Though the back of her head was deeply troubled and worried about the storm she had been forcibly woken to, Addison still remained optimistic about things and departed for the Craft Terrace to register herself for the Queen of Arcana Contests. While she was sure all she would have to do was a courtesy text to Tori Kingston to have her get registered like Piper did, she felt that was too informal. So, in the wee hours of morning, Addison climbed atop the back of her Altaria and soared away from their refuge in Pocus Town and headed for her registration.

Maybe splitting up is the way to go, she thought to herself as she and her Pokémon flew over the expansive Crafter's Forest. I mean, I love Ryan and all of our friends, but maybe the reason Piper wins as much as she does is because of all the time she puts into her solo craft with Aunt-uh I mean Lady Erin. Her relationship with Ryan had allowed her certain privileges, including being able to circumvent the proper titles the Kingstons had. Heck, if you wanted to be frank, Ryan should technically be referred to as Lord Ryan. But since so few Kingstons demanded it, she had gotten used to calling them by what Ryan did. Aunt Erin, Michael's mother and the former Queen of Arcana herself, was just the person to train someone like her to reach the next level of her Contest aspirations. This year, she had to become better than Piper, or else the stigma of "The Daughter's Curse" would haunt her forever.

The Daughter's Curse was the curse that many claim could be attributed to Lady Erin herself. After Erin was defeated by Teresa Angeline of Magenta Grove, there was a series of years where the daughters of former Queens of Arcana would contend for the title of Queen of Arcana. But none, not even Tori Kingston herself could succeed her mother. And with her mother Deidre Tenton having already won the title of Queen of Arcana and holding it for six years, she was likely afflicted with the same curse as other winners daughters had been hit with. But, she felt compelled to give it a try. She admired her mother to a great deal and had to. For her.

She was surprised learning as much as she did from her mother. Born to the reasonably wealthy Setenn Family, her mother and her Aunt Caitlin were raised alongside the Kingstons, chiefly from the range group of Michael to Jenna. Her Grandmother, determined to see the Setenn Family join the ranks of the Kingstons, Aceds and Queensburys, was set to match her Granddaughters with eligible men from the same high ranking familes. Deidre's friendship with Michael made the two of them an ideal betrothal and there were even talks with Lady Bonnie about making it official, but the whole Giselle and Crimson Fury fiasco happened and Michael was exiled.

While Deidre was not in love with Michael, she did love him immensely and was utterly devastated by his exile. forever holding a grudge against the Kingston Family for banishing him when he was innocent. She rushed headlong into a relationship with another of her suitors, Warren Tenton, but instead of regretting it, the two have been happily married since accidentally getting pregnant and having Addison when Deidre was only fifteen years old. Michael's return changed nothing between them and the two have remained close friends ever since. Despite having a daughter, Michael's return encouraged her to keep questing to remain on as the Queen of Arcana for as long as she could. And Deidre reigned as Queen for the first half of Michael's term as Champion until she ran into the buzz saw known as Piper Pines.

Now, it was her daughter's turn to make the Setenn and Tenton families proud. And Addison's close race with Piper encouraged her to keep trying, despite coming up short to her good friend. But she would never get too competitive with Piper. The two were basically family at this point, considering how much they have gotten to do together since Addison first set out with Ryan and Matthew from Parlor Town two years earlier.

Addison easily spotted the Craft Terrace Gym well below her and veered her Altaria down to land in front of it as the morning skies lit up with the rising sun. She recalled her Altaria and then called out Galatea from her Poké Ball and looked at her Queen of Arcana contest partner. "You ready for this season?"

The Gardevoir, seemingly knowing what she meant, nodded happily. Addison knew that so long as their mental link was as strong as it had always been, the two would be in excellent shape. But as Addison went into the Pokémon Gym to talk to Tori, she was surprised when her Pokémon grabbed her wrist. She looked back towards Gardevoir, who was in the middle of a vision.

"What is it?" Addison asked. She cleared her mind so that she could understand her Pokémon.

This dawn is different than the last, Galatea's voice rang out in her head. Something has changed, my friend. Something...

"Is it bad?"

I'm...I'm having trouble seeing. But I can feel it. Something has shifted.

"I believe you" Addison told her. "I just wish your visions were more descriptive."

You and I both.

