The Apple Woods. Neighbour to the Haunted Woods, its branches once harbored lush foliage and succulent fruit in a time long past. Once a mystery dungeon like its brethren, its power had also long since faded and fruit no longer graced its branches. Deep within its core stood a gargantuan behemoth of a tree, once a centre of life and vitality as it blessed pokémon with its bounty. Yet now it remained a crippled husk of its former self, gnarled branches curling in upon itself as the last remaining leaves clung to its weathered form. Its trunk, once home to countless bug type colonies, was desecrated with illegible graffiti courtesy of pokémon discontent with the stone walls that surrounded them. The insides of the tree had long since been hollowed out, carved by skilled hands and claws into a shelter. A faded pink cloth covered the entrance, the symbol emblazoned upon it now faded into illegibility. A shiny chatot perched at the lip of the topmost hollow, gazing out over horizon as they listened to the staraptor recount his discovery behind them.

"…You are sure it was human?" The Guildmaster's voice was as calm as still water, all emotions hidden deep beneath the surface.

Ren ruffled his feathers. "A human-turned-pokémon, yes sir." He affirmed. "Just like the stories. It even admitted it when Sirius recognized the signs."

"And Sirius is with it now?" The Guildmaster asked. The light of the red sunrise cast long shadows across the large hollow, making their shadow loom over Ren.

"Last I saw, they were headed to the grasslands out west."

The Guildmaster hummed in thought, processing the information. "Do you know what kind of pokémon they were?" They eventually asked.

Ren raised a wing to his beak in thought. "Uh… not a species I recognize. It appeared in a ball of fire so… a fire type maybe?" The 'maybe' wavered in the air as his words trailed off.

"Well that's not useful to me." The Guildmaster's calm disposition shattered, the once still water now rippling with the outburst. They turned their head to look back at Ren, vivid blues eye piercing his own. "Describe it." The 'T' was sharp on their tongue as they clicked their beak in annoyance.

Ren would have been sweating, if he could do so. "Right, well… it was kinda like a lycanroc or boltund in appearance…" His thoughts were interrupted by a quiet cough. Ren shot a furtive glance to Leo at his side. The persian was hunched over from his own weight and leaning against the wood, unable to sit straight up. His breathing was labored, pale gums visible as he panted. Ren hurried through his explanation, eyes quickly darting back to the Guildmaster. "Yeah, and it had horns like a gogoat. It was mainly black. Covered in fur I think. Oh, and bone-like features that looked like ribs and cuffs."

"I see…" They briefly paused to think before continuing, "sounds like a houndoom then." The Guildmaster hummed. Leo and Ren glanced at each other in confusion upon hearing the foreign name.

"A what?" Ren asked, tilting his head.

"A fire-type pokémon, and we're going to go find it. Leo, go see the healer for that poison. I want you in top form for this mission. Ren, rest up. I want to leave by tomorrow morning at the latest." The Guildmaster instructed, once again adopting their calm persona.

Leo winced at the word 'healer'. Going there would mean confronting… her.

"Uh… sir?" Leo finally spoke up after wiping away the blood splattered across his jowls. "Surely I can just get a pecha berry? It would surely be much quicker than interrupting Sa-"

"No."

The Guildmaster's interruption was calm and collected, yet held the force of a crawdaunt's Guillotine as it sliced through the room. They spun around upon their perch and jumped to the wooden floor, the curled feather atop their head bobbing with the motion. "Our berry stocks are low enough as it is, I won't have any unnecessary consumption."

It was almost comical with how the chatot hopped towards them, avoiding the upturned crates and broken orbs that littered the room. Yet Leo wasn't laughing, as the much smaller pokémon thrust their pink wing up at him. "You will go to the healer." They demanded, almost growling.

Even though he physically towered over the chatot, Leo slunk back, feeling like a tiny meowth kitten. "Yes, sir…" He conceded.

