Michael sat alone in the Lord's Study working on some paperwork to ensure their plans to apprehend Betsy Seissuon and her son for their horrific actions to the people of Charizark Town went by smoothly. Madeline could be counted on to keep peace and order, but the last thing he needed was for another outbreak of violence in his kingdom. With his own councilors, chiefly Annie, beginning to question him, he knew if he lost his edge here, he might lose the respect of all of Arcana. And everything would just continue to get worse until Mewtwo ultimately obliterated them.

"Your Grace has a multitude of visitors" Gerard's dry voice called from the other side. "Beginning with the Grand Vizier."

"Annie?" Michael asked aloud. "Send her in."

"What of the others?"

"Who else is out there?"

"Lady Olivia and Miss Addison Tenton. Others have inquired about seeking an audience with you, Sire."

Michael sighed. "Guess I'm going to be a lot busier than I thought. Alright. Send Annie first."

The door opened and Annie sheepishly entered the Lord's Study, which Michael was sure they would soon have to rename to The King's Study., tenderly holding a manila colored folder in her hands. She did not take a seat in front of his desk and simply stood in front of him nervously. "I feel I have to apologize, Michael. For overstepping my boundaries. You're the King. I can offer you guidance and council, but I can never question you in front of people like that again."

Michael shook his head. "No. I need you to do that, Annie. That's why I picked you to do this over anyone else." He lowered the pen he was signing with and folded his hands. "No one else has the guts to tell me I'm wrong in these situations. Cameron, Chris, Piper, Mark, Lizzie, none of them would ever try to tell me that they thought my actions with regard for the people of Arcana was a mistake. They may not like it, but they'll hold their tongues. That's not what I need from someone who's supposed to be my highest councilor."

"Directly calling you out like that can undermine confidence in the King" she countered. "That's the last thing we need now."

"I didn't see it like that" he assured her. "Just promise me that if you think I'm going too far, you'll be there to bring me back to earth, right?"

She smiled faintly. "As you wish. My apology isn't the only reason I came. Apparently, Betsy Seissuon has some company in this new Cult of Mewtwo springing up." She handed him the folder.

"Donnie?"

"Not Donnie, as far as we know" Annie gulped. "Someone worse."

Michael opened the folder and studied the file carefully. When his eyes fell upon the name, he was flabbergasted. "What? Leonard?!"

"It would seem that lawyers of a feather flock together."

The King lowered the folder and did his best to control himself. "Another familial betrayal."

"I'm sure Leonard has his reasons, Michael..."

"No. This is all pure spite" Michael corrected. "Once I found out he'd rather protect his own hide than represent Ryan in the Courts, Cam and I unceremoniously threw him out. He's doing this to get back at us." He put his fingers to the side of his head and massaged his temples. "Ugh. Issue a warrant for his arrest, too."

"Do you think this will cause strife in your family?"

Michael scoffed at this. "I haven't been close with anyone on my father's side of the family in my entire life. The only person who might give me grief is the man himself and I'm prepared to deal with him. I can't break my word to Amos and the people of Charizark Town. Justice needs to come to those who were involved in these attacks. And I intend on bringing it to them." He looked his in-law over and cracked a grin. "After that, maybe you should get some rest in, Annie. I have a feeling you and Jon didn't do much sleeping last night."

Annie blushed at this assertion. "Well, I just wanted to celebrate the news with him. I didn't figure-"

"Nothing is going to get easy until Mewtwo is gone" Michael warned. "For any of us."

She nodded and curtsied for him. "Very well. If my King asks me to get some rest, I will. I trust the Queen will be at your side in the meantime?"

"Julia can more than suffice until you're back on your feet. Now go get a bit of rest in. And send Olivia and Addy in." He went back to signing paperwork for a moment as Annie departed. Both Olivia and Addison entered with strange looks on their faces. Olivia seemed a combination of upset and confused at whatever situation she was in, while Addison looked downright horrified of something. At Olivia's side was her son, Little Michael, whom she plopped down in a chair by one of the many bookcases in the room as she made her way to speak to the King. Before either she or his friend's daughter could start yelling at him about their needs, he lowered his pen and spoke to the both of them in kind. "Listen. I know the two of you have a lot on your mind. So I will let the two of you speak your mind. But, I need you to go one at a time, okay?"

