Wanderer

by Renaerys

Disgraced and ashamed, Alain drifts in self-imposed exile in the wake of a personal failure. But not all those who wander are lost, and those who listen may find something they never knew they were searching for. [Realistic Pokemon AU, post-Mega Evolution Specials]

11. Epilogue

Wanderer
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon

---

EPILOGUE

The warm orange light of a crackling fire cast a jeweled glow on the dark wood walls and matching tables, soft and inviting. The smell of tonight's special, a rich beef bourguignon slow-cooked over the last day and night, permeated Le Chalet's cozy dining room and warmed the place even on this chilly winter night. Siebold had seen off the last of tonight's dinner guests an hour ago, and his bartender and assistant manager had just clocked out after cleaning their stations and counting out the tips. Siebold had a glass of thirteen-year-old Merlot keeping him company as he sat at the long lacquered bar and reviewed the accounts. It had been a good season, all things considered. Winter was always the slowest season with people preferring to snuggle up at home rather than brave the sleet and freezing rain that plagued the City of Light this time of year.

Siebold was in the midst of tallying the budget for root vegetables when something hit the glass on the entrance door and jingled the bell. Startled, Siebold accidentally knocked over his glass of wine and spilled it all over the accounting book.

"Damnit," he swore, slipping out of the bar stool to keep the dark red liquid from staining his trousers.

There was another thud against the door, and he went to check it out. Probably some drunkard who saw the light on and thought he'd made it home. In this cold, Siebold could not exactly blame him, but he couldn't have anybody passed out in a pool of their own vomit at the front door to his Michelin star restaurant. Cautious by nature, Siebold ran a hand over the four Pokéballs he always kept on his person, force of habit. But when he got to the door and unlocked it, it was not a pool of vomit he found, but a pool of blood. And instead of a disoriented drunkard, he found Malva in a tattered white parka stained with blood and soot. Delphox was hunched over her and glowing blue.

"Malva! What happened to you?" he demanded, reaching for her.

She was hot to the touch, too hot, and he winced when her bare hand burned right through the sleeve of his button-up. Her trademark sunglasses were nowhere to be seen, and her pupils were dilated as she suffered obvious pain and exhaustion. She looked like she'd just been in the fight of her life and lost.

"Siebold," she said weakly. It was so wrong. Nothing about Malva had ever been weak, and it infuriated Siebold to see her reduced to this, whatever the reason.

Without a word, he scooped her up and carried her inside. Delphox watched him like a hawk and followed. She had never really trusted Siebold, perhaps a natural reaction to a Syreni like him, but she did not try to stop him as he carried Malva upstairs to the apartment where he lived above the restaurant. She clung to his sleeves, burning them with a light touch and searing his skin red until it steamed. He got her onto the immaculately-made bed in his room.

Quickly, Siebold stripped Malva down to her undergarments to better tend to her. She was bleeding from multiple wounds, the one on her leg particularly bad. Her shoulder was bruised almost black, and he suspected internal bleeding from blunt-force trauma. Various gashes, bruises, and other surface wounds compounded the damage. She'd lost a lot of blood getting here.

"Siebold," she said in that soft voice that didn't suit her at all. "I'm sorry, I...didn't know where else to go."

"Shh," Siebold said as he dumped her burned clothes in the bin and stepped into the small bathroom. "You can explain later."

He found what he'd been looking for—a bottle of Hyper Potion he'd been holding on to in case of emergencies—and lifted the glass bottle to her lips.

"Drink this," he urged as he cradled her head in his arms.

Malva choked it down, spilling a little on the pillow, and lay back. Once he saw that she'd swallowed it all, Siebold returned to the bathroom and filled a bucket with warm water. He returned with the bucket and a clean washcloth and began to clean the blood and soot from Malva's face and hair. She let him work in silence and watched him for a moment before closing her eyes.

"You're good with your hands," she said.

"I'm good with a lot of things," he said, only half paying attention as he focused on cleaning her up as best he could. When he got to her leg, he had to cut the legging pants and peel back strips of cloth to see the extent of the damage. Whatever had gotten her had nails as thick around as his fist. It was a miracle her leg hadn't come off at the knee. But the Hyper Potion was already doing its job. The bleeding had slowed to a negligible trickle, and the ripped muscle was starting to knit back together from the inside out. A wound that deep would require stitches, so he dug out an old sewing kit he kept in case of lost buttons and tears, threaded a needle, and got to work.

"I promise I...I'll be out of here as soon as I can walk," Malva said.

"You'll stay in bed until I say otherwise," Siebold said. "You're in no condition to walk anywhere."

Her searing fingers on his wrist startled him, and he accidentally stabbed her with the needle. She hardly flinched at the pain.

"I don't want your pity," Malva said.

Siebold stared, lost in thought. For as long as he'd known Malva, she'd always been very standoffish and private, never wanting anything from him or anyone else. Even treating her to a nice bottle of wine, a good meal, or a gift to show his affection had always been met with suspicion. She didn't need anyone's help, and she would not accept charity or handouts. Earning her trust and affection was nothing short of a Herculean task at every turn. When they talk about the labors of love, Siebold was pretty sure they were talking about Malva. And yet, she had come to him at her most vulnerable when she felt she had nowhere else to go.

"I don't pity you," he said. "Malva, we've been over this."

"This was a mistake," she said, trying to get up.

Her wounds hindered her, and Siebold easily overpowered her. Even her fiery touch could not deter him, immune as he was to her heat. Their skin hissed where she grabbed at him, and steam rose in between them like a veil. Those red eyes, so full of fire, were now wide with fever and fear.

"Malva," Siebold said, tamping down this familiar frustration, "let me help you. Not because I pity you, but because I love you."

She watched him like she might break in two at any moment, on a precipice of something both beautiful and terrible, and she did not know the difference.

"It's why you came to me," he pressed her. "I'm here for you, and I'm not going anywhere." He took her hand in his and ran his thumb over her knuckles, ignoring the ticklish sting on his fingers where he touched her. "It's okay to need help; I'm here to give it to you. But you have to let me in."

If he didn't know her better, he thought she might start to cry. But this was Malva; tears evaporated before they ever touched her skin, if she even knew how to cry. The heat in her hands receded to a pulsing warmth, pleasant, and she let him push her back on the pillow.

"Fire," she managed. "Bring me fire."

Fire seemed like the last thing that would help, but she looked very serious, so he got up and retrieved a lighter from his dresser.

"Hold it there," Malva said, indicating the deep wounds on her leg.

Siebold hesitated. "Are you sure?"

"Just keep it steady."

Siebold did as he was asked and held the open flame near her mangled flesh. Then, the strangest thing happened. The flames jumped from the small lighter to catch upon her flesh, but instead of consuming it, they seemed to be gobbled up by it. Siebold could only stare in awe as Malva's flesh very slowly rejuvenated, as though the fire itself was the panacea for all her ailments. Flesh knit back together amidst smoke and steam, like magic.

"How...?"

"There are things I haven't told you," she said softly.

"I think I need a drink. I spilled the last one all over this season's bookkeeping account."

Delphox, who had remained on guard this whole time near the door, approached now and kneeled down next to the bed. Her large ears twitched as Siebold got up, though he had not the faintest clue how she could hear a damn thing with all that fur growing out of her ears. Malva whispered something to Delphox, and Siebold slipped out the door to grab a bottle of wine and some glasses.

"Thanks," Malva said, accepting a glass of the Merlot he'd been drinking earlier. She winced as she took a sip. "Tastes like blood."

"Blame whoever did this to you, not the vintage," Siebold said, letting that hang as he sipped.

She did not respond.

"Malva," he tried at length. "Tell me what happened."

"I should go," she said instead. "It's not safe."

"You're always safe with me." Siebold touched her bare shoulder.

"No, you're not safe with me."

She shied from his touch, and when she tried to get up, Siebold had a mind to stop her, Delphox be damned. He grabbed Malva by her shoulders and forced her to look at him. Delphox drew her gnarled torch in warning, but a little fire had never scared Siebold. He knew what he was getting in to with Malva from the beginning. Or at least, he thought he had.

"The last time you left here, you said it would be the last time," Siebold said. "And now you're back. Whatever it was, it's done. Over."

"I thought so," Malva said. "But even with Laevus gone, Lysandre won't stop until he finds me."

"Who's Laevus?"

"My brother."

She told him about Laevus and how the unfortunate combination of genius, childhood neglect, and festering hatred had led him down a path of incredible discovery and destruction. She told him about the experiments with the Mega Stones, the plan to defect from Team Flare, and even her own role in kidnapping people for Laevus's experiments. It had all ended as Malva always knew it would, in fire and blood. What she hadn't known was that she would feel this way when it was all over.

"The Magus girl survived, so did the pleb boy. And my brother was probably buried along with his butcher's lab. And I... I'm so...relieved. I'm so tired," Malva said.

Siebold had known from the moment he set eyes on Malva that she was embroiled in something dark. Team Flare in general was suspected of illegality and black market dealings of all kinds, but no one had ever been able to produce any proof. Maybe they were too afraid to come forward. Maybe the rumors were just rumors. Gym Leader Clemont did everything strictly by the black letter of the law, and without incontrovertible proof of wrongdoing, he would never mete out justice where he did not feel it deserved. A bane and a blessing, depending on one's perspective.

"You loved your brother," Siebold said.

Malva looked at him strangely, like she was hearing her own voice for the first time and unsure whether to trust it. "That creature who died back there wasn't my brother. I knew that, but I still... I didn't want to believe it."

What a mess. Siebold had never even known she had a brother until now. One thing was certain: Malva would not be welcome in Lumiose City any longer. If she had betrayed Team Flare and they knew about it, they would hunt her. This place was not safe for her. Perhaps nowhere was. As though reading his mind, she tried to sit up in bed again.

"I have to leave," she said.

"You're not going anywhere."

"Didn't you hear me? It's not safe with me."

"Then why did you come?" Siebold demanded.

Whatever she'd been through, the battle she'd glossed over in her hasty explanation had taken the life out of her. That, and her time in the White Mountains with the brother who had become someone she no longer recognized right under her nose. Siebold had witnessed the consequences of trauma from his years in the Kalosian Armed Forces, a detail he kept to himself even around those closest to him, and he saw it in Malva now. She struggled to gather her thoughts until finally settling on the only thing that made sense to her.

"You're the only thing that's ever kept me going through all this shit," she said.

Malva rarely spoke of her feelings, a sarcastic tough girl right down to the stereotype. She had never once told him she loved him, and she seldom ever showed it. This, however, came close. Somehow, Siebold had become the person she landed on when she was beaten and broken. He would put her back together as best he could.

Her cheek was hot to the touch under his palm. He brushed her magenta bangs behind her ear and leaned down over her. "Then I'll keep you going," he said, kissing her swollen lips softly. "But now that you're through this shit, that's the end of it."

Her fingers in his hair tugged insistently as she kissed him back. "There is no end. There never will be for me."

"I get my way more often than not."

"Not with these guys."

He ran his thumb over her lip, and a light curl of steam rose as she breathed against him. "I have a few tricks up my sleeve."

Malva threaded her fingers in his hair and pulled him close for a real kiss. She tasted like smoke and heat and wine, and if he had his way, they would stay like this all night. But he sensed her hesitation, the fear that had followed her here. No place was safe with her, she'd warned him. He pulled away.

"You know I can't stay here," she said.

"I know."

She sat up in bed and fumbled with the lighter again, running her fingers through the small flame. "I need to leave."

"I know. I'll leave with you."

"What? No," Malva said. "What?"

"I'll leave with you," Siebold said again. "Wherever you want to go. I hear the skiing in Sinnoh is world class. Or we could go on a safari through the wild jungles of Hoenn."

Malva shook her head in disbelief. "Slow down. You have a life here, your family's restaurant. You can't just leave."

"It's my life," he said gently. "This place is just a building."

"It's your family's place. All your memories of them are here. You don't understand what you'd be giving up."

Siebold smiled for her and wiped a bit of soot from her cheek with his thumb. "I can take my memories with me wherever I go. But you're real and you're here, and this time I don't want to let you disappear again without a trace. I don't want you to leave ever again."

Malva searched his eyes with a kind of misty vulnerability he'd rarely seen on her. Softly, like speaking it aloud might shatter whatever this dream was, she said, "You want me? After everything I've done, you still..."

He held her face in his hands inches from his own. "I wanted you from the moment I met you. I want you today, and tomorrow, and all the days after that for however long we have left. Before you I was fine, just like everyone else living day to day in this rainy grey city. But with you it's like I can see in color for the first time. With you, I feel alive. Of course I want you, Malva. More than anything."

He felt her breathing grow shaky, and she laid her hand over his in a gesture that was as close to affectionate as she was probably ever going to get. "This world is going to burn," she said. "I'll always be running."

"I don't burn," he said, entwining their fingers and watching them steam on contact.

She tugged on his shirtfront and kissed him hard on the mouth. They fell back on the bed together, and if her injuries bothered her, she hid the pain well as she ripped at his clothes to get them off. Her fingers burned holes in his shirt, but he didn't care, eager to feel her skin on his. The only light in the room was from Delphox's torch as she stood by the window and looked down on the empty streets, a silent sentinel. The half-drunk glasses of wine lay forgotten on the nightstand as the lovers entwined among the sheets after so long apart.

