Shaymin, now in his sky form, flew choppily through the air as his friend flew below him, making sure to be there in case Shaymin fell. Shaymin grimaced for a couple of seconds, before closing his eyes and trying to calm down a little bit. He fell a bit in the process, but was able to get back up into the air before falling on top of his friend and flew a little more smoothly.

"Yeah, that's it!" Shaymin's friend exclaimed. "Calm. Free. That's how you should do things! If you try to fly while worried, you'll just fall. Instead, you need to fly more naturally, like it's second nature. Fly without trying to fly. Then you can just focus on enjoying it. That's how flying is done best."

"A-alright," Shaymin said. "Yeah, I think I'm getting it. I think I'm getting it!"

"Good. But I think that's enough for today. We've gotten a lot of progress and I think it's about time we stop for today. Either that or everyone in the village will complain about me pushing you too hard."

"A-alright," Shaymin said. He found a good place to land and did so, his friend following right behind him. They both landed on a small grassy plateau and stretched out after their flight.

"But seriously, you've gotten pretty good at this," Shaymin's friend said. "In a little more, you'll be able to fly on your own. That's pretty cool, don't you think?"

"Yeah, it is," Shaymin said. "Hey, thanks."

Shaymin's friend chuckled. "No problem. Now for the next project on our list!"

"Next…project?" Shaymin asked.

"You said you've never climbed Sky Peak yet, right?" Shaymin's friend asked. "Well then let's go! It's time to hike all the way up that hill. Trust me, the view is amazing up there! You'll love it."

"…Will you hike up with me?" Shaymin asked. "I think…maybe together…we can make it up there."

"Of course," Shaymin's friend said. "I did say 'let's go' didn't I? I'll stick by you."

"Thanks but…" Shaymin looked towards the ground. "Hey ma'am…would you mind if I ask you something?"

"What I'd say about calling me ma'am?" Shaymin's friend asked, chucking all the way. "But that's beside the point. Go ahead and shoot."

"Why are you working so hard for me?" Shaymin asked. "I mean, I'm glad you are. I really am. I would've never flown on my own if it wasn't for you. But you're so amazing, you fly so gracefully, you're so nice and smart. Why would you want to hang out with me? I'm nothing but a timid, boring shaymin."

"I wouldn't say you're boring," Shaymin's friend said. "And as for the timid part, that's only temporary. Once you gain more confidence, you'll hardly be timid anymore. But as for why, well first off, you're the only one who cares about human history. Everyone else is too 'boring' to bother with that stuff, despite how fascinating it is."

"Yeah, it really is," Shaymin said. "Actually, thanks for the suggestion to look at flying techniques humans used to use for their weird crafts. While we're much more mobile than them while flying, it's still interesting to see what they did and really helped me think about things to do when I get a lot more proficient. I bet it's what helped you fly so gracefully too."

"Some of it, yeah," Shaymin's friend said with a nod. "Back on subject, that's one reason why I hang around. As for the other, I do really think you're interesting. You've got a lot of potential and it's really great seeing that potential grow. Plus, you are a really nice guy. From what I've gotten while hanging around you, you're timid mostly because you don't want to hurt anyone. That's pretty admirable if you ask me. Granted, not many shaymin ask me, but that's beside the point."

"Oh well uhh…t-thanks," Shaymin said with a blush. "I never really thought of it that way."

Shaymin's friend chuckled. "Don't sell yourself short. I'm sure you'll become really great someday. We're Mystical Pokémon, so we've got a lot of time to grow like that. Just keep at it one step at a time and I'm sure you'll grow up great."

"You really think so?" Shaymin asked.

Shaymin's friend chuckled once again. "Yeah, you bet," she said. "Anyways, get some hiking gear ready, 'cause we're going to climb that mountain like it's no tomorrow. I'll teach you all about climbing it and I'll even show some secret stuff about it that they don't show on the tours. Heck, after I show you the ins and outs of the mountain, you might become a great tour guild one day."

"Do you really think that's possible?" Shaymin asked. "Me, being a tour guide one day?"

"Possibly. You seem like the type who'd be a great tour guide. Just keep growing and you'll be a great shaymin someday."

Axle sat down on his bed in the infirmary, looking out the window in the room to the stars in the sky. It was well into the night, around midnight if Axle had any guess, but he couldn't fall asleep despite how late it was getting. His mind was reeling with thoughts about what happened the previous day.

Axle felt some fur brush at his right side. He looked down at the sleeping form of his partner to see that she accidently brushed to his side in her sleep. Her expression looked peaceful enough, so Axle could only guess that she was having a decent dream. Axle breathed a sigh of relief seeing that his partner was still doing well despite the trauma she went through.

"Luckily, you're going to be just fine according to Chimecho," Axle mumbled. "This shouldn't make you any worse then you already are. That's good."

Axle sighed. "Though Chimecho did recommend we take it easy for a couple of days, but we can't really do that. Not with what we have to do."

