Chapter 169 – Spreading Darkness For Good

Umbreon wobbled around the conference table like he'd never walked a day in his paws. And… he hadn't. This was a human. No, two humans! Humans who had been transformed by some force into a Pokémon the moment they'd come into Kilo.

Star didn't know how to feel about humans pouring into the world she'd made specifically to get away from them. But these… didn't seem bad. Irritated or nervous, sure, but the Pokémon in Umbreon's belt seemed curious and eager, not afraid or miserable.

With their arrival, the meeting's whole atmosphere had shifted. Most left to handle other tasks, hoping to return for more strategy later, and all that remained were herself, a Hecto, Barky, whatever Nate was presenting himself as, and Diyem.

"Alright," Umbreon said. "I think I understand."

"You mean that these 'Dungeons' form when there's some weakened part of the wall that separates realms?" Espeon asked. "That sounds like something out of a science fiction movie!"

"It's less like a weak point and more an active gateway," Barky explained. "There were reinforcements to prevent these from being created between our realm and a lower realm. However, with protections against them waning, the person trying to create them… made more."

Star glanced at Diyem but he did not comment.

"To go further," Barky went on, "we suspect that Necrozma is actively creating these Dungeons due to his natural ability to create Ultra Wormholes. Ultra Wormholes and Dungeons are fundamentally different but similar in how they interact with different parts of reality or, in the case of many Dungeons, how they interact with different realms."

"And this world," Umbreon said, "is related to ours because it… was split off from it long ago. I think I follow that." He tripped and landed on his side, cursing as Espeon helped him up. "No idea how he handles four legs like this," he muttered. He nuzzled Espeon but then paused as if the gesture confused him.

"This Umbreon stuff isn't permanent, right?" he asked.

"Uhhh… I'll… figure something out," Star said awkwardly.

"Well, aside from that… There's only one other thing I care about," Umbreon said. "Can we fix this?"

"We have a theory on how, but we're missing a cooperative Necrozma for doing it from our side," Star said. "Not just any Necrozma, either, but one with some divine power imbued in it, too. So… not exactly something you can look around for that easily."

"And the other half is…"

"We call it Shadows," Star said, though she noticed Umbreon and Espeon had both gotten tense at the mention of it.

"Then that's you," whispered Espeon, looking directly at Diyem.

He furrowed his brow. "In part, yes. How did you know? …My flame is… from a special berry that colors flames."

"Wow, all this time and that's your best excuse?" Star chided the Charizard.

"I'm sure that exists," Diyem defended.

"You, too," Espeon said, looking at Nate.

Huh? Oh, I'm Shadowed, too. Long story.

"You don't act like Shadow Pokémon, though," Espeon said. "You aren't closed off, or acting like a hostile fighting machine."

"Well, one for two, but yeah," Star said, gesturing to Diyem. "This guy's about as edgy as they come even if he secretly cares about a few of us."

"Do not turn me into a romance novel cliché."

"Stop being one."

"Let's focus," Barky growled. "You two." He nodded at Umbreon and Espeon. "Did anyone else come with you?"

"My Pokémon," Umbreon said, jerking his head toward his belt. "Otherwise, no. But we oughta get back if the time dilation thing you said is still there."

"Yes. You may have already been gone for a few days, and we don't want that happening."

"Alright. But before that… Why are two of you Shadowed?"

"I am a source of that corruption in this world," Diyem said. "We're trying to get rid of other sources since I am the most ideal… host for it. As for him…" He glanced at Nate with a disapproving stare. "Corruption claimed him long ago. But because the Shadows of this world bring about negative emotions, and Nate's nature inherently defies this, it did not affect him."

I melted more.

"Aside from that, I suppose." Diyem glowered.

"I've never seen Shadow Pokémon be this… in control of themselves without a proper trainer to care for them," Espeon said. "Amazing…"

"It's usually much less pleasant," Diyem grunted. "We are exceptions."

"If there's anyone who could help you," Diyem said, "it would be one of our own in your world. I doubt he is in your region, but knowing him, he may travel there to study Shadows. Send word for a Charizard named Owen."

"I take it he talks like you all can?" Umbreon asked. "Am I gonna lose that when I transform back?"

"He is fluent in your language," Diyem said. "We all are."

"Neat." Umbreon glanced at Espeon. "Alright. Let's get going. I don't want anyone worrying about us disappearing if the time dilation is… as bad as you said. Let's walk and talk for the rest of what you need to say."

