Welcome back, one and all! It's been but a short time since Turmoil finished, but nevertheless, I hope you've all been waiting on tenterhooks for this story to begin. Of course, last time we ended on a really big chapter that I hope people have been waiting to see how it's followed up on. Regardless, a quick refresher: Dynamax in Spikemuth, exploding generator, Gloria disqualified, but at the last moment Rose reveals his true nature and manipulates Ash into a deal that causes him to leave and gather the Champions. And at the end, Alastair confronts Rose in Wyndon. Now, at long last, the final chapter begins…

Author: Epicocity, Viroro

Rating: T for minor innuendo and violence

Pairings: Amourshipping, Laserbladeshipping (reference), Postwickshipping

No cover yet. Will update.

DISCLAIMER: No own Pokémon.

Love in the Time of Temerity

Book Three of the Ancienverse Galar and Coda Trilogy

Book Ten of the Ancienverse

Chapter 1

An Impetus

"A region where Gym battles are fought before a live audience?"

There was something he saw in her eyes that day, so beautiful and fierce, that inspired him. With her inquisitive nature stoked, the man leaned in, a rather giddy expression upon his face. "It's nothing less than the greatest of events!"

"I can see that," she said, smiling at him. Rose was taken aback, not expecting such a soft smile from her. "Though I'm not entirely sure it's the kind of Gym battle other regions need."

"Oh…I had thought, due to your profession…"

"It's an idea, of course, and not one I'm dismissing out of hand," the woman said, going through some papers that sat upon her desk. She carried such poise and dignity, and Rose could not help but admire her. No matter the recency of her position, or her relative youth, it brought to him pride. "I just believe that a quest to get Gym badges is a very personal one. Your region almost sounds like it attempts to mass-produce Champions."

"It keeps competition up! The grander the stage, the greater the attention! This way, all Champions know they are not infallible. They can be toppled."

"A wise sentiment. Rose, was it?" The woman looked up from her papers, finding a page tucked in amongst the rest. He began to nod with fervor, noticing the name of the company he had been nursing upon it. "You're quite the accomplished man, yourself. Running a company that seems to have a hand in infrastructure at such a young age, and you competed in your home region's League?"

"Ah, it was some years ago. I never quite made it to Champion. Not strong enough."

"Nonsense. Not all strength lies in the battlefield," she said, continuing to flash that dazzling smile in his direction. "Sometimes, strength lies in pure leadership, a good hand on the wheel in helping guide future generations."

"Oh, I wholeheartedly agree! In fact, our very own Gym Challenge is due to start soon, and I think I've found a most promising candidate!"

"You must be very busy!" she said, laughing the whole way. It made Rose lighter, knowing a woman like her was taking his ideas seriously. Trusting him. With the swish of a pen, her name was inked upon his proposal. "I can't say we'll bring the concept of stadium battles or this Dynamax to Gyms, but…I think you're heading in the right direction for a bright future. I've no doubt we'll work together for a long time. Macro Cosmos might be just what the League needs."

"Yes! Thank you very much! You're as wise, yourself. And a stunning beauty, I might add." She wasn't flattered by his compliments, but nevertheless trusted in him, and when he left the office that day, paper in hand of the agreement between League and corporation, he made a great statement. "We may be small now, but given time, Galar will be great! A titan among the others, and fit to join the League at large!"

"And I look forward to that day."

That day turned into many others.

As Galar grew, transforming to an age of modernity, Rose stuck by the woman's side. Watching her, learning from her. Every single action and battle she fought served as an inspiration, not only striking passion in Rose, but to all those around him. The young woman he had chosen as his aide; the boy who would become Champion. All abided by that woman's principles, whether they knew it or not.

With her assistance, Macro Cosmos grew, and the spectacle increased.

Yet still…she was so very far away.

Not that Rose ever blamed her. No, he was content to watch her from afar. Clap at each of her ceremonies and ribbon cuttings, help her where the structure of the League began to fail her. Through it all, he never lost the smile, the geniality, the belief that she was making a better world.

The first crack came at the Nova Incident.

"League Reform?" he asked, surprised. He had never heard of any of this, yet now that she spoke of it, Rose felt like the demons of the League were being shown to the world. A split was happening, uncovering the ugliness she had failed to keep hidden beneath. "What would that do in the first place?"

"Bring in more regions, put greater trust in the League. I do believe we've failed them long enough. I don't want to fail them further."

It was noble, and he respected her all the more for it, but that day…Loathe as he was to admit it, the flaws began to show. Still cultivating Galar, still raising it to the best it could be with the most competitive atmosphere, Rose watched the rest of the world grow with the League.

And fall with it the same.

