It's time for the next canon bonus. Like the last few, this one's a bit experimental in nature. So, any feedback is greatly appreciated. Enjoy!

Bonus: Taking Charge

I am stupid.

So, so stupid.

So super, terribly, awfully, extremely stupid.

But what else is new?

I couldn't believe it. I was there. I was right there... watching everything happen. I could've stepped in. I could've intervened before Braviary got clubbed upside the head. I should've done something to make absolutely sure they were all safe.

But I didn't.

Instead, I hid in Bruxish's pond… paralyzed by fear. Hoping I'd be able to keep myself invisible and silently praying that something would happen so that I wouldn't need to get involved. My prayers were answered, but that didn't make me feel any better at the time. Instead of leaping into action, I just sat in the water while Silvally – someone who, by all means, shouldn't even exist in the first place – fought Metagross off.

And when everything settled down, did I reveal myself? Did I offer to help Team Radiance, when it clearly looked like they were struggling? No, of course not. Because I was still afraid. Afraid of getting chewed out for doing nothing. Of sitting by while everything spiraled out of control. I'd done exactly what the Prism Virus complained of: nothing. All I could think about was getting out of there and trying to clear my mind.

Except Hoopa had gone away to rest and I was there by myself. So, I made for the guild's entrance, keeping my cloak up. I passed by Magearna and Metagross. That's when I made my next big mistake: reading Metagross' mind. I figured, since he was unconscious, it would offer me the best possible chance to figure out why this had happened.

Instead, it only served to show me how dumb I really am… how right Rayquaza was to talk down to me all the time.

I was an explorer. I knew that the only way a Metagross could exist was if two Metangs fused together… uniting their minds and their spirits. Naturally, I had assumed that Horizon's Guildmaster found a willing partner to fuse with and everything was peachy keen. It didn't even occur to me that maybe, just maybe, there was foul play involved.

In other words, I was proven wrong. Again.

One of the perils of being an empath is encountering someone whose mind and spirit are completely twisted. It can be overwhelming. When I was staring down Yveltal, it felt like someone was stabbing me in the head from every conceivable angle. It was awful. There were many nights after Dark Matter's attack that I would just lie awake, remembering that feeling, begging fate to keep me from ever experiencing it again.

Thanks to Metagross, that wish never came true.

My glimpse into his mind was so shocking, it nearly made me drop my invisibility. Things grew fuzzy around me. An intense pressure surrounded my head. I thought my skull was going to be crushed for a second. Before I could black out, I sped out of the Observatory and away from Aeon Town. I triggered my Mega Evolution as soon as I was on the other side of the forcefield. The intense surge of energy kept me from passing out.

I shot forward, leaving the Horizon Continent behind in a matter of minutes. Even if Hoopa wasn't around, I knew I needed to get back across the ocean as fast as I could. Still, it was tough to fly straight with my mind still reeling. I couldn't stop myself from thinking about what I'd seen… trying to piece it together like the puzzles big brother and I did when we were hatchlings.

Metagross wasn't the explorer who had started with the guild as a Metang. He was someone else entirely.

His memories played out in the back of my head. He had grown up in the wild… in Voltaic Crater… constantly battered by wayward electric currents. It fried his brain. He slowly lost his grip on reality. It got so bad that he firmly believed that everyone and everythingwas out to kill him. I was flabbergasted, to say the least. Over where I lived, we knew that most wild Pokémon in dungeons weren't real, genuine living beings. They were constructs formed from the constantly shifting ley lines. To see that Horizon's wild Pokémon were real... and that they could suffer so horribly in these dungeons... I couldn't help feeling bad for Metagross' plight.

I shook my head about. What was I saying? This guy had blood on his hands! Figuratively speaking, of course. No, I needed to concentrate. I still didn't have the whole picture, did I? Where had I left off, again?

