Taking a bite out of my breakfast, I decided to simply listen in on what Cross was suggesting for training. My standard breakfast wasn't anything special. Just a few apples and berries. Nothing of any real note. Sometimes, when Josh was in the mood, he would provide some breakfast he made himself, because he said, and I quote, "There's only so much I can take when it comes to just fruits for breakfast." Oh man, now that's making my mouth nearly drool at the possibility of once again tasting some of Josh's in-game cooking. He's a pretty good chef, not a masterclass cook, but good enough to make me wish he made seconds. Sometimes for breakfast at the guild, he would volunteer to cook up something nice, such as a few crêpes, or even an omelet if he can find the right ingredients (don't even ask me how he gets the egg meat, because even I don't know how he does it).

Cross must've notice my daydreaming, because he gave me a gentle tap on the shoulder. "Hey, are you awake, big guy?" Cross asked.

I instantly snap out of my stupor, and I look at the Gallade sitting next to me. "OH! Uh…sorry. I was distracted."

"Still thinking about the whole furry nonsense with Josh?" Cross asked out in the open! To be fair, he did tell Chris and Nolan, but prompted the both of them to keep quiet about the whole thing for my sake. As long as we don't bring it up to anybody else, we can avoid any further awkward situations. Hopefully.

I sigh, finishing off my apple in relative silence, trying to ignore what Cross was saying.

"Hey, come on, Adam! I was just teasing!" Cross said with a grin. "You can handle a bit of levity, right?"

I swallow the apple in my mouth, and I give him a small glare. "Can we please not talk about it anymore? I thought we were going to discuss training?"

Cross then gave me a glare, before saying "Maybe if you were paying attention, I'd continue talking about it."

"I was listening!" I stated.

"Then what was I just saying?" Cross asked.

I had to think carefully so that I didn't end up looking like a fool. I've done plenty of combat training with Josh in the past, so some of the things he was bringing up was pretty common knowledge for me by this point. However, I was distracted by simply eating my food, so I could hardly recall what it was he was telling me. My body started to tense up, and I gave an awkward laugh. "Yes! What you said! Just a few seconds ago! That thing you told me! Regarding training! Yes! How could I not be paying attention to what you were saying? After all, you're going to be our trainer! It only makes sense that I-"

"You weren't listening, were you?" Cross asked bluntly.

I lowered my own head in shame. "I'm sorry, Cross."

Cross sighed and started rubbing his eyes with his fingers in annoyance, which only made me feel guilty for not paying attention.

"It's really quite simple, Herr Adam!" Nolan began, grabbing my attention. "Each of us are to focus on the three of you in intervals. We rotate our regiments every couple of hours to make sure you get a good bit of training and practice with each of us."

"Mainly, enhancing your own stat builds," Chris continued. "For example, your Lonely Nature best attributes your physical strength, but your defense needs a bit of work. Not only that, but for someone as big and burly as you are, you'll be needing some extra speed and evasion if you're planning on winning any intensive battles."

"Therefore, Chris and Nolan are perfect for helping you hone those attributes," Cross finished. "As for me, I'll simply be doing some casual sparring, testing the waters to determine if the training is doing any good for you."

I nod my head in understanding. "I think I get it. So…" I then hold my arm up and give it a small flex, giving my bicep a small poke. "If my weaknesses are speed and defense, then what better way to improve then with a speedster and a literal shield." I turn my gaze over to Nolan and Chris. "I hope that you guys plan on doing similar things with Josh and Rose."

"Oh, we will," Chris said with a smile. "For Josh's case, I was thinking of teaching him a new technique I've learned only yesterday. If that scuffle with Zeraora taught me one thing, it's that he's fast and difficult to avoid. So, I've done some digging, and found this." He then closed his eyes, and suddenly, he swiftly multiplied into two, then three, then four, until the entire table was surrounded by around a dozen Scythers. I almost gasped and leaped out of my seat when I noticed this, and I ended up looking at all of the clones that Chris produced. He took notice of my amazement, and the real Chris spoke. "Double Team is great when it comes to escaping from a difficult bind. A nice distraction, given that Volt and his team are likely going to focus on him directly if they fight him."

"Incredible!" I mouthed, as I looked at the sight before me. Turning my attention towards Nolan, I asked him "What about you? Anything to teach Josh?"

Nolan simply shook his head(?) as he looked at me. "Just some simple exercises, Schüler," he said. "Just to find a way to make his attacks like a defense, and vice versa."

"Ah, I see," I said, giving a smile. "Like a-"

"Like a warrior, Adam," Nolan interrupted. "Like a warrior."

"As for Rose, that's where things will be tricky," Cross mentioned. "Adam, what nature was Rose again?"

"Uh…" I took a moment to remember what she said her nature possibly was. It took a hot minute, but I ended up remembering the time when Rose traveled with us after we met her in Osiris. We discussed out natures and what Pokémon we ended up choosing. The last bit of levity we had before we left to rescue Gabe…and fail horribly. However, I do remember what she said that day. "I think she said her nature was Modest."

"Higher raise for special attacks over physical," Cross muttered as he thought about what to do about that. After a minute of contemplation, he went to his conclusion. "And considering she might need some defense training, I'll leave that to Nolan. As for Chris, he'll be doing his part to give her evasion training. As for me, I think I might be able to give her a few tips I've picked up over the years. I'll have to provoke her into attacking me with everything she has, though."

Chris and Nolan almost tensed up upon Cross suggesting this, but he held up his hand to justify what he was saying. "What I mean is that we'll be putting her training, as well as the training we'll give to Josh and Adam to the test. Once they reach the point where they are competent fighters, they'll have to apply it to actual tactics in a team matchup."

"Tactics?" I questioned.

Cross gave me a grin and looked at me. "Like during our sparring match when we first met. You'll have to find a way to cooperate together without acting all cryptic like you usually do. Rose is not aware of your secret techniques like you guys are. Therefore, you'll both have to change up your approach when it comes to a third team member."

I tried to figure out what he meant, but Cross was quick to explain. "Think of a team as a well-oiled machine. Each team member acts as an integral part in the way the team functions. In a team of three, you have your tactician, your sword, and your shield. The tactician is the one who happens to guide the sword and shield merely as an extension of his own body. If the team isn't in sync, then the formation will falter, leaving you either vulnerable to attack, or sloppy in the strike against your foe. In order to maintain synchronization with the team, the leader's job is to employ a strategy that can guide the team to victory. If everyone has the right mindset, then the formation is like a proper unit. One acts on defense; one acts on offense; and one acts on strategy. Of course, your mileage may vary depending on the team itself.

