Words could not find their way out of Matthew's mouth from the moment he left Parlor Town with Officer Benson. While Officer Benson attempted small talk, tried to gauge his mental state or insisted that Chris and Giselle would come back with news of his sister's whereabouts, he stewed silently in anger and pain, his shame in his failure to protect Kayleigh ebbing away at the decency he'd built for himself. He ignored any calls and messages he got unless they were from those hunting for the one who had taken his sister. Jeremy tried to appeal to his decency and asked him to keep a level head, but he ignored any further messages. Annette, Madeline, Jocelyn, Holly and a few others had sent messages, but he didn't even bother reading them. Unless it was from either Giselle or Chris, he was uninterested in everything else that might come. And their messages never came.

The world moved around him in a blur. People came and went, spoke to and around him in languages his rattled mind could not comprehend and then vanished without a trace. Upon arriving at Officer Benson's precinct, he sat in a chair by his desk and remained silent. He couldn't tell inside if he was angry, hurt or horrified. He couldn't feel anything outside of the same familiar feeling he'd had in his life before his reformation: inadequacy. He'd failed to keep Annette safe. He'd failed to keep Arcana safe. He'd failed to keep his sister safe. Add that onto the already massive list of failures in his life and Matthew found himself stewing in the same feelings that had once sent him down the path that made him a monster. The same path that had caused so much pain and suffering to his friends and family. The one that made him the monster Mr. Sartori and many others still saw him as.

He'd never quite slain his demons. His friends and loved ones did succeed in helping him restrain the dark thoughts and keep them from the forefront, but they remained in the shadow of every thought and action since he'd returned to Arcana with the remnants of Team Arcana from Mirage Island. The anger that had fueled his descent from Pokémon Champion prospect to the monster who allowed his father to be beaten within an inch of his life right in front of him. The jealousy that had singlehandedly disintegrated the friendship he'd shared with Addison and Ryan. The hate that had caused him to inflict so much pain and horror on people who'd loved him.

All of that was still inside of him. And he knew deep down, it would be forever.

It had been quelled by Jocelyn's perseverance, his mother's endless love, the adoration that came from his sister, the friendly yet bitter rivalry with Ryan and Dawn, the revival of his friendship with Addison and Holly and the unexpected relationship blossoming between him and Annette. All of them had become a safety net of sorts that kept the darkest part of who he was at bay. But the ultimate test of his resilience seemed to be upon him and the people who had saved him from the miserable end were not there for him. His mother had lost everything besides him, with their father and Ryan gone and Kayleigh now having been abducted. Jocelyn, Dawn, Addison and Holly were all away from the region as well and in no position to help him, even if they'd want to. Annette was still there, but she'd never experienced things like this in her sheltered life.

He was alone. Like he'd always felt.

His attention only returned when someone had placed a hot beverage in his hands. He blinked out of his inner psyche and looked around for whoever had given him the drink, but the only person with him in the office was Officer Benson, who was currently on a call with someone. He looked at the drink and saw it was Hot Chocolate. He felt parched, but didn't have the energy to lift the drink to his mouth. He simply stared as the marshmallows swirled around and melted in his drink and overheard whatever his mother's boyfriend was saying in his conversation.

"I understand" he spoke solemnly and listened intently to the answer. "I know what's at stake. Rest assured he'll be kept in his own cell for the time being. In case anyone else we have here has been in contact with these people." After another moment of listening, Benson continued. "I'll tell Matthew as soon as we're done here, Lieutenant. I'll make sure to keep an eye on him." Officer Benson then proceeded to hang up the call and looked to Matthew with a solemn expression on his face. "Giselle and Chris have reported in. I'm sorry son, but there's no trace of your sister or the sixth figure who took off with her."

Matthew knew that was coming, but it still stung him to hear all the same. "I thought as much." He looked around the office as if trying to find some sort of way out of their present situation. "Is my Mom here?"

He nodded. "I've spoken to her. She's not doing too well, but she's most worried about you at the moment. She hasn't spoken much about you, but from what I've heard, you've been through quite a lot. Even so, she adores you, Matthew. You might be her favorite, all things considered. Which is why she's most concerned with you at the moment."

"She should be more worried about Kayleigh."

"There isn't anything we can do for her at the moment, unfortunately. I wish it were otherwise, but it's not. You on the other hand, we may be able to do something for."

Matthew shook his head. "No. There's nothing you can do for me." He looked at his Hot Chocolate and felt his blood boiling inside of him. "The only thing that can help me is hunting down the one who did this to us."

"And then what?"

"Save my sister and put this nightmare to rest."

"What would you do if you had the chance to face this kidnapper?"

Matthew drew back in his chair and eyed the officer curiously. "I'm not under questioning, am I?"

Richard laughed. "No, son. Just...just seeing where your headspace is at."

"My headspace wants to be anywhere but here, sir."

"I can see that." Officer Benson let out a long and tired sigh. "Matthew, getting revenge isn't going to fix anything. It's only going to put you down a dark path. One we both know you've walked before. It's one you and I know quite well."

Matthew scoffed at that. "You wouldn't know a thing about it. What would a police officer know about the things I've done."

"You'd be surprised, son. Even someone in a position like mine can be ready and willing to do dark things to get what we want." He reached into a drawer in his desk and took out a picture frame, slowly sliding in front of Matthew. "Do you know who this is?"

Matthew took a quick look at the picture. It was of a younger Officer Benson and a pretty woman with bright blonde hair and warm, cheerful smile. The two were on what appeared to be Parlor Beach, taking pictures of themselves enjoying time together. He slid the picture back and shrugged. "Can't say I do."

"That was my wife" the police officer explained. "She was killed three years ago. Ilene Woodard-Benson."

