Chapter 11: Touko's Homecoming.
When Touko steps into Route 1, a gust of wind blows her ponytail upwards. Thin, yellow petals dance in the clear sky as they fly over the wild grass towards the small water channel to the west. Caged off at various parts of the road are patches of yellow daisies that wait for visitors to experience their show of twirling petals and bright sun. Touko takes a deep breath and sighs at the nostalgia coursing through her.
"This really takes me back," she says, "Cheren, Bianca, and I took our first steps out of Nuvema Town together. I remember being so excited, wondering what I would experience with my two friends."
"How long have you known Cheren and Bianca?" Mei asks.
"Ever since I can remember. Aside from Professor Juniper, Cheren's and Bianca's families were my only neighbors. When my mom settled down and had me, she wanted to live in a quiet place."
Touko lowers her head, "Growing up, I wanted to become a trainer. My dad used to tell me stories of the vast mountains he climbed and of the many cities he's been to. There's always a sense of longing in his voice whenever he talked about his journey."
"Your Pokémon never told me about your father," N recalls the time back at the Mistralton Gym when he asked Ritsu about his trainer, "Where is he now?"
"He's...gone. Packed up his stuff one day and left. He never turned back."
"I'm sorry to hear that. It seems we both have issues with our fathers…"
"It's okay, N. I've been over it for a while now. After all, I have Cheren, Bianca, and my mom by my side. Because of them, I was able to move on."
"Your friends are wonderful people, Touko. I hope I can be a friend you can rely on, too."
"I feel the same way. You can count on me for anything."
Listening to their conversation from behind them, Mei clutches her heart. "This is sooo sweet. Nice job, N!"
"So, Mei. What is it that you need to deliver to Professor Juniper?" Touko asks, moving onto a different subject. They reach a fork in the route, the one that leads to the small water channel as well as the gate to Route 17.
"Oh, just a package from Hugh. But I do need to make a detour to Route 18. Gotta drop off something to Colress."
N shakes his head. "I still don't think you should be associating yourself with that person. Even though I have not met him yet, he was willing to follow a man bent on controlling people and Pokémon for the sake of his research. That kind of person is dangerous."
"And I'm telling you that it's okay!" Mei retorts, "I've been keeping an eye on him so that he won't do anything like that again. Besides, he's still too busy analyzing his trip from Alola to be crafting a secret plot for world domination."
"He could be using that as a cover."
"No, he's not! I know him better than you!"
"Alola?" Touko tosses the word around in her head, "Wasn't that the region without a Pokémon League?"
"She must be talking about Alola's first champion."
"Wait, what?! When did this happen?"
"About five or six months ago. I believe we were in Hoenn, investigating rumors of a strong, green-haired trainer. A boy named Elio was crowned Alola's first champion."
"I see...guess I haven't been paying attention. But what does that have to do with Colress's research?"
"That is something that Mei only knows. Let us ask her."
"Hey, Mei? Touko speaks up, stopping their heated argument, "What exactly is Colress researching?"
The twin-bunned trainer recoils. "Umm, I'm not allowed to say. I made a promise to him, and I intend to keep it. Anyway, I have to get going. I'll talk to you two later! Oh, and N, you better behave!" She releases her Swanna and hops onto her back. Taking off in the direction of the docked airship, Mei doesn't see Touko's shaky grin as she waves her goodbye.
"I'm worried about her," N says, "I don't want her to be used by someone like that."
"I get what you mean, but we should have some faith in her. Mei can hold her own."
"...It must be hard keeping secrets. Now, shall we head to Nuvema Town?"
Touko stares at the Plasma Frigate before finally addressing him."Yeah, let's go."
"Even more secrets we must unveil. Perhaps we should head to this Plasma Frigate after resting in Nuvema Town."
"Don't worry, Reshiram. We'll find out soon enough. Besides, we can't be talking, considering how we're also hiding a big secret."
A trail of wind carrying a string of flower petals accompanies Touko and N as they enter Nuvema Town. It flies over Professor Juniper's lab, which is nestled against the forest separating the town from Route 1. It then follows the paved road to three houses. One is situated in the middle of the town, while the other two are closer to the cliff overlooking the sea. The flower petals glide over the railings bordering the seaside cliff and drop into the ocean.
N takes a quick glance at the three houses. "Which one is yours?"
Touko points to the building in the middle. "That one. Cheren's the one to my right, and Bianca's on the left."
"Lead the way, Touko. I am eager to see what kind of person your mom is."
She slowly but steadily makes her way to her house, taking the long route that passes Professor Juniper's lab. Touko deeply inhales as her heart starts to speed up.
"Will you be alright, heroine?"
"Yeah. I'm just thinking about what I should say to her. I know I have to apologize first, but…"
"As long as your words are backed by your true feelings, your message will be understood. You are the one I have chosen to champion the truth, after all."
"Thanks, Reshiram."
They're now staring down the door to Touko's house. She brings her fist up in order to knock but retracts it at the last second. "What am I doing? I don't need to knock..."
