While Cynthia took Dawn away for some last minute tuning up on her training, Cameron finally took a moment to rest and sit on the veranda of Kingston Castle. She had enjoyed a nice dinner with her father and her stepmother before this, but now allowed the momentous pressure on her chest to grow as the doomsday clock continued to wind down. There would be no margin for error going forward. Mewtwo and Courtney would be coming and throwing everything they could at them. And she had her own personal vendetta against that lavender-haired harlot. Just the thought of getting to tear Courtney apart on the field of battle was enough for her to ignore the potential end of the world that loomed in the distance. She was content to know that Arceus would annihilate Mewtwo if they failed (assuming he could) and that life could begin anew, but who's to say her spirit would get the opportunity to join in on it?
She was surprised to find the Veranda empty and void of life. Mark had taken Greta out on a date night, Lizzie had vanished somewhere with Justin Jacques, Chris and Piper were apparently doing something top secret in Taghwan City and Michael had gone to try and compel Olivia to fight on their side. Cameron admired him for trying, but knew it was a lost cause. The utter terror she saw in her second cousin's eyes was not simple and it would take some convincing she wasn't sure the King was capable of doing. Olivia was as good as gone from Arcana and they had to write her off.
Why would he be so hellbent on keeping Liv here? Cameron thought to herself. It's not like the two had ever been that close. She remembered Chris telling her that Olivia had been enamored with him when they were kids, but that had been years ago and she had a son born from another man. Had Olivia been some kind of balm for him in the times without Chris or when Ryan died? Or...was this another thing that happened when Julia was out of commission? She had suspicions on what might have gone on between the two, but knew better than to bring them up to anyone. Least of all the man himself. She elected to lay low and let things play out as they would. Besides, Olivia was one of the last people in the world who was in the line of fire of Cameron's anger. Another was still in the castle and despite her relationship to her prodigal brother was the longest held grudge against anyone she had held, including those against Giselle and Courtney.
As she drank from a glass of wine, she recoiled at the sight of the Queen of Arcana coming out onto the Veranda and sitting at the table with her. Cameron rudely turned away, uninterested in anything Julia might have to say.
"We need to end this, Cameron" Julia insisted.
"You can end whatever you want, Your Grace" she derisively hissed. "I, on the other hand, am a woman who holds her grudges."
"Against me" the Queen groaned. "As if you haven't also hurt Michael."
Cameron shook her head as her mood continued to sour. "Always trying to make things look better from your end, aren't you?"
"That is why you hold your grudge against me? For what I did to Michael and Chris?"
Cameron scoffed. "It's taken you this long to realize how much of a bitch you were to them? To break both of them and still have the gall to be around in their lives?"
"For your information, your brother and I have been on good terms even since we agreed to just be friends. He's one of my best friends in the world and I could not imagine my life without him in it. You also sit on this pedestal as one of my closest friends, despite our differences and your hatred of me for what I did to them. Your brother has learned to let things go and he was the one you're being angry for. Why? Where does all this unbridled hate go when you can't channel it?"
Cameron finally faced Julia, her face contorting in anger even as Julia remained stone-faced. "You weren't there to pick up the broken pieces of my brothers! I was! I was the only person he could look to when you dumped him and was the one he cried to when you chose Michael when we found him in Orre. Whether it's my brother's stupidity or his big heart, I don't know how he got over it and welcomed you in as Michael's girlfriend, but I could live with that." She rose from her seat and stared down at Julia. "It's what you did to Michael that makes me hate you. What did that man ever do to you to warrant your mistrust? That man worshiped the ground you walk on and you've willingly stomped on him for long enough as far as I'm concerned."
Julia thought for a long moment before responding, prompting Cameron to sit back down and pour herself another glass of wine. She would have guzzled down the whole glass in one shot if Julia didn't finally answer. "You don't have to hate me for that, either. Because I hate myself for it. Every single day I wake up and wonder why I'm here with this wonderful human being by my side after all I've done to him. I was jealous of all the attention he was getting, particularly from girls like Dee, Olivia, Rebecca and especially Giselle and I blamed him for our friendship not being at it's strongest when he needed it to be. I didn't believe him when he was branded by Cassius and Elezar and told him I never wanted to see him again. I had no right to ask for him to love me when we found him in Orre, nor did I deserve for him to take me in. He should have cast me aside when he did, but he didn't. He loved me, he always did. Even when I did the worst things imaginable to him."
