Barry had always tried to look on the bright side, even when in the bottom of the metaphorical pitch black well he'd gotten to visit once or twice.

Right now the only bright side he could find was behind his eyes. That stupid warmth hadn't disappeared ever since his encounter with Mars. It was heavy and bothersome, and it was the last thing he needed at that moment. Like a thick blanket on a hot summer day.

The back of his fingers caressed Paulette's cheek, so softly one might think he was afraid to break her. She was bedridden like he'd been a few hours ago, the only difference being that she wouldn't leave the place with him. His father's words bounced off him as he stared wordlessly. The hand resting on his shoulder felt made of iron, and he wished he'd just move it, but was too afraid to ask.

The corners of his mouth twitched as he examined the bandages covering her for the fourth time. The feathers around it were bent and ruffled, much unlike the pristine state she loved to keep them in at all times. In the part where her left wing connected with her body a deep, red stain tore through the pure white of the cloth. He couldn't stop staring at it.

Maybe if he blinked enough times it would go away. The blood and the bandages and the invisible broken glass skimming his throat from the inside.

"I'm afraid the cut was deep enough to harm nerves and muscle," the dark eyed doctor told them, almost managing to pretend he was as heartbroken by the news as Barry was. "It's not possible to restore them completely, though with rehabilitation and a few months of medical care she might be able to fly again."

The look he gave Barry then had been as clear as crystal. She might be able to fly again, with luck. Battling was a whole other matter.

He looked at the rest of his Pokemon, sitting around the bed protectively, like they'd done for him. They were wounded as well, but not nearly as much. A few cuts and bruises here and there, nothing that couldn't be taken care of. Physically, they were as well as he was.

But he could tell they shared the same thoughts just by looking. Razen and Kitsune stared at their partner with sadness and pity, their eyes dark and sunken. Pedri was a few feet away, sitting -or perhaps collapsed might've been a better word- against the opposite wall. His gaze had been set on the pearly white floor for almost two hours now. His face was a mask of rage and guilt.

"…it happens in every trainer's life at some point…" His dad's voice broke through the invisible wall surrounding him. He sounded desperate. "Listen… Barry. I'm… you know I'm not great with words, that's' why we have your mom." He formed an awkward smile. "But I've been a trainer for twenty years, and you have to believe me when I say this. It wasn't your fault."

He tried returning the smile, though it barely showed itself. The muscles on his face weren't feeling very cooperative.

"You don't have enough faith on us."

Palmer's thick eyebrows joined above the bridge of his nose. Had he… had he imagined that golden glow in his eyes?

The boy forced himself to smile for real this time, and addressed his Pokemon. He brushed Paulette's forehead gently to get her attention, and spoke with a soft voice.

"This would be the part where I tell you how sorry I am, and how proud you made me," he said, the warmth behind his eyes spreading towards his entire body. "But I'm not like that doctor, or mom or dad or anyone else here. They don't believe in you, but I do."

"Barry…"

"They're all wrong," he said, tone turning harsher, almost into a scream. The air seemed to shake for a moment. "Don't listen to them, Paulette. You're gonna recover and be even stronger than you were before." He closed his left fist strongly, smile wavering. "You'll always be a part of my team, I promise."

"Barry," Palmer repeated, worry lines forming on his forehead.

"Let them whisper whatever they want," he said bitterly, ignoring him. "You're my Pokemon, and no one can keep you down for long."

What startled everyone the most was not the boy's heated tone, nor the golden glimmer in his eyes. It was his voice. It filled the room entirely, from the walls to the floor to the ceiling and all in between, they could even feel it in their bones. There was no speck of doubt in it, either. It was clear Barry completely believed what he was saying.

"You just need to rest for a while, and you'll be good as new before you know it," he assured Paulette. "I'll go ahead and keep challenging the Gym Leaders, but I'll be waiting for you at the top. I know you'll reach me there."

