"Ooh! Team Celebi and the Bois!"

Striker, Saniya, and Guardian spent their waiting time discussing ideas for names while Wigglytuff and Armaldo prepared to explain the situation to the town.

Officer Magnezone, two magnetons, and Deputy Magnemite had also arrived to make sure the townsfolk were informed of what was going on. Magnemite had gone on ahead to gather the citizens of Treasure Town and prepare them for Dusknoir's arrival.

In the meantime, Guardian had pointed out that if they were to be a team, they were going to need a team name.

Saniya had ideas.

"Team PIT. Team Super Gals. Team Saviour… Team Charm!"

"BZZT! There is already a Team Charm. BZZT!"

Saniya cursed some filthy curse words then vowed, "They've made the list!"

"Team Charm are good pokémon," Guardian said tiredly.

"Fine, fine. Team… Randy Dandy!"

"Who's that?" Wigglytuff asked, rolling down the slope with Armaldo plodding along behind him.

"Move it you three," Armaldo said. "The sooner we get this over with, the sooner I can relax."

Wigglytuff giggled as they all began to trek to Treasure Town. "You never relax."

Armaldo didn't grace that with a response.

The three pokémon of a nameless team stepped somewhat quietly. Striker did, at least, Saniya tried to trip Armaldo until Guardian grabbed her and carried her the rest of the way, both of them floating regardless.

Deputy Magnemite had a crowd ready for them, which left all three various shades of anxiety. Striker didn't like crowds, especially this specific crowd, thanks to his previous encounters with the pokémon of Treasure Town.

Flighty, judgemental, quick to point fingers, and judge. Extra judgemental. He wasn't looking forward to this.

Saniya was perhaps tenser, and she had very little experience with so many pokémon at once. Most people were a potential risk of selling her out in the Dark Future or would try to contain her in place to protect their settlement.

Guardian was paradoxically the calmest of the three.

Wigglytuff went ahead of them to explain the situation before thrusting the three into the spotlight, with Armaldo and Magneton remaining back with them. Officer Magnezone went to relieve their deputy.

"Pokémon of Treasure Town!" Wigglytuff boomed, raising both paws. "We have amazing news! Some of the heroes of time that were lost have returned!"

The crowd, who had some idea of what to expect, cheered in confusion. Wigglytuff sounded happy, and his words began to register, leading to a wider cheer.

"Grovyle has returned as have two other heroes," Wigglytuff continued. Magnezone gave him an annoying buzz at that. "We are still looking into Meowth, but Celebi, the pokémon who sent our heroes back in time, as well as Dusknoir, have returned safely!"

The cheers stopped.

Wigglytuff continued to beam and gestured to where Armaldo was, out of sight.

"Now, the guild and Team Magnezone are not willing to allow Dusknoir free just like that," Wigglytuff explained, a mite more serious now. Slowly, Striker slunk into view. "We have assurances from both Shinx as well as Grovyle and Celebi that Dusknoir has, in fact, changed his ways and assisted in saving time."

Saniya floated in next, surprisingly bashful, and she hid behind Striker. Guardian was last, with Armaldo with him. Hisses and boos immediately began to break across the crowd, but Guardian didn't react to it.

"Guildmaster Wigglytuff, you cannot be serious!" a villager shouted.

"That guy nearly killed us all!"

"He kidnapped Meowth, Chatot, Riolu, and Litleo!"

"He lied to us all! Manipulated us all!"

"He poisoned our water supply, burned our crops, and delivered a plague unto our houses!"

"He… did?" Wigglytuff asked, puzzled.

"NO! But are we just going to stand around until he does?"

The accusations began to build, and Wigglytuff needed to resort to a minor Yoom- TAH to quiet the crowd.

"Yes," he said. "We all know what Dusknoir has done, but out of respect for Grovyle the Hero's wishes, we are giving Dusknoir a role to play to begin making up for what he has done. He will be under watch and guard by the guild, Team Magnezone, as well as Grovyle and Celebi. The three of them will be doing work for the town, work the guild usually doesn't take. Assistance around town."

He paused for a moment to let this sink in. Quickly, mutters of discontent began to build again. Someone yelled out.

"How can we trust he's not using us again?"

At that, Striker stepped forward.

"Citizens of Treasure Town," he said, voice deep and serious, spreading across the crowd, and more than a few pokémon shivered. "I have stood here having lost everything as you all questioned my intentions."

That caused a few flinches and turned cheeks.

"Now I stand here again, alive despite my sacrifice, time still standing for us all. Shinx, Riolu, Chatot, Meowth, Celebi, myself, and yes, Dusknoir." He nodded to Guardian. "All played instrumental roles in saving you all. I won't defend Dusknoir's wrongdoings. However, I do understand them. We are here, and we only wish to ask one thing, one thing for everything we did to save you all. Give us a chance."

"He… he was the one who took everything from you!" someone yelled, but unlike before, there wasn't a quick murmur of agreement throughout the crowd.

"And I have forgiven him," Striker replied. "I understand if you cannot yet. At least for now. But I swear to you all that not only has Dusknoir changed, but we shall prove it. Celebi and I will be with him at all times, working together for the benefit of pokémon in this… in the world. There will be no risk to you; we only ask for a chance. Please."

Wigglytuff smiled at Striker, and the grovyle stepped back. Striker doubted this would convince much of anyone really, but regardless of Treasure Town's feelings on the matter, this was going to happen. He simply hoped he could sway some from giving them a hard time about it.

Wigglytuff, with Armaldo's help, explained the rest of the situation as well as the rules around Armaldo. The vast majority of pokémon were not happy to see Dusknoir again, but the presence of Grovyle was helping.

Soon enough, everyone dissembled to their days, murmuring about the new developments. Armaldo had asked for the pokémon to deliver requests to the guild that generally would not be considered for guild work. Such a prospect, free labour even, was appealing to some of the more frugal pokémon in the town.

Until they were given direction, the team without a name stuck around Armaldo, listening to Saniya list even zanier names to call themselves.

"Team Trucker Hat. I don't know what that is, but Giratina talked about hating them. Ooh! Team Grumpy Giratina!"

"Why not just go all the way and call us Team Offensive?" Guardian muttered, crossing his arms. He hadn't reacted to any of the barbs being yelled his way, but he had felt them.

"According to what I've heard," Armaldo said suddenly, speaking up from where he was relaxing. "You could call yourself Team Handsome."

