Chapter 25 - Wonder of You

Be The One Be The One

We will keep on looking for a way, night will always turn to day

Be The Light Be The Light

We will take our past and share it with our future

Living in the moment, everything's a miracle

Shining like the sun and beaming like the moonlight

Be The One, Be The Light

Message to my heart, I won't let it go

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Today was the big day. Meeting Zero again, figuring out what exactly was going on, and going on a trip together. All things considered, it was only natural that Shiron drank his fourth or fifth glass of water in a row.

"H-Hahahah. This is gonna end up really well." Shiron gulped. He sat on a chair inside their headquarters, not freaking out over everything. Nope, not at all. He was completely calm.

"You have to relax, man." Nick leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "Stressin' over it isn't gonna do you any good."

"For once, Nick is right."

Liz entered the door, and alongside her was Terry, the latter of which held a few books with his hands.

"Worrying about how this will turn out is a fool's errand. However, we can still try to do our best."

Terry nodded. "Wow, Liz! That speech is so good it's almost unlike you!"

"Pfft, hahah!" Nick had to laugh at that.

On the other hand, Shiron didn't exactly feel relieved. His training had progressed, sure, but he was only slightly better than before. And he didn't even know if he improved or not.

Plus, he was more worried about them. Shiron got hurt countless times in his life; he grew used to it. But his friends? Not as much.

It's fine if I get hurt. It's not fine if they get hurt.

Luckily none of them were telepaths to hear what Shiron thought. Then the door began to open, and the Marshtomp's anxiety returned. "Who is it—"

"Hey." Magnus was the one outside, quietly closing the door after he entered. He was holding… something in one of his hands, clutching it so nobody could take a look. All Shiron saw was the color brown.

"Yo." Nick did his usual wave, even going for a peace sign.

Liz looked at him with a chilling glare. "Ah, yes, hello, Magnus. You have been slacking off on your training sessions."

"Uh, sorry. I've been kinda… busy." Magnus glanced to the side, but his eyes quietly darted to look at Shiron.

Everyone knew what kind of busy he was, so they all mostly ignored what Magnus was talking about. Except the Marshtomp inside.

"Really? Man, I gotta know more about your hobbies…"

"Sewing stuff together is fun, which reminds me of what I'm here for! Well, except joining you, I mean." Magnus waddled closer to Shiron, putting a pair of brown, fingerless gloves on the table. "Here, I made these for you!"

Shiron glanced between the table and Magnus, switching where he looked at for around ten seconds, before deciding to look at Magnus. "Wait, what? Why?! I-I mean, they look nice, but… why?"

"Well, y'know, that thing you told me about at the beach." Magnus cleared his throat, smiling sheepishly while he hoped Shiron would understand.

"...Oh! That thing, right. Y-Yeah." Shiron gulped, picking up the gloves and putting them on. To his surprise, they fit nicely in his hands. "Oh wow, they're so comfy!"

"I figured I could help out with that. Maybe." Magnus smiled. His short tail was wagging behind him, something that he didn't even notice, and neither did Shiron. Everyone else, though? They did.

"Like you don't help me with everything already." Shiron rubbed his arm. "T-Thanks."

Why aren't they together already? Terry thought. No, not just him. That was the combined thought of him, Nick and Liz. They were all thinking about it.

Magnus continued to smile. "Don't mention it! And besides, today's the big day, huh?"

"Pretty sure it is, yeah." Nick said from behind the two, still next to the wall. "We're waiting for Daichi to give us further instructions, and that guy is not very punctual."

"Maybe he's busy?" Terry suggested, even if he didn't have any kind of evidence to back up that claim.

Liz rolled her eyes. "If he decides not to show up, I swear I am going to—"

"Gonna do what?"

The new voice forced everyone in the vicinity to turn around, to see none other than Daichi at the door, struggling to walk inside due to his… unique physiology. But he managed to get through without breaking anything.

"Ya really gotta get a bigger door. Imagine when Terry evolves. He's gonna be stuck outside." Daichi grinned, ending the sentence by looking at the prince.

"Me, evolving?" He never really thought about evolving, but the sheer height increase of it made him wince slightly. "Uh, that's for later, I think."

"I might be too big for the door too…" Magnus rubbed his chin, thoughtful. "Maybe. I don't think Chesnaught are that big… can you imagine it?"

Shiron was definitely imagining something. He tried to focus on Daichi next.

"Ah, hi. I guess this is like, some sorta mission debriefing?"

"There's been a slight change of plans." Daichi said, taking a moment to look at everyone in the vicinity. "You're all going back to where you met him. I dunno what happened, but there's been complications."

"...That town again?" Nick suddenly perked up. "But why—"

"He just said he doesn't know, Nick." Terry said, though he looked down. "Sorry for interrupting you."

"It's fine."

On the bright side, they all knew where to go. However, the team couldn't stop thinking about the reason. Shiron, in particular, was a little scared of the idea. "We're going back there, but is it safe? Last time there was a crazy Infernape. We got our butts kicked, and… well, y'know, morale wasn't that big."

Liz was the one to speak up. "It has been a while since we went there. And I believe we all grew stronger, some more than others."

"I wouldn't let you guys take this mission if I didn't believe you could do it." Daichi shrugged. He wanted to do it himself, but it was good to let them handle it. "I'm not gonna force you to, though. You can walk away from it."

Shiron gulped. He could walk away, but… but they were counting on him. And he was curious about Zero's reasoning, too. "I think we're still going."

"Heh, good answer, kid." Daichi smiled at him. Just what he wanted to hear.

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At last, they were at the verge of the town. Again. Shiron looked back, checking every little building and every blur of a Pokémon he could see. Would they even know what he and his team were doing? Probably not.

The only one missing from the equation was Nick. Shiron, Magnus, Terry and Liz were all already there, waiting for their friend. Odd, given that Nick tended to not be late for meetings… most of the time.

"Does he not understand the gravity of the situation…?" Liz mumbled, tapping her foot on the ground repeatedly. "We should just go and leave him here."

"H-Hey, Liz! That's not very nice…" Terry protested in response, looking right at her with pleading eyes.

"Tch, well, I suppose you are right…"

"He's probably getting caught up in something," Shiron shrugged. Magnus was by his side, and already Shiron worried if this was going to be too dangerous for him. He didn't want Magnus getting hurt. Or worse.

"I doubt he's gonna take long—" Magnus squinted, checking the entrance, and he saw… a blue blur, along with a dust cloud behind said blur.

Five seconds later, the blur became bigger, revealing it was also partially black… because it was Nick. The Riolu ran as fast as he could, tongue rolling out while he gasped for air.

And behind him was another Pokémon; Audrey was running to catch up with her partner.

"S-Sorry, sorry guys! I'm, well, occupied! I was occupied!"

"You still are! Who sets up a date before a mission like this?!" Audrey hopped, landing right on Nick's head.

