Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Hands of Creation

Chapter 156 - First Generation

"Is it just me, or is this a terrible idea?" Phol murmured. "At what point did I get involved in the field again? I'm a doctor now, not a Heart."

"Probably when we started losing Hearts to who knows where," Spice said. "The world may have stopped ending, but the damage is done. Maybe once it calms down more, you can be irritated at patients again."

Phol grumbled and didn't reply directly.

Before them was a great temple, completely decayed from disrepair and abandonment. Stained glass windows once depicted the figures of Mew and Arceus and all their creations. The blank window that often separated the two was considered a symbol of their distance. But now, with the new revelations at hand, that third window was Necrozma, their mediator.

"According to the plan," Leo said, looking at the sun's position, "we wait until the apex of noon and then go in. That should time us for whatever the 'spirit side' team tries from within. This all seems very risky..."

"We're just a distraction. Fight defensively," Spice said.

"Mrgh. Right. How close is noon?"

Leo was watching his shadow creep along. "Pretty close," he said. "We can probably head in already and the timing won't be too off. It's not like we were given exact kilos to count..."

"Does time even flow the same?" Phol asked as Angelo meekly approached and sketched something on his arm. Phol didn't question it.

"I don't know," Leo said. "But we have to try at least a little bit."

"They could have at least left one Guardian with us," Phol mumbled, looking down the field. The scouts were circumnavigating the temple—and among them was Star—but the fact that nothing was exploding meant ADAM was just inside.

Angelo drew something on Leo next before approaching Spice.

"Okay, what are you doing?" Spice asked.

"A-ah! Um." Angelo nervously poked his tail's black paint. "I was just giving you some, ah, some good luck before you go in. A simple enchantment. Normally only Alcremie can learn it, er, but..."

"...Right. You know basically every known technique, don't you?" Spice rolled her eyes. "Well, thanks, I guess. I'm sure it'll help."

"I hope so," Angelo said, sketching out odd squares and hexagons next. Similar symbols appeared all around them in a two-layered barrier.

"Okay!" Angelo said. "We should be ready."

"Hopefully, the Dungeon doesn't dispel any of these once we enter," Phol said. "Ah, there are the scouts."

Star, a Hecto, and a Nate approached from around the corner. The canid Zygarde and strange wraith representative were quiet, but Star announced, "All clear! The guy must be inside. I think we're good to go."

"And my purpose specifically," Phol said, "is to try to... shape my Protects into a gauntlet and then punch ADAM as hard as I can. And that will somehow work."

"That will be part of what works. Maybe." Star nodded. "Radiance seems to counter Shadows, so we do that from both sides. That's what the other team will be doing with Anam's Radiance."

Part of Spice wondered if Anam knew how to fight anymore, with how meek he'd been lately. Hopefully, he'd rise to the occasion. "Alright," she said. "Lead the way."

The time for preparation was over. Hopefully, they could clean out whatever ADAM was doing and then try to track where Alexander had fled next. They approached the temple entrance. There was a soapy rainbow film where the door should have been. The Dungeon felt strong.