"Dan, what's wrong?"

"Oh, me? Nothing much, Drago," the Misfit captain reassured his partner with a smile, leaning on the railing as the full moon shined bright above. 

The Penmon blinked. "You seem a lot more tired than usual."

He snorted. "Maybe too many days at sea is water-logging me at long last."

(Liar. He was born for the sea. That he knew for sure.

 He's just been at sea for much longer than he wanted to admit.)

"You and I both know that's not true..." the other frowned. "Dan, you need to be honest with me. Something's bothering you, isn't it?"

"It's fine! I'm just worried about people getting infected by Hubrancholy, is all," he told his partner. "The Hubrancholy pandemic is getting worse. You should get some sleep, Drago. We need to pick up Ao tomorrow anyway, so best to get rest when you can!"

"Right..." he still looked skeptical. "I... Dan, please, don't lie to me or yourself..."

"I won't, I won't! Don't worry about it!" The human said, grinning all the while. "So go get rest, pal. We may need it when fighting the Nightmare Soldiers!"

Drago looked at his partner, frowning, but the Digimon did waddle away, leaving Dan on the deck as he sighed. 

Slipping his contact lens off, he gazed out into the waters. To him, it was like the sea was now red... as red as the seas he once tainted with war... as Frisk...

He felt his right arm, noticing the growth of a dark substance slowly immobilizing his shoulder blade. "Soon it'll be my turn huh?" 

He let out a mirthless laugh. "I just hope Drago doesn't find out he never needed me to evolve. He'll figure out things way too fast and I can't have that when... when too much rides on this."

(That sun tail, eyes begging for food as he slithered closer.

A scream, a body falling into the ocean...)

He leaned on the railing, tears pricking at his eyes. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry... for that day..."

If he hadn't given in to the Codes... perhaps... perhaps he would still be alive. Perhaps, things wouldn't have escalated the way they had, and... perhaps someone wouldn't have died to help him snap out of it.

(These Codes... they haunt people... and the deaths, just how many people had to die for the PeRfEcT VeSSeL to be found...?)

Where did the Codes come from? How DID the Codes kill all those DigiDestined for years on end...? Perhaps the Burning Ocean Digiverse carries those answers amidst a tsunami of revelations... Stuck in this world with the Digimon Miraculous AND Apophimon, Areum Rudi, freshly from finally breaking free of the Codes, is joined by Mosse Moslaz, another member of the SRS, Relica of the Rito, a powerful warrior whose greatest insecurity may be explained by the Codes, Aisling "Ashley" Kiyami, the Paldean Champion of her world, Suguri "Kieran" Hannya, her "former" friend, and Ogerpon, a mysterious Legendary Pokémon who led Ashley, Kieran and Relica to the main Ghost Game world to stop Apophimon. Secrets will be unveiled in this story, but will it truly give a complete picture? How does Monica November, currently a Marine officer in training, play into this story? Things only delve for the worse, and hidden truths may shatter all who learn of them...

"Aojo Milligan Reed? Or formerly known as Joker?" 

He froze up at that name, but willed himself to calm down as he turned to see (of course it was) a Marine officer. "Yes? What may I help you with?" 

Kodokugumon snarled at her, even as Harpus sighed. "We're not here to hurt you. We know of your past, and we... we need information."

"You can trust them," a familiar voice made his head snap over to look at Diantha in surprise. He didn't expect her to be here, let alone to interrogate him. "You're helping the officers?"

"I have my reasons," she simply said. "Regardless, you were part of Burning Ocean. Obviously, you must know of the murders of those involved."

"I... yeah." He nodded stiffly. "Frisk's been real worried about those."

"And that's... the main reason why we're here. You're the one who was allegedly attacked by Murasame Ando which catalyzed the end of the legendary pirate crew. We thought that at the very least, you would know who Frisk is," Leonidas explained. 

He looked at them with a frown. He didn't really get why they were suddenly being so frantic, unless... "Something's changed, hasn't it? You weren't this desperate before."

The two shared a glance, yet Monica said, "... yes. The one codenamed Link in that old crew of yours... he was recently murdered, and there's an extra clue asking for Frisk to come forward again to repent of his mistakes."

Aojo's eyes widened. "W-What?!"

"Yeah, which is why we need to talk to him right away. This is a really dangerous situation-"

"No." He felt surprisingly firm when saying that. "Frisk can handle themselves. Plus, you would have to lock them up anyway, and they're pretty content with their life right now. I... I know they would have been devastated to hear about the message, but I'm not them, so I will say no thank you for them." 

"You can't make decisions for the-"

"Let's just say that life out at sea isn't the easiest," he said simply. "Regardless, Frisk will know. They always do. And I refuse to let them endanger themselves after they..."

(A body was found on the shore, a while back. Dead. Gone. Drowned. 

Whoever it was, they only knew it was from the Burning Ocean legend, because they disbanded soon afterwards.)

"Things happened. You don't have to know who Frisk was. Just know that they've changed and become a better person," He coldly answered.

"We.... Do need to. We have reason to believe they may be the main target of this serial killer, and until they find Frisk, they'll kill more and more people..." Monica said. "We... Really need to meet them."

Aojo felt a twinge of irritation as he asked, "Why? Why bring up old wounds?! We never wanted any of this!!"

"NEITHER DID WE BUT NOW WE HAVE A MURDERER RUNNING LOOSE!" Harpus argued. "We need all the information we can get and protect them from death!"

"Why?! He already got pardoned for being underage!" He yelled. "You don't have to rub it in his wound-"

He slapped a hand over his mouth, eyes widening as the two stared at him incredulously.

"Did you just say... underage? But he... He dated Murasame Ando right?..." Monica whispered. "According to the reports, they were 2 years apart..."

"Murasame... was the first one to die, wasn't he?" Aojo asked.

"He... Was. He and Nillious were... They were slaughtered horribly."

(Multiple heads tied up in an elaborate bow tainted blood red... The white scales of an Orochimon no longer pristine...)

"I... See... Well, good riddance..." He said while turning around. "He was an *******. I don't... I don't blame the murderer for killing him first, but... Frisk, they've changed a lot. They managed to suppress the Codes for a long time, even before the fusion. I've... Seen it..."

(Tears, pain, anger, guilt. The perfect recipe for a depressive episode... And yet, he...)

"He's... He's not the same person the legend tells you he is. He's no longer that vicious vice-captain. No, he actively fights for his loved ones, and I... I refuse to let him get hurt again..." He said quietly.

Monica and Diantha shared a glance once more, but nodded as Monica stepped forward. "I... I know what it's like to have messed up in the past. I didn't have the best family situation..."