Malva lay in Siebold's arms, tangled in the sheets, and for a few moments he was content to listen to her breathing and trace the smooth contours of her back. It would have been marvelous to lie here all night with her, but she was a step ahead of him and always in a rush.

"We have to go," she said all too soon. "It's not safe here."

"No one knows you're here," Siebold protested, tightening his grip around her. "You need to rest."

"Is that what you call it?" she teased. But she extricated herself from his arms all the same.

He didn't miss the wince when she sat up and favored her side. "You're in pain."

"Nothing new. I'll live thanks to you."

She was slowly inching out of bed, and the sheet pooled around her naked hips.

"Does it have to be tonight?" he asked.

She looked back at him over her shoulder, almost contrite. "Yes."

He rubbed his eyes. "All right. Give me ten minutes."

They both got up, and Siebold got to work dressing and packing two bags, one for Malva and one for himself. She didn't keep many belongings here, but he packed what little there was while she cleaned up in the bathroom and changed into clothes that weren't destroyed.

He headed downstairs to retrieve an emergency travel pack he kept ready at all times just in case. It had multiple passports with different aliases, currency enough to start over someplace where no one knew him, a worn cookbook containing his family's recipes accumulated over the years, and other personal memorabilia he could not bear to part with: pictures, letters, family heirlooms, a set of dog tags that was the only proof left of his military training. Anyone who did not know his past may have found his habits odd if not a little disturbing, but his time in the Kalosian Armed Forces had honed a paranoia that would likely never leave him. He grabbed the travel pack, doused the fire in the dining room, and headed back to the stairs. The accounts book soiled with spilled wine still lay open on the bar. He just made it to the stairs when Delphox swooped down past him to the large front window overlooking the street. Malva was right behind her limping down the stairs with both their packs slung over her shoulders.

"What's going on?" Siebold asked.

"They're here," Malva hissed. "Delphox sensed them. Damnit, they were waiting for me to Teleport back here!"

"Who?"

At the window, Delphox growled and brandished her torch. Before Siebold could get a word in edgewise, Delphox exploded with blue light and the window shattered. A blinding flash illuminated the dark dining room, disorienting, and Siebold reached across the bannister to shield Malva from whatever was coming with his body. The air hissed and popped, and Siebold's throat stung as the air became sour and hard to breathe. The smell of ozone was pungent in the night air that leaked in through the burst window.

The sounds of growling and snarling were the first to reach Siebold's ears as his vision cleared and he regained his bearings. Delphox had leaped out of the window and taken the glass shards with her. Controlling them with Confusion, the fire fox rained broken glass on a Manectric and his trainer that had attacked.

"Delphox!" Malva said, struggling to limp to the window and get outside.

Siebold rushed to her side and held her up by the waist. "Stay behind me."

"Thunderbolt!" a woman's voice ordered.

A polished Magnezone erupted with yellow electricity and lit up the entire block. Street lamps popped and went dark, and Siebold gagged on an acrid breath. Delphox manipulated the electricity with her formidable telekinetic powers, but the surge was strong and devastating in breadth and intensity. Siebold and Malva made it to the window, and he counted no less than ten trainers and as many Electric Pokémon guarding them. The people all wore matching uniforms, blue jumpsuits with copper scale armor meant to conduct their Pokémon's electricity.

Fulmen, he thought with no small degree of trepidation.

Only Delphox stood in between Siebold and Malva and their attackers.

"We're looking for Malva," one of the men said. His Raichu sparked at his side. "Are you her?"

Malva wiped her mouth. "What is this? They're not Team Flare."

Siebold stepped through the broken window and helped Malva out after him. "You're Lumiose Gym trainers," he said, recognizing the starburst on a golden shield that was the Gym's crest carved into their intricate copper mail. "I hope you have a good explanation for why you're attacking my restaurant."

"Destruction of private property is often a natural consequence of a manhunt," said a short young man. The others parted for him. "I would offer my sympathies, but it looks to me like you've been harboring a fugitive, sir."

The short man, blond and baby-faced with round spectacles, would have been a forgettable face on anyone else. But this was not just anyone else.

"Gym Leader Clemont," Siebold said. "I would say it's an honor, but we've already established that you've cost me several thousand in property damage."

Clemont was young, more a boy than a man, but his genius both as a Fulmen and an engineer was known far and wide across Kalos. It was his innovations using electricity that kept Lumiose at the cutting edge of modernization, but it was his rigid and dispassionate attitude about law enforcement that kept its streets clean and its dungeons full—at least until execution day. Mercy was not a word often heard in the halls of Prism Tower, Clemont's Gym and the dungeons below it.

A black and yellow-scaled Heliolisk, his collar tucked away for the moment, stood stock still at Clemont's side. His eyes were wide cerulean and unblinking, and his claws were small but curved like a raptor's. The nails clicked as the creature flexed, a bone chilling sound like the winding of a torture rack.

Clemont ignored Siebold's rudeness and turned to Malva. "Malva, I presume. I've come personally to arrest you on charges of felony theft, aggravated assault, and multiple homicide. As to you," he said to Siebold, "I will have to arrest you on the grounds of aiding and abetting a fugitive from the law. My apologies for the inconvenience."

"Who accuses me?" Malva demanded. "Where's your proof?"

"I have the victim's sworn testimony as to the theft and assault, as well as his organization's cooperation in investigating the multiple homicide charges," Clemont said.

"Lysandre," Malva spat. "Since when is the Lumiose Gym Leader in Team Flare's pocket?"

"I'm here to enforce the law," Clemont said. "Where I receive my information is irrelevant so long as it's sound."

"Your information's coming from a goddamned mob boss!" Malva said. "Lysandre's the kingpin; I'm just a convenient scapegoat. Don't you fucking stand there and pretend like you don't know anything."

Clemont was completely unmoved by her tirade. "You are to return to Prism Tower with me to await trial and judgment. The penalty for your crimes, if you're found guilty, is death by electrocution."

The way he said it, he may as well have been reading through items on a shopping list. Siebold did not need to know Clemont's reputation to know that there would be no reasoning, no talking a way out of this even to buy time. His Gym trainers and their Pokémon were already advancing.

"Stay back," Malva said to Siebold.

Delphox was a strong Pokémon, but tired from Malva's earlier battling and now up against a small army of Electric Pokémon, including Gym Leader Clemont himself, she stood no chance at all.

"No," Siebold said. "You stay back. I'll handle this."

Malva made to protest, but Siebold had already detached himself from her and began to advance. "Lysandre is the one you want," he said to Clemont. "We're leaving Lumiose. You have my word that Malva will never return to this city again, so let that be enough until you can apprehend the true culprit here."

Heliolisk bared his sharp teeth and hissed in warning.

"Siebold!" Malva said, the anger almost enough to hide the fear in her voice.

"I'm afraid that won't do," Clemont said. "Siebold, yes? You don't need to fear. Your penalty is not death, merely incarceration after trial for a period not to exceed five years."

"Then we're at an impasse," Siebold said. He ran his fingers over the Pokéballs situated at his hip. "Nevertheless, we'll be going now."

Clemont's blue eyes were empty as they stared at Siebold in his polite defiance. "No, you won't be."

As though it bored him, Clemont waved his hand and the other Gym trainers advanced. Siebold moved fast and threw one of his Pokéballs.

"Water Shuriken!" he said.

From the flash of light, a lithe Greninja appeared and melted into the darkness as though they were one. She fired off blades of water faster than the eye could see, three of which hit three Gym trainers and knocked them off their feet. Delphox leaped forward and conjured a Mystical Fire, sensing the threat of battle renewed, and somewhere behind him, Siebold heard Malva shout his name again.

It happened fast. One moment the street was dark and dreary, the next it was alive with deadly light and thunder. Thunderbolts cracked and split the air, and Greninja leaped and spun and avoided the lethal attacks as she fired off Water Shuriken like bullets. They bounced off Magnezone and hit a Zebstrika, but the zebra reared and sparked even as he bled, his temper ignited. Clemont's Heliolisk flared his collar and sparked threateningly.

There was only one way this was going to work, and that was if Siebold moved fast. Backtracking, he threw his other three Pokéballs and shouted commands. A levitating Starmie redirected Magnezone's Thunder with its Psychic powers and channeled them back around to hit the wounded Zebstrika, crippling him. Clawitzer let loose with a Hydro Pump from his enormous pincer that sent a Raichu flying into her trainer and flooded the street. Chaos ensued.

"Electric Terrain," Clemont ordered in his eerie monotone.

Heliolisk burst with static electricity that danced over the slick street drenched from Clawitzer's Hydro Pump and electrocuted anything it touched, but Starmie spun and released a wave of Psychic energy that made the water rise and churn into a sentient electrified water spout. Siebold, meanwhile sliced open his palm on a pocket knife and laid it on the back of his Blastoise, a hulking turtle with scratches and scars on his shell from years of training and battle.

"What the...?" Malva said as she watched Blastoise's Mega transformation for the first time.

Clemont sensed the danger of the situation even as some of his Gym trainers were preoccupied with Starmie's electrified Whirlpool zigzagging in between them. "Heliolisk, Thunderbolt!"

Heliolisk ran at Siebold and the now transformed Mega Blastoise, who was nearly of a height with his trainer thanks to the enormous cannon on his back. But out of nowhere, Greninja swooped in like a blue wraith and Night Slashed Heliolisk from behind. The yellow lizard Pokémon hissed and snapped as he was thrown and wrestled with Greninja to get the sticky frog off him.

Siebold patted Mega Blastoise on his shell. It had been some time since they'd done this; not even Malva knew about Blastoise or Siebold's military background. Running a restaurant was generally a peaceful business, where the only foes he encountered were the occasional dissatisfied patrons. But Blastoise was as old as he was and his strongest Pokémon since their time in the Kalosian Armed Forces' elite Water Strike Division, and this was an old dance they had perfected many years ago, in another life before all this.

"Don't hold back, Mega Blastoise," Siebold said.

Mega Blastoise sank to all fours and fired up his cannon. Water, drawn from the very air, began to materialize around him in flowing ribbons. Heliolisk Sparked and finally managed to throw Greninja off. The scrappy frog rolled and landed on all fours, smoking from her wounds but still able to fight. She croaked loudly when she saw Mega Blastoise gearing up, and both Starmie and Clawitzer abandoned their posts and retreated as quickly as they could.

"Stop them!" Clemont shouted at his Gym trainers who were scattered thanks to Siebold's Pokémon's relentless combo attacks. "Heliolisk, Thunder!"

Heliolisk jumped to his feet, flared his collar, and released a terrible surge of electricity in all directions. At the same moment, Blastoise fired his ruinous Hydro Cannon at the heart of the Gym forces. The water expanded as it shot forward in a wave and reared up like a wall and came crashing down. Heliolisk's Thunder merged with it and slowed it down, but there was too much water drawn from the atmosphere and combined with Mega Blastoise's own stored water to overcome the ultimate attack.

Seibold raised both hands and brought them down in a harsh arc, and the rest of his Pokémon obeyed the silent command. The ensuing torrent of highly pressurized water, manipulated through Starmie's potent telekinesis, swept through the streets and knocked the Lumiose Gym trainers down, burying them before they could command their Pokémon to retaliate. Like a tidal wave, the Water Pokémon's combined attacks completely overwhelmed Clemont and his team, momentarily drowning them under a turgid river materialized out of nowhere. Electricity sparked as Clemont and his team tried to fight back, but Seibold was already retreating with his Pokémon in the distraction. He took Malva's hand.

"Who are you?" she managed, quivering in her shock at the wanton display of power she had never imagined he possessed.

"There are a few things I haven't told you, either," he said as he quickly recalled all his Pokémon but Starmie.

By now, the river was washing away, and Clemont's Heliolisk unleashed a mad Thunder attack that parted the waters enough to save himself and his Gym trainers from truly drowning. More than half of them had been swept away several blocks, no longer an immediate threat.

"I'll tell you all about it later," Siebold said, reaching for Starmie. "Hang on."

"Stop!" Clemont shouted. His copper scale armor was sparking as he conducted Heliolisk's lightning to part the frothing waters. He raised his hands to fire off a Thunderbolt conjured from the electricity he'd redirected and stored through Heliolisk.

Starmie's crimson jewel pulsed with Psychic energy, and in the blink of an eye, it had Teleported Siebold, Malva, and Delphox out of Lumiose City. Clemont's redirected Thunderbolt hit damp cobblestone and ripped a hole in the ground, but there was no trace of them left.

Siebold landed on the dusty earth, his stomach in his throat as it clenched with the emetic effects of vertigo. It had been ages since he'd used Starmie's Teleportation, and his body protested the roller coaster sensation. But the muscle memory returned to him. The lights of Lumiose glittered to the south, miles away from his position somewhere far to the north on Route Thirteen.

"You'll tell me now," Malva said, having endured the sudden Teleportation with a little more grace. She gave him a hand up. Delphox eyed Starmie suspiciously, but Starmie had no face or eyes to speak of and simply hovered a couple inches over the ground, silent and sparkling under the starlight.

"It's a long story," Siebold said. "And one best heard over dinner and candlelight, like all stories." He smiled at her.

