Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Shadows do not make mistakes.

To be a Shadow is to blend seamlessly with the surroundings. To move through the air smooth as light itself. To never place a foot wrong, always to follow a silent rhythm. To spin through space light as a dancer. Shadows do not make mistakes.

And yet this one did.

The castle is falling. Crumbling into pieces and taking with it all that remains of Team Plasma. Sinking into the earth, mud and rockfall and somewhere in the depths, Ghetsis. Ghetsis, ruler and father and god. Ghetsis, somewhere, dying.

It happens on the stairs. Each floor cleared, empty. Shadow is flying downwards, feet hardly touching the steps. Earth shaking, walls trembling. It’s the ceiling that finally lets go.

Punch – of rock, directly to the back, and she stumbles. Another to the back of the head – her vision whites out. Landing heavily on her palms, skidding. Knee striking the marble stairs with a heavy crack –

And now more and more debris piling downwards from above. The higher floors are dissolving, crumbling into dust. Shadow looks up and sees the ceiling tiles descending and it crosses her mind that she is going to die.

Stupid, she thinks.

‘Leavanny!’ someone screams. ‘Protect!’

Blur of green – somehow that’s what makes her flinch – and then the entirety of the second floor is upon them, cacophony of dust and tiles and boulders and, and –

And then, just as quickly, it stops. The earth settles, the dust starts to fall. The echoes die away to silence. Shadow is in a small circle of clear floor, beneath the shimmering shield of the stranger’s Leavanny.

My Pawniard should have done that, she thinks. Lazy bastard.

The pain starts to creep in. An ache in her back, blood trickling through her hair, an ominous throb coming from her knee. Scraped palms. She’s been lucky. More lucky than she has any right to be. That ceiling collapse should have caved her skull in.

The Leavanny drops its shield. It turns and gives her a nod.

‘Are you okay?’ a stranger’s voice calls. ‘Oh my Arceus, I thought it was all over for you.’ 

Not a Grunt. She turns, winces at the shocks of pain the motion sends through her body. A skinny beanpole of a man is standing a few feet away, looking at her with obvious concern. Striped trousers and a red scarf and a burst of wavy auburn hair. It’s the butterfly belt buckle that finally makes the name click in her mind. Burgh. Castelia City’s Gym Leader.

‘You’re bleeding,’ he says.

‘Yes,’ says Shadow, wondering what he’s trying to get at.

‘You’re hurt!’

Does he think she hasn’t noticed? She ignores him and tries to assess the damage. Her back will bruise. Her head will bleed, but ultimately she thinks it was a glancing blow. It’s her knee she’s worried about. She can’t glide out of here light as a falling feather with her kneecap in two pieces.

Her siblings are searching for Ghetsis. They will have to manage on their own – she cannot serve him if she is dead. If she can just escape the castle –

From somewhere above, another low rumble sounds. This hallway will come down soon.

Shadow tries to stand. Pain shoots through her leg. Her vision goes black, and she tastes bile in the back of her throat. Vomiting will not help her worries.

Hands grab her arm on one side, leaves brush it on the other –

‘Do not touch me,’ she snarls. Burgh and the Leavanny withdraw as one, but they don’t go as far as she would like.

‘You need help,’ Burgh says, still hovering around her, arms outstretched. ‘You can’t walk – look, you have all your weight on your good leg.’

‘Of course I need help,’ she says. ‘Why would you help me?’

He stares at her as if she’s the one asking stupid questions. ‘Because otherwise you’ll die?’ 

‘Yes. Astutely observed.’

Another sound from overhead. Burgh looks up, the colour draining from his face. His next words come out in a long burst, without taking a breath. ‘And if you die down here I’ll have that on my consciousness forever because I was here and I didn’t help you but if you don’t agree right now I might just leave you because I would rather be guilty than dead.’

And when push comes to shove, Shadow would rather be guilty than dead, too.

‘Fine,’ she says. ‘One of you on each side.’

She doesn’t like strangers in her space. Has to suppress a shudder as Burgh and the Leavanny move in. Better this than dead, she thinks. Anything better than dead.

They make surprisingly quick progress towards the end of the hallway. She focuses her efforts on breathing through her nose. She can’t throw up. If she throws up it will be in her mask, and then she might legitimately choke to death on her own spit.

And then – thank whatever gods there are. She feels the shadows change at the end of the hallway, presence where there was none. Her siblings appear in the archway ahead of them. Silent and graceful, the way she should have been.

‘What is this?’ says the Shadow on the right.

‘He saved my life,’ says Shadow, and she watches the revulsion cross her siblings’ faces.

‘Um, you’re welcome,’ says Burgh, clearly offended.

‘We will take it from here,’ says the Shadow on the left. ‘Continue down this hallway for one hundred paces, and you will be free of the castle.’

Shadow pushes herself free of the strangers. Her siblings take her weight instead, and there’s some small measure of comfort in that. Burgh hesitates for a moment, as if he wants to say something, but he doesn’t. He takes off running instead. Without looking back.

But why should he look back? Only Shadow and her siblings understand the burden he has casually laid across her shoulders. The weight of the debt she now owes him.

                                                            *

It’s much later when they finally talk about it. Days after the Pokémon League stops crawling with Looker’s cronies, and yet not soon enough for her leg to have healed.

The sun is setting over Victory Road. They are together at the top of the cliffs, her siblings standing while she sits on a rock.

When they are alone, they are not each Shadow. When they are alone, they use their secret names.

‘Aurora,’ Lux says.

She sighs. ‘I know.’

‘I don’t think you do,’ says Celeste. ‘What are you going to do now? How can you serve two life debts at once?’

‘Ghetsis has ordered us not to look for him.’

‘But not to disobey him!’ Celeste is bristling. ‘Just because he’s gone, you would betray him? Our ideals should hold strong –’

‘Be silent,’ said Lux, and they were. He was the elder by one year, and had lead them always.

Lux looked to the west, and seemed to watch the sun setting for a long time. The sky was dark over Victory Road when he said, ‘You must leave us.’

A heavy stone seemed to drop into Aurora’s stomach. ‘No. You cannot banish me –’

‘I’m not banishing you,’ he says, his voice gentle. ‘But our loyalties are not conflicted, the way yours are.’

‘My loyalty is to Ghetsis. It will be always.’

‘But you owe a life debt to the Castelia City Gym Leader. Until it is repaid, you will stand in conflicting shadows. Suppose Ghetsis ordered you one day to act against Burgh? To steal his Pokémon? To kill him, even?’

She says quietly, ‘I could not.’

‘No. You could not.’ Lux nods to the south. ‘Until Ghetsis has need of us again, you must find a way to repay your debt. Once your life is your own again, you may return to us.’

Aurora says nothing. She had never been away from her siblings for so long. And if it proved impossible to repay Burgh at once, if Ghetsis never called them back to his side… she might be gone for months. Years.

‘And if I cannot?’ she said.

‘If you cannot, you cannot,’ said Lux. ‘We will hope that you can.’

An empty answer, and they all knew it. If it came to that, they might have to kill her.

‘I will go,’ Aurora said, and started to push herself to her feet.

‘Not yet,’ Celeste said, laying a reassuring hand on her shoulder. ‘Let your body heal entirely first. You will be of no use to anyone if you are not well.’

Really, she should not take such an offer, not show such weakness. But her siblings have always been different than anyone else.

‘Very well,’ she said. ‘But in a month’s time, I will go.’

She would save Burgh’s life, and ensure her debt was repaid. Whether or not it killed them both.

Chapter Text

The Gym Leader had not made himself hard to find.

The Gym in Castelia was well-guarded. Eyes everywhere, even if they were the eyes of fools in clown makeup. Honey walls. Darkness, and everywhere scuttling, bug Pokémon slipping past out of sight. It would have been a challenge for Shadow to slip through it unseen. A challenge she could have risen to, but the flow of challengers had slowed as the season waned. The Gym Leader was not there.

He had absconded to Nacrene City. A small apartment in the loft of one of the restored warehouses. Even if the locks had been difficult to pick, which they weren’t, he had a balcony. The doors on that didn’t even lock. Shadow had crept up the wall once night had fallen, digging her fingers and toes into the cracks in the old brick. She eased the glass doors open, ears pricked.

Beyond, the little apartment was dark and quiet. Light spilled from a door on the opposite side of the room. Shadow was about to take a step towards it when she heard a low growl, and something unfolded itself from the couch. Too tall to be human – glowing red eyes – sharp blades for limbs –

His Leavanny. It stood between Shadow and the door, glowering.

‘Let me pass,’ said Shadow. ‘I mean no harm.’

The Leavanny let out a high, unearthly screech. Shadow snatched a Pokéball from her belt, ready to battle.

‘Shh, Leavanny!’ a voice called, from the lit room. ‘Think about the neighbours!’

The Leavanny let out another cry. Shadow heard a grumble from behind the door, and a moment later, it opened.

‘What is it?’ Burgh said.

He didn’t look at all like the man who had helped her in the Castle. He was wearing an old, ratty dressing gown, covered in smears of paint where he’d clearly wiped his hands on it. The dark bags under his eyes and taut look to his face made it seem as though he hadn’t slept in days. His hair was sticking out in all directions, and there were daubs of paint on his face, his hands, even his feet.

‘Greetings, Burgh,’ said Shadow.

Burgh stared. Then he made a noise. She thought it was a scream at first, a high-pitched screech that went on and on. As his shoulders started to shake, she realised that he was laughing, horrible cackling giggles that bent him almost double.

Shadow and Leavanny exchanged a confused glance. The Leavanny crossed to touch Burgh’s shoulder, watching Shadow warily the whole time.

At last he seemed to run out of steam, slumping until he’d almost fallen over. Taking Leavanny’s arm for support, he pulled himself upright.

‘I need coffee,’ he said, and walked into the kitchen.

Shadow stared after him. Of all the reactions she’d planned for, that hadn’t been one of them. Maybe he needed coffee to be able to deal with this conversation?

She followed him to the kitchen. He’d flicked on the lights, and was staring vacantly at the coffee machine as it sprayed hot coffee onto the counter.

‘A cup might be of use,’ said Shadow. 

Burgh inhaled sharply. He turned to face her, blinking as if he had dragged his thoughts back from somewhere very far away. ‘Coffee cup,’ he repeated. ‘Yeah. Yeah. Thanks.’

He opened the cupboard, and pushed a cup under the machine. When the machine finished spluttering, he raised the cup to his mouth, took a gulp, and frowned. ‘It usually makes more than this…’

Shadow turned to look at Leavanny, which had followed her to the doorway. She wasn’t sure, but she thought the Pokémon looked frustrated.

‘What’s wrong with him?’

Leavanny chirped.

‘I don’t know what that means.’

Leavanny lifted one of its pincers to point at Shadow’s chest. Its meaning seemed clear.

‘The two of you saved me when the castle collapsed,’ Shadow said. ‘For that, I owe you a life debt. I’ve come here in the hopes of repaying it.’

The Leavanny tilted its head. After a moment, it stepped around her, and tapped Burgh on the shoulder. Burgh, who had been absently chewing the rim of the coffee cup, looked up. The Leavanny gestured, and he followed it into the sitting room.

Gently, the Leavanny took the coffee cup out of Burgh’s hand. It pushed him, and he sank down onto the couch.

‘Lie down for a minute,’ Burgh said. ‘I’ll lie down for a minute. Almost there, Leavanny. Almost have it.’

He put his head onto one of the couch cushions. A moment later he was snoring.

Shadow stood in the kitchen doorway. The Leavanny walked past her, put the coffee cup in the sink. It looked at Shadow, gestured to the coffee machine.

‘I’m not cleaning that up,’ Shadow said. ‘That’s not what life debt means.’

The Leavanny shook its head. It walked to the fridge, took out a lemonade, and held it towards Shadow.

‘Oh. No.’

Leavanny shrugged. It walked back into the sitting room, settled by the couch, and started to drink the lemonade.

The room was quiet. The only sound was Burgh’s snoring.

‘Okay, then,’ Shadow muttered, feeling oddly deflated. She hadn’t expected to dramatically fight off assassins on the first day. But she hadn’t really expected this, either.

There was an armchair nearby. She sat down, running her palm absently over her bad knee. It had mostly healed, but every now and again it gave her a twinge of pain.

The room was quiet. The sky outside was dark. Leavanny was watching her over its lemonade, with curiosity but no great hostility.

Shadow knew better than to let her guard down. She sat back and waited for something to change.

                                                            *

The sun came up. The apartment flooded with light. Leavanny moved to stand by the window. Burgh snored on.

Shadow felt the first twinges of exhaustion starting behind her eyes. She stood up, started to stretch slowly and carefully.

Still nothing changed.

It was approaching noon when a knock came at the apartment door. Shadow snapped to attention, reaching for her Pokéball with one hand and a knife with the other. Leavanny darted towards her, waving its pincers frantically.

On the couch, Burgh snorted, lifting his head. ‘Whussat?’

‘Hello?’ said a voice, from outside the door. ‘Burgh, are you there? It’s Elesa. Lenora asked me to come… She’s been getting really worried about you…’

‘Elesa,’ Burgh mumbled into the cushion. ‘My friend Elesa…’

Shadow relaxed. She knew of Elesa, the Nimbasa City Gym Leader. There was no reason to assume Elesa would be a threat to Burgh.

Leavanny watched her for a moment more, looking concerned. Then, keeping an eye on her, it backed towards the apartment door, and opened it.

Elesa stepped into the apartment. She moved just as elegantly in person as she did on the TV. When she saw Shadow, she froze.

‘Burgh,’ she said.

‘Elesa,’ Burgh said. Slowly, he slumped off the couch, to end up on the floor. ‘Oh, Elesa. I’ve never had an art block like this in my life. I’ve tried everything, I have, but it doesn’t flow. I haven’t slept in days. I’ve worked my fingers to the bone. I’ve been hallucinating beautiful shadowy men in my apartment. And yet, the canvas mocks me. It’s over, Elesa. The career of Burgh, artist and trainer extraordinaire, is finished!’

Elesa hadn’t moved. ‘You’ve been hallucinating beautiful shadowy men?’

‘Mm-hmm.’

‘Like that one right there?’

Burgh turned towards Shadow, squinting. ‘Yeah. That’s the one.’

Shadow looked at Elesa and shrugged.

‘Ah,’ said Elesa. ‘Burgh… do you think that if I can see him… that you’re maybe not hallucinating him?’

Burgh blinked. He looked between Elesa, and then Shadow, and then back again.

It was definitely a scream this time. He launched himself backwards over the couch, scrambling across the floor until he was behind Elesa.

‘OhmylordArceusWHOAREYOUANDHOWDIDYOUGETINTOMYHOUSE?’

‘I did try to tell you,’ Shadow said.

‘I – What?’ Burgh was panting. ‘I remember something about – a coffee cup? You broke into my house to steal my wonderful coffee pods?’

‘What? No.’

‘Or my artwork?’ Burgh let out a low groan. ‘Oh, the way my work is going, you can just take them. They’d be of best use in the garbage!’

‘You’re from Team Plasma,’ said Elesa. ‘I remember you. Weren’t there more of you?’

‘We are the Shadow Triad,’ said Shadow. ‘But I have come alone. You may call me Shadow.’

‘You’re here to kill me?’ Burgh said.

‘I think if he was going to kill you, he would have done it while you were passed out on the couch,’ said Elesa. ‘Or delirious from lack of sleep.’

‘Your friend is right,’ said Shadow. ‘If I were here to kill you, you would already be dead.’

Somehow, this statement did not appear to reassure him. Burgh whimpered, pressing his body into the floor, covering his head with his hands.

Leavanny stepped forward. It made some gesture that Shadow couldn’t interpret. It seemed to reassure Elesa, however.

‘Okay,’ said Elesa. ‘Shadow, explain yourself.’

‘After the Hero of Truth defeated the Hero of Ideals,’ Shadow began, ‘N’s Castle collapsed. When we were escaping, Burgh and Leavanny saved me from being crushed in a rockfall. For this reason, I owe him a life debt. I am here in the hopes of repaying it.’

Burgh peered between his fingers. ‘I do remember that. You were injured, and your brothers took you away.’

‘Yes.’

‘You survived.’ Burgh sat up. ‘Do you know, I wasn’t sure if you would. You were bleeding so much.’

‘Head wounds tend to,’ said Shadow. ‘It was shallow. I did worse damage to my knee.’

‘Sorry, sorry,’ said Elesa. ‘Go back a minute. How do you intend to repay this life debt?’

Shadow hesitated. ‘I don’t know,’ she admitted at last. ‘I will accompany Burgh until the matter is resolved.’

‘No,’ said Burgh. ‘Oh, no thank you, I do not need a ninja bodyguard, as much as I appreciate the offer you’d best go back to your life of torturing Pokémon, off you go, goodbye.’

Shadow growled. ‘You do not get a choice in the matter,’ she said. ‘My loyalty is supposed to be to Ghetsis, alone and entirely. This is an aberration. Until it is resolved, I will be bound to you. That is not acceptable.’

‘What’s to stop us from calling Looker right now?’ Elesa said. ‘You’re a very high-ranking member of Team Plasma. He’s sure to be interested.’

Shadow laughed. Her mood was taking a rapid turn towards foul. ‘What makes you think Looker could hold me?’

And with that, she bent the shadows around her. Vanishing from the spot where she was standing to appear silently behind Elesa and Burgh.

As predicted, more screaming. She would need to invest in a strong pair of earplugs if she was going to keep this up.

‘Are you done?’ she said, when they paused for breath.

‘Okay,’ Burgh breathed. ‘Okay. Okay. You want to… follow me around, I guess, until you’ve saved me from some terrible threat?’

‘Yes.’

‘Elesa, go and get a knife. Quick. Stab me.’

‘A true threat,’ Shadow said. ‘I don’t think your friend poses any danger to your life.’

Now that she was calming down, a contemplative look was coming over Elesa’s face. ‘Perhaps you could fulfil it another way. Say by doing Burgh a great favour.’

Shadow tilted her head. Encouraged by her silence, Elesa went on.

‘There’s been a spate of burglaries lately, in Castelia City. Most of the galleries that have been targeted have been exhibiting Burgh’s work. In fact, Burgh is the artist who’s suffered most from the robberies – half of the work he’s ever put on display is gone.’

‘My art is my life,’ Burgh said. His voice was quiet, soft, rough at the edges. Worse somehow than the screaming. ‘I don’t know what I am without it.’

‘You want me to recover the art for you,’ said Shadow. ‘And catch the burglar.’

‘What do you think?’ Elesa said. ‘Could that fulfil your bond?’

Shadow considered this. At last she nodded. ‘Yes. I think it could.’

With any luck, they would return to Castelia City and she would catch the thief within a day. And then she would be free. And she could cast this episode out of her mind entirely.

She eyed Burgh, who still hadn’t peeled himself off the floor. Unwashed, covered in paint, looking as though he’d been dragged backwards through a bush.

The sooner she got home, the better.

Chapter Text

Elesa and Burgh were sitting on the couch, conferring in whispers. Shadow had gone back to the armchair. The matter seemed to have been settled. Now all she had to do was wait for Burgh to get ready, and then they could go to Castelia City.

‘I didn’t sign up to spy on Team Plasma!’ Burgh whisper-hissed. ‘Why should I have to put up with this?’

They weren’t being as quiet as they thought they were. Really, if they were going to argue about her, they should have waited until she had left the room. But Shadow wasn’t going to interrupt them.

‘You’ve heard what Looker’s been saying,’ Elesa whispered back. ‘They have no leads on Team Plasma at all, and now one of their highest ranked members is approaching you with an offer like this?’

‘Do you believe all that about a life debt? There has to be an ulterior motive, surely?’

‘Well, I don’t know. I wasn’t there, was I?’

Burgh glanced over his shoulder at Shadow. Shadow waved.

‘Maybe we should have this conversation somewhere else,’ he said.

‘That would be wise,’ said Shadow.

‘Have you been listening to us?’

‘You are five feet away from me.’

‘Studio,’ Elesa said, standing up and shooing Burgh off the couch.

Shadow contemplated slipping into her unseen shape, going after them. But what would be the point? Blah blah, shouldn’t trust evil Team Plasma, blah blah, scary ninja freak. Let them call Looker, for all she cared. She could run circles around that old fool.

Leavanny remained in the room, presumably to guard Shadow. But its demeanour had changed totally since last night. It looked almost relaxed, lounging on the couch.

Her own Pokémon hadn’t been outside their Pokéballs since she’d left Victory Road. She should probably let them out. So they could eat or breathe or something.

She tilted her head towards Leavanny. ‘I’m going to let my Pokémon out. They’re not going to attack you.’

Leavanny nodded.

Shadow took two Pokéballs from her belt, and let them fly. A moment later, Accelgor and Pawniard were standing in the living room.

‘There you go,’ she said. ‘Go… do something.’

Accelgor’s eyes were darting around the room, taking in every detail. Pawniard stood there, just looking at her.

It had never been a particularly bright Pawniard. In appearance or in personality. She’d never been quite sure what to make of it. Ghetsis had given it to her many years ago, and it obeyed her well enough, but…

But nothing, she thought, irritated. You’re worse than Lord N.

Leavanny shifted on the couch. Immediately, both Pokémon tensed.

‘Enough,’ said Shadow. ‘You’re not attacking that Leavanny. You’re just here. Stretch your legs.’

Accelgor stared at her with narrowed eyes. Pawniard seemed to think for a moment, and then sat down where it was.

‘Well, that’s decided!’ said a loud voice from behind the studio door. ‘I’m going to go out there and tell that –’

Burgh slammed open the door, and froze. One hand in the air, as if he were going to make some great pronouncement. Balancing on one foot, the other outstretched behind him. His eyes had gone very wide.

‘Hiiiiiiiii,’ he breathed, in a very different tone of voice.

Shadow glanced behind herself, baffled.

‘Where did you come from?’ Burgh cooed. ‘Oh, my. You’re gorgeous.’ Slowly, he folded into a crouch, holding one hand out. His attention seemed to be on –

Accelgor blinked. It glanced between Shadow and Burgh’s outstretched hand, as if asking for guidance.

Elesa appeared in the doorway. ‘Burgh,’ she said. ‘Mission at hand, please.’

‘I’m not sure I’ve ever even seen an Accelgor in person,’ Burgh whispered. ‘Oh my goodness. This is such an honour.’

Accelgor seemed to draw itself up taller. There was a glint in those dark eyes.

Beside her, Shadow thought she heard Pawniard make a soft sound. But when she looked over, it was staring into space, and not looking at Burgh at all.

‘Accelgor is my Pokémon,’ she said.

‘It’s yours?’ said Burgh. ‘Oh, I suppose that makes sense.’

‘Burgh,’ said Elesa. ‘No.’

Burgh kept glancing between Shadow and Accelgor. ‘I suppose if you stuck around, Accelgor would have to stick around, too.’

‘Burgh!’ Elesa said. ‘What did we just agree on?’

‘It’s beautiful, Elesa,’ Burgh responded. ‘Look at that pink carapace! And those ribbons! Simply incredible!’

‘Evil intruder sent to kill you and take your place as Gym Leader.’

‘Imagine the battles,’ Burgh said dreamily. ‘Struggle Bug, Bug Buzz. The elegance of form. Almost a dance.’

‘Is he always like this?’ Shadow asked, looking at Elesa.

She sighed. ‘Yes.’

‘And he lived into his twenties?’

‘Not without some near misses.’ Elesa shrugged. ‘Who knows. You might save his life sooner than you think.’

Accelgor had hopped over to Burgh, and was staring up at him with adoring eyes. So much for loyalty. If Burgh asked it to abscond with him right now, it probably would.

‘Hello, lovely,’ Burgh said, crouching down and gently patting its head. ‘It’s such a pleasure to meet you.’  

‘Is that Pawniard yours, too?’ Elesa asked.

Shadow glanced over at it. Leavanny was crouching beside Pawniard, apparently introducing itself. Pawniard was looking back at it blankly.

‘Yeah,’ said Shadow.

‘Must be feeling a bit left out.’

‘I doubt it,’ Shadow said.

Tools do not feel. That was what Ghetsis had once said, and he was right.

Tools did not feel at all.

                                                            *

‘I’m going to go and talk to Lenora,’ Elesa said. ‘Leavanny, keep an eye on the Shadow.’

‘I am not a threat,’ said Shadow.

‘You’ve proven that you’re not going to harm Burgh. But there’s an awful lot else you could get up to. Leavanny?’

Leavanny saluted.

Elesa had persuaded Burgh to leave Accelgor alone for long enough to take a shower. Shadow could hear the pipes running. Accelgor was sitting on the couch, staring into space with glittering eyes. Pawniard was marching back and forth, its feet making soft shuffling sounds against the carpet.

She wondered what Lux and Celeste were up to. Ghetsis had ordered them not to look for him. Team Plasma no longer existed, at least not in its original form. Were Lux and Celeste looking for its remnants? Piecing it back together, so that it might be ready when Lord Ghetsis returned? If there was nothing left… What were they doing?

Should I have asked them to come with me? She dismissed the thought at once. What good would that have done? This was her problem. Her siblings had no obligation to help her solve it.

If I’d just been faster… or if Burgh had just minded his own business…

The bedroom door opened. The Burgh that emerged was much more like the one she’d met in N’s Castle. Free of paint, hair artfully tousled, clothes that matched and had no holes. He still looked tired, but he was holding himself with elegance, more energy in his skinny frame.

‘I think a formal introduction might be in order,’ he said, twirling into a bow. ‘I am Burgh, Gym Leader of Castelia City, artist extraordinaire, renowned Trainer of Bug types. And you are…?’

‘Have you forgotten my name already?’

‘I was somewhat distracted when we were introduced.’ At Shadow’s sideways look, he sighed. ‘Yes, I forgot your name.’

‘I am Shadow.’ After a moment, she added, ‘Of the Shadow Triad.’

‘Inventive.’ Burgh glanced around the apartment. ‘Where’s Elesa?’

‘She went to talk to Lenora.’

‘About you, I imagine.’ Burgh sat down on the couch. ‘We’ll just wait for her to get back, then.’

‘Okay.’

Outside, a car went past. Pawniard kept shuffling up and down the carpet. Leavanny stood up to walk to the window. Accelgor shifted a bit closer to Burgh.

In the kitchen, a clock was ticking. Shadow wondered what kind of food might be in the cupboards. She hadn’t had breakfast yet.

Burgh kept sneaking glances at her. She could see him doing it, out of the corner of her eye. He kept leaning forward, as if he was going to speak, and then settling back against the couch again.

‘Spit it out,’ she said, after the third time.

‘I, ah,’ Burgh said. ‘Do you suppose I could show you something?’

‘What?’

‘I’ve been working on something new,’ he said. His voice was starting to pick up, something feverish in it. ‘It’s all I’ve been able to focus on since I came here, but I really can’t tell if there’s anything of quality in it, I’ve been meaning to ask Elesa, but of course she isn’t here, and we don’t know when she’ll be back.’

‘And you want to show me?’

‘Oh, anyone, really, but since you happen to be here, and you’re supposed to, um, help me, or something along those lines, it might be –’

‘Just show me.’ And shut up talking, please.

‘Yes. Yes. This way.’

He led her into the studio. It was a small room, not much bigger than a cupboard. A narrow window let in a sliver of gloomy light. Every available surface was covered with paint pots, brushes, canvas, pencils and paper and pieces of old cloth. It was making her claustrophobic just to stand in the doorway.

‘This!’ said Burgh, gesturing towards a canvas in the centre of it all. A painting. A chaotic jumble of colours, clashing and tumbling.

Shadow said nothing. She didn’t know much about art, but she couldn’t even tell what it was supposed to be. Maybe it was modern art, or something…

‘I saw something like it in a magazine once,’ she said at last.

Burgh slumped. ‘Derivative,’ he said. ‘Oh, I might have guessed.’

‘It’s… colourful.’

‘I spent hours working on this. Scraping at the bottom of my patience, and for what?’ Burgh sighed. ‘To feel as though I am clawing ideas from nothing. Like a clown throwing paint at the canvas… no direction, no composition, no thought, not even any fun.’

Slowly, he slid down the wall until he was sitting on the studio floor.

‘What if it never comes back to me?’ he whispers. ‘What if I can never make art again?’

Shadow stood there, silently hoping that Elesa was on her way back. ‘I guess that’d suck.’

‘Suck?’ Burgh said. ‘Why, yes, it would suck if I was left to be a second-rate version of myself. Always yearning towards a golden era long behind me.’

‘Whatever, man,’ Shadow said. ‘Your painting’s nice. I’m going back out here.’

She could hear him making various outraged artist noises as she went back to the couch, but nothing that sounded as though she needed to be paying attention. Was this what it was going to be like for the next few months? Babysitting a drama queen artist who’d lost his mind?

I wish that rockfall had killed me…

Chapter Text

It seemed to take Burgh forever to pack up his apartment.

‘Couldn’t you just leave it all here?’ Shadow said.

‘No, I could not. This is a rental, I’m actually supposed to be here until tomorrow. It’s not my fault you showed up and demanded we go back to Castelia.’

Shadow shrugged, and left the studio again. Elesa had been gone for over an hour now. She’d sent a message to Burgh, something about catching a ride back to Castelia City with them, and Burgh had started to pack up, grumbling the whole time.

Shadow didn’t understand what the fuss was. Ghetsis had impressed upon them from a young age the importance of minimalism. The ability to uproot their life at a moment’s notice, to vanish from a place without leaving anything behind. Between them, the Shadow Triad had almost no possessions. Celeste kept a secret stash of ghost novels somewhere. Lux had a pair of pink slippers, and soft Buneary-print pyjamas. He tried to hide them, but she’d seen them in his room.

Aurora herself kept nothing personal. She had the specialist uniform Ghetsis had ordered for her, of course, various other black t-shirts and leggings pilfered from the Team Plasma lost-and-found over the years. Functional items, like a toothbrush and comb. But nothing she was attached to, nothing that couldn’t be replaced or abandoned at a moment’s notice. What was the point of creating a weak point like that? If nothing belonged to her, nothing could be taken from her. In that way, she was safe.

And here was Burgh, taking every broken pencil and loose sock that he could find. Filling three suitcases with junk. He insisted he needed to take even the food in the cupboards. Even his coffee pods.

Well, if he needs help to get rid of it all…

                                                                        *

Shadow was at the kitchen table when Elesa came back. She’d made herself a stack of toast and covered it with honey. Leavanny had followed her into the kitchen, but made no efforts to stop her. When she heard the door opening, she tensed – but then Elesa called out.

‘Hey, I’m back. I brought Lenora. Are you still alive, Burgh? Is the Shadow still here?’

‘I’m fine,’ Burgh said. ‘Shadow should be out there in the living room.’

‘He’s not.’

Leavanny chirped.

‘In here?’ Elesa pushed open the door. ‘Oh, there you are.’

She was followed by a woman who had to be Lenora, curator of the Nacrene City Gym. Her arms were crossed, and she was looking at Shadow with a stony expression. Had Team Plasma ever spited her? Yes… they’d robbed her museum at some point. But the effort had failed and Lenora had helped to destroy Team Plasma, so it all came out the same in the end.

‘I wanted to see this for myself,’ Lenora said. ‘You’re really joining forces with Burgh? Just like that?’

‘I have a responsibility to fulfil,’ Shadow said. ‘I’m sure Elesa explained it.’

‘She did. But I don’t understand it at all. Is Team Plasma gone? For good?’

Something in the way she said it made Shadow pause. That, and the fact that Elesa had been gone for so long…

‘Looker wanted you to ask me that,’ she said.

The panicked glance Elesa and Lenora shared told Shadow that she was right. How obvious could you get? Ridiculous.

‘You can ask me whatever you want,’ Shadow said. ‘I won’t answer, and I won’t give you anything that will help Looker. I’m here to do a job. And then I’m going home.’

Elesa sighed. ‘So much for that.’

Behind them, Burgh appeared, holding a cardboard box. When he saw Shadow, he spluttered. ‘What are you doing?’

‘Eating.’

‘That’s my food!’

Shadow shrugged, picking up another slice of toast. ‘And now you don’t have to bring it back to Castelia.’

‘You can’t just show up in my house and start cleaning out my cupboards –’

‘I have to eat something,’ Shadow said. ‘I’m your – what did you call me? Ninja bodyguard? I have to be strong.’

Burgh seemed to be looking for a response, but found none. ‘I can’t believe this,’ he mumbled, after a moment.

‘That’s what comes of showing mercy.’ Shadow took another bite. ‘Should have let me die in a cave-in.’

‘I do not regret having morals,’ Burgh said primly, ‘and no amount of petty theft will change my mind.’ As he turned to leave, he muttered, ‘I really wish someone else had saved you, though.’

Shadow kept eating. The feeling was mutual, but she didn’t need to tell him that.

‘You’re eating a lot,’ Lenora said, a glint in her eyes.

‘I’m hungry.’

‘Of course. You must have had a long journey to get here?’

Shadow shot her a dirty look. ‘I told you. You’ll get nothing about Team Plasma from me.’

‘No? You can’t even tell me if they’re near Nacrene City?’

‘Nothing’s near Nacrene City. This place is in the middle of nowhere.’

‘Hmm.’ Lenora looked pleased. ‘No, that’s still quite enough information for me.’

Shadow rolled her eyes. Lenora could think what she liked, but Shadow would never let something important slip out of her mouth.

Elesa glanced into the living room, and sighed. ‘Oh, he’s going to take forever. I should call a taxi.’

And leave Shadow alone with Burgh and Lenora? Elesa was the most tolerable by far. No, that wouldn’t do.

‘Tell me about these art thefts,’ Shadow said.

‘Hm?’

‘If you want me to solve them. Give me some details.’

‘Oh. Right.’ Elesa leaned against the doorframe, tapping her fingers against her arm as if she were thinking. ‘It started not long after that whole business with Team Plasma. Burgh usually hangs all his own artwork in the Castelia Gym, and doesn’t exhibit anywhere else. But he thought it might be a nice change of pace if he were to let up-and-coming artists exhibit in the Gym instead, to get more eyes on their work.’

‘To contribute to the community!’ Burgh called out. ‘Lift up other artists!’

‘Yeah, yeah. That sort of thing.’ Elesa waved her hand dismissively. ‘So some of the artwork that was already in the Castelia Gym was taken down, in preparation for it to be moved to other galleries, or put in storage. That was where the first problem popped up – some of the art that was taken down vanished before ever making it to another location.’

‘So one of the Gym Trainers stole it. No big mystery there.’

‘Nope. Once it was reported, the police to spoke to all of them. They’re all in the clear.’

‘What about camera footage?’ 

‘Only on the outside of the building. The only cameras in the Gym itself are in the final battle area, so that challengers can have a recording of their fight. None of the cameras picked up anything suspicious.’

‘And none of the Pokémon in the Gym panicked?’

‘Not a one. Leavanny’s the guardian of the Gym, and she didn’t bat an eye.’

Shadow hummed. It was something that she could have done herself, with her own abilities. But she hadn’t, and neither had the other Shadows. But who else in all of Unova could match them? Wasn’t that why Ghetsis had kept them as his closest companions, his secret weapon? The dagger up his sleeve?

‘That was the first theft,’ Elesa said. ‘Burgh wasn’t worried about it at the time, he figured the art would turn up sooner or later. It only became a worry after the second and third times.’

‘And Castelia Fountain,’ Lenora said.

‘Oh, Castelia Fountain,’ Burgh sighed, from somewhere in the apartment.

‘Keep packing,’ Shadow said. ‘I want to get out of here at some point this year.’ Looking at Elesa, she said, ‘Go on.’

‘Castelia Gallery was next hit. An overnight robbery, with the cameras taken out first. All of the newer artwork was stolen or vandalised… and most of the newer artwork was Burgh’s. After that it was the New Art Museum – only one room of paintings got raided there, and I’m sure you can guess whose room it was.’

