No one to thank this time, but happy readings!

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Chapter Twenty Two: For Honour and Glory

A couple of years ago she had walked along this street to fight for her third badge. Now, she was here to defeat Team Rocket once and for all. The streets were heavily guarded with Rocket Grunts. They were everywhere; every single street was blocked, and every building entrance guarded by a pair of grunts. The city was in lockdown.

Many pairs of eyes fixed on her as she strode up the street, their eyes watching her every move. She dared not to look directly into the eyes of the grunts. They were here to intimidate her, not to battle. "Get out of my way!" A voice bellowed, cutting through the silence. Two grunts ahead of her were roughly pushed aside as a familiar face made himself known. Silver.

Their eyes locked. "I should've known you would be here. Are you eager to join up with Team Rocket or something?" he taunted.

"I'm here to put a stop to them."

Silver snickered. "Wasting your time with the weak only makes you weaker." He raised a finger, pointing it at her. "Are you here to play the hero? Well, that's foolish." A bout of raucous laughter exited his mouth. He ceased his laughter and cast a dirty look in her direction. "Why protect those who can't protect themselves? I say let them all suffer. That's what they deserve for being weak."

Lyra shook her head. "This is worth fighting for. You probably don't see it, Silver – maybe one day you will, but Team Rocket must be stopped. You can hate me all you want but you know deep down that I am right," Lyra said. She wasn't sure why she was even bothering to reason with the guy; he had proven numerous times he would not listen, but she still wanted to try. Surely, there had to be some part of him that cared for the well being of Pokemon.

Silver's jaw tightened. "You're right about one thing. Team Rocket must be stopped."

"Then stand at my side and help me defeat them."

He snickered. "You think I want to team up with a bleeding heart like you?" He threw his head back and cackled until his laughter died down. He stormed up towards her and pointed a finger in her face. "I don't need you – I don't need anyone's help to make it to the top. You're on your own." He stormed past her, pushing her roughly to the side. Lyra almost tripped over her own two legs, but fortunately managed to regain her footing. She glared daggers at his back then proceeded towards the radio tower, scolding herself for wasting time with someone like Silver.

The doors were guarded by a dozen grunts, but they stepped aside allowing her to enter the building. It was as if they were expecting her. At least she didn't have to worry about fighting a whole group of them because she wasn't sure if her Pokemon would survive. One of the grunts approached her. "Archer awaits you inside."

Weird. The grunts could easily take her out and end it here but they chose not to. Archer had promised to face her when the time was right though. He wanted it to be perfect and it seemed like he wanted her at peak strength. She took in a deep breath and entered the building. All the staff members of radio tower were pressed up against the wall, guarded by grunts. Lyra moved past them following the directions up the stairs.

There were more grunts here and more helpless staff members. The entire tower had been overrun. Whatever Archer's plans were it did not bode well for the rest of the region. She continued moving up the stairs, feeling nerves surface within. Three grunts approached her, smirks plastered on their faces. She recognized two of them immediately – Ariana and Proton. The other one with the purple hair must be Petrel.

Ariana crossed her arms over her chest and looked Lyra up and down. "It seems you survived then… a pity, but your luck ends here. I would crush you myself, but Archer insists you are not to be harmed."

"Go on to the next level. Archer waits for your arrival," Proton said.

"You might have thwarted all our plans, but you won't escape this," said Petrel.

The executives stepped aside allowing Lyra to go up another flight of stairs. All was deathly quiet; it was unnerving. She saw an elderly man tied down to a chair, a tape over his mouth. His eyes widened upon seeing her – she recognized him as the man back in the dance hall where the grunt had stolen the Surf bottle. She walked over to him and removed the tape then kneeled down, removing the rope that bound his hands together.

"Are you all right?" she asked.

The man nodded, gasping for breath. "You must turn back! You're the key to his success! Please Lyra, save yourself!" he blurted.

She frowned. "What do you mean?"

He sniffed. "You need to leave! Let someone else do this."

"I need to stop Archer. Just wait here." She moved away from the director and headed up the final flight of stairs. She was on the highest level now and surrounded by glass windows. There was an open door nearby. Archer must be outside waiting. She headed outside, stepping onto the roof. A cool breeze brushed up against her skin. On the opposite side standing on the ledge was Archer. She took a few steps towards him, taking in a deep breath. The fate of the world rested on her shoulders.

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Lance paced back and forth, black cape fluttering behind him. A few hours ago he received a call from Whitney telling him Team Rocket had taken over the Radio Tower. He had gotten here as fast as he could, but was delayed for an hour or two because Dragonite was having trouble staying airborne in the wild winds. He had to take the rest of the journey by foot and was reminded of how physically exhausting it was to walk everywhere.