Malva looked at him. "What you just did..." she said. "They'll hunt you now, too."

"Then we better get a healthy head start. I have a boat in Coumarine City standing by ready to sail anywhere we want to go. Just say the word."

She shook her head, disbelieving. The man she'd known was only a small part of him. But he could see the light in her eyes, that twinkle of relief. Maybe a part of her had always known they were the same, fighters who did not quite fit with the rest of society when it dragged them out of their carefully crafted shadows. Siebold had made a valiant effort for years, a promise to his aged parents and to himself, to leave that life of fighting and secrecy behind and do something that would make people smile, something human. He'd enjoyed it, loved it even. But the restaurant was just a building; Malva was one of a kind. The choice was an easy one.

"I hear Alola is beautiful this time of year. The Ignifers of Akala Island train around an active volcano. I've never seen a volcano before," Malva said.

Siebold smiled and slipped a hand around the back of her neck to draw her in. "Alola? I've always wanted to try their famous malasada."

Despite herself, Malva pressed her lips to his in a gentle kiss. He felt her tears evaporate upon his cheeks as she smiled into him.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Siebold slung her arm over his shoulder, and Starmie's jewel pulsed like a heart as it channeled its powers of Teleportation once again. In the blink of an eye, they were gone.

---

"Category: Famous Pokémon Trainers," Imelda read from the card she drew from the deck. "This Volucris currently serves as the youngest Imperial General in Sinnoh's Lotus Order."

Serena sipped the protein smoothie one of the nurses had brought her to help her regain her strength. "The Lotus Order?" she asked.

"Their a group of five Tamers, the Imperial Generals, who're s'posed to be, like, the strongest ones in Sinnoh because they protect the Imperatrix," Korrina said. They were on a team together for Trivia Tuesday, which Wulfric had had Imelda set up in Serena's hospital room even though today was techinically Saturday. "You know, the supreme leader of Sinnoh."

Serena didn't know any of that, but Korrina being a Gym Leader meant she probably knew a whole bunch of things Serena didn't know.

"So, do you know the answer?" Serena asked.

Korrina made a face. "Well, international relations aren't my forte..."

Across the way, Grace was standing near Alain's bed, where he was being fed by no less than three IV tubes with various Potions and healing elixirs to see to his many wounds. They were also conferring in hushed tones as they tried to figure out the answer to Imelda's trivia question.

"I got it," Calem said, while Wulfric looked on from his bed with a wide grin. "It's Imperial General Aaron."

Imelda beamed. "That's correct! Okay, so that's another point for Team Ice 'n Slice."

"Oh my god, what even is that name?" Korrina said loudly. "And Calem, you didn't even know the answer. I bet Wulfric told you to say that."

"We're on the same team, that's how it works," Calem said. "Don't be a sore loser, Korrina."

Klefki, who had decided to turn traitor and support Calem in the trivia contest over Serena, jingled happily. Sylveon, who had been curled up on Serena's lap, lifted his head and stared his murder stare at the duplicitous Klefki. Darumaka was busy rolling around on the floor around the beds, curious about all these new people. Trevor was undergoing multiple operations due to his severe injuries and the poisoning he'd endured from the Mega Stone, but thanks to Malva burning away most of the venom, the doctors were optimistic that they could reverse the damage. If it hadn't been for Malva, Trevor would be long dead.

"I thought our name was mighty clever," Wulfric said. "You know, the ice was my bit, and the slice is for that pet steak knife o' his. And the rhyming really brings it all together. That part was my idea," he boasted, in case anyone could not figure out the significance of their team name, which of course was already obvious to everyone present.

Korrina rolled her eyes, and Serena laughed. "I like it, too," she said. "But I like ours a lot, too."

"Tinkerbellator is way more creative than Ice 'n Slice," Korrina agreed.

"Hey, hey, let's not forget the score," Alain said. "Imelda, what's the current point distribution?"

"That's seven for Tinkerbellator, ten for Ice 'n Slice, and fourteen for Dra-Grace," Imelda read.

"What? Bullshit," Korrina said. "When did you get fourteen points?"

"When Grace got the last five questions all on her own," Alain said.

"I'm surprised I know more about sports than any of you," Grace said. "Don't you all ever watch the races?"

Alain grinned, and his sharp incisor poked over his lip. Korrina rolled her eyes, but Serena suspected she wasn't really upset. Serena petted Sylveon, and he began to purr dreamily. All of this seemed a bit like a dream, really. She half expected to wake up and find herself chained to the stone wall, weary and weak and shaking with fear and cold, Laevus looming over her with needles and Trevor screaming in agony. Trevor wasn't screaming now, and Laevus was buried along with his lab and his atrocious experiments.

Wulfric's Delibird somehow made her way back to Snowbelle through the raging storm and got his letter to Mayor Remus, his brother, who deployed the Snow Rangers to rescue them all. They had arrived late, but without their help, Serena wasn't sure if they would have made it back to Snowbelle. Alain's Charizard and Calem's Aegislash were in intensive care at the Pokémon Center, along with most of the other Pokémon that had fought bravely alongside them to save Serena. Korrina had lost her Lucario, Serena learned, and Serena could not help but feel responsible. If she had lost Altaria or Sylveon or any of her other Pokémon, she did not know how she would ever get over it. They were her companions when she had no one else, always there and always strong even when she didn't know how to be.

But there were others now. Every one of these people had risked his or her life to find her, and Serena still could not quite believe it. Grace surprised her the most. Her pleb mother had never been a fighter and had never really understood or accepted Serena, even though she tried so hard to learn how. When Calem told Serena it was Grace to brought everyone here, who convinced Gurkinn and later Wulfric to help out however they could, Serena had never felt more loved. She was alive and safe because of Grace, and she had severely underestimated her mother. Never again.

Wulfric insisted they recover in Snowbelle until they were well enough to make the journey back to Lumiose City. Mayor Remus would send Rangers after Malva, and Wulfric contacted Gym Leader Olympia of Anistar City to see if she might be able to track Malva's Delphox. If she was using Delphox to Teleport, Olympia could find her if she wanted to. So far, Olympia said there was no sign of Delphox Teleporting anywhere in Kalos, but that could mean anything or nothing. Serena was secretly glad they hadn't found Malva. She did not wish for her death, not after what she'd done to save Trevor's and her life when she didn't have to. Wherever Malva was, Serena hoped she would find a way to move on and live her life in peace.

Imelda drew another card. "Oh, another Famous Pokémon Trainers card," she said, flustered. "This late Pokémon Professor is credited with inventing the world's first Pokémon encyclopedia, nicknamed 'Pokédex'."

Serena perked up. "Hey, I think I know this one. That's Professor Samuel Oak, right?"

"Correct!" Imelda said.

"Hell yeah." Korrina gave Serena a high-five. "Now we're back in the game."

Serena smiled. Her face was starting to hurt from smiling so much. It felt so good, so easy. She could have stayed here with them all playing trivia forever so long as they were together. Sylveon meowed and got up to knead the woolen blanket keeping Serena warm, and she smoothed the coral pink ribbons of fur that hung from the feline's neck. Pink heartstrings danced around Sylveon and meshed with her own, identical. So beautiful.

If I wasn't a Magus, they never would have found me.

Alain beat Calem to the answer to Imelda's next question, and they got into an argument about trivia etiquette, which Wulfric was happy to explain in effusive detail. Serena watched them, their heartstrings a rainbow of light and color that connected them all.

She would never find the weird tree again. Xerneas, wherever it was, would probably never reveal itself to her again. But it had given her a gift more precious than any synesthetic sight or special blood.

Thank you, she thought as she watched the animated faces of all the people who had risked everything refusing to give up on her. Wherever you are, thank you.

"...and if you poach three questions, then you hafta do a naked run," Wulfric was saying.

"A naked run where?" Korrina said, her interest piqued.

"Oh, why, just down Main Street and back," Wulfric said. "Well, I say naked, but in truth you can keep your boots on. The sidewalks can be slick this time of year, and nobody wants a repeat o' the infamous slip and slide incident with the Beartic from last year."

Grace looked concerned. "Wait, what incident?"

"I'm not doing a naked run," Alain said, glaring at Korrina before she could say something to embarrass him.

"Yeah, no," Calem said.

"Why would a Beartic participate in a naked run?" Grace asked. No one seemed to share her legitimate concern, so she dropped the subject.

"That's strike two, Alain, so mind your tongue and you won't have to. But no one's above the Trivia Tuesday rules, no sir," Wulfric chided.

"Today's Saturday," Alain said. "This doesn't even count."

"Oh, great, then your points don't count and I guess you lose," Korrina said.

"All right, children, settle down," Grace said, although she was biting back a smile.

"Please don't say we're all winners," Calem said.

"No, of course not," Grace said. "Right now, only Alain and I are winners. You're lagging five points behind."

Calem gaped at Grace, and Wulfric laughed bawdily even as he clutched his bandaged belly that was still healing.

Over the following week, Trevor made a full recovery. He was walking with forearm crutches, but the doctors assured him that with time and physical therapy, he would be back to his old self soon enough. His parents and sister lived in Lumiose City, and when they were contacted about Trevor, they were overwhelmed with joy. Everyone had thought he was lost forever, gone without so much as a trace, and the local law enforcement had advised the family to start considering the possibility that Trevor may never be found alive, if at all. Children disappeared all the time, especially pleb children with no way to defend themselves. It was a cruel fact of the world they lived in. But not this time.

Trevor asked Serena to teach him how to train Pokémon. The son of a bank teller and a school teacher, he had never had much exposure to Pokémon growing up. After everything he'd been through, he wanted to learn.

"I don't want what happened to us to happen to anybody else," he said as he entreated Serena. "I know I'm just a normal kid and there's nothing special about me, but I want to learn. You learned, right?"

"I did," Serena said. "And you are special, Trevor." She took his hands in hers and smiled. "You survived when it would've been easy to just give up. I don't think many other sixteen-year-old boys would have had half your courage. Maybe Tamers have some amazing powers; Alain can control Dragons and Korrina can fight with the strength of ten men, but that's not what makes us special. It's something more subtle, in here." She pressed a hand to his heart over his sweater. "I can see it, you know."

"See it?" he asked.

She smiled, and her eyes followed the flowing threads of light that pulsed with every beat of his heart and entwined with her own. "Your strength. It's dazzling."

Wulfric was sad to see the group go once everyone was well enough to make the journey. He shook Serena's hand in his, practically swallowing her in his meaty grip, and told her he expected to see her back in Snowbelle soon.

"Now, I mean it," he said. "Don't be a stranger. You've got a good head and a good heart. I like that about you young people. I can see why Grace and your friends worked so hard to help you."

Serena smiled. "I'll be back, I promise."

"And you too, Grace." He took her hand and kissed it politely. "I do hope to see you again very soon."

"Thank you for everything, Wulfric," Grace said. "I don't know how I'll ever repay you."

"You can do me the tremendous honor of attending the Spring Social. It's our annual figure skating grand prix, and I'd be much obliged to have your favor when I compete."

Grace blinked. "You'll be competing? I...didn't know you skated."

"Oh, sure, most everybody in Snowbelle figure skates. It's eco-friendly and it helps me keep my figure. Ho! There's a good little pun I just made. Where's Imelda? Imelda! Listen to this excellent pun I just thought of!" He waved to get Imelda's attention, and Imelda slipped on the icy Gym floor, she was so startled at hearing her boss bark at her out of nowhere. Her Sneasel screeched indignantly. "Well, anyway," Wulfric said, "it's during the spring equinox. I'll hold your ticket, all right?"

Serena laughed. "She'll be here, it's a date."

"Fantastic! Imelda, write this down, a ticket for Grace Gabena for the Spring Social. Where is that girl? Imelda!"

Grace was Tamato red, and Serena looped their arms together.

"Hey Mom, I think you have a not-so-secret admirer," she teased.

"You heard him, right? That he actually figure skates?" Grace said. "He must be more than twice my weight."

Serena laughed again. "I'm sure he's very graceful."

Wulfric made sure everyone was supplied for their trips home. Korrina was on her way back to Shalour City to resume her official Gym Leader duties, and everyone expected Alain to return with her, but he insisted on visiting Lumiose City first. He had unfinished business that he had been running from for too long.

Calem's parents were waiting at Sycamore's lab along with Sycamore himself, and his mother broke down crying when she saw him. Both of his parents had been out of town on business when Malva showed up and kidnapped Serena, and neither had seen their son since then. Sycamore embraced Serena and twirled her around, laughing and over the moon to see her again safe and sound, but he nearly dropped her when he saw Mega Altaria looming over them and burst into tears.

"Sweet Swadloon, I've never seen anything so magnificent," he gushed as tears streamed freely down his face.

Calem was appalled. "Professor, why are you crying?!"

"For science!" he wept. Sycamore ran his hands through Mega Altaria's downy feathers, shaking. "He's too beautiful, and I have so many papers to write. Oh! My critics will be dazzled!"

Grace had to lead him inside like a dazed child before he completely lost his sanity.

But the reunions were sweet, and Serena had never been so happy to sleep in her bed in the room she'd occupied since she first started coming to Sycamore's lab as a child. Laevus's Darumaka was also happy to sleep on the bed, much to Sylveon's chagrin, but nothing could deter the ebullient Zen Charm Pokémon.