"Wait, that name sounds familiar."

"She used to be a reporter for ArcTV. One of the only good journalists that remained on their staff when Walter O'Hara took over with his big, flashy catchphrases and slogans that slandered people left and right. She often undercut him, forcing him to speak truthful in situations he otherwise would have gladly lied to a blissful audience of blithering idiots. She took a lot of heat from him, the ArcTV Board and by proxy the Syndicate themselves." He put his fingers on the picture and gently stroked her face. Matthew looked away nervously, recalling the handful of times he'd been in Walter O'Hara's presence, often thumbing his nose at the cowardly fool who thought he was the face of true journalism when he was just a mouthpiece for Elezar and Cassius. To know he'd been a threat to so many made him realize just how truly evil the Syndicate was.

"The Syndicate targeted anyone who would be a threat to their plans. Some, they recruited, like O'Hara. Others, they abducted, like Mr. Sartori's daughter and your friends. And a few, like my wife, Malcolm Tress and the King himself, they tried to remove from the game using...alternative methods."

Matthew blinked slowly. His recollection of that time in his life coming back to him like a wave of water during a flood...

{}

"You went too far!" a younger Matthew Kingston snarled at Elezar Aced in his office at the Syndicate Compound in Titanio City. Having already had a blow out with his parents over their role in Michael's resignation from the Pokémon League and now his subsequent elimination, he knew the only place he had left to go was to confront the man who had killed him. The man he had trusted to train him to let go of his anxiety and develop his Pokémon training skills. The man who had promised him the world and had then subsequently lit his world ablaze.

"Did you think I meant to keep him around?" Elezar responded dryly, ignoring the tantrum Matthew was throwing.

"You said he was gonna leave!" Matthew cried, pounding Elezar's desk in frustration, fighting off the tears of losing his idol and hero. "You said you were gonna let him leave Arcana! Him and Julia!"

"I have intelligence that claims Courtney meant to use him against me" the Syndicate Leader hissed. "All in service of her own desires. You think I would let her and a Champion at her beck and call destroy all that I've worked for?"

"Then get rid of her!"

"Why would I do that? She's a valuable asset to me. Unlike your cousin."

Matthew snarled. "YOU KILLED HIM! You killed them all!"

Elezar finally looked Matthew in the eyes. "To achieve power, boy, one needs to be willing to do what it takes to achieve it and what it takes to keep it. Michael wasn't the first person I've eliminated that stood in my way and he likely won't be the last. I am within striking distance of the destiny my father laid at our feet before he was killed, by your grandfather, if you need reminding." He folded his hands and continued to stare at the boy he'd taken under his tutelage. "If your cousin had the killer instinct necessary, he'd have hunted Cassius and I down after he crushed Giselle ten years ago. But he didn't. And that's why he's gone. I won't have a nuisance standing in my way."

Matthew shook in absolute anger. "You have no idea what he meant to me!"

"Oh I see it. Quite well. He was your hero. The big brother you always wanted. The man you strode to model yourself after." He shook his head as if he were lecturing Matthew about a childish lesson. "You need to pick better role models, Matthew."

"I guess there's no better time to start than now!"

Elezar smirked at this. "Oh? Do you want to kill me?"

"You have no idea."

He cackled. "Indeed. I can see it in your eyes, Matthew. You don't have the same weakness Michael had. The passion for the living and protecting what's pure about the world. You know what the world is capable of. What shadows lurk in every room." The two looked around, as if sensing another being nearby. "Never knowing what might strike out." Elezar's face showed nothing but evil ambition. "When I look at you, I see the son I always wanted. Pure hatred. It will consume everything that dares to stand between you and your goal. That is why the Master told me to seek you out."

"Because I hate?"

"Specifically because of that. The Master needs people like us to fulfill his own goals for the world. People who will burn the old world to the ground. Who will rip the meek and pathetic from their cushy lives. Those who will crush anyone who stands in their way. Even loved ones aren't safe from the wildfire that burns inside of your heart."

Matthew clenched his fists. "And if my hate turns on you?"

He smiled through his teeth. "If I stand in the way of what you want, so be it. I have no desire to rule the Pokémon League as the world's most powerful trainer. I have no love for the rest in your bloodline who've crippled Arcana from progressing forward from the days of a murderer like James Kingston. And I certainly have no interest in Addison Tenton. But it seems that someone else might."

His face tightened at this. "Ryan..."

"It would seem your brother might be a problem for us...very soon. I had to dispatch Jocelyn to rescue Hunter because your brother and Warden Tenton trapped him in the Safari Zone. And Lily and Lena complain about him endlessly. If nothing is done soon about that boy, he might become a new threat to us."

"I'll deal with him" Matthew hissed. "He's gutless. If I tell him to run home to Mom and Dad, he will. He's such a good little kid to them."

"What about Miss Tenton?"

Matthew returned Elezar's look with one of his own. "You mean my soon to be girlfriend? She'll be my side, where she needs to be. We do love each other, after all. If Ryan or anyone else gets in the way..." He looked over towards Elezar's desk, where a small porcelain statue of an Arbok sat. With one blow from his fist, the collector's item shattered onto the ground.

{}

But that was a long time ago, Matthew tried to assure himself. I'm not that guy anymore. I can't be. I can't save my sister or help Addy and Annette if I'm like that. Upon realizing he'd been lost in his thoughts, he quickly tried to pick up what Officer Benson was talking about.

"She would have lost her job sooner or later" the Police Officer recalled, not noticing Matthew had drifted into his own memories, "had O'Hara not asked her to make it up to him by going to Taghwan Hall to oversee your cousin's resignation. We all know how that turned out." Benson lowered the picture of his belated wife back into the drawer on his desk. "I was inconsolable for weeks. I didn't speak or talk to anyone. I barely ate, slept or did anything outside of stare at the empty side of my bed."

