Mark of a Legend: Divine Destiny, part one

by AquilaTempestas

Three years have passed since Team Rocket fell apart, but now they have returned under the leadership of a new ruler. While evil spreads, a young female called Lyra commences her journey and is destined to become the region's saviour, but it's not a path without obstacles. HG/SS novelisation. [ORIGINALLY UPLOADED 2013]

30. The Heart of Everything

Thanks to PKMNfanSakura and mirrorkinomoto for reviewing the previous chapter.

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Chapter Twenty Nine: The Heart of Everything

Such a cold harsh wind would defeat even the strongest of trainers, but Red was not afraid. He had lived in these conditions for a number of years now, training hard in these foul conditions to take his skills to the next level. On rare occasions, there would be fine weather, but most of the time it was like this: cold, windy and dangerous.

But his training hadn't prepared him for this. Pikachu returned with two new friends – a Feraligatr and an Espeon, both of which weren't native to Mount Silver. Another trainer had obviously come up this far and he had a feeling he knew exactly who it was. A few years ago he had seen Ho-Oh flying in the horizon… Ho-Oh had returned because a new legend had revealed herself. And that same person was here now.

Red looked at his Pikachu and nodded. No words needed to be said. Pikachu understood him, and Red understood his Pikachu. He followed the yellow rodent down the ledge, leaving a trail of footprints behind. The wind was strong up here – strong enough to easily throw a person or Pokemon down the mountainside if one wasn't careful. Fortunately, Red knew how to navigate his way around the place even if he had his eyes closed.

Wrapping his thick jacket around him to keep him warm, he climbed down the ladder and continued to follow Pikachu. Feraligatr and Espeon also followed, both Pokemon desperate to locate their master again. It was just a world of white around him – any person unfamiliar with this environment would perish. Pikachu was up ahead, his tail raised, electrical currents covering his body. Danger was up ahead.

Red suspected it had something to do with some Ursaring. Usually, they stayed in the caves. They only ventured outside when there were young mouths to feed to find special snow berries, useful for helping the young endure these elements in their early stages of life. Sometimes Red ate them too for they were rather delicious and actually quite filling. The berries also did wonders to injuries – after eating a berry an injured person would find themselves in great health a couple of hours later.

Pikachu dashed into the cave. Red followed, flanked by an Espeon and Feraligatr who stuck by his side extremely close. Once inside, he was surprised to find not one trainer, but two… and two dragons as well. A Salamence and a Dragonite, both with wounded wings. One trainer, a female, was lying on the floor, clothes covered in blood. The other trainer, a male, was hunched over, head bowed. Red recognized him immediately – Lance, the Champion of Johto and Kanto, the trainer he had given the title to for free.

"Lyra… if you can hear me… I'm sorry," Lance murmured, glancing down at the girl's broken physique. "I made a promise I'd look out for you… but I couldn't even do that right… I should've…" he trailed off, pausing to regain his composure. He continued to look at her face, as if hoping she would suddenly wake up, but the girl did not move. He lowered his head, and kissed her on her forehead.

Judging by Lyra's poor condition, Red knew there wasn't much time to act. "Lance," he spoke up, moving forward.

Lance immediately jerked his head up. Needless to say, the Champion was quite surprised, well shocked actually. Everyone believed Red couldn't speak so hearing him now was a big shock for Lance. The Champion wasn't the only one surprised though – so was Red. The last time he met Lance, the guy seemed only capable of wearing one expression, a one which read, 'back off'. Now he looked shattered, like a person who had just lost a part of his soul. "Red."

Pikachu rushed forward, standing at Lyra's side. "Pika, Pika." The rodent jumped up and down, obviously excited by something. Red knelt down besides Lyra and placed a hand on her neck, searching for a pulse.

"What are you doing?" Lance demanded.

"She's alive, but barely." Red didn't know anything about the girl other than she was the next legend in the making. He knew one thing for certain though – he had to save her life. "I need to take her back to my home. There's one thing I know that will save her."

Lance wasn't too sure what to make of all of this. He looked at Red, confused. Red knew what he was thinking – could he trust someone who abandoned the position of Champion? "How can I trust you?" he said quietly, eyes boring into Red's own.

"If we don't act now, she will die. I know you have many questions, but they will have to wait." Red turned to his Pokemon. "Pikachu. Lead Feraligatr and Espeon back to base. Bring some snow berries with you." Pikachu nodded and raced off. Lance looked to say something, but decided at the last minute not too. Red wasn't surprised – Lance wasn't one of those people who panicked easily. The situation was dire and Red was the only person he could trust to do the right thing.

Red moved his arms under Lyra's body to pick her up, but Lance shook his head. "You lead the way. I'll carry her." Red pulled his arms away and stood up, as Lance lifted Lyra carefully. The girl was still bleeding, but at least she still had a pulse.

"We must hurry. We do not have much time."

"I'm right behind you."

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Red and Lance exited the cave, walking back into the howling wind. Red was well dressed to withstand the conditions, but Lance (and Lyra for that matter) weren't. "Stick close to the wall. Stray too far and you'll fall over the edge!"

Lance did as recommended, sticking close to the wall. He looked up, as if checking to ensure no rocks were falling. So far, all good. They continued moving across what appeared to be a narrow path when they came to a sudden stop. Lance bumped into Red. "Why have we stopped?"

"We have to climb. I will go first."

He could barely see in front of him, let alone see what needed to be climbed. He took a few steps closer then noticed it. A rock wall of at least three metres high. Easy enough to scale but how was he going to do that carrying Lyra? Red climbed up the wall pretty quickly as though he had been climbing rock walls since the day he was born. When he got to the top, Lance heard the faint sounds of a Pokemon being summoned.

"Lance! Venosaur will lift Lyra up so you can climb up the wall!" Red shouted from above.

He didn't see any vines but he certainly felt them brush up against him. Now he could see them clearly – multiple thick vines snaked around Lyra's body, gently lifting the girl up the wall. She swayed in the wind, but Venosaur's vines were strong. Relieved, Lance started to climb, wincing as a gust of cold wind slammed into his side. He hung on though – Red had made this look terribly easy.

