The green of her family's eyes had never looked as colorless as it did on Shadi's.

She leaned her back onto the ship's railing. The few slivers of sunlight still on the horizon bathed the outline of her body with a warm, almost angelic glow, which contrasted with the shadows befalling the rest of her. The tips of her cloak shifted and curled onto themselves, even though barely any wind blew throughout the ship.

Shadi's gaze moved slightly, looking up and down at an Inyssa whose expression was one of pure shock.

"S-Shadi?"

Inyssa's voice was barely audible even as it exited her lips. She took a slow, tentative step forward, her face contorting into a terrible mix of relief and anguish. There was a slight shine on her cheeks as sunlight reflected off her tears.

Shadi nodded, barely. "Yeah, it's me."

"H… wh…" She took another step forward, fumbling out halves of words. "O-oh my god… how did–?"

Shadi lifted a hand, palm facing forward, and Inyssa froze. Through the haze and chaos in her mind, she felt like she recognized the gesture.

"What did I tell you about stuttering, Niss?" she asked. "Try to keep it together. There's something I need to talk to you about and I'm a bit short on time."

"Y-yes, I'm sorry!" Inyssa shot back almost on instinct, eyes going wide in panic. "But… how are you here? I thought you were…"

Shame blocked her throat; making her unable to say it. Had… had she really believed it? No, even at her most desperate she had always been sure that her sister was somewhere out there, alive. She would never…

She swallowed hard, the sound of her frenzied heartbeat booming on her ears. Breathing had become difficult and it felt as if the inside of her veins had grown itchy and bothersome, but… no, she would not have a panic attack now. Not in front of Shadi, of all people.

"I… no, I knew you had to be alive, somewhere." Inyssa clutched her chest with a shaking hand. "I'm so happy… I can't believe you're actually here!" She smiled so wide her cheeks hurt, and for once she cared not for the tears running down her face "Where were you? What… what happened?"

"It's a long story." Was her only response.

"O-oh…" Inyssa gulped, her next question taking some effort to vocalize. "C-can I hug you? I've missed you so much…"

Shadi's body went stiff for a moment. "I… think we can leave that for later. I said I was pressed for time, did I not?"

A shiver ran down Inyssa's spine. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" She took another step back, lowering her posture into something akin to unconscious subservience. Fear was clear on her expression. "I'll listen to whatever you wanna say! Just… please don't leave so soon."

Despite most of her sister's face being hidden by shadows, the hints of disappointment on it were clear as day. She looked so… unimpressed, and as soon as Inyssa understood why she forced herself to stand up straight and wiped the emotion off her face. She was a trainer; not a groveling Growlithe rolling on her back.

Luckily, Shadi chose to ignore her unsightly behavior. She looked to the side as she spoke, her expression blank.

"I've been following your progress," she said. Inyssa felt her heart jump. "So you have five badges already?"

"I… it's actually four. I couldn't get Maylene's because…"

She made a gesture with her hand, but just then her voice trailed off. Maylene… Veilstone… as the names popped into her head, so did a hazy memory. What Mars had told her back then…

"Right, four." Shadi whispered, her voice bringing her back to reality. "Not bad, considering how long you've been at it. Definitely above average."

Both of Inyssa's hands went to her chest. "T-thanks… I've been trying really hard, like you taught me."

"Have you been enjoying your journey? Is it what you expected?"

"It's a lot more than that," said Inyssa, forming a lopsided smile. "Getting out of Twinleaf and traveling around is the best thing that's ever happened to me. I belong out here… just like you."

Her sister's nose crinkled up slightly. "…Like me." She spat out those words as if they had turned her mouth sour. "Right."

Her gaze moved down, and she lifted her hand to move a strand of hair from her face. A bit of sunlight illuminated her expression as she moved, and Inyssa could finally see the lines on her face, too present for someone as young as her. Not only that but her cheekbones were too visible, and the bags under her eyes were even bigger than hers.

Shadi sighed, shoulders dropping slightly. She was the most tired-looking person Inyssa had ever seen.

"There was a time when I saw life like that." Her tone turned softer, more melancholic. "When the promise of an unexplored world was the most important thing to me. I thought I could enjoy myself and be happy while still holding true to who I was." She turned to look at Inyssa. "But then I grew up."

"W-what do you mean?"

There was a pause, and another sigh.

