Back in the Guild, Gardner now sat inside a room with rows upon rows of tall shelves, each filled with hundreds of books. In the center of the room was a series of low desks, each with a small Litwick stuck in a glass jar, barely illuminating the books. No other Pokemon remained inside, allowing no noise save for the muffled cacophony of the Guild's activity outside.

Piled around Gardner were other books, each with some reference to Hoopa or the Prison Bottle. As Gardner read from one, the Litwick on his table whispered, "Do I really need to be here? Can't you just use a regular old candle?"

Gardner glared at him, his scarred eye flashing a cross of piercing white and red. "You Litwick are far safer than any candle, considering you can control your flames. There's a good reason I wanted you to be here." He returned to his reading.

The Litwick propped his arms against his sides and muttered, "Guildmaster Calem didn't think so."

Gardner gave a cursory glance back. "And Calem is dead, so deal with it." He read for a moment longer and paused, reading a passage in the book. Giratina's 22nd Day, 1400 Years After the Usurper; Cryus, Xilo Mountains." He continued reading, then upon seeing a picture and its caption, his ethereal heart skipped a beat. There, standing with Fire and Ice Pokemon, was a silver Lucario wearing leather clothing holding an intricate bottle aloft.

His hand strayed to the gem on the table, but he yanked it back. "No…no, it'd be best to talk about this when he gets back." He winced, covering his eye. "He will not be pleased." He set a strip of paper on the page and closed it, remembering the picture's caption well:

Matheus Lucario with the residents he saved from an avalanche. He holds Hoopa's Prison Bottle just before it is hidden.

On the other side of Serenita, the gnarled and empty trees thinned, and orange and gold leaves dominated the sky. Yellowed grass poked up beneath the fallen leaves, receiving the fading remnants of evening's light. Luscious red apples hung above them, ready for harvest after a season of growing. Their sweet scent filled the air, their taste longed for by the Pokémon crushing the fallen leaves, the crisp crunch reminding them of the sweet flesh of the fruit.

As he, Cassia and Grom walked along the path, Lawrence's stomach growled. He chuckled, pointing up to the apples. "Do you think we can grab those for dinner?"

Cassia nodded, looking at Grom. "Would you please?"

Grom reached up, gingerly picking apples and setting them in his palm. After picking a dozen, he held them out to Cassia, who nodded appreciatively, saying, "You're so nice to have around, Grom!" Grom chuckled, the apples bouncing in his hand.

Cassia gasped, hastily taking the bag off her shoulder. "They're going to bruise!" She leaned forward, catching them in the sack.

The last apple thumped inside, and Cassia leaned precariously. "Wh-whoa!" With a thud, she landed on her chest, spilling its contents across the trail. Books tumbled, and papers flew, alongside other small articles that bounced on the compacted dirt.

Lawrence leaned down, holding out a paw. "Are you alright?"

Cassia waved away his paw, instead taking Grom's outstretched hand. "I'm fine." She brushed herself off, moping. "Can you get my things?"

Lawrence nodded, picking up a collection of books and charcoal sticks. He carefully stashed them in the bag, then checked around the trail for anything else. He noticed a small sack and reached for it. "Just one more thing!"

Cassia's face dropped, then she rushed toward him. "Wait, no, I'll—"

He lifted the sack and tested its weight. "What's in here?" He began to undo the drawstring.

Cassia ripped the sack from Lawrence's paws and held it to her chest. "That's private!" She stuffed it back into her bag, shaking.

Lawrence gave her a suspicious look, narrowing his eyes. "But why? I mean, I'm sure that—"

"Graw." Grom stamped in front of Cassia, his eyes flashing as he stared at Lawrence. "Gro-rawm."

Lawrence backed away, taking the bag and holding it out. "Alright, alright! I get it!" Grom took the bag, and Lawrence turned away, giving Grom a dark look. "Shouldn't talk about Cassia's personal life," he muttered.

Cassia sighed, putting the bag over her shoulder. "It's alright, I'm just…not ready to talk about it yet." She turned back to the path. "It'll be dark soon. We better make camp."

Lawrence nodded begrudgingly, putting a paw over the Pokédex. "Alright, I'll just be taking care of some…business, if you know what I mean."

