Kialandi landed some distance away from her, urging Cate and the Larvitar to run inside the house. Formora watched the two little Pokemon go, disappointed at her lack of emotions towards Cate and Kia. Her heart was cold and numb. No happiness at their impromptu reunion. No lingering anger at Kia's bumbling incompetence. No regret for everything she'd done to him.

She felt nothing at all.

Kia watched her warily with his wings slightly spread, ready to jump at her slightest movement. She didn't blame him; in fact, she rather approved of his defensive behavior.

"Lady Formora," he began slowly.

Formora hmphed. "That's a name I haven't heard in ages. Usually people call me 'monster', 'Snow Wraith', or 'bitch'. Being called 'Formora' after so long doesn't seem right. But I guess you can keep calling me that."

"As you wish. Forgive my treasonous actions; I was not expecting your visit. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

She snorted.

"Quit doing that; I'm already fighting the demon's urge to kill you. Don't give me a reason to give in. Anyway, I'm journeying around the continent and I thought I'd see you. SEE you. Not kill. Not kill," she said, that last part mostly for herself. Already her fingers were twitching…

Kia dropped his wings, but his face didn't change. "Why?"

In response, Formora held out her bag for him to peer into. "It's too dark, what is it?"

"Her," Formora replied.

Kia understood immediately, and he took a step back. "You've kept those all this time?"

She nodded, turned, and threw her knife into the nearest tree.

THK! It landed hilt-deep in a solid oak thirty feet away. Kia flinched in surprise.

She turned back to him, not a lick of expression on her face. "Sorry. You just look very stab-able right now. Nothing personal; I'm just a demon's puppet. But yes, I have. Can I come in now?"

Kia paused for a long moment.

"…Come back in the morning," he said eventually. Formora nodded her agreement, and with a swirl of her Blizzard she created her own personal igloo where she stood. Another flick of her hand, and her igloo became a dome cut off from the outside world.

Kia and Cate were waiting for her when she destroyed her ice-tent with a Shadow Ball early the next morning. They stood shoulder-to-shoulder, sharing their warmth in the chilly air.

Formora appraised Cate with a long, careful look. Though still and forever an Espurr, there was a new confidence to Cate she didn't recall seeing before. The little woman stood straighter, sure of herself.

I wonder if her fighting skills have improved, Formora started to think before shaking her head.

"I'm here to visit. Not to hurt," she stated. Then, "Do you still play that wooden thing, Cate?"

"My guitar? Yes, I do. Why have you decided to leave the tundra?" Cate replied, leaning against Kia.

She decided to tell them the full story. She retold Zygarde's visit, and how it led her to her current path. She too showed Cate the contents of the bag, and her plan for them.

Cate stared at her, open disbelief on her face. "Seriously?"

Formora shrugged. "Unless the demon consumes me completely first."

Kia and Cate stared at each other, a silent conversation passing between them.

"…You can come in, so long as you're never alone with Lark," Cate said eventually.

Again Formora shrugged. "I'll let you think you can stop me. But I'm a good monster today. No killing, no pain, no fun."

Whoops, that last part slipped out. The corner of her mouth twitched in annoyance. "Well, it's not as if I get much enjoyment out of hardened mercenaries these days, let alone a kid and her reformed parents."

Cate and Kia didn't laugh.

Noon found the four in their dining room-slash-kitchen. Formora and the Larvitar were seated opposite of each other at the table while Cate swept and Kia cooked.

Their little farm was just big enough for the three of them to live comfortably. They lived a modest life in an area mostly crime-free, which was apparently a rare commodity these days. Kia sold his paintings and excess produce while Cate played her guitar to earn money. The Larvitar was their daughter.

Formora watched as the child draw pictures and snuck curious glances at the strange Froslass.

"Parents dead?" she asked. The Larvitar paused in her avid coloring.

"Huh?"

"Yes, Lark's adopted. We found her Egg on the side of the road, her mother not too far from it. Bandits, we think," Kia answered.

Cate's face hardened with hatred. "They left an Egg to rot! An Egg!"

Formora tilted her head to one side, peering at the child with faint interest. "Do you know who your parents are, girl?"

The Larvitar furrowed her brow at Formora. "Mommy and Daddy."

"No. Before then."

After a moment's confused thought, the girl repeated her answer. Formora snorted, crossing her arms. "You don't even know, huh?"

"We're waiting till she's old enough," Cate snapped, coming to stand next to her daughter. "Lark, sweetie, how's about you go play in your room?"

"Okay," the Larvitar agreed, hopping down from her chair.

"Do you know who I am?" Formora asked.

The child paused to answer, but Cate ushered her onward, saying to Formora that no, they hadn't spoken of her to the girl.

"What do you want, Formora?" Kia demanded once it was just the adults in the room.

"I told you already," Formora shrugged.

Kia opened his mouth to respond, then sighed and shook his head wearily. "You've changed, but in some ways you haven't."

"I'm a slave to the demon," she agreed.

Cate appraised her. "Still feel like murdering us?"