"I'm sorry, Maru," Serena whispered to him in the dark. "I know you loved Laevus, and Malva, too. But I promise I'll take care of you."

Darumaka's orange heartstrings rolled with him over the duvet, and Sylveon puffed up to nearly twice his size when Darumaka rolled over his tail. Serena bit back a laugh and pulled them both close, one on each side, and they fell asleep together.

The next morning when she awoke, she let Rhydon out on the rooftop terrace along with Grace's Rhyhorn, while Altaria flew south in search of food. Rhydon yawned and wanted nothing more than to lie down and sunbathe, and Serena spent the morning polishing his horn to soothe him. Sylveon hopped up on Rhydon's back and curled up for a nap of his own, and being here like this made Serena feel like it had all been a dream.

But when she headed to the cafeteria for a late breakfast and found Alain there in an apron smudged with chocolate and carrying out a tray of lumpy but delicious smelling brownies, Serena knew it was no dream; it was better.

"So it turns out I'm a little rusty at the baking thing," Alain said as they gorged on the brownies.

"I love them," Serena said, all smiles. She could not remember the last time she'd tasted something sweet. The days in Laevus's lab seemed like weeks in retrospect, bleak and cold and dreary. "And I love you for remembering."

"About that," Alain said. "I think I owe you an explanation."

"You don't owe me anything, Alain. You're here now, that's what counts."

"I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Calem," he insisted gently. "I promised him I would tell you everything, that I'd stop running. I'm done breaking my promises."

So, he told her everything. From his employment with Team Flare, to the secret expedition to Hoenn to retrieve the monolith for Lysandre, to Mairin and his defection, and finally Korrina.

"She saved me," Alain said. "I didn't deserve it, but she did it anyway. She and Gurkinn both. I can't take back the years and everything I did." He placed his hand on Serena's. "But I want you to know, I'm sorry I left the way I did. I'm sorry I never came back until now. You trusted me, and you deserved so much better than the way I treated you."

Serena's eyes were hot with unshed tears, and she blinked to dispel them. "I didn't want to admit it, but a part of me thought I'd never see you again."

"I promise, I'll never make you feel that way again."

She smiled and pulled him close for a hug. As a girl, alone and afraid and ignorant of what she was and what had happened to her, Alain had been the one who made her feel safe and special. She felt it again now as he held her and his red wings, invisible to all but her eyes, closed around her like strong arms.

"God, you've gotten big," he said playfully when they separated. He ruffled her hair like he used to, and she laughed.

"I guess I did grow up," Serena said.

"Nah, you'll always be my little sister," he said, and then he flashed her that grin that had made her feel all warm and fuzzy when she was a child. "Right?"

"Yeah, always."

"Good, because I could use your help with something," Alain began. "Er, more like, I guess... I'd feel a lot more confident if you came with me to talk to her."

"Her?"

"That little girl I told you about, Mairin. I really hurt her when I left Team Flare. She, uh... Well, I guess she reminded me of you..."

Serena smiled softly. "Of course I'll go with you. I can't wait to meet her."

Meeting Mairin required a trip to Lysandre Labs, the official headquarters for Team Flare. Sycamore and Grace accompanied them on their trip, and Serena had the chance of a lifetime to look in the eyes the man who had employed Laevus and Malva, a man called Lysandre. He received them in his spacious penthouse office, where a male Pyroar was snoozing by the crackling hearth. It was dreary and cold outside, but Pyroar's natural heat warmed the room.

"Well, this is certainly a surprise," Lysandre said when he came face to face with Alain. "I have to say, Alain, I never expected to see you again after our last parting."

"I've been surprising a lot of people these days," Alain said evenly. "Myself included. I'm here to see Mairin. Where are you keeping her?"

Lysandre smiled congenially, but Serena and Klefki, who hung back together, watched him warily.

You see it, too, don't you?

Pale pink highlights accented the faint white heartstrings that marked all skuffs. The pink wisps were so pale they were nearly invisible. But no skuff Serena had ever seen had pink heartstrings. Pink was the color of the Magi who were all dead and gone except for her. It didn't make sense. There were no Magi skuffs, just as there were no Medium or Reaper skuffs. The three original Tamers had to be made by others of their kind, that was what Sycamore had told her years ago when he explained that she, too, had been made by Xerneas, the Original Fairy. Lysandre was no Magus, that much was plain to see. So why...

Why does he feel so familiar?

"I'm not keeping her anywhere; she's free to come and go as she pleases. Children must be given their freedoms," Lysandre said. "I would be very happy to show you to her, but I doubt she'll want to see you."

"I'll let her tell me that herself," Alain said.

Lysandre let his piercing blue eyes roam over Alain, then Sycamore and Grace, and finally Serena. He watched her. "And you are?"

"My daughter," Grace said, positioning herself between Serena and Lysandre.

Lysandre barely reacted to that as he continued to watch Serena and Klefki tinkling softly by her head. "...Serena, yes? If I recall, the last time I spoke with Augustine and Ms. Gabena, they were searching for you. I'm glad to see you've returned safely."

"Thank you," Serena said.

He nodded politely.

He doesn't see me, she realized. He doesn't see my heartstrings.

"Speaking of which," Sycamore said. "As it turns out, Malva was behind Serena's kidnapping, as I suspected. She was working with her brother, Laevus, who I've learned was also an employee of yours. Quite the gifted scientist, in fact."

"Yes, I'm aware of all this, and I've been in close contact with Gym Leader Clemont. His people are currently searching for Malva. She returned here and fled the city soon after, as I'm told. Team Flare and I are fully cooperating with the Gym to apprehend Malva and Laevus, wherever they may be."

I don't understand, Serena thought as she watched Lysandre carefully. His heartstrings... They're not reacting. I can't tell if he's lying or not.

It was the strangest sensation. People's heartstrings usually reacted violently if they lied or felt their emotions passionately, but Lysandre's merely swirled around him in slow and lazy curls.

Is he... Could he be doing it on purpose?

Serena did not realize she'd been staring until he caught her doing it, and she looked away, startled.

"I'm sure you are," Sycamore said, totally unconvinced. "Just as I'm sure Gym Leader Clemont will eventually get to the bottom of what happened. He always does."

Lysandre and Sycamore looked at each other in silent challenge, neither backing down. Alain cleared his throat.

"Lysandre. Take me to see Mairin. Now."

Lysandre's gaze slithered to Alain, and there was the faintest spike in his heartstrings, like an electric shock. "...Of course. Right this way."

They went, but when Grace noticed Serena hanging back, she stopped. "Serena, honey? What's the matter?"

Serena shook her head. "I'm...not sure."

Grace looked at her and said very softly, "Whatever it is, we'll discuss it back at the lab."

Yes, Serena thought. This place was not safe, not so long as Lysandre was here.

Lysandre led them to one of the lower floors, which looked like a private infirmary for Pokémon and people alike. He stopped at one of the rooms and opened the door for Alain.

"I have things to do," Lysandre said. "I'm sure you remember how busy I am. I'll send my assistant to show you out." To Alain he said, "It was good to see you, Alain. I trust your Charizard is in good health."

Alain did not even give him the satisfaction of an answer.

Sycamore smiled. "Goodbye, Lysandre," he said.

Lysandre's frigid gaze intensified as he walked away, dignified, and Serena watched him go. Klefki watched him, too, curious.

"I know," Serena whispered. "I see it, too."

But there was no time to worry about Lysandre right now. Mairin, a young girl around thirteen years old, was in the infirmary room hunched over a glass case where a small Chespin appeared to be sleeping. Monitors measuring his vitals beeped and blinked against the wall, and an IV fed him intravenously while he slept. As soon as Lysandre had opened the door and admitted their party, however, Mairin was on the defensive.

"Mairin," Alain said, approaching.

Mairin, a short girl, round and cute with little braids in her hair and a fierceness in her matching brown eyes, was pale with shock at the sight of him. "A-Alain!" She recovered quickly, however, and positioned herself between Chespin and Alain before he could close the distance, her little arms spread like she was afraid Alain would try to hurt him. "Don't come any closer!"

"Mairin," Alain said again, gently. "I know you're probably still mad at me, but I came to apologize. Please, just let me—"

"I said, go away!" she snapped when he tried to reach for her. "I don't wanna see you."

"I know you don't," Alain said. "And I'll go if that's what you want. But not before I explain. I owe you that."

"No," Mairin said, her eyes glistening with tears. "No, I don't wanna talk to you."

"Mairin, please—"

"I hate you," she hissed. Her tears were falling freely now, fat and hot on her cheeks. "I hate you."

Alain said nothing as he looked at her. Eventually, he nodded, and Serena watched as the magnificent red wings that she'd always found so beautiful and strong fell, broken around his shoulders as sadness overcame him. "I know you do."

"Mairin," Sycamore said, trying to defuse the situation. "Why don't we go for a walk? Are you hungry? Grace was telling me that she would love to take you to lunch. How does that sound?"

Grace did her best to smile. "Yes, that's right. And Mairin, I'd like you to meet my daughter, Serena. Do you remember that I was looking for her the last time I saw you?"

Mairin pressed herself against the recovery case. "No, I don't wanna go. I wanna stay with Chespie."

Grace kneeled down and looked up at Mairin. "That's very brave of you. I'm sure Chespie feels really lucky to have you. You've never given up on him, right?"

Mairin looked suspicious as she watched Grace. "I'll never give up on him. He'll get better, Lysandre promised he would." She glared at Alain. "He keeps his promises."

Mairin was a pleb girl, her heartstrings the same faint glistens of light that orbited most people in the world. Serena could see it all, even the pulsing bloody threads that rose like smoke over Mairin's head.

Wait, what?

Serena pushed past Alain, Klefki close behind, and approached the glass recovery case where Mairin's Chespin slept. Mairin saw her advancing and grew anxious.

"Hey, don't come closer," she said, wary and afraid and bitterly sad.

Klefki jingled at Mairin, startling her, and Grace laid a hand on Mairin's shoulder.

"It's all right, Mairin," she said.

Mairin was growing increasingly concerned, however.

"Serena," Sycamore said, a quiet warning.

Serena stared at Chespin, unsure what she was seeing. "That's not right," she said more to herself than to the others.

"What's not right?" Mairin said.

"This Chespin, he's not himself." Serena touched the glass, and the whorl of color recoiled from her touch.

Mairin saw nothing of what Serena saw. "What's that s'posed to mean? Hey, what're you doing? You can't touch that!"

Serena was too absorbed in her own thoughts to stop. She found the release on the case and pushed it. The glass barrier opened, and Chespin was exposed. Serena covered her mouth and nose. "Oh..."

Klefki jingled angrily, as though the smell of Chespin offended him.

"Serena, what is it?" Sycamore asked, curious instead of concerned as he rose. "Do you see something?"

"Yes, but I don't know..." Serena reached for Chespin all of a sudden.

"No, leave him alone," Mairin said.

Grace took her small hands. "Mairin, it's all right. Serena can see things you and I can't."

"I don't care what she sees, if she hurts Chespie, then I'll hurt her."

The strange bloody heartstrings grew out of Chespin like thick flames, boiling and popping. They stung when she got too close to them, but buried deep within was a glowing green light, Chespin's natural heartstrings. They were faint, as though they were suffocating.

What is this?

"Serena," Sycamore said. "Tell me what you see."

"I'm not sure. It's like... It's like Chespie's drowning. Wait..." Serena hissed as she tried to touch the sinister shadowy heartstrings, and their bloody tendrils stung her fingers like needles. "Klefki, help me."

Klefki's jeweled heart pulsed as he hovered over Serena, his keys heavy and tinkling, and his silvery and pink heartstrings swirled around the blight, helping them part for Serena to reach inside. Her hands stung, and her own heartstrings began to thrum and spark, as though short-circuiting. Serena bit her tongue and tasted blood.

"Klefki, more," she commanded.

"More what? What's she doing?" Mairin said.

Serena touched Chespin's true green heartstrings and sank her fingers into them, grasping the blighted tendrils at the roots where they connected. Klefki obeyed her command, and his jeweled heart released a burst of energy that manifested in visible light. The Crafty Shield came into view for just a second or two, and Serena closed her hands around it as she scooped the blight up like a bundle of bloody worms. They squirmed in her fingers, trapped in Klefki's Crafty Shield, and she heard Sycamore gasp as they became momentarily visible within Klefki's attack.

Serena gritted her teeth to the pain, like fire in her fingers, and squeezed with all her strength and Klefki's. The Crafty Shield shrank under her palms, and she crushed the blighted worms under the pressure until they snuffed out and dissipated to nothing but shadows. Alain was right behind her when she stumbled back, her hands shaking and raw where the skin had cracked and bled.

"Professor, she needs a nurse," Alain said.

Sycamore was still in shock at the flash of the blight he'd seen along with everyone else in the moment Serena pulled it out of Chespin. "I... Right, yes, I'll be right back." He dashed out the door.

"Serena," Grace said, horrified. "Your hands!"

"I'm okay," Serena said, more interested in Chespin, whose green heartstrings were slowly but steadily growing, like a fire fed oxygen. Klefki hovered over him, swaying like a snake charmer as he rode the reaching heartstrings. "Chespie's okay, too."

