Hello! Welcome to another chapter of Pocket Monsters: Shattered Souls! We're at the finale of the Cerulean Arc and I hope you've all enjoyed the ride so far. Please let me know what you think of the chapter and look forward to chapter 12 being posted around the same time next month! Thank you again for taking the time to read my story and I hope you'll continue to follow as more chapters are posted. Thank you again and enjoy the chapter!


CHAPTER 11

Not long after Mendy's abduction from her engagement ceremony did the news spread across the city. Every news agency flocked to the Yarrington mansion to get the latest. Reporters swarmed the gates to the mansion as Wentworth and Vivian's guards did all they could to hold them back.

A female reporter nudged her way through the inquiring crowd until she made her way to the front. She had long blue hair and wore square-framed glasses. She held a recorder up in the air as she called out to Wentworth and Vivian.

"Lord and Lady Yarrington! Please give us a statement! Why didn't your daughter resist her abduction? Was it staged? Who were those people?"

Both Wentworth and Vivian simply looked at the paparazzi and then turned and headed back inside. The guards closed the gates behind them, leaving the press starving for details.

The irritated aristocrats walked briskly through the halls until they made their way to the grand room. Wentworth paced back and forth, his hand tightly gripping his cane and his mind boiling with anger toward Mendy. Vivian sat in silence in her purple-cushioned chair watching her husband stew in his anger. Solare stood against the wall hoping with all she had Wentworth wouldn't direct his anger on her.

"That ungrateful… stupid… waste of a daughter! Everything was going perfectly until she ruined it! Solare!"

At his call, Solare reluctantly walked toward him. She swallowed her nerves and braced herself for whatever he had in store for her.

"Yes, Lord Yarrington."

Wentworth held his cane up to her chin, pushing her head back.

"How could you let Margarete escape? You were supposed to be watching her every move! How did she escape?"

He slowly applied pressure to her, forcing her back until she hit the wall.

"I'm… I'm so very sorry, my Lord! It was a slight miscalculation on my part! I had no idea her friends were close enough to take her!"

Wentworth applied more pressure to her chin. His now maroon-colored face glared at her with the most livid expression he could muster.

"A slight miscalculation? That's your excuse? The engagement ceremony between my house and the Montcroix has been ruined! I'm now officially the biggest laughingstock of the entire noble community! And you have nothing better to say than it was a slight miscalculation? You were supposed to control that girl and keep her from doing something like this! That's why I hired you in the first place!"

The pressure from the cane made it harder for Solare to breathe. Tears fell down her cheeks as the end of the cane dug into her neck.

"I-I'm… s-so… very… sorry."

Wentworth removed his cane and watched Solare drop to the floor, coughing for air.

"You're damn right you're sorry! You'd better hope Elliott and his men can find Margarete, or else you'll be paying with your life! Now get out of my sight!"

Solare stood up and bowed before leaving the room. Wentworth scowled and went back to his pacing.

"I'm surrounded by incompetent idiots! Even if they do find Margarete, it'll take more than the wedding ceremony to repair the damage done to my reputation! We need to figure a way out of this mess!"

Vivian snapped her fan shut and stared at Wentworth.

"I couldn't agree more. Once we find her, we'll make certain she never humiliates us again. Has there been any word from Elliott's team?"

Wentworth shook his head.

"No! He still hasn't messaged me on anything! Once I get my hands on Margarete, I'll make her regret she ever disobeyed us!"

He stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind him.


The soft warm wind swept across the grass as Ayden and Jin sat on the ground and waited patiently for Mendy to tell her tale. Mendy sat on a rock opposite them and held her hands together nervously while Nami stood leaning against a tree with her arms crossed. Mendy took a deep breath.

"Okay, here it is. I'm sure you all know how I'm supposed to be a noble, right? Well, as you can already tell, that isn't really working out. My parents deemed me a failure and an embarrassment for as long as I can remember."

She thought back to the night she overheard her parents shouting over her unsuccessful training. No older than five and yet she could still remember that night perfectly. She tossed and turned in her bed, but the voices of her parents prevented her from falling asleep. She got out of the bed and snuck down the hallway toward the living room. She peeked through the banister and saw her parents yell their lungs out at the staff of maids and butlers. The staff stood in a single-file line against the wall with their heads lowered. Wentworth held his cane and threw his arms into the air wildly.

"How can she make so many mistakes? It doesn't make any sense! You were supposed to teach her proper etiquette and make certain she was ready for tonight! All of you have made me look foolish! That girl is slow, but you were supposed to fix that! That's why I hired you all!"

One of the maids, a young mid-twenties woman with short brown hair and glasses, clenched her fists.

"Lord Yarrington! Please, sir, with all due respect-,"

Wentworth swung his cane and bashed her in the side of her head. She fell on her side and her glasses flew across the room.

"I don't recall giving you or anyone here permission to speak! None of you are to backtalk to me! None of you are to voice your opinions! You are to work and make sure this family has the finest members in the region! Am I making myself clear?"

The maid staggered getting up. She reached full height and the rest of the staff saw blood trail down her face.

"Yes, Lord Yarrington, your words are law and I hear them loud and clear. Please, I hope you can forgive my rudeness."

Wentworth scowled and hit her with his cane again, knocking her to the floor. Mendy gasped when she saw the maid take another hit and lay motionless. Wentworth stared at her before facing the rest of the staff.

"Let this be a warning to you! You are to teach my daughter how to be a proper lady! Otherwise, you'll receive this! Now, clean up this trash!"

He walked over to Vivian and they proceeded up the stairs. Mendy's eyes widened as she saw them coming. If they saw her out of bed, she'd be in big trouble. She scurried until she entered another room and hid behind the door. Her parents walked down the hall whispering to themselves.

"How many classes has it been and she still can't do a proper introduction? That girl is becoming the most worthless member of this family!"

Vivian nodded.

"I couldn't agree more. Honestly, no matter how many times we go over it, she just doesn't get it. She's without a doubt a failure. It's been hard to imagine she could do anything for this family at all."

Wentworth scoffed.

"As long as things go the way we've planned, it won't matter if she can't remember her own name at all."

Mendy watched them disappear into their bedroom. With tears in her eyes, she slowly left the room and headed down the hallway, hoping they didn't see her. She didn't want to upset them any further. She turned a corner and ran into a pair of legs. She looked up into the middle-aged face of her caretaker.

"Mr. Owen."

Abdiel smiled.

"Lady Margarete, what are you doing up at this hour? Come on, let's get you back to bed."

He picked her up and carried her down the hall to her room. After tucking her in, he rubbed her head.

"Please don't mind your parents, Lady Margarete. They have quite a lot on their minds."

Mendy sniffed back her tears.

"But, Daddy and Mommy said I was a failure… and that I wasn't getting anything. And why is Daddy so mean?"

Abdiel gave her a hug.

"I'm sure they didn't mean it, Lady Margarete. You're not a failure at all. You're a beautiful bud just waiting to bloom. I know it's a lot to take in at your tender age, but it'll sink in soon. Just keep your chin up. I know they'll be very proud of you."

Mendy smiled and nodded. She could always count on Abdiel to make her feel better.


The following day, Mendy stood in the center of the living room surrounded by her maids, each giving her lessons for the day. She stood clad in a little sky-blue dress with her hair cascading down to the floor. Her parents stood on the other end of the room observing her. She could feel their eyes glaring at her, taking notes on each mistake she made. She hated having them there. She couldn't think straight with them around.

One of the maids knelt down in front of her and talked her through ballroom etiquette; teaching her proper responses and actions.

"Okay, Lady Margarete, let's try this again. When someone comes up to you, you curtsy and say, 'it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance' and then state your name. Okay? Let's see you give it a try."

Mendy froze when she saw the maid, the same maid from yesterday who got hurt from her father. Bandages had been wrapped around her head to the point they covered an eye. If she messed up again, the maid might get hurt even worse next time. She turned to see her parents still glaring at her as if they expected her to mess up. She shook as her nerves took over, turned back to the maid, and gave a slow wobbly curtsy.

"M-My n-name is… n-name is… M-Margarete E-Elea… nora…"

She froze. She couldn't remember the rest. She knew it though. She'd gone over it hundreds of times. She looked up and saw the faces of her parents turn angrier. Their faces caused her nerves to overwhelm her and tears filled her eyes as her breathing hastened.

The maid looked at her with concern.

"Lady Margarete, are you okay? What's wrong?"

