Chapter 5: Sky Trainers and Skyarrow Bridge! Spread Your Wings, Cure Flare!

"I'm back, Mom."

The silence that follows Touko's declaration slowly forms a vice grip on her throat. For the first time, she cannot read her mother's expression. The normal friendly smile that Touko's mother always wears is replaced with a straight face. Her eyes are widened but only by a centimeter. Her eyelids immediately droop down to cover half of her eyes as if she's considering whether or not she should glare at her daughter.

Touko starts to chant in her mind that this is a bad idea. She should have waited! What were Reshiram and her friends thinking? Now, what is she supposed to say?!

"Welcome back, Touko. Did you find your friend?" her mother questions. It is obvious from her tone that she is hiding her apprehension behind her patient persona.

Without thinking, Touko turns her gaze to where N is sleeping.

"Y-Yeah, I did."

"That's great news. I'm happy for you, dear."

The fact that her mom is continuing the conversation as if she hasn't heard or seen her daughter in over three years causes the trainer to tear up. She covers her mouth to muffle her cries, not wanting N to wake up and see her in such a state.

"Oh Touko, what's wrong?"

"Why aren't you yelling at me?" she blurts out, borderline hissing at her mother. "Why aren't you mad at me? I dropped off the face of the planet and made you worry so much!"

Her team begins to stir from their slumber, sensing the distress radiating from their trainer. Her Lilligant awakens first. With Reshiram's luxury ball in her arms, the flowery Pokémon wobbles her way to Touko's bed. Touko's mother watches as her daughter's face morphs in the presence of her Pokémon, her visibly upset posture melting away slowly. Eventually, the rest of her team surrounds her bed, giving her some much-needed confidence to face her mother.

"When your mind is set on something," Touko's mom begins, grabbing her daughter's attention, "there is nothing I can do to stop you. That's how you've always been. The only thing that matters to me is whether you were able to accomplish what you've set off to do."

"Mom…"

"Still…I'm so happy to hear that you're okay. Even though I know you can take care of yourself, I cannot help but worry about you."

She sees Touko's eyebrows crinkle, a sign that she's contemplating her response.

"I'm coming home soon! My friend and I are going on a journey together right now, but I want you to meet him."

The subtle pink blooming on her cheeks and the sudden aversion of her azure eyes do not go unnoticed by the single mother. Her daughter was always easy to read, even without her years of experience raising the heroine.

Instead of flashing that all-knowing smirk that Touko has been dreading since the beginning of the call, she returns a motherly smile to the trainer and says, "I look forward to meeting the kind of man that my daughter would wander the world for."

It is rare for Alder to have guests over for dinner. But what is even more unexpected are the resolved expressions on Cheren's and Bianca's faces when they invited themselves in that night. Something about the muted determination in their eyes intrigues him. Have they found the truth about the incident?

"Thank you for letting us stay at such short notice," Cheren humbly says, placing down his bowl of rice. On the other hand, Bianca has already finished her serving of rice.

"Yes, thank you so much! The food's great!" the professor's assistant says.

"Well, I couldn't just refuse you at the door," Alder replies, reaching over for another piece of vegetable. "Besides, it seems like you have something to discuss with me." Picking up his cup to take a sip of water, the older man waits for them in bated silence. Bianca and Cheren share a tentative gaze, seemingly having a silent conversation with each other. It must have been an argument that sparks between them, for Cheren eventually huffs irritatedly and faces the former champion.

"We managed to track down Touko, and she told us everything. She wanted us to tell you what really happened because she said that you're already involved." Alder hums slowly when Cheren brings up the incident with the Kugeki.

"Involved, you say? Hmm…"

"Alder, I think you should keep an open mind. What we're about to tell you...might change everything that you know about the world," Bianca warns. "I know that it did for me."

"It's the same for me," Cheren pitches in. He abruptly looks away as if he recalled something he rather not.

"The truth is that Touko is…"

Mei gets up at the break of sunrise. Normally, she is a morning person, but waking up at this hour is curious, considering that her primary objective is to stalk her idol and her friend on their journey.

Instead, she slumps her way down the stairs to the entrance of the Pokémon Center and calls out her Swanna.

"Lacunosa Town, please," she says, stifling a yawn. The elegant Pokémon unfolds her wings and, after Mei hops onto her back, takes off to the skies toward the northern part of Unova. An hour later, the Swanna lands in the quiet town just as it's about to bustle with activity.

Mei recalls her flying-type Pokémon and turns her gaze to the northeast. The townspeople merely shake their heads and move on to their daily routines, having already given up on warning the peppy girl from going to her destination. After the incident with Kyurem and Neo Team Plasma, they have decided to leave her alone to her own devices.

