AS the armies, Hoenn and Galarian alike converge on the behemoths above, the ZACIAN returns to land the battle ending blow. It doesn't kill either of the monsters. Not quite. But the battle ends as NECROZMA retreats with ETERNATUS. Paxton watches, relived but also...sick, uneasy. This didn't feel like the end. He nearly collapses to the ground in relief. Coni, still in her mega evolved form, moves to help him stand. How long had they been working for this? [break][break]

The cheers are deafening. Night falls, and the stars are allowed to shine now that the glow of the battle between ETERNATUS and NECROZMA is over. He stares up at the sky. The constellations shift and he feels like he's learning a missing piece before his eyes flutter shut and he and Conibear slump on the ground as the world seems to fade like the dream it always was. [break][break]

Paxton wakes up with a start, sitting up and nearly choking on noting inside his helmet. His body is soaked with rain and his eyes need to adjust to his new surroundings. His helmet- he hadn't worn it in years- is back on his head and he's- he's home. The officer is off kilter trying to readjust being awake. The HOWL of the legendary dogs captures his attention and he watched them go, breathing a short pant as he gets up. [break][break]

He's still wearing his wedding ring. Engraved wit ha strange date and a couple of pretty symbols. But Paxton doesn't notice. He moves to the aid of his comrades. "PENELOPE LIVY ? ollie morales ? Gunner Graves ?!" Paxton moves to their side, trying to find them amongst the confused bodies and getting ready to help them make a break away form the scene, should Rocket begin to clash with them once more. He would sort himself out later.

[break][break]

+ @many taggus |i dont htink paxton lost any lpookemon but i need ot double check MY ROLLS [break][break]

tl;dr

- memento: wedding ring with luciano fisk engraved with the date they got married and a flower [break]
- wakes up panicked and confused [break]
- goes to find penny ollie and gunner [break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","credit"]milky

despite it all, these had been the best years of her life. twenty-five years before and she hadn't lived, not really. she never knew love - and not just nomi's, but gods, she's never loved anyone like that before either.

hours-long dinners filled with laughter and chatter. rarely was there ever silence, especially with the likes of skyler dross and Gunner Graves and angelo vestri all in one room together. Naomi Sato and GIDEON GRAVES on the sidelines, trying and failing not to laugh, until a little bit of drink break down the rest of their crumbling barriers. 

and longer days on the field, hurting, battered and bruised. taking nasty hits protecting the walls. fighting, by herself like she's used to. but when those bruises start disappearing, when she can take more shifts, she realizes why.

how some of those blows meant for her are getting deflected, how the people beside her are protecting her, and she them. even without realizing it. years of these corrections, this shapeshifting, until it becomes instinct. 

she knows them as well as she knows herself and she's never known either before this started. 

it's the ending that she forgets first. it's the slumbering weald, the dazzling vision of titans fighting up, up in the heavens. it's the joyous peace and the sweeping relief and nomi's face, smiling so hard it hurts. it's her arms, circling her, picking her up and twirling her and thinking we're okay, we're okay, we did it, we did it. 

their companions are still on the field. there will be time, later, to rejoice with them. to share drinks and celebration at skyler dross and angelo vestri 's cottage. but now?

parker holds a palm to nomi's chest, noses her pink hair. her eyes are closed when the world's outlines start blurring. rain patters on her head and she rouses, drawing back - not too far, never too far - and she is seized, suddenly, at the watercolor landscape around them. 

the fog rolls in.