She couldn't answer or even think. The sound of her parents yelling filled her head and blocked out any other thoughts. She didn't want them to yell at the maid again, but she couldn't remember the rest.

The sound of Wentworth's cane hitting the floor caught the attention of everyone in the room. He slowly approached Mendy and waved every maid to back away. Mendy stood frozen in place. She watched Wentworth slowly tower over her with a disapproving look.

"How can you be five years old and still not know your own damn name? You have to be the most worthless daughter ever to not even get a simple greeting memorized!"

Tears fell down her face and she darted out of the room. The maids followed, all screaming her name, but she refused to stop. She just wanted to get as far away from her parents as possible. She opened the front door and ran out as fast as she could move. She didn't care where, she just had to go somewhere, anywhere.

She ran until she came to the edge of Cerulean Cape. She looked over the vast sea as she caught her breath. She'd never seen anything like this before. The ocean sparkled and lapped her face with each crashing wave. However, even the beautiful scenery couldn't erase what had happened. Every memory up to that point broke her down to tears. She sat on the grass and cried.

"Hey, why're you crying?"

Mendy looked up and saw a young girl. She wore pink shorts, a green shirt, and a baseball cap. Band aides had been applied to her nose and cheek. In her hands, she carried a small blue creature she had never seen before. She scooted back in fear at the sight of the unknown creature. She didn't know it then, but that encounter changed her life. She never met anyone like Nami. Her carefree nature put her at ease allowing her to give an introduction flawlessly. For the first time, she could laugh.


Mendy had reached the point in her day where they allowed her a break. She told her maids she was heading to the bathroom and would be back. She moved slowly down the hallway, careful not to make any noise. She peeked around a corner and moved some hair behind her ear. She made a promise to her new friend that she'd meet her at Cerulean Cape again around this time. She had to see her. When everything seemed clear, she dashed out and headed for the front door. She barely touched the knob when a voice called out to her.

"Lady Margarete! Where do you think you're going in such a hurry?" Mendy turned to see the head maid Solare walk up to her. She looked near her early forties and had blonde hair and green eyes behind rectangular-framed glasses. Mendy gulped and scrambled to find an answer to her question, but Solare didn't give her time to reply. "You know you're not supposed to be playing outside. You have work to do. Now come along!"

She grabbed Mendy by the hand and escorted her down the hallway. Mendy tried to free her hand, but Solare's grip tightened.

"W-Wait, please, Miss Solare, I need to… um… I need to-,"

Solare continued to drag her down the hallway.

"You need to finish your lessons before Lord Yarrington chews my head off again! Every time you fail at something, we get scolded! Now come!"

At that, Mendy stopped resisting and followed Solare to her next lesson with her head down in defeat.

The sun began to set and the wind blew softly as Nami stood on Cerulean Cape holding Azurill in her hands. She'd been waiting since that afternoon, but Mendy never showed. With a solemn sigh, she dropped her shoulders and left.


Mendy continued to use the same excuse throughout the week. She peeked around the door and smiled when she saw no one around. She had the front door in her sights. She'd failed to reach the door for the past six days, she had to make it this time. She dashed out from behind the door only to be stopped by Solare again. She stood with her arms crossed as she looked down on Mendy.

"Lady Margarete! Why are you so fixated on going outside? You're not going anywhere except to your studies, understand?"

Solare grabbed her by the arm and dragged her down the hall again. Mendy tried her best to wrench her arm out, but Solare had a firm grip on her that showed no signs of letting up. This would make it a whole week she didn't meet up with Nami. Tears filled her eyes as the distance between her and the front door widened.

"And just where are you going with Lady Margarete, Miss Solare?"

Mendy turned to see Abdiel standing in the middle of the hallway with his arms behind his back and a smile on his face.

Solare jerked Mendy forward.

"I found Lady Margarete heading for the front door. No doubt trying to skip out on her lessons again. I'm taking her to them right now."

Abdiel nodded.

"I see, I see. But that won't be necessary. I'll take things from here."

Solare scoffed.

"I appreciate the offer, Abdiel, but I've got this."

Abdiel slightly tilted his head.

"I don't think you heard me, Miss Solare. I said I'll take things from here." He slowly opened his normally squinted eyes and glared at her. She froze when she gazed back at his fierce dark blue eyes. Each step he took sent a chill down her spine. "I'm Lady Margarete's caretaker. It's my responsibility to see to all her needs. And right now, she needs you to let go of her hand, before she sees something unpleasant."

Solare tensed up. She knew he held more authority than she did. The only people he took orders from were Margarete's parents. She reluctantly released Mendy's hand and watched her run toward Abdiel. She adjusted her glasses and cleared her throat.

"In that case, I shall accompany you to her lessons, Abdiel."

"Again, not necessary." Solare looked up at him tighten his gloves and could sense an iota of irritation from him. Never had she been this scared of him before. She never imagined he could be this intimidating. "You have duties elsewhere. I suggest you get to them quickly and I want them finished by the end of the day. Are we understanding each other, Miss Solare?"

Solare growled then turned and walked down the hallway. When she turned a corner, Abdiel placed his hand on Mendy's shoulder and whispered in her ear.

"Shall we go see Lady Nami now?"

Mendy beamed and gave him a hug. Abdiel led her by the hand toward Cerulean Cape. The warm weather made it the perfect day to be by the ocean. Mendy, with a large smile spread across her face, ran to the top of the cape. She couldn't wait to see her new friend again and learn more about pokémon. She looked around, but didn't see any sign of Nami.

In the back of her mind, she expected this to happen. She hadn't met up with her in almost a week. Anyone would've given up by then. Mendy sniffed back tears as the realization sunk in. Abdiel came up and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Mendy. Maybe she had something to do today. We'll come back tomorrow, okay?"

Mendy nodded and headed back toward the mansion.

"Hey!" Mendy turned to see Nami standing near the edge of the cape, holding Azurill in her hands. "I've been waiting, you know! Aren't you some kind of princess or something? Don't you know it's rude to keep people waiting?"

Mendy dashed toward her and gave her a hug.

"I'm so sorry, Miss Nami! I hadn't been able to come by lately!"

Nami waved it off.

"Don't worry about it. Come on! Let's go do something fun!"

Abdiel watched from a distance as Mendy and Nami played together with Azurill around the edge of the cape. Spent of all their energy, the girls relaxed on the ground and stared up at the sky.

"You study martial arts, Miss Nami?"

Nami nodded.

"Yep. My dad is the master of this huge dojo in Saffron City. Fighters come from all over the world just to challenge him, but he's never lost. He trains hard every day with his pokémon and he's taught me how to fight."

Mendy looked at her with admiration.

"That's so amazing, Miss Nami!"

Nami grinned.

"Well, it's real easy when the world's greatest martial artist is your teacher. So, Mendy, what do you wanna do when you grow up?"

Mendy looked at her then twiddled her fingers.

"Well, I don't know, Miss Nami-,"

Nami turned to her and shoved her finger in face.

"Hey, what's with all this 'Miss Nami' stuff? My name is just 'Nami'."

Mendy bowed her head.

"I'm sorry. Father and Mother taught me to always use honorifics when addressing anyone. They say its proper manners."

Nami sighed.

"Wow, talk about a stuffy life. Do your folks even know how to have fun at all? They just seem to be all about rules to me."

Mendy shook her head.

"I don't know. Whenever I see them, they always seem to be in a bad mood. They don't even like it when I try to cheer them up. They just say I need to focus on becoming a proper lady and to let them handle everything else. That also includes my future. They want me to become a noble aristocrat just like them."

Nami jumped up and scratched her head.

"Yeah, I don't know exactly what a no bull wrist rat is, but it sounds like a real pain. You know what? You should become a pokémon trainer. That's what I'm gonna do when I grow up."

Mendy looked up at her grinning friend.

"A pokémon trainer?"

Nami nodded.

"Yup! We can even travel together! It'll be the best! Just the two of us! We can go all over the world and learn about pokémon, see lots of different places and people, and we'll get to battle and stuff! It'll be awesome!"

Mendy beamed at the idea. She had no idea there could be such an endeavor.

"Will we be able to see even cuter pokémon like Azurill?"

Nami's grin widened.

"We sure can! What do you say? Let's go on a journey together!"

Mendy nodded and stood up.

"That sounds fantastic! Let's do it!"


With the promise to meet up again, Mendy, with Abdiel's help, managed to sneak out to the mansion again to see Nami. She loved being able to dodge the rest of the staff and meet up with her secret friend. Abdiel bought her a change of clothes so no one outside the mansion would be able to recognize her.

