Despite Bry and Lula's protests, Kyle had returned them to their Pokeballs. If I hadn't pleaded with him before our departure, I would be sharing their same fate. He had conceded under the condition that once we arrived at the Pokemon Center, I would return. I agreed easily to the terms. Gathering our things, Delilah locked the door behind us. Kyle, Delilah, Arren, and I walked down the sidewalk towards the Pokemon Center in the distance. I knew that the Orange shaped dome wasn't too far from Kyle's house but it still was calming to be around him. The Psychic-type and Arren were deep in conversation giving me the time I desired to comfort Kyle further. It was uplifting to see that his mood had improved vastly from the attack on me. He held himself proudly as he took each step. His yellow hoodie and gray cargo shorts clung to his physique.

"Rose?"

"I'm listening," I answered, to put his mind at ease. He had been venting a7bout how bothered he was about the previous night's events. At this point, I had heard it all and was sympathetic to his feelings. Yet I couldn't help myself as I wanted him to move past it.

"Thanks for helping me get my head on straight. I've just...I...I…"

"You don't need to explain anything to me, Kyle. To be honest with you, I was just as upset as you were about what happened. It still doesn't explain how at your levels, you were able to take me and Lucario on. What does your watch say?"

"I gained five levels. I'm sitting at level 34. I'm getting stronger. I don't have an explanation for how I beat you both," he stated. I contemplated his words and the numbers. Something seriously wasn't adding up here. Was there some latent ability or was his power just untapped? He had dropped almost half of his power from losing his arm. It made sense if you looked at it from the perspective of it being that when he had been fighting, his left arm was half of the strength he possessed. It made even more sense when you considered that his strong arm was his left. It's why he had reached out with it naturally in my defense. Something had spiked during the training with me. His growth was far more rapid than anything I had seen in my life. From level 40 to 75 in only a month? It was unheard of. Letting that fall out of my mind, for now, I pushed to just focus on the vacation awaiting us. There would be time to worry about his oddities later. As we reached the flying area, Kyle was swept off his feet literally and physically. A huge blur of orange scales and blue wings sent me sliding forward as it yanked Kyle off the concrete and into the sky. My eyes struggled to catch up to the figure as it performed spins and rolls throughout the air gracefully. My horn started to tingle until at last the beast returned my friend in a dizzied but otherwise safe state to the earth. The Charizard was smiling brilliantly as she held my friend at an arm's length. His feet remained off the ground as she appraised him.

"OH MY GOSH! Kyle! It's so good to finally see you again! You survived the fight against Mewtwo too! I was worried sick that something bad had happened! Please tell me-Wait a minute," the Fire lizard stopped, examining Kyle's left limb. She sniffed it slowly, and I watched as the figurative lightbulb went off in her mind. Her claws deftly pulled his black hoodie sleeve up, to reveal the nub where the rest of an arm should have been. I stared at the wound, as guilt pooled in the pit of my stomach. She gently placed him on the ground and started groveling.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to...are you okay? What happened? Please tell me who did this to you!"

Kyle despite the rough treatment remained relaxed, and calm despite the change in air between the two.

"It's fine. My arm isn't your fault," Kyle started.

"Then who?" she asked again urgently. Her thick tail thrashed against the ground anxiously as she waited for my friend to answer her question.

"During the fight with Mewtwo, I was poisoned trying to save Rose. To prevent it from coursing up my arm and into my heart Rose She…"

"No. No!" she whispered, mortified by the implications. I still wasn't proud of my actions and despite saving his life, I knew I would never be able to make amends for the loss of his limb. My gaze fell to the ground as both Kyle and Brittany continued to speak.

"Unfortunately, things haven't been...well with me. I'm trying to get over things and it just seems to be unending," he stated.

"I'm sorry to hear that. You are such a sweet guy. From the moment we met, I've prayed for nothing but success for you. Why would the world want to tear you down like this?"

"I-I don't know."

"Neither do I. Well, at least I can be of assistance and moral support. Where to today? This trip is on me," the overgrown lizard stated.

"But-"

"Nuh-uh. I said no money. Where are we going?" she demanded. I glanced to the Charizard who winked at me teasingly.