"Right! Um, and thank you, everyone!" Espeon said.

"Take care," Barky said, nodding formally.

As the duo made their way to the teleporter to Destiny Tower's base, Barky turned to address them all.

"We cannot allow this to persist," he said. "We need to redouble our efforts into stabilizing the realms before Kilo and the world it came from become indistinguishable."

"Agreed," Diyem said. "Regardless of the circumstances that gave rise to this world, it is in no position to ever return. These Dungeons are going to be a problem. It means… it's spreading there. But why? Is it because Owen is there at all?"

As that question lingered in the air, Nate nervously curled inward, and a new question formed in Nate's mind. Bubbled from echoes of doubt that he couldn't fully comprehend.

Was this the right plan to follow? Did Owen know what he was doing? Or had this strayed from its intended course long ago?

For now, Nate held his words close. Things weren't in a horrible crisis… yet… right?

Yes. It was fine. They were going to be just fine! He could still feel the beating pulse of the world fighting to survive. That much, despite everything, had not changed.

There was still hope Owen's plan would work.

Me, a hero, eh? Yeah… nah. That ain't…

But you are! You… have to be. He… he said you were.

I dunno, this is… doesn' seem fair.

I brought you here for a reason… can you give it a shot? Just once?

Manny looked through his office. Marshadow's office, now his.

He had the memories. He was the same person as before, and he was also the Lucario who'd holed himself in the Spire of Trials while waiting for things to get rolling again. As the years turned to decades turned to centuries, that purpose had faded into a stagnant complacency. Even he was not immune to the static inertia that settled into a Mystic mind as they awaited a change.

All this paperwork and tracking of resources, taxes to Cipher City, funding, and regulations, all because of his status. He had been in charge. The Pokémon looked up to him innately.

Didn't seem fair. It never seemed fair. But that was the way the world worked.

He had to grow into the job. He knew for sure he wasn't doing a good one at first. The leeway they allowed him, though… If he said the whole truth to them, would they see him the same way?

On his desk, too small for a Lucario but a little too large for a Marshadow, the latest report on the Titans was freshly set down. They had most of the Core Titans either defeated or located. It would be a matter of days with their newfound power and Radiance that they would liberate them all, and safely, without Dark Matter or Alexander encroaching on them when their resources were strained.

That crazy Charizard upset the balance and they were lucky—or, sure, skilled—enough to make that imbalance in their favor. Even befriended a piece of Dark Matter in the process.

Did a lot more than he did…

The report suddenly singed itself with ghostly fire in the corner. "Gah!" Manny hastily hopped onto the desk and stamped it out. He sighed again, easing his breath.

He should be happy. Everything was working out. Yet now that he had time to breathe, to remember, to consider everything he'd lost between his halves… those obligations were catching up to him. Old tasks were taken over by better people before he'd even realized it.

Maybe talking to Star about it would be a good idea. She was feeling better, right? How long… had it been at this point?

SLAM!

His office door burst from its hinges and went flying toward him. Manny held up a hand, blocking it and diverting it over his head and into the wall behind him.

Mewtwo Aster was panting heavily on the other side, eyes wide with fear.

"Those doors ain't cheap," Manny growled. "C'mon, what's got—"

Aster babbled too quickly for him to understand, grabbing him by the shoulders and shaking him like a ragdoll.

"Whoa, whoa!" Manny said, waving his arms. He squeezed out of his grasp and slipped into Aster's shadow.

Leph caught up and stood at the broken doorway.

Manny poked his head out like he was hiding in a swamp. "What's goin' on?"

The daughter of Arceus translated for Aster. "A refugee from Cipher City was rescued by one of our scouts an hour ago," she said. "I healed her with some of my power. Enough that she could talk again. She's a Dragapult who witnessed…" Leph trailed off. She steeled herself.

"Alexander is on the move. He'll be here in a matter of days."

"Days? That slow?" Manny said. "That ain't alarmin'…"

"…And," Leph said, "he has consumed all of Cipher City."

Bright white sand kicked into the air amid a salty ocean's spray.

Owen staggered backward and spread his wings like an air brake, claws digging into a wet oceanside. Everything was so humid here—his fire felt weaker, even if it was slight, and that subtle change in atmosphere messed with his tempo.

