Chapter 59: Amara, You're My Sister!
"Amara!" Julia made her way down the path leading to Mt. Silver, her hands cupped around her mouth. "Amara! Where are you?!" She called and called out to her missing sister, but all she got in response was her voice echoing across the sky. Hikaru walked by her side, her nose to the ground, trying to catch her scent. Some police cars drove right by her, though they took care not to run her over, as they were also on the search for Amara. Thankfully for Julia, their sirens weren't making that awful screeching sound. It was fine if she heard it from far away, but if the sound was really close to her, just hearing that blaring made her feel like rocks were being pounded on her ear drums.
"Heeeeey! Come on out, Amara!" Perrine cried out. Again, she received no response. She walked right up to Julia, her face twinged with concern. "Any luck?"
Julia shook her head. "No. She's probably further up ahead. She couldn't have gone too far," Julia tried to tell herself that Amara was close by. Mt. Silver, while a very famous landmark in Johto, was also known for being very dangerous if one didn't come prepared. Amara may have strong Pokemon with her, but who knows just how powerful the Pokemon around here were. For all she knew, a wild Tyranitar might kill her with one swipe of its claws, or she might get trapped in a landslide. Whatever the case, Julia needed to find Amara NOW.
Caiseal held a hand just above his eyes to block out the sunlight, peering deeper into the woods. "I'm sure the police will get her this time. I mean, she left on foot, right?" Caiseal reminded them. "There's no way she can avoid police cars now. Not at the rate she's going."
'She's avoided them before,' Julia thought bitterly. Did he not remember that she managed to evade capture for nearly seven months straight, with the help of her Pokemon, no less? Or maybe he was just trying to be optimistic in light of recent events. She wasn't sure. Right now, Julia felt like bug Pokemon were writhing in her skin. She couldn't think of anything else but Amara. She was so close, and she evaded her grasp yet again. All of this running from the law needed to stop.
This whole thing had gone on long enough.
Before the kids could go any further, an officer Jenny pulled up on her vespa. "Excuse me, kids!" Jenny stopped right next to them with a determined look on her face. "I just got word from one of the other officers," She explained, pulling out her radio. "They found Amara in a run-down shack about half a mile from here. They have the place surrounded."
They found her? Already? That was fast. If they found her that quickly, then there was no time to waste. Without another word, Julia sprinted down the dirt path, so focused on what was in front of her that she wound up leaving her two friends and Hikaru behind. But they were quick to give chase, knowing how intent she was on finally catching Amara once and for all. Julia's legs burned in protest, having done a lot of running already, but at this point, the pain didn't faze her one bit. Amara was finally going to have to take responsibility for her actions. That thought kept Julia going.
But the desire to apprehend Amara was nothing compared to the worry that threatened to burst out of her rib cage like fireworks. Amara had just learned that a wanted criminal was responsible for the infamous Gyarados attack on Cherrygrove City. The same one that killed Chanel and many others. Julia remembered seeing Amara's blanched face and a shocked, wide-eyed stare that she hadn't seen on her sister since she learned that Chanel had died. It was like the world had turned over in that very moment. Just like that, Julia's desire to apprehend Amara didn't seem significant anymore. Amara needed someone, anyone, to be there for her and console her in her time of need.
This time, Julia was going to do just that, whether Amara wanted it or not.
It didn't take long for the kids to see four police cars further down the path. Many police officers stood in front of a dilapidated shack, pistols in hand. Some of them had Growlithes and Houndours standing guard, tails up, backs arched, and baring their teeth at the shack like it was a predator. When the kids caught up and stopped to observe the sight, Julia's hands flew to her mouth. Was all of this really necessary? She knew that at this point, Amara was wanted for everything she had done since April, but did she really need all of these policemen pointing their guns at her, ready to shoot if she so much as did anything? Amara's mental state was already precarious. Would this just make it worse?
Every brain cell in her head was screaming: This wasn't the answer. This wasn't what Amara needed. Not in the state she's in.
"Oh jeez," Caiseal mused. "This is really serious."
Perrine turned to Julia. "What exactly is going on?"
Julia wasted no time telling them everything that had happened, from encountering Amara in the woods by pure chance all the way to the current state of affairs. Caiseal and Perrine's jaws nearly fell to the floor when she finished.
"Wait, so you're saying that random Gyarados attack in Cherrygrove City last year wasn't an accident after all?" Perrine asked, her brain still processing the revelation Julia dropped. "Pokemon Hunter J was responsible for the whole thing?"
"She practically admitted it right in front of us!" Julia exclaimed, flapping her arms up and down to empathize her point. "She even had the nerve to say that the deaths were necessary sacrifices for her big plan, whatever the heck that even is!" Replaying J's words in her head made her blood boil even further. More so than when she had been angry at Caiseal's biological father the other day.
"And what was the deal with her catching Ho-Oh and Lugia?" Caiseal inquired, looking just as bewildered as Perrine was in that moment. "What did she want with them?"
