CHAPTER 26 — Risk & Reward


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ARTWORK BY   Damodoko


Mei Servine, disguised as Melinda, was accompanying Luke Croconaw in exploring some random dungeon; the conversation they had at the Fountain of Lost Dreams still left the Pokémon uneasy. Luke walked ahead, while his ally always did her best to avoid confrontations with Berserker Pokémon, Melinda was getting to know Croconaw’s methods at that moment; even though she liked to fight, she understood her companion’s reasons for not sharing that sentiment:

— “Alright, Me… Melinda, with this mixed with the herbs I found along the way, the more territorial Pokémon will be here soon. Now we just have to move forward to the passage leading to the next floor.”— Luke explained calmly. Knowing that Mei was Melinda still twisted the Croconaw’s tongue, causing him to almost say the wrong name.
— “Kay, kay, I got it all. Even so, Luke, it’s good to gain battle experience, we should use these dungeons to fight the Berserker and strengthen both your MPP and my abilities as Melinda, don’t you think?” — The Servine questioned, walking alongside Luke, the Croconaw scratched the back of his head and let out a sigh.
— “Yes, you have a point too, but still, I want to avoid battling the Berserker. However, I know not all of them will be attracted to my lures, the ones that try to attack us, we’ll use for experiments, how about that?”— Luke proposed, first feeling uncomfortable, but then showing his more confident side, suggesting something that would please both.
— “Now we’re reaching a consensus, I accept these terms! On missions where it’s just you and me, we can be more open, using the moves we are most comfortable with, if Trevor calls, or if we run into an opposing team, we’ll hold back… Don’t forget to always have the Heart Scale at paw.”— Melinda agreed with the proposal, very excited; She even started helping Croconaw plant the lures.

The Pokémon continued advancing through the dungeon. At the end, they found some treasure chests, and the Servine asked her partner if she could start the broadcast, to which he agreed:

— “LINDA, LINDA, MELINDA HERE, MY BELOVED AUDIENCE! WE’VE REACHED THE END OF THE DUNGEON! Look at this wonderful cave setting water dripping from the ceiling like tiny waterfalls, soft green ground like a Wooloo’s carpet… Urrrff NICEEE, Hihihi.”— Melinda broadcasted everything through her Gadget. Spreading her little paws, she threw herself backward onto the grass, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath.
— “This is so soft and cozy! Look at this, do you see that ceiling full of precious stones? They shine so brightly that it looks like daytime in here… Hmm, I wonder if we’ll do an unboxing with these treasure chests… What do you say, Luke? Hm? Luke?”— Distracted by the broadcast, the Servine lost sight of Croconaw, without ending the transmission, Melinda started to worry, but Luke suddenly emerged from the lake in front of the chests.
— “ARRRF, well, Melinda, not this time… This water doesn’t seem right, Uff, today’s mission was a failure…”— Luke stated, scratching his cheek and shaking himself to get rid of the water, splashing some onto Servine, making her laugh.
— “You’re so silly! It wasn’t a complete waste of time. We can still admire this beautiful place and collect the treasure for ourselves. And we’re alive to try again another day, right, my lovely, lovelies? LINDA, LINDA, MELINDA!! SNAP”— With a snap of her paw, Melinda ended the broadcast, continuing to smile and admire the cave in silence.

Taking a Deposit Orb from his red scarf, Croconaw began storing the chests, meanwhile, Servine sent a message to Trevor Houndoom, updating him on the mission’s progress. Melinda and Luke then briefly discussed whether there was anything else important left in the dungeon; with everyone in agreement, Servine pulled an explorer’s badge from her white hat, the Pokémon held hands, and Melinda activated the device, instantly transporting them to the Lacustre Base:

— “WOW, that was my first trip using this. Brrrrr, have you used one of these before, Melinda?”— Croconaw said, feeling a slight dizziness, gently, the Servine kept holding his hand and helped Luke step down from the pedestal where the badge had sent them.
— “Yes, I have. I actually prefer using this transport rather than walking all the way back. Besides, I need to find a lodging before dark, and I don’t want to waste more energy.”— Melinda justified while still holding Croconaw’s hand, as he regained his senses, he let go of her paw.
— “Arrg, thanks for the help, I feel much better now. I’d help you find a place to stay, but I need to talk to my younger brother about that matter from before.”— Luke said, closing his eyes and rubbing the sides of his head, Servine tilted her head and gave him two light pats on the back before saying goodbye.

Luke opened his eyes and waved to Melinda, the Pokémon with the red scarf was very happy, even though he hadn’t found a suitable source of Luminous Water. He completed the mission without problems and even used the base’s teleportation mechanism for the first time, something he never imagined being able to do. Unconcerned, Croconaw began walking toward his old lodging, not noticing or caring about the disdainful looks from the guards and other base members, after all, he now felt like one of them.
A few hours passed; Akeldama the Ghost Zoroark, waited for Mei alone in the Lost Dreams Dungeon since Aurora Ribombee had already returned to the Lacustre Base, lying on the soft grass, Akel admired the ceiling of precious stones, listening to the soothing sound of the Water fountain. Closing his eyes, the Ghost Zoroark began to meditate, hoping to find some clue about his past. Now free from Dark Matter’s grasp, he longed to understand the reason for his rage and the origin of his desire for justice:

— “Hey, Akel… It’s our time…”— Mei called Akeldama, standing beside him. The Ghost Zoroark yawned as he sat up, rubbing his eyes.
— “Seems like you were having a pleasant dream, I got a place to stay in the city you can live with me if you want. Thanks to my disguise, I got a luxury room.”— The Servine boasted, closing her eyes while fanning herself with her tessen, Akel stood up and stretched.
— “Don’t worry, baby, I’m not sleeping with a female I can’t date. Besides, this dungeon is all mine and quite comfortable… Nhihehe, but I admit, hiding right under the Argulences’ noses is so Machiavellian it doesn’t even seem like a Network move.”— The Ghost Zoroark replied casually, running his claws through his hair to comb it.
— “Urrrrf, such a shame all the dye washed off… I at least tried to keep your two streaks, but even they didn’t last…”— Mei lamented, frustrated that she had wasted such a rare and expensive product for nothing. However, before she could complain further, Akel’s hair turned back to its previous purple color.
— “Relax, after what you said about Druddigon, I started a little internal test, my illusions have improved. I can change parts of my body more easily without needing so much concentration… At least for that, the Dark Matter bastard was useful. That damn experience made us stronger.”— The Ghost Zoroark stated, his eyes fierce as he clenched his claws tightly. The Servine lowered her head, sighing sadly.
— “Yeah… But at what cost? I’d give up all this power just to go back in time and save my mother.”— Mei lamented. However, Akel gently placed a hand on the Servine’s head.
— “Don’t lose hope yet, we can’t change what’s done, your mother is safe and rooting for you… Come on, we need to get what Luke asked for. We can’t recover what we lost, but we can still have justice.” — The Ghost Zoroark’s melancholic words touched Mei’s heart. The Servine regained her piercing gaze, ready for the arduous mission.

