Chapter 132 – The Hardest News
Dialga sat in front of the Radiant Tree, still thinking about the letter he had sent to Arceus. Elder… He tried to meditate, tried to reach for those little bits of memory of him as a Lucario, but they were so frustratingly distant. Dark Matter really did a number on him. He wondered if that was just how they were, so small against his long life, but he knew that Rhys had spent a great deal of time alive, too. And he had his own dreams and desires that were at the edge of his mind, and yet… not.
"Ah, there you are." Palkia sauntered over and gave a firm pat on Dialga's back. "Was wondering where you decided to wander off. Speaking with the Tree, are we?"
"No, only thinking," Dialga replied, looking at the bank that glowed dimly with prismatic light. "Besides, it's quite awkward when I know he can hear me, but can't answer. Not effectively, at least."
"Well, apparently, that isn't very different from how it used to be, hm?" Palkia asked, staring past the leaves and into the portal that led to Kilo. "Well, go on. Tell me what's wrong. It isn't like you to stray from Rayquaza if you can help it."
"I've strayed from him for a while," Dialga murmured. "Been a Void Titan for world knows how long."
"Ahh, I suppose, I suppose." Palkia snapped his claws and formed a tiny portal. He pulled a journal from it and flipped through the pages.
Dialga squinted. "Did you find your old diary?"
"No, I'm recreating it!" Palkia chirped. "Oh, how I missed journal writing and notetaking."
"I'm surprised you've found the time for it."
"Well, with how much planning Giratina insists she does, there's plenty of space on the schedule for leisure."
They shared a smile, resting by the tree, and shared a quiet moment of silence together.
"Well, you must tell me," Palkia insisted. "You know how bad I am with reading people. But certainly, you are behaving abnormally."
Dialga sighed. "I do not know how to tell Rayquaza," he said. "Palkia, I've… become whole, as you know. And I've determined, and wrote to Arceus, that Rayquaza's half is… Rhys' significant other."
"Oh, well that works out perfectly, does it not?" Palkia tilted his head. "No drama about whose love shall dominate, or what will is stronger between the two personalities. Your strongest material obligations are perfectly aligned."
"If only it were that simple," Dialga said. "I truly wish that was the case. But… I feel quite distanced from that mortal half. However, that may have been due to the circumstances of Rhys' arrival to me, or… perhaps, more aptly phrased, his departure from, er… dominant existence."
"Ah… ah, I believe I understand." Palkia brought a claw to his chin. "You fear that Rhys' other half will have a stronger personality within Rayquaza, causing a mismatch…"
"It's a valid concern, is it not?"
"Yes, very much so!" Palkia balled up a fist and slammed it into his palm. "Well, I've got just the solution! We merely have to replicate the same conditions with Rhys' other half. Kill him utterly and crush his spirit!" Palkia grinned confidently at Dialga. "Then things will align just right."
"Sometimes I wonder if you lost part of your soul during ascent, Palkia."
"Well, that's also true, isn't it?"
Dialga was about to object, but then bobbed his head in defeat. "No killing Rhys' lover. That's my request."
"Ahh, always giving the challenging puzzles. Very well! I shall think of another solution."
"And, in the meantime… do you suggest I speak to Rayquaza about it?"
"Perhaps, perhaps. This is part of our primary goal of speaking to our halves to reunite. I believe we have deduced that mine is a Nevren fellow. A shame the name isn't familiar to me! But, that is part of the split's properties, it seems. Hmm, speaking of which, I believe Anam may be in possession of Giratina's other half. Should we witness the reunion?"
"Already?" Dialga slowly got to his feet. "I suppose so. We should see how the process goes for… future reference. I imagine we will be dealing with this a lot, and I'm quite concerned about how it will be received. Many of our halves seem totally unaware of their status."
"Quite awkward. Though, I'm certain my other half will be very cooperative." Palkia nodded. "After all, who wouldn't find being me good news?"
Dialga chose not to answer.
"I would like some peace and quiet, if you don't mind," Xerneas muttered, tapping his hoof on the tile. "That includes you, Owen."
The flower reeled incredulously. How was he making noise?