"In your case, Adam, Josh is your team leader, while you act as a rather large sword. However, with the addition to Rose in the team, she'll need to act as a sword while you take the role as the shield. And from what I can gather, Incineroars are usually pretty durable fighters, so that fits the bill with someone like you. A good defense often makes for a stellar offense."

I was honestly rather impressed with the way that Cross phrased that. He seems to know what it is he's doing. Thinking about this one carefully, if Rose took my original position as the sword, then perhaps Josh should consider planning on what we should do as a team of three. A three-on-three sparring match seems like the perfect way to get us prepared. But that just leaves me with one lingering thought: can we really accomplish this within a week? If Cross is serious about this, then he's essentially asking for the impossible. Nobody just gets better in a week. This is a continuous process. Plus, I'm changing up my own approach to combat, so I'm unsure of what to do in this sort of scenario.

"One more thing, Adam," Cross mentioned, grabbing my attention once more. "Sometimes, the position of team leader will shift, depending on the situation. And often times, the leader will have two swords or two shields in a team of three. In a situation where you are the team leader, Josh would act as a sword, leaving you with two weapons that can attack, but not much else. Which is why strategy and planning are of upmost importance. Think of the arena you battle in as a giant chess board. Your opponent has their pieces, while you have yours. If the king falls, that's the end of that. Therefore, a king's duty is to guide and lead his troops through battle. The troops serve to protect the king, for if he falls, the remaining troops will have no means to plan out their next attack. This means that in case Josh were to fall in battle, the next in line to make the plan will be you, Adam."

"M-me!?" I stammered, almost completely nervous. "But, Josh wouldn't lose, would he?"

Cross ended up crossing his arms as he looked at me. "Think of it like this. Chris and Nolan both understand that if I fall in battle, one of them must take up the leadership position." As if in response to this, Chris and Nolan both nodded as they looked at me. "Therefore, in case of an emergency, they are deemed to act accordingly once the situation arises. Not only that, but if we are to be separated at any point, we must take up defense for ourselves." As Cross glared at me, he made an astute assumption. "Judging from the way you fight, you live, breathe, and die under Josh's orders. You don't seem to take initiative in combat, and in the off chance that you do end up alone, you try to prioritize your strength rather than your safety. You're reckless, just like your brother. You act without thinking. You obey orders without question. You never seem to be the one giving orders."

The fact that he summarized everything about me from the little time we've spent together was astounding. And moreover, he only figured that out from a glance. Nervously, I asked him "You know my weaknesses? How?"

Giving me a grin, Cross whispered "Psychic powers."

What!? He can read my mind!? Does he have telepathy? Is THAT how he coordinates his team so well!?

Cross could tell I was thinking this from the look on my face, and with a slight chuckle, he patted my arm. "I'm only kidding, Adam. Don't take everything I say at face value."

After this, he ended up signaling his team to go with him to the courtyard. He just left me there to think things over, telling me "Try remember what I told you, Adam. It may very well save your life one day." Once Chris and Nolan were out of the mess hall, Cross was the only one left, as he looked back at me. "Oh, and one more thing. And I want you to remember this, Adam."

I perk up, and listen. "What? What is it?"

Cross stared at me intently as he told me these words I shall never forget. "An army may be strong, but they are only as great as the man commanding them." He then turned back towards the door and left, where I was once again left alone with my thoughts.

I stare at the door for a few seconds, and I even look at all of the unfinished food I left on my platter. Though, considering what Cross just said earlier, food was the last thing that was on my mind.

I sigh, as the dread of what was to come was starting to sink in.

I think I may have lost my appetite.

Chapter 28: The Training Begins

By the time I made my way outside, I had a lot of things on my mind. Not only were Cross and his team right in that there are several ways in which we need to improve, but there happens to be a lot of pressure with how things might turn out. Can we win? Will we really improve? Could Rose, who had only joined with our team not too long ago, pull her own weight when the time was right?

Regardless of that, I tried to steady myself as I walked outside for some fresh air. I decided to wait by the entrance of the guild for when Josh and Rose returned. What Cross told me about leadership is nerve-wreaking. I don't see myself as a leader, and I know that Josh seems like a capable candidate. But…can he carry out the role of leadership?

I remember when Josh threatened Volt the other day, questioning his role as a leader of the Solace Guild. He could never be like Nick. That much was obvious. However, is it right for Josh to take up the leadership position here if he did beat him in battle?

An army may be strong, but they are only as great as the man commanding them.

Volt's not a bad leader…right? I know he does what he can for our protection. But as I was sitting there at the guild's entrance, doubts began to start filling up my mind. Doubts that perhaps Volt is in the wrong and Josh was in the right. But those were countered by concerns on Josh leading an army, which worried me. Volt might have what it takes to be a leader, but Josh wasn't. He can command a team, but not an entire guild.

We were trained these past few years to act as soldiers. And yet…Josh doesn't see me as one. Ever since we were trapped in the game, Josh always viewed me as family first and foremost. He never once thought of sending me into combat, telling me that he would only allow me to fight if it meant that we were going to win. He cares about me, and doesn't take kindly to sending me out into the field of battle, because he knows that my life is precious to him.

I sighed, and the feelings of unease hit my body like a freight train. I don't think we're cut out for this. We're way over our own heads as it is.

Soon enough, I saw both Josh and Rose make their way towards the guild entrance from town, and I saw the determination on his face. I sat up straight and looked at him, asking "What was taking you so long?"

Josh smiled, rubbing the back of his head. "I just wanted to clear my head, that's all. Rose seemed to help out with that in a big way."

"Really? She did?" As I looked at her, Rose gave an awkward laugh. "What did you talk about?"

"Nothing personal, just…" She sighed, smiling as she looked back at Josh. "He needed someone to cheer him up, so I did just that."

Josh nodded, and it was only then that I noticed he was holding some sort of bag. "That, and we also went to get some breakfast at Chateau Damascus. We figured you probably would like something from there to cheer you up." He tossed the bag towards me, and I reflexively grabbed it. "Why don't you eat up before we find Cross."

"B-but…" I wanted to argue with him and say that this was too much, and how he needed to understand that Cross was expecting a ton from us, and that I had doubts about our chances in battle, and the feeling of dread that I've been holding in ever since Volt accepted Josh's invitation for combat.

But my stomach growled, and I could see that Josh was aware of how uneasy I was. So, he walked over to me, patted my shoulder, and gave me a reassuring smile. "Don't be thinking so hard, Adam. I'm not doing this to spite Volt, you know."

This took me by surprise. "You're not?"

Josh shook his head. "I mean, sure, he ticks me off, but I'm aware he's just doing what he thinks is right to protect us. I find his logic heavily flawed, but I do see what his intent was. If we win this competition, it will only prove that Volt can't keep us chained forever. I'm not doing this for me, though. I'm doing this because I have people that need my help."

