Chapter 145 – Unexpected Life
The doctors had insisted Zena stay in bed and recover from those wounds, which were still bleeding mildly despite her Mystic healing. Being struck by the Judgement of Arceus, as it turned out, was more difficult to heal. But Zena insisted a little harder that she go and see Owen; she would be fine. The pain meant little to her anyway.
It was easy to tell where they were. The Radiant Tree of Life, which had gone dark when Leph fled, was brightening. It seemed like it was trying to form a portal into the living world again, since their convenient one had gone out with the Tree's light.
She had made it just in time to see Owen, two of the Trio of Mind, their former assailants, and another Owen standing by the tree. Owen had pulled something vile and shadowy out of Leph's chest, which left her collapsed on the ground from the shock. By the time Zena had gotten within speaking distance, Aster had collapsed next, trembling and incapacitated.
"Um… I do hope I am not interrupting anything," Zena said.
Charmeleon and Charizard both looked at her with relieved smiles. Only then did Zena notice Mhynt also there, frowning pensively, but saying nothing.
"…Oh. Right," Mhynt suddenly said, holding out her palm before forming that empty Honedge.
Zena was immediately on guard, but when Owen and Owen only looked perplexed, she did nothing further.
Mhynt pointed the blade at the ground and fired something red. Zena watched in disgusted awe as a skeleton formed, stuffed and covered itself in living organs and red flesh, and finally covered properly in skin that went over the body in a fine mist before solidifying.
A Swampert now stood there, dazed, and returning to his senses. "Buh—huh?" He blinked. "What? Where?" He spun around, but then yelped when Mhynt tossed the Honedge husk toward him.
"Keep it as an apology," Mhynt said with a hum. "I don't need it anymore."
"Oh. Um. Thanks?" Swampert gave Charizard Owen a panicked look, but he only nodded, as if that would mean something.
"Anyway," Charmeleon Owen finally said, "I think… it's about time we do our own return to form, huh?"
Charizard Owen nodded. "Right. Let's get together again."
They stood awkwardly. Zena awaited whatever strange process they were going to go through. She wondered if she would be allowed to watch, or if it was something stranger and… No, no, she shouldn't fantasize.
"Um, Owen?" Zena spoke up.
"Yeah, hang on," they both said, staring at each other.
More silence.
"…Okay," Charizard Owen said, clearing his throat. "So… we have no idea how to recombine."
Zena gaped. "What?!"
"We didn't think about this part!" Charmeleon Owen squeaked. "We uhh, I mean, I figured one of us would die and we'd combine that way! I wasn't counting on being rescued from all angles…"
"Wait, so should I kill you?" Charizard Owen asked.
"I—maybe? You're the one with wings, so I don't think I should take you."
"Wait, can't you evolve yourself?"
"I kinda tried that during the raid and it didn't work…"
"So that's another strange thing along with not being able to Perceive part of you…"
The two Owens continued to talk to each other, theorizing and contemplating with sentences too fast that Zena stopped following along.
"Hey, ehh…" Manny spoke up. "How about a dance?"
"What? A dance?" they asked. "Why?"
"I dunno. How about the Hot Spot dance?" Manny suggested.
They suddenly looked horrified. "No!" they exclaimed. Charizard Owen continued, "How is a dance going to get us together?! How do you know about that dance, anyway?"
"Ehh, well, I was the one who suggested it ter Star, an' I guess she told it ter Amia, an'—"
"You put me through that?!" Charmeleon Owen said. Both their tails flashed a strangely furious blue.
"Y'know, ferget I said anything!" Manny took a few careful steps back, holding up his paws.
"Alright! Alright. How about… we try it like a fusion?" Charmeleon Owen said. "We do that all the time."
"So, like, a special hug?" Charizard Owen asked.
Mhynt squinted.
"Yeah! Alright, you're pretty big, so how about you just hold me?"
"Sure, uh, like this…?"
Mhynt inched toward Zena. "So, he still does that."
Zena glanced down, still keeping one eye on the odd ritual. "…Wait. That's on purpose?"
"Oh, that's cute." Mhynt chuckled to herself.
"What does that mean?"
"Wait! It's working!" Charmeleon Owen said, and just as he started to sink a little, both Owens flashed a white light. Two became one, but for a blink's worth of time, something dark emerged from Charmeleon Owen's chest.
Zena recalled that had been where Owen had been stabbed through Diyem before being kidnapped…
What was that?
But it happened so quickly that she had no time to react to any of it. It was over already, the full, whole Charizard standing before them. He took a long, deep breath, then exhaled, wincing a little as he rubbed his chest.
"Not the smoothest transition," Owen mumbled. "Give me a second… Just sorting out memories again…"
"Take your time," Zena said, slithering a little closer. "…Owen… Are you feeling okay?"
The Charizard took a few minutes to stretch his wings and arms, shifting his weight like it was a little uncomfortable. The delay in reply put Zena a little on edge. It didn't feel right, but she couldn't place why. Maybe his movements were off. She gave uncertain glances to the others as Owen rubbed at his chest again.
"Yeah! Just was a… a, uh, just a rough…" He trailed off, then shrugged unevenly.