"Chespie?" Mairin said, completely forgetting her earlier anger at Serena as she reached for her Pokémon. "Chespie!"

Chespin twitched and slowly woke up with a squeak, weak and tinny but alive. Klefki jingled happily.

"Chespie? Are you really awake? I'm not dreaming again?"

Chespin chittered and pawed at Mairin's hand weakly, and Mairin burst into tears of joy as she kissed his little forehead and scratched his tummy.

"Chespie, you're okay!"

Sycamore returned with an infirmary orderly, who helped Serena get cleaned up and bandaged. Her hands stung badly, but the bleeding wasn't too bad, and soon they were bandaged. The orderly offered Serena an intravenous Potion to help with the abrasions, but she refused. She'd had enough of needles for one lifetime. Mairin was beside herself with smiles and laughter as she talked to Chespin and petted him, promising that he'd be out of here soon.

"Serena," Sycamore said softly. "I'd like to talk to you back at the lab."

Serena nodded. "Yeah, no problem." But first, she had something else she wanted to do. "Mairin?"

Mairin, fresh tears of happiness in her eyes, wiped them on her sleeve and beamed up at Serena. "You saved Chespie! I'm so, so sorry I got mad at you before. I just, I was so scared for Chespie, and I...I—"

Serena smiled. "It's all right, I understand. I was like you once, and my Swablu was in bad shape. It was up to me to be brave for him, just like you were brave for Chespie. You were just concerned about him, right?"

Mairin seemed to latch onto that and composed herself a little. "Yeah, that's right."

Grace put a hand on Serena's shoulder and squeezed, a silent encouragement.

"Oh," Mairin said. "I'm real sorry about your hands, Serena. Do they hurt?"

"I'll be all right, don't worry. I'm just glad I could help. You know, Alain was the one who asked me to come and meet you today."

Mairin blinked warily. "He did?" She eyed Alain behind Serena.

"That's right. He knew we'd be fast friends. Want to know why?"

Mairin's eyes were wide and curious in the way only a child can manage. "Why?"

"Because he loves us both very much. You know, like a big brother." Serena ruffled Mairin's bangs with her bandaged fingers. "And that kind of makes us sisters, don't you think?"

Mairin blushed and looked at her feet. "I guess..."

"And sisters look out for each other," Serena continued. "Like I helped you with Chespie."

"Thank you!" Mairin said quickly, embarrassed that she'd forgotten to say thank you. "What you did... I mean, I dunno what it was, but you save Chespie. Thank you so much."

"Don't thank me," Serena said. "Thank Alain. I wouldn't be here if he hadn't saved me from some people who were keeping me far away."

"...He did?"

"Oh yeah, he and Mega Charizard. You know Mega Charizard, right?"

Mairin smiled a little. "Yeah, I know him. He's black and blue and this tall." She reached up with her hand as high as she could. "Even taller than that! Alain 'n me used to Fly around on his back, it was the best."

Serena laughed. "I bet it was. You know, I bet if you asked, Alain and Mega Charizard would Fly with you again anywhere you wanted to go. How does that sound?"

Mairin was silent for a moment. "Did... Did Alain really bring you here to save Chespie?"

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" Serena stepped aside so that she was no longer in between Mairin and Alain.

Mairin took a deep breath as she braced herself to talk to Alain directly. He looked at her, but he dared not approach.

"Well?" Mairin asked.

"I was part of the group who saved Serena," Alain said. "But before that, I had to be saved, first."

"Why? Were you in trouble?" Mairin's concern betrayed her resentment, just a little.

"I was," Alain said. "I made a big mistake. I left someone behind who I care about a lot because I was selfish, and she and her Pokémon got hurt because of it."

Mairin made a face. She knew he was talking about her.

"I wasn't strong enough to fix it back then, but I met someone who helped me get stronger," Alain went on. "It's because of her that I was able to help Serena. And now, if you'll let me, I'd like to help you, too."

"How?" Mairin demanded. "Chespie's okay because of Serena. You can't just pretend like it never happened. I was here; I saw it. You left."

Her words hurt Alain more than he let on, and he sank to one knee. "You're right. I left you and Chespie because I was weak. I was weak and selfish and afraid. I did this, you were right. I'm glad Chespie's okay now, but I also know that it doesn't change what I did. All I can say is how sorry I am, Mairin. I don't deserve your forgiveness, but you deserve my apology. So...you can hate me. I would hate me, too. That's okay. I'm strong enough to live with that now. It won't ever change how I feel about you. I just wanted you to know that."

Mairin said nothing, and Alain got up. Sycamore nodded to him, and together they began to leave. Serena and Grace exchanged a look, unsure what to do, but Mairin went after Alain before he could leave and threw her arms around his waist.

"Wait! Alain, wait, don't leave again," she pleaded with him, her big brown eyes wet with tears. "I'm sorry I said that. I don't hate you, I don't! Chespie's okay and it wasn't your fault that he went to sleep for so long, so please! Don't leave again..."

Alain kneeled down and held her by the shoulders. "I won't leave you again, Mairin, I promise. I'm so sorry."

She laughed through her sobbing and hugged him tight about the neck, and he held her close. Klefki and Chespin looked on, unsure what all the hollering and hugging was about but wanting to be a part of the attention. Klefki jingled about Serena, hoping she might give him a hug.

"Mom?" Serena asked when she saw Grace dabbing tears from her eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Just remembering." She smiled at Serena.

Serena had the sudden urge to take her mother's hand, and so she did. Grace kissed the bandages wrapped around her hand and looped an arm around Serena's shoulders. Serena leaned into Grace's side and smiled to herself. They had all fought and suffered to get here, but it was worth it, so worth it.

---

Alain set off for Shalour City with Mairin and Chespin not long after. Without a home of her own, Mairin had no one in the world but him, and he was happy to look after her. This time, he wouldn't leave the people he cared about behind when they needed him most. Serena was sad to see them go, but it wasn't goodbye, not truly. She would see Alain again soon, she was sure of it. He wasn't running anymore.

Sycamore was curious about what had been the matter with Chespin, and he all but accosted Serena for answers when they returned to the safety of his lab just outside the city and took tea on the terrace where Rhydon and Altaria were currently relaxing by the pond. She explained the odd wormy heartstrings she'd seen, thicker than anything she'd ever seen before, and described how they seemed to suffocate Chespin.

"And these weren't Chespie's heartstrings?" Sycamore asked.

"Definitely not. Chespie's are bright green, like most Grass-type Pokémon's. These were dark red, like Dragonsblood almost, and kind of smoky. It was like..."

"Yes?"

"Like...they were feeding on Chespie's heartstrings or something."

Sycamore thought about that. "Like a parasite? Can heartstrings do that?"

Serena was about to say no, but she hesitated.

"Serena?" Sycamore asked. "What are you thinking?"

"The Mega Stones," she said. "Laevus implanted them in his body."

"Yes, I heard the whole story from you and the others when you got back here."

"Well, with Laevus, it was like the Mega Stones had their own heartstrings, all different colors. And when he implanted them and fed them my blood, they seemed to, I don't know... It was like they were poisoning him."

"Poisoning," Sycamore said. "Or perhaps consuming him?"

Serena nodded. "Maybe. But that was a completely different situation. And it didn't look quite like what was happening to Chespie."

Sycamore sighed. "I'm afraid without knowing what exactly caused Chespie to fall into a coma, the answer may elude us. I don't suppose Lysandre will be so gracious as to give me unfettered access to his lab to get the answers myself, either."

Serena frowned. "Professor, that reminds me. There was something else. It's about Lysandre. You said he was a skuff."

"Yes, that's right."

"What kind of skuff is he?"

"Oh, well that's... You know, I'm actually not sure. I've never asked, and he's never volunteered that information. Not that he would. We're not, ah, on the best of terms, as you saw." Sycamore smiled sheepishly.

"But you're sure he's a skuff?" Serena pressed.

Sycamore looked at her. "Now that you're asking, maybe I'm not so sure. I was under the impression that your synesthesia could detect a skuff's heartstrings and discern his identity."

"I can, and I'm pretty sure he's a skuff, but..."

"But?"

Serena looked around, but there was no one on the terrace but them. Altaria lifted his head and peered at Serena and cooed, fluffing his ample snowy plumage.

"Professor," she started. "You told me skuffs can't be made, only born just like most Tamers. Except that Mediums, Reapers, and Magi are all made."

"That's right," Sycamore said, leaning over his knees as his curiosity was piqued.

"Well, what if I said I thought Lysandre was a Magus skuff?"

"You think Lysandre has Magus blood? You saw that in his heartstrings?"

"I saw what should've been a skuff, but his color... It was like mine. How can that be?"

Sycamore laced his fingers together and thought about that. "But that's just so unlikely... No, but he did say... What're the odds?"

He was mumbling to himself, and Serena waited for him to finish, knowing from experience that interrupting him would not speed up the process. Finally, he turned to her once more.

"Serena, do you know about Liminals?" he said suddenly.

"What?"

"Liminality, you know, occupying two sides of a threshold. Here, observe." He got up and spread his feet so that he was standing with one foot on each side of a crack in the tile. "Now I'm in two places at once. Or, I exist in two parallel universes, here and there. Do you understand the concept?"

"I think so?"

Sycamore smiled. "Fabulous! Now, you're right about skuffs; they can only be born. Which means they're the product of genetics. Ergo, there are no Medium, Magus, or Reaper skuffs because those Tamers, like yourself, were all once genetically plebs before they were turned. But! Imagine this. You grow up and have a daughter of your own. She would not be a Magus because, as you know, Magi are made, so you can't pass down your Tamer abilities through genetics. Now, let's say you were to marry a Tamer, perhaps Calem. He's a Steel Adamantine."

"Um..."

"Normally, the mother's Tamer abilities trump the father's. But since you're a Magus, the rule doesn't apply, so any child you have with Calem would be an Adamantine, or perhaps an Adamantine skuff. Your Magus blood ends with you."

Serena decided not to argue with his example. There was no stopping him when he was on a roll.

"But! Let's suppose you were to marry a pleb man. What happens then? Well, your children would not be Magi because of the rule, as you know. But neither would they be skuffs. They might, however, be Liminals."

Serena's blank stare communicated plainly that she still did not know what a Liminal was. Sycamore was undeterred and pointed at his feet.

"This is you." He indicated his left foot. "And this is your hypothetical pleb husband and father of your children." He pointed to his right foot. "And this," he said, tracing the crack in the tile, "is the liminal rift in the universe. Neither left nor right, but in between. Not Tamer, not skuff, not pleb, but—"

"—a Liminal," Serena said.

"Yes! Yes, that's exactly right!" Sycamore's prayer beads rattled on his wrists as he began to pace. "Now, let me be clear. There are very few Mediums in the world and only one Magus." He bowed slightly to her. "There are more Reapers, true, but many of them fall victim to other Reapers hoping to cannibalize them to extend their own lives—"

Serena paled. "Wait, what?"

"—so you can understand that they're also quite scarce, all things considered. With such a small test pool, you see how research in this area is nearly nonexistent. BUT!"

Rhydon woke up all of a sudden and growled at Sycamore.

"But?" Serena said.

"One person has undertaken some fascinating research into the existence of Liminals in the past several years. Professor Kukui, a colleague of mine in Alola, has studied Tamers and their abilities, and he claims he encountered a Medium Liminal descended from a long line of ancient Alolan kings, some of whom were actual Mediums. Of course, Liminals may not know they're Liminals because there's really not much outward indication, at least that we know of, which is because not many Liminals have been confirmed and we have limited information..."

He was babbling nonsensically again. Serena decided to intervene this time. "Professor, are you trying to say that Lysandre might be one of these Liminals?"

"Yes, precisely!" Sycamore said. "That's exactly what I mean. We have no way of telling with our current level of technology, but you! You, Serena, you're like a walking metal detector for Tamers and skuffs, and now even Liminals! You can see their heartstrings. That's something even Mediums can't do. It's amazing!"

"But how can Lysandre be a Magus Liminal? I thought the Magi died out centuries ago?"

"They did. But Professor Kukui believes that Liminals can pass along their status over generations. So in theory, if any of Lysandre's ancestors were Magi, then it explains why he could be a Liminal. Actually, Lysandre's ancestors were the House of Fleur-de-Lis."

"You mean the old kings of Kalos? But I thought the last king reigned 3,000 years ago in the Great Kalosian Wars. Nobody knows what happened to him, not even how or when he died."

Sycamore smiled. "Yes, but he had a family whose genealogy was quite diligently chronicled by Professor Carolina, a great historian from Celestic Town. She came here years ago to interview Lysandre for the genealogical study. Now, of course this isn't detailed in the genealogy, but from what little evidence remains to us today about the Great Kalosian War and the history of Tamers, I suspect that that king may have been one of the first Magi, created by Xerneas just like you were."

Serena's head swam. "So...Lysandre's descended from this king, this first Magus, and that's why he's a Liminal?"

Sycamore shrugged. "You tell me. You're the one who saw his heartstrings."

That must be it, Serena thought. I know what I saw.

"Klefki saw it, too," she said. "He has to be a Liminal."

"Well, that really puts me in a difficult position. I can't very well tell him without also telling him about how I know." Sycamore shook his head forlornly. "Ah, how cruel this world is to give me a Magus Liminal right here to observe and study, but to also make him the leader of a dubious international conglomerate possibly engaged in rampant illegal activity. I must be cursed!"