The man named Michael, who betrayed the League. The incidents in Alola following the inaugural Lanakila Conference; the second in as many years. It spoke to a lack of control. A sinking ship, well beyond her control, no matter how many holes she attempted to patch. Oh, he tried to help, desperate to prove her right: that the League was not broken. That the world could still be fixed.

He knew, Rose knew there were still people putting their all in for the world. Names like Ash Ketchum, whose story he started to follow with great interest. The man who she trusted so much to lead the next future.

He was too soft, getting by only with his grit.

They needed more than lofty sentiments, and even as peace settled in, an unprecedented era for the world, Rose could not help but see where it would all fail. Not that he wanted it to. He put his own money up, and he continued to meet with her, talking of the future, of Galar. But every time, she refused.

"I'm not entirely comfortable with a region where winning and losing is everything, Rose. It feels…draconian, at best," she had told him that dinner at the League Hub. He had hoped, oh, so desperately for her to finally approve Galar's entrance to the League.

"Surely you can see where it needs merit, though? Peace won't last forever. Strength is needed. And it's been a very long time since a regional League has entered the major ranks."

"I'm well aware, and in that time, you've increased the focus on your Dynamax project."

"Just as you've increased the focus on your Mega Evolution studies!"

"This isn't some competition!" she said, standing with fury. He refused to back down, but remained watching the lines etching their way into her face. "These are people's lives. If we institute a system where the only matter of worth is winning or losing, we force people to strive for perfection. But life, itself, is not perfect. Keep trying to pretend you can make it, and people will get hurt."

Those words, mere days before the Champion Tournament, haunted him, splitting him in two between the Galar he had built, and the Galar she would have preferred to see. In time, perhaps, he figured he would come to see her way, as he always did. She had a way about her with that. That night, he returned to Galar, rethinking all towards a less aggressive future.

Then, that day came.

It was an…odd sensation, to say the least. Like his body, ripped apart and put back together, yet so fast, he'd hardly had a moment to register what had happened. All he remembered were the dreams, dreams of a world where he stood by her side, building the League to a peaceful future.

Reality was not so kind.

"We're losing power fast!"

"What's going on there? These Galar Particle readings are off the charts! Energy output is rising to insane extents in the Wild Area!"

"Someone patch the loss of energy," Rose had ordered that day, when the world was set into an utter panic. People were confused and dazed, lost in the fog of a dream they could barely remember. It had only been but a few seconds, no time passing for much of the world at all.

But for Galar, those seconds had cost them decades…and opened the door to eternity. Shortly after they had managed to stabilize the power, locating the source that had caused much of the havoc, the news had begun to trickle in alongside his reports.

The energy reports were staggering. The wake of what had occurred in the region of Kalos rippled across the world with horrible effect. Somehow, someway, they had been depleted of their stores, all of the Galar Particles they had begun to use for powering the region were being absorbed, taken, leaving them with little time for a solution. If that wasn't enough, the news showed similar effects all across the world. Perhaps not an energy crisis, but crises nonetheless. Significant landmarks destroyed. Towns razed.

The worst of all, however, was the news regarding her.

CHAMPION DIANTHA PERISHES IN BATTLE AT ANCIEN CITY

Rose felt his entire world end when he saw that report, collapsing in his chair and worrying Oleana to no end.

She was gone.

The bright beacon of hope he believed in was gone, leaving him behind.

Leaving him behind with the legacy of a broken world.

The more he learned, the more maddening her death became. And in the days following her death, more and more his eyes turned to that great parasite that was taking energy from them.

"I will not let it take anymore…"

"Sir?" Oleana asked, showing clear worry over the man that had made her into what she was. Looking out over Wyndon, that day, Rose looked back to his secretary, the one he knew he could trust above all else.

"Look at it all, Oleana. A glittering city, built on a giant's back," he said, indicating she should join him. When she did, he continued. "Yet, even a giant can break. A titan can fall. It's sickening, the way such madmen turned her into a martyr, made her beauty end. I will not allow it anymore."

"You don't mean to use-"

"I do," Rose insisted, looking out at the mightiest city in Galar…no, the world! "I will restore our failing region, and I will rebuild the failed League that allowed Diantha's legacy to become one stained with blood. There are more uses for Galar Particles than mere energy. It is time we use them, for you cannot fix a broken system.

"You can only burn it down and begin anew."

His assistant said nothing, ignoring what madness had visited him. He did not see it as madness at all. No, now he had purpose.

"I will make Galar the greatest region. I will rebuild Diantha's legacy and guide the League towards the future it must attain. For everyone's sake.

"I will bring peace."

The new age was about to begin.

Present Day

The blade struck against the spear, a haze of melting sparks spitting into the air. It lit the office with orange, and with a guttural cry, Aegislash was flung upward. With a grunt, Alastair stumbled back.