"Don't worry. Your scent is all over him. I know better than to attempt to try and infiltrate someone else's territory. That's a recipe for me waking up to my tail being smothered. No thank you," she stated in a lighthearted tone. Her words put me at ease. The last thing I needed was to worry about another rival outside of Lula. I still was holding my reservations as I didn't want to push up on Kyle. I wanted him to regain the confidence he needed to pursue his dreams. From there, I might pursue the relationship I wanted.

"Eon's house."

"Oh? It's funny you should… bring that name up," Brittany said, scratching her cheek with an elongated claw.

"What's up?" Kyle asked.

"He made me promise that if you ever intended to visit, that I bring you as soon as possible. I should...I should probably call him," the Charizard said, reaching for his phone.

"Wait. Don't," Kyle pleaded, grabbing her arm. She glanced between the two of us quizically.

"He paid me handsomely. Five-star meals at Kalos tower for a week. Alcohol. The works. I owe him quite a debt."

I sensed Kyle's desperation to keep this meeting a secret. On the same note, I was sure that Eon had his reasons for bribing her. After Kyle shut the former Champion out, he wanted to make amends as best as he could. If it meant making sure one of his friends was happy to make the trip for him, it didn't seem that far a stretch.

"Very well. Just this once. Man. Every time I get involved with you, things get crazy fast. Lopunny Garden. Battles with Mewtwo. Now a secret flight to the former's Champions private island. If I had a single battle bone in my body, I'd be on your team TODAY. But, guess it can't be helped." she said with a shrug. Flexing her wings, she assisted him into the saddle.

"Rose. You know what I'm gonna say."

"I'm just glad you let me out for this long. Just... if things get rough don't hesitate to call me out. I'm here for you, Kyle," I stated, bowing my head. I knew he would, even as I was sucked into the Pokeball. Sleep always came easily when I was contained within that metallic sphere. Nonetheless, I kept my sleep light enough to hear the conversation and interpret any hidden meanings. As long as Arren and Delilah were with Kyle, I knew he would be relatively safe. His alternate guardian was willing to fight tooth and nail to protect her child, biological or not.

My heart remained heavy despite knowing that we would be safe. Kyle had been so close to the edge, and I had been powerless to stop it. Whatever had attacked him this morning was still waiting to dig its claws into Kyle. If I wasn't careful, it would drag him kicking and screaming down a road he didn't want to go.

After what seemed like an eternity, I was released along with Lula and Bry. As I stretched out, I noticed that the Charizard had already departed. As I surveyed the mansion again, I noticed that things hadn't changed too much. To my surprise, the storm which had been set over our home was gone. Not a single cloud filled the clear blue sky. The bright yellow orb shone down as a chilly breeze caressed my fur.

"Here we are," Kyle whispered.

"Shall we?" Arren asked, taking the Rubix cube out of his pocket and leading the way up to the manor. We followed obediently, with Delilah leading up the rear. As we reached the front door, we noticed the massive threshold was wide open. My senses warned me of trouble, yet Kyle proceeded unafraid. I followed suit, keeping a close watch for any threats. The windows were open, and bright sunlight filtered through the relatively clean building. Looking in between my claws I could tell the wood had been recently waxed.

A scream drew all of our attention to the hallway directly ahead of us. A single figure was obscured by the light.

"C-can it be?" a feminine voice trembled, as the being approached at a very slow pace. "It can't be...Master Eon never told me...please...please let it be. I have to touch him. I have to know I'm not dreaming."

Kyle waited patiently, and my eyes widened as I recognized the devoted servant and companion to Eon. The grass type tripped, but Kyle closed the gap in an instant to catch her. Despite his loss of strength, his speed was still something to behold as he didn't even attempt to push off at all. As his hand wrapped around her waist, time came full circle as everything returned to normal.

"It is! Master Kyle! MASTER KYLE! OH THANK ARCEUS ABOVE! YOU'RE SAFE!" the Lilligant wailed, holding him with her petals tightly. I smiled as Kyle held the grass type gently.

"It's okay. I'm here. It's good to see you, Lucia," Kyle said, as he released her after a minute. As the two separated, she wiped a solitary tear away from her eyes.

