After spending most of the early morning hours helping to set up the Taghwan Hall for the upcoming Pokémon Contests, Piper Pines was able to take a moment to relax at her penthouse apartment in Taghwan City. While her Tsareena practiced her choreography on her own in the kitchen, Piper sat down on her couch and decided to watch some television.

When was the last time I was able to just sit down and watch some TV, she thought to herself. Had to have been before Tanner and I broke up. She wondered where her ex-boyfriend was now, a few weeks after their ugly and very public breakup. Probably out somewhere flirting with some poor unsuspecting woman around the world. She needed to find someone who would treat her better than Tanner or Alonso had. She was the Queen of Arcana, after all. Surely she would find someone who treated her like she deserved to be treated.

Her problem was, there was only one person she knew that would treat her like she wanted to be treated. And she was confused enough about her feelings towards him to want to pursue anything with him, not to mention how completely enamored he was with her cousin. Michael Kingston had been there for her as long as she could remember. He was the first person to befriend both her and Julia when they first moved to Arcana from the Alola Region, he had defied his own exile to rescue her and her grandmother from the clutches of Giselle and the Syndicate and had always been there for her whenever she needed him from that day on.

But with all that had been transpiring over the last few weeks for her and her friends, the last thing she needed to was to rush headlong into something she wasn't even sure was real. Somehow, before he went off and proposed to Julia, she needed to come clean with him about her feelings. To somehow make sure that there truly was nothing going on between them. The last thing either she or he needed was for more drama to unfold between them.

As she flipped through the channels on her TV, she heard a roar outside of her window. She walked out onto her balcony and saw none other than Michael himself flying towards her. She waved contently at him as Michael brought his Dragonite to a hover and landed gracefully on the balcony.

"I wasn't expecting you so soon" Piper remarked.

"I figured since I would be in the area" Michael said, "I should meet with you to fill you in."

"Fill me in on what?" Piper asked, welcoming her longtime friend into her apartment. While Michael entered, his Dragonite remained outside the apartment looking around at the sights of the city. Michael stood in the doorway as Piper ran inside to make herself a cup of tea, "Did you want some tea, or something?"

"No thanks" Michael said, his attention distracted by whatever news he had come to bring her.

"Now tell me" Piper said, finally coming to her table to sit beside Michael, "what's going on?"

Michael lowered his head. "The Kingstons have just voted me out as Champion."

Piper was stunned. "What? They can't do that, Mike!"

"They can and they have" Michael remarked sadly. "And you know what, they can have it all if they want. I'm just done with them and most of Arcana right now. I just want to be able to spend the rest of my life doing whatever I want with Julia by my side."

Piper didn't know what to say. So that rumor was true. Mike really is going to step down. She lowered her head and sighed deeply. "It's a shame. You really were the best at it."

"I made plenty of mistakes" Michael told her. "Somehow, I don't think this is one of them."

"Until Julia's ready to leave" Piper said worriedly to him, "what will you do?"

Michael folded his hands behind his head. "I don't know. Maybe just spend some time not worrying about the wrongs of the world for once. Heck, I may even head over to Orre to help Professor Krane expedite the process to remove the Brand and any ill effects it has on me. The only thing that matters is that the world will be our open door."

"You're not going to forget about the rest of us, right?"

"Why would I?"

"Part of me thinks that you and Julia aren't going to come back when you leave" Piper told him.

Michael nodded. "I don't have many plans to, if we're being honest here. I've just been so frustrated with the Kingstons and all they stand for. All I want from the rest of my life is Julia."

Piper nodded. At least some of my questions are being answered. "Have you asked her to marry you yet?"

Michael shook his head. "I haven't had time to be home since the Ball" he explained. "I had a blowout with Cameron, a meeting with the Kingstons, and I had to bail out my cousin from danger in the Flower Sanctuary. I don't even remember the last time I got any sleep, if we're being honest."

"You really should" Piper suggested.

"Nah" Michael rejected her idea. "I'll have plenty of time to rest when I retire. But I know I have to talk to her today. Because tomorrow starts the next chapter in both of our lives."

