I feel you guys have just come to expect 4-6 month gaps between uploads at this point.

The traditional thanks for deerestlove and special thanks this time to Bonehead for helping me sort out a few of the trickier scenes. Couldn't have done this one without either of you.

Now, let's all watch our heroes try and play catch with several tons of rock. Thanks everyone for reading, and now, on with the show.

I opened my eyes to the end of the world.

The sky fell; the earth shook. Earthshaking booms bombarded me from all sides, but they were nothing compared to the ringing in my ears and the sound of my frantic heartbeat in my skull.

Everything hurt. I felt like a bundle of aches loosely held together by a ragged sack. A dull pain throbbed in my head seated right behind my gem. I'd overused my Psychic. I doubted I could have even lifted a pebble in my current state. However, that was nothing compared to the sharper pain in my right thigh. I was glad I didn't have the energy to move it. I'd broken my leg before, though this time seemed worse. It was all I could do to stay awake as each bump on the ground sent a bolt of absolute agony through my leg.

Through the fog of pain, I'd hardly noticed I was moving. The teeth embedded in the scruff of my neck, slowly dragging me along, hardly registered amidst the burning agony in the rest of my body. I had no idea who was carrying me, but I couldn't bring myself to care. What little of my mind wasn't drowning in pain or exhaustion was entirely focused on the death raining from the sky.

Rubble crashed to the ground mere feet from us. The shock of the impact jarred me, another burst of torment slamming against the base of my skull. An involuntary whimper of pain dribbled from my lips. Whoever had ahold of me briefly fumbled in their steps.

"Eve?" I felt the voice buzz through my skin, breath tickling my fur. "Eve, are you awake? Can you hear me? Please, please answer!"

Shane? The last thing I remembered, he was still stone. A hundred questions swirled in my mind. What was happening? Where were Slink and Vix? What had happened with Smoke? All of them rushed forward, begging to be asked, but all that came out was a muddled gurgle. I took a deep breath and tried again. "Shane, what… where's…?"

Shane must have known what was on my mind. "Slink's fine. He went to help Vix." Even as he spoke, he didn't pause in his steps. A rock narrowly missed us again, shaking the earth. I nearly bit off my tongue as I grit my teeth from the sudden burst of burning discomfort.

"Can you stand?" Shane growled. He'd tightened his jaws around my scruff, teeth digging even deeper into my skin. We were moving faster now, though just barely. "I can use some help here or we're not going to make it very far."

I twisted in his grip, kicking out clumsily to try and get my feet under me. My legs were shaky, but I was sure that they'd hold my weight. I was wrong. My vision tunneled and my legs buckled again. Tears of pain quickly gave way to tears of frustration. I felt like a kit being carried along by their mother. Helpless and small. We were going to die, and it was going to be my fault.

I grit my teeth so hard I thought my teeth would snap. My tail snaked down my leg, wrapping around my ankle in a vice. I took a deep breath and yanked. Everything went black again, but I fought through it. I wrapped my prongs around my waist, binding my leg tight to my body. I kicked out again, ripping myself from Shane's grip. For a moment I teetered precariously on three legs before Shane steadied me.

My head spun, I could feel blood dripping down my neck, and with every step I expected my body to just give up, to decide enough was enough. And yet I kept going. We were moving faster now. My gait was unsteady and unfamiliar, but I managed anyway. Without Shane I probably would have fallen about a dozen times over.

Bang! A rock the size of a Donphan hit the ground inches from my nose. Shane just barely caught me before slammed into it.

"Eve!" That voice cut through the crashing rubble like nothing else could have. The world around me seemed to go still and silent as I turned my head, homing in on the voice instantly. There among the chaotic gray was a splash of yellow, and by his feet, a smaller splash of red-brown. For a brief moment, all of the pain vanished as pure relief washed through me. They were alive. They were there. They were—

A sharp pinch in my neck, and I was falling backwards. The world went dark again as a roar, a thundering wave crashed into me. It was the end. Arceus himself had descended from on high, determined to wipe us all off of this rock. All I could do was lie curled in a ball, clutching my leg and just hoping that it would be over soon. I felt as if a hot spike had been driven into my skull. Then came the light. I squeezed my eyes shut, but it wormed its way beneath the lids, burning its way into my brain. Someone was screaming, in fear in anger in pain. My pain. And somehow I knew that if I let go of the pain, I would die.

And then it was over. The world silent again but for my labored breathing in the dust-choked air. I eased an eye open, squinting against the bright light of my gem. I was in a tiny stone chamber, only just about large enough for me to stand up in. The roof sloped sharply, about twice my height on one end, tumbling down unevenly until it hit the ground only a few yards away, like a maw about to bite down. My light suddenly flickered and faded; the Psychic shield I had erected faded with it. In the near-complete darkness I could hear the walls rumble and groan, shifting as the support vanished. I waited for a moment, two, my heart pounding and my head now aching nearly as much as my leg, but the stone didn't collapse.

I wanted more than anything to just lie there. To let the pain and exhaustion carry me away. Just a few minutes, a short break from having to fight, to survive. But it wasn't over yet. And I couldn't give up. Not when Slink and Vix were outside, waiting for me. I pushed with my legs — too exhausted to stand on my own — until my back hit the wall. This one was thankfully smooth as I braced myself against it, slowly climbing to my feet. It must have been the rock that had blocked our path, I thought, just before Slink had called out to me. It was probably the only reason I was still alive, a solid wall that had helped support the rubble. The thought was almost comforting, especially as I kept myself pressed against it.

