A heavy rainfall prevented the Top Eight Matchups from being fought the next few days. And while the first day Michael and Julia spent entirely with their children playing games, watching movies and cuddling up as a family, Michael found himself the second day being shanghaied by his matchup challenger in this round: Cynthia. She had asked him out to lunch that day and he met her, though both teased the other about it not being a date. The lunch plans proceeded to then go throughout the remainder of the day, with the two old friends reminiscing about their past adventures throughout the Sinnoh Region. When the rains finally stopped and the two found themselves walking through the streets with hundreds of onlookers in awe of two of the most powerful trainers ever, Michael could tell his old friend had something on her mind. She was taking a longer time to fill out an autograph for a young fan than she usually did and the jovial facade she had put on before was long gone.
As she handed the fan back her paper with her signature, Michael tapped her on the shoulder. She flashed a look back. "What's wrong?"
"You tell me, Cee" Michael responded. "You've still never told me why we came out here."
"I can't want to see my old friend?"
"We see each other every day. Now what's wrong?"
She glanced in all directions and spied the perfect place for them to speak privately. She looked out towards all of the fans who had been following them and waved. "Thank you all for coming out to see us in this unscheduled event, but unfortunately we have important matters to discuss. We look forward to seeing you tomorrow." Before Michael could even react, Cynthia grabbed his arm and pulled him into a nearby building. Michael hardly had enough time to press himself up against the wall as Cynthia slammed the door shut and locked it behind her.
He took a moment to buoy the situation. "They can be persistent, can't they?"
"I love them all, but man are they nosey" she laughed it off, masking her true emotions poorly.
"We live in the public sphere, unfortunately" Michael replied. "We have to expect it. Now are you gonna tell me what's on your mind?"
Cynthia sighed. "There's no fooling you, is there?"
"You can fool me" he told her gently. "I've learned the hard way in life that I'm just as easily duped as others if I open myself up too soon."
"I would never want to dupe you" she responded honestly.
"I know you wouldn't" Michael answered. "You're one of the only people who knows deep down all that I went through in exile. But I didn't do all of that just for me. Don't forget that Mark and Lizzie were with me before I even showed up in Sinnoh. And you? How could I ever even consider thinking about someone other than you when we met."
She lowered her head. "I kinda smothered you, didn't I?"
"I needed it, believe it or not. To show me that there were some people worth fighting for after what I went through. And if I hadn't gone to Orre to find the Relic Stone, odds are I would have gone back to Sinnoh."
"I've read about how you were before all of it. Before Giselle and Cassius and losing Icarus and your aunt. I saw you battling through it with my own eyes. The pain, the fear. I mean it when I say you are the strongest person I know, Michael." She leaned heavily on the wall of the empty building they were in. "How did you do it? How did you get past the pain?"
"This is about Cameron, isn't it?"
Cynthia's hand balled into a fist. "I keep seeing her in my dreams. She gave up everything...her life, her future, her family...for me. And I couldn't even tell her how-" In a move Michael hadn't seen since he'd said a sorrowful farewell to a blonde-haired girl in Sinnoh, she threw herself at him and cried. He had enough time to catch her as she wept in his arms. "She's gone."
"It's a hard thing to accept, but it's true" Michael admitted. "It's like losing a part of who you are when someone that close to you dies."
"You've lost Icarus, Jane, Ryan, your father, Olivia and so many others" she spoke sadly.
"All of them sting in their own ways. Not a day goes by where they don't cross my mind." He brought her over to a stairwell and sat her on the lower steps. "The problem is, Cee, a part of me will never forget. It's like you're drowning, where you can't breathe or think without feeling weak." He sighed. "Today, before I met with you, I ran into Dawn. And all I could think of was how she never knew her father because he got killed helping me up Mt. Coronet."
"She doesn't blame you" Cynthia assured him. "Neither does Johanna."
"And I don't blame you for what happened to Cameron" he said gently. "That was all Courtney."
"She took a Thunderbolt to her heart for me" Cynthia shuddered.
"And she would do so again, if I know Cam as well as I did."
Cynthia shook her head. "We were going to go to Sinnoh together. After all of this was done. See where life took us." She pounded her hands on her thighs in frustration. "All I had to do was say those words and she might have-"
"If you had said those words to her, the pain you feel might have been worse."
"How do you know that?"