Though that doesn't stop them from thinking things like, "There she goes again…" or "She must be crazy, trying to befriend that monster…"

The young trainer stretches her arms as a way to expel the last of her morning weariness. Her bag rumbles against her hip, a cue that tells her that Zekrom wants to speak.

"We have much to report today. Let us hurry so that we do not get left behind by them."

"Yeah. I only hope nothing else happens while we're gone."

"That reminds me...when exactly are we going to reveal ourselves to the other heroine?"

"Obviously when she needs our help, Zekrom. That's when we'll swoop in, save the day, and earn her respect!"

"I should have known…"

The Giant Chasm, despite the summer heat beating down on the region, exhales a gust of chilly wind from its lonely entrance. Mei strolls into the cavern as if she's entering a clothing store, eager and filled with jubilation. The sight of the fallen trees and the giant patch of sand in the center of the sacred grounds do little to deter her from her destination. The cold air picks up again as she nears the chamber overlooking the devastated chasm. Digging into her bag, she pulls out several Yache berries and cradles them in her hands as if they're offerings for a ritual.

"Kyurem, I'm back!" she hollers, her giddiness echoing across the icy cavern. The temperature drops as frosty wind circulates around the pigtailed teenager. From the chilly mist, a pair of golden eyes sharpens its glare before the rest of the Pokemon materializes.

Kyurem, the Boundary Pokémon, releases a roar that scatters the frozen wind, threatening to knock Mei's visor off her head. Despite the obvious display of power, Kyurem eyes Mei not with hostility, but with exasperation.

Its voice rumbles through her mind, seeping down her spine as a slow chill. Unlike the warmth in Reshiram's voice or the thundering boom that borders Zekrom's voice, Kyurem speaks as if to instill terror into the thing it is talking to.

"So, you have returned."

"Yep, and I brought your favorite berries, just as I said I would!"

One can call her insane for addressing the dragon and ice-type legendary Pokémon the way she does: without fear, without malice. She dares to step forward and places the Yache berries by Kyurem's feet. And while it swallows one of them whole, Zekrom releases itself from its ultra ball and stands by Mei's side.

"Kyurem," Zekrom begins, "We are here for our weekly report."

"A routine I did not ask you two to maintain," the forgotten legendary Pokémon retorts back. With that carefree smile, Mei shakes her head.

"Oh, don't be like that, Kyurem! We actually have big news to inform you of."

Kyurem's yellow eyes then twinkle with amusement as if it already knows what the bubbly trainer is about to tell it. "I sense that Reshiram is back in Unova. The other heroine has returned."

"Yes, she has, and her return has complicated our current dilemma with the Shadow Triad."

Kyurem must be smirking at Zekrom's confirmation, intrigued by the development. Mei's smile once again drops, all of her positive energy drained away by that sparkle in the ice dragon's eyes.

She has never gotten Kyurem to respond in such a way before.

"Tell me more."

"Wow...no matter how many times I walk across this bridge, the view is always amazing," Touko mumbles.

N's gray eyes linger on his friend as she stares over the edge of the railings, her head swinging back and forth to follow the line of cars rushing under them. Touko looks up to the sound of Pidove soaring over the tall bridge. A ship enters the underbelly of the bridge's arch, shooting up a puff of white smoke as it passes through. The clear sky, devoid of any clouds, ushers in a strong breeze that blows against both of the heroes' ponytails.

"Yes, the view is stunning," N agrees.

But even as he says that, his eyes are already wandering from the flying Pokémon hovering in the sky back to Touko and her radiant smile. His gaze places her in the middle of the picturesque view before him.

"Oh, N, look!" her voice snaps him out of his daze, and he turns to where Touko is pointing at. A group of oddly-dressed people, about four of them, is crowded at the center of the walkway. They're all wearing goggles and some sort of light blue suit with flaps under their arms. One of them hops onto the railing and spreads their arms out, their face indecipherable with the goggles and hood covering their head.

N tilts his head.

"Touko, what exactly are they-?" N watches as the person jumps off the bridge, seemingly into the ongoing traffic. The group of weirdly-dressed people urges the stranger on with boastful cheering. N feels a minuscule tug on his heart as he registers what the stranger has done.

And then, a shadow briefly covers N's figure. The former king gasps as the same person who nonchalantly hopped off the side of the bridge glides over him. The person somersaults once before landing next to the green-haired man with the perfect landing.

Everyone, even Touko, is clapping at the display, confusing N even more.