"No one asked for your opinion, Pinchy," Saniya snapped.

Armaldo snorted. "That the best you've got?"

"I don't see you coming up with any insults! Too afraid to sling with the celebi?"

"You're not worth it."

Saniya gasped, went purple, and began flicking Armaldo. "You are the meanest, rudest, and most insufferable cretin to ever crawl out of the ooze that you were laid in."

"Thank you."

Fearing that Saniya may have an aneurysm, Striker stepped up and pulled her back, letting her throw fists at Armaldo from afar. "Let me at 'em!" she demanded, pumping her wings. "Let me at 'em!"

"I think she needs some juice and a nap," Armaldo said.

"Yes, I do!" Saniya snapped. "Those town pokémon were so mean to Guardian. He needs juice and a nap as well! And they all need to have splinters in their feet. I'll put splinters in their feet," she muttered.

"I'm not your therapist," Armaldo yawned. "Although you clearly need one."

"I don't know what that is, so I hate it!"

"It's someone who coaches you through your problems. Of which, you, in particular, clearly have many. Riolu attends sessions."

"May we please calm down," Striker asked, bordering on pleading.

"No! Because he's completely right and I hate that even more! Get me a therapist."

"There's only one in town," Armaldo said, turning to look at them properly. "And she may not want to entertain you with Dusknoir's bad reputation here."

"Then I shall make everyone LOVE us!" Saniya declared. "Then, I will get a therapist."

"Sure, you'll need to abide by some rules."

"Fine."

"Such as not attacking anyone who annoys you."

"Whatever."

"Or picking endless arguments over trivial matters."

"Alright."

"And following directions always, not just when you please."

"Well…."

"And listening and abiding when someone tells you to stop."

"You're no fun."

Armaldo levelled her with a serious look. "I am serious. Behave and I'll speak to Azumarill. Based on what hell you've been through, if the rumours I've heard are anywhere close to true, all three of you will likely need it. Riolu too."

"I don't see the big deal," Striker said, but Saniya gave him a look. It was odd; it was half flirty, half weak, and all wanting that had nothing to do with him.

"I don't want to do it alone," she said quietly.

"Alright," Striker sighed, and she perked up.

"That goes for all three of you," Armaldo pointed out.

"Yes, we'll abide by your rules," Striker said. "We already agreed to."

Armaldo nodded. "Good. It is simply preferable to ensure everyone understands the benefits here. You will help and be helped. The guild will pay Azumarill for her services, assuming you three continue to abide by the rules."

As an understanding was reached, the older pokémon took them back to the guild to ready them for whatever job he could pull together on this first day. Saniya still vowed to trip Armaldo over one day.

A day of carrying items under scrutiny from Croagunk, two magnetons, and the whole town had been exhausting and their day was not yet over.

Armaldo had gotten word from Spinda that he had some items he also needed to be moved. But his café was not yet open, leaving the trio to wait around at the crossroads awkwardly. Loitering in town didn't seem like a smart idea, and returning to the guild was simply asking for Saniya to argue with Armaldo again.

The guild's pokémon also would just be more of the same as heading into town. So, the three with their trio of guards just stood around.

Guardian was quiet, as he had been told by Armaldo to be quiet. Striker was quiet; he was just tired. Saniya was not quiet.

"Team… Loop. Team Sugar. Team Berry. Team Orb-Haters!"

"That's untrue," Striker said, heat entering his words even as his voice was scratchy.

"Team…"

"Go-Getters?" Guardian said, suddenly.

Saniya cocked her head. "Hmm…"

"No, them." Guardian pointed, and two pairs of eyes followed along the path. Returning to Treasure Town from a difficult rescue, each member carrying a different pokémon, was none other than Team Go-Getters.

"They stole your name!" Saniya gasped. "I'll regain your honour."

Guardian caught her as she tried to zoom past him. "No," he said tiredly. "They roused Rayquaza to prevent a meteor from impacting the world. The first known human team."

"Hm." Saniya stroked her chin. "I want to talk to them!" She freed herself of Guardian's hold and zipped to them. "HI!"

In terms of surprise encounters, Team Go-Getters was accustomed to pokémon coming right into their personal space and screeching at them. Therefore, there was hardly a reaction before Chikorita smiled. "Hello there."

Held above her, in Chikorita's vines, was an unconscious dragonair. Charizard held a flygon, while Wartortle carried a deino.

"Ooh, beat up some bad guys, did you!" Saniya beamed.

Chikorita shook her head. "No-no. A rescue of Team Drake. They need some help, so may we pass?"

Saniya did move aside, and Team Go-Getters quickly headed up to the guild.

Hoping they'd return, Saniya floated back and forth at the road break that headed to the guild. It took a few minutes, but the legendary team appeared heading back, and Saniya beamed. "HI!"

Chikorita gave a small sigh but put on a charming expression and led the way with the boys behind her. "Hello. Celebi, right?"

"Ah, my reputation precedes me."

Chikorita nodded. "Also, Armaldo explained what was going on."

Saniya sagged. "Gosh darn it!" She pouted and then crossed her arms. "I guess you hate us all too."

"Not at all," Charizard gasped, offended at the prospect of hatred. Wartortle nudged him.

"It's… something," Chikorita said, "but we don't agree with judging solely on the opinions of others." Charizard and Wartortle nodded, one particular pokémon in mind as they did so.

"If you're going to be sticking around, then we might get to know you." Eyes turned to Wartortle, and he stepped forward to offer his hand to Saniya. "I'm Wartortle. It's great to meet you."

Saniya took his hand and gave a vigorous shake, rattling him for a moment. "Hooray! I like you three. You are reasonable." She beamed and received smiles in return. Saniya looked down at the hand she was still shaking and hummed. "Human, right?"

Wartortle couldn't help but blink. "Sure am. You heard about me in the future?"

Releasing him, Saniya shook her head. "Not at all. Dusknoir had to tell me what your team was called. Did you say anything about humans?" she asked, turning to him.

He nodded in confusion.

"I wasn't listening," she said, turning back to Wartortle. "It's just pretty obvious that you were human, shaking hands and all. That's what Sean does when he meets new people! Oh! Are you overly attached to your clothes as well? Sean would just NEVER let me have them, saying 'These are the only things I have' and 'I'm cold now'."

"Humans tend to like to keep their clothes on," Wartortle replied, casting pleading looks at Chikorita. She just smirked at him and strolled over to talk to Striker.

