Chapter 143 – Fly to the City
Cipher Castle was strangely lonely. There were very few guards actually patrolling the area inside, and all the halls were far too large to be considered anything but excessive. Owen walked down a now-familiar passageway that was at least ten feet in width and hundreds in length. He led a Swampert carrying several vases with roses in them.
Two days ago, Swampert had introduced himself as Servant. He said that because he was Owen's Servant, that was simply his name. Owen, not comfortable with that, suggested just calling him Swampert for the time being.
"So, uhh," Swampert said, "any reason why I'm carrying a hundred vases with flowers in them?" He sniffed idly at a few.
"I wanted to decorate the place a little," the Charmeleon replied, arms behind his back. "And you're a lot bigger than me, so it's easier to carry. If you see any empty tables, or those tables with little candies on them, we can put flowers there."
"That does sound nice…" He hummed. "But you know this is probably suspicious, right? You didn't… put anything weird in the vases?"
Owen laughed a little and continued on. "Just put them down where you think they seem fine," he said. "Don't worry. If they're suspicious of anything, they'll take it out on me, not you. You'll be fine."
"I hope so… Mhynt gets kinda scary when you disobey her. I h-heard she turned someone to dust with just a touch, you know. And made them reborn at their weakest."
"She can be scary," Owen said, hiding a pang of disapproval.
Swampert set a vase down on an empty table. He stared at it like he was expecting it to do something. When nothing happened, he followed Owen again.
"So, uh, what about when you asked me to explore the top floor of the castle? Qitlan gave me some weird looks over that one…"
"Just part of what I need," Owen said.
"And you asked me to put down those decorative coins… You know they're gonna inspect every one, right?"
"Yeah. They won't find anything suspicious, if that's what you're worried about."
"…I—I'm not gonna get Voided for this, am I?"
"No. You did nothing wrong. You're just following the deal, right?"
He nodded nervously. Owen understood the apprehension, and in some ways, he was nervous, too. He was still using this probably-innocent Swampert for some deception and it could have resulted in Swampert being harmed.
Eventually, they made it to the end of the hall with half of the flower vases taken care of. Swampert's arms were still full, but not overfull, and Owen said, "Hey, how about a lunch break?"
"Oh, uh, yeah. Can we go to the healthier spot again? I—I mean! If it… pleases—"
"Sure. You have that voucher or something, right?"
"Y-yes. Er, Mhynt said… I should make use of it." He sucked in his gut.
Owen sighed. "Well, it's good to be healthy."
"But I understand if you don't want to," Swampert added. "Don't Charmeleon usually put on a few pounds before evolving?"
"That, uh, that's a myth. Our bodies naturally bulk out on evolution. We don't really need any extra… a-anyway, sure. Food. Right."
The eatery in question was called Elegance and it was an installment that had been lucky enough to be placed right in the castle. Even Alexander occasionally visited it, and Owen wasn't really sure why because the décor didn't really fit him. Light, pastel colors and a Fairy-themed menu felt like something Alexander would fear. Unless that was his way of asserting dominance.
A kind Azumarill on a tall stool for height greeted them on the opposite side of a serving counter. "Aw, there y'are!" she greeted Swampert, who tittered nervously and rubbed the back of his head. "The usual?"
"Yes, please," Swampert said.
"And how about you?"
"Oh, uh." Owen looked over the menu. He couldn't help but notice that Azumarill was working on an empty stomach. It was probably close to lunchtime for her, too. He didn't want to make them work too much, so… "Same as him but for a body my size." And Owen sensed a hint of relief in her muscles when he'd said it. They would probably just make one big batch and divide it up.
"You got it!" she replied with professional cheer. It was fake, except for the thankful relief of his order.
They received a ticket number and they waited off to the sides on stools by an empty table.
"I, uh, my meal's kind of light," Swampert said. "A smaller portion might leave you feeling hungry."
"I don't need to eat," Owen replied casually.
"Oh. Right." Swampert slowly placed the various flower vases on the table.
Owen couldn't sense any nearby security cameras. At the very least, in the light buzz of lunchtime as other diners began to trickle in, it wouldn't pick up their voices very clearly.
