CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE: SUMMER'S END

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Exhaustion, both mental and physical, brought Ken and Alice into deep slumber void of imagination. Had there been thoughts present, nightmares would've kept them awake until the pink-and-ginger dawn rose over the mountaintops.

Ken was greeted by constriction upon waking up. Not yet fully conscious, confusion struck him as a hot object laid halfway atop him and pushed him into the mattress. Flowery-scented fibers tickled his cheeks and made him wrinkle his nose. He cracked open his eyelids and found Alice snoring softly, pressed against his chest.

The Sinnohvian gawked at her, his sleepy brain attempting to process the situation. Gradually, not to disturb her, he brushed off her hair itching his face and paused with his hands in her tresses. Mimicking the dramas he spent hours watching beside her, he tucked her locks behind her ear and allowed his touch to linger.

That was until Alice twitched in her sleep and he yanked back at the speed of light. She awoke with a start as her foundation shifted and collided into the mattress. As she rubbed her eyes, Ken patted down his fluffy mane sticking out at every angle and glared at the wooden floor.

"Morning," Alice said, covering her mouth while yawning.

He cleared his throat and replied, "Good morning. Did you sleep well?"

"Mm. You?"

"Likewise."

Alice nodded and burrowed herself into the blankets. She disappeared beneath the comforter, and Ken frowned. The image of a Trapinch scuffling its way into its dugout came to his mind. It disturbed him, so he threw the blankets off her and she yelped in surprise.

"Now's not the time to sleep in," he tutted, rising to his feet. Heartlessly, he tossed open the curtains and rolled his eyes as she whined. "We have tasks to pursue today."

"Yeah, yeah," she mumbled, unfurling and sitting up.

They left the bedroom to the kitchen and its hearty fragrances. The sweetness of pancakes welcomed them, and their stomachs growled in unison. Carolina laughed at the half-asleep trainers.

"Eat up, you two," she said, gesturing to the breakfast splayed out across the counters. "Our guest'll be here shortly."

"A guest?" Alice repeated while piling the pastries onto her plate. She spared a glance at the elder as she reached for syrup. "Who's coming over?"

Carolina shrugged and faced the stove. "They call him Looker."

Alice's eyes widened to the size of the moon and she spazzed, accidentally knocking over the bottle of syrup and almost dropping her plate. Both Sinnohvians gawked at her violent reaction and she clasped her hand to her forehead.

"Arceus, he's the guy from the restaurant!" she lamented to Ken as she cleaned up the mess. "You know, the one who tried to go and arrest me?"

"What?" Carolina gasped.

Ken's memories backtracked to the café; it was the second time he greeted Casper. He shoved the notion aside and recalled his girlfriend's anxiousness upon finding a man dressed in a trench coat lurking in the eatery's corners.

"It was a minor incident involving a Premier Ball," he assured Carolina.

"Minor, huh?" she repeated under her breath, eyeing Alice.

"You're not sheltering a fugitive."

"I believe ya."

Her tone said otherwise. They gathered around the table and ate in silence, the clinking of silverware and humming from the radio filling the white noise. At the end, the sound of knuckles rapping against hard oak reached their ears. Carolina's chair squeaked as she rose from it to greet the visitor.

"Good morning, Ma'am," a gruff voice greeted.

"Good morning to you, too," Carolina chirped. She stepped sideways and watched the man remove his fedora and shrug off his thick coat. Dark bags hung under his russet hues. "Would you like some coffee?"

"Coffee would be great."

Looker trailed after her, quickly scanning the area out of habit. His sight focused on the trainers seated at the dining room table, and he furrowed his brows. Multiple scratches littered their skin from their hands to their arms and even onto their faces. Ripe bruises spotted in between the lesions, varying from the size of cherries to grapefruits.

What troubled him most was when they glanced at him. Solemn, guarded gazes that belonged to wounded adults manifested in the adolescents' eyes. Sobriety had ousted their innocence.

Ignoring the disturbing feeling he met, Looker cleared his throat and assumed, "I take it you know why I've come here."

They nodded, Ken's movement sharper than Alice's.

"I've been tracking Team Galactic for over ten years now," Looker informed, taking a seat across from them. He thanked Carolina as she gave him his coffee and emptied sugar into its contents. "Back then, they had a leader named Xander Akagi. He was a huge businessman until he sold off his company to organize a cult intent on summoning Dialga and Palkia."

