INTERMISSION: Resolve

Alver puffed and panted as he flew as fast as his wings would carry him. Surrounded by crystalline walls that shimmered with their luminous surfaces, he cursed as he zigzagged through complex hallways and struggled to gain height up long staircases. He had to stop and lean against the wall to catch his breath, and still slumped to the steps. Sweat drenched his face, yet he glared up fiercely, aiming not to be outdone by the complexity of this place.

"My Lord FinVarra! I have an urgent report—" he cried out before he reached the peak. No one was here however, just an empty throne hastily set up amongst the shiny décor. "My Lord? Lord FinVarra, where are you?"

He choked on his own breath, attempted to breathe in deeply, and wound up even shorter on oxygen than before. His hands gripped his neck and he drooped to the ground. "Ack… it's too high… c-can't… breathe!"

He believed this to be a mistake, but as sweat cascaded off his form and stained the floor, he could feel himself withering away. His eyes widened as his vision and hearing blurred, and reality hit. He might actually die here. He glanced up desperately, and it almost looked like moisture in the air was beginning to gather into one spot.

"You disturb me," a low voice echoed through the room. Alver couldn't reply, and lurched pathetically. As if acknowledging him, the moisture spread throughout the room again, and with it, a wave of blue light pulsed across the floor. Alver immediately started taking much needed gasps. "Do not sully this sacred place with such a pitiful appearance."

"My Lord… FinVarra…" he struggled as his voice came back to him. He got up at last, but flinched upon what he was being addressed by. FinVarra wasn't a Primarina anymore, they appeared to be no greater than a glowing white light. It wasn't blinding, but it gave off mesmerizing sparkles that rotated around it. The mere presence of this glowing light seemed to make the moisture in the room flow all around.

"Speak. What need do you disturb me?" the light ordered. It had FinVarra's voice, though it was a much lower tone than usual. His words echoed as if speaking from afar, yet close by at the same time.

"My Lord, they destroyed the Xurkitree. The Shining Warriors threatened to make the Heroicans band together in an effort to overthrow us," Alver spoke fast. "The Undine retain their powers, even the watermarked ones. The Angel continues to guide them as well. I fear there may actually be a chance we may lose. We need a contingency plan. I need more power!"

"So they fight. I see," FinVarra replied.

"My Lord, I request more Bestia power! More than what we gave to the Xurkitree. With more power, I could easily eradicate them using my Pollen Puff. Please, allow me!"

FinVarra began to laugh. It started as joy hidden under his breath, but gradually descended into bellows of laughter, and into maniacal laughter. Alver's eyes widened, his heart raced, and guarded himself as he shifted back. "My… Lord?"

"Did you not destroy the Cyndaquil's mother with Pollen Puff? Did you not defeat the Cyndaquil with the same technique as well?" FinVarra finally replied.

"The environment killed the weakened Typhlosion, while the Cyndaquil survived with ease. My move lacks killing potential without Bestia to boost it. My Lord, please!" Alver leaned forward in desperation. His words set off another round of howling laughter however, making him shudder. "My Lord FinVarra, this is not a laughing matter! What is becoming of you?"

"You dare speak to me this way?" FinVarra snapped.

Alver gulped. "A mere slip of the tongue. I apologize, My Lord."

"Watch the world, Alver. These primitive subspecies will not make it here. If they do, the Guzzlord will consume them. They do not stand a chance against me. You have done everything you need to do," FinVarra stated calmly. "Watch and enjoy as the Pokémon die out and beg for our mercy."

Alver gulped. He bowed and backed off, but his heart was heavy.

…

"Where in the world are we going?" Lucca finally asked.

"I'm just following the coordinates. It's somewhere along the south of Heroica," Azu informed, fixated on Shelly's letter.

"It really didn't say anything? Just coordinates?" Crystal asked.

"Just coordinates," Azu confirmed.

The area was recognisable, or at least, the region was. They were headed to the southeast of Heroica, going further south of the Teriyaki Desert. They didn't pass through Girage or Vilé's ruins, and if they continued in this direction, they would reach the coast south of the Colour Citadel.

