“The number of injured persons is 16 so far. The number of casualties is uncountable. The current estimated cost of damage repairs is well over five billion dollars. And all of this is the fault of the Pokémon Mewtwo!” the police chief of Cinnabar Island announces, talking to Faris in image but mostly directing his words to the crowd. “What do you have to say to such a thing!? I’m sorry, but such a dangerous creature can’t be allowed to live. You’ll have to let us take custody of it, Miss Greyweirs!”
    She raises an eyebrow. “And if I let you do such a thing, then what?” she says sharply. “You know how powerful he is. He could easily destroy this entire island if he wished.”
    James, Starr, Misty, and the rest exchange glances. That may not have been the best thing to say… Sephiroth’s expression is unreadable. The fact that he is allowed to walk free sets more than one survivor at unease.
    “All the more reason to keep him locked up!” the police chief counters. “It’s my job to see to the safety of the public. The Pokémon is a first-class threat to society. He HAS to be put under lock and key!!”
    To Faris’ dismay, the crowd roars in agreement. Before she can give her reply, however, a smooth female voice states, “I disagree.”
    “Huh?” Faris and the police chief utter, turning to a woman with short-cut chestnut hair walking elegantly up the steps of the public platform.
    “Who are you?” the police chief demands.
    Sephiroth’s eyes widen. “You—”
    “My name is Cara Raymond,” she says evenly. “I am the only surviving member of the Mewtwo Project.”
    “The Mewtwo Project?” the police chief repeats.
    “Exactly,” Cara nods. “You don’t think something as incredible as Mewtwo was simply an accident of nature, do you? No. He was genetically engineered by my colleagues and me to be the perfect fighting machine.”
    A low mumble spreads through the crowd. However, Cara ignores them as she pulls out all her ID cards. “If you don’t believe my story, this is my ID, including the ID identifying me as a member of the Mewtwo Project.” She hands it to the police chief; after a few seconds of study, he nods grudgingly and hands it back.
    “Just what was the intention behind the Mewtwo Project, if the outcome is so dangerous?” he grumbles. A few shouts of agreement rise from the crowd.
    “It was the intention of the project for the outcome to be dangerous,” she informs him evenly. “However, mankind arrogantly assumed he could control such a creature without taking into account that living creatures designed to be as intelligent as Mewtwo have more than enough ability to form independent thought. Mewtwo’s desires were not the same as those of the humans who created him, and as a result a wide rift formed between the creator and the created.”
    “You talk a lot like Ikari Gendou,” Faris comments. “Must be because you look like his wife, Yui.”
    Cara ignores the comment and goes on, “Hatred for those who keep you locked in the cage is natural for a newborn child, who sees the outside world but is never allowed to stray into it. Is it not logical to hate something that keeps you from something you desire? Is it not natural to hate something that treats you like you are less than you are? Is it not understandable for an enraged child to lash out, whatever his means? It may not be forgivable, but I believe it is certainly understandable.”
    Sephiroth stares. “Cara-san…”
    Cara remains quiet for a moment to let this sink in. No one has any comments. Finally, she continues, “The Mewtwo Project’s first finish date was about eight years ago, when a designated trainer was found and chosen. We had originally planned to let that trainer mold Mewtwo into what we desired. However, the trainer chosen was…unable to rise to power, and therefore we were forced to extend the Mewtwo Project, with our scientists training Mewtwo.”
    “Eight years…” Faris murmurs.
    Cara smiles mirthlessly. “I was one of the three head scientists. My other two colleagues were growing impatient in the search for someone else who Mewtwo would obey. We instead decided to announce the completion of the Mewtwo Project to the world, and thereby invite the trainers of the world to try to ‘tame’ Mewtwo. Before such a thing happened, a mysterious person came and set him free.” She looks pointedly over at Faris. Faris returns it was an innocent smile. Cara shakes her head and continues, “Something happened. Apparently, Mewtwo took a liking to this person. When we discovered that this person was Faris Greyweirs, we suggested that she be arrested. One of my colleagues desired execution.
    “Mewtwo did not take this lightly.
    “I had a strong guess as to what would happen once ‘execution’ was mentioned. I left as soon as possible.  I managed to escape unscathed. I’m afraid I cannot say the same for Laurence and Isler,” Cara says dryly.