He then gave me a brief hug, before making his way up the stairs and towards the entrance. Rose was about to follow, but she also took her time to speak with me. "You know, Josh probably needs our help, too. He's emotionally unbalanced, and I now understand why that is. He doesn't want you to die in this world." She sympathetically gave me a gentle smile, and placed her hand(?) on my shoulder. "You should eat the food while it's nice and warm, Adam. We'll be waiting." And just like Josh before her, she walked inside of the guild.

Once again, I was all alone outside of the entrance. I was honestly relieved to see that Josh and Rose were willing to help as much as possible. Not just for me, but for Cross and his team as well. I was unsure on whether or not Josh was still going to make for a good leader, but I honestly had that all forgotten about when I felt my stomach growl again. One apple wasn't really enough, apparently.

I soon opened the bag in my hands, and dug out the contents that were inside. It turns out that the food Josh brought me was a slice of apple pie. Freshly baked, too. Picking up the slice, I sniffed it to be sure it was alright to eat. I then took a small bite, and I was almost surprised on how good it was. It…reminded me…

8 Years Earlier…

Josh was busy in the kitchen as I was playing Pokémon Shield on our Switch. I took a glance into the kitchen at one point, and I was kind of surprised to see that Josh was working carefully in there with Mom. I've never really seen Josh in the kitchen all that often, let alone helping Mom with cooking. However, my curiosity had the better of me, so I set the Switch down, and I took a look inside. I was only 12 at the time, and Josh was around 13, so to see him in there at such a young age was something else.

Josh took notice of me taking a peek, and with a smile, he asked "What is it, Adam?"

"Uh…whatcha doing?" I asked him.

"Josh decided to help me out in the kitchen to make dinner," Mom answered. "Tonight, we're going to be making some lasagna."

Josh gave a grin and raised a finger as he looked at me. "I'm also baking an apple pie for later tonight as well."

"Oh, so you're baking a pie you picked up from the store?" I retorted.

Josh frowned at me. "You know, you can at least pretend to be impressed that I'm cooking something for once."

"Regardless," Mom interrupted, "once the pie is out of the oven, it will only take about another 45 minutes for dinner to be ready." Just as soon as she said that, the oven timer dinged, and she smiled. "Speaking of which, Josh, would you do the honors?"

"Sure thing!" Josh said eagerly. He put on some oven mitts, and he soon pulled out the pie from the oven, before gently setting it up on top of the stove to cool off. He then turned to the lasagna that Mom had set up, and set it inside of the oven not too long after. He adjusted the heat in the stove, and set the timer once more. He chuckled as he took off the oven mitts, and he gave them to Mom. "That takes care of that."

It was then that we heard the door of our house open, and we took notice of Dad entering inside, feeling a little worn out. I was quick to greet him as he walked upstairs. "Welcome back, Dad!" I said.

Dad was quick to smile and pat the top of my head with kindness. "Ah, I see that you were busy while I was away?" he asked, and I noticed that he took in the aroma of a freshly-baked pie.

"Ah, you noticed?" Josh asked. "I helped Mom bake an apple pie today. We just took it out of the oven."

Dad chuckled as he sat down on the couch. "Did you now? Well, I might just have to give it a try."

"Once it cools down, honey," Mom said. "Not only that, but dinner has just been placed inside of the oven, so we might just have to wait on that."

The rest of the conversation between Mom and Dad went by unnoticed as I entered the kitchen to witness the pie that Josh ended up baking. He gave me this cocky grin, like he was proud of this accomplishment. I've never seen Josh cook before, so I was rather curious. I took a sniff, and caught the scent of the pie as it filled my nostrils with its sweet and pungent aroma. "That pie does look good," I said, before giving Josh a quizzical look. "So, where did you buy it?"

"Excuse me?" Josh asked, feeling perplexed.

"I've never seen you in the kitchen before in my life," I argued. "Where did you get this pie?"

Josh scoffed at me. "What do you mean 'Where did I get this?' I made it myself."

"Bullcrap. You can't fool me for a second," I said accusingly. "This pie was store bought and you just heated it up, didn't you?"

Josh felt offended. "Excuse me? I just so happened to have picked up a recipe book and made this myself, thank you very much!" He then walked towards the counter, and pointed towards the remains of what appears to be a mixing bowl, some ground cinnamon, and some flour. He then pulled out a cookbook that he claimed he bought that he left close enough to the counter. It was not a bad book, as it looked to be recently bought, no dents or signs of wear and tear on it whatsoever.

Yet I was stubborn in my belief that Josh was trying to pull my leg, so I crossed my arms in defiance. "How can you prove this pie was your doing?" I asked him.

Josh felt a little flush with anger at me, and he stormed out of the kitchen. "You're unbelievable, you know that?"

Of course, I got to try out the pie later that day, and if I was being honest, it was the best apple pie I've ever tasted.

The very next morning, though, I was given further proof of Josh's cooking talents. He was busy in the kitchen, and all I was trying to get was a bowl of cereal. However, Josh took notice of me, and quickly said "Hold your horses, bro! I'll have you know that I'm making breakfast for everyone."

I gave a discerning look at my brother, asking him "This isn't about me not believing you last night, is it?"

Josh shook his head, focusing once more on the dish he was making as he was talking to me. "I've decided to look past that, and I figured that I should make it up to you with some breakfast. I'm making some French toast, so just sit tight."

I sigh, and I put the cereal away. I didn't want to argue with him, since it was still early in the morning. Patiently, I waited. It didn't take long until Josh apparently went all out with the breakfast, since he also added some scrambled eggs, sausage links, and orange juice to the menu. Mom and Dad were easily impressed by Josh's cooking, and yet there I was, still surprised to see that Josh was waiting to see me give this a try. I poured some syrup into the French toast, and I was able to take a bite out of it.

All at once, I began to have a more positive outlook on Josh's cooking. The fact that he made this because he wanted to be nice and treat his family was something else. I guess I couldn't argue with results, so the best way to summarize the breakfast that day: delicious. My compliments to the chef.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I took that first bite, and I ended up guzzling the rest of the pie slice in an instant. The flavor, the texture, with just the right hint of cinnamon. It danced on my tongue as I felt almost like I was finally back at home for the first time in ages.

Once I finished up the pie, I looked at the bag, and it disintegrated into a series of pixels, until I found that my hands were empty once more. As I looked at my own hands, I saw how much different they were from my human self. I was on the verge of crying, as the memories of my human life before I got trapped her flooded my brain.

I turned to look at the entrance of the guild, and I saw that Josh was leaning against the entrance, looking at me with a smile as he crossed his arms. I almost wanted to hug him. He gave me a nod and a thumbs-up, before turning away and entering the guild once more.