He paused to blow away the steam, annoying the blond boy parallel to him. Alice and Carolina shot him similar warning glares not to say anything.

"Thanks to Champion Cynthia and the aid of a few trainers, we shut them down. I managed to arrest the admins, but the Akagi family escaped during the fiasco. We had no idea regarding their whereabouts until this past summer. A colleague found a man resembling an Akagi giving illegal steroids to a Lumiose City battle competition contestant."

"The Mamoswine," Ken interrupted, putting the pieces together.

Ken and Alice joked together as they wandered through the halls seeking the lobby. It was nearly time for the final round, and he couldn't wait for it. The brunette's optimism had rubbed off on him — he believed they would win the competition.

They turned the corner, and Alice almost crashed into a man. His companion spluttered out an embarrassed apology as Ken scrutinized the stranger. The faux-assailant was tall and slender, resembling a model with his defined cheekbones and sky blue tresses.

"It's fine, you didn't do any harm," the man assured, giving Alice a pleasant simper. Irritation made Ken internally bristle. "...I'm a fan."

Suspicion brewed within Ken as the so-called 'Casper' chatted on nonstop. A 'fan'? He doubted it. Something about the Veilstone City native unnerved him.

"Why would Casper give a ten year-old drugs?" Alice asked. "I know there's been tons of steroid abuse lately, but it's cheap to supply kids like that."

"Cyrus had to fund Team Ultragalactic somehow," Ken replied.

Looker's mouth curled into a half-smile. "You're sharp. Nonetheless, I flew to Kalos once the intel was released. I was the one who discovered that the person who acquired the Poké Ball Factory was Cyrus, the new leader of Team Ultragalactic. We located blueprints for Master Balls in the offices and suspect that Cyrus bought the factory for its machines to create them."

Alice tapped her nose. Looker's frown was covered by his mug as he drank his coffee; he'd been wishing they would disprove his theory.

"Now I need you two to explain to me in full detail what happened last night on Mt. Coronet," Looker stated.

Ken hesitated, his features distant as he recollected the past day. Alice squeezed his hand and began, "I think we should start at the Poké Ball Factory..."

* * *

A man dressed in a dark gray suit cleared his throat and shuffled his papers. The camera lens zoomed in on him, exposing deep-set wrinkles borne from stress instead of laughter. Lights illuminated the silver strands hiding in his black, slicked down hair.

"Thank you, Karen," he said, no sincerity evident in his words. "This morning I'm bringing you the latest update on the Mt. Coronet incident."

The screen switched to the view of smoldering mountaintops. Dozens of emergency vehicles filled the narrow roads with men and women attempting to put out fires and locate disfigured forms beneath the gigantic rubble. Researchers dressed in beige stood in a circle and discussed matters with utmost importancy.

"According to officials, at 7:58 PM last night, a devastating Pokémon attack leveled the entirety of Spear Pillar. However, whatever Pokémon did this has yet to be located. Human bodies have been recovered in the wreckage, and officers believe that they're Team Galactic members. The evidence is continuing to be gathered as we speak."

The television flickered as a calloused finger pressed the power button on a remote. A bleary-eyed teenager sighed and rested his head on his limp pillow. He traced the ceiling tiles for the tenth time that morning and sighed yet again, this time out of boredom rather than exasperation.

Jay questioned no one in particular, "D'ya think they'd believe me if I told 'em it was Arceus?"

As was expected, he received no response.

"I don't think so," he mentioned aloud. "They'd call me crazy. Loco. Off my rocker."

Nothing. Jay pouted and trained his glare at the bandages adorning his chest. Much to his relief, Cyrus hadn't shot his vital organs. The bullet went entirely through him, and he was lucky enough to arrive in the hospital before infection set in. If it weren't for the massive blood loss, he would've left already.

The absence of companions was driving the spelunker to insanity. He wanted to talk to Ken and Alice about what they experienced, not answer nurses' questions on whether or not he was hungry. The said staff were pleasant company, but they left his lonely hospital room all too soon.

Silence was dangerous. It allotted nightmares to brew in his mind, terrorizing him while he was wide awake during midday. Worry ebbed in his conscience, tormenting his fears.

The fossil collector quieted the paranoid thoughts, drowning it out by groaning and switching the TV on.

Jay's single source of entertainment was the boxy television at the foot of his bed. Thanks to Celestic Town's stubborn old ways, satellite TV was unheard of. He had the prime variety of five different channels featuring coherent audio and video: three news stations, a sports channel dedicated to golf, and Alolan culture documentaries.

