Chapter 32: Volt's Resolve

While we were doing some training, with only three days until the inevitable battles against Team Delta will take place, Volt has logged into the game late in the day. He looked at his hand, recognizing the Electabuzz he's in control of, before clenching it into a fist. As he got out of bed, he stared at the window, recognizing the sun setting on the horizon. He then gazed at the remainder of the training that we were taking part in through the window, looking down at us.

It was when Cross signaled for all of us to wrap things up and get some rest that Rose was quick to stretch her arms, telling us "Well guys, I'll be seeing you tomorrow."

"Yeah," I said. "Don't be late, otherwise Josh would feel a little bit lonely."

Rose averted her gaze as I said that, and Josh blushed greatly from the snide comment. "It's not what it looks like, Adam. We're just trying to grow stronger as a team."

"Then why are you blushing?" I asked.

Josh soon started to turn a deeper shade of red from his embarrassment, before yelling "I'm not blushing! It's the sun casting its light on my face! That's all!"

"Josh, it's okay," Rose said reassuringly, as she walked up to the both of us. "There's no need to get so heated up. We're all friends here, aren't we?"

Josh began to visibly sweat, scratching his cheek briefly while looking at Rose. "Yes. Friends. That's it." He then lowered his head and mumbled to himself "Though, I would appreciate you coming back soon."

Rose smiled at Josh's response, and started to walk off into the building. "In that case, I'll see you both tomorrow. Goodnight!" Just like that, she walked inside, leaving just me, Josh, and Team Calibur outside amidst the sunset. Once Rose was in the clear, she would log off, and she would have her avatar reemerge on her bed, so it's not like Josh is going to wait long once she logs back in.

Josh soon gave a strong jab at my arm, and my thoughts quickly snapped back to attention with my older brother. "You didn't have to say that, you know!"

"What did I do?" I questioned, rubbing my arm from Josh's punch.

"Look, Rose and I are strictly on a professional relationship as teammates," Josh said. He crossed his arms as he looked at me, his expression all serious. "I respect her boundaries, and am merely overlooking her training."

I gave a cheeky grin upon him mentioning that, and crossed my arms as well. "If that's the case, why were you staring at her most of the time instead of training?"

Josh gulped as I apparently felt like I caught him with his guard lowered, a blush once again emerging on his face.

Quite comically, Team Calibur were listening in as they huddled into a group. Josh was surrounded on multiple angles, and he wanted to avoid bringing up the topic if he could help it. I, however, was curious on something, as I recalled how Josh commented something to me when I stretched in front of him prior to our training a few days prior. He told me "You're a muscular tiger with chiseled abs, bulging biceps, and a kind demeanor! Any girl or furry would be lucky to have you!" Of course, at the time, I figured he said that because he admitted to me he was a furry by nature. However, I began to piece together something else. Something based on the context clues he's given me.

And then it hit me. Eyes wide, I then gasped, before pointing at Josh. Calmly, with a smile on my face, I asked "You like Rose, don't you?"

"OOOOOOOOOOHH!" Team Calibur all said together.

Josh was starting to feel irritated. "Tsk! What does it matter, anyways? She's my teammate! I'm only looking out for her safety!"

"You honestly think I'm that dense?" I questioned Josh. "Ever since she's joined our team, you seem to want every opportunity to be with her."

"That's because I'm worried she might still be traumatized about what happened, alright?" Josh stated, blushing profusely.

"You mean regarding Zeraora? Or Gabe? Why do you feel so fixated on the past all of a sudden?" I questioned.

Josh tensed up, before he then looked at Team Calibur, seeing all of their eager expressions, expecting Josh to answer. Instead, Josh huffed, and started walking in the general direction of the study hall. "I am not having this conversation."

As Josh was leaving, I felt immediately guilty for bringing it up, holding out my arm as I saw him leave in a hurry. "Hey! Josh! I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean to bring it up! I was only kidding!"

Thankfully, Josh stopped in his tracks, taking a deep breath, before turning to face me with a clear expression of satisfaction. Sighing, Josh said "Sometimes, I often wonder what it means to feel human. But now, for the first time in three years, I think I'm beginning to feel more alive than ever."

I was confused by Josh's statement, and it appeared that Team Calibur felt the same way. Josh turned to face the sunset, and he said "All of these years, I've been scared about our own existence. Our raison d'être. Why do we feel like we belong in this world? What makes someone like me truly special."

"Josh, what are you talking about?" I asked, confused at the way he's phrasing things.

"What I mean is that I only seem to feel alive when in the act of protecting and caring for others around me," Josh answered. He then stared at his own paw, and explained "For three years, being stuck in this body, trapped in something completely inhuman, I'm starting to realize now for the first time in my life what my raison d'être should be. I want to be there to help others. Be their guiding voice, and help inspire others to take on the task of saving those around them." He then looked at the sunset again. "When we first met Rose, her eyes were filled with desperation. I understood them perfectly, and I took pity on her. I wanted to help her no matter what. The same could be describe with you, Cross, and even…Volt."

As Volt overheard this conversation on the inside of the building, he was taken aback by Josh's sense of maturity. Listening a bit more closely, he heard the rest of the debate.

"Volt?" Cross asked. "You mean the Electabuzz that ticks you off? You saw desperation in his eyes as well?"

Josh nodded, looking back at us. "I understand what it is that Volt's doing. However, if you wanted to know what it is that motivates him, it's that he is sort of a reflection of myself. He seems to want to genuinely help others. He just has a hard time admitting it."

"Like with his brother?" Nolan asked.

