"I SAID DON'T MOVE! TIME TO DIE!" Zach took notice of Adam backing away along the shelf, blade pointed at him. He was clearly in distress. In his perspective, Zach felt like he needed someone to comfort him. The fear of confronting his father after what he's done. The idea that he could lose everything around him frightened him to no extent. Even if one student escaped, it could spell disaster for him. But deep in his heart, he knew that this was a losing battle.

Zach had intentions of finding Josh in the school. However, his fears of the world around him was enough to give him paranoia about who he could trust. His brother, Chris, wasn't helping matters, since Chris had no idea what Zach was thinking at the time. He couldn't rely on his mother, given her new relationship. In a way, he felt truly, utterly alone. Scared of the idea of seeing his own father in prison after having already killed a few people as a reflex.

And then, as he turned to face Adam, that was when he heard the shuffling of footsteps behind him, and a familiar voice rang out "STOP!" Zach turned in that instant, and saw someone rush towards him, fear in his eyes, intent of taking him down.

He recognized the voice. He knew that the person charging towards him was Josh. But the fact that Josh saw him as a maniac didn't help matters. He didn't want Josh to see him like this. But it was too late. There was no going back for him. This fundamentally destroyed him.

As Josh was about to tackle him to the ground, Zach began to shed tears, his heart shattered, his will to live all but gone completely. He took the plunge, turning the knife to his own chest, and thrust it into his heart.

Josh would tackle Zach to the ground, the commotion dying completely. Josh panted as he looked down at Zach, the scared boy about to die off. In his mind, he knew that he made a huge mistake in running away. In a desperate plea to find his friend for comfort, he only ended up making an ironic butterfly effect that would forever change the lives of everyone on that day.

Defeated, believing that Josh was no longer going to support him, he accepted death. Softly, he looked at Josh, tears in his eyes, and muttered "Josh… Ace… I'm sorry…" He exhaled his last breath, tears lining down his face, and his life completely faded away.

Everyone's lives changed that fateful day. Josh and Adam would end up trapped in the virtual world against their wills. Chris would believe that Zach died at the hands of his own teammate. A darkness emerged within these two warriors: The Blue Flame and The Jade Blade. Forever haunting them, and setting them on separate paths. One chose to seek redemption. One chose to fight for justice.

Both of whom would clash, only to realize they were both chained by that darkness in their souls. A darkness that almost cost them everything.

But the key difference is the idea that they both fought for the light, forever being seen as shadows. Shadows of the past. They were almost consumed by the darkness in their hearts.

But a guiding light broke forth, giving them both the hope that things could be fixed. And yet, only the Blue Flame chose to step back to the light. While the Jade Blade, guilt ridden and stained with blood, would fall into darkness.

A darkness that the Blue Flame would try to free the blade from, no matter what.

Chapter 63: Decision

Josh sat up on the hospital bed, his torso covered with bandages. Adam was lying down on the bed next to him. And right in between the both of them was me.

Josh noticed that I was a little bit upset. He showed pity, and said "I'm sorry, Rose. I didn't mean to push you so hard like that."

I shook my head, looking back at the Lucario with a smile. "I'm just glad that you're alright, Josh. I ended up saving you from getting killed, so it all worked out."

"So…you're not mad at me?" Josh wondered.

"Oh, no. I'm FURIOUS!" I retorted. "You ended up taking a gamble, and it was just pure luck that I managed to even make it in time at all! Do you have any idea how scared I was?!"

Regretfully, Josh averted his gaze, and gave an apologetic nod. "I guess I still have a problem, don't I?"

"Yeah! A BIG problem!" I pointed out, staring him down. "You were going to throw your own life away! How could you possibly be so selfish?!" I lowered my head, frustrated at Josh's self-defeating nature. "You were only lucky that Adam woke up and gave me the solution to save your life!"

Josh sighed, returning his attention to me with a faint smile. "I'm grateful that you're opening up to me. Truly. I knew that this was too much of a burden for you to bear, and I'm sorry."

Adam could be heard scoffing at the words his brother had said. "You tell us not to think of ourselves as burdens, and yet you were willing to die a martyr. Don't be saying stuff like that, Josh. And for that matter…don't go scaring us like that, either." He gave a smile as he looked over at Josh. However, it was only for a brief moment, as his smile soon faltered, and he soon started to cry as he returned to staring at the ceiling.

Josh truly regretting putting all this pressure on us like this. However, as he looked at the ceiling, he mentioned "Wasn't this actually your big idea? To resolve this matter by uncovering the truth of that day on your own?"

I got flustered, and began to start crying out "What does it matter, anyways? What's done is done! Don't go regretting the past, because I want you to live for tomorrow! We can't let you go off on your own like this!"

Josh smirked, stifling a laugh as he gazed at my direction. "You're starting to sound more like Cereza."

I had a moment of pause, realizing that I was close to being placed in the same position as Cereza. After all, she went out of her way to try and force Hatori out of danger. And what did it result in? Jeopardizing a plan to capture Zeraora. I wanted to argue that there was reason for Cereza's actions, but even I had to admit that she was being foolish for not considering on helping. I ultimately wanted nothing more than to protect Josh. However, even he knew that you can't protect people forever.

There were to be times where Josh and Adam would be on their own. Times where I can't do anything to help them. To keep them safe. And the very idea of them both being placed in danger made me nervous.

Josh recognized those doubts in me, and he soon turned to me, resting his legs off the side of the bed to be upfront with me. With a smile, he mentioned "You are a brave young lady, Rose. However, there will come times when that bravery will be put to the test. But…you really are a true hero, Rose." He then placed his paw on my shoulder, and explained "You stayed focused on your goal; you overcame your fears and doubts; and you even learned from your mistakes when confronting Norman to rescue me." His eyes started watering, a bright smile beaming across his face. "Your flame had shown brilliantly, Rose. I couldn't have been prouder."

