Chris had returned to the real world, removing his headset with an exasperated sigh. He got up from his bed, and as he made his way towards the restroom, he passed by a picture that was on the wall which showed both him and his brother, Zach, which was taken back when they were little children. He stopped by the picture, seeing how happy his brother was long ago. With a sigh, he thought about the days when Zach was alive, until he grimaced as he recalled one person who ended up causing him some problems years ago, and was a factor who led Zach to his death.

Just then, Chris heard his phone ring, and he pulled it out of his pocket. Seeing the name on the screen, he saw that it was his mother calling him. He quickly regained his composure, before he then answered the call. "Hey, Mom," Chris greeted.

"Hey, Chris," she answered back. "How's your trip?"

"Oh, it's fine," Chris mentioned. "Just still hanging out with Nolan and all of that."

"Oh, Nolan, eh? He's good company, but doesn't he actually live in Michigan?"

"Yeah. Hard to believe it's been nearly a year since we've first met in person." Chris then decided to change subjects quickly, asking his mother "So, how have you been doing? Is Sorin treating you well?"

"Yes, he is," she answered. "Though, you could go out of your way to call him 'Dad,' you know."

"R-right. Sorry." Chris got a little flustered, but he quickly regained his composure. "It's just that…I haven't seen him since the wedding. Two years is a lot for someone like me to keep track of, you know."

"Yes. Time truly does take its toll on us all, doesn't it?" She soon fell silent on the other end, before she then brought up "Say, Chris?"

"Yes?"

"…Have you finished with what you've obsessed over yet? I think it should do some good to just quit while you're ahead."

Chris knew what it was she was referring to. Zach was all that Chris seemed to be thinking about since his death. However, Chris could only let out a sigh at the mention of his mission, before he said to his mother "I just want to know the truth. That's all."

"Is it really the truth you're looking for, Chris? Because from the sound of your voice, you seem to be awfully stressed."

"I-I'm fine, Mom. Really. You don't have to worry about me. Nolan's helping me get over things."

"If he was, you wouldn't be so distressed, would you?" Chris winced a little at his mother's concern, as she continued. "Chris, I think it should be better if you…I don't know, had a chance to talk with us?"

"Uh…" Chris took a moment to consider his options. Having spent so long living with the pursuit of his brother's killer, he never had a chance to relax, or…to actually move on from the past. However, not wanting the past to be dead and buried as of yet, he calmed his nerves, and told his mother "I'll think about it. Thanks."

"Okay. Love you, sweetie."

"Yeah. Love you too, Mom. Bye." He hung up, sighing deeply as he looked at the wallpaper he had on his phone. It was a picture of a Scyther and Beautifly giving a smile towards a camera. He was quiet, staring long and hard at the wallpaper on his phone, before placing it back in his pocket as he leaves his room.

Chapter 54: The Truth Comes Out

"It all started back when Herr Chris was a younger man," Nolan began as he explained Chris's story to me and Adam. "He's the older of two brothers. His mother, Elanor, was a registered nurse who studied up various medical practices. His father, Gideon, however…" He took a breath, muttering out "How do I approach this so that it's easy to understand?"

"Hey, take your time," I said, gently giving him a pat on the arm. "I bet whatever happened, it's not an easy thing to talk about."

"Nein. It's never a thing to bring up lightly, especially given the subject matter," Nolan replied. "Almost as harsh as Herr Adam's story about the Zero Isles, now that I think about it."

"Almost might be an understatement if this truth is far worse," Adam stated, leaning forward to listen more intently. "Please, Nolan. It's for Josh and Chris."

The Aegislash was rather quiet, thinking to himself for a bit about how to approach this subject matter. Finally, he sighed, and mentioned "Okay. Well, if you must know, Gideon Turner…he's…" Quietly, he then leaned forward so that his voice was an audible whisper to me and Adam. Softly, he said "Chris said he's an abuser."

This caused me and Adam to recoil in sheer shock and horror. Nolan saw the terror on our faces, and solemnly nodded. "Ja… That's exactly what my reaction was, sad to say."

"Oh my God… That's horrible," I muttered out, both of my hands covering my face.

"How long has this been going on?" Adam asked with concern.

"About 4 years at least," Nolan answered. "Herr Chris refused to give me exact details. He didn't want to relive the trauma of it all."

"Chris had to live with a man like that?" I asked with concern. "What caused it?"

"From what I could gather in the real world, it was most likely a mix of a few things," Nolan added. "Chris described his father as a monster, caring for nothing more than the absolute best of his children, even at the expense of their sanity. From the looks of it, he was an old war veteran who didn't take the conflict too well. So, he took to trying to drown his sorrows away with some booze before bedtime."

"A war vet?" Adam asked. "Like Volt, huh?"

Nolan shook his head. "Nein. Volt is a rather tame example, mind you. He may be rough around the edges, but he's a caring individual, let me tell you."

"Right. I'll shut up," Adam said, now paying further attention.

"So…he fought in a war long ago?" I asked. "And he took to alcoholism?"

"That's right," Nolan mentioned. "But from what Herr Chris also mentioned regarding Zach, it's apparent that the kid was also rather frail. Chris would often protect him as best as he could from his father's harsh verbal and physical treatment while the mother, Elanor, was busy at the hospital."

"Damn…" Adam leaned back in his chair, taking this all in, processing what this sort of thing could do to someone like Chris. He then remembered something critical, before saying "I guess that explains his behavior in Volcanica, then."

"Volcanica?" Nolan asked curiously.

"Yeah," Adam answered. "When Josh dunked me into that lava as a practical joke. I guess Chris saw that as a form of bullying and took offense."

I had to sit down and think about what Adam said as well. I remembered Chris was livid, sure. But he still ended up being brought to his senses by Cross and Nolan. Honestly, I think we were all rather surprised by this behavior from Chris, so it's not like any of us knew what to do about it. Cross seemed to be the level-headed one trying to reason for Chris to back away for the time being until he learned some restraint…I think. It all seemed a little jumbled, if I'm being honest.

