Thanks again for beta-reading, Namohysip!
Chapter 100: Rest and Recompense
~Aeon Town~
The moment Team Radiance arrived back in Aeon Town, its members' fatigue multiplied tenfold. While the sun was rising on Celestial Island, it was nighttime in the Horizon Continent. Though none of them would've known that from the scattered shouts and conversations rising up from the buildings ahead of them.
Tessa trudged along the dirt road leading into town, still leaning against Silvally for support. The colorful buildings and Pokémon running out into the streets to share loving embraces or joyful greetings should've filled her with glee. Instead, the exhaustion spreading through her system left her empty inside. It was a familiar emptiness. One that dredged up memories of days spent lying around, staring at her bedroom ceiling.
She knew she should've smiled when some townspeople tried to walk up to her and offer congratulatory praise, but she couldn't muster the energy to do so. Tessa forced herself to focus on walking. One foot in front of the other. She gripped Silvally's thigh tight. His breathing was surprisingly labored, but she figured that he must've been tired, too. Tessa stole a quick glance at Espy. She had a similar drained look in her eyes.
After everything she'd gone through to get to this point, Tessa didn't want to celebrate. Only sleep. Tessa didn't have to say anything to her teammates. She knew they felt the same way.
Tessa's ears rang. Lunala and Ephemeris shielded the team from unwanted attention while both Ninetales tried to temper people's startled responses to seeing two gods casually strolling through their town. It occurred to Tessa that they both still had all their powers, which meant the gods weren't truly gone. That thought brought on a headache, so she chose to shelve it.
Slowly, Team Radiance headed for the Observatory. For beds that they hadn't seen in far too long. Silvally noticed people looking at him curiously. He sighed. This was an issue he would've had to tackle eventually… regardless of the status of Mystery Dungeons and guilds. It's what he had talked about with Espy at Circadian Coast, after all. He looked down at her.
"You okay?" she whispered. "Sorry. Throat's sore."
"I'm fine. Guess I wasn't expecting this to be how I'd introduce myself to the people of Aeon Town… let alone the whole world," Silvally said, shaking his head. "At least with Primarina's concert, everyone was brainwashed."
"That's, uh— probably shouldn't phrase that as a good thing, big guy." Espy returned to focusing on the Observatory. There was more she could've— no, should've said. However, her mind was an egg that had been cracked open onto a frying pan. She was amazed she could even speak in complete sentences.
The small hill leading to the Observatory proved too much for Team Radiance. Lunala wound up levitating them up to the entrance. There, they found Dusk, Gallian, and Zoroark waiting for them. Gallian paused in the midst of his pacing. He ran up to Tessa, who didn't initially react when he jumped up on his forelegs to embrace her.
"Oh. Hey, Gallian," Tessa whispered. She tried to lift her arms and reciprocate the gesture, but they were too sore.
"I'm so glad you're okay," Gallian said, hopping down from her shoulders. His gaze fell toward the ground. "And, uh, I'm really sorry to hear about Shane."
"We owe you all a huge debt of gratitude," Dusk said, tail slowly wagging.
"Yeah. Shane even patched me up! I'm good as new!" Zoroark pointed to his newly-restored left ear and eye, the latter of which only had a thin scar as a holdover from his old injuries. "… well, for the most part, anyway. The important thing is I can see out of both eyes again!"
"Oh. That's great," Silvally said. "But, um, much as we'd like to chat, we're really tired and could use some rest. Think you could help us down to our room?" He looked at Ephemeris and Lunala. "We appreciate the escort, but I don't exactly think you two will fit in the Observatory."
Lunala looked at the open doorway. "Mmm. Good point. I suppose I'll stand guard and make sure no one shows up to try and disturb you. It's the least I can do."
Smiling, Silvally nodded. "I think we'd appreciate that. Right, Tessa?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah," Tessa mumbled. It was getting harder and harder for her to keep her eyes open.
Zoroark caught on quickly and stepped to Tessa's side. He plucked her off her feet. Tessa couldn't manage a yelp or a yip. All she did was stare in confusion. "You're exhausted. Let me carry you down," Zoroark said, while Gallian looked on with a mixture of surprise and jealousy.
Tessa wanted to protest, but Zoroark's fur was as soft as the pillow waiting for her in her room. She nodded slowly and sank deeper into his chest. Zoroark carried her through the door. Espy and Silvally followed after him, with Gallian and Dusk bringing up the rear. Lunala waited until the door closed and turned to Ephemeris.
"I'm worried about Tessa. I think the loss of her partner's hitting her quite hard. I hope she's able to get some rest." Lunala tapped her wing-claws together nervously. "I really did look everywhere I could think of… but turned up nothing." She looked up at the mid-morning sky. "Maybe I should try searching through Ultra Space."
"As much as I wish the human was here, too, I think it'd be foolish to race off into Ultra Space without devising some sort of plan," Ephemeris said. He turned to Totem Ninetales. "Perhaps you could take a better look at the Tree of Life?"
"Sure. I do have to follow-up on those restless spirits, after all," Totem Ninetales said, adjusting her shawl and brooch. "But I'd have to get to Rainbow Island or Solstice Summit, first. Esserly is likely waiting for my return. Is there any chance you'd be willing to open a wormhole for me, Lunala?"
Ephemeris looked at Lunala. "Oh! Yes, of course. It should be no problem." Her third eye flared to life. A purple portal opened behind her. She kept it on the smaller side to avoid attracting unwanted attention. "Will you be joining her?" Lunala asked Ninetales.
"Actually, I think I'd rather stay here for the moment. I would like to get back to Lively Town or the Air Continent before it gets too late over there," Ninetales said. "But, well, I imagine it will be much easier for us to see each other in person going forward."
"Certainly at the meeting tomorrow." Totem Ninetales smiled at her counterpart. Ninetales nodded back. "Great. I'll look forward to it, then." She stepped into the wormhole and vanished in a flash of light.
When Lunala dispelled the wormhole, however, she scrunched her face up in thought. "That's odd," she said.
"What's odd?" Ninetales wondered.
"Does Aeon Town have a large contingency of dragons living on its outskirts? Because I'm picking up a bunch of dragon-type auras to the northeast," Lunala said.
Ninetales frowned. "I… don't think that's normal. But are we really in a position to send anyone to investigate?"
"I suppose I can go. It shouldn't take long," Ephemeris said, then took off into the sky, a rainbow trailing behind his tailfeathers.
Tessa felt everyone's gazes on the team as they made their way down the stairs. Bruxish, Trapinch, and Yungoos all stopped what they were doing and headed toward Team Radiance. "Oh, dahlings, welcome back! You were all fantastic out there!" Bruxish said.
"Yeah. You guys are heroes!" Growlithe said, tail wagging. "If you get any sort of ceremonial parades, can I bring my sparklers?"
"Parades?" Silvally blinked. "Um, let's not think on that right now."
