Content advisory: themes of depression and suicide.

Chapter 31: Turning a Corner

"Nicky. Dude, what are you doing calling me? You know I start my shift in, like, five minutes."

"Can't you just clock in a bit late, Shane? This is important. I really need to talk to you."

"Sorry, buddy, no can do. Boss has been breathing down my neck all week."

"You're a part time employee, man. What could possibly be so important that you can't take a moment for your best friend?"

"Ugh, fine. Whatever. You wanna talk? Then, go on. If something bad happens to me, it's on your head."

"… you know what? Never mind. Forget it. It's not important."

"No, no. I already said I'd clock in late. Don't be shy. Tell me what's wrong."

"… it's nothing. I'm just… overthinking things again."

"Is this about what happened at school this morning? Dirk got detention, you know. I'll bet his mom will pay to fix up your 3DS. Or get you a new one. I think the SD card's fine, so–"

"That's not what I–"

"Not what, Nicky? You're confusing me, here."

"Forget it. It's fine, Shane. Just go to work."

"You sure?"

"I'm not looking to be a bother."

"Uh, okay then."

"And Shane? Just in case I don't see you this weekend… happy birthday."

"Huh? I thought you said you were coming over!"

"Yeah… something popped up. I'll try to make it. But… no promises. I'm heading to drop your gift off right now, actually."

"Nicky? Dude... you're scaring me."

"Don't worry about it. I'm fine. Take care… Shane."

"Nicky, wait!"

The line went dead.

~Aeon Observatory~

"Vulpix? Oy, for crying out loud," Yungoos said, waving a paw in front of Shane's face. He grabbed one of Shane's ears and shouted, "Yo, human!"

With a holler, Shane snapped to attention. He stumbled forward, rubbing the ear that Yungoos had just yelled into. "Ow! What the heck was that for?" he said.

"Youse was spacing out on us," Yungoos scoffed. "Ain't youse finished with… whatever it is youse is doing? It's getting ta be late in da afternoon."

"Right," Shane said. "Lemme go check in on the food." He turned and made for the dining area, shaking his head. Shane knew he couldn't afford to draw comparisons at a time like this. After all, he had an opportunity to do the right thing this time, but that chance would slip away if he lost focus. He paused in front of the dining table and sniffed the air. A fragrant, fruity aroma wafted in from the kitchen. Shane followed it, pausing in the doorway to gawk at the giant cake sitting on a cart. Chocolate frosting lined every square inch of it.

"Wow," Shane said, mouth watering.

"Well, what do you think?" Steenee asked, walking over with a wooden spoon resting on her shoulder. She wiped her chocolate-covered hands on her apron. "Not bad, huh?"

"It's twice as big as you," Shane said. "Are we sure we can get it through the doorway?"

"Absolutely!" Mimikyu said, scuttling over with a tray of Solrock and Lunatone-shaped cookies balanced on his head. Like Steenee's apron, flour and frosting peppered his costume. "Sylveon measured the door just to be safe. She's going to use her ribbons to help the cake stay balanced. Oh… uh… sorry… you must be here because you need something. Forgive my rambling."

"It's okay," Shane said. "I just wanted to check and see how the food was coming along. It's getting pretty late and I'm starting to think Riolu will be here soon."

Sylveon maneuvered a couple of plates onto a different cart. "In that case, would you mind bringing these treats out for me? That way I can tend to the cake."

"Not a problem," Shane said. As he walked over toward the cart, he noticed the giant metal mixing bowl on the table vibrate. It spun around slightly, before falling onto its side. Eevee tumbled out onto the floor, covered in chocolaty batter from head to tail. He looked up at Shane and wagged his tail excitedly.

"You need to plan more parties in the future!" Eevee said. "That way I can go swimming in Mommy's cooking!"

"Eevee, did you seriously jump into that bowl while my back was turned?" Sylveon said, shaking her head. "Great, now we'll need to get you cleaned up."

"Actually, I think it's an improvement," Shane quipped, smirking as he watched Eevee turning to lick batter off his shoulder.

Sylveon lightly rapped the back of Shane's head with a ribbon. "Don't encourage him," she scolded. Shane rolled his eyes and pushed the dining cart out of the kitchen, heading toward the assembly area. His legs ached and the back of his mind begged him to lie down and go to sleep, but Shane willed those thoughts away. He could rest after the party, for better or worse.

Shane arrived in the assembly area. His guild mates gathered several tables together to hold the buffet. They even managed to fit a single, purple and gold tablecloth over everything. Shane's ears twitched at the murmurs of faint conversations taking place behind him.

"Um, can someone help me put this food on the table?" Shane asked. He turned around and found himself looking at the bevy of ribbons and balloons scattered about the room in decoration. He blinked a few times, but soon felt his vision growing fuzzy.

'That's… weird. Why does this feel so familiar?' he thought. He squeezed his eyes shut and opened them back up. However, the room remained blurry. And it grew even blurrier, until his everything went completely white.

