The next room isn't a room at all. It's just a large void of…nothing. Darkness as far as the eye can see, save for gently flowing iridescent grass. It's flowing, but there is no wind. There's nothing.

I know this place. I've been here before…but back then I didn't have a name for it…now I know this is…

…the Distortion World.

Hoopa said they were keeping Giratina from finding out about me, but could they have alerted them anyway? Maybe they somehow learned it for themselves? If they can create portals, there's no reason why they couldn't make one in the middle of this dungeon and have me walk directly into their realm to receive my retribution.

As bad as the other floors were, the panic I was feeling then pales in comparison—now is infinitely much, much worse. I look around frantically, searching for any misplaced detail, any sign that the ruins are trying to make another patched up, scrambled image of my memories. This…definitely isn't the dungeon. It had tried elaborate scenes before, but they were nothing like this…none of those scenes were so…exact. The realization comes with a wave of terror. There's no trace of the walls…no ceiling…it's the same as I remember it, except darker. The energy more oppressive. As though the whole realm is angry with me.

Walking around aimlessly, I pray for any sign of stairs or anything reminiscent of the ruins hidden in the grass, but find nothing. I will myself to hear that voice telling me it's not real, but it's gone silent. I appear to be completely alone.

It's so quiet. Did Giratina speak first last time, or did I?

"Hello Gwen," a voice reverberates through my already pounding skull, "tell me, what are you doing outside of your own world?"

I try and fail to steady my racing heart. "Giratina…I—" "outside of you're own world, breaking OUR DEAL?" They interrupt, imposing form materializing in front of me. Clearly this isn't intended to be a dialogue. I shrink into myself, but there's nowhere to hide.

"I sent you and your team home on the STRICT condition that you would NEVER return. And what do I learn? Not only are you BACK; you've brought more humans! Your whole family!"

"Giratina! Please forgive me! We were brought here without—" "SILENCE!" They bellow. "I'm not after excuses," they say, voice deadly calm. "What I am after…is compensation."

"I…I'm afraid I don't understand…" I stammer dumbly, "I have nothing to offer, besides my apologies."

"Oh, but I think you do." They say. A portal opens beside them, a great tendril reaching through it. A moment later, the arm returns holding Stephanie, Elliot, and all the others. Giratina drops them unceremoniously in a heap. None of them are moving.

"No!" I scream, trying to run to them, but finding my feet locked in place. Actually, my entire body is frozen—I can't move, other than to speak and look between Giratina and my family frantically.

"I'll forgive your transgression in exchange for them. You will leave, never to return. Banished to your own world forever. And you will leave here alone."

No…no! I never wanted to break our agreement! All of this…everything that happened…it happened to us, not because of us!

But there's no way to make Giratina listen. To just make them understand. They seem determined to believe it's all my fault…that I somehow made the choice to bring us here. And even if I could prove it wasn't? They might direct their wrath to Delcatty instead…she knew the terms of my deal too, and then what? I could never forgive myself if they leveled their retribution on her.

I try to steady my nerves, but it's hard, seeing everyone unconscious in a pile.

"Your answer, Gwen. I'm waiting," they say firmly, bringing my attention back to their fierce red eyes. "Giratina…I…" a million thoughts run through my head, but all lead back to the same place. There's really…truly no way out of this, is there?

Not this time.

I try to make peace with my fate. I had stepped into the dungeon knowing I could well not come out again, at least not unchanged, but it was a sacrifice I was willing to make for all of them. And even though I'd managed to come so far…had even started to believe that maybe I could get through it…the danger was always there. I just didn't think it would be at the hands of Giratina. Not here, anyway. I fight to steady my voice.

"Giratina, I…" my voice falters, "I brought us here…the others were just…unwillingly dragged here. None of them knew what I was doing until it was too late. They couldn't have stopped me." I swallow my tears and force myself to continue, "And…and they've been trying everything to find a way home ever since. So please, please! If you're going to punish anyone for the broken contract…let it be me. Please!" I plead my case. I'd be on my knees begging if I could move.

My heart breaks—I can actually feel the pain in my chest—and tears flow freely and heavily as the full implications of what's happening set in. I'll…never see any of them again. I'll never hold Stephanie in my arms. I won't get to see Elliot grow up. I won't even get to run for my life when Rotom chases me in her mower form. There will be no more days in sun. No more fervent searches for Elliot's stuffed teddiursa he needs to fall asleep. No more fighting with Serperior to get him in his pokeball when I can't have him out. No more nervously checking the park for any zangoose because we can't afford another of Seviper's medical bills. No more jokingly trying to convince Stephanie that my mismatched socks are a fashion statement, actually.

There will be no more memories.

The rest of my life is defined by this moment. Right now. Here in the Distortion World with Giratina…to do whatever they see fit.

I'm sorry Delcatty, it looks like I won't be saving you after all. I hope you can forgive me…I hope you can find your way back from wherever you've lost yourself. I'm sorry I wasted your deal with Hoopa. I'm sorry I didn't make the most of the unexpected time we had together again. But if I can get the others home safely? Sacrificing myself to Giratina's wrath?