I wiped the tears from my eyes, knowing fully well what Josh was trying to tell me. I haven't given up hope yet. I promise you, no matter what happens next, we'll still be together.

This was more than enough reason to convince me that he was once again confident in himself, which was what I really wanted to see. If he was confident that we can pull through this, then so was I. I promise, Josh. I will do whatever it takes to help you. I smile as I entered the guild, the last thought on my mind being Thank you for the pie.

By the time I made my way over to the courtyard not too long after Josh and Rose returned, I could see that Cross and his team were already waiting for us. Josh took notice of my arrival, giving me a good pat on the back as I got to stand right next to him. "Glad you could make it," he said.

I nodded towards my brother in response, before turning to face Cross, who stood there as he stared at the three of us. Smiling, Cross began to speak to us. "Now that everyone is present, it should be about time for us to begin your training. There are three things you need to know about the way we handle battles: offense, defense, and strategy. You will all work at these things individually until you gain a better understanding of them in due time. Josh, I'll be assigning you to work alongside Nolan. Adam, you'll be training with Chris. Rose will be training with me. We each train until we gain some form of improvement in any of the areas specified, and regularly shift our focus to different members in rotation every few hours. By the time that five days have passed, you will then face against the three of us at once in team combat, and apply what you've all learned in that short period of time to beat us. I am not expecting the three of you to become masters of combat in five days, but I am expecting to see you all improve and adapt. Whether or not the training has paid off will depend on how you handle the training we're giving you." He then crossed his arms, staring at the three of us intently. "Under no circumstances will you back out once you make your decision to train your bodies and minds until they are around the same level as a professional combatant. You will all learn to adapt, and you will take our training to heart. Do I make myself clear?"

The three of us looked at each other, contemplating the situation. Whatever Josh ended up telling Rose, it seems to have motivated her. In turn, she seems to be inspiring him to keep going. I guess I'm the odd one out in this situation. Josh and Rose both look at me, expecting me to make my decision. Talk about pressure…

My heart raced in my chest, but I stood firm, and gave a nod of approval.

Josh smiled, and he looked back at Cross. "I think we're ready," he answered.

Cross smiled, and he nodded back at us. "Then for the next week, you will consider us your teachers. We, the magnificent…" He paused his speech, and the three of them struck a pose. "TEAM CALIBUR!" This was immediately followed by them returning to a more refined composure, and Cross continued. "…We will do what we can to build up your skills until you can feel your muscles burn. Whatever you plan to do this next week, we will be by your side every step of the way."

After that, the three of them struck a pose once more, and collectively, they shouted "YOU CAN COUNT ON US!"

Josh gave a small applause, all the while Rose and I were looking at the three of them curiously. However, the moment is soon interrupted by a voice saying "I hope I am not interrupting something."

We all turned towards the source of the voice, there we were, face to face with a female Meowstic, playing with a wooden marionette with her psychic powers. She took a glance at us, staring at us all blankly.

"Sabrina!" I yelled in surprise.

"What are you doing here?" Rose asked.

The Meowstic sighed, focusing her attention back to her wooden puppet. "I was only curious to see if Volt was here," she answered. "I've heard that Lucian was bold enough to start moving on his own until he manages to just completely vanish from me without a word. How am I supposed to run the teleportation business on my own if he's always on the move?"

Josh was quick to talk to the Meowstic. "We haven't seen him, lately," he said. "Is it urgent for him to be back at the business, then?"

Sabrina scoffed at Josh's question, and quickly looked at him. "I can handle the business, even without him, in case you were curious. Today just so happens to be my day off, as is his. The shop has more employees than just the two of us, you know. All of whom are some form of artificial intelligence."

I didn't even think about that. Obviously, teleporting from town to town would be a hassle, no matter what way you think about it. If L and S were the only employees, I can likely guess that the services would've been too much for either of them to handle. Still, I must admit, hearing her speak to us about all of this was unusual, especially since neither of them ever try to leave their shops for any particular reason.

Unless… I began to recall how Lucian left the shop behind as he deliberately met with us at the bottom of Mount Ebott. He left his post to meet with us. Why? For what reason? He even found a way to silence Volt's tirades, even if it was just for a moment. Curiously, I wanted to know more of this story.

"So, has Lucian been active before in the past?" I asked Sabrina.

She scoffed and shrugged her shoulders. "He's quite the enigma, isn't he? Even I don't know what's on his mind at times. He tends to travel from place to place, yet never leaves behind any notes on where he's at."

Josh and I looked at each other curiously, the idea of Lucian wandering on his own catching the both of us off guard. Josh turned his attention back to Sabrina, and asked her "So, can't you just log off today and wait for him to return?"

Sabrina tensed up, and the wooden marionette in her possession stopped moving, before it was promptly placed back into her bag. Sabrina gave Josh a glare, and immediately, Josh tensed up. Uh oh. Did Josh step into something personal?

Sabrina then walked up to Josh, the latter of whom almost flinched back from the belief that he might have crossed a line he shouldn't have. As Sabrina was practically close to expecting the Meowstic to strike him, she instead used Psychic to levitate up to Josh's eye level, staring at him coldly. Josh was clearly nervous, the rest of us ultimately unsure of what to make of this.

"You expect me to just log off from the game and wait for him to talk to me?" Sabrina asked. "If it were that simple, I would've done something like that ages ago. However, I have difficulties trying to keep my brother in check as it is, so how can you possibly expect me to simply see him after he's done with whatever his errands are supposed to be?"

"I-I'm sorry!" Josh said nervously. "I didn't mean to butt into your personal affairs!" He gave an awkward laugh. "I can see you're not in a good mood, so perhaps there's a way I could mend it?"

"After you ended up causing that fiasco in Mount Ebott, Volt chewed me out for even allowing you out of his sight," Sabrina stated coldly. "It's thanks to you and your friends that I've been kicked out of my own business. Kicked out! The only exception to that rule would be if Lucian were around. So let me ask you, J, why I'm the one being punished if it was Lucian who acted out of line when it came to our business?"

"Woah! Woah! Take it easy!" Cross stated, trying to calm down the Meowstic before she did something drastic. "Look, we had no idea that things would turn out the way that it did. We didn't mean to get your business in jeopardy because of our actions. We're sorry."

"I wasn't asking you, I was asking Josh!" Sabrina said with anger, never once breaking any eye contact with my brother.

Josh visibly trembled as he tried to ease the situation, all the while Rose and I just stood there on either side of him, witnessing this scene play out. If I was being honest, I had no idea that Sabrina would be facing any sort of repercussions for our actions considering she only had very little contribution. That just begged the question on what Volt did when he found out that Wulfrock helped us out. I honestly couldn't help but feel guilty for what happened that day. However, I also couldn't help but find that Josh was struggling to maintain his composure. This recent failure affected more than just our team, and it was tremendous weight that everyone, not just me or Josh, had to bear.

