Special Episode: Can You Make A Promise?

Part 4: Gloria

Ushered in darkness, the empty room of a medical station was occasionally rattled by the sounds of cracking gunfire and the revving of distant vehicles. Shadowy figures in the night would run past the building's windows, before the double doors leading inside would burst open.

Five men quickly entered, accompanied by the whizzing of screaming projectiles colliding into the dirt just behind their fleeing soles. Their ebony clothing of bulletproof gear blended into the dark surroundings, the rifles strapped to their back's merely silhouettes. Two men slammed the doors closed in a hurry as two others carried the slumped over final member on their shoulders. His golden blond hair and youthful face was a stark difference from his older companions, but grew more pale as his eyes barely opened, breaths labored and heavy.

Blood spilled profusely out of the hole-like wounds in his broken vest, staining the ceramic floor as he was carried into the room.

"Clear that table!" a grizzled voice shouted.

The urgent command was heeded by one of the men near the doorway, who ran over to a nearby table and sent the contents of it to the ground with a sweep of his arm.

"There! Get him on it!"

The two men carrying their injured ally lifted him up, dropping his motionless body on the now cleared stand. As the other pair searched for tweezers and other medical supplies in the back of the room, the rest tore apart the shattered bulletproof vest and clothing to witness the mess of blood and open flesh that was the young man's chest and stomach.

"Bullets didn't go through! We have to pull 'em out!" the grizzled voice of the man standing beside the table yelled, looking closer. "Fuck! I think one of them might've hit one of his arteries!"

"We don't have the time to take the bullets out!" The man beside him argued back. "They already know where we are, and they'll-"

The room's many windows began to get riddled with bullets from afar, piercing the glass and showering the occupants inside with its broken fragments.

"Then… then we have no choice but to leave him here."

"We're not leaving him here."

"G- Glo… Gloria…" The young man on the table croaked out, not even feeling the pair of hands holding his face up.

"Roark! Just hold on a bit longer, kid! the man holding him up pleaded, his eyes welling up with tears. "Think about Gloria! Think about your little sister you want to return to, alright?!" He whirled his head around. "Help us carry him back to the plane! We can bring him back to the safehouse!"

"And have us die with him as we try to board?!" the man next to him challenged, baring his teeth. "This whole operation going to shit is your fault, Robert! If you didn't allow Roark to lead us in, he would still be-"

"My fault?! If you hadn't convinced him to stay…"

Roark tuned out the bickering muffled voices and thunderous boom of gunfire around him. Splotches of black invaded his blurry vision, mixed in with flashes of oscillating orange. His mind was lulled into a sense of warmth and comfort, forgetting the previous events that found him here on this table. Everything and everyone he forgot, except one person most important to him.

'Gloria… where…'

Another wave of shrieking bullets completely shattered the windows of the room, exposing the men inside to the encroaching enemies outside.

"Listen - we don't have the fucking time for arguing!" one of the men in the back of the room screamed, making his way over to a door that led further into the building, throwing its handle open "I'm not rotting in a fucking jail cell, or dying to the mercs out there, so we're leaving - now."

His sentiment was reluctantly amongst the men, abandoning their search for medical supples. With their cover gone, all but one man ran through the open. The sole person left would look back at his injured friend lying helplessly on the table, holding out a hand.

"I… We promised we'd get out of this together. I'm so fucking sorry, kid."

Pulling his hand back and shedding a few tears, the man left in pursuit of his comrades, leaving an incapacitated Roark to die alone. As the open room was bombarded with more bullets, he would drift further and further into the abyss, with more flickers of vibrant orange in his deteriorating mind.

'Gloria… please wait.'

He took his final raspy breath, the last feeling in his body a sense of him being wrapped up in chains, everything turning black again.

'Gloria.'

The curls of blue and yellow spirals invading Roark's vision began to disperse, until everything was back as it was. The fox simply stared at the rising sun in a trance of pure shock, slowly standing up, as if his reality would collapse again if he moved too fast.

However, once his bearings were gathered, his thoughts swarmeds towards what was gathered from the short vision. He was overloaded with so much information so fast that it made his head spin - the gaps of questions he always had now filled with potential answers.

'That was… a vis- no, a memory…'

A memory of once being someone named Roark before all of this, and his death being the gateway that led him to where he was now. After all this time of stumbling in the dark of who he was before, he had finally been bestowed knowledge. But one emerging detail seemed to resonate within him most of all.

'Gloria… you're my… little sister.'

Roark searched for years in hopes of finding out who she was, and what she meant to him, and he knew now. But whatever victorious feeling inside him was crushed by the realization that she was not here with him, and that he was not there with her. Separated by worlds and time, he was stuck here with no way back.

He had been given clarity, but with it came a price.

"Um, Roark?"

The Zoroark recoiled at the soft voice, turning around and concealing his swamped emotions with a flat expression. "What… what is it, Vulpix?"

"Er, well…" She dug a paw into the snow. "You were staring off into space, so I wanted to know if you were okay!"

"... Yeah. I'm okay, kid."

Vulpix flashed a smile, wagging her tails. "Great! Does this mean we can have breakfast now?"

He blinked in response, eventually chuckling as he walked back to their camp. "Sure does. I hope you like plain berries, 'cause that's all I got on me."

Vulpix happily jogged her way back to camp, waiting patiently for breakfast to arrive. And once it did, the two are in relative silence. Roark kept his head low, stewing in his thoughts as Vulpix looked on in curiosity.

"Um, Roark? Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm… just thinking, kid."

"About what?"

He raised his head, forming a smirk. "Thinking about what I'll tell your parents when we find them. Maybe even what you accomplished in that Mystery Dungeon."

Her tails began to wag again. "R-Really? You think they'll be happy for me?"

"They will." He gazed up, breathing in a sigh. "You've got a bright future ahead of you, and…"

Something caught his eye, making his heart thump in his chest.

"And…?" Vulpix said quizzically, following his gaze as her blue orbs expanded. "Wow! Who… are they?"