Olivia took the initiative. "Okay, so I go to give my landlord my first month's rent and I found out that a certain someone already paid it!" She folded her arms in frustration. "I thought I made it clear that I wanted to take care of my son and I by ourselves."

Michael looked at her in bewilderment. "I didn't pay anyone anything. I don't even know who owns your complex in Terra Town."

"They wouldn't accept my money" the redhead fumed. "But if you didn't pay for it...was it Julia?"

"All I can say for sure is that it wasn't me" he concluded. "Maybe check in with my father or Atticus?"

"Why would they-"

"Because my father looks at you as a daughter and apparently Atticus won't shut up about how great you've been since they hired you, apart from the whole missing work because you were drunk, thing."

Her face went as red as her hair. "Well-"

"Michael, I need to talk to you about something" Addison butted in. "It's important. Countess Rosemary said-"

"Hold on a sec, Addy" Michael urged her, returning his attention to Olivia. "Are you here for long?"

She sighed. "I take it you need to talk to me about something?"

"No, I need Julia for something and I'm sure Arya could use a distraction by having cousin Michael to play with."

"I'll wait here, then. Little Michael's already excited to see Princess Arry as he calls her." Olivia walked over to the couch in the corner and sat down beside her son, too busy with a toy to notice what was going on.

"As it happens, I think you both deserve to know this" Michael admitted.

"Know what?" Addison asked.

Michael rose from his seat and turned his back to the group, looking out the window at the back and into the Courtyard of Kingston Castle. There was little going on out there to keep him from admitting what had unfolded in the Celestial Plains, thus forcing him to come out and say it. "When we went to the Celestial Plains-"

"The what?" Olivia gasped.

"I knew it!" Addison exclaimed. "That's how all these things have been happening, right?"

"Let me finish" Michael interjected. "When we were there, Arceus blessed each of the Mythical Guardians with a gift. Some got gifts they've always wanted. Part of me thinks that Matthew used his own to help you, Addy. And I'm getting the feeling Cameron used hers to help me and Julia." His face darkened. "Mine, was for all of Arcana, but mostly to ensure that the things I care about in this world are safe."

"Why wouldn't they be?" Olivia interrogated. "You're the best trainer in all of Arcana, if not the world. Mewtwo seems to have a begrudging respect for you."

"Because when this conflict with Mewtwo reaches it's boiling point, I don't know where we're all going to be emotionally, mentally or physically. All of the good things we have going for us now might completely vanish by then. It's because of that uncertain future that I used my Gift to-"

"I don't think we need to know" Addison declared. "It was an important thing between you and Arceus. Ergo, I don't think he'd want you spilling the beans to everyone. If we're meant to know, we'll find out soon enough, right?"

Michael couldn't help but grin at the optimism. "You're Dee's daughter, alright."

"But I needed to speak to you about something I saw" Addison went on. "I know it's prophetic and I feel like I can still see him even in this room, right now. But Countess Rosemary either doesn't think I saw anything or doesn't think I need help trying to figure out what it means." Michael could tell she was shaken by whatever she had seen. "I know I can't change things that aren't destined to happen or whatever, but I'm not sure I can face this monster in my dreams."

Michael sat back down. "Okay, Addy. I'm listening. What did you see?"

"A figure in black" she recalled. "While the Countess was instructing me on how to let go of things beyond my control and understand that everything happens for a reason, I was given a chance to try for myself to see if things could be different if one event didn't transpire. But while I saw that dream world fall apart right before me, I refused to see anymore. That's when I saw the figure in black. He was...terrifying."

Michael listened silently, nodding his head and focusing entirely on her emotional state. A good thing I didn't tell her, then. She might have gone off the deep end if she knew what I did for her. "Go on."

"He said he was coming for me and then I dropped the scepter and the vision ended" Addison sputtered. She fell onto her knees and begged before him. "Don't let this thing come and attack us, Michael! Please!" Before Michael could even react, she got up quickly and ran over to him as Ryan and Matthew used to. "Please! This was the most terrifying thing I've ever seen in my life!"