    Starr shakes her head. “She certainly doesn’t act like Gendou,” she mutters. “Or Yui.”
    “And then Mewtwo went on the rampage and destroyed half of Cinnabar,” the police chief finishes. “Your point is?”
    Cara gives him a patronizing look. “My point is, I did not spend ten-plus years on the Mewtwo Project as the cost of half an island’s population for it to be liquidated by human hate. My proposition is to make Faris Greyweirs the designated trainer of Mewtwo.”
    The silence is so thick you could slice it with a knife and spread butter on it.
    “What?” the police chief asks in disbelief.
    She turns to him. “You heard me,” she says smoothly. “The preparations are already complete. We had been anticipating this event several years in advance. All we—no, all I—need now is the consent of Faris Greyweirs to be the designated trainer.” Cara faces Faris.
    “…” She nods. “I’ll be Sephiroth’s trainer, if that’s all right with him.”
    Sephiroth smiles wryly at the two women turn their gaze to him. “If I had actually been given a choice in the matter, you would be the one I would have chosen anyhow,” he states dryly. “It is all right with me.”
    The police chief is gradually turning redder and redder. “Now, wait a minute, Miss Raymond,” he blusters. “I don’t care what you say, the fact remains that Mewtwo killed a countless number of people!”
    Cara switches her gaze to the man. “And for that, I mourn everyone’s loss,” she states with zero emotion. “But that does not bring the dead back to life. No matter what you say or do now, it cannot fix what has already been done.” She turns to the crowd. “That goes for the rest of you. It is natural to feel bitterness and hatred in such a situation. In the end, a life is a life. But those who survive should not dwell on the past too deeply.” She turns and nods to Faris. Together, they head off the platform. Sephiroth and Starr-tachi follow.
    Nobody raises a word of protest.

    The familiar mini-van cruises along on its way to Ends of the World arena. As all of Martina’s vehicles being more or less charred, it was the only mode of transportation available.
    “Why are we going back there, again?” Ash queries.
    “You didn’t have to come if you didn’t want to,” Starr says.
    “No, I wanted to come. But why are we going?”
    “To see if they need any help. I don’t know if the fire even GOT this far out, but if it did...”
    “They’re going to need a lot of help replanting that rose garden,” James comments.
    Faris gives Starr a little grin. “I wonder if Orion’s car suffered the same fate as all Martina’s.”
    Starr rolls her eyes. “If it did....women of the world, rejoice.”
    “HEY! I liked his car!” Jessie protests.
    Starr and Faris exchange looks and sweatdrops.
    As the van pulls up in the driveway, everyone is greeted by the sight of a more-or-less untouched Ends of the World (there’s some damage, but not a lot—they’re lucky, Starr thinks) and Michael, Julie and Thomas standing in the doorway.
    Faris turns off the ignition.
    *chik*
    Michael looks at the stopwatch and grins.
    Starr smiles at him.
    “Do you always carry that around?” Ash inquires.
    “More or less,” Julie says with a ghost of a smile at Michael.
    Faris examines the arena. “You didn’t take a lot of fire damage. You’re lucky.”
    Thomas nods, smiling at Faris, though this time it’s not his playboy smile, but a sincere one. “Only the lobby sustained any real damage. The arena in itself is pretty much untouched.”
    Misty and Ash exchange a look.
    Without even turning around, Faris says, “If you two are thinking of a rematch, forget it.”
    As Misty and Ash sigh and acquire sweatdrops, Thomas says lightly, “I would have thought you’d be the first to suggest a duel for old times’ sake…Faris.” With a slight inflection on ‘Faris’.
    Now Faris and Starr exchange looks.
    AND evil grins.
    ‘Should we?’ Faris’s grin seems to say.
    ‘Oh, be nice to the guy.’
    ‘It’ll be fun. Especially if Orion shows up.’
    ‘Well, when you say it that way....’
    James looks nervous. “It’s never good when they smile like that....”
    Finally, Faris and starr turn back to the crimson-haired Seitokaichou doppelganger. “Sorry, Thomas; maybe later, when I’ve got more time on my hands,” Faris says. With a straight face, she continues, “I’d love to go at it again with you now, but I’m afraid we have a previous engagement.”
    Starr has a sudden coughing fit. James gets the hiccups. Jessie hides an insane grin behind one hand.