She reached underneath her bed and pulled out a large brown box. Inside, she found a pair of jeans, sneakers, a long-sleeve shirt, and a pink baseball cap. She quickly changed into her new clothes, tied her hair and stuffed it into the cap. She looked in the mirror and smiled. She looked like Nami, a regular girl.

She placed her other clothes in the box, pushed it back underneath her bed and snuck out of her room. Abdiel, wearing khaki pants and a red sweater, waited for her in their usual meeting place, the rose bushes on the side of the mansion. She made her way to the cellar, navigated through its honeycombs, and climbed up the ladder near the end to the rose garden. There, she met Abdiel standing patiently with a smile. Together they made their way out of the mansion grounds toward the cape where Nami awaited them.

After meeting up with Nami, Abdiel brought them to the city, the place Mendy had always wanted to explore, but instantly became weary with the daily bustle. All the people moving in such close proximity with each other made her feel uneasy. She held Nami's hand while walking down the sidewalk, hoping no one would recognize her. Nami took notice of her nervousness and smiled.

"Wow, I thought you were kidding when you said you've never been to the city before. But you don't have to be scared. No one's gonna hurt ya."

Mendy swallowed her nerves.

"I can't help it. Everything's so busy and there's so many people here."

Abdiel smiled.

"I know the city can be intimidating, Mendy, but please be open to the experience. Everything is going to be all right. Now, why don't we go and get something to eat? I know of a special place that is very dear to my heart."

Both girls beamed and followed. Abdiel led them through the town until they came across a ramen shop near the edge of the city. Abdiel walked up to the counter, took a seat on the red-cushioned stools, and waved for the girls to join him.

Mendy finally got in her seat and looked around the shop. The cracked, wooden counter and squeaky stool chairs gave the shop a very rustic feel. The balding man behind the stove, wearing a sweat and grease-stained shirt under a dulled-white apron, stood tall and firm as he folded his hairy arms. He looked to be around the same age as Abdiel and spoke with a raspy breath, as though something had been caught in his throat.

"Well, Abdiel! What a surprise, my friend! Haven't seen you in a while! What's the latest?"

Abdiel smiled.

"It's great to see you too, Gata. It has been quite some time, hasn't it? I do apologize, but you know how things are with work and all."

Gata raised his hand to stop him from talking.

"Say no more, I know what ya mean. Well, it's good to see you, my friend; and who are these lovely young ladies with you?"

Abdiel turned and pointed to each girl.

"This is Mendy and Nami. I wanted to show them some of my favorite spots in Cerulean. Could you please get them a bowl of your special?"

Gata gave him a thumbs-ups and smiled.

"Coming right up!"

With that he went to work preparing the meal. Nami turned to Abdiel and tugged on his sleeve.

"Say, Gramps, who's the geezer?"

Abdiel smiled.

"He's an old friend of mine from my school days. He's always wanted to open his own ramen shop and when he did, he became the best ramen chef in Kanto. I don't think I've tasted anything even close to his cooking."

Gata threw his head back and laughed.

"You got that right, Abdiel! Young ladies, you won't find any other shop that makes ramen like I do. That I guarantee!"

He finished the dishes, and placed a bowl in front of each of them. Mendy stared at hers in confusion. Before her eyes rested a large bowl of steaming noodles topped with two boiled eggs, chopped vegetables, and a pair of chopsticks neatly placed on the side. Normally, the servants would bring the food to her one small dish at a time and tell her how to eat it. But this man, he just slid the bowl of grease toward her and plopped down some wooden twigs. She didn't know how to tackle such a weird meal, especially without any silverware. She continued staring at the bowl before she heard Nami cry in excitement.

"This… is… amazing! This is so good! Mendy, what're you waiting for? Hurry!"

Abdiel picked up her chopsticks, broke them apart and handed them to her. He then showed her how to properly hold them and pick up the noodles. After several failed attempts, Mendy finally got the noodles to stay in between her chopsticks. The moment she slurped the ramen into her mouth, she froze. The taste, the texture, the simplicity, a geyser of flavor exploded on her taste buds. She'd never tasted anything like this before. The family chefs had the best culinary skills in Kanto, but they didn't come close to this masterpiece. The best part, she didn't have to worry about which utensil to use. Before she knew it, she finished her bowl.

Abdiel took notice to Mendy staring at the empty bowl.

"Did you enjoy your meal, Mendy?"

Mendy nodded.

"Would you like another bowl?"

She nodded again. When her second bowl arrived, Abdiel stopped her, brought over a bottle of mayonnaise, and poured some into the bowl.

"Now, try the noodles."

Mendy picked up her mayo noodles and slurped them up. Her eyes widened. The mayonnaise made the noodles even tastier than before. After her bowl of mayo ramen, she rubbed her plump stomach satisfied. Nami slurped the rest of the broth before setting her bowl down.

"Gramps that was the best!"

Abdiel set his bowl down and turned to Nami.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it, Lady Nami. And I see you're quite happy, Mendy."

A wide smile spread across Mendy's face and she nodded.

"Mr. Owen, I've never had anything so tasty before! Thank you!"

Abdiel smiled.

"Don't thank me, thank Gata. He is the best ramen chef in Kanto. Now then, shall we continue our day?"

They walked across the city toward a café where Mendy enjoyed her first ice cream sundae. They explored the malls and tried on several items of clothes. Visiting many shops and trying a variety of things made Mendy happier than she'd ever been. To spend the entire day with her best friend and Abdiel made her feel relaxed and content.

Abdiel glanced at his watch as the sun began to set.

"It looks like we have to be heading back. Come along, Mendy."

He grabbed her hand and they turned to Nami. Mendy looked up at Abdiel.

"Mr. Owen, thank you for today. It was amazing."

Abdiel smiled.

"My pleasure, Mendy. I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. How about you, Lady Nami? Did you have a good time as well?"

Nami nodded.

"Oh yeah! Today was the best! Thanks, Gramps!"

Abdiel nodded.

"You're welcome. Shall we get going now, Mendy? We'll see you soon, Lady Nami. Be careful getting home."

Mendy and Abdiel returned to the mansion and Mendy immediately slipped into her evening clothes as fast as she could. As soon as she finished dressing, she heard a knock on the door. It opened and Solare stormed into the room.

"Lady Margarete, where have you been all day? You were supposed to be in your lessons! Where did you disappear to?"

Mendy stuttered for an answer. She couldn't tell her about her day. She'd never leave the mansion again. As Solare approached closer, Abdiel, now clad in his usual butler attire, stepped into the room.

"I'm afraid that's my doing, Miss Solare. I took Lady Margarete out of the mansion for a while."

Mendy's eyes widened, wondering what he was doing. Solare turned to Abdiel.

"Abdiel, what could you possibly be thinking? You know she has to attend to her lessons. If the Lord and Mistress find out about this…"

"There won't be an issue, Miss Solare. For you see, while she and I were out, I gave her some private lessons. I've noticed Lady Margarete seems quite pressured while she's surrounded by all her maids and servants as well as the watchful gaze of her parents. However, once she's gotten away from it all and takes a breather, she does quite well. Lady Margarete, could you demonstrate to Miss Solare a proper greeting?"

Mendy nodded then turned to Solare and curtsied.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Solare. How do you do? My name is Margarete Eleanora Natalia Delafontaine Yarrington."

Solare's eyes widened. She couldn't believe she gave a flawless introduction. She turned to Abdiel and cleared her throat.

"Well, I must say I'm thoroughly impressed. Well done, Lady Margarete. I can see all your hard work has paid off."

Abdiel smiled.

"If that's all, Miss Solare, then would you mind taking care of the rest of your duties? I've noticed a few of them have not been completed."

Solare scowled.

"Yes, of course. Right away."

She walked out of the room and Abdiel gave Mendy a thumbs up.


Seven years had gone by since then. Mendy, now twelve, stood in her bedroom wearing her evening dress and brushing her hair in the mirror with a wide smile on her face. With her birthday being in a week, she couldn't help but be excited. She racked her brain with how she would spend it with Nami and Abdiel. They had to go all out this year. With her parents gone, getting out of the mansion would easier than ever. They had business to take care of in Kalos and had been gone for a few days. She finished brushing her hair when she heard a knock at her door. One of the maids entered and bowed.

"Lady Margarete, your parents have returned from their trip and wish to speak with you. They are waiting for you in their quarters."

