Even if this Julia wasn't the same as the Pokémon Professor she'd come to adore and love as a second mother, Addison could feel very little different about a growing bond between her and Paldea's Quen here in the Scarlet Dimension. While she initially suspected Julia wanted to learn about how the Violet Dimension worked, instead it seemed all Julia was interested in was her, her adventures and the life Julia was leading in her Dimension. Whatever Geeta had said regarding her devotion to her people over raising a family had indeed been true, to some degree.

So, arm in arm as they explored the Scarlet Castle together, the Queen asked a mountain of questions of her as Addison did her best to explain all that she could to the inquisitive monarch.

"Five children?!" Julia remarked happily. "I don't believe it."

Addison smiled. "It's true. Four biological children and you and Michael adopted a son from a friend of yours."

Julia sighed with great content in her voice. "That sounds wonderful."

"Why don't you have that kind of life here, Your Grace?"

"As Geeta said, my duty is to my people above my own pleasure. Some in the Council have suggested I take on someone as a consort, but I don't want to marry just anyone. Like the Julia from your dimension, I'd rather find my own true love." She paused and thought for a moment. "I wonder if the Michael Kingston in this dimension is seeing anyone."

Addison laughed at this. "I'd probably think so. A lot of girls fawned over him in our time, it may be the same here."

"I'll have to make a note to find out more about him" Julia teased. "But what about yourself? You and your boyfriend Cole seem to be very close."

The girl blushed at this. "Why does everyone think-we're not dating? Cole's just a good friend that I'm helping out."

"Are you certain? There has to be more than just friendship if you'd go into a different dimension just to save him."

Addison sighed. "My Gardevoir and I think he's the key to finding out what happened to the boy I really do love. Ryan Kingston. Michael's younger cousin and one of my closest friends since we were babies." She looked to the Queen curiously. "Does this dimension have a White Island like the Violet Dimension?"

The Queen nodded. "Oh yes. White Island exists. But getting to the island is quite a hassle."

Addison looked to the Queen. "Do you think, while we're here, I could try to get there."

Julia shook her head. "I doubt you'd want to go there. Remember, this is the different dimension from yours. Ryan Kingston may exist here, but he's likely not the same Ryan you grew up knowing. And he may not even know who you are." She playfully patted Addison's arm as she noticed the girl's body language react sadly to her words. "Don't worry. Once Professor Sandra figures out when the next Obsidian Crystal is set to appear, we'll get you back on your mission to find Ryan i no time. Why do you think he's on Isla Blanca, if I may ask?"

"It's a super long story, Your Grace. It may take a while."

Giving her the same endearing smile her mentor would, Julia smiled down at her. "I think I've got the time."

Addison nodded and began to recap the events of her and Ryan's journey, from acquiring their first Pokémon from Professor Julia all the way to the confrontation with Mewtwo on Mirage Island, the last time she truly saw Ryan in person and not in a dream. The Queen's reactions to her story were spot on, with coos of sweetness at the romantic moments, shocked gasps at the moments of betrayal and darkness and sighs of relief when the bad times seemed to end.

"White Island is my only hope, Your Grace" Addison explained. "And we think Cole might be the only one who can help us get there."

"Why Cole?"

"It's part of our Bond Phenomenon. We have a telepathic link and we're sort of just predicting how we think it will turn. We wouldn't have met with Cole if he wasn't destined to play some kind or role in this." When the Queen seemed eager to imply some more romantic ideas into her head, Addison waved her off. "No, I'm not hanging out with him because I secretly love him. I'm helping him find his friend Paige and he's helping me find Ryan. It's a symbiotic relationship, not romantic." She stood defiantly, despite knowing deep down that her words weren't holding much weight the longer she spent time with her new friend.

The Queen seemed to get the message, fortunately for Addison. "Well, what matters is that you'll be able to continue your search for Isla Blanca once we have word from Professor Sandra about getting you two home." The two paused their procession at a nearby hall. The Queen's eyes fell upon a nearby doorway and her cheerful demeanor began to slip away. "If you don't mind, Addison, I'd like to check on Rika. I hope she's doing better."

Addison nodded. "Of course, Your Grace. Cole and I wouldn't even be here without her."

The two opened the doors and walked into an infirmary, which to Addison's horror had multiple people resting in it. Men and women, children even, brutally maimed or psychologically scarred in ways she could only imagine in the darkest of nightmares, were lying in cots and either deathly silent or moaning in pain. She glanced up to the Queen worriedly, only to see a dark anger in her eyes.

"This, Addison, is the price we've paid trying to keep these monsters at bay" Julia spoke softly, though anger was in her voice.

"All these are from the Roaring Moons?" Addison gulped.

"There are more dangerous Pokémon out there than Roaring Moon. Screaming Tail, Great Tusk, Flutter Mane, Slither Wing, not to mention some of the horrors that lurk in Area Zero." She looked down at the ground, her hands balling into fists. "How can I be a Queen of Paldea if my people are suffering at the hands of these monsters."

"You can't do everything on your own though, Your Grace."