Starr recovers and says, “We just stopped by to ask if you needed any help cleaning up after the fire, but since your arena doesn’t look badly damaged, we should probably go unless you need us.”
    “Hold it.” Michael approaches Starr and hands her something...a pale blue envelope.
    “Open it when you get where you’re going, okay?”
    “We aren’t leaving the island for good just yet,” Starr tells him.
    Michael turns a cute shade of pink as Thomas gives him a questioning grin. Julie looks down, strawberry-blonde curls hiding what’s probably a similar smile.
    “Well, anyway...” Michael says, somehow managing to keep his voice from cracking. “I’ll see you later.”
    Starr nods, and she and the others turn to leave.
    “Just a minute,” Thomas speaks up. They stop, but only Faris and Starr look back. “Faris…will you really come back?”
    She smirks lightly. “I wouldn’t miss it,” she says with a touch of poisoned sweetness. Her eyelids droop, and she continues, “Not even for the revolution of the world.”
    Thomas, Julie, and Michael’s eyes all widen significantly.
    Ignoring them, Faris hums Rinbu- Revolution as she and the others troop back to the minivan.
    “The identification for me as Sephiroth’s trainer should be ready by now, if Cara’s time estimate was correct,” she comments.
    Starr puts the envelope in her pocket. “Guess we go to the jeweler’s we dropped Cara and Sephiroth at next, huh. But are you really going to come back to duel with Thom?”
    Faris grins, with a touch of sadism. “You know how Touga defeated Utena by making her think he was her prince? I hate to be cliché, but let’s just say I’m giving him a taste of his own medicine.”

    The sunlight reflects off the silvery metal of the rectangular tag and the engraved script of “Faris Greyweirs is the designated trainer of the ultimate pokémon, Mewtwo” as Faris holds it up. James, Starr and Jessie admire it from behind her.
    “This is her identification, Miss Raymond?” Jessie queries, turning to Cara. “Just this little necklace?”
    “There isn’t anything more to it?” Starr asks, doubt evident in her voice.
    Cara shakes her head. “It’s not just a necklace. There is an ID printed on the side in microprint, which can only be seen through a microscope. This is to ensure that a false copy isn’t made. And on the back, my signature is printed along with the signatures of the other two head scientists, Alisa Laurence and Shaun Ilser. It’s full proof that Faris is who she says when she claims to be the trainer of Mewtwo.”
    “He does have a name, you know,” Faris mutters as she turns the tag around and admires the messy script of Cara and her deceased colleagues.
    “I am aware of this,” Cara replies smoothly. “However, that is a name you gave him, not I. Therefore, both of us are free to call him what we please. He is both Mewtwo and Sephiroth.”
    “Che,” Faris frowns, pulling the chain of the tag over her head and around her neck. “Do as you please, I suppose. Can I ask you something, though?”
    “What?”
    She crosses her arms. “Why did you defend Sephiroth?”
    Cara glances over at Faris. “He is my pride.”
    Faris shakes her head. “No, not as your specimen. The way you spoke of him makes me believe you understand how he feels.” She tilts her head slightly. “You seem rather cold to me. It’s hard to think that you could understand anyone’s feelings.”
    “Like you’re one to talk,” Jessie mutters. Starr elbows her lightly to shush her.
    Cara smiles slightly at that. “You are partially correct in your assumption, Greyweirs. I believe I have an idea how Mewtwo feels about the world around him; however, my situation is vastly different from his own, and therefore I can never know exactly how he feels. Although I cannot feel another creature’s pain, I can still understand why they feel it. That is a scientist’s way, in the end.”
    “Hmm, sou ka?” she smirks in reply. “I’m much the same way.”
    Cara nods. “By the way, aren’t you engaged to that boy?”
    “Huh?” James brings his wandering eyes to meet Cara’s.
    “Yes, we’re engaged,” Faris replies. She elbows him a little. “C’mon, introduce yourself.”
    “Uhhh…hi,” James says, waving a little. “I’m James, James Dupont. Nice to meet you. These other two girls are my friends Jessie and Starr.”
    Jessie and Starr wave.
    “You; Jessie,” Cara states, directing her voice to the blue-eyed Rocket. “Isn’t your surname Langley?”
    Jessie scowls a little. “Yeah…so?”
    Cara raises an eyebrow. “Isn’t that the name of a famous rich family?”
