What was he doing…?

Gray's eyes turned down to the form of a gardevoir clinging to him, her flesh against his. He could feel her beating heart, see the slow rise and fall of her chest.

He had, for better or worse, dedicated himself in this pursuit with her. A pursuit of what? Happiness? Self-indulgence? Twice now they'd made love, the second deeper and more intense than the last…

It was too late to start bearing any regrets, but he wasn't sure if he actually regretted any of it… or if he was worried about what might happen if people found out. Would they even care in the current climate? Would they simply wait to enact their punishment against him once Rinsik was out of the way?

And if so… what made a future without Rinsik any better?

[I can hear you thinking…]

Atena's voice entered Gray's mind and he nearly jumped, so wrapped up in his thoughts.

[I thought we weren't connected at the moment, sorry…] the man apologized, looking back down at Atena, though she did not stir. She appeared to be quite content to lay against him on the beach. It was a very good thing this place seemed devoid of people… they'd been immodest in the open for a while now…

[We… normally shouldn't be,] the gardevoir admitted. [I first noticed the change after our first night together. Your shoulders, they used to always tense up when I would link our minds. Now they don't, and I can sense your thoughts even without searching for them.]

Grayson digested that for a moment. [So our relationship… goes deeper than a normal one?]

[For lack of any better way to put it; yes. With our second encounter, it feels like that bond has only deepened. I can hear your thoughts, even if I distance my mind from yours. Can you not hear mine?]

The trainer paused, narrowing his eyes as he stared vaguely into the distance. He had to admit, he did feel something different… like a buzzing in the back of his mind. Something that felt like it was making his brain more active than it usually was…

He didn't even need to voice this, as Atena turned her head up to look back at him. [You can… but it's faint. You're not naturally-inclined to a psychic persuasion, so I suppose this is to be expected.]

[This is normal?] Gray asked.

[Well… as normal as our relationship can be. Typically among my species, striking a bond so deep has similar effects, but repeat encounters are uncommon. Gardevoir usually mate only once, and it's even rarer to do so outside of the usual mating pool, unless… brought upon them in a daycare, or the likes. My species are very proud, and very emotionally disconnected. Ironic, right? We're supposed to be empaths.]

[You're not like any of the gardevoir you always tell me about,] Gray replied.

Atena turned her gaze away for a small moment, before she rested her head back against his chest. He could sense a modicum of discomfort within her. [I'm not, no. It could be a side effect of existing outside of my usual culture with you. Maybe the books I've read were inaccurate. Or… more likely… your willingness to treat not just me, but your whole team as relative equals to your station… has developed us in ways most Pokémon don't get to experience.]

He blinked, thinking about that. Was it truly uncommon for someone to treat their Pokémon the way he did? Ignoring his relationship to the gardevoir, before any of that, he had always treated them with care and respect, and always took their wants and needs into account. That's how he'd been taught to treat them, by his own father. Surely it wasn't a rarity…

But as he thought about it more, reflected on encounters with trainers in his past, he could see the disconnect. Pets, or tools… not equals. Trainers that did love and care for their Pokémon, but always seemed to make the distinction between master and Pokémon. He never had.

[You're starting to see things the way I do,] Atena's voice was soft in his mind. [I admit, I am intellectually… stimulated, compared to many Pokémon, even other psychic types. Many trust in nature and the natural order of things. Politics, rights, those aren't… normal for a Pokémon to take a vested interest in. Yet I have, all the same. And I did it initially because of a desire for you. I wondered why it would be so wrong to love each other, and the more I learned, the more I… took personal issue with the state of things. In truth, it's really not as heinous as I try to think it is… the system does function, and has for a long time. People and Pokémon co-exist in relative harmony. Things are not as extreme as some would mistake it for. Remember those old newsletters we found on Team Plasma?]

Gray did recall the memory. So many teams out there with different goals and interests. The only one that seemed to linger was Team Rocket, but Rocket had always been more of a traditional gang, while the others were of a different breed. More extreme, or more fragile, so easier to dissolve. Something like Rocket didn't do that, especially not for as long as they've been around.

Team Plasma had been a team seeking the liberation of Pokémon, if Grayson was remembering correctly. It had been a long time since he'd read anything on them. They had failed, faltering to the very bond between humans and Pokémon that they claimed to be corrosive and destructive. Or something like that.

