Content Advisory: while nothing is explained in detail, a method of suicide is brought up in this chapter.

We have made it to the milestone fiftieth chapter! My apology to anyone expecting some sort of big, huge, celebratory chapter. Unfortunately, the story wasn't outlined for that to happen. However, we did pass the 25,000 view mark! I'm sure bots contributed to that, but it's still mind-blowing. In the words of Strong Bad, "That is not a small number... that is a big number!" So, I've got another bonus in the works to celebrate. Look forward to that. In the meantime, enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 50: Ties That Bind Us

Silvally heard wood creaking as he walked toward the sentry station. Upon entering, he discovered that Shane had broken the table. His tails stuck out of its remains. "Hey. Uh, are you okay?" Silvally asked.

One of Shane's tails twitched. Silvally walked forward, pushing wooden fragments aside with his beak. He finally found Shane at the bottom of the rubble. Shane's fur was disheveled and had clusters of splinters sticking out of it. Silvally repeated his earlier question.

"No," Shane whimpered. "I'm not okay." Silvally frowned, but still offered a foreleg to help Shane to his feet. Shane stumbled out onto the floor, trying to shake the splinters from his fur to little avail. "None of this is okay," he said. "Necrozma is right… I'm a miserable failure."

"Shane, you can't beat yourself up over this," Silvally scolded.

"It's not beating myself up if it's true," Shane responded, lashing out at one of the broken planks of wood. He pulled his paw back and glanced at the splinters that had gotten caught on it. "Everything's spiraled out of control. Pokémon are dying left and right at the hands of the guy who used to be my best friend. I'm seeing all these memories from Solgaleo, who's apparently dead. And it… it…" He collapsed onto his belly, shivering.

"What is it? What's the problem? Tell me. I wanna help!" Silvally begged.

"… it feels like my humanity's slipping away."

Silvally's jaw stiffened. "I don't understand."

"I don't either!" Shane cried, smacking his head against his forelegs. "Ever since Mellath Bog… there's been this little voice in the back of my head that keeps telling me that this is all wrong. That I'm not Shane. I was never Shane. That my mind is filled with memories that are mine… but aren't mine. And… and…" He threw his forepaws over his head and started rubbing his temples. "It's getting worse! Because Necrozma… he said all this stuff about me that I know is true… but then that other voice starts screaming in my mind that it isn't! I don't know what to believe anymore!"

Shane looked up at Silvally. "Is this what it's like for you?" he whimpered.

"Well, not anymore," Silvally replied. "You guys helped me with that." He let himself slide down to his belly and shuffled next to Shane. "We can get through this together, though."

"Nuh… no…" Shane whimpered. Silvally could feel him shaking. "We can't do this," he said. "The Prism Virus is too strong. I'm too weak. Even with Z-Power, I can't face down Zero. I can't face down Necrozma… I mean Nicky. I mean… ugh, see? I don't even know what I'm talking about anymore." He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. "It's just like Espeon said. Everything's my fault."

"Shane…"

"Look, I get it. We can't not do something about the Prism Virus. But, like, you guys should come up with a plan that doesn't involve me," Shane insisted. He lay his head on the ground. "I'm just… I'm not going to be of any help here."

"That's not true. You have Z-Power. That can undo the effects of the Prism Virus," Silvally reminded him.

Shane sniffled. "It won't matter if I don't get the opportunity to actually use it. And, let's face it, with how badly I'm getting my butt whupped, that chance isn't going to happen again. Nicky knows my weaknesses… he'll just end up making me more useless than I already am."

Silvally's brow furrowed and he gave Shane a concerned look. "So, everything Necrozma said is really true?"

Shane flinched, squeaking loudly. He tried turning away from Silvally. But Silvally grabbed Shane's shoulder with his talons and turned him so they were face to face. "Shane, you can tell me. I want to help. And I can't do that if you're keeping secrets."

Shane's eyes glossed over. "Please don't make me say it," he said, choking up.

Silvally sighed. "But if you don't say anything, this will keep eating at you and making you feel even worse. I don't want to see you like this."

"It's not your problem," Shane said. "Don't you get it? I want you and Tessa to stay safe, not worry about me. I'm… I'm a nobody. I don't matter." He winced. "Wait… that just sounds like I'm playing the victim, doesn't it? See? Nicky's right…"

"Shane, we're a team," Silvally said. "And you're my friend. I want to see you happy again." He lowered his head to Shane's eye level. "It's just like back when I tried to quit the guild. You wouldn't give up on me. So, I'm not giving up on you."

Shane's muzzle stiffened. "Ugh… you just had to pull that line out, didn't you?" he said, blinking tears out of his eyes.

"What can I say? I have quite the memory now," Silvally mused, gesturing to his looplet.

Shane couldn't help but laugh. "Okay… I'll give you that one," he conceded, his tone bittersweet. "I just… give me a second to gather my thoughts." He slowly rose into a seated position. "If Necrozma's really Nicky… then, yes, he killed himself. And I didn't realize it until it was too late to save him."

