Hard Enough - Chapter 322 - Message in a bottle

I was a bit sad that I didn’t get to catch the Regi Trio but being allowed to take Regirock was already a big win in my books. 

Although getting to play games with Mew was also an unexpected benefit. 

“Right so it’s right, left, right, left, cross slap, spin, double hand and then explosion!” I said showing Mew how to play patticake while Sanchez showed off to the side with the pair of them rapidly going through the routine I’d outlined. 

“Mew!” chirped the Legendary cat like pokemon gleefully as it batted its tiny hands against mine. It had an intense focus as its hands went back and forth matching strike for strike with me only to backflip through the air instead of spinning and its tail swatted me. 

I stumbled at the appendage tugging at me and staggered to the side.

Mew slumped in annoyance but I just chuckled.

Mew paused, tilting its body only to curl up into itself and giggle along with me with an innocence that only a child could match. 

“Go Go go!” cheered Sanchez as he and Bertha began speeding up with their own game only for Mew to approach causing them to flinch and end up slapping each other in the face.

Both of them staggered back in shock only to laugh with Mew joining in once again.

“Hmmm, maybe a different game?” I suggested which caused Mew to whirl around and nodded wholeheartedly. 

It raced over to its pile of toys and dragged out an old wooden soldier set. “Nice!” I said as I took one and pretended to march them back and forth.

Sanchez grabbed up an old rocking ponyta and hopped onto it only for it to crack loudly the instant his weight settled on it. 

“Go?” he asked as he stared at the rocking ponyta. I didn’t even have the time to warn him to hop off as it snapped in two from his weight. He fell to the ground.

“Goooooo,” he groaned dramatically. 

Mew approached and prodded him with its tail. 

Sanchez put a hand over his head while the other clutched at his chest. “Go… go lem! Lem Go!” he gasped like this was some soap opera, lamenting the painful world that he was now departing from.

He reached up towards the canopy of the tree, then gasped as though in pain, and let his hand fall to the side as his eyes slid shut.

Mew stiffened. “Mew! Mew! Mew! Mew!” it chanted, nudging at him.

Sanchez cracked open one eye and peeked at me. I rolled my eyes at him and he grinned before leaping to his feet heroically. “Go! Golem!” he shouted, letting the world know he wasn’t actually hurt. 

Mew reeled back only to wiggle in joy and clap its little hands. 

I shook my head at Sanchez’s antics. “You owe Mew a new rocking Ponyta now you know?” I pointed out causing Sanchez to stiffen and glance down at the splinters of the toy.

Mew shook its head and just laughed which caused Sanchez to relax and grab another toy to play with. Bertha, who’d grabbed up a pink wand that looked dainty in her giant hand waved it and twirled around, causing Mew to trail after her.

I chuckled. I probably should have expected this but it was still rather odd to find Mew to be so playful. It had to be practically ancient in terms of age, and yet it seemed more like a young child than some ancient guardian. 

I glanced over to where Lucario, Mewtwo and Sabrina were sitting. “Hey! You alright?” I called to them.

Sabrina nodded and waved back while Mewtwo pointedly didn’t look my way. Lucario shifted, slightly agitated but he obviously knew he couldn’t push a Legendary pokemon to do something it didn’t want to.

I glanced back to Sabrina and saw that she was biting her lips and holding her sides like she was holding in her laughter.

I raised an eyebrow and she giggled as she linked her mind with mine. 

“Mewtwo is angry he lost to a child,” Sabrina informed me as she unleashed a torrent of laughter into my mind, causing a few chuckles to break out from me with how her emotions started to overwhelm me.

Mewtwo glared at me but I turned away. 

I found Bertha to be cupping Mew like a ball, only to launch it like an attack from her hands against a stack of pins that clattered to the ground.

I tilted my head. 

Was it blasphemous to throw Arceus’ firstborn like a bowling ball? 

When Mew flew over to do it again I took a video that I’d probably never be able to share beyond close confidants but… well a story this good had to have some evidence. 