"Were you tall? Sean was pretty tall; he's much shorter now. How much shorter are you?"

"Uh, it's been a while," Wartortle answered, still puzzled. "I know I was taller than I am now though."

"Oh! Oh! Oh!" She bounced in the air, growing more excited. "Do you know who brought you to our world? Because you were called to this timeline, right?"

"No time travel for me," Wartortle confirmed. "I, uh… don't know the specifics of it. I know that Gardevoir played some part, but she doesn't exactly remember much of anything."

"Cool, maybe Giratina summoned more thaaannn," Saniya trailed off as Striker and Guardian turned to look at her. She giggled and waved them away. "So then, uh, is your name Gabriel?"

She leaned in, suddenly very eager.

"N-no?"

"DAMMIT!" Saniya yelled and immediately pulled a mirror from… somewhere. "Giratina, you complete ass… oh."

Her fury completely faded, and she sighed. Striker quietly took the mirror off her and gave her a pat on the back.

"I'm sorry," Saniya said, not looking at Team Go-Getters. "I'm definitely making you uncomfortable. If you'd like to leave, that's fine."

She fluttered back, bumping into Guardian. "Are you alright?" he asked quietly.

"Of course."

"Okay!" Chikorita declared, she had been talking with Striker for long enough. "That settles it. The three of you are joining us at Spinda's Café once it's open!"

"Huh?" Saniya asked.

"You…?" Guardian began but quietened himself.

Chikorita nodded, and Striker was smiling. "Once that work is done for the day, we've GOT to keep talking." She grabbed Charizard and Wartortle in her vines. "You're going to LOVE the stories."

"If you say so?" Wartortle said but was smiling. Charizard was still rather bashful around new people, so he said nothing.

"You actually want to talk to us?" Saniya asked, before beaming. "YES! I knew our natural charisma was too much. Or was it Striker's dreamy voice, it was wasn't it?"

"That may have played a role," Chikorita giggled. "But seriously. I think it could be fun to swap some stories, it's impossible to talk to Jessica. So, tonight, once you're done. You're doing something for Spinda, right?" They nodded. "Sweet. We'll be here."

"It's a date!" Saniya yelled. "It'll be even better than the one these two went on."

Without a moment of hesitation, Striker and Guardian shouted, "THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN."

Saniya winked, and Chikorita grinned back, waving as the two world-saving teams parted ways.

Happy again, Saniya did circles around the embarrassed pair until Spinda came wobbling up to them to tell them what needed to be moved.

The day was good.

After setting off in the early morning after a terrible night of sleep, the trio of pokémon rode back on Lapras, arriving at the beach sometime past noon.

Rai jumped down first and thanked Lapras for taking them back and forth so many times.

"Thank you , Shinx," Lapras said, giving a happy bow. "It's what I'm here for. If you need to return to the Hidden Land, don't hesitate to ask. I'll remain around Treasure Town, rather than Brine Cave. It's quite lovely here, and I suppose I no longer need to uphold my family's destiny. Regardless, thank you for saving time."

Pink in the ears, Rai slinked away, needing to run to catch up to Sean and Mane already on the way back.

Before they left the beach completely, Sean did turn around to call his thanks. And Mane did so as well. Lapras waved them off with a flipper, and they left; Beach Cave yawned at them in the distance, catching Lapras' attention.

The trip to the guild was achieved in short order, and Diglett and Loudred let them in with no hesitation.

Sean kept a keen eye out for his friends but was disappointed to find them nowhere. He looked down before noticing Armaldo, making his way towards him, head and tail hitting the walls as he approached.

"What did you learn?" Wigglytuff asked them as he approached. There wasn't much of the guild assembled, being the middle of the day that the majority of them were out on work. Chimecho and Croagunk were the only other members around, having jobs to do that were done in the guild itself.

"Dialga won't bring him back," Rai explained, bitterness trickling through his words. "Dialga said… he said that the injuries he had were too severe, and if he was revived, he'd die from them anyway."

"He was a bit of an ass about it too," Sean muttered.

"In the end," Mane finished for the two of them, "Dialga won't help. BUT that's not going to stop us. He said that some Arceus revived the first three, and if Arceus could revive them, then it could revive Meowth as well! Maybe even heal him, or we can find someone who can. There's got to be a way."

Saddened by the news, but accepting it, for now, Wigglytuff nodded. "Alright. Well… while this was not the news we had hoped for, as you said, there might be another way. We cannot give up hope!"

"Here-here."

Armaldo made a sound. It might have been a scoff. Their eyes turned to him.

"Where are you starting with this?" Armaldo asked, pointing out the mamoswine in the room. "A not-so-local deity has told you this won't happen, and you're hoping beyond hope that another one will make it happen."

"W-well," Rai began, but Armaldo was not yet finished.

"Even if it might, which still begs the question of why hasn't it revived him already, how are you going to find this… Arceus? The name only rings the faintest of bells in my head, and I've been an explorer for a very long time."

"Armaldo IS old," Wigglytuff agreed.

Armaldo gave him a glare for that. "OLDER than you. But I'm not old yet, junior."

"We'll ask Elder Torkoal!" Rai said, after considering Armaldo's words for a moment. "He might have an idea."

"Say he does," Armaldo said. "What then?"

"I…."

"We'll pack supplies," Mane answered, relieving Rai and taking Armaldo's gaze unto himself.

"Are you going to ask permission from the Guild before you go traipsing off into the wilderness?" Armaldo asked.

"They can go!" Wigglytuff beamed.

Armaldo was silent for a moment before sighing. "I'm trying to make a point here, Wigglytuff."

"Oops. Sorry."

Shaking his head, he turned back to the contemplative trio. "Well? Fine. Wigglytuff says you can go, but for how long? Where to? What are you going to do if your path runs dry? Or you run out of money? Or one of you gets hurt? What are you going to do if you're searching for a way to bring back your friend, and it takes months? Years? It could take your whole life, and you may not even succeed."

"I," Rai began, but he had no answer.

Armaldo's glare didn't exactly soften, but it became less fierce. "You two are young still. The world is at your paws, are you really going to waste it trying to bring someone back? The dead don't return in any good way. They are either dead, Ghost-type's with little memory, or Shadow Pokémon."

"Grovyle, Celebi, and even DUSKNOIR are back! Why does Dusknoir get to return and not Scout?"