Josh sighed, before trying to give an apologetic look towards the Meowstic. "I am the one to blame for this whole ordeal. I'm the ringleader in this operation, and I must accept any punishment given to me."

"No! I'm the one to blame!" Cross stepped in. "I worked alongside Josh to aide in the operation, but I was the one who got the letter for the request to begin with!"

"Nein! Cross isn't to blame, we all are! Everyone in Team Calibur!" Nolan stated.

"If you wish to blame anybody, blame the entirety of Team Calibur for being witnesses to when Cross got that letter," Chris added.

"Bitte, vergib uns!" Nolan said with a bow, with Chris mimicking his gesture.

Cross and his team repeated the apology over and over again. I was honestly moved to see them try to stand up for us and save our skins again. However, as I looked at Josh, he couldn't help but find Cross's group apologizing to be one of the most embarrassing situations he's ever found himself in.

I guess Sabrina saw it, too, since she crossed her arms and lowered herself to the ground, no longer using Psychic to look at Josh at eye level. Josh took note of this and lowered his head to look at her. Rose and I followed with this as well, and waited to hear what Sabrina's response was going to be. In a huff, she set down her bag, and looked up at Josh in particular.

"I'll forgive you, but in exchange, I have a request to give you," Sabrina demanded, pointing her paw at Josh. "You and I are going to have a battle, just so I can see your skills in display."

None of us expected her to say that. "Huh?" Josh questioned.

"Well, it's not a battle by the definition of the word," Sabrina said, walking towards the battlefields in the courtyard. "I can see all of your attacks a mile away, you're so predictable."

Josh got triggered by that statement, and I couldn't help but look at him with a little bit of concern. "Predictable? I beg your pardon, but I think you should take that back," Josh stated.

"Then you need to follow the conditions I lay before you," Sabrina said. "If you win, I'll admit your potential, and I'll let you go back to your training like nothing happened. If you admit defeat, however, then consider yourself ill-suited for being a tactician. Try to find a means to out-predict me. Only then will I truly forgive you, and accept that you gave an honest effort."

Sabrina stopped in her tracks, turned to face us, and gave us a glare with her yellow eyes. "If you have what it takes to land a single solid hit on me, you'll win. Consider this a preliminary to your training."

Josh nodded his head, and took off his bag as well. I tried to argue with him, telling him "Josh, I don't know if this is a good idea! You know L and S are powerful! Your attacks won't work against her!"

"I won't know until I try," Josh said, tossing the bag towards me, and I ended up clutching it in my arms.

"Josh, I don't want to get you into deeper trouble than you guys are already in," Rose argued. "Please reconsider!"

"We made a vow, remember?" Josh said gently to Rose. "You swore to protect us from a threat that could take our lives. I don't sense any ill-intent within Sabrina, though. She's testing me."

"Testing you?" I questioned. "In what way?"

"To see if I'm worthy of being a leader," Josh guessed, walking off towards the battlefield to confront Sabrina.

All at once, I recalled what Cross told me during breakfast. "An army may be strong, but they are only as great as the man commanding them." Was this what Cross meant, then? As I took a look at Cross, I could see that he was curious to see what this fight would end up being like. No signs of talking back. I guess Cross was expecting this to happen one way or another.

As I walked next to Cross, I whispered to him "Did you arrange for Sabrina to come here and fight Josh?"

Cross glanced back at me briefly, before turning his attention once more towards Josh as he approached the Meowstic on the other side of the field. Cross remained somewhat stoic as he gave his response. "I didn't even talk to her. But, seeing as she is here, I am curious to see how this plays out."

I groaned. "That's what I'm afraid of…"

While the five of us just stood there looking at the battlefield, Josh ended up taking a fighting stance as he faced Sabrina. Sabrina simply just stood there and stared at him for a bit, before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. Silently, she opened her eyes, they gave a faint glow, and a number appeared above Sabrina's head. It read "5" as she looked at Josh.

I heard Cross gasp in shock at the sight of the move being used, and I turned to look at him. He muttered "Future Sight…" And a single tear soon dripped down his face.

I wanted to question why Cross started crying, but I was interrupted by the sight of Josh rushing up to Sabrina, ready to use Metal Claw and strike at her. He was about ready to strike, but she soon ended up blocking the attack with Psychic, holding him just mere inches from striking distance. Josh started to feel a little nervous, as he never had to deal with something like this before. All the while, Sabrina gave a slight smirk, and tossed Josh aside, knocking him down to the ground.

Josh was able to stand back up on his feet, and he ultimately decided a new tactic was in order. He created a Bone Rush attack, only he ended up splitting the bone in two, twirling both of them in his paws before he rushed at Sabrina again. She stood there waiting, not even concerned for Josh's attack in the slightest. The number above her head decreased to a "4" as Josh rushed forward.

Josh tried to strike at Sabrina with repeated barrages of Bone Rush attacks, only for the latter to continually dodge every single one of them with minimal effort. No matter what, none of Josh's attacks even made a single hit. She soon countered by grabbing Josh with Psychic again and tossing him aside, only Josh improvised by chucking the two bone staffs towards her, before readying an Aura Sphere while in mid-air.

As Sabrina saw the two bone staffs heading her way, she predictably ended up using Psychic to grab the both of them. It was around that time that Josh fired an Aura Sphere towards Sabrina.

The rest of us just stared at the fight in awe, and I could see both Chris and Nolan were cheering Josh on as the attack was fired. Rose and I were smiling, finding that maybe Josh was smarter than I gave him credit for in some cases. With a grin, I looked at Cross, and I could see he's transfixed by the battle. I gave him a nudge, and I said "Josh is pretty tough, isn't he?"

However, as Cross stared silently at the battle, I heard the sound of what appeared to be a loud clang, which was the last thing I was expecting to hear. Cross's reaction was also appropriate to my own, as he looked genuinely surprised. Little did I know that the moment that I turned to see the battle again, I could see why.

Josh landed on the ground, but gasped in utter shock as he saw what transpired. Not only was Sabrina holding both bone staffs with Psychic, but she was also fast enough to have set up a Light Screen attack to hold off the Aura Sphere. The glowing ball of energy failed to strike her directly, and instead ended up only exploding into a glistening barrier, leaving behind visible cracks.

Sabrina chuckled, tossing both bone staffs aside where they would soon dissipate. As she looked back at Josh, she added "Is that really the best you could do?" After that, the number above Sabrina's head decreased once more to a "3."