The Guildmaster's change in demeanor almost gave Ren and Leo whiplash. "Great!" They chirped, their long tail feathers swaying in glee. "You both did a great job! Now, go get healed up, and turn those frowns upside down." They sung, corners of their hooked beak curling up into a sickeningly sweet grin. "A human has returned to us, after all. It's a cause for celebration."

Leo and Ren bowed their heads, uttering a "yes, sir" before turning to leave. A wooden staircase wound through the trunk of the tree, connecting the various hollows with the ground. The two descended the stairs and, with walls of wood separating them from prying ears, Leo let out a heavy sigh.

"That… bastard." He growled, deliberately scratching his extended claws at the wood with each step. "I don't know why we bothered telling them. It's not like chasing some fairytale is going to feed us." He stumbled at one of the steps, and Ren extended a wing to steady him. "Won't even let me have one berry. Pah!" Leo spat at the wood.

"I don't know, Leo." Ren murmured. "Putting the 'human' thing aside… a fire type? That's got to mean something, right?"

"Yeah, until word spreads and a horde of weavile kill it. Some hope that is." Leo growled under his breath. The two reached the foot of the staircase, pushing aside the pink fabric that covered the entrance and stepping out into the light of the sun. Its red glow in the sky stirred the Guild Fort to life. Or what life remained within its walls, that is.

A dusty forked path lay before them. "Will you be alright to make it to Sakura's?" Ren asked, tilting his head at the persian.

"Yeah, I'll be fine."

"Alright. Well, I'll see ya later, Leo. Good luck." Ren gave his partner a pat on the back before the two parted ways, each taking a separate branch of path.

Maybe once upon a time the Guild Fort was a thriving community, Leo believed. But it was far from that now. Vast stone walls surrounded the fledgling township, both to keep pokémon in and out. Shelters made from a mismatch of materials and hollowed out trees lined the paths, many having fallen into a state of disrepair. A mightyena poked their head out as Leo went past, gracing him with a weary smile, which he returned. Other pokémon didn't show such pleasantries. A small group of pokémon sat huddled around a fire pit, paws, claws, and wings extended to absorb its warmth. They murmured amongst themselves, until a raichu spotted the Persian lumbering past.

"Well, lookie there folks." She sneered. "It's Leo. And oh look at that, no Sirius to be seen."

Leo grimaced as he felt several sets of eyes on him, head hanging low as the pokémon jeered.

"Damn, if a puny eevee can beat 'im up, escapin' this shithole should be easy." One of the pokémon, a rhydon, taunted.

"Hah! You go ahead, I'd rather stay here than take my chances out there. I don't want to be ripped to shreds by ferals. Sirius will come crawling back soon enough anyway. That pipsqueak can't even hunt a feral pidgey."

"Yeah, and if Leo can't catch Sirius, then what does that make him?."

"The lousiest hunter there is. Didn't even bring us back any meat!"

Mocking chortles rang out around him, and Leo growled and bit his tongue to stifle his retorts as he moved past. Last thing he needed was that rhydon's Brick Break to the face.

The clustered shelters fell away behind him, as the path wove its way through an orchard. 'Orchard being a loose term, as many of the trees and plants were fighting an uphill battle to deliver their produce, many of their leaves a dull yellow. Vines from grass type-pokemon extended up into the trees, plucking berries that seemed to grow smaller with each season. A tropius lowered its long neck to a wartortle, who picked the ripe bananas from its chin.

"Sorry, it's all I could make."

"Not to worry, it's a very good harvest."

Leo felt his stomach churn as the pokemon worked around him, his head down to avoid meeting their eyes. At least they were actually doing something, and not being sent on wild cramorant chases after childrens' fairytales. Maybe he could convince the Guildmaster to let him go hunting for food instead of 'humans'.

His stomach churned again, this time as a result of his body fighting the toxin that seared his veins. Thankfully, he reached the end of the orchard, where two humble shelters stood.