I tried to take stock of the situation, and it seemed worse and worse as I did. My badge was gone, probably torn from my fur during the battle. My bag was missing too. A small part of me felt a pang of loss for my scarf and token, but I forced those thoughts from my mind. That couldn't be my priority. My body wasn't faring much better. My tail still bound my broken leg to my body. The hollow ache seemed to have gotten worse, and I didn't dare let it go. That had me down two limbs, and the others shook beneath me barely able to take my weight. The pain in my forehead had dulled to a constant ache, like a burn, seated around my gem. Tentatively I reached out with Psychic, but pain shot through my gem again like a bolt of electricity. And then there was the stinging pain in the nape of my neck. I could feel warm blood oozing into my fur from several punctures. Had Shane had to bite so hard?

I froze, something clicking into place in my mind. Where was Shane? He'd pulled me to safety when the rocks had fallen. "Shane?" my voice came out as a dry rasp, clogged with dust. "Shane!" I tried again, pushing harder.

"Over here." The voice was as weak as mine, but in that small space I could hear it clearly. I spun around, nearly toppling over like a newborn kit still finding her legs. Through the curtains of dust that still hung stubbornly in the air, I could just make out the faint glow of Shane's rings.

His fur blended perfectly into the darkness. Even with his glow to guide me, I had a hard time reaching him. I nearly tripped over his outstretched paws. His chin rested on the ground between splayed forelegs. And… that was it. That was all I could see of him. The rest of his body lay buried beneath the rubble.

"Eve," he gasped as I came into view. "Thank Arceus you're okay."

"Me? What about you?" I said, staring at him. He'd been pinned just behind his shoulders, the stones wet with blood from cuts along his back. I felt my leg give an even more painful throb in my grip. A single rock had done that. I couldn't even imagine what Shane was going through.

"Doesn't matter," Shane said, not meeting my eyes. "So long as you're safe."

"Shane!" He flinched at my shout, sheepishly raising his chin to face me. "You're hurt."

Shane tried to look away again, but winced. His rings flickered. "Eve," he said finally, "I can't feel my legs."

No. "Shane we're… we're going to get you out of here. We'll get you to Candice and…" and what? I didn't know how I was going to get out of here. There was no way I could dig him out and get him to Candice. Not in time.

"Eve, it's okay." He started coughing, a ragged, wet sound. "You're alive. We won, and your family will be safe now."

"But what about you!" I shouted. I flinched as a rock above shifted, I could hear it clattering against the others. A tiny patch of blinding light shone down through the crack between the rocks, but I barely noticed.

He gave a pained smile. "Eve, you and I both know… I'm not making it out of this one."

I glared at him. "You aren't going to die! Look we can figure this out—!"

As I spoke, sharp, electronic ringing reverberated across the small chamber. It was like being inside a bell. I slammed my ears down against my skull, trying to dampen the sound. Shane shifted twisting in place to reveal — tucked beneath him and half-buried in rubble — my bag. I rushed over, tugging it out from under him, frantically digging within. The berries were smashed, my token battered and dented, and my scarf torn in a dozen places, sopping wet and dusted with shards of broken glass. I tossed those aside, scouring deeper for the item making all of the noise.

The Expedition Gadget glowed in my paw, screaming its warning signal.

Eve.

Eve.

EVE!

EVE!

That was the only thought in my mind. The desperate plea for her. For her to be okay.

I'd forgotten Psychic, forgotten reason in my panic. Like a feral I tore at the rock with my claws, ripping aside stones with strength I didn't know I had. I had to keep going. Had to dig deeper. Had to…

"Dad?"

That one word snapped me out of it. I turned slowly, wincing as I realized just how much damage I had done to my paws.

Vix sat hunched and trembling by the boulder where I'd left her. She stared wide-eyed at the pile of rubble where Eve had been. Where her mother had disappeared once again. "Dad, she's… she's going to be okay, right?"

I had to collect myself. Panicking wouldn't help anyone. "Of course she will," I said firmly, perhaps hoping that I could manifest it if I believed it enough. "She's got us, doesn't she?" Vix attempted a smile at that, her trembling subsiding for the moment. At least she felt better. I turned my back to her again, closing my eyes and forcing myself to take several deep breaths.

Tentatively I reached out with Psychic. Dread crawled up my throat as I inched my power forward. What was I about to find? My mind washed over the rubble, digging within it, searching for signs of life or… There! My knees nearly buckled from relief as I found a mind. It was foggy with pain and exhaustion and I could hardly sense any Psychic energy from it, but it was there and alive. Without the Dreamstone I couldn't sense Shane, but the cold ache in my chest warned me not to try it. Not yet at least.

I turned my attention to the rocks themselves. My earlier mindless panic had hardly made a dent in the rubble, and for that I was greatly relieved. I could tell that the whole thing was unstable. One rock removed from the wrong spot would cause the pile to collapse. I had to be slow and careful.

My exhaustion tried to drag me down, but I shook it off, approaching the pile and examining it. I prodded with my mind before carefully lifting a rock from the top of the pile. I tossed it aside, wincing as it clattered against a few other stones on the way down. It would take time, certainly, but I only needed to open a space wide enough for Eve and Shane to slip out, or for me to slip in.

And then a blaring siren exploded to life. I jumped, nearly losing my footing. I practically tore the Expedition Gadget from my bag, the emergency warning signal blaring from it. I slammed my paw onto the screen, the alarm cutting off to be replaced with Kegan's voice, speaking quickly.

"Mayday! Mayday! I am calling for the evacuation of the Hatred base by all Society Members. One minute ago, reports were received of silver fog forming at the dungeon boundaries, and it is encroaching rapidly. The Dungeon is collapsing. Contact has already been lost with Teams Blitz and Black Ice. I repeat, Dungeon collapse is imminent. Rescue as many civilians as possible and then get out!"

The transmission ended, leaving us in silence aside from the distant wail of alarms elsewhere in the base. A cold dread filled my chest, threatening to spill over into the same desperation as before. Then a painful warmth surged within me as I surged forward and got to work.