Right, Voltaic Crater. Beldum turned into Metang and dedicated his life toward trying to figure a way out of the Mystery Dungeon. But he couldn't. Every direction he levitated… every time he made progress… there would be another surge. His vision would fail him. He'd collapse to the ground and loose all sense of himself.

It was in one of those bouts of confusion that Team MIB's Metang stumbled upon him. This Metang was everything he wasn't: composed, confident, and knowledgeable about what he wanted. Except, instead of offering help, he attacked.

I felt another round of intense pressure and nearly dropped out of the sky. I shook my head about again. That was the moment they fused together and became Metagross. Except… since one of the Metang was unwilling, the resulting evolution wasn't a union of the Metangs' minds and spirits. Instead, the two fought for control. The wild mind grew steadily more panicked the longer Metagross was in the guild. And when Dark Matter attacked and sent Horizon into a panic…

"AHHHH!"

My eyes widened and I fired an intense Psychic straight down. It propelled me upward. I floated in midair, heart hammering in my chest, staring down at the ocean I'd nearly crashed into.

It was plain as day to me that I couldn't think about this stuff anymore. I had to make it back to Lively Town. I sped off again, trying to focus on the sky in front of me. But Metagross' memories kept trying to worm their ways into my mind.

Arrrgh! Why did this have to be so hard? I was tired enough from jumping between different sides of the world. This flight needed all my attention, but it was slipping away with every passing second. And… well… passing out while speeding over the ocean was not an option. If the impact didn't break every bone in my body, I'd probably drown!

I forced myself to go on, trying to remember the game that Jirachi had been teaching me a few weeks ago as a means of distraction. It did the job. Before I knew it, Lively Town popped into view on the horizon. I gave a sigh of relief and sped forward, drawing closer and closer. The moment I breached the town's forcefield, I twisted the gear in the center of my looplet. The Awakening Emera dissolved into thin air.

My Mega Evolution faded. The sudden withdrawal of energy struck me like a tidal wave of fatigue. I fell out of the air much faster than I intended. Which was bad news for poor Slurpuff. He was so soft and fluffy-looking, I couldn't stop myself from using him as a makeshift crash pad.

"Ow! Goodness, Latias. It's not time for breakfast yet. And I don't have any snacks on hand."

"S-Sorry," I squeaked. "I wasn't watching where I was going." I floated off of him, shaking dust off my feathers. "Listen, I'm in a bit of a hurry right now. Where's Ampharos?"

"That's a good question," Slurpuff said.

I groaned far louder than I meant to. "You… don't know where he is, do you?"

"Do I look like Mawile to you?"

It was times like that where I wished my arms were actually long enough for my paws to reach my face. I'd have facepalmed sooooooohard. But there was no time to throw a hissy fit. There was serious work to do! I sped off into our headquarters.

"Heeeeey! Anybody home? I need to speak to Ampharos right away!" I shouted. To my surprise, the main assembly area was empty. I didn't even think that was possible.

"Sis?"

My ears perked up. I spun to my right and saw Latios floating in a doorway, rubbing sleep out of his eyes. "What are you doing back here?"

Big brother! I chirped, turning to my telepathy without even thinking. I flew right toward him, wrapping him up in a big hug.

Ah! Ahh! Hey, stop it! Th… that tickles! Latios said, squealing and squirming around in my grasp.

Sorry, I said, backing away from him. It's just… after seeing what happened to the Mist Continent, I was really worried about you. And you weren't here when I came to get Hoopa.

I was sleeping, Latias, big brother said, looking concerned. Is your ESP on the fritz or something? You should've been able to sense me easily.

I blinked a few times. Metagross' memories tried to crawl back into my mind's eyes but I shoved them away. I… uh… am having some empath issues, actually, I admitted. I read someone's mind over in Horizon and saw something… that I wasn't supposed to see. Worry spread across big brother's face. I winced. I hated seeing him worry like that.

Did something happen to you? Latios asked. Spirits above, you're not actually planning to go back to Horizon this time, are you?

I… I have to, I said, audibly squeaking. Ampharos and Mawile are counting on me to support them over there.

