The moment that Cross made a full recovery thanks to Rose using Aromatherapy, Josh went to work reviving the rest of Team Calibur with a couple of Reviver Seeds. While that happened, I was sitting down on a bench, contemplating what we just went through in the battle. I looked at my own hand, and began to think quietly to myself. Just for an instant, I felt like I had all of this strength coursing through me. I haven't felt that way in a long time, even though it felt brief. Still, was this really the right thing? Did I actually want to go all out like that?

As I was thinking about all of this, Rose soon looked at Josh and asked him "Hey, if Reviver Seeds can revive fainted Pokémon, then why don't we bother using them on you in case you guys die on us?"

"Because it doesn't work that way," Josh mentioned, finishing up his job with reviving Team Calibur. "If what Nick told us was true, and if everything that Gareth described of back then was on the ball, then unfortunately, a Reviver Seed won't bring us back." Josh then held up the two seeds he used up, now drained of their power, and continued. "Reviver Seeds only work on Pokémon who have fainted. In the instance of someone dying, these seeds would've been practically worthless. You could call them the equivalent of a Phoenix Down from Final Fantasy if that was the real case."

"And…your point being?" Rose asked.

Josh clutched the two Plain Seeds in his paw, and he placed them back into his bag. "My point is that once you die, that is it. There is no coming back. I'm just lucky to have someone like you to guarantee that Cross won't perish from the poison smog during our battle."

Rose blushed a little, before explaining "Well, lucky for you, my old team refused to let me delete that move. They would've been in some rather tough scrapes if it weren't for me healing them of any poison, or burns, or paralysis." Once she finished using Aromatherapy, and Cross is shown to be feeling better, she then looked at Josh with concern, asking "Aren't you going to be okay?"

"I can live through poison, no problem," Josh said with a smile. "Part Steel-type, you know."

"Oh! Right. How silly of me," Rose muttered.

Josh soon walked over to Cross, who started to open his eyes, and Josh was quick to hold out a paw to help him up. Cross sighed, and soon gave Josh a big smile. "It would appear we have lost the battle," he said.

"Yeah, but only because we had the best teachers we could ask for," Josh replied.

Cross chuckled, before grabbing Josh's paw as he's helped up. "You flatter me, Josh. Your unorthodox approach was truly something to behold."

"Only because you encouraged us to think quickly on our feet," Josh said. "That's a quality that's most important in a battle, yes?"

Cross nodded, before he then stumbled a bit forward, clutching at his head. Josh and Rose showed immediate concern for him, as Rose asked "Are you alright?"

Cross held out his hand to signal Josh and Rose to back away, and he muttered "I'm fine… That ass kicking took a lot out of me…"

As I stared at them, I couldn't help but notice something odd. Apparently, as Cross opened his eyes again, I could've sworn that they seemed to be glowing a faint blue color before fading back to red. Frankly, I just wished it was all a part of my imagination, but after the whole kerfuffle with Lucian for the past few days, I started to doubt what could be considered real anymore. It was then that I was soon approached by Chris and Nolan, and I looked at the two of them for a good while. They seemed to be silently staring at me for a particular reason, so I asked them "What is it?"

"Well…" Chris began, struggling to find the right words to describe what he wanted to say.

"I think what Herr Chris was trying to say was that you seemed different in battle there," Nolan answered for him. "Almost like…you were not at all afraid to fight."

"Yeah. Tell me, Adam. What exactly happened? For a while, you started to feel more confident with yourself, and even started giving a faint glow of fire around you."

"Wait, really?" I asked, puzzled. I then took a look around my own body, seeing that there were no signs of any flames around me in the slightest. I was on fire? Literally? "Um... Why are you bringing this up?"

"Well, it's just that when we were charging towards each other, you apparently just stopped running, your Fire Punch went out, and the flames surrounding your body simply vanished," Chris pointed out. "It was a miracle you managed to use Bulk Up as much as you did, otherwise the damage I could've done with X-Scissor could've been far worse."

"Ja. Not bad, Adam. You seem to have improved significantly since we first met," Nolan said with a smile (at least, I think he was smiling), giving me a gentle fist bump on my shoulder.

I sighed, taking Nolan's words into account. "I don't feel like I've improved at all," I mentioned. "I mean, I do feel like I've gotten stronger, but…" Looking back at my own hand, I said "During that battle, I was suddenly reminded of when Josh and I trained together years ago. I took the training way too seriously, and wanted to beat Josh so badly in combat because I was that determined to return home." I soon clenched my hand into a fist, and looked back at the duo. "I made a vow that day. I promised I wouldn't go off the rails during training, otherwise I feel like I could lose myself to the Incineroar I've been labeled to be. If I'm being honest, I'd much rather be who I think I should be, not what a game tells me to be."

Chris and Nolan were understanding, but at the same time, they were slightly confused by the way I was describing my situation. Soon, though, they both just smiled as we were all joined by the others. Josh soon approached me, placing his paw on my shoulder with a smile on his face. "I'm so proud of you, Adam," Josh mentioned. "You actually gave it your all out there. Congratulations!"

I felt miffed about Josh's response, but I gave a sheepish looking smile out of embarrassment regardless. Oh, if only you knew, Josh. I couldn't even finish Chris off. I chickened out at the last minute. How the hell am I supposed to prove my worth in a solo battle if the only thing I was able to do was make Josh and Rose have the upper hand against their foes? Am I just a weak link in all of this? Oh man, I don't know if I could even go through something like that again.

"Well, it would appear I missed quite the spectacle." All at once, the six of us turned to the direction of the voice in the distance, and found that somebody was waiting by the door of the Solace Guild. The faint glow of orange fire was able to give a sign of a lone figure inside of the halls, before he soon stepped out into the open air. Almost instantly, Josh and I both got overly excited, because we recognized that Charizard from anywhere.

"Nick!" Josh and I said, both rushing over to him, with everyone else following suit. Josh was quick to give the Charizard a hug as he and Nick both laughed gleefully at the idea of seeing each other again. Meanwhile, I kept my distance, since I was rather large in size, and hugging Nick while Josh was already hanging on to him would've sandwiched him in-between two Pokémon bigger than him. (Besides, the last time I tried to give him a hug, I accidentally knocked him over.)

Nick smiled at the both of us, and he asked "How're my favorite pupils? Staying out of trouble, or has trouble been hounding you guys like crazy?"

"Oh, you have no idea, Nick!" Josh said excitedly. "After all, we've been stuck here for years at this point, haven't we?"

"That's true," Nick said with a smile. He then looked towards the others, and instantly he nodded his head at them. "I take it you guys are the ones responsible for looking over Josh and Adam while I was gone?"

