Following a triumphant entrance into the secret excursion to Paldea, Lizzie bolted home after the meeting to ensure all of her things would be properly packed and ready for the departure. She hardly had the time to contemplate anything else, having found a resolve of ensuring Justin would remain her good friend and not go along anywhere that Bridgette might sway him away. She simply grabbed a suitcase and stuffed it in a rush as if the plane would be departing in an hour and not the few days reprieve she would have. Even Jazz the Umbreon was caught off guard by the speed with which she packed things and did his best to dodge being unintentionally packed alongside her clothes.

Lizzie was so enraptured by her packing that she failed to realize she had visitors until she could hear her Umbreon barking up at her. Hey! Lizzie! HEY HEY! LIZZIE! DID YA SEE?! WE'VE GOT VISITORS! LOADS OF 'EM! COME ON! LET'S SEE 'EM!

She cocked her head up and noticed Mark and Greta making themselves comfortable in her new home and business, with Greta cradling the newly hatched Fennekin she'd been raising and Mark looking around for any sign of her. She angrily closed her suitcase and jumped into the other room, with Jazz at her feet running up to see the newcomers for himself. The baby Fennekin burrowed her face into Greta's arms while Greta and Mark seemed happy to see her, despite Lizzie being in no mood to entertain.

"Hi, Lizzie" Greta remarked happily. "Did you see? The Egg you gave me hatched into a Fennekin!"

"Charming" Lizzie replied, hardly listening to whatever her friend's fiance had to say. "I wasn't expecting you guys over...at all."

"Well, we were in the neighborhood and Mark asked if we could stop and talk to the future Paldean bound heroine!"

Lizzie rolled her eyes. "You know?!"

"The whole of Arcana knows" Mark chuckled. "Amanda has been so excited she won't stop talking about it. Not to mention Justin already made a video on his vlog about the departure. Calling it the next big step on his adventure to adulthood." He shook his head admiringly. "Man, what I wouldn't give for that youth back."

"You've had plenty of time for youth" his fiancé teased. "We've got a baby Fennekin to raise."

"As long as we aren't talking any human babies, I'm fine with that for now."

"Should I be more to the point?" Lizzie growled. "What are you doing here?'

"Can't we come visit our friend?" Greta complained. "Sheesh, you act as if we're still fighting those monstrous clones Mewtwo made."

Mark gave Lizzie the same look he usually gave her when he was concerned and ready to give one of the many big brother speeches he often gave her since they became friends so many years earlier. She was not looking forward to another lecture from him, having outgrown them since transcending into womanhood. Yet here he was, as if she was the same little girl he coddled and coached into being a good trainer in Hoenn after Michael abandoned them to go back into a secluded exile away from them. "We need to talk, Liz."

"Can't it wait? I've got packing to do."

"You'll have to put it off, because I'm not leaving until I say my piece" he warned. As Lizzie left back into her room with Jazz at her heels, Mark followed her. "Lizzie, I've known you for more than half of my life. Ever since Mike and I met you back when we were in Mauville City. I know what you can handle, what you can understand and what you are capable of. You are one of the finest trainers and breeders I've ever had the honor of knowing. But there are some things you've never experienced and I don't think you're prepared to face yet."

"Tell me what I'm supposed to be incapable of dealing with" she snapped. "It's just an excursion to Paldea to help watch over the kids."

"And specifically you guarding Justin" Mark replied slyly.

"And?"

Mark sighed. "I don't want to put you in this situation, but you're really backing me into a corner."

"What situation?"

Her old friend took a long breath and used every second to collect his thoughts and present them in a way he knew she could understood. Despite Lizzie knowing he was probably right, it didn't sit well with her that all these years later, he was still trying to protect her. "Lizzie, Justin is the last member of the Jacques Family. The last who can legally carry on the name without another of Arcana's Thirteen Families going extinct. There are things he's going to be expected to do. Some things I don't think you fully comprehend."

"They already talked about Justin being a diplomat" Lizzie replied. "I can handle that. I don't see why they're making Bridgette-"

"He's also going to have to continue his family line in some way." He looked desperately to her as if she would understand where he was going. When she didn't take the bait, he cursed underneath his breath and pressed on. "He has to marry and have children."

Lizzie raised an eyebrow at this. "And? What's the issue?"

"The issue being that you've on several occasions flat out insisted you do not want nor have any plans on settling down and having children."

Lizzie's jaw dropped. "What makes you think that-"

"Michael already told me about how insistent you were in being involved on this trip to Paldea" her friend reminded her. "And Bridgette also took note of-"

"What's her issue?!" Lizzie pouted. "She keeps butting in on the good times Justin and I are having together!"

"Bridgette isn't the one who has an issue here, Lizzie, and you know it. She has done nothing to antagonize you since coming back to Arcana, yet you're treating her as if she was related to Hunter or something."