"… The Council." Roark replied, watching the skies in awe.

Dozens of Flying-type Pokémon soared above, the brown coats adorning their bodies flapping in the wind. All of them headed in one direction, flying past the two below and diving into a region near the mountain's peak.

Vulpix's jaw almost dropped. "Aren't they the, um, govern…" the young kit stumbled over the large word, "government… of this continent?"

"Yeah, and they shouldn't be here."

Before she could ask why, Roark cupped his claws over his mouth and amplified his voice loud enough to where the Pokémon in the skies could hopefully hear him.

"HEY! DOWN HERE! WE NEED HELP!"

Roark scanned the sea of avians for any outliers that heard his plea. But after a decent amount of waiting, none seemed to notice his beckoning. Going in for a second round of shouting, he noticed a large Noivern above break formation with its group and dive bomb straight towards the duo.

Roark and Vulpix hastily backed up, allowing the Noivern to swoop down and land onto the ground, scattering snow in its wake. It then observed the two with suspicion, only for the markings etched onto the Zoroark's body harness to give it the information it desired.

"You're one of those Rescue Society members, right?" She asked the fox.

"Correct." Roark stepped forward. "Two days ago, I got separated from my fellow members and ended up rescuing this kid here." He threw a claw behind him, motioning towards a frightened Vulpix. "We've been trying to reach where our operation is located, and where her parents are, so we need help getting there."

Noivern was taken aback. "You mean to tell me you don't know what happened two days ago?"

Roark raised a brow, but felt his heart constrict in growing fear. "... No. All I remember hearing is a loud rumble and then my rope snapped." Shaking his head, he needed to know more. "Why… why is the Council here? And why are there so many of you?"

Noivern opened up her wings without a reply. "You'll just have to see for yourself…" She sent them both a saddened glance. "Hop on and I'll take you to the village myself."

It was not the answer Roark wanted to hear.

"C'mon, kid," he said, his chest never untightening. "Remember to hold onto me."

Vulpix was rightfully concerned and confused, but swallowed those feelings and tiptoed her way towards the winged dragoness. A set of red claws would pull her up and rest her against the Zoroark's body as Roark planted himself on Noivern's back.

"We're ready."

"You two hold on!"

Noivern unfurled her leathery wings and started beating them in a rhythmic pattern, lifting herself off the ground and swiftly taking to the skies. She would regroup with her comrades, flying side by side with them as she revolved back to the group's destination. Vulpix watched in both fear and amazement at how far up they were, being witness to the grand view of the Glacier Peak Mountain from all around.

Still, the words of the dragon made her stomach turn, just as it did with Roark's.

Noivern angled her head back, "It was only today that the emergency alert from the Rescue Society got to us. Once the Council heard, they mobilized the entire Flying-type regiment and sent us out here to help assist with the damages."

Roark scowled, "Emergency Alert? Damages? Are you saying…"

Before he could finish, Noivern flew over a cliffside, revealing Kyuris Village in its entirety beyond it, or what little remained of it. What used to be rows of cabins and other wooden structures were reduced to scraps of wooden debris and chunks of icy rock. Littering the cobblestone streets were the bodies of wounded Pokemon - some were corpses covered with a layer of cloth.

Guards of the Council flew down by the dozens, dropping onto the streets of the destroyed village and assisting the many Rescue Society members on the ground. All operated in a sense of urgency, sifting through the wreckage and uncovering the Pokemon still trapped within their homes.

Noivern followed her diving allies. "The avalanche came without warning, and went through the entire village, along with certain checkpoints where the Rescue Society was stationed. It's horrible that this happened…"

Roark could only watch in horror as his greatest fear over the past few days was realized. Their operation to stop the avalanche failed, and the entire village was wiped out. But none took this news more worse than Vulpix, who began visibly shaking at what she was seeing, tears trailing down her cheeks.

Not just her home, but the entire village she called home was now gone - erased in one fell swoop. Her friends, teachers, and all of the other Pokemon she grew to know in Kyuris were down there, injured or dead. Her quiet shock and crying was remedied by Roark, who brought her closer to his side, obscuring her view of the tragedy below.

Once Noivern was able to safely land, Roark immediately got off, still keeping Vulpix by his side. The words of the dragoness would follow suit.

"I don't know how many survivors are left, but please help us anyway you can."

Roark nodded firmly, "That's what we do, ma'am." He knelt down, lifting Vulpix's head. "Look, I know this is difficult to see, so I'm willing to hand you off to someone else while we find your parents, okay? Is that what you want?"

She sniffled, fighting back more tears. "N-No… I want to… I want to help!"

Despite everything that happened to her, she was still willing to help others, and Roark found that most admirable of her.

"… Alright, then I'll need you by my side at all times while we help folk, okay?" He gave her a little shake. "Things are gonna be messy, but I need you with me one-hundred percent."

She nodded, wiping her cheeks. "I… I promise."

Both of them then spent hours combing through the leftover scraps of homes, letting the shouts and cries of Pokemon guide them to their entrapment. Along with the assistance from the Council guards and other Rescue Society members, more and more Pokemon were being rescued as time went on.

"I-Is someone there? Please… help! "

Vulpix's ears perked up, "That's… that's Cubchoo's voice! She's alive!" She raised her voice, hoping her friend could hear. "CUBCHOO! WHERE ARE YOU?"

Roark stepped past her, "Her voice came from that direction." He whirled around and beckoned a claw. "Team! We got another one over here!"

The assembled group of Pokemon quickly scrambled into action, following the Vulpix and Zoroark to another mangled wreck of a cabin. There, the voice was more profound, rising through the logs of fallen timber trapping her within.

"V-Vulpix? Is that you? Are you here to get me out?"

"Yes!" Vulpix yelled, pulling pieces of wood out. "We're here to rescue you!"