Piper smiled faintly. "You're going to announce it at the press conference tomorrow?"

"That's the plan" Michael told her. "The Mayor and the Elite Four already know. I don't know which of those sewer rats I'm related to leaked it out to the press, but it won't matter after tomorrow. The League will be someone else's problem."

Piper lowered her head. "I guess so. I'm gonna miss you."

Michael smiled. "I'll miss you too, Piper. But we all knew this day had to come at some point. I would have preferred to end things on my own terms, but so be it."

"It's not just that, Mike" Piper admitted. "I never really got a chance to thank you for coming to my aid at the Ball."

"Why wouldn't I?" he asked her. "You've always been like a little sister to me."

Piper closed her eyes. It's done then. "But still, you've always been there for me and I haven't been able to return the favor to you in anyway."

Michael shook his head. "You don't have to. Just keep doing what you've been doing for whoever takes over the League after I leave."

She rose from her seat and embraced him. "I really don't know what I'm going to do without you."

"C'mon, Piper" Mike reassured her, hugging her back. "One of us has to be the strong one. Can't put it all on Julia's back."

Piper smiled. "Yeah, I guess." She shook her head. "What am I doing, keeping you here? Go. My cousin's waiting for you." She reached up to him and kissed his cheek.

Michael nodded. "Wish me luck, Piper."

"You don't need it, Mike" she called back, as Michael climbed aboard his Dragonite and took off into the skies above Taghwan City. Piper followed him out onto the balcony and smiled up admiringly at him as he flew off to ask Julia to marry him.

{Meanwhile}

After using some healing medicines to fully heal Ryan and Matthew's Teams, Mark began to lead the way for the group towards Taghwan City. Despite his loss to Ryan in battle, Matthew was determined to keep proving himself in battle. Sensing that his brother wouldn't rematch him so soon, Matthew turned towards Mark. "Hey, Mark? How about you and I battle?"

Mark eyed him with a look of surprise. "Wow, you never take a minute off to relax, do you?"

"How can I relax until I know I'm the best?"

"As intrigued as I was by your battle" Mark told the eager young trainer, "I have to decline. While you definitely have heart, I just don't think you're in my league, just yet."

Matthew lowered his head. "If I had the chance to-"

"Come on, Matt" Addison told her friend. "Mark said he would crush you in a battle. I think you should heed what he says."

Ryan, who was walking near the back of the pack, called up to Mark. "Don't worry. I already got throttled by Lizzie, so I know my place."

"Wait" Matthew said jealously. "Lizzie battled you?"

"It was more of a training battle than anything" Addison assured Matthew. "And Lizzie's Raticate beat Ryan's Jolteon in a 1v1 match."

"You lost?" Holly said, surprised to learn this. "There's no way she beat you fairly. You're the best."

"No" Ryan laughed, "she definitely trounced me. I appreciate your faith in me, but I can't lie about that."

"I'm guessing that if you think the boys aren't ready for you" Addison asked Mark, "then you think that there's no chance they could take Mike on, right?"

"Let me put it to you this way" Mark said to the group. "You boys can't really be considered rookie trainers anymore, not when you've got at least three Gym Badges. You guys are probably two or three levels under me in skill as a trainer. I'm a level under Cameron and she's a level under Mike. So, if I don't think they could last long in a match with me, there's no way they could even hold a candle to Mike. He is the best, after all."

"Say, Mark" Ryan called up. "You've known Mike for a long time, right?"

"Almost fourteen years" Mark told the boy.

"When did you guys first meet?"

Mark thought for a moment. "Well, it all started about fourteen years ago. I had just been crowned the Pokémon League Champion in Kanto. There wasn't' a single trainer in Kanto who could hold a candle to me. I'd beaten them all in battle, some more than once. But I hadn't really been challenged in a really long time. So, I set back for my home in Pallet Town, and I find some new kid I'd never faced before..."

"Hey kid?" a fourteen year old Mark asked the boy that had just arrived in Pallet Town.

"Me?" the kid asked, as if surprised he'd gotten any attention.

"I haven't seen you around here before" Mark eyed the boy curiously. "You look like a Pokémon Trainer."