Formora nodded. "Of course. The demon's forcing these thoughts in my head. First I'd take that broom from your hands, break it in half, and use the pointed end to wound you. Then I'd knock Kia out with Blizzard. I'll cut your tendons in your arms, legs, and wings so you can't move much, then when you wake up I'll bring out the Larvitar—"

"Okay, we get the picture," Kia interrupted. "Would taking out your urges on plants help?"

Formora blinked, genuinely startled. "What?"

Riiiiip!

Formora snarled as she tore the skin off her current victim, relishing in the sound it made. She was going to rip away everything until there was nothing left but the corn's fleshy cob.

Throwing the flayed cob into a bucket with the other survivors, she moved onto the next ear and selected a skinny one. Tearing it apart from its family, she began to peel its outer layer off. Slowly. Agonizingly.

The family was planting seeds and thawing the food they'd stored over winter. Formora would have preferred chopping wood like Cate was doing, but everyone agreed giving Formora an axe was suicidal.

On the other side of the farm, Kia was planting vegetables while his daughter dug the holes.

Once planting and dinner preparations were done for the day, Cate and the Larvitar went back inside to cook dinner while Kia offered Formora water.

"Thanks for your help. I don't believe corn can feel pain, but if anyone could make them it'd be you," he said.

Formora chuckled. "It would be better if they screamed."

"I'm sure," Kia nodded. The two took a long draft of the cool, refreshing water. "So where will you go after this?"

"Joyful Forest," Formora replied, patting her bag. "And I have something to ask of you."

"…What is it?" he asked, eyeing her warily.

"On the summer solstice, come to the End of the World. I don't care if you're sick, legless, or dead; I will see you there."

"O-okay, but why?"

"The most important thing I've ever done will happen that day," Formora said softly, turning to gaze at the sunset.

Kia waited for her to continue, but after a moment he gave up, and was wise to know not to ask for clarification.

"I'll be there."

"Yes, you will. Have you seen Zygarde ever since the Fall?" Formora asked as they headed indoors.

Kia thought for a moment, then shook his head.

"Pity," Formora sighed. "Well, spread the word that I want to see her. HER. Red and Blue. Not Orange, or any other Core."

Kia agreed.

After dinner she excused herself and sat on the roof, watching the moon rise. It was past midnight by the time she got up to go to bed, and as she jumped down movement across the field caught her eye.

A Gurdurr, Dedenne, and Mr. Mime were heading for the house, and in the moonlight she caught the glint of an empty sack over the Gurdurr's shoulder.

Anger flooded through her, and when the trio were busy fiddling with the lock on the shed she flew across the field to the tree where she kept her knife. Yanking it out of the bark, she silently hurried over to the three robbers.

"Aha! Got it!" the Gurdurr hissed triumphantly as he broke off the shed door's lock. The other two urged their companion to be quiet as they entered the shed.

Spreading her arms, Formora let her Aurora Veil snake out from her arms, twisting and turning across the garden until the entire clearing was awash in rainbow color.

"What the?!" she heard one of them say. Doubtless they'd spotted the odd atmosphere. The door burst open and all three of them tumbled out. They paused when they saw Formora.

"You're not supposed to be here," she said idly.

"Who the hell are you?" the Dedenne demanded.

Formora swept her hand in front of her, sending out a vicious Blizzard that froze all three of them to the shed. She aimed her attack low, leaving only their heads free.

"Hey! What's going on?!" the Mr. Mime snarled as they struggled to no avail.

The Gurdurr gasped, and the blood drained from his face. "I heard the rumors but didn't think they were true! The Snow Wraith!"

Formora turned her bored gaze onto him. "Correct. You win first prize."

Once the Gurdurr was nothing more than a puddle of muscle, blood, and organs, she turned to the whimpering Dedenne and the ashen Mr. Mime. She focused her attention on the Dedenne, pondering what to do with him.

The tongue of the Gurdurr caught her eye. She picked it up, strode to the Dedenne, and held it out to him.

"Eat this."

Afterward, the Dedenne was freed from his psychological nightmare. His limp head dangled to one side as Formora took out a chunk of cheek from her remaining toy.

Cutting her desires short, she broke the ice trapping him with the hilt of her knife. "Go. Tell them all what I did here. Spread my name across the land, and hope I'm as merciful next time we meet."

The Mr. Mime needed no further urging. He ran off into the night, alternating between screams and sobs.

Once she could no longer hear him, Formora tore at the thin scab on her arm from where she'd cut it at the desert village until fresh blood, piping hot, poured from the wound.

She gasped, not from pain, but from the icy clarity that followed.

"No, no, no." she moaned. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I couldn't help it! I'm trying, though! I really am!"

"Formora."

She turned to see Kia and Cate standing nearby.

"Ah…Bandits were about to rob you. I stopped them."

"We know. We saw it all," Cate whispered, her lavender face pale and fearful.

Kia stepped forward. "I think it might be time for you to leave."

Formora paused for a moment.

"Yeah. Yeah, you'd be right."