Milo and the Blue Umbreon

by NanobotEX

Milo is about to embark on his Pokémon journey, when he unexpectedly makes a new friend. His journey begins ten years after the exploits of Ash Ketchum, and he discovers that Pokémon journeys are not as simple as they once were. Milo may soon find himself pitted against forces beyond anything he had imagined! (Not too much Romance, just enough to keep things interesting)

20. Chapter 20 - New Beginnings

Milo Chapter 20 – New Beginnings

"Ahhhh, that feels so good after a hard day's training!"

Milo stretched his arms out and arched his sore back muscles like a Glameow getting ready for a nap. As he stepped out onto the roof of his brother's Gym into the warm night breeze of Hearthome City, Azura followed after him, purring contentedly;

Oh, and the moon is so nice this evening, too! It's almost full…

You're such a stereotype, you Moonlight Pokémon, you.

Hmph, Azura sniffed primly, just because I appreciate the finer things in life…

Over the course of his six-month stay in Marcus' Gym, he'd chosen the roof as his favorite place to escape the pressures of being a top Trainer. He watched as a stray Shinx darted across the road below, seeking the cover of an alley, away from the street lamps, where Zubat snipped at the Burmy, Dustox, and occasional Mothim that were drawn to the lights like most Bug-types.

Man, thought Milo ruefully as he rubbed a particularly sore spot on his left shoulder, I love sparring Ferra, but now that she's half Steel type I need to be more careful.

I really don't pity you, noted his faithful Dark-type, You always insist that it's such a good idea. It's been almost two months since you actually beat her, you know. Very few people can match a Lucario hand-to-hand, and you're no Maylene.

Well, thanks for your rousing support, responded the Trainer drily, It's not like Blaze is a better option. He can knock me out faster than I can even move, and give me second-degree burns in the process.

Sure, but Ferra can literally impale you with a backhand. Or even a hug.

The pair joked between one another for another few minutes before drifting easily into a thoughtful silence. Milo valued his trips to the roof because one or two of his Pokémon usually accompanied him, and it was a great way to keep building his friendships with them. It was also a fun way to get an outside perspective on the world without it demanding something of him in return.

I think I'll miss this once we're back on the road, said Azura, I didn't quite realize how much I'd come to enjoy it.

Yep, agreed the Jubilife Trainer, I'm still excited to travel again, though. The break was…productive, to say the least, but I've got that itch in me again; it's time to keep moving.

Azura stood up and extracted herself from her favorite spot on Milo's lap, I promised to help Aurora with Shadow Ball; I should get back.

He smiled and nodded, and was about to join her when he heard Kara's voice from the rooftop hatch;

"Oh, Milo! Found you!"

He turned to find his ever-beautiful girlfriend levitating easily up onto the roof, followed closely by her Gardevoir. Since the Embrace Pokémon evolved, a few months previously, Florence and her Trainer together were the very picture of elegance, beauty and class.

"Thanks, Flo! So, one last night on the roof, huh?"

"Yeah, couldn't let it go", answered Milo, sitting back down next to the Performer.

"Actually", Kara began with a shy smile, "I have a question for you, if you don't mind."

The Performer tucked a strand of hair behind her ear to keep it away from the fluttering breeze as she asked,

"So, you know the next Showcase? The Snowpoint Invitational?"

Milo nodded. It was a big deal; since earning her third and final Princess Key shortly before the beginning of their break, Kara could only really compete in invitational Showcases. These were a much tougher challenge for her, but she'd won a couple of times at the semi-professional level, and was something of a B-list celebrity amongst the Performer community of Sinnoh due to her meteoric rise. The Snowpoint Invitational was her first big chance to strut her stuff on an even larger stage.

It was both a Showcase and a Contest, which played host to Performers and Coordinators from many foreign regions as well as Sinnoh natives. Kara had been invited as one of Sinnoh's junior entries; an effort to promote the growth of Performing in general within Sinnoh as well as show off the prowess of the 'next generation' of Sinnoh Performers.

"So, traditionally there's also a formal dance; the Grande Snowball. It's a great chance to socialize with some of the big names who'll be there, and, umm…I was hoping we could go?"

Nervously, Milo asked, "Uh, why are you asking me about it? You can go if you want…"

"Well", she grabbed his arm beseechingly, "I wouldn't bother you with it, but I'd be so shy and awkward just standing around by myself. They usually invite some of the big Trainers as well, since it's Sinnoh, so I'm sure you and 'Maya could get on the invite list. Even if you don't you could come along as my plus one. Please?"

Milo took a deep breath and responded, "I…sure. If you want me to go with you, then of course I'll go."

"Perfect, thanks!"

Kara gave her boyfriend a quick peck on the cheek and scooted herself in close to him, prompting him to raise an arm around her shoulders.

It was then that Kara noticed something pensive in her boyfriend's demeanor. Snuggling even closer, she pointed it out;

"You seem like something's on your mind. Let's hear it, huh?"

Milo turned and smiled, giving her a quick forehead kiss,

"Nothing slips past you, does it? I guess I should know better than to try and put on a show for a Performer." With a sigh, his grin fell ever so slightly, and he voiced his thoughts, "I'm just afraid that after everything that's happened, getting back to the Gyms will feel…fake."

"Fake? How do you mean?"

Milo's brow furrowed as he tried to explain;

"I mean, look at our new reality. You and I are mixing it up with the professionals, and half of Sinnoh can recognize 'Maya on sight. We can't realistically expect to go back to just strolling along the routes from one city to the next, taking the Gym Leaders by surprise. That's what I mean; I'm afraid we're trying to go back to something we can't actually get back to. We can pretend, but it's not real."

Florence spoke up in agreement;

I believe I can understand and relate to your sentiment, good Sir Milo. As the saying goes; a Magikarp may swim in the ocean, but a Gyarados can never return to the pond.

Milo looked quizzically at the half-Fairy type;

"I've never heard that saying in my life, Flo. Still, I get what it means, and yeah, that's kind of how I feel. I mean, I still think it's a good idea, you know, to be able to say I did the Sinnoh Gym Circuit, but…what if it's not the same?"

Milo's concerns were not unfounded. After all, he had long since eclipsed any real need to complete the circuit. He had already qualified for the upcoming Lily of the Valley Conference by way of his semifinal appearance at the Iron Island Qualifier two months ago. He was favored to win most any semi-pro tournament and was strong enough to give many of Sinnoh's established veterans at least a run for their money. His team had grown immensely, and so had he. Completing the Gym Circuit now was purely academic.

"Get over it, Mr. Melodrama", Kara punched him lightly in the shoulder, "Brooding doesn't become you. Come on, this will be fun! We get all the fun of travelling minus the hassle and stress! Quit worrying about whether it 'feels real', there'll be plenty of time for that once you hit the Conference."

"Yeah", he rubbed his shoulder ruefully (she'd punched his sore arm), "I guess you're right…No need to punch me over it, though."

"Oh please, you're ripped now", Kara gave her boyfriend's arm a flirtatious squeeze to prove her point, "looks at these 'ceps! You can take a hit from a girl, can't you?"

"Depends on the girl", Milo shot back, "you're one thing, but Ferra's been wailing on me for a solid few hours. That girl hits just a bit harder than you do. Come on, let's head in before it's too late."

Milo, Kara, and Florence came down from the roof still laughing and joking like the best of friends. As they moved through the now-familiar hallways of the Hearthome Gym, Milo stopped suddenly and motioned silently to Kara, a worried look on his face.

Curious, she mouthed to her boyfriend as she walked lightly back to see what had drawn his attention;

'What?'

'Look', Milo mouthed back, 'Amaya.'

Kara peeked into the room, only to see their friend staring at...nothing. Amaya was sitting in a seat in one of the Gym's unused offices, staring at the wall to the side of the desk. Just as Milo made to enter quietly, the Twinleaf girl spoke;

"Quit skulking at the door. If you're coming in, do it, but I'd rather be alone."

Milo cringed. He'd thought he was pretty good at being sneaky, but apparently not good enough to sneak up on Amaya. Taking a breath, he glanced at Kara, who jerked her head towards the room as if to say,

Well, you're in it now. Go find out what's wrong.

Shoulders drooping, he walked in. His friend looked up and raised an eyebrow;

"Whoa, when'd you get there, Milo? I was talking to Kara."

Milo smiled briefly; his faith in his sneaking skills was at least partially restored. Right now, though, that was irrelevant.

"Yeah, sorry. Uh, couldn't help but notice you looking a bit...off. Anything the matter?"

"Oh."

Amaya opened her mouth to continue, then seemed to hesitate, considering whether to divulge. Eventually, she stood up, stuffed her hands in her pockets and muttered;

"Just...family stuff."

She tried to brush past Milo, who caught her arm and asked in confusion;

"Are your parents okay?"

Amaya was being quite hostile. Well, more hostile than usual. Hostile without the friendly undertones.

"It...wasn't my parents. Let go of my arm, Milo."

Not her parents? But they were her only family...well, except for – oh no, Milo realized;

"Maxie. Maxie called you, didn't she? 'Maya, please!"

It was no use. Milo's first travelling companion ripped herself out of his grasp and stormed out of the room, knocking a stunned Kara bodily out of the way as she fled the scene.

Kara walked in, looking at Milo with a scared, questioning face. The young man took a deep breath and offered his girlfriend of six months a sad smile;

"So, I'm guessing 'Maya never told you she's not an only child, huh?"

"Wait, 'Maya has siblings?"

"Well, one sibling", Milo rubbed his hair nervously as he continued, "her older sister Maxie joined Team Galactic back in their heyday. She was a grunt, never did anything big as far as I know, but she got caught and jailed like all the rest."

"Oh, that's awful...So, where is she now?"

Milo thought for a second;

"Uh, I guess she'd be at the Sinnoh women's prison, wherever that is…"

Suddenly, he came over quite curious. He pulled up the office computer and did a quick search.

"Looks like it's in – oh. That's...probably why she called. The Sinnoh Women's Correctional Facility is in Canalave."

Kara nodded in understanding. It wasn't hard to put the pieces together; the media had long since gotten ahold of the group's plans to resume the Gym Challenge, and most people 'in the know' were pumped to see Milo and The Hammer (Amaya's nickname) rip through the remaining Gym Leaders like tissue paper, starting with Byron's Steel-type Gym…in Canalave. Amaya in particular was something of a public spectacle – the best Rookie of her generation, Milo included, according to most.