The twisted wooden shelters had a homely vibe to them. Well, as 'homely' as something could feel within the Guild Fort. Small potted berry bushes stood out the front, with a fire drum burning brightly between the shelters. Thick woven ropes littered with bells connected the two, singing their soft tune as they swayed in the gentle breeze. It was almost welcoming, yet Leo had never felt more like an intruder than he did then.

Taking a deep breath to steel himself, he made his way to the larger abode, pushing aside the silken curtain that shrouded its entrance.

"…Hello, Sakura." Leo wished he was a diglett and could escape deep into the earth.

Pots, bowls, and chains of herbs littered the hut, their purposes unknown to the persian. Gaps in the twisted wood walls allowed beams of light to shine in and dance across the slim espeon that sat upon a cushion of hay. Her large, unblinking eyes remained fixated on him and he wanted so desperately to turn around and flee.

"Leo, I've been expecting you." Sakura, the espeon, greeted calmly, her twin tails dancing around her. "It seems my son has grown quite adept with his toxic ability, hm?" A small smirk graced her lips, barely noticeable.

Leo winced, lowering his head and flattering his ears. "Yeah…" He paused before spluttering out, "look, Sakura, I'm really sorry. I didn't have a choice. Gotta do my job, y'know…" He trailed off, his words descending into a mumble.

Sakura was expressionless as she replied. "I merely jest, Leo. I hold no grudge against you."

Leo raised his head as he stepped towards her. "It's really dangerous out there, Sakura. Why didn't you stop him?" He blurted out.

Sakura gave a small chuckle, the motion causing the bell that hung around her neck to jingle alongside her. "I'm the one that encouraged him, Leo. Believe me when I tell you that I know that he's fine."

She raised her paws to the bell around her neck, rolling it between her paws. "Now, come closer and take a seat, Leo." She instructed, a tone of professionalism coating her words. "I would prefer to cleanse you of the toxin before you collapse upon my floor."

Leo did as instructed, his paws feeling heavy as they dragged his body over.

A golden light began to emanate from the bell, its soothing melody enveloping him in its gemtle embrace as it draw the toxin out of his system, replacing the feeling with that of a comforting warmth.

ESPEON used HEAL BELL!

"The toxin is healing but I sense something else within you, Leo." Leo averted his eyes at her statement. "Is that… a bitter grudge I sense?"

Leo wished the natural immunity of his dark typing extended further to block an espeon's emotion reading capabilities.

"Is it against Sirius?" No malice graced her tone as she spoke gently, the ringing of her bell easing as it completed its job.

Leo kept his mouth shut, offering a small grunt in response. What was he supposed to say? That his pride was wounded? He wanted payback? He felt humiliated?

What was he, a meowth?

"As a friend and fellow pokémon, I can understand why you pursued him. We do what we must to survive here." She stated calmly, before the gem on her head briefly flashed as her gaze darkened. "But as a parent, I advise you against some petty pursuit of revenge." She didn't need to growl or bare fangs to get her point across.

Leo bowed his head. "Of course, Sakura. Sorry." He grumbled as he stood to leave. "Thanks for healing me."

"How embarrassing." He mentally scolded himself.

"Leo." Sakura called after him, and he glanced back at her.

"The world is changing." Her purple eyes swam with a knowledge of things unseen to him. "We each have our part to play. When you leave for this upcoming expedition, keep this in mind.

There is more at stake than you realise."

The rhythmic clack of talons upon the wooden floor reverberated around the hollow as the Guildmaster paced, their brows furrowed in thought.

"A human, again… looks like change is finally upon us.

But if Weavile catches wind of this…

I hope I can buy some time."

Coming to a decision, they released a whistling tune, its melody flowing down the tree like a river. Another whistle trilled back in response, and another chatot hopped upon the edge of the hollow from below. A roll of parchment was held in its red beak, which it dropped at its feet with a small chirp. Its beady black eyes stared blankly as the Guildmaster uttered their thanks.

