With most of their friends gone from Arcana on their own journeys abroad, Matthew and Annette soon found things becoming very quiet and tame back in Arcana. Their normal morning patrols with Giselle were getting done faster and without much hassle now that order was being restored to the region bit by bit and thus leaving everyone with a bit more leisure time. Giselle would spend her time with her boyfriend Atticus Waters and his daughter Alexis, as the trio were now shopping for a place they could all call home instead of Giselle constantly living at the Pokémon League HQ and Atticus in his one-bedroom apartment in Terra Town. And with Chris on his honeymoon and Jeremy escorting Holly and Jasmine to Kalos for some Pokémon Contests, this left Matthew and Annette with a great deal of time to each other.

While Annette was still an extremely popular girl, getting hounded for autographs and photograph experiences, she was seemingly eager to cut down on public appearances for the time being to get some time with Matthew, which he greatly appreciated. After all, the League wasn't going to reopen for a while and Annette and Giselle still had to figure out who would be assuming control of the remaining gyms, primarily the Trickton Gym which Shannon had stepped away from amid the revelation of a potential family scandal, and Cauldro City's Gym, which Jon felt he could no longer properly take part in confined to a wheelchair. Things weren't going to be changing anytime soon, so why do all of these big events when they could use some rest and relaxation time of their own.

Which was heaven sent news to Matthew, because he hadn't felt more alone in his life in a long time. His support system, though not exactly a fierce and permanent one he'd always had, was stretched far and wide across Arcana and the rest of the world. Most of his friends were off on their own things, his mother was often away on dates with a new boyfriend, Jocelyn and Garret would either be in court or off with one another, Michael and Julia were still recovering from their strenuous physical trials and Annette was often cancelling on him to focus on the events she took part in as the region's Champion. He was left on his own and his thoughts were not bright or happy. Only Kayleigh provided him with any bit of warmth and affection.

Fortunately, Annette seemed eager to rectify this, so while Alison was out on yet another date and Matthew was left responsible for Kayleigh, Annette convinced him to have the three of them go out on a picnic and let Kayleigh play on the playground in town. Which they did. They made sandwiches, brought all of their things to Parlor Town Park, ate their meals and let Kayleigh run around on the playground, bouncing on the spring Ponyta, sliding down slides and swinging and laughing like a toddler should.

This gave the young couple the chance for Matthew to tell her what happened the other day at ArcNet Studios, when Matthew was confronted by the father of a child who had lost her life to the Syndicate. He recalled how Mr. Sartori had blamed him for what had happened to his daughter and the serious threat he'd made to avenge her, including a veil threat against Annette's life.

"I would have said something sooner, but I didn't want to take anything away from you" Matthew explained as Annette sat by his side, her head resting on his shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her. "The last thing I want is to put more on your shoulders."

"And you think it helps by putting more on yours?" she asked him sadly.

Matthew shook his head. "You don't understand, Annette."

"Then help me to" she insisted. "I've heard stories about what you were like in those days, Matty. I don't ever want to see that side of you. It scares me to even think about."

Matthew's scowl remained. "I wish I could assure you it would never come. Things were a lot less worrisome when the fate of the world hinged on stuff. Now, all that's left is a reminder of what I was and what I did." He lowered his head. "All those people who lost their children. The friends I betrayed and hurt. Jasmine, Holly, Addison, my own brother. Even my father got caught up in what I did. Maybe I do deserve some of what Mr. Sartori said I do."

Annette playfully slapped his stomach. "Stop that. If Mr. Sartori or whoever he was saw the real you, he'd know that part of you is dead and buried. If Holly and Addison could forgive you, then there's no reason for anyone else to hold grudges."

"How can I say I've atoned for what I did" he asked sadly. "When all of these people still-"

"Not everyone gets their chance to be forgiven. Not everyone gets what they want in life. If you want to think of life giving you a second chance as a blessing, then you accept it. If you want to think of it as a curse, then you live with it. But the Matty that I've known since waking up on Mirage Island and coming back to kick clone butt is definitely not the one who would have hurt those kids in the pursuit of his own self-aggrandizement."

"It's been hard the last few days. Having no one to talk to about this except my toddler sister."

Annette smiled up at him and pecked his cheek. "Isn't that why we're here, today? So I can affirm to you that I am here for you?" She closed her eyes and once more rested her head on him. "I am never too busy for you, Matt. Don't ever think I am. And don't think I can't take care of myself. I've got a very ticked off brother and Giselle both trying to dig up all they can about this Sartori guy. But don't forget I'm the best trainer in Arcana. I can hold my own."