"She's trying to be friends with Justin! And Justin even asked if he-"

"Did you forget that this is the first time Bridgette has been back in Arcana in five years?! That she came back only to find Malcolm and Cameron are gone and Michael and Chris struggling to put the pieces back together? Lizzie, she's trying to get reacclimated to a region and friends she abandoned and found someone who was genuinely nice and she never wronged before. It's only natural for the two to become friends, especially considering she can mentor him in becoming a diplomat in Paldea. This is important for Justin, Lizzie."

"And what if-"

"If anything happens for Justin's romantic life, that's entirely for him to handle on his own. Be it with anyone in Arcana or anyone he may meet in Paldea. He is an eligible bachelor and I suspect a lot of people will want to meet him at the very least."

Lizzie folded herself into a huff. "What makes you think I was going to say something about his love life?"

"Because I know you, Lizzie" Mark reiterated. "I've known you for most of your life. I know what you can handle and what you can endure. But this is encroaching on new territory for you. Not only will you be in a new region without me or Mike for the first time, but you'll be taking on new and difficult tasks you've never come across before. And I don't want to see you get hurt."

"You think I can't handle myself out there?"

"Don't twist my words. I'm warning you that this trip to Paldea is probably going to take everyone in directions you've all never gone before. Justin included. Justin has to be prepared for that and I suspect he will be, because he knows he's the heir to the Jacques Family. But if you continue down the path you're going down, you're not going to like what lies at the end of the road. Justin will choose to get married and advance himself, even if it's just to ensure Michael that his family won't be going rogue like they did when Claude was calling the shots. The paths you both walk may be parallel, but they won't intersect beyond this point. And just because they won't, that doesn't mean you two will stop being friends or anything. It just means that he has to prioritize things differently. The same way you will when you postpone your business's opening." He looked around Lizzie's room. "Which reminds me, when will you be opening your business now that you're set to go to Paldea?"

Lizzie shoved a pile of clothes into her suitcase as she let Mark talk. "Probably when I get back. No one said when we were coming back, though I suspect it will be in about a month or two."

"Who's going to watch your house while you're gone?" Mark asked her. "Have you thought any of these things through?"

Lizzie shrugged. "I highly doubt someone will come in and steal things. I've postponed all of my meetings with other businesses since I got the greenlight from Michael. So nothing will get delivered while I'm gone. And I've got state of the art security systems to make sure no one will break in. Worst case scenario, I know you and the King won't so easily let my things get stolen."

Mark grunted in defeat and folded his arms. "Count your blessings that Jirachi is in the Celestial Plains now."

"Which frees me to do the things I love until I bring Kyle to the Shrine in ten years" Lizzie concluded. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a lot to pack for this trip."

Mark shook his head. "Fine. We'll be going. We still have some things we plan on getting to help spruce up Charizark Town's Gym now that I'm going to be the new Gym Leader. But I want you to promise me something, Liz. Liz, look at me."

She finally raised her head and made eye contact with him, seeing how serious he was. "Yes?"

"Your mission is to protect Justin and follow Billy's orders while you're in Paldea, right?"

"Yes?"

"Just promise me you won't lose sight of that" Mark asked. "I know how stimulating a new region can be. But I also know how seriously you take your promises to me and to Michael. And I know he wouldn't have let you go if he didn't trust you to follow as he instructed. So you will protect Justin and follow Billy?"

"Sheesh, when will you ever not treat me like a child?"

Mark smiled sadly. "Liz, I haven't seen my own family in what feels like ages. In all honesty, you and Michael are more my family than my own siblings are. So when I see you both going through things, I want to help you get through them to the best of your ability and make sure you both don't go over your limits. I kinda failed when it comes to Michael. But I don't want to do that with you. So please, Lizzie. Be careful when you're there. I won't be there to bail you out of any trouble this time."

She nodded. "I promise, Mark." With that affirmation, Mark departed and began to talk to Greta about the rest of their plans for the day, leaving Lizzie free to pack her things. As she did, she looked at her Umbreon, who was cocking his head in confusion at her. "What's up, Jazz?"

Did Mister Mark say we'll be in trouble in Paldea?

She pet him on his head and scratched behind his ears. "Mister Mark just worries too much. We can handle anything Paldea throws at us." She then continued flinging clothes into her bag, hoping the hours counted down much faster than she feared they would. Paldea would bring her to a new adventure, new discoveries and hopefully a new position with Justin. Recalling how she had panicked him the last time they had some time together, she realized she would have to fix that before she let Bridgette waltz her way in-between their friendship.

{}

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU HAVEN'T PROPOSED YET?!" Jenna Kingston shrieked as she and her brother met later that day.

Billy let out a beleaguered sigh as his sister was close to making a spectacle of herself in the middle of a restaurant in Pocus Town. He had invited his sister out to lunch to keep her in the loop about the plans for the trip to Paldea, only for his sister to become more hyper focused on the upcoming engagement between her brother and Amanda, with whom she had become extremely close to the past several weeks. "Would you keep your voice down? Do you want the entire kingdom to hear you?"