Mendy froze. They finished their business in Kalos already? She didn't expect them to be back for another week or so. She regained her composure and nodded.

"Yes, of course, thank you. I'm on my way."

She followed the maid to her parents' quarters, an off section of the mansion to which she never had a reason to go to. As soon as they approached the double doors, she stopped and turned around.

"They are waiting for you inside. Have a good night, Lady Margarete."

When she left, Mendy knocked and opened the door. She walked in and found Abdiel standing against the wall wearing his usual butler attire.

"Mr. Owen? What are you doing here?"

The sound of a cane hitting the floor drew her attention to her father and mother standing at the other end of the room.

"He's here, because as your caretaker, he needs to hear this. Close the door, Abdiel, and Margarete come stand over here."

Mendy stood in the middle of the room all the while wondering what this was all about. She looked over at Abdiel who hadn't said a word since she entered the room. His silence worried her and she hoped this session with her parents wouldn't take long. Wentworth cleared his throat and took a couple steps toward Mendy.

"Margarete, as you know, your thirteenth birthday is coming up. As such, it is time for one of the most sacred ceremonies of nobles to be held. We've completed all the paperwork and your engagement is now finalized."

Mendy felt her heart drop.

"Engagement? What engagement?"

Wentworth slammed his cane down.

"Do not talk unless I give you permission! Is that clear, Margarete?"

Mendy lowered her head.

"Yes, Father. Please forgive me."

Wentworth nodded.

"That's better. Now, as I was saying. The engagement ceremony is one of the most sacred and pure traditions of the noble community. When the pure-blooded daughter of a noble turns thirteen, she is to be engaged. After the ceremony, she goes to live with her fiancée for the next three years. When she turns sixteen, she officially marries into the family and thus begins her new life. Margarete, you have been promised to Prince Elliott Montcroix."

Mendy looked at him in shock. Now it all made sense. They traveled to Kalos specifically for this purpose. The business trip centered on her engagement. She straightened herself up and bowed her head.

"Permission to speak, Father."

Wentworth squinted his eyes in annoyance.

"What is it?"

Mendy lifted her head.

"Father, how can I be promised to someone I don't even know? This is rather sudden, isn't it? Aren't there steps we have to take before the decision of marriage is even put on the table?"

Wentworth grinned.

"There's no need, Margarete. As head of the family, I felt it was in our best interest to cement the marriage as quickly as possible. You see, the union between our two houses will be of great value to me. As such, I need you to be the catalyst for the union."

Mendy stared at him with blank eyes.

"A… catalyst? But, what do you mean? Don't I get a say in any of this? What if we don't even like each other?"

Wentworth scoffed.

"I could care less if Prince Elliott likes you or not. The only worth you'll ever be able to contribute to this family is being the bridge that connects our two houses. When the engagement ceremony is over, Prince Elliott can do whatever he wants with you."

Mendy dropped her shoulders. She felt cold and out of breath. Her whole life, she didn't think they thought of her like this.

"I don't… believe this. Father, Mother, I… I… I know I wasn't the greatest in terms of my studies, but you don't really mean that, do you? You still love me, right?"

Wentworth's stern expression did not change.

"Why would we ever love a worthless daughter like you? You've been a failure since you've been born. The only reason you've been tolerated up till now was for this specific purpose, where you'll finally be of some use to us."

Mendy's eyes widened. She couldn't believe he just said that. With tears welling up, she dashed out of the room, knocking over an oncoming butler. She reached her room, slammed the door, and buried her face into her pillow. Wentworth's words swam through her head. She never felt so betrayed before. Her own parents only thought of her as a catalyst, as a thing to advance themselves. As she worked up a good cry, she heard a knock.

"Go away!"

The door opened and Abdiel slowly walked in.

"Mendy, I…"

Mendy turned to him. For the first time, she felt anger towards him.

"Mr. Owen, you liar! Why didn't you tell me? You said Father and Mother loved me and only wanted the best for me! I believed you! Why would you lie to me like that?"

Abdiel quickly drew her into a tight hug. She could hear him crying.

"Mr… Owen?"

Abdiel tightened the hug.

"I'm so sorry, Mendy. I'm so sorry. I thought for certain they wanted the best for you, that their strict lessons toward you were all for your benefit. I never imagined they held such feelings toward you."

Mendy didn't know what to do. Everything came at her at the same time. She could only let her emotions go at this point and she cried into his arms.


Mendy stood in front of her parents in the main hall. She wore a dazzling evening dress, festooned in jewels. It had been a week since she found out about her engagement and she spent every day dreading the upcoming event.

Abdiel stood off in the side with his hands behind his back. He eyed Mendy and noticed how depressed she'd become since finding out about the engagement. His attention fell on Wentworth as he cleared his throat.

"Margarete, tomorrow is your birthday. As such, your engagement ceremony will commence. Prince Elliott is on his way here and will arrive tomorrow at noon. I don't need to tell you that the future of this household rests on the outcome of this engagement. Do not dare do anything to ruin this event. Everything will go perfectly. I will not tolerate a single thing going wrong. All you have to do is show up. That should be simple enough for someone like you. Are we clear, Margarete?"

Mendy gave a slow nod. She spoke with a monotone expression, as if all the life had been drained out of her.

"Yes, Father, I understand."

Wentworth grinned.

"Excellent. Now that that's been taken care of, go to bed. Tomorrow's an important day and your drowsiness will not ruin it. Now get going."

Mendy bowed.

"Yes, Father."

Mendy turned and walked down the hallway toward her room. Abdiel noticed her dead eyes and stiff walk. In a mere few days, the lively Mendy he'd known for twelve years became a soulless puppet. He clenched his fists, trying to hold in the anger he had towards his employers. How could anyone treat their own children this way?

Wentworth turned to him.

"Abdiel. Go make sure everything is ready for tomorrow. I want nothing to be left unchecked. I will not tolerate even the slightest thing to go wrong."

Abdiel bowed.

"As you wish, Lord Wentworth."

Abdiel walked out and closed the door behind him. He had to do something. He couldn't allow Mendy to suffer like this.


That night, Mendy lay in her bed and listened to the heavy rain outside. It was after midnight and she still couldn't fall asleep. How could she? With her engagement being less than twelve hours away, she didn't care whether she slept or not. She thought about Nami and how she wouldn't be able to see her after today. Tears fell down her cheek as the realization hit her. She perked up when she heard a soft knock on her door. It slowly opened and Abdiel stepped in.

Mendy dried her eyes and looked up at him.

"Mr. Owen? What's going on?"

Abdiel held a finger to his lips and motioned for her to lower her voice. He sat on her bed and spoke in a whisper.

"Mendy, I'm getting you out of here."

Mendy eyes widened in shock.

"Wait. What do you mean?"

Abdiel took her hand in his.

"Mendy, I've been your caretaker and watched you grow up for thirteen glorious years. I've enjoyed every single moment of it. The one thing I want most in this world is to see you happy. That's why I can't just stand by and watch your life be thrown away like this. Come on. Get dressed into your clothes. We're leaving right now."

Mendy did as told and changed into her casual clothing. She just finished tucking the rest of her hair into her hat when Abdiel softly knocked on the door.

"Mendy, are you ready yet?"

Mendy slowly opened the door.

"I'm ready."

Abdiel nodded.

"All right then, let's go."

They moved quickly and silently throughout the mansion. Abdiel took Mendy down the hallway until they came toward the door to the cellar.

"Now you must hurry. Follow this passage until you reach our meet-up spot. There's something for you there. Then immediately head over to Lady Nami's house."

Mendy nodded then took a step into the cellar before turning around. Abdiel stood at the top of the stairs with a smile on his face.

"Come on, Mr. Owen. We have to go! Hurry!"

Abdiel shook his head.

"I'm afraid I won't be joining you, Mendy. I have other matters I must attend to first. Besides, I'd only slow you down. These old bones aren't suited for traveling anymore."

Mendy teared up.

"But, what about you? What'll Father and Mother do if they find I'm gone tomorrow? I don't want anything to happen to you. Please, you have to come with me!"

She gave him a hug and cried. Abdiel rubbed and kissed her head.

"Don't worry about me. I may not be fit for traveling the world, but I've still got some fight left in me. You just worry about getting your adventure started. I'll deal with your parents. The longer I stall them, the more time you have to get outside the city. They won't be able to follow you at that point. Now hurry."

