After some consideration, here's the final chapter as it was initially written. Thank you all for reading this, it's been a pleasure
Earth, Air, Water, Fire
Chapter Twenty-Two
-Three days later-
Carrie Preston had been buried in the cemetery behind the Sprout Tower in Violet City, less than two miles from where she and her husband had said their vows, according to Morty. Convincing Koga that Preston would rest more peacefully out in the middle of nowhere, and not in the official Pokémon League burial ground, had been a nightmare.
“By all rites, he is to be buried beside his master Eddard’s grave,” Koga had insisted.
“There’s not even a
body in that grave,” Morty had retorted. “Let the man be laid to rest with his wife.”
And so, although it broke with tradition, Olivine’s former gym leader was to be buried in Violet City. Will’s body was retrieved from Cerulean Cave, and he was buried in the Champion’s Plot beside Lance, Theon, and all those great men and women before him.
The ceremony for Preston was held at sunset, when the sun dropped behind Mt. Silver just so, turning the sky crimson. “Joe’s favorite time of day,” Morty said fondly. He was standing outside the Sprout Tower, staring up at the sky. He, Claire, Jasmine, and of course Koga would be speaking at the memorial service.
Alec, Chase, and Natalia were standing with him. Juliet had returned to her home in Goldenrod, anxious to see her daughter and husband again. This would have caused Alec some grief, but she had promised to attend the funeral and bring him with her afterward. “On one condition,” she’d said.
“What?” the youth had asked, reeling with excitement.
“Call your father,” she had said, her tone gentle but firm.
He hadn’t called Roy Gideon yet.
After the funeral, he’d assured himself, although Chase had already called his own parents, assuring them he was okay.
“What’s going to happen to the League?” Chase asked. Alec snapped out of his memory, back to the present.
Morty shook his head. “I dunno. There’s so much rebuilding to be done.” He still had a black eye where Alec had pummeled him below his own gym; Alec had no regrets for that. “Koga’s going to be running a series of trials, because he needs to sort out what’s what. The League hasn’t really felt secure since the war with NeoEarth. It’s held together, like a wound with Butterfree stitches, but it’s been festering since Lance died. And without Will to hold us...Koga is acting Champion, but we need an official vote.” The man sighed, and Alec could have sworn he saw some gray hairs sprouting from his carelessly flowing blonde hair.
He’s starting to sound like Preston, he thought. “As far as the League is concerned, we’re going to need quite a few new gym leaders, especially once he’s decided what to do with the ones who aren’t burned.”
“Right. Lorelei, Bruno, Erika, Sabrina, Chuck? Chuck, and Janine are officially fired,” Chase clarified, “but Koga’s going to put the rest of the turncoats on trial?” Morty nodded. “Erm - even you?”
The gym leader winced. “I’m afraid so,” he said, nodding.
“Morty?” Pryce had wheeled himself to the door of the Tower. Although he, like Natalia, had been absolved of the nasty burns on his legs, he still chose to travel in his wheelchair; it was faster than hobbling along with a cane. “The service is starting.” Behind the old man were Claire, Nikki, Jasmine, and Surge.
“How are you holding up, Morty?” Claire asked gently. She walked over to the man, reaching out and rubbing his back.
“It’s just...it’s weird. I never thought I’d outlive them.” The man’s pale eyes glanced out at the lake that danced with the light of the setting sun. A group of Ledian were drifting across the surface, their red backs aglow in celebration of the oncoming dark. “Right across from this tower was the wedding, remember?” Claire and Pryce nodded; Surge grunted. “And it was me and Will, and Jess, and Joe...the four of us...now they’re all gone.” He sniffled; Alec looked away. Morty didn’t seem the type who cried often.
` The service was very well-done. A reel was put together of official footage from all of Preston’s most important battles; decorating the altar were pictures and newspaper clippings, as well as empty Poké Balls; the ones that had once held his Pokémon. Small wooden statues were carved of Preston’s partners, to be placed inside the coffin, so they might protect their trainer even in death.
Speeches were made in front of the casket before the viewing. Koga led the service; although he had little personal connection with the man, he was acting Champion. Jasmine spoke of her mentor, and Claire of her good friend (whom she’d always had a bit of a crush on, she admitted with a shadow of a smile). Morty’s speech was so impassioned there was not a dry eye in the Sprout Tower by the time he finished.