[Was it Team Plasma or Team Galactic?] Gray asked suddenly.

[Oh- shit, I don't remember,] Atena gave a dry chuckle. [At least I know it's not Team Skull.]

[Skull? I don't know that one.]

[Oh, well it's- actually, I'll tell you later, I want to go back to the last topic.]

[Fair 'nuff,] Gray closed his eyes, feeling the sun beating down on them from above. [So you see the problem in the relationship between people and Pokémon… but you also see that the problem is only as deep as you let it be. For the average trainer team, or household, it's not usually an issue, right?]

[Yeah…] Atena stirred a little. [Obviously I take issue with it because it doesn't suit what I want, but I'm practically alone in this sentiment. The natural order of the universe tends to keep a balance on this sort of thing. I just wish it could make an exception every once in a while… give us a world where you and I can be equals to not just each other, but through the eyes of everyone else, too. But, at the end of the day, I will be viewed as a Pokémon- an animal. Less than the human standard. It's a frustrating concept to accept.]

Gray was silent for a moment. It certainly did seem like something he would take a lot of issue with if he were in her place- and now that he was so connected to her, in so many ways, he could feel a small pit of anger in his own gut at the notion.

[It is,] Gray validated. [Chuck said experimenting between Pokémon and humans was a natural experience during developmental years. He also said the laws are in place for a reason. I know I said I knew that, but… what even is that reason?]

[I don't know,] Atena admitted. [Marriage was something of a novelty between humans and Pokémon long ago, but most records of that past are muddled, modified, or simply lost. At some point, someone had to make this decision to draw a clear line between people and Pokémon. So had we kissed years ago, not many would probably think anything of it. Just a teenage boy and his Kirlia, or newly evolved Gardevoir. But how does such an experience not blossom into something else? Did Chuck actually fall in love with a Pokémon? Or did his hormonal past self indulge in a moment of curiosity that he quickly abandoned? What if the Pokémon on the receiving end of this reciprocated the advance in full? What if he broke their heart by turning away?]

[Unfortunately, I don't have a time machine, so I guess we'll never know,] Gray snickered.

[Jerk. I thought we were being philosophical and challenging the status quo.]

[Sorry, I default to joking when a topic is pretty heavy…]

[I certainly hope you aren't cracking jokes at funerals.]

[Correction: I default in more appropriate situations. I likely won't attend a funeral, that's more discomfort than I can bear,] Gray thought. [Anyway, I see your point. I agree, too. The system in place certainly favors a balance in our dynamic, with a clear edge toward human dominance and mastery.]

[And as I said before, most Pokémon are content with this,] Atena added. [Humans traditionally belong with humans… and Pokémon traditionally belong with Pokémon. The lore of creation may seed us on a similar beginning, but somewhere we branched. We cannot reproduce together, after all. Yet interbreeding between Pokémon is extremely common, and almost never results in hybridization.]

[Pokémon breeding always made me uncomfortable,] the trainer admitted. [I hated at the mere thought of putting any of you guys through something like that.]

[Well, you're more of a romantic than you realize,] the gardevoir pointed out. [You've always believed in the notion of love. It wasn't that you hated us finding a mate, it was that you hated pushing one onto us.]

[You might have helped influence that,] Grayson replied. [All those novels you'd read… and then you'd talk to me about them for hours. I listened, every time.]

He could feel her pressing against him more firmly, in a strange sideways hug. [You made it so hard not to fall in love with you.]

At that, Gray let out an audible chuckle, before he slowly sat up. Atena rose from his chest. [Yeah… we should probably get cleaned up and dressed up before we risk further exposure. I don't want to push our luck any further.]

The gardevoir nodded in agreement. Procuring a towel, they cleaned off sand and bodily fluids that stuck to their skin in the ocean, before they dried off and got dressed. The sun indicated it was around early evening. They'd had their fun, but really needed to get back to their mission. It was good that today had turned out surprisingly nice.

[Did you ever want kids?]

Grayson was thrown off by the question as he stuffed a few items into his bag. Zipping it up, he turned to look at Atena. She had ditched the hoodie fit to instead wear a black tank top under the red leather jacket she'd picked out before, and a pair of loose-fitting jeans that had to be belted to her waist, the tank top tucked into it. He paused for a moment, having been so focused on what he was doing. He had to recover, both from the question, and from the sight of her.

