Authors note: A big thank-you to all of you who gave reviews and provided feedback and encouragement. Seeing and reading how others derive enjoyment from what one writes is the true reward of writing stories. To you, I give a big bow!

Epilogue

One year later

Leo scanned the field, watching the nidoking carefully through the thin dust cloud it'd stirred up from the previous attack. Electabuzz had retreated to several feet in front of the trainer's stand, watching the large, bluish horned Pokémon just as intensely while waiting for instruction.

Alright, so now what?

With each side down to their last Pokémon out of their teams of six, he could feel every move taking on added importance. One false move now, and the match was over!

Barely resisting the urge to glance to Chris, he thought through the available moves; although this was his match to win or lose, he knew if things got bad his co-trainer could take over. This was after all the Tournaments final, and the battle for third place. With Chris losing in the battle of the final four that morning, this match between the morning's losers represented the last chance for a place in the all-important top three.

And it was his last chance to prove a Pokémon could be an effective trainer…

If only he could figure out what the nidoking and the opposing trainer were going to do soon enough! As far as strength, the nidoking had Electabuzz beat, but the yellow and black lightening striped Pokémon still had the edge in speed, which had kept him in the match so far. But how to use it better?

All at once, the opposing trainer, a young black-haired woman dressed in plain blue jeans and denim jacket, gave a horn attack command.

A straight charge? He lost a precious fraction of a second not believing she would be planning such a simple attack. No, it was the setup for something else; the previous thirty minutes of battling stood as evidence.

"Electabuzz, shoot thunderbolts in front of him!" Keeping his instructions in Poke speak gave him a decided (but legal) advantage, although it wasn't always as great as it first seemed. Depending on how tightly a trainer keep the reins, the opposing Pokémon sometimes saw fit to counter on it's own based on what command was given, and do so very quickly…

The thin dust lit up as Electabuzz released several charged electrical bolts into the ground right in front of the charging nidoking. Just as he hoped, the nidoking immediately slowed, then veered off course close to the left…meaning there was just an instant to… "Focus punch!"

Electabuzz responded with a quick rush, landing the powerful hit into the side of the nidoking's head and sending the larger Pokémon jerking sideways. But still on his feet, the poison-ground type continued whirling all the way around, slamming his massive tail into Electabuzz and sending him to the ground. It looked even more grim as the nidoking raised his massive foot, moving to put it squarely into Electabuzz's back! Worse, facing the wrong direction, Electabuzz couldn't see what was about to happen!

Leo grew frantic. "Move Electabuzz!"

Fortunately, Electabuzz recovered quickly enough from the tail hit to get to all fours and leap out of the way just before the nidoking slammed his foot into the bare ground, causing a minor tremor and the audience to 'Ooo' in response at the near disaster.

"Nice escape," Chris commented from beside him.

Blaze, who had been knocked out earlier but was now standing behind him, mirrored that.

He would've responded, but couldn't spare the slight distraction, especially as the other trainer issued yet another horn attack command.

And with Electabuzz not nearly far enough away for anything other than a…

Despite his dodge command, Electabuzz almost didn't succeed, but Leo didn't wait for him to regain his balance: "Thunderbolt!"

As the bright flash of pure electricity jumped the space, the nidoking reacted like touching something hot: he was jerking in trying to get away from the current coursing through him, which left him seemingly stunned afterward.

Leo's eyes widened at the unexpected opportunity; there was no way he was going to give it any time to recover, remembering what this Pokémon did to a venusaur the previous day. "Focus punch!"

It was another powerful hit from Electabuzz, which finally succeeded in toppling the larger nidoking for only the second time. But Electabuzz's skin was dripping from sweat and he was huffing heavily. Already going on it's twelfth minute between the two, the match was running longer than either he or the other trainer probably wanted. The electric-type was just about spent.

This needed to end soon.

Opening his mouth to shout for another focus punch, he felt just a little stunned as the nidoking was already getting himself back up and into a defensive stance…though not near as quickly as the last time. He could feel the fellow Pokémon was near his end too, especially given his glistening skin…

Indeed, the stadium announcer backed it up through his echoing voice: "And folks, by the looks of it, this is going down right to the wire! Who would have thought a Pokémon as a trainer could put up such an incredible battle? Folks, you are witnessing history!"

Ignoring the attention, he watched as Electabuzz yet again retreated to gain some distance, one thing he was glad he didn't have to give an instruction for; he was well-trained in battling, thanks to working with Chris for years. At first, the Pokémon hadn't been too thrilled to be taking commands from another Pokémon, let alone him. Still, he used to be human and helping save the world also earned him some respect. Training together for the last year had finally cemented it.

