Chapter 105 – Titanic Rescue
"Fascinating…"
Nevren spent several Revisor cycles looking through different parts of the bag that had been left behind from those wraiths. There was quite a lot that he could learn from it. It appeared to have a connection to some form of long-distance communication. However, that connection was not operational. Nevren suspected that it would be open if he turned Quartz HQ into a Dungeon again, but he still needed to work on making that technology portable.
He also learned that perhaps the reason these wraiths were different was because they were sentient—perhaps even sapient. Were his suspicions true? They were very familiar. It had been a spur-of-the-moment assumption, one in particular seemed like Owen. And that giant one… there was something about it that felt… familiar. The fact that Nevren had no proper words for it was a mild source of irritation.
Speaking of mild sources of irritation…
Arceus, are you there? Nevren called. I trust Dark Matter has not made any advances.
"He has not. The storm above Hot Spot has calmed, but the area itself remains corrupt."
Where is Lavender?
"Still quite far from Kilo Village. You know, you could have asked me to relay a message if you needed to…"
I could have, yes.
A pause. "You just wanted him gone."
Not just that, Nevren replied coolly. These experiments are becoming very risky. I'd rather Rim be in Kilo Village where it is safer for now.
"But essentially so Lavender would be away."
In any case, I do actually want you to relay a message to Kilo Village. Tell them to be careful when entering Dungeons and approaching cores. If a wraith appears to be sapient, act cautiously and not aggressively.
"Excuse me?"
Nevren decided to stop inspecting the bag, placing all of the items where they had been previously. Yes, he said, halting his notes. I recently performed a successful Dungeon creation and destruction event. There were wraiths emerging from it. One was a gigantic, hostile creature that was perhaps once too large to pass through other rifts. There were several smaller ones that were fighting against it, going so far as to protect me.
"This… is unprecedented, you know. I don't know if I can believe you."
Perhaps it is too unbelievable to make up. I doubt you can see any reason for me to fabricate this.
"We aren't exactly on the best of terms, Nevren. You caused this by trying to tamper with Anam, who wound up being the seal to Dark Matter."
None of us were aware of this. In any case, I do have another piece of information. Regarding those sapient wraiths…
"Potentially sapient."
One behaved like Owen.
Silence, then. Nevren could understand as much. It was hard to believe himself. But there was no questioning those gestures—and that amalgamation… He would not mistake his own creations, even if they had been warped and distorted. That was the Alloy.
"You aren't one to make such bold claims normally," Barky finally said.
I am not.
And then, more silence. Nevren was finished packing the bag again.
They have great technology, Nevren continued. The world the wraiths come from seems to have its own small society. Advanced. Perhaps that is where they went. Perhaps that is where a lot of missing spirits have gone.
"Then Star could be there."
Indeed. And all of the others as well.
"How can we help them?"
Finally, some progress. Nevren started with his plans. We have a means to enter their realm. Next, we should find a way for them to exit. They can't seem to last when outside of a Dungeon's space, which leads to even more questions. I'll explain more later. For now, tell the others what I found.
"Yes. Should we hold off on attacking Dark Matter?"
…No. Continue. Perhaps it can give more data, and there are still things in Hot Spot Cave that we must investigate.
"Very well. I shall see what those at Kilo Village are planning."
Do not tell them it was from me, Nevren said idly. I do not think they will take kindly to my advice right now.
"…Of course."
"Okay," Latias said. "On three!"
"Three's too long!" Migami said, diving left to avoid a Shadow Blast that singed their antennae. "On two!"
"How do you go by on two?!"
"NOW!" Owen shouted.
It was the best plan they could think of with the information they had, and Palkia's strange abilities were starting to manifest from the behemoth. They didn't want to see how far it could get with them, especially when it had somehow swapped the locations of two plateaus. Owen held a green crystal that they had found after careful scouting. Migami held another psychic one after swatting away a Void Shadow that had been trying to keep it.
Latias had told them that the radiant energy within those crystals was something that could, if tapped and unleashed, defeat a Titan. If they had done it before, they could do it again.
But why did it have to involve throwing Owen into it?
"Get that Protect ready!" Migami shouted, and then hurled Owen toward Void Palkia's shoulder.
He'd fashioned his Protect into wings. Now it was time to fashion it into a spike. Owen crossed his arms and focused, first creating the sphere, and then narrowing the point in front of him into a dull cone. He was seconds away from contact, and Palkia charged another blast meant for Migami. Perfect.
He flew forward even faster thanks to a Psychic from Latias. The wind whistled around his cone, and he hoped the rapid deceleration wouldn't hurt too much.