"You all made it. Alive and safe. I'm so thankful. Welcome, Arren. Rose. Lula. Bry. Delilah. It is a joy to see you all in good health and care. I was so worried that the night you left it would be your last. Master didn't tell me anything about the fight. Try as I might Dragonite was very little help either. I was left...well," she trailed off. Lifting a single petal out of her eye and into the sun, it became very apparent she hadn't been taking care of herself. There were brown edges to her leaves, and her eyes appeared heavily exhausted.

"I only hoped that someday you would visit sooner rather than later. Speaking of, I should probably announce your presence to Master. He'll-"

"It's all good Lucia. I saw them coming from across the ocean in the study."

My eyes narrowed as I watched him, approach us casually. Each step was cautious and his blade was hidden away from sight. Despite the relaxed nature, I sensed he was off. His eyes were half-open, and he appeared overly exhausted. I let my guard down as the older male kept his distance.

"Lucia. You and I both know you should appear better when we have company over. Stressed or not, you still need to take care of yourself," her owner said, in a soft voice.

"What about you Mas-Forgive me. That was not my place. I'll fix this immediately," the petal mon said, as a bright green light surrounded her. After a minute it faded, and her leaves returned to their springy natural appearance. Her eyes beamed radiance as she bowed before us.

"Should I have Johnson take their bags?" she asked her trainer.

"I believe we can manage. Isn't that right Kyle?" Delilah asked, rubbing his head affectionately.

"I don't have any business telling you to go away. But...I need to know. Why are you here Kyle? Have you come back for revenge? If you want my life, I can't say that I'm fond of just giving it up. But, I owe you for all the pain I put you through."

The directness of the Champion made the air grow stale and ripe with tension. We knew why Kyle was here, but the male didn't. I suspected he was fearful of what he might end up doing.

"I'm not here for blood. I'm here to accept your apology and to return one. You aren't at fault for anything that happened. I just...need to find myself. I figured here would be as good as any to take a vacation."

"Oh. Ohhh...whew. You had me worried for a minute. I'm guessing you are trying to get ready for the Academy. Let's not rush into things. For now, I would be honored if you stayed. It's been quiet and lonely the past few months. Lucia. Bring out the good food. I think everyone here could use some rest and relaxation."

Kyle leaned forward and hugged Eon who returned the gesture wholeheartedly.

"I'm sorry, I let my anger stop me for forgiving you sooner," Kyle stated.

"Kyle. I don't blame you. Regardless of What's done is done. Go put your bags down. Lucia and I will let you know when we've come to a decision on what we are doing," Eon replied with a smile.

Kyle took the hint and turned around heading towards the stairways. I followed at his side as Bry and Lula remained downstairs with Eon and Lucia. As we moved past Elaina's room, I watched Kyle pause for a moment.

"I miss her. She may have been only after a good time, but I can't say I didn't feel something for her," Kyle told me. His sentimental words were simple but they hit me harder than I expected.

"I don't blame you. She was charismatic," I replied, gently nudging him forward. She was gone and there was little that staring at the vacant space would do. He took my suggestion and walked further down the hall until we arrived at the room we had spent most of our time in before the fight with Mewtwo.

"Do you remember the night you found out I was lying to you?" he asked me.

His words made me chilly despite the warmth which was pumped into the air inside the house. My memories of the time preparing for Mewtwo's fight were filled with pain. I had hurt and lashed out at him simply to prove to myself he was the enemy. I cared that he would get hurt and in the end, I was the one who did it. I was so afraid of letting him get close because if he did, I might let my guard down for once.

"Yeah."

"You called me out. At the time all I wanted was your approval. As things moved closer to the actual fight, I saw you as a source of strength that I didn't have. Now I can't help but be jealous of how composed you are. You seem unbothered by everything," Kyle stated.

"Well, I'm not!" I snapped. My teeth clenched together and I let out a heavy sigh. Kyle flinched at my words. Tears filled my eyes, and I forced them down.

"Kyle. I won't lie. I'm a mess 99 percent of the time I'm around you. I second guess my feelings all the time and have to remind myself you aren't the enemy. Constantly," I whispered, as hot tears sprung to my eyes. "The worst part is I constantly have to see what I took from you daily."