The Alola region was even smaller than Kilo. Owen wasn't sure which island this was—all strange names to them—but when he'd arrived, he met with the lead professor of the region whom he mentally called Barechest. While they didn't have any knowledge of Shadows, they knew of a similar power to Radiance, and they'd been referred to "Ultra Beast" specialists.

And the son of that specialist had a Pokémon that alarmed Owen with his raw power.

"Silvally! Multi-Attack, now!" Cresthair called.

Silvally crouched and allowed Owen no reprieve. Owen quickly brought up a Protect, parrying the strike and countering with a Flamethrower.

The flames didn't do as much as Owen had hoped. "What—type is he?"

"He's staggered! Go for another!" Cresthair shouted.

Silvally roared and pressed past Owen's flames and slashed across his chest. Owen grunted and crouched, tapping his hand on the ground, his scales flashing green where his palm met the sand. Then, he beat his wings to blow Silvally away. He landed heavily, prone.

"Keep up the pressure!"

Silvally obeyed without hesitation, covering half their distance in one leap.

Just as Owen planned. The trap went off beneath Silvally, piercing him with Grass energy.

That worked very well.

Silvally roared in pain and stumbled ahead as that same energy twisted into temporary vines, ensnaring him. Owen opened his mouth, facing the sky, as he pulled in as much solar energy as he could at once. Silvally broke free from the vines with countless snaps and grunts but was too slow.

Sand kicked up with every leap Silvally made to get closer. Owen had his Solar Beam ready. But Silvally was going to feint the attack and Owen saw that coming. He was going to feint to the right…

"Now!" Cresthair commanded. Ambiguous, but it was an unspoken bond, a practiced strategy, that Silvally knew. Owen recognized this bond. Even if he was fighting trainerless, he had to outsmart them.

Silvally feinted and then jumped to the right. Owen acted like he was about to unleash his Solar Beam straight ahead, but then held up a wing to shield Silvally's incoming attack.

It hit hard. But Owen could counter harder.

Owen turned his head while Silvally was still contending with his momentum and unleashed the Solar Beam point blank. The beam carved a rift through the ocean, spraying salty mist into the air and leaving behind a rainbow. Silvally staggered and collapsed on the ground, too weak to fight on.

Cresthair sighed and withdrew Silvally with a beam of light. He murmured something assuring to the ball, then approached Owen.

"You're strong, even without a trainer," he remarked. "How'd you see that feint coming? Silvally and I trained hard on that…"

"Lucky guess from how he glanced his true direction," Owen half-lied. "I've got good eyes for that… Er, anyway… Why didn't you use that special disk they made for him?"

"We're still training it up," Cresthair said, one eye hiding behind his bright hair. "It's unstable. Silvally is still trying to harness it. But we're getting better!" He glared challengingly at Owen. "You'll see. Give it another week or so!"

Owen held up his hands and wings. "I believe you. "I've seen how well you can fight, and… Silvally's unique ability to acquire 'memories' to channel different kinds of energy was just what we needed to help."

Cresthair relaxed, nodding. "Okay," he said. "Promise, we'll get it done soon."

"The only problem is…" Owen frowned. "Silvally can't dual-type himself, can he?"

"Not really," Cresthair said. "But it's alright. You gave me the Shadow Memory, but my sister got into contact with someone in Galar who has a Silvally, too, who might be the perfect match for taking the Radiant Memory. We'll have this covered for sure."

"All the way in Galar?" Owen asked. "There aren't any other Silvally? I mean, I know they aren't in the wild or anything, but…"

"…Yeah, there's another kid around here who befriended a Silvally," Cresthair said reluctantly. "You made multiple copies, right?"

"Yeah. If you think that… friend of yours would be a match?"

"Yeah, yeah." Cresthair seemed touchy about it so Owen didn't press.

Cresthair's gaze shifted behind Owen.

Far down the road, near town, Zena slithered down the path with Mu happily riding atop her horn to get a full view of the beachside. In Zena's ribbons were several bags of groceries.

"Looks like your… wife? is back," Cresthair said.

"We're still cour—dating," Owen explained. "The Charmander is, um… adopted."

He wasn't sure how much of a lie that was.

Still, it was enough for Cresthair, who waved him off and said, "Let's train again tomorrow."

"Definitely!" Owen brightened, and once he was far enough away, Owen kicked off the sand and flew to meet with Zena and Mu.

"Owen!" Zena called, rummaging through the bag before pulling out a large, sugary lump of fried bread. She tossed it in the air and Owen spat a small fireball at it in midair, flash-caramelizing it. He chomped down, enjoying the burnt, crunchy taste, and landed next to them.

