It wasn’t Myst’s.

  Cynthia froze as she stared at the red-and-black Pokémon as it took a halting step forward, close enough now that she could have reached out and touched it.

  She didn’t recognize it.

  Not from any of the books she’d devoured, not from her Pokédex logs, not even from half-remembered myths. All she knew, all she had seen, was that it could create illusions.

  That was it.

  But still… if it had been Myst who said its name, if he had been the one to call out, she wouldn’t have felt anything was wrong. After all, for as much as his knowledge annoyed her, he hadn’t seemed to be wrong yet.

  But it wasn’t Myst.

  It was Kael.

  He’d said it, spoken the name with calm familiarity, like he recognized the Pokémon at a glance. And Cynthia didn’t want to underestimate him. He was older, more experienced, and she wasn’t arrogant enough to think she knew everything.

  But if she didn’t know what Pokémon this was, then, honestly, he shouldn’t either.

  The Zoroark, because that's what he had called it, panted shallowly, its bloodshot eyes locked onto hers, unblinking.

  It didn’t move.

  Neither did she.

  Slowly, Cynthia let her hand fall, minimizing Riolu’s ball and sliding it back into its slot at her belt. Normally, she would have lowered her stance. Said something gentle. Tried to back off, done something, anything, to show she wasn’t a threat. But she didn’t do any of those things. There was no point to it.

  Not after she had forced it out of hiding.

  Not after they had worked with Kael.

  Click.

  A familiar sound, quiet, mechanical and unmistakable. The soft press of a Poké Ball’s release button. A heartbeat later, a floorboard creaked.

  “Thanks, guys,” Kael’s voice rang out. “You were a huge help.”

  Click.

  Two impacts thudded against the floor, quick, solid landings, like something dropping to hands, then feet.

  Cynthia forced herself to not turn, to not whip around and look Kael in the eye and demand why he was doing this.

  Because honestly?

  She had known the second the trainers vanished, the moment the illusion had faded.

  When she remembered the lonely bike, the perfect stairs.

  When she saw Zoroark.

  Its mane, flowing like blood, wild and tangled. Its black fur, draped over its frame like living smoke. Its eyes, sky-blue, seething with fury.

  This was a beautiful Pokémon.

  A rare one.

  Exactly the kind of Pokémon a collector would want.

  Exactly the kind of Pokémon a hunter would hunt.

  “Let me handle it, okay?” Kael said, like he hadn’t realized they had realized. “Even hurt, a Zoroark like this one is still dangerous.”

  Myst’s smile, the one that was always present on his face, tightened. His eyes flickered across the room, stopping at a nearby table for a second before moving back to Zoroark.

  “No problem,” he said lightly. “We don’t want to fight anyway. Riolu’s exhausted, after all.”

  Even without turning, Cynthia could hear the smile in Kael’s voice when he answered.

  "Great. Then I’ll need you to recall your Pokémon. Wouldn’t want them getting hurt."

  Click.

  A faint flapping sound, wings unfurling. Zoroark flinched, its poisoned leg trembling, but it didn’t move. Instead, it let out a low growl.

  A warning for Kael to stop.

  Still, if Kael heard it, he didn’t react.

  Click.

  A low, metallic hum followed, like a distant gong vibrating through the air.

  Cynthia stiffened slightly as Zoroark narrowed its eyes. Not because of the distance. That, she could handle. She wasn’t the type to flinch at a Pokémon standing barely a meter away. No, it was the way Zoroark clutched the egg in one trembling hand, like it was holding its entire world together.

  It was the way it raised its other hand, a sphere of darkness already gathering, pulsing with menace.

  A fully charged Dark Pulse, trembling on the edge of being unleashed.

  “I don’t think Zoroark’s going to let us,” Myst said softly.

  Click.

  A faint meow echoed from behind, and that was it, Queenie finally couldn’t take it anymore. She let out a low, frustrated growl, tail lashing once behind her.

  Zoroark didn’t even blink. It simply staggered a step closer, so close Cynthia could almost feel its heavy breath against her face.

  From Queenie’s point of view, it must’ve looked ridiculous.

  In front of them stood the Pokémon who had trapped them in an illusion, forced them to stay, and was now seconds away from blasting them to ash. Behind them? The trainer they had been working with for the past hour, smiling, relaxed, now surrounded by his full team.

  And somehow, some way, both were equally big problems.

  "I called it, you know. Never trust the innkeeper," Myst said, licking his lips as he purposefully avoided looking down.

  Kael laughed lowly in response. "I mean, you did.” He paused for moment, before continuing, “Still, you honestly don’t know how lucky I felt, when I saw you guys walk in the door. Here I was, about to spend days searching for a Pokémon that could have been literally anywhere, anything, in this entire house... Then the only trainer with a Riolu in a thousand miles walks in. Like, what are the chanc—?"

  He didn’t finish. Zoroark cut him off with a rough bark, raising its left hand.

  "Zoro-Zoroark!" it snarled, the words catching slightly halfway through.

  Cynthia didn’t need to understand the language to understand the intent.

  Let me go, or I will kill them.

  And for a single moment Kael was silent, before he let out another sigh.

  "You know I don’t care about them, right? There's no point in holding them hostage," he said evenly.

  Myst just grimaced as Zoroark pushed its hand even closer, the swirling Dark Pulse just inches away from his chest.

