"Stupid kid—get back—pfwaaagh!"
A Fire Trap exploded beneath Aerodactyl when he reached where Owen had stomped. Unfortunately, all it did was slow him down.
Hoping it would work again, Owen spent some of his time stomping on the ground, channeling his energy through his feet into the soil. This created another trap.
Owen turned down the corridor but then skidded to a stop. "W-wait! That's not fair!" he shouted.
Owen stared at the path—or, rather, the lack of a path—ahead of him. He had run into a dead end.
"You shouldn't be the one to complain about being fair!" Aerodactyl shouted, pushing through the second Fire Trap.
Owen spun around. Aerodactyl didn't immediately advance. Perhaps he recognized that Owen wasn't as easy to strike directly.
"Just—let me go!"
"Oh, no, no, no, I don't think I can do that," Aerodactyl said. "Not without some payment first. Your bag. Just hand it over, and I'll be on my way."
"No way!" Owen said. He glanced in his bag with the little time he had. He had too many precious items in it. The gift from Nevren, too. And all the items he picked up during exploration! Wait, the items!
"Ha!" Owen saw the small, blue sphere—an Escape Orb. He could use it. He'd be out of here without a problem! Owen smashed it on the ground. He was ready for the blue light inside to envelop him and take him straight to the entrance. Instead, the light and energy inside evaporated into nothing.
"What?" he said. A mysterious power had stopped the Orb from functioning. That normally only happened against Pokémon with powerful auras, or—
"Heh." Aerodactyl produced a strange-looking device from a satchel around his neck that resembled another Badge. "Jammer Emblem. Do you think I'd let you run off so easily? Everyone brings Escape Orbs. So, I bring a Jammer."
"Th-those are illegal! You can't use those without Heart permission!"
"Oh, no! Illegal! How terrible!" Aerodactyl sneered.
Aerodactyl took another step forward. Owen only had enough time to try one last trick. And his Totter Orb would be useless, too. He could try to use his Badge to escape—even if it was just a Provisionary Badge, it still had enough of a charge to escape. But within a Dungeon, it wouldn't have the energy or precision to take anything on him—just his person. All his gear—no, Nevren's gift, too! He couldn't use his Badge. He didn't have time, anyway; it needed a few seconds to activate. Seconds he didn't have.
Something knocked against his claws in his bag. A seed. It felt strange to the touch as if the air around it simply wasn't there. He knew the feeling. A Warp Seed.
Owen immediately shoved a seed in his mouth and chomped. In one second, he was staring an Aerodactyl in the face. In another, he was elsewhere. Owen, working off of the adrenaline rush, immediately ran ahead. If he could just find the—
He was in the same room he had been in before. He even saw the Aerodactyl emerge from the hall next to him. Owen fought against his momentum and scrambled backward.
Fortune was not in his favor. He ran from room to room, thinking Aerodactyl was in hot pursuit... and then, finally found a new part of the Dungeon section. One with the exit Waypoint... and Aerodactyl right next to it.
Aerodactyl caught sight of Owen at the corner of his eye. His huge jaw twisted into a smirk.
"Hey, there," he said. "Having trouble?"
Owen wasn't sure how long he'd stood there. It was just the two of them. The exit was out of his reach. But now, he knew that he had a solid target. That Aerodactyl wasn't going to move from that spot. So, if he could take advantage of that somehow, then maybe—
"Hey!" Owen said. "How about this?!" He grabbed something from his bag and threw it at the outlaw. It was another seed—one that, upon hitting him, popped and scattered a strange dust around the Pokémon.
"Wh—huh?! Why you—little—!" He stumbled where he stood, wobbling horribly. His jaws opened wide and he fired—unexpectedly—a set of rocky pellets toward Owen. Rock Blast!
He launched pellet after rocky pellet in a random direction, completely missing Owen. Now was his chance! Owen opened his mouth and returned fire with a heated plume. An Ember was less than ideal, but it at least did some work. All of his other techniques either required contact or required Aerodactyl to move to where he had been standing. Ember was all he had, or all he thought he could pull off against someone so much bigger and faster. Maybe Protect, but...