Mew quickly noticed me recording them and flew over to inspect the new gadget. Bertha quickly joined in and adopted a lecturing pose as Mew questioned me about the device. 

“Rhy—” “don’t listen to her,” I stated firmly. She’d already gotten to Lucario, and while I’d very much set that up to happen I wasn’t about to corrupt a Legendary pokemon like Mew.

I levelled a firm stare at Bertha which caused her to whine but nod after a moment.

Mew curled itself over my head and peeked down at me. “Mew?” it chirped. 

I turned my head this way and that and chuckled. I was wearing a Mew hat with how it was cuddled up to my head. I took another picture.

“This device is a multitool that allows me to—” I listed off the basic functions of the Xtransciever while Mew listened attentively. 

When it crawled down my shoulder to paw at the watch-like device I knew it very much wanted one for itself. 

“Uhmmm, no this is mine and I can’t share it I’m sorry!” I said, realising that the actual mistake I’d made was not distracting Mew. I’d fallen into the old habit of educating young minds which Mew… really didn’t qualify as but at the same time it just gave off such a clueless air that I had responded without thinking.

“Rhy Rhy Perior,” said Bertha as she suggested I hand over my spare transceiver. 

Mew sprang off my arm and glanced around for the spare only for Bertha to helpfully point at the pound that rested in the small of my back. 

Mew pounced only for me to twist away. “Now, let’s just be reasonable abou—”  Mew’s eyes lit up and I found myself momentarily held. I flexed my dark aura and broke the effect, causing Mew to squeak in fear and roll away from me.

“Sorry about that, but that wasn’t nice! Friends don’t use force on each other!” I explained. 

Mew slumped and nodded contritely. I coughed and decided to quickly move the discussion along before it remembered what it actually wanted, and that it was a Legendary pokemon and could take what it pleased. 

I clapped my hands together. “Now! Perhaps it would be best if we departed for the other area?” I prodded. 

Mew tilted, the perfect picture of puzzlement. 

I glanced towards Lucario. “We’re here looking for any signs of his master Sir Aaron. Tall man? Dark blue hair with a penchant for capes, hats, and you know, a human?” I offered. 

Lucario strode over quickly. “He was an aura master and he once said that the Tree of Beginning was more than it seemed… Did he make it here?” he questioned, eyes and ears locked on Mew.

Mew adopted a thoughtful pose, bobbing up and down in the air as it scrunched its eyes up.
“Meeeeeeeeeeeew,” it chanted only to perk up and wave its arms about. “Mew Mew!” it cheered.

Lucario twitched. “Oh, you knew precisely what we were talking about?” he said.

“Mew!” nodded the little pokemon as it waved towards Sanchez who shot it a thumbs up.

I facepalmed. Wonderful, we’d taught it how to bait people with trolling. I was starting to suspect that the less time we spent with the firstborn of Arceus the better of everyone would be in the long run.

If for no other reason than reducing the degree of aneurysms we caused future guests.

Mew waved for us to follow and Sabrina and Mewtwo both floated after us as Mew led us through a series of rooms with a slightly sloping pathway that lead deeper and deeper into the tree.

 I was starting to grow concerned when we entered a room that was almost entirely crystal. Only a few sections of the floor were clear and I frowned. Then I turned to Sabrina. “Feeling alright?”

Sabrina grimaced. “I was feeling better being in that toyroom of Mew’s as it had open air and the effects of the crystals were fading but looking into this hollow… I can already feel my mind starting to strain from the effort,” she declared, her eyes intently focussed on the central crystal. 

“Is it coming back faster?” I mused, turning my own attention to the room only to flinch as I felt a wave of pain rise up. “Oh wow yeah, it’s coming back faster,” I said, answering my own question.

Sabrina hummed. “The crystals might have a lingering effect… we might not be able to come back here, for quite a while depending on how long the effect lingers.”