I walked a knife edge between slow and reckless. Seeking out new weak points in the rubble even as I pried apart stones. I just needed to open a gap wide enough for one of us to slip through. I had to keep moving, faster. I could hear the wind rushing in. How much longer did I have? A minute? Less? I cursed myself as I compulsively checked over my shoulder, at the patch of sky I could see above. Looking for some hint of the silver fog, of death. I'd have maybe seconds once I saw it, seconds to make the most agonizing decision possible.

"Vix, get out of here," I shouted, doubting the Vulpix would actually listen. I could hear her moving behind me, but I couldn't spare a second to see what she was doing. I just continued to frantically work, hoping that I had time. Just enough time.

"— I repeat, Dungeon collapse is imminent. Rescue as many civilians as possible and then get out!" Shane and I continued to stare at the device, long after Kegan's voice died away into static. The words brought a numbness. I-I thought we'd have more time. My paw habitually went to where my badge usually hung, but there was nothing but a ragged hole in the strap of my bag. I teetered precariously on two legs, my head throbbing as I tried to think.

I stumbled closer to Shane, pawing at the rocks piled atop him. It was clumsy and slow, not to mention that I hardly had any leverage, but it was doing something.

"Eve," Shane wheezed, "Eve, what are you doing?"

"I… we don't have much time." I took a breath and then continued. I managed to dislodge a larger stone, but it nearly rolled onto Shane's head. "Slink is digging in to get to us, I know he is. If he has to dig in to get to us, and then also dig you out, we don't have time for that. We —"

"Eve, you can't…"

"— at least I can give him a head start. Maybe if we can get you to Candice fast enough—"

"Eve, you and I both know that isn't going to work. It's…"

"— I can't just sit here, Shane, and wait to die. I have to do something, I have to save —"

"— EVE!" Shane screamed, something dark dribbling from his lips. "There's no point." He lifted a paw shakily, and even in the scant light I could see that the pads were soaked in blood. More trickled from the rocks beneath him. "If these are my last few minutes with you, I don't want to spend them like that."

I sank down in front of him, unsure if I would have the energy — mental or physical — to rise again. "Shane, I… I can't just sit here and watch you die."

He lashed out clumsily with his paw, just managing to catch my own. I did my best to ignore the warm, sticky, sensation of blood soaking into my fur. Shane stared wide-eyed at me, his voice finally trembling. "Don't leave me alone. Please, can we… talk?" My stomach clenched, but without psychic, this was perhaps the only mercy I could offer him. A distraction.

I nodded, squeezing his paw. Outside I could hear rocks clattering as, presumably, Slink and Vix worked to free us. But they might as well have been happening on another continent for how distant they sounded. Shane and I sat listening to them for a moment. I didn't dare speak, feeling that I'd be unable to stop the tears as soon as I opened my mouth.

"Remember that time we snuck into Mr. Zangoose's cellar?" Shane finally asked.

Somehow I managed a smile at that. "Of course. We got stuck then too, didn't we? I seem to remember it was because somebody neglected to check if we could reach the window from the inside." I had no idea why he was bringing up this particular story, but it was a blessed distraction.

Shane gave a pained laugh. "Yeah, I'm sure he was about as scared as we were to find two panicking Eevee in his basement."

"I don't even remember why we were there in the first place."

"Come on, Eve, remember? That was like a week after we met. You kept sitting next to me, and I got mad and I called you… 'stuck-up,' I think? I dared you to sneak in there to prove that you weren't." He laughed again, which quickly turned into a horrible wet cough.

"That's when we became friends," I finished for him.

He nodded, taking a shuddering breath. "You loved me once, didn't you?"

"I did. Once." I echoed.

Shane winced, but then nodded. "I guess that's to be expected, huh? I hurt you, and that's probably the biggest regret I still have. Perhaps this is for the best."

"Don't say that!" I snapped. "That doesn't mean you deserve to die!" He looked down at the ground, eyes closed. "You know, whenever I think about that night, I hardly think about the town or… what happened with Moon and Smoke. The worst part was always losing my friend. In that year I spent alone, I missed having someone to talk to. Anyone I could be myself around."

He remained silent, not even raising his head. I wondered if he had the strength to do it anymore. But the longer he remained silent, the more my slumbering panic flared. "Shane? Shane!"

His head twitched. "I'm still here," he whimpered. He flailed out with his paw frantically, and I caught it with mine. He squeezed as hard as he could, and if he had had any strength left, it might have hurt. "Eve I… maybe I don't deserve it, but right now I could really use a friend. If you're willing."

There was a thickness in my throat, but I couldn't let myself break. Not yet. Despite what he had done, everything I had seen in the past year, I simply couldn't hate him. In these last few minutes, I could ease his pain. Give him what little mercy I could. "Of course," I told him, "until the end."

Faster, I had to move faster. My heart was hammering in my skull, and I had to force myself not to count the seconds as I worked. I could already feel time slipping away like sand through my paws, I didn't dare keep track.

I'd opened a hole wide enough for me to squeeze my head through, but I knew it would take another few minutes to get my whole body through. I couldn't do this. I couldn't… not alone at least. "Vix," I shouted, not pausing for even a moment.

No answer.

"Vix! Vix please, I need your help!" Still nothing. As I pried away another stone, I sent out a quick Psychic pulse. Had she actually left when I told her to? No, I could sense her, in the center of this massive chamber.

As much as I hated it, I tore myself away from shifting rubble, turning my attention to Vix. Had she collapsed again? Or was she just frozen? Instead what I saw, took my breath away. Vix stood in the center of the room, crouched like she was about to do battle. She had her head raised to the sky, eyes closed and teeth clenched. Her legs trembled as she stood, and she strained as though she carried the world on her back. The air around her shimmered and distorted. Silver mist swirled around her feet. I'd seen her manipulate Dungeons before, but this seemed to be on a whole new level.

She was exhausted, she was hurt, she had already surpassed every limit I could have expected from her, and somehow she was still managing to hold the dungeon back.