Eventually, he reached the southern gates of Goldenrod, but he didn't walk through the gates. That was too dangerous since the place was heavily guarded by patrolling grunts. To get in safely without drawing suspicions, he had to dress like one of them and to do that, he first had to lure one over in his direction. That was an easy enough task though since the common grunts were pretty stupid. Lance hid behind a couple of trees then ordered Dragonite to create a scene. The dragon rammed his shoulder into one of the trees, causing the leaves to rattle.

One lone grunt standing close by glanced in his direction. He frowned, took out his pokeball and walked over to Lance's hiding spot. Any moment now… Lance crouched down, ready to attack at the right moment. "Dragonite, stay behind those shrubs over there. Do not attack until I give the word." Dragonite frowned, but did as commanded and hid behind a couple of thick bushes.

The grunt drew closer… closer… and closer… Lance tackled the grunt to the ground.

"What the heck?!"

Lance punched the grunt in the nose. The grunt squealed, hands flying to his now hurting face. "Keep your mouth shut," Lance hissed. A whimper escaped the grunt's throat and the guy nodded. Lance rolled off him, stood up and dusted himself off. The grunt was looking at him with frightened eyes.

"Oh my… you're Lance, the Champion."

"That's right."

The grunt curled up into a ball. "Please don't hurt me! I mean you no harm! I only joined up yesterday but they didn't tell me this was going to happen!" he whimpered. Either the grunt was a really good actor or he was actually terrified. Not that it mattered to Lance - he was a grunt and deserved no mercy. "I'll do anything! I swear!"

"I want your clothes."

"Wha-what?"

Lance rephrased his response. "I need entrance into the city and I can't enter looking like this. Try to escape and my Dragonite will harm you," he stated calmly as if he mugging grunts for their clothes was something he did on a daily basis. The grunt murmured and climbed to his feet. "You can change behind the bush." Without saying anything more, the grunt staggered over to a bush and changed out of his clothes. Lance looked down at the ground until the grunt was done.

He threw his clothes over the top of the bush for Lance to pick up. The Dragon Master picked them up and scrunched up his face in disgust at what he was about to do. Mugging grunts and wearing their clothes wasn't what he classified as fun, but he had to make sure Lyra was going to be all right. She could handle Archer, but what if the other grunts decided to take matters into their own hands and come after her? Someone had to get her out safely.

He quickly changed into the grunt's attire and left his own gear with Dragonite. The shirt fit fine, but the pants were another story. Super skin-tight pants. So tight he hardly breathe. He never felt so ridiculous looking before in his life. This must be how Lyra felt when she was walking around the region in her farming attire. Like a fool.

Dragonite stepped out from behind his bush and looked at Lance. He made a funny noise which Lance suspected was a Dragonite's way of laughing. "Yes, I know I look ridiculous but you don't have to laugh about it."

"Don't forget the hat," the grunt said from behind his bush.

Ah, yes, the stupid cap as well. He bent down and picked it up. Putting the hat on was a task itself. Team Rocket grunts obviously styled their hair in a way hats fit on their heads with no problems at all. Grumbling, he did his best to flatten his hair so the cap would remain on. Once the cap was on, he did a couple of leg stretches then marched over towards the gate. Another grunt was standing there now. A female.

"Why did you leave your post?"

Lance searched for a quick answer. "Uh, bathroom break?" he replied.

The woman frowned then nodded. "We are shifting places – you are to stand guard down at the tunnels. You'll be alone down there so you need to keep your eyes peeled. No falling asleep on the job, got it?"

Lance nodded. "Understood." The woman looked him up and down then mumbled something about 'not bad at all'. She walked away and Lance made his way towards the Goldenrod tunnels. The other grunts let him pass without saying a single word and Lance soon arrived at one of the entrances of the tunnel. He walked down the steps and was relieved to know the woman's information about the place being empty was true.

Now to play the waiting game and hope Lyra was going to be all right.

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"You made it," Archer said, glancing over his shoulder. "I can't say I am surprised though – you have overcome everything my grunts have thrown at you." He stepped down and faced Lyra. "But your luck ends here."

Dark clouds gathered above. Lyra glanced up, feeling a few spots of rain fall on her face. "Your evil ends here today. After everything you have done… I can't let you just walk away."

He grinned. "I never would've thought a simple teenager could defeat my grunts alone. At first I thought it was simply bad luck on my end. But after hearing about your multiple successes, I realized that you were special. The day you came to me at Mount Mortar… I knew this day was going to come. An epic battle between good and evil." He raised his hands as lightning shot through the clouds.

"Why me?" she said softly.