Mew turned back and orbited us. “Mew Mew Mew Mew Mew!” it chanted, tapping at its head before slumping. “Mew Mew Mew Mew Mew!” it straightened up and nodded a few times like that answered everything.

I turned to Sabrina. “Translation please?” 

Sabrina’s lips thinned. “Apparently, it’s part of the Tree defences. The crystals naturally exude energy that is harmful to humans. The longer we remain within its effects the more it will build up until we perish…” 

I turned back to Mew. ”How long does it last?” I asked. 

“Mew,” replied the little pokemon as it started chasing its own tail. 

Sabrina grimaced. “Years,” she answered. 

“Ooof,” I said. “That is, not as desirable… we’ve barely been here half a day!” 

Sabrina glanced at the inner cavern. “We’ve probably intruded into places that no normal humans would reach with Mew and Mewtwo being here to help us along,” she postulated. “We can enter the hollow but we can’t stay.” 

I accepted this with a nod and drew out Dexter to start recording the area while also reporting what we’d discovered. 

Mew noticed my attempts to record the room and started darting back and forth to get in the way of the camera. I tilted my head. “Do you not want me recording this or are you just playing around?”

“Mew!” Mew chirped. 

“Yes,” translated Sabrina.

 I sighed and put Dexter away. I’d have to rely on only written notes it seemed, elm would be distraught. 

Oh wait, I wasn’t sharing this with him unless I wanted to commit manslaughter cause he’d absolutely sprint into the tree’s bowels and never return.

“Sir Aaron!” shouted Lucario in shock as we entered, his eyes instantly locking onto the central crystal which appeared to contain a figure that was easily identifiable.

“Woah, he almost looks perfectly preserved,” I said as we floated closer. 

Mewtwo narrowed his eyes and floated towards the crystal. “He is but a memory imprinted into the crystal… like a painting,” he intoned.

I watched Mewtwo through my peripherals. That had almost sounded like Mewtwo was impressed for a moment there. “A painting in a crystal structure?” I asked, carefully hoping to get some more from him.

Mewtwo nodded. “There is an imprint there, his form, his colouration… but nothing of the man. His lifeforce is gone… or rather it is there but it is not human anymore.”

“Sir Aaron…” Lucario said as he raised a paw and began to emit aura that extended from him into the crystal. The form of Sir Aaron began to glow a potent blue.

“It is him…,” Lucario declared with a slump that saw him falling into the crystal. “Why? Why did you leave me?”

Mew circled the crystal and gave the figure within a gentle smile. “Meeeeeew,” it said softly. 

Mewtwo shifted and glanced up at Mew. “He gave his energy to you?” 

Mew nodded and then gestured with a limb down to the base of the crystal, where, sure enough, a Time Flower was growing. 

“Mew,” Mew said as it lowered itself and began to glow. 

The Time flower responded, twisting open so that the small gem of aura within rose and the room around us faded as a now familiar colour overwhelmed the room and showed us a moment lost to history.

“Mew! Where are you?” shouts the memory of Sir Aaron and from an opening above the crystal Mew appears in its Ho-oh form only to shrink down. 

“Mew I realise that you and this tree are one! Please! Take the power of my Aura! Save the people!”

“Mew,” intonted the memory of Mew with an almost resigned look in its eyes.

“Now!” sir Aaron raised his hand, palm facing out. “Accept the Aura!”  

At first only a small orb appeared, then Sir Aaron leaned into it and groaned, a trickle of blood ran down his mouth but he only pushed harder, causing the orb of energy to expand to the a huge ball that grows until it’s twice the size of him, completely engulfing Mew within it. 

Then an electric surge runs through Sir Aaron and he began to glow. “Gaaaaah!” he roared only for the Time Flower to close in on itself and the memory to vanish.

Lucario stared. “He didn’t abandon the Kingdom… despite it all I thought he must have… I… this isn’t some trick being played by a Darkrai. Sir Aaron is gone,” he said, sinking to his knees and lowering his head towards the crystal.