"Meowth," Armaldo said, stressing the word, "was dying. Dialga explained that, or did you misspeak?"

Rai and Mane shared a desperate look, they turned to Sean, but he didn't have any idea of what to say to this.

"I… I can't just give up," Rai admitted softly. "There are so many things I still wanted to say to him. He was my best friend and I didn't get to tell him that he was more than that to me. I didn't have anyone else, and he made me feel so strong. Like I could actually do it. And I did. Thanks to him."

"You cannot place your failures onto others," Armaldo said, gruffly, "and that goes for your successes as well. What YOU did, you did. Not him."

"I'm not just going to let him disappear forever without at least trying!" Rai snapped.

Mane nodded. "Even if… even if we can't. To do NOTHING? We are explorers, and we are rescuers. He's somewhere a little harder to find, but when you see someone who needs help, you try to help. You don't just forget about them and pretend you didn't see it."

Armaldo levelled them with another hard look. "And where does 'trying' stop? You can say you'll simply try, but that is a vague statement for a reason. You can always 'try' more, harder, better. When do you reach a point where you accept it's over?"

He raised himself up fully. Armaldo was an imposing pokémon with a scarred exoskeleton, torn feathers, and the type of height that towered over anyone who wasn't Dusknoir or Kangaskhan.

"We'll ask Torkoal," Rai said. "We'll see what he has to say. If he has some idea we can plan further."

"And if he doesn't?" Mane hissed. Rai didn't really have an answer for that.

Armaldo watched the pair whisper in silence before speaking again. "You get a month," he said, immediately leaving Rai, Mane and Sean aghast. "A month to get a lead. If you don't get a lead, I will have you two give. Up."

"You can't-" Mane began, before biting his tongue, forcing down some very unpleasant words.

Rai shook slightly, but he was trying to keep calm. "Okay." Rai nodded. "And when we get a lead?"

"Then, we'll talk."

Knowing they weren't getting anything more from him, the pair nodded to him, then to each other. "We better get to Torkoal right away," Rai muttered.

"I'll see you two later," Sean said, quietly. "Armaldo told me what Striker and the gang are up to, and… he mentioned I should probably be seen with them."

"They're your friends," Mane said. "Go on, catch up with them."

Sean smiled in relief. "Good luck." And the two knew he really, truly, meant that. The three pokémon parted ways at the crossroads, Sean heading into town, while Rai and Mane walked off in silence towards the Hot Springs.

Sean breathed in heavily. The world was fine. There were next to no signs of the chaos that was before. There was no need to look over his shoulder. No need to count his breaths. No need to scramble for every scrap of food to divide fairly among his friends.

He had been brought to the Dark Future to save the world. For the last few months, a question plagued him. Now what?

A very old, or at least it felt very old, flash of memory crossed his mind. A simple wish to get back home.

Home. What was home?

Was it the place he had grown up? If that's the case, what was that?

Was it the place his parents had reared him? Or the place he had learned to stand for himself, fight for himself, and save the world?

Was his home back in the world he had been born in? Or the world he had grown up in? Grown up, Sean almost would scoff. He was still a teenager, but he dreamed of terrifying things nearly every night.

These questions circled through Sean's mind as he walked through Treasure Town. Despite the safety of the time, old habits died hard, and even in his distracted state, he was still keenly aware of as many pokémon as he could.

Pokémon that could hurt him, he caught a glance of a few Fairy-types and at least one pokémon capable of Psychic attacks.

Pokémon that could hurt the others. Ponyta and Camerupt, bad for Striker. Machoke, bad for Scout. His thoughts slammed to a halt upon thinking of Scout, and a stab of pain went through Sean's heart.

He understood what Dialga was telling them. That it simply wasn't an option. But it hurt. It hurt to know that sweet, happy, loving Scout was dying as they walked out of the tower. He wondered if he was already dying. He was so injured even moving up to the tower.

It hurt to know that Scout was hiding it, even trying to push healing on others. He remembered their second trek through the Dark Future with Litleo and Chatot, and another spike drove itself through Sean's heart at the thought. He remembered how Scout stubbornly refused the berries, even with broken claws, dislocated arm, and a serious infection.

The infection.

It must have been the biggest killer there, something that Sean knew he couldn't have helped. But even so. It wouldn't have affected him so badly had he not accumulated injuries or had he not damaged his claw in the first place.

A brief, highly spiteful thought crossed his mind. It was Guardian who had driven Scout to try to escape, breaking his claw and causing the infection. He almost wanted to tell him. Almost. Sean felt shame in even considering it, the anger fading.

He didn't quite know what he was going to say to them. What was there even to say? Or, more appropriately, where to even begin?

He had said his final goodbyes to Striker too many times.

And now they were alive again. Not merely alive, but free. Free to live.

To live.

What did that mean again?

Sean had spent so long surviving that he couldn't quite remember what it was like to live. Azumarill said it was post-traumatic-stress-disorder and her words helped.

He was confused. He was topsy-turvy. A malamar had gotten him and spun his world three ways from Sunday. He didn't know what to do, what to say. He had barely gotten to speak with them. Was it okay to call him Guardian again? Was it alright with Sean himself to consider him to be Guardian still?

What was he supposed to say now that it was all over, and that they had survived? Sean wanted it to be profound, meaningful, and glorious.

But he was too thrown to figure it out. His feet just kept walking. They had in the Hidden Land, and they had on the way back, he had tapped relentlessly on Lapras' shell. Enough he feared Litleo would toss him into the ocean.

He wanted it to mean something. And not just to mean something, but to make him understand. To tell him what this all meant, and to explain what he was going to do from here.

Ultimately, when Sean's eyes found the trio, he forgot his worries.

It was Saniya he saw first. She glittered in the light like that gosh-darn shiny pokémon she was. She giggled when he first told her that a great deal. There were no pokéball's, left, to test her with.

She was so visible, vibrant in the noon rays, talking loudly and excitedly to everyone at Kangaskhan's Storage. That was where they were working today, Armaldo had informed him. All the way across town, in Kangaskhan's large, mostly underground, stronghold.

He saw Saniya first but it was Striker who saw him. The grovyle blinked once and shook his head before focusing again, and then he whispered something sharply to Saniya.

Saniya immediately locked onto him and then zoomed in. He was always impressed by how fast she could be. Scout was the, well, scout of the group partly because of his speed. But mostly because he was the least noticeable, Saniya was the farthest from noticeable.