Cameron clenched her fists. "Was it that guy from Sinnoh who kidnapped you?"
Julia now fired an icy look of her own. "You mean the one Courtney warped into using a bait to hurt us? Yes."
"I should punch your effing lights out right now!" the Champion snarled.
"I cheated on Michael" Julia admitted. "In a moment of weakness, I chose comfort in the arms of someone other than the man who is my soulmate. And I lived with that secret for far too long until I came clean about it. And he was justifiably furious with me, but I was fortunate that he had Ryan to worry about at that time. I didn't deserve forgiveness. I still don't. But he did so anyway. Because he sees that he makes me a better person far more than I do him. If we separated because of this, he knows it would only cause more trouble for the family and for our children. Do you think me not being in his life would make him a better person?"
Cameron cursed underneath her breath. "It's only because of how much he loves you that I'm not going to beat you into a pulp!"
"I don't deserve all the things he's done for me" Julia continued. "All of the little things from buying me flowers and leaving love notes for me, to the big things like saving my Grandmother from Giselle or forgiving me when I turned my back on him. But I'm not the only one here who has let him down. If I recall correctly, you guys didn't believe him about the Syndicate either!"
"I ADMITTED I WAS WRONG!" Cameron bellowed.
"So did I!" Julia replied. "And Michael forgave the both of us. Do you think we deserved to be forgiven for every wrong we've done to them? You and Leonard caving into public pressure to give Cassius a plea deal? You denying the Syndicate's actions as coincidence?" She rose to her feet and stood in front of Cameron. "If you're blameless in all of this and never once hurt or harmed him, then go ahead and punch me in my face. Go on. I won't block it or dodge."
Cameron growled in defeat. "You don't understand..."
"I do understand you, Cameron" Julia explained gently. "Because you and I are in the same place with both of them. We love them so deeply that we can't see them get hurt anymore than they already have been. We want Michael and Chris to be happier than they ever have been because of what they both went through. We butt heads, we argue and we contradict, but that's because we're all human. We get under each other's skins and sometimes say things we might regret. But we always come to the same thing in the end. We love each other. And look at it this way. I have never seen Chris more in love in his whole life than he is now with Piper. And Michael? I would not be alive if it weren't for him. My children, my grandmother, Piper and everything I hold dear I owe to that man, who has held my heart in his hands ever since I met him." She found herself shedding a tear at this. "But I swear to you, Cameron. I will never intentionally hurt those two again. As long as I live. Chris and Michael will be taken care of. And you can be too." She offered the girl her hand. "It's a promise."
Cameron did not take her hand, but welcomed the sentiment. "Fine. Then I guess you moved down on my list of people I hold grudges against."
"Holding grudges against too many people can leave you directionless, you know" the Queen smiled endearingly.
The Champion shook her head. "My direction leads me to the Battle for Arcana in a few days. After that, who knows." She walked in front of Julia and gave her an awkward hug, before pulling apart. "Thanks, Julia. It's good to know Michael is in good hands." She then bowed politely and sauntered out onto the Soccer Pitch. With Julia and she in a somewhat better place, the only thing left on her mind was avenging her greatest blunder. Because she knew if she heard that giggle one more time from Courtney, she would split her skull open.
{}
It took Lizzie several moments of dragging Justin along her way out of Kingston Castle and into the Courtyard to realize one of the most obvious things about her present situation: she had no idea what to do on a date. She had never been on one. Sure, she had gone to places with Mark and Michael, sometimes exclusively with one or the other, but never in a sense of trying to instill feelings of romance. Mark had taken her to the Mossdeep Space Center to see some them constructing some Festival of Lights themed rockets and Michael and she had gone on multiple trips to the Safari Zone and to the infamous Dragon's Den in Terra Town to get some training or team building in. But never had she been in the position of trying to figure out what a date would be like. She realized deep down she should have spoken with Julia or Piper beforehand, but with the Queen busy tending to the affairs of the crown and Piper gone, she was left with few alternatives.
The two now stood awkwardly near the gates of the Courtyard, with a few guards on the walls curiously eyeing the two, wondering what was on their minds. Justin, who despite his worries about offending or hurting Lizzie was not yet keen to let go of her hand, was the first to speak. "Forgive me, but I thought you had a plan for this whole 'date' thing."
"I'm not very good at 'spur of the moment' things" Lizzie insisted, before pulling Justin closer to her. "I just know that I want to go on a real, authentic date before we go into this battle."