By now, the others were growing quiet from their buzzing banter in the crowd. "Eh, Owen?" Manny asked.
"Yeah?" Owen asked. "Yeah, I'm… fine, just… with, fus, that's…"
"Did the fusion go wrong?" Zena asked, but she couldn't find anything amiss with his aura. None of that fragmented mess that it had been during a Reset, or just before when he had mutant problems. It did seem a little weaker, though, and something seemed…
Owen said a few more words, but they were incoherent. There was a startled look in his eyes as he gestured to himself, confused… He squinted, but it looked more like a wink.
And then he collapsed against Zena.
"Owen!" Zena wrapped ribbons over him.
Everyone shouted, but Manny was quick to spring away, saying something about a doctor. Mhynt looked like she was staring death in the face.
"I—I'll stay here," Zena said helplessly. "Get help! Anywhere!"
While Manny ran to the doctors and others left to find specific people, Zena called Mhynt over to try to see what was wrong. But even Mhynt was out of her element here.
"Just—just be with him," Mhynt said shakily. "He's divine, isn't he? Shouldn't this not happen?"
"I don't know," Zena said. "Owen, Owen, can you hear me?"
Mhynt felt around his chest, but then flinched.
"Careful, Charizard have massive body heat," Zena warned. "The stress might—"
"It's cold."
Zena's heart sank into her gut. She felt Owen's body. Warm. But when she felt where Mhynt touched—right near his heart—all she could feel was the cold of a void.
Once again, Zena was in a hospital. This time, it was in a waiting room. There was a strange, helpless feeling wrapped around her heart. Even after healing attempts by the others, even a bleary Arceus herself, it wasn't enough to undo whatever strange damage Owen had taken from the reunion with himself.
They'd hauled him into a room immediately, triaging him. It was apparently high priority because he was already whisked away into one of the operating rooms. Zena wondered if Owen would have approved of that, or if he would think about how many others would be waiting a little longer for their treatments because of him.
As far as Zena was concerned, this was a little more pertinent. Owen had gods and usurpers to fight.
She'd lost track of the time. A few employees occasionally emerged, coming and going to check on Zena, but all the while, she assured them with little nods and not much else. She wasn't well. Everyone knew she wasn't well. But they couldn't do anything about it, nor could she herself.
Heaving a sigh, she curled up in the corner of the waiting room and contemplated closing her eyes.
Then, a Carnivine came floating into the room, holding a small box of chocolates. They made eye contact and Zena immediately recognized him as her former boss. She hid a scowl as he floated over.
"I, er, I… heard what happened," he said. "You're… Zena, right?"
"I am." So he remembered her name.
"I just wanted to apologize for… things." No eye contact. "The spa isn't doing so well after being, uh… destroyed. But we'll bounce back. I had no idea how important you were, see…" He placed the box on the table next to Zena, as if it would mean something.
"Well." She wondered how the others would have handled this. That softened her gaze some. "Thank you. I hope the spa improves, but I hope we can rescue everyone before then."
"That'd sure be something," Carnivine remarked with a little laugh. "Uh, really, though, thanks. And sorry. I don't know what that battle was, but by the time I was awake again… it was all over. I must have already been saved by someone, maybe one of your group."
"And how about the others?" Zena asked.
"Most, er, they're still being… searched for. But we ran into a few. They aren't interested in working again. Poor Vaporeon is an Eevee again, too, so her old job won't really… work now."
"Right… some had been killed."
Carnivine nodded solemnly.
"I'm glad they're still around," Zena said. "Thank you for the update."
"How's Charizard?"
She hid her apprehension. "Well… I don't know. But I know he'll pull through. This is just a… bump on the path."
"Or a shift in the current, right?" Carnivine asked lightheartedly.
She found herself smiling a little. "Yes, or a shift," she said. "And we will swim through."
"Heh. Yeah. You know, when I saw you guys, like, in just little glimpses, you seemed like a good couple. I hope he's good to you."
"He is." An image of Mhynt holding Owen's chest flashed in her mind. She frowned and surveyed the room. She wasn't there; she had gone on a walk, a 'short' walk.
"Something bothering you?" Carnivine asked.
"Oh, it's nothing. Just waiting."
"Ah. Well… I hope that goes well."
Zena nodded. "Thank you."
And as he left, he floated over a Treecko walking in through the same door.
"No news?" Mhynt asked.
"None."
Mhynt leapt onto a chair and took a seat, sniffing the air before snapping her fingers. There was a pulse of aura from where she'd clicked, which bounced off something invisible on the seat on the other side of Zena.
"Hello, Enet," Mhynt greeted.
"Enet!" Zena prodded at the empty air with her ribbons, feeling thick fur. "I could have known I had company, you know."
The illusion dissolved, revealing the Zoroark with completely frazzled fur, her bangle completely missing. There was a worried expression in her eyes, too, and she looked afraid that Zena was going to scold her.
Zena sighed and said, "It's okay, Enet. Just rest with us, okay?"
She took this as an invitation, apparently, and leapt into Zena's coils and curled up. She was… warm, so Zena didn't try to move her.
"I can tell you're worried," Mhynt said. "Don't be. If anything, just be impatient."