“I’m sorry I didn’t believe in you Sir Aaron!” 

I moved to give Lucario a pat on the shoulder only for the crystal continuing Sir Aaron to light up. 

Mewtwo stiffened. “What? His traces of energy are responding to you!” 

The energies built up until they flashed out, then the Time Flower that had just closed reopened and lit up albeit in a much smaller area. 

Revealed within was the image of a spent Sir Aaron with a trickle of blood running out of his mouth. He staggered up to the crystal and slumped against it leaning and facing out.

I smiled, despite them being years apart with how they were positioned it almost looked like they were looking at each other, eye to eye.

“Sir Aaron!” Lucario said, trying to reach out to his former master as he twitched and writhed in pain only to shudder.

Through the pain Sir Aaron still held on, looking up slightly, unknowingly staring right into Lucario’s eyes. “Lucario… forgive me.”

“I do master,” Lucario replied as tears began to spill down his jackal-like face. 

“Please understand. I had to seal you inside the staff.” I mentally pumped my fist. I knew it was a staff, not a scepter! 

Sir Aaron continued. “I knew that if I didn’t you’d follow me here and join me and suffer the same fate.” He tugged off his gloves and laid them in front of himself. “I only wish you could have known the real story.”

“No! I understand now! You weren’t abandoning the Kingdom. You weren’t abandoning.. Me,” said Lucario as he continued to cry. 

“One day you will be released. In a distant and more peaceful time. What will it be like? I wonder if—” Aaron said only to shudder as electrical pulses coursed through him. 

“I have no regrets. My journey has been good. I served a beautiful Queen, and you and I shared many adventures. Those memories will always be with me.”

“Master! You, if only you could hear me!” Lucario sobbed.

“Lucario… you were more than just a student, you were my friend. … Who knows, it could be… one day… we will see each other again. I hope so, my friend…” and then he slowly faded along with that of the Time Flower.

Lucario stared into the crystal imprint of Sir Aaron. 

Poor guy, it was like all his Pidgey had come back to roost.

I swallowed, pushing back tears that threatened to spill forward as I watched him sob. Sabrina watched on with a stoic expression while Mewtwo stared, his tail lashing slowly back and forth. 

I stepped forward and put a hand on Lucario’s shoulder. I didn’t say anything.

Sometimes you can’t say anything, but I could be there in the moment with Lucario. He reached up and put his paw on my hand, squeezing it tightly.

His body shuddered and then he rose. “I should… I should return … to the Queen and tell her what happened… it is my duty.”

“You can take a moment for yourself if you need it,” I offered.  

He coughed. “It is not right for me to lose myself like this.”

“It’s perfectly alright to mourn,” I replied. 

Lucario slumped into himself for a moment. “Thank you for bringing me here. I needed this.”

“Perfectly fine,” I responded. 

“I know I was… hostile to you. You didn’t deserve that.”

“It was understandable. You’re a pokemon out of time. It’s not going to be something you will fully come to grips with for some time yet I’m sorry to say. Can’t say I know where to start beyond being patient.”

Lucario nodded and took a moment to breathe. “Well… I will come and visit again master,” he announced, patting the crystal. He shifted and picked something up from the ground. “The Queen will want these,” he said.

I blinked in surprise. I hadn’t even seen the gloves with how they’d fallen into a small recess. “They look like they’re still in good condition!” I said with shock only to shake my head as an intense wave of pain spiked through me.

Lucario caught me before I fell. “Let’s get the humans out of here,” he declared as he led me out. Mewtwo made a gesture at Sabrina and floated her out quickly.

Mew must have thought this was a game as a moment later I bobbed after her like an errant balloon much to my pokemon’s amusement. I sighed and let them be, knowing that they needed something to pick the mood up after the rather intense moment of Sir Aaron’s farewell. 

We landed outside only to be carried further out onto a branch when the effects of the crystals persisted. On the way out we disturbed a flock of Pidgeotto and Pidgeot who bristled and squawked as we got close.

