Le Grande Bistro was in hushed whispers upon realizing who it's most prolific customers were that evening. Even the maître d was caught off guard when the two of them walked inside their five star restaurant that evening. But, as professionally as it came, the wait service took care of the young couple and brought them to the finest table and took no time at all in taking their drink orders before quickly allowing them some breathing room and departing for the back of house.

Though she had initially not wanted to make too much of the evening, Piper had chosen to wear her most beautiful evening gown: a royal blue, strapless gown that shined in the candle lit light of their own private area of the Bistro. While she looked positively radiant, Piper did her best not to let her nerves show up. Because she had not been anticipating the man who had picked her up that evening.

Christopher Kingston was nothing like the friend she had known since her childhood. He was cleanly shaven, wearing a dashing tuxedo fit for a night of elegant dining and upheld more of his regal and noble upbringing than she had ever expected him to show. He had chosen an exquisite bottle of wine for the two to drink while they were at dinner and had even hired a pianist to play exclusively for them that evening. Piper could not help but feel that, despite her own elegant attire and classy way of acting in public, that Christopher had just upped their game to an entirely separate level than she had been anticipating.

"A little more mezzo piano if you don't mind, Aman" Chris spoke to the pianist.

"Of course, Lord Kingston" the pianist responded, playing a quieter and more melodic symphony for the two to listen to while they drank their wine and looked over the menu.

Piper finally decided to speak up. "What's the occasion, Chris?"

"Hmm?" Chris asked.

"Since when do you get yourself all cleaned up for a dinner date?"

Chris shrugged. "I can't get dressed for an evening on town?"

Piper smiled. "I guess you can, but it's unlike you."

"Well, I guess I'm a bit of a wild card no, aren't I?"

Piper took a sip of her cabernet and beamed. "I suppose you are."

Chris followed in suit and the two put down their glasses. "As it happens, I needed someone to talk to. On a personal level. And I figured if I just asked you to meet me at the HQ, you might not have jumped at the opportunity."

"You're probably right" Piper answered. "But if I had known I was to be in the company of a gentleman this evening, I would have picked something better suited for-"

Chris shook his head. "You are perfect the way you are, Your Highness."

Piper's heart bounced inside of her. "Well, you have me here, Chris. What was on your mind?"

Chris cleared his throat. "I've been thinking a lot, lately. More so than I usually do. About what I'm supposed to do with the rest of my life. Ever since Mike and Julia left, I've known the day would come. But I never expected it to come so soon. Not when so many of the goals I had as a kid have gone unmet."

"You've got plenty of time" Piper encouraged him.

"But I've been looking at my goals in the wrong way" Chris continued. "I feel like I've approached my goals the same way that Cam does. Just that specific thing that I want and need to have. And I've gone on like that since I was a kid. But that's why I'm starting to realize I haven't really reached any of the goals I wanted to."

Piper listened curiously. He's really serious. I'm not quite sure what to make of this. She circled the wine in her glass before continuing. "Well, what was it that made you think this way?"

"Mike" he answers solemnly. "He is the brother I always wanted to have. My best friend. But more than that. He's the best teacher I've ever had, too."

Piper nodded. "He really is remarkable."

Chris observed her remark and nodded. "He is. And he taught me something really important during that last run he had as Champion and when we fought the Syndicate. Something I've gone without my entire life. Purpose."

"Purpose?" Piper asked.

"I asked myself one day, during a meeting with Cameron and Ryan, why am I doing this? What do I hope to obtain from being the Pokémon Champion? Is it just the power? The glory? The prestige? Or is it something else?" Chris put down the menu and looked at Piper with a heartfelt stare that she couldn't help but admire. "And one day, it all hit me. What's the point of getting a position of power if it means you don't have anyone to care for and look after? There isn't one. Michael taught me that. When Julia almost left him, he gave up on himself. He didn't have anyone to protect anymore and it made being the Champion utterly worthless to him."

Piper studied Chris carefully. "Well, he would have had us."

"And we would have had him" Chris continued. "But that's not the type of bond I mean. The one those two have is so strong, I don't think there is a force on earth that can drive them apart." He took another sip from his wine. "He would lay down his own life for hers in an instant. Or mine. Or yours. Or Ryan's. That's just the kind of guy he is. And that's what made him such a good Champion of Arcana. And that's what made him so much like Grandpa."

