It's been a few years. I've established a fulfilling career as an explorer, but it wasn't easy.

After Gwen and everyone returned to their world, I struggled to return to this one. My every thought was on them—on her. Master Lurantis had, of course, given me an official pardon and told the rest of the Center what went down on Permafrost Mountain, the true natures of Audino and 'Phantump,' and the way Gwen and her team were just lost here and actually wanted to protect this world.

There was a celebration held in our honor, but, even surrounded by friends, I felt alone. She should have been able to be there…we should have all been celebrating together.

I wallowed in my own self-pity for longer than was healthy. I tried to imagine what Gwen would do, what she would say to pick me up, but my mind was lost in a fog. I wouldn't leave my dorm. I barely ate. Eventually, Master Lurantis intervened.

Summoning me to the Explorer's Lounge, she was pleased to introduce me to my new teammates. I have to admit, I was a little confused; it's not customary to 'assign' teammates, but then again I guess I'm not in a customary team. "Skitty, please offer a warm welcome to the newest members of Team Starburst! Lileep and Mareep!" They both seemed truly excited to join my team. I felt a little bad, knowing I'd be a downer on all their fun. But, it seemed Master Lurantis had enough of my pity-party; the Eeps (my nickname for them, which stuck with time) and I were to get acquainted and start missions as of the following day.

Talk about being shoved into the deep end.

It was certainly hard getting back into it at first, but I found it took my mind off everything, at least for a bit. Plus, the Eeps were always supportive; they wanted to know everything about Gwen, Noibat, Serperior, everyone. They were full of questions, and supplying answers helped make it feel like they were still…here, in a way.

In my spare time, I took up studying in the Artifacts Wing's library. I scoured books for anything about Giratina; if I could just talk to them, I had hoped they could offer me some kind of option…although I wasn't sure specifically what. Maybe I could change their mind about Gwen's deal, although even I realized it was a long shot. I eventually discovered the only reports of meeting them involved a 'hidden temple' that would appear to those it deemed 'worthy,' while roaming in a dungeon.

During our regular missions I was lucky enough to one day learn what the ticket to 'worthiness' was; a strange object called the Griseous Orb. By now, my team and I were renowned explorers, famous for our swift capture of outlaws (actual ones now), and our various discoveries regarding legendary pokemon. I was living my dream, but it was still incomplete.

When I told Master Lurantis what we learned about Giratina, I knew she was intrigued. "If such an object could be found…my, my…to make contact with the legendary Giratina? That would be a marvelous feat!" She gave us her blessing to redirect our efforts into finding this orb. There were few leads, and even fewer results; dungeon after dungeon we explored, and always came up empty.

Until one day.

Cradily came across a strange box seemingly abandoned in a dungeon. "I just felt…drawn to it, you know? Look, it's so…odd." She was right, it had a soft, golden glow, and emanated a strange energy; who knew what could lie inside!

We returned to the Center, managed to pry it open, and there…lying innocuously wrapped in a fine cloth…an object I recognized from my research…

The Griseous Orb.

I almost fainted on the spot. It was miraculous! When Master Lurantis learned of it, she could hardly contain herself. "Oh, oh! My dear, do you realize what this means!" We were both thinking about meeting Giratina, but while her mind was racing with the possibilities, I just had one thought:

Giratina, I've got a bone to pick with you.

We continued our missions as normal, except now keeping the Griseous Orb with us at all times in the hopes that the temple would appear.

We've spent a couple of years carting this thing around, but today, it seems we may have finally caught a break. Descending a flight of stairs in a dungeon, instead of the next floor, we're greeted with a strange structure.

Standing before us is a massive temple, carved from blackish green stone. We cautiously wander inside, searching for any sign of life, finding none. The Griseous Orb starts glowing in my bag. Drawing it out, it emanates a pulsating light, which Ampharos notices matches that of a small alter in the center of the vast room. As we approach, the light brightens. A crevice is visible in the top of the alter. I gingerly place the orb just so, and, with a click, it's securely in place.

Light pours from the alter, spreading through the stones, across the floor, up the walls, until the entire temple is bathed in a golden glow, reminiscent of the box that originally housed the orb. "Wow…" we all gape. But the most striking thing? The portal that's growing behind the alter.

And from it emerges Giratina.

We stare at the legendary. They are…unlike anything I had ever seen. Huge, powerful, intimidating.

For a moment I think of Gwen, dragged to their world, being forced into their deal.

I quickly overcome my stupor. "Giratina!" I announce, "several years ago, you made a deal with a human in this world, and I have been traveling in search of your temple, in search of you!" They consider me for a moment, curiously, "so many years since I have been called forward. Yes, I remember your friend, Gwen, and our deal." They say simply.

