Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Hands of Creation

Chapter 11 - Moving In

Kricketot chirped in the bushes. No moon filled the sky, but tiny white pinpricks, painted on the sky, took its place. Amia, with Alex beside her, led the way home with Owen and Zena. There was a little spring in the Gardevoir's step. Owen's tail and his Magmortar father's shoulders lit the way.

"Uh oh," Owen suddenly said, stopping.

"What is it, dear?" Amia asked.

"How is Zena gonna get inside if she's alone?"

Zena blinked. "What do you mean? Does it not open to certain individuals?"

"No, it's nothing like that," Owen said. "You need to do the password to get in. But you can't do it, because you don't have any limbs."

The Kricketot filled the void-like silence that followed.

"What?" Zena said.

Amia giggled. "Oh, Owen, that password is just for non-Guardians. If you're Mystic, it's easy to just will the boulder to the side, you know! I just put that switch there because once we had you, well, it wasn't going to just be me heading in and out of that spot..."

"W-wait... so only I was...?" Owen trailed off.

"What is this password?" Zena asked.

"Uhh—" Owen blushed. "It's not important."

"We'll have to teach it to Gahi and the others anyway, dear," Amia said. "But you won't need it if you're Mystic, Zena. So, Owen, that means you won't have to do the dance anymore! Isn't that nice?"

"A dance," Zena repeated, staring at Owen. She was clearly envisioning Owen cutting some form of a jig, based on the smile she valiantly suppressed.

Owen wondered if drowning was the better outcome after all.

"Ah, here we are!" Amia flicked her hand at the boulder. It rolled away effortlessly.

Owen looked crushed.

On their way in, Owen's fatigue returned to the forefront of his mind. "I can't wait to get some sleep."

"I just might sleep, too," Amia said. "It's not really something that we need to do, but—"

"Wait," Owen said exhaustedly, exasperatedly, "you don't have to sleep?"

"When you become strong enough as a Mystic," Amia said delicately, "a lot of the things that mortals need to perform become optional. Eating, sleeping..."

"But I like both of those things." Owen frowned. "What's the point of living if you can't get a good meal?"

"Well, nothing's stopping you!" Amia laughed. "A meal every now and then is wonderful! Besides, Owen, you just became a Guardian. You still need to eat."

Owen shifted uncomfortably.

"I slept quite a lot," Zena admitted. "It gets... boring, down there."

"I can imagine," Owen said. But on second thought, he couldn't.

He eyed the glowing mushrooms. "Mom? Are these mushrooms glowing because of your power?"

"They are, dear," Amia said. "I thought it made the cave look very pretty."

Owen nodded.

"Do you like them?"

"Yeah!" Owen said. "So—can you keep that, maybe?"

Amia beamed. "I'd love to. What about you, Zena?"

"They're much better than my dreary cave."

They walked through the empty town. The pit in Owen's stomach returned. He remembered the Arcanine that always greeted him. The kids playing in the main path. All his neighbors. Now it was empty and silent. Their steps echoed across the corridors.