Chapter 59: Pledge

Adam was limp on the ground. A very clear bullet hole was shown on his chest. His eyes were wide open, though there was no sign of consciousness behind them. Blood trickled from his mouth. A small pool of blood starting to form beneath him.

Adam was dying.

Norman stepped forward, away from the river. His eyes were fixated on Adam. As he glared at the Incineroar, all he could say was "You were never worthy to look after Rose. If this is the best effort Team Inferno could muster, then I'm greatly disappointed."

Nolan could only turn to look at Norman with rage. "Unmensch!" he yelled out angrily. "Why would you do this?! He's done nothing wrong!"

"Nothing wrong? Don't make me laugh. Everything that Team Inferno has done was wrong!"

"What?!"

Norman went to explain himself. "Everyone makes promises, don't they? Well, the day that Rose first traveled with these players, she made it perfectly clear that they were insistent on helping her recover a trapped player. They promised they wouldn't fail her. That they in turn wouldn't fail me." He turned his attention to me to emphasize his point. "They swore to rescue my brother, Gabe, no matter what. For her sake. And by proxy, for mine as well."

Nolan turned his gaze my direction, and all at once, I started to get fearful of what he was saying. My mind was racing at the current circumstances, but I also recalled, clear as day, what happened when I first met Team Inferno…

The morning after meeting with Team Inferno made me realize that I was off to make a promise I wanted to fulfill to Norman. Before Josh and Adam had a chance to wake up, I messaged Norman through the DM system.

Norman, it's me.

I waited a few seconds for a response, and on the other side was Norman. About time you called. I heard what happened, and I started to worry.

I was happy to see that he was concerned for my safety. It's alright. I'm safe. In fact, I was rescued from a horrible scam that could've cost me everything.

You lucky lady. Who came to save you?

I looked in the direction of Josh and Adam's hotel room, noticing they were probably still asleep. With a smile, I typed up They're called Team Inferno. An Ace Rank team.

A few seconds of waiting occurred. My guess was that Norman was considering on sizing up who Josh and Adam were like. But eventually, he gave his response. Team Inferno. I heard they were pretty good.

I giggled, and sent another reply. They're that strong, eh?

VERY strong, from what I've heard. Rumor has it that they survived on the Zero Isles for an entire month on their own. If that's the case, they must be pretty powerful.

I've heard about the Zero Isles before. They were a place that reduced your level down to Level 5. The real challenge of the area is that it's meant to test your skills when out in the wild, facing increasingly dangerous circumstances as time goes on. The fact that Josh and Adam survived for a whole month there was impressive. It felt inspiring to hear that they were able to support each other there for that long.

This made me confident that perhaps they knew what to do for the mission I placed upon them. So, I told Norman exactly what happened. If they're as strong as you say they are, that's reassuring. I just requested their help for something important.

Oh, really? What's that?

I brought them on board to rescue Gabe.

When I wrote that to him, I was met with silence for what felt like forever. I could only assume that this was because hearing this news made him feel relaxed. He perhaps needed some time to process this information. But it didn't take long until he eventually gave his response.

Good. If they're as skilled as I heard they are, then they can save him. I'm hoping it goes well. ^_^

It was rare for him to leave an emoticon at the end of a message. This felt like a promising sign, and I couldn't help but smile brightly at seeing him so hopeful for once. I left a final message, telling him Once we find him, I'll be sure to let you know. I promise. (^_^)

The sight of my emoticon was enough to convince him that I was confident that this would work. His final message read Good luck, Rose. And best wishes.

I put aside the DM system, and breathed a sigh of relief. In a sense, I was nervous. But knowing that Norman was confident in their abilities, it helped to brighten my spirits. And to think, Josh and Adam were trapped here as well, but still chose to keep fighting. I was relieved.

A knock at the door of my room was heard, followed by Josh's voice. "Rose. Are you up?"

Anxiously, I yelped out "Yes! Yeah. I'm up!"

"Good. Adam and I are going to wait for you at the exit of town," Josh said. "You can tell us everything regarding where Gabe was rumored to be at."

"R-right! I'll be right there."

I felt excited, beaming as I realized that Gabe was going to be rescued by a pair of professionals. This felt like my prayers were finally answered, and I got a pair of guardian angels to offer their aid. I got up, staring out the window of my hotel room, and breathed the morning air with some newfound confidence. A gentle breeze blew into the room, and I couldn't have felt more at ease that the morning air was so soothing.

Confidently, I left the hotel behind me, and met with Adam and Josh outside of town like they said. Adam stood there with his arms crossed, anxious about having someone like me tagging along. In a sense, I understood his hesitancy. I hardly knew him, and he didn't understand what the point was in bringing me along. I could see that he still had that bandage around his torso from when that Greninja conman slashed at him, and I couldn't help but feel uneasy.

To lighten the mood, I smiled and let out an awkward laugh. I said "Morning! Ready to go?"

Adam grumbled a little, still feeling nervous. He looked over at Josh, and asked him "Josh, are we seriously doing this?"

"It's the right thing to do, Adam," Josh answered. "Besides, if it weren't for her, we wouldn't even be here, would we?"

Adam sighed. "I guess you have a point."

"Then it's settled." Josh looked over at me with a smile, and asked "You said he disappeared six months ago, correct?"

"Yes," I answered. "In the southern mountains was where he disappeared to. We could start there to search for him."

Josh nodded to my request, and looked towards his brother afterwards. "In that case, the sooner we get across the desert, the better."

Adam looked displeased with that news. "Don't tell me we're going to cross the desert on foot again…"

Josh smiled brightly, chuckling as he then looked over to the desert itself. "Not to worry. I've already called a ride over."

"Hm? A ride?" I wondered. Wow. He thought so far ahead.

As it turns out, the ride he signaled for was a trio of dragon Pokémon: a Garchomp, a Flygon, and a Salamence. And as it turns out, the Garchomp and Josh seemed well-acquainted, given the friendly greeting that they offered each other.

Josh looked to me, and said "Rose, I want you to meet Team Quake. They're from Talis, same as us."

The Garchomp looked partially intimidating, but he was surprisingly kind as he bowed his head to greet me. "Nice to meet you, young lady. I'm SandWyrm. And these two are my teammates: EmeraldSpecs and TKODrake."

Username: EmeraldSpecs Species: Flygon Team: Quake

Username: TKODrake Species: Salamence Team: Quake

"Just stick with us and we'll get you across the desert in no time," the Flygon said with a smile.

"Of course, it's free of charge, in case you're wondering," the Salamence said with a nod.