"Yes. Like with Damon. But I knew that he was held back because of reasons beyond his control." Josh clenched his paws into fists. "Sure, he pisses me off at times, but I can clearly tell he has our best interests at heart, as screwed up as it was."

I smiled, and walked up to Josh, giving him a good pat on the back. "And here we are, apparently going to battle his team. Is that with our best interests at heart as well?"

To that one, Josh's smile faded, and he began to ponder it. "I'm not sure. But the thing is, he's always been rather difficult to read. It's almost as if he's been trying to act tough and superior rather than show genuine compassion when it's necessary."

"You seriously think he's capable of compassion?" Chris asked.

"It's a hunch, but I genuinely think he does," Josh answered. "After all, he took us all in under his wing. If anything, I think he's been struggling to find excuses to keep us out of danger because he's afraid of losing us. Much like a helicopter parent, he's focused on keeping us safe rather than helping us grow. And if we are to free ourselves from this virtual world, we all need to grow as a team." He then raised his fist in front of him as he stared at us. "I wanted to fight him because he needed a good wake-up call. He needed to know he can't hold us here forever. That was the reason I snapped at him to begin with. To show him my raison d'être. To grow. To live. And in turn, to feel alive."

Cross snickered, liking Josh's bravado through and through. However, he couldn't help but say "You know, if you wanted to go about saying you like Rose, you could've given a simpler explanation."

Josh felt flush with embarrassment again, before yelling to Cross "Sh-shut up!"

We all had a laugh about it, and sure enough, Josh even ended up having to laugh with us as well, finally feeling relieved to have his feelings out in the open like that.

Volt overheard Josh's reasoning, and quietly scoffed to himself as he walked out of his room. He took what Josh was saying, and he ended up making his way over to his office. As he did, he began to think back on something he promised Nick in the past.

Three Years Earlier…

Volt was summoned to Infernick's office shortly following Josh being admitted to the medical wing after a sparring match with me. He sighed to himself, before knocking on the door the main office of the Solace Guild.

"Come in," Nick said, and just as ordered, Volt entered into Nick's office.

"You wanted to see me, sir?" Volt asked.

"As a matter of fact, I did," Nick answered, staring at the Electabuzz from his seat behind the large desk. He motioned with his hand for Volt to step forward, and he more than obliged. Nick stared Volt down, before deciding to cut to the chase. "I heard that you caused a bit of distress among Adam and Josh, Lieutenant. What happened?"

Volt stood tall and gave a stoic expression. "What happened was that the mutt and puss got into a tough battle. Obviously, the mutt is currently being treated as we speak. However, once I brought out the facts of why Puss is so strong, he panicked, and I got chewed out by Mutt."

"I will not have you sullying the names of my students in front of me, Volt. Do I make myself clear?" Nick stated with an intense glare.

Volt instantly corrected himself, and gave a salute. "My apologies, sir! What I meant to say was that Josh is hospitalized, and Adam is in a panicked state upon hearing the facts about his spe-"

"I know the facts, Lieutenant! I don't need them repeated to me!" Nick said intensely.

"Yes, sir!" Volt said again with a salute.

Nick sighed, before saying "Put your arm down. You're no longer in the military, so don't embarrass yourself."

"But…you're still on active duty, sir," Volt said with upmost respect. "I wish to respect that with a salute, sir."

Nick smiled, before staring Volt down. "Mike, when we're alone, we're on a first name basis, you understand? Enough of this 'sir' nonsense. It's completely irrelevant in this virtual world, after all."

Volt, however, remained determined to hold his salute, before saying "I'll stick to a first name basis, then. My apologies."

Once Volt lowered his arm down, Nick went down to business and started to speak gently. "Mike, you know as well as I do that Josh and Adam are still trying to recover from the shock of being stuck here. They feel homesick, despite it being only over a month since they were trapped in this place. What's more, is that we have no clue as to when they could return to the real world." Lowering his head, the Charizard proclaims "I want to do whatever I can to help them, and I'm hoping you would do the same."

"I understand, sir." He then caught his error, and corrected himself by saying "Nick."

Nick then turned to look out the window of the office. "You know, this place does have a way of bringing out the best in us, Mike. I'm sure you understand this as well as I do."

"If you ask me, I think that what Josh and Adam accomplished on Zero Isles alone is worth consideration. A whole month on those islands without any contact with anybody else was truly something else."

"And that, I agree," Nick said, facing Volt again. "Listen, you know that if you wish to bring out the best in the both of these new recruits, you need to play directly to their strengths. Josh strives to further improve on himself so that he can protect others. Adam wishes to overcome challenges set before him to achieve his goals. They are two sides of the same coin, in that respect. One is always putting himself above others, and one is putting others before himself. In a way, you need to play to these traits and see for yourself what they both went through before deciding what's the best course of action for the both of them."

Volt listened to what Nick said carefully, and asked "So it's impossible to keep them apart, is that what you're saying?"

"I wouldn't say that," Nick answered. "However, after just a few days on the Zero Isles, I saw for myself firsthand what it was they both were fundamentally flawed with. Josh is afraid he isn't strong enough to protect his brother. Adam is afraid he's becoming more of a problem. Both equal, yet opposite."

"Pray tell, what exactly happened during their training, si- I mean Nick?" Volt asked.

Nick sighed, giving a look of pity. As he sat there, clasping his hands together, he asked Volt "Are you sure you wish to go down that road?"

"If you're asking me if I'm ready to understand them more, then yes. I think I'm more than capable."

Nick took a deep breath, before looking right into Volt's eyes. Deadpan in his delivery, Nick said the phrase that would forever shake Volt to his core. "On the fourth day of training, Adam almost took his own life."