"I am" the boy said glumly. "What's it to you?"

"I challenge you to a battle" Mark insisted. "You should consider it an honor to battle someone who's a Champion like me!" To his surprise, the boy was walking away from him. Mark hurried over to the kid's side. "Hey! Hello? Do you have sawdust in your ears? I challenged you to a battle!"

"Sorry" the boy said. "I just don't battle anymore."

"Are you scared to face someone who's a Champ?" Mark inquired.

"No" the boy told him, "but you would be scared of me if we battled. So, no thank you."

Mark looked as if he'd been slapped in the face. "I don't shrink from any challenges, kid. And neither should you!" He stood in front of the boy and refused to move until he accepted a battle.

The boy sighed reluctantly. "I'm sorry for what's about to happen."

Taking it to great offense, Mark sent out his longtime friend, his Pikachu. The boy countered with an Arcanine of his own. The two Pokémon clashed with each other, with Mark's Pikachu dashing to and fro, the Arcanine unable to catch it. But Mark was unnerved by the fire brewing in the boy's eyes. They soon glowed the same in the Arcanine's eyes. In one powerful dash, despite running circles around the the Arcanine, Mark's Pikachu was KO'd.

"Not bad" Mark said. "But the fight's just getting started."...

"It wasn't" the present day Mark insisted as he led the group of young trainers down the path towards Taghwan City. "None of my Pokémon were capable of doing anything to him. He had something about him that I just couldn't match up. In front of a crowd of onlookers, fans and friends, I got swept aside without even being able to put up a fight."

"Mike's amazing" Addison remarked.

"He was" Mark told her. "But when I lost, it was beyond frustrating. The worst part was, when I wanted to know who the person was that beat me, he had vanished. I pursued him throughout all of Kanto, so desperate for a rematch that I didn't care what he was going through when I did. I finally found him in the Seafoam Islands and hounded him for a rematch..."

"Hey! You! I've been looking for you!"

The boy didn't acknowledge him. He simply sat in on a rock, looking at the rapidly flowing currents below him.

"Hello?" Mark approached the boy, now beginning to wonder what was going on with him.

The boy rose from his spot on the rock and looked at him, his eyes red from his misery and tears. "Thanks for the battle before."

Now, Mark was perplexed. "Uh, you're welcome?" When the boy walked past him, Mark ran up to his side. "Hey, where are you going?"

"Nowhere" the boy responded softly.

"Alright, what's eating you?" Mark asked, jumping in front of him. "Is there a reason you're feeling as down as you look?"

"It doesn't matter" the boy answered, clutching his bag as it began to slip off his back. "Nothing matters."

"Whoa" the former unbeaten Champion remarked. "That was...dark..."

"Sorry" the boy replied. "I just-I just need to be alone."

"Not when you're feeling like this, kid" Mark told him. "Come on, you can tell me."

"No I can't" the boy said, making his way past the boy and for the exit to the cave. "I can't tell anyone."

Mark paused, shaken that someone with his talent was so distant from anyone who was willing to be his rival. He continued following the boy until he reached the shores of the Seafoam Islands and called out his Blastoise.

"Could you tell me where the nearest port is?" the boy asked him.

"Uh, that would be Cinnabar Island, I think" Mark told him. "But there was this huge volcanic eruption there. You might have to go back to Pallet Town. Did you need a lift?"

The boy shook his head. "No. I'll just get there on my own."

"Come on, kid, you're killing me."

The boy paused at the word 'kill'. "Sorry."

Mark ran over to his side. "Don't you think talking to someone would help?"

"That depends" the boy asked him. "Can you change the past?"

Mark sighed. "I wish I could."

"Then I don't think talking is going to help" the boy said mournfully. He climbed on the back of his Blastoise and turned back towards him. "Thanks again." His Blastoise then took off into the waters leading towards Cinnabar Island.

"It would take a few days of following him to understand what that kid was going through" Mark told the kids. The kids all looked at each other in confusion. This was clearly a part of the story they had never heard. Mark frowned. "I guess you guys never heard that part of Mike's story."

"What do you mean, Mike was in Kanto?" Ryan asked. "He was always here."

