Aaand here it is guys! The last chapter! Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it. It may take me a while to start posting Alola chapters. I want to write some of it out ahead of time. It sucks when I post one chapter every two or three months, so I'm hoping to avoid that by preparing some ahead of time.

Polaris-Ponyta, Shanjin-Greninja, Yarak-Talonflame, Nelly–Auroros, Anakri-Dragelge, Lenaren-Noivern

Shira-Reshiram, Phantom-Darkrai

Chapter 26: Flying Dreams

I stood, blinking and bewildered. I felt like I'd just stepped out of a dark room into bright sunlight. Everything was blurred and my vision swam. Then a sword flashed past my face. I gasped and stumbled back, squinting and forcing my eyes to work. People were everywhere. I was in the middle of a battle. Everyone around me – people and Pokémon alike – were wearing armor. But for some reason I was dressed in a kinda cute outfit with a long blue shirt and a hat. A friend had picked it out for me, because they said I had no fashion sense. But why was I wearing it in the middle of a war?

In front of me, two warriors locked swords. Another warrior ran past, shooting me a quizzical look since I obviously didn't belong here. I had to get out. I spotted a fallen sword and dove for it. I'd done a little training with a wooden sword in aikido, but I only knew a handful of forms. That would do nothing against a trained warrior. And this wasn't even the kind of sword I was used to. But I had no Pokéballs, and I needed something to protect myself. At least until I got out of here.

I didn't get far. The sword was my undoing. I wasn't in battle garb, so few warriors would have wasted the energy coming after me. But now I was armed, and a potential threat. I'd barely gone fifty feet when a big man blocked my path. He held up his own sword and grinned. He swung his blade down. By some miracle I parried the blow. Then he did a fancy twist and my sword flew out of my hand. Grinning, he swung again. I slipped to the side, falling into my aikido reflexes. Although aikido is hand-to-hand, some movements are actually based off of the strikes of a sword. I, grabbed his hand and twirled him around, using his own momentum. He let out a surprised cry and fell face first. I didn't bother pinning him. It would do no good to stop one man when I was surrounded by enemies. I ran.

A male Pyroar sprinted past, on some mission of his own. I grabbed his armor and pulled myself onto his back. He glanced at me, but I pet his head and assured him that I meant no harm. He shrugged, and faced front again, pretending like I wasn't there. I hoped we were moving away from the fighting, not deeper into it.

Suddenly another Pyroar was in front of us. My Pyroar reared and leapt at him. I saw the jaws of the second Pyroar coming toward me, and threw myself free. I backed against a nearby rock, watching the fighting on all sides. I was no better off than I had been.

Shouts sounded around me. Not the normal battle sounds, but cries of fear. I saw some people point up, and followed their gaze. A huge bird was flying overhead. Everyone else was afraid of its presence, but I stepped into the open and spread my arms, calling to it. Overhead, it hesitated, then began to descend. Many of the soldiers scattered when they saw it approach. Others readier their bows. I gasped and shouted, "Look out!"

Instead of retreating, the bird dropped into a steep dive, falling below the first volley of arrows. She pulled out of the dive twenty feet from the ground. The archers loosed more arrows, but she used Air Slash to knock them out of the air. The archers blew off their feet, tumbling head-over-heels. The bird was beautiful. I took a step toward her, and she closed one foot around me. Then the two of us were flying over the battlefield, soldiers gaping at us.

I patted her foot. "Thanks!" I called.

We left the battlefield far behind, and finally the huge bird began to descend toward a mountain ledge. She landed and deposited me in front of her.

"Thank you," I said as I brushed myself off. "I was in a bad place."

She stared at me. "Why aren't you afraid of me?"

"Afraid? Why?"

"Most are. They call me the bringer of destruction. That I steal the life force of any around me."

"Oh. Should I be afraid of you?"

"I suppose that depends on what you want."

"Want," I repeated. "What do I want?" For some reason the question stumped me. "Oh, your name is Yveltal, right?"

"That is what most call me."

"Do you go by anything different?"

She hesitated. "Someone once gave me the name Fei."

"Fay, like fairy?" That seemed a strange name for a dark type bird.

"They said it was from another language. That it means 'dancing on the air.'"

"Oh, that's perfect! What a beautiful name."

Fei looked away. "Thank you. But I live a long time. The person who named me has been gone for years."

"Oh, I'm sorry." I placed my hand on her head. She looked surprised, but didn't move away. "Are you upset that everyone's afraid of you?"