Josh gritted his teeth in frustration, before he then decided to once more change his plan of attack. He ended up creating multiple Aura Spheres in an attempt to break through the barrier eventually, and each sphere ended up striking the barrier, leaving multiple cracks but nothing more. However, during the whole barrage of Aura Spheres, Josh rushed forward, creating another Bone Rush attack to try and strike her when she least expects it. The various explosions from the Aura Spheres caused a bit of dust to rise up and partially obscure Sabrina's vision, and Josh was merely attempting to use that to his advantage.

He chucked the bone staff like a javelin in an attempt to hit her good. However, she merely tilted her head to the side, barely avoiding the attack directly. Josh then emerged from the clouds of dust when she least expected it, and tried to land a solid strike with Metal Claw. This, unfortunately, didn't land, as Sabrina dodged the attack by leaping out of the way, and she ended up firing a Shadow Ball at Josh's direction. However, Josh was quick to counter with a well-timed Bone Rush, swinging the ball right back at her. Unfortunately, the Light Screen managed to block off most of the attack, but it did cause her to worry somewhat. The number above her head then counted down to "2."

"Not bad, Josh!" Sabrina praised. "I'll admit, you think quick on your feet."

"Years of being trapped here can do that to a person," Josh comments.

"However, despite your best efforts, you unfortunately aren't going to beat me that easily," Sabrina admitted. "My strength surpasses yours by a significant margin. It's going to take a lot more to even land a solid strike against me."

"That Light Screen of yours seems to be in the way of that, Sabrina," Josh remarks. "Care to take that down?"

"If you think you're going to win by buttering me up, think again," Sabrina stated. "Also, in case you haven't noticed, that number above my head is how long you have left before my Future Sight attack strikes you down. So you're gonna have to try better if you want to avoid a powerful attack."

"I guess you have everything figured out, haven't you?" Josh remarked. "How about we exchange strategies at some point?"

"Can it!" Sabrina stated, ready to fire another Shadow Ball as it rests above her head. "Do you think you can really defeat me in combat? I know every move you will make."

Josh didn't say anything back at her in response, and instead, looked at the Shadow Ball that Sabrina was holding. He stared at it, and then looked at the barrier that surrounded Sabrina. He saw the cracks were still visible, even after the Shadow Ball was capable of serious damage to the shield. Josh then looked up at the number above Sabrina's head, knowing once it runs out, he's going to get struck by a powerful attack.

He just stood there for a good few seconds, before he then readied an Aura Sphere between his paws once more.

Cross and his team were a little perplexed by what Josh seems to be doing. "Aura Sphere again?" Cross questioned. "What's that Lucario doing?"

"I don't know, but whatever he's up to, he'd better do it fast," Chris answered as he looked at the timer above Sabrina's head. "There's no telling what's going to happen when that reaches '0' and Josh loses the match."

"Come on, Josh!" Nolan shouted. "Never give up!"

I turned my attention towards Rose, and she looked back to me with worry. "Does Josh have a plan?" she asked. "Nothing he's tried so far seems to work."

"Don't worry," I reassured her. "Josh is a fighter. He's not going to throw in the towel that easily."

I say that, but as I looked back at Josh's battle, I could see my brother intentionally holding the Aura Sphere in his grip. What is he waiting for? Why is he holding his attack? Josh, you do have a plan, don't you? Like you always do?

Sometimes, I wonder what weird thoughts were going on inside of Josh's head. Even at this moment, I was curious to see if he had some sort of idea of what he was doing.

Sabrina smirked, looking at Josh as he seems to be…lowering his head as he was deep in thought. "This is your last chance, Josh," she said. "If you can hit me with your next attack, you win. If not, then…it's been an honor, LucarioTrainerJ." Once more, the number above Sabrina ticked down, and it reads "1" above her head.

Josh raised his head, a grin lining his face, as he seems ready to launch his attack. Sabrina took this as an invitation to fire her Shadow Ball at him. Josh was ready to fire his Aura Sphere, and he chose to do so at the exact same moment that Sabrina fired Shadow Ball.

But what I wasn't expecting was Josh deliberately chucked the Aura Sphere up above him, prompting a reaction out of everybody.

"What are you doing!?" Nolan screamed. "Kämpfen, Josh!"

"Are you crazy!?" Chris questioned.

"Josh!" Cross shouted in disbelief.

Rose gripped my arm tightly, her expression shocked as she questioned "What's he doing? I thought you said he doesn't stop fighting?"

"He doesn't," I said calmly, grabbing her attention. He's doing this on purpose. Josh seems to have an ace up his sleeve.

Looking carefully at Josh, I could see his battle stance change dramatically after tossing the Aura Sphere above him, the sphere flying high up into the air before arching back down. Josh's stance soon changed from a fighter's stance, to that of a sports player, weirdly enough. Josh readied himself as he waited for the Shadow Ball to reach his vicinity.

All of a sudden, Josh readied another Bone Rush, and swung it like a baseball bat, striking the Shadow Ball back towards Sabrina. After that, he ended up striking the bone into the ground, and launching himself into the air, doing a series of triple axels as he was launching towards the Aura Sphere.

We all collectively gasped at Josh's movements as Sabrina watched Josh's unorthodox strategy unfold before her. Josh's axel jump into the air soon reached the Aura Sphere as it was falling down towards him. And unexpectedly, Josh landed a solid kick on the sphere, firing it at a rapid pace towards Sabrina.

However, as soon as she saw the sphere being fired towards her, Sabrina soon saw the Shadow Ball that was fired back at her earlier, and tried to hold it off with her Light Screen. However, the damage was too much, and as soon as the Shadow Ball made contact with the barrier, it shattered once the attack made contact. Sabrina gasped in shock, and tried to hurry and bring up another Light Screen, but it was too late for her. The Aura Sphere that Josh kicked towards her made its mark, striking into the Meowstic with intense force behind it.

A large explosion emerged where Sabrina was standing, and as Josh landed on his feet, he looked onwards towards his opponent. He was wondering whether or not the attack worked. Meanwhile, the rest of us just looked at Josh in utter shock and surprise.

"What was that?" Nolan muttered.

"I knew he was crazy, but holy crap," Chris added.

Cross, Rose, and I were the only ones who were speechless, waiting with bated breath to see if Josh succeeded.

Once the dust settled, the number above Sabrina's head faded, and the Meowstic stood there slightly bruised from the blast. She smiled, before falling down to her knees from the damage she's sustained. She chuckled, before muttering "Not bad, J. Not bad."

Upon hearing this, we all rushed over to Josh's side, and we couldn't help but scream in cacophonous joy as Josh managed to leave us all speechless. Josh chuckled a little in relief, as Rose and I gathered around him, giving him a big group hug. Nolan and Chris were just as ecstatic as we were, but they decided to stand and smile with glee as Rose and I hugged Josh so hard he fell to the ground laughing, begging for us to get off of him. Cross, meanwhile, was easily impressed, and gave a smile of approval towards Josh's victory.