We remained motionless until finally, he spoke what was on his mind.

"I'm sorry Rose. I guess we all have our struggles. Just so you know...my arm isn't your fault. I can't sit here and lie to you. There were times when you were away, that I wanted nothing more than to pin it on you."

"I cut it off," I pointed out but he dismissed my comment with a wave of his hand.

"Stop it, please. I'm not strong enough to disagree with you right now. I don't want to blame you for what happened because I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for your support. To be honest with you, I love Lula. However, I'm happy you are coming with me to Ranger Academy. "

His words had an uplifting effect. A small smile broke out on my maw as he laid his backpack down on the bed. Turning around to face, me I noticed that his normally calm demeanor was serious.

"Rose. I'm not going to ask for much. Just please promise me, you'll stop blaming yourself for this. It hurts me to hear you do that," he pleaded. I wanted to be angry but found myself with no retort. Sighing, I acknowledged it with a simple nod of my head.

"Thank you," he replied patting the top of my horn with his hand.

"KYLE! ROSE! Eon wants you both downstairs ASAP. He's taking us out on a picnic!" Lula sang out to us. Her melody hit our ears and we immediately grew excited.

"The last one down the steps is a slowbro?" he teased, taking off before I could reply.

"HEY! That's cheating!" I growled, pushing off in an attempt to catch up. As I rounded the corner, I watched him launch up into the air, and land on the railing. He slid down at a rapid pace reaching the bottom steps before I had made it halfway downstairs. As I chased him down the hallway he reached the group with a good foot or two in front of me.

"GOAALLLLL!" he shouted victoriously.

"Tch," I swore, shaking my head at his underhanded tactics. Before I could spit something out, he leaned down and kissed my forehead.

"I know this is a weird request, but do you wanna ride on a bubble with me? It's such a relaxing method of travel," Lula piped up, catching me off guard.

The forest path we traveled along led us through a small forest. Bright light filtered the through leaves above to trickle down and reach us. Kyle appeared to be in awe as Deerlings, Sewaddles, Brelooms, and Whirlipedes flitted in and out of the greenery.

"It's so pretty," Lula commented bringing a genuine smile to my face. To the stranger's credit, they gave us space, focused only on food, the warmth, or making sure we didn't approach.

For minutes we walked on in silence outside of the chirps of Starly, as Eon and Kyle discussed attending ranger school. I let my mind wander without rhyme or reason. Shame filled my gut as I considered that Katherine should be here instead of me.

"We're here," Eon announced, swinging the large picnic baskets through a large bush, and into an open field. As I followed through, my eyes took a minute to acclimate to the breathtaking scenery in front of me. My breath caught in my chest, as I stared on in awe. A very small field was covered in hundreds of different flora, painting the floor a rainbow of colors. The sun provided a shimmering effect as it refracted off of the dew on the leaves. Numerous Sunflora and Bellossem danced through the field and greeted us joyfully as we approached. In the middle of the hill, Lilligant, Dragonite, and Milotic had laid out a massive checkered table cloth with a widespread of sandwiches, side dishes, and sweet-looking berry drinks. Pastries lined the very edges and I was stunned they had managed to carry all of this out here without issue. I glanced past them, listening to the sound of the ocean sloshing against the steep cliffside which provided the final backdrop to this wonderful image.

"Welcome to Sanctuary. I found this place when I first moved in. You can't imagine the amount of fighting I had to do with the locals just to visit. It's a peaceful and tranquil spot. Great for getting your head on right, and just relaxing. It's like this year-round, even when it snows. Don't ask how...it just is."

Observing Kyle, I could see the wonder and happiness reflected in his eyes. His mouth was beaming as a large grin spread across his face. My heart rate increased as I watched him. This was the best thing I could have hoped for. To see him recover even slightly, made my heart ache with longing.

"Forgive the intrusion," a high melodic voice spoke up from behind us.

As a group, we all turned around in unison, before proceeding to bow. A regal green deer-like Pokemon approached our position. I recognized the Mon as a Virizion. One of the Legendary swordsmen. It was not only an honor but a blessing if one of them visited you.