"Yes, that is a good question. I often ask myself the same question – why me?" He took in a deep breath and sighed. "After Giovanni fell, I was heartbroken. I lost a leader, an idol, and a friend. I felt like I had a lost a part of me when I heard the news Red had forced him to give up on his plans for Team Rocket. I vowed to step in and take control of a motley crew of confused grunts. I rebuilt our organization into the one you see today. This was my calling. To revive Team Rocket and complete what Giovanni could not." He pointed at Lyra. "We all have our roles to play. You are the hero."

"Not everyone can be a hero."

He chuckled. "Indeed… and I'm glad I'm not. Is it not true heroes meet tragic ends?"

Lyra tightened her jaw, hardening her gaze. Archer was asking questions, searching for answers to make her mentally weak before the battle. "And so do those who live to cause chaos," she replied.

Again, he laughed. "You have changed since our last meeting. You are stronger. That is good. Tell me something, Lyra… do you have any regrets?"

Archer was fishing around for a weakness. Lyra shook her head. "I regret nothing." That was a false statement of course. She regretted not being able to save the Magikarp in the Lake of Rage. She regretted being unable to save the wounded Slowpoke. But Archer didn't need to know that. A clap of thunder echoed throughout the streets of Goldenrod. Rain fell, pelting the surface of the roof, making battle conditions less than desirable.

"I only regret that I did not keep a closer eye on Red. If I had an eye on him, I could've tracked him down to defeat him myself. But I didn't, I was afraid you see. Red had destroyed all the work Giovanni had worked hard to build. He then went on to take down the league and claimed the title of Champion for himself. I was just a weak grunt at the time."

"You believe I know where Red is."

He nodded. "You will find him, it is your destiny. You are rewriting history, dear girl. Red came from a small town. You came from a small town. Red defeated Team Rocket, and you have pretty much brought down this organization. Red went on to become Champion, and you are almost there. Coincidence? I think not. I believe you are something of a rare breed, Lyra."

"There's nothing special about me."

He chuckled. "So modest for one so young… Why do you think you are here now? Anyone in the region could be standing across from me, but it's you who challenges me. Not the Champion. Not an Elite Four member. Not even a gym leader. It's you. A nobody from New Bark Town sources tell me." He took a step towards her, smirk widening. Rain fell harder now. "This battle will be remembered for generations to come, no matter what the outcome is. Our names will never be forgotten. Come, let us write the next chapter in history!"

Lyra was soaking wet now. Cold and wet. And mad as well. Archer threatened to destroy everything about the joy of Pokemon battling simply in the name of revenge. If she failed to defeat him now, Team Rocket would go on to conquer the rest of Johto. All Pokemon would become slaves to a mad man. "I'm ready."

He summoned his first Pokemon. It looked like a Koffing, only it had an extra head attached to it.

Weezing. The evolved form of Koffing. If one of the twin Koffing inflates, the other one deflates. It constantly mixes its poisonous gases.

Unlike the last time she faced a Koffing, her senses remained unaffected. She suspected the unruly weather had something to do with this. She summoned her Espeon, the perfect Pokemon to battle a Posion-type. "Espeon, use Psybeam!"

"Weezing, use Self-Destruct now!" The large head of the Weezing inflated then started to tremble, turning red in face. It suddenly exploded, causing the Pokemon itself to faint. Espeon also fainted. Cowardly way to battle, Lyra thought. She brought out her next Pokemon, Shelgon while Archer brought out a small mean looking dog. It looked like the baby version of Houndoom.

Houndour. It uses different kinds of cries for communicating with others of its kind and for pursuing its prey.

Obviously, Archer was saving his strongest Pokemon for last. The little black dog growled, baring its fangs.

"Shelgon, use Dragonbreath!" A pink flame left the dragon's mouth, smashing into the Houndour.

Houndour jumped back, shook its body, and jumped forward. Archer pointed a finger forward, as a bolt of lightning crossed through the sky. Thunder followed soon after, causing the hairs on Lyra's arm to stand erect. A powerful gale blew through the city, so strong it almost knocked her off her feet. "Houndour, use Fire Fang!"

Fortunately fire-based moves did little damage against a dragon's thick skin. "Use Dragonbreath again, Shelgon!" Houndour received a hit in the face, but still remained on its feet. It gnashed its jaws at the Shelgon, then rushed forward, teeth sinking into the dragon's flesh. Shelgon shook the canine off and fought back, clamping jaws around the dog's foreleg. Houndour howled then dropped to the ground, eyes rolling back into its head. Although these battles had been easy, Lyra had a feeling the true battle was about to start.

"That was just a warm-up, so I could see what sort of a trainer you are. Are you ready for the true battle?"

