Chapter - 16

{Meanwhile}

At Bourbon Bistro in Titanio City, the most acclaimed restaurant in all

of Arcana, a recovering Michael and Julia were enjoying a night off

and some time to themselves. Virtually impossible to get in without a

reservation weeks in advance, it did make Julia feel good to know

she was in a relationship with the Champion of Arcana. She was

also glad that Michael was feeling better than he had been earlier

that day. With his condition getting worse, she couldn't be too careful

with him. But, then again, she knew Michael was willing to do

anything to make her happy, hence why he was here with her when

he should be at home resting and being tended to.

I honestly don't know what I've ever done to deserve someone like

him, Julia thought to herself. She and Michael had been best friends

as long as she could remember. When her grandmother had moved

to Arcana some time ago to assume a position as the leading

Pokémon Professor in Arcana, she came along with her, as did her

younger cousin Piper. She found it hard to make friends at first, but

he was the first person to befriend her and the only one she would

ever need to rely on. The two had been inseparable for years, with

Julia usually attending various Kingston parties and family functions

as one of the family. Even when he was to set out on his first

Pokémon Journey, he chose to wait until she was able to go with

him. As the two, with Chris and Cam, traveled the region together,

she was sure that every day would be just like these, forever.

Then, Giselle came along. And when Giselle went, every boy

followed. Julia couldn't help but be jealous of her. She was

gorgeous, a fiercely talented trainer and the Champion of Arcana.

Michael would practically swoon whenever she was nearby. He

idolized her in a way Julia could only dream about. Giselle's

temptation and Julia's own jealousy drove a wedge between the two

she was afraid they'd never recover from. And when Giselle showed

her true colors as an agent of the Syndicate, Michael was taken from

her. The happy-go-lucky and caring boy she had loved was forever

taken away from her and left scarred and broken. But because of her

jealousy, Julia could not bring herself to support him. Within days of

his being found, he was exiled from Arcana and their friendship truly

damaged.

The day she discovered that Michael had indeed been right about

Giselle and the Syndicate, she didn't know how to apologize to him

for turning her back on him, or more importantly where his exile had

taken him. It was a stroke of luck to find him in Orre and an even

luckier break when he forgave her for turning her back on him. But

when he initially declined to return with them, she was afraid of

losing him all over again. For a moment, she was willing to sacrifice

everything in Arcana for him. Her family, her future, her life, she was

willing to cast it all away for him. She chose to stay with him in Orre

for as long as it took, telling him how much he truly meant to her. But

his encounter with Celebi restored some of his own inner confidence

and the two would indeed return to Arcana to topple Giselle and

save her family. Now, Michael was the Champion and the idol of

many in Arcana. But she could tell he was still hurt by his family's

betrayal of him and perhaps even having some resentment towards

those he had even forgiven. Her only chance of ending this

nightmarish last thirteen years of her life would be for Michael to

recover from the branding Elezar and Cassius had given him and

allowing him to move on with his life. Arcana seemed like an eternal

hell for him to endure each and every day. And yet, he stuck to his

guns about doing what was right. She could never really know why.

He was, of course, an enigma .

While sitting at their own table on the balcony that overlooked the

denizens of Titanio City, the two clapped after a violinist completed a

concerto while they waited for their food. As he bowed to the

applause and departed, she and Michael sat in silence for a

moment.

"Hey, Mike?" Julia finally spoke up.

"Hmm?" Michael responded, as if lost in thought.

"Are you sure you're okay?" she asked, concerned there was more

to the pain he held in his heart.

"I'm fine, Jules" he responded happily.

"I'm just concerned you aren't ready to be out in public" she spoke

sadly.

"What matters to me is that you wanted to be here" Michael smiled

faintly. "And if that means you want to have a night here, then you

get your night here."

She smiled and shook her head. "You're hopeless."

Michael shrugged. "Eh, I've been there a long time."

She took a sip of her red wine and laughed to herself. "I guess we

both are, now that we're ten years into this."

"Ten years, huh?" Michael remarked. "Time really does fly."

"To be honest, I didn't think we'd make it this far."

"You're stronger than you think you are, Jules."

"You are too, Mike." As the waiter arrived with their food, a "super"

fruit salad for Julia and a Rice Bowl for Michael, the two eyed their

meals happily and began to dig in. After she sampled a bit of her

Dragon Fruit, she looked again at Michael. "I hope Professor Krane

finishes up that machine for you in time."

"He's doing the best he can" Michael reasoned. "And if he doesn't

manage to, I'll just have to tough it out."

"You've been toughing it for too long now" Julia said sadly. "You

shouldn't have to be the strong one anymore."

Michael put down his fork and looked at the skies above Titanio.

Though the lights of the big city kept the galaxy from bring seen

without the keenest of eyes, one star was visible in the night skies.

"My grandpa told me a long time ago, that a champion's strength

helps keep all of Arcana going. He was the one that all of Arcana

looked to in times of trouble. Now, it's my turn to succeed him. How

can I be a good Champion if I'm not strong enough to protect what

matters to me?"

"Your family can do that" Julia reasoned. "Surely you don't think

you'll be doing this forever, right?"

"Of course not" Michael answered. "But can I really trust them?"

Julia frowned. "They're your family."

"Easy for you to say" Michael replied. "You have your grandmother

and Piper. Who can I count on in the Kingston Family? All of them

turned their backs on me when I needed them and only took me

back after I beat Giselle."

"You forgave me for doing the same, right?"

