CHAPTER 50
The day seemed to pass by quite slowly, despite how easy the missions were. Teams StarStruck and Earth-Sky had plenty of time to relax after their missions were finished.
Vulpix and Buizel returned to their new room on the third floor to unwind and get some much-needed rest. That morning, after Team StarStruck had chosen their room, Vulpix had placed Rylan's conch shell next to her bed. As she relaxed in her bed that night, she continued to look it over. The shell was emitting a faint silvery glow.
"What is that?" asked Buizel. "You've been staring at it since we came back."
"Zorian gave this shell to Rylan," said Vulpix. "This is why Rylan went to Shell Island. Here, read it."
Vulpix handed Buizel the small slip of paper, and he looked it over.
"All Zorian wanted was for he and his brother to live happy," said Vulpix. "I wonder what the two of them are doing now."
"Hopefully staying out of trouble," said Buizel. "My feelings toward Rylan haven't changed a bit, but I do trust that he wants to do better. I believe he can." He handed Zorian's note back to Vulpix.
Vulpix smiled. "I believe he can, too. And Zorian as well."
"Yeah," said Buizel.
There was a knock at the door.
"Who is it?" asked Vulpix.
"It's me, Nidoran," said Nidoran's voice on the other side of the door. "Gallade and the Guildmaster want to talk to you both."
"We'll be right down," said Buizel.
The two of them left their beds, walked out of their room, and headed down the stairs to the assembly hall. Aggron and Gallade were waiting for them there.
"What can we do for you?" asked Vulpix.
"I had a theory I wanted to share with you," said Aggron, "but first I would like to give you this opportunity to share something with us if there's anything troubling you."
"Oh, I'm fine, Guildmaster," said Vulpix. "Nothing's troubling me."
"Same here," said Buizel. "I'm all right."
"Good to hear," said Aggon. "Now, then… I think I've figured something out about the Key of Renewal."
"What is it?" asked Vulpix.
"You and Buizel are from Rylan's world, yet he's gone, and you remain. Why is that? Well, Gallade told me about Buizel's desire to stay. His love for this world was quite strong."
"I did indeed say something to that effect," said Buizel. "I told Rylan that I cared for this world and was willing to save it, even if it meant going with him back to his world, the world that I didn't want to return to."
"Precisely," said Aggron. "What I'm thinking is this: The Key of Renewal has ties to the hearts of everyone."
"Ties to the hearts of everyone?" asked Vulpix.
"Of course, its duty is to correct what needs to be corrected," said Aggron, "but as I recall, Rylan and Zorian wanted desperately to return home at some point, whereas you two have become accustomed to this world and have grown to love it dearly. I think the Key of Renewal acts based on an individual's feelings. It sends an individual to the place he or she holds most dear."
"That could be the answer," said Vulpix. "I never thought about it that way."
"It does make sense," said Buizel. "Wait…Vulpix?"
"Yes?" Vulpix looked at her teammate.
"That evening at Shell Island," said Buizel, "you said something to Zorian before I tried to leave. I can't quite remember what you said, but what Aggron said about the key just now got me to thinking…"
"Oh, I remember," said Vulpix. "I told Zorian that we belong-"
"-where we choose to belong!" said a voice.
Everyone turned around, looking shocked.
"Ry… Rylan?" Vulpix asked.
Sure enough, Rylan, still a Riolu, was standing in the middle of the assembly hall. He was smiling happily. "Hey, guys!"
Vulpix promptly walked up to her friend, then proceeded to grab him by the shoulders and shake him repeatedly.
"Rylan, you idiot!" she exclaimed. "Making me all worried like that when you were here this whole time!"
"Hey, hey, t-take it easy!" Rylan stammered.
"Rylan, I thought you-" Gallade started. "How in the world did you-?"
"Vulpix and the Guildmaster are absolutely right," said Rylan cheerfully. "We belong where we choose to belong. I don't think I'd be standing here otherwise."
"It's certainly a pleasant surprise to see you, Rylan," said Aggron, "but would you care to explain what happened to you after you played the melody and vanished?"
"I'm not entirely sure, to be honest," said Rylan. "When I opened my eyes, I found myself on a dark road in the middle of nowhere. Next thing I know, I'm right outside the guild. It was like a passing dream. I wish I could remember."
Vulpix looked at Rylan confusedly. "Sounds strange. I hope you aren't losing your memories all over again."
"Nah," Rylan chuckled. "I won't worry too much about it now, though. I'm back with my team and that's what matters."
"Um… I'm afraid not," said Aggron.
"What?" asked Vulpix, Buizel, and Rylan simultaneously.
"We thought you had left us for good. We took you off the roster just this morning," Aggron said. "Unfortunately, that makes you an ex-member of the guild."
"Ex-members can still rejoin the guild," said Gallade, "but they must be treated as new recruits and must begin again from Starting Rank. New recruits can join an existing team, but that team must be Starting Rank as well."
Vulpix resumed shaking Rylan by the shoulders. "Rylan, you idiot! You left us, and now you can't come back to our team!"
"I'm very sorry," Aggron said, "but that's a rule, and as Guildmaster I can't make any exceptions. If you wish to rejoin the guild, you must join one of our Starting Rank teams or bring a partner to start a new one."
"I understand," said Rylan. "Rules are rules, and I have to abide by them. I have no problem starting over. In fact, as it so happens, I have a partner already."
Everyone's faces lit up as Rylan's older brother, Zorian, who was still a Zoroark, entered the hall.
"Hey. I hope I fit the bill," he said with a slight chuckle.
"Zorian!" Vulpix exclaimed, bounding happily over to Rylan's brother and grinning up at him.
"I'm relieved to know he survived," Rylan said. "I thought I had lost him."
"Just before I hit the bottom of the mountain," Zorian explained, "I felt myself fade away. I guess Rylan played the song just in time. Everything afterward seems…just a blur. I don't recall what happened on that dark road."
"Ah, who cares?" asked Vulpix. "We're just happy to see you two again!"
Zorian placed a paw on his brother's shoulder. "After having that adventure with you guys, I figured I could be of great help to this guild. Since Rylan has to start over, we can be teammates."
"Then it's settled," said Aggron. "Do you have a name for your team?"
Rylan and Zorian looked at each other. Rylan then looked up at Aggron.
"Team Shell Bell, sir," Rylan responded.
"Quite a fitting name, if you ask me," said Gallade.
"I recall you saying that Shell Bells are a symbol of harmony and healing," said Zorian. "You also said that they're proof that even in a world where bad things happen, good things are sure to follow."
"Well, we want to do the same thing," said Rylan. "We want to do the best we can for this world, one adventure at a time."
"Team Shell Bell it is, then," said Aggron. "Welcome back, Rylan. Good to have you with us, Zorian."
The two brothers, who had suffered greatly growing up, had finally found a way they could rebuild their lives. Better still, they could do so each day as a team, always looking out for each other. Rylan may have lost his place in Team StarStruck, but he still had the bonds of respect and loyalty he shared with his former teammates, and his adventures as a member of the newly formed Team Shell Bell would soon begin.