Turning the doorknob, Touko enters her house for the first time in three years. She steps onto the navy blue doormat and takes off her shoes. N follows her example and closes the door once they tuck their shoes next to the entrance.
Nothing has changed. The living room is still mainly occupied by a large wooden table with a blue tablecloth. On top is a white vase adorned with the same yellow flowers on Route 1. An aqua rug with a plaid design keeps the table from pressing onto the floor, and three tiny cushions of the same color are laid out. A bookshelf loaded with picture books rests against the television at the end of the living room, which is currently showing an advertisement for an unnecessarily expensive Escape Rope. A small wall separates the kitchen from the rest of the first floor. The trash can is on the right side of the room, next to a green shelf carrying more Pokémon goods. Touching the left wall are two cabinets chock full of Pokémon goods and books as well as a small tree. The stairs to Touko's room are tucked at the top left corner.
And sitting on one of the cushions with her back turned to them is Touko's mom. She straightens when she hears the door closing, and without turning to see who it is, she says, "Oh, Mei! Doing another errand for Professor Juniper? You should take a break once in a while!"
When she gets no response, Touko's mom looks over her shoulder and gasps. The heroine tips her hat down and then flashes a small smile.
"I'm home, Mom."
"...Welcome home, Touko," her mom says after a few seconds of stunned silence. Touko feels her nose crinkle, ready to sniff back the first wave of tears. She dashes towards her mom and embraces her tightly. As Touko's mom pets her daughter's ponytail, she catches N staring at them with a faraway gaze.
"So, you're the N my daughter told me about," she says, "Come in. You're always welcome here."
He shuffles closer but far enough to give the two family members space. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you. I'm N Harmonia."
Touko's mom giggles. "Likewise. Oh, Touko, you're starting to squeeze too hard."
The heroine retracts herself from her mom, her face riddled with splotches of pink. "S-Sorry...I just really missed you."
"I missed you too. How about we bring out some snacks for our guest? Oh, and for your Pokémon, too!"
"Okay!"
"I'll help out as well," N chimes in.
Touko's mom shakes her head and gestures to an unoccupied cushion on the floor, "I couldn't ask that of our guest. Why don't you take a seat?"
N plants himself onto the floor. Since it is just the two of them, N can't help but notice the light brown hair and sparkling blue eyes that Touko's mom has. It's as if he's looking into a mirror that shows a future version of Touko.
"I can see the resemblance between you and Touko," N says. "She has very vibrant eyes."
"Really? Why thank you. She may look like me, but she definitely inherited her father's personality."
"I see, so her father has that kind of conviction. The kind that never backs down, no matter what truths awaits them. It is with this determination that she was able to save me. I am grateful for everything she's done."
"I'm glad you two were able to find each other again. Touko spent a long time searching for you."
The pleasant smile on N's face vanishes. "What?"
Touko's mom immediately catches on to the reason behind his shock. "Wait, she didn't tell you? After she defeated the Champion, she went on another journey to look for you."
Touko returns with a tray of tea and cookies. N lowers his head, his eyes covered by Touko's hat.
"What's wrong, N?" the heroine questions.
"I thought you went on a journey to travel the world and fulfill your dreams," he slowly says, "Why were you searching for me?"
Touko almost drops the tray she is holding, clearly unprepared for this conversation. N stands up and tips his hat down. "I am disappointed, Touko."
Her eyes snap up. "W-What?"
"I recall telling you to make your dreams a reality, that they'll become your truth. Without Team Plasma, my father, or me standing in your way, you were finally free to pursue them. And yet, you placed them aside in order to search for me. No, I cannot accept that. You should have focused on your dreams instead of chasing after the past."
Touko trembles, the tray in her hands shaking violently. "So my choice is wrong? What if the reason I needed to find you is more important than my dream? What if they're related to each other?"
N shakes his head. "I have hurt you, Touko. I had threatened the very world you wished to explore and know and love. My ideals went against your dreams. How can I possibly believe that I'm more important than your dreams, let alone be a part of them?"
She deflates. "But you don't think that way anymore. You don't believe that humans and Pokémon should be separated."
"That may be true, but that is irrelevant. I am a part of a past you should move on from. Even this journey...is too much for me now. At first, I was happy that you accepted my offer. I've always wanted to learn more about you, not just as the other hero, but as a normal trainer. But now that I've realized where you've been all this time, I cannot allow you to cling to the past."
"You didn't want me to find you," Touko states, finally piecing together his message.
He turns to the door. "There's one more thing I have to say. I will not hide anything from you. Even if it will hurt you, I know you are strong enough to handle anything."
Touko's heart is being choked, wrung out by the hurt she's experiencing. For a moment, she doubts that she can handle any more. But she has to listen. She must listen, even if it brings her even more pain.
She had vowed to herself that she would.
"I never left Unova," he says, "I've been here the entire time. I couldn't bear to leave. The world is so vast. If I cannot understand the people and Pokémon that I was supposed to lead, then I have no right to explore the world."