The Pokémon duo left the dungeon, the nighttime forest was disturbingly dark due to the towering trees, the light from the Lunatone and Minior in the sky didn’t reach the ground, creating an eerie atmosphere. However, Akeldama had his abilities as a Pokémon who lived in the darkness, and Mei had her primal connection to the Grass, the darkness did not shake them, their fear was reserved for the true monster lurking in the forest.
Using its illusionary powers, the ghost Zoroark concealed their presence; however, this was only useful against berserkers who relied on hearing and sight to locate enemies. After a long walk, the Pokémon arrived at the cemetery where Arbustos Trevenant lived, noticing the abandonment of the place. Akel dispelled his illusion, but as expected by Servine, her betrayal had made Hellstalker erase all traces, including taking the petrified Pokémon.
Mei, unwilling to give up, continued opening different catacombs in the cemetery, though her efforts were in vain, noticing her ally's anguish, who had already begun opening empty coffins, the ghost Zoroark placed a claw on her shoulder stopping her. The Grass-type Pokémon rise from the ground, her scarf dirtied with soil, and her frustration was evident, Akel then mentioned knowing another spawning point, a little farther from there.
When the ghost Zoroark was about to activate his power, Servine told him not to, Akel widened his eyes, stating that this would leave them vulnerable, and Mei immediately countered, saying that was exactly the idea. The Normal-type Pokémon understood his ally’s plan, but warned that it was a very risky gamble, the female dusted off her body, smiling, and urged the ghost Zoroark to think of the sweet reward rather than the bitter failure.
Worried, but unable to think of options that were both quick and safe, Akeldama agreed to follow Servine’s suggestion, she asked if the ghost Zoroark had any valuable items. At first, the Pokémon found the question strange, but he replied that he had nothing with him. Mei then revealed a small Escape Orb from within her scarf, asking her ally to always stay by her side in case they needed an abrupt escape.
Without Akel’s illusions covering them, several berserkers began attacking as the Pokémon advanced through the forest. However, both possessed moves capable of immobilizing the aggressive Pokémon, Servine with her Leech Seed and the ghost Zoroark with Bitter Malice; the plan to draw attention worked, though not in the way Mei had expected, nonetheless, Akel announced his arrival at another spawning point he knew.
Looking around, Servine questioned how her ally knew the place, as it seemed just like any other part of the jungle, with nothing to distinguish it:

— “This is where I used to hide the Pokémon I petrified with my partner. Look at this…”— The ghost Zoroark took a few steps, then used Bitter Malice to clear away fallen leaves, beneath them were numerous footprints.
— “There was a fight here… My Arceus, so many footprints… Wait, when Rubro reversed you, everyone you petrified regained consciousness, which means that Kyaaaa!!”— Before Mei could finish stating the obvious, Akel threw himself on top of Servine, saving her as a root nearly struck her head.
— “How nice, it seems you still remember our special place, don’t you, Akeldama?” — Arbustos Trevenant’s voice echoed through the trees of the dark forest. The ghost Zoroark rolled across the ground, clutching Mei, as numerous roots began rising from the ground.
— “Still as cowardly as ever, even after becoming a level 4 Hellstalker? SHOW YOUR SHAMELESS FACE ALREADY! I’LL PRUNE YOUR FILTHY LEAVES WITH MY CLAWS!” — Akel shouted as he helped Servine to her feet, Trevenant’s numerous roots moved stiffly, and though their strikes were precise, they weren’t fast.
— “GHAHAHA, A ZOROARK CALLING SOMEONE A COWARD, AND I’M THE SHAMELESS ONE?! YOU’VE ALWAYS BEEN FUNNIER THAN STRONG, AKEL! SPARE YOURSELF THE SUFFERING AND SURRENDER ALREADY!” — Arbustos mocked as he attacked the two Pokémon with his roots.

One of Trevenant’s roots aimed at the ghost Zoroark’s head from behind; However, the Normal-type Pokémon quickly turned, slicing the root with his Shadow Claw. Mei, on the other hand, used her Trailblaze to dash and leap across the roots without being hit, growing faster each time she used the move; Still, Arbustos coordinated his roots exceptionally well, luring Servine directly into the path of one that shot flames at her.
Thanks to her significantly increased speed from Trailblaze, Servine managed to roll just in time, causing the flames to hit the root that was chasing her; Trevenant let out a howl of pain and retracted the burned root into the ground. The biggest problem was the many fire sparks from the Fire-type attack; in an act of bravery or self-preservation, Akel used U-turn to leap gracefully through the embers, extinguishing them while simultaneously dealing a heavy blow to Trevenant’s roots:

— “THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I’VE SEEN A TREE SETTING ITSELF ON FIRE! WHOEVER SAID AGE BRINGS WISDOM CLEARLY DIDN’T KNOW YOU, YOU STUPID HAUNT!” — The ghost Zoroark taunted while striking Trevenant’s roots with his U-turn kicks; However, from a shadow hidden within the roots, Trevenant’s claw emerged.
— “I’M HERE TOO, YOU DAMN WOODEN FOOL!” — Mei yelled, surprising both Akel and Arbustos; with her sharp tessen in hand, the Servine stabbed it into Trevenant’s claw, pinning it to the ground.
— “HOLD THAT LOG DOWN TIGHT!” — The ghost Zoroark commanded while grabbing onto Trevenant’s arm, up close, Akel let out a roar, unleashing his Bitter Malice with full force.