"How grand did the King say it would be?"
"It could be the end of everything with Addison running off" she answered, her nerves getting the better of her. Did Addison know how something about how the battle would go and thus fled to avoid it's repercussions? She couldn't know, as no one knew where she had gone and she was answering no calls. "And that's why I think I need to experience this before...you know...I might die."
Justin thought for a moment. "I may not have ever dated, but I do have a cousin who does. Quite often, actually."
"You've never been on a date, too?"
Justin shrugged. "Before I came here, I never really left my room besides to go to school. I was usually making videos, mostly about gaming and books or movies I've seen. By the by, is it true that King Michael is related to the movie star, Katrina Jackson?"
Lizzie sighed. There's always some beautiful girl somewhere in a boy's mind. "She's Chris and Cameron's stepsister, so she's the King's step-cousin, I guess? But Michael doesn't treat her any differently than he does the rest of them. She's as much a Kingston as he is."
"I would love to meet her" Justin remarked. "She's my favorite actress. Her soliloquy in The Crown of Kalos TV Drama is one of the best pieces of acting I've ever seen."
This caught Lizzie off guard. "Do you like her just for her acting?"
"I'm not supposed to?"
"That's not what I-never mind. I could take you to meet her, if you want."
Justin's eyes lit up. "You could?"
"Sure. She's doing a few press junkets in Titanio City at the Galaxy Lounge before the battle."
"That would be incredible, Lizzie" the young man exclaimed. "You think that constitutes a date?"
Lizzie smiled. "There's more to dates than just the cliche dinners and walks on piers. And there's more to do at the Galaxy Lounge than that. It's actually my favorite place in Arcana to go besides my own room." She called out her Salamence, who eagerly lowered his back down to carry the two. Though Justin was nervous, he let Lizzie lead him up towards the Dragon Pokemon. She climbed up first, then took his hand and pulled him up to sit behind her. Once the two were settled on, she looked back to Justin. "Hold on. Because Crush likes to fly fast!" With that, her Salamence took off and Justin clung to her like his life depended on it. Lizzie could tell something strange about her going on as he did. What's going on? My face suddenly feels warmer? What's that all about?
Crush, who seemed to be trying to break flight records as well as the sound barrier, made it to Titanio City in only a few minutes. But Justin's grip on her midsection never slackened, making Lizzie wonder if that was the whole reason for the warmth on her face. Did that indicate something? Were her friends truly right about her maybe having something for this young man who's uncle had haunted her and her friends for years?
Crush landed without a fuss outside of the Galaxy Lounge, a large warehouse-like structure that was coated in lights that depicted various space anomalies, including asteroids, comets, supernovas and ringed planets. Lizzie slid off the back of her Pokemon and waited for Justin to do the same. He staggered slightly, sliding off of Crush's wing before landing awkwardly by her side. He was about to dust himself off, but he noticed something about Lizzie. "Are you alright, Lizzie?"
"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"
"Well, maybe it was the exposure to the skies?"
"What happened? Is something wrong?"
"Your face is all red."
Lizzie gasped. My face is red? Was I blushing?
Like a giddy fanboy, Justin shook off his worry for Lizzie and made to go inside. He skidded to a stop when he realized he didn't know where he was going and waited for Lizzie to catch up. Lizzie did make it to his side and she showed him the way inside. The glass automatic doors parted and welcomed the two inside. While Lizzie had been into the Galaxy Lounge over thirty times, she laughed as she saw Justin eyeing everything that one could do in the complex.
The Galaxy Lounge was a five floor (six if you include the basement) indoor paradise for gamers, nerds and kids of all ages. The first floor was mostly a waiting area with a few meeting rooms set aside for playing various card games, RPGs or mobile Pokemon Adventures. The basement floor was where the indoor amusement park was. Though nothing fleshed out like Titanio Park, it had several carnival rides, including a small roller coaster, spinning tea cups, a large swing and a fun house that distorted your appearance with wacky mirrors before making you ride down a long Lickitung Slide. The second floor was a section dedicated entirely to books, comics and graphic novels, with dozens of shelves stocked to the brim with books. The third floor was entirely geared towards Laser Tag. Lizzie wasn't as big a fan of this as the other areas, as she was always the easiest prey for the others in Michael's Elite Four to get, resulting in her finishing last whenever they did it. The fourth floor was where the food court was, where they served everything from pizza and burgers to strange dishes one had never seen from places as far as Alola and Galar. The fifth floor was a massive arcade, where various video games could be played and enjoyed by everyone.