"Alola," he mimicked the narrator, on the verge of losing his sanity, "Alola, Alola, Alola."

His mumbling halted as he detected footsteps outside his door. Like an eager Eevee pup, his features visibly brightened in excitement. The corners of his lips quirked as the door swept open and revealed his favorite awkward couple in the threshold.

"Alola!" he exclaimed.

Ken cringed. "You survive death and your instinct tells you to say 'Alola'?"

"It's the show I'm watching," Jay said, unaffected by the cold response. "Hey, Shortcake, how're you holding up?"

Alice plopped on the chair near his bed and rested her elbows atop his blanket. Relief shone on her face as she answered, "I'm doing pretty okay. Last night was scary, but I got through it. What about you?" She pointedly looked at his shoulder.

"Took it like a champ," he boasted, discarding the fact he was plagued by troubling dreams. It was better gone unspoken. "Doc said I'm a healing machine. I can leave right after my blood gets back to normal."

Ken's scowl smoothened into an easy grin. "I expected as much from you." He paused. "I'm glad you're fine."

Jay smirked and crooned, "Aww~ Kenny Boy's going all soft on me."

'Kenny Boy' rolled his eyes. "It'd be unjust for me to ridicule someone in a hospital bed."

Alice rested her chin on her palm, smiling. "Mhm, sure."

Jay chuckled as Ken and Alice bantered about picking teams. A heavy weight disappeared from his shoulders and let him breathe comfortably. They weren't angry at him. Despite his unfortunate position, a big, peaceful smile enlivened his features.

"What have you guys been up to?" Jay queried, brimming with energy. "Tell me you've done doing something cooler than laying around watching dramas."

"Well," Alice dragged out the word, hesitating, "actually, we were just talking to a cop this morning about what happened. Remember that old man at the café where we met Casper?"

He arched a brow. "You must've made a huge impression on him if he's followed you all the way out here. I bet he lives in Celestic: the town of the wrinkly mountain men."

"I'm a Celestic native," Ken argued.

"Don't sweat it, you'll get there one day. Shortcake will be right there to harass you."

"Hey!" she whined.

"You know it's true." Jay winked. "Back to the old man, where's he now?"

Three precise knocks struck the door, drawing their attention. Looker stepped inside, trench coat and all, and nodded. Ken and Alice got to their feet, and Jay felt the levity dissipate in steady beats. They murmured goodbyes and filed out, leaving the males in an uncomfortable atmosphere.

"Hey," Jay greeted. "The name's Jay. Make yourself at home."

Looker cracked a smile and took the seat Alice had sat moments ago. "Good morning, Jay. You can call me Looker; I'm an investigator on the Team Ultragalactic case. Your friends mentioned that you have close ties with the organization."

Jay blew upwards at his bangs, adjusting his untidy fringe. "Depends on what you call 'close'. They didn't let me tag along in their missions and do stuff, if that's what you're thinking. No one ever told me they were supervillains."

"I see."

Looker glanced down at his lap, and Jay suspected he was recording their conversation on a hidden device.

He chewed on his cheek then said, "I don't agree with their ideas to blow up the world and make a new universe. I'm not batshit crazy like Uncle Cyrus who tried to control Arceus."

The detective stifled an amused snicker at the teen's choice of words. He covered it with a forced cough and questioned, "Do you have any knowledge that could benefit my investigation? For example, are there surviving Team Utlragalactic members?"

Jay's eyes clouded.

Casper's battered frame quaked as he told him, "Do remember that not all of Team Ultragalactic's on Spear Pillar tonight. The minor branch lies in Eternea Cit—" He broke off into a bloody coughing fit, splattering bodily fluids onto a petrified Jay.

"There's a base in Eternea City," Jay recalled, speaking slowly. "I think my mom's an admin. She's probably the leader now." The possibility pierced his heart. "Her name's Astra. Astra Akagi. Dad might be part of it, too. He's Mark Quinn."

Twenty minutes passed as Looker prompted Jay with a massive horde of questions. He managed to answer most of them, and it satisfied the cop well enough. Unlike Alice, Jay found the adult likable.

Finally, Looker cleared his throat and grinned. "Thanks, Jay. You've made my job a hundred times easier."

"No problem, making people's day is my thing," he resounded, flashing a peace sign.