"Wow, that was amazing!" the brown-haired trainer exclaims. The person who flew through the sky takes off their goggles and pulls down their hood, revealing a veil of silky blonde hair.

"Thank you! I apologize if I've scared your friend there," a female voice apologizes to the duo. Her group crowds around her, patting her on the back for a job well done.

N is baffled. Whipping his head to the heroine, he interrogates his companion, "Touko, who are they? What they did was very dangerous."

He attempts to speak with a mostly analytical tone, but his concern slips through the tiny crack in his voice. Touko notices his conflicted stance and is about to quell his worries when the gliding daredevil steps in.

"Allow me to introduce ourselves," the female stranger intervenes. "We are sky trainers from the Kalos region. My name is Yvette. Our colleagues have heard about this region from a traveling stranger and how it's home to many strong, flying-type Pokémon. We couldn't help our curiosity, especially after hearing about this magnificent bridge, so we decided to spend a few weeks here."

Yvette lists off the names of her companions, each of them flashing a smile when their names were called.

"Sky trainers?" N questions, latching onto the unfamiliar terms. Touko catches his confusion and proceeds to take over the sky trainer's explanation.

"They're trainers who soar through the skies and battle alongside their Pokémon."

Yvette seems impressed. "You've heard of us?"

"Yes, I actually bumped into a few when I was in Kalos. I think I might have been the one who told them about Unova."

The female sky trainer takes a quick glance at the plain-looking heroine, eyeing her up and down. "Hmm...they did say that the person challenged them to a battle, but they had to refuse since they didn't know if the Pokémon the stranger wanted to use was eligible. Something about a white dragon they have never seen before…"

Touko, while nervously chuckling to Yvette's recollection, is startled by Reshiram mentally invading her mind.

"The conditions for a sky battle was a Pokémon that can fly, right? I do not understand why I do not fit their qualifications."

"It was a stretch to begin with. If they knew that you're a legendary Pokémon, they would definitely change the way they treat us, and that's when we can say goodbye to having a sky battle forever."

"But the trainers in this region do not seem to have a problem that I lend my strength to you. If people here are not intimidated by me, then outsiders will have even less of a reason to refuse a battle with me."

"Maybe I should get an actual flying-type Pokémon or someone who has Levitate."

Meanwhile, N is sifting through his own thoughts. "So Touko tried to have a sky battle with Reshiram? She hasn't told me much about her journey, other than she visited many different regions."

"I-In any case," Touko sputters out, wanting to change the subject. "I would like to learn how to fly like what you just did. I want to experience soaring through the sky like that. Is there any way I can?"

Yvette looks back to her fellow sky trainers, and after receiving a nod from all of them, turns back with a glowing smile.

"Of course! We should have a spare suit in our inventory, so let's go get you changed!"

Touko walks into the Skyarrow Bridge gate wearing the same light blue suit as the sky trainers. Her hat is tucked away in favor of the hood, but her signature ponytail is sticking out of a hole in the back of said hood. Her bag is given to N to hold onto. In her right hand is Reshiram's luxury ball. A pair of goggles rest on her forehead, and she toys with it a bit as she reconvenes with N.

"Do I look okay? I think I put this on right," Touko asks. While Yvette surveys the heroine, N blurts out the first thing that comes to his mind.

"You look like a blue Emolga."

There is definitely no sarcastic snark in his voice. He speaks as if reciting notes for a well-planned presentation: clear, concise, and without any awareness of how his words would impact Touko.

Needless to say, she doesn't know how to react to his statement.

"He speaks the truth, heroine."

Touko chooses to stay silent. Honestly, what was she expecting? If anything, being compared to a Pokemon by N is the best possible outcome.

Apparently, the rest of the sky trainers have the same reaction as the paralyzed heroine, their eyes staring blankly ahead and their mouths wide open. Oblivious to their reactions, N continues his observations, "What makes these suits capable of letting people fly? The design is meant to replicate an Emolga, but they can only glide with the wind."

Touko and the sky trainers snap back into reality fairly quickly.

"It's true that we can only fly when there's a strong wind current to keep us afloat. That's why we mostly stick to canyons that see lots of wind blowing through them," Yvette explains. "Today is a fairly windy day though, and I couldn't resist wanting to see the bridge from a different angle."

The blonde sky trainer grabs Touko's hand and drags her out of the gate onto the bridge, with everyone else trailing behind the two. "Come on! Usually, we would have people test the suits out in an air room first, but you have that look in your eyes that tells me you'll be a natural!"

