TPReboot: Total Drama Island Chapter 10: EP5- Madman's Mind Mine (Part 2), a Pokémon + Total Drama series Crossover fanfic

NOTE: Hey so…I'm sorry for the extended break. I know I promised those would stop…But a lot happened. Much of which is hard to explain…Or even think about. It wracks my brain with guilt remembering and I wish I could explain it all, but…I don't think I can.

But I love this story. And its characters. And the stories I want to tell with them. And…I hope you all enjoy what I have in store. This baby's a big one!

Cast Reminder:

The Growling Oranguru- Absol, Druddigon, Espeon, Granbull, Luxray, Samurott, Sneasel.

The Howling Passimian- Aggron, Cranidos, Dubwool, Gabite ("Fred"), Gengar, Scrafty, Shedinja, Skuntank.

Chapter #10

TPReboot: Total Drama Island - Episode #5
Madman's Mind Mine - Part #2

Gloom held a hollow glare. In his hand…That puppet of hers. This up close, every imperfection so clear.

He could see the tears that had been hastily sewn up with thread and needle. The dust burnt into its cotton figure. Its eyes were hanging loosely by thin thread.

A vine wrapped around the weed's round body, the edge lingering close to his ear. He grimaced at the whispers slowly coming through…

"East edge…Thank you, Shemp."

The vine wriggled away, disappearing into the grove of bushes, and Gloom turned back to the puppet. He looked over its details one more time, pushing up its fake hand with his own…

Before promptly turning toward the nearest tree, and without a second thought, impaled its form onto it, the branch tearing through the fabric and exploding out the other side, straight through its button eye.

He stepped back, looking over the impaled puppet…And flinched. His headache was back. Those words bounced off his mind like clockwork, day in, day out. All he could growl out was a low, "Not…Now…"

With a scoff, he walked off into the woods. And left there, hanging from the wood, leaves swaying in the wind beside it…Was Fred. Lost to the world.

Abandoned…

Gabite had to gasp for air as she felt herself come back into reality, her body shaking from head to toe.

"Yo, Gabite," the ground-type threw up her head- flinching upon making eye contact with Sneasel, who gave her a worried look, "what's up?"

The sand shark was left breathless, holding back her words and going as straight as a board. Thoughts kept twisting in and out of her brain, each more painful than the last as a headache slowly faded in. She grit her teeth, her breathing growing heavy, her mind racing for any sort of comfort in the moment and yet finding none-

"Hey, hey, hey," she twitched as she felt a rough hand pat down onto her arm, Gabite freezing up from the contact. Sneasel looked up at her, forcing a smile, "we're good. Take a second to breathe, okay?"

Gabite, though internally shaking, did as commanded, nodding her head, and letting in slow, repetitive breaths. Each one seemed to help her calm down that little bit more, or at least helped to get these…These thoughts under control for a moment from shear distraction.

"Yeah, there we go, bud," Sneasel nodded, herself allowing a second of pause to get her own bearings. Nearby, though, Granbull merely looked on, shocked at the display.

"Sneasel, how'd you learn to do that?" The dog asked honestly, causing the weasel to jump.

"O-Oh well…Uh…Y'know…I watch a lot of movies where that works is all," Sneasel answered, scratching behind her ear nervously.

"You…Learned how to calm people down from movies?" Granbull asked again, an amused smirk on her face.

Sneasel could feel sweat weed down her cheek (then turn to ice)...Before nodding aggressively. "Yep!"

Okay, that was too much; Granbull couldn't help but stifle a laugh, rolling her eyes and nodding, "Okay, okay, that's pretty cool." That compliment alone did wonders at breaking the laws of physics and turning Sneasel from blue to red. "We should…Probably start moving now, though," Granbull muttered worryingly, looking over their cramped, rocky environment in dismay, "I don't think it's especially safe to be down here."

Speaking of movies, Sneasel found her mind wandering to a handful of horror movies, specifically what happened to a group of girls lost in a mine- "Yep, you're right, we should get outta here, like, now," she squeaked out, fear riding up her back as she quickly jumped to look behind her. There was nothing there of course, but the idea of there being something there lingered in her mind.

Giggling at the ice-type's extreme reaction, which at this point was making Sneasel look more like a tomato, Granbull nodded, "Alright, let's go," she stepped up to Gabite, putting on the nicest smile she could as the girl finished her breathing exercises, "hey hon, you okay now?"

Gabite, oddly enough, reacted to the dog's presence…Coldly. She spared her a quick glance, then turned away and nodded. Though taken aback, Granbull mentally shrugged and smiled. "Glad to hear. If you need anything just let us know, okay?" This time she was just flatly ignored.

Granbull threw on a face, though carried on, not wanting to start anything over this. Gabite looked off awkwardly after that interaction, until she felt the same rough, clawed hand on her arm.

"Hey," Gabite shook, looking down at Sneasel, who beamed up as honestly as she could, "I promise, when we get outta here, we can, like, search this whole dang island to find Fred…Cool?"

The sand shark was quiet…Though nodded, giving Sneasel her best attempt at a smile. It was jagged and awkward and kinda creepy looking with a lot of teeth showing.

Though, Sneasel couldn't help finding it…Kind of cute. Pushing those thoughts back, though, the rocker laughed, "See, now that's the spirit!" Her and Gabite followed after Granbull from there, the former continuing, "Now let's get outta here! I best the hosts are like, super worried about us after that fall!"

Letting out a sigh of relief, Corsola stepped into the staff trailer with a smile, wiping her brow and confidently saying, "Well, Corsola. You did it! You successfully started a challenge all on your own, without needing any help from Bidoof!

Humming to herself, she walked up to the fridge in the back and plucked out a can of diet soda. As she started to sip it though, her gaze moved up toward the monitors…And she perked a brow. "Well…That's…Strange."

Stepping closer, she saw that…There weren't any cameras in the mines. At all. In fact she couldn't see anything that was going on in the challenge.

"...Okay that's…Not normal," Corsola whispered to herself, feelings of anxiety beginning to crop up…Before she shook them away. "I-It's probably fine! I'm sure the interns set them up and just…Forgot to establish their connection back here! We'll still have the footage."

"Everything is fine!"

All the while, far, far underground, Bidoof held his same flat expression of open malice as he was spun around again and again on the rope by the heckling interns all around him.

He had gotten used to it at this point.

Machoke twisted the key again, his eyes going wide as the boat merely let out a coarse puff and remained still, not even inching forward. Throwing his gaze about every which way, he called out into the ocean as loudly as he could, "Hello! Anybody! Help! Help!"

Corsola just kept staring at the blank cameras, sweat dropping down her face as she nodded. "Y-Yep…Everything is fine…"

Luxray grunted as she pulled herself up a ledge, the rocky foundation nearly giving way as she climbed up. As soon as she felt most of her weight fall upon the platform, she bawked out a sigh and took a moment to recover. As she laid there, her gaze slowly transferred up...

Before her was a massive inclined wall heading all the way to the top of the ceiling. Very rocky platforms were jutting out from it, ensuring at least a moderately easy climb up. What wasn't helping, to her at least, was the layer of glowing blue vines also covering the wall, most of which fell from the various mushrooms hanging off the ceiling.

"If I was a geologist, this would maybe seem cool...Too bad I'm in anything but the right mood for this," she growled, her glare staring down the rest of the climb she had left.

"T-Thanks for stating the...The...O-Obvious!" a voice gasped out behind her, Skuntank lazily pulling himself onto the next ledge, "I...I am...Not built for this."

"Or any physical activity if I had to guess," Luxray rolled her eyes.

"H-Hey! This crap ain't my forte, alright!" Skuntank said, his frustration evident. "And this stupid bag ain't helping!" He grumbled, looking back at the backpack strapped around him, whose sheer weight felt like a whole second mon was on top of him.

She smirked. "I mean, hey, if it's so bad, why not just drop it?"

Skuntank scoffed. "If you think I'm throwing in the towel so easily, you're underestimating the Hell outta me!" Adjusting the pack and flinching at the pain, he narrowed his eyes. "If this shit is really part of the challenge, I'm not losing cause of this!"

Luxray couldn't help but flaunt how casually she was handling her own pack, shifting it with ease, a haughty smirk on her face. "So what, you're just too bitter to lose?"

"Hell yeah I am!" He spat, stomping past the lioness and sinking his short claws into the rock, already beginning to pull himself up with...Considerable difficulty.

Luxray hummed, nodding along as she watched his feedble attempt at climbing, "You know, if literally anybody else had said that, I'd almost be impressed..." Her stare hardened. "Too bad you're an opinionated ass."

"Frankly, screw off."

Luxray smirked, her own claws edging out, "Trust me, if I could screw o-"

"Nope! Shutting that down there!" Skuntank called back, "I ain't dealing with whatever punchline you had ready!"

Shaking her head in disappointment, Luxray nonetheless shrugged and quickly began scaling the wall, quickly passing the skunk. "Your loss then!"

"H-Hey! Come on, get back here!"

Druddigon held his arm out in front of him as he flew upward, dust and debris landing atop his mass as he tried to ascend up the narrow hole in the ceiling. But the further he flew, the darker it became. Within moments it felt like he had gone completely blind. Darkness on top of darkness, with plenty landing on him during the inbetween.

Within a few moments, he descended, flying down into the water pit and landing beside an awaiting Gengar and Scrafty.

"It's no good. We fell a lot further than we thought; can't see a thing up there," Druddigon grumbled.

"Ah, well that's unfortunate indeed," Scrafty said, before humming...And turning to Gengar with a smile, "may I ask, how about you-"

"No!" The ghost screamed a bit too fast...Only to cringe at the two's glares. "...Sorry, I uh...I don't really...Like the dark."

"Don't ghosts spend most of their time in the dark?" Druddigon asked.

"Okay, outta context that'd be super stereotypical...But in context, uh...Yes, we do," Gengar admitted, "but down here where I don't know where anything or anybody is...I-I just don't feel super...Comfortable doing that is all!"

Druddigon and Scrafty couldn't help but exchange a deadpan look...Before the former sighed. "Alright, whatever, let's just...Try to figure out another way out of here then."

"Well, if we can't go back up, our only option is to simply follow the water," Scrafty said, waving his hand toward the stream they had landed in, which was going deeper into the cave.

"W-We have to go further in?!" Gengar muttered.

"Well, if you aren't flying out, it is our only option," Scrafty explained...Before narrowing a glare, "unelss you've changed your mind-"

"Down the mine we go!" Gengar exclaimed, floating forward a bit too quickly. Scrafty snickered in response and followed after.

As the two walked ahead, Druddigon sighed, whispering to himself, "Where will we end up...Nobody knows..."

Samurott grunted as he carved his blade across the wall, dirt and debris grinding across it and staining its exterior. Pulling the sword back, he grabbed onto some of the fragments, and curhsed it beneath his fingers. Holding it up, he gave it a quick look and sniff, then hummed...

"This way," he grumbled back to the pair behind him, before starting to walk ahead, "more moisture."

Absol, while listening to the command and following, seemed a bit confused by what that meant, "And that means..."

"More moisture means more water which means closer to the surface or a stream or literally anything that leads us up," Espeon quickly explained...Before shrugging, sarcastically exclaiming, "but hey, what would I know right?"

Samurott growled at the psychic's deprecation, to which the Eeveelution couldn't help but smirk.

Absol, sensing the ensuing conflict between the two, however, butts in with a (bit obvious) cough, "Oh uh...You know, Samurott, I was wondering...How'd you learn to do all this stuff?" The water-type looked back confused. Somehow even just making eye contact with him was making the poor girl nervous. "Y-You know...Surviving, camping...Um...S-Stuff."

Espeon couldn't help but interrupt as well, a smirk on his face. "Yeah, Samurott, how did you learn how to do all that?"

The moment the psychic added to the conversation, it was dead for Samurott. He gruffed out a growl and turned away, content in merely following the path to the surface.

Absol's expression fell, awkwardly tapping her claws together. Espeon patted her on the back with his tail, callously saying, "There, there. It's not your fault he has the emotional range of a constipated statue."

The dark-type frowned at this. "He's...A lot nicer than you think."

The Eeveelution hummed at this, leaning in with a smile. "Any proof of that darling?"

"...I have a feeling." She smiled faintly. "I think that's enough."

She followed after the sea otter, clearly intent on keeping up. Espeon, however, scowled at the exchange, scoffing to himself.

"Young love sure has a make of making somebody stupid. And boring," he grumbled, "well...If conversation isn't gonna be how I get something useful out of this ordeal I'm trapped in..."

His eyes flashed pink, and his smirk grew into a sinister grin.

"I have other means..."

Aggron cackled as he threw his fist into the wall, watching the rocks crumble beneath him in an instant, before striking, "Hahaha! Who's the man!"

"You're the man!" Dubwool practically screamed, tackling into the steel-type's gut full force and causing him to gasp for air, the two breaking down into laughter as the rocks fell apart into a new exit.

"Hell yeah!"

Compared to his two companions though, Cranidos held…About as annoyed of an expression as he could, scowling at the two and stepping up to Aggron's handiwork. "Oh yes, you punched a wall. Impressive."

Scoffing, Aggron flicked the rock-type's head, "Watch the tongue, runt."

"I told you-"

"You tell me a lot of things, don't mean I listen," Aggron interrupted, ignoring the shaking dinosaur's fury, before cracking his knuckles, "now then, let's get a move on! We're on a freaking hot streak, and we're gonna keep it going if it's the last thing I do!"

"Ignoring the fact it definitely could be, cause again," Cranidos spat, "we're lost in an abandoned cave!"

"...Oh sorry, you say something?" Aggron asked, looking back with a smirk, causing the dinosaur to scream in frustration.

Skuntank practically screamed with pain as he pulled himself up onto the final ledge, his upper half faceplanting into the rocky ground before him with a groan. He clawed the last bits of himself up, his body desperately breathing what little air it could as he felt it almost give in on itself.

"I-If...T-That doesn't...C-Count as my workout...F-For the m-month...T-Then I'd rather die..." He belted out through staggered breaths.

"Aw come on, you big baby, it wasn't that bad," sounded off Luxray, who was sitting on the same platform, no worse for wear.

"I-I don't have the body of a freaking demi-God, okay?!" Skuntank grumbled. "I don't do this kinda stuff!"

"If it weren't for your attitude, that'd have almost sounded like a compliment," Luxray mused.

"Whatever...Why were you waiting around for me anyway?" He muttered. "We're on different teams."

"Pain in the ass or not, I'm not leaving you down here," she simply explained, "even if you're really making me reconsider."

"You're the worst."

"Right back at you."

Skuntank shook away whatever insult he had ready, instead turning ahead...And seeing said platform was right in front of a narrow, circular cave heading straight forward.

"...Well, that's clearly a red flag," Skuntank said with a glare.

"And also our only way out," Luxray replied, already walking ahead, though Skuntank couldn't help but notice her body was shaking in spite of her inflection, "come on, we got quite the jog ahead of us."

He narrowed his frown, grumbling, "I ain't jogging, and you can't make me."

"Woah…" Sneasel whispered, her eyes going wide as she slowly stepped out from the dark interior of the cave.

Revealing on the other side a luminescent, glowing pink cavern of crystals! Thousands of them jutting out of every wall, out of the roof, and every which way angled to face toward the girls as they stepped inside. In a strange way they didn't even look natural, almost as if they had been specifically set-up this way to perfectly reflect anything in front of them…Almost like-

"Hall of mirrors, baby!" Sneasel cheered, running forward with a laugh toward the closest crystal and flaunting the largest grin she could. The crystal responded by enlarging it to an absolutely absurd degree, making her look like a Loudred from this perspective.

Granbull and Gabite, meanwhile, merely exchanged a quick glance in confusion, watching as Sneasel ran around the room like a toddler cut loose, the rocker jumping from crystal to crystal to see the next whacky appearance. The former eventually asked, "Uh…Hey Sneasel, I know you're having fun with this, but-"

"Huh, what was that, Gran?" Sneasel asked, currently posing in front of the crystals.

