PMD: Warped Skies

by Team Ion

Playing the part of the hero sounded fun at first, until he took a meaty punch to the face. Stranded in a world reminiscent of a game he once knew, a human-turned-Meowth struggles to retain his humanity while filling the shoes of the game's protagonists. However, this is not a game. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers, SI-OC/Isekai. Cover by Bograbbit!

40. Light the Truth

Well. Here we are—chapter 40.

---

"DARKRAI!" Scout screamed. There was no other option. He stood up and ran back the way he came. "DARKRAI!"

There were no lungs to limit his cries, so Scout gave one booming cry. Not a single leaf ruffled, but Darkrai heard him all the same.

"What is it?" the Pitch-Black Pokémon gasped, melting out of a shadow behind him.

"They're under attack, and they won't wake up," Scout quickly explained.

Darkrai visibly hesitated. "You… I… you want me… to what?"

"Help them," Scout answered. "Please."

Darkrai observed him for a moment, a lost expression on the Dark-type's face. Then he nodded. "V-Very well. Lead the way."

Scout took off, running again. There was really no limit to his speed as long as he didn't set those limits on himself, so Darkrai had some trouble keeping up with him.

After arriving, Darkrai immediately sent a swirling vortex of dark rings at the drowzee, blitzkrieg it off Rai and sending it crashing through the trees.

Scout sighed in relief as Lucario stirred. "Hm?" she grunted, propping herself up. She yawned deeply and glanced around. "Hmm?" she spotted the added destruction inflicted to a set of trees, two of them had been completely snapped through.

She kicked Rai and Mane, who were still but yet grimacing, and they stirred. "What?" Mane groaned.

"Something was here," Lucario said, stepping forward carefully. She walked through the field of destruction and picked up a very-unconscious drowzee. "Oh. Just a dream sucker." She dropped him, letting him crumple on the ground. "Never mind."

"Why does my head feel empty and sore?" Rai asked, one eye closed as he felt around carefully.

"You just ask for the jokes, don't you?" Lucario responded. "This little guy was probably eating your dream, nasty stuff." She yawned again and stretched. "It's too early for this. Go back to sleep."

"Wait? But how did…" Mane gestured to the field of destruction.

"I sometimes twitch in my sleep and annihilate my surroundings," Lucario answered, chirpily. "Especially if I'm having a nightmare, I tend to use Dark Pulse." To their worried looks, she added. "Don't worry. You're sleeping close enough to me that I won't hit you. Probably." She winked and laid down again.

She was snoring in seconds.

Rai and Mane, awoken from a nightmare, decided to curl up against each other for security and slowly began to fall back asleep.

Scout, watching all this, felt a sigh of relief go through him again. He felt a little embarrassed, Lucario probably would have slapped the Drowzee or something when it moved onto her and knocked it to the moon.

Still.

"Darkrai?" he called, turning back. The trio was peaceful, but he wasn't sure if Rai and Mane were asleep yet. Lucario might have been, but she may have been pretending. He couldn't be sure. "Darkrai?"

He left their campsite and walked back into the woods. Unlike the first trip in and out, he didn't see any pokémon. Darkrai's actions had scared them all away.

Scout went further than he usually did to find the nightmare bringer.

Darkrai was not facing him when Scout stepped into a small space. It was not a clearing, just a cleared patch of dirt for Darkrai to float over.

"Darkrai?" Scout asked quietly. Darkrai turned. "Thank you."

Darkrai turned its head, down at him. Scout wasn't sure if it was a nod, an acknowledgement, or simply his attention.

"I…" Darkrai began, his voice somewhat rougher than usual. He cleared his throat. "You are welcome, Scout."

They stood in silence. Awkward, as things tended to get with Scout.

Scout fiddled with a paw, not quite able to look up at Darkrai. "You are… you helped when I called. I…" he sighed roughly and dragged a paw down his face. He could only imagine how nice it'd feel actually to feel that. To actually do that.

Darkrai didn't respond, he simply watched.

Scout hesitated for a long moment longer, before he extended his paw. "If… the offer is still… open… I…" he hesitated again, lowered his paw about halfway, but stopped himself. "I want you to promise me you aren't going to do something to me. No affecting my memory or planting something in me."

"Do you still distrust me so?" Darkrai asked softly.

"I'm being careful. Surely you can't blame me for that?"

Darkrai gave a wispy laugh. "Yes. I do see your point."

"And don't do anything to anyone else." Scout raised his arm again. "My conditions."

"You need to take my left hand," Darkrai said, as Scout was reaching for his right. Scout adjusted and Darkrai raised his arm and edged closer. "Take my hand, Scout."

Scout took it. He gasped; he could feel Darkrai's hand. Thin and wiry, yet firm and strong.

"Brace yourself," Darkrai grunted, voice straining. "This is going to feel quite odd."

Darkrai yanked, and Scout felt something pull at absolutely everything. His past, his present, his memory, his spirit, everything within him was harshly jerked forward. The last thing he felt was the odd sensation of his skull striking something eternally wide and thin, smashing right through it.

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Scout gasped. His lungs burned, his eyes burned, his skin burned. He could feel his tail burning. He could feel his fur burning. The flame. The flame. The flame. The flame. The flame returns.

Deep in the woods, there was a fire.

"GAH!" Scout cried, writhing for a moment before his stomach cramped and nearly tossed him into a sitting position. He gasped for breath, his eyes streaming with tears. His whole body felt like he had taken a hundred Force Palms along every scrap of skin.

It was like he was a bruise. His entire everything felt like a bruise with the pressure of the air, of his lungs expanding, pressing against it.

But, as all pain goes, it began to fade. His ears twitched, he spat blood out of his mouth as he had bitten his tongue and wiped his mouth. Scout shivered in place for a moment. He was so hot; he was so cold.

"Ugh…" he slowly began to take deep breaths, focusing on just breathing. It didn't help, except it did. His mind focused on purely breathing, and other aches began to take a back seat.

His heart thumped hard in his chest. Scout swallowed a few times and then opened his eyes.

The next step was not as hard as he had feared. He was standing up. He was still trembling, his muscles felt weak, but he was able to stand up on the second try and didn't even fall over.

Taking a step was next, which was substantially more difficult. Every step he went to take, he was hit with vertigo and had to stop. Soon, however, even that faded.

He continued to breathe, almost enjoying the burn to his lungs with each inhale.

He stepped forward. Then another step. Then another. Now he was walking. Where?

"Who's there?" a sharp voice snapped as Scout bumped and brushed his way through some bushes. He wasn't sure how long he had been walking for, only that he had been walking. He looked up, a lucario stared at him, eyes narrowed, and a paw raised.

Her brows furrowed. "A meowth?" she asked, confused. "Here? Who are you?"

"I…" Scout blinked, his mouth felt like an ashtray, and he gagged on the first word. He swallowed and gagged again. His eyes fell to a pair of curled up pokémon, and his heart jumped. "Rai? Mane?"

Surprised at the focus going to anyone besides her, Lucario glanced to the pair. "You mean these two?" she asked before turning back to him, realisation lighting her eyes. "You are… shitting me, right?"

"Wha?"

"Get UP!" she said, generating a long, solid, Bone Rush and not-so-gently smacking them with it.

Rai was the first to react, jumping up. "Okay, STOP doing that!" he snapped, sparking dangerously as Mane growled.

Wordlessly, Lucario pointed.

"Rai?" Scout asked, weakly.

Rai froze. He blinked, opened his mouth, froze again and fell to just staring.

Mane finally opened his eyes, snapping them open to a familiar voice. "Mane?"

He then joined Rai in staring for a minute. Lucario waited them out, grew bored, and waved her paw, pushing at Rai and Mane and Scout with gentle Psychic pulses.

Rai and Mane fell over, but Scout didn't even feel it.

"RAI! MANE!" Scout cried and ran for them, leaping onto them in a ball of excitement and fluff.

"S-Scout?" Rai asked, stunned.

"It's me," Scout said, tearing up as his arms fell around both of his friends' necks and pulled them against him. He couldn't say why he felt THIS happy to see them, to hug them, but he could quickly tell he was going to cry.

"Is this a dream?" Rai asked.

"Nope!" Lucario said. "But I can hit you again if you want to be sure?"

That did it. Mane squealed, and Rai positively fell apart.

"That's so cute I may actually get diabetes," Lucario said, stepping back from the overload of sweet. Also salt, as all three of them began to bawl in the cat-pile they were in.

Lucario looked back, to the sides, and up. She didn't really want to look directly at the happy trio. It was sweet, she was happy for them, as surprised as she was. But it brought back some painful nostalgia she didn't want to experience.

"I guess you are awake," Lucario said, looking to the sky. The sun was not quite yet ready to rise, but the stars were on the beginning to fade as the blue prepared to return. "Did you let them suffer just as a way to let me know? Or is something else going on?"

Shaking her head, talking to the sky never helped her before, and there was still no answer from Arceus now. She generated a Bone Rush and leaned on it, waiting out the tears from Team Ion.

"How are you back?" Rai managed to ask. "This isn't a dream, but how?"

"Arceus definitely knew we were going to kick its ass if it didn't," Mane said, laughing between hiccups. "Smart play. Very cool, top pokémon, very cool."

"I… I uh. Hahahaa?" Scout laughed. He was smiling so much it hurt. "I don't remember Sean evolving, or being a lady lucario."

"We're in Dreamy Woods," Lucario answered, deciding she could stand to look at them again. The trio was still wrapped up together, but they weren't actively crying anymore. "And I'm Lucario. Nothing more, nothing less." She, it seemed, could say Lucario without the gravity.

"Nice to meet you," Scout said, genuinely. "I'd shake your paw, but I'm a little tied up."