Nolan soon cleared his throat before continuing. "Now, the abuse takes a few forms. One day, it's PTSD that's the harm. The next, anger towards Zach for how weak he was. On another, things get physical, and Zach would be shaken around before being thrown to the ground, followed by verbal lashings. If I want to be honest here, I'd rather not get into too much detail, if it's alright with you."

"No no. It's fine," I said reassuringly. "You don't have to give us every detail. Just the idea alone is enough."

"Ja…" Nolan nodded, taking a deep breath before he then said "Now, there was a bright spot following all of the abuse. Elanor found out about it, and before you know it, the parents separated, with Chris and Zach moving over to a new home along with their mother."

"Ah, that's good," Adam said with his arms crossed, a smile slowly emerging on his face. "Where did they move to?"

"Um… I believe they moved over to a small neighborhood in Minnesota, if I recall," Nolan mentioned.

Suddenly, that smile on Adam's face completely disappeared, and he appeared to look rather pale, eyes wide open with shock at the mention of the state they moved to. Lowering his head with discomfort, he muttered "Oh… I see…"

"Minnesota's where you guys live, isn't it?" I asked with worry.

Adam nodded to my question, lowering his arms to the table. "Yes. That's were Josh and I grew up."

"As I thought," Nolan muttered, before he continued with his story. "Though from what I could gather, Zach was always seen as frail and weak, but the trauma of the abuse he's been through was rough. That's why Chris offered that they both play PMDO. Zach chose a Wurmple as his avatar, which he quickly evolved into a Beautifly."

"How ironic," Adam muttered. "Those kinds of Bug-types aren't known for their strength."

"Ja, but then, by some miracle, Zach's mentality was starting to improve the more he hung around Chris and his new team. He never once mentioned them by name. Always referring to them as 'my team' or 'Emanation and Blitz' because he couldn't go for calling them by their real names."

"That's rather specific," I commented. "He's that protective about people's identities in an MMO of all things?"

"That's what I asked Chris, but then…he just brushed it to the side, telling me 'My brother refused to disclose details regarding their real names because he's afraid people will soon figure out who they are in no time.'"

"Well, with Ace, I understand," Adam brought up. "But by never acknowledging Josh by never bringing up the letter 'J' at any point? There are many people who have a name that starts with J. It could mean Johnathan, or Joseph for all we know."

"I know," Nolan said. "It didn't fully add up. But that's what Chris described it as, so that's exactly what I'm telling you."

I liked that Zach was protective of his team's identities, but even then, the whole thing seemed rather odd. I simply chose to keep quiet about it and let Nolan continue his story. However, the Aegislash soon started to look rather sad, and it only made me concerned.

"And then…something happened three years ago," Nolan continued. "Even though Elanor had already moved on and Chris and Zach were in safe hands, Zach started having night terrors. A lingering fear that perhaps his father was coming back to cause harm to him, and it resulted in him closing himself away from the real world as long as he could muster. He still goes to school, but he rarely talks to people. Even the moments he spent with Chris in the real world were slowly but surely becoming rather distant. Zach even chose to lock himself in his own room, because he feared the outside world might bring about his father again."

"What?" I asked with increased concern. "But…his father was incarcerated, wasn't he?"

"Ja, but…the financial burden it took on the family was not exactly easy for them," Nolan continued. "In fact, Elanor wanted to find a new husband. One who was more caring and honest, and would be able to give Elanor time to return to her job as a nurse. But…the possibility of meeting someone new terrified Zach, and he was afraid that he was going to get into a worse scrape than with his father."

"So…what happened?" I asked with a little bit of fear in my voice.

Nolan straightened himself up, before saying in a rather blunt tone "Zach…disappeared."

"Disappeared?" I wondered. "Was he kidnapped? Did he run away? What do you mean he disappeared?"

That's when Adam realized exactly where this was going, before he muttered out "The AMBER alarm…" All of a sudden, a cold sweat emerged from Adam's face, as he looked scared stiff while clutching his head in his hands. "He… What was he doing…? Who was he…?"

This reaction from Adam made me and Nolan suddenly realize what was up, and I tried to comfort Adam by petting at his back. "Adam? Hey, it's alright. You're safe. You're here, with us. Deep breaths. Come on. Take some deep breaths."

Adam was trying to calm himself as I tried soothing him, but it was taking a while, as what happened next didn't really need explanation. Zach suddenly appeared in his school brandishing a knife, almost taking Adam's own life…until Josh arrived and stopped Zach in his tracks. Permanently…

Nolan refused to touch what happened that day with a good ten-foot pole, and he chose to skip ahead. "Um…ja… So, after that, and after his death was reported on the news, Chris was devastated. Chris ultimately wanted answers. So, he went to try and determine who it was who killed him. The police reported that it was an act of self-defense, though the perpetrator could never testify after the incident…"

"…Because he and his brother were already trapped in this world," I finished, as we both looked at Adam, seeing that he's much calmer now, but nonetheless horrified by what he's heard. I couldn't help but feel sorry for him, given his circumstances at the time.

Nolan chose to wrap up his story after that, saying "The only hint he's got regarding a player with the codename of 'Emanation' in his username was that he was trapped in this world, unable to escape. However, he couldn't find him for years… That's when he met me and Cross, and the rest is history."

Adam and I took a few moments to process the story that Nolan told us, all the while everyone inside of the hotel paid us no mind. Taking a moment of pause, I had to think about what Chris must be going through. But the way that Nolan phrased things with his story got me thinking. Is there a way for Chris and Josh to make up? After all, Nolan didn't mention anything about "revenge" as far as I know. What if things can be resolved peacefully between the two of them?

"Nolan?" I asked.

The Aeigislash perked up and looked at me curiously. "Ja?"

"Do you think Chris and Josh should talk things over? To understand what really happened?"

"I don't think that's a good idea, Rose," Adam admitted. "Josh seems pretty convinced that he's to blame for Zach's death. Without critical eyewitness testimony about what happened, we're pretty much stuck."

"But you were there, weren't you?" I questioned. "You saw exactly what happened, right?"

"Uh…" Adam nervously began to scratch at his cheek, clearly anxious about that day's events. "W-well…most of it… It's just that I've never experienced pure terror like that before, and my mind just sorta…blanked?"

