Dinner that night was quite expansive; being a member of the Elite Four, Karen could easily afford a celebratory dinner. Medicham had always found herself somewhat repulsed by Trainer diets; whereas Pokemon could subsist off a diet of berries and greens, Trainers often ate cooked Pokemon raised on special farms. These farm-raised Pokemon were exclusively used for food; hunting wild Pokemon for food was, thankfully, forbidden in every region in the UPW. Still, the idea of eating Pokemon was disgusting to Medicham.

Connie, Marcus, Karen, and Theo were seated around the dining room table, filling their plates with cooked Pidgey, mashed potatoes, assorted vegetables, and gravy. Medicham and the other Pokemon were eating in a cluster by the left side of the room, partaking in a meal of berries, greens, and a Pokeblock each.

"So you're from Hoenn?" Marcus asked from the table.

"Sorta," said Theo, placing down his fork to answer the question. "Mom moved there when I was five." He glanced at Connie. "I presume you told him Karen's my aunt?"

Connie looked somewhat embarrassed as she chewed and swallowed a mouthful of meat. "Kinda slipped my mind, actually."

"Karen's your aunt?" Marcus asked at the same time.

"Technically, first cousin once removed," Karen called from the head of the table.

"Yes, technically, Karen's right…but even my mother calls her Aunt Karen," said Theo. "She gave me a Sneasel to start my journey, and offered to train me to work in a Gym. She's…done a lot for me."

Marcus opened his mouth for a response, but at that moment Medicham heard a cough from to her left. She glanced around to see Theo's Weavile looking up from his plate. "So…" said Weavile. "Now that I'm not trying to brutalize your teammates, could we talk a little?"

Medicham swallowed the remains of a Sitrus Berry. "Sure, I guess, if you want."

Weavile quickly trotted over with plate in hand and sat down besides Medicham. "Sorry if I, y'know, made you uncomfortable during that fight," he said. "Pressure's a difficult Ability to focus on one target."

Medicham nodded, remembering all too well Weavile's usage of it. It had brought back some terrifying memories; Medicham had spent the entire rest of the fight only half-paying attention, her mind filled with flashbacks to the Battle of Geosenge.

"It's all right," said Medicham.

Weavile snorted. "Look, it's kinda obvious you don't like it. Bad memories?"

Medicham nodded.

"I won't press." Weavile popped another berry into his mouth. "So how'd you meet your Trainer?"

"He caught me in a forest," said Medicham. "I was his first; he didn't have to fight me, because I'd just fought a Snover and was too tired to resist."

"Your Trainer walked into a forest without any Pokemon of his own?" Weavile whistled. "Not bad. So you were a Wild Pokemon before he caught you?"

Not exactly, Medicham thought; out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Walker-Of-Paths in the thick of Karen's team. The Herald had one eye on his plate and one eye locked on her, unblinking.

"Yes," said Medicham.

"How was it at first?" Weavile asked.

"We…had some difficulties," Medicham admitted. "It wasn't that I hated being a Trained Pokemon, but I didn't agree with all of Marcus's decisions, and it took until the second Gym for us to really start trusting each other. How about you?"

"I was a Trained Pokemon from the start," said Weavile. "My parents are both part of Karen's team." He gestured to Karen's Weavile and Houndoom; the two were sharing their meal a little ways away from the rest of Karen's team. "So Theo and I hit it off pretty much instantly. Mightyena, though…let's just say it took her a long time to get acclimated to the team. She's strong and a great friend, but those first few weeks were an experience she doesn't like to talk about."

Weavile shoved a handful of greens into his mouth, then changed the subject. "So, I can't help but be curious. I've spoken to most of Karen's team, but Absol's the only one who I haven't really conversed with. And I couldn't help but notice that he seemed keen to pull you aside for a one-on-one. So what did he say to you?"

Medicham swallowed heavily, risking another glance at Walker-Of-Paths. She nearly jumped as she beheld both of the Absol's eyes on her; from the expression on his face it was clear he'd heard Weavile's not-very-quiet question. His eyes flared with a warning as he locked gazes with Medicham.