Angel was able to fly quite high up and fast. It was concerning that there didn't seem to be any Ultra Beasts around, but they took it without complaint. It beat walking through the desert again. Now that they were flying over the full expanse of it, the fact that they had been here for hours at their speed was telling of how harsh the environment was. Nobody had any idea of what time it was, but they could only imagine the ridiculous heat or unforgiving cold they would have to put up with. Naganadel's damage seemed to have spread this far out too, as crack shaped valleys snaked their way across the sandy scenery.

"We've got to be nearing the coast, soon," Azu said. She took a look up from the letter, rolling her ears down to stop them from flapping in the wind. Surely enough, the sea began to rise over the horizon. With it came cliffs to the left and right as the group found themselves soaring into a steep valley. "Quick, our map!"

"Uh, what about it?" Shelly squeaked as he unrolled it. "Ah! There's no cliffs drawn here."

"So what's this?" Crystal cocked her head alongside a curious noise from Mimia.

Angel slowed as they entered, wary of these new surroundings. The cliffs were tall, the sand on the road settled into a path of soft dirt, and wooden scaffolds began to frequent the space. It was heavily reminiscent of Scar's village, only stone cottages and complete houses made it into more of a town hidden in the valley. Some of the buildings were even built into the side of the cliffs, and many were shaped like the faces of various Pokémon. With the lack of colour in the environment however, it was tough to get excited or hopeful. Everything was as dead as it was when they left Vergrace, and not a speck of the world was any different.

"It's them. They made it!" a familiar voice called out. Feather came out of hiding and gave the group a cocky smirk. "About time. Any longer and we'd have worried you guys really kicked the bucket."

"Feather? What's this?" Brine asked. Angel came to a stop to let them all off.

"Oi, come on out already everyone! The warriors have arrived," Feather called out and waved. Pokémon began to emerge from every hiding spot possible. From within the buildings, behind rocks, some even fell from high up. Many of them had weapons.

"Van Aken soldiers, Girage police, Vilé citizens, guards from the Colour Citadel… what's going on here?" Azu spun around.

"Aww, no love for your old pal Scar? There was a ninety-percent chance you'd spot me in this black and white, too!" cried the rainbow Muk.

"You're all here. You all… survived what happened back there," Lucca remarked. He couldn't close his mouth.

"Of course we did! Those beasts attacked and drove them out of the vicinity of the citadel they built. So we rendezvoused here and built a new town. Then the Bestia all drained, so here we are," Scar explained.

"You guys built all this? Wait a sec, but we were only gone for like a day, right?" Ruby gasped.

"Unless we were knocked out for a while, you guys built an entire town in a day? What in the world?" Lucca gasped.

"We were stuck in the wilderness after those beasts attacked. What else were we supposed to do? Let the ferals get to us?" Gurdurr questioned.

"That pretty Steenee suggested we find a place to hide, and I know my desert well, so I led everybody here. Then we all just got to work," Scar explained. He pointed to the back, and there she was, shyly hidden away amongst the crowd. Elise twiddled her hands and feet, but gave the group a wave.

"I guess war knowledge runs in the family," she joked.

"It was the smartest and most convenient move to do, though," Azu praised, stepping forward. She gazed up at the cliffs and handiwork. "We're protected from view here, we're close to the sea, and in general, nobody would think to check the desert. This has got to be the perfect stronghold for this battle."

"I hope I'm not interfering. I dunno what's going on anymore, but when everything turned dark, I knew I just had to try and find you guys," Elise whimpered. The group exchanged glances and nodded.

…

Before long, the group of them were sat down in a circle while the rest of the Pokémon quietly worked around them. The Shining Warriors, Scar, Elise, Feather, Esther, and Kusha were the main ones. Angel rested behind them, though the way she shuffled every now and then implied that she was listening.

"So that's all. Just that big Primarina guy, and his Ribombee lackey," Feather rubbed her chin in thought.

"And the Ultra beasts!" Mimia squeaked.

"Yeah, them too. I reckon you guys can toss those squatters out of your sword with a second attempt. We just have to like, actually get there," Feather remarked. She sat straight on her tail and started casually swaying side to side.

"It's tough, but my Tropius and knights can fight those jellyfish Pokémon. That's how we protected everyone on our way here," Elise stated.

"We've asked you for a tremendous amount, so I apologize we have to ask for more," Lucca said.