"Well", Kara sighed, "you better go after her. If it's as bad as you make it sound, she probably needs more help than she's ready to admit, and I'm not supposed to know any of this. Go on, Milo, I'll look after the Pokémon."

She gave her boyfriend a playful kick in the backside as he left, and he looked witheringly over his shoulder;

"Wow. Unnecessary."

"Eh", the Performer winked, "you'll live. Go on, go find 'Maya!"

As she watched him go, Kara couldn't help but give a girlish, wistful sigh. She released Verdante absentmindedly from her belt, and commented to the Grass type;

"How'd we get so lucky, girl? He's strong, he's smart, he's very cute, and look how much he cares about people. You know, if it wasn't 'Maya he was chasing down, I'd almost be tempted to feel a bit protective."

"Fee. Feeeon."

Verdante flicked her elegant green bangs haughtily as she whirled about to head towards the training gym. Kara couldn't help laughing at her first Pokémon's antics;

"Oh, please, girl, you know you like him as much as I do. If it weren't for Milo you'd never get to hang out with Azura and Aurora, after all."

At that, Verdante relented her feigned snobbishness. She really cherished her friendship with Azura, who was like a sister to her, and Aurora, who was more like a baby sister they both looked after. Dancing around to her own internal rhythm, as usual, Kara's Leafeon made her way down the hall towards the training gym, glancing back hopefully at her Trainer.

"Alright, I get it, Verdante. I'm coming!"

The large training space was currently occupied by a mishmash of Milo, Kara, and Amaya's teams working with (and against) one another.

"Feee!"

Verdante immediately bounded over to Azura, who was working with Aurora, the only one left in their merry group who had yet to evolve. True to the promise he'd made in Eterna Forest, Milo had never once pressured his Eevee to choose one of her many possible forms, though she was clearly more than powerful enough to do so. The rumor, amongst the Pokémon at least, was that she'd picked a form and was keeping quiet about it until she felt mentally ready to make the change. If such things were to be believed based on hearsay, of course.

As their Grass type cousin joined them, Milo's two battlers took a break and fell to chatting. Florence had once confided to Kara that the conversations between the three Eons were not so different from the conversations one would expect of three human girls. They shared their various successes and frustrations with training, and even their candid opinions on the boys in their group. Aurora was rather taken with Leon, but unfortunately Amaya's Luxray was by far more interested in Azura, who did not reciprocate his romantic advances.

The three Eons were only briefly distracted by a loud crash followed by a draconic roar.

"Hmm", Kara smiled ruefully, "I guess Drake's still going strong…"

Milo's Garchomp went smashing into the wall as he was thrown back by an Ice Beam from Jet, whose chest was heaving with exertion. These two were known amidst the group for the intensity of their training bouts. As a Floatzel, Jet now had the upper hand in terms of type as well as natural speed, not to mention his Ice moves. Drake, however, had more raw power, and of course the advantage of being a Dragon, which was never something to underestimate.

As Drake made to rouse himself and jump back in, Florence came rushing in and stood in front of the Dragon, doing her best to assert herself;

Drake, I must insist that you stop! At least for a brief moment, allow me to examine you and ensure that you are uninjured!

Milo's most ferocious fighter gave her an annoyed look and made to push past her, only to be met by her Light Screen. He roared something which was unintelligible to Kara, but she could well guess what it was by Florence's response;

Don't you dare use that sort of tone with me, my good Garchomp. It seems that if you refuse to acknowledge your own injuries then that duty falls upon my own shoulders.

With that, Kara's Gardevoir extended a hand and offered a brief Heal Pulse which indeed seemed to restore some vigor to the Mach Pokémon. With a grunt, Drake stepped pointedly around her and resumed his bout with Jet.

Florence huffily stuck her hands on her hips and made her way back to her Trainer.

"Don't worry, Flo", Kara consoled her, "boys are like that when you tell them to stop fighting. Remember Milo and Marcus after the Absol incident? We thought that would never end but now they're closer than ever. Boys are just weird."

Hmph. Indeed they are, milady. It seems that no matter how much I attempt to demonstrate care and compassion to that stone-hearted Dragon, he refuses to look upon me as anything more than an annoyance. It really does frustrate me to no end.

"Froslass fros", came Frost's voice Florence's other side. Kara was pleasantly surprised to see her there. Frost mostly kept to herself, preferring to spend her time perfecting her skills as an artist of ice. Understandably, she usually kept well clear of the banging and yelling of battle training. For now, though, she seemed to agree with her Psychic teammate. Frost could always be counted upon to add a calming voice to any situation, at least on the rare occasion that she said anything at all.

Why thank you, miss Frost, at least I have one ally in this whole debacle. That fool of a Garchomp simply doesn't understand…well, anything at all!

"Fros froslass lass", responded Kara's Snow Land Pokémon.

I beg your pardon, my dear Froslass! Florence's cheeks turned bright red, I have never once mentioned any type of affection or displays thereof! Retract your unfounded comment at once!

Frost only tittered, and Kara couldn't help but join her;

"Oh come on, Flo, ease up. Frosty's got a point, you do pay more attention to Drake than all the rest of the boys put together."

Florence got rather waspish as she responded with as much finality as she could muster;

That...is for no other reason than his own recklessness. As a supremely emotional Pokémon, I cannot simply ignore his complete lack of self-regard in order-

"LAAAAASS!"

Frost screeched in surprise and discomfort as a hot blast washed over them from yet another training match.

"Hey, you two firebugs", Kara yelled to Blaze and Pyro, "keep it contained, huh? Ice Ghost over here, and the rest of us aren't overly fond of Heat Wave, either!"

Kara's warning was all for naught, however. Frost had already absconded to return to her icy artistry. Jet looked back over his shoulder as he grappled with Drake and fired off an accusatory, teasing Water Gun at his volatile teammate.

Kara could only laugh as Blaze took exception and gave Jet quite a tongue-lashing. Evidently he employed some rather strong language, as Aurora's impressionable ears perked up and her eyes shot wide open. Azura noticed and barked admonishingly at the Infernape, who rolled his eyes before returning to his training. Kara repeated the gesture; no matter how many times they were warned, Blaze and Pyro were both prone to lapses in self-control. Blaze had been infamous for this since his days as a Chimchar, and Pyro was, like most Rapidash, a prideful beast. He was still learning control, too, since he'd only evolved a month ago. Whenever Blaze let his fire grow above 'safe' training levels, Pyro couldn't help but respond in kind, to meet the challenge as it were.

"Get over it, Blaze", came a voice from Kara's right,"you know you messed up. You scared Frost away again. You'll have to say sorry later. That's the kind of awareness Papa's always talking about. Anyway, hi Mama K!"

It seemed Ferra had (once again) overcome the stern resistance of Zexon, and Milo's Lucario bounded cheerfully over, still possessed with much of the same youthful energy that had been her hallmark as a Riolu. Like most of her species, she'd mastered the use of Aura to project her voice upon evolution.

"Hi, girl", Kara responded, ruffling the Aura Pokémon's head fur as she sat down, "how's training? You gave your papa a fresh set of bruises, I noticed."

Milo had always been 'Papa' to her, and recently she'd extended this train of thought to justify her new name for Kara; Mama K. It had been awkward at first, but Kara didn't mind so much anymore; it was just a nickname.

Besides, you never know…

"You bet I did", Ferra responded proudly, "I've been getting faster and faster every day! I feel bad beating Papa though, it's not fair when I'm part Steel."

"Ah, don't feel sorry for him!" Kara smiled encouragingly, "If you go easy, how will you show him all your improvement? Plus, he probably deserves it, he's such a rascal."

"NAAAAPE!"

"TOOOORRTERRAAAAAA!"

Kara winced at the loud noise and looked up to find Blaze now having a stare-down with Terrus. These two had more history than most of the Pokémon, and their old rivalry still had a tendency to spark back to life on occasion. This time it seemed that Terrus was attempting to tell Blaze off for the previous incident.

They always blame him, Kara grinned ruefully, but it was probably Pyro who let that one get out of control. I bet Blaze is taking the blame so Pyro doesn't feel so guilty, like he usually does. I'll ask him about it later.

"Hey", she called wearily, "will you guys cut it out? We already went through this, Terrus, you don't have to rub it in."

"Yeah", came a new voice, "chill, big guy."

Amaya was back, followed closely by Milo. The Grass starter turned to greet his Trainer, adding in some measure of protest and justification for his actions. Amaya only waved him off;

"I get it, I'm sure Blaze set something on fire, but you know he doesn't handle getting lectured very well. Lay off him."

"Hey, 'Maya!" Kara jumped up to give her a hug, which the Twinleaf girl gingerly accepted, "Feeling better?"

The Performer stepped aside as Leon stood in front of his Trainer to offer a solemn nod of support.

"Thanks, Leon", Amaya just sounded exhausted, "I'm good. Milo just had to talk a bit of sense into me is all. Hey", she changed the topic as fast as she could, "who told you slackers to quit training? Back to it, chop chop! You aren't the ones with a big rematch tomorrow, so no holding back!"

Milo stepped around his feisty friend, gave his girlfriend a quick squeeze, and addressed his own team;

"Speaking of that, it's planning time, guys! Come on, we'll use the side room over there."

Milo could never be distracted for long, it would seem, and Kara watched his team follow him diligently into a side room. Tomorrow, they were going to have a very public rematch of the 6-on-1 humiliation Milo had endured at the outset of their Gym Circuit hiatus.

"So", the Performer turned to Amaya, "you all good now?"

"Yeah", came the short response, "I just needed to get through the freak-out stage. I assume Milo explained?"

As Kara nodded, Amaya grimaced before continuing;

"So, yeah, we're visiting the women's prison in Canalave. On the down low, of course."

"KKKRRRAAAAHHH!"

Granite was doing his best to offer support via demonstration of strength, looming over his Trainer with a savage smile on his metallic features. Kara was rather put off by the mighty Steelix's screeching roar of encouragement, but 'Maya seemed to understand;

"I know, Granite. We don't owe anyone anything. I may need you to remind me again when we get there, though. This is going to suck."

Only Amaya would choose to open up like that to a literal rock, thought Kara with a grin, Well, Iron Snake technically, but whatever. Never change, 'Maya…

Before too long, Kara had to return to her own training. She and her team were already hard at work on their freestyle performance for the big Snowpoint Invitational, and if they were to impress on the big stage they couldn't afford to slack off now. The three teenagers didn't see much of each other again that evening, each absorbed in their own preparations for the challenges to come.