Julia held a finger to her chin. "All Raikou could tell me was that she wanted to get information from them. He said he, Suicune, and Entei didn't have the answers she wanted, so she decided to go after the birds directly and use the three of them as some kind of blackmail," She explained. "That's all I got, though."
Caiseal and Perrine exchanged looks. Just when they thought Hunter J couldn't be more despicable, these new revelations skyrocketed her to a whole new level. It still didn't explain exactly what her big plan was, but that wasn't important right now. At this point, the birds and the three beasts were free, and J's airship had gone down. But what exactly made it fall to the ground? All she could think of was that maybe Suicune did it in order to bring her down. Suicune was in the airship when Julia and Amara attempted to escape.
The deafening screech of a megaphone pulled Julia out of her reverie. "Amara Parisa, this is the police! Come out with your hands up!" The megaphone's blaring made some Pidgey fly out of some nearby trees. Julia's hands flew to her ears, but they barely did much to muffle the painful noise. She was able to look up and see who was using said megaphone. A large, muscular, brown-skinned officer held the megaphone in one hand, facing the shack and standing in front of one of the police vehicles.
Blood pounded against her temples. Amara didn't need this. She didn't need police officers barking orders at her like she was a Growlithe trained to follow commands. Julia made a beeline for the officer.
"Jule! Stop!" Perrine gave chase, but Julia outran her.
"Hey!" Julia pulled on the officer's sleeve as hard as she could. The man swiveled around, mouth agape at the sight of a little kid trying to get his attention.
"This area is off limits, ma'am," The officer—Julia glanced at the name tag sewn onto his uniform, which read Grossfield—told her in a calm, authoritative voice that left no room for nonsense.
"I'm Amara's sister, Julia!" She cried out, taking a moment to rummage through her bag and pulled out her trainer ID. "Look! See? My last name's Parisa, too!" Officer Grossfield cast a passing glance at it. "Will you please let me go into the shack to talk to her? I can get her to come out peacefully!"
"Not happening," Officer Grossfield shot her down before she could elaborate further. "I'm not letting a kid walk into the line of fire, and Amara Parisa is a wanted criminal."
Wanted criminal. Julia winced at the words being used to describe her sister. As much as she hated to admit it, they were right. Amara broke several laws, and her being put in jail was inevitable. But who knows what she was going through right now? She couldn't give up. Not when she had finally come so far. Amara needed someone.
"Please, I know how to get through to her!" Julia pleaded, letting go of his sleeve. "She just found out that Hunter J made a Gyarados attack Cherrygrove City last year, and one of her friends was killed because of it! I heard her confess and everything, and I know Amara's really upset!" Like earlier, Julia explained the whole situation to him as fast as she could get herself to talk. Officer Grossfield kept his eyes on the shack, but he did listen, and he didn't interrupt her, either. "Please, just let me go inside. I know I can get through to her and have her come out peacefully."
"Kid, this is a dangerous situation," Officer Grossfield told her. "One of my guys already called your parents and they're on their way here. Her Feraligatr is in there and could attack us at any moment. I am not gonna have you throw yourself in there and get yourself killed."
"I have protection," Julia gestured for Hikaru to come up. The mouse hopped onto Julia's back and climbed it before perching on her shoulder. "Hikaru can subdue it if it attacks us. Plus, I have eight badges. See?" It took everything she had to keep herself calm and collected. If she started screaming at him now, he'd interpret her wish to talk to Amara as just a childish tantrum and push her aside. But these officers didn't know Amara. They didn't know the whole story. Julia did. She flashed her badges at him, but the officer shook his head.
"For the last time, no!"
"Sir, please! She'll listen to me! I know she will!" Julia stressed, clasping her hands together as if she were in prayer. What was it going to take to convince this guy to let her in? She stole a glance over at the other officers. Wait a minute…an idea struck her mind like a lightning bolt. "Oh! Here's an idea! You can have one of your officers stay with me!" She proposed. "That way somebody will be nearby in case something happens I can't handle!"
Officer Grossfield glanced over at some of his comrades, megaphone still in hand. Julia's hands tightened around themselves to the point of turning snow white. For a brief moment, the officer was silent. Then, another policeman approached him.
"I can accompany her," The man suggested calmly. "Amara hasn't given us a response. We ought to at least give this a try. At least until her parents get here."
In the back of her mind, Julia knew the risks involved in throwing herself into this. For all she knew, either Amara would sick Feraligatr on everyone, or the officers might shoot her dead. She didn't want either of those things to happen. She understood why Officer Grossfield wanted her out of the situation. It wasn't for a kid to handle. But she also knew that Amara might not respond well to the police, in whatever her current state of mind was. Someone had to reach out to her and pull her out of whatever state she was in.
She didn't come this far just to give up.
Finally, Officer Grossfield nodded in Julia's direction. "Alright. I'll let you go in there. But keep your Pokemon with you. Officer Kahn will accompany you. But the minute anything goes down, we're getting you out of there."
Julia beamed, smiling from ear to ear. "Thanks, officers! I'll get Amara out from there, I promise!"