Gabite looked away from the scene, oddly blushing as Granbull sighed, muttering, "I was just saying that we should keep going is all. It's probably not safe down here-" As she was saying this, she had taken a step forward, and couldn't help but notice her own reflection in a crystal. This one seemed to morph her weight, causing a tiny top half and an enormous lower half.

The dog flinched, narrowing a glare at the crystal as Gabite similarly stepped forward. She instinctively looked into the nearest crystal…Only, instead of any altered changes to her appearance, what she saw was herself, and…And a familiar puppet on her hand.

The shark's eyes went wide, and without a second thought she swing, smashing the crystal into bits. The other girls turned to her, Sneasel exclaiming, "Woah! Gabite, you good?!"

The ground-type seethed out a growl, a scowl on her face as she looked over the crystalized wreckage before her, the other girls walking up to her to look over the damage. Granbull in particular flinched at the sight, "Well…At least you're expressing yourself?" Gabite said nothing, lowering her head.

"Heyo. You broke my rock."

The three screamed, grabbing onto each other and swiveling to see-

"...Shedinja?!" Granbull exclaimed.

"Hi. Again." The bug greeted back. They were just…Casually floating over a crystal, their expression as blank as ever. "I was watching you."

"...Uh…Cool?" Sneasel shrugged, unsure how to respond to that.

"The cave's more warm." Shedinja corrected, not noticing Sneasel giving them a look. "Anyway, uh…Welcome to the crystal cave."

"Crystal cave…Wait, no, that's not the point here," Granbull looked up confused, "why're you here? You didn't fall with us too, did you?"

"Nah." Shedinja pointed up. "I came through the holes." The three threw on a look again, seeing indeed there was a slim hole the bug had seemingly flown through. "When you all dropped, I went down the path. Everything here kinda loops in a weird way. It's pretty strange, ain't it?"

"Very…" Gabite whispered.

"So wait…Shedinja, do you know the way out then?!" Granbull asked.

"Huh…Yeah." The bug nodded, pointing forward. "You're on the highest level. Just sorta…Keep going, I guess. I've noticed if you just keep moving forward in this place, you just sorta…End up at the beginning again. Don't know how it works."

The girls looked over themselves, Sneasel saying, "Maybe somebody, like, used a move on this place to make it into a maze or something. One that always ends?"

"Makes sense." Shedinja nodded.

"No, it doesn't…" Gabite grumbled to herself.

"Anyway, er…Yeah. Just keep going." Shedinja nodded, before slowly floating upward. "I believe in you all."

Sneasel's eyes went wide, calling out, "Wait little dude, don't you wanna help us-" But it was too late, Shedinja had already floated back into the roof hole they had come through."

The three groaned. Granbull shrugged, muttering, "Well…Better listen then." The two agreed wordlessly, and like that, the three continued forward, deeper into the mine, under the direction it'd just…Work itself out, according to Shedinja at least.

As soon as they were gone though, Shedinja popped out again. "Oh yeah, don't look at the crystals-" They were gone. "...Oh. Heh. Oops."

Cackling echoed through the hollow halls of the cave system, Bidoof's expression long lacking any of its usual emotion in exchange for a pathetic, apathetic gaze, entrenched steeply in repetition and bygone paranoia. Meanwhile, scattered across the faces surrounding him, there was nary a frown in sight.

"Okay, okay...Check this out," Simisage said with a smirk, stepping up to the rodent with a chuckle, "so, Bidoof, buddy, ex-boss...Care to tell the class what you got up to at night when you weren't hosting?"

Bidoof remained quiet. He didn't even react. He just looked...Broken. Like a toy past its prime.

"He would, get this," Simisage continued, seemingly not caring if Bidoof said something or not, "literally do nothing but recite exactly what he said on camera. Over, and over, and over again! Like he was a freaking tape recorder or something!"

The interns laughed and laughed, Bidoof unresponsive as Carnivine got in his face. "What was the point of that? You already went and dog darn shot the thing, didn't ya? What's the point in lingering on every word?"

"A fat twenty says he does it to compliment his 'flawless direction'," Trevenant snickered, Shiinotic nodding along with a snicker of his own.

"Pretty sad, don't you think?" Amoongus asked. "He seriously has nothing better to do...What a lowlife."

Another round of laughter...Another minute spent, hanging from the roof, most of his blood having long gone to his head. Bidoof didn't know what was really happening at this point. He just knew he was tired of it. For so-called revenge this was largely a load of nothing...

Something told him he knew that himself.

Sitting in his chair, back turned to his batch of minions...Was Gloom. Ever since his threats, the weed hadn't bothered so much as looking Bidoof in the eyes. Or anyone else for that matter. He was just staring at the wall, deep in thought...

Even now, Bidoof wondered what his endgame was.

Druddigon would likely be the first to admit that ever since he and his newfound group had left their initial spot, that things had felt...Awkward.

He didn't know Gengar and Scrafty particularly well. Yes, he and Scrafty did have that moment out in the forest, but comforting him wasn't really the same as knowing him. And Gengar was so squeamish and ready to run at a moment's notice that he wasn't sure anybody at camp had ever had much of a conversation with the guy. Those two themselves didn't exactly seem close either; he's pretty sure Gengar had never so much as made eye contact with Scrafty.

As they stepped down the tunnel, eventually they reached it; the point of no return. The water they had been following was now leading into a cave far too short and narrow to possibly progress down.

Beside it, however, was some sort of tunnel. It's exterior was not made of the same stone making up a majority of the cave, but rather some kind of...Brick? They were a bit on the older side, but it certainly looked a lot more manmade than anything they'd seen so far.

"And so gentleman, we've found it; our first assurance of civilized society." Scrafty roused, letting out a chipper laugh.

"W-What makes you say that?" Gengar asked aloud.

"Well...I sort of doubt bricks are found in the wild," Druddigon muttered, "maybe this leads into an old mineshaft or something."

"Precisely," Scrafty nodded with a smirk, "from here we just have to follow the tunnel to wherever it leads us. Realistically it must lead to an exit of some sort."

"Or an unceremonious, premature end..." Gengar whispered. Druddigon and Scrafty exchanged a look, neither even bothering to correct that he was already dead this time.

Ignoring him, Scrafty stepped forward, "Anyway...On we go," as he walked into the tunnel, a low whistle slowly started to fill the halls. In spite of their predicament, he was...Shockingly calm.

Druddigon couldn't help but look on, impressed at the fighting-type's attitude about all this, "Man, what I'd pay for that kind of confidence..."

Gengar, however, looked less than enthused, quietly pacing after him, "Is it confidence? Or something more s-sinister..."

Druddigon gave the ghost a look for his wording...Then frowned, "Okay, not bothering to follow that up with an explanation. Got it..."

The dragon then followed after as well, the tunnel's cold slowly taking hold over the three as they ventured into places unknown.

"See, what'd I tell you!" Aggron declared, stepping out into a newly lit part of the cave with a grin on his face. "That pathway I carved out for us led somewhere after all."

"It happening to go somewhere doesn't make it any less stupid to rely on a handmade path to get somewhere in a place we've stepped foot into otherwise," Cranidos groggily pointed out with a glare- only to stop in shock at the sight. "...Wow."

Before the group was what could only be described as the pinnacle of last generation mining technology. Dozens of rail tracks aimed every which way carrying coal in other various materials. Pickaxes and shovel were scattered against the walls. There was a massive drill in the center of the room…It's where they mine stuff. There's only so many ways to describe that.

"...Why the Hell is this all the way down here?!" Cranidos screamed. "That is super unsafe and unprofessional-"

"Who cares!" Dubwool exclaimed, running forward and throwing the dinosaur to the ground. Running into the center of the room, she hummed… "...How loud do you think the echo in this place is?"

Cranidos sat up. "Do not try-"

"Eh, go for it. Couldn't hurt, right?" Aggron said, oblivious to the frustrated look of horror on Cranidos' face.

Dubwool lurched back, breathing in as deeply as she could…Then let loose a screech with all her might, "Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-"

Her echoing yeehaw was interrupted as the cave began to shake, causing all three to go still. Cranidos blinked…Then sighed. "I hate you both."

The rocks on the roof gave way, dropping and landing atop the three, burying them under a pile of rocks in an instant.

Samurott groaned as he lifted his head, a headache slowly rising up through a sudden flash of light. A low white glow had spat into his eyes, as they slowly came to, revealing...

That white glow was just the room he was in. But...Actually, calling it a room felt like a lie. It was more like...

A void. Endless white in all directions. The only exception being himself. And-

"Owie..." Absol whimpered, standing up with her paw on her head- only to flinch back instinctively at her surroundings. "W-Where are we?!"

And unfortunately, Samurott didn't have an answer for that. He had never seen this place in his life. And yet...

"Wait...Where's Espeon?" Absol asked aloud.

And sure enough, the psychic was nowhere to be seen. And that fact was enough to immediately make the water-type scowl, his gaze darting back and forth across the horizon in search of any sign to the Eeveelution's whereabouts.

"W-What happened to us?!" Absol muttered to herself again. "T-This doesn't seem possible!"

"Because it isn't," Samurott growled, stepping forward-

And hitting a wall...One he couldn't see. He stepped back. "What the?"

Staring forward, he tried to look for what he possibly could have collided with. Nothing. Only air. He reached out a hand- and it clasped against it. He could feel the rough texture of the wall in front of him, even if he couldn't see it.

He blinked, a low whistle winding through his head as Absol stepped up as well, similarly patting the wall. "Woah..." She kept running her paw against it- till she felt it. A change in texture. One that felt smooth, and...Round? She grabbed hold, and instinctively from muscle memory, pulled forward-

Opening the door...And revealing a pitch black inside.

Samurott and Absol exchanged a quick, unsure glance...And reluctantly stepped inside...Unaware of the grin slowly forming across the walls inside the room they just left.

"Well..." Luxray started, blinking as she stepped out from the cave into a faint blue light, "this...Isn't what I was expecting on the other side."

Before her was...Frankly a room beyond anything she ever dreamed. A faint blue glow fell over it, a literal utopia of giant mushrooms and flowers among a marsh of moss and vines before her, all across a massive room that laid just under a layer of edged rocks. And climbing along those rocks; Wurmple. Only each of them was clearly shiny, and more than that, everywhere they slithered left behind a trail of glowing ooze as well...

The room...It looked downright otherworldly. Like they had stepped into a world within their own. One that no other sane mon had ever laid their eyes upon. It was absolutely...Beautiful.

"...Damn," Luxray whistled, a glimmer of awe shimmering in her eyes, "that's...That's pretty cool actually." Letting out a laugh, she asked, "You seeing this, slowpoke?"

No response.

"...Skuntank-"

Now that elicited a reaction, though...Not one she was expecting. Pulling himself forward with all his might, Skuntank growled out in pain, his body tensing up with each step he took. Sweat was running down his face, his body barely standing at this point. Every breath he took was loud, and his eyes were barely open.

He was clearly exhausted.

Luxray found herself completely taken aback at this look, and unexpectedly, she couldn't help but feel pity pierce through her harsh demeanor. "Holy...Wow. Seriously, are you okay?"

Skuntank could barely respond, merely shaking his head and coughing up a pained, "Obviously...Not..."

He slumped forward, his fronts legs giving out as he began to breathe eratically on the ground.

Luxray jumped a bit, her eyes quickly looking over his fragile form. "Jeez! Okay, no, we're stopping for a second and letting you rest cause that is not supposed to happen." She reached out to grab hold of one of the straps. "Let's get this off you-"

"N-No!" Skuntank, using most of his remaining strength, pulled back from her extended paw, jumping to his feet with a groan. "I'm fine!"

"What? You're clearly not!" Luxray spat. "And if that stupid backpack is as heavy as you're saying, than take it off!"

"I would but I'm not losing if this is actually a challenge," Skuntank growled, "I ain't trusting that team of mine to keep me if they hear we were disqualified cause of this stupid thing!"

"Your health is more important than the game!"

Skuntank glared, his eyes glancing toward the backpack...Then sighing. "...It is to me."

Luxray...Seemed oddly taken aback by that. "What? But...You've literally done nothing but complain this whole time. It's pretty obvious you hate it here."

"Yeah, I do! But...But I need to keep going." Skuntank grumbled, his eyes not wanting to meet hers.

The two stood there for a second...

"...Fine." Luxray turned away and started walking again.

Skuntank, for his part, looked pretty confused at this, "Wait...Seriously? You're not gonna fight me on this."

"As long as you don't start dying again, I won't do shit." She explained curtly. "If you say you can keep up, then keep up."

Skuntank watched as she descended into the forest of mushrooms and vines...Then nodded, a determined glare on his face. He pushed through the pain and followed after the lioness.

Since their encounter with Shedinja (if you could really call it that), the girls had done exactly as instructed. They've just…Kept moving forward.

Naturally, Gabite was walking slightly ahead of Granbull and Sneasel, seemingly committed in wanting her distance. The two had respected her wishes, staying back.

Sneasel let out a sigh. "...You think I should talk to her?"

Granbull gave the weasel a sympathetic smile. "Sneasel, I know you're worried, but she clearly wants her space."

"I mean, yeah I know," she nodded, though her expression remained reluctant, "but…I just don't know if it's a good idea is all. It's just, like…She's vulnerable right now with everything going on, and I don't want her spiraling."

"...You really know a lot about this, don't you?"

Despite being an ice-type, Sneasel could feel her blood run cold for a moment. "...W-Well, y'know, I just like…I-I watch a lot of self-help stuff and-"

"It's okay!" Granbull reassured, taking the weasel's hand, causing her to yelp. "You don't need to explain, alright?"

As the the two talked, Gabite couldn't help but cast back a look. Noticing their hands, she snorted, turning away and leveling a stare at the ground. She only brought it up as she passed a crystal…And like last time, she froze.

In the image was her…But…She was so much smaller. Tears running down her face…Until she was handed something by a pair of clawed hands. She looked up, and reluctantly opened the package…

Gabite's eyes slowly went wide.

"It's honestly sweet that you care so much about her," Granbull continued to Sneasel, the latter's whole world focused on the bulldog. Granbull scratched awkwardly behind her ear, muttering, "it's honestly something I really admire."

"A-Admire…?" Sneasel whispered, turning redder.

"Well…Yeah," she nodded, "you…You care so much about others. You were so willing to do whatever you had to yesterday and even today to help Gabite, even though you barely know her."

Gabite flinched at their words, only half-listening as she glared daggers at the crystal. She watched the reflection open the present…And in her hands.

A small, gray marionette doll, with a wide smile.

"I-I don't think I'm somebody to admire…" Sneasel muttered, looking off sadly.

"Well…I do," Granbull spoke up once more, "especially because Gabite's not the only one you've helped here." Sneasel looked up, her eyes locking with Granbull's. "If…If it weren't for you, I'm not sure I could keep going myself out here."

Sneasel's upper lip quivered, biting down onto it as her eyes went wide. Her body began to shake, slowly tensing up. She focused all her attention on the beautiful girl before her, and…And…

Gabite growled at the crystal, watching as her reflection picked up the puppet, placing it on her arm. The reflection smiled. The puppet opened its mouth…

"S-Sorry," Granbull laughed nervously, "I guess a lot of that came out of nowhere, didn't it-"

She was interrupted as Sneasel leaned forward. In the blink of an eye, their lips collided, Sneasel pulling Granbull close and placing a hand on her cheek. Granbull's eyes went wide, she went still-

And pulled away, pushing the two apart. Granbull's expression read of shock, and Sneasel's…Of horror. "O-Oh my God, I-I'm so sorry!" The latter squeaked out. "I-I misread that, I'm sorry, I'm sorry-"

"G-GRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Another crystal shattered, and another after that. The two turned, watching Gabite roar with rage, swinging her arm over and over, destroying anything in her path. She ran down the tunnel as fast as she could, her eyes red with anger, her path unwavering…

Scrafty couldn't help but smile as a low light slowly began illuminating the mineshaft walls, stepping back as he held a torch up, "Alrighty then...Onward we go."