All he hears is a pained gasp. It is a short gasp, one that is similar to someone waking up from a nightmare. Then the tray crashes to the floor. Teacups shatter in half. The cookies break apart. Only the plates remain intact.
He doesn't turn around. He knows he won't be able to face the betrayal on Touko's face head-on.
"Do you understand now? I left with the reassurance that you'll be able to make your dreams come true. I didn't want to stand in the way of that anymore. But I still did, in the end."
He opens the door. "I'm sorry."
Slam.
Touko, with N's hat covering her eyes, stares down at the shattered porcelain around her feet. "W-Why are you apologizing…? T-That's my line…damn it."
He runs to Route 1. The wild Pokémon, sensing his distress, cautiously approach him as he rushes through the tall grass. He bumps into something when he turns the corner; a startled shriek shakes him out of his thoughts.
"N?" Mei gasps when she sees his lips tightly closed and his hat, Touko's hat, drawn down to hide his eyes.
"Ah, Mei...You're the person I needed to see."
"What happened? Where's Touko?"
"She's back home. I..."
Mei gestures to the edge of the water channel. "Here, sit down and start from the beginning."
As he explains that Touko had been looking for him, he fiddles with the cube attached to his waist. With each word he says, his hand restlessly shifts from the cube to his hat.
Once he finishes his explanation, Mei guiltily looks away. "I knew you would find out eventually."
"You knew?" N gasps out.
She sighs. "Yeah, for several months now. It was the first thing I learned when I first stepped foot in Nuvema Town. Touko's mom also slipped that Touko was looking for you."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"It wasn't my place to say. Besides, what were you going to do if I did tell you? Look for her? She fell out of contact with everyone, even her closest friends and her mom. I'm not letting my friend go on a wild goose chase."
He realizes then why Mei had fervently stopped him from pursuing Touko, why she had insisted on teaching him basic social etiquette. "You wanted me to wait for her so that, eventually, she'll find me here."
The actress nods. "What you said to Touko just now was what I was telling you back then. If you focus on the future, then when she returns, she'll be relieved that you were able to find your place in the world. You two can start over and be actual friends."
She then frowns. "I get why you told her the truth of where you've been, even if you know that it'll hurt her. But if she had put aside everything, including her dreams, to look for you, isn't that proof that she sees you as something more than her enemy?"
N doesn't respond right away. Mei finally notices the wild Pokémon crowding around them, clearly worried for the green-haired man.
"While you think about it, why don't we start lunch?" the actress suggests. N follows her gaze to the horde of Patrat and Lillipup staring at them.
"...Okay."
Touko bends down to pick up the shards of porcelain that used to be a teacup. She grimaces at the tea spilled on the floor, and after lifting the fallen tray up from the floor, heads to the kitchen to grab a towel.
"Sorry, Mom…" she mutters as she finishes cleaning up the mess. "Sorry...that you had to hear that."
"It's okay, Touko. We can always get more teacups. More importantly, are you alright?" Touko's mom pats her daughter's shoulder. She can feel the trainer tremble, and even though she can't see Touko's face, she knows that she's struggling to not break down.
"D-Did I make the wrong decision, Mom? Did I w-waste my time?"
"I can't answer that for you, dear."
Touko snaps her head up. She bares her teeth as tears run down like an overflowing stream. "H-He was here! In Unova! That damn International Police detective led me on! I-I could have seen him much sooner! I could have been there to help him and Mei fight Neo Team Plasma!"
"Heroine…"
Touko rests her head against the wooden table. All of her energy and fire in her eyes is gone.
"Even if he was here the whole time, I would have been okay if he said he was happy that I wanted to see him again. But he didn't…"
A cup of warm milk is placed next to Touko's head. She lifts herself up and cradles the cup as her mom sits next to her. Touko leans on her mother's shoulder.
"You haven't apologized to him yet?" the older woman softly asks.
Touko shakes her head and takes a long sip. "I was so caught up in journeying with him. It's fun...exploring Unova with him by my side. But I don't think he wants to, anymore."
"No, I'm certain he does, Touko."
"B-But he just said…"
"Why did he say those things, dear? Is it because he doesn't like you? Or is it the other way around?"
Her heart wants to believe the former, but his words, the truth of his feelings, keep coming back. "I have hurt you, Touko. I had threatened the very world you wished to explore and know and love. My ideals went against your dreams. How can I possibly believe that I'm more important than or even a part of your dreams?"
"N...is it possible that he feels the same way I do?" she wonders aloud.
Touko's mom lets her daughter think as she wraps her arm around Touko's back. The occasional and short sipping noises poke at the silence that ensues. Somewhere in the middle of her musings, Touko's team had released themselves from their Poké Balls, with the obvious exception of Reshiram, huddling around the two humans. Within its luxury ball, Reshiram observes its heroine with a sullen gaze.