"Hey, hey. It's okay, Addy." Michael did his best to soothe and calm the rattled girl whose abilities the entire world would soon depend on. "I promise I will do whatever I can to make sure this...nightmare doesn't come to pass." He put his hands on her shoulders. "But you need to be able to keep calm in the face of adversity, Addison. It's one thing to be scared. Everyone is scared of something. Yet if you panic immediately, things will ultimately get worse. What did this guy look like? One of Mewtwo's flunkies?"

"He-he was wearing armor" Addison recalled, still shaking in front of her hero. "A helmet that looked strangely familiar. Almost like I've seen him before."

"Do you think it's your mind projecting your fears onto you? Or was this the same as when you saw Archer's death play out?"

Addison paused for a second. "It felt so real. It had to be a vision."

"The girl can see things, now?" Olivia observed. "Man, what are they feeding kids, these days?"

"She has the same kind of connection I did to Icarus" Michael explained. "And considering she's the one who will stand between us and oblivion, I think you should be rooting for her."

"I am. I just think it's a little unfair to be putting all the burdens on a fourteen year old."

"Unfortunately, Liv, life isn't fair" Michael concluded.

"But what does it mean? Who was that man in my vision? And why would he appear before me now and not before?"

"I'm afraid I don't have all the answers, Addy" Michael sadly admitted. "There are plenty of things that I don't understand about all of this. But we're all going to have to become avid learners." He put his hand to her cheek. "But hold true to who you are and the rest will come naturally to you. Remember, Addy. I believe in you. So does Julia. So do all of us."

She nodded, though she did seem a little disappointed that he didn't have the balm she was looking for. "Thank you, Your Majesty. I think I'm just going to try and meditate on it." She took his hand off of her cheek and left the room.

Michael watched as his friend's daughter exited. "Poor thing."

Olivia, who had been observing their interactions mostly silent up to this point, finally rose to address the King. "So that's what you used your gift on? You want to keep on protecting and shielding people from the truth?! Sooner or later, she's going to go up against that freak and all of our lives hang in the balance! You aren't the one that's supposed to do this! Why do you always insist on protecting people?"

"That's all I've ever known that hasn't made me sink into the same well of darkness that engulfed so many others before me" Michael responded quietly. "I could have followed Giselle or Elezar and gone down a vengeful path and I could have let this Fury consume me to the point where all I could ever be is a weapon to Cassius and the Syndicate. This is the only way I can stop myself from doing horrible things." He rose from his chair again and walked in front of Olivia, doing everything in his power to keep his rage concealed. "You have no idea how hard it is for me to not act on these feelings. How I technically have the power to take him on myself if I wasn't sure my heart would burst if I tried. How I could go to Mirage Island right now and kill Courtney and all those other little gremlins that latched onto Mewtwo. How much I want to keep my wife and children safe. I am willing to die to make sure these wrongs in the world are corrected. And if that means that my end comes sooner than it ought to, so be it."

"Did you think about the other people in your life who would hurt to see you go?!" Olivia argued, herself distressed at this revelation.

"If Addison isn't strong enough to do this" Michael warned, "I might be the only one who can stop Mewtwo or at least slow him down."

"But why does it have to be you?"

Michael could provide for her no answer, for even he was unsure why he sometimes did what he did. But he knew that there was no turning back now. Victory or oblivion was all he had to look forward to.

{}

Once Amanda had recovered enough of her strength to keep moving, Ryan and Avery compelled her to continue on in their quest to find the Temple of Dreams and hopefully the remnants of Ryan's team of Pokemon that might be in this deep and dark cavern they were inside. Turning back was now out of the question. Not with everything riding on what was inside this cave.

Ryan's resolve could not change. If that dark being he had clashed with was correct, the remaining three Pokemon who had left him that day would be in this cave. Terra, Sparks and Tusker. Even to know if those three were okay would be enough for him. It was surprising to find Simba on Mirage Island and even more surprising to see that his Pyroar was ready to go with him again. Unfortunately, this was all due to the Pokemon longing for him so much that they eventually died and found there way to Mirage Island when he and Achiiles did. What if the same had happened to the others? Were they going to be in better shape than Simba? Or worse?