He'd seen it before, but that had been in a more tense environment. Now, he was more receptive to it. If he'd found it attractive before, he found it downright gorgeous now.

Seeing his moment of hesitation, Atena smirked and did a small twirl. [I thought it would be better to wear now, since Sinnoh isn't occupied.]

[Wow, you- wow. It looks great!] He sputtered.

She waggled a finger at him. [You've already seen this before!]

[Yeah, and I didn't fully appreciate it then. Seriously, girl, you're giving me heart palpitations.]

She snickered, pleased. [I'm glad you approve. I was thinking of this being my iconic look. You know how some Pokémon have that specific "style?" Like that wrestler Pikachu? Or the Egyptian Lucario?]

[Yeah. What would this fit be called?]

[Hm…] Atena tapped her chin thoughtfully. [Rebel Gardevoir.]

[I-] Gray paused, reflecting on that. He'd been thinking Leather, Biker, or Badass… but Rebel… that fit in more ways than one. [That's actually good, damn.]

She winked back at him. [Of course it is. All your suggestions were missing the mark.]

[Hey, no fair, I can't read your thoughts!]

[What do you think we're doing right now?]

[That's projecting.]

[Okay, that's fair. You never answered my question, by the way.]

Gray thought back for a moment, and remembered what it was. She'd asked if he ever wanted children. It was impossible not to draw assumptions where this question originated from, especially given her momentary pause over the topic of interspecies reproduction earlier. She probably already knew he'd connected those dots, but was polite enough to let him answer on his own. [Not really. Not that I'd be against it, just… I built my life around Pokémon training. Enough to span out a typical 1-3 year adventure into over a decade. All to avoid… everything that's supposed to come after.]

[It is a daunting thought, isn't it?] Atena pondered. [Pokémon training, battling, challenging… it's for the youth. Staying a part of it means joining the League as an official representative. Otherwise, you're looked down on for being too old… playing a child's game.]

[I didn't want to become my dad,] Gray said, glancing away. [He used to be a Gym Leader, then he traveled around with Uncle Red for a while before he met my mom in Alola. Then… he just… changed. After she died, he changed even more. I used to look at pictures of him as a kid, and I wondered where that person went. He used to have so much adventure, and spirit, and passion. I didn't want to lose that like him.]

Atena was silent for a moment. He knew she was a little surprised at his choice in topic. Blue Oak was never Gray's favorite thing to talk about, and discussing an aspect of his childhood before he became a trainer was a rarity from him. But there was no point in hiding anything from Atena. Not because she could easily see his mind and probably learn every aspect of his history if she wanted, but because of what they now meant to each other.

[Chuck didn't seem to lose it,] Atena finally added. [So it's still possible.]

[Yeah…] Gray agreed. [But Chuck's not my dad. He's not… half of me. Blue is, and I've always been afraid of turning out like him. So… sad. So… distant. And if I had a kid, I wouldn't want to impose that upon them. I would want them to have the same opportunities I had, and even more to boot. So maybe I wouldn't mind having a kid one day, Atena. But… you know that's something we can't do.]

[I know,] the gardevoir gave a small nod as she approached him. [That won't stop me from dreaming. I used to fantasize about it sometimes, I admit… and earlier, when you came… all I could think of was creating life with you. We could always adopt, y'know.]

Grayson let out a small chuckle, fighting back some arousal at the mention of him not pulling out. [I don't even know how legal that would be. There's so many loopholes to jump through for that to work, especially for us. But… maybe we should think about this after we beat Rinsik. A world with them in charge is no world at all to raise a kid in.]

[That's fair- but humor me for one more question…] she stopped in front of him, draping her arms around his neck. [If we could have offspring, what would their name be for either gender?]

Gray scoffed, his face breaking into a grin as he looked down at her, lightly shaking his head. [I've never thought about it before… but I guess I like the name… Miles, for a boy.]

[Miles?] Atena cocked her head to the side. [Why's that?]

[It means soldier in Latin,] Gray explained. [And in Kanto, the name Oak means sturdy, or unbreakable.]