Some might say he was being selfish, and they'd be more than half right. Some might think he was in denial or putting too much pressure on his own Pokemon, but those people were not in that room with him. For a moment his voice was able to convince even Palmer. His words wormed their way through them like a song, like the heaviest of truths.

And in that moment, as Paulette heard them, it might've just saved her. She parted her beak and let out a low but resounding chirp of approval. Her eyes were as full of fire as Barry's were.

Palmer might've said something, but just then the door opened. Slowly, its creaking a low hum of doubt and fear. Inyssa stepped through it, her fingertips pale over the doorknob. She was leaning down slightly, and her posture was brittle. Her eyes reflected guilt like a polished mirror.

"B-Barry?"

He turned around casually, and when their eyes met his had returned to their usual brown. His expression was unreadable.

Inyssa stood there, frozen by something she noticed in him. She looked like a Glameow that had been grabbed by the tail and dumped into a bucket of water. Three times she opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. The silence in the room was thicker than the walls themselves.

He started walking towards her, and he could see the panic growing larger in her face with every step he took. He stopped a few inches away from her, and scowled.

"I'm…" She parted her lips to speak. "I'm s…"

Barry slapped her on the side of the head, just above her ear. It was so fast she only noticed the pain a few seconds after, eyes wide in shock.

"A-Agh!" She took a step back and pressed her palms against her head. "The hell was that for!?"

He stomped the floor as strongly as he could, hands curled into fists.

"You are such an idiot!"

Inyssa was too stunned to speak. Barry didn't look furious like she'd expected, just… Annoyed.

"Just what the hell were you thinking!?" He threw his arms to the sky, nose flared up.

She looked at Palmer, who looked back at her while mirroring her confusion. The man fixed his collar and coughed silently, looking towards the door.

"Y-yeah, I'm gonna leave you kids alone so you can…" He struggled to find the words. "Uh… yeah. Later."

Barry didn't even look at his father as he exited the room. All his attention was focused on Inyssa, who still hadn't given a reply to his question. She silently pleaded Pedri for an explanation, and all she got was a half shrug back.

"What… do you mean?" she asked tentatively. "Is this because of Paulette?"

He recoiled, narrowing his eyes for a moment. "What? No! I'm talking about Mars!" He shook his head in disbelief. "Maylene told me what happened! Why did you give up against her!?"

Heat rose to her face, tinting her cheeks red.

"I… I was just protecting my Pokemon," she said. "Mars was gonna…"

He stomped the ground again, startling her. "That's not what I'm talking about! You told her she could kill you!"

Something like electricity sprung from the back of her neck, putting her hair on edge. Her eyes went wide and her face pale.

"That's not… that's not what I said."

"It might as well have been!" he yelled, loud enough to make her take a step back. "You gave up!"

Those three words pierced her body like knives. She winced and lowered her head slightly, teeth clenched. A wetness formed in her eyes.

No, don't you fucking dare.

"She… she wanted me to plead for my life."

Barry stammered for a few seconds, as if he'd hear the stupidest thing in the world. "Well!? Why the hell didn't you!?"

The sensation that hit her at that moment was the same as just before she realized Mars was impersonating Barry.

"I…" She stood straight and leaned her head to the side, face scrunched up in confusion. "Wh- are you… serious?"

"No, I'm just being sarcastic," he imitated her tone. "I learned it from my idiot of a best friend."

The crawling under her skin scurried faster, heating up the inside of it. Something sharp and hot started growing from her stomach.

Okay first of all, fuck you.

She furrowed her brow and gave him a look that could've shattered glass. "What the hell is your problem? You fucking know me, I would never give her the satisfaction of…"

Something tugged at the back of her neck. Barry's fingers closed around the part of her coat just under the scarf and pulled up. His strength was almost enough to momentarily lift her off her feet. She looked up to his face. His expression seemed held by duct tape, like at any moment his façade of anger would shatter into a million pieces.

Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!

"If you have a chance, any chance to get out alive… you take it." He spat out those last words, hand shaking around her coat. "You don't get to die on me because of your stupid pride. And you don't get to sacrifice yourself to protect others like an idiot."