"Your leaves are distracting. Hold still."
Owen drooped sadly.
"Oh, come on, it can't be that hard," Gahi protested, thumping his tail on the ground. "What, god of life can't turn a plant into a Charmander? I thought that'd be, like, a morning task er somethin'."
"Keep up the sass and I'll turn you into moss."
"Feh! I'd like ter see yeh try!"
"Wh-what Gahi means," Demitri said when Xerneas' antlers brightened, "is that… we are very confident in your abilities, but… wonder if you might still be weaker? R-recovering! That you're still recovering."
"Just give me time to focus and I'll restore him," Xerneas grunted. "I'm keeping most of my power for myself, but restoring him to a proper body is at least adequate for…" He shrugged. "He did save us. This time."
Xerneas' antlers brightened even more, and a gentle warmth flooded the flower's systems. Owen was quickly feeling the insatiable urge to move and twist in the soil he'd been planted in, curling his stem downward as his vision went dark. Moments later, amid muffled sounds and a strange, cramped feeling, Owen kicked away at the ceramic pot that he stood in and stumbled forward, only to be caught by one of Mispy's vines.
"Ugh—" Owen took his first breath and coughed. "Oh, look, lungs again," he wheezed.
"Too used to being a plant, are we?" Xerneas hummed.
"That could be it." Owen rolled over onto his back, thanking Mispy with a nod. "I… shared that dream with the other me, kind of. I didn't really have much to do while being a flower. I'm… doing alright." Not that Xerneas was wondering.
"Then you know what you did as Wishkeeper," Xerneas said. "Your betrayal, raising an army to usurp Necrozma, leading a wave of darkness to consume all of Quartz?"
"Wasn't… my intent, but… we're thinking of the same thing," Owen said with what little defensiveness he could muster.
"Yeah, yer gonna explain that," Gahi said.
"Where's Zena?" Owen asked.
"The Milotic?" Xerneas asked with a subtle sneer. "She left. Something about a spa."
"Oh, work," Owen said with a nod. "I think I want to see her next. Get everyone together so we can talk—you know, for those who don't… have the full story yet."
"You're going to willingly tell her about your hand in why we're all stuck in the Voidlands? All cursed to the same fate?" Xerneas stared with an icy gaze. "Hmph. Well, you'll at least save me the trouble."
"I don't know if I'll be able to explain everything," Owen said. "It's a lot. But I can give the summary."
"The summary won't give the full impact of how monumentally you destroyed everything you hoped to save," Xerneas replied with a low growl. "Summarizing it is disrespecting the countless souls that have been lost to the Voidlands."
Owen's throat tightened, but he nodded stiffly. His hesitation left Xerneas an opening to continue.
"But I suppose that's to be expected. You were always someone more on the efficient side. You don't have time for morals in favor of the greater good." He shrugged. "Do what you want. They'll hate you later."
"Alright, that's enough," Gahi slammed his tail on the ground. "Where d'you think yer comin' from, spittin' at Owen like this? He betrayed us, too, an' I don't give a rip!"
"You don't remember your own involvement," Xerneas snapped back. "You are nothing but a mortal half who will one day cease to be."
"I'll show you ceasing," Gahi said, crouching down.
"Gahi, don't!" Demitri begged.
"Stop," Mispy said, but her voice was too soft.
"He's right," Owen said, and that made Gahi stumble.
"What?" Gahi hissed, swinging himself backwards.
"Look, Xerneas is… blunt about it, and there's a lot I want to protest about it, but… but he's right. In the end, that's what happened." Owen rubbed his left arm. "But right now, it's time to fix it, and I need to help. Xerneas, how much power do you have? Can you bring me up to Charmeleon?"
"Why Charmeleon?" Xerneas pressed.
"My Perceive starts showing up then, and you don't have enough power for Charizard, do you?"
Owen saw what seemed to be a flinch. "I can bring you up to Charizard if you want," he said. "The power of evolution is my most basic skill. But it would be at a very early stage; a forced, early evolution. You will be incredibly weak."
"Then the smaller size of a Charmeleon is better for now," Owen concluded. "But I need my Perceive. It's the biggest jump I can get."
