Rocky Road ~ House of Diyem, Eien, Mellow, and Toast

[Ambyssin]

Bahamut wrapped his tail against the air like a whip. "Perhaps now that you've grown bored of trying to act the part of a living weapon in a place that couldn't care less about that, you'll consider hearing us out?"

Then he shoved Owen forward with his tail.

 

[Negrek]

The trip to the Voidlands was easier than Nate had expected. One second in Diyem’s jungle-house, the next in nightmare hell. Which was almost a disappointment, to be honest. All kinda shadowy and purplish, but the place didn’t even feel all that fucked up. The foreboding might well be coming off the mewtwo, who was back to his creepy drifting routine.

Nate threw a quick look left, then right. Nobody there. Not that there should have been or nothing. It wasn’t like he was crazy, popping out shadow-selves at the drop of a hat. By his side Rocky was looking for something, too, or maybe just taking in the weird terrain. He would find something like this exciting, wouldn’t he?

Nate was about to say they ought to prepare some kind of defense, so the mewtwo couldn’t go in and try to infect one of them the way he’d done with Bahamut earlier, but then the necrozma just went and shoved Owen at the guy straight off, and what the fuck, Bahamut?

Nate conjured a protect shield for himself and braced for a fight.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

"Really, fella?" said Brisa, tilting her head at Bahamut. No matter.

She walked forward to keep by Owen's side, and took a breath of dusty Voidlands 'air'. Nate had a good idea, throwing up a shield. She did the same, just in case. Swallowing hard, she considered what she could call out to the Blacklight entity floating ahead of them. An appeal to reason? To compassion? All they knew about the consciousness buried inside was that it had been meant as a weapon without a will of its own, and it had folded to Dark Matter without any resistance... How terrible an existence it must have lead.

Her mouth opened, and no words came. What could she possibly say?

Dig deeper.

There was a sigh in the air.

"I wonder if he's lonely," said Sombra.

Brisa's ears flattened. Did her inner self really think asking to be friends was the right play? In this place? To this creature? Surely it would be better to... Well. She didn't have a better idea.

"Hey!" she called out to Mewtwo. "Care fer a conversation? I promise we're better company'n that fella yer used to."

She winced at how she sounded, but Sombra was smiling. Here went nothing.

 

[Namohysip]

They got his attention. His gaze bore no recognition or emotion whatsoever, and Owen, based on how he was concentrating, and then looked unsettled, wasn't drawing any conclusions, either.

"I think he might be looking for an opening," Owen said.

Red stood behind them, staring at Mewtwo in silence. His whole team loomed behind him, none of them looking particularly eager for a battle, but on-guard nonetheless.

"Can you hear us?" Owen called.

No reply.

"We don't want to hurt you. we just want to help."

No reply. But it drifted closer; now, it was only fifteen feet away from them, and five feet up.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

"What can we offer 'im?" muttered Brisa, thinking aloud.

"I'll let ya get a free hit on me if'n ya tell us what y'call yerself," called Sombra.

Brisa glowered at her Shadow. It wasn't like she didn't want that, but also, holy shit.

 

[Negrek]

"Bahamut, can you sense him like you did before?" Nate asked. "Or is he all empty again?"

He stood ready behind the protect shield. One way or another, he had a feeling this was going to come down to a fight. Nate looked up at the mewtwo and said, "We heard what happened from Sword," Nate said. "Getting pretty crowded in there, ain't it? We got, what, a mewtwo, a dark matter, and some kinda eternatus thing? You ain't gotta put up with that shit, Mewtwo. Kick those other assholes out and take your body back. I know you got it in you."

Not that it would mean much coming from him. Nate turned back to Red. "Can you ask him to fight, too? I know you're good at connecting with pokémon."

 

[Ambyssin]

Bahamut was concentrating. He wasn't saying anything, but was firmly focused on Mewtwo. Though to onlookers it would appear more like he was looking past the guy.

"I know you're in there. I sensed you last time," he projected. "You never truly had a chance to experience life for yourself. You're being suppressed in a vein attempt at trying to get more power. Trust me... I understand the sentiment."

 

[Namohysip]

More silence. Tense silence. Half the team was talking to them with words, and the other half seemed to be speaking with thoughts. Mewtwo was ten feet away from them, and now he was only barely hovering above the ground.

He stopped once he was five feet away. The red star in his chest pulsed with an ominous energy.

He's not preparing any attacks, Owen said. I don't... think he wants to fight? What's going on...?

It was a stare-down. Would someone make the first move?

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa blew out a long breath.

"If he ain't fightin', one of us has gotta show we're prepared t'trust him with a chance to make peace."

She let her shield fade, and slowly, carefully, walked forward to the floating weapon.

If she touched him with a Radiant tether . . . would that be the first time he'd have felt trust? Compassion? Anything?

 

[Negrek]

"Be careful," Nate said. "I highly fucking doubt that parasite mark is going nuts because he wants to make friends."

And... what exactly would they all do if the mewtwo turned around and shot an eterna-thing at Brisa? Guess they'd be facing two enemies, then.

Diyem said he'd pull them out if things got dicey. He'd have to have faith in that. "Can you hear me, Mewtwo?" Nate asked. "Can you give me the old finger-twitch or something if you're listening?"

 

[Ambyssin]

Bahamut kept a stoic look on his face. He mentally probed around to see if he could execute a dive like he did with Owen.

"We know you're in there. It's time you became your own person and not just some tool. Don't become me... don't become someone with nothing but power and emptiness. You will find that regret fills that void."