She opened her mouth and spat a gust of air, almost laughing. "Y-you tried to do the exact same thing for me!"

"Yeah, because I'm an idiot!" he bellowed. "But you're supposed to be the smart one! You're not supposed to act like me!"

His logic rendered her mute for a few seconds, unable to think of what to say back.

"You're not… it's not okay. What do you think I'd do without you?"

All strength left his voice with those last words, and his grip loosened. It was like he'd deflated, his shoulders fell and he lowered his head slightly. For a single moment they looked to be the same height.

He raised his arm, fingers closing clumsily around her hand. "I was so worried, Niss…" he whispered. "Why do you have to play the hero every time? Maybe I wanna do that once in a while, you know?"

He spat out a weak laugh. Not a premeditated one, but the kind that bubbles from the bottom of the stomach and can't be easily contained. It hit Inyssa like a gust of hot air, as if he'd just released invisible embers from his mouth. It was weirdly contagious, and she couldn't help but laugh as well. It left her lips and died in the time it took her to blink.

She didn't know why she did it. She figured she'd finally snapped from the chaos whirling inside her mind.

No, that's not it.

That storm had been weakened, tamed almost. With every word Barry spoke, with every inch less between them it began to dissipate until the only thing that existed were them and the space between their hands.

You know why.

The truth living in the deepest part of her knocked at her door, and quite loudly at that. Each knock resounded inside her chest, growing outwards like a wave, like a fire. It cut her breath short, filling her throat with dry air. It hurt so badly.

Tell him. He deserves to know.

She couldn't, she was too scared to. What if he didn't feel the same way? What if he, god forbid, pulled his hand away and let the storm in her mind come to life again? His fingers around hers felt too good to let go. As long as she didn't, nothing bad would happen.

You're selfish. You're only thinking of yourself.

So what? Telling him would've been even more selfish. What was she supposed to say, anyway? That she couldn't imagine a life without him, too? That he was her lighthouse during a dark night? That she was a corny piece of shit who wanted more of him than he could offer as a friend?

She didn't have anything to give in return. Besides, he was the only friend she'd ever had. How would she know if what she was feeling really was…?

It wasn't worth the risk, she convinced herself. She pushed that irritated voice to a part of her mind where it wouldn't bother her, and opened her mouth to speak.

"Maybe next time we can both be idiots together," she said, her forehead almost touching his. "Strength in numbers and all that."

Barry pressed his free hand against his mouth, trying to contain a chuckle. Wrinkles of a smile formed on the edges of his eyes.

"We really need to stop splitting up," he said. "It's never once worked out for us."

"Maybe we can ask your mom for handcuffs," she offered. "That way we can be together next time we get into trouble."

He knit his eyebrows playfully. "No way, you move a lot in your sleep. A rope would be better."

The laugh they shared was familiar, like an old friend they hadn't met in a long time. It tried its best to untie the know of regret resting in Inyssa's stomach, though it only got half way before giving up.

Still, it was better than nothing. It's the most she deserved, she assured herself.

It was better this way.

----------------------------------------

Sarah grabbed a cigarette the moment she stepped outside.

She hated smoking. It had brought her nothing but trouble during her younger days, and she would've bet it was the reason behind her occasional coughing fits. She'd done her damnedest to stay away from it for as long as possible.

The taste of smoke filled her mouth, bringing her the closest thing to bliss she'd felt in days. She needed it, just this time. Sleep would be a good replacement later, but now she had a job to do.

The main street in front of her was busy, probably more than it'd ever been. Swarms of sunken-eyed people moved from here to there, distrust clear in their eyes. A few gave her the stink eye when they passed close. They didn't trust her. She was part of the Association, after all.

A thread of smoke escaped her lips. She didn't mind. All she cared about was making a world safe enough for her son to live in. Everything else was meaningless.