That Ghost-type energy, brimming with icy resentment, began freezing Arbustos, the Hellstalker howled in pain as his roots trembled along with him:

— “ENOUGH!”— Arbustos roared furiously sharp roots burst from his arm, if not for Mei’s quick thinking in pulling her tessen away, both she and the ghost Zoroark would have been impaled by the Horn Leech attack fortified with Aura Matter.
— “For the sake of our old partnership, I did not disturb you, even when you attacked my subordinates…”— The shadow on the ground grew even larger, from it came the cavernous voice of the Pokémon speaking softly, the Trevenant slowly emerged from within, its movements stiff and deliberate. It would have been a great opportunity to strike, but its presence alone terrified the ex-Hellstalkers.
— “But now… you have come into my territory and had the audacity to attack me. YOU SHALL PAY FOR THIS WITH YOUR HEADS!”— Arbustos threatened, and with a deafening roar, he used the move Ingrain. Countless roots burst from the Hellstalker’s body, burrowing into the ground as he grew larger, feeding off the energy of the earth.

Servine knelt down, placing her tessen in her mouth; in the past, she had been unable to see her own Aura Matter, the energy her kind emitted, but now that she could, she found it utterly repulsive, especially in a Level 4 Ghost Type like this one. Due to her Grass Type, Mei could sense Trevenant’s roots in the soil and the sheer amount of nutrients it was absorbing, not just from the ground, but also from the surrounding trees; these trees withered and rotted as the Pokémon grew.
Servine shouted to her ally about her discovery, but before they could act, giant trees started falling in their direction, forcing them apart, still facing Arbustos, Akel launched a Bitter Malice attack to disrupt the absorption process. The Hellstalker, in response, blocked the Ghost-type energy blasts with the trees; like his partner, the Phantom Zoroark could feel the Trevenant’s roots creeping closer, draining the life from the surrounding vegetation; the enhanced Ghost type powers tortured his senses, as he could feel the souls of the dying plants being siphoned into Arbustos.
With no way to interrupt the process, the Hellstalker successfully completed his corrupted Ingrain, his body trembled, and red leaves infused with Aura Matter began swirling toward the duo; Recognizing the attack, Akel quickly warned Mei that touching those leaves would result in petrification. Servine took full advantage of her Trailblaze enhanced speed, using her improved agility and tessen skills to evade both the leaves and the roots; meanwhile, the Phantom Zoroark used his passive Ghost-type abilities to phase in and out of the ground.
Unfortunately for Akel, he was facing a Pokémon with similar abilities; Arbustos used his roots to ensnare the purple-haired Zoroark, lifting him high into the air before pelting him with red leaves, petrifying him instantly. Seeing her ally turned to stone, Mei screamed and ran toward him; her moment of despair gave the Hellstalker the perfect opening; using Burning Jealousy, he not only struck Servine with a super-effective attack but also inflicted her with a burn due to the move’s passive effect, which punishes foes that have boosted their stats.
The Grass-type Pokémon writhed in agony on the ground as flames scorched her body, this made it easy for Arbustos to ensnare her with his roots. The Trevenant lifted her into the air, placing her next to the petrified Phantom Zoroark. The crimson leaves of the Hellstalker blocked the moonlight, leaving his glowing red eye as the only source of illumination.
— “After all this time, you had the courage to face me, and this is what you receive, pain and suffering…”— Arbustos spoke, he tightened his grip around Servine, causing her to suffer both from the constriction and the burning pain.
— “Look at your dear ally. He feels no more pain he is at peace, condemned to the void… The choice is yours. You can die crushed by my roots, incinerated by my Burning Jealousy, or be turned to stone.”— The Hellstalker salivated with pleasure as he watched Mei struggle, the Servine, writhing in pain, desperately reached for the Escape Orb in her scarf, but to no avail.
— “Me-me KYAAANN! D-damn it, Urrrgh, just p-pick alreadyAAARRGHH! WHAT DO YOU WANT?!” — The Servine screamed, convulsing as the burn and the crushing force consumed her.
— “I want to know where to find this so-called 'Rubro Croconaw' and how he managed to cure you and Akeldama. Tell me, and this will end quickly.”— Arbustos bargained, tightening his grip until Servine’s green scales turned purple, then, he loosened his hold, waiting for her response.
—“Haaah… Haaah… Arceus… haaaah… You… you bastard, I hope youGHAAAAAAAA!!”— Mei panted so heavily that she could barely speak, her defiance only irritated the Hellstalker further.
— “WRONG ANSWER! TELL ME WHAT I WANT TO KNOW, OR YOU’LL END UP LIKE A BERRY AT A SNORLAX’S FEET!” — The Trevenant threatened, however, from above, a shadow suddenly appeared, slashing through the roots that bound both Servine and the Phantom Zoroark.
— “HURRY! USE YOUR ESCAPE ORB BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE!”— The mysterious Pokémon called out, holding Mei and Akel midair as they fell.
— “NOOOOOOO!”— Arbustos bellowed in blind rage, spewing Burning Jealousy from his mouth while raising his roots in a desperate attempt to capture the trio.

Despite the unbearable pain, Servine managed to grab the Escape Orb from her scarf and activate it. The three Pokémon vanished from the battlefield, leaving the Hellstalker howling in fury, spewing fire in all directions and pounding the ground in frustration.
The trio reappeared inside the Lost Dreams Dungeon, safe at last; Mei was on the verge of passing out, but the burn hadn’t disappeared, causing her to convulse as her body continued to burn. Acting quickly, the mysterious Pokémon who had rescued them picked her up and tossed her into the fountain. Submerged in the Luminous Water, Servine’s body rapidly healed, restoring her health completely.
Regaining consciousness and freed from pain, Mei emerged from the water, coughing up the liquid she had swallowed. She immediately looked for the mysterious Pokémon, only to see Akel holding a statue of himself.

— “What… WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?! AKEL, AKEL!! BY ARCEUS, I SAW YOU GET TURNED TO STONE!” — The Servine cried, tears of relief streaming down her face as she ran out of the water and embraced the Phantom Zoroark.
— “Nhehehe, lesson number one about Zoroark: never trust your eyes, they lie to you… *POW* Ugh… Did you really have to do that?”— Akel boasted, only for Mei to punch him in the stomach, taking advantage of his temporary tangibility, the Phantom Zoroark knelt down, clutching his midsection.
— “Yes, I did! Do you have any idea what I went through?! I thought I lost you, I thought I was going to die there… URRRRGH! I'm happy you're okay, but I’m also mad at you for letting Arbustos torment me!”— Mei huffed, shaking herself like a spoiled princess, Akel chuckled, looking up at her with a small grin as he scratched his purple mane.
— “Nhehehe, okay, I deserved that punch… Sorry, but I just followed your advice, high risk, high reward. Look, our mission was a total success, despite the setbacks… And I think we got even more than we came for. *SNAP*”— The Phantom Zoroark smirked, snapping his claws, revealing his illusion, the “statue” had been a petrified Whimsicott all along.

