"What's all that?" Noivern asks, seeing my boggled expression. "I think," I start slowly, nervous that speaking my thoughts aloud will somehow make the papers vanish. "I think this could be the answer we've been looking for."

I tell them about the contents of the papers as we make our way back to the Center, "wow…that Hoopa looks pretty powerful…" Noivern says, regarding the picture again, "so, you think they somehow brought us here? And if so…why?" Why indeed? What could a pokemon like this possibly want with us? If they even are real…it's not like we found any other info on them in the library. I wish Delcatty was here—a discovery like this is amazing! Maybe Steph and the others learned something that will help fill in the gaps.

We get back to the dorm before Elliot can get into any more trouble. When we return, we learn Steph and the others regrettably didn't find anything. But she was excited to see the papers. "Gwen, this is incredible! To find those missing papers just in town? Where were they? How'd you do it?" "I found it!" Elliot beams, "aww, well done, champ! Where'd you find them?" She coaxes. "My friend!" She looks at me quizzically, "he made a friend in town? I'm impressed! What kind of pokemon?" I feel my blood run cold. However I approach this is not going to sound particularly good. "Well I uh…actually…I don't know." I feel my face go hot as Stephanie processes the implications of what I've just said.

I'm looking at the ground, but I feel her studying me. She definitely knows something is up. "Can I talk to you…in private?" She says, tone even but firm. "Steph, I—" "Now, Gwendolyn." Ough, I've been full-named; she only does that when she's about to hit the roof. We leave the others behind in the dorm and stand just outside on the balcony that extends from a tree branch. The seconds pass in oppressive silence, save for my pounding heart.

"Ok, tell me. What. Happened." I meet her gaze, then quickly look away. If looks could kill, am I right? A ha ha…

I sigh and tell her about being in town, Elliot suddenly biting Serperior and getting away from us, disappearing for a few frantic moments, just to emerge with the papers in hand from a mysterious 'friend.'

To her credit, she lets me finish the whole story before blowing up. "You just let him GET AWAY FROM YOU?" "No, we were taking precautions, and he—" "don't blame him! He's just a child! You" she punctuates with a jab to my chest, "are supposed to be the adult! You're supposed to be responsible!" "I'm not blaming him! Don't you think I know it's my fault? But the situation—" "there should never have been a 'situation'! Why are you entrusting the safety of our son to one of your pokemon? And…and to your least responsible one at that!" "Hey, now wait—" "No! I'm sick of it! We have a child to look out for Gwen, and if you're not going to bother to—" "will you just listen for one second?!" I cry, startling both of us with my outburst.

A pause. "Fine, the floor is yours. Go ahead," Stephanie finally says, eyes stony. "…thank you. I know I should have been watching him, and I know ideally I should have been the one holding his hand, keeping him out of trouble. But Stephanie, look at me!" I say, gesturing to myself, "he doesn't know it's me! He doesn't know it's you! The only constant for him through all this has been our pokemon! So yes, I thought entrusting him with Serperior would have been enough, especially after he's been looking after him while we were apart." "Looking after him so well they got arrested, you mean," she mutters. I screw my eyes shut—I'm not going to open that can of wurmples again, not now—"and he would have been safe and secure if he didn't startle him with an attack out of the blue!"

She thinks for a moment, then: "I just want my son safe, ok? He never seems to get in these 'situations' when I'm looking after him." "He's my son too, and it's all good and well to say that when he hasn't acted up like that under your care!" "…maybe that's your problem. Maybe you create scenarios were he can act up in such a detrimental way." I…do I? I don't really know how to respond to that, so I just say nothing, processing her words while staring at the floor.

A moment later the dorm's door creaks open, and Serperior comes out onto the balcony, "is everything…alright?" He says, evidently having heard the yelling. Probably along with the rest of the Center. I try and shoo him away, but Stephanie's already up and running again. "You! I don't want you in charge of Elliot again, you hear? And you!" She whirls around, back to me, "I know you're trying to get us home, but you have to be present here too and look out for Elliot!" And with that, she forces her way past Serperior and back into the dorm, slamming the door shut behind her.

My head is pounding. We've had our share of arguments back home, sure, but never quite like this. For a fleeting moment I worry about our marriage, then quickly shake the thought. Couples argue all the time. Stephanie and I…we'll get through all of this, we're strong enough to get through it.

Right now, we have little other choice.

"So…you told her?" Serperior says, cutting into my thoughts. "How could you tell?" I say flatly. "I'm sorry for…for messing up with Elliot…again," he starts, looking at the ground. "No…no it's not your fault." I sigh, "I should've been looking after him better. Whatever happened in town today was…I don't know, it wasn't normal. How he could just vanish? Then reappear with those papers? Something's not adding up." We sit in silence for a few minutes, enjoying the fresh air, then decide to brave the storm in the dorm.

I carefully go over to Stephanie, who's lying on a bed, separated from the others. "I really am sorry Steph…all of this," I say, indicating the whole situation we're in, "it's no excuse for anything. I'll try to be more present, more responsible. I promise." She studies my face for a few moments, then sighs, "I'm sorry too. I know it's…a lot, and I understand that it's harder to keep tabs on him when we're…like this. When he doesn't know it's us. When we can't even pick him up if he acts out." I nod, "I'm just terrified of something happening to him—something else happening to him. It's already so much."

"I won't let anything else happen. We'll be ok," I say, settling down beside her. She presses her forehead against my neck, "…thanks." I really am lucky to have her—lost in a strange world, unsure how to get home…and we can still find a way through the dark times. We eventually fall asleep like that, nuzzling against each other, as I feel my resolve return. I'll be more present for Elliot and the others. I'll get us home. We're going to be ok.

—

This dungeon is the worst. I'm not talking about the darkness that permeates every corner, the stale, putrid air, or even the layer of filth that seems to coat every surface. What makes this place a nightmare is the silence. The solitude.

I had to come alone as per Hoopa's orders, but I wasn't expecting the dungeon to be so completely and utterly devoid of life. I must have been here for hours already—Hoopa was generous enough to bring me nearer its entrance, at least (can't say I'm a fan of their hoop transport), but since they disappeared, I haven't seen a single soul. I came prepped for all kinds of opponents and eventualities, but each floor, one after the next, has been totally deserted.

My biggest opponent right now is my own mind.

I keep seeing things out of the corner of my eye—movements that aren't there, or shapes that disappear when I turn around. A couple of times I could've even sworn I'd heard someone call my name, but no one was ever there.

At first I was wary, assuming enemies must be lurking somewhere unseen, waiting for me to relax or slip up. And they still could be, but I've come past caring at this point. I started cautiously humming a tune a while ago, and when that didn't summon a horde of feral pokemon, I eventually became confident enough to sing softly. Anything to break this monotony.

It's the only thing to stop me from thinking, to help me focus on just putting on foot in front of the other, to keep going. I had to take a break a while ago to rest my aching legs, and it was as though all the panic, the fears, the darkness were just waiting for me to stop so they could rush forward all at once. Fears about what's around the next corner, how deep this dungeon goes, if there's even an end to it, if I've unknowingly died and this is somehow my punishment, solitude in a filthy, deserted dungeon with no end—

So I'm on my feet again, pushing through the exhaustion, the pain, the fear. Imagining everyone back at the Center is all that keeps me going at this point—they're why I'm here, and when I fulfill my part of the deal, I'll not only get peace from Hoopa, but will be able to finally enjoy being with them again. My team—my family.

For now, I just have to keep pushing on.