Hearing this news resulted in Volt spending the next few days gathering up data regarding our home address. What happened that would compel us into a position like that? He needed to see the answers for himself.

Four days after his talk with Nick, he soon found the house that Josh and I grew up in back in the real world. He rang the doorbell, and waited to see if someone would come and answer it. All the while, the day he talked with Nick permeated within his mind.

"He almost killed himself?!" Volt asked in utter shock.

"I know," Nick comments. "It was hard for me to believe as well. Luckily, Josh caught up to him to prevent him from leaping off of a cliff…at least temporarily."

"But sir, why would Adam want to take his own life like that?!" Nick asked. "What happened to them in the real world?!"

Nick sighed, not wanting to continue this argument further. He simply looked at Volt, telling the Electabuzz "That's an answer I want you to figure out for yourself, Mike. I'm unable to return to reality, as you're well aware. Therefore, I am assigning you to figure out for yourself why something like that could've been possible."

Volt was shocked to hear this. "M-me? But…why are you assigning me this duty, and not John or Rin?"

Nick simply answered "Because I want you to know that amidst despair, there is a silver lining. Adam almost took his life, and if it weren't for me and Josh, he wouldn't even be here now, would he?"

Volt took a moment to think about this, his mind racing with all of the theories as to why something like this would affect me in particular. As he was thinking this, Nick mentioned "Josh kept on muttering to himself every night after we saved Adam. He kept repeating the phrase 'It's my fault' over and over again. He refused to elaborate as to why, so I need you to take this opportunity to enlighten me once you find the answer."

Volt was anxious about this case, and responded, fists clenched, with "Josh mentioned how if he died, Adam would die, and vice versa upon returning back. Is that the truth?"

Solemnly, Nick nodded, much to Volt's surprise. "You can't separate them at this point. Not yet, at least. You even considered assigning Josh and Adam on separate squads, but now that you know this info, I'm afraid that would be an impossibility."

Volt gulped as he heard this news. Sweat was slowly starting to come down, his nerves almost shot down for good. But with a heavy heart, he nodded. "In that case, I'll do what I can to figure this out. But one question needs to be answered, sir."

"By all means," Nick replied.

Volt clenched his hands into fists, staring Nick in the eye with uncertainty. "Why did you bother telling me about all of this, and only me?"

Nick smiled, before standing up from his desk. The Charizard walked over to his fellow teammate. Looking down at him, he gently placed a hand on his shoulder as a friendly gesture. "Because I'm placing the both of them under your care, Mike. However you plan on supporting them will be entirely up to you. Perhaps through this, you may understand why they continue to fight despite how dire the situation is."

Volt looked up at Nick, puzzled as to Nick's demeanor. "What are you saying?"

"Simply put, I'm placing you in charge of the Solace Guild," Nick said.

As Volt (aka Mike) waited by the door, that last comment that Nick said to him resonated with him greatly. As for what he should do with this new status, he wasn't entirely sure. But as he thought about it, the one thing that he was instantly reminded of was how his brother, Damon, kept on persevering through the war-torn lands of the Middle East despite Mike's incessant bickering for him to return home when the going was good. To Mike, perhaps being the leader of the Solace Guild meant that he was now given a chance to see what it was like to be in Nick's shoes. Perhaps this time, things could turn out different.

His train of thought was soon interrupted by the sudden sight of the door opening, and he is met by the sight of a middle-aged woman at the door, complete with light hair and blue eyes. As she saw Mike, she was curious about him, and asked "Can I help you?"

"Are you Mrs. Amy Benson, mother of Joshua and Adam?" Mike asked bluntly, holding a clipboard and reading off the names present.

The woman's eyes were suddenly wide with shock at the mention of the two of us, me and Josh. She clutched her chest as she opened the door a bit further for Mike to step on in. "How do you know my sons?" she asked.

Mike was able to step inside of the house, before holding out his hand in greeting. "My name is Mike Kruger. I work with a group of people trying to help out Josh and Adam, ma'am."

"Oh, well, I wasn't expecting visitors," Mom said, shaking Mike's hand. "So, you're here to tell me that you've found a way to save Josh and Adam?"

"Ma'am, I'm afraid I wasn't fully obvious with you," Mike said, finishing the handshake, giving her a deadpan expression. "I said I work with people trying to help your sons. That doesn't mean we have a solution to save them."

Mom was disappointed to hear this, and was close to having her eyes water with tears. "I see." As she wiped away any oncoming tears, she asked Mike "Would you please come in and have a seat? I'll make us some tea."

"Thank you, ma'am. I have a lot to talk about."

Mike soon walked into the house, and made his way into the living room area. As he sat down on the sofa, he took notice of a family portrait showing me, Josh, and our parents smiling happily as we were at a family gathering at a park in the Twin Cities. It didn't take long until Mom arrived at the living room and handed a cup of tea to Mike. Mike thanked her for the beverage, and waited for her to sit down at a chair close to the sofa.

As Mike looked at the photo again, he asked Mom "Is your husband here, Mrs. Benson?"

"Oh, if you're referring to David, he said he has errands to run today," Mom answered. "Helping out his mother with a few chores and whatnot."

"Then why aren't you there to help him?" Mike asked.

Mom averted her gaze towards the wall, taking a sip from her tea as she sat there in relative silence. Mike took a look at where she was staring at, and saw yet another picture hanging on the wall. This time, it was a photo of just me and Josh as we went out fishing just a few months before "the incident" took place. I looked to be relatively nervous as I held a fish up, while Josh was positively beaming with happiness, smiling from ear to ear.

Mike could guess the context clues. "You miss your sons, don't you?" Mike asked.