"Fine. You'll still need to get your power back, though. And the best way to do that is tear down that tree, and take back the fragment Alexander stole."
"I won't be doing the first part," Owen said. "Not yet. Sorry. I know it… offends you, but right now, it's making Null Village happy, and I think it might be maintaining the portal to Hot Spot, too."
"Yes, yes." Xerneas dismissed it all. "Hold still. Let's get you to your second stage…"
How long had it been?
Owen didn't need to sleep. He didn't need to eat. There were no clocks in the dungeon room. That left the Charmeleon with little reference for how much time had passed, and he didn't want to bother Diyem with any of that. His spirits were too far for him to communicate with, or he did not know the method to reach out to them, either. And, in truth, he didn't want to bother them, either.
When he meditated, he lost all sense of time. It could have been seconds. It could have been days. Nothing disturbed him in this dungeon cell.
So, when he finally heard the first door beyond his cell opening, he perked up with interest, suddenly realizing how bored he was.
Then, Qitlan entered, the usual, smug look in his eyes. He had a satchel on his hip. The Inteleon closed the door behind him and leaned against it, arms crossed. "You haven't moved very much, Owen. You'd think we had actually chained you up."
"Why didn't you?" Owen asked with genuine curiosity, though that had been the first time he'd spoken in a while. His voice sounded a little scratchy.
"We believed there was a mutual agreement between us that so long as you stayed here, your friends would be safe. You did not need literal chains. The metaphorical ones were… adequate." He uncurled his fingers as if gesturing to something beside him. "We could probably leave these doors unlocked and you'd still stay within Cipher City's perimeter. Oh, and don't worry. We are looking into ways to make your stay here very comfortable, as long as you remain cooperative. Really. We aren't cruel… by default."
Owen said nothing in response.
"So, I think for your first exercise in cooperating, and not forcing my hand, I'd like you to do a few minor services for me."
Still, he said nothing, but he was attentive. He slowly got to his feet, cracking some of his joints in the process. He'd definitely been sitting for most of the day. So stiff. He had wanted to bring the feeling back to his body to feel a little normal again. That meant some aches and pains, too. It reminded him of being alive.
The satchel opened, and Qitlan placed a few stones on the ground. They looked ordinary, about fist-sized, and otherwise about as interesting as a lump of stone could be.
"You're familiar with blessings, correct?" Qitlan said.
He nodded.
"I want you to do something with these, but not anything random. Something very specific. Something that only you can do with ease."
Owen furrowed his scaly brow and stared at the stones for a little while longer. "Eat them?" he asked, thinking back to the Everstone.
Qitlan's cold gaze flashed with bewilderment, but that was all. It went back to neutral. "No." He gestured again to the stones. "Think about the most precious thing in Kilo for a moment. I think I want you to puzzle this out. The concept, if you find it on your own, will help you create these blessings."
"The most precious thing to Kilo," Owen said, humming in thought.
"Yes. Think, to the average Kiloan… what is the most precious thing in the world?"
Owen's mind was drawing a blank. This seemed like such a simple answer, but so many precious things flitted though his head. Their friends, their family? Their pride? Their safety?
"Precious to nature itself," Qitlan hinted.
"…Life?" Owen guessed. "Life."
Qitlan nodded. "Life is precious. But in the Voidlands, we have already died. And to die again is in our destiny. Eternally. So, life has… less worth. What, then, is taking its place?"
Owen looked at the pebbles, and then thought more. Life, his own life, was not that precious anymore. He'd lost it so many times; death did not frighten him. In fact, sometimes he used it strategically. But one thing he did treasure… Could that be the same in the Voidlands?
"Memories," Owen said with certainty. "You want me to make Gone Pebbles."
Marshadow had mentioned those, and he'd put it off in favor of being turned into an apple, among other things.
"So, you already know of them," Qitlan said. "Very good. Gone Pebbles… they are often found when Titans are defeated by the energy from a light crystal, but that energy bounces just the right way against solid objects. They usually need to be very sturdy, so stones tend to be how they're found. Little pebbles from the impact. But you can simulate the same thing, can't you? That raw power to shake loose the hold Dark Matter has on your memories… You can manipulate both energies, after all. So, surely, you can create Gone Pebbles the same way."