"wait, i - nomes? nomi."

and she forgets minute details.

angelo vestri 's f̸̢̢͎̤̟̟͓̟̓̈́̓a̵̭̰̣̠̦̦̤̟̜͍̕v̸̨͇̆̈́͝ͅo̵̭̗̝͎͉͕̣̘͆̈́͜ͅr̵̛̭̤̩̱̊̃̅̉͊̂͆͂͗̇ȉ̴̟͖͍̍̽̉̌͛̉̀͌̿͛ẗ̶̢̠̮͍͓̭́͂̈ë̴͖̟̻ ̶̢͉̲̱̤̞̬̖̒͛͋͑̚̚c̴͓͇̭̎͋̿̀͌͝ô̷̢̼̟̈̔̍̾̎̚͜͝͝ḽ̴̨̱̦̩͙͐͌ȯ̶̥̹̞͓̈́̈́̑͒͛͘̚̚͜͝͝ȑ̵͎̰̩̺̖̦͙̲͋̊͘͝. 

her horrible ā̸̛̛̤̻̈́̏̓̄͛͝t̷̛̞͕̲͇͈̩̩͚͉̞̤̔̄̆͐̒̕ẗ̵̢̛̼̖̟̱̪̣͉̬̘̻̀́̈́̽͛ē̸̱̹̝̲͖̦̎̾̔̆̃̑̆̕m̸̛̺̦̜̟̀̎̾̈p̵̡͕͇̤͚̦͔̩̀̈́͋̎t̸̹͚̘̙̘̘͓̲̙̘͊̅ ̶̧̛͎̜͂̆͌̒a̷̗̥͓̖̣̰͐͜t̷̺̻̞͎̦̜̝͐͊̓̂ ̴̡̧̹͕̠̘̣̈́́͐̐͋͘b̵̧͇̝̗̘͆͋̽̍͐̓͗̀̋̽̋ȩ̸̧̮͕̥̫͑̒̈̎͝ͅi̷̙̜̤͉̦͕̝̲͊̅̔̓̌̋̕n̸̪̥̤̟̮͍̼̖̠̬̰̒̀̑̂͗͠g̶̛̙̹͖̹̼̣̙̺̓͊͜ ̶̡̖͉̥̝͚̯̣͉̬͍̇͊â̷̡̹̰̌͘̚ ̸̧͘ẅ̸̞̿͋͑̋͊͌͝i̵̡̟̗̬̜͉͎̅͌̎n̸̩̼̹̥͈̲̤͚̯̝̅̾͗̽̄g̸̯̙̝͎̳̟͂̌͑̚̚͠͝w̷̺͓̣̯̱͙͓̙͉̹̍̾̔̈́̊̈́̂͘͠ȯ̵͍͔̞͕͉̪̹̥͈͗̈́́͛͝m̷̤̼̂̎a̶̢̨̢͖͉͖͐͂̌̓͐̂͠n̷̨̲̭̠̬̓̇̿̆̆͊͌́͐̚̕ for Gunner Graves . 

that stupid p̵̨̢̼̱̭̤̬̟͉̑̍͋́̕ǫ̵̡̤̯̫̹̹̆̃͂ẹ̵̩̰͇̾͂͒̑͑̾͒͋͜͜͝m̸̠͔͇͇̗͚̜̥̬̐ ̶͕̈́̿̿̆́̈́ş̴̨̛̘͉͙̤͇͋͒̉͝͠ḩ̶͇̬̭̠̌̂̆̇̓͠e̶̥͉̟̺̠͍̎̾̃̓ ̸̦̱͚̤̲̳̞̇̕ŵ̷͇̭͍͙̘̘̺̿̂̀̉͑̅̊̚͝r̷̹͚͛͋̽̈́̽o̶̢̖̹̊̄̊̓́̐͑̂̀̇̒t̶̳̥͈̞̻̎́̂̈̆͛́̍͘ĕ̸̬͓͈̥͂̓͆͒̀̿̚͝͝ to make fun of GIDEON GRAVES . 

an understanding, a r̵̢̠͔̦̦̭̖̮̗̫̞̃̇̏e̶͚̖̰̘͑c̷̠̠̑̀̾̍̿͘͝ơ̸̛̛̛͉̩͐̈́͂̊̂͘͜n̷͙̖̹͖̳̻̱̰̈́͑̽͑ĉ̸̛̟̖̟̫͇̜̥̣͎̪͆̋̀̐͝͝ͅi̷̧̽̆͠l̶̛̪̤̮͖̮͎͖͕͎̝͒́̐̂͊̚͝i̵̙̲̭̝̩̘̯̘͎̔ͅa̵̧͈̘̦̥̪͇͖̼͗ͅẗ̶̡̧̛̹̗͉͈̭̯͓̔̾̒̆͝ì̷̧̺̭͎̱̤̣̞̽̄͐̚o̴̳̝͈̖̹̦̒͊͂͂̄̎͠ǹ̵͎̭̻͈̫̮̥͐̓̿̿, with skyler dross . 