At least, when she didn't want to be.

"SEAN!" Saniya bellowed, reaching the entire town and confirming to them ALL that Scout's accident from all those months ago was, in fact, residual memory. It was the riolu that was the night mate.

Sean was blissfully unaware of such judgement, quick as it would pass, and accepted the zoom-hug from Saniya.

It was odd hugging her, now that he was much closer to her in size, but no less enjoyable.

There wasn't much time wasted before Striker caught up to her and grabbed them both in a firm hold, carrying them back to a cooing Kangaskhan.

"That's very sweet." She smiled warmly down at the embarrassed Sean and the completely unphased Saniya.

"I am," Saniya agreed.

"You three can take a break," Kangaskhan said, turning back to call into her storage unit. "Dusknoir? You have a visitor."

Guardian didn't take long to emerge, poking his head out curiously. His eye fell on Sean, still being cuddled by Saniya and carried by Striker.

Sean tensed slightly under Guardian's gaze, and the powerful Ghost-type averted his eye quickly. "Put me down," Sean said softly. Saniya let him go, and he slid down Striker's leg. Carefully, he walked towards the dusknoir, the old friend, the betrayer, the saviour.

They'd spoken last night. He'd even spent the night in the room with them, but Guardian had always kept someone between them, watching quietly as Striker matched Saniya's motor-mouth nature.

"I'm glad you're here," Sean said, bluntly and honestly. Guardian started slightly, and even Sean was surprised at how much he meant it.

Inexplicably, tears built in his eyes. He tried to hide them, but then they started coming harder. Kangaskhan made a soft sound, but Striker held a claw out to stop her from taking the riolu up in a crushing, motherly embrace.

Guardian stared down at Sean in confusion, then apprehension, then realisation, and finally compassion.

He floated down, phasing slightly through the ground until only his top half was visible, and he could speak to Sean without having to look down at him.

" I'm glad you're here," Guardian said, voice breaking slightly. He was always the most observant in the team. When Scout was upset, or Sean needed someone to lean on, or even when Saniya was getting self-destructive with her behaviour. Also when Striker just needed to talk. He could tell a lot through faces, body language, and tone.

Scout was gone.

And Sean was realising that he, and everyone else he loved, was alive. Except Scout. He was alive and Scout wasn't.

That duality of exhilaration and crushing speculation overwhelmed him. Maybe Guardian didn't pick all that up, not without it being directly confirmed, but he could still see that Sean was lost. He wanted to hug him as well but didn't wish to push it.

Sean, however, took Guardian lowering himself as all the permission he needed. He slammed into the stunned dusknoir with all the force of a desperate child. Sean is sixteen years old. He didn't know, but he was nearing his seventeenth birthday.

He couldn't remember his mother's eye colour, or what hand she wrote with. Or his father's smile and what type of pokémon he loved the most. He did remember his 'little brother' that bastard child sandile. He wondered if they even knew he was gone or if Killer had finished replacing him.

Guardian slowly wrapped his arms around the weeping riolu, hesitantly as if he was afraid of breaking him. Then tightly, never quite wanting to let go.

Kangaskhan let the four have space. Sean soon composed himself and explained what they had learned from Dialga. It drew a great deal of pain across Guardian's whole body to hear the full scope of his son's condition. To know he was dying and that disappearing was possibly mercy in the end, that hurt.

Sean mostly spoke to Striker and Saniya. He had hugged Guardian, but that didn't make everything that had happened simply go away. It only meant they were willing to try and mend their relationship.

With each other in sight and mind, the nameless team took Sean into their fold and properly explained what had been happening for the last few months.

The repairs to Temporal Tower took up most of the discussion.

Saniya had a few things to add about Treasure Town.

"Everyone is either wonderful or deserves splinters on their seats," she grouched. "They are lovely to Striker and really nice to me. But Guardian is copping the, how does the lingo go? Copping a feel."

"That's not the lingo," Guardian corrected.

Saniya waved him off. "It's totally what they say here, man. Like, totally. Totally… uh, bodacious. Yeah, man, blaze it!"

Sean laughed. "What?"

Saniya giggled. She hated seeing him cry but loved seeing him laugh. She wanted to see him laugh. "Yeah, man, like, uh… drat, this is tough."

Smiling now, Sean shook his head fondly at her. Saniya took it as a supreme victory and deserving of a cookie. She had met a shady-looking sableye selling them with a rotom companion. She paid top Poké once she tasted the divine goods. Then they were gone, and no one believed her.

"I can't believe you three are an exploration team," Sean said, leaning back. Kangaskhan had given them permission to talk in the depths of her storage unit. It was private, she said.

"Maybe not just us three," Striker said, with a confident grin. "How about it, strange riolu? Would you like to join us?"

"Mmm, poaching me from Team Ion, huh? Hard to join a team with no name."

Striker's face fell into a constipated look, and he glanced at Saniya and Guardian for help. "Don't look at me," Guardian said. "My best idea was Team Grudge."

"Yeah… no." Sean shook his head at that one. "I'm sure Saniya's pitched a few."

"They rejected them all," she sighed, staring off into space. "No Dream Team Dream for us."

"Heh… what about Team Sunrise?" Sean asked, smiling softly at the three.

They all went rather still and quiet. The fabled sunrise, something they had all dreamed of. Seeing the sun for the first time, even frozen had moved Striker. Guardian had almost quit his role of dooming the past the first time he saw the glorious change of the weather. And Saniya had died in Striker and Guardian's arms, feeling the wind blow and the sun raise for the first time.

"How are you so good at that?" Saniya was the first to speak. "That's… just perfect." Perfect enough, she suppressed the jokes she almost spilled forth that surely would have ruined the moment. She'd save that foot joke for Diglett.

"I agree," Guardian said. He likely would have agreed to any name the others did, but he did think it was a genuinely good name.

"Team Sunrise," Striker said, tasting it.

"Team Sunrise," Saniya said, giggling.

"Team Sunrise," Guardian rumbled.

Sean raised a paw with a smile. He pressed it forward, holding it in the air. "Team Sunrise?"

Green, grey and pink joined him, and together they said. "Team Sunrise!"

In the quiet halls of Kangaskhan's Storage, Team Sunrise was born.

Rai and Mane discussed Armaldo on their walk to the Hot Springs.

"A month, though?" Mane snapped, or maybe it was a whine.