"I've never done this before," he said, "but I'll try." It was to their mutual benefit. Owen figured he might need this in the future.
When the corruption of a Titan and the radiance of a light crystal collided…
That was when light and dark met. If Owen had to guess, it had something to do with the darkness resonating with Dark Matter's hold on the victim's memories, and the light being able to pierce through it with that guidance.
Powered by the simple dream of getting a memory back? Was that all he needed? A wish?
It wasn't unlike when Owen had tried to save someone before. Jerry had been melting away to nothing, and Owen had saved him with the pure, desperate need to keep him alive, to normalize his aura. Maybe the same would happen now.
But, no matter how much he tried, nothing seemed to happen. Not with Qitlan standing there expectantly, distracting him.
"Can you come back later?" Owen asked. "I can't just… do it. I need to figure it out. Why doesn't Mhynt do this?"
Qitlan scoffed. "You aren't privy to that information. But, fine. I'll leave these here, and return later. We have some interrogating to do with you later."
"Interrogating?" Owen echoed.
"Of course! It's almost ready. We hope you'll be cooperative."
Owen tensed, but then nodded. "Fine. Time for me to get to work."
"I'll leave you be, for now." And with a polite bow, Qitlan stepped backwards and out of the dungeon cell. Once again, Owen was alone.
Zena slithered home feeling confused and conflicted.
She got fired, but only to free her up to save the world. Preparing to head out. And probably to get whatever a 'severance package' was, but Zena didn't really care about that. It freed her up and that was what mattered, in a bittersweet way.
But when the door opened, the last thing she expected to see was a Charmeleon in the kitchen. At first, she just scowled to herself and slithered to the other room, passing by another Charmeleon who looked exactly like the first.
"Hello, Enet," Zena greeted the Zoroark in her room, who growled back affectionately. "…Diyem."
The black-flamed Charmander was sitting in the corner, reading a book. "Welcome back," he said without looking up.
Zena thought about something cordial she could say, but then paused.
Enet was there, lounging. She'd passed by Eon. Diyem was there and not evolved. Who was that second Charmeleon?
Another beat passed. Then, she whirled around and nearly toppled over the second Charmeleon.
"Owen?!"
The one helping with cooking jumped, and then pointed at the one in front of Zena, who had tripped and fallen.
"Owen!" She leaned forward and helped him up with her ribbons. "You're—so Xerneas restored you?!"
"Kinda," Owen said with a nervous titter. "Good to s—hrgk!"
Zena pulled him in for a tight embrace, coiling around him once. This time, she was gentle about it. "I barely recognized you," she said. "There have been a lot of… yous I've been seeing lately." She glanced at her room, where Diyem had been, and then at Eon, who nervously waved at her. "…Eon has been getting better at maintaining his form, hasn't he?"
"I'm just always on his mind," Owen said. Zena wasn't sure if he was joking. "Anyway, how have you been doing?"
"Oh, I've been doing… Well, I don't have a job anymore, but it was to free me up for leaving here. My boss was… shaken up and thankful. I'd like to go with you, if that's okay…"
Owen tilted his head in that semi-feral way of his that seemed so nostalgic to Zena. "Right, I… Before we do that, I need to talk to you about a lot of things. Everyone, actually, if we can. It's about… my memories. Things I've gotten back. We'll probably want to hear it before we go to West Null Village to meet Jirachi and the Trio of Mind."
Zena felt a little cold at their mention. "Of course. Right. I remember that." Her gaze trailed to Demitri and Eon, who were putting the finishing touches on their meal. "Over dinner?"
Owen looked uncomfortable, shifting on his feet and grabbing at his tail. "I guess so."
She wasn't sure how to feel about his reaction. Was it really that bad?
Diyem was there to supplement some of the things Owen said, or details he'd missed, and Owen didn't object when he did. So, it had to have been true, as much as Zena didn't want to admit it. Hakk wasn't at the table—he had gone to his old house to check on the rebuilding progress—but everyone else listened closely.