"No" Addison said. "My Mom said he left just before we were born."

"Why would he leave? Did he want to become stronger?"

Mark sighed. "Well, one of these days, you were bound to know the story. Understand, though. This was all hearsay, I didn't witness these events firsthand. If you want a more open account, you'll have to ask him." He took a deep breath before continuing. "It would be a few days later when I caught up to him again, this time in Vermillion City. I had heard stories of a kid who was battling to afford a ticket on a ship bound for Johto. It just had to be him. I flew to Vermillion to investigate, and sure enough, I ran into him..."

"So you haven't left Kanto yet?" Mark asked the boy as he caught up to him at the harbor.

The boy asked the harbor master if he had enough Poké Dollars to buy a ticket and bought one. He then ignored the trainer that had been pestering him since they had first battled in Pallet Town and walked over to a young woman sitting on a bench and handed her the ticket. Almost in tears, she thanked him and raced towards the harbor. Mark was in utter amazement.

"Why did you do that?" he asked the boy.

"No one should be alone around the holidays" the boy replied. "No one but an outcast like me."

"So, you're an outcast?" Mark asked him. "You seem a little young for that, right? What happened?"

"It doesn't matter" the boy said. "I couldn't go home, even if I wanted to."

"Did you break a family heirloom? Did you mess up a dress? Come on, I'm sure you can go home if you wanted to."

The boy turned towards him. "No, I can't. I'm pretty sure when you're banished, you don't get to make that choice for yourself."

"BANISHED?" Addison gasped. "Who would banish Michael?"

"Who would banish a 12 year old, indeed?" Mark asked. "That's what I wanted to know. So, I went home and started to look into regions in our world that banished people. There weren't many left in the world. The only one I could find was a place called Arcana. And I found out they weren't under the best of leaderships at the time."

"Giselle" Ryan said, realizing what Mark meant.

"Naturally" Mark continued, "once I found out that he had nowhere else to go, I offered him the chance to stay at my house with my family. but he said no..."

"What do you mean, no?" Mark asked his new friend.

"I don't belong here" Michael told him. "I don't belong anywhere."

"Come on, Mike" Mark told him. "Everybody needs a place they can call home."

"I can't really call anywhere home" Michael told him.

"Why?"

"Because if I start to get used to being somewhere" he explained to the Kanto Champion, "then I'll ruin it somehow."

"How can you ruin it? Come on, Mike."

"No" Michael insisted. "No matter where I go, thanks to what happened to me, I'm a danger to everyone."

"So eventually" Mark concluded, "Michael told me everything that had happened to him. Including what happened with Giselle, Cassius and the rest of his family banishing him. I spent the next four years following him around the world, until I decided to team up with him and come here to take down Giselle and The Syndicate."

The rest of the group was silent after Mark's story. They were quite reflective of what had just been told to them. Addison looked towards both Ryan and Matthew, who did not take the idea of their family casting Michael out into exile very well at all. In fact, Matthew in particular was looking particularly angry at the notion that the family had turned their back on Michael. She could clearly tell it was upsetting both boys. Ryan lowered his head, lost in his own thoughts.

"Well, Michael came back, didn't he?" Addison asked the group.

Sensing she was trying to diffuse the tension, Holly nodded. "Yes, he did! And he flattened Giselle like a bug!"

Mark nodded. "He did. Though there's always been one thing that confuses me. Something Mike's never told anyone."

"What's that?" Addison asked.

"I've always wanted to know why he came back in the first place" he said thoughtfully. He then looked to the skies above them and laughed. "Well well, I guess I've gotten pretty good at storytelling."

The kids looked into the skies and gasped. The Sun had not only risen high above them, it had also begun its rapid descent into the time of evening.

"Wow" Ryan remarked. "It only felt like a few minutes ago that we left out campsite."

"Well, it's a long way between both Terra Town and Taghwan City" Mark told him. "I guess we should set up camp for the evening." The group headed for a small reflecting pool and decided to set up a small campsite for them all to sleep in. As Addison pulled out her cooking pot, Mark came up to her. "Actually, Addison, would you mind if I cooked up some curry for the group?"