"I heard you thought you were human," Lucario said, seemingly randomly. "Always with the appendage shaking, those guys. I got to say, Wartortle didn't want to let go. I was debating getting out the No Means No sign."

Scout laughed. It wasn't funny, but he did anyway. Rai and Mane fell into giggles too, all just too gosh darn happy.

The sun began to peak into the sky as Rai and Mane continued just to hold themselves against Scout. No one was explaining an actual act of God.

"I've got a question," Lucario said. She had emptied her tiny sack to present a mountain of trash to go through to find something for breakfast. "Were you always an alolan meowth?"

Scout paused. "Huh?"

"Your fur," Lucario said, taking a bite of a questionable apple. "That's not the colouration of any meowth you'll find in this world."

Scout looked down, and Rai and Mane took an actual look at him. "My… WHAT?" Scout gasped. Rather than the creamy white, he was used to; it was now a light blue-grey colour. He detangled from Rai and Mane in a panic, looking all over himself.

His whiskers were still straight, rather than curved, but everything else was not his normal colouration. "What the hell?"

"I'm guessing the answer is… no, then?" Lucario asked.

"No. I was a normal meowth before."

"That's really weird," Rai said, poking him. He didn't pop or anything, so Rai deemed it fine. Rai's ear flicked.

"What's an… alolan meowth?" Mane asked, when Lucario's words registered.

"Dark-type meowth from Alola," Lucario answered. "You wouldn't get it. The world kinda changed, but that's a topic for a far different day." She tossed the core to the side and strode to Scout, picking him up by the scruff of his neck. "Hmmm…"

She leaned in close, pulled his eyelid down, made him stick out his tongue, licked his koban. "Rather odd. You've got a bit of blood here and there; your mouth is bleeding a bit. Kitty got your tongue?" She laughed at her own joke. "I swear if Arceus is doing this as some sort of weird joke." She dropped Scout and shook her paw at the sky. "I don't get it!"

"Is she crazy?" Scout whispered.

"Yes," Mane replied.

"You try dealing with pokémon mooning all over you day in and day out," Lucario said, unoffended by the jabs at her. "See how sane you remain. Ugh." She shook her head, clapped her paws clean of imaginary dust, and smiled at them. "Welp. My work here is done. You got your friend back! He's still weak to my punches, but now he is immune to Psychic blasts."

She considered it for a moment. "Although a Bug Bite or Fairy-anything will totally destroy him. But hey." She gestured to Mane. "Now you don't have two Normal-type's! Type diversity is the key to a balanced team or some shit."

"Wait," Scout asked, raising a paw. "Wait, uh…" His mouth still felt like ash and it wasn't Arceus who brought him back.

"I don't know," Lucario groaned, guessing what he was going to ask. "Call it an act of god or something. Oh, and also, please for the LOVE of whatever legend or deity or whatever you may pray to. Don't tell people I actually did this. My work is done because I did nothing to start with. I have NO IDEA why Arceus chose now of all times. If it IS a joke on me." She glared right at the sun, letting it burn her corneas for a moment. "I'll have a fence fatty to punch in its most holy face."

"Or tell it thank you?" Rai asked. "I don't care if he's a little different, or that it took Arceus a little while. I was thinking I was never going to see… you again." He turned to Scout and buried his face in Scout's belly. "I'm just so relieved you're back."

"I-It wasn't…" Scout said, he looked back the way he had come. He had been disorientated to start with, but his senses were returning to him. Hovering, watching, loneliness, Darkrai, Darkrai, Darkrai. It was difficult to think of the time he hadn't existed; his physical brain could not conjure the memories so well.

"It wasn't Arceus," Scout said, grimacing as he was a little tender. But he welcomed it and hugged Rai. Mane was not to be left out, and they ended up in a ball of fur and claws again.

"Hmm," Lucario hummed as Rai and Mane cocked their heads in different directions at Mane. "You sound like you know what you're talking about."

Scout swallowed. He could still taste the coppery blood he had bled, a flavour he was used to. He wasn't sure if he should actually say this.

"I've resolved to be better about things," Scout thought. "No more lying."

"I was revived by Darkrai." The words carried out into the happiness that soaked the pokémon, feeling odd and out of place.

The name meant nothing to Rai, but Mane frowned as a memory tickled his brain.

"Darkrai?" Lucario asked. "Huh. That's odd. I haven't actually seen a darkrai the whole time I've been here. Hmm." She looked him over again from afar before shrugging. "Eh, creepy things but overall good-hearted. Heh, I once actually took down a darkrai with a scizor friend of mine." She smiled an old memory surfacing.

She blinked and returned to the topic at hand. "But a darkrai? That's weird. How are you so sure?"

"I've actually been… here, this whole time, since Sean was revived." Scout looked firmly down as Rai and Mane stilled around him.

"Huh?" Lucario asked.

"Yeah." Scout nodded. "Stuck as some… insubstantial ghost-memory thing. Only Dialga could see me. And Darkrai."

"Wait," Mane said. "Dialga? Dialga could see you!? Why didn't it tell us?"

"Something about me persisting until you forgot me."

Mane growled; Rai laid a gentle paw on him. "It doesn't matter," he said, soothing. "He's back now. Darkrai… who is that?"

"A…" Scout trailed off; he didn't even know where to start. A friend? An enemy? What was Darkrai?

"A powerful legendary pokémon," Lucario explained, for him. "Control over dreams, more specifically, nightmares. Oddly enough they as a species seem to be able to tap into more interesting stuff. I never really cared to go too far, but I could believe a darkrai could do something about him. I mean… that IS what you're saying."

"Yes." Scout nodded. "He offered to bring me back, and I… ended up agreeing."

"You don't sound so sure."

"I didn't know if I could trust him."

Lucario didn't quite respond to him at first. "Hmm… we all had nightmares last night, didn't we?" Rai and Mane nodded. "That'd be why I didn't wake up at first when that damn drowzee was messing around. Darkrai's presence often cause nightmares you don't easily wake up from. Except not often, always."

Scout grimaced, guilt hitting him. Rai and Mane considered for a brief moment all the nightmares they had been suffering the last couple weeks.

"Yeah." Lucario nodded sagely. "They are a pretty spooky species. The two that I've fought were both crazy, the first one so much more so. When you see a darkrai holding off Dialga AND Palkia at once you develop a certain… respect. You don't see stuff like that in this world, though. Which is odd, really, since your normal pokémon in this world tend to be a bit closer to a legends power. Or can spam items. I've noticed they hide themselves away, smart."

"You've said something like that before," Rai said, catching onto something. "About… being some… other world?"

"There are multiple realities," Lucario said as if it was obvious and straightforward to explain. "I'm not originally from this world, why do you think I'm so damn strong? Well. I mean. That's all me baby." She flexed an arm, grinning proudly.

"I believe Sean said he's from a different world," Scout pointed out. He felt like now was the time to spill everything. But Lucario was there, and the words just wouldn't come.

"That's so weird to think about," Mane said, rolling his shoulders before pulling Scout down and laying on him. "I'll take this one, please."

"That'll be 420 Poké," Lucario said.

"Blaze it," Scout said, muffled by litleo fur.

An odd, rather loopy, grin curled across Lucario's face, and she snorted. "I haven't heard that in literally centuries. Okay, I like this one too." She looked down at Rai contemptuously. "Give me one dirty joke."

"I… uh..." Rai went redder than a fire.

Lucario spotted that and grinned deviously, narrowing her eyes on him. "You've got one, don't you?"

"N-n-no."

"Rai is too pure for such sinful things," Scout said, still muffled.

Mane laughed at that. Then gave Rai a Look.

"Fine," Rai sighed, heavy and weary. Scout popped his head up, not believing Rai actually had one.

"Maybe if you didn't wave your bone everywhere then maybe everyone would stop propositioning you," Rai said, blushing hard.

"Heh. Not bad little shinx, not bad."

"He can do better," Mane claimed, but Rai would not speak any further. So, Mane dragged him down into the ball of cat.

"I am genuinely happy for you," Lucario said, smiling softly for a moment. Almost wistfully. "Well. I think I'm going to take my leave."

"You're going?" Rai asked, muffled by Scout and Mane. "But we only just met."

Lucario smirked. "I think you three need some time alone. Wink-wink-wink-wink-wink." She winked, alternating which eye she closed with each one, and Rai fluffed up in embarrassing fury. "And I've got some places to go to. If you're right and Arceus really is awake... that's interesting, I've got a few things to look into now, and I am far, far, too impatient to wait any longer."

She smiled and looked to the sky again, not at the sun this time. "Maybe… mmm." She didn't finish the thought out loud, no need to drop that on these three.

"It was nice meeting you," Scout said, quietly. He rather wanted to ask her to stay, but he wasn't sure how to explain why, plus the idea of having Rai and Mane to himself was tempting. Lucario gave him a salute and then the finger guns.

"Catch you, Lucario." Mane didn't say it with much gravity, and Lucario's grin widened.

"Say, where did you say you're from?"

"We didn't, but Treasure Town."

"Treasure Town, huh…? Hmm."

She walked off, head raised and hopeful, letting Team Ion just fall back into kitty cuddles. Rai and Mane ended up falling asleep, half-burying Scout, thanks to their exhaustion. They didn't have nightmares this time. He didn't mind. He glanced at his new fur a few times, still curious about that. But he couldn't complain.

Rai and Mane had only hinted at the struggle they had been going through. It didn't really need to be spoken of, especially if Scout had seen it.

Scout still wondered why it had come down to Darkrai to revive him. Why he was not brought back with the others, he wondered how Darkrai was able to heal wounds that Dialga couldn't. "Perhaps that's why I'm a different type of meowth now?" He considered.

Being exhausted, Rai and Mane slept deeply and contently, Scout soon joining them. They would have a trek back to Shaymin Village, hopefully in time to find Alakazam before he left. Then, Treasure Town.