"What happened back in the human world?" Silvally asked.

Shane sighed and shook his head. "Nicky and I were really close. He was… pretty much my only friend that I had growing up. I mean… I tried to make friends. I really did. My parents… they even made the people running my school try to help. They set up these social group thingies that they made me go to. But it never worked. I'd say something stupid… or do something that would make people laugh at me. Not Nicky, though. He never seemed bothered by it."

He paused to see if Silvally had any comments. When Silvally remained quiet, he continued, "But I had a problem. See, everyone's interests changed as they got older, while mine… I dunno… just sort of stayed the same. Nicky was the same way, too. We had a lot in common and we kept a lot in common, including loving Pokémon." Shane hung his head. "But… that was a big mistake. I should've stopped paying attention to Pokémon. We both should have."

"Why?" Silvally wondered.

"Well, like I said, people's interests changed as they got older. A lot of people around me thought it wasn't okay to like Pokémon."

Silvally looked confused. "Why should they care what you like?"

"Because that's just what humans are like, okay?" Shane snapped. Silvally recoiled, frowning. "They're judgmental! Nothing you do will ever be good enough for them. They'll do whatever they think is necessary to put you down and make themselves look better." Shane rubbed tears out of his eyes. "I was too stupid to realize that. I thought if I ignored people I didn't like, they wouldn't bother me. I focused my attention on Nicky… or things that I could do by myself. And when I did that, my problems just disappeared."

Shane glanced at Silvally, who was still frowning. "I… sorry, I just. This is hard for me." He took a deep breath. "The older Nicky and I got, the more it seemed like everyone around us made friends with each other. I didn't like that. So, I spent more and more time by myself. And that made me happy. At the same time, though, I still tried to see Nicky when I could. Because I had the most fun playing Pokémon with him."

"The only problem was Nicky got busier," Shane said, ears folding against his face. "I would beg him to come hang out with me. He'd usually say yes, but sometimes it felt like his mind was someplace else. I never said anything to him about that, though. I figured if I did, he'd get upset. And I didn't want to lose my one and only friend."

"Eventually, I noticed other people would come up to me and Nicky… and say hurtful things," Shane whispered, poking at the ground with a forepaw.

"You mean, like the things you used to say to me?" Silvally whispered.

Shane winced. "Worse," he mumbled. Silvally leaned in curiously, but Shane pushed his face away with a forepaw. "I'm not saying anything else," he growled. "I don't want to remember that stuff, got it?" Silvally nodded. "Good. Because it made me upset. But my parents had always told me that if I got upset, then the bullies would win. I just needed to ignore them. Then they'd get bored and stop. So, I tried ignoring them and told Nicky that nothing was wrong. Except, Nicky started to push back against our classmates. He'd get upset when they said mean things." Shane shook his head. "I didn't really think much of it. I was still having fun with Nicky. And I was worried if I said something, we wouldn't be friends anymore."

"But one day, after one of our classmates broke something important to Nicky, he called me out of the blue," Shane said. Silvally started to open his beak, when Shane cut him off. "We humans have something like the Gear-Coms. That's what he used." Silvally shut his mouth, nodding his understanding. "Anyway, he called me up. And… he seemed off. But I was on my way to my job. So, I brushed him off. I told him I didn't have time to deal with him." Shane's eyes snapped shut.

"Wh… what happened after that?" Silvally asked, though he had a pretty good idea of what the answer was.

"I got home from work… and Nicky… he…" Shane's breaths came in sharp shudders. Tears trickled down his cheeks. "My mom told me… Nicky had been rushed to the hospital. He had taken a bunch of pills and gotten hold of his parents' vodka."

A confused look spread across Silvally's face, but he remained silent.

"Nicky… didn't make it," Shane croaked. "Died in the emergency room. And I let it happen." Shane rubbed his head against his shoulders, trying to stop snot from trickling out of his nostrils. "All because I was too afraid of making people upset."

"I… uh…" Silvally looked away. "That does sound pretty rough."

"I'm not looking for sympathy!" Shane growled, catching Silvally by surprise. "Nicky's the one who suffered. I was his friend and I didn't do anything to help him!" He shook his head. "That's why he said all that awful stuff. And that's why you and Tessa shouldn't be wasting your time with me. Because all I know how to do is turn my back on people. I'm not a hero. I was never meant to be one. I'm just a loser… no matter what universe I'm in."

"I don't believe that."

"Because you barely know me!" Shane shouted. This time he shoved Silvally, who stumbled to his feet with a concerned look on his face. "I had nothing going for me as a human. Every youth sport I tried, I sucked at. Every gym class I went to, the teams practically fought each other not to have to pick me. Whenever there was group work in school, I was always the odd man out. I either ended up working with the teacher or by myself. I couldn't even get into college after two attempts. I just… found some random job and spent whatever free time I had locked away in my room. Nicky was the only bright spot and I didn't lift a finger to help him because I was too scared!" Shane collapsed onto the ground, ears folding against his head.