"More than you realize," Mom said, trying her best to hold up a brave face. "I didn't want the both of them to be upset, especially after all that's happened. Dave and I were more than willing to straighten things out with the authorities over what they both went through."

"And what's that?" Mike asked.

"It was a little over a month ago. The end of May, in fact," Mom started, cradling the cup of tea in her hands delicately. "What happened was that my father passed away only a few days prior, and Josh and Adam were supposed to leave early to process their grief."

Mike couldn't help but feel bad for hearing that. "I'm so sorry for your loss," Mike remarked.

"But that's not the end of it," Mom continued, surprising Mike further. "By the time that they were supposed to leave early, Josh and Adam were told to wait in the principal's office at school until I arrived. But then…" Mom's eyes started to water up, and tears began to start pelting down onto her hands. "There was an attack at their school. Of all of the rotten luck, they were almost taken away from us by a knife-wielding kid who had suddenly lost his mind. Adam was at the library where the attack happened, while Josh was over at the principal's office a short distance away. Josh heard the commotion, but the moment he saw Adam was on the school's cameras, he fought desperately to try and save him."

"Good God," Mike muttered, taking a sip of his tea. "Josh was either brave or stupid for wanting to face against something so dangerous." He then saw that Mom was struggling to hold back tears, and Mike was quick to reassure her "I'm sorry! I know this was a traumatic experience for all of you. Please, take your time."

Mom set her tea on the table, sobbing as she was struggling to recall the events in her head. Mike was quick to find a tissue box nearby, and gave it to her. Mom pulled out a couple of tissues, and blew her nose, before she then pulled out a couple more to wipe the tears off of her face.

Maybe this was a bad idea, Mike thought. I probably shouldn't force her to bring up this memory. "Hey, why don't we talk about something else, Mrs. Benson?"

Mom sniffed as she looked at Mike, realizing he's trying to be as sincere as humanly possible. Struggling to form words amidst her sobbing, Mom was able to say "Just tell me, please. Are Josh and Adam ok? Are they safe?"

I wouldn't call the situation they're in as safe, per se, Mike thought to himself. However, a variation of the truth should be good enough I think. "Rest assured, both Adam and Josh are just fine, Mrs. Benson. They may be comatose and in a virtual world, but they're alive."

Mom smiled as she heard this news, and said "That's good to hear. Thank you."

"Anytime," Mike replied, taking another sip of his tea. He struggled to come up with any other things to say to her, but eventually he mentioned "So, about Josh and Adam… I just want to know what they're like. Care to describe them to me?"

Mom almost tensed up from that. "You're not planning on taking them away, are you?"

Now where did THAT come from? …No! Focus! You're doing this because you're supposed to understand them better! Mike sighed, reassuring Mom by saying "I promise you, I will do no such thing. I just want to know what kind of people they are like."

Mom sighed with relief, and soon began to think about us in detail. "Josh is the older brother, born on November 1st. Adam was born only a year and a half later on May 24th. They tend to have a fascination with gaming, which would probably explain Josh's insistence on picking up a VR headset."

Mike nodded, listening intently. "You were the one who bought the VR set for him, or was that your husband's decision?"

"Neither, actually," Mom commented. "Josh saved up an allowance from working odd jobs around the neighborhood."

"Odd jobs?" Mike asked curiously.

"Mowing the neighbors' lawns, pet sitting, even going so far as helping a friend of mine with daycare services on occasion," Mom pointed out.

Jesus… Josh has quite the history there. "And what about Adam? Did he contribute in any way?"

"Not really," Mom said. "He was mostly by himself every so often, writing in his notebook. He's…a little less active than Josh, if that's anything to go by."

"Hmm…" Mike ended up pondering about this for a bit, thinking carefully about what other information he should pry out next. Whatever I ask about next should be critical. This information doesn't seem to be entirely important. Then again, Nick requested I learn a bit more about how they ended up in that world, so I need to figure out what happened. He looked back at Mom, and said "Interesting. So, Josh is the more proactive one, is that it?"

"Yes," Mom added. "He's always thinking of others, no matter who they are. He would go out of his way to help them in a pinch, even…" Mom paused, drawing some concern from Mike, but she took a deep breath, before solemnly adding "…even risk his life to protect Adam."

"Was this…what happened that day, ma'am?" Mike asked, partially stoic, but also showing genuine empathy. "Before they were trapped in the virtual world?"

Mom tensed up, but was able to nod in response to Mike's question.

I shouldn't bring up any unpleasant memories like this. I don't want to upset her any further. Mike sighed, before he then looked at Mom with a sense of comfort. "Ma'am, I promise you, whatever happened that day, I won't let Josh and Adam be trapped in that world because of those circumstances. They want to be back here. With you. Your husband. They really miss you, I'm sure."

Mom sniffed a little, looking back at Mike with a gentle smile. "And I'll hold you to that promise, Mr. Kruger."

Mike smiled, and took a sip of his tea. Curiously, as he looked at the photo frame of the family together, he asked "Where's your husband now, Amy? I think I would like to answer some more questions from him."

Mom nodded her head. "I understand. I've taken enough time, as is. He said he was going to pay his brother, Andy, a visit. He lives up in Duluth. I can give you the address if you want."

"I'd very much like that. Thank you." Mike smiled, and he decided to write down the address on his phone. I'd hate to make her worry too much. Maybe her husband is going to be easier to ask questions about.

Once Mike finished typing up the address and putting his phone away, Mom soon said "By the way, Mr. Kruger. But given what happened, Dave would want to spend some time alone more often than not. It's just…I'm worried about him, that's all."