Now that she had permission, Julia sprinted into the shack, with the policeman from earlier—Mr. Kahn, shadowing her from about three feet away. Having witnessed the scene, Perrine and Caiseal could only watch as their friend disappeared into the squalid shack. Caiseal balled a hand into a fist, and Perrine fiddled with one of the strands in her hair.
"Please let this go well…don't let Julia get hurt…" Perrine whispered to no one in particular.
Now that she was inside, Julia could see right away that nobody had lived here in years. Everything in the shack was either coated in a thick layer of dust, or had some kind of vine wrapped around it. The floorboards were pale and splintered, having rotted from age, with quite a few holes scattered here and there. Julia tip toed inside, taking care to avoid the holes. Several pieces of wood lay higgledy-piggledy in one corridor, with some having already slid off. Julia walked over them easily, as they weren't so high that they proved to be too big of an obstacle. Dust particles danced in the sunbeams, and the floor made a harsh, squeaking noise with every step she walked.
So far, there was no sign of Amara, which was odd, since this shack didn't look very big from the outside. Glass shards crunched underneath her sneakers. She glanced toward a window that had a fist sized hole in the glass. Julia ambled into another room, finally out of the hallway. This new room was much brighter, but not any better than the rest of the shack. It was empty save for some shabby furniture and a huge pile of wood and shingles in the middle of the room. She looked up, gazing at a huge hole in the ceiling. Perhaps the roof caved in somehow. One of the shingles was barely holding on by a thread, swaying in the wind. One touch and Julia was sure it would fall right on her head. At one point, Julia's nose tickled from all the dust around her, and a sneeze escaped her.
"Ugh!" Julia covered her mouth afterward. "Someone really needs to clean this place up."
Hikaru's ears twitched. She glanced toward another door. "Pika!" She cried out, pointing further up.
Julia turned in the direction Hikaru was pointing. Something light blue with red horns was about ten feet away. Julia recognized it right on sight.
"Feraligatr!" Julia ran up to it. The big jaw Pokemon turned around, greeting her with a despondent, concerned look unfitting for a beast of its caliber. But it let Julia come close, knowing she had no ill intent. "Where's Amara?"
Feraligatr let out a low growl, pointing to the next room. Julia then noticed a pile of empty PokeBalls scattered around Feraligatr's tail. Completely empty, with no Pokemon in sight. "What happened to her Pokemon?" Julia asked.
The big jaw Pokemon explained everything. "She released you guys?! You included?!" Feraligatr nodded. "But what are you still doing here?" This Feraligatr had once been a Totodile that Amara stole from Professor Elm's lab. In light of all that Amara had done to it, Feraligatr should have taken this chance to run for the hills. Julia figured it had every right to do so.
But the blue alligator could only cast a sad glance toward Amara. "I know she's been cruel to me, and I can't quite forgive her for everything. But seeing her like that…" Feraligatr's growls quieted down to barely audible grunts. Julia could see sympathy in its gold eyes. "I can't help but pity her. She's just a girl, and…it seems wrong to leave her alone when she's in such despair. I know now that there is some good in her. She did release us and apologized for what she put us through."
Julia's heart lurched in her chest. This giant alligator, who could easily rip a human being to bloody shreds if it wanted to, who endured a life of abuse and cruelty, still had it in its heart to stay with Amara while she was at rock bottom. Feraligatr had no obligation to stay by her side, but remained here with her anyway; even as her other Pokemon embraced their newfound freedom. She was especially confounded upon hearing that Amara willingly released all of her Pokemon and apologized to them. At first, she would have questioned whether Amara would ever do something like that, but the empty PokeBalls by Feraligatr's tail told her all she needed to know. Perhaps J's confession finally made Amara see the error of her ways.
All the more reason to be there for her now.
"I'll talk to her," Julia told it. "Stay here for now," She stood on her toes and looked past Feraligatr's arm to get Officer Kahn within her line of sight. "Sir? This Feraligatr was stolen from Professor Elm's lab as a Totodile. He won't hurt you."
Officer Kahn gave an acknowledging nod.
Turning around, Julia slipped past the big jaw Pokemon and found herself in yet another room. Stray sunbeams made ethereal streaks of light mark the flooring, like they were stripes. Two chairs lay on the floor, toppled over on their sides. A small wooden bookshelf stood in the far right corner, coated in dust except for one hand print on the top. As Julia inched closer, she saw a figure sitting right behind it. Tall boots, skinny jeans, a gray jacket, and a disheveled ponytail gave it all away.
"Amara?"
No response. Julia walked closer. Amara was curled in a ball, with her knees against her chest, obscuring her face. The accessory that kept her hair up was close to sliding right off, leaving her ponytail unkempt and knotted.
"Amara?"
"Go away!" Amara cried out, but Julia noticed that the demand didn't have the angry sharpness that her sister usually had. "I'm bad and you shouldn't be around me!" She whimpered, her voice small, weak, and pathetic.
Julia crossed her arms. "That's ridiculous. I mean, you've made some bad decisions, sure, but that doesn't make you all-out bad."