To Lizzie's surprise, the place was packed with people. She recalled Addison and Holly saying that Titanio Park was not back up and booming with guests just yet, but this place almost seemed to exist outside of the war with Claude that was only a month over by this point. Even the First Floor was filled with people eager to meet with Katrina. Boys hopeful of getting a wink from her, men trying to woo her and women hopeful to keep their boys and men in line. Lizzie walked with Justin up to the main desk to speak to the young woman behind it.
"Excuse me, but is Katrina Jackson still here?" she inquired.
"Second Floor by the Graphic Novels" she replied. "Please don't get your expectations up. There is a long line."
Justin seemed disappointed by this, but Lizzie was determined to give her friend the opportunity he was dreaming of. She thanked the concierge, grabbed Justin's hand and led him up the stairs to the second floor. When Justin was about to say something, she stopped him. "But-"
"Everyone rides the elevator" she reminded him. "The stairs might help us here."
The two raced up the winding stairwell and made it to the second floor. Sure enough, the elevator was dealing with technical problems, allowing Lizzie and Justin to go right towards the Graphic Novels section. Justin froze in place, anchoring Lizzie in place, when he saw Katrina in person. She signed pictures of herself and took pictures with everyone, repeating the process ad nauseam. Lizzie nudged him forward, but Justin remained unable to move. Realizing she would have to do more legwork, Lizzie dragged Justin to get onto the surprisingly scant line to see Arcana's most famous actress.
Katrina was kneeling down next to a boy who's face was apparently as red as Lizzie's had been during their flight to Titanio. While Katrina was taking what had to have been her 100th picture of the same kind, she was caught off guard temporarily when the little boy spun around and kissed her on the cheek. She laughed it off and handed the boy his signed picture before looking at the cameraman. "So, Carson. You might have some competition."
"I hope not" he laughed. "I wouldn't like intimidating a little guy like that."
Katrina responded in kind before spying Lizzie and Justin. "Ah, a familiar face." She gestured for the two to join her in the sight of Carson's camera. "Lizzie, come on down. I haven't seen you since I came back to Arcana." As the two finally made their way to her, Katrina's eyes darted from Justin to Lizzie. While Justin was in awe of her, Katrina took Lizzie aside for a moment. "Wow, Lizzie. Is this a date?"
"I...guess?" Lizzie replied. "I want to see what it's like to go on one, but the only thing I could think of was taking him to meet you here."
"He's a fan?"
"Big fan, apparently."
Katrina grinned. "Any boyfriend of yours is a friend of mine. Especially one so handsome." When Carson gave her a look, she rolled her eyes. "You have no problem with me kissing other guys during my performances, but I call one guy handsome out of work and you get all angry?" She ignored her husband and decided to formally introduce herself. But as she neared him, she paused. "Wait a minute. You do look familiar, now that I think of it. Aren't you Just_In_Fan101?"
Justin gasped. "You've heard of me?"
"Heard of you?!" Katrina laughed. "I only got to master my role as Princess Nidaki because of your in depth video of her and the Manga she was in. It would be an honor to help you out, especially seeing how my crowd seems to have died down." She looked at Carson. "Come on, Honey. Go see if the elevator will be fixed before long. We're due in Taghwan Hall in a bit. Chris has been texting me that he needs me there for something." When Carson left to go check, Katrina looked to her fan. "So, Just_In_Fan101..."
"Justin is fine, milady. Justin Jacques."
Katrina was in shock yet again. "Claude's nephew? YOU'RE the heir to the Jacques Family fortune?"
He scratched the back of his head. "I believe so. I was wondering if you could do something for me."
"Of course, Justin."
"Would you...I don't know...would you be able to...I understand if you can't...but would you be able to recite your soliloquy from The Crown of Kalos TV Drama?"
Katrina giggled. "You truly are a fan. That was one of my first works. Did you want to record?"
Justin took out his Poke Gear and nodded excitedly. "Please."
Katrina, like a true thespian, moved her hand over her face as if to put herself into the character of the newly crowned Queen of Kalos. In such speed that even amazed Lizzie, she burst into character.