A warm laugh escaped the officer. "I hope you have a speedy recovery." He began exiting the room only to pause at the threshold. Looker hesitated then turned back to Jay. "Have you ever considered joining the International Police?"

He blinked akin to a Deerling in the headlights. "Seriously?"

"You'd be an incredible asset to our organization. With your cooperation, we could make sure Team Galactic never hurts anyone ever again."

Jay sucked in air through his teeth. "I'll think about it."

"Carolina has my number if you decide you want to help change the world. Take care, Jay."

The Sinnohvian closed his eyes after he told Looker goodbye. A million thoughts raced in his mind, every single one of them concerning the proposal. His heart raced at the idea of fighting alongside professionals for the greater good. He pictured himself singlehandedly solving impossible cases and winning the affection of everyone — he'd be a hero.

* * *

Jay was discharged from the hospital later that day. Alice and Ken walked on either side of him, waiting for signs of weakness so they could usher him into a wheelchair. He assured he was fine and jokingly dared to race them home, but that resulted in a lengthy scolding from Ken who wouldn't hear anything of the sort.

"Let's sightsee," Jay suggested as they walked to Carolina's home. "I didn't get to check out the shrine the last time I was here."

"In that case, we're traveling in the wrong direction." Ken spun heel in a perfect 180. "This way."

They trekked across town and conversed lightheartedly, earning interested looks from bashful natives. Soft gales tussled their hair as they did the trees. Amber leaves danced in balletic twirls as they descended, cast above the Trainers' heads. Tan and pale yellow freckles decorated the ground, crunching underfoot as the trio advanced.

The central park of Celestic Town was far lower than the rest of the village. One had to descend steep stairs to reach the grassy field surrounded by rocky walls. Grand firs, larches, pines, and spruces lined wide, stone pathways and gave the vicinity a clean, enchanting scent. Calm Pachirisu, Starly, and Chatot observed the band traveling through with piping curiosity.

In the middle of the lot was a tall, miniature house-like object set upon a pedestal of sorts. Its roof was cherry red and walls were ivory white. The interior harbored several items, including porcelain statues and a plate of fruits.

"The shrine dates back to ancient times," Ken mentioned as they viewed it. "It's dedicated to all of Sinnoh's significant legendaries: Uxie, Azelf, and Mesprit, as well as Dialga, Palkia, Giratina... and Arceus."

Alice bent down and rested her hands on her knees, inspecting the statues. "This reminds me of the oriental shrines in Johto for Lugia and Ho-Oh. You just need the kimono girls to guard it."

"I'd love to see the elderly here dressed up as them," Jay commented, earning a typical sigh and giggle. He rocked on his heels, unsure, then announced, "Speaking of old people, Looker offered me a job."

The Kalosian gasped and straightened. "What? Did you say 'yes'?"

"What's the offer?" Ken asked, his reaction lesser than hers. Still, shock laced his words as his voice rose to a higher pitch.

"He wants me to become a cop and help him stop Team Ultragalactic. I'd be his super badass sidekick," Jay answered, feigning nonchalance with a shrug. "I didn't answer him right then, but I'm planning on agreeing."

"You should think about this more. This is a really, really big decision, " Alice urged worriedly.

"This profession can cost you your life," Ken added, enunciating every syllable.

Jay nodded. "I see what you're saying, but you guys are forgetting it's me you're talking about. I cheated Giratina twice now, and I'm a thousand percent sure I can do it again. My luck's out of this world."

He was the only one to chuckle at his joke. The half-hearted laugh lingered for an unfavorable amount of time.

"Plus," he continued, his easygoing smirk fading, "if anyone's going to risk their neck to take down my family's insane work, it should be me. My parents are next on the list. I want to see them before... you know. Prison."

The chilled mountain gusts nipped at their noses and stung their eyes. Ken pressed his lips in a thin line. Jay avoided eye contact, staring at the shrine. Alice nudged dandelions with her shoe. In the distance, a wind chime sang as leaves sailed on the breeze.

Ken exhaled deeply through his nose. "You're serious, correct?"

"Yeah, I am," Jay confirmed. "I'm calling Looker when we get back."

Alice pointed out what they were all thinking: "So this could really be our last day together." The mood dipped instantaneously, and she shook her head. This doesn't feel right. She dug into the backpack she had and handed six Poké Balls to Jay. "Well, let's make the most of it then! I've always wanted to do this after seeing you and Ken. Jay, I challenge you to a battle."