Suddenly, Touko doesn't feel so good. Her mind flashes back to her battles as a Precure and how she had failed to activate the wings given to her by Reshiram.

"I have a bad feeling about this."

"You will be alright, heroine. I am here in case you are in severe danger."

Yvette leads Touko to the middle of the bridge and pulls out a Poké Ball.

"Staraptor, come on out!" A grayish-brown avian with an intimidating glare materializes next to the sky trainer and squawks noisily. The crest on its head is well-brushed, the red tip adding to the menacing glow of its crimson eyes. Yvette, as she's petting the Predator Pokémon, unfolds her plans for the heroine.

"First, we're going to create a makeshift wind tunnel to get you used to the feeling of being in the air. Once you feel comfortable enough, we'll see where the wind takes us. Don't worry about dropping into the ocean, though. Staraptor will make sure to catch you if you start falling."

"You're gonna need some help if you don't want to tire out Staraptor, Yvette." The sky trainer turns around to the sight of her fellow companions with a bunch of flying-type Pokémon beside them. Touched by their offer, Yvette nods and instructs her companions on what to do.

Meanwhile, Touko braces herself, hopping onto the railing of the walkway.

"Whenever you're ready, just jump off! We got your back!" Yvette says, giving Touko a thumbs up. The heroine takes a deep breath and launches herself with a massive leap.

She never gets the chance to feel herself fall.

"Staraptor, use Whirlwind!"

The Predator Pokémon, along with the mass of Pidgeotto, Talonflame, Pelipper, and Butterfree, all take to the skies and churn up a series of strong wind currents, creating an invisible blanket that keeps her in the air.

"Spread your arms out, Touko! Keep your back straight!" Yvette coaches. She is already by the heroine's side, ready to lend her assistance to the scrambling heroine. Touko follows the sky trainer's instructions and steadies herself, noting how quickly she is able to hover effortlessly as soon as she changes her positioning.

"That's it! Alright everyone, let's get her moving!"

The hoard of flying-type Pokémon redirects the flow of the wind so that the currents sweep out above the open waters. Gently, Touko's body inches forward, her form wobbly as she struggles to maintain her prone posture.

She exhales a drawn-out gasp as she takes in the view of the vast blue ocean under her. It sparkles with the light of the sun, tiny spots of white that roll along with the waves. Another ship passes by with the intention of crossing under the bridge, and it breaks the calm lull of the water like a chef stirring the lactoderm away from the top of boiling milk. A few Pidove and Tranquill glide near the heroine as they use the wind that the sky trainers' Pokémon are producing to accelerate.

Touko feels the direction of the wind changing, taking her back to the bridge. She turns her body so that the air current can lift her up in the sky. The heroine looks down and giddily smiles at the view below. The bridge stretches out to connect two distinct pieces of land, one abundant with trees and one dominated by a looming city. Its supportive pillars pierce the skies.

Touko knows that walking through Skyarrow Bridge was already an incredible experience, but observing it from high up and with the wind against her body is something else entirely.

She sees a green speck facing her direction. With that brilliant smile on her face, she dives down to get closer.

"N!" she hollers over the rush of adrenaline and wind in her ears. The former king perks up and returns her smile.

"Well done, heroine! I feel a sense of pride watching you soar through the skies."

"Yeah, I'm having lots of fun, Reshiram! Is this what flying-type Pokémon feel like?"

"I cannot say, but the excitement of doing something new...that is something that humans and Pokémon can relate to."

N clenches his fist several times as Touko attempts to keep herself in the air, even gasping when it looked like she might plummet into the ocean. The first few moments of her in the air had him wanting to soar into the skies himself and drag her back down, but the instant he finishes that thought, he banishes it far, far away.

"Where are these irrational worries coming from? Touko can handle herself."

He forces himself to continue watching her flight. Eventually, the shakiness of her form vanishes, and he sees her flying around the bridge, a hoard of flying-type Pokémon behind her.

When she calls out for him, her elation hits him full force, causing his face to light up with a smile. His eyes trail after her as she glides out to the open waters again.

"Still not thinking of trying it out?" an unfamiliar male voice interrupts N's sky show. One of the sky trainers (Orion, he recalls) lands beside him, presumably to take a break.

"No, I'm content watching her from here."

"Seems like she wants you to join her. Or maybe that's just her energy being infectious. Reminds me of Yvette a bit. She always has that sparkle in her eyes whenever she thinks of flying. Kind of hard to believe that there was a time when her wings were clipped."

N raises an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that?"

Orion frowns, the subject clearly a touchy one. "She got into an accident while she was battling an aspiring sky trainer."