All became darkness, aside from the golden glow of his barrier. He'd pierced right into the shoulder and lodged himself somewhere in, if Owen had to guess, the upper chest. The Void Shadows that made up the Titan closed the gap behind him, and Owen balanced his feet on the bottom of the spherical barrier.
Now he had to wait. He heard tremors, blasts, other indicators from outside that they were getting their hits in.
The Protect shield was starting to crack. Owen concentrated more and the shield repaired itself. The crystal in his hands glowed bright and, despite his Fire nature, it burned him a little. It was ready. Just like Latias said, he could activate the crystals on his own thanks to Necrozma's blessing. Could Gahi as well, if he tried harder? Perhaps Eon only made it easier…
Please, work, Owen thought to the crystal. Guys? Are you ready yet? But, of course, they could not hear him.
The barrier was cracking again, and this time it wasn't repairing itself. The moment the barrier dropped, he'd have no choice but to attack. He didn't know if he could trigger a radiant attack while Voided, even temporarily.
He saw in his mind's eye a little Ralts, confused and terrified. Those eyes, showing no recognition of him, yet they were very clearly his mother's. He'd see them again. With some luck, maybe his father wouldn't even have to find out until it was all over.
The beast stumbled left, and that was as good a signal as Owen was going to get. He clutched the crystal tight against his chest and then raised it in the air just as his Protect shattered.
Come on, Palkia. We need you!
"What's taking Owen so long?!" Migami shouted, weaving around a claw strike from Palkia. The trailing darkness was like a miasma, rotting their scales on contact. They grunted and swooped down, focusing their powers on healing next.
"Just give it time! That was a strong hit!" Latias called back, hurling several mist balls into the beast's head. Smaller blasts came out from the creature's side, striking Latias in the chest. She screamed, but Migami knew this cycle and blasted Latias back with healing light. Latias regained consciousness mid-fall and used her downward momentum to twist one of its limbs with Psychic.
Up close, this thing was several floors tall, and they had no chance of taking it down effectively from afar.
"Wait, I'm seeing something!" Latias shouted.
Palkia must have been feeling it, too. The Titan held its chest, trying to pull something out, but it was already too late. Huge portions of its amalgamated body were falling away as cracks of light shined out from within; leaves and flower petals seeped out with an invisible wind.
The Titan's body expanded in a disturbing bloat, ripping at the seams where more light poured out. Finally, with an explosive and unsettlingly fragrant blast, the Titan burst. Migami and Latias flew backward and caught the gusts of wind. Latias had more trouble, getting caught by Migami so she didn't go flying too far.
Latias was a frail thing and Migami could feel the muscle and bone under her feathers. Her weak points. They were tempted to press against her neck to see how much give it had, how easy it would be to snap.
After violently shaking the thoughts out of their head, Migami looked down. "Where's Owen?"
"I can't tell," Latias said, squinting. She was blinded, which made her vulnerable to attack. No, the fight was over—Migami had to stop thinking about that.
There was something orange falling amid the scattered Void Shadows. Migami focused on that; in a flash of light, Void Shadows were now raining down upon Migami, but along with them was Owen.
"Uff!"
Owen landed on top of Latias, the wind in her chest leaving in a harsh squeak.
Another frail creature in Migami's arms. They could drop Owen and he'd be helpless; there was no counter for such a far fall. No, he could break it with Flame Bursts.
"Migami, get us to Palkia," Owen said firmly.
"What?"
"Palkia. Look down. Keep it together."
Keep it together? They were just fine.
"Breathe."
"What's wrong?" Migami asked, looking between the two of them. Latias seemed nervous for some reason, and Owen wasn't taking his eyes off of them. What an intense look… They should listen.
Migami didn't realize until just then how firmly they'd been holding Latias. Releasing her, Migami watched a few feathers, tinged with crimson, drift to the faraway ground.
"Palkia," Owen said again.
"Right, right." Migami turned their attention downward. Palkia, Palkia… there! Among the mass of black sludge was the pinkish form of the Spacekeeper. "Okay, how about we—"
Latias squeaked and pointed. "Aster!"
"You're kidding." Migami turned, and indeed, he was seconds away. He must have been attracted by the fighting; that burst of energy was surely enough to guide him there. Had he been following them all this time?
There was a hint of eagerness in Migami's voice that betrayed the gravity of Aster's arrival. Owen must have noticed because he was already shooting an ember in their face to get their attention.
"We aren't fighting head-on. We lost the first time."
