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Calhoun had been sitting motionless in front of Necrozma for several hours, leaving Sakkaku in charge of establishing their defenses. He sent the Riders and the Crusade's remaining loyalists into the mesas to find materials to use to make walls, and they were steadily returning with stones to create a wall. During that time, the Krookodile boss had managed to recruit some additional help for them, including another band of Krokorok, a new flock of Mandibuzz and even managed to dig up another Golurk for them to bring under their control.

But despite their growing numbers, Sakkaku was not convinced that it would be enough... The forces they had now numbered just less than a hundred - less than half of the forces that they had brought to the invasion of Port Azure, and that revelation made him think back to that battle in particular...

The Rescue Teams at Azure had, indubitably, been prepared for that attack - perhaps they had begun preparing long before Calhoun had ever planned to strike the town at all. Yet, they had been grossly outnumbered at twenty-to-one odds... And still, they had prevailed. The Crusade had come forth with Bisharp Centurions and their Pawniard legions, mighty Golurks, various Dragon-types, the dreaded Saberwings, and the mighty Black Titan...

Yet, still, Azure stood... And that had only been against Rescue Teams Valiant and Phalanx, not even having their captains to lead them from what Sakkaku had later learned, and yet they had survived. Certainly, some factors were in their favour; the presence of multiple Legendary Pokémon on their side - including a Zapdos, the god of space, Palkia and the Dragon of the Void, Kyurem, and the blessed of several deities, put the advantage of raw power in the hands of the defenders...

But now it was the Crusade on the defensive, with no such advantage of their own... No Legendary Pokémon stood with them now, and their disorderly band of marauders were hardly a force to be reckoned with; certainly a danger to a poorly-defended town, but little else... The situation was grave, if they did not find some way to tip the scales.

He had to talk to Calhoun. As soon as the dark Blaziken was available, he'd approach him to express his concern. For the time being, he continued organizing what troops they had left and going through rigourous exercises to make sure they were at the peak of their abilities in order to increase their odds of succeeding... as marginal as they were.

The Cacturne were put to practicing formations while making use of the agility of their mounts; Cyclizar, despite their lithe figures, were remarkably fast and excellent climbers, making them highly mobile as mounts. The Krookodile and their Krokorok underlings were their heavy hitters for now, with their tunnelling abilities and powerful jaws.

The biggest hurdle that Sakkaku had to make up for was the inherent weaknesses of both sides; the desert-dwellers of the west continent that had joined them were mostly Dark-types, with a weakness to Fighting and Fairy-types, while the Krookodile and Cacturne also shared weaknesses to Ice-types; fortunately, in a climate like the West Continent it was unlikely they would face many of those in the coming battle. It also helped, both of them were capable of learning attacks that might tip the scales again...

Once he was satisfied with their progress he left the brutish desert dwellers to manage on their own, while he went to see Calhoun. The dark Blaziken was still seated in a meditative pose, with the crystalline creature known as Necrozma resting motionless on the ground in front of him. Tory stood over Calhoun, standing watch, and noticed Sakkaku approaching before he moved to intercept him.

"He needs silence to concentrate," the Decidueye said softly.

"How much longer do we have to wait for this?" Sakkaku asked in an irritated tone. "We're sitting Duckletts out in this crater, and the enemy could arrive at any given moment..."

"The labyrinth will be difficult for them to navigate; that buys us time," Tory replied, before looking back at Calhoun. "But I do not know how long this will take. He is attempting to free Necrozma's true power, locked away by Arceus himself. Such a thing will not be accomplished easily."

"Well, he better accomplish it soon... The soldiers are starting to become restless. I have kept them occupied with exercises, but that will only hold for so long..." The Zoroark countered, crossing his arms and tapping his claw along his arm.

Almost as if on cue, Calhoun finally moved. Slowly, he lifted his head, and his strangely coloured eyes opened. At the same time, Necrozma moved, and that motion was what alerted Tory and Sakkaku to the Blaziken's activity, as the crystalline creature levitated off the ground.

"It's done," said Calhoun, "I was able to lift the seal holding Necrozma's powers at bay... In a short time, he will be able to regain his true form, and his _true_power."

"Your timing couldn't be any more on point..." Sakkaku remarked in an annoyed tone. "I was beginning to wonder if you'd be motionless when the enemy was at our doorstep."

"It will take them some time to reach us," said Calhoun as he stood, "But you are right that we can't waste anymore..."

The ground began to tremble after he spoke, prompting both Tory and Sakkaku to look at the ground, seeing pebbles dancing atop the dry, crusty sand on which they stood. Slowly, the shaking intensified, and Calhoun turned to watch the center of the valley as Necrozma slowly raised its arms, which shook as though straining to lift something that was not there...

Then, there was a cracking sound, coming from the center of the valley. All eyes turned in the direction of the sound, in time to see a column of dust erupt from around the lone, standing stone that sat in the middle of the valley, and the shaking continued to intensify as the cloud settled.

"What in the hell is happening?" Sakkaku demanded, crouching low to stabilize himself as the shaking continued. "Is this your doing?" he asked the Blaziken.

"It is Necrozma's doing," corrected Calhoun, "He is raising the hiding place of the nexus from the earth."

As Calhoun spoke, a stone spire emerged from the dust cloud, slowly rising higher and higher from the ground. Necrozma's arms continued to shake and lift as the spire rose higher into the air, until it stood higher than the surrounding ridges and as tall as any mesa, but narrower than either. The stone pillar cast a long shadow over the valley in the light of the sun, and the Crusade's followers stared, awestruck, at the sudden appearance of the structure...

"There it is, my friends," said Calhoun, "Our goal is now in sight... At the top of that tower lies the final nexus, and where our victory will be assured."

"To think something like this was hiding beneath the desert all this time," said Tory, tilting his head back to eye the tower from top to bottom. "Someone went to great lengths to hide it."

"Well, I suppose we have wasted enough time getting this thing to reveal itself," Sakkaku remarked with a scoff. "Time for you to claim your prize, I suppose."

"Indeed," said Calhoun, "And once I have it... We will finally be triumphant."

"Do you need one of us to accompany you?" Tory asked.

Calhoun shook his head. "I need Sakkaku out here to lead the defenses, and I feel that this final nexus is overflowing with so much of the shadow power, it would corrupt even you, Tory, just by being close to it. Remain out here, and keep vigil for the enemy; if they approach... You are free to engage as you see fit."

Tory nodded. "Understood," he said. Then, he turned his gaze toward Necrozma. "What of him?"

"He needs time to gather his power," replied Calhoun, "Once he is at full strength, he will be the turning point in this war for us all."

"Until then, however, it will be up to us and our forces to hold back the invaders..." Sakkaku said with a grimace. "A tall order, given what we have to work with..."