Soon he spotted a single vine dangling above his head. Red said something which sounded like 'grab on!' so he did. He clung onto the vine with both hands then slowly lifted himself up, one hand at a time. It was exhausting work, and it wasn't long before he found himself gasping for air. There was another powerful gust, forcing him to swing from side to side.

Hanging on was so much more difficult when swinging around, and he lost his grip with one hand, but somehow managed to hold on with the other. He looked down below – it was quite a drop to the bottom. He continued swinging back and forth, desperately trying to grab onto the vine again with his other hand, but he was finding it rather difficult. Every time he got close to grabbing it, he'd be randomly jerked in the opposite direction by the wind.

Another vine moved downwards, and Lance reached out, successfully managing to grab onto it. He was lifted to the top where Red waited. He dangled where the ledge top was and Red came over to assist him in getting onto land again. Soon, he found himself on familiar ground much to his relief. "Thanks."

Venosaur withdrew his vines and marched forwards, Lyra resting on his back. Lance felt so exhausted now he feared he was going to randomly collapse, but somehow, his legs kept moving. "We're almost there. Can you see it? That's my house," Red said, raising an arm, pointing towards a wooden shack. Lance wasn't sure how a place like that could keep anyone warm, nor could he see how it was safe. It looked ready to collapse at any moment.

They walked through the door and Lance was surprised the house was quite furnished. There was a fireplace, a couch and a bed. Obviously, he didn't have any fancy electrical items, but Red didn't seem to need any of that to keep himself entertained. He even spotted an esky sitting in the corner and a jar of water. Red had somehow managed to make a life for himself up here on the peak of Mount Silver against all the odds.

Venosaur placed Lyra down on the bed and Pikachu brought the sheets up to her chin, and sat down on her belly. Espeon jumped up and snuggled up against Lyra, while Feraligatr stood at her side. Red walked over to the fireplace where a couple of white berries laid. He picked them up then joined Lyra's side.

"What are you holding?" Lance asked, moving to stand next to Red.

"Snow berries. They can heal any injury, no matter how bad it may be. They can only be found up here." He brought a hand to Lyra's bottom lip and gently moved it down to open her mouth. Once open, he squished the berry allowing the juice to fall inside her mouth. "They also make quite a good meal. Have one." Red offered Lance a berry.

He took it, and brought it to his mouth. He studied the berry with caution at first – it was round and white, and looked a bit like a golf ball, but it was actually quite soft and odourless. He took a bite and immediately drew back. The berry had a very bitter taste. Immediately, a sense of drowsiness overcame him and he yawned. A magical healing berry which made you tired, he thought.

There was movement on the bed. Lyra suddenly stirred, eyes fluttering open. "Where… am I?" she murmured, gazing up around her.

"You should get some rest, Lyra," Red said. "I will explain everything to you later." He then turned to Lance. "You should sleep as well. You need it." Before Lance could argue that he was actually perfectly fine, he suddenly fell to the ground, falling asleep before he even hit the floor.

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A couple of hours later Lance awoke, feeling a little sore. He was lying down on the floor a flame by his body. A flame? He first thought the place had caught on fire but only found Red's Charizard standing beside him, keeping him warm. He stood up and looked in Lyra's direction, relieved she was going to be all right. She was still fast asleep though.

"She will make it," Red said from behind. "She has a strong spirit."

Lance almost jumped, forgetting Red was also there in the room. "I don't know how to thank you."

Red shook his head. "You don't need to." There was a brief pause then he added, "You and I must talk. Tell me everything about the events taking place below."

"A lot has happened since you left," Lance started, reflecting on past events. "Blue became a gym leader in Viridian and Lorelei and Agatha left the Elite Four. Team Rocket returned under the leadership of Archer, but Lyra managed to defeat them," he explained. It was hard to believe that a couple of years had passed since Archer's death. It seemed like only yesterday Team Rocket had made their reappearance public. "Why did you leave?"

Red sighed, standing up from the couch. "I often ask myself that too. Why did I leave the post of Champion after just obtaining it? I was seen as the strongest trainer in all of Kanto and yet I gave it all away." He stroked his chin thoughtfully. "I wanted to be the ultimate Pokemon Master, Lance. I couldn't achieve that remaining at the league so I gave the title to you then retreated here. I knew from the moment I claimed the title from Blue, being the Champion wasn't the position I wanted to be in."

"And so you came to Mount Silver after giving the position to me."

Red nodded. "Yes, I did."

"And you left without telling anyone but Blue?"

Red sighed again, rubbing his temples. "Blue was once my best friend."

Blue actually had friends? That was news to Lance. "Why did you choose to come to Mount Silver?"

The trainer looked away, an expression of unexplainable grief taking hold of his features. He looked at Lyra for a few brief moments then turned back to Lance. "I lost someone special to this very mountain. It claimed her life…" He shut his eyes then reopened them again.

Whoever Red had lost, that girl had obviously meant a lot to him if he chose to remain here on the mountain. He decided to be respectful and not press further. If Red wanted to speak of her, then he was free to when he felt comfortable. "I'm sorry," he said.

"It's why… it's why I couldn't return home. After losing her… I couldn't bear to face the public. She came after me and died in the same way Lyra would've if I had not intervened in time. I remained on this mountain to remain close to her at all times," Red explained. "This is my home now and I will not leave." He turned back to Lyra again. "Lyra reminds me much of her…" He smiled softly.

A sudden hot flood of dark emotion burst inside him. Red spoke of Lyra rather fondly, despite hardly knowing the girl. If Lyra got to know Red better… would she… become infatuated with him? Lyra and Red were similar trainers after all. Both had maximised their bond with their Pokemon, both had gone to become Champions and both were responsible for defeating Team Rocket. "Lyra came after you because Blue suggested it to her."

Red's smile dimmed at the look on Lance's face. "I never meant for Lyra to come after me. Blue still feels the pain of losing to me even after all these years. I assume he thought Lyra could defeat me… he will be disappointed though for I have no intentions of challenging Lyra to a battle." Lance still looked at him. "You needn't look at me like that. I am not interested in Lyra the way you think I am."

Well, that was embarrassing. Red was a legendary trainer and apparently he could read minds too. "You're not going to fight Lyra? She came all this way just to do that."

