Deep beneath the earth, within the shimmering halls of the Diamond Kingdom, Mega Diancie lifted its hands. Pink energy swirled around its delicate fingers, gathering and shaping with quiet purpose. Tiny diamond fragments rose from the ground and floated through the air, spinning slowly before pressing together one by one. A soft chime rang out with each piece that joined the whole, until at last, a large and perfect pink diamond hung in the air.
The Sacred Diamond had been restored.
Its power spread through the crystal at the very top of the kingdom's grand chamber, sending a warm glow rippling outward through every tunnel and corridor. The Diamond Kingdom, which had fallen into cold darkness when the Sacred Diamond had crumbled, now shone with its old brilliance once more. The pale walls glittered. The Carbink who lived there looked around in quiet wonder.
Diancie let its Mega Evolution fade. The extra layers of jewels and energy dissolved, leaving the small princess Pokémon in her usual gentle form. She turned and looked up at the two humans standing behind her.
Steven Stone stood with his arms loosely folded, a calm smile on his face. Beside him, Cynthia watched Diancie with warm eyes.
"Steven, Cynthia," Diancie said, bowing her head slightly. "Thank you. For everything."
Steven shook his head and waved a hand. "There is no need to thank us, Diancie. If anything, we are glad we were here. This was a memorable journey."
"Besides," Cynthia added with a soft smile, "we are friends now. That is reason enough."
Diancie's eyes lit up. "Yes! We will always be friends!" she said, nodding firmly, as though making a solemn promise.
Then, with a small, cheerful expression, she reached into the folds of her gem-like body and drew out a smooth pink diamond. She held it out toward Steven.
Steven accepted it carefully, turning it over in his palm. It caught the light and sent soft pink reflections across the walls. "Does this have a special meaning?" he asked.
"It is the first diamond I ever created on my own," Diancie said proudly, though her voice carried a note of tenderness. "I want you to have it."
Cynthia knelt down so she was at eye level with Diancie and gently took the small Pokémon's hand in hers. "Then this diamond will be a symbol of our friendship," she said. "We will keep it safe."
Diancie looked between the two of them, and her smile slowly gave way to something softer. Her gaze lingered. "Are you leaving?" she asked.
Steven nodded gently. "The celebration is over. We had already planned to return to Sinnoh." He paused, then added with a quiet chuckle, "Cynthia and I were going to see the snow there together."
Diancie was quiet for a moment, her expression falling just a little.
"Do not worry," Steven said, placing his hand lightly on top of Diancie's head. "We will visit you again. That is a promise."
With that, the two said their goodbyes and made their way toward the underground passage that would lead them back to the surface. They planned to reach the nearest city and catch a flight back to Sinnoh.
Behind them, Dr. Zuan stepped forward. He was one of the kingdom's trusted caretakers, and he had watched the whole scene with quiet thought. Now he walked to Diancie's side, following the direction of her gaze.
"Princess Diancie," he said calmly. "You may go with them."
Diancie turned to him, eyes wide. "What? I can really go?"
Until now, Diancie had never left the Diamond Kingdom on her own, except when she had ventured out to search for Xerneas. That journey had been born of desperation. This was something different entirely.
Dr. Zuan continued in his steady voice. "Your Highness is now capable of creating the Sacred Diamond without assistance, and you have shown that you can protect yourself. Furthermore, both Mr. Steven and Ms. Cynthia have proven that they can be trusted to keep you safe. You need only return here from time to time."
Diancie stood still for a moment, her gaze drifting over the group of Carbink who had gathered nearby. They looked back at her with round, patient eyes. Doubt flickered across her face.
Then a familiar presence jumped in front of her.
"Princess Diancie!" It was Magima, one of the Carbink who had always kept close to her. "If you do not leave now, Mr. Steven and the others will be gone!"
Diancie blinked, surprised. Magima had always been the serious one — quick to keep her focused, quick to pull her back from distraction. Like a strict but caring attendant who never let her wander too far.
"Magima…" Diancie looked at the small Pokémon with a touched expression.
"Mm! I understand," she said at last. She straightened herself and bowed gently to the assembled Carbink, her voice clear and warm. "I will return to the Diamond Kingdom often. I promise."
The Carbink watched as their princess made her way down the passage and stepped out into the light.