The mineshaft, thus far, hadn't been anything too thoroughly impressive. Wooden support beams were keeping the place up, stone and brick on all sides as they passed a few small deposits of minerals. The walls were lined with shattered lights, and cobwebs now acted as decorations across the ceiling.

Gengar, expectedly, wasn't exactly favoring this sort of atmosphere. "T-This place is really giving me the creeps."

"Gengar, honest question," Druddigon started, raising a brow, "what aren't you scared of?"

"Well..." The ghost smiled faintly, "I...I like cooking..."

"...Wait, really?" The dragon asked.

"Y-Yeah...It's nice and...Kind of relaxing," he muttered, his tone shockingly pleasant, "it got my mind off things back home..."

"You know, my dad's actually a chef back home," Druddigon said, a relaxed look rolling over him, "he owns a shop and sells curry. Picked it up while he lived in Galar."

"Really? I-I love curry!" Gengar exclaimed, though he couldn't help but think, "Been a while since I had it though. The right ingredients can get kinda pricey in Kanto."

"Well, if you're ever in Kalos, feel free to stop by," Druddigon chuckled, "I'll try to get you a discount…You know, if dad isn't paying attention."

The two exchanged a brief smile. Scrafty, however, looked back with a gradually narrowing grimace, humming to himself, before seeing something...And smiling. "Ah. Friends, it appears I've located our next course of action."

The two looked up...Only to be greeted by an extension of the mineshaft in the form of rails. And more than that, a pair of minecarts on them, which led straight forward.

Holding up the torch, Scrafty confidently explained, "These have to lead somewhere. Maybe they'll bring us up to the surface."

"Good to know...Only one issue," Druddigon pointed toward the carts, "there's only two of them, and three of us."

"Oh...I suppose you're right...No matter," Scrafty shrugged, "two of us will just have to share."

Druddigon rose a brow, "Who's getting the solo then-" The two flinched at the sound of a loud crash. They turned to the carts...And their stares quickly became dull.

Gengar was already sitting in the front cart, and was purposefully taking up as much space as possible on his own. He blinked...Then smiled sheepishly. "Heh heh...I'm uh...Cramped easily."

Druddigon and Scrafty exchanged a look, before the latter shrugged, "Oh well. It's no matter to me. Besides," he turned to the dragon with a smile, "maybe you can explain your issues with your team to me on the ride over. Perhaps I can help?"

Gengar narrowed a frown at the fighting-type at said proposal, as Druddigon scratched the back of his head awkwardly, an unsure smile forming, "Oh uh...Thanks Scrafty."

"No problem, friend," the lizard smile, taking a seat in the back minecart, "more than happy to help." Druddigon took his seat soon after, and Scrafty pointed ahead. "Now then...Forward!"

Druddigon leaned back and switched on the lever beside the rails, and within moments, they were off.

"...See anything yet?"

"No."

"H-Heh, yeah...I uh...I don't either-"

"I know. You wouldn't have asked if you could."

"Yep..."

Stumbling through the darkness, the repetition of one-note conversation then deafening silence was slowly starting to get to Absol. She had been following Samurott for what felt like decades at this point, their destination still unknown.

This was also the perfect time to try talking to the guy, and yet of course, just as Absol had worried, she just...Wasn't very good at it! She didn't know what to talk about, at all! And every time she asked something, he'd usually just keep his answers brief then go right back to silence and turn away...

Well, not she was complaining staring at the back of him, but still-

"No, focus! Focus, Absol!" She told herself. She breathed in, and forced a smile. "S-So uh...Where'd you grow up-"

"Unova." Samurott gruffed out.

"O-Oh! That's super cool!" The dark-type smiled. "I've always wanted to visit, but uh...Don't really have the money to. What's it like-"

"Polluted. Loud. Expensive." He grumbled. Even in such intense darkness, she could tell there was a scowl on his face.

"...Okay," she nodded, looking away, "uh...I'm from Serene Village, in uh...Kalos. Have you ever been there?" No response. "...Y-Yeah. Kalos is...Kinda pricey too."

And like that, the conversation had died.

"You're messing this up," Absol worried to herself, wrestling her fur into her claws with an anxious expression, "y-you can't let him think you're boring! Think, think-"

Samurott came to an abrupt stop, causing her to walk right into him. She flinched. "Is something wrong?" She anxiously thought with a panic, "Please don't be me, please don't be me, please don't be me-"

"I think I've found another door of some kind."

She let out a relieved sigh. "Yay, not me!" She nodded. "Oh, that's nice."

"Issue...I cannot open it." Samurott grumbled, pushing on whatever was in front of him again; it sounded like sturdy wood, likely mahogany or oak. "I think something is behind the door."

Absol watched the water-type try to push it, stepping in place awkwardly as she looked around. Still completely dark in here, and despite her typing, she...Admittedly wasn't huge on it.

She moved her head back slightly-

And could feel her horn graze something. She recoiled...Then moved a paw toward it. It felt...Soft. Warm. They were...

Clothes. And lots of them. She ran her arm further in, and to her surprise she just kept finding more; shirts, jackets, sweaters, coats, and more. Of course she couldn't wear them; she was physically not made for a vast majority of clothing. But still, these had been here, maybe going for a while, and the two had just not noticed through the darkness.

She instinctively reached into the pocket of one...And pulled it out. A thin metal key.

Absol looked it over...Then reached out and tapped Samurott's shoulder. "I uh...Think I found something."

He turned back, surprised at the object in her hand, but quickly swiped it away and placed in the keyhole. He started to turn the knob.

"You know...I think we're in some sort of closet..." Absol wondered...Before gasping, a youthful look on her face. "Wait! Do you think this door leads to Narnia!"

"That's a book, not reality." Samurott grunted. He opened the door-

And was caught by surprise. Walking out, he saw...A forest, a thick coat of snow having fallen over it, clouds spanning across the horizon overhead.

"..." Samurott blinked. "...Books are no longer fictional it seems."

"Yay!"

Luxray couldn't help but be taken in by the scenery as she briskly paced through the underground jungle. Just as she had thought, this place had a very...Mythical feel to it...

Skuntank was the opposite. The glow was starting to hurt his eyes. And he was already feeling enough pain from the literal block on his back!

"Do you...Have any idea how much...Further we have to go..." Skuntank wheezed out.

"No clue, and you constantly asking isn't gonna make us go any faster," Luxray said back.

"Not true...It wastes time...Which helps me forget time...Therefore...It goes faster," he said in bursts of energy.

"Wiseass." She sniped.

"Literal pussy." He sniped back.

The two walked in silence after that, their patience having been reached with one another for the moment. In the silence, Luxray stepped over a loose vine. Skuntank, however, stepped right onto it-

A large bellow surged across the room. The two came to a stop.

Silence.

"...Is it a longshot to ask if that was you?" Skuntank whispered.

"Not even close..." Luxray whispered back.

The two looked around in confusion, unsure what that was, or how to respond. Skuntank hesistantly began to backpedal...Only to feel something wrap around him. He rose a brow...Then suddenly felt his legs give way, a gasp escaping his lips.

Luxray looked back, only to scream as she saw, slowly pulling itself up from the ground below her...

A massive, walking mushroom, a dozen or so long, curling arms sticking out of it as a roar poured out from it shaking, bulbous head. And wrapped up in one of these arms was Skuntank, his body flailing in panic.

"Help! Help!" He hollered as it shook him around, screaming in his face, to which he could only scream back.

Luxray, though utterly baffled by what was before her, sprung into action as best she could, racing forward. "Hold on!"

Running up, she pounced forward, landing atop one of the large flowers closest to the ground, She ran along it, jumping to progressively higher heights, until she was just high enough to barely hop over the aggressive mushroom.

With a narrowed glare, static erupted off her fur, before suddenly erupting from her, a surge of electricity firing and hitting the attacker...And by extension Skuntank. Both let out cries of pain, one that was only exasperated as Luxray landed atop the mushroom, the impact of which managed to knock it off-balance. It fell backward, letting go of Skuntank before hitting the ground with a roar.

Luxray landed on the ground gracefully, rolling with a pose. Skuntank...Just hit the ground, face-first. "...Ow."

The mushroom growled...Before promptly sauntering off, likely looking for somewhere new to station itself.

"Yeah, that's right, walk away!" Luxray called out, laughing to herself with a smile. She turned to the collapsed skunk. "You all good?"

"Depends...Is tasting your spine normal?" He grumbled, pushing himself to his feet...And yet oddly, despite the attack, he felt...Better than he did before. Almost like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

...Wait.

"...No. No!" Skuntank screamed in a panic. "Where the Hell is my pack?!"

"What?" Luxray gave him a look, before noticing...Skuntank no longer had his team's pack on him. "...It must have fallen off during the attack."

"God dammit, where the Hell is it!" Skuntank groaned, now running around frantically searching for it. "Maybe if I have it back on fast enough, my team won't get screwed!"

As he searched, Luxray merely rolled her eyes, a soft smile forming at the fact that, inevitably, her team had won this challenge.

Still though...

With a sigh, she blinked, and in an instant her eyes began to glow. She scanned the area, the mushrooms and flora completely see-through. And easily spotted the object.

With a smirk, she sauntered open to the pack, pushing away a bush...Only to frown in shock at what she saw.

The backpack...It had been ripped open, revealing its contents; rocks. Lots of them. She perked a brow, reaching forward and trying to lift it- only to jump back in surprise. "What the...That's...That's super heavy."

"What is?" Skuntank asked, walking up- and seeing the backpack on the ground. Groaning, he facepalmed, "Great. That's just perfect." He sighed, his head tilting toward the ground. "It's ruined...I...I lost..."

"But...No...This doesn't make sense." Luxray muttered to herself...Before shifting her shoulder, pulling her own pack off.

Skuntank stared her down in shock. "The Hell are you doing?! You'll just forfeit too!"

But Luxray didn't listen; she threw the pack down and opened it up...

Revealing nothing inside. Absolutely nothing.

Both her and the skunk stared at the lack of contents, the latter's face turning red in anger. "That's...That's it?! I was carying twenty pounds on my back and you had nothing!" With a scream of rage, he stomped away, growling, "The Hell is up with that?! This is totally unfair!"

"I...Yeah...It is...But..." Luxray whispered to herself, "Why would they..."

Her eyes went wide...

"Wait! No! This is wrong, I have immunity, you even said so!" Gloom screamed at the host.

"Yeah…I did. And you did." Bidoof started…Before he pulled up a small, purple phone. "Until I was shown this." Turning it on, it showed footage…Of Gloom exiting the staff trailer.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk…Cheating, Gloom? Really? And you thought nobody would catch you?" Bidoof asked. "I'm truly appalled. You've utterly ruined the fair game I've crafted. Shame on you…"

"I…I…How…Where did you get that?" Gloom asked.

"Oh, well turns out another contestant went and broke the rules themselves by stealing their phone…But considering they just ended your whole conspiracy, well…I let them off with a warning, and a penalty in the next challenge."

Skuntank shrugged mockingly, "Well, looks like that was a win-win for us; you're down a player and we don't ever gotta deal with them messing with us again."

Narrowing her eyes slightly, Luxray's hum returned, as she smiled and walked away faster, "I wouldn't get too confident if I were you, especially with a penalty in mind."

Skuntank came to a stop, raising a brow. "Penalty?"

She blinked, the realization slowly hitting her...As she turned to the now screaming Skuntank.

"Great...Just great!" Skuntank spat. "The second my useless team hears about this, that's it! I'm out! Goodbye Skuntank!" Shaking his head, he grit his teeth and clenched his eyes shut. "This...This is a nightmare...I can't believe I'm-"

He jumped when the pack of rocks was dropped in front of him. He blinked, and looked it over...Then looked up-

To see Luxray staring him down, a conflicted expression on her face. "...We have to talk."

Gabite roared, launching herself forward, slamming her claw straight through the center of one of the nearest crystals, before swinging her arm, a thin wave of draconic energy flying outward from it. "I-It all…Needs…To go…" She whispered to herself.

Every time she swung, she saw herself in the images. Every reflection hurt more than the last. Just seeing his face. His smile. It made her so…So…

"Gabite, stop!" Sneasel screamed, "Y-You need to calm down!"

"S-Stay away!" Gabite screeched, slamming her foot into the ground.

Before Sneasel could react, she felt the ground give out from under her. It was shaking aggressively and erratically, and any attempts to move on it were rocking her brain like a hurricane. She reacted expectedly, instantly turning green. "O-Oh God, please stop, I'm gonna hurl!"

Keeping her distance, Granbull slowly crawled across the side wall, making a bit more headway as Gabite smashed another crystal. "G-Gabite! Please!"

"Stay out of this!" Gabite growled again, rushing forward and knocking down a pair of the crystals. "N-Nobody gets it! Nobody can hear it! His voice!"

"His voice?" Sneasel thought, trying to push herself to her feet, only for the earthquake to knock her over again.

"Over," Gabite growled, shattering another crystal, "and over," another, "and over," another after that, "and over again!" She just kept throwing herself at whatever she could, tears running down her face, gripping onto her head desperately. "His voice! Their voices! I-I can't! Please! Please!"

Granbull just looked on terrified, pushing herself up against the wall in terror, gripping onto herself and pulling close for comfort. But Sneasel…She only grew more determined. She crawled forward, inch by inch…

"I-I'm good, please!" Gabite cried out. "L-Leave me alone! I-I can't breathe…I-I…"

"Gabite."

The sand shark fell to her knees, her head bursting with emotion, the tears only growing heavier. "I-I can't take it anymore…I-I thought you were gone…W-Why only come back to h-hurt me…I-I…"

"Gabite!"

"...I-Is this all I am…A-A v-vessel…F-For your words…" Gabite tried to stop the tears, but she couldn't her claw barely scraping across the next crystal in front of her. She felt so sapped. So empty. "...W-Why am I-I like t-this-"

"Gabite, listen-"

"I-I'm done listening!" Gabite screeched, swinging down her arm once more, smashing the last crystal in the room…

All went quiet…And her arms fell to her side. The sand shark went quiet…

Sneasel, now back to her feet, held out an arm, slowly approaching, whispering, "Gabite…I-I'm right here…It's okay…You're okay-"

Gabite punched the wall with all her strength, a sensation running outward from her claw. The roof shook, and abruptly, a wall of rocks fell from above, landing between the two, separating each other from view.

Sneasel blinked, her voice meek, as she reached out. "...W-What?" She scratched at the rocks. "...Gabite?"

Granbull could only look on, now off the wall, her voice trembling, "S-Sneasel…I think we should go-"

"Gabite…?" Sneasel whispered again, now scratching harder, her eyes narrowing into a glare. "Gabite! Gabite! She's on the other side, we-"

"We can't get to her, Sneasel," Granbull muttered lowly.

"Yeah you can."

The two girls screamed, jumping away…To see Shedinja, floating in the center of the room. "Hi."

"Shedinja!" Sneasel stared the bug down desperately. "How do I get to the other side from here? I need to talk to her!"

Granbull's eyes went wide with worry, "Sneasel, wait-"

The bug pointed to their left. "Probably through the tiny holes. They kinda spiral all circular and stuff. Probably warps to the other side."

Sneasel, without a second thought, ran up to the hole, climbing up and into it, hearing Granbull plead, "Sneasel, you could get hurt!"

But…Sneasel didn't listen, her eyes narrowed, an unexplainable look on her face. "So can her…Especially with how she's feeling."

"I know, but…But you shouldn't do it on your own!" Granbull said, before exclaiming, "We can get to the surface, get some help!"

"...She can't wait that long." Sneasel muttered, and climbed down the hole, readying herself for whatever was ahead.

"Sneasel!"

She ignored the screams, not allowing herself to stop, as she crawled deeper inside, knowing where she needed to go…And why she needed to get there quick.

Snow peppered the ground as Samurott stepped out into the open, utterly shocked by what he had wandered upon. He held out a palm and watched as a snowflake slowly fluttered down from the sky, and landed right onto it.

