Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Hands of Creation

Chapter 10 - The Hunters' Mission

"But... but Rhys is cool," Owen said.

The Charmeleon had stopped walking the moment Zena told him that Rhys was a Hunter. It simply didn't make sense. No... no, it did. It added up. But it didn't make sense to Owen anyway. Rhys was too noble. He was an Elite Heart. How could he be a murderer, too?

"That Lucario is the one who nearly killed me." Zena's tail twitched, flexing the fan at the tip. "He is the reason I spent lifetimes sealed away."

"But... but he gave me the Orb! I mean, he didn't—I mean, he was holding the Orb, but he never claimed it, and, um, and also, like—when I took it, he didn't want to hurt me at all! M-maybe you're thinking of his great grandfather or something? Like, Rhys is just a really strong Lucario. He's not a Guardian or anything. He doesn't glow! So, he can't be, um, un-aging and stuff like us." Nevren had said that they didn't age for another reason. Was that because—

"Hunters don't age. He could easily be the same Lucario." She coiled around herself a bit tighter, staring intensely at Owen. "Tell me. Did he specialize in aura attacks?"

"I—I mean, what Lucario doesn't, right?" Owen tittered nervously. He shrank before the serpent. He knew that Zena could see the helpless defiance in his eyes.

The Milotic did not break her stare. "Are you sure? Do you truly believe that Rhys won't harm you, should you appear before him now?"

Owen gulped, looking at his chest. He was glad to be back to his fiery self again. It felt right. But would Rhys try to kill him? That Lucario.... He was stern, certainly. And perhaps he'd punish him with more meditation, or something like that. Perhaps, as well, he was a bit too harsh with his training regimen. But... he simply couldn't imagine Rhys wanting to hurt him. Something at the very core of his being was telling him that he could trust Rhys. But at the same time, why did he feel that way? He just met him, didn't he?

"I don't know." The words tumbled out of him, but they were the truth. "I feel like I can trust him! But at the same time, he could... if he wanted, he could easily... couldn't he? Well, I feel like he'd just force me to meditate, like he always di—" Owen blinked a few times. What? When did Rhys ever force him to meditate? That never happened. That was Demitri and the others. He grew up with Amia and Alex—his adoptive parents. They were the ones who—

"Owen? Are you okay?" Zena asked, tilting her head.

"H-huh? Oh. I'm fine. Um... b-but I really... I don't know! If you're with me, maybe he'll hear me out, and not attack you? If he's still like that? No... I—he's too nice. If he wanted to, he could've killed me right at the beginning, when I first got the Orb!"

"Regardless of his actions before," Zena said, "he may have second thoughts. He is still a Hunter, and it is their very purpose to track down and gather the Orbs at all costs. And right now, we are two Guardians, possessing two Orbs. That may be an opportunity too tempting to ignore."

Owen played with the scales at the base of his claws. Zena had a point. Why would Rhys be chasing after them in the first place? Why Rhys specifically, if he knew that this would be the Water Guardian? But Owen's gut still told him that Rhys was safe. He never sensed any ounce of malice in his body language. He was good at spotting those things, for as long as he could remember! But... what if Zena was right? What if he got tempted? What if that malice... came back?

Owen's legs felt weak. He walked to a nearby, sandy rock and sat against it. Waves washed upon the shoreline two times before he spoke again. "Rhys... could kill me..."

"He very well could," Zena said. She slithered a bit closer, but hesitated to get within arm's reach of him. "And you aren't nearly strong enough to defend yourself against him."