Chapter XXXIV

"So, Barry will probably be taking on Fantina soon, aye?" Lucas asked. "We should get training."

Nova, Barry, Lucas, and even Joy, sat in the gardens, surrounded by leaf loams, blade-like leaves, and clumps of willows. Though the healer and Nova had trailed through the iridescent blues and greens of flowers in the morning, watching the Wurmple eat away at stunted cabbages and fresh leaves – talking about everything except the small girl that had once travelled with them – the gladiator quickly noticed that Joy was still avoiding Lucas's gaze. Ignoring his every word. Choosing to focus on the Pokémon who were rolling around in the piles of leaves, instead.

"Aye, I do wanna battle Fantina," Barry agreed. "But… I think I wanna go to Celestic."

"Celestic?" Joy repeated. "Why?"

"Er… I hear the old folks there make the best ale?"

Nova rolled her eyes. She knew what Barry really wanted, knew that he was ready to put his gladiator journey on hold just to stop Cyrus. So, she turned to Joy and squeezed the healer's hand.

"Lucas's father is trying to summon Dialga and Palkia," she explained. "So, we're going to ask some old snots about how the spell works and how we can stop him."

The healer's eyes went wide. "Pardon? Summon Dialga and Palkia?"

"Aye," Barry chimed in. "So, let's go to Celestic."

Nova watched her friend carefully as he stood onto his feet, calling for Prin and his new Ponyta, named Novemba. And she caught the hesitance in his steps, the glint of reluctance in his eyes.

"Wait," she quickly said. "Let's split up. Joy and I can go to Celestic. Barry and Lucas can stay here, train, and kick Fantina's arse, aye?"

"Nova…"

She cut off her friend's protest by standing up and holding him by the shoulders. "You live your dream, Barry. Joy and I can do this."

"But…"

"And when you kick Fantina's arse, kick it twice. Once for me, once for yerself."

Finally, Barry cracked a grin and nodded. "Aye. Fine."

They started checking their packs, and Nova strolled over to her Pokémon. Her Luxray, Gastrodon and Staraptor were, for once, getting along – all of them huddled around Leila the Roselia, who had so gracefully won Nova her latest legionary crystal. They were all showing off their latest tricks; Rhys could make his fangs sizzle with electricity, Owl had learnt to spit muddy water from her mouth, and Bailey could fly in a straight line.

Only Tric the Monferno stood to the side, watching them, frowning. Nova crouched down beside him.

"What's wrong, Tric?"

He didn't make a sound. He just folded his arms and pouted, glancing at the others through the corner of his eye.

Nova glanced back at her other champions. They had grown so much – Luxray was almost as tall as her, Staraptor was so big that he could carry Nova on his back, and even the Gastrodon could no longer be carried in her arms.

And then there was Tric, who hadn't had a proper fight since Oreburgh. Who was still quite small, and who had no tricks to show the others.

Nova smiled sympathetically as realisation dawned in on her.

"Tricy," she said, "you're jealous."

Tric shook his head stubbornly. Hissed as she reached out for his hand.

"You feel left behind, don't you?" she asked. "You don't feel like you're the boss anymore. Because, ya know, you're weaker and smaller."

"…excellent work, nova. you sure know how to make someone feel better…"

The Monferno looked at his gladiator in the eye, ignoring the shadow, and blinked as she moved so that she was sitting right beside him.

"I know what that feels like," she confessed. "Back in Oreburgh, when I saw Barry, and I saw the way he was dodging arrows and properly using a sword even though he couldn't see, and even beating Roark's arse… I didn't feel good. How could I look after him when I was so weak? I was sure I couldn't have beaten Roark. I was happy for Barry, but bloody hell, I felt like I was being left behind."

She then leaned closer and pressed her finger into Tric's chest.

"But then you changed my mind. You beat Frazer's arse, and even when I told you to run and save yourself because I thought I was going to die, you stayed with me. Right until the very end, you stayed with me. And I love you for that, Tricy."

Tric looked down at their intertwined hands, and the gladiator who had first stolen him.

"Besides," she suddenly said, shoving him gently, "Rhys and the lot still listen to you. You're still their cranky old mother. So quit mopin' and tell them to stop dawdling."

The Monferno grinned and stood, growling at his fellow Pokémon. And even though he was small, his voice was loud enough to rustle the leaves of the gardens. Soon enough, all of them – even freaking Rhys – were moving towards him.