But if something bad's happening, you need extra help, Latios said. Why don't you talk to Ampharos about it?

My patience was starting to wear a bit thin at big brother's worrying. Why do you think I came back here, huh? I winced again when Latios frowned at me. Sorry. I'm just… in a bit of a hurry. Is Ampharos here?

I think he's upstairs tending to an important visitor, Latios said, looking up at the ceiling. I can't sense anything up there. It's like someone put up a psychic block.

I followed his gaze and squinted. Sure enough, instead of sensing bright, vibrant balls of life energy hovering above us, I only got an energy void. That can't be good, I said, gulping. You don't think someone's about to attack us, do you?

More worry flashed across Latios' face. Evidently, he hadn't considered that avenue at all. No way! If that's the case, we need to get you out of here, now! He flew toward me, trying to push me toward the main entrance.

No, wait… I can't leave yet! I have to talk to Ampharos, I said, trying to fly around Latios. C'mon, big bro, this isn't funny.

I'm not being funny. I'm trying to keep you safe, Latios insisted. I don't want to screw up like I did with–

"Don't say it!" I hissed. A second of silence passed and I tucked my head down to my belly, covering my mouth with my paws. S-Sorry, big bro. I shouldn't've shouted like that…

Latios floated back from me. No. You're right, he said. You're in the middle of an important assignment. I've… uh… I need to respect that. I'm overstepping my bounds again. He bowed his head and moved to the side. Just know that I'm here if you need anything.

Thanks, I said, giving him a short hug. I then flew off up the stairs. About halfway to the upper level, an intense pressure struck me from above, nearly knocking me to the ground. I looked about in a panic, eyes wide in surprise. But nothing was there. To make matters worse, I was inside the energy void. I couldn't even sense Latios' spirit anymore.

Taking some deep breaths to steel myself, I flew up into the Pokémon Nexus' room. There, I found Ampharos and Jirachi standing in front of the machine. Their backs were turned to me.

"U… um… Ampharos, sir? I… I need to talk to you!" I squeaked, waving my hands around.

What are you doing here? This is a private meeting. Get lost!

"EEEEP!"

Mewtwo teleported in front of me. His face twisted into a nasty glare that brought Rayquaza to mind. All my feathers prickled and I floated back toward the stairs.

"Leave her be, Mewtwo," Ampharos said, waving him off. "Latias is just following up on an errand I had her running." He walked past Mewtwo and rested a hand on the base of my left wing. "So, how fares your assignment?"

Which part? I telepathed, casting a wary glance at Mewtwo.

His glare intensified. You can drop the cloak and dagger routine, Latias. Your nervous looks betray whatever words you're trying to keep hidden. And I'm well aware about this ridiculous plan to hide folks from the Prism Virus. Mewtwo turned his angry scowl on Ampharos. Do you honestly expect something so ridiculous to work? Legendary Pokémon are what this world needs to combat this threat.

Ampharos kept up his calm smile, much to my shock. "You're also exactly the group of Pokémon the Prism Virus is after. The key here is to trick this 'Prism Virus' thing into believing that it's accomplishing its goals."

And making us disappear is the best thing you can think of? Mewtwo growled. He narrowed his eyes at Ampharos, only to float back with a confused look on his face.

"So, let's focus on that first, Latias," Ampharos said.

My feathers prickled. He was really just going to ignore Mewtwo like that? Was he trying to get us both killed or something? That look in Mewtwo's eyes said we were making a huge mistake. "Um, you mean the Legendary stuff, right?" I whispered, trying my best to avoid Mewtwo's gaze.

"Correct."

I tapped my claws together. "I was able to swap Zapdos and Tapu Koko out for their replicas before the Prism Virus got to them… but I wasn't quick enough for Tapu Lele."

Replicas? What sort of drivel are you referring to? Mewtwo demanded. I squeaked and flinched back at his harsh tone. He raised a glowing hand. I suggest you explain yourself right this second.

