Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Hands of Creation

Chapter 153 - The Curse of Power

"Okay," Owen whispered shakily, "you can wake me up now, Darkrai. This is... just an extended nightmare, right? Please. I give. It's too much..."

Nothing replied to him. The communicator was murmuring with the others frantically coordinating what was happening on the other side of reality. Palkia gathering his bearings. Xerneas rushing over to treat the rest.

Owen lowered the communicator and tried to ease his breathing. He wasn't entirely sure what was happening on their side anymore, only that he was powerless to stop any of it.

"Alright, Owen," Mhynt said. "Zena is too kind to you. Open the door or I'm cutting it down."

"I—I'll open it."

Awkwardly, the Charizard started pushing aside the wood meant to keep anyone from entering, realizing how futile that was against so many of them. He had simply not been thinking. It was all a panic. And his first instinct was to push everyone else away. What did that say about him?

The door creaked open. On the other side, the Trio of Mind, Zena, Trina, and Mhynt were all there, which surprised him until he recalled tossing his horns away.

And they could tell he was without them, too.

"Owen," Zena said. "What happened?"

Mhynt eyed the horns tossed on the ground. Owen quickly picked them up, snapping them into place.

"I'm sorry if I... scared you, or anything," he added. "I'm okay. I'm... I'm okay. And I think Palkia and the others are okay, too, just—"

"We heard," Mhynt said. "It's okay. We can't do anything about it right now, but... they're smart. They'll figure it out. From where they were to Kilo, how long is it? It could be hours—many kilos for them." Her eyes narrowed. "But you were distressed even before that, Owen. Speak."

Zena frowned at Mhynt and amended, "We're just worried about you. Please—"

When she moved forward to hold him, Owen staggered back and shouted, "No, it's—!"

She pulled her ribbons back, startled and hurt. That hurt Owen even more. But what was he supposed to say?

"Sorry," Owen said, deflating, "it's okay. I can talk."

"What's happening?" Zena whispered to him, not moving closer again. "Are you... hurt? You're so afraid..."

"He fell into the ocean," Mhynt said. "The rest of Team Alloy was also behaving strangely..."

"Perhaps I should return to them," Trina hummed. "My hypnosis seemed to keep them from stirring..."

"Of course it would; that's what Hypnosis does," Mhynt murmured, earning a brief glare.

Owen found his way to the wall and slid down, staring at his tail flame, which was dimmer than usual. He couldn't find the effort to disguise his mood. It wouldn't have been honest to them.

"May we come in?" Zena asked, her voice delicate.

Owen nodded weakly. "But... don't touch me," he said, "for your own good..."

Mhynt's eyes narrowed, and then she glanced at Trina. "Check on them again, actually," she said.

Trina seemed confused but nodded and slithered out.

The door closed behind Zena, and it was just the three of them in a gently swaying cabin on a boat going deeper into the black oceans.

"Don't touch you," Mhynt echoed. "You don't look Voided. Which isn't a surprise; none of us are surprised by this. Now, please, Owen. Speak."