Addison nevertheless brought Galatea inside of the Pokémon Gym with her and expected to find Tori just getting the Gym ready for the next batch of trainers on their way to getting their ten Arcanan Gym Badges. But the only person inside of the Gym Waiting Room was her secretary Rebecca. She had first met Rebecca when she had come to Craft Terrace with Ryan and Matthew on their own journey. Before it all got so complicated. Before Matthew showed his true colors.

Rebecca was surprised to see someone other than Tori, especially Addison. "Addy?"

"Hi Rebecca" Addison greeted politiely. "Is Tori around? I needed to talk to her."

"I'm sorry, but Tori isn't here."

This confused Addison. "Not here? Where is she, then?"

"Officially, Lady Victoria is busy ensuring that the Gym of Craft Terrace is in the best shape it has ever been in and cannot be disturbed. Not even by other obligations." Rebecca looked around the room, seemingly ensuring their conversation was private. "Unofficially, she had to leave very early in the morning and told me to do the bare minimum before closing the gym."

"Can I ask where she's gone?"

Rebecca shook her head. "Officially..."

"What about Unofficially?"

The secretary sighed. "The Chateau in Alchemiburg. She said her mother was deeply distressed about something. And asked me to not say anything until all confirmations have been made." She looked at a notepad by her computer and let out a huge sigh of relief. "Oh, thank goodness. You were on the list of people I can give the unofficial reasons to."

"I am?"

"Of course you are" Rebecca told her. "You're basically family at this point, Addy."

"Guess I'm going to Lady Erin's a bit earlier than I thought" Addison remarked. "Thanks Rebecca. I'll be seeing you."

"Have a good day, Addy" Rebecca called back as the doors shut behind Addison and her Pokémon.

So Tori was in Alchemiburg on urgent business regarding Lady Erin. Addison looked down towards Galatea. "Is this part of the vision you had?" When Galatea did not answer her, Addison frowned. "I guess it is, then." Something was going on and she was beginning to worry about the Kingstons. She decided to pay Lady Erin and Tori a visit herself to figure things out.

{Meanwhile}

It was the middle of the night in Coumarine City when Michael finally got out of his bed to check his Poké Gear. He had hoped to ignore whoever was bothering him, but he could not afford for either Julia or Arya to be woken up by the constant stream of messages and calls he was getting. Julia needed as much sleep as she could get with a baby only a week or so away and when his hurricane of a daughter woke up, she couldn't go back to sleep until it was the least convenient for her parents. He gently rose out of bed and decided now would be the perfect time to get some fresh air with Mufasa. He snapped his fingers at the Arcanine asleep beside him and Mufasa quickly stretched out and knew what it was time for. Michael and his Pokémon tiptoed their way out of the bedroom and out onto their second floor balcony to answer the stream of messages and calls he was getting.

As the night air whipped at his neck, Michael shivered for a moment before Mufasa made his way beside him and rubbed his body against him, warming him. Michael laughed and rubbed Mufasa's head lovingly. "You're a good one, Mufasa." The Arcanine sniffed at his feet and laid down beside Michael as he sat in the chair to look through his Pokémon Gear.

"Man, so many messages and calls" Michael said to himself and Mufasa. "I don't even know where to begin." His questions over who to talk to first was quashed when he got an unexpected call from Giselle of all people. He shrugged and picked it up. "Giselle?"

"Oh good, you're awake." She sounded as if she was wired on at least six cups of coffee.

"Barely. What's up?"

"Have you been keeping an eye on these weather patterns?"

Michael rubbed his eyes. "Weather? What about weather?"

"There was a huge storm that hit Parlor Town last night" Giselle explained. "And I'm not supposed to tell you this, but your family is looking to cover it up."

"Pretty hard to cover up a storm, right?" Michael asked. Some things never change. A Liepard never changes it's spots and a Kingston never stops trying to cover up scandals.

"This one's different" Giselle warned him. "Amanda's missing."

Michael gulped. "Amanda? As in Amanda Fouritz?"

"The very same" she replied sadly.

Michael shook his head and rubbed his forehead with his free hand. "Who else knows?"

"As far as I know" Giselle answered, "only us, your Aunt Alison and your Grandmother. But I haven't heard anything from the others. Something's going on with your family. How do you put up with them?"

"I don't" Michael laughed, trying to mask his alarm at Amanda's disappearance. "Hence, why I'm in Kalos. Do you have the Coastal Patrol out looking for her?"