"A month to get a lead, not just to find him," Rai said, trying to calm him down.

"What right does he have to try and enforce stuff like that!?" Mane growled; he was barely listening to Rai. Instead, small pokémon fled from him as this litleo was smoking and not in a good way. "He didn't even KNOW Scout."

"Mane," Rai said, sharply. "Calm. Down."

"No!"

"Mane!" Rai tackled him, and the two of them rolled for a moment before Rai pinned the litleo. "Getting angry isn't going to help."

"Well, helLLOO there."

"Neither will flirting."

"I could flirt with him! 'Convince' him to change his mind."

"Yeah," Rai scoffed, stepping off Mane and letting him roll to his feet. "Change his mind to a week."

Mane huffed, and they continued with some contemplative quiet. "You're NOT happy with it, though, right?" Mane asked once they had stepped enough steps.

"No," Rai sighed, "but he DOES have a point. Don't give me that look." Mane had given him a most revolted stare for that. "Would Scout really want us to spend our whole lives trying to find him?"

Mane fell back to silence. They didn't speak for the rest of the way but curled their tails together.

The fun and games had to restart eventually, and the smell of steam found their noses. The pair picked up speed and trotted until the rocks under their feet began to grow warmer, and the steam was visible.

Several pokémon relaxed in the Hot Springs as always. The pair hadn't returned to the Hot Springs since Scout had disappeared; it was his place to go since he wouldn't bathe any other way. No matter how many times Mane had offered. Or Rai.

Mankey and Primeape were here as always. Mr Mime loitered around the edges. While Marill was also here, taking some time to himself, time he hadn't had for months. He was dozing in the water.

Small splashes caught some attention as Team Ion stepped into the water. "Elder Torkoal!" Rai called. Torkoal, who had been napping on the warmest of the rocks, stirred.

The ancient pokémon shifted and yawned, lifting his head slowly and blinking his eyes open. "Ah… Shinx and Litleo. Welcome. What brings you here?"

Mane let Rai speak. Rai was much more respectful than he was, something they both knew without having to talk about it.

"Elder Torkoal, have you heard what has been happening the last couple of days?"

"I have," Torkoal answered. "News travels quickly around here, even to an old mon like myself."

"We just got back from the Hidden Land." For the second time, Rai spun into the explanation of what had happened. Torkoal listened intently until Rai was done. "Armaldo wants us to find SOME lead in at least a month. You're the most knowledgeable pokémon around. We were wondering if you knew anything about Arceus?"

Torkoal was quiet for a bit. There were some interested listeners, but most of the pokémon were simply relaxing.

"Arceus is… a legend among legends," Torkoal said, wanting to start somewhat poetically. "There aren't many pokémon who are aware of stories so old anymore. But it is said that Arceus created everything. The sand and the sea. The air and sky. We pokémon ourselves. It is said to be the First to Rise and the architect of reality itself."

"Ah."

Torkoal coughed for a moment, too much talking got to his throat quickly. "Some do not believe Arceus ever existed. Others doubt it is truly the creator of all. What I can say is that the most recent legends I personally know of were dated millennia ago. Times before my great-grandmother's great-grandmother. Arceus Itself has not been heard from in a very long time."

"Dialga said that it revived Grovyle, Celebi, and Dusknoir," Mane interjected. "Just… pointing that out. It's clearly NOT gone if Dialga was the one to say that."

Torkoal gave a slow nod. "Indeed. I am not sure how much help I can give you, I'm afraid. I know few stories of Its deeds, but… many are not happy stories. These tell of Arceus' disinterest in the lives of us mortal pokémon. It refuses pleas for help and cries for salvation. Without explanation, it may not care. As far as most legends go, at least. "

"There… there has to be a reason everyone ELSE was brought back," Rai said, voice bordering on pleading. "I just… we just want to know why."

Torkoal nodded sadly. "There are some that may know better than I," he said. "I can think hard about where I heard these few stories. And… perhaps you could seek someone out who has claimed a connection with Arceus."

"Who?" Mane asked.

It was a grave look on Torkoal's face, as what he was going to say would not be easy to accomplish. "Lucario," he said. The name carried a gravity that left all listeners knowing exactly which lucario he spoke of.

"The… that Lucario?" Rai asked.

"The Legendary Lucario." Torkoal nodded. "Her appearances never fail to revive theories and old stories, it is said she came here with Arceus' blessing. Perhaps it does care, then. To send her to help us. Find her. Find Lucario. And she may have answers for you. She's not easy to approach, however. I can say that with experience." Torkoal gave a dry, raspy chuckle, lost in an ancient memory.

"You've met HER?" Mane gasped.

Torkoal nodded again. "Once. Before Treasure Town even existed. I did not anticipate the experience that was. She may be able to tell you more, and I will comb through my memories to give you some areas to search for the legends of Arceus. Return tomorrow."

Rai and Mane gave thanks to Torkoal and began to leave. Before they could so much as shake themselves off, Marill stepped up to them.

"I'm heading back now," he said nervously. "Can I walk with you?"

"Sure." Rai smiled, and Mane nodded.

Marill quickly fell into step with them. Mane's thoughts circled around Lucario and legends, but Marill was able to engage Rai in conversation without much trouble.

"What's it like living at the guild?" Marill asked, curiously.

"Pretty good!" Rai replied. "Part of me does miss Sharpedo Bluff at times, but there are no drafts in our room, and we still have a window to look out to the sea with. Eating dinner with everyone is pretty nice too."

It did sound nice, so Marill asked another question. "How tough is the training?"

"Easy enough that I managed to do it!" Rai laughed. "It's mostly just taking missions or doing other stuff in the guild like restocking the larder or sentry duty."

"Isn't it scary going after outlaws?"

"It can be." Rai nodded. He bumped Mane, who made a questioning sound. "This one likes it, though."

"Yeah, I do," Mane replied on pure reflex. He blinked. "What did I agree to?"

"That hunting outlaws is fun."

"Yeah!" Mane nodded emphatically, shaking his mohawk all around. He peered closely at Marill. "I wasn't really listening, but it sounded like you were asking about the guild. How come? Thinking of joining?"

Marill blushed, and Rai gasped. "Really!?" His grin expelled actual light as he crackled with electricity.

"W-well, I've been thinking about it," Marill admitted, embarrassed under the attention. "Since my mother has been doing so much better and Azurill is old enough to go to school now. Well, they've both been telling me that I can do what I want to, now."