After the speeches, the congregation was allowed time to approach the body and pay respects. The line was quite lengthy, considering the amount of prestige the older man had achieved in his lifetime. Alec was a far way’s back, standing with Claire, Morty, and Koga. Chase and Natalia were standing behind, chatting quietly with Nikki, who had dressed appropriately in long, silky blacks, which only served to heighten her mysterious beauty. Natalia had been given a dress (begrudgingly) by Jasmine, who was roughly the same size, but the pale cream-colored sundress looked very plain next to Nikki.
“What’s going to happen to her?” he asked Koga quietly, not wanting the ruby-haired girl to hear.
“The benefit of a trial has been extended to all Skye members who do not resist imprisonment,” the ninja responded, clenching his narrow jaw. “All those who were captured, that is.”
Alec frowned. “What do you mean?”
Morty cleared his throat. “Aah, we may not have caught
all of them, after the battle. When you guys were up in the tower doing...whatever,” (here, Alec remained very still; he, Chase and Natalia had chosen to remain silent about the ghosts they’d seen, even to Morty), “we were down below trying to round them up. But they still beat us in numbers, so by the time Officer Jenny and her squad arrived, Brodie and Amy had disappeared, as well as a few others.”
“They got away?” Natalia asked, butting into the conversation; Alec wondered how long she had been listening.
Koga bristled; he did not trust her, and had only allowed her and Morty’s attendance because they had known Preston personally; both were to be interred after the funeral. “Yes, but they are merely a few of a vast organization. Their leader is dead...Skye is disbanded.”
“It was ‘disbanded’ last time, too,” Nikki reminded the stony-faced man.
“Mr. Gideon!” It was bizarre, to say the least, being referred to that way; Forrest was six months his junior, no more, but the boy seemed to hold Alec in very high esteem since Ho-oh’s descent. “There’s a woman at the door asking for you.”
Juliet. “Um, cool. Let her in, tell her I’m in line!” Alec said.
The spiky-haired youth grinned. “Certainly, sir!” He jogged hurriedly to the back of the long room.
“Chase Tang,” Pryce said, inching forward from his spot five people behind them; the crowd parted hurriedly for their esteemed elder.
Chase raised his eyebrows. “Yes! What’s up?”
“You were quite a valuable asset during the fight. And if I recall,” the old man said, squinting his deepset eyes and clicking his remaining teeth, “you were Will’s right-hand man during the war with NeoEarth.”
“That’s true, sir,” Chase said humbly.
The old man clapped his gnarled hands together, raising his face to Koga’s level. “I’d say this man should be a prime candidate for filling in the missing pieces, Koga.”
Claire nodded and Nikki gasped; Morty did not react, as he had reached Preston’s coffin and broken down in tears, bent over the edge.
“Chase, you’d be
perfect!” Nikki said, but Natalia made a gentle shushing sound, nodding toward Morty.
“Now may not be the best time to discuss this,” Claire said somberly.
“Quite right,” Pryce said loudly, unaware of his volume relative to others.
Alec looked to Chase for a reaction to this notion.
Chase, a gym leader...he looked at the white-haired, soft-featured young man, who had finally shaved his patchy, ridiculous beard.
It would suit him well, he decided.
His turn had come; he hesitated a moment. He hadn’t seen the man’s body since...well, since it had been living. Natalia noticed this and took a step forward. Koga shot her a withering look; she backed away.
“Let’s go together,” Chase said. He reached a hand out for Alec, but also for Natalia. “All of us,” he insisted. The three took a collective breath and walked their ways level with Preston’s coffin.
He had looked better in the flames atop the Tin Tower. His weathered face had been shaved and polished, but not even the best light could hide the shadows below his gray eyes, which were now closed forever, the shadows that spread to his hollowed cheeks and lined forehead. There was no tension in his face, anymore, but neither was there the spark that had defined his features in life, the sense that had emanated from his core that everything would turn out alright with him near. Surrounding him were many wooden figured; all the Pokémon he’d ever owned, including Ursaring, Braviary, Sawsbuck, Manaphy, Electivire, and Mamoswine. Alec could feel Chase’s hand trembling; Natalia looked stricken.
All Alec managed to say was, “Thank you.”
….....................................................................................
-Two days later-
Logan’s funeral was pathetically small compared to Preston’s. It was held outdoors, in front of a small table, on which had been placed the few personal effects of hers that could be recovered. Chase had contributed a thin silver bracelet to be placed next to the photographs and Poké Balls.
I never got to give it back to her, he thought, running his fingers over the cold band. It was a chilly day; autumn had ended.
Because there was no body, the marker had already been laid for the girl; it was merely a placeholder until the gravestone was finished. After consulting with her teary-eyed mother and solemn father, the three had decided it was best to bury her next to Tracey. The stone would say:
Logan Clements. July 18, 1991 - November 23, 2009. You are with us, forever and always.