Aojo raised an eyebrow. "Oh. I see. So what right do you have to do any of this?"

She inhaled quietly. "I don't. I actually don't but... I also feel responsible for protecting people."

(Always had. Even in the shadows of her family, she always did things to protect her loved ones.)

"Right now, this serial killer, if they're not stopped, they could endanger the entirety of society and hurt innocents. I highly doubt that you want that," She said, looking at him with a level expression, even as emotion leaked out, even as... She sounded uncomfortable. "I'm a Marine to protect, not to kill."

(Those instincts, they scream at her, telling her to kill, kill, kill.

Shut it down. No. She was not going to kill. She was going to save.

Was it for their sake, or was it for her own?)

"Please... Consider helping our investigation..." She pleaded. "Please, help us meet Frisk... We need to know if there's anything that could have led to a vendetta..."

He... He paused.

He remembered last night. That... That killer... That murderer...

(He had helped create that monster, hadn't he? It was hard not to feel that way... Maybe, he knew who was the one behind the hood, but refused to believe it.)

He was saved, and yet... Talem hadn't survived...

He bit his lip. Was it really worth it then? Was keeping Dan safe... Really worth losing more of them? Those who had loyally followed Murasame cause of Dan...?

Dan would HATE himself if he knew that these people were dying cause of his mistake.

His fists tightened. He took in a small breath, and met Monica's eyes. "I... Don't think I caught your name."

She blinked. "My... Name?"

"It feels wrong that you know my name but I don't know yours," He said. "Especially if I'm about to tell you stuff. 

Hearing that, she blushed hard. Right! She had completely forgotten about that!

Harpus giggled, and Diantha was definitely smirking under her mask, no doubt about it. Leonidas chuckled in amusement as Monica, recomposing herself, stuck a hand out. "I'm Monica! Monica November! A Marine officer in training who's been assigned to the case!"

Aojo nodded. "Nice to meet you, Monica."

He then paused, remembering something. "Right. There's something I need help with, if that's okay."

"Related to the case?"

"I'm afraid so. I..." He inhaled. "I... Met the murderer last night, but I was sorta helped by people who knew about Apophimon... And they had the Mark... "

Diantha and Monica stilled.

Leonidas went pale.

Shamamon gasped. "WHAT?!"

"It looked like it was a birth thing too..." Aojo said while scratching Kodokugumon's head slightly. "They seemed surprised to know that he was the progenitor of the virus too..."

"That's... Is that even possible?" Diantha whispered.

"I don't know myself, but it seemed like they weren't from this world," He said. "And... You know how people with the Codes are usually treated here."

Both their faces darkened. Oh did they ever...

"We should find those people," Leonidas said. 

"That... isn't going to be hard," Aojo admitted. "I already guided them to the Misfit Paradise ship, so..."

"That's a good thing. Drago would protect them."

"A... About that..." the navigator of the Misfits paused. "I... I think we need to go on the ship to talk about this because I really wanna protect Frisk. Plus, this is... really personal ground we're treading on. He still blames himself for it."

The two shared a glance, but Monica nodded. "Alright, lead the way, Aojo."

"Thank you..." he turned around, and willed down the tears as he walked out. He didn't have any right to cry or sob. Not when he was here. Not when he was given a second chance...

Not when... not when someone had DIED at sea because of his stupidity. 

"Are we SURE this is the place?" Areum looked worried as Relica and Mosse rummaged through various crates. "I know that Aojo isn't all that trustworthy but..."

"Well, regardless, we'll need disguises," Mosse pointed out. "We all stick out like sore thumbs, especially Relica and I. Ashley, you said that you have Ogerpon's Pokéball right? Could you call her back when it's time to board?"

"I... I can try," she said, avoiding RH-Kieran's eyes while looking at Ogerpon, who was happily chatting with Alge. "I don't know if she'll want to go back to the ball, though."

"Fair enough," Mosse said with a shrug before Relica exclaimed, "I think I found something!" 

"Huh?" Everyone turned over as she pulled out...

She frowned, her feathers feeling it over in confusion. "What in the world is this contraption? It's quite heavy..."

"R-Relica...?" Areum sounded very, very slow now. "Set it down, very, very gently."

"W-What do you mean?" She asked, feeling a bit of fear coiling in her stomach. What had she found?

"It's a bazooka. And a pretty violent one too..." a voice said out of nowhere as someone walked over and helped Relica put it back in the crate. "Not a very kid-friendly thing, now."

"I am NOT a child," Relica said coldly.

"Never said you were," he answered. "Name's Griffin Tessly. You the people Aojo mentioned? He said that he wanted you guys on board right away."

"He did? But he mentioned that you guys would set off at 1 and it's barely eleven..." Mosse frowned. 

"Things have changed, apparently. Plus, Captain wants to battle you himself to ensure you're okay to let on board," Griffin explained. "We all know he does it cause he loves battling, really, but at the same time, Captain's orders, y'know?"

"That... makes sense," Areum admitted. "I'm guessing you want a representative."

"Makes it easier for us at least cause we can't miss our next brawl. The Nightmare Soldiers are going hard on us and we can't use up too much energy, so this is the best we can do." Griffin sighed. "I'm sorry we're such bad hosts. It's just that you chose a weird time to show up."

"Don't sweat it. We're the ones who're imposing. We just really have to get to sea," Areum said. 

She paused, looking at her new companions, before sighing. "... Although a disguise would be useful."

"Why would we need one?" Relica blinked. 

Areum simply facepalmed at the excited looks on RH-Ashley and RH-Kieran's faces. Even Ogerpon was hopping up and down, her bright eyes shining bright. "Ponyo!" 

"Wowzers, we get to be pirates?! 'M so excited!" RH-Kieran smiled. 

"Let's get to it!" RH-Ashley grinned.

Griffin laughed. "Well, then, come on aboard! I'll introduce you to the crew! Hey, Trox, where you at?"

"Heyo!" A Gaossmon waved as he carried some crates and a sleeping Meicoomon and Dokunemon. "I'm Trox, and these here are Lil Jasper and Cicadora!" 

"Awww, they're so cute!" RH-Ashley smiled while reaching out to pet them, only for Griffin to pull her hand back. "Cicadora's skin is kinda poisonous and Lil Jasper doesn't like being touched, so better not." 

Areum chuckled. "Well, doesn't that bring back memories?" She was definitely reminded of Tsuchiyume and how he was when they first met. 

"Reminds you of something?" Mosse asked. 