"More or less," Cross quipped, giving a cheeky grin on his face.

"That's good," Nick said. He then looked over at me and Josh, and asked "Care to introduce me? I'm afraid I hadn't really been able to do so after what happened at Mt. Ebott."

"Right! Right! Of course!" Josh said beaming with excitement, before motioning towards Rose. "Nick, this is our new teammate, BlossumBelle."

"A pleasure to meet you, Infernick," Rose said with a bow. "Though, you may call me Rose, if you want."

"Ah, a first name basis, I see," Nick said with a smile. "Then to make things simpler, just call me Nick. It's nice to meet you, Rose." He soon looked at Cross and his team, and said "I do believe I met Chris before, though, care to introduce yourselves at the very least?"

"Oh, of course," Cross said with a bow.

Then, all at once, Team Calibur soon began to start striking poses again. Cross knelt down on one knee, his signature "X" formation on his arms standing out. Meanwhile, Chris and Nolan were standing back to back with each other, with Chris holding out one arm in front of him and one arm by his feet, while Nolan held his shield close to the ground with one arm while saluting with the other.

"The fighter of the forest who's as swift as the wind: Scicle!" Chris stated.

"The unbreakable shield with the sharpest of blades: Zweister!" Nolan exclaimed.

"The warrior of light and honorable knight: X-Glaive!" Cross shouted.

"AND TOGETHER, WE ARE TEAM CALIBUR!" the three chanted together.

We all just stood there for a brief moment as we stared at Team Calibur with a baffled look. All at once, Josh spoke up and mentioned "Work on the pose again. You're getting there."

Comically, Team Calibur collapsed, and Chris was quick to speak up, and shouted "At the very least, you could admit the pose looked cool!"

"I'm not saying it's a bad pose!" Josh said defensively. "It's just that you guys should just stick with a pose that's best suited for you. That's the first pose I've seen you three do that I legitimately thought looked nice."

Team Calibur collectively then looked at Josh, and were stunned silent by his words. They were simply amazed by how Josh seemed to be giving them feedback on the pose they all collectively came up with on the spot. I sighed, giving Josh a wayward glance. Remind me to give a note to them to practice on that pose from now on.

Nick couldn't help but laugh as he was overjoyed by the theatrics of Team Calibur. "I must say, I wasn't expecting you three to be so eccentric! Well, it's a privilege to be working alongside you all, Team Calibur."

"Oh, the feeling is mutual!" Chris said with a slight laugh.

"Es ist eine Ehre!" Nolan stated.

Cross soon stood up, and as he did so, he looked at Nick with a smile. But then, he ultimately felt his head ache again, and he winced as he held his head in pain. Chris and Nolan were quick to comfort him, as Cross soon looked over at Nick again. Only this time, it was clear that I noticed his eyes were blue again, and his expression showed slight fear. And apparently, I wasn't the only one, as Josh took notice as well from what I could see from him.

But this was only for a brief moment, before Cross blinked, shook his head, and upon opening his eyes again, they were back to crimson red. Cross gave a chuckle, before saying "Sorry, it's just that I've been through a pretty intense battle. I'll be fine."

"Yes, I can tell," Nick admitted, taking a good look at the battlefield in the courtyard. "Those scorch marks are a sign of a ton of fire being present. I could've seen this place was lit up like a birthday cake from the other side of town."

Rose chuckled slightly as she looked back at Nick. "I'm afraid that was because my Toxic attack was flammable. Sorry if that was startling to you."

"Oh, no no! I was sort of expecting that from Team Inferno, especially considering the competition you are going to take part in tomorrow," Nick stated.

It was at that mention of the next day's activities that drew our attention instantly. He knows!? Who am I kidding? Of COURSE he would know! Nick is a part of Team Delta, after all! Is he mad? Worried? Excited? What is he thinking?

"Yes, I know of the scuffle you guys had with Volt," Nick said, looking at Josh specifically. Josh couldn't help but feel anxious throughout the exchange. "Though, naturally, I was sort of half-expecting it, considering how strict he's been with you boys."

The moment of silence that followed was like waiting for a bomb to go off. We were worried that Nick was disappointed with us, or that he was no longer going to see us as worthy successors to him, or something like that! I could practically feel my heart sink down into my stomach over how intense everything has gotten.

But soon, Nick smiled, and he patted Josh on the shoulder. "But hey! At the very least, it gives me an excuse to see how much you all have grown these past few years."

"You're not…angry at us?" I asked nervously.

"Oh, no, I'm still angry, but not at you," Nick said.

This baffled us greatly. "Seriously?" Josh asked with curiosity.

Nick sighed, muttering to himself "I swear, Mike, this is exactly why I keep telling you not to infuriate my students." He then looked at all of us together, and said "Though, I do have one request from the lot of you. It's a risky one, but I'm only going to allow it once you do me a solid."

"What is it?" Rose asked.

Nick smiled at us, and requested "I want you all to knock some sense into Team Delta during the competition tomorrow."

My heart collectively stopped and left me as stiff as a board. "You want us to defeat Team Delta!?"

"Of course," Nick began, before he gave us all a grin, and saying "how about we discuss this with them over dinner tonight?"

Chapter 34: Chateau Damascus

The seven of us soon made our way to Chateau Damascus under Nick's request. The sun had already set by this point, and the streets were suddenly more spacious as the lights of the various buildings and stalls were turning on. It was almost peaceful, in a way, but at the same time, I couldn't help but think that was because not a ton of people are around during the evening.

Of course, that wouldn't matter to players of the Eastern Hemisphere, since what's considered as 12AM Midnight for us would be 12PM Noon for them. As it turns out, this game runs under the Japanese Standard Time. The first time Josh and I ever logged in together, it was close to around 10 AM, which would've made it around 1AM in Japan. The night sky was beautiful, don't get me wrong, but it did look a little distracting. But soon, a patch aired in the game where time is relative to where someone lives in the real world. So, with that said, it no longer felt confusing for any of us anymore on what time it was supposed to be.

But still, it was the evening for us, which reflected on our daily lives based on our human lives in the USA. Of course, that was pretty much small technical knowledge that I rattled up into my brain as we were approaching the restaurant. Anything to make the inevitable talk with Team Delta about tomorrow's festivities less painful for me.