And though the big electric-type scowled as Tric bossed him about, Nova smiled as she realised that, regardless, they all listened to the Monferno.

"I don't like you doing this," a voice suddenly said from behind her. "Celestic is far, you know."

Nova turned around to face Lucas, shaking her head. "I know. And I'll be fine."

"If my father hurts you…"

"He won't."

Lucas held his arms out, letting the gladiator fall into them. Then, with his mouth against her hair, he whispered, "Stay safe."

"Aye. And you, too."

And, from the other end of the gardens, oblivious to Nova, Joy raised a rather nasty finger towards the knight.


"So, you and the knight?"

Nova winced as the healer's clipped words. "Aye?"

"What's happening there?"

"Nothing."

"It didn't look like nothing to me."

"It's something, then."

The two of them were far from the faded daylight and deep into the rippling black air and the stagnant puddles that made Mt Coronet. Only Tric's flickering tail gave them any light as they moved further through the tunnel, shivering even though there was no wind, wincing as they smelt the dust and grime that wafted from scattered pieces of rags along the cave floors.

"He's going to break your heart, Nova," the healer said softly, clutching her Happiny tightly to her chest.

"…the obvious solution is to not have a heart…"

Nova didn't turn to face Joy. She just glanced down at her boots and sighed. "I know," she admitted. "But, leave that. We need to talk. About, you know."

"Bebe."

"Aye," Nova said softly. "Joy, I'm sorry. I'm really-"

Joy cut her off with a wave of her hand. "I'm sorry, too. You're not the only one who was looking after her. I was at the dance, too."

"It's not your fault."

"It's not yours, either." The healer's eyes were closed, and she had to stop – catching her breath, though they hadn't been walking for very long. "I shouldn't have slapped you, Nova. But when I read that note…"

Nova felt her throat catch. "Note?"

"There was a note on her body. Whoever killed her…" She choked on the word killed, as if it was too harsh of a word to stay aloud, as if her own mouth couldn't pronounce it. "They did it because they wanted you to go back to Twinleaf. They killed my baby sister as a fucking threat."

"Oh."

"Aye."

Nova stood dumbly, her heart hollow.

Someone really was out there, trying to send her back to Twinleaf. Someone had wanted her gone – before everything in Veilstone, even. But who? Who? Were they working for the Galactic Healers? Was it her father? Fantina? Freaking Volkner?

"I've been studying poisons," Joy suddenly said. "When I wasn't working in the tavern, I was studying. Each poison works differently, you know. Drapion poison works after a few hours, and leaves a sweat and blue lips – and you can't even taste it. Dustox poison, though, acts within seconds, and leaves almost no mark."

"Was that used on Bebe?"

Joy shook her head. "No. That was Zubat poison. I thought that, by doing some searching, I could find whoever had poisoned her, but there are Zubats freaking everywhere. The person just needs to live by a cave. All my searching… useless."

"I wouldn't say that," Nova pointed out. "You now know about types of poisons. When you do become a healer one day, then…"

She cut herself off as she spoke, her face flushing. Had she gone too far, to think that Joy still even wanted to be a healer?

But the healer only smiled sadly. "I'm already learning how to heal them. Pecha berries work best, but Kebia berries help with the stronger poisons – like Drapion poison."

"Does that mean that you still-"

"Aye. I'm… I'm going to be a healer, Nova. I'm going to do it. For Bebe."

Nova had to take a breath to stop herself from collapsing then and there from relief, from the ache in her heart, from the constant swirl of emotions that had her stomach roiling.

"I'm proud of you, Joy," she finally said, throwing her arms around the healer, squeezing the Happiny between them. "And I missed you."

Joy patted her back, smiling. "And I missed you, too."


When they finally moved out of the cave, they had prepared themselves to be assailed by light – by the sun, the blue sky, or even the dappled shade of trees.

They certainly hadn't expected the fog.

The trees were veiled in a mist so thick that Nova couldn't see the gnarled bark. Even at the edge of the woodland, where Celestic was supposed to lie, she only saw little huts that were mere silhouettes against a blanket of white.

"This isn't normal," Joy called out. "I think-"

That's when the yells came – throaty and rough, confused and demanding.

"They're invading the ruins! Stop him!"

Nova searched through the white for her Pokémon, frowning. "Bailey, I need you to blow away the mist. Owl and Tric – stay with Joy and Happiny, and look after them. Leila and Rhys? Let's go."