"So… this is actually going to be the last day I ask you to do things," he explained. "I… sort of wanted to thank you. For what you've been doing."
"I've just been following some basic instructions from you," Swampert said. "That's not…"
"But you didn't have to be kind about it," Owen said. "I could tell that… you weren't afraid of me. In fact, a few times, you seemed surprised that I was getting this treatment at all. Like I didn't matter."
He flinched, suddenly nervous.
"Oh, sorry," Owen quickly amended. "I'm not, like, blaming you for it. I'm just saying that's what I saw."
"You're really perceptive, aren't you?"
"A little." Owen kicked his feet. The stool he was on was too tall. He rummaged through his bag, opening a secret pocket. "Here. Take this." He placed a pebble in Swampert's hands. It was small enough to fit on one of Swampert's massive, flat fingers.
"…A rock? Er, thanks, if it's sentimental, but…"
"I think it will be useful," Owen said. "Just make sure that if you ever run into trouble… you hang onto it, alright? Focus on it, and draw out its power. I think it'll motivate you."
Swampert looked at him, puzzled, rolling the rock in his hands. "Er, thanks. But what is it?"
"It's something that Qitlan finds very important," Owen said. "Don't give it to him. He'll just use it for himself. When you use it, think of someone… or something missing that's important to you. That you can't remember."
Swampert was still puzzled, gears turning in his mind. Then, there was that flash of realization, and then horror at the gravity of what was in his hands.
"Wait, I can't… h-have this."
"Well, it's my order that you do," Owen said flatly. "You're my servant, right?"
Swampert winced, squeezing it in his fist. He quietly slipped it into his bag.
"Alright," Owen said. "Then, keep putting those vases down. And afterward… I'll have one last thing for you to do."
Hey, me! Are you ready?
Owen stiffened and sat straighter. You're coming?
Just about, Null Owen replied. Team's set and we're flying from the… east!
There's no way they can detect these thoughts, you know.
I know, but… just in case.
"Um, Owen?" Swampert asked.
"Oh, sorry. Right. One last thing for you to do…"
"I don't want to do this," Leph whispered to Aster, galloping and teleporting to South Null Village.
"We have to," Aster replied, slouching over Leph's back. One hand grasped at the wheel-like decoration around Leph's abdomen. The other hand listlessly caught the wind as they flew over the gnarled trees of the forest.
She could still feel the cold numbness that had seeped in the last time Alexander had threatened to Void her. Her very thoughts dissolving away with all her memories. Becoming nothing but an obedient, thoughtless shell. But what was worse was coming back from it, realizing how little of her had remained on a whim. How absolutely beholden she was to him, even now.
If she strayed even slightly from Alexander's orders, she would become nothing. She no longer had any leeway. Alexander had made that… perfectly clear. She had to follow everything he said. Everything.
Forever.
Or be lost forever. Be nothing forever.
But maybe if she followed Alexander, she would eventually be rescued. She could live a normal life. She knew what that was like, right? What was… normal?
"Can't he let us go?" Aster asked, bringing his knees to his chest. "I don't want to do this… it's not fun anymore…"
"You know we can't refuse," Leph muttered.
The strange, mutated Mew curled up even more in response, like he wished to shrink back down to before his body had been changed.
"I'd rather…" Aster began, but never finished.
But Leph couldn't give up. For him, for everyone else, they had to stay alive and themselves.
And so, as South Null Village came into view, Leph channeled her divine energy into an attack…
They'd warped from South to West Null in no time. Owen had given Zena most of the power in the Tree; she took in the spirits. Now, all they had to do was get to the city, specifically Cipher Castle, and get who they could out. Five people, but three most of all. Mhynt, other Owen, and Star.
It was strange to think about how all three of them could fit in his arms. In fact, even Mesprit and Uxie with him right now were small. He envisioned himself carrying out all of them like groceries.
"Have you ever been to the Castle?" Owen asked.
"Are you crazy?" Mesprit whispered back. "Sure, let's go to the place that'll turn us into Void slaves…"
Uxie nodded. "It was far too risky for us to get any closer. Null Village was our stronghold."
Mesprit fidgeted. "Are y-you sure we shouldn't go back? Xerneas said if we just waited one more day, he'd have something to help you even more…"
"What? He didn't tell me about that," Owen asked, flight briefly slowing, but then he pressed on.