And yet...It wasn't cold. In fact, despite the fact it was snowing, with miles of the stuff in every direction, and the cloudy skies, and the thick breeze...He felt fine. Warm even.

"Wooohoo, haha!" Absol cheered, jumping forward, rolling around in the snow. "I can't believe it! Snow!" She laughed cheerily as she played around in the stuff, only to cringe as she noticed Samurott staring at her.

"...Heh...It uh...Doesn't snow at Serene," Absol muttered, "and even when I'd really want snow in the winter, that...Usually just meant it'd rain instead. I haven't really gotten a chance to experience it before."

Samurott kept staring a moment, then nodded, turning his attention back toward the sky, ignoring as the dark-type went right back to her enjoyment.

"...Where could we possibly be?" He thought...Then grimaced. "And where is Espeon..."

"I'm always around if you look hard enough, Sammy...Or I suppose, Rassah, is more appropriate here."

Samurott jumped, practically spinning on his feet to search for the voice...But nobody was in sight. Nothing had changed.

"That's...That's impossible. Where'd he-"

"Hey, Samurott, look!" He turned to her...Only to see Absol had made a snowman. She smiled at him. "His name's Nick!"

"...Charming." Samurott sighed. He looked around. "We should get going."

"Aw, why-" She noticed his hardened expression...Then sighed, "yeah, you're probably right."

"The only question is," Samurott started, "which direction do we go-"

Flick.

He threw on a look at the sound, and turned to his left. In the distance, not far from him, was a lamppost, standing proudly beside what looked to be a paved path.

That was definitely not there a moment ago.

"...Hmm," Samurott shook his head, nodding to Absol, "come, we're leaving."

"Coming!" She called back, before turning to her snowman and giving him a quick pat. "Bye Nick." With a giggle, she prepared to follow behind-

Just as a leaf landed in front of her.

She blinked, and turned her attention up. Miles into the sky, hundreds of trees all around them. They looked sturdy, with thick trunks, though not like any species she had ever seen. Their leaves were perhaps their strangest feature; completely white in color.

Including the one that had just landed. She laughed, reaching forward and picking it up. Though, as soon as she grabbed it, she couldn't help but flinch at its texture. It felt...Flat, and resistant, with a strange sort of artificial quality.

She brought it closer, and...Saw something. On the leaf was...Writing. Pictures. It was strange. It was so wordy and strangely formatted, it almost looked like a document had been scrunched down onto its surface. She looked it over...

"Adoption report #22008, year 2011, subject of notice: R. Dmitriev. Interested parties reported general apathy and disassociation during interview; it should be noted this has been a general, repeat issue with mister Dmitriev. Subject has also requested a visit from his mother. Report end."

Absol...Simply stared at the report, unsure as to what she was reading or how to respond to it. And just as she finished, she saw another leaf fall from the sky. And another. And another. One after another over and over. And each one, she simply grazed the beginning.

"Report #10038."

"Report #37062."

"Reported distance and unwillingness to answer what was asked of him."

"Reported disinterest and wariness around interested parties."

"Reported aggressive tendencies."

"Subject has requested a visit from his mother."

"Subject has requested a visit from his mother-"

"Absol!" The dark-type yelped, looking up to see Samurott down the path, who called out again, "We're going."

"S-Sorry, coming!" Absol nodded, tossing the leaf aside and chasing after him.

Though the moment the leaf hit the ground...A long, thin tail popped out from the snow, wrapped itself around it, and pulled it in, disappearing among the mass of white in an instant.

Cranidos breached the surface desperately, gasping for air as he looked around in a panic…Then sighed. "Okay…I'm alive…Thank God for my hard head."

Dubwool promptly resurfaced as well, looking equally as fine as the stone-bodied dinosaur beside her. "You said it, partner."

"I…How…You…" Cranidos muttered, before glaring, "Okay, are you actually a Dubwool because this is getting ridiculous how you just manage to come away from everything scot-free!"

Dubwool shrugged, saying, "Honestly, my pa always just said I was lucky."

"That's not an answer-"

Aggron resurfaced just like that, several of the rocks flying off where he had jumped out of and landing on top of Cranidos. The steel-type breathed out a sigh, then nodded, "Okay…We're all good!"

"...Yeah, sure," Cranidos muffled out through the rocks on top of him.

"Alright…Just gotta find a way outta here now," Aggron whispered to himself, before looking up at what he could only describe as a faint light in the nearby distance. He began to smile, "and we have found just that…"

Emerging from the darkness across the room, various glowing eyes slowly revealed themselves…In the forms of batches of Rolycoly and Carkol. They stared on at the recently unearthed trio in silence, not moving an inch.

The three exchanged looks, Aggron urging, "Okay…Let me handle this. Don't wanna cause any problems-"

"Hey, how ya'll doing?!" Dubwool greeted cheekily, causing both Aggron and Cranidos to turn to her in stunned silence.

As if on cue in response, a final figure emerged from the darkness, one nearly three times the size of anything else in the room…A Coalossal. One who let out a low growl, as the rest of the mon surrounding it let out similar seething, hateful snarls.

Cranidos blinked…Then sighed. "...I feel like I got robbed of something so…So much better than what I'm dealing with now."

Metal rails shrieked as a pair of minecarts sped down the mineshaft, the walls shaking at the foundation as they came by. Gengar's hands were firmly gripping onto the cart for all his life, his body shaking in horror as he planted himself as low to the ground as possible. Druddigon was similarly unnerved in the back...

Scrafty however-

"Yeah-hahahaha!" The lizard hollered, holding his arms out like it was a roller coaster. He elbowed Druddigon, looking up at him with probably the biggest smile the dragon had ever seen. "Ain't this a riot!"

"It's uh...Certainly something!" Druddigon called back, currently using his arm as a shield against the wind.

Scrafty turned away- just in time for a bump to rattle the cart. He was thrown backward, falling right into Druddigon's lap.

The two blushed, Scrafty looking up at the dragon with a smirk. "Oh uh...Sorry about that."

"N-No no, you're fine!" Druddigon sheepishly smiled.

"Uhhhhhhhhh...Guys!"

The two, finally knocked to their senses, turned forward- just in time to see Gengar's cart going up while they were definitely going down. The rails had divided onto two separate tracks.

"That's...Certainly not ideal," Scrafty muttered.

Druddigon's eyes went wide, pointing ahead, "And neither is that!"

Just ahead on the lower track, the rails came to a stop...In the form of a massive pit into pitch darkness. The two's eyes went wide, screaming as they sped toward the fall.

Gengar, somehow, was screaming even louder despite being on the rail above them. "G-Guys! Y-You gotta get out of there!"

"How?!" Scrafty called back, clearly frustrated with the ghost, though his eyes locked firmly onto the track in fear.

Druddigon, however, after a moment of thought, grit his teeth and grabbed hold of the lizard. "Do you trust me?!"

"What?!" Scrafty called back, taken aback.

"I said do you trust me?!" Druddigon reaffirmed, focusing himself for what he was about to try.

"Uh...Uh..." Scrafty had no idea what the Hell this was, but as he looked back ahead, he saw the tracks were running out more and more, "Y-Yes!"

"Then jump!"

And just as the two ran out of track, they lept forward...And promptly fell right into the pit below, screaming out in terror and they plummetted into the darkness.

"Guys!" Gengar screeched...Only to blink. "W-Wait...Where does this track lead-" He turned forward, just in time to ride right into another tunnel, his screaming only growing louder.

And like that, silence fell over the pit...Until...The sound of flapping echoed through the cave.

Just barely flying out of the pit, his wings working up all the strength they could, Druddigon revealed himself from the darkness, Scrafty in his arms as the two flew up toward a nearby rocky platform. They dropped onto it, the dragon heaving out a desperate sigh as he clutched his head in his arms.

Scrafty, however, simply stared on. "That...That was..." Once more, that uncharacteristic grin spread across his face, as he jumped to his feet with a cheer, "Incredible! God, what a rush!"

Druddigon was just trying to breathe at this point. "Yeah...Yeah...Rush..."

Laughing it all off, the fighting-type smiled, "You've got to relax, friend. You did good." With a chuckle, he patted the exhausted dragon on the shoulder, complimenting, "First the water and now this? You're a real lifesaver, y'know?"

This was enough to catch the dragon's attention, looking up, "I...I am."

"Sure are," Scrafty sent Druddigon a wink, oblivious to the sudden blush on the latter's face as he turned away, "now then, let's look for a way out, eh?"

"Uhhhhhh- yeah! Yeah, let's," the dragon nodded, getting to his feet and following after the lizard as they ventured forward. Though after a moment, he wondered aloud, "wait...Where do you think Gengar is?"

The two came to a stop, glanced at each other...Then shrugged. They carry on without him.

Gengar screamed as his cart rode down the rails, clasping his hands together and desperately pleading to whoever would listen, "Arceus, Ho-oh, Rayquaza, Kyurem, freaking Eternatus, I don't care, just, please, if you can hear me...Save me-"

The cart came to a stop. Gengar blinked. He looked over and saw...The railings had come to a natural conclusion at their final destination; namely, another tunnel, leading further into the mines.

"I'm..." He patted his way, a relieved grin spreading across his face. "I'm alive!"

Happily, he jumped out of the cart and ran down the tunnel without a second thought, seemingly having completely forgotten about his group's fall mere moments ago.

Laughter hadn't left those distant caves in sometime, yet if one were to ask Gloom, it'd be as if he hadn't heard any of it. On the outside, a blank frown, glaring at the wall, not a single thought dedicated to his henchmen torturing his former host. The inside...

The inside was an endless echo. Voices bouncing off the inside walls of his head like springs, their words repeating over and over no matter how desperately he tried to shut them out.

But they kept...Popping...In...

"God...The headache's back..."

Grumbling, Gloom leaned forward, a hand rubbing the top of his flower. "I haven't had a good drink in...God, I've forgotten the days, haven't I? How...Low of me."

He grumbled again, only to interrupt himself as he felt a tap on his shoulder. He looked up...And hovering to his right was a vine wrapped around a bottle...Of red wine.

Gloom's eyes went wide, and he looked to see Venusaur, still crouched onto the ground, vines splintered off into various cave walls. Yet even still, the froggish-dinosaur gave him a half-hearted wink.

"...Thank you, Shemp." Gloom nodded, forcing a smile and taking the wine. Without so much as a second thought he was already chugging the thing. Already gulping down half the bottle, he heaved a sigh of relief...Then asked, "So, where was that rodent hiding the stuff?"

Venusaur merely stared. Yet this appeared to give Gloom all the answers he needed, stifling a laugh. "No kidding? I'd say that were unexpected, but it'd be a lie; you couldn't catch me dead sneaking into that dragon's kitchen."

He let loose another quiet laugh, one shared by the silent Venusaur beside him, before resuming staring at the wall. He took another sip from the bottle, his eyes now half-closed...Then they narrowed. He felt it again...

That voice...Bouncing off the walls of his skull. Every time he heard it, he could only hope it left faster this time. It was inevitable it'd return after all...

It echoed. Once. Twice. Three times...Always the same words.

...

"...We need to talk..."

...

He didn't even realize his grip on the bottle was getting tighter...

...

"...We need to talk..."

...

The bottle cracked.

Sneasel had likely been crawling for a good while by now she thinks…Or at least hopes. It felt like every inch traveled was getting longer to overcome.

She pulled herself forward, her claws sinking deep into the rocky crust as she dragged herself across the ground. It was so cramped. Such a tight fit that even with her short, thin body, she felt like she at her absolute limit.

It…It almost hurt…But she needed to pull through. She pulled herself forward again.

Every moment or so, she'd think back…On that moment. The moment she lost control. She had leaned forward, she let her instinct take over, and she regretted it.

"Of course she wasn't thinking that…" She insisted to herself.

"You can't keep getting wrapped up in your fantasies…" Her body strained as she crawled across the ground.

"She…She probably doesn't even…Swing that way, huh…" She held in the tears she wanted to cry out.

"Stupid. You were just being stupid, Sneasel!" Her teeth clenched.

"This…This is just Marley all over again…" Her breathing was getting slow. Heavy.

"When are you going to stop hurting your friends? Wasn't once enough?" She dug her claws in deeper.

"Why…Can't…You…Be…Normal…"

Sneasel came to a stop. She laid there, center of the cramped tunnel, her mind no longer wandering. No longer thinking. Just…Quiet. Numb.

She started crawling once more, her expression dull. Hurt…Regretful.

Walking along the snow-laden path, Samurott stomped ahead, a narrowed glare on his face. Ever since he had begun walking, he hadn't so much as taken a glance off the path.

Absol, meanwhile, looked to be getting distracted by just about everything around her, though not in a way Samurott could properly say he predicted on any level. She looked more lost and confused than anything right now. It certainly wasn't the sort of emotion he had grown used to associating the girl with...

He didn't like the change. But he was even less interested in questioning it. He wasn't good with conversation.

Something he was good with though, was the slow realization that a horrible rumble had grown into his stomach. Basically, he was hungry.

"...Absol," Samurott started, "keep an eye out for food."

"Food?" She asked, seemingly just coming back from her own little world she had been lost in mere moments ago.

"Yes. I never ate breakfast. Starting to feel it." He explained simply.

"Now that you mention it, I didn't really eat either-"

"Good. Incentive for both of us then." Samurott interrupted. "Now keep an eye out-"

"Found something!"

Samurott perked up, turning and see she was pointing at what looked to be a bush. Only...Its leaves were black. Hanging off it were various fruits; they were heart shaped and pink, with white spots on the bottom of them.

"Ah...Pecha berries," Samurott nodded, walking up to it and quickly plucking one off. He looked it over, curious, and...Confused, "strange they're here, however. They don't grow in this terrain."

He glared at it in suspicion...And shrugged. Honestly at this point its about as strange as everything else thus far. At least this was edible. Though, he couldn't help noticing Absol keeping her distant. "There an issue?"

The girl was holding a...Slightly disgusted, disturbed look on her face. She paced back slightly. "It's fine. I just uh...I can't eat those."

He gave her a look, and she sighed, "...Allergies," she nervously tapped her claws, "very...Serious ones. I can't eat a lot of berries honestly."

Samurott gave her a look. "Like?"

"...Really just anything that cures conditions," Absol reluctantly admitted, "my body doesn't like them much. I can choke some down and deal with a mild stomach ache but...Pecha are the exception."

He looked over again...And nodded. "Understood. We can find you something else momentarily." Absol smiled to herself, something to water-type didn't notice as he took a bite-

His eyes went wide, and he quickly spat it out. Absol yelped. "What is it?!"

Growling, Samurott pulled out one of his swords and cleaved the fruit in two- revealing a murky, dark brown inside. One that looked entirely solid, and milky, and smooth...

"...Chocolate." Samurott shook his head, spitting up some remaining residue on his tongue...Then noticing a look from Absol. He blinked. "Allergies."

The two spared one another a glance at this, and Absol found herself unable to suppress a short giggle. Samurott looked off awkwardly, pulling his helmet down slightly to block his eyes. Admittedly...Yeah, chocolate as an allergy was kinda silly, but hey, what could he do?

With a grumble, Samurott turned back toward the path- only to see it was gone. It had disappeared in the snow. And...Instead in its place...

A town. A village of wooden houses and huts, all immaculately designed, and entirely covered in snow.

"...We're being played with like toys," Samurott growled...Though noticed Absol was looking on in shock, but in a different, more horrified way, "...What is it?"

"...It's my home," Absol whispered, catching the water-type by surprise, "that's...That's Serene Village."

Skuntank wasn't a stranger to unfortunate circumstances, his experiences on this show alone were proof enough of that. In the limited time he had been here he had gotten lost and attacked out in the woods, been thrown around like a sack by his own teammates, forced to participate in the world's worst game of capture the flag, gotten shot with more paint than any reasonable mon ever should, and of course, gotten lost in a cave.

And yet, somehow, against all odds...Laying down on this rock, getting interrogated by a short-sighted jock with nothing to lose managed to land on top of the pile of "worst things to ever happen to him".