Everyone would be so excited.

---

The excitement was… not as much as they had expected.

"You know… I gave you a month to find a lead, not to actually get him back." Armaldo stared in visible surprise.

Alakazam had thankfully still been in Shaymin Village and he, after expressing his own shock and congratulations, brought them back to Treasure Town. It'd nearly taken three weeks, but here they were. A trio once again. Team Ion was back to full strength.

The pokémon of Team Sunrise were not at the guild when they returned; neither was anyone who regularly went out on missions.

Rai and Mane had Scout step on the grate first, and Diglett was up with them before he could so much as a squeak.

Diglett wasn't the cuddliest of pokémon, but Scout received a headbutt of joy to his sternum before Diglett went down to get Loudred to raise the gate.

Loudred's bellow of shock managed to stun the guild long enough for the three to get to the lower levels without being bombarded with Wigglytuff. However, a few teams in the middle area stared in shock when they passed.

Scout waved to Team Glee who quickly started a party in the guilds middle deck. It didn't take much for them to instigate celebrations, good times, and general merriment.

Diglett's headbutt of welcome had been painful yet was nothing compared to the strength of Wigglytuff's embrace. The fact he didn't break any bones was a testament to Wigglytuff's control more so than anything else.

Once he was finally released, he was set down to meet Armaldo properly. Scout didn't know where Chatot had gone. He had refused to try and find out as a spectre.

No Chatot left a heavy fear in his heart, but one he didn't address just yet.

Armaldo was big. Easily the biggest pokémon in the guild. He towered above everyone, multiple vibrant feathers sticking out, covered in a heavy exoskeleton that looked and functioned like armour, and with two piercing eyes.

He looked over Scout once before turning to the beaming Rai and Mane. With a sigh, he said. "You know… I gave you a month to find a lead, not to actually get him back."

"We like to exceed expectations!"

"We really ARE this good," Mane added.

Chimecho, who was attracted by the commotion, gasped when she spotted the meowth. She tried to tug him back with Psychic, but that didn't work, leading her to fly right to him. "Meowth!?" She zoomed in close as Scout turned, grinning at the nurse.

"Chimecho!" He hugged the floating Psychic-type, and she smiled softly at him.

"How? She'll be. Everyone will be. I mean… this is wonderful!" She did a loop-de-loop. "But wait. Your fur, did Mane set you on fire?" She came in close to inspect him. "No… this isn't ash or burnt fur. Why is your fur such a different colour?"

Lucario had mentioned the lack of hair dye, so Scout didn't bother trying to make a joke. "I'm not sure exactly, but when I was revived, I came back like this."

"I can't help but be the wet blanket," Armaldo grunted, clicking his pincers and bringing Scout's attention to him. "But I must ask. How are you so certain this is the same pokémon that was erased from reality? Especially if his fur is such a different colour?"

"Have you ever seen an alolan meowth?" Mane snarked. "Because that's what he is. Lucario said so."

"I have no idea what that is," Armaldo confirmed, "and Lucario is known to make wildly inaccurate statements when it passes her fancy."

"He felt like Meowth!" Wigglytuff said, "when I hugged him. His Power feels different, yet similar. Hm. Are you a Dark-type now?"

"Yes." Scout nodded. "An alolan meowth is a Dark-type variant of meowth."

"Interesting."

"Also questionable," Armaldo pointed out. "What is an alolan meowth?"

"Do you really think we couldn't tell who our friend is?" Rai asked seriously.

"I simply fear you may be taken in by wishing. Wanting him to be so back, you'll allow yourself to be duped."

"Is there anything I can say or do to convince you?" Scout asked.

Armaldo gave him a hard stare. "No. But I can also tell I am in the minority here. Don't expect special treatment from me. I'll judge you on who you are now, not who you may have been. Understand?"

"That's fair."

Satisfied, for now, Armaldo waved a claw. "I assume you'd like to see Team Sunrise next? They are in town working with Kangaskhan."

He didn't mention they were working with her as they needed to recover from a job a couple of days ago, working with the children of Treasure Town.

Armaldo was relieved there was an age requirement for the guild. Wigglytuff or Chatot, or both, had been sensible enough to instate such a thing. He could not imagine the headache of dealing with children on top of everything else.

Back on his way to the Shaymin Village, after accidentally heading to the Northern Desert, a young Ampharos sneezed and tripped over.

The whole of Team Ion thanked Armaldo and remained for Scout to go up to Croagunk to say hello.

"Meh-heh-heh. It's good to see you again, Meowth," Croagunk said. He hadn't left his Swap Cauldron to come over, knowing Scout would come to him.

"Good to see you too." Scout smiled. Croagunk was the good sort, not big on words. They shared a nod, and they entered the middle section of the guild to observe the party.

"When did Loudred come up here?" Scout yelled over the beatboxing.

"I honestly don't know," Rai yelled back.

The party honestly didn't need them, so they hurried out. Wigglytuff was already dancing and causing a ruckus.

As they approached the steps leading down, Scout surrendered to the urge to look back. The big, empty-eyed, wigglytuff-head with a plume of feathers was there as always.

But there was something to the left of the guild now. Looking over the cliff.

He didn't look further.

It felt so odd to be walking into Treasure Town again, feeling the gravel under his feet, rather than just drifting along and feeling the eyes ON him, rather than passing right through him.

Whispers began breaking through a few pokémon. A meowth, walking with a VERY happy Team Ion? Duskull's eye followed them, Team's Tasty and Seedgey paused their discussion on lunch and turned as one, Vigoroth actually paused for a few seconds to rub his eyes.

They didn't stop to talk, but still passed greetings as they went by. Rai and Mane's tails were straight and proud, and Scout was pressed right between the two of them, not allowed to disappear on them again.

There were more shock and confusion than excitement in the faces of the townsfolk. Scout didn't blame them. It was hard to believe.

Both Rai and Mane were still tired and yawned often. But they had experienced no further nightmares since he was brought back.

They were a little unsettled to hear of Scout's own view of what the last two weeks had been, his experience falling close to the nightmares they had. But as neither of them had spoken about them, they didn't bring them up here. Darkrai was a nightmare bringer was it not? Lucario had said something about that. Maybe it was trying to contact them in a roundabout way. Scout hadn't told them how many times he saw Darkrai.

Scout hadn't seen Darkrai since he had returned. Part of him was glad of that. Part of him was uneasy. And a part of him was almost sad about not seeing him.

There would be time to be sad later, however. They crossed the bridge and stepped into the traders' area. They walked past the shanty marketplace. And waved to the Kecleon Brothers.

Kangaskhan wasn't much farther ahead.

It was Guardian who saw them first.

He, who was the physically strongest of Team Sunrise, had been ordered to bring a rather heavy set of items out to the owners. Most pokémon didn't give Guardian too hard of time now. Few were exactly friendly, but few were directly rude as well.

Guardian dropped the box upon seeing them. It thankfully just hit the counter and spilled only a few old pieces of metal. Still, Guardian was not listening to the cries of the owner or Kangaskhan's apologies.

He wasn't actually at Kangaskhan's Storage anymore.

His one eye may lack depth perception to a degree, but it was sharp and clear of cloudiness. He had looked into Scout's eyes more times than he had numbers to count, thankful he had someone he could protect. Someone who would protect him back.

He knew Scout's eyes.

Scout, to his credit, didn't jump too hard when Guardian, as a large, bulky, and rather slow dusknoir, suddenly flash-stepped from one spot to the next, catching him up in a desperate embrace.

"Scout?" Guardian gasped, the arm that held the old scrap of cloth Scout had once worn as a blanket, then a scarf, fluttered in the wind. He didn't mean to ask, he already knew, but Scout nodded anyway.

"Hi."

Guardian completely broke down in the middle of the street during the busy time. With dozens upon dozens of pokémon watching.

The Great Dusknoir did not care who saw him cry for his child.

Scout's mouth twitched into a shaky smile, and he slowly pressed his arms back against Guardian. He couldn't properly hug him as Guardian's chest was too wide for him to wrap his arms around, but it was the intent that mattered.

Guardian shuddered with sobs, and Scout felt himself wavering as well.

He didn't remember everything, or even most of the things, from before he travelled back in time with the others. He couldn't be sure if that was responsible for a simple inability to remember so much, who remembered everything after all? Or if his odd amnesia still held some effect on him.

He couldn't recall everything from the Dark Future. But he could remember laying on a Dusclops to sleep. Sneaking up on his foolish guardian and pouncing on his head, batting at the wispy not-quite-smoke coming off the top of his head.

He remembered feeling hungry and scared but never feeling like he had no one to feed or protect him.

He remembered Dusclops, later called Guardian, as Father.

That didn't make what Guardian had done okay. But Scout had seen Guardian's state during the short time Team Ion crossed paths with Team Sunrise. It wasn't okay yet, but… it could be okay eventually.

---

"Can you still like… purr?"

"I… yeah?"

"Cool. Do it."

Scout purred. It was still a funny sensation and one he never would think to do. Saniya giggled and scratched behind his ears.

That caused some genuine purring.

He was cozied up with Rai and Mane, the two weren't really eager to give him any space lately, but he found he didn't really mind. They were going over two weeks just wanting to feel them again and finally being able to, left him almost as clingy as they were.

After Guardian had stopped weeping long enough to carry him back, Scout was set upon by Team Sunrise. Kangaskhan also cried a little and let them off work today. With no other place to go for privacy, Rai led them to Sharpedo Bluff and into his old home.

It was a little dusty, and there was nothing soft to sit on, but the pokémon made do.

Guardian hadn't let Scout go for the first half-hour, squeezing down gently when he questioned himself if Scout really was in his arms, which happened a lot.