Deliberate, carefully calculated to hit the artist where it would hurt him most. Judging by his despair over his new art, it was working.

‘And Castelia Fountain?’ Shadow asked.

Elesa hesitated. ‘Burgh?’ she called. ‘Do you want to tell Shadow about the Fountain, or will I do it?’

Burgh appeared in the doorway. ‘I need to pack up the kitchen anyway,’ he said. ‘Or what’s left of it.’

Shadow saluted with her fourth piece of toast.

‘Castelia Fountain,’ he began, ‘is no less than the pinnacle of my career as an artist. It was constructed in the Central Plaza on the anniversary of the city’s founding. It was the year after I’d been made Gym Leader – and I was asked to create the centrepiece of the Fountain.’

His eyes had taken on a distant look, something soft and proud in his expression.

‘It’s a celebration of the union between human and Pokémon. Between old and new. Drawing on the legends of ancient dragons… and yet the promise of a thriving future, too.’

‘So it’s a statue?’ said Shadow. ‘Or what?’

Burgh sighed. ‘Yes. To eyes that can’t appreciate artistic ideals, it’s a statue of the ancient champions, alongside their dragons.’

‘So someone stole an entire statue? From the centre of a fountain?’

‘Oh, I wish,’ Burgh said. ‘Then I would at least have the reassurance of knowing that it might exist, intact, somewhere. No. Someone came along in the middle of the night and chopped the heads off.’

He paused, as if expecting a dramatic reaction. Shadow said nothing.

No monetary motive, then. If it was just a matter of stealing a famous artist’s work and reselling it, that was one thing. But destroying a landmark overnight meant it was personal. Someone with a vendetta.

‘Do you have any enemies?’ she asked.

All three Gym Leaders gave her an incredulous look.

‘Aside from the obvious,’ she said. ‘I don’t think this is Team Plasma’s work, but I couldn’t be sure.’ 

‘Enemies,’ Burgh said. ‘This isn’t some – some television soap – I’m an artist, for goodness sake! I don’t have enemies!’

‘You are a powerful Gym Leader,’ Shadow said. ‘And clearly a renowned artist, if you were asked to make this fountain. That’s more than enough to earn you a few grudges.’

Burgh crossed his arms. He looked as if he were considering her point. ‘Maybe… but no one’s coming to mind. Maybe I have a stalker?’

‘Oh, you most certainly have a stalker,’ Lenora muttered.

‘Castelia Fountain was vandalised last month,’ said Elesa. ‘There hasn’t been another incident since. But it’s only a matter of time.’

Only a matter of time until someone attacked the Gym. Or Burgh directly. And then Shadow could save his life. And then she could go home.

‘I see,’ Shadow said. ‘I’d like to see the Gym for myself, if I could. Burgh?’

‘Oh, I’m getting there,’ he said crossly, piling the contents of the fridge into a box.

‘Keep in touch with me, okay?’ Lenora said. ‘Both of you. This seems… odd. All of it.’

Elesa was watching Shadow. ‘Maybe I should stay with you for a few days, Burgh. To make sure everything is okay.’

‘Feel free,’ Shadow said. ‘I have nothing to hide.’

‘I wouldn’t want to trouble you, Elesa,’ said Burgh. ‘And besides, you’ve seen my apartment. There won’t be enough room for Shadow, never mind you.’

‘Hmm,’ said Elesa. Shadow didn’t like the sound of that.

‘I think that’s it,’ Burgh said, closing the fridge. ‘If you help me carry the boxes downstairs, I can hand the keys back, and we can go.’

Begrudgingly, Shadow trailed him into the living room, and took a box from the table. Elesa and Lenora followed. Burgh led them downstairs into the weak morning sunlight.

‘There she is,’ he said, pointing across the street. ‘That beauty over there is my car.’

Burgh’s car was a monstrosity. A convertible, a big one. Bright pink, glittering under the sun. It hurt Shadow’s eyes to look at it.

‘Isn’t she beautiful?’ Burgh said, as he jogged across the road. ‘I take her out in the Castelia Parade every year. It’s the most recognisable car in Unova!’

‘I know,’ Shadow said. ‘How do you think I found you?’

‘Oh. Um.’ Burgh looked at her, and then at the car, as if he was seeing it for the first time. ‘I… Ah…. I see.’

Behind her, Lenora started laughing. ‘And here I thought you were engaging in top secret Plasma skullduggery. Are you saying you just wandered around Nacrene City until you spotted that thing?’

‘Worked, didn’t it?’ Shadow put the box in the back seat. ‘Can we go now?’  

‘In a minute. Have to hand back in the keys.’ Burgh jogged back across the street.

Elesa watched him go, and then turned to Shadow. ‘Listen. Burgh is one of my closest friends.’

‘You can keep him, I’m not trying to steal him.’

‘He’s my dear friend,’ Elesa repeated. ‘I’d do anything for him and he’d do anything for me. So keep that in mind before you get up to any funny business.’

‘All of us Gym Leaders would do anything for each other,’ Lenora said. ‘It’s worth noting.’

She was getting tired of all the thinly veiled threats. ‘I could not have made it more clear what I am here to do. I am not going to hurt Burgh.’

‘Good,’ said Elesa. ‘If we’re all clear on that, we won’t have a problem.’

Burgh was crossing the road back to them. Being in proximity to the car seemed to be bringing his mood up – he was almost bouncing as he took out his keys. ‘Are we ready to go?’

Lenora stepped forward to say her goodbyes to Burgh and Elesa. Shadow folded herself into the back seat of the car. She had no desire to spend the ride back talking to either of them.

As the car pulled out, Shadow closed her eyes. The breeze was blowing from Pinwheel Forest, hazy and sweet. The day was warm, but not heavy. Whatever came next, at least she could enjoy the drive.

Chapter Text

Castelia City was suffocating.

Aurora had spent most of her life in secluded Team Plasma hideouts. First isolated cottages, later N’s Castle. Learning the ways of shadows, darkness, silence. Ghetsis allowed only a handful of people to be near his son. The Shadow Triad, to be N’s guardians. Anthea and Concordia, to be N’s caretakers.

(none of them had ever fooled themselves into believing they mattered as much to Ghetsis as N did.)

Sometimes he left them alone, all of them, in that place. The earth pressing down on them from far above, the silence a weight of its own. The dark caverns that echoed on forever. Nothing ever happened down there. Nothing moved, and nothing changed. And if anything bad happened, no one would ever know, or ever care.

Concordia had suffered most. Anthea was brave and brash, could put on enough of a face that no one could see beneath. But Concordia was afraid of the dark. Afraid of being abandoned. The first time Ghetsis had left them alone, she’d curled into a ball, screamed until the whole cavern echoed with it, until her voice was raw. The Shadow Triad, fierce and lightning-quick even then, had stood around her, silent. Her fears weren’t the kind that could be defeated by sharp knives and rapid kicks.

Ghetsis had trained her out of that fear quickly. They’d all learned, in the end. N might be bratty, might speak to Ghetsis any way he liked, but that was because he was a prince. Soon to be a king. The other five were just that – other. Disposable. They had learned to be simpering, or to be still, or to be silent.

To live in a world that was quiet as the grave, and just as dark.

Castelia City was not like that.

Nothing ever stopped moving, here. Everywhere honking of cars, people talking, the sound of Pokémon battles. The air carrying the stink of car exhaust, and the salt of the sea. The light – the light – from the sun, the blue sky, reflecting off the sea, the skyscrapers, everywhere Pokémon, people –

Shadow sat forward, with her head in her lap. At least in N’s Castle, she and the others had been dust specks drifting in a void. Here, she was a speck of sand in a desert, a molecule of water in the sea.

Swallowed.

‘Shadow?’ Elesa asked. ‘Are you carsick?’

‘No,’ said Shadow. People-sick, maybe. City-sick.

‘We’re nearly there, anyway,’ Burgh said. ‘Would have been there twenty minutes ago without the traffic.’ He sighed. ‘Fucking Castelia traffic, do you know I was once –’

But the radio was on, and it drowned his voice in a cacophony of noise, FAMED POKESTAR STUDIOS TO OPEN A BRANCH IN –

She thought with longing of the room she’d once had in N’s Castle. It was small, and it was grey, and it was empty. Not like this.

She’d only brushed through the city last time. Passed through at night, just long enough to spy on the Gym, listen in on the conversations between the Gym Trainers, and then flee towards Nacrene.

I have to live here now…

‘Hang in there,’ Elesa said. Her voice sounded… soft. Almost comforting. ‘You’ll be able to walk it off in a few minutes.’

‘I’m not sick,’ Shadow said.

‘Here,’ Burgh said. The car took a turn, passing beneath a barrier into a building. A dark, grey building, with no Pokémon in it, no noises, only cars. Only darkness and cars. Shadow’s stomach settled a little.

‘We’re behind the Gym now,’ Burgh said. ‘This building connects to the alley behind it. We can go in the back door – my apartment is above the Gym itself.’

‘Convenient,’ Shadow said.

‘Really saves me a commute.’ He sighed. ‘But then, of course, I can’t bring this beauty out as often as I’d like.’

Shadow trailed after Burgh and Elesa as they headed through the car park. She was looking around, thinking. This building connected to the alley behind the Gym, meaning there was at least one way to get into the Gym without being seen from the front doors.

All you’d need to do is force the lock on the Gym’s back entrance… and then you’d be in.

‘Who else knows about this building?’ she called to Burgh.

He looked at her sideways. ‘Everyone…? Hard to keep a building a secret.’

Idiot. ‘Who else knows that this car park connects to the Gym?’

‘Oh. Well, all the Gym Trainers use it for parking. But if you’re thinking it was involved in the thefts, you’re wrong – this building does have CCTV, and no one went near the back alley all night.’

So much for that.

The alley between the buildings was long and narrow. Only a small strip of sky showing from high above. There had to be another way to access this alley that wasn’t through the Gym. Looking around, she thought there might be multiple. It would be difficult to narrow down the route the thieves had taken.

And I’m no detective… Maybe this is an impossible task…

‘We’ll go upstairs first?’ Burgh said. ‘I suppose? Drop this box into the fridge, anyway, so the milk doesn’t spoil. And then you can look at the Gym, Shadow?’

‘I’ve already seen it,’ she said, distracted.

Elesa glanced back. ‘You mean you snuck in? How?’

‘I have special gifts,’ said Shadow. ‘You’ve seen them.’

‘Could the thief have come in the same way you did?’

‘I doubt it. There are only three of us in all of Unova that can become shadow.’

Burgh and Elesa shared a doubtful look. ‘If there are only three of you…’ Burgh said. ‘You know, in all of Unova…’

Shadow sighed. ‘Yeah, man, you got me. I did it. I’m doing all of this to play mind games with you.’

‘I’m not convinced that you aren’t,’ said Elesa. ‘But you can only hide yourself in shadow, right? However the thief got in, they had to get the art out somehow. And giant canvases aren’t the easiest thing to sneak around.’

That had crossed Shadow’s mind, too. But there was no obvious answer, so she just nodded.

Burgh’s apartment was above the Gym, accessible by a small elevator. Shadow pressed herself as far into the corner of the elevator as she could. She didn’t like being near strangers.

‘Where are you going to stay, Shadow?’ Burgh asked, as the elevator glided smoothly to a stop.

‘With you.’

‘Well, ah, that’s not really going to be workable. My apartment’s only a one-bedroom. Strictly speaking it’s not supposed to be a living space at all, but I asked for permission to convert it when I became Gym Leader. There’s not room to swing a Purrloin in there.’

‘So?’ Shadow said. ‘I’ll sleep on your couch.’

‘I – no.’ He chuckled nervously. ‘I really don’t need a roommate, Castelia rent might be off the walls but I’m managing quite –’

‘Where do you expect me to stay?’ Shadow cut in. ‘How do you expect me to protect you from assassins if I live on the other side of the city?’

‘Assassins? Who on earth would want to assassinate me?’ 

‘I don’t know. But you do have a powerful enemy out there somewhere. An unseen enemy that’s willing to destroy everything you’ve ever worked for. How long until they come for you directly?’

Burgh was staring at her. His cheery demeanour had vanished. She thought that without it, he looked exhausted. He opened his mouth, as if to respond, and then closed it.

‘Burgh?’ Elesa said.

‘I’ll see if I can find you a blow-up bed,’ Burgh muttered.

                                                            *

They stayed in Burgh’s apartment just long enough for Burgh to leave the milk in the fridge. He was right – it was small enough. A kitchen, a bathroom, a bedroom, and a living room, all cramped together. But there was a battered old couch in the living room, and it looked comfortable. It would do.

Burgh led them back down to the Gym. He was quieter now, moving with less of that refined elegance. Elesa was looking at him with concern. When she glanced back at Shadow, her expression was unreadable. Shadow just shrugged.

Someone had to catch him up with reality sooner or later. It’s not my fault he’s upset.

The Gym was much as she remembered it. Dark, flowing honey walls. Pokémon scuttling in the darkness. Burgh brought them in through the back, to stand in the final challenge area.

‘What do you think?’ he said. ‘What do you need to see?’

She wasn’t sure. She’d already seen the Gym, when she’d been here the first time. A matrix of gates and buttons, all flowing towards the final room. Faded rectangles on the walls, where canvases had once been.

‘The gates,’ she said. ‘There’s no special trick to them?’

‘None whatsoever,’ said Burgh. ‘We reset them once a challenger enters, but they can be opened by pressing the buttons on the floor.’

‘And the Pokémon? How do they get around?’

‘The larger ones like Leavanny just use the gates. For the smaller ones, like Sewaddle, there are vents in the walls to let them through.’

‘Vents?’

‘Too small to fit a human.’

Shadow hesitated. I could spend forever looking over this Gym, trying to imagine what the thief did… or I could make them play to my strengths.

‘We should lure them to us,’ she said.

Burgh frowned. ‘What do you mean?’

‘Set bait for the thief. Hold a big, glitzy party, and see what they do.’

‘The same person you think is going to send assassins after me.’

‘I’ll protect you. I’ll catch the thief in the act.’

‘That’s an awful lot of trust to put in you,’ Burgh said. ‘Suppose you… I don’t know… needed to pee, or something? And the assassin got to me while you were gone?’

Shadow gave him a scornful look. ‘The highest upon high of Team Plasma, second only to Ghetsis himself. Ruler of shadows and guardian of the night. And you think that somehow, maybe, someone’s going to slip past me.’

‘It’s not a bad idea,’ Elesa said. ‘A false art exhibition, I mean. If we know exactly where the thief is going to strike, we can set a trap.’

‘Mm.’ Shadow looked at Burgh. ‘How fast could you make art?’

‘I’m not a printer,’ he said. ‘Let me think… the Gym is being remodelled quite soon, but a grand opening will take a lot longer than I imagine you want… I don’t have many pieces left to exhibit.’

‘Think of something,’ Shadow said.

‘Portraits,’ Burgh murmured, ‘I was always an adept hand at portraits. Set it all up here, centrally… or perhaps with offshoots in other rooms… as a final hurrah, perhaps. Before the Gym closes for remodelling.’

‘Sure. Whatever. That’ll work.’

‘No, no.’ He frowned at her. ‘I’m throwing out ideas. I would need to formulate it fully before committing.’

‘It doesn’t have to be a real exhibit,’ Elesa said. ‘Remember, it’s a trap.’

‘But it must be convincing!’ He struck a dramatic pose. ‘I am an inspired mind, an artist, and my work must show it! Or they’ll see right through it, and they won’t bother to show up.’

‘I really don’t think they’re going to care,’ Shadow said. ‘I wouldn’t, if it was me.’

‘Well, you’ve adequately established it wasn’t you. No, no, I shall have to put on a show. Something daring, something convincing…’ A hint of that energy was starting to creep back into his voice. ‘Yes, yes. A rush job, but constraints are the lifeblood of art… I shall have an idea for you by the end of the week. We shall exhibit by the end of the month.’

A week? A month? ‘Couldn’t you just have one… I don’t know. Tonight?’

‘Tonight?’ Burgh snapped. ‘How fast do you think I can pull this together? I’m not a miracle worker.’

‘Shadow,’ Elesa said. ‘It’s better if this takes time. The thief needs a chance to hear about it. If you hold any kind of event this evening, they won’t know to show up.’

It was a sensible point. Shadow said nothing. It was a shame Elesa was dedicated to being a Gym Leader, and Pokémon welfare, and all of that. She could have been a useful asset to Team Plasma. Whatever remained of it.

I’m not used to thinking of Team Plasma in the past tense…

‘Fine,’ she said. ‘You can throw together an exhibition, and when the time comes, I’ll catch the thief in the act. I don’t have many contacts in Castelia City, but I can ask them if they’ve heard anything.’

‘And what are you going to do apart from that?’ Burgh said. ‘I don’t expect that you’re going to follow me around all day long.’

‘I’m absolutely going to do that.’

‘I – no, you really don’t have to –’

‘Assassins.’

‘I don’t think it’s likely –’

‘Coming to kill you.’

Burgh narrowed his eyes. ‘You know, I don’t think you believe the assassins thing any more than I do.’

Shadow shrugged. ‘You want to risk it?’

‘I think this is an extended punishment. You’re angry at me for saving your life, because you would truly rather be dead in a rockfall than alive and grateful to me. Well, it won’t work. I don’t regret saving you, and I never will.’ Burgh smiled. ‘You and I are going to have a fantastic time together. I insist on it. I’ll show you all the wonders Castelia City has to offer.’

‘What wonders?’ she said. ‘This place is a shithole.’

‘This is a city of glory and wonder. If you’re going to follow me around every hour of the day, I’ll prove it to you.’

She thought of the drive here, the chaotic overwhelm of it. ‘You’re not going to convince me of anything.’

‘Oh, but I will.’ Burgh was bouncing on the balls of his feet. ‘Create a trap for a thief, convince a Shadow of the wonders of the city. I am going to have an interesting time.’

‘Better you than me,’ Elesa murmured.

On the whole, Shadow agreed. It wasn’t going to be fun, being dragged around the city by an errant artist. Given the choice, she would have refused. But there was no choice. Burgh had been right, that this was retribution. But not for him.

The person she was punishing was herself.  

Chapter Text

Outside the windows, it was starting to get dark. Elesa glanced at her watch, and sighed.

‘I have business of my own in Nimbasa,’ she said. ‘I’d better head home. I’ll be back to check on you in a day or two, Burgh, but say the word and I’ll be on your doorstep within the hour.’

‘I’ll be fine,’ Burgh said, before glancing at Shadow. ‘I think? We’ll be fine.’

Shadow nodded.

‘See me to the door?’ Elesa said.

The Gym was dark and silent as they made their way through it. A Sewaddle watched them from a vent. When Shadow turned her head to look at it, it scuttled backwards into the darkness.

At the door, Elesa kissed Burgh on both cheeks. Before she moved away, she gave Shadow another one of those unreadable looks.

I don’t know what Elesa really thinks of me…. Although I suppose I can guess.

Neither Burgh nor Shadow spoke as they made their way back through the Gym. It was only once they were in the elevator, facing each other, that Burgh let out a nervous giggle.

‘Well,’ he said. ‘And then there were two.’

‘And there’ll probably be four or five tomorrow,’ Shadow said. ‘Seeing as no one trusts me alone with you.’

‘You could – ah – even the scores, if you wanted? Invite over a few friends?’

‘Okay,’ said Shadow. ‘You’re volunteering to be a base for Team Plasma? Excellent. I’ll call over the Seven Sages and we can set up shop in your living room.’

Burgh’s eyes went huge. ‘I – I – No. No, no, no, I don’t – that was a joke, I –’

‘I’m aware. I was also making a joke.’

‘Oh. Oh! Well, it’s sort of hard to tell, what with the mask, and the, um, flat voice, and just everything about this situation, you know…’ Burgh gestured towards her.

Shadow gave him a stony look.

‘I, ah, yeah.’ Burgh raised a fist to his mouth. ‘I’ll stop talking now.’

‘Good.’

The elevator pinged to a stop, and Shadow followed Burgh into his apartment. She was able to get a better look at it, this time around. It was more threadbare than she’d expected, even from an artist. Burgh seemed the type to match his entire surroundings to his personality, papering the walls in paintings, covering the floors with eclectic rugs. But the walls were bare. The furniture didn’t match, and not in a deliberate way. It looked very much as if he’d bought the first handful of things he’d seen in a thrift shop.

‘Your apartment’s ugly,’ she said.

‘Hmm?’ said Burgh. ‘I don’t spend an awful lot of time here, so it’s rather utilitarian, I’m afraid. I haven’t given up on my dreams of a luxury penthouse elsewhere in the city.’

‘I don’t know, I just thought…’ She pitched her voice higher, imitating Burgh. ‘A true artist requires an artistic space, daaaahhling.’

‘I don’t sound like that,’ Burgh said, sounding genuinely cross. ‘God forbid a man have a space where he doesn’t need to spend any energy whatsoever. I pour my heart and soul and entire being into the Gym, into the city, into my art – this apartment is a place for me to just rest. Eat, sleep, shower, all of that, with none of the precision and elegance that true art requires.’ He paused. ‘As you might say it, it’s a total shithole, man.’

His raspy imitation of her voice wasn’t far off, truth be told. Shadow shrugged. ‘Where do you do your art, anyway? In the Gym? Or just wherever the fancy takes you?’

‘In the loft,’ he said. ‘There’s a set of stairs in the corner of my bedroom. But I don’t really allow anyone up there.’

‘Why not?’ said Shadow. ‘I thought you were proud of your art.’

‘It’s important to preserve the space.’

‘Oh, of course.’ She pitched her voice higher again. ‘It’s important to preserve the space for paintings, not for a nicer bedroom or something.’

‘Oh, you don’t understand the needs of art. A heartless Pokémon thief like you, I doubt you ever will. I’m perfectly happy with my beautiful loft, and my shitty apartment, and I wouldn’t change a thing about either.’

‘Is the door to the loft locked? Any other ways to get in?’

‘‘If you ever step a foot up there, Shadow –’

‘Aw, what’ll you do to me?’ Shadow leaned on the back of the couch, and flexed the muscles in her arms. ‘You really think you could take me?’

Burgh’s eyes flickered from her arms to her face. His face had flushed pink – anger, maybe? Or something else? She wasn’t good at reading him. ‘I – I – um –’

‘I’m asking because of your thief,’ Shadow said. ‘I don’t want to go anywhere near your loft. So, again – is your art space only accessible through your apartment?’

‘Yes,’ Burgh said faintly. ‘Yes, there’s no other way to get in.’

‘Good.’ Meaning she only had to worry about guarding the apartment, for now.

‘The couch,’ Burgh said. ‘Will you be happy to sleep on the couch for tonight? I’ll find you some blankets.’

Shadow leaned forward, toppling herself onto the couch. She shifted around until her head was propped on the arm rest. Her initial prediction had been right. The couch looked comfortable because it was comfortable. 

‘It’ll do,’ she said. She leaned over, taking the television remote from where it was resting on his coffee table.

‘Make yourself at home, why don’t you,’ Burgh muttered.

She ignored him, flicking through the channels, until she landed on –

‘The Combee Movie?’ she said. ‘Sounds like your style.’

‘No!’ Burgh said, in such a loud squawk that she almost fell off the couch. ‘No, it’s not, I – No! You’re not coming into my house and watching the Combee Movie.’

Shadow narrowed her eyes. ‘Why not?’

‘It’s a travesty against the name of good Pokémon keeping. It’s full of lies about Combee nature, social behaviour, the structure of their hives… Do you know the damage that was caused to Combee habitats as a result of tourism after that movie?’

‘Yeah,’ said Shadow, ‘I don’t really care. At all.’

‘Don’t you? I seem to remember Team Plasma putting out a statement about it.’

‘So? That was a publicity move. Most of what the grunts get up to is.’

Burgh frowned. ‘Why would you follow Team Plasma if you don’t believe what they’re saying?’

Shadow kept flicking through the channels, without responding.

‘I think if you’re going to dedicate your life and entire being to something, it should be something you believe in with all your heart and soul.’ Burgh leaned forward, hands on his hips. ‘If you’re just spouting empty words, if you’re following along just because, what’s the point? If none of it matters to you, why not just leave?’

Shadow was on her feet before she realised it. Halfway across the room, and Burgh was scrambling backwards, that smug sanctimonious look on his face melting into genuine fear as she backed him towards a corner.

‘You think you can tell me how to live?’ she hissed. ‘You think you can stand there with your little smirk and tell me what I should do?’

‘I’m sorry,’ Burgh said. ‘I didn’t mean –’

‘Oh, high and mighty Gym Leader, preaching to the rest of us about how the world should be. Why not just choose to leave – you understand nothing about Team Plasma, do you hear me? Not one single thing.’

Something seemed to change in Burgh’s eyes. Fear melting away to something else. Another expression she didn’t like. ‘I’m sorry if I upset you, Shadow.’

‘Whatever.’ She was losing interest in this whole conversation. ‘Don’t tell me what I should think.’

As she turned back towards the couch, she heard Burgh sigh. ‘Noted.’

When she glanced back at him, he’d already left for the kitchen.

                                                *

She’d expected to sleep. She felt as though she had been awake for weeks. The exhaustion hummed in her limbs. And yet, once Burgh had gone to bed, and the apartment had gone dark, she found herself wide awake.

Usually they were three.

It was so rare to be alone like this.

Lux’s words seemed to echo around her head. She hadn’t been banished. This wasn’t a punishment. She’d made a mistake and now she was going to fix it. It wasn’t her fault. Lux and Celeste hadn’t abandoned her. They never would.

She couldn’t even contact them on the Xtransceiver.

We’ll find you when we need you, Lux had said. Or you can return to Victory Road when your bond has been fulfilled.

Victory Road seemed a long way away now.

Almost without thinking, Shadow reached for the Poké Balls on her belt. Not Accelgor – that would run the risk of waking Burgh, and having him fall into a silly fawning mood again.

She let Pawniard out. It stood there, blinking, for a few puzzled moments.

Pokémon are tools, she remembered Ghetsis saying. That and nothing more.

But Ghetsis wasn’t here.

‘Stand watch for me,’ Shadow said. ‘Okay? I need to sleep.’

Pawniard saluted.

Not a substitute for her siblings. Not close at all. But it was enough. For the moment, it would have to be enough.

                                                            *

In spite of her restless night, Burgh was awake ahead of her the next morning. She woke up to the sound of him humming as he moved around the kitchen.

‘Good morning, Shadow!’ he chirped, as she slouched into the kitchen. ‘I’m making toast, would you like some?’

‘Sure,’ Shadow said slowly. ‘You seem happy about something.’

‘Do I?’ said Burgh. ‘It’s nothing in particular. I’m a morning person, you see. Castelia before noon – there’s nothing like it.’

‘Right.’

‘I was thinking,’ Burgh said. ‘Have you met the Gym Trainers? Formally, I mean.’

‘No.’

‘I assumed not. We’ll head down after breakfast, see if any of them are around. I’d like to let Leavanny out, too. I should have done it last night, but I was distracted.’

Lucky for him that Shadow was tired, or she would have started to needle him again. She took a seat at the table, tried to stifle a yawn. Burgh was yapping away as he made his coffee, but she wasn’t able to concentrate on what he was saying.

Pawniard appeared in the doorway. It had stood guard quietly by the couch all night, and now it was standing in the doorway, looking at her.

‘Here,’ Shadow mumbled, flicking a slice of toast in its direction. Pawniard caught it nimbly, and wandered off again.

‘You know,’ Burgh said. ‘I don’t know if that’s the most nutritionally –’

‘Shut up,’ Shadow said. ‘Too early.’

‘Not a morning person, no?’ Burgh smiled. ‘My apologies.’

Shadow grumbled.

After they’d both eaten, Burgh led the way downstairs. Pawniard followed, bobbing along at Shadow’s feet. For her part, Shadow felt like shit. It was always hard to wake up early, but usually she was better at hiding it.

Burgh stopped in the Gym’s final battle area, where they’d been yesterday. Shadow hadn’t noticed, but there was a small intercom built into the wall by the door. He fiddled with the buttons for a moment.

‘Hello?’ he said. ‘Clyde? Yes, it’s Burgh, I’m back a little early… Are any of the Gym Trainers around? I sort of have a situation… No, it’s nothing to be concerned about… No, you don’t need to call Elesa. She’s been and gone… Thanks, Clyde.’

Shadow cast him a sideways look. ‘Does Elesa gets called for this type of thing a lot?’

‘Occasionally.’ Burgh shrugged. ‘I’ve had to make an emergency trip to talk her out of quitting her modelling career several times. There’s a balance between us.’

‘Must make good entertainment for her.’

Burgh’s mouth twitched. ‘There’s that.’

A moment later, Shadow heard footsteps. Four people appeared from the Gym-side door, each in varying stages of harlequin makeup.

‘Oh, you’re all here,’ said Burgh. ‘Goodness, I thought you’d all take the day off.’

The nearest harlequin grinned, bobbing on the soles of their feet. ‘We’d miss this place too much.’

‘Prime opportunity for mischief,’ said another.

‘I’m just here to raid the canteen,’ said a third.

‘Right,’ said Burgh. He gestured to Shadow. ‘Shadow, these are the Gym Trainers. Please meet Jack, Kerry, Louis, and Clarence. Everyone, this is Shadow.’

Shadow fought the urge to take a step backwards, as four pairs of eyes came to focus on her.

‘Shadow is going to be, um, around for a while,’ said Burgh. ‘He’s formerly of Team Plasma. He’s here because he thinks he owes me a life debt, and he wants to repay it.’

Silence.

‘Hmm,’ said Kerry. ‘Will that statement make any more sense if we ask follow-up questions?’

‘Probably not.’

‘I’m asking anyway,’ said Clarence. ‘What?’

‘Shadow?’ Burgh said. ‘Do you want to explain?’

‘No,’ said Shadow.

‘Oh. Um. Okay then. Do you all remember when I went to help fight against Team Plasma? And the castle that appeared around the Pokémon League?’ As the Trainers nodded, Burgh went on. ‘When I was there, Shadow and I met. I was able to save him from some falling debris, and help him escape. He wants to repay me for saving his life.’

‘Aw,’ said Kerry. Shadow scowled.

‘So he’s going to be around the Gym for a bit. He’s going to help me try and solve the art theft mystery. So everyone be nice to Shadow, and Shadow –’ Burgh hesitated. ‘Don’t attack any of the Trainers? Please.’

Shadow shrugged. ‘If that’s what you want.’

‘Okay!’ Burgh clapped his hands. ‘To business! Any challengers?’

‘None yet,’ said Jack. ‘But a few came by while you were gone. We told them when you’d be back, so there might be some this evening.’

‘How are the Gym Pokémon?’

‘The Venipede I told you about is back to full health,’ said Kerry. ‘I’m not sure what the matter was, but it seems to be resolved.’

‘I’ll check it over anyway, just to be safe.’ Burgh reached for something on his belt. ‘Leavanny, why don’t you join us?’

Leavanny bowed as she emerged. Pawniard took an incremental step closer to Shadow.

‘Shadow?’ Burgh said. He was looking at her with a distinct sparkle in his eyes. ‘Pawniard’s already here. Would your other Pokémon like to join us?’

Shadow sighed. ‘Yes. You can all meet Accelgor.’

‘You have an Accelgor?’ said one Trainer.

‘Oh my goodness!’ said another. ‘It’s rare to see one of those.’

‘Not that rare. If you trade a lot.’

‘I’m talking wild.’

Shadow let Accelgor out. It glanced around eagerly, before hesitantly hopping towards Burgh.

‘Hello again, my friend!’ said Burgh. ‘Come meet the team!’

At once, the four of them were gathered around Accelgor, fussing and cooing. Shadow took a quick step back. Pawniard mimicked her. She glanced down at it, expecting to see sorrow in those glinting eyes. Rage. Recrimination.

Instead, Pawniard nodded towards Accelgor, and rolled its eyes. It was a quick little gesture, but it reminded her so much of Celeste that it startled a giggle out of her chest.

Burgh looked up at the sound. He glanced between Pawniard and Shadow. Before he ducked his head again, she saw him smile, something soft and secret.

He could smile all he wanted, she thought. The joke, her memory, her mind – all of that was her own.  

Chapter Text

Trailing Burgh around the Gym wasn’t the most interesting job in the world. He’d spent part of the day dealing with administrative tasks, and another part fussing over the Gym Pokémon. He’d explained to her that while they weren’t quite wild Pokémon, none of the Gym Trainers had claimed them, either.

‘Some of them are injured, and come here to recuperate,’ he’d said. ‘Or if a wild Pokémon is causing trouble, I might be asked to step in, and bring it here. Though some of the Venipede… they came up from the sewers, and I’m fairly sure they’re only here for attention.’

There had been three challengers, too. Wide-eyed teenagers, almost shaking with excitement. One loss, two victories. Shadow had concealed herself, watching them silently. But she’d seen nothing to suggest they held animosity against Burgh. Even the one who’d lost had shook hands with him bravely, cradling their defeated Snivy on the way out.

She wondered how N had fared. It seemed like an eternity ago, now, the day that he’d set off on his adventure.

She remembered standing in the great hall, the day that Ghetsis had told N to go out into the world. Gravely explaining to his son the importance of building his strength, of exploring new places, new Pokémon, new ways of seeing. N had drunk it all in, eyes wide, never once comprehending what Ghetsis was doing. Sending him into the world, to build his ideals. So that when the great dragon was found, it would rise to his touch, and his alone.

The Shadow Triad had stood with Anthea and Concordia, in the corner of the room. Practically part of the furniture. None of them moving, or speaking.

And yet, they could all feel Celeste’s despair. Aurora had been standing close enough to feel her sister shaking. To hear the almost silent trembling in her breathing.

It was all Celeste liked to talk about, at night. After Ghetsis had left, once N had gone to sleep. She would sit on Aurora’s bed, or on the desk in Lux’s room, if they were meeting in there. If I was choosing a traditional starter, I’d go for Tepig. Brycen’s late in the route, but he’s a challenge. But if I was choosing a starter of my own, I’d choose a Fighting-type. That gets you through the Nacrene Gym, and gives you a strong basis for Striaton…

She must have theorised every possible route through the Unova Gym Challenge over the years. And Celeste would happily keep talking until one of them asked her to stop (Lux), or threw a slipper at her (Aurora). It was a safe dream to have, because it would never come true. It was utterly antithetical to Team Plasma’s goal. None of them would ever be permitted to strike out on their own journey.

Until N was.

Aurora’s heart had been racing, that day. If Celeste made any sound, if her despair came to light, if she interrupted the ceremony of it at all…

‘Thank you, Father,’ N had whispered, as Ghetsis had laid a hand on his shoulder. ‘I won’t let you down.’

He’d left the hall then, awash in a cloud of joy. Ghetsis had nodded curtly to dismiss the rest of them, and they’d filed away towards their quarters. None of them spoke until the Shadow Triad were alone, sequestered in Lux’s room.

They’d stood there in silence. Celeste’s head was hanging low. Lux had put a hand on her shoulder.

‘Celeste?’ he said gently.

‘I don’t want to talk about it,’ she whispered.

So they didn’t. Not then, or ever again.

Celeste had been quiet and withdrawn for a few days. Eventually, she came back to herself, though she never really talked about planning her adventures anymore. She never liked to hear updates on N’s journey. She’d always change the topic if it came up.

It didn’t matter. N’s journey had only lasted a few months. Then the battle between the dragons had occurred, and N had lost. Lost, or given up, Aurora had never been clear on which. Team Plasma had been destroyed, and the Shadow Triad had been cast adrift. And that was that.