"Michael is a one of a kind man, Chris" Piper assured him. "While he is someone you should strive to be like, that doesn't mean you need to change yourself completely to be him. Originality is important."

"But even Ryan gets it" Chris said, a tone of sorrow in his voice. "And he's a fourteen year old. How has it taken me this long to see that's the difference between why Michael is who he is and why I'm who I am? And that's why I've been training. Harder than I've ever trained before. I want to be the Pokémon League Champion, but not for the reasons I used to. Fame, fortune, gorgeous admirers. I'm starting to think those mean nothing in the grand scheme of things."

"Then what do you want it for?"

"To protect the people that matter to me" Chris answered. "And that's the whole truth of it."

Piper smiled contently. "Well, I look forward to seeing what becomes of you on this path, Chris." She raised her glass to toast him. "To the future?"

Chris tapped his glass beside hers. "To the future." As both drank to whatever lied in store for them, the two placed their orders with their waiter, who bowed before them and disappeared as quickly as the others had. The pianist played a slower song as the two continued to converse. "How have you been, Pipe?"

Piper sighed. "Actually, for a while now, I've been in the same boat as you. Wondering what my purpose is."

"You're the best Queen of Arcana I've ever known" Chris complimented her. "And that includes my Aunt, Grandma and Deetz."

Piper laughed softly. "Well, I appreciate that. But a girl can't be Queen of Arcana forever. And Addison is breathing down my neck for her shot. So, I have to ask myself, what do I want to do with the rest of my life?" She sighed as she took another drink from her wine glass. "I always thought I could just get into Pokémon studies like my Grandmother and Julia, but Amanda is going to get the Ranch when all is said and done and I'm not as smart or as gifted as them."

"Everyone has their own talents and aspirations" Chris told his date. "I mean, I don't expect every Gym Leader in Arcana to continue serving forever. Look at my Dad. He went from being a Gym Leader to running his own restaurant here in town. Eventually, we all find what our true calling is. Maybe yours is to be the Queen of Arcana forever."

Piper giggled. "I hope not forever. Seven years has been long enough."

"Did you have anything in mind for what you might do?" Chris asked.

Piper shrugged. "Aside from going back to school like Julia and Amanda, not much. I guess I'm just going to have to look for it."

"I hope you learned the most important lesson from Mike, though."

"What would that be?"

"If Addison is going to beat you, you have to make her earn it."

Piper nodded. "Naturally." She took a deep breath before she continued. "Thanks for thinking of me as a friend you could count on, Chris. It means a lot to me."

"Just because Mike and Julia aren't here anymore, doesn't mean we can't still rely on each other" Chris assured her. "I want nothing to change about that." Chris's pocket soon began to buzz with an urgent message. Chris took up the Poké Gear into his pocket. "A storm warning? But the reports didn't say anything about bad weather hitting Arcana."

"It's probably just a bad rainstorm" Piper tried to reason, but soon her Poké Gear began to go off as well with the same message. She looked at the message and was surprised by what it said:

[Storm Warning for the South of Arcana! Heavy Winds and Rainfall of Up to Six Inches expected!]

"Looks like we're going to have to call this evening short" Chris said sadly.

"Why?" Piper asked, shocked that Chris would cancel so quickly.

"Parlor Town is going to be hit the hardest by this storm" Chris explained. "We're going to have to evacuate the whole town for a bit." He called their waiter over and handed him his credit card to pay for their bill. "I'm sorry it has to end like this, Pipe. But this is an emergency." Chris rushed out of the restaurant to contact his sister and the rest of the Elite Four. Piper grabbed her purse and followed him, but not before taking the Credit Card back from the waiter after their date was paid for. Does he really think I'm just going to sit by helplessly while they all do the hard work?

She found him outside in a call with Daniel. "I don't care what Aunt Lauren is cooking for you guys. Get yourself to Parlor Town and help organize some sort of evacuation, Danny!"

"What's up?" Piper asked.

"You honestly expect a storm of this magnitude to just pass along?" Chris snapped. "If that's the case, I don't know why I bothered recruiting you for the Elite Four!" After a moment of listening to Daniel's response, Chris shook his head. "Just get to Parlor Town and help Ryan evacuate the town!" He looked towards Piper with frustration all over his face. "Sorry, but can we reschedule?"

"The night isn't over" Piper told him stubbornly. "And I'm not about to just sit idly by while you guys handle all the dangerous stuff!"