Chase turned his eyes to the picture beside the bracelet; she and her mother, climbing a mountain together, from a very long time ago; she couldn’t have been older than five.
There’s so much of her life I was never a part of, Chase thought. Another picture showed her and Tracey, both still quite young, pulling excited faces in a dark setting while her favorite band, Quagsire 7, stood stoically behind them; the lead singer Adam was kissing her cheek. She was young, but still very recognizable; the blue eyes and flowing blonde hair were striking even then.
Pallet Town’s Professor Oak had led her eulogy; the only Pokémon League member in attendance was Nikki.
He got her all wrong, the young man thought angrily, although he didn’t know why he was upset. He had declined Joe Clements’ request to speak; he didn’t think he would be able to stop himself if he began speaking of her life. “Five years ago, three remarkable trainers departed this town, eager-eyed and raring for adventure, Pokémon in hand. Logan was the last of these great children, and her wonderful sense of humor, her sincerity and kindness and compassion, her willingness to help others...all shall feel a void where Logan Clements once lived.”
That could be said about anyone. You forgot her mood swings, Chase thought.
You conveniently left out her prejudices, her tendency to cling...you forgot her smile. He clenched his jaw, sucking in air with difficulty as he felt the tears rise up.
They had been each other’s first times; this also struck Chase as unfair, which made him feel sick. He knew at the time it had meant more to him than her, but it hadn’t stopped him from loving her. And he had loved her, despite all her minor flaws. He looked around; he wished Natalia had been allowed to the funeral.
“No,” Koga had said, “Absolutely not. We’re not letting her travel all the way to Kanto for a quick funeral.”
Alec and Nikki were standing awkwardly a few steps away from him; everybody else had long gone, besides her parents, who sat silently five yards away. Nikki had brought her girlfriend Phoebe, who had also known Logan for a time.
“Remember when we first met you?” Chase asked after a time, leaving the table finally to stand with the three youths. A chilly breeze blew leftover autumn leaves through the open space.
“Vividly. Didn’t Erika make you wait outside while Tracey and Logan challenged her?” Nikki asked, smiling faintly.
“That’s right,” Phoebe said, pulling at her long green ponytail. “I was the ref, I remember.”
Chase grinned. “Erika never was the nicest.” Nikki’s face clouded; her mentor’s betrayal still struck an odd chord with her. He looked to Alec, who had been silent all day. “How are you holding up?”
The boy seemed distant. “It just occurred to me, I never really
knew Logan. Or Preston. I mean, we were only together for, what, two weeks? But...well, I mean, I think I...saw them as something, or some
one else. Logan became like my guardian...my Juliet. And Preston...I think Preston acted more like a father to me than my dad ever did.”
Chase nodded; he knew Alec still hadn’t called his mother or father, instead choosing to spend his time at Juliet’s house with her husband and daughter. “I told Juliet I did,” he had confided meekly, “just to get her off my back.”
“I mean, I didn’t know Preston too well either. But we went through a lot together, you know?” Chase thought of the older man’s anecdote to him about people needing human contact and warmth; he felt guilty for having ever made fun of the man for it.
“Also,” Alec said, switching topics abruptly, “Are you going to Natalia’s trial?”
Chase felt the blood rush to his face; he was still angry with Koga for demanding the girl be put through trial after everything he himself had been through with her. “I’m gonna testify for her, if Koga will let me,” he said. “You...you’re coming too, right?”
Alec kicked at the ground, digging his hands into his denim jacket pockets. “I wasn’t going to.” Chase let out a noise of indignant anger. “No, listen, I’m just...not sure where I stand with her. I mean, think about it, Chase. It’s kinda...her fault, that Logan and Preston died.” Chase shifted uncomfortably. “If she hadn’t double-crossed us, none of that stuff from last week would’ve happened. I know she had good intentions, but...if a person betrays you and then says she’s sorry...she still betrayed you.”
Chase looked away; he knew Alec was not only speaking about Natalia, that the boy would never fully forgive him for briefly aligning with Gabriel, even if it was to keep those he loved safe. “Alec...you have to be there. You have to.”
….....................................................................................
-The Trial-
The temporary holding cell Natalia had been thrown into was none too pleasant, although, she reflected darkly, she had experienced far worse in the past. She shared a space with other members of Team Skye, and she knew further down the cold hallways of Goldenrod’s prison was a separate cell holding all the offending Pokémon League members, Morty included.