"That doesn't stop me from fearing" he admitted. "There were things out there that even Michael couldn't stop."

"And when I get into a situation I can't handle, I count on my friends to have my back. Surely you can count on us the same way we depend on you, right?"

Matthew sighed. "I guess."

"Don't just guess. Know. Know that you can count on us the same way we count on you."

He finally cracked a grin. "Okay. You win." He looked over to the playground and saw his little sister chasing a Wingull around the sandbox before it turned around and shot a Water Gun at her. She ducked and hid, but still giggled and prolonged her chase. "Be careful, Kayleigh. You don't want to get on a wild Pokémon's bad side."

"When do I get a Pokémon, Matty?" she asked as she scuttled her way over to her brother. Without waiting for his response, she happily leaped onto her brother's chest and hugged him tightly. But rather than allow Kayleigh to nudge her out completely, Annette simply brought the little girl into a group hug. Matthew initially feared Kayleigh would grumble about it, but she seemed placated to at least be a bit of a wedge between the young couple.

"When you're old enough" Matthew explained. "That's a long way away, little lady."

"I wish I could have one now" she grumbled.

"Do you know how to care for Pokémon?" Annette inquired. "It takes a whole lot of work."

"I can do it!" the girl insisted, but Matthew pulled her up into a kiss on the cheek.

"You can't even organize your plushie collection" Matthew teased. "You've got plenty of time to learn, Kayleigh. Enjoy these years without responsibility."

"Sponsatility?"

Annette happily hugged her, much to the toddler's dismay. "Close enough, Kayleigh."

"Net Net! No huggies!" The little girl finally began to squirm her way out of their group hug before running back over to her favorite slide and began to climb her way back up.

Annette sighed. "Guess I'm still not her favorite."

Matthew shrugged. "She'll always be very close to me. She used to do it all the time when Ryan would go out with Addy."

"I would never try to come between you two, though."

"Maybe when your brother and Jocelyn aren't entangled with one another, you can ask her how she buttered my sister up. I was afraid Kayleigh wouldn't really appreciate her, but I think Kayleigh always wanted a big sister." He kept his arm around Annette as she pondered his words. "Give her some time. She'll warm up to you when she realizes you care about her as well as love me."

"We've been dating for seven months" she lamented.

"And Addison was dating Ryan long before Kayleigh was born. Don't pressure kids to like you." He snickered at this. "It's probably why my mother hasn't introduced me to this new boyfriend of hers." He thought for a moment about who his mother's new boyfriend could possibly be, but didn't exactly have a strong idea as to who it could be. Jocelyn had met him, but she was extremely reluctant to fill him in on any details no matter how hard he pried. And his mother would not reply to any inquiries of his. Well, he would meet this mystery man whenever it was fated.

"Well, I imagine your mother is nervous about how you'd react."

Matthew blinked. "Me?"

Annette nodded. "You told me one of the only reasons you came back to Arcana at all was because of how Claude had your mother kidnapped. You even battled Ryan over her on Mirage Island, right?" When Matthew didn't respond, she pressed onward. "Matt, you have a quality that I adore about you, but others might be put off by. You care, like a lot. Not in an obsessive sense, but you do tend to be very protective of people you care about." She kissed his cheek and rested her head on his shoulder. "You took a Shadow Ball from Mewtwo for me, after all."

Matthew remained surprised. "I protect people because I-"

"I'm not saying it's bad" she insisted. "Matty, I adore that. But constantly having to be on edge over someone not trusting someone else they care about has got to be exhausting. I'd imagine even the King has some detractors in his inner circle. It's a quality you both share, I guess."

"I couldn't imagine anyone who would not like him, unless they're one of his enemies of course. Me, on the other hand-" Giselle's words about how the people would look at him, as well as Mr. Sartori's threats continued to ring in his ear. "-I'll just have to get used to it."

"What matters is how we feel about you" his girlfriend said softly. "Your mother loves you. Your sister loves you. Your friends and family love you. Hehehe. And I think your girlfriend is becoming quite fond of you herself." She patted his chest tenderly. "Don't get down on yourself. I need my right hand by my side through my first year as Champion. I trust Jeremy with my life, he is my best friend after all. And Giselle and Chris I know would never let me down. But I need you more than any of them, Matt. Because you do more than anyone of those guys...heck, more than anyone in my life besides maybe my brother. You keep me happy when I'm down, you calm me when I'm anxious or over-stimulated, you care about me more than you do yourself. But I can't help you if you're not taking care of yourself, too."