"Sure" Addison said. "I didn't know you could cook?"

"I've needed to get some hobbies" Mark said plainly. "And I've always wanted to become a professional chef once I return to Kanto. And I can't become one without practice."

"Okay" Addison said, giving her equipment to Mark and heading over to her friends. "Well, I guess I'm not going to be cooking tonight."

"Take it easy, then" Matthew told her.

"Are you kidding?" Holly snapped at him. "Addison can't afford to waste time relaxing. Not if she wants to be a Queen of Arcana."

Addison nodded. "Yeah, I should work on my choreography with my Pokémon." She looked to the Eevee on her head and took her off and held her in her hands. The Eevee licked her face, but Addison put her down on a rock. "I think I have an idea for a performance technique." She called out her Ralts, who appeared and looked around the campsite and at her trainer happily. She then looked towards Ryan. "Hey, Ryan? Would it be alright if I borrowed your Kirilia for a little bit?"

Ryan nodded. "Sure." He called out his Kirlia, who spun around happily and addressed his trainer. He then turned towards Addison's Ralts and beamed, coming to her side. The two Pokémon looked at each other lovingly, though it clearly looked a little awkward for the tiny Ralts to look at the Kirlia, or vice versa.

Noticing this drastic difference in height, Addison frowned. "I forgot how much of a size difference there was between the two."

"Here, use this" Mark called to her, tossing her a piece of candy to give to her Ralts.

"What is it?" she asked.

"It's an EXP Candy" Mark said, as he began to light a fire under his curry pot. "I think it will be enough to make up the size difference."

Addison shrugged and handed it to her Ralts, who in a beam of light, suddenly evolved herself into a Kirlia. The two Kirlias, now in full size, were able to embrace each other and have their feelers touch one another's romantically.

"Oh, give me a break" Matthew laughed.

"Don't underestimate the power of love" Holly insisted, "especially when it comes to Pokémon." She made a quick glance at Ryan and then looked away when she noticed he made a glance back in her direction.

"The only power that matters is one's inner power" Matthew insisted.

"Boys will be boys" Addison remarked, as the two Kirlias continued to admire one another. Addison turned on the Radio App on her Poké Gear and began to play a Waltz for her Kirlia and Ryan's to dance along to. "Now, Kirlia? Follow me this way." She shadowed a dance with someone, her hands in place as if she were dancing with someone. "One, two, three. One, two, three. One, two, three. One, two, three." She looked down at the two Pokémon, who despite their eagerness to get closer to one another, they only looked at her inquisitively. She nearly fell over in distress.

"I think they need to be taught a little more directly" Mark suggested.

Matthew stretched himself back in supreme confidence. "Well, if I must."

Addison smiled nervously to herself. "Well, I think they'll need a demonstration." Matthew was about to jump to his feet to volunteer to be her partner, but nearly fell over onto his back when Addison's eyes looked right past him and for his brother. "Ryan?"

"Ryan?" Holly gasped jealously.

Ryan pointed at himself. "Me?"

"Who else?" Addison asked. "I want your Kirlia to dance with mine in my performance in Taghwan City. But it looks like they need to learn how to dance themselves. Who better to teach Kirlia how to dance than his trainer?" She held out her hand to Ryan.

Matthew was utterly speechless. Holly folded herself in a huff.

Ryan nodded. "Okay, Addy." He rose to his feet and took his friend's hand.

Addison led him out in front of their two students. She then turned towards the two Kirlias and smiled. "Now, here's what we want you two to do." She put her arm on Ryan's shoulder and pulled him close to her, prompting the two to look away for a brief moment, not wanting to show off their red faces. The music changed, ironically, to the very same Waltz music they had shared their dance with at the Ball. The two then took their steps as they had at the Ball. "One, two, three. One, two, three. One, two, three." She continued to repeat their steps, until she was enveloped in the dance the same way she had been at the Ball at Kingston Castle.