The rest of the Pokemon got to work excavating the cabin, getting closer and closer to locating the small cub inside. But after lifting another felled log, the stuck Cubchoo was spotted, wedged between two broken shelves with minor lacerations on her body. However, a problem that became very apparent to the rescuers was that they wouldn't be able to simply lift the shelves off her.

Doing so would potentially cause irreversible damage to Cubchoo's entangled limbs.

Roark scoured his mind for ideas, before one cropped up, and he had to take the chance. "Vulpix, you're small enough to get inside and get Cubchoo loose before we pull the wood off. Can you do it?"

Without hesitation, the kit nodded, standing aside as the team created a makeshift tunnel into the debris leading to Cubchoo. Once it was completed, Vulpix was able to crawl through the burrow of wood, now able to gently loosen Cubchoo's limbs from the shelves. After doing so, the team up top took away the remaining tiles of timber encasing the two. Cubchoo was now free, and instantly wrapped her best friend into a hug, tears streaming down her face.

"Thank you… so, so much, Vulpix!" She sniffled her large mucus drip. "It happened so fast! And… and I was trapped in there for days! And…"

Roark watched from afar as the two friends reunited, the feelings of failure fading, but still present inside. Over the past few hours, many villagers were able to be saved by their combined efforts with the Council guard. And this seemed to be the last Pokemon to be found still alive throughout the devastated village.

Seventy Pokemon lay dead, with hundreds injured. But Roark knew that number could've been zero if this operation was a success.

'What the hell is Bisharp gonna tell the Council… And why isn't he here helping us?'

"Roark."

The Zoroark snapped out of his troubled thoughts, a familiar voice from behind making him turn around. It was a close friend of his in the Rescue Society - Feraligatr. Bandages covered his bruised frame, which only caused more worry to stir in Roark's chest.

"Feraligatr, what happened here."

The Water-type looked around, blinking in disbelief at the destruction around him. "We did everything correct that day. The Glacier Guiders were helping us dig the large trench needed to contain the avalanche, but… something happened throughout the mountain - like a shockwave - and the entire snow shelf near us came crashing down on us." He held a claw up to his bandaged left eye. "The collapse took my eye, and we were only able to alert the Council and get to this village just today."

Roark was appalled, but one detail was bugging him immensely. "What do you mean 'something happened'? If the avalanche wasn't our fault, then how did it…"

It struck him - the bandits. The thieves who robbed the Ninetales' caravan by creating an avalanche to stop the carriage. A chain reaction must have occurred through their actions, causing the snow shelves near the checkpoints to collapse, along with the massive one overlooking Kyuris Village.

Feraligatr stepped forward, staring intensely into Roark's eyes. "Not long after the avalanche happened, a few of us were able to spot an injured Pokemon entering a cavern entrance near one of the checkpoints with a bag around its back. Strangely enough, it looked a lot like you, but was colored white and red."

Roark knew that had to be the 'ghost' Zoroark - he had to be the one behind this calamity.

"I know who that is… but did anyone follow after this Pokemon?" Roark didn't want to imagine him getting away with this slaughter.

"The two Ninetales' from the Glacier Guiders did, telling us they'd get answers out of it. But they haven't come back yet…"

"Um, did you say Ninetales, mister?"

Roark turned to see Vulpix trotting up beside him, as well as the Noivern from before landing on the cobblestone roads.

"I've spoken to my comrades and they say the majority of the village has been accounted for, except for that pair of Ninetales'."

Feraligatr nodded at her words, focusing on the Vulpix in front of him. "I see… Are they your parents, little one?"

"Yeah!" she spoke up, her spirits picking up. "You… you said they entered this cave, right?"

"Right, but nobody has heard from them since they entered, so-"

"I'll go." Roark interrupted, whipping his gaze to Noivern. "Can you take us there?"

Noivern unfolded her wings, "I was just about to ask! I'll get two other fliers to take everyone there in one trip!" She was off again, flying around the village to recruit more Pokemon for the search party.

"Roark, can I come?... Please?" Vulpix pleaded.

"I don't think we should do that." Feraligatr argued. "She should stay here with the Council guards."

"No." Roark shot back, looking down at Vulpix. "I'm gonna make sure she reunites with her family right then and there."

Vulpix smiled intensely, letting hope shine through today's darkness.

Roark and Vulpix hopped off Noivern's back as she swooped down, landing in the snow. Following her arrival were two more Flying-type's, who dropped off Feraligatr and a decent number of supporting Pokemon. All around them were personnel of the Rescue Society, transporting various medical supplies or covered up bodies of the many unfortunate members that passed. Roark watched them leave his peripherals, not wanting to ask where they were being taken.

Right now he had a mission to complete, and it deserved all his attention.

"So, this is the cave that the couple entered?" Noivern questioned, eyeing the large maw that led into the mountain itself. "Nobody else decided to check on their status?"

"Correct," Feraligatr answered. "This cavern leads up to the mountain's peak, so I'm not sure why that Zoroark entered if he was trying to escape capture…"

Vulpix walked up to Roark, uncertainty on her face. "Roark? Do you think my parents are okay? If that Zoroark is as bad as you say he is, then…"

Roark knelt down, steadying his gaze onto Vulpix. "They're gonna be okay - I promise that. I am not going to fail you, kid. I've made it my mission these past two days to do exactly that, and I'm not gonna let you down."

Vulpix leapt forward to hug his ankles briefly, before stepping back. "Thank you…"

Opening one of the many saddlebags on his harness, Roark pulled out the Never-Melt-Ice that Vulpix had been gifted the day prior, holding it out for the kit to see.

"When I return with your parents, I'm gonna make sure to tell them that you earned this through your heroism, got it?"

She beamed, "Got it."

Stuffing it back into his pockets, Roark stood, stepping near the cave's entrance. He could not fail Vulpix, not like he failed so many others.

"We'll be here as long as you need, Roark." Feraligatr said. "But be safe - we don't need more dead heroes…"

"You won't need to wait long then."