On the field, the two Pokémon were facing each other at a distance as the audience was getting restless, neither he nor the other trainer giving a command right away. Well, whether they liked it or not, it was part of the strategy of long battles: take as much rest as your opponent will allow. In this case, each was allowing the other some recovery. But when it was over, he had to be ready with…something.

Another thunderbolt?

Electabuzz's huffing said as much that he didn't have many more in him, and only a couple probably wouldn't do in the nidoking, being quite resistant to such. Getting close enough to deliver a slightly more effective focus punch would be risky, giving the nidoking a chance to strike home with a horn attack, which would probably be the final blow for Electabuzz.

So…what else could he do?

Use speed to get in close, dodge any counterattack, then deliver the blow… They'd tried that a few times before with mixed success. It would be a huge risk given Electabuzz's current worn-down state. The nidoking's poison tip on his horn was an ever-present concern too, though they had managed to avoid it up to now.

"Nidoking, tail pound!"

Time's up. His first thought was to issue a dodge command, but formed a better idea as Electabuzz looked to him with an urging for some direction as the nidoking came charging straight for him: "Stay ahead of him; keep your distance!"

The Pokémon's expression conveyed a slight contempt for being forced to run from their opponent, but if he held any second thoughts, they were quickly squelched as the nidoking almost reached tail-whacking distance. Being lighter and faster, running was a strategy that would work for a while; Electabuzz could more than keep out of the nidoking's reach. Being as long of a match as it had been, he realized it just might also be a winning strategy at this stage. Moving greater mass required greater energy. In chasing Electabuzz, the nidoking was using more energy than him; then at some point…

With a roar that was more of whimper, the nidoking stopped dead after only going once around the field, going nearly to his knees as he seemingly was struggling for breath with the sweat now dripping off of him.

This was it! "Electabuzz, focus punch!"

Electabuzz, although huffing himself, had enough strength left to whirl around and charge back to deliver the strong hit to the nidoking's head, despite the nidoking's best effort to swing around to meet the attack. And still, it wasn't enough! Though on his knees and looking very weak, the nidoking stayed standing!

"Focus punch again!"

The electric Pokémon looked about dead himself, but stopped, nearly slipping on the grass, to come back around.

"Counter with your horn!" the woman trainer yelled. "Be tough!"

He didn't think the opposing Pokémon could do it but in a surprising move, the nidoking moved his legs to thrust his head with it's sharp horn forward…just as Electabuzz connected on his jaw.

The two Pokémon stood, mere feet from each other and both looking ready to fall. Then, as if in slow motion, the nidoking went to all fours, shaking badly as Electabuzz went to his own knees, holding his shoulder where the poisoned horn just contacted him.

"Hang on!" Leo urged. Another attack now, of course, seemed virtually impossible. It was going to be all Electabuzz could do just to stay conscious! He grimaced as the seconds passed…Electabuzz sat on his legs, lowering his head nearly to the ground and huffing as hard as he had ever seen him, whereas the nidoking…

With a loud sigh, the large bluish Pokémon suddenly collapsed onto his chest, his eyes shut.

In the merest fraction of a second, the crowd was roaring and the judge waving a green flag. "This match is over! The winner for third place is the team of Chris and Leo!" Which only sent the crowd into a wild frenzy.

It was over? It felt like he'd been battling for ages… Before the win even registered in his fatigued brain, the stadium was erupting with near-constant flashes and Chris was suddenly grabbing and shaking him, wearing his broadest grin ever. He barely hear the human over the crowd: "We did it! We placed third!"

Blaze and Grovyle were up on the stand and by his side almost immediately. "Ha ha! We're winners!" the infernape shouted with a slap on his back, before raising his head up and letting out his most loud, excited howl ever.

Jumping off the platform, Chris headed toward Electabuzz who was walking slowly back toward them. Leo moved to follow, but two large, strong blue arms embraced him from behind, keeping him from moving. "So, now my honey is a tournament winner too!"

"From the looks of it, you'd think all these people have never seen a Pokémon as a trainer before," Grovyle said, deadpan.

"Yeah, you'd think," Leo replied, fighting for breath.

Shaking his head, "Nah, they were just taken back because you were that good," Blaze offered, ending with an almost impossibly wide grin.

"You're pretty amazing Leo," Sally said after giving him a kiss, before she started for the center of the field. "The other Leo is going too damned proud to be around now." But she was grinning too.

Christina, who had sat with Lonny and Sally through the entire match at the coach's bench, echoed that sentiment, adding: "All you Pokémon were superb!"

Lonny eventually released him to give him a proper hug from the front, but it had to be short as Chris was signaling everyone to join him.