Mike sat there in silence for a good while. A number of thoughts pierced into his mind, but he didn't have the time to process them all. He instead nodded his head, and said "I'll be sure to let him know. Thank you."

Three hours after meeting with Mom, Mike soon made his way to the address of our uncle, Andy. As soon as he pulled his car up to the driveway, he was met by two men, who were already talking among each other as he made his way towards them. The younger looking man smiled, patting the older gentleman on the back, telling him "He's all yours, David."

"Thanks," Dad answered, as Andy walked back inside the house. "I got a call from my wife that you were going to talk with me?"

"As a matter of fact, I am," Mike said, holding out a hand. "Mike Kruger."

"Dave Benson," Dad answered, shaking his hand in return. "Judging from your grizzled look, you were military as well?"

"Heh… It's that obvious, is it?" Mike asked.

Dad chuckled, before saying "Actually, it's because of your eyes that you've shown signs of action on the field. Which war?"

"Afghanistan," Mike answered. "A shame I didn't finish what I started there."

"I don't blame you," Dad replied. "I'm just about as livid as you are about it, if I'm being honest."

He seems like an interesting man. Perhaps this is where the mutt gets his personality from? They both walked over to the front porch, and sat down by the window on wicker chairs as the gentle summer breeze took hold. Mike was the first to open his mouth. "So, about Josh and Adam…"

"About how they ended up in a virtual world, is that it?" Dad asked. He sighed, crossing his arms as he stared up at the sky. "I can't say I know what it's like, but yeah. I can't help but worry about them. They're both incredible boys. I honestly don't know if they're able to survive on their own like that."

Mike wanted to reiterate some things. "Look, for the most part, Josh and Adam aren't alone in there. They have my team working day and night looking out for them."

Dad lowered his head, giving a look towards Mike as he gave a smile. "I'm happy to hear that."

Mike crosses his arms, and he ended up saying "Your wife mentioned Josh rushed into danger to protect Adam from harm. What happened?"

All at once, Dad's face went pale. He just stared at Mike for a few seconds, but Mike's stern, serious expression indicated he needed answers. Mike emphasized "Please. I just want to know how serious that day was."

Dad sat there in silence for a bit, before he then averted his gaze from Mike. He took a deep breath to calm himself. By the time he felt he was calm enough, he looked at Mike again. "If you must know, Josh and Adam barely managed to survive a knife attack at their high school. The incident resulted in the deaths of 4 people, one of which being the knife-wielding madman himself."

Mike was sitting there, listening intently with what Dad had to say. What he wasn't expecting was the last detail. "The…young man with the knife was killed?" he asked.

Dad nodded. "Josh took desperate action to fight back and protect Adam," he added. "Adam could've died if Josh hadn't run in there and tackled the maniac to the ground. They both fought for a good while. And then…"

Mike was sitting there, waiting for Dad to further elaborate for a good few moments. "And then…?"

Dad scrunched his eyes and tried his best to remain calm. Mike noted Dad's emotional state, and was close to saying something to help calm him. However, it was then that Dad mentioned "Josh, he… He fought back in self-defense. However, the incident ended with Josh taking the madman's life."

Mike was stunned to hear those words from Dad's mouth. No wonder they were so shaken back then.

Mike thought back to the day where he first met me and Josh. We were out in the rain, fighting back against some Vigoroth for our own survival, and he and Rin both rushed in there to save us. He could recall the fear we both felt that day. How unnerved we both were. I guess I was a bit rough on them that day. After an incident like that, it could traumatize anyone.

"It doesn't end there, though," Dad said after taking a deep breath to calm his nerves. Mike was then brought further into the story Dad was saying, paying attention to the next few details carefully. "When Josh put an end to that incident, that was an act of self-defense. Unfortunately, that was around the time that local police showed up, and the students were muttering to themselves about a 'monster' while Josh wept over the killer's body."

"'Monster?' What do you suppose that meant?" Mike asked.

Dad gritted his teeth, and slammed his fist on the table, catching Mike off guard. Dad's head was hung low, and he continued speaking through his teeth. "My son was believed to be the murderer in that incident, that's what!"

Mike sat there, eyes wide with shock, seeing how Dad's sudden outburst permeated an intense aura around him. Dad took a moment to sigh, and calm his nerves, looking back at Mike with an apologetic expression. "Sorry for the outburst, there. I've been under a lot of stress this past month."

"I can imagine," Mike said sincerely. "But…you mentioned Josh was only acting in self-defense to save Adam. What do you mean he's been framed as the murderer of that incident?"

"That's the dilemma, isn't it?" Dad added, sitting straight in his seat as he and Mike continued the discussion. "I was quite shocked to hear what happened myself, but thankfully, after a while, the truth did make it out. I was afraid that Josh would be taken away on probation or something because of his actions." His expression soon saddened. "And then…I got the call."

"From local authorities?" Mike asked.

Dad nodded. "Yes. They were in the process of interviewing the witnesses at the time, even looking over security footage at the school to get the bigger picture. They even mentioned that if Josh was deemed guilty based on the time of their arrival at the building, then Josh would not only be expelled from his school and thus forced to retake his senior year elsewhere, but…he would be forced to live under the watchful eyes of a probation officer, as I had feared.

"Josh unfortunately must've thought his life was over for him, and thus ran away into the virtual world late into the night. Adam followed early the next morning. By the time my wife and I both got confirmation that the charge was indeed self-defense, it was already a week later, and they were both trapped in the virtual world by that point."

This lines up with their training with Nick on the Zero Isles. I can't believe it took a week for the confirmation of self-defense. Mike crossed his arms, sighed deeply, and looked at Dad with a pitiable expression. "David, I am so sorry to have brought this up with you."