"That bad, huh?" Weavile's sympathetic voice rang oddly in Medicham's ears; quickly, she yanked her gaze away from Walker-Of-Paths to focus on Weavile once more. "I get it; the first time I met an Elite Four Pokemon - well, one that wasn't Karen's, that is - I was so nervous. Glacia's Glalie probably thought I had some kind of permanent stutter."

Weavile clapped a hand on Medicham's shoulder. "So, maybe we should battle sometime? I'm not going to lie, that Drapion was tough. I just could not get through that armor of his…d'you think you're stronger than him?"

"I don't know," Medicham answered, thankful for a topic of conversation that didn't involve Walker-Of-Paths. "I'm more of a dodger than a blocker. In speed I've got him beat by a mile, and I think if it came to a one-on-one I could beat him since I can break through his Protect with Feint. But tanking hits is kind of Drapion's thing. Did you know he took on a Mega Lucario in the Kalos Pokemon League Tournament?"

"I've heard of Mega Evolution," said Weavile, "but I've only ever seen it once. I've heard Megas are really strong. Did Drapion win?"

"No, but it was really close," said Medicham. "And what's more, he lasted so long because of Leer."

"Are you serious?" Weavile asked. "Okay, I have to hear this."

Medicham launched into the tale of Drapion's fight with Calem's Mega Lucario, and for the rest of dinner she and Weavile sat together, swapping stories of battles. It took a little bit for Medicham to get into it, but before she knew it she was having the time of her life, chewing berries while Weavile regaled her with the story of his desperate battle against Gym Leader Chuck's Poliwrath. It felt as if she could have sat there for days, just talking about past fights, sharing food and stories.

Eventually, though, the Trainers finished their dinner, and Medicham was recalled into her Luxury Ball. She, Kriesh, and Liepard would be confined to their Luxury Balls at night for the next week, a punishment that Medicham knew was well-deserved. But it still saddened her to listen to the rest of the team chatting with Karen and Theo's teams as if they were old friends; though she despised Walker-Of-Paths, Medicham would have liked to speak with at least one of Karen's other Pokemon.

An Elite Four-level Pokemon could deliver a level of advice that very few others could.

Then again, Medicham had her own way of gaining advice. So as soon as she was recalled, she made herself comfortable and closed her eyes.

It took about half an hour before the chattering faded away and Medicham heard the Whisperer's voice in her ears. "Hello, Medicham."

"Hello, Whisperer," Medicham replied, opening her eyes to take in the now-familiar dojo walls. "What's the challenge today?"

In answer, two puffs of smoke materialized at the far end of the dojo, solidifying into the forms of a Sableye and a strange Pokemon Medicham had never seen before; it looked somewhat like a Mightyena, but was lower to the ground, covered in black fur all over, and drooping facial hair in the shape of a mustache.

"Mabostiff here is a pure Dark-type," said the Whisperer. "Your Aura will make short work of it. But Sableye here will protect Mabostiff with its life if it must. Deal with the problem."

Medicham crouched, eyeing the Sableye; the small Dark/Ghost-type was already positioning itself in front of Mabostiff. Mind and Aura won't work…guess I'll be using Bullet Strike and the elemental punches.

"Blaze Strike!" Fire energy swept across Medicham's fist as she lunged for the Sableye, and so the rest of the night passed training.

For the second night in a row, Kamado found himself unable to sleep. It wasn't that he wasn't tired; it was late at night, probably close to midnight at this point, long after he usually went to sleep. No, it was something…different. Unexplainable. This place itself, this house in an entirely different region of the world, just felt…wrong somehow.

Kamado rose from where he lay. Maybe it was just that this part of the carpet was too uncomfortable. The Tyrunt glanced around, searching for a better spot to rest his head.

A slight hiss emanated from the above Kamado. Kamado's eyes flashed upwards, peering at the edge of the bed. A pair of emerald eyes peered back at him.