"It's simple," Ampharos said, keeping his calm, goofy grin, "we're gathering Unown and getting them to band together to copy different Legendaries. Latias and Hoopa then replace the actual Legendaries with these replicas and send the real ones through one of Hoopa's rings into a small pocket dimension."

Mewtwo's eyes flashed blue. I shut my eyes, bracing myself for some sort of attack. To my relief, nothing happened. I poked an eye open and watched Mewtwo float there, looking completely baffled. Your mind, he said, addressing Ampharos, is completely and utterly empty. This is nonsensical! You really expect the rest of my cohorts to agree to this ridiculous idea? He looked right at me. Well, the ones who actually matter, anyway.

My wings drooped. "I'm just trying to help…" I whispered meekly.

"I don't expect everyone to agree. That's why I have contingencies in place," Ampharos said. I don't know how he kept up such confidence with Mewtwo staring him down. It was honestly awe-inspiring.

What contingencies? I can't see anything in that mind of yours. It's as blank as a Claydol's expression! You're making this all up, aren't you?

"The plan's success is predicated on everyone knowing as little as possible… including me," Ampharos said, grinning broadly and puffing out his chest.

But… that… I… Mewtwo stammered, his right eye twitching. Well, answer me this. What if Hoopa is found by the Prism Virus?Mewtwo asked.

"That won't happen," Ampharos said. "We know the Prism Virus can move around using portals. But so can Hoopa. In a sense, he's beating them at their own game."

"Trust me, Mewtwo. It's best not to think about how Ampharos works. You'll just give yourself a giant headache," Jirachi said, chuckling.

Mewtwo scowled at the two of them. Hmph! Your plan is asinine and I'm not interested. I'm the world's strongest Pokémon. If the Prism Virus tries to face me, then I will defeat it. I'm sure any other Legendaries who turn you down feel the exact same way.

And with that, he teleported out of the room, leaving the three of us there. "Well, he's a real charmer, isn't he?" Jirachi quipped.

"I had a feeling I'd get responses like that," Ampharos said, sighing. "Oh well. We'll just need to press on, anyway. Which reminds me, Latias, did you manage to salvage anything from Tapu Lele's death?"

"Jeez, that's a bit morbid of you to ask, don't you think?" Jirachi scoffed.

"Um, actually…" I mumbled, futzing through my bag. My claws grazed across a cluster of jagged crystal shards and I pulled them out. "I did manage to get these." I passed them over to Ampharos, noting the skeptical look on Jirachi's face. "Um, exactly what are these for?"

"My contingency, of course," Ampharos said, his goofy smile returning.

Jirachi looked at him in confusion. "And that contingency is…?"

"A secret, naturally," Ampharos replied. "It's our Trump Card… figuratively speaking. It doesn't involve Eevee in any way." He chuckled at his own lame joke.

My jaw dropped in disbelief. How could he possibly be acting so nonchalant about all of this? I heard these stories about how the great Ampharos had managed to outwit the likes of Dark Matter with a brilliant plan. And yet, here he was, in the face of another crisis, acting like there wasn't a thing wrong. Was he like this during Dark Matter's attack, too? Or had the victory made him overconfident?

"Latias, you seem troubled," Ampharos spoke up. I squeaked and shrank back toward the door, unsure of what to say. "Come now, if something's bugging you, I'm all ears."

"Uh… well… the thing is…" I fidgeted with my claws. "The Horizon Guild… it's… um… kind of done for."

"Eh?" Jirachi titled his head in confusion. "What's that supposed to mean?"

I couldn't contain my worry any more. I drew on my psychic powers and poured the memories of what I had witnessed in the Aeon Observatory out into Jirachi's and Ampharos' minds. When I finished, I lowered my head. "I'm sorry, Ampharos. I completely panicked. I saw what was happening with Metagross and froze up. Just like I did with Dark Matter." I wrung my paws out nervously. "It was stupid of me. How am I supposed to go back there and face them now?"