Serena got up. "You're not cursed, Professor. And you've still got me. I might not be a Liminal, but I'm a real Magus and I've got a Mega Altaria you're welcome to study as much as you like."

Sycamore completely forgot about Lysandre for a moment as he nearly wept at the thought of Mega Altaria. "Sweet Serena, you spoil me. But on a more serious note, if this is all true about Lysandre and about Chespie, then I think we need to be very careful with Team Flare. Gym Leader Clemont won't budge without any hard evidence, which we don't have." He put up his hand when Serena started to protest. "And no, I'm sorry, but I won't reveal your true identity to anyone, not even the Gym Leader. I won't risk another incident like what happened with Malva and Laevus, and neither should you. There are a lot of people who would be very upset if anything ever happened to you again."

Serena bit her lip. "I know. But I want to help. There has to be something I can do."

Sycamore smiled. "There is. You can go home and enjoy the time you have with the people you love. They worked very hard to see you safely home, and the world will still be here tomorrow in need of saving."

"Well, what're you going to do?"

"For now? Nothing. But I'll keep an eye on Lysandre and his Team Flare. Sooner or later, I imagine he won't be content to let things lie, especially not after the fiasco in the White Mountains with Malva and Laevus. The battle may be over, but wars are not won in a day. We all have to do our parts to be ready. Just not today."

So Serena returned to Vaniville Town with Grace, who actually seemed to enjoy riding on Mega Altaria all the way there. So much had changed about Grace in their time apart. Or maybe Grace had always been this way, this complex, emotional, passionate, incredibly courageous woman who could be a hero for her daughter when she needed it most. Maybe nothing had changed, and Serena was simply seeing it true for the first time. Their house was the same as it had been with its red door, picket fence, and the garden around the back. But when Serena went inside after all this time away, when she saw the pictures on the walls, when she smelled the citrus cleaner and grass, when she heard Fletchling tweeting happily as he flew around the living room, everything changed. She dropped her backpack, ran her hands over the kitchen counter, the sofa, the window panes overlooking the garden, and she could not help the tears that filled her eyes.

For the first time since she ran away all those years ago and lost more than her life in the forest, she felt like she had finally come home.

Grace was also smiling through her tears as she watched Serena take it all in, and Serena went to her. They embraced and stood there for a little while, simply holding onto each other in silence. Words were not necessary, and Serena let herself feel this moment as she never had before.

"Welcome home, Serena," Grace whispered.

"I missed you, Mom," Serena said.

They fell back into a semblance of their old routine: morning grocery shopping, gardening, walks around town and in the woods, cooking in the evening, a little bit of television. But they did them together. Serena wanted to learn how to make her grandmother's chiffon pie, a secret family recipe, and it took a few tries to get the hang of it, but Grace was patient and they had plenty of pie to share as Grace talked about the first time she'd tried to make the pie, which was a complete disaster. Grace would join Serena in the garden, it needed weeding, and she'd always wanted to grow roses. Serena didn't know much about roses, so they learned together.

It wasn't perfect, but few relationships ever are. The lingering looks, the questions that no one voiced aloud, the hesitation before engaging in conversation—they were not gone, but they were no longer tacitly accepted. And trying became easier, so easy that neither of them really thought about it anymore and simply lived.

"There's something I want to show you," Serena said one morning as she led Grace into the garden.

"Oh no, did Mrs. Petunia's Deerling get into the yard again? I told her to keep an eye on him," Grace said.

Serena smiled. "No, nothing like that. You'll like this. Come and see."

They went into the garden and kneeled down by the rose bush they'd planted. Blue winter roses were in full bloom this time of year, and a delicate film of ice coated their sapphire petals. But it was not the beautiful flowers Serena had in mind.

"Look there, see?" She indicated the roses. "It's okay, don't be shy."

"Shy?" Grace said.

"Oh, not you, them."

The way Grace's face morphed from passing curiosity to pure wonderment was magical. Tiny Flabébé nested in the rose bush, huddling among the fleshy petals for warmth and sustenance. But it was a slightly larger version of the delicate Fairies that concerned Serena, for she was poking her head out of the leaves above and peering down at Grace.

"Fairies?" Grace said. "But they're so small."

"They're babies. Flabébé," Serena explained. "They evolve into Floette after a full cycle of seasons, and then they leave on the wind."

"They've been here all this time?"

Serena nodded.

"They're...kind of cute." Grace smiled as a Flabébé poked her little head out of the petals and blinked up at her. "Hello..."

Floette above clutched her winter rose like a lady clutching a parasol and bravely floated down, her curiosity piqued. She landed on Grace's head as delicately as a snowflake, and Grace didn't notice. Serena tried not to laugh.

"What is it?" Grace said.

"Um, don't freak out, okay?"

Grace gave her a pointed look. "When do I ever 'freak out'?"

"Well..."

Grace stood up to her full height, but she jostled Floette, and the little Fairy floated off her head and had to grasp at the rose bush leaves to keep from falling. Grace gasped and shook her fingers through her hair. Serena burst out laughing.

"What the—!" Grace said.

"No, Mom, it's okay! That's Floette. She was just curious about you," Serena said. "See? Come on, Floette."

Floette was about as tall as Serena's forearm was long, and she peeked at Grace from the safety of the rose bush.

"Hey, I think she likes you," Serena said. "Go on, say hi!"

Grace swallowed hard and composed herself. She'd faced things a lot bigger and scarier than this dainty little flower Fairy, and she was not about to chicken out now. She held out her hand, and Floette leaned over her fingers. Her blue rose shook as she moved and shed Fairy dust.

"It's cold," Grace said.

"Well, it's winter and she's been outside."

"Are they cold out here? I mean, should we bring them inside or something?"

Serena gave her a funny look. "You want to bring the rose bush and all the Flabébé inside?"

"Well, maybe just this one."

"Floette."

"Right, Floette. Oh!"

Floette hopped onto Grace's hand and hovered over her palm. She twirled her flower like she was dancing to her own music.

"Uh-oh," Serena said.

"What, uh-oh?" Grace said, worried.

"If she likes you, she'll take you away into the forest to be a hermit for the rest of your life."

"That's..."

Serena burst out laughing. "I'm kidding! She's a Fairy, not some creepy Ghost!"

"That wasn't funny."

Serena bit her lip to hide her grin. "Well, I'm cold. I'm going back inside with Sylveon where it's nice and warm."

"All right."

Grace lingered outside a moment longer as Floette traveled up her arm and danced on her shoulder. She smiled a little and talked to Floette, wondering if she was cold, what did she eat, and why had Grace never noticed the horde of tiny Fairies living in the garden? Serena watched from the living room, where Sylveon was meowing like a spoiled kitten wanting a belly rub. She obliged him.

"I wonder if I should tell her that Floette's just adopted her?" Serena wondered aloud.

Sylveon purred.

"I guess she'll figure it out."

Floette stayed, and she came inside, too. She followed Grace around everywhere and never backed down to the loud and proud Fletchling, who now found himself having to share his mistress with someone other than Rhyhorn. Sylveon tried to eat Floette at one point, however, and Fletchling was so mad that he chased Sylveon around the house like a Dragon on a rampage. That was when Grace decided she would properly catch Floette and learn how to train her. There was no way she would ever be helpless if another Malva showed up one day looking for a fight. Who better to help her learn than a bona fide Magus who also happened to be her daughter?

Calem visited not long after Serena and Grace returned to Vaniville Town. He'd spent some time at home with his parents, who were equal parts horrified and proud concerning everything Calem had done and what had been done to him in his quest to find Serena. Serena was ecstatic to see him and to finally spend some time together, just the two of them. Grace was also very happy to have Calem staying with them, and Serena discovered that so much had changed in her time away.

"So, you and my mom are besties now, huh?" she teased him as they walked along a trail at the edge of the woods.

"I've been told I'm popular with older women," Calem said.

Serena laughed and shoved him playfully. Aegislash, who was back to her old self with a mended shield, opened her single jeweled eye and looked around from her perch strapped to Calem's back, and Klefki did his usual jingle as he floated along in between Calem and Serena.

"Hey, thanks for looking out for her," Serena said once she'd collected herself. "She told me all about it, how you fought Malva and then at the base in the White Mountains. She said you were amazing."

Calem averted his gaze. "I guess."

His silver heartstrings were coiled tight, guarded, nervous.

"Hey," Serena said, stopping. "Calem."

He stopped. "Yeah?"

"It's me," she said. "I'm still me. And you're still you. I know a lot happened, but it hasn't changed how I feel about you. You know that, right?"

She touched his sleeve and ran her fingers lightly down it, tracing the deep scars Malva had left on him. Grace had told her about that, too, and about how he'd learned to fight through the disability all to save her, anyway.

"I..." Calem said, searching for the words.

"Is everything okay?" she asked, now a little concerned. She'd never seen him so anxious. "You can talk to me, you know."

He looked at her, debating. "I don't know, Serena."

"Well, now you have to tell me, or I'll suffer in suspense. Is something wrong?"

Klefki tinkled in between them, swaying lightly, content just to be here with the two of them after so long. Calem looked like he was gearing up for something.

"I don't want to lose you," he said.

"Hey." She took his hands and smiled. "You're my best friend; you'll never lose me. In fact, good luck trying to get rid of me."

He didn't return her smile, and she began to grow a little nervous.

"Calem?"

"Okay," he said, his voice dry. "If you really want to know."

"I do. Please."

"I... I mean, I'm... What I mean is, we've known each other for a long time..." he stammered.

"Yeah?"

"What I'm trying to say is..."

When he didn't elaborate, Serena said, "Calem, just tell me."

"I... I love you," he said.

"Yeah, I love you, too," Serena said.

He took a steadying breath. "No, that's... I mean, I'm in love with you. Like, for years. I didn't want to say anything because I didn't think you felt the same way, and I didn't want to pressure you or something. But then all this happened, and I thought I'd lost you forever, and then Alain was back and I know you guys're close, and it was just all fucked up. I fucked up, I should've stopped Malva, and I never told you how I felt, and god, I was actually jealous of that guy for no reason..."

Serena let him ramble himself into a pregnant silence.

"You're not saying anything," he said, pulling away. "See, I knew it. I knew I'd ruin it if I told you. Serena, listen, you have to believe me. I would rather be your friend than lose you because of this stupid crush, okay, I promise. I'll take it all back, okay? I take it back, so you don't have to worry or feel awkward or anything."

She smiled.

"You're... You're smiling. I mean, are you gonna say anything?" Calem said, exasperated. "Please say something."

"I already told you, I love you, too," she said.

"Yeah... Right, but you don't mean it the way I mean it."

"Don't I?"

He stared at her, confused and growing progressively redder in the face. His heartstrings were swirling about him wildly now, and Klefki was so excited that he began orbiting around Calem's shoulders to ride their current.

"I mean...do you?" he asked.

Serena laughed and closed the distance between them. She pressed her lips to his and threw her arms around his neck. Calem was so surprised that he gasped, and Serena dug her fingers into his thick black hair under his beanie.

"I've been waiting for you to finally say something," she said against him.

Calem stared at her open-mouthed and red in the face. "You knew?"

"I can see your heartstrings," she said, tracing them with her fingers. "Heartstrings, as in, from the heart. I knew before you did."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Emotions are personal," she said. "You weren't ready to accept them, and it wouldn't have been right to push you. I knew how I felt about you for a long time, but I wanted to wait until you were sure, too."

"So you're telling me we could've made out, like, a year ago? Two years? And you didn't tell me?" Calem said.

Serena laughed again and hugged him closer. This time he returned her embrace and gripped the back of her jacket. "You're such a dork."

"But you love me," he said, holding her close.

"Yeah, I do."

"Tell me again." He ran his hand under her jacket and pressed his palm to the small of her back.

"I love you, dork," she said.

He kissed her back, and she smiled into it. He lifted her off the ground like she weighed nothing and twirled her around, and soon they were laughing until their cheeks hurt.

"So, Calem, what will you do now?" Grace asked later that night when they were finishing up dinner. "I'm sure your parents are happy to have you back."

"They are," Calem said. "I'll stay in Lumiose for a little bit with them, but there's something I've been thinking about doing, now that you mention it."

"Oh, really? What's that?"

"I don't know if you remember, but the last time I was here before, well, you know..." He trailed off awkwardly. "I mentioned that I'd always wanted to meet Steven Stone."

"That Steel Adamantine, I remember. From Hoenn?" Grace said.

Calem looked surprised. "Yeah, that's right. He's the Champion of Hoenn."

"Well, I imagine he must be in Hoenn, then," Grace said. "That's pretty far away from here."

"Yeah, I know. But Alain said he met him a while back, and it got me thinking. I could really learn a lot from him. I mean, a lot's happened and Aegislash and I have come a long way, but I know I'm nowhere near where I want to be after... So, I thought, I don't know, maybe I'll see if he's taking on students or something. I know it's a long shot..."

Grace smiled. "I think it's a great idea, Calem."

"You do?"

"If it's what you really want to do, then do it. This Steven Stone may have a fancy title, but I doubt he's ever fought an army of Mega Pokémon. Maybe you could teach him a thing or two."

