The day and a half journey to Cherrygrove passed in a blur. For the most part, wild pokemon were deterred by Ethan's blade or bursts of flame from Torch. Lyra proved to be a useful companion with her massive knowledge of medicinal herbs and unbridled enthusiasm at being away from her home. Her sentret proved itself by constantly supplying the pair with any kind of berry or herb it could find, alongside a myriad of oddly shaped rocks and twigs that Lyra tossed as soon as she was sure that her pokemon was out of sight.

Another day passed, bringing them nearer to their destination. Ethan couldn't help but catch himself being impressed with Lyra's massive amounts of knowledge about the local wildlife and flora. She was seated across from him, smiling and scratching her sentret behind its ears. Her marrill was busy splashing around in the pond next to their camp.

Ethan spoke suddenly, breaking the silence. "So have you ever actually been out of New Bark?"

She looked surprised by the sudden question. Ethan hadn't bothered to ask her much about herself, instead droning on about pokemon he'd raised at his ranch. "Other than a few supply trips to Cherrygrove, no. This is actually the farthest away from home that I've ever been." She said happily.

"So what do you think of the world? Does it live up to its reputation?" He asked with a quizzical look on his face.

She shook her head furiously. "Daddy always told me that the world was dangerous and unforgiving. That if I strayed too far away from the settlement, bandits or wild pokemon would attack me."

Ethan gave a small chuckle. "Well there's no easy way to put it. He was right. The world isn't a nice place. You've just been lucky enough to live in a relatively peaceful area. Kanto is a hellhole, and everything west of Ecruteak is just as bad.. Don't even get me started on how bad the Orange Islands are. That's not even mentioning the other regions. Unova and Hoenn don't have a central government that keeps any semblance of order. Kalos' Queen is too busy putting down uprising after uprising by all the robber barons there to provide any real security for her people. Sinnoh is probably the safest place in the world in the moment, if you can stand the religious nut-jobs that run the place. Then there's Orre…" He trailed off, almost shuddering.

"What's wrong with Orre?" Lyra piped up.

Ethan grimaced. "People there are raised from birth to worship their twisted prince-gods. They aren't exactly friendly towards anyone who questions their beliefs. Most prefer to answer questions with weapons." He finished, looking uncomfortable with speaking about Orre.

Lyra looked as if she had something to say for a moment, then changed it the moment Ethan caught a glimpse.

"Spit it out, I can tell you have something to say." Ethan sighed.

"You speak as if it's from memory. As if you've been to all these places." Lyra blurted out.

Ethan gave a smile at that. "It's because I have Lee. Dear old dad had a metric fuckton of pokemon and enough cash to afford a ranch. I just took what he left me and used it to get ahead in life. I've been everywhere a man can be, sold pokemon to everyone who had the cash to afford it."

Lyra gave a sheepish grin. "I've actually been meaning to ask you something." She said quietly. When he nodded, she continued. "Your last name is Gold. Are you the Ethan Jr? Son of the revolutionary?"

He grinned ear to ear. "The one and only. Ethan Alexander Gold the second, at your service." He said proudly.

"I thought Lance wiped out every family member of the revolution's leaders he got his hands on. You aren't quiet about your identity, so how'd you survive?" Lyra asked, bringing an even larger grin to Ethan's face.

"Lance wouldn't kill his only reliable source of battle-bred dragons, now would he?" Ethan said with a devilish grin. "I was ten when the rebellion started. I'd already started breeding pokemon for the Goldenrod police by that age. Lance offered me my life along with my grandparents, if I agreed to breed dragons for him. I was paid well, and told it would continue so long as he was my only customer for the dragons."

Lyra wore a troubled look. She opened her mouth twice before shaking her head and staying silent. They sat in silence for a while, neither of them speaking. Lyra finally broke the silence with an angry burst. "So you're providing the man who killed thousands of innocents and struck down your father with the most powerful pokemon you can breed. Please tell me what wisdom led you to that conclusion?"

Ethan was taken aback by her outburst. "Don't you dare judge me Lee. I did what I had to. I kept my family together. If that means that I sleep with my enemy, then that's what I do. My family is everything to me, and I would do anything to keep them safe. Judge me if you will, but everything I've done has been for them." He pulled Torch's ball out of his pack and released his cyndaquil. "I'll take watch tonight, you better get some rest."

When he didn't say anything else, Lyra rolled away from him and recalled her pokemon. As she drifted off to sleep, she thought she could hear the sounds of Ethan sobbing quietly.


Jay was floating. His eyes shot open violently, breaths not reaching his lungs. He clutched at his throat, convulsing. He felt something touch his chest, cold spreading out from that point. His convulsions stopped, along with the burning in his lungs. He opened his eyes to a sight he dreaded. The dark world was back, along with it, the swirling mess of spirits.

The two regarded each other for minutes, the only source of sound, Jay's ragged breathing. The spirit finally broke the silence. "You have done well Jason. Much better than we could have ever hoped." It's voice was the same as before, grating into Jay's ears with a force that made him want to run and hide. "Your role has been fulfilled. Misty is alive."

Jay perked up despite the oppressive voice. "I went back for her, I fell too. I heard her screaming." He shouted out in agony as his brain throbbed. "I can't remember what happened. It's like it's blocked."

The spirit tapped his forehead with a ghostly arm. A soothing cold spread from the point, stopping the pounding in Jay's head. "You have blocked the moment of your death. It is common for mortals to block their passing."