"It is not the time for battle. I would like her to be the Champion I could not continue to be," Red said, looking at Lyra again. The girl had awoken and now she was sitting up, stroking her Espeon's head. "She has awoken." Both Red and Lance walked over to Lyra's bedside. She was smiling now, and seemed to have recovered significantly.

"Lance!" she exclaimed, beaming him a wide grin then she turned to Red. "And you must be Red. Thank you for saving me."

Red smiled. "You do not need to thank me."

"I insist. I thought I was dead for sure." Her smile faded as her hands reached down to her waist. "I'm missing a Pokemon. I can feel it. Where is Shelgon? He evolved, didn't he?" And Dragonite. Both the dragons were still down in the cave where the Ursaring's had been. In the light of fearing he had lost Lyra, he had forgotten about the two dragons.

"I will retrieve your Pokemon, Lyra," Red said, then looked at Lance. "And your Dragonite as well." Lance nodded and handed Red a pokeball and Lyra did the same. Red left the building taking his Pikachu with him. Now Lance was alone with Lyra. Did she remember any of the events that had taken place in the cave? Or had she forgotten?

"I'm sorry I put you through this…" she said, lowering her eyes. "I should never have left the league."

"You're alive and that's all that matters," he replied softly.

She peered up at him. "You came after me despite knowing the risk."

"I wasn't going to let you climb Mount Silver alone."

She smiled. "My hero."

"How do you feel?"

"Better than ever. Whatever Red gave me performed a miracle." She swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up. She was shaky at first, and immediately grabbed onto Lance to support herself. "It feels so strange being able to walk normally again. Those Ursaring…" A visible shudder raced down her spine. "I can still feel the pain they inflicted on me. The bite marks… the blood… the pain…"

She pressed herself against him. The blood on her clothes had dried now, but the stench was overpowering still. Lance wasn't fussed at all – at least she was alive and well. "You're safe here now," he replied. Having her pressed up against him like this felt nice. It made him feel rather important. This was the closest form of intimacy he had ever experienced with anyone. "We'll have to head back for the ceremony. It begins tomorrow."

Lyra's eyes widened. "Oh my goodness… I forgot all about that."

"Your fans want the chance to congratulate you in person."

"It all sounds overwhelming."

He grinned. "You'll be all right." He cupped her face, drawing her close. "You're the trainer who defeated Team Rocket and defeated the Champion… and not to mention, survived an Ursaring attack. I'm sure you'll be able to handle the media, Lyra."

"You'll be there to protect me, won't you?" she teased.

"I will… unless you don't want me there?"

She shook her head. "I want you to be there."

He bent and kissed her. Hearing her soft gasp, his heart raced, and he dug his fingers into her hair, kissing her again. She melted against him, her mouth softening beneath his, her hands clinging to him. Then, after a few moments, she drew back, and he released her. "I've wanted you for a long time," he said softly, running a finger down her check. "I love you," he said huskily. "I love you so much." He dug his fingers into her hair and kissed her again.

Lyra melted against him. Like a flood, his passion poured over her. All her senses focused on Lance, the sound of his breathing, the feel of his racing heart beating beneath her palms, the strength of his arms around her. Drowning in sensation, she clung to him. Then, he drew back, a little shaken, trying to steady his breath. She looked at him with pure elation and he knew she loved him as much as he loved her. "You don't have to leave… you can stay at the league and move in with me…" Lyra breathed.

"Or you can move in with me at a house somewhere in Blackthorn… you can have two homes."

She smiled. "I would like that." She leaned against him again.

"We can organize everything after the ceremony, but we really should be going. The moment people start to realize we're missing, panic will sweep across the region."

"And we all know how disastrous that would be," said Red, re-entering the room, two pokeballs in his hand. Lance and Lyra pulled apart causing a laugh to escape from Red's throat. "I wasn't interrupting anything, was I?" His smile faded. "You are right – you have to return and if you want to make it back in time, you should leave now. I wish you both all the best for what the future will bring." He bowed. "I will see you again."

Lyra walked over to Red, took the two pokeballs back, and embraced him. "Thank you for saving my life. Take care yourself, alright?"

Red nodded. "I will. Farewell. Pikachu will show you the way down. Take care of them, Pikachu."

The rodent wagged its tail. "Pika, Pika." He then ran off to the entrance of the cabin, eager to lead the two trainers back home. Lyra recalled Feraligatr and Espeon back to their pokeballs then followed Pikachu outside of the house, Lance following close behind. The long journey back to the league began.

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Thousands of people from all around Johto and Kanto packed into the streets of Goldenrod City, all hoping to catch a glimpse of the new Champion. Of course, only a limited number of people had managed to obtain free tickets – the ones who had missed out were watching their screens at home with eager anticipation. It was even rumoured this event was being broadcasted to other regions. All gym leaders in Johto and Kanto were there to witness the event, and even Champions from the regions were present.

Banners lined the streets of Goldenrod, and each one had either an image of her Pokemon on them or a picture of her. It was a little strange to be walking around the city seeing her face on practically everything. The Goldenrod Department store was selling Lyra shirts now, and Toto doll sales had gone through the roof. People called out her name, begging her to shake their hands, take photos and sign autographs. She stopped for as many people as possible, but knew she couldn't do it for everyone. Fortunately, no one seemed to notice she had disappeared for a day and she was grateful for it.

A tall woman, dressed all in black, approached her, long blonde locks falling down her back. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Lyra. I am Cynthia, Champion of Sinnoh."

Three other trainers flanked Cynthia's side. There were two females and one male. One of the girls, the one with purple hair tied back in ponytail, looked rather young for her age while the other lady looked to be in her mid twenties. "Greetings, Lyra. I am Diantha, Champion of Kalos."

"And I am Iris, Champion of Unova. It's so good to see yet another female claim the title. Now all we need to do is replace Wallace and we'll be an all-female team!" The girl cheered, prompting a laugh from the other females.

"Well, if May hadn't turned down the role, we would've been an all-female Champion team," Cynthia pointed out. "But she wanted to become a breeder instead."