Silvally stepped toward Shane, but he turned away, crying into his forelegs. "When I woke up here… I thought it meant that finally… finally I was going to be something special. That something good was going to happen to me. But it's the exact opposite. This isn't a gift. It's a punishment!" He racked his paws across his cheeks. "A punishment for being a horrible person who tries to milk sympathy out of everyone! I mean… that's what I'm doing right now, isn't it?"

"And Tessa… oh gods… I treated her worse than Nicky," Shane bawled. "The things I did… the things I said. I'm… I'm not friend material. I brought all these problems onto her. I brought Necrozma onto this world. If I had just listened to Nicky… everyone here would be safe. This is my fault."

He looked up at Silvally, his eyes red and puffy. "You should take Tessa and Espeon and leave. Please! Maybe you guys can still live out a peaceful life somewhere. But that won't happen if you stay around me. So, stop trying to help me. Because I deserve whatever Necrozma has planned for me. I deserve to disappear forever."

"I don't believe that!"

Shane tensed up. Silvally wrapped him up in an embrace, nestling his head underneath Shane's. "Stop. Don't say that stuff anymore," Silvally whimpered. "Please… you can't think like that. You can't believe those lies."

"I don't know what to believe anymore," Shane blubbered, his voice cracking. "It's too confusing. And Tessa… and her mom… and Nicky… it's too much to deal with. I can't handle this responsibility. I was an idiot to think I ever could."

Silvally pressed his head against Shane's neck. "I told you… you're not in this alone. Not anymore. As long as I'm standing… I'll be here to help you. You and Riolu."

"And what about the fact that you almost got yourself killed today, huh?" Shane sniffled. "I almost cost Tessa her best friend. If there was no Necrozma, then Tapu Lele wouldn't have attacked and you wouldn't have gotten blown up."

"Shane, you're blowing that out of proportion… no pun intended."

Shane gave Silvally the evil eye. Silvally sighed. "Look. I'm sorry that I scared you. I didn't think things through back in the temple. I just saw you guys in trouble and leaped into action. I couldn't stand the sight of you two in pain." Silvally blinked tears out of his eyes. "I thought about the mask and how much it hurt… and before I knew it I was running at that Dark Matter clone. Nothing else mattered but trying to make your pain stop."

"Is that what you're thinking right now?"

Silvally's jaw stiffened. He pulled out of the embrace to look Shane in the eyes. "Yes," he conceded. "It's because of what you said to me when I broke my mask. I want to use my powers to do good. I… I want to make other Pokémon's pain go away." Silvally's eyes watered. "I know things are far from perfect, here. In fact, everything sucks right now. But I refuse to give up hope. We can make things right… but only if we stick together." He slowly traced a talon along Shane's foreleg. "I mean… that's what's gotten us this far, right?"

Shane's shoulders slumped. "I guess. I just chalked it up to dumb luck," he whispered. He shook his head. "I can't believe you're this willing to act like this when I was such a jerk to you before."

"I left that stuff behind with that awful mask," Silvally said.

He offered up his head. Shane leaned forward, craning his neck against Silvally's in a tight embrace. "Thanks," Shane said. "I really don't think I deserve a friend like you."

"And I really don't think you deserve to keep putting yourself down like that," Silvally whispered. "That's part of what got you into this mess. It's one thing to be nervous… and maybe lack self-confidence. But you beat yourself up so badly that you make it hard for anyone around you to say anything other than 'I'm sorry.' I think... with everything that happened to you as a human... that you've managed to convince yourself that the only way you can get anyone to pay attention to you is by trying to earn their sympathy... instead of their friendship. That's where you've been messing up."

Shane winced. "I've… I've really done a lot of that, haven't I?"

Silvally nodded. "I know I'm being blunt, but it's for your own good. There's a good person inside you Shane. I believe that you're capable of changing for the better... of becoming that person. You can get down on yourself when you're feeling blue. That's fine. And I'm not saying you need to go back to your old, cheerful self. But trying to milk people's sympathy... that's not how you make friends. You make friends with kindness and caring."

"I just don't know how to stop it," Shane said. "This is who I am. And it's gotten steadily worse since Nicky died."

"But you can change. You have changed. Remember Tessa's hatch day party? That was all you. You are capable of doing good when you put your mind to it. That's what you have to focus on," Silvally said. He brushed his beak against Shane's neck. "This kind of change won't happen overnight. So, take it one step at a time."

Shane broke off the embrace. "What does that mean?"

"It means that, with each passing day, you should resolve to be a better person than you were the day before," Silvally replied. "Even if it's just doing one teeny, tiny good deed more than you did yesterday, it still counts. That's how you can change. By making small, gradual improvements in your thinking and behavior."

A tingle slowly spread across Shane's face. "Uh… okay. I think… I see what you're getting at." He took a deep breath, suppressing a shudder. "In which case… we should really start by telling Tessa about her mom. After all, it is the right thing to do."