"The pain you feel now is excruciating" Michael assured her. "No one will deny that, Cee. But imagine if you had said those words to her. You start planning that life together. You're even talking about it. Do you think Cameron would have sensed in time that you were both in danger? We would have had to burn the both of you." He put his arm around her. "Losing Cameron took a part of me I wasn't ready to lose. Same with my aunt and Icarus. Do not ask me to even contemplate losing you too."
Cynthia shook her head. "Then at least if I had taken it for her, she'd still be here and-"
"You think no one would have cared if anything happened to you? That's not true and you know it. Dawn and Lucas would have been crushed. And the same could be said for Professor Rowan, your grandmother, all of Sinnoh would be devastated if anything happened to you." He could tell she had truly been shaken by Cameron's end. This was not something that was going to leave her so quickly. "And yes, Cee. If I lost you in her place, I would be just as hurt as I am now."
Cynthia tried to compose herself. "I needed to talk to you about all of this before our match tomorrow. Because I want to be sure when all of this ends, that I still have something to look forward to in life. If I showed this weakness to everyone while we fight, I'd never forgive myself."
"You think it's weakness to feel like this?"
"You know what I mean. Everyone sees Cynthia the Warrior, the titan, the legend. And I don't think I'm going to be able to channel her against you and still hope to-" She took a deep breath. "No, I understand that things have to change. People have to move on. If not for their own sake than for others. If you and everyone else move on from-"
Michael sighed. "I don't see you like that, Cynthia. When I look at you, I see that little girl I met in Sinnoh. I see one of the few people in the world who didn't think I was a monster in some way or form because of what I was going through. I see someone who had a profound impact on my life, even if she won't admit it. And I see one of my best friends in pain because of something she could not control. Just like that boy you fought with all your might to be with, I'll make sure you know just how much you mean, not just to me but to everyone you know."
"I should have known you would never let me feel miserable" she answered, a twinge of happiness or at least acceptance in her voice. "I just want to make sure that, at least between us, nothing will change. You are the only person I would ever be like this with that I'm not related to. Cameron would have been second. And even though we aren't family, I want to know that you and I will at least keep being friends."
"As if you ever had to ask" Michael assured her. "You've been more of a sister to me than anyone besides Cam or Piper. You are a part of my family. You will always have a place in my home and my heart. Which is precisely why I don't want you to hold back tomorrow. I know you can reach any height you can strive for. Including beating this sad, old man."
Cynthia finally cracked a laugh. "Yes, I suspect as much. And I swear to you, I won't hold back, Michael. Just as long as you promise me the same."
"Of course, Cee. Can't disappoint my children, now can I?"
"I know you probably want to get back to them and all, Michael. And to Julia, but I do have one last thing I want you to do for me."
"What would that be?"
She took a deep breath as she tried to get the last of her grief for the moment out of her. "Just...just sit here with me." She rested her head on his shoulder and clung to his arm, reminding Michael of the same little girl he had befriended all those years ago in what felt like a different lifetime. "Just until...you know..."
"You've got it. Julia and Piper are taking care of our kids while Chris and I are supposed to be training. Well, the three of us should be, but-" He looked to his old friend, deep in distress and nodded. "As long as you need, Cee. As long as you need." He simply comforted her, the two dear friends reminiscing about their past and the death of one their cherished so dearly. "Say, how would you feel about being a godmother?"
{}
As they approached the last track of the famous Pokémon League obstacle course in the League HQ, meticulously restored by the Kingston Family following the end of the wars with Claude and Mewtwo, Chris and Mark went at it as they had countless times before. While Mark's experience and intelligence had won him the earlier portions of their race, including outsmarting Chris at one of the new trick traps he'd installed, Chris's sheer determination, combined with his greater physical stamina, speed and strength won him the race in the end, beating his old mentor to the finish line by just about two strides. Chris skidded to a stop as Mark stumbled to one of his own, heaving a great deal in fatigue while Chris pumped his chest out in triumph.
"BOO YA!" Chris proclaimed. "Winner and still Course Champion!"
"Racing me is basically giving you a handicap" Mark joked, falling onto his rear end in exhaustion. "You need to train with someone faster and less...old."
"You're not much older than me, Mark."
"I think you forget I'm older than Michael, who's older than you." Mark shook his head his Inteleon appeared out of his Poke Ball and doused him in bubbles to rehydrate himself. "Nah. I think this is the last ride of Mark Lionel. But it was one worth remembering."
"You can't bail out on me now, Mark" Chris insisted. "We've got to keep going. Who knows if the rains will come back tomorrow and wash out another match."
"I seriously doubt everyone else is training like this."