It was one of the few upsides of Aurora being here. If Celeste had been rescued in her place, had had to follow the Gym Leader around silently, watch the challenge she could never join playing out in front of her eyes…

It might have crushed her spirit entirely. 

Better to have nothing, Aurora thought. If she had nothing, if she wanted nothing, then nothing could ever be taken from her. She would never be hurt like that. Never curl to protect a wound she couldn’t speak about.

Burgh saw the last challenger out, then turned to face the apparently empty room. ‘Shadow? You there?’

She made herself visible, appearing out of a dark corner. Burgh jumped.

‘That gift of yours is something else,’ he said. ‘I don’t think I’ll be able to get used to it.’

‘Good. Keeps you on your toes.’

‘I got a message from Elesa,’ he said. ‘She’s going to visit tomorrow, to see how things are going. I think things are going well? You haven’t strangled me yet.’

‘I’ve thought about it.’

For a moment, his eyes went wide. Then he chuckled. ‘A joke! Yes. Ha.’

‘Are you done here?’ Shadow said.

‘Yes, yes. The Gym Trainers have gone home, and Clyde’s going to lock up. What do you think about pizza for dinner?’

Shadow shrugged. ‘Your house. You decide.’

‘I… yes.’ Burgh hesitated. ‘But I presume, under this whole arrangement, that I’m responsible for feeding you.’

‘I’m not one of your Pokémon.’

‘No. But you’ll raid my kitchen regardless, right? If I’m cooking for myself, I might as well cook for you.’

‘Okay,’ said Shadow. ‘For your own safety, I’m not going to return the favour.’

Burgh chuckled. ‘Cooking isn’t one of your skills?’

‘No. Very much not.’

‘Interesting. What do you like to do, in your spare time?’

‘I don’t have spare time.’

‘Ever? Surely you’re not stealing candy from babies for sixteen hours a day.’

‘I don’t have hobbies.’

Burgh just looked at her, eyebrows raised. ‘You’re not an automaton,’ he said. ‘You must enjoy something.’

The look on his face was making her skin prickle uncomfortably. ‘I don’t,’ she said. ‘I… No. I don’t want to talk about this anymore.’

‘Shadow –’

‘Come on. Let’s go.’ She turned away, heading for the elevator, and Burgh jogged after her.

‘Music?’ he said. ‘Knitting?’

‘Shut up.’

‘Or – no, it must be weightlifting. You got that fine physique from somewhere. Swimming?’

She raised an eyebrow at him, as the elevator doors closed. ‘Exercise is maintenance.’

‘So it’s not your primary hobby. What is?’

‘Told you. Don’t have any.’

Burgh clapped his hands together. ‘Excellent. We’ll find one for you.’

The doors opened. ‘Good luck with that.’

‘You’re making me regret saving you? I’ll make you regret trying to repay the debt.’ Burgh unlocked his apartment, almost dancing in place. ‘I’m signing you up for beginner pottery. First thing tomorrow morning.’

‘You’ll have to drag me there. And we both know you can’t.’

‘Crochet, then. Online yoga. The possibilities are endless.’

In spite of herself, she found she was hiding a smile. ‘Do your worst.’

‘You’ll regret saying that, Shadow!’ Burgh called, as he headed into the kitchen. ‘I just might!’

                                                            *

Pawniard stood watch again for her that night. When she got up the next morning, it jogged eagerly after her into the kitchen.

‘You need to get more bread,’ she said to Burgh, as she slotted some into the toaster.

‘Oh, I do, do I?’

Shadow shrugged. ‘I can get more. But I’ll shoplift it. Do you want that?’

‘No,’ Burgh said. ‘Decidedly not. I’ll run to the shops this evening.’

Pawniard climbed onto the chair beside Shadow, as she sat down. She frowned.

‘Easy,’ she said. ‘This is mine.’

‘Gosh,’ said Burgh. ‘Terrible when someone takes something that doesn’t belong to them, isn’t it?’

‘You’re a comedian. Truly.’

 Pawniard looked at her contritely, and she handed it some toast. It chirped.

‘Elesa messaged me this morning,’ Burgh said. ‘She’s going to visit in the evening. And, um, she’s going to bring Skyla.’

‘Skyla?’

‘Mistralton City’s Gym Leader. Specialises in Flying-types? She’s Elesa’s best friend.’

‘I thought you were her best friend.’

‘We both are. She has lots of friends.’

A trio. It made sense. A certain kind of sense.

All the same, she wasn’t looking forward to it.

The day passed in much the same way that the previous one had. Watching the various challengers go up against Burgh, checking in on the Gym Pokémon, and so on. She was starting to get used to the place, to its rhythms, the seemingly incessant chatter of the Gym Trainers.

It was approaching five pm when Kerry came tumbling into the battle area. ‘Elesa and Skyla are here! Are you going to meet them? Could I say hi? Elesa’s cool. Do I look okay?’

Shadow materialised into sight. ‘You look like a clown.’

‘Perfect!’ Kerry said, without reacting to her sudden appearance whatsoever. ‘Let’s go!’

Elesa and Skyla were standing in the lobby, being fussed over by all the Gym Trainers. Shadow had a vague recollection of Skyla – she must have seen her from a distance, before. Chargestone Cave, maybe. All that had been a long time ago.

Shadow hung back a few steps, as Burgh approached. The overlapping cacophony of voices seemed to fill the little hall to the roof. It was never like this back at Team Plasma. The grunts were never confident enough to be rowdy in her presence.

‘Shadow,’ Burgh said, ‘meet Skyla. Skyla, this is Shadow.’

When Skyla looked at Shadow, her eyes went wide.

‘Hi,’ she breathed, holding out her hand.

Shadow ignored it. ‘Hello.’

‘You’re pretty.’

‘Thanks.’

‘Skyla!’ Burgh squeaked.

‘Sorry!’ Skyla clapped her hands over her mouth, but Shadow thought she didn’t look at all sorry. ‘Just slipped out.’

‘I’m glad to see you’re still in one piece,’ Elesa said. ‘Both of you.’

Shadow grunted. As if there was anything Burgh could do to harm her.

‘I was thinking,’ she continued. ‘Seeing as we’re here, would you like to visit Castelia Cone?’

‘Yes!’ Burgh said. ‘Yes, of course. You don’t even need to ask. Shadow?’

 ‘What?’

‘What do you think about visiting Castelia Cone?’

Shadow tilted her head. It wasn’t as if her opinion was going to change his mind. Why even bother asking? ‘Up to you. I’ve never been.’

The sound of seven shocked gasps made her flinch.

‘You’ve never been?’ said Kerry. ‘Ever?’

‘Burgh, I love you and all,’ said Skyla. ‘But like half the reason I’m even here is to get a Casteliacone.’

‘No, no, I understand. I’d do the same.’ Burgh shook his head. ‘You don’t have any hobbies, you’ve never had a Casteliacone… Honestly, Shadow, you haven’t lived.’

‘It’s just ice cream. It can’t be that good.’

‘Slander,’ said Elesa. ‘That settles it. Castelia Cone. Now.’

‘Jack? Kerry?’ Burgh said. ‘Are you okay to lock up?’

Kerry bowed. ‘We’re on it. We understand this is an emergency.’

Shadow scoffed. She followed Burgh, Elesa and Skyla into the street as they headed towards the docks.

She knew where the building itself was. She kept a little ahead of the trio as they walked, keeping a careful eye all around. The city was filled with noise and bustle, even as the day drew into evening. A threat could come from any direction. She had to be vigilant. She didn’t have time to listen to whatever stupid whispered conversation the three were having.

(‘I’m just saying,’ Skyla said. ‘I’m getting a vibe. Are you not getting a vibe?’

‘If that were true,’ Elesa said, ‘I’m sure Shadow would have corrected us by now.’

Burgh was quiet. Then – ‘I didn’t actually ask. I just assumed.’

‘You shouldn’t assume.’ Skyla. ‘The person might not feel safe enough to correct you.’

‘Do you really think Shadow is scared of me?’)

The people that were passing were giving Shadow odd looks. She should have disguised herself, she realised. She was drawing too much attention like this. She wished silently that they weren’t going on this expedition at all.

‘So!’ Skyla said, jogging to catch up. ‘Shadow. I have something to ask. Feel free to tell me to mind my own business –’

‘Mind your own business.’

‘Oh. Um. But you haven’t heard the question yet.’

‘You’re giving me the option not to answer. I’m choosing not to answer.’

‘Which is fine!’ Burgh burst in. He’d caught up. ‘We don’t have to answer questions if we don’t want to, especially not if they’re personal, Skyla.’

Skyla pouted. ‘Suit yourself.’ She nodded to a building up ahead of them. ‘We’re here.’

It was a tiny little storefront. The day was warm and balmy, and already the queue was long. Shadow slunk after Burgh into line, glaring at other people when they got too close.

She wasn’t stupid. She’d known exactly what Skyla was trying to ask, and why.

Of course she’d noticed that Burgh was calling her by the wrong pronouns. But it wasn’t something she’d seen any particular need to correct. It was something that had been happening to her for her whole life. It was usually more hassle to correct people than to let their assumptions lie. Especially when so few of her relationships had any depth. Why bother correcting some faceless grunt she was never going to interact with again? Why bother correcting Zinzolin again and again, when doing so would only anger Ghetsis? Her siblings knew the truth of her. No one else needed to.

No one else wanted to.

‘Shadow!’ Burgh said. ‘Have you ever had pistachio ice cream?’

‘No.’

‘Usually I wouldn’t recommend it. But honestly, Castelia Cone can make anything taste heavenly.’ Burgh tilted his head to one side. ‘What is your favourite ice cream flavour, anyway?’

‘Don’t have one.’

‘Ooh, an excuse to visit Castelia Cone every day. Exciting.’ Burgh clapped his hands twice. ‘That’s another thing to discover about you. We’ll have to make a list.’

This kind of eager curiosity… that was new.

‘My favourite’s raspberry,’ Burgh went on. ‘You could try that one today, if you wanted? For a start. And they offer special cones for your Pokémon on Tuesdays… you can bring Pawniard and I can bring Leavanny. If you stay around long enough, of course.’

‘Of course,’ Shadow repeated.

‘Chocolate for me,’ said Elesa. ‘Caramel for you, Skyla?’

‘As always,’ Skyla said, beaming.  

It seemed to take forever. But at last, they were away from that accursed queue. Burgh pressed a cone into her hands. ‘Here,’ he said. ‘You’ll understand.’

‘Let’s head for one of the piers,’ said Elesa. ‘We can watch the sun set.’

As they walked, Shadow tugged her mask down to rest around her neck. The brush of air against her mouth felt strange, as it always did. She was conscious of Burgh, walking beside her and pretending not to watch. Why would it matter to him if she liked it or not? It was just ice cream.

She took a bite of the ice cream. It was soft, without having melted. The flavour burst rich over her tongue, making her think of summer meadows, blue skies. Creamy and sweet.

‘It’s nice,’ she said, surprised.

‘It’s the best,’ Burgh said. ‘I’m glad you like it.’

She narrowed her eyes at him. Strange man.

The sun was going down over the horizon, tinting the sea a deep gold. Elesa and Skyla had paused by the railings, heads close together. They looked to be deep in conversation.

‘Plotting something again,’ Burgh said. ‘Come on, we’ll catch up. We can walk down to Liberty –’

‘Burgh,’ Shadow said.

He paused, looking back at her. ‘Yeah?’

It had been happening all day. It had been happening since she’d met him. It didn’t matter. It didn’t. There was no reason to –

‘I’m not,’ she said, and then realised it made no sense. ‘I – Skyla’s right. About me, and me not being… Anyway. I’m a girl.’

Burgh had taken a mouthful of ice cream at apparently just the wrong moment. He inhaled, started coughing, and turned an alarming shade of red. He ended up wheezing, leaning over with one hand on his knee for support. Shadow took the cone out of his other hand before he dropped it into the gutter.

‘Come off it,’ she said. ‘It’s not that interesting.’

‘No,’ he said, once he’d caught his breath, and straightened up. ‘Caught me by surprise, that’s all. That’s, uh, that’s cool. Women are awesome.’

She handed back his cone. ‘Whatever. Let’s go.’

‘Wait,’ he said. ‘I’d like to apologise. I’ve been calling you by the wrong pronouns for days.’

Shadow frowned. ‘Why would you apologise?’

‘I’ve been calling you something you’re not,’ Burgh said, sounding equally confused. ‘I should have asked you, before assuming. I’ve upset you.’

‘You haven’t upset me. I don’t care.’

‘It’s a matter of respect, Shadow. I don’t want you to think I was being rude to you on purpose.’

Shadow took another bite of her ice-cream. ‘I’m rude to you on purpose.’

‘Don’t I fucking know it,’ Burgh said.

‘So you don’t need to respect me. It’s cool. Can we go?’

‘Of course I need to respect you,’ Burgh said. His head was tilted to one side, and he was looking at her with an expression she couldn’t quite decipher. Confusion? Pity?

Again, that prickling sensation under her skin. ‘Why?’

He made a show of looking at himself, and then at her. ‘Because I’m fairly sure you could snap me in half like a pencil?’

‘That’s fear. That’s different.’

‘Yes, you’re right.’ Burgh sighed, glancing towards the sea. ‘Okay, not fear. I respect you, separate from fearing you, because everyone deserves to be respected. People and Pokémon both.’

‘Not me.’

His gaze snapped back towards her, startled. ‘Why not?’

She’d never had to explain this before. In Team Plasma, it was just understood.

She made a helpless gesture with her hands. ‘It’s like saying you’re worried about disrespecting a hammer.’

Burgh squinted. ‘Come again?’

‘If you have a tool in your hand, you don’t worry about respecting it. Or upsetting it. You just use it. That’s what a tool is for.’

‘I… guess…? But you’re not a hammer, Shadow.’

‘I am one of the Shadow Triad.’ She paused. She’d never had to explain this, either. ‘That – that means something.’

‘What does it mean?’

‘We are the knives that Ghetsis wields. His secret weapons. His blades, his tools, his gifts.’ She paused again. The prickly sensation was getting worse. ‘What’s not to understand?’

‘Everything?’ Burgh said. ‘You’re not a tool. You’re a person.’

Shadow shook her head. ‘It doesn’t work like that. Not in Team Plasma.’

‘You said something like that before.’ Burgh crossed his arms. ‘How are you treated in Team Plasma?’

Shadow said nothing.

The Sages looked through her like she wasn’t there. The grunts watched her with fear, or apathy, when they looked at her at all. N had treated her practically like part of the furniture. Ghetsis gave her orders, and unerringly she carried them out.

That was right. That was how it was supposed to be. It was what she was designed for. It was penance.

‘Shadow?’ Burgh said.

‘You’re looking at me like I’m an injured Lillipup,’ she said. ‘Knock it off.’

‘Is that why you didn’t say anything? You thought it didn’t matter? Or that I wouldn’t care?’

That was exactly what she’d thought. ‘Shut up.’

‘I do care about your feelings. And about treating you fairly.’

‘You shouldn’t. That’s what I’m trying to say. I shouldn’t count as a person to you.’

‘But you do,’ he said. ‘Treating people like things to be used… that doesn’t make someone strong. It just makes them cruel.’

‘By that logic, kindness is strength.’

‘It is.’ He held out his hands. ‘I didn’t become the Gym Leader by bullying my way here. Do you think Leavanny follows me because I forced her to? Do you think the Gym Trainers work so hard because I treat them like dirt under my heel?’

How could you reason with that? ‘I’m not your friend, Burgh.’

‘You don’t have to be.’

‘Fine. Good. Whatever. Let’s stop talking about this.’

‘I… Oh, Shadow. If that’s what you want.’ Burgh paused. ‘Would you like me to tell Elesa and Skyla about you being a girl? And the Gym Trainers?’

‘If you want. It doesn’t matter to me.’

‘But clearly it does. If you told me. Does this happen to you a lot?’

‘Yes.’

‘Does it upset you?’

‘Why would it?’ she said. ‘My…’

There was no reason to say it. There wasn’t.

‘Your…?’ Burgh prompted.

Her stomach was churning now. This conversation felt dangerous, in some way she couldn’t identify. There was no reason to say it. No reason to reveal such a vulnerability.

But Burgh was looking at her earnestly. Waiting for an answer.

‘My… my brother and sister understand me. Who I am, down to the core.’ The words came slowly, like they were being dragged out of her. ‘They’re the only people that matter to me.’

Burgh blinked, understanding flashing across his face. ‘And they’re not here.’

‘No. They’re not.’

For a moment, they were both silent. Only the swish of the sea and the hum of the traffic to be heard.

‘I’m sorry, Shadow,’ Burgh said softly. ‘To be away from them… You must be so lonely.’

Stupid Burgh. Stupid Burgh with his wide eyes and earnest expression and ridiculous needling questions –

Shadow put her hand over his face, so she could stop seeing it, and pushed him away. ‘Please, for the love of fuck. Stop talking.’

‘Ack!’ said Burgh. ‘Ack! Yes, that’s what I thought.’ He ducked beneath Shadow’s palm, and took a step back. ‘I’m glad you told me, Shadow. Will we rejoin Elesa and Skyla?’

‘Yes. Yes. Let’s go. Immediately.’

Burgh led the way, and Shadow followed. She focused on calming the tremble in her breathing. On forcing the prickling sensation away. She shouldn’t have said any of that. She should have kept it all to herself.

But then again, he’d asked. She was bound to him by a life debt. If he asked her questions, wasn’t she duty-bound to answer them?

(No one ever asked. No one needled her and clarified her points and tried to understand her perspective. No one ever asked her anything.)

‘Skyla!’ Burgh called. ‘Elesa! Good news! Shadow’s a girl!’

‘That was quick,’ Elesa said. ‘Congratulations, Shadow.’

‘I’ve been one the whole time,’ Shadow said. ‘I didn’t feel like saying so.’

‘Fair enough.’

And that was that. The conversation moved on. Shadow mostly kept out of it, leaning against the railings, enjoying her ice cream.

It was on the way back home when Skyla dropped back to talk to her. Shadow was walking behind the group. Elesa and Burgh were engrossed in conversation. Skyla glanced at them, and then paused long enough to fall into step with Shadow.

‘Hey,’ she said quietly. ‘Could I talk to you for a minute?’

‘If you want.’

‘I was just thinking about earlier…’ Skyla trailed off. ‘I didn’t mean to put you on the spot like that. Sometimes my mouth runs ahead of my brain and I don’t really think about it until later… but that wasn’t a nice thing for me to do.’

Shadow shrugged. ‘It would have come up eventually.’

‘Still,’ Skyla said. ‘I should have let you pick the moment, instead of trying to hurry it along. I’m sorry.’

This again.

‘It’s okay,’ Shadow said. ‘Really. It’s not something that matters to me all that much.’

Skyla looked uncertain. ‘If you’re sure.’

‘I am.’

The streetlights were starting to flicker on. Skyla looked at Shadow for another moment, before catching up to Elesa and Burgh. Shadow kept walking on her own, lost in thought.

What did it feel like to be owed respect? To walk into a room, and expect that everyone there would… what?

She couldn’t even imagine it.

Ahead, the three were laughing. Giggling at some joke of Elesa’s.

What was that like? To have someone to walk alongside, to talk to, share stories with… not from duty, or obligation, but simply because they’d chosen you? Because they liked you enough to stick around?

She’d never made a single friend in her life. All the company she’d ever needed was Lux and Celeste. Because that was all the company she was ever likely to get.

Skyla had apologised. Skyla, who wasn’t living with her, who might never see her again, who had no reason to protect herself by apologising.

To even be considered worthy of apologising to. For her feelings to… be presumed to exist, even. And then to be taken into account.

For all that she was an interloper into his beloved paradise, Burgh wasn’t being cruel to her. He was snarky, yes, but not unkind. Conscious always of where she was. Curious about who she was.

Friendly.

A hammer had no feelings. No hobbies. No thoughts. No preferences, no needs, no vulnerabilities.

But Burgh didn’t think she was a hammer. Apparently, neither did Skyla.

A light touch on her arm startled her out of her reverie. It was Burgh. They’d reached the door of the Castelia Gym. He’d stopped her, just before she’d followed them in.

‘Everything okay?’ he said softly. ‘You’ve hardly said a word today.’

The light from the door spilled around him, blurring his outline. Making his hair shine like coils of copper. Making him seem hazy, like something that had come to her in a dream, long ago.

‘I’m okay,’ Shadow said. ‘Just thinking.’

Chapter Text

In the evenings, once the Gym had been locked up for the day, Burgh would go up to his art loft. At his insistence, Shadow didn’t follow. He was ‘making progress’ with the false art exhibition. Every time she asked, that was what he told her. There was an oddly feverish look in his eyes whenever she brought it up.

She’d been here for almost a week and a half. She hadn’t truly believed that she would have fulfilled her debt by now. But it frustrated her nonetheless.

There was nothing to do, only wait.

Shadow sprawled out on the couch, flicking idly through the channels. Burgh had only been upstairs for about half an hour. Usually he stayed up there for much longer than that. She could watch whatever she wanted.

What did she want to watch? Maybe a documentary, if she could find one. She rarely got control of the TV in N’s Castle. Lux preferred movies, or reality shows. Celeste, of course, preferred Training-centric shows. N liked cartoons, Concordia didn’t like the TV, and Anthea enjoyed sports. It was a waste of time, trying to find something everyone liked.

A scratching sound distracted her. She glanced down to see Pawniard pulling itself onto the couch, by her feet. It settled on the arm of the couch, chirped at her, and then turned towards the television.

That was another thing that had changed since she’d arrived here. Obviously Accelgor was loving it, being in the Gym and being fussed over all the time. But Pawniard… That Pokémon had been quiet and dull and aloof for the entire time she’d known it. And now it was asking for her food in the mornings, running around the Gym after her, and sitting on the couch to watch television with her. Somehow Pawniard had made the decision that they were going to do everything together. Just because she’d asked it to watch over her? Who knew?

But it wasn’t like a Pokémon could snitch on her. If it wanted to join her… that was fine.

She flicked through the channels. Would she even be able to find a documentary? Much less one that appealed to her? Probably not. But she could look. How often did she get the chance to look?

Rarely. And she wasn’t going to get the chance tonight, either. She could hear footsteps coming down from the loft. A moment later, Burgh burst into the room.

‘I have it,’ he said. ‘This false art exhibition, Shadow, I have it, I know just what to do. A mix of old and new – and in the Gym, takes advantage of the space – and I know you won’t like the idea, but I am going to have to loop in at least Louis in on the pretence. I can’t fill out the entire show on my own –’

‘Burgh,’ said Shadow. ‘Slow down.’

‘Right. Right. Okay.’ He ran his hand through his hair, which was bushing out. ‘So. Part of the Gym is closing off for renovations, in about two weeks. We can hold the exhibition before then, under the pretence that it’s a last goodbye to the old Gym. And in doing so, you can catch the thief.’

‘Right.’

‘I don’t have enough art pieces to fill out the space myself. I won’t be able to create more in time. Which is why I’m thinking there would need to be a collaboration with another artist. But given the true reason we’re holding the exhibition… I don’t want to lie, not when there’s a risk that something bad could happen. Even a small one. So, I want to ask Louis to participate, but explain what’s happening to him fully.’

‘Do you trust him to keep quiet?’ Shadow asked.

‘Completely. I trust all the Gym Trainers.’

‘You want to tell them all?’

‘I haven’t decided yet. But I have a date decided now. I’ll work on what I can. I just thought you might want to know.’ Burgh took a deep breath. ‘It’s what you were waiting for. Right?’

Shadow looked back at the TV. ‘Sure.’

Burgh followed her gaze. ‘Peppa Tepig? Really?’

‘Pawniard picked it.’

Pawniard growled. It had taken the remote from her hands while she was talking to Burgh, and it didn’t seemed interested in handing the remote back anytime soon.

‘So, um, that’s all I came downstairs to tell you,’ Burgh said. ‘I’ll get the whole process in motion, and hopefully it all goes well… I would like to try my hand at designing a sculpture again, without worrying that it will be torn apart in the street.’

‘You haven’t actually brought me to see it,’ Shadow said. ‘The statue. Sculpture. Whatever it is.’

Burgh didn’t respond to her at once. When she glanced away from the TV, he looked stricken.

‘Do you want to see it?’ he asked.

‘Why not?’ Shadow said. ‘It was part of the thefts.’

‘Right…’ He sighed. ‘It’s still in place, in Castelia Fountain. There’s been delays in getting it repaired, parts or something, I don’t know… We’ll go tomorrow. We can stop by Castelia Cone on the way. It’s Tuesday. Pokémon cups.’

‘If that’s what you want…?’

‘Yeah. Yeah.’ In the dim light, his shoulders seemed to slump. She thought she could see that exhausted expression creeping across his face again, that quiet defeat. ‘We’ll go tomorrow.’

                                                            *

Once the Gym had closed the next day, Burgh led her down the familiar route to Castelia Cone. He brought Leavanny, who walked alongside them elegantly. Shadow left Accelgor behind, to be fussed over by Clarence and Louis, and brought Pawniard along instead. When she let it out of its Pokéball, in the queue for Castelia Cone, it immediately tensed, eyes scanning the surroundings for threats.

‘No battles,’ she said. ‘We’re here for something else.’

It looked puzzled, but followed her through the queue anyway.

‘A Pokémon cup for Leavanny, and one for Pawniard,’ Burgh said. ‘Raspberry for me… Shadow, the same again? Or something different?’

‘I don’t know what the other flavours are.’

‘Oh, try the caramel! That’s a classic.’

Once they had the cones in hand, Burgh nodded towards a nearby bench. ‘Will we sit there?’

‘I thought we were going to see the statue.’

‘We are! We can just enjoy the ice cream in the sun first.’

Shadow frowned at him. ‘You’re stalling.’

‘I am. Do you blame me?’

‘Fine. But we’re going straight there after.’

Pawniard didn’t know what to do when she handed it the Pokémon cup. It cradled the cup seriously, looking up at Shadow as if expecting an order.

‘It’s food,’ she said. ‘It’s a treat. Eat it.’

Leavanny crouched beside Pawniard, making quiet clicking noises. A moment later, Pawniard seemed to understand, and started to spoon the ice cream into its mouth. It let out a series of high-pitched chirps.

‘Pawniard seems happy,’ Burgh said.

‘Hmm?’ said Shadow. ‘I suppose.’

She ate slowly, savouring the flavour. Sweet without being overly so. Rich in flavour. Small crunchy nuggets of caramel, mixed into the ice cream. Once this madness was over, would she ever get a chance to come back and try it again? Probably not. Probably never.

Pawniard practically inhaled the ice cream. As soon as it had finished eating, it started inching towards her. Shadow kept an eye on it, ready to fight it off if it lunged for her ice cream – but instead, it just sat beside her, nuzzling into her side.

‘Eh?’ she said. ‘What’s the matter with you?’

Burgh laughed. ‘That’s affection, Shadow. Pawniard’s showing you affection.’

‘… Why?’

‘Because you were nice to it. Treats are a great way to bond with a Pokémon.’

‘Hm…’ Hesitantly, she patted Pawniard on the head. ‘Okay. There you go. Go away now.’

Pawniard nuzzled in closer. Leavanny made a sound suspiciously close to a giggle.

Shadow scowled. ‘Whatever. Are you done eating?’

‘Not yet, I’m afraid.’ Burgh tilted his head towards the sun, and closed his eyes. ‘You’ll have to enjoy my presence a little longer.’

It wasn’t the worst way to spend an afternoon. Sitting in the sunlight, a sweet taste on her tongue, a Pokémon snuggled into one side, an artist lounging on the other. Not that she was going to tell Burgh that.

Eventually, though, there was no delaying it. Burgh stood up. The calm, relaxed look faded from his face, replaced by resignation. Shadow followed him as he led her deeper into the city.

Castelia’s streets gradually wound together, flowing from the expanse of the Dock Road inwards, towards Castelia Park. Shadow could see the trees between the skyscrapers, saw the great golden gates that heralded the entrance.

‘Castelia Park,’ Burgh said, in the tones of a tour guide. ‘Centrepiece of the city. Symbolic of the harmony between people and Pokémon.’

The park was full of both. Trainers having battles, office workers lounging under the trees, parents leading children by the hand. Pokémon in the trees, or wandering through the grass. Sunlight and the smell of fresh growth.

‘People are waving to you,’ Shadow said, as they walked.

‘Of course,’ Burgh said, sounding surprised. ‘I’m a public figure, you know.’

‘Oh, excuse me.’

‘Does that sound terribly egotistical?’ Burgh smiled. ‘Being a Gym Leader… it’s about more than battle, or prestige. It’s a position of trust. I’m only here to serve the community.’

‘That sounded egotistical.’

‘If you insist.’

The adults tended to recognise Burgh, but kept their distance. The Trainers, generally young teens, didn’t acknowledge him. But they clearly knew he was there, in the way their spines straightened, the way they called their moves with more confidence. Looking to impress. The children mostly ignored him, with the exception of one – a schoolchild who broke free of their mother’s grasp and beelined across the grass.

‘Gym Leader!’ she said, thrusting out a Pokéball. She couldn’t have been more than five years old. ‘Battle me!’

‘Oh my!’ said Burgh, crouching down. ‘Hello. I don’t think you’re old enough for the Gym Challenge yet, my friend.’

‘Battle me!’

By Shadow’s side, Pawniard tensed. Without thinking, she called Pawniard back into its Pokéball. A Pokémon attacking a child… that wouldn’t do.

But the motion had caught the child’s eye. She stared at Shadow, jaw dropped, Burgh forgotten entirely. ‘Are you a ninja?!’

‘Yes.’

‘That’s so cool! I want to be a ninja. And a Gym Leader. A ninja Gym Leader!’

The child’s mother had caught up, babbling apologies to Burgh and recriminations to the child in the same breath. Burgh laughed them off, while Shadow stood back.

Burgh was a public figure. Burgh was often seen around town. Burgh drew attention in.

Sooner or later, the word would get out. That he spent his time with a shadowy figure, light-footed and fierce, with long white hair. Powerful and silent. Sooner or later, that description would get into the ears of former Team Plasma members.

What then?

It had felt, on some level, as if she could cordon this part of her life off. Fulfil her debt, return to Team Plasma with her conscience clean and her loyalties untangled. Mark this down as some brief fit of madness, a mistake she’d quickly corrected. Would Ghetsis see it that way?

Would anyone?

The path winding through the trees grew wider as they drew nearer to the centre. She could see other paths leading to other parts of the city, all converging onto –

‘Central Plaza,’ Burgh said. ‘The heart of the city.’ He sighed. ‘And there, in the centre, is my ruined masterpiece.’

Central Plaza was a broad, open space, a quiet oasis in the centre of Castelia’s bustle. There were benches scattered around, decorative flowerbeds, but the centrepiece of the plaza was the fountain.

It wasn’t running now. The water sat stagnant in the broad pool. Shadow approached, trying to make sense of what she was seeing.

Two dragons. The statue in the centre had once been two great dragons, circling each other. Beneath their great wings, two human figures stood, facing each other, hands raised.

All four heads had been hacked off. Only rough stumps remained. The left human had had their arms obliterated entirely, too. Chunks of stone were missing here and there all over the statue, and even from the lip of the pool.

‘Wow,’ said Shadow. ‘You’re lucky there’s anything left at all.’

‘Thank you for your input,’ Burgh said dryly. He frowned as he looked at the mess. ‘It would have been better destroyed outright. Seeing it like this…’

‘It took a lot of effort to do this,’ Shadow said. ‘A lot of anger.’

Burgh shuddered. ‘Don’t say that. I’ve been trying not to think about it.’

‘Any leads?’

‘CCTV in the area was taken out the night of the attack. There’s no leads apart from that. No one saw anything, or heard anything.’

‘The CCTV was taken out?’

‘They think by a Pokémon attack. But they’re not sure. It doesn’t show clearly what happened – it just cuts out.’

‘Hmm.’ Shadow looked back at the wreckage.

‘It’s been in and out of the local news for weeks,’ said Burgh. ‘It made headlines as far away as Opelucid City. I’ve been wondering if it wasn’t a message.’

‘A threat? To you? I thought you said you didn’t have enemies.’

‘I don’t.’ Burgh hesitated. ‘Of course there are people I don’t like, and people that don’t like me, but nothing that could ever lead to a rage like this. The only culprit I would ever have even considered would have been Team Plasma… but if you’re here…’

‘My debt is an obligation that falls only on me. And besides that, Team Plasma has been disbanded. If a former member has a grudge against you, I might never have heard about it.’

‘I suppose not. I only tangled with them twice. Once was N’s Castle, of course. Against… Zinzolin, I think his name was? Another time, before that, a Pokémon was snatched from Professor Juniper’s assistant. I helped to get the Pokémon back. I never battled Team Plasma directly apart from that. There were protests here, of course, but I wasn’t involved.’

‘Nothing sticks out to you about the time that you rescued the Pokémon?’

‘No. I battled – I think you call them the grunts? They were all in uniform, anyway. None of them were happy with me, of course, but none stick out as being particularly vicious.’ Burgh hesitated. ‘You don’t think that it was Zinzolin?’

‘I’m sure that if any of the Seven Sages escaped Looker, they’re helping to rebuild Team Plasma.’ Privately, she wasn’t sure of any such thing, but it was better not to say so.

Burgh put his hands in his pockets, and regarded the statue. For a moment, neither of them said anything. The noise of the city flowed around them, leaving them in a bubble of silence.

‘I was so proud,’ he said quietly. ‘I worked harder on this sculpture than I’ve worked on anything in my life. I brought it up when I was assessed to be Gym Leader. People proposed in front of this fountain. It was chosen to be the cover design for the Castelia Arts Festival pamphlets. I had hopes it would become emblematic of Castelia, the way the Ferris Wheel is for Nimbasa. And now it’s just… destroyed. Reduced to rubble.’ 

‘I’ll catch whoever did it,’ Shadow said. ‘I will.’

Burgh was still looking at the statue. Eyes unfocused, as if he was looking at something in another place, another time. ‘So what if you do? I can get my canvases back. But the sculpture will never go back to the way it was, never.’

She didn’t have a response for that.

After a moment, Burgh shook himself. He smiled at her, but it looked strained. ‘Ah! There I go, getting sentimental. There’s little use in dwelling on the past. Have you seen enough?’

She glanced at the statue. There wasn’t much more she could learn from it. ‘Yes.’

‘Then we’ll go home. I can’t say I enjoy looking at it.’

He led them back the way they’d come. The air still seemed tense, fraught. Shadow tried to think of something to say. ‘There’s a Castelia Arts Festival?’

‘Oh goodness, yes. Dozens of them. That one’s the oldest, hence the simplest name. It’s been running practically since the city’s been founded. Mostly hosted in the university, these days, although there’s still plenty of theatres that take part.’

‘There’s a university here?’

Burgh glanced back at her. He had that look on his face again, as if he couldn’t decide if he pitied her, or wanted to laugh at her. ‘Of course. The city has everything you could possibly imagine, Shadow.’

What could she imagine? She’d never been to a theatre. Or on the grounds of a university. Certainly she’d never been to an arts festival. It wasn’t that she wanted to. Necessarily.

The option might have been nice.

Burgh kept talking. ‘Oh, do you want to go to an arts festival? Or multiple of them? I think I have a pamphlet… yes, I have a pamphlet at home, I’ll show you the sculpture the way it was supposed to be. Unity in Truth and Ideals, it was called, but mostly people called it Unity, when they called it anything at all. If you want a tour of Castelia’s art galleries, I can arrange something – I know lots of the artists, I could practically give the tours for you.’

There was something soothing in listening to him talk. Like listening to the babbling of a brook. Could she put up with it for an entire afternoon? Flowing soft and cool into her ears?

‘Okay,’ she said, surprising herself. ‘Take me to an art gallery.’

