They crept as silently as possible up the stairs to the 18th floor. Ahead of them, they could hear Claire talking in the same weird monotone she had used back when she had brought Team Power to the school itself. Arthur motioned for Blaziken, Lucario, and Hakamo-o, and Timothy's Toxicroak to take their positions behind the door.

"Everyone ready?" he mouthed.

They all gave the thumbs up. Arthur looked up at Ruth's Mega Blaziken and winked.

BANG!

The door to the broadcast studio all but shattered as their Pokemon stormed the 18th floor. Liam caught the briefest glimpse of Claire standing in front of the TV camera, her eyes wide with shock, before she turned and fled up the stairs. Next to him, he heard Mori give a snarl.

"No!" she shouted, "She's not getting away!"

But as she tried to spring after Claire, Vasilio grabbed her firmly by the arm.

"Get your hands off me!" shouted Mori, digging her fingernails into Vasilio's arm as she tried to wrench herself free.

"No," said Vasilio, looking at her with deadly seriousness, "I'm not letting you get hurt."

"Let me go!" she shouted.

"Mori," said Vasilio, his voice calm and steady, "I can't let you go. I couldn't call myself your friend and let you get yourself killed chasing after Claire."

Mori stared at Vasilio with rage. Behind them, Liam could hear their Pokemon tearing the room apart.

"I hate you," said Mori, but Liam could tell she had accepted defeat. "If Claire gets away because of you, I'll…"

"Come on," called Arthur, "The room is clear. We've gotta catch Claire before she gives us the slip."

They all sprinted after him. The remaining floors of the TV tower were empty, but they didn't stop to search them. Somehow, they all knew where Claire was heading.

"This ladder leads to the roof," said Arthur, "Who's going first?"

They were on the 24th floor. In front of them, a tall metal ladder reached up to hatch in the roof. It was open.

"I will," said Ruth, "I will go first."

Arthur looked a little taken aback, but he didn't try and stop Ruth as she started the long climb. Stephanie went after her, followed closely by Mori. Taylor, Liam, and Vasilio were next. As Liam climbed out onto the huge roof, he gazed in awe at the massive TV antenna with its red lights flashing high above them. Clearly, Claire's words had reached far beyond the city limits of Everspring. Looking around through the darkness and rain, Liam spotted the silhouette of a girl standing on the far edge of the building. She looked as though she were about to jump.

"Claire!" shouted Ruth.

Claire turned around to look at her former classmate. In the swirling rain, Liam could barely make out her expression. But as he drew closer, he noticed that her painted mask had been washed off by the rain, and he could see her face for the first time since that night at the Track. It was a beautiful face. Beautiful, and proud, and afraid. Her eyes were cold, but her lips were trembling, whether from cold or from emotion Liam couldn't tell. Liam caught up with Mori and put his hand on her shoulder. She brushed it off.

"Bisharp," said Claire, "Go!"

The Sword Blade Pokemon stood between them. Liam glanced up at the Murkrow on his shoulder, wondering if he should order it to attack. However, Ruth moved first.

"Blaziken, High Jump Kick!"

With an impact so loud it echoed on the surrounding buildings, Claire's Bisharp slid across the slick roof of the TV Tower and came to rest at her feet, motionless. Ruth recalled her Blaziken and strode towards Claire with her fists clenched. Claire recalled her own Pokemon as she took a step back.

"You," said Ruth, her voice trembling with hurt and rage, "You will stay. You will explain… everything!"

"You don't understand," Liam saw her mouth, but Ruth cut her off.

"Then you will explain what you have done!" she shouted, "You will tell us why!"

Claire looked away from Ruth's accusing stare and toward the open sky over her right shoulder.

"Claire," said Stephanie, in a tone more pleading that Ruth's, "Please. We just want to understand."

Claire shook her head.

"You can't understand," she said.

Liam noticed that her voice sounded human for the first time with her mask stripped away.

"Goodbye," she said, "Friends."

She took a step backwards and fell off the edge of the tower. Liam thought for a second she'd jumped to her death, but then he heard the cry of a bird Pokemon and the flapping of wings. They all ran to the edge.

"Nooo!" screamed Mori, "You coward, you—!"

Looking down, Liam spotted the outline of Claire clinging to the back of her Braviary. She was flying fast; heading north as quickly her Pokemon would carry her. Just as Liam pounded his fist in frustrated defeat, he heard a sound that he recognized.

CHAAAAR!

Silas and his Charizard swept over the TV Tower in pursuit of Claire, followed closely by Fei on her giant kite. The other students cheered and clapped as Silas and Fei bolted after Claire's fleeing form. Mori, however, sunk down to the ground and hid her face in her hands. Vasilio crouched down next to her.

"I'm sorry," he said simply.

"No you're not," she choked, "Stop lying."

Vasilio took off his jacket and draped it over Mori's shoulders.

"I'm not sorry you're alive," he said, "But I'm sorry Claire got away."

"It's your fault," said Mori, "Your fault she got away!"

Vasilio put his arm around Mori and held her tight as she sobbed. To Liam's surprise, she didn't push him away.

"We'll see her again," he said, stroking Mori's hair affectionately, "and next time, she won't get away."

Mori could only nod.