The creak of the glass doors of the hospital made its way to her, followed by familiar footsteps. She didn't bother hiding the cigarette, even when her husband's judging eyes and his bird nest of blonde hair appeared at her side.

"It'll only be this one," she said, voice rough and cracked. "I can give you the rest of the pack if you want."

Palmer smiled, droopy eyes, and that gave her a similar feeling to that of the nicotine entering her body.

"No need to. I trust you."

She nodded. "How's Barry doing?"

His smile dropped, raising her panic level. Bad news?

"Somewhat in denial," Palmer said. "At least… I think. He wants to believe his Pokemon will get better and… for a moment, I actually believed it too. That kid…" His shoulders dropped. "I don't know how to explain it. Something about him makes you want to believe things will turn out alright."

Sarah stood silent, a heavy feeling of dread setting on her stomach. She'd seen the medical report of her son's Staravia and she didn't need to be a doctor to know there was no chance for a full recovery. Still…

"If anyone can make that true just by saying it, it's Barry," she said, looking up at her husband. "He got that from you. Your stupid optimism is contagious, it seems."

He put a hand around her waist, pulling her closer. She let herself be hugged, pressing the back of her head against his chest. Warm and comfortable, just like she remembered it.

"Things are getting out of control again," she said after a few seconds. "I don't know if I did the right thing by letting them continue their travels. Maybe they would be safer here."

"That wouldn't have worked, by a number of reasons," Palmer said. "Trust my word as a trainer; there is no anyone would be able to hold those two back when they have so much to explore. At least this way, we can know where they are if they get in trouble."

Sarah sighed. "I'm… I honestly can't believe this." She shook her head, closing her eyes momentarily. "For something like this to happen, and so soon after the war, it almost feels deliberate."

"We'll make it through," Palmer assured her. "Just like last time."

"Just like last time…" she repeated, spitting smoke with each word. "But last time we promised ourselves it'd be the last time. That's why we did all the horrible things; so Barry could live in a better world than the one we were born into." Her voice wavered for a moment, her eyes stinging. "Was it all for nothing? I don't want him to become what we did. He deserves better than that."

Her husband's hand closed tightly on her shoulder. "It will be okay, I promise. We'll deal with Team Galactic before they can do more harm, and things will go back to normal again."

She didn't tell Palmer, but his words didn't exactly make her feel better. Before she could at least conceive the idea that while Team Galactic was dangerous, Barry and Inyssa wouldn't be in any more danger than any other trainer. But after the events of today she knew better.

They, or at the very least that woman Mars, wanted Inyssa for something. She didn't believe they wanted her dead, considering all the time they had to kill her. Something to do with Shadi, perhaps? She had considered the possibility that her and the other two young trainer's fates might have something to do with Team Galactic, but it was nothing but a baseless theory. Until now.

She bit her lip, foot tapping on the floor. That woman, Mars… there was something about her that she couldn't make out, something that struck her as terribly familiar. It didn't help that she'd talked like she knew her, like they were old pals. Something strange was happening, and she had less than half the pieces of the puzzle. She hated not knowing something.

A high pitched ring brought her back to her senses. Palmer and her looked down to her Pokétch; they were calling her from the Association. She raised the device closer to her mouth and pressed the button to answer.

"Miss Paladino?"

It was the voice of Sadie, one of her subordinates.

"Yes, I'm here," she said into the device. "What is it? Do you have an update?"

A few moments passed where all she could hear at the other side was the sound of papers shuffling and muffled whispering.

"Y-yes, I have a report here! It says all the captured Galactic members were successfully transferred to the Stark Mountain prison. Interrogations have already begun."

Palmer let out a thin gasp next to her, and she knit her eyebrows. Stark Mountain… that was very close to where the Frontier facility was located. Why did they choose such a remote location, in an island far away from Sinnoh's shores?

"Understood," she said, trying to sound professional. "What are the results of the interrogation?"

Another pause, though this time there was complete silence at the other side. Sadie spoke after five seconds, tone nervous.