"Oh pish. If we don't do this, the whole of Heroica's going down. We all need to do this or else, who knows what'll happen," she replied with hands on her hips. "Although, can I be cheeky and get a favour afterwards, since we're technically helping you save the world and all that?"

"You could ask me for a favour anytime," Shelly slumped, making her giggle.

"Is that really our plan? Alver's got a whole army of those Ultra Beasts," Crystal asked worriedly. "And heck knows what other beasts he's got for us. That electric one was enough trouble."

"There was something I noticed about that," Brine spoke up. "He bragged that him and FinVarra had total control over Bestia, but then fled the moment we took down his main Ultra Beast. Only the main one used Pokémon attacks, too. None of the Nihilego used an attack once."

"That's a godsend. If they had, I dunno how we would've gotten out of that," Lucca admitted.

"Alver himself didn't attempt to fight us either, and he's naturally at an advantage because his Pollen Puff works without Bestia. I see what you're getting at," Azu added.

Brine nodded. "They don't have as much control over Bestia as they want us to think. FinVarra might be a Shining Warrior, but we have Angel. So maybe that's stopping them. If we strike them hard, fast, and soon, we might be at more of a playing field than we realise."

"But we still need a way to deal with his army. We don't have an army, or at least that many Tropius," Crystal cried.

"Couldn't help but overhear that," a Dragonite spoke up and stopped behind her. "What, you don't think the rest of us are gonna sit here and twiddle our nails, do you? I've been a construction assistant and security guard all my life. Carrying some fighters in a mid-air battle will be new to me, but it can't be too different to what I'm used to."

"I ferry small Pokémon and mail all over Heroica every single day," added a Pelipper. Several other of his kind waved their wings eagerly. "Won't be too much trouble if I just have to bring weapons, will it?"

"Who says we have to be in the air, too?" a Magmortar spoke up. "You know what I do? Talent shows, shooting all sorts of silly fun things outta my arms. I reckon I could be stronger than any catapult!"

"Wait, are all of you?" Lucca gasped.

"It's like I told ya. We all came here on our own power. We survive one hundred percent of the time! So don't underestimate your elders," Scar laughed.

"Think about it. All the Pokémon at the Colour Citadel were though Pokémon Panzer recruited to build it," Kusha explained. "Otherwise, it was Pokémon that travelled there to see what it was about. All of them would have to have been able to survive in a battle one way or another."

"I won't claim to be an expert fighter, but my knives carry my travels," bragged a Persian.

"It's been a few years, but I did archery school!" a Gardevoir stood up.

"Speaking of school, I was a very capable shield against ferals during trips," a Snorlax waved. "As long as the enemies don't have anything sharp, I'm happy to do that here."

"Guys…" Lucca gasped. He looked down and grit his fangs. "But this isn't like ordinary ferals. The Pokémon of Vergrace didn't stand a chance, why would you?"

"Vergrace? That hick village by Fossil Hill?" Feather questioned, and spat in disgust. Lucca nodded blankly. "Pfft, now you're just offending us. Of course we're gonna be better than those farmers. The only fights they ever do are with the feral bugs who steal fruit a couple metres out of town. Us, we're travellers 'n shit. You've literally got mercenaries, builders, blacksmiths, the whole operation here."

"Elise, let's take a letter. We can get the rest of the Tropius to meet us and take everyone into the sky," Shelly suggested.

"Guys, guys, seriously. You could die doing this! This'll be an endless battle against goodness knows how many, and they won't hesitate to kill you," Lucca cried. "We're still talking millions against like, the dozens of us here. We'll never win!"

"We don't have to win. We'll make it an infantry fight," Elise suggested. "Our makeshift army will surround yours to get you into the Shining Warrior's Sword, and then we all just run away. The rest is up to you lads."

"That might actually work," Azu said, still deep in thought. "They don't even know we're here, so we'll be taking them by surprise. It'll almost be like we have an advantage."

"It is unlike you to be against a plan like this. You wanted everyone to rally earlier, why not anymore?" Mimia pointed out.

"Ack- I did, but then I realised they were all villagers… and it still feels wrong to have so many Pokémon stick their neck out for me. If it weren't for me, this wouldn't be happening," Lucca hung his head.

"Oh stop that. FinVarra did this even though we did not return to him," Mimia snapped, hopping up and down. "He would have done this regardless!"