  Zoroark growled. "Zoroark."

  For a moment, the only sounds were the crackle of the fireplace and the rain hammering against the windows.

  Then the sound of Kael’s voice rang out again, "How about this, then. You let them go, I let you go, but you leave behind your egg."

  Zoroark didn’t even bother answering, it simply stepped closer, shifting its head subtly so its gaze locked onto Kael. Myst grunted under his breath as the Dark Pulse edged even closer, the seething energy burning tiny holes through his shirt.

  Cynthia let her eyes move slightly, judging the distance that Zoroark would have to move to hit her. It couldn’t, with its hand so close to Myst it would have to throw its hand ninety degrees towards her to reach.

  Too far.

  Myst, apparently noticing, threw her a glance.

  She didn’t move. Partly because if she left, Myst would probably end up with a fist-sized hole through his stomach. And partly because staying gave her time to think. Zoroark was the obvious problem. If it lost patience, if it got desperate, they would both be dead in seconds.

  But there were still solutions.

  Cynthia’s eyes flickered right, Queenie, just a meter and a half away. If she moved first, fast enough, she could intercept the attack. Force it off course.

  She let her gaze shift back to Myst.

  But that would only work if Zoroark moved back to its original position. Right now, it didn’t even need to aim. One shove forward and Myst was dead. Apparently, though, Myst hadn’t gotten that memo. Because he still decided to open his mouth.

  “We’re not your enemies," Myst said, voice strained. "We want to help you. Let us, and we’ll stop him.”

  Her entire body tensed as she bit her lip hard enough to make it bleed. Did he honestly think, after all that they had done, that Zoroark would just—

  Zoroark paused. Its bright, furious eyes flickered, searching Myst’s face and for a single desperate second Cynthia almost let herself hope.

  Then Kael opened his fucking mouth.

  "Wow, real classy, Myst. Throwing your coworker under the bus after you were the one who tipped me off about Zoroark," he said, voice dripping mock hurt. "Really, how was I supposed to know she was pretending to be a hiker if you hadn’t told me to look for mute people who seemed off?"

  Cynthia closed her eyes as Zoroark’s eyes hardened, and it let out a scoff. Because really, that was the other problem. Kael was helping them for now, that much was obvious. For whatever twisted reasons he had for hunting Pokémon, he still didn’t want their blood on his hands.

  If he had no morals at all, he could have simply attacked and let the situation play out.

  That was easier.

  Cleaner.

  But that didn’t mean he was on their side. If they survived this standoff, if Zoroark weakened even a little, Cynthia didn’t doubt Kael would turn on them in a heartbeat. Take Zoroark. Take the egg. Use whatever methods he had to make sure no one could stop him.

  Because Cynthia didn’t need anyone to tell her what Kael really was.

  Kael was a Hunter.

  Her nails dug into her palms as she forced herself not to shudder at the thought.

  They had been helping him.

  Had felt bad for him.

  And in the end he was—

  She took a deep breath, forcing those thoughts away.

  Later.

  She could deal with that later.

  She was so—

  Later.

  Right now, she needed a plan.

  Myst broke the silence again, his smile somehow just growing. Still, it didn’t become more casual. Instead, every second he stood still, it seemed to become more and more strained, until he looked almost unhinged.

  That didn’t seem to change the way he talked though.

  "So... we’re just standing here now, huh?"

  "For now," Kael said dryly. "Got to give it to you though Myst, thought you’d be crying by now."

  Myst let out a shaky breath, barely a ghost of a laugh as he clenched his fists.

  "Hey, I'm crying on the inside," he muttered. His gaze flicked sideways to Zoroark's hand, still burning a hole through his shirt. "Honestly... how did we not realize you were lying earlier?"

  Cynthia barely heard them, her mind racing.

  Two goals.

  Survive, and after that, somehow beat Kael.

  Thunder cracked again. Cynthia didn’t flinch. Kael wasn’t weak, five badges, maybe more, depending on if he was telling the truth or not. Even with their full teams, it might not be enough. She needed information. A plan.

  Any other trainers wouldn’t even know what Pokémon he’d sent out.

  Cynthia wasn’t any other trainer.

  Ambipom was first, his starter, no surprise.

  Bibarel had to be the second, the heavy, clumsy landing gave it away.

  For the third Golbat fit, the flapping, the poison damage, the way Zoroark flinched.

  Bronzor was a dead ringer for the fourth, she had heard that hum a thousand times before.

  Last was Purugly, its tyrannical, but lazy growl unmistakable.

  Cynthia let her eyes drift to Queenie as Myst tried to keep the conversation alive, voice cracking slightly.

  "I mean, you're not even a good liar," he said, forcing a crooked grin. "Adding too many details to everything..."

  Kael chuckled. "To be fair, you had a lot of other things to think about…” She could almost hear him smile slightly, “Then again, to be fair to me, I didn’t exactly expect you guys to interrogate me on sight."

  Queenie would have to take on two, Ambipom and Purugly probably.

  Roselia…

  She clenched her fist, frustration boiling under her skin. This should’ve been easy. If they’d been outside, if Roselia had been closer, this whole hostage nightmare wouldn’t have lasted more than a second.

  One Grass Knot. Just one. Pin Zoroark for a moment, buy time for a Magical Leaf shield or Queenie, and they’d be gone.