He smiled down at her. "I promise I won't get too down on myself."

"Oh yuck!" Kayleigh loudly grimaced as she observed them. "Just kiss alweady!"

Matthew glanced over at his sister. "I will. But first I gotta catch a little snoop!" He leaped off the bench and began to chase his sister playfully across the playground, with Annette laughing hysterically on the bench. After a few circuits around the jungle gym, he caught his sister, picked her up in his arms and began to give her belly farts. And as the comedic howling echoed all around him, drowning out the doubts and sinister voices in his head, Matthew wished this moment would last forever.

{}

Despite having already completed the first few steps in her plan, Natalya could not take a single moment to rest. If she wished to uncover the deepest and darkest meanings of the world she was stuck living in, she would need to continue to move with the swiftness of the wind and the precision of an assassin. What she needed in Arcana was already in place, with her recruitment of the ambitious and completely unaware Simon Seissuon having secured her an ally that could do her bidding in that region. Now, she needed to return to Paldea to continue her plans and pick up a few trinkets Paige had unwillingly handed over to her once her men had captured the little minx.

Getting back through the heavily secure borders of Paldea would be a problem, but not one she was afraid of facing. She'd already traveled through time. What could these primitive fools do to ruin her now? Even the egotistical "Primera" as she called herself had so callously welcomed foreigners into Paldea's borders for the first time in half a century. If only she'd kept to her isolationist policies. Then the events that signal the darkest days of the world would not come to pass. For Natalya was intent on ensuring the disasters of Area Zero came to pass. And in order to do so, she needed to be present. Which is precisely why she was intent on finding her way into the region she'd been trapped in almost the entirety of her life. And the backdoor she'd use would be through the Uva Academy loophole.

Now, as she drove the submarine she'd "borrowed" from some stupid researcher in the Hoenn Region through the deepest parts of the ocean, she decided she needed to know what was going on while she was away. She opened the communication link on the submarine and got through to her second in command, a fearsome brute by the name of Brick.

"Brick!" she growled.

"Ms. Natalya" he replied in a fierce, yet polite voice. "I hope the mission goes well."

"It had better" she replied coldly, "otherwise all of this work will have been for nothing. What have you found out? Where's Cole?"

"Cole is close by, but currently under the protection of Uva Academy. Unless we blast our way through their security, the kid is out of reach for now."

"I'll deal with his little safe space. Has Paige given you any trouble?"

"Not much she can do tied up and locked in one of those abandoned research labs" he said coldly. "I've considered flogging, but I figured I'd run it by you first."

"Only if she proves problematic" Natalya hissed. "I still have need of her, alive and unharmed. What about our other targets? The guests from Arcana arrive yet?"

"Just this morning. But again, they'll be hard to reach inside the academy."

"And again, I'll be dealing with them soon enough."

"You're on your way back to Paldea, then?"

"Within the next day or so" she answered. "I still have to get my cover. But it shouldn't take long. How many Tera Crystals have you harvested?"

"Not enough to weaponize. The weaklings you left me were afraid of the local Pokémon in Area Zero. I had to subcontract from a contact I have."

"Were? What happened to them?"

"I flogged those worthless roaches" he replied without an ounce of remorse. "The people I brought in are supposed to be good. Worked for some criminal gang in Arcana. One of 'em claimed they're reliable kidnappers. They ought to be useful in causing this 'war' you're dying to start. How would the people of the world react to their precious little students 'disappearing' in Paldea? And how would that egotist Geeta feel about being questioned by the rest of the world she'd shunned? I'd pay good money to see it."

"Patience" Natalya replied, though she too was eager to see the fruits of her labor play out. "All good things to those who wait."

"Was this kid in Arcana worth it?"

"Of course he is. Having Simon on board is absolutely essential to the completion of our plan. You wouldn't believe me if I told you how much, though."

"What is he supposed to do for us all the way in Arcana?"

"He has his own mission. As do you, Brick. Don't forget that."

"You mean those Obsidian Crystals? The ones that vaporized some of my men?"