"What?"
"Owen's taking longer than usual to come back from this, but I know he will."
"Too strong," Enet agreed.
"I know that," Zena lied. "…But, thank you. It's good to have assurances. And… well… from you in particular. You knew him well."
"I wouldn't be so sure," Mhynt said. "I know who he used to be. But… he's changed. A lot. I wonder if losing his memories allowed him to be… happier again. Funny how that works."
And then, a door opened down the hall. A Scyther covered in blood emerged and waved at them.
"He's gonna be just fine," Scyther said with a little grin.
Zena looked him over.
"Oh, sorry. We just got finished. It was a little trickier than a trivial surgery, but he's a strong one. He's stable and in recovery. Though… we aren't sure what it was in him."
"What?" Mhynt asked.
"He insisted he hang onto it," Scyther went on. "If you wait a few minutes, we can have him in a recovery room…"
"We'll see him, then," Mhynt agreed.
As Scyther left, Zena exchanged an uncertain look with Mhynt. In the end, things could never be simple.
The recovery room they'd kept Owen in was a large, sterile room with a single bed that was extra soft and comfy-looking. Compared to stone, at least. Had it not been for the sorry state of the Charizard in it, Zena would have been envious.
He was on his back, tail dimmer than usual but stable. Zena wondered if the surgeons had an easy way to tell how healthy he was just from the flame alone. There was a curious glow around his body, as if he'd been blasted with countless Heal Pulses over the course of whatever procedure they'd gone through. His scales seemed damp from Life Dew. The air was humid; maybe it was in the air.
Zena didn't recognize most of the other devices in the room. A few of them made occasional, soft beep. Others had screens with numbers and lines on them. None of it made sense, but they reminded her of more sophisticated versions of what Kilo's hospital had.
On a small table next to Owen's bed was a strange, black orb about the size of a small pumpkin. Staring at it unnerved Zena, and she assumed it was some other Void technology. Maybe a good luck charm to the place's denizens…
"Um, Owen," Zena whispered.
Owen's eyes shot toward her. Okay, so he was alert. A good sign.
Then he smiled a wide, wide smile and reached toward her, grasping the air dumbly. "Zenaaaa Mhynnnnnt…"
"Oh no." Mhynt pinched her snout.
"What's wrong with him?" Zena asked, alarmed, as Owen giggled and tried to crawl toward her, only for him to fall back onto his bed.
"They had to use a special medicine to operate on him," Mhynt explained to Zena. "The downside is for a few hours afterward, it leaves you a little… drunk."
"That's not how I imagined Owen drunk would be."
"Not exactly drunk. Loopy. Silly."
"What a strange side effect…"
"Guys," Owen said, whispering loudly and with wide eyes. His reptilian pupils focused on them individually. "I'm a daddy."
"That's nice, Owen. Now go to sleep," Mhynt said.
"Y-yes, Owen, you are," Zena said. "You remember, Spice, Enet, and one of the spirits, don't you?"
"No, no, no, no," Owen explained, shaking his head. "I'm a new daddy…"
Zena and Mhynt squinted.
"Excuse me?" Mhynt asked.
"I had an egg." Owen tapped his chest and closed his eyes, looking falsely serene. Zena was almost fooled, had it not been for his wobbly movements as he tried to sit up. She took the opportunity to gently press him back into bed.
"Owen, dear," Zena said patiently, "males can't have eggs."
"Not with that attitude!" He pointed at the dark orb on the table.
"…Hm." Mhynt nodded to herself. "I see."
Don't act like you understand! Zena glared at her. "Owen," she pivoted, "was that responsible for you… passing out?"
"It was in my here," Owen explained, tapping his chest and wincing. He kept tapping until Zena used a ribbon to gently, but firmly, stop him. "Right by my heart. I guess that was bad. It was in the me that was in Cipher Castle… uh-huh, and that was messing with my Perceive, too! It was all that! And he she is gonna hatch to be a beautiful baby them."
"Interesting…" Mhynt hopped onto the table and knelt down to inspect the egg, which was larger than she was. "It's certainly not a normal egg. The shell is made of some kind of… darkness." She glanced seriously at Zena, then at Owen. "Alexander didn't perform any strange experiments on you, did he?"
"Nope. I didn't sleep. I was clever and faked sleeping. Even when I slept with Swampert."
"You what?" they both asked.
Owen went back to tapping on his chest, so Zena gently placed his hands by his side. The Charizard, taking advantage of a long neck, lurched forward and licked her on the cheek. "Got youuu." His tongue was still slightly out of his mouth.
Zena flushed and decided to let it slide. "…Mhynt, er, do you… know what it might be?"
"I know what Alexander's energy feels like," Mhynt said, "and it's not his. The only other darkness we know about is 'Diyem,' so our best bet would be to ask him about it."
"What do we do?" Zena asked.
Mhynt crossed her arms, staring it down like it would somehow give her the answer. Zena figured that they should ask Owen, too, when he was of… sound mind.
The Treecko sighed through her nostrils. "Stay here with him. I'll fetch Diyem. What did you use to escape to Kilo?"