"Ngh—!" Owen narrowly dodged to the right, evading a lucky shot, but his momentum made him tumble to the ground. Aerodactyl was chomping at the air, now. Ice, Electricity, Fire, he seemed to be cycling through all kinds of biting techniques. How many could that guy use? Normal Pokémon couldn't use so many different techniques that rapidly!
Owen scrambled up—and felt a sharp pain on the back of his head. Everything felt upside-down, accompanied by a ringing noise.
"Ughn—no, I...!" he tried to stand, but a second rock smashed against the center of his spine. The force made him roll across the ground like a bag of berries—he couldn't feel anything on his lower half.
Aerodactyl tried to fire a third, but nothing came. "Tch." He spat out a loose pebble. "Must be getting tired." He winced at his burn. Then, he stepped toward Owen, who was too injured and dizzy to react, yet not enough to be kicked from the Dungeon.
"You gave me some real trouble, Charmander," Aerodactyl said. He pulled Owen's bag away and dug through it, but then recoiled. "Eh? Rawst Berry? ...On you?"
Owen glared even as Aerodactyl stared at him like he was an idiot.
The outlaw shrugged. With a chomp, his burn evaporated before Owen's eyes. "Well, I'll just take this bag as payment."
"N... no." Owen struggled weakly, a single hand still clutching at the strap. "You can't!"
"Looks like I can," he replied, munching on an Oran Berry next. He roughly tugged the bag away, jerking Owen forward. Aerodactyl's injuries vanished with a wave of blessed light at the same time that Owen's face slammed into the dirt. The outlaw let out a deep, refreshed sigh.
"P-please. At least give me the Eviolite that Nevren gave me," Owen said, holding himself up with an arm. "You don't... you don't need it. You're fully evolved. Or, er, you don't evolve..."
"Hmmm..." Aerodactyl looked at the glimmering stone. "Doesn't look like a normal Eviolite to me. I bet it'd sell well, though. Sorry, kid. I'm keeping it. And you're right. My species doesn't need evolution."
Owen tried to blast him again, but no flames came out; he could taste the fire on his tongue, but he didn't have the strength to push it further. He exhaled, but the flame was gone. The best he could hope for was that Aerodactyl would be merciful and leave him alone. Maybe he should have listened to his father. Everything that could have gone wrong, did. He couldn't even send a distress signal. His bag was taken, and therefore his Badge. Was this it?
He was breathing fast. Fear crept into his mind. Higher thoughts fuzzed out.
"Kid," he said, cutting Owen's repetitive thoughts. "I don't work like that. All I want is the goods. What happens after, I don't care. That's the way the world works. And the way Dungeons work nowadays." He took another step closer. "Here, let me help. I'll beat you up nice and good, and you can crawl back home like it was a bad dream. You ready?"
They locked eyes. His wing was raised. Owen didn't know if he'd be able to survive the blow. If he'd wake up at all at the entrance, or if he'd just be there, too weak to fight, left for the ferals.
"Please," Owen said.
The wing hung there, tense. But then the claws at the end clenched in what may have been a fist. "You want to be a Heart?" he asked.
Owen nodded.
"Then you deserve this." The wing tensed. "Nothing I hate more... than you Hearts." He lowered his wing and gave Owen a halfhearted kick, more like a push, that only accomplished a half-rotation of the Charmander's numb body.
"Thanks for the loot. Pick a different career. One that isn't... ugh, whatever."
He shrugged walking toward the Dungeon's exit. Owen's throat clenched as if trying to seal what little pride he had left inside his body.
"No way!" someone shouted.
Owen recognized that voice from earlier in the day. He turned his head weakly and saw an orange blur rush past him. A speedy Trapinch, a walking contradiction, and a welcome surprise. He weaved left and right, went in front of Aerodactyl, and then hit him directly with a full-body tackle.
Aerodactyl shouted and stumbled back. "You—oh, great. Hearts?!" His wings clutched the bag to his chest. "But it's just a bunch of runts. Is that your best?"
Demitri and Mispy were puffing at the other end of the hall, trying their hardest to catch up to their third member.