The rain fell harder, prompting Lyra to squint at her opponent. She could hardly see him through the heavy downpour of rain. "I'll give it everything I have and more."

"This battle determines the fate of Team Rocket. Houndoom!" The canine Lyra had met over a year ago stood before her now, still as intimidating as before. It cracked its whip-like tail against the ground, keeping its eyes trained on her, as if she were something to eat. The dog arched its neck back and howled up at the darkened sky.

Under normal circumstances, Lyra would just rely on Toto to destroy the hybrid fire-dark Pokemon, but she was also battling against the elements. One bolt of lightning would defeat Toto and her Staraptor. Dragons were best tools now, since they were resistant to water, fire and electric-based moves. She persisted with Shelgon.

"Houndoom, use Bite!" The canine rushed forward, and pounced on Shelgon, sinking his fangs into the dragon's backside. Unlike the Houndour, Houndoom's teeth could actually penetrate the thick skin. Shelgon roared, and shook himself in an attempt to throw the hound off. Houndoom's hold was strong however.

"Shelgon, use Dragonbreath!" Pink flame exited his mouth, throwing the dog off his body.

Houndoom jumped back and rushed forward again, using his whip-like tail to strike Shelgon in the face. Shelgon staggered back, growling. "Is that best you can do, Lyra? Show me your true power!" Archer said, over the roaring thunder. Lightning filled the sky again, and one bolt struck the far end of the rooftop. Lyra flew backwards upon impact. She rolled over onto her belly, groaning.

"Feint Attack, Houndoom!"

Houndoom charged, rolling itself into a ball of black flame. It struck the Shelgon, sending the dragon hurtling through the air. Houndoom returned to its usual form and bit down on Shelgon once again, prompting a pained roar to leave the dragon's mouth. Shelgon wobbled then fell onto his side, unmoving. Lyra recalled her Pokemon and summoned Gabite to take Shelgon's place.

"Dragon Claw!"

"Feint Attack!"

The two Pokemon clashed. Gabite tried to hold the Houndoom back with his sharp claws, but Houndoom managed to hold its ground. The canine pulled back all of a sudden then jumped forward, knocking Gabite over. Gabite quickly recovered and swung his tail, the side of it connecting with Houndoom's face. The dog growled and struck Gabite with its tail.

"Give it up, Archer! This battle is lost. Team Rocket is finished."

Archer could only look on, as the two Pokemon fought. Houndoom tried to tear through the dragon's scales but he could do nothing. "So this is how it ends… years of work all gone because of a teenager…" He looked away from his Pokemon and looked at Lyra. "History will remember the battle that took place right here on this rooftop – my legacy will live on as yours will."

Gabite bit into the Houndoom's neck, as he slashed at the dog's nose. Houndoom growled. "You're finished," Lyra spat.

Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled. Houndoom was panting heavily and looked ready to collapse. "Team Rocket is no more. I admit defeat." Archer turned to the Houndoom again. "You are free, Houndoom. I release you." Gabite pulled his jaws away from Houndoom and took a step back. The anger and hatred in the canine's eyes disappeared replaced with confusion. Archer's eyes met with Lyra's and he nodded. "Take this as well; I no longer have any need of it. The Dragon Clan of Blackthorn will be happy to have it back in their possession." He threw Lyra a pink pokeball then turned his gaze towards the horizon.

This wasn't the ending Lyra had in mind. She expected to fight him until his Pokemon were defeated. She was so stunned by Archer's surprising acceptance of defeat she couldn't speak.

"You may have won the battle today, Lyra, but mark my words – peace never lasts forever. Someone else will carry on my work." For a guy that had just the lost the most important battle of his career, he certainly looked rather calm about it. He was even smiling which made Lyra feel uneasy. Archer climbed on to the ledge and looked down below, holding his hands high up in the air above his head. Lightning tore through the sky. "Forgive me, Giovanni." Before Lyra could react, the man leapt off the building, plummeting to the ground.

Houndoom howled.

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Lance leaned against the wall, arms crossed over his chest. He had been down here for awhile now and not one grunt had come to see him. What was happening out there? He decided to investigate. He crept out of the tunnels and peeked around the corner, noticing a large crowd of grunts and locals gathering around in a circle.

"… just jumped off the building…"

He moved forward and shoved a few people out of his way. He was a grunt for the time being so he had an excuse for being a bit rough. "What in the hells…" Dead. The leader of Team Rocket was lying in a pool of his own blood before him, his entire body broken into pieces. A group of police came rushing over to push people away so they could put up the police tape.

Grunts around him were lost for words, but their expressions said it all. Grief. Horror. Shattered. The mastermind behind Team Rocket had abandoned them, and now their new leader had committed suicide by throwing himself off the ledge. "We have to leave… we're done. We've failed," said a grunt nearby.