Cassia cocked her head and looked to the sky for a moment, then cringed when she realized. "Oh…right." She shooed Lawrence away, exclaiming, "Go take care of it then. I don't want to know about it."

Lawrence walked away from Cassia, who took a different direction off the path. "I'm going to need your bag as soon as I'm done with everything here, so don't take too long!" she added.

Lawrence waved to her absent-mindedly, taking out the Pokédex when he was out of sight. He opened the notebook application, then hastily typed out what had happened in Barash, in the Revenant Forest, and what had just happened with the sack.

He drummed out the words, watching the black text appear on the screen as he focused his thoughts. He thought of the events that had happened yesterday. 'Now that I think about it, both times I've met Aleron have been near where Cassia was. Is there some connection between them? Do they know each other?'

His mind drifted to Grom's terse reaction toward the leather sack. 'And what about Grom, being so protective about Cassia, to the point I can't learn anything about her. Why? It wouldn't hurt to learn some more about someone I've been with for a couple days?'

Then thoughts of Grom's attitude on the day they escaped from Barash's Guild Pokémon came back. 'Maybe it's because of my 'amnesia'. He thought it was trick to capture Cassia, and maybe he still doesn't entirely trust me, so he doesn't want anything about Cassia being known.'

Lawrence rubbed his eyes, shaking his head. 'I held off Grom before, and maybe helped my standing with him by helping the Pokémon in Barash. But what else do I need to do? Spill the beans and tell him everything? About Valence and the fact I was human? They'd run faster than a Deerling from Houndour.'

He stopped typing, staring at the words he just created:

I can't tell Cassia or Grom. They think they can't trust me until I tell them the truth, but they won't believe it once they hear it. I'm in a bad spot, one where I can't learn anything else about the Pokémon I want to know most.

He cringed, swiping out of the notepad and into the dimensional detector. He tapped the button and received the same error: 'No access point in range.'

He shook, holding the Pokédex tighter. 'No way home. No way to Unova. No way to an escape from this world. No way to escape from Arceism and its lies. No way to return to a place that he can understand—or at least attempt to. No way to—'

"What are you doing?"

Lawrence froze.

[~~~]

Arthus walked through the streets of Barash, considering the burned remains of homes. Collapsed bricks and shattered earthenware littered the streets, along with charred food and ash. Deathly silence hung over the air, a haunting reminder of what happened there.

He stopped at the largest building in the center, where Captain Toka had made his command center—and where the former mayor held counsel. He stepped on top of a shattered wall and entered the room beyond it, finding chests thrown open around a large, stone table.

He passed a hand over the table, closing his hand. "We…we made the Guild here. The charter was signed, and he…he was made Guildmaster." He tightened his fist and slammed it against the table. "Until he left." He released a shuddering breath, then ran out of the room and into the ruined streets.

A shimmer surrounded him. He gasped, clutching his head. "No...no, not now." Shimmering light exploded around him, and the city of Barash was bright and filled with energy. Ground and Grass Pokemon filled the streets, passing by various shops and stands. Other Pokemon types from across Equivos came to trade their wares, adding to the bustle of the city. All throughout, there was cooking, trading, and bartering abound—complete peace amidst the chaos.

Arthus twitched, recognizing this place well. "My…my first day here. Why?"

"You doing alright?"

He froze. "No."

"You look worse than a wet Sudowoodo."

Arthus slowly turned around, coming face to face with a young Lucario with a wide smile. Despite the simulated warmth, Arthus felt chills down his spine.

The Lucario set a paw on Arthus' shoulder, leaving no contact. "Don't be afraid. I'll always be with you."

"Always?" a different, younger voice replied.

The Lucario nodded. "Always." He faded out of existence, and the activity of Barash in the distant past faded with him, leaving the ruined city in its stead.

Arthus breathed haggardly, looking down at his claws. "Always…" He hardened his gaze and clenched his fist. "A ghost that haunts me…traitor." He sprinted out of the ruins and toward the haunted section of the forest, where Lawrence and Cassia's Life Trails winded toward.

[~~~]

Lawrence turned around slowly, frozen with astonishment and fear. Cassia stood in front of him, giving him a look of concern and puzzlement, a bag in her hands.