"Far from our best!" the Axew said, huffing. His tiny hands were barely able to grasp his scaly knees. "We're Team—uh, what was our team name, again?—uh—Alloy! Of the Thousand Heart!"
"Hearts," the Chikorita mumbled, using two vines to act as a fifth and sixth leg, since her normal four weren't enough to stay standing.
"Y-yeah! Hearts," Demitri said. "And we've got to be top-tier to get into something like that!"
"You seem new. Worst of the best, I take it?"
"Goodra Anam said that a ranked system isn't good for morale, so we aren't the worst or the best! We're just Entry-Level Hearts!"
"Guys!" Owen shouted hoarsely. "A little help?!"
All this time that they were talking, Owen saw the outlaw making sly, subtle movements with the bag. "He's trying something!" He might have disabled his jammer. And that could only mean he would use an Orb next.
"Hmph, think you're clever?" He pulled out the Totter Orb and threw it on the ground. Everything spun and distorted with flashing stars and vertigo. He was already numb and hoped he wouldn't have anything worse happen to his body.
"He's getting away," he mumbled.
"I got 'em!" Gahi said, rushing Demitri with a dark aura characteristic of his Feint Attack.
"G-Gahi! What's your problem?!" Demitri said. "He's right that way!" Demitri sliced at the wall, effortlessly cleaving huge chunks.
"Stop," Mispy mumbled, shutting her eyes.
"I'll get 'em!" Gahi said, striking out again with a dark tackle. He hit the wall.
The outlaw was mere steps away from the exit. But then, Gahi got a lucky shot on his next run. He shook the dizziness away, spotted Aerodactyl, and ran. The orange blur was in front of the outlaw in seconds, blocking his way out.
"How'd you—outta the way, peanut!" He opened his mouth and fired a volley of three rocks.
Gahi dodged them all—"I'm th' fastest peanut in the world!"—and countered with a solid strike with his massive head, square in the chest. The outlaw stumbled back, dropping the bag. In the amount of time he took to reach for it, Gahi took it and dropped it by Owen.
Good, Owen thought. The outlaw would give up and run away, and he'd be safe. Then he could head home and take a nice, long nap.
Instead, the outlaw roared and ran toward Owen.
Weakened and immobile, he shut his eyes tight, waiting for the inevitable impact that would kick him out of the Dungeon. And then, despite expecting nothing of it, he prayed to Arceus that he'd be able to wake up afterward.
Embarrassing. He didn't think Arceus was real anyway. This hope wouldn't be answered.
He heard an impact, but he wasn't the one to receive it. He opened one eye.
Demitri was standing in the way; he took the whole hit with one of his tusks. Miraculously, it didn't break, but it looked like it hurt. The follow-up wasn't any nicer—a strong jab to the side of Demitri's body with his other wing—but he stood anyway.
"Give it here, you—" Aerodactyl grabbed the bag. Owen didn't have the strength or reflexes to hang on. The outlaw turned around, sprinting for an escape.
"Mispy! Now!" Demitri shouted.
Then came a blinding beam of light. Aerodactyl screamed in fright, and then he heard the dull noises of punches and kicks and swipes. And then, panting. Gahi laughing. Demitri told him to quiet down.
Owen jumped when he felt something brush against his back.
"Eep—! O-oh, it's you," Owen said, spotting Mispy, clearly the healer of the team. Her vines gently rubbed at his spine.
"Shh," Mispy said. Her leaf glowed and released a soft light that clouded around Owen. All of the energy he had lost returned to him. He could feel his lower half again, too.
Shh, it's okay. It's okay, it's okay. Calm down. Sleep... Amia's words echoed in Owen's mind.
Owen recalled his scales evaporating into the aether.
That wasn't a dream.
Despite the healing, the phantom pain returned to him in an instant, and flashes of that past event clouded his vision. His muscles seized and his claws dug into the dirt, leaving tiny holes in the ground. Embers spilled from the sides of his mouth, and his eyes widened.
One of Mispy's vines bopped Owen on the forehead. "Stop that."
