Lucario hadn't been too bad, but Ash wasn't sure about the other two Gem Guardians, especially since Kellyn struggled in that battle. He did it, but needed more practice. He definitely wasn't ready for Parity. He also seemed to have no recollection of when Lucario had escorted him to the throne after the purification, but he did look lost in thought. He snapped out of it a minute after Lucario sat him down.
Ash and his friends returned to the room before the throne room, hoping to meet up with Darkrai, but he had vanished. It was just Ash and his friends now.
"Where is he?" Kellyn asked, looking panicked. "You don't think J—?"
"I'm sure he's fine," Wendy said as she placed Sven's arm over her shoulders, "but I'm more worried about Sven right now, Kellyn."
That was fair. While he was pushing through, Sven didn't seem to feel well (not surprising, considering he nearly froze that morning). Ash still hadn't learned from Kellyn what his secret was. While he had a general idea, he wanted confirmation so he could find a way to help. However, if that was the secret, Kellyn or Brock were probably better at helping than Ash or Dawn.
Ash's mind raced the entire trip back through Almia Castle to Ice Lake. There was no sign of J, her henchmen, or Team Rocket (Darkrai must've booped all of them), but there was no doubt they would return for the next two Gem Guardians—probably with a better plan—so the team needed to stay alert.
With Kellyn retaking the lead, they rode the Empoleon back across Ice Lake to the beach where they had found Sven.
Ash, Brock, and Dawn kept their distance while Kellyn, Wendy, and Sven released the Empoleon.
Kellyn hesitantly smiled and said, "Thank you, Empoleon, for everything."
"Empol!" The Pokémon nudged Kellyn and circled him a few times before rejoining its friends. It watched as Ash and the others left for Ms. Winter's, a melancholy look on its face.
As the full moon peeked out from behind a few clouds, its rays lit up Ms. Winter's cottage. She sat by the fire with Sven's Luxray inside, sipping a cup of hot cocoa and reading a book.
Ms. Winter lowered her book when someone knocked on her door, and it swung open, revealing Ash and his friends.
"I already told you, Wendy!" Sven argued. "I feel fine!"
"Ooh." Ms. Winter perked up and stood, petting Luxray. "It looks like the drama's back, Luxray." She turned and focused on the team, who piled into her cottage.
Sven sneezed and ended up in a rolling chair. He yelped as it slid across the room and crashed into one of Ms. Winter's bedrooms.
Ash and the others hurried over to it, finding Sven on the bed with his legs sticking up behind him.
"You're going to bed right now, Sven," Wendy snapped. "Brock and I will fix you some tea." With that, she closed the door, but Ash heard Sven groaning on the other side.
Oh yeah, it clicked for Ash. His eyes widened, and he looked at Wendy, then the door, and back at Wendy.
She and Brock prepared Sven's tea and brought it to him, along with his Luxray.
Ash and the others sat around the fire with Ms. Winter, who asked, "So, how did it go with Lucario?"
Dawn grinned and clasped Kellyn's shoulder. "Kellyn did it. He purified her!"
Kellyn cringed (Ash still saw the doubt in his eyes). Why did he not think he was worthy?
Ms. Winter perked up. "Wonderful! I knew you could do it, young prince!"
"Please stop calling me that," Kellyn begged, standing. He hurried across the house and ducked into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.
"Was it something I said?" Ms. Winter wanted to know.
Brock and Wendy soon left Sven's room.
Wendy grabbed a cup of cocoa and stepped outside onto Ms. Winter's porch, so Ash decided to take his chance.
He followed Wendy outside and saw her pacing on the porch near a rocking chair, sipping her drink.
Ash didn't intend to let it slip, but he said, "Wendy, maybe you should rest for a day or two."
Wendy paused, gazed into space for a moment, then faced him. "You figured it out?" she nearly snapped at Ash.
Ash shrugged. "Sven's behavior kind of gives it away."
"That son of a—!" Wendy sighed and relaxed her shoulders. "I'm sorry about him, Ash. It was supposed to stay a secret until after the mission."