Yungoos stepped in front of Zoroark, though he couldn't make eye contact with Tessa due to the way Zoroark carried her. "Hey, uh, I know dis probably won't mean much what with da human gone and everything, but… uh, I want to say dat I'm sorry for being all abrasive toward youse guys." He traced a claw across the floor. "I didn't do much other dan heckle youse, but da human still chose to save me… and everyone else who doubted youse guys, too."
"You could at least stand to call him by his name, you know," Espy said, fixing her tired expression on Yungoos.
"Ah. Err, right…" Yungoos shrank back. "Well, uh, I'm gonna keep on hoping dat Shane is out dere somewhere. Youse gave us all a miracle, so youse deserve a miracle of your own." He looked at Growlithe. "Does dat make any sense? I think it makes sense."
A vine wrapped around Yungoos and pulled him away from Team Radiance. He was about to complain, when Serperior swiveled him around to make eye contact. "Look, this is all cute and mushy and stuff, but I suggest you save it for another time. Do you not see how exhausted they are?" She looked at Team Radiance. "You three go get some rest, okay?"
"Uh, sure," Espy said, glancing toward the western wing. "We were staying in rooms over here, right?"
"That ain't necessary, y'all."
Tessa tried to lift her head up, but her muscles wouldn't respond. Zoroark turned to let her see Braviary and Magearna walking out of what was once Metagross' office. All the weird metallic plates were gone, replaced by smooth, orange walls continuous with the rest of the assembly area. Tessa blinked a few times, but that was the closest she came to mustering any surprise over Braviary's appearance. At the very least, his presence made her more confident that Totem Ninetales was right and Metagross hadn't been revived.
"I reckon this is a formality, but y'all more than deserve to use the veteran's quarters," Braviary said, gesturing toward the stairs with a wing.
"Just make sure to use the baths when you wake up," Togedemaru said, earning several scornful looks. "What? I can't be the only one who thinks they reek. Pee-yew!" She waved a stubby hand in front of your face.
Togedemaru, I think I have some papers I left in my workshop. Could you retrievitate them for me? Magearna said, tone full of disapproval.
"Yeah, yeah. Anything to get away from the stench," Togdemaru said. She curled into a ball and rolled off toward Magearna's workshop.
"Well, that was rude. Remind me to squirt tamato juice on her food when she's not looking," Silvally huffed.
Espy giggled. "Deal."
Before things could get anymore awkward, Comfey, Steenee and Mimikyu emerged from the staircase to the veteran's quarters. Steenee carried rags in her arms, while Mimikyu had towels sitting on his disguise's head. "We finished cleaning out the room!" Mimikyu said, only to see Team Radiance and shrink back. "Ah, I didn't realize you three were back. Sorry for being so loud."
"It's okay. Good to see you again," Silvally said, nodding.
Mimikyu stiffened. "O-Oh, um, good to see you, too!" The towels almost dropped to the floor when he hopped up at down in excitement. "S-Sorry, I came on a bit too strong there, didn't I?"
"You're fine. I think my friends and I want to sleep, though," Silvally said. He yawned loudly. Steenee's face paled and her eyes watered.
"I used a special herbal oil on the cushions in your new room. It should help you three sleep peacefully. You deserve it, after all," Comfey said. "While you're napping, I suppose I'll grab some extra-strength fur shampoo from the Kecleon Mart."
"That'd be great. Thanks," Espy said, before yawning like Silvally did.
"Oh, spirits above." Steenee dropped her rags and ran for the east hallway, covering her face with her hands.
"M… my breath's not that bad, is it?" Espy said, flinching.
"No, but the big guy's poison memories are on," Dusk said, jerking her head in Silvally's direction. He stiffened, then turned to look at his tail.
Silvally groaned. "Yeah, we definitely need sleep." He nodded to the other guild members, then descended the stairs with his teammates in tow. Comfey led them to a darker portion of the hallway. In the process, they passed Volcarona and Araquanid, who offered silent nods. Comfey guided them into a spacious room with a soft, velvet carpet.
"Don't worry about gunking up the place. We can always clean it," Comfey said, gesturing to the orange pillows in the room. Zoroark walked Tessa over to the cushion. She was surprised it actually accommodated her larger Lucario frame, but was more surprised with how soft it was. It brought Altaria wings to mind. Eyelids already heavy, Tessa was out could the second Zoroark finished lowering her onto the cushion. Her teammates fell asleep seconds later, with Espy opting to forgo her own pillow and snuggle up with Silvally. He subconsciously curled up around her, drawing a purr.
Zoroark stepped back and grimaced at his slimy arms. "Guess I'll need to wash up, too," he whispered as he walked out of the room.
"Actually, can you hold off on that for now?"
Gallian was waiting for Zoroark in the middle of the hallway. He raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Uh, sure, it's not a huge deal, I guess. Why? Do you need me for something?"
Gallian nodded. Zoroark frowned in concern and walked up to his mate. Gallian stopped him from heading for the stairs. "It's Tessa," he said. "You saw how she looked. It's one thing to be tired, but Tessa…" His voice trailed off and he frowned. "She looked about as broken as I did before Espeon managed to talk some sense into me back at Cosmic Cavern."
"Ah, yeah. I guess she and Shane were a lot closer than I thought." He rubbed his shoulder. "I mean… I figured the two of them were too insecure about one another to be anything other than friends. Maybe something happened when they went off to fight Zero?"
"You saw how close they stuck to one another when they were fighting Necrozma," Gallian reminded him.
"True." Zoroark crossed his arms. "But what can we do about that? They had Lunala and Ho-Oh with them. If those two couldn't save Shane… I doubt we can magically bring him back."
"Huh. That sounds like something I'd normally say." Gallian smirked and Zoroark rolled his eyes. "Look, the fact of the matter is that I think we need to do something for Tessa." Gallian bit his lip and looked down the hall toward Team Radiance's room. "If Metagross were still around, he'd probably say something about how, logically speaking, Tessa should be happy that the world's been restored. But, like, with what she's been through, logic is bound to be the last thing on her mind."
"Gee, that sounds familiar," Zoroark mused, tilting his head.
"Yeah. I know." Gallian lowered his head guiltily. "But that's why we have to act. To make sure Tessa doesn't get swallowed up by irrational thoughts like I nearly did." He stepped close to Zoroark, brushing the flat of his scythe against Zoroark's waist. "We need to show her that she's got friends and family here to support her."
Zoroark smiled. "All right, you've convinced me. What did you have in mind?"
Gallian reared up on his hind legs and whispered in Zoroark's ear while bracing himself against the wall. He dropped back down to all-fours. "Well?"
"Hmm." Zoroark rested his chin on a paw. Then, after a minute, he plucked a yipping Gallian off the ground and planted a kiss on his nose. "I think… I've never been more in love with you than I am right now." He set the bewildered Absol back on the ground. "If your idea wasn't so time-sensitive, I'd drag you off to an empty room and let you have your way with me."
Gallian's face and horn went bright red. "It's, uh, not that great of an idea." He brushed his forelegs together. "There's a ton of stuff that could go wrong. And I think my disaster sense is making me worry this idea will only upset Tessa even more." He paused. "Still, we ought to try it. For her sake."