    “Pure coincidence,” Jessie states flatly. “No relation. None at all!”
    She shrugs lightly. “Since you’re so insistent, then I’ll leave it at that.” She turns to Faris. “I was just curious, do you have an engagement ring?”
    Faris blinks, then raises her left hand. The Rose Signet from the duels is still on her ring finger… “Sort of,” she says. “James, did they ever give you a Rose Signet?”
    “Hmm?” James blinks. “Who gave me what?”
    “The guys at Ends of the World. One of these,” Faris clarifies, lifting her hand.
    He takes a good look at the rose signet. “No, they never did,” he says after a few seconds.
    “I still have mine,” Jessie comments.
    “Whaaaat?!” Starr exclaims. “You still have that thing? You were supposed to give it back!”
    “Orion said I could keep it, so there!” Jessie replies, sticking her tongue out at her. She pulls the rose signet off her left ring finger and offers it to him. “You can have it. I don’t need it.”
    Faris and Starr both give her surprised looks. Jessie notices. “What?”
    “You won’t be able to return to Ends of the World without that ring,” the former explains. “Meaning, no more Akio—ara, I mean Orion.”
    Jessie sniffs a little. “Who cares,” she says, waving a hand. “I can find another guy anytime I want!”
    Faris and Starr exchange a glance.
    James smiles, either oblivious or ignoring all of this, and shakes his head, then takes the ring from her. “Thanks, Jess.”
    “Yeah, sure,” she says, but a trace of a faint smile does not go unnoticed.
    Faris watches this for a second, then turns to Cara. “Where’s Sephiroth?”
    “I imagine he’s somewhere in the back,” she answers mildly. “The concept of jewelry seems to be foreign to him. Then again, what purpose is there in jewelry in something that was not meant to be decorated?”
    Faris smiles lightly as James comments, “Didn’t Ash and his friends go back there?”
    Starr nods. “Yeah, they did. Misty said she wanted to look around. I guess Ash and Brock figured they should stick with her.”
    “So, where will you be leaving to, Faris?” Cara queries politely.
    “I’m going to Viridian. I intend to leave on the next boat.” Faris checks her watch. “That should be in a couple of hours.” She turns to Starr-tachi. “We should probably leave soon. Starr, could you get Ash and the others, please?”
    She nods. “Sure,” she smiles before taking off for the back.
    Jessie takes a step forward. “Faris, I’ve been meaning to ask, what are we going to do about the kids?”
    “What do you mean?”
    Jessie frowns. “I don’t know why you brought them along, but I bet you had some kind of reason. And that reason probably had something to do with your mission, am I right?”
    Faris smiles serenely. “Yes, actually, you are. I’m surprised.”
    Jessie scowls at her. James takes this opportunity to continue with the questioning. “Then, since the job’s over, why are we letting them stay around?”
    Faris smiles. “Still think of them as twerps? They’ve gotten used to you.”
    He blushes a little. “No, it’s not like that. You just aren’t the type to lug around dead weight. Jessie and I were wondering about it this morning, when we were rummaging through my room.”
    She shrugs. “That reminds me, did you find your book? What was it—THE TRUE HUMAN MAGIC?”
    James smiles a little. “Yeah. I’m glad. I was really scared that it might have gone up in flames, but it wasn’t even marked with heat or soot or anything.”
    “Sou ka?” Faris raises an eyebrow in slight surprise. “Funny, being that your room was on the third floor…but anyway, that’s not important right now.  I don’t know why I’m still putting up with Ash and his friends. I guess because I like them.”
    “How can you like little kids as annoying as them?” Jessie demands.
    Faris smiles and giggles behind her hand as she watches Starr and Ash-tachi walk up from behind them. “Well, you’re just as annoying as they are, and I like you.” She closes her eyes, still smiling. “Well, sometimes.” She opens them again and looks past Jessie. “Don’t you agree, Ash? Misty? Brock? Pikachu?”
    Brock looks away, scratching his chin.
    Misty snorts. “She reminds me of my sisters.”
    Ash just makes a face. Pikachu does likewise.
    Faris laughs a little as Jessie biiiiiiida’s the lot of them. “Well, that’s okay. You don’t have to like each other, you just have to cooperate.”
    “Why should we!?” Jessie and Misty demand in unison.