With the Staraptor gusting away as much fog as he could – hissing as the Pelipper releasing the mist tried to shoot water at him – Nova and her Luxray ran, the Roselia riding upon Rhys's back. The fog fell over them, and within seconds, she lost sight of her two Pokémon.

"They'll be alright, aye?" she asked her shadow. "Can you go check on them?"

The Darkrai only shrugged, making her shadow ripple.

"…i can only be so many places at once…"

"Oh, bloody hell."


Rhys the Luxray was in trouble.

He knew he was in trouble. He had just been racing after his gladiator when he lost her, the fog hovering over his fur, and when he had let out a low snarl to check on the Roselia riding with him, he felt his heart stop.

His back was lighter. Leila was no longer there.

And, when he glanced up, the Luxray felt his breath catch.

For there was Leila the Roselia, swinging from a Golbat's claws. Meters away from the pools of saliva that lay inside the Golbat's mouth.

Bailey was already there, swooping around the Golbat, groaning as he tried to strike it with his wing. Even Tric the Monferno had heard the Roselia's squealing, and he was there, yanking rocks from the crumbling cave behind him and hurling them towards the bat.

A hiss cracked through the air as the Golbat focused on the Monferno and the Staraptor. Its sharp glance only lasted a second, but it was enough for it to completely forget Leila. The Roselia reached out with her vine, and Bailey caught it with his claws, letting Leila find a spot on his back.

With the Golbat no longer holding Leila, Rhys leapt into the air, plunging his claws into the Golbat's wing. It swung around, using its teeth to catch the Luxray by the tail, and Rhys – for once – felt true, genuine terror as the fangs sank in harder and harder on his tail, slicing at the fur, making pain scream through him-

The Golbat reared back suddenly, its shriek harsh enough to rattle the fog as it dropped Rhys.

Only then did Rhys see that Leila was swinging from Bailey's talons with a vine, the two of them circling around the Golbat, with the Roselia hurling a tornado of petals towards the bat, striking it just below the eyes-

There was a scream as Leila's vine snapped around the Staraptor's claws.

Rhys was on his feet in seconds, his throat tight as he scrambled to catch Leila before the concrete floor beneath him did.

A soft bundle fell onto his back, and Leila sunk into his fur with a little cheer. And, with a nod towards the Monferno across from him and the Staraptor above him, they all exchanged a grin as they remembered the way they had first attacked Livia the Zubat months ago.

And so, when electricity and fire and wind came flying towards the Golbat, it really had no chance.


In the midst of the fog, Nova caught sight of a little tunnel where the air seemed to split open with a jagged streak of light – flickering yellow to shining green to a silver as slick as steel.

But, as she ran towards it, she felt someone yank her back, forcing her to fall in a tangle of limbs and hair and sweat.

"You," the pink-haired girl in the Murkrow mask sneered. "Again?"

Nova winced as Jupiter pressed her into the concrete – not just from the firmness of brick beneath her head, but also because Jupiter's body was so heavy, so stiff and rigid and-

She didn't move, even as Jupiter pulled a dagger from beneath her belt, even as the weapon flew at her.

It was so close that Nova could feel the cold metal lick her skin from inches away, could see its sharp point wink as Jupiter speared it between her eyes. In the last second, she pitched herself to the side, using her boot to kick the dagger out of Jupiter's hands, sending it sprawling onto the dirt.

Instantly, the gladiator lunged for it. Her hand just managed to wrap around the cold hilt when Jupiter yanked at her hair, her gloved hands raking into her scalp – too hard to be fingers, too sharp to be normal nails. Nova squirmed desperately against the Galactic Healer, coughing and choking and flailing-

Her head rattled as they fell to the ground. Nova flipped herself over until she was straddling Jupiter, swerving the dagger over the masked girl's neck.

Jupiter only laughed. "You really think that will kill me?"

"It's a dagger. Of course I think it will bloody kill you."

"Daggers can't kill me."

Nova stared down at the Murkrow mask, at the tufts of pink hair sticking out from behind it.

Then, she understood.

And she ripped the mask away from Jupiter's face. Stared at the flesh that was made of wood and twigs. At the leaves that hung from her lips. At the eyes that were surrounded by tree bark.

"You…" Nova said, pressing the dagger towards Jupiter's belly. "You're the Song Sister that's been helping Cyrus. You're the one who told him about the spell. You betrayed the Song Sisters."