She cracked an eye open, squinting across the room to me. Her words came out as a series of strangled grunts. "Don't. Just. Stand. There! Can't. Hold. Much. Longer!" I shook my head, realizing that I'd been frozen in awe, watching her. I returned to the rubble and started up my frantic pace again. Vix would buy me as much time as she could, but in her current state I expected her to collapse at any moment.

Above us, in the base, I could still hear screams of fear and anger. Apparently we weren't the only ones still trapped within the Dungeon. I could only hope that there were still Society Pokemon above helping in the evacuation. But that couldn't be my priority. All I could hope to do was protect these three other Pokemon, and maybe I wouldn't even be enough to save them.

Finally, the hole was just wide enough for me to squeeze through, though I had to leave my bag behind. I hit the ground, fumbling with my badge as I waited for my eyes to adjust. I couldn't make out Shane or Eve, but I could hear a voice and smell the nearly overwhelming scent of blood. I stepped forward, something warm squishing beneath my paw. Something moved in the darkness, and that's where I saw the sad scene. Shane lay motionless on the ground, glassy, vacant eyes fixed on a point overhead. Eve lay curled so tightly around him that I wasn't sure if she would ever let him go. Her shoulders shook as she sobbed silently, a few faint whimpers escaping.

I could feel the pressure of the collapsing Dungeon at my back, but I couldn't bring myself to move. How could I interrupt this? I moved slowly and quietly, my badge raised so I could use the scant light to navigate. "Eve," I said softly. She didn't look up. She didn't move. There was no indication that she had even heard me.

I took another step closer, holding out my badge towards her. "I'll send you back first, and then Vix and I will be right behind —"

Suddenly she looked up, tear-streaked fur specked with blood. "Not yet. Please not yet. Slink I… I can't leave him. Not like this." I lowered my badge, taking another step towards her. She pushed to her feet for a brief moment before collapsing against me. She clung to me, claws digging into my fur. I held her as well, thanking every legendary I could think of for giving me this chance to see her again.

"I can't just leave him like this," Eve whispered in my ear. "Please, Slink. He deserves this much."

"We don't have much time," I said. My mind was racing. Would the badge even work on him? But I couldn't dwell on it for long. "You need to go, now."

"I'm not…"

"Yes, you are." I insisted, raising my badge. She couldn't even stand. I could have sent her back regardless of her answer, but I waited for just a moment. "I promise I'll bring him back."

Eve didn't nod or even speak, but she did seem to relax more, sagging further into me. I gently tapped her shoulder with my badge and she vanished in a flash of green light.

I hurried back to the entrance, both to grab my bag and to warn Vix that I was nearly in the clear. But as I reached my paw through the hole, just catching the strap of my bag, I saw the edge of the room grow fuzzy before silver fog started to creep in. Even with Vix holding it off, we had seconds at most before the Dungeon swallowed us.

"Vix, go!" I shouted as I turned back to Shane. I'd only have one chance at this, and I hoped for Eve's sake that it would work. I barely managed to pull the strap of my bag over my head as my paws slipped on blood. I placed a paw on Shane's back, claws gripping him so hard that I felt them break his skin. Silver mist poured into the cavern as I pressed my badge. For a moment it was all I could see before green light exploded from my badge, enveloping me.

My paws slammed back into solid ground. My knees buckled from the impact, and I lost my grip on Shane. Shouts filled the room as I tumbled to the ground. "Slink!" I heard Eve's voice, weak as it was, clearly through the din. I scrambled to my feet, looking around frantically. I'd never seen the warp room of the Expedition Society this packed before. Dozens of Pokemon lined the walls around the room, staying well clear of the platform. Several Pokemon were pacing anxiously at the base of the platform, watching desperately for more arrivals.

Eve lay mere feet from me, though it seemed she could barely lift her head. She dragged herself closer to me, with Candice hovering over her, unsure if she should intervene. "Vix?" she gasped. I turned again, facing the center of the platform where she'd arrive. Where she had to arrive.

A flash of green light filled the room, spitting out a Vulpix and a puff of silver fog. Vix somehow kept her feet as she landed. She raised her head, found me, and shot off a wide, cocky grin before her eyes rolled up into her head and she collapsed where she stood.

Cold dread shot through my body as Candice rushed forward, but I simply couldn't anymore. I couldn't take another step. I sat down, my forelegs trembling as I watched the nurse attend to my daughter. She remained bent over the Vulpix as Eve dragged herself to my side, watching just as anxiously. Finally Candice turned her head, a weary grin on her face as she gave us the slightest nod.

I'm sure we were quite a sight as the Expedition Society and most of the Hatred looked on. An Espeon with a broken leg, an unconscious Vulpix, a sobbing Fennekin, and the corpse of a shiny Umbreon. I fell to my belly and wrapped my paws around Eve's shoulders, feeling her shoulders shake. There'd be questions to answer later, so much still to be done, but that would come in time. For now, I finally let two years worth of tension melt from my body as I held my mate close. I buried my face in her shoulder and let it all out because, finally, finally it was all over.

The thick stone doors rumbled slightly as they swung inward. Wind whistled through the crack, carrying with it the heavy scent of salt and the sea. The grasses grew wild beyond the door, a stark contrast to the sparse, wispy Dungeon grass underfoot. They whispered in the sea wind, rolling and shifting like the ocean far below. I took a deep breath, letting some of my tension bleed out, before I stepped across that threshold.

More than two weeks after the assault on the Hatred Base, we'd finally been able to slip away, back to the Mist Continent, to finally put everything to bed. I had promised my family that I would return the Dreamstone once Smoke had been defeated, and this time I was doing it with the ones I loved at my side.

Vix fought against the grass, leaping through the flaxen blades like they were snow. She threw herself as high as possible before crashing back down, crushing the blades beneath her. Every so often I'd see her eyes bob above the grass, small moments she used to steer herself by, but mostly I just had to watch where the blades had been disturbed in her passing. I was happy to see her so energetic, especially after she'd spent the better part of three days asleep after we'd arrived back from the Hatred.