Upon arrival, the seven of us stepped inside, and to my utter surprise, the place looked remarkably similar to a high-quality restaurant you could find in the real world. There were plenty of tables with a few patrons already inside, and what's more, is that I could see that there was a bunch of delicate French décor that helped bring out a nice atmosphere to the place. This was my first time ever visiting this restaurant, and already, I was just blown away from how lavish it all looked. From the chandelier hung high in the center of the dining area, to the sight of a few tapestries upholstered along the walls, to the sheen of the marble flooring with delicate wool rugs beneath the tables, this place was the closest I was ever going to witness that felt like heaven.

We were all greeted with the sight of a friendly Bisharp, who gave a bow towards our arrival. "Ah, bonjour, Infernick! It's a pleasure to be serving you again!"

"Please, the pleasure is all mine, Reynard," Nick replied in kind.

Josh was quick to whisper to the rest of us, saying "Reynard is an AI, by the way. This is just the way he greets returning customers."

Cross and his team all nodded in understanding, while I whispered back to Josh "So…what kind of food does this restaurant serve? And more importantly, how much does it usually cost?"

"If you were curious enough to dine here every once in a while, you would know," Josh retorted. "I know how much of a fussy eater you are."

"I'm sorry," I said. "It's just that…this place looks a little too fancy for my liking."

"Oh, don't worry," Josh reassured me. "The food is great, though I will admit, it did cost a pretty penny just to purchase it."

I was curious. "How much?"

"About 20… 30… Thousand."

"HUH!?" I exclaimed from sheer shock, startling practically everyone around us. I knew this place was very pricey, but THAT MUCH!? Was Josh TRYING to get us broke with his visits once a month!?

Josh was quick to shush me so that I didn't disturb anyone else, and he whispered back to me "Look, I know it's pretty expensive here, but trust me, the food is worth it. They can serve up practically anything for you, and it will taste like filet mignon. It's that good. Totally worth doing those odd jobs and difficult missions, if you ask me."

I wanted to argue back, but ultimately, I just sighed, accepting the fact that I was going to have to trust Josh's word on this. I didn't have time to argue, after all. Instead, I was going to have to wait until I get some food, listen in on what's going on regarding Team Delta, and more importantly, find out if Nick could actually save our skins, because I sure as hell have no clue how I'm going to hold up against Team Delta!

It wasn't long until Nick booked us all a table for 10, and we all ended up following him into the back of the restaurant. As we were then given our menus, I was once again shocked by the prices of these dishes. Appetizers were roughly 4,000 Poké. Entrées, they were close to 13,000 Poké. Desserts, about 3,000 Poké. If Josh was eating at this place once a month for a full meal alone, he would have to pay roughly 20,000 to 30,000 Poké, just like he said. No wonder we kept on doing those crazy difficult side jobs and missions. Josh was just eating up our allowance like crazy!

"Now, would anybody care to begin with any appetizers?" Reynard asked, drawing our attention.

"Yes," Nick started. "How about we begin with some Blaziken Wings, leave the spicy sauces to the side, and get everyone their drinks. I'm going with some Razz Berry Tea. How about you all?"

The drink orders were as followed: Cross ordered Lemonade. Nolan ordered water (though I didn't know how he could drink anything because…you know). Chris ordered a Cheri Berry Cola. Rose ordered a Sitrus Aspear Twist Cola. Josh ordered Rose Petal Tea. As for me, I simply ordered Lemonade. Nick even went out of his way to order some Coffee, Razz Berry Tea, and Cheri Berry Cola for the rest of Team Delta when they arrive (for Rinekai, Wulfrock, and D-Volt respectively).

Once Reynard got our drink orders, not too long after, we got our beverages. He then presented us with a platter of what appeared to be the in-game equivalent of buffalo wings like you'd find at any restaurant you could find in the USA that had them, with an array of different sauces of varying spices. Honestly, seeing this made me both hungry, and a little…curious.

I leaned towards Josh as he was sipping his tea, and I asked him "So…is that meat supposed to be…?"

Josh looked at me with a look of confusion at first, but quickly, he was aware of what I was asking, and was quick to reassure. "Oh, don't worry! It's not literally made from Blaziken. That's just the theme naming this game likes to go for. The taste of these things is based primarily on how it's like back home IRL, okay?"

"Uh…yeah. If you say so…" I was almost afraid to ask any further questions, before I decided to look back into the menu for anything that seemed to catch my interest. Man, how awkward must it be to simply look at a menu as a Pokémon? I don't even want to imagine how strange this all feels for everyone here. I simply took a peek at the others, and…weirdly enough, they're all just chatting like it was any normal day. How are they taking this so calmly!? And also, WHY DID NOLAN GRAB A FEW WINGS FROM THE PLATTER!? HOW DOES AN AEIGISLASH EVEN EAT WITHOUT A MOUTH!?

"Are you alright, Adam?" I heard Cross ask from across the table, distracting me from my thoughts. "You look tense."

"Oh, don't worry," Josh reassured. "It's just that he's never been inside of this restaurant before. He's a little nervous."

"A little nervous is underselling it," Chris pointed out. "Adam is literally sweating buckets here, and I know for a fact it's not from eating spicy chicken wings."

"Ja," Nolan replied, having set his own hand down after (somehow) eating an entire chicken wing, where he then decides to down it with water (somehow).

"I…uh…" I tried to find the words to describe how nervous I was feeling, and about how bizarre this whole scenario was turning out to be for me. Unfortunately, none of the words I wanted to say were coming out from my mouth. I'm only sweating buckets because THIS WHOLE SCENARIO IS PUSHING ALL OF MY BUTTONS! HOW ARE YOU GUYS TREATING THIS LIKE IT'S PERFECTLY NORMAL!

Rose saw how nervous I was feeling, and asked me "Do you need some fresh air, Adam?"

THANK YOU, ROSE! "Yes!" I stated, setting the menu down onto the table. "I just need a moment to breathe and process things! I'll be right back!"

I thought I was in the clear. I stood up, expecting a chance to finally bolt towards the door and hyperventilate in peace out in the streets. A way out was presented to me, and I was not going to stop until I reached it.

"You're not going anywhere, Puss. Sit down."

I yelped, and we all turned to see the timely arrival of Volt, Rin, and John all walking towards our table. No! Anything but more stress after today!

"Mike, so good to see you," Nick said with a friendly gesture, signaling for the three vacant seats by him and Josh on either side of the table.

"I'd prefer you call me Volt, Nick," Volt stated bluntly, taking a seat next to Josh. "After all, the Mutt has no right to address me in that manner yet."

"Why don't you say that again to my face?" Josh stated in offense, giving a menacing glare as he was sipping his tea.

"I can call you and your team whatever I please," Volt said. "You, Puss, and Fruitcake here have no right to address me by my real name until you earn it."

