Pokemon - From the Brink

Chapter 31 - Coaxing Courage

The next morning, a number of the friends and family who had come with us to the base had decided to leave. Everybody's parents - apart from Nelly's and Yu's mothers – had all made the decision to depart for their homes. Hikaru's father Brawly put it best when he said that, despite the chaos, there were still jobs to be done back home. He wasn't willing to sit back in comfort and safety whilst his home town, where his friends lived, faced uncertainty all alone. And, despite her daughter's best efforts to convince her otherwise, Lorelei agreed with the gym leader.

"But Mum, I can keep you safe here!" Kiria frowned.

"How precious that you want to protect your mother." Lorelei patted her daughter's head. "But I'm afraid I have to leave, Kiria. I'm needed back home."

"But..." Kiria gritted her teeth. None of the people who had accompanied us here had been told about Bedlam likely reappearing in just over a month. Megan thought it best to spare them from the truth, so that they could try and live their lives without that fact eating away at them.

"Listen, I've got my job and you've got yours, right? So you do the best you can and so will I. Deal?" Lorelei smiled.

"...Right. Yes." Kiria nodded.

"That's my girl. I'll see you soon."

Lorelei joined the growing group of people who were leaving, and Megan approached her with a small bag.

"I can't change your mind, but I can help keep you at least a little safer." She handed the bag to the red-haired woman. "Inside are a number of shields, just like the ones Kiria used on Liocott Island. Touch them against any surface that's not the bag or human skin, and they'll pop out to make a dome that will protect you should the beast come back."

"Thank you." Lorelei accepted the gift, as had everyone else before her.

"So you're going?" I asked my mother as she stood by the entrance.

"Yes. Megan has things under control here, but as the director of the main branch, I have to get back to our employees." She replied.

"...You too?" I looked at Bonnie.

"Yeah. I know it's probably safer here, what with all the fancy gadgets and everything, but I want to get back too. It may not seem like it, but I've got important work to do too." My sister shrugged.

Ray and Penelope were leaving too, along with Magnus and Sol with his siblings. Penelope was still torn up at the loss of Ix, and Ray had suggested going home to see her family before visiting Ix's. They would have to be the ones to tell the modelling agency that they'd lost one of their best models – but to them, they had lost a piece of themselves at the same time. Unfortunately, that sentiment applied to more people than just them, too.

And so, the start of the new day brought with it a number of farewells, with none of those leaving knowing the secret of the monster that lay low for now. The only ones who stayed were Yu's mother, as well as Rebekah, Alexis and Maruki.

Megan had made it known that everybody was welcome back at any time, but when the last of them left the building, her expression immediately turned sour.

"What's wrong?" Nelly asked.

"I've got bad news..." Megan said, looking around. "Everyone who sat in with us yesterday, please make your way to my office." She announced to the group.

The others went back to their rooms.

"What's going on?" Rebekah asked.

"I'll tell you about it afterwards." Skyra said. "It's best if you stay back for now."