Step step step. Breath breath breath. I am feet pounding on a filthy ground. I am stagnant air entering stagnant lungs. I am here. I am nowhere.

I am alone.

I am the shadows. I am the ancient stones built into these walls. I am the halls that have not seen a soul in years. Decades. Centuries. I am nothing.

I am alone.

Find the stairs…just keep finding the stairs. A voice whispers in my head. Mine? I don't know. I don't recognize it.

But I listen.

I look for the stairs. I find them. Keep finding them. I don't know why anymore. It doesn't matter. I just know I must. Step after step. Deeper and deeper.

I find stairs. I go down. I keep going down, down, down.

Until one room. I go down the stairs. I go down. I look around; no stairs. No paths. The shadow of an emotion—panic?—passes through me, but just as quickly it's gone. No stairs. No feelings. But…something else. A break in the bland scenery. It has…colors. Their names creep back to me…it's…pink…blue…gold. The object itself is…it's a…

A bottle.

A memory washes over me in a sudden moment of clarity. I was in here…looking for a bottle. And…and there it stands, just out of reach.

Step. Step. Step. A paw—mine?—reaches out, brushes against it. I feel it's solid shape. In an instant, I'm squinting my eyes shut against a harsh light.

Wind breezes through my fur. Sunlight warms my face. Fresh air fills my chest. I'm gasping it in. The bottle sitting in my paws.

I'm aware I should feel…something. Happiness? Triumphant?

I search myself, and feel nothing. There is nothing.

I am nothing.

"Hey there, friend! Congrats! You fulfilled your end of the bargain! You found my bottle!" A voice—mine?—calls from nowhere. I found the bottle. I fulfilled a bargain…

I don't care. There are no more feelings.

A shape appears before me. It's familiar, but means nothing to me. "My my, that place did a number on you! It has a way of doing that…guess that's why my bottle ended up there, a feeble attempt to keep it from me." The face considers me. "Still, better you than me, am I right?" They giggle, "But you've proven your friendship, maybe I can offer you one last favor…but don't tell anyone!" They wink while deftly snatching the bottle in one motion and throwing a hoop over me in the next.

I'm falling. But I'm not scared. There's no fear left.

There's nothing left.

I'm on the ground. Trees stand before me—big…familiar? They mean nothing to me.

Voices. Calling a name—mine? Dragging me up. No…I'm supposed to go down. I have to keep going down. Have to find the stairs. I struggle in their grip, but cannot break free. They bring me inside. Somewhere different. Familiar, but…not the dungeon. There is nothing beyond the dungeon. Faces around me. Crowds. Voices. Emotions. They are everywhere. I am surrounded. I am drowning.

And I am alone.

Every step I take, I am always…alone.

—

I've just heard the news.

She's back. Delcatty's finally back!

I'm excited for a moment before the rage washes over me anew. I know she probably has a million other things to deal with before she has time for me, but we need to have this conversation now.

It's bright and early, so I'm at the reception desk by myself—I left the dorm as quietly as possible so the others could continue sleeping. I learn from Tinkaton that Delcatty's in the hospital. "Yup, seemed in a pretty bad state…looked like she didn't know which way was up!" Hospital? Sounds like she found herself in a tough place. I thank her hurriedly before making my way to the hospital. I feel bad for her, and genuinely hope she's ok, but unwell or not, she has to deal with my impending outburst now. She did this.

"Gwen? It's good to see—" "where's Delcatty?" I say, interrupting nurse Polteageist. "Oh, down the hall, last door to the right, but Gwen, she—" "thanks" I say, rushing down the hall. I burst through the door a moment later. "Delcatty!" I yell, furious, then immediately regret it.

I assumed Tinkaton was exaggerating, that she was tired from her journey…maybe a little beat up from some overpowered opponent or something to have ended up here. But…but she looks awful.

She lies on a thick hay bed. Her previously shiny coat is matted and dulled, grey streaking its way through the purple. Her feet are stained black, and the discoloration is mottled across her body. Dark circles line her eyes. And…her eyes—I can hardly bear to look. The light, the joy, the life…it's just…gone. She looks like she's aged about 30 years in the week or so she's been away. My anger vanishes so quickly it leaves me unsteady.

"Delcatty? What…what happened?" I say, rushing to her side. She looks at me, eyes foggy, then looks away. "Ghosts in my room…voices past these walls…all around me…I am alone." She mutters. "Huh? What are you talking about? You're not alone, I'm here!" My heart is racing, my mouth dry. She really doesn't seem to know what's going on or where she is. "Delcatty, where were you? What happened?!"