    “Because you are going to be with us for a while yet,” Sephiroth’s deep voice sounds. They turn around to see him approaching them. “And there is no telling what even an hour from now may bring.”
    “Oh, come on. What can happen in an hour?” Brock questions, crossing his arms.
    Sephiroth shares a glance with Faris. She shakes her head.
    “Let’s just go.”

    Misty slowly stirs her fruit smoothie with her straw as she feeds Togepi little bits of her sandwich. Something’s been bothering her ever since Starr and Faris dropped the rest of them off at the food court at the harbor.
    “What’s on your mind, Misty?” Brock queries. “You look pensive.”
    “Nothing, really…” she sighs. “When are Starr and Faris going to get back? I mean, it’s been almost an hour…”
    “Donn wurry, dell be hurrn five minutesh’r sho,” Ash says around a mouthful of food. He swallows, then says in a clearer voice, “What’s the rush, Misty? The boat won’t be leaving for another half an hour or so. And they called just fifteen minutes ago. They’ll be here in plenty of time.”
    “No…it’s not that…” she murmurs.
    “Brriii?” Togepi wonders, pausing in his meal to give Misty a curious look. She smiles at him a little, but she can’t keep it up.
    “It’s just…Faris controls Mewtwo, right?”
    <His name is now Sephiroth,> Batts reminds her from underneath the table.
    “Right, Sephiroth,” Misty corrects herself. “She controls Sephiroth…he’s completely obedient to her, right?”
    “<That’s what he said,>” Pikachu nods between bites of her apple. “<He said he’d do anything she wished him to do, right, Raichu?>”
    “<Yeah, something like that,>” the orange mouse Pokémon nods as he eats his mid-afternoon snack from the fruit bowl.
    “…” Misty nods.
    “Yeah, so what about it?” Brock asks. “If he’s obedient to her, then that means he won’t do anything bad anymore, right?”
    “Maybe, maybe not,” she replies. “Faris is a member of Team Rocket, and Sephiroth will do anything she says. What if she has him help Team Rocket take over the world?”
    “…You’re right. I hadn’t thought about that,” Brock grouses. “Actually, I’d completely forgotten she was in Team Rocket…”
    “<How can you forget something like that?>” Pikachu wonders before swallowing the rest of the apple whole.
    “<Guess he’s just absent-minded,>” Raichu cracks. “<Mmm, bananas! I love ‘em when they’re mushy >”
    “But what are we gonna do?” Ash queries. “You’re right…I didn’t think of it that way.”
    Misty sighs, resting her head on the table. “I dunno what we’re going to do,” she replies. “I don’t this there’s anything we can do.”
    “Anything you can do about what?” James asks, his arms filled with his purchase from the various food shops surrounding them. Jessie’s next to him, her arms similarly overloaded with edible bounty.
    “Oh, nothing, just little kid talk,” Misty says in a slightly clipped tone.
    James looks hurt, noticing the tone. “Hey, I’m not the one who called you a little kid.”
    “Who cares?” Jessie says before Misty can say anything. She plunks herself into a chair as far away from the others as possible and continues, “Their problems aren’t our problems.” With that, she digs in.
    “I’ll say,” Ash mumbles under his breath.
    James sweatdrops a little, then sits opposite of her between Misty and Ash, then fixes in to his own repast.
    Misty, Brock, and Pikachu stare at them, sweatdropping a little. “Wish I had that much money,” Brock grumbles.
    Misty leans her chin against her palm. “You’re going to get fat if you keep eating like that,” she dryly comments to Jessie. “What do you need so much food for, anyway?”
    Jessie awards this comment with a dirty look, then smiles sweetly. “You’re right;” and she slides her half of the remains; “after all, you’ve got a lot more growing left to do than me.”
    Misty’s left eye twitches. “What did you say!?!”
    “You heard me!!” Jessie says as she flashes her a frozen smile, starting to get up.
    “Now, now; be nice, girls,” Faris calls to them patronizingly. Starr, Meowth, Sephiroth and she approach their table and stop (bringing more than one stare on account of Sephiroth’s presence). “We’ve still got a long ways to go ‘til we’re in Viridian. Wait for then to kill each other, ‘kay?”
    Jessie and Misty growl a little, but they back down.
    Starr grabs a chair from the next table and slides it over, then plops down on it. “I don’t know whether say it was fun or it was crazy,” she comments to Faris. “You are really, REALLY cruel.”