Silvally nodded. "I can help with that. We just have to go see if she's doing okay with Espeon."

"Wait, Tessa went after Espeon?" Shane jumped to his feet, wincing as his splinter-covered paws contacted the floor. "What were you thinking letting her do that?"

"That she understands what Espeon's going through right now," Silvally replied. Shane opened his mouth to respond, only to close it and nod in understanding. They exchanged one last look and walked down the hallway in silence.

Espeon's crying echoed throughout the housing wing. Tessa walked forward, all the while trying to rehearse what she could say to make Espeon feel better. But she was drawing a total blank. 'I don't know how I'm supposed to do this without coming off as selfish,' she realized, thinking of Shane's previous half-baked attempts at offering comfort. 'Maybe I'm better off just keeping silent?'

She reached the door to Espeon's room and hung outside of it. A few rounds of hiccupping interrupted Espeon's sobs. "I know you're out there!" she shouted. Tessa backed out of the doorway, biting her lower lip. "I don't want to talk to you or your friends, got it? Leave me alone!"

Tessa recalled their most recent encounter in Sunrise Village. She shuddered at the memory of watching Espeon blast the fur off Shane's body. 'If I don't listen to her, she could do the same thing to me,' she thought. She threw her paws up to clasp her shoulders and shuffled back from the door. 'What was I thinking? I can't talk to her alone. Not like this…'

She hung her head in defeat and turned away from Espeon's room. Espeon resumed crying. Her mournful wailing made Tessa's fur prickle and aura feelers scrunch up. 'Come on, Riolu. You said you'd handle this,' she scolded herself. 'Now, go in there and help her. She's counting on you… even if she doesn't realize it right now.'

Taking a deep breath to steel her resolve, Tessa marched into Espeon's room. Espeon lifted her head up and fixed her watery eyes on Tessa. "I told you to leave," she growled. "Get lost!"

"No."

Espeon glared at Tessa. "Leave, or I'll blast you clean across the hallway," she said threateningly.

"Then go ahead," Tessa said, her tone shaky. She spread her arms out wide. "I wouldn't blame you."

Espeon blinked in confusion. She brushed her head against her foreleg. "What is this?" she asked. "What are you up to? I don't like it when Pokémon screw around with me."

"I'm not up to anything. I want to help," Tessa said adamantly. "I get what you're going through." She looked down. "I'll bet it feels like the ground is giving out from under you. And that you're tumbling head-first into a deep, dark abyss…"

"… and there's nothing I can do to save myself," Espeon gasped. She pursed her lips, and then looked away from Tessa. "I see what this is about," she sniffled. "You're here to tell me this is karma, aren't you? That Umbry and I deserve this after all the trouble we caused." She laughed bitterly. Tessa's feelers curled up against her head, bristling her fur to make their displeasure known. "Well, you're right," Espeon admitted. "So, go on… say your fill. Tell me why I'm an awful Pokémon."

"I'm not going to do that," Tessa insisted. She sat down across from Espeon. "Because you're hurting."

"It's not like Umbry and I were brainwashed," Espeon scoffed. "We knew what we were doing. We didn't care."

"It sure seems like something happened to you," Tessa said. "But this isn't about that. I can't change the past… no matter how much I want to. I can only focus on the present." Thoughts of her mother lingered in the back of her head. Tessa forced them away. She scooted forward, but Espeon rolled away from her and faced the wall. "Talk to me, Espeon."

"Why? You barely knew Umbry. He was… he was…" She blinked tears out of her eyes. "… he was everything to me. Family… my closest friend… my sou– err, the Pokémon I could confide anything and everything to! And now he's gone." Tessa managed to crawl over to Espeon's side in time for her to bury her face in Tessa's chest and resume bawling her eyes out. "He's gone. I'm all alone!" she wailed. "We've always been together… since the day we hatched! Even when we were staring Yveltal down… and we knew the end was coming… we were together."

She looked up at Tessa, eyes brimming with tears. "So, why? Why would he just throw himself at Necrozma like that? He knew how important he was to me… and he did it anyway!" She pressed her head against Tessa's chest. Tessa grunted and rubbed the top of her sternum. She wanted to say something, but continued to hold her tongue. Espeon rubbed her face against Tessa's fur. Her crying quieted. "What if… what if I did this to him?" Espeon whispered.

"Huh?"

"What if I drove him away?" Espeon wondered. "Oh, gods… what if there was something wrong between us? And… and he didn't tell me because he didn't want to upset me?" A horrified look spread across Espeon's face. "This is terrible! It's really all my fault. I must've driven him to do this. We've been arguing so much since we joined up with Zero." She shook her head. "I've made a terrible mistake. Umbry! UMBRYYYYY!"

This time Tessa couldn't keep her balance. She fell back to the floor, a sobbing Espeon lying on top of her. "Urk… you're kinda heavy," she wheezed, trying to push Espeon to the side. Tessa quickly realized it was a futile effort and simply lay there, awkwardly patting Espeon's shoulder. "I don't… think it's your fault…"

"But you don't know that. Umbry and I have been here for all of two days," Espeon said.

