By the time Rei returned to the village, night had fallen. The stars and waning gibbous moon were the only witnesses to Rei's return.

Walking from the Coastlands back to Jubilife on foot took a lot longer than when he was riding on Wyrdeer's back. It took even longer when the sun set and nocturnal Pokémon became active; Rei did not want to fight off Murkrow and Golbat attempting to take advantage of Volo's state. He avoided the main paths where those Pokémon were likely to gather, using back roads which made the trek back to Jubilife take longer than normal.

The village gates were shut, so Rei went around to the hills that rose northwest of Jubilife. The hills were low enough that Rei could slide down them, holding onto Volo and Ace.

It was silent in the village. The only sign of anyone living there were the flickering flames in lanterns hanging from the eaves of homes. In the distance, Ida's Chimecho gently chimed in the breeze.

After going around the side of his house to reach the front, Rei immediately froze and held up a hand to stop Blaze and Ace.

Sitting in his chair by his wagon was Ginter, arms resting on his legs. Curled around his feet was his Luxray, Chrono.

Rei was certain that Ginter wouldn't go around raising a fuss about Volo since the two seemed close, but he didn't want to risk being wrong.

Chrono raised her head, staring at Rei, eyes bright in the darkness.

Ginter didn't seem to notice her movement and as Rei continued watching him, he could see that Ginter seemed more slumped than usual.

He was sleeping in his chair.

Heaving a sigh of relief, Rei motioned for Blaze and Ace to continue.

Chrono watched them for several moments before dropping her head on her paws.

Rei slid open the door to his house. Darkness greeted them. During his time in the Coastlands, the hearth had gone out.

“Blaze?” Rei asked, looking at the Typhlosion standing to his right.

“Typhlo.” Blaze spat a small ball of fire at the hearth. The flames hit the brittle wood, sparking before fizzling. Blaze tried again with a larger ball of flames and this time they caught, a small flickering fire illuminating the house.

Rei realized that there was one problem: his place wasn't large enough to hold two fully evolved Pokémon, a Sigilyph, Volo, and himself. Fitting them through the doorway wasn't plausible. He did have one solution, even though she probably wouldn't like it.

Taking out Aurora's Poké Ball, Rei released the Ralts.

Aurora stretched her arms above her head before rubbing her eyes.

"Sorry if I woke you, but I need you to do a favor for me."

"Raa?" Aurora tilted her head.

"Do you think you could use your psychic powers to carry Volo and Sigilyph inside?"

Aurora didn't know the move Psychic, but all psychic Pokémon had a limited amount of psychic ability that they could use. The power allowed them to send out a distress call or to throw a clan leader into a lake because he called her cute.

Aurora looked at Volo lying on Ace's back before she looked away. "Ralts."

"Oh, come on. You can't still hold a grudge against him."

"Ra Ralts Ral!" Aurora threw up her hands before stomping a foot and crossing her arms. "Ralts."

Aurora didn't technically hold a grudge against Volo because of something he did. She held a grudge against Volo's Gible who had beaten her in their battle in the Solaceon Ruins. Rei imagined any fairy type would hold a grudge against a dragon type that beat them. Aurora was different in that respect as she extended her grudge to Gible's owner, Volo. That grudge was probably why she knocked out Garchomp in one blow.

"Aurora, please." Rei set a hand on Aurora's helmet so she could absorb some of his emotions. "He needs help."

The horns on Aurora's helmet glowed briefly before she sulked. "Ralts..."

Raising a hand, Aurora wrapped a bit of psychic energy around Sigilyph, carrying the Pokémon inside and setting it by the corner of Rei's bedroom. She returned and did the same with Volo, dropping him on the futon.

Rei sighed at the rough treatment, returning Ace and Blaze to their Poké Balls. He stepped past the threshold and shut the door behind him. "Thank you, Aurora."

Aurora pouted at Rei as he returned her to her ball.

AC, DC, and Jules popped out of their homes, watching Rei lean a wooden rod against the back of the door frame, preventing anyone on the outside from opening the door.

"Back inside, you three," Rei said, stepping into his bedroom.

The three Rotom looked at each other before doing as they were commanded.

Kneeling by Volo, Rei began to inspect him, searching for injuries. With the blood staining his Arceus outfit, it was hard to tell.

Standing, Rei went to his sink and grabbed a paring knife before returning to Volo. He carefully sliced through the shirt so he could get it off easier. It was destroyed anyway, so there wasn't any point in trying to salvage it.

Rei would find some clothes that could potentially fit Volo later.