Matthew frowned. "I'm sorry."

"When the Syndicate finally fell and O'Hara was placed behind bars, I asked my superior officer to relocate me to Klefki Prison. No one asked why I wanted a demotion or a pay cut and were about to approve it."

"Why go to Klefki?"

Richard's face darkened. "To kill him. I didn't have a plan or idea of how to do it. I just wanted Walter O'Hara dead. And if I had been approved, I would have done it. I'd have gladly taken O'Hara's place in that cell for what he did to my wife. For what he did to Arcana. For everything he'd done in his miserable life." Matthew was caught off guard by the sheer hate in this usually cheery and levelheaded man, but settled down once Officer Benson settled down. "But while my superior officer was set to approve of my transfer, someone else was against it: the Chief of Police, Byron Kingston."

"My uncle?"

"Chief Byron invited me to his office to speak about this. I made up some story about wanting to focus on work and needing a change of scenery. Your uncle assured me he wasn't recording anything. The conversation was entirely private. And he told me he knew what I wanted. That I wasn't the only Police Officer who wanted Syndicate members dead. And that he believed I was meant to do more with my life than rot in a cell for a revenge killing. That if I killed Walter O'Hara, I'd be no better than him. And my job was to be better." He looked to Matthew and smiled a soft grin. "And he was right. I took several months to rehabilitate myself and reestablish my desire to protect and serve the people of Arcana. When I returned, I was welcomed with open arms and I served your uncle for the remainder of his life. And now, I follow his daughter proudly, though she still sometimes calls me 'sir'."

Matthew nodded. "You're a good person, though. I don't know what I am."

"You're good as well, Matthew. You may not feel like you are, but I see it. You don't want to take down this man who took Kayleigh because of pride. You want to take him down to save her. And we still can. But we need to keep level heads, son. We can't just bellow and blast our way through everything until we find her."

"What if I fail her, though?" Matthew lamented. "I've failed way too many people in my life."

"And you'll fail again. That's life. A series of failures and compromises, mixed with a few good times. What matters most, is how you react to failure. Will you get up and try again? Will you let failure run you over? Or will you let your failure stew until the good inside of you rots away forever?" Officer Benson looked past Matthew and his eyes widened. In a flash, the officer slid around his desk and knelt before some unseen presence, his eyes on the ground and never daring to look. "Your Grace!"

Matthew found himself frozen in his chair and could not look behind him, but felt the presence of his cousin as he entered the office. "Rise and remain at ease, Officer. You've done my family quite a service in your time. You don't need to bow."

Officer Benson straightened himself out and tried his best to remain calm and collected. "As you wish, Your Grace."

"I understand you've been looking after my Aunt Alison" Michael's voice spoke in a calm yet determined tone.

"We were on a date before this transpired, sir."

"I would like you to continue to do so, Officer. I expect she'll be in no possible safer place than with you. I'll look after Matthew."

"You're dismissing me, sir?"

"An officer is always on duty, correct?"

"Yes, sir."

"As it happens, Lieutenant Madeline requests this of you as well. Return home and take my Aunt with you. We'll need to debrief her as soon as we learn anything. And while your men search the house, I don't want either my Aunt or Matthew to set foot in their home until such a time when the house can be declared safe. Please keep her safe."

Officer Benson nodded and looked to Matthew. "I leave you in good hands and I promise you your mother is in good hands as well." Without another word, he departed from the office and left Matthew alone with Michael.

Matthew felt his willpower bottoming out as he heard Michael's voice. As if the tough facade he'd been trying to build around himself crumbled when some fixture from his childhood came to settle him when he was rattled. Michael wasn't the King of Arcana in this moment. Nor was he the fire that lit the darkness. He was the one person Matthew knew would be in his camp forever. He rose from his chair and turned to face Michael for the first time. The instant the two made eye contact, Matthew squeezed his own shut and felt tears streaming down the side of his face.

"I failed her" he shuddered. "I failed Kayleigh, I failed Mom, I failed everyone! I can't do anything right!"

"We're gonna find her, Matt" his cousin assured him. "Come hell or high water, we're going to find your sister."

"Why can't I do anything right by anyone?!" he cried as he lowered his head. It was only when he felt his cousin's hands on his shoulders that he finally broke down and buried his head into his chest as he and Ryan had as boys.

"You've done right by a lot of people. Aunt Janine and Uncle Doug wouldn't have Daniel if it weren't for you. Jocelyn wouldn't be here. Addison might not have done all she did without you. You stepped up when your father and Ryan died. You've helped Annette come out of her shell. You've made me more proud to call you family than anyone else we share blood with, Chris included." Matthew felt his cousin lift his head up until the two finally made eye contact again. "Listen to me, Matt. You've endured a hell in the last year that hardly anyone in the world has had to. You lost your father, your brother, your mother was a prisoner, Kayleigh, your friends almost died and for a while you even lost function in your arm thanks to Mewtwo. And through all of it, kid, you're still standing. There aren't many people out there who can admit to that."

"I don't know how" he admitted as he hugged Michael.

"I told Addison something not too long ago" his cousin recalled. "You're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think. If you could handle all you've had and still come up standing, there isn't anything you can't do, Matt."

Matthew hugged his cousin tightly. "I wish I'd heard this sooner."

"I get you, kid. You're not the only one who's failed, before. You're talking to one of Arcana's biggest failures." He patted Matthew's back. "But, maybe we two failures can work together to make something worthwhile, eh?"

"What do you mean?"