"Don't act like I'm stupid, Michael" Giselle snapped. "That was the first thing I did. I just wanted you to know that the Kingstons aren't changing anytime soon."

Michael grunted. "They never will, either. When Grandpa died, he took most of the family's decency with him." He stretched his arms and let out a yawn that startled Mufasa. "So long as you have the Coastal Patrol out, you've done all you can do. Get some rest. You sound tired."

"Can't expect a girl to sleep when she's in the middle of cleaning up the mess of a magical disappearing storm" Giselle joked. "But I could use some sleep, personally."

"Well, if that's everything, I'll let you get back to work." He then quickly hung up to try and process what Giselle had told him. Amanda had gone missing during a storm. Julia would throw a fit when she found out. So would Piper, which surprised her that Giselle was the one she learned this from and not her. He looked through his contacts and saw that Piper did try to call him a few times.

Guess I slept through those, Michael said to himself. He scrolled to Piper's contact and was about to call her when he got another call. He grumbled to himself as Arcanine licked his feet playfully. "Oh goodie. The emotional nuthouse." Why would his mother need to talk to him now, of all times? What did they have against the concept of Kalos being in a completely different time zone with Arcana?

"Better keep your voice down" a voice whispered from behind him. Julia was awake and braced herself against the frame of the door to the balcony as she spoke to her husband. "You don't want to wake the typhoon."

Michael laughed faintly. "No, I suppose not. I didn't mean to wake you, either."

"I felt you get out of bed" Julia said as she slowly made her way to sit beside him. She cradled her all too wild second child who was kicking inside her, "And I think this one is determined to be born soon."

"If you feel ready" Michael told her, "I'll get you to Lumiose City in a heartbeat."

"I'd let you know" Julia said as she finally relaxed. "Who's been calling?"

"Everyone" Michael told her. "Lots of messages and calls from everyone. Right now, it's Mom. And I'm not pulling the pin on that grenade just yet."

"She's your mother" Julia said sweetly. "You know how much I'd pay to hear from my parents again."

Michael sighed. "Why do you always try to guilt me?"

"I wasn't trying to guilt you" Julia insisted.

Michael put the Poké Gear up to his ear. "Hey Mom."

"Mike, is that you?"

Michael's face tightened. "Tori?"

"Yeah, I'm at Mom's" Tori replied on the other line.

"Tell her I said 'hi'" Julia whispered.

"Julia says hi" Michael told his sister.

"Listen" Tori said solemnly, seeming to disregard her brother's comment. "You need to come back to Arcana. Like, immediately."

Michael shook his head. "Tori, I'm not coming back. I've got a wife who's due to give birth any day."

"Michael, it's an emergency" Tori snapped.

"Everything is an emergency when you're at Mom's" he replied distantly. Mom's really pulling this now? Where was all this gusto when she banished me from Arcana like the rest of the family?

"I'm being serious, Michael" Tori cried out.

"Give me a reason why I need to come back?" Michael snapped back.

Then, in four short and blunt words, she told him. And like a cracking dam that had been holding back an endless stream of water, Michael could feel all of his plans and goals for life beyond the realms of his childhood flow away by the wayside. He looked back at Julia as he himself was finally coming to grips with what happened and she lowered her head. She seemed to understand that their perfect little getaway was about to come to an end.

{Meanwhile}

When the stream of water shot into his face, Ryan thought he was still sinking into the depths of the ocean. He thought he could feel his throat grasping for the last bits of oxygen inside of the ocean and he strained to see the girl who had been the one to bring him to the surface the first time. But instead of a blonde haired maident standing over him, it was a Mudkip. The blue mudfish Pokémon stood on his chest and happily began to spray him with more water. When the stream blasted into his eyes, Ryan finally wiped his face clean and the Mudkip hopped off of him.

"What the-what the heck? A Mudkip?"

The Mudkip looked up at him from the floor of his bedroom and made a chirping noise. Ryan looked above him and saw Tommy looking down from the top bunk of his bedroom. "Oh, good. You're awake!"

"What was with the wake up call?" Ryan asked.

"Well, you've been out for twelve hours" Tommy pointed out.

Ryan nearly fell out of his bed. "TWELVE HOURS?"

His young friend nodded. "After your Mom and Cameron brought you home, they said to let you get some sleep. But I've been so bored here."