"That's exactly why I said what I said." Zoroark had the biggest grin Gallian had seen on him since the night they'd taken one another. "This is the Gallian I've always known was underneath the rough, grumpy exterior. A guy who's willing to put his fears aside for something he believes in."
"It's really not that special," Gallian whispered. The praise flattered him and he didn't want to ruin the moment by saying Zoroark was laying it on too thick. His fur had already prickled and blood was pumping toward… sensitive areas. "So, uh, I guess we should go speak to Lunala, then? And the gold Ho-Oh, too."
"Right. Assuming they're still here," Zoroark said. He led Gallian back up the stairs into the assembly area, where they found Dusk sitting by the northern corridor, ears drooped and tail curled around her waist. Serperior was coiled up next to her, tapping her chin with a vine.
"And you're sure about that?" Serperior said.
Dusk nodded. "I asked Ninetales. She said Midnight's in the spirit realm. And, like, I suppose the gold Ho-Oh is capable of bringing him back, but that's…" She shook her head. "I can't see him agreeing to it."
Gallian and Zoroark looked at each other. "Is… is she talking about—"
Zoroark nodded. "Yeah, it's gotta be our Midnight." He walked up to Dusk. "Hey, Dusk, what's going on? You're looking as blue as Luxeira." Behind him, Gallian rolled his eyes at the comparison.
"Huh? Oh… y-you heard what I was saying." Dusk poked at the floor with a claw. "Yeah. Midnight's, um… he's dead. I think it had something to do with him stealing the Dawn Hourglass and trapping me with the Tapus and one of his two-bit thug friends."
Gallian caught sight of Sneasel freezing mid-step with a box in his arms. He set the box down and looked skeptically at the group, but a glare from Gallian prompted him to pick it up again and head into Metagross' old office. Gallian wondered what the two were actually doing, but chose to return his focus to Dusk.
"I see." Zoroark crossed his arms. "I, uh, can't say I'm all that surprised. The guy was determined to hold onto every grudge he had… and in the end it was those grudges that did him in."
"Was it really, though?" Dusk whispered, earning concerning looks. "I think it all falls back on my shoulders." She tucked her head into her chest. "I got the evolution I wanted… but I got careless. Midnight saved me. The powers that be should've rewarded him by giving him the evolution he wanted. Instead, he got the exact opposite. A body type that upset him. A temper he couldn't keep under control. Instincts that disagreed with him."
Looking a touch guilty, Zoroark turned away at that last one.
"That doesn't excuse the things he did," Gallian said, brow furrowing. "He should've reached out and gotten help, but instead he chose to be upset and stay mad at people for perceived slights."
"I don't know. I think his tirades were his way of asking for help. But we… ignored him," Dusk whispered.
"Ignored him? It was hard to ignore him with how much he got in my face," Gallian said.
"Okay. I ignored him. Or, rather, the best I did was scold him for outbursts when I should've been trying to get to the bottom of what was wrong." Dusk sighed. "You heard all the stuff Team Radiance said about second-chances and people being able to change. Well, why didn't Shane bring Midnight back, too? Doesn't he deserve that chance?" She slumped over. "I should be grateful that we're all here… but a part of me is upset that I'll never get a chance to make up with Midnight."
"Honestly, I'm not sure he deserves a second chance after running off with the Dawn Hourglass," Zoroark said, scratching his ear. "Yeah, we can't say for certain how different things would've been if Shane had gotten the full Hourglass as intended, but he still caused everyone some serious problems. And not the kind of problems a simple apology can fix."
"Besides… what if he did come back, but kept resenting being a Midnight Lycanroc? Even if we were able to convince him to behave better… I'm not sure we could really get him to like his form." Gallian's expression sharpened. "Trust me, I speak from experience. There's enough stuff I resent about being an Absol that I could talk your ear off about it."
He paused, blinking slowly. "Huh." Gallian stepped back.
"What is it?" Zoroark asked.
"Y'know, loathe as I am to admit it, maybe Midnight and I were more alike than either of us realized. We both hated who we were… especially the instincts we had. But that resentment drove us to live up to some of the worst stereotypes about our species," Gallian said, looking at Zoroark. "The big difference was… I had people to support me and stop me from slipping too far." He looked down. "Midnight didn't have that support. We only told him off for acting out."
"See? I've got a point, don't I? This is supposed to be, like, a fresh start for the world… but Midnight won't get the opportunity," Dusk said. She turned toward the main office and found Hakamo-o and Sneasel setting down baskets with metal shards in them. "You two!"
"We didn't do nothing!" Hakamo-o said, raising his arms innocently.
"You became Midnight's lackeys, didn't you?" Dusk said.
"Lackeys? No way! We were partners!" Sneasel growled, though the confidence in his statement faded before he'd even finished saying it. His gaze faltered and he rubbed his shoulder. "And look how I got rewarded for my loyalty."
Dusk's eyes flickered red. "Tell me… what was Midnight like when you were travelling together?"
"He was, uh… real bossy," Hakamo-o said, resting a foot on the box he'd been carrying. "If he wasn't shouting at us, he was going on about how he was going to stick it to Snowy and his dumb friends." He crossed his arms and closed his eyes. "At the time, I didn't like the shouting, but I didn't like Snowy, either. He kept showing us up… and his friends got us tossed in jail."
"Yeah. But Lycanroc dragged us into a heap of trouble because he was so desperate to get back at Snowy," Sneasel mumbled. "If we'd broken away from him… we wouldn't have wound up seeing your pops, getting attacked by the whacko Guildmaster…" His voice trailed off and he looked at Dusk. "We wouldn't have gotten our butts dragged into Lycanroc's dumb revenge scheme."
Dusk winced, remembering the crazed look in Lycanroc's eyes as he stood atop the Ultra Beast he'd summoned. "I suppose so."
Sneasel jerked his head in Hakamo-o's direction. "Sure, he got an evolution out of it. But me? I got kicked around by dragons, blasted by Metagross, dragged through muck, and drained of energy to the point I thought I was gonna shrivel up and die!" He scrunched his face up.
Gallian's brow furrowed. "Well, if you'd stayed in jail, that wouldn't have happened."
"Considering you stole stuff from the Kecleon Mart, you don't have much of a leg to stand on, here," Serperior pointed out, raising a skeptical brow.
"And you tried to blow up my mate," Gallian retorted, his glare returning in all of its scornful glory.
Serperior wilted like a dying flower. "P… point taken."
"I know I could've stayed in jail! I'm not an idiot!" Sneasel blurted out. The other Pokémon around him tensed up. "But my folks… they always told me 'thieves never quit. They take advantage of any opening they can find.' Hakamo-o got us an opening… so we took it! I figured this made up for me finding him wandering around, covered in puke, and taking him in. Because a real thief doesn't prey on sorry-looking sights like that."
Ice swirled around Sneasel's claws. "I'm… I'm not a quitter." Sneasel tucked his head in. "I'm not a quitter," he repeated, quieter this time.
Hakamo-o stared wide-eyed at Sneasel. It occurred to him that Sneasel had never mentioned his parents before. He opened his mouth, ready to press the issue, but Sneasel kept talking.