"A fellow Dimension Keeper, is all," she answered with a smile, turning to RH-Ashley. "They'll warm up to you, don't worry about it. It just takes time, y'know." 

That... made her pause slightly. "It takes time, huh?..." 

She looked at RH-Kieran who was now talking animatedly to Griffin, eyes shining while Ogerpon hopped up and down beside him. "... Hey, erm, Areum, right?" 

She blinked. "Yeah?"

"The Mark... Is it... is it a common thing wherever you come from?" she asked softly, light pink eyes looking down. 

Areum paused before shaking her head. "No, that's... it's not common, Ashley. It's not considered a good thing in this multiverse because the system only registers Creator Gods and stuff, so anyone who... isn't coded in, basically, is considered an outlier. Those outliers, we call Anomalice." 

"Anomalice... And yet here they call it a virus..." RH-Ashley murmured. "Are they all seen badly regardless of the world...?" Her fists tightened. 

A hand placed itself on her shoulder, making her look at Areum as the older female admitted, "I'm going to assume that... You were born with the Mark, which is why you're asking. Did your parents...?"

"I... Only had a dad growing up, and he wasn't all that nice. He wanted me to be prepared for anything so he taught me to always think on my feet. That's why I'm a Champion, kyuu..." Her verbal tic came out again as her eyes landed on RH-Kieran and Ogerpon. "I... Didn't really consider the repercussions of being so strong. It was a way to keep myself safe at first. But now... I'm starting to see what Nemona meant when she said that she felt there was a gap with others. I... this strength... has become a curse."

"Huh... I guess that does make sense. You hide it, I assume?" Upon noticing her confused look, Areum clarified, "The Mark."

"O-Oh, yeah..." She nodded. "No one... Really knows that I have it. I was surprised myself when I saw Ogerpon with the same Mark before we fell into that vortex thing."

"Oger- Wait, it was Ogerpon who opened the portal that led you to the Ghost Game world?" The magenta-haired froze.

"Yeah. I really didn't expect her to have it too. And then that mon, erm, Apophimon? mentioned that Relica had it too and because of that she's blind?" She waved vaguely to the archer. "I don't know what was going on there but that's how we met."

"Ogerpon opened the vortex... So that means, most probably, Ogerpon didn't come from your world..." Areum whispered. "Unless she was born with the Codes like you and Relica. But even then there's no genetic component according to Acheelmon..." She was starting to question just what exactly they knew of the Codes.

"It... Actually depends on some other factors," A voice suddenly cut in, making them jump and turn to see a green-eyed male with blue and purple in his hair walk down the plank. "Sorry for the sudden interruption. You guys seemed so serious, so I didn't know how to introduce myself..."

"What factors actually affect the Mark?... And who are you to make those claims?" RH-Ashley's hand hovered over her starter's Pokeball.

"Well, I guess you can say that I sorta got hit with them at one point," He answered. "Name's Kage, by the way. Hubrancholy is a scary thing, so I'm surprised you managed to live on for so long. Then again, it's not impossible per se."

"Huh. You a part of the crew?" Areum inquired.

"Pretty much." He shrugged. "But anyway, the entire thing about worlds... Aojo did warn us you didn't seem to be from around here. I didn't expect that to mean you were actually from a different world! Wow! That's not that common around these parts."

"We didn't come from the same world. It's just... Stuff happened so we're kinda stranded here for now. Can't teleport us back yet. Not when we still have to find Desstin."

Kage paused. "Desstin? Who?"

"The entire reason we're here," Areum answered with a sigh. No use lying when they were going to be at sea with these people. "But it looks like the Codes have a different story to tell in this world. One that Apophimon wants us to know." 

"You think our place can tell you that story? Well, there IS the Burning Ocean legend..." he mused. 

"Burning Ocean? How can an ocean burn?" RH-Ashley asked, blinking. 

"That is a good question..." Relica agreed while walking over. 

"Oh, no, it's just the name of a pirate crew. A legendary one that got disbanded," Kage said while leaning down and picking up a crate. A Tobucatmon helped him lift it up, making him smile. "Thanks, Murph!" 

He simply smiled and nuzzled Kage in reply, similar to a dog and its master. (He was still adjusting to the crew, but at least he wasn't hated after what he let Nillious...)

He shook his head a bit to clear the dark thoughts, looking at the group as he offered, "We could talk more about it aboard the ship. We should get you all settled in as soon as we can. There's going to be a meeting to introduce you to the rest of the crew, and then we can discuss this. Aojo was very shaken up when he called Captain last night about this."

RH-Kieran and Ogerpon paused at that, sharing a glance as they remembered what had happened the night before... 

"That was so much fun! T-thanks for lending me the mask too, Ogerpon!" RH-Kieran said with a warm smile, holding the Teal Mask out to her again. 

Ogerpon took it back happily. "Pon! Poni!"

She even began nuzzling him, making him giggle. "T-That tickles! Ahahahaa! St-"

"Dan, I..." a voice suddenly made their words die. That was... Aojo right? He seemed to be calling someone...?

They shared a glance, and RH-Kieran hid behind a wall (this was familiar wasn't it? He once did this, hearing the true story of the one he had thought was better than him, but was actually just as, if not more, wounded than him...), Ogerpon hopping behind him as they took a peek. 

Aojo's fists were tight in the phone booth, but his voice remained level. "I think we need to come clean to the authorities about everything. It's... I think the consequences of what we did... I think it's finally come back to bite us back in the worst way possible..."

"What are you talking about?" The other person asked. 

"The murders... We've not heard from the others in a while, right? They're... They're being SLAUGHTERED, Dan. Someone is going around and killing them. Heck, I... I would have died tonight if I hadn't met those people with the Mark...."

"What?!" The voice on the other end sounded alarmed and concerned. 

"I... I knew that it would come back to haunt us, but... turns out we can't play pirate out at sea for any longer, Dan... we'll have to come clean... one way or another..."

"Aojo, calm down, please. We need to think this through rationally. We can still make things w-"

"I'm sick and tired of lying, Dan! I'm sick and tired... please, just... I owe you my life but I can't live like this anymore. I want to..." he sounded so scared. "Dan, the Codes... they're already killing you the more people die to this serial killer... Murasame Ando, that *******... if he hadn't decided to... we wouldn't have, YOU wouldn't be on borrowed time! Please...! Mia and the others deserve to know the truth..."

"I... Aojo... If we tell them... there's no turning back... you and I, we won't..."

"I... I'm willing if it means that innocents can be saved... If no one will have to suffer as he had..."

"I... Alright. Okay. Get them all aboard the ship. I'll take it from there."

He didn't know who the he was, but it seemed like there was so much more to the story...