Simple exhaustion had been Candice's diagnosis. She'd pushed herself too hard, for too long, even before she'd used her power to hold back the Dungeon. "A few seconds longer, and I'm not sure we would be having this conversation," Candice had told me. "But as it stands, it's nothing to be concerned about so long as she gets plenty of water and electrolytes." Still, I'd kept watch over Vix like a Talonflame as she slept alongside the Volcarona apprentice Candice had left with us. Every so often the bug-type would nudge Vix awake and spoon Nanab berry paste into her mouth along with some water before letting her drift off again.

On my other side, Eve wore an awed smile as we traveled along the cliffside. Her head constantly swiveled between the ocean and the village ruins peeking out from the foliage. Eventually she caught me staring, and her ears flicked uncomfortably. "It's beautiful," she shrugged. "You never mentioned it was this pretty. I wish I'd stuck around to see it last time."

I raised an eyebrow at that, suppressing a smirk. "I mean, if we're going back I can think of a few other things I'd change." Her ears flicked again, though she grinned at the teasing. It was nice to see her smile. That was something of a rarity these days.

Of the three of us, she had been hurt the most from the battle, both mentally and physically. In the end, her broken leg had seemed the mildest of her injuries. Candice easily reset the bone and bound it tightly in a cast. It took a few days, but once Eve had recovered the strength she was easily able to heal it herself. Her Psychic powers took several days to return as well. She'd pushed herself to the limit to keep herself alive, something both her body and mind reflected. It was hard to see, especially in the sunlight, but around the edge of her gem, a spiderweb of white lines had formed deep within the crystal. They didn't seem to have any adverse effect on her power, at least not that we had noticed, but it was a scar she would carry for the rest of her life.

We moved further inland, away from the cliff's edge and into the village square. The grass was thinner here, up to my knees instead of up to my neck, having had to force itself between the bricks paving the space between the ruined houses. In the early Summer heat, the village looked even more overgrown than it had last time I'd stood here. The grass was thick and lush, in some places standing taller than me. Wildflowers dotted the wreckage in shades of blue, red, and purple. Avens and Foxglove sprouted from between broken stones. Poppies pooled where hearths used to be. Ivy crawled up the fallen Delphox statue, honeysuckle sprouting from their ears with a long strand hanging from the tip of their wand.

The ghosts that never were called to me from this place again. The Fennekin and the Braixen that would never play here. The families that would never grow up here. My Grandfather's plans had never been realized, yet here I stood, having finished what he started. In the warm sunshine beneath a cloudless sky, it was peaceful and happy. A good place to rest.

I guided the others through the village to where the small temple rested among the trees. This close I felt a pull like gravity driving me forwards. We walked beneath the grand arch and through the shaded tunnel, where our footsteps echoed against the stone, mingling with the sound of the rushing waves.

I stepped confidently onto the sloped, bowl-like floor. It was brighter than the last time I was here. Sunlight poured from the skylight, forming a perfect circle encompassing the empty pool in the center. I could feel a growing warmth in my chest as I drew closer. With each step, the sunlight seemed to grow brighter. The runes on the floor twinkled like embers as I stepped over them, leaving a trail of fire in my wake.

Eve and Vix trailed a few steps behind me, though as the chamber stirred to life they slowed, staring wide-eyed at the ethereal light-show. I glanced over my shoulder at them, nodding reassuringly. "It's okay, you two. Believe me, you're not gonna want to miss this." I drew closer to the pool. At this point, I doubted I could have pulled back even if I wanted to. The Dreamstone had warmed to boiling in my chest, irritating the burn that lingered there. It dragged me forward, until I stepped into the shaft of sunlight.

The light surged. A sound like rushing wind filled the chamber as the million runes on the floor exploded to life in a wave expanding from the center. The incredible power washed over me, and the Dreamstone grew ever hotter, searing within my chest. It was a brief agony, almost as bad as it had been during the final confrontation with Smoke. A deep hum filled the room, resonating deep within my bones, numbing my paws. And then it was over. My legs collapsed beneath me, and the burn in my chest turned cold. The hum was ringing in my ears, not rattling my being. I kept my eyes closed as the hum slowly faded, the light dimming marginally. I felt drained and empty.

"Slink?" Eve and Vix were at my side. I eased an eye open, finding that it wasn't as bright as I expected. I could just barely see the Dreamstone revolving slowly in the air past Eve's head. She hadn't seemed to even notice it, being too worried about me.

"I'm fine," I said, though it took me two attempts to stand back up. My words at least seemed to satisfy Eve, and when I finally made it to my feet, the three of us took a moment to stare up at the Dreamstone. Even after having carried it within me for months, it still felt surreal to be standing in its presence. Its beauty, the way that its opalescent sheen sent motes of color dancing around the chamber, left me in awe.

"That's it?" Vix asked.

"I thought it'd be bigger," Eve remarked.

Okay, maybe I was the only one that saw it in such a light. "It's still beautiful," Eve assured, seeing my expression. "Just after years of searching, you know. I had built up a much different picture in my head."

I shook my head. I'd show them just how impressive it really was. I closed my eyes and bowed my head. "Please, let me see them again." I mouthed the words, using the slightest amount of breath to give them voice.

For a brief moment, the Dreamstone froze facing me. Then, it began to spin. Eve and Vix stared at it for a moment, the former taking an anxious step backwards. "Slink, what's happening?" The Dreamstone became a ball of light, glowing steadily brighter and brighter, before it let off a final pulse and returned to stillness. The other two stood there, staring blankly at the Dreamstone and then at me, their reactions mirroring mine when I'd first done this, but without the crushing despair that came after.