"How careless," Rose said, his eyes drawing far out of his reverie to smirk at his assailant. He adjusted the cuffs of his suitcoat. "I often need to remind myself of the bodies you've felled. Though it would seem you think yourself a younger, stronger man."

"Strong enough to end you! Shadow Ball!" Alastair's cry was pained, but no less tactical. The shadows bubbled, and from within, the ghostly form of the man's most vicious partner appeared, creating an array of crackling, ghostly orbs. It fired.

"Power Whip. Razor Shell." Another light shined from his waist, creating the form of a Ferrothorn to join the Escavalier already in his office. Rose's desk was in pieces, some of the debris flying up from the attacking Shadow Ball, cracking through the window and letting a breeze in. Rose still found himself unable to move, his eyes finding the Marshadow that Alastair was protecting. Cocking his head, there came an upturn of his lips.

Escavalier and Ferrothorn tore through the offending attack, sweeping aside some of the offending debris and leaving a space between the two men. All Rose could see was the shattered picture frame, him and Diantha.

Simpler times.

"Go." Alastair's base command brought Rose's cold eyes back up, centralizing his fury upon that one man. Marshadow disappeared, racing through the ground and allowing Rose's body free long enough to send one last Poké Ball out.

"Metal Claw." Perrserker struck, striking at the shadow. At first, he appeared to miss, allowing the shadow to go unhindered as the sharp claws created gouges in the floor. It forced Marshadow in a different direction, one that tried a sharp turn for Rose himself as Alastair ran for him. "Leech Seed."

"Ferro!" Ferrothorn's cry indicated the spitting of the seed and a sudden growth in the path of Marshadow. He couldn't stop in time, and the roots snared upwards, locking the poor specter down and beginning to drain him. Alastair lunged again, and a quick-moved Fell Stinger intercepted, blocking the Sacred Sword.

"If you've come to kill me, Alastair, you'll need to do better. One doesn't reach my position on wit and negotiation alone."

"There are no negotiations with me!" Alastair broke Aegislash free, stabbing right for Rose's head. The man ducked, letting out a wheeze and tumbling to the floor. Above his head, the ghostly sword had shattered into the glass. Alastair swung, sending shards down to the pristine lawns of Rose Tower below. Rose scrambled to his feet.

"Oh, don't I know it. Tell me, how did it feel when you ran your blade through her heart?" Rose pushed up, snapping his fingers. Aegislash was on the move again, only to be intercepted by a Metal Claw. "How did it feel to take such a beloved Champion from this world for your vain, senseless ambitions?"

"Ask her yourself." Alastair had every intention of following through on that, slicing away the Leech Seed. Rose's body locked up, Marshadow's effect taking over and allowing the blade to once more descend for his heart. It didn't make it, not with Ferrothorn's free vines snaking up and grabbing hold of the sword.

"I have no intention to." Rose turned on his heel. Battler though he could be, pragmatism was the order of the moment, and he fled. His feet crunched across the glass until he reached the elevator beyond his door, and the bodies therein, briefly pressing for the roof. Alastair slashed apart Ferrothorn, throwing him to the ground below before hauling back and tossing his blade.

Rose smiled, and the doors closed. Aegislash embedded itself on the other side, but his lift shot upwards, safe from harm.

Not for long, he knew. Alastair was relentless, and there was no greater proof than the shadow that soon snaked along the sides of the tower, joining Rose in his race for the roof. He kept his eye upon it, flying past the remaining few floors above his office to arrive at the top. The doors slid open, and Rose grabbed his remaining Poké Ball. He backed up, keeping his eyes on all corners of the expansive roof. The wind whistled in his ears, blocked only by the large stairway behind him, leading to the uppermost roof of Rose Tower.

"There is no running." Gripping tight, Rose turned. A shadow finished its ascent, pooling at the edge of the roof. From within, Alastair and his pair of Pokémon emerged, Aegislash once more joined to its owner. Rose offered a chortle.

"Believe me, I'm not. I've no intention of running, just as she didn't before you ended her life." His Poké Ball shined, calling forth his most magnificent and greatest Pokémon. Copperajah trumpeted loudly with his snout, a battle cry that rang across Wyndon. Alastair was, as always, unfettered.

"Call as many Pokémon as you like. It will make no difference."

"Oh, but you've already tried to make a difference, haven't you?" Rose said. He took some steps back, keeping Copperajah between himself and Alastair. The man stalked him, his two Ghost types waiting for the command to engage. "You built an entire career on it, until that came crashing down. Don't be surprised. I know everything there is to know about you, Alastair the Defense of IDEAL."