The next morning, a quietly confident Milo stepped easily into the Trainer box across from his older brother. It was time to prove to himself and the rest of the region just how real his team was. He was a household name around Hearthome at this point, and the crowd packed into the Gym arena was larger than it had ever been six months ago. There were easily a few thousand people eagerly awaiting the next chapter in the sibling rivalry.

Could his team actually take down the almighty Absol – the most famous and powerful Pokémon in South Sinnoh? The 'expert analysts' seemed to think he might come close, but would be unable to avoid a second sweep. He was good, sure, but not that good. Right…?

True to Gardenia's irate predictions all those months ago, Milo's brutal defeat at Marcus' hands and his subsequent hiatus from Gym challenges had indeed seen him drop well below Amaya in terms of general hype within the battle community. She was 'The Hammer', after all. She was the unstoppable, the invincible, the insanely powerful Amaya. And he was just another Rookie who managed to punch above his weight.

This battle should put all that in perspective, thought Milo as the announcer went through all the usual pre-match bluster. At long last, after all the hype, the introductions, and the unnecessary rules explanation;

"Let the battle...begin!"

"Absol, it's time", Marcus revealed his kingpin. It was a testament to the improvement in Milo's battle demeanor that he didn't even flinch as he responded;

"Ferra, let's stick to the plan."

Battling with professionals had taught Milo that a strong poker face was much more valuable in a battle than wearing one's heart on their proverbial sleeve. Internally, his mind was racing in five different directions, but he was calm as a Snorlax on the outside.

Marcus tried to preempt his brother's inevitable mind games with a bold opener.

"Absol, Pursuit!"

"It's a double, Ferra. Go Quick Attack, then Aura Sphere", countered Milo.

It was the same trick Marcus had used against Azura months ago. One Pursuit was easy to counter for anyone who was familiar with Dark types, but using one as a mask for another was both difficult and rare. It was the kind of thing an Elite-level Trainer would do, and Marcus intended to use it to the fullest to begin chipping away at the dangerous Lucario.

As Absol launched into the first Pursuit, Ferra spun on her heel and launched a Quick Attack into his face, catching him just as he launched the second Pursuit. Marcus' eyes shot open as he saw the mastery in his sibling's plan. The Quick Attack had not only given Ferra enough speed to catch Absol the first time, but she was now far enough away to evade the second Pursuit entirely, turn around again, and fire an impossibly accurate, super effective Aura Sphere into Absol's face. Not only had Milo read the double Pursuit trick like a book, he'd countered it without breaking stride.

Holy...Ouch, grimaced Marcus, My magnificent opening play backfired in a hurry. I have to turn this around before he gets too confident. Ferra's better than I gave her credit for; I need to keep them on edge…

"Dark Pulse, Absol!"

"Okay, Bullet Punch!"

Ferra jumped fearlessly towards the onrushing Dark Pulse with her Bullet Punch; or so it seemed.

"Now, UP! Blaze Kick!"

Ferra leapt into the air with shocking agility, but Marcus wasn't to be fooled so easily this time. He'd expected a fake, and was prepared;

"Hah! As if! Absol, Flamethrower!"

Absol's aim was impeccable, and Ferra was badly damaged by the super effective blow. Still, she managed to Quick Attack away to gain space and time. Milo was ready to fight back;

"Okay, Dragon Pulse!"

As one of Ferra's most downright frightening moves ripped across the field, Absol was left with no option but to tank the hit and respond;

"Grr…Another Flamethrower!"

Ferra, still gathering herself after using Dragon Pulse, was helpless to avoid yet another super effective blast.

Up in the stands, Amaya leaned forward, brows furrowed in concentration. Kara had never been a battle expert herself, but hanging around with Milo and 'Maya had taught her enough to know what she was seeing;

"Wow", she noted, "Marcus is really shifting through the gears here to get a good shot in on Ferra. He's really going all out."

As the battle continued to rage, Amaya grunted in agreement, before adding tersely;

"This isn't Gym Leader Marcus. This is Marcus the professional. He's throwing literally every trick he's got, and Milo's still giving him problems."

The two brothers continued trading blows at a blistering pace. Even Amaya was having trouble keeping track of what was going on. At last, Marcus found the breakthrough. Milo had just called for a Bone Rush, hoping to catch his brother unprepared for a close-quarters encounter. The Gym Leader was just alert enough to make exactly the right play;

"Pursuit, Psycho Cut!"

Ferra tried to turn and defend herself, but the exertion of the battle slowed her reaction and her movements, and she took the Psycho Cut head on. At last, she fell to her knees and collapsed with a grimace. Milo was one down and Absol was still standing.

"Ferra, that was amazing, great job", called the Jubilife Trainer, "now return. Jet, you're in next!"

Milo's proud Floatzel burst out with a cry. Absol let out a low growl. He was already tired from having to take out a fast, high-powered Fighting type who was also half-Steel. Now he was up against an even faster, equally strong Floatzel with a notorious vicious streak.

Still, Marcus would never give in, and as Milo made the first call, he tried yet another trick;

"Aqua Jet!"

"Sucker Punch!"

"Hah! Dodge and Brick Break!"

Marcus had fallen for yet another very convincing fake. Jet's favorite attack was easily cancelled, allowing him to almost casually sidestep the vicious Dark type move that would otherwise have left him reeling. This time, however, it was Absol who was sent flying as Jet's Brick Break landed for huge damage.

Milo had no intention of letting Absol have even a moment to recover;

"Follow it in! Another Aqua Jet!"

"Night Slash! Then get clear!"

Absol's nerve was tested, but he timed his Night Slash perfectly, intercepting the onrushing Jet to send him crashing to the ground. Absol took the opportunity, as Marcus had asked, to build a sizeable space buffer between himself and the dangerous Floatzel.

"He's on the run, Jet", called Milo excitedly, "chase him down!"

"Razor Wind!"

Marcus was a Dark-type user through and through. There was always another backup plan, another card to play. Jet launched his go-to move yet again, but was blown back by a savage Razor Wind before he even got close. Both combatants were heaving with exertion now.

Milo switched tactics on a dime, and Marcus had to pull another quick-and-dirty escape;

"Ice Beam, Jet!"

"Flamethrower, meet it! Then move!"

Absol's Flamethrower was a hasty one, only managing to stall the powerful Ice Beam's progress. Still, its purpose was served as the Disaster Pokémon escaped damage from the frigid beam – only to be met head-on by the second one, which Jet had fired without instruction.

True to his promise months ago, Milo had focused on building an unspoken connection to Jet. Fast forward six months and this kind of instinctive self-instruction, augmenting Milo's commands instead of countermanding them, was one of the Sea Weasel's greatest and most notorious assets in battle. He was one of the most unpredictable fighters to be found.

Still, two consecutive Ice Beams was a lot of effort, and Marcus knew how to take advantage;

"Pursuit!"

"Aqua Jet away!"

"Dark Pulse!"

Jet barely escaped the Pursuit with an incredibly quick Aqua Jet, but he was a sitting Psyduck when Absol's Dark Pulse smashed him in the side. As strong as he was, he wasn't as hardy as some of Milo's other battlers, and he stumbled once, twice…and then fell over, knocked out.

Milo breathed deeply, forcing himself to remain in control. He couldn't afford to lose himself at this stage in the battle. If his estimations were correct, he was very close now…

"Return, Jet. That was perfect, exactly what we needed. Now, Drake! Show them what you're made of!"

"GGGGRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

Not many Trainers could claim to command a Garchomp, even in Sinnoh. Fewer still could claim one as powerful and terrifying in battle as Drake – a fact Milo's Mach Pokémon was very well aware of.

Marcus tried to undermine his opponent's power from the get-go;

"Absol, get in with Toxic!"

"Block that!"

Milo hadn't called a particular move; he didn't need to. Drake knew perfectly well that his Metal Claw temporarily gave him the protection from poison that every Steel type relied on. The unorthodox tactic worked like a charm, and Milo was ready to strike back.

"Stone Edge, and down!"

"Absol, Psycho Cut through it!"

Absol was exhausted, but was just able to Psycho Cut through the rocks that jutted from the ground, trying to smash into him. When he looked back up to counter, however, there was no sign of his opponent.

Marcus' eyes went wide as understanding struck;

"Absol, get-"

"Too late!" Milo called gleefully, "NOW, Drake!"

The Garchomp's Dig attack plowed into Absol's underside, sending him flying helplessly into the air.

"Get under him, Drake!"

"Absol, Pursuit!"

It was a clever move, but it was exactly what Milo was counting on. Marcus' go-to escape move was also one of his weak points for anyone who knew how to preempt and counter it;

"Iron Head!"

Drake smirked as he set himself. He'd seen it coming just as clearly as his Trainer. Just as Absol appeared behind him, he whirled in place, his head shining iron as he smacked it into Marcus' Dark type.

"Soooll….."

Absol glared at Drake as he struggled to regain his footing, stumbling awkwardly sideways. Drake and Milo both knew they could press the attack and end it right then, but courtesy and respect demanded that they allow Absol the chance to prove he could continue.

As it turned out, he could not. The Elite-level Disaster Pokémon just couldn't find his footing, and soon toppled over, unable to battle any longer.

There was a pause. It was only a second, but the silence felt as if the whole stadium had been placed in suspended motion.

Then, an ear-splitting roar exploded from the crowd, echoed by the triumphant Drake on the field below. Amaya could only sit in wide-eyed silence as Kara jumped up and down, delirious at her boyfriend's success;

"OH MY GOSH, HE DID IT! MILO BEAT ABSOL! GO, MILOOOOOO!"

Subdued, his mouth hanging open, Marcus recalled his defeated ace Pokémon and crossed the field slowly to shake hands with his brother. As Milo met him in the middle of the field, the Leader finally found his voice;

"I…I meant to help you get stronger when I invited you to train here, bro, but – hot damn, I never expected that! You barely needed half your team, and you didn't even have to pull Azura or Blaze to do it! I never thought I'd say this, especially not so soon, but…you really do fight like a pro now, Milo!"

"Thanks, Marcus", replied the younger brother, still trying to process his own victory, "but I feel like all the credit should go to my team, not me."