I forced myself to wait, counting in my head slowly and deliberately until a full minute had passed. Then I turned around. There had been no sound, no hint that anything was different, but there, standing by the entrance, were three Delphox. I grinned, enjoying the stunned expressions on Eve and Vix's faces. "Hey guys, I'd like you to meet my family."

"So, you're dead?" were the first words out of Vix's mouth once I had made introductions.

So all in all, a good start.

I blushed at her bluntness. Just because it was true didn't mean that is wasn't rude.

My sister at least took it in stride. "Oh, is that why I've stopped breathing? Huh, that explains it." The two of them broke down into giggles, drawing dirty looks from both my mother and Eve. "Wow, tough room." I relaxed at least. I had a feeling Vix would get along well with her Aunt Blaze.

Now that the ice was broken, conversation felt more natural. "It's very nice to meet you, Eve," my mother said, kneeling down to our level to more easily speak with us. "Slink didn't exactly have much time to talk about you last time he was here, but he still spoke very highly of you."

Eve blushed at that, sneaking a glance at me as she did so. "That does sound like him. And of course he's told me so much about you, I feel like I know you already." With that, the two transitioned into easy conversation, Eve telling her about how we met and our journeys over the past few years.

I watched the two of them for a while, a warmth that had nothing to do with the Dreamstone spreading through my stomach. It was all I had wanted, to see my families together like this: happy, getting to meet each other. Sure, it would never be how I truly imagined it, but this was enough.

Something like a warm breeze tickled the fur on my shoulder. I looked back to find my father had placed a hand on my shoulder. Or rather, in my shoulder. It was hard to judge when you couldn't feel anything. "Sorry to interrupt, I was just hoping we could talk. Just the two of us."

I looked over at Eve and my mom, but neither seemed to have noticed. I nodded, following a short ways away. He knelt down to my level, speaking quickly. "I didn't want to ruin the mood, but I needed to know, what happened since we last spoke? I assume you must have stopped Smoke, but what of the Hatred? Did you destroy the remnants of Dark Matter?"

I nodded. "We did. It cost… more than we ever wanted to pay, but we did it." He remained silent, eyes fixed on my face. Slowly, I explained what had happened with the Hatred, the assault on the base, what we had discovered, Smoke's plan to infect the continent, his defeat and subsequent collapse of the bunker. I paused briefly, unsure if I should mention Shane's death. I had no idea what my father's reaction would be, given Shane's hand in his death. I had even been hesitant to tell them about Eve's connection to him. "Had Vix not been able to hold back the Dungeon, I don't think Eve or I would have made it out. And the Society would have had far more casualties." My father nodded, glancing over at the Vulpix with a new respect in his eyes.

"It's a weight off my soul, and I know my own father would feel the same way to hear that Dark Matter has been truly vanquished. Thank you, Slink, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I'm so proud of you, my son. Truly, I am." I'd heard the words before, but this time they made me feel lighter. Perhaps it was having accomplished my mission, or perhaps it was knowing that there would be peace now. Either way, I drifted back over to where Eve was now talking to both my mother and sister, sharing stories with plenty of laughter.

After a moment I realized that Vix wasn't gathered with the rest of us. I looked around to find her standing a good distance away looking up at the Dreamstone. I ducked away from the conversation, muttering a hurried excuse as I went.

Vix didn't say anything as I sat beside her. She had lowered herself into a half-squat, but couldn't seem to make up her mind on whether she should be sitting or standing. Her whole body shook with a nervous energy, prancing from foot to foot, ears flicking at nothing. I was half convinced that she was about to wriggle out of her own skin. It reminded me of when she had had a run-in with a patch of nettles behind the house a couple months back.

"You okay?" I asked.

"Sorry," she said immediately, "I just… the longer I talked to Blaze… well, I got to thinking…" She took a deep breath, finally sitting down, though her tails still writhed behind her. When she spoke, her voice was just above a whisper, the words for me alone. "Does… does it only work for you or… " I looked to her, then the Dreamstone, vaguely aware of the conversation dying off behind us as Eve and my family noticed what we were doing. "Could it bring anyone back?"

I leaned down to Vix. I knew exactly how she felt. It was the same desperate hope that I'd carried for almost two years. "Only way to find out is to try, right? All you have to do is ask."

Her eyes widened at that. She stared up at the Dreamstone, which slowly stopped in its rotation, facing us like it knew what was about to happen. Vix closed her eyes before spitting out the words in a rush, like she was afraid that she would stop herself otherwise. "Ijustwanttoseeheragainplease!"

For a breathless moment, the Dreamstone held still. And then it began to turn. Faster and faster, growing brighter and brighter. If we didn't have everyone's attention before, we had it now. I closed my eyes as the Dreamstone let off a final flash that had me seeing stars even through closed lids. Vix was standing now, looking around frantically.

"Patience," I told her. "It takes a moment. She'll come." I glanced over my shoulder at my father as I said it, an unasked question on my face. Right? He just shrugged. Apparently this was new territory for him too.

A rustle of fur on fur turned my attention back to Vix. She stood frozen, eyes wide, staring at a point on the opposite side of the chamber. A Ninetales sat there, warm red eyes looking around curiously. We all sat frozen as she surveyed the room, gaze gliding over me, Eve, and the three Delphox without any change in expression. And then she saw Vix.

"Little one?" The voice was soft and small, but unbelievably warm. Like a candle flame.

"Mom?" Vix squeaked. "Mom!" She was off like a shot, bolting across the room as fast as her legs could carry her. I just barely managed to catch her with my power a few steps away from the Ninetales. She glared back at me, confused and angry. For a brief moment I was convinced that she was about to send a burst of fire at me. But I remembered what I had felt when I had seen my dad for the first time, and the near smothering disappointment when I'd passed through him. I couldn't let Vix face that.

I released my hold on her. "Sorry, I just didn't want you to forget… she's not really here. Just a part of her is. I didn't want you to get hurt."