Owen started to explain to them everything he knew. He talked about Kanto, this strange land with humans as the dominant species and Pokémon as creatures that could be trained alongside them like ferals. That Owen himself was feral, just like Enet. Eon, of course, confirmed it all. A twisted, conflicted feeling tied itself in knots in Zena's gut at the sad gazes the pair gave one another. Eon had been responsible for so much, and yet now it seemed like they were overlooking him for Dark Matter, and now, Alexander.
But Zena kept quiet. It wasn't the time for that. Eon had been making efforts to change, anyway.
Owen took a break for some food. He looked exhausted just from that tale, but apparently there was still so much more to tell. And at that moment, it occurred to Zena that she was remembering significantly more about Owen than last time.
"…Diyem," Zena said, "when I died, were my memories claimed by you?"
"Yes."
"You restored them to me."
Diyem crossed his arms and paused his meal. "Mm. I did do that. I guess I wasn't paying attention."
"You forgot you restored my memories," Zena said flatly.
"Mm. I restored countless memories of those nearby. I forgot that also included you." He glanced at her. "At some point you're all just statistics to keep track of. Tasks to complete. My apologies."
"Um… thank you for restoring so many with what little power you had," Demitri said.
"Mrm." Diyem grunted. "Don't thank me."
"No, but really! It's one of the greatest things you've—"
"Stop," Diyem spat, "…please. It was a request."
Demitri flinched, looking confusedly at Gahi, then Mispy, who seemed unsurprised.
"Mm." Trina tapped a leafy hand on the table. "It hurts, I presume?"
Gahi, next to her, twitched one of his antennae. "Aw, that's right, eh? Good stuff hurts. Well, alright. I hate ya fer puttin' us in this situation in the firs' place!" Gahi made a growling noise. "Yer scum!"
An awkward silence followed, filled only by Enet chomping on her meal.
"You have to actually mean it," Diyem deadpanned.
"Feh… killjoy."
"Yes."
Owen sighed, smiling a little. Zena wasn't sure what was going through his head just then, and she looked between the Charmeleon and Charmander.
"I'm glad you're okay, Diyem," Owen said.
Diyem flinched, eyes widening a little. Then, he seemed to wince and cover his mouth, dark fog seeping through the corners of his mouth.
"Oh, uh—sorry."
"I hate you," Diyem said, wheezing, as the darkness seemed to slow down. After several more breaths, he straightened again. "Go on. Continue with what happened next."
"Right…"
Owen continued, now moving on to his life with Tim, and how he had died the first time. Star, Barky, and what they had done to Quartz Isle—the literally earth-shattering revelation that Kilo was constructed from that destroyed island. A recreation for those killed to live in a false world, like some imitation, because those gods did not have the means to revive those they had killed.
So, they had instead made a new world. One where while they were weaker, they at least could let those who died, 'live.'
Zena's blood boiled, but she kept her voice even. "Our world was the result of some divine mistake," she spat.
"Why no humans?" Mispy wondered aloud.
"My guess is that Star was too scared of humans after what they did," Demitri said. "Maybe when constructing this world, all the humans… went away, even though Star also felt bad. So the result was… everyone became Pokémon."
"Selfish even when being selfless," Zena muttered. "Star…"
"Well, it's all in the past, now, ain't it?" Jerry finally spoke up, wings crossed. "What's this got to do with today? That was, what, a thousand years ago?"
"Two thousand, probably," Owen corrected, and Jerry flinched.
"How old are you?" Jerry murmured.
"I'm older than Kilo," Owen pointed out.
Gahi scoffed. "You were sittin' on that line."
"The past is writing the present," Diyem said, answering Jerry. "Old sins that came with this world's beginning are causing its strife today. And that includes, of course, myself."
"Diyem…" Owen sighed, solemn, and Zena looked between them again.
"You… were created from those shadows, weren't you?" Zena asked. "That strange technology that the humans performed on Star… That must be it. The way it was described is very similar…"
"I don't know for sure," Diyem said, "but that is certainly a contributing factor. I can't deny the similarities. Creation is… a delicate thing. A single stray thought from a flawed god, and something like me becomes embedded within the fabric of the new reality. A wonderful way to learn of your purpose, isn't it? An accident." He shrugged.