"Then you know I will stop at nothing," Alastair rushed forward. The bladed trunk of Copperajah swung out, gleaming silver, only to be stopped mid-strike by Marshadow. Gengar slipped back into the shadows, eyes glowing blue with the power of Hypnosis. A snap later and Copperajah's great screech emanated, freezing Gengar in its path, or at least for a moment before it flung a Shadow Ball that rocked into the elephant's side. Alastair reached Rose and swung down, but he flinched, allowing Rose to step aside. Copperajah went on the move, trying to break free of his shadowy bonds and bowl Alastair over, only for the man to avoid the blow.

"Hurting, are we? Your tenacity to follow through on this is a commendation," Rose admitted. His hair had grown disheveled, and he reached up to run a hand through his locks. "Then again, you have always been made of that. Even to your final mission, you never broke. Just as that child before you never did."

"Are you making some kind of point?!" Alastair was there, jabbing forward. Rose found himself unable to move, fodder for the incoming blade.

Copperajah could, tackling Alastair and tossing him into the stairs. They broke under the force, but Rose didn't presume to believe the man was done. As the dust cleared, and the one-eyed stalwart of IDEAL was revealed to be standing, Rose began to clap. "Very good. What strength. The very strength that tried to change the world!"

"Gah…hah…" Alastair straightened, clasping to the old wound at his side. It was one Rose presumed had had no chance to fully heal in the last few months. He shook his head.

"You know, Alastair, we're not so different. We both believe the world to be fundamentally broken, in need of a new system. You simply tried to attain it by breaking everything down. I wish to change it by creating a new system on top of the broken pieces of the old. One correcting the League's mistakes of the past." Alastair let loose a growl, but Rose did not back down. All of the Pokémon coiled, preparing for battle. Rose was free enough to lift his cuff past his wrist. "I cannot forgive you for killing Diantha, of course, but I cannot deny you would have a place. Your legacy demands it, just as mine does."

"Hah…legacy…" Alastair whipped Aegislash out, the blade growing crimson in the bright lights surrounding them. "You know nothing of Deirdre's legacy. And apparently little of your vaunted Champion's, as well. She would have me find my own path, free of IDEAL's burden."

"Denying your past?" Rose's eyes narrowed. He was done treating with the fool who dared challenge him.

"No. Accepting it. I'm well aware of my crimes, and will pay for them in due time. My way." Alastair stepped forward, and Gengar created its orbs of shadow. "I have lied and killed more than my fair share. It is, at this point, the only life I know. So, if one more life puts an end to the madness we started, then I have no qualms ending a rabid cur who seeks to play king!

"I will not let your ambitions become reality, Rose!"

Rose sighed, shaking his head. "Very well. But my ambitions will not be stopped."

He raised his arm, touching to the band upon it, and the roof exploded with light. A Shadow Ball flew, and power erupted. Swords swung through the air, the devilish red glow tinging the night sky.

And as the two unbending wills clashed atop Rose Tower, an explosion eclipsed the sky, radiating across all of Galar.

"…a lamentable event. However, we within Macro Cosmos remain strong," the voice echoed across the many screens in the room, joining with the multitude of ears watching the woman onscreen. "Though it has been but four days since the assault on the energy that keeps Galar running, we have managed to restore service to most affected areas. Circhester is back, as are many of its surrounding areas."

"What of Spikemuth? Most crews have barred access to the area, but the rumor is that it was heavily destroyed!" a man onscreen asked, though the camera never left the ashen-haired woman speaking.

"Yes, Spikemuth took untold damage. However, with this comes splendid news that our beloved Chairman plans to build a new stadium to replace the old town. A new glory day for Spikemuth is coming." Ash tapped the table at the words, glaring at the screen in a way that only his understanding could bring him to. He wanted to growl, but the twitching eye from the man next to him made it unnecessary.

"And have you caught those responsible?" a female reporter asked, driving many of the other journalists into a frenzy over the potential answers to the question. "A few days ago, you had some Gym Challengers as persons of interest, but then retracted the statement. Does this hold true?"

"Yes," the woman said, and the reminder of her very own hand in the events made Ash's knuckles whiten. "While we believed Gym Challengers Gloria, Marnie and Hop to have some involvement, it turns out they were nothing more than benevolent. The true criminals have been revealed as these four perpetrators, who not only plunged eastern Galar into darkness, but also led an assault on Rose Tower less than twenty-four hours after the event."

"You have to be kidding me…" The predictable scoff from the other man next to Ash led to much eyerolling. There was no surprise from that, not with Jessie, James and Meowth's pictures splashed across the screen. The fourth picture was a sketch at best, a rather horrible attempt to depict Serena's father, but the intent was all the same, and it gave Ash a labored sigh. It didn't help to be followed by a video, one that seemed to have cleverly taken footage of the trio and spliced it together with a way that made them seem present.

It wasn't like anyone else would be able to speak the truth.