Ryan wiped the leftover water off his face. "Why aren't you out with Jeremy?"

"Jeremy said something happened and that they may not be opening up the League in time" Tommy explained. "It's all so confusing. No one told me anything."

Ryan gulped. Does this have something to do with the storm? The storm was unlike anything he had ever seen. And caused by interference from Pokemon for that matter. Wait a minute. Did anyone know about Hunter? "Tommy, did they say anything about Hunter?"

"Hunter?" Tommy asked, looking at Ryan like he had seen a ghost. "Uh, Ryan. Hunter died."

"He was in the eye of that storm" Ryan told the boy. "Amanda and I saw him. She can vouch for me."

Again, Tommy looked at him like he was speaking in a foreign language. "Amanda? No one's seen her since yesterday."

Ryan thought for a moment. "That's impossible. How could anyone have not seen her? Unless..." Miss Fouritz, on the other hand, I have some special business with. Ryan leaped out of his bed and onto the floor. "I have to go out and find her." He quickly clipped his belt to his pants and prepared to run out of his bedroom. "There's no telling what Hunter will do to her."

"Ryan!" Tommy called to his friend. "Wait for me!"

Ryan did not listen and sped out of his bedroom and slid right down the guard rail. As he landed, he was about to make it for the door, but skidded to a stop when he saw someone he was not expecting to be in his house sitting at his kitchen table. "Dad?"

Robert Kingston, surprised to see his son was awake, hailed him over. "It's about time you're up. We've been waiting for you all day." He gestured towards his mother, who was leaning on the kitchen counter quietly, her back to the both of them. Robert tapped the table. "Sit down, Ryan. We need to talk to you."

"Is it about Amanda?" Ryan asked.

"Amanda?" His father was not in the know about what happened, apparently. "What's this about Amanda?"

"The Coastal Patrol will take care of the search for Amanda" Alison said plainly to her son. "But that's not what we need to talk about."

Ryan looked from his mother to his father. "Look, if this is about me going into that storm after Amanda-"

"You're not in trouble, sweetheart" Alison told her son. She gestured for him to sit down. "But we need to talk about something."

"Did I do something wrong?" Ryan asked.

Robert shook his head. "Nothing, son."

Tommy skidded to a stop when he realized he was interrupting a family meeting and was about to head out the door to play, but Alison whistled for him to come over as well. "Come on, Tommy. You should hear this, too."

"Are you sure?" Tommy asked.

"You're friends of the family" Robert told the boy.

Tommy and Ryan nervously approached the table and sat down beside Robert. Alison finally came to the table and sat down with the three of them. The quartet sat in silence for a long while, with no one seemingly able to get the words to explain to Ryan what was unfolding. Ryan could tell something was wrong. Very wrong. Especially if his parents were having a difficult time trying to talk to him. But knowing that they would get nowhere by sitting here and not talking, he knew they had to break the ice somehow.

"What happened?" Ryan asked both of his parents. "Something did happen, right?"

Robert took a deep breath. "Ordinarily, we'd try to tell you these things more delicately. But, seeing what you boys have both been through, you boys are old enough to understand." He choked on his own words and lowered his head, unable to bring the words to form.

Alison took charge and looked at both boys with soft and sorrowful eyes. "Boys...something happened last night. And it's going to change a great deal of what happens in Arcana. For a very long time." She squeezed her eyes shut to fight back tears. "Lady Bonnie is dead."

Tommy slumped back in his chair. "What?"

Ryan was utterly stunned by the news. "Grandma? How? When?"

"Last night" Robert said sadly. "She passed in her sleep. Peacefully." He put his head down on the table and wept.

Grandma. Ryan may have only been a fourteen year old, but he knew what his Grandmother had represented to all of Arcana. She was the last symbol of the peace and prosperity that the region had enjoyed during his Grandfather's tenure as Pokémon League Champion. A symbol of unity, political stability and endless investment in business and commerce to help the League remain stable during the years after James Kingston's death and the tenures of both Giselle and Michael. While Ryan did have issues with how his Grandmother and relatives used their positions to advance themselves, he knew that Arcana would have been better off if she was still alive. Now, the Kingstons were without a strong figurehead. Arcana was going to be in a state absolute flux. She, James and Balthazar Aced had been the heart, soul and mind of Arcana for forty years. But now, all three were gone. Ryan felt as hollow as he'd ever been.