Kamado stepped back as Liepard jumped artfully down onto the carpet. "Aren't you…supposed to be in your Pokeball?" he asked nervously.

"I am," answered Liepard. "I don't intend on being out long."

"I didn't know you could just…leave," said Kamado.

"It's all about the seals, mon ami," said Liepard. "Marcus leaves the seals off his Pokeballs. Of course, leaving a Pokeball makes a noise, but these Luxury Balls are apparently designed to make less of a noise than a normal Pokeball, I assume for hearing-based comfort. Besides, I know how to get in and out of a Pokeball without making too much noise."

"So what are you doing?" Kamado asked.

"I'm not entirely sure, to be honest," said Liepard. "I suppose I'm just stretching my legs. How about you?"

"I can't sleep," Kamado answered, head drooping.

"Nightmares?" Liepard asked. "Or homesickness?"

"I think…I think the second one," said Kamado.

Liepard nodded slowly. "I didn't grow up in Kalos, you know," she said. "Technically I'm Unovan. The first few nights I was in Kalos, I just couldn't go to sleep at night. Every night memories of Unova hurled themselves at me like stones, keeping me awake until the moon began to dip and the orange rays of the sun began to peek above the horizon."

Liepard leaned in closer. "Kamado, was it? I've been meaning to ask. I saw the rest of Marcus's team in the forest. Where were you?"

"I…I only hatched a week ago," said Kamado dejectedly. "I was just watching. From…from the bushes. I wanted to fight. To serve my pack. But Medicham told me to stay in the bushes. So I did."

"Good for her." Liepard smiled, her gaze turning to look towards the room's window.

"Why are you doing this?" Kamado asked.

Liepard glanced back down at Kamado. "Hmm?"

"It…at first, it felt like you were joining the team because you…liked Drapion," said Kamado. "But you spoke to Cloyster on the plane. Helped Medicham and Kriesh with…whatever they were doing out there. And now this…I don't really understand."

Liepard sighed. "I've learned quite a few things in my time," she said. "Here is a lesson you should take to heart, Kamado. All things may be as fleeting as a gust of wind. So treat every day as such."

The Dark-type Pokemon looked up at the ceiling forlornly. "Cloyster, Medicham, Kriesh, you…everyone on this team…I dearly wish I could call you friends. And countless others too. Excadrill, Galvantula, Palpitoad, Boldore, Pignite, Watchog, little Woobat…" A single tear splashed onto the carpet beneath Liepard. "The problem with friends is that it hurts so much more when you lose them. I've been making connections. Forging bonds. Trying to convince Drapion to return my affections. All as quickly as I possibly can, so that I can enjoy it for as long as possible. But I can't truly call any of you friends. Because someday this will all end, and I will be cast out into the world once again to find my next destination. My next group of associates, my next…'friends'."

Kamado stared up at Liepard. "But…doesn't that kind of thinking hurt?"

"Yes," said Liepard. "But it hurts less when you're expecting it."

She looked down at Kamado again. "You remind me of Woobat," she said. "I used to tell him stories every night until he fell asleep. He was so idealistic. Always so intent on seeing the best in everyone. He was one of my second Trainer's Pokemon. As far as I know, he drowned with her."

Kamado stammered over his words. "I…I'm-"

"Don't." Liepard's voice was curt. "That makes it worse."

The two stood in silence for a few more moments, Liepard staring out the window once again, Kamado unsure of what to do.

Slowly, he looked back up at Liepard. "Can…can you tell me a story?"

A smile tugged at Liepard's mouth as she glanced back down at Kamado. "Sure," she said. "I suppose…there's one that's pretty topical, and judging by your age you've probably never heard it."

Kamado sat down on the carpet, leaning against the bedpost and staring up at Liepard.

"Many years ago…a couple decades by now…a young Trainer set out on a Pokemon Journey," Liepard began. "As with all Trainers, this Trainer had but one main goal: to win the Pokemon League, defeat the Elite Four, and take the title of Champion. The region was Kanto, back before the Kanto-Johto Unification and the establishment of the United Pokemon World. The starting point was Pallet Town. The Trainer's name was Red."