His lips parted in surprise only to curl up into a smirk. "Sure thing, Shortcake. Don't hold back on me now just because I have a lame arm."

Ken volunteered as the referee as the Trainers walked to either end of the field. The wind picked up, and he adjusted the collar of his jacket. For a brief moment, a woeful smile graced his features.

All beginnings must have ends. He cleared his throat. "This will be a three round battle..."

* * *

Twenty-four hours barreled by in a whirlwind of small events. Hours seemed to come and go in seconds, leaving all the trio in a daze. It wasn't until dawn brought its cherry blossom pink and orange sherbet hues did they realize it was time to detach.

While Jay waited for Looker, he stood near the front door with his backpack slung over his good shoulder. Alice sat on the couch and drummed her fingers on her lap. Ken attended to Carolina's Chatot, cleaning the Pokémon's birdcage to distract himself.

"I wish our bags were saved," Alice spoke up, tracing invisible doodles on her leg. "My camera was in there with all the tour pics."

Jay snapped his fingers. "Oh!" He promptly dumped his bag's supplies and they scattered atop the wooden floor save for one item. A rectangular, black pouch sat in his palm. "Ta-dah! You may now bask in my glor—"

Alice cut him off, trilling, "Oh my goodness, thank you!" She hugged the camera to her chest and beamed. "I bet you'll see lots of really cool stuff on your new journey."

"It's unbefitting to call his profession a journey as if he's an average trainer," Ken called from the edge of the foyer. "He'll endeavor missions."

Jay whistled. "Damn, Kenny Boy. You make me sound important. I never figured you for my fanboy."

An exaggerated, disappointed sigh followed Jay's boasting, and the bandaged trainer continued to put words in the blond's mouth. Alice giggled at their antics and sorted through her SD card, grinning at each photo.

Tat, tat, tat.

The three beat knock cut off Jay's rambling. He scrambled to shove everything into his bag, so Alice answered the door. She tilted her head to peer at Looker's face and offered a friendly half-grin which came out as an awkward grimace.

The detective reflected the uncomfortable expression then inquired, "Is Jay ready to leave?"

To leave. "Yeah," she answered after a moment's pause. Alice stepped aside to let him in. "He's fixing his bag."

Everyone watched Jay fix his carry-on, his actions deliberate and uncharacteristically thoughtful. He summoned his most charming smile as he finished and held his uninjured arm out. Alice moved first, rushing for one last hug.

"Have fun," she said softly, sad yet proud tears pooling her ducts. It pained her to see a genuine friend depart, perhaps never to be seen again. "You can stop by whenever you want to. Really."

He ruffled her hair and snickered as she weakly batted his hand away. "'Course, Shortcake. We need to have a rematch; I didn't know your Pokémon could Mega Evolve at will. That's some crazy shit."

"Me neither," Alice muttered, chuckling along at a quiet volume. She released him and wiped the droplets dampening her cheeks.

Jay wriggled his eyebrows as Ken approached him and admitted, "Y'know, I didn't think we'd become friends."

"It was very unexpected," the other replied. Stiffly, much akin to a robot, he embraced Jay's good half. Embarrassment painted his cheeks pink as everyone gawked. "Don't you dare say something insensible."

Jay smirked. "Me say something to tease you? Never~"

Ken released him and backtracked to Alice's side. Silence followed, but the trio knew what one another was thinking. Words didn't have to be said to express the sorrow their heavy hearts carried. Their forced, pained smiles they had revealed it all.

"Keep an eye out for my name," Jay bugged, refusing to let his voice wobble. One loud laugh cleared the bile from his throat. "I've been thinking about my codename, and I decided I'll go by 'Seeker'. Sexy, right?"

"Sounds great," Alice praised, trying to mimic is bright attitude.

Ken nodded. "I'll await news articles regarding you."

"You better record my heroic achievements." Jay paused. "So this is it... thanks for being there for me, guys. I put you through the Distortion World and back, but you're still here for me, and that's awesome. I've never had support like this before. I'll make it up to you guys and stop my family."

Much akin to his brother, the newly-turned-International Police Officer failed to wait for their reply.

Instead, he winked and concluded, "Don't be a stranger! I'll see you later. Let's go, Looker."

And like that, Jay vacated Ken's and Alice's lives as quickly as he imposed himself upon them. His tall, beaming figure transformed into a long, black dot. And before either trainer knew it, the speck disappeared on the mountainous horizon.