The way he said that melted my heart, and I couldn't help but smile back at him. Josh saw my eyes watering, and wiped at my cheek. "No more tears, Rose. You saved me. And on top of that, you even changed Chris' heart as well."

The mention of Chris, unfortunately, caused me to recoil. I looked away from Josh, still angry over how Chris put him in this critical state. Admittedly, I wanted nothing to do with Chris. He's the one who crossed the line. "Don't talk about him," I uttered. "I won't forgive Chris for what he's done to you."

Josh looked regretful, averting his gaze as he began to worry for Chris' safety. He didn't want to lose him. He saw the potential in the Scyther to be a hero. But Josh ultimately knew that I would never forgive him. He sighed deeply. "I wish it didn't have to come to this," he said.

I wanted to move on. To let go of the past. To cut ties with Chris, considering what he did. And just as I thought of that, that was where I received a message from Chloe. Josh and Adam took notice of me receiving a message from her, and I opened it up.

Hey, Rose. I got your message, and discussed matters with the others. And we would be happy to meet up again like old times. Zeraora went north, you said? In that case, perhaps we could meet up together in Hongshui. In a few days, it's going to be the first day of summer, and I heard that Hongshui holds festivals to celebrate the occasion. We can meet up, have fun, and discuss matters in regards to finding Zeraora. We'll be waiting!

Fleetfut – Lopunny of Fortune

The fact that she ended up creating a self-appointed title for herself was honestly rather sweet. I couldn't help but smile at the thought. Josh looked over my shoulder at the message, and asked "What is it?"

"My old team wants to meet up in Hongshui," I answered, setting the letter aside. "I was thinking of gaining an alliance with them to better our chances with Zeraora."

"Really…" Josh pondered on this for a moment, before looking over at Adam for his opinion on the matter. "Adam? What do you think?"

Adam sighed, trying to get some rest. "Do what you want. I won't complain."

Josh smiled at the response. "In that case, starting tomorrow, we have ourselves a destination." He then returned to looking at me, and asked "Will you be alright, Rose?"

I nodded, trying to put on a brave smile as I looked back at him. "I'll be fine. I'm just tired after a long day."

"Then get some rest," Josh reassured. "Adam and I will meet with you tomorrow morning once we're discharged from the hospital."

I smiled at them both, but the moment that I looked away to log off, my smile faded. I had some deeply rooted regret, thinking deeply about the significance of what happened prior to saving him on that battlefield.

"If Josh dies, it'll be on you! So make your choice, Norman! What'll it be?!"

Norman looked positively unnerved by my resolve. Even as he pointed his finger guns at Cross and Nolan, he realized that he was not going to win this argument. He stood there, shaking. It was a long moment of uncomfortable silence.

But eventually, he relented. He lowered his arms, collapsed to his knees, and with tears in his eyes, he admitted "Go… Do what must be done…"

I nodded, and I even gave a faint smile to him. I knew that I would eventually reach out to him. After all, I knew Norman. Even if he wanted to exact his vengeance on Team Inferno, he knew that he was only going to make himself worse off as a result.

I was about to leave, but I soon chose to give Norman a hug, surprising him completely. With tears in my eyes, I whispered to him "Thank you. And…goodbye." I then gave him a kiss on the cheek as I ran in the direction of where Josh and Chris were having their battle.

Norman was in pure disbelief. Placing a hand on his cheek as I ran past him, he surprised to see that despite it all, I still cared for him. He was incapable of moving for the longest time. It was as if he was finally understanding what it was I saw in him.

Cross and Nolan were about to chase after me, but just before they did, Cross placed a hand on Norman's shoulder, smiling at him. "You did the right thing, Norman. But you can't look after Rose forever. She needs to go on her own path."

Cross and Nolan soon left Norman all by himself as they chased after me. Norman was left all alone. The kiss I gave him showed that I still see the best in him, even though he's done such a reprehensible act. And once more, he teared up, and began to feel a tightness in his chest as he slumped forward.

He gave a pained smile, as his tears soon hit the ground. Our paths diverge, and I once more must hide in the shadows… He looked behind him, giving one final tearful look at where I ran off, and he gave a slight chuckle. "Let's see how brightly that flame of yours burns, Rose. Prove to me your virtues as a hero…"

I logged out of the game as I recalled how Norman allowed me to pass. Taking off the VR headset, I curled up into a ball. I stared off at the headset as soon as I set it on the desk beside my bed. Everything I've gone through today was a lot for one person to experience. A botched mission; my team almost dying; two of my friends going off the deep end… Admittedly, it was so much to take, and I couldn't help but feel scared.

And then, off of the corner, was the small present that Chloe had given me just the other day. I got up from bed, making my way over to it, and decided to look at the small package. My birthday was tomorrow, but I was not in the best of moods, and I wanted to see if Chloe's little gift would cheer me up.

Besides. Who wouldn't want to open up a birthday gift early, right?

I opened up the package, and the moment that I looked inside, I was stunned to see what it was. Inside of the box was a code on a card. I looked at the card carefully, and saw the official seal of the development team on the corner, OrigiNerv. I realized that this was the real deal, and looked over the code.

What it detailed was something rather eye-catching for me. Something I knew for certain Chloe wanted me to see. I smiled, muttering out "Oh, Chloe… This means a lot. Thank you."

Meanwhile, Josh sat there in bed in the med bay of the Moon Guild. Adam was already fast asleep. The room was dark. And there weren't any signs of activity apart from a few vacant conversations being said in the hallway. But as Josh sat there, he began to think about the day's events. He knew that things had escalated so much in such a short span of time, and he didn't even feel comfortable with resting. Sure, the bandages clung to his torso to keep his injuries in check. But the stinging pain he's been feeling has been irritating for him, and he couldn't sleep.

It made him think about Chris, and how he was placed under arrest for almost killing him. He saw that Chris had truly and utterly regretted his actions. He saw the good in him. And now, Chris was all alone. And by morning, his account would be banned without remorse.