As a result, the two fell down, right in front of Shiron, who had watched all of it with a confused look.

"Uh, are you two okay?" Shiron was, of course, worried about them.

"Y-Yeah, so I kinda messed up…" Nick groaned, unable to lift his head because Audrey remained on top of him. "P-Please, I need to breathe…"

"Hmph." Audrey jumped out, moving to the side and raising her head. "I'll forgive you this once, but in return, we're going to do two dates at once!"

"How… how would that even work?" Liz muttered. She wasn't going to pry on their relationship or anything, but it did make her curious.

Terry glared at her to keep quiet. "Shhh, now's not the time!"

Finally, Nick stood up, removing some dirt off his fur. "Blergh. Fine, fine. You have a deal, Audrey. But really, I'm sorry about that."

"I believe you, but I'm not letting you leave without saying goodbye." Audrey moved her head to the side. "A kiss for good luck?"

Nick glanced behind him at all his friends there, and though he got a tad flustered, he moved in anyway, kissing Audrey on the cheek. "T-Thanks."

"Guess we should be going now." Shiron spoke out, raising his voice slightly. "If we stay here for any longer, we'll never leave."

Not that he wanted to leave, but… well, they had to. Nick went for a hug, one that Audrey kept up for around fifteen seconds before the two separated and she looked at him with a grin.

"Kick butts and return safe, okay?!"

"O-Okay, I will…" Nick rubbed the back of his head, and anyone around could see a hint of red under his fur. "But really, we should be going."

It took them another ten minutes before the team, along with Magnus, was able to leave the vicinity of the town. And once they were back in the grassy fields… things were quiet. Almost too quiet.

…

…

Well, to be fair, they all had a lot to think about. Some more than most. Still, Shiron didn't want the trip to be like this all the way through. If anyone was gonna start a conversation, it'd be him.

"So, uh, you guys think we can handle whatever it is this time around?"

Liz didn't look at the Marshtomp when replying, but she had an answer in mind. "I… I hope. I dare to hope we will pull through."

"I'm not exactly sure what we're even doing, to be honest. But hey, this is involved in my 'I wanna see more of the world' thing, so I'm with you guys on this one." Terry shrugged. Personally, he was hoping for a diplomatic solution. At least once he'd use those classes he took would prove useful.

"Hm, good for you, but I didn't get stronger just for that!" Nick protested with a pout. "No, scratch that! I didn't get blown up for that."

…Right, Liz and Nick were the two that liked battling the most. Shiron himself didn't understand why they were so keen on it, but who was he to judge?

"We'll be fine! Plus, I brought us some snacks and stuff…" Magnus suddenly blurted out, moving to grab a bag he was holding. "Sandwiches! Oh, but I've got nothing for Liz…"

Liz pointed at the sky. More specifically, at the giant star their planet orbited around. "I do not need to eat, as I am sure you are well aware of."

"S-Sorry…"

"Hey. I, for one, am excited to eat sandwiches!" Shiron rubbed his stomach. "We should probably walk a little more before doing that."

They had only been at it for what, half an hour? Yeah, it made sense to wait a little longer before they could eat. And as Shiron remembered, it'd take them an entire day's worth of walking to get to that town.

But after that little chat, they ended up going quiet again, which Shiron didn't like. "Man, if I had some kinda instrument, I'd sing us a road trip song…"

"Like you did last time?" Liz flinched. "Thank you, but I would rather not. Your voice is… not exactly attuned."

Magnus raised a hand. "I thought his voice was fine!"

"Of course you did, you goofball." Nick grinned. He wanted to try and set them up for a date, but from the looks of it, Nick didn't even need to try it out.

They continued to walk. Once again, silence washed over the team, with only a few hums and coughs breaking that silence as they went along.

Surprisingly, Liz was the one to start up the conversation again. "I hope you all have honed your skills since the last trip."

And Nick grinned in response. "You too, otherwise you're gonna stay up all night practicing with Onyx."

"I do not—it is the only time she is free for our training sessions!" Liz was quick to speak back, almost hissing at him. If she could blush, she would have.

"He's got a point." Terry went up next, walking right next to the Roselia. "Really, that training has to have produced some results, right?"

"I-It most certainly has."

…And yet, none of which managed to make her evolve. She almost considered using that dreaded stone, knowing it'd speed up the process. However, Liz was far too prideful to go through with it.

Shiron and Magnus were further behind the group, taking a few glances at each other… trying to not let the other notice it.

Until the Marshtomp spoke up. "I've been doing my best with my training. It's going reasonably well, and I think I can use all my moves now."

"You have to show us!" Nick immediately turned around to look at his friend with a smile. "Shoot water or something!"

"U-um, please don't make me do that…" Shiron squeaked. Knowing how to fight was one thing, but he'd rather not. Unless his friends were in danger, and that wasn't happening.

He quietly thought of something else to talk about. "...Actually, do you guys think we'll be able to talk things out with him? I really don't wanna fight."

Normally, Liz would have a comment on that, one that sounded more mean than she intended. However, she knew what Shiron was like, so she measured her words carefully.

"I hope we can…but I would not count on it. Types like him rarely do things without physical altercations."

Terry frowned at that. "I'm with Shiron on this one. If we could come to an agreement, it'd be great. We did with Daichi, didn't we?"

"He's different." Nick pointed out, grimacing. "They all are."

He's more like me, Shiron thought, rubbing his arm. Right, the human thing. One day he'd actually tell them all about it, but wow was it embarrassing to think about. It wasn't like he wanted to keep it a secret, Shiron just didn't think he'd find an opportunity to reveal it.

"We should probably rest a bit now." Magnus added, running to catch up with the others. "Luckily, I brought some snacks for us! Oh, I didn't bring it, but we have sunlight for Liz!"

Was that some kind of joke? If so, then it wasn't exactly funny. Liz spoke with the most deadpan tone she could possibly muster. "Thank you?"

"...You're welcome." And Magnus gulped. He made a point not to make her angry or something. He really didn't want that.

After walking for another minute or so, the team stopped, with Magnus preparing a little camp with materials for them to eat and relax. For a little while, at least.

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Getting to chill for a while was reinvigorating to them, to say the least. Shiron was the first to get up so they could continue their trip, looking into the horizon. It was around afternoon, and the sun was high in the sky. A few clouds were seen, too, but not enough for rain.

"...I wish there was rain. It'd make everything feel better." Shiron muttered to himself. This was probably due to his Marshtomp instincts, but he always liked when it rained back in the human world. Every worry he had disappeared whenever it did.

"Personally, I'd like a snow day. We could stay home all day long and watch movies and stuff." Nick's tail wagged a bit. He even pictured a nice cup of hot chocolate and Audrey on his lap. Lovely, like always.

"I thrive in sunlight." Liz added, rolling her eyes. "I am sure you can understand what my choice is."

Magnus got up next, waddling to catch up to them. "On my end, I don't really have an opinion? I mean, they're all good, I guess."