"Blanked?" Nolan echoed back. "As in…your memories are being blocked out?"

"Um…yeah?" Adam said. "I guess you could say that."

"Then that's what we need to figure out!" I exclaimed, grabbing the boys' attention. "Your memories might just be the thing that can change everything, Adam. All we need to do is figure out how to unlock them, and once you do, we can have Josh and Chris learn the truth of what occurred on that day."

"Fraulein… What if this doesn't work?" Nolan wondered. "If what you're saying is correct, and Adam's memories are the key to resolving this issue, then we are facing a conundrum on multiple angles. If Adam's memories show nothing new, there's a chance we'll only make things worse."

I knew that, but I have this gut feeling that perhaps we aren't given all of the critical pieces. Judging from Josh's behaviors and his kind nature, I cannot possibly consider him a murderer. I just couldn't. I gave Nolan a glare, letting him know I wanted this whole conflict to end so we can have one less thing to worry about. But more importantly…

"Josh is not a murderer!" I reasoned, taking Nolan and Adam by surprise. "I can feel it. Because…he cares." I began to feel a tightness in my chest, resting my hand on it to steady myself.

I began to think about Josh's actions that I've seen thus far. He showed genuine concern when someone went missing, and opted to help willingly. He comforted me over the tragic passing of Gabe. He even protected me from Zeraora when we fought against him on Mount Ebott. Yes. Josh would never do anything to harm his friends. Or anyone. He hardly knew me when he first protected me. He's compassionate. Kind. I can feel it!

Nolan gave me a nod, before turning his attention towards Adam. "Ich verstehe." Giving a long, hard look at Adam, he then mentioned "I'll stand by the notion of a possibility there's more to this story. And if that's the case, we need to find a way to dig into Adam's memories. He's buried most of his trauma into the back of his mind, and it won't be easy to dig out."

"Wh-what? You want ME to remember the most terrifying day of my life?" Adam questioned. "B-but… I don't know if I can-"

"Please, Adam," I begged, resting a hand on his arm. "For your brother's sake."

Adam looked like a scared kitten when he saw me looking at him with a sense of confidence. I knew that it was tough for him, but he's the best chance that we got in order to solve what really happened. He knew this, too, but was scared of what he might uncover. Maybe he didn't want to sully the goodwill of his brother. Maybe he's terrified of reliving that nightmare. Either way, he knew that there was only one option.

He sighed deeply, and lowered his head. "Fine. I'll do it. For Josh's sake."

I smiled at the idea of Adam finally deciding to do whatever he can to help. He smiled back at me, though…he was still rather tense, and quickly dropped the smile altogether a moment later.

"Very well," Nolan stated. "Now, to begin with, it's about time we look into your trauma. Therapy would be a good way to deal with it, but…as you can see, I'm not much help. I'm not what you call a therapist, unfortunately."

"In that case, we'll need to come up with something." Then, suddenly, I got myself an idea. "Adam, how about I try and soothe your senses with Aromatherapy? Maybe it will help clear your mind so that you can uncover the truth."

"It's worth a shot," Adam said with a shrug. "But what if it doesn't work?"

"If it doesn't work, we'll need to find a way to give a big shock to your system," Nolan mentioned. "I once heard that sometimes, memories can come flooding back when one experiences a moment of complete and utter shock. Though…it's mostly done during life and death circumstances…"

Adam winced at the idea of going through something like that. "I think I'll just stick with Aromatherapy, thank you" he said.

"Then it's settled," I said as I got up from my seat. "Come on. Let's get started."

Adam was taken aback by my request. "Huh? You mean right now?"

"When else would you think would be a good time while Josh is away?" I reasoned, before suddenly grabbing Adam's arm. "Come on! Let's get back to our room."

"Huh?" As I dragged Adam away from the table, the whole hotel soon took notice of our behavior, as Adam's embarrassment began to skyrocket. "H-hey! Rose! Let go of my arm! People are getting the wrong idea!"

"Oh, come now, Adam," I said in a teasing manner. "This is a first for me as well, so we'll have to see if it will work out."

"B-but…"

"Hey, just lay down on the bed, and let me work my magic, alright?" I said. "I'll be doing all the work, so don't even think about it, and just let it happen."

As Adam and I went upstairs, Nolan sat there at the table, trying to hold back his laughter as he could tell that I was only joking around just to give Adam a rough time. Yet, what made it even funnier to someone like him is that he could tell everyone else in the hotel that saw me dragging Adam upstairs were thinking we were doing something…intimate. He couldn't help but chuckle the moment that we were out of sight, before he then let out a sigh. "Kids…"

Nolan simply sat there, thinking up what to do in case of the worst-case scenario. He shuffled his card deck, thinking back to when he and Chris first met. A day he would never forget about.

3 Years Earlier…

Nolan had been playing the game for nearly two years by this point, working alongside his older brother, Barrett. Nolan was a young transfer student at the age of 18, having moved over to the USA from Germany, studying in the University of Michigan to get a sense of how Journalism in America was like compared to his home country. As a result of it, he was separated from his brother, and he only got to communicate with him in the game about his studies.

However, one day, while walking through the market, he and Barrett would go about their business, forming only a duo that would go on missions on few occasions. Most of their fun in the game came from enjoying the other perks of it. But this day, traveling through the hub of Oina for the next big mission, the pair ended up finding a request being made by a particular player. Nolan picked up the paper from the request board, seeing what it said:

Needed: Any allies who will help with my mission.

Outline: I intend to hunt down a player who has wronged me. I will provide more information if you accept this request.

Client: Scicle Species: Scyther Location: Oina's Legends Guild

"Look at this, Bruder," Nolan said, bringing the paper to Barrett's attention. "Think this could be a decent job?"

Username: RieseWächter Species: Golurk

"Hmm…" the Golurk pondered, staring at the paper as Nolan brought it up to his face. "An outlaw request? I guess we could give this a shot."

"Ja," Nolan said with a nod. "I believe this could be a good thing for us, Bruder. Battle experience in this game could be beneficial."

Barrett couldn't help but chuckle. "And you think you're any good with combat, Brüderchen? You might fumble and let our target escape, you know?"