WIthout another word, Roark entered the cave, muting the voices behind them as he put all his attention and focus into finding the pair of Ninetales', as well as finding and capturing the 'ghost' Zoroark himself if need be.

'Wherever you are… you're not going to be free for very long.'

Utilizing his natural feats, he bounded across the icy stone of the spacious cavern, curving through its various bends. Time like this was rare for him - time where he had only himself and his restless thoughts.

Naturally, they shifted towards the memory he had pushed aside for more urgent events.

'I left you behind, Gloria, and that's something I can never fix, can I?'

Gripping his claws on cold rock, he used each stone that jutted out on the walls to climb up, eventually reaching the next section of the cave.

'I spent my whole life on this strange world searching for you, but you could never be found. Maybe… maybe this one glimpse into the past is all I will ever know of you.'

Coming across a rather steep wall, he untied the rope from his harness, twirling it before throwing the hooked end of it over the wall. Feeling the hook up top strike something sturdy, he jammed his claws into the rocky wall and began the trek up.

'Maybe this memory was a sign for me to give up on you. That I should focus on taking up the torch old man Bisharp wants me to take.'

He got onto his belly, crawling his way through a small tunnel, wondering where its confined corridor went.

'But I never saw being a leader as my true purpose. It was always about finding you… and being the brother I couldn't.'

Now wandering aimlessly through the frozen halls of the cave, he would take any path that crossed his way, only to find dead ends or edges that led into a dark abyss of nothingness.

'I could save so many others, but I could never quite save myself, could I…'

Squeezing his body through a narrow crevice in the walls, a ray of shimmering light at the end of a corner stuck out to him. Light meant one thing - the exit out of a cave. But as he followed this radiance and entered a new antechamber made of ice, something more horrifying became apparent.

"No…"

At the far end of the chamber, a steep and tall shaft of frozen rock leading up was the source of the light, its rays shining down on the motionless bodies below - two white Ninetales.

"No… Please…"

Roark advanced cautiously, his stare never leaving the two still Pokemon. The pair's necks were clearly broken, most likely induced by physical trauma from a long fall - instant death. He looked up the shaft, spotting the torn remnants of a safety rope near the top.

He already knew what happened.

"You fell…"

He looked down, the damaged and cracked metal harnesses on their bodies catching his eye. The rope that was still connected to them lay in a messy bundle.

"Your harnesses gave out… and you fell."

He stared at them for a while, desperately wanting this revelation to just be a horrible nightmare or illusion - but this was just the cruel reality he was facing. In a daze, he stepped over the deceased couple, hitting his back against the shaft's wall and sliding down into a sitting position. Closing his eyes, a tired sigh escaped him as he gazed up - defeated.

Every action he did to save Vulpix from her fate, every conversation he had with her, and every moment of connection he shared with her was because he thought she would see her parents in the end, and his job would be finished. Now, it would never come, and he would fail her like so many others.

Roark chuckled bitterly, "You would've been so proud of her once I told you what she's done… accomplished these past few days." He shook his head. "Smart and brave - one of a kind kid, I tell ya…"

Silence was the response he got.

Opening his eyes, they would fall upon the scattered items that spilled out of the Ninetales' harness saddlebags. One item in particular would capture his interest - a small book. Leaning over to grab it, its flashy cover art of a Fire-type Ninetales proudly puffing out its chest would bring a sad smile to his face. It was obviously the long awaited sequel to Vulpix's favorite book that she was expecting her parents to read to her when they returned.

'A Tale's Promise'.

"You still had a purpose to fulfill. You knew her so well, and loved her so much." He gritted his teeth. "Why the hell... did you have to die? Why am I still alive if you aren't?"

Holding the book close, he placed it inside one of his harness's saddlebags, keeping it tight and secure.

"Now, I have to go out there and break that little girl's heart all over again…"

Finding the courage to stand up, he left the couple behind, only momentarily glancing back as he exited their frozen tomb. Retreading the same paths he came in through, the looming prospect of what he had to reveal was weighing heavy on his consciousness.

It was always the worst part of the job, and it was unavoidable.

Standing by the cave's entrance, he took a deep breath, before walking through it to greet the snowy mountains of the outside. Slowly panning his gaze around, he prayed she was not here, but there she was, conversing with Noivern. He wondered what she was talking about, and as she turned her head to see him emerge from within, he didn't dare look her in the eye. Vulpix, Noivern, and more guards of the Council rounded up near the cave's entrance, wondering why only one Pokemon returned.

"Roark… you're back pretty soon," Feraligatr murmured, glancing between him and Vulpix in concern. "Did you… happen to find them?"

All eyes were on the Zoroark, and after a moment of chilling silence, he spoke.

"... Noivern. Please take Vulpix to where the other refugees are."

Wordlessly, the dragoness heeded his words and approached the kit, who retreated in a confused manner.

"Wait, Roark! Where are my parents?!" She backed up further. "You… you said you'd bring them back!"

She never got an answer back as more Council guards appeared behind her, with Noivern attempting to gently envelope the fox into her wingspan. Vulpix would evade this maneuver, ducking over her legs and running over to beat her paws onto Roark's own.

"Please tell them to stop! I just want to see my parents! You promised!"

He averted his gaze, only causing more confusion and anger to sprout within Vulpix. Before she could pound her paws on his leg again, the guards were able to restrict her limbs, pulling her back. She began to kick and scream in a vain attempt to get back her freedom, blinking out hot tears of anguish.

"LET ME GO!"

Noivern once again neared the kit, this time being able to safely pluck her from the guard's hold. No matter how much Vulpix squirmed or resisted this, it was futile.

"I just… want to… see mom and dad!" she sobbed out, giving up on fighting. "Please…"

Making sure Vulpix was secure in her grasp, Noivern sent Roark one last parting glance, before taking to the skies. Only then would Roark look back and watch them leave - perhaps the last time he would ever see Vulpix again, and she left completely devastated.