Once Rose and I were able to back off of Josh, Rose was the first to speak once the cheering died down. "Josh, that was incredible! I've never seen you fight like that before!"

"Well, I needed a clever way to break her Light Screen, didn't I?" Josh remarked.

"The Light Screen?" Rose questioned.

Josh nodded and explained himself. "I knew that my Aura Sphere wasn't powerful enough to break through a psychic barrier like Light Screen. However, the moment I saw the cracks, I knew that I had to hit her hard. Her Shadow Ball was strong, way stronger than my Aura Sphere, so I came up with the idea…" He then looked at me, and said "I thought about our days before we were trapped here. And I thought about Ace."

"Ace?" Cross wondered. "Who's that?"

"Last we saw him, he was in Volcanica, right?" I questioned, remembering what it was he was referring to.

Josh nodded his head. "Hard to believe it's been three years since we last saw each other. I only modeled that 'Aura Sphere Kick' around his own combat style."

"Hold on, who is Ace?" Cross asked again.

Josh was helped up by Rose as he gave his answer. "I'm referring to an old teammate of mine, BlitzAce," Josh added. "In fact, he's been my main partner when I first formed my team."

All at once, everyone turned their attention at me accusingly like I was apparently in big trouble. I held up my hands innocently, and I said "I only stayed with Josh until he found a teammate. Lucky for him, another Fire-type was available to make our team work out. Team Ignis's bright and bountiful figurehead, ironically enough."

"Ignis?" Nolan asked. "I thought your team name was Inferno?"

"It's a Latin name," Josh said. "It means 'fire.' We named our group after that because we were, and I quote, 'the flames to inspire hope.'" Josh smirked as he looked on over at Cross. "Not too different from your team, Cross."

"I see," Cross said, pondering what Josh was saying. "So, why did you change it to Team Inferno? What happened to him?"

At that moment, Josh hesitated, and he crossed his arms. He had this glum look that made him begin to start going back to a melancholic tone that I didn't want him to be in right now. Cross was quick to notice this, and he immediately retracted what he said. "Sorry! I didn't mean to be a prude!"

"No no, it's fine." Josh brushed aside the question, and took a deep breath. "I don't think it matters anyways, since I told him to leave us alone after we were trapped here."

Chris looked at Josh a little bit disapprovingly, and added "You could've told him what happened, you know. Catch him up to speed, right?"

Josh shook his head as he tried to hide his shame. "I wish I did. I just didn't have the strength to tell him the truth."

Add another thing on the list of mistakes that Josh made in his life he vastly regrets. I could almost compile a list of these mistakes and make a make a bingo card out of them. I don't want to go into detail about our personal lives, but let's just say that Josh and I have had a number of things happen to us that we regret terribly at many points. Of course, saying our farewells to Ace wasn't the worst thing that we've done. I could understand what Josh was trying to do. He didn't want Ace to know what happened because he would feel worried. Unfortunately, he just didn't phrase things very well, and likely left him entirely.

Our conversation and awkward topics aside, Sabrina was quick to butt in the discussion and levitate in front of Josh wish Psychic, extending out her paw. Josh wasn't sure what she was doing, but she quickly spoke up. "That was pretty interesting, J. I think you will show signs of improvement, yet."

Josh chuckled at the comment, and shook Sabrina's paw. "And here I was, thinking I technically was improving."

"I wasn't referring to your strength, J," she said. "The fact that you were willing to open up like that and reveal that side of yourself."

Josh was puzzled by her words. "I thought you wanted me to hit you with one of my moves?"

"And to that, you've succeeded. But what's more is that you were able to rekindle that lost spark within you. One that I never thought I would get to see in you."

"And what spark is that?" Josh asked curiously.

Sabrina and Josh stopped shaking hands(?) and she gave him a gently boop on his nose. With a smile, she giggled, and said "The spark of putting faith in others. Viewing them as friends, rather than a means to an end."

Josh tensed up as she said that, and immediately, Team Calibur just looked at my brother with a feeling of disdain and offense. Sabrina chuckled at the shenanigans, and lowered herself to the ground again. Picking up her bag, I saw her leaving, before she shouted back to us "Good luck with the training! You're gonna need it!"

Nervously, I turned back towards Josh, seeing as he's desperately trying to win back the approval of Cross and his team, feeling like he has a lot to make up for. Rose watched on with the same look as I did. It really didn't take long until Josh tried to bolt out of there, rushing to the distance and shouting "Chris, I'll see you for endurance training!"

Chris started to become rather furious, and he started bolting after Josh. "You better run like hell if you think you can escape me! I swear I will drag you back over here and force you to apologize for making us look like fools!"

Nolan sighed. "Oy vey, I guess we have to shift the schedule, Cross."

Cross nodded, giving a discontent sigh. "And here I was, thinking that this training was going to be simple."

Cross and Rose started walking off, with Rose trying desperately to soothe Cross's woes. Meanwhile, I just looked in the distance and saw Josh being chased around by Chris in a panic. I sighed, facepalming at the sight. This is going to be a long week…

Josh and I were only a Riolu and Torracat respectively at the time, and we only went over to Volcanica because we needed time to fly over to the Zero Isles with Nick. We just left the teleporting station when we heard a voice in the distance.

"Hey! Josh!"

Grabbing our immediate attention, Josh and I turned and saw a familiar sight.

Username: BlitzAce Species: Raboot Team: Ignis

The Raboot ended up giving Josh a huge hug, overjoyed to see him again. "OH! I've been so worried about you! I heard about your school being under attack, and I've feared the worst!"

Josh and I winced at the reminder of what happened that day. Josh was quick to pat the Raboot's back, and muttered "Nice to see you too, Ace."

I never asked if Ace was this guy's name, or if he used it as an alias, but I knew for a fact that he was a skilled soccer player back where he came from. He apparently joined PMDO because he wanted to make some new friends. Once Josh and I met with him, he became my replacement on Team Ignis. Both him…and our other team member…

Ace looked Josh in the eye, and asked "So, where are we going today? Any news regarding what happened to Flutterfly? I've tried calling him, but apparently, I've been getting no responses except the pre-recorded messages."

Josh averted his gaze, a look of regret plaster on his face. I, too, felt like I didn't want to talk about what happened only a couple of days ago. It was a traumatizing experience, and I was not willing to discuss what happened after what we had to go through.

Josh, unfortunately, ended up patting the Raboot on the shoulder, and said "I'm afraid he won't be coming back."

Ace didn't know what to say to what Josh said, and looked at him all puzzled. "What? What do you mean he's not coming back?"

