And so we reach the end of another battle, but perhaps the start of something new. Let's find out in Chapter 22! (I didn't mean to rhyme there).


Chapter 22

An Emptiness

Nebby and I met this brand-new Ultra Beast!

I'll fight for any ideal! That's my responsibility!

We have a lot to repay for the damage we've done, and if there's any hope of atoning for that, this is where we have to keep starting.

Don't you dare give in to despair! No matter how hard the road!

I will not let them suffer, even if I have to.

Words flowed through Juliana's head; an endless stream she couldn't comprehend. They felt like they came from a whole chorus of voices. Some sounded the same, yet their inflections were different. Others were different voices entirely. In the maddening swirl they lost their own identities and became nothing more than a formless cacophony of sounds.

Yet they felt so close and so very real. As if all Juliana needed to do was open her eyes and she would see those images that played themselves out against the crystal. The deeper she went, the more urgent they became. They started to sound less like echoes and more like shouts that assaulted her brain. Sometimes, she could even swear she was hearing things that took place long ago, maybe before she was even born. They clashed and contradicted causing Juliana to remember the pain her body suffered through.

Mother, I love you.

I hate you, mother!

"Make it stop," her mouth managed to produce. Her head was shaking, but her brain didn't yet have control over her eyes.

We don't live like we're already dead!

If we don't keep journeying, more people will have to make that hard choice. I don't want them to choose between living and dying. I'll see to it the world is safe!

"I can't…can't take anymore!"

We're all standing together under the same sky!

Being a bridge.

Guilt swarmed inside Juliana, Gloria's words taking precedence over all others. She finally had enough control to squeeze her eyes tight, wanting to scream. Behind her lids, she replayed the scene of Gloria winking and being sucked into the portal to nothingness over and over. It was enough that it blocked out the crowd of voices that started to screech unintelligible words

The jumble of words hit a peak and Juliana found their sounds untenable. Hoping to escape it, she kickstarted her brain. With a squeeze, she opened her eyes.

She wasn't sure if that made it better or worse.

Light eclipsed her eyes. Innumerable, immeasurable light that assailed every facet of her vision. Yet she couldn't close them now, forced to absorb all the light she was sailing through. Her body floated on nothing and everything at the same time, unable to control direction but to drown in a mire of misery.

The light slowed down, turning to separate streaks rather than one large bloom of light. As the streaks shortened, they soon became tiny points. Like stars. Yet it didn't feel like space, even if Juliana felt her body was weightless. From each star and point of light there radiated an energy, or a possibility. The longer she watched, the more some vanished, absorbed into the emptiness around them.

"Where…are we…?" she croaked out. She didn't expect a response, and received none in turn. Or rather, not an answer, at any rate. There were some groans and grumbles, causing Juliana to realize she wasn't alone. Her Pokémon were nearby, each of them floating with the same expression. A couple of them looked as though some off switch had been hit, turning them almost soulless and empty, but as they passed more lights, the verve returned to them.

"Quaqa…"

"Tinktink." Awe mixed with fear and horror remained in their voices, especially as more and more lights winked out into the blackness.

Only one Pokémon did not change their demeanor; Koraidon floated in the air, eyes closed as though asleep. From here, the wounds on his body were evident, as was the crystallization from all the attacks he had given off. For every second that passed, his body started to blink in and out, as if pulled between spaces and worlds.

Finding movement in her arm, Juliana reached forward, trying to grab Koraidon, only for her hand to pass through his ghostly form. That seemed to trigger something and Juliana was pulled to a short stop. Her feet hit an invisible solid ground, like a waystation amidst all the stars. She couldn't hold herself up, falling into a roll that only ended when Arboliva pulled her up and dusted her off. Once upright, the panic started to set in.

Where she was. How to get home. What it all meant. No want or search for answers was enough to override the primal fear and sense of tragedy that started to permeate her bones. Everywhere she looked there was nothing but stars until, after a great twist, she found a deeper light, blooming like some eighteen-pronged flower.