Mane nodded. He understood. Azumarill had been sick since her mate had died, and Marill had been forced to step up to take care of both his mother and his baby brother. There wasn't much he had done for himself for the last few years.

"Well, if you ask, I'm sure they'll let you in," Mane said. "We can even put in a good word for you if you want?"

Rai smiled at him for the generous offer; Mane pointedly didn't look at him.

"Look at you being all nice," Rai giggled, bumping him again. Mane bumped him back.

"That's alright," Marill said, once the two feline pokémon had stopped bumping each other. "If I do go for it, I'd like to get in on my own terms."

"I get that," Rai replied. "Well, feel free to ask as many questions as you want on the way back."

"And we won't tell anyone about this either," Mane added.

Marill grinned at them and delved into it.

Team Ion were loitering about, looking a mixture of annoyed and bored. The two teams made their way to each other, stopping in the middle of the room.

"We've got some information," Mane began. "But Armaldo has been 'unavailable' all day. I bet he's trying to make us waste time, so we have to give up!"

"He's probably just busy," Rai grouched. He'd been forced to listen to Mane's complaints the whole day and was growing very tired of them.

"Too busy to talk for five minutes?"

"Can we not go over this again?"

"What did you learn?" Sean asked, overhearing as Team Sunrise returned from their job with Kangaskhan.

"Nothing particularly good," Rai sighed. "Arceus hasn't been heard from in a very long time, besides you three." He nodded to the revived-by-Arceus trio. "And it's supposedly not the most receptive to requests."

"If it brought you three back, it should bring back Scout," Mane snapped. "I don't understand why only he was left. If it's so damn powerful, it could just fix whatever was wrong with him in the process."

"We don't KNOW that," Rai added, tensely.

"We'll find out how, though," Mane growled.

"Do you have a lead?" Sean asked.

"Yeah… one." Rai nodded. "Lucario. The Legendary Lucario. She, apparently, might have some sort of connection to it. That's what's said, according to Torkoal."

"You wish to find… Lucario?" Guardian gasped.

"Torkoal's also remembering where he heard the other legends," Rai said cautiously, he eyed Guardian a little before relaxing a little. "But yeah, finding Lucario seems to be our best bet."

The expression on Guardian's face didn't bode well. Even Saniya was looking uncertain, or like she was about to sneeze. It was difficult to tell with her.

One window-rattling sneeze later, Saniya sniffed and said, "Giratina talked about this big shot lucario before," she said, sighing mournfully. "We found her once, she was frozen in time and a cult grew around her."

"Town," Striker corrected.

"It was a cult."

"Wouldn't be the first cult formed around Lucario," Guardian added.

The two teams continued to mingle until Chimecho's bell caught all their attention. "Dinner, everyone!"

Armaldo eventually joined them at dinner, but Team Ion were too hungry to go to him immediately. Everyone dug in with gusto, and soon enough, after the dancing and yodelling from Wigglytuff, everyone was sated.

There was a curious similarity in Team's Ion and Sunrise that night. Both teams were thinking about Scout, but both teams were also thinking about members of the Azumarill family.

Armaldo motioned for Rai and Mane to stay back, as well as Team Sunrise. Wigglytuff also remained, humming happily and rocking in place.

"First business first," he grunted, looking to Team Ion. "Riolu and co, how did your day go?"

Mane's mohawk sparked slightly, but Rai bumped him, and he calmed down.

"There were no problems," Striker answered. "In fact, we met Azumarill and Azurill today. The two seemed well, Azurill got along well with Dusknoir."

"We also FINALLY picked a name for our team!" Saniya beamed. Plucking Sean up in a psychic grip and shaking him in place. "This GENIUS worked out our name."

"Ow-ow-ow," Sean cried, and Saniya gasped and dropped him.

"I'm so sorry," she said. "I completely forgot about your, uh, riolu-ness. Sorry."

"How did you forget?" Sean groaned, rubbing his head. "I suggested Team Sunrise, and everyone agreed."

"Team Sunrise!" Wigglytuff cheered. "Registering. Registering. All registered. Yoom-TAH!"

A flash of light and a blast of air knocked everyone back a step before Wigglytuff started dancing around them, pulling exploration gear from places even Saniya couldn't figure out.

While the Guildmaster attended to the newly christened Team Sunrise, Armaldo finally turned to Team Ion. "What did you learn today?" he asked.

"We learned that you-" Mane began, Rai bumped him again.

"Cool it. We learned that Torkoal has some locations for legends for us to investigate and also someone who may be able to help us directly."

"Really? Who?"

"Lucario."

There was always a certain gravity to the name that helped anyone understand what the speaker meant.

To his credit, Armaldo didn't laugh in their faces. "Lucario? You want to track down Lucario and ask her a question about Arceus?"

"Torkoal said he'd met her once," Mane declared. "And that she might have a direct connection to Arceus in some way."

"Met her once," Armaldo said, scraping his claws together. "A legend, correct? There's a reason she's called the Legendary Lucario. Someone like that attracts stories like nothing else and are almost always exaggerated."

"You don't think she's for real?" Rai demanded.

"I didn't say that," Armaldo snapped. "But there is something to be learned — the difference between a story and the truth. Stories get changed, warped, fabricated, and enlarged. Not everything said about Lucario could possibly be true, even if everything was rooted in truth."

"We can still ask her," Rai said. "This is Lucario . If there is anyone who'd know, why wouldn't it be her? She's been around… since our whole civilization!"

"According to most, she began it," Armaldo pointed out. "Whether it's true or not. Whether she can HELP or not, how do you plan to find her?"

"Chimecho," Mane answered immediately. "If Lucario's on the Grass Continent, Chimecho can ask around other guilds and messenger psychics to find out where she is."

"Very good," Armaldo said, nodding, to their surprise. "One out of five continents. Say you find her. And say she's on the other side of the continent. How are you going to get there in a month?"

"A… you said we had a month to get a lead!"

"I did. You don't have a lead yet; you MIGHT have a lead."

Mane growled. Armaldo was unmoved. "I want you two to think about this carefully."

"We can ask Wigglytuff to contact Alakazam, who could bring us!" Rai declared, thinking of the powerful pokémon's help in the past.

"And what are you going to give Alakazam, or the Guildmaster for that matter, in return for this favour?"

"I… we saved the world!"