"Oh! Uh, thank you," I replied with a smile.

The Garchomp soon took a look over at Adam, seeing the injury he sustained, and asked "What happened, anyways? Was there some fight that we missed?"

Adam rubbed the back of his head nervously, and answered with "A Greninja attacked us. It's not serious."

"If it's not serious, then why are you still wearing the bandages?" the Garchomp aksed curiously. "Come on, Adam. It shouldn't be that bad, right?"

Adam tensed up, but not wanting to argue, he relented. He allowed the Garchomp to take off the bandages on him, Adam's back exposed to us all. What I saw upon the removal of the bandages was a faint scar lining across his back. It was small, hardly noticeable. But the fact that it was there was enough to make me wince a little as I remembered how Adam was opening up the wound from trying to lift that bell the other day.

The Garchomp could only let out a hearty laugh, telling Adam "You lucky cat! This battle scar is nothing! You'll be fine."

Adam got nervous upon mention of the word "scar." Anxiously, he turned to Josh, and asked him "It's not that serious, is it?"

Josh patted Adam's arm, and said "Hardly noticeable. It'll fade with time, Adam. There's nothing to worry about."

Adam could only sigh in relief at the idea that he's going to be alright. I couldn't help but giggle over how awkward Adam was. It was charming, so to speak.

"Well, let's not waste daylight," the Flygon mentioned, lowering himself to allow me access. "Hop aboard, Miss. We'll get you to your destination lickety-split."

I got to hop aboard the Flygon, all the while Josh got to ride on the Salamence. However, with Adam and the Garchomp, it would appear that Adam had what appeared to be a board attached to his feet, his hand firmly gripping the handle of this long rope, which itself was attached to a harness that the Garchomp was wearing on a green vest he had on.

I looked over at Josh, asking "Is Adam not flying?"

Josh gave an apologetic smile my direction upon me saying that. "Don't take this the wrong way, but Adam's afraid of heights. I called Klaus over because he's the only one who can traverse the sands like they were an Olympic swimming pool."

Klaus, the Garchomp, took pride in that accomplishment, and smirked as he looked my direction. "Not to worry. Adam's got a strong grip. He won't let go easy, even on the roughest of conditions."

The Garchomp then dove into the sand, his back fin sticking out as he started pulling the rope. All at once, Adam was off, keeping his balance as best as he could on the board as he literally started surfing on the sand dunes. This was then followed by the Salamence and Flygon taking off, with both me and Josh as their passengers.

We all traveled swiftly across the desert, and for the first time, I could feel the thrill of what felt like a big adventure ahead of me. Looking over the desert from the sky was unlike anything else I've experienced before. Normally, I'd just teleport from town to town if I wanted to go anywhere. But since we were going to explore some mountains, the thought never really occurred to me that the move Teleport only brought you to towns, not dungeons.

I looked over at Josh, and he couldn't help but give this big grin as we were flying in the air. I gave a big smile back to him in return, before staring ahead at the mountains that were far off in the horizon. With confidence that perhaps our rescue was going to work out, I anticipated our arrival with bated breath.

Hold on, Gabe. I'm on my way. We're coming to rescue you.

Obviously, the rescue didn't work out. Otherwise, we'd be telling a completely different story. I felt so ashamed of myself when Gabe died. Like I could do nothing. Like my efforts were completely in vain. That all of this time building myself up, only to let myself down in the end, destroyed me.

"Rose made a promise with Team Inferno to bring back Gabe safely," Norman continued. "I expected nothing else but the best. An Ace Rank team. A duo of professionals like Team Inferno. Their legendary achievement, having survived on the Zero Isles for a solid month, despite being prisoners to the game itself! I held onto hope that they could do this for us. To bring me back my brother!"

Norman clenched his fists in anger, his eyes trembling as he averted his gaze. "But they failed. Not only did they fail to rescue my brother, but they also let a dangerous killer like Zeraora loose onto the world! If they were as strong as I heard they were, they could've easily defeated Zeraora! To avenge my brother! But no!"

Turning his anger out on Adam again, staring at the limp Incineroar, he continued his rant. "On that day, I learned a valuable lesson. Never meet your heroes. They will only disappoint you in the end. I can never forgive Team Inferno for their failure. They took everything from me. They deserve to know my pain. To see what it's like to lose someone precious to them!"

Angrily, he then pointed his finger gun towards Adam again, water starting to form at the tip. I gasped, and with tears in my eyes, I yelled out "Norman, stop! Don't do this! This isn't you!"

"They couldn't keep their end of the promise, Rose!" Norman yelled back. "They pledged themselves to being the heroes who will liberate the trapped players! And yet, despite it all, they're only in it for themselves!"

"That's not true!" I tried to plea. "They're kind, sincere people! But they're only human! They had no idea about Zeraora at the time! They had every intention to rescue Gabe!"

"And when he separated from you, did Team Inferno manage to find him?!" Norman yelled with spite.

My voice caught in my throat, and I couldn't possibly find any argument to win this debate. I told him about what happened in detail the day that Gabe died. I was upset. I was horrified. I had never felt this stinging sense of loss before.

Norman looked at me, demanding that I give him an answer. "You saw what happened, Rose! When Gabe went crazy, he ran off! Did Team Inferno find him before or after he died?!"

"What does it matter?!" I shouted with tears in my eyes. I felt as if my heart was about to shatter completely. This excruciating feeling of dread and loss was enough to leave me a delirious mess. "Nobody knew what was going on!"

"Oh, I beg to differ! LucarioTrainerJ made sure of that!" Norman leered at Adam, mentioning "He said he experienced what Gabe went through, according to your message, Rose! He knew exactly how Gabe was suffering! And yet, he chose to do nothing about it!"

"Norman, please!" I begged. "Listen to yourself! Don't do this!"
"It's too late for that, Rose!" Norman readied his next attack, aiming his finger gun at Adam. "I lost my brother! It's time for that Lucario to understand my pain!"

"NORMAN, NO! DON'T DO THIS!" I was in a state of panic. I didn't know what to do. Talking my way through to him wasn't working. In fact, it only continued to provoke him.

All at once, my mind blanked. All I could recall at the moment was the fear in my voice. My pleas falling on deaf ears. The feeling that Adam was going to be executed because of something beyond his control. This was wrong. It was all wrong!

Stop! Stop! STOP! STOP! STOP! STOP! STOP! STOP! STOP! STOP! STOP! STOOOOOP!

BANG!

…CLANG!