Julia shook her head. "Perhaps not. But I need to be able to do more. Not be protected all the time by Geeta, Hassel and Rika. That's why I took Koraidon and rode out to help fight off those Roaring Moons in Zapapico. If my people are in danger, who better than their Queen to defend them?" She gestured towards a few men on a cot to their left. "These trainers were some of Rika's finest. And we found them almost dead outside of the Asado Desert thanks to a Great Tusk. Our best struggle to beat these nightmares."

Addison couldn't bear to look at the men, their faces mangled and broken beyond recognition. One wore an eyepatch over his right eye, though it appeared he would lose eyesight in both eyes soon. Another was completely wrapped up in bandages, aside from his mouth, where he was moaning in agony from the attacks of these super-powered Pokémon. She recalled how Cole himself had just barely survived an encounter with a Great Tusk and feared that if things were as bad in the Scarlet Dimension, they might become just as bad in her own before long. She also took a moment to study the Queen, who had once been so cheerful and optimistic about her love life and the future of her reign, only to now be burdening herself with all of the region's problems. It made her, oddly enough, think more of Michael and his almost ceaseless drive to do the right thing, despite longing for a life outside of battles and conquests.

Could this mean that the Scarlet Dimension has us as the opposite of the person who's our soulmate? What would that mean for me and Ryan?

Addison stopped thinking and theorizing long enough to see the Queen had made it to Rika's side and scurried off after her. Rika was by far the least injured person in the room, though she still had an arm in a sling and a chipped front tooth from the rampage of that Roaring Moon horde that had attacked them.

"Don't worry about me, Your Majesty" Rika assured her. "I've taken much worse hits. And I'll be up and fighting again before long."

"You wouldn't have been hurt if you let me fight with you" she insisted.

Rika shook her head. "No. Your Majesty...Julia...your people need you to lead and inspire them to keep fighting. Losing you now would be a blow we might not ever recover from. Geeta and Piper aren't ready for the responsibilities of the throne. And both are a bit too unstable to be counted on to keep a cool head in pressure. I may not approve of you wanting to fight, but it does my heart good to know you care."

"Of course I care" Julia said sadly, her voice carrying a lifetime of shame. "You are all my lifelines here."

"Which is why you need to trust us to keep those monsters at bay." Rika turned her head and eyed Addison. "So, you made it all the way here, did ya? Takes guts to do what you two did. Gotta say, I'm impressed." She winced in pain as she leaned back on her pillow. "I think I gotta slow things down for a bit. No hordes of Ancient Paradox Pokémon for a while."

"Paradox Pokémon?" Addison inquired. "Is that what they're called."

Julia's face darkened. "Yes. Those monsters have been plaguing us for years. Even when I was a girl, we had to play and stay indoors as much as possible to prevent them from swooping down and attacking us."

"What caused them to come up?"

"Whatever experiments Professor Sada and Terrence were doing down there caused all of this" Rika exclaimed, before again needing to rest back on her bed. "Going into Area Zero is too dangerous, but we couldn't do a thing when the King sanctioned their voyage." She wore a scowl on her face. "I can't even look at Terrence after knowing what he and Sada got up to. I'd chew out Sada too, if she hadn't disappeared."

"Sada? But...wasn't that the woman Cole said was with Professor Turo?" Addison was now both intrigued and deeply puzzled. If Sada had come from this dimension, how did she end up in her own Dimension? Did this have anything to do with Professor Sandra? And why didn't Terrence go with them? She recalled how Cole had said he was being looked after by Turo, Sada, Sexton and Natalya while in his time. Sada had gone through time and dimensions just to achieve her goals? What kind of goals was she after?

"I'd have a few choice words for her as well" Julia hissed through gritted teeth, "but what's done is done. She'll have to answer for her actions the same way all do: with Judgment from Arceus."

Rika sighed as she tried to drift off to sleep. "It's cute that you still believe in him. What kind of benevolent god would allow us to suffer like this?!"

Julia watched as her friend finally found peace in her rest and turned to Addison, a dangerous fire in her eyes. "I don't care what the Council or my friends think. I am not going to stand idly by while these monsters continue to plague Paldea." She strode for the exit of the infirmary, with Addison close on her tail. "I need to talk to Professor Sandra and-"

The door burst open and Hassel rushed in, looking as if he'd just sprinted a marathon. "Your Grace! Trouble!"

"More Paradox Pokémon?"

He nodded. "One's gotten into the Throne Room!"

Addison gasped. "Oh no!"

Julia was apoplectic and terrified. "But that's impossible. We have had the Palace on lockdown. How did they get in?"

"Perhaps they found a backdoor?"

Julia grunted in anger. "Hassel, go find Geeta and plug whatever hole they crawled in from. I'll deal with this intruder myself!" She looked to Addison as Hassel ran off to find Geeta. "You should go and find your friend. I don't want any collateral damage impeding our efforts to get you home."

"But you can't fight this thing on your own" Addison begged. "Please, let me help."

The Queen seemed eager to argue, but brushed it off. "Will no one understand what I want from them? Alright. You can help. But be careful. I can't guarantee what might come from this battle." Addison followed the Queen as the two made a desperate run back for the Throne Room.