"Well, the rift in the sky… which is closed until Owen can restore the Tree…"
"Then a Dungeon rift is our next option," Mhynt said. "…It would be faster to wait for Owen to recover. Hmhh. Fine. I'm going on some errands. Would you like anything to eat?"
"Oh, no, thank you. But… get something for Owen, just in case. I think the lack of spirits in his Guardian Orb is making him almost mortal again, not to mention whatever that dark egg did to him…"
"I'll get something after asking the doctors." Mhynt left a little hastily, and Zena could imagine a thousand reasons why.
She also knew she was the last person Mhynt would answer if she asked.
"…Is she gonna be okay?" Owen asked.
Zena wasn't sure if he was lucid or if it was that obvious. "I think so. She just needs time. And… maybe someone else, who isn't us, to talk to about it."
The warmth of the sun was bittersweet. Spice felt just a tiny bit at home in those dark tunnels, but she also knew that she had a home on the surface. A proper home, and according to what Owen had said…
No. Not important right now. Instead, in her arms, she carried the tiny, delicate form of a Pokémon she'd only read about in stories. Mew, the Creator of the Common. The original progenitor of all mortals. Where Arceus was the god who had given rise to the pantheon, it was Mew who gave the pantheon its worshippers.
Was that same exact person in her arms, trembling, right now? What in the world happened to make this ultimate creator reduce herself to this?
Strangest of all, though, was the calm warmth that came from her gem. That urgent feeling of having to go, go, go and get her was finally gone. That Zygarde must have been very focused on saving her if it had managed to influence her thoughts in that way, but… it worked out.
The crater was steep near the end, but Spice managed to climb it. Brandon was waiting a fair distance from the crater's edge, legs crossed and chatting with six other metallic figures. One of them, a Blaziken, pointed at her, and the other five disappeared into fire that returned to the Machoke's metal body. The Blaziken lingered a little longer, but then disappeared, too.
"Hey," Brandon greeted. "So, uh…"
"We need to see Xerneas, immediately." Spice held the Mew forward, but then quickly pulled her back to her chest when Mew shifted in discomfort and seemed to sizzle. "I don't know why but if she gets too far away from me, she starts… burning."
"Yeah, that's bad." Brandon kicked up a huge metal board. They both climbed on and started flying away, Spice securing Mew against her chest once again. It felt like she was whispering something to the gem in her chest.
"Hey, you feeling alright?" Spice asked.
She said something again, but it was too soft.
"Mew?" Spice leaned her head down.
"I'm… sorry…"
Gods, her voice was so soft. What was she apologizing for?
Mew curled up even tighter and Spice decided not to press it for now.
Brandon had been flashing a few concerned looks.
"Do you know her?"
"Yeah, you could say that," Brandon replied. "You know how I worked directly under Arceus for a little bit?"
"Sure."
"Mew is his partner. Think of them like cosmic roommates. I was chosen a long time ago for some reason to be a protector of a piece of their power. Steel, in this case."
"Obviously."
"I guess I kinda see the point in both of their philosophies, but right now things sorta got turned sideways after this Dark Matter stuff. Before, the main issue was… a disagreement on what to do with this power, I guess. They couldn't trust themselves with it, and it got scattered so nobody would risk having a majority of the divine power. Is… my guess."
"Seems kind of strange," Spice remarked.
"I mean, yeah. Life can be like that sometimes. But the more I think about it, now that this near-apocalypse happened, the more I wonder if there's more to it after all… I think I'd want to know the truth when we get the chance."
"The truth, huh?" Spice asked.
"Yeah. There's been… a lot of secrecy floating around. Impacts the whole world. But…" Brandon glanced at Mew, whose eyes were closed. But her ears twitched now and then, suggesting she was listening. "I think that can wait."
The rest of the flight went quietly, Spice occasionally looking down to inspect Mew, but finding no change in her state for better or worse. Once they flew over the caldera and into Kilo Village, they stopped by the Thousand Hearts to check where Xerneas was.
Apparently, he had taken up temporary residence in Yotta Outskirts, leading them to take another quick flight down the mountain and to Leo's home village. Most of the area had been repaired since the random mutant attacks, and even the fields were starting to regrow some of their crops. It must have been a relief to Leo that the settlement had endured, unlike several others that still had refugees in Kilo Village.
"So, where do you think Xerneas will be?" Brandon asked as they went over the fields.
"That's a joke, right?"
"Man, play along at least a little…"
It was obvious. One field was literally brighter than the others. Under the late afternoon sun, the plants glowed softly with prismatic light, and a small tree had sprouted overnight. Basking under it was the rainbow-horned Legend himself… though it was a little strange to see the god of death right next to him, preening feathers of ice. Also curious were two Kommo-o statues. No, not statues. They were moving.
"Xerneas!" Brandon shouted. "Urgent heal over here!"
"How urgent?" Xerneas said with a hint of annoyance, not even moving from his resting spot.
"It's Mew! We got her from the Voidlands!"
But when Brandon simply said 'Mew,' Xerneas was already on his feet. It was the most responsive Spice had ever seen the grumpy god.
"Take Her here," Xerneas said, horns aglow. Yveltal stumbled away and folded her wings, nodding.