"He still… cared about you…" Tessa grunted. She lightly shoved Espeon and managed to push her down toward her lap. Tessa sat up, taking in a big gasp of air. After she caught her breath, she continued, "When Silvally brought us back from Glyphic Falls, Umbreon ran all the way back here to check on you, didn't he?"

"Y… yeah…" Espeon admitted.

"And he's stayed with you both nights you've slept here, hasn't he?" Tessa asked. Again, Espeon nodded. "So… I'll bet he did this to make sure that you were safe. Maybe he was thinking of the time you guys encountered Yveltal. It seems to me like he wanted to make sure you made it out alive… no matter what."

"Umbry…" Espeon sniffled. "You didn't have to do this."

Tessa got to her feet. "I know you're in a rough spot right now. A few days ago, I felt exactly like you did. Like there was nothing left for me. Like I didn't even have a reason to wake up." Espeon looked away from her. "But then my friends stepped in and showed me that I was wrong." She poked her digits together. "I know we're not your friends. And that, well, they're gone too. But, I don't think any of us want you to suffer through this alone."

"Team Radiance… we're a right mess. But, in spite of that, we haven't given up. I know I'm not about to turn away from a Pokémon who needs help. And I'm sure my teammates feel the same way," Tessa continued. "I doubt Umbreon would want you to just give up, right?"

Espeon rubbed the snot off her nose and nodded slowly. "I can't join you guys. It's just… it wouldn't work."

Tessa frowned. "I guess I can't force you to do anything. But your situation makes you a lot like the three of us. We're all alone. And we're all just trying to keep pushing forward."

Espeon shook her head. "It would be too awkward," she whispered. "Your teammate, Vulpix. Did he mention he's got a crush on me?"

Tessa's eyes widened. "He… he does?"

"Yeah. Snuck into the showers to try and peek at my hidden parts and everything," Espeon muttered.

"Oh…" Tessa squeaked. "I had no idea." She closed her eyes and stuck out her paw. "Then… I think we should have a chat. The four of us."

"I don't like the sound of that."

"Could you at least give it a try?" Tessa said, a pleading look in her eye. "My teammates really want to help you. I do too."

"… fine," Espeon sighed. She rose to her feet. "Lead the way."

They walked out of the room in unison and headed down the hallway. Shane and Silvally stood in the assembly area. Shane was speaking with Tapu Bulu and Comfey, but the moment Tessa and Espeon entered the room, Comfey brought Tapu Bulu back toward the infirmary. Silvally tugged at Shane's fur and gestured in their direction.

"O-Oh… uh… hi," Shane greeted, shifting uneasily. "Um, are you feeling any better?" Espeon shook her head, and Shane looked away guiltily. "I'm sorry," he whispered, voice cracking.

"I thought it might be a good idea if we all just talked for a bit," Tessa exclaimed. "Shane, maybe you should start? Because Espeon told me something… rather interesting."

Shane's eyes widened and he looked between the two girls. Silvally gave him an encouraging look. "Okay," he sighed. "Where do you want me to start?"

"Do you have a crush on Espeon?" Tessa asked.

"Yes," he admitted, head hung down. "But… it's not what you think!" He relayed the same spiel he had given Silvally about the voices in his dreams. "I know it sounds crazy, but it's true." He looked at Espeon. "The louder the voice in my head that says I'm not human gets, the stronger my feelings for you grow."

"And I told you last night that's no excuse," Espeon said with an indignant flick of her tail.

"I know, I know," Shane said, squirming under Espeon's glare. "And I'm sorry. About everything! You've had such a rough time of things… you don't deserve to stand there and listen to me say stupid stuff like this." He shuffled back toward Silvally. "I just… I want you to know that I talked with Umbreon last night."

Espeon stiffened. 'Did he walk into the showers after I left? Ugh, I wish my psychic powers were working.'

"And he, um, said that he knows things have been rough between you two. But you're still his sister. And that makes you the most important Pokémon in his life," Shane said. Silvally raised an eyebrow at this. "I can't say for certain, but I think he stood up to Necrozma for your sake. Because he didn't want you to have to relive what happened with Yveltal."

Espeon teared up again. Her legs shook. "He didn't have to do that. It's more important to me that he stayed by my side."

"… I know," Shane muttered. "And that's why I want to try and get him back for you."

Espeon's ears pointed up. "What are you talking about? You've seen what Zero and Necrozma do. There's no coming back from that!"

"Just like there's no coming back from getting turned to stone by Dark Matter?" Shane pointed out.

Silvally nodded. "I agree with Shane. I think there's a way. If we can stop Necrozma, then somehow… someway… we can bring back everyone we've lost. It may take a miracle, but we've had no shortage of those around the world." He stepped toward Tessa and Espeon. "However, if we're going to make that happen, we need all the help we can get."