"We're all in danger, Niss." Shadi's voice became firmer, and for a moment her eyes squinted in anger. "Not just us, or Sinnoh, but the whole world. There's a storm brewing, and I'm the only one who knows how to weather it."

Inyssa tried to speak, but her tongue felt tied from the myriad of questions buzzing through her mind, along with the other various types of chaos in there. It took her a moment to swallow and compose herself.

"S-storm? What do you mean?" Suddenly her eyes went wide. "You mean Team Galactic!?"

"Of course not," Shadi replied. "Team Galactic is a threat, yes, but their power is sanctioned by their own limits, as evidenced by the fact that a rookie trainer like you was able to become such a thorn on their side." She placed a hand against her mouth, frowning. "But my enemy is different. Her influence and strength are… well, vast enough for a direct confrontation to be suicidal. There's very few people who could stand up to her, and even if I asked for their help they would never believe me."

"You said her. Who is it!?" Inyssa's tone became panicked. "What's this person trying to do!? If I can help you stop her then–"

"Niss."

That single word managed to silence her completely. It had been nothing more than a whisper, and yet she felt her body freeze as soon as she heard it.

"You're screaming and stuttering. Again." She glared at Inyssa. "Did you already forget everything I taught you about how to behave yourself?"

"N-no, of course not!" She cursed herself mentally and set her jaw with enough force to make her teeth hurt. "I mean… no, I haven't. I'm sorry."

"Let's hope it doesn't repeat." She looked away. "Anyway, I appreciate your offer, but there's nothing you or anyone else can do to help."

"O-oh. Really?" Inyssa looked down, biting her lower lip. "Even if I'm not that strong a trainer, I thought I could help even if it's just a little bit."

Shadi shook her head. "For this battle, what you consider strength is completely useless, especially against the kind of power I'm up against. Deceit, stealth and manipulation are the necessary tools for victory, and who better to wield them than me?" Her lips curled up into a confident smile, and her tone changed to be just a little more dramatic. "When your enemy burns so bright, it only makes sense to fight from the shadows."

Inyssa found herself unconsciously nodding to everything her sister said. Even though it had been such a long time, even if the sound of her voice was almost nothing like she remembered… those words rang so familiar. Wasn't that what she had tried to teach her back then? That a good plan was at the heart of the greatest of victories? That with a sharp enough mind, there was no opponent that could not be beaten?

The thought brought a smile to her face, along with a strange, empty feeling on her stomach. Why was that memory so hazy?

"Is that why didn't tell anyone where you were? Is that why…" Her voice trailed off as she looked down at her cloak. "O-oh my god… y-your arm…"

"Hm? Oh, this?" Shadi moved her cloak a bit, showing the empty sleeve of her shirt where her right arm should have been. "It's not a big deal. Not like I need more than one arm, anyway."

She could not believe how nonchalant she sounded; talking about her missing arm as if it were nothing but a slight bother. "Why… why didn't you tell us? Even if it was just to let us know you were okay…"

"I couldn't risk that." Shadi interrupted her. "The fact that my enemy believes me to be dead is my biggest advantage. I would not be here, revealing myself to you, if I had any other choice."

Inyssa felt a stab of pain in her chest. Then, if it weren't for whatever had forced Shadi to come visit… she would never know? Did she not trust her enough?

There has to be a good reason, she tried to assure herself. If she's going to such lengths…

"Then why did you come?"

"To warn you," said Shadi. "You've been playing with fire lately, haven't you? First you thwart a few of Team Galactic's plans, then you set a chain of events which resulted in one of their commanders ending up in prison, and lastly…" Her eyes narrowed until only a slit of green could be seen. "You stole Uxie from them."

Inyssa's cheeks went pale. "Y-you know?"

"It doesn't take a genius to figure it out." Shadi raised her chin, smiling. "Your eyes have flashed gold three times since the start of our conversation."

Almost instinctively Inyssa took a hand to her right temple, narrowing her eyes. She could feel the electric shiver behind them like every other time they had changed color, but it felt different, more muffled. She could not sense Uxie's presence; maybe that was why? Was the legendary Pokemon dozing off?

"Looks like you're not used to it yet, judging by your surprise," said Shadi. "Which is good. As impressive as your escape from Galactic HQ was, getting Uxie as a reward was more than a little excessive. In the hands of those who can't use it properly, power is nothing but a menace."

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

Inyssa remembered what Lucian had told her and Barry in the hospital; Unskilled aid is sometimes worse than no aid at all.