Then Mewtwo and Mew gave them firm looks and the flock fell silent. 

I took a moment to breathe as I stared out over an insane view from near the top of the tree of beginning. “Woah, this is incredible.” 

Sabrina hummed and shifted so she was leaning against me. “I have to admit there’s a part of me that misses going on adventures like this.”

I could only nod. “We should have done this years ago… but then again, I don’t think the results would have been the same,” I laughed. 

Sabrina shook her head. “No, they wouldn’t have been.” She glanced over to where Lucario was perched staring out at the forest like a sentinel. 

“What will you do now?” she asked.

Lucario pointed. “The castle… and its royalty. They are the inheritors of Sir Aaron. I will ask to take up my place once more as a member of their household… if they will have me.”

“Well from the interactions I’ve had with them, those ladies are sharp cookies and they’ll be delighted to have you join them. It sounds like you were an Elite warrior of your time and that’s going to put you leagues above a lot of other pokemon… although the methods of fighting are a touch different these days,” I mused. 

Lucario hummed. “Indeed, many of the pokemon I have met appear softer..” then he glanced in my direction and back towards where Bertha and Sanchez were, now with Titan and a few others at their sides. “But not all of them are that way,” he replied with a nod. 

He coughed. “Also I have no idea what you meant by sharp cookies. What is a cookie and why is it sharp?”

I chuckled to myself and sighed. “I think I’ll let someone else explain that. Maybe even get you a batch made up fresh.” 

“Hmmm Sharp cookies are food then? I will look forward to finding them,” Lucario declared. 

Bertha laughed and opened her mouth only for Titan to tug her into a romantic hug to keep her focus straight ahead. 

Sanchez glanced at them only to huff and make a show of snuggling up to the air. He was feeling a bit like a third wheel. I chuckled. If that Honedge had any sense for dramatic timing… I glanced around, but nothing changed. 

Hmmm, shame. 

I glanced over to where Mew was relaxing on the edge of the branch, its legs kicking up into the air. An idea occurred to me. “Hey Mew, have you ever seen a rock like these before?” I asked as I lifted up my keystone for it to look at.

Mew glanced over and took a long moment to stare at it. I waited and grinned as it perked up. 

“Mew!” it chimed as it raced away.

Sabrina stared at me. “A Legendary pokemon, and all the pokemon you caught for your breeding program wasn’t enough of an amazing find?” she said flatly. 

I coughed. “Who dares wins?” I offered back.

Sabrina snorted and patted me on the cheek. “It seems to have worked out for you anyway.”

It took ten minutes for Mew to come back but when it did it came back with not one, but two Mega stones and small keystones. I started to perk up only to frown as I noticed the colouration. 

The first was tawny brown with a splash of red. “Pidgeotite,” I declared after comparing it to some premade colour swatches I’d prepared on dexter. The second was pink and sparked slightly which caused me to closely inspect it.

Was this… I sighed when I spotted the streak of blue through the middle. I paged to the appropriate colour listing and nodded. “Altarianite,” I said.

Sabrina snorted. “Why so sad? You just found two Megastones by asking.”

“I was hoping for Diancite cause if the stone was here then there would have to be the pokemon as well, which now that I think about it would have some strong chances of being here.” I glanced up to Mew. “know any Diancie?”

Mew shook its head instantly. “Mew!”

“No!” Sabrina helpfully translated. 

I huffed. “Well I tried. Thank you for the…” I trailed off as Mew stole back the two stones. It held them and waggled them. “You want me to chase you?” I asked and Mew shook its head. 

It then pointed at my wrist and at my pouch. I stared. “You want my spare transceiver?” I asked, slightly incredulous.

Mew nodded and grinned, handing me the stones only to make a ‘gimmie’ gesture. 

I handed the transceiver over. This had to be a trick right? An old transceiver for two Mega stones? Even if they weren’t the sort I could use… they were still great finds…

I glanced up at the sky, was I going to be smited for tricking Arceus firstborn?