    Faris smiles. “But you must admit, they ate up every word.” She takes a small bow. “Guess I’m just a great actress.”
    “Maybe you took manipulation classes from Akio-lech,” Starr retorts, poking her.
    “From Touga, actually,” Faris counters with a straight face. She checks her watch. “Ah, sou, sou… we’re leaving in a half hour. I’ll be back in a little bit, okay?”
    “Where are you going?” James queries. Unnoticed by him, Meowth starts stealing food from James’ pile.
    “There’s just one last thing I have to take care of. It won’t take long,” she assures him. Faris turns to Sephiroth and smiles warmly. “Saa, ikimashou ka?”
    He smiles a little in return.
    With a flip of her hair, Faris leaves with Sephiroth one step behind.
    “…” James pouts a little.
    Ash notices. “What’s up with you?”
    He pokes a little at his food. If he notices that Meowth is eating most of the rest of it, he doesn’t care. “…It’s nothing.” He shakes his hand. “Nothing at all! Just something stupid.”
    “If it’s something stupid, then it’s not nothing, is it?” Starr points out before taking a bite out of the cheeseburger Jessie had given her.
    James’ cheeks turn pink. “Well...I don’t wanna say,” he mumbles. “You’ll make fun of me. Not you in particular,” he quickly amends. “But everyone else will.”
    “James, I’ve gotten so used to your little insecurities that nothing could shock me any more,” Jessie assures him. When he gives her a wounded look, she adds quickly, “Just like you’ve gotten used to my insecurities. We know everything about each other, so there’s no need for shame.”
    He scowls at her. “We don’t know everything about each other,” he mutters. “There are some things about me you don’t know about. And I’m sure you’ve got plenty of secrets yourself. Or did you think I forgot about four years ago?”
    She pales a little, then lets a nervous laugh loose. “Well, that’s all in the past…” she assures him, shaking a hand. “Just tell us what you’re thinking. We promise we won’t laugh, okay?”
    A nod of consensus bobs around the table.
    James still looks a little unsure, but he relents anyway. “Well…I just kind of feel a little jealous.”
    Blinks. “Jealous?” Misty repeats. “About what?”
    He coughs into his hand. “Ahhh…of, uh…Sephiroth.”
    Blink. And stare. “Sephiroth?” Meowth repeats unbelievingly. “You’re jealous of Sephiroth? But he’s a Pokémon! What on earth d’ya think HE’S gonna do?”
    James scowls at him, then stares into his soda. “...............”
    “Toge?” Togepi asks Pikachu.
    Pikachu shrugs. “Pika, pika… pika pika chu.”
    “Brriiiii…” he mutters, scratching his head.
    James’ face turns pink. “See? You’re making fun of me already,” he mutters in a low voice.
    <Actually, you are just in your suspicions, James,> Batts comments from underneath the table.
    “Huh?” the entire table states.
    <Faris is fond of Sephiroth. And Sephiroth returns those feelings tenfold. In other words, he is in love with her.>
    A VERY long pause.
    “Love?” Brock repeats.
    <Love.>
    “But how can a Pokémon be in love with a human?”
    “Did he tell you that??” Meowth adds in.
    <No, but he did not declare himself completely obedient to her whim for no reason. I am certain he is in love with her.>
    “So what am I, sliced Magikarp?” James sulks.
    “Actually, I’m not that surprised,” Jessie muses. “I still remember when you fell in love with that one girl with the Paras, Meowth.” She pokes him in the head. “Maybe it’s just kitty love.”
    Meowth bats her hand away. “You leave me alone,” he grouses. “I ain’t got nuthin’ to do with this psycho love trapezoid.”
    <James, you do not need to worry,> Batts speaks directly to the blue-haired man as the others continue to converse/argue/banter/et cetera. <Faris does not suspect his true feelings, and Sephiroth will not want her to suspect them. While it’s true he will eventually look upon you as an unworthy rival> and here James cringes <you will win, in the end.>
    “Why’s that?” he mutters.
    <Because you are human, and Sephiroth is a Pokémon. I am all too aware of the gap between the two. You will win because you are human.>
    James sinks lower into the dumps. “Is that the ONLY reason?”