"Flee!"

"Where are we going to go?"

"There's nowhere to run! The police are everywhere."

Indeed, all escape routes were blocked by police men and gym leaders from the surrounding cities. Lance spotted Whitney, Falkner and Bugsy with the police, rounding up escaping grunts. But where was Lyra? He temporarily forgot he was a grunt and marched towards the Radio Tower entrance when he came face to face with Bugsy's Scyther.

"It's over, Team Rocket," said Bugsy. "There's nothing here for you now."

Lance turned around as Bugsy and Falkner stormed over to him. "I can explain…" Several seconds later he found himself on the floor, his hands behind his back in a pair of handcuffs. At that precise moment, Lyra exited the building. She looked visibly shaken and he felt a sudden urge to go over and provide some form of comfort.

Her eyes landed on him. She squinted. "Lance?"

"Lance?" Bugsy echoed, glancing down.

Falkner removed Lance's cap. "Lance! What in the name of Arceus are you doing?"

The two gym leaders freed him from his handcuffs and helped him back up to his feet. "It was the only way I could enter the city undetected," he explained. A smile broke out on Lyra's face and she ran over, throwing herself at him almost bowling him over in the process. "I take it you are happy to see me again so soon?"

"I tried to stop him… but Archer… he jumped off the building."

He hugged her back then caught both Bugsy and Falkner looking dumbfounded in the corner of his eye. He could see their eyes burning with desire for their questions to be answered. How did Lyra know Lance? He quickly pulled away. The media would be swarming the area in seconds from now and he didn't want to be filmed in this unflattering outfit. "I'll talk to you later, Lyra." He walked away as quick as possible, returning to the place he had mugged the grunt. Fortunately, the guy was still there much to his relief. Without wasting another second, Lance changed back into his Champion attire.

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"With the death of their leader, Team Rocket is no longer a functioning organization. The executives have willingly submitted themselves to the law and will face a just punishment. As for the remaining members, they have scattered across the region and are no longer a threat to Johto's people and its Pokemon," Stanley said, speaking into a microphone. Journalists from all over Johto had come to Goldenrod to interview the man following the events of the Radio Tower incident. "Johto is in Lyra's debt," Stanley concluded.

Lyra had become an overnight celebrity; everywhere she went, people wanted to interview her and get her to sign stuff. She was the heroine of Johto, the one who did battle against Team Rocket. Everyone wanted to know her. Websites were developed in her name, first-time parents named their newborns after her and the day of Team Rocket's defeat had been made into a national holiday. She had been given showered with gifts as well – flowers, chocolates, poffins… and a Rainbow Wing from the director himself.

She strolled through the streets of Goldenrod, waving to the locals and smiling. Everyone knew her name now. It was mind boggling. But all this attention had come at the wrong time. She hadn't obtained all eight badges yet, and people were treating her like she had become Champion. As walked down the crowded streets of Goldenrod, and spotted a familiar face in the crowd. She had hoped to see Lance again, but instead she found Ethan. She hurried over to him, greeting her old friend with a tight hug. He didn't feel as good as Lance, but it still felt good to be with someone.

"You did it, Lyra! You saved the region!" Ethan said.

"I didn't do it alone. My Pokemon did all the work," she replied, pointing down at her loyal team of six. They tagged behind her, protecting their master from rabid fans.

Ethan grinned. "It must feel like you're the Champion, right?'

"I still have one more badge to claim."

"I can't believe it's been a little over three years since you started on your journey! It feels like only last week I was showing you how to catch a Pokemon," Ethan said.

"It's overwhelming," she admitted.

"Come on, Professor Elm wants to meet you! He's waiting in Ecruteak City at the dance hall with the kimono girls." Ethan grabbed her arm and tugged her away from the adoring crowds. Lyra summoned her Staraptor, and climbed onto the bird's back, pulling up Ethan alongside her. The bird jumped into the air and flew towards the Ecruteak City.

They arrived about an hour later. Fortunately, the city was quiet. The excitement had yet to reach Ecruteak it seemed; perhaps the majority of people had travelled to Goldenrod to catch a glimpse of the heroine. "I see you survived the crowd rush," Morty exclaimed, rushing over to greet Lyra.

She smiled up at him. "I'm still in one piece, yes."

He smiled. "The kimono girls have cooked up a feast!" Morty ushered her inside.