"Well, he also said it might make you go berserk…"
"I can't really afford that right now."
"That's probably why he didn't bring it up."
"O-oh. Okay. Sorry. Forget I said anything…"
"I can make you forget."
"N-no! No. That's fine."
"I was joking."
Owen shuddered. "Don't… joke like that. You literally did that to me, remember?"
"…Right. Sorry." Uxie's shoulders tensed a little, like she'd been reprimanded. Guilt. "Sorry."
"It's alright. Look, let's focus on this, okay? If you want people to forget things, try that on guards who spot us. Don't erase all their memory. Just like… the last hour."
"That's easier anyway. I'll think of something."
Far ahead, the tall, tall buildings of Cipher City became much easier to see. Something surreal about the Voidlands was that its horizon went very far; he had to fly low in the forest to not be spotted easily, but now that they were getting closer, it was much easier on them to get in the air for mutual sight.
From far away, the buildings looked more like obsidian, rectangular mountains, or geometric crystals in a cave. Little specks of light dotted those buildings. Surrounding the city like twisted guardians were Void Titans under Alexander's control. He wondered which of them were Legends, and which were simply amalgamations of poor souls that had lost themselves to the realm.
Either way, Owen knew he had to free them when this was over, somehow.
A long, droning sound filled the air. Siren. Some kind of crisis was incoming. At first, Owen wondered if something was going on; a pang of worry crossed his mind.
Then he realized he was the incoming crisis. The worry became adrenaline.
"No turning back now," Owen said. "Let's speed up!"
He burst from the tree line and made for a rapid approach, the wind whipping past him. Uxie and Mesprit clung to his shoulders.
"Left!" Uxie shouted, and Owen obeyed, suddenly swerving left. A split-second later, a beam of energy cooked the air that he'd just been in, coming all the way from one of the tall spires located in the city. It reminded Owen of Null Village's sentry towers.
"How'd you see that coming?" Owen called over the wind.
"Energy was concentrating at the tip of those spires. I could sense it even from here. Can't you?"
"My Perceive doesn't go that far," Owen said, "and it doesn't sense energy, either. Just material!"
"Well, that's going to be a problem."
"Wait," Mesprit says, "does that mean you can't see digital screens?"
"What?"
"Go right!"
He barreled right, and this time Owen grasped at that energy to figure out what it was. The residuals flowed through him like a massive burst of energy that, should he counter, might leave him drained.
"Those are Hyper Beams!" Owen shouted.
"Artificial ones," Uxie clarified.
Eon had something like this in Kilo. The Beammaker, used for training Mispy and other regenerating mutants. Now he had to dodge them…
"Umm, more problems!" Mesprit said. "Feeling a loooot of malice and anger coming from those Titans! They spotted us!"
"He can control them from here?!" Owen glanced at the nearest one. They were sluggish. Maybe they were only reflexive actions, not direct control. He didn't need Perceive nor energy sense to see the black aura forming at the Titan's mouth. "Okay, I can dodge this…"
"Do you have Protect active?" Uxie asked.
"Last resort," Owen said. "Blasts like these… Protect might not be enough."
Owen sensed surprise in Uxie's body language.
"What?"
"You used to parry strikes from gods, Owen. Have you gotten rusty?"
"Well excuse me for being out of practice!"
The first blast was slower than the Hyper Beams, which was a relief, but they were also wider and the air around them felt corrosive. Owen wasn't sure which was worse. But he knew that a single direct hit would take him out.
"Aah! More!"
"Down!"
Owen obeyed. "Demitr—I mean, Mesprit, you need to give a direction, I can't see these energy blasts!"
"Sorry! Sorry!"
"Forward, speed up!"
Owen hissed and tilted ahead, his claws grazing against some of the tallest tree branches. He beat his wings hard and ascended just in time to avoid another volley.
"The Titans seem to be aiming directly at you. They're easier to predict. But that Hyper Beam is starting to misfire hoping you'll get hit."
"I noticed. I also noticed it's slower," Owen puffed.
"Benefits of Hyper Beam!" Mesprit squeaked. "…Is that a cloud coming out of the city?"