"Please ensure this gets delivered, friend." They said before plucking a pink feather out of their wing. A gentle blue glow surrounded it as it floated in the air before the quill made contact with the paper.

CHATOT (?) used PSYCHIC!

The base of the feather danced across the page, scratching out words that glowed with a blue light before dulling down to resemble black ink.

Chatot, of the Guild Fort, addressing Weavile, of the Frost Horn:

I am writing to inform you of a case of falling fire in Haunted Woods. My scouts are on the way to investigate. I will send another letter in the coming days to report our findings. Which brings me to my next point:

Although this will be a simple mission, the Guild Fort has been struggling these past few weeks. We recently had our apprentice healer run away, and productivity in our berry farms has slowed. With a large portion of our resources being allocated to hunting and scouting missions, we are finding it hard to meet our monthly quota.

We, the Guild Fort, have been loyal and diligent under you. We are grateful for the protection you provide.

The Guildmaster felt their blood boil as they forced themself to write those words.

Which is why I hope you will honour my request: I must ask that our next exchange be delayed. With all these factors at wing, I trust that you will understand. I expect to return to our previously discussed schedule in a month's time. I will write again soon informing you of our discoveries regarding the falling fire. Our scouts' preliminary observations believe it is no cause for concern, however.

Chatot.

The other chatot took to the sky, tightly rolled parchment secured firmly within its beak. The Guildmaster watched as its silhouette grew smaller against the rising sun, blue eyes glowing against their stony expression.

"I hope that buys us some time…"

Waking up with a throbbing headache was not the most pleasant of experiences. Mila groaned as she fought against the pain in order to return to the numbness of sleep.

"Oh hey, you're awake!"

So much for sleep.

A cheerfully bright voice forced her to crack her eyes open, sluggishly blinking against the bright light that filled the room. Groaning, she pushed herself onto her forelegs, pieces of hay from her bedding sticking to her fur. An old blanket slid down her back before catching on one of the bony plates that adorned her back. A shadowy splodge obscured her vision, and she rubbed a paw against her eyes to clear it.

Except, the shadow didn't disappear. The ghostly figure floated in front of her, long clawed hands folded in front of it as wide, red eyes met her own. Its tail (?) hung down and coiled tightly around an ornate kitsune mask.

"Good morning!" The shadowy pokémon greeted, waving a claw at her.

Mila couldn't help recoiling with a yelp at the uncanny sight.

"Gaah! Who are you? What are you?" She barked.

The pokemon chuckled, the top of its head flickering like a flame as they bobbed in the air. "Well, not surprised you haven't seen a pokémon like me before. I'm N- I mean, I'm Yamask. I'm here to help." She sung.

Mila relaxed slightly. At least this… pokémon… wasn't trying to eat her. Her eyes narrowed as they scanned the cave-like room, memories of previous events returning to her.

She recalled fighting the grumping with Sirius. Then a bright light…

"W-where am I?" She slowly asked as her head swiveled around. She shot a piercing glare at the yamask, her lip pulling back into a snarl. "Where's Sirius?"

"Woah, simmer down there, fireball." Yamask appeared unfazed by the threatening gesture. "Eevee's in the mess hall, we can go join him if you're feeling better."

Mila forced herself to her feet, her stomach giving a deep rumble as she did so.

"And I'm sure you must be hungry as well, after that scuffle you went through." Yamask said brightly.

Mila gave her a sheepish look. "Yeah, maybe a bit."

"Alrighty then, follow me, Houndoom." Yamask motioned for Mila to follow her. She tentatively did so, her legs wobbling with every other step. "We don't have too much, but there's some fresh seafood for you. If Eevee hasn't eaten it all yet."

Mila cocked her head. "…Houndoom?" That one was new to her.

Yamask paused, frozen in the air before looking down at Mila. "You… don't know your own species? Hmm, makes sense I guess… not like anyone's seen a houndoom around lately…" She murmured in thought. Mila remained silent, no less confused.