[Unbreakable soldier,] the gardevoir's lips stretched into a smirk. [You totally lied to me, you've definitely thought about this before.]

Gray shrugged, neither confirming nor denying that.

[What about a girl's name?] Atena asked.

Another moment as Gray pondered. [Flos.]

[Another Latin word,] Atena noted. [It means blossom, or flower, right?]

He gave a nod. [I know, a little cheesy…]

[That's one of the reasons I love you,] Atena pressed her lips softly against his, and he drew in a deep breath. He loved her scent. [You're so cheesy… and it's very endearing.]

[I should start eating more cheddar so you'll love me more,] Gray joked, and their lips parted due to the smile he gave her.

[Not possible. My love for you is boundless.]

[Well, I suppose I will not eat more cheese then.]

They continued to kiss for several more moments. Gray really didn't want this moment to end. They were still stalling leaving the beach. At this rate, they wouldn't leave until nightfall.

[What about you?] Gray asked.

[What would I name my children?] Atena correctly guessed, no doubt sensing the intent behind the question. Had she asked Gray, he would have thought they were still talking about cheese. He nodded, so she continued. [I would name a son "Inizio."]

[Not going with Latin, eh?] Gray flashed his teeth with a grin. [Are you sure we're sharing minds now?]

She pecked his lips with her own. [There's Latin roots. It means new beginnings. A fresh start at life.]

[That's way sweeter than mine,] Gray replied. [I like it. And for a girl?]

[Ginny.]

[Oh, I see… the Latin meaning?]

Atena offered a small shrug. [Well, it can mean white, or fair… befitting of my species. What does it mean in Latin?]

[I think pure, if I'm remembering right,] Gray replied.

[So then it will mean both,] Atena kissed him again, before she pulled away. [Miles and Inizio… Flos and Ginny. Beautiful names.]

Grayson scratched his cheek. [Well, I humored you. Sweet names aside, we… should probably think about moving on. We're stalling at this point.]

Atena nodded in agreement. [Yes, I agree. This day has been… too perfect. I just don't want it to end.]

[Neither do I,] Gray thought, digging out Lunara's pokéball. Professor Redwood seemed like a decent guy, so he wasn't expecting this Lapras to be malnourished or something- he didn't have the food supplies to recover a lapras from that.

[Um,] Atena entered his mind again just as he was enlarging the pokéball.

[What?]

[I suppose now is as good a time as any to pose this question,] the gardevoir continued. [I've been thinking about… letting the rest of the team in on our big secret.]

At this, Grayson paused. [I've… thought about that, too…]

[Ares knows, somewhat,] Atena thought. [Not to the extent of how far we've gone, though I can't imagine he'd be surprised. He's… not entirely supportive of us.]

[He's not?] Gray frowned. [He was the one who convinced me to go back up to the hotel room and make-up with you. Granted, he did not tell me to eat you out in a public laundry room. That was entirely of my own volition.]

Her face went red. [Ehm, thank you for the confirmation, I was totally losing sleep over that.]

Gray shrugged. [It's what I'm here for. So why's he not supportive?]

[Well, he seems to have been under the impression that a small kiss would have smoothed over everything and things would return to normal. I mean, he certainly wasn't opposed to you and I caring for one another in a deeper way… but he believes we went too far when we started engaging in more intimate affairs. Like, y'know, eating me out in a public laundry room of your own volition.]

[So I guess not just humans find it unnatural,] Gray thought. [It's Ares, he'll come around. Even if he doesn't, not like he'll do anything. He still cares about us. Does anyone else know?]

[Not that I know of,] Atena replied. [Well, aside from Chuck. Honestly I'm kind of shocked at how well we've hidden it so far.]

[Same, lol.]

[Don't "lol" me in telepathy, Grayson Oak.]

[Sorry mb.]

[This isn't texting!]

Grayson snickered, before he looked over his other pokéballs. [Alright well, guess we keep things transparent with the team. Here goes nothing…]

Shrinking Lunara's ball back, he instead threw out the other balls, save for Ade's, and let out the whole team. After giving them a moment to orient to the beach, they turned expectantly to Gray. Without any tents set-up, and no foes in sight, they understood that he had something to say.