When Diancie emerged onto the surface, she paused and breathed in the open air. A smile settled naturally on her lips. The outside world still felt big and full of unknowns. She had barely seen any of it.
Buzz buzz buzz…
"Hmm? What is that?"
Something small and mechanical was hovering nearby — a little orb, no bigger than a fist, with tiny wings flapping rapidly to keep itself aloft. A slender mechanical arm extended from its side, and clasped between its fingers was a photograph.
Diancie looked closer. "Steven? Cynthia?"
The orb held the photo out to her. Diancie took it gently. The image showed Steven and Cynthia sitting together, leaning against each other, looking pale and exhausted — it was from the moment their life force had nearly run out during the battle.
She looked up at the little orb. "Did you want me to give this to them?"
The orb bobbed up and down in a clear nod, then turned and shot upward, vanishing into the sky. Looking around, Diancie noticed other mechanical orbs just like it rising from the treeline of Orses Forest and the fields nearby, all heading in the same direction — up, toward the sky, toward something hidden and invisible above the forest.
Diancie held the photo carefully and ran to catch up with Steven and Cynthia.
By a wild river not far from the forest's edge, Steven and Cynthia had stopped to rest. The sound of running water filled the air.
"Good work, everyone," Steven said, setting down food bowls one by one in front of the Pokémon who had gathered around him. More than a dozen of them sat together, eating quietly. He made a mental note that they would need to restock their supplies soon — the storage was running low.
He glanced over at Cynthia, who was sitting by the riverbank, her gaze fixed on the water. He walked over and sat down beside her, holding out a sandwich.
"Here."
Cynthia took it without looking at him.
Steven watched her for a moment. "Is something wrong? You seem upset."
Cynthia bit into the sandwich, chewed, and swallowed before answering. "Even with both of us there, you could barely take the first wave of attacks," she said, her tone carrying a familiar edge of frustration. "And you still tried to make me leave." She turned to look at him, then punctuated her words with a light punch to his shoulder.
Steven rubbed the spot and sighed. "There was nothing else I could do. We were up against Yveltal. That Pokémon drains life energy from everything around it during battle." He looked at her seriously. "I was not willing to put you through that."
"And I am not willing to just stand aside and watch something happen to you," Cynthia said. Her voice was quieter now, but firm. "Do you think I do not worry?"
"That is not what I meant—"
"I know what you meant."
Before Steven could say anything more, Cynthia leaned in and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head against his chest. The river ran on quietly beside them.
"Please," she said, her voice soft. "Rely on me more."
For a moment, Steven was still. Then his hand came to rest gently on her back.
"Okay," he said.
"Oh my! I think I picked the wrong moment to show up!"
The two of them looked up at once.
Diancie was standing a short distance away, holding a photograph, watching them with a wide, playful grin spreading across her face.
"Diancie?!" they said together.
"Surprised?" Diancie laughed. "I am too, a little!"
She bounced forward and explained to them what Dr. Zuan had said, and how she had been given permission to travel with them for a while. She bowed slightly, still smiling. "I will be in your care! I hope I am not too much trouble."
"Not at all," Steven said warmly. "That is what friends are for. Welcome, Diancie."
"Oh! That reminds me!" Diancie reached out and offered the photograph. "A small mechanical orb gave this to me right as I was coming out of the underground passage. It seemed to want me to pass it along to you."
Steven took the photo. Cynthia stood on her toes to peer over his shoulder, pressing lightly against his back to see. When she recognized what was in the image, her face turned pink. She was grateful, at least, that her long hair fell forward enough to hide most of her expression.
Steven's brow furrowed slightly. "A mechanical orb…" he murmured. His mind went to mobile surveillance devices — small, autonomous, hard to trace.
He turned the photo over.
Written on the back in clean, simple letters was a single line:
Congratulations. I hope we do not meet again.
Steven read it twice. He stood quietly for a moment, trying to trace the memory — a face, a voice, anything. But nothing came. He could not think of anyone he had crossed paths with during this whole journey. No one who would leave a message like this.
Then, in a brief flash, a familiar silhouette passed through his mind. Yveltal, circling high above the chaos, its dark wings stretched wide as it pulled the life force from the world below.
Steven exhaled slowly.
Even that Pokémon, it seemed, had no wish to encounter him again.
He supposed that was good news.