Mendy wiped away her tears and headed into the cellar. She stopped to turn around and stare at Abdiel. She didn't know if she'd ever see him again. She wanted just one more look before taking off. She headed back down the passage and Abdiel closed the door.

Mendy ran through the cellar and made it to the ladder leading to the rose bushes. She opened up the door and the heavy rain immediately drenched her as she closed the exit. As soon as she closed it shut, she looked over at the rose bushes and just as Abdiel said, her present awaited her underneath a small awning. A purple and silver mountain bike sat patiently within the bushes, waiting for its new owner. She recognized this particular bike. It was the same one she saw a while ago. She fell in love with it at first sight. She begged Abdiel to buy it for her, but he refused saying it was far too expensive and she didn't even know how to ride one yet. Since then, she practiced with Nami until she could. She didn't know he had already bought it for her. A yellow backpack hung on the handlebars and a card was in one of the pockets.

She opened it up and read:

My precious Mendy,

May this gallant steed help you reach your dreams, the stars, and beyond. I know the path you choose will lead you toward a most wonderful future. I'll be rooting for you and thinking of you every day. Please stay safe, my little adventurer, and Happy Birthday!

Love,

Abdiel

Mendy teared up. She held the card to her chest and let the tears fall down her cheeks. As she picked up her new backpack, she found another piece of paper attached to it. She read the contents and her eyes widened.

"Wait… this is-,"

She looked up at her home and realized she didn't have time to worry about it or even investigate. She took her new backpack and bike and made her way toward Nami's house.


The storm raged on, but couldn't drown out the sound of the knocking on the door. Nami stirred in her sleep as the banging grew louder and continued without stopping. She got out of bed and walked toward the door in irritation.

"Okay! Okay! I'm coming! Whoever is banging on the door at this ungodly hour better have a really good excuse. Otherwise, I'm gonna be pissed." She unlocked the door and swung it open. "Who the hell-?" She paused when she saw Mendy standing on her doorstep drenched and crying. Nami's eyes widened in horror. "Mendy! What happened to you? What are you doing here? What's wrong?"

Mendy rushed in and hugged her. Her body shook and trembled from the cold and from crying. She told Nami all that had happened while Nami gave her a blanket, dry clothes, and a cup to tea.

"So, they really said all that?"

Mendy gave a slow nod. Nami heaved a sigh and then stood up.

"All right then. We're leaving!"

Mendy looked up at her in surprise.

"What do you mean?"

Nami grinned.

"Our adventure's gonna start today! Gramps gave you the perfect opportunity to get away from this place, didn't he? I'd imagine he wouldn't want you to waste it. So, come on. We're gonna gather some supplies, get a few hours' sleep, and then blow out of here."

Mendy gripped her cup and then looked up at Nami with renewed determination.

"First, there's something I need to do."

The rain had finally stopped and Nami followed Mendy outside toward one of the hills where Mendy took a pair of scissors and cut her hair off to shoulder-length. The wind blew gently off the nape of her neck. She opened her hand and let her hair blow away. She heaved a deep sigh as her hair fluttered in the wind. Nami placed her hand on Mendy's shoulder.

"So, you ready to get started?"

Mendy nodded.

"Yeah, just you and me. Finally we'll make our dream a reality."

Nami grinned.

"Yeah, and no matter what, I swear I'll never let you go through that again. I'll always have your back."

Mendy teared up and smiled. Nami smiled back as she gazed upon Mendy's award-winning smile.


Ayden and Jin sat in silence as Mendy finished the rest of her story. She pushed a bit of hair behind her ear and took in a deep breath.

"Well, there you have it, my rise and fall from nobility. You can see now why I was so adamant about getting away from here as soon as possible. Father has jurisdiction influence over the city. So, as long as I stay out of it, he can't do anything."

Jin leaned back and scratched his head.

"I have no idea what to say, Mendy."

Nami stepped forward.

"There's nothing more to say. What's done is done. We got Mendy back and we can skip town without anyone finding us. So, come on, let's get out of here already."

Mendy looked up at Nami and nodded.

"Yeah, you're right. Let's get out of here and for good this time."

They all stood up and then looked up at a large black hovercraft as it made its way toward the city. Their eyes widened when they saw the silver 'C' on the side. Ayden clenched his fists and Nami nudged Mendy.

"Hey, isn't that the same logo the people at Mt. Moon were wearing?"

Jin turned to them.

"Wait, you guys ran into them too?"

Nami nodded.

"Yeah, they were pretty persistent. Anyway, let's get out of town before they discover we're here."

Nami grabbed her bag and noticed Mendy hadn't moved at all.

"Mendy! What're you doing? Come on! We have to go!"

Mendy dropped her shoulders.

"I… I can't do that, Nami. Look at where it's headed. It's heading straight for my house! My parents and everyone are still there! We have to go help them!"

Nami dropped her bag and placed her hands on Mendy's shoulders.

"Are you insane? Do you even remember what your dad said to you? He doesn't even care about you!"

Mendy shook her head.

"I know! I know my parents and I have never seen eye-to-eye, but this could be the one chance I have to make them see that this is the path for me! To make them see that pokémon mean a lot to me and then maybe we can patch things up! I mean, can a parent really not love their own child?"

Nami stared at Mendy's face and knew nothing she said could change her mind.

"Okay fine, you win. They obviously mean a lot to you. So, let's go help them. I've got your back."

Mendy smiled.

"Thank you, Nami."

Jin wrapped his arms around their shoulders.

"And you can count me in! I'll help you guys out anywhere, any time! Hey, Ayden, come on! Get in on this, man!"

Ayden didn't reply as he stood staring at Mendy's house, deep in thought. He furrowed his brow and clenched his fists.

"Piik, we can't allow them to do as they please regardless where they show up. Even if I'm not their target this time. Let's go."

Piik nodded. She would never forgive any of them for what they've done to Ayden up until this point. If Ayden wanted them annihilated, she wouldn't stop until their hearts did.

"Hey, Ayden!"

Jin's voice snapped both Ayden and Piik out of their thoughts. They looked over to see him waving to them.

"Come on! We're doing a team moment! This is for Mendy's sake!"

Ayden and Piik both heaved a sigh and shrugged. He walked over and joined the huddle. Jin brought him in closer to the group.

"All right! Let's go kick some butt and jot down some names!"


The hovercraft sailed toward the Yarrington mansion while Heida sat in her seat gripping the armrests with anticipation. Within the walls of that mansion rested the fragment Captain Rose needed. She had been given this order by her personally. She couldn't afford to fail.

A grunt turned his head toward Heida.

"Ma'am, we've arrived at our destination. Preparing to land."

Heida nodded.

"Excellent! All units, gear up and ready for infiltration! We'll storm the mansion and retrieve the fragment at all costs!"

All her subordinates replied with a "Yes, Ma'am" and readied themselves for the mission. The hovercraft made its way toward the grounds of the mansion. The guards, guests, and television reporters all watched as it descended upon them. The hovercraft landed in the courtyard with a deafening thud; breaking fountains and flattening the shrubbery. The grunts exited the hovercraft and rushed into the mansion, using their pokémon to fire off one attack after another. An alarm sounded and the guards and soldiers from both Montcroix and Yarrington families quickly responded to the threat, but found themselves quickly overpowered. The maids, butlers, guards, and even the news reporters all had their wrists bound behind their backs and forced into a single group in the main hallway. Wentworth and Vivian had been backed into a corner by several grunts, each ready to unleash their pokémon on them.

Wentworth, took a step forward.

"What is the meaning of this? Who are you people and what do you possibly want from us? If you desire money, we can give you as much as you wish! Just leave us be!"

Heida walked toward the scared aristocrats with her hands in her pockets and a smirk on her face. Her subordinates saluted her as she walked by.

"Money? Please, as if we'd want something as trivial as that. No, we seek something far more valuable and vastly important."

Wentworth blinked in confusion.

"I don't understand! What could you all possibly want?"

Heida grinned and pointed at his cane.

"We want the jewel embedded in your cane, old man!"

Wentworth's eyes widened as he looked at the crimson jewel on his cane.

"You can't be serious! This is an heirloom! It's been in my family for generations!"

Heida's smirk spread into a smile.

"I couldn't care less how long it's been in your family, old man. You either give us the jewel, or we force you to."

She snapped her fingers and one of her subordinates tossed a pokéball into the air and a Scyther popped out. The green, human-sized, mantis-like pokémon stood proud as the grunt then went up to Vivian and forced her into Scyther's grip. Wentworth took a step toward them, but quickly backed up when the other grunts moved forward.