"Former criminal elements of the Kanto-based organization Team Rocket are noted to have been heavily involved, with their new leader, known only by the pseudonym Y, spearheading the assaults from the shadows," Oleana said, standing even taller as the wave of questions tried to crash over her. She showed no fear nor worry. "However, there is no need to fear. Macro Cosmos is working closely with the authorities to find them and discern their motives for such devastation. Meanwhile, Champion Leon is in Wyndon, upping security there to ensure only the safest of conferences.

"We are, as ever, your servants. Committed solely to the safety and security of our great region. Peace will return to Galar. That is our Macro Cosmos promise."

Applause followed, nearly on the level of that which Ash had seen in their Gym battles. The crowd cheered, roaring with approval. Even over the speakers of the live press conference, many words could be heard praising the company as heroes in such trying times. Rose's name, in particular, was lauded alongside Leon's, praise for his greatness.

It was at this moment the monitor shut off.

"What a mess…" Lance's words made Ash finally look away from the blank monitor, to the wide table upon which many were sat.

He hadn't quite had the chance to take it all in, being the last to arrive with Paul in tow, the most difficult to find (while also the most stubborn in wanting to come along). Now, however, seated at the table, he could see the array of Champions, all looking contemplative over the press conference. From the frustrated Lance to the musing pair of Cynthia and Steven, all of the Champions were putting stock in the deal Rose had placed upon him. Even Alder was awake, drumming his fingers away. Various other Elite Four members were seated at the table, less involved, but still with the voice and ears to pay attention.

Clemont wasn't to be excluded, either, bringing something up on a holographic screen.

"Ash," Steven called from across the table, "tell us again what happened. For everyone's ears."

"Before another press conference interrupts us…" Alain muttered, drawing a snort from Paul next to him. Malva elbowed her subordinate, causing him to cover things up with a cough. To Ash's surprise, Kahili was not laughing, but rather listening and watching with the sharp senses of a hawk.

"Rose wants the Champions in Galar for the Wyndon Conference," Ash said, rubbing at his temples. He felt as though he'd repeated this ad nauseum over the last many days, but had gotten no closer to a solution in getting out of it. He hoped it would change now that all of the Champions were gathered at the League Hub. "He wouldn't say why. But he did all of this stuff just to get me into a position to-"

"To apparently save the career of one girl over the cost of a region," Alder said. Ash didn't like the implication, but couldn't deny any of it, either. The red-headed Champion of Unova, looking worn in his elder years, sighed. "Not that I can blame you. I'd probably have done the same."

"Rose was going to do anything he could to make it that way," Ash insisted. "If I didn't bite at that, he would have just done something else. He's crafty that way."

"Pika…"

"Indeed," Malva said, agreeing with the notion. She was leaning back, drawing all eyes to her as she spoke with experience. "He's essentially laid a trap we have no choice but to spring."

"A trap?" Kahili now interjected. She was leaning forward, looking less than enthused about her first situation as Champion. Ash watched her, flicking his eyes between the two women and whatever Clemont was up to on his screen. "If this is a trap, he's being awfully obvious about it."

"Of course, he is," Malva said with a wave. Lance and Steven both groaned, clearly frustrated with the situation having become what it was. It made Ash feel bad about having led them into this, having failed them, but the Kalos Champion's next words confirmed he had no reason to beat himself up. "He doesn't need to be opaque about it. He wants us, or perhaps needs us, there. Like Lysandre, he wants the eyes of the world focused on Wyndon for his big debut."

"Then we just don't go," Paul said, folding his arms across his chest. "Or arrest the idiot at least."

"That would create a larger slew of issues…" Cynthia said with her own sigh. She looked tired from her flight, sipping on one of her many choices of coffee before her before reaching for another cup, and then another. "Canceling the League could work in Rose's favor. And us not appearing? It's a year where Galar has been making a higher bid for the League. To refuse said request could be…disastrous…"

"I don't see how." Cynthia pursed her lips, allowing one of the other Champions to field Alain's statement.

In this case, Steven leaned forward into the task. "You saw the press conference. Macro Cosmos is not like the Devon Corporation. They have power, and a deep entrenchment in the region's League. Or did you not read Ash's report?"

"You're saying that like we can understand his chicken scratch." Ash elbowed Paul, but saw fit to clear the air.

"It's true. Macro Cosmos pretty much owns everything in Galar. The League, the energy, the police…"

"Safe to say they own the people, too," Kahili noted, finally leaning back in her chair in defeat. "I mean, they ate up that woman's words like it was food. Praising them as heroes. We'd be so lucky if we got that kind of attention."