The Kirlias, after a moment of watching their trainers dance alongside them, decided to take in part themselves. Arm in arm and content themselves, the two Psychic Pokémon danced about small fire that Mark had made. Even though they were bitterly jealous that their crushes were not dancing with them, Matthew and Holly were in awe at how quickly the two Pokémon had gotten in sync with one another. As if they were imitating their trainers, the two looked as if they had always been born to dance and be with one another. Even Mark had to lower the heat on the curry so that he could watch the two dancing pairs.

Ryan, who was completely encompassed in the dance with his best friend, decided to completely imitate Michael and Piper's dance at the ball and lifted Addison in the air, but knew he would need to use both hands and held her just above him. Addison, surprised that her friend had such gumption, raised her arms in the air as Piper had and felt as if she were flying through the air. She looked down at her Kirlia, who was instead being lifted in the air with her partner's telekinetic powers. As her Kirlia smiled brightly in the air, Addison couldn't help but feel that this was appropriate for the two of them. She looked down at Ryan and couldn't help but admire her best friend more than she had before.

As the music came to an end, Ryan gently brought her back down and the two ended their dance, their arms still around each other. Mark clapped proudly. Matthew and Holly, seething with jealousy, reluctantly joined Mark in applause. Upon realizing the dance had ended, the two quickly came apart and bowed to their audience.

"That was...wow" Mark praised. "I didn't think Ryan could dance, personally."

"Ryan was quite impressive at the Ball" Holly insisted.

"Yeah" Matthew said, doing his best to hide his envy. "Yes. They both were."

Addison lowered herself to see her Kirlia, who spun around like a ballerina until she stopped and bowed gracefully to her. Addison thought for a moment as she observed her Pokémon's dancing skills. She then nodded both to her Pokémon and herself. "Galatea."

"Huh?" Matthew asked.

"Galatea?" Ryan echoed.

"That's going to be my Kirlia's name" she explained. "I think she's named for a ballerina in Kalos my Mom used to admire."

"I think that's a wonderful name" Mark told her as he checked the taste of his Curry. He grinned. "This is a wonderful batch of curry, too. It's ready, you guys. Come on and try my new Sweet Apple Curry."

Addison and her Kirlia, Holly and Matthew rushed at the pot to try some of Mark's curry. Ryan and his Kirlia remained behind. He looked at his newest Pokémon, who eyed him curiously. "What about you? What should your name be, Kirlia?" The former Ralts shrugged and moved towards Galatea to taste some Curry for himself. Ryan nodded to himself. "Okay. Achilles."

{Meanwhile}

Michael and his Dragonite landed in the Ranch in Parlor Town as the sun was beginning to fall out of sight. He looked into the skies above and could see a sea of dark clouds coming along. Those clouds don't look too friendly. He turned towards Rhaegar. "See what you can do and find some shelter for the other Pokémon."

Rhaegar nodded and growled at the sea of Pokémon, who he began to get herded as if they were a flock of sheep. While his Dragonite did this, Michael headed for the house. He took a deep breath, clutched the engagement ring in his hands and made to push open the door. He paused when he saw that there were hardly any lights on in their apartment. Something's not right. He pushed the door open and walked inside. Mufasa, his Arcanine, looked up at him sadly. You feel it too, don't you.

"Jules?" Michael called to Julia. He walked through their home, but found no sign of her. He then made his way for their front door, where he was puzzled to find several suitcases packed by the door. His alarm growing, he raced into the lab to look for Julia, but only Amanda was there, working on some last minute assignments that Julia needed her to do before she departed. "Amanda? Where's Julia?"

Amanda looked to him in surprise. "Professor Pines isn't in your home? She's getting ready to leave for Johto."

Michael heaved a sigh of relief. "Oh that's right. Her conference." He made his way back into their living room. His inner fears only amplified. however, when he saw Julia coming down the steps, carrying an unnecessarily large amount of her clothing. When the two of them locked eyes, Julia looked away immediately. Wanting to diffuse any tension, he spoke to her frankly. "I was worried I was going to miss you."

Julia didn't answer. To his surprise, she began to move her things outside of their house. When she returned for the next batch of her belongings, Michael called out to her again.

"Hello? Julia?"

Again, she didn't answer. She continued moving her things out of the home, until only her bag containing her laptop remained. When she reached for that, Michael caught her hand. She finally looked at him again, her eyes filled with tears.