She sat back, relaxing a little. "I've not given it much thought. Humans are usually trouble, and it's easier if they stay away from me. I only steal life energy if someone gives me a reason to."

"It's just for protection then?"

"What are Pokémon attacks if not a way to defend?"

"You got me there. I guess that…" I trailed off and looked around. Did someone just call to me?"

"What is it?" Fei asked.

"I-I dunno. I guess nothing." I tried to remember what we'd just been talking about. "If you want to stay away from humans, what were you doing flying over the battle?"

It was her turn to look confused. "I-I don't know. Why was I there? Why were you there? You don't look like a warrior from either side."

I gaped at her. "I…" The two of us exchanged confused glances.

"Anyway," Fei continued. "You're right. I've been trying to stay away from humans. Usually they stay away from me. But lately some of them have been following me. It's making me uneasy."

"A weapon," I said.

"What?"

"I don't know. Or maybe I do?" There it was again. The feeling that someone was calling to me. I shook my head. "They have some sort of weapon. And they need an energy source to power it."

"Oh, you're right. That's it. They want me to power their weapon."

"Then we should get you out of here! Why don't you leave?"

"I didn't want to. This is my home. But maybe I should clear out for a while. Human lives are so short, this will have to burn out eventually. And they've ruined so much." Fei looked up at the sky. I hadn't noticed, but twilight was deepening. "I suppose I should leave in the morning. I'm tired, and need to rest for the night."

"Do you mind if I stay with you for now?"

"I suppose that's fine."

"Thanks."

She settled down in a nest of branches and I curled up against her warm feathers. The two of us dozed off.

…

Someone was shouting. Fei and I jolted awake. We turned to see figures on the cliff above us. In unison, the people threw something that was hard to see against the dim sky. Something slapped down over us. A huge net. Fei shrieked in anger as it tangled her wings. I shouted and reached for the sword that I had dropped back on the battlefield. For some reason it was right next to me. I slipped out from under the net and started hacking at it. It wasn't rope, but chain. Fei reared up, tangling her claws and wings even more.

"Fei, be careful!" I swung the sword harder, and one of the chains snapped. The people above us started to climb down. I swung again, breaking another chain. Fei saw what I was doing and managed to twist herself around so I could cut more of the net away.

The approaching men saw me trying to release Fei, and shouted warnings to each other. Then on the ledge above, I saw a big rock into view. I blinked, confused. The early morning light was dim, but it looked like there was a chain attached to the rock. Then they pushed it over the edge. But it wasn't rolling toward Fei. They missed on purpose. Why? Then I saw it. The chain attached to the rock was also attached to the net. When the rock rolled over the precipice, it would drag her down. Fei saw it too, and her eyes widened with fear.

"No, Fei!" I swung the sword again, severing one more chain. But how? I wasn't supposed to have this sword, and it should not be able to cut through chain. I raised the sword, but before I could bring it down, the rock sailed over the cliff. Fei dug her claws into her nest, but the branches gave way and she slipped off the edge. The chain wrapped around my legs, yanking me after her. I grabbed Fei, pulling myself to her. With her wings tangled, she couldn't slow her descent.

But we were falling slowly. Or maybe the cliff was just much taller than I'd thought. Either way, we hadn't hit anything yet. Through my panic, I heard it again. Someone was calling to me. Then it clicked. Why everything felt so strange. Why I didn't know what I was doing here, or how I'd arrived. I was dreaming. So was Fei. Phantom had spun a nightmare for us to share, and now he was calling out, trying to remind me that it was a dream.

Had some of Fei's memories seeped through? No wonder she hated humans so much. I threw myself around her neck as the two of us continued our unnaturally long fall. The rushing wind made my eyes water. "Fei, I'll get you out of here! I promise!" I pushed through my fear and called out to Phantom. I thought we'd been falling slow, but now the ground was racing up much too fast. I hugged Fei and closed my eyes.

…

I sat up, gasping and shaking. My friends and Pokémon were around me, looking relieved to see me awake. Phantom had just given me the Lunar wing, pulling me out of the nightmare. Everyone was talking, but I was still too dazed to hear. Instead my attention focused on three huge Pokémon. Xerneas had revived Shira, and the two sat together. Yveltal lay splayed in the grass, eyes shut.

I stood, taking the lunar wing to Fei who was still in the nightmare - wrapped in steel and trapped in an endless plunge. I knelt in front of her, taking a deep breath and placing the lunar wing to her forehead. She shifted, then opened one sky-blue eye.