I'm unfazed, "she has held true all these years, there has been no sign of her or any other humans…" I pause, collecting my thoughts, "but life without her…it has been hard, Giratina, and I was hoping there was some way she could be allowed to return to this world."

There, my wishes, laid bare.

They study me for a few moments too long, reading my determined face.

"Your love for your friend is palpable, and I can empathize with your sorrow," I can already hear the 'no' in their words, "but there is nothing I can do. To bring your friend back to this world? That power, if harnessed by the wrong hands, would be catastrophic."

"But hers aren't the wrong hands! She loved this world! She'd do anything for it! For me!" my mask cracks, and I break down. My teammates quickly come to my aid, offering their support.

Giratina watches our display and continues, "there is no way to ensure such a power would not be abused." I wail, the hurt, the pain coming back with a force I hadn't felt in years. My disappointment is immeasurable. "However, I may be able to offer…a compromise."

I eagerly listen to their words. "You may not traverse between your worlds, but I may give you the chance to…see her, again."

Before I could ask how, they close their eyes, and a small portal appears in front of the alter. "She will not be able to see this portal, and you must not touch it; it is for viewing only." Giratina warns. My partners take a step back as I carefully lean forward.

In the portal, various shapes come into view. Blurry at first, but then I can see it clearly. A desk, full of papers and strange technology. A few of those balls (I recall she eventually called them 'pokeballs'). Some pokemon; a rotom, although rather an odd shape, flitters about babbling about something I can't make out. A serperior spreads himself across a sofa, possibly sleeping. And behind the desk, giving her technology an exacerbated look? A human.

My human.

Gwen

"Oh…I-oh, Gwen…" I can't believe it. Tears prick my eyes. There…there she is, back in her human world, living her human life, just out of reach. Even though I'd never seen her as anything other than a zorua, I know it's her. Something in the eyes…it's the same spirit behind them.

I take a step forward, consider leaping through the portal, leaving it all behind. It would be so easy.

Then I heard a giggling. A small human bounds into the room. Gwen smiles and turns to the boy. He's jumping up and down, grabbing for Rotom, who's flying just out of reach, before pouncing on Serperior, who jumps up in surprise before carefully cradling him in his vines. He passes the laughing boy to Gwen as another human rushes in, out of breath.

"Sorry hun! You turn your back for one second," the woman squints at the boy, but the huge grin shows she's not really angry, "no worries, I could use a break, anyway," Gwen says, kissing the her on the cheek.

Gwen is out there, living her life…I'll be honest, I feel a little upset. She seems so happy, could she have…forgotten me?

Gwen and the woman are still talking as a gust of wind comes through an open window, blowing some papers loose from her desk. A select few come flying the portal's way.

They all turn to the flying papers. "Oh, my letters!" Gwen says. The woman reaches for them, then stops abruptly. "Gwen? I uh…I don't know how to explain it but they…they just vanished!"

Not true. They flew through the portal, directly into my face.

I hear them going back and forth for a moment before Rotom starts saying something about portals. They both look in my direction while the boy runs between them squealing. Gwen's eyes are shiny. She smiles. "Skitty…could it be? Are you there? I miss you so much. And…if you got them…I'd love for you to read my letters."

The portal shimmers, their images blurring, then closes.

I'm clutching the papers, tears rolling down my face. I glance down at the first one, 'Dear Skitty,' the first line reads.

"Master Delcatty? Are you alright?" Ampharos asks.

I look around the temple again. Giratina has vanished, the golden glow disappearing with them. A set of stairs appears where the alter stood. It and the Griseous Orb are gone.

I've carried Gwen and the others in my heart for so long, and…and all this time, she never forgot. We've been living our lives, separate, yet…united. I look at my team, my family. "Yes," I say, regaining my composure and carefully putting the papers away. Gwen's words…I will read them when we return home. "Thank you. Yes, I'll be fine."

And now I know it's the truth.

—

Stephanie looks a little confused. "Gwen? What was that? Those papers just…"

"I picked up strange waves from the area where they disappeared!" Rotom interrupts, "I sensed a portal! Energy, kind of like the wormholes!"

I'm can't be sure, but I think I know.

Somehow, I think Skitty found a way to open a porthole. Could she have met Giratina? Amazing, after all this time…

And the strangest thing? Of all the mess strewn across my desk, the only things picked up by the wind were my letters to her. I had taken them out earlier to reorganize my space, but forgot to put them away.

Every single one, gone. And nothing else.

Stephanie knows the truth about my time after passing through the wormhole. I swore her to secrecy when I first told her. "So you think…?" She starts.

I nod. "I'm sure of it, I don't know how…but…I think Skitty was here."

I turn to the spot where the papers disappeared into thin air and smile, a tear running down my cheek.

"And I'm glad she could finally get my letters."