Floette was still shy around Calem, but she peeked out from behind Grace's elbow and stared at him, and Grace scooped her up in her palm.

"I think it's a great idea, too," Serena said. "When do we leave?"

"We?" Grace and Calem said together.

"Yeah, duh," Serena said. "Unless you don't want me to come?"

"N-No, of course I want you to come!" Calem said. "I just thought you'd want to stay here after everything... You'd really come with me?"

"I thought you didn't want to lose me," Serena said. "So don't. I want to go."

"Then you should go," Grace said. "Both of you."

Serena looked at Grace. "Mom?"

"I know you, Serena. You want adventure and to see the world, you always have ever since you came back from the woods that night. And I'm done trying to stand in the way of that. Maybe if you go out there and meet this Steven Stone or whoever else, you'll find out more about yourself and who you want to be. But whatever you decide to become, you'll be great. You're my daughter, after all. I only want you to be happy."

"Mom, I...don't know what to say."

"Say you'll write to me."

Serena nodded. "All the time."

"And say you'll train your Pokémon and get stronger. I'm going to do the same with Floette and the others while you're gone. Trevor and I can be students together," Grace said. "Rhyhorn might not be too thrilled about it, but he's a Pokémon, after all. If I can learn, so can he."

Serena could never had imagined in her wildest dreams that Grace would support her in this way. She was the same woman who had been convinced that Serena had to follow in her footsteps as a Rhyhorn racer for so many years, the same Grace who had been afraid of her own daughter, who had looked at Serena like she didn't even know her.

I was so wrong about her, Serena realized. I was wrong about so much.

"Thanks, Mom," she said, taking Grace's hand in hers. "I won't let you down."

"I know you won't, sweetie. And neither will you, Calem."

They set sail a few weeks after that out of Cyllage City. Sycamore, Calem's parents, Grace, and even Trevor and his family showed up to see them off. Trevor had a plump Pikachu with him that Sycamore had helped him catch, and he was living up to his promise to learn how to be a great Pokémon trainer one day. Parting was bittersweet as Serena said her goodbyes to everyone, but somewhere across the sea lay new adventures just waiting for her. And maybe somewhere along the way, she'd even meet another Magus. Who knew? If Xerneas had chosen her, who was to say it hadn't chosen others, too?

But even if she was the last Magus, she was not alone. Calem took her hand in his, and Kelfki jingled happily, his newest golden key shining in the morning sunlight. Darumaka pawed at her pant leg, wanting to be picked up, so Serena scooped him up and set him on the deck railing as she and Calem waved goodbye to their friends and families and the ship pulled out of the dock.

"Are you nervous?" she asked Calem. "They say you should never meet your heroes."

"A little," Calem admitted. "But they also say it's the journey that counts, not the destination."

Serena grinned. "Then here's to the journey." She kissed his cheek.

"Yeah," Calem said, pulling her close by her waist. "Here's to a new journey with you."

Serena laughed as he kissed her and ran his fingers through her long honey hair.

---

The moon and stars were bright over the Shalour Bay as Alain sipped a cold beer and lay next to Korrina on a recliner on the porch. Tyrantrum was chewing on his dinner, some mangled remains of a Tauros he'd run down earlier in the day and dragged all the way here through part of Shalour City, much to the townspeople's shock and horror. There was really no getting used to the enormous dino-Dragon, Alain supposed. Charizard and Korrina's Blaziken were not winning any awards for best friends of the year, but they were blessedly docile as they sat just a few feet apart around the smoldering remains of a beach bonfire that had been erected in honor of Korrina's and Alain's returns to the Gym in one piece. They'd had a barbecue, and Mairin, who had decided to reconcile and stick with Alain after all, had been dazzled by all the festivities. She was a hit with the Gym trainers, especially Gurkinn, who doted on her like a grandfather. Mairin had declared that she wanted Chespin to train with the Bellators here at the Gym, just like Alain and Charizard had, and one day maybe Chespin would evolve and become a Chesnaught so he could fight like the best of them. It was good for her to have such big dreams, and Alain had not realized how much he missed having her around. She always seemed to see the best in things, the best in him.

"So, how long can I expect to keep you here this time?" Korrina said as she shifted in his arms under the blanket they shared. It was late, well past midnight, and most people had gone to bed except for the two of them.

Alain considered a moment. "I've been wandering a long time, most of my life," he said. "So I thought maybe...I'll stay here."

Korrina sat up and took his beer away. "What?"

"Mairin likes it here, and I guess I could be persuaded to stay with a little incentive..."

His smile betrayed him, and Korrina shoved him lightly. "Ass. You better stay."

"If you and Gurkinn'll have me," he said. "I told Professor Sycamore I'd go back to doing field work for him, but I could use a home base in between missions."

Korrina kissed him lightly. "Of course we'll have you."

They lay together a while longer enjoying the cool night and each other. It was hard to believe everything they had gone through lately, and even harder to believe they'd made it out alive and together. Maybe things were looking up, just a little.

"There's still Team Flare and Lysandre," Korrina said. "They were never implicated in what happened to Trevor and Serena. Are you okay with that?"

"No," Alain admitted. "But that's tomorrow's fight. Right now, I just want to lie here drinking a beer with you and watch the stars."

Korrina laughed. "The stars? I thought we were watching Tyrantrum get his Jurassic Park on with that, uh, whatever he's eating."

"You know, I'm basically desensitized to his eating habits now. What does that say about me?"

Korrina got up to get them fresh beers after a while, and Alain was lost in thought. No matter how much time passed, he could not stop thinking about Malva and their battle, or about how Serena had put a stop to it. Malva had escaped in the end because of Serena, and she was probably still out there now. Sycamore had told him that Gym Leader Clemont had personally led a manhunt for her when there was a rumor that she'd returned to Lumiose City, but so far the manhunt had turned up no sign of her. The rumors said she'd had help escaping from a powerful Syreni, but no one knew who he was or how he knew Malva. Just another pawn in her arsenal, Alain figured.

"If you keep frowning like that, people will think you're constipated," Korrina said when she noticed him deep in his troubled thoughts.

Alain didn't respond to her teasing and instead said, "I was just thinking about Malva."

"Want to talk about it?" she said.

He shook his head, thinking. "It's just something Serena said to me about her. Remember I told you Serena stopped our fight?"

"Yeah, she broke your Titan control. Who knew a Magus had that kind of power? No wonder your kind was so afraid of them back in the day," Korrina said.

"Yeah. But Serena said she let Malva go because she was a good person. And the last thing Malva said to her was an apology. I don't know, I just can't stop thinking about it. Like, maybe I'm missing something. She was so angry about Laevus, really defensive, and then Serena..."

There was no way Malva was a good person, no matter what Serena said. Intentions could not absolve actions taken, and the fact was that Malva had kidnapped Serena and Trevor, left Calem horribly disfigured, and committed many and more atrocities in her time. And yet, Serena had always had a knack for seeing the truth in people, not just because of her Magus abilities, but because it was in her nature. Some people simply took the time to listen to others, to see through their eyes when everybody else was too impatient or self-absorbed or indifferent even to try. When it came to Malva, how could what Alain knew and what Serena knew ever be reconciled?

"You said she used to have a Mega Houndoom, right?" Korrina said. "And he died the last time you fought her?"

"Yeah," Alain said. "Why?"

Korrina was pensive as she thought about her words. "I've been thinking about that a lot lately after what happened to Lucario."

Alain cringed. Idiot, of course that was what Korrina was thinking about. She hadn't talked about Lucario much since he'd died, but Alain could tell that a piece of Korrina had died with him in that cave. He could not imagine what it would be like to feel Mega Charizard's life slip away as though it was his own life, helpless to stop it. Alain ran his fingers through Korrina's loose blonde hair lightly.

"Korrina, I'm so sorry," he said, contrite.

She was eerily calm. "I felt him go," she said softly. "Like it was me dying, but I was watching it happen, like an out of body experience. And all I could think about was that it should've been me. He wasn't supposed to be alone; that's not how Mega Evolution works. It's supposed to be two souls bonded as one, in life and in death."

Alain had no words. Nothing he could say would ever make it right. He kissed her temple and let her collect her thoughts and feelings.

"And then I realized what happened," Korrina said, fighting the hitch in her voice. "Lucario broke our bond so he wouldn't drag me down with him. He made a choice to save my life at the expense of his own. And then I thought, maybe Houndoom made the same choice for Malva."

"No way, not Malva. You weren't there. I remember how she smiled at me even as Houndoom was dying, like she knew it wouldn't be the end," Alain argued.

"Is it really so hard to believe that Malva felt for Houndoom what I felt for Lucario? What you feel for Charizard? I don't know, but maybe what Serena saw in her was real. Maybe there's more to it than we know. Mega Evolution... It's not a bond you can just throw away or squander, no matter who you are. Even if you're someone like Malva."

Alain wondered about that. Malva's apology to Serena haunted his dreams, just as her cruel smile when they last fought used to. Were they really the same person? Maybe even Malva herself didn't know.

"If I ever see her again, I'll ask her," he said.

"You think she's really still lost out there somewhere?"

Maybe Malva was trying to figure it out, wherever she was. Serena had given her a second chance, just as Korrina had given him his.

"Not lost, no," Alain said. "Just...wandering."

Korrina lay back against his chest, and he held her close against him. He took a drink and stared up at the stars, stars that maybe right now, somewhere in the world, Malva was looking at, too. A wanderer, like he had once been, searching for something real to hold on to.

---

The excavation took weeks, and the weather exacerbated the timeline. The lead structural engineer on the excavation team had informed Lysandre that a full excavation of the White Mountains base would take months; it would be best to wait for spring, when the storms subsided. But Lysandre pushed ahead with the project. Access to even a portion of the base could get him the answers he so desperately needed.

Part of the subterranean lab had been cleared, and Lysandre, dressed warmly in red and white mountaineering gear, made his way carefully over the rubble with Pyroar in tow to lend his glow to the dark cavern. The excavation team had Onix and Excadrill working to clear the collapsed base, and he could hear them working deeper underground. Pyroar snarled at the sounds they made and stalked silently beside Lysandre, alert to danger.

A child-like woman in a cutesy red and black snow suit, slicked orange hair, and a special eye scope was scanning the ground. When she spoke, her cold monotone betrayed her Lolita-inspired appearance. "No traces of the Mega Stone shards Laevus stole," she reported as she continued to scan the rubble.

That was not the report Lysandre wanted to hear. "Keep searching, Aliana. I must recover all seven of them before those fools in Snowbelle decide to start sniffing around."

"Understood," Aliana said.

She had a Mightyena with her nose to the ground, too, sniffing around for anything out of the ordinary. Pyroar's steely blue eyes followed her closely, as though waiting for an opportunity to sink his jaws into the big black canine. With Laevus defected and likely dead somewhere beneath all this rubble, Aliana was one of Lysandre's most qualified scientists working with the monolith and Mega Stones, despite appearances. She was ruthless in her pursuit of the truth and had flexible ethics when it came to scientific progress. She was perfect for her job, and Lysandre was counting on her not to fuck up when so much was riding on the line.

"Sir, I need to brief you on our progress with Project Z," Aliana said as they wandered slowly deeper into the cavern. "I would prefer to do so now instead of later to save time. Is this agreeable to you?"

"Fine," Lysandre said.

"Understood. As you know, Mairin's Chespin is no longer under our care."

"I'm aware," Lysandre said. "He woke up, as I understand it."

"Yes, but I find it very unlikely that he woke up on his own. He was poisoned by the Z2 Core. The reaction was similar to when we experimented with the Z2 Core and the monolith. The four scientists who were handling the experiment were poisoned, and two have already died."

"What's your point?" Lysandre said.

"That for that Chespin to wake up is an anomaly, a scientific impossibility."

"You're saying you think something was done to him to wake him up? The girl Mairin was a thrall, a nobody. She couldn't have done a thing to help him."

"Then someone else who had contact with the Chespin," Alaina reasoned. "I understand that Alain returned for Mairin."

"Alain is a nothing but an uncultured brute with an ego the size of the monolith itself," Lysandre said.

"It must have been someone."

Lysandre thought about that. "And if it was, what are you suggesting?"

"That whoever or whatever cured Chespin of the poisoning could be useful in our experiments with the Z2 Core and the monolith. And if not, then we have an interest in eliminating the threat to the project."

Lysandre chuckled. That was what he liked about Aliana. There was never any bullshit with her; she simply got to the point and stuck it in you without hesitation. And she made a compelling case.

"I'll look into it when we return to Lumiose City," Lysandre said. "If Project Z is in any danger of being compromised, I want whoever's responsible silenced as soon as possible."

"Understood."

Mightyena had stopped and begun to circle around a patch of rubble, and Aliana scanned the spot with her scope.

"What is it?" Lysandre said. "One of the Mega Stones Laevus stole?"

"No, sir, I'm not getting any readings," Aliana said. "But it might be a body."

"Dig it up."

Mightyena began to claw at the rubble furiously while Pyroar watched, uninterested in soiling his regal paws like some dog. But as Mightyena dug the hole deeper, Pyroar caught a stench of something putrid and bared his teeth in a snarl. Mightyena must have smelled the same offending odor and snapped at the small hole she'd dug. Lysandre swore and got down on one knee to clear the rubble himself. Aliana could not be bothered to soil her designer snow suit.