I gasped, looking up through the tears pouring out of my eyes. Through the mess of tears, I saw that Nolan had deflected the water bullet with his shield, while Norman was smacked from behind by one of Cereza's Flower Trick attacks. Norman staggered, looking around him as he saw that he was surrounded on three sides by people he couldn't care less about.

"You think that because you lost your brother, you should lash out at the people who were just trying to do their job?" Hatori was livid with Norman, giving a glare at him as he began to encase himself with water. "Strength isn't everything."

"You are the spitting definition of pride," Cereza stated bluntly, touching her earring as her body soon began to become encased in crystal. "And pride only leads to shame in the end."

Before long, the crystals fully encased Cereza, all the while Hatori was surrounded by a huge vortex of water. After a few seconds, what resulted was the both of them powering up. Hatori had changed his appearance to that of his Battle Bond form. And Cereza's body began to look like it was made of crystal, a bouquet of flowers topping her head as she had Terrastalized.

Together, the pair soon yelled out "You are no hero, BAKA!"

Hatori and Cereza soon made their move, charging head first towards Norman. All that Norman could do was let out an aggressive battle cry as he engaged in combat against Cereza and Hatori. And there I was, staring at the display, clearly in a fit of emotional distress. I had no idea what was happening. I had no idea what to do. I was lost beyond words.

Nolan could tell that I was feeling off, and placed his sash hand on my shoulder, telling me "Fraulein! Bitte! Snap out of it!"

I couldn't respond. I was broken. My heart was broken. My mind was broken. I felt like I couldn't do anything, even if I tried.

"Rose, snap out of it!" Nolan said, shaking me to grab my attention.

I turned my attention towards the Aegislash, barely giving any reaction apart from being a broken mess of a person. I didn't know what to do. I was so scared beyond words.

"Rose, listen to me," Nolan tried to explain. "Adam isn't dead. He's just barely hanging in there. I'm no medical expert, so I need you to stop the bleeding."

"Adam…" I softly murmured. How can I help him now? What was I supposed to do?

"Listen, Rose. I know things are scary right now, but if we don't save Adam's life, it's over. You're the only one who can help him, understand?"

"I… I can't…" I was already freaking out over everything that has happened over the past few minutes. How the hell was I going to help Adam now?!

"Please, Rose! You've helped him plenty of times, I'm sure! So do what must be done and help him recover!" After that, Nolan started to get a move on, and approached the battle that was on the horizon.

I didn't want Nolan to leave me. I was terrified. What was I going to do? I couldn't do anything right! I can't do it! It's too late for me! I can't do anything right!

My mind felt like a scrambled mess, as I could only recall the times I've failed. I failed to save Gabe. I failed in trying to stop Zeraora on Mount Ebott. I failed to defeat Rin during our battle. I failed to convince Norman to help us. And I failed to stop Zeraora when it mattered most at Mount Sanda! I felt like this was not going to go in my favor at all!

However, Nolan soon turned to me, and gave a genuine bit of encouragement. "You're a good person, Fraulein. You offered your assistance whenever it was needed. In the end, while life is difficult and rife with failure at every turn, you should never lose hope in who you are. We've all experience fear. Doubt. Anguish. Spite. And there's no end to that in this world. You can't save everyone, Rose." With a smile, he then told me "But that never stops us from trying."

I was confused. What exactly did he want to tell me? I was in a whirlpool of despair. What exactly was he saying? "What are you…?"

Nolan soon faced the battlefield, ready and confident to get the job done no matter what. "Never forget that life is beautiful. You can't have hope without despair. You can't have happiness without sadness. It's all a part of who we are as people. We're all flawed. We all make mistakes. But we never stop trying, because there's a reason for why life itself is so precious to us all! It's because…we all must leave an impact that helps to give hope onto others. To shine brightly, like stars. To give those who need us the hope for a better tomorrow. Cross, Josh, Chris, Adam, Volt, Wulfrock, Rin, Lucian, Sabrina, Hatori, Cereza…even you, Rose. Because deep down, you help to inspire hope in others."

I inspired hope? When have I ever done that? "I…didn't do that… You're wrong… I could never…"

"Don't sell yourself short, Fraulein," Nolan reassured. "You have already inspired hope in others. You just don't know it yet."

Soon enough, Nolan charged forth into the battle. All I could do was just sit there next to Adam's limp body. I could hear a faint cough from him. He was barely alive. But if nothing could be done about the bleeding, he could die here and now. Do I have what it takes to save him…?

I didn't know if I did. I reached my hand out slowly to him, wondering what it was that I could do to stop a gunshot wound. I didn't think I could do it.

And then…as I held my hand out, I saw a message pop up in my peripheral. It was a mail message. Actually, it was dozens of mail messages. All addressed to me, seeing as I was the only one on Team Inferno who could receive mail. I never actually received any mail, apart from the fans who saw my match during the tournament. But the message that I saw read "Fleetfut has sent a message."

From Chloe?

I opened up the mail messages I've received. As it turns out, out of the fifty or so messages I've received, I saw close to a dozen of them from Chloe, three of them from Serena, and dozens more from anonymous fans. I didn't really bother looking at any of these letters before, mostly because I didn't think my battle was of any worth. The messages I got from Chloe and Serena, however, were mostly to catch up on old times.

I had no idea what compelled me to do so, but I chose to open up the most recent message from Chloe. As I did, I read the contents:

Dear Rose,

How are you doing? I heard that you were going to take on Zeraora with the rest of Team Inferno today, so I just wanted to know how you were doing (By the way, thanks for letting us know ahead of time). He's surely not an easy opponent, but that shouldn't stop you, Rose. After all, even when you think you're down, you still have my full support. In fact, thanks to our new teammate, we managed to find out that a ton of messages were being sent to our old URL when you were still on board with our team.

You're going to love our new teammate, Crystal, BTW. She's perky, not to mention intelligent. In fact, she took up computer programming courses and wishes to be a game designer! I thought that was so cool! But, it's thanks to her that I received word that the old URL had a huge flood of messages that were from YOUR fans! Like, I'm talking HUNDREDS of fan letters! So, I compiled a list of some of the most inspiring quotes I could find amidst the flood, and thought I could give you a morale boost.

To my surprise, as I skimmed through the list of quotes, there were a bunch of them who were able to grab my attention. I gasped as I saw how many positive messages there were.