"It's always a pleasure to see you Eon," she said, before pausing for a moment. "And your friends. You must introduce me." Her voice trailed off as the grass type approached Kyle slowly. Her triangular heald lowered and I grew tenser with each passing second. If she threatened his existence it would be the last thing she did. Mythical or not, Kyle's safety was my key concern. She sniffed his hair and recoiled violently before glancing to Eon.

"Hmmm. Curiouser. What is your name?" she demanded.

"Kyle Bredeson, ma'am," Kyle politely replied.

"I shall remember it well," she said, as she leaned closer to his ear. Her mouth moved as she whispered into his canal. I watched them as my fur bristled with each passing second. On cue, her eyes met mine and she withdrew slowly.

"I mean no harm, Absol."

I flushed under her direct gaze.

"And who is your company? Please do introduce yourselves."

One by one our group spoke our names, respectfully. Her appearance was stunning and impeccable. As Kyle gawked at her, a small pang of jealousy filled my gut.

"Eon. I hate to ask but you didn't happen to bring a sandwich-"

"Of course! Lilligant always packs your sandwich just in case you visit," Eon replied, nodding to his grass type. She reached into the woven basket and pulled out a napkin wrapped square. I could smell the saltiness of the bacon and fresh vegetables even despite the distance between us. She gently handled the sandwich in her maw. We all expected her to leave, as we kneeled but she proceeded to drop it and lay down on her side. Her jaws expertly peeled away the paper as took a massive bite out of the sandwich. There was no finesse just her ripping chunks off and swallowing whole. She realized our positioning and immediately spoke up.

"My apologies. I'm still not used to all the formalities. Relax. Please. To be honest, it gets lonely year-round. Good company is so hard to find," she said, waving a hoof in the air. We all got up from bowing and proceeded to move over to the Mythical and sit near her.

"Why is it so hard to find company?" Bry asked. The squirrel laid against her stomach, making our company blush in return. "Don't Pokemon visit you often?"

"Unfortunately, my brothers are the only real source of companionship I have. Humans and other Pokemon only want to deal with our kind when it comes to capturing or combat," she explained tearing another piece of sandwich free and chewing it thoughtfully.

Her words struck a nerve as I had experienced that quite a bit in my own life. I was an oddity even among my kind. Yellow Eyes. My horn is on the opposite side. I was one of a kind. Owning me was like having a trophy. If that trophy could slay in fights too.

"I visit this island once a month to see Eon. You managed to catch me right towards the end of the month. I hadn't seen him in a while so I was worried something had happened. Mmmm. By the way, these veggies are absolutely to die for. You have to tell me your secret!" Virizion stated enthusiastically.

"Lucia, my Lilligant, loves tending our garden on the side of the house. She doesn't let anyone else around it," Eon said, handing out food to all of us one by one. I accepted my sandwich in delight and proceeded to peel it open. Some had fruit and veggies. Mine was simple meat and cheese, but the thick cuts of each were perfectly accented. I could see the fat dripping off of the meat as it was smothered in melty stringy cheese. I bit into it slowly enjoying it as the smoky-sweet sauce slid against my taste buds. Glancing back to the basket I noticed we had barely even touched the first half of the food. There was more than enough for seconds and thirds and fourths even. I assumed some of it was for Eon's team.

"Utterly divine. She's well versed," Virizion stated.

"Thank you, Ma'am," Lucia replied with a bow.

"Now onto the big questions, Eon. I haven't seen you in a minute. Something tells me you didn't just meet this boy without some kind of adventure going on. Care to share the details?"

Eon shrugged nonchalantly, before responding.

"It is not exactly my story to tell. Kyle here is the center of it."

I watched his cheeks flush with embarrassment as she gave Kyle her undivided attention.

"This should be good," she said, inching closer to my friend. To his credit, he put his sandwich down and devoted his focus to providing the story as best as he could. I listened halfheartedly as he began to recall the details from the day he had run into Mewtwo. Moving to the basket, I grabbed a second sandwich before returning to nestle myself against his leg. As I chowed down, Kyle pets me and Lula. My eyes surveyed the edge of the forest behind us. Bright orange eyes shone from the forest, and I felt my heart drop. The imposter had followed us all the way here.