It wasn't the warmest to remain in the dusknoir's arms, but it wasn't the coldest either. Guardian was alright, and Scout knew that.

There was just a little time he needed to grow accustomed to the idea.

Guardian hadn't really wanted to relinquish his returned son to anyone, but Saniya convinced him too. "Two things. His fur is different, and I can't levitate him. What's goss with that?"

It led into the explanation Scout feared he'd be getting to know well in the coming days. He was persisting as some sort of memory ghost after Sean was revived, watching them all, encountering a pokémon that could help and being revived by Darkrai.

He had told Rai and Mane a little more of the context to Darkrai, but not everything. Not enough

"I need to tell them," Scout thought, but as he opened his mouth to his adoring friends, the words got stuck, and he swallowed them.

Instead, they continued talking. He asked Team Sunrise what they had been up to, and he'd been with Rai, for the most part, so he wasn't entirely caught up on what they were up to.

"Then Vigoroth really ran us through the wringer, he's crazy." Saniya beamed, she almost twinkled in the sunlight.

All good times had to draw to a close, and as the sun began to move closer to setting than was okay, they got up to walk to the guild.

"Scout?" Sean asked as they headed out of Rai's home and into town.

"Yeah?"

"I'm happy you're okay." Sean wasn't exactly looking at him. Scout wasn't sure if he was embarrassed or it was something else.

"I'm glad you're okay," Scout replied, smiling.

"Okay, I just thought of something!" Saniya loudly exclaimed. "Were YOU the thing that kept tickling my neck? I swear I could feel something going on, but I couldn't pinpoint it."

"Yes." Scout nodded. "Dialga said that you wouldn't be able to see me, but you'd probably have some… some sort of sense."

"Glad I wasn't having a stroke."

"I'm glad too."

Throughout it all, Striker had said very little. Sean had also been quiet, but Striker's silence was different.

Sean was quietly relieved, unable to find the words to express it and embarrassed to say the words when he did find them. Striker was not unhappy to see Scout, but there was a caution to his eyes.

He knew Scout wasn't telling them everything. He had sensed that way back when they had returned from Fogbound Lake and spoken to each other. And as much as he tried, he could not forget Scout raising his claws to Sean's neck to threaten everyone into calming down.

Things were okay now. But Striker was always a cautious soul.

Approaching the guild had Scout slow down, spotting something off to the side. He swallowed, coming to a decision.

"Can I just… take a moment?" Scout asked. "By myself."

The group didn't argue, they saw what he did, and let him go. Scout himself didn't want to be alone, but he felt like he needed to be for this. It was time to stop putting it off.

The waves crashed distantly over the cliffside. He walked a little to the side, moving around the guild. The others entered the guild as Diglett and Loudred raised the gate for them.

There it was. A simple headstone, no pomp or spectacle to it.

Here lies Trill

Res̵t In Peace

I will always remember you

Scout quietly made his way to the gravestone, hesitating on the final steps. He didn't want to step on the grave after all. Or maybe he just didn't want to believe this was possible.

"Chatot?" Scout said, softly. He walked around the side of the grave, touched the headstone. It was clean of dust, being tended to every day.

Scout wasn't sure how to feel. He knew he was sad, but something was blocking him from really feeling it. He almost felt blank, hollow, unable to understand it.

The grave was here. There was no question as to who it was, but part of him simply could not grasp it.

"He would have been so happy to see you," a voice spoke softly from behind. Scout jumped; he hadn't heard anyone approach.

Wigglytuff gave him a sad smile as Scout stared at him, fur raised slightly and eyes wide and confused.

"He told us what happened in the Dark Future," Wigglytuff said. "Especially about you. That's the biggest thing I'm afraid of. That he died with regret."

"I'm sorry," Scout said. He could barely feel himself say it.

Wigglytuff embraced him. "It's not your fault," he said softly, but that only hurt Scout more. "He'd just be happy that you are safe and well."

Scout stared into Wigglytuff's belly, not understanding why Wigglytuff was hugging him. It WAS his fault. Didn't he know that? Hadn't Chatot told him everything?

He continued to stare as something heavy fell over him, and Scout felt something break. He grabbed onto Wigglytuff and let himself weep into Wigglytuff's belly. Wigglytuff hummed something as he held them.

Scout repeated that he was sorry, Wigglytuff didn't see anything for him to be sorry about.

They remained as they were until Scout had calmed down, and then just sat at the grave, thinking about Chatot.

---

"Can you all come with me," Scout asked, later that day. The guild was closed for the day, but they could still leave for at least another hour or two.

Scout had been thinking, and he knew it was time.

Behind him walked Rai and Mane, never letting him out of their sight for long, and further along walked and floated Sean, Striker, Saniya, and Guardian.

Despite being asked what this was about, Scout didn't quite explain. "I just think it'd be nice for the seven of us to talk."

Scout's whiskers twitched as they left the guild. Behind him was Chatot's grave, and a heavy weight fixed itself to him pulled at his stomach with every step.

"Once you have the chance… you do need to tell others you trust." Chatot had said that. It was bordering on eight months ago now, but to Scout, the words felt as fresh as they did when they were first spoken.

"You know, I've wondered what does happen in dungeons if more than four pokémon enter?" Scout asked as they headed towards the beach.

"Bigger distortions, splitting parties, more dangerous ferals. Some even say Shadow Pokémon can begin to show up," Guardian explained.

"How long does that take?"

"Anywhere from a minute to an hour."

"Beach Cave isn't dangerous, right?"

"Perhaps as a learning exercise…"

It wasn't with much hesitation or nervousness that Scout stepped into the dungeon. He had been through it numerous times already, even if something happened, it wouldn't take them long to reach the exit and then back again. With seven world saviours, what could pose a risk to them here?

And even then. He didn't plan on staying too long.

"Why are we here?" Mane asked. "And why are you acting all weird."

"Sorry," Scout sighed, stopping and turning to everyone. He looked between Rai and Mane, curious and cautious. Between Striker and Guardian, guarded and open, and Sean and Saniya, smiling and daydreaming. "I think this is far enough."

"For what?" Mane asked.

"I'm just being careful. Dungeons are… weird places, but I think we're about as private as we're going to get."

Scout sighed and took a breath, looking over everyone again. From those who were purely happy to be around him, to those who didn't express things as clearly, they were all here.

"Rai when we… had our argument back when… well." He gestured vaguely to Guardian. "You brought up a lot of good points. That I didn't tell you things, that I lied and…" He swallowed, this wasn't easy to revisit that memory.

Rai's expression agreed with him. The distant sort of pain that haunts one when they are trying to sleep.

"I didn't listen that time and then… I had a similar conversation with Mane," Scout said, almost chuckling at the memory. Mane stood up straighter. "He helped me see things differently. How I've constantly lied to everyone and when someone tries to call me out on it, I deflect, or turn it them, or just do…" he gestured wildly. "Something to distract. I don't mean to, but it's… a problem I was thinking about when I could only watch you all."

Mane chewed his lip slightly. "Not that I wasn't right but…"

Scout shook his head. "You are entirely right, and I'm sorry."

"I never thought you were doing it for bad reasons."

"Maybe." Scout nodded. "And you said that. But I still lied. Lied because I thought that I knew what was right." Scout glanced down at the ground to take a moment and a breath. Team Sunrise hadn't spoken, so now it was time to address them.

He raised his head and found his eyes on Sean first. "I knew from the start what had to be done. About the Dark Future, and Dusknoir, and the Relic Fragment, and where the Time Gears were. I knew all of that. Right from when I first woke up. Not on the beach." Scout shook his head, it seemed so obvious now. "But on Sharpedo Bluff."

Frowns crossed faces. Sean glanced to Striker, Guardian gave Scout a questioning look, Rai opened his mouth before closing it.

"We didn't find out about the Relic Fragment until after we arrived in the past," Sean said, after some silent communication with Striker. "I only learned about it through the Dimensional Scream, here in the past, where it acts a bit different."

Scout nodded. "Yep. I also knew that Drowzee was an outlaw before he even spoke. I knew where the Limestone Cavern Time Gear was, and that Ditto was going to try and stop us. I knew Striker was good, although I only knew him as Grovyle, and that Dusknoir was an enemy. I knew a lot of things, I thought I knew more. But even though I never knew as much as I thought, I still knew enough that I should have acted differently."

"How did you know about the Relic Fragment?" Sean asked, before glancing to Guardian. "Guardian did thanks to Dialga but… did he somehow tell you?"

Scout shook his head. "No. Nothing like that." He took in another breath and sighed it out, not quite able to look directly at anyone. Rai was still frowning, eyes trained on the Relic Fragment itself.

"You gonna tell us?" Mane asked.

"Or are you going to keep pussyfooting around?" Saniya said, before giggling.

Her joke broke some of the tension and Scout gave a smile. "Heh. I like that one." He swallowed and nodded, looking to Sean again. "When I told Chatot this, he couldn't really understand because I couldn't explain it with all the context he needed."

"You told Chatot?" Rai asked, almost offended.

"After Mane helped me realise," Scout explained. "I wanted to make sure I could gather the nerve, so I told him. He, uh…" Scout's lip curled slightly, but he composed himself. "He told me I had better tell the people I trust once it was all over. I hoped I'd have him to help here, but…"

His lip twitched again, and this time he couldn't entirely compose himself. "S-sorry," Scout said, sniffling. "I think it was my fault he died, in some way."

"What?"

"No."

"That can't be."

"Scout…"

"No," Scout said, voice strained. "Please just… let me explain. I don't think I did anything directly, but… if it wasn't for everything I did and didn't do, he… well." He shook his head again. "Okay. I'm going to start running us in circles if I don't just start explaining myself. You all might want to sit down or something."