"Staravia, use Quick Attack!" Yvette commanded, gliding above the rookie as she pointed her finger at the opposing Emolga. Her opponent, Clara, also issued an order to her Pokemon.

"Emolga, Electro Ball!"

Knowing full well how effective that attack would be, Yvette instead directed the Starling Pokémon to dodge. Using the speed of its original command, Staravia managed to fly out of the way of the electric-type attack, but an unexpected gust of wind rushed through the canyon that they were battling above.

That stray blast of air caught Yvette and dragged her along its course...straight into the Electro Ball.

A harsh wail is ripped from her mouth as the electricity surges through her body. She passes out from the pain, and the wind, still holding her captive to its course, throws her against the side of the canyon.

"If it wasn't for her Staravia evolving into a Staraptor right then and there...she would have fallen to her death."

N watches Orion's shoulders deflate as the sky trainer proceeds with the recollection. "The doctors said that there was a large possibility she won't be able to fly again, much less sky battle. Despite knowing this, she always had a bright smile whenever we visited her. She was always saying things like 'I can't give up yet! My heart still yearns to fly in the sky!' or 'I want to be with my Pokémon whenever we battle.' But we all knew that she was just putting on a brave face. I can't even begin to imagine the amount of despair she must have been going through at the time."

The former king turns his gaze back to the bridge, noting how Touko is back on solid ground, watching Yvette and one of her friends have a mock sky battle.

"Her wish to soar with her Pokémon has been granted with a miracle," N concludes. "She has a dream that she wants to fulfill, no matter what. In a way, she is just like Touko."

"So your friend is also that kind of person? What is her dream?" Orion questions. Almost instantly, N opens his mouth to answer, but not a single word comes out, leaving him dumbly gaping in silence.

"I don't know…" he eventually mutters out. "All I know is that she has a dream, not what that dream is."

"I see...you are her friend, yes? I imagine friends tell each other what their dreams are."

Orion's words sink N's inquisitive mood. He pulls his cap down as the shame exponentially spreads to every corner of his body. That dreadful thought, like a bomb resting in plain view until its detonator is pressed, is released from the confines of his mind, leaving him incapable of ignoring its presence.

"Touko doesn't think of me as a friend."

"She-"

"Orion, did you tell him about my accident? No wonder he looks so down," Yvette chimes in, saving N from descending in yet another dark spiral. She, Touko, and the rest of the sky trainers reconvene with N and Orion, having already finished their demonstration.

"Sorry, Yvette. I just wanted to start a conversation with him, and that's where the topic went."

Touko is now the one who's out of the loop. "N, what are they talking about?"

"Apparently, Yvette got into an accident while in a sky battle and was hospitalized for a while. Risking your life to battle alongside Pokémon...is something I have conflicting feelings about. It is admirable wanting to expose yourself to the same dangers of battling in order to be closer to your Pokémon, but at the same time, if you get hurt, then the consequences can be devastating."

"I'm well aware of the risks," Yvette says, overhearing their conversation. "But that accident has only fueled my drive to be a better sky trainer. Even if it's dangerous, flying with my Pokémon is my dream. I won't let something like that get in the way of doing what I truly love."

Touko flashes a smile. Yvette's resolve is similar to hers, and that determination has struck a chord with N. The heroine hasn't noticed until now, but N is slowly opening his heart to care for humans, not just Pokémon. From her...to Mei...and now to complete strangers.

As Yvette scolds Orion for spilling personal information about her to random strangers, Touko's gaze is once again attracted to the view of the open ocean. The bridge's shadow, due to the sun's rotation, casts itself onto the surface of the vast ocean. As Touko rests her gaze on the flimsy outline, an out-of-place shadow manifests on the top of a pillar.

"Reshiram, what is that…? It looks like a person..."

"This presence...it's-!"

Touko immediately whips her head back to catch the unknown figure, but there was nothing there. Just as quickly as it appears, it vanishes into thin air.

"T-That...Are you sure that was one of the Shadow Triad?" Touko whispers to Reshiram, making sure that no one hears her.

"I am positive it was them. We must be on our guard, heroine."

"But how am I going to do that without giving myself away?!" she hisses.

"Touko! Let's have a battle!" Yvette abruptly calls out to the heroine. She is unable to keep herself from flinching, and Reshiram stops telepathically talking to her.

"U-Uhh..."

"It's no good! I can't get myself to answer!" Touko scrambles to find the right words to respond to the sky trainer, but her mind is blaring red flags, urging her to focus on figuring out what the Shadow Triad is planning instead. Yvette and the sky trainers are all staring at her, seemingly oblivious to her inner plight.