Michael's face tightened. "I mean to get answers, Matt. And Maddy said that the man who tried to kidnap your girlfriend is here. Considering he's the only one who can actually answer us, we'll start there." He looked down at Matthew. "I need you to keep a level head, kid. Let me handle the questioning. All you need to do is stand there."

"A good cop, bad cop thing?"

"Basically" his cousin winked, before patting his back and separating from him. "Let's go."

{}

Though there were few amenities in the seaside cottages that were open to guests near the Western Paldean Sea, Billy was more than willing to let this be the place they stayed. Anything beat having to try and sleep in another hotel room in Mesagoza. He knew Amanda would never even let him consider it. And he couldn't risk putting Tommy or anyone else in any more danger. Too much had already happened in the last few hours. And he suspected, despite their intent to remain at a distance from the Academy, things were going to continue to get worse.

He had gotten multiple messages from some at the Academy, in particular Rika and Director Clavell, to return to the school and that there must have been some kind of misunderstanding. Morgan was not in any trouble and had simply returned to her room as far as anyone knew. And Addison was likely not going to face any trouble for her actions, at least according to Clavell. But Geeta's words and what Tommy had told him about Morgan last being seen talking to Lily and Lena had spooked him. He didn't trust a single person who wasn't in their closely knit group. He hardly even trusted Calem and Felice, but decided it was better for them to remain a group and keep them far from any prying eyes or sinister ambitions that might be blossoming in Paldea. For the moment, they had to play things safe.

Once Lizzie had finally arrived on her weird purple Dragon Pokémon, now skating across the water like a speed boat, he gathered everyone together to discuss the events of the day. While Tommy and Felice were sent to bed to get some sleep, he assembled himself, Amanda, Justin, Bridgette, Lizzie and Calem together to hash out what the plan was.

It didn't take long for things to go off the rails, as everyone was clearly rattled by all that had been going on, with Lizzie strangely thinking this was some kind of intervention for her to get involved in watching over the kids and becoming openly hostile towards him. She folded her arms in a huff and scowled at him. "I thought we talked about this, Billy. The kids are your responsibility, not mine!"

"This isn't about the kids being in trouble or not anymore!" he snapped back. "Why can't you listen?!"

"It's clear we're all very much in a state where we can't talk this out right now" Amanda counselled. "I know I'm still a bit of a mess after what happened with that thug in our hotel room."

"We've got Felice and Tommy safe" Calem insisted. "That's what matters."

"But for how long?" Billy wondered aloud. "It's not like Diantha or Michael will be too pleased to find out what's going on around here."

Kalos's former champion nodded ominously. "I have to tell her. Or Serena at the very least. We don't keep secrets from each other."

"I think that's a bad idea" Amanda warned. "Diantha will tell Cynthia her thoughts and it won't take long for Michael to become involved. If he does, this becomes a mess we can't clean up."

"If Michael Kingston can fix things-"

Billy shook his head. "Michael's already got enough on his plate. We need to solve this between us. As much as I'd like to let the others know, it would cause too much problems for us. It may even cause an international incident. The last thing we need is for this to sprout into some kind of conflict."

"It's already a conflict" Bridgette interjected. "Tommy and Amanda were almost abducted. And Addison was insistent that something big is going on. I will go by what you think is right, Bill, but there has to be some kind of backup plan in case this all becomes too much for us to handle on our own." She lowered her head in shame. "I feel like I'm already letting them down again."

Justin placed a calming hand on her shoulder. "Michael will understand. He's not the kind of man who holds grudges."

Calem sighed. "So we have to keep this between us? There's no one on the outside who can help out?"

"Until we know for sure what is going on around here" Billy confirmed sadly, "we have no choice but to keep it away from Diantha, Cynthia, Michael or anyone else who might become involved. I'd say we can contact Mark or Chris, but those two would tell Michael in a heartbeat. The two don't keep secrets from him." He glanced over towards Lizzie. "Will you keep it between us?"

Lizzie nodded. "I barely even know why you dragged me into all of this, but rest assured that I won't put more on my friend's plate. Cameron and I were always the ones who wanted him to share the load with us anyway." She looked up to the late night skies and frowned. "But I will say this: if word of this does get to Michael before we can tell him, he's going to be a very unhappy man. If you're sure we can handle things, Billy, then I support your decision."

"It's the only way we can go for now." Deep down, Billy knew Lizzie was right. Michael could very well blow a gasket when he finds out what was going on here. Even what might have happened to Morgan alone might have warranted him getting involved. Putting Tommy and Addison in the line of fire as well, not to mention what happened to Amanda and himself, and his cousin would no doubt assert himself into the situation. It would become an international incident the likes of which hadn't happened in their lifetimes. It could even lead to war. And Arcana was just beginning to recover from the last ones with Claude and Mewtwo. He couldn't bear to see any more stress befall his cousin. He needed to step up to the plate and take his blows for once.

"Who's going to stand the first watch?" Justin inquired.

"I will" Billy confirmed.

"And I'll join in" Amanda told him gently. "We'll go in two-hour intervals. After us, Calem can take over. Then Lizzie and Justin and finally Bridgette will take the last shift. Once we're all rested up, we can contact La Primera and Addison and clear this whole situation up." She looked to everyone as endearingly as she could, though Billy could tell his girlfriend was on edge about the whole situation. "Get some rest. We're going to need it." One by one, the group headed into the beach house to get some sleep. Calem went in first, saying something to himself about sleeping by Felice to ensure his girlfriend's sister would be safe. Lizzie and Justin went in next, with Lizzie asking him about the sights he saw on his first journey through Paldea. Bridgette lingered behind for a moment and whispered something to Amanda before the two gave each other a hug and the surfer retired after the others.

Once they were alone, Amanda stood by her boyfriend's side. "I don't like this."