"What are you doing? Unhand my wife this instant!"

Heida laughed.

"You honestly think you're giving the orders around here? Listen up, you either give us the jewel, or we'll take it by force and you can place your wife's head on the end of the cane instead."

Scyther positioned its claws up to Vivian's neck and Wentworth tightened his grip on his cane.

"You cowards!"

Heida stepped forward.

"Look, old man, we don't have all day. So, here's what we're gonna do. I'm giving you five seconds to hand the jewel over before Scyther lobs her head clean off!"

Tears streamed down Vivian's face as Scyther dug deeper into her skin.

"Wentworth! Please, just give them what they want!"

Heida held up her hand.

"Five!"

Wentworth looked around them and scurried for something to say.

"I-If its jewels you want, we have plenty more where this came from! Please take as much as you like! Please, I beg you just leave this one piece alone!"

Heida withdrew a finger.

"Four!"

Wentworth tightened his grip on his cane.

"Look, I'm a reasonable and very wealthy man! I can give you all the money and resources you need! I can even give you jurisdiction protection!"

Heida withdrew another finger.

"Three!"

Vivian's eyes grew wider.

"Wentworth! Just give them the jewel already!"

Scyther dug its claw deeper into her throat until blood trickled out. Heida turned toward Vivian.

"You stay quiet! As for you, old man, I must say, you're being very stubborn. All I want is that jewel and you're going to risk your own wife's life for it? Two!" Sweat fell down Wentworth's face. He couldn't give up the jewel. It had been in his family for generations. He could never part with it. Heida withdrew another finger. "One… times up, old man. Hope you'll be able to live with your decision. Just remember, you brought this on yourself. Do it!"

The grunt gave the order and Scyther prepared to slice Vivian's throat. Vivian looked up at Wentworth and saw him tightly gripping his cane with his eyes closed. She couldn't believe it. He actually chose the jewel over her.

As Scyther's claw grazed her neck, a jet stream of water hit Scyther in the back, causing it to lose its grip on Vivian. Heida and her grunts looked up to see Mendy and the others fly into the room on Fearow and Heracross. Heida's eyes widened when she saw Ayden. Silver hair and a blue-cheeked Pikachu, exactly as Rose had described him. To think he could take on so many of her peers already and come out on top. She didn't have time to think about that though. She had to complete her mission.

"All units, attack! Get that jewel at all cost! Crawdaunt! Get out here and get rid of these pests!"

She threw her pokéball and Crawdaunt popped out and landed with a boom. The red crustacean swung its large pincers around, ready to destroy anything it came across. All her grunts summoned their pokémon and readied themselves for the imminent brawl. Nami, Jin, and Ayden also readied themselves for the fight. Jin called out Vulpix and Clefairy while Nami called out Marill and Staryu. Piik jumped off Ayden's shoulder and charged her cheeks. While both sides commenced with the battle, Scyther's trainer took the opportunity to finish the job he'd been given.

"Scyther! Finish off the woman and get that jewel!"

Scyther turned to Vivian who lay on the floor frozen in fear. Mendy saw Scyther ready its next attack and made her move.

"Get away from my mom right now! Squirtle, Tackle!"

Squirtle nodded, jumped out of her arms, and ran towards Scyther; ramming it in the head. Scyther reeled from the blow and fainted next to Vivian. Vivian looked at the unconscious creature in disbelief. A few more seconds and she'd be dead. Whatever that thing is, it could've killed her. She looked up when Mendy ran up to her.

"Mom! Are you okay? Did they hurt you?"

Vivian shook uncontrollably with her voice coming out in nothing more than stuttered gasps. Tears fell down her face as the image of Wentworth not doing anything to help and Scyther's claws touching her neck filled her mind.

Mendy clenched her fists as anger took over. She almost lost her mother, just like how Raye lost her sister. She could see how Raye felt about them now. They really will do anything to get what they want, even if it meant killing innocent people. She refused to let them get away with any of it. In the corner of her eye, she saw Solare run into the room.

"Lord Wentworth, Milady! Are you two all right?" She paused when she saw Vivian in a disheveled state and Mendy kneeling beside her. "Lady Margarete? What are you doing here? How dare you show yourself after what you've done? If you hadn't messed things up, none of this would've-,"

Mendy ran up to her and grabbed her wrist.

"Please! Take care of my parents! Get them to a safe spot! My friends and I'll handle these guys!"

Solare blinked in confusion and watched as Mendy ran back into the fray. She couldn't believe her eyes. People and creatures in a war-like battle and the sole heir to the Yarrington name jumped right in the middle of it. She snapped back to her senses and wrapped her arms around Vivian.

"Milady! Please, we need to get to a safer location!"

Vivian stood up, but moved slowly from shock. The grunts and Mendy's team launched one attack after another and continued to damage the mansion. Wentworth looked on in horror as his beloved home quickly turned into a battlefield. Margarete and her friends not only ruined his reputation beyond repair, but also had desecrated his home. He got on his knees and crawled away. He had to get to a safe location and hide the jewel. He had to do at least that much.

As Wentworth neared the exit, Heida caught him in the corner of her eye.

"And just where do you think you're going, old man? Crawdaunt, Bubblebeam! Don't let him get away!" Crawdaunt turned to the cowering man and fired a stream of bubbles at him. The bubbles made contact with the floor and exploded in front of him. In his shock, he covered his head with his hands. He looked up and saw Heida stare at him. "I'm not leaving here without that jewel, old man. Hurry up and give it to me already!"

She reached for the staff when a bolt of electricity forced her back. She looked up and saw Ayden and Piik glare at her. Sweat fell down her brow as the duo approached her. He had defeated her colleagues who she could barely hold her own against. There wouldn't be any doubt he could defeat her, especially since he had a type advantage. She had to get the jewel and get away from him fast.

Ayden walked up to her with Piik charging her cheeks. Ayden's and Heida's eyes met and the tension grew as they waited for the other to make the first move. Wentworth took the opportunity to crawl away. Heida looked back and him and clicked her tongue. She didn't have time for this. She had to get that jewel.

"Crawdaunt! Stop him!"

"Piik, Thunderbolt!"

Piik charged her cheeks and fired a shot at Crawdaunt.

"Crawdaunt! Protect!"

Crawdaunt turned around and shielded itself with a multi-colored barrier. Piik's attack bounced off and shot straight into the ceiling. The ceiling crumbled and several chunks fell to the floor. Wentworth made a run for it, but a boulder struck him in the arm, forcing him to let go of the cane. The cane skated across the floor toward Heida's feet. She grinned as she reached for it, but quickly pulled back her hand when Piik fired a bolt of electricity at her. She looked up to Ayden glaring at her. All her subordinates were having trouble taking down these kids. She had hoped to avoid this situation, but she had been left with no other option.

"Looks like it can't be helped. Crawdaunt, Double Team!" At her command, Crawdaunt created doppelgängers of itself and surrounded Ayden and Piik. Heida smirked. "Okay, now use Bubblebeam!"

"Piik, use Thunderbolt!"

Piik charged her cheeks and released a large amount of electricity. Her attacked repelled the Bubblebeam and simultaneously blew away the Crawdaunt clones. Heida stared in a combination of amazement and fear. That little Pikachu did all that in one attack. No wonder the higher-ups wanted it back so badly. Suddenly, her eyes widened as a thought popped into her head.

"Crawdaunt, use Attract!"

Crawdaunt nodded and shot a seductive beam toward Piik. Before Ayden could respond, the effects of the attack had already hit their target, causing Heida to burst into laughter.

"What are you gonna do now, kid? I've completely blocked your Pikachu from attacking! That Pikachu is female and my Crawdaunt is a male! Your Pikachu won't be able to harm-,"

"Piik, Thunderbolt."

Piik charged her cheeks and shot a bolt of electricity at Crawdaunt, zapping the water-type to the ground knocking it unconscious.

Heida gazed at her fallen pokémon in shock.

"But, how? I know Attract hit your Pikachu! How could it still fight back?"

Ayden lightly grinned.

"Sorry, but you'll need a lot more than that to stop Piik. Her focus is too high for that."

Piik blushed. In all honesty, she just couldn't stand the thought of looking at someone else when she already had Ayden.

Heida backed up as Ayden and Piik walked toward her. She looked around and saw her subordinates dropping one by one and she didn't have any more usable pokémon. She couldn't believe it. She couldn't fail this mission. She had to get the jewel to Rose at all costs.