"Why'd you get the penalty?" Luxray demanded, narrowing her eyes. "Sure, we knew somebody would, but why you?"

"How should I know?" Skuntank shrugged, looking off miserably. "Probably just got unlucky."

"Really? Pretty weird then how Corsola was so...Insistent that only you take it." Luxray continued.

The skunk scoffed. "In case you forgot, it was forced on you to-"

"But she was a whole lot less interested in me, wasn't she?" Luxray countered. "Meanwhile Aggron tried to take it instead only to be denied. She wanted it to be you-"

"Seriously, just let it go," Skuntank interrupted, sitting up from where he had been laying with a glare, before rolling his eyes and stomping off, "it doesn't matter why I got stuck with it. None of this matters! Besides, you should be happy; you guys win, we lost and I'm probably going home for it. That should make you happy; we've been at each other's throats for days! We're not built for each other's company, and this expedition has been enough proof of that."

"That doesn't mean I want you to lose over this."

"Why? It's less competition."

She shook her head, a glare hardening, "It wouldn't be fair-"

Skuntank groaned, "Stop talking about fairness. Nothing about any of this is fair!"

"You...Really need to stop talking..." Luxray growled.

He shook his head, "Oh no, you started this, I can talk if I want to! Why do you care about me losing-"

"Because you were clearly the one that turned in Gloom!"

The cave went silent. Skuntank's eyes had gone wide, and he stared on...Unsure on what to say. Luxray though, merely sighed.

"Why else would they screw you over?" She reasoned. "It's...It's the only thing that makes sense to me...But then I can't help but wonder why-"

"Don't worry about it."

She looked up, the skunk not wanting to look her in the eyes. Instead of his usual glare, he just looked...Awkward. "I mean...He was an asshole. Nobody would miss him. Nothing else to it-"

"But he wasn't on your team..." Luxray stated. "He'd only cause more problems for us. Sure, he messed with Gabite, but you probably don't even talk to her-"

"Don't assume anything about me-"

She snapped back, "But what else am I supposed to do when you're not talking to me!" Luxray's expression fell, especially at how utterly confused her enemy looked. "I just want to know what your deal is!"

"You've been nothing but a prick this whole time, not just to me, but to everybody!" Skuntank flinched at her words. "You've complained about doing even the most basic of challenges!" He flinched again, his head falling low. "You stir the pot whenever you want, not caring how anybody here reacts!" He clenched his eyes shut, not wanting to listen.

"You've been awful to be around! So why...Why..." Luxray rambled...Then simply asked, "Why help us?"

Skuntank was silent, still like a statue. He simply kept his eyes shut and didn't dare open them. He couldn't. He couldn't look her in the eyes honestly. He couldn't say what he wanted to say. He knew that.

Why didn't she?

"...Please..." Skuntank turned away. "Can we just...Walk quietly from here on out? I'm done with this...It's giving me a headache." He grumbled. "Just listen to your music, and I'll leave you alone, and we can get out and pretend none of this ever happened-"

"How'd you know about my music, Skuntank?"

He paled...He...He didn't mean-

"How...Did you know..." She asked against, her expression having softened, as she reached a paw up...And revealed her earbuds, usually hidden beneath her thick brackets of fur...

"...I haven't told anybody, they'd get taken away- Hell, I'd go home probably," Luxray muttered, "I only got these back...Because..."

A second realization hit her...And she looked up, staring the now shaking skunk in the eyes.

"...Because they were left for me...Right outside the cabin...When...When I needed them most..."

The two stared on, locked onto each other, wordless as to what to say to the person they thought they hated.

Machoke had accepted many possibilities when he had taken this job. Out in the middle of the ocean, limited contact with the outside world, with only the company of complete strangers, surrounded on all sides by dozens of different species of exotic, wild, and namely dangerous fauna...He knew it was a dangerous job. Likely one he could come to regret. But he took it anyway, believing it to have potential to be the adventure of a lifetime.

And based on his current predicament...He'd say he wasn't exactly wrong with that assessment, considering his current status of being stranded, only a boat to his name. A boat with no fuel. And no paddles. And a broken radio.

"I just don't understand...Where could the little guy even have gone? And why leave me out here?" Machoke thought to himself, his limbs wrapped as he sat in the center of the boat in a meditative position.

"He wouldn't just leave me out here to rot, right?" He wondered. "No...He couldn't be that cruel..."

"But then again...Think about what he did to that poor girl...It wasn't right!" He grimaced. "And...Where could he have gone? He doesn't know how to get to anything out here...Except..."

"The island...That's the only place any of those contestants would be confident enough to travel toward from this position."

"But why go there? If it were to get help, it'd have arrived by now. Why would he want to return to the island-"

His eyes went wide.

"No...He wouldn't...Right?"

He sat in silence...

Then screamed in horror as he jumped to his feet. "I need to get back there, right now!" Nervously tapping his chin, he looked from side to side, muttering, "B-But how! How I say?! With no gas and no paddles, I...I am stranded! Lost and alone!"

"Is...Is this the end for me..."

"..."

"...No." His stare hardened. "As mother always said, the Mios family never gives in! No surrender I dare say!"

Turning to the edge of the boat, Machoke gripped down as hard as he could. His eyes squeezed tight, his muscles tensed up, and he pulled-

Snapping off the boat, a long thing wooden pole, the railing of the boat, a bit of the interior side hanging off the end. It almost looked like...

A paddle.

Huffing, he sank it into the water, and heaved, pulling hard, and remarkably...

The boat ticked forward.

And that was all the confirmation Machoke needed. And so he began to paddle. Harder and harder he pulled ahead, his speed increasing. The boat began to travel across the sea, slower than it could be but faster than expected, waves beginning to push out from its girthy exterior as it sailed forward...

Straight toward the island.

"Hang on, mi amigos! Help is coming!"

Samurott could do little but stare on silently as he quietly followed Absol through the town streets of Serene Village. His eyes glanced back and forth between the buildings, and their...Horribly shabby shape.

Cracks were running down the walls and upward into the windows. The doors and frames all looked barely held together. Several roofs had holes in them. They looked on the edge of falling apart.

He glanced ahead at the girl in front of him, "...Home sweet home," Absol whispered. He couldn't help but notice she hadn't bothered looking up from the ground...At least until she came to a stop.

"...We're here."

Samurott gave her a look, before turning it up...And seeing she was standing in front of house. It looked very plain and simple, and was in much the same quality as the rest of the buildings around town. He couldn't really tell why they were bothering with this one in particular-

Then the realization hit. He watched Absol step up to the door, sighing to herself...And opening up the door. She turned back and gave him a smile, "Come in..."

Samurott narrowed his gaze, about to follow...Only to notice something. Something hanging loosely in one of the other building's shops.

He stepped up to it, and saw...

"Banned for LIFE: KEEP OUT!"

And below it...A picture of Absol, her expression quiet. He flinched, then noticed it in the next window. And the next. And over and over again.

Every window on that street had the same picture up.

He breathed in...And followed after Absol.

"Skuntank, come back!"

"Nope!" Skuntank decreed, pushing through the foliage with a dull glare. "I'm not dealing with this today."

Following close behind, Luxray growled at him, asking, "What, you can't deal with a conversation?"

"Exactly!"

Groaning in frustration, Luxray narrowed a scowl, "I just want to know what your deal is!"

"And that's none of your business," Skuntank spat, pulling himself up over a hillside, starting up it as the lioness trailed behind.

She scoffed, pulling herself up after him while asking, "Why? Because it's easier to be an asshole than actually admit you care about people?"

"I don't care-"

"Bullshit!"

"I don't!" Skuntank growled from atop the small hill. "You guys are nothing but a constant pain in my neck! You could all throw yourselves off a cliff and I wouldn't even blink!"

"Totally the real opinion of the guy who threw his phone away to take down Gloom."

"Shut up."

"Oh, and stealing my stuff back from the staff to give it back? Clearly only the act of the absolute worst guy!"

"Shut…Up!"

"Hell, I'm not on your team and I know this stuff! Who knows what else you might be up to, especially with how Shedinja is always following you around. Maybe I'm not the only one who knows you aren't presenting yourself truthfully-"

"Oh my God, just shut up," Skuntank screamed back in frustration, Luxray mere meters away, staring the skunk down as he seethed, "You don't know me! You have no idea why I did what I did!"

"Yeah, I've got no clue, but at this point, doesn't really make sense for someone who claims up and down to hate everybody to be doing this sorta thing in secret," Luxray countered, "just freaking tell me what…Your…Problem is-"

"My problem is talking to you!"

And just like that, Luxray had it. Her eyes glowing with energy and electricity coursing through her veins and fur, she pounced forward. Skuntank only had time to gasp before he felt her whole weight crash against him, sending the backward and rolling down the hill. Up and over, rolling down, grasping onto each other-

Before they hit the ground, Luxray having pinned the skunk. Skuntank groaned, looking up with a scowl, his eyes locking onto Luxray's, a fierce staredown ensuing between the two as he laid there, locked in place.

"You know what, maybe you're right! Maybe you are just some selfish prick, so self-absorbed and up his own ass he's willing to toss aside any notion of care for others so he can sit in his own, sad little world!" Luxray practically screeched.

"Maybe all that shit you did for me and my team and who knows who else was just strategy, or because you were in the mood to mess with someone, or whatever else!"

"Maybe you really are just as egotistical, lazy, and miserable as I thought you were when you first arrived on that damn dock!"

"But dammit, I…"

"You…What…" Skuntank growled.

"...I don't believe that."

And like that, Skuntank felt his composure crack, his hardened glare softening into a low frown, his face falling as he inspected Luxray's face. She…She was…

Why was she crying?

"...I don't believe that…Because when I was crying my heart out in that cabin, telling myself I wasn't good enough…You went out of your way to bring me something to remind myself of who I was...How strong I could be…"

"Because after getting terrorized by Gloom for a week, you, who wasn't even on my team, who had nothing to gain from allowing him to screw us over week after week, sacrificed your own tech, knowing the possible consequences, just to make sure nobody else got hurt…"

Luxray clenched her eyes shut, her teeth grinding together as she tried to control this horrible, blending mix of rage and sincerity.

"I don't believe it because…Because that meant something to me! It was kind, and more than that, it was selfless! You didn't tell anybody! You were content to just let everyone here hate you, let me keep giving you shit…Even though you did that for us, for me! You…You didn't care about a reward, or praise, or anything…"

"You just did it…Because it was the right thing to do…" Luxray muttered, "And…And that has to matter-"

Unknowingly, Luxray, in her own emotions, had lightened her weight on the skunk. Seizing his chance, Skuntank sprang out from under her feet. She gasped, ready for him to run-

But he didn't. Instead…She felt his body wrap around her. Her tears seized up, her body going limp…Before relaxing into his grip. Skuntank didn't say a word, content to simply let the action do the talking, his expression sympathetic. And like that…The confrontation was over.

The two simply sat there, wrapped in a hug, beneath the glowing jungle of the cave.

Granbull's eyes hadn't left the hole since Sneasel had left. She couldn't leave, not now; not until she knew for a fact she was safe. And every moment of alone time lends her a moment to think. And…And the thoughts hurt worse than she could ever imagine.

She just kept replaying that scene in her head. Over and over and over again.

"...Hey, Shedinja," Granbull asked aloud.

"Hi." Shedinja waved at the air, their body rotating through the air.

"Have…Have you ever been…Confused on what to do next?" She asked, her expression falling.

"Everyday. Every moment. Like…Always." Shedinja nodded, floating right into a wall. "I just wing it usually."

Granbull huffed, clutching her head in her hands, whispering, "I wish it was that easy for me."

"It could be." Shedinja shrugged. "Just do what makes sense."

"But…But I don't know what could make sense here-"

"Are you thinking about food?"

"What?" Granbull gave the bug a look. "No, I'm not-"

"I just like, well…Sometimes you're hungry, even when you're not. And it makes you think, yeah, I could snack. But you shouldn't snack when you're not ready to." Shedinja thought aloud. Oddly…Granbull stared up in interest.

"Snacking isn't like eating. It's distracting. Kinda funny, ain't it? How we mix it up so easy."

"...Yeah…Yeah it kind of is…" Granbull muttered.

"Yeah, but like, you don't wanna give up snacking. Sure, you could only eat, but snacks are tasty. They make you feel all good inside."

"...Can't imagine myself without them," she chuckled.

"But they can't, like…Replace each other. That's weird. And dumb." Shedinja blinked, then tapped their chin. "I'd combine 'em I think. Super snack dinner food. Nice and tasty."

Granbull giggled, giving the bug a smile. "I think you lost your metaphor there."

"What's a metaphor?"

"Nevermind…" Granbull sighed, turning her attention back toward the hole…And sighing. "...I…I think I know what I need to do."

"I wish I knew what to do," Shedinja whistled, "I feel like a side character waiting on their time in the spotlight." They stared at the roof. "Think I'll get my moment soon?"

"...Sure, Shed. Soon."

"Wow...She really said that, huh?" Scrafty hummed, dragging his hand along the edge of the tunnel as they walked forward.

Scratching the back of his head, Druddigon nervously nodded, "Yeah...What's worse is I don't even think she's my biggest detractor right now; woke up this morning to a pretty nasty glare from Samurott."

"Hmm...Seems your situation is worse than I thought," Scrafty muttered, tapping his chin, a thought slowly coming to mind.

"You don't know the half of it," Druddigon growled out, though he couldn't help but maintain a degree of uncertainty.

"...Question, is there anyone on your team who seems...Available?" The sneak asked.

"Uhhhhh," Druddigon shifted his expression, "what do you mean?"

"Well, has anyone spoken to you since your team cut ties?" Scrafty prodded further.

"I mean...Espeon said 'morning' to me. But I don't know why you're asking-"

"Because that's your in," Scrafty smirked, "you want my advice? Get yourself a crew; people to watch your back."

"How the Hell am I supposed to do that?" Druddigon groaned. "Like I said, I'm not exactly Mr. Popular right now."

"Well, you have one teammate already who doesn't absolutely hate you," Scrafty smiled, "that's a good starting point. And besides, you never know how desperate someone really is until you ask them yourselves."

The dragon threw on a face, but was certainly listening as the lizard finished with, "I know it may feel like a longshot...But you wanted to stay in the game, right? Well...Then seize every opportunity you can, whether they present themselves or not."

Druddigon, now lost in thought, looked off, as Scrafty shrugged, "But hey, that's just my perspective. Do what you need to do."

"...Hey Scrafty," the dragon grumbled, "thanks."

"No problem at all, my friend," Scrafty laughed it off, "and hey, if you manage to make it to merge, I'm merely a cabin away."

The two exchanged a smile, continuing down the tunnel in relative silence, Druddigon completely lost in thought.

"I already promised myself I'd start playing, right? Well…Time to do just that." He narrowed his eyes. He thought back to the elimination. The way he was being talked to. He wanted to change it. He was going to change it. "The second I'm back on the surface…Game on."

"So uh, welcome to my house!" She greeted as he stepped inside.

And Samurott...Well, he sure thought it looked like a house he supposed. Wooden flooring, sort of plain aesthetic with about the furniture you'd expect, including a dining room set and a couch set up in front of...A broken television. It was better than nothing he supposed.

"Um...You can take a seat if you want!" She exclaimed, quickly walking off. "I'm just gonna look for something really quick..."

He watched her run off into the inner parts of the house, a dull look on his face as he looked over the room. Reluctantly he took a seat on the couch...He didn't like it. It was too soft-

It proceeded to snap in half, the upper half bridging upward and flinging itself upward into the roof, impaling it.

"..." Samurott got off the couch. With a grunt he looked over the room again, and took notice of something just above the tv. He walked up, and...

Saw it was a picture. Of Absol, and...Her entire family. All dark-types. And...She was in the center of it all, looking considerably smaller. Beside her were what he assumed were her parents; one an Absol, the other a Mightyena. Both looked proud, and yet...Their expression. To him...

It read as pained. Longing.