"Alright, team," Grayson's voice came out a bit cracked from lack of use, so he had to clear his throat. "So, I've got an… announcement to make, of sorts. For the sake of being honest with you guys, uh, Atena and I have agreed to uh…"

He glanced at her, and she gave him a subtle nod. He was the team leader, this had to come from him.

"Atena and I are… a… couple."

There was a moment of silence, broken only by a grunt from Seidon as he scratched his nose with a claw.

"As in, Atena and I are… pursuing a romantic relationship…" he continued.

Again, very little reaction. Seidon, Sui, and Runa all seemed relatively disinterested in the topic, leaving only Ares, who had folded his arms and closed his eyes. A very prominent sign of disapproval.

"Yeah…" Grayson cleared his throat again before he clasped his hands together. "We just… wanted you guys to know, is all. It's a… change in the team dynamic, a bit, but… well I guess it's not that surprising to you guys, is it?"

In unison, the entire team shook their heads.

"Wow, that's… alright…" Gray nodded slowly. "Well, uhm, with that out of the way, there is another thing."

Once more procuring Lunara's ball, Gray held it up. "We have a new team member. Lunara the Lapras. She was gifted into our care by a man named Professor Redwood. She's going to get us to Sinnoh. We're about to all meet her for the first time, so be uh… welcoming."

It was here that Seidon and Sui in particular took an interest. Seidon began to bounce a little on his feet as Sui fluttered her wings in anticipation.

Tossing the ball toward the shore, it erupted to release a rather imposing form. With a burst of white light, Lunara took shape before she appeared in full, fins slapping against the shore and spraying water about.

Lapras were typically around 2.44 meters tall on average, but this one… she was towering. Clear wrinkles were distinct along her face, the skin sagging with age. Her shell and skin seemed faded and cracked. She was a very old lapras, and Gray doubted she was very young when Redwood had first acquired her. Perhaps that was why she was so large, the lapras rising at least twice as high as Gray had expected, no doubt around 5 meters tall. One of her eyes was white, and the other a deep-sea green around a large black pupil.

Slowly, she turned her gaze down upon them, her great head swiveling about to look upon the team with her good eye. Grayson felt an immediate sense of unease. She was a large and old Pokémon, no doubt more powerful than anyone on his team was currently… he was struck with the possibility she could be hostile, despite Redwood's assurances…

But Lunara gave out a low grumble from somewhere in her throat. A sea monster's sound as her gaze landed squarely on Grayson, and she blinked slowly.

Gulping, he didn't break eye contact. "Atena, link me to her."

He felt the mental connection, and could see Lunara's head twitch slightly with it, though she seemed to recognize it, as she spoke to him before he could speak to her.

[You are the one Edmund entrusted me to.]

Gray gave a slow nod. [I am.]

[You leave much to be desired,] the lapras seemed humored, her mental voice befitting her age, her head craning down to be more eye-level. [You're quite mature despite the inexperience of your companions.]

[I… I know…] Gray nodded again. He knew that some Pokémon would disobey a trainer's orders if they didn't respect that trainer enough. Hopefully she'd be kind enough to allow passage, at least. [All I ask for is a ferry across the ocean. From Johto to Sinnoh.]

Lunara raised her head back up, appearing to be taking in the salty wind that brushed up against her as she looked out upon the waves. [And after? What will you do with me then?]

[I…] Gray paused, and the lapras returned her gaze slowly to him. [I ask for nothing more. Whatever you want after, I suppose.]

[Then you will free me,] Lunara thought simply. [I have lived two lifetimes with two trainers… but I am too old to live another. Jensen and Edmund were both fine caretakers and wonderful companions. When we reach Sinnoh, you will release me, and I will spend my last days among my kind, imparting the wisdom I've accrued.]

He blinked. Grayson was actually a little moved by her request. An old Pokémon that had outlived her trainers (granted, Redwood wasn't dead yet, but she'd still likely outlive him too). She wanted a quiet life, and he was not one to deny such a request. [Then freedom is yours,] he nodded. [I couldn't ask for anything more from you.]

She blinked slowly again, before her head dipped in acknowledgement. [You have earned passage. See that you are true to your word, young trainer, and you will have earned my respect.] Her gaze drifted to the others. [But I will carry only you, and perhaps another. Not all of the rabble.]