  But no. Hardwood floors. No roots, no grass. Roselia would have to force the leaves out raw, conjure them from his own energy. They’d appear right beside him.

  And that was useless.

  Cynthia bit her lip hard enough to sting, dragging herself out of the thought. Could-be’s and maybes weren’t going to save them. She needed to think.

  Roselia, who should he fight? There was only one option. Bibarel.

  That left Golbat and Bronzor. Rei would have to deal with Bronzor. Ralts couldn’t, didn’t have the typing nor the firepower.

  Which meant Ralts would have to fight Golbat.

  Psychic vs Poison.

  Fairy vs Poison.

  A coinflip at best. Not a risk she would have wanted to take, but there was no one else left.

  Myst laughed again, too high, too sharp.

  "I mean, come on," he said, just a touch too high. "Isn’t it horror movie one-oh-one? The nice old man always turns out to be the serial killer."

  Kael chuckled again. "Hey, don’t you think serial killer is a little harsh? And old? I’m twenty two. Honestly,” he paused for a moment, “I mean, sure, people don’t like Hunters... but come on. We’re not trying to kill. That’d kinda defeat the whole purpose, don’t you think?"

  In the end there was no other choice though. Really, it wasn’t like it was a bad plan, Rei should be able to take out—

  "ZOROARK!"

  The snarl ripped through the room like a whipcrack.

  Cynthia stumbled back instinctively, one step, one stupid step—

  —and Zoroark’s gaze snapped to her.

  Its pupils slit. Its entire body tensed.

  She had moved, had tried to escape.

  The Dark Pulse flared, black energy seething at its fingertips.

  “RE—” Myst’s voice began.

  A blur of white rushed out from a nearby table.

  CRACK.

  Zoroark’s head snapped sideways as Rei's paw slammed into its jaw, the Dark Pulse sputtering into harmless sparks.

  Fake Out.

  Rei didn’t even let it think about defending itself.

  One foot hammering Zoroark’s chin upward.

  She twisted—

  An ear smashed down like a guillotine, folding Zoroark’s body like paper.

  Double Kick.

  It hit the ground on all fours, hands trembling as it braced, but it still didn’t let go of the egg.

  Rei landed between them, crouched low, eyes burning.

  Cynthia just stared, heart pounding against her ribs so hard it hurt.

  Every limb felt numb, frozen.

  She had almost—

  Had almost—

  Zoroark didn’t wait for her to snap back into reality. It opened its mouth, a ball of black energy gathering in an instant.

  A blur of blue streaked past her.

  Dark Pulse blasted toward them.

  A scythe of white light met it head-on.

  BOOM

  Cynthia stumbled from the force, chairs skidding across the floor and crashing into the walls, windows rattling but barely holding on.

  Even so, it was clear who had won. Queenie’s Slash had ripped clean through the Dark Pulse, and she wasn’t done. Before Zoroark could move, before it could even think—

  Queenie’s other claw lit up deep blue. Dragon Claw smashed into its back. Blood sprayed through the air, staining the floorboards red. Zoroark screamed, a raw, broken sound—

  The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

  Then silence.

  It simply laid there, its egg tumbling from its grasp and rolling underneath its body. That was enough to tear Cynthia back into reality.

  Was it—

  It’s chest heaved, shallow but alive. Alive, for now. Her hand moved without thinking, reaching for her backpack, ready to grab medicine, before she stopped herself.

  She wanted to check on it, but there was no time. Cynthia forced herself to turn around, and saw Kael.

  Kael and his team.

  Ambipom, Bibarel, Go—

  She paused, eyes lingering on the Crobat.

  Fuck.

  Kael stared at them for a second, wide-eyed, like he almost couldn’t believe they were still standing. Then he let out a breath, his body sagging slightly.

  “Damn," he said, a crooked grin twisting his mouth, his shoulders sagging slightly. "Good job. Thought you were toast there for a second.”

  Cynthia didn’t smile.

  Didn’t move.

  Didn’t blink.

  Kael’s grin twitched, turning bitter. “I want you to know, this wasn’t personal,” he said. “I didn’t plan for you guys to get hurt. It was just...” He shrugged. “Opportunity’s opportunity, you know?”

  She didn’t answer.

  Didn’t even breathe.

  Just watched his hand, the way it idly stroked Bibarel’s side.

  Myst’s voice broke the silence, his hands trembling as he took a shaky step backwards, then turned.

  “So... was any of it true?" he asked slowly. "Or was it just something fun to say?"

  Kael hesitated, just for a second. Then he smiled, all teeth.

  “Nah. It was true. Was true. Well, the things you probably care about at least.” He laughed under his breath. "A couple of years ago, I was stuck. Broke. Team bleeding me dry. Could've coasted for a while on scraps, but eventually?"

  A shrug.

  "I would've had to start letting them go. My family." His voice softened, eyes flickering down to his Ambipom. "So when I got an offer, do some work on the side, move some things around,” he paused stroking his Bibarel. “Well, I couldn’t say no.”

  He looked up again, at them. “I don’t think that’s too wrong you know?”

  Cynthia stared at him, at the way his hands moved over his Bibarel, the way the Pokémon leaned into his touch. Let her eyes move to Ambipom the way it took a step forward, standing guard in front of its trainer.

