(November 2nd)

Near the edge of the woods near the frost cavern, Steven waits for Jarod to exit the cave. The mission was a success as around 20 pokemon that were held hostage inside were rescued. However, things went south near the end as Cynthia was incapacitated by a tranquilizer dart. Metagross analyzes her unconscious form while skarmory and yveltal stand guard.

"How is she metagross?" Asks the silver haired stone collector.

"She appears to be stable, unresponsive but stable." Metagross replies in a robotic tone.

"Alright, thank you my friend" Steven says. As he scans around, he spots the huge group of pokemon. In the center is Jarod with gallade and lucario at his side, there heads hung low in silent respect.

"There they are, wait, it looks like Jarod is carrying someone." Steven says.

"I see them too, I have a feeling that something grim has occurred. Judging by the way his pokemon are walking with their heads hanging down." Metagross says.

"What makes you say that?" Steven asks before he witnesses that Jarod is carrying Flare, who has a spear embedded within her chest. He quickly runs towards the pack of pokemon.

"Jarod!" what happened?" Steven asks worriedly.

"….all pokemon have been rescued…." Jarod says, his voice hollow.

"I can see that, but what happened to flare?" Steven asks as he takes in the sight of the spear protruding out from the fire monkey. Jarod stops to compose himself before uttering out the awful truth.

"She's gone…. my precious partner is no longer with us…" Jarod says.

"Oh my… im so sorry Jarod" Steven gasps.

"It's all… my fault. I should've seen the bastard hiding above the cave. It SHOUD HAVE BEEN ME NOT HER!" Jarod screams in anguish, before boarding yveltal, and flying away back towards Kiloude city.

"…Jarod…." Steven mutters sadly before hopping on skarmory. Upon yveltals back, Anubis and Lawrence try to get a response from their trainer.

"Master… please talk to us, we are here for you" Lawrence pleads.

"Its no good, He has shut himself off from all of us. His aura is overflowing with grief and misery." Anubis says sadly to the blue swordsman. The 4 teammates travel in silence for the next half hour before reaching Kiloude. Jarod orders Oblivion to set them down on a hill behind the battle maison.

"Set us down there…" He says."

"As you wish." Replies the death legend. Jarod carefully drops down followed by Anubis and Lawrence. He approaches an old weeping willow before turning and sending out the rest of his team who have seen the awful tragedy from their pokeballs.

Meanwhile, Steven enters the main room, a somber expression lacing his features.

"Steven, your back, how did everything go?" Wikstrom asks, as garchomp follows in with an unconscious Cynthia in her arms.

"Cynthia!" Diantha, Drasna, Siebold and Malva all gasp, running to her side.

"She was knocked out by a tranquilizer dart but she should wake up soon." Steven says. "…The mission was a success, we managed to retrieve vital information on team infinity and also rescued all the pokemon that were held hostage within the cavern depths."

"Excellent job, but I must ask you, where is Jarod?" Wikstrom asks as Steven winces as if having seen something awful.

"Steven… what's wrong did something happen?" Drasna asks concernedly

"Steven, please tell us what's going on." Diantha pleads.

"…. Everyone… there's something you need to see." Steven says somberly before leading the team out of the building and up to the hill where Jarod landed. As each of the elite four members arrive at the top, they are horrified by the sight in front of them.

Aeriths theme from Final Fantasy 7 begins to play.

"…. everyone…. my precious pokemon pals…. today is a dark day for our family…. for a beloved soul has passed on to the hall of origins. As he steps aside, his pokemon all gasp in shock and sadness at the sight of Flare, lying still in a small hole, her hands resting on her chest, a peaceful expression upon her face.

"Flare! this can't be happening, Jarod please tell me this isn't happening!" Venus shrieks in grief. Breaking down as her trainer embraces her, holding back tears of his own.

"Im sorry... Venus, but it's the grim truth. He whispers somberly.

"…. flare…. although I may not have known you for as long as the others, I can tell you meant a lot to every one that you connected with and your spirit will live on within us all. "Oblivion speaks stoically.

"Steven, how did this happen?" Wikstrom asks with a heartbroken expression.

"As they were exiting the cave…. there was a grunt armed with a speargun who tried to shoot Jarod in the heart. However, flare saw the shot and shoved him out of the way, taking the blow and dying in his arms." Steven explains.

"Jarod!" Diantha shouts and tries to run to him but is stopped by Wikstrom.

"Let me go, He needs me!" Diantha shouts trying to break free.

"Diantha… I understand how you feel but please, bide your time. He will need you later." Wikstrom says. "Let him and his team have their time to grieve."