"...Rain, too." Terry muttered. "Better to read stuff in. Sets a mood and all that."

A little further in and they came to an intriguing stop on their journey: the city was visible in the distance, but it didn't look as ravaged as it was the last time they went there.

"...Huh?" Shiron rubbed his eyes just to confirm it.

Sure, most buildings were still broken, but some were in the process of being rebuilt… sort of. It looked like someone started rebuilding everything, but stopped halfway through, leaving the construction unfinished.

"That is strange. And… look up there." Liz pointed an arm at the sky.

More clouds, and of the storm kind, with occasional sparks of lightning visible. The clouds got thicker the closer they got to the city, with more constant sparks.

Nick bit his lip, taking a step forward. "M-Maybe this is just thunder, but…"

He felt tempted to try and use his aura sensing abilities to check, but there was the fact the team was still away from the city, as well as his own difficulties getting it to work.

"Whatever it is, we should probably get there." Terry pointed out, suddenly scowling. "I think that's the whole point of Zero calling us. He knew this was going to happen."

"...An assumption I am willing to accept." Liz wondered about it for a while, looking down at the ground. "Shiron, what do you think?"

Shiron clenched a fist. If this really was more than thunder, then… then Magnus was in danger. The exact thing he didn't want to happen, could happen. Could, it might not. But for someone as anxious as he was, that was all the confirmation he needed.

For Magnus… Shiron was willing to fight. "We'll get to the bottom of it. C'mon!"

…One day he'd learn to make an inspirational speech for his friends. Today was not that day, unfortunately.

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Zero was not having a good day.

Well, his entire week had been rather eventful, going from assignment to assignment, handling things back at the base, all of which left him with next to no time to rest.

He also probably shouldn't have drank as much coffee as he did during breakfast, but oh well.

"The situation here's… terrible, ain't it?"

Looking around the town, it was impressive. "They really oughta pay that repair crew more…"

Shit, they even filled up the hole left the last time Zero was there! That was impressive on its own, given just how deep it was. However, things weren't done just yet.

Zero looked up, seeing the storm brewing. "That's one nasty Crack… I didn't even know they could form on clouds."

Maybe the information was somewhere on the manual, Zero really should read it again later.

Later, he didn't have enough time for it nowadays. Zero yawned, stretching his arms.

"Where is that lot? I was sure I told 'em to come here…"

He gave a message to another agent, and said agent talked to them. At least, that's how it was supposed to go.

"...I can't stand waitin'. I don't have time for it. I—"

Just then, a bolt of lightning struck a nearby building, tearing it to shreds. Zero flinched, not expecting that to happen so soon, but he realized he had to check the damage.

"Tch. I ain't paid enough for this."

He approached the ruined building, but not too much. Zero kept a reasonable distance and bit a nail, checking in. There was still some electricity fizzling in.

"No sign of one of them Minior…" Zero sighed in relief. One less thing to worry about, from the looks of it.

However, something else had happened. Zero checked the building again, only to find the floor ruptured, with energy pouring out. He scowled, glancing up. The clouds were still there, but not as thick as before.

"That thing got transferred down below…" Zero moved his gaze to the ruptured ground, before backing off. "And there's our Crack."

…

He really should stop talking to himself that often. In any case, as long as the Crack didn't spread, this was fine. Zero walked away from it, checking the entrance next. Still no sign of those kids…

"Disapointin'. I stuck out my neck for 'em and they don't show up…"

And he had such a good proposal for them! They hadn't met on the best of terms, so this was his way of making amends. Zero thought so, reaching for his hat to adjust it.

"Guess I'll wait a little longer. See if them kids show up or not."

Behind him, the Crack surged with energy, rupturing the floor just a little more. It… it needed someone. If not Zero, then someone else.

Zero opened his bag, checking for everything. Entercard there, a fresh berry, some cash… all things he normally carried.

Man, he really wanted a break. Not even a long one, just… a day or two without working. Zero decided to give that idea to his bosses, but after this was done.

"..."

He wasn't sure if it'd work. If they were getting recruited, he'd have to see their strength in person, which would involve a fight. As strong as he was, Zero didn't know for sure if he could take them all at once.

Plus, there was that Crack business. It only made the situation more tense, at least to him. Zero shook his head and stretched his arms again. Boy did he want to lay down.

No time for that, though. Zero's ears perked up, and he went behind a building to hide. Slowly, he peeked out, seeing that the Pokémon he was waiting for had finally arrived… all four of them. Plus a fifth one. That Quilladin didn't really fight, did he?

Sheesh. Zero remained hidden. All things considered, he should have gone out and talked to them… but where was the fun in that? No, instead of acting like a normal person, Zero wanted to present himself to the others in the most dramatic fashion he could possibly think of.

I gotta get on top of a building. That's gonna look really cool to 'em.

Oh yes. Zero was smart. So smart.

He glanced around the city again, checking for the nearest building—one that hadn't been struck by lightning. After making sure that the others hadn't seen him, Zero bolted out, running as fast as he could and hiding once more. Thankfully, another thunder managed to cover his sounds.

Well, now he should just wait for them to get closer. At the end of the day, he was more awkward with others than he cared to admit. Zero ignored that particular nasty thought before checking the sky again. Still cloudy, and a few drops were coming down. Less of a rain, though; it was more of a drizzle than anything else.

Might as well get out while I can. They'll think I'm not here…

Zero heard a few steps, realizing that they, too, had gotten closer. Maybe someone overheard him?

That was the opportunity he looked for. Zero grinned—both because he was excited and because he had to pep himself up. Checking his claws and the rest of his presentation… Zero bolted again, this time climbing a building in a matter of seconds. Then, he let out the loudest whistle he could, taking the attention of the five that had come to see him.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

"Well, well, well. Ain't that fun. Y'all are here, just like I wanted."

One of them, the Marshtomp, stepped forward. He seemed stressed. "H-Hello! We… we're here, for some reason. Mind clearing that up for us?"

Zero put both hands on his hips, keeping that toothy smile. "Of course I can."

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Twenty minutes before…

Shiron got tired of walking. Really, him and the rest of the team had been going at it for the entire day, and apart from a few breaks where Magnus gave them something to eat, nobody really stopped.

This got annoying really fast. He sighed, tugging on his scarf a few times to relax and… and something, he wasn't really sure.

"Hey, we should be getting there pretty soon, I mean—" Nick pointed at the sky. The clouds were bigger than they were before, and appeared closer than ever. "If that's any sign, y'know?"

Magnus tapped Shiron on the back, causing the Marshtomp to flinch and straighten his posture.

"S-Sorry! I was… hunched?"

"Yup," Magnus nodded. He smiled, before walking ahead again. "C'mon, guys! We can get there faster if we run! Or… wait, no. That's just gonna leave us tired, isn't it?"

A group nod told Magnus all he needed to know, so he fell back next to the others. "Sorry, I didn't mean… I didn't mean to do that."