Feraligatr approached slowly, "Roark, don't tell me that they're-"

"We're gonna need a team to get their bodies out." Roark simply nodded, still watching Noivern fly away. "I need to speak to Bisharp."

"I neglected to tell you, but-" The Water-type squeezed his claws shut. "You need to see for yourself."

Roark paled at his words, breaking his gaze with the sky. "See… what?"

"... Follow me."

Reluctantly, the Zoroark would follow Feraligatr as he trailed behind the many Pokemon still rushing bodies up the hill of fallen snow and rock. Each step he took would create a thump in his heart, and as they conquered the hill and saw beyond it, his world came crashing down.

Row after row of his fallen brothers and sisters were laid out on strips of cloth, their black capes taken off and draped over their bodies to conceal their identity. In this mass grave, he knew there were friends in there - his comrades he worked with, joked with, grew to understand.

"How… how many?"

Feraligatr observed solemnly, "The avalanches struck each major checkpoint, hitting all of us stationed there. None were hit worse than Bisharp's squad…"

"Bisharp? He's… here?"

Saying nothing, Feraligatr hiked down the hill as Roark followed again, his eyes never leaving the mass of bodies. The Water-Type would stop upon one fallen Pokemon, its metal gauntlets and blades sticking out of the uniquely patterned cape. There was no doubt in Roark's mind that this was him - Bisharp.

"We tried everything to save him, but his injuries were just too severe; there was nothing we could do."

The fox collapsed to his knees in distress, holding out his shaking claws over Bisharp's body. He would pull a section of the obscuring cape off, revealing his battered face. 'Peaceful' would be the word Roark would use to describe his final expression.

"His last words… did he have any?"

Feraligatr nodded, "We tried to keep him conscious, so he talked about his son joining the guild near Empyrean City, and how happy he was for him. He… also spoke of you, and how he was happy for you whether or not you took over leadership for him."

Even when dying, the old Pokemon found ways to be mirthful and contended.

Roark pulled the cape back over Bisharp's face, wiping away the tears staining his fur. The Pokemon had saved him twice in the past, but he couldn't save him or any of the souls on this mountain in return - nobody could.

"With Bisharp gone, you're the replacement he wanted," Feraligatr stated. "We've lost a lot of good Pokemon today, and the Rescue Society is hurt more than ever - we need your guidance."

Righteous anger replaced the grief within Roark as he thought of the Pokemon responsible for this all. He clutched his claws in rage, knowing exactly what they needed to do now, and where to go.

"I know who did this," Roark muttered. "Get me a team - we're going after him."

He was going to put a stop to this 'ghost' Zoroark once and for all.

"The blood leads into this cave!" Feraligatr shouted.

Following the same path the Ninetales' couple tried before, a trail of blood from the injured Zoroark led them straight to his whereabouts. Their journey to find him would lead them further up the mountain, now near the pinnacle itself, with just one hollowed out cavity to search. Flanked by both guards of the Council and members of the Rescue Society, Roark bent down, spotting the remnants of red blotches onto the snow.

They were close, and he knew it.

"He's just up ahead - has to be."

"We should lure him out," Feraligatr suggested. "We don't know if any of his followers are with him in there"

"No. I'm going ahead with a direct capture myself," Roark said, walking towards the cave. "If you hear fighting, then that's the signal to come in and assist, got it?"

There was disagreement in both ranks, and many suggestions of how to proceed, but Feraligatr and the rest would inevitably accept his decision.

"Just be careful, Roark. They're outlaws - they'll do anything to escape."

"Trust me, I know."

Entering the cave, he again used the marks of blood against the rocky ground to find his target. They would eventually guide him into a section of the cavern where the trail of blood ended, and a small shelter was built.

'No one's here… Could he have left already?'

The bag Feraligatr had mentioned before had its items spilled out on the floor, from bandages to an entire stockpile of seeds, Wonder Orbs, berries, and bottles of alcohol - no doubt the stolen supplies from the caravan.

'If he was leaving, he would've taken this with him…'

Realizing the culprit might still be here, he took his steps more carefully as he made his way through the cave. Further ahead, the blinding light of a distant exit was seen - a shadowy figure visible beyond it.

'I knew it. That has to be him.'

Without any hesitation, he marched to the exit, emerging from the cave and stepping onto the Glacier Peak Mountain's very peak. Pillars of stone and ice sprouting upward on its sides shielded him from the chilling wind. A light snow was drifting about, complimenting the grand view of the sky's orange sunset.

But what caught Roark's attention was the bandaged up Pokemon sitting on the peak's edge, overlooking the setting sun and clutching a bottle of brown liquid. It's bipedal form held a striking resemblance to himself, but its fur was a ghostly white with streaks of faded red. The large mane atop its head trailed off into thin wisps and curls.

His counterpart in the flesh.

Taking another step, the sound of crunching snow he left behind alerted the Zoroark resting by the edge. It would turn its head around, glaring its sharp yellow eyes at the intruder, before returning to watch the sun slowly go down.

"Was... waiting for one of you to fi- find me," the Ghost-type slurred. "Saw a whole bunch of birds in the sky before, so it was only inevitable…"

Roark advanced cautiously, whipping his head in all directions in anticipation of an ambush. "Where's your Fire-type pals at, huh? It can't be just you."

Zoroark snorted, "Dead. We got caught in one of those aftershocks after we raided that caravan. Got buried in snow and rock, and I was the only one who made it out alive."

Roark stopped his advancement, "You're lying. Just cut the act already."

"Heh… Does it look like I'm tricking you?" The ethereal fox took a swig of his alcoholic beverage. "I'm… a bit too drunk to even think of doing that."

Roark wanted to knock that bottle right out of his claws, his anger rising. "Do you even realize what you created out there? How many lives you've stolen?! How many families you've ripped apart there?!"

He took another swig, "Heh… you think I don't realize?" He managed to stand up on shaky legs, exploding in drunken rage and waving his bottle. "OF FUCKING COURSE I REALIZE THAT! YOU THINK I… YOU THINK I WANTED TO DO THAT, HUH?!"