Billy glanced down at her arms and noticed goosebumps appearing on her. "You're cold. The sea air can be a bit much." He took off his leather jacket and covered her in it. "Here, this will keep you warm."

Amanda wrapped herself in the jacket but shook her head. "That's not what I mean, Billy. This is the first time..."

"We've been in much more dangerous situations, sweetie."

She shook her head. "No. This is the first time something's happened and I can't tell my mentor what's going on." She looked down in shame. "It feels like we're lying to Julia and Michael by keeping this from them. Almost like we're dishonoring them."

"Amanda, they have a lot of things on their plate" he comforted her. "Arcana itself is counting on them. Not to mention how Michael's still recovering from his heart attack. And those kids." He smiled faintly. "Five kids can be a bit of a handful. My niece especially."

"Something feels off" Amanda admitted. "Like that night Hunter abducted me. It feels like something's going wrong."

Billy put his arm around her, prompting Amanda to lean her head on his shoulder. "I won't let anything happen to you, if that's what you're afraid of."

"I know you've got me. It's the others, I'm worried about. Addison, Tommy, Morgan...they're just kids."

"Kids who've accomplished a hell of a lot more than we did by their age."

"They shouldn't have to, though."

Billy gave his girlfriend an affectionate squeeze with his arm. "They know what's at stake. What might happen if things go wrong. We have to believe in ourselves and them. Addison's proven herself more than capable. Tommy as well. We just have to make sure we're up to snuff as well." He felt his Poké Gear vibrating in his pocket and went to pick it up. He looked at the message he'd received and shuddered.

Amanda felt it and peered up at him. "What is it?"

Billy showed the text from Madeline to his girlfriend. "Still think we need to load more on their shoulders?"

Her hand flew up to her mouth. "Oh no. Poor Kayleigh. Poor Mrs. Kingston."

Billy looked out into the deep blue oceans to the west of their location and felt the coldness in the air for the first time since arriving. "You're right, Amanda. Something is going wrong. But we might have to do things by ourselves, regardless of our ability to do it."

"You think anyone back in Mesagoza can be trusted?"

His face turned dark. "No. We can't trust anyone at the moment. Just those of us here, and Addy and her friend Cole, I guess. Not any Academy teachers, no one in the Pokémon League. Not even Geeta."

Amanda giggled at this. "At least we can agree on that."

{}

Deep within the confines of the Zero Lab, Natalya was absolutely livid with everyone around her. It seemed that almost every single facet of her plan had blown up in her face. She'd failed to get her hands on Cole's Tera Crystal, the matching set he had with Paige. She'd failed to keep him from getting into contact with Addison and now the two were far from her reach at the moment. The two dingbats Brick had hired failed spectacularly in their attempt to abduct Tommy Queensbury and required her personal interference to prevent the wrong people from finding out about her plans. And even Brick, her loyal attendant, had failed to capture either Felice from Kalos or Amanda Fouritz, being pursued into Mesagoza by Billy Kingston and now alerting the Paldean Authorities to her plans. Had Morgan not been pacified and Simon failed in his own endeavors, she'd have been willing to give up then and there. But the situation was not unsalvageable. She just needed to iron out a few kinks.

And it would start with upbraiding the three who had failed the most. While both twins Lily and Lena cowered in a corner, having only just managed to break the chains holding their wrists together, Brick prostrated himself before her like the good little minion he was.

"Forgive me, Mistress Natalya" Brick shuddered. "I failed you. And I put the Tri Drago's legacy in jeopardy. If you allow me another chance, I assure you failure will not happen again."

Natalya bitterly massaged the side of her head, the Tera Crystal shining the color of red. "It was all supposed to go so smoothly." She aimed the crystal at the wall of the building, causing an energy beam to fire from the crystal and blast a hole in the wall. "But we failed on every conceivable level. Now, I wouldn't be shocked if half of the region is onto us."

"Simon didn't fail, though. He got that little brat Kingston girl, didn't he?"

"And we got you Morgan" Lena interjected nervously. "It wasn't a complete failure, right?"

"You three are lucky Simon isn't as incompetent as you lot." She relaxed her grip of the Tera Crystal, which receded back to it's simpler pink colors as her temper calmed itself. "The Tri Drago did it's part. And thanks to the few who were captured being useless to the Kingstons, we should be safe in Arcana. Here is an entirely different matter."

"You think the Pokémon League will try to investigate this?"

"Isn't La Primera under your control?" the other twin asked. "This can't be that dangerous."

"I'm not concerned about them, you idiots!" Natalya hissed. "None of them matter in the long run." She rested her hands on her desk. "The White Mage is a problem."

"That Addison girl?" Brick inquired curiously.

Lena cocked her head in confusion. "The one who destroyed The Grand Master?"

Lily excitedly nodded. "Yeah, that runt Ryan's little girlfriend."

Natalya's nails rattled nervously on the desk. "She has powers beyond your feeble comprehension. Delving into people's minds, telepathy, the Bond Phenomenon, not to mention the gift of the Crimson Fury. She is as much a danger to our plans as we've ever had." She let out an exhale of great length. "And that means we need to make some alterations to the plan. I was hoping this wouldn't come to this, but we have no choice. We have to move earlier than I thought." She looked toward Brick. "Are all of the Tera Crystals planted throughout Paldea?"

He blinked in confusion. "Ye-yes, Mistress. We finished yesterday."

"What about the Obsidian Crystals?"

"Those as well, but I should warn you theirs a tremendous amount of power emanating from them."

"Of course" she hissed, "that's why I had you plant them, Brick. The Obsidian Crystals are unique. They have a certain...trait that makes them truly remarkable."