As it approached us from the shadows a bright green light shone, repelling the thing backward. It glared evilly at us while a wave of dark energy rippled against the barricade. After a second it was dissipated before leaves started to whirl around us preventing the intruder from seeing and attacking us. My eyes whirled back to notice that Virizion was beaming and nodding her head. However, her eyes had turned to a bright blue color alight with power. She was shielding us from the threat. I couldn't help but feel grateful that the mythical was willing to fight on our behalf. Only Eon appeared to have caught onto what was happening yet he remained silent.

Finally, the time came when Kyle's story finished. My head lay peacefully on his knee. The swordsman was quiet as she contemplated the tale before responding.

"Every Pokemon in every region felt when Mewtwo expired," she whispered turning to face the former champion.

"You both have been very busy. I feel like Kyle's story doesn't have a conclusion though. What is the next step in this tale?"

Eon nodded silently before glancing back to Kyle. The look in his eyes spoke of the respect he had for my trainer.

"Kyle's been selected to attend Ranger Academy. I don't know how far he'll get, but my suspicions are he might just pass. We will see," Eon said, confidently.

"My. For one so young? Impressive. Though I have to ask. Your arm. You have the option to get a prosthetic or implant. Why don't you?"

This question perked me up and I sat up to gauge my friend's mood. Her words hit him hard as his head drooped to meet my view.

"I-I'm just starting to accept that I lost a piece of me. This is my life now, and if I were to try and change that it'd be like putting on a mask. Being someone I'm not. Despite that, I've considered the option lately. The nerve damage is too great for any tech to be functional."

The Grass/Fighting-type nodded quietly. My eyes burned as I lamented what I had done to him. I was still trying to move forward from it since he had asked but it was difficult.

"That takes real strength, Kyle. Don't let anyone else tell you otherwise. You see your flaws and are willing to face them instead of hiding them," she stated, bowing her head slightly out of respect. He returned the gesture out of respect.

"I have to say that I like this one, Eon. Do visit more often, Kyle. If I don't see you at least once a year, I will be sure to track you down." Despite the playful look in her eyes, and words I knew she was deadly serious. It appeared that Kyle's personality had attracted further attention from someone of power. Rolling onto my back and shaking my fur out, I stared into the sky.

The warm sun, good food, and company proved too much relaxation for me. I soon found myself drifting to sleep. My eyes closed with Kyle's scent and smile as the last thing I actively recognized.

I awoke several hours later, thirsty and disoriented as I sat up. The warm leather of the couch coddled my body. My sleep hadn't been disturbed despite traveling back to the house. It took me a minute but I recognized that I had been dropped off in the study. Looking around, my eyes came to rest on Kyle who watched over me from a nearby couch.

"You're awake. You were out cold. Lula threatened that if I woke you up, she would freeze me to the mattress tonight," he said chuckling.

Groaning, I got up and stretched out my muscles. For some reason, I was irritated but I didn't think he had anything to do with it. If I snapped at him, it wouldn't be warranted. He had been sweet to me this entire trip. Closing my eyes for a moment, I composed myself before speaking up.

"How long was I out?" I asked.

"Three hours more or less," he replied. My eyes flicked to the clock and then the window. The sun was just beginning to set which meant dinner would be served soon. I wondered what Lucia had been cooking up.

"Where are Lula and the others?"

"Downstairs playing soccer with Eons Pokemon. Wanna go check it out?"

His offer was pleasing to the ears, and I decided to take him up on it. He stood up and I hopped off the bed, careful to not tear up the comforter with my claws. Each step behind him, I spent staring at the ground. My mind came around full circle as I realized what was bothering me. I stopped mid-step and stared down the stairs. Shame filled my cheeks as something Delilah had said popped up in my mind.

"Rose?"

I wanted to tell him what was wrong but found the words were stuck to my tongue like peanut butter. Hot tears sprung to my eyes, and before I knew it he had wrapped me up in his arm.

"Hey. Heyheyheyhey. What's going on?"