He nodded at Tessa, who placed a paw on Espeon's shoulder. "If the situation were the other way around, don't you think Umbreon would do whatever it would take to get you back?" Tessa asked.

Espeon bobbed her head up and down. "He would." She sighed heavily. "You guys are really gung-ho about this, aren't you? I'm going to be honest, I'm not sure how much help I could really be to you three. I don't have the same resolve that I did back in the days of the Bittercold."

"That's fine," Silvally said, offering up a reassuring smile. "Team Radiance has always managed to have each other's backs… no matter how chaotic the situation."

Espeon laughed bitterly. "Gods, the way you talk, it sounds like the three of you are some stupid, dysfunctional family. That's hardly a good thing to say about an exploration team."

"Well, yeah, we're far from perfect," Silvally said. "But I won't let that stop us. I'm going to keep pressing forward. Because that's all I can do right now. Right, guys?" He looked to his teammates, who both nodded.

"And… um…" Shane stepped forward. "For whatever it's worth, I figured this might be able to help." He stepped to the side and kicked a looplet over to Espeon. She looked down at it, face scrunching up in confusion.

"But… this is your Naturia Looplet."

"Not quite," Shane said, sticking out his left foreleg. "Mine's still stuck to me. I asked Tapu Bulu to give you one of your own."

Espeon's jaw dropped. "I… I don't deserve this. I've already misused power like this working for the Prism Virus."

"Team Radiance is all about second chances," Silvally chirped. "Also, the more Z-Power we have, the better our odds are against Necrozma, right?"

Espeon gingerly rolled the looplet back and forth under her forepaw. "I… I guess so." She shot Shane a suspicious look. "This isn't some sort of stupid love gesture, is it?"

Shane rubbed the beck of his neck, squeaking when Espeon glared at him. "No, wait, it's not like that!" he insisted. "I mean… yes, it's a gesture of love. But it's your love for your brother. Nothing to do with me. I swear!" Shane shuffled backward, giving Silvally a nervous look.

Espeon slid the looplet along her right foreleg. The instant it wrapped around her thigh, a tiny beam of light flickered on her forehead. Her ears stuck up in surprise. "Hey! I can feel my psychic powers, again," she gasped. "They're not quite where they used to be… but I'm actually sensing stuff."

She received smiles from Team Radiance. "Okay," Espeon said. "I'm still a bit iffy on you, human. But… you're right. I can't give up on Umbry. This world has had its fair share of miracles. And I guess it's up to us to make another one."

"That's the spirit!" Silvally cheered. His teammates looked at him and he sheepishly brushed his talons along the ground. "Aha… sorry, I got caught up in the moment, there."

Tessa walked forward and hugged Silvally's foreleg. "It's okay," she said. "I'm just happy you were here to help smooth everything over."

Silvally's tail wagged. "Well, what can I say? I had the perfect partner for the job." He winked at Tessa, whose face grew hot. "Um, but there is one other thing I wanted to bring up… as long as we're all here." He looked to his right. "Or, rather, Shane wants to bring it up."

Shane stepped toward Tessa, a nervous look on his face. "Hey," he said, his voice rather quiet.

"Hey," she whispered, rubbing her shoulder. "Rough day today, huh?"

Shane's ears drooped. "We make sandpaper look comfortable." An awkward silence fell between them. Silvally nudged Shane's flank. He squeaked and cleared his throat. "First, I want to apologize," Shane said. "I, uh, haven't been at my best these past couple of days."

"Because of Espeon?" Tessa asked.

Shane lowered his head, avoiding Espeon's gaze. "Yeah."

"You really like her that much, huh?"

Shane's face grew warm. "Well, if it helps, she kinda stomped my heart into pieces last night," he squeaked. He shut his eyes and shook his head. "The point is, that behavior is hurting the team. So, I'm going to try and stop thinking about her, y'know, in that way. Which is why I need your help."

"Oh?"

"I need you to hold me accountable," Shane said. "Like, if you see me… y'know… staring at her… tell me to stop." He glanced at Espeon. "I guess that goes for you, too."

"So, smack you in the back of the head then?" Tessa proposed with an amused grin.

Shane's tails scrunched up. "Err… if you really have to…" he mumbled. They lapsed into another round of silence. Their gazes met for a moment. Shane bit his lip. "Um, Riolu? Have you, y'know, given any thought… to what I mentioned yesterday?" Tessa gave him a blank look. "Before we fell underground, we were talking about those dreams you had with your mom in them."

Tessa's paws balled up into fists. She had managed to keep herself distracted helping her teammates, but now there was nothing stopping memories of Zero from flashing through her mind. Tessa lingered on that pivotal moment in Aurora Vale, where Zero had her locked in place with her psychic powers. Her pupils dilated in fear and she squeaked in fright.

Shane's ears stuck up, and he took a cautious step backward, wincing. "Riolu." He took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, but we have to talk about your mom. Because… because I'm confident that she's actually human."