Burgh stopped. Slowly, a smile broke across his face. A softer one, something childish and sweet in it. ‘Really?’

‘Before I change my mind.’

‘Now? Okay. Okay. Let me think.’ Burgh chewed the end of his thumb. He couldn’t seem to suppress the smile, as if it were breaking free of him. ‘Yes! I know where we’ll go. A newer gallery – about ten minutes from here – run by an old friend. I’ll tell you everything about the pieces, put it all into context for you.’

Somehow, oddly, she found herself smiling too. At least she had her mask on. ‘If you want.’

‘Come on. Quick! The night approaches.’ Burgh set off at a jog this time, and she loped after him. It was work, keeping up with his long strides.

It’s supposed to be a punishment, said an angry voice in the back of her head. Following him around. It’s supposed to be a PUNISHMENT.

And it was. Of a sort.

Burgh glanced over his shoulder. He was still smiling. A kind of soft, easy joy that she’d never witnessed in Team Plasma. Not once.

The skin on her arms prickled. She thought, again, of Lux’s words. You’re not being punished.

No. Whatever punishment was coming… it had yet to arrive.

Chapter Text

The day after the visit to the gallery, Shadow woke up feeling warm and well-rested. The previous day had refracted like a kaleidoscope through her dreams. Walking through the little gallery, Burgh pausing by each painting to tell her about art history, or about painting techniques, or the story that the artist had told him about creating this particular piece. His voice had taken on a soft, reverent quality, filling the quiet air of the gallery.  

Shadow pressed her face into the pillow, hiding her smile. It had been a nice day. It had been nice.

‘Good morning, Shadow!’ Burgh called, as he walked from his bedroom to the kitchen. ‘Another bright and beautiful morning. Coffee?’

‘If you insist.’

Once they’d eaten, they made their way downstairs. Shadow found that her good mood wasn’t fading, despite the early hour. That was unusual. Frankly it was unusual for her to be in a good mood at all.

‘We could go somewhere else,’ she said. ‘Once the Gym is closed.’

‘You liked the art gallery?’ Burgh clapped his hands together. ‘Oh, I’m so glad you did. The Gym is closed at the weekend – we could do a full-day trip through the Castelia Art Museum? Or something else, if you’d prefer to move away from art?’

‘You tell me. You live here.’

‘Oh, I know lots of lovely places in this city. And after all these years, I’m still finding more. Leave it with me, Shadow, I’ll find somewhere for us to go.’

‘Sure,’ said Shadow. She pushed down the nagging worry in her stomach. Who did she think she was, floating around art galleries as if she didn’t have a care in the world? She had duties, responsibilities, and yet this was what she was doing?

No one will know, she told herself.   

It was drawing towards the evening, the last challenger approaching the final battle area. Shadow, having kept an eye on things through the Gym during the day, returned unseen to observe the fight.

But before the battle could begin, the intercom buzzed. Burgh pressed the button to accept the call. As he listened, his expression went from excited to puzzled. He lifted his head, looking around the room. Shadow made herself visible, just as the new Gym contender entered.

‘What is it?’ she said. ‘Is it bad news?’

‘There are visitors at the Gym entrance,’ he said. ‘But not for me. For you.’

Shadow stared back at him. ‘For… me…?’

‘That’s what Clyde said.’

Her mind raced. Who would be calling at the Gym entrance for her? Celeste and Lux would never do something so obvious, they could reach her other ways. But who else was there? The Sages were scattered, Ghetsis was gone. Team Plasma had disbanded. Who could be looking for her? Who would even know where she was?

‘Is everything okay?’ Burgh asked. ‘Do you need me to go to the front with you?’

‘No.’ She could see the Trainer over Burgh’s shoulder, approaching apprehensively. ‘Stay here and finish out your battle. Whatever it is, I can deal with it on my own.’

She made her way invisibly through the Gym. But as she passed, some of the Pokémon lifted their heads. Kerry paused in the middle of resetting a gate, looking around with a frown. Shadow had been around long enough now that they were beginning to see through her illusion. That wasn’t a good sign.

Clyde was standing in the doorway, peering into the street. When Shadow appeared beside her, he nodded without appearing startled.

‘Morning, Shadow,’ he said. ‘I asked your visitors to come in, but they wanted to stay outside. They’re on a bench over there.’

Shadow followed his gaze, and felt for a moment as if her heart had stopped.

Anthea and Concordia were sitting a few feet away. Worse than when she’d last seen them, in those dazed moments after the final battle between the Hero of Truth and Ghetsis. Thinner, paler, more haggard…

‘Shadow,’ Concordia breathed, getting to her feet. Shadow crossed the space between them in what felt like a breath.

‘What the fuck are the two of you doing here?’ she said. ‘Have you lost your minds?’

Concordia flinched. ‘No, I – Shadow –’

‘The other Shadows told us where you were,’ Anthea said. ‘Or – suggested it, at least.’

‘What do you want?’ Shadow said. The light out here seemed too bright, her mind moving too fast. It was bad enough that she’d gotten herself into this mess. If Ghetsis ever found out that Anthea and Concordia had come here, if he thought that they were involved somehow…

Anthea and Concordia shared a glance. Shadow read disappointment there, as if they’d been hoping for a warmer welcome. She shoved the guilt away. There would be time enough to feel it later.

Anthea said, ‘We’ve made the decision to leave Team Plasma.’

‘There’s no Team Plasma to leave. It all fell apart, remember?’

‘We mean leave it for good,’ said Concordia. ‘Not helping to rebuild it, not going back if it ever comes back together. We want to go out into the world and build lives of our own.’

Shadow let out a harsh bark of laughter. ‘Good luck with that. Do you think you can just shrug off Team Plasma? That you can just say sorry, and the whole world will forgive you?’

Concordia squared her shoulders. ‘Yes.’

‘You have to hope,’ Anthea murmured.

‘That stain follows you forever. That loyalty never goes away.’

‘It’s possible to get out,’ said Concordia. ‘Lots of the former grunts got out. You’ve gotten out.’

For a moment, Shadow felt the incandescent urge to knock her teeth in. ‘Is that what you think this is? That I’ve run off to live in bliss in Castelia City? That I forgot everything I ever learned about loyalty so I could spend my days cuddling Pokémon and eating ice cream?’

Concordia’s lip wobbled. She squeezed her eyes closed, and took a deep shuddering breath. Shadow watched while she tried to compose her face.

‘I don’t know why you’re here,’ she whispered at last. ‘When we came back to N’s Castle, no one would tell us where you were gone, or what had happened to you. Just that the Shadow Triad was suddenly the Shadow Duo… We thought you’d died. Aren’t you happy to see us? We’re so happy to see you…’

Anthea, usually sharp and brash, was watching the exchange in silence. She looked sad. The two of them seemed empty. Defeated. Shadow felt her defensiveness draining away.

‘I’m glad you’re both okay,’ she said. ‘Of course I am. But I’m here on a mission.’

‘What mission?’ said Concordia.

‘It doesn’t matter. I’m still loyal to Team Plasma. I always will be.’

‘Please,’ Concordia said softly. ‘Please, Shadow. There’s no one else left who can help us. We don’t have money, we don’t have a place to stay, we don’t have anything. You grew up with us. Isn’t there anything you can do?’

She didn’t answer. Her mind was whirling. What would Ghetsis think? And what could she even do? She herself had no money. It wasn’t as if she could hide them in the Gym somewhere. Or fit them on the couch beside her at night.

‘Shadow?’ Anthea said.

‘Shut up. I’m thinking.’

And then, another voice. 

‘Everything okay out here?’

Shadow turned, annoyance and relief mingling in her stomach. Burgh was approaching them, looking concerned. He looked at Anthea and Concordia, and then back at Shadow, eyes wide. ‘Are these your siblings?’

‘I – No. They’re… No.’

‘Hi,’ Burgh said, holding out his hand. ‘I’m Burgh, the Castelia City Gym Leader. The two of you are…?’ 

‘I’m Concordia, and this is Anthea. We came here to talk to Shadow. There’s a lot we need to tell her, and ask her.’

‘Why don’t you come inside?’ he said. ‘You can all go up to my apartment, and talk there. Feel free to help yourselves to coffee.’

Concordia’s face lit up. ‘Would that be okay? If we went there?’

‘Of course! A friend of Shadow’s is… um, not a friend of mine, exactly… Cancel that. Of course you can. It’s private. Much easier to talk up there.’

‘Let’s go, then,’ said Anthea.

‘Okay,’ said Burgh. ‘I’ll leave you to it, I wouldn’t want to –’

‘No, you’re coming,’ said Shadow. She took his wrist.

‘Oh? Am I?’

‘Yes.’ He’d suggested it. He could follow through. Besides which, she needed a buffer. Someone who actually knew how to be sweet and friendly and diplomatic. ‘Come on.’

She led the way back to the Gym. Clyde nodded as they passed. As they made their way through the Gym, the Gym Trainers gave them strange looks. Burgh waved them away with one hand.

‘Believe me, Shadow, I’m not complaining,’ he said, quietly enough that only she could hear. ‘But you can let go of me, if you want to, I won’t run away.’

But she didn’t. He hadn’t phrased it as an order, so it wasn’t one. If she slowed down, or looked back, she would see Anthea and Concordia. She had to think about this. She had to figure out what to do.

It was worse in the lift. Small, enclosed space, nothing separating anyone from each other. Shadow felt the weight of the others looking at her. All their confusion, expectations, curiosity, all of it piling onto her. She was meant to be a knife, designed for cruel destruction. Not for whatever this was.

When they got into the apartment, she let go. Anthea and Concordia hesitated in the doorway. Burgh waved them towards the couch.

‘Please,’ he said. ‘Take a seat. Coffee?’

No, Shadow thought. But both Anthea and Concordia agreed. Burgh brushed past her on the way to the kitchen.

‘I’m here,’ he murmured. ‘I’ll be right back.’

I don’t need you, she thought. I don’t need anything. But Anthea and Concordia were turning their faces towards her, and it felt like a pit was opening in her stomach.

Shadow leaned against the wall, and crossed her arms. None of them spoke until Burgh came back, bearing a tray with coffee cups and biscuits.

‘Here,’ he said. ‘Help yourselves.’

‘Thank you,’ Concordia said. Anthea just smiled.

Burgh glanced up. ‘Anything for you, Shadow?’

She shook her head. She wanted to shout at him, at all of them, but that wasn’t the way to go about this. But she didn’t know what was. She wanted to run. Just flee, hide until this was all over.

‘Okay,’ she said. Forcing the words out. ‘Tell me.’

‘We want to leave Team Plasma,’ Concordia said. ‘With Ghetsis gone, with N gone, there’s nothing left.’

‘I thought N had taken you with him,’ Shadow said. ‘When you didn’t show up again afterwards.’

Concordia’s expression clouded. ‘No,’ she said, after a moment. ‘He didn’t.’

‘The rat bastard.’ Anger was easy, so easy. ‘You practically raised him.’

‘Not now,’ Anthea said softly. ‘Another time.’

‘Team Plasma was gone,’ Concordia said. ‘We escaped the Castle after it collapsed, and took shelter with some of the grunts. We went back, to try to find you. To see if anything was left. For us. For anyone.’

‘There isn’t,’ Shadow said. Her voice sounded hollow. ‘There’s nothing.’

‘We wanted to leave,’ Concordia said. ‘We’ve spent our whole lives in that place, Shadow, you know what it’s like. Suffocating down there, all alone, for weeks, months, years… for nothing. To cause more problems for Unova. No. We’d had enough.’

It was such a hopeless, useless thing to want. ‘You can’t just cast off Team Plasma like it’s nothing. You can’t turn your back on Ghetsis. There’s no escaping it.’

‘That’s what the other Shadows said. They told us that if we struck out on our own, that they wouldn’t help us. It would be betraying him.’ Concordia hesitated. ‘Your sister, she sort of… I think she felt sorry for us. She told us you were here, but not why. So we came here to just… talk to you. See you.’

‘There’s no point in seeing me. I’m here until I’ve repaid my debt to Burgh. And then I’m going home.’

‘Debt?’ Concordia said. ‘To him?’

‘Never mind,’ Shadow said. ‘I… I don’t really know what you want me to do for you. If you’re betraying Team Plasma…’

‘Leaving. Not betraying.’

‘Leaving is as good as betraying. If you’re betraying Team Plasma, I can’t help you.’

‘What exactly are you doing?’ Anthea said. ‘What is Ghetsis going to think if he ever hears about this?’

‘He’s not going to. I’m going to solve it. No one is ever going to mention it again.’

‘And that’s enough for you? To follow him forever?’

‘It’s not about me. It’s about loyalty.’

‘Loyalty doesn’t count for shit.’ Here was a spark of the real Anthea. ‘What loyalty has he ever shown us? Training us all to do exactly what he wanted, casting us aside the moment we weren’t useful to him anymore –’

‘He raised us. He protected us, kept us safe, kept us fed. You want to betray that?’

‘That’s nothing!’ Anthea hissed. ‘Oh, he fed us, he guarded us – every parent does that, Pokémon or human, land or sea! What makes him special? He doesn’t even love us. The only one of us he ever cared about was N. And now N’s gone.’

‘Love? You expected Ghetsis to love you?’

‘Yes! Yes, of course I did.’ Anthea sighed, and the fight seemed to go out of her entirely. ‘We loved N, even though he wasn’t ours. I don’t know why Ghetsis didn’t love us.’

It wasn’t the kind of question that could be answered. Shadow said nothing.

Concordia said softly, ‘It wasn’t Ghetsis that protected us when we were in danger. It was the three of you. And it wasn’t him that cooked our meals, or looked after you when you were sick. That was me and Anthea.’

She was looking at Shadow with such hope shimmering in her eyes.

Shadow sighed. ‘And you want me to protect you now.’

‘We don’t have anyone else.’

She closed her eyes. Trying to think. She was betraying herself enough by being here. She couldn’t complicate her loyalties more by dismantling the inner circle of Team Plasma. She owed her loyalties to Ghetsis, not to Burgh or Anthea or Concordia or –

But Concordia was right. She’d fallen ill, once, a fever that roared through her body like a forest fire. Ghetsis had eventually brought her medication. But it had been Anthea and Concordia who had sat by her bedside, singing to her, bringing her water, putting damp cloths on her forehead. They’d cooked her almost every meal she’d ever eaten. She owed them something. But even if she did… what could she do for them? She didn’t have a house she could put them up in, she didn’t have money, she –

‘Could I suggest something?’ Burgh said.

She’d almost forgotten he was there. Judging by the looks on Anthea and Concordia’s faces, they’d forgotten too. She turned her head slowly. He was watching Shadow, and he looked apprehensive.

‘Coming from me,’ he said, ‘and not from you. So there’s no moral compromise from you. Okay?’

Anthea and Concordia both agreed. But Burgh waited until Shadow nodded before he turned to face them.

‘You’re not the first people to try and get out,’ he said. ‘There’s a safe house in Driftveil City. It’s run by an ex-Sage – Rood?’

‘Soft-hearted bastard,’ Shadow murmured.

‘It’s ex-members of Team Plasma who are trying to atone for what they’ve done. Clay, the Driftveil City Gym Leader, keeps an eye on them. He told all of us Gym Leaders about it, in case any ex-Team Plasma members ever came to us.’

‘Really?’ Concordia sat up. ‘There’s a place like that?’

‘Of course. If that’s what you want, we can arrange ways to get you there – there’s a train to Nimbasa City, and Clay should be able to meet you there. Or Elesa, if she’s around.’

Anthea and Concordia shared a look. ‘It might be our best option,’ Anthea murmured.

‘It is.’ Burgh hesitated. ‘In terms of leaving… building a new life… it won’t be easy. It takes a lot of patience and strength. But I believe you can do it.’

‘What other choice do we have?’ said Concordia.

Shadow breathed out slowly, feeling a mingled sense of relief and disappointment. It was anticlimactic, having the decision taken out of her hands.

‘I’ll make a few phone calls,’ Burgh said. ‘You’ll be okay here, everyone?’

But he was looking at Shadow as he said it, and waited until she nodded before leaving the room.

‘Shadow…’ said Concordia. ‘You could come with us.’

‘I told you. I have a mission here.’

‘After, then. You know where we’ll be. You could join us. You don’t have to go back to Team Plasma. You don’t.’

‘No.’

‘Shadow,’ said Anthea. ‘What would you do if you had no other choice? If you knew for absolute certain that Team Plasma was gone for good?’

Shadow glanced towards the window. She could see all the way down to the docks, the sun shimmering on the wide expanse of the sea. She thought about art galleries, about Pokémon cup Tuesdays, about the clamour of the Gym Trainers when they were all talking at once. The answer to that question felt…

‘It doesn’t matter,’ she said. ‘Ifs and maybes… In this world, Team Plasma is going to reform itself sooner or later. And when it does, it’s my duty to be there by Ghetsis’s side. I haven’t forgotten that. Even if you have.’

Concordia’s expression dimmed, the hope draining out of it. She looked away. ‘There’s not much point in talking to you about it, then.’

They waited in silence until Burgh came back. Shadow saw him wince as he entered, as if he was picking up on the tension.

‘I’ve contacted Clay,’ he said. ‘He’s agreed to meet you in Nimbasa City, from the evening train. Is that okay?’

‘That’s perfect,’ Concordia said, turning her body towards him, and away from Shadow. ‘We can’t thank you enough for your help.’

‘I, um, you’re welcome. Just doing my job.’

Shadow could feel both of them looking at her. But she kept her eyes on the carpet.

‘We’ll walk you there, if you like,’ Burgh said. ‘But best to leave now if you want to catch the next train. Do you know what Clay looks like? I can show you a picture?’

As the three of them talked, Shadow kept quiet. The problem was solved now. There was no need for her to say anything. Probably best for everyone if she never spoke again.

The walk to the train station seemed as if it would never end. Burgh kept a conversation going, easy talk about this and that. Anthea and Concordia responded to him cautiously, their voices low. Shadow could feel her own silence, a void in the centre of the conversation.

The train station was bustling, filled with evening commuters. Shadow suppressed a shudder at the noise of it. She was running out of time. She had to say something. She had to. She –

‘Good luck,’ she said, as the train pulled in. ‘I hope you’re happy with this choice.’

Concordia gave her an unreadable look. ‘We are.’

And then the two of them were stepping onto the train, and the doors were closing, and they were gone.

‘Come on,’ Shadow said, turning to Burgh. ‘Let’s go.’

‘Sure.’

Another long, silent walk. The sun was going down, and the streets were quiet. The train would be heading away from them now, chugging steadily towards Nimbasa. It would probably be the last time that she would ever see Anthea and Concordia. Ever.

Which was good, if they were no longer loyal to Team Plasma. It was good. It was.

It was a long way, between there and here.

And then they were home. Back in the apartment, in the quiet, the space where Anthea and Concordia weren’t.

‘That was… something,’ Burgh said tentatively. ‘It must have been tough for you, Shadow, you weren’t –’

Shadow pressed her back against the wall and sank down. Resting her arms on her knees, she buried her face in her elbow, and closed her eyes.

‘Ah,’ Burgh said. ‘Yeah. Okay.’ Distantly, she heard him moving, felt the shift in the air as he sat down beside her. ‘I’m here if you want to talk.’

‘I don’t.’

But he didn’t move. 

This would have been easier back in the Castle. Lux and Celeste would have known to leave her alone, let the fire rage until all that remained in her heart was ash. But there was nowhere to hide here, not really. She should have barricaded herself in the bathroom for an hour, or put on a brave face until he’d gone up to his art loft.

The moments ticked on.

‘Shadow?’ Burgh said softly.

‘I should have been able to help them.’ The words stung like acid, tripping over her tongue. ‘I should have been able to do something.’

‘You did. They’re both safe now. They have the help they need.’

‘That wasn’t me. That was you.’ Shadow heaved in another breath. Her chest felt tight, as if her lungs were compressing inwards. ‘I made things worse.’

‘Shadow… it’s okay to cry.’

‘Fuck off. No, it’s not.’

‘Not in Team Plasma. Right. But you’re not there now.’

Shadow lifted her head. Burgh was kneeling beside her. ‘You all keep saying that,’ she hissed. ‘Oh, Team Plasma’s gone, Team Plasma doesn’t matter. What world are you living in?’

‘The real one,’ Burgh said. ‘The world’s bigger than Team Plasma, Shadow.’

Attacking him would violate her debt. She stilled the reflexive twitch in her hands. ‘Nothing’s bigger than Team Plasma. Burgh… you don’t… you don’t understand. You never will. Stop trying to talk to me about it.’

Burgh hesitated. ‘If that’s what would make you feel better,’ he said at last. ‘For what it’s worth… I think you did the best you could for your friends today.’

Shadow didn’t answer. She gazed into the distance, waiting for Burgh to leave. But he didn’t.

‘Still here?’ she said.

‘I think you need the company.’

‘I don’t.’

‘If you don’t want me here, tell me to leave.’

The word was on the tip of her tongue. Waiting for her to say it. It was a choice, and she could make it. If she wanted to, she could tell him to leave.

But she didn’t.

The quiet went on, and on.

She was almost hyperaware of Burgh beside her. The faint rise and fall of his breathing. Something alien in it. She had never let a stranger sit so close to her for so long.

It was hard to hold the anger. Usually it built in her chest, a pile of ash that choked her throat. But this anger was draining away like water, impossible to hold. In its wake, she was just exhausted.

‘You helped me today,’ she said. ‘Even though you didn’t have a reason to.’

‘You needed it. That was enough.’

‘… Thanks.’

She wasn’t looking at him. But she could picture the soft smile on his face, all the same. ‘Anytime, Shadow.’

‘Enough, enough.’ She unfolded her limbs, and pulled herself to her feet.

‘Enough emotion for one day?’ Burgh stood up, and stretched. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so expressive before.’

‘And you never will again. Go cook dinner or something. I’m hungry.’

He snorted. ‘Oh, your personal servant, am I? Come and keep me company, at least.’

Shadow followed him into the kitchen. The mood between them felt lighter. But even so, something lingered. She could tell, by the sideways looks Burgh gave her, as he chopped vegetables, gathered ingredients, set water to boil. It was when he had his back mostly turned to her, sautéing the vegetables, when he put voice to it.

‘You’re very loyal to Ghetsis,’ he said.

‘Of course.’

‘Tell me about him.’

Shadow hesitated. Thinking of Looker, thinking of the argument they’d just had. ‘Why do you want to know?’

‘The kind of loyalty that you have… it’s unusual. I can’t say I really understand it.’

‘He saved us, when we were young. All three of us. He saved us, he raised us… Of course we’re loyal to him. He made us what we are.’

Burgh frowned. She could tell he wanted to argue. Instead, he said, ‘Saved you from what?’

‘We did something terrible, when we were children. Something we would have been punished for, exiled for… Ghetsis helped us. He rescued us.’

‘When you were children? What on earth did you do?’

Snow and blood and ice. Cold piercing her nose, her fingers, her toes. Flurries of snowflakes swirling and the stars hidden by pine trees, a roar rumbling through the darkness, filling her chest. The terrible, aching sensation that she had done something wrong, lost something that she would never get back.

Ghetsis, kneeling in the snow, taking her tiny hands. ‘It will be alright, child,’ said that long-ago voice. ‘All will be well. You need only follow me.’

‘Shadow?’

Shadow shook her head, dislodging the scraps of memory. ‘It was a long time ago.’

‘Why follow him, still?’

‘Because it was awful. Because I’ll never be able to repay him.’

‘But what happened?’

Shadow looked directly at him. ‘Are you ordering me to tell you?’

Burgh hesitated. ‘No.’

‘Then I’m not going to.’ Shadow stood up and made her way into the living room, sprawling in her by-now familiar spot. She started to flick through the TV channels. Thankfully, Burgh didn’t follow her.

It was something that they never spoke about. Even between the three of them. A haunted look crept into Lux’s eyes whenever it was brought up, his voice growing trembling and quiet. It had become one of those pitfalls that they never addressed. A gap in the floor they were all careful to tiptoe around. She wished now that they had talked about it more. Spent an evening or two hashing out exactly what had happened. The memories were so hazy. It had been so long ago.

The truth was that she couldn’t exactly remember.

Chapter Text

‘Are we all clear?’ Burgh said. ‘No questions?’

They were standing in the Gym’s final battle area. Burgh had just finished explaining the plan for the false art exhibition to the Gym Trainers.

‘Totally clear,’ said Kerry. ‘This is real cloak-and-dagger shit. I like it.’

‘Remember,’ Shadow said, ‘you can’t say a word to anyone. Or this whole thing is over before it even starts.’

Kerry saluted. ‘No fear. We’ll all keep our mouths shut.’

Louis was wringing his hands. He looked a little green. ‘Still… even a fake exhibition… there’s going to be so many people here… all looking at my art…’

‘As they should,’ Burgh said. ‘You’re an extremely talented artist, Louis. Have faith in yourself.’

‘It’s going to be hard to pull this all together in a week,’ said Jack. ‘Especially since the Gym is going to be open the entire time. Are you sure we can do it?’

‘Completely sure,’ said Burgh. ‘Or, um, mostly sure, anyway.’

Clarence grinned. ‘This will be chaos. I smell an upcoming entry to the Burgh Board.’

‘The what?’ said Shadow.

All four Gym Trainers turned towards her, wearing identical mischievous expressions.

‘Nothing,’ Burgh said. ‘Just a silly little –’

‘You haven’t seen the Burgh Board?’ said Kerry.

‘No.’

‘Come with us. Now.’

‘Hey!’ said Burgh. ‘We’re still meant to be planning –’

But Kerry was already leading Shadow away, towards the Gym canteen. She rooted in a cupboard for a moment, before emerging with a whiteboard.

‘This,’ she said dramatically, ‘is the Burgh Board. It’s a catalogue of all the weird shit that happens to him.’

‘Show me?’ said Shadow, taking the board from Kerry’s hands. ‘Let’s see… entry one, dated a vampire.’

‘Grimsley’s not a vampire!’ Burgh said, from the doorway. ‘He was my boyfriend in college. He’s human, he just dresses weird.’

‘And has fangs,’ said Jack.

‘And an obsession with darkness,’ said Clarence.

‘Entry two, got lost in Castelia Sewers,’ said Shadow. ‘Why were you even in Castelia Sewers?’

‘I’ve got friends down there.’

‘Don’t say it like that,’ said Kerry. ‘You like the Bug-types that are down there, you don’t have a sewer buddy.’

‘Let’s see,’ said Shadow. ‘Got poisoned by a Venipede, got poisoned by his own Venipede, accidently terrorised a bunch of hikers in Pinwheel Forest… I’m sorry, made it onto a cryptid show and was too embarrassed to admit it?’

‘Half the rumours about Pinwheel Forest are because of Virizion,’ Kerry said. ‘It guards the forest from intruders. The other half are Burgh. Because he likes to sleep up in trees like a Bug Pokémon.’

‘In a cocoon and all,’ said Jack. ‘So when a bunch of ghost-hunters went looking for this alleged half-man, half-moth…’

‘Elesa says I’m not allowed to go to Pinwheel Forest for inspiration anymore,’ Burgh said. ‘That’s why you found me in Nacrene City.’

‘Speaking of Virizion, the next entry says hung out with Virizion. And in brackets, we think he was drunk.’

‘No!’ said Burgh. ‘No, that did happen. There was wine imbibed, yes, but I did meet Virizion.’

‘Led a parade of Venipede to Castelia Park with a flute like some kind of pied piper. What is it with you and Venipede?’

‘Unova’s most perfect creature.’

‘Am I on here?’ She skimmed the entries. ‘I am on here. Earned the undying loyalty of a hot ninja.’

‘I feel like that’s understating the situation,’ Burgh said.

‘Which part?’ said Shadow. ‘My undying loyalty, or my hotness?’

‘I, um –’ His face flushed pink. ‘The, um, the fact that you basically stalked me. Not to do with loyalty, or, um –’ He gestured to the Gym. ‘I think Leavanny’s calling me? I’ll be back.’

The Gym Trainers were snickering behind their hands. Burgh ducked into the Gym.

‘Interesting board,’ Shadow said, leaving it down. ‘But we should probably get back to what we were doing.’

‘Right, the exhibition,’ said Louis, as they followed Burgh. ‘I can try and get some of my art put up today, if the three of you are okay to cover incoming challengers.’

‘Sure,’ said Kerry. ‘I don’t think the Gym Pokémon need too much fussing over today, anyway. We can ask Burgh to check them over after hours.’ 

Burgh had paused in the battle area. His eyes were closed, and he was muttering to himself.

‘One-way system will have to be in place… that means signs. Ushers. Posters, some kind of announcement on social media… Some way for the thief to know. Assuming they aren’t monitoring me already… Balance between my pieces and Louis’s, dependent on room, lighting… need somewhere for the Gym Pokémon to go…’

‘Everything okay?’ Shadow said, crossing to stand beside him.

‘All part of the process, darling!’ He struck a dramatic pose. ‘Diamonds form from coal, after all! The pressure of the forge is what leads to a masterpiece!’

‘That’s Burgh for you,’ Clarence said. ‘Always some mad scheme on the go.’

Shadow frowned at Burgh as he marched away, already gesturing to Louis, asking for his thoughts on art placement. Was there something too bright in his voice? Something too dramatic about his movements? But then again, she’d never been the best at understanding emotions. Her own, or anyone else’s.

She said nothing.

                                                            *

But the feeling that something wasn’t right didn’t go away.

It was like watching a puppet, or a clown. Something uncanny. Even as more problems piled up, Burgh’s smile stayed in place, growing more and more fixed as the day wore on.

It didn’t help that everything seemed to be going wrong. More challengers than usual, a sickly Sewaddle, delays in getting artwork hung. Juggling which rooms were open to challengers, and which were being set up for the exhibition.

She only saw that smile drop once. It was when Burgh slipped away from the others to get a drink from the canteen. Shadow followed him, unseen.

He was slumping against the counter, staring into space as he opened the tab on a lemonade. Without the smile, he just looked… destroyed. Exhausted.

‘Hey,’ Shadow said, from the doorway.

At once, he straightened up, beaming. ‘Shadow! Hello. I thought you’d stayed outside.’

‘You’re weird,’ she said.

‘Yes! I am. I think the Burgh Board established that.’

‘No. I mean you’re being weird.’ She hesitated. ‘Are you… sad? Or something? Is that it?’

Burgh tilted his head. ‘I don’t know what you mean.’

But she didn’t know what she meant either. ‘Whatever. Just… I don’t know. Be less bubbly.’

He chuckled. ‘I can’t help my personality.’

Shadow narrowed her eyes, and vanished from his sight. She mooched back through the Gym, until she was standing near Jack and Clarence.

‘Is Burgh being weird today?’ she said.

Jack dropped the pile of papers he’d been holding, and scrambled to pick them up. Clarence, intently stitching a piece of a Sewaddle’s cloak, didn’t even look up.

‘Hey, Shadow,’ he said. ‘No, he’s not being any more weird than usual.’

‘Where did you come from?’ Jack hissed. ‘We’re in the middle of an empty room, how did I not see you?’

Shadow ignored him. ‘He’s not… smiling too much? Being too cheery?’

Clarence frowned. ‘He’s allowed to be happy.’

‘That’s not happy. That’s… freaky.’

But both of them were staring at her as if she’d lost her mind. Shadow let out a frustrated growl. Maybe she was making it up? If no one else believed it, she had to be making it up.

By the end of the day, she’d almost convinced herself. Burgh was fine. It was fine. It wasn’t her business. It wasn’t.

It was easier to tell herself that when they were in the Gym. When he was busy talking to other people, or when they were in separate rooms. It was only when the day ended, when they were finally alone in the lift, that she couldn’t deny it.

Burgh was swaying ever so slightly on his feet. Eyes unfocused. Like a mask had slipped off his face, with nothing beneath it.

‘Burgh?’ she said. ‘Are you okay?’

‘Hm? Tired, that’s all. Long day.’ He heaved out a sigh as the lift stopped. ‘Home now.’

‘Why don’t you go and paint something?’ Shadow said. Trying for gentle. Something was wrong, she could see it in his wire-taut posture, but she didn’t know how to fix it.

‘Paint,’ Burgh repeated. ‘Paint, paint, yes, I suppose I shall. Fill the day! Fill the hours.’

‘Or… go to bed? Or…’ What was she supposed to suggest to him? ‘Have… a drink? Something like that? Watch the TV?’

‘I can’t watch the TV, silly. That involves sitting on the couch, and you are currently sleeping on the couch.’ Burgh blinked. ‘That’s not a very nice arrangement… Are you sure you wouldn’t like to go to a hotel somewhere? Or you could take my bed? We can swap out, I’ll take one night on the couch, and then you can take the next…’

‘Shh,’ said Shadow. ‘I’m happy. Your couch is fine.’

‘Hmm,’ Burgh said. ‘Painting… yes, painting…’

He wandered away from her, and into his bedroom. A moment later, she heard him walking up the stairs to the loft.

She glanced over at Pawniard, who was sitting on the end of the couch. ‘What do you think?’

Pawniard shrugged.

‘I don’t know either.’

The moments ticked on. No sound from upstairs. Was that good or bad? Was she supposed to do something? The Gym Trainers hadn’t noticed anything amiss… She had to be making it up.

Burgh had been so patient when she’d needed it. She didn’t like that she couldn’t return the favour.

There didn’t seem to be anything she could do. It might be better all around if she just went to sleep.

She pressed her hand against Pawniard’s head as she settled in on the couch. ‘Thanks for looking out for me,’ she said. ‘Keep an eye out again tonight.’

Pawniard saluted.

There was a lot that have might have kept her awake. But that particular night, she was asleep almost at once.

                                                            *

Something pulled at her sleeve. She woke up, expecting sunlight, but it was still dark.

‘Hm?’ she mumbled. ‘Wha…?’

It was Pawniard. Pawniard was tugging at her sleeve. It wasn’t in an attack stance, but she thought it looked worried.

‘What?’ she said, keeping her voice as quiet as she could. Already scanning her surroundings, waiting for a threat.

Pawniard nodded towards the door to the kitchen. It was pulled mostly shut, but there was light spilling around the corners.

Shadow slipped off the couch, silent and wary. Her feet made no sound as she stole over the floor.

It was Burgh. He’d braced himself against the counter, head hanging low. The coffee machine was spluttering to life, but it couldn’t hide the sound of his voice. Nothing she could make out as words, but a long unbroken stream of nonsense, muttered syllables.

‘Hey,’ Shadow said.

He didn’t jerk away from her. Just raised his head slowly. The expression in his eyes was distant. ‘Oh. It’s you. I’m sorry, did I wake you?’

Shadow took a few steps closer. ‘It’s late.’

‘Yes… Yes, the perils of a shared kitchen. My apologies. I’ll go now. Very busy. I can do it, you know, I can.’

‘No. I mean it’s late for coffee.’

‘Hm! Nature’s nectar. Much to do, you know, much to think about.’

‘What?’

‘I’ll go, if you like. Hardly need the coffee anyway.’ Burgh tried to step around her, but she blocked him.

‘You’re talking nonsense,’ she said.

‘Ah! Tends to happen to me. Stressful periods, and so on. Once this art exhibition is over, all will be well.’

‘Go to bed.’

‘I can’t. Much too much to do.’ He heaved in a breath. ‘Pamphlets, proposals, phone calls, emails…’

‘Go to bed. You can’t work like this.’

‘I don’t have a choice. It has to be done.’

‘Burgh. Bed.’

Burgh started to cry.

Deep, wrenching sobs that sounded as if they were being dragged up from the depths of his chest. He covered his face with his hands, but she could still hear it, still see his shoulders shaking.

Shadow just stood there. What was she supposed to do? What could she do?

‘Hey,’ she said. ‘Um.’ After a moment, she reached out and put her hand on his shoulder. ‘Don’t cry. Please.’