they had a strawberry cake at their w̸̡̛̲̖̮̞̗͓̟̬̔̈́̓̂̚ę̸̗͔̻͉̪̱̠͊́͂̂͐̈̚͝d̸̛̦̼̀̓͆͆̿̾͛̍̕d̶̪͛̔͌̄͝i̸̧̨͖̰̩̺̜̓́̀̊̒͂̆n̴̗̻̲̼̫̫̘̼̖̑̀̒́́̕͝g̵͉̈́̎̐͗̐̚

s̶͉̔̌̽̈́̄̕͝͠h̵̺͑̈́̓̏́͒̏ę̵̢̛̦͒̾͂͗̒̆́͒̐͜͠ ̸̥̬̺̖̬̘͚̦̫͙̊̏̄̍͋͑͐͝l̷̰̰̒̀͌̽ŏ̷̼̦͍̒͒͋̈́̈̿͜͠v̴̨̛͇̙̤̖̦͓̰̥͈̓́̎̇͒͂̓e̸͈̰̽̔̄̐̾̆̐͗s̶͇͊̆͂̀͊̄̃ ̶̧̲͚̾̓̂̑̓̕͘͝͠n̷̡̖͔̙̺͍̺̘̬̰̠̒̈́̎̋̈́̇͌̒͘o̴̟̗͇̎̋̈́̈́͋͒͊̓̀̕̕ͅm̴̢͎͙̏̀͒͋i̸͔̦͑̎̀͛̇̍̾̈͒̐͘͜.

l̵̖͉̠̟̗͓̹̣͒͋̓͊͗̾̍ơ̵̙͓̬̘̬͔̣͎͋̾̃͆̇v̷̡̡͍̠̆͑̈̚ḙ̵͈͑͆̋̏́̎̌́͠š̸̯̞̲̞̻̪͛͐̔͘ ̷̢̢̗̜̀͂̌͆͗̍͒͘͘͠͠n̴̨̞̾̀̇̒͝ơ̴̢̢̦̺̬̪̗̹̟͈̔̇̓m̷̧̟̱̜̩̐̾ͅͅi̶̡̡͕͎̋̍̑͑̎͝͠͝.̷̤̾͑͛̆̂

nomi. 

🧁

her lashes flutter. she wakes, disoriented, with one hand clasping something around her neck. the other is clamped around someone's wrist. she shifts, blinking away dreams, and then startles straight up. 

her shoulder twinges. where are my g̶̭͍͉͎̙̐͒a̸̳͖̺̼͇̜̅̈̂u̸͙̫̽̍̌͂́̉n̴̨͂͊̃͠t̸̼͓̏l̶̘͉̖͍̰͙̼̘̋̃̃̚͘ę̴̬͓̱̠̭͓͎̮̓͒t̴̪̫̯̗̞̖͒̂̉̈́͆͘͘͘͝͝s̵̨̢̭̥̰̣̱͉̤̲̘̎̓̇̈́͝? her what?

there are more pressing issues. fuck, they're in the middle of a battle between two legendaries. she and nomi had been on her way to the tomb when -

"nomi?" the hand around nomi's suddenly makes sense. she releases her, feeling odd, and gives her shoulder a shake. others are waking up around them. "nomi, wake up. i think we all...won? and then took a nap?"