"You'll have to visit Kalos when you have time. We have the best restaurants in the world and the most beautiful sights to explore," Diantha said.

Cynthia spoke. "She should explore Sinnoh first. There's a lot of fascinating history in our region."

"No way, Hoenn is far more interesting," Wallace argued.

Iris shook her head. "Unova is the place to be. We have Poke Studios and we host the World Tournament."

They all sounded quite lovely regions to explore, but Lyra wanted to finish exploring the rest of Kanto first. After all, she had only seen a brief glimpse of the place. "I'll be sure to do so, but I want to see the rest of Kanto before I do anything else."

"Whenever you want to drop by, just take the ferry!" Iris exclaimed. She seemed quite bubbly – the girl was always smiling as if she was the happiest person in the universe. Iris grabbed Lyra's arm. "I totally have to dress you up! You need to look like a Champion when you grace the stage. Come on, I brought some of my own designs here just for you." She was about to drag Lyra away when Lance appeared, blocking their path.

Iris pouted. "Lance, move out of the way. I'm taking Lyra shopping."

"She looks fine the way she is," Lance replied.

After returning from Mount Silver late yesterday afternoon, Lyra had decided to change into something far more comfortable, like a simple tee and some jeans. "Are you kidding me?" Iris gawked. "She's a Champion now and she needs to look like one. I know you lack fashion sense, but Lyra doesn't have to suffer either."

"Excuse me?"

Lyra stifled a chuckle. "At least dragon masters in Unova have great taste. No silly capes," Iris pointed out.

"You're a dragon master as well?" Lyra said, surprised. And here she had thought Lance was the only one.

"She thinks she's one," Lance replied tersely.

Iris stuck out her tongue. "I am a dragon master just like you, Lance. You doubt me, but you can't admit my team is better than yours."

"You have a Lapras on your team. And an Aggron. And an Archeops. They're not dragons."

"And if I remember your Champion team, you had a Charizard, an Aerodactyl and a Gyarados. They're not dragons either, Lance."

Fair point, Lyra thought. "Well, she has a point there. I think you need to update your team." She flashed him a toothy smile and he simply grinned back. "I'm glad you think I look flattering, Lance, but Iris is right. I need to look the part. I'll see you soon." She waved her partner goodbye and walked past him, allowing Iris to lead her to the department store. Once again, Lyra was subjected to seeing her face everywhere.

Holding Lyra's hand, Iris dragged the new Champion towards the barber and stylist area. Lyra remembered coming here a couple of years ago to update her look to something more modern and here she was again. This time, she was treated nicely though as opposed to the rude treatment she received back then. "Lyra needs to look like a Champion. Like me. She can look like a princess too!"

Another dress? Oh, the horror, she thought. And a princess? She'd rather look like a farmer again, at least that was comfortable to move around in. Champion she might be, but Iris was determined to make Lyra look like a member of royalty. Lyra literally had no say in what she wanted to wear. "So, how do you know Lance?"

"My foster grandfather, Drayden knows his grandfather. They go way back. So anyway, what colour would like that? You can't choose pink because that's my colour, but you could go with red? That's a nice colour."

"Uh, yeah, sure red will be fine."

Iris looked at Lyra, studying her hair intently. "And we need to do something with your hair. A bob is a cute look, but your hair is too long for that now. You should wear it down, like Cynthia does. And maybe… ooo, we could curl your hair! Oh, you would look stunning! You'll have so many admirers chasing you."

Somehow, she didn't think Lance would appreciate that. He didn't seem too fond of people that got too close to Lyra. She thought of Morty and remembered when Lance had come over to personally congratulate her on her win. Morty didn't appear to be a Lance fan himself. She hoped her relationship with Lance wouldn't drive Morty away. "Hmm, yeah, I don't know about that."

"Oh, someone has caught your fancy? Who is it?"

"Uh… well…" Her cheeks turned red. Only a few people knew about her relationship with former Champion, Lance. The Elite Four members knew and so did Red. She suspected Clair probably did as well since she was Lance's cousin. It was something she hoped to keep secret but now that she was Champion, she didn't think her secrets would be hidden for much longer.

"Nevermind, you can tell me later. Champions don't keep secrets from each other, you know. We're like a family." She randomly gave Lyra a side hug then pulled her towards the stylist girls. "Ladies, Lyra needs to update her look. Make her look like a princess, all right?" The two women nodded. Lyra sighed. Here we go again, she thought as she sat down on the chair, waiting for the torture to begin.

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Iris had dragged Lyra away to Arceus-knows-where, leaving Lance with no other choice but to speak companionship elsewhere. The poor girl was probably going to be forced to wear one of Iris' clothing choices. There were crowds of people around him, many waving flags around with Lyra's name on it. Some people even designed their own shirts to have her face. Obsessive much, he thought. His fangirls were still there, and they tried to flock around him, but he managed to duck into the safety of a guarded building to escape their wrath.

It was quiet inside – he spotted only two other people inside. Pryce, and some person sitting in the far corner, dressed in a black hooded cape. He could feel the stranger's eyes watching him, and he decided to investigate. For all he knew it could've been someone connected to Team Rocket, wanting to attack Lyra to make a statement. He looked to Pryce, confused.

"It's all right, Lance. He's not a danger. Go ahead - I'll be waiting outside with everyone else."

Pryce walked away and headed outside, closing the door behind him. Lance turned his attention to the male in the corner, feeling a pit of uneasiness develop in his stomach. He sauntered closer then sat down on the opposite chair, hand resting on his pokebelt. Pryce had said the man could be trusted, but he just wanted to be sure.

"I'm glad we finally have a chance to meet," the male replied. "The last time I saw you, you had not even reached five years of age."

"You are a friend of my grandfather's?"

"No."

"Relative?"

He shook his head again. "It might seem a little strange, but Edward Blackthorn is my father." Leaning forward, he grabbed a mug of coffee, took a sip then placed it down again. "That makes me your father.

Lance lifted his eyebrow. Surely, this was a joke? But no one was laughing, and Pryce was the last person to set him up for humiliation. "Grandfather said you had been banished," he replied tersely.

"That is correct. Pryce convinced me to return, and so here I am." He pulled back his hood.