"And if you really wanna be like that, then you could say we're working with you because our goals align," Kusha added with a wink. "It's either we help or we sit here twiddling our digits. And I would prefer to help. I'm confident everyone else's contribution implies they want to help, too."

"Everyone…" Lucca hung his head.

"Now this is more like it. No one's being a scaredy Meowth, we're all gonna charge in and win one big battle for the ages!" Ruby cheered. "This is too cool!"

"It's not cool, it's a war!" Lucca shouted. His cry brought on silence, and he sighed. "But you are right. This is what it's going to take to save Heroica. Every last one of you are being so brave and incredible right now. I'll never be able to repay you."

"You can repay us by making sure you don't fail," Esther demanded with paws on her hips. "Bring back Bestia, and the lot of us will have everythin' we could ever need. A better life where we get to be Pokémon again!"

"There's one more thing," Azu spoke up. "No offense, but Esther here… I'm thinking about the way we might go about this battle. As well as Alver's actions."

"Alver? Yeah I'm gonna kill that guy once and for all, what else is there to care about 'im?" Ruby snapped.

"I'm only now thinking about his actions so far, as a Pokémon working for FinVarra. He ordered Lucca to kill anyone who used Bestia, right? So that you guys could ensure that Dein Nomos appeared," Azu began. "So then… why your mother?"

"My mother?" Ruby cocked her head.

"Oh, right! Ruby's the watermarked Pokémon, not her mum. Why kill her and not Ruby?" Crystal realised. "It's not like he didn't have a chance to. He even knows that you're watermarked. And he couldn't have known you were a Shining Warrior to keep you alive back then, either."

"Likewise, why target Esther? Do your shows actually use Bestia?" Azu questioned.

"Huh? No they don't, I'd never be allowed to perform if they did," the Pikachu was confused. "I can't tell you my secrets, but we have tricks to get all the lights and electricity going."

"Alver was your manager. He had to have known those tricks. So why did he target you specifically? He lied to Lucca to get him to target you. That false information is what made panzer do her thing with Crystal, too," Azu sat down deep in thought. "Esther… do you mind if I ask a few questions? You don't have to give me career secrets or anything."

"Okay I don't mind but… why?" the Pikachu cocked her head.

"Alver targeted you and Ruby's mother for a reason. If I can find some kind of connection between you both, then maybe I can figure out how he's controlling the Ultra Beasts," Azu stated. "I know it seems like an unlikely far cry that these two things are connected, but I think it's a fair start. It's the most nonsensical thing about Alver so far."

"We should leave you to it," Shelly suggested. "Azu gets… er, it's better if we let Azu work alone on this for a while. What do we do in the meantime?"

"Everything we normally do to prepare for a big battle. Rest up, train, sharpen our weapons, all that stuff," Ruby nodded. "You need to get your paws on those Stun Seeds and stuff, remember?"

"If anyone wants a short trip to the sea, I need to replenish water, too. If it works," Brine perked up.

"And sort out food, too. We will need to be fully prepared as we do not know what we will find in Dein Nomos," Mimia added.

"I guess we're splitting for now. I just hope we aren't wasting time," Lucca got up. He looked up high, but couldn't spot Dein Nomos from here. "I would say be ready by tomorrow, but… eheh, can we even tell the time?"

"Hey!" Ruby squeaked and bounced between them. She had a furious glare all of a sudden, aimed at Lucca. "You can't be lookin' like that right now. Hurry up and say what's on your mind!"

"Ruby?" he leaned away.

"How many times do we have to go through this? You look like a spoiled blue grape! Think I'd trust you holdin' a sword lookin' like that?" she remarked. Lucca stared back, speechless.

"Aw c'mon Ruby, be a little reasonable. This isn't easy for any of us," Crystal complained, but she was yanked over to their side.

"That's exactly why he needs to get his head off his tail and start talkin'. All of you do!" Ruby argued. "We're about to go to a sword in the sky to bring back Pokémon powers and stuff. Sure there's gonna be a few really hard battles, but that's the coolest thing I've ever done! So I'm gonna put my all into it!"

"You're so strong," Shelly mouthed, staring at her blankly. He finally stood up and pumped his paws like fists. "I'm not gonna fall behind. You'll see, I'm not gonna get more than we need so you can count on me."