Chris sighed. "And that's why I have to take this seriously. Leon is no pushover. He basically demolished Iris and Candice like they were nothing. And poor Jeremy is gonna be next to be steamrolled. I gotta be prepared for whatever he can throw at me. And so do my Pokémon. Let the others rest on their laurels or do what they want. I want to be the best this world has ever seen. Make my grandpa, Cameron and Ryan proud."
Mark laughed. "They're already proud of you."
Chris shook his head at this. "You don't get it, Mark. There's more to this than just the title. It's the legacy." He looked at one of the few things to survive Claude's destructive rampage: the whiteboard with all of their names on it from those who had competed long ago. Chris walked up to it and placed his hand on two of the names who would never get to add to this obstacle course's legacy. "Those two...Cameron and Ryan. They added to Grandpa's legacy. To the family lineage. Cameron helped drive Claude out of Arcana and took the blow that might have ended Cynthia. And Ryan beat Mewtwo and Claude on his own, not to mention being the only trainer in history to beat Mike." His fingers touched Ryan's name. "Those two would have made Grandpa proud. But what have I done for that?"
"You've done a lot of good for Arcana" Mark said in confusion. "You were integral to-"
"I was support, Mark!" Chris snapped. "Support to things led by others. Support to you guys against Hunter. Support to Michael and Ryan against the Syndicate on Mt. Heatmor. Support to Addison against Mewtwo. I never got the opportunity to make my own place in the world. To show them that I'm more than just a supporting cast member. No Kingston worth their salt should be kept to the sidelines in moments of crisis."
"What moments of crisis are there left? Chris, the wars are over. Mewtwo, Courtney, Elezar, Cassius...all of them are gone. Let there be peace in Arcana for once. We've all earned it." Mark struggled to his feet and dusted himself off as his Inteleon went around on the course by himself. "Maybe you should be more focused on what lies ahead than on what's happened in the past."
"And what would that be?"
"You're sitting on a momentous opportunity, Chris" his old friend reminded him. "You are one of the eight most powerful trainers in existence. Tomorrow, weather permitting, you'll be competing with Giselle for the Championship of your bracket. After that, you may match up against Leon, Cynthia, Lance, Michael, Annette or Jeremy. You can be a Champion of Peace. You're already respected by everyone in the region. You've won Piper's heart, not to mention the loving adoration of the King and Queen. And you will always be mine and Lizzie's friend. Stop worrying about contributing to a legacy that's already written and think more about what you have to contribute to your own. There's still plenty to write about Christopher Kingston. More than even he may know about."
Chris became contemplative at the words his old friend spoke. He was right in many ways. He was training himself to refight wars that had already been won. Perhaps he could focus less on being looked at like a titan of Arcana and more as the kind of Champion his best friend always wanted to be: one of a time where no one had to worry about war, scheming, darkness or the Crimson Fury. They could achieve this, heck it was basically done already. Mewtwo was gone. The Syndicate nothing but a bad memory. He had managed to capture the heart of his dream girl and was hoping to get the same kind of family his best friend and his own wife had.
And yet, the pride he felt now would turn to shame if he allowed Leon or someone unfit to be a Pokémon Master take the reins. Giselle was good now, having reformed considerably from the woman that had once overseen the death of his mother, but was she fit to be a Champion? Lance was definitely the dark horse favorite, but was he truly fit to be deemed the best? Leon was brash and arrogant, but his skills as a trainer could not be questioned. He expected Jeremy and eventually either Lance or Annette to fall to him. That would mean that either he, Cynthia, Giselle or Michael would be left standing against this Galarian heartthrob. Could he justify how far he'd come by letting this pompous pretty boy overtake him? Could he truly live with himself, never knowing if he had finally bridged the gap between himself and Michael, his prodigal brother and best friend?
Despite everything inside him telling him to take Mark for his word, he shook his head. "That legacy is something I have to add to. Cameron never got to complete her chapter and Ryan's still had a lot to write in. And I'll finish it both for them." He looked back at Mark and brushed off his concern. "Don't worry, Mark. Sit it out. I could use you working the stopwatch for me anyway."
"You do know I have a girlfriend to worry about" he laughed.
"Until she's your wife, Lionel, start the watch!"
{}
"Never would I have imagined us four out on a double date" Annette remarked as she and her friends all enjoyed Ice Cream at Teller's Parlor in Pocus Town. She was delighted to find out her beloved Matthew had asked her out on a date, but even more excited when it was a double date with Holly and her old friend and former crush Jeremy. She had always dreamed of going on a double date, but the key was to find that...well...date of her own. She was often invited onto friendship outings with Ryan and Addison whenever they would make plans with Holly and Jeremy, but she felt like a fifth wheel much of the time despite her friends insistence on her being welcome regardless. Now, she had Matthew and they were all going to enjoy this ice cream date.