"Accept her challenge!"

"I-I accept your challenge!" Touko exclaims, latching onto Reshiram's command. Yvette cheers and hypes up her Staraptor, who's eyeing her new opponent with an adamant glare.

As they prepare to take to the skies again, N hides his narrowed eyes with his cap. He had caught the brief moment of panic she had vainly tried to hide. He hasn't noticed until now, but on several occasions since reuniting with him, she would tense up suddenly as if suspecting to get ambushed.

"Touko is on edge...just like when..."

A series of flashbacks take him back three years to their first-ever round on the Ferris wheel. Touko was glaring at him, all semblance of polite tolerance gone when the truth about his allegiance spilled forth from his own mouth. Her shoulders were tense, her fingers bent as if ready to claw his face apart. His memories then transport him to a fantastical cave crawling with electricity and finally to an air hanger, where he is greeted with the same guarded expression from the heroine.

"In Nimbasa City...Chargestone Cave...and in front of the Mistralton Gym. Does that mean that Touko has not opened up to me yet? Mei had warned me about this, but..."

Moments later, the two female trainers are engaged in a heated sky battle.

"Reshiram, Dragon Pulse!" Touko commands. The white dragon inhales and releases a stream of purple energy toward the Staraptor.

"Staraptor, dive and then counterattack with Aerial Ace!" Yvette responds back.

The avian Pokemon executes a nosedive just as her trainer orders, and before her talons can hit the ocean surface, she accelerates back up, too fast for Touko to visually see where the Staraptor is.

"Reshiram, defend!"

Reshiram folds its wings against its chest and braces for impact. The Predator Pokémon crashes against the Vast White Pokémon, inflicting a decent chunk of damage with her attack. While the sky trainers on the bridge all boisterously cheer for their friend, N is observing their battle silently.

"Not bad," the heroine praises. "Here we go! Fusion Fla-!"

She doesn't get to finish her order, for at that moment, a burst of turbulent wind chases after Yvette and her Staraptor. The wind tunnel is like an invisible worm, writhing as it sucks its victims down. Unable to fight back, the sky trainer screams as she hurtles towards the ocean surface, where an eerily familiar portal opens up under her.

"Oh no, Yvette!" Orion cries out. He and the rest of the sky trainers hop onto the railings, preparing to leap off in order to catch her, but the wind picks up, and the increased power pushes them back to the bridge.

"Reshiram!" Touko screeches over the howling wind. She attempts to fly after Yvette, but she finds herself at the mercy of the violent wind currents, and her body is tossed around as if she's a balloon caught in a tornado. Reshiram unfolds its wings and soars towards its trainer, catching the flailing heroine with its mouth.

The portal finally absorbs Yvette and her Staraptor, and a pillar of dark energy erupts into the sparkling blue sky. Immediately, Skyarrow Bridge is coated with an eerie aura, rendering the people and Pokémon on it immobile. The sky trainers are rooted in place, cowering as they mumble intangible words. N also falls to the floor as the dark energy drags him into the depths of one of his worst memories.

"There is such a thing as being too stupid! Add it up, and you are nothing more than a warped, defective boy who knows nothing but Pokémon..."

"Not again...why can't I…?"

From the belly of the malicious pillar, a large, black bird-like Kugeki emerges. Its face is covered with massive goggles, so large that Touko doesn't know if they're an advantage or a disadvantage for the Kugeki. The stand-out feature of the monster is its wings; they're oddly angled like bent elbows. The feathers are charred black, with some of them peeling off and dropping to the bottom of the ocean.

Right away, Touko can tell that something is wrong. The Kugeki flaps its burnt wings...and instantly plummets. It works its wings harder, and for the moment, the exerted effort is enough to keep it afloat.

Touko hears a voice ring out, a desolate sob that rings with the harsh tone of absolute despair.

"They said that...I can't fly anymore. My body is too ruined to even get out of the hospital bed."

As if Yvette's distorted cries fueled the Kugeki, it releases a gust of heavy wind that threatens to pick up the cars and trucks on Skyarrow Bridge and toss them into the ocean.

It is a pitiful sight. And Touko's tolerance once again reaches its limits.

"Reshiram."

"I feel the same way. Let us convert her back to normal, so that she may fly again."

"Curing Fusion!" she chants, taking out the luxury ball. One sparkling transformation later, Cure Flare emerges with an adamant expression and an aura of pulsing heat.

"The Heroine of Truth, Cure Flare!"

Unfortunately, the moment the pillar of light that guards her transformation dissolves...she's falling.