"It says… it says here that there have been no results."

She frowned, tilting her head to the side. "What do you mean? We captured over thirty of them, you're telling me none are talking?"

"It says here that they tried many interrogation techniques on the captured grunts but…" It seemed like she was struggling to say the words. "You might not believe what it says here, but apparently none of them remember anything."

She exchanged a look with Palmer, whose face had gone pale. What the hell was she talking about? Was this some sort of joke?

"Explain," she ordered. "What do you mean they don't remember anything?"

"That's… that's all. It's says here that it's like they have no memory of ever being part of Team Galactic. They even tried using psychic Pokemon to influence their minds and force them to confess, but there were no results."

Her throat went dry as she listened. That was impossible, there was absolutely no way more than thirty people could lose their memories at once. However, she knew that the Association's methods of interrogation were about as thorough and fail safe as possible, so they couldn't be lying, either.

What the hell is going on?

"W-well, that's most of them," Sadie said. "That redheaded woman... The one we believe is their commander can still remember."

Sarah almost choked on her sudden enthusiasm. "Well!? How did that interrogation turn out?"

"They… haven't been able to ask her anything," Sadie said, nervously. "It doesn't matter how much they try to immobilize her; she transforms whatever part of her body isn't bound and attacks anyone who gets close to her. They can't sedate her either, so she's just stuck in a cell for now."

She felt her spirits drop to the floor. There had to be something, at least one minuscule thing that could go right for her today. Anything.

"She hasn't said anything?" Desperation was clear in Sarah's voice.

"I'll ask them as soon as I can, Miss Paladino," Sadie said, tone low. "I'm sorry."

She pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "It's… it's okay. Good job. Call me again if there's an update."

Were it not for the fact her husband was next to her she might've considered punching a nearby wall. She could feel her exhaustion dragging down at her shoulders, the edges of her vision turning blurry.

"I'll go with you to Stark Mountain, don't worry." Palmer placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's close to where I work, anyway."

Part of her wanted to protest, but the entirety of her body silently complained until she had no choice to accept.

"Thank you," she whispered, getting on her tiptoes to give him a kiss.

"It's the least I can do." He shrugged, smiling. "I'll be heading out now, while you tell Barry goodbye. You know how to handle the kids better than I do."

She assured him he was doing as good of a job as anyone could, and saw as he summoned his Salamance and flew into the distance. She stood silent for a few seconds, eyes set on the sky and cinder falling from the tip of her cigarette to the ground.

She shook her head weakly, throwing the thing into the trash and rubbing her eyelids. She would have to try and sleep, at least a little, even if she couldn't get her mind off the matter at hand. Those cold, red eyes stared back at her whenever she closed hers. So unnerving, so familiar.

It was excruciating, having something on the tip of your tongue and not being able to bring it out. Last time she'd seen something similar was a couple years ago with…

Every nerve on her body felt struck with lightning. Her lower lip trembled as her eyes went wide as plates.

No, there's absolutely no way.

Her finger tapped the screen of the Pokétch so strongly the film underneath flashed for a moment. As fast as she could she began searching through the myriad of image folders she'd gathered over the years, focusing especially on the albums related to Twinleaf and her family.

You finally went crazy. It's not going to be…

An image had appeared in her head, the face of a young girl she'd known. As she finally found the photo she was looking for, buried in time, she opened it and prayed to god that she was wrong. She had to be wrong.

The image filled the entire screen. Three young teens, two girls and one boy, were taking a picture together, smiling brightly. She saw Ciro on the right, the one whose body they had found two years ago at Victory Road. She saw Shadi, as sleepy looking as ever, showing a peace sign to the camera and smiling lazily. And putting her hand on her shoulder…

Every muscle in her body went numb. There she was. Siffa.

The consistency and color of her hair were different, as were her clothes. But the shape and dark red of her eyes; the way her lips formed that cheeky smile, the sharpness of her features… there was absolutely no doubt.

That was Mars, staring at her from the other side of the screen.