"For what it's worth, I thought it was a cool idea for like, a couple of seconds," Shiron replied, managing a faint laughter.

In response, Magnus blushed a bit, looking away. Once this was done, he'd tell Shiron his feelings, for sure.

Terry stopped to check the sky again, frowning. "I'm starting to think we're not going to get out of here without some kind of fight."

"That was obvious from the start, my liege," Liz replied. She tried to hide her excitement for that idea, but couldn't, and ended up smiling instead.

"Liege? That's a new one…" And this time, the prince scowled. "Don't do it again, please."

Shiron laughed again. Gosh, this group of friends was so good. Just what he wanted for himself. The fact he actually got them felt like a miracle, and he'd never let them go.

They all had dreams, while he didn't. Shiron still couldn't think of one for himself. Maybe the answer was in front of him, but still…

And yet, Shiron still kept his big secret from them. Nick, Rowan and Magnus all accepted it, so… so his friends would too, right?

The idea stuck with him to the point that Shiron ran for a little while, getting ahead of the others, before stopping and turning around, panting a bit. "G-Guys! Before we go, there's something I wanna tell you all."

"Oh, is this the time for a speech?" Terry tilted his head. "Dad always did one before commanding his soldiers."

Liz crossed her arms and nodded. "Hm, indeed. I find it good for morale."

Only Magnus and Nick didn't say anything, instead staring directly at Shiron, like they were waiting.

Okay. Okay. Oooookay.

Deep breaths, deep breaths. Shiron did that. "So, uh, important information. Kinda life-altering, really. I'm actually—"

But before he could speak up, the team heard a massive thunder, so loud that it felt like an earthquake, completely deafening Shiron's voice. He noticed it… only for lightning to strike the city they were heading to, creating a bright flash over them.

"G-Guh!" Shiron covered his eyes, hoping everyone else had done the same. Once the flash passed, he took a look at the city. "...T-That might have to wait. We need to get there!"

Liz had no reply ready, as she was already running, and Terry quickly followed her.

"R-Right, everyone—" Shiron stopped talking once he realized that they were all on their way over to the city.

…He had to work on his leadership skills, but that could come later. There were more important things to worry about at the moment.

Once everyone was back in the city, the first thing Liz did was check the hole left there before. To her surprise, it had been filled with dirt and patches of grass. Slowly but surely recovering.

Except… a little too fast for it to be normal. "Hm, this is curious. Someone worked here."

Terry got close to her, taking a peek as well. "That's—huh. It's not the only thing either! There's some buildings being rebuilt."

"Being is the right word, yeah." Nick adjusted his goggles and crossed his arms. Most of the construction had stopped halfway through. "Wonder why it never got finished."

While they all talked and made theories, Shiron looked up again. The clouds almost seemed calmer now, but he couldn't help feeling weirded out.

"I dunno, guys. Something's not right about this."

Magnus waddled over to the side, tilting his head—and most of his body in the process. He could swear he heard something. Well, more like a voice.

S…t…f…g…

But once he tried to look around for the source, it had disappeared. "...Huh. Did you guys hear that?"

Before he got a response, another loud thunder boomed, though compared to the one from before, it wasn't that bad.

And during that moment, Magnus saw something again; a yellow blur moving through the buildings. He rubbed his eyes, only to find that this blur was also gone.

"...G-Guys?! Someone's here!"

Magnus stepped back, only to see Shiron moving to get in front of him. "Don't worry! I-I'll protect you!"

"Prepare yourselves." Liz said in a demanding tone. She was sure that it had to be Zero. "And Nick? Your sense!"

"Oh, y-yeah! Gimme a little bit!" Nick closed his eyes. Focusing on sensing was going to be harder this time around, since all the noise made it difficult to concentrate.

He'd still try. Hearing the rain falling down, the water hitting him… and trying to only hear that sound. Nick extended a paw forward, and it began to glow.

…Something. He saw something. Four somethings. No, not four… five. Five. Not including him, there were five Pokémon in the city. And after realizing it, he smiled.

"He's here," Nick said, opening his eyes. "Get ready, everyone! We don't want him getting the jump on us!"

But it was too late for them; Zero had climbed a building, standing on top of it and looking down at them.

"Well, well, well. Ain't that fun. Y'all are here, just like I wanted."

Shiron was the first to step forward, though he was, as always, nervous on what to speak. Still, he gave it a shot. "H-Hello! We… we're here, for some reason. Mind clearing that up for us?"

And Zero responded by putting both hands on his hips and showing that toothy smile of his. "Of course I can."

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There was a whole minute and a half where nobody in the area said anything… which felt awkward. Liz was ready to fight, already having her vines out, waiting for the slightest display of hostility from Zero.

Nick was ready too, both his fists clenched. Terry snapped his mouth repeatedly, trying to intimidate the large feline. Meanwhile, Magnus was behind them all… gulping.

He also managed to hear something. He wasn't sure what, or where it came from, but there was a whisper that made him shiver. If anything, that was probably just him being scared of Zero.

"W-Well, then spill!" Shiron tried to appear taller by puffing his chest. It didn't exactly work. "We don't… we don't wanna fight you, y'know! We wanna solve this peacefully!"

Zero raised a brow, then shook his head left and right, even sighing afterwards. "Y'see, I'd love that, but your little stunt in this fine town kinda got a Crack actin' up. We—the bosses thought it got all cleaned up, but that's clearly not the case. And they'd like me to knock some sense into all y'all."

This… this had to work. Zero thought as much. He wasn't that big of a liar—he tried, like in this case. And they all seemed naive enough to believe it.

"...What?" Shiron spoke up, trembling slightly. "W-Well, if that's the case, we'll fight you! I think!"

"Finally, I was hoping for that!" Nick put on his goggles and grinned. A chance to prove himself, at last!

Terry was more… reserved about this, but if it came down to it, he was ready to try it. Liz, on the other hand, was a bit skeptical.

But… if he wanted to "knock some sense" into us, as crude as that sounds, he could have simply come to our door, Liz thought, even if she couldn't quite tell if Zero was lying or not.

"Heh. I was hopin' y'all would say that…" Zero cracked his knuckles, then jumped right off the building, his fist crackling with electricity.

Once he landed, he punched the ground, unleashing a wave of electricity that ran through the area. Right away, most of them were left screaming from the shock

All except Shiron, thanks to his own immunity to that kind of attack. It didn't mean he was happy about it, though. "G-Guys! Pull yourselves together, w-we got a fight to win!"

Zero raised his head and immediately went running towards Shiron, punching him in the gut. Shiron yelped in response, feeling as if his very energy was being sapped away by that punch.

And Nick noticed that. He gritted his teeth, stepping forward and dashing as quickly as he could before jumping and raising a leg, kicking Zero with all the strength he could muster.

His attack made Zero back off from Shiron, but not a lot. That would come from Liz, who rushed in with poison dripping from her petals as she went for a jab.