Jupiter snarled. "Get off me."

"Why are you doing this? Why?"

"Get that dagger away from my stomach, you hear me?"

"What?"

The Galactic Healer – or, well, the Song Sister that had become a Galactic Healer – squirmed against Nova's tight grip, hissing. "You can burn me to the ground, but don't you dare stick that dagger into my stomach."

"Why?"

"My baby was there. My baby."

Nova had many questions in that second.

Why would Jupiter – and old Song Sister – betray the ladies of Eterna Forest for the Galactic Healers? Why had she helped Cyrus with the spells?

And what was that about a baby?

"I was once a human, like you," Jupiter said quietly. "I was married, and I was about to have a child. And then, when I was walking through Eterna Forest, someone shot me with their arrow. I died. And the Song Sisters thought it would be all good and noble to save me and turn me into a fucking tree. And do you know what happened to my child?"

Nova flinched back at the words – at the bite within the words.

"The baby never came out," Jupiter finished. "Because trees don't give fucking birth."

And, as the words came flying out of the girl's mouth, Nova was so busy thinking about the poor woman, the poor baby, the poor wrongness of it all, she didn't see Jupiter pull off her gloves. She didn't see the Galactic Healer use her twig-like hands, growing and stretching them out, curling them around the gladiator's neck.

By the time she did notice, it was already too late – the air was being snatched away from her as Jupiter squeezed tighter.

"Get off my girl!"

The words surprised both Nova and Jupiter, and between one blink and the next, the gladiator realised that the old crone of all people was there, slamming her fist into the Galactic Healer's wooden cheek.

There was a small crack, and Nova felt air rush back into her body.

"Go, November!" the old crone hissed, a Pokéball in her hand.

Nova staggered to her feet, her breaths quick and shallow as she touched her neck. "You again?"

"Go! In the chambers! Go!"

And, with a final glance at the old lady who had managed to pin down Jupiter, Nova rushed into the little cavern at the heart of Celestic.


There were columns that looked as if they were holding up the cavern, and they seemed to be the only things that weren't crumbling around Nova as she rushed in. The light from behind her shone in, illuminating the relics, the precious secrets of Sinnoh.

Nova wanted to pause and breathe in the drawings etched over the pillars – the branches, the dark shadows, the three floating little figures. But, the second she stepped in, she felt something snatch her up by the collar, lifting her in the air, wings flapping dangerously close to her face.

At that second, Rhys rushed in, Leila on his back, scowling. But he froze as he caught sight of his gladiator, at the Honchkrow that had raised her in the air, at the man who was examining the relics.

And though he was ready to hurl bolts of electricity at the Honchkrow, he felt the Roselia press her rose onto his head. Stopping him.

Because they both knew that, if they hurt the Honchkrow, they would be hurting their gladiator, too.

"Stand down," Nova whispered to them. "It's okay."

Footsteps echoed down the smooth stone beneath them as the man – Cyrus – strolled towards Nova, smiling coolly. His mask was gone, showing the thin creases along his face, the greying strands of blue near his eyes, the cruel twist to his lips.

"I've learnt a bit about you in our time apart," he told her.

Nova frowned, wincing as the Honchkrow tightened its grip around her collar. "What would you possibly need to learn?"

"Oh, just about how your mother was the Lady Vernia. The poor dancer who was pushed down the stairs. The poor dancer with a daughter who had to grow up in Twinleaf, where some knights ruined your thirteenth birthday."

He said it so calmly, so smoothly, that Nova would have thought he were talking about the freaking weight of gold. And, hearing her own story from his mouth, she felt her insides shrivel up – felt her blood simmer and hiss with rage.

"Where did you learn this?" she demanded.

He snorted. "I have spies everywhere," he said. "It also helps that you decided to blabber it all out in the Veilstone inns."

Then, as if she wasn't hovering just above him, Cyrus turned back to look at the relics – his fingers tracing over the one in the very centre. There was a triangle carved into the wall, in the centre of a ring made of five drawings of little crowns. And, on each point of the triangle, Nova caught different symbols – a sword, a tree, a ring.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

Cyrus arched his brow. "I am talking to you."

"…not just that. he is also breathing, i believe…"

"No," Nova shot back, ignoring the shadow that seemed to have no bloody intention of helping her out. "You are trying to summon Dialga and Palkia. You're trying to turn back time and stop yourself from killing your wife and daughter."