And yet...

RH-Kieran bit his lip. Did he truly deserve to be here? When everyone else had a reason, even Ogerpon... why was, he, the weakling, the broken link, here instead of his successful sister...?

"Poni?" A nudge made him look at Ogerpon, who looked worried again. "Grahhh?"

"'M-M fine," he mumbled, stepping away from her as he remembered. Right. Ogerpon was Ashley's now. He forgot for blissful moments that he had lost to her, that he had... that he had lost that match. "Go... G-go back to Ashley... I'm sorry for trying to trick you into following me..."

What was he...! Ogerpon was NOT BLIND! She could see that he genuinely enjoyed her company! That he was happy, that he hadn't tricked her at ALL! WHY WAS HE-

"PON PON!" She snapped, grabbing his hand with her two stubby arms. "Grahh Ponio!" 

"O-Ogerpon?!" RH-Ashley gaped. 

"What kind of Digimon is THAT?!" Kage yelped, only now realizing she was there. "Another Fragmented Code Digimon?!"

THAT caught Areum's attention. "Hang on, what do you mean another Fragmented Code Digimon?"

He gave her a weird look, blinking. What was she talking about? "You're acting as if Apophimon is the only one. He's not. He was the first to be made, far as I know."

"And HOW do you know that?" Mosse cut in, eyes wide. "I'm assuming this world's been cut off from most of the other Digiverses, so..."

He blinked again. "You're acting as if this is the first time you've heard that Apophimon was born in this world. We've been aware of the other worlds for quite some time now."

"Kinda hard not to be aware when our world was fused with a Digiverse." Griffin shrugged. "It's a wonder we haven't been erased or something."

Mosse and Areum froze. 

"Pardon me... did I hear you right? Did you say that your world, that this world... it fused with a... what is a Digiverse...?" Relica paused, realizing, much to her embarrassment, that she didn't exactly know that term. 

She bit her lip. Failure. She was a failure for not knowing what that was. She should have asked or sought out information as soon as the opportunity presented itself! 

Alge, sensing her turmoil, nuzzled her cheek gently, gurgling at her as if worried. 

"It's basically a world where Digimon are partnered with humans. But... are you saying that your world... it wasn't a Digiverse by nature...?" Areum asked, eyes widening. 

"It... isn't known outside of our world?" Griffin seemed surprised. "I thought everyone would know not to touch our world or something. I mean, Apophimon was BORN here."

"He was WHAT!?" Mosse squawked. 

"Oh my Kamidora... What the heck, you're basically telling me that everything we know about Anomalice may as well be false! We thought ACHEELMON was the oldest!" Areum threw her hands into the air. 

"She's the SECOND oldest," Trox corrected. "Apophimon was the basis of the Codes. You can practically call him, her, them? I don't know, but Apophimon is like the motherboard of 'em all!"

"Motherboard?" RH-Ashley repeated. Digi... mon... Did that mean Digital monsters? So they were like Porygon? If that was the case... "Does that mean that he knows everything about all those who have the Mark?"

"I... suppose you can say that? I don't know." Kage shrugged while rubbing Cicadora's head, allowing her to nuzzle back against the special gloves he wore to protect himself from the poison. "Anyway, we should probably get on soon. I'm sure we can find clothes for you to wear. Pirate outfits, though..."

"We should have outfits for you guys," another voice said, making them turn to see a pink-haired girl land on the ground with a hoverboard, a Luxmon beside her. "You're the ones Aojo invited aboard right? Captain wants to meet you all in his office."

"Glorified office by status meaning. alone. We all know it's a nursery," Griffin joked. 

The girl didn't seem amused. "He's kicked Juno, TC and Isaac out. Something's spooked him so badly and you have something to do with it. I won't pretend like you're the worst, but whatever is going on right now, it's not good, so I'll reserve my judgement for now until I hear what Dan has to say."

"Dan? That's your captain's name?" Areum asked. 

She nodded. "Dan Kouzo. What about it?"

"Huh, so this world was fused with a Bakugan world... that strangely makes sense..." the Miraculous guardian mumbled. 

"I mean, it could easily just be similar names," Mosse pointed out.

"True, but at the same time, it makes me wonder..." Areum trailed off. "Something's felt familiar about that murderer we met last night. I can't put my finger on what it is, though..." 

The pink-haired girl let out a rough sigh at that. "Regardless, we have to get on now. No dawdling. The Marines could sense our presence any time now, and we don't need the Nightmare Soldiers breathing down our necks."

"Mia's right. Plus, it's better to tell you more about Apophimon after you've settled down," Griffin said. "We're already running behind schedule too."

"The Nightmare Soldiers won't be THAT eager to fight us. Not after losing their leader," Kage pointed out, suppressing a shiver at the realization that he had dodged a bullet there. If he had been... if he had still been partnered to Orochimon, to Nillious... he would have died too...

(How could he have known that it wasn't Nillious, it was ANDO who caused their deaths?)

"Fair, but still, better to make that appointment. You know how the Strait rules are," Mia countered. 

"Right. Let's not dawdle and head on in," Griffin agreed while walking into the ship, Kage joining him as the girl took a long look at the strangers. 

Mia then turned away, biting her lip. "Dan, your brain better not be super annoying right now. We can't risk anything when it comes to the Codes..."

RH-Ashley and RH-Relica flinched, hands instinctively feeling their marks while Areum frowned. RH-Kieran gulped. Ogerpon looked at him, concerned, but he avoided her gaze as he followed their hosts up into the ship. What had he been THINKING? She wasn't... Ogerpon was her own mon, she had chosen to be with Ashley, why did she look at him that way? Why did she seem so sorrowful, so sad? She should be happy, she had such a wonderful trainer who managed to become a champion! Ashley would... she would... take care of her...

(She's yours, go get her, go take her, MAKE HER SEE YOUR STRENGTH. MAKE HER ACKNOWLEDGE IT, EVEN IF IT COSTS YOU YOUR LIFE.)

He shook his head vigorously. No! He wouldn't, he couldn't do that... He refused to force-

(Why not? You deserve it after the **** you've been through. Ashley has a REGIDRAGO on her team, she's not weak, why does she need Ogerpon anyway? Just to let her rot in a digital space... You would care for her better. You want power, you have to SHOW HER, MAKE HER SEE YOU'RE THE WORTHY ONE.)

No. No. No! He wouldn't, he refused to... he wanted to believe that he wasn't a monster, he wasn't going to, he didn't want to be that kind of person! Ogerpon was safer with Ashley, he would have... he would have mistreated her if he had been given the chance to take her in. He would have utterly wrecked her emotionally cause of his own issues. (The thirst for power is a powerful motivator. Way back in his youth, it was considered a way to survive when his sister was nothing short of a *******.) 