She set her jaw, a small shiver of anger running through her face and arms, reddening them a bit. Even if that was true; what of all she and Barry had done? If they hadn't helped when they could, how many people would have been hurt, or worse?

"I… I know I'm not the strongest trainer or the best person to help, but…" She gulped, then looked up at Shadi. "I'll try hard to become a better trainer, and to get the hang of Uxie's powers! That way you can stop that awful person's plan and we can take care of Team Galactic; we'd be… we'd be like a team!" She curled her fingers into fists, smiling with excitement. "If you give me a chance then–"

"No."

Inyssa's smile froze, then slowly paled and dropped along with the red on her face. "W-why?"

"Because you're being very presumptuous," answered Shadi. "Firstly; I told you I don't need any help. And even if I did, why would I ask a rookie trainer who only has half her badges? Just because you want to be a hero doesn't mean you have the means to be one." Her thin brows furrowed over the bridge of her nose. "Secondly; Team Galactic is of no concern to me."

"But… they've hurt so many people!" Inyssa argued, her shoulders tensing in anger. "And even if I'm not that strong, I still have a legendary Pokemon with me. Besides, I think I'm getting close to figuring out what their plan is; so even if you don't help me I'm sure I can–"

"I already told you; no." For a moment, the outline of her sister's body turned darker along with her expression. "I'm well aware of what Cyrus' plan is. I've known for a long time."

"Really!? What is it!?"

"There's no need for you to know. I already told you; your help would be nothing but a hindrance." Inyssa frowned, feeling another stab in her chest. "Moreover, I already have a Pokemon more useful for my mission than any of the Lake Trio siblings would ever be."

Just then, Shadi turned to look at her. It was a much faster movement than she expected, the apparent exhaustion clinging to her body disappearing as she stood up straight and glared at Inyssa with eyes which now lacked all semblance of green, instead replaced with a pale, icy blue like a sheet of frozen water.

Immediately, the air around them became denser and the world seemed to grow just a little bit darker. A wave of exhaustion hit Inyssa like a punch to the nose. Her eyelids began to close, and her muscles grew numb. She wanted to sleep so, so badly…

"W-wha…"

The feeling stopped as soon as it had appeared. Inyssa blinked, and the brightness around her coupled with the sudden burst of energy cursing through her body sent a shiver down her spine. What the hell…?

"Do you understand now?" Shadi's voice sounded far away as her mind struggled to reel back into reality. "I am more than capable of tackling this threat myself. You and your friend's stand against Cyrus was brave, but it's time you leave these matters to those who know what they're doing." Through her haze, Inyssa saw a tight-lipped smile form on her face. "You're just like dad. Stubborn, unwilling to compromise, but just this once... you should learn to let go. Reap the rewards of the world I will create with my efforts and sacrifices. Live."

Inyssa found herself at a loss for words. Time and time again she had been told the same thing, always from people whom by all means should know better than her. But then… why was she so against taking their advice? Defying her sister… telling her she was wrong… it was completely absurd. As she looked up at Shadi, she could have sworn she saw her miles away for a moment, as if the mere idea of ever reaching her was just a childish dream.

Her sister was and always would be better than her; that fact was as burnt into Inyssa's mind like the color of the sky. So why…?

Against all her instincts, she found herself frowning, hands balling into fists. "I get what you're saying. You're… probably right, just like Sarah and Lucian were, but…" She tried her best to smile confidently, and raised both fists up. "There's no life for me that doesn't involve being a trainer and helping people when I can. That's just who I am, you know?"

A crease formed on Shadi's forehead. "Inyssa…" Her voice was thin and tense. A warning. Inyssa felt a shiver down her back as she heard it.

"I'm not gonna get in your way!" She hurried to add, the confidence in her tone replaced with fear. "L-like I said before; you'll probably be super busy dealing with that big threat, right? So in the meantime if I can help take down Team Galactic that would be good, right?" She gulped. "Even if you deal the final blow eventually, I can at least make sure they don't hurt so many people or Pokemon until then! So…"

"That's enough."

Shadi did not raise her voice. She didn't need to; as soon as the words came out a heavy silence set in around them. Inyssa pursed her lips tight, feeling as if her tongue had been tied into a knot.

"You've grown very arrogant ever since you started your journey," said Shadi. "You think you know better than me? That if I let you have your way, you'll do things better than someone who's been working at it for almost three years?"