"Even if these two are humans who prefer to express their true feelings directly, they can still misunderstand each other. But I suppose that this time, it is different because their intentions are the same. Heroine, take as much time as you need to recover. Your choice is your own, and I know that, in the end, you have the strength to accept it."
When night falls, and Touko tucks herself in, Touko's mom leaves the comfort of her house for some fresh air. She pulls out a Poké Ball and releases a golem-like Pokémon. It easily towers over the small town, double its trainer's height. Its faded blue body moves slowly as it flexes its massive hands.
Golurk bends down to its trainer and recognizes her tightly closed lips and downcast eyes.
"Golurk, what do you think I should do to help Touko?"
The Automaton Pokémon cradles her in its large palms. She continues to rant, not caring if anyone hears her.
"Touko has accomplished so many things on her journey. Teaming up with the legendary Pokémon, beating the Champion, even becoming the hero of legend! Hearing her and N earlier made me realize just how much she has gone through. I'm her mother, but I feel as though she's gone someplace I can't reach."
The ghost-type Pokémon holds her close to its chest. She traces the edges of its seal.
"Touko spent so long looking for him. Can't he see just how much he has helped her grow? No, of course not. If he did, he wouldn't say the things he said."
She recalls how the energy in her daughter is sucked out of her as she struggles to comprehend the truth. It's like what happened to Touko three years ago, before she mustered the courage to step out of the region.
"I've failed to pull her out of the darkness twice now. I won't sit by and let her fall back down again! I'm going to bring that man back, and I'm going to make them talk things out!"
A short but harsh gust of wind rattles the trees. Golurk sets its trainer down and lifts its right fist up. Touko's mom scans the darkness, searching for the threat that her Pokémon sensed.
"Shadow Punch, Golurk."
The Automaton Pokémon doesn't move from its spot, but a ghastly aura slowly flickers around it. Something rushes past the Golurk, bringing with it a burst of wind. Touko's mom continues to whip her head wildly, her search becoming more and more desperate. Behind them, on her rooftop, a human-like silhouette peers down on them. Golurk notices the shadow before its trainer does, and from the tiles of the roof, a punch made of the same aura coating the Golurk attempts to knock the mysterious figure down to its level. The shadow jumps up to avoid the attack before diving down towards the Golurk. With one swipe of its bladed arm, it topples the golem-like Pokémon.
Touko's mom gasps at the speed at which her Pokémon fell. The silhouette lands in front of her, revealing itself to be a Bisharp. There's another ripple in the darkness, and the Bisharp's trainer appears next to it: a man dressed in all black, save for his white hair and dull, gray eyes.
"W-Who are you?!"
Shadow merely pulls out a device from his pants and aims it at Touko's mom. She places herself in front of Golurk, spreading her arms out as a barrier. The ninja presses a button, and a portal opens above her. It sucks both her and her Pokémon in all too easily, not giving her a chance to scream for help.
From their union, a blue golem surrounded by a flaring aura dwarfs the town. Similar in stature to a Golurk, the seal on the Kugeki's chest is ripped open, revealing Touko's mom wrapped in shadowy hands. Her eyes and ears are covered. The Kugeki takes a step towards Professor Juniper's lab, which triggers an earthquake that shakes the trees. Shadow disappears into the darkness just as his fused monster coats Nuvema Town with an aura of despair.
Touko can't sleep. Even after telling her mom that she'll get some rest, her eyes refuse to close. In truth, how can she? Her mind is still struggling to find an answer to N's feelings. She curls herself up and gazes at the cream-colored wall.
"How do I get my feelings through to him? I don't want to dismiss what he said, but I still want to journey with him. There are so many things I have to tell him."
"I highly suggest that you sleep, heroine. You have been pondering this issue for a long while now. Perhaps the answer will come in the morning."
She faces the center of her room, where she sees her team sleeping on the purple rug. While Pele is hogging the majority of the mat, Valyn is pressed against her work desk. Scoria is resting in front of the television. Ritsu has his head resting against Touko's bed, and Lillil is leaning against Pele, Reshiram's luxury ball in her hands. The grass-type squeaks when she catches eye contact with her trainer and hops her way to Touko's side, using Ritsu's back as a step to get onto the bed.
"Can't sleep either, Lillil?" Touko asks. The Flowering Pokémon shakes her head and points to the luxury ball in her hands.
"You do not have to stay up with me," Reshiram says to the Lilligant, "I am perfectly capable of rolling to my heroine's side if she needs me."
Touko giggles when Lillil shakes her head furiously. Turning her head to the ceiling, the heroine closes her eyes, finally feeling the first visage of sleep enter her body.
That is until Reshiram's luxury ball drops onto her stomach, and she hears the pained cry of her Lilligant. Touko gets up and gasps when she sees Lillil surrounded by a thin purple aura, clutching her head. The rest of her team is also grimacing, mostly likely plagued by nightmares.
"This is bad. We must return everyone to their Poké Balls."
Touko grabs her bag and fishes for her Poké Balls. After recalling her Pokémon, she grasps Reshiram's luxury ball.