"I wanted to hate Snowy because… he kept beating me. I was… I was supposed to be a great thief. But I kept losing to an amateur. A total chump! He made me feel like I was letting my folks down." Sneasel had to stop himself from kicking over the box of metal shards. "But then… Snowy and his friends saved me from Lycanroc and Necrozma." He sat down beside the box. "It ain't worth it to hate Team Radiance. I'll just end up turning into Lycanroc."
He looked up at Dusk. "If you really want my opinion… move on. You keep fixating on him… you'll become exactly like him at some point."
Gallian's expression softened. He was not expecting that kind of reaction from Lycanroc's former goon. Maybe being part of Necrozma's giant soul-pool-conglomerate-thingy triggered some sort of change in Sneasel's thinking? Gallian shook his head. He was getting too sidetracked. He had something he needed to attend to, after all. Gallian looked at Zoroark, only to pause when he noticed Magearna in the office doorway.
Err, is there an issue? My Geartronic Voice Decibellerator registered some shouts from this vicinity, she said.
"Yeah. That was my bad," Sneasel said, huffing up an ice cloud.
"Hrmph. Well, I suggest y'all keep quiet until Officer Magnezone comes to take y'all back into custody," Braviary said, popping up beside Magearna.
"You're sending them back to jail?" Zoroark said.
"Of course. They escaped. Reckon that puts 'em at a pretty high outlaw status," Braviary said. "Though… it ain't my call to make. I'm just a concerned citizen, that's all." He stepped out of the doorway. "As y'all can see, we've patched the office back up. Looks just like it used to when Incineroar was around. I reckon I'll offer it up to Team Radiance when they're feeling better."
Gallian raised an eyebrow. There were a lot of thoughts swirling in his head, but he chose to focus on something simple to avoid wading into depressing territory with memories of his dad. "What about you? You were Metagross' assistant."
"If'n this has taught me anything, it's that I ain't a good leader. I reckon I was too complacent. Didn't ask enough questions when I needed to." Braviary shook his head. "That ain't what Aeon Town needs going forward. So, I'll be hanging up my badge. Reckon I'll return down south and get a job as a mail courier. Nice, honest position. I can still bring people smiles without any of them hassles and stresses of making important decisions."
Braviary didn't wait for any responses and shuffled off toward the eastern corridor. Hakamo-o and Sneasel looked at one other, shrugged, and sighed. "So, what, we just have to sit around and wait to get dragged back to jail?" Hakamo-o said, frowning. "Isn't there any sort of alternative?" He looked toward Gallian and Zoroark. "C'mon… we freed those Mist Continent ladies together, didn't we? I know I wasn't that helpful, but that's gotta count for something, doesn't it?"
I'm afraid that's up to Officer Magnezone, Magearna said.
Sneasel got to his feet. "H-Hang on. Hear me out for a sec, then." He looked at Hakamo-o. "Hakamo-o actually had a suggestion and I… think it's a good idea." Hakamo-o tilted his head in confusion, but stayed silent. "What if, instead of sitting around in jail, we gave back to the community to make up for being a hassle?" Sneasel proposed.
"There's a cold place up north — Solstice Summit, I think? — that's supposed to be about helping folks find a sense of direction and stuff." Sneasel gestured at himself and Hakamo-o. "Well, we're a couple of clods with no sense of direction. Why don't we serve out our sentence by working for the Totem of Solstice Summit? Or, if not the Totem, someone else?"
Magearna's eyes whirred in their sockets. I suppose that is a reasonable requestommendation. She tapped a foot on the ground. Though my Geartronic Truth-Tellinator failed to make it out of beta-testing, so I'm not sure if you're being one-hundred percent honest with me.
"Then how about a little test to see if they're committed to their word?" Zoroark proposed, stepping toward Magearna.
Gallian frowned. "Hang on. What are you doing?"
"Trust me on this." Zoroark winked at him. "See, Gallian and I have an important project we have to work on. It needs to be done very quickly. Like, 'work through the night' quickly." He pointed at Hakamo-o and Sneasel. "So, why don't they help us out?"
Gallian's eyes widened. "Are you nuts? We've barely—"
"It's a win-win. We get some helping hands… and these two can prove they're committed to changing," Zoroark said, smirking. "Actions speak louder than words, right?"
"Fair," Gallian said. He eyed the two skeptically. "You two think you're okay to work with us?"
Hakamo-o and Sneasel looked at one another, then nodded. "Of course. Whatever you need. We're here to help," Hakamo-o said, rifling off a salute.
Gallian nodded. "Great, then let's—"
"Um, excuse me?"
"Ugh, now what?" Gallian growled, turning to find Ninetales and Milotic descending the stairs.
"Oh, Millie!" Serperior brightened up. "Any luck with Airy?"
Milotic wore a somber expression. She shook her head. Serperior's enthusiasm drained. "Oh," she whispered. "What did—"
"I went to her hometown. Figured that, if she wasn't here, maybe she'd gotten revived there… but I couldn't find her," Milotic said, eyebrows drooping. "I'm not really sure where else to look. Besides, if she is still out there, I don't really know what I'd even say to her."
Serperior coiled up tight. "Well, look at the bright side…" She glanced at Dusk. "At least we're on the same Sharpedo. We both let a friend down."
Dusk's tail fell between her legs. "Oh. I'm sorry. Wanna talk about it?"
Milotic slithered toward Serperior and they approached Dusk in tandem. "I think that would be helpful," she said. The three headed for the western hallway.
"Can we go now?" Gallian said. Every interruption was costing him precious time and he had no idea how long Tessa would be asleep for.
"Sorry. I need to speak with him." Ninetales pointed at Hakamo-o.
"Me? What'd I do?"
"It's not that. There's, um… a bunch of dragons on the outskirts of Aeon Town, right now. Ephemeris brought two representatives here. They're asking about a 'Totem Kommo-o' and his eldest son," Ninetales said as Hakamo-o went stiff as a board. "Would you know anything about that?"
"Y-Yeah. I'm, uh, Totem Kommo-o's eldest son," Hakamo-o said, brow furrowed. "But I left my tribe. My younger brother can—"
"I hear him! It's the Totem's eldest!"
"Aw, nuts," Hakamo-o whispered, glancing up to see a pink-winged Salamence and an Altaria with striped, blue-and-red wings gliding over the stairs and landing near him.
"Thank goodness we found you," Altaria said, fluttering her wings. "You have to help us. We can't find the Totem?"
Hakamo-o raised an eyebrow. "Well, yeah. Dad probably got revived somewhere else."
Altaria shook her head. "We did a head count. Every dragon who was part of the escort team is together… except the Totem."
"What should we do? We have no idea how to get back to Rem Canyon… and Rem Canyon isn't a Mystery Dungeon anymore!" Salamence said, his tail thumping the ground.
"I can't help you," Hakamo-o said, crossing his arms.
Salamence stiffened. "W… what do you mean you can't help us?"
"I'm an outlaw and I'm under arrest. So, I'm in these guys' custody." Hakamo-o gestured to Gallian and Zoroark.