"You're such an amazing fighter, BlossumBelle! A true inspiration!" "As a fellow Roserade player, your effort against Rinekai was awe-inspiring!" "If that's what being under the wing of Team Inferno is like, then you've got a bright future ahead of you, fellow adventurer!" "I saw BlazeTiger's match, and was blown away by it. Then I saw your match against Rinekai, and despite the immense pressure you must've felt, I thought you were just as incredible as he was." "You're so beautiful, BlossumBelle! I never would've thought to use the Grassium-Z in that particular way!" "What an amazing battle! Keep it up!" "I want to be just like you one day! A true underdog!" "I saw your match with my daughter, and we were blown away by how impressive an effort you gave!" "You rock, BlossumBelle!" "You're my hero, BlossumBelle!" "Never give up, BlossumBelle! Your journey has only begun!" "You're lucky that you have such amazing friends, BlossumBelle. They stuck with you every step of the way." "You shined brightly, BlossumBelle. You are a true beacon of hope." "Burn bright, Green Flame BlossumBelle!"

All of those positive messages was enough to make me emotional. I smiled, tears flooding down my face, as I wept at the overwhelming positivity that I've given to these people I didn't really know. This was enough to snap me out of my bad funk, and I couldn't have been happier. I saw that Chloe had more to say in the message, and I chose to look at the rest:

Just remember, Rose. You're an inspiration to so many people. Crystal, Serena and I are rooting for you, so keep at it! If anyone can break Team Inferno free from this world, it's you!

Good luck, Rose! I'll see you later!

- Chloe "Fleetfut" Parker

That positive feedback was sweet. I couldn't hold back my tears as I looked at the message in its entirety. All of those people… They believe in me!

I wiped the tears from my face, smiling as I realized that there is indeed hope that remains in this world. "Thank you…" I muttered. "This means so much."

I heard another faint cough from Adam, and it snapped me back into reality. He was bleeding out, on the verge of death, and in need of my help. I looked into my bag, finding that I still had the Grassium-Z Crystal with me. I realized then and there that I could use Z-Aromatherapy to hopefully stop the critical damage done to him. Using my quick thinking, I placed the Grassium-Z Crystal on, and I ended up activating it. I used Z-Aromatherapy, holding my hands over Adam's chest, transferring the energy output over to him to try and save his life.

"Come on, Adam," I said, determined to save his life. "You're stronger than this. I need you to stay with me here."

I poured every ounce of energy that I had into Z-Aromatherapy, transferring as much of it as I could into Adam. I was pushing myself to my limit, trying to keep him alive by any means necessary. I concentrated hard, focusing my attention on the bullet wound on his chest. Thankfully, it appeared to be working, as the wound began to seal up quickly. Not wanting to stop, I kept on channeling my energy into saving Adam, using everything that I've got into keeping him intact. Before long, the wound ended up closing completely, and the bleeding had stopped. I could feel Adam's chest moving up and down as he was breathing normally again, albeit with a few coughs, showing that there was still a little bit of internal damage.

After using up all of my energy, I collapsed onto Adam's chest, panting from exhaustion. This was the best that I could do. That bullet wound was going to be a scar on his body. I stopped the bleeding, and treated the wound. I could only hope that it was enough.

Then, I felt Adam's hand gently stroke my head, and I gasped. I was overcome with joy to know that he was alive that I got up and looked him over. Adam was smiling, and I held his hand in mine. "I'm here, Adam," I said, on the verge of tears. "I'm here."

"Rose…" I heard Adam whisper. He looked at me, smiled, and gently placed his hand on my cheek. "You have to protect Josh… Please…"

"I will, Adam," I murmured, trying to hold in my emotions.

"That was…insane…" Adam whispered jokingly. "I never have been so…scared in my life…"

"Shh… It's alright, Adam," I said. "Everything's going to be alright."

Adam smiled at me, before he then brought me closer. He gave me a hug, some of the blood from his chest starting to coat the white petals on my head. I could hear his heartbeat, and it was enough to make me start crying. I did it! I saved his life! For once, I did something right!

"Rose…" Adam continued, and I looked over at him. "You…are my…hero…"

I sniffled, giving a slight laugh amidst the flood of tears. "I've never been called that before…"

"And it…won't be…the last…either…" Adam gave his biggest smile towards me, which was enough to brighten my spirits. And then, he closed his eyes, his hand on my cheek falling off, as he finally fell unconscious.

At first, I assumed that maybe I was too late. "Adam?" I shook his body. "Adam!" I leaned my head onto his chest, and there, I could still hear his heartbeat. His steady, rhythmic heartbeat. Adam was still alive.

A mixture of relief and overwhelming emotion flooded me, as I cried onto his chest. I was so scared, I thought I had lost him. I was overjoyed to know that he was still alive.

I did it! Adam is still alive. I'm so happy he's alive…

Back on the mountain, Josh, Cross and Chris were by the gate where both Team Nagi and Team Sakura got viciously slaughtered by Zeraora. Josh sighed, realizing that this was a catastrophic failure. All of that meticulous planning, and all that it amounted to was for Zeraora to escape their clutches yet again.

As Josh surveyed the damage, Cross was approached by Chris. "So… Care to explain what happened?"

"Huh?"

"You know… How you suddenly gone all Ultra Instinct on us like that?" Chris wondered.

Cross pondered on what Chris said for a moment. "You know, I have no idea what came over me. All that I can recall was protecting Josh, when suddenly…" He snapped his fingers. "It just happened. Like a switch was turned on inside of me."

"Well, whatever it was, you actually kicked some serious ass there," Chris complimented. "I'd say that you got something special, Cross."

"Yeah… I guess so…" Cross wasn't too sure about it, so he needed a second opinion. "Hey, Josh. What just happened back there. Was it akin to the Black Mirror Virus or something?"

Josh was too fixated on the massacre that he didn't hear what Cross had said. Cross patted Josh's back, grabbing the Lucario's attention at long last, and asked again "Josh, was that energy I emitted like what happens to someone affected by the Black Mirror Virus?"

"Uh…" Josh had to think about it for a bit. "It felt remarkably similar in wavelength… But in the exact opposite direction… And on top of that, you maintained control of your actions…" He shook his head, not quite sure how to wrap his head around it. "This is entirely new on me, Cross. I don't know what else to tell you."

"I see." Cross soon looked over the battlefield, feeling a sense of pity that he could do nothing more to help. "I just wish there was more to be done, that's all."

Josh nodded in agreement. "Regardless of that, we did what we set out to do. Zeraora had left the mountain. As long as this place is heavily fortified, he's going to have to think twice before coming back here."