"Piper, this is serious" Chris argued.

"So am I" Piper snapped.

Chris seemed eager to argue, but shook his head. "I guess the more help we have, the quicker we'll get Parlor Town evacuated." He called out his Charizard and climbed aboard his back. When Piper was slow to get the hint, Chris pulled her up behind him. Piper blushed as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "Hold on, Pipe. This is going to be rough!" With that, the Charizard took off into the skies of Titanio City and soared with breakneck speed for Parlor Town.

{Meanwhile}

Amanda rushed outside of the Research Facility and looked to the south in utter terror. The windspeeds were incredible, far beyond anything Arcana was used to. And that wasn't even including the ominous looking black and red clouds rumbling with sound barrier shattering thunder. This was no mere storm. This was a storm of colossal proportions. And she and the rest of Parlor Town were right in the middle of it. As she strained to see what exactly the storm was manifesting into, she was soon joined by Warren and Deidre Tenton.

"What the hell is that?" Deidre asked.

"A hurricane?" Warren surmised.

Amanda shook her head. "This is no mere hurricane." She desperately looked to the longtime friends of the Research Facility and the Kingstons. "I need you guys to go door to door and start getting everyone to move inland to get away from the storm."

Deidre was puzzled. "Isn't this a job for the Elite Four and the Champion?"

Amanda was about to suggest the same thing. But she had not seen a single trace of Ryan or the others yet and had to assume they were slowly preparing themselves for this. "We can't wait for them to get here. We need to act now before this storm rips through the rest of the town!"

Warren nodded. "We don't have a choice. Dee, go get Addy and get her to start heading for Pocus Town. I'm going to warn the neighborhood!"

"Please be careful" Deidre told her husband. Warren nodded and sprinted off towards their neighbors houses while she hurried back inside to wake their daughter. Amanda looked back towards the storm and could see the red clouds beginning to brighten as if they were holding within them some kind of immeasurable power. She had to see what was causing this storm and if it could be sent away from Arcana. She called out her Fearow and climbed atop it's back.

The Fearow was initially nervous about flying towards the storm, but Amanda pat it's neck tenderly. "Don't worry, Harpy. We've got this." With it's confidence restored, the Fearow finally took off into the skies of Parlor Town and rushed for the surging storm.

{Meanwhile}

Ryan didn't have to worry about hearing his siren in his dreams tonight. Not with a massive storm surge coming directly for Arcana. He first heard it when the wind started to rattle the tree in his front yard. Then, came the thunder. And finally, the Emergency Message playing on his Poké Gear. He was quickly out of his bed and hurrying down the stairs to see this storm for himself. His mother was already outside, cradling a crying Kayleigh in her arms.

"What is that?" Alison asked.

Ryan looked out into the distance and saw the massive vortex of wind starting to strike down just a mile or two away from Parlor Beach. "If that thing hits land, it's going to destroy the entire town!" He looked onto his belt and called out his own Flying Type Pokémon. "Go! Marahute!" From out of Ryan's Poké Ball appeared his trusted Pidgeot, Marahute. Her feathers were quickly ruffled at the sight of the storm, but held her talons in place as Ryan climbed onto her back. "Let's go see if what's up with that storm!"

"Are you out of your mind?" Alison snapped at her son. "It's too dangerous!"

"I don't have a choice, Mom" Ryan insisted. "I'm the Champion of Arcana and I need to see if there's a way I can protect my people." He flashed a look overhead and saw Amanda flying over their house and towards the storm itself. "Amanda?"

"Ryan James Kingston!" Alison hissed. "You get back inside right now!"

"What's going on?" Tommy yawned as he also came outside.

Ryan looked towards his housemate and realized he too could help. "Tommy, get my Mom and Kayleigh to Pocus Town!" He then sheepishly looked towards his mother. "Mom, I need to do this. Go with Tommy to Pocus Town and stay there until the storm passes."

Alison seemed eager to argue more, but the wailing sounds of Kayleigh kept her quiet. "Just please be careful, Ryan!" With that, Alison followed Tommy's lead and the trio fled down the road towards Pocus Town.