Shane was moving. He wasn't sure how. He wasn't sure why. But he was walking forward. His field of vision bobbed up and down with each step he took. His gait was much heavier than he had grown used to as a Vulpix, furthering his confusion. Blue walls lay on each side of the hallway he was walking through. Shane passed marble pillars and wondered why he was seeing them when he was supposed to be in the Observatory. The soft carpet under his paws also struck him as out of place. Before Shane could try to begin piecing together what had just happened, someone spoke.

"Remind me why I need to keep my eyes closed again?"

Shane looked to his left, identifying the crescent moon-shaped bat gliding beside him as the source of the unfamiliar voice. He felt his mouth start to move, but the voice that emerged wasn't his.

"I already told you, Lunala. It's a surprise!"

Upon hearing the name, Shane immediately tried to ask a question. He was talking to Solgaleo's partner, after all, and the Pokémon that Tessa's mom was supposedly protecting. He figured if he could get her some answers, that would surely make her feel better. However, his mouth refused to budge. In fact, Shane's body wasn't listening to him at all. He kept walking down the hallway, passing more marble pillars.

The only thought that came to Shane's mind was that he was having a dream vision. He began to panic, wondering if he had passed out before the party could start.

"That's not helping your case here, you know. Your surprises are almost always of the unpleasant variety," Lunala said.

Shane looked ahead, spotting bright colors at the end of the hallway. He stepped into the light, but was unprepared for the sight in front of him: Legendary Pokémon filling up the entire circular room, most positioned around a circular table with a half-orange, half-blue cake.

Shane involuntarily nodded and the assembled chorus of Legends belted out, "Surprise!"

Lunala's eyes shot open and her jaw dropped. "What the–? What are you all doing here?"

"Why, we're here to celebrate, of course!"

"Luh-Lady Ho-Oh? Is that you?" Lunala gasped, bowing her head. "Forgive my rudeness."

A glistening rainbow aura drew Shane's attention. He looked to his right and watched Ho-Oh walk up to him. She smiled at him. "Of course it's me," she said. "And no need to be so stiff, Lunala. Today's the fiftieth anniversary of the day you two were made from the ashes of your predecessors, after all."

"And I thought it would be fun to throw a party," Shane said, though his voice was still much deeper than he was used to. "C'mon, I thought it'd be fun. Look at everyone who came out to celebrate with us."

"Ho-Oh informed me that there would be merrymaking! If I find that I was lied to, I shall smite someone in retribution!" Zekrom shouted, slamming an arm on the table.

Reshiram stepped beside him and flicked the tip of his snout with a talon. "Do us all a favor, Turbine Butt, and give that big mouth of yours a rest, will ya?" she said.

"… hmph. My mouth is not big… it is perfectly proportioned for my well-toned physique," Zekrom said, putting his hands on his hips. "You're just jealous beca– mfgrh!"

Reshiram grabbed Zekrom's muzzle and clamped it shut.

"Get a cave, you two!" a voice heckled from the background. Reshiram's face went bright red.

"So, what do you think?" Shane asked. "Up for a little fun with some friends?"

Lunala chuckled. "Of course I am. Just because I'm dedicated to my job doesn't mean I'm unwilling to cut loose for a few hours. Who do you take me for, Dialga?"

The room burst into laughter at this.

Water splashed across Shane's face, forcibly jolting him back to reality. He doubled over in a coughing fit.

"Are you suuuuure you're okay, dahling?" Bruxish asked.

"He's obviously not," Serperior scoffed. "Look at the bags under his eyes. He's sleep deprived. I'll bet he's hallucinating." She rubbed her forehead with her tail tip. "Great. We've spent all day taking orders from this doofus."

"I'm… fine," Shane wheezed, shaking water off his face. "I just… um… zoned out for a second."

"Yeah. A really long second," Yungoos said.

Before Shane could say anything else, Trapinch scrambled down the stairs to the main level. "They're coming! They're coming!" Trapinch hunched over, struggling to catch his breath. "Why did I have to be to the lookout guy again?"

"Cuz youse didn't volunteer to do somet'ing else quick enough," Yungoos said.

"Alright then. I guess that means it's showtime," Shane said, silently wondering if the guild had really done enough or if this plan would fall flat. "Can we cut out the Luminous Orbs for a little while?"

Metagross' eyes flashed blue and he dimmed the orbs scattered around the room. Shane shoved his way past his guild mates, making his way toward the eastern hallway to help Sylveon deal with the cake. The other guild members stood around, waiting in silence.

"Did Vulpix tell anyone what we should to when Riolu shows up?" Togedemaru asked.

"That would be a no," Serperior said. "Guess we should just wait until we see some shadows on the stairs and say surprise."

It took a few more minutes, but they eventually heard footsteps above them. "That's really strange." The group immediately recognized Tessa's voice. "I can't believe no one's around to let us in."

"… maybe… they all went somewhere?" Null said. "In any case… let's head downstairs…"

The guild members heard footsteps that gradually grew louder. "Hey, who killed all the lights?" Tessa asked.

The Luminous Orbs flared to life, followed by everyone shouting, "Surprise!"

A yipping Tessa jumped backward, aura feelers shooting straight up. "What are you all doing?" she asked.

"Happy hatch day, Riolu!" the guild members declared. Several sets of streamers and balloons suddenly fell down from the ceiling, while Tessa looked about in shock.