"And it's something that creates an even greater issue we can't ignore," Lance said. He was throwing his own hat in the ring, flicking through the pages of Ash's hastily written report, grimacing a few times over his shoddy writing. Ash didn't care much, for the Champion appeared to understand what was being said. "This isn't like IDEAL, or Lusamine, or Lysandre. Rose is, for all intents and purposes, a part of the League itself. We can't treat him like we would any other threat. We're barely recovering from IDEAL as it is…"

"So, we spring the trap, right?" Alder said, his wrinkled hand moving to stroke his chin. All eyes turned to him, save for Clemont's, who was shaking his head at what he saw on the screen. They appeared to be news and energy reports, and he eventually moved them to a drive and closed the screens down. "Rose wants us there, and he's planning something big for the League, otherwise he wouldn't request us. It might play into his hands but…"

"…but we stand a better chance of preventing any damage if we are also there," Cynthia concluded, nodding. Alder grinned at her agreement, wiggling his eyebrows, but all of it went summarily ignored.

"I don't worry too much about physical damage," Malva said once again. "Rose is not the type. However, he could do irreparable damage to the League in our recovery."

"It could be that's the reason he chose now in the first place. Among other reasons." Clemont's bold statement drew no surprise from anyone else in the room, and they didn't even have to look at him to share in agreement. "Going off of Ash's report, the increase in Power Spots, as well as corroborating evidence that there was a blackout around the time of the battle in Ancien City, makes me think there's something else behind this. But I can only do so much from here."

"You want to go to Galar, don't you?" Lance asked. It took the slightest of seconds, but Clemont nodded. There was no deliberation on the subject. "Very well. Go to Galar and examine the Macro Cosmos power structure in full if you can. In the meantime, Champions, it seems we have about three weeks to plan for the worst and make an appearance in Wyndon. We'll use that time to try and discern what Rose is up to for real."

"And me?" Ash asked, petting Pikachu's head. The Champions watched him, each deliberating their own decisions or ways he could go about doing his job.

"Deliver your report to Rose in Wyndon," Malva said. The other Champions let her, trusting her with the same task of business and politics that Diantha had been so used to. The more he watched, the more certain Ash was that her newfound position fit Malva like a glove. "It might give us a hint, but at the very least should give some time to breathe, particularly for your protégé."

"I agree. If that is all, Champions, we have work to do." Lance's words called an end to the meeting. Many left their chairs, each Champion but a few making their way to exit. Paul and Alain looked less than enthused, though Ash noticed the most disgruntled look belonged to someone who hadn't been let in the meeting. From outside the door, Sawyer nodded to Ash before walking away with Steven, the Hoenn Champion filling him in.

Ash remained seated, and a moment later received a nudge from Clemont. "Ash, since we're both heading to Galar first, why don't we go together?"

"Sure…" Ash said. He pat Pikachu on the head, not putting much thought behind what he was saying, a sigh parting his lips. Realizing how absentminded he was, Ash affixed a smile. "Sorry. Yeah. It'll be good to spend time together. We've both been so busy lately."

"Now, Ash, it does no good to lie to yourself," Malva commented, one of the only two remained sitting. Kahili was across from her, folding her fingers as she tried to consider everything that was happening. "What's on your mind?"

Ash blinked, surprised that Malva had read him so easily, and he gave a little chuckle. "Guess I just feel like I'm not doing a very good job…"

"Mm, a feeling I can sympathize with," Malva said, adjusting the glasses on her face. She was closing down her own terminal, ready to leave but still holding long enough to speak. "I've been Champion for only a few months, and now we're dealing with this situation. It makes me wonder what Diantha would have done, and if I'm upholding that job with pride. For all her flaws, the woman knew how to make things work."

"Rose must have really looked up to her," Clemont said. Ash was confused by that, same as Pikachu, but the partners tried to hide it. "Or so I'd guess. For him to do this now, after her death and not before…"

"Yes. A bit of an enigma, but in hindsight, he always had such admiration for Diantha. She thought of him as a great ally, though I'm not entirely sure that was the kind of acknowledgement he sought. I always felt like he wanted to be her equal, and she never quite saw it that way…" Malva stood, looking more than a bit thoughtful. A bitter chuckle wormed its way to her lips. "Just a guess, of course. Still…ironic that she who sought peace most of all should leave behind a legacy that is Rose."

"Every generation leaves behind a legacy that seems more difficult than the last," Kahili said, finally speaking and leaning back in her chair. "It's easy for us to stew in what the older generation left, or what we might leave behind for the next. What's important is moving forward in spite of it. Like Alola: Lanakila took a blow, but we picked up the pieces, moved on."

"And such a line of thought appears to have made you a wonderful new Champion, Kahili. Here's hoping you hold to your position for the years to come." Malva began to turn away, but before she could leave the room in full, the woman paused. "And Ash, your sister has a point. Don't dwell so much. Just be you. It's served yourself and the world fine thus far."

It was easy for her to say, leaving the room, but the advice left Ash feeling more disgruntled. More helpless than ever. Clicking his cheek, Ash stared at the table, wracking his brain for something, anything else he could do besides playing messenger. That line of thought ended at Kahili's weight settling on his shoulders. "You're not just talking about being the League's errand boy, are you? Let me guess, Little Miss Ketchum?"