"Hmm… you did put yourself in a bit of a bind," Ampharos said. "But you've grown a lot since you joined us. I have faith you can come up with a plan that'll turn things around. Especially since I'm drawing a bit of a blank myself." He laughed nervously.

"S… seriously?" I gasped, biting my lower lip. "Couldn't you at least give me some backup? Hoopa's not enough here. I can't bounce any ideas off him or anything."

This time, Ampharos' smile disappeared. "I wish I could, Latias. But we're really stretched thin right now. The Mist Continent is a total mess. Wormholes popping out of nowhere and dropping innocent townsfolk into Mystery Dungeons. It's happening here, too. The folks in Pokémon Square are having significant problems with the weather, as is the whole Grass Continent."

"We tried to put out a request for volunteers, but nobody responded," Jirachi said. "People are just afraid right now."

"What about Raichu and Haxorus?" Latias asked.

"Working in the Mist Continent," Jirachi replied.

"And Team Gaia?"

"They took off for Purifying Cave. Apparently, it's flooding and they're trying to find a way to get the water out," Jirachi said.

My heart sank even lower. "What about big brother?"

"We need Latios as a relay 'mon right now. He's our fastest means of getting to the different continents, especially since you're working with Hoopa," Ampharos said. "I'm sorry, Latias, we're just out of options right now. Trust me, the instant things calm down, here, I'll be sure to make someone available to help you."

"We're keeping in touch with Guildmaster Wigglytuff. He's, um, aware of the situation," Jirachi said. "I sent Mawile over there, though. Frankly, uh… it's the best way for us to get reliable information since Wigglytuff's a bit of a basket case, to put in nicely."

I was tempted to point out the irony in that statement, considering who we were working for, but I held my tongue. Instead, I just sighed. Loudly, I might add. "I understand," I said. "I guess… I'll just have to come up with something. Thanks anyways."

"Best of luck, Latias. I have full confidence in your abilities," Ampharos said, giving me an enthusiastic nod.

"Right," I whispered, turning to float dejectedly out of the room. I wanted to go talk to Latios, but to my disappointment, I couldn't sense his life force. My brow furrowed as I tapped into my ESP. Big brother, where are you? I asked.

No sight-sharing popped up, but I felt a faint presence in the back of my mind. Sis? I'm sorry, I can't talk right now. I'm flying to the Sand Continent. There's a huge sandstorm that's threatening to blow in on Sahra Town and I need to help contain it.

Oh. R-right… good luck!

The mental link quickly faded, leaving me floating in the stairwell. Without hesitating, I flew out of the building, darting up through the forcefield around Lively Town. When I reached the shoreline, I dove into the ocean. Normally, the cool water running across my feathers would feel refreshing. Instead, it intensified the sinking feeling I had in my stomach.

Come up with a plan, huh? What was I supposed to do? Me… the little dragon that the other Legendaries laughed at… saying that I would never be able to defend myself. The girl Rayquaza called a disgrace to dragon-kind. The klutz who couldn't fly straight and crashed into Pitfall Valley… and shamefully needed a rescue team to come to her aid. The coward who ran from Dark Matter, instead of taking a stand and fighting…

Amidst the whirlwind of unpleasant thoughts running through my head, I finally managed to find what I was looking for: a sharp, spiraling current cutting through the water. I braced myself and flew threw it. Once inside the current, I sped forward. Eventually, the ocean grew warmer. The water around me sparkled with an ethereal quality, signifying I was in the Sea of Wonders. I flew through the current until it petered out.

With a loud splash, I popped out of the water, emerging in the Sea Shrine's basin. The familiar stone pillars and dark blue rocks greeted me. It took me a second to get my bearings straight, however, so I didn't immediately realize whether this trip was going to be worth it or not.

"T-Tia?"