"Ah", Marcus winked, "but you're the one who built them, who made them what they are. We can hash this all out later, though, you have to go. There's a room full of cameras and microphones waiting to get a shot at you."

Sure enough, starry-eyed reporters crowded in the designated media room, and they descended into frenzied chaos when Milo at last entered and took his seat. As he usually did, to keep himself sane through the interviews, he released Azura into his lap. They usually cracked telepathic jokes to one another while Milo was answering the questions aloud. He never exactly enjoyed this, but after six months of (forced) practice, he'd gotten much more graceful about tolerating it.

"Milo", came the first of many questions, "Milo, what does this victory say about the level of you and your team?"

"I'm not going to read too much into it", he answered carefully, "Three of my team were able to take down one Elite-level Pokémon. That's what happened, and that's all this win says. To me personally, it's a good proof of how much we've improved these past few months, but this doesn't make me some kind of world-beating wonder battler."

"Milo!" He recognized the next reporter; she was from SBBN2, one of the larger networks.

No wonder they gave her one of the first questions, he noted.

It does seem to work that way, was Azura's withering response as the woman asked;

"What can you tell us about which Pokémon you used? Why not use Umbreon and Infernape? Surely they could've won without you needing a third Pokémon, right?"

"Well", Milo shrugged, "I wanted to make sure I was going to win period before I focused on winning more efficiently. Ferra was the best option, as a half-Steel type, to deal early damage without going down too quick. Jet went in second to take full advantage of his speed, and Drake was the powerhouse sweeper. Azura, Blaze, and Aurora were more than ready if they were needed."

Thankfully, the rest of the interview was similarly uneventful. No awkward questions about his relationship with Kara; he suspected that Jenks had at last managed to identify and exclude the more tabloid-like news outlets from the interview. It was around dinnertime that Milo at last made it back to the group's training space, more exhausted from the public attention than from the actual battle that had earned it.

"SURPRISE!"

"WHA – huh?"

He stumbled back at the shout, but as he took a second look, a broad smile spread over his face; Kara stood, blushing, right in front of him wearing a huge smile and pointing to the training room, which had been converted into a big feast setup.

"You…you did all this?"

"Of course", Kara said graciously, "but I couldn't have done it without Gardenia!"

"Gardenia?"

As if on cue, the Eterna Leader's voice echoed from the adjoining room;

"Kara, I got the napkins, how do you – oh, Milo! Hi! Congratulations!"

Still confused as to what exactly was going on, Milo asked, "Um, thanks, but what is all this, anyway?"

"It's your send-off banquet! It was just going to be a big goodbye kind of thing, but since you won it's also a celebration!"

"Okay…thanks, but isn't it awkward to have it here in Marcus' Gym? After all, he's the one I beat."

"Psh", Gardenia waved off the boy's concerns, "he'll be fine. I know he's proud of you, Milo. Besides, it's a surprise for him, too. He should be here any second."

-o-

Marcus was wrapping up some busywork in his office when his watch buzzed. He glanced at it and saw a brief message;

Training Gym. Now. Please, thanks. – Dee

He chuckled and rolled his eyes.

"Ah, she's got me wrapped around her finger, buddy."

It would seem that way, answered Absol sagely, but I suppose love makes fools of us all.

"All but you", Marcus shot back with a grin, "you stone-hearted beast, you. Denying the ladies your obvious charms as usual?"

Hmm, only the future can tell. When the time comes, I will know.

Marcus chuckled, and soon his idle mind resumed its incessant replaying of his loss against Milo. For a while, after their fateful match six months ago, the two brothers had been at odds. Milo was understandably bitter at Marcus' lapse in judgement, but the older sibling was still convinced Milo was overreacting.

I'm glad you got over that, Absol cut in, reading his friend's thoughts.

Yeah, me too. I think it helped us both grow, in the end. It feels more like we're rivals and best friends than older and younger brother.

I agree, nodded the Dark type, He doesn't idolize you blindly anymore. Maybe that's good.

The pair made their way to the training area and Marcus was met with -

"SURPRISE!"

Gardenia quite literally threwherself at the unprepared Dark-type expert. The two Leaders fell head over heels in an awkward heap, as the teenagers behind them dissolved into hysterics.

Gardenia landed on top of her boyfriend and gave him an innocent wink;

"Hehehe, did I surprise you?"

"Yes, Dee", Marcus was gasping for air, "but you're sitting...on my...chest. Off, please…"

Gardenia's eyes narrowed and she moved not one inch as she responded, arms crossed over her own chest;

"Oh, what, am I too heavy for you? Hmm? What exactly are you implying, Marcus?"

"No, Dee, it's…", Marcus gave up and just stared up at the ceiling in surrender, "Ugh. Help."

The Grass-type Leader relented with a chuckle, "Oh, take a joke. You're fine, stud. Now come on, we're having a sendoff and celebration feast for the three kiddos!"

Food was enough to improve Marcus' attitude, and as the surprise meal began, a good time was had by all...Well, to be fair, there were a couple squabbles. Madame, as a Beautifly, was unable to restrain herself from fluttering about the room to sample a bit of everyone's food, and some took it better than others.

Milo looked up as he heard Drake bark roughly;

Oy, bug off! Eat your own stuff!

"TERRAAAA!"

Terrus was similarly unimpressed. The Continent Pokémon was the recipient of a Water Gun from Jet, who didn't like being disturbed by the yelling as he chowed down. Jet was then admonished by Zexon, Kara's Scizor, who demanded in no uncertain terms that they all resume their meal like civilized Pokémon. For good measure, Florence added gently;

Madame, my friend, perhaps it would be in the collective best interest if you would kindly refrain from attempting to sample anyone else's food, no matter what kind of curiosity may come over you. Not all of us have the same Bug-type instinct as your good self.

This was enough to keep everyone in good spirits until Aurora, who was jumping around and playing with Spirielle, accidentally spilled some of Granite's food. Spirielle, being a ghost, didn't have to worry about such collisions, but the big Steelix screeched in annoyance as he glared down at the much smaller Eevee, whose ears immediately drooped in fear and guilt. This time Milo felt it was necessary to intervene;

"Hey, hey guys, let's calm down here. Aurora, apologize to Granite; you spilled his food by not being careful."

I...I'm s-sorry, stuttered the Evolution Pokémon nervously.

Milo looked beseechingly up at Amaya's Iron Snake, who gave a huffy grunt before turning back to his meal.

These things happened fairly regularly in a group as large as theirs, and thankfully there were never any long-lasting hard feelings.

Honestly, thought Milo, I'm just surprised Blaze wasn't in the middle of it this time. He always ends up getting into it with somebody. Ah, well, that's Fire types for you, I guess.

The rest of the meal went smoothly and then it was time for bed (they were far too stuffed to train, and they'd all earned a break).

Kara felt a twinge of excitement as she settled in for the night;

Back to it starting tomorrow! I can't wait to get back out there…

-o-

It was a touching sentiment, but the reality of 'getting back out there' was, at least at first, a mundane plane trip to Jubilife. This saved them a lot of time travelling through routes and cities they'd already seen, and was intended to make sure they could get through Canalave and up to Snowpoint in time for Kara's big Showcase.

It took less than half an hour from their take-off for Milo to be completely and totally asleep; the plane's gentle rocking lulled him into slumber almost comically fast. Kara, seated in the middle of the trio, was tempted to find a marker and draw on his face, but thought better of it. Lost in her thoughts, she was a bit startled when Amaya very suddenly turned from her window seat and asked;

"How do you do it?"

"Whu…? Do what, 'Maya?"

"You always pretend everything's fine, even when it's not, and you're really good at it. How?"

"Umm", the question was both unexpected and a bit off-putting, "why do you ask?"

The Twinleaf girl's brow furrowed as she tried to explain herself;

"Milo talked me into seeing Maxie in Canalave, but if I can't control myself I'll just explode when I see her. How do you...you know, keep it together so well?"

Kara was lost for an answer at first. Amaya rarely needed this type of advice. For her to actively seek help in something like this…

She must be extremely worried, Kara thought, but what can I possibly say to help? How do you advise someone on what to say to their incarcerated older sibling, especially when there's so much emotional scarring?

"Well", she began slowly, but warmed up as she went, "I think the most important thing is to keep your expression under control. If you can force your face to look like you want, I've found that the rest of you tends to follow along. For me, that means forcing the most convincing smile I can come up with, even when I'm completely freaked out inside. Make sense?"

Amaya looked confused, as though she was trying and failing to apply this to herself;

"How do you do that, though? How do you just fake an expression enough to fool even yourself?"

Inspiration struck the Performer, and she tried again;

"Actually, 'Maya, you already do it. When you battle, you've always got that stoic face. Nobody but me and Milo can ever tell what you're thinking or feeling. Just...do that. Think of this like a battle, just without Pokémon."

"Hmm. Interesting."

Kara pressed on, "The only thing is, Maxie probably knows you better than most people, so she might call your bluff. That's okay – just remember that even if she does, keep it going. It's not for her, it's for you. Does...that help?"

"I...think so. Yeah. Thanks, Kara."

"No problem, 'Maya!"

Kara offered what she hoped was a supportive, encouraging grin, but the ever-inscrutable Amaya just turned back to stare out the window.

After another quiet couple of hours, their plane landed and Kara took mischievous pleasure in jolting Milo awake.

"MILO!"

"WHA – what? What's going – Kara, why?"

The Performer was cackling as she removed her seat buckle.

"Got you. You'd been sleeping so peacefully the whole flight, I couldn't let it go without at least one little prank."

"I bet you could've", he grumbled as he reached up to grab the bags from above their seats.

Kara knew him well enough to not take his griping seriously. Instead, she just took her bag and stuck out her tongue as they stepped out of the plane with the other passengers.

The group of them almost immediately generated whispers in the Jubilife Airport. This was Milo's "hometown" after all, and the locals had quite the sense of pride at seeing yet another JPTA graduate make a big mark on the Sinnoh battling landscape. Yes, he and his family were technically from Sunyshore, but he'd spent the majority of his childhood at the famed Jubilife academy, and that was deemed 'close enough'. He was one of their own and they laid fierce claim to him.

"Ohmygosh", came a hushed voice, "that's him! It's Milo!"

The group had barely made it out of the airport when a girl who looked about 13 years old rushed up to the apprehensive JPTA grad. He tried to play along in order to get the girl to move along quickly and quietly, but after he took a picture and signed a scrap of paper, he was almost mobbed by three more young ladies of about the same age.