She pulled a smoke bomb from her pocket and threw it to the ground, filling the entire room with thick black smoke.

Ayden cursed under his breath and then looked up.

"Fearow! Blow away the smoke! Quick!"

Fearow complied and flapped his wings as fast as he could. The smoke cleared revealing several Team Chaos grunts knocked out on the floor and Heida running toward her hovercraft with the cane firmly in her hands. A handful of grunts followed her out the door.

"Piik, use Thunderbolt on the hovercraft!"

Piik charged her cheeks and shot an attack on the hovercraft, causing it to explode into flames. Heida looked on in horror at her burning hovercraft. She looked back at Ayden and the others and regrettably admitted they lost.

Her subordinates turned to her.

"Ma'am, what should we do?"

Heida thought for a second then looked up at them. She took the cane in her hands, broke off the jewel, and threw the cane away.

"Who still has a functioning flying-type?"

One of her subordinates raised his hand and lent her the pokéball. She called out a badly beaten Golbat and placed the jewel in its mouth.

"Take this jewel to Captain Rose. Do not stop for anything."

Golbat weakly nodded then took off to the sky. Ayden tried to attack it, but Heida and the others blocked his attempt and Golbat flew off into the distance. The police soon stormed the mansion and arrested the members of Team Chaos. Heida smiled and laughed as they applied handcuffs to her.

"You're all too late! We've already accomplished what we came for! Soon, very soon, the world will bow before us… before Team Chaos!" She turned to Ayden and grinned. "And you, Carrier! You too shall be ours soon! It'll only be a matter of time before you're in our hands! Heil Schröder! Heil Schröder!"

Ayden watched as the police carted Heida and the others away. As he watched her being pushed into the vehicle, he noticed her look of content. As if arresting her made little to no difference. They drove off and Ayden stood with a sense of dread. Piik ran up his leg to his shoulders and patted him on the head and he lightly grinned.

"Thanks, Piik. Let's go check on the others."

He walked back inside and finally realized how much damage the mansion took. Chunks of the ceiling, glass, and bricks littered the floor, the banister for the staircase hung lopsided, and several steps had been blown away. Mendy, Jin, and Nami tended to the hostages. When Mendy freed one of the maids, she looked up at Mendy and smiled.

"Thank you, Lady Margarete. I'm so glad you came back."

Mendy nodded and smiled.

"No problem. Listen, I have a favor to ask."

The maid listened intently then quickly left the room. As soon as she ran down the hall, Mendy ran up to her parents as they staggered to get up.

"Dad, Mom, are you two all right?"

She placed her hand on her father's shoulders before he abruptly smacked it away.

"Are we… all right? Are you kidding me? Look at what you've done to my house! You and those monstrosities of nature have destroyed my beautiful home! To top it off, our treasure has been stolen! Do you have any idea of what you've done, you insolent child?"

Mendy lost all her nerve. For that one moment, she had hoped saving her parents would've made them realize that pokémon weren't all bad and maybe they would finally support her in her dream and admit they love her. However, it only made things worse. Tears welled up in her eyes as her father continued to berate her. She shifted her gaze to the floor, but he lifted her head by pulling back her hair.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you, you worthless child! I have tried to be patient with you! But you continue to disappoint me and this family at every turn! From this day forth, you are no longer a part of this household!" Mendy's eyes widened. "You will be turned over to Elliott's family where you will be his wife! You will be silent and obedient! Perhaps then you will see what you're really worth!"

Nami furrowed her eyebrows and gritted her teeth. She had enough of this. She proceeded toward them when Jin placed his hand on her shoulder and held her back. She turned to him to protest, but he shook his head and pointed toward Ayden as he walked towards Mendy.

Too shocked to utter a single word, Mendy shifted her gaze to the floor again. Her own father, after all this time, after all she'd done to try and make him proud, wanted nothing to do with her. Her one chance to get her parents to accept her blew up in her face. The fact her parents never really loved her struck her harder than ever. Wentworth's anger rose as he raised his hand.

"Didn't I say to look at me when I'm talking to you? You stupid, worthless, girl!"

He swung down and Mendy braced herself when she looked up and she saw Ayden had caught Wentworth's wrist. Wentworth tried to wrestle out of Ayden's hand. He pulled and tugged with every ounce of strength he had, but he couldn't move. Ayden tightened his grip and Wentworth and Mendy heard his bones crack under the pressure.

After screaming in pain, Ayden let go of him and Wentworth examined his now crushed wrist with widened eyes.

Ayden slowly opened his eyes and glared at Wentworth. When their eyes met, Wentworth fell over backward in fear. Ayden's eyes had changed. The icy blue and fiery gold combined to create a terror that struck him to his core. He blinked and looked at his eyes again and saw a normal hazelnut. How could this be? He saw it. For a brief moment, he knew the boy's eyes had changed colors; colors neither normal nor human.

Mendy looked at Ayden with concern. Never had she seen him like this. Ayden took a step forward toward Wentworth. Images of the vision he saw kept flashing through his mind. The pain she suffered, the fear, it all made his blood boil. His eyes burned with the desire to release all his anger on him. His normally calm voice shook with rage and resonated throughout the entire room.

"What… the hell… kind of father… hits his own daughter? What kind of father… berates his own daughter? Dismisses her dreams? Ignores her feelings? You don't deserve to be called a father! This girl saved your neck because she loves you! All she wanted was your support as she tried to realize her dream! Yet you kept belittling and insulting her; treating her as if she was less than human! She is a wonderful person with a beautiful dream! She was willing to do whatever it took for that! The fact she's willing to do anything for that dream, makes her a much better person than you'll ever be! I could never forgive anyone who would even think of striking a person like that! If you so much as touch her again, I'll make you regret it!"

Mendy stood petrified at what she heard. She couldn't believe it. Those words came from him, the last person she ever thought would come to her defense. She never thought he could express himself in such a manner, and to defend her no less. For the first time, she realized his true nature. He really does care for others. His words alone just proved that. His words made her feel empowered. She never felt like this before. This relief. All the pressure she'd just disappeared.

Wentworth glared at Ayden and stood up.

"You damned brat! Just what do you think you're doing? Do you have any idea of what you've done? As far as this girl goes, I know what she will become and I will-,"

Mendy stepped forward.

"No! You don't know me, you don't know what I'll become, and you don't own me! I will follow my dream without your support! I don't need it! So, you can take your cane and shove it up your ass! I don't care what you do anymore!"

Vivian walked toward her.

"Margarete! How dare you speak to your father in such a manner! You stop this foolishness this instant! As a noble, you have an image to maintain! This is unbecoming of someone born into a royal bloodline!"

Mendy gave her a death glare.

"Shut up!"

Vivian backed up in shock.

"Image this and image that, that's all I've ever heard from you! The only thing you cared about was keeping up your own image! That's a pretty big attitude from someone who isn't even a noble!"

Vivian's eyes widened and the rest of the room gave her their attention. Jin turned to Mendy.

"Wait, what're you talking about?"

Everyone turned their attention to a maid running into the room crying out Mendy's name. In her hands she held an envelope.

"Lady Margarete! I have what you asked for! It was exactly in the spot just like you said!"

She handed the envelope to Mendy who opened it up and scanned through the documents. After a minute she smirked.

"I knew it." She held up the documents for the entire room to see. A cameraman turned toward Mendy and zoomed in on her. "I have in my hands your birth certificate, Mom! It says you were born to Mrs. Kerrigan, grandma's head maid! That means you're not a real noble, you're a commoner!"

The whole room turned to Vivian, who stood sweating bullets. Wentworth approached her.

"What is she talking about? What's the meaning of this, Vivian?"

Vivian smiled.

"It's nothing, dear. She's just blowing smoke. That birth certificate is nothing more than a fake. The real one is right here in the mansion. You know that."

This time, Mendy smiled.

"Are you sure about that? I have a copy of that birth certificate right here as well! Your real one is dated one day prior to the fake! The mistress of the house your real mother served had a miscarriage, while your real mother died giving birth to you! Birth certificates, DNA tests, death records, you can deny it all you want, but the truth is all right here!"

Vivian balled her hands and gritted her teeth. How could she have gotten her hands on those documents? She made certain all records of her birth were to be kept hidden from all and not to be taken out to anyone other than herself.

Wentworth stomped toward her.

"Is what she says true? You're a commoner? I should've let that creature lob your head off if that's the case!"

Vivian turned to him.

"How dare you! How could you even think of my life being of less worth than that rock of yours?"