My heart fluttered in my chest. I turned to my left and spotted Lugia poking his head up from his nest. Oh… how I had missed those deep blue eyes and shimmering silver-white feathers of his. I raced toward him without a second thought. But that jubilation disappeared when I got close enough to see the black splotches on his neck.

"Lugia… your neck…" I squeaked.

Lugia slid down into his nest. "It's nothing."

"My left wing it's nothing!" I hissed, trying to float over the nest to get a better view. Lugia anticipated this and rolled onto his belly, throwing his wings up over his neck.

"You have to stay back, Tia," he said. "Please. It's for your own good."

His cryptic behavior made me gnash my teeth together. Spirits above, how I hated it when he did this. "You can't just keep in the dark like that, Lugia," I said. "I'm not some dainty hatchling in need of your protection. I'm your mate and I deserve to know what's wrong with you."

Lugia eyed me waywardly. "You're stressed out," he said. "Did something happen in Horizon?"

"Yes, something happened in Horizon! And I'm here because I need your support right now, but you're doing your stupid 'I'm a big sea god, I can take care of myself,' routine," I said.

The last thing I wanted was to get into an argument with him. But he could be so stubborn sometimes! Couldn't he see that I needed help right now? Why was he being so defensive about this?

"Oh… uh… s-sorry…" Lugia stammered. "You just surprised me with your visit, that's all."

"That's all?" My temper started to falter. The constant travelling back and forth had worn me out. "Lugia… I'm not in a good place right now. I need you. Please tell me what's wrong. I'm a healer, remember? I can help you! But only if you let me."

"Tia, I can't ask you to waste your energy on me when the world's in danger."

"It's not wasting my energy if it's going to a worthwhile cause!" I shouted. My voice echoed through the cave. Trembling, I approached him. "Stop being distant. This isn't helping anyone, least of all you."

"I want to keep you out of trouble, Latias. You won't be able to stay focused if you're too busy worrying about me."

"THEN LET ME HEAL YOU!"

My psychic powers flared up, blowing bits of wooden branches and sand out of Lugia's nest. "You're treating me like a kid again! I… I…"

I couldn't hold it back anymore. I burst into tears, dropping to the ground next to Lugia's next. "I'm a coward… I'm a screw-up! The Pokémon in Horizon needed me and I was too scared to lift a claw to help them," I blubbered. Lugia looked at me in alarm. "Rayquaza was right. And you're right to treat me like a hatchling. It's all I'm capable of."

"Tia, that's not true," Lugia cut in sternly.

"Yes, it is! See for yourself." Psychic power flowed into my head and I shared my memories about Metagross with him. "I don't know what to do," I said the moment the sight-sharing faded. "Things are out of control there. Everything that can go wrong is going wrong. Ampharos has no backup for me. I'm on my own. With Hoopa! Hoopa! The guy's great for travelling, but he won't lift a finger to help me. I can't do this, Lugia. I can't help them… it's too much for me."

Through my blurry vision, I could see Lugia studying me intently. "Is that really what you think?" he asked.

"Y… yes…"

"I disagree," Lugia said. "You're letting your past mistakes weigh you down. Rayquaza's condemnations have gotten stuck in your head. It seems like everything you do, good or bad, your mind drifts back to what he said to you after Dark Matter." He craned his neck over his nest to get to eye level with me. "Latias, let me ask you something. Do you want to help the Pokémon in Horizon?"

What kind of question was that? Of course, I did!

"Yes," I whispered.

"Then you need to focus on that. You joined the Expedition Society to help Pokémon, didn't you?" Lugia asked. I nodded. "I might not agree with your decision. But I do know that this is your chance to make that dream a reality. You're acting as your own biggest roadblock here. You need to focus on that desire to help Pokémon and go from there."

"But what should I do? What can I do?"

Lugia sighed. "For starters, you have to get them out of there."

"You mean Team Radiance?" I asked.

"Anyone who isn't Metagross. Get them out of that guild and somewhere safe," Lugia said.

"But Metagross is getting arrested. The Observatory should be perfectly safe," I said.