With Volo's chest exposed, Rei spotted a patch of faint burn marks on his left side, but they were minor enough that only burn salve and a bandage would be needed to help it heal.

Three claw marks cut into his upper left arm and lower right leg. The slashes tore the yellow bands wrapping around Volo's leg. The injuries were dry and covered in a thin layer of rocks and dirt.

Rei would have to wash the wounds and stitch them to prevent infection if it hadn't already set in.

Volo's hair was a mess of dirt, dried blood, and tangles. Rei would figure that out later.

Carefully rolling Volo onto his side, Rei made sure he wasn't missing any injuries that could become infected down the line.

Three claw marks ran diagonally down Volo's back, from his right shoulder to the side of his chest.

Rei stared at the marks, frowning. Had Volo tried to run away from whatever had attacked him and his team?

All things considered, at least he didn't have any broken bones. Those were something Rei didn't feel comfortable with healing. Still, he didn't have the necessary supplies in his house to take care of Volo's injuries. Rei would have to get them from Pesselle in Galaxy Hall.

He sighed, rubbing his face. Exhaustion was starting to set in, but he had to focus on getting Volo's injuries cleaned, stitched, and bandaged before he could even think of going to sleep. Hopefully, Galaxy Hall would be empty at this time of night.

Leaving his house, Rei walked past the still sleeping Ginter and towards Galaxy Hall.

Beauregard stood at his usual post by the stairs though he was sleeping standing on his feet. Beside him, his shiny Dustox Beauticia hovered, alert. Upon seeing Rei, she flapped her wings.

"Dust Dustox!" Beauticia greeted.

Rei raised a hand in response as he climbed the stairs and opened the door. He looked around it, making sure no one was nearby. Rei did not feel like being cornered and bombarded with questions.

The hallway inside was empty, with sconces on the walls providing the only source of light. From the threshold, Rei had a clear view into Cyllene's office where she was still awake, completing paperwork by candlelight. Cyllene had a habit of working late to complete her seemingly never-ending pile of paperwork. She had once told Rei that paperwork was her battleground.

Slipping into the hall, Rei shut the door behind him then trotted to the infirmary. Thankfully the door between it and Cyllene's office was shut.

Inside, Pesselle was still awake. Sitting at a desk, she had several phials in front of her, all filled with different colored liquids. A beaker was in the middle, filled partway with a dark purple liquid. Croagunk crouched beside Pesselle and watched what she was doing with rapt attention, croaking quietly.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Rei knocked on the side of the door to get Pesselle's attention.

She startled at the noise, looking over her shoulder. When she saw it was just Rei standing at the threshold, she relaxed.

Pesselle pushed her chair back and walked towards him. "Young Rei. It's been a while since I've seen you. Is there something you need?"

Rei knew why he was there–bandages, stitch kit, and salves–but curiosity about Pesselle's actions gripped him tighter. "What were you doing?"

"Oh, all that?" Pesslle glanced back at her desk.

Croagunk was peeking over the edge, staring at the phials in interest.

"I was just seeing if I could make more antidotes with different poisons."

Rei tilted his head, interested in Pesselle's explanation. He had always been fascinated by her intense passion for helping others in unorthodox ways.

Rei knew she wasn't really one to boast about her experiments, especially since she seemed to get skeptical looks. He didn't understand why when her theories and suggestions seemed to be making great strides in the Hisuian medical field. She was the one who showed others how to use a Luxray's specialized vision in order to properly reset a broken bone and how Sleep Powder could be mixed with Stun Spore to create a numbing anesthesia that could help in minor surgeries, after all.

"Well..." Pesslle twirled a strand of hair around her finger. "I was thinking that different antidotes could be made to target specific poisons. Like, if someone was poisoned by a Drapion or Qwilfish then we could use an antidote with their poison. Croagunk's poison is potent as an antidote on its own, but it seems like we need multiple doses to cure those afflicted by another Pokémon's poison."

"I see."

It was an interesting experiment. Poison type Pokémon did all have different strains of poison.

"Anyway, is there something you need from me?" Pesselle asked.

Right. Rei was there for a reason.

"Can I have the stitch kit, bandages, antibiotic cream, and some burn salve?"

"Hm." Pesslle tapped her cheek before walking to the medicine cabinet, opening the door to make sure there was enough supplies to spare. "Quite the list. You don't look injured. A Pokémon?"

That reminded Rei that he also had to help with Sigilyph's injuries.

"Can I also have an Oran berry if you have one to spare?"