"You two are so weird now," Crystal tilted her head.

"We're all weird!" Ruby cheered.

"But this is really scary. Scarier than anything we've ever done. Unlike you who's learnt nothing, the others are being cautious. What we're doing requires the most careful planning and execution ever, otherwise we'll die and the whole world will be at stake," Crystal argued.

Lucca broke them up with a snicker that turned into laughter. He palmed his face to stop himself, and grinned cockily at the kids. "I'm afraid for once your sister is right, Crystal."

"Tell us what's on your mind, damn it," Ruby said. Crystal was surprised.

"I'm scared. I'm more afraid than I've ever been. Not because of who we're fighting or what we're doing. I'm scared because I don't want to be responsible anymore," Lucca confessed. Azu flinched. "I don't know how much I've shown it, but finding out about the real Father… that the Pokémon I had to kill were all wrong, that Alver's who he is, how much I've been lied to, everything… I don't know what to believe anymore. I don't even know if what I'm doing is right. I'm supposed to be the Pokémon who takes on the harshest burdens so that normal Pokémon don't have to shoulder them. Being wrong about it all when I thought I was being a hero… I never want to feel that feeling ever again."

"You've seen yourself as a leader, and you don't want to let your Pokémon down," Brine clarified. He nodded at her.

"But Ruby's right. Whether I'm a prince or not, I'm a Shining Warrior, and all these Pokémon are prepared to give it their all to help me do what I have to do. I can't afford to be scared or have doubts," he stated. He drew a sword from his back, the zigzagging blade they found in Reverie. "I still have this that could pull a surprise or two against FinVarra. And you guys are showing me up. Time for me to put away my pride and just give it my all!"

"Just when I thought you had learnt something. You are not alone, My Lord," Mimia nuzzled up to him.

"M-Mimia, I'm not your lord anymore, remember? I'm just Lucca. You haven't learnt anything either," he replied, nuzzling back.

"I will follow you to the ends of the world. That is my faith in you as a friend who means so much to me. These Pokémon have offered to do the same. Your power is our power. So let us do this together, with no doubts, worries, or hesitation," Mimia announced. He bounced into the middle and thrust a paw out at the group. "The way we always do it!"

"For the sake of Heroica, of Pokémon everywhere, those that have passed and those yet to be born," Lucca announced as the others put their paws above Mimia's. He was last, and the group exchanged glances, nods, and then grinned. In perfect sync, they rose their paws with a mighty cheer. "Let's save Heroica!"

"You are right," Angel finally spoke up. The group laughed and got nervous. "I can't believe what I'm seeing right now. Outta all the generations I've been doing this, I've never seen this. I've never seen things get so dire, either… this generation really is different."

"Oh right, your wing sorta should've been there, shouldn't it? Er, should we do it again?" Crystal realised.

Angel glanced at her wing and smiled, gesturing to pat the Piplup. "It wouldn't fit, anyway. What I mean is, I've got stuff to say, too. The fountains have all been cleared, and if I'm really part of the team, then I think it's okay to say."

"There's more secrets? Anything that could help!" Brine said in surprise.

"Well, not quite secrets, more like parts of the traditional legend that have been forgotten or warped to time… I guess you guys might understand if I actually tell you," Angel began. The group exchanged glances and settled again. "I'll start with the important stuff. Dein Nomos is like… I guess it's made of Bestia? When you guys land there, you'll gain all your attacks and abilities while you're there, and without any input from me. You probably won't need your weapons, but take them anyway."

"Whoa, are you serious?" Ruby gasped.

"They get to be Pokémon before us!" Elise pouted.

"If that's it, then that should apply to anyone who goes there, right? So our theory about Alver and FinVarra not having control is wrong. We'd have to fight them full power anyway," Azu said worriedly. Angel shook her head.

"They do not have full control over Dein Nomos. Somebody is helping us by locking control. Somebody you've never met, who waits on the sword every generation. Perhaps he knows this generation is different, too," Angel explained. "It's my partner, a Togetic named Theria. If only he could see this right now, see everything I've seen, things might finally be over for good."

"Theria… the first Shining Warrior, right?" Azu perked up. Angel recoiled in surprise. "That's all I know about them, I'm afraid. I didn't know they were your partner, or that they were still alive."