"Thy raptured brother doth never shared in my comforts or pleasures, Good Sir. Nay, forsaking vows sworn to thine gods above, doth we discover infidelity! Hark! Strumpets of the highest caliber, bearing a fool's worth in Silver and a fool's curse deeper inside! Children born of lies and deceit, raised on the fruits of avarice only to die in the squall of money-loving fools! Thy brother, sworn to this lady by all rights, hath surrendered all claims to my innocence in willful stupidity! Claims surrendered are not claims unearned, Good Sir, for laying outside of the bonds of matrimony is sinful in practice and barbarous in act. Were it not laid out by thy own father, Good Sir? Barbary and Sin shalt not walk in kind with Kings, but with jesters. Thy brother's claim be worth copper and weigh but a feather. Need not him to govern, when thou art in presence of a Queen, Good Sir. Crowns promised are Crowns given. Crowns taken are Crowns stolen. And Crowns destined will be crowns acquired, thy brother's blood be forfeit Souls of the damned doth not shine in the Realm of Arceus, but lather in the tempting ales of Giratina! Festering in the abyss of lust and gluttony, never shining with hope or grandeur outside of thy own self-aggrandizement. Queen shalt I be, with thou at my side as King! For a Crown is a heavy burden for one, but balanced for two."
Justin ended his recording and clapped excitedly. "That was even better to hear in person."
"That really was good, Katrina" Lizzie admired. "You are a master of your craft."
Once Katrina's mask fell from her, she giggled. "That took me almost ten takes to master. I was so afraid they were going to replace me." She looked past the two as a horde of more adoring fans came flooding towards them. "Well, here come more of my loving fans. Lizzie, let Michael know that we won't be leaving until after the battle takes place. And Justin? Make sure you tag me in that video when you upload it."
Justin was too excitable to even say anything concrete. "Wow..."
"Are you happy?" Lizzie asked.
"But how do I return the favor?"
"I'm sure Katrina just said to-"
"To you?" he replied. "You did this wonderful thing for me, but I will not have it said that the Jacques family revival will be started by unpaid debts."
Lizzie shrugged. "Well, let's just go see what this place has to offer. Stick close to me so you don't get lost or get whisked off by Madeline."
Justin gulped. "Don't even joke about that." He peered around, hoping the lieutenant wasn't stalking after them. When he was sure they weren't, he took Lizzie's hand and raced with her up the stairs to see what else the rest of the Galaxy Lounge had to offer. And for the first time in her life, either when forced to for safety or not, she didn't seem too keen on taking her hand away from his.
{}
"Why does she want to meet me all the way by Iron Mountain?" Matthew asked himself as he piloted his Noivern away from Parlor Town and into the steely and cold mountains where Billy held sway as the Gym Leader. He wasn't even interested in going to this place again. He wouldn't be, if he hadn't been the only one Addison had reached out to since she vanished from Kingston Castle when Countess Rosemary died. No one had been able to reach her and she hadn't spoken to anyone. No one but him. And she would only tell him to come to Iron Mountain to speak with her.
He landed at the base of Iron Mountain, near the chairlift that would lead to Iron Village. The area was deathly quiet, with the chairlift operating automatically and no one feeling in a particularly adventurous mood at the moment. He would have walked up to take a ride, but for the shadow of a Gardevoir gesturing for him to follow her. He did so, but at his own pace, not wanting this to be a trick of some kind. He followed her down a very narrow walkway he didn't even know existed until this very moment. He took slow ginger steps until he found a dense and dark cavern lying just ahead. The Gardevoir shadow vanished into the cavern, thus prompting Matthew to follow her inside. He was almost immediately set upon by Addison.
"Thank goodness you're here!" she exclaimed. "No one followed you, did they?"
"You said for me to keep it a secret" he reminded her. "So, I did."
She sighed in relief. "Good. Now, we've got a long way to go and-"
"What happened to you?" he interrupted. "Seriously. What the what?"
Addison rubbed her arm sadly. "It's a long story, Matt. But...Countess Rosemary never finished my training. I'm still unable to do the last thing she meant for me to learn and now that she's gone, I have to do it on my own. And I can't do it on my own. Michael tried to help me...but...but I kinda lashed out at him and now he hates me."
"Michael doesn't hate good people" Matthew countered. "And you are a good person. You're just afraid."
"You would be too if the whole world expects you to destroy some all powerful monster" she replied. "And the only way I can do that is if I master the Bond Phenomenon. But Galatea and I just can't do it. We try and we try, but nothing comes of it. And the Countess tried everything she could think of besides one last thing. But when I went back to learn it, she was on her death bed. Now, I have to figure all of this out on my own."