"Diyem…" Owen wasn't looking at anyone in the eyes, now. Zena could only imagine why, after all that happened, but she listened carefully.
He eventually continued, talking about his role as Jirachi's assistant. This unreal, larger than life tale of mortals climbing a place called Destiny Tower to become Legends. Owen remarked that it was all just to tie things over until its eventual end, because Star and Barky knew the world wasn't meant to last. It was only a temporary reality. The requirements to become a god were, therefore, lighter.
The very idea that everything Zena had lived in was intended to be a temporary world, meant to eventually be wiped away… The sheer arrogance of the gods for thinking that…
Owen explained to Eon and the others about the Reincarnation Machine meant to bring him back when he died. And how that eventually led to being the Wishkeeper, and how eventually, after a thousand years passed, it became time for the world to end.
That wish. That horrible wish…
"I don't remember any of this," Eon said with an uncomfortable gulp. "O-of course I wouldn't… Jirachi does… my…"
"That's when I met you, Diyem," Owen said. "Isn't it?"
"Mm. And it is also when you betrayed everyone else. They were loyal to Necrozma and Arceus, or Star, I suppose. Following the way the world would go, so they could remove me from it. You wanted to save me instead. I suppose I corrupted your mind in subtle ways to let that happen, to let you doubt them enough that you'd side with me."
"W-w-wait," Demitri said quickly. "You… you mean Owen… defended you back then, to the point where…"
Diyem shrugged. "Perhaps if Owen refused, I would have found someone else. But, that is how it happened. Owen wanted to save me. And he was the first person to reach out to me. Perhaps he was the first one who thought to try. The world wasn't that old, after all."
"…I also… had to betray my mate. Mhynt. And also… my daughter."
Gahi choked on his food. Mispy helped pat it out.
"WHAT?!" Gahi yelped.
Zena flinched. "W-wait. Xerneas, when he said…"
"It was her." He glanced at Gahi briefly for some reason. "And it was also Gahi for a little while after that. L-like… like a rebound."
"Us?!" Gahi said, pointing at himself.
Trina looked between the Flygon and Charmeleon, almost like she was appraising it.
Zena wasn't sure she saw it. Perhaps they had been different in the past.
"Well, you did fuse together in your sleep," Demitri said, poking his claws together. "That's pretty intimate…"
"Well, yeah, but that was dif'rent!" Gahi said. "I was all, y'know, emotional 'n stuff. He was jus' bein' a good friend 'n stuff."
"Um, fuse?"
The small voice caught them off guard. They turned their attention to Amia, staring up at them all.
Owen looked pained again, but he forced a smile. "I guess you don't remember the details about that. It's alright, Mom. Not too important right now."
"By gods," Alex whispered after a silence, "a daughter…" The Hydreigon fidgeted. "But then, where… where is she?"
"Split apart spiritually, not unlike the Legends we've seen," Diyem said, "though, she never became one herself."
"Remi…" Owen took a long breath. "Sceptile Remilia. I need to find her."
He was avoiding Zena's gaze. At first, she was confused, but then it dawned on her that perhaps he was feeling… conflicted with these new memories. Her first instinct was fear, from somewhere deep, but she also reminded herself of what Owen was going through. She had to be there for him.
"Do you have any ideas?" Zena asked, breaking that hesitation with helpfulness. She only then realized that several of the others had already been looking at her.
"Huh?" Owen glanced at Zena. They'd locked eyes, but then he quickly looked away again. "No, I don't. Just that part of her had been in the Voidlands, but escaped, and no part of her is across the aura sea. Somehow, she's been trapped, or sealed, or something else."
"But how could that be, for so long?" Alex asked. "Surely we would have noticed something like that… Er, by 'we,' I mean, well, everyone."
"I don't know," Owen said.
"Before we get into theory crafting, don't you have one more thing you'd like to go over?" Diyem asked.
Complete silence. Owen's flame had dimmed considerably. Then, it crackled once, like a warning. "No," Owen replied.
"If you don't, I will," Diyem threatened.
"If he doesn't want to talk about it, I won't hear it," Zena said before others could protest.