"You admit it, but that doesn't absolve you of your crime."

Zoroark scowled, "I gave that command to create an avalanche. I fucking stood on that cliff and watched as that village was destroyed." He stumbled towards Roark, almost tripping. "I lost all my crew for what - a bunch of fucking useless junk!"

Roark angrily latched onto him, pushing him around as the intoxicated Ghost-type made no effort to evade. "I had to tell a little girl out there that her parents were dead - the village and home she had now gone - all because of you." He rattled him some more, fresh tears welling up in his eyes. "There's friends of mine out there in a mass grave that I can never see again because of you!"

Thoughts of Bisharp flooded his mind, his legacy that was cut short by the actions of this Zoroark before him. A leader and father that would leave behind a son, the Rescue Society, and a lost Pokemon that spent ten entire years by his side, through thick and thin.

"... Then we are the same. Lost with no one by our side, eh?"

Roark yanked him closer, bringing his crimson claws near Zoroark's throat. "I LOST… EVERYTHING BECAUSE OF YOU!" It took every fiber in his being from slicing his throat apart right then and there.

"Kill me then!" The Ghost-type dropped his bottle, falling to his knees and pushing his neck into Roark's set of claws. "Do it, you fucking coward! You'll be doing me a favor!"

"... Why?" Roark managed to calm himself, removing his claws. "Why did you do all of this for one caravan?!"

Zoroark erupted into a bout of a drunken laughter from his question, looking down and averting the glare Roark was sending him.

"Two thousand."

"... What?"

"Two thousand Poké." Zoroark coughed out. "Heard it was carrying that much to Slush City, so I cooked up a plan to stop it and take that cash for myself."

Roark couldn't believe it. "You… you killed all of those Pokemon down there for just two thousand Poké?!"

"... Have you never done anything out of desperation?"

Roark's eyes enlarged at this statement, releasing his hold on Zoroark as he turned his back on him. Burying his face into his claws, memories from his criminal past were unearthed and shoved to the forefront of his mind. Scrounging by everyday, and doing horrible things to many in order to just survive.

However, the worst thought he had was when he compared himself to this Zoroark.

"You don't know what it's like to lose… every moment in your life," Zoroark spat out, stumbling back to the peak's edge. "To be hunted like some fucking Rattata every single day."

Zoroark stopped by the brink of the cliff, shakingly adjusting his hindpaws and looking down at the blurry drop below. The guilt lurking in his mind was clouded by his inebriation, but he knew what he had to do - the only thing left to do.

"There's nothing out there for me. No purpose… not anymore." Holding his arms out, he relaxed his muscles, taking deep breaths. "I'll fix this… all of this."

He let go, his paws slipping as he closed his eyes and embraced what was coming. Before the rush of wind could take him, a forceful tug of his back's fur stopped him from falling. Cracking open an eye to glance at what was halting him, he caught the stern visage of Roark, whose claws were holding him back.

"Why?... Why did you stop me?" Zoroark croaked out, blinking out a few tears.

"... Because I didn't have someone there to stop me."

Zoroark squirmed in place, lashing out and flailing his arms in an attempt to free himself. "LET ME GO! LET ME… FUCKING- AGH!" Tripping over one paw, he collapsed to the ground, heaving. "I can't… do this anymore."

"But doing what you were about to do is never an option."

Zoroark sneered at him, "If I go back, I'll only face the Council's firing squad... or I'll rot in a cell for my entire life…"

"It doesn't have to end like that. You can still salvage this, and turn it into something greater."

The Ghost-type chuckled bitterly, "Consider me blind, 'cause I don't fucking see it."

Roark walked over, sitting down next to his counterpart. "... I was in the same position you are now - lost and without purpose. I was lucky enough to have my eyes opened, even if I thought it was too late." He looked out towards the flaming horizon. "Your life doesn't have to end here on this horrible day. The Rescue Society can help you find your true purpose."

"Nothing can fix me… I'll never be able to look back and forgive myself."

"It's not about forgiveness. It's about making a lasting impact on this world, and feeling complete." Roark looked at him briefly. "If I can ask, is there anyone still close to you?"

Zoroark bowed his head, "... My mom. She-" he broke down again, his claws hiding his tear stricken face, "She would never want to see me again if she knew what I caused - what I did to gather money for us both."

More and more, Roark began to see his reasoning for this catastrophe. It never eased the hatred and sorrow he still harbored, but it resonated with another part of him.

"I have someone close to me, too," Roark uttered softly. "A little sister of mine, but I've never seen her, or remember who she is, or what she likes. But… just knowing she was out there gave me a purpose, a reason to stay alive and keep fighting, because maybe I'll find her one day."

"And you found her, right?"

"In a way, I did, but I had to lose everything to find out. '' Roark looked down. "But even now, leading the Rescue Society isn't the future I foresaw. I wanted to be a brother, not a leader."

"I... always wanted to make my own exploration team. Explore the world and see all sorts of things… not this."

Hearing his bygone dreams, Roark reflected on Vulpix and her wishes of heroism; how those dreams she held were shattered by this event. If he could do anything to repair those hopes, he would take it. And that's what made him realize something - that his purpose didn't have to lie with the Rescue Society.

He could fix this - fix both of them.

"Alright… I'll go with you," Zoroark said, watching the sunset again. "But do you promise that there's still something out there for me?"

"I promise."

It was trying to find his purpose that led his life to this moment, and here he would find it.

'Wow. This is Empyrean City?'

Having just entered the city, he gawked at the tall buildings, crowds of different Pokemon, and the plethora of unique shops dotting the streets. It reminded him of Verdure, providing a sense of nostalgia as he walked alongside carts and carriages that rumbled through.

But this time he wasn't a thief, nor a hero.

It had been a month after the Glacier Peak Mountain Avalanche, and he had left the Rescue Society not long after. Once a suitable replacement for him was found, he gave up his harness and cape, and then his farewells.