Lyra and Ethan exchanged grins and followed the gym leader inside the Dance Hall. A blanket had been laid out on the stage hall floor. Various plates of different sizes and colours rested on top of it. Lyra had never seen so many different types of foods and drinks before. Her stomach growled. Three kimono girls sat around the blanket. Naoko caught Lyra's eye and motioned for her to sit with her. Lyra sat down to the right of Naoko and Morty conveniently placed himself on Lyra's other side before Ethan could. Ethan frowned and sat directly opposite to Lyra instead.

Naoko gave Lyra a hug. "I'm glad you have returned in one piece. We were all very worried about you – Pryce informed me you had gone off to the Lake of Rage to stop Team Rocket. Morty insisted on coming after you, but we held him back. We knew the Lake of Rage was a task just for you."

"I wasn't alone," she said, helping herself to a plate filled with food. "Lance helped me."

"Yes, we heard. We heard that you did most of the work though," Naoko said, before Morty could get in a word. She silenced him with a warning glare. "You did something marvellous yesterday, Lyra. You stopped Team Rocket from gaining control of Johto."

Lyra placed her plate on her lap. "But what if they come back in a few years time?"

"I doubt they'll show their faces here again. They were defeated by Red in Kanto, and now they've been defeated by you here in Johto," Morty answered. "They wouldn't dare try again. Besides, if they tried, all the gym leaders would be onto them."

A comforting thought. She let her muscles relax. "Your journey is not complete though, you still have a gym badge to obtain and a league to defeat," Naoko said. She smiled again. "But I'm sure you will find success. You do have a unique talent in defying the odds."

One of the other kimono girls spoke, fixing her dark eyes on her sister. "Surely, this has to prove she is the one who will-"

"Ssh, not now Zuni. Let out heroine relax and enjoy her victory."

Zuni nodded. She lowered her head and continued to eat in silence. Lyra helped herself to more food when there was a knock on the door. Morty frowned. "I didn't invite anyone else." His face turned pale. "It better not be Whitney…" He shuddered, and Lyra couldn't help but laugh. So, Morty had an admirer.

"Maybe it's Eusine?" Lyra suggested.

Morty shook his head. "I haven't heard from him since the three legendary felines fled."

"I saw him in Cianwood. He battled me there."

Naoko's head jerked up. "Eusine battled you? Whatever for?"

Lyra shrugged. "He said he wanted to understand why I Suicine was attracted to me. He thought he could understand that by having a battle. He lost and then he left. I haven't seen him since." She continued eating, grabbing herself some potato salad. "Is there something wrong?" she asked, noticing the worried looks exchanged between Morty and Naoko.

"Nothing to be concerned about," Morty answered.

There was another knock on the door. "I'll answer it," Lyra said, standing up. She walked over to the door, wondering who it could be. Had Eusine decided to return? Was it Silver? Professor Elm? Her mother? She opened the door. Some tall person wearing a black coat with a hood stared down at her. "Um, hello? Do I know you?"

The person pulled back their hood. Red spiky hair. Dark brown eyes. That familiar smirk… "Oh my Arceus, Lance!" Without thinking, she gave him a hug. She had been giving him a lot of them recently.

"I should see you more often if you're going to greet me like this every time we meet," he replied, chuckling.

She pulled back, face burning red. "Sorry, I didn't mean to… it's just… you know, I'm happy to see you …" Lyra blurted out, face burning hotter with each passing second. She hoped she hadn't given the guy the idea she was interested in him romantically! Because she wasn't. Honestly.

"No harm done, Lyra. I appreciate the gesture." He stepped inside the building, closing the door behind him. "I came by to see you specifically. Naoko called to let me know you arrived in Ecruteak safely."

"You came to see me?"

He nodded. "You saved Johto from Team Rocket's evil. I wanted to give you my congratulations in person." He pointed at himself. "Besides, I'm appropriately dressed for it now."

She giggled. "I can see that." Her grin faded. "I didn't do it alone though. You played a part in it to, remember? Lake of Rage, Mahogany Town… You battled against Ariana and that grunt. And… if I remember correctly, you jumped into the lake to rescue me from the Red Gyarados." She remembered it as if the event had happened yesterday. "You're not a very good swimmer though," she added flatly.

"Yes, well… nobody's perfect."

She grabbed his arm and dragged him over to the food. "Have something to eat."

He freed himself from her grip, taking a step back. "I can't stay here for too long, Lyra. I have… other duties to attend to." He looked down at her, a mixture of regret and sadness in his eyes. Lyra frowned, confused. "I wish you all the best of luck for your eighth badge. This battle will be unlike any other battle you've faced. The gym leader – Clair. She doesn't care about anything else other than winning. She's responsible for ending the journeys of many trainers. You need to show her that there's more to being a trainer than pure power."

Lyra was still confused. "You speak of her like you know personally." She felt a surge of some unknown emotion wash over her.