Or, judging from the outline, it should have been. The flower was missing some petals, a newest one fading away to the same darkness.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Juliana's breath caught, her head turning to face Volo. He was standing there, an expression of utmost serenity on his face. Next to him was Kingambit, unmoving, its eyes white with soulless expression. The man's hand reached out, clasping the air as if he could grab the flower. "Not the future, but perhaps the answer to everything."

"Every…thing…?" Juliana tilted her head to the side. The whole experience felt surreal and she started to feel like she wasn't even inhabiting her own body.

"Don't you see?" Volo said. He stepped forward, walking over the invisible ground. His hand let go, putting the flower on full display. The missing petals became clearer, appearing to be the front of nine petals, leaving but four petals remaining. The more Juliana watched, the more she could see thin, golden strings. They linked the stars on a sea of crystal, tying back to the flower, whose center was inscrutable. "I can now see how it all ties together."

"Don't tell me…this is what you wanted?" The slightest bits of her movement made a loud sound that was quickly swallowed up by the void.

"Heh. Ha ha ha, no." Volo's eyes narrowed on their target in the flower. He didn't smirk, however, remaining stoic as he stared it down. "But it is just as fortunate an opportunity to learn. Now I know the course I must take. There is no other way."

She didn't need three guesses to know it wasn't something positive. Volo's melancholic and resigned sigh said as much. Juliana stepped towards him, her weightlessness causing her to stop. It was too surreal to imagine and she shut her eyes to keep balanced. "What are you planning?"

Volo didn't answer. He continued walking forward, hands outstretched as though to claim the entire world around him. Or perhaps it was the entire universe. Juliana didn't know. All she knew was the mounting flashes of fear that pierced her heart. "Just look at it. The center of everything. The Realm of the Gods to which they fled, leaving behind their lowly creations. Their source. And in their infinite wisdom they left all these connections behind. What a fool I was to discount them."

"Volo!" Juliana sucked in a breath, mustering up her courage to take a step forward and go after him. He kept going, as if she wasn't even there. Volo was lost in his own world, his eyes glittering with the many lights.

"And to their realm, everything is connection. People to people. Pokémon to Pokémon. People to Pokémon. Pokémon to the Legendaries. The Legendaries to the One. And from those connections is a thread that leads to all time, memory and space converging in one place." Volo stopped and his hands dropped. "But not yet time, is it? No, the Day of Reckoning remains far off. When worlds collide. Now, they remain more connected than ever. If I can pull those threads to one place and sever it, destroy that which has made this world into one of suffering, then this era of people and Pokémon vying for existence will end.

"The tyranny of the gods will be over."

In this place that had neither heat nor chill, Juliana shivered. Her eyes saw only Volo's face, the man's pupils turned to slits. His teeth were bared and his long blond hair floated around him in the place with no wind. Gone was desperation or callous manipulation. In that moment, all that existed in Volo's eyes was…desire.

"And what…" Juliana swallowed, barely able to find the words. She tightened her fist, purposely digging her nails into flesh to try and tamp down on the fear running rampant inside her. "And what about this world?"

Volo slowly turned, a finger raising to his lips with a devious twinkle in his eyes. "Shhhh."

It was as subtle a confirmation as he could give, but a confirmation nonetheless. In no words he had confirmed the damnation he had intended all along. That their world and everything would be washed away in order to usher in his new, "free" world. Juliana started to shake.

"No. I can't. I won't let you. I'll…I'll stop you before you can."

"But can you?" Volo's voice remained even, tinging Juliana with hesitation. He lowered his finger and curled it towards him, inviting her.

"I have to! Quaquaval!" Though Juliana had issued a command for one, it was intended for all. Each of her Pokémon, showcasing their wounds and scars from the battle, surged with her across the invisible divide. Koraidon kept flickering in and out, unable to make a move.

Volo didn't move.

"Quaq!"