"Yes it does," Amara's voice trembled and was hoarse, probably from crying. "I'm an awful person. I treated you, Mom, Dad, and all of my friends and Pokemon like garbage and blamed you all for every bad thing that happened in my life…none of you deserved that."
Julia squeezed her eyes shut. She could feel them turning moist. The last time she had seen Amara like this was when Chanel died. Her heart ached seeing her like this.
"I'm sorry, Jule…I'm so, so, so sorry…" Amara cried. "For all the mean things I said and did to you…and for all this. It's okay if you don't forgive me. It's not like I deserve any after all the crap I put you through…I've been a horrible sister and a terrible person…I know nothing I say can ever change what happened or change how you feel about me."
In that moment, Julia knew without thinking too hard about it that Amara truly meant every word she said. There was no mistaking the sincerity in the words she choked out. Normally, Amara rarely apologized for anything, even when she knew she was in the wrong. That was something she had inherited from their mother, who was the same way, so Julia knew she was dead serious when she actually did so. Feraligatr's confession and the empty PokeBalls proved it as well. Here was Amara, curled in a ball, at what was literally the lowest point of her life. Julia knew it would be cruel to just dismiss her apology right then and there. Learning the truth about Chanel's death was cruel enough.
Julia got down on one knee in order to put herself at Amara's level. "Amara? I'm not mad at you. Not anymore. But no matter how many times you tell me to go away, I'm not going to leave you this time. Sisters don't leave each other in the dust," Julia told her.
For once, Amara didn't say a word, nor did she try to drive Julia away like she usually did. Julia shifted herself closer, but still kept herself about two feet away to give her some space.
Amara continued to whimper, her sobs muffled by her arms hiding her face. "You're absolutely right about everything. What you said to me in the cave...it's all true. I just didn't want to admit it until now," Amara cried. "I should have just shut up and listened to you guys from the start instead of blaming you all for every single bad thing that happened. I completely ruined everything. I drove my friends away, I hurt my Pokemon, I made you, Mom, and Dad miserable every single day...I even took my anger out on complete strangers who didn't even do anything to me! And for what? Chanel's gone and...and…!"
A hand rested against her shoulder, calm and gentle. It still made Amara flinch, but even through the layers of her coat, she could feel her sister's warmth.
"I know, Amara. I know," Julia murmured. "And you're right to be angry. That J lady killed Chanel and many other people. The whole thing is so unfair. True, you did take things way too far, and you did make some bad decisions, but you're still my sister. Nothing can change that," A brief silence. "I miss Chanel, too."
"Yeah. She really liked you," Amara murmured right back, lifting her head up just a bit. "She considered you her friend, too."
It was then that Julia finally saw Amara's face. Sunlight reflected off the tear tracks that drowned her cheeks, and her light blue eyes were glassy and moist. Her cheeks were red and splotchy, with her bangs wet and matted from crying, sticking to her forehead like she had been sweating. To put it simply, she was a mess, and she had every right to be. Julia couldn't help but stare down at the rotting wood below her. The sight of her older sister looking so pathetic and broken was too much to bear.
"Hey. Do you remember that time when you and I made that pillow fort in the basement?" Julia asked. "And we pretended we were stuck in the woods and being attacked by wild Pokemon?"
For the first time today, Amara cracked a smile as the memory resurfaced. "Oh, how could I forget? I think you were five and I was seven. We took all the pillows in the house and made a fort. Mom's Ninetales even played with us and we pelted him with bean bags!" As she recounted the memory, the sight of herself and her sister throwing bean bags at a larger Pokemon made laughter slip through her lips. "Man, Mom was so mad at us for hoarding all the pillows."
"We had to clean up the whole mess," Julia finished, giggling as she let the happy memory replay in her mind.
Oddly enough, the laughter eased the thick tension between them. Amara couldn't remember the last time she laughed like this, and alongside her sister, at that. But it felt good. For just a moment, she forgot about her sorrow. She felt like her old self again. This was so much better than holding onto all that anger and taking it out on anyone who looked at her wrong.
"Personally, I wouldn't mind doing that again," Amara mused through her giggling. "That sure was fun."
Julia grinned. Now this was the Amara she knew and loved.
"You know...you're not wrong for feeling like the world forgot about Chanel after she died," Julia whispered. "If someone I loved died and everyone told me to just get over it and move on, I'd be mad, too."
"She had so much to look forward to…" Amara continued. "She lived a terrible life, what with her dad beating her up all the time, and just when she finally managed to escape that, she's just...gone...all because some lady thought it'd be a wonderful idea to mind control a Gyarados and have it kill people for kicks! To think I thought that Gyarados was going berserk for the sake of it. Now that I know what really happened…" Amara hid her face in her hands, hoping her palms would cover it completely. They didn't. "Arceus, how could I be so stupid? I thought Pokemon in general were responsible for Chanel's death, all because of one Gyarados' actions, and even that turned out to be wrong! I even tried to hurt my own Totodile with a rock! How could I let myself turn into this...this awful person?!"