"We lost because Dark Matter touched me," Migami said. "We don't have that this time. I'm gonna win." And Migami believed every word of it. This time it was one on five, or three, however they counted. Owen sort of counted as half a Pokémon, and Latias was on even footing, so maybe it was two and a half. Or—
"Migami, focus," Owen pleaded. "Come on, we need to get to P—"
Aster disappeared and the tingling to Migami's left made them reflexively swing at the air. A vine grazed skin. With a manic grin, Migami met Aster's gaze only a few feet apart.
"Hey," Migami greeted.
"Hi!" Aster giggled.
"Round two?"
"No, no round two," Owen said firmly, pointing at Aster. "You—leave us alone! What do you even want us for?!"
"Alexander wants the strongest person here, and that's you!" Aster pointed at Migami. "Who was the one who made that huge blast of light? I won't hurt anyone if you just give that one to meeee!"
"You'll have to get 'im over my dead body!" Migami held Owen forward like a prize.
"Huh? Him? That little Charmander made that huge blast of light?" Aster wavered.
The disappointment Migami felt was immeasurable. Were they not going to fight? Aster didn't look like he was interested. "If I throw him away, can we fight over him?" Migami proposed.
Owen gasped, staring at Migami, wide-eyed. "Migami, think! Don't let your fighting instincts take over, alright? Please?"
Fighting instincts? Was that this?
"Wait a minute…" Aster frowned, but then drifted closer.
Migami beat their wings back and searched for Latias. She was just behind them, on guard, but Migami could tell she was ready to run. Far below, Palkia was unconscious and the Void Shadows were scattering aimlessly. If they waited too long, they might coalesce around him again…
"Our top priority is Palkia," Owen whispered. "It's like Aster doesn't even notice him… And why is he staring at me?"
"Let me see him!" Aster shouted. And Migami knew what was coming before Aster disappeared.
They ran on instinct.
Swinging left, Migami struck air, but the tingling feeling on their side was an easy read. Extra vines shot in that direction, swiping Aster's arm. He disappeared and, predictably, appeared behind next. An easy target for Migami's tail. Flexing a strange muscle, they swung their tail and ejected one of its tail-blade pairs, enveloping it in Psychic energy to guide it toward the assaulting Mewtwo.
Owen was saying something, but Migami didn't hear it, nor were they interested. Not when it was obvious that they were supposed to keep fighting. Aster's little game of Teleport was becoming predictable, like he never had to actually fight someone at his level before. Inexperienced. Softened from too many easy beatings.
Aster got a few lucky shots in, of course. Between using Owen as a Protect parry—which was starting to have more of an effect on Aster than before—and having so many bases covered, Aster couldn't get a solid hit in. Only a few grazing shots. It was odd, actually. Was Aster being cautious of Latias, who didn't know when to strike? Or was Aster holding back? He wasn't this easy before.
Owen shouted something again, and this time, Migami decided to listen.
"Migami, run away!"
Maybe listening could wait for later.
Yet, only a few seconds later, Aster changed his rhythm. Migami faltered, and that was all Aster needed. The Mewtwo's fist knocked Migami in the jaw and sent them spiraling down. They tried to pull Owen closer to his chest, but when they did, nothing but empty air separated him and his hands. Owen was gone.
Migami slammed into the rock and the dull, loud cracks told him that several bones broke from the impact with a nearby plateau. Large rocks fell around them and to the dusty ground far below.
"Owen—" Migami choked out, slamming their whole body against the plateau to get back in the air. They saw a flash, and that was all. Latias was frantically flying toward them, and Migami had half a mind to attack for approaching him too quickly.
"I'll look for him!" Latias said. "He disappeared, but he couldn't have gone far! Oh—but what about Palkia? Do I stay back? Um, Migami?"
All of that was pointless to reply to. Migami ascended, and Latias said something too soft to hear, and they scanned the plateaus. He was around here somewhere…
"Owen…" Migami's heart thumped in his chest. There was a lingering regret in their head and he wasn't sure why. They weren't done with his fight. Aster wasn't about to run away from that. And Owen, he…
He told him to run away. Owen had known it was coming. And they hadn't listened.
A wave of rage shook Migami down to his core. Their fists trembled; his tail whipped the air, his own blades slicing into bits of his scales. The fusion roared, psychic crescents splitting the air and the plateau behind him, leaving massive gashes in the purple stone. Latias squeaked and flew down to Palkia, spending her time brushing away Void Shadows from above.
"I'll kill him," Migami hissed, clenching the air. "He's here somewhere… Owen… hang in there…"
They flew higher, throwing any sense of stealth away in the process. If Aster could see them, then they could see Aster.
And then they wouldn't have to apologize.
Even after being torn away from his team and tossed to the dusty ground, spending several seconds without movement, Owen's world was still spinning.
"Ugh…" He rolled onto his belly and pushed himself up. "Hello?" Was he rescued?