"No, it's fine," Dad said, waving his hand as a sign to relax. "Just as long as Josh and Adam are still alive, that's fine by me. Of course, I want them both back here. We all do. I don't think we could deal with the stress if they die in that place."

"Well, I'll have you know that they're alive, and they seem to be doing good for themselves," Mike reassured. "Just you wait. Once they are out of there, they'll be so happy to see you again. I promise."

Dad smiled at Mike's comment and patted his shoulder. Staring Mike in the eye, he said "Then I have something I want to ask you. Would you kindly look after them both? We're all doing our part to make sure we get them out. I just want you to promise me if you can help break them free from this cage. They are good kids at heart. Treat them as such."

Mike smiled back. "Only if you promise to be there for your wife and support your sons' efforts."

Dad nodded. "I will." Both Dad and Mike shook each other's hands after this, however, Mike had a lingering thought on the back of his mind.

What if he doesn't find a way to save me and Josh?

Volt walked out into the courtyard of the Solace Guild, staring over at the stadium as the reds of the sun setting was being overtaken by the dark of night. Remembering the promise he made with Dad, he stood stoically as the memories fade from his mind. He felt guilt. Guilt and remorse for not fulfilling the promise at all.

Sighing deeply, he turned around, about to head on back inside of the guild, only to end up running into some familiar faces. Two figures stood there by the door, arms crossed. Volt smiled, saying "About time you guys decided to show up."

Wulfrock and Rinekai were not at all smiling back at him. Instead, their expressions read like they were nervous, yet determined to speak what's on their minds. Volt gave a subtle nod to the both of them as he walked on over, giving the both of them a solid look. "I take it you both have something to tell me. What is it?"

Wulfrock and Rinekai looked over at each other briefly, before looking back at Volt. "Mike, do you have a minute to discuss what you're doing?"

Volt agreed, of course, to talk things over. They all walked up to Volt's office by the time that they went back inside. Volt sat down behind his desk while John and Rin were standing up in front of him. Volt clenched his hands together as he stared at the both of them with silence. After a few seconds, he told them "Go ahead and speak if you want. I know what it is you want to talk about."

"About Josh and Adam, that is?" John asked anxiously.

"Mmhmm," Volt said as he leaned back in his seat. "I know I put the both of them under a lot of stress for the past few years. And after…well, after the mutt went and made his declaration at me, he almost scared me with his own actions."

"He was just acting up because you provoked him," Rin commented. "Josh and Adam have been fighting for the chance to leave this world for years now. And if you know those two, they're not taking being trapped here sitting down."

"I'm well aware of that, Rin," Volt said. "However, that made me realize something. Those two have been through a lot. I just wanted to test them."

"Test them?" John questioned. "TEST THEM? Mike, this is serious! All of these years of waiting to return home, and you're saying you wanted to test them?"

"I didn't want to let them out there if they weren't ready for what's about to happen," Volt stated. "They both should realize that they're putting their lives on the line if they chose to pursue this path. I thought that was made clear."

"Yeah, but you're saying you're testing them to see how they've grown!?" John asked, almost in disbelief over what he was hearing. "Mike, you've seen how they've grown! You've felt how strong they were! Come to your senses already! They need to be let go!"

Mike just stared at Volt for a good moment, before he took a glance away, resting his head on his hands. He knew that he was making a big mistake. He realized that the moment he agreed to go through with Josh's insane idea, which to be fair, Josh only did out of desperation. Josh tried to revoke it, but Volt agreed to it, surprising everyone. "Who's the bigger fool?" he mused. "Is it the idiot mutt who refused to sit down? Or is it the hand that feeds him?"

"Huh?" John said, perplexed by how Mike's talking.

Volt sighed, and stood up from his chair. Looking at his teammates, he asked them "That wasn't what you wanted to talk to me about, was it? I can see it in your eyes."

All at once, the atmosphere of the conversation turned partially dreary. John and Rin looked at each other, and they both became worried, which started to make Volt look at them with concern. "Is something wrong?"

The two nodded at each other, before their heads hung low. Rin was the first to speak. "We received word from higher up. We're aware that you don't wish to disclose information regarding them after…" She hesitated, well aware about how much Volt would be angry towards his government higher ups in any given meeting. After the death of Damon, Volt was never in any talkative mood when it involved the way things were being run in reality. Regardless, she gulped, and looked at Volt with a determined expression, and continued. "In any case, as much as you hate to discuss information with them, this is rather crucial."

"How so?" Volt asked, crossing his arms. "And this better be important."

"It is," John replied. "In fact, we wouldn't be here talking to you about it if it wasn't important. It's regarding…" He then leaned forward, whispering into Volt's ear. "It regards 'Project MCP.'"

Volt knew exactly what that meant. Project MCP is the recovery operation of the rogue AI that has created the virtual world of PMDO. A top secret black ops project that multiple government figures were getting involved with. After all, who wouldn't want to take possession of an advanced AI that could change the very face of human history as we know it?

Of course, the only reason that Volt took part in this operation with Rin and John was because of what happened with Nick five years earlier. The beta of the game, where military officials were given a brief preview of the game being made before discussions were being made to determine the fate of MCP. Nick was involved with those people, and got trapped in the game as a result. In Volt's mind, he only decided to go through with this operation because it meant he was able to work alongside Nick again.

Project MCP also happens to coincide with me and Josh as well. Because depending on the circumstances of the project, that also determines how long we have to live in this world. Any moment could mean the difference between life and death. Of course, Volt knew this all too well.