"Kingah." Short syllables were intercepted by an even shorter blade. Kingambit flashed in front of Volo, its blade slicing through the air to clash with Quaquaval's feathers. The duck held a moment before Kingambit slashed, knocking him back into Arboliva. They both tumbled over. Ceruledge filled the gap with his burning blade that clashed with Kingambit. Juliana took the distraction to reach Volo. She made a haymaker for him.

Her punch missed entirely, the man having stepped to the side. His expressionless face sent another chill down her spine.

This man…he doesn't… No, he never considered me a threat, she realized, her eyes wide. It was too late to retract her order to save her Pokémon. They could do nothing but fight to the bitter end. Kingambit slashed, a bright light turning dark as it cracked Ceruledge's armor. He fell back, forcing Lokix to use him as a springboard into Lunge.

"King." It took one blunt end of the blade to bring Lokix crashing down to the nonexistent ground. Juliana made another punch, dodged once again.

"I can't let you destroy our world. Not where they all are. Not for whatever you think is best. If I can't, you'll hurt others like you hurt the Academy and Team Star!" Juliana shouted, each punch growing wilder and still failing to hit the mark. Kilowattrel zapped forward, breaking into Kingambit and distracting the bladed Pokémon a moment. It provided the perfect opening for Tinkaton to whirl her hammer down with a crack. "Before you can, no matter what, I'll stop you! Even if it takes everything I have!"

"Well, then," Volo said, his eyes dripping with malice. His right hand went to his pocket, while with his left he caught her punch. Kingambit's topmost blade shined. It whirled its head around, the blade slicing the air as though it were solid. Metal cracked and feathers were split in two. The last of Juliana's Pokémon fell back, defeated. Juliana used her free hand to swing at Volo and strike his cheek, hoping beyond hope it could knock him out. "Best keep your promise."

"You're not leaving this place al-" Juliana gasped. Red heat seared into her abdomen. Her breath turned shaky. With tremulous breath she looked down. Blood pooled on her shirt and from where it flowed there was the old knife, digging straight into her gut. "Gugh…"

"If you so desire, then destruction is what must now be the course. The destruction of many things to pave the way and rebuild." He withdrew the knife. Juliana remained on her legs, shaky and ready to collapse, held up only by the immense shock rolling through her body. Volo leaned in, his lips next to her ear. "But don't worry. It'll all work out in the end. Tell them that. Tell Akari, Ash Ketchum, all of them. I want them to pursue me into the darkness, as she once did. I'll be waiting, as there is so very much more for me to do. Let's see who can come out on top. But most of all…

"I want to watch them burn."

He withdrew, pushing one hand to her shoulder and toppling her over. Juliana landed with a whimper, clutching the wound that seemed to activate all the others. Her head barely had the strength to look up, her body having utterly lost the fight.

All she could manage was watching Volo walking away into the bright light of the ether.

He sank into the darkness and was gone. Naught was left but silence.

Juliana lay there, her newest wound bleeding out. Her breaths were shaky gasps and no matter how much she tried to staunch the wound, it wouldn't stop. All her Pokémon appeared to fare no better, each laying there amidst the darkness and utterly spent. She needed them, though.

Her hand let go of her wound and she used it to grab whatever she could. There was nothing to hold on to, but her body inched forward, scraping itself along the ground. She screamed, the pain becoming too much to bear. When it reached a peak, her hand flopped to the ground, ghosting against Quaquaval's feathers.

A cry sounded out and Juliana summoned whatever willpower she could to look up. There, deep in that empty space, she saw little lights. They weren't like those of the stars that populated, but were instead of concentrated crystal. Her vision tried to zero in on it but saw nothing other than some sort of shell that disappeared. Another cry responded, fragmented and belonging to many shards of dark crystal that occasionally flickered with brilliance.

Is this it? The answers I've been looking for? Juliana squeezed her eyes shut but her body continued to drag forward. It stopped when she bumped into her Pokémon. Her eyes opened and all she saw was them. The light didn't matter. Those cries didn't matter.