Liepard paused to allow the name to sink in before continuing. "No one knew if Red was his real name," she said. "Even if it was, no one knew his last name. But there were whispers of him defeating Gym Leaders like they were nothing. Facing Team Rocket, the group of Pokemon thieves that had terrorized Kanto for years, and overcoming them. Those whispers became louder and louder, and by the time Red defeated Giovanni, the eighth Gym Leader of Kanto and the leader of Team Rocket, his name was known across all of Kanto. When he entered the Indigo League, he quickly proved to be as unstoppable as advertised. He defeated his longtime rival, Blue, in the final, and-"

"Blue?" Kamado interrupted. "As in the guy we met on the street? That's Red's rival?"

"Yes, that is the same Blue," said Liepard. "Anyway, after defeating Blue, Red swiftly defeated the Elite Four, and ultimately overcame Champion Lance to become the first rookie to ascend to Champion. But sadly, only a few weeks into his reign, he was forced to leave."

Kamado's eyes widened. "Why?"

"Lance took advantage of a fairly obscure law," said Liepard. "You see, Red was mute. Maybe he was born that way, maybe it happened later in life, but regardless, he could not speak. It didn't impact his battling at all - in fact, many believe he's telepathic - but Lance used his muteness to proclaim him as unfit to serve as Champion."

"And it worked?" Kamado asked, aghast.

"In a way," said Liepard. "Blue, of all people, led a protest against the decision, and ultimately the law was changed and Red was offered the position again. But this time he refused, and Lance reassumed his throne. Thankfully, karma caught up with Lance; not even masterminding the Kanto-Johto Unification could save his tarnished reputation, and he was ultimately defeated by another Trainer, Ethan, several years later."

Liepard's eyes swiveled back towards the window; she could see mountain peaks rising into the sky, obscuring the stars with their snowcapped peaks. "As for Red, he retired from battling. No one knew where he went for years. That is, not until Ethan embarked on a journey to find him. Find him he did, at the top of Mount Silver, and they waged a battle that to this day, no one knows the result of. Ever since then, Red has remained up there, and it has become a sort of rite of passage for new Champions to ascend to the top of Mount Silver and face him in a battle. Sometimes he leaves, to stamp out any remnants of Team Rocket, to buy supplies, or to visit his hometown, but Mount Silver is his home nowadays, and it seems will be for the rest of his life. And that, Kamado, is the story of the strongest Trainer in the entire world - even, some say, the strongest Trainer who ever lived."

Liepard waited for a few seconds before turning her head; as she'd suspected, Kamado was fast asleep. "Oh, you really are just like Woobat," she said to herself. "It…" A sad smile came to Liepard's face and she let out a humorless chuckle. "Cest la vie," she whispered.

A cough came from above.

Liepard glanced over towards the source of the noise; her eyes met Marcus's accusing stare. The Trainer said nothing, simply stared at Liepard unblinkingly.

Liepard stared back. Slowly, she twitched her head, indicating the sleeping Kamado.

Marcus nodded. "I get it," came from his mouth in a whisper. "It's fine. Just this once. But I'm going to recall you now."

Liepard allowed the recall beam to take her. This time, Marcus made sure to apply the seals before he set the Luxury Ball down again.

"You know, I knew this day would come eventually," said Karen. "It's what you've been training for, after all. But…I'm still going to miss you."

"So am I." Theo hugged Karen tightly. "I'll come back to visit."

"Of course you will," said Karen. "Now good luck out there."

Her eyes flicked to Marcus. "And as for you…remember what I told you."

Marcus responded with a nod.

Connie cleared her throat. "So…shall we?"

"I guess so," said Theo. "Love you, Aunt Karen."

"Love you too." With a last, almost tearful look at Theo, Karen stepped back into the house, closing the door behind her.

It took a few seconds before Theo stirred. "Right…Alola, then?"