"We just wanted to use this as a way to wish you both luck" Matthew answered, taking up as napkin and wiping a bit of Oran Sherbert off of her cheek and flirtatiously tapping her nose, while Annette both giggled and blushed brightly. "I mean, you both don't need it, but-"
"Well, I could use all you can give, Matt" Jeremy admitted. "The way Leon crushed Iris is a bit nerve wracking."
"It's super nerve wracking" Holly added, herself fidgety since they had set out. "He's on the same skill level as the King or Cynthia. It should be one of them taking him on, not you."
"How could either of us prove ourselves to be the best if we never take them on?" Annette asked. "I have to take on whatever the rest of this tournament throws at me and same goes for Jeremy." She eyed her old crush and giggled. "You have any strategies for beating him?"
Jeremy laughed nervously. "Oh, a true champion can never reveal. But if you're open to any offers..."
Matthew laughed. "Honestly, it might be Leon's to lose at this rate. I don't even think Mike in his prime could beat him."
"We're supposed to be cheering him on, Matt!" Holly grumbled. "Not thinking he'll lose."
"I can't go into the match too down" Jeremy admitted, "but I also can't be overly confident, Holly. Leon will be the toughest guy I've ever fought, and I took on Cameron and she walloped me. If I'm going to beat Leon, we have to give it all we've got. We have to be faster, smarter and stronger than we've ever been." He rose from the table. "And I can't do that while I'm getting ice cream. Sorry guys, but I need to get in some last-minute training before tomorrow." He pecked Holly on the cheek and waved to Matt and Annette quickly. "If we don't run into each other tomorrow, good luck against Lance, Annette."
"JEREMY!" Holly cried out, quickly grabbing her purse and running after him, doing her best not to drip any Ice Cream on her outfit, leaving Matthew and Annette alone in their booth.
"Well, so much for that double date" Annette sighed.
"Eh, I'd rather have you all to myself than have to share you" Matthew grinned. "If one of us is still in this tournament, I'm glad it's you."
"I'd rather it be us going head to head" she replied.
"I'm not. Not only would you probably crush me, but I'm not the best when it comes to losing."
"At least you admit it."
"About you crushing me?"
"No! Being bad at losing."
Matthew shrugged. "Unfortunately, it's part of the reason my friendships with the others fell apart as badly as they did. I couldn't take being in my brother's shadow all my life." He sighed and glanced out the window. "I wonder if Addy will ever find him, somewhere out there."
Seeing how emotional he was getting, Annette took wrapped her arm tightly around his, pulled his face over with her other hand and kissed him. When they came apart, before Matthew could say more, she put her finger to his lips. "Just know that there is one aspect in your life you have won. You won me and my affection. And that reward is non-refundable."
"I'll take that any day over some dinky trophy" Matthew replied, letting a smile find his face. "And who knows? Being the boyfriend of the Pokémon League Champion might bring its own benefits."
"I'll be shaping you up, soon enough."
"Shaping me up? I don't like the sound of that."
"You and I are going to train with each other. Know each other as well as any Champion and their second in command would ever know. And I want you and I to be running the League the same way the King and Queen will be running Arcana."
"Second in command?"
"You'll be running my Elite Four, Matt" she winked.
Matthew looked ecstatic. "Wow...and here I was thinking I'd have to try the Pokémon League again next year." He finished up his dish of Ice Cream and looked up to the counter, where no one would be in line before them. "Say, how's about we get one more round? Or do you have to train like Jeremy did?"
Annette shook her head. "Life can't be all about training and competing, Matt. If you do that, you'll miss out on some extraordinary opportunities."
Matthew rose from the bench first and tossed his bowl into the garbage can before spinning around and taking her hand. "Then what are we waiting for?"
"Let's get the Love Boat!" Annette shouted.
Matthew gulped. "The Eighteen Scoop one?" When she noticed he was about to voice his doubts again, Annette pulled him into yet another passionate kiss. When they came apart, Matthew's eyes were glazed with delight. He then let out a cheerful snicker and led his enamored date with him back to the counter. "I was gonna say twenty."