“Ms. Solos?” The junior warden of the jail, a squat man with thick chestnut hair and exceedingly large ears, was approaching the cell, keys jangling lightly in his right hand. Natalia stood quickly; she winced at the pain in her shoulder. None of her fellow teammates had spoken to her since the fight - Angie had confronted her earlier in the week about her betrayal, and Natalia had chosen silence as a way of response. Angie did not take this very well, responding as she normally did with violence. Broad and fleshy as she was, the woman had barely touched Natalia before falling to the floor, gasping for air after a well-aimed strike at the kidneys; but this had provoked attack from several other members of the team, and skilled as she was, Natalia suffered serious bruising and passed into a brief coma after Kathryn slammed her head into the wall.
“Come with me,” the junior warden said, opening the cell door. Natalia followed willfully, eager to get away from Angie and Kathryn and Isabel, and all the rest of her resentful former teammates.
Koga had set up court right in the offices of the prison; it was not officially sanctioned by the Supreme Court Under Arceus, which remained reticent on the matter of the recent events of the month, but the ninja was acting Champion, as he so often reminded the Johto region, and his word was law. The familiar cold of handcuffs felt almost soothing on Natalia’s healing arms. “Do I get any help on my defense?” she asked after a while as the two rode the elevator to the third-floor offices. They came to a stop outside the fourth room to the right. The door was painted red.
My favorite color.
“Only if it’s offered,” the stocky man said with a shrug. “Good luck,” he added noncommittally as he admitted her into the room.
The space was smaller than Natalia had expected; at maximum it might be able to hold fifty people. Koga had set up court to his own liking. On the far side of the gray-carpeted room was a long table, the jury: Koga at the high chair in the center, flanked by Claire and Surge. Also present were Flint, Brock, Nikki, Misty, Blaine, Jasmine, and Pryce. Forrest and Bugsy had been deemed too young to sit in judgment, it seemed; instead, they sat on the right side of the room, where fifteen chairs had been set up. To the left, there was only one.
“Natalia Solos,” the junior warden announced, slamming the door after her. The room had been buzzing with pleasant chatter; this ceased instantly. The ruby-haired girl shivered; Koga had done nothing to combat the winter air pervading the region and creeping into the room.
“Ah, yes. Good. Sit, please.” Koga leaned forward. He was dressed no different from his everyday attire; his form-fitting gi and fishnetted elbow-length gloves seemed to put him at ease. “I wanted the defendants to feel more at home than they would in an official court setting, so I dispensed with the formalities.”
Liar, the court won’t let you use their methods. Natalia looked at the proud man, taking in his dark features. Koga was no doubt a skilled commander and warrior, a fierce ally, but supreme power fit him poorly; he was allowing himself arrogance. “Sit,” he said again, staring pointedly at the hard-backed chair.
Natalia sat, looking across to the chairs opposite her. Bugsy and Forrest sat in the front; but also in attendance were two blue-haired twins who she did not recognize. Chase and Alec sat in the second row, and Chase sent her a small reassuring smile when she caught his copper-eyed gaze; Natalia felt her stomach flip. And...suddenly Natalia felt her heart begin pounding with fury. Amy was sitting calmly in the back, regarding her with serene triumph, her icy-blue lips curled in a mocking smile.
Natalia stood up. “What is
she doing here?” she asked, fear spreading through her body.
How can they be letting her walk free?
“
Sit, Ms. Solos. Amy has provided excellent background on your actions as a member of Team Skye. If she continues to cooperate, her sentence will be adjusted accordingly.”
You mean you’ll let her go free, Natalia thought hotly, but she bit her tongue and sat.
Koga sat stiff-backed and drummed his fingers on the table before him. “As our resources have - er - lessened, of late, in the way of reliable psychics - we have recruited the help of Tate and Liza, twin gym leaders from the Hoenn region. They will be asserting the truth of your statements with the assistance of their Pokémon.”
The identical twins nodded, producing a Poké Ball each and releasing a Solrock and Lunatone, odd Rock/Psychic-type Pokémon that resembled the sun and the moon, respectively. The living rocks levitated ominously to hover over Natalia’s left and right shoulder.
“Natalia Solos, you have been tried for many crimes while involved with Team Skye, a now-disbanded renegade group under the leadership of the now-deceased Gabriel Pahria. Most of these crimes involved theft. From our understanding, and on information from Amy here, it seems your value as a key lieutenant in the ranks of the organization came from your ability as a thief and performer. Indeed, Amy says you are an
exceptionally good liar. And none too poor in physical combat. All very admirable traits, for a criminal.” Koga leaned back.
“She’s not a -” Chase began from his seat.