"Very good. You've got a world to live in for yourself now. You saved it for yourself as much as for anyone else."

Mane and Rai shared a frustrated look. "W-Shinx saved the world, what's wrong with you?"

Armaldo didn't let up on his intense stare. "This is how many pokemon will treat you. You saved the world, yes. Some will be thankful, but many will still ask for more. I want you to understand that."

"Your first day has been well-used," Armaldo said, deciding to throw them a ball. "So, you still have twenty-nine days. I'm not saying you cannot ask the Guildmaster or Alakazam. You have a month to reach Lucario or any other route you choose to pursue, this isn't a lead this is the potential to find that lead and Lucario is an infamously difficult pokemon to find. Many lucario claim to be her. Pick carefully."

With that, he stepped away from Team Ion and nodded to Team Sunrise. "It'd be best for you to remain with them," he said to Sean. "You technically weren't part of the agreement of Guardian, but it still may ease tensions further."

"Let me talk to Shinx and Litleo first," Sean replied. Satisfied, Armaldo stepped off and walked to the Guildmaster's room.

Rai and Mane turned to him as Sean grimaced a little. "Can we talk alone?"

They nodded and they walked to their room.

Rai and Mane sat down on their bed. There were only two beds in this room, Sean sat on his own. "...I, uh, don't know where to start."

Rai looked to Mane who sighed. "You don't need to," he said, sharing a smile with Rai. "As soon as they showed up on the beach I think we all knew where'd you be going."

"I don't want you to think I'm picking-"

"You're not," Rai said, interrupting. "It's not a choice, is it? I mean, putting aside that Armaldo told you to and he's scary." Everyone shared a nod. "They're yours ."

Sean sighed, closing his eyes. For a moment he looked really, deeply, upset. "If it weren't for you two I don't know I could have made it this far." He rubbed his face, trying to hide his eyes. "Uh."

He felt a tap and reluctantly moved his paws, seeing Rai's paw in his face. Rai set it down and smiled again. "Sean."

"I'm sorry," Sean blurted out. "I wish it was him, I wish that-"

Rai butted his head against his, almost knocking him down. "Don't say that," he mouthed. "Ever again. Please." He glanced back at Mane who was wearing a complicated expression.

Mane screwed his mouth before sighing. "Yeah. We all miss Scout. But no one would trade you for him. That's not right."

He trotted up and sat down next to Rai. "Heh, you're making a bigger deal out of this than it needs to be Seany. We get it. We're glad you stuck with us."

Sean smiled gratefully and, apparently unable to leave on a soft note like that, Mane added, "Plus, y'know, you'll be able to sleep without being kicked out of the room, if you know what I mean?"

Sean groaned and punched in on the shoulder, Mane pretended it didn't hurt. The three chatted a little more before Sean stepped out to return to his new, old, team.

Scout sat in the room with them, smiling fondly all the while. "Thanks, Sean," he said. It was easier to talk out loud pretending like he was talking to them rather than go mad. "I've seen the way you guys have helped each other. I know you think that you were a burden on Rai and Mane but helping you helped them so much."

He shook his head, watching as Sean left the room. "So much." He turned back to Rai and Mane. With Sean gone, their smiles dropped and they rested their heads on each other's shoulders, embracing in the way that they could.

Scout had watched as three beds became two and sat on Sean's empty bed as Rai and Mane sat down on theirs, curling around each other for comfort. He couldn't go far from Rai he'd found but he gave them privacy when… privacy was required.

Behind closed doors, Mane let himself tear up a bit, leaning into Rai who pressed back with an almost aggressive need to be close. Dialga had shaken them, Scout knew that. If he had the ability to be shaken he'd probably feel the same.

"Armaldo's got a point," Scout said even though they couldn't hear him or even sense him. "You can't go about thinking everyone will help for nothing. I'm grateful you want me back so bad, but… please don't ruin yourselves over this." He tried to touch Rai, but he couldn't and frowned at his paw. "...you've come so far, don't go back to where you two were before. It's not worth it."

They didn't answer him. No one would.

Scout, Scout, I am Scout, Scout is me, my name is Scout and I am Scout.

It was awful in so many different ways to be watching someone sleep when you could not sleep yourself.

Scout sighed, or at least he thought he did, as he loitered around Rai and Mane's unconscious bodies. It felt creepy just to be hanging around them, watching them sleep. He had nothing else to do, however.

The only thing worse than hanging around as some spectre unable to disappear was when they started shifting and whimpering.

For a brief moment, he was horrified. Both of them were whimpering, curling in, shifting in their sleep. Nightmares.

Only briefly, when Rai slept Scout found it harder to think, harder to feel, to be….

A minute passed, or perhaps an hour. In a way, the disorientation was a mercy. Existing normally was lonely enough, but doing nothing but float around for hours would be crushingly boring.

They had done the same the previous night when sleeping in the Hidden Land. It seemed that Dialga had shaken everyone. Or just PTSD.

Oh, to think of the time when everything was innocent, and no one was hurt.

"Oh, Mr Sandman, bring me a dream~."

Scout started in place. What the hell was THAT?

"Make him the cutest, that I've ever seen~"

The voice was lovely; Scout would admit, deep and dulcet. Not as nice as Striker's voice, but still pretty nice.

What a time for this to happen. Scout couldn't go too far from Rai but he had some range and he felt a little more real tonight, Rai mustn't be sleeping very deeply.

Whatever he was, solid objects didn't impede him and Scout could move through the walls of the guild.

"Grant him two lips that whisper - come closer."

That struck Scout as very weird, but something was gripping him now, and he had to know what this voice was. Exiting the guild, he followed the sound. Down the stairs towards the crossroad. He had no idea how the voice reached him so far, and it remained the same volume even as he moved further from the guild.

Moving further was, in fact, getting difficult. That same tug he had felt when speaking to Dialga began to build, but Scout powered forward. He could resist it for some time; part of him wondered if this connection could snap.

He looked around, he knew he couldn't go much further but the voice didn't sound any closer. Was he just going insane, perhaps? He moved past the road, right where the trees parted.

There it was — the singer.

"Then tell him that his lonesome nights… are… over." Darkrai opened his gleaming blue eyes and looked straight. At. Scout. "Hello," Darkrai says, as welcoming as Spinda and creepy as Croagunk. " Friend ."

"Oh, fuck that," Scout whispered.

Check A03 for something additional at the end here~