Draco: Okay, last one. And maybe my last time using these copyright shenanigans.

Pokémon and protagonist © Nintendo. Character designs © Koei. Ransei © somewhere in the middle.


Beyond: Friends Made Afar

"You gave Lysandre's Mega Ring to the Warriors!?"

Serena slowed to a stop on Route 13, slumping over. "Merde."

"Don't you swear with your back to me!" Malva snapped. "What were you thinking? I specifically told you-!"

"I specifically told you that there was a giant disaster going on in Ransei!" Serena retorted, turning around. "Did you seriously think I was going to send them home without something to even their odds?"

Malva shook her head. "But Mega Evolution!?"

"Yes, Mega Evolution!" Serena retorted. "They weren't unfamiliar with it, and they had Pokémon capable! Better they take the Key Stone with them than let it rot in Gurrkin's storage as the relic of some madman!"

"You... You...!" Malva looked like she was on the verge of challenging the Champion to a battle in the middle of the Route.

Serena groaned. "If you take issue with it being used for a good cause," she insisted, "then how about you take it up with the Mind Master."

"...What?"

"You heard me," Serena insisted. "Mewtwo's the one who took them home. I'm sure he can find a way to fill you in. Maybe he can even bring you to Ransei, if you want to try and take it back from Kenshin."

Malva stomped her foot angrily. "If you seriously think-"

"If you take issue with the suggestion," responded a large voice behind her, "then it is clear that your objection is more arbitrary than reasoned."

"And who are you to ffff..." Malva fell quiet as she whirled around and found herself staring at a leg wearing a brace; her gaze travelled skyward and found it belonged to a man as tall as a Seviper was long. "...fflowing Life, you're huge."

"AZ," Serena greeted. "I hope this is a chance meeting."

"A happy chance," AZ assured her, "but by chance all the same." He turned his attention back to Malva. "Assuming I'm not interrupting anything?"

"Nooo." Malva had suddenly acquired a much more amicable mood. "I'm... going to shut up now."

She started towards Lumiose City, stepping past a relieved Serena. "Best news I've heard all day," she muttered. Then, turning to AZ; "Do you really have to be so cryptic so often?"

"You mean the Holo Clip I sent you?" AZ asked. "Forgive me. With the subject being the Warriors of Ransei, I fell into the same habit."

"Habit?" Serena echoed. "Last time you were being cryptic to me, it had to do with your ultimate weapon..." She trailed off as she remembered. "Wait, Kenshin said you'd visited Ransei, and that you'd been there before that. Why...?"

AZ sighed. "I will gladly tell you," he insisted, "but privately."

Serena nodded. "That sounds fair enough."

+x+x+x+

"Good morning, May."

May gave an exhausted yawn as she came down the stairs. "Morning, Mom," she returned. Then, sniffing the air; "Omelettes this morning?"

"What should I put in yours?"

"Make mine meaty. I'm going to the Battle Resort today."

As she sat down at the kitchen table, Norman lowered his newspaper. "Say, May," he mused, "that chatroom of yours wouldn't happen to have anyone from Ransei, would it?"

"Ransei?" May echoed. "That's... not the Nightcord group, but I do know a couple guys from there. Why?"

"Package for you," Norman replied, grabbing it from beside his seat. "Return address is Terrera Castle, Ransei."

He pushed it across the table, and May caught it as it slid off the other side. "With a letter," she observed. "Souvenir or something?" She pulled off the tape that adhered the envelope to the box, and then tore the envelope open to draw out the letter.

May;
Thank you for the assistance you offered us. We were able to return home safely, and resolve the crisis that Ransei faced. I hope this returns to you.
~Shingen

"Returns?" May murmured, grabbing the package; there seemed to be a lot of wrapping paper inside. "What did you want to send back to me that you don't have a use for any-"

The ruby glow from inside gave it away, and she slammed the box closed again and sat abruptly upright.

Norman lowered his coffee. "Something wrong?"

"...Just a bit of a surprise," May insisted, setting the box down at her side. "But... in hindsight, I suppose I should've saw it coming."

I suppose it makes sense, she admitted to internally as an omelette was set down before her. They mentioned a legendary Pokémon doesn't exactly stick around. Keeping the stone Groudon needs for Primal Reversion would do them more harm than good.

She glanced down at the box - and the Red Orb that was glowing, just faintly, within it.

One of these days, I really ought to take those back to Mt. Pyre.

+x+x+x+

"You did come back."

Evia grinned as she stepped out into Canalave City. "I promised I would."

Dawn had a smile on her face. "Welcome back, Evia, Kaguya. And you must be..."

"Oichi," the healer confirmed. "I'm told I have you to thank for seeing my family back home."

"Then I guess that makes us even," Dawn insisted. "I'm told I have you to thank for seeing Manaphy back home to us."

"That feels uneven," Oichi protested. "I ran into her by chance while trying to find Evia, and didn't even realize she was from our world until we'd almost left without her. You made yourself relive past trauma to give Evia and the others a way home."

Dawn's face turned red as she turned to Evia with a glare. "You told her?"

"Come on, Dawn," insisted a voice from behind her. "Don't get upset because people know what you were willing to do."

Oichi turned towards the voice. "You must be Manaphy's Papa."

Lucas nodded. "That I am," he confirmed. "Name's Lucas. Nice to finally meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too," Oichi returned. "Evia and Kaguya have had a lot of good things to say about your region. It's nice to be here."

"It's nice to have you," Lucas admitted. "Any requests on where to start?"

Evia shook her head. "I don't think we should get the say. Kaguya?"

Kaguya glanced at Gardevoir, who nodded in agreement. "I think we should just just start by seeing more of what we didn't get to see last time!"

Dawn nodded. "That's not a bad idea."