Poppin' Arms ~ Training Facility

[Disco]

Raven watched. She couldn't join them but would keep watch. If anything went wrong, she'd be ready to help in the waking world. But with those that were here- there was no way things would go wrong. They would reach him, and through their help, he would come back.

 

[Dragonfree]

Dave listened, silent. One thing kept coming back to his head: back at the meeting, Owen'd goaded Soda into admitting that he'd placed the memory block on him. So if the memory block was him...?

"So you want to send us into his head to... not rescue him, not attack the thing, just cheer Owen on?"

 

[Namohysip]

"At first," Diyem said. "And the moment Owen seems secure and that thing seems weak... strike it with him before it has a chance to twist that into something against you."

"The old surprise attack..." Cal nodded. "I don't think I want to risk getting stuck in there, since I'm not, y'know, one of you guys. I'm gonna stick back and watch from here. But... save him, alright?"

"Knowing them, they will find a way." Diyem arranged for everyone to gather up, and then formed a dark ball of energy in one of his hands. "I will send you in. When you wake, it will be in his mindscape. Hopefully not much has changed.

He fired, and at the same time nodded at Bahamut to leave--and all Raven and Cal would see left were the determined, petrified statues of their teammates.

--

'Not much has changed' indeed. Owen's 'Kilo Village' was now a twisted wasteland of purple-red storms, toppled buildings, and several simulated citizens fleeing from unknown, hazy figures. To the east, where Owen had been staying, was where the storm appeared to be strongest, but the eye of the storm remained calm. There was a golden light shining in the very center...

 

[Adamhuarts]

"This is Owen's home..." Cynthian whispered, taking a brief moment to survey their surroundings. It didn't take long to find the harrowing storm eastward.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

"I dunno if that light is Bahamut's signal, or a symbol of Owen's mental fortitude, but it sure seems like we oughta head that way," said Brisa, firmly.

She looked round at her companions. They made quite an odd team. But a good mix, perhaps, to help.

 

[Ambyssin]

Bahamut had proceeded forward toward the golden light. His ability to float made it much easier to move around what would otherwise be unfamiliar for the others.

"Owen," Bahamut called, trying to get a sense of what was ahead. "I have a question for you."

 

[Namohysip]

The phantom that Bahamut had left behind had, at some point, been depleted. Owen himself was sitting a stone's toss away from the sealed creature, occasionally forcing more Protects onto it as he usually did before returning to a meditative stance.

"Back so soon?" Owen called, eyes closed and brow furrowed in concentration. He tilted his head. "Is someone else here?" He felt someone getting closer... A lot of someones.

It's a relief that you're back.
I have this handled, for now.
Y͞oư ͘c̀àn̴n͠o͏t͘ s͝to͠p̕ m҉e.̢

 

[Ambyssin]

“You like those comics and heroic tales, do you not?” Bahamut pointed his hand up and fired his signal: a Photon Geyser. “How do you feel about parts where heroes recognize the power their friends provide them?”

 

[Dragonfree]

What the fuck. They'd landed in some kind of apocalyptic nightmarescape, ominous purple storms, fleeing people. In the eye of the storm, Owen, meditating, over a golden Protect sphere.

"Hey, it's me," he said, wary as he padded closer. Be... encouraging. Right. "You seem like you've got it covered." God, what. His heart hammered as he tried to peer through the shields.

 

[Adamhuarts]

"We're here as your moral support Owen," Cynthian said with a faint, friendly smile.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa loped up with her companions with her heart starting to race. Breathe deep. This'll work out.

"How're ya holdin' up, partner?" she asked, unsure how her tone would come across.

 

[Namohysip]

The thing that was sealed inside looked like a pulsating core, somewhere between organic and mineral. It seemed more organic than anything, with tendrils writhing out from some ends and trying to jab and dig at whatever it could.

"What kind of kid do you take me for?" Owen asked Bahamut with an amused smile.

I do like those.
Is that happening now?
Y͘ou are͘ h̢elpl͜e͜s͏s o̢n your̨ o̴wn.

Then came the others, who, predictably, provided the support that they could. "How many people came so suddenly for me?" he asked. "I'm... holding up alright. See? That thing is sealed away just fine..."

You guys care that much?
Do you have a way out?
T̨hey ͘k͟n͞éw͠ y̵o̕u ̶would̷ l̶osȩ.̷

 

[Ambyssin]

“They came precisely because they care.” Bahamut gestured at them. “For all your past issues with control, you’ve touched quite a few people here. You have friends. Genuine friends.”

 

[Dragonfree]

Oh. Oh, fuck, the thing was using the fact they were here as ammunition against him. Should have fucking known. Who wouldn't assume if a bunch of people suddenly appear to provide moral support to you, it's because they're pretty goddamn worried? Why wouldn't that just make you nervous?

"I mean, we also just wanted to see this thing. We haven't seen anything like it before, right? Nice job containing it."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa sat down by Owen.

Almost any attempt to influence this could potentially fuck this up, judging by the vicious eterna distortions affecting his mind.

What to say...?

"Hey Owen," she began, softly. "Looks like it's goin' well. What's it like, keepin' a lid on this thing?"

 

[Namohysip]

T̀hey'r͢ȩ ļyin͟g͏ t̨o ̴y͝ou͢.
They wanted to help
You'̕r̡e w͘eak͏. ̛A͟ pup̧p͠e̕t̵.̨ ͜Sub̵m̀i̢t.
I trust them.

"It's alright, Dave," Owen said. "I get it. I wasn't going to just stay here forever, after all. I knew someone would come back to help, because... that's what a team does." He glanced at the sealed beast, which was still trying to fight back, even now. "Nobody should have the singular power to do anything they want. Mortal or god." He glanced at Dave, then at Bahamut, as if recognizing their positions. "And that includes me. I can't do everything on my own... because we're a team." He nodded at Brisa, then Cynthian.

"Keeping a lid on it is... hard. I have to completely keep my focus. It feels like I've been here forever. But... I don't think you need to humor me on this. There's only one reason you'd really be here."

I can't handle this on my own.
Maybe I'm weak compared to it.
But I know I'm not weak in general.
Are you ready?

The tendrils were trying to rearrange the letters into something, anything, but they were too firmly in place.

"I'm going to drop the Protects soon," Owen said. "Once I do... I need you to attack it all at once. I'm too tired to do the same thing. Okay? Everything you've got." His fingers trembled a little, showing his first signs of strain. "I'll... try to follow up."

 

[Ambyssin]

Bahamut nodded. "But of course."

 

[Dragonfree]

"...Yeah, you've got it." Dave wasn't sure how much they'd really helped here, but Owen sounded pretty sure all that was left was to attack. Warily, he gathered dark energy between his teeth.

 

[Namohysip]

"Okay..." Owen held his breath. "At three. One... two... three!"

The golden Protects disappeared; just as quickly, the pulsating thing screeched and blasted Owen with a red beam of energy. He held his wings forward to endure it, but that was the one moment when they were free to attack back. The storm felt like it was closing in on them, clouds swirling and overtaking the nearest buildings. This seemed a lot like what Astrid and Nate had described when touching Mewtwo...

 

[Ambyssin]

Bahamut drove Shining Blades into the creature. "Get away from him!"