Guardian lowered himself, but everyone else remained standing. Tense or jittery in some fashion.

"Sean," Scout began, meeting the human-turned-riolu's red eyes, "you ever played a video game?"

Sean blinked. "Uh… yeah?"

"Imagine playing a game… playing it several times in fact. Playing it enough that you know it inside and out. The plot details. The characters. The twists and the turns. Heck, even the music." Scout gave a soft laugh before humming something pleasant and oddly fitting for the dungeon they were in.

Sean's face slowly creased into a frown.

No one else quite understood what he was talking about, but that was okay. He had some experience, he just hoped Sean would be able to help in a moment.

"Now imagine you wake up… and you're in that game."

Sean stilled. Scout felt himself come to a stop as well, twin breaths tensed, waiting for something.

"Huh?" Saniya asked, breaking the moment again. "What does all that mean? I want to play!"

Sean pursed his lips before wetting them. "I… don't know what to say to that." He frowned deeper and looked up at Scout, eyes set and serious. "You can't be for real here?"

Scout shrugged. "I don't have ANY idea how something like this is possible. But…" he lowered his head, closed his eyes, and gave a pained sigh. "I… I don't know if I'm actually Scout. Or if I've taken his body."

He said it. It never feel right to say, not the first time, not all the times he had wondered it, and certainly not this time.

He didn't want to look at the reactions, but he had to. Arms closed around him and Scout gasped.

"You are Scout," Guardian said, quietly. "I may not understand what you speak of, but I know it."

Scout gave him a watery smile, wanting to lean in, but he pushed himself out instead. "Armaldo said it best, even if he didn't actually mean it in this exact context. How can you be so sure I am? Am I actually the pokémon you knew? Or am I just close enough that you can convince yourselves that I am?"

Saniya floated up to him next and grabbed his face. "You're talking depressing stuff here," she said, seriously. "It's okay to question who you are and all that, but… I may act silly, because I'm a complete loon, but I did look you over and inner in the future. I can't anymore, cause of your new type, but… you ARE Scout."

"You're different," Striker said, speaking up for the first time, "there's no question there. But… how could you NOT be Scout?"

Sean didn't speak up. Rai and Mane didn't know who he may have been before, and as such had nothing to offer.

Scout smiled sadly. "In the time I was stuck as some sort of memory ghost thing, I was able to recall at least some memory of who Scout was. Enough so that I knew that Scout did NOT have the knowledge that I do. Not in practise at least. If I haven't somehow robbed his life from him, then something still happened. Can I even be considered the same person then?"

"People change," Guardian said, softly. "Sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. Most of the time, however, they simply change."

"They can change back, too," Saniya said, laying a gentle hand on Guardian's arm. He smiled at her.

"Maybe," Scout sighed, "but we're straying. The fact of the matter is. I know things that I could not possibly know. I knew that someone was supposed to be found by Rai. I knew that Team Skull was going to come for him, having spotted his treasure earlier."

Rai blinked at him.

"It's why I came after you, after all. I knew what was going to happen, and I thought I was supposed to be there. Not to stop you from getting robbed in the first place, but to join you in Beach Cave to get it back. Only…" Scout's voice turned bitter. "Skuntank was NOT supposed to be there."

He hated that. Of all the many things he hated, there was something about that one specific moment that truly bothered him. It was inconsequential in the long run, they had gotten the Relic Fragment back, but the change still nagged at him. How was that possible? Was it a flip of the coin, or was something else different?

Undoubtedly, Striker and Sean's appearance far away could not have led to a butterfly effect so far so quickly?

"I don't know WHY he was there," Scout growled, grabbing at his head. "And I'm so sorry, Rai. At the time I… I honestly thought this was a dream. It was only after he knocked me out did it really begin to dawn on me that it wasn't. You weren't supposed to lose the Relic Fragment."

Scout gave a weak laugh. "That's just one of the boundless mistakes I ended up causing," he said softly. "It wasn't even supposed to be me. I wasn't supposed to exist. It was supposed to be the human who woke up, not at the bluff but at the beach. That's why I thought I was human."

"You said your name was Sean though," Rai said, unable to quite believe everything else yet.

"Yeah. I guess we really DID have some sort of head-knock memory transfer. How the hell that is supposed to work. Or maybe my name really IS Sean, and that was the name of whatever human monster is possessing Scout."

"Stop saying that," Guardian demanded, before softening. "Please."

"I'm sorry," Scout said. What part of it, even he wasn't sure.

Sean had taken a few moments to try and digest what he was being told. "Are you saying… you don't think we're real?" he asked, lowly.

Scout was horrified. "NO! That's not what I mean at all!" he said, raising his paws. "That's not what I mean."

"That's what it's SOUNDING like!"

"Sean I…" Scout looked away. "No. I don't believe that. Heh, have you ever heard of multiverse theory? Lucario mentioned there were other worlds, and if I remember right, you're from a different world to this one too. I, or some part of me, is just from a world where they THINK this is fiction."

Sean took a breath. He didn't look much happier, but he was thinking it over.

"Actually, I have been wondering," Scout said, pressing his interest for a moment. "What version of the pokémon world are you from?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"My perception has it all as a made-up franchise. But there were multiple realities in that, this one is one of them. I'm just curious, which one you might be from."

"How am I supposed to know?"

"Uh… ever heard of an Ash Ketchum?"

"No."

"Maybe not the anime then."

Sean grimaced and shook his head. "This is almost too much. You cannot be serious; this has to be some sort of joke you have thanks to my memories."

"Why would I lie about this?" Scout asked, before hearing himself. "Heh… okay, you have me there. I am a compulsive liar, it seems. But still. Why?"

Sean had no answer for that.

Striker raised a claw. "I'm still having trouble following."

"I was hoping Sean could help me here," Scout said.

Sean sighed. "Imagine a book you read or a theatre play you watch. Characters acting out a role, always the same, because books don't change, plays don't change. Or, at least, they're not supposed to. Scout's saying he's experienced something like that, except about us and this world."

That helped. Glances were shared, voices were raised, questions were asked.

It all kind of melded into a cacophony Scout couldn't discern.

"Please one at a time!"

Rai was the first to speak. "Why didn't you say anything like this before?" he asked, eyes wide and questioning. He would always think best of Scout. He didn't growl like Mane, or demand like Striker. Just ask and expect Scout at his best.

There were few things that filled Scout with as much shame as that. Rai thought the world of him, and he knew that he shouldn't.

"Because I'm a coward," Scout said, bluntly. "Because I am a liar. Because I was scared that you'd hate me, or not believe me. Or that I'd ruin everything. You know, beyond just spouting excuses to create pity and all."

Scout shook his head. "Also, deflective statements to try and make myself seem better as I am aware of what a piece of shit I am. Can't really avoid those it seems." He nodded to Mane.

"Look. I told myself it was to preserve the best ending that I knew of. Because failure meant that the world would be ruined and plunged into… well, the Dark Future. I thought that if I kept things on track, I would get us to that ending and things would be fine. Only…"

He wanted to tear his fur. "Things were already changed from the start. I shouldn't even exist; how DO I exist?" he asked.

No one really had an answer for him.

Except…

"I… found you," Guardian said, quietly. "After losing my previous companions, I wandered, alone and going mad… at one point, I remember this with crystal clarity, I had a choice between two directions. I felt pulled to another direction, and along with it I found you with your parents…"

Scout nodded. "Okay… so probably a coinflip, fifty-fifty chance situation. That's… reassuring to hear, I think. Thank you."

"You don't need to thank me. You saved me as well."

"Even so. That happened in the future, I don't know how that could have affected the past. There are so many questions, how things went, what things 'happened' and what things just weren't shown. I knew about the Dark Future because of the story. Still, you didn't see much of it, so I didn't know what the Planetary Investigation Team was really like. There are so many things I could say, but… it's really just inconsequential. I know what went wrong."

"You've said a lot about all the bad things you've been doing," Mane said, glaring holes through him. "Haven't heard what they are besides lying."

Scout shrugged. "Lying is the most of it. There were things I could have done to make things easier for us, or harder for 'the enemy'. Uh, sorry Guardian."

"None taken."

"I probably could have convinced Chatot to do something about Team Skull. Heck, I knew they were going to eat the food over the night. I could have gotten Chatot then. Instead, I followed what happened in the story, let them do it, and nearly get us into trouble. Getting Mane to get an apple earlier wasn't something that happened in the story since he wasn't a character, but it did get us out of trouble."

"I wasn't in this story of yours?" Mane growled, positively smoking.

"No. It was for kids."

"Oh. Well, that makes sense. Still." He stretched out strategically. "How could all this not be included?"

Scout gave a breathy chuckle. The laughter was a little insincere, Mane amping up the flirts that was a bad sign, not a good one.

"I'm much happier you are here," Scout said, softly.

Mane blinked and stopped stretching. He blushed ever so slightly. "Well… of course you are. I am the best."

Scout nodded and took another breath. "Okay. Going through everything I did wrong will take us hours. Days. Weeks maybe if we have to come in here every time." He glanced around uneasily. The dungeon walls were rippling slightly.

"We should talk on the go," Saniya suggested, Scout started walking.

"Let me just say, you're taking this a lot better than I would."

"I'm just debating on how much I should be upset," Sean said, but he grinned briefly. "This isn't exactly the easiest thing to hear, you know?"

"As much as I can, yeah."

"I still am not convinced you aren't Scout," Striker said. "While you said that this change did not occur until after we travelled back in time, can you be certain?"

"No," Scout admitted. "But I LIKE to think that, as bad as I am, I would have let something slip. I like to think that, had I known things were changed from the start, I would have actually tried to work with what I knew, rather than trying to force everything to fit what I thought."

"I think you would have," Rai said. Always thinking the best of him.