Jay's heart dropped at the spirit's words. He opened his mouth to say something, but words wouldn't form on his tongue.

"We must leave you. You have played your part Jason. You will be remembered." The spirit disappeared into the swirling miasma, taking its oppressive voice with it.

Jay closed his eyes, finding peace in the silence. Time passed, seeming like eons to the young trainer. He didn't know how long it had been when he heard the voice. It was soft and soothing, reminding him of lullabies from his mother. It grew steadily, always soft but growing until it drowned out the sounds of the swirling chaos around him. The voice suddenly stopped, stopping all noise of the storm along with it.

Jay opened his eyes to something he hadn't expected in his wildest dreams. A withered old crime sat on a rocking chair, both of them floating through the miasma. The storm seemed to calm around her, emanating an aura of extreme power. The old lady cracked a smile, revealing a set of gnarled teeth. She spoke in a high pitched tone, cackling between words. "Well dearie, looks like we've got ourselves into some trouble. How did a handsome, strapping young fellow such as yourself end up in the world of the dead?" She leaned back in her chair, humming to herself absentmindedly. Before Jay could say a word, she started again. "Don't feel the need to answer me my dear, I already know why you're here. I've just come to send you back."

Jay was wide eyed, staring at the crone. "Who are you?"

The crone cackled, loud and high. "I am the grey lady, and I still have use for you."

The world faded in Jay's eyes, turning pitch black. He blinked once, and was overcome with pain. Misty's frantic sobs were filling his ears. He opened his eyes. "I hate it when a pretty girl cries." Immediately, he felt her arms wrap around him, squeezing air out of his lungs. Her sobs didn't cease, only growing in strength. "It's ok Misty." He hugged back, not understanding or caring why he was alive, just happy to exist.


Lyra awoke to Ethan pouring water over the remains of the fire. He glanced at her. "Good, you're up. Pack up, we've got a long way to go and I'd like to get there today."

They wordlessly packed the camp, returned their pokemon and continued the journey. As awkward as the silence was, Lyra couldn't bring herself to mention the events of the previous night. So they walked in silence, only broken when Ethan pulled some bread from his pack for lunch. The miles melted away, every step bringing them closer to their destination.

It was mid-afternoon when they finally stepped into the lab. Mr. Pokemon turned out to be a wily old man who barely tolerated the pair. They had the egg stowed in a special carrying case within minutes and were on their way back to Cherrygrove before the sun had even dipped in the sky. The return journey to Cherrygrove passed without words or problems. They took refuge in the pokemon centre, Ethan paying for a pair of rooms for the pair.

Again Lyra was roused at dawn by Ethan, this time with insistent banging on the girl's door. Within the hour, the pair were back on the road; Ethan intent on making the whole trip in a single day. By the time they were nearing her home, Lyra's feet were throbbing and sore. Lyra's exhaustion was clear in her body language, back slouched and hear bowed. So when Ethan stopped abruptly she nearly ploughed into him from behind.

"Do you smell that?" He asked, cutting off Lyra before she could say a word. She sniffed at the air, then shook her head. "Smoke. There's something burning up ahead." He immediately turned and pointed at a tree on the side of the path. "Have your sentret climb that tree. Check for any plumes of smoke."

A minute later, the sentry pokemon returned, frantically motioning in New Bark Town's direction. Lyra took off like a rocket, ignoring her exhaustion in her desperation. What she saw when she reached the settlement horrified her. Elm's lab was a smoking shell, the roof torn apart by some terrible beast. Blue fire was crackling on the inside of the building, licking at the remaining supports. As she watched, the building collapsed in on itself, no longer able to stand under the raging flames.

Lyra dropped to her knees, tears already flowing down her cheeks. Ethan stood beside her, gaping at the destruction. "Lee…" She jerked away from him, swatting his hand off her shoulder. "We can't stay here Lee. It's too dangerous. Whoever did this could come back." She ignored his words, sobbing into the ground. He pulled her to her feet, and into a hug. "Everyone could still be alive. They could have left before whatever happened hit them. They'll contact us Lee. We need to make sure they can find us though."

"What's going to happen now?" She asked between sobs. "My home is gone…" She trailed off into more sobs.

Ethan held her at arms length, staring into her eyes to try and calm her. "You are going to go hide. Take cover in the trees over there. I'm going to go try and salvage anything I can. If anyone's still here, I'll find them."

She started struggling against his grip, pulling him closer. "You can't leave me. Don't go please."

He pulled her close, trying to comfort the girl. "I'm not going anywhere Lee. I promise you that. I'll come back." He pulled the egg out of the case strapped to his back. "I need you to take care of the egg for me. Elm thought it was important enough to send us to get it. We need to keep it safe."

She nodded, knowing he was right. She took cover in the brush, sitting back against a tree and crying softly to herself. The egg was clutched close, wrapped up in her arms.

Ethan strode off, making his way into the ruins of the town. He disappeared from Lyra's sight, before he got there. Soon after, she was alone. She waited for what seemed like an eternity before the sounds of Ethan stomping his way through the underbrush met her ears. She stood up abruptly, startling the breeder.

He had a pack slung over his shoulder, packed to the brim. A haggard look was etched on his face. "The lab was mostly cleared out. It looked like they had time to pack what they could carry." He pulled her to her feet and took the egg back, strapping the case back onto his pack. "Come on Lee. It's time to go."

She looked at the burning remains of her home.

"There's nothing left"

She shut her eyes. "There's nothing left…" She repeated.