For several seconds, the dozens of brave onlookers stood frozen, still stunned in the aftermath of the deadly battle between legends. Then, like the opening of a floodgate, everyone rushed forward at once to get closer to the carnage. Reporters nearly trampled each other to get the best footage- including one cameraman with a deep scar across his nose who had covered the end of the battle for a live newscast played throughout Mauville City. 

The media was soon forced back by a team of medics and police officers. Along with Kaze, some of the response team attempted to get Xerneas/Tantalus out of the tree. One officer was well informed about Kalos legend and grimly explained Xerneas's fate to the shocked medics.

Meanwhile, another officer approached the broken body of Germaine. Medics worked quickly to stabillize the man with whatever Pokemon and human healing skills they had on hand. His wounds looked terrible. Any normal person would be dead within a few minutes. But that was just the issue...this was [i]not[/i] a normal person. Germaine/Giratina had proven himself to be quite dangerous, both in physical strength and violent attitude. That was why the officer's next words were so crucial-- and frightening.

"Avatar of Giratina," the redhead cop stated. Her words rang out with a little more force than necessary, as if the woman was trying to cover up nerves. A small part of her hoped the avatar was too dazed to undersand her. 

"You've been injured in a battle. You're in good hands now, and the medics will take you to the nearest Pokemon Center in a few minutes. Your full recovery is of the utmost importance. Once you have recovered, you will be taken into custody. You are under arrest for murder and destruction of public property."

A cacophany of different senses beat into Germaine, they were foreign- it felt as if he had slept after a long night of drinking, the smell of charred rock found Gemraines nose, the sound of a thousand people talking and clamouring around made their way to his ears - the taste of blood; that bitter iron on his toungue.

And pain - it felt dull; as if he were disembodied from the areas that were either bleeding or plain broken.

And as faint as the reality before him a voice echoed in his head - [i]" Germaine... so all it took for you to rise again was for me to fall - welcome back to reality human, I'm afraid you'll have my mess to contend with."[/i]
 
After uttering a grunt and a failed attempt to remain concious his body went limp - not dead, simply exhausted. 
 
After all this time Germaine had finally resurfaced, the human was now once again back in control of his body, naturally Giratina was still there; a ticking time bomb threataning to go off at any time in the future, he was locked once again in another prison, but this one was one he could escape from.

[center]*****[/center]


The aftermath of the parade was covered as live news throughout Hoenn. Twenty-six humans and Pokemon had been reported injured in the attack, some still in critical condition. Fortunately, few deaths were reported, and all but two of those were members of the Alliance. None of the hooded attackers had been found, but a rabble rouser near the end of the parade route had been arrested. No information has been released as to whether or not she is related to the Alliance. 

In the midst of images of wrecked floats and interviews with authorities, live footage of a destructive battle was captured. Much of the fight was missing, but one cameraman managed to catch the dramatic finale up close. The avatar of Xerneas was declared dead at the scene, while the avatar of Giratina remained in critical condition. About an hour later, authorities claimed Germaine/Giratina was recovering and would be arrested for murder when he was healthy enough to leave the hospital. Viewers were cautioned to keep an eye out for this violent avatar and run if they saw him out in public, but assured that the authorities of Mauville City knew what they were doing and would protect every citizen and guest.

After another hour of waiting, the streets of Mauville were finally declared safe enough to resume the festival. Droves of guests gratefully poured from the crammed buildings they had been stuck in. Some immediately headed toward the city's edge, eager to leave before another catastrophe took place. The more dedicated fans stayed behind, struggling to reclaim a happy atmosphere after their afternoon of terror. Several worried people rushed around, desperate to find loved ones they had been separated from in the chaos.

Large, obnoxiously bright yellow signs were soon posted all over the city, detailing the festival's new schedule. Several events had been pushed back to later times, while a couple expected to draw large crowds had been cancelled altogether. The highly anticipated Tournament of Legends would still take place, but the signs detailed many changes to the plans. First, as a gesture of respect to the avatars who had fought and been injured in the parade attack, the first round of the tournament had been postponed to 10:00 the next morning so the competitors would all have a chance to recuperate and fight on equal ground.

Also, to the dismay of the public, the location was changed. The tournament was moved from the main battle stadium to the fourth floor of the city's basement as a safety measure. Only competitors in the tournament, volunteers, and important sponsors were allowed in the basement during the battles. A team of tech experts worked swiftly to set up a live broadcasting system in the basement so everyone could view the tournament from the comfort and safety of their own hotel rooms, along with dozens of public buildings.

The rest of the evening passed much more calmly and quietly than the previous one. Some guests chose to stay in the safety of their hotel rooms until morning. Others continued to wait anxiously in Pokémon Centers or hospitals, praying their loved ones would recover from their injuries. Those least affected by the parade attack continued to smile, to laugh, to explore, and to take excessive amounts of selfies-- but even their cheerful moments were strained, tainted by the horror that had ensued earlier that day. As evening faded to night, many got the feeling the festival would've ground to a halt... if it weren't for the main event tomorrow.

[center]*****

[h1]May 6[/h1][/center]

At first glance, the sprawling Mauville City looked like a ghost town. Few people wandered the streets that morning. The charred wreckage still left after the parade attack added a further eerie touch to the scene. But inside every room, life hummed with excitement and anticipation. Families still in comfy pajamas glued their eyes to their televisions, while rowdy crowds in public viewing areas shouted praises for their favorite avatars and placed bets.

Two concrete tunnels led down to the basement-- one near the northernmost point of the city and one near the southernmost point. Each entrance swarmed with uniformed guards who let nobody near the area unless they were on an approved list. The guards immediately stepped aside as a portly man approached. Though Mayor Mayer looked physically and mentally drained, he still gave each guard a light smile as he passed into the tunnel. 

The mayor had chosen the southern entrance... a wise choice, since this was the one with the elevator. He stepped out into a thin hallway and made his way to a massive room carved out of the rock. Two arenas filled most of the cavern. Though they were rarely used for official battles, both battlegrounds conformed to standard league specifications. They were large enough for all but the most extravagant of battles, and shining stage lights illuminated the cavern almost as brightly as the morning sun lit the floors above ground.

[i]I imagine it must hurt more to battle on that solid rock, though,[/i] the balding man mused, grimacing slightly at the cold, rough stone floor. [i]As much as I love meeting the avatars, I'm glad I don't have to be one![/i]

Mayor Mayer soon spotted a makeshift cluster of folding chairs along the wall farthest away from the arenas. He found one reserved for him and tiredly plopped into the chair, which creaked slightly under his weight. From this vantage point, the mayor could see the avatars in the distance, waiting on the sidelines for their battles to start. Everyone who planned to compete had checked in, and some were talking amongst each other. The mayor watched them and wondered whether their conversations were friendly or unfriendly.