Yamask continued floating down the stony corridor, Mila following suit. "Where did you come from then, Houndoom?" She asked the seemingly innocent question, not expecting the answer that she would ultimately receive.

"Well…"

Sirius felt a twinge of melancholy as he sat alone within the dining hall, the vast table in front of him clearly designed for large rambunctious dinners. He could almost picture himself there in a time long past, eagerly mingling with fellow explorers as they enjoyed a hearty feast.

"Well, here you go. It's not much, but feral 'karp is good eating." He was snapped out of his daydream by Duskull setting fine sashimi strips on a bed of leaves before him. "Been a while since I prepped anything for you living folk…" They sounded almost sheepish as they shrugged.

Sirius bowed his head. "Thank you so much, Duskull." He eagerly thanked them before tentatively taking a bite of one of the slices. The natural saltiness washed over his tongue, which complimented the sweetness of the meat. He made a contented noise before swallowing. "I've never had ocean meat before. This is really nice, thank you!" Sirius enthusiastically praised.

Duskull floated over to the other side of the table, enjoying the praise thrust upon him. "Eat as much as you want, Eevee. I can always prepare more when your houndoom friend joins us."

The silence was amicable, broken only by the sounds of Sirius' consumption. "I feel bad," Sirius said sheepishly. "Do you want some? If you can… that is… uh…." He stuttered, trailing off as he scolded himself for the rude question. "Sorry."

Duskull chuckled at the eevee's flustering. "It's alright, Eevee. While I can eat physical food, I can't taste it." They pointed at their open jaw, the eerie void within sending a shiver down Sirius' spine.

There was a brief pause before Duskull spoke up, changing the subject. "Y'know, not too many pokémon still use formal etiquette nowadays, Most pokémon don't really bother. True names are more common knowledge than common names. Was that something they taught in the Guild Fort?" The question was innocent enough to mask the duskull's eagerness to learn about the Fort.

Sirius hummed, swallowing his mouthful of food before replying. "Hmm… Kind of? My mother was really strict in teaching me manners and whatnot. But most other pokémon didn't really care for it." He shrugged.

Duskull nodded. "I see. I hope you don't mind my probing but I'm just curious; how did you leave that place." They asked, and Sirius instinctively winced. Duskull quickly added, "Don't worry, I'm not affiliated with them."

Sirius breathed a sigh of relief, the duskull's comforting presence allowing him to open up. "It's a… long story." He paused. "Well, how I escaped was easy. My mother helped me prepare stun seed powder, and it was just a matter of stunning the chatots and slipping past the gate. They sent a team of scouts after me, but I managed to lose them in the woods. That's where I met Mila actually."

"Heh, serves those birdbrains right." Duskull scoffed.

A faint shout, muffled by the stone walls, made Sirius pause as his ear twitched at the sound. Shrugging it off he continued.

"As for why…" The events of the previous night flashed through his mind, from the final conversation with his mother to fighting the grumpig. He honed in on that conversation and jumped up in alarm as he recalled why he was here. "Oh, shoot, almost forgot!" He barked. "Duskull! Do you know if-"

As if the fates were taunting him, he was interrupted by Yamask bursting into the room, her gaseous body leaving a trail of wispy shadows behind her.

The next few seconds comprised of a chaotic cacophony of noise.

"Tank! For Arceus' sake, Tank!" Yamask yelled. Tank, the duskull, flicked their eye over to her, unfazed by the outburst.

Mila ran in behind her, eyes wide as she frantically looked around in bewilderment. "Woah, jeez! What's going on here?" She barked.

Sirius' ears perked up as he saw her, tail rapidly thumping against the ground. "Oh, Mila! You're okay!" He exclaimed.

"Why didn't you tell me this pokémon was a human?"

Yamask's question brought the room to a screeching silence.

Sirius froze. His ears fell and his mouth pulled into a tight line. Tank stared at him, their red eye obscured by the bridge between the two hollow sockets.