Akel steps away from the Servine, recounting the story of his former friend; he explains that Arbustos was an ancient Trevenant who had lived for centuries in the jungle near Argules, having once belonged to humans, he never adapted to the world of the Network, even after learning to communicate. When Dark Matter resurfaced, his loneliness became an entry point for the entity; the ghostly Zoroark states that when he first emerged, he had no memories and was consumed by rage; his first conscious memories were of Arbustos finding and training him.
By the time Akel reached level 2, the Trevenant had already ascended to level 3, and the two had formed a duo; back then, the ghostly Zoroark couldn’t understand Arbustos thoughts due to Dark Matter’s influence, which drove his thirst for power. However, upon reaching level 3, he realized everything, unfortunately, it was too late, Arbustos had already become what he is now; the only positive aspect of the sins they committed together was the knowledge he gained from them.
Approaching the petrified Whimsicott, Akel gently touches the stone Pokémon with a heavy gaze full of regret; He then states that before he gained consciousness, he had witnessed and participated in numerous massacres, meaning he should know spawn points in locations Mei could never even imagine. When he was cured, his victims were restored, the Trevenant wasn’t there by mere coincidence; if that were the case, those roots wouldn’t have been there, the ghostly Zoroark suspects that Arbustos intercepted Akel’s former victims and petrified them once again.
Looking into the Whimsicott’s terror-stricken expression, forever frozen in petrification, the Ghost-type Pokémon sighs and steps away from the statue. He continues sharing his theories with Mei, who feels sick just imagining the horror those Pokémon endured, based on the ground and the positioning of the leaves, Arbustos had been burying them again when they arrived:

— “What makes me happy in all this is that Rubro is being enough of a nuisance that Arbustos didn’t kill us the first chance he got. No, no, he wanted to extract information from us… But something is still bothering me, that move Burning Jealousy, Trevenant don’t naturally learn that attack, and it’s not something you can find just anywhere…”— The ghostly Zoroark mused, pacing restlessly in the dungeon, Servine hadn’t noticed this detail, picking up Melinda’s Gadget that she had left behind to check.
—“WOOOW, LOOK AT ALL THOSE ZEROES, THIS TM IS REALLY EXPENSIVE! But then again, it’s made with parts of Mimikyu, and I’m sure they’re not Network Mimikyu. A Pokémon with the kind of money to afford a TM this rare wouldn’t be working as a guild Pokémon, I’m sure of it.”— Mei said, curious to know how the Hellstalker got his claws on such a TM, Akel stood beside her, looking over the moves.
—“I don’t think he stole it. When someone is petrified, the objects they’re carrying turn to stone as well, and Arbustos doesn’t bargain with his victims… Hmm, Hellstalkers do have a sense of self-preservation… Their negative emotions are more pronounced than their positive ones, sharing something with their kind isn’t in their nature.” — The ghostly Zoroark said, concerned, the Servine turned off the device and sat on one of the crystals nearby.
— “There’s a chance a Hellstalker gave it to him in an attempt to protect themselves. But, Akel… I’m afraid this didn’t come from a Hellstalker, could someone very rich be working for Arbustos?”— Mei said worriedly, instinctively, she tried to fan herself, feeling sad as she realized she might have lost her tessen in the fight. However, Akel grabbed her paw and placed her beloved tessen in her hand.
— “Nhehehe, while I was hiding, I grabbed this for you, you’re welcome… Hmm, I was going to give it to you before you punched me… But anyway, yes, actually, the possibility that someone of high status gave that to Arbustos is the only plausible explanation to me. Now, good luck to us in figuring out who that Pokémon is.”— The ghostly Zoroark agreed, adding to his ally’s statement, Mei seemed content and relaxed, fanning herself with her cherished tessen.

Letting out a sigh, already feeling his body trembling with exhaustion, Akel decided to rest by sitting on the grass. Too much had happened to them that night, and they needed to recover their energy to discuss all their discoveries with Luke and Aurora.
The next day, Luke Croconaw waited patiently for his brother Saren Larvitar’s school dismissal near the Pokémon Rock-type’s school gate, the Croconaw was sitting in a playground, fiddling with his Gadget. Melinda had already sent him a message at dawn, informing him of the mission’s success, Luke read the message multiple times, growing anxious; if it worked, he could help Pokémon who had suffered like Aurora, the police, and even his allies, but what if he failed? These thoughts consumed Luke’s mind:

— “Look, we’ve been running into each other a lot lately, haven’t we, Luke? —Said a Pokémon with a gentle voice, Luke looked in the direction of the voice, seeing Nadim Druddigon standing in front of him with a baby carriage.
— “Nadim? Hehe, true, we have been running into each other a lot. Owww, a baby carriage! That brings back memories. Are you taking care of a relative?”— Luke asked as he stood up to look inside the carriage, as he got closer, he saw that it contained an egg with patterns different from those of a Druddigon.
— “Hahaha, close enough! It’s actually a funny story, know that chest I insisted you take? Well…”— Nadim then explained to the Croconaw that the chest had contained a Berserker egg, usually, eggs like that were sent to Pokémon specialists, but the Druddigon had requested to take care of it, and Trevor Houndoom had agreed.

Luke reacted to the story with an awkward laugh, thanking Arceus he hadn’t taken the chest; the Croconaw looked at the egg and gently touched it, Nadim seemed very excited about the idea of becoming a father, after all, the carriage didn’t look cheap, and the egg was covered in layers of soft, fine fabrics. The Druddigon then justified his visit to the playground, saying he wanted to see how younger Pokémon played, his species only socialized among themselves when they were young, and he intended to give his child a different upbringing:

— “Aren't you afraid?”— Asked the Pokémon with the red scarf, its voice rustling, Nadim closed his eyes for a moment, smiling.
— “Of course. I'm afraid of failing as a father, afraid that he will reject me, afraid that the world will disapprove of our relationship or reject my child… But even so, I want to try, I want to have wonderful moments with him, happy moments, sad moments, all of them.”— Replied the Druddigon, very excited. He then stood beside Luke and ruffled the Croconaw's head with his claw, covered by his pink sweater.
— “I'm scared, but so, so excited. Me, a father? Wow! I want to take great care of my little one, we're going to have a stunning life, and we're going to live every second of it.”— Nadim continued with great conviction, Luke gave a small smile.
— “I wouldn't have achieved any of this if it weren't for you and Rubro, I think I'll ask a tailor to make a red sweater for me, seems like this color brings me a lot of luck! Thank you for everything, Luke.”— Said the Druddigon, crouching down and hugging the Croconaw, who smiled, closed his eyes, and returned the embrace of the Dragon-type Pokémon.

