Liam wasn't too surprised by the crowd of people that met them at the bottom of the TV Tower. Some of them he had expected: Cass was there, and so was Miss Snyder, looking unusually cross. Others he hadn't. Tobias, the Ghost-type gym leader, was staring at them with a peculiar look on his face that may have been admiration. Arthur and Sylvia's father, Commissioner Liu, broke into laughter as he saw their haggard forms emerging from the automatic doors.
"Arthur, Sylvia," he said, "I guess you've got it all cleared up, eh? No point in me even showing up."
He clapped his children heartily on the shoulders.
"Ah, to be young, fearless, and very, very stupid," he said eboliently, "Sergeant, go ahead and search the building; there should be no trouble."
A man in a black police uniform saluted Mr. Liu and motioned for a team of officers and Growlithes to proceed into the lobby.
"I should arrest all of you for the worry you've caused us," Mr. Liu said teasingly, "But, I don't think I will. Your mother would be disappointed if I didn't bring you home."
Liam secretly felt relieved, but wondered whether being arrested by Mr. Liu would be better than facing the wrath of Miss Snyder.
"Arthur Liu!" she thundered, "I should make you resign! What were you thinking, leading an unsupervised student attack on the TV Tower?"
"Are you guys okay?" asked Cass, who was soaked through but looked pleased, "I saw the thing on the news and came here with the others, but I couldn't climb up all those stairs, so I just watched from down here—is anybody hurt? Was that Claire that almost fell off the building—I saw her and I thought maybe—well, I'm glad you're not hurt, that's good. Did she get away?"
"I think she did," said Taylor, shivering in the night air, "That Braviary's pretty fast. They'll chase her all the way outta Nanzo, but I don't think they'll catch her."
"So that's it?" asked Cass, "I mean, Team Power are done for good now, right? What were they even thinking, trying to take over the TV Tower?"
"I can answer that," said a gravelly voice.
They turned and saw Werner, leaning on his cane and holding an umbrella in the other hand. His wrinkled face looked grave.
"Did any of you stop to listen to what Claire was saying on her broadcast?" he asked pointedly.
They all shook their heads.
"She was announcing that Team Power had overthrown the Pokemon League in the other regions, and that only by submitting to her Team Power would Nanzo be spared."
"But she's… lying, right, Professor?" said Cass.
Werner shook his head.
"The last gym in Shizo was captured early this morning," he explained, "Team Balance are scattered and the gym leaders are in hiding. All across Dongzo, they're tearing down statues of the Old Master, the Enlightened One, and Grandmaster Kong, the founders of Truth, Balance, and Virtue. I doubt we'll be seeing much more of the League Champion in the near future."
The was a woosh of leathery black wings. They all looked up and saw Silas dismounting his black Charizard and landing effortlessly next to Professor Werner.
"True enough, Professor," said Silas seriously, "But let's give the Everspring kids their due. They've done a lot to hold off Team Power in Nanzo, and not just tonight.'
"What happened to Claire?" asked Mori.
"She's heading straight to Shizo," said Silas, taking off his sunglasses and hanging them from his shirt collar, "And that's where I've got to be in the morning. I didn't know being League Champion was mainly a travelling gig. I haven't faced a challenger in weeks."
"Things aren't yet at their worst, I assure you," said Werner.
"I know," said Silas, running a hand through his spiked blonde hair, "You can be such a downer, Professor. We've got a lot to appreciate tonight."
He looked around admiringly at the Everspring students.
"I remember things that most people don't," said Werner, "But…"
He shrugged, and shook his head.
"We'll take things as they come."
"You're going soft, Professor," said Silas, winking at Werner, "I'm heading back to the Tubon Plateau for the night. Fei's gonna follow Claire as far as she can. I'll keep you guys updated."
Werner nodded silently.
"Tell your dad hi from me," said Silas to Mori, and without another word, he remounted his black Charizard and disappeared into the rainy darkness overhead.
"You put ample fear into the hearts of Team Power this night," said Tobias with a cruel smile.
Liam jumped. He hadn't heard Tobias approach.
"Not enough," said Mori.
"Regret is for the dead," said Tobias, looking at Mori with his weird, unblinking stare, "The living may yet make things right."
"What does that even mean?" asked Mori impatiently.
"Fate is the deepest mystery," said Tobias in his weird intonation, "But as long as you live and your enemy lives, your destinies our bound together. Even the long dead cannot say how it will all end."
"I think he's just sayin' cool-sounding nonsense," said Taylor with a grin, "You guys wanna start back to New Court? Believe it not, I wanna sleep."
They all agreed. As they started for the front entrance of the TV Tower, Tobias called Mori back.
"Hanako," he said seriously, "Do not let her haunt your mind. Her hold on your soul is still strong. Prepare for your next meeting, but deny her the pleasure weighing down your spirit with her words."
"It's not that easy," said Mori, avoiding the gym leader's staring eyes, "It hurts, Tobias."
Tobias smiled, brushing Mori's wet hair out of her face with a black-gloved hand.
"You are stronger, and braver than she is," he said, dropping his highly affected manner for a brief moment, "Do not forget that."
"Mori!" called Vasilio, "You coming back with us?"
"Do your friends need a ride?" asked Tobias.
Mori's eyes lit up.
"Really?" she said.
"I have room for four," said the gym leader, curling his lip, "Be quick."