"Oh, don't worry, Sakkaku," said Calhoun, grinning broadly. "I will be taking care of _that_problem too."

With that, Calhoun turned from his comrades, and began walking toward the tower. As he did, Necrozma began to levitate again, turning his head toward the tower as well, but aiming for the very tip of the spire, and ascending toward it where he could catch the most light.

Calhoun found the entrance to the tower shortly; though it was well concealed amidst the rock face, it was marked by a symbol that caught Giratina's eye through Calhoun's gaze. The emblem, he said, belonged to a cult that had been dedicated to Giratina; followers of his will, who had been the last ones to attempt to free him by building the Nexuses, at four focal points across the world.

"So, this cult of yours," Calhoun began, "What happened to them? The nexuses were sealed away, hidden and guarded for all these years... Does that mean they were wiped out?"

'Time and... Sacrifice wiped out those that worshiped me and my rule.' Giratina answered. 'They were the ones responsible for constructing the Nexuses, all in an attempt to harness my power through each focal point for their own goals...' He said with a growl. 'The fools... They underestimated how potent my power is, and they paid for it with their folly.'

"So, they weren't trying to free you, as the tales say?" Calhoun asked, "They were trying to take your power for themselves? Seems the history books need some revision."

'And they will, once you have fully bonded with my power.' Giratina answered with a malicious chuckle. 'History is decided by the victors, after all...'

Calhoun allowed himself a chuckle. "That it is," he agreed.

He reached the top of the tower, cresting the top of the spiraling stairs to enter the chamber of the last nexus. In his life, Calhoun had seen three of these Nexuses while they were active, to peer into a voice of infinite darkness, held between four pillars like upraised fingers holding a paw. This Nexus looked the same as the others he'd visited, but the void within its confines was different...

The black abyss was deeper, and darker than ever before Yet despite it, Calhoun saw a pair of eyes looking back at him. He approached the Nexus, and his eyes widened in surprise as he saw who lay beyond. A great, serpent-like creature with a body covered in spiky features - though still too dark to get a clear image. He could definitely see the face, though; the golden, mask-like features of the fallen god, and his shining red eyes that stared back at the Blaziken.

"Giratina, I presume?" he joked, crossing his arms as he studied the void. "I've been to three of these Nexuses before - two while they were active... This is the first time I have actually been able to_see_ you through one of them..."

'Indeed. At last, we finally meet,' Giratina returned, inching closer to the barrier keeping him trapped in the Distortion World. 'You have done well coming this far... Only one task remains for you, and unlimited power shall be yours.'

"As we discussed... Just tell me what you need me to do," said Calhoun, now standing in front of the void.

Giratina placedof his tendrils close to the barrier and pressed into it, prompting Calhoun to place his hand where the red claw was. It almost felt like he was touching glass, separating him from the dark god beyond.

'Now... we begin the ritual,' he answered. 'Clear your conscience... We must be completely in sync - in mind, body and soul... Falter for even a moment, and you will be erased from existence,' he explained. 'Are you ready, Calhoun...?'

Calhoun nodded without hesitation. "I am," he said. "If I don't do this... I fear I will fail in my quest for power regardless. This is all or nothing now... Either I die by your power, or theirs. There is no going back."

Giratina nodded, and then his large red eyes began to shut. 'Then let us begin...'

Calhoun closed his eyes as well, waiting for instructions on how to proceed. He could feel his heart racing, knowing that this moment could be his last; he had never feared death, and he still didn't... But the knowledge that it was hanging over him so readily waiting to drop... It was as if Yveltal himself was just waiting to strike, the moment he sensed weakness...

It wasn't long before he felt it; a slow and steady surge of strength starting to wash into him. It was akin to a ghostly essence trying to move into his body like it was trying to possess him. Such a feeling would take every ounce of Calhoun's willpower not to move or reject the ghostly surge, or he would become nothing more than a memory, and Giratina would be trapped still in his prison.

"I can feel it..." began Calhoun, unable to stop a chill from creeping up his spine as he felt Giratina's power flowing into him.

'Focus.' Giratina stated firmly. 'The process has begun. Do not move, speak, or reject the sensation...'

Calhoun forced himself to remain still as Giratina instructed, taking a calming breath, like he was meditating. The process was slow, reminding him of the days he had first been cursed, and the time he had to spend to maintain control of himself... It felt like that again, but this time his body was not rejecting it.

But he heard Giratina scoff, and could feel his irritation. 'This barrier is hampering the process... It will take far longer than I anticipated for our minds to properly link, increasing the risks,' he growled angrily.

"Then we need to make use of every second," said Calhoun, "I've instructed Necrozma to regain his powers; if the heroes should come, he'll be able to hold them back... Then, I will use his power to summon his army."

'Good. Let us continue, then.' The ghostly dragon stated.

