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Mewtwo's Lair

"Hug you? I'd crush you!" Owen said. On reflex he'd tried to get out from under Nova, but eventually seemed to resign himself to his fate--mostly because he could already feel his spirit drifting away. He'd die without this.

And Mhynt, sensing that time was short, vanished. In an instant, she was in front of Owen, her face like stone, and shoved the blade directly into his chest--straight to the heart. Owen's mouth opened in shock and surprise.

"Mhynt... wait...!"

"I won't let you die just as you're set free," Mhynt said. "I know you would refuse to let that happen to me. You would free me and let me live."

The blade went deeper. Owen was panicked--but it didn't look like he was afraid. "You'll--"

The shadow under Mhynt rippled. Her Umbral ability, which had been poorly developed, seemed to be staring at her from behind like a devil about to make a deal.

"To let you live, so you can for once enjoy after you've suffered..."

Upon closer inspection, Owen was not surprised at the blade in his chest. Instead...

It seemed the blade had no handle. It was also piercing the Grovyle.

The connection was made, and no amount of force would break them away now. And Mhynt had made this decision long ago with Powehi, not knowing what the outcome would be for her--only that it would help the one who had helped the Wayfarers in turn.

"What if... it kills you--?!"

"I don't care." Mhynt squeezed the blade again. "I didn't deserve to stand here. And your revelation... of being the one to take my place before we even arrived? It only confirms that. We took out Alexander. Forlas is safe from him. If I survive this... I will do more.

"But if the price to be paid to save your life is mine, then so be it," Mhynt hissed, Radiance and Shadow alike pouring from her blade. The Umbral darkness formed a dark puddle beneath them both. "I refuse... to give Alexander the last laugh."

A dark maelstrom swirled around them, completely consuming them. Radiance and light mingled all at once. Owen grunted, saying something over the rumbling turbulence that suddenly rattled the chamber. Blacklight sparks traced the ground, leaving small scorch marks and cuts...

But then, in the swirling chaos, they saw Owen reach toward Mhynt. She looked surprise.

Mhynt shouted, "No! Nova--Grace--Stop him!"

Then, with one last burst of strength, he pushed her away. The Leaf Blade clattered to the ground. Mhynt gasped, reaching for him desperately, before her Umbral shadow reached from below and pulled Owen down instead.

And then, it ended. A great plume of darkness drifted into and through the ceiling--the remnants of Owen's body. A lump of darkness remained on the ground, much bigger than Mhynt before. But... only one person remained as the inky darkness flaked off of the body like dust.

Mhynt--now a Sceptile--stood up shakily, looking at her claws. She looked forward. "Owen?" she whispered. "Owen?!"

No sign of him. She couldn't find where the Charizard had gone. Her Leaf Blade, once in Owen's body, evaporated into aura energy.

Mhynt couldn't find Owen, and the cold panic in her eyes said it all. But beneath her feet, watching her quietly, was a shadow that did not match her Sceptile form. It was a Charizard's. Her shadow seemed... stunned, and then pensive. Its seemingly immaterial hand... rose from its flat surface, reaching for Mhynt, yet seemed to hesitate to get her attention.
 
"Uhhhhhh..."

Unlike certain folks back home, Nova was not so spiritually inclined. So he really didn't know what the heck just happened. But he saw a sceptile with a suspiciously charizard-shaped shadow. So, Nova pointed down with a claw.

"I think you should look down. And behind you." He cleared his throat. "If your giant tail sheds pine needles or sap on me you're going to have to clean it up."
 
"What?" Mhynt turned around, finally realizing the full extent of her change. She looked... horrified at first, afraid to be near anyone--but then she saw her shadow reaching toward her. She recognized the claws.

"Owen?!"

Owen pointed at Mhynt's hand. Mhynt tried to reach for Owen's, but simply passed through. Owen made a swinging motion.

"Oh, I--"

Mhynt conjured her Leaf Blade, now much larger to compensate for her new size. The blade glowed faintly.

"Hello? Can you hear me?" the blade's light seemed to correspond with Owen's voice.

"Owen!" Mhynt sighed. "You're--is that really you?"

"...What were you thinking?!" Owen shouted, pointing at Mhynt. "Were you seriously about to throw everything away for me? What's WRONG with you?!"

Mhynt flinched at that, saying nothing. "I... I..."

"Ahem." Giovanni cleared his throat. "...I appreciate this... relatively happy ending for you all," he said, "but may I ask why there is a giant rift invading my abode?" He irritably adjusted his suit.
 
Nova blinked once. Twice. Three times. He scraped his right foreleg with the spikes of his left.

Okay, not dreaming. Or drugged. Hopefully.

"Is... is he your fucking sword?" Nova's crest fanned out, then constricted. "That's— I so badly want to make a joke here, but..." He shook his head.

And then Giovanni cleared his throat. Nova hastily turned around, his turquoise eyes glinting with mischief. "Right. Right. Introductions." He nodded, then gestured to Powehi. "Overseer, meet patron god of death, darkness, and despair." He turned to Powehi and gestured to Giovanni. "Patron god of death, darkness, and despair, meet Overseer." A pause. "Who's also technically an offworlder. And may or may not have been in contact with Auriga at one point."

He nodded with the self-satisfaction of chaos and returned his attention to Mhynt. "Okay. So. Wanna run us through how your ex is now your sword without speaking existential spiritual stuff that'll go over my head?"

Nova projected a tiny radiant halo around his crest and wagged his fish tail like a dog looking for treats. Or head pats.
 
Grace also blinked a few times in shock, trying to figure out exactly what had just happened.

So many things had happened in an instant.

"Wh— Mhynt, you evolved!" she gasped, pointing at the new Sceptile. "And-And-And Owen, you're her  shadow now? How does that feel? Are you both okay?!"
 
Even having watched it all unfold, Jade wasn't truly sure she'd ever understand what had just transpired. It was all too alien, too many strange, unreal powers at play. What was obvious, however, was that these two had been separated for aeons, and that both were willing to give everything for the other. And Owen already had, and that's why he'd become that monster they'd fought on that night so long ago. But now, maybe... he wouldn't have to sacrifice anything more.

"Is he... stable like that?" Jade asked hesitantly. Powehi had said he'd need an anchor, but... did being Mhynt's shadow count?
 
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