"Because I didn't know, Namira." Their calm voice eventually broke the silence. "Is this true, Eevee?"

"I was uh… getting to that bit, actually." Sirius replied stiffly.

The three pokémon turned their heads to look at Mila, who stepped back in surprise from the sudden scrutiny. "W-what's going on?" She hesitantly asked. "Sirius?" She looked over at him for guidance.

"Mila… come over and have something to eat." Sirius patted the table, inviting her over.

"Oh great, am I in trouble?"

"Uhh… okay…" She warily walked over, sitting herself down next to the eevee. Tank's eye followed her movements.

"…Tank, was it?" Mila started, but was quickly interrupted by Sirius tapping her shoulder.

"They're a Duskull. It's polite to address them as such." He whispered up at her.

There were more important topics to focus on instead of wasting time questioning the logic. "…Duskull. Am I going to get a side of answers with my food?" She asked.

"Of course, Houndoom." Tank would have smirked at her wit, if they could. "Well, what happened is your laughable incompetence in battle forced me to save your life and rescue you both from that feral grumpig. So, you're safe for now. I guess if you really are a new human, that would explain such incompetence. But no matter. I'm curious as to what exactly happened before you met your eevee friend in the woods."

"…Incompetence?" Mila deadpanned.

Sirius quickly pushed the remainder of his food towards her as a distraction from the not-so-thinly-veiled insult. "Oh, I saved these for you by the way."

It worked, her ears comically perking up. Her mouth watered before she quickly devoured the morsels.

"Well, I don't remember what happened before…" She explained, jaws still full of food. "I just remember waking up in this strange world."

"She fell out of the sky in a ball of fire." Sirius added, shifting himself slightly to avoid being splattered with the carnage that was Mila's messy eating.

Tank hummed in thought. "Right, so let me get this straight. You fell out of the sky, Sirius found you when you woke up, and you can't remember anything?"

Mila swallowed. "Yep." She confirmed.

"And the only 'memory' you have is that you're definitely not a pokémon, you just know that you're human?"

Mila was quiet as she nodded in response.

Tank and Namira glanced at each other, unspoken words exchanged between them.

"You're not the only one this has happened to, Houndoom." Tank finally said, solemnly. "It has been many, many years since the last. I didn't even think it was possible to happen again. But there have been several humans who came to this world before you, finding themselves in situations not unlike your own. They all come here due to one reason."

Sirius narrowed his eyes, the gears in his brain turning as he connected the dots. "…I remember my mother used to tell me stories about the humans. The way Mila was acting… that's how I knew." His voice lowered almost to a whisper, as he continued. "So does that mean…"

The atmosphere grew heavy as Tank nodded. "Yes, Eevee." Their words hung in the air, and Mila lowered her head from the weight of them. "Your Houndoom friend was sent here, transformed into a pokémon, to save our world. Just like those who came before."

The following silence was deafening, the clack of Tank's skull echoing around the room. Mila could feel her heart thundering in her chest, as she processed what she heard.

"… To save the world? I'm here… to save this world?" She murmured.

This was all so sudden that it couldn't be true. Could it?

"That's right." Tank affirmed her thoughts. Sirius and Namira, the yamask, shot each other concerned looks.

Mila was trapped, backed into the proverbial corner at the claims thrust upon her. Surely, they weren't true. She wasn't one to save the world. Right?

But then again, she didn't even know who she was.

"Why me, huh?" Mila eventually grumbled before raising her voice. "Why me? I sure as hell don't remember signing up for this. Heck, I don't remember anything at all! I know nothing about this place, this world, or even what you all are."

Sirius' ears drooped as he gave a small whine at her outburst.

"Why exactly does this world need me to save it, hm?" Mila snapped as she thrust her paw at Tank.