The Chimecho of the school then began their chimes, signaling the start of dismissal time; Nadim became even more excited, saying he would finally get to see young Pokémon acting like youngsters. Luke pulled away from his friend's embrace, reminding him to be careful, as it was strange to see an adult Network watching over young Pokémon without company.
Responding to the Croconaw's concern with a friendly smile, the Druddigon bid him farewell, Luke walked closer to the school gate, passing by some Chimecho and Comfey accompanying some younger Pokémon. The Water-type Pokémon then noticed that the number of caretakers and guards had increased significantly; it used to be common to see young Pokémon unsupervised, but now there were even Talonflame stationed on the walls of the gate, ready for action, perhaps another sign of the growing awareness of the Hellstalkers.

— “LUKE, LUKE, YOU REALLY CAME!!”— Shouted Saren, running toward his older brother, leaping into his arms as soon as he got close enough. Luckily, the strong Croconaw managed to catch him.
— “*Ahem* Saren Hidron, I warned you not to run like that. Your father entrusted me with watching over you and making sure you get home safely.”— Pointed out a Pokémon with a feminine voice, Luke then noticed a ribbon around the Larvitar's belly, belonging to a monocle-wearing Chimecho that was keeping hold of him.
— “Hehe, sorry, madam… My brother is quite energetic, I promised to pick him up today…”— Said the Croconaw, a bit embarrassed, Chimecho then requested his gadget for identification.

Luke pulled his gadget from his red scarf, and the Psychic-type Pokémon made it levitate immediately, she then analyzed it using another gadget that orbited around her through her psychic powers. The Chimecho adjusted her monocle, murmuring a little before removing the ribbon from Saren, apologizing for the new security measures and for possibly coming across as rude; with a kind smile, the Croconaw reassured her that it was no bother and thanked her for taking care of his brother.
Not far from there, in the Argules palace, Lúcios the Feraligatr's gadget vibrated inside his black scarf, the Feraligatr pulled it out, revealing that his device was attached to his clothing by a thin silver chain. Lúcios murmured upon seeing the message from the Chimecho at the school:

— “I think this time Luke will spend with Saren will do them both good. I still can't believe they tried to turn Luke into a Hellstalker.”— Commented the Feraligatr, immediately storing his gadget back in the black scarf around his neck, Trevor the Houndoom, who was helping Raijin the Heliolisk monitor the city through the Nexus screens, turned toward the counselor.
—“Luke suffered a lot. He wasn't considered a strong Pokémon, and he still is, and always was, pursued because of that, if he had become a Hellstalker, they'd see him as an acolyte who only needed a little push to join the cause.”— Justified the Houndoom, Lúcios closed his eyes, a bit saddened by the comment, Trevor immediately apologized for what he said, but the Heliolisk added.
— “It's good, then, that they're reversing that, it's never too late to change, I think the battle with King Nero was good, after all, many Pokémon saw that Luke is not weak. Spending time with his younger brother is also a good thing, look here, they seem very happy together. Who can say Luke would have really become a Hellstalker?” — Using one of the Nexus' holographic screens, Raijin displayed an overhead view of the Croconaw carrying the Larvitar in his arms.

Even though he was happy to see his young ones joyful, the Feraligatr reprimanded the Heliolisk, that committee project was not meant to spy on their families but to track Hellstalker activities. The previous night, the palace's Charizard had scattered special Time Flowers throughout the entire city, linking them to Raijin's special Nexus; now, the Heliolisk had eyes all over the city, and Trevor, Cody, and Beelzeby were helping him monitor the Network's movements:

—“*YAAAWN* Just watching is so boring… I wish I could be part of the action too…”— Complained Cody the Charmeleon while flipping through some holographic screens with his claw, Beelzeby the Luxray received the screens passed by the prince, confirming whether there were indeed no incidents in them, while Raijin did the same with the ones verified by Trevor.
—“It's a different kind of action than what you're used to, but it's still an important job, I agree that it would be better if you were out on the streets, but since Nero broke your sacred item, it's harder to create a defensive artifact based on it.”— Explained the Luxray calmly, Cody understood his current situation and blamed himself a little for it.
—“To be honest, I hope it takes a while for them to make your Defensive Artifact, I missed having you here with me in the throne room.”— Said Lencia the Charizard happily, exchanging glances with her son, the Charmeleon smiled at his mother and continued his task.

Then, the Houndoom detected an ongoing incident, notifying the Heliolisk, who confirmed its validity; With the approval of both, Raijin contacted the closest pair of Pokémon to the event, who happened to be Nero the Jolteon and Naz the Gabite. Using his Quick Attack, King Nero took the lead, gaining sight of the Hellstalker, a Sigilyph with a bizarre skirt who was attempting to petrify a Tyrogue with a corrupted Psybeam.
With the help of his Rising Voltage attack, the Jolteon managed to intercept the Sigilyph's miasma-laced Psybeam, giving the Tyrogue a chance to escape safely. The Sigilyph then turned its attention to Nero:

—“WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA?! DON'T INTERRUPT MY JOURNEY OF VENGEANCE AGAINST THESE ANNOYING BODYBUILDER POKÉMON.”— bellowed the skirt-wearing Sigilyph, the Jolteon merely shook his head, looking mockingly at the Psychic-type Pokémon.
—“Blah blah blah blah, I can’t even tell what’s weirder, your face, that skirt, or your pathetic motivation, HEHEHAHAHA!”— Nero mocked without looking away, the Sigilyph became even angrier, speaking so fast it was nearly incomprehensible.

Suddenly, a Gabite wearing a large red dress covered in sequins leaped from the top of a tower toward the Hellstalker, but something went wrong; the dress’s light fabric turned as rigid as iron, making the Dragon Type plummet while screaming through the air. The Soldier’s screams were heard by the Sigilyph, who turned to look in her direction, only to be hit squarely by the steel dress, crashing to the ground with the garment on top of him.