"Alola," Marcus confirmed. "How long have we got now?"

"About an hour until the flight leaves," said Connie. "If either of you two need to shop for somethin', now's the time."

Theo and Marcus shared a glance. "We've got everything we need," said Marcus.

"Well, then, no sense in waitin' around," said Connie, already turning on her heel. Marcus and Theo quickly fell into step behind her.

As they walked, Theo stepped to Marcus's side. "So…what did Karen tell you?"

"Well, first she asked a lot of questions," said Marcus. "And then she told me that my answers were obviously practiced and that I shouldn't give her reasons that she'd want to hear."

Theo chuckled. "She does that," he said.

"Did she do it to you?" Marcus asked.

"More times than I can count," said Theo.

A few seconds of silence passed before Marcus spoke again. "So…can we talk about our battle?"

"What about it?" Theo sounded slightly more guarded.

"Well," said Marcus, "you did kinda trash-talk a few times, and I'm not sure that's a good thing to do all the time."

"Funny you should mention that," said Theo. "Trash-talking is actually one of the things Karen trained me to do."

"Really?" Marcus asked.

"I mean…you've gotten eight Gym Badges," said Theo. "Didn't at least some of the Gym Leaders you faced trash-talk you at some point?"

Marcus frowned. "You're right. Olympia definitely did…and Grant…"

"It's used a lot by Gym Leaders," said Theo. "A well-placed bit of trash-talking often encourages improvisation. Those on the receiving end find themselves desperate to prove the trash-talker wrong. You can tell a good improviser by how well they respond to trash-talking."

"So you only did that because you were testing me?" Marcus asked.

"I do it when I'm testing people," Theo answered. At Marcus's frown he held up his hands placatingly. "Relax, I'm not about to be the next Lieutenant Surge."

"I should hope not!" Connie called backwards.

Theo and Marcus both chuckled, but Theo's chuckle swiftly trailed off.

Marcus glanced over at Theo. "What?"

"I'm gonna miss this place," Theo said softly. He looked over Marcus's head. "Have you seen the statue?"

"Yeah," said Marcus.

"Both sides?" Theo asked.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

As Marcus's query left his lips, the three stepped out into Viridian City's central square, and the statue of Blue, standing confidently with his Pokemon team, became fully visible to them. Theo nudged Marcus. "Look at his legs," he said.

Marcus did so. It took a few moments before his eyes widened. "Is that a Squirtle?"

"His starter," said Theo. "And you see that plaque below Squirtle? Read it."

Marcus stepped over to the plaque; as Theo and Connie watched, he began to read off it. "'Strong Pokemon. Weak Pokemon. That is only the selfish perception of people. Truly skilled Trainers should try to win with their favorites.' Karen of the Kanto-Johto Elite Four."

Marcus looked back at the smiling Theo. "One of Aunt Karen's favorite quotes," Theo said. "She says it to a lot of her challengers. You wouldn't believe the number of Trainers who try and challenge her with the most stereotypical teams ever."

"Have you seen any of her battles?" Marcus asked.

"Of course!" said Theo. "Tell you what; I'll tell you about a couple on the way to the airport."

"Sounds good," said Marcus, turning away from the statue. Once more the three began to move, leaving the Viridian City central square behind them.

In a clearing in the center of the Perish Dimension, two Absols stood face-to-face.

"...and so I woke Marcus," said Walker-Of-Paths. "I'm pretty sure she regrets going to see that Espeon now. Knowing her, I bet she thinks we've already gone after that Espeon."

A smile tugged at the corners of Bringer-Of-Visions' mouth. "As if we would. That's something I don't plan on getting mixed up in, especially since, judging by my Future Sight, she didn't tell that Espeon anything. But it's good that she thinks that. Now she'll be firmly convinced that telling anybody will just bring harm to them."

"And that deviating from her path will bring harm to her friends as well." Walker-Of-Paths matched Bringer-Of-Visions' grin. "Slowly but surely, she is becoming the perfect little tool."