Nolan playfully gave a gentle punch to Barrett's shoulder. "You know I've been getting stronger, Bruder. I think I can handle it."

"We shall see. Let's go meet this client, shall we?"

Nolan and Barrett would soon arrive at the Legends Guild, and there, they would find that the guildmaster, Kaido, is in the middle of a discussion with the Scyther they were looking for in question. However, what they didn't expect was the Scyther to be rather…bitter.

"I am not gonna take down my request, Kaido!" the Scyther argued. "You said that as long as I have a reason to hunt down a criminal, I can keep it up on the board!"

"Yeah, I did," Kaido, the Tyranitar, argued back with a glare. "But we only resolve to fighting criminals akin to hackers, or thieves. On top of that, you're asking for a hit against a player who didn't even commit a single crime in the game itself."

"That doesn't matter!" the Scyther retorts. "He killed my brother, and I demand justice to be done to avenge him!"

"I will not tolerate your behavior, Christopher!" Kaido declared. "As long as you are playing this game, you will abide by those rules. A hit on another player, especially one trapped in the game, is out of the question."

Chris got irritated, gritting his teeth as he averted his gaze. "But I-"

"If you keep talking about a hit against this player, I'm likely going to have to ban you from the game," Kaido reasoned. "I know your brother means a lot to you, but I'm afraid that pursuing the person you think is responsible for his death will only result in making things worse for yourself. Think about what you're doing, and try to consider this possibility." Kaido soon stood tall, looking down at the Scyther with a glare, showing his sign of authority in the building. "If you confront your target, and he is not who you think he is, what then? What if he had friends and family who respect him? Your life isn't some summer blockbuster, Chris. You can't expect to get things done through action alone. This world isn't as black and white as you are making it out to be." He then placed a hand on Chris's shoulder, locking eyes with him to grab his attention. "The moment your hands are stained with blood, you are never going to forget it. And not only will it linger in your mind, it will consume you, leaving you an empty husk of your former self."

Chris lowered his head, and let out a sigh, taking Kaido's words into consideration. "Speaking from personal experience?"

"My experiences shouldn't be taken lightly," Kaido muttered. "I've seen my fair share of death, and the worst thing about it is that I still struggle to cope with it all." The Tyranitar soon turned to his left, and saw both Nolan and Barrett awkwardly staring at them. And for the briefest moment, Kaido ended up looking embarrassed, before returning to a more stoic personality. He returned his gaze to Chris, and mutters "By nightfall, I'm taking down those requests you've been making. Understand?"

Chris nodded solemnly, realizing he can't argue back with this man. "Crystal clear, sir."

"Good. You are dismissed." Kaido soon turned around and started walking over to his office, which resided in the east hallway, leaving Chris alone in the main hall.

Chris sighed, before turning to leave. But as he did, he took note of both Nolan and Barrett, scoffing as he chose to walk past them, before taking off into the sky.

"O-oi! Wait a minute!" Nolan soon began to pursue Chris, levitating in the air as he was fast approaching Chris.

The pair were in the sky above Oina, Nolan desperately trying to grab Chris's attention. Nolan could see that Chris was starting to slow down, but as Nolan caught up to him, Chris soon slashed at him. Nolan was quick to block the strike with his shield, as Chris looked purely frustrated.

"Hey! I'm not trying to fight you, Sir," Nolan stated. "Honest."

Chris huffed, before he said "What, you want to be my friend or something?"

"I…don't think that will be necessary, Herr Sichlor," Nolan said nervously.

This stumped Chris a little, as he soon looked at Nolan curiously. "Uh…my username is Scicle, actually…"

"Huh?" This took Nolan a minute to figure out what he meant, before he quickly pieced together his mistake. "Oh! Nein, nein! That's not what I meant at all. I was referring to your species. I guess my tongue slipped or something."

Chris couldn't help but find him to be humorous, and gave a slight grin. "I see. A German, right? That accent of yours is a dead giveaway."

Nolan had no idea whether that was considered a compliment, so he simply didn't respond.

"Well, if it means anything to you, I'm afraid I'm not on the market," Chris said. "After all, you heard what Kaido said earlier. My mission request had been denied and canceled."

This time, it was Nolan who couldn't help but snicker. "Both those words mean the same thing," he commented.

Chris waved his arm to brush the comment aside. "Whatever… My point being that I…" He sighed, and soon lowered himself down to the ground, as Nolan followed him. "Oh, what's the use… It's not like you care anyways, right? I don't even know you, and here you are, listening in on a complete stranger's ramblings."

"Hey, we don't have to be strangers, Scicle," Nolan reassured. "I can tell you're under a lot of stress. Maybe you can tell me what happened?"

Chris looked over at Nolan and could tell that he was eager for a scoop of information. But moreover, he couldn't help but take pity on Chris's feelings at that moment. He felt sorry for him, and figured that maybe there was some way he could help. Chris found a bench and took a seat, sighing deeply about what to do next. "A player I know of here in this world is responsible for killing my brother," he started. "I only know him by the username 'Emanation,' so I don't know who he is around here."

"Isn't 'Emanation' a pretty bad username?" Nolan questioned.

"It's only part of a username," Chris brought up. "Turns out, my brother was rather protective when it comes to anything related to real-life names on the internet. He didn't even give me a descriptor of what he looks like, which makes things difficult on my end…"

Nolan couldn't help but find this Scyther intriguing. His story seems to be pretty good for a quest, all things considered. Maybe he could learn a thing or two from being near him.

"Nolan!"

Both Nolan and Chris looked up in the air, as they witnessed Barrett flying towards them, before lowering himself gently on the ground. His hands and legs had been retracted for flight capabilities, launching himself through the air like a rocket. The moment he was ready to land, his legs and arms soon emerged, and he landed with a loud BOOM when he planted his feet firmly on solid earth.

"Where have you been, Bruder?" Nolan asked curiously. "It's not like you to take this long to catch up."

"Sorry, Brüderchen," Barret said while rubbing the back of his head. "You were moving rather quickly."

Chris curiously looked at the two of them, asking "So, who's the Iron Giant here?"