At that, the whole room broke into an uproar. The servants and guards whispered amongst themselves and the news crew immediately took up the opportunity. A female reporter, straightened her hair then turned toward the camera.

"A shocking revelation! What started out as a political marriage between two large-scale families, has quickly turned into one of the biggest scandals to ever hit Cerulean! The mistress of the house of Yarrington, Vivian, has been revealed to have been in fact born a commoner! Her own daughter has come forth with the documents to prove such a claim!"

Vivian backed away as the camera zoomed in on her.

"No… wait! It's a lie! She's lying! I'm not a commoner! I'm telling you the truth! She's lying!"

Solare looked up at her.

"Milady? Is this true?"

Mendy waved the documents.

"I also happen to have the laws of nobility here as well. It says that "pure-blooded" women are married into another family, right? Well, since you're a commoner, that means I'm half noble blood! Therefore, the rules of nobility no longer apply to me! That means the wedding is officially off! Suck on that!"

Vivian glared at Mendy. In one fell swoop, she ruined everything.

"Margarete! You… you… ungrateful-,"

Mendy took a step forward.

"Ungrateful? What would I have to be grateful for? Both of you have gone on record saying you didn't love me and wanted nothing to do with me. I was just a catalyst for your political advancement, remember? Well, now you have this to deal with and you can thank Mr. Owen for it. He's the one who gave me the clue I needed to find these documents. He's the one who's been treating me like his own daughter all these years. He's my real parent. Now, if you don't mind, I'm continuing my journey to become a gym leader. Goodbye." She headed for the door, then turned back around. "Oh, and another thing… my name's Mendy."

Nami smiled. She couldn't have been prouder. With that, Mendy walked out of the house leaving her parents stunned and the news crew barking to get a story. Mendy walked outside and the wind hit her with a sense of renewal. Her mind cleared and her body felt light. For the first time, ever since she could remember, she felt free.

Nami, Ayden, and Jin joined her only to be met by Elliott and his guards. His clothes had been torn and covered with mud. He looked up at Mendy and squinted his eyes.

"There you are! And just where do you think you're going, Margarete? Have you forgotten our engagement ceremony? Well, you won't be getting away this time!"

Mendy breathed a sigh.

"Oh hello, Elliott. You came at a good time. My folks are just in the middle of the biggest political scandal ever. Get this. Turns out I'm half-commoner."

Elliott's eyes widened as Mendy shoved the documents in his face. He scanned them and gasped.

"W-What are you saying? You lie! This cannot be!"

"Oh, it is, Elliott. Read it and weep. These documents prove it too. But, I believe you'll understand everything once you get inside. The bottom line is our engagement is null and void and I'm outta here. Later."

With that, she and the rest of the group walked past a stunned Elliott and headed down toward the city. Elliott fell to his knees in dismay.

"My… my political career! I was so close!"

"Prince Elliott, you seem troubled. Is there anything I can get for you?"

Elliott looked up to see Trinity standing over him. She adjusted her glasses and watched as he stood back up. His dirt and mud decorated clothes coupled with his disheveled hair and lack of a left shoe caused a small grin to form on her face.

"Yes, Trinity, prepare my plane. We're heading-,"

He paused when he heard snickering. He turned to see Trinity trying to hold in her laughter.

"Is something funny, Trinity?"

Trinity shook her head, cleared her throat, and her face resumed her stoic composure.

"N-Nothing, sir. Yes, I'll prepare your plane, brief you on your upcoming meetings, and… get… you… a change… of… clothes!"

She broke composure and fell to her knees laughing. Elliott watched as Trinity rolled on the ground in an endless fit of laughter. He hadn't seen her laugh or smile like that in years. He looked at himself and chuckled at his appearance. He had to admit he looked ridiculous. Soon, he too hit the ground laughing at himself. It had been ages since he felt like this.


Mendy and the others made their way into the city. The bustling streets filled with whispers and talks about the recent uproar in the Yarrington family had little to no effect on her. She could care less about what happened with the Yarrington's reputation. She'd been free of that burden. Jin moved his hands to the back of his head.

"Well, aside from the not-so-subtle stares and whispers, I'd say we did a great job! Mission accomplished, guys!"

Mendy smiled.

"Yes, thank you guys for everything. You've helped out in more ways than I can ever express. I honestly don't know how I'll ever be able to repay you." She shot a quick glance at Ayden and the image of him shouting at her father popped into her head. She blushed then looked away. "Hey, before we leave, why don't we all go to the best ramen stand in the region and then maybe go to a maid café for dessert?"

Jin beamed at the thought.

"Really? Awesome! Come on let's go!"

He dashed down the street toward the ramen stand. Mendy shook her head and followed him.

"Hold on, Jin! You don't even know where the stand is!"

Ayden watched them run down the street and then took a step when Nami stopped him.

"Hey!" He turned to her and she averted her eyes. She stuck her hands into the pockets of her hoodie as she thought about how she never imagined she'd say this to him. "Hey, look, um… remember when I said I didn't think of you as a friend? Well, I still think you have major issues, but… after seeing what you did for Mendy, I'm willing to… reconsider it. I mean, you could've left and been done with all this, but you stuck around and helped when you never had to. I guess what I'm trying to say is… thanks. I couldn't have saved Mendy if you didn't help." Ayden lightly smiled and extended his hand to her. Nami looked at it then up at him. She smiled and firmly shook it. "Just so we're clear… you're still not off the hook. You still owe her a bike."

She giggled and Ayden shook his head. Their attention shifted to Mendy yelling at them.

"Come on, you two! What's the hold up? I'm so hungry and happy right now I might eat up all the ramen he has!"

Nami waved to her.

"All right! We're coming!"

With that, they joined Mendy and Jin and headed for the ramen stand. They arrived and Mendy and Nami immediately ran up to the counter.

"Hey, Mr. Gata, long time no see! How've you been?"

Gata turned to see a grinning Mendy and Nami. He smiled back and wiped his hands on his apron.

"Well, I'll be. If it isn't little Mendy and Nami! I can't believe how much you two have grown! Seems like only yesterday you two could barely see over the counter! And these must be your friends! Welcome!"

Jin bowed.

"Hello!"

Gata burst into laughter.

"No need to be so polite, son! Come on, have a seat! I'll whip you all up some of my famous ramen!"

He turned to the stove and went to work. The group took their seats and waited for him to finish. Mendy turned to Jin and Ayden.

"I'm telling you guys, this guy is a ramen genius. Once you eat here, you'll never look at ramen the same way again."

Jin salivated at the thought.

"That good, huh? Can't wait."

Gata perked up and turned to the group.

"That reminds me. Mendy, I have something for you. It's from Abdiel."

Mendy's eyes widened and she turned to Gata.

"Mr. Owen? Really? Where is he? Is he okay?"

Gata nodded.

"Last I saw him, he sat down for his usual bowl of ramen and handed this to me. He told me to give it to you when I had the chance."

He walked over and handed Mendy a letter. She opened and read it then burst into tears. Nami placed her hand on her shoulders.

"Mendy, what's wrong? Is he okay?"

Mendy nodded.

"Yes, he says he's doing just fine. He was able to get away after all. He's living in the Pokémon League Village at Indigo Plateau and says he awaits the day we meet again." She sniffed back her tears and hugged Nami. "He's okay! He's okay! I thought I'd never get the chance to see him again!"

A tear fell down Nami's cheek as she comforted Mendy.

"I'm so happy for you, Mendy. Come on, let's go pay him a visit. Hey, Ayden! You said you're entering the Pokémon League, right? Well, hurry up and get the rest of your badges so we can see Gramps!"

Jin smiled.

"Yeah, I wanna meet him too. It's only thanks to him we were even able to meet Mendy in the first place."

Ayden gave a nod and Piik pumped her fists into the air. Mendy smiled as tears rained down her cheeks. She'd never been happier. She could finally see her father again.


Rose sat at her desk gazing at the photos of Ayden she duplicated and multiplied. She picked one up and gently caressed it, thinking of how much she'd love to touch the real thing. Her phone rang, knocking her out of her daydreams, and she picked it up in annoyance.

"This is Captain Rose… A messenger Golbat just arrived with the fragment? Fantastic… I see. Lieutenant Heida has been caught, has she? Well, no big loss. As long as we have the fragment, that's all that matters. Bring it to sector 4 and we'll begin the next phase in looking for the other pieces of the Red Chain."

She hung up and picked up the photo again.

"Very soon, you'll be all mine."