"Well, can we borrow him for a bit, then?" Altaria asked. Zoroark had to elbow Gallian to stop him from snickering.
"Sorry, guys, but I made it clear I didn't want to be part of the tribe anymore," Hakamo-o said. "If my dad's not around, then you ought to pick someone to supervise until you're able to find him. Like my brother." He tapped his chin. "Or, better yet, why not ask one of the depowered gods for help? You all had such fervent praises for Rayquaza. Now that he doesn't have anything to protect, I'm sure he'd happily take my dad's place."
"Y… you want us to summon Lord Rayquaza?" Salamence gasped.
"Well, he's not exactly a 'lord' anymore, is he?" Hakamo-o said, smirking. "I heard Lunala was outside the guild. Ask her nicely… and maybe she can help you out."
Altaria and Salamence exchanged unconvinced looks. Both sighed and turned to Ninetales. "I guess it can't be helped, then," Salamence said. "Could you take us up to Lunala?"
"Uh, sure." Ninetales looked skeptically at Hakamo-o before escorting the dragons away.
"Okay. Now it's time to go," Gallian said, rounding up Hakamo-o and Sneasel.
"Hey, you sure you're okay with sending them off like that?" Sneasel asked.
Hakamo-o nodded. "Absolutely."
Assuming Hakamo-o had used cheesy wordplay, Gallian groaned. Hakamo-o realized this a second later and chuckled, which drew laughter from Sneasel and Zoroark. Gallian glared at the ground. "Let's just get a move on, already."
Silvally's head was swimming. He wasn't really sure he could call his experience after he fell asleep a dream. It was more like he'd collapsed into some body of water and the currents were dragging him down into the depths. The longer he slept, the greater the pressure on his head… and the more whispers he swore he heard around him. Though he couldn't make out any words, he feared angry spirits were bubbling up inside of him.
However, as time dragged on and more unfamiliar, mumbling voices joined the chorus, Silvally realized that they weren't hostile at all. There was confusion and uncertainty, but they actually sounded… conversational? Silvally wished he could tell what they were saying, but no amount of willpower seemed to do him any good. At that point, he simply chose to float in place, pretending the whispers were waves lapping up against a shoreline.
When he opened his eyes for real, darkness greeted him. All the luminescent orbs were off and the second sublevel had no windows. Tiny slivers of light poked in from gaps in a sliding door. Silvally switched to his dark memories and got a much better sense of the general layout. Aside from the cushions and a couple of empty cabinets pushed to the far wall, the room was empty.
Silvally tried to stretch out his neck, but it cramped up. In fact, most of his muscles were tight. Tight and sore. Silvally didn't want to move. Going back to sleep was a tempting offer. He figured he could sleep the month away. At the same time, though, there were whispers in the back of his mind begging him to move.
There was a problem, however. A pink, ooze-covered problem. Silvally glanced down at Espy. Even though she was as filthy as he was, she looked… peaceful. It was the most relaxed he'd ever seen her. The sight brought warmth into his chest. He lost his view of the room as his fire memories took over. Much to his surprise, however, he was able to switch back to the dark memories immediately. In fact, that warmth didn't fade away when he did.
'Am I… fire and dark right now?'
More whispers. Silvally's brow furrowed. The voices were much clearer before. Now, it sounded like whoever was speaking was doing so with their head stuck in the ground. It was… odd. Silvally concentrated, clenching his beak tightly shut.
'I'm… a Midday Lycanroc.'
The room disappeared. Silvally looked down at tan-furred, slender forelegs, then looked out at a set of rocky crags jutting up in the distance. Dusty air brushed against his mane. He rubbed his neck against the dirt and purred.
Then, with a deep breath, the memory faded and he was back in the Observatory, watching Espy's chest rise and fall.
'Okay… I still have these memories, I think? So, why are the voices so distant?'
Silvally's hindlegs twitched. He looked at Espy again and sighed. Silvally didn't want to leave her, but the faint whispering filled him with an irresistible urge to get up. He slowly shimmied away from her, lowering her head onto the cushion. Silvally got to his feet and checked to make sure Tessa was still sleeping. When he looked at her, his vision flickered. Instead of looking at Tessa, he saw a silhouette with orange and silver swirling around it.
'Psychic? No, I'm not trying to be psychic.'
He shook his head, then paused, worried he'd made noise. Neither of the girls stirred. Frowning, Silvally crept toward the door. He made to open it, when a faint glow surrounded the door. It slid open. Light flooded the room. Silvally's head crest fanned out in alarm. He hastily went outside, but the door had closed itself before Silvally could even turn around. The next thing he knew, he was a bit light-headed.
Silvally stumbled down the hall, blinking repeatedly. What was wrong with him? Had the fight with Necrozma left him in such a sorry state that he couldn't control his memories anymore? No, that wasn't right. He was exhausted, yes, but he was in control during that whole battle. Why were things different now?
He stumbled around the corner. A chill ran down his back. His fur prickled. Silvally coughed up a cloud of frost and stared at it, wide-eyed. "Gah… this isn't right!" he said, unable to keep up his inner monologue. Silvally stomped down the hall until he found one of the open washroom doors. There was a note from Comfey along with three bottles and fresh scrubbers. Silvally went to grab the items with his beak, only for them to float into the air.
"Am I—" Silvally shook his head. "I shouldn't be levitating something like this. Nothing's making sense!" he growled. Was he dreaming? His sore muscles suggested he wasn't. Silvally tried to drop the objects, but instead they floated into the room… and headed right for a very fancy glass fixture in the ceiling.
"Hey, wait!" Silvally tried to pull them back, but they thunked against the glass… and the structure dropped straight toward the ground. "No! Stop!" he cried. Then, to his complete shock, his cries produced hexagonal ripples around the falling fixture. The light fixture froze in place. Silvally stared at it. He glanced in a mirror, but he didn't have the pink glow of his psychic memories. No. He had the sky-blue glow of his dragon memories.
When Silvally looked back at the structure, it was dangling safely from the ceiling once again. He had only a few seconds to ponder what had happened, before the soap bottle and loofa dropped from the air, landing right between his eyes. Silvally staggered backward, blinking and hissing. Tiny bits of soap had gotten onto his sclera. Spirits above, his eyes burned. He shifted his poison memories on… but his dragon memories stayed active in the background.
Silvally held his stinging eyes closed for several seconds. When the pain subsided enough for him to open them, he found himself not inside the washroom, but on a stone roof looking out across an expansive sky filled with yellow clouds. Pillars stood proudly on either side of him.
"What the— isn't this… Temporal Tower?!" Silvally looked around in a panic. He blinked several times, then found himself back in the washroom. Silvally hunched over. His legs trembled. He glanced at the mirror again and frowned. His glowing parts had both a gray and sky-blue tinge to them.
It wasn't just that, though. Something else was off. He had grown. Silvally was sure he was at least two heads taller than he used to be. He approached the mirror, brow furrowed. Silvally paced in front of it, ignoring the slimy remnants of Necrozma's innards clinging to his pelt. He studied his reflection. Silvally fanned out his head crest. The energy blades were longer. His beak was sharper. He snapped at the air with it, going cross-eyed in the process.