Diyem scoffed. "Trying to appeal to him now that you have competition?"
"That isn't it at all," Zena hissed, hearing someone mumble. "Owen has been through enough. Stop putting him through more."
"I'll say it!" Owen snapped, and Zena flinched. She thought back to the past few seconds. Owen had been mumbling and she'd talked over him. His voice had been so small, she'd…
"Of course," she replied guiltily.
Diyem rolled his eyes and muttered something Zena couldn't hear.
"Owen?" Eon asked quietly.
"You already said your daughter's missing, not even death rescuing her," Trina said with a hesitant lean forward. "What could be worse?"
"That doesn't affect a lot of people here, but this…" The Charmeleon stared at his plate, nearly untouched. "…Team Alloy. As the Trio of Mind, they… had been sent by Arceus, or Necrozma, or one of them. And even though Azelf was close to me, I guess he was closer to what he thought was right for protecting the world. And it wasn't agreeing with me. So, when I wasn't expecting it, they… erased me."
That word. Erased. Not killed, not sealed… erased? "What does that mean?" Zena asked.
Owen was trembling. Tentatively, she brought one of her ribbons to him, and he flinched at first, so Zena pulled away. Then, almost out of desperation, the Charmeleon defied his own reflexes and held her anyway. He toyed with her ribbons for something to grab.
"Mesprit is the master of emotions. He could quell powerful ones, and bring about new ones. And… and he could also take them away. Uxie had knowledge. She could grant knowledge directly to people, like information, just, right into the mind, and they would know it as well as she did. And she can take it away. And Azelf… could embolden anyone. Fill them with the willpower to try anything they put their mind to. And…"
"…And he could take it away," Zena finished darkly. She brought her second ribbon over, draping it over his shoulders. Owen was warm. He leaned against her, but his breaths were light and quick. She squeezed him a little, rhythmic, and his breaths matched her rhythm.
"They took those away from me and made me nothing," Owen finished. "They took away 'me.'"
SLAM!
Zena yelped, as did several others. Heads turned to Gahi, who had smashed his fist into the table. He was glaring at Diyem. "That's a fake memory," he snarled.
"Necrozma confirmed it," Diyem replied coolly. "There's no—hrk!"
In the time it took to blink, Gahi had gone from his seat on the table to choking Diyem against the wall. A gust of wind knocked over some of the plates, which clattered on the ground.
"Then yer workin' t'gether," he hissed. "We'd never do that. Yer givin' him fake memories! ADMIT IT!"
"Gahi, stop!" Demitri begged, but he was shaking too much.
Mispy was calm. She only watched.
Diyem, still with his neck squeezed, strained to say, "Owen… would know more than anyone… what faulty memory feels like. Owen… it's too vivid… isn't it? Because those memories… are etched into your spirit. You cannot fabricate those… They are eternal…"
"Let him go, Gahi," Owen said. "Please."
"It ain't true!" Gahi roared, squeezing even tighter. "It—"
A beam of light struck Gahi precisely on the wrist. He swore loudly, dropping Diyem on the ground. He didn't even clutch the wound; he reached for Diyem again, but that opening from Mispy's tiny Solar Beam had been enough for others to spring into action. Diyem had suddenly disappeared, and Demitri finally got to hold him on the shoulders in a gentle but inescapable grip. Enet appeared moments later out of arm's reach, cradling Diyem in her arms.
All the while, Owen only watched. Zena was the only one close enough to see the tears he was holding back.
"It's true, Gahi," Owen whimpered. "I'm… I'm sorry."
"What're you apologizin' fer?!" Gahi shouted, smashing his fist against the wall next.
"G-Gahi, please…" Demitri spoke like his mouth was dry. "Just calm down. It… we just need to listen to this. He's telling it to us for a reason, right?"
Mispy was only watching intently. Her petals were glowing.
But, finally, Gahi stood down. "And they're in West Null, eh?" he said, sounding breathless.
"Yeah. They're… still around. Your other halves. And…"
"Then I don't wanna see 'em," Gahi stated flatly.
