If Diyem does has nefarious intents, he’s certainly put a great amount of effort into making it seem otherwise. If he could assume control of us, why wouldn’t he prevent such a petty act?
Shield looked unimpressed. "It's as you said," he said. "Petty theft. Would this Diyem of yours really show his cards for something that simple? Exerting control would have been a last resort. He is waiting to use that power
once, when it
truly counts, so you don't have the chance to figure out how to counteract it. Dark Matter waited for generation upon generation until he revealed himself to strike when the time was right. What is a few months to him?"
"That's all just... conjecture, though!" Owen protested. "Diyem could have wiped Zane's memories of the event, or just said that he was a liability, or that he had to send him back, or anything, but he didn't! It just isn't... it's so roundabout. Do you really think Dark Matter is so patient that he'd
work with others in that way?"
Shield flinched. Between Celeste, Bahamut, and Owen, they had a strong enough argument... But he knew what he sensed. That darkness was the same darkness within this team, and they weren't going to believe him. They were at an impasse.
"You haven't changed much, eh, Rayquay?" Pop asked.
"How dare you."
"Always listening to strength like some old era Dragon." Pop floated toward the others, dropping the accent. "I know what will convince Rayquaza. It is the same thing that dispelled the darkness in his heart during the first modern Omen... The one that made him stare stubbornly forward and downward, as if his pride did not let him believe that anything could be above his head." Pop looked to Rayquaza. "A pride that, as I awoke from my slumber to confront the early arrival of Dark Matter's stirring, made you nearly shirk your duty as guardian of the skies."
Rayquaza kept his scowl, but it dulled slightly, and he had no retort.
"I have a proposal," Pop said simply. "If Rayquaza will only be convinced by strength, then we shall convince him in the traditional Cibus way. Pokemon bond though battle. Through combat, their energies form connections to one another, links and threads that intertwine in ways that simply talking cannot achieve. Perhaps, though another battle, you can show Rayquaza the truth in your hearts."
Rayquaza scoffed. "I will be stronger then," he said. "Escaping from that underground hideout took some energy from me that I hadn't recovered from."
"All the more reason to battle so you can see what they are like with a clear mind," Pop said. "...Maple, how long until they are stable enough to battle again?"
"A few days," Maple said, though she seemed pensive. "But if we do it so soon, they will still be using those Radiant techniques."
"Perfect," Pop said, nodding. "It means it will be a repeat, or similar enough, to their first clash. That will convince you, beyond a shadow of a doubt, their true intentions wouldn't it?" Pop looked to Rayquaza. "Win or lose, you will see how they truly are."