"B-buh—h-huh—" Owen snapped back to reality. "Wh-what happened?"
"You're fine," Mispy said. "Sh... shut up." She pressed her vines against his back again and focused. Healing energy continued to flow into him, and Owen, after a few seconds of tension, managed to breathe easily. He shut his eyes, thinking happier thoughts, like when he had cut his arm on a rock when he fell, and how his mother used the very same technique to patch him up.
"Nng, that's the spot," he said. "Was that Heal Pulse? You know Heal Pulse?"
"Mm."
"Hey, uh," Demitri said, rubbing his right tusk again. "Sorry about your bag." He handed the tattered remains to Owen. "Most of the items got ruined from Mispy's blast. But maybe there's—"
Owen grabbed the bag and rummaged through it desperately. "Ah!" He pulled out two items—his Provisionary Badge, and Nevren's gift. There were a few other berries and orbs remaining, too, but those were much less important. "It's okay. This is all I needed!"
"Hey, we still messed up your gear," Demitri said. "How about we bring you back with us to our mentor's place? He's kinda good at repairing bags and stuff. Maybe he can patch it up?"
"Oh! Okay." He didn't care about the bag. He got invited to a Heart's home! He wanted to see Rhys again, anyway.
Again?
"You okay?" Demitri asked.
"Dazed," Mispy surmised with a nod. She gave Owen a little smile. "And... dirty." She gestured to Owen all over.
He stared at the three for an uncomfortably long time. Mispy shifted from her right feet to her left feet. Gahi clicked his jaws.
"I think I know you guys," Owen finally admitted.
The three looked at one another. Then, back at Owen.
Mispy looked at Owen's eyes. He realized she was looking for a concussion.
"I—I kinda feel like we met before, too," Demitri admitted. "That's crazy! We must have good chemistry."
Gahi's jaws opened and closed in contemplation. "Meh. Let's go."
Owen rubbed his paws together to get off the dirt. "How'd you guys find me so quickly?"
"Well, we saw a bunch of Paras and other wild Pokémon near the entrance, so we figured you were still going through the Dungeon," Demitri said.
A pit of guilt weighed on Owen's stomach. "O-oh. They were still out of it? I didn't—I wasn't that hard on them, right? I didn't...?"
"Hey, self-defense," Gahi said. "Besides, this place is overpopulated with those pests anyway. Isn't enough food fer 'em ter all survive."
"W-wait, how badly were they—"
"Aah, they'll be fine. Wild Pokémon're real resilient, I figure."
But Dungeons... healed those, didn't they?
Demitri nodded and rummaged for their Badge. They walked to the exit of the Dungeon and finally passed through; their Badges all blinked in a slow pattern. The raised ground of rock, embedded trees, and dirt transitioned into an open woodland.
<><><>
"Great work on apprehending this Pokémon, Hearts," said a Watchog. "We will be sure to escort him away for his punishment."
"It—it was a setup! I swear!" Aerodactyl pleaded. He was still smoking from the Solar Beam, and his left eye was purple and shut completely from Demitri's Dual Chops. The Dungeon hadn't healed his injuries, either...
"I didn't mean to steal all those things! I was under Hypnosis! I'm—I'm a sleeper cell, secretly, eh, secretly I go crazy when my master wants me to!"
Owen didn't even need his sharp senses to see that lie. Watchog, too, was unconvinced.
"Nice try."
"Feh, quit yer lying," Gahi said. "Pay yer dues and don't do it again."
The Aerodactyl whimpered and ducked his head down, defeated.
"Oh—um," Owen spoke up, "I almost forgot, but, can I report something?"
"Report? What else would you like to report?"
"I don't want to... I don't want to make anybody feel bad, but there was this weird, really muscular, really angry-looking Snorlax in the same Dungeon that I found Aerodactyl—um, what's your name, Aerodactyl?"
"Like I'd tell you."
Owen flinched. "W-well... well, I just thought it was strange to see a Snorlax there."
"Hm, perhaps it was just your imagination. Were you hungry while fighting?"
"Not really. I just finished one of my rations."