Lance sighed. "We're… related."

He didn't sound too thrilled. Lyra felt relieved upon hearing those words. "Oh, I thought she might have been your girlfriend or something." She laughed awkwardly. "You said you were from Blackthorn, right? Then this will probably be of some use to you." She dug her hand into her bag, searching for the pink pokeball. She found it hiding underneath various empty potions and handed it over to Lance. "Archer gave it to me. He said to return it to the members of the Dragon Clan of Blackthorn."

The ball must have had significant importance because Lance was looking at it as if she had given him a master ball. "Grandfather was right all this time…" he said softly, taking the ball away from Lyra. He looked at her again. "Thank you, Lyra. I will pass it on to the members of the sacred Dragon Clan. I'm sure they'll be thrilled to have this Pokemon returned."

"Pokemon? You mean, the ball isn't empty?"

"You should be more worried about the upcoming gym battle in Blackthorn than worried about what Pokemon is inside."

"I'm not worried about that; how did you know there was something inside it?" She tilted her head to the right, looking at him curiously. Something didn't feel quite right about him. He must be someone important if he had contacts with Pryce and the kimono girls. And he had to be in a position of some importance if he was related to Clair, the final gym leader. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

Lance looked like he was having an internal debate. "All right. You got me. I know what's inside the pokeball because it was stolen from my home."

"You're a member of the Dragon Clan?" she said, eyes wide. So that's why he had a dragon. He was the only trainer she had met who had one besides herself. "I knew there was something off about you from the first moment we met. "I thought you just lived there… but you're actually part of a sacred clan? Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

He shrugged. "It didn't seem like the right time. But it doesn't matter. You need to defeat my cousin so you can take on the league." He turned his gaze to the indoors picnic. "Your friends are waiting for you. I'll be seeing you." He pulled his hood back over his hair and exited the building.

Lyra sat back down. "I can't believe he didn't tell me he belonged to a Dragon Clan. I wonder what else he isn't telling me? The next thing I know he'll be telling me he's actually the Champion of Johto and Kanto." The kimono girls and Morty looked at each other, but didn't say anything. "Well, I suppose I should head to Blackthorn. Pryce said I had to go through the Ice Path to get there."

"You're going to leave so soon?" Morty asked, glancing up.

Ethan too, frowned. "But you only just got here, Lyra."

"I want that final badge. I'll return once I obtain it." Lance had gotten her curious about Clair. Even Pryce had warned Lyra the final gym leader was going to be a very difficult fight. The quicker she obtained the badge, the faster she'd make it to the league. "Take care." She left the building and walked into the night.

.

Lance strode over to the Dragon's Den and walked through the cave entrance, the pink pokeball in his left hand. He didn't take more than a couple of steps when he was stopped by Clair. He sighed. "Clair."

"Lance."

It had well over two and a half years since he had last returned to Blackthorn. Clair had warned him not to return until he had located the Shiny Dratini after all. "How's it been?"

Her lips were pressed in a thin line. "Everything's been just perfect," she said, voice laced with thick sarcasm. "While I've been standing guard protecting the city from nothing, I hear you've been having quite an adventure involving some girl."

"Who told you?"

"Will."

Damn Will, Lance thought. Note to self, never confide in Will ever again. "I've found the Shiny Dratini." He held out the pokeball, hoping to shift the topic away from Lyra.

Clair stormed over and grabbed the pokeball. "Did you actually find the ball? Or did she do it? I saw the news. That smug little brat is on every station. She thinks she's so good because she stopped Team Rocket. She hasn't done anything that special – I could've stopped Team Rocket if I was allowed to."

Sometimes he could tolerate Clair's infamous catty comments. And other times… his cousin crossed the line. This was one of those moments. "Lyra deserves the attention she is receiving."

His cousin lifted an eyebrow. "Oh, so you're on a first name basis with her now? I thought you would be annoyed that Lyra took the role of the Champion away from you. That's meant to be your job!" She pointed a finger at him accusingly. "Well? Aren't you going to say something or are you just going to stand there looking like a kicked Houndour?"

"You should show Lyra some respect, Clair. Lyra just saved the entire region from Team Rocket's evil. Lyra defeated Archer and retrieved the Shiny Dratini that you should've been watching over," Lance retorted, feeling his own temper rise. Clair had a natural ability in bringing out the worst in people. She was quite proud of it.

She gave him an indignant look. "You're blaming me?! I have done nothing wrong!" She stomped over to him, eyes burning with fiery rage, fists swinging at her sides. "Maybe you should've been here instead! You knew Team Rocket were up to no good, and instead of coming to Blackthorn, you decided to run around Johto trying to play hero!" she said, heatedly.