{}

Cole's tour from Sandra had been a bit of a trip of nostalgia for him. Much of the laboratory she and Terrence had constructed for themselves was very reminiscent of Turo and Sada's own Zero Lab back in his time. Some areas were as finely kept and cleaned as possible, not a single paper, pen or piece of equipment out of place. Others looked as if an Earthquake had just rocked through, with papers scattered and incoherently piled together. Sandra took care to teasingly mention that the cleanest sections were her own, as she and Turo often kept a tidy and well collated office for themselves before the Time Machine days, while Terrence and Sada often had things in every corner of the lab and often forgetting where everything was. Cole recalled how easily Turo could find his own notebooks and journals, while Sada would turn into a tornado running back and forth in pursuit of something she'd had in her hands five minutes earlier.

The trip down memory lane helped him feel a bit more comfortable in all of this, but also kept him thinking about his mission. With Paige more than likely a prisoner of Natalya and Professor Sexton still missing, he still had a great deal of work to do on stopping the mad woman from taking over the world or destroying it. The only fleeting bit of hope he had for things changing was the fact that while the Scarlet Dimension seemed to be ablaze with chaos from the Paradox Pokémon, the Violet Dimension he and Addison had come from still had a chance to rectify the wrongs.

But if he couldn't help Paige or Sexton at this precise moment, he could do right by Addison, who had done nothing but support and be kind to him. And as his tour with Sandra seemed to be winding down, he took the opportunity to ask her a question. "Excuse me, Professor. How did you say Terrence was going to help us figure out when the next Obsidian Crystal was going to appear?"

"One of our older pieces of machinery will help" she explained. "Before science was the king of things, many believed the things we proved were the stuff of alchemy and sorcery. One such invention was the Sun Dial we keep in our alternate room."

"Can we see it?"

The two came up to a door and stopped as Sandra pointed to it. "Where did you think the last stop on our tour was going to be?"

"Thank you, Professor."

"This way" she insisted protectively. "Watch your step." Cole would have simply bypassed her advice, had the first step into the chamber with the Sun Dial not been almost half a foot lower than he was anticipating. Fortunately for him, Sandra caught his hand and kept him from tumbling down the steps. Cole looked up to her to apologize and thank her, but she shook her head and led him down the stairs towards where Terrence was working to get some kind of light on in the dimly lit chamber.

"What kind of sun dial do you keep indoors?"

"Not your average kind of sun dial" Sandra replied as they continued to descend the steps. "It's a model of one, with our own calculated placement of where the sun would appear on a specific time and date. With this model, scientists have been able to prove or make note of various astrological and earthly phenomenon that have happened, are happening or will happen by a future date to an almost flawless scale."

"How off is it?"

"While she worked on it with him, Terrence claimed that Sada found that while this table is in fact accurate for the Scarlet Dimension, the Violet Dimension's readings are slightly less accurate. We don't have the precise calculations, as Sada took them with her in her journals when she went through the Time Machine and into the next dimension. But we think it's somewhere between 15 to 24 hours off from your time."

As Cole and the Professor neared the machine, he hoped it would just have the answers they needed. "So, if we get the time right on this, what does that mean for the Violet Dimension?"

Sandra stopped their procession at the foot of the stairwell. "Well, we believe that because of the times being not entirely in sync, that means that we have one chance to send you and Addison back home without needing to worry about time shifts."

"One chance?"

She nodded sadly. "You see, Cole, Obsidian Tera Crystals do not last forever. When they sprout, one has a whole day's cycle to make it back to the dimension from whence they explored. Failure to do so could lead to disastrous consequences. It could perhaps cause you and Addison to be trapped in between the dimensions. It could also cause you to be flung anywhere or when in Paldea. Years in the future or the past. And with Turo and Sada keeping the machine shut down for obvious reasons, we can't really guarantee you'll make it to where you left off after being dragged in."

"This is our only chance, then?"

"If our timetable is correct, the next Obsidian Crystal should appear within the hour, but if you do not touch it before midnight tonight, there is a chance you could be trapped here or anywhere else you're not prepared for. I know you're looking for your friends and it would likely ruin your chances if you failed." Seeing Cole's worry, Sanda stepped in front of him and tried to give him a reassuring smile. "But you don't have to worry, Cole. Terrence and I will be able to figure things out for you before long. Once we have the artificial sunlight fixed." She looked up to Terrence, who was crawling his way over to the Sun Dial's light fixture as they spoke. "How soon will we be ready?"

"Just give me a second to replace this bulb" he called over.

Cole nodded. "Just be careful."

"I've been doing this for a decade, kid" Terrence laughed. "It would take a lot to cause me to mess up."

"So you don't have to worry" Sandra assured him, gently squeezing Cole's hand. "We'll take care of things for you."

"Professor?" Cole asked curiously. "This dial can predict things that go on here and not just in space, right?"

She nodded. "Correct. Why do you ask?"

Cole lowered his head. "Well, you see, I'm not just trying to save my friend and our time. I also want to help Addison."

"What does she need?"

"It's kinda hard to explain. But she needs to get to White Island."

Sandra cocked her head. "White Island? I thought that place was just a myth."