Jenna looked around and found few, if any, paying attention to their conversation. It did pay, sometimes, to be one of the lesser-known members of the Kingston family. Billy knew he could hardly have expected such privacy if he had been Jon and Maddy, Chris and one of his stepsisters or Michael and his own sister dining together. "Do you think these people care? Besides, they're not the one who's been shuffling his feet on the matter."

"I've been fighting my damnedest trying to get the right moment to propose to her" Billy whispered hoarsely. "It hasn't been easy, what with the whole news of the trip to Paldea and the Master Cup Finals to worry about."

"Are you having doubts?"

Billy looked aghast. "How could you even say that? How many other girls have there been to make me feel like this? No. There is only one for me. And that's Amanda."

"Why does this have to be such a perfect proposal?" his sister went on. "No one in our family has nailed the proposal thing well in the slightest. Michael and Julia were on the verge of a breakup before Michael asked her. Chris and Piper just randomly decided to get married. Jon and Annie had been betrothed since birth. Why does this sense of perfection matter when you and I both know all she wants is you?"

"You wouldn't understand, Jenn" he explained. "You weren't the one worrying about her for months on end after the Syndicate abducted her. You weren't the one who was afraid he would never see her again." The memories of those times were some Billy would gladly forget. Not only was he constantly on edge over his fears, but to even reach the point where they would be together again cost him and his family a great deal. Hundreds died in the War with Claude, in the brutal fight with Mewtwo's Clone Army and lives were irreparably damaged before he got to hold Amanda again. His own father perished in the battle. Not to mention his Uncle Byron, Big Mike, Olivia Novren and his cousin Cameron. Jon was crippled in the fighting, never to walk or father more children than his newborn son Teddy. The world was, several months later, still slowly recovering to some form of normality.

"I know how worried you were about her. sweetie" she spoke, much more softly than before. "But that's precisely why I thought you'd just want to propose and get it over with. You both know how much you love each other. Why try to outdo a standard that doesn't really exist?" She patted her brother's hand. "Billy, I just want you to be happy."

"I know you do, Sis" Billy replied. "And I know I'm going to ask her to marry me as soon as possible. The only issue is going to be getting her to sit down and listen long enough. The one thing that can eclipse her interest in me is her interest in Pokémon discoveries. And a whole new region means it will be a whole new set of Pokémon for her to study."

"She knows she's only going as a chaperone, right?"

Billy chuckled. "I'm certain she'll be able to research and keep Morgan out of trouble. Morgan is a good kid. At least I know she won't get into any trouble like Tommy will."

"Before we lose track" Jenna continued, "I just want you to know that Amanda and I have talked at length about your proposal, or lack thereof."

"Why do you have a say in it?"

Now, it was his sister's turn to giggle. "You didn't actually think I would let my baby brother date anyone without vetting them, did you? Luckily for you, Amanda matches all of the criteria I have for someone you can marry and bring into the family."

"I didn't think you inherited that much meddling from Grandma" Billy teased.

"She and I have spoken about it for some time since she returned" Jenna revealed. "And she has been dying to hear those four words from you. The one any girlfriend would swoon upon hearing, especially from a guy like you. And considering you and I both know the answer she will give when you do, I suggest you stop trying to make the perfect romantic situation and just get a moment to ask her."

"The moment is fleeting" Billy countered. "Like I said, it's gonna take a miracle to ger her to settle down with dozens of new Pokémon for her to study."

"What miracle would that be?"

"How should I know? I'm not a mind reader. And I'm far from the smartest Kingston out there."

Jenna smiled. "No, but you are one of the best. Probably right behind Michael, if we're being honest. In some ways, you're better than him. And Amanda sees it." She sighed. "It's gonna be strange not having either of you around for a long time. But I hope it means that we're due for some peace and quiet for once. No tournaments to plan, no more battles to fight. Let us rebuild the world for the next generation to not screw up." She thought for a moment. "Incidentally, I was talking with Annie the other day. Did you know how messed up the line of succession is?"

"Succession to what?"

"The throne?!"

Billy laughed heartily. "Come on, Jenna. You think I'd actually want to be King? If Michael's as miserable as he is, do you think I'd want to follow that?"

"No, but someone should recommend to Michael that he change the rules. How is it that every male in the family has the opportunity to become the ruler before the female? How is that in any way egalitarian?"

"Jenna, should we be concerned about you wanting to be Queen?"

She shook her head. "Billy, you're not listening. What happens down the line if someone succeeds Michael and isn't as good as another potential heir?"

"I'm fairly certain Michael won't want the monarchy to continue after he dies. James and Arya will be spared the potential conflict of clashing for the throne. Honestly, Jenna, you worry too much about some things. This is something that will not be a problem for years and years down the line. So long as you do your job as Michael's health proxy and keep him living long enough, it won't matter who succeeds who. If anything, the monarchy ends when he dies and thus we go back to the way things were before they reinstated it to unite Arcana against Mewtwo."

Jenna patted her brother's hand again. "Keep that good natured attitude, Billy. It will help in your marriage to Amanda should you ever actually propose."