She held it up, then pointed at the bag around Lawrence's shoulder. "I need yours to finish the camp, and you were taking a while, so—"

"How much did you see?" Lawrence blurted, hiding the Pokédex behind his back.

Cassia came closer, trying to look behind his back. "I saw the box glowing. What's going on?"

"It's nothing, just, go—"

"No, tell me what's happening."

"I can't tell—"

"Why not?"

"Because…because…" Lawrence stuttered, struggling for a reason.

Cassia crossed her arms. "Does it have to do with the Guild?"

Lawrence shook his head immediately. "No, no, nothing to do with them!" He looked left and right, attempting to come up with a reasonable explanation behind an otherworldly light coming from a black Pokédex.

Cassia continued to scrutinize him, taking a step back. "You better tell me right now. I let it slide before since you lost your memory and didn't know anything, but now it's pretty obvious that you know what it is—and who you are." She uncrossed her arms. "Who are you?"

Silence hung between them for minutes, simply staring at each other as Lawrence struggled for answers and Cassia waited for them. The sun set behind the horizon as Grom sat at the proposed campsite, waiting for Cassia and Lawrence to return, while they stood in their verbal struggle.

Finally, Lawrence sighed, dropping his arms, revealing the still-lit Pokédex. "I'll…I'll tell you. Can we…go back first? I'd…I'd rather have Grom hear this too."

Cassia stood still, then nodded. She turned away, marching toward the camp, her dress flowing past the grass.

Lawrence looked down at the Pokédex, seeing its taunting message: 'No access point in range.' His paw shook, and he reared back. 'It's thanks to this piece of junk and the company that made it that I'm even in this mess!' he thought. He wanted to throw it, crushing the screen and destroying any evidence of his life in Unova, just so he could avoid telling the truth.

He blinked, lowering his arm. But what would that solve? He would have no way back, and they'd still ask questions. It would solve nothing, only make things worse.

He put the Pokédex back in the case, walking to Cassia, considering the best way to make him not seem like a maniac.

[~~~]

Blackness stretched across the sky, sparks drifting upward from the low fire of the three travelers. Kricketot chirruped, sitting in the trees and watching them sit around the blaze. The sweet scent of apples hovered in the air, and leaves continued to fall with gentle rhythm, occasionally burning to cinders by the heat of the flame.

Lawrence held a stick with an apple stabbed through the tip, leaning forward and watching the juices leak from the splitting skin. Cassia did the same, only watching Lawrence's fearful expression instead. Grom towered over Lawrence, his arms fanned apart, maintaining a constant vigil over the path.

Lawrence took a deep breath, pulling back the apple and inspecting it. "I guess it's time to tell you the truth now—who I am, where I'm from, what the…box, is." Cassia nodded.

Lawrence sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm going to warn you now: it's going to seem crazy. I have hard time believing it myself."

"I'm sure I've heard worse," Cassia replied, pulling out her own apple, then shoving it back into the fire.

Lawrence sighed once more, then started telling them about Unova, with numerous towers, humans, pet Pokémon, and technology. He told them about President Hanson's plan to give their dimension's Pokémon sentience. He told them how he accepted their offer, and the means of how he came to Equivos, and how he had kept record of their actions throughout Equivos on his Pokédex.

He brought out the Pokédex and turned it on, showing the many icons on its screen. "This is a Pokédex 2.0. They're everywhere in Unova. They help us with everything whether it be checking on what our Pokémon need, or where we should pick up food." He held it out in front of him, forcing a smile. "We can even take pictures with them." It flashed briefly, and Grom grumbled in surprise, while Cassia blinked, astounded.

Lawrence rubbed his eyes, unused to the sudden flash, and held out the Pokédex to Cassia. "See? There's me." She took the Pokédex cautiously, studying the image and moving her fingers across the glass surface, rearing back when the smiling Lucario within moved slightly.

Lawrence reached over and tapped the photo button. "Want to see yourself?" The Pokédex flashed, and Cassia blinked, averting her eyes from the strange technology. Soon after, the screen showed, and Cassia hurriedly covered it.

"H-How do you…get rid of them?"

Lawrence cocked his head curiously. "Just…tap the little red can at the bottom. Why?"

Cassia did so hastily, sighing in relief. "I just…don't know what to think." She held the Pokédex out to Lawrence, her hand shaking.

