I can't believe we've finally made it to the end. Thank you so much for making it this far. I know it's been a wild ride, life was tough on me throughout posting this. I'm glad I'm done, but there's still so much to the story I've got to tell. I will be taking a while to rest, plan and draft the next installment. It will hopefully be out by January but who knows. Thank you all again!

Dear Layla,

Sorry I've been so quiet lately, I just got off an island and the adventure there was... magical. I was on the island by myself for at least a month, looking for answers and I found something else.

Anyway, I'm in Hoenn after some time spent in Sinnoh and some other places. I'll be here for a while more. I've really come to enjoy being on my own with little to no contact with most others, it's just easier when I'm out searching... Plus, I get to overload you on what I've found. I'll attach the pictures at the bottom.

...

I'm staying with Elijah and his family, it's been years since I saw them last, and will move on from here as I see fit. I'm pretty excited to come back home soon, though. I know Lance is hurting and that what happened was a while ago, but I need some more time. Please tell him I'm okay and will be home in a couple months (I think). Clair won't pass along anything I say to him and I don't want to put him through the awkwardness of talking with my parents.

I miss being home, and having friends like you around. There's still so much to know out here I can't leave yet. I saw the trouble going on at home, good job helping out, I'm glad things cooled off. Team Rocket is dangerous, I don't recommend getting too involved with them. How are things with you? How's Morty? I haven't seen him since his interview for Gym Leader, I hope he enjoys the position and is doing well in it.

...

Stay safe,

Serena

P.S.- Here's the latest picture of me with Elijah, feel free to show Lance so he believes you that I'm fine. He will let his mind run wild if he doesn't have proof.

OoO

Never thought that I was weak
Always thought I could get hurt pretty bad
Still get up on my own two feet

I always believed that I was free
That I had some sense of integrity
That would rise above whatever tried to change me

The ripe smell of the freshly tilled dirt fills Lance's nose as he prepares himself to step out from the entryway onto the battlefield. The rumble of the crowd thrums in his veins, syncing with his heartbeat and he swears with the heartbeat of his pokemon too. Pre-battle jitters never hit him hard, it was mainly excitement, much like now. Giving his mind clarity and focus on what's ahead.

Having gotten back from his two month trip from Mt. Silver and beyond just a week ago, Lance hasn't felt so centered in a long time. Refreshed and ready, he feels he can carry out his duty whether it's a win or a loss.

A battle against a trainer, testing their strength and bond with their pokemon against his own.

Would it be enough?

The thought doesn't make it above a whisper thanks to his discipline, but the echo it leaves can't be ignored. His cape closes around him like a protective barrier against the harsh realities of the world, the truth that Serena isn't there to tell him otherwise. That he has to do this on his own again, win or lose, he's the Champion. Her champion, specially picked, and he has to set that bar high.

Rena , her nickname in his head sends warm shivers down his back.

A hint of a smile starts at the edge of his mouth from the email Layla forwarded to him of her. She looks good, even darker from the sunlight of Hoenn, with bright eyes. Elijah and Stephanie looked good too, their kids a few years older and still as attached to Serena as they used to be.

She's okay, and in Hoenn. That's an easy flight, he could do it if he lost tonight.

He'd find her and talk with her, tell her how sorry he felt and that he'll help her find her answers about what her uncle did to her. They could take down Team Rocket together...

The announcer's microphone adjusting pulls his attention to the present. All he has to do is battle at his best and then make plans after.

No throwing the battle. An honest, fair fight where he tests Lyra's strength. She's trained hard and so has he. So has everyone for this tournament. Win or lose, he'll have done his best. For Lyra, for his pokemon and for Serena.

" -against Lance, the Champion! " The announcer finishes his introduction in time for Lance to step out.

The crowd cheers as he does so, his professional smile plastered on his face and shoulders back as he strides to his spot across from Lyra. He remembers standing on her side, Clair and Serena on the sidelines cheering him on, and knowing the world was watching. Silver and Ethan sit not far on the side, their faces tense but supportive as she listens to his opening speech.

The same one crafted by Serena, now tweaked a little as he does each year and gives a small pause to allow time to prepare. A silence washes over the crowd as the two take their positions and Lance tosses his pokeball first, giving Lyra the ability to change her mind if she'd like.

His mind falls silent, focussing on the battle and forgetting the world around him.

This is here and now.

I always thought that you'd be here
But shit gets fucked up and people just disappear

OoO

Oh, I'm a master pretender

I always knew that I was young
But with a head held high and a shotgun
I could fool almost anyone

I never expected to be struck
By the fatal hands of fortune or by sheer bad luck

The sunny blue skies of Ecruteak paint the streets in a warm, comforting light. The heat of the sun, and relief of the breeze, only make the day more perfect.