“Silence is expected from all participants until it is their time to speak,” Koga said. “Now, Ms. Solos, you are here, I would assume, to plead your innocence in the specific crime you are currently interred for - that is, the murder of Joseph Thomas Preston.” Natalia nodded quickly. Koga sighed. “Very well. We have limited time, here, and many people to try. Claire, say your bit.”
Claire stood, shaking her head so her elegant, long blue hair waved like a cascade of cool water falling around her shoulders. “None of our ranks currently presiding can say they were present when Joe fell from the Tin Tower. But we have, on good faith, proof that Natalia was one of four people in the Tower with him - the others being Alec Gideon, Logan Clements, deceased, and Gabriel, deceased.” She turned to her fellow jury. “We were in a meeting with Joe right before the events at the Tower. Every one of you will remember Joe blindly denying all of our warnings that no former member of Team Skye would prove trustworthy. He firmly believed her allegiance had changed.” Natalia felt a hot fountain of guilt spring up in her chest; she clenched her chair.
Preston trusted me. She felt horrible. Even in the aftermath of the battle, speaking with his ghostly memory, she had not apologized for betraying his trust.
Claire was still speaking. “...yet eyewitnesses saw her throw him from the Tower before the battle even began, before Ho-oh, before anything...she murdered Joe so that Gabriel could succeed.” Claire’s voice was full of passionate fury.
Who told her that? Natalia wondered wildly. Amy’s black eyes glistened wickedly across the room.
“Alec,” Koga said, frowning and looking to the auburn-haired youth, “do you have anything to say to strengthen or detract truth from this statement?”
Alec did not speak immediately, and Natalia felt her breath catching; she hoped Alec would remember the truth of the situation, that she had never meant Preston - or Logan - to die. The boy’s face darkened and she gripped her seat harder. “Natalia saved my life in that tower,” he said slowly. Chase was looking steadily at him, as if to encourage further comment. “Here’s what I can say about Natalia: when she first joined our little travel group...thing, I hated her. Logan hated her. We hated her for what she was, a member of an evil team. And I know that’s what she’s really on trial for, right? Being a member of an evil team. Because in court, that’s it, you’re good or bad, no other option. But that’s not how life works, and it makes things super confusing.”
The boy took a breath, his green eyes locking with Natalia’s. “Preston trusted her. She eventually got all of us to trust her, and we told her secrets. But she was tricking us to help Gabriel. Gathering information.” A murmur from the panel; Chase’s face had fixed into a steely expression as he watched.
“Because of her, Gabriel was able to get the Rainbow Wing and trigger his whole plan. Although, the Wing ended up being pointless, anyway, a shiny piece of junk. But. Um...but, so, when Gabriel went in that tower with Natalia and Logan, Preston and I...Preston and me? Preston and I chased them. Gabriel attacked him and he ended up falling out a hole in the wall, with me. Logan and Natalia tried to pull us up, Natalia tried to help save us, it was an accident that Preston fell.”
“An accident,” Chase said decisively.
“Silence,” Koga warned, clenching his jaw. “Natalia helped? Why?”
Alec shrugged. “Dunno. That’s the thing, I think - I think she has a good heart. She’s done some bad things, but she has a good heart.”
Chase stood up. “Can I add to that?”
Koga nodded. “Please.”
The white-haired boy smiled at Natalia. She tried and failed to respond in turn. “I think you need to understand that Natalia is a victim of manipulation. Gabriel knew how to find people’s weaknesses and key into them - you’ve seen it, Koga, he turned your own daughter against you! Natalia was only working for him because he made her empty promises and attacked her own insecurities as an orphan and, eventually, a victim of Ho-oh’s fire.” He turned to face the jury. “When Preston fell, nobody took it harder than Natalia. And in that tower, she fought Gabriel. He was going to throw her in the flames, make her the sacrifice to summon Ho-oh. She ended up a pawn in his great big chess game.”
“I don’t play chess,” Pryce offered helpfully.
“Blame Gabriel for Preston’s death, nobody else,” Chase finished.
“A victim?” Amy asked, her husky voice shrill. “Doesn’t anybody remember the Cherrygrove murders?” Natalia’s heart sank.
The Cherrygrove murders. In his hunt to discover the Rainbow Wing, Gabriel had been scouting the entire Johto region. He had sent August and Natalia to puzzle out what was known from the master of Pokémon lore who lived in Cherrygrove City.
The old man had called the police on them, however, and although Natalia had not personally tried to harm any of them, somehow three had ended up dead before the two Skye members were imprisoned.
Jail trip number two.
Gabriel had been furious. “I said
no death,” he’d yelled when he bailed them out.