    <You also have the advantage of knowing her longer. However, in the long run, that will be rendered useless, for Sephiroth is psychic and sooner rather than later he will know everything about her... Still, that does not erase the memories you have with her. Faris does not forget easily. She truly loves you. She won’t let go of that without a fight, not after what she’s been through with you.>
    He smiles a little, though whether it’s sincere or bitter, one can’t tell. “So, for the time being, she’ll stay faithful.”
    <If you are referring to Sephiroth, she will always be faithful.  She likes him, but she loves you. And as I stated before, no matter how fond of him she grows, he is still only a Pokémon, and he is aware of that as well. He will not say a word about his feelings to her.>
    James feels a little comforted by those words, but not much.

    “Yes?” Sephiroth holds Faris’ gaze. “What is it you wanted to talk to me about?”
    Faris leans back against a telephone pole and lifts the tag around her neck. “See this? This is my identification, for when I say I train you. My proof to claim.” She pulls it off, lifting her hair into the heavy sea breeze. “Do you remember what I said when we parted ways last?”
    “…” He nods. “You told me to fly away and live my dream.”
    “Exactly.” She holds out the tag to him. “I still want you to do that.”
    “…?” Sephiroth awards this action with a curious look. “What are you saying? You don’t want me around?”
    Faris shakes her head. “No, it’s not that. I like you. But as I said before, if you follow me, you’ll become a pawn of Team Rocket.”
    “You said you would quit,” he states flatly.
    She sighs lightly. “Don’t feel insulted,” she says gently. “I’m doing this because I like you, and I don’t want to tie you down. I’m nearing the end of my journey. You’re just beginning yours. Therefore, I wish for you to train yourself.” And with this she takes his hand and presses the tag into it.
    Sephiroth blinks, then stares down at the pendant. “……” He looks up at her. “But…”
    “But nothing! You said you were completely obedient to me, right?” she says sharply. Her features soften, and she continues in a gentler tone, “This is what I want for you. If you change your mind, then come find me, all right? But for you, I want you to discover for yourself what’s best for you.” She smiles. “Ne?”
    “…………” Sephiroth glowers down at the tag in his hand…then nods. “All right. I agree. I’ll hold on to this.”
    “For now, you’re your own trainer,” she says. “Good-bye.” With that, she hugs him. “Maybe we’ll see each other again? And maybe not on such dire terms, like last time?”
    He smiles and chuckles a little, hugging her back. “I’ll try my best.”
    They stay as they are for a moment more, then separate. Faris nods to him.
    “I’m not leaving until you do,” she states. “And remember, I have a boat to catch in twenty minutes.”
    “…” He nods. “I’m glad I met you,” he says with a small smile. “Thank you. Because of you, my life gained meaning.”
    Her cheeks turn pink. “…..You’re welcome, Sephiroth.”
    They smile at each other.
    And Sephiroth lifts off the ground, using his psychic ability to fly. “Then, perhaps we’ll see each other again, someday.”
    Faris nods. “Someday…”
    And Sephiroth flies off into the endless blue sky.
    Faris watches him until he’s a mere speck in the sky, and then not even that.
    With a sigh both relieved and regretful, she turns and heads back into the port.
 
 

    “You certainly took your time,” Jessie comments as Faris returns to the table. “Where’s Sephiroth?”
    “I set him free,” she states simply.
    Silence.
    “You set him FREE!?”
    “Yes.” Her eyes narrow slightly. “Do any of you have a problem with that?”
    Everyone exchanges glances. The truth is, every one of them has a problem with that to one degree or another, but they’re not going to admit that. Not outright, anyway. “No…”
    “Then let’s make tracks for the boat, all right?” she states rather than requests. “I’ll explain why later, when we’re at sea.”
    A collective sigh rises from the group, but they all mumble assent.
    She makes a face at them. “Don’t be like that. I promise that I’ll explain. You can all bug me to death if I don’t keep that promise.”
    “I’ll remember what you said,” Jessie warns her as they gather their things.
    “Of course you will,” she replies dryly.
    As the group heads for the dock where their boat is waiting, James walks up next to Faris.
    “Hey… Faris… I was wondering…”
    “Yes?”
    He hesitates. “…Never mind. It’s not important.”
    Faris blinks and stares over at him. However, she doesn’t push the subject, and he falls back to the end of the group.
    They walk to the boat in silence.