What a weakling. He was pathetic... he was a loser... bullying others to feel good about himself was impressively low, but he was willing to do it. As long as it meant he won ONE battl-

He felt himself stumble. His weight shifted, gravity nearly pulling him to the water, but then a hand reached out to grab him. "Hey, you good?!" 

And for a minute, he swore he saw red irises, as if there was something covering those maroon orbs with a dark blue-purple, as he looked at his savior. "W-Wowzers, thanks a lot..."

"No worries. You were pretty out of it," The captain answered. "I'm Dan, the captain of the Misfit Paradise ship."

"I-I'm Kieran," he shyly mumbled. "N-Nice to meet you..."

The brown-haired guy smiled, although it didn't really reach his eyes. "I'm glad ta hear that. Don't space out at sea, gotcha? It's kinda a scary place out there and we have to be careful." 

"R-Right, s-sorry about that..." 

Dan patted his back slightly before turning around to look at the others. "I trust the others will lead you to the deck, so after we set off, it's a battle, then you settle down and we talk about the Codes. That way, just in case we need to dump any bodies, it'll be at sea and not around here." 

That definitely sent shivers down their spines. Dump any bodies...? He made it sound like a normal thing...

"W-What do you mean, d-dump bodies?" RH-Ashley asked, horror seeping into her tone. "You make it sound like... Like having the Mark is worthy of death..."

"It's not infectious, thankfully, but it CAN kill you," Dan said with a sigh. "The seas out here are dangerous, and I can't risk anything. We don't need people dying on the ship ag- I mean, dying, in general."

Was he about to say... again?

"Should I start expecting a Ghost-type to show up...?" RH-Ashley mumbled. "Darn, I don't have a Dark-type on hand... Kieran does have Shiftry so that can account for SOME resistance but..."

"Why would you expect a ghost, whatever it is, to show up?" Relica asked in confusion, leading Mosse to pat her shoulder. "I'll explain everything after we get settled in, I promise, Relica. For now, we need to decide who's representing us so we don't get killed at sea."

"I can do i-"

"No. And it's nothing against your skills. It's just that we're in a different world. We play by their rules, to some extent," Mosse said. "Alge is only a familiar to me, and Sky- no, Areum right?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I can't fight much either, if I'm up against a Digimon. That's how they battle here I suppose."

"If that's the case, our only option lies with Kieran or Ashley," Relica said. "They seem capable of summoning familiars that can fend for themselves, I believe the term they used was Pokémon?"

"Right on the money there, although..." Areum frowned as she looked at Ogerpon, who blinked back at her. "Definitely not Ogerpon. If they found out about the Mark on her..."

"Well, we still have to fight," Mosse pointed out. "I personally think we should chance it with either of them, just in case."

"That IS true...  we need to see who we're up against to be able to properly gauge the situation," RH-Ashley admitted. 

RH-Kieran looked away. "I... I'll sit out... Ashley is the champion of her school, s-so she's better equipped for this."

"No, I... I can't," the other Trainer said while shaking her head. "I can't... I-"

What did she mean, she couldn't?!

"You already caught Ogerpon, you already took down the Lousy Three... w-what other evidence do you need?!" He snapped, grabbing her collar as those yellow eyes finally looked at her orbs for the first time in a while (after she lied, he couldn't see her the same way...) "Y-You're so strong, I-I bet you're the champion of Paldea or something, cause you're so good at everything and-"

"I... I'm not where I want to be, either, Kieran. Why would you say that?..." She whispered, and those eyes, those sad, broken eyes killed any protest about to erupt from his mouth. Why, why did she look at him that way?

Pink met yellow, and there was... something, a flash of peach pink in his irises, before he bit his lip and roughly shoved her, albeit not off the ship, as he turned around. "I-I can't, either... I-I... I'm not strong enough, I-I'm not like you or Sis..." 

A hand then placed itself on his shoulder as Kage shook his head. "It's not about being strong here, trust me. In fact, I'll encourage you to see this as a fun little challenge."

"F-Fun?" He repeated, and Areum frowned at how taken aback he looked. Why did RH-Kieran seem so... so fixated on strength anyway? Why did he seem so, so lost at the word? (Just like her, before she was adopted by her dad. The orphanage wasn't friendly to her, he was the only one who took the time to teach her the stuff she needed for life.) "B-But a battle is-" 

"Sure, it can be dangerous, but..." he smiled. "Battles are meant to be fun sometimes, you know? And this one isn't meant to go too far. I trust Dan. I know he'll stop when the time is right, so why not relax and just, you know, let loose?" 

"Let loose...?" He paused, his fists loosening. "Is that... e-even possible...?"

"If you don't try now, when will you?" Kage asked while chuckling. "You've got potential, kid. I can see it in your eyes." 

"I-I do?"

"Yeah! I can sense the fire in you, even if you can't feel it yourself. I can see that in a lot of people. Captain and I share that, so I'm sure that you can go all out and enjoy yourself with him! He has that aura, a way with people, really." He smiled. 

RH-Kieran looked at him, noting just how sincere, how kind those eyes were, just as... just as Ashley's had...

No, no, no, he... he couldn't, shouldn't trust others again, not after what happened. 

And yet, and yet, he felt that urge push him. Urge him to trust in this total stranger, to desperately hang onto some belief that he did matter, that he WAS someone of worth... That he wasn't a loser, as everyone called him, that he was... that he MEANT something to someone... 

He wanted it. So, so badly... He wanted this warmth, this fire...

(He didn't know this yet, but his own flame burned bright, and Kage could see it in those eyes as the glassy look became more real, more human, he looked happier... It made the other guy smile.

He had once been in the same mess, but Dan had pulled him out of that. 

It had taken him a while, but he and Cicadora had found his home, and he sincerely hoped that Kieran could find his too someday.)

He looked at Kage, and gulped, his hand shaking again, but he took in a deep breath and turned to Areum. "I... Is it okay if I...?" 

"Sure, go ahead!" she nodded with what she hoped was an encouraging smile. Gosh, was she getting old? She sure felt that way... 

She couldn't help but worry for Shiift, though. She knew her partner was fine, but the way they had been separated, she... 

Wait, what about the Ghost Game people? Were they fine? And she hadn't heard from Gangsan or Daun at all... that was weird. She hadn't sensed their auras when she was in the Ghost Game world... they could have gone dimension hopping to check on stuff, yet somehow she doubted it. 

