When Reina came to, she was in a hospital bed.
Her instincts kicked back in and looked everywhere for the draconic ghost, the sound of her alarmed breaths only eclipsed by the rapid beating of her heart. It couldn't be over yet! What had happened to Cynthia? Where was he?
Where was Hydreigon?
A nurse came into the room. Reina's attention was immediately on him. She tattled her hip in search of the usual ball to throw at him, her stare feral. The man raised his hands up in the air and stayed at the end of the room, next to the door. He gave her all the space she needed to calm down. Thankfully, once she realized he was human, she did just that. Instead her attention went back to checking her surroundings for Giratina.
"There's no need to worry." Came the nurse's reassuring voice. "It's back in its own world now. Nobody will attack you."
She didn't trust him. She didn't want to trust him. He hadn't seen what she had. The Distortion World seemed like a quiet, peaceful place like this but eventually, that atrocity came and attacked them. The lake guardians had failed to save them, what could a small man like him even hope to accomplish?
A heavy silence reigned in the room, only occasionally broken by the sound of a heartbeat monitor and wheels scurrying on the floor in the main hallway. No cries, no screams and certainly no Pokemon. A minute lingered through the air, crawling down the passage of time to a snail's pace. A minute of absolute stillness. Nothing.
The man was telling the truth. Her memories came out in clearer detail. When she had blacked out they were in Spear Pillar. He must have thrown them out to save them. He had figured his trainer's life was more important than his three.
Her heart ached. A snarl of disgust came to her. She had failed him. After all the time they had spent together, all these promises they had made... She couldn't even do anything as he threw himself against an immovable force. A yell of frustration came from deep within herself, dying down in her throat. She sat back down on the bed, tears welled up in her eyes once more. She gritted her teeth and clenched her fists, the fabric of her gown twisting itself against her fingers. She was doing her best not to cry, an occasional sob breaking through her barriers.
"While you were out, we fixed your nose. You still have a few smaller wounds but they'll scar by themselves with time. We expect you'll make a full recovery from this event."
The information came into one ear and right out of the other one. Details like this were the least of the trainer's concern. She chocked on a sob and sniffed her nose ungracefully.
"The champion, Cynthia, is fine as well. She's resting in the room next to you. She said she wanted to see how you were doing once you woke up." He attempted.
The message had the intended effect and Reina turned her green eyes to look at the man. They were bloodshot and brimming with tears but he could still see the glimmer that had found itself in. It made him smile.
"If you want, I can show you there."
She nodded. It was the least she could do. Cynthia... Cynthia was the other reason she was still alive. If it weren't from the champion's decision, Giratina would have caught up to them. She got back up on her feet, her head cast down, her ebony hair veiling her expression, approaching the nurse slowly, like a wild animal being enticed into a trap by food. The man didn't see anything, keeping an easy smile as he opened the door for the girl. The hallway was devoid of life. White, cold, eerie. Reina looked around quietly, hoping she would see a familiar face.
"We've informed your parents. They're on their way to the city." The man explained in a leveled, professional tone. He seemed more confident, like he was back in more familiar territory. Again, all the trainer could muster was a small nod. "Ms. Shirona is there." He pointed to the door to the left of hers. "I'll leave you to by yourselves. If there's anything, there's a buzzer next to her bed you can press. I'll come running."
The trainer entered the room.
Cynthia was in her bed, reading a hefty looking document, most likely a mythology thesis by one of her compatriots on the domain. The blonde champion averted her eyes from the words to focus her attention on the newcomer. A somber smile she attempted to make welcoming graced her lips. She was wearing a cast on her right arm. Under her stare, welcoming or otherwise, Reina looked and felt frailer than ever before.
There was a chair next to the woman. Reina slowly trudged towards it and collapsed into it. Then and only then did she notice Garchomp in the corner of the room who was quietly looking over them as well. The dragon's left fin was missing a chunk and a long scar had formed on his scalp. A severe scowl was on the Pokemon.
The silence was palpable. Reina wanted to say something, Cynthia wanted to let her begin. How could the champion even smile after the Distortion World? The ebony-haired girl looked away, ashamed of herself.
"How are you?" She muttered barely above a whisper, her eyes focused on anything but the champion.
"I'm fine." Cynthia replied, bobbing a bit to try and catch a glimpse of the other's evasive looks, ultimately failing to do so.
The silence returned, broken only by Garchomp's loud breathing. Regina's visage contorted in pain hesitant to talk, hesitant to act. What could she ever hope to say or even do? Back there, she hadn't been any help at all. Cynthia was the sole reason they were standing there. She knew it so well. It was agony reminding herself of that and yet the thought always came to the forefront of her mind, acting as a blanket over fact. A pain stabbed at her chest and her right arm, painful reminders of what the champion must've been feeling yet kept to herself, keeping that facade of bravery and selflessness. Was it even a facade? What was the trainer supposed to think?
"I'm sorry."
It made sense to say, after all, apologizing was always the first step to forgiveness. If her words failed her this was the closest second option. It had been what Reina had wanted to say.
And yet nothing had came from her.
"I'm sorry I got you involved in this." Cynthia reiterated. "As the champion of Sinnoh, I should've been able to handle this by myself and yet I requested for you to help me. Because of me you've seen things you never should have." Her smile was gone. Her words were filled with regret. Reina stared at her incredulously. "I hope you'll find it in yourself to forgive me."
A lump formed in the girl's throat, choking her answer. Why? Why did she have to say that? A weak sob came from the trainer. Once more, her eyes glimmered under the dull light of the neon hanging overhead, her tears battling to be unleashed once more.
"And…" Cynthia resumed, lowly, apologetically. "I'm sorry about Hydra…"
Those words. The ones she dreaded, the reality she feared to confront still. Reina got back on her feet weakly only to collapse into the champion. She hugged the older woman, desperate for comfort as she bawled. Like a torrent that had been accumulating against a barrier, everything had broken down and all these pent-up emotions came out at once. In that instant, they both knew there was no consoling her. Cynthia hugged back solemnly, silent. It was a grim realisation that the blonde refused to admit herself, however, it was apparent the longer this moment lingered.
Reina had died that day.