In that moment, she was sick to her stomach as she finally accepted the guilt and shame that she had pushed away for so long. She had completely failed at not only being a good Pokemon trainer in general, but failed as a person. She exacerbated her grief into a warped state that completely changed her into someone nobody recognized. She didn't even know who she was anymore. She berated her family over the slightest provocation, hurt her own Pokemon-which resulted in it being taken away, refused to do what the courts told her to do, ran away from home, caused her family a mountain of worry and pain, stole badges, assaulted random strangers for her own ends, and broke so many laws. Amara knew she had brought all of this on herself, that her refusal to heal and accept support from those who actually cared about her was the reason she was here now.
For a moment, the girls said nothing. Then Julia sucked in a gasp. "Oh! That reminds me!" Julia rummaged through her backpack, pulling out a crumpled up envelope. "Mom wanted me to give this to you," She held it out for her sister to see.
Amara glanced at the envelope. What was this? It had Amara's name on it, even though the wrinkles and folded edges made the writing look wobbly. Amara gingerly took the envelope from Julia's hands, took the letter out, and began reading it in silence. Julia wanted to look over her shoulder to see what was written, but decided against it. The letter was for Amara's eyes only, and it wasn't her place to read it. Julia remained where she was, watching as her older sister's eyes fixed their gaze onto the letter. Julia had to admit, she was surprised the letter managed to hold out for so long since she received it way back in Olivine City.
The silence hug over the girls like a thick fog. It was broken by a faint whimper as Amara stopped reading and held the letter close to her chest. Fresh tears cascaded down her cheeks, with some dripping onto the paper, leaving marks. The whimpers turned to sobs as she clutched the paper in her hands.
"Mom...Dad...I don't deserve parents like them...I've been an awful daughter...why are they wasting their kindness on me?!"
Julia gripped Amara's shoulder a little tighter. "Parents love their kids no matter what, even if they make bad decisions. That's what good parents do," She reminded her. Julia inched a little closer. "Plus, I know I'm not completely innocent in this, either. There were so many times when I wanted to hug you and comfort you and be there for you, but after all the times you told me to leave you alone and go away, I just gave up on trying. I was just so sick of people getting mad at me over wanting to help them, but I should have just said screw it and comforted you regardless of whether you wanted me around or not."
"Jule, no!" Amara exclaimed, putting the paper down on her lap. "Don't blame yourself! I was the one being the selfish idiot! I should have let you be there for me instead of treating you like crap and yelling at you over everything and making you my personal scapegoat! I never should have said those mean things about you in the cave! I've always known how hard you try to make friends and be a regular kid and learn how the world works and how hard things have been for you! But I completely ignored all that just for an excuse to stay angry!"
Julia let out a sheepish laugh. "For what it's worth, I'd rather have lots of friends than be smart and get good grades, and you don't need to be like me. Who would want to be like me, anyway?"
"Come on," Amara gave her sister a light pat on the shoulder. "Don't sell yourself short, girl."
For sure, this was definitely the old Amara. The Amara she knew and loved with her whole heart. This time, Julia didn't hesitate. She threw her arms right around her sister's neck, burying her nose into the nape of her neck, savoring her scent. Truth be told, Amara's skin did have a bit of a musty smell, probably from spending a bit of time here in this dusty old shack, and outside as well. But Julia didn't mind one bit. Amara's eyes shrunk as her sister embraced her. When was the last time they hugged like this? It seemed so long ago, like something like this had never happened. But Amara could feel her sister's love and warmth, an oasis of calm in the world of raging chaos around her. The world of chaos she herself had created.
A swelling wave of yearning rose up in her chest. Despite all the times she had denied it, this was what she had wanted all along. Amara inhaled sharply, breath shaking. For so long, Amara had tried to harden herself against the world. A world that didn't bother to give Chanel a chance. She had convinced herself that the world and everyone in it was her enemy, even people who were completely innocent. Now, the icy walls she kept all around herself finally melted. Why had she denied this for so long, when this was all she had wanted? Amara wrapped her arms around her sister and cried into her shoulder for the first time in years. Even though Amara's wails rattled her ear drums, Julia didn't have it in her to cover them. Amara's face buried in her shoulder muffled the sound of her crying somewhat, and it didn't hurt as much. But more than that, she was here with her older sister, comforting her like she had always wanted to do.
She wasn't sure how long the two sisters stayed in that shack, mingled together in their shared sorrow. But after a while, Amara's crying calmed, and she unwrapped herself from Julia's arms, her face even redder and wetter than before. Her bangs had practically turned black from a combination of sweat and tears, and a string of mucus trickled out from her nose.
"Pika pikachu," Hikaru chirruped, giving Amara a pat on the arm.
"Hikaru says she's sorry for biting you," Julia explained.
Amara flashed an apologetic grin and gently stroke Hikaru's head. "It's okay. I think I needed that."
Another silence fell between them. Finally, Amara wiped her eyes with her arm and stood up. Julia followed suit.
"What do you want to do?" Julia asked.
Amara clenched her fists. "...I'll turn myself in. I can't keep running away anymore."