"…. Alright…." She replies sadly, as they all look on at the procession.

"Flare, you were the bravest warrior I have ever met. Even as I raged out of control due to that imbecile Cyrus, you stood strong against me and managed to quell my anger and save my world and your own. You showed nothing but honor and respect towards me despite my backstory. Ill never forget you and please watch over us." Spectra says before letting a few tears slip from her bright blue eyes as oblivion gently embraces her with his wings.

Ryu, Lawrence and Anubis all kneel beside her in a final salute, as Jarod completes the burial process. Placing a bouquet of flowers atop the mound.

"…. Goodbye…. my forever partner…. Flare." Jarod says to himself before running back down the hill and into the maison.

"…. Jarod…." The rest of the elite four say in their minds, before filing back into the building.

(Later that evening)

Dinnertime falls, a heavy sadness looms over the entire team. Most are eating in silence, while Diantha and Cynthia, who woke up shortly after the funeral, talk quietly. Jarod is no where to be seen, having shut himself up in his room after the procession.

"I sure hope he's okay, I can't fathom the pain he's holding inside right now" Says the blonde champion."

"I know cynth, what also worries me is that he is trying to put on a brave face for all of us but in turn is only causing himself more suffering." Diantha replies

"No one should ever bottle up their pain like that, its inhumane. Even giratina was crying and she's a creation deity." Cynthia says.

"You couldn't be more right." Diantha says while getting up to put her dishes in the sink.

"Don't worry about those, ill take care of it." Wikstrom calls out. "you go comfort Jarod and be there for him"

"Thank you Wikstrom" Diantha replies, heading up the stairs towards the rooms.

("Take care of him Diantha") Cynthia thinks to herself.

As Diantha arrives at her and Jarods room she can hear what sounds like sobbing before knocking. When she gets no response from him, she enters the room and is horrified to see Jarod with a blade in his hand and 3 slashes across his right wrist. As he goes for another one, she lunges forward and knocks it out of his grip.

"Babe Don't do it, stop!" She shouts.

"What the hell was that for?!" Jarod replies, his eyes glimmering and twitching.

"Jarod…. Please let us help you, everyone is worried sick, you don't have to go through this alone."

"Why do any of you care! What good am I to anyone. I couldn't even protect my own pokemon!" Jarod screams.

"Babe, listen to me. I know you re trying to be strong for everybody. We all share your pain and want to help you through it, but you ve got to let us in. Flare would never want to see you up there so soon." Diantha says with sympathy, looking into his hazel eyes.

"I couldn't even protect myself…. And she paid for my carelessness" Jarod says.

Tears in Heaven by Eric Clapton begins to play.

"Jarod, Flare even told me that she would've have gladly given her life for you If a situation ever came up. She cared about you more than anyone else, just like I do now. No one, no matter how strong can hold back so much pain. I love you with all my heart and will never give up on you so don't you give up on me." Diantha says softly while embracing him. Finally, Jarods mask breaks as he lets out a pained wail before collapsing in to her arms, sobbing and shaking.

"I've got you…. just let it go…just let it all go…" She whispers, while rubbing the male champions back.

"Why...W.W. Why did she have to die, why wasn't it me!" He wails. Diantha lets a few tears slip from her own eyes as she can't bear the pain of her lover's cries.

"She was my first ….my first ever partner and I let her die." Jarod screams.

"It wasn't your fault babe, there's nothing you could've done."

"D... D…Damn it all!" He cries out before losing the ability to even speak as his grief surges through him, his tears flowing like a burst dam. For the next hour, Diantha holds him close, doing all she can to help him through the emotional storm, as he finally begins to calm slightly from exhaustion.

"Babe…are you alright…?" She asks softly.

"…I…I think so" He whispers, hiccupping slightly.

"Let me bandage those wounds. Alright". Diantha says caringly

"alright." He replies. Diantha quickly grabs a roll of gauze from a first aid kit and gently wraps it around his wrist. Before laying him and herself down on the bed. He clutches onto her tightly.

"…Please. Dont leave me…." Jarod whimpers.

"Im not going anywhere babe, I promise." Diantha whispers, gently caressing his tearstained cheek.

"…im sorry…" he says.

"you have no reason to be, im just glad your still with us." Diantha says, her eyes shimmering with love and sympathy.

"…Thank you…my angel…." Jarod whispers before falling asleep, clutching on to Diantha tightly.

"I'll always be here for you… I swear on my life." Diantha whispers back before drifting off as well.