Lugia shook his head. "Tia, do you really think that'll keep Team Radiance safe?"

"I… well… maybe not," I whispered. "Where would I take them, though?"

"That's where the other part comes into play," Lugia said. "You need to find out where the pieces of the Dawn Hourglass ended up. Surely they emit enough energy for you to get a vague idea of where they are, even if they're in Mystery Dungeons."

I let that idea roll around in my head for a minute. "That's not too unreasonable," I said. "If I can get Hoopa to wake up, then we can cover all of Horizon pretty quickly, I'd imagine."

Lugia smiled. "That sounds more like it."

"You really think this'll work, though?"

"Well, you might have to improvise a bit," Lugia admitted. "But that's where you need to remember to focus on that burning desire to do good. Don't let Rayquaza's harsh words drag you down, Tia."

"But weren't you the one telling me I didn't owe the Pokémon in Horizon anything?" I pointed out, a frown on my face.

"That was… before I realized the gravity of the situation," Lugia said. He shifted in his nest and stood up. Not only could I see the black splotches on his neck, but I could see that they were coming from a swirling black stain on his chest. I gasped, feathers bristling. "Lugia… your chest… is that a puncture wound?"

Lugia brushed a wing against his stomach. When he lifted it up, sticky, dark-red liquid clung to his feathers. "Lugia, what happened?" I asked.

"I got… thrashed around… by a cyclone off the coast of the Air Continent," Lugia said. "I got tossed into a rock spire… it stabbed me in the chest. That's also where the black marks came from. I fell back into the water and got wrapped up in some poisonous undersea reeds. I'm pretty sure the toxins are contagious… that's why I don't want to touch you." He shook his head. "You were right to be worried, Latias. Something is very wrong. That was no ordinary storm. The ley lines… they're out of control. My powers over undersea currents aren't enough to keep them in check."

"Lugia…" I whispered, tears brimming in my eyes. "Come with me, then. Come to Horizon. We can work together on this! Please! I don't want to see you get hurt. I… don't want to lose you."

"Tia… I can't go now. Kyogre has barricaded herself deep in her undersea home. Someone has to try and keep the tides at bay. Otherwise… towns will be destroyed… lives will be lost." Lugia looked toward the water. "Sorry, Tia, but my place is here. I've got a job to do."

"Then hold still," I whispered, lifting my claws into the air. Concentrating, I drew on my psychic powers. Warm healing energy gathered in my claws and I sent the Heal Pulse right at Lugia. It hit his chest and washed across his body. His injuries faded in a flash of pink light.

"T-Tia! I told you I–"

Without thinking, I flew right into him, knocking him to the ground. I pressed my snout against his as hard as I could and brushed my claws against his shoulders. Lugia accepted my kiss, his muscles slowly relaxing as he sank back against his nest. "I told you… I can't lose you," I whispered.

"And I don't want to lose you, either," Lugia whispered back. He brushed a wing along my back, sending a shock through my system. "We have to have faith. We can get through this."

I nodded, rubbing my cheek against his. "I hope so," I whispered. "I really do."

I knew I had to get back to Horizon. But that could wait a few more minutes, while I stayed in his embrace.

Review reply time!

SuperOmegaGuest: yes, team-building is fun. As to the Espeon/Umbreon relationship, that is their official relationship in canon, as far as I'm aware. A promotional video for Super Mystery Dungeon confirmed the two were intimate with each other.

Another guest: that's not a bad guess at all, buddy! You should hang onto it for later.

Unnamed guest: that is also a good guess you should hold onto. As far as a Lucario duel, I don't know. Maybe you'll get your wish very far down the road.

Anon Omega: I thought Kirby Star Allies was fun... but was designed to be a multiplayer game, which made it weaker than the other games in the "Return saga." As for Zero and Necrozma, I think it's safe to say after last chapter they're not going to be working together anymore.

Next time: laying the foundations for a quest to reclaim the Dawn Hourglass!