The flashes from the cameras just didn't stop as he grabbed an oran berry and led Lonny, Blaze and Grovyle onto the field. Despite the near blinding flashes, he took in the entire view of the stadium anyway. Humans and even Pokémon everywhere were cheering wildly. In his still fragmented memories, he could remember being at one Tournament before when he was young. Having been part of the crowd, he remembered the excitement, anticipation, and nail-biting he had felt. Yes, he understood. And he also wasn't blind to the fact that a Pokémon performing as a trainer probably added a new level of interest.

Too bad his human self couldn't be there; still, what he was doing was also important this night.

"Electabuzz, you fought incredibly!" shouting over the cheering as soon as he was close enough to the black-striped Pokémon who had finished the match for the team.

Chris gave him a squirt of antidote and a hug, after which the extremely tired-looking Pokémon at last was smiling, a rare event. "I had a great trainer," he returned between heavy breaths, with a nod to Leo. "Two of them. What more could a Pokémon want?"

Leo put the oran berry in his hand. Unceremoniously, the electric type stuffed the blue fruit in his mouth before Chris urged them all to the center of the field, where the woman trainer was waiting by her nidoking, who was at least sitting up again.

Shaking her head, "It's one thing to lose to a trainer. Losing to a Pokémon who's also a trainer just feels…weird." Although her words held disappointment, she managed to form a bemused smile. "And humbling."

"Losing any match can be humbling," Leo returned. "But you and your team fought well. This could have easily gone the other way."

"Definitely," Chris added.

"And not only that, but you can speak!" the woman exclaimed, spreading her arms. "But still, darned good match. All of you very much earned it. Congratulations."

Closer flashes lit up as the crowd roared even louder; he had a feeling the handshake that followed was going to be in the morning's papers…

The spectacle repeated itself in nearly greater intensity during the closing ceremonies a few hours later. Medals were barely handed out with the fireworks exploding overhead before reporters were jamming at the ring surrounding all the participating trainers.

He didn't particularly feel like granting interviews, but at least he and Chris had an excuse: they needed to get to the lab now that it was evening and most the town was distracted by the Tournaments…including the security people at the lab.

Heart pounding, Leo Hanson glanced at the settings for seemingly the hundredth time as he continued pacing back and forth across the balcony. Not that he wasn't certain they were correct by now, but it was essentially the last chance to make sure everything was right. That, and he was damned nervous…

Almost humorously, Celebi was pacing with him, only she was floating in mid-air.

"Just calm down," George replied from the next console, feet up on the counter as he continued watching the last of the closing ceremony commentary from the Tournaments. "Everything was ready days ago and triple checked a dozen times already."

He stopped his pacing, Celebi following suit, but it didn't help his anxiety any. "Easy for you to say."

"I don't think that's what he's nervous about," Naomi chided from behind George, also watching the television. "You really sure you want to go through with this?"

Going to the railing and glancing down to the pile of suitcases, small crates and other hard-cased luggage, he couldn't help but smile. It was exciting…yet scary as well. It would be his first time through a dimensional portal, his swampert persona notwithstanding, though the fact he had gone through in the other timeline did give him some confidence. It also most definitely violated all agreements the team had with the University for the project to continue since the Fore-Nine disaster. But the technical aspect of what they were about to do was only half of it. Since both his and Sally's parents were dead, and each with little close family remaining, the decision wasn't as hard as it would seem. Besides, they both were looking forward to the adventure. Facing back to his coworkers: "We talked it over a lot, and we're sure."

"Yep, he sounds sure," George remarked to Naomi.

The voice from the television continued: "Well folks, we've been trying for a while to get an interview with that fantastic trainer duo of Chris Urbason and his incredible talking Pokémon, the swampert Leo, but we've been unable to locate them since they disappeared into the tunnel leading back to the trainer's locker room. No doubt despite finishing third, they are the true stars of this year's Trainer's Tournament. A talking Pokémon is incredible enough, but to have it also acting as a trainer, and one to finish in third place no less…that folks, is one for the record books. Will any of us ever see the likes of this again in our lifetimes?"

George sighed, "They should be here any time," a hint of nervousness now creeping into his voice as well.

"Hope Ticonamo and Sally don't have any trouble getting them past security," Naomi added.

"Are you kidding?" George asked. "Only one guy showed up for tonight's shift. All the others got off for the Tournaments."

Of course, handing out the scarce tickets to the security personal helped too, Leo thought with a wry grin. Being allocated tickets for friends and family was just one of the perks given to the limited participants, and since most of the security people had met his Pokémon counterpart at one point or another, it was just added incentive to get them to go. The net effect of it all was that it should be a lot easier to get everyone past the new security checkpoint this evening.