"Uh, what I mean is…uh…" Josh tried to find the right words, but was unable to find them in time before saying "I need some time by myself."

Ace looked over at me, all the while I was kept relatively silent. He looked doubtful. "Both you and your brother? I hardly call that time to yourself."

"This is a family affair, alright!?" Josh yelled, catching both me and Ace off guard. Josh immediately regretted yelling that, before he begrudgingly requested "How about you and I talk in private, okay?"

Ace looked over at me and I quickly turned my attention instead towards the ocean. At the time, I had a lot of things on my mind, none of which were pleasant. I had just survived being nearly killed in a school attack, and what's worse is that I also ended up trapped in another world against my will. Honestly, I couldn't tell which was worse: being stabbed to death in the real world, or being stuck in another world on all-fours? To me, both were considered awful, though I didn't know what would be the worse outcome.

At least, that was my thought at the time.

As I turned back to Josh's direction, I saw he was a fair distance away, talking things over with Ace. It didn't take long until Nick walked up to me, and asked "Is he a friend of yours?"

I groan a little, and lowered my head to avoid eye-contact. "Yeah…"

Nick smiled a little. "At the very least, he's free-spirited. Honest and kind. That's a good trait to have." Looking at me, he wondered "How come you're not talking with him?"

"Josh knows him more than I do," I answered. "I'd only be in the way."

"Are you sure about that?" Nick asked me. "Having some assistance might be beneficial, don't you think?"

He had a point, but I honestly didn't care at the time. My mind was loaded with so much negativity that I wanted to disconnect myself from this world as much as possible.

It didn't take long until Josh finished his talk with Ace, and in turn, I looked at the Raboot and gave him a melancholic stare. I didn't know what he was thinking, nor did I understand what Josh was telling him. Either way, that Raboot looked a little bit torn up inside, thinking that something bad happened or perhaps will happen to the both of us. I didn't blame him.

The last look I saw on his face was one showing that he lost someone he considered a friend. And not only did it seem to be disheartening, but it made my outlook on the world worse as a result.

Either way, this world has devolved into Hell, and I was an unfortunate victim caught in the blazing inferno. I didn't care who I came across then. Nothing could potentially make me feel better.

Volcanica. A lonely figure in a brown cloak emerged from deep within the Infernal Cavern that resided within the volcano. As he left the mountain behind him, he held out a red talisman, depicting the mark of Arceus.

Not wanting people to notice he had that in his possession, he quickly stuffed the talisman inside of his bag. Upon putting his bag back on, he turned towards the coastline, and in the distance along the horizon, there stood the Zero Isles. He stood there alone, looking at the islands intently, and boldly clutching his chest to hide how much it was aching.

"Canis, are you alright?" a voice said behind the figure.

Canis turned to face his partner, wearing a similar-looking brown cloak, only his hood was lowered down. Canis smiled, before asking his partner "I'm fine. I was just thinking about them, that's all." He then turned his attention back towards the horizon. "Say, you mentioned that they took on the Zero Isles, correct?"

Canis's partner nodded his head. "That I did. Unfortunately, I haven't seen them come back. I was busy having to tend to my brother, you know."

"I can imagine how stressful that must've been for you," Canis said, turning back to his partner. "After all, you were their partner."

Canis's partner crossed his arms and fidgeted in place, trying to hide his true feelings. "Can we please go back to discussions about the trials, Canis. I don't want to reminisce about the past."

Canis felt pity for his partner, seeing as he was ultimately more antsy than he usually was. "What happened?" Canis asked. "You look anxious."

Canis's partner averted his gaze, before he groaned and looked back at his partner. "Look, I thought I mentioned that I was only agreeing to help you if you managed to stay out of my personal affairs!"

"I'm sorry," Canis reassured. "But truly, you must still think about them sometimes, right? About your time in Team Ignis?"

Canis's partner sighed, before admitting "Yes."

"Even after everything that's happened?"

"…Yes."

Canis shook his head. "I know he's not the sociable type, but that's no excuse to be leaving you wanting like that, am I right?"

"And what exactly do you think I want, Canis?"

"…A chance to see them again, I assume. Much like I do."

Just as the both of them pondered what they just discussed, they both stare over the horizon together, reminiscing about the past. Canis's partner added "Look, all I know is that Arceus can grant you any request just as long as it's within reasonability. We already have two so far, right?"

"Thunder and Fire," Canis said.

"Hmm. So, where should we go next?"

Just as soon as that very question was muttered, they both heard a faint sound of wings flapping, as they saw a Pelipper flying up in the sky, dropping various papers onto the ground. Canis was quick to a paper and look it over.

"Must be the latest update from the developers," Canis's partner said. "Say, do you think that perhaps they should give us some hints on those trials, David? I mean that last one almost knocked the wind out of you. Fire isn't exactly your strong suit." However, upon looking at Canis, he saw him clench the paper in rage. "I don't think I've seen you this angry before. What's up?"

Canis gave the paper over to his partner, and he inspected it carefully. However, he was shocked to learn what it was. It was a "WANTED" poster. And the very Pokémon shown on the paper was Zeraora. The paper read:

WANTED

The Thunderclap Pokémon: Zeraora

Wanted for the murders of four adventurers,

and the attempted murders of three adventurers

Report to local police if you see him

Reward if captured and arrested: 500,000 Poké

Reward if defeated in battle: 750,000 Poké

"Wait, isn't that…?"

"What we fought on Mount Sanda? Yes," Canis stated, rushing off in a hurry.

"Wait, where are you going?"

"What does it look like? I'm going to find that Zeraora before he finds them!"

As Canis ran off into the distance, his partner looked closely at the image of Zeraora once more. Staring at it, he couldn't help but feel a strange sense of unease. One that he hadn't felt in years. As he looked back to the direction his partner ran, he recalled when he first met Canis. "I came to look for Team Ignis. I figured that you might know a thing or two about them."

"Why do you want to know where they are? I haven't seen them in months."

"It's because they're trapped in this game, and I intend to dedicate my own heart and soul to get them out."

Canis's partner put the poster into his bag, only to brush upon something he never thought he'd find again. Pulling it out, it's revealed to be a photo, showing both a Riolu and Raboot resting their backs against each other as they smiled towards the camera.

By this point, he knew what must be done. "If you're out there, Josh, I hope you didn't run into this guy," he muttered, putting the photo away.

"Ace! Hurry it up!" Canis called in the distance. "We need to ask around for clues!"

Username: BlitzAce Species: Cinderace Team: Alpha

Ace looked back in the direction his partner ran off to, and called out "Yeah, I'll be right there, Dave! Just hang on!" And he quickly picked up the pace and ran back to town.