Barrett soon collected himself, and gave a proper introduction. "Guten Tag, dear Scyther. I am RieseWächter. My partner here is my little brother, Zweister."

Chris seemed puzzled by those names. "Reese…Water? What in the world does that mean?"

"My username is derived from German words, meaning 'Giant Guardian.' You could say it's befitting a player like myself," Barrett commented.

"Ja. And Zweister is derived from the German word 'Zweihänder.' A two-handed sword." Nolan soon gave a salute, holding his shield in one arm to his side, while the other is on his head (hilt), as if to show himself off. "Of course, you can figure out what that means."

Chris was unamused. "Uh huh…"

Nolan finished his salute, before he then returned to talking with Chris. "Anyways, you were saying?"

Chris was not entirely sure what to make of the two of them at first. They were complete and utter strangers as far as he knew. Why would they want any interest in him of all people? But regardless, he just had to ask "Why are you so insistent on hearing my sob story?"

"Nolan wanted to hear your tale," Barrett explained. "He's the one who said we should see you for added details regarding your request."

Nolan gave a nod to Chris. "And who knows? Maybe we might be able to find this rogue player and avenge your brother. Give him a new avatar and all that, you know?"

Chris looked away from the pair, sighing deeply as he ultimately could tell these two are intent on hearing his full story. He soon got up from the bench, before he suggested "How about we discuss this in a more private location?"

The "private location" he was referring to was none other than the hotel that resided in the southern end of town: Hotel Amethyst. There was a tavern there where players could discuss missions and all that, but there were also dedicated rooms given to private guests. Chris ultimately used up a ton of money to afford the private room where he can discuss things with Barrett and Nolan. But the moment that they checked into the room, Nolan and Barrett listened intently on the conversation. (For the record, Barrett had to crouch down when walking the hallways, even having to retract his legs when sitting, which I thought was pretty cute.)

Chris explained everything. His life. His brother, Zach. The horrible things they went through because of their father. Everything. And throughout it all, Nolan and Barret were taking it in, absorbing the whole story and exactly what led to Zach's death. Nolan and Barrett were practically speechless by the time Chris finished his story.

"Mein Gott…" Barrett muttered, not exactly sure what to make of it all. "How terrible."

"Yeah," Chris said. "And the worst thing is that this guy chose to run away here instead of paying for his crime in the real world."

"And…you're sure this player, this 'Emanation' is the one who killed your brother?" Nolan asked curiously.

"Yeah. I'm sure of it," Chris said, staring at the floor. "At least…I believe so, anyways. I know my brother. He wouldn't hurt a fly. Emanation HAD to be the one who did it."

Nolan and Barrett looked at each other for a bit, concerned about Chris's revenge quest. Barrett pondered the claims that Chris was making, and he ended up giving a sigh before admitting something to Chris. "I'm afraid we need to be honest with ourselves, then." Barrett cleared his throat, and he mentioned "My full name is Barrett Dietrich. I'm a journalist."

This ultimately piqued Chris's interest. "A journalist? Like…a gaming journalist?"

"Nothing of the sort, I'm afraid," Barrett confessed. "I'm more of an investigative journalist. I run investigations regarding recent events, and publish them onto the internet for the world to see."

"Is that right? Then…why take part investigating this game, then?"

"I'm afraid that's classified, Herr Chris," Barrett stated. "But I can assure you, I have every intention of trying to discover more of the truth that this game is keeping hidden within its coding."

Chris took in what Barrett said, and was curious about what it was he seemed to be hiding. As he stared at him, that gave Nolan time to think up a question that would take everything back on topic. "Anyways, Herr Chris, why do you think this 'Emanation' is to blame for your brother's death? Why such an intense accusation?"

"Because I found out about it from the police," Chris answered. "My mother is dating this man who has a family member working for the police. He gets his info through family connections."

"Isn't that technically a bad thing to share police records to uninvolved civilians?" Barrett questioned.

"Zach died. He was my brother. My mother is dating a man who is related to one of the cops investigating the case. I'm about as involved as you could get."

Chris looked sure and confident in his explanation, though Nolan and Barrett were not sure if Chris was trying way too hard to look like a seeker of justice to justify his actions. Barrett then asked "Herr Chris…do you watch a lot of action movies?"

"Yes, I do," Chris answered. "Die Hard. Bad Boys. Lethal Weapon."

"Mein Gott…" Barrett muttered, sounding awfully befuddled. "You really do think life is an action movie…"

"Hey! I'll have you know, life isn't like the movies!" Chris interjected. "It's just that I want to be there personally when I find the man responsible for taking my brother's life."

Barrett was in such disbelief that he visibly slapped his face. Nolan quickly stepped into the conversation. "Look… We understand you are mostly…upset, given the events that happened. But what I believe is that someone like you needs to learn to let go of this before it gets out of hand."

"And let a murderer get away scot-free? What makes you think he isn't already planning to continue his killing spree?"

"In what way is he going to continue his killing spree?" Barrett questioned out of annoyance. "He can't continue his killing spree! He's literally in a coma! His consciousness is trapped in a virtual world! I think that's punishment enough, wouldn't you agree?"

"Not until he answers for his crimes!" Chris said angrily.

Barrett groaned, realizing that Chris is ultimately refusing to budge on the issue. However, Nolan was quick to place a hand on his brother's arm, letting him know that he's got an idea. Nolan turned his focus onto Chris. "In that case, I'll join you."

"What?" Barrett was rather surprised by Nolan's request.

"You need someone to help you, and since nobody is willing to do so, I guess I'll be there to help when I can," Nolan continued. He then raised his shield in his arm, before saying "You are the sword, and I am the shield. Alone, they mean little. But together, they can work perfectly. Once we find this 'Emanation,' I promise you, Chris, you will see justice be done."

"Brüderchen… What do you think you're doing?" Barett couldn't help but ask.

"Barrett…" Nolan sighed, before turning to his older brother. "I know what I'm doing. Trust me."

Chris was stunned at Nolan's willingness to help him. "You…really want to help me? I…don't know what to say."

"You could say 'Thank you,' as you American's put it. You don't even have to pay me back. I'll help out, free of charge." Nolan then held out his hand, expecting Chris to reach out to him. "What do you say? Partners?"