 

[Namohysip]

Owen stepped forward with Brisa, but gave an acknowledging nod to Nate. Then, he looked at Bahamut, recognizing that state of his. He nodded to him as well, then made eye contact with Mewtwo.

"It's going to be okay," Owen said.

I'm going to do something stupid. Nobody panic.

Mewtwo's fingers twitched a few seconds after Nate asked for it, but then the red star pulsed even brighter, and he stopped moving again.

Mewtwo's mind was not letting Bahamut in at all. It was like something was forcing Bahamut away--a dreamcatcher net that prevented his mind from entering. It felt sickening and full of malice. But Bahamut could feel one thing--not a word, not even a thought, but perhaps an emotion. Somewhere deep inside, someone was fighting, perhaps for the first time in their life. And they were afraid.

Do you guys trust me to try this? Owen asked, standing beside them. A Stored Protect floated behind him, out of Mewtwo's view.

 

[Ambyssin]

Bahamut nodded. "Go for it. Something's fighting within, but the hex has it caged in."

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa bit down hard on what she'd been about to say. This was an impromptu ambush, after all. She trusted Owen. She trusted her own guts. Okay.

Do it.

 

[Negrek]

Nate broke out smiling when he saw the mewtwo's fingers twitch. "You're doing it!" he said. "Keep fighting! We know you can do it!"

"The parasites keep on losing," Rocky added. "One of them got Owen, but he made it go away. You're super strong! You can win, too!"

You know this shit better than anybody, Nate told Owen. Do what you gotta do. We'll watch your back.

 

[Namohysip]

Okay. Don't panic.

Owen then looked at Mewtwo. Everyone else had him vulnerable. Red was speaking to him. Nate got a reaction out of Mewtwo. The Parasite's hold was weakening. Brisa was readying to reach out as well. Bahamut confirmed it all.

The Parasite was fighting back, though. But he sighed, and his flame dimmed. "Ngh..." Owen looked strained. "I'm... I don't really know if it's me or anything but... something about this place is messing with me. I don't know why, I... I think I came in here too early after that fighting..." He was breathing out Blacklight plumes in billowing clouds. Was something wrong with Owen?

Suddenly, a nearby tree branch fell. "Huh?" Owen turned his entire head toward the branch, completely lowering his guard while only a few feet from Mewtwo.

And that's when Blacklight Mewtwo's chest burst open from the star, a Parasite leaping out--this one was larger than all of the others, and seemed to glow with a darker energy than the rest. Owen didn't turn--the parasite bumped into his chest...

And fell on the ground, encased in a thick layer of Protects. The Stored ones behind Owen had seemingly teleported.

Wishkeeper emerged from the tree, looking relieved. Owen, meanwhile, breathed deeply to bring his Blacklight levels back to normal...

Mewtwo crumpled to the ground, unresponsive.

 

[Ambyssin]

"Like a rattata in a poaching trap." Bahamut glanced skyward, not even fazed by how dreary it was compared to Cibus'. "Hey, can you hear us out there? Owen fished out the parasite. But how do we safely extract it from your insides? Unless you're willing to digest it or something." Maybe his shacking up with Eien gave him immunity any parasitic effects. Though Bahamut had to wonder why these kinds of things even existed. He knew of parasites that infected mortal hosts, for sure. But they caused tangible sickness. Fevers, joint pains, vomiting. That kind of stuff. This was on a whole other level.

Nevertheless, Bahamut floated up to Mewtwo. He pointed a lower wing down and channeled a Morning Sun. Gently. Didn't want to upset Diyem's... insides or whatever.

Somewhere out there I'm sure there are people into this kind of garbage.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

"Well done," Brisa told Owen. He'd be alright. She ought to prioritise the poor creature in front of them.

Brisa padded up to Mewtwo, grimacing at how pathetic he seemed, a bioengineered living superweapon looking totally vulnerable. She had no idea if she should touch him, if he'd react badly, if he'd recognise it as a good thing, or a threat. ...But if he reacted badly, so be it. She could take it.

Brisa put a paw to Mewtwo's shoulder and used the smallest measure of Radiance to send her feelings his way. Relief. Worry. Hope. Uncertainty. Compassion.

It's gonna be okay. Stay still. Take deep breaths. Trust me, if you can. It'll be okay.

 

[Namohysip]

Mewtwo immediately tensed up and there was a Psychic wave that tried to push Brisa away, but moments later, it seemed to disappear. A thin golden energy protected Brisa, undoubtedly from either Owen or Bahamut; it was hard to tell while focused on Mewtwo.

But then it calmed. Mewtwo tried to move, but couldn't. His chest was spewing an ethereal mist. But Bahamut's Morning Sun was slowing the flow.

Red approached next, but so far, did nothing. He only stared last Mewtwo, gaze piercing through everything else.

"...I can sense his body language," Owen reported to them. "He's... moving on his own. He's weak. He can't do anything right now, so be gentle." And he's also afraid, and might act aggressively anyway. He doesn't seem to be afraid of any of us specifically, though. I think we're on the right track.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Brisa frowned. When Sword had been freed from the Worldcore, her body had collapsed at first, core shattering into pieces. If Mewtwo was a similar being to her, would he suffer a similar experience? Could he survive the way she had? Brisa resolved to believe he could.

She maintained her connection with him, and focused, shedding Radiance and Shadows into the air as she kept herself calm. Mewtwo would feel that peacefulness too.

Easy, there. You're safe. You'll be alright.