"I'll have to deal with my answer to N later. Huh, didn't think I would actually be looking forward to doing magical girl things…"
"Curing Fusion!"
Instead of the light stealing her away from the world, a ring of orange embers circles around her feet. It slowly climbs up her body, first replacing her pajama pants with a pair of white boots that reach up to her knees and a short white skirt that flares over her thighs. The ring then expands as her wings and the rest of her dress appear. After surrounding her neck with a silver choker and clasping the circle earrings onto her ears, the dancing embers dive into her hair, which then extends and changes to a bright orange color with a short pop.
"The Heroine of Truth, Cure Flare!"
She flies downstairs, immediately noticing that her mom is missing. Her stomach sinks as she shoves the door open. Just as she feared, the Precure finds herself staring up at a massive Golurk-like Kugeki...and her captured mother inside of it.
The monster jerks upon seeing the magical girl, and in response, the many hands blinding Touko's mom increase their grip on her.
"N-No…"
"Cure Flare," Shadow calls as he materializes onto the roof of her house.
"First Bianca, then Cheren, and now my mom?! Stop involving them! They have nothing to do with this!" Flare snaps, her eyes blazing with a deep blue fire.
"So long as they remain important to you, we will use them against you, Flare. For our experiment to work, we need to gauge the strength of your power. Your full power."
The ninja points to the magical girl. "Kugeki, you know what to do."
A large fist comes Flare's way, threatening to crush her house. She leaps off the ground and meets it with a punch of her own. Opening her fist, the Precure unleashes a burst of fire, making the Kugeki retract its hand back. As it recoils from the heat, Flare chases after its burned hand and, after grasping two of its fingers, tosses the monster towards the cliff.
The Kugeki tucks its legs into its body before it can hit the sea, transforming itself into a rocket. Flare launches a flamethrower at the barreling missile, but the monster powers through the fire and headbutts the magical girl towards Route 1. She crashes onto the small beach, and before she can lift her head off the sand, the Kugeki dives after her, attempting to crush her under its fist. Flare stops the punch at the last minute, using her hands as a shield.
"Why did you leave me, Touko?"
Flare heats her palms again, forcing the golem to retreat as she picks herself up. "M-Mom…"
"Why did you listen to that inspector? Is N that important to you? He hurt you! He betrayed you!"
"No, he didn't!" the Precure cries out, "I was the one who hurt him! I needed to tell him that I want a second chance to be his friend! It's my fault for being controlled by my anger!"
"If only you have stayed here in Unova, I wouldn't have felt so lonely!"
The ghastly hands binding Touko's mom to the Kugeki rush out and grab the magical girl. As she frantically wiggles, the Precure is brought before her blinded mother.
"First, my husband leaves me because he's more committed to adventuring than to his family. And now, my precious girl doesn't even want to come home! No message, no letter! Chasing after someone she shouldn't have! If this is what it means to be a mother, then I wish I could go back and change everything!"
"You can, Kugeki," Shadow says, reappearing on the golem's shoulder, "All you have to do is destroy the Precure in front of you. If you do, everything will be reverted. You can erase the source of your sadness and loneliness from existence."
"Mom, don't listen to him!" Flare pleads, tears already pouring down her face. She concentrates and summons several fireballs, firing them at the shadowy arms holding her captive. They loosen their grip for a moment, and the Precure is able to escape. She flies towards Route 17, intending to draw the Kugeki's attention away from Nuvema Town.
Well, she tries to. She barely passes the gate before she is face-to-face with a giant, bulky hand. The Kugeki comes out of the shadows and grabs the Precure again, this time tightening its grip until she can hardly breathe. It carries her back to her hometown, stomping its way through the patch of forest bordering the small village.
"Doesn't she know how lonely it was to wait for her? Living day by day, not knowing whether or not she's okay? I shouldn't have worried about her. I should have just moved on."
Flare hangs her head down. "I thought the same thing. I thought Mom didn't want to see me after being gone for so long. She had her Pokémon to keep her company, after all. I should have known that's not enough. It'll never be enough for her."
Shadow nods at the Precure's defeated state. "This is what you get for abandoning your loved ones. Now, finish her along with this town."
The golem's feet crash down onto Professor Juniper's lab. The Kugeki, upon seeing Flare's house, raises its arm, the one trapping the Precure, and throws her, sending her through the wall into her room. She easily soars past the room into the opposite wall, breaking it, and she rolls towards the cliffside. The metal railings stop her momentum, but her back pays the price for it.
"Flare, you must pick yourself back up!" Reshiram says, on the verge of desperation. "You have to fight!"
The Precure uses her arms to push herself back up, but she can only lift her head off of the ground. Bearing through the pain, she opens her eyes to see the Kugeki with its hands joined into one fist, ready to swing as if it's holding a baseball bat.
With a sudden burst of energy, Flare launches herself in the path of the Kugeki's attack. She hastily constructs a shield of fire to block the punch. The first impact pushes her against her house. The second impact puts a dent in her barrier.