"They didn't get vaporized, Brick. But what happened to them is a direct example of why I told you to have the Pokémon move them into position all across Arcana. Direct contact with an Obsidian Crystal is asking for trouble. But we need them. Those Crystals are the keys to unleashing the Paradox Pokémon all across the region. And once the crystals begin to sprout, along with the crystals Simon will be using, the entire world will be overrun soon enough."

"What Pokémon can possible handle those Crystals?"

Natalya smirked. "That's why you're just hired muscle, Brick. When I return to Paldea, I'll get the Pokémon we need. You simply need to know how to work them. Which is why harvesting those Tera Crystals is so important."

"We await your return then, Natalya." With that, Brick ended his part of the communication line.

Natalya exhaled slowly. This has been way too easy, so far. No one was onto her yet, her plans were going exactly as she saw and she was under the suspicion that there would be no grand rescue from Turo or Sada this time. The two weren't in the best of shape when she went vanished into the Time Machine's glowing embrace. And if Cole and Paige had come to this time in their place...well...better to make their poor son an orphan instead of having them present to watch Cole and Paige fail miserably.

She looked back on all the next few weeks would accomplish for her: she would get revenge on all of the people who had wronged her. She would acquire all of the knowledge she needed about controlling time and how it flowed. The Paradox Pokémon would answer to her without fail. And finally, she would wipe away any and all who dared to stand in her way. The dreams of her father would blossom without the hindrance of those fools who dared to stop him. She would uncover all of life's secrets.

But for now, she would need her Psychic Tera Crystal to work as it was intended. She glanced down to where it was in her knapsack. The mind is both our greatest treasure and our greatest weakness. Never forget that, Natalya. I hope I haven't father. And know that I have not forgotten you. Or your sacrifice for me. They will all pay dearly for what happened to us. I swear to you!

She took a deep breath and giggled to herself. "Let's go meet my little protege from Orre."

{}

Bridgette sat alone at a table outside of one of Mesagoza's most famous cafes, awaiting the arrival of both her order of a latte and her pupil Justin for their first evening lessons in manners and court behavior. More alone time with him was not something she was looking forward to (at least that she would admit to), but it would begin to make up for the many mistakes she'd made in her life with regards to the only family she had left.

I promise I won't fail you again, Michael, she told herself as she tapped her fingers rhythmically on the table. What's teaching this kid anyway? I'll have him be the best court gentleman besides you.

She glanced up and saw Justin trotting down the steps and nodded to herself. "Let's get this started."

"One Caramel Latte?" a waitress asked, carrying Bridgette's drink on a tray.

"That's me" she replied as the drink was handed to her. "And this gentleman is with me, so take his order too, if you'd please."

Justin finally made it to her table, with a notebook and pen in his hands. "Phew. I thought I'd get lost in this city."

"What would you like to drink, sir?" the waitress inquired.

"Uh, oh yes. One Iced Tea with Lemon, please."

"Coming right up."

Once the waitress returned inside the cafe, Bridgette finally took her time to address her pupil. "Why did you bring a notebook and pen?"

"I want to make sure I'm not doing anything wrong" he said guiltily. "I've made so many mess-ups in life already. Which is why I take notes. So I don't make any stupid blunders."

Bridgette sighed. "It's a little unorthodox, but I appreciate the honesty, Justin."

"Honesty is one of the few things I'm good at" Justin replied casually. "Which is why it's so hard to-"

"I understand how you feel, but it was the only way to ensure we got these slots in the Academy. And you want to help the King, right? And Addison?"

Justin nodded. "Of course. It's the least I can do after what my uncle did."

"We both want to do right by him, so I think it works well that we're gonna work together on turning you into a true gentleman." Bridgette took a deep breath and did her best to transform into an educator instead of the usually casual surfer. "So, Mr. Jacques, you want to turn yourself into a cultured and civilized gentleman?"

Justin shrugged. "I suppose?"

"Do you? Or do you?!"

"I mean, I kind of do, but at the same time-"

"The correct answer is 'Yes'. The key to keeping conversations going when you're in court is getting directly to the point. No dithering. People will find that disrespectful. But all of that will come later." She kept a smile on her face so as to not make the boy uncomfortable. "It's important that you learn how to act in court and around diplomatic situations. Especially if we get Paldea to open up. The King may ask you to stay here as an envoy of sorts, especially if you do well here."

"But does Paldea have the same kind of court that's in Arcana?"

"Oh it does" Bridgette responded. "If what Billy messaged me is true, this "Primera" woman is actually a Paldean Princess. So when you meet her, I expect you to be on your best behavior."