"What is it?"

"Let me go, Michael" Julia asked him.

"Not until you tell me what's wrong" he replied.

She slipped her hand out of his and put her laptop bag over her shoulders. "I'm leaving for my Johto Conference. I don't know when I'll be back."

"Oh" Michael said, still unsure what was wrong. "Then why did you pack so much of your things? You're not staying in Johto, are you?" When Julia didn't answer, Michael could feel his soul cracking inside of him. "What? Julia? Tell me you aren't staying in Johto."

"I am" Julia told him. "Once I'm situated, I'll send for the rest of my things."

"The rest of your-" Michael repeated, unable to mentally process what was going on right in front of him. "Julia, you're leaving?"

"I am" she repeated, herself on the verge of tears.

"Why?" Michael asked, his eyes beginning to overflow. "Julia, I'm not going to be Champion. I'm done. We can finally be together. We never have to worry about-"

"That's all I've been doing, Michael" Julia replied. "That's all I've been doing for the last ten years. Worrying about you. Watching you spiral out of control. Seeing you do things like go after your cousins, attack reporters, even attacking a helicopter?"

"I was never near Mt. Heatmor when that helicopter went down" Michael insisted, shocked that Julia would even believe such a lie.

"If it's not that, it's seeing everyone in the world want you and Piper to end up together."

"Piper?" Michael asked her. "What are you talking about? I love you, Julia. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You are the only person for me."

"I don't even know who you are anymore" she told him, looking away and clutching at her arm. "I've been holding on and waiting for things to get better with you, but they just never do. And my heart just can't take it anymore."

"Take what anymore?" Michael asked her. "I'm here, right now, for you. I want to know everything that's hurting you. Everything that I might have done wrong. And I just want to stop seeing you like this. Because I love you, Julia Pines." He reached for her, but she pulled away.

"I'm sorry, Michael" Julia said to him. "But my mind is made up." She headed for the door. "My Corviknight Cab is here." She left Michael behind and began to load her things in the trunk of the carriage being driven by two Steel Pokémon with wide wings. As she finished loading the last of her belongings into the trunk, she was about to enter the carriage herself, but Michael stopped her.

"Please, don't do this Jules" Michael pleaded with her. "You are the only thing in my world left. Please don't go."

Julia turned away. "I love you, Michael. But I can't be with you anymore. Not like this. Not until-" Unable to answer, she entered the Corviknight Cab and shut the door behind her. With that, the two Corviknights began to flap their wings and took off.

Michael was left speechless, his hand fumbling on the engagement ring in his pocket. His heart torn apart and completely left asunder. As his world spiraled around him and the last semblance of light flew off into the distance in a Flying Cab, all he could do was stand in the drizzling rain, as if in a catatonic state.

Amanda came out to check on him. "Michael? Are you alright?" When Michael didn't answer her, she realized what had just happened. "I'm sorry, Michael. Truly I am. She didn't tell me what was going on until a few minutes before you arrived." She put her hand on his shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry. I'm sure she'll come back around for you. Are you gonna be okay?"

Michael could not answer her. He only pulled out the engagement ring and looked at it, his heart now completely empty. As memories of his and Julia's life together flashed in his mind, he can only hear one thing echoing in his head:

The Second you have always Seen, but refuse to believe

He had spent so much time worrying about the world around him, that he had failed to ensure that Julia was still going to be there with him when it stopped spinning. He had always known that he never deserved to be with her, not after what the Syndicate had put him through, but he always had some small amount of faith that the love they had shared could endure anything, from his exile to his Crimson Branding. But he had been wrong. And now, the heart that had once been filled with love for her was now being replaced with an all too familiar combination of emotions. Sorrow and grief. Heartache and loss. Misery and frustration. Anger and rage.

He now, officially, had nothing left to lose.

He handed the engagement ring to Amanda. "Hold onto this. It's for Julia if she ever comes back."

Amanda opened the box and gasped. "You were-you were going to-"

"It doesn't matter" Michael replied to her, before turning back into his broken home. Nothing else matters anymore.