"Little Miss who?" Clemont asked. Ash threw Kahili's hands off of him, spinning in his chair to face her directly. Clemont appeared to come to his revelation before Ash could talk. "Oh, you mean that girl, Gloria? The one Bonnie's become good friends with?"

"She's not my sister, Kahili."

"Aw, your denial is cute." The woman attempted to ruffle his hair, but when he stopped her midway, she went straight to stroking Pikachu's fur. "Then again, after what went down, is it that you think you've failed her as a brother? Or are you worried you failed at being a Liaison?"

Ash paused, unsure what to say, before he finally hung his head and replied with, "Both."

He received a flick on his forehead for his troubles, before a blow came to the back of it. He was glad it wasn't a golfclub. "Cut it out. You're perfectly suited for being Liaison. No one could have done better. You can't blame yourself for Rose putting you in this position. Besides, push comes to shove, I'll use my full powers as Champion to bring pain and punishment upon him!"

"You having the power of a Champion scares me, Kahili." Ash received another blow from that, but being so used to them, he hardly winced.

"Don't talk back to your older sister."

"I never asked for you to be my sister, you know," Ash snapped back, but hardly felt like refuting the fact she was. He slumped in his chair, hands in his pockets. "Didn't ask for Gloria to get so close to me, either, and now I'm just…I'm not sure what to do about any of it."

"Support her." It was a simple statement that came from Clemont, the boy standing and offering him a smile. Ash and Pikachu tilted their heads in curiosity. "I know it's not usual for you, since you're always so used to leading the crowd, Ash, but maybe all she needs is support. Knowing you're there for her. At least, it's a thought."

"Not a bad thought, in my opinion." Kahili nodded, as though she had been the one giving the sage-like wisdom. Ash rolled his eyes, dodging the swipe at his head. Still, Kahili adopted a more pensive expression. "We're starting to see what people who think they need to lead can end up being like…or maybe we've always seen it. Who knows?

"You'll figure it out." Kahili thumped him on the back and patted Pikachu on the head once more before making to leave the room, herself. "Looks like we have a bit to do. Looking forward to meeting our new little sister at Wyndon. Oh…and my nephew or niece, of course! Serena's gotta be pretty far along by now, yeah?"

The reminder of his wife's pregnant state put a new thought into his head, but Ash managed to catch up enough to offer Kahili a wave as she left. Clemont was right behind her. "I'll start getting our trip ready. Better call Korrina…looks like the wedding might have to be delayed another month. Bonnie's going to kill me…"

"Sure. I'll catch up." Clemont departed, leaving Ash alone inside the giant meeting room of the League Hub. He let out a breath, smiling to Pikachu, and his partner lit up with a smile, both having the same idea. With the press of a few buttons on his own terminal, the call was sent out. It took a while, but eventually, the call was answered…with a slobbering face. "Yamper!"

"Pichupi?!"

"Wampa! Wampa!" The little dog licked at the screen, very excited to see Pikachu. He ran away a little, gamboling back and forth and leaving tiny little spark trails behind him, at least until a pair of arms entered the picture, attached to a very swollen tummy, and lifted him up.

"Ash, it's good to hear from you." Serena sat down, her face visible as she centered the phone's screen on her. "What's wrong?"

"Why does anything have to be wrong? I can't just check to see how you and the baby are doing?" Ash said, rubbing the back of his head. Pikachu shook his own, and Ash didn't dare to try and shush him.

"We're fine, thanks for asking, but Ash…I know you." He didn't break under her stern expression, though he did avert her eyes, noticing some packed bags behind her. Knowing she wouldn't answer until he cracked, Ash refused to ask. Serena, as always, figured it out anyway. "It's Gloria, isn't it?"

Ash's body let out the full breath, a laughter trickling its way into it. "Can't get it past you."

"Talk to me."

"Where to start…" Ash leaned back in his chair, staring up at the bright lights of the ceiling, the majority of them feeling so cold and austere. "I feel like I failed her. I'm stuck in this situation where all I can do is play errand boy, and I had to leave Gloria to do it. I know she can make it, but…

"And then there's Rose. I can't just…fight him. He's not some guy I have to beat in a battle and everything'll be okay. And he knows it. Only the Champions can deal with it and I just…I'm starting to feel a little useless to everybody."

Serena didn't say a word. She sat there, holding Yamper, who reacted when there seemed to be a kick from the baby. It didn't deter the woman, who eventually found the smile everyone loved coming back to her face. "You're not useless, Ash. Just going through a big change, and how you're feeling is normal. I know I certainly felt that way until I started teaching. What was I supposed to do? How could I help things?"