"Hah, not bad, kiddos!" Zero grinned, dodging the strikes from Liz before jumping backwards, landing away from the team. He clapped his hands at them. "Good job, good job. Y'ain't half bad, kids."

Shiron groaned, but managed to stay up. Zero packed a powerful punch, and he wasn't exactly interested in getting hit by another one of those. "L-Let's go! All of us!"

"I-I'm here for support!" Magnus chimed in from behind. He was hoping to at least get a blow on Zero, but things didn't feel like they'd lead him to it. Instead, moral support was probably his deal.

"Oh, right, I almost forgot about that little ball…" Zero closed a fist again, before running—

Only to be pelted by two chunks of rock right to his ribs, sending him to the side. Luckily, Zero managed to roll and stand on his feet. Even with that, though, he felt the sting of pain from that previous attack.

"We can overwhelm him! It's four against one!" Nick proclaimed, running and making multiple afterimages of himself, all of which circled around Zero and tried to attack him.

"Not today, kiddo!" Zero grinned, unleashing another wave of electricity from his body, which hit all the images at once, as well as the original Nick, who felt the thunder running through his body and stopping him on his tracks.

Zero was disappointed. "C'mon, where's the team spirit?! I have to see y'all work together! Help me help you!"

While he was busy doing that, Zero didn't notice how he was surrounded by multiple petals—too much, in fact. They circled around him, stopping him from seeing anything in the vicinity.

It also meant he was left open for an attack. Almost immediately, something heavy hit his stomach, causing him to wince in pain and step back. A look below showed it was some sort of mud ball… or it started as one, but it had burst once it hit him.

"You little—"

But hat wasn't the end of it. Before Zero knew it, something else hit him in the stomach. Something spherical, which kept spinning and dragged him backwards.

"R-Rrrrrrargh!" Magnus did his best to keep the spinning going, having practiced that move. Unfortunately, he hadn't practiced enough, as Zero kicked him like a ball and sent him backwards.

Shiron was lucky enough to grab his friend before Magnus fell, carrying him in his arms.

As for the electric 'mon around, he was still there, barely wounded, and only slightly annoyed.

"That was an interesting first round, but I haven't seen what I wanted to see from y'all. Let's kick things up a notch, shall we?" Zero smirked, licking his lips.

"We can win!" Shiron proclaimed, closing a fist.

All of them were together, side by side. The only one that wasn't in a battle formation was Magnus, having since retreated to behind the group.

Once again, Magnus heard a whisper. It was too faint for him to get any kind of… understanding, but he was sure he heard something.

F…s…ri…

Magnus shook his head, knowing that it wasn't the time for him to focus on that. Things were still bad.

If it was a fight they wanted, then they'd get one. Zero's fur bristled, and multiple sparks formed all over his body. He adjusted his hat and then dashed. Unlike before, he was actually fast now; maybe a little bit too fast, as the team didn't get enough time to react to that sudden boost.

Zero jumped, fist clenched just as he punched Terry in the head, sapping some energy from him in the process. Terry staggered back, only for Liz to catch him.

"M-My liege!"

Not one to waste an opportunity, Zero went in for another punch, this time with his fists coated in electricity. However, Nick rammed his whole body against Zero's, sending both away from the recovering duo.

"Shiron, now! Fire!"

"On it!"

He touched the floor, and the ground became malleable as mud. Shiron grabbed a handful of it, forming a ball that he launched towards Zero.

"Sorry, but that's disgusting!" Zero grabbed Nick and pushed him in front of himself, forcing the Riolu to take the brunt of the attack while he backed away.

His fizzled fur turned back to normal, but Zero was hardly shaken by the combined onslaught. He still smiled, though. "Well, damn! Y'all are doin' good! Just a little more, folks! We'll get there!"

"W-Wait, sorry, Nick!"

Nick was about to reply when he got a sudden punch on his back that sent him backwards, rolling on the floor of the town. He was then wrapped by vines to help him stand. "L-Liz…? Thanks."

"You are welcome." Liz finally recomposed herself, raising an arm and pointing it at Zero. "I will not be humiliated by someone like you."

"S-Sorry, I'm rusty…" Terry grumbled.

"Sheesh, is that all y'all got?" Zero crossed his arms and gritted his teeth. "C'mon now! I was expectin' more out of you lot!"

He wasn't lying… this time, anyway. And wow, they didn't exactly work together all that well. Especially their so-called leader.

Wait.

Waaaaaaait. Zero had an idea. If they weren't working together, then he just had to force them! And since he couldn't damage Shiron with electricity, he'd keep him for last.

Oh yes, that made perfect sense to him. So much that Zero grinned to himself. Excellent, excellent! Now he just had to follow his own plan. Once again, he charged electricity on himself, fur bristling up.

"Alright, kids, get ready for round three!" Zero raised an arm in the air, pointing at the cloudy sky.

Divide and conquer. He'd heard of strategies like these before, and now it was time to put them in practice. First, he looked at Liz, rushing towards her like a bolt of lightning. Zero landed a fist with enough strength to knock her back through a handful of buildings.

"H-Huh?! Liz!" Shiron cried out for her, to no avail…

Except that Liz had created a lifeless substitute at the last second, and that one was knocked back instead of her. Zero quickly noticed this, and using the fact she had less stamina now, punched Liz in the head, draining more of it.

Shiron glared at Zero, hand clenched into a fist that quickly got filled with spinning water. "S-Stop it!"

Zero wasn't done, however. Instead, he quickly turned around, now looking at Terry. Immediately the dragon jumped, claws coated in draconic energy.

"Hiyah!"

Zero ended up receiving that attack, feeling the cut going through his arms. It made him hiss, but otherwise he remained in place. After all, he had to teach them a lesson.

Or he would have, but Shiron had gotten closer, ramming his fist on Zero's back. The water was cold, but the worst of it was the strength attached to this punch, it made him hiss and stagger, stumbling around.

"Together!" Nick shouted, putting a palm forward as energy gathered around it, and then he struck Zero with all the force he could muster, knocking him back further.

Liz sprouted vines from one of her arms, and those vines combined together into something that resembled more of a blade. She then jumped, ready to slice Zero down.

Slightly behind them, Shiron had grabbed Terry and lifted him up. "Y-You sure about this?"

"Throw me!"

Hearing his friend's words, Shiron did as instructed, launching Terry as hard as he could. Zero didn't have a choice after seeing all those attacks coming at him…

Oh wait, he did. Zero cracked his knuckles, and his fur became even more bristled. With the sudden boost in speed back, he managed to grab Terry by the head before he hit him, and threw him right at Liz.

The two collided against each other and fell to the ground. Nick, even if he wanted to check in on them, focused on the task at hand. That being… his claws were tinted with silver, and he ran close to Zero to claw at him.

"Nah, not this time." Zero tapped Nick's head, sending a jolt of electricity that ran through the Riolu's entire body, forcing him to the ground. Even then, the jolt didn't stop.