Knowing what this meant, Julia slipped a hand into Amara's. Her hand was rougher than it used to be, and she could feel some callouses in her palm. Nothing like Amara's previously soft, tender hands. But it was still Amara all the same.
"I'll take you out of here. This place is pretty disgusting," Julia mused.
Slowly, the two girls exited the room, slipping past Feraligatr, who decided to follow them from behind. Julia saw Officer Kahn and exclaimed, "Amara's coming out!"
The policeman ran out of the shack, giving the girls and Feraligatr room to make their way out. As they walked down a dirty corridor, Julia heard him shout, "Friendlies coming out! Hold your fire!" She winced. Were they actually planning on shooting Amara if she attempted to do anything? Straight up kill her? If things had gone differently, Julia wasn't sure if she'd ever be able to forgive herself. She thanked her stars that she was able to get through to Amara and prevent anything bad from happening, not just to herself, but to Amara.
Bright light blinded the girls as they exited the shack. They barely found time to adjust when they heard a scream. "Amara!" The girls looked past a police car and saw two familiar faces among the crowd.
Kassia and Truman. Their parents.
"Mom! Dad!" Julia waved to them as they exited the shack.
Without another word, the distraught parents sprinted over to Amara and wrapped their arms around her with a yelp. Julia let go, as the shock of their sudden appearance made her recoil. But the sight of her parents hugging their older daughter, crying openly was enough to make her turn away. She had cried enough already. Against her wishes, some stray tears trickled out.
"Amara! Amara!" Kassia wailed, stroking her daughter's mangled ponytail, holding her so tight she didn't want to let go.
"I'm sorry, Mom. Dad. For everything," Amara whimpered.
"We're so happy you're safe," Truman told her reassuringly, his voice shaky and sorrowful, but Amara could hear the joy clear as day. "Everything will be fine, sweetheart."
Kassia cried into Amara's hair, clutching the girl's coat like it was a precious treasure. Truman's big arms pulled them into his chest, and his glasses were blurred by his tears. Previously, Amara would never have wanted to be anywhere near them, much less touch them. She was too angry and full of hate to accept their love. But now, she couldn't have been happier to be back with them after so long. Unfortunately, their reunion was short lived. A police officer yanked Amara out from their arms and slapped handcuffs on Amara's wrists. He was quick to escort Amara to the car and guide her into the back seat, and another one spoke to her parents. Julia couldn't make out what they were saying, as their voices were overridden by shouting and car motors blaring over everything. Not long after, the police car that had Amara drove away. For just a second, she managed to see Amara looking out the window with a lost, confused look on her face.
In that moment, she wasn't a criminal. She was just a girl. A scared, frightened little girl with an uncertain future ahead of her.
As the car drove away, disappearing into the woods, Kassia cried again, burying her face in Truman's chest. All Truman could do was hold her close with one hand. Julia couldn't bear to look at them. Seeing her parents look so vulnerable, so sad, so visibly distraught from having to watch their daughter be taken to jail...yet again, tears trickled out from her eyes.
"Hey," Perrine's voice pulled her out of her mind. "You okay?"
Julia looked up, seeing the concerned faces of her friends. She was quick to wipe her eyes with her sleeve. "I'm fine. Sorta."
Caiseal crossed his arms. "You don't need to put on a brave face around us."
"I know," Julia's voice trembled as she whispered a response. "I don't...know how to feel about this."
"It's okay," Perrine reminded her.
"Pika!" Hikaru agreed.
"Julia!" Her mother's voice made her swivel around. Like with Amara, Kassia wrapped her arms around her younger daughter, holding her tight. This time, the moment was brief, and she let go soon after. "Thank goodness you're safe, too! I got a call saying that Amara had been spotted here and I took the day off from work and got here as fast as I could and-!"
"Kass," Truman's hand rested on her shoulder, silencing her. "Breathe."
Kassia took a moment to take some deep breaths. It took only two for her to compose herself enough to talk sensically. "Alright. I'm fine now," She said. Truman took his hand back.
"So...what happens now?" Caiseal asked. "Is she gonna be okay?"
"We're not sure," Truman answered with a sad smile. "There's a lot that needs to be done after this. But for now, the most important thing is that Amara's safe and sound."
A low growl pulled Julia from her mind. She glanced past her mother's shoulder, seeing Feraligatr standing near some policemen, shifting around uncomfortably. One police man recoiled from the big jaw Pokemon, like he was afraid it would eat him.
Noticing what her daughter was looking at, Kassia flashed a smile and said, "Don't worry, Julia. We'll take him back to New Bark Town. I'm sure Professor Elm will be thrilled to see it again."
She certainly hoped so. Where else could Feraligatr go, now that he had no trainer? Would he need to go to that facility where Geraldine was? Julia knew she could trust her parents, as they did have experience with those kinds of Pokemon. Still, anything could happen.
"Now that things have come to this," Kassia began, once again interrupting Julia's train of thought. "Julia, now that Amara's been apprehended...would you like to come home?"