Tank and Namira were frozen in the air, eyes fixed on the houndoom. Tank eventually broke the silence, gesturing for Mila to follow them. "Houndoom, follow me. There's something you need to see. Namira, take care of Eevee." They calmly instructed.

"Sure thing, Tank!" Namira's bubbly voice broke the sullen air that hung around them. "Come on, I'll introduce you to some of the other ghosts! They love having visitors!"

Namira floated out of the hall, with Sirius scampering after her. Tank paused, waiting for Mila. She huffed a sigh before joining them.

"Tell me, Houndoom. What do you think this place is?" Tank asked, floating down the hallway.

Mila trotted after them. "Uhh… a weird cave haunted by weird ghosts?" She quipped.

Tank chuckled. "You remind me of myself when I was alive."

Well, that was a grim statement.

"But no. Look around. A long time ago, probably before Sirius' grandparents time, this place was an explorer's guild."

They stopped in a large atrium. Mila had barely noticed it when she ran past earlier, but now had time to fully absorb it. Vines grew wildly across the surfaces, clustered around spaces where water dripped from the ceiling. A large cauldron lay upturned, its contents long since solidified into an enigmatic muck. A strange ladder wound its way through the ceiling, accompanied by a staircase that disappeared into the rock. Piles of crumbling rock were strewn haphazardly, with a large pile blocking what seemed to be a doorway. Light filtered in through a hole in the wall, illuminating specks of dust that drifted in the air.

"Doesn't look like much now." Mila murmured as her eyes scanned the room.

"Very observant. Although, a freshly hatched togepi could see that. Why do you think it's like this, hm?" They turned to her as they posed the question. "Where do you think the explorers went?" They floated up the staircase, beckoning for Mila to follow them.

Mila wanted to shoot back a sarcastic remark, but held her tongue. Tank's sullen voice made the atmosphere inhospitable for witticisms. "I'm guessing something bad happened." Mila finally said.

They climbed higher and higher as the staircase slithered its way through the rock. "Correct. Something bad did happen. Something very bad." Tank said slowly. As they neared the top, the red glow of the sun shone down on them. "It required the guild and the entire town… well, those who survived… to evacuate."

Mila squinted against the bright light as they reached the top of the stairs. Tank continued their explanation. "And those that didn't, well, we stayed here to aid the few travellers gutsy enough to pass through. Essentially carrying on the spirit of Treasure Town as, well, spirits."

The realization of their words hit Mila like a Thunderpunch. "W-wait, are you saying that you…" She paused, unsure of what to say. "I'm sorry." She finally said.

"… Here's a tip for you, Houndoom: Do not pity us ghost pokémon. I could easily 'move on' if I wanted to." Tank responded flatly as they floated in place. "If a ghost is trying to make you pity them, they're probably out to steal your soul."

Lovely. Mila made a small grunt of affirmation.

Tank gestured for her to follow them outside. "Here, come see it for yourself, Houndoom."

Her jaw fell open, eyes going wide with shock as she stepped out into the light. She didn't know what she expected, but the scene that lay before her was not it.

Brown and blue.

An expanse of brown, rocky earth and lifeless trees spread out below them before halting at the grey ocean. Splintered wood and upturned braziers were strewn across the clifftop at which they stood, mirroring the chaos down below. Houses of wood and stone were blown apart, illuminated by the glow of blue fire that feasted upon their corpses. The fires twisted and lapped at the air, almost as if alive. At the edge of the devastated township, where the land loomed over the sea, stood a great column of ghostly blue fire. It roared into the air like the fiery breath of a great beast, never spreading yet never dying.

"Is that… fire?" Mila finally asked, softly.

"Correct." Tank's red eye was invisible, their skull appearing more lifeless than usual. "That fire fell from the sky, and instantly destroyed this town.

Their next statement was laden with the years of grief buried beneath their skull. "You were wondering how I know you were brought here to save the world?

Because I was like you. Namira and I, we saved the world. Twice, in fact.

But when we were called upon to save it for a third time, we failed."