"So lemme get this straight," Ace began as he looked over Mason and Scarlet, his tail twitching subconsciously. "In the time that you both were in there, you saw Reflections three separate times, and Mason got to experience his own demise?"

Mason nodded, nervousness still at the front of his mind. Leaking into the world around him like a broken bottle. "I'm... still a little on edge, but other than that, we're fine."

"I'm just worn out, but we did pass, right?" Scarlet asked.

Ace smiled and clasped his hands together. "Both you chaps have indeed passed. Though I'm astounded you took out the Salamence of all things to get a rift open, most Pokémon that travel around in there look for an easier Catalyst to beat."

"We weren't given much to go on other than 'do a reset' and whatever that meant. I still don't understand what we even did." Mason said, frustrated with the little information he was given. "You say these terms for things I don't understand, and I can't help but remind you that I literally ended up in this world little under a week ago."

I sighed, a piece of me sympathized with his situation. "I'll try to answer all of your questions to the best of my abilities. But only after you get some rest, I don't want to overwhelm you in the current state you're in."

"Fine, fine. Maybe this whole 'seeing my own death' thing is getting to my head."

"That and also the, well, other unfortunate thing that has befallen you." Scarlet croaked out.

He stared at her, his eyes screaming of pent up frustration. He took a deep breath and ignored it. "Are we dismissed?"

"Yes," Ace sighed as concern came over him. "But in the meantime, those badges you got will take you back to the Guild in Narkin when you activate them. Merek can explain to you how they work when you get there. Kira and I have to discuss something before she can teleport you both back to your base, something private."

"So do I just-" Mason pushed on his badge, a bright light briefly flashed before he disappeared. Whisked away by the stolen power the badge possesses. Scarlet did the same, hopefully she'll be able to keep him safe for a little while longer. Though Ronin and Lloyd should already be there.

Ace expression shifted to one of worry. "In all my years, an actual human being alive was something I'd think was impossible…"

"And now we have two that have supposedly been casted away here." I added dutifully.

"Do you think that it's possible that Lycoris has to do with it?" he narrowed his eyes, his voice lowering in volume. "Their aftermath still linger, even my own team have been telling me that they're finding things that can only be explained by Lycoris becoming bolder."

A silent anger fueled my heart, infecting my voice at the mention of them. "So then we were right, and nobody listened." I balled my fist briefly. We knew the trouble they'd cause for a long time, and yet Pokémon still wish to be ignorant of them.

"The most disheartening thing, Kira, is that none of them would listen to us even now. Out here, the Guild is alone. In some cruel way I find this all being so silly, maybe Mason would have a word for it..." he trailed off and sat down, looking over the cliffside and onto the evening sky. "How many do you think they've killed? And for what? The war has been over for ages, they don't even have a single reason to be doing this anymore."

"The path of evil is decorated with good intentions," I angrily murmured as I sat beside him. "Who knows what they want anymore, it doesn't matter. I'm done trying to negotiate with them."

Slowly he put a hand on my shoulder. "I've been meaning to ask you," he took a deep breath as he worriedly looked at me. "It stuck with you... didn't it?"

"Not even his own parents wanted anything to do with it. I- I just sat there, staring at this Eevee who knew we couldn't save him from his affliction. He knew how much nobody wanted him, yet he didn't care, he just kept smiling... until he closed his eyes." I said softly, tears already stinging my vision.

Ace bowed his head slightly as his tail curled back. "It's always the hardest part, knowing you can't do anything to save them. At least he rests peacefully now-"

"We couldn't bury the body," I hissed, punching the ground with one hand. "It's in your report that you'd gotten the day of the incident. Lycoris did something to him, and whatever it was nearly infected everyone else." I got up, the anger rising in me needed some desperate release.

"I know, I'm saying that you at least made him feel wanted before he left. You're one of our best doctors here, but not even you can heal everything."

I honed my mind onto a tree, seeing it for all it was. Every green leaf that fluttered in the slight breeze, every brown branch that stretched out from the top of its trunk, every root that kept it in place. I outstretched my hand, and squeezed a fist.

My invisible tendrils wrapped around the tree, creaking in resistance to my will. I squeezed harder, my fist now shaking in place. Strain hit my mind as the tree gave away, snapping in two as I fell to my knees. I breathed heavily as I slowly rose again to my feet, my psychic abilities dulled.

Yet still the aching of failure remained.