[That's fair. I only intend to keep my girl- my gardevoir with me for the ride.]

Another dip of acknowledgement. Gray felt like he could finally let out a breath. Lunara was intimidating, and commanded so much respect with just her presence. It was hard not to be awed by her.

Atena severed the connection, and beamed at him. [You handled that well. She's a sweet old lady, just watch.]

As the gardevoir approached him, Seidon timidly neared Lunara. She watched his approach with her good eye, and let him sniff her, before she opened her mouth and let out a low tune that sounded almost like a tuba. Seidon took a hesitant step back, before he let out his own growl, sounding more like a trumpet by comparison. It seemed Lunara and Seidon had actually taken to one another, somewhat. The garchomp seemed excited as he then proceeded to bury himself in sand and swim around in it for a few minutes.

Lunara appeared humored by this, watching him go.

[A part of me wishes she wanted to stick around,] Gray admitted. [She's so powerful… I can just feel it from being near her. And after Ade…]

He pulled out the cracked pokéball. The poor greavard was still trapped within. Somebody in Sinnoh had to be able to get the poor pup out of the ball unharmed.

[Seidon hasn't really had any friends without him. I think he likes Lunara.]

They watched Seidon burst out of the sand and look to Lunara expectantly. She raised a fin and splashed it on the shore. Wet sand and water sprayed over Seidon, who let out an entertained roar before he rolled around in the sand again, seemingly pleased.

[She likes him too,] Atena giggled.

Their attention was diverted when Ares the blaziken practically appeared beside them, his arms still folded as he too watched Seidon and Lunara playing. Gray and Atena hadn't even seen him approaching.

"Arceus, Ares," Gray practically jumped when he noticed the blaziken standing right beside him.

Runa had lounged out on the sand away from the Seidon action, while Sui had taken to the skies to get in some airtime.

[He wants to connect minds,] Atena's voice penetrated Gray's thoughts.

[Go ahead,] he replied, watching as Ares's muscles gave a strange flex at the connection. Apparently most everyone seemed to have some kind of physical twitch regarding mental connections being established. [What's up?]

Ares's eyes snapped to look toward Gray. [How invested in this romantic pursuit are the two of you?]

Right, yeah, that. Gray rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. [Uh… pretty invested, I'd say.]

[Hm…] Ares looked forward. [It's dangerous. It isn't known what the connection may create. You already appear to be growing more inclined to a psychic mind.]

[I suppose, yeah,] Gray agreed. [Ares, Atena and I know the risks, we discuss them… frequently enough. But we've decided that we don't care about those risks. This is what we want.]

[You can do as you please,] Ares thought. [My personal feelings will not dampen my loyalty or dedication. We have been partners for my entire life. I do not know life outside of this one with you. I do know that some humans and some Pokémon should not mix. There are risks involved beyond culture. A Pokémon can lose control of themselves. Gardevoir have immense hidden potential. If she lost control over her power-]

[Whoa hang on,] Atena cut in. [We've fucked twice already-]

[I didn't need to know that,] the blaziken blinked.

[-and nothing's happened. If you think I'm going to create a black hole while we're engaged in any act, then think again, Ares. My power is not that volatile or difficult for me to control.]

[It is merely a warning. You can approach this however you please. I just…] Ares seemed to lose his confidence for a brief moment. [I just don't want either of you to get hurt.]

Gray smiled, placing a hand on the blaziken's shoulder. [We'll be careful, buddy. We appreciate your concern. You're a good friend.]

The blaziken, stoic as ever, gave a swift nod in response. [Thank you. My feelings regarding you are… deeply sentimental. I do not believe I could properly recover in the event you…]

His voice trailed off, but Grayson understood. Atena seemed to set aside her initial defensiveness as well, offering the blaziken an apologetic nod of respect, something he could understand more than most.

[Well, I suppose we should get going,] Gray thought. [We've spent enough time on this beach, anyway.]

There was no immediate response from Atena or Ares as they looked out upon the others, before the gardevoir turned to look back at him. [Maybe we should wait… just a little longer. Let them just… enjoy this. I got to have you in the first half of the day. Let's let them have this.]

Grayson didn't need convincing, nodding his head in agreement. [I'm fine with that. Which means…] he looked toward Ares. [Up for some more training?]