Chris took a moment to consider this gesture. He figured that this could be beneficial, having a shield to watch his back. However, he wasn't sure as to why Nolan was so insistent on joining him so quickly. As such, while Nolan's expression seemed rather calm and friendly, he hid with him a sheer amount of ferocity that is not afraid to get his hands dirty. In a way, Nolan seemed like the perfect choice.

Chris nodded, and extending his blade arm out. Nolan grabbed it, and they both shook, solidifying their new companionship. "Alright. Partners. You be Riggs, I be Murtaugh?"

Nolan gave a nervous laugh, not quite sure what Chris was talking about, but he played along anyways. "Ja. Ja. Whatever you say."

Chris seemed to psyche himself up in that instant, as he then got up to his feet. "Then it's settled! From now on, until the job is done, we're partners through thick and thin! Better get ready, because the moment we're prepared, we will go out and find this perp." He then gave a nod to Nolan, followed by a nod to Barrett. His cocky smile showed his enthusiasm with this search, as he held up his blade-arm. "Soon… Emanation will finally understand what it's like to be at the end of a blade." Chris soon stopped smiling, before he walked out the door, leaving Nolan and Barrett by themselves.

Barrett immediately began to feel uncomfortable, and told his brother "What were you thinking? He's clearly an intense person!"

"I know!" Nolan shouted, before letting out a sigh. "I know. Barrett, I know I'm aiding a partially-deranged person, but trust me, I think I know what I'm doing."

"You 'think' you know?" Barrett repeated. "Oy vey… Nolan. I don't know about this."

"Bruder, think of it this way! The last thing I want to do is leave him alone. So, what I intend on doing is keep a close eye on him, and try to guide him down the right path."

"And how do you plan on doing that?"

Nolan paused as he had to think about it for a bit. After pondering on it for a few moments, he admitted "Okay, you got me there. But my point stands!"

Barrett groaned in annoyance, feeling ashamed that Nolan even considered this option in the first place. And yet, even though he feels awful for this, Nolan was quick to pat him on his arm.

"Bruder… I believe in one thing. The same thing you yourself are in pursuit of: the truth. Herr Chris might be mistaken. Maybe not every detail is given. This is why I feel I need to do this!"

Barrett sighed, looking at Nolan with concern. "Why, Brüderchen? What reason apart from learning the truth are you doing this?"

Nolan took a glance towards the door, thinking about Chris and his behavior. He couldn't help but feel a sense of pity in the Scyther, wanting nothing more than to be there for him in his time of need. To be a voice of reason for him. To help him down the right path in life. To stop thinking about this relentless pursuit and start understanding the real meaning of life itself. Nolan soon clenched his sash-hand into a fist, and with renewed confidence, he looked back at his brother.

"I'm doing this…because I want to save him."

"Save…Chris?" Barrett guessed curiously. "Why?"

Nolan once again stared at the door. "Because he's lost, Bruder. And I want to help him come back to his senses."

It had been nearly three years since that day. And even at this moment, Nolan refused to give up on Chris. But given how he's now aware of the situation, and how dangerously close Chris could be to discovering the truth himself, Nolan can't help but think quietly to himself in that hotel lobby. Thinking about whether or not our plan of recovering Adam's memories of the single-most traumatic event of his life would change anything. And the fact that I even brought up the idea in the first place.

Nolan chuckled to himself, before looking at his cards, finding a Scyther card among the deck. "That lady is braver than I am…" Soon enough, he saw Chris return to the table to check on him. Nolan quickly put the cards away, before returning to a more jovial mood. "Ah, Herr Chris! What a surprise!"

Chris chuckled as he sat opposite of the Aegislash. "Nolan. You knew I was gonna come back after having some lunch, right? It's not that surprising."

"Of course… I was just, thinking. About the past. How we first met. You know. It's been nearly three years since that day. Don't you remember?"

"How could I forget? You were practically eager to join me."

"Natürlich! But…I guess I may have changed significantly since that time." Nolan averted his gaze from Chris. "Meeting Cross. Joining the Solace Guild. Allying with Team Inferno. There were a lot of things that took my attention away from that day we met years ago. And I've grown to cherish the people I have in my life more than I could even imagine."

Chris nodded, before looking down at the table. "I can kind of see what you mean, Nolan. I guess I've been thinking…that maybe I should grow up and consider my actions more carefully."

"Let me guess… You just had a talk with your mother?"

Chris smirked at Nolan's statement. "Lucky guess."

"She's only trying to look out for you, Herr Chris. You have a friend group who's looking out for you. Me. Adam. Cross. Rose. Even Josh…" Nolan sounded a little uneasy upon saying Josh's name, almost sounding like a dull whisper. However, Chris soon started to catch on to Nolan's worries, so the Aeigislash returned to the conversation. "Anyways, my point is that we shouldn't be holding on to the past. Maybe this is the reason we were brought together in the first place, Herr Chris. Finally, after all this time, we are going to find out the secret of MCP, and free all of the players who are trapped in this world."

"Yeah…" Chris looked a little uneasy, his voice trailing off as he looked toward the tavern. His single-minded goal of finding his target was all that was on his mind, and yet, here he was. Sharing a genuine moment with his friend. Going on an adventure. And simply spending time with a team who are always looking out for one another. What if…Mom was right? What if I'm making a mistake in hunting down Emanation?

Chris didn't know what to do or say at this moment, so he simply shook his head, before telling Nolan "Look, I know we're doing the right thing and all that. I get it. But…I also need some closure if that's really the case. Emanation is still out there. And I… I have to set things right."

Nolan spoke up, saying "The truth will come to us, Herr Chris…somehow…"

Chris sighed, before looking into his bag and pulling out the Scizorite, carefully inspecting the gemstone. "I hope you're right. Because now… I'm just wondering what Emanation is doing. He's perhaps plotting his next move, even as we speak."

Josh let out a yawn as he and Cross sat there in the lobby of the Moon Guild. Cross sat there twiddling with his fingers, while Josh was leaning his back against the wall and staring at the ceiling. They were told to wait there for Spectro's return, and so far, they've been sitting there for the past half-hour, bored out of their minds.