He impatiently raced down tunnels recklessly, not caring if they led to anything or not. He needed something. Anything tangible to know that some of the most important beings in the world to him were okay.

Avery had taken notice of this and tried to calm him down. "Ryan, we don't know what's out there."

"My Pokemon are out there" Ryan snapped back at her. "The same friends I lost before. If I can get them back, do not think for a second I won't hesitate."

Though less energized than her half-dead counterparts, Amanda pressed onward just behind them with Achilles guarding her behind. She ate the last of the berries Darkrai and Avery had found for her and looked around. "Okay, now that I can actually help, I might be able to get a sense of direction." She tried to study her surroundings, noticing a small bit of moss on a nearby boulder. "Moss is attracted to moisture. That means that we're going to be coming up to some kind of water up ahead if we go that way. Whether it's a river or a stream, I don't know. But I think we should follow it, if not just to get some water in me."

"The water could also attract any wayward Pokemon" Avery offered.

Ryan accepted this. "Fine. Then let's head this way."

Avery's specter vanished into Darkrai to oversee the area ahead of them. She soared ahead and out of sight of the rest of the group, who did their best to keep up on foot. Ryan and Amanda slowed down as they came across a ravine. As Amanda had theorized, there was a stream below them and a few small patches of land in the stream. Ryan thought he could see one of the small patches moving. But when he heard a loud and familiar moan of pain, his heart nearly burst right there. The same sounds of pain he felt whenever the Pokemon he had raised from an egg was in pain or despair.

"TERRA!"

"Ryan, wait-" Amanda cried, but she was too late.

Ryan leaped off the side of the cliff and slid down it until he landed just beside where the weakened Sandslash lay. He skidded to a stop as his feet landed in the water and he looked over his exhausted and hurt Pokemon. "Terra! It's okay, buddy. I'm here! I've got you." The Sandslash raised his head, but could not respond in kind and fell back down on the ground. "How did this happen?"

"That runt sure knows how to take punishment" a voice called from nearby. Ryan quickly grabbed Terra and moved him out of the way as a bullet ricocheted nearby. He looked around for the source of the gunshot, only for another to miss him and Terra by a matter of inches. He looked to Achilles above him, who teleported in front of his trainer and the Sandslash and created a Reflect wall to shield them. "Just like I know how to dish it out."

Ryan looked up at another part of the ravine and saw a figure standing over them. Though he looked like Hunter, he couldn't be sure if it was him or not. He simply looked to Achilles. "Hunter?"

Achilles shook his head. No. Though he has some connection to that poacher, it is not him.

The new assailant slid down the hill and stood above them on a higher ledge. "So, I take it you must be Ryan."

"Depends on who's asking" Ryan declared angrily.

"The name's Kage. I was tasked with removing you from the equation."

"What equation would that be?"

"The Master's, of course."

Ryan went cold. "He...he knows I'm here?"

Kage grinned. "Nothing escapes his sight for long, though I do have to give that little bitch Avery credit for shielding you from us for so long. Too bad your side had a defector."

"A defect-"

"Elezar!" Amanda cursed. "That rotten little bastard!"

"Don't blame him for making a smart career choice" Kage laughed as he brandished a hunting rifle of his own. "He did the right thing and told us all about you being here and your little quest to get to the Temple of Dreams. Can't let that happen now, can we?" He cocked the gun and aimed it directly at Ryan. "Now, let's make this simple and stand still so I can make sure the Master secures his victory."

"What did you do to my Sandslash?!"

Kage looked down and snickered. "Oh yeah. Him. He got in my way. I guess he figured out I was gunning for you and he tried to protect you. Guess this little whelp thinks he has to be Michael Kingston, now?"

Ryan clenched his fist angrily. "You will pay for hurting my Pokemon."

Amanda finally made it to Ryan's side. "Ryan, we have to get out of-wait. Where's Avery?"

Kage pointed to a nearby cliff, where Darkrai was imprisoned in an electric net, shocking the Pokemon to the point where it had to become submissive just to stay alive. "No rescues this time. I can't have Darkrai putting me to sleep here. Not when I've got a chance to avenge Hunter."