— “O MY ARCEUS, O MY ARCEUS, O MY ARCEUS, WHAT DID I DO?! IS HE OKAY?”— The Gabite asked, crawling out from inside the dress and trembling with nerves, the Jolteon walked over and checked on the Pokémon underneath the steel dress.
— “Yeah, he’s breathing, I don’t even know if this thing has bones, but if it does, they’re mush now thanks to that dress. Looks like Raijin’s going to have to make you another defense accessory. But first, we should send this poor guy to Madame Xerneas.”— Nero commented, joking about the situation while Naz nervously rubbed her claws together. Back in the throne room, Raijin watched the scene unfold, visibly frustrated.
— “I guess my idea of combining her incense’s essence with the chimes didn’t go as planned. At least the Hellstalker and the dress absorbed the full impact of the fall, otherwise, my recklessness would’ve sent Naz back to the hospital. Urrrf, I’m sorry…”— The Heliolisk apologized, the Gabite managed to reverse the dress’s density, lifting it off the Sigilyph and sending him to Madame Xerneas.
—“Don’t worry, Raijin. I’ll head back to base, and you can continue the modifications while I keep watch in your place… I just hope your new design is better for combat, running in such a fancy dress was tough.”— Naz commented over the gadget, the Gabite waved at the Jolteon with her claw before jumping across the city’s rooftops, dress in hand.

Beelzeby sent one of his screens to Raijin, showing a battle between Rex Lucario and a Persian Hellstalker, the defense accessory the Heliolisk had made for the Lucario consisted of two bracelets that transformed into armor. The armor did help with defense, but the Luxray pointed out that Rex wouldn’t need so much defense if the heavy armor weren’t hindering his movement.
Lowering his head in disappointment, the Heliolisk justified that the accessories weren’t as good as they should be due to the limited time, he had to make them. Beelzeby shouted at him, emphasizing how crucial it was for these accessories to be well-prepared, Raijin understood the Luxray’s point, promising to ensure the second batch wouldn’t have such ridiculous flaws, Cody then stepped into the conversation:

— “Hey, I can help you with that, Raijin! There’s no one better to say what a Soldier wants from their Sacred Items than a Soldier himself. Besides, Naz is way more capable at this surveillance job than I am anyway.”— The Charmeleon offered, the Heliolisk seemed hesitant to accept the help, but everyone in the room thought it was worth a try.
— “Well, with everyone saying that, I guess I can’t refuse, can I? Come on, Cody, let’s get everything ready for when Naz arrives.”— Raijin said, motioning for the prince to follow him, the two then left the throne room to head to a more private location for crafting.

Far away, in the Dungeon of Lost Dreams, Mei and Akel recounted their entire nighttime adventure to their partners; at the end of the story, Aurora Ribombee flew around the duo, scolding them for their recklessness. However, the Servine lowered her head and took responsibility for the risky plan; Luke listened in silence, sitting on a rock while stroking the sides of Saren, who was in his lap, the Larvitar then got off his brother and walked toward the Whimsicott statue.

— “I still can’t believe all this was happening in the city, completely off everyone’s radar… Are you going to throw this statue into the water, like Mom did with Aurora?”— Saren asked, looking sorrowfully at the petrified Whimsicott, Luke approached and gently patted his brother’s head, then, the Croconaw activated Liquidation, taking on the form of Rubro.
—“Sort of… Thanks to Aurora, I learned how to synthesize the Luminous water that flows in this dungeon, and with Mei’s advice, I managed to reverse the petrification effects on my own body… Now… I want to reverse the petrification effects on other Network Pokémon.”— Rubro said, trembling slightly. He was visibly shaken and afraid, but only the Larvitar noticed his brother’s state.

Despite noticing his older brother’s worry, Saren smiled and offered him support, making Rubro appear more confident, the Croconaw closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as he completed his disguise, activating Shadow Claw in his right hand and growing ice spikes on his fangs with Ice Fang. A little frightened, the Larvitar took a few short steps back, Aurora climbed onto the Rock Type Pokémon’s hood and explained that they needed to hide, if Rubro succeeded, he was the only one who could be seen.
Mei promptly stood beside the two smaller Pokémon, she said there was no need to hide and exchanged glances with the ghostly Zoroark, Servine spoke about Akel’s growing abilities, saying he could now conceal everyone within an illusion. Impressed, Saren turned to face the Normal Type Pokémon, who responded with a positive gesture of his claw, Ribombee then shouted, informing Croconaw that everyone was ready.
Rubro let out such a heavy sigh that his breath was visible due to his Ice Type move; the fear of failure weighed heavily on the Croconaw’s shoulders, the Liquidation move was incredibly powerful, capable of even cutting through steel using it on a petrified and defenseless Pokémon could easily shatter them into pieces. Closing his eyes, Rubro imagined multiple scenarios where he miscalculated the proportions and strength, causing the Whimsicott to break apart right in front of him; the Water Type Pokémon then opened his eyes, turning toward his allies and noticing the hopeful look in all of them.
With a snap of its claw, the phantom Zoroark activates its powers, hiding everyone behind a crystal barrier; the temptation to give up was overwhelming, Croconaw just wanted to run away and abandon that risky plan. Rubro looks at the petrified Pokémon once more and extends his left hand. The words spoken by Nadim earlier reverberated in his mind, fear was something Croconaw had in abundance, but he had come so far, and Akel and Mei had given it their all; Rubro knew he had to do the same for his allies, for the Pokémon in danger, and for himself.
Due to using Ice Fang and Shadow Claw, the Liquidation to be executed by Croconaw’s only free hand was significantly weakened; because of the attack’s strength, Rubro deduced that this was the safest way to use the MPP without compromising the petrified Pokémon’s integrity. The water in his hand shone intensely with a bright blue hue, with a short impulse, Croconaw threw the water over Whimsicott, completely covering it in a water bubble.
Rubro took a deep breath, the Ice Fang and Shadow Claw moves had visibly diminished in their PP energy, reflecting in their shrinking size as the water bubble created by Liquidation grew. Croconaw let out long grunts and raised his hand, lifting the petrified Whimsicott with the water, feeling that he had found the right balance of energy; Rubro dissipated Ice Fang and Shadow Claw, using both hands to focus all his energy on Liquidation.
The Whimsicott statue began to spin inside the Liquidation bubble, which shone even more intensely with its bright blue light; the glow was so intense that only Croconaw and Ribombee could still see what was happening within the move; Akel placed his claw in front of his face, Mei hid from the light by opening her tessen, and Saren covered his eyes with his orange hood. As the brightness began to fade, the results of Rubro's actions became visible, Aurora placed both hands over her mouth, tears streaming from her eyes, according to Luke, when he was reversed from petrification, the process took almost an entire afternoon, but his ally had managed to do it in just a few minutes:

— “He did it… He did it…” — Whispered Ribombee, her voice muffled by her hands. The phantom Zoroark heard his ally’s words, immediately removing his claw from his face.
— “Ha… Haha… Yes… YES!” — Akel shouted in disbelief at what he was witnessing. Upon hearing the phantom Zoroark’s cry, the Servine, and the Larvitar also uncovered their eyes, finally seeing Croconaw’s success.