"Perhaps. But… we DID travel through time." Striker gestured to Saniya. "Surely there is some explanation to be had there. Travelling back in time, something may have happened to you there to allow you to understand the history of the world. Combine that with the head-knock with Sean and believing yourself to be him."

"Mixing that with my knowledge of video games…" Sean said, rubbing his jaw.

"Do you think that could be it?" Striker asked, looking to Saniya.

"Uh… uh… yeesss?"

"You don't sound sure."

"I'd have to confer with Giratina. Or… Dialga… or even the other Celebi that apparently exists. That one that I need to kick in the face." She grumbled. "Halving our Power between us. How greedy can he be?"

Scout nibbled on his lip. An actual explanation, for a moment, he doubted himself.

"No… no, I don't think so," he said, shaking his head. "Even… even ignoring that I knew all this from the perspective of what WE were going to be doing as some sort of time nonsense… the story didn't end with Dialga."

He came to a stop. So did everyone else.

"What do you mean?" Sean asked. "Was it not over? Or post-game? What?"

"Post-game," Scout said, nodding. "Coming up as the one who damaged the tower, wasn't stopping to get what he wanted. A world of darkness to rule over."

That got some concerned looks.

"That sounds… unpleasant," Rai said. He was the only one who hadn't seen the Dark Future in person.

"Yeah." Scout nodded. "And… what a perfect transition into the last and worst topic of the day. The actual awful thing I've done and just what is going on."

Scout wanted to sit down, but he also was restless.

"You did something… worse?" Rai asked.

"Yeah." Scout began to pace. "Yeah, I did. I think I did. I might not have, but I can't risk otherwise. Well," he laughed, most bitterly. "I SAY I can't, even though I literally did. More lies from your best buddy Scout."

Mane stomped on the ground. "What did you do?" he asked.

"What else COULD I have been doing lately?" Scout asked. "Darkrai. The darkrai that Lucario knew might have been creepy, but good, individuals. This one, however… Darkrai was the one who damaged the Temporal Tower in the first place. HOW? I have no idea. All I know is that he did. He caused the Dark Future and, in fact, he's the reason why Sean is a pokémon."

Sean blinked. Striker did as well. "What?"

"You got attacked," Scout said, before amending. "WE got attacked when travelling through time. It was Darkrai who attacked us, trying to stop us from changing the past and ruining his darkened world."

Scout nodded, giving a defeated smile. "I knew that. And when he came to me, able to see me, able to talk. I told him to go. But he came back. And, eventually, I went to him. I don't want to give excuses, but… I just… it was hell to be stuck like that. He was the only one I could speak to."

"Why would you…" Guardian began, but he couldn't find the rest of the words.

"Darkrai claimed that he had changed," Scout said. "He said that legendary pokémon can perceive changes in reality, like time, through dreams and he's seen what the world would be like. He said that the previous Darkrai was killed by… Soothe and that by changing time, she would be erased."

Saniya twitched heavily at that. "Soothe," she whispered, almost too quiet for anyone to hear. Her memories of the audino remained crystal clear despite everything.

"He claimed that these things had made him realise what he was aiming for was wrong, and that he HAD to repay the debt he had to us with a good deed he could do. He was the one who removed that drowzee from hurting you," Scout said, looking to Mane. "And after that I… I accepted his offer. But…"

He shook his head quietly. "What if it was just an act? I still remember, but… look at my fur? How did this happen? Why did this happen? I haven't seen him since he revived me and that… makes me more uneasy. He could have done something to me. Because I was so selfish and desperate to get out of that state, I might have put everyone in danger."

Scout closed his eyes. "Beforehand, I was terrible because I was making mistakes and being stubborn and lying. But at least I thought it was for a good purpose. This was nothing but self-interest, and I don't know what he might have done, and I don't know what he's going to do because everything is changed so bad, and I am so scared, and I am so sorry."

Scout began breaking down. He really didn't mean to; it was not an attempt to elicit pity. Still, Rai came up beside him and nuzzled him. Mane took a moment longer, but he was there too. Guardian floated over and wrap his arms around them all.

Throughout it all, Scout babbled and repeated that he was sorry.

The dungeon fluxed around them more, and they ended up needing to leave as deranged ferals, and other, vaguer, creatures began to approach them.

Before they left, however, Scout had one more thing to say. "I told you all that in here because it's the only place I could think of that he may not hear. You can't talk about this outside of dungeons. Darkrai might have changed but… if he hasn't, I've almost certainly made a colossal mistake in accepting his offer. I actually don't want you to completely trust me."

"That's weird to say since we have to mostly trust your word on all that," Mane snarked.

Scout smiled. "Yeah. I think I'm 'sound of mind', but he might have planted something in me. I don't know how effective it might be, but… maybe we should all share some sort of code word to make sure I'm alright in the head."

It didn't take them long to decide on the word dawn as their safe word. There was something almost nostalgic about this for Team Sunrise.

Code words, sneaking around, being careful. It was all reminiscent of a time they were having more and more trouble remembering.

"I think this information needs to be shared with Guildmaster Wigglytuff and Armaldo," Rai said, as they approached the exit.

"Eww, the bug?" Saniya gagged.

"I'm serious. If Darkrai really is a danger, they should know."

Scout nodded. "Yeah. I was thinking I'd tell them next. But only them. Not the rest of the guild… at least for now."

"You're not expecting us to lie?" Mane frowned. He didn't like a lot of what had been spoken, but he wasn't going to start biting heads off.

"If they ask if I'm from a world, or just have some sort of memory that I am, that this is a story then yeah please do. But I doubt anything that specific will come up."

"If nothing else," Guardian rumbled, "just say that it's something private between you and Scout. Not all secrets need to be told."

Mane grumbled but accepted it.

Scout continued to lead the way as they left. That had gone better than he had hoped, but it wasn't the end of it.

Saniya sighed. "Okay," she began, fluttering to Scout and grabbing his tail. "Sorry about this everyone, but I've got to have a one-on-one chat."

Without any further hesitation, and ignoring Scout's yowl of disagreement, she zoomed them back into Beach Cave before anyone could so much as raise a hand or paw to stop her. "Don't follow us," she called back. "We'll be just a few minutes."

"Okay-okay-okay, STOP!" Scout demanded, pulling himself free of Saniya. He grabbed his tail, holding it away from the grabby hands of the celebi. "What is so important?"

"What do you know about Soothe?" Saniya asked immediately. That was one thing pokémon tended to appreciate about her. For as wacky as she could be, she didn't dance around the point if she had one to make. "And are you Gabriel?"

"I… pardon?"

"Soothe," Saniya repeated. "Audino. Purple fur instead of pink. Goes like this." She turned her head slightly, frowned a little, and gave a dismissive snort. "And Gabriel. Name. Giratina said they were getting another Giratina from a different reality to get some 'Gabriel' human. Is your name Gabriel?"

"No, that name doesn't mean anything to me." Scout shook his head as the memory of Saniya and Chatot talking about Soothe returned to him. "And Soothe? To be entirely honest… nothing."

"Huh?"

"She wasn't in the story I knew," Scout admitted. "I haven't really had time to wonder about her and all… or just never thought about it when stuck like that. But now that you bring her up… hmm."

"You know… nothing?" Saniya asked, almost sagging in the air. "And you're not? Dammit Giratina."

"Sorry," Scout replied, frowning. He shook his head. "I really don't know anything. Hearing about her was a bit of a shock really. But, uh… Wigglytuff might know something about her? Hm." Wigglytuff. That was a thought.

Scout's frown deepened as his mind clicked a piece together. It was an obvious piece, but he was a little slow sometimes. "Soothe killed Darkrai… or the previous one." He looked up to Saniya sharply. "What did YOU know about her?"

Saniya hovered in the air in silence for some time before she sighed. "Not much, to be honest. I met her… uh… you know I can't really remember. It was ages ago… or ages to come… in a future that no longer exists… hoo, paradoxes are FUN-KEY!"

"If you're asking me about her…" Scout began, but he didn't really know how to complete that line of thought.

"Yeah." Saniya nodded, understanding what he didn't. "She was my first attempt to save the world and, well… I've wondered. She might not have known where the Time Gears were, but… she had how many years to find them? Who knows? I do. I even gave the guys, you too even, some code words to say to her if you found her, and I've asked pokémon here, but no one says they've seen her around."

"A shiny audino is hard to miss," Scout agreed.

"Shiny?"

"Uh… story term for a differently-coloured pokémon… like you, actually."

"Me? Oooh! Shiny, I LIKE IT!" Saniya giggled, but she was more subdued. She sighed. "Sorry for dragging you in here, probably didn't even need to I guess."

"I'm sorry I don't know anything," Scout said, giving her a guilty smile.

She waved him off. "It's fine. She was always a bit mysterious, but she was also my first friend other than Giratina. I'd like to know stuff about her, but… I suppose I won't get the chance, will I? If she's been this quiet for so long, who even would know? And everyone will forget about her eventually."

"We will?" Scout asked before he shook his head. "Right, Dialga, paradox thing. I really don't like that."

"Neither do I," Saniya said. "The Dark Future isn't a fun place to remember, but… I still don't like the thought of losing those memories. What am I? But a collection of memories? Even more, than a normal being is. Stupid legendary thing."

"Are you… okay?" Scout asked. Saniya snorted at him, copying what she did earlier. "I mean… do you want to talk?"

"I've got a therapist now!" Saniya beamed, immensely proud of this for some reason. "But she did say to share stuff with the others. Hmm… I don't want to burden you just yet; you should probably come to see her too. With all." She gestured wildly. "THAT going on with you. Hoo boy, she could earn that Poké working on you!"

"I feel like I should be offended," Scout said, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. "But your friendly tone and overall cheerfulness make me question everything."