  She clenched her fist, eyes narrowing to slits as anger flared hot and sharp. Every word he spoke dripped with love for his team, his family.

  It was nice. Another time, she might have even respected him for it.

  But not now.

  Not when Zoroark lay behind them, its leg still bleeding toxic blood.

  Not when he hunted it down, tried to rip its child away like it was nothing.

  And for what? To put food on the table? To make himself a little more comfortable?

  His Pokémon, they loved him, that was obvious.

  But people could love monsters.

  She opened her mouth, not even sure what she was going to say. She never got the chance, Myst spoke up first.

  “Then how about you just leave?” he said quietly. “You don’t seem like a bad guy. You just didn’t have a choice. Well, right now you have a choice. Zoroark, if we don’t get it some help, will probably die. And you said it yourself, you’re a hunter, not a killer. So how about you just accept that this… this was a little bit too much?”

  Kael just shook his head.

  “Maybe if it was another job. Maybe if I hadn’t spent so much time on it. Maybe, maybe, maybe.” He laughed without humour. "You don’t get it, how people like me have to live. This?" He waved a hand at Zoroark. "The whole Cabin is looking for it, and then I stumble across some mute lady in the mountains? It took me weeks to make her lower her guard. To trust me enough that I had a chance. You say that I didn’t have a choice? I did."

  He grinned at them. “I just made it a couple of weeks ago.”

  A beat passed in silence, and in the corner of her eyes she saw Myst’s smile fall away, as he simply stared at Kael. Kael let out another sigh at the reaction, then raised an arm, pointing at Zoroark.

  “So, how about you just give me the egg?” he said. “That’s all I need anyway.”

  Myst didn’t bother responding this time.

  A click.

  Ralts materialized in a burst of red light, her head snapping towards her trainer. Cynthia didn’t even really notice. Without thinking, she stepped forward, moving just enough to block Zoroark from his sight.

  “No.”

  And at that all hell broke loose.

  ….

  A dozen attacks lit up the room as rain battered the windows, wind screaming through every crack. Cynthia clenched the edge of the overturned table they were using for cover, fingers white-knuckled as she watched. Fighting a free-for-all wasn’t like fighting an official Pokémon battle. The same rules didn’t apply. Cynthia knew that better than most trainers her age, had more experience with it, too.

  She wasn’t going to pretend it was going well.

  Queenie roared and Cynthia snapped her head toward the sound, just in time to see Ambipom’s fist drive deep into her partner’s side.

  Brick Break.

  Queenie retaliated instantly, blue fire bursting from her jaws and forcing Ambipom back. But that meant turning her back to the other fighter.

  In a blur of motion, Purugly lunged, mouth open, every limb crackling with Fairy-type energy.

  Still, Queenie was her ace for a reason. Without even looking, her oldest partner spun around, her claw shimmering as it lengthened into a shining blade of Normal energy—

  —and caught Purugly’s attack mid-strike.

  The Slash hammered the Tiger Cat Pokémon into the floor with devastating force, splintering the wood beneath it.

  Ambipom didn’t miss a beat. Before Queenie could turn, a hand-tail smashed into her spine, forcing her off balance.

  Queenie staggered and Purgly used the moment to tear free, rolling out of the wrecked flooring. In a second the Normal-type was on its feet, lunging again, fangs bared.

  Queenie’s eyes flickered.

  Ambipom closed in from behind.

  Purugly from the front.

  Exactly the situation Queenie had been fighting so hard to avoid.

  “Cover Que—!” Cynthia shouted.

  Roselia answered before she finished the sentence. From across the room the Grass-Poison type raised a hand. A Grass Knot snapped up from the floor a split second later, tangling Ambipom’s feet, racing up its tail and halting the Double Hit mid-swing.

  Using the time bought Queenie forced Purugly away again, before repositioning towards a wall, letting her back be protected by it.

  The move only cost Roselia an instant.

  It was enough.

  No longer held at bay by fading leaves, Bibarel barreled into Roselia’s side, head blazing white with Take Down. The impact sent Roselia flying like a ragdoll, red scarf trailing like the tail of a meteor.

  Yet Roselia didn’t crash into the wall. A shimmer of purple caught him midair—

  —then popped like a soap bubble as Ralts vanished again, just barely dodging Crobat’s dive.

  Roselia, spinning from the blow, slammed into the ground hard, landing in a puddle where rain had seeped through the cracked floor. But even dazed, he rolled to his feet, scrambling away.

  Beside her, Myst clenched a fist, his eyes narrowing in frustration. Cynthia mirrored the action.

  That had been Ralts’ first proper move all fight, the first second she hadn’t spent desperately teleporting out of the way...

  And a second was all she got.

  "Ralts, don’t let him track you down!" Myst shouted from behind their makeshift cover.

  Ralts didn’t hesitate, blinking under a table to buy herself a second.

  She used it well.

  As Crobat locked onto her again, the whole inn shimmered, mirror images of the little Psychic-type flooded the room.

  Double Team.

  The Bat Pokémon crashed into the place she stood a moment ago, Poison Fang snapping into her form—

  But she was already gone, having teleported away and left behind a mirror image.

  Kael, for the first time since the fight began, furrowed his brows.

  “Clear it, Bronzor,” he called.