"I take offense to being labeled as Fruitcake, sir," Cross commented.

"Shut up," Volt said, before taking a sip of his cola.

"Well, now that we're here," Rin said, taking a seat next to Volt, while John sat across from her next to Nick, "I was thinking we should begin talks regarding tomorrow, and whatever happens afterwards."

"Yes, quite right," Nick said. "But first…" He then raised a clawed hand in the air, signaling for Reynard to come back to the table. "I think it's about time we place our orders, right?"

Oh crap! I haven't even decided yet! I was quick to pick up my menu, skimming through what I would think would be the best dish for me, before Josh simply took the menu from my hands, making me all flustered again. "Josh! What are you-?"

Josh raised a finger at me to shush me, and whispered to me "There is one thing I know for certain, is that you are a fussy eater. Leave this order to me. I seem to know what you like the most from this menu from my repeat visits."

"So, may I take your orders?" Reynard asked. "What will it be?"

The main dishes were as follows: Nick ordered a steak with broccoli and a baked potato (titled the Tauros Steak). Rin ordered sushi with white rice and tempura (apparently, she was in the mood for some Japanese food; the dish was labeled as a Wishiwashi Special with white rice and a side order of the Clauncher Dish). Wulfrock ordered a Caesar Salad with chicken (labeled a Sunflora Salad with meat fixings). Cross, Chris, and Nolan all decided to share a Supreme Pizza together (labeled as the Solrock Pizza). Volt ordered Mushroom Stroganoff with penne pasta (also known as Breloom Stroganoff with penne). Rose ordered some Spaghetti with meatballs (labeled the Spaghetti with meatballs, ironically enough, though I was thrown off by the detail of the sauce being made with Tamato Berries, which I wasn't entire a fan of). Josh ordered a Cheeseburger with fixings (labeled a Bouffalant Burger with fixings). As for me…

The way Josh described it while giving a grin towards me, he said "And my brother here will have the Swirlix Special with scrambled eggs and bacon, please."

"Ah, très bien!" Reynard said with a pleased expression. "Wait one moment, please. I will be back with your orders." The Bisharp then left and set our order down for the chef to cook up.

"Uh…mind if I ask what a Swirlix Special is?" I asked Josh curiously.

"Oh, don't worry," Josh reassured. "It's only your favorite."

"My…favorite?" I asked, confused. "What do you mean favorite?"

Josh sighed, giving me a pleasant smile. "Oh, don't tell me you forgot what French toast tastes like already. I'm honestly disappointed in you."

"Huh?" I stated out of surprise, only to almost be stunned silent when Reynard made his return. Wow! That Bisharp was fast!

"Here are your orders, ladies and gentlemen," the Bisharp said with passion.

All at once, a bunch of Chimecho came in using Psychic to carry out the food and set it onto the table. All at once, everyone seemed to be given their food to enjoy. Of course, the moment I was given my order, I was almost speechless when I saw I was given a lovely platter of French toast with a side of scrambled eggs and bacon. A nice slice of butter was on the top of the pastries, with a nice bit of powdered sugar on top to boot. There was even small jar of maple syrup for me to pour onto it if I so choose.

"Bon appétit," Reynard said with a bow as both he and the Chimecho soon left the area after Nick paid for the food.

"Merci beaucoup!" Nick said to the Bisharp as he finished paying them before they left.

Almost instantly, everyone started to dig into the food. Meanwhile, there I was, just flabbergasted and unable to move for a good while. Josh took notice of my stunned amazement and decided to pour the maple syrup on the French toast for me out of kindness. He smiled at me, and said "See? This isn't that bad, Adam," Josh mentioned. "You have got to broaden your horizons a bit, you know?"

I scoffed a little at Josh's statement. "It's been a while since you said that to me…"

"Three years, technically," Josh replied, having finished pouring the syrup over the pastries.

"Oh, really?" Cross asked with a slice of pizza in his mouth. "Why are you saying that?"

"Well, if you must know, Adam has always been a bit of a pansy when it came to trying new things," Josh answered. "One time, I tried taking him out swimming into the deeper end of a pool, only for him to suddenly start panicking. I could've drowned, if not for the timing of the lifeguards that were on duty at the time."

"Oh my god!" Rose said with concern. "I'm so sorry to hear that!"

"Eh, water under the bridge," Josh said as he took a bite out of his burger. "I'm not one to complain, since Adam's always been a bit of a wuss at points."

"Hey, I'm at least trying to help when I can, Josh!" I said, feeling offended by Josh's remark.

"Was the pool the only example, though?" Chris asked curiously.

"Oh, there are plenty of examples!" Josh mentioned. "One time, Adam and I took a summer vacation over in Kentucky. We had this rented out cabin and everything. One day during our vacation, we went to a theme park, and one of the attractions was this rock climbing wall and obstacle course that goes up to 30 feet in the air. Adam refused to go on because of his fear of heights, so I went in there alone. By the time I came back down, he immediately gave me the biggest hug you could possibly imagine, he was that worried about me! Didn't you, Adam?" That last sentence, he gave a teasing grin towards me.

"Oh, shut up!" I said all flustered.

"Well, eat your food before it gets cold, at least!" Josh insisted. "Otherwise, more embarrassing stories about our lives IRL will follow suit."

I could hear a good number of people laughing as they seemed to love the idea of the meek, innocent, timid me that I always was back in the real world. They apparently thought it was adorable, seeing how I really was back then. It was the most embarrassing thing for me that night to be a witness to. But ultimately, I chose to simply ignore their laughter as I started to dig into the French toast in front of me. I had my concerns about the dish in front of me, considering I normally tend to eat fruit, bread, and a few other things that Josh tends to find for me. I wasn't exactly keen on this kind of food, since 1) it was pricey, and 2) the menus don't exactly do well for my blood pressure given the weird ways they name everything on the menu.

That first bite, however, was like I was suddenly having a full symphony dancing around on my tongue. It immediately took me back to when Josh would make breakfast for our family every couple of weeks, and working over the next hour to put together enough French toast to last us for three meals, at least. He went overboard, yes, but he always believed in doing everything to improve on not just himself, but also the satisfaction of everyone around him. When Josh made French toast for me, he would always be meticulous with the recipe, getting use out of every ingredient to make the dish as delectable as possible.

Before I even knew it, I guzzled down the entire rest of the dish in a hurry, much to everyone's surprise. I even went so far as to lick the plate itself clean before setting it down on the table. By the time I was done, I had tears in my eyes.

Josh giggled, before nudging me a little, asking "Well? How was it?"

"That might just be the best French toast I have ever tasted," I said. "I don't think anything else compares to that."