Except Burgh was leaning forward – leaning into her. As if his body couldn’t hold up his weight anymore. Resting his head on her shoulder. Still crying.

Shit. Fuck. What was this? Shadow tried to process it, the sudden closeness of him, the weight, the heat, the soft scent of his shampoo. It took her a moment to work out what was happening.

She’d seen this on TV. She could guess what she was supposed to do. Carefully, she put her arms around him, patted his back. ‘There,’ she said. ‘It’s okay. Please stop crying now.’

‘Sorry,’ Burgh whispered. ‘I’m sorry, Shadow, I shouldn’t be putting all this on you.’

Shadow backed him towards the fridge, and pressed him against it, so he couldn’t slip away from her. Burgh lifted his head to look at her. His eyes were red, and his cheeks were flushed.

‘All this?’ Shadow repeated. ‘What is all this?’

‘I’ve been so worried,’ he said. ‘Just… eaten alive by it. The past few days. Months.’

‘About the exhibition? I told you. I’ll protect you.’

‘It’s not just the exhibition. It’s everything.’ Burgh took a shaky breath, and for a horrible moment, she thought he was going to start crying again. ‘You’re not always going to be here. What if something like this happens again? How am I supposed to create anything if I’m always afraid that it’s going to be destroyed?’

Shadow hesitated. ‘Burgh…’

‘I can’t sit at the canvas without picturing it ripped to shreds,’ he whispered. ‘I can’t design new sculptures without picturing them shattered into dust. What am I going to do? How am I ever going to create again?’

Her instinctive response was to tell him to get over it. But she could guess that wouldn’t help the situation.

‘Burgh,’ she said. ‘Listen. I don’t know much about art… but does it matter? If the art survives or not?’

Burgh squawked. ‘What do you mean? Of course it matters! It –’

She pressed her hand over his mouth.

‘Shh,’ she said. ‘What I mean is… You told me that your sculpture helped you become the Gym Leader. That people proposed under it. That it was used as part of an arts festival. None of that is going to disappear just because the statue did. It still existed. It still stood. It stood for years.’ She hesitated. ‘Some things matter, even if they don’t last.’

She lifted her hand. Burgh’s breath fanned across her mouth, warm and sweet. ‘Yeah,’ he whispered. ‘I guess.’  

‘Something I learned in Team Plasma is that it’s no good to hold onto physical things. Too easy for them to be taken away.’ Shadow reached for Burgh’s hand. She held it between them, tracing the long elegant lines of his fingers, feeling his pulse thundering in his wrist. ‘Knowledge, skills, memories… those can’t be taken, or destroyed. Even if someone destroys every artwork you make, for the rest of your life… you’re still going to have that skill. That vision. The process matters just as much as the result.’ She interlaced their fingers, and squeezed. ‘Yeah?’

Burgh swallowed. ‘I… Yeah.’

His breathing seemed calmer now, steadier. The trembling she’d been feeling had faded. His eyes seemed clear, focused.

Good, Shadow thought, mission accomplished.

Burgh lifted his other hand, gently looping it around her shoulders, beneath her hair. His fingers lightly brushed her spine, making goosebumps break out along her arms.

‘Shadow,’ he murmured. His breath soft against her lips. They were pressed so close, so far into each other’s space. If she wanted to, she could – she could –

No.

 She couldn’t even be thinking about it. There was a line, a line she couldn’t cross if she ever wanted to tell anyone that this was business and nothing more. She was already brushing up against it. She couldn’t… she couldn’t…

‘Glad we sorted that,’ she said, letting go of his hand, and taking a step backwards, out of his embrace. ‘You should probably get some sleep now.’

‘Oh! Oh, I, um… um, okay…’ Burgh pressed his fingers against his lips, in an almost unconscious gesture. ‘Yeah… Sleep…’

‘Come on.’ She took his elbow and steered him of the kitchen, towards his bedroom. ‘I don’t even know what hour of the night it is.’

‘Wait!’ In the doorway of his bedroom, he turned around.

‘No excuses.’

‘Knowledge, skills, memories,’ Burgh said, the words falling out in a rush. ‘That’s what you said was important, right? What’s your favourite memory?’

Shadow raised an eyebrow at him. ‘Stalling again?’

‘No. No.’ That familiar earnestness was creeping across his face. ‘I really do want to know. Please.’

She hadn’t ever told anyone about her favourite memory. It was something she kept in her heart, something warm and steady and beautiful.

‘I won’t tell,’ Burgh said. ‘If that’s what you’re worried about.’

‘You think you can keep a secret?’

‘I’ll take it to the grave. I promise.’

Even if there came a day where he broke that promise… she was right. Nothing he could do would take that memory away, or destroy it.

She leaned in, lowered her voice. ‘A few years ago, I was sent on a mission to the Village Bridge. It was past midnight, and most of the lights in the village had been turned out. All I could see as I was leaving was stars, filling the sky.’

She paused, unable to suppress a smile as the memory unfurled.

‘And the aurora.’

Ribbons of light, filling the sky from horizon to horizon. Soft waving curtains of light, making her feel small as a blade of grass in comparison. She’d stood there, eyes wide, hardly daring to move or breathe, until the sky had dimmed into black again.

‘I’d never seen them before. I’d never even known they could be visible from Unova. It was a winter night, and the sky was full of colour. I was the only person awake for what felt like miles. It was like it had happened just for me. Like a secret.’

A secret all her own. A secret she’d kept in her heart until the day that Lux had gathered them in his room and suggested that when they were alone, they might call themselves by different names. She’d stood there, thinking of the beautiful and secret thing she’d seen, and had told them that she wanted to be called Aurora.

‘That’s wonderful,’ Burgh breathed.

‘Right.’ She reached out and lightly tapped his nose. ‘And it was special because it never happened again. Some things are better for being fleeting.’

He smiled. ‘So you’ve said.’

‘Goodnight, Burgh.’ As she walked to the couch, she glanced back over her shoulder. ‘And do try to sleep, yeah? I’ll hear it if you go upstairs.’

‘It’s okay, Shadow. I won’t.’ He hesitated. ‘And, listen… Thank you. You’ve given me a lot to think about.’

She’d given herself a lot to think about. As she settled onto the couch again, she tried to ignore the soaring sensation in her chest.

Some feelings couldn’t be given space. They couldn’t.

                                                            *

Something was different between them after that.

It was in the small things. Burgh, handing her a coffee, letting his hands linger a moment longer than they strictly needed to. Or when he was showing her something on the Xtransceiver, she would lean into his space for a proper view. Close enough that their breaths could have mingled, if her mask wasn’t on.

‘I have the number for that place in Driftveil City,’ he said. ‘So if you ever want to talk to your friends, you can call them.’

‘I’m not sure I can,’ she said. ‘I’m not sure if they’ll even want to talk to me.’

He’d rested his hand on her shoulder, squeezed slightly, then let it fall. ‘When you’re ready, the option’s there.’

It was like an invisible barrier had fallen between them. As if it was okay to touch, now, if they needed to, or wanted to. Shadow never let strangers into her space, but Burgh wasn’t a stranger. Not anymore. He wasn’t family, either. She wasn’t sure what the word for him might be. He was just… Burgh. It was nice, in a way, to have that closeness with him.

But she wasn’t above putting it to use for mischief.

They’d been in the Gym practically since sunrise. Balancing the exhibition, the challengers, the needs of the Gym Pokémon. Shadow kept an eye on Burgh, pulled him aside when she felt he needed it. He would assure her he was fine, with a smile that was tired but happy. But it was past sunset now, and Shadow could see the wear in him, the exhaustion he was trying to suppress.

Jack and Clarence had gone home. It was just Kerry and Louis left, arranging artwork, or brushing dust out of corners, or setting up signs. They looked exhausted, too. This had gone on long enough.

Burgh was gesturing to Kerry, explaining something to her. Shadow appeared out of the darkness to stand at his side.

‘I think we should go home,’ she said.

‘Yes,’ Kerry said. ‘We’ve worked enough for today.’

‘But the work is only getting started!’ Burgh said. ‘There’s so much to do, if everything is to go smoothly.’

‘Burgh,’ Shadow said. ‘Remember what we talked about the other night? You need sleep.’

‘How do you expect me to pull together an exhibition without work? A certain level of sacrifice is expected, you know.’

‘But you’ve been on the move since this morning. Nearly twelve hours. You need to rest.’

‘Really, we can handle it,’ Kerry said. ‘Shadow’s right. There’s not much we can do here tonight, anyway.’

‘Nonsense,’ Burgh said. ‘There’s so much more to do! I –’

‘Burgh,’ Shadow said, ‘if I have to carry you upstairs, I will do it.’

Kerry and Burgh craned their necks to look at her.

‘You couldn’t,’ Burgh said.

‘Of course I could. I could do it with one arm.’

He was looking at her with an expression that was half amusement, half incredulity. ‘You wouldn’t.’

‘Is that a challenge?’

‘No…’ He gestured towards the artwork still leaning against the wall. ‘Ten more minutes, maybe half an hour…’

Shadow looked at Kerry. ‘You can manage by yourself?’

‘Oh yeah. We’ll be fine.’

‘Great. Come on, Burgh.’

‘I – What – No! Shadow!’

Shadow caught him around his knees, and hoisted him up onto her shoulder. She took a moment to adjust to the weight, and then set off for the doorway. Burgh drummed on her back with his fists – not enough to hurt, but in protest.

‘Shadow, what are you doing?’ He was trying to sound stern, but it was undercut by the fact that he couldn’t stop laughing. ‘What on earth are you – Why –’

‘Goodnight, everyone!’ Shadow called. ‘Remember to lock up!’

In the lift, she gently set him down. He held onto her arms a minute, swaying slightly, still giggling as if he was drunk.

‘I can’t believe you,’ he said. ‘I can’t believe you just did that.’

She suppressed a smile. ‘I told you I would.’

Burgh was smiling. Cheeks flushed, hair tousled, expression soft and fond. ‘I’m glad I met you, Shadow.’

There were lines. Lines that shouldn’t be crossed. Shouldn’t be. Shouldn’t. And yet...

‘I’m glad I met you too.’

Chapter Text

The days seemed to go by faster and faster. The exhibition came together, piece by piece. Most of it was centred in the final battle room, to take advantage of the CCTV, though there were pieces elsewhere, too. A particular room had been put aside for the Gym Pokémon, and Jack would keep an eye on them as the exhibition wore on.

It was almost magical, the way it fell together. A room that was all mess and chaos, resolving over the course of a day into a beautiful, composed space, paintings lining the walls. As the days slipped past, the exhibition came together like a cocoon spun of thread.

Her time was running out.

She didn’t want to think about it.

At last, somehow, the day came. The Gym Trainers had gone home. The work was done. For better or worse, the exhibition was going to happen tomorrow.

She and Burgh were walking through the Gym, for one final check. Shadow looked at the pieces as they passed. Louis’s were more abstract, explosive bursts of colour and light, or quiet, haunted canvases. Burgh’s focused on more concrete subjects, people and Pokémon. She recognised a few places around Castelia, a few species of Pokémon she’d battled before. Portraits of people she recognised – Elesa and Kerry among them – and people she didn’t. There was a warmth to his pieces. She could picture him poring over them, determined to capture his subject exactly, every wonderful piece of it that he saw.

I wonder if he would paint something for me, Shadow thought, and expunged the thought as quickly as she could. He wouldn’t, and even if he did, she wouldn’t want it. What would she do with a canvas? Hang it in her old room, that grey, airless place? These shining paintings had no place in her life. A weakness to even wish for one.

‘I’m not sure we can do any more,’ Burgh murmured. ‘Whatever happens tomorrow will happen, and there’s nothing more we can do to affect it.’

‘Right,’ said Shadow.

He’d flicked off the lights in the Gym as they went. The last light was the room they were standing in, the final battle area. Paintings ran along the wall, from door to door. Visitors would be led on a clockwise loop of the room, and exist from the same door they’d entered by.

Burgh came to a halt in the centre of the room. He wasn’t looking at any of the paintings, now. He was looking at her.

‘Shadow,’ he said. ‘We haven’t really talked about what’s going to happen… after.’

‘What’s to discuss?’

‘If this works, and you catch the thief… what are you going to do?’

Shadow shrugged. ‘Go back to Team Plasma. Find my siblings.’

‘You’re happy with that?’ Burgh said. ‘Because… you know, if you didn’t… there are options. There’s that place in Driftveil, or…’

‘Or what? I stay on your couch for the rest of my life?’

Burgh said softly, ‘I could find a bigger apartment.’

Shadow stared at him.

‘I know it’s complicated,’ Burgh said. ‘You’re always telling me it’s not as easy as I think it is. But… I don’t know, Shadow. I’d hate to lose contact with you.’

‘Why?’ she said. ‘What on earth do you like about me?’

‘Do you want an itemised list? You’re funny, you’re observant, you’re kind –’

‘I most certainly am not kind.’

‘You’re kinder than you think you are.’ Burgh took her hands in his. ‘You’re more of everything than you think you are. And I’m afraid if you go back, you’ll never get the chance to see it.’

Shadow yanked her hands back sharply. ‘Shut up, man. I don’t need to hear this.’

‘I’m just saying. If you want to stay, you can.’ Burgh hesitated. ‘I would be more than happy if you chose to stay.’

Shadow was opening her mouth to respond when she felt it. A warning tingle at the back of her neck, a sick lurch in her stomach.

She pressed her hand over Burgh’s mouth, and dragged him away from the centre of the room. Out of sight of the door. Out of sight of –

‘Something’s here,’ she whispered. The look in Burgh’s eyes went from bafflement to fear. Shadow waited, breath held –

Pawniard came barrelling into the room. She could see alarm in its eyes. It came towards her at a dead run, and she crouched to meet it.

‘What?’ she said. ‘What’s here?’

But Pawniard, of course, couldn’t tell her. It tugged at her trousers, pointing towards the door.

‘Leavanny’s out there,’ Burgh said. ‘The front room, where the Pokémon are staying during the exhibition… she’s there, to make sure everything is okay. She would have kicked up a fuss if she’d noticed anything was wrong.’

‘Unless she couldn’t,’ Shadow said.

Burgh didn’t say anything. He just closed his eyes, as if he were trying to push the thought away.

If there was something in the Gym with them, her first priority had to be protecting Burgh. How many were there? If something had entered by the back door, it would be too dangerous to leave him here. But if the only enemy was in the rooms ahead of them…

Accelgor was in its Pokéball, on her belt. She took it and pressed it into Burgh’s hands. ‘Stay here,’ she said. ‘Accelgor will protect you. Pawniard, lead the way.’

‘No,’ said Burgh, handing the Pokéball back. ‘I’m coming with you.’

‘I can handle it. It’s safer if you stay here.’

‘I know you can handle it. But I’m worried about Leavanny. If she’s hurt…’

Pawniard made an anxious sound. There was no time to convince Burgh otherwise.

‘Follow Pawniard,’ she said. ‘Keep your voice down and your footsteps light.’

Shadow made herself invisible, moving through the Gym as light as a feather. She suspected, though, that Burgh could still sense where she was. He kept glancing towards her, moving out of her way almost automatically. If he was becoming entirely desensitised to her ability…

There wasn’t any point in worrying about that now.

The Gym was silent. Pawniard ran on without glancing back, clearly trusting that they were following. It was heading towards the room where the Gym Pokémon were staying. They’d passed through that room only a couple of minutes ago. Nothing had been amiss then.

But when had Pawniard slipped away from her? It had become a habit, now, to leave Pawniard out of its Pokéball. It was usually happy to tag along at her heels, lurking silently in the shadows of chairs or benches. It must have seen something, when they were on their circuit of the Gym, and stayed behind. It made her uneasy, the thought that she’d lost track of her Pokémon so easily. What if Pawniard had been in danger, and she hadn’t found out until it was too late?

Pokémon are tools and nothing more.

It was harder, with each passing day, to keep that in mind. All this talk about staying here, discovering herself… The longer she was here, the more she was losing herself.

Pawniard stopped suddenly, striking a battle stance. Shadow followed its gaze. It was looking down the hallway, towards the Gym entrance.

Something was moving there, in the vestibule. She could see the shape of it, passing back and forth behind the glass. A moment later, it was gone, and she could hear faint scrabbling, as if –

‘The vent,’ Burgh breathed. ‘There’s a vent there, to let the Gym Pokémon into the vestibule, if they want to go. They like the sun, and Clyde, and –’

‘Shh. Could a human fit through it?’

‘No. Absolutely not.’

‘Where does it come out?’

‘In the room across the hall there. Where the Gym Pokémon are currently. Whatever it is, Leavanny should be able to intercept it.’

‘If she even sees it.’ Shadow gave Burgh a stern look. ‘Both of you stay here. I’ll report back.’

It was dark and quiet in this room. Only faint streetlight dappled the floor. She could see unmoving shapes, here and there. A few Sewaddle, a Swadloon, a lone Dwebble. The Venipede, of course, gathered together in a bunch. She knew there were a handful of Joltik around, though she couldn’t see them. Tiny little things that they were, they could be anywhere.

Leavanny was there, too, curled up in a nest. She lifted her head as Shadow entered, antennae bobbing faintly. If she could see through Shadow’s disguise too…

No. She wasn’t focusing on Shadow. One of the Venipede was awake, moving back and forth in slow, sleepy movements. Leavanny cooed something towards it, before curling up again. The Venipede eyed her, before settling down beside the other Pokémon.

Apart from that, there was nothing. She could see the vent on the far wall, that led into the vestibule. The moonlight shone faintly through it. She crossed to look at it, but she could see no sign that it had been disturbed. The vestibule beyond appeared to be empty.

Uneasy, she crossed back and left the room. Burgh and Pawniard were waiting, both of them looking anxious.

‘I don’t know,’ she said. ‘I didn’t see anything. Leavanny’s asleep. The other Pokémon are all fine.’

Pawniard tugged at her trousers again. It still looked worried.

‘I know,’ she said. ‘You saw something. I’m just not sure what.’

Burgh sighed. ‘If all of this is because one of the Sewaddle was casting scary shadows…’

She felt it again. That rushing premonition. She bundled Burgh backwards, into the safety behind the doorframe. Pawniard crouched at her feet, growling softly.

The shadows in the other doorway trembled. A shape stepped forward, into the dim light.

‘… Kerry?’ Burgh whispered, his voice thick with disbelief.

Shadow narrowed her eyes. ‘No.’

It looked like Kerry. It moved like Kerry. But Kerry had gone home hours ago, and she certainly hadn’t been in that room either of the times that Shadow had checked it.

Not-Kerry stood still for a moment, looking up and down the hallway. Shadow braced herself, in case it came towards them. But after a moment, Not-Kerry turned away, heading towards the back of the Gym. Towards the first of the rooms that held paintings.

Shadow made herself vanish, and crept down the hallway after the thief. No time to worry now about what Burgh was doing. If he had any sense, he would stay put with Pawniard.

This room, usually a small battle room, now held a handful of paintings that belonged to Louis. Not-Kerry paused, as if it was sniffing the air. After a moment, it kept walking.

Either it’s just scoping the place out, Shadow thought, or it hasn’t found what it’s looking for. 

It was aiming for the final battle room. The most paintings. The most paintings that belonged to Burgh. Because, after all, none of this had anything in particular to do with Louis.

Shadow followed.

Not-Kerry paused when it saw the light spilling from the doorway. It approached cautiously, peering around the doorway. But of course, there was nothing for it to see.

Shadow followed.

Not-Kerry had finally found what it wanted. It hurried towards the paintings, passing the ones that belonged to Louis, finally pausing in front of one of Burgh’s. The painting of Elesa, onstage in her Gym. It raised its hand, as if to claw at the painting.

Shadow struck.

Lunging at the shape from behind, seizing both arms to put them in a hold. But something was wrong – the flesh seemed to dissolve beneath her hands, and the thing that wasn’t Kerry was twisting in her grip, limbs shrinking, mouth expanding –

Pain. A mouthful of pin-sharp teeth sank into her arm, jaws locking. Shadow reacted instinctively, throwing the creature as far as she could. It let go, droplets of blood splattering, and hit the floor, and rolled.

Furious blue eyes. Tufts of dark fur, black and red. Bared snarling teeth.

Not a demon or a ghost. A Zorua.

The Zorua took a step forward, intending to go for her again. A cry sounded from the doorway. The Zorua looked over, just as Pawniard barrelled into it. They rolled over and over, hissing and snarling –

‘Leavanny! String Shot! Catch whatever that is!’

Pawniard leapt away. The Zorua got to its feet, just in time to be wrapped in layer upon layer of sticky silk. It rolled back and forth, hissing and yowling, but it couldn’t tear itself free. After a moment, it went still, exhausted.

Shadow stared at the Zorua. Now that it was caught… now that she had time to see it for what it was…

An enemy that wanted to destroy Burgh. Burgh, and those like him.

An enemy that would leave everything behind, his home, his friends, and the people that raised him, to achieve his goals.

The only Zorua she’d ever known had belonged to Lord N.

Chapter Text

‘Shadow, you’re bleeding!’

Shadow barely heard him. Her mind was still on the Zorua in front of her. It couldn’t be, she kept thinking, it couldn’t be… but the Zorua had gone still, staring back at her. It was hard to read the faces of people, let alone Pokémon, but the look of dawning recognition and horror was unmistakable. That Pokémon… it knew her.

‘Here,’ Burgh said, and he was taking her hand. The touch grounded her a little, let her scattered thoughts settle. He took his scarf off, started to wrap it around her forearm.

‘Don’t waste your good scarf on that,’ she said.

‘I have no good scarves. I found them all in the bargain bin at a thrift shop.’

‘I mean it. I’ll sleep it off.’

Burgh blinked at her. ‘Sleep it off? Shadow, we’re going to A&E.’

‘Not before we’ve dealt with that.’ Shadow nodded towards the Zorua. ‘Where there’s a Pokémon, there’s a Trainer. That Zorua didn’t plan and execute multiple heists alone.’

‘No…’ Burgh frowned. ‘It might be best to take it to the Pokémon Centre, at least for now. Better than leaving it here in the Gym.’

‘We need to stay in the Gym.’ Her mind was starting to race again, spiralling down different paths. ‘This is the attack we were waiting for. If we just leave this place defenceless, what was all this for? What if the thief comes and goes while we’re gone?’

‘But you don’t know that the thief wanted to steal anything tonight. For all you know, Zorua was just sent to scope out the premises. Maybe the main event was planned for tomorrow. Or maybe by capturing Zorua, the thief is going to be scared off.’ Burgh was still putting pressure on her wound. ‘Shadow, I’m worried about the possibility that Zorua might pass on an infection to you. And how are you going to fight an intruder with an injury like this one?’

She scoffed. ‘A couple of puncture wounds? I’ll fight until the thief kills me, if that what it takes.’

‘No. I do not want it to take that much.’ 

‘I’m not leaving the Gym undefended. That’s that.’

Burgh opened his mouth, and then closed it. After a moment, he said, ‘Would Leavanny and Pawniard serve as sufficient defence for you?’

‘Leavanny didn’t exactly notice what was going on, did she?’

‘Because of Zorua’s illusions. Without those in play, she’ll be able to sense any enemy approaching.’

Leavanny chirped in confirmation.

‘I –’

‘And,’ Burgh rushed on, ‘I’ll call a specialist on Dark-types while we’re in A&E, who might be able to give us a lead on Zorua and who it belongs to.’

‘I know who it belongs to,’ she said. ‘That’s not the problem.’

He narrowed his eyes. ‘Explain?’

‘No.’ She sighed. ‘Look. I’m going to look around outside the Gym. If I’m satisfied there’s no one suspicious lurking around the place, we can go to A&E. Okay?’

‘Well… okay… Should I come with you?’

She opened her mouth to say no, and then reconsidered. ‘Are you willing to act as bait?’

Leavanny growled.

‘I’ll be right there. You won’t be in any danger.’

Burgh looked uncertain. But after a moment, he nodded. ‘Leavanny? Will you guard Zorua?’ At Leavanny’s anxious look, he said, ‘It’s okay. I trust Shadow.’

They left Leavanny crouched over the immobile Zorua. Burgh unlocked the Gym’s front door, and together they stepped outside.

The Gym was positioned along one of Castelia’s main throughfares. Even at this hour of the night, she wouldn’t have expected it to be entirely deserted. But the building itself was set a little back from the street. The stretch of land between the Gym and street was empty.

‘The building across the way,’ Burgh murmured. ‘Team Plasma briefly used it as a base… Maybe they’re up to the same thing again?’

‘No,’ said Shadow. ‘Ghetsis was furious over that. No one would be stupid enough to try it a second time.’

Would they? She wasn’t sure.

‘Walk slowly out towards the street,’ she said. ‘Look all around you, like you’re curious about something. I’m going to follow you in my disguise, and see if anyone reacts to you.’

He did as she asked. She went a few steps ahead of him. The handful of people that were still out and about mostly kept moving, paying no attention to Burgh. Mostly – except –

There. At the end of the street, a stranger was leaning against a lamppost, arms crossed. When he saw the figure of Burgh emerging, he straightened up and started to march down the street.

Shadow pressed close to Burgh, lowering her voice. ‘That person. There.’

‘I have an idea,’ Burgh said. ‘Stay invisible.’

As the stranger came nearer, their features came more into focus. No one that she recognised, specifically, but the blue contacts and red wig belied a Team Plasma grunt.

‘Well, well,’ said the grunt. ‘If it isn’t the Gym Leader Burgh, all alone.’

Burgh stared at him for a moment, head tilted slightly to the side. Then he let out a high, cackling screech. One she’d heard a dozen times a day, living with N. It was a pitch-perfect recreation of a Zorua’s cry.

‘Oh.’ The grunt slumped. ‘It’s you. Don’t get my hopes up like that, man.’

Burgh giggled. Something soft and distorted in it. The exact way a Zorua giggled. Where had he learnt how to do this?

I’m telling Clarence, Shadow thought.

‘Is it done?’ the grunt said. ‘The boss said you fucked it up the last time.’

Burgh chirped.

‘I mean it. He doesn’t give shit to you because you’re a Pokémon, and you’re special, and all that. I’m going to be the one that gets in trouble. He’ll send me again tomorrow to make sure it’s done right, and then I’ll have to be the one to break in.’ The grunt shuddered. ‘And I never liked Bug-types.’

Burgh didn’t do anything. Just cocked his head further to the side.

The grunt sighed. ‘I don’t know why I fucking bother.’ He turned away, towards the docks. ‘Come on, we’ll head back.’

Burgh glanced over his shoulder, at where Shadow was standing, and winked. He headed after the grunt, and Shadow followed.

The boss… who was that? If it was Ghetsis waiting at the end of the road, they were deeply, utterly fucked. But surely Ghetsis wouldn’t have left them all behind just to enact a grudge on one Gym Leader? If Ghetsis had been behind this, he would have brought the Shadow Triad with him. It would have been the three of them tracking down Burgh’s paintings, breaking into his Gym, destroying his statues. What would she have done then?

No wonder Lux had sent her away.

The grunt led them down Dock Road, past pier after pier. Mostly he didn’t speak. He glanced back only once, to say, ‘Couldn’t you have picked a better disguise?’

In response, Burgh preened. The grunt let out a low groan of exasperation, and picked up the pace.

He seemed to be leading them halfway across the city. As they walked, the throbbing in Shadow’s arm seemed to expand, taking up space in her mind until it was almost all she could think about. It was just pain. She couldn’t let it affect the mission.

At last, they turned off Dock Road and onto Thumb Pier. The grunt led them down some stairs, towards an opening in the wall. It seemed like a pit in the moonlight, a cold dark mouth opening in the stone. It smelled dank, and musty.

Burgh glanced over his shoulder again, carefully mouthing a word. Sewers.

Apparently there was a more ridiculous option than hiding in a building directly across from a Gym. Ghetsis would never have allowed something so unsanitary… but she could picture Lord N suggesting it. Wanting, like Burgh, to spend time with the Pokémon down there. The conditions wouldn’t have bothered him. He’d always been odd, even as a child.

The grunt took a torch from his pocket, and led them into a tunnel. They walked down a long, thin strip of concrete, sluggish water flowing past beside them. The smell was… well, better than she might have expected, but still hardly something she would want as perfume.

The tunnels were long and angular, regularly crisscrossing and intersecting with each other. There were lights strung up here and there, ladders in the walls that must lead up to manholes. A whole grid had to exist down here, a mirror to the city on top. What few Pokémon they encountered seemed entirely unafraid, turning to watch them as they passed. She saw Burgh cast a longing look towards some of the Venipede. As if now was the time or place.

The grunt seemed to know exactly where he was going. He led them without faltering or checking a map, merely plodding on at the exact same pace. She couldn’t tell how he was navigating, but at last they emerged into a wide, dry tunnel, with no water flowing. The smell was less intense here – it wasn’t actually a bad spot for a camp.

Ahead, a figure was crouched beside a small fire. Bundled into a great purple coat, wearing a familiar tall hat. He’d gotten older since she’d last seen him. His hair had gone grey, his cheeks had sunk in. But that same cruel light still danced in his eyes.

Not N. Or Ghetsis.

‘Zinzolin,’ said the grunt. ‘It’s done.’

Zinzolin looked up, and blinked. ‘Ah? And the Gym Leader? Why is he here?’

‘It’s not Burgh. That’s Zorua. It’s just pretending to be Burgh, for some reason.’

Burgh let out the high-pitched Zorua cry again.

‘Were you born yesterday?’ Zinzolin said. ‘You can’t tell a Pokémon cry from an adult man’s?’ He reached for the Pokéball at his belt. ‘Cryogonal! Come out!’

‘Ah, shit,’ said Burgh.

Shadow made herself visible. ‘Zinzolin. Enough. Call off your Pokémon.’

The grunt and Zinzolin both started backwards. After a moment, a slow, sardonic smile crossed Zinzolin’s face.  ‘Well, well,’ he said, getting to his feet. ‘If it isn’t Ghetsis’s attack dog. Where’s the rest of your little troupe?’ 

She wanted to lunge at him. Smash his smug teeth in. ‘This is what you’ve been doing?’ she said. ‘Team Plasma is falling apart, and you’ve been hiding in the sewers?’

But Zinzolin wasn’t listening to her. When had he ever? ‘Two strokes of fortune, on the same night. Why, next thing I know, Lord N himself will come walking around the corner.’

Shadow put her hand on the back of Burgh’s neck, digging in her fingers just enough to make him yelp. ‘What do you want with this fucker, anyway? Last I heard, there was no directive to start messing with the Gym Leaders.’

‘Last you heard? Last I heard, the team had completely disbanded and we were free to do entirely as we wished.’ Zinzolin looked between Burgh and Shadow. ‘For some of us, that means joining forces with the enemy, apparently.’

‘What makes you think he’s with me?’ Shadow let something cold creep into her voice. ‘Silly little Gym Leader thought he could tangle with Team Plasma and win. And now he’s going to pay for it.’

Beneath her hand, she felt Burgh shiver. If he had any sense, he would keep his mouth shut.

Zinzolin made a dismissive gesture at the grunt. ‘Leave us. Attend to the warehouse.’

The grunt hesitated. ‘As discussed?’

‘Yes, yes. Go. I have much to discuss with my dear friends.’ Zinzolin smiled. ‘Both old and new.’

He returned Cryogonal to its Pokéball. The grunt hesitated, before jogging away into the darkness.

‘Now, Shadow,’ said Zinzolin. ‘Do tell. What became of Zorua?’

‘It’s Lord N’s Zorua,’ Shadow said. ‘Isn’t it?’ 

‘Not anymore. The soft-hearted fool released it before he left Unova. One of the rarest Pokémon in all the region, and he wanted to let it go into the wild, to find its own way.’ Zinzolin sniffed. ‘Luckily, some of us have a better grasp on reality. We recaptured Zorua after he left. It’s a most useful creature.’

‘How cruel,’ said Burgh.

‘Keep your mouth shut,’ said Zinzolin. ‘What do you want from me, Shadow? The paintings? Something else? We could easily hold the Gym Leader to ransom.’

‘No, you couldn’t,’ Burgh mumbled. ‘The Castelia City Council already thinks I’m a money sink. I doubt they’ll pay much more to get me back.’

Zinzolin smiled. ‘I am pleased you brought him along, Shadow. How dearly I wished to have someone like you, for my little conquest. None of this sneaking around, dodging cameras, dodging that accursed Leavanny. You could have crept into his apartment and destroyed him on the first night.’

‘I have better things to do than smother your opponents with pillows.’

‘No. Decidedly not pillows. Something much more drawn out than that. Knives, I was envisioning.’

‘I don’t really want to hear this,’ Burgh said. ‘If we could just –’

‘I would love to say that this isn’t about you,’ Zinzolin said. ‘But it really, truly is. You and your fellow Gym Leaders… You and that accursed Trainer. If the Gym Leaders had not stood against the Seven Sages, we would have been able to prevent Reshiram from ever rising. If you, in particular, had not stood against me… the outcome of that day might have been very different.’

‘Eh…’ Burgh said. ‘I mean, I don’t know. If you couldn’t have defeated me, I don’t see what difference you could have made against Reshiram.’

Which was clearly the wrong thing to say. Under other circumstances, she would have found the sheer rage on Zinzolin’s face amusing. ‘I – You – How dare you? I am one of the Seven Sages! The most powerful, the most wise – if not Unova, in the world! And you say I would have made no difference whatsoever?’

‘There’s no wisdom or power in what your Team does. There never has been.’

‘Shadow, perhaps you can prove your worth, after all.’ Zinzolin pointed at Burgh. ‘Kill him. Slowly.’

‘I don’t take orders from you.’

‘Fine. Captive will do. Tie his hands.’

‘No.’

Zinzolin blinked. He turned his head, looking at her carefully. For the first time that night, maybe ever, he seemed to see her.

‘Shadow?’ he said. ‘My goodness, have you turned against us?’

‘What us?’ Shadow said. ‘I take my orders from Ghetsis, and none of this is his will.’

‘You don’t know his will. He’s gone. Had he returned, I would be…’ Zinzolin’s voice trailed off. ‘Has he returned?’

‘If you were as loyal as you say, wouldn’t you be the first to know? Wouldn’t you have restored Team Plasma from the ground up, instead of hiding in Castelia Sewers?’

‘Wouldn’t you? What have you been doing, bedding the Gym Leader?’

‘You’re disgusting,’ Shadow said calmly. ‘And I’ve had enough of talking to you. You’ve spent all this time and effort stealing artwork. What did you do with it all?’

‘You think I’m under any obligation to tell you?’

‘Choose your next words very carefully, Zinzolin. You’ve practically admitted that you’ve given up on Team Plasma. Your welfare means very little to me.’

‘I’ve given up on Team Plasma? I’m not the one working for a Gym Leader. Five minutes away from your old master and you’ve already found a new one, I see how you –’

Crack – as she smashed her fist into his jaw. What music, what joy. How often had she imagined just decking him? And he went down like a sack of flour, too, stumbling, landing on his ass. Shadow went after him, intending to hit him again, again, again –

‘Shadow! Shadow, stop!’ Burgh, at her elbow. ‘Shadow, he’s – he’s old, he can’t –’

‘Oh, come on, Burgh.’ The euphoria of it was fizzling through her veins. ‘You think he wasn’t asking for it?’

‘I – well – granted, that was a nasty thing to say, but –’

‘But nothing.’ Shadow took a handful of Zinzolin’s shirt and hauled him upright. There was blood trickling from his mouth, a dazed look on his face. ‘Answer my question. Now. What did you do with all that artwork that you stole? Did you sell it? Destroy it? What?’

Zinzolin smiled. Blood trickling between his teeth. And then he started to laugh, a terrible low sound that set Shadow’s stomach churning.