"Th… this is… a surprise party? But, I didn't tell anyone today was my hatch day," Tessa squeaked. Sure, there were guild members who probably knew, but she told Team Captivate she didn't want them doing anything.

"We know," Growlithe barked. He marched forward with several of his special fireworks sticking out from a harness on his back. "But we were able to find out and thought it would be fun to throw you a party. Check out the cake. It's bigger than me!"

Behind him, Shane, Steenee, and Sylveon, wheeled out a rather large cake. Shane stayed hidden behind the dining cart and, as soon as it came to a stop, bolted for the east hallway before Tessa could see him. Though he wanted to see Tessa's reaction, he also didn't want to risk her seeing him and getting upset.

Tessa looked up at the towering dessert. "Is that–?"

"Molten chocolate cake with a nanab berry glaze in the center. Your favorite," Sylveon said. A ribbon extended forward, holding a slice of cake with a candle sticking out of it. "We all got together and decided that, just because your family's not around, doesn't mean we can't pitch in to help you have a fun hatch day."

"Yeah!" Eevee chirped, still covered in cake batter. "You're such a good friend. Which is why I wanted to help, too." He stepped to the side to show the plate full of Solrock and Lunatone cookies. "I made these with Mimikyu! And I got you a gift, too."

"Go on," Sylveon said. "You ought to make a wish."

Tessa gingerly took the plate from Sylveon's ribbon and stared at the piece of cake. "R-Right… okay… h-here goes nothing." She shut her eyes tight, blew the candle out, and opened them back up. Though she had thought of a wish, she was confident it stood no chance of coming true.

"Great!" Growlithe said. "Now we can get the festivities started!" A round of cheers followed as Sylveon and Braviary went about cutting up the cake. Steenee and Mimikyu made rounds to set out the other dishes that they had prepared. Shane brought the remaining food items from the kitchen, disappearing back into the east hallway each time. Steenee tried to offer him some cake, but he refused. His stomach growled in protest, but Shane ignored it. This was Tessa's moment and he had to do everything to keep it that way, even if that meant not partaking in the festivities.

While everyone ate, they traded talks of recent assignments and took part in a few card and board games that Team Specter had managed to gather. Naturally, since the ghosts had gotten a hold of them, it didn't take very long for some folks to realize that Haunter was attempting to cheat. He tried to play the accusation cool, but Misdreavus quickly ratted him out, prompting him to call everyone a bunch of spoilsports and go sulk inside of a nearby balloon.

Despite all the conversations taking place, each guild member went to great length to keep Tessa included. At first, she dismissed it as them playing along with whoever's idea the party was. But, the more she talked, the more those thoughts went away. Eventually, Tessa found herself laughing along with her fellow apprentices as Growlithe recounted the time he burnt one of Braviary's treasured keepsakes to cinders.

As the games winded down, Tessa rejoined Null. "I… I just can't believe this is all happening," she whispered.

"… see? It's just like… I told you… at the beach. More folks care about you… than you think," Null said.

Tessa looked up at him. "You took me to the beach so this could all get set up, didn't you?"

"… guilty," Null said. "But… it was important. Besides… it worked… didn't it? You seem to be… in better spirits…"

"I… I guess so. This is all just a lot to take in," Tessa said.

"… I think… you deserve it," Null said, nudging her with his mask.. "C'mon… just try to relax… and enjoy yourself…"

"Augh! Haunter, seriously?"

Tessa looked over her shoulder. Shane staggered back from the buffet table, a plate firmly pressed against his face. "Sorry, Vulpix. I guess that cake just slipped through my fingers," Haunter said. "But look on the bright side. You're… much sweeter now! Mwee hee hee hee!"

Hold on. I will procurtain a towel for you, Magearna said, then walked out of the room.

"Huh. Why hasn't Vulpix cleaned himself up from the mission? He looks horrendous," Tessa said.

"I think he mentioned… the shower not working… or something," Null said. "I wouldn't… bring it up with him. You know how he gets… about his fur…"

"Yes. It's one of the few things he does that's actually entertaining," Tessa said, chuckling.

Null sighed. "How about… you open some gifts?" He jerked his head to the side, where Tessa spotted several wrapped objects sitting in a small pile.

"Those are all for me?" she gasped.

"Pretty sure… yeah…"

Tessa got up and made her way toward the presents. Her guild mates noticed this and followed her. A gift unwrapping session followed. Tessa received a few practical items, like a new looplet to replace the one she had gotten when she joined the guild. She also got stereotypical gifts, like a red bow to wear on her head. Then, there were the strange gifts, like the tube of novelty fur dye Serperior gave her. It was promptly tested, when Serperior used a vine to smear the gel across Tessa's tail, turning it a bright, gaudy shade of yellow.

Finally, Sylveon stepped forward, holding a small box. "Here's the last gift," she said, nudging the box toward Tessa. "It's not from me, but apparently someone's got cold feet, so I'm giving it to you in their place."

Tessa took the lid off the box. "It's a locket," she whispered. Tessa reached inside and delicately pulled the jewelry out, clasping the sun-shaped pendant in a paw.

"Go on. Open up the pendant," Sylveon said. Tessa looked at her in confusion. Sylveon nodded.