After ten years of serving, it was over.

Majority of the young refugees of the event were sent to an orphanage in Empyrean City, so after sending a letter of inquiry to it, he trekked across Celestic to find it. With just a cream saddlebag hanging off his shoulder, he reminisced more, passing street after street in search of the rabbit eared building.

After stepping out of an alleyway, there it was, looming before him.

'Guess it's now or never…'

Before he could take another step, the door leading into the orphanage swung open, and three Pokemon came out - A Lopunny, a baby Bunneary clinging to her mother's legs, and a white Vulpix. Roark's gaze immediately connected with the kit, who stared back in shock. She would run to meet him not long after, a mix of happiness and confusion on her face as he took a knee.

Opening his saddlebag, the Zoroark retrieved a small book - 'The Lucky Tale'. He held it out for her to see, smirking.

"Hey… I believe I didn't finish reading this to you."

"'And so, Vulpix, with all the friends she made throughout her grand journey, put her tale of luck and fortune behind her, and returned to her home village as a true hero…'" Roark closed the novel. "That's the end."

Resting atop one of the tall stone buildings in the city, Roark had taken her up it after they left the orphanage, admiring the gorgeous sunset and the dazzling lights that began to flicker on across the city. It was a welcome sight for Vulpix, who listened intently as Roark finished his dramatic narration of the book.

"... Thank you," she said softly, sniffling. "Sorry, the, um, ending always makes me cry a bit."

"Don't be sorry, kid. Heck, got me a little emotional too."

"Really?"

"Yeah, it was nice, even for a kid's book."

As silence overtook them, they went back to quietly admiring the urban scenery - one too overwhelmed with grief and confusion, and the other quite reluctant to extend his personal offer. However, Vulpix would break this silence to say what she's wanted to say since he showed.

"Why did you show up again? I thought… I thought your job was done."

"... Well, I guess it wasn't." Roark crossed his arms over the roof's railing. "I just couldn't have you rot in that place. You don't deserve that."

She deserved so much more, but this world seemed hellbent on crushing both him and her. He wanted to fix that, and his offer would decide everything.

Vulpix frowned, "What do you mean?"

Closing his eyes, he sucked in his worries and doubts, going straight for it. "Do you remember when I spoke of someone named Gloria? And how I didn't know who she was?"

She nodded, "You… never found her, though, right?"

"I think I just did, kid." Removing his position from the railing, he turned around and kneeled to reach Vulpix's height. "On that awful day, I remembered something. Gloria, she… she was my little sister."

"R-Really? You-" Suddenly, her ears wilted. "What do you mean by 'was'?"

"There's no way for me to see her again, kid. But I still want to be there for someone - to be a big brother - the one I could never be to Gloria." Fighting through the tears, he continued. "I want… to be that someone in your life."

Blinking out her own tears, Vulpix spoke after a moment of silence. "I've… never had a big brother before."

Pulling her into a embrace, she broke down, sobbing into his shoulder as he held her. This emotional moment would last for quite a while, until Roark broke off the exchange, reaching for something in his saddlebag. Vulpix wiped her remaining tears and watched as the Zoroark pulled out a necklace that shimmered in the dusk.

It was a Never-Melt-Ice pierced through the middle by a line of string. She instantly recognized this as the same item of reward that Vulpy had given her. Roark clutched it in his claws, looking at it briefly before extending his claws and unfolding them.

"'Gloria' means glory to many Pokemon across the world. And I know it's something you want." He opened the necklace, enlarging it enough to where it could slip around her neck easily. "I'm not asking you to replace Gloria, but I want you to know this is a fresh start for us both. And maybe… maybe it does bring me some solace knowing she's still somewhat here with me."

Vulpix stared at the necklace, already knowing her decision. She also desired for a way to end her horrible past and begin anew. She may be known differently, but her personality and dreams would stay the same.

"... I will."

Smiling at her acceptance, he lifted the necklace up and guided it around her neck. The icy rock that stayed forever cold would rest against her chest. Still, one last question lurked in Roark's mind - the one he wanted to hear the answer to most of all.

"Can you make a promise?"

"Of what?"

"Promise that you'll never give up on your dreams. That you'll see your purpose through to the end."

Gloria smiled wide, nodding intensely. "Of course! But can you make one, too?" A nod would reassure her as she hugged him again, tears sliding down her cheeks. "Please… please don't leave me."

"I promise."

"Watch your step! Just a little further, sis!"

Gloria frowned, "I can't walk properly if I have a blindfold on."

"It'd spoil the surprise! Duh!"

Guiding her along the streets of the residential sector in Empyrean City, Roark had been cooking up a surprise for her for weeks. With his stockpile of Poké from his time in the Rescue Society, he had enough to fund this endeavor.

He couldn't wait to see her reaction to it.

"Alright! You can take off the blindfold now!"

Gloria did so swiftly, readjusting her vision to see what was in front of her. Just a few feet away, a small white and round house was built. The features of which resemble herself, with her blue eyes up top and curls of wispy fur covering the roof.

She gasped, "You got us a house! And it looks like me!"

"Well, it sure beats living on the streets, and, uh…"

Roark trailed off as she sped off towards the tiny abode, entering in an excited frenzy. He would chuckle to himself as he watched her in the windows bouncing around the new home and taking in its sights.

"Didn't expect this kind of reaction, but I'll take it."

"C'mon, Gloria! You can do it!" Roark yelled from his seat, jabbing the Grass-type next to him. "Think my sister can beat Sylveon at her own game?"

Even at just twelve years of age, Gloria was by far the better cook in the household. Her talent was also recognized by a Sylveon who owned a sweets shop, offering a friendly challenge to test the Vulpix's skills. Gloria was reluctant, but with a little encouragement from her brother, she accepted the offer.

Now being watched by a few dozen onlookers around the outskirts of Empyrean City, the two chefs competed in a battle of speed. The main dish would be a batch of Pokepuffs, with both trying to get theirs done first.