{}
At the Bistro run by Jeice Kingston, Giselle was finishing up her own meal after a surprising request from an old friend of hers to go out to dinner. She had expected it to be a date request from one of her Unovan friends seeking to recapture the glory days that had long since passed by. But her friends had seemingly finally grasped that their situation was unsalvageable and despite some farewells akin to hoping she would change her mind, Cheren, Bianca, Hilbert and Georgia all departed from Arcana following Cheren's ousting from the tournament at Giselle's hands.
No, this date was one Giselle had not expected in the slightest. She hardly ever thought of what she had done for Atticus Waters and his daughter Alexis that one Festival of Lights season almost three years earlier. But upon meeting again by chance at the gathering following the death of Big Mike and so many who had fallen in battle to Mewtwo's dark army, Atticus was determined to make it up to her. She had chalked it up to simply being kind to a stranger and following the traditional Festival Spirit. Yet he had taken it so seriously that he offered to take her to the finest restaurant in Titanio City for the night, just the two of them. Though she was reluctant at first, she figured it would beat another night of eating on her own.
And the date...went surprisingly well. Atticus was a complete gentleman. And he paid for everything. Apparently, following his hiring at Big Mike's Construction Firm, he had soared through the ranks and was now taking over the company following the death of his mentor and friend. Victoria Kingston had handed it over without a fight, believing him to be the right person to keep it going in her father's memory, while the King remained out of the affair. This gave Atticus and his young daughter a windfall of money that they could rebuild their lives on after the death of his first wife.
Giselle suspected that Atticus was intent on floating the idea that she become his second. And while it was quite the proposition, especially since she had to admit that he had cleaned up quite well over the years, she still had reservations about opening herself up to anyone again. She'd been scarred before and suspected it might happen again. She had become a successful tournament trainer, had redeemed herself in the eyes of many she had wronged and was a self-made woman. The idea of locking herself down was an unsettling one, even for a man who was doing nothing but shower her with affection and adoration. Besides, she still had some final tidbit of unfinished business with someone else...
Atticus seemed to understand this and cleared his throat as the waiter collected their empty plates. "Is everything alright, Giselle?"
"Oh, yes" she replied courteously. "It's been a long time since I got taken out like this, that's all."
"I owed it to you" he answered. "You showed my daughter and I such kindness and I've wanted to return the favor for so long. But with your absence due to the Tournament on Mirage Island-"
She waved it off. The less she thought of that ordeal, the better off she was. "You really didn't have to. I was doing something I felt was right." She nevertheless put on her smile for him as she raised a glass to toast him. "Think about how far you've come. Once a guy fighting for every penny he could get and now the head of your own construction firm. I knew Big Mike would take a liking to you, but for you to be the one who takes over for him was surprising."
Atticus sighed. "He told me he had hoped to give it to either his nephew or his son, but both of their relationships were strained due to things beyond his control."
Or in his control, she thought to herself.
"I just hope that I can keep serving Arcana and our King as long as possible." He took up his own wine glass and the two clinked them together before sipping. When they had both finished drinking, Atticus made his move. "Giselle, I just wanted you to know that my daughter is one of your biggest fans."
Giselle smiled faintly. "Aw. I have a fan? There's a first."
"I was hoping, the next time we should do something like this, we could bring her."
The smile faded at this. "Atticus, I want to thank you for thinking of me. But no one would want to be with someone with the levels of baggage I have."
"We've all got things in our past we're not proud of" he assured her.
"No one has the amount I do."
"And do you think either my daughter or I care?" he asked her sternly. "Giselle, you are both of our hero. You're a phenomenal Pokémon Trainer and a model of what a woman should be to my Alexis. And to me, you saved me from poverty at one of the lowest points of my life. Sure, you did some things you aren't proud of. We all have. I look at you not as the monster you were back in the day, but as the woman I'm sitting beside right at this moment." He shook his head. "If it's something that I've done-"
She quickly waved her hands at this. "Oh no, Atticus. It's not that. You've done everything great. I'm just not in the place to be thinking of a relationship at the moment. Emotionally I'm...
"Is there someone else?"
She bit her lip. "It's complicated." Seeing the hurt in his eyes, she reached for his hands and grasped them. "Look, how about we take your daughter to Titanio Park sometime after the Tournament ends? Let her see some of the sights, play some games, ride some rides, and we'll see how things go from there?"
"But what about-"
Giselle looked at her watch and shook her head. "The 'other guy' will be taken care of shortly. Let's just say I need some closure from an old flame before I move on to the next." She squeezed his hands and rose from the table. "I told him to meet at the docks at 9:30, so let's hope he's gonna be there by the time I show up." She walked past her date, only for him to catch her hand once more.