Owen's Perceive didn't go nearly far enough to see what that was. He was still a few minutes at top speed off from entering the city. Maybe he should have fused with Gahi after all; he would have been in there by now.
But that would make their exit strategy worse if either of them got caught while inside. And if they had a way to disrupt their fusion…
No, no, he had to stop planning around hypotheticals, he was already here!
"Guards," Uxie finally said. "Those are guards!"
"A cloud of guards?!"
"I believe the correct term is swarm."
"Squadron?" Mesprit chirped.
That meant at least a hundred were flooding out of the city, just for him. Those kinds of numbers could overwhelm his Perceive in an open area like this…
"I need to trust you guys," Owen said suddenly.
"Huh?"
Owen reached toward his horns and tugged them off with a click. Feeling like he was flying blind, Owen sped forward again and shoved his horns in his bag.
"How are you going to take on a bunch of guards without Perceive?!" Mesprit cried.
"I'll put it on when I'm on the ground. I do better in places with less open air, where things move more… predictably on the ground. I just need to get into the city. It's complex but at least it's solid and grounded." He weaved around another Hyper Beam, and then twisted between two Shadow Blasts. "Time to use one of the gifts."
Owen glanced down a few times until he grabbed the right one: Rayquaza's blessing of emerald.
"Okay," he said. "A burst of pure dragon energy. Should last a minute. That's all I need to power through all of them."
"Hey, and you'll also be a little closer to being a Dragon!" Mesprit added.
"I would," Owen breathed, feeling a sudden surge of eagerness. And then skepticism. He glanced at Mesprit, who had a delicate hand on his shoulder, pulsing with energy.
He smiled wryly. Fine. A little emotion wouldn't hurt.
The emerald sphere was deceptively brittle once he was intentionally trying to crush it. It shattered like chalk and then enveloped his body with a bright glow; he could still see, but the edges of his vision erupted in green. Uxie and Mesprit clung to his shoulders, but Owen twisted and grabbed both of them, tucking them in his arms.
When Owen spoke, his voice had an ethereal ring. "Time to go!"
His speed doubled, maybe even tripled. He couldn't tell. There was a Hyper Beam incoming that he dodged, yet he had the vague sense that he could have smashed through one or two without losing momentum. Was this the power of a god? A fragment of their concentrated power?
An emerald trail was left behind, tracing their path, but now the opposing force had nothing that could stop him. The cloud of guards lobbed elemental blasts of any kind they could muster, but most missed, some he dodged, and the rest dissolved before they could reach him. Wisps of wind knocked blasts off course; a curious barrier covered Owen's scales like the hardest armor. Owen's instincts told him to attack to make a path.
Flames welled up in his throat, and hot, green flames carved through the guards' cloud like a splitting river. Infantry on the ground stood no chance as he directed his flames downward. He carved between the feet of two guards and left an eruption of green fire that forced them to jump away. Owen didn't have his Perceive, but he had his eyes. He intentionally avoided them.
"Are you sure you want to spare them?" Uxie whispered in his mind.
And somewhere deep, he knew she had a point. These guards were loyal to Alexander, by choice or by compulsion. They would only chase him. Capture him or worse, close in from all sides.
But he couldn't. He only vaguely knew why.
He sensed a hint of disappointment in Uxie's next words. "You're making this harder. But I'll follow you."
And maybe he sensed some understanding, too.
And suddenly, they were flying over the city. His emerald haze was about halfway faded, so he was ahead of schedule.
He saw dots on the ground, different citizens staring skyward in horror or excitement. Owen could only imagine what they were thinking. He tried to keep to his best behavior, aside from invading, and flew straight for Cipher Castle.
"Kinda weird, isn't it?" Mesprit called over the wind. "This modern city in the Voidlands but in the middle of it all is this old castle!"
"They aren't firing at us."
"Guess they don't want to use the beams against us if they think they'll miss," Owen remarked, eyeing the sentry tower nervously. Either that or they were gearing up for more precise attacks.
"Well, I think it's weird…" Mesprit pouted, ignored.
This felt too easy. He knew he'd caught them unprepared so this was only a routine entry, and yes, he'd already blasted through a squadron of elite guards with the power of Rayquaza, but it still seemed too easy once he'd gotten into the city.