"Maybe it is, but I'd like to see if I can help her. She's already done so much for me." He lowered his head. "I can't help Paige or Professor Sexton. She may be my only hope to help someone I care about." To his surprise, Sandra took his other hand and looked at him gently, catching him off guard. Her eyes seemed to be near to bursting with tears, but he knew better than to say something and simply eyed her intently.

Sandra took a deep breath before beginning. "I told you when we met, that I lost a child going into the machine with Turo. Our child could have helped keep Turo from going overboard in any experimentation. Turo wanted to expand the world of science and Pokémon, but the other thing he always wanted was a family. We would have had it, had the first aspect not gotten in the way. I've never stopped thinking of what our child would have been like. I prayed every day that he would be someone...someone good and kind. Someone who thought of others. Someone like the boy I'm talking to right now."

"That's very nice of you, Professor" Cole remarked, almost move to blushing at the compliment.

Sandra smiled sadly. "I...a part me wanted me to ask you to stay. I know it's silly and all, considering we've only just met."

"You...you want me to stay?" He hadn't even thought of the idea of staying there. But he wasn't as horrified as he initially thought he'd be. In fact, he was intrigued.

The Professor was seemingly struggling to suppress tears as they stood there awaiting Terrence's work. "I...I know it's strange...but I was thinking as we talked...about that boy I lost...about how you don't have a family of your own. Seeing the young man I know you are, I would have been honored to think of you like my son. The Scarlet Dimension isn't ideal and I know I could never actually be your biological mother, but..." She suppressed more tears, her hands shaking in his. "But I was going to ask for the opportunity to make up for what the both of us have lost in our lives."

Cole was astonished. "I...I don't know what to say..."

"But that hoped you showed me by braving your way through all you have just to get here, reminded me." She looked at Cole with a much brighter smile. "We've both lost so much. Our homes, our families, time itself. But you've persevered through it all and want to keep going. Not for your own ambitions, but to help others. Addison, Turo, Sada, Sexton...Paige. All of that reminds me that I also need to progress forward. I need to stop mourning the past I could have had and instead prepare for the future I might be able to have."

He returned her smile with one of his own. "That's good to hear. I mean...I've always wanted to know what it would be like to have a Mom. And if I did have one, I'd want her to be just like you. Which is why, if I just came here on my own with no other duties, I think a part of me would jump at the thought of having a family." He looked down at their hands. "And to have you as a Mom. But...but Paige still needs me. Addison still needs me. I can't think about my own happiness now."

Sandra closed her eyes and nodded. She bent forward and kissed his head. "A sad...yet wise choice, Cole." At those words, she released one of his hands, which almost seemed to signal the artificial light to turn on, illuminating the large sun dial in front of them.

Cole took a moment to study the map and was shocked at how accurate and detailed the 3D map of Paldea it was. Everything was there, from the mountains and seas, all the way down to the smallest little towns in the south, such as Cabo Poco. The light that hung over the map seemed to accurately illustrate the time of day as the sun, shining down on as much of the region as possible without it looking too inaccurate thanks to the massive mountain the loomed in the north. Cole excitedly pulled Sandra with him as he looked at the map.

"Slow down!" she laughed.

"How does it work?" he asked excitedly.

She led him towards a peculiar wheel contraption, with two cogs that spun together. Beside it was a dusty old table that might have served as a more electrical component for the machine. "With this, here." She placed his hands on the wheel. "If you spin this wheel counterclockwise, it will reverse backwards in time. If you spin it clockwise, it will advance several days on." She looked to Terrence, who was finally making it down to ground level. "What date is it on?"

"Can't be too sure" he cautioned. "Sada looks like she was the last person to use this." He walked over to where Cole was and used his hand to wipe away some of the dust. "Let me see...hmm. That's odd. She was looking this far into the future?"

"Where is it set?"

"To the start of Spring this year."

Sandra's eyes widened. "That was only a few weeks earlier?"

Cole nodded and tried to push the machine. It took a lot of strength initially to get it moving, but once the wheels were set in motion, they almost seemingly moved themselves. Cole took a few chances to look at the map as the sun passed over and away from the map of Paldea, signaling the beginning and end of days. Several small black dots would spring up on the maps before vanishing. Even the tides of the ocean were reflected by a series of wheels that moved the blue oceans (in actuality blue-colored felt on the map) back and forth to symbolized the ebb and flow. He tried to keep count of the spins he'd taken. "How many spins has this been?"

"Eleven. Just nine more."

"We'll tell you when to stop" Terrence assured him.

Cole continued to push the wheel mechanism. One...two...three...four...five...six...seven...eight...

"Slow it down now." As Cole did, bringing the mechanism to a halt, Terrence studied the map, until his eyes fell upon the cavern outside of Zapapico where Addison and Cole had come from. "Okay, it's going to be difficult to see, but we need to figure out exactly when it appeared here in this cave, or more appropriately, when it spat Cole and Addison out."

Sandra looked inside the model of the mountain. "It's so small, no one can see it." She thought for a moment before looking to Terrence. "What were the ebb and flow on when they first came out of the cavern?"

Terrence looked through his own notebook. "Low tide was at 6:34 AM. That was when Rika first set off for Zapapico on her sentry duties."

