Infernape and the others ran after Ampharos but it was far too late. He teleported away with the Midnight Brotherhood before they could get to him. Infernape fell onto the floor, staring into the rubble below him. Lopunny went to his side to comfort the fire type, grabbing him by the shoulder and embracing him. The group had no idea how to react to this. Was Ampharos okay? Was he already dead? There were so many questions wrapping around their heads, not aided by the fact that they were just attacked by the cult. Everyone thought they wouldn't attack for months.

Suddenly, their WristOn's all received a text message at the same time. Recognizing the ridiculous coincidence, they all checked the message and saw an image of a map with a blue dot in the position. The group realized just what was happening. Ampharos was sending them his exact location. Infernape, Gardevoir and Aggron saw the place and their hearts stopped.

"Th-that's not that far from Normstall, our home!" Gardevoir yelled. The others turned and began to form a plan to find someone who could teleport. Beedrill and Liligant approached the group,

"You'll need all the help you can get!" yelled Beedrill

"I will join thee as well." Liligant said. The group heard stomping noises as Tyrantrum entered the room. After being told what was going on, he signed, "I'll join you."

Throughout the building, it looks like a war zone. Fires, enlarged plant growths and hundreds of holes throughout the NSAHQ. The occasional splatter of blood, sweat or some poison littered the hallways like some morbid water balloon fight. The mercenaries did their job and they had done it well.

The newly formed group prepared to make their leave. They found a licensed teleporter and were willing to pay the fee for a group teleportation. Thanks to Ampharos's quick thinking, they would be ready to counter attack. Beedrill alone could probably decimate the cult thanks to his experience and type advantage. However…they showed up.

"Hold your horses. We are the ones in charge here." The board said. Everyone groaned as they prepared for the rampant bullshit that was about to spew from the board's mouths. "This was clearly a terrorist attack. The Senshi are to stay here to protect the city from further assault." They insisted. Everyone groaned simultaneously the moment they heard this nonsense. Blastoise countered with, "The Midnight Brotherhood has the eclipse gem. We need to attack now!"

"Nonsense. They are obviously going to do a show of force. We shall wait for them to come." The board stated. Blastoise gave them a venomous glare. Beedrill flew towards the board, "Listen up, you troglodytes! The fucking shell on this man's back knows more than you! The most qualified Senshi should go fight them!" he insulted harshly.

"Hey, Mr. Board guys. Do you see that?" Infernape asked, pointing towards the sky. Everyone stopped to look at what Infernape was on about. One of the board members walked next to the fire type, "What are you looking at?" Infernape pointed towards the clouds, "There! Don't you see." he said. The board member moved to Infernape's side, trying to see what the fire type saw.

Infernape then slammed his elbow into the board members face, blood shooting from the members nose. The man fell onto the floor in pain. Infernape covered his mouth and monotoned, "Oh no, I accidentally hit you when I was retracting my hand." His fellow board members rushed to his side. The member on the floor stared daggers at the fire type, who simply stared pseudo-apologetically at him.

The board soon stood up and refocused on Beedrill and Blastoise, "The answer is no. The Senshi will stay here." They insisted, "However…" they began, "I believe that we have some fresh new bodies to waste on your little side quest." Infernape and the others glared at the board. It was great that they could go but they were being treated like an afterthought, akin to a toddler playing with an unplugged controller.

Still, they had their mission. The teleporter would only need five minutes to prepare. Teleporting is an incredibly tiring process, so it takes time to do so. That left our heroes with five minutes to reflect before what was sure to be the final battle. Or, at least that's what they thought they would do.

Infernape saw someone approaching. It was a figure that he didn't recognize at all. Naturally after the nonsense that just happened, he was on edge. It appeared to be a Xatu. His mind raced to memories of that Xatu that foretold of his tragic fate. Brief flashes of nightmares he had been through in the eight years since the incident shot through his memory. He shook his head, clearing himself and reminding himself that even if this was the same one as before, he shouldn't hold her to a lower standard. She didn't ask for that to happen.

The Xatu stopped in front of him, her expression was neutral, completely unreadable. The others asked her about her business here yet she seemed like she didn't even notice them.

"Mr. Lièyànhóu. It's been a long time." she said. Infernape scowled at the woman, despite his efforts to remain neutral. Gardevoir tapped his shoulder and quietly asked,

"You know her?"

"Yes," he whispered, "unfortunately."

"I sense that my prediction was wrong." Xatu admitted. Infernape glanced from the left or right, he knew that the more petty side of him was telling him, no, demanding that he lash out, scream at her for ruining his life, shattering his self confidence, and leaving him in a prison that thought was inescapable. Alas, he couldn't. She had nothing to do with what happened. In his horrified and damaged mindset, he had conflated the two when really, Xatu was innocent. She had merely told him what she foresaw. He outstretched his hand, a more painful task mentally than one would expect, and offered it to her,

"I'm not going to hold a grudge, not this time, at least."

Xatu then raised her feathered hand and shook Infernape's. She then stopped and stared into Infernape's eyes and quietly gasped. She latched on the side of his head and simply stood still for a few minutes. Infernape was caught off guard and tried to pull away from her but her grip was shockingly tight. Lopunny tried to pry the psychic birds hand away from the fire type,

"What! Is! Your! Problem!" she yelled as she fought with effort.