Tessa slowly opened the trinket, only for her breath to rush out of her. There, looking back at her, was a small, sky-blue gemstone. Her paws trembled. She recognized this! "Dad... he kept a gem just like this in the house," she said. "Where did you get this? How did you do this?"

That is the same gem your father owned. I used my patented Geartronic Gemstone Shrinkifier to resize it,Magearna explained.

"Youse totally just made that up, didn't ya?" Yungoos said.

Of course not. I inventified it ten years ago, Magearna insisted, crossing her arms.

Tessa stared wide-eyed at the open locket. Sylveon frowned. "Do you not like it?"

"What? Nuh-No! Of course I do," Tessa said. "It's… it's beautiful." To think someone had actually gone and worked with Magearna to craft a memento of her dad that she could always carry with her.

Sylveon nodded. "Good to hear. I'm sure the Pokémon that made it for you would be happy to tell you more about it," she said, shooting a look over at Shane. He froze in the midst of loading plates onto one of the dinner carts.

"What are you looking at me for?" Shane said. "Talk to Null. He was beside himself with worry over the idea you wouldn't like it. He did choose it for you."

Tessa looked at Null. His helmet hid his widening eyes. "You made this?" she said.

"Yeah," Shane said. "He wanted to get you the perfect gift to cap off this party. It was his idea, after all."

The side conversations taking place abruptly stopped and all eyes fell on Shane. A few guild members turned and exchanged surprised whispers with one another. Shane resumed pushing the dinner cart toward the east hallway, but Steenee snatched it away from him and pointed toward his teammate. Shane hung his head and trudged back across the room. Null briefly looked at Shane before Tessa walked up to him.

"I… I don't know what to say," Tessa whispered. "This is really kind of you. Did you plan all of this out while I was sleeping?"

"Yup. He barged right into morning assembly and told us that we should all come together to throw you a surprise party," Shane explained. "It's all thanks to him."

Tessa smiled at Null. "You didn't need to go to all this trouble just for me."

"But you had a good time, right?" Shane asked.

"Absolutely," Tessa said.

"And are you feeling better than you did this morning?" Shane said. Tessa vigorously nodded. "That's… that's good to hear." He stepped back, relief flooding through him. "Well, uh, I'm sure you want to get back to the festivities. So, uh, I'm just going to go outside… get a little fresh air. Don't mind me." Shane turned and made his way toward the stairs. The sounds of laughter gradually faded as he reached the Observatory's entrance. Shane walked outside, craning his neck up to look at the star-filled, twilight sky.

His idea had worked. The guild lifted Tessa's spirits and he was able to keep his involvement in the idea hidden from Tessa. 'Nicky... this is what I should have done for you,' Shane thought, tilting his head down and taking in a shuddering breath. Like at Tessa's house in the morning, a newspaper page flashed through his mind.

Westhill High School teen dies in apparent suicide.

'I turned Nicky away when he needed my help the most,' Shane thought, eyes watering. 'And I almost made an even worse mistake with Tessa.' He thanked the stars that the guild was able to pull Tessa back from the brink. The article was replaced with a mental image of Tessa smiling at Null. 'Seeing her happy like that... I think it's the best thing to happen since I got here. Probably the only good thing that's happened, too,' Shane figured.

He took another shuddering breath. 'I'm sorry, Nicky. And I'm sorry, Tessa. It's a good thing you're dissolving the team. I don't deserve to have friends.'

Feathers draped across Shane's back and he involuntarily flinched. He looked up and saw Braviary's blurred outline beside him. Shane quickly rubbed a foreleg across his eyes. "I was… I just wanted to get some air. That bog did a number on my sinuses," he said.

Braviary dropped a small metal object at Shane's feet. Shane looked down and saw a silver badge sparkling in the moonlight. He knew it was an apprentice badge. Shane had coveted it since he'd gotten into the guild. Yet, he couldn't even smile at the sight of it.

"Son, I wanted ya to know how proud I am of what you did back there," Braviary said. "That was mighty big of you. So, on behalf of the guild, congrats on reaching apprentice rank."

Shane frowned. "How can you be proud of me? After what happened on our mission, I wouldn't be surprised if no one in the guild wants to speak to me again." He looked away from Braviary. "I'm sure Metagross must've told you what happened."

"I got a terse summary beamed into my noggin," Braviary said, causing Shane to wilt like a flower. "This ain't about that. It's about what you did today. It was generous and selfless. And you didn't even use the opportunity to try and make yerself look good. I admit, I had my doubts about how sincere you were with this gesture. But it looks to me like you did it out of the kindness of yer heart, and not as a means to an end."

"I wouldn't have needed to do this if I hadn't screwed things up so badly to start with," Shane said. "I wanted to make things better for her, so she could happily start over with Null." He remembered Sylveon's instructions to him from earlier and bit his lower lip. "Err, scratch that. We did this together, to help Riolu see that the guild can be a second family for her."

"I'm glad to hear that. I mean... look at yerself, hoss," Braviary said. "Yer positively filthy... and exhausted in ways most of them folks in there couldn't begin to imagine." As if to emphasize this, Shane descended into another coughing fit, spitting up a mouthful of sticky green phlegm. Braviary cringed. "Err, anyway... not once this whole day did I hear you complaining about how you look or how you feel. Considering how you'd been acting before, that's a mighty impressive attitude adjustment."

