Linkage

30

Wes nodded his thanks to Cresselia when he returned to Celestic Town. Upon his and Cynthia's return there they saw thousands of people staring at them from all around town. There was a kind of gratefulness in Wes's eyes that warmed his heart. For once, he knew the good that he had done in the name of others.

He could see it.

Byron had reunited with Roark and was hugging him. Maylene was conversing among the people who had woken up. People were touching his circuitry, in a kind of awe. And then saw Saturn. Saturn was looking up at the sky, seemingly thankful. The authorities who had been revived took Cyrus and Fein, who Wes and Cynthia had dragged off in zip tie handcuffs.

"Saturn!" Wes shouted as he jogged over to him.

The CEO blinked as Wes pulled him into a hug. Wes shook his hand and stepped back.

"It's good to have you back in the world of the competent, friend," said Wes.

Saturn stuttered. "Well I don't know about that."

Wes laughed and pat him on the back. "I think anyone who would sacrifice himself to save someone I care about is a friend of mine. Thank you, Saturn. You did a brave thing."

"I just did what I know you would do," he said.

Wes nodded. "That's good. Because there's a lot more that we both have to do."

<><><>

Cynthia hugged her grandmother and said hello the little girl from the festivals who she had encountered a few times. She was glad to have her family and friends safe once again. But Cynthia had something else on her mind.

She flew up to the top of Mt. Coronet on her Togekiss to see Dawn standing there, almost as if the champion knew she was waiting for her. The figure of Giratina was a warning to Cynthia of what happened, and what she almost lost.

"I knew you'd come up here," said Dawn.

Cynthia nodded. "I wanted to make sure that you were alright after everything. You did and said a lot of things I'm sure you regretted."

"I'm sorry, Cynthia," said Dawn. "I just wish I had comforted you about all those things I knew about. You never deserved to suffer because of your efforts to save Sinnoh, either time."

The ex-champion gave her a nod. It was inherent to Cynthia that perhaps she had not failed her region, rather she wasn't strong enough to help her region on her own. But that didn't mean Cynthia wasn't strong. Her strength was not giving up, and giving in when the going got rough. True strength was not about whether should could do it or not, but rather if she had the grit to pursue.

"It's alright," she said. "I know you didn't mean what you said. Besides, I think in the end words would never have convinced me otherwise."

Dawn nodded. "I can respect that. Hey look, Cynthia, before I go, I think you should be the champion now. You beat me with all the odds stacked against you, especially my Giratina."

"I don't think that's a good idea," said Cynthia.

The current champion shook her head. "Nonsense. You beat me while I had shadow Pokémon, Cynthia. I'll make my address tomorrow, and I'm not taking no for an answer. I know you still want it."

Cynthia sighed and sat down at the edge of Spear Pillar. Nautical twilight was beginning to fade into the early dawn. Soon, the sun would rise once again on Sinnoh. She looked at the long expanse of land that extended out beyond her until Wes sat down next to each other.

"So," said Wes, "I guess in the end there is no escaping you. Even in death."

Cynthia looked at Wes ready for their next chapter to begin. The love they had was a strange kind, a deeper and higher one created through a matter of circumstance and understanding. She was happy to see him exhale and lean back to look at the expanse.

He laughed. "You know, Cynthia, in all of this mess I don't think I ever got the chance to tell you how much I love you."

She looked at him, understanding his feeling.

"I love you too, Wes," she said. "I'm just glad that we can be together now."

He shook his head and Cynthia tried to understand. But Wes stood up, leaning against a pillar and looking out at the horizon. His feelings were so deep and complex that it was impossible to understand them. But somewhere in there, the one thing she could pick out was some kind of yearning.

"There's still a lot out there for me to do," Wes remarked. "There's a world of people to meet, to help, to experience. I have to go do all of those things and live up to the full potential of what I can be."

Cynthia took a deep breath in. "Then what do I do now?"

"Rebuild," he said. "There's a whole region who needs you to be their guiding light. And one day long from now, I will return. I will find you, and then we will be reunited. But for now, I must continue on the path I have chosen for myself."

She nodded, and understood what he meant. In a deep embrace, she gave him back all of the Pokémon that she had purified for him, his Pokémon. The sun began to rise as Wes drew Cynthia in for one last kiss, something he wanted as she felt that he didn't want to leave her.

But the both of them knew he had to.

Wes took out his Braviary and gave Cynthia one final look before he left. It was as Cynthia wanted. He gave her that look in his eyes that told her all she needed to know. Someday, she knew, he would return to her.

But for now, Wes rode off into the sunrise to lands and people unknown, his linkage to Cynthia propelling him on.