From that point onward he didn't speak or move, focusing on pouring more of his power through the barrier and into his patron. Despite his composure, deep down Giratina was bordering on ecstatic. He was finally going to be free from the accursed prison his family had banished him to... and once he was free, he was going to make them understand that nothing could hold him down or contain him. They would be the first to die, along with every other god in existence... and the world would finally be his.

~~~~~

"Keldeo!"

Hearing his name being called, the young equine's head raised in response, turning in the direction of the voice to see three familiar faces running up to him. Keldeo had been exploring Gladiator City with Cauling and Koa, with their end destination always intended to be the hospital to meet his mentors. But it seems he didn't need to do that, as the sleek form of Lady Virizion came dashing toward him, followed closely by Cobalion and Terrakion.

"Guess they made a full recovery," Caulin stated, smiling as he watched the three of them trotting closer.

Virizion came up to Keldeo first, lightly bumping her head against the young protégé's. "Thank the creator, you're safe..." she said in a relieved tone. "Are you alright? Did those monsters do anything to you?"

"I am alright, Lady Virizion," Keldeo replied, smiling back at her, "I was afflicted with some... Dark curse, but thanks to Sir Caulin," he glanced back at the Lucario behind him, "I am free again. He saved me."

Keldeo had begun referring to Caulin by the knightly honourific of 'Sir' ever since they'd returned to the city. Caulin felt somewhat conscious about it, but Keldeo seemed adamant in the title. "H-Hey, Keldeo. You don't... Have to keep using the honourific title. Just Caulin is fine," he insisted, rubbing the back of his head absently. "I'm not a knight or hero or anything like that; not yet at least."

"You are one to me, Sir Caulin," said Keldeo, turning his smile now to Caulin, "For if not for you, I would still be a servant to that vile Calhoun."

"I just did what I thought was the right thing to do," Caulin responded.

"And _that_is what makes you stand out from the rest, young one," Terrakion stated with a nod of his head. "You knew the dangers, yet you persisted in saving our protégé. The makings of a fine hero."

Caulin shrugged slightly. "Grampa used to always tell me that sometimes you got to do a little wrong in order to do the right thing," he answered modestly. "I _could_have waited, but by then the Curse might have rooted deeper into Keldeo. I couldn't just let that happen."

Caulin felt Koa put an arm around him, hugging him gently. "Kuip'po, heroic," he said.

That was a new one to Caulin; he hadn't heard Koa call anyone that before... The Lucario looked at Koa curiously. "Kuu... Ip..." he tested the strange word, but couldn't repeat it. "What's that mean?" he asked.

Koa looked at him, tilting his head as he considered how to translate the word he had said to the more common dialect. "Express... Fondness," he began, and then put his paw to his chin as he thought more. "Do not know... Exact word, in tongue," he admitted, embarrassed.

Caulin frowned slightly and looked down as he gave it some thought as well. "...Fondness," he repeated, then his ears perked up, "Is that a word you use to identify... A lover?" he asked.

At that, Koa perked up. "Yes!" he replied, sounding both proud and excited that Caulin got it.

Caulin jerked his head back a little at Koa's outburst, but then he started to smile broadly before he leaned in and held Koa tightly, giving him a few kisses as he was unable to hide his enthusiasm about Koa openly acknowledging him as his lover.

"Ah, young love," Virizion muttered, smiling at the two of them.

At that, Cobalion stepped forward to address Caulin. "Pardon me," he began, interrupting the moment between Caulin and Koa. "First, I wish to express, on behalf of all of us, our gratitude for saving Keldeo from the Shadow Curse," he concluded with a deep bow of his head, repeated by the rest of the swords.

Now Caulin really felt conscious... He was being honoured so highly by Pokémon regarded as legendary heroes to the entire West Continent; he felt like he had Butterfree in his stomach, more nervous than at any other time in his life that he could recall.

"Oh, come on... Guys, you're giving me way too much credit here. I couldn't have saved him without Koa's help, give him some props too," He responded, his cheeks beet red from the amount of praise he was receiving. 'Jeez, is this what Dad has to go through whenever he saves a life or two...?' he thought to himself.

With that, Cobalion lifted his head to regard Caulin again. "Secondly... I wish to pass along that my comrades and I will be honoured to assist you in the coming battle," he continued.

That got Caulin's attention. "Wait, you're going to fight with us? Against Calhoun and his cronies?" he asked in an excited tone.

"It is the least we can do for what your friends have done for us." Virizion answered. "Such acts of charity and heroism are few and far between here in the West, with only Captain Romulus and his team breaking that mold. It would be remiss of us to not return the favour."

"That, and I just wanna kick the daylights out of that Blaziken for trying to use us for his own twisted purposes," Terrakion scoffed. "No one messes with the Swords of Justice and gets away with it."

"...Jeez, you sound a lot like Tristan," Caulin muttered.

"What will you need me to do, Sir Cobalion?" Keldeo dutifully asked.

"I fear this coming battle is too much for you yet, Keldeo," replied Cobalion, shaking his head. "You have not had the experience yet. I want you to remain here in Gladiator City, to watch over the people here."

"But sir... I want to fight beside all of you," said Keldeo, "Gladiator City has its own peacekeepers to watch over it. This battle may decide the fate of the very world! I cannot just stand by and-"

"I'm sorry, Keldeo, but the matter is not up for discussion," Cobalion interrupted, "You must leave this to us."

Caulin felt a pang of sympathy for Keldeo, hearing his masters so readily excluding him from an important mission - just as Caulin's parents had tried to. But unlike Caulin, Keldeo wasn't so willing to defy his mentors as Caulin had been, as rather than continue arguing, he hung his head in disappointment, absently pawing the ground with his hoof.

Caulin stepped over and placed his paw on Keldeo's back. "Ya know... When my parents told me I wasn't ready to take part in this fight, I fought as hard as I could to prove that they were wrong." He began. "I know I'm one to really talk, but... maybe they have a point. You were hit with the Shadow Curse and technically are still recovering. Your mind might be ready, but maybe your body says otherwise. I'd say take a little longer to rest before you go charging in and... well... end up hurting yourself even more, or worse."

"But so were they," Keldeo replied under his breath, looking at Caulin out of the corner of his eye. "I know I am not as strong as they are... But I want to help them. They..." he frowned, "they are the only family I have..."

"I know... But you're also their successor, man." Caulin continued to reason with Keldeo. "Someone's got to carry on their legacy when they eventually get too old to continue. If you go out there, that legacy might come to an end. You really wanna risk that?" he asked, matter of factly.

Again, Keldeo hung his head, seeing the logic behind Caulin's words. "I suppose... You are right, Sir Caulin," he replied, "There must be someone to stay behind... If it must be anyone, it should be me." With a nod, he raised his head again, "Thank you for your sound advice."

"Part of being a good fighter is knowing when to pick your battles." Caulin said reassuringly. "Gotta be strong up here as well as everywhere else," he added while tapping his head and snickering gently.

"You sound very wise for one so young," Virizion remarked in a tone of approval.

"My Grampa was a pretty wise guy. I learned as much from him as I have from my dad and my uncle," Caulin answered, then started snickering again. "That said, my dad's not exactly the best at following his own advice, given that he's always looking for a chance to scrap."

"Sounds like he and I might get along just fine," Terrakion said with a snort.

"We may yet have our chance to meet them, soon," said Cobalion, "For now, we should see if we can meet with Captain Romulus, to discuss plans." He looked at Caulin before he continued, "Might you know where we could find Romulus, Caulin? It has been... It's been a long time since I visited this city, and I do not know my way around."

"Well, last I heard was in the hospital, but he could also be in his office over at the Colosseum," Caulin answered, turning and pointing toward the large structure. "Other than that, he could be at his place. Dunno where that is though."

"We'll start at the Colosseum, then," said Cobalion. "Comrades, with me. It's time we meet the head of this city, face-to-face."

~~~~~

"Seriously_guys?" Lashanne asked, looking at Volcan, Minato and Luke with a blank expression, "I'm the _only one here who pieced together that Luke's mom had a thing for Romulus - none of you caught on?"

"It wasn't exactly obvious," said Volcan, "I mean... We only saw them together one other time, at Shamshir's funeral... Surely you didn't know about it _that_far back?"

"No, but I started to catch on when A: she wanted to come with us," Lashanne counted off on her paw, "B: she was adamant about taking him home the night we arrived - not to mention we didn't see her the rest of the night, and C: the way she reacted when Sash attacked him. I may be new to this whole 'romance' thing myself, but I do not think anyone reacts the way she did about someone they're only acquainted with."