"Perhaps you were seeing things. Still, I will report it. Do not be worried. Strange Pokémon like those are seen in Dungeons all the time, and it's nothing to be concerned with—so long as they don't wander out of those Dungeons." He mumbled the last part. "Eh—we let our Elite Hearts deal with them. Now then." He looked at Aerodactyl. "We will be going."
And so, he was escorted away.
"Hmm." Owen watched. "What else did Aerodactyl do?"
Demitri tapped his tusks thoughtfully, giving the top of a nearby building a pensive stare. "Well, he was wanted for theft. Targeted explorers and took everything they had on them. We took the assignment because you were there, too. Sorta spelled bad news, when you put two and two together, y'know? Chances are he's going to have to work his debts away to pay them all back. Maybe as a volunteer as a temporary rescue team member. I think they're called Broken Hearts. Make a living. Then once he's done, maybe he can continue that work with full pay."
"And repair that Broken Heart of his," Gahi sang mockingly.
"So, he pays back his debts, and gets a job in the process? I wish it was that easy for me," Owen mumbled. "My dad wants me to be a berry farmer because my sharp senses would let me tell when they're ripe or not."
Demitri scratched at his tusks. "Goodra Anam says that a lot of thieves only do what they do because they don't have the skills for anything else."
Gahi scoffed. "Feh, I think they're just weak-willed."
"So," Demitri continued, "what happens is they can contribute back to society instead of being worse than some random wild Pokémon."
"Yeah. I remember reading about this!" Owen said. "I can't believe it's so nice, though! I guess Heart of Hearts Anam is even better than I thought."
"Heh. Well, anyway, let's show yeh ter our personal Waypoint," Gahi said.
"Yeah! And—oh." Owen hesitated. "Before we go, can we take the Waypoint back to the Dungeon again?"
"Eh?" Gahi said. "What fer?"
"Just to check on something."
<><><>
"Yer serious."
Owen had brought Team Alloy back to the Dungeon's distortion. They were careful not to pass through and enter it all over again.
"Yer coming all the way here just fer some random ferals?"
"I didn't think I'd do that much damage. You said they were pretty beat up, right? And Aerodactyl looked hurt, too. Just... you know. Maybe Anam needs to bless the Dungeon again."
"Bah, he probably got roughed up by the recovery squad fer resisting arrest," Gahi said. "C'mon, yer fire ain't all that bad."
Owen's flame dimmed. "I just want to make sure," he said. "It wasn't that far of a walk, right? We'll head to Rhys' place right after. It'll just give me some peace of mind, alright?"
"Yeah, yeah." Gahi clicked his jaws together impatiently. "Could be having dinner by now."
"C'mon, Gahi, he's just worried." Demitri picked at a bit of dirt between two of his claws. "It's one thing to defend yourself, but I think Owen just wants to make sure he didn't go overkill on it."
"K-kill, yeah," Owen said, laughing hastily. "No need to go overkill."
Mispy closed her eyes, breathing out. "Ahead."
"Ahead?" Owen said, his eyes following the path for him. A small cluster of Paras skittered groggily about, each one with a burn here or there, some with their mushrooms looking particularly damaged or cooked. When Owen got closer, one of the Paras hissed and skittered away. The others did the same, almost in unison, and clustered together. Purple fog trickled out of their mushrooms, threatening to flood the arena if provoked.
Owen's flame blazed behind him, but he kept it hidden out of the ferals' sights. He dug through his bag, slowly pulling out a Rawst Berry.
"...Why's a Fire carrying around Rawst Berries?" Gahi said. "You guys don't get burns."
"Others do, though." Owen took a hesitant step forward.
The Paras all hissed at him, poisonous clouds thickening.
"I'm sorry I hurt you guys so badly," Owen said. "I know I entered your territory, and I was just going on a fun exploration. I shouldn't have been so careless about you guys. Just try not to attack randomly, alright?"
"Torch, they ain't gonna understand ya," Gahi said. "Besides, yer scaring them." He waddled closer. "Look. You gotta keep yerself small. They're already weak, so they ain't gonna fight back. Just look small and offer whatever y' wanna do, yeah?"