Silvally raised a foreleg. Not only were his muscles thicker, his chitin was sturdier than he remembered. And were his talons sharper or was he crazy? Silvally stared at them intently, only to drop his foreleg to the ground when pink light surrounded the talons. It didn't disappear. Silvally held his foreleg up and shook it, yelling, "Ahh! Get it off! Get it off! Get it off!" He hopped backwards until he slipped and fell over on his side with a grunt.
The instant he hit the ground, it practically fell out from under him. Crisp air swirled around Silvally. Puffy white clouds surged past him. A Zekrom flew to his right, electricity crackling from its tail turbine. It smirked at him, then pivoted to give him a glance at its hips. Blood rushed down Silvally's torso.
Come on, Lala… try and keep pace!
"Lala? No, I'm Silvally!" he said, only to return to the washroom with a violent jerk. Silvally scrambled to his feet. He looked in the mirror again. His reflection glowed pink and sky-blue. Silvally squinted. "Wait a second…" He approached the mirror, then hopped onto his hindlegs and pressed his forelegs against the wall.
"Hey, Silv, is everything all—"
Silvally was in the process of looking down toward his stomach when he caught sight of Espy standing in the open doorway. Her jaw hung open and she definitely wasn't making eye contact. "E-Espy! Hi! When did… when did you get here?" Silvally flopped onto his belly, his fire memories giving him a bright-red glow.
"A few seconds ago," Espy said, face tamato-red. "I heard you shouting. Thought something was wrong and you might need help… but I guess it was a good kind of shouting?" Her tail crinkled up.
"I, uh…" Silvally was in a pickle. Seeing her in the doorway had made his heart — or his spirit core or whatever was sitting inside of him — race and he was in no position to stand up while she was around. At the same time, though, he couldn't keep all the thoughts he was having to himself.
"Espy, do you notice anything… different about me?" Silvally asked, poking at the floor with a talon.
"Uh, look if this is about what I just saw—"
"No. Do I look different?" Silvally turned his head. "Something's wrong with me. And I don't know how to describe it. But I feel like I wanna jump out of my own fur and scales." He pecked at his shoulder with his beak. "There's something off with my memories. I'm seeing ones that didn't used to be there. And the voices… they're there, but now they're distant. I can't actually tell what they're saying."
"Isn't that a good thing?" Espy said. She cautiously approached him.
"Normally I'd say yes, but the voices sound… unfamiliar," Silvally said. His expression grew worried. "Do you… do you think this is because of what Necrozma did to me?" He got to his feet and looked in the mirror again. Espy's eyes widened and she looked away, trying to keep her breathing steady. "What if I'm starting to slip and lose control? There are… new spirits… and I think I have powers I'm not supposed to. Like I walked into the room and broke the light fixture and it was falling to the ground but I shouted at it and it froze in place and went back into the ceiling! Then I had a memory I was sitting on Temporal Tower but that's Dialga's domain and—"
"Silv? You're rambling, Silv." Espy fought through her embarrassment to hop on her hind legs and put her forepaws on his shoulders. She found a pair of golden, ethereal eyes staring back at her and promptly dropped back onto all-fours. "Your… your eyes are gold," she whispered.
Silvally turned to the mirror. It wasn't just his eyes. His cheek-bolts, energy blades, and tail membrane were gold, too. "I… I…"
"Your eyes were gold after Ephemeris healed you, too. And I think it happened while we were fighting Necrozma," Espy said, frowning.
"R-Right. I, yeah…" Silvally looked down. "I think Ephemeris did say he wanted to talk with me at some point. But with all this confusion about the world being rebuilt, we might be busy over the next few days."
Espy sensed Silvally's worries and brushed her shoulder against his foreleg. "Hey. You don't have to deal with this alone. You know that, right?" Espy traced her tail down to his talons. "If you want to talk, you've got me and Tessa."
"Yeah. I know."
"Are you sure? I know I'm—" She paused to consider her words. "I know I can't exactly relate to what you're going through, but we made a promise to help each other out if we managed to beat Necrozma. And, well, we did. So, we ought to work on that promise next, don't you think?" Espy smiled at him.
"You're right." Silvally stepped back from the mirror. "Sorry for the scare. I guess I'm a bit jumpy after everything that's happened." He looked away, tapping a talon. "Um, can I ask you something… candidly, of course?"
"Uh, yeah."
"Besides the whole, y'know, affair with your brother… how did you and the Paradise crew feel after stopping the Bittercold?" Silvally wondered. "Were your nerves frayed? Because mine are. And, like, it makes me guilty. We should be celebrating. I want to be happy. But part of me is on edge. Like—"
"Like you're finding yourself doubting if you've actually won? Or you're expecting some new crisis to immediately pop-up and catch you off guard?" Espy said. Silvally's eyes widened and she knew she hit the nail on the head. "Yeah, I understand. That's exactly how I felt back then. It's probably why I, um, was so attached to Umbry in the wake of things." Her cheeks flushed and she brushed her forelegs together. "This time's different, though. I'm not on edge. I'm at peace. Maybe it has to do with hearing that ley lines and Mystery Dungeons are gone."
She smiled at Silvally again. "I'm kinda hesitant to say this but I… I have hope again. I can see a bright future for the world." Espy nuzzled Silvally's foreleg. "I've missed this feeling so much."
Silvally's head crest drooped. "We still lost Shane, though."
Espy winced and stepped back. "Yes… we did."
"Are you going to miss him? I know I will, despite our… complicated past," Silvally said.
"I miss him already," Espy whispered. "But I, um… I don't know how to explain it, but I think that the best way to honor the sacrifice Shane made would be to stick together and enjoy each other's company to the fullest." She bit her lip and furrowed her brow. "Err, sorry. That sounded better in my head."
Silvally sat on his haunches. "No, I see where you're coming from. Shane made it clear how much he wanted to stay with us. If he's really gone and that's not possible, then we have to live out our lives for him. Make the most of his parting gift and stuff."
Espy raised an eyebrow. "Hang on. The way you're talking about him… you don't think he's really gone, do you?"
"Do you?"
"I'm not sure what to think," Espy said, ears dropping. "The two of you both helped me find my lost sense of self… and taught me to hope again. I think that means I have to hope he's still out there." Her tail curled around her waist. "But then there's Tessa. I'm… I think if we tell her to hold out hope, it might make her feel worse, not better."
Silvally clicked his tongue. "I don't know. Shane and I had a similar debate over telling Tessa that her mother was Zero… and look how that turned out. Plus… think about the other times the world was in danger. Someone always had to disappear, but they always found a way to return to our world."
"I thought about that. The irony of it all is that it was Shane who always pointed out how things were different than what he was expecting," Espy said. "And Tessa was the one he directed most of those comments toward, so she's got those thoughts somewhere in the back of her head. That's why I'm hesitant to bring it up."
"Ah. I mean… I guess I see your point," Silvally said. "Though, I don't think we're really going to come up with a solid answer brainstorming in a washroom while we're still half-exhausted and a bit delirious."