Mew giggled as it took the transceiver and began smashing buttons. It giggled and flew away leaving us alone.

“Uhmmm bye?” I said to the air. I glanced down at Sabrina. “Was that a bad idea? I feel like I should have paid more…” 

“I think you paid plenty,” Sabrina replied. “How long before it learns how to access the pokenet?” she asked.

I stared down at her. “I mean… I never showed it?” I defended weakly. I turned and looked back to where Mew had disappeared to. “I suddenly feel that engraving ‘property of Brock, return to Pewter if lost and found’ on my old transceiver was a bad call,” I muttered. 

Sabrina giggled. “Look on the bright side. No one will know it’s a Legendary pokemon on the pokenet.”

I stared at her. “I feel like I’ve made a huge mistake,” I said, recalling how childish Mew acted. I’d loosened a Legendary pokemon onto the internet.

Mewtwo pointedly stared straight ahead, obviously aware of our conversation but very much not wanting to take part. 

Lucario shook his head. “Such degeneracy,” he muttered. 

I sighed and gestured towards the distant castle. “Think we can make it back to the castle before nightfall?” I asked. 

Mewtwo snorted. “Easily,” he replied, making a gesture and lifting everyone, pokemon and people all at once. I hummed an old song under my breath as he flew towards the castle only to blink with surprise as Mewtwo didn’t slow down once we’d exited the boundary of the forest.

“Uhm Mewtwo? You realise people will see us?” I called. 

Mewtwo grunted. “I know. I wish to test something.” 

I shared a look with Sabrina. Well that was ominous. 

Lucario stiffened when Mewtwo flew us directly into the castle and around the back towards a private garden where two women were sitting at a pavilion. 

Mewtwo landed us all and the two Queens blinked in surprise. 

“Sir Lucario? Brock? Sabrina?” Queen ilene stood and stared at us all only to pause upon Mewtwo. “We do not know you My good pokemon. Be you friend of foe?” she asked with her usual formal tone.

Yvette I noted had stood and was preparing herself to leap in front of her daughter only for Mewtwo to offer a bow. 

“I am known to you and my intentions depend on you. I entered your tournament under a pseudonym and won it.”

Ilene blinked. “Oh! Sir Twain! You were able to take off your helmet! Be welcome!” she declared gladly. 

Mewtwo stared up at her. “You don’t care that I am a pokemon? That I tricked you?”

“No, for we have a good idea of your character and it is noble and kind Sir Twain!” she declared, sweeping her hand out as though announcing a new law. She giggled into a raised hand. “You will of course forgive me using the name once more but we do not know your proper name.”

Mewtwo smirked. “Mewtwo, my name is Mewtwo Queen Ilene.”

“Be welcome Mewtwo in the Kingdom of Rota and know you are considered friend and Champion of the Joust!” Queen Ilene said only to turn slightly. “You have caught us at our supper. Would you care to join us?” 

Lucario shook his head. “It would not be proper of us to—” he tried to deny the offer only for a loud growl to escape his stomach.

Yvette barked a laugh. “Nonsense! Join us! The more the merrier! Tell us of your adventure to the Tree of Beginning! Was it successful?” she asked.

We all sat under the pavilion, with a group of maids sprinting out and rearranging everything so that everyone, pokemon included could sit at the table with the two Queens. 

I stared at Mewtwo as he claimed a seat of honour next to Ilene. Was this what he’d been talking about earlier? He wanted to test how she would react to her.

He seemed a touch unsure of her polite approach, which only had me sharing a smile for Mewtwo. It seemed he was growing up and branching out.

I sat back as Lucario narrated the journey’s start, my mind more considering how well things had gone.

We hadn’t caused a catastrophic failure with the Tree’s immune response like in the Movie, which meant Lucario didn’t have to sacrifice himself. There had been a ton of pokemon that were suitable for the breeding program along with Regirock. I now had another two Megastones in my grasp.

I shifted as a thought occurred to me. How would the Queens react to my ‘good fortune’. 