‘Oh, Shadow,’ he said. ‘Always more fit to follow orders than to question them, hmm? It pays to look past your own rage, once in a while.’

‘What do you mean?’ she said slowly.

‘You’ve never liked me. Do you think I haven’t noticed? But goodness, I didn’t think you’d jeopardise an entire mission over it. Or did those killer instincts vanish down the drain along with your sense of loyalty?’

Shadow shook him. Hard enough that he let out a whine of pain. ‘No riddles.’

‘I always admired,’ Zinzolin gritted out, ‘the move Substitute. What an amusing move to see in play. How stupid could a Pokémon be, after all? To go for such an obvious decoy?’ 

Shadow’s heart plummeted into her stomach.

Over her shoulder, she heard Burgh inhale sharply. ‘The other guy. The one you sent away.’

‘Oh, well done, Gym Leader.’ Zinzolin focused on Shadow again. Still, despite the blood, smiling. ‘The paintings, Shadow, were all kept in a warehouse. I sent my dear associate to burn it down.’

Chapter Text

Shadow let go of Zinzolin. The look in his eyes told her everything she needed to know. She could stay here all night, break every bone in his body, and he would keep his wretched mouth shut just so he could enjoy her frustration.

‘Gone,’ she breathed. ‘Gone.’

Which meant… what?

‘He headed that way,’ Burgh said. ‘If we –’

‘You don’t know your way around the underground, Gym Leader,’ said Zinzolin. ‘By the time you get to him, assuming you could even find your way to the surface, the blaze will be out of control.’

‘No,’ Burgh said. ‘No.’

He pressed his fingers into his mouth and whistled, an ear-piercing screech that made both Shadow and Zinzolin flinch. He did it again, two short bursts.

‘What are you doing?’ Shadow said, forcing the words out.

‘I told you,’ he said, face flushed. ‘I have friends down here.’

‘Oh, muzzle him at least,’ said Zinzolin. ‘Even if you’ve betrayed us, Shadow, I can’t say you enjoy that sound any more than I do.’

‘The warehouse, Zinzolin. Where is it?’

‘Oh, where is any warehouse, really? The very concept of a –’

‘I’ll break both your arms.’

Zinzolin said softly, ‘I am a very kind man, Shadow. Much kinder than you might expect. I would be more than happy to overlook this indiscretion. Ghetsis need never hear of it. You need only do something for me in return.’

Far in the distance, something rumbled. Shadow heard it between bursts of Burgh’s whistles. Something approaching. Something huge.

‘If you wanted a devoted assassin of your own,’ she said, ‘you should have trained one. But you never did anything the hard way when you could ride Ghetsis’s coattails, did you?’

Zinzolin snorted. ‘Trained one. As if your gifts could be trained. As if he found the three of you like lost hatchlings in a box and made you what you are. No. The Shadow Triad, Lord N… even those wet wipes he called daughters. Ghetsis had such a gift for finding special children. Gifts that existed nowhere else in Unova.’

But the approaching sound was getting louder. She’d been fooled by this trick once, she wasn’t going to fall for it a second time. ‘Burgh. Something’s coming. We need to go, now.’

‘It’s okay,’ he said. ‘Look!’

He pointed towards the tunnel they’d emerged from. Venipede were swarming out, across the roof. A long, low growl echoed through the air.

‘Scolipede!’ Burgh cried. ‘Hi, baby!’

It was the biggest Scolipede she’d ever seen in her life – and Scolipede weren’t small. Its heavy body snaked back into the darkness, its broad carapace glinting in the light of the fire. The Scolipede lowered its great head down, letting out a sound that was oddly like a purr. Burgh threw his arms around its neck, pressing a kiss between its massive horns.

‘Hello again,’ he said. ‘Shadow – this is the Pokémon that helped me escape the Sewers when I got lost.’

‘It’s fucking massive.’

‘It’s the leader of an entire colony. It has to be strong to defend the nest. Right, Scolipede?’

Scolipede took another few steps forward, lowering its head to sniff Shadow. After a moment, it looked at Zinzolin and growled. Zinzolin scrambled backwards, looking unnerved.

‘I’ve seen this beast,’ he said. ‘I – We – we spend so much time avoiding it. And you keep it as your friend? Why didn’t you capture it?’

Burgh looked surprised. ‘Scolipede didn’t want to be captured. Too much work to be done down here.’

‘Scolipede can take us to the surface,’ said Shadow. ‘Right. Let’s go.’

Easier to focus on taking the next step, than to focus on the ones she’d missed. She couldn’t think about Zinzolin or the trick or the pain in her arm. Not if she wanted any chance at redeeming herself for this.

‘Wait!’ Zinzolin said. ‘You can’t leave me down here!’

‘Oh, I’m not worried,’ she said. ‘After all, you know your way out.’

‘Shadow,’ he said. ‘Wait. I can tell you where you came from.’

‘That’s all the leverage you have over me? I know where I’m from.’

‘Where he took you from.’ Zinzolin’s eyes were glinting in the darkness. ‘I was there, you know. He told me everything. Why he needed you. What he did to get you. The things I could tell you… they’d burn your ears.’

Shadow tilted her head to the side, as if she were considering his offer. ‘And all I would have to do is go with you? Do your bidding?’

‘Yes! Yes, you understand. You think he’s a good man, Shadow, but he’s not –’

‘Pass,’ said Shadow. ‘I can miss out on a few bedtime stories if it means I can stay far away from you. Scolipede? Lead the way.’

Scolipede had stepped away from them, sniffing the tunnel that the grunt had vanished down. It chirped, and then lumbered forward into the darkness. Burgh gave Shadow an unreadable look, and followed.

‘You may be his favourite now!’ Zinzolin called after her. ‘But I’ve known Ghetsis many a long year! There’s nothing he wouldn’t do for his goal, Shadow! Nothing!’

                                                            *

 Burgh and Shadow ran down the passage without speaking. Above them, around them, the Venipede swarmed along the walls.

‘How’s the arm?’ he said.

‘Fine.’

‘What Zinzolin was saying. About you, and Ghetsis –’

‘I don’t want to talk about it.’

Somewhere ahead of them, a stranger was lighting a match. He’d only had a few minutes head start. They might catch him yet. Or maybe not. Canvases, gasoline – the work of Burgh’s entire life might already be gone.

She’d been so stupid.

Slipping on the stairs. Losing sight of the target. Letting her friends go without saying goodbye.

Any choice she made was the wrong one.

Scolipede paused at an intersection of tunnels, sniffing the air. It turned back to Burgh, making a low, anxious noise.

‘What does that mean?’ Shadow asked.

‘Scolipede isn’t sure which way he went. The scent trail must stop here.’

There was a ladder set into the wall. Shadow followed it with her eyes. It must lead up, out of the sewer. If the scent trail was gone, then…

But she was doubting herself. She’d been so sure she was right before. Did she need to pause now for everything? Second-guess every decision she made?

‘I’ll go up and see what’s on the surface,’ she said.

‘I’ll come with you.’

She didn’t want him to. She was too tired to argue. ‘Fine.’

Burgh put his arms around Scolipede again, resting his forehead against its carapace for a moment. ‘Thank you, Scolipede,’ he said. ‘You’ve helped us more than you can imagine.’

Scolipede purred. It remained in the tunnel, watching, as they climbed to the surface.

Shadow didn’t recognise the part of the city they emerged in. It looked industrial, rows upon rows of dark grey buildings. Few lights. No people. But she could hear the sea, off somewhere to her left, and she could smell the tang of it. A shipping district? An industrial district? Something like that.

The grunt had to be around here somewhere. He couldn’t have been that far ahead of them. They had to catch up to him before –

She smelt it before she saw it. Even through her mask. Thick smoke pouring down her throat. Black clouds billowing into the sky. Drifts of orange sparks.

The warehouse.

‘Something’s burning,’ Burgh said.

‘No shit,’ said Shadow.

She took off at a dead run. She could hear Burgh coming after her, but he couldn’t keep up with her, he would never be able to keep up with her. She had to fix this, she had to.

She hadn’t seen through Zinzolin’s plan. She hadn’t gone after the grunt, even though that had been the obvious thing to do. She hadn’t escaped the rockfall. All of this, all of it, it was her fault, she had to fix it, she –

‘Shadow! Stop!’

Not an order, not an order she had to follow, but her confused brain interpreted it as one. She stumbled to a stop –

No, she had to –

Was any choice she made ever going to be the right one?

‘Shadow!’

Burgh. Burgh, usually so gentle and sweet, digging his fingers into her arms. ‘You can’t,’ he was babbling, ‘please, please, Shadow, you can’t, you’ll die –’

‘So?’ she hissed. ‘This is what I’m here for. What good’s my life anyway?’

‘No!’ And his arms were around her, holding as tight as he could, too tight, painful. ‘They’re just – they’re just paintings, Shadow, they’re not worth –’

‘Fucking let go of me.’

Pulling strangers from rubble, from burning buildings. Why?

‘You were right,’ he said. ‘You were right, I can start over, I –’

‘I don’t care! Burgh, for fuck’s sake, I have to fix this! Let go!’

‘Not if you’re going to –’

‘This is your life’s work!’ she screamed. ‘You hardly know me! Let go!’

And then, like her voice had summoned it, a terrible sound split the air. Like a scream, that went on and on.

The warehouse crumbled. The first floor fell inwards, the roof unable to support itself, windows cracking under the force of the heat. Shadow watched as it collapsed into rubble. Saw the places she would have put her feet buried under burning ash.

For a moment, they just watched. The fire was building, now, a raging inferno rising to the sky. What was it feeding off? Would it spread?

 ‘You would have died,’ Burgh whispered. ‘You would have died.’

That’s the second time, she thought.

‘We should get back,’ he said. ‘Back, away from the fire – in case of – of – I don’t know, debris, or something.’

She said nothing. Didn’t resist as Burgh pulled her away, towards a low wall. She felt numb. Like a heavy cloud was moving through her body, erasing her sensations, her every thought.

She’d failed.  

It had been the only thing Burgh had asked her to do. The only thing she’d needed to do in order to leave this place behind, to go home. Catch the thief. Save the art.

She’d failed.

I wasn’t meant to do this on my own, she thought. There’s meant to be three of us, this isn’t –

Celeste would have been laughing by now. Hands on her hips, cackling. Thank fuck, she would have said. Now we can go home and get pissed.

Lux would have frowned at her. Already tapping at his Xtransceiver, looking for the next mission. Language, he would have said primly. Anyway, we still have other missions to attend to. 

Of course, if they’d been here, the warehouse wouldn’t have burned down. One of them would have gone after the grunt while the others confronted Zinzolin. The fire would never have even started.

This isn’t a punishment, Lux said.

How stupid she’d been to ever believe that.

The fire was still raging. She thought of the handful of Burgh’s paintings that she’d seen, the beauty of them, the life, the colour. Imagined them curling into piles of grey ash.

‘You shouldn’t have stopped me,’ she said.

Burgh’s hand immediately found hers, and squeezed. ‘I don’t regret it,’ he said.

‘I could have done something.’

‘You couldn’t have. The fire was already burning.’

‘If I hadn’t been tricked –’ She had to break off, shame rising up her throat.

‘It wasn’t just you. I didn’t see through it either, you can’t take the blame for that.’ Burgh took a deep, shaky breath. ‘There wasn’t anything that either of us could have done. We were just… too late. Bad luck.’

She didn’t respond. Just sat there. Watched the sky light up as fire engines approached. She wondered who had made the call. If anyone had been hurt.

He could offer her all the reassurances in the world, tell her a thousand times that it was all okay. But she knew better than to believe him. She’d failed, and now his art was gone.

Forever.

He could put on a cheery face all he liked. She felt it when Burgh leaned into her side and started to cry.

Chapter Text

They stayed there on that wall for what must have been hours. Burgh cried, quietly and constantly. She would have preferred screaming, recriminations, a vow to never speak to her again. These kind of soft, desperate sobs… it was raw, private grief. It felt like a violation to witness it.

Shadow kept hold of his hand. She didn’t know what else she could do. She watched the fire trucks, their lights vivid against the smoke. It was an interesting process, watching the fire gradually being put out. She’d half wondered if someone was going to question them about it, but no one approached.

The sky was grey with the dawn when Burgh finally disentangled himself. Her side felt cold, where he’d been. He swiped at his eyes, his head held low.

‘Are you okay?’ Shadow asked.

‘I will be. Eventually.’ Burgh sniffed. ‘Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.’  

‘We should probably go home. It’s almost dawn.’

‘Dawn…’ Burgh lifted his head. ‘Lord Arceus. Shadow. You need a tetanus shot. Or – or antibiotics, or – something.’

Shadow lifted her arm. Burgh’s scarf was still wrapped around it. She hadn’t noticed the pain from the bite. Buried too deeply beneath everything else. ‘I guess.’

‘We should go.’ He looked towards the remains of the fire. She saw that horribly bleak expression cross his face again, before he pressed his hand over his eyes. When he looked back at her, he was composed. ‘There’s nothing left for us here.’

                                                            *

The lady in the A&E was gentle. She’d washed out the wound, bandaged it carefully, and given Shadow a prescription for antibiotics. Shadow had felt like she was watching the whole process on a video screen. None of it felt real.

By the time she and Burgh were finally walking home, the sun was fully up. Castelia City was shaking itself to life. The traffic was picking up, rumble of engines, beeping of horns. It felt like every second door they passed was a coffee shop, releasing that sweet scent into the morning air. A gaggle of children passed them, obviously on their way to school.

‘I could sleep for a thousand years,’ Burgh said.

‘Yeah,’ Shadow mumbled. ‘Some night.’

The Gym looked just the same as they’d left it. She thought longingly of Burgh’s apartment. Somewhere quiet and safe, where she could pull a blanket over her head and sleep for as long as she wanted.

Burgh went to unlock the door, but it gave under his hand. He frowned. ‘The Gym Trainers must already be here… I’ve lost all track of what time it is.’

The Gym Pokémon were already up and moving around. They chirped out greetings as Burgh and Shadow moved through the Gym. As they entered the final battle room, to head for his apartment, Shadow heard a familiar voice.

‘Kerry, Clarence, head down towards the docks. I’m going to contact Officer Jenny to see… if…’

Elesa was standing in the centre of the room. She was surrounded by all four Gym Trainers, Clyde, and a gaggle of Pokémon. As she caught sight of them, she trailed off.

‘Burgh?’ she said, her voice thick with disbelief. ‘Where have you been?’

A grey blur streaked across the room. Shadow was about to take a step forward, get between it and Burgh, when she recognised it for what it was. Pawniard crashed into her legs, clutching onto her with both arms, head buried against her leg. Once, her instinctive reaction would have been to push it away. But there was only exhaustion where her indignation would have been. She reached down and lifted Pawniard up. It nestled in against her, making soft, anxious sounds. 

‘Hi, everyone,’ Burgh said. ‘What are you all doing here?’

Everyone started to talk at once, most of it sounding angry. Burgh flinched. Elesa held up a hand for silence.

‘Clarence got here early this morning,’ she said. ‘He found Leavanny standing guard over a strange Pokémon. The Gym was empty and you weren’t answering your Xtransceiver, or the phone in your apartment.’ 

‘I waited a little while,’ said Clarence, ‘in case you’d gone off somewhere, but there wasn’t any sign of either of you. So I called everyone else to figure out what to do.’

‘You’ve been gone for hours,’ Kerry said. ‘I called Elesa, because I know she has a spare key to your apartment, and she said she could come up to the city early, and by the time she got here you still weren’t back, and –’

‘And you weren’t in your apartment,’ said Elesa. ‘No note, couldn’t contact you, your partner Pokémon wasn’t with you –’

‘And I was,’ said Shadow.

‘Right,’ said Elesa. ‘We were going to send out search parties for you.’

Burgh was fiddling with his Xtransceiver. He frowned as it lit up, beeping with message after message. ‘Ah… I think it was turned off…’

‘Turned off?’ Elesa pinched the bridge of her nose. After a moment, she stepped forward and threw her arms around Burgh. ‘I’m just glad you’re okay… Why do you smell like smoke?’

‘Oh, it’s a long story.’ Burgh held onto her for a moment longer than necessary. ‘Shadow, where to even start?’

Shadow lowered her head. Concentrated on Pawniard, on squeezing it a little closer to her chest. ‘Dunno.’

Burgh started to explain what had happened. Hearing it aloud didn’t make Shadow feel any better. Hearing it again made it clear. She’d been so stupid.

When he trailed off, there was a stunned silence.

‘We need to tell Officer Jenny,’ Elesa said. ‘Now. If Team Plasma’s set up a base here…’

‘You won’t catch him,’ Shadow mumbled.

‘Even so,’ Elesa said. ‘Better to raise the alarm.’

‘Do whatever you want,’ Shadow said. ‘It won’t make a difference.’ Nothing that anyone could do was going to make a difference anymore.

‘You think he’ll leave the city?’ Louis said, looking at Shadow.

‘Yeah.’

‘So the exhibition doesn’t have to go ahead.’ He looked relieved. ‘So we can just –’

‘Oh, no!’ said Burgh. ‘It’s all been arranged! Which means that tonight is no longer about apprehending a thief. It’s about appreciation! About art! About you!’

‘No,’ said Louis, ‘oh no, no, Burgh, I can’t do this –’

‘Of course you can!’ Kerry said. ‘This is such an opportunity for –’

Shadow couldn’t take it anymore. The attention of the room was on Louis now. There was no need for her to be here. She made herself invisible, Pawniard too, went for the doorway. Walking, and then running. Needing to be away. Anywhere but here.

‘Shadow?’ she heard a voice call. But she didn’t know who, and she didn’t look back to check.

                                                            *

The apartment was quiet. Empty.

She let Pawniard down. Stumbled towards the couch. Her legs didn’t feel as though they could carry her any more. It was a relief to collapse, boneless, and close her eyes.

She’d failed.

She’d failed.

It ran through her head, over and over, a confused mix of guilt and shame, roaring flames and scuttering Pokémon, Zinzolin’s cruel smile, the grunt running into the darkness. Eventually it all blurred into sleep.

It must have been a long while later when she was woken up. The light had changed, the shadows at different angles. Burgh was crouching beside the couch. He must have slept, showered, changed – he looked much better than when she’d last seen him.

‘Hey,’ he said softly. ‘Are you okay? You’ve been up here most of the day.’

Shadow nodded. Her mind felt tangled, slow, and her body just ached.

‘The exhibition’s going to start soon. Do you want to come down for it? I think Louis could use all the support he can get.’

‘No.’ She sighed. ‘Take Pawniard. To protect you.’

‘Seems like the danger’s passed, no?’

He’d said it lightly, he meant it as a joke, but Shadow shrank from it anyway. She turned, pressing her face back into the pillow. ‘Just take Pawniard.’

‘I…’ Burgh went quiet, and she couldn’t guess what the expression on his face was. ‘If that’s what you’d like me to do, Shadow… You know where the apartment phone is? The Gym phone number is written beside it. You can call down if you need anything, I’ll come right up.’

She said nothing.

‘Shadow?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Sleep tight. I’ll tell Louis you said good luck.’

And he was gone. Shadow pressed her face into the pillow, and closed her eyes.

                                                                        *

It was night when she woke up. The apartment was dark and silent. Pawniard was curled up against her side – she hadn’t even noticed it coming back, or settling in. The exhibition had to be over by now. She wondered if it had gone well.

She couldn’t carry on like this. Couldn’t keep carrying this guilt in her chest. She had to find some way to expunge it. Some way, somehow.

She got to her feet before she had time to think about it. Pawniard looked up, sleepy, but she waved it back.

The door to Burgh’s bedroom opened at a push of her fingers. She’d never been in here before. Unlike the rest of the apartment, he’d put in at least some effort to make this room seem nice. Carpet underfoot, big bed, plush pillows against the headboard. He’d strung up a line of fairy lights over the bed, and their faint light painted the room in a cozy yellow glow.

Burgh was asleep, curled on his side. He looked vulnerable like this, in a faded old t-shirt, curls spread across the pillow, mouth slightly open. She could cross the room in a moment, crush his throat, and that would be the end of him.

Maybe she should sleep closer to him. What had she been thinking, letting him go to the exhibition with only Pawniard for protection? What if Zinzolin had shown up? Another wrong choice, another disaster narrowly avoided.

The mattress was soft beneath her knee, as she climbed onto the bed. Leaning over Burgh, her arms braced either side of his head. ‘Burgh, wake up.’

Burgh turned, his arm hitting into hers. He blinked, and then smiled up at her, soft and sweet like the dawn breaking over the horizon. ‘Hi there, gorgeous.’

‘I need to tell you something.’ Now that she was here, she was shaking. A tremble in her limbs she couldn’t hold back.

‘Sure. Anything.’

But she couldn’t find the words. They were trapped in her throat, a nest of brambles pressed against her lungs.

He blinked a few more times. The expression on his face went from blissful to dawning suspicion. ‘I, um, I’m dreaming this. Right?’

‘No.’

‘Shit,’ said Burgh. ‘Fuck. I, uh, hi! What do you need, Shadow? Why are you in my bed?’

‘I’m sorry,’ she whispered. ‘I’m sorry about your art, about the warehouse, I’m sorry I didn’t catch it, I’m sorry, I knew how much it meant to you, I should have tried harder, I –’

Understanding sparked in his eyes. ‘Let me sit up,’ he said.

She shuffled backwards. Burgh sat up, and pulled her into a hug. His body still sleep-warm, his curls soft and ticklish against her neck. Shadow didn’t reciprocate, just sat there stiffly. Staring into the distance without seeing anything.

‘It’s okay,’ he said. ‘It’s okay. I know you tried. That’s what matters to me.’

‘I should have tried harder. I should have gotten them back for you. I should have –’

‘Do you think I could ever have looked at them again?’ he said. ‘Knowing that you’d died to get them back to me? My paintings are important to me. But they’re not worth the cost of your life.’

‘Why?’ she said. ‘I’m not your friend.’

He squeezed a little harder. ‘Not just you. Anyone.’

‘But it’s all gone,’ she said. ‘How many years of your life was that? How many memories? Because I made a mistake. Because of my stupid plan.’

‘Shadow –’

‘If I wasn’t here, none of this would have happened.’

Burgh said nothing. Just tapped his fingers for a moment, like he was thinking. ‘Could I show you something?’

‘… If you want?’

‘I’m not sure how you’re going to take it.’ He let go, pulling back enough to look her in the eye. He looked anxious. ‘Promise not to get angry?’

Shadow tilted her head. ‘… Okay? What do you want to show me?’

‘Let me up.’

She climbed off the bed. Burgh threw off the covers and followed her. He was wearing pyjamas, she realised. The top had a Galvantula printed on it, while the bottoms were covered in a pattern of tiny Joltiks. He flicked on the lamp beside his bed.

‘There,’ he said. ‘Up the stairs.’

The stairs… ‘You’re letting me into your loft?’

He nodded. She hung back, uncertain, so Burgh took the lead.

The loft was organised chaos. Tables were pressed against three of the walls, leaving an open space in the middle of the room. Large windows looked down towards Castelia Bay. The walls were hung with pamplets, posters, advertisements for plays, for Pokémon exhibitions. One table was covered with paints and brushes, while another was piled high with rolls of canvas and sketchbooks. There were lamps scattered around, with bug-patterned lampshades – Karrablast here, Larvesta there. In the centre of the room, a canvas was propped up on an easel. It wasn’t finished – he’d just started to sketch something in with pencil.

‘There’s a line between inspiration and voyeurism,’ Burgh said. His voice sounded high, nervous. ‘I try not to cross it, if I can, but sometimes the muse strikes. I try to be respectful –’

‘You haven’t drawn me naked or something, have you?’

‘No!’ He pressed his hands to his face. ‘No – I – nude modelling is – Anyway! That’s not what I wanted to show you. It’s this.’

He led her towards the canvas in the centre of the room. Shadow looked at it closely. Buildings, yes, the collection of squares in the middle of the canvas were buildings, but she didn’t quite understand the jumble of lines above them, or below. But there was something familiar about it, all the same.

Burgh was gathering papers from a nearby desk. Reference images, she realised, as he held the first of them out to her.

‘That night,’ he said quietly. ‘You told me about your favourite memory. I kept thinking about it.’

The pictures in her hands were of the Village Bridge. Swatches of colour, test sketches. She looked back at the canvas, her heart leaping into her throat. She could see now what it would be. The Village Bridge, the river beneath it, the stars above it.

The aurora, filling the sky, reflecting in the water.

‘Oh,’ she whispered.

‘You were right,’ Burgh said. ‘About art. About the process. I won’t pretend I’m not upset about what I’ve lost… but that didn’t happen because of you. You showed me the way out of my art block, Shadow. You helped me feel inspired enough, safe enough, to create again. There’s no greater gift an artist can receive.’

‘Oh,’ Shadow said again.

She’d never felt the need to keep anything. But some greedy part of her was flaring to life. She wanted to watch him painting, watch the piece come to life under his fingers. Every gorgeous detail of it, the only beautiful night she’d ever had, recreated painstakingly by hand, for her, for her. She wanted to keep the painting, hide it in a secret room where no one would ever be able to touch it, keep it safe for ever.

‘Is that… okay?’ Burgh said. ‘I know some people don’t… but you said it was your favourite… so I figured…’

‘It’s nice,’ she managed at last. ‘It’s lovely.’

‘Good,’ Burgh said, sounding relieved. ‘I wasn’t trying to keep it a secret from you, or anything. Sometimes, early in the process, I don’t like to tell anyone what I’m doing, in case I end up running out of steam… But this one’s going to stick the course. I can feel it.’

It was more than just want for a canvas. It felt like a faucet had been forced open, deep in her heart. Want for a place, for a person. All these things she’d trained herself not to need. She was not a person, in Team Plasma, not something to be provided for. She did not need, did not want, did not think, did not feel.

But she wanted the painting.

She wanted Castelia. All its wild chaos, the constant never-ending flow of people, of Pokémon, she wanted the golden sunset over the pier, the art galleries, the ice-cream place, the square, the Gym, the ships bobbing gently in the water. All of it. She wanted to stay.

She wanted Burgh.

Wanted him in a way that would ruin her. In a way that brought this from mission-punishment-mistake to something worse, to something she would be destroyed for, unmade for, cast out forever for.

She could never indulge this want. Never. The fallout would be catastrophic, the costs far too high for both of them. It was a want she would have to keep to herself, never speak of. If she were to do this right, she would never acknowledge it at all, even in her mind.

But she could bend the rules. Just a little.

Just once.

Shadow stepped forward. Burgh started to move backwards, but he went still when she took his face in her hands, tilted his head back. She kissed his forehead, feeling the warmth of him, lingering a moment longer than she strictly needed to.

‘Thank you,’ she breathed.

‘I, I –’ Burgh squeaked. ‘I, um, I take it you like the painting?’

‘Mm.’ She went to pull away, but Burgh took her wrists. Lifted his head slightly.

His mouth was soft against hers. Pleasure and alarm shrilled through Shadow’s body, in equal amounts. She needed to pull away, she couldn’t indulge this, but he was leaning into her, and he tasted of toothpaste and he smelt like apples and –

And Ghetsis would peel the flesh from her bones, if he ever heard of it.

‘No,’ Shadow said, pulling away. ‘No, Burgh.’

Burgh startled backwards, flinching like he’d been slapped. ‘I – I’m sorry, Shadow, I thought… I didn’t mean to –’

‘That can’t happen,’ she said. ‘Between us. Not ever. If word ever got back to Team Plasma… I would be punished for it. Destroyed. It can’t happen.’

‘Team Plasma…? Team Plasma’s not here.’

‘I know. But someday, I’ll have to go back. I don’t want to make that harder than it needs to be.’

Burgh looked crestfallen. He seemed vulnerable, small, in those thin, ratty pyjamas. ‘Shadow… do you really think losing a friend would be any easier?’

‘I’m not your friend.’

‘Yes, you are. You can pretend otherwise all you want… but I care about you. I’m glad you’re in my life, even if you’re going to leave it someday.’

Shadow said nothing. He kept telling her this. Kept saying these ridiculous, sappy things, as if… as if…

‘Shadow,’ Burgh said softly. ‘What do you want? Really?’

‘It doesn’t matter,’ she said automatically.

‘It does to me.’

‘You keep saying that.’

He took a step forward. Wary of her personal space, keeping a gap between them. ‘I say it because I mean it.’

‘You’re ridiculous.’

‘What do you want?’ he said again. ‘No Team Plasma in the equation. What do you want?’

It was quiet up here. The soft light of the lamps blurred everything at the edges. The canvas beside her. The only friend she’d ever made standing in front of her, waiting for her answer. No one else to hear. No one to punish her.

‘To stay,’ she whispered. ‘Forever.’

‘So stay,’ Burgh said. ‘Stay here with me.’

‘No!’ In a flash, she’d crossed the space between them, pressed a hand over his mouth. She leaned in close, almost hissing the words. ‘Maybe you can survive it, Burgh, but I can’t. I have to leave you, tomorrow, next week, whenever. You’re right. It’ll be hard enough to lose a friend without wondering about what else I’ll have to explain to Ghetsis.’

Burgh didn’t move. He looked sad.

Shadow lifted her hand. ‘Okay? Don’t… don’t offer me the chance to stay. Don’t try to convince me. It’s too hard.’

‘The option will always be there,’ he said. ‘Any hour of the day or night, if you change your mind.’

She was terrified that she would. That she would give in. It would mean losing everything, her siblings, her purpose, her sense of honour, the principles on which her entire being was founded. Giving up everything she was. For what?

For the chance to be happy.

Pathetic.

‘About the painting,’ Burgh said quietly. ‘I didn’t want you coming up here at first, because I didn’t really know you. But if you wanted to come up here now… I wouldn’t mind that at all. It’s nice to have company when I’m creating.’

She would have to go back to Team Plasma someday. She would have to slot back into her true life, put this aberration behind her. She could bring nothing with her, except memories. Memories of nights up here, in the golden quiet, just the two of them, Burgh’s expert hands moving over the canvas.

Memories.

It was all she would ever have.

Chapter Text

She tried not to think about it, in the days and weeks that followed. What was one kiss, anyway? An impulse decision by Burgh? She’d put a stop to it. (Even though she hadn’t wanted to.) If she was ever questioned about it, and she wouldn’t be, she could tell the truth. Nothing had happened. It was one kiss. One.

It was so hard not to think about it.

Especially not when Burgh was right there. Every second of her life, it felt like. Making her coffee in the mornings, asking her opinion between Gym Battles, leaning on the back of the couch to talk to her at night.

She’d been too shy to go back to his loft, at first. Unaccountably nervous. As if some terrible kind of trial awaited up there, instead of her friend’s art room. It had taken an explicit invitation, before she’d managed it. Burgh had paused at the door to his room, tea in hand. He spoke in a tone that was almost too casual. ‘Feel like coming up to the loft tonight?’

She’d ignored the ball of nerves in her stomach. ‘Sure.’

And it had been okay. She’d sat near him as he’d progressed the sketch. They’d talked, and it had been easy. He’d explained the process to her, and she’d listened carefully. It was okay. Everything was fine.

Talking in the loft wasn’t much different to talking downstairs. Or in the Gym. They seemed to be talking to each other constantly, but afterwards, she could never quite sum up what they’d been talking about. Nothing much, really, and yet she always left those conversations feeling buoyed up, somehow, alive with warmth. It felt as though she’d said more words since arriving at the Gym than in her entire lifetime before that.

After that invitation, she ended up spending more and more time in the loft with him. It was fascinating to watch the painting taking shape, filling in more detail with every passing night. Sometimes, Burgh would trail off in the middle of a sentence, eyes suddenly focused on the canvas, and she knew that he was no longer seeing anything in the world, only the painting. It felt like such a mark of trust. That he would let her be there, close beside him, when he was lost in the flow.

Burgh hadn’t mentioned the kiss to her again, either. She wondered sometimes if he regretted it. Other times she would catch him watching her, in the lift or in the Gym, with a distinctly dreamy look on his face. He’d snap out of it at once, apologise immediately, but it did still suggest… a possibility.

That if she were to kiss him again, he wouldn’t protest. Far from it.

It was a terrifying thought to even contemplate. That something so ruinous, something that she wanted so badly, could be directly within her grasp.

She had control of it. The feeling. Maybe she was a little too interested, watching his hands dancing over the canvas. Maybe she spent a little too long imagining winding his curls around her fingers. But she had control of it. When she left (and she would) she would be able to seal the wound in her heart. She would be able to grow around the absence, and go on, and live.

She had to believe the loss wouldn’t destroy her. How else could she face that it was coming?

                                                            *

With Zinzolin gone, she was no longer trying to catch a thief, or get any artwork back. But the problems he’d caused didn’t go away just because he’d left the city.

It was morning, early enough that the Gym wasn’t yet open to challengers. Burgh had set himself up in the canteen with a cup of coffee, to take care of paperwork. Something about a mix-up in production of the Insect Badges. Shadow had gone for a wander through the Gym, dodging the construction workers and Pokémon who were in charge of the renovating.

Kerry was sitting in one of the battle rooms. Shadow’s Accelgor was in her lap. Shadow had taken to leaving it in the Gym more and more, an arrangement that seemed to suit Accelgor just fine.

Kerry was breaking up a cracker into pieces. Her head was bent over Accelgor, and yet Shadow had the sense that her attention was elsewhere. There was a vent in the corner of the room. It was open, and the darkness was hissing.

‘I take it Zorua doesn’t like it here.’

Kerry looked up. ‘Hey, Shadow.’ She sighed. ‘No, it doesn’t. It’s not even comfortable having me in the same room, and it’s been here for weeks now. You used to know it, right? You could try to bond with it?’

‘I doubt it has positive memories of me.’

 Kerry hesitated. ‘What do you mean?’

‘I didn’t use it as a punching bag, or anything. N didn’t like me, so Zorua didn’t like me. Simple as.’

‘N… Zorua’s former Trainer?’

How to explain N to Kerry? ‘Yeah.’

‘Hmm. You could still try to say hello? Jack reckons it’s the type disadvantage that’s making it act out. Any bit of familiarity might help it to feel safer.’

Shadow looked towards the vent in the corner, and then back at Kerry.

‘Please?’ Kerry said. ‘Even just a greeting?’

‘I’ll try…’ Shadow held up her arm, where the bite scar still showed. ‘Bearing in mind that the little fucker attacked me the last time we were in close contact.’

She made her way towards the vent in the corner. With each step she took, the growling got louder. Before she could get close enough to crouch down and introduce herself, Pawniard darted between them. It pressed its back against her leg, facing towards the vent and raising its blades in a defensive position.

‘No?’ Shadow said. Pawniard responded by pressing its entire body weight against her, trying to push her backwards. ‘Okay.’

She retreated across the room, taking a seat beside Kerry. Pawniard sat beside her, still keeping a watchful eye on the vent.

‘No luck,’ said Shadow.

‘Hmm,’ said Kerry. ‘Guess it figures that a Team Plasma Pokémon would be all rough and tumble, eh?’

‘No,’ said Shadow. ‘This is new. When I knew that Zorua, it was very quiet. Dreamy.’

Kerry’s smile faded. ‘Really? I assumed it was always a bit reactive.’

‘Nope. You could have walked right up to that Zorua back in the day, pulled a tuft of its fur out, and it wouldn’t have done a thing.’

Kerry looked towards the vent. She looked as if she were about to cry. ‘If Zorua’s that upset… it must have gone through so much. We have to find a way to help it.’

‘Like what?’

But Kerry didn’t respond. By the look on her face, she couldn’t think of anything to say. Which wasn’t good, because Shadow couldn’t, either.