"Technically neither of us are alive. I manifest in a body made of Bestia that solidifies once Dein Nomos appears. That's why I still don't need food or any of that stuff. Our spirits on the other hand… our souls if you will, those have been here the whole time," Angel explained. "I'm tired of watching the fighting and suffering caused by this tradition. I'm tired of seeing the twisted perception of life reign supreme and have such an effect on the world. I'm ready to be put to rest with this world at peace, and the Shining Warrior legend left as a legend rather than a tradition once and for all. You all can make that happen this time. I know it. When you meet Theria, please try."

"That's pretty much your goal, right Azu? You wouldn't even have to ask. You get to do your thing!" Lucca said cheerfully.

Azu sighed. "I'm not going, though."

There was a pause. Then, the whole group choked and flew backwards.

"Fighting on Dein Nomos is you guys' job. Not mine. Despite it being my dream and all, none of my thoughts or feelings are in that sword. You guys did the fountains, not me," she explained. "And don't take this as self-depreciation either. I'm not as good at fighting as you all are. I'm doing my part by staying here and figuring everything out. What Angel is saying is something you guys can do, and only you guys."

"I wasn't supposed to be a Shining Warrior, though," Crystal said sadly.

"But you are, and you are loved because of it. You've inspired Pokémon, saved countless lives, and poured your feelings about the world into those fountains all the same as the others," Azu explained.

"I get what you're saying, but," Lucca began slithering over to Azu. He huddled up to her, put a flipper over her shoulder, and winked at her. "This generation is different. We're not playing by the rules, we're breaking them to end this once and for all. And who's the one who wanted to end this more than anyone else, getting chosen as a Shining Warrior anyway?"

"Urk, I… I guess that is a point," Azu blushed and rolled her eyes. "Get off me!"

"By this time tomorrow, Theria will have heard our story, and we'll be living in a world as blue as me. As Pokémon. All of us are gonna make that happen. I promised everyone I would bring back Bestia, and I don't plan to break it," he continued. "So let's get to work. No doubts, no worries, no compromise. This is our last night before the big battle, so anything you guys wanna do, go make sure you do it now. I doubt we'll have time for a snack break or anything, after all!"

"Ah, fine. You're so corny." Azu rolled her eyes again.

"That means you too, Angel. You can eat now, so we've gotta introduce you while we can!" Lucca snickered.

"Is now really the time?" Crystal cried.

"There's always time for good food. I'm starving, aren't you?" Ruby giggled.

"Well yeah, but… ah, wait," Crystal cried as they ran off without her.

"I guess you're my escort, huh?" Brine shrugged, glancing at Mimia. He yipped happily and raised a paw. "You coming too, Shelly?"

"If you don't mind grabbing the items we need on the way," he nodded.

…

The hours flew by without anyone realising – not that anyone could tell the time with the world as dark and unmoving as it was. What was clear was just how determined all of the Pokémon were. Utilising Shelly's treasure Orb, orders were given to the remaining Van Aken soldiers on the distant island, who promptly exchanged letters back and forth to keep in contact. Weapons were gathered, counted, and then handed out to each individual willing to fight. Azu took it upon herself to count the flying Pokémon and drew up a strategy for the battle, and spent a long time running it through everyone.

Those who couldn't fight put themselves to use. Food was cooked, the younger Pokémon foraged everything useful, and a few were even designated as an emergency escape team. The town had been bustling nonstop with activity since the meeting. It felt like it took all day before Brine was able to break for her short trip to the sea, which was a march away from the valley.

Mimia and Shelly accompanied her in silence, the former covered in a few bumps and patches of dirt from his work. Shelly looked exhausted in his own way, but seemed to be trying not to breathe through his mouth as if to hide it. Detecting that, Brine sighed deeply and started walking backwards.

"You two look like you've hit the wall. Why not call it night?" she asked.

"What do we even call night anymore?" Shelly replied. "I still need to make food for everyone."

"That's why I said 'call' it a night? You don't have to cook tonight either. The others are taking care of it, Ruby and Lucca's big appetites accounted. I only need to touch the sea, so you don't really need to be here," Brine said.