“Natalia did it,” August had wheezed defensively.
The mention of this event triggered much hurried muttering; Natalia saw Chase frown, confused. Bugsy leaned back and filled him in on the implication of ‘Cherrygrove murders’.
“Ms. Solos was found innocent of that offense,” Koga said, referencing Natalia’s record. But the damage was done.
“I still have scars from where she tied me up in the lighthouse of my own city!” Jasmine cried. More muttering. Chase and Alec stared at her; both looked torn.
Another reason not to trust me, she thought.
Natalia stood. “May I speak?”
Koga considered the girl for a long while. “Very well. Tate, Liza?” The psychics nodded at their Pokémon. Solrock and Lunatone turned on her, their emotionless stone eyes glowing eerily blue.
Living lie detectors, Natalia thought, her mind flashing briefly to the time, not three weeks ago, that she and Logan had used the same novel technique with Logan’s Kirlia. “Everything you say is under the watchful eye of Arceus,” Koga said, invoking the words of the supreme court. “Proceed.”
Natalia realized her hands were trembling; she clenched them and then folded them in front of herself. “I can’t defend myself for my past. The time I spent in Team Skye was...understand I felt lost, like I had nowhere to go. Not that that’s an excuse, just - after the first Purge, when Ho-oh branded certain people with its fire - I was left scarred. I think you all knew that. With the exception of Alec, apparently, nobody has ever been able to speak with Ho-oh to puzzle out exactly what the burns meant, but Gabriel and Amy were burnt, too, among our ranks.”
Pryce cleared his throat, a disturbing noise that sounded rather like water being forced through a clogged pipe. “I was, as well.”
Natalia nodded. “We speculated, of course. We agreed pretty much unanimously that it was a punishment, a curse. It felt, to me, like I had been given a final damnation, that there was no turning back from the dark path I’d chosen.” Natalia could feel Amy’s eyes drilling holes through her and chose to keep her focus to the front table. “But...just last week, when Gabriel summoned the lord of the skies back to earth...when the fire struck again...it re-branded some people. And some burns...were washed away.” She reached a cold hand up, rubbing at her cheek as she had done often in the past two years, and felt only smooth skin where before there had been caked concealer and searing-hot pain. “As if some of us were pardoned,” she said tentatively.
All eyes turned to Pryce, who hitched his corduroy trousers up under the table. “Seems a fair enough assessment,” he said, displaying the hairless (and burnless) flesh.
“Amy,” Koga said, his lips a thin line across his rigid face, “Kindly remove your glove, if you would?”
The dark-skinned woman hesitated, her eyes flashing under her fringe of black hair, then lifted her right hand, concealed by a forest-green leather glove. With one calm, fluid movement, she peeled it from her hand. The burns flared as fresh air hit them; Natalia winced just looking at them. Having festered in a confined space, they glowed brighter and angrier than Natalia remembered. There was a collective intake of breath from the table.
“I think Ho-oh granted me a second chance,” Natalia said, encouraged by the reaction. She spoke with more assurance now, looking Koga in the eye. “And I think I could be a force for good in this world. I can atone.”
Koga’s eyes shifted to Tate and Liza; they closed their eyes, bonding with their psychic Pokémon. Solrock and Lunatone pulsated and shook as they scanned the ruby-haired girl for truth. “I’m done with Team Skye,” Natalia said firmly, looking Amy straight-on.
“Traitor,” the woman whispered.
Tate and Liza spoke in unison: “She speaks the truth.”
Koga nodded, stroking his narrow jaw. “What do you think you could do for this society, Ms. Solos?”
Blaine adjusted his tinted glasses. “I recall hearing tell from my good friend Jacob White that he once had a fiery young assistant who was quite gifted in the lab,” he said, rubbing his bald head absently. “Are you good with genetics, Natalia? I could take her to Cinnibar, Koga, keep a watchful eye on her…”
“Nobody has said whether she’s pardoned, yet!” Claire said crossly. She and Jasmine were clearly unimpressed with Natalia’s speech.
“Right, right, sorry,” Blaine muttered.
“I don’t think I’d like that, anyway, no offense,” Natalia said honestly. “I...well, I always kind of thought I’d make a good teacher,” she admitted.
Carry on for Ms. Phelps. She looked at Chase, who nodded, smiling slightly.
Koga stood, silencing all. Natalia felt her heart hammering painfully against her chest. “Natalia Solos, you have stolen, murdered, and betrayed those who have placed trust in you. Your case in unique only in the matter of the burns, Ms. Solos. But…” He swallowed. “I think that is enough to set you apart from your base teammates. If Ho-oh deems you worthy of living in our world...you will not be sent into exile. You will not be placed in jail. For all intents and purposes, you walk a free human.” Koga scowled. “But we’ll be watching your every move, mark my word.”