"Oh, you uh...Found the family portrait," Samurott flinched, turning to see Absol, having returned from the hall. She was holding the same expression as her parents, "yeah...W-We're a bit big. There's...There was a lot of us."

"...Was?" He grunted.

Her expression fell. "We...We don't tend to last long. For a few reasons..." She grimaced, glaring at her paw, then shaking her head, "but...We try to make up for it."

"...I'm sorry-"

"O-Oh, it's okay!" Absol practically screamed. "Sorry, I'm sorta getting distracted. Just uh, seeing all of this is really...Getting to me, I think."

Samurott narrowed a gaze, "Why'd you need to leave anyway?"

"I was...Y-You're gonna think it's silly," she sqeaked out. When she noticed his hardened gaze was still firmly set on her, she sighed, "...I wanted to see if...Maybe my plushie was here?"

"Your what?" He grunted.

"...Back home, I used to have a plushie of a little Amaura. When I held it, it'd help be fall asleep quicker," Absol explained, a nostalgic smile on her face...Which turned to a frown, "I lost her just a bit before coming out here. I was hoping maybe it'd be here, but...It isn't."

Silence. She sighed, an awkward smile on her face. "If you want to laugh, it's okay-"

"I won't." He interrupted, catching her off-guard. "This...Plush...Was a comfort for you. I wouldn't insult that." He glared at the wall. "We all have our own means of coping."

"...What's yours?"

Samurott ran a hand along his blade, his glare hardening. "We should leave."

Absol flinched. "Did...Did I say something wrong-"

"No," he growled, "but we've been here long enough."

With that, the sea otter stormed up to the door and threw it open-

His eyes went wide...On the other side wasn't the snowstormed city they had entered through. But instead...Instead it was a building. It's floor was made of faded wood. There was a desk and several metal chairs...A waiting area. And...And the window...

Sitting at the window on a small wooden stool, staring out at the snow, was...A child. One with ashy white and blue fur. In their hands was some sort of wooden toy.

Samurott could feel his legs growing weak, his body shaking, as Absol entered through the same door. "...S-Samurott..." The water-type hovered a hand over his head, gripping onto it as he grit his teeth. "Samurott-"

"Not...Now..." He growled.

"Smooth, Romeo."

Samurot''s eyes went wide. Barring his teeth and unsheathing his swords, he swung with all his force toward where he had heard the voice. "Where are you!"

The blade sliced straight through the desk.

"Get a grip, Rassah."

"Stop!" Samurott screamed, dragging his sword across the wall. "Get out of my head!"

"I'm not the one making you do this you know. You must have serious anger issues."

"Stop iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!" He screeched, flinging his weapon forward...In his anger, he hadn't aimed...

He was heading toward the kid, toy in hand. Samurott, water streaming down his face, anger having overtaken him. The blade travels quicker and quicker toward them, and just as he realizes what he's doing-

"This is all you. Every repressed thought. Every memory lost to time. But then again, is anything truly lost?"

"Samurott, no!" Absol screamed, trying to run forward, only to trip on the loose wood. She gasps, falling forward...In Samurott's path.

His eyes went wide, "...No-"

"Are you willing to make that choice...To forget the past...Just to protect the present?"

But just as the blade would have made contact...Everything fell through. The light of the room went black, and just as before...Samurott found himself in a void, null of light, or anything for that matter.

Including Absol.

"...W...W-What..." He whispered, turning back...Then jumping to his feet. "...Absol."

He looked around in a panic, calling into the void. "Absol!" No response...It was all pitch black. He couldn't even hear himself. He just kept screaming, desperate for an answer. And yet none came.

His body went still...And he dropped his weapon, the sword clattering against the ground, before sinking into the darkness itself.

Samurott was alone.

All alone.

"Just like you wanted...Right?"

"...Stop." Samurott growled, closing his eyes and hanging his head. "I...I don't get it...None of this makes sense."

"Well duh. That's the point, genius."

Samurott's eyes opened...And he flinched.

He was now...In a study. A fire was going in a stone chimney, the warmth soothing his body. Miles-high walls held millions of books on all sides, hundreds of which were floating harmoniously in the air, a faint pink aura surrounding them. On the floor was a rug, one that resembled a stuffed version of him. And...At the back of the room, sipping on a cup of tea, a pair of reading glasses on his face...

Was Espeon, who looked up, and flashed a smile at Samurott. "So...How was getting to know yourself, Samurott? Or if you prefer...Rassah."

Cranidos held a deadpan expression, a glare set onto his face as he groaned, "...Well, this turned out about how I expected it to."

There he was…Tied up to the drill in the center of the room, Dubwool to his left, Aggron to his right, and hundreds of coal mons surrounding them on all sides, chanting and cheering their impending fates on with all the vigor in the world.

"Cowards!" Aggron screamed. "The lot of you I swear! Why not put up a real fight, huh?!"

"Yes, cause we can totally take an army," Cranidos deadpanned.

Aggron sent him a scowl. "Would it kill you be a team player right now and stand by me here?"

"I truly can't convey how much I hate you into words."

"If it makes ya'll feel better, pretty sure I tore an ear off the big guy with my teeth!" Dubwool laughed- only to gag, proceeding to hack up what looked to be chunks of coal.

"Dubwool…They don't have ears." Cranidos muttered in shock.

"...Wait, yeah he's right." Aggron nodded, giving her a look. "What'd you bite off then?"

Dubwool hummed…Then shrugged. Also this did was bring alarm to the two men, before all three were silenced by the sounds of pounding drums.

The Coalossal stepped out, a glare on his face as he snorted out a plume of smoke. A pair of Rolycoly rolled up to him, a large metal set of buttons on their back, as the beastial coal let out a low laugh, preparing to press what they could all only assume was the on-switch to their demise.

"Well…Looks like this is it, fellas," Dubwool mused, "ya'll got any regrets?"

"Joining this show," Cranidos grumbled.

"Bit of a low hanging fruit, runt," Aggron snarked back.

"You two are responsible for this, so the only validation I'm getting out of this is I didn't go down alone for it," the dinosaur repeated, his scowl hardening.

"Honestly, only real regret…My first time coulda been better," Dubwool shrugged.

Aggron and Cranidos' eyes went wide. They all sat in silence…Before the former asked, "Okay…Who was brave or stupid enough to-"

"A lady doesn't kiss and tell, pal," she replied back, sending him a wink.

Aggron blinked…Then laid against the rocket, "You know what, I think I'm ready too now, runt." Cranidos merely nodded, the three sitting in silence…

As the Coalossal clicked the button, the drill sparking to life.

"Bada-da-da-da-duh, pop goes the weasel!"

With a holler and a smack, Bidoof was once more shifted into a tornado of pain, the interns laughing as he span around on his hanging rope. The host came to a stop...Then merely groaned.

"Do you guys have any new tricks at this point?" Bidoof muttered. "Seriously, I think I'm getting tortured more from the repetition than anything you're all doing at this point."

Simisage scoffed, shaking off the insult, "Oh please, you're just lucky the boss ain't given us permission to get rough yet."

The host smirked. "Rough in the kinky way or-"

Simisage turned from green to red, stepping back and shaking his hands, "N-No! No not like that! I uh...I don't-"

"Wow, one word turned you into a literal mess," the rodent muttered, rolling his eyes as he shifted his glare toward the other interns, most of whom didn't look much better, "I mean seriously, all you guys have done this whole time is stupid party tricks and jokes with no punchline! This is boring! I was scared at first but now it's just going on, and on, and on, and-"

"Cram it!" Trevenant growled, throwing his fist forward-

Only for it to miss Bidoof's head by an inch...The host still bored. "See, there's my point! At this point I know you guys can't do any real damage. You can laugh at me and make me dizzy all you want, but I'm from the tv industry; my boss is worse than you jokers."

The tree flinched, looking away as Shiinotic patted his trunk.

"Yeah...W-Well...We still got you tied up!" Amoonguss pointed out.

"Yeah, and...We ain't, so...Take that!" Sunflora added, the interns erupting into a cry of bemused snickers...

To which Bidoof just...Stared. At this point this was just sad. "Do...Do you guys actually know what you're doing? For real?" He looked them over. "Like...You guys are...What exactly? Hired cronies?"

"We're a gang, you smart-talking scumbag," Sawsbuck growled.

"Uh huh," Bidoof nodded, unimpressed, "and yet your version of intimidation tactics are more comparable to...Schoolyard bullies."

"S-Shut up, man!" Carnivine stammered, practically begging the rodent to stop talking at this point. "We're trying here! We ain't used to-"

The plant slammed his mouth shut, the other interns casting a glare at him. Shiinotic shook his head. "Smooth, Curly."

Bidoof perked a brow...Then smiled. "Wait...You guys don't know what you're doing, do you?!" He looked them over with a cackle. "I thought you guys were bad at your jobs before, but now that I know this is what you're doing for a living...It's even worse that I could ever imagine!"

"Ha! Jokes on you, this is barely a living!" Simisage pointed out...Then realized what he said. "...Wait...Boys, I just thought of something."

"What's up, Moe?" Carnivine asked.

"The boss told us the plan was to swipe the money...But uh...We can't do that no more," Simisage muttered, tapping his chin, "so...What is the plan now?"

"Uhhhhh...Payback, right?" Trevenant grumbled. "That's what the boss said."

"Yeah, but uh...What's after payback?" Sawsbuck wondered too.

"Wait...If we can't take the money, how're we gonna get paid?!" Shiinotic screamed.

The interns went silent...Then slowly turned toward the still blissfully unaware Gloom, drinking his sorrows away.

"...So...Who wants to ask the boss what's up?" Sunflora muttered...

None of the interns spoke up, huddling together in worry. And all the while, Bidoof's smirk grew.

Corsola let out a sigh as she quietly sipped her tea, her form lounging back in her (boss') recliner seat.

"...You know what, you earned this, Corsola," she commented to herself, her eyes barely open, "I spend so much time each and every day ensuring everything is as it should be without so much as a thank you..."

Sipping her tea again, she muttered, "I deserved a day off-"

The door swung open with a loud crash, the ghost coral screaming as she threw her drink into the air. "AH! INTRUDER- oh."

Standing in the doorway, soaking wet, his muscles glistening brightly from the sunlight, was Machoke, a determined though exhausted glare on his face.

"There you are, Machoke!" Corsola let out a sigh of relief. "I was really starting to get worried-"

"Corsola!" Machoke ran up to her and gripped the coral by her tiny shoulders. "Where is Bidoof? The players? The interns?!"

She could only respond with a bright blush. "You have very strong hands."

"Corsola!"

"I-I don't know where the interns are, I haven't seen them all day!" Corsola whimpered. "And Bidoof had the players go into the mines to find him-"

"What?! Corsola, there's no challenge in the mines!" Machoke screamed in horror.

The coral paled, as she quickly pulled up a piece of paper, "B-But he left a note to send them down there!"

"Corsola...I have set-up every camera across this island. Every. Single. One," Machoke started, his expression falling. "There is not one camera inside that mine. Not one. There was never going to be a challenge down there!"

"I...I don't understand-" Corsola muttered, as Machoke ran out of the room. "Wait! W-Where are you going?!"

"To the mineshaft's entrance!" He called back. "Hold on, my friends, I am coming!"

And just like that, silence returned to the room, Corsola's expression shrunken with terror. Her gaze slowly shifted toward her spilled tea, then the note...

She sighed. "...I'm so fired."

Gabite hadn't moved so much as an inch since…Well, she want to know what that was. A reaction was probably the tamest way to describe it…But that was anything but tame.

So much anger…So much frustration with the world around her. She couldn't stop herself, she needed to let all of that out.

Could she really be blamed for that? Was it her fault she was such a mess? She had always known she was broken. She told herself as much everyday. Yet it didn't stop hurting. Not one day went by without her feeling this need, this compulsion to remind herself that every moment of her life was meaningless, a small part of a larger puzzle that one day would be completed. It with it…She'd be finished.

She accepted that. This was her destiny. No need to change it. No need to challenge it. Everything that had happened on this miserable island only reinforced as much. Fred…

Fred was just another push.

She wrapped herself up in her arms and pulled herself close…Just as someone entered her compact, caved-in space…

Through a hole in the roof.

"Shit!" Sneasel screamed, dropping from above and hitting the ground with a crash. Gabite jumped at the sound, the ice-type getting to her feet with a gasp of breath. "Oh God! I'm alive! Phew…God I was in there forever!"

Then she looked up…And the two locked eyes.

"Oh…" Sneasel muttered…Then held up a hand. "Hey."

Gabite turned away. The ice-type sighed. "Yeah, uh…Sorry for sorta…Dropping in on you like this, I was just worried after…All that stuff in there-"

"L-Leave me alone."

Sneasel flinched at the tone in Gabite's voice. So…Soft…And frail. She sounded like she was just on the edge of completely breaking down.

"...Gabite, I'm not leaving," Sneasel said, standing up.

"...Y-You're…" Gabite whispered, her body shaking, "...You're just pitying me…"

"Gabite, I'm not-"

"Don't lie…Please," she whimpered, "I…I can't take it anymore…All the lies…Constant lies…"

"I'm not lying, I promise," Sneasel spoke softly, inching forward-

Only to stop at Gabite's growls. "...Y-You shouldn't care…You have no reason to…After all, you…" She narrowed a glare, one she kept leveled at the ground. "...You barely know me, right?"

Sneasel let out a harsh breath, glancing off…Before taking a seat beside her. "I don't need to know you to care-"

"B-But why care about me?" Gabite snapped, pulling herself closer.

"...I guess cause…I get it." Gabite glanced up, the weasel hunkered down into her own sort of self-defense, one claw grinding across the stone. "I know what's it like to feel alone…"

"...N-No you don't-"

"Yes, I do." Sneasel stated, her expression hardening. "More than you know…"

Gabite glanced up, a glare still present…Though it softened. "...Then tell me."

Sneasel inwardly flinched. "...L-Look…B-Back home…I was never the best kid. I broke the law more than I should have for kicks. I didn't learn my lessons. I flunked outta school. But…In spite of that, you know…I had things alright. My band liked me. My family loved me."

"...For a bit…"

"But uh…I sorta started…Realizing stuff about myself while I dating the band's singer," she continued, her breath straining, "namely that I…Didn't like it. I tried to, I tried so hard, but I didn't, and I thought it was my fault, but…I realized…It's cause I liked…Girls."

"And…At first I was so happy, right? Happy to know what my deal was. Why I wasn't into it! And he took it well, you know. Things were a bit awkward- are still awkward, but he's there for me, and the band cared to, but…But…"

She gulped, her expression falling. "When I came out to my folks…They…They didn't get it. They…They got so…Mad. They tried to talk me down like I was an animal, tried throwing around all these words. They said I was confused, that I needed to stop acting crazy, but I knew how I felt, and they didn't want to listen!"

Sneasel shook her head, bringing up a hand to rub it, tears swelling up. "And…A-And they kicked me out…T-They couldn't believe what I was "doing to them", they didn't want to listen- I didn't even get to say goodbye to my sis! It was all so…It was so fucking stupid, right?!"

She grit her teeth, her eyes narrowing, "I'm their kid! They're supposed to love me right?! Care about me. Accept me! But they didn't, and they made it seem like it was my fault! That it was my choice, but I don't decide who I like! But they didn't get it!"

"They didn't want to get it, they were just mad, and took it out on me, cause they couldn't accept that I wasn't going to be the daughter they wanted! They'd rather throw me me away, and have eating shit on the streets, taking care of myself on my own, instead of ever give it anymore thought than they had to!"

She breathed in…And sighed. "...I stayed with the band after that. And…You know, things are cool now. They…They calmed down…A bit. They say they get it now, but…But I don't know. I mean, they're trying, I think, but…It's so clear they don't understand why I act the way I do, why I'm interested in girls, why I am who I am, and I just want to show them…"

"...Show them I'm still…Me…You know? Then maybe…Maybe they'd finally realize…"

Sneasel wiped her face, finally noticing what she'd been doing. "...God, I'm so fucking sorry, Gabite. I…I totally made this all about me, didn't I-"

"No…"

She turned. Gabite was staring at her. And…She was crying to. She just nodded. "...Keep going. I-If you want." Sneasel didn't know how to react to this. She just…Watched Gabite shuffle toward her, until they were side by side. As soon as she felt contact, Sneasel couldn't keep it in.