"You always were like your father, Touko. In every single way," her mother's distorted voice bitterly says.
Flare gasps as despair slowly drains the life out of her eyes. The Kugeki swings a third time, and her shield shatters. The momentum from the Kugeki's punch sends Flare crashing into her house. Her body breaks through the wall and immediately destroys the bookshelf and cabinet full of Pokémon goods behind it. The magical girl becomes a missile of destruction as she bashes through the opposite end of her house. She harshly collapses onto her back, splinters of wood digging into her battered body.
"Touko!" Reshiram wails.
Mei stands defiantly, facing the other two members of the Shadow Triad with her Cincinno and Serperior by her side. N rests by her feet, unaware of the fight occurring before him. As for the Shadow Triad, both of their Bisharp have already fainted.
"Serperior, Cincinno, make sure they don't touch N. I have to help Touko," Mei commands as she grabs Zekrom's ultra ball from her bag. She transforms then and there, and after she becomes Cure Bolt, she flies over the two ninjas towards Nuvema Town.
"We can't let her get away!" The two Shadows begin to vanish, but Serperior whips up a Leaf Storm. The grass-type Pokémon slithers within the storm and coils his body around the two ninjas. Serperior hisses at Cincinno to guard N, tightening his grip on his captives when they begin to struggle.
Once Bolt is able to see how the situation with the Kugeki is going, she bites her lips at the destruction. Miraculously, Touko's house is still standing, but Cure Flare herself is laying on the ground, battered and close to the point of transforming back.
"It seems this is as far as she can go. Let us finish it off."
Bolt bows her head and then slowly nods. She imbues her fist with purple energy, which takes the form of a claw. Spreading her wings, she is about to dive into the fray when she catches Cure Flare move slightly. She watches as the white Precure uses her arms to push herself off of the paved road.
"Flare…" Bolt mutters.
"What do you want to do, Bolt? Do we still finish this for her?"
She turns to the Kugeki, to the woman trapped within its chest, and she remembers the many times she sat in that living room, sipping tea and sharing stories of her journey. She remembers the flashes of longing lingering in the mother's voice as she tells her for the umpteen time how she wishes that her daughter could meet her.
"...This is something between the two of them. I...I don't want to interfere."
Zekrom stares at its heroine. "Very well."
Flare wonders if this is the first time she's been pushed to such a dire situation. Not even N threatening to liberate all Pokémon got her to feel so devastated.
"Mom...are these your true feelings? The ones you've been hiding from me the whole time…?"
Her legs can barely support her. She feels like bending over and barfing. Her arms are sore from defending against three powerful punches. Each breath she takes in is only making her body cry in pain. Her vision is blurry at best.
"That's...the first time you've ever called me by my name, Reshiram. Did it...really have to take me being in a life-or-death situation...to do so?" she asks the tiny Pokémon on her shoulder. Reshiram can only stare back dumbly. The Precure lifts her head.
"Are you...happy now, Mom?" The Precure coughs out. Her voice is fragile, only held together by the remorse keeping it alive. "Did that...make you feel better?"
From her shadowy prison, Touko's mom wails, "I don't need you, Touko! If you're going to abandon me like your father did, then I don't want to see you ever again!" It winds up another punch, and this time, it intends to crush Flare like a bug Pokémon. The speed of its attack is too fast for her to dodge.
"Touko!"
The resolute sound of a punch rings in Reshiram's ears. A shockwave shakes the trees and blows away the debris.
"I know that's not how you truly feel," she eventually says. Her tiny fist strains against the Kugeki's large fist. "Everything you've said up to now is true. I didn't keep in touch with you. I've made you worry for no reason. I'm the cause of all of these negative emotions. And for that, I'm really sorry."
Flare glances up with blue fire in her eyes, the same color as Reshiram's flames. "But, deep down, you wanted to see me again. You wanted to know whether or not I found the person that I was searching for. All this time, you've been waiting so patiently for me, even though you were losing hope. Even when you feared that I was going to be like Dad."
She gathers more strength into her fist and repels the Kugeki. It falls just inches away from Professor Juniper's lab.
"Don't listen to her, Kugeki," Shadow coldly orders, "Listen to your heart. Let your feelings out and use them to defeat her."
"I'm not going to run from your true feelings, Mom," Flare continues, ignoring the way the Shadow Triad member sneers at her, "I'm going to fix my mistakes. Starting now, I'm going to be there for you just as you have for me. I won't forget you. I won't abandon you."
The sun rises. Flare soars up to her mother's level, staring at the entangled pile of ghost hands threatening to swallow their captive.
"That is my truth. And it's time I prove it to you."
"Touko…" Touko's mom sobs, all of her animosity gone and replaced with sheer longing. "Touko...where are you?"
She closes her eyes and begins to absorb sunlight, cradling a tiny white orb in her hands. Glowing with white light, the Precure nurtures the ball of pure energy, imbuing it with her feelings and convictions. When the orb is as big as a basketball, Flare slowly opens her eyes.