"That's me!" Saniya beamed and giggled, flying around him a few times. "Let's get out of here. Oh! And let's not tell them what we talked about; we'll make them think it's some super dramatic secret!"

"I don't know if I want to keep any more secrets," Scout said, walking after her. They hadn't entered too far into the dungeon and could still leave through the entrance.

"It's not like it'll be a real secret!"

Scout chuckled wearily and followed on. He felt tired, this day had been very long and emotionally draining, but he had one last pair to have a difficult conversation with.

---

"So… you are telling me you have some sort of extended knowledge of the world and various important events?" Armaldo asked.

"That's one way to look at it, yes." Scout nodded.

"Hm."

After returning to the guild, Scout didn't go to Armaldo and Wigglytuff immediately. They had dinner first, the rest of the guild celebrated his return, and pokémon were sent to bed. Scout had loitered behind after sending Mane and Rai off to speak to the pair.

Understanding he had something important and private to discuss, Armaldo took them to Wigglytuff's library and used a Mute Orb to give them secrecy.

As long as they remained within a certain threshold, and this didn't take too long, no sound would escape the bubble.

And so, for the third time in his life, Scout spilled the beans.

Chatot had been incredulous but understanding. Team's Ion and Sunrise had been questioning and somewhat difficult. Armaldo and Wigglytuff listened to Scout in thoughtful silence, only speaking up to ask clarification on something.

Once he was done, his throat hurt now, Scout waited for them to respond.

"You said that… events went a lot different from what you expected?" Wigglytuff asked. "What exactly?"

Scout grimaced slightly, but it was better to rip the band-aid off now. "Chatot, he uh… wasn't… he didn't die in the story." Wigglytuff was dead silent. "It's what I meant earlier b-by… sorry."

"Before we get emotional," Armaldo said, cutting in. "If I understand right, you didn't do anything specific to get him killed. Right?"

"Never! I even tried to warn him about Kabutops… unless that…"

"I warned him too," Wigglytuff said, softly. He looked highly downcast, but there was no rumbling of a Yoom-TAH coming, so Scout wasn't too worried.

He was guilty, however. "I didn't mean for it, b-but… I am afraid my interference caused a change big enough that…"

"You said things were different before you even woke up," Armaldo grunted. "I highly doubt you did anything that could feasibly be considered killing him. Calm down and don't beat yourself up about it."

Scout still frowned; he knew it was his fault in some regard.

"Regardless, another point is raised. You touched on this Darkrai baddie. What can you tell us about him?"

Eager to move on from that topic, Scout immediately went into everything he knew about Darkrai. "Darkrai is a powerful legendary pokémon, he's a Dark-type if that wasn't clear, and can create nightmares just with his presence. Or it's involuntary, just being around him asleep locks you into nightmares."

"This darkrai, he… look I don't really know WHY he's evil, other darkrai are spooky but… good. This one… in the story, he was the one who damaged the Temporal Tower and led to the collapse of time as he wanted to rule a world of darkness. After it was stopped, in the story, he moved onto messing with space and Palkia."

Thinking hard, Scout tapped a claw. "He… powers up his nightmare abilities… somehow. He actually locks Azurill in a nightmare that no one besides Cresselia, Darkrai dream-based counterpart, could wake him up from. And in dreams, Darkrai can enter them and even disguise himself AS Cresselia."

"We'll need to make sure the family is safe," Armaldo said, quietly. "Especially with Team Sunrise possibly causing Darkrai to notice them with their sessions with Azumarill."

"How was Darkrai stopped?" Wigglytuff asked. "I presume he was?"

"In the story, yes." Scout nodded. "He was stopped when Cresselia turns up to explain about him, and he asks… I suppose Team Ion to meet him in the Dark Crater for a showdown. It's a trap, he's got allies, and after he was beaten, he tried to escape."

Scout frowned as that memory came back. "That's the hardest thing, he was able to open a time/space hole, the same kind of one Dusknoir was able to open, to escape with. He was only stopped when Palkia intervened, attacked him as he ran into it, and caused HIM to lose his memory. Same thing he did to Sean… and me, he was the one who attacked us travelling back in time and is the reason Sean turned into a pokémon."

"Who was his allies?" Armaldo asked, letting Wigglytuff think over what else was said.

"Uh… I know there was a rhyperior… I think… uh… I'm sorry. I can't really remember besides that. There might have been an arbok." Scout frowned, wracking his brain. It was too blurry and minor of a memory to really grab onto.

"Can you give us a rundown on Darkrai's actions in order?" Wigglytuff asked. "Before we get too ahead of ourselves."

"Things are definitely different for this time," Scout pointed out.

Wigglytuff nodded. "I understand. But knowing what Darkrai would do could help us work out what he will do."

"You're taking this very well," Scout said, a little surprised. "Do you actually believe me?"

"I think belief is too strong of a word," Armaldo grunted. "But we've been dealing with Mystery Dungeons all our lives and recently had pokémon from the future come to change time. What you're claiming is a little difficult to believe, but it's not something we can immediately dismiss."

"What Armaldo said." Wigglytuff nodded. "If nothing else, I believe you believe what you're saying."

With a somewhat crooked smile at that remark, Scout went into the spiel of what he could remember. Darkrai tormenting the heroes with nightmares. Locking Azurill into a nightmare and being confronted there. Being kidnapped by Palkia, stopping the space dragon, and Darkrai locking it into a nightmare as well.

Throughout it, the two pokémon listened and asked questions when Scout paused for breath. Asking for clarification of events, or how Darkrai may have committed his foul deeds. Scout couldn't answer everything, to his regret, but he wasn't told off for not knowing.

Once they had gone through everything Scout could think of, and all questions had been asked, Scout had another thing to add.

"I guess that leads us into the main thing I wanted to say, and the other thing I wanted to ask."

"From what you've said," Armaldo began, "it sounds like you do have something more to say. Do you have some idea of Darkrai's first move?"

"I think I am Darkrai's first move," Scout admitted. "He could see me when I was stuck as that memory ghost thing. This is where things get complicated."

Both pokémon listened in complete silence, no questions, as Scout told them of his meetings with Darkrai. How the nightmare bringer claimed he had changed, how it was Darkrai who brought him back to the world.

Armaldo didn't look impressed. "You knew that this pokémon is a manipulator and you still trusted it?" he barked.

Scout nodded, throat feeling tight. "Yeah… I… look I'm not going to try and defend myself here. It was either a colossal mistake, and I've put everyone in danger, or he has changed and things are fine. But already there is something different about me, with my fur and type. So… I'd like to err on the side of caution and treat this like another enormous mistake on my part."

Armaldo continued to look deeply unimpressed. "I've only heard stories of you, Meowth," he said, voice low and gruff. "And, I'll be honest, I always believed them to be some sort of glorification. Shinx and Litleo would not speak much of issues you had or problems you caused, but I've heard a lot from others beyond them."

Scout cringed, but he didn't shy away. Team Sunrise had been nice, Rai and Mane had been nice, he knew part of that was because they did care about him personally. Armaldo did not possess the same curtsy towards him.

Wigglytuff was silent as Armaldo had been speaking, but as he paused, he spoke. "I… have to agree. Meowth… I am not going to punish you for wanting to live. Perhaps Darkrai has changed. But if he hasn't you've made a very large gamble with consequences you clearly don't know the stakes too."

It felt worse to receive this from Wigglytuff.

He wanted to apologise or speak in his defence. He was doing stuff now, warning everyone, telling them the full truth and stopping the lies.

Still, a traitorous part of his mind hissed. "But are you only telling them now because you have made this mistake? Would you have told them otherwise? Now that you've put them all in danger, you have to tell them or risk things getting even worse later when it all goes to hell."

The words of apology and defence touched Scout's lips, and he nearly spoke them. But he did not. "I am ready to do what I have to do to fix this," he said, instead. "I think a part of why I keep making these mistakes is because I've been trying to handle it all myself, and I clearly can't. I can't do this myself, so, please. If there is anything I can explain, any questions, I'll answer them as best as I can."

Wigglytuff nodded and looked to Armaldo. He still didn't look happy, but he shrugged. "It's foolish you hid all this in the first place, but I know there is no point that it is too late to make a change. As long as you are willing to work at it and work hard."

"I am."

"We'll see. But for now, is there anything else?" Armaldo gestured to the door. "If not, the Guildmaster and I will discuss things further in private, and we will begin crafting a plan soon."

Scout glanced back and considered leaving, but he did have one more thing. The pair sensed it. Saniya had made him think of it, as had Darkrai. "Yeah… I do have one more thing I want to talk about. It's half a question though."

Scout hadn't asked any questions of his own so far, so that caught their interest. "Alright, go ahead." Wigglytuff nodded.

Girding himself, Scout nodded. "Okay. When Darkrai was talking about why and how he changed, he mentioned… he mentioned the previous Darkrai getting killed and this being why he was... well, evil."

Wigglytuff went very still.

"He also said that a contributing factor of his 'change of heart' was knowing that the pokémon who killed him… Soothe, was now erased from reality. I just… I don't know who she was. She was not part of the story that I knew, but Chatot told us that you and he knew her. So… I was just wondering… what happened?"

Wigglytuff closed his eyes in pain. Armaldo gave him a curious look. He hadn't seen his protégé in some time, but a distant memory or two were tickled of a certain Team With No Name having three members. Chatot, Wigglytuff, and Audino.

"If you… don't want to answer," Scout started, seeing Wigglytuff's reluctance.

"I'd like to hear this as well," Armaldo said. "I remember hearing about her. And if she has a connection to Darkrai, this is something we should discuss."

Wigglytuff swallowed, he trembled slightly but steadied himself. "O-okay, um… uh…" Wigglytuff glanced between Scout and Armaldo, visible fear flickering across his face. "Okay… please don't get upset."