It's worth it.

I let go of my hopes, my dreams, my sorrow and grief, one at a time. It's of no consequence now. For them…I'll give it all up. Always.

Giratina studies me closely, considering my words. I somehow feel they're peering directly into my soul.

A moment passes, then another. With how heavily the blood pulses through my ears, I worry I've missed their response.

Then I see my family disappear. They just…vanish before my eyes. The grass next, it fizzles away around me. Then the darkness of the Distortion World gives way to the bland, grimy stones of the ruins.

The dungeon…I'm…in the dungeon.

I never left. The mysterious force holding me in place suddenly lets go—my legs give out under me and I fall to the floor.

I'm gasping for breath, making ugly noises as the sobs escape me. I'm…I'm here. I'm still here. None of that…none of it was real. Just another trick. An incredibly real, unimaginably lifelike trick. Giratina hasn't found me…they haven't condemned my family or I…it's…it's going to be ok. I don't know how long I lie there, bawling, but I'm not inclined to get up anytime soon. The waves of everything that just happened wash over me, threatening to pull me under. I'm here…for better or for worse, I'm still here.

After I finally emerge from my breakdown, I look up to see 'Giratina' still peering down at me, curiously. They've been watching this whole time? I was too distraught to notice.

I slowly get up, shaking the dirt from my fur.

Without a word, the figure closes its eyes and bows its head. Whatever the entity that controls this dungeon…I don't know how to explain it, but I feel we've reached a kind of…understanding. I close my eyes and bow my head in return. When I look up, they're gone.

A set of stairs appears before me.

I don't know what to expect. What could possibly be left? After everything I've gone through…the fear…the panic…there's no more. Whatever it is, I know I can take it.

I take the stairs.

Down. Down.

Down.

—

I look around. I came down the stairs directly into Delcatty's secret hiding place in the forest, the place where she brought me to release Serperior after we 'arrested' him. Where we first learned who I really was and how I got to her world.

This clearing in the forest…she called it her 'safe place,' where she could hide when she needed to. It's just as I remember it; the crowded trees surrounding the clearing, blocking entry from anywhere other than the winding path that leads inside. Breaks in the canopy letting in streaks of soft light. Smaller plants and mushrooms, some offering a gentle glow, dotting the periphery.

The one thing that stands out is the form of Delcatty herself, standing with her back to me, in the center.

This Delcatty doesn't look like the one I know, or the one currently lying in the Center's hospital. This one stands perfectly still, not even a hair moving in the breeze. A glow emanates from her, barely noticeable, but definitely there. When she turns to regard me, light is pouring from her eyes.

"Gwen…? Is that you?" She says, voice having taken on a strange airy quality, as she approaches slowly. "Delcatty? Are you…what is this…?" I ask, looking around, not quite sure what's happening.

"This is the end of the Echoing Ruins, where the spirits it consumes linger until they're consumed." She says, a small, sad smile playing on her lips.

So that means I'm looking at…Delcatty's spirit. The part of her she couldn't take from the dungeon.

She regards me again. "But, what are you doing here? You don't look like a spirit…no more than usual, anyway," she laughs in an unsettling way. "I…Hoopa said if I could make it down here and find your missing spirit…then I could set you free."

She processes my words, brows furrowing. "You…met Hoopa? Did they…" "I know everything, about you bringing us here, the books in your room…everything." She screws her eyes shut like she's been struck. A moment later she opens them—they're lined with tears shimmering like diamonds. "Gwen…I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for putting you—all of you—through this. I only wanted…" she takes a shaky breath, "I only wanted time…the time we didn't get before." I approach, tears filling my own eyes. "Me too…since I left, I thought of you every day. I imagined you at my wedding," I let out a laugh, embarrassed by the memory, "I wondered what you'd think of Elliot…what you were up to…the whole time, I never stopped thinking of you."

She holds my gaze as the tears continue to flow, "how cruel a fate. Born in different worlds, destined never to meet, and brought together by nothing more than an accident." She says, looking off into the distance. I consider her words. Yes, how cruel indeed. And yet…

"Even though we were never meant to meet…I'm glad we did. The time we had together might have been short, but we'll always hold each other in our hearts…no matter where we are…and I think that's truly precious."

"Let's go home," I say, stepping forward and reaching out a paw. She backs away, panic flashing across her face. "I…I can't. I'm part of the Ruins now…I can't face the others. I don't deserve to leave." My heart twists at her words, "It's ok, no matter what you've done, no matter how badly you think you've messed up, you can always try to be better tomorrow. But…you have to be there to do it." I extend my paw further, "Please? I didn't come all this way to leave without you," I smile.

She looks at my paw again, then my face, searching my eyes. She lets out a breath. "…ok. I'll leave with you. We'll go together and…fix all this."

She puts her paw in mine, and her hiding place dissolves around us in a flurry of light.