With his mother and sister safe in Tommy's hands, he looked back towards the storm and hitched Marahute into the skies. She let out a loud squawk and flew off after Amanda. He caught up to her at the edge of the beach and they came to a halt when the vortex was finally fully visible to the two of them. It had to be at least a half mile in diameter and crackled with the power of thunder and lightning. Though they were still a fair distance from the storm, Ryan could feel them being tugged towards the abyss thanks to it's own created gravitational force.

"This isn't an ordinary storm" Amanda told him. "This is something worse."

"How did it just appear like this?" Ryan asked her. "I thought that's what weather men were for?"

"I have a hunch, but I hope I'm wrong" Amanda replied nervously.

"This thing is HUGE!" a voice called behind them. Ryan looked and saw Daniel and Giselle flying their Pokémon towards the storm and coming up beside him and Amanda. "No wonder Chris was so worried about it."

"I don't think there's much we can do against a storm like this" Giselle told Ryan. "We'd better start evacuations of Parlor Town."

"Warren Tenton is already seeing to that" Amanda told the newly arrived Elite Four member. "But I don't think anyone is handling Charizark Town or Waypoint Island. What if the people there weren't warned?"

"Then there's nothing we can do on the matter" another voice said bluntly as Cameron shot into the scene on the back of her Salamence. "We need to focus on the people we can save. And they're in Parlor Town." Cameron looked towards her cousin. "What are your orders, Ryan?"

Ryan was still trying to process all that was going on as Cameron asked him this. "What matters the most is getting everyone in town to safety while we try to find a way to contain this storm as best as possible." He looked behind Cameron and saw Chris's Charizard surging towards their situation and heaved a sigh of relief. While he was sure Cameron would take the opportunity to criticize his leadership, he knew Chris would have his head straight. "Hey, Chris." He blinked when he thought he saw Piper sitting behind him. "Is that Piper?"

"In the flesh" Piper called back.

"This isn't a game, Chris" Cameron snapped at her brother. "Get Piper someplace safe, now! "

"This is my region too, Cameron" Piper replied. "I'm going to help however I can!"

"Arguing isn't going to help anyone" Chris shouted, getting between the two.

Ryan looked back towards where Amanda was and was shocked when he saw that she was gone. He looked on ahead and saw her flying towards the storm itself. "AMANDA!"

"Is she insane?" Daniel asked. "She's going to get sucked right in!"

Giselle was about to send her Aerodactyl forward to intercept, but the group was stopped when a bolt of lightning came from nowhere and struck the beach below them. "This is getting too dangerous."

Chris shook his head. "This is getting ridiculous. We need a plan before-"

"We can't just let Amanda go into this alone" Ryan declared. "I'm going in after her!" He reared his Pidgeot to fly in after Amanda, but it seemed everyone was perturbed by that idea.

"You are the last person we can afford to lose right now" Cameron told him. "Just let us handle this and you head down to control the-"

"I can't let Amanda go in-"

"Why can't you just-"

"ENOUGH!" Chris snarled. "Here's what's going to happen!" He pointed towards his sister and Ryan. "You two are going to go after Amanda and bring her back. Giselle and Daniel are going to go to Charizark Town and evacuate everyone there. Piper and I are going to assist in the evacuation of the town! And we're going to stop arguing among ourselves and protect the people or Arcana! Okay?"

"That's actually a good call" Giselle responded.

"Yeah" Daniel agreed. "Nice call, Chris."

"One of us had to take charge with the rest of you snapping at each other" Chris replied. "Now let's go!" He steered his Charizard back towards Parlor Town so that he and Piper could aid in the evacuation while Giselle and Daniel took off in a flourish towards Charizark Town and left Cameron and Ryan facing the massive vortex in front of them.

"I still think it's stupid to go into that storm" Cameron remarked.

"It doesn't matter" Ryan told her. "We can't just leave Amanda in danger." Ryan sent Marahute soaring into the very vortex itself. Despite the winds trying to pull and pry them in all sorts of directions, the two finally ripped through the storm and found themselves within the eye of it. Amanda and her Fearow were trying to to remain calm while lightning and thunder flashed all around them. When she spotted Ryan entering the storm alongside her, she waved to him.

"Isn't this incredible?" she asked. "It's almost as if the storm itself is protecting whatever's inside."

"And we really want to find out what's inside?" Ryan asked nervously.

"Where's your scientific curiosity?"

"Somewhere this storm can't destroy the town" Ryan clapped back before flying to Amanda's side. "Come on, we have to get out of here."