"N-Nick!" Shiron gasped, closing both of his fists and going for a double punch—but then Zero did it faster, punching Shiron right on the gut and making him fall to his knees.

"That was disappointin'," Zero sighed, looking to the side, where Liz and Terry were both recovering. He couldn't have that, and so he calmly walked to where they were, touching their bodies and sending a current of electricity much like he did to Nick.

Terry screamed at the top of his lungs before he fell on the floor, his body paralyzed. Unfortunately, his bodyguard had a similar reaction, trying desperately to move, even though it didn't work.

Only Shiron was left. Or rather, Shiron and Magnus. The Quilladin had been watching this, and his reaction was nothing less than horror. His friends had just tried working together, and that… was pointless.

He hadn't helped. Either through moral support or… or anything. And he heard that voice again, drowning out every other noise. Even the rain. Even the thunder. The voice sounded louder.

...a…v…e…

Magnus shook his head, ignoring that. There was no time to listen to… whatever that was!

...S…a…v…e…t…h…e…m…

Save them? Save his friends? Magnus blinked. Yes, of course he wanted to save his friends! He looked to the side, right where a building was, seeing… a very ruined floor. Some tendrils were coming out of it. Blue and orange tendrils.

"...What?" Magnus blinked. This was wrong, and—and Shiron was still in danger! He looked ahead, trying to ignore what he just saw for the moment.

"T-This isn't—" Shiron shook his head. "G-Guys! Get up! We can do this!"

Nothing. No response, not even a whisper. They were down much more than he thought. Zero sighed, adjusting his hat and rubbing some dust off his vest.

"Good grief, I really had high expectations from y'all. Don't tell me this is all ya got!"

Shiron panted. He was hurt. his friends were hurt. They couldn't win. Whatever this was, whatever Zero's plan was… it'd happen. He failed. He failed, just like he always did.

He had always been a failure. This was just another confirmation. "S-Sorry, guys. I'm… I'm terrible at this. I'm—"

"Shiron, stop it! He's just that strong!" Magnus quickly went to his side, grabbing Shiron's hand and holding it tight. "We'll get through this, somehow."

Something wonderful happened next. Nick coughed, and with all the energy he had left in him, forced himself to stand up.

"Yeeeeeah, Shiron. We're still conscious. We got this." Nick adjusted his goggles on his head, before grinning.

Liz was the next to get up, flicking her tail. "Frankly, you were being a bit dramatic. We still have energy to spend."

"Guess I was rustier than I thought…" Terry coughed a bit before he stood like the others, baring his teeth in a snarl.

Zero was, admittedly, impressed that they all shook off the paralysis he gave them. "Huh, how neat. Y'all are ready for another go? It takes two to tango! Or in this case, five."

"Let's get him, Shiron!" Nick exclaimed, raising a fist. "We still have our dreams to fulfill! This guy's not stopping us!"

Seeing them all cheer up was kind of heartwarming. Zero was a bit distant from them, but he liked that. It'd make for a fun fight, at least.

"Why, I'd be happy to see y'all fulfilling 'em!" Zero cracked his neck next, glaring at them all. "Unfortunately, I'm here for work, so I gotta do my best to crush 'em."

There it was with the dream thing again. Shiron still didn't find his, but maybe he didn't need to. Not when he was surrounded by so many others.

"..." Shiron closed his eyes, before he slowly smiled, opening them. "Did you know? When you have a dream, sometimes it's really painful…"

Magnus perked up, recognizing the words. "You remembered…"

"And other times it gets you really fired up." Shiron said it while looking at Magnus. "Or at least, that's what I heard."

He sighed in relief, stepping forward. "I don't have a dream of my own, but you know what? I can protect the dreams of my friends. My name is Shiron and… I'm a human."

For a moment there, nobody said anything else. Terry moved his head, looking at Shiron. A human? He only heard of them, but—but they did change into Pokémon, at least according to all the legends. And Shiron was actually one?

His jaw almost dropped. But at the same time, Terry felt as if that made perfect sense. Like, somehow, this was expected. "I… I'm happy you told us."

Meanwhile, Liz looked down for a moment. She was a bit skeptical about this. After all, humans were just a myth, a story she heard when she was a little Budew. To think they were real and one was right in front of her…

"...It changes nothing, Shiron. We are still friends." Liz said. She felt this was the best thing she could tell him in the moment, given they were in the middle of an encounter.

"Hey, you actually went and told them!" Nick's ears perked up, and he cheered his friend on. He already knew, of course, but still, hearing it was nice.

And Magnus… he sighed in relief. "Glad you felt comfortable with that, man."

"Hold it!" Nick suddenly pointed at Magnus. "He told you too?!"

Magnus shrugged. Well, he did that and blushed slightly. "We had a bonding moment."

"...Of course he told you before us." Liz smirked at the corner of her mouth. She wasn't surprised at all.

"Hm, yeah, sounds about right." Terry nodded to what Liz said. He wasn't mad.

But by far, Zero was the most surprised at it. He let them talk it out, staring in disbelief. This entire mission made a lot more sense now than it did before.

"Th' bosses told me I had to go out of my way to meet y'all, all cuz that lug of rock told 'em somethin', but I wasn't expectin' this…"

Shiron was brought back to reality by the sudden, weird thing Zero mentioned, which naturally got him curious. "I'm sorry, but what? What do you mean?!"

"...I might've said too much." Zero grumbled, rubbing his forehead and kicking a pebble. "Whatever, it ain't important now! Let's get on with this already!"

Well, the little celebration they had seemed to be done now. Shiron grimaced, before he decided to get ready again.

"Now!" Shiron screamed, and their onslaught began.

First, Terry kicked the floor as hard as he could, sending two chunks of rock right in front of Zero. He was able to dodge them, but narrowly, and once he did, the next phase of the attack was ready.

Liz created more vines from her flowers, wrapping them around Zero's arms to restrain him. Zero responded by pulling them, and Liz did her best to stay rooted, but it was hard. She heard a few snaps from the grass. "Nicholas!"

"Don't use the full name!" Nick ran as well, blitzing through and slapping Zero on the chest again, palm exploding on contact as his opponent felt the attack through his whole body.

With all of this, Zero was finally staggered, stumbling left and right and trying to recompose himself. Shiron inhaled and raised his left arm, focusing on himself… and his friends. All of them.

Water gathered around his arm, quickly forming a drill, but one that had a much more defined shape than before. It spun around him perfectly. Before he knew it, two vines had wrapped around him; they came from Magnus, who used all he had to lift Shiron.

"Go, Shiron!"

Shiron smiled, and a tiny bit of blush formed on his face. "Piercing through heaven and earth… we'll achieve all our dreams!"

He was launched by Magnus, and quickly hurtled towards Zero, who was still staggered from the prior onslaught. Even though that was the case, Zero still managed to see Shiron.