The only thing that mattered were the Pokémon that had chosen to follow her, even when she hadn't asked them to. They were suffering.

She didn't want them to.

Her hands shook and she coughed out blood, the wounds taking their full toll on her body. She continued to reach back and grab all of her Poké Balls. As she did so, her fingers knocked against her Tera Orb, the device slipping out and rolling away from her. Juliana let it go just so she could grab her Poké Balls and turn them on her partners.

"Everyone…re…turn…" The red lights shout out, bringing them all back. Her body curled into a fetal position, cradling them close to her chest. "I'm sorry. I led you into this. I'm sorry. But I can't lose you. I can't lose any of you. Not Arven or Nemona or Penny or Serena. But especially you guys. You…helped me. You stood…agh…by me. I love you all.

"You're my greatest treasure."

Her body gave out but she still held on to them. Their warmth and depth of their emotion enveloped her, each refusing to budge from one another. Every single one of their moments slipped past Juliana, the only thing left in her mind and soul. From Quaxly's spelunking with her to Tinkatink's mischievous activities. Lokix's heroic tendencies in battle against Palafin to Smoliv's shaky growth to a powerful and supportive Arboliva. Kilowattrel's grit and determination against his, perhaps, less than average intelligence and Ceruledge's stoic acceptance of her stood out.

Most of all, she could remember their good and bad times. Their struggle against Orthworm and their stand against the Roaring Moon. The moments they trained and cheered. It was all so precious to her she couldn't focus on a single one.

And she thought of Koraidon, too, wanting to hug him one last time before the inevitable end.

"…e's there! I can feel her!"

"Reach into it!"

Juliana's bleary vision cleared for a moment, allowing her to see something emerging in the darkness. It looked like a hand, and she thought she had slipped fully into delusion.

"Juli, grab it! Grab my hand!"

"If you can hear us, Juli! Reach! You have to reach!"

Mom? Dad? Her free hand extended, going towards the hands that would bring her home. Delirium was encompassing her mind, making her unaware of even her own actions. She continued until her hand felt another. It pulled on her, yanking her forward. Her wounds tore and a pained gasp emerged from her throat. Soon, she felt like she was squeezing through a vice and the darkness began to fade into light.

"Juliana!"

Her eyes were wrenched wide open and sound returned to her like a rush of water. Out of reflex, her body tried to catapult forward only for her wounds to force her back down while she sucked in lungfuls of air. Slowly, her vision adjusted and she saw many faces looking down on her as her head was cradled in someone's lap. That someone was Serena, wearing the utmost of concern. Arven, Nemona and Penny were hovering, too, looking relieved.

"I told you I heard her!" Arven said to Penny.

"Excuse me for not being as aware of all this mumbo jumbo stuff."

"You're the anime fan. I'd have thought you'd expect all this," Nemona joked, poking Penny on the cheek. Their banter continued but Juliana coughed, bringing an end to it.

"Juliana, conserve your strength."

"Where's Volo?" The harsh question from Akari, hanging off Ash, brought reality to the forefront. Juliana shook her head, still trying to adjust to her surroundings.

"Gone. He's gone… Says to follow him. Gonna burn. Everything burns… Everything-"

"Calm down, Juli," Arven said. A crash followed and Juliana was able to adjust. The lights returned to their normal luminescence and she could see she was back in the crater outside the lab. Things were different, however. Many crystal pieces were falling and the Crater was rumbling. Area Zero was falling apart.

"What about Gloria?" To Ash's question, Juliana didn't have the heart to answer. Her body shook, the guilt eating at her. Every second of her silence spoke volumes. Serena gripped tighter on her and Ash's free hand formed a fist. It didn't stop him from asking again, but Juliana still refused to answer. "Juliana, where is she?"