"Avenge Hunter?" Amanda asked. "So, is Hunter dead?"

Kage began to grind his teeth in anger. "That runt brother of Ryan's killed him!"

Ryan was shocked. "Matt? He killed Hunter?"

"All of it to avenge you" Kage growled. "So if I take you out, I guess we're making things even between us?"

"That's not how you balance things" Amanda countered.

"Eh, math wasn't one of my strong points" Kage snarled, aiming the gun once more at Ryan. "Now, how are we going to do this? The easy way? Or the hard way?"

Ryan could feel his anger boiling over. "If you think I'm going to be bullied by you-"

Kage sighed. "Guess we've got to do this the hard way then." He moved the gun instead towards Amanda. "Let's see the pretty little thing dance, shall we?" He shot a bullet at her, forcing Amanda to leap out of the way in fright. "Hehehe. Dance, baby! DANCE!"

As Amanda dodged every bullet shot at her for her life, Ryan and Achilles snapped inside. Achilles moved at a blazing speed, teleporting towards Kage and giving him a firm roundhouse kick down to ground level. Kage tumbled down the side of the cliff and barely recovered in time to avoid landing on his head, but his rifle fell in the water and became useless. He looked angrily from Ryan and his Pokemon and ran down the watery path.

Ryan looked to Achilles, who reappeared right beside him, his eyes already burning with the Crimson Fury. He glared back at Amanda. "Keep an eye on Terra. This won't take long!" Not waiting for an answer, he and his Gallade charged after Kage. They caught up with him at the mouth of a nearby waterfall. Kage had leaped onto a rock to avoid the watery current dragging him down and aimed a handgun at Ryan.

"So, you want to do this the hard way? Fine!"

Achilles moved faster than Ryan had ever seen him and disarmed Kage before giving him a ferocious punch down to the ground. He recovered, only angrier than before. Kage called out his first Pokemon, a Skuntank, who appeared and let out a growl of warning towards Achilles.

Ryan looked to Achilles with cruel intent. "Attack!"

The Gallade's assault began on the Skuntank and it did not stop. A series of rapid Vacuum Wave punches only stopped by the Pokemon unleashing his wrath by Bulldozing his prey into submission. Infuriated, the Skuntank recovered and created a veil of smoke around him. Achilles tried to sense where his opponent had fled, only for the Skuntank to sneak attack him and slam him hard into the ground, shining with the intent of exploding.

Kage grinned. "You may not get eliminated from it, but I know I'll love to watch this precious Gallade of yours go up in smoke! EXPLOSION!"

"Achilles!" Ryan replied calmly, his eyes now shining with the color of blood. "X-Scissor!"

Before the Skuntank could explode, Achilles decked him in the face with a brutal punch. Before he could recover, the Gallade launched himself into another barrage of Vacuum Punches before grabbing his defeated enemy and slamming him hard into the ground. The Skuntank was wiped out and Kage only grew angrier. But even his anger was nothing compared to the Crimson Fury.

However, whereas someone clever would have been able to discern he was outmatched and flee, Kage was stubborn and kept up the fight. "Fine. I see your little trick and I raise you one Gengar!" From out of Kage's next Pokemon Ball appeared the specter of a Ghost Pokemon. The Gengar emerged from the shadows and spat out a tremendous ball of Sludge at the enemy, but Achilles easily batted it away. Without Ryan even needing to give him his next command, Achilles's arms began to show an ominous power. For the first time since battling Claude, neither he nor his trainer was afraid of the Shadow Claw move. And he unleashed it on the Gengar.

To Kage's shock, the Gengar was felled by one simple blow. "What the-"

"I suggest you run for it now" Ryan warned. "Because if we get our hands on you, you'll be in a worse state than Terra was!"

"Aw, is the big baby upset that he couldn't protect what matters to him?" Kage taunted.

Ryan's rage now exploded inside of him. "What was that?"

"You couldn't save your friends. You couldn't save your family. You can't even save anyone back home. So tell me kid, for all the failures in your life, why do you even bother trying?" He pulled out another gun and aimed it at Ryan. "Let's see you dance, kid!" His finger nestled the trigger, but Achilles fell onto him before he could attack. With one well timed knee to the stomach, Kage was winded. A smash in the back sent him down to Ryan's level. The Gallade then leaped down and performed an X-Scissor directly onto the flunky's back.