"Flare, this would be an excellent time to activate your wings. Use your training from earlier!"

"Why couldn't they activate right away?!" she retorts back. Nonetheless, the Precure closes her eyes and wills the wings on her lower back to move. They shudder once, twice, like an old toy starting up after being abandoned for so long. Before the magical girl can hit the water back first, they spring to life, parting the ocean surface as they propel her up. In fact, the sudden jolt skyrockets the magical girl up above the Kugeki with no signs of slowing down.

"Stop! Stop!" Flare pleads to her wings. As if an invisible ceiling had spontaneously spawned above her, her ascent screeches to a halt. She lets out a shaky sigh of relief. Looking down at the pitiful Kugeki, the Precure mentally commands her pinions to take her back down. Thankfully, her descent is much smoother, and soon, she's back to the Kugeki's level.

"I think I got the hang of this...for now. It's like an extension of my body."

"Indeed. Despite its appearance, they can be controlled the same way as your body."

"I wish you could have told me this sooner. It would have made my life a bit easier."

"It seems my short and precise instructions are not clear enough. That is something I must work on."

Touko concedes, nodding once. Reshiram is trying its best to assist her, and she can't fault the legendary Pokémon for giving advice she didn't get at first. After all, it's not every day that Reshiram is trying to teach a human how to fly...or defeat unethical fusions of humans and Pokémon.

"This Kugeki is different from the others, Flare. It looks weakened, but it is still dangerous. Take care to not injure it too much."

"Right, just like with the others. I'll make sure to not underestimate it, either."

Flare soars towards the Kugeki, readying a fireball in the palm of her hands. She tosses it, and the fiery orb hits the avian monster directly on its goggles. It screeches and flaps its broken wings, whipping up a miniature storm. Even with Reshiram's powers, Cure Flare finds herself caught in the storm's vicious dance. She tries to fly against the strong currents, but the winds drag her along its mindless path, spinning her until her vision struggles to distinguish which blue cover is the sky and the sea.

"Flare, are you alright?"

"I feel like barfing, to be honest. Ugh...trying to get close is going to be difficult."

"The power of those winds has the potential to sweep the vehicles off of Skyarrow Bridge. We must attract the Kugeki's attention and make it so that it's not facing the bridge."

"O-On it!"

Flare glides to her right, shouting as loud as she can so that her voice reaches the monster.

"Hey, over here! Try to catch me!"

The Kugeki coughs out a screech and turns to the sound of her voice. It flaps its broken wings several times to answer her taunt, creating yet another storm of uncontrollable wind. The magical girl inhales, feeling an intense heat building in her lungs. With her blood boiling with Reshiram's flames, she exhales a stream of orange fire. The flamethrower easily breaks through the invisible barriers created by the turbulent winds and sprays against the Kugeki's goggles. While it's distracted from the pain, Cure Flare takes this time to navigate the maze of wind currents in an attempt to close the distance between her and the Kugeki.

"It hurts...everything hurts…" Yvette's warped voice rings out. The wind responds to her cries and swarms around the monster, seemingly shielding it from further harm. The magical girl lets herself follow the edge of the windy cage, riding the currents until she's behind the Kugeki. As she flies by, she observes more of its charred feathers detach themselves from the monster's wings, revealing spots of tan skin. She catches one of those feathers, and it crumbles into tiny ashes. Nothing left but black cinders.

Flare cannot say anything. Forcing someone to experience old wounds again is just too cruel. Of course, the Shadow Triad wouldn't care, so long as their victim's pain is the thing that takes her down.

She spreads her arms out, blue flames licking her fingertips. Tiny wisps circulate with the invisible currents, twirling around the faltering Kugeki. As she charges her signature attack, Flare observes the wind blowing faster, the amount of air circulating around the Kugeki is exponentially increasing to the point where the cage is now visible to the naked eye.

The Kugeki intends to unleash another attack in order to dispel its birdcage...but Flare finishes casting her attack first.

"Precure...Blue Flare!"

The cage of azure embers collapses onto the Kugeki. A wave of heat blasts against her face, carried to her by the scattered wind. The stream of fire that come afterward vaporizes the abomination, successfully separating Yvette from her Staraptor.

As the icy blue of her attack fades into the color of the blue sky, Flare soars towards Yvette and catches the unconscious trainer with one arm and her Staraptor with the other.

"Good work, Flare. Allow me to bring us back to our friends."

"To be honest, I wanted to stay in this form for a while and fly around a bit, but since I'm trying to keep this a secret, I guess I'll save it for another day."

"Do not worry. I assure you that you will be back in the skies before you know it."