"If you need to do this alone, then why call me here?"
"Because I'm giving up" she replied honestly. "Completely."
"Giving up?" Matthew was in shock. This feeling must be eating her alive inside, because this was nothing like the Addison he knew.
"I'm determined to hide it out" she proclaimed. "Wait until the end of it comes and Michael defeats Mewtwo and we all realize Rosemary was mistaken all along. I was never the White Mage. She had to be wrong. That's the only explanation about why I can't figure this out." She turned and gave him a smile. "And you're gonna hide with me. So, tell me. Where did Jocelyn take you? Where did you two lay low all of that time you were in exile?"
Matthew was utterly speechless. How had it come to this? Addison was being ripped apart inside by her own fear and he had to be the one to convince her to do what was right? When had they flipped roles so quickly?
"You can't leave me hanging, Matt" she spoke quickly. "Come on, where are we going?"
"If you're sure about leaving, you could always go to Johto. It's sleepy and quiet there, especially with most of the best trainers still being Mewtwo's slaves and all. But if you are keen to run off, you're going to have to do it alone. Because I'm staying here."
Addison looked like he had just slapped her. "What? You can't be serious. You used to hate the Kingstons. Their entire way of life. How hypocritical they were. Why would you choose to fight them if you won't be protecting me?"
Matthew sighed. "I have my own reasons to keep fighting. A sister and a Mom who need me. Cousins who need me, a King I want to make proud of me. But more importantly, I have to fight for the other reason I'm still in this world: Jocelyn. Mewtwo is still holding her prisoner and I'm going to save her. One way or another. And I can't do that if I'm hiding on the other side of the world, Addy."
"You would really run out on me?" Addison begged. "In a moment of need? You promised you would help me-"
"I would help you take on your destiny" Matthew reminded her. "Even if it kills me, I will still uphold that. But you're not taking up your destiny. You're running away from it. And that's not the Addison I know. She would never give up a fight because she was afraid." He thought for a moment to think of a moment of Addison showing her bravery. "Were you afraid when it was just you and Shaymin against Avery? Or when you had to rely on me and Jocelyn when Michael was Courtney's prisoner? No. You stood your ground and faced your fears. But why won't you face them now?"
"Because I know I'm just going to fail you" she cried out. "Without the Bond Phenomenon, Matt, I'm worthless."
"You don't believe that and neither does anyone else, Addison. We all believe in you, but we also have our homes and families to keep safe. What about our friends, Addy? Dawn, Holly, Tommy all of them will be out there fighting. Are you just going to sit back here and let them die? Because that's not the girl I fell in love with. Not the girl I was willing to do horrific things to just to make sure Ryan didn't get. Not the girl I helped save Ryan and Michael. Not the girl I pledged to fight for when all the world-" He was caught completely by surprise to find Addison flinging herself at him and kissing him. His natural instinct was to pull away, but he had been waiting for this moment for so long, that he couldn't do it. The two finally came apart, with Addison shaking in his arms and basically kneeling on him.
"I love you, Matthew Kingston" she blurted out. "And I can't go on without you."
Matthew felt his heart leap up at those words, but his mind reminded him of the fragile state of Addison and dulled his heart down. "I believe you do love me, Addy. But not the way I love you. That love was reserved for Ryan. And no matter how much I may kick myself for saying this, I can never be that to you." He took Addison off of him and pulled her to her feet. "And that love is everlasting. But I won't be tricked or convinced to stay out of this. Not when that monster is threatening my family. Not when that monster has Jocelyn. Not when that monster was behind my brother's death." Addison tried to keep him beside her, almost drunkenly crying at him and begging him to stay, but Matthew pulled himself away. "I know there is strength inside of you, Addy. More strength than even Michael has. But if you're not willing to go that extra mile to reach it, then I guess I'll have to fight Mewtwo on my own, then."
"And you'll die!" Addison yelled at him.
Matthew shrugged at the warning. "One less waste of a life in the world."
"YOU AREN'T A WASTE!"
"AND YOU'RE NOT A COWARD!" At those words, Matthew left the cave and Addison to her own devices. Despite every single bit of his heart, still blinded by joy at finally getting to kiss the love of his life, urging him to go back, he staunchly stood his ground. If Addison wasn't going to take part in this battle, he couldn't make her. But she couldn't make him turn away from what he had to do.
Even if it kills me...