This was, unfortunately, not an uncommon occurrence. Milo had spent the last six months doing very little besides battling and training alongside his team. That kind of physical conditioning had indeed left him, as Kara so delicately put it, 'ripped'. He wasn't bulky by any means, but his work had produced some – ahem – desirable results.

Of course, this was both a side effect and a major annoyance to Milo himself, who had no interest in attracting any further female attention.

None of the trio of Milo, Kara, and Amaya were anywhere close to the celebrity level of, say, Cynthia, Flint, or any of the Gym Leaders, but they had clearly become relatively well-recognized figures.

Being pulled this way and that by girls with selfie sticks, pens, notebooks, and awkwardly intimate hugs, Milo could only do his best to appear professional and hospitable towards his young fans while shooting Kara a desperately pleading look.

She chuckled and rolled her eyes before rolling up her metaphorical sleeves and stepping in;

"Hey, babe!" She put on a very sing-song voice and an innocent, bright smile, "Come on, Milo, we have to go!"

She very ostentatiously glued herself to his arm and planted her lips on his cheek, leading him away from the younger girls, some of whom were downright glaring at the Performer. As soon as they were clear, Milo ran a hand tiredly through his hair;

"Ugh, thanks, Kara. I owe you again."

The Performer shrugged merrily, "I feel like I should be thanking you. Not every boyfriend would beg me for help peeling other girls away from him, you know."

Milo just shuddered and made a retching noise.

"I think it's the squealing that I can't stand."

Definitely the squealing, commented Azura, who had decided she wanted fresh air, it's that or the clinginess. One of the two.

"Hey", Kara shrugged and latched back onto Milo's arm, "you won't catch me complaining."

"Be glad you're not me", came Amaya's muffled voice from behind them. Her face was buried deep into her hood, and she walked hunched over to keep as hidden as possible. Amaya was the most recognizable of them. She was a phenomenon, the next Sinnoh superstar in the making – she was 'The Hammer'.

Her luck held until they got on the airport shuttle and asked to be dropped off at the JPTA. Amaya unassumingly claimed an open seat behind Milo and Kara...but the one next to her was immediately filled by an excitable, nerdy-looking boy;

"Hi, you're Amaya! Oh man, umm, sorry, you probably get this a lot, but can I just ask one little question?"

Amaya opened her mouth, probably to decline somewhat rudely, but the boy pressed on;

"How much do you think Water types should focus on ranged attacks? It's just, I was talking to my friend, and I think that your Milotic is totally awesome because all its attacks are ranged ones, you know?"

From the seat in front of them, Milo was quietly snickering as the motor-mouthed young man kept right on going;

"Like, your Milotic would totally crush a Water Pokémon that tried to use close-range attacks, like Milo's Floatzel. That thing's fast, but kind of useless if it can't get in close, which is why I told my friend that range-focused Water types, like Milotic, are so much better. Right?"

That shut up the Jubilife Trainer's giggling, though Kara cracked a grin at her boyfriend's narrowed eyes. Taking matters into her own hands, the Performer decided she'd given him enough mischief for one day, and stuck up for him.

Sticking her head up above the seat and turning to face the boy, she rebuffed his argument using tidbits of strategy she'd picked up listening to her battler friends;

"That's not the whole story, though. If a melee-focused Water type can evade as well as Floatzel, range attacks are too easy to dodge, and leave you open for counters."

"Who are you?" The boy thought for a second, staring intently at Kara.

Well, he clearly doesn't watch many Showcases, thought Amaya tiredly, but he's still wrong. Kara hit the nail on the head, and that's why Coral relies so much on Dragon Tail.

"I feel like I recognize you from somewhere", said their uninvited guest, "Anyway, you're wrong, because not all range attacks are as straightforward as Hydro Pump. Moves like Water Pulse and Twister are perfect for hitting fast opponents from a distance. That makes Milotic so much more versatile than Milo's Floatzel. Besides, he only has Floatzel to make up the numbers, anyway; he's only got three real Pokémon. He's got Garchomp, Infernape, and that crazy Umbreon, and the rest are team-fillers."

Milo, still hidden behind his own seat, picked this moment to flip the script. He took no small pleasure in watching the boy's face go white as a sheet when he poked his head up.

He looks like Frosty with a face like that, thought the Trainer gleefully as he launched into his rebuttal.

"For your information, I've got six 'real Pokémon', so let's dispel that idea right off the bat. Clearly you didn't watch me take down an Elite-level Absol using my Lucario, that 'useless' Floatzel, and Garchomp just for the last effort."

The boy began spluttering, torn between defending his claims and apologizing profusely. Milo pressed on,

"Let's also forget this notion that Water types should be all range-based. That's crap. One of the best things about Water Pokémon is that they can hit from anywhere on the field and move well enough to compete in the close space. Even 'Maya knows that; haven't you seen her bait people in with a Recover to bring them in range of Dragon Tail? Coral's biggest weakness is that she doesn't move."

Milo had more or less expected the kid to shut up and say sorry, but he was surprised yet again. The boy set his face and shot right back;

"Nah, you talk a big game, but Amaya would totally beat you in a full match. Right, Amaya? Everyone knows she's the best Rookie in years."

He looked back at the Twinleaf star, who merely shrugged. Their conversation was drawing not-so-subtle looks from other passengers as the bus trundled down the streets of Jubilife.

"We haven't fought for real since that Hearthome Rookie Challenge. Who knows what'd happen now."

The boy looked almost offended that Amaya would say such a thing, and also a bit awed that she had spoken at all. Still, he drew up the audacity to admonish her for her apparent lack of conviction;

"Oh come on, you don't have to play politics! We all know you'd trounce him. You're The Hammer! Sorry, Milo, you're good and all, but Amaya's way beyond you now. She's -"

Amaya was quickly burning through the meager social graces she possessed. Curtly, she interrupted;

"Look, thanks, but I'm undefeated against other Rookies. Milo's literally fighting the pros – and winning. Sometimes. There's a huge difference between qualifying for the Conference from the Gym Circuit like I'm doing and qualifying from the semis of Iron Island. So yeah, thanks and all, but get a grip on the big picture."

The kid was silent now, his eyes wide as saucers. Milo's eyebrow raised as well; Amaya had spoken, what, three or four sentences in a row there? How very unusual.

"Wow…" The boy was still gazing in awe at Amaya, who now wore a familiar scowl, "So cool…Modest but strong and feisty…just like in battle and in all your interviews…"

"Oy!" The bus driver yelled back, oblivious to the conversation that had drawn the curiosity of at least a few passengers, "JPTA, here's your stop!"

Amaya was the first to jump up and scramble from the bus, bag in hand, with only a gruff "Thanks" to her adoring fan. Over the course of her meteoric rise to near-celebrity status, Amaya had learned to handle the increased scrutiny as a matter of necessity. However, she was still her rough-around-the-edges self when she was unexpectedly cornered in public.

Thrilled to be back in the city that had raised him, Milo raised a hand to knock on the unassuming front door of the famed academy when it opened of its own accord to reveal a rather scared-looking Delia Ketchum.

"So good to see you all", she said hurriedly, all but pulling them bodily into the entryway, "come in, please, quickly."

As she shut the door, the middle-aged teacher flung her arms around Milo, who had always been one of her favorites.

"Oh, Milo", she gasped, "I can't tell you how pleased I am to see you, but…"

The young man's brows furrowed in concern, "Uh, but what?"

"But you can't stay", said a voice from the kitchen. It was Marcus, and he emerged with the same grim expression Mrs. Ketchum wore.

"We need you, bro", he began solemnly, "The Order needs you."

Not again, Milo's face fell, "Why do you need me? Is it that big a deal?"

"Would I be here if it wasn't?"

Milo hung his head. Nowadays, the Order only called him in if the situation really was that bad. He was happy to help, but the days of small-time raids against lightly armed facilities were over. Every single mission was dangerous and life-threatening when he was involved. All because of his connection to them.

Composing himself, he set his shoulders and said;

"Okay. I guess there's not much choice. Let's go. Uh, 'Maya, Kara…I'm really sorry, but it looks like I'll have to meet you later."

Amaya nodded silently. She was the most understanding of his devotion to the cause that was bigger than himself. Kara, however, always struggled when this happened;

"Milo…" She raised her hands searchingly to his face, before hugging him tightly, holding on as if for dear life. He took her head in his own hands and whispered gently;

"I'll come back to you. I always do. I promise."

He touched his forehead to hers, wishing there was something else he could say…but it was time to go. So it was that within half an hour, he was back on another plane, his older brother seated beside him.

"What's the rub? I just left Hearthome this morning, did it happen just recently?"

"We're going north, to Eterna. This whole thing kicked off about a half hour after your plane left. I only beat you to Jubilife by taking a private jet. Courtesy of the Order."

"Wait, you said Eterna?" Milo frowned, "What for? Is Gardenia okay?"

"For now", the Dark type Leader ran a nervous hand through his hair, "But we've got precious little time. Milo…it looks like we're going to need – you know, them."

Flashback

It was two weeks after Milo had hunkered down at the Hearthome Gym that answers had at last been provided about just what the hell had happened at the Celestic battle. His first clue as to how big a deal his 'possession' spell was came when Shadow Master Karen herself turned up to provide the explanation.

"Milo", she began purposefully, "I'm going to lay this out as briefly as I can, alright? I'm assuming someone told you what actually happened in Celestic?"

The young man nodded dumbly as Karen continued;

"Good. Now, you were possessed by Yveltal and Zoroark, who are two of our Order's three Legendary protectors."

"Wait, what? Protectors? I was told we got power from those relic things. When did Legendary Pokémon come into all this?"

"We use the relics to awaken our power", Karen explained, "but where do you think they got that ability? Those relics draw on the Dark Aura power of Yveltal, Zoroark, and Darkrai."

Milo was feeling more confused by the second;

"I thought Dark Aura was like Aura. Doesn't it just – you know, happen?"

"Okay, this is where it gets tricky", the Shadow Master admitted, "You're right, Dark Aura is a lot like Aura, but…this is one of those times where it's different. Aura is like an energy field that flows in, from, and through every living thing…except those that channel Dark Aura instead. So basically, every living thing in the world channels either Aura or Dark Aura. The perceived difference comes from the fact that Aura is much, much more common than Dark Aura."