  Bronzor spun out of the way of a fire punch, then used that momentum to keep spinning. Before Rei could react, it reversed course, slamming into her like a spinning disk of steel.

  Gyro Ball.

  Rei let out a sharp grunt as the impact ripped her off her feet, sending her tumbling across the room. She slammed into a toppled chair, wood cracking under the collision, before rolling to a stop.

  Every clone of Ralts looked up toward Crobat, raising a hand—

  They didn’t get to do anything more. Having bought itself a second, Bronzor pulsed with psychic energy, the air around it humming.

  Extrasensory.

  The psychic wave crashed through the room, flattening the sound of rain and thunder, pressing down on every Pokémon like an invisible hand.

  Ralts' Double Team flickered out like a dying spark.

  And more importantly—

  Crobat’s eyes locked onto her again, cruelly precise. The small Psychic-type vanished once more, letting her half-formed Psybeam dissipate.

  Of course, just because Bronzor bought itself time to use a move didn’t mean it was getting off scot-free. Rei wasn’t about to let it.

  Across the room, she exploded into white light.

  One step, one moment—

  She was in front of the Steel-type, fist blazing red.

  “Bronz—.”

  She smashed her fist into its metallic face.

  Bronzor shot backward, smashing through a wall in a burst of splinters, its body was so dense the wood barely slowed it down. Rain and wind shrieked through the fresh hole in the wall, carrying a blast of cold that made Cynthia flinch against the overturned table.

  Kael’s mouth snapped open again.

  “Purugly!”

  Purugly tore away from Queenie without hesitation, her bulky frame moving with terrifying speed.

  Rei didn’t waste the second she’d earned. Bursting forward again, she appeared next to Crobat, who was still scanning the shattered inn for Ralts.

  She coiled an ear, electricity crackling to life—

  —but Purugly wasn’t just bulky.

  In an instant, the Tiger Cat Pokémon exploded into motion, blurring into a line of silver and black.

  Rei barely had time to brace before the world snapped sideways.

  Still, even hurtling through the air, she twisted. Feet first, the small bunny-like Pokémon slammed into the wall. The wood groaned under the impact. Rei flicked her gaze toward the one who had interrupted her.

  One ear lit up dark orange.

  Then she pushed off—

  The wall exploded behind her as she became a streak.

  Purugly didn’t hesitate. The same second Rei moved, the catlike Pokémon shimmered pink—

  —and it too became a streak, hurling itself straight into the attack.

  For a heartbeat, Cynthia thought they would meet in a head-on clash, ear against the full weight of Purugly’s body. Rei didn’t let it come to that.

  Midair, the little rabbit twisted her whole body like an axle, one foot burning orange, and drove it down with brutal force.

  It smashed into Purugly’s head like the stroke of a headsman's axe—

  And lost.

  Play Rough and Double Kick had collided midair, frozen in a terrible balance. Then Rei’s foot had slipped, just an inch, just enough—

  And it was over.

  Purugly’s full weight ploughed through her. Rei was hurled up into the ceiling, cracking the wood with a sickening crack, before bouncing hard onto the floor. Though, even while spinning, she somehow landed on her feet.

  Wobbling, ears flattened against her skull, but not out of the fight.

  Cynthia’s hands clenched tight at her sides as Myst’s smile cracked again. They had gotten every matchup they had wanted.

  And they were losing all of them.

  Queenie growled low, twisting her head just in time to avoid a tail striking at her jaw. Another came snapping from the side—

  She started raising a claw to catch it.

  It was a beat too slow.

  Ambipom didn’t let up. In an instant, it was on her, tails flashing like whips, slashing from every angle.

  Queenie roared, countering with claw and fang, her movements blurring with speed. In the space between seconds, they traded a dozen savage strikes, tails battering, claws tearing, each impact so fast Cynthia could barely track them.

  But Ambipom had more limbs. A tail strike snuck through, crashing against Queenie’s ribs.

  She staggered, coughing.

  Ambipom darted sideways, resetting the distance, already smirking. Queenie lunged after it, refusing to let it gain space.

  Cynthia bit her lip as she watched.

  In any other place, in any other condition, Queenie would have been more than a match for Ambipom. She was stronger, faster, and had a more varied methods of attack. But she hadn’t been only fighting the Long Tailed Pokemon. The damage taken in the two on one had slowly started stacking, even after Purugly had gone away to fight Rei.

  More than that, the inn was far from an optimal place to fight. A Bulldoze used inside could send the building tumbling down, and a full power Dragon Rage, even though it wasn’t true fire, could easily start one. That left her with only her purely physical attacking options, and Ambipom had four hands.

  Cynthia’s eyes flickered to Roselia.

  The Grass-type leaned back, lifting a flowered hand as hundreds of razor-thin blades of grass shimmered into existence. With a sharp thrust, they shot forward in a tight, focused line, aiming to halt Bibarel’s charge.

  This time, the Beaver Pokémon didn’t even flinch. Its mouth opened wide, a blue orb gathering at its center before exploding outward in a surging torrent. Even with the type disadvantage, the sheer force of the Water Gun blasted through the wall of grass blades like they were nothing.

  Roselia stepped aside, dodging the overpowered Water Gun, and snapped his wrist to fling a dozen gleaming needles of Poison energy, fishing for a lucky hit.