Lance felt like he was looking at an older version of himself, except that he lacked the scar his father had across his cheek. He wasn't sure what to make of the situation. Should he be happy his father was still alive? Or should he feel angry that he had chosen to appear now in the wake of his grandfather's death? Father or not, he was still a stranger to Lance. He held back a bitter response. Today was supposed to be about celebration. "And you waited until now."

"Banishment from a clan does not lift. I had no choice but to leave you."

"You met with grandfather then?"

He nodded. "Before he passed."

Silence fell. It was strange to be seated across from the man who said he was his father. Lance believed him – Pryce wouldn't have brought him here otherwise, but he was uncomfortable. What was he supposed to talk about? His father had been banished. He wasn't an identifiable member of the clan anymore. "You've shown up in time then – the Champion handover ceremony will begin soon."

"I won't be staying for much longer. I came to see you."

"And you're going to leave again?" There were a number of questions running through his mind about the things he wanted to know: banishment reasons, dragon training, and questions about his mother since he knew little about her. "I insist that you stay. I'm still the Champion until the official announcement is made during the ceremony."

"I've never been one for formal events."

"I'll need someone to help me understand the position of the Clan Elder better."

His father snorted. "Are you trying to convince me to stay?"

"Is it working?"

"Answering a question with a question?"

"I want you to stay. You can't just show up now and leave again – it would've been better if you hadn't come at all otherwise."

"A point debated well. I'll hang around. I'll be the shrine." He pulled his hood back down again, and stood up, as Lance did the same. Not a one for crowds and the public eye then, Lance thought.

.

Silver entered through the golden archways of Goldenrod, feeling a little out of place. People had come here specifically to watch Lyra be officially sworn in as the new Champion of Johto and Kanto. He had come to ensure Lyra didn't let all the fame get to her head. Since losing to Lyra over a week ago, he had come to respect her as a trainer. He even classified her as a friend now… not that he would ever admit that to her face though.

"So… you're Silver… you're the guy who stole the Chikorita from the lab," Ethan said, standing a few feet away from Silver, as if afraid the guy would tear off his head.

Silver might classify Lyra as a friend, but that classification didn't include her friends. He honestly couldn't see why Lyra continued to hang out with the loser – Ethan wasn't even a trainer! He was just some lousy pansy wannabe researcher with a chubby Pokemon following him around everywhere. But he could tolerate Ethan – at least Ethan knew he would never become a good trainer.

He couldn't however, tolerate the other VIP guest. His name was Joey and the boy was just so full of himself, Silver wanted to beat him down right now in the middle of the busy streets. He wouldn't shut up about how he had finally gotten his Rattata to evolve into a Raticate, nor would he stop boasting about his awesome new shorts. He hoped the VIP hall was just up ahead otherwise he knew he was going to lose his mind. "Yeah, that's right. I'm the thief."

Ethan just nodded politely, but Silver could see the look of uncertainty in his eyes. He edged away a little further. "I really don't understand Lyra sometimes…" he mumbled.

"I'm going to take on Lyra next!" Joey said, throwing a fist into the air.

"You have to obtain the eight badges first, moron," Silver shot back.

Joey smirked. "I'll follow in Lyra's footsteps. She's not the only good trainer in New Bark Town."

Silver considered decking him right there. The boy was just so… foolish. Did he really believe he was going to be able to take on the Johto gym trainers and win? "So, where do we go? Lyra said it was being held in some big fancy building."

Ethan pulled out his VIP ticket. Attached to the ticket were a couple of directions telling ticket holders where to go. "It's supposed to be held in the former Global Terminal building which is somewhere to the west. It was once used for trading purposes, but they decided to turn it into a big fancy entertainment hall instead," he explained.

Silver pulled out his ticket reading the details imprinted on it. "Table three, seat B."

"Table three, seat A," Ethan read. "What about you Joey?"

"Uh, table three, seat C," he said.

Great. He was stuck in between two fools. Tonight was going to be so much fun. "Will Lyra be with us?"

Ethan nodded. "Yeah, she will."

At least there would be some decent company at the table. Perhaps tonight wouldn't be so horrible after all. "Who else is going to be there? All the gym leaders from Johto and Kanto I take it?"

"All the current and former Champions from all regions. The same applies to gym leaders and elite four members," Ethan explained. "In other words, the place is going to be packed with skilled trainers. All the top ranking professors have been invited to come along as well so they can compare notes with other brilliant minds."

Silver snorted. Typical. His night just improved dramatically. Not. Not only did he have to share a table with two chumps, he was going to be under a roof with trainers with massive egos. He made a mental note to himself to spend the entire night near the punch bowl – at least no one would bother him there.

"It's going to be so cool," Ethan commented, pressing his palms together. "Oh, there's Lyra!"

Thank Arceus, thought Silver. But wait? Was that really her? She didn't look like the Lyra he recognized. This girl was wearing a scarlet red corset-style strapless dress with ruffles. She was even wearing a stupid looking silver tiara and long dangly earrings. Lyra kept touching her hair which had been straightened, falling down her back. Silver had to admit – Lyra actually looked all right, but the look didn't suit her at all. And by the looks of it judging by the way she fidgeted, she didn't feel comfortable either.

"Wow, is that Lyra?" Joey blurted.

"That's her," Ethan said. The other two guys were looking at Lyra with renewed interest, and Silver had to admit it, but he too was looking at her in an admiring sort of way. He never realized how good-looking the girl actually was. "I'm so proud to call Lyra my friend."

Lyra must've noticed they were looking because she suddenly stopped, and waved out to them. Joey was so entranced he didn't even wave back and so was Ethan. Silver snapped himself out of his trance and waved back indicating to Lyra he recognized her. She came over to them as quickly as possible. "You guys made it!" By the time she reached them, she was huffing and puffing.

That dress must've weighed a fair bit, Silver thought.

"Of course we did! It's your special day!" Ethan said, as she gave him a hug.

She did the same for Joey as well. "That colour looks good on you," said Joey, his face flustered. Joey's first and last hug ever from Lyra.

Lyra turned to Silver and gave him a hug as well. Well, she tried to but he quickly stepped away. "Sorry Lyra, I don't do hugs." That was one thing he knew he'd never become comfortable with. What was it with girls and hugging anyway? The entire thing seemed so weird and foreign to him.