Emotionally drained, Alice leaned on Ken and closed her eyes. Her head lolled on his shoulder without any signs of moving. Recognizing what to do, he feigned nonchalance as he loosely wrapped his arm around her waist.

"Do you think this is what parents feel like watching their kids go off on their journeys?" she wondered aloud.

Ken cast her a sidelong glance. "Perhaps so." He bumped her gently. "I want to show you a place."

"What place?"

"You'll see."

Alice took ahold of his hand and the two took off. Ken didn't have to look up to see where he was going. He knew the steps he was taking by heart, and all that lied around them.

Modest homes with clean lawns were parallel on the hill. The further the couple climbed, the taller the residences grew. Gigantic trees older than Celestic Town itself fanned shadows atop worn sidewalks. A family of Pachirisu bristled at the sight of the blond, but they remained in their nooks.

Ken came to a stop as they approached the topmost area of the range. A barren lot greeted him, a shining plaque in its center. Someone had placed freshly cut daisies near it. Alice squinted to read the writing.

In loving memory of
Kane and Yumi Amachi
~
Forever with the heavens, and always in our hearts. May Arceus kindly watch over your souls.

"This is where my house was," Ken murmured, staring past the plaque to a memory no other could witness. "It was destroyed when Cyrus engaged my parents... I wanted to see it once before we left."

"I'm sorry for your loss. They must've been amazing people," Alice consoled.

He admitted, "The Arceus amulet was the sole item I had left to remember them by."

"They won't hold it against you, Ken." She frowned the slightest. "I'm a hundred percent sure they'd rather see you alive without the amulet over meeting you way too early with it."

"You believe so?"

"Yes, I do believe so."

He stayed quiet for several moments then spun heel to sit down in the grass. She mimicked him and drew her knees to her chest, studying the raised view of Celestic Town. From their position, the people and Pokémon were miniature shapes moving about in and out of doll-sized dwellings. Neither had an idea of how much time passed in their comfortable quietness.

Alice plucked clovers out of the grass and began tying them into loops. "When do you want to get back to Kalos?" She chuckled sheepishly. "I still haven't really called my parents and told them where we are."

"Whenever you want to," he replied, adjusting his focus to her. He tried to fit his finger through one of the grass-blade rings, but it was too tiny and fell apart. "You need to tell them what happened, Alice."

"I know, and I will, I promise." She fastened a larger ring and slid it onto his finger. "There you go."

A ghost of a smile appeared on his solemn mask. "Thank you." He shifted the clover. "Truth to be told, I haven't the slightest clue where my life goes on from here."

Alice hummed under her breath as she ventured to weave her ringlets into a clover crown. "Well," she said, cocking her head, "there's a lot of things we could do. Work at the daycare, get an internship for a professor, maybe go on a journey through Alola—"

"Alola?" Ken repeated, flabbergasted.

She giggled at his scrunched up face as if she'd showed him a piece of gunk stuck to the sole of her shoe. "I'm sure not everyone there's like—what were there names?—ah, Mason and Artie."

He heaved an overdramatic sigh. "I wouldn't put it past the region."

"Don't worry, Ken. We've survived literal death; I'm sure we can fend off Alolans." She crowned a tenderly smiling Ken who'd warmed at her response with her clover band then beamed. "Aww! You look adorable!"

"Don't call me 'adorable'," he retorted, flushing pink.

The brunette cried in protest as he tried to take it off. "Hey! I worked hard on that!"

"It's not my style."

"Really? Striped turtlenecks acceptable to you, but not flower crowns?"

"There is nothing wrong with turtlenecks."

"Arceus, Ken."

They playfully teased one another, bubbling with laughter and dishing out mischievous comments. Perched on a pine tree bench was a candy-colored mass observing the Trainers from afar. The girl kissed the boy, and the Pokémon chortled.

Ditto shimmered as its DNA reverted into its original Mew form. It purred in satisfaction, pleased with the unfolding scene. The feline grinned as this delightful memory would simply be one of many to the healing Trainers destined for a happy ending — not even a god could change that.

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Author's Note

Omg, the only posts after this are the epilogue and acknowledgments chapter 0.0 It's crazy how everything's coming to an end so quickly!

Question of the Chapter: Because we're at the end, who's your true favorite character of the story? Has it changed since last time (ch 20)?