{}

Matthew could do little but admire his girlfriend as she went on a press tour on her first true day as Champion of the Pokémon League. He stood behind the stage watching as she glowed brilliantly and happily spoke in conversation with both Dylan and Amber of ArcNet News about her rapid ascension to the role that had once been a Kingston powerhouse for a good fifty or so years, dating back to when his grandfather assumed control of the Pokémon League. This felt like a role Annette was born to do, as she shined in the limelight and gave thought provoking and genuinely heartfelt answers to all the questions she was asked. It allowed him to relax for a brief moment and take stock of the situation.

Arcana was finally at peace, at least for now. Annette would take over where his brother and Michael had once reigned while he and Giselle would help her however they could. Michael was set to rule Arcana as it's King for however long he had left in him and Addison would be going off on her journey to hopefully find Ryan and bring him home. Jocelyn was back in his life and he had a wonderful mother and sweet baby sister to look after. Though the world would never be the same as it had been before he had set out from Parlor Town as a young boy, this was the first time he could safely say it didn't have to. If this was the new normal, he could happily live with it.

At least, save for the one issue that was still bogging him down. Giselle's words from earlier that morning still rang in his ears. They're never going to forget, Matt. No matter how many good deeds you do or people you save or even if you get the forgiveness of those you truly wronged. He had known, pretty much since his defeat at the hands of Ryan and Addison on Mt. Heatmor, just how gruesome his actions had been. In some ways, he had always known, but was too proud or stubborn to accept any guilt. But the full extent of how truly despicable his actions were did not fully sink in until he lost everything in that battle with his brother and best friend. It was in the pit his brother's Sandslash had burrowed and soon trapped him in that he came to terms with just how far he had fallen. He had broken the strong bonds between the trio and poisoned any chances they would have of being best friends again. He had lost his Pokémon, his family, his position in the Syndicate and expected to lose either his freedom or his life once the battle ended.

The universe, or Arceus, seemed to have other plans for him, as he was yanked out of the burrow by Jocelyn and dragged off into exile in Johto by her. It was in Johto and later Mirage Island that Matthew struggled to figure out what he was meant to do. He knew only about having power and how to accrue it, which led to his failed attempts to run at the Johto League and later conspiring with Claude to get a rematch with Ryan to hopefully get out of his twin's shadow and be free of the shame. The only person he had in that time was Jocelyn. She never let him go over his head as her father might have. She never let him get too power hungry and while she would be strict and firm, he always knew it was from a place of sincerity. And he still tried to betray her to fulfill his misguided desire for revenge. That quest was derailed several times, first by an unexpected encounter and subsequent thrashing at the hands of Michael and later by Ryan in their rematch. But instead of abandoning him, Jocelyn kept following him and urging him to think better and stop craving power above all else.

Losing Jocelyn to Mewtwo's wrath had only hardened him further. He was in an uneasy alliance with the people he had once called friends and family and found himself often directionless and without goals. He knew what he desired: the same things he always had. Power, Adoration, Revenge and Addison. But he also knew that gaining those things would do nothing for him. So, when given the opportunity to gain all of these things, he chose not to. He had the opportunity to gain power by asking Arceus for a gift, having assumed guardianship of Shaymin after Ryan died and chose instead to help Addison in her quest to become the White Mage. He had the chance to win back Jasmine Augustine's love and adoration on numerous occasions and instead doubled down his intent to do his duty to his friends and family. He at one point had two pistols to Hunter Baston's head and could have killed the man who had so callously murdered his brother, but chose not to follow Hunter's murderous path. And Addison, in her greatest moment of weakness, threw herself at him in a desperate attempt to flee from her responsibilities and whispering the words he'd dreamed of hearing his entire life, only for Matthew to know at that point she needed to be reminded of what was at stake and he declined her affection, a move that still haunts him to this day.

Once Mewtwo was dealt with and his clones destroyed, Matthew finally got the four things he had always wanted, but not in the ways he had initially intended. Sure, he had lost Addison in a romantic sense, but the two were about as close as they had ever been, with both happily insisting they were best friends through and through, mirroring Ryan's own friendship with Holly Queensbury. His desire for revenge had been quelled, with Mewtwo and his flunkies dealt with (albeit at great cost) and the Kingston Family back in order as full as it could be. The adoration that could have been bestowed upon Jasmine or Addison was now fully in the hands of the Champion of his region and his heart, Annette Fiveroux. And through Annette, he also had power as a member of her Elite Four, being one of the four most powerful trainers who would help her patrol and protect Arcana from the rogue criminal gangs and any remnants of the Syndicate while also helping his cousin Michael preserve peace. He had it all. So why did he feel so undeserving when in Annette's presence? Why was he still being haunted by his past? Was there no escaping it?

Giselle had said as much, given she herself endures the same odd looks from time to time. The woman who had caused so much strife and suffering. The woman who was blamed for the death of Jane Kingston, the tyranny inflicted upon Arcana and what befell Michael. She had endured it for nearly seventeen years to this point. How was he struggling to endure it for just three?

