was not in its nature as well. Like its master, it was a creature of instinct. They hated nuance and tricks. If the bird was in its fighting stance, it was going to fight.
She was frozen in fear. It had never happened before. She could not even find the strength to call her beloved Moltres. It was as if everything she was had been taken from her. Now, she laid shaking on the ground, but unable to find the will to get up. Another screech rocked the sky and Candela flinched. Something landed by her head that sucked the warmth from her body. Feathers rustled.
"Articuno," she muttered in realization.
A sharp voice greeted her words, "Yes. I see you rejected Spark's offer." Candela mumbled something inaudible. "Get up!" the voice demanded. She stood to face the beautiful girl before her. Blanche's grey eyes made her heart leap and the warmth that was lost from the icy bird by her was regained in her blood-rushed cheeks. A smirk creeped on Blanche's face, but then her expression turned stone cold.
"What's going on?" Candela asked, her mind lagging as if a cloud had just been stuffed into her brain.
"I think Spark found some kind of Pokemon that can change someone's personality. The effects are temporary, but someone like you can easily become weak with the switch."
"Why me?"
"Because your entire persona is valor. You are brave, especially in battle. It must target your battle instincts and reverse them."
"That doesn't seem like something Spark would do."
"Exactly." She cocked her head slightly, and her eyes grew wide with excitement. "We could probably run some tests on your mind to see."
Candela shook her head. "You aren't touching my mind."
"It seems to have worn off anyway," Blanche sighed in disappointment. "So you can speak to Zapdos?"
"The way they move, the frequency of their voice… it's obvious what they are trying to say. You bond with your Pokemon, don't you?"
"Yes, but I don't bond with other people's."
"Look, I have had a long day. Can you tell me why you are here?"
"I was hoping for an alliance," she said.
"Our followers would never agree. Have you seen the way they act? They would never join forces. There is a reason we separated. The Fight can never happen again."
Blanche stepped forward so Candela felt the cold warmth of her breath. She could almost hear Blanche's heart beating in her chest. "I miss you."
"I miss the group too, but we cannot join forces."
She stepped even closer so her chest almost touched Candela's. "No, I miss you." With her eyes closed, she leaned toward her. Articuno rusted its wings again, and almost a purr came from its beak. Lips just brushing, Candela took a step back. Her face was red, and her heart pumped quickly in her chest, yearning to go closer, but fury overcame the will of her heart.
"BLANCHE!" she yelled, the blood in her face turning crimson. "YOU WITCH! This will always be war for you won't it!"
"What… do you mean?"
"I AM NOT A PAWN! THESE CREATURE AREN'T YOUR PAWNS!"
"Candela?"
"Articuno… she gave it all away. You don't care about me." Tears streamed down Candela's face. "But that's fine. You are just trying to keep an alliance from forming between me and Spark. You are playing with my emotions. But that's fine. You know, I trusted you. I couldn't find it in my heart to trust Spark but I trusted you and you turn on me but that's fine. Spark did not take away my valor, you did. That is fine. That is all fine. But then you also turned Zapdos against me. You made it so I couldn't call Moltres. You took away the only things I love"
"Your pets?"
"No. The only things that stayed with me after the Fight."
"They aren't dead."
"SHUT UP! Blanche, for once in your life, shut up!" She turned to where Moltres had been roaming. "Moltres!" she called, glaring at the woman that still made her heart skip and almost leap out of her chest. "I need you to tell Spark I will join him."
"Don't be so irrational."
The bird took off, a trail of fire left in its wake. "This is war."