"Hmmm?" She makes a noise, still refusing to look at me. "I…I am the darkness…the filth…the silence. I am alone."

I have no idea what she's talking about. She doesn't look like she has the presence of mind to know herself. "Would you just look at me?! Please! It's me, Gwen! Delcatty, I'm here!" Tears brim my eyes.

Whatever happened…she's so broken…I feel my breath catch on the thought.

She turns to me, her face filled with brief clarity, before the fog settles over her features again. "Gwen? I…knew a Gwen…" she looks away before continuing, "I…made a deal…deal with a pokemon…to bring them back…" "I…don't understand. You made a deal? With who?" She looks like she's trying to think hard, despite the state she's in. Her eyes are screwed tightly shut, soundless words passing her lips. I'm fearing I already know the answer before she says it.

"A deal…with Hoopa…bring them back…get their bottle…payment…I go down stairs…I go down, down, down…"

I take a step back. No…no she didn't…she couldn't. It's one thing keeping the books hidden, but…but this?

She's why we're here. She brought us back. By making a deal with Hoopa. And in return? They've taken this bright, beautiful, joyful soul, and destroyed her.

What a cruel price to pay.

I feel angry tears prick my eyes. How could they…how could she? Yet, I can't feel angry with her, not when she's like this.

"Please, please stay with me…you have to be ok…come on, you're Delcatty! Master of the Exploration Center! You can do anything!" I'm crying desperate tears, shaking her shoulder, willing her to just be better. To shake off the dirt and throw one of her 1000 watt smiles my way, telling me it's all just a weird joke.

But she doesn't get up. She doesn't smile. She just slowly turns her head my way, seemingly seeing me for the first time. "Gwen…?" She screws her eyes shut and shakes her head, "no, another shadow…it's all shadows…but they're not there. Not real. I am…must be…in the dungeon…always in the dungeon…alone…"

I touch her side, "Delcatty, listen to me. I'm here, right now in your room. You are in the Exploration Center's hospital. You're safe. And you are not alone."

She looks at me again, now, her eyes clearer, face lined with concentration, "Gwen…? Really?" She touches my face, runs a paw through my fur, "Gwen I…the darkness…solitude…nightmares…I-I'm sorry." Her voice breaks on the apology—she's crying now, heavy tears falling. I grip her paw in mine, "shhh, it's ok…I…know what you did…and why…it-it's ok…" It's not ok, really, but how can I hold her accountable when she's like this? The version of her that made a deal with Hoopa…it's not the version that's lying before me now. Her expression clouds over again, the tears abruptly stopping. She looks away. "The shadows…they're here for me…I am the shadows…and I…am alone."

And with that, she drifts off to sleep.

My dear, precious friend. The one who saved my life when I first got here. The one who guided me through the challenges her world threw at us. Who helped me reunite with my team and with myself. Who's looked out for me every step of the way. Who gambled her whole life just for the chance to see us again. Whatever Hoopa did…I can't bear it. She's so broken. I cry breathless, silent tears at her bedside. Eventually a gentle hand rests on my back. Nurse Polteageist. "I'm sorry dear, but I think it's best she has some peace now," he says, guiding me away. I throw another doleful look back at her, but she hasn't stirred. From her expression, it doesn't look like sleep is offering much reprieve from whatever confused nightmare she's currently living.

I leave the hospital, the day traitorously cheerful in the midst of what's happened. How dare the sun shine so brightly when Delcatty lies there in pieces?

I make my way back to the dorm—the others are probably up by now—and steel myself to go inside.

"Gwen! Where on earth have you been?" Stephanie cries out, then notices my tear stained face. "Gwen? What's happened?" I break down, tell them about Delcatty, about the state she's in—how she doesn't even seem to realize who she is anymore after enduring whatever Hoopa put her through.

"Oh…oh my Arceus…Gwen I'm so sorry…what…what do the doctors think?" Stephanie stammers. "I don't know…the nurse just told me she needs rest, but…" but I saw her…it's going to take more than rest to make her better. I don't know how…but I get the feeling that whatever will fix her…we need to find Hoopa to do it.

—

A white shadow in my room, crying by my side.

The shadow calls itself Gwen…I remember that name…

But…no, I am alone. I am always alone. There is no Gwen…not anymore…just in my memories.

My memories must be strong. She felt real. I wanted to apologize…so I did. Even if she won't really hear it. If I ever see her again…I'll do better.

I promise.

My body is not in the dungeon anymore…that much I know. But the shadows…they've followed me here. Playing tricks…they seem so real, but I know better.

I'm not all here…the dungeon…it took its payment. It lets you in…but it doesn't let you out.

It never lets you out.