"Hey, don't sell yourself short, Adam," Josh mentioned. "Once we get out of here, I'll make us a celebratory meal so delectable, it'll knock your socks off."

"No way! You cook?" Rose asked with intrigue.

"Hell yeah, I can," Josh admitted with pride. "I've been making food for me and Adam for years, in fact. I can even make a few dishes with some basic ingredients from the stores in this game, if I so choose. Though, if you ask me, the proper ingredients I would've liked to use are difficult to come by. If, by some miracle, I can get something like a recipe book to make something that is at least 80 percent as tasty as the food here, I would be one happy camper."

"Well, if you win the battle competition against Volt and his team, I'd be more than happy to give you a copy of a recipe book I picked up back in Esther," Nick mentioned, having listened in to our conversation.

All at once, Josh was beaming with excitement. "No way! Are you serious!?"

"Yes. In fact, I was planning on giving it to you on the off chance if we meet again anyways," Nick said with a smile. "Maybe it could help spark some old memories of your human life, wouldn't you agree?"

"Oh, I would absolutely love that!" Josh said.

Curiously, I felt a slight brushing on my left side, and I looked behind me to find that Josh's tail was apparently wagging out of pure happiness. I chuckled to myself, turning my attention back to the table. Josh noticed me laughing, and asked "What's so funny?"

"It's nothing. Ignore me," I said. "I just thought of something funny, that's all. I don't want to ruin the surprise."

"Well, then it's not exactly fair if you're keeping the secret from the rest of us," Nolan pointed out. "What is it?"

I waved them aside, telling them "I'll tell you some other time."

Rose was also curious about what it was I was looking at, so she looked behind he and found Josh's tail wagging as well. All at once, she smiled as she was about to finish up her pasta.

Meanwhile, Volt, who also felt Josh's tail wagging by his side, growled in annoyance. "Mutts…" he muttered to himself as he took a sip of his cola.

"Volt, remember to behave yourself," Rin reminded him, giving her commander a stern look. "We don't want to cause a scene here."

"I'm aware, thank you," Volt said. He then went to finishing his own meal, and upon setting the dishes aside, he said "Now, I suppose there was reason for us to be together here, right Nick?"

Nick nodded as he took a bite of his steak. "Yes. And it just so happens to regard tomorrow."

"I was afraid of that…" I muttered, taking some sips of my lemonade.

Nick smiled and continued with his explanation. "Now, considering that this is going to be a grand event, I have decided to take it upon myself to say, as an official representative of Talis, I am fully endorsing the competition for anybody and everybody to bear witness to. You are all going to be livestreamed to the entire world."

I was so shocked upon hearing this that I ended up spitting out the lemonade right into Cross's face across the table. Cross, obviously a little irritated at this, commented "And here we were, just enjoying some pizza, which is now ruined by a combo of lemons, sugar, and cat saliva."

"Sorry!" I said sheepishly, having to witness Cross pull out a napkin to wipe his face.

"Don't worry, I'll buy you all some dessert later, if you like," Josh said to calm the tension. He then turned to Nick, saying "But seriously, WHAT!?"

"I couldn't help but notice that Team Inferno's activities were a little lacking in recent years, so naturally, I made it my duty to broadcast your battle live on the internet for all to see," Nick admitted with a smile. "It's a good way to gain publicity, wouldn't you agree?"

"I mean…yeah, but do we really deserve this much attention!?" Josh asked with concern.

"Hey, if anything, I'd say let's do it," Wulfrock said with a smile. "The rest of the world deserves to know the extent of what's going on in the game, wouldn't you agree?"

"But…but…butbutbutbut Nick! Battling against foes without spectators is one thing, but against the people that have sheltered and protected us…in front of a live audience!?" I stammered.

"Look, I'm aware you're not used to all of this attention," Nick admitted. "But if there is one thing that needs to be done, it is to help spread awareness over how powerful and determined Team Inferno is to save not only themselves, but to also save other trapped players in the game. And Mike, you're playing the role of the heel in this case!"

"Hey, if anyone's a heel, it's Team Inferno!" Volt tried to say. "They have been reckless, they disregarded my orders, and they are throwing their lives into grave peril without a moment's notice!"

"Hey, I'll have you know, we've been just fine on our own for a whole year before seeing how you ran things, Sparky," Cross pointed out to Volt.

Volt took slight offense to that, but being courteous of the restaurant itself, he chose to refrain himself from one of his usual outbursts. Taking a deep breath, he said "My point is, can we really trust Team Inferno with this important task, especially considering how dangerous of a world it really is out there?"

"Oh, jeez, I thought we already talked about this, Mike," Wulfrock complained. "You know fully well that we're in need of the extra hands! Why not let Josh and Adam out there?"

"I'll have to agree," Rin admitted. "It's not every day where we recognize you are in the wrong for wanting to keep a high-ranking team under a strict leash. If anything, what you're doing is making your reputation worse off than it already is."

Volt wanted to argue back against his teammates, but was unable to find any sort of comeback, and chose to just silently take a sip of his soda.

Josh was relative impressed. "Ah ha, so Volt can be proven wrong, yet can't deny his teammates are in the right."

Volt finished up his soda, before setting the glass down. Taking a good look at everyone around the table, he said "Look, whether I'm in the wrong or not is out of the question. My main point I'm trying to make is that I think Team Inferno isn't strong enough to take on tasks like hunting Zeraora down. This competition is meant to prove itself as a test of strength. I initially wanted to just let it slide at first as well… But after some careful consideration, I have decided that this mutt here has a point to make as well. He feels that both he, and his companions, deserve to see the world, find Zeraora, and find a method to save the trapped players themselves. It's a tall order, sure, but it's the most impressive declaration I have ever seen from a mutt that has a few screws loose."

"Says the walking electrical current…" Josh muttered to himself as he sipped his tea.

"So, quick question," Rose brought up. "How exactly are we going to arrange the battles? Who is fighting who in this contest?"

"The mutt and I are going to face against each other in the final match," Volt said. "I haven't yet decided on who will be fighting who before then."

"Uh…also," I interrupted. "Can I not be involved in this? Josh was the one who made the declaration. I don't think I can do this."

"Aw, come on, Adam!" Cross said optimistically. "You're an amazing fighter! I'm sure you can pull it off somehow!"

"Against either Rin or Wulfrock? I'm not sure about that…" I admitted. "I mean…I don't want to look like a savage out there…"

"Adam, it's alright," Cross said rather comfortingly. "You're not going in there as a savage. You're being you out there. Just think about it. You, the rising start among PMDO players the world over! You would be their hero, Adam!"