"I don't like that you're starting with that," Armaldo said.

"Promise."

"You know I won't do that."

Wigglytuff sighed and rubbed his face with both paws. "This isn't exactly easy for me to talk about. Please, I don't think I can talk about this if you're going to get upset with me."

Armaldo took a deep and heavy breath. "I will… try to keep calm."

Knowing that was the best he was going to get, Wigglytuff began.

"Ch-Chatot and I met Soothe in… well, in Brine Cave. After Kabutops." Wigglytuff spoke the word with venomous hatred, startling Scout. "Attacked us, I ran to the back with Chatot bleeding… ah..." It was clear that it hurt to think about this. "Okay, okay, Soothe saved his life, and we ended up inviting her to come with us. She agreed, and soon she became our third member. Things went amazing for about two years… then…"

Wigglytuff smiled before sniffling briefly. The topic was bringing back happy and painful memories. "I wanted to travel to Treeshroud Forest," he admitted, quietly. "And we took a few months to get there. On the way Soothe… she… she became quieter, sullen, withdrawn. Chatot and I were a little worried, but there had been times she'd be somewhat depressed, and she always bounced out of it."

He began to frown deeper; these were not pleasant memories for the Guildmaster. "Once we reached the end of the dungeon we encountered… well, we didn't know what the Guardian was, at first, I later learned that it was the legendary Darkrai. But… upon sighting the Time Gear and Darkrai, Soothe… she…"

Wigglytuff swallowed and bent his head. "I… can't really describe it. I don't want to. It doesn't matter how she did. She just… she inflicted mortal wounds on it. Something just… snapped within her. Chatot he… he was so good, he knew this wasn't right, and he tried to talk sense into her, stop her."

Wigglytuff touched the old scar on his stomach, mostly hidden with his soft fur. "She turned on him. I saved him and got this scar, and I had to fight her. She briefly seemed to recognise me after she struck me, but then… well. She seemed to lose herself completely and began… she began… she began… uh."

Armaldo hissed in a sharp breath, he connected the dots. "A Shadow Pokémon?"

Wigglytuff nodded, dead silent.

"How? Did Darkrai attack her?"

"No. She attacked him first."

"So…" Armaldo frowned deeply, but it softened slightly as he looked down at Wigglytuff. "I am guessing there were no other periods where she may have been slain?"

"No."

"So she was likely a Shadow Pokémon manipulating you from the start."

Wigglytuff didn't respond to that one. He didn't have to.

Scout raised a paw. "What… exactly is a Shadow Pokémon? I mean… the ones I know are… something, but the way Dusknoir explained it all that time ago makes them seem… different here."

Armaldo gave him a perturbed look as if the idea of other Shadow Pokémon disturbed him. "Shadow Pokémon come in two known variants. You have the obvious, and the subtle."

"When Dusknoir explained it," Wigglytuff began. "He was more relating that lesson to the subtle kind. They are a great deal rarer than the obvious, or at least we think so. Them being impossible to actually detect helps conceal them greatly."

"The obvious kind are half-mad," Armaldo continued, "or more like entirely mad but can speak and act in broken ways. Vestiges of their former mind coming out as if on an automatic movement, like your heartbeat or breathing. They have a visible purplish glow to them and are erratic and violent. They are highly dangerous but are much easier to deal with."

"While the subtle are… well, as the name implies." Wigglytuff shrugged. "They act the same as they did before. They sound the same. They are still… sane in a way. Although this is disputable. Even though they can act and behave like a normal pokémon, they aren't. And all Shadow Pokémon are driven to create more of their kind."

"How… does that happen?" Scout asked. He hadn't expected a lesson on this, but it was interesting. He thought about the one he, Rai, and Mane had fought. The one that had killed Rai's family. That one was clearly an obvious one.

"Two ways," Armaldo said. "Dying in a dungeon seems to be a way. Although it's not reliably truthful. There might be other factors involved we don't understand yet. But such reasons were a large part of why Rescue Teams were formed in the first place, first guided by Lucario actually."

"While the second way," Wigglytuff added, "is being killed BY a Shadow Pokémon. Dying to an obvious one appears… less likely to become a Shadow Pokémon, while potentially every pokémon murdered by the subtle ones become Shadow Pokémon themselves. Thankfully, if there could be any thanks in this situation, subtle ones do not necessarily create more subtle ones, and they appear to be extremely rare themselves."

"No matter how well they hide behind the mask of who they once were," Armaldo said, gravity in his words, "their true nature comes out eventually. Soothe clearly reached her limit."

Wigglytuff looked away. "Now that I understand that she was from the future it… perhaps makes sense. Tri-Chatot told me a little about how the Dark Future was. I could not imagine a world so cruel."

Scout nodded, and Armaldo rubbed his jaw. "Hmm… I have never heard of a Shadow Pokémon slaying a legendary pokémon before… with the revival that legendary pokémon go through… but if Soothe truly was a Shadow Pokémon, which seems clear, then I wonder."

"You think Darkrai could be a Shadow Pokémon?" Scout asked, alarmed. He looked down at himself.

"It's a possibility we can't ignore," Armaldo said. "I don't know if the infection that Shadow Pokémon spread could supersede a legendary pokémon's revival, but if it could… that may explain why Darkrai went from a peaceful guardian to someone who tried to end the world."

"It'd also mean that he's definitely bad," Scout said, frowning deeply. "Still."

"Yes," Armaldo said, narrowing his eyes at Scout. "It would."

Things fell into an awkward silence. Scout looked at his body in a new way, while Armaldo and Wigglytuff stewed in silence. Armaldo in concern, Wigglytuff in guilt. Oh so heavy guilt.

"I have something more I have to say," Wigglytuff began, bringing their eyes to him. "I… uh… uh…" he frowned, looked like he was about to cry, but withheld himself. "About Soothe."

He lapsed into silence, trying to find his words. And something bubbled up in Scout's mind. "She was still alive," he gasped, Saniya's words coming back to him. "Before time was changed! Saniya, uh Celebi, said so."

Armaldo went stiff and turned to Wigglytuff, who positively cringed. "Explain."

"W-When… during the… uh… I couldn't go through with destroying her," Wigglytuff babbled. "She was my friend! I couldn't be sure if she was really a Shadow Pokémon and, and, and… uh… I-I-I-I thought I might be able to find a way to save her."

Armaldo was stone silent.

"There are ways, myths say!" Wigglytuff stated. "Legends of humans purifying Shadow Pokémon. And, uh… there has to be some way. There HAS to be."

"It is my understanding that you killed her," Armaldo said, lowly. "Rumours travel far, even if they aren't spoken of out loud. I heard she was slain, and that you and Chatot never wanted to speak of it."

"Chatot… didn't know," Wigglytuff admitted, "until he returned from the future and confronted me about it, away from everyone else."

"You… allowed a Shadow Pokémon... most likely a subtle type... you allowed her to go free… for over fifteen years?" Armaldo asked. Wigglytuff swallowed. "Meowth. We will need to continue speaking another day... or night. Wigglytuff and I have something important we need to talk about."

The anger emanating from Armaldo was palpable, and Scout was already edging away. "N-no worries. Uh, goodnight."

Neither of them responded. Wigglytuff bracing and Armaldo almost crackling with energy. Scout ducked out the library doors and then through Wigglytuff room.

The Mute Orbs effects were useful but held a certain limit of how much volume they could block out. Even as Scout moved to open the large, heavy, doors of Wigglytuff's meeting room, he could hear Armaldo start yelling.

"YOU INCONCEIVABLE IDIOT!" Scout gave up and just ran for his room, letting Wigglytuff take this wholly and entirely.

He had things of his own to fret about for the night. Mind swirling with thoughts of Darkrai and Shadow Pokémon. Rai and Mane were waiting for him as he slipped into their room, and their presence helped.

The three of them didn't need to say anything, Scout was quickly pulled into the bed and surrounded with shinx and litleo warmth. It was like they were guarding him from anyone else who tried to steal him away, and Scout found himself feeling safe there.

He could deal with whatever was coming tomorrow.

---

Come on. Who DIDN'T expect something like this for chapter 40? I know Setech did, so good work there! But I can't be too predictable, Scout has TOLD people!

Ah… the kitties are FINALLY BACK TOGETHER. It feels SO GOOD to write that.

The quest to revive Scout comes to a close. Sort of a mini-arc to start us off in Arc 2. I knew I didn't want his return to take TOO long. I originally planned on it to be the previous chapter, but then I noticed the chapter after it would be 40, and so… obviously, I had to save it till this one :P

What do you all think about that? I've been discussing this a fair bit with my beta, and another and the overall thoughts I had from them were positive. There is, of course, if we HADN'T have been seeing Scout's POV through this, it will look like a deus ex machina, and that's no good. But since we had, we saw what struggles he went through until coming to that decision.

Heh. But what a decision? Looks like he trusted Darkrai in the end. What do you all think of Darkrai now?

There is also a partial species-switch. This was actually suggested by the other person I discuss story stuff with AGES ago. And I thought the idea was clever. For the record, Scout only has the colouration of an alolan meowth, his normal features are, well, like your standard meowth. But he IS a Dark-type now. Any guesses as to why that happened? :P

Lastly, I'd like to say just how excited I am moving forward! Who's gotten a bit sick of everything being all doom, gloom, and bad-emotional? Because I sure have. Things were a bit sad during the grave scene, but… well. Hard to avoid that.

There were a few other heavy stuff. Scout TOLD them the Real Truth and has even learned a thing or two spooky things from Armaldo and Wigglytuff.

Despite that, I think it's time to lighten things up with something more interesting! Just what that is, well, you'll see! I'll have it introduced in the next chapter or two I think, hopefully!

With that. Thanks as always, love you all!