"Honey, honey," Minato stated, lifting his paws up to try and calm her down. "I think sometimes you fail to realize that not all of us are as eagle-eyed as you are. Plus, we were in the middle of a battle when she cried out like that. Adrenaline can be a helluva drug."

Lashanne huffed. "Okay, I'll excuse that one, but the other two times? I'd think at least Volcan or Luke would recognize the start of a pattern when they see one. No offense, hon."

"None taken," Minato clarified.

Volcan stumbled over his words as he tried to reply. "I... Well, she..." He sighed in defeat. "Okay, when you put it that way, now I just feel stupid," he admitted, rubbing the back of his head and peering off to the side, embarrassed.

Luke, seated in an armchair by the door to Romulus' office, was still coming to terms with what he had just seen. Romulus... And Luminara - his mother, together... Even now the two were still in Romulus' office, the Houndoom in a meeting with Revane that he could overhear if he had been listening. But at that moment, he was still coming to grips with it all.

'Does... this mean I'm going to have a father-in-law...in Romulus_?'_ He thought to himself, paws still on his head as he kept trying to process the information he was exposed to not long ago. "I... I don't know how to feel about this." He muttered out loud.

"It is a lot to take in," agreed Volcan, "Especially since you and Romulus have a... Well, shall we say, complicated history?"

"Right, but... We've moved past that now. At least I hope we have," Luke answered, rubbing his temples with his paws.

"Ah, Volcan, there you are," came the voice of Serena, and the four of them turned to see the Vaporeon walking over. "Luke, do you mind if I take Volcan for a bit? I want to take some more time to treat those injuries he suffered when he fought Sash."

The Vaporeon's claim reminded them that the Blaziken did look battered up. He had multiple cuts and bruises across his body, many of which Serena had tried to treat on their way back, but she'd of course had to divide her attention between him, Caulin, Luke and Keldeo and hadn't been able to give Volcan her full attention.

"She's right, love. You took a fair bit of damage during that fight," Luke offered, slowly rising from his seat and taking a moment to steady himself. "We'll need you at your best for what's to come."

Volcan let out a sigh. "Okay," he agreed, "I'll catch you guys later then."

With that, Serena led Volcan away, the Blaziken giving the group a wave as he departed. Then, once he was gone, Romulus - followed by Revane and Luminara, stepped out of his office, regarding the three.

"...Did I miss Volcan?" he asked.

"He just went away to get treated by our medic," Lashanne answered.

"Ah. Very well then," he replied, nodding. "I'd like all of you to come with me if you please. I think it's time we go to see Seji and take him to deal with his apprentice."

"You think he'll want to cooperate in getting the info from Sash?" Minato asked skeptically. "Call me a cynic, but I don't think he's fully broken all of his allegiances with the Dark Crusade..."

"From what Luke and Volcan have told me, it is the only option we have left," said Romulus, "Calhoun has already left for this Western Nexus, and none of us know where it is. Perhaps, as we go talk to Seji, you can fill in the blanks for me as to just what these Nexuses are?"

"Long story short," began Lashanne, "One of them is how Calhoun ended up a Shadow Pokémon in the first place. There are four of them across the world, on each of the compass point continents; we've taken out two of them, and the one up north - according to Luke, is tapped out from when Calhoun was first turned. This one we're looking for is the last."

"As I've heard from the guild's center of intelligence," Romulus replied with a nod as they started walking - minus Revane, who vanished into the floor to go on ahead as they headed to the stairs. "From what I gathered, they were rumoured to be focal points to the dimension where Giratina is kept captive; Luminara already filled me in that Calhoun is Giratina's 'Blessed', yes? So, he wants this final nexus to do what, create more like him?"

"No, not exactly," Luke answered. "Calhoun's Blessing isn't complete. He has access to some power granted to him, but he can't access a proper Blessed state like Sol or Minato can," he explained. "He's looking for these Nexuses to break Giratina's seal, and properly bond with him to achieve a true Blessed state - this will give him access to more of Giratina's power, and make him as strong as any Legendary Pokémon, and it will free Giratina in the process."

At that, Romulus paused mid-step, his eyes widening even as he looked ahead. "_Free_Giratina?" he echoed, and then his face took a hardened look again. "After I found out the Crusade wanted these Nexuses, I consulted every source of local myths I knew of; even sent letters to the Academy way up north. None of them knew of the whereabouts of the Nexus; they'd heard of it, but not where it was, beyond rumours."

"They wouldn't," said Lashanne, "The Academy has a lot of information, both historical and mythological, but I read hundreds of that library's books while I was there. I can't recall anything about the Nexuses, let alone where they are." She grimaced, "Maybe if we had time and we went back there, we could find something, as we did in Lindenberg, but I don't think we can afford to dedicate days to research this time."

"No, we cannot," agreed Romulus, "Especially not when Calhoun already knows where it is... He has a head start, and now, every minute counts."

The group left the Colosseum and made their way up the hill to Romulus' house, where Seji had been moved to after the initial attempt on his life. Upon their arrival, they found the Alakazam asleep in the guest room that had been left for him; even when Revane had moved Seji there, he had taken every precaution. Zofia was right outside the window to the room, a web woven over the glass ready to catch Seji if he attempted to jump out. The one door leading into the room was likewise guarded by Voltner and the two Bisharp guards previously assigned to watch him; Hook was also waiting down by the door when they arrived and went up with them to the room.

The Bisharp unlocked the door and stood aside as Romulus entered first. They found Seji, lying on the guest room bed; apparently sleeping, but he stirred when he heard the footsteps coming into his room, and he was barely sitting upright when Romulus spoke to him - firmly, with his usual glaring features worn upon his face.

"Get up, Seji," he stated, "You're coming with us."

The Alakazam jolted upright on instinct when he heard the Houndoom's voice, taking a moment to recollect himself and brush down his torso with his hand. "I understand that I am a prisoner here, but... Could you at least not awaken me in such a way?"

"You deserve worse than that, Seji." Minato spat spitefully. "But for now, you get to make yourself useful to us... We need information, and you're the only one who can get it for us."

"Take a moment to rouse yourself. I will have something prepared for you if you need it," said Romulus, "But time is of the essence, and we require your assistance." Though his choice of words were more diplomatic than Minato's, his tone - and his expression, conveyed that there would be no debate in this.

Seji let out a sigh, rubbing his eyes and taking a few deep breaths to fully rouse himself before he stood, stretched and walked around the bed to stand before them, placing his hands behind his back. "I am ready. What do you need my assistance with today, Captain?"