Gahi rolled a berry toward the Paras horde. A particularly bold one skittered closer, snatching the berry away. It nibbled a few times, still tense, and eventually relaxed after Owen did. The Charmander smiled, showing his teeth—a small mistake, as the Paras hissed and skittered away again.
"Good going," Gahi mumbled.
"Look, I'm not familiar with Paras, alright?" Owen rolled another one over. This time, a few more Paras leaked from the pile, nibbling at their offerings. And then a few more, and then more still, until the whole horde had gathered in front of them to feast on the bounty. Burns slowly reversed, cooked mushrooms simply looking a bit chipped. Dull light touched upon anywhere the burns had been, dimming when they were completely gone.
"Happy?" Gahi asked Owen once the Paras accepted the group as safe enough to tolerate. "Looks like these guys are."
Demitri and Mispy, once they saw that the poisonous fog had faded, joined them to watch the feral Pokémon up close. It was oddly calming to see the horde feed, watching the way their mandibles meticulously tore at the pulp. "You seemed kinda invested in this," Demitri commented. "I mean, they probably could have just climbed the trees and gotten it on their own, y'know?"
"Maybe." Owen watched a particularly small Paras wrestle with a particularly large berry, grinning—this time, without showing his teeth. "I guess I'm a little self-conscious about it."
"I guess y'did beat 'em up kinda bad," Gahi said. "Didn't think they looked that bad when we passed 'em by the first time. Maybe they're just the ones that got roughed up the most."
"You know... A lot of these don't look like your flames, Owen," Demitri said, pointing at the Paras. "Looks like some of these guys got hit by something a lot worse. But at least the burns are gone."
Owen rubbed his head. Foggy as his memory was, Demitri did have a point. He hadn't fought too many of them. He couldn't have burned these all. Still, it was a good thing he came when he did. "Either way, I'm glad I came to undo some damage."
"What makes you self-conscious, eh?" Gahi asked.
Owen smiled sadly. "Well... just fire in general, I guess. It's not like Dragon might, like Demitri, where it's... more graceful and controlled and... you know."
Demitri blushed under his green scales, rubbing at one of his tusks. "I dunno if I'm all that graceful."
"He ain't," Gahi confirmed.
Owen observed the Paras. The ones that had their fill skittered away thanklessly, while the more gluttonous ones remained to nibble on a few more.
"Basic Fire isn't the same as Dragon fire," Owen said. "It's... untamed. Violent. Hungry. If I don't keep it in check... I could do a lot more damage than I need to." Once the final few Paras left, Owen brought his tail forward and inspected the flame at the end. "I guess I just want to be careful. And if I slip up and get carried away... I want to make things right. That's part of being a Heart. No fighting if you don't need to."
Gahi said nothing. He opened his mouth, but then closed it, looking to Demitri and Mispy to say something instead.
"Hey, don't be so hard on yourself," Demitri said, patting Owen on the shoulder. "Dragon fire can do some serious damage, too. If it burns some bushes, it'll become a normal fire just from the heat. Ethereal or not, heat is heat. I guess I don't have to worry as much since, er, I usually just use brute force..."
Owen smiled, rubbing his nose. "Yeah, I guess that's true. You seem like you've got a lot of muscle; may as well use what you're good at. I'm a little on the scrawnier side."
Mispy smiled, sighing. "They're gone," she said, pointing a vine toward the departing Paras.
"Yeah." Owen stood up, his flame a cheerful orange. "Sorry for the detour. I'm ready to head to your guys' place."
"Meh..." Gahi looked at the eaten pile of berries. "I guess it's worth it."
<><><>
Demitri, Mispy, and Gahi lived in a small cave near the western base of the mountain. The rocks here were a lot lighter—closer to a reddish-brown color than the dark basalt of Kilo Village's crater. Hardy trees dotted the rocky exterior of their home, with Oran Berries growing from the tops of some, and apples from others. Gentle winds washed the leaves, making the ripe fruits fall from their branches when a particularly strong gust passed.
"Convenient," Owen said. "And the Waypoint led us almost right to here."