"What would that entail?"

Bridgette thought for a moment. "She isn't our monarch, but as we are guests in her region, it would be proper of you to either salute her or bow to her. But more of a polite bow you'd show a dance partner and not the kind you'd give to Michael."

"I thought the King hates bowing."

"Oh he does, but in court settings, it would be seen as distrusting by others if you didn't."

"Oh."

Bridgette rose to her feet. "Now, the most important thing when it comes to your appearances in court is a first impression. Most people find that meeting you for the first time often reveals the true self. Second and third impressions usually have you trying to fix how others think about you. And the perfect way to act while you're in court is to bow to someone upon meeting them." She gave him an example of a bow. "Now, if it was court back when I was a little girl, I'd be expected to wear a gown and curtsy. Hopefully with Lady Bonnie gone and Michael on the throne, girls won't have to wear gowns and curtsy unless they want to."

"You wore dresses?"

Bridgette sighed. "Yep. It was the fashion of the times. And my parents and brother wanted me to be a little court darling, even if I hated it."

Justin chuckled to himself. "I could imagine you look stunning in a dress."

Bridgette did all in her power to not blush at the compliment and remain on the point at hand. Thankfully for her, the waitress arrived and gave Justin his drink. As Justin thanked her and took a sip of his tea, she decided to retake control of the conversation. "You've already got a hang of the second lesson, I see. All court women love to be complimented, even if you don't mean it. Flattery is the way to get ahead." She took a deep breath as she suppressed the last of her emotions. "Although, sometimes a compliment can go too far."

Justin gulped. "Did I go too far, then?"

"No, I-"

"I just thought you would look like one of those fairy tale princesses in a gown, and-"

"Okay" she interjected before he got her to blush again. "I get it. Thank you." Justin nodded nervously and kept his mouth shut, allowing her to continue. "But there are sometimes when you can go a bit overboard on a compliment. Do not compliment a married woman like that in front of her husband. Especially my cousin. I'd imagine Chris would deck your lights out if you said what you did to me about Piper."

Justin scratched his head. "This is quite a lot to take in. Compliment, but don't always do it. Bow, but don't over bow."

"Unfortunately, it will only get harder from here" she admitted. "But I think you can get a hang of it."

"I'm not so sure" he admitted. "But I will do so to make amends to the King and to you."

Bridgette blinked in confusion. "Me?"

"About that night in Titanio Park, when I-"

Bridgette's eyes went wide when she recalled precisely what a shirtless Justin Jacques looked like and began to stutter. "I-uh-well I'm sure that-um-you know that-No!" She took another deep breath to compose herself. "I thought I said I forgave you for that."

"You did, but I still don't feel like-"

Bridgette smiled. "Like I said, I never expected it."

"I'm guessing that's not something I should do in court?" he asked, laughing nervously.

Unable to contain it, Bridgette snorted in laughter. "Yes. Definitely don't do that to anyone else. I can only imagine Lady Bonnie having a heart attack if you did that at one of her balls." Lady Bonnie Kingston was as much a relic of a time long since passed as she was a thorn in the sides of most of her grandchildren when it came to interfering in their lives. To imagine Justin replacing someone even as reviled as Claude in her court was something she couldn't handle the image of. Bridgette returned to her seat beside her pupil.

"Were her courts really that bad?"

Bridgette smiled sadly. "Oh, I exaggerate. Sure, I didn't like dressing up and the like, but if I didn't do those things for my Aunt, I don't think I'd have ever gotten to meet..." She paused as her memories lingered on Malcolm once more. Her mood soured as she recalled dancing with him in the ballroom of Kingston Castle.

"Met who?"

"Malcolm. Malcolm Tress."

"The former Iron Mountain Gym Leader?"

She nodded in silence.

"He was very important to you, I imagine."

She again remained silent.

"Can I ask what he was like?"

Bridgette eyed Justin, initially wondering why he seemed keen to hurt her with memories of her deceased love. But when she saw the innocent and gentle gaze he fixated her with, she realized he had no idea how sad he'd made her. "Going into immense detail would be remarkably painful for me. But if I could summarize it in any way, it would be this." She scooted herself closer to Justin as he sipped some more of his Iced Tea. "You know how the King is, right? Chivalrous, kind, always willing to give you the shirt off his back?"

"Yes."

Bridgette felt a tear slip out of her eye. "Malcolm was almost exactly the same. Michael looked up to him a lot growing up."