Alison exhaled. "Now, your Aunt Erin is going to reveal Lady Bonnie's death to ArcNet at some point this afternoon. Please, don't talk about it to anyone outside of our circle until tonight's news goes on." She looked at how heartbroken her husband was and came to his side, putting her arms around him. "It's going to be okay, Robert."

"I wasn't there when Dad died" Robert recalled. "But I felt it all the same. Now, this is gut wrenching."

Ryan sighed. "We're all here for you, Dad." He fought back his own tears at the news and remained calm at the news. Though he knew he was going to need Addison at some point that night. But his Dad needed him more, now. "I miss her too."

Robert pulled his son into their group hug. "Things are going to be hard over the next few days." He let go of his wife and son and rose to his feet. "I'm going to Kingston Castle. Her personal attorney should be looking through her will, now."

"Does the will really matter, Mr. Kingston?" Tommy asked.

"Basically all of Arcana goes to whoever Lady Bonnie named as her successor" Alison explained. "Whoever gets the responsibility is going to be the one in charge of Arcana for the next generation. The family lands, estate, fortune and Kingston Castle itself are at risk." She looked to Robert, a touch of worry in her voice. "But Robert, I thought she was going to split it all between you and your siblings."

Robert shook his head. "Dad wanted the Grandkids to get it. We're going to find out when I get there." He headed for the coat closet and grabbed a light jacket. "I'll call you when we know what's going on and when you guys should come to the Castle."

"Do you want us there now?" Alison asked.

"Not unless you want to be there." Robert looked to his son. "Take care of your Mom and Kayleigh for me. I'll see you in a few days."

"It's gonna be okay, Dad" Ryan assured his father.

Robert nodded. "I hope you're right, kiddo." With that, Robert left the house.

Alison looked to the boys. "Now, what do you guys want for dinner? I'll whip you boys up anything you want." Ryan looked at his mother as she frantically tried to keep herself busy all across the kitchen. "Anything special? You name it, you'll get it."

"Uh, gee Mrs. Kingston" Tommy said, sharing in Ryan's worry. "Anything you make will be nice."

"You boys got to make a decision" Alison laughed, clearly doing her best to hide her sorrow. Ryan got up from his chair and came to his mother's side and put his arms around her. Finally getting the moment for herself to weep, Alison embraced her son as tears streamed down out of her eyes. As he tried his best to console his mother, Ryan could not help but share in his father's worry that things were about to get much worse.

{Meanwhile}

It didn't hit Addison until she arrived at the outer gates of Lady Erin's Chateau what could have transpired for Tori to be needed away from Craft Terrace. Now, as she stood outside of the Chateau's doors, she couldn't bring herself to knock and enter. She knew this was something greater than her need to practice for the Queen of Arcana Contests.

"What am I doing here?" Addison asked aloud. "I don't belong here. What can I do to help them?" She knew she didn't belong there at this moment. This was something that the entire family was going to need to come together. And while she would always have a soft spot in Michael's heart, she figured it was best that she simply make herself scarce and go to see Ryan if she could.

But Addison did not make it a foot from the door when it opened and she found Lady Erin's second husband, Anthony, in the doorway ready to greet her. "Hey there, Miss Tenton."

"Hi, Anthony" Addison responded politely.

"You're here to see Lady Erin?"

Addison shook her head. "I was, but this is a bad time. Something tells me-"

Anthony shook his head. "It's never a bad time for family, m'lady."

"I'm not family" Addison reminded Anthony.

"Then neither am I" Anthony responded bluntly. "And Erin and Tori seem to think that I am, so here I am. And here is where you should be, too." He gestured for her to come inside and Addison did as he bid. The two quickly made their way to the Parlor, where Erin and Tori were sitting, going through pictures and remembering Lady Bonnie.

So it's true. Lady Bonnie is dead.

Tori saw her first and waved to her. "Hey, Addison."

Addison waved back to Michael's sister. "Hello, Lady Erin. Lady Victoria."

