The air was slowly getting warmer in Destiny Village as spring quietly broke through the icy sheet of winter. It was still frigid, even for the fiery Pokemon that flew through the skies, but he could tell from the ease of conjuring his updraft that warmer air would be here within weeks.
He'd long since discovered the best times for aerial training. Ever since Silver and Yveltal had halted their training--well, technically Giovanni and Yveltal--the skies were a lot clearer for his tests and maneuvers. He was getting quicker at calming his nerves and reverting from his manic state, too... and was even to the point where he could stay perfectly controlled even while energized.
Now if only he could figure out how to master becoming a tree... That was probably the strangest power yet, but it had quite a few uses. He'd yet to confess that power to anyone, though. It was strange, even for him. But he'd have to do it eventually, for how helpful it seemed to be.
Landing on the road after perhaps an hour of intense flying exercises, Owen finally folded his wings down and exhaled with a sigh and a pant. His body felt sticky from snow and little particles in the air sticking to his scales from all the moisture, and he wasn't in the mood for a water bath. He held up his hand and clicked his claws, forming a little spark.
The spark grew and enveloped his body, starting with his arm and crawling along his whole form like a flame to paper. It sizzled and crackled and ash fell around his body, impurities burned away and into the air. He shook his body and beat his wings, conjuring a powerful, concentrated twister around his body next, which knocked loose the dust and ash that remained, and then enveloped the mess into a ball of darkness.
And just like that, the Charizard was clean. He slipped the tiny mess of burned dust into his bag for proper disposal later.
He had a sense that Cal was nearby and coming closer. Odd. She had been in Treasure Town a while ago, and when he asked how she was doing, she'd only given evasive answers. He was a little worried that she was trying to do something with the spy... but felt that wouldn't be like her, all things considered, even for a risky operation. So, it was nice that she was coming back. Maybe she just wanted to play with Surf and Turf. Or, maybe she was finally going to...
"Hey," Owen called, waving at her as she flew toward--
Flew?
"You evolved!" Owen beamed, spreading his wings even wider, but then winced. The flying exercises left him a little tired and ached. "Cal! I mean, I don't really know how that works, but congratulations!"
The new Charizard landed with a wobbly stumble and nodded at him. "Yeah, I did. I kind of had a moment."
"A moment?" he asked. "Did everything go alright in Treasure Town?"
"Yeah. I just. Um. I went and had to do something with Luz, actually. She wanted to see the real Wandering Light that Brisa talks about."
"Oh! Did that go well?" Owen asked.
Cal nodded. "Yeah. It went really well."
They walked down the road and toward Rocky Road, though it was still far away.
"I think Luz is more at peace with herself. They weren't really that similar. I guess it wasn't too much of a surprise since she was based on stories and all that."
"Yeah, I figured. Never meet your heroes, but maybe this time it makes sense to do that, right?"
"Yeah. She was really cool, but she's a lot like Brisa, too. The way you say she overworks herself, I think maybe
that Luz is the same way. But after some talking, it worked out, and..."
"And... you evolved?"
Cal stopped her walking. Owen stopped a few paces later, turning around. He studied what little of her body he could analyze. The golden ember on her tail. The two embers in her head for her false eyes. There was something new there. Her silence was... expectant. What was she expecting? And there was a new strength in her, too. She hadn't made any jokes or pranks or even mischievous movements. Very unlike her. And she was far too young to be all grown up.
She was being too quiet for too long for it to be more than an expectation. No signs of doubt... Right. She knew how perceptive he was supposed to be. So, that was her game. Testing him like always.
Far away, Joule shouted something and roared with laughter. Maple tried to shush him and Joule hastily stifled the rest of his outburst.
Went to see Luz's true self. Cal went as well, and evolved from it. There was more to it.
Oh.
She'd finally done it.
The larger Charizard's body language relaxed, not quite disarming, but not really his formal stance, either. "How was she?" he asked, and he accompanied it with a wry, sad grin.
"...I thought so," Cal said, wings drooping. "You've already gone to see her, and she forgot."
"She did." Owen nodded. "The moment I realized what Spirits' Edge could do, I... how could I not try to seek her out?"
"And you told Buffet not to tell me."
"I didn't want to force you to confront her. You wouldn't have been ready."
Cal's embers flared and shrank, little emotions piling and lessening. "Every goddamn thing has to be a test with you, doesn't it?"
Owen dipped his head. "Sorry," he said. "I didn't really know if..."
"...Must have hurt to meet her again, only for her to forget by the time you visited again. I should've known you'd've seen her by now, so it was weird that she didn't remember you did." Cal clenched her claws. "It's gonna be the same with me, isn't it? She won't remember she'd met me. She'll go back to thinking that her father never wanted to see her again."
Owen nodded. "It's a curse," he said, "by one of the gods that rules my world. When I came to Cibus, I was freed from it. But the moment I return, so will the curse. When I get back... one of my goals is to lift it. I didn't know it, but that's what I'm trying to do there."
"So that's it, huh..." Cal sighed. "I wish I could help... but I know I can't."
The edges of Owen's mouth twitched into a little smile. "It's good to hear anyway."
Despite the fact that she lacked a proper face, it seemed like the two shared an expression then. When Cal started walking again, Owen went with her.
The two continued down the road, their embers the exact same size.
"Flying lessons?" Owen asked.
"Fuck yeah."
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