Cross soon came up with a suggestion. "Want to talk battle strategies when we face Zeraora?"

"We'll first have to know if he's even in the mountain at this point," Josh said matter-of-factly. "And in order to do that, we'll need to get close to the mountain. Which, need I remind you, requires express permission from Spectro."

"Right…" Cross took a deep breath, before he then sat up, and started humming to himself.

Josh listened closely to Cross's humming, and he soon pulled out a leaf from his bag, before he then played a song on it. Cross's humming soon came to a stop, before he then listened carefully to the melody that Josh was playing. It sounded…tranquil. Almost sad. It was unlike anything he's ever heard before. "What's that song you're playing?"

Josh looked at Cross, before he brought up "I've been playing JRPGs since I was a child. This is a song from one of those games."

"Yes, but which one?"

Josh smiled, before he said "It's called Drifting Soul. It is from Xenoblade Chronicles 2."

"Xenoblade Chronicles?" Cross asked curiously. "What are those games like?"

Josh chuckled, putting his leaf away, before sitting up straight. "Think…every location in that game is literally on the bodies of giants. And a sword called the Monado is the key to changing the course of the world."

Cross tilted his head in confusion. "Huh?"

Josh cleared his throat, before saying "I'm afraid that's all that I'll say without ruining the game itself. It's one of those you have to play for yourself one of these days."

Cross smiled as he began to think about what it was he meant with that description. "Xenoblade Chronicles, eh? Might have to check it out once we're out of here."

"Yeah. It'd be an interesting change of pace, compared to here, huh?"

"We're talking about a game that came out decades ago, right?"

"2012, to be more precise. 2020 if we're counting the Deluxe Edition."

Cross and Josh smiled at the idea of going back to playing those games, and soon, they both laughed. After a few moments of joy, Cross gave out a sigh, before saying "You are a strange one, Josh. I'll give you that."

"Yeah, I've been called that plenty of times." Just then, Josh perked up, as he soon felt an intense aura in the area. Before, out of nowhere, he saw a figure moving towards him at a rather fast speed. And quickly, he turned his attention to the entrance of the guild, and stood up.

"Josh?" Cross asked with unease. "What's wrong?"

"Someone's coming to get me…" Josh muttered, readying a bone staff, splitting it into two before making them into makeshift batons. "Get back!"

Cross immediately began to feel a sense of panic, thinking that perhaps Chris found out and is charging toward him out of anger. Entering a fighting stance, he asked "Is it Chris?"

Josh however couldn't answer in time, as the figure in green swiftly entered the room, readying a Slash attack towards Josh, which he swiftly blocked before countering, knocking his opponent to the ground. The green blur moved pretty fast, but the moment that he knocked the figure to the ground, he realized that it was…a Meowscarada.

"Yeeowch! Have you no shame? Trying to beat me to a pulp for no reason?" she argued with seething anger.

Josh sighed, the aura bones in his paws vanishing. "Why is it that everybody seems to want to greet me with an attack?" He then tried to help the lady up by extending his paw to her. "Are you alright?"

The Meowscarada slapped his paw away in anger. "LucarioTrainerJ! You made a mockery of me! I was just trying to do my job, protecting any players trapped in this world from this deadly AI Pokémon on Mount Sanda. But NOOOOO! You and your partner had to humiliate me and escape my clutches after revealing yourselves to me! And now, me and my team are being humiliated after you teleported away to Talis, changed up your partner, and decided to disgrace me by losing to D-Volt, as if you were holding back this whole time!"

Josh and Cross were rather confused by this Meowscarada's claims as she stood up on her feet. Cross looked at Josh, before asking "Do you know this girl, Josh?"

"Never met her before in my life…" Josh admitted.

"Go figure."

The lady soon got irritated, as if saying Josh had never met her before caused the Meowscarada to feel insulted. "Excuse me!? How could you say you never met me before? Do you think I'm an idiot?"

"Uh… I never met you before, so I'm going to have to say 'Yes.'" Josh couldn't believe he was hearing her ramblings.

Just then, out of nowhere, lowering from the ceiling, came Hatori. A red rose in his hand, as he stood behind the Meowscarada. "I'm afraid that the Lucario is telling the truth, Cereza," Hatori said. "After all, I was the one who brought him over here to begin with."

Cereza tried slashing at Hatori, but he simply disappeared in a puff of smoke, replaced with a small plush doll. Hatori would then reappear beside both Josh and Cross, taking the two of them completely off guard as he wrapped his arms around them with a smile on his face. "I mean, just look at him, Cereza. Even a girl as clever as you can figure out that this Lucario and the one you tried to apprehend are completely different people."

"Zip it, toad breath! I didn't ask for a second opinion!" Cereza pointed at Josh with intensity, giving a rather mean glare as she said "Don't think this is over, LucarioTrainerJ. Sooner or later, I'm going to kick your ass so hard, I'll make your fur coat into a sweater. Both you, and your stupid Cinderace partner!"

Wait… Cinderace? Josh was taken aback at what Cereza just said as she walked down the hallway in a huff. Staring at her, he could still feel how intense her aura actually was.

Hatori soon patted Josh and Cross on the shoulders to grab their attention. "Told you. That wicked witch is intense."

Josh and Cross were perplexed by the Meowscarada, but the fact that Hatori referred to her as the "wicked witch" suddenly made more sense. "That was Cerefleur?" Cross asked. "What is up with her?"

"Oh, she's just bitter that her team got beaten by another Lucario and his partner," Hatori said with a sigh. "Some people just don't want to be told they're wrong."

"Is this a regular occurrence?" Cross asked.

"Well… She's usually feisty when she's mad, which is roughly 90% of the time, so I'd say…yes. This is a regular occurrence."

Josh thought about what the Meowscarada said earlier. "She said 'Cinderace.'"

Hatori and Cross turned their attention to Josh. "Is something bothering you, Josh?" Cross asked.

Josh looked at Hatori, and asked "Was the Lucario you mentioned earlier with a Cinderace?"

"Yes. Why do you ask?" Hatori questioned.

