Another week passes before they realize it. Then, one morning, as Aden flips on the TV to channel surf from the couch where he's still lazing under a blanket, the opening ceremony of this year's Sinnoh League Tournament is on.
"Oh," Pikki lightly remarks from where she sits on the sofa's other end. "We forgot to go to Sunyshore."
"Whoops," Aden says. Then they laugh.
"I wonder if I was supposed to go," says Roark, spotting fellow Leader Fantina waving. He's in his customary spot on the floor between Pikki's feet. She toys with his hair as they idly watch. "No one told me... and my dad sure doesn't go every year. There's Gardenia... Maylene and Candice..."
The famed ice Leader blows a kiss at the camera zooming in on her. "That was for you, Aden," Pikki decides.
"Haha, yeah right."
The week of the Tournament means that Roark's hiatus is coming to an end. He'll have to take the ferry out of the Fight Area to Snowpoint to retrieve his abandoned truck, then drive back to Oreburgh. Pikki will go with him as far as the ferry, but for just a little while longer, she's staying with her mom until she figures out what to do next.
Aden tags along too, even though he's planning to fly to Pastoria on Desert Rose's back. He could have left any time, really, so Pikki suspects he's enjoyed the company of her and Roark. Or just the free food Ayame kept showering onto him.
The Fight Area is a small port town with a vastly different energy than the Resort Area. There's a Pokemon Center in the middle of town right next to a huge decorated building where Trainers enter and exit. "That's the Battle Frontier," Roark explains. "It's another kind of challenge for high-level Trainers only. There are five battle facilities inside, and each one is run kind of like a Gym. The ones in charge are called Frontier Brains. Some say they're even tougher than the Elite Four."
"Man, I can't imagine going through that," Aden says. "I've had enough competitive battling to last me a lifetime."
"Hey, is that Roark the Rock?" somebody calls out. Approaching them are two men who stroll leisurely out of the Battle Frontier. The one with a red curly afro grins, while the blond just sticks his hands in the pockets of his stylish blue jacket.
"Holy crap!" Roark exclaims. "What are you guys doing here?"
"We got bored watchin' the Tournament," says the redhead. "Thought we'd come here for some action instead. What are you doing here?"
"I'm on vacation. Only it's over so I'm on my way to the mainland to head home. This here is Pirika and Aden," he introduces the siblings. "Guys, this is Flint of the Elite Four, and Volkner, the Sunyshore Gym Leader."
"Oh!" Pikki exclaims. "The one whose Gym we never made it to!"
"Oh yeah?" Volkner raises an eyebrow.
"We had some stuff happen," says Aden. "Then, before we knew it, the Tournament was here. But that's okay."
"You can always enter next year, if you're still interested," Flint says. "You just need all eight Badges. Doesn't have to be from the same year. Unless a new Gym gets established."
"Good to know, thanks." Pikki tells him. "Maybe we'll see you sometime in the next year, Mr. Volkner."
"You two any good?" Volkner asks a little rudely.
"Of course we're good!" Aden declares. "We've both got seven Badges, see?" He whips out his badge case to prove his point.
Flint smacks Volkner's back. "I know! Let's have a double battle! And if they win, you can give them Beacon Badges!"
"No."
"C'mon, Volk, you said you wanted some action!"
"I'm not fighting two kids out in the wild. That's what my Gym is for."
"But you're always complaining that Gym battles are boring! So let's do it! I know you've got Badges with you! The Rock here can even referee!"
By now they've drawn a crowd of onlookers, many of whom recognize Flint and Volkner and are eager for a display of power. Aden knows a chance when he sees one. "What's the matter, are you scared?" he taunts. "Afraid my sister and I will kick your butts?"
"You want a battle, you got it!" Volkner announces. He and Flint move to take their places, while Roark leads Pikki and Aden to a spot that's approximately the length of a Gym battlefield away. The crowd parts and buzzes with excitement.