"Okay…So those three Legendary Pokémon have lots of Dark Aura. That powers the relics. People like us who channel Dark Aura use those relics to access that power. Right?"

Visibly relieved, Karen nodded emphatically, "Perfect! That's it in a nutshell, I'm glad you can follow along. That brings us to the Celestic incident. It's not unheard of for one of those three Legendary Pokémon to take control of a human being, and when it happens we call it 'receiving the blessing' of that particular Pokémon. You seem to have received the blessing of not one but two of them, which is unheard of."

"Uh…okay…what does that mean? I can use creepy Dark powers whenever I want?"

"It means you can ask for their help whenever you need it, and because they've 'chosen' you, they are very likely to help you. I'd also highly recommend not using it whenever you want; you saw what it did to you."

"Fine, but why me? What are the criteria for getting 'chosen' for this blessing deal?"

The Shadow Master grinned with a shrug, "Depends on the blessing. In your case, Yveltal typically blesses those with raw power, and Zoroark tends to bless people who are extraordinarily skilled at deception. As it happens, you became the third person in that battle to have received a blessing like that."

"The third?! No way, I didn't see anybody else do whatever happened to me!"

"No", Karen clarified, "you were the only one to trigger the effects in that battle, but two other Shadows were there who have done so in the past. Your older brother has triggered the blessing of Zoroark on three occasions, and I myself have channeled the power of Darkrai twice."

Milo opened his mouth to protest again, but was preempted;

"Wait", Karen held up a hand, "let me guess. Why didn't either of us trigger those effects sooner, right? I assure you, if the battle looked to be turning against us severely, I was fully prepared to call upon Darkrai. Marcus was ready to do the same until he was rendered almost unconscious by one of the Primal. We use the power of the Legendary blessings as a last resort because of their effects on the user. You saw this yourself; you lost consciousness and were weak for days after the Celestic battle. It's quite a hefty price to pay."

End Flashback

Seated silently on the plane to Eterna, Milo found himself feeling rather bitter;

I still believe in the mission of the Order, but…I kind of hate doing this. Every mission now is this life or death thing that leaves me drained for days if I have to use the blessings. Worst of all, I know Kara is scared beyond belief every time I leave. Ugh…

He shook himself out of this dark pattern of thought as the airplane touched down.

One dilemma at time, Milo.

"There you are, hurry!"

A young lady ran up to meet the two brothers as they stepped out of the airport. Milo vaguely recognized her as one of the assistants at the Eterna Gym.

"Gardenia's barely holding out!"

The frantic girl pulled them into a waiting car and slammed on the gas. They sped north of the city for about five minutes, and Marcus took the opportunity to detail their objective;

"Here is it, bro, listen up. The PsyForce Tribe made a power play against the city government. Ark Monty stepped in and foiled their main effort, but he was outnumbered once the fighting really started. Last we saw, he was fighting inside their base, and Dee is giving it all she can to contain them there at the front. We're here to reinforce her and get Ark Monty out. Clear?"

Milo nodded starkly as the pair jumped out of the vehicle. They were on the outskirts of town, in front of what seemed like an abandoned warehouse. A crash drew Milo's attention to the main door. Marcus was three steps ahead, already sprinting to the source of the commotion;

"GARDENIA!"

The Grass type Leader was visibly battered and bruised, as was her famous Roserade, but they stood strong against a handful of Psychic Pokémon and their masters. As Marcus stood himself in front of his beloved Dee, Milo came to his senses and ran in to help as well, calling as he went;

"Azura, we need you!"

His loyal Umbreon emerged, a Dark Pulse already charged. She demolished a Bronzor that had attempted to flank the group, and Milo himself began launching attacks wherever he could spot a target.

"Bro", called Marcus, "Dee is about to collapse, I'm getting her out of here. Hold the entrance until I get back."

"Can do", replied Milo, before ducking under a Chimecho that had tried to target him with a Take Down. Whirling, he fired a one-handed Dark Aura Sphere into its back, knocking it out easily.

By now, Milo was more than capable of holding his own in this type of battle, and he found the adrenaline rush rather intoxicating.

Duck, sphere, left punch, spin, dodge right, Azura's got that one, left hand beam…

It was almost cathartic to just shut his brain off for once and fight like this. He and Azura combined to make a lethal whirlwind of Dark power. None of these foot soldiers had the strength to hold a candle to him, one good hit each was enough to put them down.

This. This is why I keep coming back, he realized as a Mr. Mime and its owner hit the ground at his feet, I'm…addicted to this rush, the feel of absolute harmony with Azura – in combat. I've never felt so alive.

He and Azura had almost rhythmically dispatched another dozen PsyForce grunts before Marcus materialized at his side.

"Time to play offense", grunted the Gym Leader, "I'll hold these punks, you charge up the middle. Remember, getting Ark out is priority one."

Milo's face slipped into an almost evil-looking grin.

"Dark Pulse."

Azura complied with gusto, blasting a path through their enemies to the door of the building. More grunts soon came pouring through the hole, trying to prevent Milo from penetrating their base, slowing his approach.

I guess there's nothing for it. I'm going to need more help. This is going to get messy…

"Drake, Jet! Clear a path!"

One Hydro Pump – Stone Edge combo later, Milo had a clear run through the front line. As he sprinted through the gap opened by two of his heaviest hitters, he narrowed his eyes. Once he broke through the first line...there was nothing. The halls were empty, as if the entire enemy force had vanished.

This feels wrong, he reached out to Azura, Notice anything I'm missing? That was too easy. I thought we'd have to fight for every inch.

I agree, she nodded, I can't figure it out either. We should be on guard.

As the sounds of Marcus' fighting at the frontline grew farther and farther away, an eerie silence fell over the intruders, broken only by the soft sounds of feet (and paws and claws) tapping on the cold concrete.

"Ugh...I hate this, but we need to prioritize here", Milo frowned as he voiced his thoughts aloud, "Taking this slowly would be safest for us, but the longer we take the worse it could turn out for Ark. My guess is he's right in the thick of it… Right, change of plans; we're heading for the top, guns blazing. Ready?"

The three Pokémon he'd released (Blaze and Ferra had a dangerous type disadvantage and he hated exposing the ever-impressionable Aurora to this kind of violence) looked at one another before Drake answered for them all;

Guns blazing it is, he grinned quite menacingly, hell yeah, we're ready. Let's go.

Milo wordlessly pointed at the nearest staircase and they all took off at full tilt. It was quickly evident that Milo's assumptions had been dead on; as they neared the top of the narrow, dingy stairs, sounds of yelling and battle filled their ears once again. Milo reached the landing first and, without slowing, lowered his shoulder to slam the old, rusty door clean off its hinges. He leapt sideways into the hallway, hands raised, ready for anything.

WHAM!

He was immediately thrown backward as a table was telekinetically slammed into his midriff, thrown by…

Crap. Of course they did.

All the grunts Milo had expected to find on the way up were waiting for him. Their psychic powers had no effect on him, but they could still bombard him with projectiles – like the table that had just pinned him painfully to the floor.

"Guys", he called urgently, "a little help?"

Azura was two steps ahead. She'd already jumped out, furious that these grunts would dare harm her human.

DON'T YOU TOUCH HIM! YYYAAAHHHH!

A titanic Dark Pulse destroyed half the hallway on its way to the grunts and their Pokémon, most of whom were knocked flat by the massive hit.

"Wow", Milo used the respite to free himself clumsily and get to his feet, "That was intense. Come on, though, no time to stop!"

Drake and Jet efficiently cleaned up the remaining grunts as the team dashed into the main space, which was already in ruins. Milo held up a hand as they took in the situation at a glance;

Two Lucario, an Onix, a Pangoro, and an Aegislash stood weary guard over a heavily injured Ark Monty. Facing them down were at least a dozen Psychic Pokémon and two very creepy women who were floating in the middle of the room, their eyes glowing a sickly blue color.

It looked as though Ark and his team had put up one hell of a fight; for every grunt still battling, another two or three were down, along with their Pokémon.

Breathing heavily, Ark himself was slumped behind the makeshift cover of an overturned table, one hand clutching the deep red stain visible on his side.

"Ani", he growled through gritted teeth, "on your left!"

Milo was already in motion, sprinting towards the beleaguered team, and he was amazed to see one of the Lucario whirl on her heel to expertly block an attack that had most certainly been launched after Ark's timely warning.

"Oy!" Milo's first plan of attack was to refocus the attackers' attention on him; he needed to get them away from Ark and his team.

"Over here, you freaks!"

What's this? A smooth, female voice emanated from one of the women, who was seated mid-air in a meditation pose. She swiveled in place to glare at Milo, who fiercely returned her gaze.

Hmm, the Shades have come to play, sister…

Just in time for desert, chimed the other one.

Remembering what Marcus had once described to him, Milo thought grimly;

These must be two of the five Mind Queens.

He was out of time to think about it, as a Bronzong and an Alakazam led a charge towards him, using Psychic on any loose items to throw them at the intruders.

"Scatter!" Milo screamed frantically as he dove out of the way of a chair that nearly took his head off.

"No stopping", he called, "hit and run from anywhere you can!"

His heart swelled with pride at his team's alacrity and discipline. Within seconds, attacks of every type were slamming into the Psychics from every angle, creating more than enough chaos for Milo to make his way to the injured Ark.

"Hey! Ark, talk to me! Are you okay?"

With a dark smile, the self-proclaimed Aura Protector of the city responded gamely;

"Milo...Ah, good. You made it just in time for my – rgh – epic comeback."

"Ark", Milo threw up a Dark Aura Sphere to blast away an incoming projectile, "I love the effort, but you need to call off your team. I'm here to extract you, come on. Let me get you up."

"Aha! As if!" Milo was shocked as Ark actually pushed him off, "I'll get myself up, thanks very much! Hmm! I've seen – gah – I've seen worse, and so has my team. Okay, boys and Ani! Get back in there! Hit and run seems to be working! C'mon!"

How can he just shrug that off? He's got broken bones and open wounds at the very least!

Nevertheless, Ark Monty stood, seemingly by pure force of will. Anubis was acting as a sort of 'traffic director' for Ark's team as they, too, forced themselves back into the fray, turning the tide now against the PsyForce Tribe grunts and Mind Queens, who were shrieking telepathically at their minions as they themselves backed off.