Vix's expression softened, and she nodded before she turned back to her mother, her body quivering as she stood before the Ninetales. The larger fox couldn't seem to find words; she just stared at her daughter. Slowly she sank down, forelegs splaying out, until she was laying on her belly, her chin resting on the chamber floor. Vix matched her posture, prostrating herself so that her nose just touched her mother's. Fifteen tails wagged in unison.

I backed away, trying to give the two space to reconnect. But as I turned to go, the Ninetales leapt upright again. "Wait," she said, "don't go. Who are you?"

Vix stood as well. "That's Slink, and that's Eve. They… they found me after you… they gave me a home."

"Your father?" the Ninetales asked, turning to Vix. The angry scowl she got in return answered the question more efficiently than words ever could. "Oh, I see," she sighed, shaking her head.

She studied me and then Eve. Her red eyes flickered like embers, looking through me. Finally she bowed her head to the pair of us, eyes closed. "Thank you. Thank you so much for taking care of my daughter where I couldn't." Her voice trembled at the end. She swiped at her eyes with the back of a paw before raising her head again. "My name is Rose. It is very nice to meet you both."

Eve bowed her head as well. "The honor is ours. And there's no need to thank us. Slink wouldn't have let Vix be alone. He doesn't have it in him."

A puzzled expression crossed Rose's face. "Vix?"

Vix giggled. "Oh yeah. That's me."

Rose blinked before nodding slowly. "I see. I'd called you Ginger. You wouldn't have remembered." She smiled. "I like Vix. It suits you."

Before Vix could express her thoughts on the name, the Dreamstone came to life. It spun in the air once again, spinning faster and faster as its light filled the room like a miniature sun.

I looked around, blinking away the spots in my eyes. What had happened? My family and Vix's mother were still there, so the Stone hadn't sent anyone back. But I hadn't heard Vix or Eve ask for another spirit. I glanced over at my father, but he seemed just as confused as I was. In fact, everyone seemed just as confused as I was.

Except for Eve.

She wasn't looking to me or Vix or anyone else in the room. No, she was focused on the room itself. Looking around as if expecting someone to appear. Eventually she looked at me and blushed when she found I was staring at her with a raised eyebrow.

"I… I didn't think it would work. I didn't say anything. I just… thought it." She paused once again, scanning over the room. I did too, curious. How long did it take for a spirit to arrive? But after two minutes still nothing had happened. "I… I guess it… it didn't work." Eve tried to keep the disappointment out of her voice. She failed. Miserably.

She walked off, heading back towards my parents. I nodded politely to Rose, though she hardly seemed to notice. She had lain down, curling around her daughter. Vix chattered happily, telling her mother everything that had happened in the past few years while the Ninetales listened intently. Her eyes were fixed on her daughter's face, drinking in her presence. I went to follow Eve, letting the pair get reacquainted.

My thoughts drifted back to the Dreamstone. I could guess who Eve had asked to see, but I couldn't understand why it hadn't worked. Was it perhaps that the Dreamstone could only bring so many souls back at once? Or maybe…

What if a soul didn't want to come back?

I tried not to dwell on it. This was supposed to be a celebration, and so I let myself relax. I allowed myself to get pulled into a conversation with my sister and Eve. Outside, the sky bled to orange, and then to a deep indigo, but the light in the center of the room stayed the same warm intensity, the Dreamstone still slowly revolving within it. It had been a long day of hiking to get to this Dungeon, and as it drew later those of us still alive began to fade fast.

Vix still hadn't completely recovered from her exhaustion, and so it wasn't too long before her excited chatter faded away. She lay slumped on her side, as though she'd fallen asleep sitting up. Her head lay halfway in her mother's stomach, but Rose didn't seem to mind. She stared down at the drooling Vulpix as though she were the most beautiful sunset in the world. Eve wasn't faring much better than Vix. She rested her head on my shoulder, and as the night went on she slowly leaned more and more of her weight onto me.

"You know, we'll still be here in the morning," my father teased as Eve nearly fell over for the third time. "It might be best to call it a night." The Dreamstone seemed to take that as a cue. Its pseudo-sunlight dimmed suddenly, and it took a moment for my eyes to adjust. The light changed to a soft, silvery blue, just slightly brighter than the full moon. Bright enough to still fill the room, but dark enough to sleep.

"That's probably a good idea," Eve yawned, straightening up. "I didn't want to be rude." She dug into her bag for a moment before pulling out a blanket and settling it onto the rough stone floor.

"Don't worry about us," my mother assured her.

"Hell," my sister added, "I'm tired too."

"You sleep?" Eve asked.

"Usually no," my father said. "But crossing the veil we did, even with the help of the Dreamstone, wasn't easy. We need rest."

"Oh." Eve returned to her blanket, continuing to smooth it out. As she worked, I wandered over to where Rose and Vix were curled. I pulled a second blanket from my bag, carefully lifting Vix up as I slid the blanket beneath her.

"Thank you," Rose said as I got the still-sleeping Vulpix settled.

"Of course," I said. "I won't let her just sleep on the ground. She's my daughter too." As I said the words I felt a thrill of anxiety shoot down my spine. Considering how Vix's other parent had reacted to those words. But Rose merely cocked her head and nodded. She laid her head down next to her daughter's, though she didn't close her eyes. I doubted she would sleep.

I returned to find that my parents and sister had all found suitable patches of floor to lie down on. They looked odd without blankets or pillows, though I knew that they couldn't actually use either. I lay down next to Eve, curling around her as was usual for us. I rested my head next to hers, my nose pressed into the back of her neck. I breathed in her scent, letting my eyelids droop. It wasn't the most comfortable bed, but the peace and the company were enough to lull me to —

Something moved in the tunnel.

I sat up quickly, eyes flying open as I scanned the room frantically, searching for any hint of the vague shadow I'd seen, but there was nothing. Had I just imagined it? I didn't think so. At least there was an easy way to check.