Erin, who had most certainly been weeping over the loss of her mother, laughed at her pupil's stiff politeness. "You don't have to call us by our formal names, Addy. Come on in. We were just reminiscing." Addison made her way inside the Parlor and sat in an open spot on a sofa, looking at some of the many pictures Lady Bonnie had left behind. She could tell just how gorgeous Lady Bonnie had been back in her prime. She looked like a true Queen and not just a Contest champion. She wore, atop her head, the same crystal crown that Julia had worn at her and Michael's wedding. Erin, upon seeing the picture Addison had picked up, admired the picture alongside her. "My Mother in her prime. Any man would have given up all he owned just to get the chance to be with her in the day. But she chose my father."

"Not a difficult choice" Tori laughed. "After all, Grandpa was the Champion of Arcana and the soon to be head of the Kingston Family."

"It wasn't that simple" Anthony told Tori, making his way for the Grandfather Chair he loved to sit in. "Your Grandpa wasn't the legend he is now back then. Your Grandmother was spoiled for choice. James, Balthazar Aced, even that snake in the grass Claude Jacques. I think she chose James because she really loved him."

"Oh, she did" Erin recalled. "But there was more than love between them. A deep and admiring respect of one another."

Addison placed the photo down and looked at all of the scattered piles of them. "Are you guys making a collage?"

Tori nodded. "We don't know when the service is going to be for Grandma, so we're just getting a head start." She looked towards the window and grumbled beneath her breath. "Greg should have been here by now with all of our papers to put the pictures in place."

"He has to shut the Gym down until further notice" Erin told her daughter. "It's going to take a while."

"Hey" Tori snapped. "If I don't get to complain about Greg, you don't get to complain about Michael not being here."

Addison looked to Lady Erin. "Is Michael not coming?"

Erin sighed. "We don't know. He didn't give a confirmatory answer or not."

"He doesn't feel comfortable leaving Julia by herself with Arya in Kalos" Tori explained. "Especially when she's due with their second child very soon."

"His Grandmother's death should take precedence" Erin hissed.

"I can't really blame him for not coming" Anthony tried to mediate. "After all, he's not doing it out of spite of Lady Bonnie. It's for Julia and the rest of their family." He saw how distressed his wife was and sighed. "Erin, if him being here means that much to you, you need to talk to Big Mike."

"If anyone can get Michael to come back, it's Dad" Tori told her mother.

Erin sighed. "I guess I could give him a call. Michael will actually listen to his father." She looked over towards the antique clock in the corner of the room and gasped. "Oh my goodness. It's already past four! I need to get in contact with the ArcNet Team to inform the public of the news." She hurriedly raced out of the door and blew kisses to all three of those who remained behind her.

When she was gone, Tori reclined on the sofa she had been sitting up in for hours. "I'm friggin exhausted."

"Why don't you head on home and get some sleep, Tori?" Anthony asked her. "We can handle things from here."

"I need to talk to Dad about convincing Michael to come" Tori reasoned. "But I will take a nap for a bit." She looked back at Addison. "Have you talked to Ryan, today?"

Addison shook her head. "I didn't want to distract him from the opening of the Pokémon League, but now I guess that's a moot point. I think I'm going to head over to Parlor Town and check on him."

"Get in touch with Piper, too" Tori suggested. "Make sure you know what's going to happen with the Pokémon Contests."

Addison rose from her seat and looked at the two as Tori thumbed through her contacts on her Poké Gear and Anthony still tried to fully comprehend what had transpired. "I guess I'll see you guys at Kingston Castle in a few days." Addison quickly made her way out of the Chateau to talk to Piper on her own Poké Gear. Without much surprise, Piper was already contacting her. "Piper?"

"Hey, how you doing, Addy?" Piper asked her on the other line.

Addison sighed. "It's a tough pill to swallow. I just can't believe she's gone."

"Things are going to get really bumpy over the next few months" Piper continued. "And to think I hoped things would finally turn around for the better after last night."

"Last night?" Addison inquired.

"Uh, it's not important" Piper quickly tabled the thought. "Anyway, we're going to be postponing the Queen of Arcana Contests for the foreseeable future, Addison. I hope you understand why."

"I was about to suggest the same thing" Addison responded. "It wouldn't seem right to do it so quickly after Arcana's greatest Queen passed away. And I don't think it would be right of us to intrude on Lady Erin and Tori when they're in mourning." She realized that there might be one other person who could convince Michael to come. "Hey, Piper? Tori and Lady Erin said there was a chance that Michael might not come for the funeral. Do you think you could talk to him?"