She smiled at them. "Now that you are all here, why don't we head on over to the building?"

.

All his doubts about tonight being a dreadful one vanished from his mind the moment he stepped inside the building. Never in his entire life had he been exposed to such a sight. It was like walking into a room fit for a king. The carpet was scarlet red which blended in perfectly well with the maroon coloured walls and ceiling. Golden chandeliers hung down from above, strategically positioned in spaces between tables.

Speaking of the tables, Silver had never seen so many. The chairs were all black, except for a silver sash tied around the head of the chair. The tables shared a similar theme, except the colours were reversed - the cloth itself was silver, while a black vertical sash ran down the centre. A vase of purple colours sat in the exact centre.

At the front of the dining area there were two stages. One for what appeared to be a dancing area and another where speeches were to take place. There was no way anyone was going to get him on the dance floor though. Even if someone offered a legendary Pokemon to him, he would refuse. Lyra led them to their tables and they took their respective places.

Silver noticed a spare seat. Two spare seats actually. "Who is that for? Your mother and her friend?"

She shook her head. "Mum is going to be dining with the professors. The spare seats are for Lance and Clair. Clair didn't want to share a table with the other gym leaders – she requested to be seated with us."

Doubt returned. "Lance? You mean the dragon guy? He has a cousin?" Silver said. Two chumps and two show-offs. It was the making for a hit television show… or the beginnings of a really bad joke.

"Oh, they're not that bad once you get to know them better. I think you'll like Clair – she reminds me of you actually." Lyra winked.

Silver glowered. He hadn't actually obtained his eighth badge – he simply snuck into Victory Road. Security was pretty bad around the area. Either that or he had just been incredibly lucky that one day. So he didn't actually know much about the girl at all. "Hmph. I doubt that."

The other VIP's started arriving. Silver recognized the Johto gym leaders, but he didn't recognize the other faces or those of the Champions. He didn't care anyway – these people weren't important to him. More people entered, and they were all dressed in fancy gowns and suits and such. Only Silver, Ethan and Joey hadn't bothered to put any effort into their appearance. Even the professors had dressed up for the evening.

Now he really felt out of place. "Just relax, Silver," Joey said.

"I'm fine," he seethed. "Where's the menu?" At least that would distract him from all the elegance around him.

.

"If any guy dares to look at me like that again, I will kick him where it hurts," Clair muttered, as she and Lance entered the former Global Terminal building. Brock had been eyeing her for the past few minutes and it was making her rather mad. The Pewter Gym Leader was one of those sensitive romantics who desperately wanted someone to love. Unfortunately for Clair's sake, he had her in his sights.

"Please don't cause a scene, Clair," Lance pleaded.

"You better hope Brock doesn't otherwise I will act in kind," she threatened.

"Can we please just make inside the building without causing trouble? If someone gives you trouble, you can beat him up later in the gym, alright?" His relationship with Clair had greatly improved after their grandfather's passing – either that was a trigger for Clair to act more mature or the Elder had written something that changed her behaviour drastically. Of course, she still had her moments but her tantrums were less frequent and were not as intense.

Clair sighed. "Fine." They stepped inside the building. Already, there were quite a large number of gym leaders waiting to be led to their tables. Karen had gone into great detail in organizing and arranging the layout and theming for the dinner area. It had been a complex process which involved sending out invites to every gym leader, elite four member and current and former Champions asking them who they would like to share a table with.

Lance and Clair joined the queue. Currently, there were about fifteen people waiting, but more were coming to join. All the males were dressed in formal suits while the ladies wore elegant gowns and rather intimidating heels. Lance pitied any guy who ended up on the receiving end of one those things during the night's events. He just had to hope he wouldn't be one of the causalities. "You know there will be a part where you are required to take a partner to the dance floor," Lance said.

"I am not dancing." Lance had never seen such fear in Clair's eyes before. His cousin was perfectly fine battling in front of an audience, but dancing? No way. Clair believed dancing had been invented to humiliate people.

"You'll have to. It's the official handover ceremony that I am hosting. As the cousin of the former Champion, you'll be expected to participate," he said, hoping Clair wouldn't see through his lie. "The cameras will be on us all night and if something goes wrong… you can be sure it will be the talk of the town for many years to come." He then grinned. "I hear Bugsy is looking for a partner."

Clair hissed. "I hate bugs. I crush them."

"Right, I'm mistaken. It's Wattson you're interested in. Or was it Burgh?" he teased, ducking as Clair attempted to hit him. "Wait, it's definitely Clemont." She tried to hit him again, but he evaded the attack easily, smirking.

"Watch it," she warned. "You might be my cousin, but I'm not afraid to hit you. You hit me awhile ago, so I'm thinking I should even the score," she said, the corners of her mouth twisting upwards into a sinister smirk. That made Lance a little nervous. Clair had excellent aim and she was armed with some rather dangerous heels. He decided to change the topic.

"Try to get along with our table mates."

"Who is at our table?"

"Lyra."

"Why am I not surprised?"

"And her friends, Ethan and Joey. They both came from her hometown so that's why they're there. She's also invited Silver. That's the guy I'm worried about. You two will clash." Silver craved power. Clair craved power. They were stubborn, very proud and incapable of admitting defeating. It was certainly going to be interesting seeing how those two interacted.

"I can't make any promises, but I will make an effort for your sake," Clair said, moving a few inches forward. Now they were at the head of the queue. "About time." Karen sat at the table and smiled up at Clair and Lance then checked their tickets. Although Clair knew where to go already, this was part of the standard procedure everyone had to go through. Finally, Karen let them enter the building. Now the real fun would begin.

.

She was tall, almost as tall as the guy standing next to her. She was dressed in a blue gown with matching blue earrings. Her hair was also blue just like her eyes were. Too much blue. And the guy next to her? Silver looked closer and recognized him. Lance. So that must mean the girl was Clair. Obviously. Clair sat next to Silver and Lance sat next to Lyra.