"We'll never get another chance like this, Ry" Amanda countered. "Imagine what breakthroughs we could reach if we-"

"Amanda!" Ryan called, his tone becoming more worried by the second. "You may not get to find any breakthroughs if the storm wrecks the whole town!"

The future Professor of the Research Facility sighed. "I guess you're right. We'd better get out of here."

"Oh, but you'd miss out on all the fun" a voice called to them. Ryan and Amanda both looked for the source of the voice, until the very waves beneath them split and a earsplitting roar shot the two of them further into the eye of the storm. Ryan watched in horror as an all too familiar emerald-colored dragon shot out of the ocean itself and howled into the stormy skies above them.

"Rayquaza?" Ryan gasped. "But how?" He had last seen the Legendary Dragon when it launched the Syndicate Admin Hunter off of it's back and into the oceans to his death below. But when Jirachi broke the control Hunter had over the Legendary Pokémon, he thought it would have been permanent. Why was Rayquaza back? And more importantly, who was controlling it?

"This is incredible" Amanda spoke up. "Rayquaza is actually commanding the very Forces of Nature themselves."

"The what?" Ryan asked. Amanda pointed towards the skies above them and Ryan looked on in terror as he saw three more Pokémon hovering around the mouth of the vortex. These Pokémon all looked similar, but controlled a different force of nature. One called the very lightning and thunder from the skies and assailed them down into the storm's path. Another was the one powering this massive vortex that was soon to obliterate a huge part of Arcana if not kept in check. The third was causing the very ground to quake, which in turn caused huge waves to crash onto the beach and even reach the walkway back to Parlor Town itself. Ryan grunted at the sight of the new Pokémon. "This is not good."

"I beg to differ" the voice called again. Rayquaza curled up in a ring and Ryan finally saw, atop the Dragon Pokémon's head, who was calling out to them. But it took him more than a moment to process it. When Ryan did not immediately react, the man standing atop Rayquaza's had continued. "I find that creating enough chaos with the power of Pokémon is simply beautiful. Especially when the very forces of nature are at my beck and call."

"It's not possible" Ryan cried out. "You're-you're supposed to be dead!"

"If Michael got a freebie, why can't I?"

"Who is that?" Amanda asked. "It couldn't be-"

"Hunter" Ryan growled.

Hunter stepped onto the crown of Rayquaza's head and snickered. His appearance had changed little since he had last encountered Ryan, but Ryan could tell something was different about him. He was now wearing a mysterious device that covered his eyes and had shaved most of his hair off, save for one streak of a mohawk hat went down to the base of his neck. Apart from that, Ryan could easily recognize that this was in fact the same man that Lizzie and the others had apparently sent to his death less than two years earlier.

"How did you survive?" Ryan demanded. "We all watched you crash into the water!"

"All these questions" Hunter spoke, uninterested in answering the boy's inquiries. "Yet none of them the most pressing one."

"And what would that be?"

"You think I'm just going to blurt it out there, champ?" Hunter laughed. "Please. Give me more credit than that."

"I'm going to stop you for good, this time!" Ryan warned the poacher.

Hunter cackled. "You? You're insignificant in the grand scheme of things, kid. So much so that I don't even want to give you the benefit of living long enough to see our plans unfold." Hunter looked towards Amanda. "Miss Fouritz, on the other hand, I have some special business with."

Amanda withdrew, "Me?"

Ryan flew in front of her on the back of Marahute. "You won't come any closer!"

"Not with you around" Hunter agreed. He then looked towards the Forces of Nature above him. "Yo! Tornadus. How about we give the little champ here a good heave ho?!"

Before Ryan could wonder what he meant, a huge surge of wind crashed down upon him. He tried to keep Marahute in the air despite the massive gusts of wind about him, completely unaware that Landorus was hurling rocks and boulders into the wind storm. He caught the last one too late just as it struck him full on in the head.

{Meanwhile}

Hunter watched as Ryan and his Pidgeot plummeted out of sight and down into the ocean and stretched his limbs out. Well, that was easier than I thought. His attention then fell on the petrified Amanda Fourtiz just below him. Now, for her. Hunter sent Rayquaza down to Amanda's level as she was frozen by fear, unable to move away from him.

"Now that the Champion is out of the way" he called to her, "why don't you and I get to talking, Miss Fouritz."

Amanda recoiled from him. "What do you want with me?"