"There is someone here that you know," Romulus began as he led Seji out of the room. Minato and Lashanne walking at his flanks and Hook bringing up the rear - making a show of snapping one of his claws just to remind Seji that he was watching him. Luke and Luminara were at Romulus' sides, matching his pace as he walked.

"Captains Volcan and Luke," Romulus went on, gesturing to Luke who walked at his left, with Luminara behind him, "went to the Crusade's base. It was exactly where you said it was, and I thank you for the information. However, Calhoun himself was not there, nor were there more than a small number of guards."

Seji's eyes widened as he sharply jerked his head to look at Romulus, then at Luke who nodded in confirmation. "...Then he has already won," the Alakazam muttered, hanging his head in defeat. "He'll have reached the final Nexus by now, and we are far too late to stop him from getting what he wants..."

"Maybe not yet," said Romulus, "And that is where you come in."

Luminara spoke up next. "You're going to look into the mind of the prisoner my son and son-in-law have brought in." She spoke with as much authority in her tone as Romulus. "As we have mentioned, this prisoner is someone you know very well... knowing this, we expect you to follow through with your word."

"...Before I do, I must inquire..." Seji spoke, looking to Luke once more. "...Is it Tory? Sakkaku?"

Luke shook his head. "Neither... The Pokémon in question is your former apprentice."

Seji hung his head again, his pace slowing slightly but not coming to a full stop. "So, it has come to this then..." he muttered in dismay. "Karma really does have a nasty way of coming back to claim its debt, doesn't it?"

Romulus looked behind him to glance at Seji. "I understand this is a lot we are asking of you," he said, "But what happens here may very well affect the fate of the world itself. Your apprentice is now the only one who knows where to find the Nexus; if we do not get there soon, we-"

Suddenly, as they reached the bottom of the stairs, Romulus staggered, and nearly fell to his side before Luminara had a chance to catch him, the Houndoom bared his teeth in pain, and his eyes would not focus properly.

"Boss?" Hook asked, lifting his head to look over Seji to his captain at the bottom of the stairs.

"...I... I'm fine," the Houndoom lied, rising again on shaking legs with Luminara's help. Both Luminara and Luke looked at the Houndoom with concern, though dared not to say anything and allowed Romulus to save face as the former gently backed up from him once he was steady again.

"You do not need to remind me of what is at stake," Seji returned firmly. "I defected because I came to understand what I was doing was wrong - that my reasons for joining the Crusade did not make up for what I was doing for them. I am prepared to make amends for my transgressions as much as I can, and face the consequences that come after," he reminded them with a nod. "I will do it."

"Too little too late for regrets, asshole..." Minato muttered under his breath.

"Very well," said Romulus. "Hook, would you mind taking point? Sash is being kept in the prison level of the Colosseum; I shall be along in a moment."

"Sure thing," the Drapion replied, as he and the others reached the bottom of the stairs. The look of concern he cast at his captain did not go unnoticed, but a hard look from Romulus brought his attention back to the moment at hand.

Giving him room to get around, Hook took the lead while Minato and Lashanne remained at Seji's flanks, leading the Alakazam out of the house while Romulus laid down on the floor again, suddenly breathing very heavily.

"I had hoped... That the efforts of Miss Serena had... Brought me along further than this," he growled, lying on his uninjured side as he looked at the bandages on the other.

To the surprise of Luminara and Luke, the bandages had reddened; the wound had been opened again!

"You're bleeding!" Luke almost screamed as he knelt next to Romulus along with his mother.

"Romulus, I kept telling you to stay at the hospital. Now you've lengthened your recovery time with your wound reopening," Luminara said scoldingly. "We must get you back to the hospital."

"There... Isn't time for that... Right now," he said, rolling back onto his stomach again and trying to stand, despite his shaking legs. "Bruce! I need you!" he called out.

In seconds, another figure emerged from the direction of the kitchens, up the hall behind Romulus. A Hitmonlee, dressed in a formal two-piece suit with a long overcoat. Upon seeing Romulus on the floor, the Hitmonlee's eyes went wide and he rushed over. "Master Romulus!" he exclaimed, "What happened?"

"Just a scrape, Bruce... I need you to bring the first aid kit," the Houndoom replied to his apparent butler.

But Luminara wasn't having it. She practically grabbed him by the horns and forced him to look at her, the Lucario's eyes almost boring holes through his with how hard she was glaring at him. It was the first time that Luke saw Romulus wearing a shocked expression on his face.

"You are going. To the hospital. Now." She practically growled at him.

"But I need to-" he started to argue, but she cut him off.

"Your wound has reopened, and you have already lost enough blood you can barely function - you will bleed out if you don't get it resealed!" she dared to shout at him, and then added in a calmer tone. "I understand you have duties, but you won't be able to perform them if you are dead, and that is something I will not allow to come to pass." She continued. "You are going to the hospital, Romulus. This is not up for discussion."

"...Whoa..." Luke breathed softly, surprised at her tone. He hadn't seen her go into stern, protective mother mode in a long time, and he almost forgot how scary she could be when she was like this. Slowly, he leaned over toward Romulus and whispered into his ear.

"I'd... listen to her, Romulus," Luke remarked, "She's right. You won't make it till sundown with your wound like that - you barely survived when Sash attacked you. Now you've triggered her protective instinct with your stubbornness... She will force you to go if you keep refusing."

The Hitmonlee made a sound like clearing his throat - despite not having a visible mouth to speak of. "I must concur, sir. You are hurt, terribly, and you need proper care."

Romulus cast a withering look at the Hitmonlee. "You are supposed to be on _my_side, Bruce," he said, scathingly.

"I am your butler, sir; it is my job to see you are cared for," the Hitmonlee stated with slight bow, "even if doing so means going against your wishes."

Looking between the three, Romulus knew he was outmatched, and in his current state he was not fit to argue any further. He let out an exasperated sigh and ground his teeth before he spoke again. "I... I may need some help," he said, reluctantly, "The hospital is not far, but... I don't think I can make it on my own."

Bruce looked between Luke and Luminara. "I will run ahead to have them prepare a room for him if you two can assist him?" he asked.

"Of course," Luminara said with a nod. "Thank you, Bruce."

With a bow, the Hitmonlee excused himself and ran out the door while Luke and Luminara, standing on either side of Romulus, gently picked him up. He was too big for either of them to carry alone, forcing them to both take an end; Luke held him around his midriff and his legs and Luminara around his chest and neck, giving him ample support as they carried him out - pausing only when he let out a pained grunt, but he assured them again that he was fine.

"I don't remember a day in my life where I was ever carried," the Houndoom remarked as they went along, "...It feels... Undignified, to not be able to walk on my own feet..."

"Your pride will recover. That wound won't; not without proper care," Luke stated firmly. "Sometimes it's better to suffer humiliation if it means you get to live to see tomorrow."