"Wow" Justin remarked. "It's a shame that my Uncle's allies-"

"It's in the past. No need to dwell on it."

Her student shook his head. "No, it's not. Malcolm meant the world to you and those Syndicate thugs took him from you. It's just another debt I owe you."

Bridgette sighed, reached for Justin's hand and grasped it. "Justin, just because your uncle did things, it doesn't mean you have to pay the world back. Claude's sins will be paid for by his death now that he's gone. You have done nothing wrong to anyone, at least as far as I know. You are kind, gentle and sincere. Things he never was."

"But I feel like if I don't fix the things he's done-I mean, I hate seeing people I care about in pain. And believe it or not, Bridgette, I do care about you." He held her hand in his. "Sometimes, I have a hard time comprehending just how much I do."

Bridgette could not prevent her eyes from sparkling. "You...you do?"

"Of course. You've been so kind and understanding with me. Even in the short time we've known one another, I know you're someone I could trust with some of my personal issues. After I first came here, I was afraid the only person who might understand me is Lizzie. But you seem to be able to help me unlock my potential. You even put up with how much I still feel guilty about my uncle's actions." He lowered his head yet kept a smile on his face. "And I cannot thank you enough for that."

"You're sweet" she replied cordially. "I just try to see the best in people whenever I can. A trait my Aunt Jane implored upon me."

"Jane Kingston" Justin said in almost a whisper. "I've heard much about her."

"She was the most loving, caring, genuinely angelic person I've ever known. And she passed so much of her ideals onto me and her children. Anything that makes up why Michael and Chris are as good as they are, you can bet a lot of it came from her." She recalled to herself how she had often puzzled as to why her Aunt was so hellbent on ensuring she and Michael felt welcome and loved in their home when they both had homes and families of their own, only to one day realize that she and Michael had basically been abandoned to them. Her by her older and less energetic parents and less than enthusiastic older brother and him by two egotistical divorced parents more focused on their careers and social standing than being parents. Erin Kingston would do some horrific and despicable things to her son during his darkest moments and has since become something of a lesser standing family member to him and his wife. Bridgette even heard from Julia how Erin had almost allowed Arya to be abducted by Claude's men and was unrepentant until Michael and Julia both laced into her with a kind of vitriol and anger she imagined no one would have dared give to Bonnie Kingston's daughter while she was still alive. Michael would often call Erin "Lady Kingston" instead of as his mother, which was likely a repetitive punch in the gut to her. But Bridgette knew that Erin deserved it. After all she put her son through.

"Was she good with the court life?" Justin inquired curiously.

"She did as she was expected to" Bridgette recalled. "But she was always more comfortable in her own home surrounded by her loved ones. And by loved ones, it was generally her children and me. My Uncle Jeice did some things to her that I'm sure haunt him every day of his life, but she never let her kids endure that pain she felt for the only man she loved. She once told me that when Michael was exiled, she knew her time was coming as well and asked me to keep looking after Chris and Cam. And after Julia found out about Michael's innocence, " She lowered her head. "The one thing she ever asked me to do and I failed..."

"They grew up into adults" Justin theorized. "Good, wholesome-"

"The fact that only two of the three are still alive now shows that I failed her" Bridgette lamented.

Justin was silent for a long moment, still holding her hand in his, before speaking again. "I don't think you failed her. I doubt she wanted you to do nothing in life but look after them. And nothing that's happened to them is your fault."

"Easier thing to say when you're on the outside." She made eye contact with him and gave a fake smile. "But thank you for trying to make me feel a bit better."

"I merely want to return the favor to someone who's always helping me" he admitted.

Well, I can think of one way you could-STOP! Stop it, Bridgette! And yet, no matter how much she told herself not to think about it, she found herself leaning closer and closer to him. And he was almost mirroring her. Holy Arceus! Is this about to happen? Am I about to...Bridgette closed her eyes and awaited the moment that their lips would make contact.

"Well, this is quite the private lesson, isn't it?"

Bridgette's eyes opened and she and Justin pulled away immediately at the sound of someone approaching them. Justin spun around and noticed who had come across them before Bridgette could. Once she had, however, she knew conflict was coming. Lizzie now stood nearby, playfully petting what appeared to be a strange looking Dragon Pokémon that seemed to be plated in steel armor and capable of turning into a bicycle of some kind. And while she was petting the Pokémon kindly, the look she was giving the situation was anything but.