"Yeah, all Hearts get that sorta treatment," Gahi said. "Guess it's a benefit fer working under the Hearts, keeping the world nice and safe."
"Yeah," Owen said. "But, it's just so cool! The way you guys just beat that Aerodactyl without any trouble!"
"Well, there was a little trouble," Demitri said.
"Yeah, had ter keep yeh safe," Gahi said. "But sure. No trouble."
"Mnn." Mispy sniffed the air.
Owen smelled dinner.
"That smells good," Owen said. "Umm—so, your mentor! How is he? What's he like in person and stuff?"
"Lucario Rhys is, uh, he's nice," Demitri said. "He just happens to also be, er, strict, sometimes. You know. But it's all part of being trained, right? I guess it's not that bad."
"Jus' wish he didn't make us meditate all mornin'," Gahi said.
"Meditating?" Owen said. "You guys meditate, too? I do it all the time! It's really nice to clear your head."
"Aw, not you, too," Gahi grumbled, wobbling into the cave.
Mispy, too, was disappointed. "Boring."
"I—I'm not boring," Owen squeaked.
"Oi, Rhys! We're home!" Gahi said. "Mission went fine! Brought a guest!"
"A guest?" Rhys said. "I should prepare another portion."
Owen ran to get a first look. And there he was: Elite Heart Lucario Rhys. His red eyes were intense, but Owen felt oddly safe when looking into them. His aura sensors—the strange, black, teardrop-like extensions behind his ears—were a bit larger than average. His fur was long and thick against his body that screamed 'experience.'
"H-hi!" Owen said. "It's nice t-to meet you, Elite Heart!"
Rhys stared at Owen for a bit longer than Owen thought was normal. Owen noticed his fur puff out. For a split-second, his paws glowed with a light blue, aura ember.
"Rhys?" Demitri said.
"Sorry," Rhys said. "I was thinking about what I could prepare for a Charmander."
No, you weren't, Owen thought. "Oh! Anything's fine. I promise! I'm good to eat anything as long as it isn't dirt."
"Well, dirt ain't how Rhys cooks," Gahi said.
"Yeah, Rhys is a good chef!" Demitri said. "You'll love whatever he makes."
"Ha, okay." Owen took in the new environment. The immediate entryway was a short walk, perhaps only a few of his tiny paces. After the entryway was a larger, dome-shaped segment of the cave. The stone table in the middle of the room was where they ate; the edges of the room had equipment like a stone stove, cabinets, and shelves for storing nonperishable food. Owen was surprised at how elaborate it was. "You guys have a lot of stuff here!"
Rhys nodded. "With our earnings, we have been able to purchase a few luxuries."
Owen sat at the table. From where he was positioned, he could see further into the cave. It was like a hallway that split off into separate rooms. They seemed like ordinary rooms... but one seemed to be glowing.
What Owen saw next made him rub his eyes. There was a cloud—a very fine mist, like a pinkish haze. It didn't move with any breezes. Oh, no, Owen said. Now I'm starting to see things! Can anybody else—? Owen glanced at the others. Mispy's leaf was twitching like she had an itch. Demitri and Gahi were too focused on Rhys' cooking.
Rhys was moving stiffly. That was odd. He usually moved with a graceful flow. Did he notice?
"Rhys?" Owen spoke up. "Are you okay?"
"Y-yes, Owen, why do you ask?"
Owen looked at the pink cloud. Gone.
"Nothing. Just tired. So, uh." Owen grabbed his tail so he had something to do. "Team Alloy. That's a pretty cool name."
"Alakazam Nevren helped us come up with it!" Demitri said. "It's really cool. Something about how stronger metals are made from weaker metals working together. It's awesome!"
"Hmph," Rhys said.
"Heh, Rhys is mad 'cause he didn't say it first," Gahi said.
Owen giggled. He had to admit, it sounded clever. He certainly saw that kind of fighting in the Dungeon, too. They worked very cohesively. He wondered if he'd be able to contribute to a team like that...
Out of the corner of his eye, the pink mist bobbed in and out of the room.