Shane's ears folded against his face. "I don't need sympathy right now, okay. I'm just spending some time out here… alone. After all, I'm going to need to get used to that from now on. So, I might as well get started."

Braviary withdrew his wing. "Son, I may not have saved the world or nothing, but I do know one thing. You don't gotta be called a hero to do the right thing, but heroes are remembered as the folks that do the right things fer the right reasons. Sure, getting rewards fer completing missions is great. And, yeah, maybe it'd be nice to have stories passed on about yer days in the guild. But that shouldn't be yer motivating factor to go out and help others."

He pointed a wing at his chest. "Nah, that's gotta come from the heart." Shane looked away again, so Braviary stepped into his field of vision. "Listen. Folks like us make our livelihoods helping other Pokémon. And we do it because it makes us feel good to see them happy. Ain't that what yer thinking about Riolu right now?"

Shane nodded.

"Then, sounds to me like yer finally thinking like one of us," Braviary said. "I can't say what things were like fer you back home. But out here, we all face a lot of challenges. Especially with Mystery Dungeons constantly popping up and changing around. That's why we need to work together."

"I understand," Shane whispered. "No more walking around, acting like I own the place. I need to take this stuff seriously. Because bad things happen to good Pokémon when I don't."

Braviary nodded approvingly. "Just keep those thoughts in mind, and you'll do great from here on out. I can feel it in my bones." He looked back toward the Observatory. "So, ready to go back inside yet?"

"Almost. I just need a few more minutes to myself," Shane said.

"Alright, but it's getting late. And we should really try to clean up before heading off to sleep," Braviary said. He walked back into the building, leaving Shane to look out at the stars.

'Do the right things for the right reasons, huh?' Shane thought. By that logic, Shane figured that he shouldn't try to stop the Prism Virus because a voice in his dreams called him a chosen one. Instead, he needed to stop it so that Pokémon can continue living peaceful lives. 'And so that families like Tessa's aren't torn apart.'

There was one problem, though. How was he going to fight the Prism Virus without any partners? The Bewear incident proved he wasn't strong enough to beat an infected Pokémon along, even with all the training in the world. 'So, what do I do now?' he thought, shoulders sagging.

The question continued to linger in Shane's mind as he returned inside and went about helping his fellow guild mates clean up. He was particularly adamant that Tessa and Null not get involved, as he continued sticking to his story that all of this was Null's idea. When Braviary was satisfied with the cleaning job and dismissed him, Shane staggered back to the housing wing.

Each step became slower, making Shane's legs tremble. His eyelids grew heavy and muscles burned, threatening to give out from exhaustion. A thick fog overtook Shane's mind. When he stumbled into his team's bedroom, he tensed up. "Hmm? When… when did I get in here?" he asked, yawning. His gaze fell to his pillow in the middle of the room. Never had a single cushion looked so inviting to him as it did in that very moment. "Maybe Tessa wouldn't mind… if I just slept here one more night," he mumbled, walking toward the pillow.

"… hey."

The soft whisper roused Shane from his half-asleep stupor. He rapidly shook his head, trying to fight back the urge to pass out. Tessa stood in the doorway, her newly-received locket sitting on her neck, over her scarf. "Oh, uh, hi," Shane said. "I was just, y'know, checking to see if I left anything in here. Since, um, I guess I'm supposed to switch rooms with Null or something?" He scratched his head. "What room does that guy even sleep in, anyway?"

Tessa rubbed her shoulder. "I know," she said.

"Huh?"

"I know that this whole thing was your idea," Tessa said. "Null told me the truth."

"Uh, I don't… I have no idea what you're talking about," Shane said, shuffling back. "Must be the berry juice. I told Serperior not to spike it with anything."

"You do realize Null can't eat or drink, right? Now, stop lying," Tessa said. "You made this locket for me, didn't you?"

"Well, honestly, Magearna did the bulk of the work. So, if you want to get technical–"

"Why wouldn't you want to take credit for any of this?" Tessa said. "This… all of this clearly took a lot out of you."

Shane poked the ground with a forepaw. She was right, but any desire for Shane to say that was dampened by what Sylveon had told him. "Because this wasn't about me. This was about you. You said that you're alone... and that nobody cares about you. It's not true. Everyone in the guild… they pitched in to make this happen. Because you are loved," Shane said. "I stayed out of it because I didn't want to ruin everyone's hard work."

"Vulpix," Tessa whispered, clasping her newly-obtained locket.

He hung his head. "If you had known that I was the one overseeing all of this, it might've made you more upset. So, I decided to give the credit to Null. After all, he's your best friend. And if you two want to start a team together, I figured the least I could do is try to start the two of you off on the right foot."

"Vulpix," Tessa said, a bit more forcefully.

He walked toward the door, avoiding Tessa's gaze. "I know this is probably a meaningless gesture, but I want you to know how sorry I am. For everything. From the moment I met you, I've been a real jerk. Because I thought that I somehow knew better than you, an actual Pokémon who's lived here her whole life." Shane's stance slouched. "If I had known the truth, I'd have never pushed you to come here."