Lysandre did not have long to dig when something black poked through the rubble. At first he did not recognize it for what it was, and the smell was so rotten and rancid that he flinched. Even Pyroar did not dare to get too close.

"What is that?" Aliana asked.

Lysandre covered his mouth and nose with a hand. "A human hand," he said. "Or, what used to be."

"That's not frostbite," Aliana said, removing her scanner to look directly at the exposed flesh. Ever the curious scientist, she produced a scalpel and an airtight plastic tube, cut into the flesh, and took a sample. She was visibly surprised to find that it bled, thick and black and oozing as though the person it belonged to had died only very recently.

"That's abnormal," she said. "The blood should have frozen. At the very least, after so many weeks buried, the body should not bleed like this."

Lysandre grew suspicious. "I want it dug up."

And so, a couple hours later, the excavation team rerouted some of their bulky Ground-type Pokémon to carefully exhume the body Mightyena had found. While they waited, Aliana did her best to analyze the tissue sample she'd scraped from the corpse using a X-Transceiver computer she carried on her person.

"That's strange," she said.

"What?" Lysandre said.

"The data isn't recognizing the sample I took as human. There must be something wrong with the device." She fiddled with it, but could not find anything ostensibly wrong with it.

"What is it reading as?" Lysandre demanded.

"No, it must be a mistake."

"Aliana, tell me what you've discovered."

Aliana squared her shoulders. "The data seems to think this sample is from Pokémon."

"Which one?"

"Not one," Aliana clarified. "Multiple. I'm getting DNA readings from Lopunny, Pinsir, and Swampert, among others."

Lysandre frowned. "Your X-Transceiver isn't functioning, clearly."

Aliana nodded. "Yes, of course. I'll have the sample analyzed properly when I return to Lumiose City."

By then, the workers had managed to dig out most of the body through careful excavation with the help of a couple Drillbur and Geodude. The body was smashed and mangled beyond recognition due to the cave-in, but Aliana put on her scope to scan it again.

"This is very odd," she said. "I'm not getting any readings, but look here, sir. These appear to be Mega Stones. Here, in the arm. There are three."

Lysandre saw what had caught her eye under the soiled and tattered sleeve of a parka. They were caked in oozing black blood that inexplicably hadn't congealed, and they were black as pitch. Aliana used her tools to remove one of the shards and rinsed the blood off to examine it.

"Aha," she said. "It's faint, but I'm getting a reading now. The corpse was blocking the radiation from it, but this is a Mega Stone. It's been severely damaged."

"Check the rest of the corpse. There were seven stolen from me," Lysandre ordered. "I would wager a guess that this is Laevus. It appears he got what was coming to him."

Even so, Lysandre studied the smashed oozing ruin that had been Laevus's face and had to force himself not to look away. It was a terrible way to go, even for a man such as him.

Aliana managed to recover six of the seven Mega Stones Laevus had stolen, all of which he had embedded in his forearms for reasons unknown. Lysandre ordered the excavation to continue in search of the seventh Mega Stone, but he and Aliana retreated with plans to return to Lumiose City with Laevus's corpse for her and the rest of her team to study.

It was not until several weeks later, when Aliana and her colleagues were in the midst of a full-body autopsy on Laevus's remains, that Lysandre was notified of more artifacts recovered from the collapsed mountain lab. Vials of blood had been locked away in an iron safe and spared a crushing fate. More bodies were discovered, including a few identified as the assault team Lysandre had sent in pursuit of Malva. And finally, a pocket recorder that had been smashed. The tape within, however, had manage to survive intact. Lysandre played it back in the privacy of his office late that night as he sat with Pyroar at his feet in the dark. He recognized Laevus's voice in the grainy recording; the man had been fond of keeping audio diaries, having adored the sound of his own voice. Lysandre listened with disdain, tempted to smash the tape out of spite.

He stole from me and betrayed me. I hope his death was as painful as it was gruesome.

But as Lysandre poured himself a glass of expensive scotch and moved to stand by the hearth, a new entry in Laevus's recordings caught his interest.

"I've injected the Magus blood into my bloodstream. It's been...seventy-four seconds and counting. No reaction so far," the recording said.

Lysandre frowned. Had he heard that right? Did he say 'Magus', as in the extinct Fairy Tamers of old? It must have been a mistake. Laevus had been eccentric, some might even say obsessive.

"My hypothesis may be correct," Laevus's voice continued. "Only a skuff with Tamer's blood can accept the Mega Stone favorably. Now, to test it."

"What?" Lysandre said, crossing the room in a few long strides to stand over the speaker.

Did he just say...?

"I'll test the Mega Stone's power now. Test Subject B47-R, Pinsir. Here I go."

There was a commotion in the background of the recording after a few minutes. Laevus was panting, he sounded afraid. There was another sound, something droning like an engine, or a loud fan. Or wings.

He had a Pinsir. Is it possible...?

Laevus's laughter cut through the static and droning in the recording, hysterical, and the tape cut. Lysandre stood over the speakers, now playing nothing but faint static. The glass he'd been holding was forgotten on the floor, shattered when he dropped it without realizing it.

"No," Lysandre said, barely a whisper. "No, he couldn't have figured out a way..."

Laevus had been brilliant, and he was obsessed with the monolith. A giant Mega Stone. Lysandre's throat was dry as his thoughts raced, and suddenly his feet were carrying him to the elevator that descended all the way to the bowels of the Team Flare headquarters, the secret labs. There was no one here at this late hour, and he and Pyroar made their way quickly through the labs to a private wing that required the highest security clearance, granted only to Lysandre's top scientists.

Within the sealed lab room was a large tank illuminated in bright green light. Within floated a tiny worm-like organism, the creature dubbed the Z2 Core. It was no bigger than the palm of Lysandre's hand, but it was the key part of Zygarde, a Guardian Pokémon long thought to be nothing but myth and legend. The tank kept it sealed away for the safety of the lab scientists while they studied its properties and tried to find a way to force it to grow and assume the form recorded in ancient texts passed down in Lysandre's family, the royal House of Fleur-de-Lis. They spoke of a Guardian of the earth who appeared during a time of great strife to protect the land of Kalos from a devastating war waged between man and Pokémon before they destroyed it. Lysandre had gone to great lengths to safeguard the histories, lest they fall into hands other than his.

But it was not the Z2 Core he came to see, but the victims it had claimed. Somehow, when it came into contact with the monolith, it had absorbed enough energy to transform into a new form, a great wolf that attacked some of the Team Flare lab techs tending to it and poisoned them. Aliana and her team deduced that it was some kind of radiation poisoning, undetectable to most modern technology and incurable. Mairin's Chespin had fallen victim to the same radiation poisoning when the creature nearly escaped, but it burned through its stolen energy before it could get far, and Aliana's team had successfully recaptured it and placed it in this solitary tank. Its victims, two of whom still lived, barely, were also contained in special tanks for observation.

Lysandre approached the first one, a voluptuous woman named Celosia, and drew out one of the blood vials recovered from Laevus's labs from his pocket. He eyed it suspiciously, daring to wonder.

Could it be true?

He was a descendent of the House of Fleur-de-Lis, the Magi of old Kalos chosen by Xerneas itself 3,000 years ago. Their blood made him a skuff, or something close to it. But...what if he could become like them? By rights, he was a king, just as they had been. And by rights, he could become a Magus, too. It had been his dream as a child when his mother told him the tales, great kings and queens, the Magi who smashed the Fafnir Dynasty when they came to this land and even held the darkness of the Reapers at bay.

What the hell.

He downed the blood in a couple swallows, cringing at the metallic taste. It took everything he had not to throw it back up. All the while, he could feel the Z2 Core's eyes on him, beady and slimy like a fish. It was useless in that form, weaker than a Goomy, but it did not fear him. Lysandre could see its defiance, a simpering little thing who nonetheless thought him no threat at all.

The seconds ticked by and nothing happened. Lysandre bared his teeth, disappointed with himself for even daring to believe something so ludicrous. He was about to leave her when he saw it.

Shadows given light, wormy and blood-red, rose off Celosia's body like smoke and writhed as though in pain. He leaned against the glass, and when he caught sight of his own hands, he gasped. They, too, were enveloped in swirling threads of light, white with the faintest traces of pink. The pink light bled into the white until it pulse brightly. And when he looked up at the Z2 Core still watching him, he saw its light, too. Bloody red, smoky, like the blight smothering Celosia. Even Pyroar glowed as orange threads of brilliant warm light swirled around him, life given sentience.

Heartstrings, his mother had called the magical sight the Magi possessed. They can see the light that gives us life. Is it this?

Below the writing blight plaguing Celosia, he could make out the faintest traces of her heartstrings, fighting for air. Lysandre opened the case and reached for them. The wormy heartstrings burned his hands and drank his blood as they opened gashes in his hands, but he persisted, parting them until he could reach Celosia's faint heartstrings beneath. He thought his hands would spontaneously combust at any moment, but he managed somehow to scoop out the blighted heartstrings, the poison the Z2 Core had infected Celosia with, and they pittered out with nothing left to feed on.

Celosia's body seized, and Lysandre loomed over her, entranced. She dug her nails into her palms, drawing blood. Her dyed purple hair, blonde at the roots that had grown out a couple inches in her time comatose in this tank, seemed to stand on end. And then she fell still. Lysandre withdrew his hands, bloody and stinging, and wrapped them in a handkerchief he kept on his person.

After a moment, Celosia stirred, and Lysandre could not believe his eyes.

"What," Celosia said, her voice groggy and slurred. "Where am I?"

Lysandre ignored her, his thoughts racing. Magus blood. You found a living Magus, didn't you?

That girl Augustine and the thrall woman had been searching for. The one Malva had kidnapped. The one who cured Mairin's Chespin, just as he had now cured Celosia.

"Serena," Lysandre said. "Could she really be..."

Could I really be...

Celosia was staring to come to. "Lysandre? Is that you? What happened?"

Her blood, and the Mega Stones...

"Celosia, get up. You've slept long enough," he said.

He went to the other tank where the other scientist, a fleshy lab tech named Derik, lay comatose, afflicted with the same ailment. The ailment for which Lysandre now had a cure. He could see the smoking heartstrings as they consumed Derik, but the effects of Serena's blood were wearing off. They began to fade, and with them Lysandre's enhanced sight. His own heartstrings faded from pink to faint white as the Magus powers abandoned him, and soon he couldn't see them at all.

I'm no Magus, he thought, frustrated. But I should be.

Derik was a lab tech where Celosia was a brilliant researcher, and Lysandre only had a limited supply of the Magus blood. He punched a few buttons on the computer that powered the tank, cut off the flow of oxygen, and shut it down. Derik would suffocate in a matter of minutes, peacefully and quietly. No waste.

"Ah," Celosia said. "My head... The last thing I remember is..." She looked around and spotted the Z2 Core peering at her through the glass of its tank. "That thing did this!"

"Yes, and Aliana locked it away so it won't happen again. Go get yourself cleaned up, Celosia," Lysandre said, leaving the lab with Pyroar in tow. "We have a lot of work to do, and Aliana will need you."

Celosia groaned. "Work? On what?"

Mega Evolution, Zygarde, the Magi... And my legacy.

"Many things," Lysandre said. "I'm going to change this filthy world."

The End

---

So apparently I didn't get that memo about epilogues needing to be short...

Thank you everyone for sticking with this fic, and thank you especially to XxSer3ndipityxX for requesting this fic in the first place. I may never have considered doing it if not for your input and encouragement.

As to the ending, yes, there's clearly some room for a sequel, but as of the original posting of this update, I have no concrete plans to pursue one. The reason for this is that I wanted the ending to tie into the endings of the Mega Evolution Specials as well as the events of the anime involving Zygarde. Yeah, it's a little different here for various reasons, but the whole deal with Team Flare having a Zygarde Core and Lysandre pursuing Mega Evolution and eventually going after Xerneas/Yveltal can and should be read into this. This isn't to say I'll never revisit this story (because I feel like Zygarde in particular got shafted in the games and there totally should have been a Pokémon Z version), and I wanted to leave that possibility open even if I'm not currently working on anything. If there's enough demand, I might reconsider in the future, but it's really all up in the air right now.

That being said, I hope you'll all stick around for future fics in Alola and possibly Hoenn, where Malva/Siebold and Serena/Calem will make some appearances, respectively. Because Wanderer takes place in the Tamerverse, where all my Pokémon fics exist, the events herein will impact other stories. Liminals, for example, will appear in future projects, and this is not the last we've seen of the Magi by any means. If you like this universe and my writing, I encourage you to check out the other Pokémon fics I'm working on. Chances are you'll find something in them that you might like, too!

Lastly but certainly not least, thank you so much to all the reviewers who stuck with me through this, for all your encouragement and enthusiasm and feedback. You guys are the reason fics get finished, and that's not an exaggeration by any means. Anyone who started reading this as I first started posting will remember the long lapses in updates I had, which were due in large part to dwindling motivation. The reviewers are the reason I always came back to this, and I'm glad I did. I loved writing this story, and I hope all of you loved reading it. It really is the journey, not the destination. Until the next great adventure in the Tamerverse!