"Yeah, well, it's starting to make me wish things wouldn't change…"

"No, you don't," Serena clarified. One look at her smile and he knew she was right. He didn't want things to stay the same; the challenge of a new adventure was always something he loved to approach. He only wasn't sure how to approach this one. "And you know, that's what makes you a wonderful Pokémon Master. That ability to connect with others, talk with them, never give up on them. Even as the world has changed so much, that part of you hasn't. That's the part that matters most. Not the rest of the world, or your title. Just you being you. I think you know that."

She wasn't wrong, but hearing it from her certainly helped remind him of it. He found himself smiling again. "I do wish there was something I could do for Gloria, though. I tried so hard to let her have a peaceful adventure, that I got us into this and had to leave. Feels like how Diantha looked at us before Nova Town, and I don't want to make that same mistake. I'm not sure how to handle it, though."

"Then, don't. You're not alone, Ash, and you shouldn't have to do things alone, either." Serena reached up to the screen with her fingers, and Ash matched her, the pair feeling as though they were intertwining, even if it was physically impossible. It made him feel connected to her, and their child. "You leave Gloria to me. I'm heading to Hammerlocke for our exhibition, and from what Astrid mentions, they're still there. I'll help set her right."

"If anyone could, it's you."

"And you focus on what only you can do. I know there's something." A crash sounded on the other side of the phone, and Ash noticed Heather come into the frame. "Well, looks like that's my cue to catch the train. Take care, Ash. I love you."

"Love you, too. And our baby!" he made sure to add. Their hands split apart, and after another attempt from Yamper to lick Pikachu's face, the call ended, leaving Ash fully alone.

He didn't sag, though. There was no room for self-doubt. He trusted his wife to pull Gloria out of where she was left, and knew she would be just fine. The girl was strong, after all, even if she didn't realize it. She would find her path towards victory. He believed in her that way.

No, Ash had to focus on his own path, and as he sat there, wracking his brain, he could come up with only one solution. He stood, Pikachu hopping to his shoulders. There had been one person whose name had never even been called into question, considered such a footnote against what Rose was doing.

But for Ash it was a lifeline. A possibility for answers, and a possibility for a chance to do something, help someone. In some way, Ash felt like he was the one person he couldn't yet understand, and wanted to. He was also the one person in Galar's leading ranks he felt he could even trust on some nominal level. So, he grinned to Pikachu.

"Well, buddy, time to go back to Galar. We're gonna meet with Leon."

Author's Note: And so we begin. This chapter, as is usual for me, opens without the main character present. Of course, Ash being here is a tad bit of a loophole, but as he's not the main character of this trilogy, it still fits with my usual opening of a final book without the main character.

Bigger than that are the reveals. Diantha. Yes, Diantha. This is a reveal we've been building to since my threeshot in August. The picture with Rose in it. The picture on Rose's desk. His reaction to speaking about her death. His reaction to things about IDEAL. Him saying he would fulfill "her legacy". Oh, and the fact he was listening to Kalosian Opera. All of this was leading here. That her death, her murder at Alastair's hands, is the entire spark that kickstarted this trilogy and led us to where we are now.

There's still a bit to be revealed in Rose's plans, but this paints a clearer picture of the man he is, and the state Galar is in. Time will tell how Ash's meeting with Leon goes.

Viroro: And thus begins the first chapter of the final entry of the Galar Trilogy, giving us some insight into Rose's motivations. Turmoil's final chapter already underscored how this is a much different take on Rose, and this chapter expands on that: he does definitely have elements of his game self and of his original goal, but the context is fairly different and much more rooted into the fabric of the Ancienverse. Diantha has always been a presence hanging in the background of the story in the previous entries of this trilogy, but it's here that we finally put everything in its proper context. Hope you enjoyed, because we sure did.

Much like prior final stories in the Ancienverse, the protagonist hasn't shown up yet, but Ash and various familiar faces certainly did. We always planned this book to be the one where more of the classic Ancienverse's feel and characters get to show up, and while we don't plan to make all of them take over the story, we like to think it helps showcasing the raised stakes from Turmoil's ending. This is a fairly different sort of threat for Ash and the others to face, and one they need to be on the lookout for. And of course, Kahili gets to return, and we finally answered how her battle with Kukui from Finals, Flights and Fights ended up going for her. Quite well, for sure!

There's a lot of ground to cover and a story to tell, but we hope you will enjoy this final trip through Galar with us, and that you'll keep looking forward to what's to come.

So, all of this being said, our schedule resumes as normal to the end of the story. If you're starved for content on those off-days, I, Epicocity, have begun publishing my second series, Chosen Shine, on both Royal Road and Fictionpress (the former of which has my first series, The Soul Saga). Please check them out and leave some feedback!

Until next chapter, though, please Review and,

Dare to Be Silly.