"Gahi, we—if we want to fight Alexander, we need all the power we can get," Owen pleaded. "But…"
"We've got, what, five Legends with us already?! Use them! I ain't goin' back." Gahi waved his arm in front of him, as if shoving the idea aside. "If I see that Azelf, I'm tearin' him apart, y'hear me?"
"Well, if you want to make his half as diminutive as possible, killing him yourself would be one way to do it," Diyem confirmed idly.
Gahi looked at Diyem like he was taking that seriously.
"That was a joke. I was joking."
"But that's true, ain't it?"
"Do not kill your other half. It is not ideal." Diyem gestured behind him. "Rhys was killed and Dialga hasn't recovered his full strength because of it. That will take time. Far more time than we have."
Silence.
More silence. Like everyone had frozen in place.
"…Did nobody figure that out yet?" Diyem asked. "Mm. I forgot to mention that."
"Rhys is dead?" Demitri whispered.
"He's Dialga…" Mispy seemed to be staring at something invisible on her plate.
Gahi began to walk toward the doorway. Demitri did the same and, perhaps seeing the rest of her team doing so, Mispy followed last.
"Where are you going?" Zena called.
"I gotta go on a walk," Gahi mumbled. "Need… air."
"Don't fly away from town, Gahi," Owen said.
"I won't, I won't…" There was no life in his voice. Owen looked like he wanted to follow, but he was still shaking. He was in no condition for that.
"I'll keep up with them," offered the other Charmeleon in the room. Eon stood up and continued for the exit. "Will that be alright?"
"Y-yeah, okay," Owen replied automatically, like he hadn't thought about it.
Zena gave Eon a warning look, but it softened a little when the Charmeleon shrank away.
Despite everything, Eon… probably knew how to keep Gahi in check if he had to. It sickened her to admit it, but she nodded at him. "Just keep him safe."
The false Charmeleon left, and Enet finally set Diyem back on his seat.
"Is it safe for them to be alone?" Zena asked.
"Alexander isn't here, and the Void Shadows in the area are mine. Docile." Diyem prodded at his plate. "Physically, they will be fine." He took another bite of Demitri's cooking. "But it doesn't take someone like me to sense their feelings. Does it?"
Zena winced. Everything felt awful, even though the battle felt like so long ago. "I suppose not."
Owen was leaning against her. Despite everything, she forced a smile for him, and he smiled the same way back. It lasted less than a second.
"Must be hard on you, too," Owen said quietly.
Zena didn't know how to answer, so she followed her instincts. "I'll be fine."
Because amid all of this, the way Gahi had reacted, the way Owen was shaking… Zena's problems were nothing. Suddenly, it all seemed so petty. As she took one last bite from her stew, she resolved something quietly in her mind, and then said, "This doesn't change our goals. Rescue your other half, and defeat Alexander. Right?"
Owen nodded, but something still seemed to be bothering him. Zena had a good guess.
"And what should we do about Mhynt?" she asked.
The way Owen was looking away from her again, Zena knew, bitterly, the answer.
"Be honest," she said. "It's okay. I'll be fine."
"I just want to know why," he said. "She'd never side with Alexander willingly. Something's… wrong. Changed. I need to know."
All fair questions. And if they could find a way to get Mhynt on their side, it would be a serious blow to Alexander's forces.
"I'll help," Zena said. "If we can snap her out of it, we'll be that much closer to overthrowing everything here. Right?"
She squeezed him a little tighter.
"If you still have feelings for her, I… will understand, Owen. You have a daughter with her. That…"
But Owen looked pained. She stopped.
"Sorry," she said softly. "I… said too much." And in front of everybody, no less. This should have been a conversation in private. Yet, she'd gone and ran her mouth.
"No," Owen finally said. "It won't be the same, Zena. She's… changed. And so have I. Even before all this, I… left for a reason. I can't go back to that. There are a lot of things I can't ever go back to."
"But…"
"She still needs to be free," Owen said. "That's… that's what I want. Does that make sense?"
Such a loaded question. But after a pause, "I think it does, Owen."
They had their resolve. They had their plan. But as Zena's eyes trailed to the doorway, she figured the last thing they needed before setting off was their team. But perhaps most of all, they all needed to find their fire.