                                                            *

She knew better than to think it would all work out. The serene peace of the Bug-type Gym, torn apart by a snarling shadow in the centre of it all. Kerry could cry as much as she liked. There was limited time and space and patience for a Pokémon like that. Sooner or later…

She brought it up to Burgh in the lift that night. He’d hit the button, the doors were closing, and he was turning to ask her something when she said, ‘Do you think I should offer to be Zorua’s Trainer?’

Burgh blinked, processing the change in subject. ‘Do you want to be?’

‘No.’ She sighed. ‘But it was N’s Pokémon, and then Zinzolin’s. It’s been part of Team Plasma practically as long as it’s been alive. If there’s no one else left to take care of it, then I should.’

He didn’t respond at once. Just looked at her, head tilted to the side. ‘Shadow… not everything in the world is your fault. Or your responsibility.’

‘Shut up. Stop it with the puppy eyes. I’m just saying.’

Burgh smiled. ‘No, I don’t think you need to be Zorua’s Trainer. It would be different if Zorua was seeking you out, and spending time with you… but according to Kerry, it doesn’t want to spend time with anyone. The best thing we can do for Zorua now is wait.’

She followed him into the apartment, still thinking. She flopped down onto the couch as Burgh went into the kitchen. ‘What about in the future?’ she called. ‘What’s going to happen to Zorua in the long-term?’

‘I’ve been talking to Grimsley,’ Burgh said. ‘He thinks that the best place to release a Zorua into the wild would be in Lostlorn Forest. But to be honest, I’m not sure about releasing Zorua at all. If Zorua has never really lived wild, it might be a very difficult transition to make. Probably not in its best interests.’

‘So then what? There’s no Dark-type Gym to send it to.’

‘No… I was hoping that Grimsley might be able to take it in himself, but he says he doesn’t have the time or resources to dedicate to Zorua at the moment, what with the League getting back on its feet… I’m going to see if I can track down an especially skilled Trainer. A fresh start with someone completely new might be just what Zorua needs.’

‘And you don’t think it should be me.’

He had his back turned to her, messing with something on the hob, so she couldn’t see the expression on his face. ‘No.’

‘Why?’

‘Well… for a Pokémon that’s as reactive as Zorua is now, I’d be hoping for someone with two or three Gym Badges, at the least.’

‘Kerry seemed to think that me just knowing Zorua would be enough to help it.’

Burgh came back to the doorway, looking hesitant. ‘If I say this, will it offend you?’

‘Maybe. Say it anyway.’

‘You only have two Pokémon, and one of them doesn’t even like you all that much.’

Shadow blinked. ‘You don’t think I could handle a third one?’

‘Of course you could. But for that Pokémon to be this Zorua, at this moment… I think it would be a huge struggle for both of you.’

She wanted to argue with him, just on principle, but she had a sneaking suspicion that he was right. ‘What do you mean about my Pokémon not liking me? Accelgor likes me fine.’

‘Sure. But I didn’t specify, and your mind went straight to Accelgor.’

‘Oh, out of a fifty-fifty guess? What are the odds?’

Burgh looked pointedly at Pawniard, who was sprawled by Shadow’s feet. ‘Kerry’s worried about you and Accelgor, you know.’

‘Is she? Why? She thinks I’m neglecting it?’ Shadow sat up. ‘What would she know? Accelgor has everything it needs. It’s fine.’

‘Yeah, it is,’ Burgh said. ‘I’d bet it’s happier here than it’s ever been.’

‘What’s that meant to mean?’

‘Nothing. I… Shadow, I’m not trying to upset you.’

‘Well, you are.’

‘I can see that.’ Burgh glanced down at Pawniard, who was sitting up now, in an imitation of her pose. ‘Listen… I don’t think anybody needs to decide anything right now. If you want to try getting close to Zorua, by all means go ahead. Just don’t get bitten again.’

Shadow eyed him for a moment, trying to decide if she wanted to continue the argument. But she really didn’t have the energy. ‘Fine,’ she said. ‘Whatever.’

She started flicking through the channels again. But it didn’t matter what channel she landed on. All she could hear in her mind was flickering static.

                                                            *

She followed Burgh up to the loft that night, as she usually did, but something between them still felt strange. Fraught.

Shadow couldn’t stop thinking about Zorua. Mixed in with it, she couldn’t help thinking about Accelgor, and about Anthea and Concordia, and about how desperately far she was from home.

She hated being faced with these situations. Life had been easier when all she had to do was follow the orders she was given, consequences be damned. Thinking things through and making those decisions on her own… it was hard. She didn’t like it.

She sat on the floor, near where Burgh was sitting on a stool to work. She was facing away from him a little, keeping an eye on both the door and the canvas. Not that she thought a threat would find them here. But it was better to be sure.

He talked away to her as he painted, babbling about this and that, the Gym, paperwork, old friends from college. Shadow was aware that her responses were short, that they took too long to come, but her mind was elsewhere. Something had to change. She had to find some way of making Zorua sweet and docile again, before something terrible happened.

Burgh put his hand on her shoulder. She hadn’t been expecting it, and the electricity of it shocked through her, heat, touch –

‘Hey,’ he said softly. ‘Are we okay?’

She kept her gaze focused on the corner of the room. ‘Why wouldn’t we be?’

‘Did I upset you? Earlier?’

‘No.’

‘So what’s bothering you?’

She said nothing. Burgh was brushing his thumb over her shoulder, gentle repetitive movements. It was calming. Grounding.

‘If I don’t help Zorua,’ she said, ‘there are no other options.’

‘There are. There’s plenty of options. We just need to –’

‘No.’ She reached up to place her hand over his, stilling the movement. ‘There aren’t – there wouldn’t have been. Back home. Not for a Pokémon acting like that. If I don’t… I know you think I’m a bad Trainer. You’re probably right. But having a bad Trainer is better than being an untrainable Pokémon. Do you understand?’

Silence. She could practically hear him thinking. ‘Why?’

‘Because if a tool is no longer useful, it is discarded.’

‘A tool? A Pokémon? Or a person?’

‘Both. Either. There’s only the cause, and the ways it can be served. There’s no difference in the face of what must be done.’

Burgh said quietly, ‘That’s why I don’t want you to have Zorua.’

‘Because you think I’ll hurt it. Break it until it acts right.’

‘Because I don’t want you to take Zorua back to that place. To live under those rules. It’s bad enough that I can’t stop you from going back. I don’t want it to happen to Zorua as well.’

‘I don’t need saving.’

‘I never said you did.’

Shadow closed her eyes. ‘I don’t want Zorua to end up with some… unknown Trainer. At least if I was fucking up taking care of Zorua, I’d know exactly what was happening to it.’

‘Zorua’s going to stay here for now. Kerry’s taken charge of it. You trust Kerry, right?’

‘Course I do. That’s why I let her take care of Accelgor.’

Burgh said nothing. After a moment, she heard fabric rustling as he got off the chair to crouch behind her. ‘Yeah?’

‘Accelgor was surrendered by its Trainer, when they joined Team Plasma. It was given to me, because it was strong and swift… It hated me. It wanted to go back to its old Trainer. But if it didn’t learn to obey me, the next stop would have been Ghetsis, and…’

‘… and what? What would Ghetsis have done?’

‘He would have been worse than me, I can tell you that.’

Burgh said nothing.

‘I know you think I’ve been ignoring Accelgor. But you’re right. It’s happier here than it’s ever been. Everything’s better if I stay far away from it.’

‘Accelgor?’

‘Everything.’

‘Hey –’

‘I should be the one to train Zorua. If there are no good options, you just have to avoid the worst option. It can’t end up being…’ She hesitated. ‘Destroyed.’

‘Destroyed?’ said Burgh. ‘I – Shadow – no. No way. That won’t happen. There’s no circumstances under which Zorua would be –’

‘So what’s going to happen to it? What are you going to do?’

Burgh hesitated. ‘I don’t… I don’t know. Exactly.’

‘Neither do I.’ She was staring towards the corner of the room, but she was seeing Anthea and Concordia, their faces disappointed, accusing. ‘Typical N. Leaving his messes for me to clear up.’

‘N? The Hero of Ideals?’

‘Zorua’s old Trainer. He… he did the Gym Challenge… so…’

Her heart sank with the realisation. N had been here. He’d been here, he’d met Burgh and the Gym Trainers before she’d ever had the chance to. It made her stomach ache, sparking with jealousy. She had no right to feel so possessive over this place, over these people.

‘He challenged me,’ said Burgh. ‘I remember.’

She lowered her head. Hating herself for asking, for wanting to know. When she asked, her voice was barely audible. ‘Did you like him?’

If Burgh had laughed, or even chuckled, she might have thrown a punch at him, or fled the room. Instead, he moved to sit beside her, gently nudging her with his shoulder. ‘Not half as much as I’ve come to like some other Team Plasma members.’

‘Be honest.’

‘He struck me as a prodigious young Trainer. I was impressed by him.’ Burgh blew out a breath. ‘And then the talent of a generation walked in half an hour later, and I forgot all about him.’

‘Who?’

‘The Hero of Truth. Reshiram’s Trainer. Hilda. Did you ever meet her?’

She could remember Chargestone Cave. N ordering the three of them to escort a young Trainer to him. Even then, the Hero of Truth had been calm, collected, hardly even blinking when the three of them had appeared in front of her. She’d gone with them, but Shadow had been under no delusion that she was there under duress.

How unfortunate for Ghetsis. An accident of timing, of fate. All his years of planning, gathering power, training N to be the King of Team Plasma, for nothing. The only force that could ever have defeated him, rising out of Nuvema Town like a hurricane, tearing across Unova until she’d laid the entire Team down. Maybe that had been destiny’s plan all along.

‘She was something,’ Shadow said softly.

‘Her partner was an Emboar.’ Burgh smiled. ‘She went through our Gym like a wildfire. I’m sure you can imagine.’

‘What happened to her?’

‘I don’t know. She left Unova.’

Unova’s twin dragons, its founders, and yet as soon as they’d gotten the chance, both of their Trainers had fled. What did that say about them? About the state of the land?

N, Hilda, Ghetsis. Even Lux and Celeste, in a way. She felt as if she was constantly defining herself by people that weren’t around anymore. Their shadows had lifted, and yet she could still feel the chill of them, reaching into every corner of her life.

Who would she be, if not Shadow of Team Plasma?

No one, she reminded herself. Someday that darkness would fall over her life again. She belonged in it. What was someone like her doing, trying to cling to the sunlight?

‘Zorua doesn’t need to be your responsibility,’ Burgh said. ‘I’m not exactly what the right answer is at the minute. But we can figure it out together. Okay?’

She thought about the open vent, the snarling figure in the darkness. She wasn’t sure that there was anything they could do, anything that would break through Zorua’s fear. In Team Plasma, Zorua would already have been destroyed, and she was willing to bet Zorua knew it.

‘Okay,’ she said, not believing the words. ‘We’ll find a way.’

Chapter Text

Shadow tried to spend time with Zorua, over the next few days. Everyone insisted that the familiarity would help, even as there seemed to be no change in Zorua’s condition at all. In fact, she suspected the situation might be getting worse.

‘Zorua’s cranky this morning!’ Kerry said, when Shadow walked into the Pokémon room. Her voice was almost drowned out by the snarling coming from the vent.

‘Zorua’s cranky every morning.’

‘I, well…’ Kerry hesitated. ‘Yeah… Look, I have to finish feeding these Sewaddle. Do you want to bring breakfast to Zorua?’

‘I’ll try.’ They had taken to leaving Zorua’s food in a bowl at the entrance to the vent. It wouldn’t eat while anyone was watching, but it would dart out for mouthfuls when they had their backs turned.

She’d kept Pawniard in its Pokéball, in case its presence upset Zorua further. Perhaps not the wisest move to approach an angry Pokémon without her partner. But she was relatively confident that she could get clear before Zorua could land any hits.

‘There,’ she said, leaving the bowl down. ‘Are you going to come out and eat now?’

She got no answer from the darkness.

‘Whatever,’ she said, turning away. She would get Kerry’s attention, keep her distracted for a few minutes. The other Pokémon were distracted over their own food. Zorua might have enough time to eat a decent meal without being noticed.

‘Hey,’ she said. ‘How are the rest of the Pokemon getting on?’

Kerry lifted her head to answer, but she didn’t get the chance. Footsteps sounded, and then Clyde appeared in the doorway, looking flustered. ‘Shadow,’ he said. ‘You’d better come. There are people here to see you.’

‘Who?’ she said. Surely not Anthea and Concordia again? But that was more likely than any alternative. She only had one friend, and she knew exactly where he was.

‘I, ah…’ Clyde scratched the back of his head. ‘You’d best just go. Burgh is already there.’

Facing into potential danger. That wouldn’t do. She brushed past him, heading for the front of the Gym as quickly as she could.

She was half-expecting to see Lux and Celeste after all. But she didn’t recognise any of the people who were standing in the Gym’s vestibule, talking to Burgh. A young woman with light hair, wearing a stripy t-shirt and chunky black boots. With her were two teenagers, one a boy with spiky blue hair, the other a girl with her hair gathered in two buns.

‘That’s him!’ the boy shouted, as soon as Shadow appeared. ‘That’s one of them!’

‘Shh!’ said the young woman. ‘I’m doing the talking here, remember?’

‘What’s all this?’ Shadow asked Burgh.

‘I’m not sure,’ he said.

‘My name’s Roxie,’ said the young woman. ‘This is Hugh, my cousin, and Rosa, his friend. Team Plasma stole his sister’s Purrloin in Aspertia City. Since they don’t have their own Pokémon team, I’m here on their behalf to get it back.’ She looked at Shadow, her face cold and set. ‘And I’m willing to do whatever it takes.’

‘How nice of you,’ said Shadow. ‘I don’t have it.’

‘Shadow…’ Burgh said.

‘Oh, come on. You’ve seen all my Pokémon. I don’t have a Purrloin.’

‘So what happened to it?’ Hugh snapped. ‘Does one of the other ones have it? I remember there were three of you. You stole from a kid, aren’t you ashamed?’

‘It wasn’t personal. Sorry.’

‘Sorry’s not good enough!’ He took a step towards her, and Burgh darted forward, getting between them. Probably he didn’t want Shadow to deck a teenager.

‘Hey, hey, let’s all talk this out,’ he said, waving his hands. ‘I’m sure we can come to a peaceful resolution.’

‘There is no peaceful resolution,’ Hugh said. ‘Not until I get my sister’s Purrloin back.’

‘And I don’t have it,’ said Shadow. ‘So you’d better leave.’

‘Where are the other two?’ said Rosa, stepping forward. ‘Do they have it?’

‘Maybe. Maybe not. It might have been passed on to someone else.’

‘So find them! Ask!’

‘On whose orders?’ Shadow sneered. ‘Yours?’

‘Hey,’ said Burgh. ‘Easy. Isn’t there anything you can do? Can’t you get in contact with your siblings, see what they say?’

‘Do you think they’d just give up a Pokémon that was taken to serve Team Plasma?’ Shadow said. ‘Even if they would, I don’t have a way to contact them.’

‘You must have some way of finding them,’ said Roxie. ‘You’re not here forever, right?’

‘Mind your own business.’

‘Can I talk to you?’ Burgh said. ‘Privately?’

‘You’re not going to change my mind. Why bother trying?’

He just looked at her. That soft, eager look that he got sometimes, the look of someone who hadn’t yet been entirely crushed by the cruelty of the world. A look of hope. ‘Shadow... Please.’

And really she shouldn’t give in, really her will should be iron-clad. And yet…

‘Oh, for fuck’s sake,’ she muttered, half to herself. ‘Fine. Roxie, right? Go look for them at Victory Road. That’s the last place I saw them, and where I’m supposed to meet them when I leave. If you want to go halfway across Unova on some harebrained quest, that’s up to you.’

Silence. Burgh winced. Roxie just looked at her with wide eyes. Even Hugh looked uncertain for a moment.

Shadow glanced around, puzzled. ‘What?’

‘Shadow,’ Burgh said. ‘You… were you watching the news lately?’

‘No…?’

‘Victory Road’s been destroyed. It caved in during a landslide. The whole area’s been sealed off. You didn’t hear about it?’

A faint buzzing seemed to fill her ears. Victory Road. Landslide. Destroyed.

The ceiling coming down. That split-second certainty that she would die.

Leavanny had saved her. But Leavanny hadn’t been there. Who had been there for Lux and Celeste? Had they been better than she was, faster, smarter, fleeing the falling rocks with ease? Or had they…

Were they…

No. No, of course not. They hadn’t spent all that time waiting for her patiently at Victory Road itself. Probably they were out in the world. Getting up to missions. Getting up to who knew what. But regardless, the outcome was the same.

Shadow was cut off from them. Adrift in the world.

‘Hey!’ said Hugh. ‘Hey! That’s not enough! You need to tell us more!’

‘I don’t have your Pokémon,’ Shadow mumbled. ‘I can’t get it back for you. Sorry.’

‘So we’ll go to Victory Road,’ Hugh said. He was directing this at Roxie, now, not her. ‘We can go there. We can get Purrloin back.’

He sounded desperate. Like he was lying to himself. Shadow knew the feeling.

‘Victory Road’s a long way off,’ Roxie said. ‘And you heard Burgh – it doesn’t exist anymore. It’s been practically obliterated.’

‘No!’ Hugh said. ‘It’s the only lead we’ve got, we have to try!’

Their attention was off Shadow. She slipped into her unseen shape, blurred away from the group and towards the back of the Gym.

The final battle room seemed cavernous, now that it was empty. The silence swallowed her footsteps, the tremble in her breathing. She crouched on the bench near the door, curling up small. Her head felt light, her vision flickering. She couldn’t pass out here. She couldn’t.

It seemed like a long time, before she heard footsteps approaching. Familiar ones.

‘Shadow?’ Burgh called. ‘Are you here? Roxie and the kids are gone.’

She dropped her illusion without responding.

‘You are here,’ he said. ‘Listen… I know that must have been a shock to hear, but I’m sure your siblings are fine. It would have been reported in the news coverage if there were any injuries.’

She nodded.

‘As for the other thing…’ He hesitated. ‘Is it true?’

‘You sound surprised,’ she said. ‘Why? Notorious Pokémon thief stole a Pokémon. Oh, the shock, the horror.’

‘But from his little sister? Hugh’s not even old enough to have started the Gym Challenge. How young is his sister? Did you really steal a Pokémon from a child?’

‘Maybe! I don’t fucking remember! I follow the orders I’m given. Simple as that.’

‘But that – that’s awful – I –’

‘You what?’ she said, and she was on her feet. Anger swirling through her, a bitter poison that had just found its target. ‘You knew who I was when you met me. You think that just because I can be all nice and sweet to you, it undoes everything else I’ve ever done?’

‘Shadow –’

‘Don’t act like I kept a secret from you.’

Burgh’s face fell. It was a look she was all too familiar with. The look on Concordia’s face outside the Gym. The look in Zorua’s eyes when she approached the vent. Anger, swallowed by utter, crushing disappointment.

‘No,’ he said quietly. ‘I suppose you didn’t.’

She was waiting for him to get angry, to shout, try to attack her. But he just lowered his head, and turned away, heading for the door.

‘I can’t get the Pokémon back,’ she said sharply. ‘I won’t even try. That doesn’t bother you?’

He paused in the doorway, looking back at her. She wanted anger, she was hoping for anger, but he just looked sad.

‘No,’ he said. ‘You’re right. Why would I expect something like that from someone like you?’

Shadow blinked. Tried to catch her breath, tried to think of something to say, but the words wouldn’t come, chest squeezing tight. Before she could come up with a response, Burgh had left, pulling the door so that it gently clicked shut behind him.

Leaving Shadow alone in a cold, echoing room.

Chapter Text

She couldn’t get the anger to go away.

Usually none of her emotions stuck. Anger, fear, misery, guilt. Usually she could compress them. Wait them out, curled up in her room, until it had all faded into the background hum of apathy that coloured her life. Nothing stuck, because nothing mattered.

This anger felt like a wild beast. Raging through her body with nowhere to go. She was pacing the battle room, eyes unfocused. She kept seeing them, over and over, Zorua, Burgh, Anthea, Concordia, Lux, Celeste, Hugh, Rosa, Roxie. The list of the people she’d disappointed seemed to go on and on and on, to say nothing of Ghetsis, of –

What the fuck was she supposed to fucking do? Step back in time, unmake her entire life, her entire self, so that she’d never committed this one foul act?

Ever since the accident in the Castle, it felt as if she’d been living in some strange kind of limbo. Where the rules of the real world didn’t bind her, because they never could, but where the power of Team Plasma no longer held any sway, either. Living between two worlds, belonging to neither, ostracised by both.

Victory Road had been destroyed.

It had been her only escape route. The only modicum of control she’d had over this whole mess. And now Lux had refused her even that. Either her siblings were dead under the rubble, and she would never know, or they were alive, waiting, deciding between themselves when they would deign to allow her to come home. Either way, she would never be able to choose to return. She would be called one day, like a bolt from the blue, and slink home like a chastened Lillipup. A person, a Pokémon, what did it matter? She was a tool, and she’d been cast aside until she was needed.

She wanted to run to Burgh. Wanted one of his full-body hugs, holding her and rocking her a little, wanted to lose her anger in that gentle warmth. And at the same time she wanted to shake him, attack him, expunge all that anger another way. But none of what she wanted mattered, because he probably wouldn’t talk to her anyway.

What had he hoped? That she would just magic up a solution? Give up her loyalty to Team Plasma and swear an oath to the power of friendship? Call Celeste and have her say oh of course you can have that Pokémon back, no problem? Find some secret sanctuary where Zorua would somehow be happy again? Gather everyone she’d ever wronged around, get them to hold hands and share solutions and –

…

…

Oh.

Shadow came to a halt in the centre of the room. The longer she stood there, unmoving, the more the realisation spread through her mind. There was a distinctly power-of-friendship-shaped solution to… if not all of her problems, at least some of them.

If she could work up the courage to do it.

All the risks she’d taken, all the enemies she’d faced, all the times she’d stared death in the face. She had the skills to fight her way out of any corner, any scrape, and yet all of it seemed to pale in the face of what she had to do now.

Hugh, Zorua, Burgh.

None of it would go away. Not unless she did something about it.

She took a deep breath, and then forced herself to open the battle room’s door. No one outside – no challengers. Good.

Burgh was standing with the builders, in one of the front rooms. He was gesturing towards the current wreckage, broad, expansive gestures that told her he was explaining his vision for the new Gym.

‘Hey,’ she said, appearing beside him.

The builders leapt backwards, the Pokémon growling at her warily. Burgh’s expression turned carefully neutral. ‘Hey.’

‘I need your Xtransceiver.’

‘Why?’

‘I just… do.’ The tension in her body felt as though it would snap her spine in half. ‘Please.’

Burgh blinked. He tilted his head sideways, looking at her, but after a moment he unclipped the Xtransceiver from his wrist and held it out. Shadow took it, nodded her thanks, and vanished again.

Where was the best place for a private conversation? The final battle room couldn’t remain unoccupied for long, not in a busy challenge season. The other rooms wouldn’t be empty either… best to go to the apartment.

Her hands were trembling as she took a seat on the couch. She could do this. She could fix this.

Almost without thinking, she let Pawniard out of its Pokéball. It looked at her, puzzled. She held out her arm.

‘C’mere,’ she said. ‘Need support. You’re the best I’ve got.’

Pawniard saluted. It cuddled into her side as she scrolled through the contacts on Burgh’s Xtransceiver. When she found the one she was looking for, she took a deep breath before dialling it.

Rood was the one who answered. Old and grey now. He narrowed his eyes when he saw who had called, but he said nothing.

‘I need to talk to Anthea and Concordia,’ Shadow said. ‘If they’re there.’

‘What is this about?’ Voice still low, still gruff.

‘That’s private business.’

‘This was identified as a call from the Gym Leader Burgh,’ said Rood. ‘You’re the Shadow that’s positioned in Castelia City?’

‘Yes,’ she said, wondering if that counted for or against her.

Rood said nothing, and his expression gave nothing away. After a moment, the screen went black. Shadow frowned, wondering if the call had dropped, but the timer in the corner of the screen suggested it hadn’t.

She waited, watching the timer rise from one minute, to two, to three. Maybe Rood had meant to hang up, but had hit the wrong button? And yet something told her to stay.

The screen lit up again. This time, it wasn’t Rood on the screen. It was Concordia, apparently sitting on a bed. She looked tired, thin, annoyed.

‘What?’

‘Hi,’ said Shadow. ‘I – um – s-sorry to call you.’

‘You have this number for a reason.’

‘I need a favour. Maybe, um, two favours.’

Concordia sighed. She pressed her hand over her eyes, over her mouth. For a moment, Shadow thought she might cry. ‘Okay. Fine. I guess we owe you.’

‘I – it’s not – it’s okay. They’re not bad favours, just…’ She trailed off. She wished she had Burgh’s gentleness, his easy way of guiding a conversation. ‘Concordia, are you… okay?’

‘What’s it to you? What do you want, Shadow? Just say it out.’

Shadow’s heart sank. For a moment, her thumb hung over the button to end the call. As if reading her thoughts, Pawniard pushed its feet into her thigh, started gently kneading.

‘I need your help with a Pokémon. N’s Zorua, it’s here in the Gym. It needs a safe place, with the two of you.’

Concordia squinted at her. ‘But… we aren’t Trainers?’

‘I… Well, no, but you wouldn’t need to be Trainers, just someone that Zorua loves, and trusts.’

Someone off-screen said something, and Concordia lifted her head to listen. She returned her gaze to the screen. ‘Yeah, actually, how did you get hold of that Zorua? N’s not in Unova anymore.’

‘He released it, and then Zinzolin took it. It was him that was destroying Burgh’s artwork, he was using Zorua to do it –’ This conversation was going wrong, and her words were coming faster and faster, but she couldn’t seem to stop. ‘We stopped Zorua, except we had to leave it behind, and, um, we caught up to Zinzolin, but he didn’t have the art, so I just punched him, and –’

‘What?’ someone yelled, from off-screen. ‘You punched Zinzolin?’

Concordia let out an indignant cry as someone landed on the bed beside her. By the look of it, the Xtransciever was wrestled out of her hands, and then Anthea’s face was filling the screen.

‘Shadow,’ she said. ‘Shadow, you are my new best friend. Tell me everything.’

‘I, um… You don’t like him?’

‘No! I hate him.’ Anthea screwed up her face, and spoke in an imitation of Zinzolin’s nasally drawl. ‘Oh, do run along, girls, this isn’t a meeting for such simple minds as yooouuurrsss….’

Somehow, Shadow found herself giggling. ‘He does talk like that, doesn’t he?’

‘Right?’ Anthea said. ‘Please, Shadow, you’re holding out on me. I’ve been picturing what it would be like to punch him in the face for my whole life.’

‘Okay, okay.’

Start to finish, she told them what had happened on that night. They made a good audience. Anthea cheered when she described punching Zinzolin. But they both let out horrified gasps when she explained the trick that he’d pulled, and the burning warehouse.

‘So…’ Shadow finished. ‘Zorua needs a place to stay. And it can’t be here.’

Anthea nodded. Concordia was biting her lip, looking thoughtful.

‘The Zorua,’ she said. ‘Can you go to it now? I want to see if it reacts to our voices.’

‘Sure.’ She got to her feet, Pawniard tagging beside her, and started to make her way down towards the Gym. ‘But there’s another favour I need to ask you.’

‘What?’ Anthea said, looking wary.

‘When you left Team Plasma, the other Shadows left you a way to contact them.’

The two of them exchanged a dubious glance.

‘You don’t need to lie about it. I know they did. I need you to tell me what it is.’

‘Why?’ Concordia said. ‘Don’t you have a way of your own?’

‘No.’ Shadow leaned back against the lift wall as it headed downwards. ‘I was supposed to meet them at Victory Road when I’d fulfilled my debt. And now Victory Road is gone.’

‘They were just going to meet you there? But you could have been gone for years!’

‘I know.’ She sighed. ‘This is part of the punishment. I got myself into this situation, and it’s up to them if they want to get me out of it.’

Neither Concordia nor Anthea said anything. They’d been raised in Team Plasma. They knew the interplay of loyalty and debt just as well as she did.

‘So now I need you to tell me how to find them.’

‘Why?’ said Concordia. ‘What do you need them to do?’

Shadow stopped in the doorway of the final battle room. She explained the day’s interaction to them. ‘And so,’ she said, ‘I need that Purrloin back. So I can…’

So I can stop feeling like I’m being eaten alive by guilt.

‘… so I can have a bit of peace around here.’

The two of them had fallen silent, staring at her, eyes wide. Concordia had gone pale. Anthea was the first to speak.

‘Shadow,’ she said. ‘Have you lost your fucking mind?’

‘I –’

‘What do you think is going to happen to you if you call up your brother and sister and tell them you want to give a Pokémon back?’

She had been trying not to think about it. ‘I can convince them.’

‘Convince them of what?’ said Concordia. ‘That you’ve gone rogue? That you need to be taken out, before you become a serious threat? They let us go because we don’t have any skills we could use against Team Plasma. But you –’

‘Shut up. What’s one Pokémon? Purrloin are a dime a dozen, I’ll catch another one.’

‘So catch another one for this Hugh kid, if they’re all the same.’

‘They’re all the same to Team Plasma. It’s different out here.’ Shadow thought about the fury in Hugh’s eyes. ‘He’d keep pestering me until he was certain he had the right one.’

‘No,’ said Concordia. ‘No. A kid annoying you isn’t a good enough excuse to put your life on the line.’

‘And what is?’ Shadow said, pushing herself off the wall and heading through the Gym. ‘All the other times I’ve put my life in danger came to nothing. Team Plasma’s gone. What does one returned Pokémon matter now?’

‘Definitely don’t tell them you said that,’ said Anthea.

Kerry was in the Pokémon room when she entered. Judging by the flat stare she threw towards Shadow, she’d heard all about this morning. Shadow brushed past her without speaking, heading for the corner where the vent was.

‘Shadow,’ Kerry began, ‘I wouldn’t –’

Shadow crouched at what she judged was a safe distance from the vent, and held out the Xtransceiver.

‘Zorua!’ Concordia called. ‘Baby, is that you?’

Shadow heard a yelp. A moment later, Zorua shot out of the vent like it had been propelled from a cannon. It stood in the centre of the room, looking around wildly, letting out high barks.

‘Over here, baby,’ said Anthea.

Zorua whirled to face her. It saw Shadow, and then the Xtransceiver. She saw the moment it put two and two together.

All the fight seemed to go out of its tiny frame. It sloped towards Shadow, head held low, tail drooping. Up close, she could see that it had gotten skinnier, that there were patches missing from a coat that had gone dull and coarse. It sniffed the Xtransceiver, and then leaned against Shadow’s knee, letting out sad whimpers.

‘I know,’ Shadow said. ‘It was a mean trick.’ She chanced putting her hand on its head, gently patting the fur there. Zorua closed its eyes, allowing the touch.

‘Oh, poor Zorua,’ said Concordia. ‘Oh, little one, you don’t look well at all. What happened to you?’

In response, Zorua mashed its face against the Xtransceiver’s screen.

‘What is happening?’ said Kerry. She’d edged closer. ‘Who’s on the phone?’

Shadow waved her away. The last thing she needed was for Kerry to upset Zorua, even accidently.

‘Can you take in Zorua?’ she asked. ‘Is there room, where you are?’

‘We’ll find room,’ said Anthea. ‘We’ll make room.’

‘We’ll talk to Rood,’ said Concordia. ‘And I assume you need to work something out with Burgh. Can Zorua travel via the PC System?’

‘I… I don’t know. I’d have to ask.’

‘That’s fine. This is the number to call? And you have the number for this Xtransceiver?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Right. In that case –’

‘Concordia,’ said Shadow. ‘The other thing. Don’t think I’ve forgotten.’

Concordia went quiet. What little of her Shadow could see beneath Zorua’s fur looked grim, drawn. ‘It’s dangerous.’

‘I’m more than willing to risk my life.’

‘Why? Doesn’t your life matter to you?’

‘Seems to matter a lot more to everyone else.’

Concordia sighed. ‘Okay. What I’ll do is, I’ll reach out to your siblings, and ask them to give the Purrloin to me. I’ll tell them that Hugh kid came directly to us, here, looking for his Pokémon. We can swap out – you take Purrloin, we take Zorua. Okay?’

‘No!’ Shadow said. ‘It’s one thing to put my life on the line – you’d be putting yourselves in danger for no reason. No. No way.’

‘What danger?’ She could hear the wry smile in Concordia’s voice. ‘We can’t fight, we can’t make ourselves invisible, we don’t have important intel on Team Plasma. The only value we ever had was for the emotional hold we had over N. And look how that turned out.’

There were so many things in that statement that she wanted to argue with. Where was she supposed to start?

What she said, eventually, was, ‘You matter, too. Both of you.’

‘Aww,’ said Anthea. ‘I think that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to us.’

‘No, this is.’ Shadow took a deep breath. ‘You’re important. And I care about you both. I don’t want anything bad to happen to you. Okay? Don’t talk to my siblings. Let me do it.’

‘That’s sweet, Shadow,’ said Concordia. ‘But we have their contact details, and you don’t.’

The screen went dark.

‘Shit,’ Shadow said softly.

Zorua screamed. It slapped at the screen of the Xtransceiver, and then at Shadow, getting more and more frantic.

‘Easy, easy,’ Shadow said. ‘I’ll ring them back.’ She picked up the Xtransceiver, but the screen had already lit up with an incoming call.

‘Sorry,’ said Anthea. ‘Concordia wanted the last word, you know how she –’

But Zorua had had enough. It lunged forward, sinking its teeth into the plastic strap, and yanked the Xtransceiver out of Shadow’s hand. It shot back towards the vent as fast as it could, the Xtransceiver dangling out of its mouth.

‘Shit,’ said Shadow. ‘Little bastard, give that back! It’s not mine!’

She could hear Anthea’s tinny laughter echoing up the vent.

‘I, ah,’ said a voice from somewhere behind her. ‘I hope it’s not mine?’

Shadow glanced towards the doorway. Burgh was standing there, hands on his hips. But he didn’t look angry, more curious.

‘Yeah,’ said Shadow. ‘Keep hoping.’

‘Oh, dear. Well, I was probably due a new one anyway.’

‘What were you doing?’ Kerry said, as if she couldn’t keep the words inside any longer. ‘Zorua hasn’t left that vent in days! It came out like a shot when you played that video.’

‘Not a video. A phone call.’ She felt shy, suddenly, and focused on peering into the vent. ‘I think I’ve found the best place for Zorua to live.’

‘Yeah?’ said Burgh. ‘Where?’

‘In Driftveil City. With my friends. You, um, you met them.’ She chanced another look backwards. ‘The ones staying in the safe house?’

She saw the realisation spreading over his face. ‘Oh. Yes. Yes! Is that who’s on the Xtransceiver? That would be perfect! I was… I was worried –’

‘I know.’

Burgh blinked. He didn’t seem to know what to say. Neither did Shadow. That awful, confused tangle of feelings was resurfacing, in her chest, in her stomach. She couldn’t look at him. He was disappointed in her. He was right to be.

‘This is great!’ Kerry said. ‘A place for Zorua to feel safe… That’s wonderful! Isn’t it?’

‘I, um,’ said Burgh. ‘I think there’s a challenger.’

He turned on his heel and headed for the door. Shadow bowed her head, watching the vent. Anthea would eventually hang up. Zorua might need help when she did.

‘Shadow?’ Kerry said. ‘Is something going –’

‘Fuck off,’ said Shadow, and then reconsidered. ‘Sorry.’

Silence. Shadow didn’t want to imagine the look on Kerry’s face, the disgust, the anger. At last, Kerry mumbled, ‘Probably not any of my business anyway.’ Shadow heard her footsteps as she walked away.

Shadow looked at the vent, eyes unfocused.