Sandra smiled. "It has to be then. Which means the next low tide is when the Obsidian Crystal will appear." She and Cole together very slowly moved the mechanism until it was roughly a few hours forward, only about 120 degrees to the right. At that precise moment, another black dot popped up on the map. It was just outside of Mesagoza, the pathway leading up to what was in the Violet Dimension, the Pokémon League. "There. On the mountain pass just outside the city."

"We did it!" Terrence exclaimed.

Cole's eyes found the dot and he smiled. "Okay. That's one thing down."

"What else are we looking for?"

"White Island."

Terrence looked at Cole strangely. "You mean that old myth?"

Sandra stood up for her young protege. "Cole and Addison believe it exists. And we need to believe them that it does." She patted Cole's arm. "Go on. Look on the oceans and see if it pops up anywhere." As Cole walked away from the mechanism, Sandra took the opportunity to begin spinning it, much slower than Cole had as he looked for whatever White Island was supposed to look like. But as time passed, the waters remained as blue as they had always been. The light overhead moved around and around, day after day, with no hope.

"I understand what you want, kid" Terrence consoled, "but I don't think-"

"It has to" Cole said to Terrence and himself. "It just has to..."

Terrence was about to say more, when his eyes found something. "Hold on!" Sandra stopped her spinning. Cole tried to see what he was looking for, but saw nothing. Terrence scurried over to the side of the map where Porto Marinada was. He knelt down and looked at eye level. "Turn it back. Very slowly." Cole and Terrence eyed the water felt curiously as Sandra slowly dialed it back.

"What are we looking for?"

"You'll know it when you see it."

Cole continued looking as the light above them moved gingerly, almost at the speed of a normal day. His eyes remained fixated on the waters just outside of Porto Marinada, until he thought he could see something appear on the map. But as soon as his eyes saw it, it vanished. "Wait, can you move it forward again. Just a tiny bit?' Sandra nodded and moved it somehow even slower.

"Stop!" Terrence called.

Sandra did so and the trio now focused on the area just outside of the famous seaport of Paldea. There was a peculiar light in a specific area off the coast. It didn't appear any of the days beforehand. It only appeared at this precise moment. Cole had to rub his eyes a few times, because whenever his eyes would stare at it for too long, he thought he could see a small island appearing. His attention was drawn by Sandra hurrying over to the table and jotting down the time for it in her notebook. She then ripped the page out of her notebook and handed it over to Cole.

"Here's the date" Sandra explained. "April 12th. Nine days from now."

"Isn't there a time mix up?" Terrence inquired.

"That's what Professor Sandra said" Cole responded.

"Which means it's going to appear ten days from now in the Violet Dimension" Sandra concluded. "I can't be too sure if what's appearing is indeed the mythical White Island, but I'm sure you two will find out once you return. Either way, this is exciting. Who would have guessed we'd need something like this in today's day and age."

Cole's eyes sat on the date scribbled in by Professor Sandra. This was it. It had to be. The date when everything in his friend Addison's life would return to her. She'd get Ryan back. He might even get to meet the boy her heart belonged to. It was indeed something to cherish. He folded the paper and slipped it into his pocket for protection.

"So I guess that means that we're 25 years into the past?!" Cole asked himself.

"I was meaning to ask" Sandra inquired as Terrence set about resetting the dates on the Sun Dial. "You came from the future with Paige, right? How did you accomplish it without being spat into random times?"

Cole reached into his shirt and pulled out the crystal tied onto a string. "This Tera Crystal. Professor Sada told Paige that so long as two halves of the same crystal travel through the Time Machine, they'll go to the same time no matter what. I'm thinking that's what Natalya and Professor Sexton used to get here as well." He folded his arms in contemplation as Sandra studied the crystal closely. "What I don't know, is why Natalya came to this time specifically. She said something about Addison, which worries me. I mean, what could she be after with regards to her?"

Sandra lowered the crystal and let it hang around Cole's neck. "That, I cannot answer. But if this Natalya is indeed here, then she may pose a danger to this dimension as well as her own. Having lost so much just to traverse here, I know what havoc going between dimensions can wreak. And as twisted as she must be, that's even worse. No one can stop her if she's not held in check."

Cole lowered his head. "Only Professor Sexton seemed able to keep her in check, but he went into Area Zero. And now he might be in as much danger as Paige is." He often thought of the Professor, his cryptic warning of not trusting anyone and how much danger they were in now that Natalya was out and about, wondering if the man whom he'd have chosen as his father would be proud of him, having unintentionally roped Addison into this and now being in another dimension altogether. Then again, even someone as smart as him didn't see Fateen coming. She'd nearly whisked away his Crystal and taken him as a prisoner and he'd never have known.

All of this was becoming a load on him. Paige and Sexton missing, Natalya on the loose and Fateen either acting in concert with her or of her own accord, Turo and Sada out of commission or worse back in his own time, traversing time itself becoming more and more of a footnote as he encountered so many different people and Pokémon. Had he been the same feeble and weak boy he'd been before vowing to do right by Paige, he'd have folded as soon as things got even slightly hard. But he wasn't that same boy. Something had changed him. No. Not something. Someone...