"Vulpix, that's enough," Tessa said, putting a paw on his shoulder. Shane jolted stiff in surprise. Had he said something wrong? Was he about to put all his hard work to waste by sticking a paw in his mouth?

"Um... is there a problem?" Shane whispered.

"You can stop talking, Vulpix," Tessa said. "I can see how sorry you are... and I appreciate it. But the truth is that I owe you an apology just as much as you thought you owed me one."

Shane finally turned and looked Tessa in the eyes. She wanted... to apologize? That didn't make any sense!

"But... I attacked you," Shane said, looking down guiltily. "I froze you in a mud puddle and, if that wasn't awful enough, I said your dad didn't love you."

"I know," Tessa said. "But it's not like I was much better. I shoved a teammate dissolution notice into your face after you woke up from a coma. Then, I spent the start of the mission demeaning you until I completely overlooked the fact that Null attacked you."

Shane stiffened. Where was this coming from? Did Braviary pull Tessa aside? Because Shane couldn't imagine Metagross talking with her about this. And he had told Null to cheer Tessa up at the beach, so there was no way he could've brought this up. Unless that was what Tessa had meant when she said Null told her the truth.

"Um... Null said he had talked with you about what happened," Tessa said, poking her index digits together. "I don't exactly know what you said but... well... as bad as I was feeling this morning, I can't even imagine what must've been going through your head in Moonrise Marsh." Her ears and aura feelers drooped. "I'll bet you were terrified. And I... I blamed that attack on you."

So, it was Null, then. Shane's tails curled up. The memories of the attack had lingered in his mind. Heck, he was thinking about them when he was outside. Despite that, he wasn't sure he was really prepared to talk about it.

"Y... yeah," Shane said, tracing a forepaw along the ground. "I... well..."

He couldn't help himself. Tears welled up in his eyes.

"Ri... Riolu... I was so scared," he squeaked, brushing snot against his shoulder. "I'm still scared, though I'm sure the Lunar Wing will help him. I just..." His voice trailed off and he shook his head. "I'd never felt so... so powerless! The reeds dragging me under the swamp... the weight of my fur... struggling just to be able to breathe. I... I..." Shudders racked his body. "When I saw you there... going to him... comforting him... and blaming me, I snapped. I just... I'd never felt so angry before. I wanted to hurt you... I wanted you to know exactly what I felt like. It... it was..."

"Instinct?" Tessa said, lowering her head shamefully.

"Yes," Shane said, ears drooping. "I... freezing you in the mud was so satisfying in the moment and I hate myself for thinking that... but it's true. After that... I don't even know. Seeing you pop up in Mellath Bog stirred those same feelings. I was... I let my hatred just take the wheel and drive things out of control."

Without warning, a teary-eyed Tessa stepped forward and embraced Shane. "I did, too," she whispered, brushing her head against his neck. Shane flinched from the contact, tails shooting upward. "I'm sorry," Tessa squeaked. "After Lycanroc, I wanted nothing to do with you and I took those feelings to the extreme. I was so desperate to get Null to like me that I made a terrible mistake down in Moonrise Marsh. Even if we weren't on good terms... you didn't deserve that. I just... I'm so sorry."

"I guess... we both screwed up big time, huh?" Shane said, lowering his head.

"You know what's really stupid? Null told me... I should try to be a role model for you," Tessa said, laughing bitterly. "If I really wanted to earn his friendship, that's what I should've done. But instead I went and did the exact opposite. And look where it got us." She broke off the embrace and stepped back sighing.

"Yeah," Shane said. Now he was sure all the good vibes from the party had been undone. Yet, a part of him was happy that he was able to get this all off his chest. Tessa even apologized to him, which he wasn't expecting at all.

"Really... I don't think I deserved this big party. Least of all... one spearheaded by you," Tessa said, rubbing her shoulder. "But, well, we can't exactly turn back time and take it all away."

Shane nodded, unsure where Tessa was going with this.

"I guess that just means... that I'm going to have to find a way to make it up to you," Tessa said, extending a paw toward Shane. He looked at Tessa's paw like it was a lethal weapon.

"Wait," Shane said. "But what about the team dissolution?"

"Give me the form and you'll see," Tessa said, flexing her digits. Shane gave her a blank look but ultimately obliged. Tessa grabbed the paper out of his mouth and tore it in half. Then she tore those halves into fourths and the fourths into eights. She continued ripping away until the form was a handful of paper scraps. Then she tossed them behind her nonchalantly.

"I… I don't understand," Shane said. "Are you saying, you want us to stay together? Even after yesterday?"

"Yes," Tessa said. "Assuming, of course, you still want me as your teammate. After all that's happened, I honestly wouldn't blame you if you just asked Metagross to draw up a new form." She fidgeted with her locket. "I really do mean it when I say that the party you threw was amazing. I wish I could put into words what it means to me, but I don't think I can. And I want to find a way to pay you back for it... partner."