Lance leaned over to Lyra's ear and whispered something which made Lyra giggle. They were both looking directly at him. Silver frowned, feeling a surge of anger. Had the dragon guy made a joke about him? He almost growled, glaring daggers at Lance. "You and I need to have a rematch," Silver said, directing his question at Lance.

The ex-Champion looked at Silver and raised a brow. "A rematch?"

Silver nodded. "We battled years ago and you beat me easily, but next time… you won't get so lucky. I'm stronger now."

Lance seemed to consider the idea. He turned to Lyra. "What do you think Lyra? Tag-team battle against Silver at the Dragon's Den after this official business stuff is over and done with?"

"Hey!" Silver frowned. "Lyra's my friend. I met her first. She's going to be on my team."

Lyra chuckled, twisting a lock of hair around a finger. "You can always team up with Clair."

Silver looked repulsed at the suggestion. "Pair up with her? No way!"

"What's wrong with that?" Clair replied, pouting.

"You're weak!"

"I am the strongest of the gym leaders in Johto." She turned up her nose. "What is your claim to fame?"

Silver growled. Did being Giovanni's son count? Perhaps he shouldn't mention that fact as everyone in this room hated Team Rocket. Only Lyra knew and he trusted her enough that she wouldn't tell anyone else. "I beat Lyra once. I hear you didn't," he retorted sourly, then added in a low whisper, "And at least I don't wear stupid capes."

Clair grumbled then turned her attention to Ethan and Joey. "Who are you and what do you do?"

"I'm Ethan, Lyra's childhood friend. I'm Professor Elm's assistant."

"And I'm Joey! I'm from New Bark Town as well and I'm going to be the next Champion!"

Silver rolled his eyes. "You're never going to get anywhere with a Raticate."

Joey's face turned red. "My Raticate would destroy your team Silver!"

"I would crush you within seconds."

"You boys wouldn't stand a chance against me," Clair said.

"Keep on dreaming. You'd probably trip over that cape of yours," Joey pointed out.

While they argued, Silver noticed Lance leading Lyra away from the table. He was going to say something about it, but they had already left. Arceus's breath, she's left me to deal with these morons, he grumbled.

.

"They seem to be getting along," Lyra said, as Lance led her to the room next door. The room was just an empty space to chill and relax before getting up on stage. The moment was getting closer now and Lyra was beginning to feel a little nervous. So many skilled trainers from all around the world were going to watch her be officially sworn in.

Lance looked down at her. "How are you feeling?"

"Truthfully? I'm nervous. Everyone is going to be watching my every move. I hope I don't fall up the stairs or anything." She shuddered at the thought of making a fool of herself on international television.

"Everything's going to be fine, Lyra… besides, I'll be there right with you." He drew closer to her, and Lyra closed her eyes, lips parting slightly in anticipation for the next move. Warm lips brushed against hers, and she felt her overriding passion for him run through her veins. She trembled slightly, but raised her hands above her head, allowing him to wrap his arms around her waist and hold her tightly as he began to kiss her lips. A soft moan escaped her, but she met his kiss with her own.

"Hey, Lance! It's show time! It's time to… oh."

Lyra tore away from Lance, embarrassed. Bruno was standing a few feet away from them looking like he had just stumbled across a pot of rare candies. "Bruno, next time make sure you knock first," Lance said.

Bruno nodded. "Sorry, I didn't realize you two were… well… you know… at that level already… Should I come back later?"

Lyra's cheeks turned an ever deeper shade of red. "We can't stall. People are waiting for Lyra to walk up on stage," Lance said. "They want to see their new Champion." He grinned down at her, grabbed her arm and led her back to the dinner hall. Lyra took in a few deep breaths trying to calm her nerves. This was it. Her big moment!

The hall was quiet. Deathly quiet. It was rather unnerving, but Lyra managed to keep herself together. She had to focus on making it up the stairs without tripping over, not observing the crowd. She took in another deep breath, then made her way up the stairs, gently holding up her dress just high enough as to not trip over it. Fortunately, she made it up the stairs with no problems at all.

Wow, she thought, staring at the crowd before her. She had faced quite a few tough challenges along the way, but this was scary. Keep it together, she scolded herself. Look at your friends only and smile. She found them near the back, grinning. They were pretty easy to spot since three of them weren't wearing formal clothes. Lyra noticed the Elite Four members of the Indigo Plateau were already on stage, and each person held a gift box.

Lance walked up to the lectern and fiddled with the microphone until he was satisfied with it. Gym leaders, elite four members and fellow Champions looked at him respectfully. He cleared his throat and spoke. "It's been a couple of years since we last hosted a ceremony commemorating the rise of a new Champion, but history has a way of repeating itself. Many trainers begin their arduous journeys to follow their dream of becoming the best, but only one trainer can make it to the top. Today, we recognize and celebrate the achievements of our new Champion, a trainer who defeated the eight gyms of Johto, a trainer who defeated the regions' best and a trainer who defied the odds and rose to the top."

That last line had to relate to climbing Mount Silver, Lyra thought, but everyone else would assume Lance was referring to Lyra's triumph against Team Rocket. The odds had been against her – she had no professional career behind her and yet she had managed to defeat Team Rocket thus saving the region's inhabitants from their madness.

"Lyra, could you please step forward?"

Lyra did, moving to stand right at Lance's side.

"I ask that each and every one of you, to rise from your seats and join me in applauding our new Champion."

There was sea of movement as every trainer in the room rose from their seats. Lyra imagined people at home were also standing to congratulate her on her new position. The room broke out into a cheer. She smiled – and found she couldn't stop smiling. It was just amazing to see a large group of people congratulating her. Even Silver was on his feet clapping his hands.

"Can we eat now?" Chuck shouted from the crowd.

Laughter greeted his words. Lance shook his head, grinning. "The night is all yours." Trainers moved from table to table to mix and mingle with their friends, while others (like Chuck) were more interested in eating than socialising. With the crowd distracted, Lance turned to Lyra and led her away from the podium and down onto the floor. "That wasn't so bad now was it?"

"It was shorter than I expected."

Lance shrugged. "I'm not too keen on giving long speeches. You should've seen the speech Blue gave.

"What did Blue say?"