Someone he was finding himself more and more drawn to in ways he'd never felt before. Someone who'd seen something he never even knew he'd had. Someone who'd saved him from Fateen and again in the Tera Den. Someone he had the ultimate key to helping...someone...someone he knew would likely set him aside once her true love returned...

Sandra sensed the change in his demeanor and walked over to him. "Cole, is everything okay?"

Cole frowned. "Can you give me advice on something?"

"Sure."

"What do you do if...well...you think you like someone...but they like someone else and...well...you might have the key to getting them together?"

Sandra nodded. "Ah, it's this Addison girl, is it?" When Cole didn't object, she smiled. "Call it a motherly intuition. Whenever you've said her name, it's bubblier and happier than any other you've said. You may be doing all of this for your friend Paige, but maybe someone else is coming along into the path you're walking?"

Cole looked ashamed but nodded. "I can't help it. Every time I think I've got her figured out, she does something else that amazes me. She's smart and fun and talented and..."

"Pretty?"

"Beautiful" Cole smiled softly. "She's got these eyes that just like...explode inside you, you know? And this smile that...i don't know, makes me feel like butter." He let out a happy exhale.

Sandra giggled. "I'm getting to enjoy every benefit of motherhood without even being one. Seeing you like this for the first time is so adorable."

"But..."

"There's always a but."

Cole sighed. "But, she's got someone. Well, she did, but he kinda..."

The Professor nodded. "Ah. The whole 'Isla Blanca' thing. I'm catching you. That's why she's so keen to get there." She thought for a moment, before returning her attention to Cole. "Well, take it from someone who's an adult and already went through the whole 'lovesick kid' stage of their life. There are three very important things to take stock of whenever you even think you've fallen in love. The first is a connection. None of this 'love at first sight' nonsense you get in movies and books. A true, emotional connection. Otherwise, all you've got is a pretty girl you don't even know. Connections are key. The second is a physical connection. Not just from you, though. It also has to be from her. It doesn't add up when one party likes someone and the other party doesn't. And when things don't add up, you've got a problem on your hands. But the most important thing in a relationship is the understanding."

"The understanding?"

"The understanding" she repeated. "Basically, love isn't just the kind that you hear about or experience. It's understanding that their needs might not match your own. But instead of trying to make them see you as a need, help them get to the need instead." She lowered her head. "Turo wasn't always the easiest husband out there, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't love him. And I knew he needed to pursue his scientific curiosities for not only his own benefit, but the world's, including our little family."

"So I need to focus on her needs instead of mine? But what about all the stuff you lost out on?"

"Oh, sometimes I do wonder if what I chose in life was right. If I should have followed a different path or what would have happened if I had let him go into the Time Machine on his own. But then I wouldn't have done all that I've done in my life. I wouldn't have met Terrence or Queen Julia or...for this opportunity, yourself, Cole. But you see what I'm saying? Love is often about putting their needs above your own. Do you honestly think Addison would be happier with this guy of hers or with you?"

"It's not that" Cole insisted, though it was a bit of a lie. "I mean, I'm going to give her this regardless. But...but when she finds Ryan...and they...well...I don't want to lose her as a friend or whatever we are..."

Sandra frowned at this. "Sweetheart, did you intend on staying here forever?"

"I don't know. Maybe."

"Cole, if Natalya is the danger you claim she is, I think I have an idea of what she'll want to do. And if she does, you can't stay here in this time."

"What do you mean?"

Sandra sighed. "The Time Machines that were made down in Area Zero are very powerful and their fail safes are even harder to crack. In order to fully shut it down, one needs to shut it down from three different points in time: the past, the present and the future. One way or another, Cole, since you and your friend Paige are the only ones who are capable of shutting it down, you'll have to shut it down from either the Past or Future. If she turns the machine on and you go into hiding, the same world you fled from will just take over all facets of time. Natalya will be unstoppable."

Cole's sorrow only grew. "I see. So I am going to lose her."

Sandra sadly nodded. "It's definitely a possibility, I'm afraid. But if you really do care about her-"

BOOM! Without warning, the ground began to shake violently as the result of an explosion nearby. Sandra tried to steady herself against the wall, while Cole fell to the ground immediately. Terrence skidded backwards at the quaking until it suddenly stopped.

"What the hell was that? An earthquake?!"

"Something's going on upstairs" Sandra worriedly spoke.

Cole gasped. "Addy!" He then quickly scrambled to his feet and bolted up the stairs, despite Sandra and Terrence's pleas for him to come back. If he indeed had only a little time with Addison in his life, he was going to make the most of it. And he couldn't do that if something happened to her.

{}

"Koraidon!" Julia ordered to her Pokémon. "Flare Blitz!"

Addison needed to only look as the prehistoric dragon mount the Queen had ridden before rushed forward, cloaked in a veil of immense flames before crashing into the Flutter Mane, a peculiar looking Pokémon that looked similar to a Misdreavus, if only in its color scheme and haunting eyes. Addison had initially though it was about as harmless as a normal Misdreavus would be, until it let out a sinister wail and spat a Dazzling Gleam directly at her. Julia and Koraidon had just managed to take the blow for her, warning her to remain behind as they battled it. It didn't take long for Julia to overwhelm the peculiar Pokemon and blast it aside. And this Flare Blitz all but annihilated it, with it fleeing through an open window and out into the evening skies.