{}
Amanda shamelessly stuffed her mouth with leftover snacks and foods that Avery had found for her while they continued to try and find the location where Courtney had incapacitated Darkrai and captured her and Ryan. Even if some of the bags of chips were stale or some of the snacks felt like she was chewing on rocks, she was content to have any food inside of her while Avery kept her guard up. Occasionally, they would have to hide behind a bush or a tree if she thought she could see one of the Syndicate Goons lurking nearby, but their journey back to Darkrai's side was mostly without many stops. It didn't matter to Amanda. After months of imprisonment, weeks of scouring the abandoned island and another month of extended torture, she was just happy to have one last chance to make things right and get back to her loved ones.
The two young women skidded to a halt when they noticed a being hovering over Darkrai's fallen body. Avery stepped forward. "Cresselia?"
The Mythical Pokemon let out a happy and angelic honk before floating around the two. Amanda took a bad bite of a chip and nearly bit her tongue, prompting her to awkwardly wave as Avery was reunited with the dual Pokemon of Nightmares and Dreams.
Avery bent down with one of the Revival Herbs and gave it to Darkrai. Though the being of darkness nearly turned over in his grave at the scent of the bitter herb, he ingested it and was soon rising back into the air. While he and Cresselia hovered around one another, Avery looked around for any hopes of a trail that Courtney might have left for them to follow. When she came up empty, she looked to the rest of her group. "You guys being okay is great and all, but we need to get into that base now."
"If what Courtney said is true" Amanda warned, "we might be too late to save Ryan."
"Mewtwo will have locked him somewhere" the ghostly girl assured the worried Professor. "But Ryan can come later. Part of me thinks the only reason Mewtwo released you was because he's finally ready. I know it doesn't seem like long, but it took me a long time to get these Revival Herbs and supplies. It's been a month. He must be prepared to unleash his wrath upon Arcana. We may not be able to help them directly from here, but we can give our friends and loved ones in Arcana some sort of a fighting chance."
"But how?"
Avery pointed below them. "Deep down in what Mewtwo has warped this land into, there is an entire reservoir of people Courtney and Hunter made me put to sleep in the World Tournament. The best trainers in the world. And if we wake them up, we might be able to hinder Mewtwo's transference of his full force to Arcana or to better yet reinforce the people of Arcana."
"But how are we going to get down there?"
Avery looked to Darkrai and Cresselia, The two Mythical Pokemon nodded at each other and spun around each other until a beacon of light and bastion of darkness created a pillar of energy that speared through the ground. She did look nervously to Amanda. "I know you just got out of there, but I have to warn you. If we fail here, it's likely that Mewtwo will destroy us."
Amanda shook her head. "So be it. I'm tired of being on the sidelines. And I'll bet those trainers down there are as well."
The pillar of energy had created a stairwell that would lead them down into the Syndicate Base. Getting there was easy. Using Cresselia's power to wake over ninety other trainers and compelling them to fight for them would be an entirely different matter, not to mention the ramifications of Mewtwo or his goons finding out about their plans. Amanda was about to walk down the staircase, but stopped at the top step.
"Hey, Avery? Do you think we could make a pit stop on our way to the Harvesting Machine?"
Avery smiled brightly. "I hope our minds are in sync on this one."
Amanda looked down the pathway, thinking of the only other person on Mirage Island who might be inclined to help them. "Two minds may not be enough to get all of this done, but three will definitely be better."
{}
"You can't tell me I was the only one who sensed that?" Courtney hissed. "That immense shift in power!" She was desperate to convince The Grand Master that something on Mirage Island had changed dramatically, but he was too focused on inspecting his army of Cloned Pokemon to care for what she had to say. The only one who seemed to even acknowledge her existence at this point was The Black Knight, but he had little option with all of the work they had put him through. Standing in front of Mewtwo was an army of vicious-looking clones of the many Pokemon they were holding hostage along with their trainers there on Mirage Island. Tyranitar, Metagross, Waillord, Dragonite, Alakazam, Copperajah, Gothitelle, Aerodactyl, Heracross and plenty of others were all finished and perfected. Their wills would not have the same mortal weaknesses as their trainers. They would obliterate their enemies in one fell swoop, delivering the final crushing blow to their enemies in Arcana and get them everything they wanted.
Save for the sudden burst of energy Courtney had sensed coming from nearby. "Master, please! This could be damning to the entire operation!"
There is no force in this universe that can stop us, Courtney. Now take your mind off of inconsequential things and...