Tessa's aura feelers twitched. They scrunched up, brushing her fur and causing her to shiver. "You… you don't know that for a fact."

Shane slouched over, ears drooping down. "It has to be true. Why do you think she calls you Tessa and your brother Gallian, anyway? Did that idea really not occur to you this whole time we've been together?"

Tessa's locket rubbed against her neck. She clasped it in a paw, repeatedly flicking it open and shut. "Mom told me… that it was an old Lucario custom," she squeaked. "No one ever said anything otherwise." She shut her eyes and shook her head. "You can't say that you're right for certain," she insisted. Tessa had no idea why she was saying that. Deep down, she believed Shane. And yet, she had immediately jumped onto the denial train.

Shane took another deep breath. This was it. He had to lay it out in the open now. He figured this was his best chance to tell her what he thought. "Tessa…" he whispered.

"Why are you calling me that?"

"To hammer home my point," Shane said. He looked over at Silvally and shook his head. "I… I'm sorry, Silvally. I just don't think I can do this."

"Yes, you can," Silvally insisted.

"Wait… you think my mom's human, too?" Tessa gasped.

Silvally sighed. "It's not just that. Shane and I… we think your mother's Zero."

A blank expression set in on Tessa's face. Her gaze drifted toward an empty spot in the stone wall. Her jaw hung open uselessly and she stood in front of her friends, practically dead to the world around her. "T… Tessa?" Shane squeaked.

"… so, you realized it, too?"

Espeon's eyes widened. She looked at Shane and Silvally, both of whom seemed dumbstruck at Tessa's response. "Wait, you mean you've known about this the whole time?" Shane gasped.

Tessa's eyes narrowed. Her irises flashed blue. Shane suddenly felt as though he had ice in his veins. "What do you mean 'the whole time?'" Tessa growled. Her irises flashed blue again. This time, wisps of blue fire crackled in her eyes. She looked between Shane and Silvally. "How long were you two thinking about this?"

"Uh… w-well… th-that is…" Shane's voice trailed off. He whirled on Silvally, anger flashing across his vision. "I can't believe I managed to let you talk me into this! I knew we shouldn't have told her anything."

"Excuse me? We agreed we had to tell her. And we decided this was as good a time as any," Silvally said, frowning.

"Answer my question!" Tessa shouted, stomping the ground. This time, the blue flames remained in her eyes. Identical licks of blue energy crackled around her paws, making her aura feelers flap up and down. "How long were you two thinking about this?"

"Since the moment we encountered Zero!" Shane confessed, a pang of guilt stabbing at his chest. "It just… it made too much sense," he said. "Zero knows about all sorts of human ideas. She dresses like a human. And your mom seemed to do a number of things that humans do. Unless there's some other human-turned-Lucario running around this world that none of us know about, it's got to be her."

Tessa's paws were balled up into fists. "Why didn't… you say anything?" she seethed. "You knew how much I'd been worrying about her. You knew how important she was to me. Why did you stay quiet?"

Shane pawed at the ground. "I'm sorry. I was afraid this was how you'd react. And that's why I didn't want to say anything." He looked up toward Tessa, expecting some kind of rebuttal. Instead, she stepped back, grabbing her head with her paws and shaking it wildly. "T… Tessa?" he squeaked, shooting a panicked look at Silvally.

"Give her some space," Silvally said, extending a foreleg to block Shane off. "She needs to process this."

"That's not… really Mom… is it?" Tessa whispered. She shook her head about violently. "But… with the aura training… and after Dad died…" Tessa smacked herself in the head. "No, it's gotta be Necrozma, right?"

Hearing Necrozma's name made Shane's tails stick up in alarm. He jumped over a surprised Silvally's foreleg and ran over to Tessa. "Tessa, listen to me," he said, hopping up on his hind legs and putting his forepaws on Tessa's shoulders. His resolve momentarily faltered under the piercing gaze of her glowing-blue eyes. He took a deep breath.

"Look at me," he whispered, tilting Tessa's tear-soaked face to look him in the eyes. "I don't think she's doing this willingly. It has to be Necrozma. He's controlling her. I don't know how. I'm not entirely sure why, either. Still, you can't let it get to you. I know I've been wrong about a lot of things, but you have to trust me on this one."

Shane shook his head. "No, you have to trust us," he said, looking at Silvally and Espeon. "We'll get her back. We'll free her from Necrozma's control. But the only way we can do that is as a team." He dropped back down to all-fours and stepped back.

The blue glow dimmed in Tessa's eyes. "Tell me why…" she whispered. "Why didn't you tell me this from the start?"

"Because I was scared, that's why!" Shane blurted out. He looked away from Tessa. "Silvally wanted to tell you from the get-go, but I was too worried you'd… well…" His gaze fell to the floor. "I thought if we told you, you'd try to kill yourself."