Romulus let out a defeated sigh. "I suppose you are right... Pride is a weakness, and I must put it aside for now," he agreed. Then, he added. "Thank you, by the way. Both of you, for helping me."

"You know I would bend head over heels to help you, Romulus," Luminara answered, gently adjusting her hold on him him so she could hold onto him better. "Just because you need help today doesn't make you any less of the man I helped back at Shamshir's funeral," she added reassuringly.

"...On a separate topic," Luke piped up. "...So, with you two seeing one another... Does that mean we'll be adding another member to our family at some point?" he asked tentatively.

Luminara smiled in response to his query. "It is possible, but not everything is set in stone, son," she answered. "For now, our relationship is still blooming, but I would say it is... Quite serious."

Romulus smiled at that, rolling his eyes to look at Luminara. "Having you here gives me all the strength I could need," he said, "Though... I suppose my body does not share what my heart feels, does it?"

Luke went deadpan. Had Romulus just made a joke?

"...Who are you and what have you done with the Hound of Terror?" Luke asked, smiling a bit despite the seriousness of that question.

At the hospital, another pair of battered warriors were growing increasingly restless from having to spend so much time in their rooms. Tristan's constant grumbling while waiting for his leg to men annoyed Sol to no end, as much as the Typhlosion just wanted to be out of there. He had, on more than one occasion, told Tristan to be quiet, and to his credit the Aggron complied, but inevitably the grumbling would start again when he could not get comfortable.

Then, as Volcan passed by the room, he noticed the two and knocked on the door before letting himself in. "Looks like I'm not the only one who needed a check-up, am I?" he joked as he stepped in, moving over to Sol's bedside first. "How you holding up, big guy?" he asked.

"I'd be better if numbnuts over there would stop complaining over his fucking knee," Sol abrasively responded, shooting a glare at Tristan.

"Ain't the knee that's buggin' me; I just hate sittin' around in here, missing all the action," Tristan countered, and then took a long look at Volcan. "Speaking of action, you look like you've been through a hurricane, captain. You okay?"

At that, Sol took a more studious look at Volcan, and indeed Tristan was right; the Blaziken had clearly been in a gruelling fight recently. Even as Sol studied him, Serena moved to the Blaziken's side and gave him a disapproving look.

"If you must catch up now, at least let me do my part, Volcan," she chided him.

"Here; use my bed," Tristan offered, sliding off the side of his bed and standing. "I need to stretch anyway before I start to rust."

With that, Volcan sat on Tristan's now vacant bed, and Serena jumped up beside him to do her examination, applying her healing waters to a few of his more grievous wounds. Sol once again eyed his captain's injuries, rolling over on his bed to look squarely at him.

"So, what the fuck happened?" he asked. "Why do you look like you got tossed through a woodchipper?"

Volcan glanced over at Sol, hesitantly answering. "It... Was Sash. We encountered him at the Crusade's fortress," he replied but seemed reluctant to say more.

"Cut the bullshit," Sol remarked abrasively, seeing right through Volcan's hesitancy. "What really happened?"

Volcan cringed at Sol's tone, and Serena cast Sol a withering stare. "Sol, Volcan has been through a lot already. Can this not wait until-"

"It's okay, Serena," began Volcan, taking in a deep breath before he began to speak. "As I said it was Sash - that much is true. But... There is more to it."

With that, Volcan went on to explain what had happened, telling Sol about how Sash had intercepted them after they found Keldeo, and they sent the boys away to take him to safety while Luke and Volcan stayed to deal with the Gallade. The tale became harder to tell when Volcan reached the part where Sash had tricked him, drawing him in to attack him only to send Volcan hurtling into Luke instead.

"I... I had thought I killed him... I thought my husband had died by my hand," he said, shakily, "And then... All I could see was red after that. I wanted Sash dead so badly - I was so consumed by vengeance at that moment that _all_that mattered was killing him. I nearly did, but Caulin stopped me..." He shut his eyes, taking a moment to recollect his thoughts.

"And then Luke came back to us; I hadn't killed him... But until that moment, the madness that came over me... It was terrifying. I think it's been simmering for a while, too, like when I tried to go after Seji when we saw him... Somewhere along the way, this war has woken something in me, something that tried to take over... And when I thought I had killed Luke, it nearly did."

Tristan, standing off to the side, remained silent throughout the tale, and even shared a look or two with Sol when Volcan reached the part following Luke's supposed demise. "...Dang, captain," said the Aggron, rubbing the back of his head. "That's..." but he trailed off, not knowing the word he wanted.

"So, you almost became the monster you saved me from, all because you thought you killed yer boo," Sol began, then when Volcan nodded, he scoffed. "Stop beating yerself up for shit you can't control. No wonder you lose so much sleep at night."

"Easier said than done, Sol," Volcan replied, flashing a weak smile, "I got a long list of haunting memories."

"And this last one was the straw that broke the Camerupt's back," Sol responded. "So what? Wasn't your fault, it was that bastard who pulled a dirty ass move on you," he went on as he sat up on his bed.

"Losing yer home? Not yer fault," Sol went on, his fiery, red eyes staring hard at Volcan. "Not saving everyone? Not yer fault either. Do ya see what I'm getting at here? Yer spending too much time blaming yerself for shit you couldn't stop when ya should be focusing on what's really important." He then added in an elevated tone, "Stop bitching about the past and man up, or ya might as well go home."

Volcan just stared flatly at the Typhlosion for a long moment. Eventually, Serena stole his attention again by pawing at his arm. "For what it's worth, Volcan," she said, "Nobody blames you for what happened at Arc Island. I don't, Minato and Caulin don't, and I am certain Val doesn't either. Claire does not blame you for her daughter's death, and neither did Victor."

"As far as we know only Grom still blames you," added Tristan, "Even his own teammates know it weren't your fault now - however much he wants to keep pinning it on you. You need to let go Volcan. You need to stop letting that night pull you back into that funk every time ya make a mistake. You get me?"

Volcan looked at Tristan, clearly surprised that the Aggron could be so profound. He looked between all three of them, one after the other, and then his hands tightened into fists.

"You guys are absolutely right," he said, "I should know better by now... Arc Island wasn't_my fault, nor was what happened with Luke. He's okay; that's what's important... I have to stop letting that stupid Gallade get into my head!" he added, more strongly this time, drawing back one of his arms to punch the mattress beside him. "This shit has gone on _long enough. The world's in danger, and I'm sitting here feeling sorry for myself... No more," he shook his head, "It stops now."

"That'a boy, Captain!" Aggron guffawed, crossing his arms as he laughed.

"Good," Sol remarked with a nod. "Was starting to wonder if I had to beat the snot outta ya to get my point across."