"N-no, but…"

"Even if strength in numbers were beneficial to me, even if Team Galactic's defeat were a priority, your intervention would not help." She interrupted her, tone terse. "I won't repeat myself; leave this matter alone."

"Why!? I thought you'd… that if I helped, you'd be proud of me!"

Shadi ran a hand through her hair, irritated. "I'll be proud of you once you start listening to me. I know better, Niss, I always have, and I'm disappointed that you've forgotten that." She let out a puff of air. "Why do you want to take down Team Galactic so badly, anyway?"

"Because they're awful a-and someone needs to stop them," Inyssa stuttered a reply. "And because it's… what you would do. It's what a hero would do, right?"

"A hero would know when to act, when to retreat and most importantly, when to wait for the perfect opportunity to strike." Her icy glare fell on Inyssa once more. "It's not bad to idolize heroism, but being realistic is more important. It doesn't matter how determined you are; you don't have what it takes to be like me." There was a short pause. "I should know; I taught you everything I know after all."

Inyssa's lips parted, but no words came out. The pain of her scars flared up as if they'd been brought to a boil, though maybe it was just the result of her breathing stopping as she heard her sister's words.

"T-that's not true." Her words came out broken and disjointed, in sync with the erratic rhythm of her heart. "That's not true! I'm g–I'm gonna become the Champion someday! Y-you can't tell me…"

She stopped, more due to the burning spider-web of anxiety growing inside her chest than anything else. The air she was breathing wasn't enough anymore. Her skin felt feverishly hot. Through the haze of her tears, she saw Shadi sigh into her hand as she rubbed her eyelids.

"I don't have time to deal with your tantrum," she said. "But if it's the only way to drill the message into you…" Her hand fell next to her hip, and with a flick of it she made a worn-looking Pokeball appear on her palm. "Remember when we used to have mock fights right after training? I'd lend you one of my Pokemon and pretend to be a really tough opponent for you to beat. An obstacle you needed to surpass."

Inyssa tried her best to swallow the knot in her throat, and replied with a shaking voice. "W-wha–"

Her vision turned white as the Pokeball opened, light pooling out of the middle, twisting into a strange figure as tall as her, and only slightly less intimidating. Slowly, carefully, Inyssa lowered her hands from her face and stared slack-jawed at the Pokemon who had appeared before her.

It's body was humanoid and extremely thin, short golden fur covering everything except the brown armor around its torso, forearms and knees. A long mustache grew from its star-shaped head, and on each hand it held an identical silver spoon, brimming with an all-encompassing, almost unhinged psychic aura. As soon as his eyes found hers, Inyssa felt her knees buckle.

A familiar electronic beep brought her back to reality. A voice rang out from the replacement Pokedex app on her Poketch..

"Alakazam: The E.S.P Pokemon – Psychic type. The power of this Pokemon's brain allows it to outperform a supercomputer, and its psychokinetic abilities –which it channels through its silver spoons– are almost unrivaled. It is rumored that just before death, an Alakazam will transfer all the knowledge it has gathered over the course of its life to a younger member of its species, as to prevent it from being lost forever."

She stared at the device dumbfounded, then looked up at the creature before her. Unrivaled was… a good word to describe the power emanating from the Alakazam; he hadn't moved a finger yet, hadn't even looked away from her and still she could feel it all around her. It was heavy and oppressive and made the air she breathed feel as if it were made of lead.

Once again, it was Shadi's voice that brought her back to reality.

"To be honest; I'm impressed." Her lips formed the misshapen hook of a smile. "You got some nerve standing up to me, Niss. As a reward for your bravery, I'll give you exactly what you want. A chance to prove yourself."

She took a tentative step back. "What are you talking about?"

"You don't get it? I'm going to play the villain and let you be the hero, like you wanted." Her arm made a lazy arc as she raised it to the side, her smile exacerbating. "I'm talking about a Pokemon battle, of course. You against me; winner takes all."

"W-WHAT!?" Inyssa's scream reverberated all around her, making a couple people in the ship's deck turn their heads toward her. "There's no way… I couldn't…!"

"What's wrong? Isn't this what you wanted?"

"Of course not!" She swiped the air with one hand, panic and desperation clinging to her tone. "Are you… there's no way I could beat you!"

Shadi raised an eyebrow, still smiling. "Really? But what if during the course of your journey you run into someone who is as strong or stronger than me, and who wants to hurt you or someone you love?" Her lips curved down, and her expression turned deathly serious. "There are many people like that, and you will attract their attention if you keep trying to antagonize Team Galactic."