"I'll take this as my break. Because we're here," Shelly pointed. Brine twisted around, and he was right. The valley opened out into a secluded beach, with difficult cliffs on both the left and right ends. There was nothing beyond the sea here, so the horizon was all sorts of shades of grey and lit up by stars. Brine kept walking until she was right up to the still water. "Good, it slopes."

It still looked strangely uninviting. She had never been to a natural source of water that didn't move before. Not even a ripple disturbed the sea's surface. Black water also had an indescribable colour that made it seem like it wasn't water at all. It was black, but it was also as clear as ice, enough that everything within had a hue to it. At the very least, light from Dein Nomos twinkled across the water's surface.

"I'll pull you out if it goes wrong," Shelly promised. Mimia yipped and raised a paw, too.

"Well, here goes," Brine gulped. She took a deep breath, then walked in.

Right away, she could tell that it was working. The water was still water. With a determined look on her face, she walked neck deep, and then dove in to submerge herself completely. Though she could feel her powers returning, a strange pressure also hit her, as if she hadn't taken enough of a breath and needed to get out. She grumbled and trembled hard, but remained where she was.

It's colder than the oasis. Yet it doesn't feel like cold water, Brine told herself. Unlike hot or cold water, she couldn't relax here, although she tried. She leaned onto all fours to get a look as deep down as she could. The usual wonders of Heroica's oceans were present. Seaweeds, odd rock formations… and nothing else. Even stranger, none of it moved. It was like she was sitting inside an ice cube. Everything was clear, but dark and totally static.

She turned her attention to the surface. The outside world was fully visible, furthering that ice cube feeling. She could even make out Shelly and Mimia's concentrated stares. Nothing had the wavy view that implied she was underwater, either.

There's no water Pokémon here at all. How are the Undine coping with this? She wondered. Her need for air soon became too much. Crawling out wasn't difficult, but she spotted a glint of colour that shone over the surface. What was that?

She let out a little gasp as she returned to land, but her allies still fretted over her. She ignored them to follow the source of the light, and quickly spotted the cause. A large fireball popped up in the air, and exploded harmlessly. Another stream of fire came a moment later, and once again blew up. "Is that a distress beacon?"

"Huh?" Shelly and Mimia followed her gaze. The Oshawott quickly calmed with a half-lidded grin. "Oh… that. Don't worry, I know what that is."

"You do? Wait that's not… Ruby, is it?" Brine's eyes widened. He snickered shyly and scratched the back of his head. "She'll give us all away if she keeps that up. Geez... you'd think she'd learn to think before doing stuff by now."

"I'll go and talk to her. I wanted to, anyway," he said, and quickly ran off. The flames were coming from the far end of the beach, but behind a corner, it looked like.

"Guess it's just me and you again, little pinky. I'm done here, so what've you got left to do?" she asked, putting her paws on her hips. Mimia slowly shook his head side to side. "Aww, you're not gonna be silent on me again, are you? I thought that would've gone by now, too."

Mimia was still for a moment, but then took a deep breath. "That was anticlimactic. I am curious as to how your powers work."

"My powers? I still don't know, I'm not a scientist. All my moves have come naturally to me, just like any other Pokémon," she shrugged, walking beside him to settle down. "Pretty relieved I could charge with black water, though. I'm all set for tomorrow."

"We may need to perform a feat like we did with the Xurkitree. Performing that attack used up all of your water. Are you sure you will be alright?" Mimia asked.

"Well I can't do much else about a limited ammo count. I dunno how water Pokémon store so much. Nice of you to worry about me, though," she smiled.

"Even after all we've been through, all I have are questions. Such as where you come from, why you did not recognise Feather, and how your powers function," Mimia confessed, settling down with her. "Forgive me for being so invasive, but I find out everything I can about other Pokémon so as to protect Lucca as much as I can. Up until now, all I know about you is everything we have seen."

"I'm the same for you. Guess we're both secretive, huh? Only difference is, you have a reason to be," Brine replied. She sat back, and her mind blanked. The next thing she knew, even though she was leaning backwards, her cheeks were wet. "H-huh?"

"Miss Brine… I apologise," Mimia frowned.