"True. Plus, I still have to figure out what I need to say to Umbry," Espy said, flicking her tail to the side. "I guess… the battle might be over, but we've got a lot to cleanup." She sighed. "Starting with our appearances." Espy sniffed her hide. "Gods, this is disgusting." She got to her feet. "Sorry for holding you up, Silv. I'll let you bathe in peace." Espy turned and made her way to the door.
"Hey, Espy," Silvally said.
"Yeah?"
He turned toward the shower head in the corner of the room. "Once all the dust settles, we're gonna need to talk about what you said to me on Celestial Island."
Espy's ears and tail shot up. "W-What do you mean?"
"You know what I mean. I wasn't out cold when you told me you loved me," Silvally said, turning on the hot water.
Espy counted her lucky stars steam quickly filled the room. It hid her blush nicely. "O-Oh! Th… that. Aha ha… ha…" Her tail curled up. "I, um… y-yeah, we can talk. Just not now. This is, uh, not the place. Or the time. Maybe after we're done with these big meetings." She left the room before Silvally had a chance to reply and nabbed a shampoo bottle and loofa of her own. Espy headed for the first of the two remaining unoccupied washrooms.
'He heard me. He actually heard me. What am I supposed to say to him now?'
~The Tree of Life: Roots~
"Let me out! Let me out, you bloody drongos!"
Lycanroc lashed out at wooden bars radiating an ethereal glow. However, when his luminescent paw smacked against the bars… nothing happened. Lycanroc glared at his paw, red eyes glowing, then punched the bars again. And again. "Where? Are? My? Attacks?!"
He stumbled away from the bars, eyes twitching. "This ain't fair! Who put me in here? Snowy… it was him and his dumbarse friends!" Lycanroc lunged for the bars and tried to grab them, but a multicolored barrier rippled across the wall and knocked Lycanroc back onto the wooden floor. He stood up and rubbed his head. "Tch. Didn't even feel that." He brushed his snout. "I'm gonna bust out of here… like I busted out of Horizon's stupid jail!"
"… it's useless. Cut it out."
Lycanroc paused with his right arm outstretched. He glanced right, eye twitching. "Eh?" Lycanroc pulled his arm back to his side and squinted. "What the—" His eyes widened. "Oy! Yer Snowy's bloody girlfriend, ain't ya? The one who punched me right in my sweet spot!" Lycanroc's eyes flashed. "C'mere… I've gotta pay you back for that cheap shot!"
Lycanroc wound up to punch the faded silhouette of a Lucario sitting on the glowing, bench-like tree root in front of him. Rather than connecting, however, his arm phased right through. Lycanroc spun about until he came to a stop. "Oh, Double Team, is it? Feh. I'll find your other clones and—"
"I'm not some Double Team clone. I'm a spirit. Same as you." There was a pause. "Since you're clearly as dense as your mane is overgrown… let me spell it out for you. We're dead."
Lycanroc stepped back, shoulders drooped and paws dangling only a few inches off the ground. Then, he lunged at the wooden bars with renewed vigor. "Lemme out! I can't be dead! I don't deserve this shit! This is all Snowy's fault, you hear me?"
Another rainbow barrier repelled him. Lycanroc slid across the wooden floor, coming to a stop by what looked to be a glowing, metal table. It was only when Lycanroc went to punch it in frustration that a pair of eyes opened and stared at him fiercely. "H… hey! You're the freak Guildmaster that went all bloody nutso on us." Lycanroc backed away from Metagross, who said nothing. He looked down at his glowing paws. "No…" Lycanroc clenched his fists. "This ain't fair! I ain't done nothing wrong. It's Snowy! It's all Snowy!"
"You mean the same 'mon who gave himself up so all of us could even be here?"
Lycanroc looked toward the wooden bars. Totem Ninetales stood on the other side, an eerie, purple aura surrounding her. Lycanroc's eyes twitched. "There you are! I'm gonna tear your bloody tails off!" He lunged for the bars, but the barrier repelled him again.
"I'm not the ice Ninetales you hold such vehement hatred toward," Totem Ninetales said, frowning. "I'd have thought my voice would make that obvious, but it seems your hatred has blinded you."
Muzzle drawn back in a sneer, Lycanroc staggered to his feet. "Okay, so you're a sheila Ninetales, then. What of it? Where the hell am I? I want out!"
"I can't do that." Totem Ninetales' brooch glowed. Rainbow energy rippled through the walls. The brown, wooden color shifted to a bright-white. "These are the roots of the Tree of Life, where restless souls are placed so as not to bother those peacefully residing in the spirit realm."
"No…" Lycanroc slammed a fist into the ground. "I can't be dead! This is all a mistake! Snowy—"
"If it wasn't for Shane and his friends, none of us would be here right now," Totem Ninetales said. "Necrozma wiped out everything, but Shane used Necrozma's power to bring all of us back… at a great personal cost."
"Feh. He just wanted the attention. That's all he's ever cared about!" Lycanroc spat.
"It's awful hard to give attention to someone who burnt out their spirit and wiped themselves from existence," Totem Ninetales said, her expression stoic.
Lycanroc opened and closed his mouth several times, before finally managing to say, "Wait… Snowy's dead, too?"
"More than that. It seems he doesn't even have a spirit left to recover," Totem Ninetales said. She glanced at the translucent Lucario. "Though, from the looks of things, he's not the only one with a burnt-out spirit. Quite frankly, I'm surprised to see you here, Prisma. I was under the impression your direct exposure to Necrozma's core had destroyed your spirit."
"Human wills are strong. We can linger as long as a sliver of our spirit remains. The kid probably didn't even realize it," Prisma growled. "But you knew that already. So, why are you here? Come to deliver scathing remarks on behalf of all the idiotic gods who've been handed free passes?"
"No, I'm here on business." Totem Ninetales paused. "Besides, the gods have been stripped of their powers."
Prisma sat up, her arms going straight through her transparent thighs. "What are you talking about?"
"Team Radiance destroyed all of the ley lines that had previously plagued are world. And when Shane revived the gods, he did so in a way that removed their powers," Totem Ninetales explained. "They can't use alchemy. Their control over the elements is gone. At best… they are very strong Pokémon with powerful attacks. Nothing more." She swished her rightmost tails to the side. "Is that not what you were hoping for?"
Prisma's jaw hung open. Then, she tried to strike the wooden bench. Another rainbow barrier appeared and her fist bounced off harmlessly. "I don't believe this. This whole second life has been nothing but one cruel joke. Why not cap it off by having someone else achieve one of my goals while I'm stuck in some damn Poké-purgatory for all eternity?" She let loose a loud, bitter laugh.
"I wouldn't exactly say that." Totem Ninetales expression sharpened. "As it stands, I don't plan on having you three stay long."
Lycanroc raised a brow. "And what's that supposed to mean, sheila?"
"Well, the general policy Xerneas and I had always taken toward the spirit realm was that restless and vindictive spirits would be sealed in the Tree of Life's roots… then sent back to the world of the living as ghost-types … with no memories or any semblances of their previous selves intact," Totem Ninetales said, the purple aura intensifying around her.