As the day carried on, everyone got to enjoy it. Without any assurances that the future would bring another day like this, they had to make the most of it. A few hours alone with Atena had been a great start. And now, training with Ares helped bulk up Gray a smidge more, building his own resilience, stamina, and form. Seidon and Lunara were instant friends, and the lapras had no issues with keeping the hyperactive garchomp entertained. Runa, ever the laziest, lounged on hot sand for as long as she could while Sui kept to the skies, swooping, and swirling with reckless abandon.

The only thing missing was Ade. Hopefully soon, he could be released from his ball and finally rejoin the team in full.

Grayson finally held up a hand to Ares, silently telling him he was done for now. Drenched in sweat, with shaky legs, the trainer needed a moment to breathe as his chest heaved. Ares, like before, didn't appear to have broken a sweat, though he seemed pleased with his trainer's progress nonetheless.

After he'd had some drink, did a little bathing in the ocean, then got some food for everyone, things started to calm down.

They all gathered in a disjointed circle on the beach, overlooked by Lunara, who preferred to keep to the shore so that the waves lapped against her. The sun was beginning to sink, the first stars of the night twinkling overhead.

This had been a much needed day. After everything that had brought them from the terrible trouble at Blackthorn City, through to Olivine on the nonstop trek, then the boat ride to Cianwood, and helping Chuck free its resistant people…

It was a weird feeling, leaving Johto. While Kanto was where Gray had been born and raised, his best memories were in Johto. It was where he'd built his team, where he'd nearly won all its badges… Where he'd fallen in love. Sinnoh was so distant, so vast, so… alien. It was scary, leaving behind a known for a complete and utter unknown.

He looked over toward Atena as she helped Sui unruffle some feathers after a small scrap with a nest of surprisingly aggressive pidgeys. She probably sensed his gaze, as she looked over at him. The orange light of the setting sun gave her a golden glow upon her white skin, and as her red eyes met his brown ones, she smiled.

She returned to helping Sui as Gray looked around at the others. Seidon had curled up in front of Lunara and was taking a nap, while Ares had crossed his legs to sit and meditate nearby. Runa purred beside Gray as he sat on the sand, scratching behind her ears.

Could he go through with this change? He'd been committed up to this point, but now, on the precipice… he hesitated. Was fighting Rinsik worth it? Could he even make any difference in the coming conflict? He wasn't the greatest trainer, and his team were not the strongest by any means… they could still always flee to some distant, remote island, like Luthor suggested…

But as his gaze fell upon Atena again, he watched her gently rub a few feathers the right way while Sui nibbled on her other wing. The gardevoir was probably a better person than him… she had a drive to help others. Almost like it was a need. Good as they were now… she'd probably never forgive him if he fled into safety and obscurity, dragging her and the others along with him.

She caught him staring again, and a blush tinted her cheeks as she smiled back once more. His own lips widened in a response grin.

Could she hear these thoughts? Or was she too focused? Could it be that being alone together was when his thoughts were loudest to her?

He knew he couldn't disappoint her. He couldn't run away. He wouldn't be just disappointing her… he'd be disappointing himself, too. This journey they had decided to go on… it held so much purpose. This was something they couldn't ignore. They were fighting for their way of life. For everything they held dear.

This wasn't a fight worth running from.

Finally, as Sui settled down with her slicked down feathers, Gray stood up. "Alright, everyone… it's time we said goodbye to Johto."

Stretching his legs, everyone's eyes were now upon him. He could feel it in them, too. The hesitation to leave the place they'd called home for 11 years. For most of them… that was their entire lives.

"We've got a long road still ahead of us. But together, we'll best any trial that comes out way. This team… this family… we'll never be broken."

Yet, as he spoke to his team, something caught his eye. A figure, approaching from down the beach. He was so invested in talking to his team, about thinking of leaving Johto, he barely registered them until they got closer… and closer…

Finally, he fully registered the approach, and faltered in his words to look upon the approaching figure. He could recognize them, even as the sun sank lower and lower.

"Touching," a cold voice came from the figure, "but you will go nowhere. Grayson Oak. You have been slated for termination by your betters, and you have nowhere left to run."

It was the cardinal again.

Woulda been nice if he paid more attention to her sooner.