Mu clapped happily and coughed a few embers into the air.

"Oh, good job, Mu," Zena encouraged. "That was a bigger flame!"

"Yeah! Big fire!" Mu said. "Watch!"

She took a deep breath and leaned forward on Zena's head, using one arm to hold her horn as support. Then, she breathed between Owen's horns as a target, spewing a thin, concentrated jet of black-white fire. Even after she stopped firing, little motes of that energy drifted in the air for several seconds before evaporating.

"That was great, Mu," Owen said. The rate at which she was gaining strength… It must have been all the human contact.

He and Zena exchanged a smile. "Well," he said, "why don't we head back to Tapu Koko's place?"

Zena nodded. "Let's… keep away from the electric fields tonight, though."

Owen tittered. "Y-yeah… right."

They weren't sure where Tapu Koko had been that night—probably off somewhere with that trusted human, or taking care of business on another part of the island—but they were used to this during their stay in Alola. Instead, Owen inspected the temple for any signs of Shadow or Radiant damage, and determined that things were just fine.

All things considered, Tapu Koko handled training with these new elements well. And being the dedicated guardian of this island, perhaps it would be able to convey those teachings to the other Tapu of the islands. Dungeons had formed in Alola as well, though they were much smaller.

It hit Orre the hardest, and some people who had gone into the Dungeons were still missing. Owen feared the worst, but… If time dilation was at the pace Arceus said, it was obvious where they went. Hopefully, the others would get them back within a few weeks. He needed to have faith in them.

"Something on your mind, Owen?" Zena asked.

He had been staring at the cloudless sky. They'd camped out on the bridge across from the temple, enjoying the amazing weather Alola had, with only his and Mu's flames lighting the night alongside the stars.

"Do you think they're mad at us?" Owen said.

"Mad… for being here?"

"The past few weeks have been… mostly relaxing and waiting for others to do their research. I've just been… training, resting in new regions…"

"Owen, Arceus himself told you to take things easy. It isn't the same as relaxing while they're hard at work. The way time is moving here, it's…"

"I know. But… at this point, it must have at least been half a day for them. That's a half a day that I wasn't helping."

"And in that half day, you learned about the nature of Dungeons, have spread some power to others here to stabilize it better, and now you're researching things about Necrozma with the help of all the resources you have here," Zena said.

"I feel like they're being too helpful. Like we're asking too much of them," Owen said.

"Because you saved the island already, Owen. You patched up every single Dungeon that appeared in Alola."

"There were… three, at most," Owen said. "They weren't even that big."

"They could have gotten worse. Owen…" Zena nudged him. "This is a world effort. Two worlds at this point. You're helping. Don't feel bad that you can finally relax while doing it, or you won't be as effective when it counts."

Mu crawled to Owen and tilted her head, squeezing her hands over his cheeks.

"Mu?" he asked.

"Sad?" she asked back.

"Oh… no, Mu, I'm fine," Owen said. "You should sleep."

"Daddy's fine, Mu," Zena assured her. "He just has a lot to think about for work."

Work. It didn't feel like work. It felt like… duty. Was he shirking it by relaxing?

"I think it's because I'm restless," Owen said. "We need to train harder."

Zena sighed, though she wore a smile. "Alright, Owen. Why don't we try… honing your parrying techniques tomorrow? You can try to toss back my Hydro Pumps."

"I'd like that…"

Zena nuzzled him again and curled up next to him. Owen rested against her. Mu stared at them for a while longer and curled up, too, resting against Owen's flame.

The night crawled by quietly…

Owen had a dream about studying for the Hearts exams and failing on the test. Then he had to recite a speech in front of the class that he completely forgot all the details of.

Which was weird because Owen never went to school. He only read about it in comics.

He awoke when it was certainly past midnight but the sky was only a very dark blue. Too early to wake up. Zena was snoozing next to him, sound asleep. And Mu was—gone.

Owen held his gasp to not startle Zena and instead focused on his Perceive. He expanded his range, further, further… there! She was fine. Wandered off again. They told her not to do that, but…

He watched her for now. She was about two hundred feet into the forest, and there weren't any dangerous Pokémon nearby. She was looking at a little bird Pokémon that seemed quite young. A feral that fell out of a nest, perhaps? No… those were severe injuries. Maybe she was trying to help the poor thing.