Axle next looked to his left where he saw Shaymin, now in his Land Forme, looking out the window to the stars as well. Shaymin had been mostly silent since they got back. He wasn't completely catatonic, but Axle had to carry him back to the guild and he hadn't moved around at all in the infirmary, even when being examined. The only movement he made was to look at the stars, otherwise he's hadn't done much. Axle didn't particularly blame him, especially not after all that they just went through.

To be betrayed by someone who he loved that much, I can't imagine it, Axle thought. He looked back over at Eon. If it were Eon and me in place with him and Skyla… Axle shook his head. Regardless, I've already warned Magnazone. Skyla, Simisage, and Gogoat are officially outlaws now and are officially marks. And I need to plan for our eventual encounter with the. Form a plan of attack…possibly without Shaymin's help. I don't know if he'll be up for but…I need to plan for that just in case.

Axle looked at his right paw for a couple of seconds. Hmm…I wonder.

Axle looked back at Shaymin. "Hey Shaymin, I don't know whether you can hear me now or will even listen, but if you need to talk, I'm here. I don't know if I can help you, I'm honestly not as good with this as Eon is, but…"

"…t's alright Axle," Shamyin said softly, so softly that Axle could barely hear him. "I…I just need a moment."

"Take…all the time you need, I guess," Axle said.

Axle sighed, looking back down towards Eon. I don't want to say it to him…but I honestly kinda hate Skyla right now. I…don't exactly want to but…

"You guys…knew, didn't you?" Shaymin asked. "About Skyla, right? Would you mind, telling me what you two talked about?"

"I suppose you do deserve to hear this," Axle said. "I would have told you sooner but…" Axle shook his head. "Anyways, it happened after you and Skyla flew off."

"We need to talk," Axle said decisively.

Eon nodded. "Axle, something feels wrong about Skyla's speech. Actually, a lot of things seem to be wrong with Skyla's speech. I mean, I really don't want to accuse her of anything, but noting she said really made any sense."

"I've noticed that too," Axle said.

"Yeah like, she's been missing for more than a century according to Shaymin," Eon said. "But if she was actually captured by outlaws, how was she missing for over a century? Not many Pokémon live that long and I doubt Simisage and Gogoat are among them. Plus, what sort of outlaws capture a Pokémon and just leave them there for that long? It just…her story doesn't really make any sense."

"Not only that, but she apparently has been captured for years, yet she was in Sky Forme when we met her," Axle said. "We both know that shaymin lose their Sky Formes when night falls or when they get frozen. They can't go back to Sky Forme unless they use a Gracedia Flower. So there's no way she could possibly be in Sky Forme going from captured to trapped in a cave. That's just not possible."

Eon sighed and gave a sad nod. "Yeah, exactly," she said. "Axle…what does it all mean?"

"She's lying to us," Axle said decisively. "I sensed her aura while she was talking to us just to make sure and I felt that she was blatantly lying. She wasn't trapped there and she hardly needed any help."

"It's…because she's the leader of the outlaws, isn't she?" Eon asked.

Axle closed his eyes and couldn't keep the smile off of his face. "I'm…pretty sure," Axle said. "Her voice matches the voice of the third outlaw I heard in my vision. I wasn't sure at first, since I wasn't able to see her figure and voices can sometimes be distorted in my visions, but as I sensed her lie and heard her lie, along with her voice, it's the only conclusion I could come to."

"…I don't want to believe it, though," Eon said. "I mean; this is the same Skyla that Shaymin thought was gone forever. This is the same Skyla that Shaymin was so happy to learn that she was alive. If that's true…and if Skyla really is an outlaw, then…"

"That'll break Shaymin's heart," Axle admitted. "As cruel as it is…I don't see any other possible reason for her to by lying to use. I'm…not positive though. Or at least, as positive as I want to be."

"So what are we going to do now?" Eon asked.

"For now, we'll follow Skyla where she wants us to go," Axle said. "If she isn't lying, then we might just find the shaymin kids we're looking for. But if she is lying…she'll have to reveal it sometime. And when she does, then we'll know the truth. Us and Shaymin."

"And those orbs…" Eon said.

"Are just in case she's leading us into a trap," Axle finished for her. "They're an Escape Orb and a Warp Orb. For Shaymin's sake, I don't want to believe she's leading us to a trap, but I want to be prepared just in case."

"…Alright," Eon said. "I…hope we're wrong though. I really do. For Shaymin's sake."

After Axle finished his story, he heard Shaymin chuckle. It was a hallow laugh, one filled with pain and sadness, but it was still a laugh. Axle turned away from the Grass-Type during his laugh, looking instead towards Eon, his only confidant during that time.

"Hey Axle…thanks," Shaymin said. "If you're…worried about me being mad, don't. If I'm…being honest with myself, had you brought up suspicion to Skyla before, I might have hated you guys for it. I…guess I needed to hear the truth from Skyla first. I just…wish I knew what that truth is. Why did this have to happen?"

"I don't know," Axle admitted. "I know very little about Skyla, aside from what you've told me. So I can't really help you."