"And I would again" Michael vowed. "Because you are a part of my

real family. You, Chris, Cam, Mark and Lizzie. As far as I'm

concerned, you guys are what matter to me the most."

"What about the boys?" Julia asked.

Michael paused. "They were born after I left. And my Uncle married

Alison after I left, so they're okay in my books. But no one else I

share blood with was there for me when it mattered. Not my

Grandmother, not my Sister, not even my own Mother."

Julia was about to argue on their behalf, but she knew he was right.

His grandmother, Bonnie Kingston, had remained very distant from

him since his return. His Mother had remarried since his departure

and she couldn't even know if he had any kind of relationship with

his Sister. All she could do was silently eat her dinner with Michael

until she could think of something else to say.

Michael was the one to break the ice. "Is your trip to Johto still

coming?"

Julia's eyes widened. She had completely forgotten about her

Conference in Johto. She would be meeting with many of her

colleagues from around the regions of the world. Old mentors like

Rowan from Sinnoh and Oak from Kanto, as well as some she had

only met in online meetings like Sonia from Galar and Sycamore

from Kalos. All that was going on, from her research developments,

to sending the twins and their friends out on journeys and Michael's

illness had distracted her. "I should hope so. But if you aren't fit

enough to run the Pokémon League, I think I should put off my

appearance there."

Michael laughed. "I told you I'm fine" he proclaimed. "I want you to

go to this and have fun for once."

Julia smiled. "And I want you to feel better." She reached for him and

took his hand on the side of their table. "You've been taking care of

all of us for so long. Let me take care of you for once."

The two leaned forward to share a kiss, but were interrupted by a

certain chilling baritone. "Well well, isn't this a surprise." The couple

turned to see Claude Jacques walking towards his own table, which

just happened to be right next to theirs. "Waiter, fetch me your finest

bottle of champagne for the happy couple."

"Claude Jacques" Julia responded coldly.

"How wonderful" Michael added dryly.

"It's good to see the two of you again" Claude remarked politely.

"Forgive me if I've interrupted anything."

"It wouldn't be the first time" Michael bluntly answered.

Claude sighed. "I thought this would happen. I suppose you two

know who I was hired to defend in a coming trial."

"After all he put Arcana through" Julia snapped. "Frankly, Claude, it's

a little disturbing that you would so easily rush to his defense."

"Forgive me, Professor, but I did not immediately come to Cassius's

defense. I was contacted by a wealthy benefactor who wanted me to

represent him in the coming trial for his actions. I find the man

morally repugnant. But, I was not going to turn down enough money

to ensure I can retire a happy and wealthy man." The waiter returned

with an emerald colored bottle of champagne for the couple. Claude

turned to the waiter and handed him a wad of cash. "Ensure that

their bill is paid for. This will cover it, I'd imagine." The waiter, who

seemed to have never seen that much money in his life, eyed it

greedily and quickly vanished into the back to put it towards the

expensive bill.

"Good to know your taste hasn't changed" Michael added, eyeing the

man with growing contempt.

"You possess a strong deal of animosity towards me, Michael"

Claude acknowledged. "Though I wish it were different, I can

understand. You have endured a great deal of suffering and my

prosecution was paid handsomely by Giselle Odelia to ensure you

lost. But my services are entirely inconsequential. I was paid by

someone linked to Cassius. If you have ire towards anyone, I would

go after the one who has given me the money to defend him."

"Elezar" Michael growled.

"No" Claude answered, surprising Michael and Julia. "Elezar Aced is

no fool. If he was somewhere in Arcana, he know he would be

hunted down. As it happens, someone else is keen on keeping

Cassius Sinclair free. Someone you might have crossed paths with

during your exile." Claude poured himself a glass of champagne and

eyed each of them curiously. "Tell me, have you met someone by the

named of Courtney?"

Michael and Julia exchanged confused glances and shook their

heads. "Can't say that we have" Julia remarked.

"She was once one of the Administrators for an Organization of

Miscreants in the Hoenn Region" Claude explained. "Since it's leader

abandoned their cause of Land Expansion, she has since assumed

control of his vast enterprise of not only Pokémon, but also scientific

studies and experimentations. She had taken a special interest in

Cassius's studies."

"So you're still working for criminals" Michael bitterly responded.

"Call Courtney whatever you will" Claude added, "but she paid for

my firm to defend Cassius. One of her representatives told me that

since she has been reading Cassius's work, she has become

mesmerized by it." He took another sip of his champagne before

continuing. "I should add, Michael, that part of her obsession with

Cassius's work includes you."

"Me?" Michael asked.

"If your word is to be believed" Claude responded, a scent of

haughtiness beneath his tone, "you are the lone successful

experiment in the branding of this 'Crimson Stone' he talks about in

his research." Noticing Michael's willingness to show the scars on his

arm, Claude stopped him. "You don't need to prove your point to me,

Michael."

"Then why should she want anything to do with Michael?" Julia

asked.

"I've been told, when Courtney envelops herself in something, she

becomes obsessive. She wants to know everything and anything she

possibly can about a topic. It's something we share in common."

Claude turned to go and sit at his table, but stopped to say one last

thing. "And might I add, when this trial comes to pass, she will likely

seek you out. Good evening." Claude headed for his own table

inside the restaurant, leaving Michael and Julia puzzled about his

comments.

"Someone else involved in Cassius's research?" Michael asked.

"It's making me uncomfortable" Julia responded. A chill in the air

causes her to grab her arms. Fear begins to claw away at the

Professor. A fear she hasn't felt in a very long time. A fear of loss.