The two sat in silence. Wordless care. Side by side, in the darkness of the cave.

"What'd you do to me?" Samurott growled, staring Espeon down as he took another sip of tea.

"If you're wondering if I did anything to mess with you...Nah, that was all you," the psychic answered, "all I did was open up your mind to seeing what you may have forgotten...Or at least tried to forget."

"You're not answering me-"

"And do I need to?" He asked back, before chuckling, "Here's the reality for you...If I really wanted to, I could snap my fingers, your dream's over, and you wake up. Claim it was my doing and you'd have no proof. Hell I could just wipe everything you just saw clean; replace yours and Absol's memories with literally whatever I wanted and you'd be none the wiser."

"...How...How are you doing this?"

"Simple answer..." Espeon hummed...Before grinning, a false third eye splitting on his head. "I'm psychic." Hundreds of eyes similarly opened across the books all around Samurott, the water-type's body tensing up. "I'm a master of all things mental! If I want to know something, I'm going to learn it!"

"And yet for whatever reason, you've been a particularly hard nut to crack," he mused on, ignoring Samurott's obvious anger, "you yourself seem to have buried every aspect of yourself so deep into your subconscious that to learn anything I had to literally go inside your mind. And in case it isn't obvious, your head is a freaking maze! It makes no sense, especially with Absol's memories getting mixed in with yours."

Upon hearing her name, Samurott snapped out of his anger, if only for a moment. "...Is she-"

"She's fine. Probably gonna wake up any second now," Espeon explained, before adding on, "which is why I gotta make this quick."

"Simply put, as you no doubt saw...We made good progress today," he started up again, "we're at least going somewhere with your memories, so it's clear they're lest lost and more just fractured. I wouldn't doubt if your brain's trying to block them off to avoid potential mental trauma, but if we were to keep working at this, I feel like we could have some real revelations here."

"...What the Hell are you talking about?" Samurott bawked at his explanation.

"Simply put...You fascinate me, Samurott. And while I can't stand you, I'll admit my curiosity is getting the better of me. I want to understand you. To pick your brain a bit. Something you could only benefit from if I were to uncover all your secrets."

Samurott glared. "...And I'm guessing there's a catch?"

"Well, obviously; what good deal doesn't have a catch," Espeon chuckled. "Simply put Samurott...I wanna put everything behind us- let bygones be bygones if you will, and instead...Have us work together."

Samurott scowled. "No-"

"Up-up-up! Keep in mind here, Sammy," Espeon interrupted, "as the smartest and strongest members of our team...We have some great potential, y'know. You whole deal if surviving, right? Well...What better way to crawl to the end then with a little partner in crime."

"I don't trust you-"

"And I don't trust you either," Espeon shrugged, "trust ain't the important thing here. Face it, we're on a team of seven, where all the girls are tight; say they just started picking us off and we didn't all do something about it...Well, we'd be caught red-handed as the fools we are."

"But together...Together we can turn this game on it's head, and watch each other's backs," the psychic whispered, Samurott narrowing a scowl.

"...Can't you just change my mind and make me agree?"

"Wow, you really know nothing about psychics," Espeon rolled his eyes, "I can't alter memories or twist your opinions; that's hypnotism. If I could, life would be so easy...Now, let me ask again," the psychic grinned, "you down to put things behind us...Hm?"

As expected, Samurott kept the same steely glare, one which did little to alter Espeon's smile.

"...How about I give you some time to think it over, hm?" Espeon asked. "But don't think for even a second of trying anything. Do that, and trust me..." Samurott could swear every book in the room was pointed straight at him, the covers inspecting his every detail. "It'll be a grave mistake."

Samurott blinked...

And suddenly, he was back in the cave, laying on the ground. He jumped up-

Only to see Absol and Espeon nearby, the latter messing with his tail, the former waiting anxiously, only to gasp. "Samurott, you're okay!"

She ran up, ready to hug him, but seemed to stop herself just before she could, her eyes locked onto his sword. She took a step back, content to allow her smile to convey what was needed, as Espeon nodded. "Glad to see you up, Sleeping Beauty."

Samurott leveled a glare the psychic's way, as Absol sighed, "A-Apparently we got knocked out when..." She looked away, "When I walked too far ahead...Some rocks fell and hit us."

"Thankfully, I dragged you both all the way here by myself," Espeon smirked, nodding at the two, "you're welcome by the way."

Samurott desperately wanted to let loose everything he wanted to say to the psychic...But held himself back. The Eeveelution's twisted smile was enough to convince him it wasn't worth it. That his threats hadn't been idle...

"Now then...How about we get going, eh?" Espeon chuckled, already walking ahead.

Absol started after him, but just before she did so, she glanced back at Samurott with a soft smile. "...I'm glad you're okay..." And like that, she ran ahead once more. The look on her face, it was so...Conflicted, and confused.

"I wonder if she even realizes all of that was real..." Samurott couldn't help but think, turning his attention toward his hand, and clenched it shut. He growled to himself, and slowly followed after the Eeveelution.

If only for a moment, Samurott couldn't help but sympathize with Druddigon in his head.

A serene breeze blew by the mineshaft's entrance, the wooden beams standing firm despite their age. All was silent...

For a few moments that is, until two voices came through.

"There's the exit!"

"Come on!"

Footsteps charged forward, echoing out the hole, before a pair ran into the daylight...

In the form of Luxray and Skuntank. They looked around in a panic...That swiftly turned to relief, as the latter let out a holler of cheer.

"We did it!" He screamed out, the two erupting into a chorus of laughter as they grabbed hold of each other in glee...

Before realizing they were hugging.

Their eyes went wide, and without a second thought, Luxray pushed the skunk away. The two exchanged a look of shock, before looking away, uncertain how to...Really interact at all after what they just went through.

"So...Uh," Skuntank muttered, "Can…Can you not tell people about the penalty stuff? I…I don't think I'm-"

"Yeah…Got it," Luxray interrupted, nodding to herself and looking off, clearly in deep thought about…Well, he knew what it was about.

Skuntank looked her over. He could still make out the tear stains on her fur. Honestly, while a lot of that moment between them was a bit of a blur, he couldn't lie, seeing someone like Luxray; strong-willed, aggressive, proud…Just start crying. He wasn't even sure why she did. He's seen it before, sure, but that was when she was sick and at the bottom of her team; she had reason to cry. But here…Just talking about…

About him…That was enough. But…That didn't seem right either. He couldn't get his mind off how she phrased it. About how his actions, and why he did them…Why they "mattered" or something. And he didn't get it.

But he didn't really need to. That was her business. Not his.

"...Oh and, for the record," Skuntank started up again, the lioness not bothering to turn to him but certainly listening, "I won't tell anybody about the hug or…The stuff before that." He chuckled. "Everyone will still think you're the same badass bitch by the time this is all done with."

"...Pfft, yeah right, I'm just a big…" She smirked, her pun locked and loaded. "Pussy."

"..." Skuntank gave her the most hardened frown he could.

"...Pfft." Luxray tried her hardest to suppress a laugh.

Both attempts at falsifying their emotions failed. They burst into a fit of laughter, and for just a moment, the two exchanged a glance. And...While unsure why, they couldn't help but smile. A look, not of contempt as they had grown used to giving one another, but instead of understanding…

...At least until Skuntank noticed something. Perking a brow, he asked, "Wait...Is that Machoke?"

The two turned toward the woods, the staff head sprinting toward them.

Luxray rolled her eyes, "He's probably here to chew us out for abandoning the backpacks."

"Yeah, probably," Skuntank nodded, before smirking and calling out to the staff member, "Hey, you all good there, musclebrain? You're looking a little-" However, his quip went unfinished as he saw Machoke pick up speed. The poison-type wondered aloud, "Wait...Is he-"

Before he could finish that sentence, Machoke plowed through the pair, sending them both to the ground with a grunt as he sped right into the mines.

"Apologies, no time to chat, will explain later!"

The two laid on the ground, their bodies beaten from the impact. After a moment, Luxray looked up with a grumble. "He couldn't have just asked us to move out of the way?" Skuntank let out a muffled sound from his faceplanted position in response.

Gloom sipped on the last of his wine, holding it out from his seat as the last drop hit the ground. His frown hardened, shaking his head before tossing it aside, a vine sprouting out from it to catch the bottle just before it shattered across the wall.

"...Thank you, Shemp..." Gloom grumbled, Venusaur merely grunting in response. The weed breathed in, and reclined deeper into his seat with a glare...

"...We need to talk..."

He could feel his mind buckling under the weight of the words, their constant interference breaking him down bit by bit.

"...We need to talk..."

The headache was coming back, stronger than ever.

"Hey uh...Boss," he didn't need to look back to hear Simisage walking up to him, "can we uh...Talk?"

"...We need to talk..."

Gloom's eyes began to bulge, his hands gripping down onto his seat, his teeth cracking from the pressure.

"It's just uh...Me and the boys were wondering what the plan was, y'know?" He continued. "Like...I think we roughed him up enough," he said, pointing back at the now bemused host who sent the two a wave, "can we like...Move on now?"

"...We need to talk..."

"Just do as you were told, and wait for me to give you all permission to move on," Gloom growled, "I'm thinking."

"Like...Thinking of the next part of the plan?" Simisage asked.

"That isn't what I said-"

"So what's the plan then?"

"I just told you to wait!" Gloom could feel the headache getting worse.

"...We...Have a plan...Right?" Simisage muttered. "Or...Or is this it? Cause we can't get the money. That's the whole reason we're out here-"

"...We need to talk..."

"You have no idea why I'm out here!" Gloom snapped, turning to the monkey for the first time in the conversation, causing him to jump back.

"B-But I thought-"

"You thought? I didn't hire you to think!" Gloom screamed, jumping out of his seat and stomping up to the grass-type, the rest of the interns looking on in horror as Simisage threw up his hands in defense.

"C-Come on, boss! I was just curious!" The monkey forced out a laugh. "W-We're chill! We can wait-"

He gagged as a vine wrapped itself around his neck. He could feel his air fading in an instant, his face turning a pale purple. Lifted off the ground, struggling against the grip, choking out his remaining breath, Simisage could only scratch at the vines wrapping themselves around him.

And soon, the rest of the interns felt the same thing, each of them wrapped up in dozens of tightening vines. Choking, screaming all they could for whatever help they could get. But none was coming, they knew that...They knew cause they saw it in his eyes.

Gloom, standing there in front of them, his eyes finally open...And glowing that sickening crimson color, his bulb opening and spewing out a thick wave of tiny spores, all of which landed on the ground right under an apathetic Venusaur, his vines currently holding the rest of his team in place for his boss, feeling strengthened by the little boost he had been handed.

Bidoof merely stared on in horror, only thankful he wasn't being attacked himself.

"Let me make this clear..." Gloom said lowly to his "gang", "I make the decisions...I tell us when we move out. All of you are merely a means to an end, one you're being paid to fulfill for me." He narrowed his glare. "Stop getting ideas. As I said...You are not being paid to think. Do I make myself clear?"

"C-Crystal!" Simisage wheezed out.

"Good," Gloom chuckled, "now then, we- …What's that sound?"

The interns all collectively flinched…Then realized, there was a very low, shredding sound not too far above them. Everyone in the room looked up in confusion, watching as the roof to the cavern slowly began to shake…

Before all of a sudden, a massive metal drill suddenly burst through it, accompanied by the screams of three terrified individuals. And as the drill fell toward the group, the interns, Gloom, and Bidoof screamed out as well, before it collided with the ground, a dust cloud exploding outward and covering the area.

As the dust began to settle, the three attached to the drill groaned, their rope coming undone as they dropped onto the ground. Aggron grumbled out a low, "R-Roll call…Dubwool?"

"I'm alright."

"...Runt-"

"Go fuck yourself," Crandios spat.

"Good…We're good then," Aggron nodded, cracking his back and getting to his feet, before pulling up his teammates, "alright, let's look around, figure out where we are-"

…Then the three looked forward. And before them…The sight of seven interns, sprawled out on the ground and slowly raising. And behind them…Bidoof, tied up in rope hanging off the ceiling.

The three stared. The host stared back…Then called out, "Save me!"

Cranidos blinked, muttering, "You have got to be shitting me. The challenge was real?!"

"Ha!" Aggron exclaimed, flicking the top of the dinosaur's head. "Told 'ya so!"

Simisage groaned, sitting up…Then paling. "...Wait…Y-You guys were all supposed to be paste on the floor!"

Carnivine yelped. "I-I feel like this wasn't in the plan!"

"Oh, you think!"

"Hate to repeat myself over here," Bidoof interjected again, "...Actually, no, I love doing that. Anyway, SAVE ME!"

The interns had all gotten up at that point, ready to face down the three. Aggron, Cranidos, and Dubwool stared on…Unimpressed.

"...So, I got a question for you two," Aggron started, smirking as he cracked his knuckles, "ya'll in favor of a temporary truce to deal with these assholes?"

"Frankly, after today…Wouldn't have it any other way," Cranidos growled and narrowed a glare.

"That's wreck their shit!" Dubwool cheered, hollering with all her worth, before running forward, the boys behind her, straight toward the interns.

Who all went pale as they realized what was coming at them. "...Oh crap," Simisage whispered, just as Aggron's fist was about to make contact with his face.

"I...I see light!" Gengar screamed, relieved as can be as he ran toward it as fast as he possibly could through the tunnels.

"Finally, this nightmare will be over-" He thought to himself...Only to skid to a halt as he saw it.

He could only very faintly see it...But...It was red. A red glow ahead of him. Running...Running straight toward him!

"No...No why are you here!" Gengar whimpered, holding out his arms and saying, "Please, don't hurt me-"

"Out of the way, amigo!"

Gengar blinked as he suddenly (though gently) pushed aside by a passing Machoke, who ran straight past him and deeper into the mind.

The ghost lingered there, slowly shifting to look at his hands...And a sympathetic look reeled over him. "I...I think I might have a problem."

"Are you sure you two are okay?!" Granbull asked, watching as a pair stepped out toward her, the remains of a fallen rock wall laying scattered across the ground around them. The two looked…Not exactly there yet, but at the very least at ease.

"Don't worry, Gran-Gran, we're good," Sneasel nodded, wiping her face with a low smile, "I think…I think we're ready to head back up."

"...Y-Yeah," Gabite nodded. She…She was smiling. The smile looked crackled, and unsure. But nonetheless…Comforted.

"I-I mean…If you're sure." Granbull muttered. The two started walking ahead, though as Sneasel passed by. "Sneasel, I-"

"I-I know, Gran…" Sneasel sighed. "Can…Can we maybe talk about it later?"

"...Yeah…Of course." Granbull nodded.

The three started off once more…Shedinja floating down behind them, having watched that whole interaction.

"Is this why mom loves soap operas so much?" They wondered to themselves, tapping their chin in wonder…before nodding. "Probably."

Shedinja floated after, humming along to nonexistent theme music, as if ready for the episode to roll credits already.

"W-Wait, not the face-" Carnivine begged-

And was promptly ignored, Dubwool charging forward and ramming her head straight into his face, sending the plant spiraling backward and into a wall. Noticing as much and roaring out in rage, Trevenant ran forward, vines sprouting out from his fist, ready to mangle the sheep-

Only for the punch to be caught mid-throw by Aggron, the steel-type casting him a grin, before counter punching him straight in the jaw, sending a crap spiraling down his center maw.

As interns fell one after the other, Shiinotic tried desperately to run from the scene, "Every man for himself-" only to suddenly get rammed in the side and sent flying into the wall by Cranidos.

"Yeah, go guys!" Bidoof called out. "Mess them up!"