What am I saying? Giselle's wrong here. She has to be. She's just too suspicious for her own good. I'll have to convince Annette to keep her on a tight leash. We don't need her turning on us or anything.

He and Annette made eye contact while Dylan and Amber entered one of their many boisterous debates that he knew all too well would end in a passionate make out session once the camera stopped rolling. Annette playfully tapped her heart with her hand and Matthew echoed her movements. He watched her admiringly as she tried in earnest to stop any argument between the co-anchors from becoming violent. He would have went out onto the set to help, had a sudden appearance by a man not startled him so.

The man looked to be old, perhaps near his Uncle Doug in age. He was tall and burly with bushy eyebrows and hair that made it seem as though he had seen many winters. His eyes looked pained, as if he had endured a torturous lifetime, but with a flicker of feral anger. The look of the man unnerved even a normally sturdy Matthew.

"You must really love her if you'd admire her from afar like this" the man spoke, his voice dripping with a dark sense of macabre.

Matthew tried to play off his nerves. "Ye-yeah. I have grown attached to her. She's amazing. And I know she'll be a great Champion of Arcana."

"Her heart shines bright" the man answered, the tone of his voice as dreary as he looked. "It's a shame she's chosen such a...dark place for it's home."

Matthew looked defiantly at the man. "What's that supposed to mean?"

The man did not take his eyes off of Annette in her chair. "She is a beacon of hope for Arcana. A chance for the new generation to rewrite the mistakes of the older ones. She reminds me of someone I knew long ago. A girl who wanted to be the best Pokémon Trainer the world had ever seen."

Matthew simply turned his back to the man. "Well, I'll make sure she reaches those goals and stays on that throne."

"My daughter, Lila" the man continued, not caring if Matthew gave him his attention or not, "she was to be the very best. We sent her out on her own with her Dedenne and watched with pride as she cut through Arcana's Gym Leaders. The kind of joy only a parent could have for their child's dreams to come true before their very eyes. I knew no better days than those ones." Now his attention turned towards Matthew and his mood shifted. Matthew was caught off guard by the man's sudden straightening of his back and standing over the boy as if to tower over him. "And do you know what happened to her?"

Matthew took a step back. "Uh, are you okay? Would you mind backing off?"

"Do you know what happened to my Lila?" he growled.

"I didn't even know a Lila."

The man's face darkened. "Oh yes you do. Think back, boy."

"What are you talking about, dude?"

"You honestly think you can parade yourself around like some hero, with all of the evil you've inflicted upon the world?" The man stepped forward, prompting Matthew to draw back. "You're no hero, Matthew Kingston. You're nothing but a sham. A monster in the guise of a mortal man."

"I'm not that guy, anymore" he insisted.

"You think just doing some good deeds washes away your sins?" the man snarled, his tone becoming almost like that of a raging wild animal. "How you helped the Syndicate abduct people for that mad man's experiments? How you betrayed the very family you swore to serve...the Champion you adored...the friends you claimed to love. How you tore apart families with that bastard Elezar Aced, taking children from their parents, partners from their spouses...all in the name of that twisted beast you served."

Matthew found himself backed against the wall. "I did not do anything to-"

"Lila was taken from me. Given over to that madman, Cassius Sinclair. Tortured, experimented on, treated like a Lab Ratatta...and then simply cast aside like broken piece of furniture when she...when she died...from what that man did to her." He was shaking at this, the man overcome by grief and pain the likes of which Matthew could never truly fathom. "My girl never got a proper burial...and her killers were never brought to justice..."

"Cassius Sinclair is dead. Elezar and all of the others are gone or imprisoned. I am sorry for your loss. I really am. But I did not hurt your daughter."

"No...but you let it happen...just like you let it happen to Ronald Jacoby, to Ned Tylett, to Tyson Regal...to all of the those who never got their chance to live their lives. You stood by and let those monsters hurt children...babies...people who could have been twice the boy I see standing before me now. Why do their parents have to grieve? Why do their families have to suffer? Why do I have to go to a place in the forest where my Lila's body was dumped like a piece of trash to mourn, when you get to draw breath?" He grabbed Matthew by the scruff of his shirt. "You ruined my life, boy! I have nothing now."

"Let go of me" Matthew replied.

"Or what?" When Matthew was too shocked to respond, the man continued. "I will hurt you for this. A day will come, when you're at your most vulnerable. And I will make sure you live to regret the hurt you've inflicted on so many others." He made a threatening glance back towards Annette. "Look to your sins, boy! And make sure no one is in the crossfire when I come for you!" He seemed like he was about to strike Matthew, when his arm was caught by another man.

Matthew thought he had seen him before. Perhaps at one of the Royal Galas or something. He was a member of the Arcana Police Force, based on his uniform. He was clean shaven, had straight brown hair underneath his police cap and steely gray eyes. He looked at the situation with a grim sense of determination. Almost as if he had been expecting this kind of thing to happen.