"Blackthorn is your responsibility, Clair. You're the gym leader."

"And you're the Champion who was born here!"

He took in a deep breath and raised his hands conceding defeat. "Clair… you're right. I should've been here to watch over the Shiny Dratini the moment I discovered Team Rocket had returned," he said softly, eyes fixed on Clair's face. The rage was still evident in her eyes, but at least she didn't look like she wanted to bite his head off anymore. "Grandfather gave me a task to do which had me travelling around Johto."

Clair sniffed. "And what was that?"

"I had to watch over Lyra."

"Her again!" Clair threw her hands up in the air and turned her head to the right. She snorted then looked back at Lance. "So it comes back to her again. I don't see why she is so damn important." Her mouth tipped ruefully. "But she must be important to you since you keep saying her name. So what is it, Lance? Why is Lyra so important?"

Yes, that was a good question. Why was Lyra so important? It wasn't just because his grandfather had said she was important. It wasn't just because Archer had claimed she was. It was more than that. Lyra had just been some inexperienced trainer when he first encountered her a few years ago, but she had matured into a skilled passionate trainer now. She wasn't an irritation. She was a… pleasure to be around.

He felt the corners of his mouth morph into a smile. Travelling with her during the Lake of Rage incident had been enjoyable. In fact, it had been one of the most exciting journeys he had been on since becoming Champion. His mind went back to the Lake of Rage. He remembered Lyra risking her own life to save her Pokemon. He remembered overcoming his own fear of diving into a large pool of water to save her. He remembered giving her his cape because she was warm. It dawned on him it had been the first time he had put someone else's needs before his own.

"What are you so happy about?"

"You'll never understand, Clair." She'll be the light in your darkness, the Elder had claimed. He had been right. Lyra had pulled him out of self-doubt. She had given him a reason to believe he could still be a good Champion even if he wasn't the one saving the world from evil. She was the key to his redemption. "Lyra's importance to me is something you'll never be able to comprehend," he said softly.

An incredulous expression took hold of her face. "What? Don't tell me you're falling for this Lyra." Lance growled. She sneered, looking quite satisfied with herself. "You've gotten soft, dear cousin. Soft people lose."

"Maybe you'll understand her importance when she defeats you in battle."

Clair crossed her arms over her chest, giving him a scornful look. "That'll never happen. No one can beat me."

"Except for myself and the other members of the Elite Four," Lance concluded.

"I can hold my own against the Elite Four!" she cried.

Lance shook his head. "That's what you keep telling yourself, but you failed to get past Will, the first member. He defeated your team within seconds. You keep coming up with a list of reasons to excuse your mistakes. Face it, Clair. You're not unbeatable."

Clair turned her nose upwards. "Why don't you come by to the gym when Lyra arrives so you can watch me crush her, what do you say, Lance? Are you able to watch me obliterate her team of weaklings?" She smirked.

"Don't underestimate her. She's stronger than you think."

She arched her brows in mock surprise. "A part of me thinks you want her to defeat me. Where do your loyalties lay, cousin? With the clan or with some unproven girl?" Many years ago Lance would've answered the same question with 'the clan' but now? He wasn't so sure. He thought back to Clair's earlier comment – 'don't tell me you're falling for Lyra' – was it true?

"My loyalties will always be with the clan," he said half-heartedly.

Clair's jaw muscle jerked. She wasn't convinced. "I'll bring her to her knees and force her to weep, like I've done to so many other trainers. Wouldn't you like that? I'm going to tear that bitch apart," she hissed, leering at him. "And you're going to watch every second of her crushing defeat!" Hot anger poured through him. He drew a hand back and struck her hard in the face. Clair stepped back, her jaw agape, shocked. You hit me!" She rubbed the red mark on her right cheek. "I can't believe you actually hit me! Your own cousin!"

"I won't hesitate to do it again if I have to," he said in a low voice. Clair moved her hand down to her pokebelt, and threw out a pokeball. One of her Dragonair's appeared. "You dare to challenge me to battle right here in the den? Because I will hold nothing back. You won't have a team when I'm done with you." Clair gave him a sullen look and he looked at her as if she was something foul. "I'll watch your battle. Someone needs to be there at your side when you lose."

Clair threw her empty pokeball at the back of his head. It left a stinging mark but he didn't respond this time. Instead, he exited the Dragon's Den and leaned against the wall, running a hand through his messy hair, taking in deep shuddering breaths. Never had he lost control like that before. He swore then summoned Dragonite. What he needed right now was a relaxing flight. Visiting his cousin was supposed to be a friendly one, but he had only made matters worse. Team Rocket seemed so insignificant when compared to Clair.

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As always, reviews are greatly appreciated!