Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Hands of Creation

Chapter 137 - One Hour

Owen's heart was pounding. He looked at the clock, which suddenly felt like it was ticking down much faster than it should have been. If only Dialga was here...

For what? Owen finally asked. Why are you working for him? What... did you do?

Mhynt didn't answer immediately. She was choosing her words, which meant she was probably responsible for atrocities of her own under his command.

Because I am under his control, Mhynt said. Even this is a risk. In a moment of weakness, I... submitted to him. He's cunning like that, Owen. And what I said... was a half-truth. He did save Kilo from Dark Matter, if only because he wished to rule it instead. That's all he wants, even before that power corrupted him further. He wanted power.

Then, he was always this way?

You know for yourself, don't you? Mhynt slid a long word in place.

That was true, Owen thought darkly. Even before he'd been involved in actually using Dark Matter's power, Alexander had acted on horrible thoughts during the war, against Owen's orders. That had been what led to his exile to begin with.

He put another word down on the board. What led you to following him?

Mhynt looked ashamed. He had Remi. I... freed her. But it was almost like a trade, because he claimed me after.

Had Remi. She's free?

...Yes. I think she is, even if she doesn't remember.

Owen's heart raced. All of the prizes so far had been real. One was Remi's location, which he'd failed to get. With that blank token in his mind, he asked, Do you know where she is?

I do now. Or, part of her. I think I met her a little while ago, and sent her away so Alexander wouldn't take her again. She took the form of a Salazzle wraith.

A Salazzle? Owen squinted. How?

She must have changed her form somehow. Void Shadows can do that.

Diyem had said part of her was in the Voidlands, but then got free. This was adding up. A Salazzle with dark powers... Owen didn't know anybody quite like that.

I only know one Salazzle. Her name is Spice. She has a sister; her name was... Sugar.

Mhynt tilted her head. Salazzle sisters, around the same age? That's incredibly rare.

I guess? Why?

Mhynt shook her head, like it was unimportant. Why do you remember them so well?

They run one of my favorite shops. Chocolates and other treats.

You aren't much of a sweet tooth, Owen.

Well, I guess... I just liked shopping there. Even across Resets, I tended to remember going there. I just figured it was a good place to get food. Why was he rambling about it so much? So fixated... Are you s-saying...

Did either of them have something odd?

Well... Spice... was... She had a lightning scar from... something... Owen rubbed his head. I think I remember... she had trouble healing with blessed berries, so she used natural salves and her own body's healing, or something.

Blessed... Necrozma's light, then.

You can't mean she's Remi. But she did, and Owen knew it. His heart was racing again. Then why didn't she... tell me anything?