Josh sighed to himself, and decided to get out of bed. He was told to rest, but he didn't want anyone he knew to suffer so needlessly. Not after everything he's been through. Not after already losing Zach. He had to make it up to Chris somehow.

Josh snuck away from prying eyes, and had to navigate his way down to the entrance of the guild. He knew that the hidden passageway to the catacombs was close by, and he had to make his way down there. But first, he had to leave the guild, and attempt to do something first.

But as he was about to leave, he was stopped in his tracks by a voice that said "Going somewhere?"

Josh stopped in his tracks, and turned his gaze to see Spectro approaching him. The Dusknoir looked serious, but Josh didn't have time to argue over things. He chose to make this quick. "Listen, Rohan. I need to speak with Chris."

"That is out of the question," Spectro pointed out. "He attacked you, and almost killed you. He deserves what was coming to him."

"I know, but…" Josh clenched his fists as he began to feel frustrated with himself. "It's my fault that I ended up getting injured in the first place! I failed in helping his brother, and this ultimately led to Chris believing I was a monster! I don't blame him for anything!" With tears in his eyes, Josh then gave another bit of reasoning to Spectro. "If I don't see him soon, I'm going to regret it for the rest of my life! Much like I did with his brother. So please! Give me this chance! I'm begging you!"

Spectro was reasonable, but he was still responsible for the safety of the trapped players. He didn't want Josh to associate with a player who almost killed him. But he could also tell that Josh was intent on seeing through to this, whether he agree with him or not. Spectro soon crossed his arms, staring at Josh, seeing how he wanted to see Chris one more time.

"I'd say go for it." Both Josh and Spectro turned to see that Hatori and Cereza were heading down the stairs to meet them. Cereza gave a smirk, mentioning "Try as you might, you can't change LucarioTrainerJ's stance on something once he makes a decision."

Hatori chuckled at Cereza's comment, and continued from there. "Rohan-danchou… You gave me a chance to be reasoned with, and you saw how I was able to change for the better, right?"

Spectro grumbled as he turned to them. "You were an exception, Hatori. I can't exactly ban someone if they're already trapped in the virtual world."

"Then why did you decide to let me go again?" Hatori teased. "Clearly, it wasn't because I was able to sway you."

Cereza scoffed at Hatori's remark, and decided to speak up. "I'll admit, as much as Hatori can be irritating at points, he's proven time and again that he seems to have his head on straight. I didn't see the good in this Greninja until I saw it firsthand for myself."

Hatori took a glance at Cereza with that comment, almost blushing at the idea that she truly did care for him. Cereza gave a knowing smile his way briefly, but soon returned to speaking with Spectro. "But there's definitely more to people than what's shown on the surface, sir. And what Josh is suggesting here is that Chris has virtuous qualities that need to be refined and tested, rather than ignored."

Josh was stunned at seeing both Hatori and Cereza vouching for him. He recognized that they were both going out of their way to help him meet with Chris, even having to defy orders in order to do so. It was enough to warm his heart.

Spectro realized that he was facing three players with the same idea. As much as he wanted to just let it be done and dusted, he still knew that Josh and Chris were friends, and realized that perhaps a talk with him could help alleviate things. He lowered his arms, looked at Josh in the eye. The Lucario staring right back at him.

"Fine. I'll let you see him. However…" He then raised a finger up, and gave out a stern warning. "By morning, Scicle the Scyther will be no more. Do I make myself clear?"

Josh nodded at Spectro's words. "I understand, sir."

Spectro soon looked over to Cereza and Hatori, and ordered the Meowscarada "Go and make the arrangements, Cereza."

"Yes, sir," she said with a bow. Cereza soon made her journey to the catacombs, ready to get Chris ready to meet with Josh. However, she soon stopped in her tracks as she saw that Josh was simply just standing there instead of following her. "Aren't you coming?"

Josh shook his head. "You go on ahead, Cereza. I have to run a small errand first."

"An errand?" Hatori questioned. "For what…?"

Josh gave a bold look. And he told them all "I have something I need to get before I go see him."

Chris had remained in his room for the longest time. He had long since logged out of the game. But the idea of what he almost did ended up haunting his waking nightmares. He sat there, curled up into a ball, awaiting to bear witness to the news that he was banned from the game altogether. He was never going to see his friends again.

His depressive funk ended up overwhelming his very mind. He didn't want to talk to anyone. He didn't want to see anyone. He felt like he was all alone, and he could only cause further problems if he returned. Flashes of his memories with Zach played on repeat in his mind, and he began to realize that in his effort of trying to remain a part of his brother's existence, he ultimately ended up pushing him further away as a result.

Chris had also hurt the people he cared about in the game. Nolan and Cross were upset with him. And Josh ended up critically injured because of him. But the worst of it had to have been what I said to his face, with rage and tears on my face. "I will never forgive you for what you've done, you monster!"

Chris knew what that pain looked like. He's experienced it himself years ago. After losing Zach, he said that exact sentence as a test of his resolve, to hunt down and destroy the killer who took his brother's life. But…after hearing the truth, after finally understanding where he went wrong, he saw that same rage being channeled right back at him through me. It gave him a moment to realize…he's no hero. He was just a sad, pathetic mess, clinging to the past like it was all that defined him.

It was there that a knock was heard on his bedroom door. He grumbled, lowering his head with regret, and said "Go away!"

Despite his protests, the door opened. And in stepped his mother, Elanor. She looked at him with worry, and slowly stepped forward to be with her son. "I just thought I'd come over to talk with you," she said. "You haven't returned any of my calls, and I started to get worried."

Chris sighed, looking away from her mother in shame. Elanor soon sat down on the bed, giving him a concerned look, and asked "Did something happen? You look terrible."