"All of the Crystals have the ability to call forth extremely powerful Pokémon" Brick recalled. "But why is the Obsidian one so important?"

Natalya smirked. "Many years ago, my father ensured I followed in his footsteps down the path of science. He was focused on experimentation with regards to a certain Arcanan Phenomenon before his untimely death. I went above and beyond even his lofty expectations. I studied everything I could get my hands on." She looked to the Crystal in her hand. "The Tera Crystals have shown to have immense power. More power than anyone fathomed, even the explorer Heath or my old mentors in Turo and Sada. I've used these crystals for the past twenty years of my life to explore everything the universe has to show. The Time Machine was arguably the greatest thing Turo and Sada ever made, in their eyes at least. And while it helped set us up for our inevitable triumph over our enemies, it wasn't their greatest discovery. The Obsidian Crystals were."

"What's so special about them?" Lena asked.

She glared at the twins. "Don't you two have some jobs to do? Go and guard the entrance to the Great Crater. Nobody gets in or out. The next time I have need for you two stooges will come, but until then, I don't want to see hide or tail of either of you! GO!" She waved the crystal at them, prompting both Lily and Lena to scramble their way out of the Zero Lab and into the darkness of Area Zero.

"How the Tri Drago ever brought in those two is beyond me" Brick growled.

"They'll have their role to play" Natalya replied coldly. "But for the time being, we all need to lay low. I'll be leaving Area Zero for a while. And I doubt I'll be able to contact you for some time."

Brick was even more perplexed. "Leave? But why? We're coming up to our plans, aren't we? And can't I help you wherever you're fleeing to?"

"No" she hissed. "I'm not fleeing and I don't need anyone else interfering. I need you to take command of Area Zero, Brick. Make sure those two dimwits don't slack off and that Paige has no plans of escaping anytime soon." She folded her hands as the crystal began to glow with a strange aura. "While I'm gone, my control over the minds of Geeta and the others I've ensnared will wane. That is intentional on my part. I want to throw anyone off our trail, including that obnoxious Billy Kingston. Keeping our enemies off balance is key, Brick. It's how my father and his allies succeeded. And it is how we shall as well. When I return, our plans will continue, but hopefully I'll have gotten what I seek out of the Obsidian Crystals."

"Rest assured that the Tri Drago is and always shall be at your disposal. But I must ask: what do you hope to accomplish, Mistress?"

"The Obsidian Crystals offer more than just summoning wickedly powerful Pokémon, Brick. The crystals transport any in their presence to a den where immense Tera Power grabs and takes firm hold over any who dare to enter it. Few have the potential to wield such power. Very few, in fact. I believe Miss Tenton has the capacity, being the White Mage. If she does, she'll drag Cole into something neither of them could possibly fathom. And awaken them to the true power of the Tera Crystals. And once those two little pests are dealt with, I'll be able to take Cole's Tera Crystal for my own and no one will be able to stop us!"

"True power?"

"Yes, my friend. The power to open a rift in the very fabric of time and space itself. Bringing them to the one place where our victory shall be assured." She snickered to herself, knowing that neither that whiny brat Cole nor his new protector could possibly imagine what she had in store for them. "The Scarlet Dimension."

{}

"I understand what you're saying" Madeline implored her older cousin and monarch as he and Matthew made their way towards the holding cell that Mr. Sartori was being held in. "Trust me, I really do, but I can't have anything happen to him."

"What makes you think anything will happen?" the King insisted.

She looked nervously from Michael to Matthew. "It's not that I...you know, I...you don't understand what position I'm in here, guys."

Matthew, to Michael's relief and a tinge of surprise, took command. "Maddy, I promise you I won't do anything. Michael and I talked about it. I'm not going to say anything. He'll handle all the questioning. The 'good cop/bad cop' thing, right?"

Madeline Kingston looked exasperated, but ultimately gave in. "Oh, if it wasn't for how we're family...alright, fine. You guys have ten minutes. But please keep things civil. We need him to talk in case we can trace down anything on those guys who worked with him." After handing Michael a manilla folder containing what was known about the prisoner, she stepped aside as Michael and Matthew braced themselves for what was perhaps their only chance to find a quick solution to finding Kayleigh.

Michael looked to Matthew, who despite assuring their cousin of his behavior, looked down in anguish as if doubting his ability to keep himself calm. He patted the boy on his shoulder. "You've got this, Matt. Self control. Let me handle things. Just stand there and watch him. If I miss a lie, make sure to let me know." When Matthew gave him an affirmatory thumbs up, he opened the door and entered the interrogation room.

The room was barely lit, with only one hanging lamp illuminating a small fraction of the room. In particular, the light hung over the table where Mr. Sartori sat, his hands resting on the table with cuffs securing him. He looked absolutely despondent and didn't respond much to the arrival of two newcomers. It took him a moment of looking listlessly at the table to let his eyes scroll up and see that he was no longer alone. He didn't immediately recognize them and seemed to think one of them was an appointed attorney for him.

"I already told Lieutenant Kingston I don't need a lawyer" he lamented sadly. "I'm confessing to it all."

"Oh, I'm not your lawyer" Michael growled. "And neither is he."

"Then who are you?" he groaned.

"Your King."

Sartori blinked before squinting to see Michael in the shadows. Upon realizing it was indeed the anointed monarch of the region, he gasped. "You are! You're-you're excellency!" He lowered his head as if attempting to bow to him. "Allow me to-"

"Spare me your forced platitudes" Michael snarled. "We're here to talk."

"If you'll permit me, sir, who is your friend?"

"He's just observing. If you've got a problem with it, I strongly urge you to demand he show himself. You'll get a kick out of it."

Mr. Sartori gulped. "On second thought, I'd rather not."