For a minute he comforted me until I found my jaw could work. And then it poured out of my mouth in a rush.

"If...Do I deserve this? To be this happy? After everything, I don't understand why I get a second chance. You do because of all you have sacrificed. But...I've caused so much pain. How do I know that it's just not going to be ripped out from underneath me?" I said, tripping over my words. He took a step back and tilted my head up to meet his gaze. Again those green orbs filled me with serenity and melted away any conflict that lay inside.

"Your sister wanted you to be here. She wanted you to be happy. You owe it to her and yourself to try."

My frown faded slowly into a smile.

"Come on. Bry kept teasing that you needed your 'beauty sleep lest you attack us."

My head shook in mock irritation at the rodent's jest. Yet I was grateful for the gesture of appreciation, no matter how fleeting it was. Picking up the pace, I dashed down the stairs, accidentally bumping into Johnson who was carrying a massive load of sheets on his back.

The cloth spilled off of the device on his muscular back. To his credit, he didn't even flinch despite the speed at which I bumped him.

"Oh! I-"

"No bothers. Go. I can handle this mess. I'll see you all at dinner. Eon has demanded I attend for once," the male responded in a stern voice. "Ah. Master Kyle. Lucia was wondering if tomorrow you were free? She had something of utmost importance to speak with you."

"Oh. Ummm...sure. No problem," Kyle stated, as he dashed past us, and towards the massive backyard. I followed suit past several ornate doors, as my claws clicked on the laminate surface. Each step brought me closer and closer to my goal. Finally, as we both burst out the door, we came to a dazzling show that took our breaths away. The crisp evening breeze complimented the scenery.

On one side of the field, Lula, Bry, Milotic, and a fluffy Arcanine faced off against a hulking Garchomp, Ludicolo, Staraptor, and Electivire. The two teams seemed completely mismatched, and yet, the dazzling show they put on was something I'd remember for a long time.

"BRY!" Lula howled, launching the water engulfed soccer ball into the sky. Staraptor had been maintaining altitude and immediately dived to intercept the sphere. Bry jumped off of Arcanine's back firing a single gust to send the orb down to Milotic who was slithering upfield past Garchomp. She caught it on the back of her tail, as Electivire guarded her. Ludicolo fired a single Hydro pump fumbling the ball which Staraptor caught before it hit the ground. Aiming at the end of the field it launched the sphere from its side towards the goal. The throw was far too weak to reach it but, Garchomp had burrowed into the dirt to catch and score. Just before it could reach its target, our Emolga managed to catch it and deliver it with a powerful shock to Lula. Pokemon attacks weaved into the strategy, and I watched the teams moving against each other in concert.

"You missed it earlier. Bry outplayed Eon's Staraptor. I wanted to join, but with my arm, I don't think I'd be able to contribute much," Kyle said as he sat down on the wooden porch steps.

"You don't give yourself enough credit," Eon stated cooly from the wall he leaned against. He had a huge smile on his face as he watched the game being played in earnest. "It's been a long long time since I've seen them enjoy themselves like this. The two newcomers make it interesting. Especially without Dragonite or Rayquaza. Only two points away from match point? I wonder who's gonna win. My money's on Lula's team. They have great chemistry."

"But the others seem so massively stacked against my team," Kyle said, but Eon shook his head.

"Don't get me wrong. I've trained everyone out there to be the best they can be. However, they haven't seen real combat since my younger days going through the Elite Four. Now they just rest. I asked them to come home after I stepped down from my post as Champion," Eon replied, pushing off the wall to come sit next to Kyle. His white hair was a mess, as he sat down.

"Speaking of...did you drop down because of me?" Kyle asked. His question piqued my interest enough to look away from the game.

Eon sighed loudly and placed his head on his clasped together hands. His eyes shone brilliantly as he watched the game.

"Kyle. I-"

"Eon. We've had this discussion," Dragonite interrupted, coming through the door. We all turned as the Dragon lumbered over to stand behind his trainer.

"Eavesdropping?" Eon asked a hint of anger coloring his voice.

"Not intentionally. But we discussed that Kyle and Rose deserved the truth. For once, things weren't entirely your fault," Dragonite stated.