Chris lowered his gaze. "I finally found the person I was looking for," he mentioned. "I thought that I could finally take him on. I thought he was this heartless monster who needed to be put down. But…" He trembled, his eyes starting to water again. "He's nothing like I thought he was. He was just a lost, scared little pup. He was trying to reason with me, to set me off my path…and I didn't listen…" Lowering his legs, he leaned back against the wall as he stared at his shaking, unsteady hands. "I wanted to end him… To slay the beast I thought took Zach away from me…"

For a brief moment, his mind flashed to being back in the game. He was a Scyther. In front of him was a grieving Roserade cradling an injured Lucario. And as he stared at his blade arms, he saw they were coated with the Lucario's blood.

That memory was too painful for him, and he clutched at his stomach, lurching forward as he felt disgusted with himself. "But I was wrong!" he confessed. "He was never truly a monster… And I almost took that person's life! I couldn't do it! I just wanted him to pay for what he's done!" He soon started curling up into a ball, crying into his legs. "And what happened w-was that I e-ended u-up like that bastard of a m-man… I-I became m-my f-father…" His sobbing was audibly heard by his mother, who could only watch on with sorrow. "I-I h-hate myself… I-I HATE MYSELF! I HATE WHAT I DID, AND IT COST ME EVERYTHING!"

In a fit, he slapped his VR headset off of his bedside table as it clattered onto the floor. All that Chris could do was cry his heart out as he fell forward on his bed, curled up into a ball, wailing as he realized he made the worst mistake of his entire life. He wanted to die… He wanted to die… Alone…

"Chris," Elanor said, picking up her son as she gave him a hug. Chris was surprised to see that she was being so calm and nurturing. She cradled his head into her arms, gently stroking his hair as he rested his chin on her shoulder. Her own eyes started to sting as she chose to tell Chris what was on her mind.

"It is not your fault," she whispered gently. "You stood up for Zach. And…I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am."

What…? She's apologizing to me? Chris looked at his mother curiously, seeing her smiling despite how sad she must be feeling.

"I didn't realize what you or Zach have been through," she admitted. "If I knew sooner, things could've turned out differently. I had never imagined how much you think you had to shoulder that burden on yourself. I should've seen what he did to you and Zach. Forgive me…"

Chris had never thought his mother would be the one apologizing to him of all people. But he realized that there was a deeply rooted sadness that she had to carry for a long time as a mother. She wanted to fix what was broken after everything that happened. And Chris could tell that she was putting up a brave face, showing just how much she doesn't want Chris to blame himself for everything that's happened.

Chris looked away embarrassingly. "I didn't know that you felt that way," he said. "But… I still hurt my friends… I pushed them all away… And now I'm afraid of even facing them after almost taking Josh's life…" He whimpered, not quite sure what to do, and looked at his mother with a desperate plea. "What should I do, Mom? I don't know where to go from here… I'm scared…"

Elanor gently patted his cheek and gave the best smile she could. "You mentioned to me your friends are good people," she said. "You even said that you would do anything for them."

"W-well… Yeah…" He lowered his gaze, ashamed. "But… What should I do…? They hate me now…"

Elanor soon nestled her hands on his cheeks, leaning her head close to him as she gave her best motherly wisdom. "If your friends all look up to you like a supportive person, then I couldn't have been any prouder of you, Chris. You are nothing like your father. You are much better than that. I see it. Sorin sees it. Even your friends see it. You shouldn't blame yourself. Because the man I see in you is a protective guardian, who will always be there for others. Just know that no matter what happens, your friends and family will always see you for your best qualities, because you are kind, honest, and brave." She then kissed Chris on the forehead, before returning to hugging him. "Just know that I want you to be happy. To live for your friends and family. Because I love you."

Chris could feel the dark clouds part from his mind, and he couldn't help but return the hug back to her. He whimpered as he gave his hug, tears streaming down his face. "I love you too, Mom… Thank you."

They continued their hug for a little while, as Chris ended up slowly calming down from his despair. He could see a faint glimmer of hope for him. However, that still begged the question: How am I supposed to fix things?

It was there that a notification dinged on his phone. He was surprised that someone wanted to speak to him from PMDO after everything that happened. As he backed away from his mother, he looked at his phone, saw the message, and was surprised to see what it said:

You have a visitor who wants to speak with you. A certain Lucario insisted he wants to see you personally. Said it was because he wanted to "impart some insight." Meet up with him by 9:00 PM.

This caused Chris to look wide-eyed in shock. Josh wants to see me?! A knot formed in his stomach, and he started to break into a cold sweat. Is he angry? What is he even thinking?

"A friend of yours?" Elanor asked curiously.

Chris gulped out of nervousness, but responded "Yes…" It was almost out of habit, but the fact he still thinks of Josh as his friend spoke to how he truly sees him, and it only made him regret what he did all the more.

Elanor soon placed her hand on Chris's shoulder, smiling at him, and said "In that case, you may want to speak with him. If he thinks you're a good person, you'll be fine."

"Mom…" Chris was stunned to see his mother being so encouraging. He looked once more at the message on his phone. Despite dreading what was anticipating will happen, he would be doing a disservice if he didn't see him once more before he's banned from the game outright. He was nervous, but he knew that he did wrong by Josh, and had to apologize for it. He had to own up to his own mistakes if he was going to go anywhere.

"Number 1: Never lose sight of your goal. Number 2: Overcome the fears in your heart. Number 3: Learn from your mistakes. And with those virtues held together as one, you will find the true courage to overcome anything."

Josh's words spoke in his mind, and he knew he had to own up for what he's done. To not go down like a monster. He needed to redeem himself in some capacity.

Josh had wandered around the markets of Esther, trying to remember the one stall he happened to come across the other day. Sure enough, after finally noticing a Kecleon talking to a Gholdengo, he had found who he was looking for. Among them was also a Scyther. Probably a teammate of theirs.