"What was his username?"

Hatori thought for a bit, before saying "I think his name was BlitzAce, if I recall."

Josh was taken aback by that name, as he sat down to process what he learned. "Ace…" he muttered. A faint smile creased Josh's face, as he clutched at his chest. "I'm glad you're doing well…"

Cross and Hatori could tell that hearing the name BlitzAce brought up memories for Josh, and they both couldn't help but smile. The smiles soon faded as another player entered into the hall, immediately grabbing their attention. Josh got up, before giving a bow to the Dusknoir who had entered the base.

"I was wondering about you, J," Spectro said with a bow. "It's an honor to have you in my presence."

"The honor is all mine, seeing as you and Nick go way back," Josh brought up.

"Ah, Nick. Yes. How is the old lizard doing, anyways?"

"Still kicking. His flames are unparalleled, as usual."

Josh and Spectro soon gave hearty laughs with each other before shaking hands like they were old friends. "You and Adam are doing alright?"

"So far, so good." Josh then extended his arm to introduce Cross to the Guildmaster. "Spectro, let me introduce you to X-Glaive. Leader of Team Calibur."

"Oh, nice to meet you!" Spectro said, shaking Cross' hand. "I'm so glad to see Josh has made some new friends."

"It's an honor, Sir Spectro," Cross said with a smile.

"Please, call me Rohan," Spectro insisted.

Cross nodded with a smile on his face, before Hatori grabbed Spectro's attention by clearing his throat. "Rohan Danchou. I believe that J here came to us for a specific request if I recall."

"Oh, yes! Where are my manners?" Spectro soon took on a more commanding demeanor, given his status as the Guildmaster. Thus, he looked at Josh with some air or authority. "Now, what is it you are requesting, LucarioTrainerJ?"

Josh and Cross looked at each other briefly, before Josh turned his attention back to Rohan. "Rohan, we are intent on pursuing Zeraora, but we need to investigate the mountain to see if he's still up there."

Rohan ended up pondering this for a moment, asking "Are you really willing to risk it? You know how dangerously close he was to killing you."

"Yes. However, the sooner the problem is sorted out, the sooner the people will be able to relax." Josh then looked towards Hatori, and said "I think Hatori and his team could prove beneficial in this matter."

"Hatori?" Rohan looked at the Greninja, wondering exactly what it was that Josh was up to. With a little bit of caution, he then asked "What do you propose we do, then?"

"It's simple. Hatori and his team are skilled fighters. But what we're primarily going to do is lure Zeraora out of the mountain, robbing him of his healing chambers once we take it over. What we need to do is see whether or not he's actually in there."

"And how exactly do you intend to do that?"

Josh smiled, before he then pointed to his eyes. "I know what his aura looks like. If he's up there, I'll know. What we need to do is confirm he's up there, and then lure him out. Plain and simple."

"With Hatori's team, I take it?" Rohan wondered.

"Naturally."

Everyone then looks over at Hatori, and the Greninja couldn't help but find this opportunity to be rather exhilarating. With a simple nod, he said "If it means the cat is lured out, then I'll do what I can to help."

Rohan nodded back, and found this to be beneficial. "Then I'm counting on your team, Hatori. How soon will they be ready?"

"Tonight, sir," Hatori answered. "And if he is up there, then we'll be ready tomorrow morning."

Rohan nodded. "In that case, I hope you all know what you're doing. Until then, you are to undergo training and prepare yourself for the worst-case scenario. This will be a coordinated team effort. I'm expecting the very best not just from Hatori's team, but from the likes of you youngsters as well. Let's just hope you have what it takes, Josh."

Josh gave a smile, followed by a salute. "We'll do our best, Spectro. And we will deal with Zeraora. I promise you that."

Rohan nodded, before turning his attention back towards Hatori. "Well then, I'll leave you to care for Team Inferno until then, Hatori. Think you're up to it?"

"Hai! I'll do my best, Spectro Danchou!" Hatori said with a salute.

Rohan chuckled, before he then patted Hatori on the shoulder. "Very good. I'll leave their training in your hands, then."

Spectro then dismissed the three of them, before he made his way towards the bulletin board to check up on updates to missions being handed out to players. Hatori smiled as he lowered his arm, before saying "Well, time to get to work, J!"

"Wait… You mean right now?" Cross questioned.

"When else would be a good opportunity to test out training?" Hatori said joyfully with his hands behind his head. "I've been meaning to help refine your technique and better prepare you for the storm ahead."

Josh looked a little concerned, and pointed out "But aren't you Japanese? As in…you live in Japan? That's a major time gap difference between our two countries."

"Hey, I've got you covered," Hatori said. "I may not look it, but I'm usually a light sleeper."

"Yeah, but aren't you tired?" Cross asked wryly. "You can't stay up all the time."

"Yeah, yeah. But trust me! I'll get you all prepared for the encounter." Hatori soon let out a yawn, much to Josh and Cross's amusement. Soon enough, Hatori crossed his arms, before saying "I can stay up a little later if I want to…"

Josh shrugged. He soon extended his paw out to Hatori. "Then we're counting on you, Hatori."

"Hai. Will do, J." Hatori soon shook Josh's paw in a friendly gesture. But soon, Hatori looked at Josh's paw curiously, making Cross take notice.

"Is something wrong?" Cross asked.

"The aura flow is being repressed…" he muttered. "No wonder…"

Hatori mumbled to himself, with Josh and Cross unable to register what it was he's saying. The pair soon looked at each other with a bit of confusion, before Josh decided to grab Hatori's attention. "Is something wrong, Hatori?"

Hatori heard Josh's voice, and glanced up at him. Letting go of Josh's paw, he gave a nod. "I'll see you in a few hours," he said, hiding his concern through stoicism, before he then leapt up to the second floor in an instant, and vanished completely from Josh and Cross' lines of sight.

Cross couldn't help but find this rather peculiar, and looked at Josh, who was busy inspecting his paw. "What was up with that?" Cross asked.

"I don't know," Josh said. He continued to stare into his paw, a look of immediate concern beginning to bubble up to the surface. Did he suspect something was wrong with me? What did he see that I didn't?