"When will the Tournament end, though?"
She smiled back at him and slipped her hand out of his. "Once I'm beaten."
"And if that day doesn't come?"
"Have you been watching? I don't think anyone can beat Leon at this point." She winked at him and quickly departed from Jeice Kingston's Bistro and hurried down the street towards the now serene docks. The water shined from the moonlight above, making the water sparkle and dance like the stars in the distant galaxies. The only other source of light was coming from the high hill to the north, where Arcana Colosseum was being prepared for the final battles that would determine who indeed was the Ultimate Pokémon Master. She took a deep breath and got a nice firm whiff of the sea air. Salty, but not overbearing. The rainy days were finally ending.
So much had changed for her since being given her second chance. She'd been given the chance to destroy Elezar for betraying her and took the higher road. She was given a place in Ryan Kingston's Elite Four. She'd fought valiantly in the Pokémon World Tournament and against Mewtwo's forces. She was hardly ever even referred to as the monster she still saw in her shadows. And while that felt good, it didn't paint the whole picture for her. She still felt there were some people that needed a more proper apology. So many chances had been lost, though. Maria Pines was gone, never fully recovering her strength from before a younger and more dangerous Giselle and her jackbooted thugs had her tortured for treason against her. Cameron Kingston was dead, having fallen before Giselle made it to the battlefield to make amends for the bad blood between them. It even felt too late for her friends and she to reconnect all these years later. Perhaps she would never be able to fully make amends for what she'd done.
But there was one person she absolutely needed to. To not only ensure that she would be considered a key contributor in the future, but to forever end any ideas of the depth of feeling between them. It was already too late for his wife. She would hate Giselle until her final moments. But perhaps she could do right by the person she'd wronged the most.
"Why here?" he asked her as he approached.
"Inconspicuous enough for us to be left alone" she answered. "Last thing I want is for anyone to think I have any intention of stealing His Majesty's heart like the evil witch I am."
Michael folded his arms. "You aren't evil, Giselle. And anyone who tells you that is fooling themselves."
"I wanted to apologize" she spoke softly.
"You did your time. And it was because of you that I got to meet so many people and get to see so many things I might never have. If you think that I hold that against you entirely and not the people who cast me out from my own family-"
"That's not exactly what I meant" she answered, "but thank you for that regardless. I meant about Mirage Island." She took a deep breath. "I did expect to be ambushed and knocked out by someone in the Syndicate. That I may never wake up again or would be dead in a ditch of Courtney's design. That's why I-"
"Kissed me?"
She sheepishly nodded. "I needed to get it off my chest."
"I got hell for it from my wife, you know" he chuckled.
"Her Excellency wants me condemned to the pit?"
"No, just to stay away from her husband. And to make sure we never send Tommy Queensbury off by himself somewhere ever again."
She smirked. "That little sneasel is the reason she found out." She eyed Michael, doing everything she could to prevent herself from ogling the man who had once been the boy who worshipped the very ground she walked on. "I needed to...you know...see what I'd missed out on. Gotta say, Julia should be keeping you on a very tight leash. Because any girl would be lucky to have Michael Kingston at their side every single day."
"It's not me you had to apologize to for kissing me" he laughed. "But I don't think Julia would want one at this moment. It's clearly water under the bridge."
"Then that brings me to the last thing I called you out here for" she explained, opening her jacket to reveal her Poke Balls. "I believe you owe me a rematch. I stood at the side of that little runt for two years. Now is when you pay up on your end of the bargain, Your Grace."
Michael sighed. "You could just beat Chris and hope I beat Cynthia."
"Too many variables" she winked, "especially since I have you right here." She reached for the first Poke Ball on her person, the Liepard she'd had since she had started her own journey many years earlier. "So what are we waiting for? I want to see just how strong of a trainer my little pupil has become since we last fought."
"The last time we fought each other, we were mortal enemies" he corrected her.
"You gonna keep your promise to me, or what?"
Michael took a Poke Ball of his belt and sighed. "Fine. No one can say that I don't uphold my word."
Both combatants stared each other down, with looks of contemplation, reflection and satisfaction. Long ago, she had been his idol. Someone he went out of his way to impress and woo at every turn. She'd used that innocent love against him in the worst ways and ended up incarcerated for ten years. She'd harbored her own deep and unrequited feelings for him after he chose to free her to help in their impending clash with the Syndicate. And now, here they stood, no longer mentor and pupil, no longer lovers, no longer mortal enemies. But one of the things in her life she had very few of.
Friends.