Username: Mujiro Species: Scyther Team: Stardust

The moment that Josh approached them, that was when the Gholdengo (Gil) ended up surprised at seeing him. He grabbed his teammates' attention, and said "Dude! It's J! Look alive!"

The trio soon turned their attention to Josh, taking note of his bandages that he had wrapped around his torso. The Scyther of the group soon asked "What happened?"

Josh gave a wry smile and answered "A Scyther messed me up pretty badly."

The Scyther among the group became rather unnerved as he gave a nervous laugh. The Kecleon (Zag) soon spoke up and said "That's quite the injury. Are you sure you should be up and about?"

Josh gave a faint chuckle, mentioning "Actually, I wanted to make it up to my attacker. And I immediately thought about you guys."

This threw the entirety of Team Stardust for a loop. Josh was relatively calm, given everything that's happened. However, none of them were even sure what to make of this Lucario, given how shifty he could be at points. "My…you act a lot like Hatori sometimes," the Scyther mentioned. "Not even we know what to expect from him at points."

"Yeah, it's a little concerning, man," Gil continued. "What did you want from us?"

Alright. Time to show I mean business. Josh soon pointed towards the Scyther, and brought up "You and me, Scyther. I challenge you to a duel."

"HUH?!" The trio of Team Stardust were shocked to hear Josh's description.

"Are you out of your mind?!" Zag stated. "You are in no condition to fight!"

"Yeah, what gives?" Gil asked with concern.

It was there that Josh smirked, before he then showed off a card in his hand as if performing a magic trick. The card showed a Lucario on it. His intentions were made clear. "I challenge you to a card duel. Super Explorers, to be more precise."

Team Stardust were positively stunned to see Josh utilizing his tricks in ways that shows his expertise with sleight of hand. This was almost like they were in the presence of a magician.

The Scyther sighed with relief, before he then stepped forward. "Alright. What are your demands?"

"I heard you guys still have the Metal Coat with you," Josh answered. "I'm wagering something of mine for that Metal Coat."

"And…what are you wagering?" the Scyther asked.

Josh lowered his hand, before he then dug into his bag. He pulled out the Lucarionite, showing it off to them, catching them all by surprise. "I'm betting my Mega Stone. If you win, it's yours."

This stunned them all silent for a few seconds. They were not sure about how this was going to play out. Regardless of that, however, the Scyther nodded, and said "I accept."

"Good," Josh said with a grin. "Prepare yourself."

Josh had spent a long time playing PMDO. But he was definitely familiar with the game of Super Explorers. He was still a Riolu at the time when he first heard of the game. He just sat there in the hotel with Zach, waiting patiently for Ace to arrive one day. But it appeared that the Raboot was taking far longer than they thought.

Zach was getting anxious, and turned to look at Josh. "Do you think he forgot what time it was?"

"I don't know," Josh answered as he eyed the door. "It's not like him to be late."

"Well, whatever is taking so long, he better hurry," Zach said. "I have homework that needs to be done."

They thankfully didn't have to wait too long, as Ace ended up bursting through the door. He ran towards the table, panting out of exhaustion, before saying "Sorry I'm late…"

Josh just had to know. "What took you so long? We were about to go on a mission without you."

Ace chuckled before he then opened up his game menu. "Sorry, but there was this HUGE update to the game! They just announced a card game integration, and I had to go and check it out!"

"Card game?" Zach questioned. He and Josh both looked at each other curiously for a bit. Upon looking back at Ace, Zach questioned "You mean they put the Trading Card Game in here?"

"No! It's something else entirely!" Ace looked positively excited to show them, and the moment he found what he was looking for in his menu, he finally accessed the cards. Setting them on the table, he gave the presentation a little fanfare. "Da-da-da da-da-da DA! Introducing Super Explorers!"

"Super Explorers?" Zach asked, looking at the cards curiously.

"Mmhmm! Here's how it's played!" Ace soon set up a grid board, and began to explain the rules. "Each card has four numbers on them. The main idea is to make it so that your card's number is higher than the opponent's in order to capture the card. Whoever captures the most cards by the end is declared the winner."

While Zach was fascinated by the concept of the game, Josh in particular was less than pleased by the idea. "This is just Triple Triad. I've played Triple Triad, Ace. I don't know if an offshoot is going to be any different."

However, Ace grinned as he soon pointed out the extra factor of the game. "That's what you think. But the truth is that they also add in type matchups with each card as well. If the card that's set down is super effective against the cards on the board, point values are increased, making for extra incentive to strategize."

This definitely began to pique Josh's interest. It was not much of a difference, but it was something that Josh found fascinating, regardless. He smiled in fascination, and said "In that case, how about a demonstration?"

Ace was caught off guard by Josh's request. "Wait… Right now?"

Josh nodded. "Yeah. I'm a little bit rusty with my Triple Triad knowledge. Maybe this could help warm me up."

Josh had set his Lucarionite on the counter, all the while Zag ended up placing the Metal Coat right next to it. There were a few onlookers, too, but they were mostly commenting about how Josh was covered in bandages, or how Josh was sacrificing something so powerful for something of no inherent value to him.

Josh looked over the cards he had in his hand. He chose a few that he considered to be of great value in the moment: Lucario, Incineroar, Roserade, Gallade, and Aegislash. Ironically enough, basing the five cards he's got off of his friends. He was a little nervous, considering he's never actually had the chance to practice Super Explorers for a while. And as he looked over at the Scyther in front of him, he looked mostly calm and confident.

I may be a little out of practice, but I can just hope this works out. Josh took a deep breath, and regained his calm composure. Looking at the Scyther, he then asked "What's your name?"

The Scyther glanced up at Josh curiously, and saw that Josh was indeed curious. He gave him an answer. "Mujiro," he said.

Josh smirked a little, before asking "No, what's your real name?"

The Scyther was surprised to see Josh wanting to get along with him, and thus returned a smile to him. "Kojiro Mutsuki."