"Skyla…was really special to me, you know," Shaymin said. "It was somewhere around 30 years I knew her for. I know that probably sounds pretty long for you, but for me, it's barely a drop in the bucket. I'm expected to live probably somewhere over a thousand years. Possibly even more. It's said that there's a shaymin that's been living since the dawn of time. Compare that to 30 years and well…you can see how small that is. Yet those 30 years were some of the best years of my life."

"Skyla was always there for me those 30 years. Since the day I met her, she's made my life so bright. She was constantly there, pushing me to be a better Pokémon. She kept at it every second. We'd spend weeks together, talking, training, having a good laugh. There were times when I just wanted time to stop. The days feel so short, thinking back on them now. But I enjoyed each and every day. She brought so much joy to my life. …I truly loved her."

"The day I thought she died was the worst day of my life. It felt like a part of me died with her. Like half of my spirit went with her. I felt…empty. Gone. Especially knowing that I would now live hundreds if not thousands of years without her by my side. Even after I found meaning again by living a life I felt she would want me to live, the pain never went away. It healed after time, but it was never gone. It's like a scar that is constantly there to remind you of the pain you went through."

"Honestly, when I first met you guys, when I first explored with you guys, it reminded me of how Skyla and I used to be. Seeing Eon try so hard to be strong, try so hard to be like you, reminded me about how I tried so hard to be strong like Skyla. It helped fill a bit of the hole I felt after Skyla's death. I saw you guys…and I saw Skyla and I together again. Axle…I'm sorry. If I ever pushed you and Eon too hard to get in a relationship, I'm sorry. I just…I suppose I really wanted to have my past relationship by living through yours. I suppose even after all this time, the pain was still there, deep in my heart. Axle…I'm sorry."

"So then…what are you going to do now?" Axle asked. "If your reason for living was to live a life you thought Skyla would want you to live and she's…you know…what are you going to do now?"

"…"

Shaymin was silent for a few seconds, prompting Axle to look back outside at the stars. Axle stood there, wanting to stay awake for as long as possible until Shaymin decided to finally talk to him. Unfortunately, Shaymin didn't speak for a long while, and Axle felt himself being slowly lulled to sleep in the time it took Shaymin, especially the warmth from Eon's fur brushing into him made him quite comfortable. Axle eventually closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep with his partner by his side.

Shaymin looked over at Axle as he fell asleep. The riolu closed his eyes and fell over onto his partner, accidently cuddling up against her. Shaymin watched as he did that, and he couldn't help but laugh a bittersweet laugh at the sight to his right side.

"Even so…I still do want to see you two together," Shaymin said. "But that's a thought for another time. Now…Axle's question."

Shaymin looked out to the stars. "Who am I, if I can't live how Skyla would want me to. What do I do now?"

"Mmm uhhh?" Shaymin heard moaning from his right. He looked over there to see Eon was stirring in her sleep. Eventually, the eevee's eyes opened up and she looked around the area she was in, mostly to her right.

"Hey sleepyhead," Shaymin said.

"Oh, hi Shaymin," Eon said sleepily as she turned to face him. It was at that point in time when she noticed Axle was next to her, cuddling with her while also hanging over her. Her face immediately turned a dark red when she realized the situation she was in. "Oh uhh…this isn't what it looks like!"

"Don't worry about it," Shaymin said sadly. "You both just fell asleep, that's it."

Eon was left speechless for a couple of seconds. "…Wow, no innuendo or any other jokes? …This must be really hard on you, huh?"

"Yeah, it was," Shaymin said. "You know…I want to ask you what you'd do in my situation. If someone like Axle was missing, assumed dead, for a long time and when you finally meet him again, he became an outlaw. But…I already know the answer to that."

Eon nodded and looked at Axle. "I would go looking for them myself and bring them into the authorities. It'd hurt, it really would, fighting someone I love. But I think it'd hurt even worse watching them do bad things, hurting other Pokémon, knowing I could possibly do something to help. If they're brought to the authorities, there's a chance that they can turn their life around. So I'd help them more by bringing them in then just leaving them. At least, that's what I think."

"I…know that but…" Shaymin shook his head. "I have so many questions. I don't know why she's doing this. I don't know what happened to her. And I really want to know. I just…want to understand why this is happening."

Shaymin could fell water falling from his eyes as the tears started running and he started crying. The Grass-Type's speech became muddled and ended up coming out as whimpers as he bawled right there in the infirmary. For what felt like more than half-an-hour, Shaymin let all of his emotions out.

"Shaymin…we'll just have to ask her then, won't we?" Eon said.

Shaymin looked back up and looked at Eon. "W-what?" Shaymin asked.

"We're still going after those outlaws," Eon said. "Skyla included. And when we're doing that, she can't really trap us anymore, can she? We'll next meet her on equal footing. So then…that's when we'll ask her. I don't know how we'll convince her to tell us, but we have to."

"You think we can?" Shaymin asked.

Eon nodded. "Yeah," she said. "I'll make sure to tell Axle that too, in the morning, so that we're all on the same page. Tomorrow, we'll make sure you finally learn the truth."