With renewed interest, Volt asked "What happened?"

"Our deadline has been substantially tightened," Rin said. "No doubt, this was all because of the sudden deaths of trapped players perpetrated by Zeraora."

"I see," Volt said, placing his hands on his desk as he began to start feeling his anxiety rise up. "How long do we have?"

"Three months," John answered. "We have until the end of the summer months, and the game will shut itself down to prevent further harm to players. Of course…this also means that any players who are trapped in here…" Wulfrock couldn't even finish that sentence as he started to tremble at the thought that all of their efforts of protecting and supporting us would be in vain.

The room collectively fell silent, as Volt quickly began to realize the situation he was in. He began to think back again. About how Josh was determined to fight for our freedom from this world. How we were willing to risk our lives if it came to that. The promises he made to our parents. Everything. It all came crashing back into him, and he shuddered at the thought that everything they've been fighting for would be taken away from him.

All at once, Volt began to surge with renewed vigor. Enough to encase his body in an electric charge, as he slammed his desk hard, shocking both Rin and John. "Those damn pigs in fancy suits… They won't do this to them. I won't let them!"

Rin and John both were surprised by Volt's reaction, and they instantly started to see some sparks of Volt's determined resolve shine forth. Something they haven't seen from him in years. "Mike…"

"If those bastards say that we aren't strong enough to find MCP in three months, they got another thing coming to them," Volt said, staring at his teammates with a stern look. "We're not going to let this be the end. We'll double…triple…QUADRUBLE our output! We'll have every team we've got go and investigate to the best of their abilities, until we find that AI and break it down until it's nothing but code."

"Wow…" Rin was amazed at how Volt sounded, and gave a gentle smile back at him. "So…you're going to stay and fight with us?"

"If it means ending MCP and saving those boys, then yes. I'm all in."

"Excellent!" John said with upmost joy. "So, does that mean that Josh and Adam won't participate in our battle this Saturday?"

All at once, Volt's nerves were shot, and he was suddenly reminded of how Josh and I almost died to Zeraora twice in one week. In fact, the idea of me and Josh confronting MCP was a terrifying thought to him. As strong as Zeraora was, he's just an AI that was created for the game itself. MCP was way stronger. And the idea of confronting MCP would obviously be suicidal if any trapped players confronted him.

Rin and John's jubilation soon came to a screeching halt as they looked at their friend. All at once, Volt's personality radically went from determined and eager to see things through, to sudden fear and paranoia. "Team Inferno… I almost forgot…"

"John?" Rin asked. "You are going to cancel our battle and let them back into fieldwork, right?"

Volt felt scared, and all at once, his memories of his time in Afghanistan flooded back into him. About his last conversation with his brother before things went south in the worst way imaginable. And the mental image of Volt's efforts being in vain were a scary thought to him, much like how his own efforts to save his brother would ultimately end up fruitless.

He fell back down into his chair, mentally terrified over the prospects of throwing me and Josh into danger so suddenly, and without proper reason. "I…I can't do it…"

John and Rin were shocked to hear about this news. John didn't hesitate to step forward and stare Volt down. "Mike. We need all of the help we can get. Team Inferno and Team Calibur deserve to be sent out there and find a way to escape! We can't just leave them here!"

"John…I don't think you get it… I just can't. Not now."

"And why not? Why are you hesitating?"

"BECAUSE I DON'T WANT JOSH AND ADAM TO DIE!" Volt yelled, catching John and Rin by surprise. "I made a promise. A promise to their parents that I would find a way to help them survive and escape from this world. I can't bear the guilt of losing the both of them and leaving the parents distraught over what happened!"

Silence followed this outburst. Nobody said a word, since this was the first time Volt has ever showed this much emotion on his face in a long time. Years of bottling up his frustrations, and here he was, revealing his true feelings to his friends since his veteran days. He gritted his teeth, and mentions "After what happened with Zeraora, I was afraid I was going to fail in keeping a promise I made to them years ago. I swore that they were going to see their sons back in the real world, and I intend to keep it. Especially after…" He sighed, taking his time to take a breath and calm down. "Especially after what led the two boys to this world in the first place. They're not ready. Not yet. That's why I wanted to test them."

John and Rin didn't have anything else to add, but they couldn't help but understand the pressure that Volt was building up for himself. Looking at each other for a second, Rin shrugged her shoulders. As they looked back at Volt, she added "So…you chose to test them through Josh's suggestion because you're afraid they could die out there?"

Volt nodded silently.

John sighed, and walked up to Volt, placing his paw on the Electabuzz's shoulder. "I guess what happened years ago has really shaken you, hasn't it?

"Heh… Yeah. I guess it has," Volt mentioned, gently placing a hand on John's paw. "Though…that's why I need your help. You guys are the only hope I have to see if they have what it takes to face against the dangers ahead. So, let me ask you guys: Will you help me help them grow as a team?"

John and Rin were unsure on how to answer this question. Instead, the both of them were uneasy with this new development. Rin crossed her arms, staring at her two teammates, and asking "I don't know… What do you think, John?"

John looked at Volt, then back at Rin. "Gah…I wish I could agree, but I'm not too sure, myself."

Just then, an outside voice said "I say you should do it. After all, they deserve this chance."

The trio recognized the voice immediately, and turned their attention towards the door. As it opened up, they were greeted by the friendly sight of a Charizard smiling straight at them.

"Nick!" they all said in unison, before giving salutes to him.

"At ease, guys. We're all friends here. Besides, I'm no longer military, so stop with the formalities already," Nick said with a calm demeanor. All at once, Team Delta lowered their arms, and Nick continued. "I've heard that you left Josh and Adam in town after what happened with Zeraora, Mike. Is this true?"