Scratching at the back of my head, I nervously said "I don't think that would work for me…"

"Adam, you're no villain," Josh said calmly. "I thought that was obvious. You would be doing the public a huge service, wouldn't you agree?"

"With what, Josh?" I said in a frustrated tone of voice. "You think that if I get to beat someone from Team Delta, I'll be given a chance to earn some praise among the crowd? That I could eventually overtake my insecurities and be a daring hero? That's not me, Josh! It never was!"

"Adam, don't back down now, especially after all of the training we did!" Chris exclaimed. "You don't have the look of a villain!"

"Yes, I do! Hell, if anybody has the rights to be named heroes, it's you three!" I stated, pointing towards the trio of Team Calibur. "You guys are the epitome of noble and charming! I can't even compare to the likes of you!"

"Hey, we aren't all paragons of society, Adam!" Cross admitted. "Only Nolan and I are!"

"Ooh, you have a rebel among you?" Rose asked with intrigue. "Chris, I must admit, that's pretty cool…"

Chris was starting to get a little annoyed, so he sighed, and admitted "Well, I can't exactly say I had the best of intentions before I met Cross, but after everything regarding Zeraora and Mt. Ebott, my own goals were shattered after meeting with Nick here."

"Oh, well, thank you kindly," Nick said with a smile.

"Goals?" Josh asked. "Now you've made me curious. What goal was that?"

Chris looked towards his friends, before he then looked over at the rest of us with a sense of unease. Sighing, he took a moment to collect his thoughts. After a bit, he confessed. "Three years ago, a tragedy happened within my family. My younger brother passed away, but it was because he was murdered. Murdered by the very player he once called a teammate in this game. From what I've heard, this player ended up trapped in this world, but… Unfortunately, it would appear that he was killed off before I even had a chance to confront him. What I wanted was to find the man responsible for my brother's death in this game, and let him know just what it felt like to be at the end of a blade. He took the one thing in my life I cherished above all else. He deserved what was coming to him." He took a deep breath, and sulked his head down low. "But…I'm afraid I can no longer do that, considering the man's been dead for a while now."

Nobody said a single word as the silence overtook us. Chris noticed that every single one of us at the table was just shocked beyond belief. To want to go that far. To find someone he can no longer track down. Talk about horrifying.

Cross muttered as he looked towards Chris's direction, saying "Oh my god… I don't believe it…"

Chris turned to face Cross, and said "I'm sorry if that came off as too dark. I didn't mean to be so scary."

"Huh?" Cross said, before he then said "Oh, I was already aware you wanted revenge. After all, you told me and Nolan everything. But something else has caught my eye, and I can't believe what I'm seeing!" Cross then immediately got up from the table, going to a nearby wall, and taking a poster before bringing it back to the table. "TEAM REQUIEM IS GOING TO PERFORM AN AFTER-BATTLE SHOW IN THE STADIUM TOMORROW EVENING!"

Collectively, Josh and Volt both slapped their foreheads over the sheer stupidity of Cross's attention span in this very moment (which I couldn't help but find hilarious deep inside).

"Cross, I was telling something serious here," Chris mentioned.

"Yeah, I know. It's just that I wanted to keep this train moving by bringing in some levity! I mean LOOK! Team Requiem! Coming to Talis!" Cross's excitement seemed to be a little off topic, but I couldn't help but appreciate him trying to cheer everybody up about all of this.

"Well, that's good to know, actually," Volt said. "As misplaced as the timing of that was, I must admit that Fruitcake is excited for one thing to cheer everybody up."

"Seriously, stop calling me Fruitcake," Cross said bluntly towards Volt.

"Well, since the killer is dead, there's no reason to think about him," Josh said with ease. "I mean, after all, there's no point holding on to a grudge like that for…how long?"

"Three years," Chris answered.

"Right," Josh said. "Three years to hold onto a…" He stopped, and ultimately began to suddenly tense up. He looked over at Chris, and he began to suddenly feel uneasy with himself. "Um…just out of curiosity…what was the name of your brother?"

"Huh? I thought you said to let go of my grudge?" Chris asked.

"I did," Josh said. "It's just that I wanted to share my condolences when I can. Pay my respects, and all of that."

"Oh," Chris said. "Well, I suppose it couldn't hurt." He soon relaxed a bit and mentioned "My brother's name was Zachary Turner. His in-game avatar was a Beautifly named Flutterfly. He was 15 when he died."

Josh soon sat back in his chair, taking all of this into account. And all at once, I could see Josh's face suddenly pale as he felt like something horrible had just happened. Sighing deeply, he calmly said "I see… I'm so sorry to hear that."

Nick was well aware of what seemed to be going on here, too, noticing Josh's panicked expression, and before Chris could even notice a thing on Josh's face, Nick was very quick to announce "Well, the battle competition is tomorrow. What's important is that we all take the time to get a good night's rest. Team Inferno, you are all excused to return to your dorm. Team Calibur, if you wish, you go ahead and log out and get ready for battle. As for us, we members of Team Delta will stay here to pay the bill once we get our dessert."

"Ooh, what kinds of dessert does this place have?" Cross asked eagerly.

"Cakes, ice cream, you name it," Nick said with enthusiasm.

"In that case, I'll take a chocolate cheesecake to go," Cross said. "Make it a full cake as well, so that way we can all share it once we're back at the guild!"

"Very well," Nick said, signaling for Reynard the Bisharp to return. Once the Bisharp is within earshot, Nick said "Give me a full platter of the Golem Cheesecake to go, please."

"Excellent choice," Reynard said, accepting the payment of the dessert from Nick. "Will that be all?"

"Yes," Nick said. "That will be all."

"Ah, très bien," Reynard said, signaling for a Chimecho to come in with a full platter of the chocolate cheesecake. "Merci, ladies and gentlemen. I hope you have a wonderful evening."

As Cross ended up picking up the cheesecake, I ended up joking with "They have got to come up with better names for these dishes…"

"You six can go on ahead," Nick insisted. "You need your rest for tomorrow. I just want to chat with my team for a little bit."

"Okay then," Cross said, before he and his team give a mutual bow a respect towards the Charizard. "Thank you for your hospitality."

"My pleasure!" Nick said with a smile. "Now, off you all go!"

We all soon got up from our seats, and as I looked towards Josh, I could tell he was as pale as a sheet and as stiff as a board. I wonder what's wrong.

As the six of us have left, Team Delta were all by themselves at the table. Volt looked at Nick with a curious look, and asked "Why did you send them out so soon?"

Nick sighed as he looked at his teammates. "I'm afraid that's classified information."