"Alright, Mr. Sartori" the officer replied. "I think you've said enough to this boy. Release him!" Mr. Sartori released his grip on Matthew's shirt and Matthew was able to take a moment to collect himself as the officer's backup arrived. "Take Mr. Sartori down to the precinct. I'm sure Lieutenant Madeline will be happy to hear him making threats against a member of the Elite Four." As the men dragged Mr. Sartori away, the officer turned to address Matthew more professionally. "My apologies for that display, son. Mr. Sartori has been causing a bit of trouble for a while."

"Is he okay?" Matthew asked.

"Would you be if your world was set ablaze?" the officer rhetorically asked before shaking his head. "We'll be putting him on probation for this, that's for sure. We don't take threats seriously. Least of all those made against-"

"Thanks" Matthew replied, his mood dampened considerably by the words said to him by this man he'd never known, "but I don't want any extra protection."

"You may not now, but you may in the future" the officer warned. He cleared his throat and took on a more friendly approach to the conversation. "It's been some time since we last met, Mr. Kingston. Hope all has been well?"

Matthew blinked. Was he supposed to know this man? "Uh, I'm sorry?"

"Forgive me. We were never properly introduced. I fought alongside you and your family at the Battle of the Crag Hills. Sergeant Richard Benson." He offered the boy a hand to shake and Matthew complied. "I served under Chief Byron for many years. I took a wound during the battle and your cousin Lady Jenna and your mother Lady Alison both nursed me back to health."

"Thank you for your service" Matthew responded. "I hope the King accommodated you for your devotion to Arcana."

"He certainly did" Richard laughed. "His Grace covered my medical expenses and got me back up and working again in a matter of weeks. I owe that man a great deal. Not just him, your whole family have done Arcana a great service in protecting us from Mewtwo and the Syndicate. And Lady Alison has also been very helpful in her own way." He then gave Matthew a salute. "I hope that we can meet again soon, my boy." He then continued after his men as they hauled Mr. Sartori off to the precinct.

"What was that all about?" a voice called. Giselle approached the situation, having finally returned from indulging herself in the green room and eyed Matthew curiously. "Don't tell me you still don't know how to make friends all these years into your life?"

Matthew stared in the direction of where Mr. Sartori had been hauled off, unable to get his hateful expressions and verbal onslaught of his character out of his mind. His actions indeed had damning consequences. More than he could have imagined. Mr. Sartori's daughter, the other children he mentioned, lest he forget what happened to Holly and Addison. He looked at his hands and frowned deeply. Giselle had been right, after all. The dark past he had been fighting to avoid would be haunting him for a long time to come.

He must have looked bad on the outside as well, as Giselle came up to his side. "Hey? You okay?"

Matthew shook his head. "No. No I'm not."

Giselle nodded. "Take some time. I'll keep an eye on the Champ."

"Tell Annette to meet me at Teller's Ice Cream Shoppe when the day's up" Matthew replied solemnly, feeling like he was going to be sick. He stumbled his way out of ArcNet Studios main set and ran off on his own.

{}

Knowing she needed as much time with her beloved godson as possible before they would leave for Paldea, Bridgette volunteered to fill in for Lady Erin that evening as a babysitter for the young Prince James Kingston. While she had only been in the future king's life for but a brief few days, James had seemed to take a shining to her. She had been warned by the baby's grandmother that he could be fussy to newcomers and had a penchant for being difficult for people who weren't his mother or father and had been prepared to deal with such a child. And yet, James seemed to be quite taken by her, smiling up at her and giggling constantly in her presence. It made Bridgette wonder if Lady Erin ever would be treated like a true grandmother to Michael's children.

The surfer girl sat in a rocking chair in the nursery that James had shared with Arya since his birth but was soon to become his own room as Arya was moving rooms to one beside her newest "bestest friend" in her adopted older brother, Olivia's son whom everyone called Little Michael. Sora and Celina remained in cribs besides their parents bedroom in the Royal Chambers, despite many loyal servants offering to tend to the children at night so the fatigued royals could get some much-needed rest. James would be able to fill his room with toys and anything his tiny, joyful heart wanted. Now though, his only concern was wondering how the colored rings on his toy tasted, mouthing on one while making casual glances towards his babysitter and giggling.

Bridgette would wave her fingers at him and giggle back while admiring the boy. She had to admit that the King and Queen made gorgeous babies. Arya was the spitting image of her mother, yet she could tell the girl had her father's soulful eyes, the ones that would have no problem piercing the hearts of those who she would befriend. James would have those traits as well, she could tell. And knowing how the girls used to follow Michael in his youth, his son could only have endless waves of them following him in the future. Even Sora and Celina, she expected, would grow into fine and lovely young people that modeled their personalities, ideals and devotion to others after their parents. They were the perfect royal family for Arcanan's to gawk at while they tried tirelessly to fix the region's many problems. Though the villains and scoundrels of the past were gone, that did not mean that trouble was out of the way forever. And Arcana would require their leadership as long as they were able to do so.