Owen slowly sat up and crept away from Zena, but realized that his lack of warmth might wake her. He held a hand over the ground and conjured a small mote of fire. That would do for now.

He turned his attention back to Mu, dimming and cooling his flame as he pushed through the bushes and trees. Mu was reaching toward the bird, who recoiled in fear but seemed too weak to do anything else. Mu stroked the bird's head and the bird relaxed, but when Mu pulled away, the bird seemed uncomfortable again.

A hundred feet away now. He considered calling out but he was still too far. He'd draw the attention of other sleeping Pokémon and make the whole night noisy.

Mu reached for the bird again and—Owen gasped—snapped its neck. The bird twitched and went still. The little Charmander continued to stare at it for a while longer and then smiled like she was satisfied with herself.

Fifty feet.

Owen noticed that there were a few other tiny carcasses like that in the area. His heart sank and his gut twisted with anxious confusion. Mu? Why was she doing this?

"Mu," Owen finally called and Mu perked up.

"Daddy!" Mu happily walked to him.

"Mu, what are you doing?" Owen said. "You… why are you…"

"I was helping the birds," Mu explained.

Owen held a cold silence in his chest, panicked at how he could possibly approach this. He eventually found the words, staggeringly. "Mu… you… killed them," Owen whispered. "That isn't helping them."

Mu tilted her head. "Kill?"

"Y… yes! Kill! That's not… You don't do that for no reason."

"I had a reason… Was helping." Mu gestured at the carcass. "Was… her suffering. It was bad. And now it's not bad."

Her innocent eyes glimmered in the starlight. She stared at Owen, curious, inquisitive, like she got a math problem wrong.

Owen had a feeling he knew what happened. Mu… was Diyem's daughter. And with it came some of his powers…

At least it didn't seem to be the suffering of the whole world.

"Mu… That isn't how you stop suffering," Owen explained gently. "You don't kill them because then… they can't live anymore. Most people, once they're dead, they can't come back to life. Especially normal Pokémon like them."

"Huh? But… but they were hurting."

"They were, but Pokémon heal," Owen said. "And if they don't heal… they do die sometimes. But a lot of the time, they can heal. And when they heal, they can feel happy some other day, even if they're suffering today."

"And… can't, if they die?" Mu asked.

"It's not the same," Owen said. "They can only live this one time. I don't… know how it works in this world, but back home, that's how it was."

"But… your friends," Mu said.

"O-oh. You remember them."

"They are dead, but… didn't die."

Having a child grow up in Owen's environment wasn't healthy. But Owen had no idea how to remedy that, especially for someone like Mu…

"Yes," Owen said, "my friends are… different."

"When normal people are killed… they die?"

Owen gently pulled Mu close. She reflexively grasped at his fingers and curled around his wrist.

Owen cradled her and glanced at the bird, frowning. "You can't kill people who are hurting. It causes more suffering."

Mu flinched. "More?! But… but I don't feel any!" Her eyes welled up with tears. "How more?! How?"

Owen quickly rocked Mu in his arms, folding his wings over his chest to protect her from the outside world. "It's okay," he said. "You didn't know. I can explain. But it's not your fault, Mu. You didn't know any better, okay?"

"Didn't want to hurt…" Mu sniffled. "Didn't feel them hurting… thought it was okay…"

"When people die, they… leave behind family. And that family is sad because they can't see them again. So, when someone dies early… that family hurts early, too."

"Oh…"

Owen approached the body, already dead and cooling. Now that Owen had time to concentrate on the details, this little Pikipek had been wounded already. Perhaps it had narrowly escaped a predator but not enough to keep going for much longer.

"This one was already badly hurt when you found it," Owen said gently. "It's hard to judge if you want to put something doomed out of its misery. That's why you should ask an adult first, okay?"

"Ask adult… okay…" Mu sniffled. "Not fair… how come hurting?"

Owen rubbed the top of her head. "The world… has bad luck sometimes, for some people. And sometimes lives are cut short. If you're lucky to live for a long time, or you're lucky to be strong enough that it's harder to be hurt… you use that power to help others hurt less. You were trying that, Mu. It's okay."

"But I made more hurt…"

"But now you know how to do better," Owen said. "It's okay."

"Not okay… not okay!" Mu said, and suddenly she disappeared from Owen's grasp.

"Mu!" Owen called. She reappeared next to the corpse and looked wildly around her toward where the other bodies had been. She sniffled and pressed her hands into the feathers of the little bird. Her claws, to Owen's Perceive, dissolved into the bones.

