The huge collection of Pokémon, following Ryan and Treecko back along the path between the waves, were delighted to be free from the infection. The path gradually rose to above the sea level to avoid any possible obstacles in their way. Ryan sent a silent 'thank you' to Regigigas for his help in fixing things.
But things weren't quite fixed. The others hadn't noticed, but because Ryan and Treecko were looking for the signs, they could see the effects of the Distortion world blending into the Pokémon world. Flickering shadows below the waves, double vision when looking at a couple of loose pebbles. Small signs, but signs nonetheless. Until they were fixed, nobody would be safe.
They returned to shore and the rescued Pokémon swarmed the beach, meeting up with their loved ones once more. As the last Pokémon stepped onto the shore, Ryan looked back at the raised path of land as it sunk below the waves, dispersed.
"That is one powerful Pokémon," Treecko remarked, following Ryan's eyeline.
As they both looked in that direction, they saw a small splinter of shadow break open in the middle of the bright, clear sky. One single rock fell from above, out of the splinter.
It was happening.
The form of Giratina flickered in Ryan's mind's eye for a split second.
It is time. Giratina's voice commanded within his head. Return to the place you arrived.
Ryan nodded to himself. He had been guessing it for the entire trip back from Regigigas, but now he was certain.
"I need to go," Ryan said, turning to Treecko.
"Oh cool, where to?" Treecko replied smiling.
"Go, go," Ryan clarified. He could see the realization hit Treecko as a stunned expression showed up in his friend's eyes.
"What's all the sadness about?" Machamp marched over, slapping Treecko on the back, "this is a good day, it's all fixed!"
"Not yet," Ryan said.
"What do you mean it isn't fixed?" Machamp shouted in surprise, before whispering, "what do you mean it isn't fixed?" But the damage was done. Rippling through the crowd, a wave of worry struck at everyone on the beach. Panic began to set in.
"All of you," Ryan called out, "it isn't all over, but it will be! Follow me to the clifftop if you would like to see how this ends."
Confusion and curiosity abound, Ryan and Treecko walked their final patrol up to the woods. Ryan leaving his signature flowers popping up to guide the Pokémon following them. There were many from the Guild, many that had been rescued, and far more that were grateful that their friends and family had been returned. In such a short time, Ryan had provided such a swift, positive influence.
Now he had to save them, one last time.
In the spot where he had woken up, nestled in the flower patch, was one final rift, spewing out shadowy tendrils and reaching out to tear and shred at the trees.
"I can't lose you," Treecko said, "there has to be another way than this."
"There is not."
Giratina's form appeared before the crowd. The walls between the worlds thin enough to allow him to project his image to them.
"Ryan here, as a human, is the anchor pulling our worlds together. If he stays, both of our worlds will be destroyed, undoing everything you have done to save these Pokémon." Giratina announced, sending even more concerned reactions.
"A human?"
"Ryan is a human?"
"Are all Shaymin human, or just this one?"
"What do humans look like again?"
"Everyone, shut up!" Treecko called out, standing up on a branch overhanging a portion of the flower patch. "Who cares if Ryan is a human? He saved all of our lives more times than I can count. He saved mine and made it better in so many ways. Give him your respect, one…last…time."
Treecko choked out the last few words and was helped down from the branch by Machamp.
"Give it up for Ryan!" Machamp roared, igniting the tense crowd into uproarious cheering.
As they cheered, Ryan looked over at Treecko, and then stepped in front of the rift.
He breathed in, soaking up each lashing shadowy tendril as they whipped out, forcing the rift to recede from its aggressive nature, to a simple hole in the air. With all the pent-up energy from this rift, Ryan released energy beam after energy beam, the explosions bright and powerful enough to be seen with the setting sun, as if they were fireworks marking the Pokémon's success.
With the energy of the rift released, Ryan watched Treecko rush forward to hug him one last time, but as Treecko reached down, all he felt was absence and flowers. The rift, and Ryan, were gone.
Treecko went to the cliffs every day to watch the sun rise before work. He was still a part of the Guild, but couldn't bring himself to join another rescue team. He patrolled the woods by himself, the dangers now reduced thanks to the world being put right. Almost right. It felt empty without Ryan.
He had provided Treecko with his dream. Entry to the Guild. But it was a twisted, broken dream without his partner to share it. So, as each sun rose, Treecko shed a tear for his lost friend.
Giratina, watching on silently from his own world, saw the sorrow in Treecko. Such a tiny Pokémon that had risked everything, and lost everything, to save everyone. He began to consider the possibilities.
The method the humans had used was crude, unnatural, and tore through reality itself. Giratina could interfere. The others would hate it, it was even against his own nature to take pity. But what reward was loneliness? He was grateful and these Pokémon deserved better.
Sam and Ryan had returned to their own world, locked up by the company they served. With Indeedee's aid, Sam was blamed for the malfunction of the machine and Ryan told Indeedee all the stories of his travels.
Was it so bad to allow him to return to the friend he longed for, who longed for him?
Treecko's latest tear fell down, off the edge of the cliff where he sat. It was a new day. A new day without Ryan, but even with things fixed, there were always Pokémon that needed saving.
He brushed himself off and stood up, taking in the view.
"You should really step back from the edge."
Treecko spun to see Ryan standing there, as a Shaymin once again.
"You're late for work," Treecko cried, bursting into tears once more.
"You're late for work what?"
"You're late for work, partner." And they embraced once more.
As Treecko pulled away from Ryan, Ryan turned and showed him a newcomer.
"This is the Indeedee I told you about," Ryan said as Indeedee walked out from behind the tree.
"Hello," Indeedee stuttered, slightly shocking herself at her newfound ability to speak.
"You'll get used to it," Ryan said.
"Let's get you both home," Treecko said.
And so, they walked back down the hill, taking in the fresh grass and newly healed trees. They could hear the surf of the waves even from this high up and, to Ryan's slight irritation, the beat of the sun on his fur.
Treecko walked through the front door, once Machamp opened it. Then, as he went to close the door, Machamp saw who walked in after and fell to his knees to accept a hug for himself.
As more and more of the Guild members flooded to the entrance hall to greet Ryan and Indeedee the newcomer, a deep voice bellowed out.
"Ryan!" Pangoro waded through the crowd. "You're late for work."
Treecko and Ryan shared a look.
"I've already done that one," Treecko laughed.
"Darn it," Pangoro said. "Welcome back, my friend."
In the following days, now that the world wasn't ending, Ryan, Treecko and Indeedee, The Woodland Wanderers, decided that they should do more with the second part of their team's name and explore a little further afield. Sitting on a tree stump, by the pond that had been the site of their first rescue, now fully refilled, Treecko read a map that Espeon had given him. She was remorseful for her part in everything and the map was her first attempt at earning forgiveness. Treecko being Treecko had said she was already forgiven, but she insisted he keep it.
"How about the Glistening Frostlands?" Treecko asked the other two, pointing at a spot on the map.
"Is it hot?" Ryan asked jokingly.
"The Frostlands it is," Treecko laughed.
Ryan and Indeedee laughed too. With flowers blooming around them, Ryan was happy. He was with Treecko, and wherever Treecko was, was home.
Ryan, finally, was home.