"You rescued Her? How?" Yveltal asked. "I thought Owen was…"
"I just had to. Something was telling me to," Spice said, holding the Mew out. "She starts dissolving if she stays away from me for long. You need to be fast."
"This could hurt you," Xerneas said, horns getting brighter. "I'll… be careful at first."
"Whatever, just heal her!"
Spice shut her eyes like it would help mask the pain. Even through her scaly eyelids, she could see the bright, prismatic lights being charged. Was that going to blast her away completely?
She braced even harder but refused to lower Mew. It had to be done to revive her. Maybe she could keep Mew at her feet instead, and then step away? No, that was… was that disrespectful? What were the customs that Mew put forth to follow? She never really read either Book…
On the other hand, if she was blasted away, maybe she'd awaken as who she was 'supposed' to be. That Charizard's daughter. Maybe that would make things easier.
No, no. She couldn't do that—she'd leave Leo behind, and Sugar, the whole family she'd become part of. Sure, by some Dungeon magic to warp their minds, but it wasn't like she had hurt them—
"That should do," Xerneas stated breathlessly.
"Eh?" Spice dared to open one eye.
Xerneas looked a little fatigued, but was putting up a front by staying upright. Meanwhile, Yveltal crept closer and tilted her head, inspecting the Mew in Spice's hands.
Spice brought her close. "Mew?" She held her further away and she didn't sizzle.
"I've revived Her," Xerneas said. "I made Her compatible with the world of the living. A body to suit the spirit. But… that is all." He shook her head. "I… cannot do more. She needs time on Her own to recover. At least a day, maybe even five."
"Yeah, makes sense to me," Brandon said, kicking a rock idly. "That was, uh… good work you did there, Xerneas. Thanks. She's gonna be alright?"
"In time," Xerneas confirmed. "You were wise to bring Her to me."
"Yeah, good thinking, Spice," Brandon said. "But that doesn't answer how she got there in the first place… Was she kidnapped or something? And like, how?"
"Questions for when She is recovered," Xerneas said, taking a seat next to Yveltal again. Apparently no longer able to keep up the façade, he slumped against Yveltal and closed his eyes.
Spice wondered if that was uncomfortably cold or not.
"…So… we'll… take her to my place, I guess," Brandon said. "See you. Spice?"
"Yeah. Ready to go. Take care." The gods of life and death, lounging under a tree in the outskirts of civilization. The world really was coming to an end. She wondered what Arceus was doing. She scanned the horizon, but couldn't see Destiny Tower.
"Hey, Brandon," Spice said, "if I hand Mew off to you, can you drop me off in eastern Kilo?"
"Uh, the planet or the town?" Brandon asked.
"Kilo Village."
"Sure. Why?"
"I want to track someone down."
This was all kinds of wrong. A strange, twisting feeling was building in Spice's chest. The gemstone lodged there was much cooler, now, after Mew had been rescued. After Brandon had dropped her off, she asked around for a few temporary addresses. Along the way, she found Leo, who had been waiting for her return. She tried to wave him off, but eventually apologized and explained everything to him. It didn't seem to help a whole lot, but it did at least assuage his fears that she wouldn't do it again. Presumably. Hopefully.
Then she explained why she'd come back so late in the day. "Owen said I need to find someone called Diyem. He apparently… has my memories, or something."
"Oh… yes, I actually have the information about that, too. I know where to go." Leo stared at her, gravely. "But do you want this?"
"I don't know!" Spice blurted. "But… it's gonna bug me for the rest of my life if I don't at least… find out, right? There's no harm in hearing about 'who I used to be' if I don't actually lose who I am now, right?"
Leo had a strange look between concerned and bewildered. And Spice couldn't blame him. In some ways, she was bewildered with herself, too. All her life, as much as she tried to ignore it, that empty feeling of not knowing who she really was had eaten away at her. Now, with the opportunity to find out, she was shying away—not because she was worried about it at all, because she was sure a daughter of a Heart wouldn't be someone terrible if Owen wanted to see her again—but because she wondered how she'd compare.
These thoughts raced through her mind as they walked down the streets, following a scribbled set of directions to a temporary housing district. They were all hastily built structures that were made solely to house the total deluge of refugees, and most lacked basic facilities. There were communal buildings just down the road to take care of the rest until they could find their feet.
Would she fade? Forget about Sugar, Leo, her mother Anise, her father Whystle, would they all become meaningless if she remembered her old bonds?
Leo put a hand on her shoulder, startling her. The Delphox gave her a concerned look.
"I'm fine," Spice said. "Just… anxious."
"I would be," Leo replied. "Are you sure you want to do this? You made a life for yourself. What if…"
"But it's bugging me. I spent all my life, well, my current life living like this and wondering what I was trying to cover up. So, I need to do this."
She said this mostly to herself, trying to keep steady on the path. The path that she'd forgotten about. The one that drove her to conjure a false life for herself with the Void's energy. Brainwashing her own, new family to think they'd always had her around.
Sugar still didn't know. Would she ever know? Could she ever ask her about it… ever tell her mother? No. No no no she couldn't do that, she couldn't expose the lie. In fact, it wasn't a lie. She was real. Spice. Spice was all real.