As Kage screamed in pain, Ryan made his move. He grabbed Kage by the scruff of his shirt and ceaselessly smashed his fist into his enemy's face before throwing him down into the water. Hunter's protege scrambled away, clutching at his wounds, but came to a stop when he realized he had run out of room. He now stood at the edge of the waterfall and looked back at the utter rage he had caused Ryan to endure. He made to ask for mercy, but Ryan grabbed him by his throat and held him in place. Kage choked on his words and Ryan's face showed him nothing but the promise of death.

"People like you make me sick!" Ryan snarled. He delivered another punch to the side of Kage's head. "Bullying and tormenting people weaker than you! I should have Achilles wipe you out right here and now!"

"Mssst-rrgh! Mssss-Trrrgh! Hhhhh-lllp Me!"

"I bet you'd like Mewtwo to come and bail you out now" Ryan growled. "To save your worthless hide! Maybe even sparing your life!" Yet another blow to Kage's head left Ryan's hand covered in blood. "No. You're not going to be lucky this time. If you liked Hunter so much, why don't you join him? IN HELL!" Ryan smashed his skull into Kage's face before letting go. Unable to balance himself or move in time, Kage simply fell over the waterfall and into the deep abyss below.

Ryan looked for Achilles and saw him leaping up and slicing open the net Darkrai was trapped in and freeing Avery. Amanda and the weakened Terra slowly made their way to check on Ryan. When the group had reformed, everyone was in shock that Kage was gone, leaving behind two fainted Pokemon. But neither Amanda nor Avery, who had reappeared once Darkrai was freed, dared to question Ryan's actions. They simply knew this was their best chance of staying alive on Mirage Island.

But Ryan was still filled with vigor and fury. He looked up to the skies. "HEY MEWTWO! YOU WANT ME?! HERE I AM!"

"What are you doing?!" Amanda cried out.

"STOP SENDING ME YOUR FLUNKIES!" Ryan roared, ignoring Amanda's pleas. "YOU SENT HUNTER AND KAGE AND THEY'RE BOTH DEAD! STOP HIDING LIKE A COWARD AND SHOW YOURSELF!"

Avery desperately grabbed at his arm. "Ryan! Please, don't antagonize him!" She looked to Darkrai, who created the veil of darkness around them to shroud the group from Mewtwo's power once more, but was too weak from the electric netting they had been trapped in to conjure it. "We need to get out of here and hide! Ryan, I promise you will get your fight with Mewtwo! But right now, we need to get to someplace safe and heal both Darkrai and Terra!" She fell to her knees while still holding his arm. "Please! Ryan! Think about Terra!"

Ryan was about to retort when he saw Terra's exhausted condition. Yet even in his weakened state, Ryan could tell his Sandslash wanted desperately to protect him as he had before. He looked for Terra's Pokemon Ball on his belt and recalled him to let him rest. As he relaxed himself, only then did the sharp pain in his heart return. He crumpled to the floor beside Amanda and Avery. "I think...I think I overdid it."

"I'd say he deserved it" Amanda winked. "But I think we need to listen to Avery and keep you out of Mewtwo's sights for a bit." She took his arm and put it around her shoulder as Avery did the same. "Come on. You both could use a break."

Ryan turned to Achilles, who was also on his knees and struggling to breathe. "Yeah. We probably do."

Must...keep...fighting...

"Bud" Ryan called to his Pokemon. "It's over. He's gone."

Achilles looked to him as the red finally left his eyes. He looked over himself and nodded. Very...very well. He followed slowly behind Avery and Amanda as they brought the bedraggled and weakened Ryan Kingston with them. But the change inside of Ryan hadn't frightened him this time. He had always been afraid of using the Crimson Fury, wondering if he would end up like Michael in the long run, attacking people he knew and cared for. Which is why he tried to keep himself bottled up and never battle again. But he had used the Crimson Fury to it's fullest extent. And it had seen another of Mewtwo's flunkies end. On top of that, he had avenged Terra and so many others who had been prey to Kage during the Pokemon World Tournament.