“Because the final word with you can never just be, ‘Hey, good job!’” Surge growled.
Natalia was flying inside; Amy looked as if she’d swallowed tar, but Alec and Chase were both grinning.
“Get out of my sight,” Koga said.
“But have a lovely day!” Pryce croaked, placing a gnarled hand on Koga’s. “It’s gonna be okay, shh,” he said soothingly.
Natalia rocked on the balls of her feet before finally leaving the defendant’s square, walking toward Alec and Chase, the latter of which reached out his arms to hug her.
“Congratulations, really,” Alec said, patting her back; for the first time, Natalia felt no fear at the touch of another person.
The fear is gone, she thought, clutching to Chase and watching Surge escort Amy from the room. Something about Chase’s embrace felt comforting.
It isn’t home, but then again, what is? She took a deep breath.
Time to figure that out.
….....................................................................................
-One Week Later-
Alec walked through the long, twisting road that branched off from Vermilion City’s Main Street. Coastal Avenue was where most young trainers settled down after a journey, he had been told, as it contained cheap apartment housing for up to four people. A comfortable, pleasant place to settle down if one was taking a temporary break from his travels.
Sounds great. That wasn’t why he had come, though.
“Machop! Maa!” Machop was in a particularly jubilant mood; he skipped along to Alec’s left, taking in the buttercup-and-caramel colors of the grand city Lt. Surge called home. Vermilion was Kanto’s equivalent to Olivine City, a harbor city that contained most traffic in and out of the region.
Chase had offered to travel to Hoenn with Alec immediately after the trial, so that both young men might begin the next chapters of their lives. Chase was in the harbor area, searching for transport across the huge body of water separating Hoenn from the Tohjo continent. The white-haired trainer had sheared his hair short again, and grown a hard coating of stubble, trying to look the part of leader-in-training. He was set to take the Cianwood Gym in place of the disgraced Chuck, although there was a slight hitch: to become gym leader, as Preston had said, one must always complete an apprenticeship. Koga had granted the young man permission to complete his training with the fighting master Brawly in Hoenn in lieu of Chuck, who was not in the best place to play mentor to anyone.
As for Alec, he was going to hone his ‘latent psychic ability’ by training with Tate and Liza, the twins from Mossdeep City. He had been encouraged to begin a specialization in Psychic-typed Pokémon, as they were easiest to communicate with, but Alec had shaken his head stubbornly at Claire’s suggestion. “No, it’s my Pokémon or bust.” So Magby, Pupitar, and Machop were coming across the sea with him. Magby hobbled along at his own pace to Alec’s right, Pupitar flanking his trainer a stone’s throw behind.
“And I realized, I’d been spending my whole life trying to be something I’m not, trying to be this big, sexy, strong man, when what I’m good at is up here,” he explained, pointing to his temple. “Not that I’m super smart, just...well, you know,” he added hastily. He and Natalia were together, although she would not be following him and Chase across the sea.
“You did explain to Juliet where you’re going? And your parents?” she asked, shooting a concerned glance his way.
“Well...Juliet knows,” Alec said evasively. “I couldn’t stay with her, anyway. It was too weird.” He paused, then decided to change topics. “Are you sure you don’t want to come with us?” The girl shook her head. “What about you and Chase? Weren’t you...I dunno…” He trailed off.
The young woman bit her lip, pulling at her ruby ponytail. “Hoenn’s no place for me,” she said decisively, though Alec thought he saw a flicker of hesitation in her deep brown eyes.
He looked down at the card he had discovered tucked into the back of Preston’s recovered journal, just as he’d been requested to do. It had the man’s neat handwriting on both sides, one much fuller than the other. This side contained a quote and a paragraph he seemed to have written himself:
‘There is never a time or place for true love. It happens accidentally, in a heartbeat, in a single flashing, throbbing moment.’
My dearest Carrie,
The great author Sarah Dessen said this once and I always believed only the first half of this quote. I was so wrapped up in my own life, my own journey, I didn’t have a time or place for love. Until I met you. In that one throbbing, inescapable moment of laying my eyes on you, my life truly began. You are my everything, my sun and moon, my love. My life is better having you in it. Thank you for marrying me.
Alec wiped his eyes upon rereading. He sniffled.