"Yes, though it's not without reason, sir," Volt answered. "I just wanted to see if Josh and Adam have what it takes."

"Bullcrap," John snickered. "You just didn't want to be separated from them."

"Shut up…" Volt said with a grimace.

Nick chuckled at the banter, before walking up to Volt. "Either way, you said that Josh and Adam weren't ready yet. If this battle is to prove anything, it's to prove that they have the strength to combat any challenge that stands in their way. It's a big world out there. They deserve to see what lies in store."

"That's all fine and good, Nick, but is this really a smart idea?" Rin asked. "After all, Josh was the one who emotionally burst out at Volt for trapping them in town!"

"Only because Josh feels he and Adam are more than ready to confront any challenge in their path," Nick replied. "He also owed it to Cross, did he not? To help him find a lost friend? Who knows what sorts of dangers lie ahead. But if Josh is confident they can do this, then that's definitely saying something."

Volt started to get anxious as he asked this next question. "Nick… Are Josh and Adam ready?"

Nick gave a cheeky grin, before saying "That depends on the results, now, doesn't it? Best two out of three? I'd say that's fair odds." Smiling nice and wide, he then looked over his entire team, and replied "In fact, just to see how they've grown after all of these years, I'm thinking of being there when they battle you three. I'll even arrange the battles myself."

This ultimately shocked everyone. "HUUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHH!?"

Nick laughed at their reactions, and all at once, the room was uproarious with discussion. Nick chatted up the plans with them, and he ultimately did what he could to boost up their morale. And as Volt looked over at Nick, seeing how confident he felt at that moment, he began to start feeling nervous all over again.

"Sir… I did just as you asked me to do," Volt said to Nick one day.

Josh and I were doing a sparring match out in the courtyard together as they began doing their discussion. Nick took a look at Volt, and asked him "And what did you find out?"

"Honestly, I'm more surprised that they're still alive after what they went through," Volt answered, never breaking eye contact on our sparring match. "They're both pieces of work. One wrong move could mean the difference between life and death in this world." Thinking back on the promise he made to our parents, he then mentioned "I also made a vow that day."

"A vow?" Nick asked.

"Yes. I want to make sure these two live good lives. If they're willing to dive head first into hell and back for the one chance to escape from the virtual world, then I'm going to do what I can to help them along the way."

Nick smiled, before staring back at the sparring match. "I see. In that case, do you think you can fulfill this vow?"

"I'll make sure of it," Volt said.

Nick nodded his head at Volt's answer, and grinned. "Good answer." He then looked at me and Josh, and announced loudly "Josh! Adam! Come here!"

Our sparring match with each other was put on pause as the both of us looked over at Volt and Nick. As we walked on over, Josh asked "What is it?"

Nick looked over at Volt, resting a hand on his shoulder, before announcing "From this point forward, I'm placing the both of you to be under Volt's care. He's taking over as the leader of the Solace Guild in my stead."

This shocked the both of us instantly. "What?" Josh asked.

"But why, Nick? Why Volt?" I questioned nervously. "After what he said to me that day, is he really the best option?"

"Oh, don't worry, Adam. I made sure that Volt got a stern talking to a few days ago." Nick's tail bumped into Volt's back, and the Electabuzz staggered forward slightly, before looking back at Nick, who gave him a reassuring smile.

Volt recomposed himself, before saying "I know what I said to you that day was hurtful, and I upset your feelings. I did not intend to break your spirit. Rather, I should be at fault for even bringing it up to begin with. I'm sorry." Volt bowed down to show his sincerity (although from my perspective, it looked rather forced).

I was still rather pensive about Volt's leadership, and Josh was in a similar boat. He and I honestly had no clue if what Nick chose was the right decision. However…we both knew that whatever Nick said must mean something important. If he wants Volt as leader, then that's definitely for a good reason.

"And, I promise you both this," Volt continued. "I want to do what's right for the both of you. You want to return back to the real world? In that case, I'll devote every waking hour of my life to making sure that dream becomes reality. But that also means that you two will listen to any and all orders I give to you. Whatever I say goes. Do I make myself clear?"

Josh and I didn't exactly know how to react to this news, but eventually, we both conceded and nodded. "Alright. Whatever you say, Volt," Josh said, holding out a paw for Volt to shake.

Volt, however, didn't shake his paw. Instead, he just glared a little at Josh, before telling him "The way I run things will be different in comparison to Nick. This means I don't accept handshakes, especially if you haven't earned it."

Josh got a little irritated by Volt's response, before asking "And how, pray tell, do I earn it?"

"By saluting me, of course," Volt added. "Only once you've earned my respect will you boys get the privilege of being my equals."

Nick sighed, before he then gripped Volt's arm, forcing a hand open, and wrapping it around Josh's paw. Volt was clearly annoyed by this, but Nick wasn't taking any crap from him. "Come now, Volt! No need to be so glum! After all, these boys need the best training we can offer them! I suggest you learn to get along."

Volt was speechless by the sudden action that Nick forced him to do. But from Nick staring at him with a forced smile, Josh's confused irritation, and my own befuddlement over the display before me, Volt sighed, and averted his gaze from us.

Volt looked over at how Nick was chatting with John and Rin to reason with his actions. Nick once again forced a smile to cheer up the mood. Even a questionable decision was bound to be significant when it comes to Nick's actions. That much Volt knew for certain.

I think I get why you made me leader, Nick, Volt thought to himself. The only thing holding me back is whether or not I can actually earn that title. I guess all of that will be decided by the battle coming up.