Pesselle chuckled as she gathered the items Rei requested. "You can have two."

After grabbing what Rei needed, Pesselle handed him the supplies. "I hope the Pokémon gets better."

"Thank you." Rei nodded then left the infirmary so Pesselle could get back to her antidote mixing.

He paused outside of Cyllene's office when he heard lowered voices.

"Come on, you need your sleep."

Laventon's voice was gentle as it always was when he attempted to coax Cyllene into getting proper sleep.

"I just need to finish this one..."

"It's not going to go anywhere while you sleep."

The gentle coaxing seemed to work as Cyllene's chair scraped against the floor.

"I suppose a few hours of rest can't hurt."

"Excellent!"

Rei could hear the beaming smile in Laventon's voice.

Shaking his head, Rei walked to the door so he could return home and start helping Volo's injuries.

"Rei...?"

Rei jumped at the voice and turned around to see Akari standing on the stairs to the second floor.

She looked like she had woken from sleep, wearing a loose pale kimono with blue stripes scattered along the front and sleeves. Her hair was down from its usual bandana.

Pikachu wasn't on her shoulder. He was probably still sleeping in her bed.

A bright smile crossed Akari's face as she started walking down the stairs.

"Rei, you're back." Akari descended the last three steps and began to approach Rei. "Where did you go? What's all that for?"

Rei backed up as Akari came closer, beginning to feel like a cornered Glameow. Holding the medical supplies in one arm, Rei fumbled for the doorknob. When he grabbed it, he opened the door and took off.

"Wait, Rei!" Akari called.

Rei bolted to his house, opening the door and setting up the barricade once he was inside. He took a moment to catch his breath, listening for signs that Akari had followed him.

When he didn't hear her, Rei sighed, leaning against the wall.

He couldn't exactly tell Akari that the supplies were for Volo. Even if he had told her to keep it quiet, Rei was certain she'd confide in Laventon or Cyllene and if Cyllene heard, she was bound to tell Kamado.

Rei already knew how Kamado acted during the Red Sky Days and he did not want to know how Kamado would react to having the actual instigator of the Red Sky in the village.

Inside his room, Sigilyph was awake, hovering a few inches above the floor. It stared at Rei as he came closer.

"Here." Rei set the two Oran berries in front of Sigilyph. "They'll help you heal faster."

Sigilyph stared at the offered berries for several seconds before returning its gaze to Rei, blinking once.

Sigilyph's silence was a tad unnerving, so Rei decided to focus on helping Volo's injuries. The first order of business was to clean off all the dirt and blood so Rei could work on stitching and covering the gashes.

Grabbing a small bucket from the kitchen, Rei had DC fill it with cold water and Jules carefully warm it up. With that and a washcloth, Rei kneeled by Volo to start cleaning him. A lot of the blood didn't seem to be his.

"Hm?" Rei stopped cleaning Volo's neck, staring at the stubborn ring of red that wasn't washing out.

Upon closer inspection, the red had angles to it, like a gem. The gems looked familiar. They reminded Rei of the Red Chain he had gotten from the Lake Trio to bind Dialga.

Rei touched the gems and found they wrapped around Volo's neck like a choker, seeming to fuse with his skin. The surface of the gems were warm, reminding Rei of when he held the shattered pieces of Red Chain as he, Adaman, and Akari searched for the ingredients to craft the Origin Ball required to contain Palkia.

These things couldn't be the same as the Red Chain.

Shaking his head, Rei told himself it wasn't the time to focus on the strange necklace. He still had wounds to clean and bandage.

Rei continued working on cleaning the dried mud and blood off Volo. After cleaning the cuts on his arm and leg, Rei stitched them, applied antibiotic cream, and bandaged them. He did the same thing with the marks on Volo's back and covered the burn on his chest with a bandage once burn salve had been applied.

During the cleaning, Rei came across similar red chains around Volo's wrists. They had also been covered by mud and blood, hiding them from immediate view.

"There..." Rei sat back after he covered Volo with one of his larger kimono. It barely fit but it was good enough for now.

The stitching and bandaging weren't the best jobs in the world (Pesselle would have done better), but Rei was confident he knew enough from healing his own injuries that Volo would come out of the process with a few scars.

With Volo still unconscious, Rei couldn't exactly feed him an herb mixture to help the fever. Instead, he set a cold wet cloth on his forehead to help lower it. If the fever got worse or the injuries looked like they were becoming infected, Rei would get Pesselle as a last resort.