I’m not crying, he told himself. It had occurred to him (and he’d told this to Chase), upon finding this card, that there were many things he had never learned about the older man who had given his life for a boy he hardly knew. “These must’ve been his wedding vows,” he said to Natalia. The girl nodded, running her eyes briefly over the card.
He turned the paper over. Simply written were a name and an address. He looked up at the door of 423 Coastal Avenue. It matched the one on the card. “I think we’re here.” He shifted his weight.
“Are you going to knock?” Natalia asked after a moment.
“You do it,” Alec said finally. The girl nodded, raising her hand hesitantly. She took a deep breath before knocking.
Who knows what we’re getting into, he thought fleetingly. He turned to face his Pokémon. “Guys, I think I wanna handle this myself. Is that okay?” He tried sending his thoughts out to them, connecting with Magby or Machop the way he had with Lugia; it didn’t work.
“Tar!” Pupitar shrieked.
“Look, sorry, but you guys aren’t the best at first impressions!” Pupitar seemed resentful, but his Pokémon were eventually coaxed back into their capsules.
An older man with a large white mustache and several unsightly liver spots opened the door, his large reading glasses flashing. “Yes? What is it?” Alec gulped, unsure of what to say.
“We...we were wondering if we could see your granddaughter,” Natalia said beside him.
Granddaughter? Does she know something I don’t?
The old man peered from the fifteen-year-old to the older olive-skinned girl. “Who are you?”
Natalia told him. He shuffled away from the door, coming back with a tiny blonde-haired girl, one who looked to be barely older than five. “Here she is,” the older man said gruffly. The little girl looked up at Alec and Natalia in confusion, taking in her ruby-red hair and his sea-green eyes.
Natalia bent down to her level, and Alec pocketed the card, curious. “Hi, Meghan. Meghan Phelps, right?” she asked, looking up at the old man, who nodded.
Phelps? Alec looked closely at the girl, whose eyes were big with wonder. He almost gasped upon examining her face. The eyes were an exact match; gray and slightly sunken, sparkling in the sunlight. She clasped at her miniature pink dress nervously.
Phelps! He knelt down beside Natalia, who was smiling broadly.
“Meghan Phelps, my name’s Alec. I was a friend of your dad’s. He...he saved my life.” He reached out and she pulled away, reaching for her grandfather.
“You mean to tell me…” her grandfather asked slowly, squinting at the boy.
“Her father gave his life saving mine,” Alec said, standing up.
‘Somebody lives there I should have taken and loved every day of my life,’ he heard the ex-gym leader say in his deep, calming voice.
So Preston and Carrie had a child after all.
“And her mother saved my life,” Natalia said, looking at the man strangely. “Ms. Phelps was your daughter?” The man nodded. “She was my favorite teacher...and more,” she said softly. “Why...why didn’t anyone know about the girl?”
“Why didn’t
Preston know?” Alec asked.
The old man sighed. “When Carrie died...I saw her, right before the end. They pulled the baby, premature, from her. And it was my daughter’s request that the father never see the child.” That struck Alec as odd.
“Why?” Natalia asked sharply.
“That, I can’t say,” he admitted. “She kept muttering, ‘Don’t give her to him, don’t give her to him.’”
Meghan still looked scared; she shrunk behind her grandfather’s leg. “She meant Gabriel,” Natalia said after a moment. “She-she wasn’t in her right mind, in the end, not properly?” She looked at Mr. Phelps. “Right?”
He nodded. “Well, and that’s why I reached out to him...very recently, I contacted him…”
“She would never have wanted Meghan kept from him,” Alec said.
The old man looked hesitant. “You...you think he would’ve treated Meg right?”
“He treated your daughter ‘right’ enough,” Natalia said.
“But was I right to trust him, to contact him?”
“J.T. Preston was selfless, caring, and trusting. Maybe a little too trusting. But...he trusted me. And I trusted him. He...I would have been proud to have him as a father.” Alec’s throat was dry.
“This girl deserved to know of her father,” Natalia said, “and her mother. I…” she looked up at the bent, ancient man. “What happens to her, when you’re...well, you’re…”
“I’m very old,” he admitted. “I suppose she was to go to foster care.”
“I’ll take care of her,” Natalia said boldly. “Ms. Phelps...your daughter...would’ve liked that, I think.”
The old man put his hand to his wrinkled mouth. “Why don’t you come in, and we can discuss this.” He held the door wider open. Natalia stood and crossed over the threshold. Alec hesitated.
“Alec? Are you coming?” Natalia asked.
“Yeah, in a second.” Alec wiped his eyes, standing and smiling from Natalia to Preston’s baby daughter. “I’m gonna call my father.”
-The End.-