Though Addison was keen to initially celebrate, Julia was trying to ensure the coast was clear. She glanced around angrily. "This doesn't make sense. How could a Paradox Pokémon get inside?! We have security systems to keep them out!"

"Did you cover every entrance?" Addison wondered curiously.

"Of course. But I don't understand how this could have happened."

Addison was trying to think up the same answer, but was coming up short herself. "If you say you've got the security down, I can believe you. But it still doesn't..." Her eyes widened as the realization hit her. "But can it stop people?"

The Queen eyed her curiously. "Do you think someone inside let this creature in?"

"It's the only thing I can think of."

"None of my closest confidants would have done this. And there aren't many others here in the castle besides those in the infirmary."

"There is someone who might have. Natalya."

"Who is that?!"

"She must have come through the same way we did, but she is here. And she was controlling those Roaring Moons we encountered before."

Julia scowled. "But why would she come here?!" As if answering her question, an alarm suddenly echoed throughout the entire Palace. Neither could tell immediately what the alarm was for, but it didn't take Julia long to figure things out. "Damnit! It's coming from the vault!" She recalled her Koraidon and hurried down the corridor on the left. Addison followed her as fast as she could, wondering what could have instigated such a panicked response from the ordinarily tranquil Queen. The duo continued their trek down various corridors until spying another person hurrying up towards them. The Queen's eyes only widened in worry as they realized it was Hassel.

"Forgive me" the older man wheezed as he slowed down his chase. "But there is no sign of Geeta, Your Grace." He ran his hair through his long blonde hair as he awaited a response from his monarch.

Addison glanced up and saw fear in Julia's eyes and did her best to reassure her. "She'll be okay."

"I'm certain Captain Geeta couldn't have-"

"That's not what worries me" Julia admitted. "Who has access to the vault?"

Hassel seemed appalled at such a suggestion. "Your Grace! Surely you don't think Geeta would have broken into the vault, do you?"

"Why would she?" Addison agreed. "She's loyal, right?"

Julia shook her head. "Again, you're both wrong. Geeta has access to the vault. But what if someone has access to Geeta?!"

Addison's face paled. "Natalya!"

"Have no fear" Hassel assured the two. "I shall sweep this enemy out of the castle before you can say-"

"HASSEL!" the Queen roared. "Do you know what's in the vault?!"

Now it was Hassel's turn to be alarmed. "Oh. Oh no! I didn't even think of that!"

Julia looked to Addison. "You need to find your friend Cole with Professor Sandra. Things are getting too dangerous here!"

Addison defiantly remained standing. "Julia, you need our help. You can't do everything on your own!"

The Queen's attention was drawn to another woman, who must have been Professor Sandra, scurrying up from another hall. "Your Grace! I found Captain Geeta! She was locked in a broom closet!" Before she could say another word, they all saw Cole dashing past her and darting down another adjoining hall. "Cole! Come back!"

Addison was shocked Cole had just kept running and wanted to follow him but remained glued to the Queen's side.

Julia shuddered at the thought of her cousin having been attacked. "Geeta..."

Hassel stood at attention. "Your Grace. Allow me to check on the fair Captain. Please confront this vile burglar!"

Addison nodded and tugged at the Queen's hand. "Come on, Julia. We need to stop Natalya!"

The Queen nodded. "Do what you will." She then gave Sandra her fullest attention. "Please go with Hassel and take care of my cousin. Addison and I will go after Cole and stop the intruder in the vault." Without another word, the duo hurried after Cole and down the hall.

The Vault, in question, was a massive steel door that Addison suspected was supposed to be impenetrable and keep any secrets and treasures inside as needed. At least she would have, had the doors not been ripped wide open. The two remained fixated on the door, even as maniacal laughter echoed from inside. Addison would have braced herself for battle, had a sudden roar and fire blast from inside not have startled her.

Julia bit her lip. "NO! WE'RE TOO LATE!"

"We have to keep going" Addison insisted. When Julia seemed initially too frozen to move, she raced ahead to see what was going on. The building began to shake more as smoke and debris began to cloud the area surrounding the vault. Addison tried to wave it off until she found Cole staring at Natalya on the other side of the debris. She came to his side but jumped back initially at the sound of a malicious growl.

"Did you think our universe was the only one to possess powerful Dragons like this?!" Natalya sneered.

"What have you done, Natalya?" Cole shuddered.

"Assured my victory. I have so many powerful Pokémon at my disposal, but this one tops them all. At least in this dimension. The Mighty Koraidon!"

Addison gasped. "That can't be Koraidon! Julia has it!"

"You know, for the White Mage, you're not as smart as I thought you'd be." The debris and smoke cleared and, to Addison's horror, another Koraidon sat growling maliciously at her and Cole by the side of Natalya. In her hands was a Tera Crystal which shined the same color as the eyes of the prehistoric Dragon Pokémon. "Just like in our dimension with the Violet Dragon, two of these powerful Pokémon emerged out of the Time Machine upon initially turning them on. Sada wished to possess this creature for herself, until she saw the destructive power it had. Thus, she locked it away, with some help from an old Paldean King. Unlike the weak little sunspot your Queen has, this one is a bonafide killer. All it needs is a little push to see which beings it needs to do away with."