The man froze, his lip curled. Then, slowly, he turned to face her, his head tilted to one side. A faint smile on his lips.

"Why, it seems you've been doing some searching of your own, November," he mused. "Clever. It's no wonder my son fancies you. Honchkrow, release her."

The bird dropped her instantly, and though Nova felt cold wind assail her as she moved closer to the stone floor, something soft caught her – something as soft as Luxray fur. She held Rhys there, shaking even though she wanted to fight, closing her eyes even though she wanted to snatch up her sword.

But Leila – the smartest of all her champions – shook her head quietly, subtly pointing a rose towards the relics.

And Nova nodded.

The Roselia was right. If she fought Cyrus now, there was the risk of losing. There was the risk of more Galactic Healers rushing in to slaughter her.

But, at the very least, if she waited until she could get more information from him…

"I came here to ask the elders about the spell," Cyrus was saying, his hands dancing over the carvings. "And they wouldn't let me come into this cavern. They didn't want me learning too much. And so, I had to ask my physicians and their Pelippers to throw some mist around, so I could sneak in and see it for myself."

He traced his hand around the circle along the wall, at the five crowns that connected it together.

"The five dead bodies must be placed in a circle, like this," he noted. "And the will of steel, heart of gold, and mind both young and old must be in the centre. I see."

"You can't do this," Nova cut in. "Turning back time… It won't help anyone."

"Won't it? What if I said that it could help you?"

Nova froze at his words, felt Luxray's fur stick up as she shuddered. "What do you mean?"

Cyrus paced towards her, his Honchkrow finding its spot on his arm.

"Everyone who has joined me wants something changed," he explained. "And I've promised them all to make that change. Mars, who used to be a gladiator, had her leg cut off during a battle. I can turn back time and stop that from happening."

He smiled at Nova's wide eyes, as if he could feel the gears turning in her head, the pain rattling within her heart.

"Jupiter, who died and lost her child…" He shook his head, as if he were trying to show sympathy. "I can turn back time and stop her from going into Eterna Forest. Then, there's also Saturn, who had his tongue ripped off by some pirate. I can change that. I can go back and kill that pirate before he meets Saturn."

Nova thought about it carefully, about every single damned word.

It wasn't just for himself.

It was for the people that had joined him, too.

"I can even offer you something," he said, standing before her, reaching to touch her gently on the face. "Join me, November, and I will turn back time. I will find the moment your mother was pushed down the stairs, and I can stop it from happening."

Nova almost stopped breathing upon hearing the words.

Because if her mother had been saved… If she had never been pushed in the first place…

"You could have grown up in a better home," Cyrus added. "A better life. And no knights would every have touched you, November."

He said the word like it was a curse. Like it was a spell in itself.

"No," Nova managed to mumble. "I don't…"

"Then don't think about yourself. Think about your mother."

"What about me mother?"

Cyrus shook his head, that stupidly sick pity in his eyes.

"Have you ever thought about her years of suffering?" he asked her. "Her years of sitting down, doing nothing all day, remembering the dancer she was and the life she could have lived had she never gotten pregnant with you?"

The words cut through her heart.

Because, he was right. If her mother had never gotten pregnant, she would never have been pushed down the stairs. She could have kept dancing. She would have kept dancing.

Nova closed her eyes and felt for Rhys and Leila, remembering the Spring Dance. Remembering the way her mother had spent so long staring at the spiralling staircases. Remembering the way her mother's eyes had flashed with regret when she had mentioned her father. Remembering the words her mother always whispered into her ears.

Dance with the winds, Nova. Dance with the winds…

"What do you say, November?"

Nova opened her eyes and took a long breath. Remembering Barry. Remembering Lucas. Remembering Joy and Bebe and their father.

Then, she opened her mouth and gave him her answer.

What's that, you ask? What did she say?

Well, dear masters and squires, readers and writers, friends and foes, I would tell you.

But, surely, the answer is obvious.


I mean, duh. You've all played this game, haven't you?

Anyways! Our second secret reveal was in this chapter, though it's less of a secret-secret and more of a fun fact. ALSO! Has anyone heard one the songs from the new Mulan soundtrack? By Christina Aguilera? It's called Loyal, Brave and True and I love it so much – it reminds me a bit of this story! I laughed, too, because, in my eyes, one of my trio is loyal, one is brave, and one is true. Have fun working out which is which! It's pretty obvious.

Secret 9: Jupiter was the Song Sister who helped Cyrus.