Spice swore when Leo held her shoulder again, this time firmer. "What?" she spat.
But then she realized that Leo had a new flavor of concern in his eyes.
"If you aren't ready, it's okay," Leo said. "If you're scared… I doubt Owen would force it out of you. And if he tries, well, I'll fight to keep you away."
"He has an air of someone a lot stronger than you," Spice said.
"Hmph, well, I was stronger when we were dating," Leo muttered. "I'm sure I kept up."
"You keep telling yourself that."
Spice could remember that crazy look in the Charizard's eyes. He was restraining himself from begging, but Spice saw it in how he spoke and behaved. He longed so badly to see his daughter again, and it was her, yet not her. If she refused this, would it be forced out of her anyway?
Or was it just inevitable?
Was there someone, right that moment, trying to claw themselves out of Spice's body? Tear her mind apart to replace her with what had been sealed away? What would happen to "her" when that emerged? Or would she just… be gone? Like none of it ever mattered?
What happened to a Void Shadow when they were purified?
"You don't have to," Leo said. "When he left… I could tell that, for some reason, he wouldn't force anything on you."
"What?"
"If… you're scared. It's for a reason, right?"
"I-I…"
"Spice… this is a very big decision. Bigger than most people could ever dream of. If you aren't ready…"
"Yeah… I… No. No, please… maybe, er…" She couldn't stop thinking about this Charizard she barely knew.
"May I help you?"
Spice stiffened and searched for the voice's source, not thinking to look down until he spoke again.
"Ahem."
"Another one?" Spice mumbled.
"Diyem," greeted the Charmander. Spice noticed the black flame and tensed. "So, you must be Remi…"
"Spice."
"Mm." Diyem nodded. "A new identity for yourself to replace the one you lost, then. The fact that you were able to do this at all and retain your sanity… yes. You would be able to do that, wouldn't you? Perhaps it takes all of your inner light to do so… but you have."
"No riddles. Tell me exactly what that means, now." Spice kept a strong tone in her voice, but at this point it felt like she was staring death in the face.
"Your 'light' is a blessing passed down by Owen and your former life's mother, Mhynt. It is the light of Necrozma, which can counteract the powers I possess, which include turning people into Void Shadows and sealing their memories. I believe the part about replacing your old identity is… something you are already familiar with."
Spice tensed, nodding. "…Fine. But since you're the one who took my memories away… you can also give them back. Right?"
Diyem nodded. "But you're afraid."
"What will happen to me?"
"You will be fine," Diyem replied. "Your current memories are just as weighty as your old ones. Owen has a lot of experience with this sort of thing.
To that, Leo hummed loudly. "I don't know if fine is correct. He seems very different from before, but there are similarities, and, to be honest, when I talked with him just a little bit after… it all seemed scattered. Calling it fine is a little hard for me to agree with. But, er, Spice, you only have… the two lives to worry about, so that shouldn't be so bad. Right? From what I'd gathered with Owen, he… had more."
His uncertainty did Spice no favors. "Just a little," she finally said. "It's gonna drive me crazy not knowing anything. But you'll be around, right? For more?"
"Fine," Diyem said, clearly annoyed. The little Charmander approached and gestured for Spice to get down. She kneeled and lowered her head, figuring if it had to do with her mind then it would need him to touch her head.
She saw his feet, and he reached out, only a few inches from the top of her head. He was deep in concentration. His toe claws curled. She didn't like the smell he had, like stale brimstone. She wasn't even sure if that was possible.
"I need you to work with me, here," Diyem murmured.
"What?"
"Focus… relax. You're going to feel something on your forehead. Conceptually, try to let it in. Like answering someone's telepathic call."
That was a little too abstract for her liking, but she tried. At first, it felt like she was coming down with a slight fever, but that subsided in favor of a dull pressure on her forehead. She tried to answer this call, like sending a thought to a Psychic.
And suddenly, Spice was not standing in front of them. She was on her side, and her body was much smaller. It was nighttime. The dark scared her, but there was a gentle orange glow in the room, coming from a warm body to her left. A Charizard. To her right was a strange creature with huge wings colored like the stars. There was a simple comfort in the air, but a lingering, longing, wistfulness, too. It was a distant sadness, like it wasn't truly there, only implanted in the memory because she was thinking back.
And then the memory ended. Spice gasped and stumbled back. Diyem, too, winced, and was holding his hand like it had been bitten.
"Sorry, did—did I do that?" Spice asked.
"No," Diyem muttered. "I should be the one to apologize. I gave you false hope; I am not able to unlock any of your memories." Diyem grumbled to himself, rubbing his wrist. "It was not me who sealed them after all."
"What?" Leo whispered.
"Just add it to another thing to deal with Alexander over," Diyem said.
"Alexander?" Spice repeated, that single name bothering her. She couldn't place why, once again. A frustrating itch in her mind.
"…Spice," Leo said, holding her shoulder. "Why are you crying?"
"What?" Spice touched her cheeks and was stunned at the wetness. "I…"
"Did… did you remember something?"
"Impossible," Diyem dismissed. "In any case, I'm leaving. Between Spice and Enet, it seems neither of them had their memories sealed due to me." He wandered off. "We can figure out more of this later when the actual threat has been dealt with."