"That's if she survives," said Bringer-Of-Visions. "Betrayer-Of-Kin is still lost from sight. Her Psychic shielding has definitely improved, and to be honest I'm surprised she hasn't already made another attempt on Marcus's life. Not to mention what else awaits in Alola."

"Indeed," said Walker-Of-Paths. "Team Skull, Aether Paradise, and whatever in Distortion Lusamine plans on doing with those Type: Fulls. If just one of those things was enough to take on two full Elite Four-level teams, including Keeper-Of-Memories, I'm almost glad we can't see what she's planning on doing with three or even four."

"I'm not." Bringer-Of-Visions turned away from her compatriot. "Our Future Sight is our greatest asset. And yet it is as if Alola's very future is enshrouded. We do not know what Lusamine is planning. We do not know what Team Skull is planning. We do not know the significance of the girl Lillie. There is far too much we do not know. To send Marcus into that mess...I knew we should have avoided Serena altogether."

"And yet Serena presented the best possibility of success," Walker-Of-Paths encouraged.

"The success will not matter if Marcus dies!" Bringer-Of-Visions snapped. "This - this is the farthest we've ever gotten! This is the longest any of our chosen have survived!" She took a deep breath, relaxing slightly. "It is too late now. He is heading to Alola. I will contact the Alolan Heralds. Tell them to find and shadow Marcus, to protect him at all costs."

"And as for me?" Walker-Of-Paths asked.

"Your work is done for now," said Bringer-Of-Visions. "Resume your post. May the Master guide you."

"And you." Walker-Of-Paths melted away, ceasing his Perish Song.

Bringer-Of-Visions looked up at the sky. "And me," she whispered before she, too, melted away.

The small Alolan Vulpix crouched under the desk as she often did nowadays, ears perked up. The laboratory was currently unoccupied, its cabinets shut and equipment powered down, but the sound of approaching footsteps, accompanied by several voices, told the Alolan Vulpix that the lab would not remain unoccupied for long.

As if on cue, the door was flung open. Through it strode the two scientists, Faba and Xerosic. After them came the tall, blonde, long-haired form of Lusamine, and behind her followed two strangely-garbed figures, dressed entirely in blue-and-white suits of armor.

Every hair on the Alolan Vulpix's body stood on end at the sight of those last two. Faba and Xerosic were familiar sights by now, and Lusamine was eternally recognizable. But she'd only seen the two armored figures once before: the day of her mistress's escape, blocking her path.

Back then, she'd known instantly that the armored figures were not Aether employees. Yet they seemed to be working with Aether. Whatever they were, it made the Alolan Vulpix quite uncomfortable.

"This delay is proving troublesome," one of the armored figures was saying. "We have our Pokemon ready. We have three of the four Type: Fulls. We have Aether's full resources. And yet you still insist that it is not yet time."

"Like I keep telling you," Lusamine said impatiently, "we need 004. Only then can we be sure of dealing with Necrozma."

"The longer we wait," the other armored figure pointed out, "the closer that group gets to uncovering our intentions. If they discover our goals, they will protect Cosmog with even greater fervor. And the boy, Elio...he has defeated even our Poipole, and he grows stronger with each passing day. We have enough resources, Lusamine. 004 is not necessary."

"I decide what is and isn't necessary, Zossie," Lusamine said icily. "Faba, Xerosic. Don't just stand there. The upgrades on Type: Full's defensive systems are still unfinished. Get to work."

With parallel cries of "Yes, Lusamine!", the two scientists began to rush around the lab, pulling out parts and powering up equipment.

"Here you go again," the first armored figure said grouchily. "Don't get me wrong. What you have done for us so far has been nothing short of exemplary. But we are starting to think that perhaps you are delaying for another reason entirely."

"And what reason would that be, Dulse?" Lusamine asked.

"Because it is your daughter who stole Cosmog," said Dulse. "And you are afraid that if you take him back, then she will never love you again."

Lusamine's fists clenched at Dulse's statement. "I do not care for such lies."