"Fei?" I said. "Are you okay?"

She eased herself into a sitting position and examined me. She took in her surroundings, seeing Xerneas and the other Pokémon watching and waiting. Lysandre, the man who had captured her, had his hands tied. Then she turned back to me. "What happened?"

"It's a long story. It would be easier if I just showed you."

"Showed me?"

"Showed you how you got here. And what's happened since."

She hesitated, then lowered her head. I placed my hand on her forehead and telepathically transferred the story of Team Flare, and how we'd stopped the weapon. She – a Pokémon that had rarely been shown kindness by humans – hadn't realized that the we were here to help. Xerneas, on the other hand, had friendlier relations to humans. When I woke him, he hadn't automatically started a rampage.

When the story concluded, Fei raised her head. "I've been asleep for three thousand years? Such a long time."

"I'm sorry. But you're free now."

She turned her attention to Fleur and Looker. "They came to help me, and I attacked them." She bowed her head "That was unacceptable of my. I'm sorry."

I translated for them. "This si Fei. She's sorry about what she did. She knows you were trying to help now, and says that it was unacceptable for her to have attacked you."

"Well, I don't blame her," Looker said.

Fleur hesitated. She looked both nervous and fascinated around Yveltal. I beckoned to her, and she stepped up next to me. "Nice to meet you Fei."

Fei nodded and let Fleur stroke her head. Then Fleur stepped back to join the others.

"Fei," I said. "Can you do a favor for us? We need to destroy the machine. So no one can use it again.

Fei looked at the machine, then to Xerneas, Shira and Phantom.

Shira returned her gaze. "Together, the four of us should be able to destroy it."

"Very well," Fei said. "I want to be rid of this thing as much as you do. You little humans better move far away."

"Thank you," I said. "Xerneas, for your help. And Fei, if you ever need anything, let me know."

Her expression softened, and she nodded. I gave her a quick hug around the I turned to Xerneas, and he lowered his head so I could hug him too. Then all of us, aside from the four legendary Pokémon, turned and walked away from Geosenge.

Lysandre eyed me as he followed. "What will you do if humans end up destroying the planet?"

I gave him a tired look. "No one person should ever decide the fate of an entire world. But I'll do everything I can to protect the people around me." He didn't even look disappointed that I'd wrecked his plans. Was he glad that I'd stopped him? How messed up was that? He wanted to destroy the world, even though he knew it was the wrong thing to do. I guess no matter what your motivation is, wanting to destroy the world is messed up. Even Giovanni didn't want to destroy the world – he just wanted to rule it.

"Thank you, Cara," Grant said. I noticed that he and Fleur were walking next to each other. Fleur glanced at him, and I got the distinct feeling that she liked him.

I smiled. "Thanks to you too. By the way, do you think you could get Fleur a good job?"

"That won't be a problem," Looker assured me.

"That's good!" Fleur exclaimed. "I'm pretty sure that I just got fired from my last job!"

We burst out laughing.

"If you're going to get fired," Bens eyes were watering from laughter, "that's the coolest way you could do it. Releasing a huge angry legendary bird on your old boss."

Lysandre sighed, rolling his eyes.

"You know she'll be good at any new job though," Hari said, acting more level-headed that us 'adults.' "Because she's one of the only people I know who got the better of Cara."

I gave a fake grimace. "Yeah, she did a number on us all right. At the power plant."

Fleur gave a devilish grin. "That's great for the resumé. I tricked a Kanto champion."

We started laughing again, giddy from the day's victory.

Behind us, Shira let out an echoing cry. We turned, and from the hillside we had a good view of the giant crystal flower. It glimmered in the sunlight, looking beautiful. It was hard to imagine that it was a weapon of destruction. Shira, Phantom, Fei, and Xerneas circled around the crystal. Then all four of them blasted out their most powerful attacks: a barrage of fire, wind, and shadow. They struck the crystal, shattering it into glistening fragments. It looked like little shards of sunset scattering into the sky.

As the sparkling dust settled, Shira and Phantom flew toward us, landing on the hill at our side. Phantom held out his hand and dropped something into my palm. A single fragment of pink crystal. Its power was gone, and now it was just a beautiful rock with a menacing past.

I looked back to Xerneas and Yveltal. Xerneas reared, tossing his antlers, and galloped away to the forest. Fei spread her wings, giving a cry of farewell. She circled once overhead, and soared away. As she glided toward the mountains, she began to tilt and weave through the air currents. It had been a long time since she had flown free. Once more, she was able to dance on the winds.