Leo scarcely finished the thought before the lab doors burst open, a white-coated Ticonamo leading Sally, Chris, Christina, Lonny, Grovyle, Blaze and his Pokémon counterpart inside.

"Hurray to the conquering heroes!" Naomi shouted, raising her arms up with George and both giving a whoop.

"Ree-a-ray-bee!" Celebi said in her own way of whooping as she started floating down to them.

Leo didn't even wait until they were all in before rushing down the metal stairs to embrace Sally. After a long kiss: "You ready for this?"

"To begin our new lives?" Then with an inviting smile and a wink: "I'm ready if you are."

And at the sight of her, he was more certain now than ever. "Then let's do it." Arms around her shoulder, he lead them to the cart of waiting luggage and where everyone else was gathering.

"So…" George started with a great sigh and hands in his pockets, "I guess…this is it."

"Leo, Sally, Grovyle," Naomi said, quickly wiping below one of her eyes. "We've worked together for a long time on this project. It's just not going to be the same around here without all of you. Oh and you too, Blaze, Celebi and Swampert Leo."

"Reebee!" Celebi floated before her to touch her nose.

"I feel the same, Naomi," Sally returned, smiling weakly. "You're all like family to me. We've sure been through a lot together, haven't we?"

"Sure have. Just wish the Professor could be here."

"Me too," Ticonamo added, which was echoed by everyone else.

"But you sure you guys are going to be fine here?" Leo asked. Although George, Naomi and Ticonamo assured they could handle the situation they were creating, he still worried. "There's going to be a lot of questions…"

"Of course there are," Naomi replied quickly, "but we can handle the University regents. And you know what they say, it's better to beg forgiveness than ask permission. Besides, this world owes all of you so much for stopping Kol last year, this is the least any of us can do."

"Darned right on that," George confirmed. "And you guys are just so talented, you had everything preprogrammed and before the rest of us knew what was going on, you had that portal to the Poké world open and already traveled there. We just couldn't stop you guys; heck, we didn't even know the equipment was fully operational yet," finishing with a grin.

"I…don't think they're going to buy that," Naomi warned with a mild jab into his side.

"OK, then how about we needed to continue testing this finally functional gate somehow?"

"In either case, I was in the bathroom when whatever it was supposedly happened," Ticonamo said, earning everyone's laughter.

But the laughter died as the time was at hand.

George sighed. "Well, we'll do our best to open the portal occasionally and maintain contact. And I sure wouldn't mind coming for a visit every now and then to see this Poké world for myself. Just all depends."

"I know," Leo acknowledged. It already had taken a lot of arm twisting to just to allow the project continue in some form, but there were serious conditions attached, one of which being no long-distance portals being created. The biggest fear of course was a repeat of the Fore-Nine island disaster, but unsaid was making a connection with Kol's world. Still, it was because of the University that they still had a project rather than a complete dismantling as some in the government had wanted. In fact, he was almost sure a couple on the Board of Regents secretly wanted them to succeed in making a connection to the Poké world, just so Blaze and his Pokémon self could return after their part in saving the world was revealed. What they likely hadn't anticipated was that he, Sally and Grovyle would want to go with them! "Maybe the fact that we've already gone will provide enough leverage for subsequent trips."

"I hope so," Ticonamo said. "I'd really like to see that place too." Pointing to both the infernape and the swampert, "For what you guys said of it, it sounds really cool."

Naomi nodded agreement as well.

"You sure you don't want to come too?" Leo asked Chris, who up till now had remained silent along with Christina.

The young blonde-haired trainer smiled, but shook his head. "Maybe next time; I guess I'm not ready for a long extended and perhaps permanent vacation just yet. I still have too many things to do."

"Don't worry," George said. "We'll stay in touch with this young whippersnapper. If we get the opportunity to open the portal again, we'll let him know."

"Hey, don't leave me out," Christina added.

"OK, you too then," Ticonamo said. "By the way, how about a date?"

Naomi wacked his shoulder.

After the chuckles died down and leaving only the sound of the humming equipment, Leo realized there was really nothing left to be said, and with Sally, Blaze, Grovyle and his Pokémon self, they moved to embrace the others, not without a few tears.

While George, Ticonamo and Naomi went up the stairs to the control balcony, there was one last person Leo needed to say goodbye to. He stood facing Lonny for a few seconds before they embraced each other. "You sure about not coming along?" In the past year, he had grown to like her…a lot, and every chance he got, which was infrequent given that they lived in separate cities, they got together. Indeed, her being in town for the Tournaments for the last several days was definitely the longest they'd been together for a while.