The Crimson Fury had worked for him...and he liked it...

{}

"Whoa" Courtney reacted in shock. "Even I didn't expect him to go all out like that." She had stood before The Grand Master to give him a progress report on how Professor Wong was doing with her Cloning, but her plans were halted when Mewtwo and she both sensed what had unfolded in one of the caves somewhere on Mirage Island. A colossal battle had unfolded between Kage and Ryan Kingston. And Kage had come out a loser. Not just a loser. He was gone. Courtney could not sense his presence anywhere on the island. It was almost as if...

We knew this would happen, The Master reminded her. Kage's foolhardy attempt to get into my good graces ended in his death. Unlike Hunter, his loss is nothing to the grand scheme of things. Almost like the statue that sits by my throne. The two looked for a minute at the frozen form of Elezar Aced, who would forever possess a look of genuine horror on his face after having been used and cast away yet again in his own attempts to get what he wanted.

"Ryan used the Crimson Fury in a way I don't think I've seen before" Courtney responded. "I mean, he annihilated Kage. There wasn't any mercy in him."

You were between two worlds the last time I saw this happening. Ryan so desperately wants to follow in the footsteps of his great hero. And at this moment, he may be closer to what you and I wanted Michael Kingston to be than Michael ever was. Michael obliterated Cassius Sinclair and his Pokemon. There is no trace of the scientist anywhere on Mt. Heatmor. He would have done the same to Elezar and slotted right in as my new lieutenant if Julia had not interfered.

"It's always Julia" she spat angrily. "One day, I'll take her out!"

The difference between the two is obvious, now. Michael Kingston acknowledges what the Fury is and admits he cannot exist without it. He will use its power in his crusade for justice if he must. Swaying him to our side willingly or forcefully, will be impossible now.

"I still have a plan. And it's working. All I need to do is make contact with this man in Johto and I'll have him doubting himself again in no time!"

What you want him for and what I wanted him for are two completely different matters, Courtney. I will not intervene in your own pursuit of your destiny. I don't want that infantile fool leading my armies anyway. The Master's arms rested on his throne as he was deep in thought. Kage's demise leaves us with an unexpected opportunity, Courtney. It would be wrong of us not to act on it.

Courtney gulped. "What do you mean, Master?"

Ryan Kingston's presence on the island was not a part of my original plans. The fact that Hunter failed to kill him previously filled me with such rage that I feared the Fury might have snared me as well. But it was all for naught. Hunter and Kage's stupidity has given me an idea. One that could very well end up sealing my victory over the humans and the treacherous Pokemon who are loyal to them. We will use Ryan's presence on the island to our advantage, and my amusement. He pointed towards the door. Go out into the island, Courtney. You have all of my power at your disposal, should you need it.

Courtney could feel the immense surge of energy inside of her and grinned. "I am ready to serve, Master."

Prove to me you aren't as incompetent as I think you are. Go out with all of the force we have. Bring Arcana's hero and Amanda Fouritz to me at once. And do a bit of pest control and remove Avery Frost and Darkrai from the equation. Once and for all. Is that understood?

Courtney bore a wicked smile on her face and bowed. "At once, Master."

{}

"Why do you think we were gathered like this?" Addison asked Holly. The two had been hastily summoned to speak with the Queen immediately, with no idea of what may unfold because of it. But, seeing as how the two had been close to Julia from her days as a Pokemon Professor and later as she became Lady of Arcana, neither figured anything was wrong over this. And yet, Addison had a strange feeling in her heart. Something was foreboding about this. Even as the two conversed while sitting at the large table on the Veranda, she could tell things were not right.

"Maybe something's happened with Ryan" Holly suggested. "Wouldn't that be something."

"Why call you in and not Matt then?"

Holly folded her arms and huffed. "You weren't the only ones who cared about him, you know. I'll have you know that both Dawn and I spent a lot of time mourning him together."

"It has to be for something else" Addison inquired. "What do you and I have in common besides being friends and..." She gave Holly a knowing look. "Liking Ryan."

"All I know is this get's me out of needing to spend time with Tommy for a bit" Holly grinned. "So I'll take it. I love my brother, but he has been super clingy since what happened on Mirage Island."

