Dreams

[Tetra]

Koa woke to a red sky, and for a moment, his heart stuttered, half expecting to see fire and darkness andan Entei, but instead saw a familiar Lucario. Powehi. It was only a matter of time. And then he noted the rest of the Wayfarers. He'd barely explained Powehi to Anubis, how would he handle it...?

​

Powehi was barely present. More an impression of a Lucario in the Wayfarers' minds than an actual, visible avatar.

They would imagine him bathed in red light, his eyes burning, his paws planted firmly on a walking cane.

Anubis gazed upon the visage of the wizened Lucario, wreathed in flame and darkness. With slow, deliberate movements he lowered his head and bowed, ears pulled back in submission. "It is you," he said solemnly.

You? Koa cocked his head. Oh. He hadn't connected the dots but he supposed Powehi did bear a sort of resemblance to the entity he'd named Anubis for, didn't he.

"I'm not going to murder them, girl. Neither will I coddle them. The fate of this world rests with them, now – so whatever must be done to make them ready for what comes next, I will see it done."

"And what, exactly, 'must be done'?" asked Malachai, in a low, chittering voice.

Powehi's jaw flickered with a miniscule, joyless smile. "What you must already expect. Battle, after a fashion. What else?"

Anubis rose, attention fixed firmly on Powehi, tone grave. "Forgive me my lord, but how will a battle be enough? Can we not simply leave the little duck behind? Surely our power alone can overwhelm the Arthur rabbit. He fled from us before."

 

[Jackie Cat]

"It is you,"

Powehi gave the very slightest of nods, seemingly knowing what Anubis referred to, and considering the concept in the hound's mind essentially the same as the one he embodied. The shepherd of souls, in a sense.

"Forgive me my lord, but how will a battle be enough? Can we not simply leave the little duck behind? Surely our power alone can overwhelm the Arthur rabbit. He fled from us before."

"If only that were so," murmured the Lucario. "All your power flows through them... It flows through Betelgeuse. They have done an... adequate job of managing this so far. They were more competent than I dared imagine, in fact. Even so, the stresses of confronting Arthur on the very highest of ground will push Betelgeuse beyond their limits. Your collective Blacklight, and Arthur's own... could do almost anything to their body and soul. I do not wish to see a Voice of Life succumb to limitless Blacklight energy. You can imagine why, I am sure."

 

[Cresselia92]

A wave of heat overwhelmed Silver in his sleep, prompting Silver to wake up… or so he thought, as he found himself and the others in what seemed a blazing sky. Uncomfortable situation for sure, but after having been literally roasted alive mere days ago, that heat felt more like a mild hindrance in comparison.

“…Huh. Fancy decor. Tired of the endless black hole of edginess?” he quipped as he took in the new surroundings, more talking to himself than to… whatever jackal-shaped apparition that flickered in and out of view.

“Sheeesh! So stuffy…”

Silver turned his head to the bunny behind him, who was busy trying to look at something that kept evading her peripheral vision. With a huff, Lyra pulled the tip of her ear and started fanning her face, but the gesture made her cringe and drop her impromptu fan. It seemed that fanning herself only made her even hotter. “Oof! Kinda feels like being stuck in a sauna with no way to open the door to get out!”

Silver shrugged, not having an actual opinion of her observation, and focused his attention on what Powehi had to say. Another battle was imminent, apparently, which was something he fully expected at this point. They had faced all kinds of challenges, so what was one extra battle?

Lyra frowned and hummed something to herself, bothered by the dark patron’s words, and glanced at a seemingly empty spot while waving her paw.

“Ah! Right! Hi there! First time meeting each other, isn’t it? Name’s—” she blinked and focused her gaze somewhere else, “—Lyra! And you oughta be that guy Powehi, yeah? Well, here’s what I think!”

She thumped loudly with both her feet and motioned to the Porygon2, giving them an encouraging wink before trying to refocus on the elusive mirage.

“I believe in Betey! 100%, no contest! I might be a simple recent recruit, but I know they’ve been working hard to help us just as much as my friends helped them and everyone else, and my friends have grown much stronger also thanks to Betey’s powers! I know Betey’s up to the challenge, and if they gotta surpass their limits to finish this mission, then they will!!”

I sure hope they can. The alternative is far from reassuring… mused Silver, making sure to keep those thoughts strictly to himself.

 

[Tetra]

Well she sure is optimistic. Still, he had to admire that, given she was correct. "Betel can handle anything, they're as strong as any of us," Koa declared. "They won't be alone."

"The strength of a pack," Anubis agreed. "What do you mean by a 'battle after a fashion'? Do you have a test in mind?"

 

[Namohysip]

Zena was cautiously behind Owen--who seemed to have a more corporeal form, at the moment. He was looking at Powehi with a faint look of nostalgia, though he glanced away if his gaze ever went his way. He seemed to be thinking of other things, or perhaps theorizing.

"How can we strengthen or shield our host, then?" Mhynt said. "Time is short. We'd need something effective. If it means we will depart afterward, so be it... so long as we put an end to what we were brought here for."

 

[Jackie Cat]

"Betel can handle anything, they're as strong as any of us," Koa declared. "They won't be alone."

"The strength of a pack," Anubis agreed. "What do you mean by a 'battle after a fashion'? Do you have a test in mind?"

"How can we strengthen or shield our host, then?" Mhynt said. "Time is short. We'd need something effective. If it means we will depart afterward, so be it... so long as we put an end to what we were brought here for."

Powehi rubbed his temple and sighed. "It is not enough to be strong. They must be able to bear the hearts and souls of every Wayfarer at once who goes into battle with Arthur. It will be no small feat. I propose that I battle all of you together, and let you unleash your Blacklight powers against me to test their mental resolve. Should they struggle, I will not seize the opportunity to destroy you all as Arthur would."

 

[Shiny Phantump]

Lillian had heard of Powehi before. Gladion used Powehi's warnings as a point against Gladius. She forced herself to take a step forward, bracing against the dual forces of the wave of negative feelings battering her seventh sense and her own fear that the other Wayfarers would be mad at her for her idea.

"Maybe Gladius can help? I— I know he's not really been our ally, historically, but he knows a lot about Betel and a fair bit about corruption. He'd help if I asked him. He would!"

 

[Namohysip]

"...I understand," Mhynt agreed. "But I have one concern with this gesture, Powehi, as much as it'd be of help.

"You... appear to be one or two steps away from the grave, or some dormancy, whatever happens to you in your cosmic position," she stated. "And you're still trying to hold the Red Star back. Are you sure training us with a direct spar is something you want to do?"

 

[Jackie Cat]

Powehi managed a pained chuckle.

"I'll be alright. It is just... a lot of Radiance. It is difficult to contain, in the same way that a rising tide is difficult to contain. It will be over soon. And then... I will test your little lighthouse."

 

[Namohysip]

"Mm..." Mhynt nodded uneasily. She also glanced at Owen and Zena, wondering if they had further thoughts, but both seemed unsure themselves. "Well, as long as it can help her 'upgrade'..."