As he left, though, Leo looked at her again. "Spice? Did you remember something?"
"No, just… some stress, maybe," Spice replied. "…I'll tell you later. And… probably Owen, too."
She could already imagine Owen's look with strange clarity, like a feral begging for scraps.
"You'll be okay?" Leo asked.
She tried to answer but her throat locked up.
She must have had a panicked look because he held her shoulders with bold hands. "Hey, hey."
"I'm—I'm fine." Spice waved him off. "I'm gonna stay at Sugar's tonight. You just… go. Alright?"
"Spice…" Leo didn't let go, so Spice pulled away.
Regretting it seconds later, she leaned against him. "…Sorry," Spice murmured. "I have a lot of thinking to do. When you're done with work… come to Sugar's. I'll be there."
Spice had one more thing she wanted to do first. Wandering and lost, she sucked in a breath and resolved to go someplace she'd been avoiding ever since her return. Ever since the world had ended.
So, with only a few kilos of daylight left in the day, Spice approached Sugar's work. Sugar and Spice, named after the sisters they had never actually been.
Gods, what would she say? How could she say it? It would all be so… much.
But she worked up the courage to finally enter. And at the counter was Sugar, offering a friendly but nervous smile.
"Spice," she greeted. "Hey! You made back from Heart stuff?"
"Yeah. Heart stuff. Sorry I haven't… come here all that often."
"Oh, it's fine. How have you been? Get any… sleep… yet?"
"Still don't need to," Spice replied. "Thanks, though. I'm feeling better. Hey, you're about to close, right?"
"Well, I am… yes…"
"Can we… talk?"
"Sure. Not too long before closing… Nobody's here… Let's talk!" The Salazzle gestured to one of the tables, taking a seat.
Spice followed and brought her claws together. She was still so self-conscious of how she appeared, despite how normal it looked in her eyes. She was a monster to them. And soon, when she confessed… she would look like a monster in many more ways.
"I have a confession," Spice said. "It's about… my place in the family."
"Your place," Sugar said nervously. "What do you mean?"
"…About… being your sister." Spice could already see how tense she'd become. Completely silent, holding her breath. Spice had to get it over with. Rip off all bandages and bindings at once. It would hurt but then it would be over. "'Spice' never existed. You never had a sister, I… made it up."
And to this, Sugar looked surprised. Spice wasn't sure why. Obviously, she was expecting something, right? Yet she was surprised?
"What?" Spice asked.
"That's… silly. Spice and I grew up—I mean, you and I grew up together!"
"Y-yeah, we did. You did. But I… I was… just being a sister. That's all. I mean… what I mean is, er, no, that's not right."
"I don't understand what you're saying," Sugar said. "You grew up with us. How are you not 'real?'"
"It… it was luck. Back when Mom lived in the South, back before Anam annexed everything. Back before Dungeons were blessed and made safer. I was… a wraith. A very special wraith that could leave Dungeons, and… had a few other little perks. Dungeons that aren't blessed can mess with mortal minds if they aren't careful, and if someone knows how to do it. Which… I did."
"Mess with minds?" Sugar whispered.
"I can't do it now! Not—I mean, not without a Dungeon where… Look, I can't do it anymore. I only did it for one specific thing. Your family… wandered into a Dungeon for some reason. I think to escape from bandits. And I… took the opportunity. I saw a mother, a father, and a daughter, and… and I wanted in."
At this point, Sugar was so stunned that she only watched her in agape silence.
"So, I… messed with their heads a little. Made them think they had twins. And… that was it. That's what I did."
More silence. A few Pokémon had walked past the entrance, but weren't paying attention to their conversation. They only got a few side-eyes from bystanders seeing a wraith chatting it up in a shop.
Spice looked at her claws again. "I'm sorry I kept it up for so long," she said. "I… don't know why I did it either. I don't remember my past. Just that I wanted a family. And I…"
"Why didn't you kill me?"
"What?" Spice squinted, looking up. Sugar had a mixture of bewilderment and skepticism in her eyes.
"Killed me," Sugar said. "Just took me out of the picture and replaced me. We were twins… You could have gotten away with it."
"Sugar, that's awful!" Spice chided.
"A-and aren't wraiths awful?" Sugar countered shakily. "I don't understand! Why are you telling me this?!"
"I just… had to… I wanted to be in a family, I didn't want to take it away from others!"
"Then—then this doesn't change anything!" Sugar defended. "Even if it was by some trick, you still lived as my sister for… for all those years, and you obviously cared, right? You cared?"
"I did—and I do! Just… things are coming up now, and I had to… tell you."
"What came up?" Sugar asked.
"My—" And just then, Spice locked up. So many tiny little thoughts and doubts paralyzed her. Her past life. She'd already told Sugar that 'Spice' wasn't real, and now she was going to finalize why. This whole conjuration of a family to fill the void of her forgotten past. The illusion was going to evaporate right in front of Sugar's eyes.
No. No, she couldn't do that.
"My conscience," Spice said hollowly. "When Dark Matter was defeated, a… small part of my conscience returned. The part that felt bad about what I did. I just had to get it out."