"Where's Alexander?" Owen said. "Shouldn't he be trying to kill me around now?!"
"I don't like this," Uxie said.
But he had two more blessings he could use, as well as his own powers. Now that he was close to land and about to enter the Castle proper, he snapped his horns back on. Nothing abnormal in his senses just yet, even after his Perceive was reactivated.
"Which way in?" Mesprit asked as the residential buildings transitioned into the open fields of the castle gardens. The other Owen had described it to him, but he had never seen it personally until now. The black lake, the wilted purple trees… It was as pretty as the Voidlands could be, but it only reminded him of how pitiful it all was.
"Let's find a side room to break through," Owen said. "They'll be waiting at the front. My Perceive can handle the rest."
"It's our only chance," Uxie said. "Get in, get Star, get out. That's the priority."
"Right. Everyone else is a bonus."
So long as they could get Star, they could afford to lose even his other self. But if Star remained, they would already have the key to getting rid of Owen.
Hey, Star, Owen called. Surprise! We're rescuing you now. Right now. Get ready, okay?
Qitlan hastily rapped a knuckle on Alexander's door. "Ahem, we have a bit of a situation on our hands!" he called. "Do you not hear the—"
Several mutters and curses, muffled, came from the other side. Shuffling around. Qitlan tapped his foot impatiently, very tempted to scream, but he knew never to do such a thing to Alexander himself. He surely had a good reason for his stalled response.
Finally, the door opened, the Hydreigon floating in front of him with an irritated look in his eyes. Behind, covered in a sheet, was a Sceptile, glaring at them.
Qitlan glanced downward. "I see you've been busy," he said, and then raised his head back to Alexander's eyes. "Owen has arrived and is about one minute away from entering the Castle. What are my orders?"
"Whatever you want."
"Perfect. I know where he will be, but I recommend you chase him down from another path. We can corner him."
Alexander sped past Qitlan, and then the Inteleon turned his attention to the Sceptile getting off of the bed. As she walked, she shrank and regressed back to a Treecko.
"Distracting him, are you?" Qitlan hummed. "Don't think I'm not wise to this."
"He approached me," Mhynt growled, her fists clenched. "Leave. I imagine my orders are the same?"
"No. You will be staying here. I still think you're planning something, Mhynt. You may fool Alexander but you won't fool me."
"Stating it outright?" Mhynt spat. "I hate that Charmeleon. He has no interest in 'rescuing' me and you know it. He sees me as an object to possess and nothing more."
"Hmph." Qitlan stared a while longer, but then spun around. "Get cleaned up. You've done what you could for Alexander already. Go back to his bed and wait for him to return."
"You really aren't going to let me fight?" Mhynt pressed. "Alexander is going to wonder what happens if he gets out and I wasn't there to help apprehend him. Aren't we already short because he sent Leph and Aster to South Null?" She crossed her arms. "He told me he wanted me to help."
"When?" Qitlan snapped.
Mhynt glanced back at the bed, then back at Qitlan. His fingers pressed against his arms.
The Treecko started walking. "Move."
Qitlan stepped aside coolly, watching her go, a horrible, hot malice twisting his chest. What he'd do to see her fall…
But just as quickly, he closed his eyes and steadied his breath. Watched her go. Whatever, really. Alexander had an interest in Mhynt, sure, but nothing would compare to the bond he and Alexander shared over the years. Maybe he could finally offer something to Alexander instead, after this was over. Then he could put Mhynt in her place.
Something rumbled downstairs. Owen had crashed in.
Qitlan could use hidden passageways to get down faster. Owen surely already knew of them, but he would be too big as a Charizard to use them.
Time to put his own plan into action.
"Hey. You. Metal thighs."
"I have a name, you kn—GAH!" The metal Machoke leapt back and clanged a hand onto his chest.
"I know you acted that." Spice whipped her tail on the ground, kicking up some soil just in front of Heart HQ. "It's not funny."
"Get a new haircut?" Brandon asked, acting like he didn't know her. "Didn't know wraiths could get meltier as time went on."
"Look, whatever! I need you to do me a favor. Before my teammate catches up with me."