Lawrence took it gratefully, putting it back in his case. "Sorry, I guess it's a little much." He looked at the core of his baked apple, throwing it behind him. "So…what do you think?"

Cassia studied the fire, her blue eyes reflecting the orange flames. "You say you were changed when you came here. You used to be…human." She looked up. "What did you look like?"

Lawrence's eyes widened, and he took the Pokédex out of its case once more. He swiped to the photos, then went through his collection, pausing. He saw a picture of himself, in his pre-changed state, sitting with his mom and dad, smiling for a family portrait.

He shakily handed it to Cassia, nodding. She studied the picture, and Lawrence croaked, "I haven't seen myself like that ever since I came here. I didn't know I would be changed into…" He looked at his paws. "…this." He clenched them. "I…miss my family. I miss my home. I miss…" He closed his eyes, tearing up.

"Me." He covered his face, heaving. All the memories of Sinnoh returned to him in a flood, reminding him of where he belonged and that he would most likely never see those who knew him for who he really was.

He felt a hand set across his shoulder, causing him to look up. Cassia looked down sympathetically, her hand running through his fur in a strangely soothing way.

She closed her eyes. "I ran away from… my father, two years ago. He wasn't the best Pokémon, but he loved me, and tried to make me as happy as I could be. For a time, I was."

She sat down next to Lawrence, removing her hand then rubbing her fingers. "But then I found the Arceist Tome. I wanted to follow Arceus and help bring others to him. My father didn't want me to leave him, so he kept it away. I knew that I wouldn't be truly happy until I ran from him, bringing the word of Arceus to everybody I could."

She sniffed, wiping her face. "It might not seem like it, but we're pretty alike. We're both away from what we know, we're trying to fit in with those around us, and we just can't know who to trust with our true selves."

"Gro…gro…" Grom patted Lawrence as softly as he could, thudding him gently with his massive stone gauntlets. His eyes lowered to a dull glow, sparking abruptly with brief flashes of light—the closest he could get to tears.

Lawrence sniffed, shaking with tears in his eyes. "Thank you…thank you, so much."

The Kricketot continued to chirrup their lunar song, moving alongside the gentle swaying of Grom as he hummed his own tune, gently stamping his feet to a dull beat.

Soon, Cassia hummed, then began to sing:

"Child of Creation,

Of Arceus Dear,

Of warmth and love,

Hold no fear.

His arms enfold you,

As they always have,

So, hold back your tears,

And remember your home.

Creator's son,

Hold your head high,

Creator's daughter,

You mustn't sigh.

Remember your place of birth,

Remember the parents that held you,

Remember where you now are,

And how Arceus will return you."

Lawrence blinked back his tears. He felt he knew this song. Once, long ago, he remembered his mother singing this very song when they moved to Celestic Town from Jubilife, and how it soothed his upset, eight-year-old self. This same song had come back—alongside the same beliefs.

The humming stopped, and Grom stopped his beating. Cassia stood up, keeping her hands crossed in front of her. "I don't know about your world, or how to get you back. I don't know how such a place can exist, just as you don't know how this one can be." She held out her hand. "But I know that everyone is loved by Arceus, even those from a different world. You have no need to fear me or Grom; we believe you and want to help however we can."

Lawrence remained staring at the ground, remembering the Arceists of Sinnoh. 'Are they and the Arceists of Equivos…

'The same?'

[~~~]

Arthus stopped at the fringe of the Revenant Forest, where dead, spindly trees met with the coarse sand of the desert. To the north, fresh green trees grew, marking the dividing line of the haunted and the free.

He went to take a step inside. He looked up and saw a crown of leaves atop an enormous tree, its single eye trained on him.

Arthus clutched his head again as a deep, reverberating voice echoed in his mind. "A crossroads in wait shall soon be trod, and in the wrong, you strive to be god."

The Zoroark held up a defiant fist and roared, "I am not in the wrong! I am doing what should have been done from the beginning!" He breathed quickly, looking back at the pale grey mass to the south. "To think that he's here rather than there."

Arthus shook his head, running toward the live trees to the north. "I won't be tortured by a Trevenant again. Not after that wretched experience."

He entered the quiet wood and strove to drive away the voice. But it kept repeating in his mind, warning him, taunting him. All the while, the somber tone made him drowsier and drowsier.