"Smell ya later, losers." Lyra shook her head. How had someone like that become Champion anyway? "Anyway, there's no need to give long speeches with the media around recording every word and action. They could turn a one minute speech into an hour long news item if they wanted to."

"So, what happens now?"

"You're officially the Champion now. Tomorrow you'll be harassed by journalists and then you'll be expected to travel around the regions doing meet and greet sessions. You're the person every young trainer aspires to be. You're a role model now, Lyra."

Lyra was worried. "How long will this go on for?"

"Celebrations will die down after a week or two. We haven't had one of these for a few years now so people are quite excited. But, don't worry you'll get heaps of time to yourself." He extended a hand towards her. "Shall we?"

Her eyes widened. "You're not thinking of taking me onto the dance floor are you? Because I don't dance. I've never danced before in my life. Well, except for that one time Joey had dared me to when we were kids, but that was a long time ago," she said quickly.

"You are full of surprises… but that's what makes you so endearing," he teased, offering his arm for her to take. "Would you like to have this dance with me?"

Lyra grinned. "Well… all right then, if you insist. But don't say I didn't warn you." She grabbed his arm, and he guided her to the dance floor. There was already quite a large group of trainers there already so they blended in quite well. Lyra spotted a reluctant Morty with Whitney and Jasmine with some buff blond guy. She even spotted Clair dancing in a corner with Silver, Ethan and Joey. Well, actually they were standing in a corner imitating people around them and poking fun – at least, Clair and Silver were. Lyra looked away, turned back to Lance and commenced a slow waltz.

"So, what are you going to do now?"

"I will be expected to carry on my grandfather's legacy," he replied. "Someone needs to look after the Dragon's Den."

Lyra frowned. "Couldn't Clair do it?"

He shook his head. "No, she couldn't. The position of Elder has always been for the next male in line. And well, that would be me." He gave her a lopsided grin. "Of course, that means they expect an heir."

Lyra raised her eyebrows. An heir? It was starting to sound like the Blackthorn Clan were had royal blood flowing through their veins. "You're not suggesting that…" They have a child together? The thought had never crossed her mind before. "Don't you think that's a little too early to be thinking along those lines?"

"There's no pressure, Lyra. Surviving your first year of Champion is more important than the wishes of my ancestors. Right now, you should just focus on enjoying the rest of the night because tomorrow you officially commence your Champion duties."

Several years ago she had started out on a journey to become the best of the region… and here she was right now as the newly crowned Champion. "Oh darn, I was hoping to have the day off to recover," she teased. After all, the past twenty four hours had been rather exhausting with the events of Mount Silver.

"You won't have to do much – just smile and nod a lot."

"Sounds very thrilling."

"You'll get used to it – you'll have to, you're the Champion now. You are the trainer people want to be like… you're also the person trainers want to beat the most."

"Well, that's comforting to know…" Lyra trailed. Her thoughts immediately moved to Eusine and she briefly considered bringing the man's name up but decided against it at the last moment. Why ruin the celebratory mood with some bad news? "I think I might call it an early night. I'm tired from the walk back from Mount Silver."

He frowned, but nodded. Lyra could see it in his eyes he was a little surprised. "You're not going to join us for the after party?"

"The after-what?"

"After-party. We're still in the 'formal' part of the ceremony believe it or not. The real fun occurs late in the evening. You will see the most serious type of trainers do things you never thought they were even capable of doing. I remember at my ceremony, Bugsy was dancing on the tables and Chuck was… well, let's just say he was up to no good. It's the one rare night gym leaders, elite four members and Champion let loose."

A fun-filled night, she thought. She almost considered forcing herself to stay awake just to witness elite trainers turning wild temporarily, but she yawned again, and was reminded sleep was far more important. "You'll have to tell me all about it then, but I really must get some sleep. Please tell our tablemates that I've left and that I promise to meet up with them tomorrow."

That's when she realized she wasn't sure where to bunk for the night. Would she be expected to stay at the league overnight? Or stay here in Goldenrod somewhere in this giant building? Perhaps she could return home. After all, there was no place like it. That was not to say the beds at the Pokemon Centres were bad – they were just a little on the hard side and Lyra liked soft beds.

"I'll see you tomorrow then… er, your address?"

Oh, right, she thought. Lance didn't know where she lived. "You can't miss it. There are only four houses in New Bark," she said, as Lance lifted a brow, surprised by the information. "Mine is closest to the water on the north side. There is no way you could get lost."

"Well, all right. I'll take you to the exit."

"Such a gentlemen," she teased, grabbing onto his arm as he guided her through the crowd towards the exit. Fortunately, no one seemed to notice them as they were far too busy eating, dancing or socializing to pay them any attention. They reached the exit and Lance opened the door allowing Lyra to step outside into the chilly air. It was dark now, but the streets were still buzzing with activity. Perhaps this city ought to be called the City That Never Sleeps, Lyra thought.

"Can your Pokemon fly through the night? If they can't, my Dragonite could bring you home."

For starters, she didn't even have her Pokemon on her. There was no place to attach them to dress. It didn't matter though for her Pokemon couldn't see in the dark anyway. Good plan returning home when you don't even have a Pokemon that could bring you home, she scolded herself. Good thing Lance was there to assist otherwise she'd have to walk home or stay at the Pokemon Centre again. "That sounds like a good idea. Thank you."

He grinned. "You don't have to thank me, Lyra. I should be thanking you for everything you've done." He summoned his Dragonite (who was back in peak condition again), and the dragon crouched allowing Lyra to climb on. Lance assisted her as she struggled to grab hold of Dragonite's scales. "You'll have to grab onto Dragonite's wings to keep you steady."

"Won't that hurt him?"

He shook his head. "No."

Lyra did as she was advised and gripped onto the place where the wing met the body. Once she was as comfortable as she could get on a dragon's back, Dragonite made a happy grunt and prepared to take off. How Dragonite could see in the night was beyond her, but perhaps Lance's Dragonite had received special training allowing him to see in darkness. "Please keep an eye on my friends."

"I promise."

Dragonite jumped into the air, beating his wings so powerfully, Lyra almost released her grip. Fortunately, she held on and Dragonite flew into the night sky towards her hometown of New Bark… back to the place where it all started.