She moved her head back enough to look at him while gently rubbing the gills on the sides of his face. "I can't leave right now; my home is here." Then with a mischievous smile: "But don't think I won't come for a visit when I can!"

Sighing, he affectionately rubbed her gills in return. Thinking back to when they first met, it was hard to believe how much she had grown on him. Of course, he hadn't really grown out of his love for Sally, but now that she and his human self had finally grown close in this future, he felt a strange contentment with that…as well as a slight jealousy. But Lonny had been there, and she wasn't the imposing swampert she had first appeared. She had proven to have a very big heart and deeply caring. Not to mention an excellent battler, far better than himself!

"Portal in thirty seconds!" George shouted from above.

Together, they helped move the large luggage cart into position at the base of the ramp leading into the ring.

"Take care of yourself, my sweetie."

"You too," Leo returned, watching her back up to the side, but grabbing Blaze and pulling him off to the side with her. Leaning close to the infernape, she seemingly whispered something for a several seconds before letting him go with a surprised look.

"What'd she say?" Leo quizzed him when he returned.

Blaze opened his mouth and glanced at Lonny, who narrowed her eyes at him. "I'll tell you later."

Now what was going on?

Leo Hanson watched the center of the ring in heart-pounding anticipation. As George counted down, nothing appeared to be happening until a few seconds before zero when the center began to glow dully, quickly spreading to cover the entire opening in a grayish luminance that was almost brilliant.

"Portal formed and stable!" Ticonamo shouted.

The first thing he, his Pokémon counterpart and Grovyle did was to push through was the luggage cart. Almost surreally, it rolled smoothly into the portal, disappearing like something behind a translucent curtain. With any luck, it would arrive scattered enough that they wouldn't be met with a 'wall' of luggage on the other side! Of course, far better to run into it then to have it arrive on top of them…

Standing at the threshold next, Grovyle said something in Poké-speak before taking a deep breath and quickly walking in. That was Grovyle, Leo mused, insisting on going first to make sure everything was alright.

Next, Celebi zoomed by, giving a high-pitched "Ree ree!" before her squeal died as she disappeared in.

Up next, he and Sally…

At the threshold, he turned about to take in the lab, for what could be the very last time. On the opposite far wall by the double doors leading in, was the bronze plague proclaiming the room the John Werner Memorial lab. It was satisfying…and sad. So many memories the place held for him. He hoped he would see it again, if only for a visit, more so for the people he had worked so closely with for seven years.

Glancing up to the balcony, George, Naomi and Ticonamo were at it's railing.

"Godspeed, all of you," Naomi said.

George smiled sadly, but was giving a thumbs-up.

Ticonamo adjusted his glasses before nodding with a wave.

With a final nod and wave in return, he followed Sally into the portal…and to their new life on the Poké world.

Like his human self, Leo paused at the threshold with Blaze. It was really sinking in now…they were really going home!

"I wish Dialga and Palkia were here, coming back with us," Blaze lamented as his red and yellow mane moved slightly in the almost imperceptible breeze from the portal.

He could only agree with his partner. "Me too."

"Do you really think we'll ever see them again? It's been over a year…"

He had hope, but unfortunately that was all. "All I know is if any Pokémon could survive what Kol did, it would be those two." They had no idea if Kol still lived either for that matter, but if he had, at least they'd seen or heard nothing of him.

The corner's of Blaze's mouth turned upward slightly on his red face, his blue and yellow eyes getting a slight twinkle to them: "But we're going home, aren't we?"

"Yes, we are." And in just saying it, his heart skipped a beat now that they were at the threshold. It'd been so long…

"You know, not that this planet isn't a nice place to visit, but I still say it's strange!"

After turning around to give a last wave goodbye, he stepped though the light grayish fringe with his partner to feel instantly like he was flying, only there was almost no wind. Then came the sensation of falling, nearly turning his stomach inside out. Seconds became more seconds…and the journey seemed to stretch on longer than what he remembered from Palkia's portal to the human world. Likely due to different 'technologies', he reasoned. But since they apparently had time: "So what did Lonny tell you?"

'Flying' beside him in the now dim tunnel, Blaze faced him, his face looking just slightly green. "Oh…uh…she wanted me to…ha ha, tell you something, but only after we left."

From his expression, his partner seemed slightly unsure of how to say it. "Then what was it?" he prodded.

"She said…she's with egg."

Almost immediately, the area around them was very bright as they quickly stumbled forward in an effort not to fall on the ground. He felt stunned, and not just from the blinding light. Shading his eyes from the noontime sun, Treasure Town appeared before them.

The End