Some things couldn’t be forgiven, or repaired. She’d known that. Of course she’d known that. The mistake was long made. Regardless of whether she got the Purrloin back or not, the Gym had gotten a nasty reminder of just who she was.

Who she was.

All she would ever be.

Chapter Text

Without a Pokéball, Zorua couldn’t travel through the PC System. Zinzolin had had that Pokéball last, and who knew what the old fuck had done with it. There was a way to transfer a Pokémon from an old Pokéball to a new one, Burgh explained, but it was difficult, and required the full co-operation of the Pokémon in question.

There was still something unsettled between Burgh and Shadow. It would have been easier, in a way, if he’d held a grudge about it. If he’d stuck his nose in the air and refused to speak to her, citing his impeccable morals. She was used to being treated like that, ignored, scorned, despised. At least it would have been familiar.

Instead, he was treating her normally. Just the way he’d always done. It was Shadow who couldn’t look at him. The guilt-anger-despair stewing in her chest, her heart. She couldn’t find the right way to choke out an apology, to him, to anyone. Burgh was being his usual gentle self, and Shadow was slipping out of rooms, avoiding eye contact, hardly speaking. It wasn’t fair, she knew it wasn’t, but she didn’t know how to stop.

She hadn’t been to the loft since Hugh and Roxie had visited. She didn’t know how the painting was progressing. She was afraid to ask.

She’d been in sporadic contact with Anthea and Concordia since their conversation. Mostly over the Gym phone. It had taken a long time before Zorua slunk out of the vent with a much chewed Xtransceiver, covered in fur and spit, out of charge. Burgh’s face when Shadow brought it back to him was something to behold.

‘I, ah, yeah,’ he’d said. ‘Great. I am so happy to have this back.’                                                                                                                 

Shadow had laughed. Only a weak huff, an imitation of herself, but still enough for Burgh to lose interest in the Xtransceiver. To look at her with an expression she couldn’t decipher.

‘Take it up with Zorua, not me,’ she’d said.  

‘No, I…’ He’d looked back at the lump of plastic. ‘It’s okay. I’ll get… I’ll sort something.’

‘Yeah,’ she said, not trusting herself to make eye contact.

True to his word, he went out that afternoon to get a new one. Concordia was, by sheer coincidence, the first person to call the new Xtransceiver. It was late, and all the Gym Trainers had gone home. Outside, it was dark. Shadow was in the final battle room, waiting for Burgh to finish locking up. He appeared, holding the Xtransceiver and looking hesitant.

‘Concordia’s trying to arrange the transfer for Zorua,’ he said. ‘She’d like your perspective on it all…?’

Shadow hesitated, before moving close enough to Burgh that she could see the screen. ‘Hi.’

‘Hi,’ said Concordia. ‘Rood’s agreed that Anthea and I are going to travel up and collect Zorua over the weekend. So I’ll see you then.’

‘Good.’

‘I passed on your message. A version of it.’

‘And?’

‘I didn’t get much of a response.’ Concordia hesitated. ‘I don’t know what’s going to happen.’

‘Neither do I.’

For a moment, no one said anything. Shadow could feel Burgh looking at her, but she didn’t meet his gaze.

‘We’ll have to wait and see,’ said Concordia. ‘Take care.’

The screen went black.

 ‘What message?’ said Burgh. ‘What did she mean?’

‘Private business. Don’t worry about it.’

‘Shadow… is everything okay?’

‘Why wouldn’t it be?’

Burgh said nothing, for long enough that she chanced a look at him. He looked sad. Tired and anxious, twisting the strap of the Xtransceiver between his fingers.

‘I wish you’d talk to me,’ he said softly.

Shadow hesitated. She wished she could talk to him. Wished that she wasn’t constantly shouldering these burdens on her own. Being one of three meant never having to face anything alone. And now she felt like she would never have that closeness again. That she would always be standing apart, isolated from everyone she’d ever known.

‘Burgh,’ she said, ‘I –’

She felt it as a disturbance on the air. A stirring, faint as breath. A sensation she’d known, felt, all her life.

The movement of a shadow.

She shoved Burgh backwards. Twisting, raising her arm to block the strike she knew was coming. The sudden force of it, juddering through her body. The illusion dropping. Blue eyes, white hair, dark uniform. A mirror of herself, looking back at her.

Celeste was raising her fist for another strike, but Aurora was already countering it. They’d trained together for their whole lives. She knew exactly where her sister would place her feet, move her hands, all of her strengths and weaknesses, her strategies. It conveyed no advantage. Celeste knew all of hers. They circled, trading blows, gaining no ground –

And then Celeste was taking a few strides backwards, crouching a little. Finally ready to talk. Aurora dropped her hands, hoping –

‘Do you think I’m stupid, Shadow?’ Celeste hissed.

‘I – I –’ She hadn’t prepared for a meeting like this. Couldn’t think of what to say.

‘Shut up.’ Celeste looked at Burgh. ‘You. Why am I here?’

Burgh was staring at them both, eyes wide. Clearly he hadn’t caught up with what was happening. ‘I – You – What?’

‘I don’t have all night. Why am I here?’

Burgh looked at Aurora, as if he was asking for help. ‘I, um, you wanted to see your sister? Or, um, to m-meet me? Maybe?’

‘Oh, no. Nothing like that. Try again.’

‘I don’t… I don’t know, I don’t know why you’d be here –’

‘You don’t think I’m here for you?’

Burgh’s face went pale. ‘To kill me?’ he squeaked.

Celeste looked at Aurora. ‘You. Outside. Now.’

‘No,’ she said. ‘I have no guarantee that you’re not going to send someone to kill him while my back is turned.’

‘Don’t you trust me?’ Celeste said, her voice high and falsetto. Dropping back to her usual tone, she said, ‘Lux is outside. Don’t keep us waiting.’

Aurora hesitated. If she left Burgh alone, he would be vulnerable to anything that came his way. If she stayed with Burgh, she risked Celeste and Lux attacking them both.

‘Now!’ Celeste snapped.

‘Shadow, don’t worry about me,’ Burgh said, taking a Pokéball from his belt. ‘I have Leavanny. She’ll keep me safe.’

He was ready to let Leavanny out. She could see it in his eyes – if she told him she didn’t want to go, Leavanny would keep her safe, too. Even Celeste and Lux together couldn’t overcome the guardian of the Castelia City Gym.

‘I have to do this,’ she said, hoping he’d understand.

Burgh held her gaze for a moment, before nodding.

Celeste blurred into shadow, and Aurora followed. How long had it been since she’d moved like this? Part of a unit, seamless and silent?

Outside, the moon was out, the light of it slicing through a small gap between the buildings. It unmade the Gym’s garden, transforming it into a painted landscape of silver and darkness.

Lux was crouching on one of the benches. His head was hanging low, and he was tossing a Pokéball with one hand, throwing it upwards and catching it again.

‘So,’ he said, as Aurora and Celeste approached. ‘What’s all this about?’

She’d been hoping for a warmer welcome. They’d never been affectionate to each other, exactly, but she’d been away from them for so long. She’d thought they were dead. She’d hoped for… something. But by the looks on their faces, if she voiced any of those thoughts, she’d get a fist to the nose.

‘You tell me,’ she said.

Lux paused, holding the Pokéball in his palm. He tilted his head, so that he was watching her with one blue eye. ‘What Pokémon is in here?’ 

‘How would I know?’

Celeste’s laughter was sharp and harsh, echoing off the walls. ‘Don’t play dumb, Shadow.’

‘I – we’re alone, you don’t have to call me –’

‘Or maybe you’re not playing. Maybe all that sea air really has made you an airhead.’

‘Shut up –’

‘It’s a Purrloin,’ said Lux. ‘Ring any bells?’

Shit. ‘No! Half the Trainers in Unova have a Purrloin, I don’t –’

Lux’s right hand twitched. A miniscule movement, but that had always been his tell. Aurora leapt backwards, and his strike missed her by a quarter of an inch. She tried to put more space between them, get further away from him, but she’d forgotten Celeste. A boot hooked her ankle, and she was off balance, stumbling, and someone shoved her shoulders. She hit the ground hard –

Lux kicked her. The pain erupted like a star behind her ribs, and she couldn’t move, couldn’t heave a breath around it, couldn’t do anything. For a moment, the world narrowed down, only her and this new agony.

‘Don’t get cheeky, Shadow,’ Lux said softly.

‘What… the fuck… is wrong with you?’ she wheezed.

‘Did you know Concordia is a terrible liar?’ Celeste said, as casual as if she were talking about the weather. ‘She gets this look on her face. Like she’s so proud of herself for pulling a fast one on you.’

‘She contacted us,’ Lux said. ‘Telling some sob story about a boy who arrived at their safe house, looking for his little sister’s Purrloin. It had been taken from him in Aspertia City, by the big bad Shadow Triad. Couldn’t we give it back? Just once?’

Aurora could almost hear it. Hear the way Concordia had tried to spin it.

‘What’s any of that got to with me?’ she hissed. ‘Concordia’s got a soft spot? Old fucking news. Call me back when she grows a spine.’

‘I’d watch your mouth,’ Lux said. ‘Next kick might break something.’

The pain in her side was receding, enough that she could think around it. Lux and Celeste weren’t treating her like their beloved sister – they were treating her like an enemy. Like a mission target. She had to treat them the same way. Two enemies, who’d gotten her on the ground. More than strong enough to overpower her. Her only hope was to talk her way out – which meant Lux was right, and she needed to shut up.

‘It got me wondering,’ Lux said. ‘Why would a kid like that turn up at the Driftveil City safe house? Clay goes to such lengths to keep it secret. He thinks it would be better for the ex-Plasma traitors if there isn’t a sign on their backs announcing to all of Unova what they are. Odds are higher that there was something else going on. After all, you, little Ducklett, have been so clumsy.’

‘I wasn’t,’ she whispered. ‘I was careful.’

‘Not as careful as you should have been,’ he said. ‘All it takes is one rumour, you know. One sighting of a Gym Leader with a dark stranger with white hair. One instance of – what was it – ice cream? Or an art gallery?’ 

‘All it takes is one,’ said Celeste. ‘Imagine if it was two. Or three. How many times did you pad around the city with him, anyway? Pretending to be cultured?’

Aurora closed her eyes. She should never have dropped her disguise outside the Gym. Never once.

‘So it got me thinking,’ Lux said. ‘What’s more likely? That this kid tracked down a safe house that he shouldn’t know exists, to talk to people that had nothing to do with the theft? Or that he found out that the culprit of the crime was living large in Castelia City?’

‘I –’

‘After all, when Anthea and Concordia came to you, you sent them to Driftveil. Why wouldn’t you help another lost kid? What’s one Pokémon, after all?’

‘He’s a powerful Trainer. Better to have him off our backs.’

‘Oh, no, he’s not,’ said Lux. ‘He’s not old enough to have joined the Gym Challenge.’

‘A persistent Trainer with a vendetta against Team Plasma. You think I wanted a second Reshiram?’

‘Less bullshit, Shadow.’

‘Fine. Burgh was pissing me off and I wanted him to get off my back about it.’

‘But he didn’t know,’ Celeste said. ‘He didn’t have any idea why I was here. If you’d betrayed all of our ideals because you were getting good dick, I’d at least understand it. But he didn’t ask you to. This request came directly from you, Shadow.’

And here was the problem – they knew her down to the bone. She would never be able to lie to them. Not in a way they would believe. She had to think of something, something that would buy her time, something –

‘I’m not Shadow,’ she whispered. ‘I’m Aurora.’

It was Celeste, this time. She brought her heel down sharply on Aurora’s open palm. Aurora cried out, bones grinding, taste of metal in her mouth –

Lux crouched down beside her. Somehow, the sympathy in his eyes was worse than any anger would have been. ‘You’re Shadow,’ he said quietly. ‘You are one of the Shadow Triad. You serve Ghetsis, alone and entirely. Aurora was a privilege. Not one we should have afforded you.’

No, she would never be able to lie. But the truth could be put to its own use.

‘Victory Road was destroyed!’ she screamed. ‘How the fuck was I supposed to know if you were alive? Or what had happened to you? I thought you were dead under the rubble, and I’d never see you again!’

‘Keep your voice down,’ Celeste said.

Aurora pushed herself onto her knees. Scrambled backwards, holding her injured hand against her stomach. ‘So what if I made up some bullshit lie so you’d come to see me? So what if I asked Concordia to call you? I had to know. I couldn’t spend forever thinking you were both gone.’

Lux let her move backwards. Watching her thoughtfully. She could almost see his thought process. The way he was rotating her actions like a prism, fitting them into a different paradigm. One where her lapse of judgement had been in service of her own selfish desires, and not a deliberate act against Team Plasma.

‘So… what?’ he said. ‘The Purrloin was secondary?’

‘I don’t care about the Purrloin,’ she said, and her voice cracked. For a moment, it was true. For a moment, all that mattered was that she’d spent months missing the people she cared for most in the world. And now they were here, and all they wanted to do was destroy her.

‘Are you going to cry?’ Celeste said, sounding disturbed.

‘Fuck off. No, I’m not.’

Lux was watching her. Of the three of them, he’d always been the best at putting on the mask. Dividing the part of him that was gentle and made silly jokes from the part of him that needed to get the job done. Was that mask slipping now? She had to make sure it would.

‘I knew you wouldn’t let Anthea and Concordia leave without some way of reeling them back in,’ Aurora said. ‘And I knew you wouldn’t reach out to me until you felt it was necessary. My mess, my mistake.’

‘Your problem,’ Celeste murmured.

‘So I figured I needed to give you a reason to worry about me. Something that would force you to come running.’ Aurora looked down at her hand. ‘Even if it meant I got hurt.’

‘That was stupid,’ Lux said. ‘If Concordia had phrased it slightly differently, we would have come here to kill you.’

‘Seems like you weren’t too far off.’

‘Shadow, if you get it into your head that you belong here, that you don’t have to operate under Team Plasma’s rules anymore… we will have to kill you.’

‘I don’t belong here,’ she said, and the truth of it stung. ‘I never have, and I never will.’

‘You belong with us,’ Celeste said softly. ‘The three of us. Together. Same as it always was.’

Same as it was always supposed to be.

Lux rolled the Pokéball in his hand across the space between them. ‘Whatever this is, get it out of your system,’ he said. ‘You’ve got less time than you think.’

Aurora took it. What a slight weight, for something that could have cost her life to obtain.

‘Less time than I think,’ she repeated. ‘The team is coming back together?’

‘Watch the docks,’ Lux said. ‘We’ll be in touch.’

‘And when we do,’ said Celeste, ‘have your head straight.’

They made themselves invisible. Even as her eyes insisted there was nothing, she could feel their presences. Moving further and further away – out into the street. Towards the sea. Gone.

Shadow slumped against the ground. All her strength was draining out of her, like water into parched earth. Pain in her stomach, chest, arm. Too much to think about. Far too much to think about. If she stayed where she was, if she never moved again, she would never have to make another choice. Never make another mistake, never again be punished.

The Pokéball felt strong, solid beneath her fingers. She’d done something. Accomplished something. What?

Did it matter?

I want to go home, she thought. Knowing that home had never truly existed, not for her, not then or now or ever again.

                                                          *

She couldn’t stay there, sprawled on her back in the mud. Not forever. Eventually she dragged herself to her feet. Her side ached, but Lux knew how to temper his kicks. She would be feeling it for weeks, but nothing was broken. Her hand…

Burgh might have painkillers in the apartment. Probably he would try to take her to the A&E again. She didn’t know if she could face it, flickering fluorescent lights, the faces of strangers, constant bustle and noise.

He was waiting for her. Exactly where she’d left him. He was pacing back and forth, Leavanny by his side. Leavanny caught wind of her first, raising its antenna, letting out a low warning growl. Burgh turned, and she could see the astonishment as he took her in.

‘Hey,’ he said. ‘Is everything okay? What happened to you?’

‘Fell over.’

‘I can see that,’ he said. He took a few steps closer. ‘Did something happen to your hand?’

She swallowed. ‘I had – I had gloves on. Took the worst of the impact.’

‘Impact?’ Burgh repeated. He held out his hand. ‘Could I see? I might be able to help.’

She couldn’t. She couldn’t take him being gentle now, couldn’t take him teasing the truth out one question at a time. It would break her into pieces, in a way her siblings hadn’t managed. Instead, she held out the Pokéball.

‘I got it back,’ she said.

Burgh took the Pokéball, looking puzzled. ‘This is…?’

‘Purrloin. That kid, who came here… he wanted his Purrloin back. And I got it.’

‘Really?’ Burgh’s whole face seemed to light up. ‘I – Shadow, that’s amazing, I –’

And then he cut himself off, the joy fading out of his eyes. He looked her over again, his expression changing rapidly to dread.

‘I can’t do it again,’ she said. ‘Not for anyone else, not ever.’

‘What did they do to you?’

‘Nothing that won’t heal.’

‘Your hand… Oh, Shadow. Anywhere else?’

She indicated her ribs, and he winced. ‘I know what you’re going to say,’ she said. ‘Can’t do the A&E. Not tonight.’

‘Tomorrow.’

‘Fine.’

She started to head towards the lift. Burgh followed. He took her elbow, linking arms on her good side.

‘I’ll get in touch with Roxie,’ he said, as the lift doors opened. ‘You could give Purrloin back in person, if you like? Or I could do it for you. If that would help the situation… what do you think?’

‘Concordia can do it.’

‘Concordia. Sure. We’ll work something out.’

Shadow turned, resting her chin on Burgh’s shoulder, slumping against him. The lights in here seemed too bright. She wanted to sleep. Now, and maybe for the rest of her life.

‘Hey, hey,’ Burgh said, putting both arms around her. ‘You’re not going to pass out on me, are you?’

‘No.’ She’d just been taught this lesson. Her siblings had journeyed all the way across Unova to teach her this lesson. But she couldn’t help it. She was so glad he was here.

‘You’re not dizzy? They didn’t hit you in the head?’

‘No,’ she whispered. Feeling it again. The ground, the kick, the fury in her siblings’ eyes.

‘I’m sorry,’ Burgh said. ‘I shouldn’t have left you to face it on your own.’

‘What would you have done? You couldn’t have helped me.’

‘I could have gotten beaten up in solidarity. We could have had matching casts.’

She laughed, but it was weak, shaky.

‘It’s okay.’ Burgh ran his hand over her hair, brushing out some of the muck, the dead leaves. ‘It’s okay.’

She closed her eyes. ‘I don’t cry. A Shadow never cries.’

‘I won’t tell.’

But she couldn’t. The warning had been too close. The adrenaline was fading, and now the terror was setting in. She’d come so close to crossing that line. So close to being destroyed.

 ‘They’re your family,’ Burgh murmured. ‘I thought they loved you… Why would they do this to you?’

‘They do love me.’ She sniffed. ‘They love me enough to stop me from losing myself.’

‘That’s not any kind of love at all.’

She was too tired to argue with him. When they entered the apartment, she made a beeline for the couch, but Burgh stopped her.

‘Take the bed. You’re injured.’

‘I’ll get muck on it.’

‘On my good bed?’ He smiled. ‘You’re not that mucky. Anyway, it’ll wash out.’

‘If you say so,’ she mumbled, changing direction. She wanted to be horizontal. She would take the floor if she had to.

Burgh’s bed was soft. Dreamy soft, cradling her whole body. She closed her eyes, ready to be gone, ready for the day to be over. But she was interrupted a few minutes later. Burgh came into the room, and sat on the edge of the bed.

‘Here,’ he said. ‘Painkillers, and water.’

She sat up just long enough to swallow them, and then lay down again. Burgh started to stand up, but she reached out to catch his jumper.

‘You’re not staying?’ she asked.

Burgh blinked. Even in the low light, she could see his face turning pink. ‘I – I – um – no, I was going to take the couch for the night, I assumed you wouldn’t want… unless you do? I could –’

‘Stay.’

She couldn’t say why she wanted him to. But she did. Burgh tilted his head to the side, looking at her, before responding.

‘Okay… Let me get ready for bed, and I’ll join you.’

A few minutes later, he was back, slipping into bed beside her. He was wearing green pyjamas. These ones had Spinarak on them. She couldn’t help it – she started giggling.

‘Do all your pyjamas have bugs on them?’

‘And most of my clothes, too. I’m the easiest person in the world to buy for.’ Burgh reached out, gently taking her non-injured hand. ‘Everything okay? Anything else I can do?’

‘One thing. Lie on your back.’

‘… um.’

He did it, looking confused. Shadow flopped down on top of him, resting her head on his chest. His heart beat a fast rhythm under her ear.

‘Hey!’ he said.

‘This is okay?’ she mumbled. ‘I’ll back off if it isn’t.’

‘… No, it is. I guess I just wasn’t expecting it.’

‘This is what happens when you’re nice to ninjas,’ she said. Her voice slowing, barely audible. ‘We follow you home and trap you. Now you’re stuck until morning.’

A moment later, Burgh put his arms around her. He started to brush his hand through her hair, the way he’d done in the lift. ‘You are giving me such mixed signals,’ he murmured.

‘Mm.’ The sensation was nice. The painkillers were starting to kick in, and a drowsy sensation was starting to spread through her whole body. The tension was draining out of her, as if it was finally time to rest.

Things were going to look different in the morning. She knew that. But for this night, for this moment, she was warm, she was happy, she was safe.

Chapter Text

Something was ringing near her ear. Bringing her up from the deep drowsy dreamworld into a reality where her entire arm felt raw, hollow, red with pain.

‘Whassat?’ she mumbled.

‘Sorry,’ said Burgh, his voice sounding as if it were under her ear. Yes – because she’d fallen asleep with him, because this was his bed. ‘Xtransceiver. I’ll get it now.’

A click, as he accepted the call.

‘Burgh?’ said the voice on the other end. ‘Hi, this is Louis. Um, the Gym should be opening soon, and I’m the only one around. I guess I just wanted to check that you weren’t off on another dangerous secret mission, that’s all.’

‘The Gym’s opening soon?’ Burgh said, his voice still blurred with sleep. ‘What time is it?’

‘Early,’ Shadow said. ‘Who’s that, Louis? Tell him to fuck off. Long night.’

There was a brief silence on the other end of the line, before Louis spoke in one long burst. ‘You know what it’s okay Burgh I’ll sort it out myself sorry to disturb you okay bye!’

He hung up. Shadow closed her eyes, trying to slip back into that peaceful state, but she was interrupted by Burgh’s body shaking silently.

‘What are you laughing at?’ she said, lifting her head to look at him.

‘Oh, dear,’ he said. ‘Shadow, I think you gave Louis a bit of a fright.’

‘Did I?’

‘Mm. He’s right, though. The morning’s half over. Are you okay to sit up?’

Grumbling, she did so. The pain in her side was a low ache, while the pain in her hand was sharp, stabbing. Her blissful mood was taking a rapid turn towards foul.

‘The Gym will have to open late today,’ Burgh said. ‘You need to see a doctor, I need to make some phone calls… I’d like to take Purrloin to the Pokémon Centre too, get someone to look it over.’

The day stretched ahead of her, filled with things that she didn’t want to think about. Not least…

‘Burgh,’ she said, ‘I can’t be seen in public with you anymore.’

Burgh had moved to sit on the edge of the bed. When she said this, he turned his head, looking over his shoulder at her. ‘Why not?’

‘Being out and about with you meant that rumours got started. It was how Hugh found out about me. It was what I was punished for. If it ever gets back to Ghetsis…’ She held out her hand. ‘He’d make this look like a scrape.’

Burgh turned his body towards her. ‘Shadow… would you go to Looker about this?’

‘Looker? What for?’

‘For protection. To keep Team Plasma away from you.’

It was such a childishly earnest thing to say. She couldn’t help laughing at it, the sound low and bitter. ‘Do you really think he could? We escaped him the first time, and he’s made no strides in finding anyone since. He couldn’t keep me safe from Team Plasma. Nothing could. Nothing can.’

‘So… so what happens now?’

‘I wait. When the time is right, they’ll summon me home. If I’m lucky, the injury will have healed by then.’ She swallowed. ‘I forget that I ever met you. And I go back to being who I’m supposed to be.’

‘Shadow –’

‘There are no other options.’

Burgh said quietly. ‘How long are you going to be waiting?’

‘I don’t know, exactly. But months. Weeks. Not years.’

‘So the team is back together…’ Burgh turned away from her. ‘I don’t think that portends anything good. For Unova, for anyone, but especially not for you… What are you going to do? How are you going to survive that?’

‘I’ll find a way,’ she whispered. Hoping those words were a promise and not a plea.

                                                            *

The injury wasn’t as bad as she’d feared. She would need to wear a splint for a few weeks, that was all. And the doctor had given her painkillers, which was what she’d really cared about. Her side was bruised and not broken. But she’d already known that.

They’d visited the A&E under a plan she’d devised to keep any further rumours from starting. And it had been perfectly successful.

(‘Shadow, I just think it’s ridiculous for me to pretend to have a broken hand until we’re alone in the exam room. How is you sitting in the waiting room somehow going to draw less attention than you appearing in front of a doctor and scaring the life out of them?’

‘… Shut up. This is the way I want to do it.’)

The doctor’s initial panicked yelp had only drawn the attention of two nurses. And Burgh had smoothed it all over, in that easy way of his. So she counted it as a success.

In the Gym, the Trainers were waiting in the canteen. Burgh wanted to brief them before they opened for the day – or what was left of the day. They were gathered around a table, chatting.

‘Hey,’ said Kerry, as they came in. ‘I brought donuts! I kept one for you and Shadow.’

As instructed, Burgh struck a dramatic pose. ‘I have terrible news to share,’ he said. ‘Shadow has left us. She’s gone back to Team Plasma, and shall henceforth no longer be seen in Castelia City.’

A brief silence…

‘… She’s right there,’ said Clarence.

‘No! She, uh, she isn’t! She’s ten thousand miles away! Oh, never again shall I see my dear friend!’

‘Uh huh,’ said Jack. ‘If Shadow had left you, you wouldn’t be down here making an announcement. You’d be crying on the floor of your apartment, and we wouldn’t see you for three days. Except to deliver break-up ice cream, I guess.’

‘It would not be a break-up.’ Burgh looked pensive. ‘… Although I suppose I would be crying on my apartment floor.’

‘Right,’ said Kerry. ‘Anyway, if that patch of shimmering air two feet to your left wants a donut, there’s one in the box.’

‘For fuck’s sake,’ Shadow said, dropping her disguise. ‘This isn’t going to work if you can all tell where I am.’

‘Hey, Shadow,’ said Kerry. ‘What isn’t going to work?’

‘And what happened to your hand?’ said Clarence.

‘I – it – it broke.’

‘What, by itself?’

Shadow frowned at the splint. ‘No. It was a punishment.’

The cheery mood in the room seemed to sour. Usually, the conversation would have passed between the Trainers like a baton, this one or that one chiming in with the next joke, the next sharp comment. But when she said this, they went silent.

‘A… punishment?’ Kerry repeated.

Shadow hesitated. She didn’t exactly know what to say. What version of the truth she should tell them. If she could even put it all into words.

‘You don’t have to tell the story, Shadow, if you’d rather not.’ This from Burgh.

‘You did this to her?’ said Kerry.

‘No, he didn’t. Shut up a minute and I’ll explain.’

Shadow took a deep breath. In slow, halting sentences, she explained what had happened to her. Enough of it. The Purrloin, and her siblings – she left Anthea and Concordia out of it. When she finished, there was silence. They looked crestfallen, all of them.

‘That’s awful,’ Kerry breathed.

‘Are we in danger here?’ Clarence asked. ‘Are the Gym Pokémon?’

 ‘No,’ said Shadow. ‘Any violence coming this way, it’s all heading for me.’

It was uncomfortable, having so many sad, pitying gazes on her. It was the last thing she needed, to have the Gym Trainers and Burgh thinking of her as some pathetic, lost little foundling.

Although Burgh wasn’t looking at her. His gaze was unfocused, staring into the distance, and he was mouthing words that she couldn’t pick up.

‘Burgh?’ she said.

‘Hilda,’ he said.

‘What?’

‘You said Looker couldn’t help. That I can’t help you, that you can’t defend yourself. That nothing is strong enough to stand against Team Plasma.’ He took a deep breath. ‘But one person was able to stand against them, and win. If anyone can help you… she can.’

‘Maybe,’ said Shadow. ‘I was under the impression that she’s missing in action.’

‘Yes… there’s that. But if it’s the best chance we have… We could start by talking to her friends. See if they can tell us anything.’

‘If Hilda could help…’ Kerry said, ‘do you think N would? He’s your friend, or something, isn’t he? And he turned against Team Plasma, right?’

‘And fled the country immediately after.’ Even the mention of N brought up a tangled mess of anger in Shadow’s chest. ‘Even if I had a way to contact him, I doubt he’d come back for me. We were never close.’

‘But he grew up with you,’ said Burgh. ‘I thought he was your foster brother. No?’

‘No.’ She wasn’t sweet, or gentle, or loving. Not the way Anthea and Concordia had been. He would have no reason to think of her fondly. Her entire purpose had been to keep him safe. Without that – with that dynamic reversed, in fact – he would have no reason to help her. A tool without purpose was broken.

‘It might not matter,’ said Clarence. ‘I heard that the whole reason Hilda left Unova in the first place was because she wanted to track N down. If you find one, you’ll find the other.’

‘None of us have had any luck tracking down N,’ Shadow said. ‘He hasn’t been in contact with anyone he knows in Unova. Hilda’s the better option.’

‘Her friends are still around,’ said Burgh. ‘Bianca became Professor Juniper’s assistant, and Cheren teaches in the Aspertia Trainer’s School. I can reach out to them both, see if they’ll talk to us.’ Catching the look on Shadow’s face, he said, ‘It’s something. It’s the best we’ve got.’

It felt like such a thin, weedy hope. Begging the mercy of a Trainer who had been missing for so long. Who had been her enemy for so long. If N had no reason to help her, Hilda had even less.

But then, what reason had Hilda ever needed for the things she did? Shadow knew all about the Trainer from Nuvema Town, had met her and even spoken to her several times. And yet Hilda was a cipher to her, always had been. Who knew what passed for motivation in that wild mind. Maybe, if Shadow begged for help, she would come running.

If Hilda came back… if Hilda came back, it might mean leaving Team Plasma for good.

It might mean staying in this place forever. This place, this Gym, this canteen. These people. Burgh.

She remembered that moment, kissing him in the loft. That pit of terror, opening beneath her feet, that deep certainty that she was losing herself. She’d been right to be worried. Even her siblings had seen it. Even now, the faint pulsing in her hand reminded her of it. She was losing herself, and that had to be corrected.

But if Hilda could protect her…

Did a loss always mean a void? Maybe she could be like a forest fire. Catastrophic loss, clearing the way for fresh growth. Green buds rising out of the ashes. A new life, growing out of the remains of the old one.

Even thinking about it terrified her.

She didn’t dare hope for it.

                                                                        *

Later that evening, Burgh sat down on the couch beside her with the Xtransceiver. Shadow settled in beside him, watching as he set up the call, as the line started to ring. What was she going to say? Could they possibly tell her anything useful?

The call connected. It was a split screen, Bianca on the left, Cheren on the right. She remembered these people, too, albeit faintly. Those last few months had involved so much chasing, and so much of it had focused on Hilda – everyone else had been secondary.

‘Burgh,’ said Cheren, fiddling with his tie. ‘Thanks for arranging this.’

‘Anytime. You’ve both been well? I don’t think I’ve seen either of you since N’s Castle fell.’

‘We’ve been… Yeah. We’ve been fine.’ Cheren cleared his throat. ‘Listen, why did you ask both of us to be on the call?’

‘Is it to do with the Shadow?’ said Bianca. ‘Hi, Shadow, by the way. Professor Juniper told me about you.’

‘It’s – will we just get right into it?’ said Burgh. ‘I know this is a long shot… Have either of you heard from Hilda recently? We need to talk to her, urgently.’

‘You…’ Bianca’s face fell. ‘You weren’t calling to tell us about her?’

‘No?’ said Burgh. ‘No, I’m afraid not… Why would you think that?’

‘Because one of the last people that she spoke to before leaving Unova was one of you,’ said Cheren. ‘A Shadow. Marvellous Bridge? That doesn’t ring a bell?’

Burgh blinked. He looked at Shadow, frowning. ‘You never told me that.’

‘I wasn’t there,’ said Shadow. ‘My leg had been damaged too badly to travel at that point. They went without me.’

‘To do what?’ said Cheren. ‘She was thinking about leaving, we knew that much, but she didn’t decide she was going for certain until after she spoke to them.’

‘She called us one day, a bit like this,’ Bianca said. ‘You know, I think it might have been from that bridge. She said she had to leave Unova, that there was something she had to do… She said she’d be in touch, that it wouldn’t be long. That was months ago, and we haven’t heard from her since. I don’t think she even told her mom.’

‘So?’ Cheren said. ‘What was it? What did your siblings go there to do?’

Shadow frowned, trying to remember. She remembered being left out of the briefing, the pain in her leg, the bitter shame that she had left herself be compromised so deeply. Especially since it ended up being the last mission that Ghetsis ever gave them. ‘Orbs,’ she said. ‘Something about… the Adamant Orb, maybe. And… the Grisly Orb? No. Griseous Orb. That was it.’

‘Orbs?’ said Bianca. ‘Is that like… a code? Did they hurt her? Poison her?’

‘No…’ said Cheren. ‘Those items… they’re associated with Legendary Pokémon, aren’t they? Why would Ghetsis just give them away?’

‘He knew the game was up, at least for the moment.’ It felt strange to talk about Ghetsis like this. ‘He knew she was a powerful Trainer, that she would be able to make better use of them than he would. His plan would have been to let her draw their power out, and then swoop in once he’d gathered enough strength to take them back from her.’

‘Do you think it worked?’ Bianca asked. ‘Do you think he attacked her?’

‘I don’t know. But wherever he is, he hasn’t asked us to rejoin him. That means Team Plasma isn’t yet back to its full strength. Might only be a matter of time, though.’

Cheren said, ‘Those Orbs… the last one would be the Lustrous Orb, right? Those three orbs are objects associated with the Pokémon Dialga, Palkia and Giratina, who are themselves associated with the region of Sinnoh.’

‘Great!’ said Burgh. ‘I have contacts in Sinnoh, I could –’

 ‘No,’ said Cheren. ‘No, she… she never showed up in Sinnoh. We kept in contact with Looker, just in case… He had eyes on Sinnoh. N and Zekrom showed up there very briefly, for less than a day, but there was no sign of Hilda. Reshiram would never have been able to slip under the radar.’

‘So… what?’ said Bianca. ‘So the Orbs had nothing to do with her going on her journey after all?’

Shadow tried to think. What had her siblings said about that visit, after coming back? Mostly derisive comments about the Hero of Truth. Had they ever told her exactly what it was that they’d said? ‘Doesn’t look that way.’

‘But that means…’ Bianca’s eyes were glistening behind her glasses. ‘That means we have no idea what happened to her… She could be dead or hurt or anything at all…’

‘If she were dead, Reshiram would have returned to Unova,’ said Cheren. ‘Besides which, she can take care of herself. She was always the strongest out of the three of us. When she’s ready, she’ll come back.’

Which could be today, or next week, or a year from now. There was no way to know, which meant there was no way Shadow could put her faith into it.

The door in her head slammed closed, the future she had barely dared to dream beyond it. She was who she was, and her life was the same as it had always been. There was no hope of another one. There never would be. One day soon, the countdown over her head would run out, and it would all be over.

‘Thanks for your help,’ Shadow said aloud. ‘For what it’s worth… I’m sorry.’

Cheren’s face looked pale and washed out on the screen of the Xtransceiver. ‘Yeah,’ he said. ‘So are we.’