Seeing Anubis lead his teammates via coordination gave Milo a somewhat risky idea;

"Ferra! You're up!"

As Milo's self-proclaimed 'daughter' burst out, eager to join the fighting, he instructed her quickly;

"Coordinate with Anubis, relay instructions to the rest of our team. We're going hit and run here, reflexes at the ready. Okay?"

"I'm ready, Papa."

"Knock 'em down, girl, but remember they're Psychics. You need to be extra careful."

Ferra's eyes glinted in barbaric excitement as she leapt in. A hand grasped Milo's shoulder. The usually bright face of Ark Monty was uncharacteristically somber;

"Milo, I can't thank you enough. I was beginning to fear for my team. Now, let's rip these unnatural psychopaths a new one. RRAAAHH!"

He turned and – to Milo's amazement, once again – actually sprinted up to the nearest PsyForce grunt and pummeled him viciously into the ground at point blank range with an Aura Sphere.

"Can't let him have all the fun", Milo muttered with a hint of a grin, "it's my turn!"

The next fifteen minutes went by as one massive adrenaline rush for the Jubilife Trainer. Inanimate objects came flying at him from every angle, attacks of every type came from Pokémon that appeared out of thin air, and he was dodging his allies' attacks as much as those of the enemy.

Finally, the grunts and their Pokémon were out of the way, and Milo and Ark could focus all their attention on the two Mind Queens.

Sister, noted one of them disparagingly, we seem to be drawing some attention. The Guardians and the Shades are here together.

How adorable, smirked the other, as the Bronzong and Alakazam took up position in front of them, I suppose it's only fitting that we grant them the mercy of a quick death. Attack!

Milo had begun to hope that with the disposal of the grunts this fight would turn handily in their favor, but he soon found to his dismay that fighting two Mind Queens was vastly different – and more challenging – than fighting two Primals. The Mind Queens could seamlessly combine their powers to devastating effect, operating first as one entity, then as two, then as one again. They were incredibly powerful and completely unpredictable.

"JET!" The Floatzel was sent streaking back into a wall by a Psychic blast, "Azura, that Alakazam is a real handful; can you – ah!" He ducked at the last second under a Gyro Ball from the Bronzong, "Can you at least keep him busy? Drake, help me with this one!"

As Azura turned to pummel the comparatively fragile Alakazam with whatever Dark and Ghost moves she could muster, Drake joined his Trainer to fire off a barrage that served to drive back the cautious Bronzong. Milo gritted his teeth through the pain and exhaustion of the fight thus far, and picked his head up to check on the overall state of things.

Ferra had join Ark and his team and was facing down the two Mind Queens, though the already worn-out group was having some real trouble handling the two human Psychics.

Damn, though Milo as the obvious solution presented itself, I was really hoping not to need them, but...if I wait any longer I'm putting Ark and his Pokémon at risk of serious harm. Crap. Alright, Yveltal, Zoroark. I know you're there, and I know you're dying to take a crack at these psychos. Let 'em have it.

He felt the familiar rush as he mentally brought down the barriers, allowing the power of the two Legendary Pokémon to flood over him like a raging Dark river. He braced himself, and as expected, blacked out within seconds.

Kara

"Hello? Earth to Kara?"

"Huh?" The Performer gave her head a shake. She was seated with Amaya at a cafe a few blocks away from the JPTA. The bright, mid-morning sun gave their street corner, cobblestone setting a picturesque feel that totally escaped the thoroughly distracted Floaroma girl.

"S-sorry, 'Maya. What's up?"

"Feeeeeoonn…" came a low, sad coo from Verdante, curled up in her Trainer's lap.

"Yeah", added Amaya, "basically that. You're super down and I don't blame you, but you should at least try not to be a human raincloud. People will think you're part Castform."

Kara gave a weak chuckle.

"Yeah, sorry. I just...well, you know."

They were due to head out for Canalave that afternoon. Milo would – hopefully – be meeting them there within the next few days. The call had come in the previous evening; her reckless boyfriend had been forced to channel Yveltal and Zoroark (again) and was in no condition to make the trip back to Jubilife as was originally planned.

She took another morose sip of her overpriced coffee as another person (the fifth or so since they sat down an hour ago) stopped and shyly asked Amaya for a picture. Apparently there weren't too many Showcase fans in Jubilife – Kara had only been 'spotted' once or twice in that time. Everyone who stopped asked the same thing;

"Uh, where's Milo? Isn't he usually with you guys?"

The question was an honest and innocent one, but it was like a twist of the knife to Kara's worried heart each time. Their hometown favorite, the local boy, her dearest Milo, was in a recovery room at the Eterna Gym, too weak to even get on an airplane.

Marcus had been the one to call it in, which did nothing to assuage the slight grudge the two girls still felt towards the Leader after he inadvertently dented Milo's career six months ago. Milo himself didn't mind so much, but both Kara and Amaya knew as well as anyone else that he would be at least as well-known as 'The Hammer', or anyone else for that matter, if it weren't for Marcus' six-to-zero stunt.

As the latest adoring fan at last left Amaya alone, the Twinleaf girl turned back to her friend.

"Seriously, Kara. You're taking my job; you're being more – well, Amaya than I am."

That elicited a flash of a grin from the Performer, who shot back rather disparagingly;

"I know you're trying to help, 'Maya, and I appreciate it, but cheering people up isn't exactly your forte. Let's head back and finish getting ready. The Canalave Channel's not going to surf itself."

"Eh", Amaya shrugged as she stood and left a tip on the table, "can't fault me for trying, though, huh?"

"No, no I can't", Kara's voice softened, "I really do appreciate you trying. I'm just…scared, is all."

Still, she knew she couldn't walk around moping all day, so she almost instinctively reapplied her impregnable, unreadable 'everything is fine' smile.

"That's kind of freaky, you know."

Amaya had noticed the switch, apparently.

"Hmm? Oh, why thank you", she replied graciously, "Anyway, let's go!"

No matter how deep she pushed the fear and uncertainty, though, it refused to go away entirely. She knew it would be there until Milo could safely rejoin them. The best she could do until then was grin and bear it.

What finally helped free Kara's mind from these negative thoughts was starting their latest adventure. She'd picked out one of her favorite sundresses and bought a large hat to provide her some shade on the open water.

She was even able, by some miracle, to convince Amaya to take a picture together, which she sent to the Eterna Gym for Gardenia to show Milo. It was a perfect day, with the sun shining down out of the cloudless sky as Amaya released Coral into the crystal clear waters.

Technically, the Milotic hadn't mastered the Surf move that was formally used to transport Trainers over water, but the concept was easy enough to emulate. The two girls got situated on Coral's back, and all she had to do was keep them above the surface of the water as she swam.

"Pfft", Amaya had scoffed when Kara asked timidly whether they'd need to buy a Surf HM, "Who needs HMs? What, don't you trust Coral to swim with us on her back?"

"Well, sure", she'd responded, "but I bet there's a reason people use the HM, so…"

"People who use HMs for Surf are trying to ride their freaking Magikarp across half an ocean. We have a Milotic, and we're just crossing from Jubilife to Canalave. Why waste the money?"

So, the decision had been made. In the end, it was a non-issue, as Coral had no problems providing them safe and comfortable transport. They floated along serenely, and Kara even let Madame, her Beautifly, out to get some fresh air.

Damion Parr

He stretched out on the beach, rubbing his sore back and leg muscles. Riding a Steel type across the Canalave Channel was not the most comfortable experience. Nearby, his Empoleon was making the most of the opportunity to let off some steam playing in the water.

"Hey, feathers", he called to his starter, "You want to get a move on, or stay a bit?"

"Poooll", answered the Pokémon rather pleadingly. The Veilstone Trainer rolled his eyes. As it grew, his Water type had matured in battle, becoming an impregnable wall of defense, and fierce to boot...but its personality never quite made the same change. It was still just as happy-go-lucky and whimsical as ever.

Rolling his eyes, Damion released the rest of his team. They were paused on the island halfway across the channel, headed for their sixth badge. He was running out of time, he knew; he had only a few months left to beat the last three Leaders, and they were the toughest ones to take down.

"Some of us don't have the luxury of zipping through Leaders and taking six month breaks", he muttered darkly to himself. He had taken at least three attempts at every Leader after Roark, taking training breaks each time he lost.

It was only three weeks now since he'd gotten through Marcus' Gym team in Hearthome;

"Crap, that was awkward", he grinned at the memory. Having to face Milo's older brother, with Milo himself glaring down from the stands no less, made the already difficult Gym battle seem almost impossible. Nevertheless, Machamp had at last become powerful enough to carry the team to victory, with help from Empoleon and Toxicroak.

"What's this?" The voice from behind him sent his heart plummeting as he scrambled to react;

"A big, bad Trainer...caught off his guard?"

"Shit", was the first word that came to his mind, "Not you Rocket hags again. What the hell do you want?"

Sure enough, Annie and Oakley emerged from the foliage on either side of the Veilstone Trainer;

"I think we're well past that, don't you? You know damn well why we're here, boy."

He narrowed his eyes;

"You're wasting your time. I told you a thousand times, I'm not interested. I'm strong enough to beat you both down now, so you'd better clear out."

Annie only laughed in his face;

"Please. Beat us down? Maybe you're strong enough, but you're nowhere near smart enough."

Damion's eyes narrowed, and a quick visual scan confirmed his suspicions;

"Smart…What do you – NO!"

Espeon and Ariados had taken advantage of his distraction and used the element of surprise to take his team out using a combination of Hypnosis and String Shot.

"Hmph", Oakley stepped up to the dumbstruck young Trainer, "We should've thought of this sooner. Like taking candy from a baby. Too bad it didn't work on that Jubilife freak. Still…"

SMACK!

Damion stumbled to the ground, his face burning from the vicious slap delivered by the purple-haired Rocket. Standing over him, she continued;

"I guess this Veilstone kid isn't a half bad consolation prize."

Grunting with rage and exertion, he tried to push himself off the ground – only to be kicked in the chest. Annie was surprisingly strong, and Damion was down hard, seeing stars.

"Stay down if you know what's good for you", she spat, "We're done being cute, done playing games, done asking and begging and wheedling. Now we're telling you. Welcome to Team Rocket. Now, if you'd cooperated earlier, we'd let you keep these splendid Pokémon you've raised, but since you caused all this trouble…they'll go to the Boss like all the rest. Espeon, put him out with-"

"SPIRIELLE, WRECK THEM!"