Shane blinked in surprise. He was stunned. With the way the conversation was going, he couldn't have predicted such a turnaround. Did he still want Tessa as his teammate, though? After all, it wasn't like they had really had any fun together. Still, maybe this was the opportunity he needed to start off fresh? If he could take Braviary's words to heart, maybe Tessa could be the friend he sorely needed in his life. There was just one small matter he had to clear up.

"Well, I can think of one way you could pay me back." He reached his forepaw up and clasped the tip of Tessa's chin. "Please, promise me you won't ever go to such a dark place again."

Tessa blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Starving yourself," Shane said. "Or doing anything else to hurt yourself, for that matter. Promise me that, whatever happens to us, you won't ever try something like that."

His paw trembled against her chin. "I… well… yeah, okay. I promise," Tessa said.

"Good," Shane said, relieved. He backed away from her, ears folding against his head. "I don't want you to feel miserable anymore. I know you've lost your family, so to speak. I've lost people who are important to me, too. So, yeah, I know what it feels like to think that there's no one you can turn to." Another blush overtook his face. "… but maybe it doesn't have to be that way?"

Tessa nodded in understanding. Shane continued, "I know this will sound crazy, but do you think we could maybe start over? I'm not saying we need to be best friends or anything. But, at the very least, I'd like to leave the past where it is... and be a partner that you can depend on. It might not be perfect." He looked down. "Odds are, I'm going to screw up again, so I'll need you to call me out on it, like what Null did for you. Otherwise, I'll never learn. But... I'm going to try my best to be a better Pokémon."

"And I'm going to try my best to be better, too," Tessa said. She extended a paw toward Shane. "Through darkest night, and brightest day."

"Team Radiance always finds a way," Shane said, bumping her paw with his. "Partners?"

"Partners," she replied. And the two moved forward to embrace once again, only for Shane to hold up a forepaw.

"Wait a second," he said. "Yo, big guy!" He turned toward the doorway. "I know you're out there. Don't just stand there... come in."

Tessa's aura feelers stood up as Null's helmeted head appeared in the doorway. "… I didn't… want to interrupt," he rasped.

"You're part of this team too, right?" Shane said. Null shook his head. "Okay, yeah, I mean your name's not on the contract or anything. But it might as well be. After all, you're a lonely misfit with a spotty past, just like the two of us. The way I see it, you're more than qualified to join the team… officially."

Null blinked. "You… you really mean it?" he croaked. "Even after... what happened?"

"Yeah," Shane said. "I know things between us are... rocky. But I think the only way that'll change is if we work together." He poked the ground with a forepaw. "Besides… it's not a group hug unless everyone participates."

Null's gray eyes widened. "… are you sure… about that?"

"I'd just go along with it. You know how stubborn he can be," Tessa mused.

"Very true, very true," Shane agreed, playing along. "It's a wonder I didn't end up a rock-type when I came here." Tessa fought to hid a giggle. Null plodded into the room and leaned over. This allowed both Tessa and Shane to contact the sides of his helmet as they embraced.

A click sounded.

"Awwwww, isn't that just the cutest, Serpy?"

Shane and Tessa stiffened and backed away from each other. "Milotic! We're having a private moment here," Tessa hissed.

"I know, and it's positively adorable!" Milotic said.

And I got it on camera! Magearna said. This is definitely going in my 'Album O' Splendiferous Guild Moments.'

Shane's face reddened. "Wait, what?"

"Mwee hee hee! Look, little Snowball's blushing," Haunter cackled, appearing out of the wall alongside Drifloon and Misdreavus. They flew out of the room, laughing amongst themselves.

"Seriously, you guys? Way to kill the moment!" Shane said.

"Relax, Vulpix. We're happy for your guys," Milotic said, smiling. "But we'll leave you alone. It's time we got some shut eye anyway." She turned and departed into the hallway, but not before Shane heard her say, "Hey, Magearna, make sure to make me a copy of that photo, okay?"

"Forget it. I'm too tired to stay mad at them. I need sleep… badly," Shane said, yawning.

"You also need, like, four showers," Tessa said.

"Oddly specific number choice, there. But it's on the agenda for tomorrow. I think we could all use a real day off, don't you?" Shane said.

"I think this is the first time we're in agreement on something," Tessa said. "Guess we're getting off to a good start already."

They both approached their cushions and Shane immediately passed out. Tessa looked back toward the doorway, where Null lingered. "You're free to join us, you know."

"… right. Lemme just… go grab my pillow," Null said. He backed into the hallway. When the light struck his mask, Tessa saw something that made her aura feelers stand on end.

'Null's helmet… there's a crack in it!'

~Great Canyon, Hill of the Ancients~

A golden fox approached the canyon's summit and fanned out her tails. She could just barely make out a silhouette against the rising sun. "Xatu? It's Ninetales. I got your summons. What did you want to ask me?"

Ninetales paused her ascent, expecting to hear Xatu's voice echo through her mind. But nothing happened. She continued walking up, keeping her gaze fixed ahead of her. "Xatu, can you hear me?" She reached the top of the canyon and approached Xatu's side. She found him staring directly out at the sun.

Sighing, Ninetales gently shoved Xatu.

… hmm? Oh, Ninetales. How nice to see you. What brings you to Great Canyon?

"You summoned me here. Or did you forget again?" Ninetales said.