Finally, Arthus' eyes drooped, and he leaned against a tree, yawning. He fought against it, shaking his head. "No…must find her…must…" He slid to the ground with his back against the tree, and he fell into a deep, deep sleep.

[~~~]

Lawrence slept on a pile of gathered leaves, studying the stars. Grom and Cassia remained at the smoldering remains of the campfire, preparing for sleep. The Kricketot continued to chirrup, slowing their pace and drifting to rest themselves.

He sighed contentedly. 'I can talk about all sorts of things with Cassia now. About our lives, our worlds, even about other Pokémon. I don't have to be so closed off any more.'

He fell asleep with this comforting thought, pleased to be himself once more.

[~~~]

Blackness. All that surrounded him was blackness. The Zoroark stood in what seemed to be the center, still. No sound, no wind, no existence.

A Zangoose materialized in front of him, a large red gash across his chest. "Why did you do this to me? Why?" he cried.

An Audino joined him, holding a hand up to her cut throat. "We trusted you! You were our friend! Our leader!"

The Zoroark involuntarily stepped back, holding his hands up defensively. "I…I didn't want to! I never did!"

Hundreds of other Pokemon joined the Audino and Zangoose, surrounding him on all sides.

"Why did you do this?"

"We trusted you!"

"You killed us all, and for what?"

"Was there really no other choice?"

The Zoroark fell to the ground and clamped his hands over his eyes. "Stop it, stop it, stop it!"

The voices hushed. The Pokemon all disappeared. The Zoroark uncovered his eyes and stood up, then turned around, finding no one.

He turned back around and came face-to-face with a female Zoroark wearing a gold pendant, holding a black, rune-covered blade. She held it up with a pained expression.

"Was it worth it?"

[~~~]

Arthus bolted upright, struggling for breath. He hugged himself and muttered repeatedly, "I'm sorry…I'm bringing you back…I won't leave you…"

After several minutes, he looked up and squinted his eyes, the harsh sunlight shining into his pupils. "I've been asleep for too long." He looked to the north, studying the sea of trees. "The only development that I know Cassia hasn't gone to in that direction is Hydren. There's little point in following her now." He stood up and snapped his fingers, causing a small flame to ignite on the end of one. He turned back and forth, and the flame grew stronger or weaker based on his direction. He walked toward where it was strongest and eventually found a large fallen tree, dead for many years.

He dug his hand into the ground and stopped. He closed his eyes and said, "I'll bring you all back…once I am finished." As tendrils took him back into the soil, he looked down at the golden bracelet on his wrist.

"Especially you, Corrina."

[~~~]

The sun rose over the apple trees, awakening the Fletchling and Taillow that slumbered in the boughs. They warbled their songs, pecking at apples and flitting between the falling leaves.

Lawrence sniffed, rubbing his eyes. 'Better get going. We need to get to Cretea if I want to get home.'

He walked toward the camp, watching Cassia stand up from a distance, folding the blanket she slept on. Grom stepped in, stomping the ashes of their fire and extinguishing the remains of their camp.

Lawrence stepped into view, and Cassia looked over with a smile. "Had a good night's sleep?"

He nodded. "Better than I've had for a long time."

Cassia stuffed the blanket into the bag, her smile disappearing. "Um…about yesterday…with the sack." Lawrence narrowed his eyes, intrigued.

Cassia sighed, shaking her head. "I'm sorry. I overreacted. I'd like to show you what's inside it, but…just not now." She forced a smile. "Okay?"

Lawrence nodded his head slowly. "Alright." Cassia let out her breath in relief, then went over to Grom.

Inwardly, Lawrence added, 'Doesn't help me understand why it's so secret.'

Grom finished crushing the ashes and the rocks that surrounded them, then pointed behind him—the direction they came from. "Gro-hawm. Hawm."

Cassia nodded, finishing packing her supplies. "I know, we need to get going." She tossed a bag to Lawrence, who caught it casually and slung it over his shoulder. "You feel alright, Lawrence…Stephenson?"

The Lucario nodded, grinning. "Feeling great."

"Good," Cassia replied.

They trod across the beaten path, toward the port city of Hydren, to the archipelago of Cretea.