"Stay on your guard," Roark tells them quietly. "They're both strong, and stronger together, I hear. But you've each got some advantages with ground-types."
"Hey, the referee has to be impartial!" Flint calls out.
"Good luck." Roark pats both their shoulders, then takes his place on the sideline at the halfway point. He raises his arm while everyone gets their PokeBalls ready. "Go!" he announces, slicing his arm through the air.
Volkner and Flint send out Luxray and Houndoom, against which Pikki and Aden choose Aggron and Flygon. They have a good team-up, since Godoron takes Luxray's Thunderbolt without batting an eye, while Rose knocks it out by using Dig. Then Godoron punches Houndoom with a Rock Smash, which does it in. Flint grits his teeth, clearly apprehensive since he underestimated the pair. But Volkner looks more invested than he has in anything so far.
Then they send in a frankly adorable duo of Flareon and Jolteon. Volkner's quick Jolteon rushes in close to attack Godoron, paralyzing her. And the Flareon launches a Will-o-Wisp at Rose, giving her a burn. But two more rounds of Dig from the Flygon take them out. Aden and Pikki share a high five.
"Are you sure you're the toughest Gym Leader in Sinnoh?" Aden calls out. "This is too easy!"
"You haven't seen anything yet, punk!" Volkner holds out his third ball. "Wish I'd brought my Octillery," he says. "But this will have to do." His final Pokemon is a huge, fierce-looking Electivire. Joining him is Flint's equally terrifying Magmortar.
"Aw shit," Aden mumbles. "Cute pet time is over."
"I've got an idea," Pikki tells him. "Send out another flying-type, since Rosie is burned."
Aden nods and exchanges his Flygon for Gyarados. And Pikki swaps her Aggron for Shuckle. Flint bursts out laughing. "Are you two for real? One electric strike will demolish that thing! And what is this tiny insect here?"
Volkner just raises his brow, intrigued.
"Oran, Power Trick!" Pikki orders with a snap of her fingers. The little blue Shuckle glows white, but otherwise, nothing happens.
Flint and Volkner focus their attacks on the red Gyarados first. He withstands them and delivers a strong Dragon Rage. Levitating above the ground, he pants. He will not last another round.
"Ready?" Pikki asks. "Use Earthquake!"
The earth rumbles, shakes, and cracks violently below their feet — an immensely powerful quake brought on by a Shuckle who psychically swapped his phenomenal defense power for godlike attack. The onlookers scream, holding onto one another. The cracks advance towards Electivire and Magmortar, and then spikes of ground and rock shoot up to attack them. Both weak to the ground-type move, they fall, incapicitated. Only Gyarados, by virtue of remaining in the air, is unharmed by the quake.
"This battle is over!" Roark announces. "Victory goes to the challengers!"
"Yay, Oran!" Pikki scoops up her smallest, and arguably strongest, Pokemon. He snakes out his neck to nuzzle her cheek.
Volkner comes up to them, now grinning. "That was pretty awesome," he says. "You two know your stuff. Here you go." He drops a Beacon Badge in each of their palms. "Thanks for a fun battle." He looks over his shoulder. "Flint! Get your ass over here and congratulate these two!"
His friend shuffles over, looking sour that he lost. "Good job," he mumbles.
"What's the matter, Flint?" Roark asks, joining them. "Lose your spark?"
"I hate you," he replies under his breath.
Volkner snickers.
Flint quickly gets over his defeat as members of the audience rush in, asking for an autograph. Some of them fawn over Pikki, Aden, and their shiny Pokemon as well. Volkner signs a few autographs himself, then steps away to stand with Roark, whose presence has gone largely unnoticed. "So fuckin' exhausting," he comments.
"Looks like." Roark watches Flint eat up the attention. "I think I'll stick to relative anonymity."
Volkner glances his way with a chuckle. Then he watches their friends again. "Huh. She's pretty cute."
Roark follows his eyes on Pikki, and his hackles are raised. "Yeah, well... she's my girlfriend."