"Good. Now let's get started." He opened up the folder and examined all of the information the Arcana Police Force had on one of the men who had attempted to kidnap Annette and had succeeded in kidnapping his little cousin. "Let's see. Raymond Sartori, age 44 from Taghwan City. Used to own a Flower Shop until it went bankrupt shortly after the Pokémon League Championship three years ago. Married to Lynn Sartori until her death two years ago and father to Lila Sartori, an up and comer in the Pokémon League, disappeared from Iron Village under mysterious circumstances. No previous criminal record, however on the 'Arcanan Depression watchlist' as a courtesy of your late wife following the disappearance of your daughter."

Raymond Sartori remained slumped on the table. "Need anymore reason why I'm confessing?"

"Mr. Sartori" Michael explained, though already frustrated by an honorable man sliding so far from a once prominent position in life, "you do know we offered grief counselling and compensation to those who lost loved ones to the Syndicate, correct? But according to your paperwork, you refused it."

"What could a counselor tell me that I didn't already know? My Lila's death wasn't my fault? That my wife's loss of the will to live wasn't my doing? Of course some outsider would think that. Someone who's never had to grieve the life lost to monsters who lurk in the shadows. Someone who's never watched their entire world combust day after day until there was nothing left but ashes! Why would I let some grief counselor give me hope when there is none?!"

"The grief counseling has helped a lot of people who've lost loved ones" Michael went on, "including many others who's children were taken by the Syndicate Snatchers."

"Good for them. It doesn't matter to me."

"It should. According to Officer Richard Benson, you've mentioned many others who lost children. The Regal Family, the Tylett Family, the Jacoby Family. Just some of many who lost children to those monsters. They accepted the counseling and were given all of the financial support that the League and Lady Bonnie Kingston could offer. And now, while their families will never again be complete, they can accept the loss and move forward with their lives. Had you and your wife accepted the same, you might not be here today, would you?" He lowered the folder and frowned. "How would Lynn feel about your attempt to kidnap Annette Fiveroux tonight?"

"She was as lost as I am" he declared. "She'd have-"

"Did you know Annette Fiveroux was a hostage of the Syndicate for over six months?" the King said coldly. "Locked up on Mirage Island, her dreams used to funnel energy and strength into Mewtwo, the monster behind the Syndicate. Why target someone who also suffered at their hands? Not to mention someone who wasn't even allowed outside of her own house during the Syndicate Snatching Raids?!"

"It wasn't meant to target her!" he hissed. "At least, not because of her."

"Because of Matthew, correct?"

He nodded. "I know he's your family, Your Grace. But the boy isn't well. He's a monster. A fiend. He's just like those Syndicate Thugs he followed. Turn your back on him and he'll-"

"And yet he hasn't said anything to you, has he?"

"He attacked me in Parlor Town when-"

"He's in the room, right now."

Raymond looked at Matthew, who was doing his job and saying nothing in the corner of the room. He instantly went white and tried to slide his chair backwards, but it was nailed to the ground. "NO! NO! MAKE HIM LEAVE!"

"Not until I get my answers, Mr. Sartori" Michael declared.

"PLEASE!"

"Now, you claim Matthew Kingston was the one who abducted your daughter."

"His friends in the Syndicate did!"

Michael cleared his throat. "Well, from the accounts of Jocelyn Aced and other Syndicate Peons we've rounded up since the fall of Elezar and Cassius, the night of the Syndicate Raids, when your daughter disappeared from Iron Village after her victory over the Gym Leader, Matthew Kingston was otherwise occupied. He helped the Syndicate lure Addison Tenton into a trap that got her snatched." He could tell Matthew was in pain hearing that, but Michael pressed on. Sooner or later, Matthew had to truly face his own actions. "He wasn't in Iron Village at any time when your daughter was taken. In fact, while we investigated the Syndicate Admins who were involved in the Snatches, we found out that your daughter was taken by Nadine, one of the Syndicate's most elite Snatchers alongside Victor."

"Nadine?"

"Yes. And Nadine was apprehended by Mark Lionel during the Battle of Mt. Heatmor. And after Claude Jacques sprung her free to help in his crusade against my family, she was found and arrested by my uncle, Byron Kingston. She's currently being held on a small island in Titanio Bay, where we're keeping the prisoners from Claude's uprising and Mewtwo's attempt to genocide until Klefki Prison can be rebuilt. Had you wanted to confront the woman who kidnapped your daughter at any time, we would have accommodated you. Others have, including Tyson Regal's family, who were able to confront Victor for what happened to their son and sibling."

Raymond looked shaken. "I..."

"And if you want to get technical" the King went on, "the man who did kill your daughter was a man named Cassius Sinclair, the Syndicate's lead scientist. He placed brands on countless children and adults in the hopes of creating an army of Crimson Branded warriors to fight for the Syndicate, and more specifically Mewtwo. Tyson Regal, Holly Queensbury, Addison Tenton, Kenneth Jackson, Ryan Kingston, Neil Fortilda...even me. I'd say you can face him, but Cassius Sinclair has been dead for three years. And I'm the one who killed him. Considering I was his most famous victim, I think I deserved the right to do it."

Mr. Sartori was silent, perhaps reflective of his actions.