Unfortunately for him, he saw him too late. Shiron rammed the drill right on Zero's stomach, roaring as loud as he could while the feline screamed in pain.

His vest ripped to shreds from the impact, while Shiron moved his arm—and by extension, Zero—downwards, sending him crashing into the ground with such force that the floor cracked around him.

It was a tough battle, but… they won.

"H-Hah. Damn it. Y'all are… pretty strong when you work together. Good job." Zero panted heavily. This was the worst, like a hangover, except stronger. "H-Hahah. Seriously, good job—"

Liz had quietly pointed another grass blade in front of Zero's face. "I would like you to answer some questions I have."

"Sheesh, calm down, lady! Like I said, I'm doin' my job!"

"Good job, Shiron!" Terry was quick to hug his friend, patting him on the back. "And human? You have to tell us what this means!"

"He told me first." Nick stuck out his tongue, rubbing the back of his head. "But yeah, you should explain it, Shiron."

Magnus backed off from them. He had planned on giving Shiron a congratulatory hug, but apparently that opportunity had been lost.

Then he felt something on his foot. Something cold, unbearably cold. Enough that Magnus shivered from it. "H-Huh?"

He looked down and was shocked to see those same tendrils from before, wrapping around his foot. "H-Hey! Let go!"

Dangerous. He's dangerous. You have to fight him. Fight him and save them.

What was that all about? Something was talking to him… that same voice from before!

I will give you power. Power to save them. Fight… fight… fight…

Magnus really, really planned on ignoring this, but that proved to be an impossible task. Once again, that voice drowned out all other noises, and also… it had made a good point. Zero had just hurt all his friends, and he was still conscious. He could hurt them again!

Accept this power and take your true form. Fight… fight… fight… if you don't fight, none of you will survive. Fight, fight, fight!

There was no other option for him, no other way. Magnus closed his eyes, thinking about Shiron. If this was to protect him… then he'd take the power.

A decision that, unfortunately, made him feel a whole lot of pain. The tendrils moved and covered Magnus' entire body, burning through his skin. Right away, his first and only reaction was to let out the loudest scream he could possibly muster.

"G-GAAAAAAAAAH!"

Shiron heard that, and he turned around, seeing Magnus kneeling over in pain, his body glowing in an unnatural way, full of orange and blue. "M-Magnus?!"

The others looked too, but it was Zero that stepped up. A single look was all that he needed to figure out exactly what this was about.

"Stand back! The Crack is working on him! Once it's done, he'll go berserk!"

Magnus continued to kneel, sinking his hands on the ground. He heard so many things, so many voices… but the most important sounds were all the pops he heard around his arms.

Every bone and muscle he had started to elongate, snapping and healing at the same time. They expanded, far more than they should have, while his stomach burnt through a bunch of calories, slowly trimming itself.

"H-Haaaaaargh!" Magnus screamed out, the pain overwhelming him so badly that his eyes were watering. He clenched his fists on the ground, grabbing the dirt.

Everything hurt. Absolutely everything. His mind was struggling to handle it, focusing only on the pain and the strength—oh, the sheer strength he felt. It almost made everything worth it. If he could handle it, if Magnus could push through this pain, he could… he could help them. He'd save them all, for sure.

On his back, the most painful part began. Spikes protruded from it, growing bigger… and Magnus as well. His size increased and increased. Every part of his body changed…

No. Evolved. He was evolving. His new height proved that, along with all the spiky bits along his arms, his thicker fingers and strong, sturdy legs.

Magnus knew that this was supposed to be an easy, relaxing process, but he felt none of that. Why would he relax when the 'mon that hurt his friends was still there? Why think about anything else other than to tear him apart, limb to limb?

That thought was the only thing that remained on his head as Magnus stood up, tail growing and thumping on the ground. Little by little, the glow that surrounded his body dissipated… revealing not a Quilladin, but a Chesnaught.

Oddly enough, his coloration had changed—Magnus' skin was green, brown and a slight dark shade of red all around. He wasn't a shiny, but something about this process triggered it.

After he opened his eyes, Magnus only saw one Pokémon worth his time; Zero. Magnus immediately went down on all fours, breathing in and then—

"GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAH!"

A roar erupted from his body, muscles tensing and veins bulging. He only looked at Zero. He only wanted to deal with Zero. Him, and nobody else.

"G-Guys!" Shiron had watched it all, and he was scared. Magnus had changed, yes, and that wasn't the bad part. No, that would be how angry his friend was.

"He wants me. Not y'all, so before any of you get some funny ideas…" Zero launched another wave of electricity towards the team, sending them to their knees.

Minus Shiron, of course, who remained standing, seeing Magnus huffing and puffing.

"His breath, it's… I don't think that's how it's supposed to be."

"Tch, stay there kid! I'm gonna—"

Zero was interrupted by a sudden punch to his stomach; one that, as he managed to see, happened to be from a fist full of green spikes. It caused him to yelp before being launched backwards, all the way to the other side of the town.

"M-Magnus, no!" Shiron shouted, looking back, and then checking his friend out again.

"G-Guh. G-Grrrr!" Magnus stood up, beating his chest. His breaths also seemed raspier, as if he struggled to do even that.

It didn't seem like he had any kind of rationality left. Magnus roared again, eyes fixed on the direction Zero went. His target, his only target. He had to fight him.

But Shiron didn't think that. "Magnus, stop…!"

The Chesnaught got down on all fours again, before charging towards Zero, fully intending on finishing the job…

Only for Shiron to step in front of him, determined to not let his friend do any of that.

Magnus stopped for a moment, eyes fixed on Shiron, but unlike the usual way he looked at him, those eyes of his were cold and distant, rather than kindness and warmth.

"D-Dude, stop! We're already finished! You have to calm down! You—"

He didn't listen. Magnus raised an arm, intending on slamming it into the ground like some sort of hammer, charging it with energy. Shiron had enough time to jump back, but after he did that, he heard Magnus growling again.

"I-I don't want to fight you, Magnus! I don't! C'mon, you're my friend!" Shiron pleaded, trembling while trying to dodge another punch. "Magnus, listen to me!"

Nick managed to cough, groaning and trying to move. "S-Shiron, he's berserk! You gotta stop him! If anyone's capable of that, it's you!"

Another growl came from Magnus, this time raising both of his arms. He prepared for an attack… but instead, he coughed. And coughed again, repeatedly, his body stumbling left and right.

"H-He… probably cannot contain that power." Liz tried to force herself to stand, but she fell down almost instantly.

"W-What can I even do to calm him down?!" Shiron saw Magnus' arm get full of spikes again, and he knew a hit would do some serious damage on his Marshtomp body.

And he ducked underneath, only for Magnus to try and stomp him. Shiron managed to grab his friend's foot just in time, but there was still a struggle.

Sure, he wasn't getting hurt, but he also couldn't lift Magnus' foot to free himself.