"Oh…" Sugar winced. "Well, I… that…"
The wind blew. The final traces of twilight crawled across town.
"I'm sorry," Sugar said. "This is an awful lot…"
"Yeah…" And she hadn't even told the whole story.
"But you're still my sister," Sugar said. "Does Mom know? Dad?"
"You're the first. Er, aside from Leo…"
"Of course you'd tell him first," Sugar said with a forced, teasing smile. But then her expression grew solemn. "…I… need time. But, I love you, Spice. That hasn't changed, okay? It just… is something I need time to digest."
"Can't blame you there." Spice sighed. "Alright. Thank you. Sorry for dropping that… Oh, and… can I stay at your place tonight? Need to sort my head and…"
"Of course, of course."
"Um, hello?"
A Hydreigon floated at the front. He nervously brought up his left head in a wave. Spice felt a horrid pang of something in her gut and she wasn't able to discern the full emotion.
"Oh! Welcome!" Sugar sprang up from the table.
"I hope I'm not too late…"
"Not at all! Please, did you want to order anything?"
As the Hydreigon made his orders, Spice took some time to calm her nerves. She couldn't find it in her to tell Sugar the whole truth. It gnawed at her. It would continue to gnaw at her. Maybe if she remembered everything, she wouldn't care anymore. But then… would 'she' ever get the chance to say goodbye?
She had to work up the courage some other time.
Hydreigon was stealing a few nervous glances her way. Spice waved, just as awkward.
"Oh, that's my sister, Spice!" Sugar explained. "She's one of the Thousand Hearts."
"Oh, dear! I'm sorry if I was staring." Hydreigon shook his heads in unison.
"It's alright. Used to it. Not every day you see a wraith in town. Or ever."
"Y-yes. I'm sorry, again, truly. If you're a Heart, you must be good."
"Mmh." She was beginning to wonder why Anam spared her. Maybe he knew, somehow…
"Y-you know, my son is actually in the Hearts as well," Hydreigon said.
"Oh, really?" Sugar asked as she bagged his picks.
"Yes! Yes, actually, ah, that's why I'm here. He loves this place. A bit of a regular, always drawn to it, so I had to get some of the treats for when he returned."
"Aw, returned? Off on a mission?"
Spice frowned, thoughtful.
"Yes," Hydreigon said. "A-actually, he's likely in the Voidlands now. Ah, but not in danger! I'm sure. He's… he's certainly going to return safely…"
"Excuse m—" By the gods it was his father.
Did that mean this was her grandfather?
Why did she have the feeling that she recognized that Hydreigon from somewhere?
"Huh. That's interesting—hey, actually. Have we met before? You seem familiar."
Hydreigon shook his head. "Sorry, but I'm certain I'd remember someone like you. Oh, dear, was that offensive?"
"Your son… is Owen, right?"
"Oh! So, you know him?" Like a switch, Hydreigon was beaming. He suddenly looked so much more comfortable. "Yes, my son is Owen. The most recent Heart, I think, actually. He's so happy to be one, even if his recent work has been quite, err, out of scope. Surely, they'll give him a break one day…"
"Yeah… I was on a mission with him once to a big forest fire, actually. You know, Fire crew."
"Ohh, I think I remember something like that a year or so ago…"
"That's the one." How small the world was. "What's your name?"
"Ah, Alex."
Spice felt like she'd been dunked in ice. It ran down her spine and all the way to the tip of her tail.
"Er… are you okay?" Alex asked.
"Oh, uh, sorry. Just thinking. Southern name, huh?"
Alex bobbed his head nervously. "Quite a long time ago."
"Hey, it's alright. I'm Southern, too. And besides, the culture spread around a little, last few generations. Who knows who's really Southern anymore, y'know?"
"A-aha, yes… yes…" Alex continued to drift nervously.
"And here you are," Sugar said, handing over Alex's sweets.
"Oh, thank you so much." Alex graciously tucked it away in a large satchel around his neck.
"Hey, one last question?"
"Hm?"
She gathered up the last of her nerve. "Do you… know the name Remi?"
It was for only a flash, but there was a deep, deep terror in Alex's eyes. Spice had no idea why, but it disappeared a moment later, and he shook his head. "Sorry, er, no. Anyway, I don't want to hold up closing time, ah, goodbye." He bobbed again and flew out.
"…Well, that was an odd question," Sugar said, frowning at Spice. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yeah," Spice said. "Sorry. Was just rolling with a hunch." She stood up. "Here, I'll help you close out…"
That look of terror etched itself in Spice's mind. He knew who she was. He had to.
What bothered her was how frightened he looked for it. As her eyes trailed to the exit, where Alex had flown high into the sky, Spice wondered what secrets he might have known about her past…
Author's Note: Thanks for reading, everybody! This is the final chapter of the first arc for Act IV. The next chapter is going to be Special Episode 11, a love story that centralizes around Owen's stepfather, Alex. Surely nothing bad happened to him back then.
As with all Special Episodes, this one will not be out for four weeks. Sit tight! If you want to keep updated about HoC or my other works, or want to chat with others reading the same material, consider joining my discord, found at the bottom of the first part of this work.