Did I? Xatu blinked slowly. Oh… yes… I believe this is the time I foresaw you arriving. My apologies. I'm afraid my mind was elsewhere.

"Yes, yes, I've heard it all before," Ninetales said. "Well, I'm here. You said you had something you wanted to ask me? Something that needed me to be here in person?"

… I see. Excuse me… I must recall what it is I summoned you here for, Xatu said. Ninetales rolled her eyes. Ah! Yes… a glimpse into the past has allowed me to remember what I wanted to ask. Tell me, Ninetales, have you been commiserating with the spirits in the Tree of Life as of late?

"Of course I have," Ninetales scoffed. "Don't tell me that's why you wanted me here?"

… I foresaw such an attitude, Xatu said, earning another eye roll. No, what I wanted to know is if any of the spirits have ever mentioned something called the 'Lightless Black.'

"Lightless Black?" Ninetales said. "Can't say I've ever heard of it. What's the significance?"

I am unsure, Xatu said. But, lately, my glimpses into the future have turned up nothing.

Ninetales' eyes widened. "Are your powers fading?"

No. Rather, at a certain point, I simply cannot see anything. There is only darkness, Xatu said. I probed this subject further to try and craft some form of explanation. What I got instead was a premonition. And, frankly, I do not know what to make of it. So, I thought it best to consult you. Would you permit me to share my vision?

"By all means, go ahead," Ninetales said.

Very well, Xatu said. He spread his wings out and his eyes glowed bright blue. Ninetales shut her eyes and soon found a series of words spreading out across her mind's eye.

A faller rises.
And a Lightless Black blots out the sun.
Wings of dawn blanket the horizon,
The Devourer of Light has his fun.
Zero will strike. Gods will fall.
And Mystery Dungeons shall number none.

Ninetales blinked and staggered backward. "That... well... I'm a bit confused. Frankly, it sounded like a bunch of contradictions. How does something rise up when it falls? And dawn leading to 'devouring of light?' That doesn't make sense. Dawn leads to daytime... and daytime is flooded with light." Her brow furrowed. "Am I to understand that you think something is going to happen to our gods?"

I am sorry. Like you, I am unable to discern meaning from this vision, Xatu said. I apologize for bringing you all the way out here. Would you prefer it if I teleport you back to Mt. Freeze?

She nodded and placed a paw on his wing. The two disappeared in a burst of blue light.

~Celestial Island~

Groaning, Necrozma rubbed an arm across his armored eyes. He glided past black cubes floating in limbo until he reached a cloud of black static flickering in and out of existence. A single red eye stared back at him, along with an eye-shaped purple gem sitting in the middle of a Nemes headdress.

"I was in the middle of a nap, Zero," Necrozma grumbled. "What do you want?" The red eye narrowed at him. "Oh... right... sorry about that. Let's try again. What do you want... Mistress?"

"An Ultra Wormohle to Aurora Vale," a garbled, heavily-distorted voice responded. As Zero spoke, the cloud of static pulsated faster.

"Do I look like a ferry service to you?" Necrozma said, third eye flashing. "Each wormhole you make me summon wastes more of my precious light. If you're not going to give me my core back, then you can walk!"

A glimmer of rainbow energy pulsated from Zero's right side. Necrozma floated backward, arms twitching. "Nrgh... fine," he said. "But I want a little something in return!"

"What did you have in mind?" Zero asked.

"Musharna. Give me her Beast Ball," Necrozma said, licking his lips. "I have need of her... abilities."

"Fine," Zero said. Black shadows swirled in front of Zero, producing a black and red ball with a checkerboard pattern running across it. "Now, the Ultra Wormhole, please."

Necrozma opened his wings and pointed his right arm forward. An Ultra Wormhole opened up behind Zero. "Have fun. Oh... and if it's not too much trouble, bring me back a souvenir or two. Like some delicious light! Heeheeheehee!"Necrozma said, levitating the Beast Ball toward him as Zero walked into the Ultra Wormhole. It remained open, despite Zero disappearing.

"Wakey, wakey, Musharna," Necrozma said, opening the ball up. Musharna appeared in a stream of red light. She lay on the ground, wheezing. Necrozma picked her up in his claws. "Oh, come now, you're perfectly fine," Necrozma said. He squeezed Musharna, who shrieked in fright as pink mist funneled out of her blowhole. Necrozma dropped her to the ground, eyes flashing blue. The mist swirled into a spiral.

"Heeheeheehee! Perfect!" Necrozma declared. He clapped his hands together and the mist formed up into a Lucario with a white diamond on her forehead and a fang sticking out of her mouth. "Let's see if I can drive in the wedge that will pry the intrepid heroes apart for good!" Necrozma said.

He pointed to the Ultra Wormhole and the Lucario diligently walked into it.

End of Episode 7

I hope you enjoyed the episode, even if you found this last chapter too cheesy/sappy for your liking. I had a lot of fun with it, but it's time our heroes stopped fighting each other and started fighting the real threat. Rest assured, things aren't going to be all sunshine and rainbows for the main trio. If I do my job right, their new relationships will be put through the wringer, so to speak.

Next time: we meet the face (or lack thereof) of the Prism Virus.