"A Japanese name," Josh responded as he gave a pleasant smile. "Tell me. Are you familiar with the story of Miyamoto Musashi and Sasaki Kojiro?"

"A little," Mutsuki mentioned. "Why do you ask?"

"I read about Japanese stories while I was still able to walk outside the game," Josh began. He lowered his gaze to his cards, recounting what he remembers of the duel. "Miyamoto Musashi was a master swordsman who always found a way of improving on his craft. Sasaki Kojiro was a young talent who was deemed a great warrior, seemingly undefeated in his time. When the two dueled, Kojiro wielded a nodachi, while Miyamoto carved a wooden oar into a bokken. The duel was set at Ganryūjima, and Miyamoto arrived late."

Mutsuki was pondering on his point. "And yet Miyamoto won. Your point being?"

Josh smirked as he returned his gaze to Mutsuki. "In truth, Kojiro was a revered warrior. Even Miyamoto considered him the greatest opponent he's ever faced. While Miyamoto is known for his innovation, Kojiro followed through with tradition. Their duel fascinated me. And it made me think…" Josh noticed Gil flipping a coin to determine who would go first in their match. The coin landed on tails, and Josh was elected to go first.

Josh nodded, and continued his talk. "I think I may have met my own Sasaki Kojiro on this night."

"You mean…the Scyther that injured you?" Mutsuki asked nervously. "But…he won against you."

Josh shook his head, picking out his first card. "No. The duel wasn't about physical feats. The duel was about spirit." A single tear fell down Josh's cheek, as he then mentioned "He has the makings of a fine warrior. He just made a few mistakes, that's all."

Josh soon set down his first card: Gallade. He placed it on the far-right corner of the board. Mutsuki soon selected his card next, setting it down in the upper path and capturing the Gallade. The card was a Staraptor. Josh selected the Aegislash card next, setting it down on the opposite lower-left corner of the board.

Mutsuki smirked, and continued speaking. "So that's why you went out of your way for the Metal Coat?" He placed down an Umbreon card next to the Aegislash on the lower path, capturing it. The card placements on the 3x3 board was practically mirrored.

Josh continued his talk. "Actually, I came here to see whether or not I have any chances to win the Metal Coat." He eyed the Scyther, and pondered "My only real question is why you chose not to use it for yourself." Josh set down the Incineroar card next to the Staraptor, taking up the upper-left corner of the board. A deadlock. Neither card captured.

"Is that so? Then I have to admit, you must be pretty stupid to sacrifice something like a Mega Stone," Mutsuki mentioned, setting down his next card. Crawdaunt, set between Aegislash and Incineroar on the left path, capturing Incineroar with ease. He continued talking. "After all, with that Mega Stone, you can overcome quite a few opponents, right?"

"That's where you're wrong," Josh said, setting down the Roserade card on the lower-right corner. "My goal isn't to be the strongest. Unlike the Scyther I dueled, my intention wasn't to defeat my opponent outright. After all, if you think you are powerful, you will only be let down by someone better than you."

Mutsuki looked over his two remaining cards, considering what to do next. As he thought about what to place down, he asked Josh "Then what is your goal, LucarioTrainerJ?"

Josh smirked. "Please. Call me Josh."

"Very well, Josh. Care to tell me what your goal is?" Mutsuki soon placed down a Kingambit card, setting it between Josh's Roserade and Gallade cards on the right path. The point value was higher than the Roserade card, and it got captured.

Josh smiled brightly. Looking at the Scyther in front of him, he told him "My goal is to give people a chance to find the light within themselves. Every person has two sides to them. I refer to them as light and darkness. The more strong-willed and motivated someone is, the light shines to reflect that. When someone shows fears and doubts, darkness overtakes them. However, there are some people with drives like that who do bad things. Nobody is inherently good or evil. We just make decisions in our lives that determine where we're aligned morally."

Mutsuki was intrigued by what Josh had to say. Curious, he asked "And what do you see in the Scyther you fought?"

Josh's smile faded slowly, showing how much Josh was serious in this debate. Josh looked at the Lucario card in his hand, and said out loud "I saw someone who was lost in the darkness, but burned brightly like a star."

Josh placed the Lucario card in the center of the board, taking full advantage of the type matchups that were present. He just prayed it could be enough. The card was super effective against the Umbreon and Kingambit, capturing them with ease. As for the Crawdaunt, because of its secondary typing, Josh was able to capture it with ease. However, Josh knew that Lucario was only able to do normal damage against the Staraptor, and…he found that Staraptor had a higher point value.

The match was over. Josh lost.

The crowd clapped over such a good match, and Mutsuki emerged the victor. Josh sighed as he realized he couldn't win, and watched as Mutsuki picked the Aegislash card out of the bunch that were captured. The cards that Mutsuki had in play were brought back to his deck automatically. Josh, meanwhile, had to pick up the four cards he had left by hand.

However, it was there that Mutsuki ended up extending his blade arm out for Josh to shake. He smiled, saying "Good game."

Josh smiled back. "Yeah. Thanks."

Josh soon reached out and took the blade arm into his paw, gently shaking it. However, Josh's smile soon faded, as he lowered his own gaze in dismay. The moment the handshake ended, Josh was about to leave, only for Zag to shout "Josh!"

Josh turned around, and saw that Zag tossed him back the Lucarionite, which Josh was able to catch with his paw. This confused Josh. "But… I thought we had a deal?"

"Bro, we had no need for Lucarionite," Gil mentioned. "And 'sides, you've earned it. You keep it."

"I… I don't think I've earned it…" Josh gave a sheepish smile back to them. "It doesn't seem fair."

"You're thinking too hard," Mutsuki said with a smirk. "Like you said, you don't value strength. You value morals. Let this be a lesson that sometimes, there's more to who you are than you may think." He then gave a wink towards Josh.