Xatu then gasped and pulled her arm away quickly. She looked horrified. Infernape glanced from side to side nervously.

"What is it?! What's wrong?!" Xatu cringed before looking up at the fire type,

"I concede that the latter half of my prediction those years ago was much murkier than the rest. However, this time, the result is so much clearer. I fear that there are many potential outcomes from your final duel with the Midnight Brotherhood. Not one which you'll come out alive."

Lopunny pushed her away with force,

"What is wrong with you?!" she yelled violently. Infernape placed a hand on her shoulder,

"Bun Bun, it's okay."

"No, it's not!" Lopunny argued back. Xatu somberly shook her head as she doubled down,

"No need to get upset. I am just warning him of his fate."

"I bet you said that last time as well, huh?! That time you scared a teenager, at the most vulnerable time of his life, into throwing away everything because you instilled some bullshit nonsense into his head!" She roared at the psychic type.

Xatu simply stared into Lopunny's eyes blankly. Lopunny was more upset at this utter lack of a reaction than if Xatu had gotten angry or even slapped her,

"Say something!" she demanded. Xatu then planted her hand on Lopunny's hand and told her,

"I fear that while you will not share his fate. The most dangerous man on the planet will find value in you." Lopunny pushed her away as Xatu continued, "I only wish to inform you."

Gardevoir got in between the two to stop the fighting yet Infernape stopped listening. The world seemed to fade away, it wasn't important anymore. His mouth subtly agape as he stared forward into space. He was completely frozen in place. It was hard to determine if his expression was one of deep thought or of unease. Whilst this argument in front of him occurred. He walked away, requested for a minute to himself from the others as he walked away to somewhere more private. His step was dignified yet had this downtrodden feel with every step.

Gardevoir watched Infernape leave and was tempted to follow him. However, given their…complicated history, she figured it best to leave him alone for now. Besides, she had a lot to think about as well. She was still processing the fact that her family was in grave danger. This couldn't be like what happened in Fortren. She knew what she needed to do. She needed to bench her ego, stop trying to be the face that runs the place, and just do the right thing. That mistake was a wake-up call, and Alakazam opened her eyes. Tonight would be the night she finds out the kind of person she really was.

Of course, all of this is much easier to say than it is to actually do. Change is difficult. It can be hard to figure out where to start. Most psychologists would say that giving yourself small, attainable goals is the best strategy to change. Eat one less candy bar a day. Drink only two shots instead of three. Go to the gym and do light exercise for an hour. Unfortunately, Gardevoir wouldn't have that luxury. This a life-or-death situation with her family's lives on the line. There was no slow adaptation. There is only success or failure, and the only way that she could be sure

Aggron, on the other hand, was taking this situation as an opportunity. He has grown a lot since the Crimson Sky Incident, the disaster that took his parents from him. Back then, he was helpless, unable to save his parents from their demise. While he no longer blamed himself for his parent's death, that day still lingered as a constant driver for him to get stronger. He had tried his best, and it unfortunately wasn't good enough. No one else should have to experience what he had. That was what pushed him, and that was what made this upcoming battle so important to him. If he fails, if Gardevoir's family dies…then all of this work would be for nothing. He had to win.

After Xatu's prediction, Infernape simply went around the corner, the Senshi building blocked any onlooker's view. He clicked his WristOn…well…on and went into the phone app. He stopped for a moment, moving his head back and forth as though deciding between options. He then started to type in numbers, his finger traveled as naturally as a gear in a perfect machine. The WristOn rang once he finished. Infernape waited for a minute. He was patient, after all.

The person he called answered the phone,

"Who is this?" they asked.

"It's me, Lee." Infernape introduced. The voice then asked him,

"Lee? What are you-"

"I know, I know," Infernape started, "I was petty and never told you my phone number. I just…wanted to talk to you guys."

"Is that Lee?!" A second, gruff yet fun sounding voice asked from some distance away on the call. Infernape chuckled warmly, lifting his spirits.

"What did you want to talk to us about? There is so much to discuss." The first voice asked. Infernape told them everything that had happened in these last few months, recanting everything about the quest he had been on and everyone he had met, how he had gotten a girlfriend, reignited his love for music and earned his place as a part of the Senshi. The voice congratulated him,

"That's incredible, Lee. We told you that moving on would be healthy."

"Haha!" The second one laughed happily, "That's sick. Who's the lucky lady?" Infernape's confidence grew,

"Her name's Jessica and she's amazing. She's so kind and smart and hot and brave and hot!" he gushed. Their time together was short but oh so memorable. For the first time in eight years, he felt that feeling he hadn't experienced since that fateful day:

Normalcy.

Alas, that wasn't what Infernape was calling about. He sighed as he pulled himself back to reality. "Anyway. Could… could you maybe come back once I'm finished with the cult shenanigans. There's so much I want to say and it would mean a lot more if you guys were there." he then told them his address. He started to explain but the voice's interrupted him.

"No need to explain. We'll be over there as soon as we can, mon meilleur ami." the first voice insisted. The second voice cried out

"Hell yeah! The three of us will be back together again." Infernape smiled as he said his goodbyes and reunited with the group and got ready to teleport.

He was ready for a fight and ready to save the world. Still, Xatu's fortune still bounced around in his mind like a bullet in a metal room.