  But Bibarel wasn’t about to take that risk. Water erupted around its form, Aqua Jet cloaking its body in a makeshift shield as it barreled forward.

  It crashed into Roselia—

  —only to pass harmlessly through a flickering leaf clone.

  It was, somehow, the fight that was going the best. And they still weren’t winning it. Even with the type advantage, even with the style advantage, Roselia simply didn’t hit hard enough.

  And that was the problem. Their Pokémon were better trained, had better tactics, more refined moves—but they were simply weaker.

  Only Queenie could keep up in pure power, but she had started taking on what Cynthia was starting to realize were Kael’s two strongest. Cynthia ducked down under the table as Crobat blurred past, still chasing Ralts.

  Another window shattered somewhere behind them, the howl of the storm outside spilling in like a living thing.

  “We aren’t winning this," Myst said, his usual smile almost absent.

  Cynthia nodded stiffly, biting her lip until she tasted blood, coppery and sharp on her tongue.

  “We need to get away somehow...” she whispered, the words barely reaching her own ears.

  She glanced over her shoulder, where Zoroark still lay, unconscious and unmoving, its fur rippling slightly under the storm’s growing fury.

  “You have an extra Poké Ball?” Cynthia asked slowly.

  Myst grimaced.

  “No, didn’t think I would need it. You?”

  Cynthia just grimaced. Zoroark was huge, too big to just grab and run. Only Queenie could do it without struggle. Which meant someone else would have to fight. Hold the line long enough for Queenie to carry Zoroark.

  But how?

  Crobat was still in the air, wings slicing through the rain like knives. If they didn’t take it down, they’d never get clear, the Poison-Flying type tear them apart slowly.

  And even then, the storm outside was still raging on.

  They had chosen this place for shelter because it was getting worse, and now they were supposed to bolt into it? Carry Zoroark and just... hope?

  No, she couldn’t think like that. There had to be a way.

  Cynthia glanced at the table, picturing the fight. Rei was out. She might last a few seconds, but she didn’t have Queenie’s durability. And as fast as the rabbit Pokémon was, she couldn’t dodge attacks coming from multiple angles.

  Roselia? He could tie down a Pokémon with Grass Knot, but only for a heartbeat. Not enough.

  Ralts? Cynthia didn’t even need to think about it.

  Cynthia bit down harder, shaking, blood sharp on her tongue. Who did that even leave?

  Maybe she could somehow have Rei—

  No. Not without forcing back Purugly.

  She could—

  No.

  That wouldn’t work.

  Her throat clogged, every plan crashing apart in her mind.

  In the end, this was her fault.

  Her fault for not paying attention.

  Her fault for not realizing earlier.

  She tried to shove the thought away, tried to think—

  But the thoughts clawed themselves way back in.

  If she hadn’t been so out of it—

  If Myst hadn’t been distracted by her—

  If she hadn’t been so fucking na?ve—

  Then this wouldn’t look like this.

  Riolu would still be healthy, ready to fight.

  One more option, just one, that's all she would have needed.

  But instead?

  Kael would win.

  He would get Zoroark.

  He would get the egg.

  And there was nothing she could do to stop him.

  Because she wasn’t—

  A hand clamped down on her shoulder. She flinched hard, jerking toward Myst without even thinking.

  His face looked almost calm, and yet his hands were trembling.

  "Cynthia," Myst whispered, his voice cracking on her name. "We're not gonna win. We have to..." he dragged in a breath, trying again, "We have to make a new plan."

  Cynthia almost snapped at him, almost spit the words back in his face, the frustration clawing up her throat like a living thing—

  —but she bit it down.

  Hard.

  Blood welled up again where her teeth met torn skin.

  He was right. They needed a plan.

  The problem was she didn’t have one.

  Myst licked his lips when she didn’t say anything. Then he turned, eyes darting across the broken inn.

  “How about—”

  A low hum. Bronzor zoomed in through a shattered window, rain sheeting off its body.

  Shit.

  Cynthia stared, numb, as the four-on-four became a five-on-four again.

  No.

  They weren’t going to win. But if they weren’t going to win—

  “Let's just bring the whole place down,” she said, voice flat.

  She didn’t bother asking Myst for his input. She didn’t look at him at all. Cynthia stood up, glaring across the wreckage at Kael.

  At his stupid, relaxed face.

  At the way he stood like he'd already won.

  Cynthia opened her mouth.

  Kael smirked.

  “Queenie—”

  Her partner forced Ambipom back with a savage Dragon Claw, then casually kicked Bronzor away like trash.

  “Bulldoze.”

  Kael paused. His smirk slipped.

  “Are you craz—”

  He didn’t get to finish. Queenie raised a foot, her whole body lighting up with Ground-type energy.

  Cynthia snapped Roselia back into his Poké Ball a split second before Bibarel’s Bite hit him.

  Queenie’s foot landed. For a heartbeat, the world froze.

  A crack.

  Another one.

  A spiderweb of fractures exploded outward from the impact, racing across the floor and up the collapsing walls.

  Cynthia didn’t care.

  Hunters didn’t deserve a fair fight anyway.

  A bathtub fell through the ceiling.

  Flames bloomed where Dragon Rage licked across broken wood.

  A support beam splintered.

  Queenie bolted towards them, a blue blur even through the downpour. In an instant she had crossed the floor, snatching up Zoroark’s unconscious body like it weighed nothing.