"I-I don't… I don't wanna hurt you!"

"GRHOWL!"

Shiron closed his eyes, already crying, and then he roared, lifting that foot as hard as he could, which made Magnus stumble again. He had an opportunity now, finally standing up and stepping back.

"P-Please. Magnus, stop! Stop! It's me, it's Shiron! I—"

"G-Grrrrrowl!" Magnus beat his chest a few times, before he sprouted spikes on both of his arms, charging forward.

…

Funny. Shiron had only seen his life flashing before his eyes once, and during that time, he actually wished it'd pass by faster, because it meant it'd end.

Things were different now. Seeing everything he went through, all his new friends, everyone he met… he wanted to see them again.

He wanted to see Magnus again. And as he approached, Shiron clenched both of his fists, still crying.

"GROOOOWHL!"

Shiron contained the attack, grabbing Magnus' hands right as the Chesnaught tried to hit him. Even with that, he felt the impact, legs trembling as he struggled to stay in the same spot.

"S-Stop. Please. Magnus, stop it!" A heavy pant left his mouth, while Shiron saw a droplet of red fall to the ground. It took him a moment to realize it was blood.

Even that wasn't going to stop him. He stuck his feet as hard as he could, restraining Magnus. And in turn, Magnus continued to snarl, trying to pull Shiron back. His body hurt again, muscles throbbing within, snapping, popping. If Magnus continued fighting the way he did, he wouldn't make it.

At that moment, Shiron realized what he had to do. He didn't want to lose him. And there was only one thing in his mind that might fix the situation.

"S-Stop it. Magnus, it's me. It's me, Shiron! I—"

…

…

…

…

…

Magnus heard something. Even in the haze of his mind, he managed to hear something, words that drowned out whatever voice pulled him into this mess of an evolution. And as he processed it, his eyes went wide.

"I love you, Magnus."

He stopped struggling, while his arms slowed down, trembling less and less, until they stopped. Magnus was left only panting, staring right at Shiron.

But his legs felt weird. They were jiggling, trembling like never before, like… like something was going to crush him. No, no, no, it's just… he heard those words. He never expected to hear them. Not in a million years.

Magnus didn't even process it. He stopped moving, and the spikes in his arms were absorbed back into his skin. Blinking, heart racing… Magnus sat on the ground, with his mouth opened, but not saying anything.

"O-Oh no, did I do something wrong?!" Shiron immediately went close to his friend, checking for any signs of wounds. There were some bruises, but nothing too major. "Your body… I don't think it handled this pretty well. W-We'll get back and—"

"...Y-You love me?" Magnus didn't care about anything else. He just… he just wanted an answer to that question.

"I—" Shiron stepped back, gulping. Oh, he went and said that. Things had gone so fast he hadn't even realized it. "I… I do. I love you. I've loved you for a while now."

Magnus' heart skipped so many beats he didn't even know how he was still alive. And slowly, the biggest smile formed on his face. "I love you too."

"H-Huh?! Huh?!" Shiron stopped speaking. What. The. Fuck.

He… he actually heard it. Those four words, about him. Someone loved him. Someone he loved, loved him back.

Normally, Shiron would think this was some sort of dream, but… no. He had been hurt in this fight. It wasn't a dream; it was real.

There was only one thing he could do. Only one thing he wanted to do. Shiron got on his knees, closing his eyes. Magnus must have realized what this meant, because he closed his eyes as well, and then…

Shiron kissed him. Oh, he kissed him. Nothing in the world mattered except for this. His arms were wrapped around Magnus' neck, while they continued.

And Magnus… he returned the kiss as eagerly as he could, blocking out everything else. Even the pain he felt was nothing compared to how much he needed this. He needed it for a long, long time. With Shiron.

Right then, right there, Shiron wasn't that failure of a human. He was… he was loved. Magnus was able to do something without worrying for his safety because it was for him.

"Hah, it worked! I knew it!" Nick proclaimed, even as he attempted to stand again, only to fall back down. "G-Great, he's back!"

"I was… I was right." Terry managed to speak, though he almost whispered, not having the energy to say his piece as loud as he wanted to.

Liz almost felt jealous from that display of affection, but she knew better than to actually put that into words, letting them handle it.

Speaking of the two, they were so enveloped in this that they failed to hear a particularly loud cracking of electricity. Zero came rushing in, fists coated in electricity, rushing as much as he could…

…Before he slammed his fist into what appeared to be a solid wall. Instead, Magnus had put both of his arms forward, joining them together to form a shield before a bunch of spikes formed, and Zero narrowly managed to dodge them.

"Don't. Hurt. Him." Magnus growled, much like he did before, breaking off the kiss.

"Ya… managed to get your mind back?" Zero tilted his head before moving away from the two. He wasn't expecting it to happen, so it was impressive. "That's… somethin', alright. How?"

Shiron rolled his eyes. "I stopped him, and we were having a moment."

"...Hmph." Zero looked around the city.

The Crack had disappeared—no, it was inside Magnus now, and even if he managed to get ahold of himself… that would be temporary. This mission of Zero's, he failed. He failed and he'd get an earful from his bosses.

But none of that mattered. Not when someone's life was at stake here.

"We need to leave now. All of us."

He was mostly looking at all the paralyzed Pokémon on the ground, but Zero did take a few glances at the two lovebirds.

Shiron was still close to Magnus, and honestly the idea of going out was the worst. "Leave… where?"

Zero shook his head, looking around for something. His hat, that is. He found it tossed next to a building, so Zero grabbed it, dusting off some dirt before putting it on.

On the other side of the town, he found his bag, grabbing it as well. "Yer friend. He's gonna explode sooner or later, plus… y'all passed."

That was, somehow, even more confusing. Nick grunted, getting up, but only slightly, as his legs were still trembling too much. "What are you talking about?"

Then suddenly, all the pain that Magnus ignored during his rampage suddenly flooded back, enveloping all his body. For a moment there, Magnus tried to hide it, not wanting to worry his friends—and boyfriend? He didn't know it at the moment, but thought about it.

However, during that moment of weakness, the pain in him exploded. His head began to pound, with Magnus pushing Shiron away before getting on his knees, holding on to the sides of his head. "O-Ow! Ow!"

It felt like he'd burst into two, and his body began to heat up. Shiron rushed to his side, holding Magnus' arm. "D-Dude! What's wrong?!"

Zero sighed, knowing what was going to happen. "I can save him. But y'all need to trust me on this one."

"N-Not a chance!" Liz blurted out next, trying to extend a vine. "Just tell us how to heal him!"

Terry managed to stand, hardening his scales and taking a single step. "Y-You're gonna spill out everything! What's going on?!"

But they were running out of time. Shiron didn't know what to do, or what to say.

Except he didn't need to. As he looked to the side, Shiron saw Zero pull… something out of his bag. Something shiny.

And before he knew it, there was a blinding flash of light that enveloped them all.

End of Act 1