"Mu, wait!" Owen said. "What are you—"

"I don't want to hurt!" Mu said. "I… I don't want…!"

Owen grabbed her. At the same time, a pulse of black energy knocked his hand away, the recoil jostling his shoulder. He shouted in surprise and tried to grab at her again, but at that point, Mu had already sniffled and pressed her head against the body's still-warm feathers.

"Mu…"

She just didn't understand it. Maybe he'd said too much… He should have come up with a nicer story. But if he lied, how was she going to learn about… how to interpret the world healthily? Especially if she could sense pain like Diyem could. This… was just going to be a painful lesson, but Mu would get better. She had support.

Owen looked at the sky, sighing. The stars were so pretty tonight. No clouds. They glimmered a little, warping around as the light bent around the leaves…

That wasn't right.

"What?" Owen mumbled.

The air… was changing. He could feel a Dungeon forming around him. Suddenly and without warning. But—no, this one didn't have the stagnant, dusty air of the Voidlands, and it didn't smell like Kilo, either. This was… a Dungeon that was localized to Alola.

"Hello?"

A feral chirp was distorted by Shadows. The carcass was moving again.

All of them were. Owen could feel each one rising from their dead positions, looking confused or sleepy. Each one didn't have organs. Each one was just… a blob in the shape of what they used to be.

Oh, gods. What did Mu… what was she capable of?

"Huh?" Mu sniffled. "You're… okay?"

The Pikipek-shaped Void Shadow tilted its head, chirped a distorted warble, and then flew onto Owen's left horn like a perch.

"I'm better. Thank you."

The language was simplistic. Owen associated it with 'low-level' feral talking, for Pokémon that didn't have the capacity for higher intelligence. But that basic feeling of gratitude was conveyed.

The Dungeon was fading. It had no Core. "Mu," Owen said hastily, "why don't we go back to bed now? We can talk about this later…"

"Okay…" Mu reluctantly reached up for Owen to grab her. He folded his wings over her body so she didn't have to see these Void Shadows evaporate when the Dungeon dissipated. She didn't need to know.

The sky returned to normal. That feeble, temporary Dungeon space that Mu had created evaporated just as quickly. And now, the Void Shadows would disappear with them, able to pass on…

Any second now…

Right about… now.

…They weren't fading.

Pikipek nibbled on a stray scale on Owen's forehead.

The Void Shadows were stable.

This… is going to be awkward to explain to Tapu Koko…

Owen had a fitful sleep for the rest of the night. About fifteen Void Shadows in the shape of various feral Pokémon had gathered around Mu and the others overnight. They were… docile. But they also seemed to think Mu was now their protector.

Under Owen's wings, Mu was curled up and comfortable with all of those tiny Pokémon-shaped blobs of darkness, each one normal to the naked eye, but his Perceive made the experience maddening. He eventually removed his horns to sleep.

This led to a staggered and groggy explanation to Zena in the morning, the Milotic's eyes getting wider with every new piece of information.

"Then, Mu… inherited Diyem's Dungeon powers? And now they're manifesting, just like that?"

"I think so," Owen said. "But… as for these Pokémon…"

Mu was playing with all fifteen, and they were laughing, chirping, hissing at each other like it wasn't a problem. Like they hadn't been killed and then revived as demon spawn. They were… normal. Normal in every way except physical.

"Hey!"

It was hard to see in the morning sun, but Owen recognized the incoming body of Barechest, Alola's professor.

"Hope I didn't wake you," Barechest said. "Last evening, I got some awesome news." He waved some papers by his head. "The results of your energy signature readouts are finally in!"

"Oh!" Owen perked up. "What did you find out?"

"I'll admit, I only read the abstract and didn't have time to get into all the data of it," Barechest said, "but it sounds pretty definitive, yeah?" He handed over a copy to Owen. "I think the part you care about—"

CRACK!

Whatever Barechest wanted to say was interrupted in seconds by the crackle of lightning coming from Tapu Koko's temple across the bridge. Arcs of black and gold electricity traced along the temple walls…

"That… sounded angry," Owen said. "H-how good is Tapu Koko's vision?"

"Well…" Barechest scratched the back of his head. "He flies around the region in a matter of minutes from high in the sky, so… vision strength somewhere between a Noctowl's and a spacefaring satellite's."

He'd seen everything.

"Oh no."