"This isn't a game, Natalya!" Cole hissed. "This is people's lives!"

She thumbed her nose at him. "Oh please, Cole. Don't try to pretend these people care about you and I. That Queen won't even remember this even happened in a few days. As for your new friend, do you honestly think she'll give a damn about you once all this is done? You'll be going back to being an afterthought, one that should have been left to die on the side of a road had Professor Sexton not taken pity on you." She placed the tip of the crystal on Koraidon's head, prompting it to growl even louder as if only being held back by the grace of its master. "Give me a reason not to kill you two. I'd love to hear it."

"Because you'd have to answer to me if you did!" Julia snarled as she entered the vault. With all of the confidence and intimidation tactics that her Violet Dimension counterpart's husband has, the Queen entered the room and stared down the enemy.

"And so Her Majesty appears" Natalya mocked, doing a hyper exaggerated bow before her. "I was wondering when you'd show up."

"Why bring your chaos to our Dimension?!" Julia demanded.

"You think I'm going to allow my enemies to have even the slightest bit of hope?!"

"How am I your enemy?!"

Natalya's face contorted into pure hatred. "You would say that to me?! YOU?! You, my Queen, or perhaps I should say your Violet Dimensional self, helped to ruin my life before I even got to live it!" The Crystal in her hands began to glow the color of blood, with Koraidon responding with howls, the power of flames beginning to glow from it.

Cole stood in front of the others. "I'm the one you want, Natalya! Leave Addison and the Queen alone!"

"COLE?!" Addison cried out.

This prompted the mad woman to laugh. "The fact that you think you're worth more than either of the two ladies you're 'protecting' is so funny to me. The only thing killing you would accomplish is it would possibly make Paige cry. But I have other means of making her do that!"

Julia did not move. "You break into my castle, steal my property, harm my cousin and have the gall to say someone else isn't worth anything?!"

Natalya smirked. "So, what are you going to do about it, Queenie?!"

Julia folded her arms. "We'll battle. One on one. On the slopes of where our Pokémon League once was." She stared down the intruder with a look of danger in her eyes. "Unless you're afraid of the challenge."

Natalya rolled her eyes. "I'm only afraid of failing the memory of my father. Not to battle some braindead nitwit like you." She looked to Koraidon and nodded. The Pokémon spun around and blasted a Fire Blast against the wall. Addison grabbed Cole and pulled him out of the way of the debris as it flung about the vault. Once the dust settled, the trio spied Natalya mounting the back of the powerful Pokémon and giving them a mocking salute. "See you there, Queenie!" With that, she and her Pokemon stalked out of the vault and through the hole in the wall they'd blown. Cole and Addison slowly rose to their feet and made their way out of the damaged area.

Julia looked around at all of the damage and frowned. "So she was only after Koraidon."

"There are two of them?" Cole asked.

The Queen nodded. "Yes. The one I control has a much friendlier and less hostile disposition about it. That one is far more dangerous...and I'm afraid more powerful than mine."

"So what's gonna happen?" Addison chirped up.

Julia shook her head. "You heard me, right? I'm going to face her. It's my job to protect my people. Even in a fight I might not be able to win."

"You can have backup" Cole insisted. "We'll help you."

The Queen turned to face them and patted their shoulders. "No. This is my fight. You two need to focus on getting to that Crystal and making it back to your Dimension. There's too much at stake." She smiled a dangerous smile. "Best case scenario, I distract her long enough for her to miss the cut off and be trapped here. Worst case...well...Piper is my heir, so I'm sure she'll be ready."

She moved to go past the two, but Addison grabbed her hand. "NO! Julia, you can't go!"

Julia looked back at her sadly. "Addison, I want to thank you for telling me of a world I always dreamed of. I always wanted a family. But it was never in the cards. My duty is to my people. I'm sure Michael would say the same in my place."

Addison went pale. She knew all too well what Michael would do in this place. He would do everything it took to keep his kingdom, his people, his friends and his loved ones safe, regardless of the collateral damage. She recalled how Matthew had once told her that his loyalty to her and her cause was everlasting. "Even if it kills me" he'd told her. And it didn't take much reasoning to figure out where he got that ideal from. The same man they'd all idolized growing up.

The Queen took a deep breath, collected herself internally and marched off, leaving Addison and Cole behind.

Cole frowned. "What can we do now? Natalya might-"

"She said she can handle it" Addison insisted. "We have to trust in her the way Hassel and the others do." She then looked to him and glared at him, her hands landing on her hips in an angry and accusatory manner. "Now what's this all about you trying to give your life up for me?!"

Her friend seemed flustered by this. "I...uh..."

"Because will not watch any more of my friends die in my life!" she insisted angrily. "You got that?!"

Cole nodded sheepishly. "I understand."

She nodded at this. "Good. Now let's got meet up with the others and let them know about the Queen." The two then hurried out of the Vault in pursuit of Hassel, Professor Sandra and Geeta.