"For real?" Volkner grins at him, then holds out a closed fist. "Nice."
Stunned, Roark fistbumps him, and he has to laugh. This was not the way he expected to earn Volkner's respect.
Soon, the trio continues to the docks so Roark can buy a ferry ticket. He's just in time to catch the last one of the day. "Oh..." he says, watching other passengers board while holding Pikki's hand. "Somehow I thought we'd have more time to say goodbye..."
"We'll see each other again soon, right? The weeks will fly by, it'll be here before you know it!" she says with extra enthusiasm to hide her quavering voice.
He takes both her hands, facing her. "Pikki, I'm so happy that we're together now. Best vacation ever, in the end. I just... wanted to say more before I left, but we never got much privacy, and now I don't think there's time—"
She holds her fingers to his lips. "Next time."
"When will that be?"
"Soon. I promise. I can't be away from you for too long."
Roark smiles, reassured. He hugs her close, even picks her up a few inches off the ground. Then he sets her down slowly, and cups her face for a brief farewell kiss — when the ferry blasts a horn for the last call to board. "Aw, crap," he mumbles. "Not again."
Pikki pulls him down by the shoulders and kisses him deeply, right there in the shipyard. "I want to see your secret base in the Underground when I visit," she whispers. "We'll have lots of privacy there, right?"
He grins, a little dazed. "Y-yeah." He waves, rushing to the ferry just as it's about to lift up the boarding ramp.
She waves at the boat even as it departs out to sea. Then she lets out a contented, though slightly forlorn, sigh.
"Gross," Aden remarks from behind her.
She whips around, startled. "I thought you flew off already!"
"Can't wait to get rid of me, huh? I see how it is."
She smacks him. "Get out of here, jerkass. Behave yourself."
"Likewise, shorty." He tousles her hair. Then, sending out Desert Rose, he hops on her back like an expert flyer and takes off to the south, towards Pastoria.
}{}{}{}{}{
Riley loosens his tie before he's even in the door. He carefully steps out of his new designer shoes, which aren't yet broken in and still hurt his feet if he wears them all day long. "I'm home," he announces.
Byron comes out from the kitchen, bearing drinks. "Welcome back," he greets him. "How'd it go?"
"Same as every day so far." Riley plops down on the couch, propping his feet up on the coffee table. "Nonstop meetings. How can there still be so much to talk about?"
"Heh." Byron sets down the bottles and sits beside him. He drapes an arm over his shoulders, pulls him close, and kisses the side of his head where he was once injured. "'S'why I don't like League meetin's."
"How was the Gym today?" Riley asks him.
"All wins." He beams with pride. "And then Cesar was tryin' to fix one of the overhead lights, and his Steelix got distracted and left him hangin' up there. He swung around and yelled for ten minutes. Turns out Breanna coaxed his Steelix out from under him with a plate of Poffins. It was a riot."
Riley laughs. "I'm sorry I missed it. I would have liked to celebrate those wins with you." He crooks his finger into the wide collar of Byron's sleeveless shirt, tugging gently.
"Still can." Byron gives him a long, deep kiss.
"Mmm~" Riley pulls away after a moment. "I'm too tired."
He chuckles. "Aww. How long is this gonna last?"
"I'm sure after sleeping in tomorrow I'll have plenty of energy for you, querido." Riley gives his thick neck a soft bite.
Byron grunts, his rugged face turning bright red. "I meant this new job of yours. You don't need to work for the company. Not when you could make money battlin', or treasure huntin', or literally anything else you're good at and actually enjoy."
"Anything, huh?" Riley smirks. "I don't know, dear, you'll get jealous if I pursue career options that use some of my best talents."
"Walked right into that one, huh?" Byron sighs. But he does tighten his arms around Riley's waist a little more possessively.
Riley smiles. "To answer your question, I'm not sure how long it will last. Someone has to run things since my father was suspended for his crimes, until we all settle on a permanent replacement. Which I feel like should be me." He lets out a heavy sigh. "I did promise a god I would right his wrongs."