Something was going on. Everything was starting to tie into the Anomalice backstory, of perhaps Mona Artemision's story, of the Codes... of what truly happened that created them...

"Hey, don't think too hard about stuff," Mosse's voice made her look to the Sheikah, who had a gentle smile as she said, "It feels scary, I know. But we need to keep a level head and overthinking will waste your energy. I think we should focus on what we have in front of us and figure out what we can do here. Obviously there's something we have to do here if Apophimon brought us along for the ride."

"Right... he didn't have to. Heck, he could have left us in the GG world... so why strand us here...?" She mumbled. She was starting to get suspicious. It was like he was protecting someone... but who would he protect so fiercely that he would risk all this...? Why go to the GG world in the first place?

"Now that I think about it, he did say he wanted to die... that's not really a healthy train of thought," the former mercenary said, looking over as she saw them slowly disembark from the harbour. "Makes me wonder if there's... something else..."

Her eyes landed on Alge once more, and Mosse winced. The Mark only served as a reminder, really. It reminded her of the things she had done out of anger, perhaps bitterness. Working for that other Fic had been the dumbest thing ever, and she was so glad the SRS helped her when she didn't deserve it....

"You seem quite familiar with that kind of thought process... Do you... want to talk about it?" RH-Ashley sounded hesitant about prying.

Mosse snorted. "I don't plan on hiding my past anyway, so sure. I was on the brink of death just last year, around this time too, actually."

"W-wait what?!" Relica's ears perked up. She hadn't known THAT!

"Let's just say that things happened, and I got to reunite with my significant other," she said with a chuckle, pulling her dark brown hair back despite the strand protruding upwards. (Ahoge, one  of them had called it.) "But the road to get there was nasty."

(Some days, she still gripped her neck hard, as if the Dark Crystal was still there...

She wondered if she could have been ejected from her home had she not been saved, had PA Fic...

She closed her eyes. "Let's just say that I got lucky."

(Did she?)

"Mosse..."

"I'm not sure if it was a good thing," she admitted, leaning on the railing while looking out to the open sea. "Sure, I got to realize just how ****ed up my life was, but it hurt."

Relica frowned, walking over to join her before she paused. She... didn't know what to say. She could tell that this was a painful time for Mosse. Heck, she understood...

"You... don't have to be okay with it," she said, surprising herself. "You told me to accept myself, right? So why not accept that you don't have to be okay with what life throws at you? You... you deserve some anger I think."

Alge nodded, nuzzling her cheek in reply while gurgling. Still concerned about her even after everything, huh...?

Mosse chuckled lightly, patting Alge's head. "I know. The team has been nice enough to me, and my significant other is very supportive. I'm glad that things worked out, even if..."

(The trauma, the suffering, was it worth it? She remembered being so bitter towards Fic, but watching their growth, the sorrow they held in them, the empathy, it had made her realize how self-centered she had been. Made her fully turn from her mercenary path. 

But there were days. Days when she woke up sweating and crying, hands shaking as she felt the neck, expecting the Crystal to still be there, to still be whispering into her ear... only to remember the worst was over, that she was free...

Was it... truly worth it?)

"Even if stuff happened, I guess."

"Regardless, you're not alone. We're all here for you, if you'll let us," Areum said, her hand still on the other's shoulder. 

"Same here," Relica agreed. "You didn't end my life that day so many years ago. It's about time I repay you for that."

"I honestly still don't know why I spared you that day," Mosse admitted with a short laugh. She knew that killing the child of the Rito champion would have garnered enough payment, and yet... "It's just weird, isn't it? Life, I mean."

RH-Ashley nodded, joining them near the edge as the ship continued to pull away from the harbour. "I definitely agree there. Who would have expected this outcome? Who would have expected that..." 

She looked at RH-Kieran, determined with a fire in his eyes (what was that pink glow?) as he mumbled under his breath, "I could send out Cada to check things out, but are we allowed to switch during battle?"

Using Dipplin was definitely a safe spot. She had seen it with the Leftovers, and man was it a powerhouse to work past. The only way she survived was through her EV and IV training... All her mons had been at Level 100 too, so if Kieran had trained up his team to the same level, she... she was sure that she could have lost that battle. Thankfully, he hadn't-

Hang on. Thankfully? What was she saying? It wasn't like he was evil! Why was she treating him like... as if he was some sort of villain? Like he was a Pokemon Hunter...?

She shook her head rapidly. No, he was her friend! He wasn't—

He would rip you apart if Ogerpon wasn't here. You know that he's going to destroy you.

She froze.

"Ashley?" Areum blinked as she noticed the younger girl's shaking. 

Relica frowned, feeling the railing shake. "What's going on? Ashley?"

"I-I... it's nothing," she said, pulling away from the sides as nausea pooled in her stomach. What in the world... what WAS that...? 

She shook her head. No. No! Why was she seeing him as a bad person? Kieran wasn't, he was a FRIEND! It didn't matter that he had... that he had looked so cold during their fight at the Dreaded Den! It didn't matter that he had genuinely unnerved her with all the items... He wasn't the bad guy!

But if he is not the bad guy... then are YOU and CARMINE the bad guys?

No! No! That wasn't, it was an accident! She hadn't wanted to keep lying to him, and yet...

Why...

Why had she lied...?

Her fists shook. Her knuckles turned white as dread, that horrible feeling, permeated through. 

She... she didn't know. She didn't know why she had lied, why she hadn't been able to tell him the truth, casually waving off his feelings, and being so confident that he would be fine... 

That... that scared her. That she herself did things she didn't want to do. As if... as if...

"Aisling, you must always be vigilant around others. Do not trust easily. And let no one know of the Mark."

As if her father were still there, his words clear. Telling her what to do... Always dismissing how she felt...

"I... I think I need to lie down," she managed. "I-Is there a medical bay for me to rest in for now...?"

"Pon pon?" Ogerpon rushed over, concern in her eyes while nuzzling her side gently. "Ponio!"

"I'm fine, I guess I'm just..." her voice faltered when she saw Kieran, looking a bit concerned too. "... tired."

"That does make sense. Here, I'll show you to the restroom for now until it's time for the match," Mia offered. "Captain will probably take a while to get Drago so you do have time for some shut-eye."

"T-Thanks," she mumbled, even though she wanted so, so badly to watch the battle, to see Kieran in a fight outside of her and Carmine. 

She knew that if she was there, he wouldn't be focused at all. He could lose the match out of spite, and that was the last thing any of them wanted. Not when he didn't know about the Marks....

Wouldn't it be a mercy if he didn't find out, though? If he didn't find out... about how she...