"K-Koraidon?" she choked out, sitting up in Serena's hold. No one bothered to question her further, knowing it could come later. Her head swiveled every way it could until, at last, she found Koraidon, panting and padding forward. Almost his entire body had turned to crystal, parts of it attempting to fade away.

Another crash and snap echoed, pulling everyone's eyes towards the surface of the Crater. Ash grimaced.

"Pikapi! Pika pika chupika!"

"I know. Time to get out of here!" Ash shouted. He started dragging Akari over towards Charizard, lifting her up to be seated upon him. Nemona frowned.

"Ash, we don't have any way out of here. Most of us don't have a flier like Charizard."

"Kilowattrel…too wounded…"

"So, we're stuck here!" Arven said through gritted teeth. He kicked at a loose rock, one that was soon encased in crystal. As stone and crystal fell around them, yet more was racing up, like some aftereffect that aimed to consume the entirety of the Crater.

Their time had run out.

"Kor…" A shuddering step and clinking of silver was heard. Whooshing followed, a bright pair of wings made of crystal emerging from Koraidon's head. He growled, the crystallization almost overtaking his entire body. He took a step forward, though, and then another and another until his whole body was barreling forward with speed. Serena let go of Juliana, just in time that Koraidon pounced and grabbed her shirt with his jaw. At the same time the rest of his body slid under Arven, Nemona and Penny to buck them up on to his back. The power of Lokix's springs was imbued in his legs and with it, he jumped high. "KORRRRAI!"

The wings grew larger, creating their own air currents beneath them. Next to him, Charizard started flapping, the pair of them carrying all of their riders up for the surface. A large hole appeared in the depths, causing sunlight to pool through. Both of them aimed for it. A chunk of rock fell right in their path, but Koraidon swerved to the side. Another was there.

"RAAAWR!" Flame shot from Charizard's maw, burning the rock and crystal to ash. They continued on unimpeded, drilling through the hole until they reached the surface under the unchanged sun.

"Mira!" Nemona shouted, pointing for what was right above them. Juliana was starting to slip in and out of consciousness again, but with her shout, she managed to look upwards.

"All the Paradox Pokémon…" Penny gasped. Koraidon bucked, losing some altitude. His tail was starting to vanish, the reason evident in the skies above them.

Every Paradox Pokémon, whether from the past or the future, was fading away. With the machine gone and the source of all power removed from the Crater, their font of existence had disappeared. Now, they too were. Koraidon was no exception, but he held on, roaring loudly and keeping his presence substantive as he climbed.

Their climb became a matter of sudden urgency as a rushing, cascading sound followed them. Juliana's head fell and her eyes widened as she saw that crystal was racing after them, ready to close off the area entirely.

"Koraidon…" She craned her eyes up to meet his. "Fly."

"KOR!" His scales and feathers vibrated, putting behind them more speed. As if he had become Miraidon, it felt like he created jets that propelled him straight for the surface. Through the crystal ash that was a result of the paradoxes disappearing, Koraidon flew straight for the top. The crystal chased after them, intending to consume all. Koraidon wouldn't let it touch them, though.

Their escape would be his true victory, and he intended to make it happen.

All of the crystal covered the stone walls, drawing even with them. They reached the top of the crater, only to find the crystal was arching upwards to make a dome. Each side began to converge at the top, leaving a rapidly shrinking hole by which they would escape. Charizard's wings were strained and Koraidon felt as though he'd fall apart. Neither gave up, though, beginning to twirl around each other and summoning what energy they had to send a flaming light that pierced the top of the dome.

The attacks kept it open just long enough and the pair burst through, all their passengers with them into an orange sky that heralded sunset.

With a snap, the dome closed beneath them, sending a rolling wave of crystal over Paldea. They could breathe.

Seconds later, Koraidon fell.

It was a short drop, their group having not gained much altitude over the crystal dome. In a couple seconds they had a soft landing on the hard surface, dislodged from each of their mounts and rolling across. Arven was quickest to run forward and grab Juliana before her utterly damaged body fell off while the others stood on the flattest spot, recovering.