Cross wasn't exactly pleased with hearing that news. In fact, to him, he felt strangely sad for Zeraora. All they did was barge into his home and forcefully evict him. Sure, Zeraora did some horrible acts, but did it feel right to just take his livelihood away from him like that? In a way, he could almost feel sorry for the roaming AI Pokémon. And it was there that Zeraora's comments during the battle started to strike a chord with him.

"I only wanted to end the suffering they've been through! That's what my goal is. To end their suffering. To save them from MCP."

In a way, Zeraora was convinced that what he was doing was good. Even if it was the wrong way of going about it, he was trying to do what he thought was the right thing. This thought hit Cross's psyche, making him wonder if perhaps there was a way for Zeraora to be made into a hero if his circumstances were different.

Suddenly, a gripping headache began to rip into Cross, and he winced as he clutched his head in his hand. A flash of memory started to show in his mind. It was raining. An intense storm billowing in the clouds. And he saw what appeared to be a dead Alakazam in his arms, blood dripping from his lips, and his own claws stained with blood.

The memory faded, and Cross gasped in shock. As he panted out of the fear he's experienced for a brief moment, Josh and Chris took notice of his behavior. "Cross?" Josh asked worriedly.

"Are you alright, man?" Chris asked.

Cross had no idea what just happened to him. What was that? When did that happen? Who was that? Who…am I?

"Cross!"

The Gallade snapped out of it, seeing Josh looking at him with worry. "You looked troubled. Are you alright?"

Cross could feel his composure come back to him. He smiled, not wanting Josh or Chris to worry, and gave a simple nod. "I'm fine. Just a faint dizzy spell, that's all."

"Then why are you crying…?" Josh asked softly.

Cross didn't even realize it, but for some reason, he was crying as tears started to line his face, betraying his need to be positive. He wiped a tear from his face, almost surprised that he felt the way that he did. Why was I…crying?

Another dizzy spell hit, and for just the briefest of moments, his green blade arm changed to resemble a yellow paw. Josh was gone, replaced with the Alakazam from earlier, smiling back at him as the sun rose in the sky. They both overlooked the cliff together, seeing the Milotic River in all of its beauty. "One day," the Alakazam said. "We are going to save this world. Just you wait."

The memory faded, and Cross was snapped back into reality, gasping as he backed away towards a wall. He gripped at his head in confusion, eyes wide with shock. Josh and Chris both looked concerned for their friend, walking over to him to try and put him at ease.

"Cross! Hey! Cross! Easy there!" Josh was comforting, trying to keep Cross calm, to give him some time to relax. "Just take it easy." The battle must've taken a lot out of him. I think he might need to lie down.

Cross took a deep breath, calming himself down, as he lowered his hands. Looking over at Josh and Chris, he realized he was still here. He was X-Glaive. The Ivory Blade. Leader of Team Calibur. He shouldn't be showing signs of frailty, especially to his dear friends and allies.

Once he regained his composure, he said "I'm alright. Sorry for making you all worry."

Chris was immediately concerned for his friend. He's never seen him acting up like this before. Turning to Josh, he asked "Have you seen anything like this before, Josh?"

"No," Josh answered bluntly. "I don't think I've seen someone act like this before. And trust me, I've seen plenty of strange things."

"Guys, I'm fine. Honest." Cross tried to be reassuring, to put them both at ease. "I just felt a little off, that's all. The battle with Zeraora must've exhausted me."

"Yeah, I'll say," Chris said. "You looked completely zoned out."

Cross thought deeply about what it was he's experienced. I don't recall ever having those memories. Why in the world would I know an Alakazam in my past? Who was he?

"Hey! Mister J!" The trio turned their attention to the source of the voice, noticing that Heath the Golisopod was storming down the trail and heading towards them.

Once Heath had time to catch up to them, Josh asked "What do you want?"

Heath panted from exhaustion, looking at the three of them with a look of unease. "Bad news, I'm afraid. I had just received a DM from Lady Cereza."

"A digital message?" Josh didn't want to hear from Cereza, especially after the stunt she pulled with her team. But given the look of panic on Heath's face, he decided to listen carefully. "Does it concern Zeraora?"

Heath shook his head. "No. Zeraora got away. Your allies were spared from the carnage, but…" He swallowed hard, not sure how Josh would react to the news. "I thought it weird that Cereza would send a DM to me, but she filled me in on the details of what happened."

"Woah! Calm yourself, chief," Chris said calmly. "Zeraora got away. Then what happened?"

"It just happened so suddenly!" Heath stated with worry. "This random Inteleon appeared out of nowhere, angry that Zeraora got away. Worse yet… He shot BlazeTiger in the chest."

Collectively, everyone gasped in horror at the news. Cross and Chris were shocked to hear what had happened. They both knew only of one Inteleon player.

Cross looked at Chris, asking "You don't think…?"

"It has to be," Chris answered. "It's Norman."

But as they looked at Josh, wondering what it was he must be going through, they could see his body trembling. His eyes wide with utter horror. His breathing was ragged. A cold sweat beaded down his face. And all at once, his memories of Adam started flashing through his mind as all noise around him faded into the background. His heart beat rapidly in his chest. The last memory of seeing his brother safe was at the bottom of the mountain, smiling at him earnestly. A look of concern for his safety against Zeraora. He was more confident. He felt stronger than ever. He was eager to put this whole mess behind them and move on to getting to MCP.

Josh snapped.

The Lucario clenched his fists, gritting his teeth, his face contorting to a mixture of fear and rage. The look itself was enough to frighten Heath as he looked at him closely. Without saying a word, Josh started marching off to the base of the mountain.

"Josh?" Chris asked with worry.

But Josh was angry. He growled out of frustration, his aura spiking around his body. It was like his body was engulfed in blue flames. And amidst the fire, all that Josh saw was red.

Like a bolt, he stormed off towards the bottom of the mountain, leaving his friends behind him. This threw them all off guard. "Josh!" Cross called out, trying to snap him out of his rage.

But Josh was already so far ahead of them. His rage fueling his intent to reach the bottom of the mountain. All of those years, he's spent time trying to keep his brother safe. To secure his protection from any danger that stood in his way. Sure, he gave Adam a chance to become more independent. And he was proud of what he accomplished. He felt like Adam could withstand Zeraora no problem, given his strength.

But this was different. This wasn't just any ordinary battle. This was an intentional hit. And Josh was livid. He charged towards the bottom of the mountain, refusing to believe that his brother was dead. He just couldn't be!

With an aggressive roar, Josh screamed "NORMAAAAAN!"