Shane squared his feet on the floor. "I'm sorry that I ever thought I should keep that a secret from you. That was a mistake. If you want to be mad at anyone, be mad at me. Because it's my fault." He took a deep breath. "And if… if you're really looking to take you anger out somehow, then… then I'm prepared to suffer the consequences." Shane immediately shut his eyes and gritted his teeth.

Silence fell over the quartet.

WHAM!

Shane's right foreleg buckled. He toppled over onto his side, hissing loudly. "I… deserved that," he said through clenched teeth. Shane poked his head up, noticing Tessa's glowing blue fist hanging over him, along with Silvally's and Espeon's astonished expressions.

"That," she said, pulling her paw back, "was for doubting me." A look of confusion spread over Shane's face. "I made you a promise… that I would never go to such a dark place again." She rubbed her shoulder. "Hearing all of that stings. My heart's aching. But, if it's really true…" Her voice trailed off. Tessa took in a shuddering breath. "I can't just run away from this and hide like I used to. Even if I want to. Even if my gut is screaming for me to. There's too much at stake here." The blue glow faded from her eyes and paws. She stepped toward Silvally and rested her head on his shoulder. "Besides, I want to help my friends any way that I can."

Silvally smiled and leaned over to nuzzle Tessa with his beak. Shane's tails curled up and his face grew hot. "R… right…" he said, voice cracking. "That's… that's really good."

"There is one thing I want to know, though," Tessa said. Her expression grew serious. "I get that Necrozma was your human friend. But was he telling the truth?"

Shane gulped. "About what?"

"Did you really help me because you felt guilty about what happened to him?" Tessa asked.

The wind rushed out of Shane, like he had taken a punch to his gut. "Riolu, I… of course not!" He stepped toward her, but misjudged the distance. His snout bumped Tessa's. She stumbled back, throwing a paw up to rub her nose. "S… sorry," he squeaked, face reddening. "I just… you caught me off guard, that's all."

He shut his eyes and shook his head. "Riolu, this has nothing to do with Nicky. I hurt you and wanted to make up for what I'd done. But, more importantly, I just wanted you to be happy. Even for a tiny bit."

Shane rubbed his forepaws together. "It feels like I should just give up on this Prism Virus stuff. But I'm not going to do that. You deserve to get your mom and brother back. And if that means stopping Necrozma, then I guess that's what I've got to do." He looked up at Silvally. "The big guy's right. We can't give up hope yet." A warm smile crept onto his face. "Do I have to break out the team motto?"

"No. I get your point," Tessa whispered. She took another deep breath. "Which is why I need to stop trying and forgetting like my past didn't happen." She smiled back at Shane. "So, if it's alright with you, would you start calling me Tessa?"

Shane's eyes widened. "Are you sure?"

Tessa nodded. "Yes. I clung to being called Riolu because I thought I could make everything bad that's happened go away. But, the more I've tried to pretend like that stuff never happened, the more my past has reared its ugly head. So, no more hiding. It's time to make a stand." She pulled her arm up to look at her looplet. "I'm going to get my Z-Move working. And… and I'm going to tap into my aura and evolve."

Silvally raised his brows at this. "You really think it'll work?"

Tessa shook her head. "No." She leaned her head against Silvally's thigh. "But I have hope. And I have you guys. It's a start, right?"

Shane's tails slowly fanned up and down. "You've got that right." He stepped forward and joined his teammates in an embrace.

Groooooooowl!

Tessa clutched her stomach with a paw and turned away. "Aha ha. I guess it has been awhile since I've eaten anything."

"Thank goodness… someone finally brought it up," Espeon said, walking past them. "I could eat an entire berry bush… branches and all."

In response to that, Shane's stomach growled even louder. Tessa put a paw to her snout, stifling a giggle. Shane rolled his eyes. "Let's just go get some dinner," he said. "It's been a long day… and we could do with a moment to decompress."

His teammates nodded their agreements and the group set off down the eastern hallway.

Time for review replies!

SuperOmegaGuest: yeah, Necrozma's got himself quite the high body count. And it may just keep going up as the story progresses. Unless, y'know, somebody puts a stop to him. As far as your guesses go, you'll have to wait to find out.

Anon Omega: we're not edgy. That's just Gallian. Besides, if Super can kill everyone off, so can I! As far as alternate endings go, that would take a lot of effort on my part. Not sure I could really commit. Maybe for April Fool's Day 2019? As for Kirby, I'm a huge fan, yes.

Veralix: every time you see Necrozma's arms or wings spasm, that's Lunala trying to drive out his corrupting life energy. So, yes, she's fighting him from within.

Another guest: Moongeist Beam hits a target regardless of its ability. So, it can hit through Disguise. Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom works the same way. I think it was even shown off against a Mimikyu, if I remember correctly?

AngryUmbreonFan: sorry, buddy. Want me to smile and turn the other cheek?

Oooooo: I think you tried to put a URL in your review that got removed, so I'm not sure what you're saying. Sorry!

That's all for now. Next time: a new bonus seeks to fill the leadership void on the Horizon Continent.