Inyssa didn't move an inch. She knew her sister was right, of course she fucking was, but the idea of taking her on… No, it was absolutely impossible. No matter what she did, there was no way she could ever beat her.

Are you going to let that stop you? The voice in her head asked. You were prepared to take on the Champion; how is this different?

It was, there was a huge difference, but she couldn't bring herself to figure out what it was. Still, if this is what Shadi wanted of her… Even if it was pointless, she wanted to try. She wanted her sister to acknowledge her, no matter what.

Her hand was halfway down her coat toward her belt when Shadi spoke again.

"Fine, I'll offer you a better deal. Of course I don't expect you to beat my entire team; so instead you'll pass if you can defeat Ludwig here." With a shake of her head she pointed at the Alakazam. "Your six Pokemon against one of mine. That should give you a fair chance."

It's five, actually. Inyssa thought bitterly. Shadi didn't know that her starter had abandoned her, and she wasn't going to bring it up only to humiliate herself further.

However… the offer made victory feel almost possible. If she played her cards right, her team might be able to–

"Oh right, I forgot." Shadi interrupted her, placing a palm against her forehead and letting out a weak chuckle. "Let's also add a wager, so the consequences of this feel real. You are playing the part of a hero, after all, and heroes always have a lot to protect."

Before she could ask what Shadi had meant by that, the woman raised her hand next to her head. Placing her thumb and middle finger against each other, she made a snapping sound.

And then… nothing. The world around Inyssa disappeared. A lightning bolt of darkness shattered her consciousness, turning her body as limp as a ragdoll. For a moment that felt like an eternity, she felt herself fall. Sleep began to take hold of her.

A second after, the fog lifted from her mind. Her consciousness put itself together in a rush, and the sudden burst of energy felt as if someone had shone a bright light directly at her face. She barely managed to stop herself from face-planting the floor, placing a hand against the ground and falling to one knee. Her head swam.

"W-wha… what did you do?"

"Look for yourself."

Inyssa forced herself to her feet and obeyed. Craning her neck slowly, she looked all around the ship's deck. At first she failed to understand, but when her mind finally processed the image before her, her eyes went wide and she felt her heart skip a beat.

The six people sharing the deck with them now lay limply on the ground, eyes closed and bodies completely immobile. A single, horrifying thought came to her. Were they…?

As if on cue; Shadi answered. "Don't worry; they're not dead. I just put everyone in this ship to sleep." There was a small pause. "That includes Uxie, of course. Not that it could stop me if it tried, but just to be safe…"

Inyssa blinked a couple times, feeling her throat dry. "W-why would you do that?"

"To add stakes to this battle, of course." She shrugged, as if the answer were obvious. "Say… do you see that land on the horizon?"

It took her a moment to find it, since the sun had almost gone down and the horizon itself was incredibly bright in contrast with everything else. Though… yes, there it was. Barely a speck in the distance, she could make out the shape of a small, dark island.

"That's Iron Island," Shadi clarified. "Famous for being Sinnoh's main source of iron, and the place which turned metallurgy into our region's specialty during the war. Normally, this ship would pass close by so the passengers could see it, before veering west to continue toward Canalave. But… when I said I put everyone in this ship to sleep, that includes the captain, too." Her expression darkened as she turned to look at Inyssa. "Considering the ship's current trajectory and its speed, I'd say we'll crash into that island in approximately twenty minutes, give or take a few. You have until then to win."

Her cloak made an arc as she pushed it aside, swiping at the air with one hand. Inyssa recognized the gesture, through the blanket of terror and panic pestering her mind. It was the move she had thought her when they had trained together; what she had told her to do before every battle.

"Do you understand? These people's lives are in your hands now." Her voice traveled through the air like icy wind. "They say true heroes are born from the harshest of circumstances; so what better way to test you? This is your chance to prove yourself, Niss."

Even though she could barely move, Inyssa shook her head weakly, face as pale as a sheet of paper. "N-no…"

"No? But this is what being a hero is!" Her smile turned sour, the green of her eyes flashing with anger. "Every second, every choice, every single word you say, you have to mean them from the bottom of your heart because the slightest hesitation will result in the death of many!" Her hand cut through the air as she pointed forward. "So come at me, Niss! Show me the depths of your determination; show me what you're really made of!"