Becoming the Champion isn't where the story ends.

I spent a month or two back home at the ranch, just hanging out with Brandon. Letting my Pokemon take a break after their long grind. I did a bunch of work with the Pokemon I had hatched - a few found homes.

Judah, now a Chandelure, went to work at the library in Aspertia, where he was happiest. He's got an excellent head for titles and organization, and the librarians are happy to have him. To our surprise, two others went with him - Doro the Cofagrigus, who hardly talks, but is Judah's constant shadow, for starters. Doro likes the library, but mostly he just hangs out with Judah, and helps him with little tasks, like grabbing books that are hard for Judah to hold.

And surprisingly, Tien went to the library as well. He's a Mienshao now. But he and Judah have been friends for so long, that he didn't want to be separated from his brother. He often runs around Aspertia City, and while he lives at the library, he likes to help Cheren at the trainer's school.

The other three to find homes were Draco the Pidgeot, Hancock the Braviary, and Rune the Sigilyph. They now live with Skyla, at her gym. I kept my promise to Skyla, and I visit Mistralton often, and we love to go flying and to have sparring matches. She fell in love with all my Flying Types, all over again. Draco, Rune, and Hancock, well, they fell in love with something else.

Rune fell in love with her own Sigilyph, that she hadn't used in our fight. Draco was smitten with her Swanna. And Hancock fell head over heels for Skarmory.

So I agreed with Skyla that they were happier living with her.

That was the way the months after becoming Champion were spent, mostly. Just hanging out, going flying, relaxing at home with Brandon and the rest of my Pokemon. It was happy.

But I knew that my journey wasn't over yet.

"There's still lots of Unova left for me to see." I said to Brandon, as I packed up my things again. "Lots of cities and towns. Plus, it's been a while since we defeated Kyurem. I need to...I dunno...see what's up with that. Do the rounds."

Brandon leaned against my doorjam and smiled crookedly. "Yeah, yeah, you have responsibilities as a hero now." He said.

I smiled back at my big brother. Then I packed the last of my supplies, gathered the team, and set off.

*

The next month was spent travelling, and battling trainers. I was a popular opponent with trainers, eager to bypass the Elite Four and just beat the Champion. I didn't mind. I never had much trouble fighting them. I explored the Twist Mountain Range, and the tunnels and mines that branched underneath it. I traveled to the White Forest, a towering, ancient forest where there was a small village. I went to Iccirus City, a beautiful and windy city with tall windmills. And north of there, I went to an old tower.

I knew this tower from word of mouth alone. I looked up at its tower face, reaching up into the clouds themselves, gray and forbidding. And yet somehow familiar. This place was called Dragonspiral Tower - and it was the last remaining piece of an ancient castle.

In my mind's eye, I could see it - a sprawling array of bridges and towers, higher than the heavens, where dwelt the ancient kings. And it was not far from here, at the top of Twist Mountain, that Kyurem had watched the dealings of men.

Kyurem knew this place. So I knew it too.

I climbed up through the tower. At the top, I came to where the roof had been torn off, and a jagged hole opened onto the sky. I walked to the edge and sat down, dangling my legs over the edge.

The tower was so high, that here, it was above the clouds. The air was thin and cold. The clouds stretched out beyond me, rolling and heaving like a sea, and above the sky was dusky blue and sparkling with faint stars as night approached. It was beautiful.

"Here was where Reshiram returned." I said to myself. I knew that from Iris and Cheren. "King N stood here once. To him...this must be his place, like the Chasm is to me." I trailed off, rubbing the ancient, weather-worn stone. For a while, I was lost in thought, and memories that were older than me.

Then I stood, looked out once more over the sea of the sky, and then I turned and left.


Remnants (c) me
Pokemon (c) Pokemon