Come home? "Do you mean like...permanently?" Julia asked.
"Yes. You did go on this journey to find Amara, and now that the police have her, you don't have to keep traveling," Kassia continued. "We can take you home right now if you want."
Her mother was right. The whole reason she went on this journey was solely to apprehend Amara herself, unreasonable as it was. She would never have left the house on her own if Amara's theft and disappearance hadn't happened. But so much had happened since then. She finally got over her fear and hatred of Pokemon battles. She battled gym leaders and won eight badges. She met Perrine, Caiseal, and so many other great people. She met and caught so many great Pokemon. Her best friends. She even got to see, talk to, and even ride several legendary Pokemon, Ho-Oh being the most recent one. If she hadn't left that day, she and Amara would likely never have learned the truth about Pokemon Hunter J and her involvement in Chanel's death.
Plus, Perrine and Caiseal intended to participate in the Pokemon League. She knew the answer right away.
"No, Mom. I want to keep traveling," Julia answered calmly. "Perrine and Caiseal want to get into the Pokemon League, and I want to be there to give them my support. Once the League is over, then I'll come back. That's final."
Both Kassia and Truman exchanged solemn expressions for a brief moment. Julia held her hands together in anticipation. Would they say no and take her back? They never did want her to go on a journey, though for completely different reasons than Amara. One of her legs began rapidly bouncing up and down on its own. She really hoped they would say yes and let her accompany Perrine and Caiseal to the League, if only to cheer them on like any good friend would. She didn't want her journey to end just yet.
Then, they turned back to Julia and smiled. "We figured you'd say that," Truman said.
The trio's mouths fell agape. So that was a yes?
Kassia cleared her throat. "To be honest, I do want you to come back home, especially now that this is all over. I never really wanted you to leave on a journey because I wanted you to focus on school and learning more about the world. But…" She paused briefly before continuing. "After having seen you in Ecruteak, Olivine, and right now...I don't think it'd be right to stop you. You've grown up so much since you left on your own. It wouldn't be right to keep my children locked up in the house all the time."
Julia couldn't believe her ears. She was so sure they would say no, and that would be the end of it. But here they were, saying that it was okay for her to continue her journey if she wanted to. A grin spread across her face as she curled her hands into fists and began jumping up and down with glee. She did take a moment to stop and tell her parents something else before she forgot.
"For what it's worth, I do plan on stopping by New Bark Town!" She added hastily. "Perrine and Caiseal are gonna participate in the Pokemon League, and we need to get through New Bark any way in order to get there, so we'll at least visit!"
Truman nodded in agreement. "That's no problem. You know we'll be looking forward to it, Slick," He told her. "I think it's wonderful you want to be with your friends and support them in this endeavor."
"Alright," Kassia sighed, conceding defeat. "I'll let you go with them for a while longer. But!" She held up an index finger as she fixed a firm stare in Julia's direction. "Only on one condition."
Julia raised an eyebrow. She had an idea of what the condition might be. "What's that?"
"You go right back to school when the League is over."
School. Of course. Julia wasn't even surprised, but the thought of going back to school revolted her. She really didn't want to go back to homework, teachers, textbooks, studying, and having to deal with the mean kids who picked on her. However, she knew in her heart that there was no room for debate in regards to this condition. The fact that her mother was letting her stay with Perrine and Caiseal at all was already good enough, and as much as Julia hated school, there was no avoiding it.
"It's a deal," Julia answered.
"You know once you come back, you may have to stay after school to do extra work to make up for all the months you missed. The school board may even put you in remedial classes. Do you understand?"
"Yes."
"Oh jeez!" Perrine exclaimed, playfully bonking herself on the head with her fist. "I forgot all about school! I bet I'll have to go to summer school when my journey's over!"
Caiseal shrugged. "Summer school's really not all that bad. Some even let you take classes online."
"They do?!" Julia yelped, intrigued by the idea of taking classes online. If she could do that, she wouldn't have to go into a school building and put up with naughty kids or teachers giving her dirty looks.
"That does sound worth looking into," Truman added. "But we can continue this discussion at a later time."
Kassia took a moment to hug her daughter one last time. "We're going to go to the detention center where Amara's being held right now," She told her, smiling warmly. "Hopefully we'll see you when you come and visit in a short while."
"You will. I promise."
After Truman gave his younger daughter a goodbye hug, the Parisa parents got back in their car and drove away, with Kassia continuing to wave at the kids as the car disappeared. Julia and Hikaru waved right back, their smiles luminous. New Bark Town wasn't too far from here, but on foot, they still had a lot of trekking to do. But Julia didn't mind. She'd have a lot to think about on the way there.
Then, a low roar pulled Julia from her thoughts. She swirled towards the mountain, her green eyes shrinking in awe as she and Hikaru saw the three beasts standing atop a cliff face. Suicune met their eyes, uttering a low, grateful growl before leaping off. Entei followed suit, but Raikou remained for just a moment.
