Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Hands of Creation

Chapter 102 - Clash at Null Village

Owen, Demitri, and Mispy emerged to a sky carved in two by a Hydro Pump, and then further impacted by purple crescents of energy that cut the water into strange, oblong and jagged shapes. The Hydro Pump stopped, and a Mewtwo reappeared in the middle of the sky, looking left and right with a wide grin. Owen quickly hid behind Mispy's foreleg, but Aster wasn't looking for him.

In a blink, a starry Flygon rammed into Aster from behind, digging his claws into flesh. It left barely a scratch by the time Aster propelled himself forward with a kick, Psychic energy bursting from his feet.

"Gahi's fighting Aster?! When did that happen?" Owen tried to keep up with them, but both Gahi and the Mewtwo were teleporting across the sky every few seconds, occasionally clashing in random spots in the air. It seemed like Gahi was holding his own, but Owen feared that Aster wasn't taking the battle seriously.

"You two need to help him," Owen said, staring up. "I—I don't know what I can do against..."

"No." Mispy used several vines to wrap around and then guide Owen to her back.

"If we leave you alone," Demitri translated, "Aster might pluck you right off the ground mid-battle. If we're fighting Aster, you're coming with us!"

It was unintuitive, though it was better than hiding and hoping he wouldn't be found. But what was he supposed to be able to do to help?

"Let's try to get closer. Follow the streets!" Owen could use the time to think.

Owen could see several townsfolk were either watching from their doorways or windows. Shadows deeper inside suggested more were hiding. The streets were empty aside from guards rushing to secure the premises, but none of them looked eager to fight Aster directly. Owen could imagine why. One strike from him ran the risk of instant death, and then who knows where they'd wake up in the Voidlands—and how much of their selves would remain.

Owen could only imagine that terror... And was thankful, in a morbid way, that he was apparently immune to it. Perhaps that was one reason he could afford to risk himself more.

Think. What could he do? He didn't have strength behind him. He had already realized long ago that he wasn't going to rapidly evolve. Whatever happened when he had first died in the Voidlands, it stripped him of his power, even if it couldn't take his memories. He had to be clever. His most useful technique had been Protect, but what good was that if he couldn't get into the fray?

They made more turns through the streets but had to stop when a stray Shadow Ball vaporized the ground only a few feet ahead of them. A crater of rubble that crackled with black electricity remained—that wasn't a normal Ghost attack.

"It's rot," Owen said to himself. "We need to be careful. It's the same power Anam has!"

Balls of psychic energy followed in a rapid-fire line that hammered into several buildings.

"This guy's way out of our league," Demitri panted. "What's Gahi thinking?!"

"He doesn't," Mispy concluded, though her serrated flower petals were glowing.

Owen's eyes widened. "Uh—Mispy?"

"Shh." Mispy kept following Aster's movements. She was waiting for the right moment to launch a Solar Beam...

If only he had Perceive. He could have potentially read where Aster would appear, maybe try to sense distortions in the air. Would that work? He didn't know. It could also overwhelm him.

No use thinking about things he didn't have. He needed to find a way to get them to Gahi to help. There was a Hydro Pump back there—Zena! Where was she? She had to fire another so they could figure out her location.