Please! Don't be dead! I can't…! The memories of Adam on the brink of death from Zeraora, from his attempted suicide, from the attack in their school… They tormented him.

With tears flooding his face, he gave it his all as he charged down the mountain. I CAN'T LOSE YOU, ADAM!

Norman's evasion was rather effective, especially considering his opponents. Hatori and Cereza were already able to use some effective tag team attacks, constantly throwing Norman off guard. The three of them were fast! Cereza tried landing a Flower Trick on multiple occasions, but Norman was quickly able to shoot the bombs down with Icicle Spear. Hatori would follow through with Aerial Ace, only for Norman to counter with Acrobatics on the fly. And even then, Cereza would try to attack with Petal Blizzard, hoping it would be enough to hold him back. But Norman was quick to counter with Dark Pulse. It was like every time they tried to make a move on Norman, he seemed to be one step ahead of them.

In the midst of combat, Hatori quipped "I take it that this is a date to die for, right, Cereza?"

Hatori and Cereza soon stood back to back as Norman used Acrobatics to quickly leap from place to place around them. Cereza gave a grin, telling Hatori "In that case, this is a pretty lousy way to treat a lady!"

Cereza and Hatori soon fired off their attacks: Cereza with Petal Blizzard, mixed in with Hatori's Water Shuriken. The two attacks barely managed to hit their mark, striking Norman with everything they had. However, as the smoke cleared from the attack, Norman just leapt up into the air, readying a pair of finger guns as he started firing repeated Snipe Shot attacks.

Hatori and Cereza both ran in opposite directions, hoping to close the gap. Naturally, Norman ended up adjusting his aim to pursue the both of them. He scowled at them both, letting them know "You say I'm not a hero? I never lose a battle! The heroes always win, after all!"

Hatori and Cereza charged forward. Cereza readied a Slash attack, while Hatori prepared an Aerial Ace. Norman stopped his shooting, before he reflexively twisted his body and smacked the both of them with his tail, canceling their attacks.

Hatori and Cereza were knocked back, skidding along the ground together as they stared at Norman. All the while, Norman continued his rant. "Heroes never lose against their foes. That's why they're the pinnacles of hope and justice! No villains will ever escape them. That's what I believed! Failure would mean lowering themselves to the villain's level!"

"If that's what you believe, then why wait until the last minute to help?" Hatori asked, readying his Water Shuriken. "If you say a hero doesn't lose, why only appear AFTER Zeraora fled?"

As Hatori threw his Water Shuriken at Hatori, Norman ended up firing multiple Snipe Shots to slow it down, before he ducked under the attack as he charged towards them with Acrobatics. Cereza was quick to use Flower Trick to try and slow him down, but despite the explosion, Norman broke through, landing successful kicks on the both of them, knocking them both towards the edge of the river.

"Team Inferno had their chance. I gave them every bit of my trust. And they wasted it!" Angrilly, Norman pointed his finger gun at Adam's direction in an attempt to finish what he started. "This is why I refuse to work alongside these failures who call themselves heroes!"

Norman was about to fire, but was soon intercepted by a Sacred Sword attack coming from the side, as Nolan came in to provide assistance. The Inteleon leapt out of the way from the attack, but Nolan was quick to predict a counter strike. As Norman tried to fire a Dark Pulse at the Aegislash, Nolan quickly took up his defensive stance, and used King's Shield to deflect the attack.

Nolan changed once more to his attack stance, before he used Power Trick to swap his attack and defense stats. As he stared down the Inteleon, he stated "There is more to being a hero than you think. Being a hero takes courage. Wisdom. Determination. Selflessness. And a kind heart. But one thing a hero is not is invincible."

"And WHAT do you know about heroes?" Norman argued, staring down Nolan with intent. "What do you even know about evildoers? My brother DIED because of Team Inferno's failure!"

"But it wasn't their fault! Team Inferno would do anything to help, no matter what," Nolan tried to reason. "That's the reason my team allied with them. We saw they were nice people first, their strength being secondary. Judging a person's quality based on their strength, whether or not they're trapped in this world, or because of circumstances beyond even themselves is not what you do to judge a hero, idiot."

This angered Norman, who fired at Nolan with Snipe Shots. Nolan was able to swerve his way around the bullets with swift reflexes, before managing to strike Norman with Sacred Sword. Norman was knocked aside, but was able to stand back up quickly before he saw a pair of attacks head towards him.

The first attack was Water Pledge, which headed for Norman unexpectedly. He gritted his teeth as he braced for the attack, but the fact that Cereza leapt into the air and launched a Grass Pledge attack immediately afterward, on top of being powered up through Terastalization, boosting the effectiveness of the combo attack as it landed on Norman.

The mixture of water and grass flooding Norman's side of the field was immense, as a bog ended up forming around him. He groaned as he saw that he was covered in murky water, stunned at seeing both Cereza and Hatori standing confidently next to each other, staring down Norman like a dynamic duo.

Nolan was amazed at the teamwork the pair displayed. "I had no idea you had Pledge moves!" Nolan exclaimed in awe. "Wunderbar!"

"Yeah. You could say that we're a match made in heaven," Hatori said with a smile, before giving a slight glance towards Cereza. "Or the demons of hell who wish destruction. Depending on the mood."

Cereza stifled a laugh as she returned a smile to him. "I never would've seen this coming in handy until now. If anything, I was expecting to get a different player to be a partner."

"You could've just asked me, you know," Hatori remarked.

Cereza gave a devilish grin. "To work with a delinquent like you? Tempting, but I'll have to refuse."

Norman struggled in place as he tried to get out of the bog he's been placed in. The murky water was uncomfortable for him. He glared at Cereza and Hatori, seeing the pair so well together. It made him jealous.

"I'd say we're in the clear then," Nolan said, his attention fixated on Norman. "That is, if you're willing to cooperate with us."

Norman realized that he might be out of his element. He looked at Nolan, then at Cereza and Hatori. Then, he looked in the distance, and saw that I was still there, looking over Adam. I turned to look at Norman, tears in my eyes, staring at him with a mixture of fear and sadness. Norman had broken my heart. He crossed a line. And yet, he could only stare back at me…with sadness. He lowered his head, before he chose to simply sit down.

Everyone was still on guard, unsure on what it was that Norman was up to. Regardless, Norman sat there, resting an arm on his leg as he leaned back against the wall. He gave a small laugh, before he opened his eyes, and looked over at me, trying once more to get on my good side.