"Gloria is darn good for her age, but Sylveon does this for a living, y'know," Leafeon retorted, a thought crossing her mind. "Hey, you still thinking about joining the guild?"

Roark crossed his legs, eyes glued on the event. "Yup! Although, that Shiny Lucario guy in charge didn't seem to want me in his secret club."

Leafeon giggled, "Yeah, the Guildmaster is quite selective. Shaymin and I were only able to get in because I could cook and Shaymin had knowledge about the Legendaries she did errands for."

"I've got ten years of experience at the Rescue Society, so that should be enough…" he grumbled.

"And twenty years you don't remember, huh? I remember not being able to believe you when you told me you had amnesia, or something like that."

He chuckled, "That's cause I accidentally blurted it out. But if you keep that a little secret between you and I, then my transition into the guild can be smooth."

"Hehe, of course." Another thought popped up in her mind. "I've always wondered this since you told me, but… couldn't there be another Pokemon that ended like you somewhere in this world?"

Roark raised a brow, putting serious thought into it. "Possibly. But if they're anything like me, then they don't tell that to everyone they know."

"Or, y'know, they accidentally tell you," she teased

"Shove it, sister."

The Riolu gulped once more, "Y-Yeah. All I could remember is waking up on a hill, in a clearing... and a name engraved in my mind. And that's when I met her." He indicated to Gloria with a paw.

"Just one name... right?" A quick nod reassured Roark. "Huh..." The Zoroark looked deep in thought, his eyes never leaving Liam's.

Never before would he have imagined stumbling into an amnesiac quite like himself. The Riolu, who called himself Liam, was quite like himself when he first awoke on that sandy beach - alone, lost, confused at everything in this strange land. He would go through life and never find out his past, or who his family once was. He would wander aimlessly, searching for the purpose of his existence.

Whether or not the Riolu's condition was exactly like his, he would not leave him behind - he would guide him just as Unfezant failed to, and Bisharp succeeded in.

"You believe him, right?"

It surprised him that Gloria had forgotten about his own amnesia, but he would use this opportunity to show them both their path to success.

Twirling his spoon in one claw, the ruse fox sharply inhaled. "Yeah…"

Gloria stood on top of the tallest point in the world, the peak of Celestial Mountain. Her scarf fluttered in the mountain wind as she absorbed the fantastical view around her. She silently thanked Liam for telling her to do this, as he described that it was a 'once in a lifetime sight'.

"There you are!"

The Vulpix gasped, whirling around to see her smirking brother scale the grassy hills. Once he was side by side with her on the pinnacle, he whistled at what he was witnessing, creating an echo that reverberated through the entire breadth of the mountain.

"Dang. I'm not the biggest fan of heights, but this is pretty damn great. Well worth the stupidly long trek up, if I may add."

Gloria smiled, "It really is, right? But I heard from Scizor that we're gonna have another expedition as soon as we're back."

"Tch, can't give this old fox a break, can they." He muttered, before jabbing her sides. "Hey, I know you're still carrying that necklace."

She took a deep breath, nodding. "I… I am."

"... Do you think you're worthy enough now to wear it?" He smirked. "I mean, you can't tell me that this entire expedition wasn't enough proof."

"I know, I know. And…" She touched her saddlebag. "I really do think I am this time. This entire year has been so crazy, but I've really done a lot by joining the guild with Liam."

"Damn straight, sis."

Frowning at his language, she prodded him with a paw. "I'm trying to be serious here!"

"Stop being so adorable then!"

"Ugh…"

Chuckling again, he waved a claw behind him as he left the peak. "Don't stay up there too long! We still have a feast to attend in our name in the village!"

"I won't!" she shouted back, returning to admire the amazing view and ponder about her future once more.

Nightfall had set in over the Cosmic Quilt Guild hours ago, bringing with it a full moon and a blanket of stars in the skies above. The guild had returned from its expedition, happily sleeping away in their personal dorms. However, for the case of Team Requiem, one member was still awake.

'For some reason… I can't sleep.'

Gloria repositioned herself many times in the bean bag that was her bed, attempting to lull herself back into a slumbering state. But despite her best efforts to curb her insomnia, it wouldn't work. Glancing over at her sprawled out partner, she tuned out the loud snores he emanated, quietly giggling.

'Jeez, he snores just as loud as Roark sometimes.'

Realizing her predicament, she hopped off her bed to retrieve a book in her collection to read and pass the time with. Finding her cream saddlebag lying next to a dresser, she opened its contents, one item inside making her go wide eyed.

The Never-Melt-Ice necklace.

She took it out, hooking it around her paw as she stared at it, her heart beating rhythmically. Nodding, she walked over to a nearby standing mirror, gazing at the confident Vulpix that stared back. Taking a deep breath, she looped the necklace around her nape, letting the frigid rock rest against her Cosmic Scarf. Looking into the mirror again, a new Gloria seemed to be born from this moment.

'Mom, dad, Froslass… I hope you're watching me.'

She made a promise to them all, and she wasn't gonna break it.

END OF SPECIAL EPISODE

A purpose and a promise. One must be broken for the other to be seen by all.

Author's Notes: And with this chapter, we end the very first Special Episode of this story. I hope you found this dive into the past just as emotional and heartwarming as I did. When we return, the story will continue on in the second part of The Phantasmagoria!

A grim reminder of things to come…

Do you want to talk directly to the author himself? If that's the case, then you can contact me anytime on my Discord! I respond to anybody that sends me a friend request or messages me, whether you have a question about the next update, or your thoughts and feelings about the story as a whole - positive or negative. Please, do not feel nervous about contacting me, as I am very happy and willing to respond to each and every one of you.

Discord: Z2H#7239

Otherwise, if you do not wish to use Discord, please feel free to leave a review! Regardless if they are big or small, I take all into consideration when writing!

Next Time: The Phantasmagoria: Part Two