Piper laughed. "You think that's how it works? Someone can drag two people as strong willed and stubborn as my cousin and Michael around just by talking to them?" When Addison did not immediately answer her jab, she continued. "Look, I'm not entirely sure if there was bad blood between Michael and his Grandmother before she passed, but there was a great deal of deep and painful memories surrounding what happened to him. Plus, he's got a wife about to have a baby."

"I know, but the family wants him to come" Addison reasoned.

"Ultimately" Piper concluded, "it's their choice whether they do or not. It's not right for us to demand they come after all that they were put through by the family."

"I guess you're right" Addison responded. "I just wish there wasn't so much bad blood between them."

"We can't change how other people feel" Piper told her friend.

"I know" Addison admitted, defeated. "That doesn't mean I'm happy about it."

{Meanwhile}

The news of Bonnie Kingston's death shook the entire Kingston Family to it's core, but Julia was deeply alarmed at how deeply it had affected her husband. The feud between Michael and his Grandmother had common knowledge and one of the reasons why they had relocated to Kalos after Michael's term as Champion of Arcana ended. She had expected her beloved to be affected, but generally try to act as if the event was a footnote for the rest of their lives. But Michael had recused himself to the balcony outside of their bedroom and sat in silence with his Arcanine by his side, leaving Julia to answer the endless streams of calls both of them were getting about events unfolding in Arcana. Michael was getting contact from everyone in the family, from Deidre and Warren Tenton and from various friends and loved ones he had accumulated over his life. And she, still exhausted from a lack of sleep after the news broke, was left to answer and respond to all of them. She was particularly thankful when her father in-law, Big Mike, was the next caller.

"I don't know what to do, Big Mike" Julia said worriedly. "He's just sitting out there. He won't say anything to me or answer any of the calls."

"She was still his Grandmother, Julia" Big Mike replied. "We shouldn't be shocked that it's hitting him like this."

"He never liked to talk about the family when we were still in Arcana" Julia recounted. "But I thought that would all change after Arya was born." She could feel the baby kicking inside of her. Oh, don't you start now! "I just wish I knew what to say to him."

"I don't know why they thought I was the right one to talk to" Big Mike told his daughter in-law. "You're the one he'd do anything for. All you need to do is be there for him and listen to him."

"That's all I can think of, too. Thanks, Big Mike."

"That's what I'm here for, sweetie."

"Can you tell everyone that I'll take things from here and to stop contacting him?"

Big Mike laughed. "My son and his wife are more than capable of taking care of themselves. I'll remind them of just that. Take care." With that, Big Mike ended the call.

Julia placed her husband's Poké Gear on the night table and looked over towards the doorway. Dragging along a plush of an Teddiursa alongside her as she stumbled into their bedroom, Arya looked up at her mother and let out a squeaky yawn. Julia couldn't help but adore her daughter as she slowly made her way over to her side of the bed. I have to find out how she is able to keep getting free from her crib. She's only a one year old. Then it hit her and she smirked to herself. Pines ingenuity and Kingston wherewithal.

"Mama sad?" Arya asked.

"Mama is tired" Julia told her daughter. Better to let her enjoy these next few days instead of worrying like her parents would.

"I hug Mama?" Arya asked, dropping her Teddiursa on the floor and reaching for her mother.

Julia patted the bed. "Come on up, sweetheart." Arya stumbled her way up onto the bed and flung herself at her mother's legs. Julia gently stroked her daughter's back. Arya looked up at her mother and let out a giggly smile. Julia bent down as best as she could and kissed her daughter's head. "How about I put on a movie for you? Is that what you want?"

"Mooie!" Arya bounced up and down on the bed.

Julia reached for the remote control of their TV and put on some educational cartoons on for her as she helped prop Arya on one of her pillows as she struggled to get herself out of bed. "Stay right here, Arya. Mommy and Daddy have to talk."

Arya, completely mesmerized by what was on the television, ignored her mother and made herself comfortable on the pillow. Julia moved as slow as molasses towards the door to speak with Michael. Upon seeing his wife approach the door, Michael leaped to his feet and opened the door for her. He then quickly took her hand and put her safely down on her heavily cushioned chair.

"I can sit down on my own" Julia laughed.

"Can you blame me for worrying?" Michael responded. "I've got double the reason to be protective of you, Jules." He looked past her and onto their bed. "You do realize if she gets comfortable, she'll never want to go back into her crib, right?"