It was already afternoon. That burning in her chest wasn't going away. She wasn't sure how intense her yellow, pupilless eyes looked to him, but maybe it was helping.
"Alright, alright, geez." He tried to bring her down with a placating wave of his hands. "Why, though? Why are you asking me?"
"You stand out and I know you can fly."
"Fair, fair. By the way, my name's Brandon, since I'm gonna pretend I don't know you."
"Spice."
"Wait, for real?" He smirked.
She growled, rapidly losing patience. "My poison melts steel, you know. Then you'll look as melty as me."
"Okay, look—explain what you need to do and why, and maybe I'll do it. What's going on? Does it have to do with… the Voidlands?"
"Yes, actually, but maybe don't profile me next time."
"Profile?! You're one-of-a-kind, here!"
"You know that giant crater that makes people go crazy? Drop me off there. That's all I need."
"Okay, I'll do that, but you can't fault me for asking if it's because you want to go home."
"Maybe!" Spice yelled, losing her composure as a strange urgency welled up from her chest. "But there's something telling me I NEED to go there, okay? More than that, though, it's because there's… this thing." She pointed at the green gemstone that was getting hotter. "It… feels like something inside it really wants me to go there, right now. I don't know why, but it used to be a Zygarde or something. Maybe they're orders from the other ones."
"Ever tried asking?" Brandon asked. "Pretty sure I saw one of Hecto wandering town recently."
"I think I have enough of a picture on my own." Spice sighed. "Please, just take me there, and maybe wait for me to return."
"Alright, alright. If it's so urgent, I'll humor you, but I'm not taking the blame if you get hurt, okay?"
He stomped on the ground and pulled a slab of metal from seemingly nowhere, hefting it over his shoulder. "Alright, get on," he said, slamming it down.
"Okay, I need to ask. I know we went in a metal bowl last time, but why a metal board?"
"I call it metal surfing."
"But you're on the metal, you aren't surfing metal. Wouldn't it be air surfing?"
"…Let's go already!"
Spice glanced back just in time to see Leo running toward her from many blocks over. She only waved at him, apologetic, and stepped onto the platform.
Leo couldn't come with her. He'd be driven insane all over again. Whatever this gemstone was telling her, she knew that only she would be able to do it.
"W-w-wait, you want to escape now!?" Swampert squeaked. "No! I can't do that! I'll… They'll kill me! Void me!"
"Then you're going to stop me?" Owen asked calmly, swaying on his heels while in his bedroom. Swampert was blocking the exit, if only because he happened to step in.
"Well, I… I mean, I guess if I'm Servant, then…"
"Then I'll give you one last order," Owen said. "They're going to blame you for what happened… and then that Gone Pebble I gave you would go to waste. I was kind of worried about you to begin with, you know. You don't know your own name, and getting in this kind of danger means you'll Void out even if you just get killed normally."
"H-how did you know I don't know my name?" Swampert asked.
"You're sad whenever I mention wanting to know your name, and you play it off," Owen pointed out. "I really think it's in your best interest to help me escape. And I'll take you with me."
"You?"
"Well, the other me. He's big enough for it."
This only confused him further, but his earlier words seemed to be having an effect. "So, I either die trying to escape or I die because you set all this up and I was complicit," he said. His eyes widened in horror. "You trapped me from the start…"
Not good. "I want to help. Please… can you trust me?"
There was a distant explosion down below. Shouts of other guards. Owen tried to will his intentions into Swampert's head, but he wasn't Azelf, and he certainly wasn't anything intimidating. And for a moment, Owen wondered if he instead looked downright pitiful and helpless all over again, once again at someone else's mercy.
Swampert sucked in a breath. "Well, I've been exercising a lot lately. I've got the stamina to run." He held a hand out. "Come on. I'll carry you. Just tell me where to go."
Owen beamed, not because his plan worked, but because he felt that light of trust coming from Swampert's eyes. "You won't regret it."
Owen hoped, when this was over, that he could ask Swampert what it was that earned his trust.
Expectedly, Cipher Castle was fortified with some of their strongest elite fighters. Without Rayquaza's power, Owen actually had to be careful with how many he took on at once, but Rhys' power, his mutant strength, and his Perceive all proved to be very powerful tools.