She simply turned around, following Mia, unaware of a pair of serpentine orbs watching as her "former" friend frowned. What was... Was she okay? 

He bit his lip. He... he didn't get it. He shouldn't feel bad, right? He hadn't done... he had already apologized, he had meant it, things just... escalated. He had... 

He had messed up again, hadn't he? He... (He wanted to stay friends with her, but he pushed her away.)

But he shook his head. Not the time. He had to focus on the upcoming battle. He knew they had to talk at one point. (But you're scared. You don't want to admit that you hate her. You know that she's so much better, and you HATE that. You're only good at hiding and running away, using leverage to get what you want. You're a coward, a weakling. No wonder Carmine had to protect you in Blueberry, no wonder they had to make her lie to you. Because if you had known that she had seen Ogerpon... what would you have done, Suguri?)

What would... he have done?

His fist shook. He... he had already done so many unforgivable things. He had already left... left Merkins behind for...

"I don't need weak Pokémon! I have to get stronger! If you can't pull your weight, you're better off in the box!"

He had... oh, Arceus, what had he DONE?  He had... he had...

It was like a fog had been lifted. He stumbled back a bit, almost crumpling to the ground as the guilt threatened to utterly wreck him inside out. No, his friend, his starter, he had... he had treated him so horribly. Why? Why had he been so stupid, so arrogant...? Had he finally lost it?

(Perhaps he always knew, that he would. That someday, it would boil over and explode in the worst way possible. 

It did. It had. And the only person to blame for being so weak, for not handling it like Ashley and Carmine was himself, the coward who sought power and friendship when he didn't deserve it.)

He ruined everything for anyone, especially Ogerpon. He didn't deserve friendship. He was rotten, he was evil. He had abandoned FURRET. Merkins had only wanted to support him, yet how had he treated him? He had tossed him into the box, leaving him to rot! Who knows what would have happened if he had won that battle?!

He couldn't fool himself, the world already knew he was a selfish brat... a pathetic loser who got a wonderful sister and treated her horribly... who was given a friend and yet mistreated her...

He truly was... he truly was a different breed of monster... A sadist, even worse than that Apophimon...

After all, the ones whose betrayals hurt the most were the ones that came from those you trust.

"Hey, are you okay? You look pretty pale!" Another voice jolted him back to reality, causing him to jump as he turned to see a girl with dark skin and green eyes. Her long brown hair was tied back into a ponytail. Huh, reminded him of Amarys... a hyperactive version of her, at least. 

"I-I'm fine!" He reassured with a smile that didn't really reach his eyes. "I-I just need time to pick out my team!"

"Your team? Don't you just have one Digimon, though?" She inquired. 

And just like that, all eyes were on him again.

He gulped, but then he remembered what Mosse had said. Right. They had to blend in. So maybe...!

He laughed. "O-Oh, it's just that I have a few friends! I-I don't really pick someone to partner with cause it's less balanced! Keeps things friendly!"

Mosse let out a low whistle at that. That was a pretty interesting way of describing it.

"Huh, so other worlds are like that! That's soooo cool! I'm Juno Reyes!" She introduced herself while a Gabumon X snoozed on her lap. "This is Bruiser!"

"N-Nice to meet you! I-I'm Kieran! W-What are you doing by the way?" He suddenly inquired, walking over to her. Hopefully this would distract her. 

It did. Her eyes took on a mad scientist tint as she showed him her laptop. "I'm figuring out a way to quicken evolution or even unlock a new type! We've already reached Armor and Burst Evolution! We just need to figure out another one to get an edge over the Fragmented Evolution that the Codes allow us to do!"

"The Nightmare Soldiers did figure it out because of Murasame, so we need an edge. Fast. If we lose, we may as well be giving in, and that's not what we Misfits do," Griffin agreed. 

"Even though the Jungle Troopers stole our discovery. I swear that Backslash is a-" Jasper smacked Kage's mouth with a sharp glare as she nudged him to notice the two kids chasing each other happily, a Ganimon X and a Sangomon watching them with grins. "... thanks. Captain would have killed me."

"He would have if he had bloodlust for anyone but Murasame for some reason. But he was so shaken up about his death..." Mia frowned. "As if he knew something..."

"Huh? Death? Did someone die?" Areum paused. 

That surprised Griffin. "You didn't know that the Codes would kill you with crystals, and now you're telling me you didn't know that people have been DYING around here?"

"Dyi- wait. That murderer we met last night...!" Relica was starting to put the pieces together. Their footsteps had been... everything had felt so wrong. "Had they been infected with the Codes too...?"

But Ogerpon's face had gone deadly pale. And Areum remembered Gangsan telling her about the DigiDestined who had died to the Codes in the GG timeline, but...

Killed with crystals?

"What do you mean... d-death by crystals?" Mosse sounded shaken. 

Juno frowned, closing her laptop. "You guys don't know anything about the Codes, do you?"

"We... I learnt from my dad," Areum admitted. 

"I wasn't around a lot. I did world-hopping growing up. Never stopped to question it, actually," Mosse added. 

"You had?" That was definitely a surprise to Relica. But then again, she didn't know much about Mosse, did she?

"Well, I grew up an explorer. I guess that extended to different worlds," the Sheikah confessed. "I don't really remember how I got into it but it was fun and I did get to learn a lot of stuff so..."

(Her parents, they never really stuck to one place. And Mosse herself soon fell in line with that philosophy. Don't get attached. Learn and move on. But once she met Rainbow Diamond... 

... Hang on.)

"You said... crystals right?" she asked the pirates, who shared a confused look. She seemed like she knew something, so why was she asking?

"Yeah? Kinda like gems. That's how the Codes manifest in your bloodstream," Mia said. "But if triggered, they expand and burst out of your vessels, killing you." 

Her eyes widened. Now that she thought of it... The reports for Gangsan and Daun's grandparents had been impressively vague...

Did that mean that... that everything they knew of the Codes was false? Then... then where did the facts lie...? 

"So let me get this straight, the Mark, it can kill you? It has killed BEFORE?" Relica stammered, eyes widening by the second. "B-But why hasn't it killed me?"

"I suppose it does make sense since I assume you were born with them," Juno said with a sigh. "If you're born with them, they only activate under the right conditions." 

"A-And what ARE the right conditions?..." RH-Kieran stammered. 

"It depends on the situation," Dan's voice made them look over to see him and Drago standing side by side as the captain leaned on a pole. "Emotions play a huge role here, though. A desire is particularly potent." 

"A desire...?" Relica repeated. Now that she thought of it, hadn't she been feeling...?