"What?" Lycanroc thrust his arms to the side. He stopped and looked around. "H-Hey… where's my Rock Throw at?"
"Spirits in the Tree of Life cannot use attacks," Totem Ninetales replied. "Not that it would've mattered." She looked up. "It seems Shane fortified the spirit realm when he severed its connection to the planet's core." Totem Ninetales placed a paw against the glowing tree bark. "He briefly had control of everyone's spirits, include the former gods. I imagine he must've tapped into their memories to see how the Tree of Life was constructed, then used Necrozma's light to alter the Tree's foundations."
"Oi. Quit speaking in bloody riddles," Lycanroc spat.
"She means that the Tree of Life is no longer tied directly to the planet's stability. No one has to worry about the world drifting into the sun if anything happens to it," Prisma said, shaking her head. "Unbelievable. No gods. No Mystery Dungeons. But I didn't get to return home."
Lycanroc's crimson eyes flashed. "You? What about me? I'm getting a bad rap, here." He glared at Totem Ninetales. "You ain't turning me into no ghost! I deserve a fair shake or trial or whatever!"
Totem Ninetales looked away. "With Xerneas missing, I can't afford to let you three linger here and potentially poison the spirit realm with your hateful thoughts."
"Then why even talk to us?" Prisma said, raising an eyebrow.
"Truthfully, I didn't want to. I'm simply honoring a request," Totem Ninetales said. She stepped to the side, revealing a dimmer silhouette behind her. Prisma stood up and put a paw on her chest.
"No…" Her right eye twitched. "W… what are you doing here?"
In the back of the room, Metagross stirred, cracking an eye open to stare at the bars. Incineroar walked up to them, wearing a tired expression despite having been resting in the spirit realm for months. He crossed his arms. "I had to see you. Because I wanted to hear straight from your mouth why you kept so many important things from me," Incineroar said.
Prisma shrank back, looking away. "I, well…"
"I believed you when you said you didn't remember anything before waking up on a beach and getting forced to work for the scavengers. I was committed to helping you regain your lost memories. I… we…" Incineroar's voice trailed off. "I told you how I felt about you. You said you felt the same way. But I told you multiple times how much having a family meant to me… and you never spoke up against it. Why?"
"I… I…" Prisma tried to squeeze her shoulder, but her paw phased right through it.
"Don't you think I deserve to know? Gallian and Tessa were my— no, our children. Look at what you put them through," Incineroar said. His usual smile was gone. Prisma wasn't solid anymore, so she had to heart that could shoot into her throat. Instead, a general unease gripped her. Like she was a Riolu again with Feraligatr lumbering over her, waiting to discipline a perceived mistake. For the first time since Incineroar's passing, she whined.
"It's not my fault! He's to blame!" she finally blurted out, pointing at Metagross. "If he hadn't… he…" Though she was purely ethereal, she went through the motions of sucking in a sharp breath. "He took you from me! You were the one thing… the one silver lining in this awful, backwards world. That's why I put up with your kids. They made you happy. I was happy when you were happy!" She squeezed her ethereal eyes shut. "I made the best of a bad situation."
"A bad situation? Don't you think I would've tried to help you find a way home if you had told me you were human?" Incineroar said, grabbing onto the wooden bars. Totem Ninetales wrapped a tail around one of his paws. Rather than phasing through, her purple aura spread across Incineroar's paw. He let go of the bars and stepped back. "I was an explorer… helping Pokémon was my life's work!"
"I didn't want you knowing because I didn't want anyone knowing. I'd heard the stories about what humans had done and I didn't want to get roped up into some potential conflict when the only thing that mattered to me was getting the hell away from here!" Prisma snarled. Were she alive, tears would've have welled up in her eyes. Instead, faint silver embers trickled down her cheeks.
"I tried to find a way home, but the more I looked into it, the less hopeful I became. And you and I were spending more time together and I got complacent," Prisma continued. "You reminded me too much of my husband. My real mate. And if I couldn't have him, then at least I could have a substitute that didn't make me completely miserable!"
Incineroar's gaze fell toward the ground. "I was… a substitute?"
"The whole family was! Those names I gave your kids? They're the names my real children have in the human world. The ones who I was taken away from! Who've been waiting for my return for god only knows how long!" Prisma said, stomping on the ground repeatedly. "Necrozma's power gave me a chance… a chance to get them back. But now that'll never happen."
Silence fell over the room. Lycanroc looked between the two of them. "What a load of Krokorok tears," he sneered. "At least you two were able to have a relationship you enjoyed. The love of my life screwed me over… and it all ended with me trapped here!"
Prisma glared at Lycanroc. He glared right back, bearing his fangs.
"I had to fight her, too."
Prisma stiffened. "What was that?"
"Necrozma took my spirit and ripped it out of the tree. He made me corporeal again. He forced me to fight Tessa." Silver wisps sparkled in Incineroar's eyes. "I hurt my daughter… and there was nothing I could do to stop myself. She managed to break Necrozma's control… but now I'll always have that memory haunting me until the end of time." His expression hardened. "I was hoping that, somehow, talking with you would clear my head. But I think it made everything worse." He looked at Totem Ninetales. "I'll be praying with all my nonexistent heart that Tessa can recover from all the damage you've both done to her psyche."
At that, Lycanroc raised an eyebrow and pointed at himself. "Me? I—"
"Not you. Metagross." Incineroar focused on the back of the room. "There are so, so many things I want to say to you… but I won't. You don't deserve my time. Not for what you did to me."
I'm… sorry…
"I trusted you."
I was… jealous… of your evolution. I tried… to cut corners… to catch up. It cost me everything, Metagross said.
Incineroar turned his back on the makeshift cell. "There's nothing more to be said. I hope that whatever ghosts are born from your spirits can do some good to make up for everything you two did." He turned to Totem Ninetales. "Thank you for letting me do this. Sorry to trouble you."
Totem Ninetales brushed her forelegs together. "It's quite all right. Wasn't a problem." Incineroar disappeared from the area, leaving her standing in front of the bars. She sighed. "Well then… I guess that's it. Time for you all to join the world's contingency of ghost-types." Purple embers smoldered in her eyes. Shadows swirled within her brooch and purple wisps rose up around her. They weaved between the bars and snaked toward the three spirits in the cell.
"No. No, you can't do this to me!" Lycanroc shrank back, but soon bumped into Metagross. "I don't deserve any of this, do you hear me! I don't—" The purple wisps dragged him kicking and howling into an ectoplasmic puddle.
Prisma silently bowed her head as purple tendrils wrapped around her waist. She balled her ethereal paws into fists.
Hopefully you guys liked this part. I realize this is, uh, a lot slower than all of the preceding chapters. But that's kind of the point to this.
SuperOmegaGuest: I don't know who gave you that "one chapter left" information, but they were mistaken.
Anon Omega: It ain't over until you see THE END within the chapter.
Xero-Xis: Not sure if you'll see this, but I appreciate the kind words!
Next time: Our heroes reflect on how far they've come.