"And while we're at it," Zag mentioned, signaling for Josh to walk towards the stall. "We were considering what you were saying. And Gil and I agreed…"

Gil and Zag looked over at Mutsuki, and the Scyther gave them both a nod. At that, Gil brought up "We're giving you the Metal Coat. For a price, of course."

Huh? Josh got a little flustered, and as he looked at the Mutsuki, who smiled at him.

"We figured your friend needs this more than I do," Mutsuki said. "You said you saw potential in him. Might as well help him find it. And what better way than letting you take the Metal Coat to him?"

"I-If that's what you guys had in mind, then why did you agree to the card duel?!" Josh asked in confusion.

"Actually, we came up with the idea while you were talking," Zag mentioned. "Something about how you said he was a fine warrior who made mistakes. It seems wrong for him to be taken out of the game unfairly, right?"

Josh was speechless about their generosity. The idea that they wanted to give him some help was stunning. Curious, he looked over at Mutsuki to see if it was alright. The Scyther simply gave a smile, and mentioned "We can always find another Metal Coat. It's no big deal."

"Just remember, you still owe us, man," Gil mentioned. "Seems fair, right?"

Josh smiled, and asked "How much?"

"18,000 Poké," Zag mentioned. "Upfront."

It was pricey, but Josh had to do what he could in order to buy it. He knew that he had plenty of cash on hand, but he also knew that Adam would freak out if he ended up spending a crazy amount of money for something unexpected. But it was a sacrifice he was willing to take. He nodded, and with a smile, he said "Make it 10,000, and I throw in my Fightium-Z."

This caught the attention of Team Stardust, as they all were amazed by Josh's offer. Zag smiled brightly, and said "Deal."

The exchange was made. Josh paid the money and offered up his Z-Crystal. By the time that the Metal Coat was offered in exchange, Josh's eyes started to water. That was one quarter of the allowance we have left… I'll need to take on a few missions to gain some more cash…

With a final wave, Josh bid his farewells to Team Stardust. They all waved back, before Josh smirked as he flicked a card into his paw again. It was a Scizor card, ironically enough. But as Mutsuki took notice, he then looked into his deck of cards, noticing that Josh not only took the Scizor card from his deck, but replaced it with a Scyther card. Mutsuki couldn't help but chuckle, however, as he had no idea how Josh performed that sleight of hand trick.

Josh put the Scizor card away. And as he walked off, he couldn't help but stifle a laugh. To think, the first time I was a thief, and it was for a card. Not that it matters, anyways. Nobody plays PMDO for a card game.

Chris picked up the headset, nervous about his eventual meeting with Josh. He genuinely wasn't sure what Josh was going to say to him. After everything that he's done, he honestly feels as though he deserves to apologize to Josh. He acted completely out of hand, and he deserved whatever it was that was coming to him.

Nervously, he took a deep breath, looking at the clock. It was 8:58 PM. He'll arrive at 9. Might as well be ready. He grimaced, not prepared to face the consequences of his actions. But regardless of that, he had to go through with this.

He put on the VR headset, turned it on, and relaxed on his bed. He was visibly sweating. He tried to steady his breathing. And before long, he took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and said "Connect: Start." His vision went white, and the device calibrated his senses. And by the time his vision went black, he lost the warm, soothing comfort of his bed.

When he woke up, he was chained to the wall of a cold, dark prison cell.

His mind was racing. He looked at his blade arms curiously, seeing that they were mercifully cleaned of blood. But he felt miserable because he knew how it felt at the time. The image was unable to escape his mind. He genuinely had no idea what Josh's talk was going to entail. As such, he could only think about how Josh was likely going to get back at him for what happened. He deserved as much.

Just then, the cell door opened in front of him. Standing on the other side of the door were both Josh and Cereza. Josh had this reserved, stoic expression on his face. But the immediate sight of seeing Josh covered in bandages was enough to make Chris look away in shame. God, I can't even look at him…

Cereza looked at Josh, asking "Are you sure about this?"

Josh nodded silently.

Cereza understood, and walked into the cell, pulling out a key. She was able to unclasp the chains attached to Chris's arms and legs. However, she ultimately kept the chain that was around his neck firmly attached. With one final look towards Josh, Cereza left the cell behind her, telling Josh "Take as long as you need."

Soon enough, Josh entered the cell, the faint glow of the hallway illuminating the room. Josh stared down at Chris, seeing the Scyther looking away from him, a pained expression dotting his face. Josh simply chose to remain stoic, hiding his emotions as much as he could behind a cold stare. He wanted Chris to realize that he's hurt him, and everyone else he's known in the game.

The memory of the Zero Isles started to flash in Josh's mind. How he saw Adam's lowest point. The depressed state that Adam was at to the point where he wanted to simply end it all. Josh saw that same look on Chris' face. The look of someone who has nothing to live for…

Chris whimpered as he once more looked at Josh. He noticed that Josh wasn't exactly angry, but that cold stare was enough to make him uncomfortable. Chris had to speak up. This uncomfortable silence was not going to get him anywhere. "You hate me, don't you?" he asked.

Josh just stood there in silence.

Chris continued. "It makes sense that you hate me. After all, I took the trust you gave me and tore it to shreds. I can't even bear to look at you without recoiling." Chris soon felt his eyes water, before he confessed "For the longest time, I thought that if I find the one responsible for killing my brother, I could feel better. But you're not to blame for all of this, Josh." Lowering his gaze, he began to tear up. "It's my fault."

Josh lightened up, and he gave a slight look of pity towards the Scyther.

Chris shuddered as he mustered the courage to look at Josh again, tears clearly in his eyes. "If you must blame someone for all of this, blame me! I failed to protect Zach! I deserve what's coming to me!" Awaiting his sentencing, he saw that Josh refused to move a muscle, his face remaining stoic. This only made Chris even more nervous. "What are you standing there for? Say something! You wanted to see me! So, tell me! What do you want from me?!"