"Not much" Hunter told her. "In fact, I could care less what happens to you. But I've got orders to bring you in. I have an employer who is very interested in the power of your mind and what it could do for him."

"An employer?" Amanda asked, shivering at the thought, until the realization came to her. "Mewtwo?"

"Bingo, girl scout" Hunter told her. "And you'll be coming with me to help us." Amanda turned her Fearow around and fled for the outer portion of the vortex. Hunter sighed and snapped his fingers. "If only you'd have made this easier on yourself." Before Amanda could reach freedom from the swirling storm surge, she was ambushed by a dark, shadowy creature with piercing blue eyes. Within an instant, Amanda and her Flying Pokémon were frozen in place and snared by a wicked force of power. Rayquaza swerved down and collected Amanda and her sleeping Pokémon.

"Good work, Darkrai" Hunter grinned. "Maybe you'll amount to something after all."

Darkrai made no motion to answer, but let out a soft and ominous moan to Hunter.

"Don't worry. You play your part and The Grand Master will keep his end of the bargain." Hunter turned to recall his Forces of Nature, but Darkrai flew in front of him and made the same ominous noise again. Hunter rolled his eyes. "Really? Him? Why should I care about him?" Darkrai rushed into Hunter's face and made him jump back in shock. "Okay, fine, Do what you will. Just keep your power focused on what we need. And when you're done, meet me back at the Lair." Darkrai began to lower himself into the storm as Hunter recalled Landorus, Thunderus and Tornadus. He then looked at his captive in Rayquaza's short arms and snickered. "Let's see how deep this Buneary Hole goes."

{Meanwhile}

The cold sea water rushed Ryan back into consciousness as he and Marahute sank into the depths of the ocean. He opened his eyes and looked around for a sign of Amanda or Hunter, but both were long gone by the time he looked up and out of the dark water above him. Once he spotted Marahute drowning, he quickly reached for her Poké Ball and returned her inside. While she was saved, he could feel something sucking him down deeper into the ocean itself. He tried to swim up to the surface, but was continually pulled downward.

I gotta get out of here Ryan thought to himself, using all of his strength to pull against the current, but his lack of sleep was finally catching up to him and he could feel his muscles and mind betraying him when it mattered the most. He slowly began to lose oxygen and slipped in and out of consciousness. With no strength left to pull him back to the surface, Ryan awaited his inevitable end. Addy. I'm sorry.

He blinked back to life when he saw someone or something swimming towards him. He couldn't tell if it was because of his lack of oxygen or his exhaustion, but the person seemed to be fading in and out of view like a specter. He thought he could see her gesturing towards the surface, but was once more slipping out of control of his movements. He felt whoever his rescuer was grab his arm and drag him with all of her own might up to the surface. He desperately clung to her as the two of them slowly made their way for shore.

The vortex and storms had dissipated and Ryan thought he could see the moonlight of a clear sky above him. He took in a deep breath to renew his lease on life and finally allowed his savior to pull him over to the sandy beach. He was placed gently on the sand and did his best to get a glimpse of his savior. At first, he thought it was Addison, but the two had totally different colored hair. Hers was platinum blonde and she stood over him, seeming to smile at him. Ryan tried to return the favor but fell on his back and coughed up seawater.

The girl shushed him. "Your safe now." She looked into past Ryan and sighed to herself. "I never thought I'd see the world like this ever again."

"Huh?" Ryan coughed. That voice. It's her. The one from my dreams!

She put her finger to his lips. "Shhh. You're going to be okay now, Ryan." She leaned down towards him. "We'll see each other again soon." She kissed his forehead before Ryan blinked and she had completely dissolved into mist above him. Ryan coughed again before he finally collapsed into exhaustion, his last thoughts on the girl who had rescued him. Who is she?

{Some Time Later}

Cameron had her Salamence plummet out of the skies and down towards the beach where her cousin lay unconscious on the wet sands. The Salamence landed beside him on the beach as Cameron slid off of her Dragon's back and came down to his side.

"RYAN! RYAN!" She placed her head down on his chest and heaved a sigh of relief when she heard a heartbeat. She fell onto her rear end. He's okay. He's alright. She instantly regretted not going into the vortex after him, but was even more terrified when he did not reappear when the storm mysteriously subsided. And if something had happened to Ryan on her watch, she would have been devastated. She looked up to the skies above her and sighed. Daybreak. So much for a good night's sleep.