"Classified?" Rin asked.

"I noticed that Josh was looking rather pale," Wulfrock said. "Is he alright?"

Nick looked over at the door of the restaurant, concerned about Josh's condition. He didn't know what to tell his team, so he simply looked over at Volt, and asked him "Remember when I said you should try and be courteous to Team Inferno, especially since they've been through a lot in their lives?"

"Yeah," Volt said, though he was rather perplexed. "Is this one of those cases?"

Nick nodded solemnly. "I only found out about it last week, but still… I had to diffuse the situation fast before things got out of hand."

Volt soon looked at the direction of the door as well, and though he didn't show it, he too felt awfully concerned regarding how Josh reacted before we left. And now, he was curious about what it was that made Josh so scared. He didn't know what to think at the time about this, so instead, he sighed, and returned to chatting with his team.

It wasn't long before we all returned to the guild later that night. Rose yawned as we entered the dining hall, and she told everyone "I'm thinking of going back home and getting some shut eye. Are you all okay with that?"

"Yeah," Cross said. "Go ahead. We'll see you tomorrow then."

"Yeah, and you had better give it your all out there in the stadium!" Nolan cheered on.

Rose smiled and nodded. "Where will you guys be seated?"

"Third row, near the center," Chris answered. "The northern benches. You can't miss us."

Rose nodded, and then, she turned to face me and Josh. "Well, I'll see you boys tomorrow, then."

"Right," I said. "Goodnight, Rose!" I soon waved her goodbye as Rose accessed her terminal and logged out of the game, being enveloped in a white light and vanishing completely. The next time we'll see her, her avatar would already be back in her bed.

"So, who wants some cheesecake?" Cross said with eagerness to share some dessert with his friends.

"Dude, don't say that about Rose," Chris said in a teasing manner, before he and Cross soon chuckled a bit as they both clashed sword-arms in understanding of their little joke. "Sure, let's have some cheesecake."

"I'll have a slice," Nolan said eagerly. "Gimme gimme!"

"I'm still trying to wrap my head around how you're able to eat something despite not having a mouth," I pointed out. "How in the world is that even possible?"

"Oi, verurteile mich nicht!" Nolan exclaimed. "You didn't raise any questions during dinner earlier."

"That's because I was still trying to wrap my head around the menu," I stated.

Cross laughed at my little remark, and soon turned his attention to Josh. "So, Josh. Want to share some cheesecake with us?"

Josh smiled meekly, saying "I appreciate the offer, but I'm already feeling a little tired after today. I'm thinking of turning in early for the night." He then started walking away in complete silence, not even stopping to turn around and wave goodbye to Cross and the others. He left the sight of the dining hall, and as soon as he was through the door, already, I was starting to feel concerned for him.

"He's really nervous, Adam," Cross whispered to me. As I turned to him, I could see he wants to help whenever possible, such as in this instance. "Go ahead and be with him. Clearly, something is bothering him."

Nervously, I whispered back to Cross, asking "Are you sure? What about the cheesecake?"

"We'll share it with you some other time," Cross said. "Go. Your brother needs some comforting, I'm sure."

I didn't know what to say to that. So, I simply nodded, and I looked over at Nolan and Chris who were already digging into the cheesecake without us knowing. I then whispered to Cross "Thank you."

"Don't mention it. That's what friends are for!" Cross said with a smile. He then gave me a good pat on the back as I made my way towards the hallways leading towards our dorm rooms. Cross, obviously, wanted to distract his friends a bit by saying "Adam's going to bed as well, so I guess that's more cheesecake for the three of us!"

Once I was through the door, I soon made my way up to the top of the stairs as I approached the Team Inferno dorm rooms. I walked past where Rose was sleeping and over towards my room, where I could hear the faint sound of Josh playing on the leaf whistle inside. As I leaned against the door, I ended up hearing the sound of Josh playing a familiar song. It also didn't take long until I remember that the song was the very same one that Josh and I sang together when training on the Zero Isles. The very same one that our mom and dad played on their anniversaries.

The same song that Cross sang with Team Requiem back at Hotel Soprano.

I soon opened the door, and saw Josh sitting on his bed as he played the leaf whistle to himself to try and calm his nerves. As soon as I shut the door, Josh took a look at me, and soon stopped playing the song as he looked at me with a troubled expression. "Are you tired as well?"

I sighed, crossing my arms as I doubted Josh's claim. "I saw your expression back at the restaurant. Care to tell me what's going on?"

Josh winced, and instantly, sorrow began to emanate in his very core. "You noticed?"

"I was literally sitting next to you. It's almost impossible to miss it." I soon walked up to sit in the opposite bed, where I then asked "Was it because of what Chris said?"

Josh nodded silently in response.

"About how he wanted to hunt down the man who killed his brother?"

Josh nodded.

I sighed. "Look, I get it. You're devastated because you wish you could've done something to help him. I mean, things like this happen, sometimes. Chris made a good call to let that grudge g-"

"The killer of Chris's brother is still alive."

All at once, I was equal parts afraid, and curious. "You know what happened?"

"How could I forget?" Josh said, his body trembling. "After all, the whole thing was traumatizing to go through. Especially since you were so traumatized by it that you plain forgot about it."

Now I was starting to get confused. "Josh, you're scaring me…"

"Oh, I'm scaring you? What about me, huh? I'm terrified beyond belief!" Josh exclaimed with immense worry.

I tried to calm him down, standing up on my feet and walking over to him. "Josh, it's okay! It's fine," I said, trying to reassure him.

"No! Everything is not fine! Everything is not fine, and if Chris finds out about this, I'm a dead man!" Josh stated, clutching his head while panicking.

"Wait…Chris?" I asked. "If he finds out about what, exactly?"

"Don't you get it?" Josh stated, looking at the floor. "Three years ago… A man died at the end of a blade… The killer was then left to wander this virtual world shortly afterwards…" He lowered his hands, and I could see that he was already starting to break down. "Adam, that murderer was me."

I was stunned silent by Josh revealing this information to me, that at first, I didn't even know if I could believe him. "What?" I questioned.

"Zach Turner was a part of Team Ignis back in the day," Josh confessed. "He had a mild case of schizophrenia, though I didn't know it at the time. He kept on telling me how he felt at home here, and I just thought he was joking… I don't know how, but he soon tried to kill you, having lost touch with reality…" He soon started shedding tears, whimpering as he looked at me. "I killed him to save you, Adam! I couldn't bear the idea of losing you."

"So you…murdered him?" I asked with unease.