Without warning, Josh slapped Chris across the cheek to shut him up. Chris wasn't expecting a slap. A punch, sure. But a slap? It didn't exactly register in his mind. But just before he could process what just happened, Josh soon started tearing up, and gave Chris a hug. This was enough to take Chris by surprise. He's…hugging me?

"Shut up, you idiot," Josh muttered. He kept on hugging Chris, not wanting to lose his friend after he's gone out of his way to try and help him.

Chris, meanwhile, was flabbergasted. He recalled from Adam how he mentioned Josh was mostly uncomfortable when it came to bug chitin. Did Adam lie because he wanted to protect him, or… Then he realized something, and relaxed. No. If Zach was his teammate, he would've been fine around Bug-types.

Josh soon stopped his hug, smiling at Chris while shedding tears. "I never once blamed you for what happened, Chris. All of this time, I thought I was to blame for Zach's death. And yet, Rose told me what happened, and…" He began to crumble as he fell to his knees, crying. "I had no idea you went through so much pain and suffering, Chris. So don't blame yourself. You are not to blame for what happened!"

Chris was stunned, but relieved to see that Josh never once blamed him. And just seeing this Lucario on his knees, crying… He didn't know what to make of it. I guess…we both had such sad burdens to bear.

Josh sniffled as he looked at Chris again. It was clear that Josh was still torn up over what happened. "When Zach died, I thought my life was over," he said. "The truth is…I'm scared, Chris. Scared of how we're going to be facing uphill battles in life. Scared of losing people close to me over time. I only picked up PMDO to escape from it all."

"Escape?" Chris was unsure of what Josh was trying to say, but he chose to listen carefully.

Josh wiped the tears from his face, looking away out of embarrassment. "I'm a mess, Chris… I wish that my life was much simpler. I wish that Zach didn't have to die." He then returned his gaze back to Chris to confess. "But the truth is, I am afraid of what would've happened if you either killed me, or refused to see things from my perspective."

Chris was partially nervous. "Why are you telling me this, Josh?"

"Because…" Josh looked rather sad, and let out a deep sigh. "We all came to a consensus. As of right now, Scicle the Scyther is no longer a part of Team Calibur."

The fact that Josh said this to his face was rather shocking. "W-what?"

"Cross, Rose and I all agreed that…you were to be kicked out, I'm afraid," Josh stated. "I'm sorry…"

Chris didn't want to hear that news. But at the same time, he knew that this was going to be a rough patch for him. If none of his friends wanted him back, then it was something he thought he was going to have to accept.

However, Josh soon looked back at Chris, and told him "But just because you've been kicked out, it doesn't mean your story ends here."

Huh? It's not over for me…? Chris looked up at Josh, unsure of what he meant.

Josh smiled, before opening up his bag. And once he did, he pulled out the Metal Coat, which ultimately took Chris by surprise. "Where did you…?"

"Let's just say that even though I wanted Scicle the Scyther out of Team Calibur, I'm more than willing to make do with a few adjustments. After all, the player is named 'Scicle,' and he's supposed to be a Scyther." Josh chuckled, before giving a knowing glance at Chris. "Of course, that's up to you to decide."

He… He wants to help me…? Chris knew for a fact that Josh was willing to work with a loophole. He trusted Cereza to help fill in the details of what's happened to Chris. He trusted Hatori to provide an escape route. In a way, Josh ultimately wanted to give Chris this one chance at redemption.

Chris soon looked away in complete uncertainty. "I don't think it'll work," Chris said. "Besides, Spectro would find out in time, right?"

Josh chuckled, giving Chris a smirk. "Clearly, you don't know Spectro as much as I do. Unlike Volt, he's far more reserved. This situation would only work if he was in charge."

Chris was surprised by how Josh was describing this situation. As such, he had no idea what to make of this. And while the plan seemed solid enough, he then recalled my cruel words to him. How I labeled him as a "monster." He recoiled, and asked "But…how the hell am I supposed to redeem myself in front of the others?"

To that, Josh pointed out "You only have to redeem yourself to Rose, my friend. The rest of us can look the other way, but it's Rose who's the most upset by this. As they always say, 'Every rose has her thorns.'"

Josh then held the Metal Coat in front of Chris, awaiting his answer. Chris had to think about this carefully. But the fact that Josh was giving this to him was something he never would've thought possible. However, he soon looked away, a sheepish smile on his face, as he pointed out "What the hell…? You honestly think I'm going to accept this offer because you said so?"

"I'm not," Josh pointed out. "I'm merely giving you that first step. The rest is entirely up to you."

"Huh…?"

Josh gave a confident look towards Chris. "You have the makings of a warrior of justice and virtue. However, I'm giving you this choice. Do you want to leave, and never be seen again by the rest of us? Or are you going to find the courage inside of you to undertake this duty?" He then set the Metal Coat down on the floor, backing towards the cell door as he's waiting for Chris to make the next move. "Do you choose the path of light, or the path of darkness? The choice is yours."

Hours later, a choice was made. The decision was placed in front of everyone's line of sight. Adam and Josh were discharged from the Med Bay the following morning, and waiting there in the entrance of the guild were Cross and Nolan. The two members of Team Calibur were sitting there, waiting for everyone to be present so they can make the next move.

Josh asked Nolan "Did you contact Rose?"

"Ja. She'll arrive here in about an hour," Nolan answered. "She has to get ready for the day."

"Good," Josh replied. "The sooner we get out of this town, the better."

Cross, Nolan and Adam were equally uncertain about why Josh looked bitter, though. In fact, Josh had been like this for the past several hours. None of them knew exactly what it was that bothered him, however.

"Josh?" Cross asked curiously. "Are you okay?"

Josh sighed, before sitting down next to Cross. Josh looked a little sad, remaining silent for a good while. He didn't know what to really tell Cross. But soon enough, he gave a sideways glance at him, and said the one thing that he knew was a guaranteed fact.

"Scicle, the Jade Blade of Team Calibur, is no more."