Julia shrugged. "I'm going to save all my arguing for her teenage years." Michael nodded and sat back down himself, with Mufasa observing the two carefully. When Julia called him over, he trotted over and rested his head on her lap as she pet the Arcanine. "I just got off a call with your father."

"Lemme guess" Michael surmised, "he wants me to come back, too?"

"We actually didn't talk much about that" Julia told him. "We're just worried about you."

Michael shook his head. "No need to be. I need to be worried about you. That's what matters to me."

"And when does my worrying matter?" Julia asked.

"I'm not the one who's going to give birth any day now" Michael replied.

"But you're the one who just lost his grandmother" Julia countered. "Honey, you can't hide the pain away forever. That's when we all end up back at square one again. Remember how long it took you to finally come to terms with Icarus?"

Michael lowered his head. "She banished me. She believed Elezar and Giselle before she believed me. I wasn't even allowed to grieve my dead Pokémon until I was out of Arcana. And when I came back and stood up to the Syndicate, I never once got an apology or a thank you. She just wanted to pretend that the last four years of my life in exile never happened."

"But think about how much you learned during those four years" Julia told him.

"Think about how many suffered while I was gone" Michael argued. "People who's lives were damaged or ruined."

Julia's mood dampened. If she remembered, there was only one person in all of the Arcana Region who had stood by Michael in his darkest moments. It shamed her to no end that it had not been her to stand by him. His Aunt Jane, who paid in consequences far worse than anyone could have fathomed Giselle's tyrannical regime could have been capable of, was the lone person who stood by her nephew. Perhaps that was why Michael was so protective of Chris and Cameron. "I know things weren't the best, but-"

"But then" Michael responded, "what would I have become if that hadn't happened? I would never have met Mark or Lizzie, Celebi or Cynthia. Who knows if you and I would have even been together?"

"I'd like to imagine we would be" Julia said optimistically, but she knew that had the fates not aligned in their own unique ways, odds are that it would have been Michael and Deidre getting married as their parents had wanted.

"I can't hold a grudge against my Grandmother for that" Michael told his wife. "Because I couldn't imagine my life going forward if you weren't in it." His face darkened. "But I do hold a grudge over something else. Something I warned her was never supposed to matter, but she made it so."

"What would that be?" Julia asked.

Michael finally looked up at her. "Once the attorney opens up Grandma's will, everyone in Arcana will know the truth." He rose from the chair and looked out onto Coumarine Bay. "It's all going to be mine."

Julia looked at him in confusion. "What? The contents of her will?"

Michael nodded. "She used to tell me that when she and Grandpa were both gone, they both wanted our family's legacy to go to me. It's all going to fall into my lap. Kingston Castle, the servants, the guards, the family fortune, all of it. And I don't want any of it." He rested on the rails over their balcony, clearly frustrated with his lack of power over this situation.

Julia frowned. "We're going to have to go back to Arcana, aren't we?"

Michael shook his head. "I'll handle this all. The second in line has to be Jon or Tori. Let them deal with the drudgery of court life and the ilk. It never appealed to me, anyway." He looked back towards his wife and lowered himself to a knee in front of her. "I want to spend the rest of my life here with you and the kids. I don't want to go back to that rat's nest. Never again."

Julia smiled as she cupped her husband's face in her hands. "How many times do I have to tell you, Honey? We don't always get what we want." She pulled him close and kissed him, before letting him go. "Besides, I need to pay my respects to Lady Bonnie as well. Because I would never have had the courage to be with you if it weren't for her."

"For her?" Michael asked. "What did she do, criticize you into insanity?"

Julia shook her head. "Nope. When we first brought the chest containing Balthazar Aced's journals to Kingston Castle, she nearly had us all thrown out. If I wasn't so afraid of losing the last trace I had of you, I would never have had the strength to challenge her then and there. And without the strength to do that, I would never have been able to face you after you returned. Plus, I wore her crown at our wedding." She felt a tear slip from her eyes and she wiped it away with her sleeve. "I wouldn't have you and Arya if it weren't for her. Of course I need to pay my respects to her."

Michael sighed. "I was hoping you'd want to be the one who encourages me to stay here. Oh well. Then, we'd better get packing. Our plan for Arcana leaves from Lumiose Airport in a few hours."