"Not on purpose," Josh said. "Everything felt like such a blur, but I remembered that the moment I tackled him to avoid him killing you, the next thing I knew…he had the knife stuck to his chest. I was horrified. It didn't take me until I tried calling the rest of Team Ignis, prior to being trapped here, that I soon realized what I had done. Zach… I'm so sorry…"

Josh was just a blubbering mess after giving this confession to me. I was honestly pretty shocked upon hearing these details, and it ultimately ended up sparking my memories in return. I could recall the events he described, and much like he pointed out, everything felt like such a blur. I was so horrified I blocked out the memory entirely. But Josh took it the worst, I'm sure. He was honestly more traumatized than even I was back then. And seeing him here, I felt like he wanted to do whatever it would take to make it up to me, even placing me in these combat scenarios to help build me up.

But…after hearing how Chris was Zach's brother, I dreaded to even remotely think what could happen if Chris ended up finding out about this. Chris believed that the man responsible for his brother's death was a psycho, responsible for taking away the one thing he cherished in his life. I dare not even think of whether or not Chris finds out. One thing I knew for sure regarding Chris was that he was rather serious when in combat, giving his everything to better himself. But…if Chris gave his everything in combat, what in the world would happen if he learns of this? I can't let Josh and Chris butt heads if word of this gets out. I don't want Josh to die.

Gently, I sat down besides Josh on the bed, wrapping my arm around him as he leaned into my chest. Nervously, I tried to figure out the best way to cheer him up, but nothing really seemed to be coming out of me. All I really said was "I guess we'll just have to never mention it to him, then."

"He's going to find out eventually," Josh muttered. "And I don't want to reach the point where that's a possibility. But…" He then shoved his face onto my chest as he was shivering from head to toe. "I'm scared, Adam. I don't want to die. I don't want you to be alone. Not after everything we went through."

"Josh…" I was almost at a loss for words, not quite sure how I was going to cheer him up for a good while. It was then, that I tried thinking back on the last time Josh embraced me with tears in his eyes, and I ultimately had my first thought go back to our training on the Zero Isles. How I almost died at one point and Josh was too emotional for words as he slapped me in the face for my foolishness, before hugging me tightly as tears fell onto my back.

I could recall when he sang that song to me, and how I would sing with him on occasion at points. I mean, my singing isn't really that good, but tone deaf or not, I thought I could sing along with Josh during training because we were going to survive together, no matter what.

So, softly, I began to start singing out the words of the song to him.

Leave and let me go

You're not meant for me, I know

Carry on, carry on

And I'll stay strong

I could hear Josh's sobs starting to subside a little as I petted his head in comfort. Regardless, I kept singing to the best of my ability.

Leave and let me go

I will think of you, I know

Carry on, carry on

And I'll stay strong

Someone else will keep you warm from now on

Someone else will keep you safe from the storm

But I'll be with you wherever you go

So you will never be alone

All at once, Josh started to calm down, and he looked up at me as I kept on singing to him.

I'm going where the wind blows

Going where the lost ones go

Then, out of nowhere, Josh decided to sing along with me in this little duet (which I will represent in bold text).

I will be with you

I'm losing the love I've found

Crying without a sound

Where have you gone?

I will be with you

You were my fool for love

Sent me from high above

You were the one

I will be with you

As Josh and I looked at each other, I smiled at him, and he smiled back in return. The both of us ready to finish our little song together.

I'm going where the wind blows

Going where the lost ones go

Josh sniffed as he wiped the tears from his eyes, and the two of us shared a moment of silence to mutually bond and support each other. I could tell that Josh was going to put on a brave face as he tried his best to hold back his emotions, but no matter what, I wanted him to realize that he was there to support me, so I was going to do the same for him. I wanted him to know that he has my trust.

"It's been a while since I sang that song," Josh said, trying his best to fight back tears. "Let alone hear you sing it."

"Well, my pitch was a little off," I admitted with a slight chuckle. "But I just wanted to let you know that this conversation will be between the both of us. I won't say a word of this to anybody, Josh."

Josh smiled, his emotions in check somewhat, as he gave me a pat on the arm. "Thanks, Adam."

Just then, we both heard a knock on our bedroom door and instantly, I got up and walked on over. As I opened the door, I saw that on the other side was Cross, complete with three slices of cheesecake left on the platter he was holding. Cross averted his gaze a little, and realizing the situation Josh and I talked about, he asked "Was I interrupting something?"

"No. Just a talk among brothers, that's all," I said.

Josh winced a little, trying hard to hide his gaze in relative silence, and Cross couldn't help but take notice. When he did, he felt a sense of pity, and said "I saved up a few slices of chocolate cheesecake if you guys want some. Chris and Nolan had to log out for real world R and R, and I figured the two of you would want to share some slices."

"Oh, no, that's fine, Cross," I said, trying to distance him from the issue. "I'm not exactly too hungry."

"Actually…" Josh interrupted, and the both of us looked at the Lucario, seeing him show a genuine smile towards us. One that was hiding back tears. "I would love a slice, if that's okay with you, Cross."

Cross nodded, before turning his attention back to me. I was not in the mood to argue, so I sighed and let him into our room. The three of us soon sat down in the center of the room, as Cross handed out one slice to each of us. He even managed to get some forks from the dining hall and handed them to us.

"I've been meaning to ask about what Chris said at Chateau Damascus…" Cross started as Josh started to dig into the cheesecake slice, pausing as Cross started talking. "Did…he say something that was awful to hear?"

Josh was quick to brush it aside, and said "I'm not in the mood to talk about it."

"Okay, I understand," Cross said with a nod. "I take it you don't want to say anything because you're afraid of what it could mean with Chris." He then took a bit of his own cheesecake slice, saying "I know it has something to do with what happened three years ago, so I won't say a word about it."

"You promise?" Josh asked with concern.

Cross then drew an "X" over his chest with his hand, saying "Cross my heart, hope to die, never will I tell a lie."

"We're being serious, Cross," I said. "If word about this reached Chris, that could be bad news. So we want you to swear to us this discussion never leaves this room."

"Have I ever renounced a promise before?" Cross asked. "I swear to you, I will not say a single word to him. Or anyone."

Josh sighed with relief, giving Cross a warm smile. "You're too kind, Cross. Thank you."

"Anything for my friends, right?" Cross remarked with a big grin.

I gave a smile back to Cross as well, knowing fully well that he was bound to keep what happened between the three of us. I appreciated his kindness and honesty. It's what makes him so pleasant to be around. As I smiled at the little moment we're sharing together, I soon took a bite of the chocolate cheesecake.

It was just as heavenly as I would've imagined.