"I can't tell if I should be looking forward to it or not."

"U-Unghh...huh…?"

"You're finally awake! You were so worried about you!"

"That's Orion's voice…" Yvette registers as she finally regains consciousness. Sitting up from whatever she's lying on, the sky trainer finds that everyone has gathered around her, even her Staraptor, who is staring at the tiled floor with downcast eyes. The sun sets in the background, casting a bright orange glow onto the bridge.

"W-Where am I?"

"We're still on Skyarrow Bridge, Yvette," Touko answers, "You passed out when you got caught in that strong wind current. Thankfully, I was able to get you before you plunged into the water."

Yvette rests her gaze on her trusty Pokémon partner. The Predator Pokémon chirps solemnly, nudging her head against her trainer's chest.

"I see...I must have passed out from shock. I'm sorry, everyone, for worrying you all."

"We don't blame you, Yvette. We were all scared for you," one sky trainer speaks up. The rest of her friends nod their heads, their eyes expressing the fear they had felt.

Yvette pulls herself up and strokes the crown on Staraptor's head. "I think that's enough flying for today, then. How about we get off this bridge and find something to eat?"

Touko and N grin at the way Yvette is able to revert back to her cheerful self. Her energy flows through her teammates, and soon, their worries are dispelled to the wind.

"Are you two going to join us?" Orion asks the two heroes.

"Oh…" Touko trails off, unsure as to how to answer. She turns to N, trying to determine what he wants to do. He catches her stare, and they share a moment of silent communication.

"We should get going," N finally says, "It would be best if we can get to Pinwheel Forest and set up shelter before the sun fully disappears."

Yvette and her group of sky trainers observe their short interaction, their expressions unreadable. Orion, in particular, is doing whatever it takes to shove his amused chuckle back down his throat.

"I don't like the look on your face, Orion," Yvette cautiously says.

"There's no need to give me that face. Hey, N, before we part ways..." Orion calls out to the green-haired man. N tilts his head back, confused.

"Yes?"

"Have a bit more faith in her."

Immediately realizing what Orion is talking about, N merely nods and turns away, his gray eyes narrowing as he juggles the sky trainer's words in his mind. Half-distracted by his thoughts, he starts walking towards Pinwheel Forest, and Touko can only wave at the group of sky trainers before dashing off to catch up to him.

"Bye, Touko! Let's finish our sky battle another time!" Yvette exclaims, waving back at the retreating heroine.

"Of course!" Touko shouts back. "I won't lose!"

Reshiram, having heard the entire exchange, dwells on its own thoughts about the former king.

"Something is plaguing him, something he is not willing to share. As Zekrom's counterpart and the dragon of truth, I will draw it out of him so that he can confront it head-on, just like we did before. I must open this conversation with my heroine later."

Zekrom, from within its ultra ball, observes Mei lying down on the hotel bed, clearly exhausted by the day's events. She rolls onto her sides and closes her eyes, all of her cheer and vigor draining away in favor of rest and relaxation.

It is something that Zekrom has seen many times since joining her side.

"Goodnight, Mei."

"Night...Zekrom…" She can hardly utter those words before she crashes and escapes to the dream world. With its heroine asleep, Zekrom takes this chance to collect its thoughts.

"Kyurem is taking interest in this new threat. That could be a good thing or a bad thing. Good because if it decides to lend us its strength, we will have an easier time defeating the Shadow Triad. Bad because...it can also choose to hinder us. And Mei is no closer at convincing it to our side."

Deep down, Zekrom knows the conditions that Kyurem wants fulfilled in exchange for its help. But with the way its heroine is now...they won't be met anytime soon.

"Despite what she thinks of me, I have faith that she can do it. She is the most ideal person to open up Kyurem's heart. Until then...I will stand by her side and offer my assistance. For that is Lord N's wish."

Profile: Lillil

Touko's Lilligant and the Flowering Pokémon. She was obtained from a trade with a girl named Dye in Nacrene City. While elegant and formal at first glance, she is actually a mischievous Pokémon who loves fashion and performing for a crowd. Touko spent many days trying to coax the flower on her head to bloom, something that the heroine takes great pride in.

She is a menace in battle, capable of fainting any Pokémon who stands in her way. Her crowning achievement is sweeping Ghetsis's entire team by herself, a feat that has made her admired and feared among both Touko's and N's teams.

Gender: Female

Type: Grass

Nature: Timid

Characteristic: Mischievous

Ability: Chlorophyll

Moveset: Sleep Powder, Quiver Dance, Petal Dance, Giga Drain