"I agree with Mistress Courtney, Master" the Black Knight spoke up.
The Master turned his attention to his latest minion. Oh? And why?
"That power came from a source somewhere on the island" the figure explained. "The Singularity should easily allow you to decipher what I have: this was caused by Darkrai and Cresselia working in tandem."
Courtney gulped as the Master's eyes fell on her. Courtney. Am I mistaken in my memory? You told me that Darkai was 'down for the count'. Am I wrong?
"My Pokemon hit Darkrai with everything they had!" she assured the Master.
Then we needn't worry. It was merely a celestial burst and nothing more.
"The power of that energy was-" the Knight began, but the Master's telekinetic powers flung him against the wall and began to move his limbs in unnatural ways.
Who is the Master, here?
"You are" he winced.
And who will you never question again?
"You, My Master!"
The Master dropped the Knight to the ground. That's correct. Besides, Knight. It's not like you to worry about something so inconsequential. I deem it as such, because should it be discovered that it wasn't a celestial burst but the work of Darkrai, you won't be forced to face my wrath. That falls on Commander Courtney. Courtney staggered away in worry as Mewtwo's eyes fell squarely on her. And she knows very well the consequences of failure. Especially now!
Courtney bowed and remained a few steps away, her own glare falling upon the armor clad knight by her side. She was eager to put him in his place, but she knew better than to question the Master's ultimate plan. Even if it somehow made things unbearable for her temporarily. No. I won't give him the satisfaction of seeing me die.
{}
With all of the commotion going on with Mewtwo and the others inspecting their armies, Helen Wong was left to her own devices. The clone pods were feeding the clones on their own and those other clones she had allowed Mewtwo to corrupt were ready for battle. Though she was horrified of the likelihood that those clones would utterly destroy Amanda and Ryan's friends, she could not think of it too much as she was more concerned about what would happen to her family in this ordeal. Would Mewtwo keep his word and prevent harm from coming to them? Or would he disregard it to allow Courtney and her maniacal scheming to take effect? Or was he already looking down on her as another menial minion taking up too much space for her? She elected to not think too much about it and tried to rest her head.
But any hopes of seeing her son and her husband in her dreams were quickly dashed when she realized she was not alone in the room. Not just the clones of Mewtwo, which were still not showing signs of human acknowledgment (to the Professor's terror). But someone else was in the room with her. She looked instinctively up towards the air ducts, where the one person she had met besides Mewtwo and Courtney had come. She gasped when she saw that she was correct.
"What are you doing here?" she whispered to Avery Frost. In even more of a surprise, Amanda Fouritz's head popped up from behind Avery. "What? Amanda as well?"
"What do you think we're doing here?" Amanda called, though lowering her voice when she realized just how dangerous this would be. "We're busting you out of here."
"Me?!"
"Who else?" Avery acknowledged. "We need your help, Professor. We intend on rescuing those who were trapped by Mewtwo and Courtney in the Dream Harvesting Machine. And we could use your help doing so."
Wong was petrified. "Going up against Mewtwo and Courtney?!"
"They'll be too distracted by the battle to notice us" Amanda boasted. "Besides, it beats sitting around here and waiting for those clones you created to slaughter people, right?"
Helen turned away. "Don't pin more guilt on me!"
"You want to make up for your mistakes?" Avery asked. "Then don't make the same mistakes I did. Don't trust Mewtwo and Courtney to get you what you want. They'll betray you, one way or another." The air duct opened and a rope fell down towards Helen. "You can come with us and make a difference in this world or you can be forever remembered as someone who aided a monster in his devastation of the world. Please, make the right choice."
Helen groaned in worry. "I must be out of my mind for even considering this."
"Do you honestly expect your son to be able to grow up in a world like this?" Amanda pointed out.
Professor Helen Wong weighed her options carefully in her head. All she truly had to rely on for the safety of her son and her husband was in fact just Mewtwo's word. He may have allowed Amanda to escape death at her request, but would he bear her son any loyalty? Or would this be a betrayal tantamount of complete obliteration? Would she be endangering her child more by crossing Mewtwo? Or was his life at danger by all except Mewtwo's enemies? It came down to which of the sides she trusted more: her alleged "brother" or those trying to destroy him? Only one of those sides was holding her hostage and forcing her to make doomsday Pokemon. And that certainly wasn't Avery and Amanda.
She grabbed the rope, her eyes squeezed as tightly shut as they could be. Please just let my baby boy make it out of this...