James dropped the teething ring he had been gnawing on and tried to push himself up to his stubby little feet. Bridgette leaned forward in the chair, determined to catch him if he fell. But the persistent young prince managed to stand up on his own and looked around for something until his eyes locked with hers. He held out his arms to her and Bridgette scooped her godson into her arms and sat back with him in the rocking chair.

"You are just as sweet as Pecha Berries, you know that?"

"A-GAH!" James babbled before patting her shoulder lovingly.

"I bet you do know" she teased, playfully rubbing her nose on his. "One day, James, you're going to become the man that dwarfs even your father in kindness and nobility."

James gawked at her as if he understood every word she said before laughing and hugging his aunt. She gently pushed her feet back and let the chair rock James into comfort. She guessed she would succeed in putting the boy to sleep. That is, until the doors opened and a grumpy little princess was being led into the nursery by her older brother.

"NO! NO! NO!" Arya yelled, her long black hair flailing alongside her as she shook angrily. "ARRY NO BATH!"

"Daddy said you had to!" Little Michael insisted, tightly gripping Arya's hand as they entered the room. The boy looked up to Bridgette for help. "Miss Aunt Bridgette! Can you help me?"

She sighed. "Of course." She looked down and noticed James was beginning to fall asleep, which would make the rest of her evening much easier if he did. While Little Michael struggled to keep Arya from sprinting off into freedom, she brought James over to his crib and gently lowered her beloved godson and the heir to the throne until his body was nestled in his blankets. James let out a final yawn before succumbing to slumber, just as the two siblings were about to begin a fight. Bridgette made her way over to break the two up.

The Princess was not having any of it. "NO BATH! PRINCESS ARRY IS CLEAN!"

"Dad said you have to, Arry" her older brother pleaded.

Bridgette leaned down in front of Arya. "Arry, you have to take a bath before you go to bed. Do you know what happens if you don't?" She looked towards the door to ensure no one would hear the little fib she was about to tell the girl. "The dust bunearys come out."

Arya cocked her head. "Dust Buneary?"

Bridgette nodded with a wry smile on her face. "Oh yes. They hide under your beds and wait around until little kids refuse to take their baths. Then they come and bring you down under the bed. And then you'll never be seen again."

The Princess's defiance fell from her instantaneously. Her eyes widened in genuine terror as she realized it could be true. "NO! NO! NOOOOOOOOO!" She flung her arms around Bridgette and burrowed herself into her sweatshirt. "DON'T LET THEM GET ME! PLEASE!"

"That's why you have to take baths" she insisted to her niece, glancing down at Olivia's son. Though it had been some time since she had even spoken to the boy's late mother, she could see some elements of his mother inside of him. It was likely why Little Michael could sometimes unintentionally haunt his adopted father's thoughts for so long. "Sweetheart, why don't you turn on the water for Arya's bath? You'll be Aunt Bridgette's biggest little helper if you do."

Little Michael nodded and rushed into the Nursery's bathroom, turning on the water and initially struggling to find the plug until it finally began to prevent water from escaping down the drain, all while Bridgette comforted a terrified Arya. The boy returned a minute later and gave Bridgette a thumbs up. His eyes soon made their way to the corner of the room and he seemed to shrink slightly. "Uh, I tried to get Arry to bath, Dad."

Bridgette did not have to turn and see what was happening, as her niece ripped herself out of her arms and rushed past her and towards her father. "DADDY! PLEASE! NO BUNEARIES! PLEASE DADDY!"

"Bunearies?" Michael inquired. "What are you going on about, Arya?"

"I told your daughter what happens to little girls who don't take their baths" Bridgette told Michael as she looked up to see him. Michael was braced up against the doorframe, struggling to stand on his own without the use of his cane while Arya was begging to be soothed and coddled as she could only assume Michael always did his little girl.

"I'm sorry, Dad" Little Michael peered up sadly.

"Why would you be?" his father casually replied. "You got Arya to take a bath, son. You did better than both of your parents ever have." He patted Arya's back. "Come on, sweetie. You don't have to worry about it so long as you take your baths. Daddy won't let no Dust Bunearies get you." He gently pushed her towards her brother. "Now go with your brother and get ready for your bath. I'll be in to make sure you're taking it." Arya took her brother's hand and the two entered the bathroom, allowing Michael and Bridgette some time to chat.

"Fatherhood suits you" Bridgette admired. "It really does."

"Wish I had the energy I used to" Michael replied, slowly making his way towards the rocking chair and sitting down slowly. "I used it all hunting down Cassius and the Syndicate back in the day. Now I hardly have the energy to stand up on my own."

"But at least your kids see you every day. Some fathers are never around for their kids."

"Gee, where have I heard that before?" he joked rhetorically.

Bridgette looked over towards where her godson was somewhere between deep sleep and waking up in a moment. "He reminds me a lot of you, back when you were a little kid."

"He has my heart and Julia's retention" Michael explained stiffly. "Hoping that makes him a bit smarter a boy than I was."