"I have nothing to say! JUST LET ME SUFFER ALREADY!" 

She had not been in the right mindset at the time...

"Grah..." Ogerpon paled. She had been... 

If only humans could get along...

She had just wanted them to get along, and yet, it only awoke the Mark she had sworn to keep down after...

A low growl, a chuckle. "Stay safe, Ogi. This Teal Mask... is yours to use."

And then a hand fell to the ground. 

She, she couldn't, she...

"GRAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!"

When she came to, the Mark had finally subsided, but dead bodies lay before her. Humans running, and her cudgel...

Bloodied. Glitches all over it.

She shook, tears falling down her cheeks as she sniffled. No, no no, she had... she had... She had caused trouble again... She had caused her friend's death, she had driven the mask maker away, she had... she had killed Kyubi...

"Ponio...! Pon pon..." she whispered, looking down. 

Noticing this, Alge didn't hesitate to hop over and nuzzle her, wanting to comfort her so badly. Why did she look so sad? Why did those eyes look so haunted? He wanted her to stop hurting, he wanted everyone to stop hurting. How could other people cause pain without remorse? Did they not have feelings? 

Ogerpon could only nuzzle back, trying to control the storm of tears leaking out. She was the reason they were here. She was the reason Ashley, oh, if Ashley knew, she would hate her so so much... if... if...

What would KIERAN say about all this? He had looked up to her for so long, and yet, all she had done was...

Dan watched them with a sad sigh. It looked pretty bad outside their world, huh...?

Then again, if Apophimon was back, as Aojo had guessed... well... it only meant that things were about to get much, much worse. 

The ocean could burn once more, as it had that day...

"I hate to interrupt, but it's time for the battle," he said. "We have ten hours until we meet the Nightmare Soldiers. Drago needs time to recuperate from the battle so let's get this over and done with."

"R-Right," RH-Kieran gulped. This was... he could very well lose right here. 

And then what? Would they be thrown overboard for his incompetence? 

He... he couldn't let that happen. He couldn't cause any more pain than he already had. He HAD to get this right, even if it was this one battle. 

Please, Arceus, if you hear me, please help me make up for my stupidity, even if it's this small thing. He begged inwardly. Help me keep these people alive. I don't want anyone to get hurt, to die because of me.

He had to stop being so selfish! No wonder his sister didn't tell him about Ogerpon; she knew how ****ed up he was inside...

That was going to change. He HAD to make things right. He was going to fix this. 

I'll get us all home. I swear! He thought to himself, taking in a deep breath while grabbing his Pokéball. 

He looked at Dan and held it out. "Let's do this! How many mons are you bringing into battle?"

"Just Drago," he answered, a light entering his eyes as his hands gripped a red ball with the Misfits' symbol on it. "It's a one-on-one, so let's get this show on the road!"

"R-Right!" He closed his eyes, bringing it closer to his face and taking in a deep breath. Alright. Time to go all out!

He opened his eyes, held it out, and threw the ball. "Cada, your time to shine!"

The Dipplin roared at the other, causing Dan to blink in surprise. Oohhhkaaay, he was not expecting this, but...

He felt a grin form on his face. As much as the unknown should scare him after all this time, he still felt the adrenaline rush that came with battles, and he was not about to disappoint! "Drago, let's do this! Evolution time!"

He had a feeling he could go all out, so...!

The Penmon smiled as the glow of evolution overtook him, making RH-Kieran cover his eyes due to how bright it was...

But when it subsided, his eyes widened. What in the...?!

"This is...!" Areum gasped. 

A golden dragon boat stood proud, scales shining while three dumplings stood at attention, hands gripping oars with determined looks despite the puffy cheeks they owned. 

"Duanwuchuanmon!" The Mega roared at them.

It was. 

So...

So. ...

Goddamn adorable.

RH-Kieran felt his heart just. Just break at the thought of hurting this cute mon. Oh no. No. Why, how did he know that he had a weakness for cute stuff?! They had just met?! Why was this mon so cute?! This was the worst case scenario! He couldn't do anything in this case! He was putty! They were going to DIE-

Cada suddenly made a noise, jolting him out of his rumination as the Pokémon looked at him with a cross look. (Well, as much as a Dipplin could. He sometimes likened the look to one a kid pouting over not getting a toy they wanted.) Was he annoyed that he was spacing out during the battle? Or was it that Cada was angry at HIM? 

He didn't know, but looking a bit deeper into those eyes, he had a feeling that Cada was determined. He wanted to fight to the best of his ability, and Kieran...

He couldn't say no to that. He refused to let Cada down! "R-Right, time to go all out!"

He was going to get this right, no matter what!

"It's time, huh?..." 

"Are you... nervous?" Mona asked gently as the two stood in front of a mirror. Yuga was fiddling with the beige cloak, which she didn't think was a thing of his. He always seemed so confident in his memories. (She had been curious. She had wanted to know more about her Vessel, and he always let her see stuff. It was a confident yet broken boy she saw afterwards. She couldn't believe what he had been through...) "We... don't have to go through with this, you know. I won't force you into doing anything you don't want."

"Thanks for the consideration, Mona-san, but... I have to do this," Yuga said, looking at her from the one eye. 

She.. couldn't help but feel surprised by how his eye shone golden. There was something, something hidden inside. What was it? Why was he so determined to find out the truth? Was it for Gangsan, or was it for...?

Was it for himself?

She didn't know which it was, but Aesopia was aware that it was still his choice. Plus, they had to get rid of Pascatmon's egg anyway. It was better to get rid of it in a different world and blame it on other factors. That would slow down the Keepers, even if it wouldn't change anything for Pascatmon.

Still, she couldn't shake off this feeling, as if there was... something wrong with Yuga. 

Well, if he was sane, he wouldn't have betrayed his friends... 

And that was the weird part. Why would he do any of this? Why join her in her fight against the system...? 

She didn't know, but something told her things was about to get much, much worse. 

Still, purple looked at amber. "Let's go."

He nodded. "Let's."

And with that, they were gone from that shack, leaving ShatteredHopemon watching as Marduk closed his eyes. 

"Mona, Yuga, please... don't do anything reckless. Don't repeat my mistake... of ruining my world..." he whispered. 

(The Healing Core Cell, broken. 

A desperate soul, now ruined for his actions... 

"I'm sorry, Dia, Monica, Ichita, K- no, Dan...")

(Monica shoots awake. Eyes wide, breathing from inside the Diamond Clandestine, setting sail to intercept the Misfit Paradise ship.

What was that? And why... did that sound like Marduk "Marth" Jenkins?)