WELCOME TO THE GAMER ZONE.

Mew. She couldn't believe it. She'd actually found Mew. They were right in front of her. Frantically, she explained her situation. She told Mew about her and Aster, and Dark Matter, and Aster's disappearance.

There was a pause.

And then Mew... started to laugh. "The truth is..."

Maisy held her breath.

"I've got no idea what you're talking about!" Mew finished with another laugh.

Maisy's heart fell. This wasn't Aster after all. Finding Mew had been for nothing. Heartbroken, she turned to leave.

"Huh? Are you leaving already?" Mew asked.

She paused to nod, then continued walking away.

Mew, for some reason, followed. "Well, let's go then! I'm with you!"

Maisy wanted to tell them to leave. Honestly, she wanted nothing more than to be alone right now so she could cry as hard as possible. But something in her couldn't bring herself to say anything. It wasn't exactly Mew's fault, after all. There was no reason to take out her grief on them.

Maisy walked, and Mew followed.

~

Mew had been with her for two days and they were already driving her insane. Not because they were annoying, Maisy actually enjoyed their company quite a bit. That was the problem- they were too much like Aster. Everything they did reminded her of her lost best friend. The way they smiled, the restless way they swished their tail, the mischievous glimmer they got in their eye when they had an idea. Mew was so much like Aster it made her heart ache.

Everyone agreed they were a great fit for the Expedition Society, and a great partner for Maisy. By day three, there were multiple crayon drawings of Maisy and Mew on their bedroom wall. Exploring with Mew felt natural, the same as it had felt with Aster.

So natural, in fact, that Maisy began to convince herself that they were Aster. It'd make sense, right? Maybe she just didn't have her memories. Maybe her favorite fennekin really was in there and just needed to remember who she was. That thought was the only thing bringing her a bit of comfort.

I know you're in there, Aster. I'll find you.

~

Mew wasn't Aster. It became more clear the more time she spent with them. Past the big similarities were little differences she had been too in denial to notice before. They spoke with a different rhythm. Their laugh was different. They liked different foods (Aster had the biggest sweet tooth of anyone Maisy knew, and Mew seemed to have an affinity for sour and bitter berries.)

That wasn't Aster. They're not Aster. That's. Not. Aster.

Maisy spent nearly a whole night crying after Mew had gone to sleep (in Aster's nest, as if it wasn't already too much.) She tore the crayon drawings off the wall and ripped them in half. Mew would be upset when they woke up, but she didn't care.

She hated Mew. Hated that they had convinced her they were her beloved partner. Hated that she'd gotten so close to them. Hated that everyone treated them like Aster's replacement.

She had no tears left, so Maisy sat in her nest and screamed.

~

By the time Mew had been there a week, Maisy had calmed down. Mew's presence still bothered her, but she could get along with them on good days.

As if any day could truly be "good" without Aster.

More than anything, she wanted her partner back. She wished on a shooting star, just like they used to together. She begged the universe to bring Aster back. She even thought about visiting Xerneas to ask her if she could do anything.

Every day she wanted Aster back. And every day, she went on without her.

~

Maisy felt awful. She was neglecting her role as an Expedition Society member. Every day Mew asked her to come exploring with them, and every day she told them maybe tomorrow. She hardly left her room. Swirlix practically had to drag her to dinner, otherwise she wouldn't eat anything.

It all felt pointless, with Aster gone. Ampharos had given her some official time off, so at least she wasn't ignoring her job anymore. She took a visit to Serene Village at his suggestion. She did not go into the empty house where she and Nuzleaf once lived. She did not go up to the hill with the big tree. She did not visit the school, although her classmates found her anyway.

They comforted her as best they could. She appreciated them trying, even though it didn't do much. Espurr rubbed circles on her back while she cried. Deerling gave her a box of cookies her mom had made. Pancham said he was sorry. She didn't have anything to say in return.

~

Time heals all wounds, everyone kept telling her. Maisy didn't believe it at first. It hurt so much, she couldn't believe that it wouldn't just hurt forever. And yet one day, she woke up and it didn't feel as raw anymore. One day, she woke up and found she could go on adventures with Mew again. It felt good to do her job again. It felt good to make other pokemon happy.

She started talking to the other Expedition Society members again. Mawile had been teaching her to sew, lately. It was difficult with flippers (she didn't exactly miss being human, but she couldn't deny that fingers were useful,) but she had a lot of help. Mew even joined in and made a scarf for themself (Maisy still refused to let them wear Aster's old harmony scarf, it just didn't feel right.)

She still missed Aster, of course. Every time she looked at the night sky, she remembered stargazing with her partner on their favorite hill. She remembered Aster pointing out constellations to her. She remembered forming a team together, naming it after those nights they spent staring at the sky.

Maybe she'd always miss Aster. But maybe she didn't always have to be miserable about it. And she'd come to think of Mew as a good friend. They weren't Aster, they'd never be Aster, but once she'd stopped trying to see them as her old partner, she began to see new, unique Mew things that she appreciated them for. She glanced at their sleeping form, pink tail curled around them.

"Goodnight Mew," she whispered, settling into her own nest.