Sometimes, though, the halls were completely blocked by guards, and he had to find a way to pierce through weak points. And these were the elites of elites of Cipher City, hardened and darkened by centuries of Voidlands' living conditions.
He'd been forced to take one down with his own flames and not only did they endure, but they'd narrowly gotten a few counterattacks in. Only with Perceive and a quick Protect was he able to dodge the blows—and each one could have severely hampered him.
He had no choice but to dodge as much as he could.
Thankfully, he wasn't alone. Mesprit and Uxie both opportunistically struck from Owen's shoulders whenever they could. They tied their tails around his neck, making sure to never lose track of where he was in the frantic flight through the halls. They followed him like psychic balloons.
A crowd of Pokémon were just ahead that had prepared a volley that would flood the whole hall in unavoidable water and ice. Mesprit sent a strange, red shockwave toward them, and suddenly they were all screaming and disorganized.
"Wh-what was that?!" Owen called as he weaved past panicked guards.
"Just gave them the same emotion I'm feeling!" Mesprit squeaked, squeezing Owen's neck with his tiny arms now. "Just hurry while I recover, please!"
A while later, Owen found the stairs that Cipher Owen had told him about. This would lead to the dungeon floors.
Hey, other me, are you there? Where are you?
I see you! I'm a floor up!
Up?! Oh, there you are, but why up?!
I'm sneaking past guards with a friend of mine…
Does he need rescue, too?
He might…
I'll—
You go on ahead! You still need to find Star. I couldn't figure out her exact cell. You just keep going, and then grab me! We can fly out!
Null Owen didn't like the frantic change of plans, the altering of the order they were supposed to do things. The dungeon under the Castle was the hardest part. They needed everyone's strength for it. It was narrow; he could get cornered easily. But there was zero time to debate. He followed through, descending down the stairs.
"Hey, stop!" called a set of four guards at the front. A Golem, Aggron, Rampardos, and Armaldo. They were already conjuring rocks above them, and Owen wasn't sure if he could block them all.
Uxie opened her eyes. A yellow shockwave washed over the four, and the rocks above them disappeared. Owen barreled past them after spewing flames between the crowd.
"What did—"
"Shh."
"You, stop!" called a Golduck. He breathed in, a sphere of water expanding at the tip of his beak.
Uxie fired another yellow shockwave toward him and the water dispelled. Owen went the other way.
"Golduck!" called someone around the corner. "Hit them with Hydro Pump! Hurry!"
"What in the Void is Hydro Pump?!"
Owen gasped, though he didn't stop. "Uxie, don't take away memories like that! That'll—"
"It's temporary. I know. They'll remember in a day."
Owen let out a harsh sigh, but pressed on anyway. Uxie seemed annoyed, rolling her eyes as she closed them again.
Um, hey, other me? called Cipher Owen.
Charizard Owen sensed a new set of guards coming in. What's wrong?
Having trouble getting down. They're gaining. Almost cornered.
Should I come back?
Um, maybe. Just get Star fast, okay?
I'm in the dungeons now. I just need to—
Owen stopped. Just ahead, down a long corridor that was surely where Star had to be, was Qitlan and Qitlan alone. He was too far out of range for his Perceive.
"Having trouble?" Qitlan said, raising his voice to almost a holler to reach him. "Star isn't very far this way, you know!"
A truth, a lie, no way to tell. He had to get closer, and it was the best way anyway. Maybe it was true.
Some meters later, Owen wondered why Qitlan wasn't trying to snipe him from afar. Uxie and Mesprit were nervous, too, tense and closer to his cheeks as they got closer.
"Owen, what are you doing?" Mesprit whispered.
"This could be dangerous."
Finally, Qitlan was close enough to sense. And all he could tell… was Qitlan had a strange sphere in his hand made of glass, and his eyes told him it swirled with a mysterious energy.
"Hello, Owen," Qitlan said, moving the orb between his fingers. "So glad for you to come so early, but you've only accelerated the end of your… current iteration."
"Current…" Owen whispered, but then his heart sank down to his guts.
That was it. The smug confidence, the nonchalance in his body language, the total lack of care, that strange energy. They'd gotten it. Star had caved.
That was the Reset Key.