"Is it…over?" Nemona gasped out. She leaned back on her hands, looking utterly spent. Penny mimicked her, their heads knocking against each other.

Ash took out his device. "Clemont? Anyone? What's going on?"

There was a moment of silence, then static crackled over the line. "We made contact! You're all right!"

"Geeta reporting. There's a tremendous drop in Paradox Pokémon around the skies. I don't see anything."

"Twerp, you're okay!"

"Mama, daddy!"

"What about Gloria? Are you there, Gloria?" Hop's optimistic tone was squashed by the oppressive silence that followed. "Ash…? Is Gloria…?"

Juliana couldn't find the words. Or didn't want to. The grief was too near, the woman's absence serving as a stark reminder of sacrifice in a battle against a man that seemed to fancy himself a god. Koraidon's creaking roar was a second reminder.

"Koraidon…" Using Arven's shoulder as a crutch, Juliana dragged herself on her feet, almost crawling forward towards the Pokémon that had been by her side for all of it. He could barely focus, his entire body almost crystallized but his eyes radiating his desire to remain and not disappear. Juliana reached him, her hand traveling to his snout and patting him. "Thank you. Thank you for…everything."

Tears pricked at her eyes, but she sniffled, holding them in. She felt Arven draw close, kneeling at her side while all the others watched. Any other comments faded, grown irrelevant in Koraidon's whining state.

"K-Korai." Koraidon leaned forward, nuzzling Juliana. In there, she could feel every emotion that filled him. Pride, fear, love and an assertion to live that dwarfed over everything. Juliana wrapped her arms around him.

"I know. I know! And I don't want you to go either. Not now that we can finally live without worrying about the past," she said. She held tighter, imparting all the feelings between her and her Pokémon. "But no matter what, I'll always love you. Because of you, I was able to start this journey and find everything I was looking for. I found Arven and our adventure. I battled Nemona and grew strong. I reconnected with Penny and stopped running.

"Koraidon, you're my genuine treasure. And because of you, I found how to keep living."

"And that's worth holding your head high over," Arven said. He leaned forward, touching his head to Koraidon's. "So don't despair, buddy. You did great. You connected us."

"We'll never forget you. We'll keep living for you!"

Their shared feelings reached Koraidon, his entire face almost crystallized. His jaw cracked and crinkled, but the satisfied emotion in his eyes could not be denied. His tongue came out, licking Juliana over her face before he turned his head skyward.

"KORAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAI!"

The roar rang across all of Paldea, still lingering long after the crystal finished covering Koraidon's body. Juliana slumped back, her head feeling woozy. Yet Koraidon remained, not a single fleck of crystal disappearing into the air. He didn't fade from her eyes and instead remained at the center of the crystal dome, all life signs fizzling out, leaving nothing but a perfect crystal monument to the sacrifice made in the battle against Volo.

More than that, though, Koraidon's form, howling to the skies, stood as a testament to one simple fact: he had lived, and they would keep living. No matter the future ahead, they would keep living and make his sacrifice matter.

Juliana's body fell back, but a smile played on her lips with the wisp of two words. "Thank you."

And Juliana blacked out, the wounds taking their toll on her body at long last.


Author's Note: I had to make a change. Gloria's disappearance was one thing, but I needed to impart that to defeat Volo means giving everything they have. Koraidon's permanent crystallization was the cost. While it is not something from the games, it felt crucial to communicate that.

And there was quite a lot communicated here, though much of it lacks context. The mysterious golden flower. The words Juliana heard. Volo's proclamation (a thing made scarier by the fact that in spite of his goal being the same he is a changed man). All of it sits there, showing the battle against this one man is far from over. But for now, the battle to save Paldea is, and it is this story which we will wrap up next time.

For the next chapter is the finale of the Paldea Trilogy. Please look forward to it. Nevertheless, I hope you find it in you to review and comment and, naturally, Dare to Be Silly.