I looked back to Ace, he didn't seem to care what I did. With a neutral look on his face, he stared up to the sky. "I know this is far from the first time you've had to go through something like that. For both you and Ronin. And for what it's worth, thank you for trying."

"I'm just so tired, Ace... I just want it all to stop." I took a deep breath. "Losing someone to a Mystery Dungeon is a tragic thing, but we know the risks. We know what lurks in them and we've accepted that. Out here on the frontier, the last thing we need is Pokémon stirring trouble amongst ourselves." The sun finally disappeared beyond the horizon, leaving me with a chill starting to settle.

He got up and slowly walked over to me. "If it makes you feel any better, tomorrow my team gets back. They'll have more information, meaning I can start cracking down on them more."

"At the rate everything is going, I'll be making my own team's health my priority."

"I understand," Ace nodded. "Just be careful, and keep an eye on Mason. We're all curious as to what he can do."

I rolled my eyes as I put my hand over the badge on my purple sash. "He's been resourceful thus far, and has aim about as good as yours."

"Speaking of resourceful, didn't you notice he had two of his weapons even though he originally was teleported here with one?"

"Mason found it before he even got to the Mystery Dungeon," I replied matter of factly. "Even asked a question about the possibility of another Pokémon's memories being given to him by accident through psychic powers."

He seemed more invigorated now, probably by the mystery of it. "That might actually be worthwhile to investigate, even if he simply got memories of locations that house human relics. They'll be better suited for his hands, after all, they were crafted to be wielded by them."

"I'll see what I can do, but for now, I think it's time I left." I said.

Ace smiled, saluting to me before he jumped up onto a nearby tree. "Well go on then, chap, your team needs you. I'll be seeing if there is anything else out here."

"Good luck," my badge began to glow as I waved back. "And stay safe." The glow enveloped me, stripping me of my senses.

Noises of the Guild echoed around me, from laughter and chatter to footsteps on the polished wooden floors. I found it odd that a lot of Pokémon were up this late, normally it'd be a ghost town right about now. Leaving only the nocturnal Pokémon to their business. Mason was leaning against one of the white marble pillars, Scarlet and the others to his right. All of them were talking to a Bisharp and a Phantump who seemed rather curious of the human.

I briskly approached, a part of me worried despite knowing the duo. "Team Shade," I greeted neutrally.

The Phantump waved at me. "Hiya Doctor, is it true that he passed the test?" he pointed to Mason.

"He did," I answered.

"Wowe," the Phantump looked to him with glee in its eyes. "How fast did you do it?"

"We, uh- did it at an average amount of time… I think."

The Phantump giggled. "That's what everyone says about their first run. Hehe, though everyone is saying that you and her went after the Salamence."

"It was more like, the thing came after us," Scarlet chimed in.

The Bisharp rolled its eyes and tapped the Phantump on the head, whispering something into its ear. The Phantump nodded to it. "Looks like me and Blair have a job to do now, maybe we'll see you five some other time."

"Good luck and be careful, unlike last time I don't think I'll be awake to heal you should something happen." I said.

The Bisharp spoke in a deep voice. "We'll try, see ya around, Doc." they waved before leaving out the front door. Some part of me wanted to imagine the dangers they could fall into, ignoring it was easier said than done.

Out of every team I've had to treat over the years, they've come too close to fumbling their dance with danger far too many times to count. Clumsy, at times a little dim, but charming in their own way. I couldn't help but sigh wearily. Knowing full well the odds of them coming back without issues were next to zero.

But who really knows, miracles have seemingly become an everyday occurrence. From the poor humans getting lost here, to a recent influx of valuables starting to get the economy back in order. Maybe things were going to be fine after all.

"They sure were something," Scarlet montoned.

"Could've been worse," Mason pointed at his weapons. "They could've asked for a demonstration of our 'prowess' together."

"Arceus above, why do you think of these accursed outcomes?"

He smirked. "So I can convince myself that I'm an optimist."

I rolled my eyes and made my way to Ronin and Lloyd, both of their attention focused on a conversation between themselves. "I think it's time we went home." I announced to them.

Lloyd nodded, his eyes darting about the room. "Yeah, it's about time we left."

"Alrighty then," I felt the familiarity of the location guide my hand. "Remember Mason; breathe out." I felt the brief strain of pulling everyone home, the sounds of the Guild left behind and replaced with silence-

Mason dropped to a knee, his breathing showing the signs of 'stolen breath'. I put a hand on his shoulder. "It'll pass, just breathe slowly and evenly."