"Hey…" Ash scratched Pikachu under his chin. "I think it's wonderful, but you do need to watch out for yourself, Wendy."
She tapped her drink and sat on the front porch steps. "I'm not at the point where I can't do anything, Ash. Don't you see?" Wendy squeezed her cup, and her knuckles turned white. "I have to be on this mission. I'm the Flying Ranger. I want you guys to see that."
Ash approached her and sat beside her. "At least let us split the mission tasks evenly with the next two Gem Guardians." After all, they were going to be tougher than Lucario.
Wendy paused again, then said, "Sven hasn't been the same since we found out."
"Makes sense," Ash said.
"But I also know it's because we don't know what we're doing," Wendy continued. "We never meant for it to happen, and I think Sven feels guilty." She rubbed her nose. "I keep trying to tell him that there's nothing to be ashamed of, but he won't listen to me, and now he's reckless and doesn't think I can take care of myself."
"I'm assuming that's one of the reasons why you took this mission as well?" Ash asked, and Wendy nodded.
"I just want the old Sven back." She quickly took another sip from her cup, but Ash saw a tear glistening in her eye. He wondered what Sven was like before.
"I need to check on him." Wendy stood and headed for Ms. Winter's front door, but she faced Ash before entering. "Ash, thank you for listening and not judging us."
"No problem." But now Ash faced a moral dilemma about whether to tell Brock and Dawn. Maybe a walk in the forest would help. He already needed a breather after the Lucario battle since he and the team would likely leave for the next Gem Guardian in the morning.
Ash and Pikachu trudged through the snow for an hour, lost in thought about what Wendy told them.
Ash wrapped Pikachu in his scarf, saying, "Sorry, Pikachu."
"Pika!" Pikachu smiled and slapped Ash's cheek, but then his ears perked up, and he peered forward. "Pika?"
"Hm?" Ash said. "What is it, Pikachu?"
"Pika!" Pikachu jumped down from Ash and sprinted into a moonlit path through the quiet, snowy forest.
Ash rested his hand on one of his pokéballs and chased after him, calling, "Pikachu, wait up!" He soon heard shouting, and he and Pikachu stumbled into a clearing in the forest—though the trees looked like towering bowling pins.
"Vatonage!" In the clearing, Kellyn raised his hand to Blu, but nothing came out of his palm.
Ash looked behind him (when did Kellyn pass him and Pikachu?) and then called out, "Kellyn!" while raising his own hand.
"Ash!" Kellyn dropped his arm and turned to him. "What are you doing out here? It's freezing!"
"I could ask you the same," Ash said as he approached him. He giggled when Pikachu jumped onto Kellyn's shoulder. He brought his heels together. "Wendy and I talked, but Pikachu and I needed some time to ourselves." Blu flew down to him, and Ash patted his head. "Hey, Blu."
"Did Wendy tell you?" Kellyn asked, and Ash nodded.
"Sven's behavior also gives it away."
"Yeah," Kellyn said with a chuckle. "He asked me about baby advice yesterday."
"Makes me glad I'm still a kid," Ash admitted, chuckling.
Kellyn did, too, but then his smile faded, and he moved closer to Ash. "Ash, I need to talk to you before we head for Boyleland, where the next Gem Guardian is. Darkrai hasn't answered me yet."
"Oh, okay." Ash needed to keep practicing listening—make Darkrai proud. Show him that he was still a good leader.
A stick snapped in the woods, and Ash and Kellyn flinched, hearing it.
"What was that?" Ash inquired, examining the area where the crack came from.
A cold gust of wind swept through the treetops and blew Ash and Kellyn's hair. Snow blew past them, and they closed their eyes against it.
"Pika!" Pikachu exclaimed, shivering and losing his footing. He soared into Ash's leg, and he picked him up.
The wind finally died down, but two figures appeared where the snow was: one tall and one medium-sized.
Ash and Kellyn opened their eyes, but they widened at the sight of Lucario and Darkrai standing before them.
What were they doing there?