Until Layla looks at the email sent by Sabrina months ago. Her father got back from his trip, then everything went to hell and the two forgot all about Dom and focused on the issue at hand. The email came out of the blue and it took Layla a while to open it, even after everything calmed down. Eventually Morty was the one to open it.

There wasn't much but a name; Dominic Wolfe.

And he had a Phd somewhere in there, but her father wasn't sure what.

So, finally, a name. Part of the mystery has been unveiled. A face to a name. Her parents also got a copy of the email, though they weren't as thrilled. They like straight answers and were hoping to get more substance from Sabrina's father.

That didn't stop Layla, though, from being thrilled about the little crumb. It's more than she was given in the course of the past year and she didn't have to come close to dying for it.

Diving back into the past still brought forth the veil of dread. It's like all the traumatic events came rushing back and it had her looking over her shoulder for a few weeks. As if there was a beacon over her head stating that she was looking for answers again.

Then the tournament came around and Morty was busy and there were a lot of challenges between the gym leaders from both regions and their schedule got all messed up.

Now that the champion battle is underway, things are clearing up and that means she and Morty have time to sit and think.

And relax.

"Here you are," Morty grins, leaning down to place a glass of lemonade on the coffee table and gives her a bowl of ice cream. "Enjoying the fight?"

"Hmm?" she hums, glancing up from her tablet.

While it's the champion battle and she promised Lance she would be cheering for him from home, she also wants to watch the Grand Festival taking place in Sinnoh. Her favorite coordinator, Autumn, is participating and she's been doing amazing so far. Until most recently, actually if Layla's going to be honest and her lackluster performance before this has her worried.

"I'm watching Autumn," she realizes what he said and gestures to the screen. "She's been doing so well... but now, I wonder what's going on."

"It could be an off day, everyone has to have one at some point," he takes a seat next to her, laying a hand on her leg as he focuses on the tv.

"I don't know, she doesn't look right either," she continues, frowning at the blonde woman on the screen.

Usually immaculate from head to toe, Autumn's hair has been pinned up into a messy bun, there are dark circles under her eyes and her clothes are crumpled. It was like this the last few contests too and she had even lost a couple of her contests for minor things she usually did well at. Normally, drama in the celebrity world isn't an issue for Layla but she really adores Autumn and hopes that the woman is okay.

There was something about the way Autumn rose into the ranks of contest coordinators that made Layla feel a sort of kinship with her. Her brother Wallace and her have set records for the coordinating world, though now her brother has turned to being the Champion of the Hoenn region lately. It seems that Autumn has taken the mantle and she ran well with it.

Seeing her downfall sends Layla back into the past couple of months with Team Rocket and digging up her life's secrets. While the chances of Autumn going through something so similar are low, she is experiencing something that's affecting her work.

"As much as I love to see you caring for a person, you can't fly out there to help her," Morty interrupts Layla's thoughts with a smile.

"I know, I just... I feel for her," she sighs.

The screen moves away from Autumn as she doesn't move on to the next round and the crowd silences watching her leave the stage. It breaks Layla's heart to see her so defeated as she lifts the remote and turns it back to Lance's fight.

The stark difference in mood strikes Layla and she finds herself eating her ice cream in a daze as lights flash across her screen and the announcer shouts aimlessly.

"You okay?" Morty touches her ankle, gently pulling her feet onto his lap to rub.

"Yeah," she breathes, turning away from the screen to smile at him. "It's just so weird that it's done now. I'm glad, I just don't know what I should be doing. I feel like there's so much more going to happen and that we should be doing something."

"Well, we are taking that vacation to Kalos soon. We can do some training there, I think that's a good way to prepare for what's to come," he offers. "I don't want you to obsess over it."

" I won't," she replies, but he raises his brows and she giggles. "I'll try not to. I just would hate to be caught off guard. Archer doesn't joke around. I want to be ready."

"It's not just you, but me and Eusine. We will all be ready," he responds. "Don't think you have to do this alone. You have a whole support system."

"But do I want to put them in that danger?"

"You don't have a choice. Any one of us will go to battle with you."

"Yeah..." her shoulders slump. Will it come to that?

"Listen," he drops her feet and takes one hand. "I promise, Eusine and I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe. We will support you through whatever it is you need, okay?"

She smiles then, blood rushing to her cheeks at the earnest look in his face. "I know you will. I love you."

"I love you too."

The two settle in at that point, the Champion battle almost halfway done, with a lighter feeling in their heart. Team Rocket is gone for now, they're safe, the only thing to do is lie in wait and prepare their hearts out for what's to come.

So honey now don't be mad
Time has told me it can't be that bad
And if it is, well, big goddamn but I'll stick around

I'll be your master defender
Yeah, I'll stick around
I'll be your master defender