Something wrapped around the back of his neck and pulled him. Owen struggled, but he was already off the ground and he couldn't reach or strike anything. He made feral, chittering noises, tail blazing, but the assailant was unaffected.
"What's your name?"
Aster. It was Aster. His grip was gentle, but firm.
"Why do you want to know?" Owen asked back.
"Do I know you?"
"What do you—"
Owen remembered a much smaller Mewtwo during that picnic. Azelf had been there, too, with the others of that trio. Quite a few Legends had been there…
Aster spun Owen around, leaving the Charmander floating without anyone actually holding him. Aster wore an uncharacteristically serious expression, like he was afraid of something.
"Just tell me your name," Aster said.
The psychic force around Owen felt turbulent. Owen's tail was already sparking from his anxiety. If he said the wrong thing here, would he die? Well. That probably wouldn't matter, but it would be inconvenient. Worse, he might be taken away. But if he didn't answer… Aster was a Mewtwo. Would he simply… break his mind open to find the answer?
"Owen," he finally said.
That Psychic grip wavered.
"And… were you named after your dad, or something?" Aster asked, voice trembling.
"No. My old human named me Owen."
Owen regretted giving that detail; Aster looked like he'd been overcome by a wave of sheer panic and confusion. There was a manic look in his eyes for half a second, some mixture of thrill and relief, and then a dark, dark horror.
"Y-you're really Owen," Aster said, and then he laughed. "Owen, ha… h-ha, you're alive, you're really alive, and you're here…"
"Well, alive is stretching it…" Owen tried, subtly, to break free, but it was no use. Aster pulled him closer, but then suddenly shoved him away, and Owen toppled over the dirt with a grunt.
"I—that means I have to… you're the one he… no. N-no, I can't! H-ha, Alexander wouldn't know i-if I just… h-ha, I can't… you're Owen! S-so there's no way I… we…"
"Aster, what's wrong?" The Psychic hold had completely disappeared. Maybe, if he was lucky, he would be able to convince Aster to work with him. "Aster, I remember you," he said. It was the truth, even if the magnitude was probably being falsely implied. "Please, just talk to me. It's okay."
Carefully, Owen stepped forward, and Aster took a single step back, more than making up for it.
"I'm u-under orders… that i-if I see someone like you, I have to…"
"Then don't follow them. You don't have to, Aster." Owen had no idea what he was saying. "Please, just stay with us. Alright?"
"No, I can't, I can't, I—" He laughed again, squeezing his forehead with both hands. "I can't, I can't, it's his power, it's his power!"
"What's his power? Aster, come on, talk to me—"
"No. I can't talk to you! You… aren't even here!"
This seemed like it was going badly. Owen searched, with just his eyes, for an escape, but he was on top of a plateau. He could probably try to jump, but Aster would catch him. No, he was stuck. He had to calm him down.
While Owen had been thinking in those few silent moments, Aster pulled from a small bag a sphere. It reminded Owen of the Wonder Orbs he'd used in Dungeons, though this one did not seem to have anything in it. Just raw, white essence, ready to shape itself into anything. And that alone filled Owen with a strange, primal dread, like every single part of him was telling him, right then, to run away.
"You're not here… I'm… I'm not seeing Owen! You're… not Owen! You're not a Charmander! You're… g-gone!"
Aster slammed the orb at Owen's feet; he had a second to run, but that was all. A wave of lethargy washed over Owen as strange threads of light wrapped around and dug into the Charmander's scales. He felt its sting and then a gentle warmth, then an uncomfortable chill that only intensified. Owen tried to cry out, but nothing came. He felt immobile—he was shrinking. That cold feeling was digging into his brain. A horrible headache, just for an instant. He felt a sweet taste in his mouth and nostrils. The flame on his tail sputtered out, and then the tail itself seemed to recede.
Then, he blacked out.
Migami split into three after having little luck in finding Aster immediately. They'd have to do extra scouting, or Mispy would need to focus her aura sensing, before they could find him—if that.
Latias and Demitri tended to Palkia, who was still unconscious. The Void Shadows were dazed and injured, most of them already scattering away from the blast that had destroyed most of them. That made getting to Palkia trivial, with Demitri tapping on one of his pearls. "Palkia?" he said. "Are you awake?"
"Palkia, wake up," Latias said. "Can you hear me?" She floated to his head, frowning. He was massive—his head and neck alone were practically the length of Latias' whole body.
"Rrgh… Hm? Mm…" He opened one eye, and Demitri braced for some kind of panic or roar or space-shattering attack. "Ah. Am I awake?"
"Um, yes, Palkia. You are."