"Wouldn't be the first time one of us got some sense knocked into us," Serena joked.

"I can attest to that," agreed Tristan, "Lashanne's got a mean left hook, as Minato found out."

Then, Serena stepped back from Volcan. "Alright. You should be okay now," she said, "All of your wounds are closed, and the bruises are on the mend. Just make sure you stay hydrated; you did lose a fair amount of blood."

Volcan nodded. "Got it," he said, and rose from the bed. "Alright... Right about now, Romulus is probably taking Seji to meet Sash - I better get over there."

"Can I come with?" Tristan asked.

"If you can walk yet," Volcan replied.

Tristan took a step forward, putting weight on his injured leg; he staggered, but only slightly, and managed to stay on his feet. "Piece of cake," he said.

"Alright. I'll ask the nurses to discharge you, then," said Volcan, "Now we - oop. Hello?" He was looking at the door.

Standing in the doorway was a Scrafty, carrying a vase housing a wealth of flowers in their hands. They shyly peered in and looked around the room. "I'm so sorry for intruding," they said, their voice making it apparent it was a female of the species, "I was looking for the one called Sol - the one who defeated the Black Titan?"

Sol's ear twitched at his name, turning to look at the Scrafty in question with that usual scowl of his. He then saw the flowers in their hands and let out a sigh. "That'd be me." He announced, scooting so he was sitting on the edge of his bed.

Looking over at him, the Scrafty seemed momentarily apprehensive, clearly not expecting such an imposing figure - if she had known what to expect at all. But eventually, she mustered her courage and stepped forward. "I hope I did not come at a bad time," she began, "But, years ago... When the Black Titan first escaped from the Colosseum, he caused a lot of damage... Many people died because of him."

She paused briefly, looking at the flowers. "I... Don't know how much you know about this city's history - about how Gladiators were selected?"

"Only that a lotta them were put into work when the guys before that Romulus guy took over," Sol answered with a shrug, then nodded his head at the bouquet in her hands. "What're those for?"

"They are a gift, for you," she began, "Myself, and many others back then, lost someone back when the Black Titan rampaged through this city in the first place... When we heard that someone had finally slew him, we all came together again - for the first time in at least a decade, and we all pitched in for this." With that, she held out the flowers to him. "They are known as black-eyed susans... They are difficult to find in this part of the world, but they are symbolic - they symbolize 'justice'."

She then held the vase out to Sol, and reluctantly the Typhlosion accepted the gift. "On behalf of Gladiator City, and the mothers and wives of the lost ones," she began, sounding like she was reciting a practiced speech, "We thank you, Sol, for seeing justice done upon the monster who took our loved ones... Husbands, brothers... Sons..." The hesitation, and a tear escaping her eye at that word, making it clear which of those she lost in Eberon's rampage. "To all of us, you shall forever be remembered as a hero."

She gave a bow of her head and seemed to waiting to see if Sol had anything to say. Out of the corner of his eye, Sol saw Volcan giving him an encouraging look, gesturing with his hand to speak up to the woman who was pouring her soul out for him in gratitude for something he had done.

"Hey," he called to the Scrafty, looking at the flowers even after he got her attention. "...What's yer name, Lady?"

"...Vesta," she replied, lifting her head to look at him, curiously.

He lifted his own head to look back at her, giving her a nod as his expression softened. "Thanks, Vesta. Don't get a lotta tokens of appreciation like this," he answered, trying to smile at her.

She seemed to notice how uncomfortable he was, being so far out of his element. Yet, the smile she gave was both relaxing and genuine. "It is we who thank you, Sol... Our lost loved ones are avenged at last. We will never forget it."

With another bow of her head, she excused herself and left the hospital room. As Sol looked at the flowers, he saw Volcan giving him an approving look.

"Nicely done, Sol," he complimented him, "Sounds like you just made a lot of people very happy."

Tristan looked like he was about to add something, but Volcan shot him a look and a silencing motion, and the Aggron shut his mouth.

"I just did what I do best," Sol answered as he stared at the flowers in his paws. "Kick the shit outta people who deserve a good beating."

"True enough. But you just got your first taste of meeting someone who appreciates what you do," said Volcan, starting toward the door himself. "We don't do this for the rewards; we may do this as a job, but we're in it to help others, and sometimes, they want to show their appreciation for it. Never expect to get anything from the work you do, but, if someone offers it to you, never turn it away either. It means as much to them as it will to you in time."

"I'll... Try to remember that." Sol answered, slowly moving to place the vase next to him on the table, then lay back on his bed and kept staring at the vase for a while longer.

"Alright. I'm heading out now. Tristan, if you're coming, make sure you keep up," said Volcan.

"Right behind ya," Tristan replied as he followed Volcan out with a bit of a limp but pressing on.

Serena looked at Sol and gave him a sweet smile. "Your brother will be proud of you, Sol," she said before she stepped out, leaving Sol to have some privacy and get more rest as he needed it.

'She is right, Sol. Luna would be very proud to hear about what you've done, as am I.' Reshiram added.

"...Wasn't trying to make anyone proud," Sol answered. "...But uh... appreciate the sentiment."

At the Colosseum, Volcan arrived with Tristan following close, and they headed down to the dungeons where they met Minato, Lashanne, and Hook, still escorting Seji.

"Hey guys," said Volcan. "Have you... Been to see Sash yet?"

"Not yet," replied Lashanne, "We're just waiting for the guard to get back with the key."

"Where's Romulus?" Hook asked.

Volcan shrugged. "I haven't seen him. What about Luke?"

"No clue. Last I saw him, he was hanging back with Romulus and Luminara," Minato answered with a shrug. "Although... Romulus did stumble a bit on his way down the steps from his home."

That caught Volcan's attention. "He stumbled?" he repeated, and then remembered. "Shit... He must still have been injured from when Sash attacked him. Why didn't he say anything?"

"Ye've never been in the kind of situation Romulus lives in every day," said Hook, "This is a hard country out here. Weakness gets you killed. Romulus can't allow himself to look weak, or some of the bolder thugs out there in the wastes will be encouraged to challenge him - as it is they only don't because he's frightened them all into staying away."

"I get that but still, he doesn't need to put on some show for us," replied Volcan.

"Old habits die hard," said Lashanne, arms crossed. "Even around the ones you trust."

"I assume they took him back to the hospital to get patched up," Minato offered. "We should swing by and check up on him."

"I just came from there," Volcan remarked, jerking his thumb at Tristan, "Must've just missed him... Hope he's okay."

"Me too," Hook said under his breath.