"Huh? I," Brine sat forward and wiped her cheek. She sniffled at her paw, surprised at herself. "Oh gods, I'm sorry, I just- I don't mean to freak you out. I didn't even realise I was…"

Mimia stood back to give her space. All she could do was wipe her eyes and sniffle. It wasn't as if an illness was hitting her, or that she was in any sudden pain. She was well and truly crying, yet couldn't feel why. She couldn't stop either, and held her chest as her heart brought hollow thoughts to light.

"I don't know. Even after all this time, I genuinely don't know. I couldn't answer those questions even if I was asking them for myself," Brine shuddered, glaring at her curled paws. "I'm a Pikachu who doesn't know how to use electricity, only whatever these strange water powers are. I never knew either of my parents. I don't know my home, or who taught me how to read and write. I don't even know why I'm a Shining Warrior, or why I'm going this far to do that stuff. I'm just here. I'm a nobody! I barely exist."

Mimia whined. There was a pause to let Brine settle her breath, and she stopped tensing. Her tears stopped, but her face was red with frustration. Seeing that, Mimia began to trot around her. "Was it not you who told me that if there is something you want, to try to go for it with all your strength, as long as you are not hurting anybody?"

"I… perhaps I did say something like that. But why's that relevant?" she shook herself.

"Because it is something that you want. I can only make guesses, but I cannot read your thoughts or feelings," he explained. He came to a stop, shut both eyes, and turned as if to look out over the ocean. She joined him, but sat back down. "Before I met Lucca, I was no greater than a feral Pokémon. No different than the many we have defeated on our journey. There was nothing remarkable about me. Even my bonds with my pack were no greater than coded tradition. I did everything I did because it was a natural instinct to survive."

"And meeting Lucca changed that," she commented. Mimia shook his head.

"You do not have to do what I did. You do not have to dedicate yourself to someone else in order to live an enjoyable life. You simply have to decide what it is you want to do, and then put all your heart into it," Mimia explained. "I believe that the reason you were chosen as a Shining Warrior is because you have the power to do anything you put your mind to. Perhaps you have not realised that yet, or just do not know what it is you want to do yet. Although I do not know much about you, I know you enough to trust you deeply."

Brine turned away and shut her eyes, too. "I've spent a very long time hating the fact that I don't fit into this group. I don't have a reason to be here, let alone to fight as hard as we've been fighting. Living without a reason to live is just maddening."

"And yet you live," Mimia said.

"You know something else that's funny? I feel like if I just looked at what I've done this journey and made up a reason based on that, it'd feel like a cop-out. Like I'm forcing an excuse to do stuff," she opened her eyes and stood up. "Being with you all has been a special experience. It only just occurred to me that because I've been with you all, not one Pokémon has questioned my powers. They just took it as me being a Shining Warrior and accepted it. Being with you guys has made my ideal world a reality."

"Your ideal world?" Mimia tilted his head.

"I want a world where all of us creatures, Pokémon, Undine, and Watermarked, can all live without fighting against each other just for being different. Where it's just like, normal for weird Pokémon like me to be around," Brine announced. She snickered at Mimia after a moment, and wiped her eyes again. "I guess that's kinda what Lucca's already done, getting everybody in the village to work together, huh?"

"You would have to be a villain to be against that ideal. It is admirable, and I will support it fully," Mimia bowed.

"Whoa, you don't need to bow to me. That feels weird seeing you do it to anybody but Lucca," she flinched.

"Force of habit."

"The start is to go and visit King Manaphy after all this is over. My confrontation with him went well last time. If he's not cranky due to missing Bestia, maybe we can finally talk like reasonable Pokémon," she folded her arms. "Meeting the other Undine might help me learn or understand a bit more about myself, too. If I can understand my powers, I could use better moves, or manage my limited water better…"

"It sounds like you have your plans," Mimia said with a smile.

"And you? What do you plan to do afterwards, you enigmatic feral?" Brine said with a half-lidded smirk. Mimia's smile turned into a determined stare as he turned away. "Er, I didn't meant to bring up anything bad, if I did."

"You did not," he replied without looking at her. He hesitated, then slid a foot forward. "What I want to do begins from tonight. I simply have to try my hardest."

"Well what is it? I can help, if I knew," Brine folded her arms again. There was another pause.

"You know what, here he comes. You can help. I'll need you to mediate a battle," Mimia stated. Brine cocked her head, but he didn't elaborate.