"Precure...Solarbeam Flare."
As the magical girl smiles serenely, she, the Kugeki, and Nuvema Town are bathed in white light.
Touko wakes up on her bed and wishes she can go back to sleep. Her entire body aches. While she can breathe properly again, she can't say the same for moving her limbs. The pain keeps her anchored to the soft mattress.
"H-How long have I been…?"
"Almost a week, Touko. You have been drifting in and out ever since that battle."
She forces herself to get up, slowly lifting her body to a sitting position. Reshiram's luxury ball rests on her desk.
"A-And my mom…? N?"
"She has been constantly checking up on you. It seems she has something to say to you, but she has been waiting until you have fully regained consciousness. As for N, I have not seen him since he left."
Touko looks down at her purple blanket. "I-I see…"
Footsteps tap against the staircase. The heroine looks up and sees her mother carrying a towel in one hand. When the older woman finds her daughter awake, she dashes to her side, embracing her tightly.
"Touko…Oh, I'm so glad you're awake."
When Touko wraps her arms around her mother, she notices how her mother's body is shaking. She hears her sniffle, and she moves one of her hands to her mother's hair.
"Mom…"
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
"Huh…? Why are you apologizing?" Touko asks.
"Because I did this to you! What kind of mother hurts her daughter like that?! I-I could have-!"
"Mom..."
"I knew you were the one trying to save me. Even though you looked completely different, I can never forget your voice, dear."
They pull away, and Touko's mom wipes away some of her tears. Meanwhile, Touko avoids eye contact, instead choosing to keep her gaze on her blanket.
"I'm sorry I said those things to you," her mom says after a long silence. She places her hand over Touko's right hand. "All I could think about was the loneliness I felt, and I couldn't stop myself."
Touko keeps her head down. "I'm the one who should be apologizing. It's because I was so focused on finding N that I neglected everything else. I made you think that I abandoned you."
Her mom opens her mouth to refute, but Touko looks up. "Don't deny it, Mom! I've heard all of your true feelings. When you're turned into that monster, it brings up the darkness inside of you. Even if it was for a moment, you thought those things. And some of them aren't exactly wrong."
"Still, I'm sorry. As your mother, I should have put more faith in you."
Touko places her other hand over their joined hands. "I forgive you. I'm actually glad that I now know what you're feeling deep down."
Her mother softly grins. "It does feel like a weight has been lifted from my chest. But how did I become that thing? And how did you change me back? It's like you were a magical girl, like the ones on TV."
The heroine nervously smiles back. "Uhh...that's a long story…"
N's mind is reeling.
He had spent the past couple of days pondering over what to do. Should he go back to Driftveil City and help Sage Rood again? Should he continue his journey with Touko? He feels the need to know her answer, but after Mei told him that he needed to give Touko time to sort out her thoughts, he decides to wait until she's ready.
But when Mei comes back from Nuvema Town one day, telling him that Touko would like to speak with him, he immediately dashes into the small town. His heart pounds, but he can't determine if it's from anticipation or nervousness.
The first thing he notices is Professor Juniper's lab. Or what's left of it. The entire building has been flattened. There is police tape surrounding the place already, along with an officer dressed in a brown coat, who is talking to Professor Juniper.
"Have you found any clues?" he hears the Professor ask.
"None as of right now. I've tried interrogating the residents, but they don't seem to know anything."
"Did you ask Touko's mom? Her house is also in bad shape."
"She doesn't have a clue, either. Apparently, she found her house like that when she woke up one day. Quite a vexing problem we have here."
"Oh, dear. What about my research?
"I assure you, Professor. We will have your lab back to normal as soon as possible, but for now, I suggest you conduct your research in a temporary location. Now, I must further investigate the crime scene. If I recover anything, I'll make sure to send it to you."
N turns his head to Touko's house and notices a Conkeldurr patching up what seems to be a large hole in the wall. He runs to the front of the house to get a better view, and another Conkledurr is sitting on a ladder, closing another hole that is closer to the roof.
"W-What happened?"
The front door opens, and Touko exits with her head turned around. "I'll be back, Mom. And yes, I'll be fine!"
"Touko?" he calls. She recoils, almost shrieking.
"N, you scared me! I didn't expect to see you so soon!"
"My apologies. I came as soon as possible." His gaze shifts to the construction around them. Touko catches the question in his eyes.
"Yeah, I don't know what happened either. Woke up one morning and found the living room completely destroyed. I'm just glad we didn't get robbed."
She nervously chuckles, the kind that's too obvious. N tilts his head.
"I'm beginning to think that you attract trouble, Touko."
"I think so, too. Can't I get a break?"
He chuckles with her, the tension between them almost nonexistent. Then, Touko starts walking towards the cliffside, with N trailing behind her. Once the two of them are staring at the vast and open sea, Touko says, "I want to continue our journey."
"Touko?"