Unable to contain himself, Owen asked, "Hey, so, is this cave haunted?"
"Yes," Mispy blurted.
"Baah, no it ain't," Gahi said, waving his head dismissively. "You guys're just superstitious. Sometimes the wind blows funny, that's all. Mispy always gets like this."
"It's true!" Mispy said.
Gahi and Demitri both looked at the hall. The pink mist was gone.
"L-look, this place is creepy sometimes, alright?" Demitri said. "We see little, like, colors floating around sometimes. All of us! So, it has to be real."
"Colors? Like pink?" Owen said.
"Pink? No, usually greens and yellows," Demitri said.
Rhys sighed, pausing his food prep. "I am the one who is most in tune with the aura," he said. "And I say that whatever phenomenon it is, it's nothing to worry about. Now, enough talk of spirits. Dinner is ready."
And just like that, their idle talk about ghosts subsided. It must have been a common occurrence for it to be dismissed so easily, but Owen decided to put this piece of the puzzle in his mental notes.
Rhys served out the food—a hearty stew, this time, filled with mostly savory items. Owen happily gobbled his portion; it reminded him of what he ate for breakfast. Breakfast... "Oh!" Owen suddenly said. "I—I forgot! My parents were gonna freak out if I didn't get back before the evening!"
Owen thought to use his Badge, but having just used it to return to the Central Waypoint in Kilo Village, it wouldn't have the energy to warp him again until tomorrow. More importantly, he didn't have a Waypoint registered for Hot Spot Cave—after all, if someone stole his Badge, they could theoretically warp right to that secret village. He'd have to use the public Waypoints instead, and then walk the rest of the way.
"Oh, don't worry," Demitri said. "We'll just bring you home instead! Your parents won't worry too much, right?"
"Dad might explode," Owen said. "Literally. He's a Magmortar, and he kinda does this thing with his arms when he's nervous, and I'm worried he might—like—fire into his own hand, or something. I dunno what happens after that. But he might actually die from anxiety if I don't get home in time."
"Uhh—well—too late now," Demitri said. "We'll just run really fast to get you there?"
"O-oh, uh, actually, about that. My parents said that I can't bring people back home because it's a secret where I live and stuff."
Owen wondered if Mispy stared at people with that 'Are you an idiot' look by default.
"I see," Rhys said, nodding. "That's understandable."
"Wait, it is?" Demitri said. "How is that—who has a secret home?!"
Rhys shrugged noncommittally. "Some areas enjoy privacy. Don't worry, Owen. But it's still unsafe to wander alone at night without supplies. Hrm, but your parents will still worry, won't they?" Rhys hummed again, looking between the three members of Team Alloy. "I don't think it would be a good idea to let you three go at a time like this."
This was his chance. "So, does that mean... you'll be bringing me there? Or, u-um, I can just go on my own."
"You may call me Rhys," he said with a small smile. "And I would be happy to."
He would? Owen didn't expect that to work. In fact, in hindsight, it felt forward, and rude. But there was an odd sort of familiarity that he felt with Rhys. Then again, aside from the Aerodactyl, that was how he'd been feeling all day. And Rhys seemed to know him, too, given how casually he spoke. He had heard from rumors that Rhys was usually incredibly stiff.
"Okay—Rhys. Um, since you're an Elite, I can trust you with a secret, right?"
"Of where your parents live?" Rhys asked. "Revealing this to me will change nothing."
"Okay. Then after dinner, it's really okay if...?"
"Yes. It shouldn't be a very long walk, yes?"
"Nope! The Waypoint is close."
With the thought that he'd be able to walk and talk with one of the best Hearts in the whole world, Owen ate the rest of his dinner faster than a Swalot.
Okay, Owen thought between bites. So, everything today feels weirder than usual. And I'm pretty sure I wasn't dreaming last night. Did Dad actually explode? Did I get attacked by another of those mutant things? Nngh, or am I just losing it? Nevren's a Psychic, right? Maybe he can fix my brain.
He then glanced at Rhys' room. He saw the pink mist again. Oh, Mew in the stars, he thought, taking his final bite. Can't I have just one normal day?