"Most of the Syndicate's top administrators are dead or rounded up in prison" Michael concluded. "Elezar, Cassius, Courtney, Walter O'Hara, Claude, Victor, Nadine, Hunter, Archer. The only ones who aren't are the twins, Lily and Lena, who've disappeared from Arcana without a trace, Jocelyn Aced who defected to our side before the Syndicate Raids, and Matthew." When Raymond scowled at the mentioning of Matthew, Michael glared him down. "Matthew has answered for his sins in ways you ought to be able to comprehend, Mr. Sartori. He lost everything and lived two years in exile. He was made a Syndicate pawn again and was nearly killed several times on Mirage Island. His mother was a hostage of Claude's for six months. His father and brother were both killed by Hunter Bastion. He watched in horror as Addison struggled to defeat Mewtwo. And he took immense nerve damage to protect Annette from Mewtwo's wrath. Will he have to face judgment for what he did in the past? Perhaps. But no one gets to decide when that judgment comes, besides Arceus himself." He heard Matthew shuffling nervously behind him and sighed. Hang in there, kid.

"I...I..."

"Now" Michael pressed on, "you must have been told by someone all of the things Matthew did. You don't seem to be a man who would obsessively follow the doings of former Syndicate Admins. Who tipped you off that Matthew was someone to watch out for?" When the prisoner didn't answer, Michael nodded. Now we're getting somewhere. "Was it the man who recruited you?"

Mr. Sartori's head rose up. "He-"

"Who was he?"

He looked down nervously. "I don't know. He contacted me via an encoded video link."

"Was this man the same one who orchestrated the whole kidnapping?"

He nodded. "But I never got to meet him face to face. When we assembled, we were all in our masks."

"These masks were based on the heads of a Hydreigon, correct? Is this some sort of group we need to be aware of? Or a small time crook gang you got involved with?"

He shook his head. "I don't know. They went on and on all about some group they were apart of. But I'm not a part of it."

"Yes, Lieutenant Madeline said you were the only one of the group we've caught that didn't have that peculiar Hydreigon tattoo. Three of the others all bit cyanide capsules and took their own lives rather than face justice and the last one is a mute man from the Hakoda Tribe in the Unova Region. Which means that you are the only one who will face consequences for these crimes. Breaking and entering, attempted kidnapping, aiding in a kidnapping of a child...need I go on?"

Mr. Sartori slumped on the table. "I hadn't thought of that."

"Did you forget that Kayleigh Kingston, though only my cousin, is still a member of the Royal Family? That when the Arcanan Council decided to name me the King that many of the laws from the old Arcanan Kingdom would return, including the laws outlining the consequences of attacking a member of the Royal Family? Do you know what will happen to you if you're found guilty of all of these crimes and my cousin is never found?"

The prisoner folded his hands and looked beggingly at the King. "I swear to you, Your Grace. I was told only of the plan to abduct the Champion."

"Do you think that endears you to us, even if it's true?"

"PLEASE! I'D NEVER HARM A TODDLER!"

"And how do you expect us to believe that, Mr. Sartori? You've confessed to planning to and nearly succeeding in kidnapping our region's Champion, what else are you capable of?"

"She was just a little girl...I swear to you on the life of my daughter that-"

"But she is my sister, isn't she?" Michael winced as Matthew's words hung in the air surrounding the three. Matthew moved forward from where he had promised to remain and glared at the broken old man. "You blame me for what happened to your daughter? Wouldn't that make you think it's even to attack my baby sister?!" Matthew was barely holding it together, on the verge of tears once more. "And you thought by helping this guy take her, you'd make it even. I lose my girlfriend as well as my sister. And you've evened up the score."

"I would never harm a little girl..." Mr. Sartori wept. "I didn't know...I didn't know he..."

"YOU EXPECT ME TO BELIEVE THAT!" Matthew roared.

"No...please...I would never!" The prisoner was broken into a whimpering mess, crying on the table and completely unaware of anything else but his own mounting grief.

Matthew raised his fist to attack him. "YOU LYING PIECE OF-" Before Matthew's punch could make contact, Michael caught his wrist. His cousin was shaking violently as Michael restrained him. Matthew looked down at the ground, the King noticing without much effort that the boy was as broken as Mr. Sartori was by this. Once Michael rose from his seat and lowered his cousin's arm, the boy threw himself at him and wept.

"He doesn't know anything" Michael consoled him. He brought Matthew over to the door and Madeline quickly opened it and pulled him out. Michael glared back at Mr. Sartori. "Even monsters have pain limits, Mr. Sartori."

"If I knew that was the plan, Your Grace, I swear I would have-"

"There is a place in hell reserved just for you, Raymond" the King declared. "But neither of us will be the one who sends you there. Look to your own sins before casting judgment." With that, Michael walked out of the interrogation room and found Madeline having taken up his role of consoling Matthew, who was losing himself to his grief.

"Of course you're going to see her again" the Lieutenant comforted the shaking younger Kingston. "We'll find her. I promise you, Matt."

"He doesn't know a thing" Michael lamented.

Madeline sighed. "I thought as much."

"What happens now?" Matthew asked, almost unable to let go of Madeline.

Madeline patted his back. "You need to let me do my job, Matt. We're launching the investigation into this immediately. In the morning, I'm gonna call you and your Mom down for a meeting. It will be a bit of explanations of how this works, what we know and how we'll be keeping you in the loop of anything we discover. But I need you to be strong. And don't do anything rash over the next few days, okay?" When Matthew nodded, she gave him an affectionate hug and released him. "Let me do my job, and we'll find her. I know we will." She then went off into another room to speak with an officer who would no doubt be leading the investigation.

Michael looked to Matthew and placed his hand on the broken boy's shoulders. "Officer Benson offered you a place to stay alongside your mother, but we agreed it'd be best if you went to the Pokémon League for a bit instead. Chris is coming to pick you up. He's going to bring you to where Giselle and Annette are. We've already contacted Jocelyn and Garret. The two are looking into booking the next flight back to Arcana." He tensed up as he knew what he was about to say could be misconstrued into something else. "I...I don't want you to be alone, Matt."

Fortunately, his cousin didn't seem to understand and nodded. "I don't want to be alone either."