BYE-BYE RAID

☉

Goodbye is the hardest word a man can say. The need to say that word is one of life’s few true inevitabilities. Lord Navidson isn’t ready to say goodbye when Zacian emerges from the Slumbering Weald to end this. He’s swept up in what happens next. Sleeping in far away Motostoke are children expecting him to come home – children he couldn’t bring himself to tell goodbye.[break][break]
Twenty years have passed and he still hasn’t changed. He never told Gabe goodbye. Not properly. Needles pierce his heart and fill him with terror that this is it – that none of this mattered. He mounts his horse. Valkyrie’s blank face says nothing, but he senses finality in her strides. Riding up to Melody, he is frantic.[break][break]
“We have to get back to Motostoke.” His heart beats a mile a minute. “We have to get back to Crystal and Raphael.” He sweeps Melody Miro up whether she likes it or not. There is nothing faster in this gathered army than the king’s steed. He spurs her on, back to where he thinks he belongs.[break][break]
And, in the end, his attempt is fruitless. Sleep takes him as it does everyone else. Lord Navidson, Pale Rider of Motostoke closes his eyes.[break][break]
Navy wakes up in his own life under a dark sky. Half-lidded eyes adjust to the light. Twenty years pass in a heartbeat. All the love and labor forgotten in the momentary confusion. His first thoughts as he shoots up drift between two women – Melody and Hyakkaryōran Tsubaki. Tsubaki was caught in the explosion of the tomb. While people gather their wits, he grips the ground and pushes himself up.[break][break]
His fingers are cut on black fragments of the hero’s sword, which he thoughtlessly slips into his pocket as he runs towards the tomb. Screaming for her, he looks for the girl FERNANDO SILPH may well have killed in the collapse of the ancient structure.[break][break]
“Crystal!” He screams, only to stop stock still. Seizing up like he’s been shot, he grabs at his head with bloodied fingers. Memories surge. Fragmented things, like the remembrance of a vivid, neverending dream.[break][break]
“Baki!” Navy corrects himself. “Tsubaki! Tell me you’re okay!” Eventually, she is found. He calms down. Hugs her. Cries, he’s so happy that she’s okay. There will be things to do soon.[break][break]
League Officer he may be, but he’s low on the totem pole. That gives him time to breathe. People like Callan Young, Greyson Connors, and PENELOPE LIVY will be expected to make their reports. For now, he’s sent back home. Back with Tsubaki.[break][break]
That night, he drinks alone. It’s the first drop he’s had by himself in two months. As he sips on the whiskey, he feels something in his pocket. Out comes a wooden figurine, Zacian cast in miniature.[break][break]
Hanging from her sword is a letter.[break][break]
Navy opens it with trembling hands. [break][break]
Father,[break]
It’s almost time for mother and you to go home, isn’t it? One of the others told me the stories. You are from another world. I wish that I could go with you, but I suspect I can’t. I’ll miss you. You’re a strong man. You’re always willing to go fight so someone else doesn’t have to. It’s lonely, being the one waiting on you. I won’t deny I hated you for that for the longest time. Don’t forget mother. Don’t forget Aunt Tsubaki. I’ll take care of Raphael. I just have two requests…[break]
Keep mother safe. Enjoy your life. I know you won’t stop fighting, so protect the people around you.[break]
Stay vigilant, father. I love you.[break]
It crumbles to dust in his hands when he finishes reading it, yet the figurine remains. He sobs long into the night, but her words steel him. There will be more fights. This gentle rainy night is but a respite. While the scars left by this dream will remain, old grudges from this life will return.[break][break]
Another battle comes, and he resolves to be ready.

[break][break]

+ tl;dr
Tries desperately to ride back to Motostoke with Melody before waking up[break]
Pockets rusted shards as he runs to the tomb.[break]
Finds Tsubaki.[break]
Owing to the fact that he is only a gym leader, he is sent back to Dewford for now instead of immediately being told to file a report.[break]
That night, he drinks and discovers the trinket left to him.[break]
A small hand-carved figurine of Zacian made by his daughter, Crystal.[break]
Reads the letter attached, which crumples into dust.[break]
Daughter tells him to stay vigilant and protect those he cares about.[break]
Cries, resolves to keep up the fight.

[attr="class","pokeclass"]