"It's a real shame that it turned out you never left Unova. But I can't say that I regret my choice. The past three years have given me plenty of time to think about my journey and bond with my Pokémon. More importantly, it gave me time to think about what I wanted to tell you once I found you. I just regret how I got blindsided by my goal."
N's expression is unreadable, "What is it you wanted to tell me?"
She faces him. "I want to tell you what my dream is."
His eyes widen. Orion's words echo in his mind, "I imagine friends tell each other what their dreams are."
Does this mean she considers him her friend now? Or maybe…she has been thinking of him as a friend for some time, and she's choosing to make that clear to him? Either way, he feels his heart swell at the notion. He wants to know.
"Please tell me," he eagerly says.
His enthusiasm must be infectious because Touko replies without a shred of doubt within her. "My dream is to help people and Pokémon achieve amazing things together. I want to find ways to bring them even closer and protect both of their happiness."
Touko extends her hand out to him. "Will you help me?"
He first stares at her outstretched hand and then at her bright, blue eyes, which are brimming with hope.
N finds that he can't deny her. Not when his heart is trying to reach out to her, resonating with her desire to share her dream with him.
"Of course, Touko." He takes her hand and finds himself transfixed by her smile, which is bigger and more beautiful than any smile he has ever seen.
Cheren rubs his eyelids as his head nurtures the headache blooming in his mind. The new semester is almost here, and he's scrambling to finish his preparations. He has spent too much time dealing with Touko and the bizarre events surrounding the new threat she is fighting.
He hears a knock on his office door. "Come in," he calls.
Bianca peeks her head in. "I thought you would be here. Here, drink this."
She waltzes in with a cup of coffee and places it on his desk. Cheren gratefully takes the cup and takes a long sip.
"Thank you. Why are you up so late?"
"I was worried about you. It's kind of my fault that you're struggling to finish everything on time."
He gives her a tired grin. "Don't apologize. Because of you, I was able to gather more information about the new threat with the Shadow Triad. Plus, it was amusing seeing Touko as a magical girl."
"I was really surprised, too! Remember how she stubbornly refused to watch shows like that when she was younger?"
"Kind of ironic how her first Pokémon was the reason she opened up to the idea, don't you think?"
Bianca scans his desk. Towers of paper border the edges, white soldiers lining the wooden hallway that precedes their ruler. They wait for verification, a fanciful and short signature embodied with a large "C", to carry out their intended purpose. In the middle of his desk, in addition to his current assignment, is a notebook, opened to a list of bullet points and a small sketch of Touko's Precure alter ego.
"You've been working really hard, haven't you?" she asks. Cheren merely nods and continues his paperwork. He only finishes half of the pile he is working on when his and Bianca's Xtransceivers begin to ring.
"Cheren? Bianca?" Touko tests when they answer her call. Her mom also takes up part of the screen.
"Touko? How come you're calling so late?" Cheren questions, "Ah, and hello, ma'am."
"It's good to see you two again," Touko's mom greets, "How are you doing?"
"I'm feeling pretty tired, but I can't sleep yet. I have to finish preparing for the new semester. Bianca's just keeping me company."
Touko nods, "Perfect. That means no one can eavesdrop on us. Have you found anything about the Shadow Triad?"
Cheren raises an eyebrow. "Touko, your mom…"
"It's okay, Cheren. Touko has told me everything. You see, I was also turned into a Kugeki."
"W-What?! When?!"
"Very recently. Professor Juniper's lab and my house are under repairs from the fight."
Bianca looks at Cheren worryingly, while he shakes his head. "Unbelievable. They even used you."
"She remembers, Cheren. Just like Doyle."
The teacher realizes he won't get any more work done after that. He pulls his open notebook to the center of his desk and flips to a new page.
"Tell us everything, Touko," he demands.
The heroine nods. "I also got another hint from Cure Bolt…"
Against the bright lights of Nimbasa City, a young man wearing a visor leans against the entrance to the Battle Subway and answers his Xtransceiver.
"Hello? I'm free at the moment, Inspector. Sorry, sir. How was your investigation? I see. That's a massive amount of property damage. Yes, I finished taking notes on the strange imprint in Accumula Town. Huh, you want me to take this case? Are you sure? I feel like I haven't been taught all of the necessary skills yet. You...believe in me? Very well. I will solve this case and bring the perpetrator to justice. I won't disappoint you, sir. Oh, before you hang up, please let me know if you find anything that can help him. Thank you, sir. Good night."
Click.
Profile: Golurk
The guardian of Touko's mom and the Automaton Pokémon. The only Pokémon left in Touko's mom's possession, this loyal Pokémon has been there for her brightest and darkest days. When she decided to settle down to raise Touko, Golurk chose to stay by her side. It is always willing to lend its support to its trainer and her daughter. Still packs a punch even after all of these years.
Type: Ground/Ghost
Nature: Careful
Characteristic: Likes to relax
Ability: Iron Fist
Move set: Shadow Punch, Earthquake, Hammer Arm, Iron Defense