"Next… time… just… give me… a countdown." slowly he tried to rise up, I helped steady him before he caught his balance again. He coughed into his arm. "I think I'm going to go sleep now, if that's alright."

"For the condition you're in, I'd actually recommend that." I said. He made his way upstairs, disappearing from view as his footsteps faded away. Scarlet followed after him. I wasn't tired enough to join him yet, but I could tell that it wasn't very far away.

I sat on the couch lined up against the wall, Ronin sat beside me, putting his arm around my neck. "Did everything go well?" he asked softly.

"That is a very good question," Lloyd asserted as he sat opposite from us. "Was everything alright?"

"Things got very troubling. Mason has the memories of another psychic in his head, he found a new weapon, came across Reflections of all things, and apparently witnessed his own death at the hands of them as some sort of vision."

Lloyd leaned further back into his seat. "Well if that continues when we all go on expeditions, there'll be problems. But for all we know, he just got really unlucky."

"This seems a lot more malevolent in nature. I felt his memory of it, he was left still grasping at the places he thought the Reflection wounded him. He felt every bit of it. And if I had to be honest… I think something saved him." I said as uncertainty riddled my voice.

Lloyd squinted. "Like another Pokémon?"

"It felt as though fate changed, like he was... reset- like the Mystery Dungeon."

"Let's not be hasty with jumping to the extremes," Ronin cooed gently into my ear. "Maybe it was a very vivid vision, or maybe he really did see something that could have happened but didn't. My mind is telling me that we should wait and see before going in that direction."

Lloyd nodded. "Agreed, but let's still be a little cautious of it, just in case."

"Well in the meantime, who are you bringing in to help us find Luson?" I asked.

"Someone who owes me, someone from my… previous occupation."

"Right," I noticed that he tensed up slightly. "Anyway, they'll be able to help take him down too?"

He rested his feet on the table. "Yep."

"Then I guess we can wait, do Guild missions, explore..." Ronin said.

I yawned and stretched, sleep finally seemed to want my presence. "I think I'll be going to bed now, tomorrow morning we can figure out what to do."

"I'll be staying up a little bit longer," Lloyd looked outside, staring out into the night. "You two go get some sleep."

Ronin wrapped his arms around me and lifted me up, I wanted to protest but was too tired to say no. He chuckled a little, sensing my unamusement. "Good Doctor, it's not like anyone is here watching us."

"Hmph, just don't trip on the stairs, dear."

He chuckled again. "I wouldn't dream of it."

Carefully he made his way upstairs, my paranoid mind running amuck with every teetering motion like he was about to fall over. A falling sensation hit me before I felt something soft, the comforting embrace of our bed. Ronin quietly got on the other side, slipping in the blanket without a word.

Slowly I could feel myself drifting off, its pull I dared not resist...

My eyes fluttered open, morning light now starting to come through the windows. Ronin still laid beside me, still sleeping away. I saw Lloyd in his bed opposite from ours, the Greninja who rarely let his guard down, sleeping soundly. I felt myself wanting to drift off to sleep again.

I closed my eyes, but something felt off-

Mason wasn't in bed, and Scarlet was nowhere to be seen.

I teleported onto my feet, not wanting to shuffle off the bed for a potential false alarm. I teleported once more to the downstairs, seeing the house empty of any other occupants. I opened the front door and peered outside, seeing Mason and Scarlet talking about something.

They both noticed me, he wore an apologetic expression. "Did I wake you up?"

"No, I got up just now."

"Ah," he looked out into the forest ahead. "Did you need anything?"

I wearily nodded. "Did you get any weird dreams or memories last night?"

"That's actually what we're talking about, apparently he vaguely remembers some kind of stash close to the one we found yesterday." Scarlet explained.

"Yeah, I think something downright nasty is waiting for me to find it."

I rolled my eyes. "Would that be another one of your weapons?"

"Maybe, maybe not, I don't know. I just want to find it just in case it has something like that." Mason seemed rather excited suddenly.

Well, guess I found what we're going to be doing today. A small smile grew on my face. "Well, any ideas on where to start?"

"Near Narkin Roost, but something is off about it…"

I worriedly squinted. "What do you mean by 'off' in your terms?"

"Like it might be guarded by something, but I can't remember what." Mason twirled one of his weapons in hand. "And today, I've decided that I like surprises."