  Kael snapped his eyes towards them.

  Angry now.

  “Don’t let them escape!”

  Myst grabbed Rei back into her ball just as she lunged for Purugly again.

  “RALTS!”

  Ralts snapped her head around—

  Crobat dived for her—

  “Get us out of here!”

  Ralts vanished, stumbling into existence beside them.

  Queenie had Zoroark.

  Myst had the egg.

  Ralts' body surged with purple light, her eyes glowing under her cap—

  —and she screamed.

  Then they were outside.

  …

  Cynthia dropped to her knees as nausea hit her, the cold rain slamming against her back like open hands. Ralts simply fell.

  Myst dived for her, almost dropping the egg as he caught her before she hit the ground. The storm howled around them, drenching them in seconds.

  Cynthia didn’t notice though.

  Didn’t notice Queenie dropping Zoroark.

  Didn’t notice Myst whispering words of thanks to Ralts.

  Her eyes were locked onto the inn. It was burning. It was falling apart.

  And yet—

  And yet—

  The wall exploded as Bibarel crashed through it, delivering the final blow to the collapsing ruins.

  Cynthia stared blankly as Kael limped into view, leaning heavily on his Purugly.

  And yet it wasn’t enough.

  Bronzor wasn’t there. But Ambipom bounced on its tails. Bibarel barely seemed winded. Purugly looked furious, even as it limped. And Crobat?

  Fresh.

  Ready to hunt them down.

  Kael smiled bitterly as he closed in, watching Cynthia force herself to her feet.

  A dark cut ran along his face. The fallen bandage revealed an ugly purple-black stain where too much Dark-type energy had burned through his skin.

  But he was still standing.

  “I want to get angry at you guys," he said, voice almost conversational, "really, you had to collapse the whole inn on my head?" He shook his head, smiling faintly. "But honestly, I guess I deserved it. So let’s call it even, yeah? You put me in mortal danger. I put you in mortal danger. Fair I would say.”

  Cynthia raised a trembling hand and released Roselia again.

  Kael just sighed.

  “Honestly, it was a good attempt. Bronzor had to exhaust himself to hold up the house, so you could say you got one, but it’s over. Just give me the egg.”

  Myst returned Ralts in a flash of red, then rose to his feet. His long hair whipped around him in the screaming wind.

  "I don't get you," Myst said, voice low and shaking. "You live with Pokémon. You're a trainer. You have to know they're thinking, feeling," he broke off, jaw tightening, struggling for words. "That they can love. That they can have families. And you—" He clenched his fists, "How could you just stand there, and decide you were going to steal a child from its parent? I—" He choked on it.

  He couldn’t even finish, his words dying as he locked eyes with Kael’s flat stare. Myst grabbed a Poke Ball, and Rei materialized next to him in a flash of red.

  Kael sighed again. Closed his eyes for a moment. Opened them again.

  “Egg, please.”

  Cynthia opened her mouth.

  “Roselia—”

  She didn’t get to finish.

  A low growl cut through the rain. Zoroark dragged herself upright, trembling with the effort. Blood still ran down its sides, matting its fur into heavy clumps. The poisoned wound in its leg was still leaking, ugly and raw. And yet it stood.

  This time, it didn’t look at them.

  No. Its bright, bloodshot eyes were locked solely on Kael.

  Dark.

  Slitted.

  Hateful.

  It didn’t matter that it had no Aura left. It didn’t matter that it could barely stand. It stood anyway.

  Because it still had something to protect.

  "Zoroark," Kael said softly, a bitter smile twisting his face. “I guess it makes sense that you know how to do Aura Retraction.”

  He shook his head.

  “Well, I guess this means we do one more climactic battle for all the marbles?”

  Cynthia glared back.

  Rei didn’t wait for the answer.

  She charged.

  …

  If the battle in the inn had been a semi-organized mess, then this was just a mess.

  Zoroark fired off a Dark Pulse, the blast barely missing Rei and slamming into Purugly’s flank.

  Ambipom’s tail smashed into Zoroark’s side, only to flinch back as a storm of Magical Leaf ground against its Aura.

  Crobat crashed into Roselia, a Wing Attack snapping his arm back and sending him flying.

  Queenie roared, firing a Dragon Rage straight at Crobat.

  Bibarel dropped onto her side like a living wrecking ball, throwing off her aim by inches.

  Thunder boomed overhead.

  Roselia smashed into the ground.

  The inn collapsed in a splintering roar, the ground trembling beneath her.

  Rei stumbled, her Charm useless as Purugly simply ignored it, barreling forward.

  And Cynthia just stared.

  Zoroark collapsed to one knee, her type energy, the energy she had used to keep up an illusion for hours, finally sputtered out.

  Crobat swooped in, a Wing Attack slamming into Roselia’s side and lifting him off the ground, sending him skidding across the rain-slicked earth.

  Queenie let out a roar of rage, tearing herself free from Bibarel’s grip and smashing a talon into its side.

  Bibarel fell, then got recalled

  It didn’t matter.

  Because this wasn’t enough.

  Crobat hung in the air.

  Because it was all falling apart.

  Ambipom gave her a smirk.

  Because it was already too late.

  Purugly stalked forward.

  It didn’t matter.

