We return home. When I present Rotom's mini prison to Lurantis, she graciously accepts and commends our efforts, while also strongly suggesting (mandating) that we take it easy for a few days. I wonder if it had anything to do with the haunted look in our eyes?

Skitty and I barely spoke on the way back. I'm not sure why, but it feels like a chasm has opened between us. I want to explain, but I'm not exactly sure what I'd be explaining.

When we returned, Noibat was waiting for us, pacing by the reception desk. "I think this," Tinkaton said, pointing to him, "belongs to you. Not that he wasn't a pleasure, but" she leans in now "something of a nervous type, I reckon." That's an understatement, he looks like he's about to collapse into a puddle.

"You guys I'm so SO sorry. I panicked and ran and just ran away oh...OH!" He's bawling his little eyes out and wipes them against my fur. "Shhhh, it's ok", we try consoling him, "we're not mad, don't worry," Skitty says, "it was a mission that really should've been handled by a more…experienced team." Ough. I'm so ashamed, my one simple question really escalated the situation from unpleasant to unmanageable. If I had known the state Rotom was in….

But it's too late for that, what's done is done, and I need to plan my approach to Serperior.

That is, if we ever are to approach him. So far, no one's seen or heard anything. It's like he doesn't exist. Where could he be hiding?

By the afternoon we're finally back in our dorm. We ran into Audino and Phantump again, they were thrilled to hear about Rotom. "Once that Serperior is apprehended, we'll feel soooo much safer," Audino had said. "But look out!" Phantump interjected, "he was super duper fast!" We thanked them for their support—well, Skitty did, I was still lost in my own head. At the entrance of our dorm, Noibat said he wanted to explore the Center a bit, so it's just the two of us now, sitting in an uncomfortable silence.

"…so….." Skitty starts, "I know it got a little…uh...out of hand…" she's fumbling through her thoughts. "What…what were you trying to figure out? I wasn't expecting the questions." There it is, we're finally talking about it.

And I'm gonna try the coward's way out.

"I…I hoped that Rotom would know about Serperior, since we haven't heard anything yet…" I'm trying to sound convincing, "but I had no idea she would feel so…overwhelmed. That it would be so upsetting for her…" "Mmmhmm…because it's just…well…she said she's from a place with humans…and I get the feeling there's something you're not telling me. I don't want to be suspicious, but…"

I know what she's getting at, and that does it. The floodgates are open and my soul is out on display.

"Oh, Skitty," I start, eyes watering, "I-I don't know how to explain, but since our encounter with Dragalge, I don't know, there was something…familiar about them?…and about Rotom…I-" I'm choking up a bit, "I knew things about their moves I shouldn't have, and I feel a…a kind of connection? I don't know, it feels like whatever they're doing here isn't wrong or bad…that it isn't quite like Phantump and Audino said." "…well what do you think they're up to?" "I don't know…" I hate how weak my response sounds, "they seem…lost? I just get the feeling like I may have…known them before—before all of this." I say, referring to the memory loss and transformation. I look up at her, "but, if they are truly bad, I'm scared what that means about who I was…who I am."

Skitty comes to my side and nestles next to me on the bed. Her expression is thoughtful and a little sad. "I don't know who you were as a human, but I know you now. You joined my exploration team when you were in the middle of a huge crisis! You fight for what's right, and always try to lift me up when I'm down….whoever you were as a human, and whoever you were associated with, I know you, and you're a good person."

Relief floods through me and my heart swells. I had been carrying this burden, this fear of rejection about who I could've been, all alone, when all along I had this wonderful, caring partner to help me carry it. I may be confused about a lot of things in my life right now, but I know family when I see it. "Skitty…thank you."

We fall asleep side by side, there's no need for more words, just each other's company is enough.

For now, that is enough.

Ugh…I can't believe I got caught so off guard.

I've been trying to keep a low profile, staying in the more overgrown areas of the forest as I work to figure out what the heck is going on. I haven't seen of anyone other than the odd passerby, and whenever that happens I have to make myself scarce. From snippets of conversation, I've gathered that 1) we're wanted (which was evident enough from the posters) and 2) that Rotom and Dragalge were captured by an exploration team (whatever that is)—called Team Starburst.

I knew it! I absolutely knew it! The situation's got his grubby paw prints all over it! I don't know how, but He is behind this…but why? What risk could we pose here? Funny enough, I haven't seen any wanted posters for a human.

Maybe she didn't end up here after all.

But I digress—there I was, slithering through the underbrush, when I hear crying. As I'm, ahem, 'wanted by the law', I didn't want to get involved. But this, I could see from my hiding spot, was just a kid, and a lost-looking one at that. I didn't want it to look like I'd had something to do with whatever state he was in, but I couldn't just leave him there either. And right now, I can empathize with being lost.

"Excuse me?" I slowly approached, "are you alright?"

Then things got weird.

The kid suddenly stopped crying. A wicked glint entered his eye. "NOW!" He shouted. I turned just in time to see Audino—yes, HIS Audino—start using her Hyper Voice. Disoriented, I register a flurry of other moves coming my way, some from the phantump, until I pass out right there on the forest floor.

Which is where I am now, slowly regaining consciousness. I'm injured, but I think I can at least move. I notice some coins lying around—this world's money? Did he drop them? On purpose to try and draw me out of hiding? With how awful I'm feeling, it might work. I could get to that town I saw in the distance the other day and buy some potions or something…but one problem remains.

How am I supposed to go there without being arrested?

I need…a disguise. Right, like that's going to work, it'll take a little more than a pair of glasses or a scarf to blend in.

Maybe I have a concussion. I'm not fully following my own trail of thought; I can feel the any ideas slipping away almost as fast as I have them.

Disguise….something to hide myself with so I can sneak into town….um, uhh….I don't have much to work with. There's…leaves…sticks…uhh…..

I don't even have something to hold the coins with; I'm just standing in the middle of the forest, hands full of coins, looking stupidly at the leaves. It's a miracle I haven't been arrested already.

The rest of the implications of what just happened crash into me. That was Audino! And she was with some weird little ghost type, but he was in charge by the sound of it. It couldn't be….

Could it?

I hear someone coming, the sound of wheels crunching over the forest path. I have to hide again—hopefully in that time I'll be able to think of something.