"Considering what lies ahead for us, I'd think you'd want to spend as much time as possible with him."

"Don't you go all 'end of the world' on me, Addy" Holly declared proudly. "I don't want to worry about that. Not when we've got the most powerful trainer in the world and the White Mage on our side."

The doors leading to the Dining Hall opened and Julia came out, finally wearing attire fitting for a Queen. She wore a green dress with golden lacing, though Addison could tell the Queen was absolutely miserable wearing this. Though something else was making her feel more miserable. She eyed the two and sat beside them. "Hello, girls. Hope you're both doing well. Holly, how have you been fairing?"

Holly shrugged and smiled her pretty smile. "Well, I'm doing all I can. There just doesn't seem to be any way to escape this talk of the fight with Mewtwo, though."

"Because it's important" Addison snapped. "Why do you think I'm doing all this training with Countess Rosemary?"

Julia gave a calming look to the two. "Alright. I didn't mean this to spark a feud. Remember that you two are friends first. Especially with what I have to say to you." She sighed. "I received a message from Chris earlier this morning. Apparently, Amanda spilled the beans to him and Ryan about something regarding the Journals of Balthazar Aced. And considering you two were in the cross-hairs of it, I think you deserve the right to know."

"Know what?" Holly asked. "Something about us?"

"I made a mistake with regards to the Journal Entries we posted online when we got his Journal" the Queen explained. "A horrific mistake mainly due to fear of losing Michael again. But so long as Amanda already told them while they were on the Island, I feel you two need to know it as well. There is a chance that the Crimson Fury still resides in you two."

This prompted both girls to leap up in shock. Addison in particular was disturbed. "What? How? I thought that Professor Krane's surgery..."

"The surgery removed the brands from you all" Julia went on. "But even he couldn't remove the Fury, especially once you're exposed to it. That's why Balthazar Aced was so keen to inoculate people from it instead of just treating it. I began to fear the worst when Ryan took Claude's life. And you, Holly, saw it for yourself when you battled him in the Charizark Town Gym. But apparently, Michael has suspected this for a long time and said nothing. He didn't want to upset me. Ironic, isn't it? I knew all along and was afraid to tell him and he already thought something had gone wrong and was reluctant to let me worry over it."

"How can we know for sure?" Holly asked worriedly. "I mean, I don't want to have to worry about it like Ryan or the King."

"Those who were fully exposed to it have the chance of being under it's power at any time their emotions flare up. Some, who were either forced to go into it's influence or chose to, like Michael and Ryan, clearly felt it's power inside of them even long after the Brands were gone. Others may never have to worry about it again. All we know for sure is that there is a chance, however slim, that it could still be inside of you." She gently massaged the side of her head. "This has been worrying me ever since Chris told me that I needed to explain what happened."

"But why would Chris want to-" Addison began.

"Because Christopher, regardless of parenting, is Michael's brother. He'd want the truth revealed. I would be too afraid to reveal it if it weren't for them."

"Does the King know?"

Julia nodded. "I told him before I called you two. He wasn't upset. He simply took it in stride. A part of me figures he knew all along that it may not have gone away."

"What can we do to not let the Fury take hold of us?" Holly inquired.

"Unfortunately, with us likely needing every able-bodied trainer to fight with us against Mewtwo, I can't say for sure. Even with Chris coming back, we're still very undermanned. If there was a way to get those trainers off of Mirage Island, I would be so elated. But right now, we're going to have to rely on our own strengths..." She looked to Addison sadly. "...and especially yours. sweetie."

Addison frowned. "I don't think I'm up for it. With this strange figure in black haunting me, a part of me is afraid to even shut my eyes."

"Facing our fears is always the toughest thing to do" Julia replied. "But I've seen you and your friends accomplish everything you set your minds to. Friendship may be the key to your success, Addy. Don't squander the people around you. We're all here to help you, honey."

"We may not be Ryan" Holly smiled faintly, "but we're here for you."

Addison, her mind now clashing over ideas of the Crimson Fury retaking her as well as this warrior she encountered in her vision, could only nod and thank the two for their support. But how many of her friends could truly help her take on this...this monster?