Kyle looked to me confusion filling the air.

"Fair enough. Let me come clean, Kyle. Rose. I didn't step down from my position of Champion. As a matter of a fact, I could have kept up against most of the trainers I come across without a single issue despite Dragonite's wing and Rayquaza's death. However...I can't say that I wanted to stay in that position. So truth be told, I threw a match. I gave it to N willingly."

"Why?" I asked, beating Kyle to the metaphorical punch.

"Because I didn't deserve the title anymore. My ideals became blurry after the fight with Mewtwo. See...well...I-"

"I am responsible for not saving Kat," Dragonite spoke up. "Eon here took the fall for me making the judgment call. We could have beat him, however, something warned me away. I got a very dreadful feeling as we approached the Legendary Pokemon. I advised Eon that this fight would end terribly. To tell the truth, we could have overpowered him. It may have cost us quite a bit of blood and injuries, but he was already severely exhausted," Dragonite said.

Glancing at Kyle, I noticed that his mood was unreadable. He appeared to not be affected by the news. I couldn't help but understand exactly why. We had both come to terms with the loss of our closest family member.

"Kyle. Both of us are not in control of our destiny anymore. Our knowledge of what would happen ended after that fight," Eon said earnestly, standing up. My eyes returned to the field as Lula slid the soccer ball across a stream of ice where Milotic fired a hydro pump sending the sphere into the unguarded goal posts. All the pokemon involved started cheering and screaming ecstatically as the game came to a close.

"And who gave you that info?" Kyle asked, turning to face Eon. Despite my eyes remaining on the field, my attention was completely on the answer.

The duo hesitated before Dragonite came clean with the answer.

"I shouldn't tell you this, but it was Lusamine. She was very displeased that things didn't go according to plan. I don't remember much of the conversation afterward, but she told me, that should things continue this way, bad things would come of it. I don't know what she was referring to. I wish I could be of more help. Suffice it to say, she told me you should just forget about anything concerning your future. Focus on the right now. Everything will come together. I'm sorry Kyle," Eon said. I could hear the sincerity in his voice and found my gaze falling to the patch of wood between my claws. We were constantly being played and as far as I knew I didn't understand Lusamine's motives. Something bigger was at stake, but what it was exactly we didn't have an answer. Sighing, our thoughts were interrupted as everyone joined upon us.

"Great game," Garchomp stated in a deep voice.

"I'm surprised how agile the Emolga is. I've always been the fastest on the field. I learned a thing or two from you today," the bird mon, said sassily.

"I try. This was a blast. Next time we should get Rose and Dragonite involved. More Pokemon means more fun right?"

I shook my head, making all the heads turn to me.

"What's wrong Rose? Scared of a little friendly competition?" the Milotic jested. However as I considered playing on a team, I got flashbacks of the dungeon. My stomach flipped and I did my best to push it down.

"Look. I don't do... teamwork. I"m just not cut out for it. Let it go," I stated coldly. My eyes narrowed, and I noticed the concerned look on Lula's face. Before the conversation could continue, Eon provided me sanctuary.

"Well regardless of what we all want, it's dinner time. Lucia was working hard throughout the meal. Let's head in. Kyle...she cooked your favorite from last time. You'll love it. Come on, Staraptor. You all need a bath after that much mud play," Eon said, shoving his giant bird through the back door. Everyone got up and left, but Lula grabbed my tail preventing me. Glancing back, I noticed that Bry and she were the only ones waiting behind. As the door shut, Lula leaned in close to me.

"Wanna play with Master tonight?"

"You've been planning this all day, you weird otter," Bryan teased, tapping his resting place on the top of her head. She groaned at him and smiled broadly.

"Depends…" I said, cautious as to how much trouble we'd get into. The last thing I wanted to do was make Kyle upset.

"Don't worry. This is something we used to do back at the house. There wasn't as much room, but more importantly, we all had fun. I promise to play fairly. Your sister loved this game."

Glancing to the Emolga who was beaming radiantly, I decided that I'd give in to the trickery, and have some fun for once. Listening in, we plotted our devilish game. Kyle would never suspect a thing, and we'd all end up soapy and happy at the very end.