Concordia couldn't stop her hands from shaking. She tried and tried, but they wouldn't stop, no matter how hard she gripped the cloth of her dress.
Ghetsis had killed N. Her brother was dead.
Her eyes burned something awful. She wasn't weeping anymore, not after so many hours had passed, but she still sniffed. A painful ache throbbed behind her forehead. Images of N when he was a small child, all innocent smiles, flashed in her mind, but she pushed them away as fast as she could, hastily wiping her eyes with the backs of her hands.
She couldn't think about it anymore. She just couldn't. She had to keep her mind blank, or else she felt that her heart might shatter in her chest - if it hadn't done that already.
She looked up from her lap. Anthea sat across from her on a bed identical in every way to hers. Her sister always seemed so composed, even when her eyes were red and puffy. Her jaw must have ached from being clenched so long, and she still held a phone in a white-knuckled grip. That was what they had used to find out what happened, borrowed from one of the Team Plasma members since Ghetsis had never allowed them access to technology.
"What do we do?" Concordia asked, voice croaked and hoarse. Anthea was much smarter than she was. She would know. "Why would father ever-"
"He is not our father," Anthea snapped, glaring at her. "How could you call him that, after this?"
Concordia opened her mouth, then closed it again. "You're right, I just… it was habit."
The translucent white window curtains fluttered, blowing inward. Cold air pushed Concordia's hair away from her face, and she shifted, glancing at her sister.
"You didn't answer my question. We can't stay, Anthea! We can't. What do you think we should do?"
Anthea stood suddenly, scrubbing her eyes. The phone thumped softly on the carpet when she dropped it. "Ghetsis is evil. That was him that shot N; you saw as well as I did."
"I… yes."
"I overheard something the other day," she said, furrowing her eyebrows like she always did when she was angry. "Ghetsis was talking to that dog Zinzolin, and Zinzolin gave two stones to Ghetsis. One was light, the other dark."
Concordia gasped. "You don't mean…"
"Yes," Anthea nodded. "I don't know what Ghetsis has planned - he's always left us on the sidelines - but he's going to use the Legendary Pokemon for something. We're going to steal the Stones, and then we're going to run."
Concordia met Anthea's gaze. Fear clawed at her throat. They had never gone against their father before, but he had done something unforgivable, this time. There wasn't any mistaking that charred arm. Other people might not have noticed because Ghetsis always had the arm tucked into the sleeve of his rove, but she and her sister did.
Concordia stood. Reluctantly, she nodded, swallowing her fear, and Anthea led her out of the room. Her hands still hadn't stopped shaking.
They turned right, heels clicking on the stone flooring. As they walked, they sometimes passed members of Team Plasma who were on patrol, all of whom bowed to both of them, but Anthea ignored them, and so Concordia did the same, though she felt a stab of guilt as she did so. How many of them knew of Ghetsis' plans? How many knew that he didn't think all of the Pokemon should be free?
She walked closer to Anthea, who strode purposefully through the halls. The only light came from the few chandeliers above, and shadows hung in the corner. Distant echoes drifted through the stone corridors.
Anthea knew what to do. She knew.
Another image flashed through Concordia's mind, this time of her father pulling the trigger. The pop that followed. N dropping, falling-
No. She wouldn't think about it.
Her mind went blank. She might need Anthea more, but Anthea needed her, as well. Concordia had to be strong like her sister was. Not a single good thing would come if she broke down in the middle of the hallway.
Anthea held an arm in front of Concordia, stopping her. She looked ahead. At the end of the hall was a broad set of double-doors, figures carved into the wood. Two men, no doubt members of Team Plasma, guarded it, one on either side.
"That's where they're keeping the Stones," Anthea said.
"How are we going to get past them?"
Anthea lowered her arm. "Let me handle it. Stay behind me."
She strode forward. Even the way she walked radiated confidence. Concordia could never be like that. It was better this way.
Wiping her palms on her dress, she followed after her sister. When she caught up with her, Anthea was already talking to the guards. Or, it was rather more like she was scolding them.
"… You will do your duty and let us through, or my father will hear of this."
"B-but, My Lady-"
"No buts! Let us through or else!"
"Of course. Of course." He nudged his companion. The poor boy jumped into action, and the door creaked as they pushed it open, revealing the darkened chamber beyond. Concordia breathed a silent sigh of relief. A natural air of command was something Anthea had gotten from their father.
The chamber was both broad and extensive, made of sleek marble. At the wall farthest from them, was a small, rectangular platform covered by a glass dome. That was where Anthea went, but as soon as she stepped beside it, she growled in frustration.
"What is it?" Concordia asked concern bleeding into her voice. She jogged over, and when she came close enough to see, she knew what had upset her sister.
The Dark Stone was gone.
"Oh no, Anthea," Concordia whispered. "Oh, no!"
"It doesn't matter." She peeled back the casing of glass, then yanked out the Light Stone. "Just taking this will ruin his plans. Wherever the other one is, we don't need it."
She began to stomp away. Concordia grabbed her arm.
"Wait! Where are we going to take it? Fa- Ghetsis will know we're the ones who took it and send people after it!"
"You're right," Anthea said. She shrugged out of Concordia's grasp. "Only trainers can keep this safe for us, and there aren't any trainers more powerful than the Elite Four. We'll leave out that hidden exit. Remember it?"
Concordia opened her mouth to say something, anything, but Anthea was already leaving the room.
She could remember only very few other times when they had left the castle, and never without Ghetsis. Now they were going alone to the Elite Four. If someone had told her that morning that would be what she was going to be doing, she would have called them crazy. But she would have said the same thing if someone had told her that her father would kill her brother.
She squeezed her dress tight and ran after Anthea, with nowhere else to turn and an immense desire not to be left behind. Please let us make it out of the castle safely. Please don't let anyone discover we have the Light Stone.