"Rose. You must understand. I only wanted to be there for you like how Gabe would. I was like a brother to you. Guiding you. Giving you pointers. Showing you the best spots to hone your skills whenever we went questing for Gabe together long ago. You didn't need Team Radiance. Like you said, you only joined the game because you wanted to be a part of Team Intrepid. To chart a course for the world with us."

Norman's words dug at my core, and he tried to coerce me to listen to what he had to say. It's true, I did initially want to enjoy this game with Gabe and Norman because of them. They gave it a glowing recommendation at that. The thought of the three of us traveling through the game together was like a dream come true for me.

But now? What did I have to say to Norman's words? What was he playing at here?

"That's what we were meant to be, Rose," Norman continued. "Heroes that could chart a course for the world around us. We intended to explore every hidden nook and cranny this game had to offer. We were going to be the best, Rose. Unstoppable. You understand, right? So please, just tell me you get what I'm saying. You can't be held back by teammates who can't live up to the ideals of being a hero. After all, you know what it is you want, Rose." He held his hand out, and loudly declared "Freedom!"

Nolan was at a loss for words. "Freedom…?" he muttered.

Norman lowered his hand, and once more offered his deal. "Freedom to see the world at your fingertips. Freedom to take on any threat the game throws at you with minimal issues. Freedom to rescue anyone, and be declared a hero, because you proved you were strong enough to engage with the world. So tell me, Rose. Who are you siding with? This riffraff that claims they're heroes, but lacks the strength to back up their claims? Or with your true friends, who actually have what it takes to achieve the impossible?"

Nolan, Hatori, and Cereza waited with bated breath for my response. I looked at Norman with concern, unaware if joining him would solve anything. But then, I gave a slight glance to Adam, who was out cold, but alive thanks to my efforts. And all at once, I recalled something that would affect my decision.

I had just joined the crew of Team Inferno. After spending what was just a single day with the team, I sat there, staring at the Team Intrepid scarf that Adam picked up for me. In my mind, I still thought about Gabe, and how I wanted to save him, but couldn't. It was still strange, joining with Team Inferno because I partially felt pity for them.

But it was there, as I was sitting there, that I saw Josh and Adam sparring with each other. Josh and Adam weren't using any of their moves, but rather were just doing some light sparring. Just sitting there, seeing the pair smiling brightly as they showed a bond that I hadn't seen in a long time. A friendly bond between brothers.

I placed the scarf away, and I called out "Josh! Adam!"

The pair soon stopped sparring, watching me as I walked over to them. "What's up, Rose?" Josh asked.

I was so nervous. I had so much on my mind. But before long, I gulped anxiously, before I asked "Do you… Do you think I'm strong?"

Josh and Adam had no idea what I was talking about. They looked at each other briefly, and Adam soon asked "What do you mean?"

"Well… It's just that you're an Ace Rank team," I started, sweating as a tried to remain calm. "And when I was with Team Radiance, it was a lower rank. And I was just…" I cleared my throat, looking at the both of them, and tried again. "What I mean is… Do you think I might be a burden for you guys?"

I don't know what happened, but upon saying the word "burden" in front of them, Josh and Adam immediately began to worry for me. I blushed out of embarrassment, averting my gaze with shame. "I guess I am, given that reaction…"

"Never say you're a burden, Rose," Josh interrupted, looking at me with a smile. "You're fine the way you are. You're strong in your own way."

"No, I'm not," I said as I shook my head. "You guys are strong. You both survived the Zero Isles on your own for a month. I could never do that. Not as I am now." Regretfully, I placed my hands near my chest, and whimpered a little. "If it weren't for me freezing up, Gabe would still be alive."

It was there that Adam and Josh could recognize my worry, and just how upset and bitter I was with myself. Josh wanted to say something, but that was where Adam patted Josh's shoulder, and said "Let me handle this, Josh."

Josh nodded towards Adam's direction, and chose to keep silent. Adam walked over to me, kneeling down to my height as he spoke to me softly. "The truth is, Rose, I didn't have what it took either."

This took me by surprise. "Huh?"

"When I logged in to this game for the first time, I was no good at it," Adam confessed. "And even after being stuck here, I was just scared that this was going to be a torturous endeavor. I had no confidence in myself. I lagged behind on occasion. I even called myself a burden, because I couldn't keep up with my older brother."

Is this… Is this true? I stared at Adam curiously. He gave a gentle smile to me, and I realized then and there that he's really just as soft as I was.

"The one who convinced me that I shouldn't give in to those negative thoughts was Josh," Adam continued. "He told me that we were going to survive together. No matter what it took, we were going to make it out of this world, no matter how long it takes. I didn't believe in him at first, and then…" He turned to look at Josh, and said "Josh showed me what being a hero is really like."

Josh nodded approvingly. "Being a hero isn't about being strong, Rose. It's not about trying to be the best. It's about recognizing the dangers presented to us, and courageously taking them on as an inspiration to others. It's not strength that dictates a hero, Rose. Courage is."

I had no idea that this was all it took at first. After all, I was still in that mindset that perhaps if I were stronger, more capable, I could be at their level. That I would be able to make myself a hero through hard work and determination. That I could save these two from this world through an honest effort of strength.

And yet, they offered me an avenue that I had never considered up until now. Was this what Josh meant by finding a light at the end of the dark tunnel?

A lot has happened since then, but I thought that Josh and Adam were a powerful duo no matter what happened. But their strength wasn't really measured by their power. Just knowing that Adam overcame his own fears in the tournament as he rose in prominence. Seeing Josh voluntarily walk into danger, putting his faith in the both of us. These two were more courageous than I had previously given them credit for.

I had my answer.

I looked once more at Norman, took a deep breath, and calmed myself. I walked forward, approaching Norman. Nolan was surprised by this, and said "Fraulein! What are you…?"

I ignored him, obviously. My attention was solely on the Inteleon in the bog. He sat there patiently, awaiting my arrival. By the time I set foot in that bog, I stopped in my tracks. Norman smiled.

"So, you finally see reason, Rose?" Norman asked calmly, extending his hand.

I gave a stern answer to him. "Yes. I do."

Norman reached his hand out to me, thinking that I was going to take it, and that I would be on his side again. However, as I stared at him, I gave him a look of disdain. He saw this, and his smile faltered a little. I then dug into my bag, pulling out the Team Intrepid scarf. After looking at it for a moment, I returned my gaze to Norman, and placed the scarf into his open hand, before backing off.

Norman was no doubt confused by my gesture. He looked at the scarf in his hand, not sure what I was saying, before looking back at me with surprise. "Rose. What are you doing?"