Saren, smiling, started toward his brother, happy to see his victory, but Mei stopped him by holding his shoulders; then, Rubro suddenly began screaming in exhaustion, startling everyone. Even so, Croconaw managed to complete the process and bring Whimsicott back to normal, breathing heavily; Rubro gently placed the Fairy-type Pokémon on the ground, dissipating his move, which vanished into countless spheres of pale blue light; too drained even to use Shadow Claw or Ice Fang as a disguise, Croconaw fell to his knees, gasping for air.
Some allies took cautious steps forward to reach Rubro, but Akel used his hair to stop them, warning of the risk of revealing themselves, it was Rubro’s responsibility to follow the plan meticulously. Aurora grew uneasy, it wasn’t normal for Whimsicott to remain still for so long, as Ribombee voiced her thoughts, the phantom Zoroark used his abilities to check the Pokémon’s condition:

— “… Damn…” — Akel muttered apathetically. The Servine and the Larvitar turned to the Ghost-type Pokémon, and the expression on the Zoroark’s face, dressed in tattered jeans, made the truth evident.
— “Arrrrfff… Arrrff… Did I… Did I do it? I DID IT!” — Croconaw shouted, seeing Whimsicott’s petrification reversed. Without even turning to his allies, Rubro stood up and moved toward the Grass-type Pokémon.
— “Luke, wait…” — Akel said, placing a hand on the red-hooded Croconaw’s shoulder, stopping him. Initially, Rubro was concerned about his disguise, but upon seeing the phantom Zoroark’s expression, he froze.
— “No… You… It can’t be…” — Rubro murmured, his voice trembling, the Pokémon then touched his mouth, shaking violently. Suddenly, something strange happened with his hood in which retracted on its own, transforming back into a red scarf.

Akel advanced, his footsteps echoing through the dungeon as the other Pokémon stood paralyzed, watching him; in the end, the phantom Zoroark knelt before Whimsicott, he touched the Pokémon, confirming exactly what his Ghost-type eyes had already detected, that Network was dead. Gently, Akel closed the Fairy-type Pokémon’s eyes and mouth, finally allowing the poor Whimsicott to rest:

— “What… WHAT HAVE I DONE?! GHAAAAA, THIS IS ALL MY FAULT!! IT'S MY FAULT!! I KNEW IT, I KNEW I WOULD MESS UP, WHY DID I STILL TRY?! I’M A COMPLETE FAILURE, A DAMNED MURDERER! GHAAAAWWW!!” — Luke roared in despair, falling to his knees, having a panic attack, crying uncontrollably, and clutching his chest with both arms.

Saren knew it wasn’t his brother’s fault, because the small Larvitar religiously followed Time Flower’s news and was aware that not all Pokémon reversed from petrification came back alive; even knowing that and wanting to say it to make Croconaw feel better, Saren was completely frozen. Similarly, Ribombee also wanted to console her partner, but seeing that Fairy-type dead before her eyes triggered memories of when she had been in a similar state; she could have been the one who didn’t make it, these thoughts caused Aurora to stop flying and sit on the ground.
Mei is the first to approach Luke, standing in front of the Water-type Pokémon:

— “Luke, don't say that! You didn't mess up, you're not useless, you performed another miracle… Please, Luke, you need to pull yourself together.” — The Servine spoke gently, something uncharacteristic of her, but she already knew what could happen if the Croconaw kept succumbing to guilt. Mei reached out her paw to touch Luke, but he slapped it away.
— “DON’T TOUCH ME! DIDN’T YOU SEE WHAT I DID?! YOU WERE RIGHT, EVERYTHING I’M DOING IS USELESS, ALL OF THIS IS USELESS! WE’RE ALL GOING TO TURN TO STONE AND DIE! I’M JUST DELAYING THE INEVITABLE, AND I’M SO WORTHLESS THAT I DRAGGED ALL OF YOU DOWN WITH ME!” — The Croconaw screamed, sobbing, while punching the ground. The Servine held the paw that Luke had struck, upset by his reaction. She was about to try reaching out again when the phantom Zoroark kicked the Croconaw’s yellow chin, knocking him onto his back.
— “Argh, DAMN IT, AKEL! WHY DID YOU DO THAT?!” — Luke complained, holding his chin. Akel then sat on the Croconaw’s belly and grabbed him by his red scarf.
— “TO STOP YOU FROM SAYING THAT SHIT, YOU IDIOT! THIS ISN’T YOUR FAULT! IT’S THAT PIECE OF TRASH DARK MATTER’S FAULT! KEEP PANICKING AND DESPAIRING, AND THAT’S EXACTLY HOW IT’LL COME STRAIGHT FOR YOU!” — The phantom Zoroark declared, slapping Luke repeatedly. As the Croconaw murmured, the Ghost-type Pokémon continued speaking.
— “WE’RE LITERALLY FIGHTING A BEING THAT FEEDS OFF NEGATIVE EMOTIONS, AND YOU THINK YOU CAN JUST GIVE IN TO THEM?! NO… HAHAHA, NOT WITH ME AROUND! YOU WANT TO FEEL SOMETHING NEGATIVE? FINE! I’LL MAKE YOU FEEL ANGER WHILE I BEAT YOU UP!” — Akel warned with a sadistic grin. Equally furious, Mei was about to push him away from Luke, but the Croconaw acted first, stopping just short of biting the phantom Zoroark’s head with Ice Fang.
— “I already understand how your typing works, Akel. Don't provoke me. I haven’t forgotten what you made me do to the Lacustre base members.” — Luke warned, speaking without moving his mouth. Akel froze, staring at the size of the Croconaw’s mouth, realizing he could have been killed right then and there.
— “Tsk, you’re no fun. At least this must’ve helped you calm down, right?” — The phantom Zoroark asked, uneasy about how close Luke’s jaws had been to his head. To make things worse, the Croconaw leaned in even closer, but then snapped his mouth shut just before touching Akel’s snout with his own.
— “Too bad I had my mouth wide open… I couldn’t see your frightened face… Sorry. I… was really afraid to try what I did, and when everything went wrong, I panicked… Thank you for calming me down by pissing me off.” — Luke said, looking into the Zoroark’s eyes. Irritated by the grin on the red-scarfed Pokémon’s face, Akel turned his head away from him. Then, he let go of the Croconaw’s scarf and pushed him forward, making him fall back onto the ground.