"Lizzie!" Justin gasped. "We were just wondering about you."

"I'm sure you were" Lizzie snapped.

"We were actually" Bridgette corrected, still flustered at how close she and Justin had been to kissing, not even sure if Lizzie had been a topic they'd talked about in the slightest. "But we're glad you've come back to the city now. What kind of Pokémon is that?" The Pokémon let out a playful howl and sniffed at them, but when he didn't find anything interesting, he simply sat on his hind legs and began to act like an Arcanine just surveying the situation.

"I've never seen a Pokémon like that before" Justin added. "It looks like the one they loan out to students to-"

"Don't you have class in the morning, Justin?" Lizzie retorted, shocking Bridgette with her gruffness.

The young man gasped. "You're right. I have to finish setting up my things in the room!" He turned to Bridgette and bowed respectfully. "I'm sorry, but we'll have to continue this conversation at another time." Without another word, he sprinted back up the pathway and out of sight of both women, only getting a glance from Lizzie's new dragon mount.

"At least one of us cares about his wellbeing" Lizzie snapped.

This finally set Bridgette off. "Okay, you've been nothing but nasty and rude towards me since I've come back. What is your problem with me, Lizzie?"

Lizzie scoffed at this. "There isn't enough time in the day for me to list every single issue I have with you, Bridge. So why don't you just go back to your hotel and let someone who actually cares about Justin look after him. Don't you have some water to go play in or something?!"

Bridgette was stunned by the hostility Lizzie was showing her. "Seriously, Lizzie, you need an attitude adjustment. We're on the same side. We both care about what's unfolding here and we both care about Justin. So we should stop snapping at each other and come to some sort of understanding. Agreed?"

"Oh, so you learned to care about others? There's a shock."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"When was it in your pretty, perfect little life that Bridgette Duon learned to care about other people? You like to prattle on about how Jane Kingston meant so much to you, yet that didn't stop you from leaving everything you cared about behind to go swim in some water! I'd have thought you had some sense to stay out there after all that you wrought happened!"

"All that I wrought?"

Lizzie laughed coldly. "It's about time you noticed." She clenched her fists in anger, her hateful look never wavering. "You have no idea what abandoning Arcana did to us. Dealing with Mark being broken hearted was bad enough, but he had to push through it to be the glue that held us all together. I was ticked off too, but didn't really care one way or another if you came back or didn't. It's what you leaving did to the three of them that pisses me off!" She took a moment to try and calm herself, but failed to do so and lashed out more. "Did you ever think before you ran off to play on a beach what you leaving behind would cause? Michael put all of the region's burdens on himself. He kept wondering what he did to lose you and Malcolm. He stopped trusting pretty much everyone except Julia. Mark and I were there for him in exile and he stopped trusting us because of what you did! Chris wasn't much better, going off being a womanizing jackass when he was also wondering why his big cousin abandoned him. You even made Cameron have to grow up faster than she was ready to. She took on the burdens of rising up to take over so Michael could rest."

Bridgette was stunned into silence. No matter how much she wanted to argue or deny what Lizzie said, there was indeed truth to it. She didn't know the gravity of what abandoning her loved ones had caused.

"I chewed Malcolm out for years" Lizzie went on, "so much so that he basically stayed at the Taghwan Space Center 24/7 in an effort to avoid me. But at least he had the decency to remain in Arcana and take some heat for what he did. You ran off like a coward, Bridgette!" She shook her head in both anger and relief. "Honestly, if Ryan hadn't risen up when he did, I dread wondering what would have happened. I would have lost one of my best friends in the world. No...I did lose one of my best friends." She remained fixated on the shocked blonde. "Cameron's dead, Malcolm's dead, Michael's barely got enough strength to hold his kids and Chris is an emotional basket case. Rather than ruin their lives more, now you move on to hurting someone else. Someone completely innocent."

"I had no intention of hurting anyone" Bridgette explained, fighting off tears desperately. "And I have no intention of hurting Justin."

"Wherever you go, pain and suffering follow." She turned her back to Bridgette and began to walk away, but not before stopping beside her new Pokémon friend. "You almost took my friends from me, Bridgette. Do not think for a minute that I'll let you take Justin, either. Find someone else to ruin, or you'll regret it!" With that, Lizzie stalked away with her Pokémon, leaving Bridgette bewildered and demoralized.

With no other words to say, Bridgette lowered her head onto the table and wept. Aunt Jane...I'm so sorry...