Last chapter! Sequel will be up on Monday. Sorry if the ending seemed anticlimactic, you'll see what I wanted to save for the beginning of the next book.

Angel is forcibly dressed into a pair of leggings and a blouse before she is dragged out of the hotel around noon by Cynthia. The mother grabs a taxi and the metallic cage opens its doors. Calamity is pushed into the car by the adult along with her trainer, both begrudgingly sitting down on the leather and pouting at the blonde before them.

Angel had offered to walk them to the cafe and save a few hundred poke, but Cynthia denied; she didn't trust Angel not to lead her on a wild goose chase around the largest city in the region to avoid the upcoming. For as long as she could remember she avoided that café like the plague and with good reason. The child never wanted to acknowledge the fact that she had family besides her father, especially after the first meeting she had with her uncle that ended in a very vocal dispute and Angel hiding under a table for the majority of the visit. As far as she was concerned her father was her family, her pokemon were her family, and now Cynthia's her family. She didn't need to know Yara or her anyone who shares her bloodline. Besides, when you're bloodline gets connected to a man that tried destroy the region, you don't go flaunting it. Even if it can be traced back to Kalosite royalty.

A shuffle makes the child turn her head and her violet eyes catch a glance at the old photo album. It was the one she had snatched off the bookshelf and Angel casts questioning eyes on her mother.

"I thought it'd be a nice thing to go through with Yara."

"Why are we going. Can't we just go home?" Angel whines.

"Why don't you want to get to know your moth-"

"You're me mama!" Angel cuts off before lowering her tone. "You're my mama. I don't want her. She left me. I don't want to be called Arella because you gave me the name Angel. I-I don't want you to leave me with a person I don't know."

Cynthia smiles in sympathy and reaches across the seat to pull the child onto her lap, "Angel, blood or not, you are my daughter. Alright, Love? I'm not going anywhere."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

…

Lunch is awkward. Angel shifts uncomfortably at the feeling of Yara's eyes drilling holes into her soul and Cynthia wasn't easing her guilt at all by glancing occasionally at her while casually carrying on conversation as if this other woman wasn't of any importance. She stabs her food in frustration.

"You went to Johto correct?" Cynthia asks the other adult who looks up from the photo album placed between them.

"Oh, yes. I did. I was there helping out a friend with his business. He… He actually proposed to me… I- I came back to see Xavier to tie up my loose ends."

Angel secretly winces and stuffs a piece of pasta into her mouth. Loose ends… perhaps that's how a lot of people viewed her.

"I-I have no intention of taking Ar-Angel from you Cynthia. I know I gave up any right as a mother the night I left. But, I'm happy that you were the one to take her in and that she's happy." The brunette turns to her daughter, "I-I know I should houldn't be asking you this Angel, but what happened? How did Xavier die?" Yara stammers.

Angel looks up from her plate, scattered bits of her vegetables thrown around her plate from bored probing, and latches eyes with the woman. The platinum hesitates, obviously uncomfortable with the subject. Cynthia didn't relieve any of the pressure choking her throat. The other blonde was just as curious, for the topic of Angel's father always caused the girl to clam up.

"We went out into the forest to heal a pokemon I saw injured when I was playing on the playground. A thunderstorm started while we were out there and hit one of the trees. It caught fire and fell on Daddy… The absol we were helping brought me back and went back for him, but I never saw either of them again. I went out looking for it, but I found Calamity's egg instead. I assume he died in the forest fire."

Cynthia stares at her, wide eyed, and automatically pulls her onto her lap to wrap her arms around the child. Angel purses her lips and wrings her hands tighter as walls of flames and black smoke fills her vision. She blinks her purple eyes to rid of the scene and gives a slight shake to propel it out of her head.

"I-I'm so sorry," Yara stammers out.

Angel only shrugs her indifference.

After they eat Cynthia excuses herself to go to the bathroom. Angel wasn't sure if the champion actually needed to go or if it was Cynthia's silent plea for Angel to communicate with Yara. Knowing her parent, Angel pushes her plate to the side of the table and grips the photo album between them. She flips to a page towards the center and swings the large book around to face her birth mother. Yara flinches in surprise before pulling the album closer to look at it. Her finger runs over the pictures of a two year old Angel and her father.

"I know that Cynthia wants me to talk to you, but I don't know what to say. You can look through those if you want."

"Thank you Angel," She stated softly as she fingers through the pictures. She laughs slightly at the picture of Angel wrapped up in Christmas lights and the one where Xavier is trying to get a baby Angel to smile.

The child digs through her bag beside the table and pulls out a wrinkled picture from one of the pockets. She slides the picture across the wooden platform and Yara takes a glance at the picture. She picks the family portrait up.

"You can keep that one. Apparently Daddy had a few of those hidden in his journal that he never let me see…"

"Angel," The child looks up, "I know you don't view me as your mother. That's fine and I can tell you don't want me interfering with the life that you've created for yourself. So I won't."

The platinum nods her thanks and jumps out of her seat when she sees Cynthia round the corner back towards them.

"You okay, Love?" The champion asks as she leans down to pick the child up.

Angel shakes her head and turns to Yara, "I'm glad I got to meet you Yara. I'm sure that Daddy would've said you can be with your friend."

The brunette smiles, "Thank you Angel."

…

Angel stares out the airplane window and waves goodbye to the few people seeing them off. Her arm clutches her photo album as Yara, Sycamore, and Sophie get smaller as the plane gathers speed and starts to rise into the air. She abandons her seat when the belt light turns off and propels herself into her mother's lap. Cynthia gives a umph as the child knocks the air out of her lungs.

"What'cha lookin' at?"

"Nothing important. Just a file that Sycamore gave me," She places the large file on the table besides her and wraps her arms around Angel. Her lips graze Angel's forehead, "I'm sorry about your father."

"I try not to think about it. Daddy wouldn't want me to be sad over it and besides I have you now right? You and Garchomp and all your other pokemon too."

Cynthia smiles and pets Angel's wild locks down, "That's right. You have me and Garchomp."

Angel smiles and rests her head against Cynthia's chest. She feels her pokeballs wiggle at her waist and a small smile makes it's way across her face. The platinum tightens her grip and Cynthia hugs tighter in response.

"I'm happy that you named me Mama."

"You are my little angel, Love." Cynthia reminds. "My little angel that can talk to pokemon and has the sweetest smile."

The comment only makes Angel's smile widen.