"Smarts aren't everything. You had the biggest heart of all kids. That's something worth celebrating in my eyes." She walked over to his side and knelt beside where he was seated. "Aunt Jane used to tell me all of the sweet little things you did around the house for her. Helping Cameron work through a bad dream, teaching Chris how to clear a table, even all the little notes you used to write to her. She had them all saved in a book somewhere. I wish I knew where it was."

"I recall doing a few things for everyone back in the day" he replied contently.

"Didn't you pick that flower Dee used to wear during her Contest Queen days? A Tiger Lily, wasn't it?"

Michael nodded. "I guess Julia should be happy I was so dense back then, because Dee was basically glued to my hip a lot of the time we were together. Warren should be too, now that I think of it. If I had half the sense I do now, I think Deidre would have been the Queen instead." He then chuckled. "Sometimes it worked in reverse, though. What about the time you and Annie saved me from the girls at the Queen's Ball? Rebecca especially."

Bridgette shrugged. "Annie did most of the saving from all of those raging girl hormones. I just picked up where she left off. I did owe you a dance, though. And lots more after that one. You did save my life."

Michael sighed. "The Toymaker, you mean?"

"When you and I were snatched up in that machine, I lost my nerve immediately. But you kept me calm. You beat back the Toymaker and took down those mechanical Gyarados of his. You stepped up at a time when I should have. And the first thing you did once we had our chance was make sure I escaped first." She shook her head happily as all of the memories of their past flooded back to her. "I never want you to forget, Michael. That little boy may have grown up, but he is who you really are."

"I doubt I can-"

She wagged her finger playfully in his face. "No. You can. You have. Even in the face of everything in the world trying to beat you down, you still do acts of kindness every single day. For people you know and others you don't. You paid off Dee's massive debt. You housed hundreds of people during the war with Claude. You adopted Olivia's son, for Arceus's sake. You are still that little boy that brightened the room every time he walked in. The one I was convinced was going to be the greatest one to don his family's name."

"That would be my grandfather" Michael insisted.

Bridgette shook her head. "Your grandfather let Claude and Elezar's hatred boil over and cause unfathomable chaos on all of Arcana."

"But that wasn't-"

"Come on, Michael. You know I'm right."

Michael lowered his head at this. "When Mewtwo was destroyed, three spirits were sent down to collect his to await judgment. One was Tiberius Wong, the cloner from Kanto. One was Balthazar Aced. And the last was my grandfather. And he said to me how sorry he was I shouldered all of this. But how could it have been his fault?"

Bridgette held out her hand. "Do you want the real answer?"

"I figured you'd give me the honest one" he replied, letting Bridgette pull him back to his feet. He wobbled for a bit, but Bridgette held him in his place until he knew he could stand still.

"You shouldered all of the world's problems when you should have just been allowed to grow up and live a normal life" Bridgette explained, gently grasping his hand while her other reached up and playfully tussled his hair. "I know what happened. What Countess Rosemary and James knew about you. Addison filled me in. They knew what was going to happen and did nothing to stop it. You lost so much in life. We lost so much of you in our lives. And no amount of apologies or words can ever make up for that." Her hand fell onto his cheek. "Not even from him."

Michael tried to shake off the notion. "Someone had to-"

"Shoulder it all?" she replied bluntly. "No. We should have helped you. I should have. If we didn't all have our heads in the clouds, we'd have seen all the pressure we were putting on you. None of us are innocent. Least of all me."

"I've told you-"

"That doesn't stop it from being true." She lowered her head. "Malcolm saw it, too. He knew you were stressing. He tried to get everyone to give you a chance to rest. But we kept acting like you could keep going on forever. All to make sure our world didn't change. And look how well that turned out. If Robert's son hadn't stepped up when he did, I might not have had a you to come back for. Which is a part of the reason why I want to help Addison find him as much as I do. Ryan Kingston must have been an amazing boy if he gets so many comparisons to you."

Michael smiled faintly. "That kid was like a son to me. But I don't think I can believe in miracles anymore, Bridge. My heart is too broken."

Bridgette echoed his smile. "Then all you need to do is trust in Addison. If anyone can find that miracle and bring it out to the forefront, wouldn't it be the girl who destroyed Mewtwo?"

The King looked ashamed. "She's been through enough, already. I don't want her to-"

Bridgette wrapped her arms around one of her closest friends in the world. "This is one responsibility you can't take from her. If Addison is going to find him, she's going to need our faith and our love. I can give her more than enough in person. But she's going to need people at home to believe in her."

"I think I can do that much."

"That's good" Bridgette exhaled, resting her head on his chest. "I'm coming back, you know. I'm not done with you guys yet. You, Julia, Chris, my beloved godson. all of you. So you can keep trying to be the tough guy who shoulders it all for the people of Arcana. But when I'm home, I want you to tell me these things. To know that you don't have to be strong around me. To show me that the little boy I adored is still here. The one I taught how to make pizza. The one I taught how to surf. The one I know in my heart is somewhere inside of you."

Michael nodded. "I'll try to remember."

She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. "And I promise you I will."