  Because she knew—

  Because she knew—

  They had lost.

  "Let’s—" she began, like she had a plan, like there existed one.

  Myst cut her off, his voice flat.

  “Ok. You won.”

  Cynthia froze.

  Her body turned to ice, her boots glued to the earth.

  It didn’t feel real.

  The words didn’t reach her.

  They shouldn’t exist.

  But Myst was already moving.

  Walking.

  Holding the egg.

  Giving up.

  A sick, twisting nausea bubbled up inside her, churning like it was trying to claw its way out. And yet she stood there, paralyzed.

  Zoroark roared in grief, a desperate dying sound, but she could barely hear it.

  Only the storm.

  Only her heart thundering.

  Only Myst’s footsteps splashing through the mud.

  Kael sighed.

  "You know," he began, sounding tired, "you're lucky. If you'd met someone with less morals, you both would be dead."

  Myst didn’t respond.

  He just kept walking, past Queenie, past Rei, past Ambipom, Crobat and Purugly.

  Until he was standing right in front of Kael—

  Face to face.

  Close enough to reach out and touch.

  "Here," Myst said simply—

  —and dropped the egg into Kael’s waiting hands.

  Kael stared down at it, like he honestly couldn’t believe this was how he won.

  Cynthia felt tears slip free, hot against the freezing rain. Some part of her whispered this was the right choice.

  The smart choice.

  They had lost.

  But the other part—

  The part that burned—

  Myst glanced at her.

  A small, broken smile.

  And then he punched Kael across the face.

  Hard.

  The crack of impact snapped through the rain like a gunshot.

  Kael’s head whipped sideways, his whole body reeling from the force, the egg tumbling from his arms and splashing into the mud. Before anyone could move, before anyone could even process what they had just seen, Myst was already on him slamming him into the ground, an arm locking tight around his throat.

  Kael let out a hoarse, desperate wheeze, clawing at Myst's grip.

  Myst didn’t say anything.

  His face wasn’t smiling.

  Just cold.

  “Recall your team.”

  Purugly took a step forward, like it wanted to do something, but Myst just tightened the lock. The large cat froze, staring helplessly at her trainer.

  Looking like she didn’t know what to do.

  Kael grabbed weakly at Myst’s arm, patting it in surrender.

  Myst didn’t move.

  “You have an arm, recall them.”

  Cynthia just stared. She wanted to feel horrified. What Myst was doing broke every rule she had been taught.

  Every law.

  Every line trainers were supposed to never cross.

  But she didn’t.

  Instead, she just felt a backbreaking relief.

  Kael coughed harshly but still grabbed a ball from his belt and raised it.

  Purugly vanished in a flash of red. Ambipom clenched both hand-tails, like it wanted to move, and then it, too, was gone, swallowed by the light. Crobat hovered above them, wings beating slowly, golden eyes flickering between Kael and Myst.

  With two Pokémon gone Myst relaxed, just a little, seeing Kael’s face turning purple.

  And that was all Crobat needed.

  Even though its trainer had given up, it hadn’t.

  It dodged the beam of the Poké Ball, twisting into a streak of purple that shot across the field.

  Myst didn’t hesitate. He let Kael go, rolling out of the way just as Crobat’s Wing Attack carved through the air where his arm had been.

  Kael tumbled the opposite way, landing hard, gasping desperate breaths. He looked up at Myst, eyes wide with something that might have been fear.

  Rei bolted across the mud-slick ground, ears flattened tight against her skull.

  Kael scrambled to his feet, his gaze darting once to the egg lying abandoned in the mud.

  He didn't try for it, not even as Rei rushed past him and towards Myst.

  Instead, he turned and ran. Straight for Cycling Road, straight for the edge. And, without hesitation, he jumped.

  Crobat zoomed after him.

  Cynthia watched them vanish over the side, dropping out of sight.

  And just like that, it was over.

  They were gone.

  She didn’t even move.

  Her knees buckled.

  And she collapsed into the mud.

  ….

  It took her almost a minute to remember how to breathe. Even as the adrenaline drained from her veins, Cynthia forced herself up.

  Cold. Still raining.

  She sprinted for Zoroark, who lay sprawled in the mud. With trembling hands, she threw down her backpack, scrambling for the thing she always packed last: A pink box with a Chansey on the lid. Her fingers fumbled the locking mechanism, slipping once, twice.

  Myst grabbed her arm. She looked up, ready to glare.

  He blurred through her vision.

  "It's too late, Cynthia," he said simply.

  Cynthia glanced over at Zoroark. It wasn’t breathing.

  She had seen it already.

  Known it.

  She just didn’t want to believe it.

  Myst knelt beside her, setting the egg down next to its parent's body, where it belonged. Then he collapsed onto the ground too, silent.

  "We need to set up the tents," he said, still staring at the ruins of the inn as the rain finally strangled the flames.

  “Yeah.”

  “We need to eat something too.”

  “Yeah.”

  "And..." He let out a shaky breath. "We need to figure out what to do."

  “Yeah.” Cynthia said.

  She leaned against his side.

  Neither of them looked at the other.

  So, Cynthia didn’t see his tears.

  And Myst didn’t see hers.

  And in the end, as they struggled to set up a tent in a storm—

  Neither saw the pale mist sinking into the egg.

  Neither saw the promise that it would not be left behind.