As as the fight went on, glancing out from behind the girth of the metal drill, Gloom stared down the contestants and minions in…Disappointment. "Great…Not only have they lived to continue being a pain in my side, but they've proven my underlings as…Outdated."

He huffed, shaking his head…And turning to Venusaur. "Well, Shemp…Onto Plan B." The frog grunted.

Meanwhile, Dubwool rammed into Sunflora, sending the last of the interns into the handily made pile right in front of their captured host. The trio called out with cheer, Aggron stepping up, and with a single rip of his hand, tore Bidoof out from his tied up prison, laying him in his arms with a smirk. "Consider yourself rescued by the Howling Passimian!"

Bidoof, meanwhile, looked less than pleased, "Cool, thanks, now can we please get the Hell outta here!"

Dubwool scoffed, Cranidos walking up beside her as she asked, "What, no thanks for saving your behind? This challenge was a real pain in the keyster!"

"Challenge?! What challenge?!" Bidoof growled. "I've been trapped down here all day! We never even finished setting up!"

"Wait…" Aggron growled… "Does that mean we-"

"Fell right into my trap? Yes."

The four slowly looked up, only to watch with horror as Venusaur ascended into the air, his vines gripping onto the roof of the cavern, with hundreds of others surging into the rest of the walls. And sitting atop his head…Was Gloom, looking down at the group.

"What the Hell?!" Aggron bawked. "Gloom?!"

"Aren't you supposed to be eliminated and going home!" Cranidos spat.

Gloom waved it off. "Eh…Elimination is overrated. Now then, seeing as how ultimately this whole sequence of events turned out useless for me…Perhaps I can at the very accomplish burying you insignificant, obnoxious insects alive!"

"Hey, how dare you! Shedinja would not be happy 'bout that remark!" Dubwool spat.

"I think you're giving them too much credit." Cranidos rolled his eyes.

Slowly stirring awake, Simisage looked up at his "boss", begging, "W-Wait…We've got a way out…Right?"

"Figure it out yourselves, monkey," Gloom spat, watching as the grass-type's expression fell alongside the rest of the crew. Clearing his throat, Gloom bellowed out, "Now then, it's been a pleasure…Not!"

Venusaur, taking this as a sign, ripped his vertical vines down, dropping a portion of the ceiling, which he swiftly began to climb up. As a result, the cave suddenly began to shake aggressively, the trapped group screaming as they realized what was about to happen.

"Holy crap…We're about to get caved in!" Sunflora gasped.

"...Eh, two times in one day probably isn't so bad," Dubwool said cheekily

"Not now!" Aggron screamed, turning to the panicking interns. "How the Hell did you guys get in here?!"

"W-We took the tunnel Venusaur made for us," Simisage called out, pointing to the right…Only to see it now blocked by rubble, "...Which is useless-"

"Outta the way," Cranidos roared, running up the boulder and slamming his head into it just as it began to glow. Smashing into it at full force, a bright white light surrounded the rock, before suddenly exploding inward-

Revealing, standing on the other side, Machoke…Who was already mid-punch, "Dynamic Punch!"

"No, wait," Cranidos screamed, before suddenly getting smashed straight in the nose, sending the rock-type flying across the ground.

"Oof," Machoke flinched, "sorry, amigo." He looked up, and gasped, "Boss! You're okay!"

"Machoke!" Bidoof similarly greeted, only to feel the cave shake once more alongside the rest of the group.

"You can do all your greetings, later, let's get out of here!" Aggron screamed.

"Everyone, follow me!" Machoke called out, motioning the others down the tunnel, as they all quickly ran out of the room…Just as it caved in.

Just outside the mine, laying in wait, the rest of the cast sat in waiting, all looking considerably roughed up and were absolutely covered in all sorts of ash from their cave exploration. They all stared apathetically at the cave entrance as Gabite, Granbull, and Sneasel pulled themselves from the exit, the latter sighing, "Dude…I've never been so glad to see the sun before."

"So, that everyone?" Druddigon asked.

"Unfortunately not," Scrafty shook his head, explaining, "we're missing a few, eagerly excitable individuals in fact."

"Well, where the Hell could they be-" Luxray started, only to feel a slight rumble below her feet, "woah."

"W-What was that?" Absol asked anxiously.

"Hopefully not you," Espeon deadpanned, ignoring the dark-type hanging her head and saying, "did anyone sense what that could be?"

Gabite, narrowing her eyes, hung her head low to the ground…Then jumped. "T-There's an earthquake! U-Underground!"

A few of the cast looked on in worry at this, Gengar muttering, "A-And…If we could feel that…Than…What about-"

"Amigos! Make way!"

The voice called from inside the mineshaft. The contestants gasped at this, most of them stepping aside- just in time as a literal wave of mon ran out of the cave, screaming their heads off-

As the entrance suddenly caved in, blocking it off. They had only just barely made it out in time.

The contestants, staff, and interns all gasped for breath at their escape, Aggron holding up his head and asking, "Is…Is everyone okay?"

"Ask my broken nose…" Cranidos grumbled, Machoke sending him an apologetic smile.

"Great…We're all alive…" Bidoof muttered…Then glared, "Now, time to deal with the interns-" He flinched upon seeing them long gone. "...Where'd they go!"

The contestants pointed toward the woods, where just barely Bidoof made out the last of the interns running away, disappearing into the brush.

Bidoof's eyes twitched…Then he simply let out a defeated sigh. "Forget it." He pushed against Aggron. "N-Now let me down!"

The steel-type promptly let the beaver down, who started walking off with a grumble. However, Luxray called out, "So…Wait! Who won?!"

"Nobody!" Bidoof spat. "This wasn't a challenge! I was being held freaking hostage!"

Noticeably disappointment flooded across the contestants, Skuntank groaning, "Seriously! I carried that stupid pack and for nothing!"

"We were stranded down there for hours," Granbull whimpered.

Similar complaints got louder and louder for the host, his eyes narrowing, before groaning, "You know what…Fine! Machoke," he held out his hands, "keys please."

The jack of all trades gave him a look…Before shrugging. He dropped the keys into Bidoof's hand…Who promptly tossed them over to Aggron. "Here. You all win. Free all access to the tucke shoppe until I get a replacement key for it. Go nuts."

The host then finally walked away, content to get a good nap. The contestants, however, blinked in surprise, and looked down at the key…Before Aggron suddenly exclaimed, "Party at the Passimian cabin!"

The rest of the cast exchanged glances…And cheered as well, following after the steel-type as he led them forward, back to the cabins. The only person who lingered was Samurott, his eyes slowly turning back toward the mines. He glared, and sighed…

"Hey…Samurott…"

He turned to the voice, seeing Absol staring at him. "...If…If you need to talk about what happened today…Then-"

"I'm…Not a talker, Absol," he grunted lowly. The disaster magnet flinched at this response, then sighed. "...But, uh…" He turned to her, trying to put up as sympathetic of a voice as possible. "...Thank you. I…Apologize if you saw a side of me today that was…Ugly."

Absol flinched, looking off awkwardly, "Admittedly, it was…K-Kind of scary…" Samurott turned away. "...But…But I don't think you'd hurt me…N-No, I know you wouldn't-"

"Absol…Please…Don't speak in extremes," he muttered, "we don't know each other, even now. And I recommend to keep it that way. I'm not worth the time needed."

"B-But-"

"Goodbye, Absol." Samurott stalked off, not following the others back to camp, but instead walking off into the woods.

She held out an extended paw…Then sighed, slowly turning to walk back to camp in spite of her doubts.

Skuntank sighed as he stepped out of the cabin, the thumping music and dancing inside driving him out with a growl. "Yeah, not dealing with that."

He looked out at the campground, largely bored by the sight as he took a seat on the stairs to the cabin. He'd have been content simply waiting there for his exhaustion to subside...Until he heard her voice at least.

"Hey."

Skuntank turned...And saw Luxray, similarly sitting on the steps to her own cabin.

"...Hey."

The two turned away from each other, looking up at the stars above in silence...

"So...Things alright with your team?" She asked.

"Same old, same old. Pretty sure I'm not gonna get another good night's sleep for the rest of the year though if this party's anything to go off of," he admitted, "the place is probably gonna be a freaking mess. Surprised you're not in there, honestly."

"Believe it not, don't really got a thing for drinking and getting relentlessly hit on by egotistical morons," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Huh…No wonder you can't stand Aggron," he mused.

Luxray couldn't help but chuckle, and oddly that was enough to help Skuntank smile a bit too.

But then…Silence. Painful, awkward silence. The two didn't make eye contact, instead just sitting alone on their respective stairs. After today…How was anything supposed to feel like it did before? They saw each other at their most vulnerable today. Even if they get on each other's nerves, that changes things…

And…And if that changes things…

"...Then maybe I can change a bit too," Skuntank thought…Before breathing in.

"...You know how you asked me down in the cave what my…Problem…Was?" Skuntank started, catching the lioness' attention. "I…I was avoiding answering it cause…I don't really know."

"I don't actually hate you guys. I mean, don't get me wrong, you all annoy the Hell outta me," he admitted…Then sighed, "but I don't really think I hate anyone. I don't even know if I can. You're all here for the same reason as me probably; you want the money, or a distraction from home, or…Both. I don't know. A lot of you feel familiar in a way, even though you're all strangers."

"But…Talking is hard for me. I don't really know how to actually tell people what I want to say; it's usually easier to just kinda…Force it out, even in an ugly way, then keep it bottled up." He groaned. "That probably makes no sense, but I don't know how else to say it. I guess what I mean is…"

"It's easier to be nice, I guess…When it feels like nobody's watching."

Silence resumed between the two. Luxray pondered his words for a few minutes, conflict and confusion rearing their ugly heads. In truth…Yeah, she didn't exactly know what he meant, or at least to the extent he wanted her to. But…That didn't mean she didn't appreciate the honesty.

Even if she didn't get it, that didn't change the meaning behind it.

Fiddling with her earbuds…She glanced over. "Hey." He looked up, and she waved it in the air. "Wanna listen to some music?"

Skuntank gave her a look. "What if we get caught?"

"Relax, they turn off the cameras at night around camp," Luxray explained, before pointing over the lodge, "check it out."

He followed her paw, and sure enough, the camera set-up just in front of the lodge, instead of the usual glowing red light, was completely dulled out.

Skuntank perked a brow…Then smiled, turning to the lioness. "Eh, sure…Why not, right?"

She motioned him over and he walked over to the Oranguru cabin, laying down beside her and taking the offered earbud. She pressed play on her MP3, and from there…The two just looked up, staring at the stars above, content smiles on their faces, as they just…Took in the night sky…

"...Huh…You like Twenty One Piloswine too?"

"Duh, man. Who doesn't?"

Inside the party, it was…Going about as expected. Really everybody was more or less just using the whole thing as an excuse to get out all the emotions they'd had to deal with over the course of the day. Druddigon, meanwhile, merely sat in the back, drinking his punch quietly.

"Hey, enjoying yourself?" Druddigon looked up, surprised to see Scrafty smirking at him…Pleasantly surprised.

He chuckled, "Eh…About as fun as I could have right now," he took another sip of his drink.

"Yeah, I hear you there, friend," the lizard laughed, the two clinking their drinks off each other as they watched everybody party, "got plans for tomorrow?"

"Honestly…Probably gonna take your advice. Figure out what I can do about getting some allies."

"There you go, now you're thinking about this right," Scrafty smirked, "frankly, I'll be doing the same. I've been playing patient long enough. Tomorrow…" He clenched his fist. "I'm finishing what I started."

"Ominous," Druddigon muttered.

"Quite," Scrafty nodded…Then shrugged, "but…That's tomorrow. So for today," he got up…And offered a hand, "how about a dance?"

Druddigon blushed at the offer, taking a quick glance at his drink…Then snickering, "You know what…Why not?" He took the fighting-type's hand, and said, "Though, warning, I've got two left feet."

"Don't worry, I'll keep you on track."

As the two stepped out though, little had they been aware, Espeon had been listening in from one of the beds, a smirk rising up, as he thought to himself…

"Allies, huh?"

And like that, a smirk rose over the Eeveelution's face, confidence slowly rising up within him as he thought over his prospects…

Gabite gasped as she splashed some water into her face, shaking it off as she stared herself down in the mirror. She looked…Like herself. She blinked, and nothing changed…

"Just had to be sure…"

She brought up her arm, moving it slightly. She could still remember how he used to feel on it…She'd been so used to having it by her side everyday. It was so strange, that he was just…

Gone.

She heard the door creak, turning to see Sneasel stepping inside. The ice-type offered a wave. "Hey."

"...H-Hello, Sneasel." She nodded.

"...Granbull's sorta…Not jumping at wanting to talk to me right now. Think she just wants to enjoy the party. And Absol's in bed, so…" She smiled. "Do you wanna…Hang out maybe?"

Gabite looked up, confused.

Sneasel sighed. "Look, I know this began as just me comforting you…But I want it to be more than that. I don't want you ever thinking I only talk to you out of pity again, so…Maybe, like…Well," she offered a hand, "how about we restart."

Gabite stared at the hand, then looked at her own.

"...No," she shook her head, the ice-type's heart falling, "because…I-I don't w-want to pretend your kindness…D-Didn't matter…To me," she…smiled, "because…Y-You were there for me, Sneasel…E-Even if it took me a moment to realize t-the why…"

Sneasel returned the girl's smile, scratching behind her head nervously, "Well…I'm, like, glad I could help. Heh." The two girls smiled at each other. "So…Want to maybe, I don't know…Chill by the doc or something?"

"...Y-Yeah…I-I'd like that," Gabite replied, "just uh, g-give me a moment, please."

"Oh sure, no prob!" Sneasel nodded, stepping out, but giving her a smile, "And seriously, if you like…Ever wanna talk, I'm all ears."

Gabite nodded. "S-Same to you…"

Sneasel stepped out, and Gabite turned toward the mirror. She breathed in…

"Fred…Wherever you are…I promise I'll find you…Some day…But until then, I…"

"I need to start living too…"

She smiled to herself, and like that, exited the washrooms, looking forward to the night ahead.

"...A-Abandoned…M-Me…"

Their voice…Course. Rougher than dented steel. His eyes glew red with hatred, his skin sagged off his dark body like bags, slowly stitching itself back together. He pushed a hand up, clenching his jaw shut as it fixed itself up, a black ooze leaking down from his lips…

"W-What a load…Of crap…W-Who do they think t-they are…"

As his skin slowly came together, and his jaw healed, he could feel his first vestiges of true life coming through. A frighteningly sickening hotspot of joy as he pulled himself to his newly acquired feet.

"T-There's no show without m-me…W-Where's the humor…H-Huh?!"

His tongue slid down the back of his throat, coming back up mere moments later anew, fully formed. He let out a cackle.

"No matter…If they didn't like my old role…"

He smiled sickeningly, his gaze turning toward a nearby puddle. Looking into it was enough to make a shiver run down a lesser man's spine.

"Wait till they get a load of my new one…"

EPISODE #5, CONCLUDED. THE FOLLOWING ARE STILL IN THE RUNNING:

The Growling Oranguru- Absol, Druddigon, Espeon, Granbull, Luxray, Samurott, Sneasel.

The Howling Passimian- Aggron, Cranidos, Dubwool, Gabite, Gengar, Scrafty, Shedinja, Skuntank.

ELIMINATED- Staravia (18th), Braixen (17th), Gloom (16th).

CH8 NOTE:

HA! GOTCHA! NO ELIMINATION THIS WEEK! Also, cliffhanger.

Okay but being real…Yeah I always planned the pre-merge to have one non-elimination episode. One where I could develop the cast without needing to worry about kicking one of 'em off at the end. I decided it'd be best to have that now, since…Well, everyone left has something going on. May as well give 'em at least another week. With that said, next time, zero exceptions, somebody's going home, cause there are NO MORE free passes for the rest of the season.

Now that everyone is feeling nice and settled in their own little ways…GUESS IT'S TIME FOR ME TO CRUSH THEIR HOPES AND DREAMS! SEE YA'LL NEXT TIME!

Venusaur: …Hmph…Review…