"That's wonderful!" He rolled over, crushing several Void Shadows, and got to his feet to brush himself off. Demitri yelped and stumbled away, falling onto his back. Mispy stood on her guard, ready to fight, but then Palkia clapped his hands together.
It was so off-putting that Mispy lost her stance.
"Goodness, I've lost track of the time. Tell me, how long has it been since I was uncovered? I do have a vague dream of fighting back very recently, yes, but that was after I believe I heard Dialga crying out. Ahh, but the passage of time while being sealed away is difficult to discern. Hm! Latias. How have you been?"
"Um. I-I don't know which question to answer first…"
"Oh, nonsense, surely you can answer one of them! Ah, for example, where is Dialga? Do you know?"
"He's, um, back at Null Village," Demitri said. "But we—"
"Oh, wonderful! Point me in that direction and I can take us there right away!"
He raised his arm, but Latias quickly cried, "Wait, no! Not yet! Um—we need to find someone else first! Do you remember Aster?"
"Star's child? Certainly! How is my adorable creation doing?" Palkia looked left and right, then at Latias with those same, bright eyes. "Where is he?"
"Um. He abducted Owen and is taking him to Alexander."
"Alexander? That sounds familiar."
"Emissary of Darkness."
"Ahhh, right. Of course. And Aster is working for him, then? A shame." Palkia sighed and pat down the rest of his scales of any Void mess. "Well, I suppose I should dispose of him. Truly unfortunate. Where is he?"
"I don't think you'll be strong enough. He's enhanced by that same darkness, and, um—"
"Wait," Demitri said, "you're just going to try to kill him? Just like that?"
"Well, he's with Dark Matter now. I certainly must." Palkia nodded. "It's a shame, but he will only be a threat now. If we kill him, then he will be stripped of his power."
"Actually, Dark Matter is fighting Alexander for control."
"Oh?" Palkia hummed, arms crossed. "Are they both simply different sides of evil, then?"
"Kind of."
"Well, I suppose that does complicate matters. If we take out too much of one side, the other may gain the upper hand and we can't win at all. We will have to be more careful. Very well! No killing Aster today. You said you were looking for him, however?"
"That way," Mispy suddenly said, pointing in what Demitri thought was a random direction, yet she pointed with purpose.
"Of course." Palkia lifted himself off the ground, a gentle wind circling over his oddly small wings. "Hmm, I'm not as fast as I would like," Palkia said. "My strength is certainly less than usual. You all go ahead! I shall catch up."
"After all the work we went through to get you?" Demitri said as Gahi flew ahead to where Mispy had pointed. "Um, also, can you carry us? Since Gahi's… flying ahead."
"Well, if you sense something, I imagine he would want to go there soon," Palkia said. "Goodness, what an interesting Flygon. I've never seen a color like that before."
"Yeah, he's the Psychic Guardian." Demitri climbed onto Palkia's back with some effort, but then stiffened. "U-um, how high do you plan on flying?"
Mispy climbed on next and made sure to grasp Demitri so he didn't pass out. "Focus on me," she said gently.
"Y-yeah, sorry."
Mispy smiled. It wasn't that bad when he was fused with someone else, but on his own, getting too far from the ground still gave him tremors.
But Gahi was already returning, looking confused. Mispy sensed an aura—Owen's aura, getting closer, too. He must be on his back. With relief, she said, "Gahi found him."
"No way!" Demitri tried to lean forward, but then realized that they were a lot higher off the ground than before. He yelped in surprise and pulled back. "G-Gahi, where's Owen? Owen? Are you alright?"
No answer. Instead, Gahi said, "I didn't find Owen. Felt like he was s'posed ter be there… Aster was flyin' away, but I dunno. Didn't look like he had Owen with'm…"
"Wait, what did you bring back?"
"Was weird. Never saw one in… fer a while." Gahi held out something that, at first, Demitri and Mispy hadn't registered. It was so bright and vibrant compared to the desaturated purples and ominous reds that they had to make sure they'd seen it properly. An apple. An actual, red apple, even with a stem on top, the size of Gahi's fist.
Mispy was tempted to grab it, but something stopped her. Some strange feeling in her chest.
"An apple, out here?" Palkia asked.
"I've never seen one so pretty before," Latias said, practically in awe.
Mispy squeaked, her antennae twitching. "Owen…"
"Eh?" Gahi looked around. "Where? He in trouble?"
Mispy pointed at the apple. "Aura…"
Gahi, Demitri, Mispy, Latias, and Palkia all stared at the apple, a mixture of feelings washing over Team Alloy. The stem, just barely, wiggled left and right.
Palkia hummed. "Fascinating."