"Tell me, Lusamine," Zossie added. "Is your daughter's love so important that you would risk the safety of the entire world - and countless others - for the sake of that love?"

"Why don't you get back to training?" Lusamine growled. "Or are you all done with challenging random Trainers to battles just because one boy got a little lucky?"

Zossie and Dulse both glared at Lusamine. "Very well," Dulse said. "We will wait another day. But no longer. If Ultra Beasts or Necrozma come through before we are ready, then this world is lost. Do not forget."

The two armored figures stepped backwards, out of the lab. Lusamine slammed the door shut behind them, took a deep breath, then turned to Faba and Xerosic. The two scientists instantly tried to make it look like they'd been working instead of watching.

With a snort of disgust, Lusamine turned, reopened the door she'd just slammed shut, and stalked out of the room.

As the two scientists fell to working, the Alolan Vulpix stepped back into the hole in the wall. She'd heard enough. It was time to report back to her mistress.

Elsewhere in Alola, a fairly unassuming cargo ship slowed to a halt by a set of docks. At once men and Pokemon set to work, Fighting and Psychic-types shifting crates alongside their Trainers. One Trainer, a muscular Bewear at his side, stepped through a just-opened gate and reached for a nearby crate.

"Jim, get the ones at the back!" another man shouted.

Jim nodded. "Come along, Bewear, that looks like a big one." He indicated the crate in question, an unmarked one slightly out of view of the gate. "We'll get that one first, and then the rest will feel easy."

"Fine," Bewear grumbled, following Jim across the cargo hold.

Jim stepped over to one side of the crate. Bewear moved over to the other side.

"On three," said Jim. "One. Two. Thr-"

There was a quiet shink noise.

"Jim?" Bewear asked. No answer came.

"Okay," Bewear growled, pushing Fighting energy into his paws. "This had better be some kind of practical joke, or I'll be tearing something apart today."

"Well, sadly for you, neither of those are true." A voice came from behind Bewear as a paw clamped down on his right leg. "Static: Full-Body Lock."

Bewear froze in place as Electric energy rippled across his body. Into view came a grinning Manectric. "Betrayer. Nidoking. The Bewear is dealt with."

"I have the Trainer." A female voice came from around the corner. "Nidoking, would you mind fetching the Bewear? The crate should provide ample cover for these two."

A grunt was the answer; a second later a burly Nidoking about Bewear's size lumbered around the corner. He grasped the paralyzed Bewear by both arms and began dragging him into the shadows of the hold.

Bewear's eyes widened as he saw Jim lying on the ground, blood gushing from his throat and pooling on the floor. An Absol stood over him, horn soaked red. A sob arose from Bewear's throat but was strangled by his stuck-shut mouth.

The Absol's eyes danced with amusement. "I wouldn't worry about him if I were you," she said. "Now if you stay quiet like you're supposed to, I won't have to do the same to you."

"Just kill him and get it over with," the Nidoking grunted.

The Absol sighed, shaking her head in annoyance. "Fine."

She moved too fast for Bewear to see. Pain exploded across Bewear's throat; his roar of agony was stifled by his paralysis. A terrifying wetness began to gather at his throat and drip down his chest. He felt his strength giving out, unconsciousness threatening to consume him.

"Stuff them in the crate and let's get out of here," the Nidoking growled.

"Agreed," said the Manectric. "There's a back way out over there; it doesn't look like any dockworkers are manning that door."

"Then that's our exit." The Nidoking stooped to pick up Jim's body and tossed him into the crate, then turned to face Bewear. "All right. Your turn."

As the Nidoking grasped him and began to drag him towards the crate, the last thing Bewear saw before his vision went black was the Absol, bloodied horn glinting in the faint sunlight streaming through the cargo bay doors as she eyed her handiwork with a terrifying grin.

And now we come to the end of another arc. Onwards to Alola!
As always, please leave a review if you have the time. I will see you in four days for the start of the next arc, otherwise known as the Shadows Arc!