"Do you think I'm doing the right thing?" Rei asked, looking at Sigilyph who still hovered in the corner. "Helping him like this?"

Sigilyph didn't respond, staring at him.

Rei sighed. He didn't know what else he expected.

Standing, Rei stretched his aching legs then grabbed a spare futon from the corner. After spreading it out, he dropped onto it and flopped on his back.

Rei stared at the ceiling for several moments before he closed his eyes, letting the exhaustion settle on him like a cozy blanket.

----------------------------------------

All around him was inky blackness. The darkness surrounding him felt heavy, a weight clinging to his shoulders. If he focused too hard, it felt as if the shadows were digging talons into his shoulders, rooting him.

He shook off the claws and took a step forward. The sound reverberated everywhere like a tolling bell.

"Hello?"

His voice echoed back at him and it didn't sound right.

Nine red eyes blinked open in the darkness, surrounding him on all sides. No, they weren't eyes. What were they?

The orbs bobbed closer, hemming him in. They seemed to blur like flickering flames in the wind.

Fear raced through his veins, turning his blood to ice. A strangled breath escaped him as he turned and ran.

Red chains emerged from the floor, wrapping around his wrists and neck. They tightened, an Onix coiling around its prey, biting into his skin. Choking him.

He pulled against the chains, resisting them as they began retracting into the floor, forcing him to his knees.

His chest constricted, his heart banging against his ribs.

The nine red orbs hovered nearby, silently watching him. Judging him.

"Why are you doing this?"

Behind the orbs, a glowing light flickered into existence. Its form shifted and four spears jutted out. Two crescents connected to the spears on either side, creating a disjointed wheel.

That symbol...why did it make him angry, bitter, and sad all at once?

A searing pain in his back startled him awake.

With a grimace, he turned on his side in an effort to abate the pain, supporting himself on his elbow. He couldn't remember what he had been dreaming about, but he knew his name was Volo.

He didn't know where he was, though.

The room he was in was small. Pictures of Pokémon and people hung on the wall. A pile of shells and sticks lay on the windowsill. Leaning against the wall was a full-length mirror and Volo caught his reflection in it.

His hair was tangled, smeared with dried blood and dirt. The weight of it hanging down his back was heavy. For some reason, the clothes on him felt wrong; like he hadn't been wearing them before he woke up.

Glancing down, Volo grabbed the front of the kimono he was wearing. It was pale blue with white Vulpix faces printed on it. The kimono was a little small, pulling at his shoulders and riding up his arms. Was it his?

A concerned noise came from Volo's left and a Sigilyph fluttered into view, staring at him.

That Sigilyph...

A sensation of being attacked by something, the creeping fear entwining his heart, washed over Volo. The Sigilyph had appeared out of nowhere, swooping in to protect him from a killing blow.

"Oh, I think I remember you." Volo raised a hand and the Sigilyph bumped its head into his palm. "You helped me."

Sigilyph trilled quietly.

"You're awake?"

Volo startled at the voice, spotting a form kneeling by a hearth in the room across from him.

He was no older than sixteen, wearing a sleeveless black shirt and torn shorts. Bandages wrapped around his chest. A silver stone pierced the teen's left ear and a necklace of smooth blue stones with small fangs hung around his neck. His shoulder-length dark hair looked like it hadn't been washed in a while, tangles giving him a feral look.

"I didn't think you'd be up so fast," the teen said. "You've been out two days with a fever. I guess it finally broke."

He turned back to the pot hanging over the hearth, stirring whatever was inside it.

"I was making lunch. I don't know if you're hungry, but this should be light enough for you to eat."

Volo pushed himself into a sitting position as the teen came closer with a bowl of soup in one hand and a cup of tea in the other.

He kneeled in front of Volo, holding the bowl and cup towards him.

"Leek soup and green tea with some Combee honey. I also got some potato mochi, though I'm not sure you should be trying that out quite yet."

Volo stared at the offered food for several moments. The soup smelled sweet and earthy. His mouth watered slightly at the aroma. Part of him wanted to reach out and take the food but another part of him was hesitant.

Volo stared at the teen, tilting his head. "I'm sorry, but who are you again?"

Rei blinked at the question before he instantly became suspicious.

Was Volo purposely feigning ignorance? Was there going to be a 'hah! gotcha!' from him?

Volo's expression was lost, confused, and a little pathetic. It was as if he were a Growlithe and Rei had kicked him for existing.

The longer the silence stretched between them, the more Rei became aware that Volo was likely not trying to play a prank on him. Volo actually didn't know who he was.

What the fuck.