At that, the guard arrived with the key to the cell, and opened the door for the heroes to step through, guiding Seji through the door. They followed the short corridor beyond until they came to the only occupied cell in the prison, where a Gallade sat upon his bed, deep in concentration. He opened his eyes when he heard the door opening, looking back to see who it was at the door, and his eyes shrunk into beads when he saw the Alakazam.

"...Sash-" Seji remarked softly.

"Traitor!"_the Gallade shouted, immediately turning and lunging at his former master, to which Seji took a single step back, out of the reach of Sash's arms _"I'll kill you!"

"Simmer down in there!" Hook bellowed, reaching around Seji and snapping his claws in Sash's face, threateningly, "If you know what's good for you, skinny, you'll keep the threats to a minimum and cooperate!"

"That isn't going to work, Hook," Volcan stated as he stepped up beside the Drapion, "You can't intimidate someone like Sash."

"He's right. He knows no fear. Only bloodshed and death," Minato added, then saw that Sash was going for another lunge and pushed him back with Psychic, pinning him to the opposite wall.

Sash growled and gnashed his teeth as he fought against the telekinetic hold on him, but his efforts were in vain. Seji slowly paced toward Sash, arms still held behind his back.

"It is truly unfortunate that it has come to this..." he said solemnly. "The folly is on me for not only seeing what Calhoun was becoming sooner but also for failing you as your teacher... I had truly hoped to help balance your dark heart, but in joining with the Crusade it only served to enable your more sinister urges."

"Filthy coward!" Sash snarled back angrily, shooting daggers from his eyes. "You best be sleeping with one eye open, you scum! I'm going to find you one day, and when I do there will be no force alive that will save you from me!"

"I assure you, that will never come to pass..." Seji said, shaking his head slowly. "I take no pride in what is about to happen, my young apprentice. For what it is worth, I am truly sorry I couldn't do more to guide you on a different path..."

Hook grunted as he looked back at Volcan. "Take the collar off 'im, and let's get this done," he said, moving aside to give Volcan room. "I'm already gettin' tired of that Gallade's mouth."

Hesitantly, Volcan approached Seji, keeping his attention focused on the circlet worn around his neck, and seeing the clasp that held it on. Volcan still felt the same fury within him that had nearly driven him to attack Seji before, causing his muscles to tense as he fought to keep control of himself. Then, slowly, he brought his hands to the back of Seji's neck - briefly fighting a dark urge that flashed through his mind before he unfastened the clasp and took it away from Seji's neck.

"There," he said, turning his head away, unable to look at Seji any longer.

"Alright, Seji," said Hook, "He's all yours." Though the expression on his face was firm, as if silently warning the Alakazam 'If you try anything I will hunt you down'.

Seji nodded in appreciation. He waited until the guard unlocked the door and held it open, and then he slowly began to step into the cell and toward his apprentice. He slowly lifted a hand and placed it on Sash's head, who still tried to thrash about and escape Minato's telekinetic hold on him.

Seji's eyes shone as he began to sift through Sash's mind, making Sash suddenly go limp as he couldn't fight back Seji's attempt to read his mind. The Alakazam pushed through all the memories that were irrelevant to his search, stopping only for a moment when he saw the memory of Sash murdering Victor in cold blood, making him grit his teeth to fight back his sadness before continuing.

Eventually, he found what he was looking for: an image of a map with the directions of where the final Nexus was hiding. He pulled his hand away from Sash and turned to face the others, calmly approaching them with his hands behind his back.

"I have found the location of the Nexus," he announced.

"If you were given a map, could you show us?" Lashanne asked.

"I could... or I could transfer over what I know to you all." Seji offered.

Lashanne took a step back, paws up. "Whoa. No way. You are not probing around in my head old man," she said, adamant.

"I had no such intention, but... That is your choice." He replied.

"I'd have to agree with Lashanne," said Volcan, "Let's go see if we can find a map."

Up in Romulus' office, they located a map that hadn't been damaged in the fire previously set by Tory. Eventually, they found one - a much more scaled-down version of the one that once hung on the wall. Its edges were dried and crinkled, but it was still legible, and Lashanne spread it over the top of the desk to let Seji show her where their destination was.

But when his finger tapped the spot, she frowned. "I've been to that area," she said, "There's a big valley there - wide open, weird but... There's nothing there. There never has been."

"Nothing on the surface," corrected Volcan, "Remember back on Koa's island? The Nexus there was underground. So was the one up in the north, and so was the one we found in the Boglands; they're always hidden from plain sight, in the most concealed places possible."

Lashanne looked at the map again. "Well... That is a very out-of-the-way location, and it'd be really hard to get to unless you can fly..." She lifted her head, still frowning. "We need my airship... But it's still days away; we can't afford to wait that long."

"What choice do we have?" Minato asked realistically. "Even if Mewtwo knows where this place is, moving us all at once could push him too far. We need him to bring everyone there once we know where it is."

Seji then spoke up. "...Perhaps he doesn't need to." He offered. "Perhaps... he just needs to move your vessel here."

Volcan, Minato and Lashanne all looked at Seji blankly, and then at each other. "Well... That would save us lots of time," said Lashanne, shrugging.

Volcan looked at Minato, "Go find Romulus; update him on what we've learned," he instructed. "If you find Luke or anyone else too, tell them all to gather in the square. Lashanne, take Tristan with you and start gathering supplies. We're going to need a lot of water if we're crossing the desert."

"What're you going to do?" Lashanne asked.

"I'm going to reach out to Mewtwo," began Volcan, "And through him... I'm going to contact Wade, too - we're going to need him soon. Now, let's move out - quickly! We need every minute we've got here - this is our last chance."

"Right-o, boss." Minato answered, quickly running out of the office to find Romulus.

"...Volcan," Seji spoke up, looking directly at him.

Volcan tensed, and slowly turned his head to look over his shoulder at Seji as the others departed, leaving him alone in the room with the Alakazam - except for Hook, who was still standing off to the side, watching them. Volcan's eyes met Seji's; the Blaziken didn't speak, simply stared at him, waiting for him to say what he wanted to say. His face gave no hint to what he was thinking, but Seji could see his hands clenching still...

"...I can see as plain as day that you carry an enormous amount of hatred for me, and I know I deserve much worse than that," The Alakazam stated. "With that said... please allow a condemned soul one last request."

Hesitantly, Volcan gave a slow nod. "What is it?" he asked, unable to keep the disdain out of his tone despite his willingness to hear Seji's request.

He dared to take a step closer, yet still kept his arms behind his back. "...Stop him." He said, almost pleading with Volcan. "Stop that maniac, at any cost..."

Volcan was silent for a long moment, turning his gaze away from Seji before he finally answered. "I will... Or I'll die trying," he said, silent for another moment before he spoke again. "Let's get you back to your room..."