When Lucario told of my fight with Regirock the Queens gasped and yvette thumped the table causing everyone to jerk in shock.

“Got the blighter! That blasted rock pokemon has been a bane to anyone else attempting to get close to the Tree! It was a damned nuisance! I thought for sure you’d run it off!” she said with a gleeful look. 

Ilene turned her head slowly. “You knowingly sent our guests towards a dangerous pokemon mother?”  

“Yes!” said Yvette shamelessly. “I knew if anyone could handle it it would be them! And look! I was right!” 

Ilene’s glare intensified. It wasn’t very effective against Yvette who ignored it. Yvette turned to me. “So! You captured the blighter Eh? You’re welcome to him!” 

Ilene sighed. “Mother…” 

Yvette huffed and I coughed. “I do feel slightly bad not clarifying your rules. I assumed you were under League standard?” 

“We are,” Ilene confirmed. “You are welcome to the pokemon you captured Brock never fear Rota is small, but it is a member of the Pokemon League. There will be a rather large uptick in people visiting our fair nation once it is discovered where you caught your pokemon.” 

“You’re not worried about losing a potential resource?” I asked. 

Ilene shook her head. 

I hummed. “In the interest of being transparent. I also caught some other pokemon.” I listed them off and Yvette chuckled when I mentioned they’d eagerly joined me thanks to the perks of the breeding program.

Ilene merely rolled her eyes. 

“I also met with the Guardian of the Tree and they granted me these,” I said, laying out the two Megastones.

Both Queens stiffened in surprise. “Are those…” Queen Ilene gestured to Sabrina and I. 

We both nodded. 

Queen Ilene shifted. “The laws of our Kingdom are inline with the League’s. As the finder it is your right. And it would be spurious of us to suggest anything counter to what the Guardian of the Tree gifted.”

I could sense her all but saying that they wanted one at the very least. I glanced at them both. Pidgeot or Altaria. I offered up the pink stone causing Queen Ilene to stiffen.

“We couldn’t!” she said with a quickly waved hand. 

Yvette leaned over and snatched it from me. “Yoink!” she crowed. 

“Mother! You go too far!” Ilene growled whirling on the other woman.

Yvette scoffed. “He was gifted it and it is his right to do with it what he wants. He didn’t refuse it then and we shouldn’t refuse it now!”

“It is not the done thing!” Ilene growled. 

I raised a hand. “Please, don’t think too much on this. I am merely maintaining good relations as I see it. Also, kindness deserves its own reward,” I said glancing at Mewtwo.

Mewtwo ignored me pointedly. 

Ilene shifted and offered me a bow of her head. “We thank you then for your generosity Brock.” she straightened and blinked her eyes shifting towards Sabrina before settling back on me. 

“You are engaged, yes?” she said the comment seemingly coming from nowhere.

“Yes?” I replied.

Ilene smiled and gestured at the garden around her. “How would you like this as your venue?”

I blinked. “Huh?” I asked, slightly stunned by her offer of hosting our wedding in her garden.

Ilene nodded. “As you said, Kindness deserves its own reward. How would you like to lend the Cameran Palace for your Wedding and the reception afterwards?”

“We say yes!” Sabrina said quickly. “We would be delighted to host our wedding here!” 

I blinked, then blinked again. Then I looked around. “You.. weren’t just offering the garden?”

Ilene looked at me and broke out into giggles at my dumbfounded expression.

Then I looked over and found Sabrina was beaming.

Huh, I might have traded a Mega stone away but damn if that wasn’t worth it. 

I spared another glance around. “Erika’s going to wet herself with joy when you tell her we have a venue,” I remarked. 

As the women laughed, I could only shake my head before I joined in. 

This had been a very strange, but incredible adventure. 

________________________

A.N. Thanks go to my patreons for your continued support.

Thanks also go to Twmmy for proofreading this chapter!

Poor Lance. Brock gave away his Mega Altaria!... oh well!