Some time passed after the confusion; everyone was sitting close to each other and talking together with Saren explaining about the petrified Pokémon, making Luke feel less guilty, but still sad about Whimsicott who he felt he hadn't saved in time. Aurora immediately flies in front of Croconaw to tell him to stop blaming himself or over-charging himself, Servine shaking her tessen agrees with Ribombee even talking about the consequences that could come with such a self-destructive attitude.
Letting out a long grunt, the phantom Zoroark added to what he had already said: negative thoughts were the gateway to becoming a Hellstalker. No one could or should be happy all the time, but unfortunately, Dark Matter’s presence forced them all to constantly maintain balance, frustrated, the Larvitar stood up, stating that it was too much weight for Luke to carry. Controlling MPP already required immense physical balance, and now he would need to maintain mental balance as well, to Saren, it was absurd that his brother couldn't just live like any other Pokémon.
Mei snapped her tessen shut in irritation and asked the Larvitar if the Croconaw was “just any Pokémon”, Saren fell silent before sitting back down, murmuring about how unfair it all was. Moved by his younger brother’s words, Luke picked up Saren, sat him on his lap, and gently stroked him, still hovering nearby; Aurora acknowledged that everyone knew how unfair it was, but until they found another solution, this was the best course of action.
Everyone was silent, they knew that Luke had already run a long way, Rubro had the ability to revert Hellstalkers, recover petrified Network and finally cure himself of petrification, but Servine's words from a few nights ago remained; as long as they didn't find a definitive solution to the evil of Dark Matter, they would only be taking care of the symptoms, but not the disease. Breaking the deafening silence, Croconaw's and Larvitar's Gadgets began to play, and Saren, being free on his paws, quickly grabbed his from inside his orange cap:

— “By Arceus, it’s Dad! We need to move to another spot to answer, he can’t know about the Lost Dreams Dungeon.” — The Larvitar spoke calmly. Luke was already about to stand up with him to find another spot, but Akel stopped him, gripping his shoulder.
— “Huh? But you’re already somewhere else. Just take advantage of the dense Argules forest… *SNAP*” — The phantom Zoroark teased as he snapped his claws. The Normal-type Pokémon altered the entire surrounding area, hiding them along with Mei and Aurora within the illusion of a forest.
— “WOOOW! I wish I were a Zoroark, that’s such a cool power!” — Saren said, admiring Akel’s work. A faint chuckle could be heard in the background, hinting that the phantom Zoroark enjoyed the compliment, the Larvitar then answered the call.
— “Luke, Saren, where are you?” — Lúcios immediately asked in a worried voice, knowing their father could access their location, Saren quickly stated that they had stopped in the middle of the forest to rest and take the call.

Hearing his youngest son’s response, the Feraligatr let out a relieved sigh; the royal advisor then instructed his sons to remain where they were for their safety, the brothers exchanged a brief glance before Luke asked why their father had suddenly given them that order. Through the call, everyone could hear a Houndoom shouting that another Hellstalker attack was happening in what he called Sector Nine, both the Larvitar and the Croconaw went pale with worry.
Lúcios was honest with his sons, explaining that numerous Hellstalker attacks were happening, and so far, they didn’t know why these attacks were occurring in broad daylight and in multiple locations at once. Luke immediately assumed that Cody and the Soldiers would handle it, but the Feraligatr informed his sons that all Soldiers operating in Argules had been temporarily suspended, without elaborating further on the matter.
Without being able to extend the conversation any further, Lucius once again told his children to stay where they were and try to remain safe. Smiling, the Croconaw told the Feraligatr that he had nothing to worry about and everything would be fine; Saren didn’t share his brother’s confidence, feeling uneasy about the situation, as soon as their father ended the call, the Larvitar quickly turned to his brother:

— “YOU’RE NOT GOING THERE, ARE YOU?!” — Saren was on the verge of tears, worried. Luke simply kissed his brother’s forehead and lifted him off his lap.
— “Saren, there are two kinds of Pokémon: those who do bad things…” — Luke spoke calmly as he used Liquidation on himself.
— “And those who allow bad things to happen, even when they have the power to help.” — The Croconaw finished his thought while undoing his move, now fully dressed as Rubro. Akel dispelled the illusion of the forest and immediately created a new one over his own body, making himself appear as Luke.
— “Go, do what you have to do. I’ll stay here with Saren in case your father calls again.” — Said the ghostly Zoroark, extending his hand to Rubro, who was now in the form of Luke the Croconaw. Smiling, the red-hooded Croconaw tapped the paw of the scarfed Croconaw in a friendly gesture.
— “You’re not going alone. I’ll be by your side inside the hood, Teehehe!” — Affirmed the Ribombee as she slipped into Rubro’s red hood. The Water-Type Pokémon then felt a soft paw on his back.
— “I’m coming too! After all, Renegades united will never be defeated, hehe. I’m ready to beat up some Hellstalkers!” — Mei said excitedly, fanning herself with her tessen. Clenching his teeth with tightly shut eyes, the Larvitar seemed hesitant, but then, he ran forward and hugged his brother’s waist tightly.
— “YOU PROMISED DAD THAT EVERYTHING WOULD BE OKAY, SO DO EVERYTHING TO MAKE SURE IT IS, LUKE… I mean…RUBRO… WIN, AND COME BACK SAFE, PLEASE!!” — Saren pleaded, crying against the Croconaw. Rubro almost cried with him, but instead, he crouched down to face his little brother and handed him his gadget.
— “I will win, here… Take care of my Gadget. When I come back, you’ll give it back to me, okay?” — The Croconaw promised, Saren wiped his tears before taking his brother’s Gadget.

Rubro then turned toward the exit of the dungeon, walking forward with the Servine and Ribombee by his side, the three knew what had to be done and were willing to fight for what was right. They might die fighting against the symptoms of a disease with no end, but they would do everything in their power to combat that evil until either they or Dark Matter fell; that was the unjust path they had chosen to walk, for the sake of what they believed was just.