Annie and Oakley had no more than a split second of shock and horror until a blindingly fast Shadow Ball crashed into them.

"GAAARRRR!"

A terrifying, fully grown Gengar descended eerily from above as Amaya ran onto the scene, reaching for the rest of her team.

"No…not her! Annie, we've got no choice, let's split!"

"Agreed", nodded the other Rocket grimly, "let's go!"

Just like that, both women and their Pokémon turned to scramble away. Amaya, however, had other plans.

"Psychic, Spirielle. The rest of you, surround them."

Damion, still struggling to regain his breath from the blow to his chest, could only stare in disbelief as Amaya's team took up position around the now-trapped Team Rocket hunters.

"Come on 'Maya", came a new voice, "you never wait up!"

Is that…the Performer chick? Damion had about a million questions, What're Amaya and Milo's arm candy doing here? The hell is up with all this?

Sure enough, Kara came chasing after her Twinleaf friend, swiftly commanding her own team;

"Flo, back up Spirielle with your Psychic. Make sure that Espeon doesn't try anything. Frost, Madame, cover the air. Zexon, Pyro, help cut them off. Verdante, you're with me!"

Annie, Oakley, Espeon, and Ariados were powerless. They were thoroughly outgunned and caught in the powerful hold of two very potent Psychic attacks. Damion could still hardly believe his eyes, but there it was. Somehow. With some effort, he dragged himself to his feet;

"W – why? Do you two realize you just saved…me?"

"Not now", Kara spat coldly, "I'm in the middle of calling the police."

Nonplussed, Damion stepped back. He'd never been able to hold his own against the two crazed Rockets, much less flatten them enough to even consider calling the police. Yet here they were; Annie and Oakley completely restrained. Damion turned to the other girl, trying to figure out what the hell was going on.

"Hey, Amaya. What-"

"Sit down and shut up", came her rough interruption, "This changes nothing."

Marcus

This isn't going to be fun, he grimaced as he walked down the hallway of Gardenia's Gym. His girlfriend was more or less fine now, a couple days after the shock of the PsyForce Tribe's ambush.

The crazed, power-hungry Psychics had been more and more active lately, which was concerning to the Order of Shadows.

I almost wonder if this is a side effect, thought the Hearthome Leader as he trudged along, hands stuffed in his pockets glumly, We really beat the snot out of the Spirit League back in Celestic all those months ago, and maybe it left room for the PFT to grow beyond their natural place.

Regardless of why, it was a growing issue with many complicating factors, one of which he was about to roll up his mental sleeves and deal with. He was on cleanup duty. He finally reached the normally unoccupied side office, took a breath, and walked in.

Behind the desk sat a sober-looking Ark Monty, with both of his Lucario standing silently behind him. Putting on his most pleasant 'diplomacy' face, Marcus began lightly;

"Hey there, Ark! I know you're a busy guy; this shouldn't take too long, I just think we should clear the air a bit about some of the things that went down. Cool?"

Whatever Ark was, cool wasn't the word for it. As Marcus tried for a calming grin, the Aura Protector of the city only turned his stare downward to the plain wooden desk. When he spoke, his voice lacked any of its usual exuberance;

"I've seen a great many things in my time as a Guardian, and I've fought many frightening opponents. But…"

The man paused, and shook his head as if in disbelief.

I bet I know where this is headed, thought Marcus, Damn, Milo. You even freaked out Ark; that takes some doing.

"But I've never seen anything like – like that."

"I know the feeling", Marcus never enjoyed these conversations, "Would it help you to just get it out? Tell me what you saw and I'll provide whatever answers I can."

"We…we were losing. My team and I fought all the way to the top, but they had these two terrifying Psychics at the heart of their base."

"Those were Mind Queens", Marcus offered gently, "They are some of the most powerful and, unfortunately, deranged Psychics in the world. That you faced down two of them in your condition is a feat in itself."

Ark barely seemed to notice his words as he pressed on, his head held in his hands;

"Milo arrived to support me, and we pressed them back. I think…with more time he'd have overcome them. But he was worried about my team and I, he didn't think we'd last that long. Who knows, maybe he was right."

Ark's voice was hollow and eerie, as if he were describing a nightmare instead of a memory. Marcus tensed himself.

I knew they were getting stronger, but this sounds bad. For even Ark to be this thoroughly shaken…wow. And this guy's seen it all, too.

"There was a split second", described the veteran Aura Guardian, "right before it all went to hell, where Milo found me and gave me a look. It was only an instant, but he had this…this sad smile on his face, like he knew what was about to be unleashed. It was like he knew what would happen to him and he was resolved to it regardless."

"He knew", Marcus was shaking now as well. He hated listening to this, hearing the story of his brother's latest near-death experience, "he knew exactly what was about to happen. Dark Aura is not as predictable or forgiving as your Guardians' power, Ark. Go on."

Ark looked searchingly into the Leader's face. Marcus tried to keep his cool, but the Lucario-obsessed Guardian could see the cracks in his mask. Nonetheless, he pressed on;

"He…he muttered something before the change. It's burned into my mind – he said 'Let 'em have it'. Then…then the whole space turned black. It was blacker than anything I've ever seen."

Marcus nodded slowly. He'd seen this a few times now, on other Order missions with his brother, when the blessings had been triggered. It never failed to leave an impression.

"Most darkness is an absence of light", Ark couldn't stop, "but this was different. It was a different type of darkness. It was an aggressive Dark power. It was enough to strike fear even into those – what did you call them?"

"Mind Queens?"

"Yes, them. Even they began shrieking in terror. I was silent. I couldn't comprehend it. Then, I saw Milo. He was raised off the ground, glowing with a stark, blinding, painfully white light in his eyes. Not even his own Pokémon could stay near him, the aura of power was – was unthinkable; unthinkable, and so very Dark. Then – then he spoke."

This was always the creepiest part for Marcus. Yveltal and Zoroark always seemed to say the freakiest things when they possessed Milo. Hesitantly, he prompted the Eterna protector;

"What did they – he – say?"

"They?" Ark had caught his slip.

"I – yes. They. Milo has done this before. Let me guess; you heard three voices, correct? And only one of them was Milo's voice?"

"That's it exactly. The voices said, in unison, 'Look upon the instrument of your destruction'. Then everything started to shake as he built up a massive ball of Dark energy. The last thing I remember is hearing those same three voices scream as they hurled the Dark ball at those Mind Queens."

The two men sat in silence for a moment. Ark watched Marcus carefully, noting his every move, desperate to glean something from his reaction. Marcus, for his part, felt his heart sink even further into his stomach. Tiredly, he finished the story as he'd seen it, to provide the Aura Guardian with some meager sense of closure;

"I can tell you the rest; I was out in front of the building when it happened. I also felt the shaking as the power was building. I remember the scream clearly as well. When the attack struck, the Mind Queens were already halfway through teleporting away. They were certainly hit, and they won't trouble anyone again for some time, but they were still able to escape the full brunt of the blast, or else they'd be very dead."

"They escaped?" Ark jumped out of his seat and pounded a fist on the table;

"Why on earth aren't we tracking these abominations down? They dared to attack my city, and they will pay if it's the last thing I ever DO!"

Marcus only watched impassively as the man's rage built into a frenzy. One of his Lucario at last gave a short bark that seemed to bring his to his senses;

"Hmm? Ah, yes…yes, thank you, Ani. I'm getting ahead of myself again. Forgive me, my friend, I'm sure your Order is already doing everything within its power to find them."

"That we are", Marcus answered.

"Tell me", Ark settled back into his seat, "What Dark abilities does that boy possess? What kind of demon did he summon that could command that kind of power?"

"Milo used what we call the blessings of two Legendary Pokémon. He has a special connection to them, and he can call on them if he really needs their help. However, it comes with a price, as I'm sure you can guess. He's left weak and exhausted beyond belief for days each time he uses that power."

"Incredible", Ark's voice was barely a whisper, "I can't fathom such a thing. Legendary Pokémon? It's…well, it's more than enough for me to ponder for the time being."

With that, Ark stood, offering his hand to the young man across from him,

"Thank you, Marcus, for answering my questions and filling in the gaps for me. I must go, but I wish your brother the speediest possible recovery. Farewell."

With that, the Aura Protector of Eterna stepped out of the office, still quite subdued. Marcus sat for a minute on his own. He had some processing of his own to get through.

It seems like those blessings get stronger the more powerful he gets. For crying out loud, he all but leveled that building with one attack! Geez…No wonder he's not such a fan of being sent out on missions any more. If it's scary for me, I can't imagine what it's like for him.

Unfortunately, Marcus knew the missions wouldn't stop. Not with the PsyForce Tribe acting more and more aggressively. The leaders of the Order were beginning to suspect a wider plot by the Psychic users, and things were looking as if they might come to a head before too long. If that were to happen…

If we get into a full-blown war with them, Milo will be thrown right in the middle of it all.

Author's Notes:

Here's Chapter 20! Is it too cliché of me to do the six-month time jump like that? If so, please forgive me. Better that than a chapter or two of fluff to pass the time, right? Anyway, I've got other ideas for that time. Eventually I'd like to start a separate series of one-shots featuring events and adventures of the crew during that six-month break. For now, though, I thought it best to keep the action rolling!

If you didn't notice, I put up a one-shot recently that tells Azura's full 'origin story', beyond just the glimpse we got in Chapter 5. It's called 'Milo and the Blue Umbreon: Moonlight Beginnings'. It doesn't add anything to the main plot, but I'm quite happy with it, so I'd humbly advise checking it out.

Also, I've been told my battles are pretty good, so I put together a one-shot/guide about battle-writing for anyone who's looking for advice on writing Pokémon battles. I'm not the best, I'm no expert; I just put it up in case anyone wants free tips. That can also be found over on my profile, if you're intrigued.

One thing I need to say about this chapter is a big shout out to Lunar Knight Archangel, who owns the character of Ark Monty. Many thanks as always for letting me use your wonderful OC!

I have lots of other things I could say, but you guys don't want to hear me ramble on and on in the Author Notes, so I'll just say this; thank you for your time and attention! If you liked it, follow or favorite so you can keep up to date with the story! I would love to hear any thoughts in a review, if you're willing to share!

Again, thank you sincerely for reading, I don't own Pokémon, and have a great day today!