I stepped out of the bog, backing up as I stared at him with as much courage as I could muster. "The true strength of a hero is by their virtues. That was a lesson I learned when traveling with Team Inferno. A lesson that you failed to grasp. You may not see it, but Team Inferno are far braver than you could ever be. After all, they knew the present danger, and chose to go in there willingly. Not to prove their strength. But to protect others around them. Because they knew that a hero's strength is measured by their heart. Josh and Adam survived the Zero Isles not because they were powerful fighters. It was because they didn't want to be there, but survived together, supporting each other through thick and thin."

I smiled, and thought about Chloe's letter to me. It told me so much. And I wanted to let Norman know what was on my mind. "I pledged to Team Inferno that I would go through hell to save them. To be ready to die for them at a moment's notice. I didn't know what it meant at first, but soon, I found my answer in the tournament. Through the people I inspired. I kept on doubting myself, but upon seeing everyone's positivity, telling me that I was a hero, and inspiration, it finally cliqued for me." I lowered my head, my eyes closed, as I continued my declaration. "I would never achieve that with Team Intrepid. They only slowed me down." I then stared at Norman with a glint in my eye. "You were slowing me down."

Norman couldn't believe what he was hearing. He seemed stunned by my sudden confidence boost. It was something he was ill prepared for. Tough luck, Norman. I know who I am now.

Proudly, I stood tall, a hand on my chest, as I loudly declared "I refuse to be chained by my past! I will no longer feel shame in myself! I am the Green Flame of Team Inferno! And I will shine as a beacon of hope, guiding Josh and Adam out of this hell no matter what it takes!"

As I finished my declaration, Nolan smiled as he saw that I was finally coming into my own. Hatori seemed pleased with my response, nodding with approval. And even Cereza smiled as she seemed pleased that I finally found some confidence. It was liberating. I felt as if I finally began to feel free. No longer shackled by my fears and concerns. This time, I felt as if this was where I show brightly as a bright light.

Norman, however, wasn't happy with this news. He lowered his gaze, clenching the scarf I handed him in his hand. He trembled, as a single tear fell from his eye, falling off of his cheek and into the bog below. He stood up on his feet slowly, my allies all standing guard. As he stood tall, looking away from me, he took a deep breath.

"So… This is the path that you've chosen…" He placed the scarf away, hiding it inside of the frills on his back. He sighed, shaking his head before slapping his face. "Unbelievable. You chose to protect these fools, and for what? Because they're not strong, but brave?"

"Norman. I'm not going to be swayed by you anymore. It's over." I tried being reasonable again, refusing to give up on him. "You don't have to go at it alone, however. We could still be a team. We can be friends, still. But please consider being a part of Team Inferno. For me. For Gabe." I held out my hand, wanting to offer an olive branch to him. To save him from himself.

Norman grumbled. "Team Inferno…" he muttered. "Team Inferno. Team Inferno. Team Inferno!" He turned towards me, an intense glare in his eyes, as he once more returned to his yelling. "Is this some sort of sick joke? You want me to stick my neck out for these people? A couple of hack frauds who couldn't even save Gabe?"

"I've made my peace, Norman," I emphasized with a stern look. "Don't make it any more difficult."

Norman huffed, looking down on me as he continued his little rant. "You don't seem to know your place, Rose. I've risked everything to rescue Gabe! EVERYTHING! I could've saved him on my own if I had more strength!"

"He could also have died regardless if nothing was done," I pointed out, trying to reason with him. "Gabe was half-dead by the time I found him!"

"Don't you ever say that name in front of me again, you bitch!" Norman huffed.

This stung me more than I thought it would. I gasped, lowering my arm as I backed off from him. Norman had already gone past the point of no return. He seemed like a lost cause. I didn't want to believe it, but it would appear that might be the case.

"You know what? Fine! Stay with your precious Team Inferno." He then pulled off the scarf he had around his neck, tearing it off to reveal a white neck brace lined with red jewels. "You and the rest of Team Inferno can all burn in hell!" And just like that, he activated the red jewels on his neck brace, before his body began to start glowing a bright red as an intense energy started to radiate off of him.

Hatori quickly realized what this was, and panic started to settle in. Quickly, he yelled "Rose-chan! Stand back!"

However, the intense energy was too much to handle, as it blew me back before long. Nolan was quick to grab me as he gently lowered me to the ground. I gasped as I saw the bright red glow grow more intense, until, the energy spiked.

All at once, as the red glow faded, I saw before my eyes what appeared to be a large tower. At least, it appeared like a tower. It was actually Norman's tail, having grown a considerable length as it rose high up into the air, coiling around at the top like a platform as a trio of red clouds circle around below it. There, on the top of the platform, stood Norman, standing tall, carrying a blue water harpoon on one of his fingers, as he knelt down to one knee, taking a sniper position.

The sky surrounding this had turned crimson, the dark storm clouds becoming supercharged, emitting red lightning around Norman as he had emerged in a new form I had no idea he achieved. I could only gawk with my eyes wide, mouth open, as he had achieved a Gigantamax Form.

"This isn't good…" Nolan said next to me, fear present on his face. "From that vantage point, he could easily kill us."

Norman took aim, focusing his shot primarily on Adam. I was nowhere near him. Nobody was. Worse yet, Norman was attacking an unconscious opponent, who was barely hanging on as it is.
I gasped, as I tried to rush over to Adam to save him. "NO!" I yelled, as fear once again started to overtake me.

BANG!

An intense geyser of water was heading straight towards Adam. I felt like I wasn't going to make it. I panicked. No! This cannot be happening! It just can't!

CRASH!

The intense geyser of water hit its mark. However, it wasn't Adam that it hit. While Adam was the intended target, someone jumped in the way, selflessly protecting Adam from that blast. I didn't have time to see who it was until the water blast settled. What I saw shocked me.

Hatori had rushed to Adam's aid. He took the attack, but it ultimately shattered his left arm as he leaped to shield the Incineroar. The pain proved to be too much for Hatori to handle, but he stifled a laugh, trying to remain chipper. As his arm lay limp by his side, bleeding profusely, he weakly said "I guess I'll have…to cancel…my date plans…"

He fell forward from the pain, reverting back to his base form, before fainting right next to Adam. I gasped in horror, seeing Hatori, who had fought valiantly to help protect Adam, having collapsed on the ground.

The worst to take this sight was Cereza, who could only look on in horror as tears fell down her face, and a scream bellowed from her lungs.

"HATORI!"