"Pikachu!" Hikaru hopped onto Julia's head, happily waving her arms up and down in her father's direction. Julia realized in this moment that Hikaru hadn't seen Raikou in a long time. Not since Olivine City. But the joy on Hikaru's face warmed her heart. The Parisas weren't the only family to be reunited after a long while, however briefly.
"You guys take care!" Julia cried out.
Raikou gave a roar in reply before making a great leap, diving into the woods, probably into parts unknown. He sped away in seconds, like a brief flash of lightning in an oncoming storm.
"What did they say?" Perrine asked.
Julia pointed to the sky. "Suicune said he was the one who made J's ship go down, and he did say he was sorry for knocking me and Amara off. Raikou said thanks for saving them and the birds, and that we might meet again someday."
A brief silence fell as the police cars drove away, probably to go after J and her lackeys. Once they were gone, the kids exchanged knowing glances. "So, shall we head to New Bark Town?" Perrine asked.
"You bet!" Both Julia and Caiseal announced in unison.
The kids sprinted down the dirt road with renewed zeal and a stronger resolve than ever before. The quiet morning gave way to an afternoon full of splendor, and Julia reveled in the satisfaction that even though her mission was technically over, her journey was still on. She didn't want it to end just yet.
J's airship landed in a cluster of trees, knocking down quite a few of them in its descension to Earth. Thankfully, it was far from both the mountain and any residential areas, so nobody got hurt or died. It helped that J's airship was made from thick material, so thick that trees or rocks couldn't land so much as a scrape on it. The hatch was still open, and the police stormed inside, arresting any Team Rocket grunts they had within their sights. Many of them resigned themselves to their fate, others struggled against the handcuffs slapped on their wrists and the officers' grasps. Unfortunately, the one person they were looking for wasn't here. J had somehow disappeared. The policemen looked in every part of the airship they could, but there was simply no sign of her.
Unbeknownst to them, J was all the way on the other side of Mt. Silver, hiding behind a big rock with a small, yellow, bipedal Pokemon by her side. Said Pokemon's eyes were permanently closed, had yellow skin, a brown chest plate with pauldron-shaped extensions on its shoulders, a long tail, and hands and toes with three digits each. J held onto the Pokemon's hand, using the other one to adjust her shades.
"Tch. I shouldn't have acted so rashly like that," J grunted under her breath. "Then again, this is what comes of not disposing of those girls sooner. That or not having checked Lugia and making sure my rings didn't catch anything else."
"Abraaaaaa…" The yellow Pokemon let out a big, drawn out yawn.
Her cell phone vibrated in her pocket. She pulled it out and saw that she got a new message. It said something about an old book that she wanted being available at a library in Viridian City. J smiled to herself as she put her phone away. Well, she may have lost the legendary Pokemon, but there were other ways she could get what she wanted. She just needed to be patient and do some more digging.
"Abra. Teleport me back to my quarters," J told it in a cold, stern voice.
"Abra!" Abra and J glowed in a rainbow hued light before disappearing into thin air.
High above the clouds, Ho-Oh and Lugia soared side by side, their wings glistening in the afternoon sunlight. Ho-Oh's cherry red eyes took in the vast world around her, and her wings glowed in a luminous array of colors.
"I told you getting involved with the humans was a bad idea," Lugia chided Ho-Oh without any hesitation whatsoever. "This is what happens. Arceus, I never want to be stuck in those PokeBalls ever again!"
Ho-Oh kept looking ahead, marveling at the sun and its golden light. "Come now, Lugia. Things worked out in the end. Those girls did save us, even though they had no obligation to do so," Ho-Oh answered warmly. "You mustn't be so cynical."
"Well, call me when humans stop trying to hunt us down just because we exist. Then I'll stop being cynical," Lugia retorted.
Ho-Oh stifled a laugh. "Speaking of humans, I think I'll fly over to Ecruteak City, if only to let the Kimono Girls know I'm alright," Ho-Oh flapped her wings once and picked up the pace, flying ahead of Lugia. "I can't wait to see what tomorrow briiiiiiings!"
Lugia jutted his chin outward. "I really can't understand her sometimes. She's too optimistic for her own good," The diving Pokemon mused to himself. "But...I suppose that's what I like about her," A yawn slipped past Lugia's beak as he remembered where he needed to be. "I better get back to the Whirl Islands. I've had enough crazy shenanigans for one century, and I could really go for some seaweed."
With that, Lugia turned around and made his way back home. But even from high in the sky, the tip of Mt. Silver made a small dent in the clouds, and even he couldn't help but admire the mountain's effort to reach into the heavens. Nature was majestic like that.
A/N: And with that, Amara's saga is finally over! I figured it was time to finally wrap it up, so now Amara's been apprehended. But you won't find out her fate until a little later. I was originally going to have her be an overarching villain for two sequels, going through both Hoenn and Kanto, but a friend of mine talked me out of it, saying that it'd not only make no sense, but drag things out for longer than they needed to. I'm glad I listened to him, as my original idea for Amara wasn't the most well thought out. What the heck was I thinking with that? I decided to have her be apprehended before Victory Road, no later. But the story's not over yet, so look forward to the rest!