But then, Cameron paused. Wait a minute. Where's Amanda? Miss Fouritz had gone straight into the storm before Ryan and only he had come out. She frantically looked about the beach, but there was no sign of her. Terrific. She's gone. And no one could know for sure where she was, because the storm had just stopped once it hit land and the only remains of it were broken tree branches and the unconscious Pokémon League Champion.

"Cameron!" a voice called out to her. She turned behind her and saw her Aunt Alison hurrying down toward her. Alison gasped when she saw her son's body lying still on the sand. "RYAN!"

"He's okay, Aunt Alison" she promised her aunt. "He's just exhausted." She reached for her cousin's belt and called out his Rhydon named Dozer. The Rhydon lowered himself onto all fours so that Cameron could put the Pokémon's trainer on his back. While the Rhydon was happy to accommodate his trainer, Cameron knew she couldn't hide the truth from her family. "But there's no sign of Amanda." A few shadows hovered over her and she realized that Giselle and Daniel had returned. "Did you guys take care of Charizark Town?"

Daniel nodded as he landed beside her. "Of course, but there wasn't much to do. Uncle Robert did everything for us."

Giselle looked down on Ryan. "The kid going to be okay?"

"Yup" Cameron said. "But Amanda's gone."

"You mean she's dead?" Daniel gasped.

"There's no sign of her" Cameron answered. "She's gone. Probably swallowed up by the storm and spat out somewhere."

"We need to get the Coastal Patrol involved" Giselle suggested. "Amanda's absence is going to be noticed quickly."

Alison frowned. "What can we do?"

Cameron scowled. This would have been where Michael would have thought of just the right thing that everyone could have rallied around and made even the most opinionated person happy with the compromise. But with Michael retired, Ryan out of commission and Chris and Piper off making sure that the villagers are set and safe, the decision was up to her. And the only thing she could think of doing, which she knew would have made Michael lurch, was to make sure that her disappearance was quieted to ensure that the public didn't go into a frenzy. "I think the only thing we can do now is to let the Coastal Patrol do their job and keep things on the down low."

"You mean you want us to do the exact thing that ArcTV was doing?" Daniel asked. "Ryan's not gonna like that."

"If you have a better option" Cameron snapped.

"We can let Grandma handle things" Daniel suggested.

"I'm sure Lady Bonnie will be able to inform the people better than we can" Giselle pointed out.

"Grandma?" Cameron hadn't thought of her. Though events of the last few years had drained a fair amount of clout that Lady Bonnie had once possessed, she was still quite revered and respected enough in Arcana for her voice to be a calming one. Yet, Cameron still had her doubts. "Do we really need to bother Grandma with this?"

"While we figure things out with the Coastal Patrol" Alison told her niece, "Lady Bonnie can figure out the angle for this."

"Michael would be disgusted with us, right now" Daniel said sadly. "To even think of-"

"Well, Michael's not here" Cameron hissed, before calming herself. "Sorry, but we couldn't rely on Michael forever. We need to do things on our own." She looked to her Aunt Alison. "How do we approach Grandma about this?"

Alison smiled faintly. "Leave it to me. I'll ring Erin so she can float the idea by her." She looked at her unconscious son and sighed. "I guess we should get this one to bed." She leaned down to the Rhydon. "Dozer, would you mind bringing him home?" The Rhydon cheerfully growled before slowly trotting Ryan up to the walkway back to Parlor Town. Cameron watched her aunt disappear before she decided to take the initiative.

"Let's get to work" Cameron clapped. "With Ryan out, we need to give our inspections of the Pokémon Gyms to make sure they're ready for the League to open." When neither Daniel or Giselle made a move, she grunted. "Did I stutter, guys?"

Daniel was looking at his Poké Gear. "Sorry, Cam. But I got a message from Dad. He wants me to come home right away."

"Your Dad can wait" Cameron growled.

"Cam" a voice called from behind her. Chris made his way down towards the beach to speak with his sister. "I just got a call from Shannon. Dad needs us to come home."

"Does Dad realize we're adults now?"

"Well" Chris spoke up, "she said it was urgent. You can do what you want, but I'm going to head to Dad's."

"Your Dad wants you guys home, too?" Daniel asked. "That's odd."

Giselle looked at the skies above them as dawn approached. "Something tells me this day is about to get a lot worse."