"What's wrong?" Eve asked, looking up at me.

"Uh, bathroom," I said quickly. I didn't want to worry her over what was probably nothing. "I'll just run outside, really quick. Be right back."

"Sounds good," Eve said through a massive yawn. She laid her head down, eyes half-lidded.

There were four tunnels leading out from this central chamber, one each in the cardinal directions. We had entered the tunnel from the Eastern corridor, but the shadow I had seen had darted into the Northern one. It was an odd choice, perhaps more proof that I had imagined it, given that that corridor had caved in at some point in the preceding decades. The path ended after only a few feet at a sheer wall of rubble. The roof of the tunnel had collapsed inward, letting in real moonlight that painted everything in shades of silver. The shadows were deep and stark, though even that darkness wasn't total.

Something blue glowed there.

"I know you're there," I whispered, trying to sound confident.

Movement, and then a shape emerged into the moonlight. The blue glow died as he stepped into the light, yellow eyes narrowed into a glower. "Of course you saw me," Shane growled.

"Only just now," I said.

He grumbled. "I just had to pick the dead end. I was trying to wait for you all to go to sleep so I could sneak out. But then you just had to look up."

"Sneak out? Where? Shane, you can't leave this temple without…" I paused, and he refused to look at me. "Oh."

"We both know it would be better for everyone if I just left," Shane said, looking at the ground. "Better for you to be rid of me, better for your family to not have to see me, and —"

"Better for the Pokemon who wanted to see you so badly that she dragged you back from wherever the hell you ended up? Better for the Pokemon who has had nightmares for weeks because of you? Better for the Pokemon we both care about who blames herself every damn day that you are dead?" I had to make a conscious effort to keep my voice down, but angry sparks flickered through my fur as I spoke. "Would it really be better for her?!"

Shane finally looked at me. "Why…? How could she possibly blame herself? I made my own choice to save her. That isn't her fault."

"The only reason you had to save her was because she was hurt. She blames herself for being helpless."

Shane finally looked at me. "It wasn't her fault. If she's going to blame anyone, it should be someone who deserves it. Like me. I made my choice to save her. It was my choice to put myself there so that she wouldn't get hurt anymore. And if I had to do it again, if I had to do it a million times, I'd still do it."

I studied him for a while, doing my best to keep my expression neutral. I didn't like Shane. I don't think I'd ever be able to like him. But in that moment, I realized how similar the two of us really were. We'd both learned the same thing from loss: to hold tight. "I'm not the one who needs to hear that," I said.

Shane closed his eyes, letting out a breath in a long, resigned hiss. "Slink, I… I can't go out there."

"I'll send Eve over. Just so long as you talk to her."

Shane turned his back to me, preparing to skulk back into the shadows just in case one of the Delphox wasn't quite asleep yet. Before he could disappear again, I had one more question for him. "Hey, how's your mom?"

He stopped walking, but didn't look back. "She's good. Happy. Whole." Then he vanished into the darkness. I turned too, to rouse my mate for what was probably going to be a very long sleepless night. I'm glad he couldn't see me, or the smile on my face.

It was time to go.

I had waited as long as I possibly could. Giving Vix as much time as possible with her mom. Giving me as much time as possible with my family. But it was time to go all the same.

"Oh come on, kid, don't be blue." My sister crossed her arms, rolling her eyes at me. "It's not like we're dying again. You could come back next month if you wanted to."

I smiled at that. I kept forgetting that this place wasn't going anywhere. It wasn't about to fade back into mystery once we'd gone. We could visit for peace and closure whenever we needed.

The four ghosts made their goodbyes. Vix and her mother had their foreheads pressed together, tears streaming freely to dot the stone below. Each Delphox in turn bent down and hugged both Eve and me. They were slightly less substantial than a summer breeze, but they were warm like a nice bath.

Eve leaned against me the whole time, smiling politely through the goodbyes. The image was slightly ruined by her bloodshot and puffy eyes. I tried to pretend that they were merely from exhaustion. Every so often she would shoot a look at the northern tunnel. I hadn't seen any movement from it since Eve had returned only about thirty minutes before sunrise, but I felt its occupant's gaze, watching us.

My dad was the last to say goodbye. "It was very lovely to meet you, Eve, and you too, Vix." He turned to me, giving me the slimmest smile and a nod. "Goodbye, Slink. We'll see you again." And with that, they vanished.

"I guess that means it's time to go," I said. No sooner had the words passed my lips than the room began to shake. Sunlight poured from the skylight, growing brighter as it cascaded over the Dreamstone and splashed through the temple. Runes blazed to life beneath our feet in a wave, exploding out from the center. I closed my eyes against the glare, bracing myself against the shaking, and then it was over. When I opened my eyes, the chamber seemed dingier, the colors far more muted, the smell of dank stone now noticeable.

The Dreamstone had retreated back into the oil-like pool on the floor. The crystal keys once again rested in their place on the floor, glowing with a faint inner light. I stepped up and lifted one from its groove. It was the bottom left quadrant of the symbol, smooth and round, curling slightly like a horn. It was the key that my dad had been given by his father. The one the Hatred had stolen the night everything had changed.

I slipped it into my bag, turned, and walked away.

"You're only taking one?" Eve asked as we left the temple. It was a short walk back to the great stone doors, and from there we could warp back to Paradise HQ.

"I only need one to open the doors," I answered. "This way, one way in, and one way out. My Grandfather's idea of multiple keys worked for when this place was a village, but having four of these things spread out over the world? Eve, the Hatred had two of these. If they'd found this Dungeon, who knows how much damage Smoke might have done."

I turned and looked back at the village. Everyone else was gone, so I'd have to be its protector now. If anyone wanted in here, they'd have to go through me. And if someday, some other kid needed the Dreamstone for one reason or another, well…

The least I could do was make sure they had an easier time of it than I did.