"Well, you're doin' that now. Once things settle down and you nominate a successor, I'm sure Arceus'll understand."
"Probably. However, Herrera Company is my family's business." Riley undoes his tie all the way, pulling it away from his collar. "Maybe it should stay in the family. And maybe someday I'll have a good, responsible stepson who knows the ins and outs of a coal mine to be my heir." He gives his lover a saccharine smile.
Byron chuckles with a shake of his head, his face reddening again. "Oh yeah? Who's that gonna be? 'Cause my son is gonna inherit my Gym."
Riley grins. "Maybe we'd better let him decide when the time comes. Like good parents."
"Hmph." Byron kisses him again, mostly to get him to stop saying these kinds of things.
}{}{}{}{}{
After leaping from a floating rock to a more stable landmass, Khaled pauses to take in his surroundings, as he often does, since they constantly change. He watches a waterfall flow upward. Cliffsides with trees growing horizontally out of them. Giant, flat, moss-covered rocks that float freely in all directions. Despite the unusual yet normal-looking plant life and water flow, there's no sun nor moon in the dark sky. There are no wild Pokemon to be seen or heard anywhere — save for the serpentine lord of the realm, who drifts about freely, an ever-watchful eye on its new inhabitants.
Khaled pats the head of the Absol beside him. "Hell of a world, Fadia," he remarks.
«Indeed,» she replies calmly.
"I'm glad you're with me. Hate to have to go through this all alone."
She rubs her face into his hand affectionately. It's the hand on his wounded arm, still wrapped from his fight with Regigigas in the Snowpoint Temple. Strange that it hasn't bothered him lately. He undoes the bandage which Pikki so carefully tied for him, and is surprised to see that the gash is healed over. "Huh," he says, rubbing it while clenching his fist. "How 'bout that."
Not wanting his bloodied bandage to float around in this world for all eternity, he zips open his backpack to stash it there. And checks that he has enough snacks to tide him over until his mission for Arceus is complete. Thankfully, he hasn't felt particularly hungry yet. He hopes he won't, since he can't imagine there is anything that passes for food here. What would Fadia do? For all that she enjoyed his Poffins, does she even need to eat?
For all that she enjoyed eating treats, being pet, being loved by Aden... does she truly mind being confined to this place? Even if it is her duty?
«Why do you stare at me so?» she asks.
"Ah, my mind's just wandering." He smiles down at her. "So, where shall we start looking next? You have any direction sense in this place?"
Fadia looks around. «This way,» she decides, and starts walking as if she's right at home.
Khaled follows. He passes something that resembles a floating mirror, which he hasn't seen before. He backtracks, reaches out, and holds it steady in his hands. "Fadia, what's this?"
She pads over to him. «This shows the proper world,» she explains.
"No kidding." Khaled gazes wistfully at the natural scene before him: pine trees, a mountain looming overhead, the edge of a crystal-clear lake. "Is that Sinnoh?" he asks. Still holding the mirror, he turns a bit. The image moves with him, as though he's seeing it with his own two eyes. "Huh! How about that?" He spins around to get a full view of the lakeside, amused at his new plaything.
«I'm glad you're enjoying yourself,» Fadia quips.
With a gasp, Khaled suddenly stops cold. "Look here," he says, showing the Absol. "Does she look like Pikki to you?"
«Which one?»
There are two individuals at the lake's edge. One stands back upright after sending a paper lantern floating in the water. Khaled squints at the mirror. "That is Pikki! And... Ayame." He gingerly touches the cool surface with his fingertips. "They're at Kankamito... and they just might have sent a light to guide me back."
Khaled watches for a moment more. Then he lets the mirror go so it can float on its own way, taking its view of his daughter and her mother with it. "Come, Fadia. Let's get our quest over with as quickly as possible, so I can go home to them."
She turns to lead the way once more. «A fine idea, Haruba Jones.»
